The Film Daily (1945)

^ ik Thursday, March 1, 19 neui films %v ^ "It's a Pleasure!" with Sonja Henie, Michael O'Shea RKO-lnternational 90 Mins. EYE-STUNNING ROMANTIC MUSICAL IN TECHNICOLOR IS A FONT OF ENTERTAINMENT. Sonja Henie makes her first appearance in Technicrior in a romantic musical that is a sizable artistic achieve.nent. David Lewis, assisted by Don Loper, has given Internati:nal Pitcures' "It's a Pleasure!" a stunning and ultra-lavish production that fills the eye to overflowing with its impressive use of color. On the basis of its physical aspects and the expansiveness, glamor and breath-taking beauty of its production numbers the picture will win wide acceptance. The f.lm's entertainment facets are many and varied and have been brought out at their brightest without financial stinting. Miss Henie and Michael O'Shea, moving among settings and set decorations that are the realization of a dream in Technicolor, work out their romantic destiny in a script by Lynn Starling and Elliot Paul which, while conforming to pattern, manages always to be interesting. A good deal of sentiment has gone into the story of two iceskating whizzes whose marriage is almost wrecked by drink and another woman (Marie McDonald). The skating star appears in a number of glittering and spectacular ice ballets that are as fine as anything of the kind done on the screen. Technicolor points up her physical attributes. The surrounding cast is filled with lovelies, with Marie McDonald marked for special attention from the men. The camera work of Ray Rennahan, the art direction of Wiard B. ihnen and the set decorations of Julia Heron merit huzzahs. CAST, Sonia Henie, Michael O'Shea, Bill Johnson. Marie McDonald, Cgs Schilling, Iris Adrian, Cheiyl Walker, Peggy O'Naill, Arthur Loft, A!yce Fleming, George Brown, Jack Chefe, Don Loper, Tom Hanlon, Lane Watson. CAST: Producer, David Lewis; Associate Producer, Dan Loper; Director, William A. Seiter; Screenplay, Lynn Starling, Elliot Paul; Cameraman, Ray Rennahan; Art D rector, Wiard B. Ihnen; Set Decorator, Julia Heron; Film Editor, Ernest Nims; Sound, C. J. Jowett, Arthur Johns; Musical Director, Arthur Langa; Musical Score, Arthur Lange; Choreography, Don Loper. iDIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Superb. Van Straten in New Post Van Straten, who was comptroller for WHN for more than 12 years, has been elected assistant treasurer of M-G-M International Films, Inc., of which Arthur M. Loew is president. Van Straten has already taken up his new post at the company's headquarters in 723 Seventh Ave. O'Malley KUled in Fall West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — John O'Malley, stage and screen actor, was found dead Tuesday in the surf near Santa Monica, after a car in which he and two girls, also killed, skidded over a 50foot cliff into the ocean. He is survived by his wife and two children. Perkins, Inventor, Stricken Waterloo, la. — Seth Emerson Perkins, 86, inventor and manufacturer of the theater curtain carrier that is used the world over, died at his home here following a heart attack. "High Powered" with Robert Lowery and Phyllis Brooks (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Paramount 60 mins. GRIPPING OFFERING WITH UNUSUAL BACKGROUND SHOULD FIND FAN FAVOR. This is a gripping offering laid against a new background — a high-octane gas plant. Broad comedy is introduced as relief. William Berke effectively handled the direction, while William H. Pine and William C. Th mas were the producers. Robert Lowery, who has worked on booms and rigging, is induced to return to work at a gas plant by Roger Pryor, who taught him how to be a "high man." However, Lrwery, who figured in an accident in which his partner had a fatal fall from a boom, will only work on the ground. In trying to adjust rigging to save one of the octane tanks, Pryor is trapped on a rigging high in the air. Finally conquering his fear of high places, due to his former accident, Lowery goes to his rescue. Phyllis Brooks and Mary Treen furnish the femme interest, and Joe Sawyer and Vince Barnett many of the laughs. CAST: Robert Lowery, Phyllis Brooks, Mary Treen, Joe Sawyer. Roger Pryor, Ralph Sanford, Billy Nelson, Ed Gargan, Vince Barnett. CREDITS: Producers, William Pine and William Thomas; Director, William Berke; Author, Milton Raison; Screenplay, Raison and Maxwell Shane; Cameraman, Fred Jackman, Jr.; Supervising Editor, Howard Smith; Editor, Henry Adams; Art Director, F. Paul Sylos; Musical Score by Alexander Laszlo. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Iwo-Jima Battle Footage In Newsreels Next Week (Continued from Page 1) ably in the past year," Claude M. Collins, Washington co-ordinator for the newsreel pool, said yesterday in discussing the material from IwoJima which has gone into the reels being made up today for release next week. The Iwo material and that from Manila, excellent though it is, is not surprising, Collins said, in view of the steady improvement in the quality of the material turned out by the service crews. "The boys are really learning their jobs," he said, "and show every evidence that their training has been excellent. Much very fine footage has not been seen in the newsreels because of the limit on reel length. Actually, the service crews are turning out far more usable matter than is absorbed by the shortened reels. All this is in addition to the thousands of feet of top-flight material from the newsreel pool cameramen on the various fronts." Collins spoke also of the speed of shipment of the footage from the fighting fronts to Washington. Faster and faster service is the rule, he pointed out, mentioning that the Navy material on Iwo was sent by special courier from a carrier lying oflt" the island. One individual flew it to Washington in 85 hours, going without sleep but changing planes in order to get it here as soon as possible. "Delightfully Dangerous" with Jane Powell, Ralph Bellamy, Constance Moore UA-Rogers 93 Mins. ROMANTIC MUSIC, ATTRACTIVE PRODUCTION AND POWELLS PRESENCE WILL SELL THIS ONE. The youthful charm and sweetness of Jane Powell, the class with which it has been produced by Charles R. Rogers with the aid of Joseph S. Tushinsky and the novelty effect achieved in its producticn numbers are the main attractions of "Delightfully Dangerous." The pull of the film is stronger on women than men. Not the least of the appeal to women is based on the romantic flavor of the music, which consists of songs by Morton Gould anji Edward Heyman and Strauss melodies. The score is a melodic delight that ought to please every music lover. The film is under the handicap of a story that is weak and stereotyped. It presents Miss Powell as a student at a girls' school who believes her sister (Constance Moore) is a musical comedy star when in reality she is a burlesque queen. Badly disillusioned when she discovers the truth, the youngster, determined to lift sister out of burlesque, gets a noted Broadway producer (Ralph Bellamy) to sign up Miss Moore. The lillle trickster also wangles a role for herself. Must you be told the show goes over with a bang and Bellamy develops a romantic feeling for Miss Moore? Arthur Lubin's direction tends to listlessness. Miss Powell is given ample opportunity to sing. Her fellow players are not at their best. Arthur Treacher helps a lot as the main laugh dispenser. CAST: Jane Powell, Ralph Bellamy, Constance Moore, Morton Gould and orchestra, Arthur Treacher, Louise Beavers, Ruth Tobey, Ruth Robinson, Andre Chariot, Shirley Hunter Williams. CREDITS: Producer, Charles R. Rogers; Associate Producer, Joseph S. Tushinsky; Producticn Manager, Joseph H. Nadel; Director, Arthur Lubin; Screenplay, Walter DeLeon, Arthur Phillips; Based on story by Irving Phillips, Edward Verdier, Frank Tashlin; Cameraman, Milton K;asner Associate Musical Director, Charles Previn; Film Editor, Paul Weatherwax; Art Director, Duncan Cramer; Set Dacorator, Jacques Mapes; Sound, Max Hutchinson; Sengs, Morton Gould. Edward Heyman; Musical Numbers staged by Ernst Matray. DIKECTION, Passable. PHOTOGRA.''HY, Fine. Rescue WB's Cliff Almy From Japs' Prison Camp Cliff Almy, veteran manager for Warners in the Philippines, and Mrs. Almy were among the Americans rescued by our troops in the daring raid on the Jap prison camp at Santo Tomas, Manila. The couple, who has been prisoners since early 1942, were reported in fair condition. Sgt. Paul Gibbons Slain Scranton, Pa.— S/Sgt. Paul Gibbons, son of Dr. and Mrs. Frank Gibbons, a former employe of the to-.^ Comerford, and an aerial gun1^^ ner with the 8th Air Force in ■''^ France was killed in action over Germany, according to word received by his parents. 'Sudan' with Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Turhan I Universal 76 Mi THIS TECHNICOLOR EYE-FILLER Wl| FIND KIDS ITS MOST APPRECIATI PATRONS. "Sudan" possesses a story-book qual and a super-abundance of action that v win it the enthusiasm of the kids, grown-ups the film, produced in dazzli Technicolor by Paul Malvern and provid with striking and expansive settings, little more than something pretty to gai upon. The story is too infantile to be a cepted with a straight face. Maria Mo tez in fetching costumes is a bait for t men, while Jon Hall and Turhan Bey off the women something to snap at. All the tricks known to melodrama haj been drawn upon to create excitement in story that is extremely trite and not e pected to carry believability or convictii since it is offered as a fairy tale set in^ mythical land in the Sudan. Miss Montez plays a queen whose fath is killed by the royal chamberlain (Georj Zucco), who puts the blame on Turh; Bey, head of a band of former slaves. Mi Montez and Bey fall in love, with neith aware of the other's identity. Upon di covering who her lover is, the queen coi' demns him to death only to learn the trul in the nick of time. The windup fin« Zucco dead and the lovers reunited. J< Hall is a thief who helps the lovers. Anc Devine supplies the laughs as Hall's p^ CAST: Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Turhan Be Andy Devine, George Zucco, Robert Warwic fhil Van Zandt, Harry Cording, George Lyn Charles Arnt. CREDITS: Producer, Paul Malvern; Directo John Rawl.ns; Screenplay, Edmund L. Har mann; Cameraman, George Robinson; Art Diret to:s, John C. Goodman, Richard H. Riede Sound Director, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decors tors, Russell A. Gausman, Leigh Smithr Specie Effects, John P. Fulton; Musical Score, Miltd /<osen; Musical Direction, M;lton Rosen; Fi.l Editor, Milton Carruth. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Excellen; Exhibs. Pay Mortgage On Betsy Bogart's Home IVcst Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILi Hollywood — Five hundred Souther) California exhibitors ad exchange men presented a paid up mortgagi on her home, $3,250 in War Bond; and $500 in cash, to 65-year-old Mrs Betsy Bogart, booker for Warnei Bros., who is retiring after beinj employed for 30 years on Los An geles film row. In addition to thest gifts, Charles P. Skouras, chief bar ker of Los Angeles' Variety Club gave her a personal present of $75( in War Bonds. Harry M. Warner, Skouras, Jacl Brower, Jack Berman and Free Wehrenberg were among speakers. Zachary Scott 111 li'cst Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILi. Hollywood — Zachary Scott, Warne feature player, has been ordered bj doctors to take a complete rest fol lowing a combination flu and bron ehial attack. As a result, startinj date of his next picture, "Dangei Signal," has been postponed t( March 19.