The Film Daily (1945)

Friday, March 9, 1945 TMil n DAILY New Manpower Bill Sets WMC Authority (Continued from Page 1) '•^ Manpower Commission to survey labor utilization by all employers, and to establish ceilings on the size Hf the labor force each is entitled }. This vote came late yesterday, with the Revercomb amendment already having been voted down. The amendment proposed by Senator Chapman Revercomb, R., W. Va., had attempted to limit the labor cut WMC may order to 50 per cent of the labor force employed by the individual firm as of the time the bill becomes law. Exception had originally been made in the case of places of amusement, including theaters, with Revercomb proposing that the 50 per cent limitation not apply to theaters and other amusement places. Before the amendment was voted down, Senator Sheridan Downey, D., Calif., had offei-ed an amendment to remove the exemption of places of amusement, and Revercomb had accepted it. The bill now goes into conference, where it will be considered along with the much stronger work-orfight bill passed by the House over a month ago. It is anybody's guess what will finally come out of the conference. Bastogne's Veterans At "Enemy Strikes" Preview The press preview of the new War Department short "The Enemy Strikes," to be held Monday, will be highlighted by the attendance and talks of Brig. Gen. Stewart E. Reimel, regional representative of the Army Service Forces, and two veterans of the heroic Bastogne garrison in the "Battle of the Bulge." Lt. Clair L. Hess, who will speak at the screening, was the executive officer of his company at Bastogne. He will be accompanied by an enlisted man who fought in the same attle. "The Enemy Strikes," produced by [he Army Pictorial Service, tells the dramatic stpry of the von Rundstedt break-through last December. Much of the story is told in captured German footage not previously released to the public. The film depicts the danger of enemy counter-attacks until the final day of victory and the importance of maintaining full war production. ;! WLB Ends Hearings On RKO-Guild Controversy Hearings on the contract dispute ^ between RKO and the Motion Picture ; Guild Operating Managers and As; sistant Managers Guild, which rep resents managerial help in the cir^ cult's theaters in this area, have I terminated before the Regional War Labor Board. REVIEUIS Of n€UJ Films "There Goes Kelly" with Jackie Moran, Wanda McKay Monogram 61 Mins. MYSTERY MELODRAMA WITH TOUCHES OF COMEDY AND LIVELY ACTING SHOULD SATISFY. Melodrama addicts will derive entertainment from "There Goes Kelly," which was produced acceptably by William Strohbach, considering the modest budget, and directed at a swift pace by Phil Karlstein. Run-ofthe-mill comedy injected into the proceedings from time to time will contribute further to the diversion of audiences at which the film is aimed. Jackie Moran and Wanda McKay are the top cast names. Moran is a page boy for a radio broadcasting company who tries to get Miss McKay, a receptionist, a break as a singer. The lad finds himself drawn into a murder mystery when a vocalist is slain during a rehearsal. Moran and another page boy (Sidney Miller) set forth to solve the mystery. The lads uncover evidence that helps to crack the case. Of course. Miss McKay at the end is on the way to being a success on the air. The film has some lively acting on the part of the principals. CAST: Jackie Moran, Wanda McKay, Sidney M Her, Ralph Sanford, Dewey Robinson, Jan Wiley, Anthony Warde, Harry Depp, George Eldredge, Edward Emerson, John Cilbreath, Pat Cleason, Don Kerr, Charlie Jordon, Terry Frost, .lalph Linn, Gladys Blake. CREDITS: Associate Producer, William Strohbach; Director, Phil Karlstein: Screenplay, Edmond Kelso; Additional Dialogue, Tim Ryan; Cameraman, William Sickner; Supervising Film Editor, Richard Currier; Art Director, E. R. Hickson; Set Decorator, Vin Taylor; Sound, Tom Lambert; Musical Director, Edward J. Kay. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Australian Studios to Start Two New Features Melbourne (By Air Mail) — Harry Watt, director of British Ealing Studios of Melbourne has announced that his organization will star "Chipps" Rafferty who played in the lead in "40,000 Horsemen," and "The Rats of Tobruk" in a new picture "The Overlanders." Production is scheduled to commence in March. Sydney (By Air Mail) — Cinesound Productions Pty. Ltd., will commence production in March of a feature film based on the life story of Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, K.B.E., M.C., who made the first flight from America to Australia in the famous Southern Ci-oss. DeVry Names Ehlers As Mexico City Distributor Chicago — Edward DeVry, secretary-treasurer of the DeVry Corp., has returned here from a month's Western and Mexican inspection trip, setting up a post-war distribution system. He named Casa Ehlers as Mexico City distributor. Shan Sundra, representative of the Globe Radio and Engineering Co. of Delhi, India, DeVry distributors, is here for a factory visit. He says the business outlook in India is most favorable for American equipment. "The Crime Doctor's Courage" with Warner Baxter Columbia 70 Mins. LATEST OF SERIES IS FAIR-TO-MIDDLING MELODRAMA; SCRIPT TOO WORDY. The newest of the films deriving from Max Marcin's radio serial isn't too successful an exercise in the art of melodrama. The screenplay of Eric Taylor leaves a lot to be desired, going overboard on gab and wasting more time than necessary in getting down to business. Those who like lurid touches in melodramatic entertainment and the radio program's large army of fans will be those primarily appealed to by "The Crime Doctor's Courage." Dr. Ordway, in the person of Warner Baxter, cnce more is called upon to apply his scientific knowledge to the solution of a murder mystery. Naturally suspicion rests on a number of persons, among them being Stephen Crane, husband of Hillary Brooke, his third wife, the other two having come to violent ends. Death eliminates him as a suspect. The killer turns out to be a studious fellow in love with Miss Brooke. George Sherman's direction has failed to get the best out of the players, Baxter included. Rudolph C. Flothow had produced passably. CAST: Warner Baxter, Hillary Brooke, Jerome Cowan, Robert Scott, Lloyd Corrigan, Emory Parnell, Stephen Crane. Charles Arnt, Anthony Caruso, Lupita Tovar, Dennis Moore, Jack Carrington, Kng Kong Kashay. CREDITS: Producer, Rudolph C. Flothow; Director, George Sherman; Screenplay, Eric Taylor; Based on radio program by Max Marcin; Cameraman, L. W. O'Connell; Film Editor, Dwight Caldwell: Art Director, John Datu; Set Decorator, Sidney Clifford; Sound, Hugh McDowell. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Fire Destroys Scottsbluff Theater, Loss $165,000 Scottsbluff, Neb. — The Egyptian Theater here, largest in Western Nebraska, was destroyed by fire with a loss estimated at more than $165,000. It was owned and operated by the Midwest Gibraltar Enterprises, Inc. The fire, of unknown origin, began in the stage section and carried through the remainder of the building before firemen could control it. Power was shut off in the downtown section for 30 minutes to protert the firemen from electrocution as they poured streams of water on the blaze. * SHORTS * 'On Approval." L A. Record West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — "On Approval," the new Frederick Lonsdale comedy, starring Beatrice Lillie and Clive Brook, has smashed every box-office record for the past 10 years at the Esquire theater here, it was announced by the management. The film, now in its second week, is being released by Nat Sanders' English Films. "Honorable Discharge" (This Is America) RKO 18 mins. This is a "Must" What prospects face the service man when he returns to civilian life? The latest of the series sets out to answer this question and does a generally creditable job of it. While the short will be of interest primarily to service men and their families, it also will draw the attention of anyone who is anxious to know the possible impact of the released serviceman on the economic life of the community. The picture details the routine through which an honorably discharged fighting man must go before taking his place once more among civilians and the various measures adopted to safeguard his future and make the reconversion process as easy and as painless as possible. Emphasis is placed on the workings of the G.I. Bill of Rights. The problem has been effectively dramatized to bring it within the mental reach of everyone. The film was prepared in collaboration with This Week magazine. Cowan Pic Bows in London London — Lester Cowan's "Tomorrow, the World" opens tonight at the London Pavilion. "Are Animals Actors?" Warner Bros. 20 mins. A Hit Performers of the animal kingdom come in for consideration in a featurette that has great entertainment value. Appealing strongly to man's natural love of animals, the short, produced praiseworthily by Gordon Hollingshead, can't miss being a hit with all manner of people. For the kids, of course, the short is something extra-extra. The footage presents a succession of animal acts of various types, each as interesting as the other. Some of the stunts performed by the four-footed actors are eye-opening. Among the animals seen are Rin-Tin-Tin and Tony, the late Tox Mix's horse. "Behind the Meat Bali" (Looney Tunes) Warner Bros. 7 mins. Meaty Entertainment The tale of a dog in quest of red meat should strike home with us humans who can readily sympathize with the poor mongrel. The dog just can't make his dreams of meat come true. When a juicy steak falls from a delivery wagon he has to contend for it with a ferocious bulldog. While they are fighting over the meat another dog snitches it. The Technicolor cartoon is supercharged with laughs. Smith Rites Tomorrow Philadelphia — Funeral services for M. John Smith, 73, father of Ulric Smith, local Paramount branch manager, will be held here tomorrow. Smith, a retired pioneer exhibitor in this territory, died Wednesday.