The Film Daily (1946)

OyULY: Friday, February 15, 194( State Dept. Film Plan Faces Delay (ConHnued from Page 1) actually voted by Congress and the needed funds appropriated. The operation ran into a new barrier yesterday as the result of demands by Republicans that the bill creating the new division be recommitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee. These were followed by the refusal for the second time of the House Rules Committee to vote the bill a rule which would bring it to the House floor for debate and eventual passage or defeat. Opponents of the measure charged that the service was already becoming a haven for Reds, and brushed aside Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Sol Bloom's plea that the bill be brought to the floor and then discussed and amended according to the will of the House. Further Hearings "Necessary" Further hearings are "absolutely necessary," Rep. John Vorys, Ohio Republican wrote Bloom yesterday. "As you know, I am a firm believer in spreading information about the American way of life throughout the world, and I believe that the Governmental promotion and supervision of this work should be in the State Department. I was opposed to H. R. 4368 which contained the State Department's original program, and in Section 3B, authorized the Secretary of State to make practically unlimited 'grants of money, services, or property.' I took an active part in re-drafting the measure which was re-introduced by you on Dec. 13 as H. R. 4982 and it seems to me a far more satisfactory proposal. We know, however, that the Rules Committee had hearings on this bill in December, and refused to grant a rule. While you were in London, the Associated Press and the United Press and other organizations and individuals have attacked the program which would be carried on under this bill. I believe we should give critics of this program a chance to be heard in committee on this specific bill. While you were away the House had the experience of considering on the floor a bill which had not been IN CIVVIES if Honorably Discharged :Ar IRVING CANTOR, from Hie Army, manager, RKO-Schine-Palace, Syracuse, N. Y. WILLIAM EARLEY, from the Navy, assistant manager. Senate, Harrisburg, Pa. MIKE CARROLL, from the Army, manager American, Bridgeport, Conn. THOMAS COMERFORD CAREY, from the Navy, formerly with Comerford theaters, Waverly, N. Y. PETER SARELLI, from the Navy, operator. State Harrison, Chicago. JOSEPH VOLTE, from the Navy, operator, American, Chicago. PETER MESSINEO, from the Army, Calo Theater, Chicago. REVi^uJS Of ncuj Films "Cinderella Jones" with Joan Leslie, Robert Alda Warner Bros. 88 Mins. FAST-MOVING FARCE COMEDY WITH MUSIC HOLDS PROMISE OF GOOD TIME FOR AVERAGE FAN. This farce comedy with musical interludes is an all-out drive to produce laughs at a breathless pace. The show is manna for the fans as it traces the adventures of a girl in search of a 150-I.Q. husband to whom she must be married by a certain deadline or forfeit $10,000,000 under the will of an uncle. While her quest plays hob with reason, it does assure a lively reception from customers. In the process of finding herself the right husband the gal kicks up a commotion that helps to blind the audience to the weak spots in the story. Producer by Alex Gottlieb in hit-and-run style, "Cinderella Jones" makes the most of the script Charles Hoffman extracted from a Philip Wylie story. The yarn has been padded with incidents which, while diverting in themselves, have no bearing on the advancement of the plot. Offering a lively group of characters, a number of which border on burlesque, the film presents Joan Leslie as its main box office drawing card. The girl throws herself wholeheartedly into a role that requires her to seek enrollment in a technical college for men in the hope of finding the man meeting with the specification set down in the will. William Prince plays a college professor who apparently seems to fit the bill until Miss Leslie makes the discovery that her boy friend, Robert Alda, leader of the orchestra with which she sings, has an i.Q. way above the minimum requirement. Miss Leslie, Alda, Prince, Edward Everett Horton, S. Z. Sakall and other members of the cast play strictly for laughs. Busby Berkeley's direction is average. CAST: Joan Leslie, Robert Alda, Julie Bishop, William Prince, S. Z. Sakall, Edward Everett Horton, Charles Dingle, Ruth Donnelly, Elisha Cook, Jr., Hobart Cavanaugh, Charles Arnt, Chester Clute, Ed Cargan, Margaret Early, Johnny Mitchell, Mary Dean, Monte Blue, Marianne O'Brien, Marian Martin. CREDITS: Producer, Alex Gottlieb; Director, Busby Berkeley; Screenplay, Charles Hoffman; Based on story by Philip Wiley; Cameraman, Sol Polito; Art Director, John Hughes; Film Editor, George Amy; Sound, Dolph Thomas; Set Decorators, Jack McConaghy; Musical Director, Leo F. Forbstein. DIRECTION, Average. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. subject to hearings in the labor committee and I believe the entire membership of the House would agree that it is far better to consider a controversial bill thoroughly in committee, with hearings. Program May Be Jeopardized "If the Foreign Affairs Committee should refuse to reconsider H. R. 4982 and hear the opposition which has developed, this bill may never come to the floor, or may be defeated on the floor, and the uncontroversial portions of our information program might be jeopardized. If we re-consider this bill and the objections to it, I believe we can bring out a bill which the Rules Committee will bringto the floor and which will pass the House and Senate. I, therefore, urge that we take steps to re-consider this bill at our next meeting." It was following release of this "Lawless Empire" with Charles Starrett, Tex Harding Columbia 58 Mins. FAST-MOVING V^ESTERN Vi^lTH GOOD MUSICAL INTERLUDES; BIDS FOR GENERAL AUDIENCE APPEAL. Despite the familiar Western formula of swindlers forcing homesteaders out of their (and and supplying marshals who will keep law and order in accordance with their :;chemes, "Lawless Empire" makes a worthwhile bid for pleasing entertainment. There's plenty of fast action, good comedy and appreciable cowboy music. Charles Starrett is affable in his dual role as the "Durango Kid" who helps the homesteaders and as the marshal who feigns co-operaticn with the bad men, John Calvert and Ethan Laidlaw. Dub Taylor takes a few well-timed comedy falls and plays spy for Starrett. Bob Wills and his Texas Plaboys present four good cowboy tunes with an outstanding one titled "Stay a Little Longer." Tex Harding handles some of the vocals and plays a young reverend role as well. Starrett does some fast riding in this one to outwit the bad men and avenges his brother's murder, committed by Laidlaw. CAST: Charles Starrett, Tex Harding, Dub Taylor, Mildred Law, Johnny Walsh, John Calvert, Ethan Laidlaw, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. CREDITS: Producer, Colbert Clark; Director, Vernon Keays; Story, Elizabeth Beecher; Screenplay, Bennett Cohen Cameraman, George Meehan; Film Editor, Paul Borofsky; Art Director, Charles Clague; Set Decorator, John W. Pascal. DIRECTION, Satisfactory. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Schlaifer, Kinzler Head Red Cross Drive Publicity (Continued from Page 1) Motion Picture Industry Red Cross Drive, and Morris Kinzler, of the Kayton Spiero Advertising Agency, has been named associate national publicity director, it was announced yesterday by Spyros P. Skouras, national chairman. Two More Metro Mgrs. Join "On to Rio" Tour (Continued from Page 1) the committee consisting of E. M. Saunders and E. W. Aaron, assistant general sales managers, and Alan F. Cummings, in charge of exchange operations, are Samuel J. Gardner, Los Angeles head, and Charles James Briant, New Orleans manager. They make a total of 12 to make the threeweek trip. Charles K. Champlin Dead Red Bank, N. J.— Charles K. Champlin, former playwright and theatrical producer, is dead here. He was past 70. letter, to which Bloom refused an immediate answer, that the Rules Committee refused to grant clearance to the bill. With Rules Committee Chairman Adolph Sabath supporting Bloom in his attempt to get the bill to the floor, the opposition was led by Democrat Eugene Cox of Georgia and Republican Clarence Brown of Ohio. Would Link Foreign Deals, Surplus Sale (Continued from Page 1) if we were to demand trade cor cessions and agreements as a pre requisite to purchase of these good at give-away prices by foreign Gi^'j ernments, Mitchell agreed that£ jway toward film exchange mights made somewhat easier if the induce ment of surplus sales were used. Fail to Sustain Atlanta Censor on "Scarlet St." (Continued from Page 1) "gives realistic motion pictures a least a ray of hope in Atlanta." Wanger said two other encourag ing signs were the public statemer made by Mayor Hartsfield in the pic ture's defense and the desire for fai play evidenced by the press in helj ing to rectify public misconceptio of the picture arising from the bai "I regret," Wanger said, "ths contrary to the assurances of th chairman, Miss Smith was permitte to remain in the room during th deliberations which followed ope presentation of both sides of the cas while I was excluded. I can't hel feeling that had I been accorded th same privilege, freedom of the scree might have won a clear cut victory. "Barney" Fegon Rites Held St. Louis — Funeral services wei held here Tuesday for Francis _* "Barney" Fegan, pioneer film distril in this territory. First identified wit the old General Film Co., he late organized Standard Film Co. Fega was first president of the old S Louis Film Board of Trade. At var ous times, he also managed severij local theaters. i I s NEW POSTS ROBERT KALM, engineering staff, B & K tel: vision station WBKB, Chicago. EUGENE MAJOT, engineering staff, B & K tel vision station WBKB, Chicago. CHARLES FORMAN, night manager, Tim Square, Detroit. ART WEISBERG, supervisor, Broder Circuit, 0 troit. STANLEY DUDELSON, assistant booker, Bro<l Circuit, iDetroit. GARY CROCE, manager, Castle, Detroit. STEVE McDONOUGH, manager, Crystal, Detro, THOMAS BEETON, manager, Rainbo, Detroit. CHARLES COLLINS, manager. Rex, Detroit. VERNON F. CARLSON, manager. Senate, Detro DAVE MAGESON, manager, Seville, Detroit LLOYD KRULL, assistant manager, Time, 0 troit. TED fAHEY, day manager. Times Square, D troit. IRVINGTON SPECTOR, booker, A.B.C. Book! Agency, Detroit. JACK COOPER, booker, A.B.C. Booking Agem Detroit. DAVE BADTKE, assistant manager, Esquire, CI cago. MARSHALL JAMIESON, manager. Embassy New reel, New York. B B