The Film Daily (1946)

DAILY Wednesday, August 28, 19^ « REVIEUIS » "If I'm Lucky" wifh Perry Como, Vivian Blaine 20th-Fox 79 Mins. TUNEFUL, SNAPPY TALE OF YOUNGSTERS IN POLITICS AND SHOW BUSINESS. From beginning to end this is strictly movie. Audiences no doubt are accustomed to tiieir fiction given them in this type of film with comedians doing their funniest to relieve mediocre proceedings. And then there is music, plenty of it, to take one's attention from the ramifications of the plot; and girls, and singing, and dancing. in this case the music is by Harry James. The juke box crowd will like that. Perry Como is currently on the crooner horizcn and will account for a good deal of trade. If his acting leaves much to be desired, his singing does not. After all the audience wants to hear him sing in the first place. in the comedy department there is Carmen Miranda, gaily juggling the English language with Portuguese, and trading quips and sallies with Phil Silvers. Miss Miranda has her vocal moments, too, in costumes strictly from Dali, or the cloth conservation boys. The production numbers are diverting and relieve the story's feebleness. Big time operator Phil Silvers causes a troupe of youngsters to quit their jobs. He has a show lined up. They meet him. There's no show. Strictly from hunger they attend a political rally where the inducement is free food and drink. The rally is a flop as far as the candidate is concerned. So Silvers whips up a show on the spot. The crowd likes it, the speaker gets attention, the troupe is working. Perry Como wanders in with a song. It's a good one. Miss Blaine likes it, and Como too. Como is in the show. They barnstorm the state and it seems Edgar Buchanan is about to be elected. But he has a change of heart. He decides to play straight and throw over machine politicians who back him. They frame him with his past performances. He retires. In the politicians' book Como looks good. He is induced to run. He comes clean when the real nature of the campaign is thrown at him and quits, not, however, before he exposes the crooks. The enlightened citizenry draft him. He is elected. Silvers has a big time radio shew lined up and it looks like the troupe will be doing their stuff from the executive mansion in the governor's (Como) spare time. It's as simple as all that. CAST: Perry Como, Vivian Blaine, Harry James, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Edgar Buchanan, Reed Hadley, Harry Hayden, Harry Chesire, William Halligan, Frank Fenton, Lewis Russell, Charles Tannen, Charles Wilson. CREDITS: Producer, Bryan Foy; Director, Lewis Seller; Screenplay, Snag Werris, Robert Ellis, Helen Logan, George Bricker; Music, Josef Myrow, Edgar De Lange' Dances, Kenny Williams; Cameraman, Glen MacWIIIiams; Film Editor, Norman Colbert; Sound, W. D. Flick, Roger Heman. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Want Sunday Shows DeFuniak Springs, Fla. — Groups ol the younger people of the community have petitioned the City Council for a repeal of the Sunday closing of motion picture theaters. The matter will be referred to a referendum of the voters at an early date. CPA Halts Further Work On New Seattle Drive-in Seattle — Although the new Aurora JMotor-In Theater, on the Seattle Everett highway, opened three weeks ago, it was uncompleted and further work on it is now halted by a temporary restraining order obtained in Federal District Court by the CPA. The CPA charges that the project has not received authorization for the work. Frank James, regional attorney for the CPA, says the theater opened as soon as it had a frame up for the picture screen. E. W. Johnson, of Spokane, and Dwight L. Spracher, of Seattle, the builders, contend that the project was well under way before March 26, the date on which the veterans housing program went into effect. The CPA iiolds that the type of work already done by the builders before that date did not properly constitute "construction," and that since March 26, the CPA has issued no authorization for che theater. The Aurora Motor-In Theater is just north of Seattle's city limits. Byrnes-Blum Agreements Before the Algerian Corp. Algiers — Recently, a reunion of all distributors (French as well as American) took place at Algiers with che purpose of hearing a communicaaon from the general govrnment of Algiers. A reading was given of all the details concerning the Washington accords. It was asked of each if he had objections to voice on this subject, and as was to be expected, there were some French distributors who seemed afraid of the outcome of these arrangements. The essence of this conversation was that a rather oppositional attitude developed toward the Byrnes-Blum accord, serving as it would primarily French cinematic interests by giving them a chance to develop a great qualitative counter-offensive. Finally, one shouldn't ignore that the American film is indispensable in Algiers where all kinds of people are located. Among them Arab peoples partial to types of film which the French have never offered them. Wins Sunday Shows Wellsville, O. — Sunday motion piclures, banned here since 1914 by blue laws, will again be permitted in this city of 9,000, as a result of a strong campaign by returned war veterans, which was successful despite vigorous church opposition. The Liberty is the only theater in the city. Owners said the first Sunday operations would start on Sept. 8, when the law recently passed by council, 5 to 2, goes into effect. Newspaper Guild to Aid SPG Voicing support of the Screen Publicists Guild in its current contract negotiations with the major motion picture companies, the New York Newspaper Guild announced it would assist the SPG in obtaining a successful contract. Offers Season Pass For An Apartment Akron, 0. — With the dwelling shortage as acute in Akron as any other place in the nation, "Hamp" Home, the young manager of the Liberty Theater, is offering a season's pass to that theater to anyone who will find an apartment for him, his wife, and baby. Egberts Heads Loew Overseas Theaters (Continued from Page 1) Newark, North Bergen and Westchester. Egberts started with Loew's 15 years ago as a part-time usher in Jersey City and worked his way up by serving as assistant manager and manager in that city, Clifton, N. J., White Plains and other theaters in the metropolitan area. In his new post, he will assist Melniker in booking and other non administrative tasks for all Loew's International theaters overseas. To Open Will Rogers Theater in O. C. Sept. 18 Oklahoma City — Scheduled for Sept. 18 is the opening of the Will Rogers Theater according to Bob Browning, local manager for the Griffith Amusement Co. Browning has already established offices in the theater building and is completing plans for a gala opening night. Among the features highlighting the event will be a broadcast from the theater lobby. The Will Rogers, named for Oklahoma's most famous son, has a seating capacity of 1,000 and will cost approximately $150,000 when completed. It is one of three major theaters now nearing completion here by the Griffith company. Of special interest to native Oklahomans will be the mural in the lobby depicting the life of the late great cowboy-humorist. Highlights of Rogers' life, from his boyhood days at the famous old Rogers' White House, through his tour as a cowboy trick roper are shown followed by sequences from his movie career and newspaper writing with a final scene his take-off for Alaska with Wiley Post. In New Du Mont Post Paul Eshelman, for the past five years general production control manager of the Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc. in Passaic, has been appointed executive assistant to Leonard F. Cramer, vice-president and director of television broadcasting. Vik Sells the Grand Dawson, Minn. — ^C. T. Vik has sold the Grand Theater here to William Swenson and Leonard Johnson, of Ruthton, Minn. 264 Polio Cases in St. Louis; B. 0. Drop (Continued from Page 1) place in theaters close to the hon.' of boys and girls who have died the disease. Attendance at the Yoi Cinema Club at the Cinderelb?-. TL ater has fallen off decidedlJn^" tl past few meetings. Parents'' a definitely alarmed at the situati and are preventing their childr from attending motion picture sho-' or other amusements. In communities where the authc ities have banned attendance ; children under 16 years of age the: aas been a decided drop in atcendan oy the parents and other older men oers of the family. The period of sharpest decline uhe attendance at theaters in the £ i-,ouis area has been the past week 10 days. Present indications are the; may not be a real improvement „tie over-all situation until the midc of September or later. Industry Leaders Form Jolson Testimonial Com. (Continued from Page 1) by the American Veterans Commit! at the Hotel Astor. The testimonial dinner will be t. veterans' tribute to Jolson as a ■'outstanding friend of the servic man," in appreciation of his man CJSO tours throughout the battli lields of the world. Paying tribute to Jolson at tt Astor will be scores of entertainei and executives from motion picture radio, stage, sports and music an industry fraternal orders. Among the motion picture exec; tives who will serve as honorar sponsors are: C. C. Moskowitz, Jac Cohn, Tom Connors, Ned Depine Hal Home, Howard Deitz, Harr Brandt, Guy Eyssell, Matty Fox, J J. Balaban, S. Barret McCormicl' Abe Montague, Curtis Mitchell, Ed ward Raftery, Gradwell Sears, Bo. Weitman, Harry Thomas, Si Fabia; and Herman Robbins. Trade publishers who have joinein tribute to Jolson are Abel Greei Jack Alicoate, Martin Quigley, "Red, Kann, "Chick" Lewis, Jay Emanue" Ben Shlyen and W. D. Littleford, The restaurant and hotel field wi be represented by Leo Lindy, Amol Reuben and Robert Christenberry. Reservations for the general pub lie are available through the Motio Picture Chapter of AVC in Room 40 of the Paramount Building, 150:' Broadway. From Visger to Elliot Detroit — Saul Korman, circuit oi erator, is changing the name of th Visger Theater in the suburb of Rive Rouge to the Elliot. House is bein remodelled and re-equipped after be ing closed for several years, to cate to a colored patronage.