The Film Daily (1946)

16 DAILY Friday, September 27, 1946 «REVjEmS» "Nobody Lives Forever" with John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald Warner Bros. 100 Mins. WELL-DIRECTED AND ACTED ACTION THRILLER MELODRAMA OF "THE CONFIDENCE GAME' MOUNTED IN SUPERB PRODUCTION. John Garfield plays rough and romantic in this well-directed screenplay, with a charm that will up his rating with the femme part of the audience and give the guys that brought 'em some thrilling, suspense-laden entertainment. Geraldine Fitzgerald and Faye Emerson are smartly cast as the types of women in Garfield's life, Emerson in the role of a two-timing nite club singer, and Fitzgerald projecting her beauty and talent as a young weaitfiy widow, object of a "confidence" scheme designed by George Coulouris, petty gambler, to put him and several of his pals back en their feet. The story gets under way when Garfield, fresh out of uniform, retrieves a tidy bankroll from Emerson's partner in a New York nite club, which rightfully should have been his. Garfield and his sidekick, George Tobias, who does okay with some good comedy lines and bits, train cut for California where they put up a flashy front with a bungalow at the beach and a smart hotel suite. Walter Brennan, a sharp-witted old "con" guy, brings Garfield the Coulouris plan for an easy "take." Garfield accepts the deal, despite his dislike for Coulouris, with the proviso that he handle the job alone and guaranteeing the boys a minimum of $30,000. Garfield meets Fitzgerald, and, after spending some time with her, finds that he has fallen in love with her and cannot go through with the plan. The film takes on a thrilling climax when Coulouris refuses Garfield's minimum guarantee and makes an attempt at kidnapping Fitzgerald. Garfield, Brennan and Tobias plan the rescue in which Brennan and Coulouris are killed. Fitzgerald, with a full knowledge of the original plan and Garfield's attempt to bow out, gives the film the desired ending by responding to his love. CAST: John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Waiter Brennan, Faye Emerson, George Coulouris, George Tobias, Robert Shayne, Richard Gaines, Dick Erdman, James Flavin, Ralph Peters, Alex Havier, William Edmunds, Ralph Dunn, Grady Sutton. CREDITS: Producer, Robert Buckner; Director, Jean Negulesco; Original screenplay, W. R. Burnett; Cameraman, Arthur Edeson; Art Director, Hugh Reticker; Film Editor, Rudi FehrSound, Dolph Thomas; Set Decorator, Casey Roberts; Special Effects, William McGann, William Van Enger; Music arrangements, Jerome Moross; Musical Director, Leo F. Forbstein; Assistant Director, Reggie Callow. „.^,,„ ,, DIRECTION, Very Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Effective. Show "Never Goodbye" Oct. 21 National tradeshowing of "Never Say Goodbye," has been set by Warner Bros, for Oct. 21. STORK REPORTS Minneapolis — It's a boy for Mr. and Mrs. Howard Greenstein. Father is a salesman at the Universal exchange here. IN NEW INDUSTRY POSTS JAMES MITCHELL, booker at M-G-M, Minneapolis. DINO TUBEKIS, headquarters staff, Alliance circuit, Chicago. CONNIE DREHER, salesman. Screen Guild Productions, Dallas. MARVIN GOLDMAN, executive assistant to Frank M. Boucher, general manager, K-B Theaters, Washington. JOHN RADZICKI, general manager, Joseph B. Krul circuit, Detroit. PETER TABOR, relief manager, Wisper and Wetsman circuit, Detroit. WILLIAM WALDRON, manager, the Claridge Theater, Montclair, N. J. ARTHUR GILDAR, manager, the Mayfai* Theater, Newark, N. J. JOSEPH STICA, assistant manager, Loew's Jersey Theater, Jersey City. JOHN SARNOWSKI, chief of service, Loew's Jersey Theater, Jersey City. ANGELO CIMMARINO, captain of ushers, Loew's Jersey Theater, Jersey City. MARTIN L. STREET, manager, Carolina, Columbia, S. C. JOHN OATLEY, management. Star, Rockford, Mich. WOODiE MINOR, assistant manager, Griffith theaters, Bartlesville, Okla. RUSSEL E. SIEVERT, Filmosound Library, Bell & Howell, Holllywood. EDDIE BAY, manager, Fowler, Fowler, Ind. E. LINDfORS, vice-presidentF, Bell & Howeli's New York offices. No "Valid" Objection To ATA Inlervention Arbitration System Slated to be Dropped? (Continued from Page 1) question" with the arbitration system slated to be dropped, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said yesterday. The Department's objection to intervention in the New York case by ATA does not extend 10 the Lust petition, which is not in the same category as intervention, out the Department had no intention of supporting the Lust petition. On the other hand, there is little possibility that the Department will find occasion to oppose it, holding chat the entire question of intervention is meaningless. The "Little Three" have made it plain that they will not consent to a decree which continues the arbitration system, with the result that the system itself will probably be dropped shortly. SEG-Producer Contract Calls for 33% Pay Hike West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Screen Extras Guild has reached an agi'eement with rnajoi producers on a contract covering wages, working conditions and retroactive pay. The increase amounts to practically 33 per cent. It is the greatest increase in wages ever obtained by extra players. The producers agreed to a costof-living automatic escalator providing that if the cost-of-living index increases more than five per cent during the period of from July 1, 1946 to Jan. 1, 1947, the wages of extras will automatically be increased by the identical percentage effective on Jan. 1, 1947 and retroactive pay from Jan. 1, 1946 to Dec. 31, 1947. Name Divisional Leaders For Kenny Found. Drive West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Chairmen of four divisions of the 1946 fund appeal for the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Foundation were revealed by Kate Smith, national chairman, and Bing Crosby, chairman of the executive committee. Drive for $2,000,000 will get under way November 18, Miss Smith said, and will continue through mid-December. Divisional chairmen announced in Warner Technicolor Use Reaches All-Time High (Continued uom Page 1j pleted Technicolor features, "Life With Father" and "The Time, the Place and the Girl," color will be used in "My Wild Irish Rose," which has just gone into production, while two other Technicolor musicals, "Bill's Gay Nineties" and "Howdy, Stranger," are set for 1947 production. These five pictures will give Warners their highest quota of color features in any single year. Technicolor shorts, totaling at least 66 out of the 1946-47 schedule of 84, also will set a new record for color. Griffith Awaits Service In Lubbock Trust Action Oklahoma City — Attorneys for Griffith Amusement Co. were still waiting service yesterday in a suit filed in Lubbock, Tex., by Preston Smith, independent. Henry Griff ing, attorney for the circuit, said he would not comment until a copy of the petition is received here. Exchange circles pointed out, however, that Smith is building a new downtown house in Lubbock due for completion soon. Suit might be designed, these sources said, as an attempt to obtain ci more favorable market for the new theater. (Lubbock, Tex., dispatches yester i day said that Smith's anti-trust suit i for $300,000, filed on behalf of the Tech Theater there and naming as defendants the Griffith Amusement Co., Lindsey Theatei's, Inc., UA, Columbia, Universal, Para., RKO, 20th-Fox and Warners, sought to permanently enjoin the defendants from licensing films on a run basis). L. C. Griffith, circuit president, who suffered a paralytic stroke Saturday, was reported improved yesterday, but his condition is still regarded as serious. (Continued from Page 1) objection to ATA intervention but "we'll argue about whether the abjection is valid." Following an informal telephone i conversation with Robert Wj>^''nt, special as;istant to the Att( -'y | General, Arnold said the Go^J-lfn f ment apparently fears that the ATA ! move will presage a "mass inter I vention" by exhibitors and exhibitor \ f^roups and the Government will \ "lose control" of the case. ! ATA a Party to the Suit j Apprised that the Government ' claims ATA will bscome a "party to : the case," Arnold said, "of course we'll become a party to the ca^e, that's what we want." It is ATA's position that ATA will become a plaintiff in the suit and not, as some reports claimed, wind up as defendants. "As a practical matter," Arnold said, "the Government apparently is worried that there will be a mass movement of exhibitors and groups wanting to intervene directly in the case with the result that the Department will lose control of the case. They cannot, however, have any valid objection to ATA's intervention." Meanwhile, the Department of Justice said it would serve its brief objecting to ATA's objection on the court, ATA and Judge Arnold said today. "We'll See It Through" Asked to comment on ATA's reaction to the Government objection, Arnold said: "You don't think that just because somebody objects we should stop our fight? Of course we'll see it through." While the Department of Justice would give no details, spokesmen admitted that other exhibitor groups were preparing to intervene directly m the case in the event that ATA's move receives court approval. The Government, of course, has objected to exhibitors being heard as "friends of the court," but appears to be getting panicky that the situation will get out of hand and a steady parade of exhibitors and groups will seek direct intervention. The Government, still anxious to speed the case towards a decree and eventual appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court, feels it can not afford to 'lose control of the case." elude: Pat O'Brien, RKO-Radio star, to head the Hollywood division; John Golden, Shepherd of the Lambs Club, stage division; Earl Carroll and Robert Ringling, co-chairmen of the entertainment division, and Kenneth L. Friede, president of Triangle Publications, the magazines division. Metro Will Release Three Next Month M-G-M will release three films in October, embracing "The Cockeyed Miracle," "No Leave, No Love," and the first reprint, "Rage in Heaven." Latter is now bein^ tested in a number of Loew situations. Although "Captains Courageous" will be the second reprint t^ be made sva'lable no release date has yet been set.