The Film Daily (1947)

12 W DAILY Tuesday, February 4, 194 1 ^flLfll DAILY REVIEWS Of DEUJ F€flTU R€S < "It Happened On 5th Avenue" with Don DeF.re, Ann Harding, Charlie Ruggles, Victor Moore, and Gale Storm (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Allied Artists 115 Mins. DELIGHTFULLY AMUSING PICTURE FINELY PLAYED AND DIRECTED, SHOULD REGISTER SOLIDLY AT B. 0.; VICTOR MOORE'S WORK BRILLIANT. Here is a delightfully amusing offering that marks Roy Del Ruth's debut as an independent producer and launches Allied Artists Productions. In addition to producing, Del Ruth also directed the highly entertaining comedy. The acting is splendid with Victor Mo re as a tramp, who "Winters" in a Fifth Avenue mansion and "Summers" at a resort in the South, giving a performance worthy of an Academy nomination. Giving Moore a close chase for histrionic hon rs is Charlie Ruggles, enacting the role of the country's second richest man. Don DeFore, Ann Harding and Gale Storm are the other featured players who do excellent work. The story opens with Moore spending his third Winter in the deserted Ruggles mansi.n. Moore is an uninvited guest, but this does not prevent him from inviting DeFore, an evicted serviceman, to join him. Gale Storm, daughter of Ruggles and his estranged wife, Ann Harding, runs away from school. She returns to her father's mansion, but does not make her real identity known to M:ore and DeFore. DeFore takes pity on two war buddies, their wives and a baby and they all move into Ruggles luxurious home. Ruggles learns of Gale's disappearance and hurries to New York. Gale makes him agree to pose as a down-and-outer and not to disturb his unexpected guests. Ann Harding returns fr: m Florida and poses as a cook at the Ruggles domicile. Gale and DeFore fall in love, but Ruggles tries to break up their romance. DeFore and his friends make efforts to acquire an Army camp for a new project, but are thwarted by one of Ruggles' companies. Moore causes Ruggles and Ann to fall in love again, and in the end, Ruggles relents, deeds the camp to DeFore and his associates and gives Dan and Gale his blessings. CAST: Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charlie Ruggles, Victor Moore, Gale Storm, Grant Mitchell, Edward Brophy, Alan Hale, Jr., Edward Ryan, Jr., Cathy Carter, Dorothea Kent, Arthur Hohl, Anthony Sydes, Linda Lee Solomon, Abe Reynolds. CREDITS: Producer, Roy Del Ruth; Director, Roy Del Ruth; Associate Producer, Joe Kaufman; Authors, Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani; Screenplay, Everett Freeman; Additional Dialogue, Vick Knight; Cameraman, Henry Sharp, ASC; Editor, Richard Heermance; Art Director, Lewis Creber; Musical Score, Edward Ward; Set Decorator, Ray Boltz, Jr.; Songs by Harry Revel and Paul Webster. DIRECTION, Splendid. PHOTOGRAPHY, Very Good. NSW Exhibs. Cold to Aussie Unity Meeting Melbourne (By Cable) — Delegates from four states met here yesterday to discuss the proposal to form an Exhibitors Association for Australia. The only State MPEA failing to accept invitation is New South Wales. "The Red House" with Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister UA 100 Mins. AN UNUSUAL, WEIRD PLOT SETS THIS ONE OFF. THERE'S COMPELLING INTENSITY IN THE UNFOLDING AND HAS MUCH ON THE "DIFFERENT" SIDE TO SELL. Shortly after this story gets into its stride it is soon apparent something is wrong and an undercurrent of some sombre mystery makes itself felt. The mod is sustained. As the story progresses the flow is interrupted with bits of violence and the flood of youthful, unrestrained passions. Delmer Daves' direction gives credence to the various aspects of the plot. Settings, locations supply scund naturalness. Mostly it is filmed outdoors. The setting is a farm and to all appearances it is the real thing. There's pleasant scenery surrounding the many unpleasantnesses of the people who pass in view. Edward G. Robinson and Judith Anderson have veteran maturity and ski I! to supplant their interpretation of a farmer bounded by his past, and his sister. But the accent is on youth and Lon McCallister racks up a telling job. Opposite him Allene Roberts is splendid and another young girl, Julie London, rates attention. The small cast in support is convincing and they underplay to advantage. Based on a novelette by George Agnew Chamberlain, the yarn tells cf the growing fears of an old man as children grow up and desire to fathom the reasons a legendary old red house exists in a dense wood. The Ox Head Woods have a curse on them, Robinson tells McCallister and Miss Roberts. Within the depths one will hear screams to haunt one as long as one lives. The youngsters are not to be deluded. They make further attempts to find the Red House. Things happen. Robinson becomes deranged. Miss London switches her heart interest from McCallister to Rory Calhoun. Miss Roberts takes Mac in tow. The youngsters constantly provoke Robinson with their excursions. At length Miss Roberts finds the place. She is scared off by Calhoun. He's there to ward off trespassers, Robinson has a deal with him. Miss Roberts breaks a leg running away from Calhoun's bullets. McCallister returns to the farm and later Miss Anderson is accidentally killed by Calhoun. Calhoun and Miss London run away. They are caught. The real truth comes out of Robinson at about this time and a gripping solution to the whole sordid mess is brought about with his death. These latter sequences are tense stuff and the directorial handling rates applause. "The Red House" stands to catch on and go places. • CAST: Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson, Rory Calhoun, Allene Roberts, Julie London, Ona Munson, Harry Shannon, Arthur Space, Walter D. Sande. CREDITS: Producer, Sol Lesser; Director, Delmer Daves; Screenplay, Delmer Daves; Based on novel by George Agnew Chamberlain; Cameraman, Bert Glennon; Music, Miklos Rozsa; Film Editor, Merrill White; Art Director, McClure Capps; Set Decorator, Dorcy Howard; Sound, Frank McWhorter. DIRECTION, Very Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Excellent. "Easy Come, Easy Go" with Barry Fitzgerald, Diana Lynn Paramount 77 Mins. SIMPLE, EARTHY, CATCHINGLY COMIC TALE OF THIRD AVE. BRANCH OF THE IRISH FREE STATE. IT'S ALL FITZGERALD AND GOOD ENTERTAINMENT. County Third Avenue is that part of transplanted Eire that lies between Lexington and Second Avenues. One can peregrinate the district and hearken to the ould sod. Therein is Himself, and Connie, and Kevin; Tom, Mike Gilligan, Clancy and Nick, the Greek bookie. It's in again, out again, Patrolwagon, that is, for these characters. So brazen they are they make bets in night court and pay off between lectures by the magistrate. Himself operates a boarding house tenanted by a fine assortment of types. Connie, his daughter, is a spankingly charming colleen, courted by Kevin and the local cop. Himself does not see her taking up with either of them and he plays the two spalpeens against each other, Aye, 'tis a state. Himself does not hear voices, but the trumpet sound "At the Post." His literature is the racing sheet. His dream fortune deriving from bangtails. Himself is Barry Fitzgerald and he has a lark in this story that never once departs simplicity in treatment or attempts tomfoolery in the higher economic brackets. The folk could very possibly be real and as they are based on John McNulty's sketches, very probably are real. It is a good entertainment and heartily recommended to give entire satisfaction all around. CAST: Barry Fitzgerald, Diana Lynn, Sonny Tufts, Dick Foran, Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins, John Litel, Arthur Shields, Frank Faylen, James Burke, George Cleveland, Ida Moore, Rhys Williams, Oscar Rudolph. CREDITS: Producer, Kenneth Macgowan; Director, John Farrow; Screenplay by Francis Edward Faragoh, John McNulty, Anne Froelick; Based on sketches by John McNulty; Cameraman, Daniel L. Fapp; Film Editor, Thomas Scott; Sound, Stanley Cooley, Don Johnson; Set Decoration, Sam Comer, Maurice Goodman; Art Direction, Hans Dreier, Haldane Douglas; Musical Score, Roy Webb. DIRECTION, Foine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Verra Gud. Allied States Re-elect Members to Exec. Board Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Allied States reelected its executive committee at a meeting of the board on Saturday. A.bram F. Myers, general counsel and chairman of the board, and President Jack Kirsch were re-elected ex-officio members. Members are Martin G. Smith, M. A. Rosenberg, H. A. Cole, Sidney Samuelson, Nathan Yamins. Elected to the Caravan Committee were: Samuelson, Cole, W. L. Ains worth and Trueman Rembusch. The question of ITOA's affiliation did not come up at the board meeting, according to Myers. A special committee is studying the question. Ludwig Siegel Dead Chicago — Ludwig Siegel, 74, veteran theater owner, is dead following a long illness. "Boy! What A Girl!" with Tim Moore, Sybil Lewis, Slam Stewar Deek Watson Herald Pictures g9 Min r. A1 L N E G R 0 CAST SPARKED B GROOVEY JAZZ; SHOULD PLEASE TH HEP CATS. ^. So-called hep-cats will really grif -Hi1 footage which features some of the .eadei of the jive league. Inserted into the pix at, Slam Stewart, Deek Watson and his Brow Dots, Big Sid Catlett and Band, Ann Cor i nell and the International Jitterbugs. Als| a few feet of Gene Krupa, the only whif performer featured. Story revolves around two would-be pro.l ducers, Jim and Harry, who get a prrmis from a Chicago financier, Mr. Cumming: that he will back half their show if thefind another backer who will do likewise A mysterious Madame Deborah agrees t do same, and the boys invite Mr. C. to Ne\ York to meet Madame D. When she fail to arrive, the boys persuade "Bumpsie" t impersonate her. This he does, so wel. that Mr. C. and the landlord fall for he" and it is not until an ardent French suitoj who has followed the real Madame Debora. sees her, that the hoax is made knowr The boys meanwhile, are in love with Mi C.'s daughters, who isn't very happy afte realizing he has been tricked. The whol thing works out however, when the rea Madame D. reveals herself, and she am Mr. C. decide to become partners, for life j as weil as for the show. Weak spots in the pix are partially madi up for by the music which is its chief sell ing point, along with a few particular! good female voices. CAST: Tim Moore, Elwood Smith, Duke Wil Mams, Al Jackson, Sheila Guyse, Betti Mays Sybil Lewis, Warren Patterson, Slam Stewart Deek Watson and his Brown Dots, "Big" Si< Catlett and Band, Ann Cornell, and the Inter national Jitterbugs. CREDITS: Producer, Jack Goldberg; DirectorArthur Leonard; From a story by Vincen Valentini. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay* Goldwyn Names Loewe As Sales Rep; Crown Returns, J. Winston Loewe has beeji ap pointed a sales representative fo: Samuel Goldwyn productions. Hi was formerly a manager for Warne: Bros, in Oklahoma City and Dallas f He will represent Goldwyn in tht South and several mid-Western sit j uations. Alfred Crown, Samuel Goldwyr foreign sales manager, has returnet j a^ter a trip of several weeks in Mex ico. Tola Signs Shaindlin Jack Shaindlin, well-known in th< industry's musical field, has been re ■'. tained as musical director for Tols Productions documentary "Thf Roosevelt Story." He will also supervise the scoring of the symphonit poems, as well as the complete score especially written for the picture bj Earl Robinson. "Nora" in Philly Bow Feb. 7 World premiere of "Nora Prentiss" has been set by Warners foi Friday at the Boyd Theater, Philadelphia.