The Film Daily (1948)

esday, January 13, 1948 3fe * nun ddilv R6VIEUJS or miu rammes « 'The Flame' tLohn Carroll, Ver Ralston >ublk 97 Mins. ias production values, a couple names; miss dowling an at4,ction to note; otherwise "hargic routine job with slow :e. fine production values stand out in this . It has plenty in the way of expen: sets and emphasis on fine taste in jrior decoration which is admirably tographed. Vith perhaps the exception of Hattie Daniel and Victor Sen Yung the cast, vever, performs lethargically although the ce gets off to an accelerated start. Once initial impetus wears off it becomes gged out and there is clear indication :ould have been trimmed and edited for etter end result. t is New Year's Eve in New York. John roll kills a man, is himself mortally unded. He manages to get home, calls police. Then he pulls out a long letter 'm Vera Ralston and it takes him almost hour and a half to read it because the ducer figured this would be a new veri of the flashback treatment. What will audience think about this? Is it not a ain on their credulity? And at length the ts arrive. iVhat comes out of the letter reveals Erroll to be a playboy, once in clandestine te with Miss Ralston, who fell afoul of ckmailers in the form of Broderick Crawfd and Constance Dowling. Robert Paige, rroll's brother, is supposed to be on the ge of death, yet he marries Miss Ralston i she quits seeing Carroll who then takes | where he left off with Miss Dowling d is Crawford's big moment, t was previously figured and plotted by <ss Ralston and Carroll that she marry ge, inherit his estate and then on his ith go off with Carroll. It doesn't work -. Crawford makes demands. Carroll dees to make amends. One of the final :nes re-enacts the shooting match and it ns out Crawford is the dead man. Paige seems, will live. That night he sails with ss Ralston for Europe. Blanche Yurka, o has been lurking about the Paige prem^s as his aunt, is also aboard. At the fadeJt she's giving Henry Travers the eye. Miss Dowling, who will be recognized "Natch Gloria" of "Lost Weekend," is ;t as a nitery singer. She gives out with e grind and bumps number that is someng that the censors overlooked or maybe ;jldn't fathom. La Dowling's session in ; spotlight almost makes amends for the ole shebang. John H. Auer is listed as jducer-director. IAST: Vera Ralston, John Carroll, Robert ge, Broderick Crawford, Henry Travers, Connce Dowling, Blanche Yurka, Hattie McDaniel, rry V. Cheshire, John Miljan, Garry Owen, iie Dunn. ZREDITS: Associate producer, director, John Auer; Screenplay, Lawrence Kimble; Based on story by Robert T. Shannon; Photography, ;gie Lanning; Music, Heinz Reinhold; Musical sctor, Cy Feuer; Film editor, Richard L. Van )er; Sound, Victor B. Appel; Art director, no Chittenden; Set decorations, John Mcrthy, Jr., George Milo. ERECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "Secret Beyond the Door" with Joan Bennett, Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere Wanger-U-I 98</2 Mins. CONFUSING AND INVOLVED TREATMENT RELEGATES THIS ONE TO THE LESSER CATEGORY; HAS NAME VALUES. Just about enough of the suspense element is included in this Fritz Lang number to make it quite confusing. It is not one of the better examples of Lang's technique. His handling has an aspect of imitation. Too, the players, who certainly can do very much better, are inclined to keep the idea in mind that they are always acting and rarely do they ever manage to become real people in a weird world. Redgrave has been stacking up a number of good roles lately. This is not one of them. However, it stands to show him off to his following. Maybe something went wrong or out the window in translating Rufus King's story to film terms. What eventually comes off is in the nature of a do over of the "Rebecca" story with a couple of extra fancy touches of insanity, homicide and arson. Miss Bennett weds Redgrave in Mexico. At first they are quite happy. She is an heiress. He publishes an architectural magazine, collects rooms. He talks about "felicitous" rooms but his collection is given over to chambers where death in violent form has occurred, after a historical fashion. Before Redgrave is called off to the States there is some queer business at a bedroom door which irks Miss Bennett. She follows Redgrave to his suburban home where there is assembled a strange assortment of people. She tries to fit herself into the picture as Redgrave's new wife. He acts strangely. He loosens up ultimately. They stage a party during which he exhibits his collection of rooms — all but one. Only Redgrave has a key to it but Miss Bennett, via a bit of sly work, manages to have another made and investigates. She finds it a duplicate of her room and at that time Redgrave makes his derangement known. Miss Bennett runs off but soon returns to assist in restoring his mental balance for after all he's her husband and they loved each other. The Redgrave place burns down. The pair return to the scene of the original happiness in Mexico. CAST: Joan Bennett, Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere, Barbara O'Neil, Natalie Schaefer, Anabel Shaw. Ro«a Rev, James Seav, Mark Dennis. CREDITS: A Walter Wanger Presentation: Screenplay, Silvia Richards; Based on a storv bv Rufus King; Produced and directed bv Fritz Lang; A Diana Production; PhotograDhv, Stanley Cortez; Production desiqn, Max Parker; Film editor, Arthur Hilton; Sound, Leslie I. Carev, Glenn E. Anderson; Set decorations, Russell A. Gaiismnn. John Austin: Music. Miklos Rozsa. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. 3t UOPWA Convention Seventh Constitutional Convention the United Office and Professional orkers of America (parent body of 3PEG, SPG), will be held in e St. George Hotel, Brooklyn, arch 1-5. Scott Sues RKO Radio Wrst Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Charging breach of contract, Adrian Scott has started a $1,314,000 suit against RKO Radio, similar to actions filed bv Lester Cole. Ring Lardner, Jr.. and Edward Dmytryk. Earlier actions by Cole, Lardner and Dmytrvk were against M-G-M, 20th-Fox and RKO, respectively. "An Ideal Husband" with Paulette Goddard, Michael Wilding, Diana Wynyard Korda-20th-Fox 96 Mins. RESPLENDENT TECHNICOLOR JOB WILL REQUIRE SHREWD HANDLING FOR BEST RESULTS. Sir Alexander Korda has given Oscar Wilde's play resplendent Technicolor production. He has peopled the cast with accomplished players. Whenever Glynis Johns appears it is like a shaft of bright sunlight warming the proceedings with innocent charm. When she speaks her lines it is music. There are other creditable contributing factors in the production such as costuming by Cecil Beaton and a series of compelling roles performed with neat dispatch. Miss Goddard is fitting; other worthies include C. Aubrey Smith, Hugh Williams, Diana Wynyard. The film is the sort of thing they do very well in England. But in terms of general box office return and audience acceptance the picture is definitely an offering that will be met and keenly enjoyed by a limited and fractional percentage of the nation's filmgoers. It is that subtle. The lines are slick and epigrammatic which is the underlying appeal of any Wilde work and Lajos Biro's screenplay includes all of them. "An Ideal Husband" is the story of how "Mrs. Cheveley" returns to London determined to launch a fraudulent scheme with the assistance of a Member of Parliament. She has some incriminating goods on the man. Invading his home she lays her case before him — either he assists or she ruins him. Her failing is to try and use her wiles on "Lord Goring," played by Michael Wilding. Coincidence, a moot factor in the fabrication of the plot, causes a turn in events and first thing Wilding has Miss Goddard over the well known barrel. Now, with the tables turned, she either puts up — in this case an incriminating letter — or Wilding will inform the world she once was a thief. It is agreed. She tries a last move with another letter. It misfires and proves an instrument of inspiration rather than degradation. The affair is settled. Wilding is free to marry Glynis Johns. Miss Goddard seeks a new field of endeavor in Hyde Park. Exhibitor will do well to watch critical notices on this one and construct his campaign accordingly. CAST: Paulette Goddard, Michael Wilding, Diana Wynyard, Glynis Johns, Constance Collier, Sir Aubrey Smith, Hugh Williams, Harriette Johns, Christine Norden, Michael Anthony, Allan Jeayes. CREDITS: Produced and directed by Alexander <orda; Screenplay, Lajos Biro; Photography, Georges Perinal; Costumes, Cecil Beaton; Sets, Vincent Korda; Special effects, W. Percy Day; Production manager, Jack Clayton; Sound, John Cox; Recording, Leo Wilkins; Assistant art director, Joseph Bate; Music composed by Arthur Benjamin; Played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Conducted by Dr. Hubert Clifford; Film editor, Oswald Haffenrichter. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. "Symphonie Fantastique" with Jean-Louis Barrault, Renee Saint-Cyr A. F. Films 85 Mins. FRENCH MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY WILL DO AS FILLER-IN: WELL PERFORMED, DIRECTED, RECORDED. Christian Jacque's spirited direction of this biography of Hector Berlioz, played skillfully by Jean-Louis Barrault, gives a fully rounded portrait of the composer, a notable canvas of the period and fine tonal values. It was the romantic period in French art that Berlioz joined. In the immediate circle of his friends there were such names as Victor Hugo, Delacroix, Dumas, Janin. It was a profound period of change in French music and letters and much that originated in that day was and is today still outstanding. Only a brief familiarity with history is required to view "Symphonie Fantastique." An appreciation of the composer's major works will assist. Here again is the story of musical genius working away, creating new forms and meeting with rejection. It is also the detailing of feminine inspiration and ultimate recognition. Not one of the Class A French productions, this one will stand up adequately as a filler-in. There are English titles. CAST: Jean-Louis Barrault, Renee Saint-Cyr, Lise Delamare, Jules Berry, Bernard Blier, Gilbert Gil. CREDITS: Director, Christian Jacque; Scenario, J. P. Feydeau, H. A. Legrand; Settings and design, Andrei Andriev; Musical director, MauricePaul Guillot; Music played by the Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. Snvros Cateras Dead Manchester, N. H. — Spyros Cateras, who operated one of the first nickelodeon theaters here, is dead. Zorn Re-elected UTO President Springfield, 111. — Edward Zorn, president, and all officers of the United Theater Owners of Illinois were re-elected at the group's annual meeting which saw the organisation vote to affiliate to TOA. In his annual report. Zorn deplored "petty industry economies" as not sufficient to lower film prices, and advocated more careful attention to municipal taxation problems on the part of exhibitors. Allied of Illinois to Set Own Releasing Schedule (Continued from Page 1) mount manager, said that the management of booking dates within the Allied group is in the hands of Allied executives and Paramount will cooperate in every way to satisfy members. General booking situation will be discussed today at an Allied membership meeting. Jack Kirsch, president, will be in the chair. Bigwigs Named for Variety Club of Illinois Chicago — Walter Immerman was elected chief barker of the Variety Club of Illinois at the annual election, succeeding Jack Rose who was named national canvassman. Others elected include Henri Elman, first assistant; Irving Mandel, second assistant; John Balaban, dough guy; Robert Lubiner, property master. Named canvassmen were Irving Mack, Arthur Schoenstadt, Moe Wells, Thomas Flannery, J. Harold Stevens and James E. Coston. Ferber Joins Metropolitan Henry Ferber has joined Metropolitan Playhouses as assistant to the treasurer, R. V. Wemple, it was announced yesterday. Ferber, formerly comptroller of the Theater Owners of America, will continue to supervise the latter oi-ganization's financial affairs.