Film and Radio Guide (Oct 1945-Jun 1946)

36 FILM AND RADIO GUIDE Volume XII, No. 9 Teachers Look at the Movies Reviews by Frederick Houk Law, Carolyn Harrow, Benjamin Harrow, and Flora Rheta Schreiber ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM. Oriental romance. 20th-Fox. John Cromwell, Director. Based upon the biography by Margaret London. Screen Play by Talbot Jennings and Sally Benson. Enthusiastically recommended. The influence of a teacher in shaping the affairs of the world seldom has had better presentation than in Anna and the King of Siam. One woman teacher helped to liberate an entire nation from the semi-barbaric customs of the past and turn a whole people toward modernization, not because she intended to be a reformer, but merely because she tried to help children over whom she was placed. Anna and the King of Siam takes high place as a motion picture because, like the popular biography upon which it is based, it has originality, novelty of scene and action, strikingly interesting characters, the appealing human interest that awakens sympathy, high spirit and thought-provoking matter. The events, that from the time of Adam have amused mankind, show a woman standing upon her dignity and making even a king do what she wishes. Unusual costuming and elaborate oriental stage-sets add to the interest of the film. The entire production, made on a lavish scale, “clicks.” Anna Owens, a n English woman (Irene Dunne), in 1862 goes to the little-visited land of Siam to teach the King’s children. The King (Rex Harrison) has learnetl English, and wishes to lu’ing better conditions to his land. In spite of all his desire to ape the Europeans, he remains an oriental despot, wielding power of life or death. Through a long period of years, the spirited English teacher, gifted with quick temper as well as keen ability, brings about great changes in the ruler and in the land. Both Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison play their parts superbly. So, too, do Linda Darnell, Lee Cobb, Gale Sondergaard, Richard Lyon, Mickey Roth, and many others. World travellers may say that the persons of the motion picture do not look or act exactly like Siamese; historians may say that the story slightly distorts facts of history ; motion picture goers will say, “This IS a good play!” F. H. LAW A Woman's View of “Anno and the King of Siom" History offers the screen u dramatic situation in the fact that an English widow became governess to the royal children of Siam and used her influence towards changing some barbaric practices. The costumes, settings, and customs called for months o f research, which makes the film extremely worthwhile from the educational standpoint. Irene Dunne looked and acted the coquettish, pretty, petulant flapper. I couldn’t see in her a l)ersonality who would introduce reforms. But Rex Hai'i'ison was matchless in his interpretation of the temperamental, intellectually-confused monarch. CAROLYN HARROW ★ ★ ★ CENTENNIAL SUMMER. 20th-Fcx. Romance of 1876. Otto Preminger, Director. Based on a novel by Albert E. Idell. Screen play by Michael Kani... Strongly recommended. A delightful, old-fashioned, musical romance concerning the great Philadelphia Centennial of 1876, replete with Technicolor and the charming feminine costumes of seventy years ago, tells the story of the rivalry of two sisters for the love of a young French exhibitor. Music, song, and dancing lighten the entire action, all together producing a peculiarly pleasing effect. We see the railroad engines of that period, and one of the “amazing wonders of science,” a magic lantern that throws pictures upon a screen. “What will science do next!” someone exclaims. This particular film well might have shown the first public exhibition of the Bell telephone— but it didn’t. As Philippe Lascalles, exhibiting the products and the life of France, Cornel Wilde is vibrant, light-hearted, and thoi’OLighly in romantic character. Two Philadelphia belles (Jeanne Crain and Linda Darnell) set out to ensnare the fascinating foreigner. Resorting to every trick that they know, they show what young women in love can do. A worldly-wise relative (Constance Bennett), who can