Harrison's Reports (1951)

30 HARRISON’S REPORTS February 24, 1951 “Father’s Little Dividend” with Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor (MGM, April; time, 82 min.) The same producer, director, writers and cast who were responsible for “Father of the Bride” have turned out a highly enjoyable sequel in “Father's Little Dividend.” It is, in fact, a rarity, for unlike most sequels it matches and even surpasses the fine entertainment values of the original. Like its predecessor, this is a wholesome, appealing comedy of family life, one that is sure to please most every type of picture-goer because its laughs are based on real-life situations that most people encounter at one time or another. Whereas the first picture dealt with the financial and emotional trials of Spencer Tracy when he marries off Elizabeth Taylor, his daughter, this one, as indicated by the title, has to do with the excitement caused when Elizabeth and Don Taylor, her husband, announce that they are going to have a baby. The idea of becoming a grandfather sort of stuns Tracy, who still feels himself to be comparatively young for such a status, but Joan Bennett, his wife, is thrilled by the news and looks forward to the big event joyously. Tracy gets over his initial shock quickly, and he and his wife start to lay plans for the future of their grandchild, but they soon come to the realization that they are not in this alone when Billie Burke and Moroni Olsen, the other set of prospective grandparents, come forth with some ideas of their own. The subdued jealousies that arise as the two sets of grandparents try to outdo each other; their well-meaning interference in the lives of the expectant couple during the pre-natal period; the problem of choosing a name for the child; the tenseness undergone by Tracy and his wife when Elizabeth enters the final days of her pregnancy; the relief of all when the baby is finally born; the consternation Tracy feels when the baby starts crying each time he appears; Tracy running around like a wild man all over town when the baby disappears after he takes him out for an airing and becomes involved as the referee of a children's soccer game — all these and many other situations keeps one laughing from start to finish. As in the first picture, Tracy is just perfect as the harrassed but kindly father, as is Joan Bennett, as his wife. All the other players, too, make the most of their roles. If your patrons enjoyed “Father of the Bride,” this sequel should give them complete satisfaction. It was produced by Pandro Berman and directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screen play by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, based on the characters created by Edward Streeter. Excellent for the entire family. “Navy Bound” with Tom Neal, Regis Toomey and Wendy Waldron ( Monogram , Feb. 25; time, 60 min.) Undoubtedly “Navy Bound" will turn out to be a “sleeper,” for there is fast action all the way through, considerable human interest, and two well-staged boxing bouts. The human interest is aroused by the desire of Tom Neal to help his father, whose fishing boat business had been mismanaged by Neal's eldest brother, and by the fact that Neal leaves the Navy, which he loved, to go to his father’s assistance. The strife between Neal and his brother does not leave scars because the brother, realizing that he was wrong, is regenerated. There is some light comedy, too, provoked by Neal's two Navy buddies. Stock shots of actual Navy gunnery practice adds to the excitement. These scenes were placed at the disposal of the producer by the Navy, which liked the story and cooperated in its production. The direction is good and the photography sharp: — Stationed on the U.S.S. Massachusetts, Neal and his two buddies (Paul Bryar and Murray Alper) are commended by Regis Toomey, the captain, for their outstanding gunnery work. Neal, an accomplished boxer, delights his buddies and Toomey when he wins the fleet’s middleweight championship by knocking out his opponent in the first round. Although he wants to reenlist for another four years, Neal decides to return home when he learns of his father's financial difficulties. Toomey, who wanted Neal to reenlist, informs him that he has three months in which to do it, and promises to continue his seniority. Returning home, Neal has a reunion with John Abbott, his father, Ric Roman, his eldest brother, and John Compton and Stephen Harrison, his younger brothers. He meets also Wendy Waldron, Roman’s sweetheart. There is a clash between Neal and Roman when Neal takes over the management of the fishing boat to raise the money needed to pay for it. Although his former Navy mates, on a 24-hour leave, help him to complete a successful fishing trip, Neal finds himself with insufficient funds to meet the payment on the boat as the deadline approaches. Roman, regretting his differences with Neal, arranges for Neal to fight a professional boxer on a winner-take-all basis. Neal’s buddies are given leave to assist him with his training, but they are ordered back to their ship when war in Korea breaks out. Without his expert seconds, Neal takes a terrific beating during the fight, but just when all seems lost his two buddies, accompanied by Toomey, arrive at the ringside. The sight of them revives Neal and he knocks out his opponent. With his father’s financial troubles straightened out, Neal bids farewell to his family and hurries back to his ship, arriving in time to reenlist. William Broidy produced it, and Paul Landres directed it, from a screen play by Sam Roeca, based on the Collier's magazine story, “Navy Bound," by Talbert Josselyn. Fine family entertainment. Fury of the Congo” with Johnny Weissmuller (Columbia, no rel. date set; time, 69 min.) Although it offers little that is novel, this latest of the “Jungle Jim” adventure melodramas is a passable program filler. The story itself is slight and far-fetched, and its development dull, but it has enough thrills and excitement to get by with the undiscriminating action fans, particularly the children on Saturday matinees, for Johnny Weissmuller, as the fearless hero, once again overcomes countless dangers as he tangles with the villains and wild animals. Worked into the proceedings to good effect are the usual stock shots of animals. The direction is capable, the acting adequate, and the sepia-tone photography good: — When an airplane crashes in a jungle lake, Weissmuller rescues Wiliam Henry, the pilot, who identifies himself as a Territorial Police inspector assigned to find Joe Friedkin, a biochemistry professor, who had disappeared mysteriously while searching for a rare pony-like animal called the Okongo, which was considered holy by a tribe of primitive natives. Weissmuller joins Henry in the search. They locate the tribe’s village and find it inhabited only by native Amazon-like women. Sherry Moreland, their leader, informs Weissmuller that white men had attacked the village and had carried off the male members of the tribe to be used as hunters in tracking down the sacred Okongo ponies. Actually, the white men were a band of narcotic smugglers, headed secretly by Henry, and their interest in the Okongo stemmed from the fact that the animal fed mainly on a narcotic jungle plant which, when masticated, formed a strong liquid narcotic secretion in the pony’s body. The smugglers had kidnapped the professor because only he knew how to tap the gland that released the narcotic fluid. Sherry joins Weissmuller and Henry in the search. In due time Henry’s true status is found out when he leaves the others to rejoin his henchmen. While Weissmuller goes on to rescue the professor and the native men, Sherry returns to her tribe for help. The smugglers capture Weissmuller when he steals into their camp and compel him to lead them to the grazing grounds of the Okongo herd. Pretending to cooperate, Weissmuller sets off a stampede among the ponies and, in the ensuing excitement, the native men come to grips with their captors in a free-for-all. The native women arrive and join the fray, and it all ends with the smugglers either captured or killed. It was produced by Sam Katzman and directed by Wils liam Berke from a screen play by Carrol Young. Harmless for children. “Lightning Strikes Twice” with Ruth Roman and Richard Todd (Warner Bros., March 10; time, 91 min.) An impressive mystery melodrama with psychological overtones, centering around a young actress who is attracted to a moody young man acquitted of murdering his wife but nevertheless suspected of the crime. The story is a bit too pat in parts and some of the coincidents are incredulous, but these shortcomings in the script are overcome by the competent direction and acting. Moreover, the settings, lighting and photography create a tense atmosphere that puts the spectator in a receptive mood for a story of this type. The fact that the identity of the real kiler is not disclosed until the finish helps to sustain the audience's interest. There is considerable suspense in the closing reels, where the heroine’s unreasonable fears cause her to flee in terror from the young man on their wedding night; — The rather complicated story casts Richard Todd as a