Harrison's Reports (1941)

HARRISON'S REPORTS ill July 12, 1941 "Puddin' Head" with Judy Canova, Francis Lederer, Raymond Walburn and Eddie Foy, Jr. (Republic, June 25 ; time, 79 min.) Where Judy Canova is popular, there is no reason why "Puddin' Head" should not go over well. She goes through her customary antics, singing and clowning in a way that is familiar to her followers. The story, as usual, does not make such sense, and lacks appeal for class audiences, but it provides several situations that are pretty comical ; and the production values are good. Moreover, Miss Canova is given able support by a cast of competent players : — When Raymond Walburn, scatter-brained vice-president of the United Broadcasting System, discovers that, through an error on his part, the company's new building was standing on one foot of ground owned by some one else, he is horrified. His equally scatter-brained son (Eddie Foy, Jr.) suggests that they visit Miss Canova, a hill-billy girl who had inherted the property, so as to try to buy it from her. She had not even known that she owned the property, and is delighted to hear of it, for she had always wanted to live in the city. Instead of selling it to them, she decides to move there with her uncle (Slim Summerville) , the cows, chickens, and pigs, and to live in the rickety old house that stood on the property. Walburn is afraid to tell his stern sister (Alma Kruger), president of the company, about his troubles. Instead he and his son engage Francis Lederer, an impoverished Prince, to persuade Miss Canova to sell. Lederer conceives the idea of leading Miss Canova to believe that she would be given a lucrative radio contract and so induce her to spend money lavishly. In that way she would get into debt and be forced to sell. Through an accident, however, her voice actually does go over the air. The broadcasting company's most important client hears her and insists that she be given a contract for his program. Thus everything is cleared up — Miss Canova receives a good contract, and she, in turn, gives her land to the broadcasting company. Jack Townlcy wrote the story, and he and Milt Gross, the screen play ; Joseph Santley directed it, and Albert J. Cohen produced it. In the cast are Astrid Allwyn, Hugh O'Connell, Chick Chandler, Paul Harvey, and others. "Dance Hall" with Cesar Romero and Carole Landis (20//i Century-Fox, July 18; time, 73 min.) A moderately entertaining program picture. There's nothing unusual to the story, yet it has fair adult mass appeal because of "wise-cracks," (some of which is a little suggestive), interpolations of popular music, and good performances by the leading players. There is comedy and romance : — Carole Landis, a singer from New York, arrives at a dance hall in Pennsylvania managed by Cesar Romero ; she had been engaged to sing with the band. Romero, who was popular with the ladies, finds it difficult to impress Miss Landis, and is annoyed. This annoyance is intensified when Miss Landis takes away all his money in a dice game. One evening she relents and goes for an automobile ride with him. Having begun to like him she permits him to kiss her. He embarrasses her by laughing at her and stating that she was just like all the other girls. Annoyed, she jumps out of the car and starts walking home. She is picked up by J. Edward Rrombcrg, a kindly salesman, who takes her home. Thereafter he calls nightly at the dance hall to hear her sing, and to sit and talk with her. By this time Romero is jealous and in love with Miss Landis. She goes out with him again ; they drive out to the country. She makes him confess that he loved her. While he was talking, she sneaks off in the car, giving him a taste of his own medicine, for he is compelled to walk home. Romero, who had lost a large sum of money gambling and was unable to meet the debt, borrows from William Henry, one of his musicians, all his savings to pay this debt ; he did not know that Henry had intended using the money to go to New York to have his music published. When Miss Landis tells him of this, he is determined to get the money back for Henry ; he runs a crooked lottery which he himself wins. This money he returns to Henry and sends him on his way to New York. But the crowd had found out about the crooked machine and were enraged. They attack Romero; he is finally rescued by the police and put in jail. Brombcrg, who realized that Miss Landis was in love with Romero, returns the lottery money, and Romero is freed. Romero and Miss Landis are finally united. W. R. Burnett wrote the story, and Stanley Rauh and Ethel Hill, the screen play; Irving Pichel directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzcl produced it. In the cast are Charles Halton, June Storey, Shimen Ruskin, William Ilaade, and others. "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper (Warner-\st Nat'l., tel. date not set; time, 133 min.) Excellent entertainment. The exploits of Sergeant York during the last World War in wiping out a nest of machine guns and capturing single-handed 132 Germans is something that Americans remember and will want to see enacted on the screen. But it is not alone the war scenes that make this picture the fine entertainment that it is ; the first half showing York's life on his Tennessee farm is engrossing : — his struggles to eke out a living under trying circumstances, his family life and romance, how he found religion, are all told in a simple but deeply-moving style. Colorful, too, are the characterizations of his Tennessee neighbors, and their amusing actions both in play and business. The picture is timely in the extreme ; without preachment, it pays a fine tribute to patriotism, making one proud to be an American, Mr. Cooper has never done better acting. Margaret Wycherly, as the mother, does a fine bit of acting. As a matter of fact, every one of the players does well. Alvin C. York (Cooper), his mother (Margaret Wycherly), brother George (Dickie Moore), and sister Rosie (June Lockhart) all work hard on their mountain farm. Alvin occasionally lets loose by drinking too much with some of his friends. But once he meets Gracie Williams (Joan Leslie), his one ambition is to own better farm land to make a place for himself so that he could marry her. Pastor Rosier Pile (Walter Brennan) in vain tries to talk to York religion. One night York, heartbroken at the loss of farm property a neighbor had promised to sell him, for which he had worked night and day, sets out to kill the neighbor. A storm breaks out and lightning strikes the rifle, knocking it from his hands. To York this was a symbolic sign and he becomes a religious man. When America declares war, he becomes a conscientious objector for, according to his religion, to kill another man was a sin. His appeal for exemption is denied and he goes to camp. A talk with his commanding officer and a reading of the history of the United States makes York realize that it was necessary to defend his country. York distinguishes himself as a great hero when, in October, 1918, at the Argonne, he single-handed wipes out a machine gun nest, killing at least twenty Germans and capturing 132 others. When he is decorated, he states he had been impelled to do it to prevent more killings. With the war over, York returns to his home in Tennessee, where, to his joy, he finds a farm and home ready for him ; it had been presented to him by the people of the State of Tennessee. Abem Finkel, Harry Chandlce, Howard Koch, and John Huston wrote the screen play from the diary of Sergeant York. Howard Hawks directed it, and Jesse Lasky and Hal B. Wallis produced it. Others in the cast are Stanley Ridges, George Tobias, Ward Bond, Noah Beery, Jr. "Bachelor Daddy" with Baby Sandy, Edward Everett Horton and Donald Woods (Universal, July 3; time, 60 min.) Not even the "cuteness" of Baby Sandy and the fact that she now talks can do much for this program farce. It is based on so ridiculous a plot, and the situations are so forced, that, instead of entertaining one, it is simply annoying. The only possible audience this may please is the followers of the "Baby Sandy" pictures ; but they will have to like her very much to overlook the triteness of the plot : — When Kathryn Adams is arrested for peddling candy without a license, she, fearing that the authorities might learn she had a child (Baby Sandy), gives another name. Since she did not have enough money to pay her bail, she is compelled to remain at the jail. The judge, knowing that, when she gave him her name as "Smith," she was telling an untruth, chides her for using that name since there were honorable people who had that name, such as the three brother-bachelors who lived at his club. She sends a letter to the club addressed to Mr. Smith telling him that "their" child was alone and needed some one to take care of her. The three brothers (Horton, Woods, and Raymond Walburn) rush to the house and take Baby Sandy back to their' hotel. The trouble then starts. As soon as Miss Adams is released she rushes to the club and manages to net to the brothers' apartment, even though it was against the rule for women to enter the place. Her presence is misunderstood by Evelyn Ankers, Woods' fiancee, whose Father (Jed Prouty) was about to merge his candy business with that owned by Woods and his brothers. The deal is called off. By giving the brothers a new recipe for candy, destined to put their business back on its feet. Miss Adams saves the day. By this time Woods is in love with her, and gives up Miss Ankers to mai n Mis^ Adams. Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo wrote the screen play, Harold Young directed it, and Hurt Kelly produced it In the cast are Franklin Pans-horn, Ilardie Albright, Gcorgt*Meader, Bert Roach, and others.