Harrison's Reports (1944)

November 18, 1944 HARRISON'S REPORTS 187 an immediate sensation when the youngsters greet his singing with squeals and shrieks. The townspeople, feeling that the youngsters1 behaviour needed curbing, decide to make a night-club for them. Meanwhile a romance springs up between Lynn and Crosby, much to the consternation of Louise, who was infatuated with him herself. Having assured her friends that Crosby would bring a big stage show to their night-club's opening, Louise finds herself unable to face them, because Crosby's sponsor, peeved at the youngsters1 "swooning" antics, had banned his appearance. But Robert White, Louise's 'teen-aged boyfriend, saves the occasion by inducing Crosby to attend. At the opening, Crosby credits Louise for his success, and cures her of her adolescent love for him by telling her that he was an "old man" of thirty. Louise turns her affections to Robert, leaving Crosby and Lynn free to continue their romancing. Muriel Roy Bolton wrote the screen play, Ted Richmond produced it, and Glenn Tryon directed it. The cast includes Howard Freeman, Pierre Watkin and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Enter Arsene Lupin" with Ella Raines, Charles Korvin and J. Carrol Naish (Universal, T^ov. 24; time, 72 min.) A fairly good program crook melodrama, centering around a daring, suave French thief, who en' dangers himself to protect a young heiress from her murderous aunt and uncle. What the story lacks in plausibility is made up for in romance, suspense, and good comedy situations. Charles Korvin, a newcomer to the screen, has a pleasing Continental personality, the sort that should find favor with women. An amusing characterisation is that of an eccentric French detective, played by J. Carrol Naish; the manner in which he and the thief try to outwit each other provokes considerable laughter. The fact that the "Arsene Lupin" characterization is well known should be of help at the box-office: — On a train bound from Constantinople to Paris, Charles Korvin, an international thief, steals a $50,000 emerald from Ella Raines, a young heiress, but returns it to her when she becomes frantic. Attracted by Ella's beauty, Korvin follows her to England, where she had gone to live with Gale Sondergaard and Miles Mander, her aunt and uncle. He rents a cottage nearby Mander's estate, and renews his acquaintance with Ella. Meanwhile he commits a series of robberies, causing Scotland Yard to seek the services of J. Carrol Naish, a French detective, who identifies the thefts as the work of Korvin. Subsequent events lead Korvin to suspect that Ella's aunt and uncle meant to kill her to gain possession of the emerald. But before he can take steps to protect her, he is apprehended by Naish. Korvin, however, outwits the detective and escapes. He goes to the estate to steal the emerald, hoping that Ella's life will be safe without it. When Ella catches him stealing the gem, Korvin is compelled to tell her of his fears for her safety. On the folowing day, Ella becomes convinced of her danger when her aunt and uncle make an unsuccessful attempt on her life. She promises Korvin that she will leave the estate and meet him in Paris. She slips the emerald into his pocket without his knowledge. Hurrying to catch a channel boat, Korvin is caught again by Naish. Through clever strategem, he almost succeeds in having Naish arrested as a pickpocket, but the detective gains the upper hand when the emerald is found in Korvin 's pocket and he charges him with stealing it. En route to Scotland Yard, Korvin dreams of Paris. Bertram Millhauser wrote the screen play, and Ford Beebe produced and directed it. The cast includes George Dolenz and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" with Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson and Robert Walker (MGM, no release date set; time, 138 min.) A thrilling war melodrama, well directed and expertly performed by a fine cast. Based on Captain Ted W. Lawson's widely-read diary, the picture is a stirring account of the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, in which Lawson was one of the participants. Some of the sequences, particularly the one where the bomber planes take off from the deck of the Hornet, are so thrilling that the spectator feels the feverish excitement that grips the fliers themselves. The photography is superb. The scenes depicting the low-level flying of the planes, and the bombing of Tokyo, are very realistic. Woven through the exciting action is the heart-warming attachment between Lawson and his bride of six months. This phase of the picture, though tender, is overdone, serving to make the running time excessively long. Some judicious cutting of the romantic angle would rid the picture of its lagging spots. The agonies suffered by Lawson's crew when their ship crashes on the China coast, and the necessary amputation of Lawson's leg, give the picture some grim moments, which, though true, may prove a bit too strong for many persons who have a loved one on the fighting fronts. The story begins early in 1942 when the then Lieut. Col. James Doolittle organized a group of volunteer fliers to train for a secret mission. Without revealing to the men the nature of their assignment, Doolittle puts them through an intensive training period. Months later, the men are transferred to the carrier Hornet and, at sea, Doolittle reveals to them that they were to bomb Japan. The fliers are compelled to take off ahead of schedule when Jap ships sight the Hornet. Lawson pilots his plane, the "Ruptured Duck," over Tokyo and, after the crew drops its bombs squarely on the target, speeds toward China, crash-landing on the China coast. The crew of five, severely injured, are rescued by Chinese guerrillas. All suffer horribly on the long, painful trek to Free China, where the guerrillas bring them to a small village. There, missionaries and Chinese doctors care for their wounds. Lawson, badly hurt, suffers a leg amputation. He is flown back to the United States when he regains his strength and, with the kindly aid of Doolittle, is joyously reunited with his bride. Spencer Tracy, as Doolittle, has a comparatively small role, but he plays it very effectively. Van Johnson, as Lawson, gives a stirring performance. Equally good are Phyllis Thaxter, a newcomer, as Lawson's bride, and Robert Walker, as Lawson's gunner-mechanic. Mervyn LeRoy's direction is impressive. Dalton Trumbo wrote the screen play, and Sam Zimbalist produced it. The cast includes Robert Mitchum, Don DeFore, Horace McNally, Louis Jean Heydt, Leon Ames and others.