Harrison's Reports (1944)

190 HARRISON'S REPORTS November 25, 1944 "Winged Victory" with Lon McCallister, Edmond O'Brien and Jeanne Crain (20th Century-Fox. Dec; time, 130 min.) As a stage play, "Winged Victory" has been hailed as a memorable tribute to the Army Air Forces. As a picture, it is even more stirring because of the greater scope of the screen. The ambitions of six boys from different parts of the country to become pilots, their experience as they go through basic training and ground schools, and their anxiety for each other, their families, and their sweethearts, have been depicted with such simplicity and acted with such understanding and warmth that the spectator feels keenly their joys and disappointments. The sequences depicting the rigorous training and strenuous tests undergone by the trainees are highly informative, and they make the audience appreciative of the heartbreaks suffered by those who are "washed out" for physical or other reasons. The footage is about equally divided between the training of the fliers and the drama of their personal lives, with both phases being blended so skillfully that the picture is at all times dramatically effective. Its humor is rich, particularly in the scenes where the boys first arrive at camp and are good-naturedly joshed by the trainees already there. Amusing also is a camp show at a South Pacific base, put on by the soldiers themselves. With the exception of the wives, and a few minor roles, all the players are members of the Army Air Forces — the original cast that appeared in the stage play. All perform capably, with high honors going to Sergeant Edmond O'Brien for his very effective portrayal of a co-pilot from Brooklyn. Corporal Mark Daniels, Private Lon McCallister, Corporal Barry Nelson, Corporal Don Taylor, and Corporal Alan Baxter are others playing leading roles. Jeanne Crain, Jo-Carroll Dennison, Jane Ball, and Judy Holliday enact the roles of the wives. The story opens in a small mid-western town, where three youngsters, having joined the Army Air Forces, eagerly await notices to report. They soon find themselves at a training camp where, after months of gruelling training, some members of their group are "washed out" while others become pilots or navigtaors. One of the men (Lon McCallister) is killed in a crash, leaving a wife and her unborn child. Ultimately, the men become full-fledged fliers and are assigned to a bomber, which they name "Winged Victory." Following a brief reunion with their wives in San Francisco, they take off for a South Pacific base. There, while defending the base in an air battle, their plane is damaged and one of the crew members wounded. While waiting for the plane to be repaired, one of the fliers learns that his wife had given birth to a son. As he walks to his plane to go another mission, the new father pauses to write a note to his son, telling him of the better world he is fighting for. Moss Hart wrote the screen play from his own stage play, Darryl F. Zanuck produced it, and George Cukor directed it. "I'm from Arkansas" with Iris Adrian, Bruce Bennett and EI Brendel (PRC, Oct. 31; time, 68 min.) This program hillbilly comedy, with mountain music, should find its best reception in theatres that cater to audiences who enjoy this type of humor; others may find it dull. The story, of course, does not make much sense; but this matters little since the individual situations are fairly comical in their own rustic way. There are a few situations in which the action pokes fun at the hillbillies; these may prove amusing to city audiences but small-town patrons may not find them pleasurable. Most of the footage is consumed by the musical interludes, which is just as well, for they make up the most entertaining parts of the picture. El Brendel and Slim Summerville, as hillbilly characters, provide most of the comedy, but not much of it is effective: — When a sow owned by Maude Eburne of Pitchfork, Arkansas, establishes a world's record by having a litter of eighteen pigs, the nation's newspapers give it wide publicity. Cliff Nazarro, business manager of a girl show, decides to bring his troupe to Pitchfork, hoping to play to scores of visitors. There, Iris Adrian, leading lady of the show, meets and falls in love with Bruce Bennett, leader of a nationally-known hillbilly band, who was vacationing in town. A town holiday is declared when the Commisisoner of Agriculture comes to Pitchfork to bestow a blue ribbon on the sow. Meanwhile two representatives of a meat packing concern discover that a certain mud-hole, in which the prize sow wallowed, contained a very potent chemical that promoted not only health and vigor but also made one prolific. Aware that this chemical could help them corner the hog market, the two men plot to acquire Miss Eburne's property at a low price. Iris, however, learns of their scheme when both men get drunk at a wedding party for Miss Eburne and Slim Summerville. With Bennett's aid, Iris not only thwarts the two schemers from obtaining the property, but she also induces the Governor of the state to sponsor Pitchfork as a health resort. Marcy Klauber and Joseph Carole wrote the screen play, E. H. Kleinert and Irving Vershel produced it, and Lew Landers directed it. The cast includes Jimmy Wakely, the Pied Pipers, the Sunshine Girls, the Milo Twins and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Blonde Fever" with Philip Dorn and Mary Astor (MGM, no release date set; time, 69 min.) This sophisticated comedy has been given a good production, but it is no more than uninteresting program fare, because of weak story material, faulty direction, mediocre acting, and inept dialogue. There is not one new twist in the trite story, which revolves around the infatuation of a middle-aged married man for a young, flirtatious waitress. It progresses according to formula, enabling one to forsee the outcome. And since the characters do nothing to awaken one's sympathy, one loses interest in them. Mary Astor, as the faithful wife who slyly brings her husband to his senses, does the best work of the cast. Philip Dorn, as the philandering husband, walks through the picture with so mournful an expression, and with such an air of self-pity, that he becomes annoying: — Dorn, owner of an exclusive cafe, finds himself attracted to Gloria Grahame, a nineteen-year-old waitress in his employ. Gloria, engaged to Marshall Thompson, a youth her own age, finds herself fascinated by Dorn's attentions and by his continental manner. Mary Astor, Dorn's wife, aware of his infatuation for Gloria, determines to break up the affair; she persuades Dorn to employ Marshall as a waiter, hoping that a steady income will enable him to marry Gloria. Meanwhile a $40,000 lottery prize, which Marshall had hoped to win, is won by Dorn, whose financial affairs were in a sorry state. Awed by the money Dorn had won, Gloria redoubles her flirting with him. Dorn, enticed, informs her that he will divorce Mary and marry her. Mary, anticipating his move, offers to divorce him and slyly tricks him into giving her the lottery check in lieu of alimony. On the following morning, Mary, prior to her departure, arranges a farewell breakfast, to which she invites Gloria and informs her of the settlement, adding that she had turned over the check to Marshall as compensation for having lost his girl to Dorn. Gloria, shocked, quickly denounces Dorn and declares her love for Marshall. Dorn, crushed, begs Mary's forgiveness. She then reveals to him that she had given Marshall only $1,000 to help her cure him of his "blonde fever." Patricia Coleman wrote the screen play based on a play by Ferenc Molnar. William H. Wright produced it, and Richard Whorf directed it. The cast includes Felix Bressart, Curt Bois, Elisabeth Risdon and others. Strictly adult entertainment.