Harrison's Reports (1945)

142 HARRISON'S REPORTS September 8, 1945 "A Sporting Chance" with Jane Randolph and John O'Malley ('Republic, June 4; time, 56 min.) Although it offers little that is novel, this comedy melodrama should provide a diverting hour's entertainment as the lower half of a mid-week double bill in secondary theatres. The story, which is just another version of the "spoiled young heiress proves her worth" theme, is ordinary, and its treatment is conventional, but it has enough comedy, romantic complications, and exciting action to please those who are not too fussy. The melodramatic part of the story is rather contrived, but it serves to give the picture an exciting climax. Considering the material, the direction and the acting arc' adequate : — When Robert Middlcmass, a wealthy shipbuilder, dies, he leaves his fortune to Jane Randolph, his flighty niece, with a condition that, during the course of a year, she hold down a job at the shipyards solely on her own merit and ability. The wiH stipulated also that John O'Malley, manager of the shipyards and executor of the estate, was to be the sole judge of Jane's right to inherit the estate. Jane accuses O'Malley of influencing her uncle against her, but she accepts the challenge of the will and determines to make good. She moves to a cheap boarding house tenanted by other shipyard workers, and accepts a menial job at the yards. Without revealing her identity, she labors hard and is advanced gradually. Stephen Barclay, a fellow boarder, becomes attracted to her, but although Jane treats him pleasantly she finds that her feelings toward O'Malley had become more favorable. O'Malley, having noticed that Jane had become more human and generous, finds himself falling in love with her. Barclay, considering him a rival, becomes insanely jealous. Their rivalry eventually leads to a fist fight on the deck of a ship under construction, during which Barclay accidentally falls into a hold that had been set on fire. O'Malley, disregarding his own safety, extinguishes the blaze and rescues Barclay. Jane ends the rivalry by declaring her love for O'Malley. Dane Lussier wrote the screen play, Rudolph E. Abel produced it, and George Blair directed it. The cast includes Edward Gargan, Isabel Withers and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Come Out Fighting" with the East Side Kids (Monogram, Sept. 29; time, 62 min.) A satisfactory program entertainment for followers of the "East Side Kids" pictures, of which this is the latest. The plot follows faithfully the usual pattern employed in the series, with the "Kids," led by Leo Gorcey, their cocky leader, becoming involved with racketeers but working on the side of law and order. Despite the story's flimsiness, however, it moves along at a rapid pace and has plentiful comedy. Considerable laughter is provoked by Gorcey 's misuse of big words and by the usual rowdy, mischievous antics of the "Kids." As a matter of fact, the comedy is better than it has been in most of the recent pictures in the series: — Because of their rowdyism while training for a boxing tournament, the "Kids" are punished by a neighborhood policeman, who padlocks their clubroom. Gorcey, however, arranges with June Carlson, his girl friend, whose father was a police sergeant, to intercede with Addison Richards, the police commissioner, to countermand the closing order. Richards, taking a liking to the "Kids," agrees to open the clubhouse. He then arranges for them to accept Johnny Duncan, his pampered son, as a member of the club "to make a man out of him." Meanwhile George Meeker, a gambling racketeer, plots to discredit the commissioner and to put Pat Gleason, his gambling competitor, out of business; he arranges with Amclita Ward to vamp the commissioner's son and to lure him to Gleason 's gambling club on a night set for a police raid. Gorcey, who was employed by Gleason as a chauffeur, learns of the plot and leads the "Kids" to the club to spirit Duncan away before the police arrive. Although he succeeds in saving the young man, Gorcey himself is caught in the raid and jailed. The subsequent notoriety given the incident results in Gorcey 's disqualification from the boxing tournament. The commissioner's son, however, substitutes for Gorcey in the boxing match, and wins. The young man then reveals the truth to his father, who sees to it that Gorcey is vindicated publicly. Earle Snell wrote the screen play, Sam Katzman and Jack Dictz produced it, and William Beaudine directed it. The cast includes Huntz Hall, Billy Benedict, Gabriel Dell, Robart Homans, Davidson Clark and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Girl of the Limberlost" with Dorinda Clifton and Ruth Nelson (Columbia, no release date set; time, 60 min.) A moderately entertaining human-interest drama, the sort that should appeal to the family trade. The lack of star names, however, and the extremely modest production values relegate the picture to lower half billing in small-town and neighborhood houses. The story, which is based on Gene StrattonPorter's well-known novel, has been produced twice before — by FBO in 1924, and by Monogram in 1934. It deals with the trials and tribulations of a young girl, who is hated and tyrannized by her unreasonable mother. One feels considerable sympathy for Dorinda Clifton, the heroine, because of the suffering brought to her by her mother's cruel attitude. Ruth Nelson, as the mother, has an unsympathetic part, but she handles it well. The closing scenes, in which mother and daughter are reconciled, are touching. Discriminating patrons may find the story old-fashioned and oversentimental : — Living in self-imposed poverty on a lonely farm, Ruth Nelson hated her daughter Dorinda because she felt that the girl had been the cause of her husband's death. He had met with an accident years previously, and Ruth had been unable to save him because of her pregnant condition. Despite her mother's cruelties and her refusal to pay for her high school tuition, Dorinda determines to better herself. She raises money for her education by selling her collection of butterflies, and through the kindly aid of her principal becomes a star pupil. He even teaches her to play the violin. Peggy Converse, an ill neighbor, gives Dorinda a violin that had belonged to her father, but makes her vow that she will keep the instrument