Harrison's Reports (1946)

130 HARRISON'S REPORTS August 17, 1946 "The Show-Off" with Red Skelton and Marilyn Maxwell (MGM, no release date set; time, 83 min.) Although this is the third screen version of George Kelly's play it is still as comical as ever. At a sneak preview, where the picture was reviewed, the audience was kept laughing constantly and their howls frequently drowned out the dialogue. The story, which was produced by Paramount in 1926 and in 1930, revolves around an ingratiating braggart whose incompetence and interfering ways bring nothing but grief to his bride and her family, despite his good intentions. Red Skelton, as the bungling, egotistical hero, is very comical; his reckless expenditures, without regard for his limited salary, and his uninvited efforts in behalf of others, lead him into all sorts of scrapes and hilarious mix-ups. It is a fast moving farce, with hardly a dull moment, and it should do well at the box-office, for it is the sort of picture one recommends to his friends: — Marilyn Maxwell falls in love with Red Skelton, a ne'erdo-well clerk, whose constant bragging and tall talcs grate on the nerves of her parents, Marjorie Main and George Cleveland; her brother, Marshall Thompson; her sister, Jacqueline White; and Jacqueline's husband, Leon Ames. Aware that his grandiose stories were not true, but realizing that he was devoted to her, Marilyn marries Skelton against the advice of her family. Skclton's reckless expenditures soon put them in debt and they find themselves compelled to move in with Marilyn's parents. Skelton's troubles multiply when he wrecks the car of a friend in a traffic accident, in which he injures a policeman. At the trial, the judge becomes so angered at his braggardy that he fines him $1000. Ames comes to his rescue by paying the fine. Although every effort to straighten out his own financial affairs only involve him deeper, Skelton takes it upon himself to handle a $30,000 offer Marilyn's brother had received from a paint firm for the sale of an invention. He visits the firm's president, highhandedly rejects the $30,000 offer, and demands instead $100,000 and one-half of the profits. Incensed by his impudence, the president calls off the entire deal. Marilyn finally becomes disconsolate over Skelton's interference, but everything turns out for the best when the paint firm counters with an offer of $75,000 and one-fourth of the profits. Her brother accepts the offer and insists that Skelton take part of the money for his share. Skelton swells with pride as the family forgives him for his past offenses, but Marilyn's mother echoes everyone's sentiments as she cries: "Heaven help us from now on!" George Wells wrote the screen play, Albert Lewis produced it, and Harry Beaumont directed it. The cast includes Virginia O'Brien, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Criminal Court" with Tom Conway and Martha O'Driscoll (RKO, no release date set; time, 62 min.) A fairly good program melodrama. The story, which revolves around a clever criminal lawyer, who seeks election as district attorney despite opposition by underworld interests, is not particularly novel, but it has been presented in an interesting way and holds one's attention throughout. The suspense and excitement is brought about by the fact that the lawyer becomes involved in the accidental death of a gangster under circumstances in which his sweetheart is unjustly accused and tried for the crime. Since the audience is aware of the facts surrounding the accidental death, one's interest lies in the method the lawyer employs to clear both himself and his sweetheart. Tom Conway enacts the role of the lawyer convincingly, and is particularly good in the courtroom scenes: — Conway, a brilliant young lawyer noted for his courtroom histrionics, seeks election as district attorney on the basis of his campaign to clean up a vice gang headed by Robert Armstrong, a night-club owner. Martha O'Driscoll, Conway's fiancee, obtains a singing engagement in Armstrong's club against the advice of Conway. To aid his election campaign, Conway manages to obtain incriminating motion pictures of Armstrong's henchmen bribing several officials and, despite Armstrong's threats, arranges to exhibit them. During the showing, Conway visits Armstrong for a showdown. A quarrel between them is climaxed by the accidental shooting of Armstrong when his gun hits the side of a desk. Conway docs not report the accident, unaware that it was witnessed by June Clayworth, his secretary, who was secretly in the employ of Armstrong. Later, the body is found by Martha under circumstances that lead the police to suspect her of the crime. Conway admits to the killing to save Martha, but his story is not believed. Armstrong's henchmen offer to produce a witness if Conway would drop out of the race for district attorney, but the young lawyer turns them down. During the course of the trial, Conway's secretary inadvertantly drops a clue indicating that she was the missing witness and, in a spectacular courtroom scene, he puts her on the stand and obtains from her testimony that exonerates Martha. The gangster element wiped out, Conway looks forward to his election as district attorney. Lawrence Kimble wrote the screen play from a story by Earl Fenton. Martin Mooney produced it, and Robert Wise directed it. The cast includes Addison Richards, Steve Brodie and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Earl Carroll Sketchbook" with Constance Moore and William Marshall (Republic, no release date set; time, 90 min.) This is an acceptable musical comedy, which, despite its conventional plot and formula treatment, should please generally. It has a fair share of lavish song and dance numbers, melodious music, and pleasant singing by Constance Moore. The comedy, too, is fairly good, with Vera Vague and Edward Everett Horton provoking many laughs with their bright dialogue each time they appear on the scene. The dance routines by Johnny Coy are partticularly good. Not much can be said for the story, which is thin and lacking in human interest, but the action is breezy. Although the romance is developed in the customary manner, with misunderstandings and final reconciliation, it is done with considerable humor: — William Marshall, a talented young songwriter, devotes his time to writing commercial jingles for radio, despite the efforts of Constance Moore, his secretary, to shame him into doing better things. Constance decides to take matters into her own hands and, with the aid of Vera Vague, her roommate, obtains an opportunity to sing one of Marshall's romantic ballads to Bill Goodwin, producer of a forthcoming Broadway musical. Goodwin is so captivated by her beauty and singing that he signs her as the star of his show without giving her a chance to explain that she was only plugging Marshall's song. Jealous over Marshall's attentions to Hillary Brooke, a glamorous advertising executive, Constance, injured slightly in a car accident, decides to feign amnesia in an effort to win him away. Constance's "failure" to remember him, and her attentiveness to Goodwin, have the desired effect on Marshall, and he soon begins to pursue her. Constance induces Goodwin to use Marshall's song in the finale of the show, but tells him that she wrote it herself lest he refuse to use it. Meanwhile Marshall, unaware that Constance had taken the song from his files, decides to use the melody in a singing commercial. Goodwin, hearing it on the air, accuses Marshall of plagiarism. Marshall, now aware that Constance's amnesia was a fake, counters Goodwin's accusation by threatening him with a law suit on opening night if he used the song in the finale. The situation is saved when Vera explains to Marshall that Constance wanted success for the song for his sake. He rushes to the theatre in time to tear up the summons and to effect a reconciliation after permitting Constance to introduce the song. Frank Gill, Jr. and Parke Levy wrote the screen play from Mr. Gill's original story, Robert North produced it. and Albert S. Rogell directed it. Unobjectionable morally.