Harrison's Reports (1947)

110 HARRISON'S REPORTS July 12, 1947 "Kilroy Was Here" with Jackie Cooper, Jackie Coogan and Wanda McKay (Monogram, July 5; time, 68 tnin.) A fairly entertaining comedy-drama, one that may do better-than-average business because of the exploitable value of its title, which is a catch phrase that is known by most everyone, and which has served as the basis for countless gags. The story, which has a college background, is rather commonplace and somewhat naive, but its blend of humor, romance and human interest should give ample satisfaction to nondiscriminating audiences. Jackie Cooper, as "Kilroy," and Jackie Coogan, as his buddy, give good accounts of themselves in the principal roles. Cooper's efforts to outdistance the inevitable "Kilroy" jokes at the mere mention of his name serves as the basis for the comedy, and for the complications he encounters as he endeavors to get an education in a small college. Some of the dialogue is quite witty, and the action moves along at a steady pace: — Honorably discharged from the Army, Cooper and Coogan resume their old jobs as mechanics for a taxicab company. They quit their jobs after a quarrel with the foreman. Cooper heads for Benson College to get an education, while Coogan trails along and secures a job as a car salesman. At Benson, Cooper makes friends with Professor Barton Yarborough, but finds himself one-half credit short for college entrance. Wanda McKay, a co-ed in charge of the school's public relations, learns that Cooper was the "Kilroy" every one talked about; she induces the dean to permit Cooper to register pending makeup of his half -credit, so that she might exploit his presence at the college and thus attract additional students. The resultant publicity causes Cooper no end of mental pain because of the "Kilroy" jokes, but his feelings are alleviated when a snobbish fraternity, seeking his name value, pledges him. When the newspapers treat Wanda's stories as a hoax, the fraternity members become dubious about Cooper being the real "Kilroy" and try to embarrass him into withdrawing from the school. Cooper, dejected, decides to leave, but Coogan, aided by Wanda, by taxi-driving friends, and by the timely intervention of Prof. Yarborough, convinces Cooper that the majority of the students wanted him to remain. It all ends with Cooper and Wanda in a fond embrace. Dick Irving Hyland wrote the original screenplay and co-produced it with Sidney Luft. Phil Karlson directed it. The cast includes Frank Jenks and others. Unobjectionable morally. "The Trespasser" with Dale Evans and Warren Douglas (Republic, July 3; time, 71 min.) Although the pace is slowed down considerably by too much talk, this melodrama, which has a newspaper background, shapes up as a fair program entertainment. Following a cops-and-robbers formula, the plot revolves around the efforts of several newspaper people to track down a dealer in forged rare books. Involved in the proceedings is a murder, but insofar as the spectator is concerned there is no mystery about the culprits' identities; one's interest lies in how they are brought to justice. Whatever excitement there is occurs in the closing sequence, where the crooks are cornered in a slam-bang fight. Comedy and romance are worked into the plot to a satisfying degree. The performances are engaging, and the production values very good : — Searching for a newspaper job, Janet Martin is made the victim of a practical joke by Warren Douglas, head of the newspaper's morgue, but Douglas Fowley, the paper's feature editor, befriends her and puts her to work in Douglas' department. Janet learns that Francis Pierlot, the publisher, was a collector of rare first editions, which he purchased through the contacts of William Bakewell, the paper's literary editor. She accidentally discovers that Pierlot 's latest purchase was a forgery and confides her findings to Fowley, who confronts Bakewell with the book and draws from him an admission that it is a fake. Bakewell promises to make amends but refuses to disclose the source from which he got the book. Later Bakewell visits the bookshop of Gregory Gay, who had committed the forgery, and explains Fowley 's suspicions. Gay plots to kill both Bakewell and Fowley to prevent further interference in his racket. He forces off a mountain road a car in which both men are riding. Bakewell is killed, but Fowley survives his injuries. Dale Evans, Bakewcll's sister and Fowley s fiancee, who had been told by her brother that Fowley was mixed up with the book forgers duping Pierlot, suspects that Fowley had murdered her brother. Unable to prove his innocence, Fowley takes to drink Janet and Douglas set out to clear him. They sober him up and, through an inadvertent tip from Dale, learn that Gay was the forger and murderer. All converge on the bookshop where Gay and his henchmen are subdued after a gun battle. Dale and Fowley become reconciled, and a new romance blossoms between Janet and Douglas. Jerry Gruskin wrote the screen play from a story by Jerry Sackheim and Erwin Gelsey. William J. O'Sullivan produced it, and George Blair directed it. The cast includes Adele Mara, Grant Withers, Vince Barnett and others. Unobjectionable morally. "The Vigilantes Return" with Jon Hall and Margaret Lindsay (Unwersal-lnt'l., July; time, 67 min.) A better-than-average program Western, photographed by the Cinecolor process. Although the plot and treatment follow a traditional pattern, it has enough standard ingredients — gunplay, hard riding, and fist-fighting to satisfy the followers of this type of melodrama. Jon Hall makes a straightforward hero as a secret U. S. Marshal, brought into town to obtain evidence against a predatory gang, and Margaret Lindsay, as a dance-hall queen, makes a sympathetic heroine. Andy Devine, as the hero's pal, is his usual comical self. The color photography, while far from perfect, is at least pleasing to the eye: — In response to an appeal from Judge Jonathan Hale, Hall comes to the town of Bannack to help clean up the lawless element. Margaret Lindsay, owner of a saloon in partnership with Robert Wilcox, suspected leader of the lawless men, recognizes Hall as an old New Orleans acquaintance, but he prevails upon her to keep his identity secret. Paula Drew, the judge's granddaughter, who was secretly in love with Wilcox, informs the gang leader about Hall's identity and about the fact that he was out to secure evidence against the gang. To counteract the plan, Wilcox invites Hall to participate in a bank robbery, during which he is framed for the murder of the night watchman. The sheriff, in league with Wilcox, arrests Hall. The judge finds himself powerless to intercede, and Devine, aided by Margaret, manages to spring