Harrison's Reports (1949)

8 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 8, 1949 What the elimination of cooperative advertising will cost the distributor, not counting the intensification of the exhibitors' efforts to book all his pictures on a flat'rental basis, is not possible to figure out accurately, but judging from the fact that most exhibitors will fold their hands and do nothing about spending money on the exploitation of a percentage picture the loss to the exhibitors as well as to the distributor will be considerable. As a matter of fact the loss will probably run into millions, for the exhibi' tors will feel that, once the distributor is sweetened with a big share of the income without any advertising expenditure, he will never think of changing his policy. And no exhibitor would want that. At a time when advertising should be intensified to bring to the theatres people who have been driven away by poor pictures, cutting out advertising is, indeed, a short-sighted policy. Advertising appropriations, instead of being reduced, should be increased, not only in the newspapers, magazines and billboards, but also in the trade papers, for intelligent trade paper advertising electrifies the exhibitor, prompting him to go after the laggard picture -patrons. "Highway 13" with Robert Lowery, Pamela Blake and Michael Whalen (Screen Guild, no rel. date set; time, 58 min.) A very good program melodrama. The action is fast and exciting from the opening scenes, holding the spectator's interest to the very end. The story revolves around the villains' efforts to send down the stock of a big trucking concern by wrecking many of its trucks so that they might gain control of the business for a "song." Human life means nothing to them, for their scheming results in trucks and drivers going over cliffs and crashing below, and then catching fire and burning. Though the picture is mainly a thriller, comedy is not lacking. As a matter of fact it is plentiful, and includes even pie throwing. The photography is first class and the acting is mostly good. William Berke, the director, did a fine job with the comedy as well as with the thrilling situations: — Mysterious accidents to the trucks of a big transportation firm, of which Tom Chatterton and Michael Whalen were the principal owners, bring the company to the verge of bankruptcy. Whalen's wife is killed in a crash near where the other accidents had occurred — in the vicinity of a roadside garage and restaurant owned by Clem Bevans but operated by his wife, Mary Gordon, and her assistant, Pamela Blake. The accident is discovered by Robert Lowery, one of the firm's drivers, who is in iove with Pamela. Whalen and Chatterton hire Gaylord Pendleton, an exArmy friend, to conduct an undercover investigation, and Lowery is given the job of breaking him in. Lowery makes a hit with Maris Wrixon, the firm's attractive personnel director, and wins a raise. After leaving Bevans' garage, where he had his truck inspected, Pendleton's brakes fail, but he manages to prevent a serious accident. He informs Whalen that he suspected Bevans. A few nights later, at the company warehouse, the brakes become loose again and the backing truck crushes Pendleton to death. Lowery, present in another part of the warehouse, is arrested, but he is released at the suggestion of Dan Seymour, an insurance investigator, who believes him innocent. Seymour wins Lowery 's cooperation and induces him to make a play for Maris. Pamela, becoming jealous, breaks with Lowery. To ease the tension between them, Lowery tells Pamela the story and also informs her that Bevans was under suspicion. This statement infuriates Pamela and she informs Bevans, who in turn telephones his confederates. Bevans slugs Lowery unconscious and puts him in a truck. Pamela, noticing Bevans' actions, hides in the truck with Lowery. Just then Whalen and Maris arrive and order Bevans to dispose of Lowery and the truck. Bevans abandons the rolling truck on a steep incline, but Pamela succeeds in bringing it to a stop. Meanwhile Bevans, waiting to be picked up by Whalen, is run down by him and killed. But in his haste to make a getaway, Whalen crashes into the stalled truck, killing Maris and himself. Rewarded by the insurance company, Lowery and Pamela marry. Maurice Tombragel wrote the screen play from a story by John Wilste. William Stephens produced it. "Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture" with Chester Morris (Columbia, no rel. date set; time, 60 min.) Nothing sensational, but it is a good Boston Blackie melodrama; it holds the spectator's interest pretty tense all the way through. The methods that Chester Morris employs to uncover the culprits and bring the murderer to justice are fairly logical and interesting. They show good writing. The scenes in which Morris and Sid Tomack, his pal, masquerade as Chinamen to escape from the police, who were hindering their efforts to obtain clues that would lead them to the murderers, are pretty comical. The acting, as a result of the fairly skillful direction, is good. The photography is sharp and clear: — Morris and Tomack are seen coming out of the laundry of the uncle of Maylia, a Chinese girl, and shortly afterwards Maylia finds her uncle murdered. The police, called in on the case, send for Morris to question him. They are unable, however, to establish a motive for the crime, and they let Morris and Tomack go free. With the police making no progress on the case, Morris decides to carry on an investigation of his own. He learns from Maylia that her uncle had telephoned Luis Van Rooten, owner of a nightclub and her employer. Aided by Maylia, Morris is able to learn that Van Rooten, his girl-friend, Joan Woodbury, and others were carrying out jewel robberies, and that a Dutch diamond expert, an illegal entrant to this country, was employed by them for the purpose of cutting up the diamonds so that they might not be detected. After a series of events, in which Van Rooten is murdered, Morris proves that Charles Arnt, Joan's confederate, had murdered the Chinese laundryman and Van Rooten to prevent the police from arresting them and learning the gang's secret, and that Joan was the gang's jewel "runner." Maurice Tombragel wrote the original screen play, Rudolph C. Flothow produced it, and Seymour Friedman directed it. The cast includes Richard Lane, Frank Sully, Philip Ahn and others. Harmless for children. Adult entertainment, but children will no doubt like it.