Harrison's Reports (1949)

May 21, 1949 83 that James Hayter, the town's councillor, was trying to put over a crooked housing scheme, and that they could do nothing to wake up the apathetic towns' people. When the editor of the paper dies suddenly of heart failure, his priggish son, Cyril Cusak, who was interested chiefly in the advertising, offers Wooland a half interest in the paper with complete control as editor for a small investment. Wooland accepts and immediately launches an editorial attack on Hayter 's housing scheme. Angered, Hayter sees to it that advertising is withdrawn, and Cusak, fearing that Wooland will ruin the paper, gives the printing staff a holiday to prevent him from issuing another edition. Hayter, concerned, calls a public meeting to push his scheme through before Wooland succeeds in printing another edition. Helped by Sarah and several faithful friends, Wooland tries desperately to print the paper before the meeting but fails when the presses break down. He gives up the fight, but Sarah, undaunted, goes to the meeting and heckles Hayter so successfully that the townspeople begin to suspect that something is wrong. Meanwhile Wooland's friends succeed in bringing to the meeting several hand-printed copies containing information that definitely exposes the housing scheme as crooked and wins the people to Wooland's side. With the paper's success assured by the prestige gained, Wooland and Sarah decide to remain in Tarmouth. It was produced by Michael Gordon and directed by Derek Twist from their own screenplay. Suitable for the family. "Reign of Terror" with Robert Cummings, Arlene Dahl and Richard Hart (Eagle'Lion, June; time, 89 min.) A rousing costume melodrama, centering around an incident in the French Revolution of 1794. It is a wildly melodramatic tale, the sort that makes up in speed and excitement what it lacks in story material. Discriminating patrons probably will find that the fantastic heroics depicted put too much strain on credence, but it should go over well with those who enjoy virile picture entertainment regardless of whether or not the action is plausible. In keeping with the ten-twentythirty quality of the story, the characterizations are overdrawn, with the hero depicted as a man of incredible daring, while the villains are shown as blood-thirsty individuals, whose fiendish cunning knows no bounds. The production values and the photography are very good. There are so many twists and turns to the plot that it defies synopsis. Briefly, however, it deals with the efforts of Charles DAubigny (Robert Cummings), the exiled Lafayette's faithful aide, to remove from power Maximilien Robespierre (Richard Basehart) who, in a scheme to become dictator of France, resorted to mob violence, secret police and wholesale murder to force his political opponents to accede to his demands. When Robespierre sends for Duval (Charles Gordon), hated executioner of Strasbourg, to carry out the attrition against his opponents, Charles, learning of the plan, kills Duval and assumes his identity. In this he is aided by Madclon (Arlene Dahl), an agent of Francois Barras, leader of the party that sought to overthrow Robespierre. Under his assumed identity, Charles manages to win Robespierre's confidence and is assigned to find a little black book that contained the names of alleged enemies of France destined for the guillotine. Robespierre feared that, if the contents of the book became known, those listed would join lorccs to defeat him. The search for the book leads Charles through a series of fantastic adventures, during which he becomes involved in all sorts of intrigues and is compelled to match wits with Fouche (Arnold Moss) , head of the secret police, and St. Just (Jess Barker), Robespierre's principal aide, who eventually unmask him as an imposter, but not before he obtains possession of the book. Their efforts to recover the book involve Charles in many hairraising escapades, but in the end he succeeds in making its contents known, causing the villains to be marched to the guillotine and beheaded, thus saving France from a dictatorship. It is a Walter Wanger production, produced by William Cameron Menkes and directed by Anthony Mann from a story and screen play by Philip Yordan and Aeneas MacKenzie. The cast includes Charles McGraw, Beulah Bondi and others. Unobjectionable morally. "Neptune's Daughter" with Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Garrett and Keenan Wynn (MGM, June, time, 93 min.) Very good entertainment for everybody. Lavishly produced and photographed in Technicolor, it combines comedy, music, dancing and romance in a way that leaves one thoroughly satisfied that he had been entertained. The story, which is an hilarious scrambling of mixed identities and romances, is extremely thin, but it moves at such a fast pace and is loaded with so many laughs that one does not even consider if it makes sense. Briefly, the story casts Esther Williams, as a bathing suit manufacturer in partnership with Keenan Wynn; Betty Garrett, as her man-crazy "dumbdora" sister; Richard Montalban, as a dashing Argentine polo star; and Red Skelton, as a masseur for a polo club. The comedy stems from the fact that Betty mistakes Skelton for the polo star, and that Esther, learning of her infatuation, tries to protect her from Montalban. The complications that ensue are not unusual, but they are put over in a way that is screamingly funny, even when the action reverts to slapstick. Red Skelton, with a considerable assist from Betty Garrett, is a laugh-riot. The closing scenes where Skelton, after a mad series of circumstances involving the kidnapping of Montalban by crooked gamblers, finds himself reluctantly substituting for the polo star astride a steeplechase horse in a championship game, is wildly slapstick with hilariously funny. There are many more hearty laugh-provoking situations, particularly in the romance between Skelton and Miss Garrett, and Montalban and Miss Williams. An outstanding highlight is the rendition of the song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," by both couples, with Skelton and Miss Garrett extremely comical in their version. Included in the proceedings are several beautifully staged water ballets featuring Miss Williams, with Montalban joining her in the final ballet. There arc many other highlights in the song and dance departments, with Xavier Cougat and his orchestra furnishing the tuneful music. All in all, the picture adds up to good, clean entertainment, a welcome relief from the psychological, murder, and gangster themes. It was produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Edward Buzzell from an original screen play by Dorothy Kingslcy. The cast includes Ted dc Corsia, Mike Mazurki, Mel Blanc and many others. Excellent for the entire family.