Harrison's Reports (1949)

November 12, 1949 HARRISON'S REPORTS 183 a pencil. Through Lord, Andes meets most of the Communists at a fashionable New York night-club, including Rita Colton, the clubs entertainer, with whom he falls in love. She, too, comes under suspi' cion when a Government man is found murdered in her apartment. After meeting Kit Russell, the leader sought by the Government, Andes leads a raid on the night'dub and rounds up the Communist henchmen. Russell, however, is not among them. Meanwhile he discovers that Rita had been an innocent dupe of the Communists. Just as Andes prepares to leave he nc tices one of the cigarette girls holding a cigarette the same way Russell holds his. He quickly pulls at her hair, removing the wig and revealing Russell. Cor' nered, Russell pulls out a gun and, using Rita as a shield, makes his escape. Andes pursues him and, after a wild chase, kills him in a gun battle and rescues Rita. It was produced by Edward Leven and directed by Edward J. Montagne from a screen play by Gene Hurley and Earl Kennedy. Harmless for children. "Tough Assignment" with Don Barry, Marjorie Steele and Steve Brodie (Lippert-Screen Guild, Dec. 17; time, 64 min.) For a picture of this modest budget, "Tough Assignment" is very good, for it manages to hold the spectator in tense suspense throughout. The reason for it is the fact that the hero risks his life by his determination to expose the beef bootlegging racket. There are, of course, many licenses taken by the producer, but it is doubtful if the undiscriminating lovers of action pictures will notice the defects. Don Barry is convincing as the hero, and Marjorie Steele is acceptable as the heroine. Marc Lawrence is his usual vicious self in the villainous part he plays. The direction is skillful and the photography sharp and clear: — Don Barry, a reporter, and Marjorie Steele, his bride, accidentally take a picture of some thugs who had beaten up an inoffensive butcher. Unable to get any information from the butcher, Barry goes home to develop the negative. He is followed by the thugs, who slug him and steal the negative. Barry investigates and discovers that a gang of beef bootleggers had been terrorizing the butchers by forcing them to buy uninspected meats. Barry induces his editor to let him pursue the matter so that he may write a series of articles about the racket. The thugs, disliking publicity, bring Barry to their headquarters through trickery. Steve Brodie, the leader, offers Barry a bribe. When he refuses, Barry orders Marc Lawrence and Ben Weldon, his henchmen, to beat him up. Barry is returned home in a serious condition, with a warning to stop writing the articles. Determined to catch the gang, Barry and Marjorie follow a bootleg meat delivery truck back to a lonely ranch. They hide their car and, after disguising themselves as itinerant farm workers, persuade the ranch owner to give them jobs as cook and handyman. From this vantage point, Barry learns that rustling cattle was a part of the gang's operation. His newspaper articles continue to expose the racket, and the gang becomes frantic, not knowing where the information is coming from. Brodie, failing to recognize Barry, has him brought to his office and offers him a huge sum of money to kill the reporter. Lawrence, however, recognizes Barry, and Brodie prepares to kill him on the spot. But Barry escapes and heads for the farm to rescue his wife. The gangsters give chase and catch up with him just as he reaches the ranch house, only to run into the arms of the waiting police, who had been summoned by Marjorie. Milton Luban wrote the screen play from an original story by Carl K. Hittleman, the producer. William Beaudine directed it. Not harmful for children who are permitted to see crime melodramas. "Dear Wife" with William Holden, Joan Caulfield and Billy De Wolfe (Paramount, no rel. date set; time, 88 min.) A good family entertainment. It is an amusing sequel to Paramount's 1947 production of "Dear Ruth," with the same players cast in the principal roles. Like that picture, it has a charming, wholesome quality, a slight but cleverly-complicated plot, and bright dialogue. This time the comedy stems from the fact that the head of the family and his son-in-law find themselves rival candidates for the same public office as a result of the unwitting political activities of the family's 'teen-aged daughter. One is kept amused throughout by the mirth-provoking complications and the satirical treatment on small-town politics. Aided by good direction and zestful acting, it adds up to funny and ingratiating movie entertainment, the sort that allows one to sit back and relax : — Joan Caulfield and William Holden, newlyweds, live in the home of her parents (Edward Arnold and Mary Philips) because of their inability to find an apartment. Mona Freeman, Joan's 'teen-aged sister, circulates a petition for the nomination of Holden for state senator and urges the townspeople to no longer support a candidate chosen by the political machine. Matters become complicated in the household when Arnold, a judge, reveals that the party had chosen him to run for state senator. Holden, who was unaware of Mona's efforts in his behalf, plans to reject the nomination, but, when he learns that Arnold's party is supporting a plan to construct an airport that would deprive many families of their homes, he agrees to run. To complicate matters even more, Billy De Wolfe, Holden's stuffy boss at the bank and his former rival for Joan's hand, becomes Arnold's campaign manager, while Arlene Whelan, a beautiful redhead acts in a similar capacity for Holden. Although they are opposition candidates in the same household, Holden and Arnold remain friendly in recognition of the right each has to run against the other, but as the campaign progresses its ramifications lead to a number of misunderstandings, culminating in a quarrel and separation between Holden and Joan because of her family loyalty and of her jealous imagination over Arlcne's attentiveness to Holden. De Wolfe grasps the opportunity to renew his pursuit of Joan, but Arnold, favoring a reconciliation between the estranged couple, has other ideas: By bringing his judicial powers into play, he prevents Joan from leaving town and sees to it that she ends up in Holden's arms at a local dance. Meanwhile Holden had been disqualified as a candidate because he had moved out of the district, but all are satisfied when Arnold announces that a new plan had been formulated to build the airport without depriving any family of its home. It was produced by Richard Maibaum and directed by Richard Haydn from an original screen play by Arthur Sheckman and N. Richard Nash. The cast includes Raymond Roc, Harry Von Zell and others. Suitable for the family.