Harrison's Reports (1962)

February 24, 1962 HARRISON'S REPORTS 27 deliver even without a Production Code seal. The poster-promise of biological thrills is the only "sell" gimmick at hand. There are no impressive performances, for which the actors should hardly be blamed. It's that kind of off-beat story about off-beat London youngsters, living it up so far out of rational behavior that our own crop of off-beat beatniks loom like prissy pariahs by comparison. While this is no comedy, and even a loose snicker helps to relieve the tedium, most of this off-beat stuff plays itself out in a dank cellar called the "Off -Beat" Cafe. Photography, fair. David Farrar takes on another wife, (French) Noelle Adam. His first wife, who died in childbirth, left a daughter. She (Gillian Hills) is now 15. At home she seems shy. At night, she's right up front with the beatniks. Their hangout is the "Off -Beat" Cafe. There is music, a big beat, a hot tempo and smooching. The youngster finds out that a striptease dancer used to do an act, in Paris, with the new wife of her father. In time she reveals this to him, but it doesn't matter. He loves her. In the meantime, the youngster has developed a hatred for Miss Adam. The owner of a ritzy upholstered cellar has taken to the youngster, and is ready to take her to Paris. But his mistress will have none of it. She kills the philanderer. The youngster, knowing a little more about life, seeks forgiveness of her parents as she rushes into their arms. Produced by George Willoughby; directed by Edmond T. Greville; screenplay by Dail Ambler. Adults. "Black Tights" with Cyd Charisse, Moira Shearer, Zizi Jeanmaire, Roland Petit, Maurice Chevalier (Magna Pictures, Current; 120 mins.) FAIR. The dedicated dance devotee will travel through storm and snow and sleet to get to see this one. For here he will find three indescribably lovely symbols of the art of highly classical Terpsichorean expression that's a feast to the eyes. We mean Cyd Charisse, Zizi Jeanmaire and Moira Shearer. Their respective dance routines flow from their lithe bodies and nimble feet almost as naturally and rhythmically as smooth waves flowing in from the open sea. Whether it's the French dazzler Jeanmaire in "The Diamond Cruncher," the British beauty Moira Shearer in "Cyrano de Bergerac," or our own Cyd Charisse in "A Merry Mourning," with Jeanmaire as "Carmen" in the fourth episode of this presentation, it's art of a high order. But, it is also motion picture entertainment of an unfortunately limited appeal. "Black Tights" in its episodic format makes it seem to the non-Terpsichorean conformist of the art, as overlong. Each talented danseuse, in her respective sequence is a thing of beauty to behold pirouetting, swirling, pin-wheeling. Every movement of their body, the routining of their feet was an expression of classical eloquence rivaled only by their lithe forms, soothing beauty and alluring appeal. This burst of poetic-like prose in a coldly realistic trade journal should be all the more surprising considering that we're hardly a dance devotee. Not to be forgotten for their brilliant contributions are Dirk Sanders in his sequence with Jeanmaire in "The Diamond Cruncher" and that Frenchman of outstanding crea tive talent, Roland Petit for his work in the other three episodes. Maurice Chevalier moves in and out for brief introductions. We viewed this with a professional audience, hardly one given to applause in a projection room. But, quite a lot of it was unleashed when Cyd Charisse floated into the wings at the end of her "Merry Mourning" sequence. "Cyrano «" and "Carmen" (well known) are told briefly, of course. "The Diamond Cruncher" deals with a gangster chief (female) who has a passion for eating diamonds. "A Merry Mourning" is a frothy little thing about a black dress, an angry husband, a flirtation, a duel, a death, the acquisition of the desired dress, a new courtship, a darling, sizzling can-can and complete consolation. CinemaScope and Technicolor give the proceedings breathtaking beauty, while various European prize tribunals have already given this French-filmed entry an assortment of awards. Produced by Joseph Kaufman; "Cyrano --" from Edmond Rostand's play; "Carmen" from Georges Bizet's opera; Roland Petit and Alfred Adam wrote the other two; Terence Young did all the direction. General patronage; art house nourishment. Imports Continue Their Gains By an odd schedule of timing, all the films reviewed on these pages, this week, are products of other lands. Three will be handled independently, with the other a Warner Bros, responsibility. It is proof with what feverish activity production is going ahead abroad. To exhibitors, it doesn't matter where a film comes from as long as it can make money for them. The box office value of the imports have been dealt with individually in the reviews When we polled importers doing business in America, as the 1961-62 season was getting under way, they told us that at least 60 marketable films from European studios will be heading our way. It's a goodly number and may well constitute about a third of what will come from all the major studios combined this year. Service Pictures Not in Danger With periodical timing, the hue and cry goes up in Washington that a Congressional investigation is being launched to look into the alleged misuse of members of the armed services engaged in the making of commercial movies. Especially are these investigatory demands made when an unfortunate death or two results in the process of filming a Hollywood feature... While there are governmental proponents and members of the House Armed Services Committee who are for putting a strong curb on the use of service men in films, there are just as many who see in the willingness of Hollywood to make service pictures as a distinct service to the government . . . While some curbs as to the number of personnel and the amount of government equipment used in films may result from this latest series of protests from members of the Armed Services Committee, it is doubtful that the service picture, as produced by Hollywood, is in grave danger.