Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1944)

Harry Yon Zell S aijS: This contribution to the literary world will begin with the profound apologies of the writer to all columnists and newspaper men whom he has mentally accused from time to time of being rambling and disjointed in their writings. I just found out what does it. Reading through my own column in last week’s edition of Nite Life I was brought up short when all of a sudden it switched off of one subject on to another, rambled on a few lines, flipped back to the original subject for a moment and then softly expired in a little flurry of quotation marks. It was confusing. After puzzling over this strange phenomenon for a while I became interested in an article about one of my favorite actresses, Claudette Colbert. It was really very interesting until I came to the part where it said “continued on page so and so.” Eagerly I turned to page so and so and there, shivering timorously all by itself was the rest of my story. This poor little piece just ambled along, seeming to refer to nothing in particular, and then also expired without even a little flurry of quotation marks. There had been a perfectly natural mistake made in the make-up department of the magazine and the two stories got mixed up. So . . . once again ... I hereby tender apologies to those writers I have branded as “scatter flidgits” when their stories seemed to lose their sense of direction and go flopping about like those silly white butterflies you see in the summertime. I found out what does it. Besides, it didn’t hurt my story much, but it was a dirty trick on Colbert, the Champ. Speaking of “the Champ” brings to mind the sorrowful story featured in recent editions of the news press concerning one of our great all time champs, Barney Ross. Newspaper men all over the country were very good to Barney . . . and deservedly so. But there was one write-up with which I would like to humbly take issue. It brought forth the opinion of the writer that a great fighter had at last fallen to a stronger foe. In the writer’s words Barney had finally “thrown in the towel.” Uhhuh. Not Barney Ross . . . he, who even as a mere kid fought and won the grim battle of existence for himself and his family in the streets of Chicago ... he who, ignoring the pleas of his seconds to give up the fight and save himself further unnecessary punishment stood up under the savage attack of the leather tipped battering rams of a younger and stronger Henry Armstrong for fifteen bruising, slashing rounds . . . and at the finish grinned through pitifully swollen lips as he shook the hands that had literally ripped him to shreds ... he who stood alone beside his stricken buddies through the horror of a sweltering, sticky tropical night, his machine gun spitting blazing death into the bodies of the little yellow brothers of Judas as they came out of the jungle to finish their evil woi'k until they came no more and he fell exhausted and wracked with fever . . . This man has “thrown in the towel”? No, brother ... if you ask me this man, with the aid of his Uncle Sam is going into training now for the greatest fight of his life. Watch your local papers and one day soon you will read the announcement that is inevitable . . . “The WINNER . . . AND STILL CHAMPION . . . BARNEY ROSS.” CHURCHIN SAYS: Larry Blake at Travaglini’s showed us a letter he received the other day which had been lost since 1937. It was from the German consul in Berlin warning him not to play a German officer in Universal’s “The Road Back” which was made in that year . . . Blair Auer and A1 Herd, Helen Walker with a party and Dick Stabile with Jean Sutherland Rich at the new Chez Cobar . . . Eddie Heywood has written a swing sym¬ phony called “Melody After Dark” — it took him nine months to write it. Rod “Skinny” O’Connor says he calls his girl friend “five o’clock shadow” because she always pops up at cocktail time. Dobbs Tested at Warner’s Glen Dobbs, famous All-American football player, will be screen tested for a contract with Warner Bros, this week. WfLL LOUIS B. MAYER QUIT? There is a rumor circulating around in the inner confines of moviedom that flickers giant Louis B. Mayer, headman of the vast and fabu¬ lous MGM combine, will soon resign his post. RECORD RATINGS By JAY FARBER BOBBY DOYLE (Signature) "Twilight Time" — "Adventure" With rich baritone pipes, Bobby Doyle gives excellent voice to both of these ballads. And equally rich in melody are "Twilight Time", an at¬ tractive love lullaby set to a bequine beat and the Kenny freres1 lyrical romantics in "Adventure." Ray Bloch provides a full orchestral background emphasizing strings. Commercial Rating: Very Good VAUGHN MONROE (Victor) "Aren’t You Glad We Did" — "Changing My Tune" Vaughn Monroe introduces two new tunes from the forthcoming GrableHaymes flicker, "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim.1 For the ballad, "Changing My Tune," the maestro sings it strong as a slow ballad with Betty Norton taking the second stanza at a livelier beat. Monroe shares the show-lyrics of "Aren't You Glad We Did" with Miss Norton again injecting her bright beat. Commercial Rating: Very Good ALVINO REY (Capitol) "California Sunbeam" — "The Way That Wind Blows" With Joe Anne Ryan and a vocal quintet in the word department, Alvino Rey registers favorably with this contrasting couplet. "California Sunbeam" is a rhythmic ditty on the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" kick. On reverse, Miss Ryan fills the ballad bill capably. Ork's support is suitable though it sounds corny when the wind affects are injected. Commercial Rating: Good DELTA RHYTHM BOYS (Decca) But She's My Buddy's Chick" — "Walk It Off" It's a real rhythm walker with plenty of lifto for the vocal blend of the Delta Rhythm Boys to the rhythm accomp for "Walk It Off." Flipover, "But She's My Buddy's Chick," is a Harlemese jive ditty which might stand a better chance if given a brighter tempo than the Delta lads spin here. Commercial Rating: Good RENE CABEL (Decca) "Nada Tiene Nada Vale" — "Amigo" A robust bary in south-of-the-border style, Rene Cabel is in good voice for the selling of these Spanish lullabies. All tuneful, the Rafael Munoz music adds to the tasty Latin rhythmic set¬ ting. "Nada Tiene" side gets the qurracha beat with the bolero rhythms applied to the reverse. Commercial Ratinq: Good GORDON MacRAE (Musicraft) "You Go To My Head" — "I Have But One Heart" Gordon MacRae has a good enough set of bary pipes but his spinning for both of these attractive ballads won't make the fern hearts beat any faster. In spite of the lush fill-ins by the Walt Gross ork, there is no warmth for the sensuous lyrics of the oldie "You Go To My Head." Re¬ verse also sells short for the romantic pipinq. Commercial Rating: Fair STREETS «[ P ARIS “Hollywood’ s Home of Hot Music ” PRESENTS IVIE ANDERSON "The Gracious Lady of Song” Gardner Trio Edtlie Ileale and his Quartette CONTINUOUS ENTERTAINMENT NO COVER 6736 HOLLYWOOD BLYD. Near Highland ED REDEICII Specializing in COCKTAIL LOUNGES 3835 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles FA-2301 Alden Music Stores RECORDS, RADIOS and ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES 1115 N. Western Ave. GL-3200 Hollywood 27 ROTISSERIE • No Cover — No Minimum 6 Hours in the W onderhar LUNCHEON — DINNER 6363 Sunset JOE ROSS RADIO and MOVIE LIBRARY SERVICE 1558 N. Vine Si. HOllywood 9915 Valley Oaks Pharmacy MAX MARKS • 15300 Ventura Boulevard at Sepulveda Phone STate 4-9112 Van Nuys, Calif. GIVE TO THE RED CROSS HOLLYWOOD Page Six