Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1946)

WARNER EROS. . 1 Aisgust Release ■THE BIG SLEEP" HARD-HITTING, EXCITING BOGART M1ELLER Rates • • • generally; more in action spots Warner Bros. 114 minutes Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacail, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Regis Toomey, Peggy Knudsen, Charles Waldron, Dorothy Maloiie, Charles D. Brown, Bob Steele, Elisha Cook, Jr., Louis Jean Heydt, Sonia Darrin, Theodore Von Eltz, Thomas Jackson, Joy Barlowe, Tom Fadden, Trevor Bardette, Ben Welden, James Flavin, Tom Rafferty. Directed by Howard Hawks. Here's a honey of a hard-hitting murder melodrama — a tough, engrossing, rtrictlyadult film. Raymond Chandler'-: famous detective character, Philip Marlowe (played by Dick Powell in "Murder My Sweet"), gives Humphrey Bogart his best role in several seasons and this fact, coupled with Lauren Bacall's name value, should make "The Big Sleep" a smarh grosser generally. It's a thoroughly hard-boiled yarn dealing with Marlowe's latest private detective assignment — one which involves him with a group of unpleasant, double-crossing, neurotic individuals, several of them women obviously on the make. While the rather involved story demands complete attention for clo^e to two hours. Director Ho"/ard Hawks keeps interest at a high pitch throughout. The film is replete with murders, brutal beatings and gun-play, all realistically pictured in a manner which might offend a few squeamish souls. In addition, the love scenes between Bogart and Bacail are passionate rather than romantic and contain quick-trigger repartee and suggestive lines which will get howls from wise patrons. All in all, although it's not a picture for Aunt Sarah or the kiddies, it makes strong, suspenseful fare for grown-ups. Unusual photography contributes to the grim melodramatic mood as doej the excellent musical score. Private detective Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) is retained by an embittered old general, Charles Waldron, because one of the latter's two spoiled, neurotic daughters, Martha Vickers, is being blackmailed. Miss Vickers makes an obvious play for Bogart while her sister, Lauren Bacail, make: an unsuccessful attempt to get information from him. Trailing the blackmailer to his home, Bogart hears a shot and finds Miss Vickers intoxicated and the man murdered. He gets her home and, with Miss B call's aid, keeps the affair from the police. Later, after Bcgart and Miss Bacail realize they are falling in love, he trails a racketeer, gets incriminating photos of Miss Vickers before another murder takes place. Bogart finally realizes that Miss Bacail is protecting John Ridgely, a gambler, whose wife had eloped with Waldron's former chauffeur. Bogart learns from a friendly racketeer. Elisha Cook. Jr., that Ridgely's wife is hiding out and that Misj Bacail is in en the secret. After Cook is killed, Bogart follows the gunman, Boo Steele, and is forced to kill him in a bloody gun battle. When he finds Ridgely's supposedly-missing wife, Bogart learns that the gambler had convinced Mies Bacail that her sister had aided him in murdering the chauffeur. Ridgely is finally killed by his own gun-men and, when the police arrive, Bogart leaves with Miss Bacail while Miss Vickers is sent away to a rest cure farm. Bogart is splendid in the glove-fitting role of the two-fi;ted, taciturn private detective and Lauren Bacail (better cast than she was in "Confidential Agent") completely handles the assignment of a spoiled sophis REVIEWS in This Issue Title P« = r The Big Sleep H The Show-Off ll Black Beauty 12 Genius at Work 12 The Killers I7 Black Angel 20 Passkey to Danger 20 Night Tra'n to Memphis 20 In F? t Company 29 Blonde for a Day 29 Mask of Diijon 29 ticated daughter of wealth which permits her to employ her throaty voice to good effect. She also puts over one song. "Her Tears Flowed Like Wine," well enough. However, "The Look" is definitely overshadowed by another blonde, Martha Vickers, whose performance as her doll-faced neurotic sister who makes a play for Bogart will have patrons asking about her. John Ridgely is good in the only other lengthy role and outstanding portrayals are contributed by the late Charles Waldron. as a wealthy, embittered old reprobate; Elisha Cook, Jr., as a cringing crook; Bob Steele, as a ruthless killer; Louis Jean Heydt. as a petty racketeer, and Dorothy Malone. Sonia Darrell and Joy Barlowe, as various "dames." LEYENDECKER M-G-M ... 1 Not Set (1946 47) 'THE SHOW-OFF* SKELTON GETS LAUGHS IN REMAKE Rates • • -) in family houses; less elsewhere M-G-M 84 minutes Red Skelton, Marilyn Maxwell, Marjorie Main, Leon Ames, Virginia O'Brien, George Cleveland, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Marshall Thompson, Jacqueline White, Emory Parnell, Wilson Wood, Frank Orth, Francis Pierlot, Lila Leeds, Byron Foulger. Directed by Harry Beaumont. With Red Skelton having a comedy field day as the boastful back-slapper, "The ShowOff" makes laugh-provoking fare. Where Skelton is popular, this should get above grosses and family audiences particularly will enjoy the star's antics. George Kelly's famous stage hit of 25 years ago, which was filmed twice before (last in 1934) is composed of reliable farce situations which hit close enough to home to keep average audiences amused throughout. Although brought up to date, the plot remains essentially the same except for the addition of an hilarious radio questionnaire sequence which will have patrons, as well as the listening screen family, trying to help the dim-witted contestant with his answers. Skelton, who gives an annoyingly true-to-life portrayal of Aubrey Piper, the well-meaning bungler, manages to remain likable withal and effective even in his occasional serious moments. Marjorie Main is a perfect comedy foil as his exasperated mother-in-law and George Cleveland is good as hard-of-hearing Pop. That luscious blonde, Marilyn Maxwell, does nicely as Aubrey's loving wife — her best acting opportunity to date and Jacqueline White also shows promise. Virginia O'Brien and Eddie "Rochester" Andei-son, both featured, have little more than bits. When Aubrey Piper (Red Skelton). a clerk in a railroad office, meets Marilyn Maxwell it's a case of love at first si lit Although Skelton's constant bragging and annoying mannerisms grate on the nerves of Miss Maxwell's family, especially her mother (Marjorie Main), the girl realizes he is devoted to her. After their marriage, Skelton's reckless expenditures to please his wife get them in debt and they are evicted from their apartment and forced to move in with Miss Main. The climax comes when Skelton wrecks a friend's car and is fined $1,000 but his wife remains true to him. Skelton then decides to help his brother-inlaw, Marshall Thompson, get more than $30,000 for a new rust-proofing invention but his big talk only makes the prospective buyer call off the entire deal. Just when things look blackest for Skelton, the buyer counters with an offer of $75,000 plus onefourth of the profits. When Thompson insists Skelton take part of the money. Miss Main echoes everyone's sentiments as she cries. "Heaven help us from now on!" YORK BOX OFFICE RATING: ©Poor ••Average • • • ©ood ••••Excellent AUGUST 19, 1946 II