Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

'SONG OF MY HEART' TCHAIKOVSKY BlOG A MUSIC-LOVERS' DELIGHT Rates • • • — in class houses; less els Allied Artists 80 minutes Frank Sundstrum, Audrey Long, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Mikhail Rasumny, Gale Sherwood, Serge Krizman, Charles Throwbridge, Kate Lawson, Drew Allen, Lester Sharpe, Scott Elliott, Gordon Clark, Jimmy Dodd, David Leonard, John Hamilton, William Ruhl, Steve Darrell, Robert Barron, Elvira Curci, Maurice Cass, Grandon Rhodes, WUliam Newell, Leonard Mudie, Lane Chandler, Leonid Snegroft', Lewis Howard, Stan Johnson, Leo Kaye, Jack George, Vernon Cansino, Nina Hansen. Directed by Benjamin Glazer. The quality and quantity of Tchaikovsky numbers (there are excerpts from no less than 22 of his compositions, plus two songs based on Tchaikovsky themes) in this somewhat apocryphal life of the noted Russian composer render this fllm a delight for all but tone-deaf theatregoers. Coupled with a comedy or melodrama, "Song of My Heart" will please general patronage and chalk up above-par grosses in all but western and action spots, with best returns being tallied 'here in metropolitan flrst-runs and class naborhoods. A large cast oi' proficient, albeit virtually unknown, cast does its best to overcome the handicaps imposed upon it by Benjamin Glazer'a old-fashioned direction and no-less-dated script. Best performances are those by Mikhail Rasumny, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Gale Sherwood, the lastnamed acting rings around co-star AudreyLong. Frank Sundstrum ic. an interesting newcomer. Highest moments of the picture are the scenes wherein Jose Iturbi, unlisted in the credits, plays solo renditions of several Tchaikovsky classics. Production quality is superior, as are photography, recording, costumes and settmgs. EXPLOITATION: Make your strongest pitch for the music • lovers, promising — and delivering — ■ an hour and one-half of a Tchaikovsky's world-beloved classics. Play up star Frank Sundstrum, reportedly returning to Europe to co-star with Greta Garbo. and the outstanding performances by Mikhail Rasumny, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and personable, golden-voiced Gale Sherwood. Circularize professors and students of music, as well as history teachers and their pupils. Struggling young Tchaikovsky's (Frank Sundstrum) high hopes for recognition are dashed when, while the youthful composer in conducting the orchestra for one of his ballets before the Czar, the latter falls asleep. Entranced by the youth, beauty and voice of his pupil Gale Sherwood, he weds her; but the marriage is an unhappy one and soon goes on the rocks. The composer's finance;; and spirits are at their ebb when Princess Audrey Long, daughter of the Czar's uncle, the Grand Duke Sir Cedric Hardwicke, secretly sponsors the publication of his music. Still keeping her identity a secret from him, she arranges for him to live and work in her rented Italian villa. There the two meet and fall in love. Fearful of the prim Czarina's wrath, should she hear of the affair, Hardwicke forces the reluctant Audrey to forego her passion for Tchaikovsky. Disillusioned at Audrey's apparent fickleness, he leaves Russia to achieve triumphs in America, England and Continental Europe. When Tchaikovsky returns to Russia, Hardwicke relents and urges his still-smitten daughter to renew her romance and wed the now-successful composer. But it is too late. Tchaikovsky, stricken during a cholera epidemic, dies with Audrey at his side. 'OUT OF THE PAST' TENSE, ACTIONFUL DRAMA Rates • • • generally RKO Radio 97 minutes Robert Mitchura, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Webb, Steve Brodie, Virginia Huston, Paul Valentine, Dickie Moore, Ken Niles. Directed by Jacques Tourneur. RKO has taken over the leadership in the production of taut, actionful movie melodramas, of which "Out of the Past" is another good sample. Superior direction, acting, scripting and production make this tense and realistic picture certain to please adult patronage in all situations, with grosses hitting well above average generally — • best in action houses. Geoffrey Homes' screenplay, based on his successful novel "Build My Gallows High," never flags in interest or suspense and builds to a gripping, exciting climax. Under Jacques Tourneur's crisp direction a hand-picked cast gives additional zest and verisimilitude to Homes' characters. Best performances are those of Robert Mitchum as a sometime-incorruptible private-eye, of Jane Greer as an alluring demi-monde and of Kirk Douglas as a ruthless, smooth-spoken racketeer, while youthful Dickie Moore is compelling in the role of a mute. Production quality, recording, photography and locations are superior. EXPLOITATION: Capitalize on the growing list of important roles enacted by the co-stars as well as the many successful thrillers written by Geoffrey Homes. Utilize the film's title in various ways; get your local paper to incorporate it in its daily reprint box: " 'Out of the Past' — Twentyfive Years Ago Today"; base co-op newspaper ads on the idea: "'Out of the Past' We Present Pre-War Values Prices for Post-War Budgets," etc. Production stills lend themselves to counter and window displays with steamship lines, travel agencies, banks, service stations, etc. When alluring Jane Greer puts a bullet into her admirer, big-time gambler Kirk Douglas and flees with $40,000 of his, he hires private-eye Robert Mitchum to find and return both. Mitchum overtakes Jane in Mexico, falls for her allure and, believing her when she denies having taken the money, double-crosses Douglas by telling him Jane has got away. Returning to the U. S., Mitchum and Jane hide out in a cabin in the Sierras. Mitchum's partner Steve Brodie tracks them down, demands half of Jane's $40,000. In the ensuing fight Jane shoots Brodie, tells Mitchum she's tired of being a fugitive, and disappears. Mitchum buries Brodie's body, and among Jane's effects discovers a pass book for a $40,000 bank deposit. Under a new name, Mitchum opens a wayside service station, falls in love with Virginia Huston. Douglas, now reunited with Jane, discovers Mitchum's whereabouts, promises to forget the previous double-cross if he'll steal some incriminating papers with which Ken Niles, San Francisco lawyer, is blackmailing him. Mitchum agrees. When Niles is killed and suspicion thrown at himself, he realizes he's been framed. He evade-, the police long enough to see Douglas and J?ne get their just deserts, then sacriflcer. his ov/n life in aiding the law. 'THE FABULOUS TEXAN' HAS FAMILIAR WESTERN INGREDIENTS Rare-; O O O for oc!ioT houses* loss elsewhere Ilepiibl;c 05 minutes W^illian Elliott, Jo'in Carral?, C therine r.IcJ.,cod, Albert Dekker, Andv D:;vine, Paf-'cii Kniglit, Ruth Donnelly, Johnny Sands, ?T\rrv D."-eioort. Kobsrt H. Barrat, DougDumbrille, R^'ed Hadley, Roy Barcroft, I!.i"?sell Simpson, James Brown, Jim Davis, Cftor'-^ Ceban. John Miles. jiJirectcd by Edward Ludwig. A lot of tried-and-true western ingredients has been assembled by producer Edmund Grainger, who has combined them to f chieve fairly good effect in "The Fabulous Texan." It is overlong (about 1.5 minutes could be shorn to speed it up), but those v/ho like outdoor action on big, histor'cal .■-calc should find plenty here to satisfy them. .Six-shooters do some fast talking, motivating the hide-and-chase plot about a murdered preacher's son who becomes an outlaw in the lawless Texas of post-Civil War days. Played by strong outdoor men like William Elliott and John Carroll, the focal characters manage to give the story a semblance of credence, despite some banal dialogue and occasional lapses in logic. The camera, however, gives it impressive scope. Grasses will be strongest in action houses, of course; elsewhere returns will be slightly above average. Best if doubled with a musical or comedy. EXPLOITATION: Play it up as a big, roaring, outdoor story about post-Civil War America. Catchline: "His Father Was A Preacher. . .He A Killer ..Why?" Don't overlook Albert Dekker and Andy Dcvlne in the cast. Confederate veterans William Ellio+t rnd John Carroll, both in love with Cit'^cr'no McLeod, return to Hillsboro, Texas, rnd find it is being terrorized by Albert Dokker and his State Police. When his father, Rev. Harry Davenport, is shot down in coM blood by Dekker's constabulary, CarroU and his four cousins, shoot it out with the State Police, kill several and fleo to the foothills. Upon Dekker's prom'^-o to soc Carroll and the others get a fa r trial, /!lliott persundes them to giv3 thori'-'^'vr'-; up. Dekker goes back on his word, but before he can treacherously kill his voluitn-y prlsonf^rs. E l ott effects their rscpe and joins the band. The gang gro-,^-3 in size but conlnoi it", dep'"-^dations to forays against the State Police payrolls, powder stores, etc. Dekks/ and th-i State Police there''"in ruthlc--; I'ld indiscriminately burn, p'lla^e. loot ard kill. Elliott contacts Gen. P".rl Shcri^'-^-i. has h'-nself sworn in ?s a federal r^pvs^'^\ Reti;:-ning to the foothills hide-ou*. tells Cirrol'' to rubmit to rrrc-t Ti-o-^isin": him .">-d his bard p fair trial Cirroll rcrmes the offer and Elliott retur:^", to to-vn. Following a robbery of a f-^deral b-n'c by Carroll's g"ng, the aroused cifzenry orpmizes a vigilantes mo"ement. Ii a sliowdown gun battle, Carroll and Dekker kill e-^ch other, leaving Catherine free to marry Elliott. NOVEMBER 24, 1947 2S