The Independent Film Journal (1953)

@ei)ku>A “Kiss Me Kate” (M-G-M) 2-D or 3-D Technicolor 109 Min. Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn, Bobby Van, Tommy Rail, James Whit¬ more, Kurt Kasznar, Bob Fosse, Ron Randell, Willard Parker, Dave O'Brien, Claud Allister, Ann Codee, Carol Haney, Jeanne Coyne. Credits: Produced by Jack Cummings; Directed by George Sidney; Screen play by Dorothy Kingsley; Based upon the play by Samuel and Bella Spewack; Music and lyrics by Cole Porter; Photographed in Ansco Color, print by Technicolor. Terrific box office returns should greet this colorful adaptation of Cole Porter ’s hit Broad¬ way musical comedy. Tops in entertainment be¬ cause of superior songs, humorous script and en¬ gaging performances, “Kiss Me Kate” shapes up as M-G-M ’s big musical of the season. It should do well in either 3-1) or 2-D — the verve and bounce which spell good musical comedy will satisfy any audience. Star presence will be another favorable sales factor. Kathryn Gray¬ son, Howard Keel and Ann Miller all have pleasing voices and an understanding of what makes a. picture of this type click. They connect like troupers in their roles. Picture, like the play, has as its plot a storywithin-a-story. The main narrative line concerns a hot and cold romance between a couple of show people once married but now divorced. In a parallel story — Shakespeare ’s ‘ ‘ Taming of the Shrew ’ ’ — the same couple go through similar situations a la The Bard, but with music added. Singing and dancing assignments are capably handled by all concerned, with comic and love ballads helping greatly to vary the pace. When seen at the M-G-M , home office, ‘ ‘ Kiss Me Kate” was projected for half the running time in 3-D, half in 2-D. The stereoscopic por¬ tion added a certain amount of depth to the musical numbers; often characters appeared to toss objects into the audience. But exhibitors can take their choice — either with depth or regular version, they’ll have a winner in “Kiss Me Kate.” STORY ; Howard Keel manages to convince Kathryn Grayson, his ex-wife, to co-star op¬ posite him in a musical version of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew.” Kathryn shows mixed emotions towards Keel, and when she thinks his attentions are being directed towards Ann Miller, also in the show, she plans to quit. Keel, by a ruse, prevents her from bolting from the opening night’s second act. But by the finale, Kathryn has Willard Parker, a young million¬ aire, take her away. Keel’s fears that Kathryn’s stand in will not appear on cue are dissipated when Kathryn herself returns. She has obvious¬ ly learned from her renewed association with Keel where her true love resides. “Calamity Jane” (Warner Bros.) Technicolor . 101 Min. Cast: Doris Day, Howard Keel, Allyn McLerie, Philip Carey, Dick Wesson, Paul Harvey, Chubby Johnson, Gale Robbins. Credits: Produced by William Jacobs; Directed by David Butler; Written by James O'Hanlon; Songs by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster. A musical comedy that bounds across the screen with robust performances, rousing songs and vivid Technicolor has been fashioned from the life and times of that fire-spitting personal¬ ity of the Old West, “Calamity Jane.” The film is sure-as-shooting box office; the guar¬ antees can be found in the names of Doris Day, who plays the title role, and Howard Keel, her feudin' lover, “Wild Bill Hickock. ” Both Miss Day and Keel warble the songs in highly ap¬ pealing styles, and are joined on many an oc¬ casion by Allyn McLerie. The three principals, along with Philip Carey, figure in a four-sided romance that follows along a conventional pat¬ tern to satisfactory conclusion for all concerned. In this musical it is the performance of Miss Day which keys the production. She cavorts through each scene, giving the action all she has, imparting sensational verve to the songs, and stepping adroitly through her dance routines. Her characterization of “Calamity Jane” is pitched to comedy, and this, rather than melodrama, is the tone of the picture. Pro¬ duced by the late William Jacobs, with tasteful settings and a well-chosen supporting cast, “Calamity Jane” explodes with a quantity of spirit, mirth and song of a calibre much in demand by audiences these days. STORY ; To save Paul Harvey, a dance hall owner of the Old West, from bankruptcy, Doris Day, “Calamity Jane,” journeys to Chicago to bring a great lady of show business to Harvey ’s emporium. But Doris, a tom boy not hep to big city ways, brings back Allyn McLerie, the great lady’s maid, instead. Allyn ’s ruse suc¬ ceeds and she captures the fancy of both How¬ ard Keel and Philip Carey, the men in Doris’ life. But on stage, Allyn falters and tearfully reveals her true identity. Doris, liking the girl, induces the audience to let Allyn continue. Lat¬ ter clicks in her own song-and-dance style, then moves in with Doris to stave off the wolves. Soon Doris grows jealous of Allyn ’s attractions and makes a scene when Allyn and Carey, whom Doris loves, clinch. Keel, who has been feuding with Doris, prevents her from making a bigger fool of herself. Then Keel and Doris discover love for each other. But Allyn has left town, feeling guilty about Carey, and Doris rides to bring her back. A double wedding follows. “Gilbert And Sullivan” (Lopert-United Artists) Technicolor 105 Min. Cast: Robert Morley, Maurice Evans, Eileen Herlie, Peter Finch, Martyn Green, Dinah Sheridan, Isabel Dean, Wilfrid Hyde White, Muriel Aked, Michael Ripper, Lloyd Lamble, Richard Warner, Perlita Neilson, Charlotte Mitchell. Credits: Produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat; Directed by Gilliat; Screen play by Gilliat and Leslie Baily. There is in America today a considerable number of people who are devoted in their musical likings to the works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, that fabulous pair of operetta tunesmiths who turned out hit after hit on the British musical stage during the late 19th Century. This section of the musicloving public, of which there are many who are not regular movie-goers, will cotton highly to the Technicolor production bearing their idols’ names and leave the theatre greatly im¬ pressed. There are numerous others in the gen¬ eral audience, plus those from the rank and file of art house patrons, who will find ‘ ‘ Gilbert and Sullivan ’ ’ a tuneful and colorful delight. The musical numbers are rendered in superla¬ tive fashion by the D ’Oyly Carte Opera Co. and include high spots from the following operettas: “Trial by Jury,” “The Mikado,” “ Iolanthe, ” “The Gondoliers,” “II.M.S. Pina¬ fore,” “Pirates of Penzance,” “Yeoman of the Guard ’ ’ and ‘ ‘ Ruddigore. ’ ’ Settings for these selections are presented most tastefully ; the color is also fine. Heading the list of impressive performers are Robert Morley and Maurice Evans, as Gilbert and Sullivan, respectively. This pair adds a measure of sorely needed spirit to the story portions of the film. For the plot, serving little else than a series of bridges with which to con¬ nect the musical numbers, is inane. It falls short of the mark in the departments of drama, comedy and movement in making the careers of these colorful stage creators absorbing. This is noted only by the way of mention since ‘ 1 Gil¬ bert and Sullivan” contains enough music and song to prove a great joy for millions. STORY : Maurice Evans, Arthur Sullivan, is lured away, from writing serious music by the bait of high grosses from composing tunes for musical operettas to the lyrics of Robert Morley, W. S. Gilbert, under the management of Peter Finch, D ’Oyly Carte. In doing so, Evans loses his Dinah Sheridan, his fiancee, but achieves great success with Morley. Finch builds a new theatre for their shows and Evans is knighted by Queen Victoria for his music. Evans then wants to return to serious music, precipitating a quarrel with Morley. The team disbands, but Finch reunites them. Later, they quarrel and disband again. When peace between the pair is made, Evans dies from ill health. Morley is knighted. “Here Come The Girls” (Paramount) Technicolor 78 Min. Cast: Bob Hope, Tony Martin, Arlene Dahl, Rose¬ mary Clooney, Millard Mitchell, William Demarest, Fred Clark, Robert Strauss, Zamah Cunningham, Frank Orth, Alfred T. Williams, Maceo Edward Anderson, Prince C. Spencer, Rufus L. McDonald. Credits: Produced by Paul Jones; Directed by Claude Binyon; Screen play by Edmund Hartmann and Hal Kanter; Story by Hartmann; Songs by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. A comely concoction of comedy, music and pretty girls is offered up in breezy fashion in this Bob Hope starrer. Results should be gratify¬ ing at all situations. Hope, in “Here Come the Girls, ’ ’ plays an aging chorus boy used as a patsy to trap a killer. Plot, given a general spoofing, affords the comic plenty of opportu¬ nities to pull off some solid gags as well as sing and dance to a few pleasing musical numbers. Latter are well staged, with judicious use of Technicolor and pretty girls adding to the ef¬ fects. In the musical department, Hope is com¬ plemented by both Tony Martin and Rosemary Clooney. Both also sing solos. Arlene Dahl, the film ’s other star, serves as straight girl for many of Hope’s routines. STORY : Tony Martin, co-star with Arlene Dahl, his sweetheart, in a musical comedy, is slated for doom by Robert Strauss, a jealous killer. To save Martin, Fred Clark, show’s owner, dupes Bob Hope, chorus boy, into subbing for the star. Hope unwittingly believes himself great and thinks Arlene is in love with him. As such, he narrowly escapes Strauss’ knife on two occasions. Tipped off by Rosemary Clooney of Clark’s plan, Hope vainly tries to quit. He stays as patsy only after Clark gives him a run-of-the-play star ’s contract. During a performance, Strauss makes another attempt to kill Hope and, in a chase on stage, Strauss is killed. Hope, a star despite himself, clinches with Rosemary. But Clark uses every ruse to keep him from performing further. “Gun Fury (Columbia) 3-D Technicolor 81 Min. Cast: Rock Hudson, Donna Reed, Phil Carey, Roberta Haynes, Leo Gordon, Lee Marvin, Neville Brand, Ray Thomas, Robert Herron, Phil Rawlins, Forrest Lewis, John Cason, Don Carlos, Pat Hogan, Mel Wellers, Post Park. Credits: Produced by Lewis J. Rachmil; Directed by Raoul Walsh; Screen play by Irving Wallace and Roy Huggins; Story, "Ten Against Caesar," by Kath¬ leen B., George and Robert A. Granger. Columbia has brought the excellent western novel, ‘ ‘ Ten Against Caesar, ’ ’ to the screen in this top-notch western, which will garner high box office returns. It was lensed in wide-screen, 3-D and flat and this reviewer saw the 3-D ver¬ sion, in which the three dimension was an asset ( Continued on page 14) 10 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— October 31. 1953