Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1944)

6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, February 29, 1944 Reviews "The Navy Way" {Paramount -Pine & Thomas) Hollywood, Feb. 28 T^ILMED at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, largest in the " world, this William Pine-William Thomas production introducing Robert Lowery as a star under the P-T banner is a departure from the strictly melodramatic type of product in which this company has specialized. It's a story about men in training, inclusive of the recalcitrant who mends his ways under discipline, and it depicts both the men and the training with comprehensive care but stops short of depicting battles. It rates well above the standard established by its predecessors. Lowery portrays a professional boxer drafted into the Navy against his will, giving a strong performance. Bill Henry plays the sailor who competes with him for the hand of a WAVE, played by Jean Parker, and Roscoe Karns supplies the comedy quotient. Sharon Douglas, Robert Armstrong, Richard Powers and Mary Treen are others in the cast. L. B. Merman served as associate producer and William Berke directed skillfully from an original screenplay written by Maxwell Shane with preservation of suspense a prime objective. Running time, 74 minutes. "G."* Release date, March 31. William R. Weaver "Sweethearts of the U.SA." (Monogram) "FOLLOWERS of Una Merkel and Parkyakarkus will find "Sweethearts of the U. S. A:" a Monogram musical to their liking, but to neutral observers these performers struggle futilely to overcome a script that is weak even for a musical. The pleasant portions of the film are those devoted to singing by Donald Novis and Lillian Cornell, an attractive newcomer. Monogram has not stinted on the music side, however, for the orchestras of Phil Ohman, Jan Garber and Henry King run through their melodic paces for the customers. Proceedings involve operation of a night club for war workers, tracking down of three bank crooks and antics of the ghostly inhabitants of an old house. Lester Cutler produced, while George M. Merrick was associate producer. Lew Collins directed from a screenplay by Arthur St. Claire,. .Sherman Lowe and Mary Sheldon, derived from a story by Mary Sheldon. Lew Pollack and Charles Newman wrote the score. Other players are Joel Friend, Ralph Sanford, Cobina Wright, Sr., Judith Gibson, Vince Barnett, Marion Martin, and Joseph Kirk. Running time, 60 mins. "G."* Release date, March 7. Charles Ryweck Hollywood Further Drop In Filming; 33 in Work Hollywood, Feb. 28. — Checkup for explanation of the steady decline in the number of pictures in work discloses that almost every major studio is taking stock of backlogs and that the expected post-holiday production spurt might not materialize for another month, if then. Eight pictures finished camera work and five new ones started during the week to bring the total on the stage down to 33. The previous week saw nine finished, five started, 36 in work. The production scene follows : Columbia Shooting : "Mr. Winkle Goes to War," "Pilebuck." Finished: "At Night We Dream," "Mission Thirty-six." M-G-M Started: "Secrets in the Dark" with Robert Young, Susan Peters, Betty Lawler, Felix Bressart, Marta Linden, Alexander Granach, Katherine Balfour, Peggy Maley. Shooting : "Marriage Is a Private Affair," "National Velvet," "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Seventh Cross." Finished : "Dragon Seed." Monogram Finished : "Detective Kitty O'Day." Paramount Shooting: "Practically Yours-," "Bring on the Girls," "Road to Utopia," "Incendiary Blonde." Finished : "And Now Tomorrow." P. R. C. Shooting : "Minstrel Man," "Shake Hands with Murder." RKO-Radio Shooting : "Heavenly Days," "Manhattan Serenade," "Casanova Brown" ( International) . Republic Started: "Yellow Rose of Texas" with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans ; "Sons of Pioneers." Shoo ting: "Silent Partners," "Storm Over Lisbon." 20th Century-Fox Started: "Irish Eyes Are Smiling" with Monty Woolley, Dick Haymes, Anthony Quinn, June Haver, Beverly Whitney, Veda Ann Borg. Shooting : "Wing and a Prayer," "Keys of the Kingdom," "Sweet and Low-down," "Wilson," "In the Meantime, Darling." United Artists Shooting : "Sensations of 1944" (Stone). Finished : "The Hairy Ape" (Jules Levey). Universal Started: "The Ghost Catchers" with Olsen and Johnson, Martha O'Driscoll, Gloria Jean, Diana Barrymore, Walter Catlett, Kirby Grant, Andy Devine, Leo Carrillo, Lon Chaney, Jr., Morton Downey. "South of Dixie" with Anne Gwynne, David Bruce, Samuel S. Hinds, Louise Beavers, Eddie Acuff. Shooting: "Jungle Woman," "The Climax." Finished : "Slick Chick." Warners Shooting : "Cinderella Jones," "My Reputation," "Janie." Finished : "Air. Skeffington." *"G" denotes general classification. Crescent Case to Be Heard in April Washington, Feb. 28. — Determination of the jurisdiction of the U. S. Supreme Court in pending appeals in the Crescent Amusement case was today postponed until the case is heard on its merits. Under this procedure, when the case comes up for argument, the first counsel to appear will be required to show that the Court has jurisdiction. If, on that argument, the Court finds it has jurisdiction, the case will be heard in its entirety. Both the Government and the defendants are appealing from the decision of the Federal District Court at Memphis, the defendants attacking rulings on the acquisition of theatres, buying of pictures, franchises and mutual ownership. The case is expected to be reached for argument early in April. Reissue 'Master Mystery* Manny Baum and "Hardeen," brother of the late Houdini, will reissue the 15-two-reel episode serial "The Master Mystery," which starred Houdini, originally released in silent form by Octagon Films, Inc., 25 years ago. The reissue film will contain a narration and musical background. PRC Election Now Off for Three Weeks PRC Pictures' board meeting, originally set for this week, has been postponed for at least three weeks. Principal business on the agenda will be the election of officers. Formal approval by the board is expected to be given to modifications of PRC franchises agreed upon recently by franchise holders and company heads, led by Leon Fromkess, vice-president. Balaban & Katz Has Plans for Post-War Chicago, Feb. 28. — Taking its first step toward post-war expansion, Balaban and Katz has announced that it is acquiring a site on State and Lake Streets here for a large theatre. This will replace the circuit's smaller Apollo, located in the Ashland block, which is to be demolished to make way for a bus terminal. First Woman Manager Chicago, Feb. 28. — Eleanor Carlyle has been named the first woman manager of a Loop theatre here. She and a second woman to be named later, will co-manage the Clark, it was announced recently by director Edward Trinz. They will replace Howard Lubliner and William Horvatic, who will be inducted soon. By JACK CARTWRIGHT Hollywood, Feb. 28 PRODUCER Edmund Hartman, former writer, has put Universal'** next Olsen and Johnson comedy, "The Ghost Catchers," before the cameras. He also started preparation on another, comedy for the team which will be (<L adaptation of the stage play, "See MiLawyer." The actors, whose stage production "Sons of Fun" is still running in Chicago, will produce a new comedy on Broadway between completion of "The Ghost Catchers" and the start of "See My Lawyer." • Producer John Auer ivill start "Cocktails for Two," at RKO-Radio on March 13. The picture stars Anne Shirley with Leon Errol and Dennis Day. . . . Republic chief, Herbert J. Yates, has changed the title of Candlelight in Lisbon," starring Vera Rhuba Ralston, to "Storm Over Lisbon." . . . Monogram's "Murder in the Fun House," one of the Charlie Chan series, is now titled "The Chinese Cat." . . . Pandro Berman's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" goes before the cameras Feb. 28 at M-G-M with Albert Lewin directing Hurd Hatfield, George Sanders and Angela Lansbiwy. • Hunt Stromberg has signed William Pereira to a production designer-co-producer contract. His first will be "Dishonored Lady" from the Broadway success. . . . Victor Moore, on loan from Paramount, will have a stellar spot in Arthur Freed's Technicolor musical "Ziegfeld Follies" starting soon at M-G-M with Lucille Ball in the star role. ... In her first picture away from M-G-M since signed by that studio Hedy Lamarr will play opposite Paul Henreid in "The Conspirators" at Warners with Sydney Greenstreet in a strong supporting role. . . . RKO-Radio has borrowed Frank Partos from Paramount to script "Fiesta" which Leo McCarey is to produce with Bing Crosby starred. . . . Paramount has Mae Clark cast in "And Now Tomorrow" with Loretta Young and Alan Ladd. . . . Producer Edwin Knopf has changed the title of "The Outward Room" to "Secrets in the Dark." • Emil Epstein, Universal driver, and member of Studio Drivers Union (AFL), brought his Fourth War Loan bond sales up to $350,000 with the sale of a $25,000 bond. He has continuously sold bonds, as a free-lancer, since the start of the war. . . . Edward Small has signed Alan Dvvan to direct "Abroad With Two Yanks," starring Dennis O'Keefe and William Bendix, for United Artists release. . . . Rose Stradner and Jane Ball have the feminine roles in "Keys of the Kingdom" at 20th Century-Fox. • Ary Baroso, Brazilian composer famous for his song, "Brazil," arrived to do the music for Republic's picture with that title. It is one of the highest budget pictures of the 1944-45 program at Republic and will be filmed in Technicolor, with Robert North producing. . . . Universal has signed Morton Downey for two songs in the next Olsen and Johnson comedy, now in production with Martha O'Driscoll in the feminine lead.