Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1944)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, April 25, 1944 j Review "Two Girls and a Sailor" (M-G-M) Hollywood, April 24 "HP WO GIRLS AND A SAILOR" is a crackerjack of a musical. It is loaded with talent, ingratiating pleasantries and comedy and the remainder of the necessary ingredients to make it resound with loud and emphatic smacks at the box-office. This one is in. Stripping this to its essentials, "Two Girls and a Sailor" is nothing more or less than a parade of personalities, each one of them doing his allotted and accepted entertainment chore. It has the usual Cinderellatype story, no different and no better than the story trappings in which musicals are almost invariably encased. But, this time, there are pleasant twists, nicely grafted, which lift the results considerably beyond the routine. While the story side is not made any more believable as a result, it is made vastly more entertaining and much easier on the digestion. The dramatic principals are June Allyson and Gloria De Haven, born to the theatre and well-nigh in the dressing room. They progress until they reach the tops in night clubs and run into cross-fire romance. The romantic wave is provided by Van Johnson for Miss Allyson, via Miss De Haven, by that meaning Miss Allyson gets him in the end while Miss De Haven terminates happily enough with Tom Drake. The springboard . for various performers and performances is ( 1 ) the nightclub, and (2) a theatrical warehouse converted magically into a canteen by Johnson, who is heir to a mere $60,000,000 and who does all of this for the girl of his heart. However, it's done on the quiet until the proper time for the telling is concerned. And it's done on the quiet because Johnson wants to win her heart for what he is, not for what he has in stocks and bonds. Jimmy Durante, the likes of whom is not duplicated, is the comedy source. He digs back into his stage days for songs and gags and registers strongly. So, too, do the feminine leads on all counts. So, too, with the refreshing Johnson. In fact, the whole treatment beyond the canteen angle of the wisp-like story is cleverly developed and progressively^maintained. Between that and the night club, there is full opportunity to hear Harry James and his orchestra, Xavier Cugat and his, and Lena Home doing a specialty and doing it in her accustomed, fine style. Jose Iturbi, noted pianist-conductor, contributes a splendid De Falla piece for those who want their good music straight. One of the easy highlights is Gracie Allen performing her "Concerto for Index Finger" with the aid of the noted conductor, Albert Coates, and a small-sized symphony orchestra, which shuttles back and forth between readaptations of standard music and the jive kind. Helen Forrest does a vocal number and Lina Romay does several with Cugat. One of the many other easy highlights is "Take It Easy," a comedy-musical number performed in her inimitable style by Virginia O'Brien. Carlos Ramirez is superb in his rendition of "Granada," abetted by the irresistible Cugat music. That's how it goes, and it goes very well indeed. "Two Girls and a Sailor" is fabricated expertly and always entertainingly from the time Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman put their original script together and thereafter through Richard Thorpe's direction, Sammy Lee's dance direction, Georgie Stall's musical direction and the overall production guidance furnished with great competence by Joe Pasternak. Supporting roles, delivered praiseworthy, are contributed by Henry Stephenson, Henry O'Neill and Donald Meek, Running time, 126 minutes. "G."* No release date set. Red Kann Coast Flashes Hollywood, April 24 LOUIS WEINBERG, Columbia sales executive, will leave here tomorrow for the East on the Superchief with his wife and daughter. • Jose Iturbi is here for tests for a role in M-G-M's forthcoming musical, "Music for Millions," which Joseph Pasternak will produce and Henry Koster direct. Margaret O'Brien and Jimmy Durante are to be featured in the film. • RKO has purchased "Well, Forget It," a William Porter short story. • Samuel Goldwyn has bought "Simone," a novel by Lion Feuchtwanger. Teresa Wright will be starred following "Casanova Brown" which is now finishing at International. Examine Keough in Para.-Cooper Suit Austin C. Keough, vice-president of Paramount Pictures, will be examined tomorrow in the offices of O'Brien, Driscoll and Raftery, in connection with Paramount's suit for an adjudication of its rights to stock of the J. H.Cooper Enterprises of Colorado; Rialto, .Inc. and Interstate Theatres, according to papers filed in Federal court here yesterday. The examination is pursuant to an order issued by Federal Judge Murray Hulbert on Oct. 14 last. In the suit, which names Joseph H. Cooper and the corporations as defendants, Paramount seeks to have its rights determined with respect to the 'B' stock of Cooper Enterprises and Rialto, and to half the 'A' stock of Interstate, and to compel Cooper to transfer Paramount certificates indicating Paramount's ownership. The action is based upon an alleged agreement under which Cooper acquired certain theatre properties in his own name, although actual ownership was to be one-half Cooper's and one-half Paramount's. Cooper's attorney recently completed the examination of Y. Frank Freeman, Paramount vice-president in charge of studios. Microfilm Company Formed by Hanson Toronto, April 24. — Oscar R. Hanson has announced the further expansion of his business activities in the formation of a company for handling Canadian rights of film recording enterprises. It will be known as Microfilm-Microstat, Ltd. George Oullahan has been appointed Canadian manager of the new company, formation of which follows Hanson's recent acquisition of Esquire Films, Ltd., handling Canadian distribution of British and Soviet pictures previously distributed through Empire-Universal Films. It has also been announced that the Canadian head office of Hanson 16mm Movies, Ltd., will be established in the same office under the management of H. T. Long, previously general manager of Associated Theatres, Ltd. G" denotes general classification. Betty Morrissey Dies Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, 36, who under her maiden name of Betty Morissey had the feminine lead in the original "The Leather Pushers" series and also appeared between 1920 and 1928 in many pictures, died late last week at St. Clare's Hospital here. Surviving are her husband, Lieut. James A. Murray ; her mother, Mrs. Anna Morrissey, and a son, Hugh Edward Murray II. Bennett Opens Offices Constance Bennett Enterprises has opened offices in the General Motors Building here, Jules Alberti, personal manager for Miss Bennett disclosed yesterday. New Exchanges Are Planned in Toronto Toronto, April 24. ■ — Warner Brothers have acquired a site at Church and Carlton Sts. here on which a new film exchange building will be erected to permit removal from the Hermant Building. Columbia Pictures of Canada, Ltd., also is understood to be taking over a property in the same vicinity for a Canadian head office, removal from the Hermant Building being necessary because' of new Ontario government regulations. Odeon theatres and Empire-Universal will construct a new building on Carlton street nearby for a Canadian headquarters and Toronto branch. 'Canary' Flies High In 'Frisco Run, Grossing $28,500 San Francisco, April 24. — "Yellow Canary," with Freddie Slack's orchestra on the stage, leads the pacemakers here, getting $28,500 at the Golden Gate. Coasting into second spot is the Fox bill of "Standing Room Only" and "You Can't Ration Love," headed for $24,600. "Cover, Girl" is sure of $13,800 in its third' week at the Orpheum. Weather good. Total first run business was $168,500. Average is $158,400. Estimated receipts for the week ending April 25-27 : "Lady and the Monster" (Rep.) WAR FIELD — (2,680) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days. Stage: vaudeville. Gross: $23,500. (Average: $21,800). "Yellow Canary" (Wilcox-RKO) GOLDEN GATE— (2,850) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days. Stage: vaudeville. Gross: $28,500. (Average: $25,000). "Her Primitive Man" (Univ.) "The Racket Man" (Col.) ESQUIRE— (1,008) (45c-55c-75c) 7 days. Gross: $11,000. (Average: $9,000). "Her Primitive Man" (Univ.) "The Racket Man" (Col.) TIVOLI— (1,488) (45c-55c-75c) 7 days. Gross: $10,500. (Average: $9,000). "Standing Room Only" (Para.) "You Can't Ration Love" (Para.) FOX — (5,000) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days. Gross: $24,600. (Average: $24,000). "Broadway Rhythm" (M-G-M) "Tunisian Victory" (BMOI-M-G-M) PARAMOUNT — (2,740) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days. Gross: $19,500. (Average: $19,600). "In Our Time" (WB) STATE—(2,306) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days, 2nd week. (Moved over from Paramount). Gross: $14,500. (Average: $12,100). "Shine On, Harvest Moon" (WB) "Navy Way" (Para.) ST. FRANCIS— (1,400) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days, 2nd week. (Moved over from Fox). Gross: $13,200. (Average: $11,600). "Cover Girl" (Col.) ORPHEUM— (2,440) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $13,800: (Average: $14,800). "It Happened Tomorrow" (UA) "The Whistler" (Col.) UNITED ARTISTS— (1,200) (45c-65c-85c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $9,500. (Average: $11,000). 15 Are Nominated For Equity Council The nominating committee of Actors Equity has selected 15 candidates for election to Equity's Council of ten to be held at Equity's annual meeting at the Hotel Astor on June 6. Designated as the "regular ticket" and announced by Augusta Duncan, chairman of the nominating committee, the 15 candidates are: Donald Cameron, Alexander Clark, Montgomery Clift, Patricia Collinge, Jose Ferrer, Kathryn Givney, Celeste Holm, E. John Kennedy, Philip Loeb, John Lorenz, Philip Merivale, Beverly Roberts, Harvey Stephens, Frederic Tozere and Frank Wilson. Marion Harris Killed Marion Harris, 38, former Broadway star who also appeared in one film, M-G-M's "Devil May Care," opposite Ramon Navarro, burned to death yesterday when a cigarette she was smoking ignited her bed in the Hotel Le Marquis here. She had recently been discharged from the loc^.1 Medical Center after treatment for shock suffered when Nazi bombs demolished her home in England. 'Address' in 43 Cities Columbia's "Address Unknown" has been set for 43, pre-release engagements in New England starting May 3.