Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1946)

Wednesday, January 16, 1946 Motion Picture Daily 5 Reviews "Tars and Spars" {Columbia) Hollywood, Jan. 15 DON'T let the war-reminding title mislead you into discounting this bright, breezy, tuneful and altogether pleasant musical, presenting Janet Blair, Alfred Drake, Marc Piatt, Jeff Donnell and others, including a couple of brilliant newcomers, in a merry tale all bound round with song and dance. It takes sparkling care of the customers while it's on the screen, and leaves a pleasant after-glow they are due to remember. Produced skillfully by Milton Bren, and with complete cooperation of the United States Coast Guard, the picture has extremely likeable songs by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn, and brilliant musical direction by W. W. Stoloff. The screenplay by John Jacoby, Sarett Tobias and Decla Dunning, based on a story by Barry Trivers, runs a swift course studded by comedy situations and musical interludes in nicely gauged sequence. There is basic humor in the story, which concerns a Coast Guardsman back from 21 days on a raft at sea, testing a vitamin-containing gum, whose experience is mistaken for a more dangerous type of adventure. This is a factor in the central romance, played by Drake and Miss Blair, which ends, as all romances do, in good topical musicals. Alfred E. Green's direction displays the wisdom of his veterancy, balancing narrative against musical content with the skill of the master craftsman. Miss Blair, and Drake, too, deliver with spirit and in a manner to popularize them at once, the Styne-Cahn songs ; two of these, "Life Is a MerryGo-Round" and "I'm Glad I Waited for You," stand out as particularly memorable numbers. Running time, 86 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Jan. 10. William R. Weaver "Behind Green Lights" (20th Century-Fox) AVERY BUSY night prevails here at police headquarters, with a murder case the principal concern and with numerous asides incidental in "plot development — all of which have the standard screen assortment of newspaper reporters scurrying to telephones to call their city editors. Newspaper reporters and typical city gendarmes of real life probably will have a time seeing any similarity in their everyday activities and what transpires here. But no matter, the picture is a rapid-tempo job, which, while not entirely flawless, has enough plot and action to add up to satisfactory screen merchandise. Carole Landis as the daughter of the mayoralty candidate appears to be the murderer of a blackmailer. Lieutenant William Gargan is under pressure (he has an unscrupulous publisher, opponent of Miss Landis' father, on his heels), with the reporters getting in the way looking for developments in the case. The corpse disappears and turns up in the press room. One thing after another and finally Miss Landis is cleared. Richard Crane, Mary Anderson, John Ireland, Charles Russell and Roy Roberts are in support. The original screenplay, by W. Scott Darling and Charles G. Booth, was directed by Otto Brower. Robert Bassler produced. Running time, 64 minutes. General audience classification. Release in February. Gene Arneel Says Films Minus Seal Cause Trouble Philadelphia, Jan. 15. — Twenty-five per cent of films coming to Pennsylvania are not voluntarily submitted to the i n d u s t r y's Production Code Administration, and that 25 per cent causes the State Board of Censors the most trouble, says Mrs. Edna R. ^Qgarroll, chairman of the Pennsylvania board. Such films are released by distributors who are outside of the so-called "organized industry" and can not be shown in theatres of affiliated circuits without a PCA seal. French Film Strike Delayed to Mar. 1 By ROBERT REGAMEY Paris, Jan. 12 (By Air Mail).— French producers have put off until March 1 their long-threatened strike to force the government to take measures to protect their interests. The date had previously been Jan. 1. The postponement was made because leaders of the industry have been impressed with the attentions given to their problems by M. Malraux, new minister concerned with those matters. However, up to now the minister has not been able to obtain the action desired by the French film producers from the council of ministers. Meanwhile, production continues, but no new films have been started since Jan. 1 and there is indication that none will be until a settlement is reached. Exhibitors Dissatisfied Exhibitors likewise are not satisfied with the present situation and plan to protest at the next general exhibitors' meeting. It is reported that the question of importation of foreign films may be settled on the basis of seven foreign films for each six French productions. On that basis 112 foreign films could be imported for 96 native productions, j. the contemplated production during the current year. Impatience is now being shown at the long delay in those negotiations. James Pratt Promoted James Pratt, assistant to John Beck, Jr., International Pictures' general manager, for the past six months, has been named production manager, with George Golitzen serving as his assistant. Pratt served as civilian manager for the U. S. Signal Corps at the Astoria, L. I. studios for a year prior to joining International in 1944. Gamble at Va. Meet Ted R. Gamble, Oregon circuit operator and formerly War Finance director, will address the annual convention of the Theatre Owners of Virginia, Jan. 31, in Richmond. He is now at his home in Portland. uK.C. Uptown Held Up t Kansas City, Jan. 15. — Fox Midwest's Uptown Theatre here was robbed of $180 in bills and silver by an armed guman after most of the evening's receipts had previously been removed from' the box office. Print Output Up at Holmes Laboratory Chicago, Jan. 15.— Release print output of the Burton Holmes 16mm. film laboratory, here, is at the highest point in the company's history, Burton W. Depue, general manager, announces. Current schedule lists 23 educational and industrial films in various stages of planning and production. Services for Keaton Hollywood, Jan. 15. — Services will be held here tomorrow morning for Joseph Keaton, 79, old-time vaudeville actor and father of film comedian Buster Keaton, who died at his home here Sunday night after a long illness. Another son, Harry, and a daughter, Louise, also survive. /. /. Scully Succumbs St. Louis, Jan. 15. — Irvin John Scully, former St. Louis newspaperman and press agent for a number of St. Louis theatrical enterprises, died on Jan. 10 after a long illness. Rogers' In-Law Dies Morris Hess, father-in-law of Budd Rogers, Universal board member, died here yesterday. Phila. Workers in Annual Election Philadelphia, Jan. 15. — At an election of officers for F-7 front office exchange employes union, James Reimel, M-G-M booker, was chosen president; Victoria Sampieri, UA, is vice-president; Henrietta Weinberg, Republic, reelected recording and financial secretary; Clara Kraftsow, Columbia, reelected business agent, while Lillian Boehlmer,* Warners, is the new sergeant-at-arms. Executive board members for the coming year include Dave Titleman, M-G-M ; Leo Hannon, Warners ; Estelle Weiner, Paramount, and Ed Carlin, Warners. Trustees are Louis Lerro, David Laws, and Cele Brodsky, all Warners. PRC Shifts Sally Perle Sally Perle of PRC's home office publicity staff, has been shifted from press publicity to radio contacts by Arnold Stoltz, director of publicityadvertising. Miss Perle will also work with Lige Brien on promotions. Party for Ty Power Tyrone Power will be guest of honor at a cocktail party to be given by 20th Century-Fox at the Hotel Pierre here today. Ban 'Scarlet Street In Milwaukee Milwaukee, Jan. 15. — "Scarlet Street," slated to open early in February at the Warner theatre here, has been banned by the city motion picture commission "in line with the commission's policy to cooperate fully with Chief of Police John Polcyn in his recent plea for stricter regulation of undesirable films," Lester J. Bradshaw, Jr., commission executive secretary, announced today. The vote was 11 to 4. Harry MacDonald, theatre manager, said the commission's action definitely ended all possibility of a Milwaukee snowing of the film regardless of what changes may be made in New York. Building Priority Ratings in Force Washington, Jan. 15. — Construction material priority ratings, which were called for last month by President Truman in order to speed building of housing projects for ex-service men, and which, counterwise, will block progress of new theatre building throughout the nation, went into effect today. Henceforth, under a plan developed by John D. Small, Civilian Production Administrator, the Federal Housing Administration will process applications for building materials, giving preference to veterans and to builders of houses and apartments, all of which will be offered first to ex-service men. HH Rating The new preferential rating, designated as HH, has been set up for the 10 most vital critical building materials and is designed to channel at least half of all those supplies into small-home construction. In the past month very little new theatre building has crystalized from the widespread planning which prevailed prior to the President's announcement that the new priority system would be embraced, and it is inevitable that construction on new theatres will bog down completely before the priorities system has entirely served its purpose. However, the current emergency-created shortage of materials seems to have dissuaded theatremen from laying future plans for new houses for a while. No Rubens Successor Chicago, Jan. 15. — No successor ot the late Jules J. Rubens, general manager and vice-president of the PublixGreat State Circuit, will be named, according to John Balaban, head of B. and K. It is understood that Henry Stickelmaier, head film buyer for Great States, is being assigned to many of the duties previously performed by Rubens. Wolf at 2 Meets Maurice Wolf of the M-G-M exhibitor relations department will represent the company at the conventions of the I. T. O. of Ohio in Columbus, Jan. 22, and the Theatre Owners of Virginia, Jan. 31, in Richmond.