Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, January 30, 1947 Reviews "Odd Man Out" {Two Cities Films) London, Jan. 29. TO the dismay of bobby-soxers but to the delight of students of serious film drama, James Mason herein moves at ohe leap from the hackneyed ranks of popular idols and takes his place among great screen artists. The star admittedly owes much to the directorial art of Carol Reed, but his integrity comes shining through. It is the tale of an Irish political gunman on the run in Belfast from a charge of murder. Wounded and bleeding, he stumbles through the city, harried by the police and befriended by roustabouts and odd characters infesting that battleground of grim political and religious strife. He dies in the end, along with his girl, in a short, sharp gun battle. Meanwhile, the film unfolds not only the outward appearance of the gunman's sordid life but also the unburdening of a dozen people's souls. Mason illuminates the gunman so well that the audience is torn by pity. This may well be rated in years to come among the screen's choicest masterpieces. Not the least of its merits is the exactness with which Reed has cast gallery of odd Irish types. His list of players reads like the album of the elite of Dublin's renowned Abbey Theatre. While it is difficult to single out individuals, this reviewer hails Kathleen Ryan, a newcomer, along with F. J. McCormick and Willie Fay. Running time, 116 minutes. British adult audience classification. Release date, not set. Peter Burnup 'Song of Scheherazade" {Universal) OBVIOUS charm has the music of Rimsky-Korsakoff as it is rendered in "Song of Scheherazade," a unique film with a setting as colorful as a carnival, and a story that might have had a frivolous comic-opera prototype. The glorifying hues of Technicolor seem somehow to be lacking a little, however, in their usual distinctiveness, although they still add considerable luster to the presentation of the fanciful tale about a group of Russian naval cadets, including Jean Pierre Aumont as the composer, on shore leave in Morocco, back in 1865. The film is picturesquely decorated with gay costumes of the period, and also Yvonne de Carlo. Brian Donlevy's chore is the role of ship's captain completely convinced that his cadets should have stayed in Russia. The performers and the little story play roles subordinate to RimskyKorsakoff's compositions, which range from the frolicsome "Dance of the Tumblers" to the enchanting "Song of India." The film is primarily a song-and-dance festival, with Charles Kullman, celebrated opera star, in several instances bursting forth with the title number and others ; Miss de Carlo executes the dances. The charm of the i music and its box-office appeal probably will run parallel Only limitedly. "Scheherazade" is decidedly designed to hurdle the commercial limitations of classical music, with its whimsical and wholly flavorsome approach. No monumental tribute to a great composer, the film is bantam-weight, but yet is mirthful and carefully made. Although dull and slow at the start, it increases in pace arid interest and the work in its entirety may be termed a happy diversion. Ten of the composer's works are heard as the film shifts from ship, where Donlevy is forever browbeating his subordinates in amusing fashion, to shore where Miss de Carlo dances at an Oriental night spat to support her flighty mother, Eve Arden. Miss de Carlo has ballet aspirations. Aumont's only ambition is to compose. It winds up in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she dances to his music. Philip Reed, John Qualen, Richard Lane, Terry Kilburn and many others are in the cast. Edward Kaufman is producer; Edward Dodds, associate producer, and Walter Reisch wrote and directed. Running time, 106 minutes. General audience classification. Release in February. Gene Arneel Key City Grosses 4 'Barring Indecency, Most Yarns Filmable' i i 3 Hollywood, Jan. 29. — In the light of the wide variety of fop-notch stories to reach the screen during the past few years, the complaint that the industry is timorous and hackneyed in its selection of themes is no longer valid, John 'Stahl declared in an address before the Citizens League here. Except in the instances of immorality, bad taste, or sheer banality, there is no type of theme used in books, plays, or stories today that is too profound for screen production, he told his audience. Stahl, who will next direct "The Walls of Jericho," William Bacher Production for 20th Century-Fox, pointed out that some of the finest and most successful pictures"'vqf the past three years have involved such themes as religion and psychiatry which presented delicate problems that no producer wanted to tackle two decades -ago. , ? . . * •••V "As a result of its freedom from story types and cycles, the screen today Offers a wider variety and higher standard of entertainment than it ever did before," Stahl asserted. Barring indecency or bad taste, there is hardly a book published today which is not almost immediately the subject of spirited screen bidding, providing the book is popular and wellwritten. No longer can critics complain of the industry immaturity as an art form." Legion of Decency Classifies 14 Films Seven new films are rated as unobjectionable for general audiences by the National Legion of Decency ; five are found unobjectionable for adults and two are termed obj ectipnable in part. The new films and their classifications follow : Class A-l, "Born to Speed," "I Live as I Please," "I'll Be Yours," "It's Great to Be Young," "The Pilgrim Lady," "Sinbad the Sailor" and "Unexpected Guest." Class A-2, "Alias Mr. Twilight," "Hannerl und ihre Liebhaber" (German), "Hollywood Bound," "Les Miserables," and "The Red House." Class B, "Nora Pientiss" and "Stairway to a Star." Decries Murder Films With Other Pictures Columbus, O., Jan. 29. — Practice of dualing "bloodcurdling murder mysteries" and other such doubtful second features with films of special appeal to children, like Walt Disney's "Song of the South," is under fire here. Members of the 27-oirganization Hilltop Community Council are conducting a critical survey of West Side houses in an attempt to correct the situation. Managers of Hilltop theaters will be interviewed by organization members to see what, if anything, they can do to prevent such dualing. Charles P. Maus, president of the council, said he had been receiving complaints, chiefly from women members, for the past 18 months. French and English To Produce in Hague The French film company, Bureau Cinematographic Musicale, expects to start producing films in the Netherlandson June T, according to G. E. Ostwald, a leading Dutch film producer,press dispatches reaching here from. The Hague disclose. .' Ostwald is -described as having explained that the establishment of a foreign film industry would be an important source of foreign, exchange, as the films would be sold, to other countries. He reputedly said that a studio in Amsterdam had been chosen but that between 200,000 and 300,000 guilders would be needed to re-equip it as the Germans had removed all of the equipment. French stars and technicians are going to the Netherlands, and both English and French versions will be produced. Britain, too, will produce there, it is said. Six 'M.C's' to Preside at Cameramen's Fete A full evening of entertainment is planned by the Press Photographers Association of New York for its 18th annual ball to be held at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel on Friday night, Feb. 7. Stars' of stage, screen and radio will contribute, and Harry Hershfield, Frank Fay, Henny Youngman, Ed Sullivan, Danton Walker arid Morey Amsterdam will share honors' as masters-sf-ceremonies. 'Best Years' in London Samuel Goldwyn has concluded negotiations with J. Arthur Rank to open "The Best Years of Our Lives" at the Leicester Square Theatre, London, on March 2, the British premiere to be a charity benefit' with Mrs. Clement Atlee, wife of the Prime Minister, presiding. HOLLOWING are estimated pic j ■* litre grosses for current engage \ incuts in key cities as reported by \ Motion Picture Daily correspondents. SALT LAKE CITY All theatres are above average in a week of moderating weather. Estimated Teceipts for the week ending Jan. 30 : THE DARK MIRROR (International) CAPITOL (1,878) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days on a moveover. Gross: $8,500. (Average: $7,600) HUMORESQUE (WB) CENTRE (1,700) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average: $13,500) THE BOHEMIAN GIRL (Film Classics) and PHANTOM OF THE PLAINS (Rep. reissue) — LYRIC (1,500) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days with vaudeville. Gross: $5,800. (Average: f3,70O) COME AND GET IT (Film Classics) and ROLLING HOME (Screen Guild)— RIALTO (1,300) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days. Gross: '$5,900. (Average: $3,600) THE JOLSON STORY (Col.) — STUDIO (800) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days, 6th week on a ; moveover. Gross: $5,500. (Average: $4,700) j UNDERCURRENT (M-G-M) UPTOWN ' (1,300) (20c-55c-75c) 7 days, 2nd week, t Gross: $7,000. (Average: $5,800) SWELL GUY (U)— UTAH (1,700) (20c-55c75c) 7 days. Gross: $13,000. (Average: $12,000) TORONTO Three main attractions are being held over at Toronto theatres, with one feature continuing for its fourth week with nice business. Typical wintery weather prevails, with the residents taking it in their accustomed stride, while there has been a wide assortment of concerts and orchestra engagements, including Paul Whiteman, to divide attention. Estimated receipts for the ! week ending Jan. 29-30 : LADY LUCK (RKO Radio) and CHILD OF DIVORCE (RKO Radio)— EGLINTON (1,086) (18c-30c-48c-60c) 6 days'. Gross: 1 $4,200. (Average: $4,700) NOBODY LIVES FOREVER (WB)— IM | PERIAL (3,373) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days. I Gross: $15,800. (Average: $14,300) TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (M-G-M) -LOEWS (2,074) (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: $14,800. (Average: $13,300) BLUE. SKIES (Para.) — SHEA'S (2,480) (18c30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days, 4th week. Gross: $13,600. (Average: $14,600) RAGE IN HEAVEN (M-G-M reissue)— i UPTOWN (2,761) (18c-30c-42c-)60!c-90c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: $11,400. (Average: $11,400) LADY LUCK (RKO Radio) and CHILD 1 OF DIVORCE (RKO Radio)— VICTORIA (1,240) (12c-30c-48c) 6 days. Gross: $6,300. (Average: $6,800) $13,500 for 'Gangs' Madison Pictures reports a weekly gross of $13,500 for Alan Ladd's "Gangs, Inc.," in a test of that reissue at Loew's Ohio Theatre, Cleve i land, against a weekly average of $7,000 for that house. Armand Schenck is president of the company. 'Dimes' Show at Rivoli Representatives of Latin-American nations participated in a program at the Rivoli Theatre, here, last night in behalf of the March of Dimes Drive. The event was arranged by Monty Salmon, managing director of the Rivoli, and Dr. A. Ramon Ruiz, director of the Good Neighbor Center.