Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

Wednesday, April 7, 1948 Motion Picture Daily 5 Reviews "Fury at Furnace Creek" (20th Century-Fox) A SOLID plot groundwork of action and excitement was provided Victor Mature for his entry into the super-Western field. As a frontier drama of cavalrymen clashing with Indians, it offers a saleable piece of merchandise with some top-grade production values, having enough pace and adventure to satisfy all audiences, even though the theme is in the standard category. Turning to history, the film opens with the massacre at Fort Furnace Creek by the Indians. As the son of the Army general accused of giving the orders that resulted in the massacre, Mature sets out to prove his father's innocence. The task of digging up clues among an assortment of villains proceeds against a background of fireworks and gun duels, with the camera catching some scenes of rare visual beauty in between. Coleen Gray performs pleasantly in her somewhat slender romantic role, while Glenn Langan plays Mature's misunderstanding brother who sometimes becomes excess baggage. A highly efficient performance is contributed by Charles Kemper as the town's amiable incorrigible. Fred Kohlmar's production was directed by Bruce Humberstone, from a Charles G. Booth screenplay suggested by a David Garth story. Running time, 88 minutes. General audience classification. Release in May. Mandel Herbstman "Winter Meeting" (Warner Brothers) Hollywood, April 6 STRANGELY assorted story ingredients are put together here in an apparent endeavor to impart the impetus of the unfamiliar in what boils down to a conversation piece, In it Bette Davis, whose followers may relish the fact, does a preponderent share of the talking. The ingredients include sex, religion, sin, regeneration, fame, poetry and love, all dealt with more academically than dramatically, and there is no action beyond that of the players' movement from place to place. It is the first film directed by Broadway's Bretaigne Windust and may owe some of its stageiness to that circumstance. The players who go along with Miss Davis are James Davis, Janis Paige, Florence Bates, Walter Baldwin and Ransom Sherman, but it is Miss Davis' picture and strictly for her following. Henry Blanke produced from a script by Catherine Turney, based on a novel by Ethel Vance. Running time, 101 minutes. Adult audience classification. Release date, April. William R. Weaver "Hatter's Castle" (Paramount) WHEN A. J. Cronin wrote "Hatter's Castle," it oozed misery, with characters despicable or weak and its villain inevitably moved toward his dramatic undoing. The British, in trying to capture the depressing atmosphere of the novel, were not quite so successful. The picture, which Paramount has kept "on the shelf" since 1941, may be enjoyed by art-theatre audiences. Robert Newton stands out as the tyrannical father who ends in selfdestruction. Talents of James Mason and Deborah Kerr go largely to waste. Emilyn Williams and Enid Stamp-Taylor give good performances. I. Goldsmith produced, Lance Comfort directed, from Paul Merzbach's and R. Bernaur's screenplay. Arrogant and brutal Newton refuses to permit his wife, Beatrice Varley, to have a doctor, so daughter Kerr calls doctor Mason. They fall in love, but Newton interferes. Miss Kerr, forced into submission, has an illegitimate child by Williams, clerk in Newton's office. Newton throws her out, he goes broke, and his wife and son die. Blaming his castle-like house for his tragedy, he sets fire to it. Running time, 99 minutes. Adult audience classification. Released June 18, 1948. "Close-Up" (Marathon — Eagle-Lion) AS an experiment to prove the feasibility of film production in New York, "Close-Up" is an object lesson: it can be done, and inexpensively. But this particular subject, produced by Frank Satenstein and directed by Jack Donohue, is no match for Hollywood in production values. The melodrama concerns a Nazi big-shot, Richard Kollmar, who is accidentally photographed by newsreel cameraman Alan Baxter, and the attempt by the former to prevent exposure. Virginia Gilmore, Loring Smith, Phil Huston and Joey Faye also are in the cast. Running time, 72 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Irving Kaplan PCCITO to Studios (Continued from page 1) ston may have misinterpreted the PCCITO's purposes, they decided, nevertheless, to take the issue direct to the studios, on the grounds that stars' appearances in political propaganda films are bad for the box office. The trustees reaffirmed the resolution passed at the recent Seattle meeting on the subject of stars appearing in political propaganda films. HjLi-dights 0f the convention are ext id to be determination of action by PCCITO against Ascap, authorization of an amicus curiae brief in the Ben Berger case against Ascap in Minneapolis Federal Court and renewed activity for passage of the Lewis Bill in Congress. Sees Threat in Trust Suits Exhibitors must give more attention to the anti-trust suits now being filed against distributors if theatremen are to be in a position to benefit, according to W. Byron Bryant, industry attorney, who addressed today's session. The suits, he said, are knocking out the foundations of the industry and the very practices upon which it has been built. You cannot change such practices as film buying, bidding, distribution, runs and clearances without having to change your whole modus operandi, Bryant said, adding that exhibitors are not ready as yet. Bryant said that since the success of the Goldman and Jackson Park suits, between 50 and 100 additional private suits have been filed. A serious question, he said, is whether the very number of these suits will cause them all to be thrown out by the courts. Urges Theatre Modernization Necessity for theatre modernization and improvement of service were stressed today by Rotus Harvey, head of the ITO of Northern California, in a speech opening the convention. Harvey, convention chairman, said unless exhibitors make their theatres up-to-date they will find new theatres competing. Harvey said that while on a recent tour of theatres he found "shocking" examples of inadequately staffed houses, adding that exhibitors as well as Hollywood must better meet public expectations if patronage is to be kept at a high level. Rep. Has 40 for UK (Continued from page 1) ing under the tax settlement which, he does not look upon as being particularly favorable to the U S. industry. Republic stockholders, meeting here yesterday, approved proposed sale of Consolidated Molded Products, wholly-owned subsidiary, for a minimum of $850,000. Yates said there are a number of possible buyers. Whatever is realized on the sale, Yates said, will be used to pay off part of Republic's outstanding $2,950,000 bank loan. Yates, Richard W. Altschuler, James R. Grainger, Albert W. Lind, and Frederick R. Ryan were reelected directors at yesterday's meeting, following which the directors met and i reelected all Republic officers. Sunset Carson Bankrupt Charlotte, April 6. — Michael Harrison (Sunset Carson) has filed a petition in bankruptcy in Federal Court here, listing debts of $75,000 and assets of $3,500, including $220 cash. Would Saddle Radio With FCC Costs Washington, April 6 — Senator Tobey is considering legislation to require license fees and other payments from broadcasters as part payment of the costs of Federal regulation of the airways. Daylight Saving For the Capital Washington, April 6. — The Senate today voted to authorize District of Columbia commissioners to effect daylight-saving time in the area this year. The bill must _ still pass the House, but little opposition is expected there. Hollywood Normal Again Augusta, Me., April 6. — Maine's most photogenic lobster has been found and shipped to Hollywood by plane to play the part of Jabberwocky in Enterprise's "No Minor Vices." A committee of state officials, including Gov. Horace Hildreth, selected the 4J4 -pound crustacean from more than a dozen choice contestants for the role. Byrd Navy Film to MGM "Secret Land," compiled from Navy films in Technicolor of Admiral Byrd's last South Pole expedition, will be released by M-G-M. WB-ABPC Pact (Continued from page 1) Lady Yule with a view to leasing British National Studios, which have been closed. Meanwhile, a protest by the Association of Cine Technicians against closing of the studios by the Board of Trade and a plea that the studios be kept open by requisition, if necessary, with workers themselves operating production, is believed to have been ignored by Sir Harold Wilson, BOT president. It is understood that Wilson regards requisition as impractical without financing from the government, and that financing awaits action by the National Joint Production Council on Wilson's proposal for a state film bank. Now at your service! FIVE STAR DC-6 FLAGSHIPS LOS ANGELES 11 hours, 45 minutes Phone HAvemeyer 6-5000 or your travel agent Ticket Offices . Airlines Terminal • Rockefeller Center • Hotel New Yorker • 120 Broadway Hotel St. George AMERICAN AIRLINES MITCHELL MAY, Jr. CO., INC. INSURANCE • Specializing in requirements of the Motion Picture Industry 75 Maiden Lane, New York 510 W. 6th St., Los Angeles