Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

!(| Thursday, October 21, 1948 Motion Picture Daily 5 Reviews The Gallant Blade' {Columbia) ROMANTIC outdoor action runs rampant in "The Gallant Blade," a drama of clashing swords and clashing wills. France of the 17th Century provides the setting for Larry Parks and Marguerite Chapman as the principals, with Cinecolor enhancing the ornamental effects. The picture has many basic ingredients of popular entertainment despite a weakening caused by some stiff aa^» pompous dialogue. -J^_^s pattern of the story clearly pits good against evil. France has been at WbTT'for many years and the people have become impoverished and exhausted. When peace is finally at hand, a scheming marshal — Victor Jory — plots to continue the conflict for his own evil designs. Parks, as a gallant swordsman, lines up with the forces of peace. In the course of his exploits, he undergoes several narrow escapes. Miss Chapman, at first an undercover aide to the 'villain, falls under Parks' spell and finally makes some daring sacrifices for Parks and peace. It all makes for pleasant, escapist film fare. Parks turns in a competent job, but is frequently handicapped by stereotyped material. Miss Chapman is always visually attractive. Irving Starr produced and Henry Levin directed, from the screenplay by Walter Ferris and Morton Grant. Running time, 145 minutes. General audience classification. Release, not set. M. H. 'Triple Threat" (Columbia) PROMOTIONALLY important in this story of the gridiron is the timely presentation of the professional side of the game in these early days of the football season, and the production's introduction of such pigskin "pros" as Sammy Baugh, Paul Christman, Sid Luckman, Charles Trippi, "Indian" Jack Jacobs, and many others, who, however, again prove that most "name" athletes are better in their chosen profession than they are in acting. Of some added benefit in marketing the picture is the fact that it was filmed with the cooperation of the National Football League. The original screenplay, by Joseph Carole and Don Martin, is a slowmoving plot concerning an egotistical college player who turns "pro." As the tale nears an end, he realizes that his egotism is ruining not only his playing, but the spirit of teamwork, and is having a marked effect on his romance. Heading the cast are Richard Crane, Gloria Henry, Mary Stuart and John Litel. The story is highlighted by some excellent and exciting gridiron action, described by Harry Wismer, Tommy Harman and Bob Kelley. Jean Yarbrough directed and Sam Katzman produced. Running time, 70 minutes. General audience classification. "Eagle With Two Heads' (Vog Film) JEAN COCTEAU'S "Eagle with Two Heads" is a superior importation filled with eloquent touches and many moments of flaring drama. Made in France this year, it is pervaded with a literary flavor that should give it an eager acceptance among discriminating foreign film patrons. Cocteau is one of the leaders of France's avant garde movement, and as his followers know, his stories usually spurn the standard Hollywood lines of development. In this tale, just published here in book form also, Cocteau tells the story of a young poet-anarchist who comes to slay a queen but remains to fall in love with her. The story unfolds against a background of court intrigue and prior circumstances which leave the lovers strangely fated to doom. Jean Marais, a husky blond youth, cuts an attractive figure as the poet, while Edwige Feuillere is well cast as the wistful, elusive queen. Impressive settings fill out the fable's tapestry. The English titles do a clear and effective job of conveying the narrative development. Cocteau's direction is somewhat erratic. George Danciger and Alexandre Mnouchkine produced. Running time, 100 minutes. Adult audience classification. Release date, not set. M. H. "Cowboy Cavalier" (Monogram) THE possessive aim of the outlaw in this latest of Jimmy Wakely Westerns is a freight line, the outlaw in this instance using blackmail and hijacking valuable freight shipments in his attempts to accomplish his purpose. Much action and excitement are accompanied by tuneful songs of the sagebrush, all of which add up favorably in comparison to the production's predecessors in the Wakely series. The hero foils the schemes of the renegades with the aid of "Cannonball" Taylor, cowboy comedian. Jan Bryant is the daughter of a stagecoach owner and Wakely is their foreman. They hire Douglas Evans to work on the line, and he tips his gang when important shipments are being carried, attempting to hold his job through threats of blackmail. Eventually Wakely uncovers the plan, and the outlaw and his gang are apprehended. Songs sung by Wakely include "Mine All Mine," "Night After Night" and "This Old White Mule of Mine." Ronald Davidson and J. Benton Cheney wrote the screenplay, which Derwin M. Abrahams directed. Louis Gray produced and Edward Kay was the musical director. Others in the cast include Douglas Evans, Claire Whitney, William H. Ruhl, Steve Clark, Milburn Morante, Bud Osbourne, Carol Henry and Bob Woodward. Running time, 57 minutes. General audience classification. Release, not set. Seattle Bans 'Rope' Seattle, Oct. 20. — The censor board today banned the Alfred Hitchcock production of "Rope," Warner film, from further showings here. Bernard Reiter, chairman of the board, said that Hamrick Evergreen Theatres had been notified that further showings would be forbidden following the film's run at the Orpheum, which ended last night. Isaacs With Ohio Co-op Cleveland, Oct. 20. — Tony Stern and Lou Ratener, head of Ohio Theatres Service Corp., buying and booking for more than 30 theatres, have appointed Arthur Isaacs as second broker and assistant to Marvin Samuelson. Ohio Theatre Service was formed six months ago and is the second booking-buying "co-op" in the city. Isaacs resigned as Republic salesman to join the organization. Sack Gets Video Rights Dallas, Oct. 20. — Sack Television Enterprises has acquired exclusive world television and all non-theatrical rights to the "This Is Texas" series of one-reel topical films produced by Nationwide Pictures, Inc., of Dallas, in a deal closed between H. K. Carrington, president of Nationwide, and Alfred N. Sack. It covers six onereelers per year for five years. Video Shipments Rising Washington, Oct. 20. — Television receiver shipments rose to 153,455 sets during the second quarter of 1948, compared with 106,136 in the first quarter, the Radio Manufacturers Association reports. Total postwar shipments increased to more than 425,000 sets by June 30. Production Total Increases 1, to 31 Hollywood, Oct. 20. — The production index stood at 31, gaining one from last week. Eight new films were launched, while seven were finished. Shooting started on "Bad Boy," Allied Artists; "Wild Bill Doolin" and "Laramie," Columbia ; "Bomba, the Jungle Boy," Monogram; "Bitter Victory," Paramount ; "The SetUp," RKO Radio ; "Son of a Gunman" (Western Adventure), Screen Guild ; "Calamity Jane and Sam Bass," Universal-International. Shooting finished on "Ride, Ryder, Ride" (Equity), Eagle-Lion; "Alaska Patrol" (Burwood), Film Classics; "Zamba" (Fortune Films), Independent ; "The Feathered Serpent," Monogram ; "Son of Billy the Kid" (Western Adventure), Screen Guild; "Two Guys and a Gal" and "Somewhere in the City," Warner. Salt Lake Suit (Continued from page 1) pressure on other companies to keep them from supplying films. In addition, the exhibitors claim that Leonard H. Goldenson, Paramount vice-president, came here from New York in 1941 and attempted to force them to give up their lease. In addition to Paramount and Goldenson, defendants are Warners, 20th CenturyFox, Columbia and Universal. Intermountain Theatres, Paramount circuit operator in this area, has four first run theatres in downtown Salt Lake in opposition to Lawrence. BURNS & ALLEN say: "'Miss Tatlock's Millions is good to the last drop I" And PARAMOUNT Preview Audiences Everywhere Have Elected It "The Funniest Hit In Years"