Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1953)

Friday, January 23, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 3 Reviews "She's Back on Broadway" {Warner Brothers) Hollywood, Jan. 22 VIRGINIA MAYO, Gene Nelson, Frank Lovejoy, Steve Cochran and Patrice Wymore are the top names and the principal players in this Hollywood-to-Broadway musical in WarnerColor which perpetuates the tradition of Warner's unforgettable "Gold-Diggers" musicals without getting nostalgic about it. In this picture, as in all those others back there when the Warner musical was the surest box-office bet in show business, the production of a show is the central activity against which a story about some of the people engaged in that production is told. Now as then, this arrangement requires that the actors in the cast portray actors, a circumstance that makes for good performances, and that the plot be one that can stand interruptions for songs, dances and so on. The arrangement also calls for extensive and frequent display of feminine figures, faces, skills and graces, and for production numbers, songs, dances, specialties of all kinds, all of these being prime subjects for WarnerColor and the theatre-size screen. As produced by Henry Blanke and directed by Gordon Douglas, which is to say superbly, the picture figures to gross up to its billing and beyond. In the story by Orin Tannings, Miss Mayo is a Hollywood star, out of studio demand due to three flop pictures, who accepts the lead in an upcoming Broadway musical whose director, Cochran, was responsible for her first stage success and with whom she has been in love since then although he has ignored her. This is the broken romance that gets repaired in the course of the picture, and it is given a more emotional and meaningful treatment than is common practice in film musicals. Miss Wymore plays the second girl in the triangle and Lovejoy is seen as the producer, both doing well with little. Nelson turns in two splendid dance numbers but has nothing whatever to do with the story proper. Musical direction is by dependable Ray Heindorf, with musical numbers staged and directed by LeRoy Prinz. Vocal arrangements are by Charles Henderson, and the half dozen or so original songs (many oldies are used in part) are by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman. Running time 98 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, March 14. William R. Weaver "Confidentially Connie" (M etro-Goldwyn-Mayer) THE PLIGHT of a small college professor attempting to support his family in middle class decency without the proper salary is the theme of this amiable comedy which was produced by Stephen Ames and directed by Edward Buzzell. Van Johnson is the instructor who makes noble efforts to resist the blandishments of his father, Louis Calhern, a wealthy Texas cattle breeder, who wants his son to quit his college post and return to Texas as head of the cattle barony. There are some amusing touches, such as Janet Leigh's need for good, red meat because of her pregnancy and her inability to get it on Johnson's salary. Then there is Calhern's arrival from Texas, intent on getting his son to go back there and seeing to it that Janet gets plenty of meat. His scheme with butcher Walter Slezak causes a price war and not only almost ruins Slezak's chance to become president of the butchers association but also Johnson's opportunity to receive a promotion by college president Gene Lockhart. Some amusing bits concern the juggling of dinner invitations by Lockhart and his wife, Kathleen, because they're always hungry. Director Buzzell has kept the production simple, like the people involved. The comedy moments are properly spaced and the picture measures up to good entertainment. Johnson is pleasing in his role and so is Miss Leigh. Calhern's role is a slightly mean portrait of the expansive and insulated wealthy type from Texas. The story is by Max Shulman who collaborated with Herman Wouk on the screenplay. Others in the cast are Hayden Rorke, Robert Burton, Marilyn Erskine, Arthur Space, Barbara Ruick, June Whitley and Dick Sands. Running time, 71 minutes. General audience classification. For March release. Johnston (Continued from page 1) for forecasting the end for motion pictures, pointing to television, night baseball, inflation and a change in habit patterns, and they can cite pages of statistics to prove it. "The statisticians have measured almost everything about us except the heart, the ingenuity and the spirit that have always made the motion picture industry the great explorer of new fields," Johnston said. "Perhaps the prophets of disaster need a little boning up on the history of the motion picture industry. Maybe they might stumble over the fact that the film industry has never been afraid of change and development. From the very first it has been dynamic and expanding— flexible and adaptable to the entertainment needs of all of the people." This industry moves fast and its most exciting days of technological developments are ahead of it, Johnston said, adding that new developments "are coming in so fast it sometimes seems hard to keep pace with the latest of them." In thanking the film council delegates for their support of the industry's self-regulation program — the production and advertising codesJohnston traced the "milestones in the march toward freedom of the screen." He said complete victory over political censorship was not yet clearly in sight and "we'll have to fight and scrap every inch of the way from now on before censorship is really routed from our land and full freedom of the screen is firmly protected under our Constitution." "Isn't it a mockery that in six states a motion picture must be censored before it can be shown in theatres, but the very same picture may be shown on television without censorship?" Johnston asked. "In the name of democracy — in the name of common sense — I hope that all of us will devote our energies to obtain the repeal of censorship in those states and localities where it is still permitted." Johnston concluded his remarks with a review of the role played by American films abroad and their services as ambassadors of democracy. The film council sessions were concluded last night with a visit to "This is Cinerama." In the morning, the delegates saw Paramount's "Come Back, Little Sheba," and later were addressed by Daniel Mann who directed both the stage and film versions of the story. Arthur DeBra, director of the community and exhibitor relations departments of the MPAA, and Gordon White, advertising code administrator, discussed the codes at the late afternoon session. Ned Depinet was chairman of the dinner last night at which Johnston was the principal speaker. Dr. Gould in New Kodak Film Post Rochester, N. Y., Jan. 22. — Dr. Austin J. Gould has been named assistant manager of the film manufacturing organization of ~E a s t m a n Kodak's Kodak Park Works by Ivar N. Huffman, Kodak vice-president and general manager of Kodak Park. Film Dividends Off; U. S. Ticket Tax On Washington, Jan. 22. — Film industry dividend payments in 1952 slumped to the lowest total since 1945, the Commerce Department reported today. The Department made a preliminary estimate that publicly reported cash dividend payments by motion picture companies amounted to $27,257,000 last year, . compared with $35,122,000 in 1951. In 1945, payments amounted to $23,665,000. They rose sharply the following year, to $46,714,000, and in 1947 hit a record $54,641,000. In 1948, they dropped very slightly to $54,205,000, but in 1949 fell to $45,684,000 and in 1950 to $36,941,000. Cash payments in December were put at $4,440,000, compared with $6,751,000 for December, 1951. Great States Circuit Honors John Dromey Chicago, Jan. 22. — John Dromey, head buyer and booker for Great States Theatres, was honored at a luncheon in the Blackstone Hotel attended by over 100 members of the industry here today. Dromey, who has been with the organization for 30 years, was introduced by Dave Wallerstein, general manager of Balaban and Katz and of Great States. Other speakers were Duncan Kennedy of Great States, "Doc" Banford, Western division manager of M-G-M. The luncheon climaxed the "John Dromey Drive," which saw all Great States Theatres in special promotions to increase December business, normally way below the rest of the year. Dromey, who was Mayor of North Chicago for 14 years, Illinois American Legion commander, and chairman Legion (Continued from page 1) American Legion working out an arrangement whereby it can sponsor the film. 'The Hoaxters,' nationally as a deterrent to Communism." W. E. Heliums, Interstate Theatres manager in Austin, who showed the film there, was also commended, and the resolution asked that the film "be given the widest possible distribution as a most effective means of educating the American people." The resolution was signed by Albert D. Brown, department commander for the region, and G. Ward Moody, department adjutant. Texas Compo Sponsors 'Hoaxters' As No. 1 'P.R.' Activity of 1953 Dallas, Jan. 22. — The Texas Council of Motion Picture Organizations has elected to sponsor as its number one public relations project for 1953 M-G-M's 36-minute documentary on Communism, "The Hoaxters," according to Kyle Rorex, executive director of the organization. The COMPO unit has made a special transcription for pre-selling the film in the form of a 15-minute radio public service program, to which exhibitors can add a short spot announcement. It has also prepared a special trailer. Exhibitors of the state have been urged to play the film "to better relations in your community" ; "to better your box-office" ; and "to better relations for your industry." Among several public relations ideas broached by Texas Compo, there is the suggested placing in the press of a feature story by Dore Schary, who personally produced the film, describing its origin and purpose. 'Red' Probe (Continued from page 1) Republican, said that the one-time film investigation was now changed into a general study of the entertainment field. He said that any of the people whom the committee had been attacking in Hollywood had now left the film industry for radio and television jobs. "I don't anticipate any more bip' formal Hollywood hearings," Jackson said. He added, however, that should any new leads develop the committee might have to change its mind. Committee chairman Harold Velde and other members have indicated previously their belief that the committee last year put too much emphasis on the Hollywood investigation and that it was time to go into richer fields. No staff changes were discussed af today's meetings, and none are planned in the near future, Velde declared. "Tonight We Sing" Next at the Hall "Tonight We Sing," 20th CenturyFox's color in Technicolor musical based on the career of impresario Sol Hurok, will have its world premiere at Radio City Music Hall next month, following the run of "The Bad and the Beautiful." First all-classical musical to be produced-by 20th-Fox, the cast includes George Jessel, Ezio Pinza, Roberta Peters and Tamara Toumanova. of the Lake County "March of Dimes," also was presented with a gift from Great States Theatres.