Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

s Motion Picture Daily Thursday, March 4, 1954 In the THEATRE Equipmeot World • . . • • with RAY GALLO The Cretors' Popcorn Warmer THE Cretors' Corp., Nashville, Tenn., has a new popcorn warmer for over-the-counter service. It has two 3-cubic-foot elevator wells and forced-air heat circulation. In workmanship, materials and design it is comparable to the Cretors' "Olympic" over-the-counter popcorn machine and can be used side by side with the latter to form a matching popping and storage unit of large capacity. Of all metal construction, the cabinet of the warmer is finished in gleaming cream enamel trimmed in stainless steel and chrome. • A three-phase selenium rectifier oj new design has been put on the market by H. E. Robin, Inc., East Orange, N. J. It is catalogued as the RobinArc A'-lOO and is designed to deliver 100 amperes at 62 volts continuously from inputs of 185-250-volt, threephase, 50/60 cycle current. It is adjustable from 36 up to 62 volts in small increments. • J. E. MacNellis, president of Best De/ices Co., Inc., Cleveland, has announced the company's new line of porthole fire shutters for both indoor and outdoor theatre projection rooms. Four types of shutters are available on special order and in standard sizes from stock. They include Type "F" for the picture port ; Type "SF" for the picture and stereopticon port ; Type "L" for the observation port ; and type "SP" for the spotlight port. • Three Chicago companies have joined forces to advertise and promote the new refreshment novelty for drive-in theatres — the Hot Chili Cone. They are the Silver Skillet Brands, Inc., which makes the chili; the Northwest Cone Co., manufacturers of the salted "Eat-It-All" cracker cup; and Helmco-Lacy, manufacturers of the food warmer. The chili is easy to serve; all the operator must do is ladle it out of the food warmer into the special cone, which is taken from a handy dispenser. S chine Books UA Pair The Schine circuit has booked United Artists' "Heidi" and "White Mane," UA reports. Reviews "Beat the Devil (Santana-Romulus-United Artists) [N the triple role of producer, director and ^co-writer John Huston has turned the cameras on the antics of an odd menagerie of characters in "Beat the Devil," an offbeat, strangely fascinating film. A strong selling point of the picture is its cast of exploitable names including Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones and the shapely Italian siren Gina Lollobrigida in her first English-speaking role. Seasoned performers all, they bring authority and sharp comic bite to their characterizations. Imaginative photography of striking Italian locales add another attractive touch to this Santana-Romulus production. Pervading the entire satire is an urbane, literary flavor that will exert strongest appeal to sophisticated audiences. For its character, the picture relies largely on situations rather than story lines. In the zany, diffused story Bogart is involved with Robert Morley, Peter Lorre and Ivan Barnard in a shady uranium deal in Africa. Stranded in a Mediterranean seaport while their ship is being repaired, Bogart and Miss Lollobrigida, meet Miss Jones and Edward Underdown. The romancing of this foursome causes much concern to Morley and Lorre, who hear that Underdown is also interested in minerals. The ship is finally repaired and everyone sails for Africa, but complications in the form of attempted murder of Underdown, and the unnecessary abandonment of the newly-repaired vessel, arise. Shipwrecked and seized by Arabs, Bogart smoothly talks his way out by promising' an Arab bigwig", who is a Rita Hayworth fan, an introduction to the actress. All return to the seaport town only to meet a Scotland Yard man who arrests Bogart's associates for murder. Others in the cast include Manuel Serano, Mario Perroni, Marco Tulli and Saro Urzi. The screenplay is by Huston and Truman Capote from James Helvick's novel. Running time, 92 minutes. General audience classification. For release in March. "Riding Shotgun" (Warner Brothers) AS the ace stagecoach guard with vengeance on his mind, Randolph Scott almost gets taken for a last ride in "Riding Shotgun." Fortunately, he is redeemed toward the end, just as the show itself is saved from slipping into the standard W estern category by some expert direction bulwarked with dexterous use of the camera. Although there's enough gun work and movement to assuage the hunger of the most bloodthirsty adventure film fan, the story maintains a more serious point of view than many others of its kind. Wayne Morris as a deputy helps Scott in holding onto his life while Joan Weldon gives him an exceptionally good reason for wanting to hold onto it, namely love. After waiting years to avenge himself on a criminal, Scott rides right into a trap. What happens is that the outlaw and his gang hold up the coach which Scott was to be guarding and kill several people. Scott, who had been tied and left to die, breaks free from his bonds and stumbles back into town only to find the people bitter toward him in the mistaken belief that he was in cahoots with the gunmen. A lynch spirit swells up against him while he wards off their advances from inside a saloon. Scott knows that the gang is going to strike the town shortly, but his efforts to inform the people about it come to naught. Suspense mounts and director Andre de Toth has g'otten some good mood touches into the picture. Fortunately for beleaguered Scott, the gang strikes in time to divert the populace from smoking him out. A thunderous climax of gunplay and turbulence sees things justly settled. Ted Sherdman produced from the screenplay by Tom Blackburn. Running time, 75 minutes. General audience classification. Release date April 10. Jennifer (Allied Artists) << T ENNIFER" is the story of a mysterious woman, who is never seen, and »J of her effect on those who come in contact" with her. Although at times it verges on burlesque of psychological drama, Ida Lupino in the starring role gives the picture whatever quality it has. Her intense portrayal of a woman who thinks she has stumbled on to a murder is quite good and holds the attention well. Miss Lupino plays the newly-employed caretaker of an old and vacated estate. According to the owners, the previous woman, Jennifer, had suddenly disappeared and left most of her possessions behind. Miss Lupino's suspicions take form in various ways, including the mysterious movements of Howard Duff, owner of the local grocery store. When she thinks he's about to do her in, he explains the situation which undoubtedly is a relief to her, but which proves to be a letdown to the audience. The picture builds toward a peak which never materializes. There are a few good shocker moments, especially when she thinks she sees a dead woman lying in some water, but on the whole "Jennifer" is no more than a mild melodrama. Duff is adequate in his role as are the rest of the cast. Berman Swarttz produced and Joel Newton directed from a story by Virginia Myers. Others in the cast are Robert Nichols, Mary Shipp, Ned Glass, Kitty McHugh, Russ Conway, Lorna Thayer and Matt Dennis. Running time, 73 minutes. General audience classification. Films Fill Pews in Ottawa Churches OTTAWA, Ont., March 3. — Ten United Churches here are using a modern method to fill up empty pews on Sunday evenings, with motion pictures drawing extremely well, according to several ministers. Religious films in a series called "The Living Bible" are bringing to the churches both young and old despite radio and TV attractions, the ministers report. The films are used in place of a sermon and they have been successful in increasing attendance, they say. Industry to Be Cited By Boston Library BOSTON, March 3.— The Boston Public Library Centennial Commission will pay tribute to the industry on April 6 when the Commission will observe the 100th anniversary of America's oldest free public library here. The salute will be made in the Sheraton Plaza Hotel at a dinner to which industry executives will be invited. Charles E. Kurtzman, Northeastern division manager of Loew's Theatres, is chairman of the event. He has named a committee of New England film men, consisting of Edward Fay, Ray Feeley, E. Myer Feltman, Ralph J. Iannuzzi, Irving Isaacs, William Koster, Arthur Lockwood, Joseph Longo, Frank Lydon, Martin Mullin, Samuel Pinanski, Benn Rosenwald and Nathan Yamins. Charles Brackett, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will be present to accept a citation on behalf of the industry's contribution on educational and cultural levels. He will bring specially prepared footage of early films, including what is believed to be the first picture made in Boston. He will donate the film to the library's archives. New Type Glasses For 3-D Being Made CINCINNATI, March 3.— As a result of study of public demand, a new style, wide-screen 3-D viewer is now in production, John F. Dreyer, president of Depth Viewers, Inc., has announced. Dreyer said that his firm has expanded its manufacturing space to turn out the new type viewers. The rimless 3-D glasses are made of a new rigid Polacoat-Polarized plastic film which is heavier than heretofore so that the paper frame can be replaced. They have 70 per cent more viewing area than earlier models, the company claims. Two 'B' and Five 'A' In Latest Legion List "Tennessee Champ" and "Top Banana" have been placed in Class B in the latest listing of the National Legion of Decency. Of the five films designated as Class A in the same listing, three are in Section 2. They are "The Golden Mask," "Highway Dragnet" and "Yankee Pasha." "The Final Test" and "Melody of Love" have been placed in Class A, Section 1.