The Exhibitor (1954)

September 8 , 1954 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Malcolm, George Chandler, Fred Kelsey, Gil Perkins, Peter Votrian. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn; directed by Charles Vidor. Story: In 1830, in a small town in Den¬ mark, schoolmaster John Brown vainly rings his bell calling the youngsters for class, but they are entranced while village shoemaker Danny (Hans Christian An¬ dersen) Kaye tells them fairy tales. Brown complains to the mayor and council, and insists that they tell Kaye to desist. The next day, the same incident is repeated. Brown threatens to leave unless Kaye is told to go, and the mayor and council agree. To save Kaye embarrassment, his young apprentice, orphaned Joey Walsh, persuades Kaye to go to Copenhagen for a few days, and catches up with him on the outskirts of town. Setting up his cob¬ bler’s shop near a royal statue, he is jailed, but released when the need for a cobbler is immediate at the royal the¬ atre, where the ballerina, Jeanmaire, has trouble with her slippers. Not knowing she is married to ballet director Farley Granger, Kaye falls in love with her and writes her a fairy story, which, accident¬ ally, is delivered to her. The next day, the ballet goes on tour. Kaye resumes telling his stories to the children until one of the fathers, a newspaper publisher, sets a story in type, and Kaye is launched as a writer. The ballet returns, and Kaye’s story has been fashioned into a ballet. He is invited to see it, but gets into an argument with Granger and is locked in the prop room, but he visualizes Jean¬ maire in the work. He is not released until the next morning. When he sees Granger and Jeanmaire together, he real¬ izes that they are in love. He decides to go back to his small town and promises Walsh not to tell any more stories, but Walsh knows that he will tell better stories in the future. X-Ray: There is much here which puts this in the better entertainment class, good, tuneful music, able performances, fine assistance by Technicolor, a light, gay, plot that holds interest throughout, ballet scenes that should draw attention, the title role as sensitively portrayed by Kaye, and much more. There’s something for everyone in this latest Goldwyn re¬ lease, and the results should be pleasing boxofficewise. Among the songs heard are “No Two People,” “Wonderful Copen¬ hagen,” “Thumbelina,” “The Ugly Duck¬ ling,” “I’m v Hans Christian Andersen,” “Everywhere I Wander,” “Inch Worm,” and “The Kings New Clothes.” The screen play is by Moss Hart, based on a story by Myles Connolly. (First reviewed in The Servisection of December, 1952, this is being reprinted for the record, since it is now going out on general release — Editor.) Tip On Bidding: Higher bracket. Ad Lines: “An Entertainment Treat For Everyone”; “There’s Never Been Enter¬ tainment \ Like This Before”; “There’s Music, Romance, Fun Galore For Old And Young, Dancing, And A Gay Time, All In Wonderful Technicolor.” She Wore A Melodrama Yellow Ribbon (572) 103%m. (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Okeh Wayne reissue. Cast: John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwiclc, George O’Brien, Arthur Shields, Harry Woods, Chief Big Tree, Noble Johnson, Cliff Lyons, Tom Tyler, Michael Dugan, Mickey Simpson, Frank McGrath, Don Summer, Fred Libbey, Jack Pennick, Billy Jones, Bill Goettinger, Fred Graham, Fred Kennedy, Rudy Bowman, Post Parks, Ray Hyke, Lee Bradley. Produced by John Ford and Merian C. Cooper; directed by John Ford. Story: After Custer has been killed arid the Indians start to rise against the whites to drive them from their hunting grounds, one fort in the middle of hostile Indian territory is undermanned. Second in charge is John Wayne, being forced to retire against his will. He has the affec¬ tion of the men, as well as the respect of his two junior officers, lieutenants John Agar and Harry Carey, Jr., as well as his sergeant Victor McLaglen. Wayne goes out on a last patrol to drive the Indians back to their reservation and is forced to take along Mildred Natwick and Joanne Dru to catch a stage back east. Dru is courted by Carey and Agar. She decides on Agar. When the patrol reaches the , stage, post, they find it in ruins, and Wayne orders everyone back to the fort. He leaves Agar and a force to delay pur¬ suing Indians until he can get reinforce¬ ments. However, he is relieved of the command because of his retirement the next day, and Carey is sent out after all the men bid Wayne farewell. Later, still in the army for a few hours, he rides out to meet the soldiers and decides to attack. First, he tries to parley with the Indians peaceably, and when this fails, he rides off their entire force of horses, leaving them afoot, forcing them to return to their reservation. He then sets out for California, his work and career finished. A messenger reaches him in time to an-, nounce that he has been appointed civilian chief of scouts. X-Ray: When first reviewed in The Servisection of September, 1949, it wa^ said, “This has all the makings of a boxoffice hit with its form and style dat¬ ing back to the good old days when a frontier picture was an action film filled with perils. It has Technicolor, a yarn that holds interest on high, good action shots, high rating photography, Wayne’s draw, direction by Ford, and a supporting cast that does well. The picture, based on a story by James Warner Bellah, features a time, ‘She Wore A Yellow Ribbon’.” Tip On Bidding: Usual reissue price. Ad Lines: “Action And Thrills High¬ light This Technicolor Tale About The Frontier Of Old”; “When The Indians Go On The War Path, The U. S. Cavalry Takes A Hand”; “A Tale Of Frontier Days .Filled With Action, Color, And Romance.” Susan Slept Here (501) Co“'7DJ (Color by Technicolor) Estimate: Pleasant entertainment will depend on name draw. Cast: Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Anne Francis, Glenda Farrell, Alvy Moore, Horace McMahon, Herb Vigran, Les Tremayne, Mara Lane, Rita Johnson, Maidie Norman. Produced by Harriet Parsons; directed by Frank Tashlin. Story: Dick Powell, Hollywood scenario writer, is visited by some police pals, who have in tow Debbie Reynolds, whom they are taking in. They feel that Powell can find a story idea in the girl’s back¬ ground and are willing to leave her in his protective custody over the Christmas holiday. Reynolds rebels, thinking that Powell would take advantage of her. He begins to find her personality and back¬ ground fascinating. His girl friend, Anne Francis, does a violent burn when she finds out that Reynolds is in his apart¬ ment. Tire cops return to take Reynolds away, but Powell, mistaking love for sympathy, has offered to marry her. They wed, and without ever living with her, Powell goes to a mountain hideaway to write the big story. When he comes back, a pickles and strawberry eating habit of Reynolds gives him the wrong idea, and he accuses his best friend of doing the gal wrong. However, it turns out that it is merely a lifelong eating habit, and they go on to a life together. X-Ray: Extremely lightweight, this will fill the bill where people seek pleasant entertainment. Powell seems a bit old for the part in contrast to the bounce and youthful vivacity of Reynolds, but the power on the marquee will make the difference. The action takes place mostly in an apartment, which slows down the film. Two songs are heard, “Susan Slept Here” and “Hold My Hand.” The screen play is by Alex Gottlieb, from a play by Steve Fisher and Gottlieb. Tip On Bidding: Above average price. Ad Lines: “A Laugh A Minute In A New Type Bedroom Farce”; “She Was A Juvenile Delinquent; But She Won His Heart — For Christmas”; “One Of The Brightest Comedies In Months.” The Window (571) Drama 73m. Estimate: Reissue has exploitation pos¬ sibilities. Cast: Barbara Hale, Bobby Driscoll, Arthur Kennedy, Paul Stewart, Ruth Ro¬ man. Produced by Frederic Ullman, Jr.; directed by Ted Tetzlaff. Story: Bobby Driscoll, who lives with his parents, Arthur Kennedy and Barbara Hale, in a New York tenament, sleeps on the fire escape and sees Paul Stewart and Ruth Roman kill a man. His parents re¬ fuse to believe him since he has been in the habit of making up stories. Driscoll goes to the police and a detective brings him home, investigates the Stewart-Ro¬ man flat, and finds nothing. Stewart and Roman determine to question Driscoll, but he escapes. Just as Stewart is about to kill him in a nearby deserted house, the police arrive. Stewart accidentally falls to his death and Driscoll is rescued. X-Ray: When first reviewed in The Servisection of May, 1949, it was said, “Gripping drama, this offers a challenge in the selling, for while it lacks marquee ap¬ peal, it does possess elements which make for boxoffice. It is a well-made, well-pro¬ duced show, but what it will do at the boxoffice will depend on how much inter¬ est can be aroused in it. It is based on a story by Cornell Woolrich.” Tip On Bidding: Usual reissue price. Ad Lines: “What Was The Secret Of ‘The Window’?”; “The Boy Cried Wolf — But Death Stalked His Trail”; “Brought Back So That You May Enjoy it.” REPUBLIC Tobor The Great Melodrama 77m. Estimate: Okeh science fiction meller for the lower half. Cast: Charles Drake, Karin Booth, Billy Chapin, Taylor Holmes, Steven Geray, Henry Kulky, Franz Roehn, Hal Baylor, Alan Reynolds, Peter Brocco, Norman Field, Robert Shayne, Lyle Talbot, Em¬ mett Vogan, William Schallert, Helen Winston. Produced by Richard Goldstone; directed by Lee Sholem. Story: When the agency governing in¬ terplanetary flight experimentation ex¬ periments with humans to make initial finding flights, scientist Charles Drake resigns in protest. He goes to work with professor Taylor Holmes, who is delving into the idea of using mechanical robots with electronic impulses capable of re¬ acting to emotional stimuli. He also meets his widowed daughter, Karin Booth, and her son, Billy Chapin, a wizard at elec Servisection 7 3827