The Exhibitor (1954)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 29, 1954 daring “Nuts” to the Nazis who ask for surrender, and the eventual lifting of the fog, the sun coming through and the air¬ men blasting the Nazis. Johnson, Hodiak, Murphy, Thompson, Whitmore, and some others live, and, tired and weary, march back singing the infantry song. X-Ray: \^en first reviewed in The SERviSEcnoN of September, 1949, it was said: “This will be ranked with the best films of World War IT. It has every¬ thing that makes a^ showman’s picture. Its production, direction, acting, etc., are tops, and the 117 minutes are crammed with suspense, comedy, melodrama, and everything needed to make it potent at the boxoffice. Only on one coimt is it deficient, the romance angle. Two women are seen, and only one in anything close to romance, with Denise Darcel arousing the boys a trifle. However, although this is a story of war, it represents a historic phase of World War II, and many patrons who ordinarily might avoid a war story should have plenty of interest in one of the most heroic stands of the U. S. boys in the late struggle. The acting, and that includes everyone is aces, and along the line there are sequences that will get laughs. The Dore ScharyWilliam Wellman produc¬ tion, direction combination has made this a film that will be talked about, and, which offers a wealth of selling and tieup oppor¬ tunities. The story is by Robert Pirosh, associate producer.” Aspect ratio is 1.33-1. Tip On Bidding: Reissue price. Ad Lines: “The Story Of The ‘Bastards Of Bastogne’ . . . Heroes Of World War H”; “ ‘Nuts’ Said The General . . . And ‘Battle¬ ground’ Tells Why”; “Here It Is . . . The First Great Film Of World War II.” Green Fire (516) Melodrama 100m. (Cinemascope) (Eastman Color) (Made in South America) Estimate: Interesting meller has angles. Cast: Stewart Granger, Grace Kelly, Paul Douglas, John Ericson, Murvyn Vye, Jose Torvay, Robert Tafur, Joe Dominguez, Nacho Galindo, Charlita. Di¬ rected by Andrew Marton; produced by Armand Deutsch. Story: Mining engineer Stewart Gran¬ ger comes across an old mine of the Con¬ quistadors and discovers promising signs of emeralds. Before he can carry the news back, he is attacked, robbed, and wounded by bandits. He is rescued by Priest Robert Tafur and taken to a nearby coffee plan¬ tation owned by Grace Kelly and her brother, John Ericson, where he recovers. He tells his partner, Paul Douglas, the good news. TTie latter is heading for a mining job in Canada but is persuaded to go along with Stewart. They get a crew together despite opposition by Tafur and work the mine, while alternating week¬ ends at the Kelly plantation. Hampered by bandit attacks led by Murvyn Vye, cave-ins, etc., they are finally forced to suspend operations when the cave is closed by a rock slide and cave-in. Granger de¬ cides to work from the top of the moun¬ tain down and since this means extra money, he talks Ericson into coming in as a partner along with the plantation’s money and the men needed to gather the coffee harvest. Douglas, sickened by Granger’s greed, breaks with him and joi^ Kelly on the plantation while the priest enlists the aid of women and chil¬ dren to gather the harvest. The river nearby starts to rise because of the refuse from the mine and the plantation is threatened, but Granger refuses to desist. Ericson is struck by a boulder and killed, which separates Granger and Kelly even more. Granger finally does find some emeralds, but Douglas decides to mine the entire mountain, reroute the river and save the plantation. Granger is op¬ posed until Vye and his bandits attack. whereupon Granger decides to go along with Kelly and Douglas after setting off the blast which en^Ks the bandits and rerouts the river just before a violent storm breaks. Granger and Kelly are united. X-Ray: Authentic settings, country scenery, and peoples assist in getting across this yarn involving a search for emeralds by adventurers. The story is fairly interesting and different and the cast gives a good account of itself. Direc¬ tion and production are good, and the overall is aided by the use of CinemaScope and color. There is also a goodly amount of action. The screen play is by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts. Tip On Bidding: Higher program rates. Ad Lines: “He Had One Passion In Life — The ‘Green Fire’ — Until The Right Woman Came Along”; “Burning Romance . . . Exciting Adventure . . . Rough, TwoFisted Action . . . All In ‘Green Fire’ ”; “No One And Nothing Would Stand In His Way. His Aim Was Wealth With The Aid Of ‘Green Fire’.” REPUBLIC Story: Richard Arlen, captain of a cargo boat breaks up a fight between Sidney Bromley and Michael Balfour and finds a small package which he stows away in his bag. Donald Houston, insur¬ ance investigator, has been trying to find out why so many drugs keep disappear¬ ing. The gang of crooks headed by Edwin Richfield tries to recover the package with little luck. Arlen finally discovers that the crooks are getting their information via a phone operator at the insurance company and he helps the insurance detectives and the police capture the thieves. He is amply rewarded and can pay off his debts and talk to sweetheart Greta Gynt about the future. X-Ray: Audiences are familiar with Arlen but generally not with the others, and this coupled with a fair story, aver¬ age performances, and fair direction and production put this entry in the lower half. It could serve as filler. Tip On Bidding: Low bracket. Ad Lines: “Terror On The Waterfront”; “An Expose Of The Smuggling Racket Tliat Could Lead To Murder”; “A Thrill¬ ing Tale Of Suspense And Terror On The Waterfront.” Hell's Outpost (5315) Estimate: Okeh programmer. Cast: Rod Cameron, Joan Leslie, John Russell, Chill Wills, Jim Davis, Kristine Miller, Ben Cooper, Taylor Holmes, Barton MacLane, Ruth Lee, Arthur Q. Bryan, Oliver Blake. Associate producer-director, Joe Kane. Story: Veteran Rod Cameron arrives in a small mining town to call on Chill Wills, father of a late war buddy, but actually he is interested in getting hold of a valuable mining property held by Wills. The latter asks him to come in as partner after outlining problems that have to be met. John Russell, local banker and bully, is also interested in the Wills property as well as in town clerk Joan Leslie, in whom Cameron takes an interest. They have a fight, the stakes of which are either Cam¬ eron is to stay away from Leslie or Rus¬ sell is to grant him a loan. Cameron wins and builds a road to start the mine work¬ ing. Russell tries all forms of sabotage and finally arranges to set off a tremendous blast calculated to block the road and ruin the mine, Cameron catches him, they fight, and Russell is killed in the blast which paves the way for a better road. Cameron confesses his plans to Wills, who knew his intentions all along, and he and Leslie are free to plan for the future. X-Ray: A fairly interesting yam, ade¬ quate performances, and average direc¬ tion are to be found in this entry that should make up okeh as part of the pro¬ gram. There’s enough action and intrigue to satisfy average meller fans. The screen play is in by Kenneth Garnet, based on the novel “Silver Rock” by Luke Short. Ad Lines: “He Had A Mine To Work And Neither Hell Nor High Water Would Stop Him”; “Adventure . . . Thrills . . . Action . . . All At ‘Hell’s Outpost’ ”; “She Had To Make A Choice . . . The Winner Took All.” 20TH-FOX Devil's Harbor (429) (English-made) Estimate: For the duaUers. Cast: Richard Arlen, Greta Gynt, Don¬ ald Houston, Mary Germaine, Elspet Gray, Vincent Ball, Howard Lang, Edwin Rich¬ field. Directed by Montgomery TuUy; written and produced by Charles Deane. ALLIED ARTISTS Black Tuesday mh* (Goldstein) Estimate: Okeh programmer. Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Peter Graves, Jean Parker, Milbum Stone, War¬ ren Stevens, Jack Kelly, Sylvia Findley, James Bell, Victor Perrin, Hal Baylor, Harry Bartell, Simon Scott, Russell John¬ son, Phil Pine. Ihroduced by Robert Gold¬ stein; directed by Hugo Fregonese. Story: Killer and racketeer Edward G. Robinson and bank robber Peter Graves are scheduled to go to the electric chair for killings committed by both. Graves is offered a short reprieve if he will reveal the whereabouts of the $200,000 he stole, but he refuses. Death house guard James Bell is informed by Jean Parker, Robin¬ son’s girl, that his daughter, Sylvia Find¬ ley, has been kidnapped and that if he won’t help Robinson escape she will be killed. He agrees and hides a gun beneath a chair that will seat death house spec¬ tators, newsmen, etc. New reporter Jack Kelly is assigned to cover for his paper, but he is kidnapped and gangster Warren Stevens substitutes. The break is success¬ ful, though Graves is wounded, and they take along as hostages priest Milburn Stone, doctor Victor Perrin, and guard Hal ^ylor. BeU is killed during the get¬ away, with several others wounded. Their destination is a warehouse where Kelly, Findley, and a plane pilot are waiting. Perrin fixes up Graves as best he can and he agrees to get the money to finance the getaway with Robinson. Graves and Parker pick up the money from a safe deposit box, but a supicious bank guard notifies the police, who shadow them to the warehouse. A cordon is set up whereupon Robinson threatens to kill the hostages one by one unless the police permit them to pull out. Kelly is wounded when he gets in Robinson’s way and is prevented from being killed by Graves at Findley’s silent behest. Baylor is the first killed. Several gangsters are killed, as is Parker. When Robinson threatens to kill the priest. Graves kills him, and then goes to his own death with gun in hand. The others presumably are saved. X-Ray: Edward G. Robinson is once again the tough, haH-crazed, killer-gun¬ man and gangster, which role paved his way up the road to fame, and there is enough action, gim-play and killing to satisfy even the most blood-thirsty of 3890 SMviMcflen 2