The Exhibitor (1959)

September 23, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 4637 REVIEWS The famous pink paper SA VEABLE SECTION in which Experienced Trade Analysts evaluate coming product fublishud •v*ry lucond WNk, at a separately bound and easily saleable section of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, this exclusive 24 year old service it both numerically more complete, and Informatively more candid, than any similar trade analysis. Cumulatively numbered by film seasons (September to September), It is recommended that readers consecutively save all REVIEWS sections in a permanent file. The last Issue of each August will always contain a complete annual Index to close the season. Combined, the every second week yellow paper SERVISECTION indexes to the past 12 months' product, and the alternating every second week pink paper REVIEWS, represent a unique informative service to theatremen. Please address all Inquiries or suggestions about these two service features to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, 246-4* N. Clarion St., Philadelphia 7, Penna. ”n.T SEPTEMBER 23, 1959 ALLIED ARTISTS Web Of Evidence (5913) Melod““ma Allied Artists (Filmed in England) Estimate: Interesting suspense entry. Cast: Van Johnson, Vera Miles, Emlyn Williams, Bernard Lee, Jean Kent, Moultrie Kelsall, Leo McKern, Ralph Truman, Geoff¬ rey Keen. Produced by Maxwell Setton and John R. Sloan; directed by Jack Cardiff. Story: When a pregnant girl is murdered and Bernard Lee is the last one to be seen with her, he is arrested, tried, found guilty, and sentenced to hang. Emlyn Williams, ship¬ ping magnate, circulates a petition which gets the sentence commuted to life imprison¬ ment. Twenty years later, Lee’s son, Van Johnson, returns from America where his mother had taken him. He delves into his father’s background and learns his story. He is convinced that his father is innocent and is helped in his crusade to get him out of jail by librarian Vera Miles. He tracks down the various people involved and learns from an ex -policeman that witness Jean Kent has prospered since the trial. His actions are feared by the prosecutor, who is running for Parliament, and by high police official Moultrie Kelsall, whose methods are a bit irregular. The pressure by a newspaper which takes Johnson’s side frees Lee. John¬ son comes across evidence that Kent has been blackmailing Williams, who killed the girl, and Williams commits suicide. X-Ray: This yarn is not an overly pleasant one, but it does contain much that is interest¬ ing. The suspense and intrigue concerned with murder and the attempt to see justice done, as well as the names of Van Johnson and Vera Miles, should prove helpful in the selling. The acting, direction, and pro¬ duction are good. It should make up well as part of the show. The screenplay is by Kenneth Taylor, based on the novel by A. J. Cronin as adapted for the screen by Kenneth Hyde. Ad Lines: “It Took Twenty Years For The Wheels of Justice to Grind Their Way To Correct A Misdeed”; “An Offbeat Adventure In Suspense.” COLUMBIA The Crimson Kimono Drama 82m Columbia Estimate: Program tale of crime, racial conflict. Cast: Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett, James Shigeta, Anne Lee, Paul Dubov, Jaclynne Greene, Neyle Morrow, Gloria Pall, Barbara Hayden, George Yoshinaga, Faye Elhardt, Ay a Oyama, George Okamura, Reverend Ryosho S. Sogabe, Robert Okazaki, Fujij. Written, produced, and directed by Samuel Fuller. Story: Detectives Glenn Corbett and James Shigeta are assigned to work on the murder of stripper Gloria Pall. They are great per¬ sonal friends as well, living together. A paint¬ ing of Pall leads them to artist Victoria Shaw, who reveals that Pall was always accompanied by Neyle Morrow. Shaw does a portrait of Morrow, whom the police believe to be the killer. Shaw is moved to the apartment of Corbett and Shigeta for protection accom¬ panied by alcoholic artist Anna Lee. They identify Morrow as a library expert on the far east associated with a Japanese wig maker, Caucasian Jaclynne Greene. Corbett falls in love with Shaw, but she and Shigeta discover that they are in love. Shigeta fears to get involved because he is Japanese and because of his friendship for Corbett. Con¬ fused, Shigeta accuses Corbett of hating him because of race, while Corbett tries to con¬ vince him that he merely resents losing Shaw, and race has nothing to do with it. They apprehend Morrow, who denies the murder. It turns out that Greene, jealous of the relationship between Pall and Morrow, is the murderer, and she is killed in a gun battle with Shigeta. Shigeta realizes that his own fears led to the strained relations with Corbett. The friends reconcile, and Shaw and Shigeta plan to be married. X-Ray: Samuel Fuller’s productions are always interesting one-man tour-de-forces and this is no exception. The novel back¬ ground of Los Angeles’ Japanese section af¬ fords fascinating glimpses into the lives of its inhabitants. In attempting to cover too much ground, however, the picture at times bogs down in detail. The murder investiga¬ tion and love story, involving elements of racial conflict, do intrude on one another. The film holds interest, however, and the cast of fresh, new faces performs capably. It should make up okay as part of the program, where the racial element of the story won’t offend. Tip On Bidding: Fair program rates. Ad Lines: “Murder With A New Twist . . . Samuel Fuller Takes You Into New Paths Of Adventure And Romance”; “Violence And Passion As The Screen Reaches A New Maturity.” They Came To Cordura Melodrama Columbia (Eastman Color) (CinemaScope) Estimate: Entry has unusual scope and interest. Cast: Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Richard Conte, Michael Callan, Dick York, Robert Keith, Carlos Romero, James Bannon, Edward Platt, Mau¬ rice Jara, Sam Buffington, Arthur Hanson. Produced by William Goetz; directed by Robert Rossen. Story: When the forces of Pancho Villa raid a Texas town in 1916, Army Major Gary Cooper ducks into a ditch to avoid a hail of bullets and is accused of cowardice. Because his father was a famous general, the affair is hushed up, but he is relieved of his regimental duties and made awards officer of the campaign. He is instructed to recommend combat soldiers for the Congres¬ sional Medal of Honor and then to escort them to a rear base at Cordura. When a large Mexican force is spotted around a ranch owned by Rita Hayworth, Colonel Robert Keith orders an ill-executed but flashy attack which is turned from defeat into victory by the actions of a few. These men are chosen by Cooper for citations. They include Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, and Dick York. Together with a previous citation holder, Michael Callan, then are ordered to return with Cooper, who is also ordered to take Rita Hayworth back for trial for giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The trip, which should have been an easy one, is turned into a nightmare when Villa supporters get their horses, leaving them stranded in the steaming desert. As the pressure mounts, most tell Cooper that they don’t want the Medal for varying rea¬ sons, but he forces their continuance at gun point. Conte reveals Cooper’s past to the others, and Heflin and Conte try to rape Hayworth, which is stopped by Cooper. She begins to fall for Cooper, thinking of him as the only real hero in the group, and she saves his life when he falls asleep from sheer exhaustion by offering herself to Heflin, who has promisd to kill Cooper at the first opportunity. They finally reach a rail¬ road and follow the tracks until Cooper drops in an effort to keep them going. As the others are about to kill him, they read his citations on each of them. This, plus the discovery that Cordura is over the hill, changes their minds and they all head for the base. X-Ray: An unusual subject, that of the courage of men, is given the test under unusual circumstances, and what emerges is strong and at times violent drama. The lan¬ guage and situations are earthy, basic, and savage. Interest is well-sustained throughout, because as the story unfolds the predict¬ ability of scenes is uncertain and the char¬ acters are unusual and off-beat. The acting is first rate, and direction and production are of quality calibre. The use of a com¬ prehensive campaign has created a want-tosee reaction among a large segment of the population, and if this is intensified as the release date grows closer, the boxoffice reac¬ tion to the film could be of impressive pro¬ portion. Another selling angle is the cast, with such names as Cooper, Hayworth, Hef¬ lin, Conte, and Hunter. It’s really a different film of great potential. The screenplay is by Ivan Moffat and Robert Rossen, based on the nobel by Glendon Swarthout. Tip On Bidding: Higher rates. Ad Lines: “The Good In The Worst Of Women; And The Bad In The Best Of Men.”; “This Is The Film that Many Said Should Never Be Made ... An Explosive Tale Of Men And Of Courage.” Yesterday’s Enemy Drama 95m. Columbia (English-made) Estimate: Powerful, realistic war yarn. Cast: Stanley Baker, Guy Rolfe, Leo Mc¬ Kern, Gordon Jackson, David Oxley, Richard Pasco Russell Waters Philip Ahn, Bryan