Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1940)

40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD October 5, I 940 SHOWMEN'S REVIEWS This department deals with new product from the point of view of the exhibitor who is to purvey it to his own public. Down Argentine Way (20th Century-Fox) Study in Latin Rhythms This is an item for the rhumba and conga trade, a study in Technicolor of the Latin rhythms which have come into popularity on radio, stage and dance floor, played, sung and danced here for their own sake and strung together on a thread of story consisting, as did the librettos of the shows that gave musical comedy its name, of connectives between production numbers. Showmen who exploit it as such will be bringing it at once to the attention of the public for which it was devised. Don Ameche, ranking personality in the cast, is seen as an Argentine who sings now and again between horse trades to an American heiress portrayed by Betty Grable, recipient of much mention by the columnists for her showing in this attraction. Carmen Miranda, something of a sensation on Broadway and therefore a subject for exploitation in this appearance, performs four characteristic numbers but plays no part in the film save as herself. Charlotte Greenwood contributes comedy and a bit of dancing, both in the vein she is known for, but it is the Nicholas Brothers, Negro dance team, which stops the show. Six Hits and a Miss are also present and a factor for billing, although their participation is not built up. _ Mack Gordon and Harry Warren supplied four musical numbers. Dances staged by Nicholas Castle and Geneva Sawyer range from the simple to the complex and Technicolor resources are tapped to the full in their behalf. The story, never more than an idea on which to predicate the songs and dances, concerns an old grudge which prevents a South American from selling a horse to anybody named Crawford and includes a horse race. It is by Rian James and Ralph Spence, adapted by Darrell Ware and Karl Tunberg. Irving Cummings directed and Harry Joe Brown served producer Darryl F. Zanuck as associate. Previewed at the Village theatre, Westwood, to a mixed audience which gave evidence of enjoying the musical numbers, the comedy somewhat less, the whole moderately. — William R. Weaver. Produced and released by Twentieth Century -Fox. Darryl F. Zanuck, Associate producer, Harry Joe Brown. Director, Irving Cummings. Screenplay bv Darrell Ware and Karl Tunberg. Story by Rian Tames and Ralph Spence. Music and lyrics by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. Dances staged by Nicholas Castle and Geneva Sawyer. Directors of photography, Leon Shamroy, Ray Rennahan Technicolor director, Natalie Kalmus. Associate, Morgan Padelford. Art director, Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright. Set decoraticns, Thomas Little. Film editor, Barbara McLean. Costumes, Travis Banton. Sound, Eugene Grossman, Roger Heman. Musical director, Emil Newman. P.C.A. No. 6471. Running time, 88 minutes. Release date, October 11, 1940. General audience classification. Ricardo Ouintana Don Ameche Glenda Crawford Betty Grable Carmen Miranda ■ . . . ■ ■•• -Herself Binnie Crawford Charlotte Greenwood Casiano • J Carrol Naish Don Diego Quintana Henry Stephenson Helen Carson Katharine Aldridge f Nicholas Brothers _ . ... [ Thomas & CatherineDowling Specialties pPne riU;zar and [ The Flores Bros. Six Hits and a Miss Themselves Carmen Miranda Band Themselves Dulcy ( Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ) Comedy of Errors In addition to the five personalities present whose names have established their claim to space on the marquee, showmen have here a George S. Kaufman-Marc Connelly play with both stage and film record of popularity to tell their customers about. This Edgar Selwyn production of it, directed by S. Sylvan Simon from a script by Albert Mannheimer, Jerome Chodorov and Joseph A. Fields, brings the play up to date. Ann Sothern, in the name role, dominates the comedy, with Roland Young sharing the episodes which created a majority of the laughs in the Hollywood preview instance. Reginald Gardner as a demented guest, and Ian Hunter as the inventor the heroine is in love with ranked next in provoking amusement. Miss Burke, given less prominence than usual, Lynne Carver and Dan Daley, Jr., play up to these. The story, it will be recalled, is about a young lady who means well by all in her attempts to rig events so that the most good will be experienced by the greatest number but scrambles the plans of everybody concerned in a manner distressing to all hands until, by a series of blunders, a happy ending is arrived at. Previewed in the Village theatre, W estwood, where it evoked enough laughter and of the right kind to suggest that the film will give general satisfaction. — W. R. W. Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Producer, Edgar Selwyn. Director, S. Sylvan Simon. Screenplay by Albert Mannheimer, Jerome Chodorov and Joseph A. Fields. Play by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly. Photographed by Charles Lawton. Edited by Frank E. Hull. P.C.A. certificate No. 6464. Release date, October 4, 1940. Running time, when seen_ in Westwood, 64 minutes. General audience classification. CAST Dulcy Ward Ann Sothern Gordon Daly Ian Hunter Roger Forbes Roland Young Schuyler Van Dyke Reginald Gardiner Eleanor Forbes Billie Burke Angela Forbes Lynne Carver Bill Ward Dan Dailey, Jr. "Sneezy" Donald Huie Homer Patterson Jonathan Hale Henry Guinn "Big Boy" Williams Vincent Leach Hans Conried Cherokee Strip ( Paramount-Sherman ) Western Harry Sherman, producer of westerns these many years, notably the "Hopalong Cassidy" series, in his first of two "specials" of the new season, makes the period before the opening of the Cherokee Strip to settlers the background of this story. He embellished the idea with a cast including Richard Dix, Florence Rice, Victor Jory, Andy Clyde and George E. Stone. He assigned Norman Houston and Bernard McConville, both of whom have quite some experience with writing outdoor action pictures, to adapt McConville's original story. Lesley Selander, who has directed many of the "Hopalong Cassidy" pictures, got the duty of instilling in this all the action, suspense, romance and other elements calculated to create a wider market for dramas of the wide open spaces. The result, as witnessed at the preview in Inglewood, is all that the producer hoped for — an audience reaction marked throughout by rapt enthusiasm, a reception which brought spontaneous applause. Previewed at the Academy theatre, Inglewood, to reaction as noted above. — V. K. Produced by Harry Sherman for Paramount release. Directed by Lesley Selander. Screenplay by Norman Houston and Bernard McConville. Based on a story by Bernard McConville. Associate producer, Joseph W. Engel. Photographed by Russell Harlan. Assistant director, D. M. Abrahams. Art director, Lewis J. Rachmil. Edited by Sherman A. Rose. P.C.A. certificate No. 6530. Running time, when seen in Inglewood, 84 minutes. Release date, Oct. 25, 1940. General audience classification. CAST Dave Morrell Richard Dix Kate Cross Florence Rice Coy Barrett Victor Jory Tex Crawford Andy Clyde Abe Gabbert George E. Stone Hawk Morris Ankrum Alf Douglas Fowley Ned Strawn Addison Richards Senator Cross Charles Trowbridge Tom Cross William Henry Frank Tom Tyler Grimes William Haade Smokey Ray Teal Ben Blivens Hal Taliaferro Ace Eastman Jack Rockwell A Barrett Kid Robert Winkler That Gang of Mine (Monogram) Horse Race Comedy-Drama Presenting a number of the Dead End Kids, Leo Gorcey playing the role of jockey about which the plot centers, this comedy-drama of horse-racing switches from humor to suspense toward its close and bases interest on the outcome of the second of two races run off during the film. Circumstances leading up to this point are of a sort setting the film apart from pictures in kind. Clarence Muse, portraying a Kentucky-born Negro who has brought a thoroughbred to New York and needs backing for its training, supplies a characterization which in itself adds much to the film and also sings a spiritual, without instrumental accompaniment, in a manner to make the music-conscious happy all over. William Lively's screenplay keeps the story out of the routine established by other race films. Sam Katzman produced, with Joseph Lewis directing. Previewed at studio. — W. R. W. Produced by Sam Katzman. Distributed by Monogram. Director, Joseph Lewis. Screenplay by William Lively. Photographed by Nobert Cline. Edited by Cal Pierson. P.C.A. certificate No. 6573. Release date, Sept. 25, 1940. Running time, when seen at studio, 62 min. General audience classification. CAST Danny Bobby Jordan Muggs Leo Gorcey Ben Clarence Muse Knuckles Dave O'Brien Louise Joyce Bryant Skinny Donald Haines Peewee David Gorcey Scruno Sunshine Sammy Morrison Algy Eugene Francis Mr. Wilkes Milton Kibbee Mrs. Wilkes Hazel Keener Blackie Richard R. Terry Nick Wilbur Mack