Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1942)

December 19, I 942 MOTION PICTURE HERALD Keeper of the Flame (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Study of Fascism This is a co-starring of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn ("Woman of the \ear") in a picture about a reporter and a girl which compares to no other story of a reporter and a girl in any particular but takes in political territory beyond that covered by just about any picture produced up to this time. The reporter played by Tracy is a journalist of distinction who arrives in America just in time to cover the story of the passing of one of America's most eminent heroes and national leaders who has driven his car through an open bridge in a storm. The girl played by Miss Hepburn is the widow of the hero, who has denied herself to the press but pledges assistance to the journalist when he tells her he has dedicated himself to the writing of a biography which will perpetuate the departed hero's inspiring leadership as a force for Americanism. In the course of the script, prepared by Donald Ogden Stewart from a novel by I. A. R. Wylie, the journalist, probing into the affairs of the deceased and roaming his estate with access to intimates who display less than the accepted veneration for the hero, discovers that the wife and others had opportunity to warn him of the open bridge but didn't do so. . Seeking reasons, he decides at first that the wife has been carying on a romance with a relative of the hero, but when this is disproved and he faces her with proof that she could have prevented the death she takes him into her confidence and submits documents indicating that the hero had become a fascist and had prepared to use his vast public influence to establish himself as dictator of the United States. She explains that her love 'of her country and a wish to allow her husband's record of patriotism to continue to wield its influence for good, rather than to destroy it by exposing him publicly, motivated her in permitting him to drive his car into the open bridge. Production by Victor Saville, direction by George Cukor and performances by all members of the cast are of a kind to impart power and strength to the picture. The devices by which the secret character of the hero is gradually exposed to the journalist and to the audience are expertly and adroitly employed. The scene in which the wife tells the journalist the truth about her husband's scheme to impose fascism upon America is powerful in the extreme. The expected disclosure that he had come somehow under sway of a foreign dictator and been made his tool is not made, however, and in its stead the wife tells the journalist that her husband, a sincere and earnest patriot when she married him, arrived at his fascistic state of mind as result of being idol Reviews This department deals with new product from the point of view of the exhibitor who is to purvey it to his own public. ized and followed by his fellow Americans. In this respect the script stretches plausibility beyond the breaking-point, but a quick switch into a melodramatic finale cloaks the implication to some extent. Previeived at the studio to some 90 or 100 members of press and profession who gave the picture steadfast attention and appeared deeply impressed. Reviewer's rating: Excellent, commercially.— -William R. Weaver. Release date, not set. Running time, 100 min. PCA No. 8871. General audience classification. Steven O'Malley Spencer Tracy Christine Forrest Katharine Hepburn Richard Whorf, Margaret Wycherly, Forrest Tucker, Frank Craven, Horace McNally, Percy Kilbride, Audrey Christie, Darryl Hickman, Donald Meek, Howard da Silva, William Newell. Saludos Amigos (Disney-RKO) Disney Presents Latin America Last year Walt Disney shepherded his two most popular characters, Donald Duck and Goofy, and a staff of artists on an air tour of South America. Collecting Latin American color, music and backgrounds under the auspices of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, their visit was among the most successful of "good will" missions from Hollywood. South America likes Disney. And Disney in turn found there much of high entertainment and artistic value. North American audiences should like this first screen report. It has already had great success in South America. "Saludos" is part travelogue. With animated maps and live action filmed in color, it traces the route of the Disney party through Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. But these travel notes are merely links between four animated episodes which rank with the funniest and most delightful Disney sequences. The first finds Donald Duck, tourist, at Lake Titicaca high in the Andes. He cavorts on reed boats, suspension bridges, and meets the natives and animals of the Bolivian highlands. They are, he finds, fine fellows. Pedro, a young mail plane who flies when larger aircraft are "under the weather," carries the mail through Andean storms from Chile to Argentina in the second cartoon. Its style recalls "Dumbo." The Argentine episode begins in live action with Disney and artists visiting the studio of F. Molina Campos, famous artist of the pampas. Goofy is whisked from Texas to learn the customs of his fellow South American cowboys. His experiences are hilarious. Brazil's favorite dance rhythm, the samba, is joined with the best Disney color in the last sequence. The title, "Aquarela do Brasil" ("Brazilian Watercolor"), and music are from a tune by Ary Barroso, at the top of Rio's hit parade. There are also live color scenes from the Rio de Janeiro carnival. Donald Duck meets Joe Carioca, parrot and man-about-Brazil in this reel, and finds Joe has a topper for every gag. He is the funniest new Disney character in a long time. This sequence combines its laughs with a blending of music and splashing color that realizes many of the technical promises of "Fantasia." Disney has combined entertainment and information in one of the screen's best contributions to inter-American understanding to date. The picture is less, in length and uniformity, than the usual Disney feature. But it presents exploitation possibilities beyond the ordinary. It would seem a "must" for school children and groups interested in the good neighbor policy. Its success in South America testifies to the entertainment values in "Saludos Amigos." Previeived at the Museum of Modern _ Art zvith an invited audience, and at the National Board of Review Conference at New York University. It evoked frequent laughs and sustained applause from both groups. Reviewer's Rating: Excellent.— John Stuart, Jr. Release date, January 8, 1943. Running time, 43 min. PCA No. 8092. General audience classification. Tennessee Johnson (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Story of Andrew Johnson This is a telling of the story of President Andrew Johnson before, during and after his tenure in the office vacated by the assassination of Lincoln. A foreword to the picture says that the medium of the telling has required some liberties, but there is nothing in the proT duction to suggest that it is not accurate in its essentials; and there is much in it, besides the drama and power of the narrative, which accentuates the importance of this democracy to its people and the reasons for persisting in the maintenance of unity under stress. The picture, last to bear the signature of the late J. Walter Ruben as producer, was in the prints a while back under its original title, "The Man on America's Conscience," having been partially remade in compliance with requests Product Digest Section | 065