Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 10, 194 3 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 35 THE HOLLYWOOD SCENE From HOLLYWOOD BUREAU It could turn out that the Brothers Warner and the Brothers Cagney started more than they had in mind when they filmed the biography of the late George M. Cohan, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," while the great American entertainer was still alive to view and approve (or disapprove, had he chosen to do so) their picturization of his life and works. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is not the first screen biography of a living notable — there was "Sergeant York," for instance — but it is without question the one responsible for the cycle of biographies of living persons which has developed considerable velocity on paper and is about to go onto film where it could carry, if box office results parallel the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" figures, to lengths that are fascinating to contemplate. Biographies of five living Americans are about to go into production. Three of these Americans are figures in the world of entertainment, one -is a hero of the present war and the other is a hero of World War I as well as of World War II and of recent headlines pertaining to things other than fighting. Columbia is about ready to start camera work on musicals which will trace the careers of Al Jolson and Ted Lewis. All Have Approved Scripts of Pictures RKO Radio is preparing the life of Eddie Cantor for the shooting stages. Cecil B. DeMille is on the point of turning the Technicolor cameras upon "The Story of Dr. Wassell." Winfield R. Sheehan is progressing with the script and casting of a picture which will tell the story of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. These men are alive and guaranteed by law as well as custom the right to approve or disapprove the pictures which are to represent them. All have okayed in advance the projects which will portray them, subject to their continuing approval, and it is not the purpose of these remarks to suggest that anybody in any way connected with these projects anticipates trouble on this score. Roosevelt Pictured in Several Films The purpose of these remarks, on the contrary, is to sketch loosely a state of affairs which could develop if a producer elected to film the biography of, for instance, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Wendell L. Wilkie, Henry A. Wallace, Burton K. Wheeler, Cordell Hull, Jesse Jones, Hamilton Fish, Harry Hopkins, Thomas E. Dewey John L. Lewis, Henry Ford, Charles E. Coughlin, Alfred M. Landon, Al Smith, Eleanor Roosevelt or Herbert Hoover. If it is said that these are controversial figures, it is of record that Franklin D. Roosevelt has been picturized in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Mission to Moscow," his recorded voice figuring in various war pictures, and that Cordell Hull was represented in "Sergeant York." If it be pointed out that these are political figures, there is the precedent of "Mission to Moscow" with its Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin, exAmbassador Davies and others to refer to. Until the final returns are in on this much referred to picture it is not to be said with certainty that any producer referring to the financial statement would find it a source Studios Filming 44 Completion of nine pictures and the commencement of shooting on seven maintained the production level at an active 44 when Hollywood closed its doors for the long weekend. Universal dominated the new undertakings, putting four pictures on its stages. "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" is a Technicolor job presenting Maria Montez, Jon Hal! and Turhan Bey, the latter replacing the enlisted Sabu, with Paul Malvern producing, and directed by Arthur Lubin. "Man of the Family" is a vehicle for the lately starred Donald O'Connor, with Susanna Foster, Richard Dix, Lillian Sish, Count Basie and his band. It's about a lad who takes his enlisted father's place in family affairs. Bernard Burton is producing, with Charles Lamont directing. "His Butler's Sister" is a Deanna Durbin number, with Pat O'Brien, Franchot Tone, Evelyn Ankers, Walter Catlett, Akim Tamiroff and Sig Arno in the cast. It concerns a young lady who doesn't get her musical opportunity until four butlers arrange matters for her. Felix Jackson is the producer, Frank Shaw the associate, and Frank Borzage the director. COMPLETED Monogram Outlays of Stampede Pass Paramount Henry Aldrich's Little Secret Hour Before Dawn PRC Tiger Fangs RKO Radio Iron Major 20th Century-Fox Dancing Masters Song of Bernadette Universal Let Yourself Go Warners Saratoga Trunk STARTED RKO Radio American Story Republic Beyond the Last Frontier Scream at Night SHOOTING Columbia Footlight Glamour There's Something About a Soldier Cover Girl Goldwyn Up in Arms MGM Broadway Rhythm Meet the People White Cliffs of Dover "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" presents Allan Jones, Evelyn Ankers, Patsy O'Connor and others in a comedy about a showgirl and a will. Felix Feist is directing for producer Edward Lilley. RKO Radio started "An American Story", an episodic story about the lives of various members of a share-your-car pool, all employed in war plants, presenting Margo, Wally Vernon, Alan Carney, John Carradine and others. Production is by John H. Auer, who also directs. Republic launched "A Scream at Night", originally known as "The Morgue Is Always Open", a murder mystery offering Robert Lowery, Marie McDonald and Edward Brophy, under the direction and production of George Sherman. The same studio started "Beyond the Last Frontier", which is the introductory feature for the teaming of Smiley Burnette with the lately announced John Paul Revere in a Western series. Their support includes Ernie Adams, Richard Clarke, Bob Mitchum, Charles Miller, Lorraine Miller and Jack Kirk. Lou Grey is producing the picture, with Howard Bretherton directing. The state of affairs at the weekend: Cry Havoc Cross of Lorraine Heavenly Body America Song of Russia Madame Curie Guy Named Joe See Here, Private Hargrove Monogram Bullets and Saddles Blazing Guns Nearly Eighteen Paramount And the Angel's Sing Frenchman's Creek RKO Radio Government Girl Around the World Adventures of a Rookie Dollar-a-Year Man Republic Man from Music Mountain Deerslayer 20th Century-Fox Happy Land Guadalcanal Diary Girls He Left Behind Universal Crazy House Strange Death of Adolf Hitler Frontier Bad Man Warners Conflict In Our Time Northern Pursuit Destination Tokyo Shine On, Harvest Moon of discouragement if he had in mind, say, "The Life of Wendell L. Willkie" or "Franklin D. Roosevelt — American." Until last week there were three agencies in Hollywood with limited but official authority to discourage or encourage enterprises of this or any kind. The OWI, first in line of contact, is here no more. The CIAA remains, its power limited to suggesting what is good or bad in pictures with respect to the Latin-American market. The Office of Censorship, which doesn't inspect or advise upon scripts, can keep a picture from leaving the country. This week it is any producer's privilege to produce a biography of any living American whose approval he can obtain and any distributor's privilege to distribute it, any exhibitor's privilege to exhibit it or decline to. That's about equivalent to saying that a really competent producer who set out to do so could elect a president — on his own or at the candidate's instigation — if the screen should prove to be in fact the implement of influence which Congressmen and commentators have been declaring it to be. Fascinating to contemplate.