Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

MOTION PICTURE HERALD ADVANCE SYNOPSES and information August 7, 1943 Calaboose (UA-Roach) Gangster Roundup This is a mild little affair which traces the doings of Noah Beery, Jr. and Jimmy Rogers once again. This time, instead of cattle rustlers or outlaw bandits, it is a high-class gangster with whom the boys must deal. Arriving in town bent on finding employment, Beery's weakness for girls touches off the initial spark. The girl, Mary Brian, happens to be the sheriff's niece with a phobia for reforming the sick in mind or, in this case, any unfortunate prisoner. Beery finds it simple enough to be sentenced by the mere expedient of implanting his boot on the sheriff's rear. He becomes Miss Brian's protege until "tough guy" Marc Lawrence appears on the scene. Then he is forsaken by the reformist as she directs all her attentions to the more notorious criminal. Lawrence, however, cares little for her solicitations or suggested cures and reaches his outside mob who negotiate his "break." There ensues the chase to a local hotel where, after appropriate hi-jinks with the six-shooters, the good side wins. The streamliner was produced by Glenn Tryon under the direction of Hal Roach, Jr. Its brevity prevents the action from lagging. Seen at the Palace theatre on Broadway ivhere an afternoon audience seemed receptive to the comic sequences. Reviewer' s Rating : Fair. — Lew Barash. Release date, January 29, 193. Running time, 45 min. PCA No. 8381. General audience classification. Jim Jimmy Rogers Pidge Noah Berry, Jr. Doris Lane ., Mary Brian Bill Henry, Paul Hurst, Marc Lawrence, Jean Porter. The Saint Meets the Tiger (Republic, 1943-44) Saint Gets Gold and Girl This is one of the "Saint" stories well known on the American screen and based upon a novel by Leslie Charteris. Made in England, it lacks the punch, comedy relief and plausible story handling of those produced in Hollywood. It's a story of how the "Saint" meets and defeats the "Tiger" and his band of bank robbers with the aid of a beautiful girl. He goes to Barcombe on the Cornish coast to delve into the mystery tossed on his doorstep by the murder of a bookie. Hugh Sinclair as "Saint" does not register well nor does Wylie Watson as Horace, the comic butler-valet attached to "Saint." Jean Gillie is fine as Pat Holmes, the girl the "Saint" meets and whose love he wins, and Gordon McLeod is adequate as Inspector Teal of Scotland Yard. Clifford Evans as the "Tiger" overplays his role in the spots where he poses as a newspaperman. The picture has action and moves fast at times but where comedy relief should produce chuckles and an occasional laugh neither comes off. It may be a good bet in England but it's not one that can be expected to get over here. It was produced by William Sistrom, directed by Paul Stein, from a screenplay by Leslie Arliss and Wolfgang Wilhelm. Previewed at RCA projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Poor. — Jack Cartwright. Release date, not set. Running time, 70 min. PCA No. 9323. General audience classification. Simon Templar : Hugh Sinclair Pat Holmes Jean Gillie Inspector Teal Gordon McLeod Clifford Evans, Wylie Watson, Dennis Arundell. Charles Victory, Louise Hampton, John Sa'ew. Revenge of the Zombies ( Monogram ) Nazi Zombies This is a familiar horror tale, the revenge of the_ robots — in this instance, Zombies — upon their master. Its familiarity as well as its mod NORTHERN PURSUIT (Warner) Mountie Gets Nazis PRODUCER: Jack Chertok. Directed by Raoul Walsh. PLAYERS: Errol Flynn, Julie Bishop, Helmut Dantine, Gene Lockhart, Alec Craig, John Ridgeley. SYNOPSIS Flynn portrays a Northwest Mounted Policeman who discovers Nazis attempting to establish an air base in Canada. They are apprehended and placed in a prison camp from which they escape. Flynn goes in pursuit and rounds them up again. SO THIS IS WASHINGTON (RKO Votion Productions) Lum 'n' Abner Number PRODUCER: Ben Hersh. Directed by Ray McCarey. PLAYERS: Lum and Abner, Mildred Coles, Roger Clark, Alan Mowbray, Jimmy Dodd, Minerva Urecal, Sarah Padden. SYNOPSIS While Abner is cooking up a batch of licorice, he accidentally cooks up a solution that Lum believes to be synthetic rubber. They go to Washington and meet a bureau chief whose ideal is The Common Man, a statue of which he has in his office. Abner is set for a public demonstration of his synthetic rubber and is given a big build-up as The Common Man in the flesh. Then the statue falls on him and he loses his memory. However, a kick in the pants when it is found out the invention is not rubber restores Abner's memory. There is a romance between the chief's secretary and a newspaper man. est production values make it a fair supporting feature — not, however, without inherent exploitation possibilities in neighborhoods where the horror picture is favored. John Carradine, of the long face, is the professor, "Von Altermann," whose wife dies in their Louisiana bayou home. The wife's brother, Mauritz Hugo, with detective Robert Lowery, and family physician Barry MacCollum, investigate. They gradually become aware of the Zombies— dead people who obey a living master— of whom Carradine's wife, Veda Ann Borg, is one. And they become aware also that Carradine is a Nazi agent, whose ambition is to create a robot army to aid his fatherland. Veda Ann Borg disappears. Carradine, annoyed at interference, attempts to poison his unwelcome guests. They refuse to be tricked, trap him in his laboratory ; and then in walks Miss Borg, a recalcitrant Zombie, who summons the other Zombies to slay Carradine. The direction is coherent, the acting competent considering the roles, the sets convincing. Producer was Lindsley Parsons ; director, Steve Sekely : photographer, Mack Stengler. Edmund Kelso and Van Norcross wrote the original screenplay. Seen in a New York projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Fair. — F. E. S. Release date, September 17, 1943. Running time, 61 min. General audience classification. Von Altermann John Carradine Larry Robert Lowery Jennifer Gale Storm Lila Veda Ann Borg Mantan Moreland, Mauritz Hugo, Barry Macollum. ADVENTURES OF A ROOKIE (RKO Radio) First of a New Series PRODUCER: Bert Gilroy. Directed by Les Goodwins. PLAYERS: Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Richard Martin, Margaret Landry, Patti Brill, Rita Cordray. SYNOPSIS In the first of a new RKO comedy rookie series teaming Wally Brown and Alan Carney, the screwball heroes are drafted and the plot follows them from their time of induction to embarkation for foreign soil. Some of the highlights are their getting quarantined in a houseful of beautiful girls, getting lost with their whole company looking for them, their feigning of hunger and thirst to cover up. THE SEVENTH VICTIM (RKO Radio) Mystery-Horror Drama PRODUCER: Val Lewton. Directed by Mark Robson. PLAYERS: Tom Conway, Kim Hunter, Jean Brooks, Wally Brown, Evelyn Brent. SYNOPSIS When the heroine's sister who had owned a successful cosmetic business mysteriously disappears, the heroine sets out on the trail of the missing girl. She becomes involved in some weird and mystic happenings and is joined in her search by a struggling writer from Greenwich Village. Together they come upon a cult of Devil Worshippers as the sister is being orepared for sacrifice. Border Buckaroos (Producers Releasing Corp.) Action Western Dave O'Brien and Jim Newill again are featured in this Western as a pair of Texas Rangwho make society safe in the grazing lands. They are called upon to apprehend the murderer of a fearless rancher, and in stalking their quarry, are confronted by a score of complications. Arrivals on the scene are the two heirs to the ranch — a man and woman — a crooked lawyer and a gunman whose mission is to frighten the new owners into selling the ranch. A bit of impersonation is required when the Rangers take over, and while O'Brien parades as the gunman to glean information about the goings-on, Newill poses as one of the ranch partners. Together they manage to gather the loose ends and apprehend the law-breakers. There is comedy relief supplied by the third member of the Ranger trio, Guy Wilkerson, and interspersed between the shooting and fisticuffs are three melodious tunes sung singly and in chorus, "Stay on the Right Trail," "You're Here to Stay" and "Driftin'." The Alfred Stern-Arthur Alexander production maintains an even tempo under Oliver Drake's direction. Seen at the Neiv York Theatre on Broadway. Reviewers' Rating : Fair. — L. B. Release date, June 15, 1943. Running time, 58 min. PCA No. 9320. General audience classification. Tex Wyatt Dave O'Brien Jim Steele Jim Newill Panhandle Perkins Guy Wilkerson Christine Mclntyre, Eleanor Counts, Jack Jngraham. Product Digest Section 1 47 1