Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1943)

November 6, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD is blasted out of his serenity by the blasting of Pearl Harbor. John H. Auer has directed Mr. Oboler's script with considerable skill. At times a sequence appears to be hurried in the interest of the shooting schedule, but this is the picture's only drawback. Seen in the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — B. H. Release date, Block 2. Running time, 69 min. PCA No. 9489. General audience classification. Lisette Margo Wellington John Carradine Joe Robert Ryan Mary Amelita Ward William Terry, Harry Davenport, James Bell, Charles Arnt, Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Erford Gage, Richard Ryen, Warren Hymer, Michael St. Angel, Don Dillaway, Sam McDaniels, John Wald. Deerslayer (Republic) Indian Tale in Western Pattern Deerslayer, the stalwart hero of James Fenimore Cooper's immortal tale of the white boy who grew up among the Mohican Indians, is back on the screen. His name should whet interest among readers, young and old, in audiences everywhere. The story was last on the screen, quite successfully, in 1922. P. S. "Pete" Harrison, of long trade publishing repute, collaborated in this first production and screenplay venture with E. B. Derr, of equally long experience as a producer. Thev combine one of the best loved Cooper stories with tested Western formulae. Again the hero of the woods, played robustly by Bruce Kellogg of Republic Western and serial training, is busy saving Indian princesses, ransoming settlers, and fighting off warlike Hurons in one action episode after another. There are ambushes, battles at full gallop, last minute rescues from the stake and war whooping fights with fist and tomahawk. A touch of romance is added with Deerslayer's unsuccessful rivalry for Jean Parker, the settler's daughter. Warren Ashe, the successful suitor, plays a dashing trapper and scout with many of the mannerisms of Spencer Tracy. A secondary romance between Larry Parks, Deerslayer's Indian half-brother, and Princess Wah Tah (Yvonne de Carlo) is also aided by Deerslayer's heroics. The action crises stir excitement at_ frequent intervals. But unfortunately these episodes do not jell together into a unified screen story with the suspense that the book readers may expect. Plot frequently is lost in chase. Direction by Lew Landers makes the most of the fight scenes and chases and at times sets the action against some first rate woodland scenery. John W. Krafft, adapted the screenplay. No one did much about the dialogue. Previewed at the home office. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — J. S., Jr. Release date, November 22, 1943. Running time, 67 min. PCA No. 9532. General audience classification. Deerslayer Bruce Kellogg Judith Jean Parker Larry Parks, Warren Ashe, Wanda McKay, Yvonne de Carlo, Addison Richards, Johnny Michaels, Phil Van Zandt. Trevor Bardette, Robert Warwick, Many Treaties, Clancy Cooper, Princess Whynamah and William Edmund. Minesweeper (Paramount) Salty Drama This one from William Pine and William Thomas is really Navy, well wrapped with dramatic values including a love story and the rejuvenation of a man's character. Richard Arlen effectively plays the role of. a Navy officer who had disappeared prior to the war, but who returns and enlists under another name. He is ably supported by Jean Parker, for whose hand Russell Hayden, another sailor, also vies. Guinn (Big Boy") Williams plays the Reviews received too late for this Section are printed in the regular news pages of the Herald and are reprinted the following week in Product Digest for their reference value. chief petty officer who gives Arlen inspiration to join up again. The story concerns the suspicion of a superior officer that Arlen is too good to be a green hand. Williams, to protect Arlen, reports him ill when he's AWOL, taking his place on the minesweeper which is blown up. Arlen is allowed to help on a dangerous diving mission although technically under arrest. They discover one of the new Jap-laid magnetic mines, and Arlen sends Hayden to the surface through a ruse so that he can learn what makes the mine tick. He does, reporting via 'phone to his commander, but is blown up. William Berke directed with proper attention to authenticity, getting the best from dramatic situations and love interest provided in the screenplay by Edward T. Lowe and Maxwell Shane. Previewed at the studio. Reviewer's Rating: Good.— Jack Cartwright. Release date, Block 2. Running time, 68 min. PCA No. 9664. General audience classification. Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, Russell Hayden, Joe Sayber, Guinn Williams, Chick Chandler, Billy Benedict. Grant Withers. Battle of Russia (Twentieth Century-Fox) The Nazi Myth Shattered One of the most skillful cutting, editing and compilation jobs of war newsreel and documentary material of the war is "Battle of Russia," fifth in the orientation series "Why We Fight" which was produced by Army Special Services. Released by the Office of War Information, the film is being distributed for the War Activities Committee by Twentieth Century-Fox. It was produced by Lt. Col. Anatole Litvak, under the supervision of Col. Frank Capra who made the other pictures in the series. "Battle of Russia" is the second of this series to reach American theatres. A factual presentation of Russia's Red Army might and the total population's war effort has been made from thousands of feet of film which were made available to Lt. Col. Litvak and Col. Capra. The picture traces the Russian people's fight against invaders from the 13th century to June 22, 1941. Much of the early footage was culled from the fiction films made by the Russians years ago, including scenes from "Alexander Nevsky" which also appeared in the Joseph Burstyn production "The Russian Story." "Battle of Russia" is one of the most stirring and powerful war documentaries to reach the screen since 1941., It is a magnificent tribute to the creative ability and technical skills which the Army has gained and Hollywood has lost for the duration. There is no attempt made to propagandize; no explanation of Russia's socialist revolution. On the contrary, every effort was made to avoid the tinderbox political controversy which such a picture, produced by an official Government agency, could have created. The film has the force of machine gun fire and the musical score, taken principally from Tschaikovskv symphonies, is superb, rounding out the full dramatic effect. Seen at the Preview theatre. New York, before a large gathering of newspaper writers and other guests of War Activities Committee wha apparently were profoundly moved by the film. Reviewer's Rating: Excellent. — Jeanette E. Samuelson. Release date, November 5. _ 1943._ Running time. 80 min. General audience classification. Never a Dull Moment (Universal) Another Ritz Brothers The Ritz Brothers fail to get what are apparently their best comedy lines and antics across in this one, due to re-soled gags for the main part. But Frances Langford, as a night club singer, the Rogers Dancers, Grace Poggi and Igor manage to give the picture sufficient lift to keep it from mediocrity. Harry, Jimmy and Al unloose all their bag of tricks while the throaty voice of Miss Langford puts over "My Blue Heaven" and "Sleepy Time Gal" in a pleasing manner. Miss Poggi is as rhythmically beautiful as ever and the Rogers dancers have added a thing or two to their dance routines, giving them even more zest. The story is laid in a swanky New York night club operated by a crook and his two gunmen. Franklin Pangborn, as the manager, who knows all New York society, does an excellent part unaware of the crookedness going on in the owner's office. When Dick Manning, played by Stuart Boyd Crawford without effect, falls for the singer he brings his mother, the fabulous so'cial leader, to meet her. An engagement dinner at the club gives the crooked owner a chance to frame a wholesale jewel robbery. Mary Beth Hughes surprises with her portrayal of Flo Parker, the light-fingered queen. The chase is on when she steals a half million . dollar necklace and puts it into Jimmy Ritz's pocket, believing him one of the mob. The boys had taken a call in Chicago and accepted what they thought was a booking. They finally clear up everything by helping to catch the crooks. Edward Lilley directed the Howard i Benedict production from a screenplay by Mel Ronson and Stanley Roberts. Previewed at the studio. Reviewer's Rating : Fair. — J. C. Release date, Nov. 19, 1943. Running time, 60 min. PCA No. 9307. General audience classification. Ritz Brothers. Frances Langford, Mary Beth Hughes, Franklin Pangborn, Elizabeth Risdon, Rogers Dancers, Grace Poggi and Igor, Stuart Boyd Crawford, George Zucco, Jack LaRue, Sammy Stein. The Falcon and the Co-eds (RKO Radio) Finishing School Murder The usually suave Falcon has some difficulty in adjusting himself to life in a ladies' semiinary until murder is clearly established and likely suspects multiply rapidly. While he never quite recovers his poise, the setting provides a novel background for mystery, an unusual number of pretty faces and a pleasant puzzle for the crime fans. Tom Conway, as the Falcon, is asked by a charming youngster to investigate the death of a professor at Bluecliff. The headmistress is killed before he gets very far, and the murderer meets death at the end. The whole thing might have been cleared up more quicklyifa young Cassandra hadn't gone around predicting death and a few other nice people hadn't tried to hide their own personal secrets. But the Falcon has the case in hand at the close and beats a quick retreat to more familiar haunts. Jean Brooks, Rita Corday, Amelita Ward. Isabel Jewell and George Givot turn in satisfactory performances under William Clemens' direction. Three vivacious children known as "The Ugs" — Tuanita Alvarez, Ruth Alvarez and Nancy McCollum— are a bright spot, and Parti Brill offers a musical number at the school playMaurice Geraghty produced the film from the screenplay by Ardel Wray and Gerald Geraghty, based on Mr. Wray's original story Seen in the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating: Fair. — E. A. C. Release date. Block 2. Running time, 69 min. PCA No. 9587. General audience classification. Falcon Tom Conw?? Vicky Jean Brooks Marguerita Rita Corday Amelita Ward, Isabel Tewell. George Givot. Cliff Clark. Ed Gargan. Barbara Brown, Patti Brill. Olin Howlin, Juanita Alvarez, Ruth Alvarez. Nancy McCollum. Product Digest Section 1615