Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

SHOWMEN'S REVIEWS SHORT SUBJECTS RELEASE CHART BY COMPANIES THE RELEASE CHART ' This department deals with new product from the point of view of the exhibitor who is to purvey it to his own public. Together Again I Columbia — Comedy of Contrast i The pleasant people to be seen together in this pleasant comedy of contrast are Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer, who were seen together pleasantly and most profitably in the memorable "Love Affair" of 1939 release. Now as then, their talents and their personalities balance, one against the other, to the advantage of each and of the entertainment in hand. The film is every inch a fulfillment of the high promise that the signature of Columbia conveys when affixed to a top-budget comedy. Produced by Virginia Van Upp and directed by Charles Vidor, from a script by the producer and F. Hugh Herbert, the film tells a light and* laughable story with immense effectiveness. Miss Dunne portrays a small town mayoress who goes to a big town to engage a sculptor to make a statue of her dead husband. Boyer portrays the sculptor, who takes her to a night club where she is mistaken for a strip-tease artist and arrested. Released, she returns to her home town, hoping to escape scandal, but he, and ultimately the bad news, follow. Her step-daughter falls in love with the sculptor, and the step-daughter's boy friend falls in love with the mayoress, all of which makes for humor of fresh and extremely enjoyable kind, before the romantic equation is correctly adjusted. Charles Coburn contributes his usual proficient support to the principals, as the heroine's fatherin-law, and a couple of youngsters — Mona Freeman and Jerome Courtland — turn in sparkling performances of adolescent roles that could have misfired in less competent hands. The time of the story is the present, but there are no allusions to the war or other conditions of stress to impede the flow of merriment which sets in early and continues throughout with but slight and momentary pauses for breath. Dependent fundamentally on the appeal of contrast — the contrast between big cities and small towns, adults and adolescents, artistic and civic viewpoints— the picture is a natural for all the kinds and sizes of places and theatres, and all the kinds of the people there are. Previewed at the Pontages theatre, Hollywood, where it kept a Wednesday night audience in stitches. Reviewer's Rating : Excellent. — William R. We.^vep. Release date, Dec. 22, 1944. Running time, 99 min. PCA No. 10492. General audience classification. Ann Crandall Irene Dunne George Corday Charles Boyer Jonathan Crandall. Sr Charles Cobum Mona Freeman, Jerome Courtland, Elizabeth Patterson Charle? Dingle, Walter Baldwin, Fern Emmett. Frank Puglia. Lights of Old Santa Fe Republic, 1943-44 — V/es^em Musical "Lights of Old Santa Fe" is a gala Western in which Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy, is a rodeo rider and Trigger, "the smartest horse in the movies" performs some of his tricks. This film includes roping and bronco riding and all the trimmings of a rodeo plus music, romance and comedy. The music is not limited to cowboy songs. Dale Evans sings the currently popular romantic ballad, "Amor." Roy Rogers sings "Trigger Hasn't Got a Purty Figger" and several songs with the Sons of the Pioneers including "I'm a Happy Guy in My Levi Britches." He and Miss Evans collaborate on singing "The Nerve of Some People." "Lights of Old Santa Fe" is the theme song of the film. The extensive musical score adds charm to this picture and should increase its box office appeal. The story is that of a lovely young girl, Dale Evans, who owns a rodeo show which is going bankrupt. Roy Rogers with Trigger and the Sons of the Pioneers arrive on the scene in time to save her from financial ruin. George "Gabby" Hayes gives a grand performance as the manager of Miss Evans' rodeo. This picture was produced by Harry Grey and directed by Frank McDonald from the original screen play by Gordon Kahn and Bob Williams. Seen in the home office projection room. Reviezver's Rating : Good. — M. R. Y. Release date, November 6, 1944. Running time, 78 min. PCA No. 10334. General audience classification. Roy Roy Rogers Gabby George "Gabby" Hayes Marjorie Brooks Dale Evans Lloyd Corrigan, Richard Powers, Claire Du Brey, Arthur Loft, Roy Barcroft, Lucien Littlefield, Sara Flint, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers and Trigger. The Town Went Wild PRC — Comedy of Errors Not long ago Bernard Roth, Clarence Green and Russell Rouse decided to pool their resources and form a producing unit. If their first effort is a sample of what's to come, it was a fortunate dedecision for public and exhibitor alike. They have achieved a refreshing comedy, full of good humor and laugh-provoking lines. The producers are also the authors of the script, which tells of the awkward predicament of two fathers who discovered that each has raised the other's son as his own. The feud which the fathers have carried on for 20 years is not healed by the revelation, nor is the romance between the son of one and the daughter of the other advanced, either. The only cause which is advanced by the resulting situation is that of comedy, which follows fast and furious. Hilarious incidents are piled one upon another, until the mixup is untansrled in a manner which it would be unfair to reveal. Freddie Bartholomew and Jimmy Lydon are fine as the bewildered boys and Jill Browning handles the love interest capably. Edward Everett Horton and Tom Jully are delightful as the feuding fathers. Minor parts, too, are well acted, and the whole directed with pace and feeling by Ralph Murphy. Seen in a Hollywood projection room, where an audience composed of critics chuckled appreciatively. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — Thalia Bell. Release date, December 15, 1944. Running time, 80 min. PCA No. 10429. General audience classification. David Conway Freddie Bartholomew Bob Harrison James Lydon Everett Conway Edward Everett Hn-rton Henry Harrison Tom Tully Jill Browning. Minna Gombell, Ruth Lee, Roberta Smith, Maude Eburne, Charles Halton, Ferris Taylor. Jimmy Conlin. Monte Collins, Olin Howlin, Charles Middleton, Emmett Lynn, Dorothy Vaughan. Cowboy from Lonesome River Columbia — Western with Songs That the popular western formula loses none of its appeal when translated into modern terms is demonstrated by this production, for which Jack Fier is credited. Instead of a calico Mother Hubbard, Vi Athens, the heroine, wears the latest thing in smart suits and hairdos. The villain's attire is what the well-dressed business man should wear, and the cowboys' clothes are the kind seen any day on the streets of Phoenix, Tucson and Reno. The plot, too, while adhering to standards, is dressed in modern garb. Charles Starrett, aided by Dub Taylor, Jimmy Wakeley and his Saddle Pals, makes the ranchers' fight for equitable water rights his own. He comes up against crookedness and connivance in the persons of Ian Keith and Miss Athens. A rousing nightclub brawl, complete with broken heads and. smashed cameras, results in the exposure of the villains and the triumph of the oppressed. Benjamin Kline's direction, and particularly his ability to space the song numbers in such a way as to forward, rather than retard, the action is ppteworthy. Luci Ward's screenplay is wellconstructed and convincing. Seen at the Hitching Post theatre, Hollywood, where the audience approved audibly. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — T. B. Release date, Sept. 21, 1944. Running time, 55 min. PCA No. 9486. General audience classification. Steve Randall Charles Starrett Mona Grant Vi Athens Cannonball Dub Taylor Jimmy Wakely and his Saddle Pals, Ian Keith, John Tyrrell, Craig Woods, Bud Geary, Steve Clark, Kenneth MacDonald, Bowery Champs Monogram — Mirth and Murder Those fisticuffing, deviltry-rousing East Side Kids succeed conspicuously in brightening up a rather routine story revolving around a night club murder. Relying largely upon the assassination of the King's English for laugh-getting, they go through their paces and achieve some fine character sketches of tough American kids. The film should entertain theatre patrons of all ages. Earle Snell's original screenplay has the East Side Kids working on a newspaper when a murder breaks out to disrupt its editorial decorum. In the absence of the regular police reporter, Muggs and his gang plunge into the case. Here the fun and fireworks begin. Convinced by their early sleuthing that Evelyn Brent, the suspect, is innocent, they intensify their search for clues, and in the end track down the culprits. An entertaining song and dance routine is provided by Thelma White. Sam Katzman and Jack Dietz produced with Barney Sarecky as associate producer, and William Beaudine directed. Seen in the New York theatre on Broadway, where a midiveek afternoon audience responded MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER II, 1944 2173