Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

SHOWMEN'S REVIEWS SHORT SUBJECTS SHORT SUBJECTS CHART ADVANCE SYNOPSES SERVICE DATA 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. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo MGM—Siory of the Doolit+le Bombing This is, first and foremost, a faithfully factual recording of the bombing of Tokyo by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, now Major General, and his fliers, together with the details of the long preparations for the great adventure and of the long travail which ensued for those who came down and were washed up on the coast of China. But the film is not, save in fidelity to its subject, a documentary, although it is a better documentary incidentally than most documentaries concerned exclusively with docimientation. Secondarily, and only slightly so, this is a telling of the story of Lieutenant Ted Lawson, one of the fliers who survived the adventure at the cost of a leg and wrote, with Robert Considine, the book about it on which Dalton Trumbo based the script of the picture. And the story of Lieutenant Lawson, although the story of no single man can be expected to measure up to the story of the Doolittle bombing, is a thing of heroism, pathos and sacrifice sufficient unto itself and to the purposes of fascinating entertainment. With only these two things to offer, the story of the bombing and that of the flier, the film should stack up as a natural for all the people in all the countries at war with Japan. But the showman is not required to depend on these circumstances alone to attract customers in profitable numbers. Quite extremely to the contrary, the studio has furnished him with the names of Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson and Robert Walker with which to exploit the film quite independently of subject matter, workmanship or patriotic import. Viewed as any of these things, as a great documentary, as the personal story of a living hero, or as a performance of excellence by three players whose names mean money and scores more whose work is no less competently done, the picture is a big, fine and commanding piece of product, massive in whole and minute in detail, packing more than enough of each of the several kinds of power required to make its way to top grosses in any and all kinds of theatres and places. To producer Sam Zimbalist, and to director Mervyn LeRoy, for whom the film has been designated as a Mervyn LeRoy Production, Americans at large and theatregoers in particular owe thanks for a splendid filming of one of the outstanding exploits by American fighting men in this war. Previewed at the studio. Reviewer's Rating: Excellent. — William R. Weaver. Release date, not set. Running time, 140 min. PCA No. 10248. General audience classification. Lieut. Col. James H. Doolittle Spencer Tracy Lieut. Ted Lawson Van Johnson David Thatcher Robert Walker Ellen Lawson Phyllis Thaxter Tim Murdock, Don DeFore, Gordon McDonald, Horace McNally, John R. Reilly, Robert Mitchum, Scott McKay, Donald Curtis, Louis Jean Heydt, William "Bill" Phillips, Douglas Cowan, Paul Langton, Leon Am'>,s. Carolina Blues Columbia, 1943-44 — Kay Kyser Sells War Bonds As if designed for exhibitors' special use as a War Bond-premiere attraction, and equally pertinent to the same cause on any occasion, this Kay MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 1944 Kyser vehicle presents the band leader and his band as themselves engaged in putting on War Bond shows in a diversity of places and circumstances. It's the best of the Kyser pictures and a stimulant to Bond buying in addition. Matching the Kyser troupe, and sometimes topping it, is Victor Moore, playing six different roles and getting laughs in all of them, and the picture is beneficiary of Ann Miller's talents as tap dancer extraordinary and romantic interest. There is plenty for all of these to do, and they do it well. Production numbers, of which there are many, range frorn the strictly formalized kind staged behind footlights to the impromptu variety hatched aboard a hay rick in the moonlight to a song about the Wabash by Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn and Walter Bullock. The first two of these and Dudley Brooks are responsible for the film's liveliest number, "Mr. Beebe," performed with gusto by a large number of Negro entertainers brought into the film for that purpose. Samuel Bischoff produced and Leigh Jason directed from a script by Joseph Hoffman and Al A'lartin that reflects not only skill but thoughtfulness. Previewed at the Pantages theatre, Hollyiwod, TQ a rainy-afternoon audience which seemed to get a lot nut of it. Reviewer's Rating : Good.— W. R. W. Release date, Sept. 26, 1944. Running time, 81 min. PCA No. 10228. General audience classification. Kay Kyser Himself Julie Carter Ann Miller Her father Victor Moore Jeff Donnell, Howard Freeman, Georgia Carroll, M. A. Bogue, Harry Babbitt, Sully Mason, Diane Pendleton, Robert Williams, Doodles Weaver, Dorothea Kent, Frank Orth, Eddie Acuff, Harold Nicholas, The Christianis, Layson Brothers. Enter Arsene Lupin Universal — Jewel Thief, De Luxe Universal introduces two new properties in this romantic melodrama, which promise to be around for some time. The first is a suave, French "Jimmy Valentine" — one Arsene Lupin, from the stories of Maurice LeBlanc. He is deft and dashing with a touch of Robin Hood and a talent for eluding the police which should insure his appearance in further adventures. The second is George Korvin, a newcomer who creates the role out of a handsome figure, a French accent and the romantic aplomb of a Boyer. Between them they should add many women to the fans of detective fiction on the screea The story by Bertram Millhauser serves well as an introduction to the personalities, although it offers little plot novelty. Ella Raines, an attractive romantic foil for the celebrated thief, ovms a fabulous emerald as well. The stone is coveted by an aunt and _ uncle, but is of secondary interest to Lupin. His problem is to win the love of the girl and to escape the persistent efforts of Inspector Ganimard to track him down. J. Carrol Naish has an unusual role as the meticulous but slightly stupid inspector and handles it with his accustomed skill. George Dolenz plays Lupin's cutthroat bodyguard, for a good share of the laughs. The film has been well mounted and capably directed by Ford Beebe. Its appeal for the detective fans would be increased, however, by a tighter plot structure with somewhat less reliance upon coincidence for its solution. Seen in the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — E. A. Cunningham. Release date, November 24, 1944. Running time, 72 min. PCA No. 10502. General audience classification. Arsene Lupin George Korvin Stacie Ella Raines Ganimard J. Carrol Naish Dubosc George Dolenz Gale Sondergaard, Miles Mander, Leland Hodgson, Tom Pilkington, Lillian Bronson, Holmes Herbert, Charles LaTorre, Gerald Hamer, Ed Cooper, Art Foster, Clyde Kenny, Alphonse Martell. Marthe Richard Brill-Rosner — French Melodrama This, the latest French film to find distribution in this country, should enjoy a wide appeal among patrons of foreign-language houses. It is robust drama* built adroitly upon the solid foundation of fact. Marthe Richard's exploits in the first World War were made known in part to the peoples of the world in 1933 when she was awarded the Legion of Honor. The picture takes only the necessary plot-construction liberties with the facts and history, and with fact and fiction in collaboration no concessions whatsoever are made to dull formulae. Made in France just prior to the outbreak of the current global conflict under the title of "Au Service de la France," it tells the story of Marthe Richard who, during the last war, emigrated to Spain and became a spy both to serve her France and for personal revenge upon the Germans, who had blotted out the lives of her parents before a firing squad. In Spain Mile. Richard pitted her charms, which, as far as the film is concerned, were prodigious, and her brains against not only leaders of German espionage but the famous, or infamous, Mata Hari as well, and won out over all of them. The_ net results of the enchanting espionne's activities have a direct appeal for Americans, for she revealed to her superiors the location of a U-boat base. French planes bomb the base and sink submarines all set to descend upon troop transport ships from America. The love interest as supplied by the script writers adds a deep note of pathos to the proceedings. It also adds to the suspense which, all told, is made to melodramatic order. The English titles are exceptionally good. There are a few scattered technical defects that are more than overcome by a fast moving plot and an almost perfect cast. There is Erich von Stroheim, as the German espionage chief, in top form as usual, and on hand for the marquee. But the star of the film is Edwige Feuillere in the title role. Hers is a profoundly moving, brilliant performance. The casting of Mata Hari, unlike Hollywood's with Greta Garbo, was made with an eye on history. Seen at the Fifth Avenue Playhouse in New York. Reviewer's Rating : Excellent. — Bert Hicks. Release date, November 8, 1944. Running time, 80 min. Adult audience classification. Von Ludow Erich Von Stroheim Marthe Richard Edwige Feuillere Jean Galland, Marcel Andre, Bergeron, Dalio. Bercher. Deli a -Col. 2181