Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

SHORT SUBJECTS reviews and synopses (Running times are those quoted by the distributors.) Delightfully Dangerous United Artists — Musical Adventure Here is a musical that presents a combination of good music and a light-hearted story which makes a diverting hour and a half of entertainment. The majority of the songs are rendered effectively by Jane Powell. The music is by Morton Gould. Miss Powell is the pivot around which the story revolves. She plays the part of Sherry Williams, a 15-year-old student at a music and art school, and demonstrates her talents when she presents her songs. In her portrayal young Miss Powell is convincing and has the personality to carry the lead. She is assisted by the experienced Ralph Bellamy, who portrays with ease and charm Arthur Hale, a New York theatrical producer. Constance Moore as Miss Powell's elder sister, Jo, is pleasing. When Sherry finds out that her sister is a burlesque performer she resolves to get a job so her sister can retire from that work. At the happy conclusion the two sisters are starred in an Arthur Hale Broadway musical, and the elder sister accepts Hale's marriage proposal. Morton Gould and his orchestra provide excellent musical accompaniment which is a distinctive feature of the film. The music of Strauss is presented in a medley consisting of parts of the "Emperor's Waltz," 'Artist's Life," "Perpetual Motion" and several other familiar Strauss pieces. The remainder of the musical portion of the picture is original music by Morton Gould with lyrics by Edward Heyman. Among these are "Once Upon a Song" and "Through Your Eyes to Your Heart." Charles R. Rogers produced and Arthur Lubin directed from a screenplay by Walter DeLeon and Arthur Phillips. Seen in the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating: Good. — M. R. Y. Release date, not set. Running time, 93 min. PCA No. 10546. General audience classification. Cheryl Williams Jane Powell Arthur Hale Ralph Bellamy Josephine Williams Constance Moore Morton Gould and his orchestra, Arthur Treacher, Louise Beavers, Ruth Tobey, Ruth Robinson, Andre Chariot. God Is My Co-Pilot Warner Bros. — War Over China When it's taking the audience aloft into a fighterplane conflict with Japs over China, which is much of the time, this filming of an autobiographical book of the same name by Col. Robert L. Scott, is a top-grade war picture packing suspense and thrills in full measure. When it's telling, on the ground, the story of Scott and General Chennault, and of the period when the Flying Tigers were being merged with the Army Air Force, it has the element of time working against it. By and large, the picture neither betters nor worsens the screen's average as a homefront reflector of battle-front history. Producer Robert Buckner elected to subordinate to action sequences those having to do with the personal story of Scott, who is portrayed with considerable restraint by Dennis Morgan, and to convey by suggestion and inconclusive dialogue rather than by force and emphasis the point made by Scott in his book and expressed in its title. Although Alan Hale, miscast as the priest, has a good deal to say about the pilot's being not alone when he's soloing, it is not indicated that Scott ever accepts this as a fact. The point is referred to again, obliquely, by one pilot who tells another he doesn't think a flier is sure of rating a high priority in the hereafter "just because we're with allies" but will be rated on his individual merits. Raymond Massey's portrayal of Chennault is the best performance in the picture. The screenplay by Peter Milne and Abem Finkel resorts to flashbacks instead of straightaway continuity, at some expense to momentum, and part is told in off -screen narration. Robert Florey's direction counteracts in some measure the slowing effect of these arrangements. Previewed at the Forum theatre, Los Angeles, where it played well. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — W. R. W. Release date, not set. Running time, 89 min. PCA No. 79544. General audience classification. Col. Scott Dennis Morgan Gen. Chennault Raymond Massey Dane Clark, Alan Hale, Andrea King, John Ridgely, Stanley Ridges, Craig Stevens, Warren Douglas, Stephen Richards, Charles Smith, Minor Watson, Richard Loo. {Review reprinted from last week's Herald) 2338 CHEW CHEW BABY (Univ.) Color Cartune (9236) Woody Woodpecker has housing trouble. Not having paid his room and board, he is forcibly evicted by Wally Walrus. When he learns that Wally hopes to replace him with a female boarder on a strictly honorable basis he tries a masquerade. At first all goes well, but a little slip brings suspicion and finally discovery. Woody is out on the street again. Release date, February 5, 1945 7 minutes MELODY PARADE (Univ.) Name Band Musical (9125) Charlie Barnet's orchestra, and the leader's own compositions, are featured in this musical short along with several specialty acts. The Barnet numbers are "Redskin Rhumba," "Skyliner," and "Washington Whirligig." Other songs included are "How Am I to Know," "A Haunted Town" and "Snoqualmie Jo Jo." Kay Starr, who sings with the orchestra, and Dorothy Allen share the vocal arrangements. Release date, February 14, 1945 15 minutes BIRTHDAY PARTY (Para.) Little Lulu (D4-2) • Lulu's curiosity comes at the wrong time again when she is sent out of the house on her birthday. Mandy is preparing a surprise party in the kitchen, but Lulu will not take that on faith. She and a leaping frog aggravate Mandy to the point where she drops the cake and the whole thing's called off. Lulu dreams in dispair of a party and a cake with candles, and wakes to find one waiting for her. Release date, December 29, 1944 7l/2 minutes C. I. Honeymoon Monogram — Comedy of Frustration This comedy about a soldier prevented by service assignments from consummating his marriage to a girl who has troubles of her own — such as stacking under her bed and in apartment closets a lot of soldiers who've come calling in the belief that her place is a gambling resort — assays a high yield of laughs per production-dollar, dialogue lines ranging from the piquant to the edge of the risque as in the manner of what used to be called the bedroom farce (the whole apartment, inclusive of the powder room, being covered in these capers). It uses men in uniform for purposes of comedy to a degree not commonly permitted since this nation entered the war (one, nicknamed Casanova, stalks the heroine steadily reiterating a wolf-call and speaking no other word of dialogue) and makes the most of this always fruitful but not recently available source of humor. It's a brisk, crisp and somewhat spicy item. Peter Cookson and Gale Storm portray the newlyweds, married fifteen minutes before train time and prevented by military assignments and other incidents from doing anything about it throughout the picture, both turning in solid performances. Frank Jenks and Virginia Brissac are the standouts in an effective supporting cast. Production by Lindsley Parsons is ship-shape, and direction by Phil Karlstein, from a script by Richard Weil, is a study in fine timing. Trem Carr is executive producer. Previewed at the Hawaii theatre, Hollywood, where it played very well. Reviewer's Rating : Good.—W. R. W. Release date, March 9, 1945. Running time, 70 min. PCA I'To. 10512. General audience classification. Ann Gale Storm Bob Peter Cookson Arline Judge, Frank Jenks, Jerome Cowan, Jonathan Hale, Andrew Tombes, Virginia Brissac, Ruth Lee, Earle Hodgins, Ralph Lewis, Claire Whitney.. KINGS OF THE FAIRWAY (Col.) World of Sports (6805) Here is a subject for golfers whether duffers or experts. Byron Nelson and Harold (Jug) McSpaden take over the demonstration, giving pointers on the basic strokes and a few tricks learned in years of tournament experience. Release date, February 2 ,1945 9H minutes SCREEN SNAPSHOTS, NO. 6 (Col.) 6856 The highlight of this tour around Hollywood is the Sixth War Loan parade of the city of Los Angeles, with most of the Western stars leading the band. Other stops are Ciro's during a fashion show, and a Rudy Vallee radio program with Fred Allen as guest star. Release date, January 26, 1945 9y2 minutes GABRIEL CHURCHKITTEN (Para.) Noveltoon (P4-2) Gabriel Churchkitten and Peter Churchmouse, characters from the popular story by Margot Austin, are regular boarders at the rectory of a kindly parson. He sets out food for them every night — milk for the cat and cheese for the mouse — but unfortunately he walks in his sleep and consumes . both before the hungry animals have their meal. They plot to wake him, without results, until Gabe puts on his thinking cap and saves the day. Release date, December 15, 1944 8>4' minutes WOO WOO (Col.) Hugh Herbert (6410) The firm of Why Worry, Inc. has a worthy object — to absorb the minor and major worries of individuals by attacking their problems for a fee. Chief worrier is Hugh Herbert, and the client is a woman whose husband does not pay sufficient attention to her. Hugh prescribes a small dose of jealousy but it doesn't take effect as it should. The husband is angry but instead of turning to his wife, he turns on Herbert. Release date, January 5, 1945 16 minutes COMMUNITY SING, NO. 5 (Col.) 6655 |J, Featuring the popular Latin American rhythm number "Tico, Tico," this song short also includes "Magic Is the Moonlight," "We're On Our Way," "A Kiss to Remember" and "The La, La Song." The Columbia Group Singers sing the first choruses while Dick Liebert plays the accompaniment. Release date, January 1, 1945 11 minutes CONGO (WB) Featurette (1106) These are scenes from the Belgian Congo in Central Africa, many of them photographed while the nation, along with the mother country was at war with the Axis. The history of this country of a million square miles and 12 million inhabitants is briefly sketched as natives perform their tribal dances and ancient customs. Then the modern country with its new industries and vital raw materials is surveyed. Rubber, jute, silk, copper, tin and vegetable oils are important war industries. The natives, too, are joining the war effort, training in their homeland for fighting abroad. Release date, February 17, 1945 20 minutes THE PORT OF MISSING MICE (20th-Fox) Terry Toon (5510) Every place where mice gather along the Barbary Coast there is danger. Sailors are being shanghaied onto outgoing ships without any sign of successful resistance. Then Mighty Mouse appears on the scene and makes his strength and cunning count in the struggle. Release date, Februay 2, 1945 6j4 minutes PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION, MARCH 3, 1945 «