Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

cast, while Marjorie Main and Helen Walker offer considerable support. Miss Main plays Maw, the gun-toting matriarch of a dim-witted family consisting of her third husband, who reads, writes and invents ; Grandma, on her deathbed ; twin morons, Bert and Mert, who keep a close watch for snoopers ; a "teched" youngster who carols nonsense rhymes, and the absent Bonnie serving a prison term for robbery. Miss Walker turns up about half way through, posing as Bonnie in the hope of recovering the loot. After Grandma dies, of unnatural causes which leave her body glowing like a neon sign, the scramble for the money is on and the film relapses into straight slapstick. Script writer, producer, and director may have started off in satire but they get so involved in the brawl they never cut loose again. There may be times when audiences will laugh from bewilderment and others when they will just sit silent and open-mouthed. Those who look for reality in the film will probably have a hard time of it. But most of the others should get their quota of chuckles and guffaws. E. D. Leshin was associate producer and George Marshall directed. Lou Breslow wrote the screenplay from a story by Jack Moffitt. They have combined their talents in a unique comedy which showmen would do well to see before they play. Seen in a New York projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — E. A. C. Release date, Block 5. Running time, 94 min. PCA No. 10126. General audience classification. Pete Marshall Fred MacMurray Claire Matthews Helen Walker Mrs. Johnson Marjorie Main Jean Heather, Porter Hall, Peter Whitney, Mabel Paige, Barbara Pepper. Salome, Where She Danced Universal-W anger — This and That This is a curious, and often incredible, film. It ranges from international intrigue involving a Prusso-Austrian war, to the American West, to San Francisco in post-Civil War lush times, to attempted piracy on the high seas by cowboys — all because of a beautiful woman. She is Yvonne De Carlo, ballet dancer who also dances "Salome." Rod Cameron, American newspaper man, loves her. An Austrian archduke, loves her. Albert Dekker, Prussian staff officer, goes for her. Walter Slezak, Russian diplomat, is a conquest and so, too, is simple David Bruce, Virginia lad. Only he makes the permanent grade. Michael J. Phillips is credited with the original story and Laurence Stallings, who once wrote "What Price Glory?", with the script. They, or some other helping hand, have wrapped into it all possible stock ingredients, tried and true down through the years but now very tired, and have added a few. One of the most fantastic is a Chinese philosopher who speaks with a Scottish brogue. It was enough to make a projection room audience titter audibly. Miss De Carlo, in her debut, looks better than she acts. She is inexperienced, requires training and greater camera ease. But she is undoubtedly attractive and can dance. Performances at large fail to surmount hodge-podge story material while some of the goings-on remind of Corse Payton. Production values are important, with vivid Technicolor photography giving evidence of the fact money was not spared. It is regrettable the cause was not worthier. Walter Wanger produced with Alexander Golitzen as associate. Charles Lamont directed. Seen at home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Fair. — Red Kann. Release date, April 27, 1945. Running time, 90 min. PCA No. 10675. General audience classification. Salome Yvonne De Carlo Jim Rod Cameron Cleve David Bruce Dimitrioff Walter Slezak Von Bohlen Albert Dekker Marjorie Rambeau, J. Edward Bromberg, Abner Biberman, John Litel, Kurt Katch, Arthur Hohl. The Bullfight ers 20th Century-Fox — Comedy-Drama Currently celebrating their 20th year as film partners, this marks the 177th picture together of those hardy madcaps, Laurel and Hardy. Those who go in for the team's familiar brand of slap 2402 stick and tomfoolery will find this one of their better vehicles. As two detectives from Peoria, the trail of a slippery, law-breaking blonde takes them south of the border, down Mexico way, where Stan Laurel is mistaken for a famous Spanish toreador. They are dined and entertained in a manner befitting visiting celebrities, but somehow the joy of living loses its zest for Laurel when he learns he is expected to do some fancy jousting with a horned monster inside a bull-ring. The only hitch preventing Laurel and Hardy from resolving their dilemma by disclosing their real identity is the fact that an inflammable local sports promoter suspects the pair of being the same blundering . detectives who several years back had him convicted of a crime he never committed. An entertaining medley of song and dance streams through the film, which also has some actual bull-fighting scenes. Particularly praiseworthy is the clever and inventive musical accompaniment to the comedians' antics. The film also has to its credit the introduction of Diosa Costello, a dynamic little night club performer whose bumpy Latin dance number may be designated as "terrific." W. Scott Darling's original screenplay reaches its climax when Laurel is compelled to carry on his impersonation to the point of entering the arena amid frantic calls for blood. Mai St. Clair's direction is fast. William Girard produced. Previewed at the home office projection room. Reviezver's Rating : Fair. — Mandel Herbstman. Release date, May, 1945. Running time, 61 min. PCA No. 10615. General audience classification. Themselves Laurel & Hardy Tangerine Margo Woode Hot Shot Coleman Richard Lane Carol Andrews, Diosa Costello, Frank McCown, Ralph Sanford, Irving Gump, Ed Gargan, Lorraine De Woods. Song of the Sarong Universal — Romantic Melodrama I I A pleasant succession of exotic songs and dance: in a South Sea setting, coupled with a steady floy of slang and slapstick in the unmistakable Ameri can fashion, make this comedy melodrama froi Universal an entertaining little escape film. Thi story, while not always believable or altogethei original, moves smoothly, never demanding tocj much concentration from the audience. A professional adventurer, William Gargan is sent by an eccentric millionaire on a mission tc the South Seas in an attempt to steal a hoard or pearls cached in the natives' temple. In his com1 ,\C pany are two stowaways, Eddie Quillan and Fuz-. zy Knight, who provide most of the film's lighter side by their conflicts with local customs. Gargar ; comes close to realizing the objective of his mis-' ? sion when he falls in love with Nancy Kelly, a * native princess, and soon his larcenous impulses ' " go glimmering. A jealous rival suitor, however betrays his original purpose on the island to thd natives and rage mounts murderously. Gargan i< just beginning to get roasted in the "fire ritual' when the "miracle" of rain comes, extinguishes the flames and cools off native anger. Harold Young directed with Gene Lewis as as sociate producer. Seen at Loew's Metropolitan in Brooklyn, where the audience reacted with mild approval. Reviewer's Rating : Fair. — M. H. Release date, April 20, 1945. Running time, 65 min PCA No. 10671. General audience classification. Sharon Nancy Kellj Drew William Gargar! George Dolenz, Eddie Quillan, Fuzzy Knight, George Cleveland, Robert Burron, Maritza Aldridge. SHORT SUBJECTS reviews and synopses (Running times are those quoted by the distributors.) » THE RETURNING VETERAN (20th-Fox) March of_ Time (VII-9) The editors of March of Time have made a timely but cautious survey of the national plans for rehabilitation of the returning serviceman. They make no pretense of complete knowledge, for full plans have not yet been announced, but they do take up the principal features of the steps so far taken and present them with clarity and skill. There is emphasis on the increased awareness of Government agencies and officials and their desire to take such further steps as are deemed necessary. But the film stresses, too, the factor of the man himself and his ability to readjust to a peaceful world. Release date, April 20, 1945 17 minutes POPULAR SCIENCE, NO. 4 (Para.) J4-4 The first two sequences in this release are largely for the ladies. One relates to the kitchen and the other to wearing apparel. Hints for the housewife include dipping bacon in cold water before frying and salvaging soap. Equally helpful are the promised processes for improving the wear of fabrics. The last subject gives a view of the activities of the Army's Chemical Warfare Service. New explosives with terrifying effects are shown being tested in and out of the laboratory. Release date, April 6, 1945 10 minutes UNUSUAL OCCUPATIONS, NO. 4 (Para.) L4-4 In San Gabriel, Calif., a man with an old model locomotive operates it on his own two-acre tract Fish scale ornaments are designed by a New Orleans housewife. South of the border, the shepherds of the llama ply their trade 15,000 feet high in the Peruvian Andes. In Mexico a youngster earns his way diving for coins off a 300-foot cliff near Acapulco into turbulent waters below. Release date, May 11, 1945 10 minutes MAGICA-LULU (Para.) Little Lulu (D4-4) Lulu has her own ways of getting into magic shows and being seated for free in the very first row. But even she couldn't have engineered her way into the act without the help of the magician. And he's sorry when it's all over, too. She tangles with his rabbits, refuses to fall into his trap doors and finally spoils his elephant finish by an appearing act of her own. Release date, March 2, 1945 8 minutes WHEN G.I. JOHNNY COMES HOME (Para.) Noveltoon (P4-3) This is a combination of cartoon and audience participation song short. The tune is a modernized version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" dressed up with new lyrics but still including the bouncing ball to mark the words and rhythm. The cartoon figures offer a preview of the homecoming. Release date, February 2, 1945 8 minutes PISTOL PACKIN' NITWITS (Col.) El Brendel (6433) Teaming up with Harry Langdon again, Brendel tries soap peddling in the wild west and gets roped into dishwashing in a saloon. There is a small matter of a mortgage dangling over the 5 head of the luscious proprietress, and a hero who needs time to gather the money. The boys put on their stalling act, and all ends well. Release date, April 4, 1945 17j^ minutes RAIDING THE RAIDERS (20th-Fox) Terry toons (5512) Old Doc Owl delivers a baby to the Rabbit family with the help of the stork, but a couple of bad actors try to break up the happy household. Mighty Mouse gets word of the impending tragedy and soars over to the rescue. Release date, March 9, 1945 7 minutes PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION, APRIL 14, 1945