Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Two-Fisfed Stranger Columbia — ^Western Charles Starrett, who rides the range as a humble cowhand, as well as "Durango," avenger of the innocent, falls in with a group of ingenious con-men in his latest adventure. These sharpers have salted the local mines with industrial diamonds, and are about to trim the honest citizenry for a pretty piece of change when "Durango" moves in and spoils their game. There's plenty of riding and fighting, as well as a romantic interlude in which Doris Houck is the protagonist, before the crooks are punished, and the gullible ranchers, whose knowledge of geology is apparently slight, are prevented from investing their savings in the worthless mines. There's comedy, too, contributed by Smiley Burnette, and kept where it should be : subordinate to the action. To sum up, Colbert Clark's production fulfills, in every respect, the demands of the Western audience. Robert Lee Johnson's screenplay, based on a story which he wrote in collaboration with Peter Whitehead, sticks to the sure-fire formula, and nowhere misses its mark. Ray Nazarro's direction keeps matters moving at a merry clip. Seen at the Hitching Post theatre, Hollywood, where the audience appeared well satisfied. Reviewer's Rating: Good. — T. B. Release date. May 30, 1946. Running time, SO min. PCA No. 11487. General audience classification. Steve Gordon Charles Starrett Smiley Burnette, Doris Houck, Charles Murray, Lane Chandler, Ted Mapes, George Chesebro, Jack Rockwell, Harman Hack. Meet the Navy British National Anglo-American — Musical What the producers of this one didn't understand— maybe they know better now — is that unless a screen musical is very, very good it's apt to be just the reverse. The piece sets out to recount the adventures of an amiable troupe of performers gathered from the Canadian Navy for the diversion of their shipmates during the war and which ultimately rated a showing at the London Hippodrome, one of this town's noted stage-revue houses. The plaudits it then earned were due in part to wartime London's warm-hearted appreciation of the gallantry of her sons and daughters from over the seas. It would be pleasant to record that similar circumstances will attend the screen version of the affair. But that simply won't be the case. Cohorts of young women disport themselves in all kinds of naval occasions and garbs ; comedians, hearty and otherwise, wrestle manfully with their material ; there are a maze of not very memorable tunes ; also a Technicolor finale which clashes oddly with the opening monochromed screen. The unspoiled unsophisticate may like it, or the sentimentalist with determined nostalgia for those brave but dead days of London in war. Seen at the London tradeshow. Reviewer's Rating: Fair. — P. B. Release date, not set. Running time, 81 min. General audience classification. Singing Fisherman Oscar Naske and Officers and Other Ratings of the Royal Canadian Navy. The Runaround Universal — Comedy-Drama A rousing action drama, studded with some scattered bits of well-knit melodrama and romantic moods that waver between whimsy and ardor, proves a blend of cinema that makes for good reliable entertainment. With Rod Cameron and Ella Raines sharing the lead, the film opens on a note of brisk excitement and continues in pace and interest throughout. The plot pivots about a prominent financier's impetuous daughter, who runs off to the west coast to marry a sailor. Cameron and his col MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 15. 1946 league, Frank McHugh, private detectives, are hired to locate the headstrong girl and bring her back unmarried. Reward is $15,000, c.o.d. for the attractive package. Most of the film's incendiary quality is kindled when a rival detective agency with bust-up methods vies with Cameron for the privilege of returning the girl. Locating Miss Raines in San Francisco, Cameron starts the long trek back, involved in which are such assorted conveyances as an airplane, broken-down 1915 car and finally an ambulance. En route, with love slowly developing, the wealthy charge becomes a shifting pawn in serio-comic game of possession between the rival sleuths. Fitted into the plot are touches of fisticuffs, as muscular, realistic and comic as any brought to the screen in many a month. Charles Lamont has directed with skill, making some situations sharply realistic, many another glowingly hiunorous. The screenplay by Arthur T. Horman and Sam Hellman is memorable for several of its witty bits of dialogue. From beginning to end, Joe Gershenson's unpretentious production is an enjoyable and carefree film. Seen in the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating: Good. — Mandel Herbstman. Release date, June 14, 1946. Running time, 86 min. PCA No. 11692. General audience classification. Kildane Rod Cameron Penelope Ella Raines Broderick Crawford, Frank McHugh," Samuel S. Hinds, Joan Fulton, George Cleveland, Joe Sawyer, Nana Bryant, Dave Willock, Charles Coleman, Jack Overman. {Review reprinted from last week's Herald) SHORT SUBJiCTS PROBLEM DRINKERS (20th-Fox) March of Time (F-12-11) "Problem Drinkers" is an instructive and informative subject dealing with the age-old question arising out of the excessive use of alcoholic drink. Particular ^ note is taken of the vital work of an organization known as Alcoholics Anonymous. The members of this group are cured alcoholics who fully appreciate the difficulties of the intemperate drinkers. There are interest-packed scenes which tell of a "Fred Lane," a drunkard, who through the help of Alcoholics Anonymous regains his self-respect and is able in turn to help other alcoholics conquer the vice. The picture story is accompanied by an interesting and well-recited commentary. The subject is well done and its theme is of almost universal interest. It is very likely to attract and hold the attention of audiences everywhere. Release date, June 14, 1946 19 minutes THE RIDING HANNEFORDS (WB) Sports Parade (2509) A day under the big top is spent with the Hanneford Family, whose riding tradition goes back a long way. They range in age from rompered Poodles all the way up to Grandma Hanneford, who's 75. There are thrills and laughs as the family goes through the hazardous gyrations of the profession. Release date, June 29, 1946 10 minutes THE CRIMSON GHOST (Rep.) Serial Starring Charles Quigley and Linda Stirling, the plot of this 12-chapter serial concerns a counter-atomic device called the Cyclotrode and the attempts of the Crimson Ghost to get it and its secrets. The Cyclotrode is finally stolen and the remainder of the serial concerns the attempts made to recover it. Release date, not set 12 episodes AQUA QUEENS (RKO Pathe) Sportscope (64,310) Demonstrating how swimming and diving titles are won in championship contests, four of the nation's "Aqua Queens" perfoi:m for the film audience in the La Quinta pool near Palm Springs, Cal. The women champions are Marilyn Sahner, free-style; Marion Pontacq, back stroke; Brenda Helser, free-style, and Crlenkovich, diving champion. Release date. May 17, 1946 8 minutes SWINGIN' DOWN THE SCALE (Univ.) Name Band Musical (1310) Starring Alvino Rey's orchestra and the King Sisters, this musical short opens with "Should I Reveal" and goes from there to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Whispering," "Farewell Blues" and "Isle of Capri." There's a slight story with this music, of course. It's about a jam session in an apartment and about how the landlord doesn't appreciate said session. Release date, June 26, 1946 IS minutes TOGETHER IN THE WEATHER (Para.) George Pal Puppetoons ([/5-4) Judy, a lovely bonde creature, sets out to lure Punchy. Her technique is to wear a variety of seductive clothes and use fragrant perfume. To make them man and wife, however, it takes an electric storm, in which Punchy rescues her. Release date. May 24, 1946 7 minutes DIVING DANDIES (20th-Fox) Sports Review (6353) Diving form that goes into the making of a champion is displayed in this subject. A group of expert performers are brought together and exhibit their talents in clear water of Wakulla Springs. In Technicolor. Release date, March 15, 1946 8 minutes WHO'S COOKING WHO? (Univ.) Lantz Color Cartime (1325) Woody Woodpecker has a horrible dream about the ants and the grasshoppers — how the grasshoppers and the ants gather food for the winter months. In the dream. Woody wakes up under a blanket of snow and has nothing to eat. He hears a wolf howling at his door. He wants to eat the wolf and the wolf wants to eat him. But it's all a dream. Release date, June 24, 1946 7 minutes SEA SIRENS (20th-Fox) Sports Review (6354) Produced by Edmund Reek the Technicolor camera takes the audience on a tour of Silver Springs, Florida, and reveals the aquatic precision of the Fairbrothers Sisters. Other scenes include water skiing and the graceful swimming of the Tarpon Club. Release date. May 10, 1946 8 minutes SQUATTER'S RIGHTS (RKO) Walt Disney Cartoon (64,106) The Adventures of two chipmunks who have established residence in the stove of Mickey Mouse's Hunting lodge provide the story for this Disney Cartoon. Mickey and Pluto attempt to dislodge the visitors but their efforts are defeated and the chipmunks retain their home. Release date, June 7, 1946 7 minutes HAWAIIAN MEMORIES (WB) Technicolor Special (2006) This is a complete tour of Hawaii in which the camera captures all the wondrous sights of this land. There are exciting shots of surfboarding at Waikiki Beach, colorful native feasts, hazardous underwater spear fis'iing and body-surfing in 20-foot breakers. Release date, June 15, 1946 20 minutes JOHNNY SMITH AND POKER HUNTAS (WB) Blue Ribbon Hit Parade (2311) Johnny Smith, perched on the deck of the Mayflower, sights America, but it seems to resemble Coney Island more than the virgin land of yesteryear. Indians, riding around in cars with all the modern conveniences, make things a little tough for Johnny, who, as history relates, is finally rescued by Poker Huntas — but not in a car. Release date, June 22, 1946 7 minutes 3043