Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

SHOWMEN'S REVIEWS ADVANCE SYNOPSES SHORT SUBJECTS SERVICE DATA SHORT SUBJECTS CHART 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. Love Laughs at Andy Hardy MGM — Andy Hardy Yarn Time seems to have changed neither the Andy Hardy character nor the success formula on which the Hardy-family series has been built in the past. Audiences who have enjoyed Andy's romantic adventures should be pleased by his latest picture, which serves as vehicle for Mickey Rooney's first screen appearance following his stint in the Army. The film is about on a par with most of its predecessors. Rooney is his usual juvenile self, aided by some really good dialogue and a number of riotously funny scenes. In general the picture follows the line laid down in earlier installments of the series, making allowance for Andy Hardy's increased maturity. Following his discharge from the army, Andy comes home to his family, ably and feelingly portrayed by Lewis Stone as Judge Hardy, Fay Holden as Mrs. Hardy and Sara Haden as Aunt Milly. He announces that he will go back to college for a degree. Meanwhile, his parents discover that the boy is in love with a girl on the campus and is thinking of getting married. Andy leaves for the campus, but just before he gets ready to propose, the girl, played by Bonita Granville, tells him that she is about to be married. Disappointed, Andy goes home and announces he is through with school. However, one of the heart-to-heart talks with his father make him see things in a clearer light and he reverts to his old self with his interest in the opposite sex revived. Highlight of the film is a scene showing Andy doing a fast jitterbug number with a girl twice his size. Willis Goldbeck directed. Seen at the MGM exchange projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — Fred Hift. December release. Running time, 91 min. PCA No. 11830. General audience classification. Andy Hardy Mickey Rooney Judge Hardy Lewis Stone Aunt Milly Sara Haden Kay Wilson Bonita Granville Lina Romay, Fay Holden, Dorothy Ford, Hal Hackett, Dick Simmons, Clinton Sundberg, Geraldine Wall, Addison Richards Sioux City Sue Republic — Autry Returns Gene Autry comes back to the screen in a top-notch musical Western. This is a polished production complete with a good story and a pleasing musical score. The cowboy singer has ample opportunity to exhibit his very special talent and bright personality which have won the_ acclaim of audiences all around the land. This comeback production has caliber, scope and a splendid mixture of audience appeal elements happily associated with the name of Autry. In addition to the title song, "Sioux City Sue," which is repeated throughout the film, there are numerous other Western songs. The musical numbers presented by Autry, assisted by the Cass County Boys, are top-hole. The songs in the film include, "Some Day You'll Want Me to Want You," "Yours," "Ridin' Double," "You Stole My Heart," "Chisholm Trail" and "Great Grand Dad." As the story opens, Lynne Roberts, as a talent scout in search of a singing cowboy, finds Gene Autry, a cattle rancher, and offers him a contract. He agrees to go to Hollywood if there is a part for his horse, Champion. Autry doesn't know that they want to use his voice in an animated cartoon. After the preview, Lynne Roberts is upset when Autry is annoyed and resigns. She goes to Autry's ranch and works as a cook. Later, the Hollywood producers, when looking at a screen test of Autry, decide that he is a natural for a Western performer and they want him to sign a contract as a film star. After a succession of misunderstandings, Autry realizes Miss Roberts is sincere and signs a contract to play in a musical Western. Autry and Miss Roberts, giving better than satisfactory performances, are supported by Sterling Holloway, Richard Lane and Ralph Sanford. For fans desiring action, there are exciting scenes, including a cattle stampede. Armand Schaefer was the associate producer and Frank McDonald, the director. Olive Cooper's original screenplay is very good. Reggie Lanning's photography, especially of the outdoor sets, is of superior quality. Seen at the home office projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Very good. — M. R. Y. Release date, November 21, 1946. Running time, 69 min. PCA No. 11831. General audience classification. Gene Autry Gene Autry Sue Warner Lynn Roberts "Nellie" Bly Sterling Holloway Richard Lane, Ralph Sanford, Ken Lundy, Helen Wallace, Pierre Watkin, Cass County Boys and Champion The Return of Monte Crista Columbia — Romantic Drama Louis Hayward and Barbara Britton star in this Monte Cristo adventure, which is an Edward Small production. A good story with tense and exciting situations is presented by a competent cast under the direction of Henry Levin. A tale, based on the Alexander Dumas character, Edmond Da'ntes, Count of Monte Cristo, is presented in a manner which should hold the audience's attention. This, is the type of film to satisfy film-goers seeking adventurous entertainment. Edmond Dantes, played by Louis Hayward, learns he is the rightful heir to the Monte Cristo fortune. When he attempts to claim his inheritance he is confronted by a group of men who have forged documents to make Barbara Britton an heiress. The young lady is ignorant of the scheme. Hayward is sent to Devil's Island but escapes and returns to revenge the wrongs he suffered. He is successful in making the group of men confess their evil intent and wins the love of the young lady. George Macready, Una O'Connor, Henry Stephenson and Steven Geray give good performances in supporting roles. George Bruce and Alfred Neumann wrote the screenplay, which was based on the original story by Curt Siodmak and Arnold Phillips. Grant Whytock produced. The musical score by Lucien Moraweck, under the direction of Lud Gluskin, is good and is an important factor in setting the mood of the film. Seen at a New York projection room. Reviewer's Rating : Average. — M. R. Y. Release date, December, 1946. Running time, 91 min. PCA No. 11990. General audience classification. Edmond Dantes Louis Hayward Angele Picard Barbara Britton Henri de la Roche George Macready Una O'Connor, Henry Stephenson, Steven Geray, Ray Collins, Ludwig Donath, Ivan Triesault, Jean Del Val, Eugene Borden, Crane Whitley, John Cory Dangerous Millions 20th Century-Fox Wurtzel — Melodrama Kent Taylor and Dona Drake are the principals in a piece about double-dealing in the Orient, a melodrama studded with stabbings, shootings and skullduggery. A shipping magnate with a nasty sense of humor and a fervid imagination conceives a plan for testing the worth of his prospective heirs, none of whom he has ever seen. He summons them all to China, and thereafter lays snares, both psychological and physical, in the path of each unfortunate contender. At the end, finding none of them worthy, the magnate dismisses them all, though to Taylor he promises grudgingly financial backing for an airline. All in all, it is a wonder that the heirs, portrayed by Tala Birell, Konstantin Shayne, Rex Evans and others, don't turn on their disagreeable relative and disembowel him. Except for the somewhat unsatisfactory finish, however, the picture carries sufficient entertainment value, and James Tinling's direction keeps the suspense at a high level. The film is a Sol Wurtzel production, on which Paul Wurtzel was associate producer, and Sherman Harris production manager. Previewed at the Chinese theatre, Hollyzvood, where a matinee audience appeared reasonably content. Reviewer's Rating: Average. — Thalia Bell. Release date, December, 1946. Running time, 69 min. PCA No. 11905. General audience classification. Jack Clark Kent Taylor Elena i Dona Drake Tala Birell, Leonard Strong, Konstantin Shayne, Robert H. Barrat, Rex Evans, Rudolph Anders, Otto Reichow San Quentin RKO Radio — Melodrama The story line of the screenplay by Lawrence Kimble, Arthur Ross and Howard Green gets a bit fuzzy at times, as though the gentlemen couldn't quite make up their minds whether to attempt a socially significant film about prison reform, or a straight cops-and-robbers melodrama, and decided to settle for the latter. Lawrence Tierney, in the role of an ex-con MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 7, 1946 3345