Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

vict gone straight, carries most of the acting load. As one of the founders of the Prisoners' Welfare League, he comes back from the wars to find that the League is in disrepute, since a notorious bank robber has used it as a shield for his escape from San Quentin. Tierney, determined to vindicate the league, tracks down the escaped robber with the aid of his friend Joe Devlin, also cast as an ex-convict. Barton MacLane, portraying the bank robber, leads the two friends a merry chase for quite some time, but all's well that ends well, and the picture's close sees the League restored to good standing, and Tierney to the arms of his brideto-be. Martin Mooney produced under the executive supervision of Sid Rogell, and Gordon M. Douglas directed. Seen at the studio. Reviewer's Rating: Average.— T, B. Release date, not set. Running time, 66 min. FCA 11889. General audience classification. Jim Lawrence Tierney Nick Barton MacLane Marian Carr, Harry Shannon, Carol Forman, Richard Powers, Joe Devlin, Tony Barrett, Lee Bonnell, Robert Clarke Betty Co-ed Columbia — Campus Musical This college musical features Jean Porter as Betty Co-ed, and the music of Jan Savitt and his orchestra. This film will find its greatest appeal to teen-agers who are interested in campus life, including youthful romances and the workings of a sorority. Miss Porter, who recently played opposite Robert Walker in "What Next, Corporal Hargrove?" displays her musical talent. She is supported by Shirley Mills, as the sorority's president ; William Mason, as the co-eds' delight, and Rosemary La Planche, as one of the college students. Jan Savitt and his orchestra play as Miss Porter sings "You Gotta Do What You Do" and "Put the Blame on Mame." They also play Mozart's "Kleine Nacht Musik" in jive tempo. Miss Porter, as the college freshman, interrupts her career as a carnival singer and enrolls at Upton College. There she encounters the snobbery of the sorority, but after the sorority is reorganized on democratic principles, she is invited to become a member. The colleeg sponsors a contest to name the most popular girl in the college, and Miss Porter wins the title "Betty Co-ed." Sam Katzman produced, and Arthur Dreifuss directed. The director and George H. Plympton wrote the original screenplay. Seen at a New York projection. Reviewer's Rating : Average. — M.. R. Y. Release date, November 28, 1946. Running time, 71 min. PCA No. 11992. General audience classification. Joanne Leeds Jean Porter Gloria Campbell Shirley Mills William Mason, Rosemary LaPlanche, Kay Morley, Jackie Moran, Jane Isbell, Edward Van Sloan, George Meader, Patsy Moran, Ray Bennett, Jan Savitt and his orchestra Sweetheart of Sigma Chi Monogram — College Stuff The songs by Phil Regan, the hot boogie by the Slim Gaillard Trio, the piano playing of Frapkie Carle, and the seven song numbers put by in the course of its 75 minutes, give selling value and entertainment sparkle to this college story based on an old familiar plot — the one about the gangsters who try to frame an athletic contest, this time a crew race — which detracts somewhat from the total effectiveness of the project, but not from the musical i interludes, of which there are seven. It's better, all in all, than most items in its category. The scene is a small college, and surrounding area, and the screenplay by Michel Jacoby deals at first with the romances current on the campus, but gets down finally to the arrival of a couple of gamblers who used to know the owner of the local soft-drink night club and who pressure him to fix things so the home crew will lose the upcoming boat race. This deep, dark design is thwarted when the coxswain of the home crew plugs with a rabbit's foot the hole cut in the bottom of the shell by the gamblers, but it's really the music in the picture that counts. The production is by Jeffrey Bernhard, and it was directed by Jack Bernhard. Previewed at the Forum theatre, Los Angeles, to a midweek audience which appeared pleased with the music and took the rest as it came. Reviewer's Rating : Average. — -William R. Weaver. Release date, December 21, 1946. Running time, 75 min. PCA No. 11445. General audience classification. Lucky Ryan Phil Regan Betty Allan Elyse Knox Paul Brito, Ross Hunter, Tom Harmon, Paul Guilfoyle, Anne Gillis, Edward Brophy, Fred Colby, Alan Hale, Jr., William Beaudine, Jr., Fred Datig, Jr., Slim Gaillard Trio, Frankie Carle and orchestra Carmen SuperMm — Seduction and Banditry Produced by Christian Jacque, "Carmen" is another in the long list of screen adaptations of the Prosper Merimee novel of 1845, rather than an enactment of the opera into which it was made some 30 years later. In the title role is Viviane Romance, a talented French actress who has appeared in many recent imports from France. She has the role of a seductive Gypsy Jezebel of old Spain who flirts, loves, lies and cheats her way into the hearts of men. In supporting roles are Jean Marais as "Don Jose," the dishonored soldier who turns bandit because of "Carmen," and Lucien Coedei as "Garcia" the cold and ruthless highwayman who vies for the affections of "Carmen" and loses his life. Primarily it is a picture of adventure and romance which has been beautifully photographed by Ubaldo Arata in the colorful mountains of Italy and in parts of France. The picture is further highlighted with a musical score from Georges Bizet's operatic adaptation of the ■ story which contains many of the compositions long familiar to those who have been seen or heard the opera. Although the dialogue is in French, satisfactory English subtitles have been added. Reviewed at the Ambassador theatre in Nezv York. Reviewer's Rating: Good. — George H. Spires. Release date, November 26, 1946. Running time, 102 minutes. Adult audience classification. Carmen Viviane Romance Don Jose Jean Marais Garcia Lucien Coedei Adrino Rimoldi, Elli Parvo, Marguerite Moreno, Mario Gallina, Lucien Bertheau, Polidor, Nicola Maldacea, Jean Brochard, Bernard Blier, Anna Lelli, Anna Arena Silver Range Monograms—Western The budget of the Western is humble, and its requirements are few. The second fact counterbalances the first, and therefore there seems no good reason why Charles J. Bigelow, who supervised the latest Johnny Mack Brown Western should have failed to fill more adequately the simple needs of his prospective audience. Brown, as a range detective, takes part in an adventure similar to many he has experienced before. With his partner, Raymond Hatton, he exposes and brings to justice a band of smugglers who have been bringing silver across the Mexican border illegally. It takes a lot of time and talking to do it, and comparatively little action. Jan Bryant, as the daughter of a rancher kidnapped by the smugglers, gives the impression that she would have been happier in a different profession. Lambert Hillyer directed, and J. Benton Cheney wrote the original screenplay. Seen at the Hitching Post theatre, Hollywood. Revievaer's Rating: Fair. — T. B. Release date, November 16, 1946. Running time, 53 min. PCA No. 11869. General audience classification. John Johnny Mack Brown Tucson Raymond Hatton Jan Bryant, I. Stanford Jolley, Terry Frost, Eddie Parker, Ted Adams, Frank LaRue, Cactus Mack School for Secrets Two Cities: G.F.D. — Boffins In search of those widened audience horizons of which Eric Johnston preaches, Two Cities' Filippo del Giudice here submits another of | those "unusual" exhibits. Being deficient of ] the orthodox ration of love interest, bobbysox i ers may not go in a big way for the piece. But persons who normally do not frequent motion picture theatres will flock to it, once they hear of the film's manifold merits. | The picture tells in quasi-documentary fashion the tale of the invention and development of i radar, Britain's greatest scientific contribution towards the winning of the war and for the safe landings of all aircraft in peace. But it's documentary with a difference. It's gay, adventurous, witty. It has, in short, pretty well all it takes for the intelligent film-goer. Before the shooting started but when every informed person knew that was inevitable, Whitehall got very worried about the possibility of night bombings, in particular how the presence of hostile aircraft in the skies over Britain might be detected. Accordingly, a choice gathering of "Boffins" — Royal Air Force slang for scientists — was sequestered in a country town and ordered to get on with the job. "School for Secrets" shows how they did not only that but also arrived at a means of pinpoint bombing in darkness. Nor were the Boffins content with theorizing. They went on commando raids and parachute expeditions just to see for themselves how their gadget worked. The story of their achievement makes an exhilarating picture woven with wit and distinction by 24-year old author-director Peter Ustinov. Mr. Ustinov chose not only his story but his actors with commendable grace. Ralph Richardson, Raymond Huntley, John Laurie are the head Boffins. Their work is a delight. There are also pleasant acting submissions from Richard Attenborough and Marjorie Rhodes; the latter being Britain's character woman Number One. A film to be seen and savoured. Seen at the Odeon, Leicester Square, London, press show. Reviewer's Rating : Good. — Peter Burnup. Release date, not set. Running time, 108 min. British adult audience classification. Professor Heatherville Ralph Richardson Professor LaxtonJones Raymond Huntley Dr. McVitie John Laurie and Ernest Jay, David Tomlinson, Finlay Currie, Norman Webb, Michael Hordern as the Boffins Jack Arnold Richard Attenborough and David Hutcheson, Patrick Waddington, Cyril Smith, as the RAF. Mrs. Arnold Marjorie Rhodes Mrs. Watlington Pamela Matthews La Symphonie Pastorale (Pastoral Symphony) Films Gibe — Psychological Drama Designated as the best French film at the Cannes International Film Festival, this adaptation of a short piece by the famous French author, Andre Gide, deals with a Protestant clergyman of a small village in the Alps (probably in Switzerland), where he lives with his wife, and his four children. Once he finds a lonely blind girl and takes her to his house, where he educates her. When grown up, the girl, "Gertrude," shows to be very pretty and unknowing^ all of sin and ugliness of the world. The minister, more and more interested in Gertrude, does not realize that he is in love with her, while, on her side, she thinks she loves him. After an operation, she recovers her sight and finds that she actually loves Jacques, the minister's eldest son. The minister refuses to permit her and Jacques to marry and in despair for having destroyed the happiness of the whole family, she commits suicide by throwing herself in a river. This stirring but depressing story is aided essentially by the splendid acting of Michele Morgan as Gertrude (for which she was noted at Cannes as the best international film actress) and by the beautiful photography of Armand Thirard with location scenes in the Swiss mountains. Jean Delannoy's artistic and re 3346 PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION, DECEMBER 7, 1946