Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

abroad. He's that cooperative and meticulous. The complications are many, each one putting Tone in grave predicament with Lina Romay, his Mexican fiancee, whose misunderstanding of the situation is easy to comprehend. Finally, with the aid of practically the entire diplomatic corps, the Mexican judiciary and other Government officials apparently little short of the President, Shirley and Guy Madison are married. This clears the way for Tone and Miss Romay, who always was willing anyhow. Performances are satisfactory and better, the better meaning Tone who does the best job of the cast. Miss Temple is made out to be persistent and determined as the typical American girl, one notch above the bobby-soxer, who is after her man. The Mexican characters in the film are pretty much dismayed and astonished by what goes on. No wonder. William Keighley directed for Robert Sparks, executive producer, and Warren Duff, producer. Michael Kanin prepared the script based on a story by Vicki Baum. Production quality is high, as well as lavish. Seen at Normandie theatre trade show where a mostly feminine audience appeared to enjoy it. Reineivcr's Rating: Good. — Red Kann. Release date, not set. Running time, 74 minutes. PCA No. 11593. General audience classification. Barbara Shirley .Temple Flanner Franchot Tone Phil Guy Madison Raquel Lina Romay Gene Ln khart, Orinna Mura, Grant Mitchell. Julio Villareal, Manual Arvide, Jose R. Goula This Happy Breed U-I Prestige — Family Drama For audiences tuned to the higher values of picture-making — acting, script, camera-work and direction — this picture will be entertainment of a high order. For mass audiences it will have a limited appeal. Noel Coward, who in previous films has demonstrated his ability to realistically mirror British life and characters on the screen, produced. Anthony HavelockAllan and David Lean, the latter already quite well known in this country for his direction of "Brief Encounter," sat in the directors' chairs, and Ronald Neame is responsible for the flawless camerawork. The Technicolor is superbly handled. As in "Brief Encounter," it again is the teamwork and the artistry of Mr. Lean and Celia Johnson, one of the 1947 Academy Award winners, which gives the picture its fine and real flavor and its exquisite touches of (British) humor. Robert Newton's performance as Miss Johnson's middle-aged, typically British husband, cannot be surpassed. "This Happy Breed" was made in 1944 and sets out to chart the course of history from 1919 to 1939 in terms of an average British family. It succeeds admirably, but at the same time it is, inevitably, aimed principally at the people it purports to portray. It hardly has any story ; there is much talk and the directors have taken great pains in centering their attention on characterizations. In addition, some of the humor is bound to be lost on American audiences due to the quite heavy British accents. Essentially, "This Happy Breed" deals with the usual things in life — the family, Miss Johnson and Mr. Newton accompanied by Grandma, Amy Veness, and Aunt Sylvia, played by Alison Leggatt, move into a new house in 1919. The couple has three children, two girls and a boy. While history takes its turbulent course outside, it has its reflections on the quiet surface of the family waters. One daughter gets married, then the son, who is killed in an accident later, takes a bride and tragedy strikes again when the second daughter, Kay Walsh, goes off with a married man. Outcast by the family, but not forgotten, she in the end finds her way into the arms of her childhood lover, ably played by John Mills. Stanley Holloway, as Bob, Newton's friend, gives an excellent performance. When reviewed in the Motion Picture Herald in May, 1944, Peter Burnup called the picture "a beautifully photographed, skilfully directed and exquisitely acted piece. It is as 3586 though, sitting in the theatre, one overheard unseen the tender intimacies, the hopes, fears, joys, griefs, of a million ordinary commonplace folk. ... A tribute to the new excellence of endeavor which inspires Britain's picture makers." Previewed at the Little Carnegie Theatre in New York {an art house), before an appreciative audience. Reviewer's Rating: Excellent for selected audiences. — Fred Hift. Release date, not set. Running time, 115 min. Adult audience classification. Frank Gibbons Robert Newton Ethel Gibbons Celia Johnson Billy Mitchell John Mills Kay Walsh, Stanley Holloway, Amy Veness, Alison Leggatt. Eileen ^Erskine, John Blythe, Guy Veryney, Merle Tottenham A Likely Story RKO Radio — Likeable, Too As the title suggests, the story told here in unique and stimulating manner isn't very likely to have happened anywhere at any time, but it's a most likeable little yarn in the lighter category and gives onlookers many a laugh. A little shallow as to marquee strength — with Barbara Hale, Bill Williams and Sam Levene its best named — it's a picture with which to entertain rather than to stampede the public. At the root of the script fashioned by Bess Taffel from a story by Alexander Kenedi is a hospital incident in which a healthy young veteran is led to believe he has but a fortnight to live. Having met on a train a young girl coming to New York to make a career in art, and a raffish crook just released from the penitentiary, he looks them up, in turn, finding the girl in need of financial aid and finding the crook favorably disposed toward helping him get it for her via an insurance policy on his (the veteran's) life. Nothing comes off as planned, naturally, and nothing happens quite like it usually happens in this type of comedy, but the proceedings are unremittingly amusing. Richard H. Berger produced the picture for executive producer Jack J. Gross, and H. C. Potter directed with a nice sense of pace. Previezved at the studio. Reviewer's Rating: Good,—W. R. W. Release date, not set. Running time, 88 min. PCA No. 11455. General audience classification. Vickie North Barbara Hale Bill Baker Bill Williams Louie Sam Levene Lanny Rees, Dan Tobin. Nestor Paiva, Max Willenz, Henry Kuley, Robin Raymond, Mary Young Twilight on the Rio Grande Republic — Gene Autry Western Mexico is the locale of this third in the Gene Autry series since the cowboy-star's release from the army. Varying little from the established formula which has made his pictures the favorite screen-fare of many, "Twilight" offers a pleasing mixture of action and music. The picture was directed by Frank McDonald, with Armand Schaefer the associate producer and Dorrell and Stuart E. McGowan responsible for the screenplay. Sterling Holloway, whose name has definite marquee appeal, turns in a good performance that will get a lot of laughs. Autry and his new horse, Champion, Jr., chase the villains in the accustomed style and there is no lack of the usual brawls with some knife-throwing tricks added. When Autry's friend and partner "Dusty," played by Bob Steele, is used by smugglers to take jewels across the Mexican border into the U. S., and later is found knifed to death. Gene determines to find the killers. Eliminating one suspect after another, including the pert-looking Adele Mara and Martin Garralaga, who gives an excellent portrayal of an old Mexican, he finally traps the smugglers. Seen at the home office projection room. Re%'iezver's Rating : Average. — F. H. Release date, April 1. 1947. Running time, 71 min. PCA No. 12260. General audience classification. Gene Autry.... Gene Autry p°kie Sterling Holloway Elena Del Rio Adele Mara Bob Steele, Charles Evans, Martin Garralaga, Howard J. Neg-ley. George J. Lewis, Nacho Galindo, Tex Terry and the Cass County Boys. Banjo RKO Radio— Doq Story Written and produced by Lillie Hayward, "Banjo" is a story which will appeal chiefly to children and dog-lovers. It concerns an orphan girl and her bird-dog who are sent away from the freedom of a Georgia plantation to the orderliness of a New England estate and the domineering surveillance of a guardian. Once there, the child's carefree nature conflicts with decorum of the household and it is around this theme the story is built. Intermingled is a touch of frustrated romance between the guardian and a handsome young doctor. Heading the cast is Sharyn Moffett as the orphan, Jacqueline White as the young aunt appointed to watch over the child, Walter Reed as the young doctor, and Banjo, a thoroughbred bird-dog, who outshines the rest of the cast even without a speaking part. Richard O. Fleischer directed. Previewed at the RKO exchange in New York. Reviewer's Rating: Average. — George H. Spires. Release date, not set. Running time, 68 min. PCA No. 11975. General audience classification. Pat Sharyn Moffett Elizabeth Jacqueline White Dr. Bob Walter Reed Una O'Connor, Herbert Evans, Louise Beavers, Ernest Whitman. Lanny Rees, Theron Jackson, Howard McNeely Fun on a Weekend United Artists-Stone — Light Comedy Here is one that is good for hearty laughs in any situation. Produced, directed and written by Andrew Stone, "Fun on a Weekend" fulfills many a little man's dream of getting rich quick through sheer nerve and ingenuity. If, at the same time, he manages to take a few pot-shots at society and the all-too-gullible mogols of industry, and if his name just happens to be Eddie Bracken, it's all for the better. Bracken and Priscilla Lane, ably assisted by such seasoned comedians as Arthur Treacher and Allen Jenkins as well as the romantic Tom Conway, make a good team. It's strictly situation comedy, of course, but some of the incidents will really get them' and the dialogue is funny and well-paced throughout. Some of the scenes, such as the one showing the hungry Eddie in hot competition with a dog for some bits of meat on a bone, are Bracken at his best. The story deals with a boy and a girl, both hungry and broke, who meet on a Florida beach and decide to go "for the big money" with nothing more to start with than some beach attire. Liberally using society's respect for money and distinguished-sounding names, they manage to crash into several homes, pretending they are in the market for an estate. Eventually, although still penniless, they get to live at the best hotel in town, throw lavish parties and mingle with high society. When Bracken thinks Priscilla loves playboy Conway, he is ready to give up, but the girl convinces him it's he whom she wants to marry. Previewed at the Pix theatre, Nezv York. The audience liked it. Reviewer's Rating ; Good. — Fred Hift. Release date, May 15, 1947. Running time, 93 min. PCA No. 11927. General audience classification. Peterson Price Porterhouse in Eddie Bracken Nancy Crane Priscilla Lane yan Tom Conway Joe Morgan Allen Jenkins Arthur Treacher, Clarence Kolb, Alma Kruger, Russell Hicks, Fritz Feld, Richard Hageman, Lester Allen, (Review reprinted from last week's Herald) SHORT SUBJECTS STORM OVER BRITAIN (20th Century-Fox) March of Time (V13-9) Great Britain's labor and industrial crisis is the subject for the latest March of Time issue. It shows how Britain has already raised some key production in its "export or die" program PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION, APRIL 19, 1947