Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

SHOWMEN'S REVIEWS ADVANCE SYNOPSES SHORT SUBJECTS SHORT SUBJECTS CHART COMPANY 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. The Paradine Case Selznick — Melodrama Gregory Peck, whose initial top ten listing in the Herald's Money-Making Stars is announced in this edition, is the top name in mainstay of this fame-laden David O. Selznick production, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, with Charles Laughton, Charles Coburn, and Ethel Barrymore also contributing to billboard strength, and with the widely publicized newcomers, Valli and Louis Jourdan, introduced to American audiences. The picture is a fastidiously produced murder story, adult in subject and treatment, told entirely in dialogue, and it classifies as a class package. Names should get it a strong opening, and veneer figures to carry it from there. Producer Selznick also wrote the script, adapted by Alma Reville and James Bridie from the Robert Hichens novel, and Lee Garmes photographed it attractively. The scene is England, in 1946, and Peck plays a famous trial lawyer engaged to defend Valli, charged with poisoning her blind husband. Fascinated by her, although made acquainted with her premarital promiscuity, he sets out to defend her by proving that the deceased's manservant killed him, but she resists this line of action stubbornly without explaining why. His wife and friends become aware he has fallen in love with the accused, and he believes likewise, but when he persists in proving the manservant guilty, and the latter commits suicide, the prisoner confesses the crime on the stand. Afterward his wife takes him back. The principal scene is an English courtroom, where Peck gets in his most effective moments and Laughton. as presiding judge, supplies colorfully contrasting characterization. Here and elsewhere British setting, mannerisms and procedures appear punctiliously approximated. While nominally a murder mystery, "The Paradine Case" is much more than that. It is an extremely interesting study of the actions and reactions of a group of sensitive and intelligent adults caught up in murder. Full of suspense, shot through with psychologically sound motives, cleverely exploiting sound, but false suspicions, the picture is a smooth production with Hitchcock drawing top performances from his cast. Out of "The Paradine Case" there emerges a new star in the Italian actress billed simply as Valli. She is a striking brunette with throaty voice and interesting accent and photographs, in this instance anyway, like the treasure at Fort Knox. But beyond this, she also displays dramatic power which future pictures should reveal further. Jourdan, _ the other newcomer, is dark and attractive in a way which suggests he may prove to be a bobby soxer's delight when he gets sufficient screen circulation. His performance here indicates he can also act. The international flavor of this atraction is further attested to by the competent performance of Ann Todd, actress borrowed from London for the role of Peck's wife. Previewed at Bruin and Village theatres, Westwood, to cross-industry audience which displayed keen interest. Reviewer's Rating ; Good. — William R. Weaver. Release date, not set. Running time, 132 thin. PCA No. 12320. Adult audience classification. Anthony Keane Gregory Peck Gay Keane Ann Todd Lord Horfield Charles Laughton Sir Simon Flaquer Charles Coburn Lady Horfield ...Ethel Barrymore Valli, Louis Jourdan, Leo G. Carroll, Joan Tetzel A Double Life U-l Kanin — Distinguished Entertainment The greatest performance in Ronald Colman's long career would be in itself enough to carry this Michael Kariin production to impressive grosses, but is not required to do so, since production, direction, script, and matching performances by Signe Hasso, Edmund O'Brien, Shelley Winters, Ray Collins, Philip Loeb and supporting players round out a powerful, fascinating, innately theatrical attraction sure to make its mark in any market. Strictly adult in subject and treatment, it is at once a character study, a literary work and a melodrama, and in the aggregate distinguished entertainment. Colman portrays a famous stage actor, beloved by some who know him, and despised by others, who co-stars in "Othello" with Miss Hasso, from whom he is two years divorced but still in love. He concentrates on his characterization so profoundly that his own personality and conduct become indistinguishable by him from those of the insanely jealous Shakespearean nobleman who slays his wife in the play. His suspicion that Miss Hasso is in love with the play's press agent, O'Brien, leads him to the point of murdering her, but his own personality intervenes to the extent of diverting his murderous impulse to another girl with whom he has had a secret affair. When, by interesting complications and developments, the crime is traced to him and he is about to be arrested in mid-performance, he makes Othello's onstage suicide his own real one. The script by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin is an extremely well balanced and effective presentation of cause and effect, and George Cukor's masterly direction makes every scene and sentence of dialogue count importantly. Scenes from Shakespeare's "Othello" figure vitally and substantially in the film, but do not shunt the picture into the "arty" classification. By no means for children, the film is a quality job in every respect and a fine cinema experience for adults. Seen at the studio. Reviezver's Rating : Excellent.—-W. R. W. Release date, not set. Running time, 103 minutes. PCA Cert. No. 12847. Adult audience classification. Anthony John Ronald Colman Brita Signe Hasso Bill Friend Edmond O'Brien Shelley Winters, Ray Collins, Philip Loeb. Millard Mitchell. (Review reprinted from last week's Herald) ADVANCE SYNOPSES JOE PALOOKA IN FIGHTING MAD (Monogram) PRODUCER: Hal E. Chester. DIRECTOR: Reginald LeBorg. PLAYERS: Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Knox, John Hubbard, Patricia Dane, Wally Vernon. PRIZE FIGHT STORY: After Palooka retires from the ring because of an eye injury, he risks his sight to go back in the ring and show up racketeers who are fixing fights. After the fight, the racketeers threaten Palooka's manager, but they are arrested and brought to justice. OVERLAND TRAILS (Monogram) PRODUCER: Barney Sarecky. DIRECTOR: Lambert Hillyer. PLAYERS: Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, Bill Kennedy, Virginia Belmont, Steve Darrell. WESTERN : Johnny Mack Brown learns that his father has been killed and his goldmining claim stolen. When another prospector is killed for the same reason, Johnny confronts the murderer with the evidence of his guilt. The killer commits suicide and Johnny and the murderer's daughter plan a future together. SHORT SUBJECTS COMMUNITY SING (Columbia) No. 3— Series 12 (9653) Old time favorites are performed in this reel, which features the Song Spinners with Don Baker at the organ. Among the songs are "Peg O' My Heart," "I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder," "A Sunday Kind of Love" and "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba." The audience is encouraged to join in the fun. Release date, November 6, 1947 9 minutes FLICKER FLASHBACKS (RKO) No. 2 (84,202) Here are two episodes as they were made back in the days when they cheered the hero and hissed the villain. The first one has to do with King Henry the Third of France, who would like to capture a vacant castle. However, his sister Prunella also would like to get hold of the place, so she gets her boy friend, the Duke, to ambush the King's men and take the castle in her name. In the end the King uses a trick to find out who was behind his sister's plans. The second episode tells of a female spy from the North who learns about the Confederates' new warship, the Ironclad. There are many hairbreadth escapes before the fuel and powder for the vessel can be stowed away. Release date, December 5, 1947 9 minutes PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION, JANUARY 3, 1948 4001