Motion Picture Reviews (1941)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS Fire to Marvin Myles. Ruth Hussey’s part is less flattering, both as the girl Henry ignores in his younger days and as the sometimes preoccupied, often nagging wife, but she does it well. Charles Coburn, Val Heflin and others are excellent. Costuming and settings establish the periods and the dialogue is unusually telling. King Vidor has assembled his materials to make a well coordinated, thoughtful production. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Of doubtful interest No ♦ HOT SPOT O O Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Laird Cregar, William Gargan, Alan Mowbray, Allyn Joslyn, Elisha Cook, Jr. Screen play by Dwight Taylor from the novel "I Wake Up Screaming" by Steve Fisher. Direction by Bruce Humberstone. Produced by Milton Sperling. 20th Century-Fox. “Hot Spot” is a descriptive title for an absorbing murder mystery. It begins with the third degree examination of a fight promoter, Frankie Christopher, held for the murder of a glamour girl whom he has raised from the rank of waitress to that of budding movie star. Aspects of the crime are depicted by a dramatic use of flashbacks. Although Christopher is released, he is relentlessly stalked by the detective Cornell through the rest of the picture, and the evidence against him is so damaging that he barely escapes with his life. As Cornell, Laird Cregar gives a magnificent performance with subtle undercurrents of evil, and Victor Mature wins sympathy by his sincerity and strong emotional reactions. Allyn Joslyn as a columnist and Alan Mowbray as an aging actor, both of whom are under suspicion for a time, are also excellent. Carole Landis, the glamour girl, and Betty Grable, her sister, are capable, but because of the turn of the plot, interest centers in the men’s parts. As the film is well directed and production values are Class A, the picture should prove a hit of its type. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Sophisticated. Too mature Also very tense ❖ HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY O O Walter Pidgeon, Sara Allgood, Donald Crisp, John Loder, Roddy McDowall, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Barry Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, Welsh Singers, Morton Lowry, Arthur Shields, Ann Todd, Frederick Worlock. Screen play by Philip Dunne, based on novel by Richard Llewellyn. Direction by John Ford. Photography by Arthur Miller. Music by Alfred Newman. 20th Century-Fox. The rarely beautiful literary quality of Richard Llewellyn’s novel of life in a Welsh mining village during Queen Victoria’s reign has been retained in this moving picture of family love and solidarity. The naturalness of the cast removes their performances from the sphere of acting until life itself seems to be unfolding before one, and John Ford, by emphasizing intimate family relationships, kindly humor, and individual courage rather than stark tragedy, has given us an indelible impression of happiness rather than a feeling of waste and destruction. It is the story of a family and its environment as seen through the eyes of a sensitive and intelligent bo}r. He sees his beloved green valley ruined by the creeping slag from the mills, the peaceful, kindly neighbors embittered by privation and labor troubles, his family separated by economic necessity and death, but because of his youthful viewpoint, these things seem less important than his memory of the indestructible influence of his home life and its setting in the beautiful valley as he knew it first. An adult will realize that a well-loved, well lived past has gone and can never be regained, but Hu<w has captured and treasured its beauty as a beacon to guide him always forward. This is singularly moving and deeply significant. Dialogue is used sparingly, John Ford depending more upon action, beautiful music and notable photography to tell his story. In a superlative cast, Sara Allgood and Donald Crisp as the parents, and Roddy McDonald as Hu<w are unforgetable, while Walter Pidgeon as the minister and John Loder as Inato are also exceptionally fine. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Excellent Mature but good ❖ KEEP 'EM FLYING O O Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Martha Raye, Carol Bruce, Dick Foran, William Gargan, Charles Lang, William Davidson, Truman Bradley, Loring Smith. Screen play by True Boardman, Nat Perrin and John Grant from original story by Edmund L. Hartmann. Direction by Arthur Lubin. Universal Pictures. Following their friend Jinx Roberts (Dick Foran), an aerial daredevil, who joins the U. S. Army Air Corps, Blackie and Heathcliff (Abbott and Costello) try to crash the Academy as trained mechanics. The Major fails to appreciate their “expert abilities,” but is so impressed by their patriotic ardor that he puts them to work as grease monkeys. As usual, H cathcliff’ s flair for getting into trouble provides hilarity and excitement. In addition to the hokum there is enough story to provide drama, some really impressive sequences of the flying school, photographed at CalAero Academy, Ontario, California, and a patriotic musical finale which is very effective. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Good Exciting and funny