Motion Picture Reviews (1943)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS Three MOTION * PICTURE * REVIEWS Published bi-monthly for LOS ANGELES COUNTY BRANCHES, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN Cooperating Branches Women’s University Club of Los Angeles Glendale Santa Monica EDITORS Mrs. Palmer Cook Mrs. J. Allen Dayis Mrs. Laura O. Vruwink Mrs. Chester A. Ommanney, Preview Chairman Mrs. E. P. Fleming, Business Manager Address all communications to Motion Picture Reviews, P. O. Box 9251, Los Angeles, California 15c Per Copy $1.00 Per Year Vol. XVIII MARCH AND APRIL No. 2 Copyright 1 942 by Motion Picture Reviews FEATURE FILMS AERIAL GUNNER O O Chester Morris, Richard Arlen, Lita Ward, Jimmy Lydon, Dick Purcell, Keith Richards, Billy Benedict, Ralph Sanford. Screen play by Maxwell Shane. Produced by William Pine and William Thomas. Direction by William Pine. Paramount. Although the flashback method of telling this story robs it of suspense, and the rivalry of two men fighting over a girl follows a repetitious pattern, the film has interest because of the scenes of training aerial gunners for bombing crews. The meticulous step by step preparation of these boys is shown in reassuring detail, and the background is of intrinsic interest. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Interesting Matter of taste ❖ AIR RAID WARDENS O O Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Edgar Kennedy, Jacqueline White, Horace McNally, Nella Walker, Donald Meek, Henry O'Neill, Howard Freeman. Original screen play by Martin Rackin, Jack Jevne, Charles Rogers and Harry Crane. Direction by Edward Sedgwick. M.-G.-M. Against a background of efficient civilian defense, Laurel and Hardy epitomize all the pathos and the comedy of incompetence, representing the misfits in the world who are long on good intentions but short on ability. It is slapstick fun which has high moments of hilarity and should delight the comedians’ followers. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Good Excellent ASSIGNMENT IN BRITTANY O O Pierre Aumont, Susan Peters, Richard Whorf, Margaret Wycherly, Signe Hasso, Reginald Owen, John Emery, George Coulouris, Sarah Padden, Miles Mander, George Brest, Darryl Hickman, Alan Napier, Odette Myrtil, Juanita Quigley, William Edmunds. Screen play by Anthony Veiller, William H. Wright and Howard Emmett Rogers based upon the novel by Helen Maclnnes. Direction by Jack Conway. Produced by J. Walter Ruben. M-G-M. In the main this adaptation of Helen McInnes’ novel follows the action of the book, an absorbing tale of a Frenchman, Captain Metard, a member of the British Intelligence, who is dropped into Brittany by parachute and assumes the personality of a man supposed to be his physical counterpart, Bertrand Corlay. The film fails to clarify the reason why this substitution takes place, nor does it emphasize the subtle, subversive undercurrents in the character of the real Corlay which add hazards to the assignment. Metard is ordered to locate a secret Nazi submarine base through contacts with agents, one of whom proves to be in the employ of the Germans. Vengeance of the Nazis descends on many heads. Metard is captured and tortured, but his rescue by Free French enables him to attain the object of his search and to instigate a Commando raid from England. The action emphasizes the brutality of the Nazis with scenes of torture and mass executions, which make the film strong fare for children under fifteen.