Motion Picture Reviews (1943)

Ten MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS PARIS AFTER DARK O O George Sanders, Philip Dorn, Brenda Marshall, Madeleine Lebeau, Marcel Dalio, Robert Lewis, Henry Rowland, Raymond Roe. Screen play by Harold Buchman from a story by George Kessel. Direction by Leonide Moguy. Musical direction by Emil Newman. 20th Century-Fox. A serious war story contrasts two Frenchmen, brothers; one who has been tortured in a German concentration camp, and the other who represents the viewpoint of the Free French, preferring death to loss of liberty. It is a story of the underground movement in France, with seeds of suspicion and hatred spread by the Nazis and the efforts of the patriots to counteract their influence. The production is well-knit, realistic, inspiring, with excellent acting. The score contributes a good musical background. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Mature No RIDING HIGH O O Dorothy Lamour, Dick Powell, Victor Moore, Gil Lamb, Cass Daley, Bill Goodwin, Rod Cameron, Glen Langan. Screen play by Walter DeLeon, Arthur Phillips and Art Arthur. Direction by George Marshall. Paramount. Here is rowdy farce, the vehicle for specialty acts and slapstick, glamorized by Technicolor. The setting for the plot, such as it is, is a de luxe winter resort in beautiful Arizona mountain country to which comes Mortimer J. Slocom (Victor Moore), a slick counterfeiter. The hero (Dick Powell), is trying to find capital to equip a silver mine for production, and he falls easy prey to the ingratiating crook. Discovering the lawless game, with detectives on his trail, Dick frantically tries with some amusing complications to rid himself of the incriminating bank roll. Dorothy Lamour does not wear her famous sarong but as a strip tease burlesque queen she is not handicapped. The chuck wagon race at the end is exciting fun but much of the preceding footage is tedious, and several musical numbers are in poor taste. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Not recommended Not recommended SON OF DRACULA O O Alan Curtis, Louise Allbritton, Lon Chaney, Evelyn Ankers, Frank Craven, J. Edward Bromberg, Samuel S. Hinds, Adeline Reynolds. Screen play by Eric Taylor from a story by Curtis Siodmak. Direction by Robert Siodmak. Universal. The weird legend of the vampire is played against a realistic background of a Southern plantation in America. There is scant use of subtlety, but the action clings to the fringes of sanity sufficiently to satisfy any fan of the chill and terror dramas. When the mys terious Count Alucard from the Balkans appears at "Dark Oaks,” the family doctor discovers that his name spells Dracula in reverse, but this does not deter the morbid daughter of the house from falling in love with him and rushing to her doom. Although acting and direction are good, many people will hope that Dracula has no more progeny. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Only for those condi No. Too terrifying tioned to the type ❖ SPOTLIGHT SCANDALS O O Billy Gilbert, Frank Fay, Bonnie Baker, Butch and Buddy, Harry Langdon Iris Adrian, Jimmy Hollywood, Radio Rogues, Eddie Burtell, Syd Charlton, Claudia Dell. Direction by William Beaudine. Monogram Pictures. It is clever showmanship to combine the talents of Billy Gilbert and Frank Fay, with Harry Langdon to act as a foil for caustic remarks, and there are many decidedly comic routines. Bonnie Baker also will delight her radio fans. The story is slight but different. Frank Fa}', finding himself stranded in a mid-west town, is induced to accept the offer of a barber, with a yen for Broadway, to buy two tickets for New York if Fay will help him to get on the stage. Fay keeps his promise, but while Gilbert is rendering his corny songs, Fay keeps up a patter, which gives the booker an idea of combining the two in a vaudeville act. The act is a success, but unexpected complications follow which are handled with imagination and human interest. The picture provides an entertaining interlude. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Yes Yes ❖ SWING FEVER O O Kay Kyser, Marilyn Maxwell, William Gargan, Nat Pendleton, Lena Horne, Curt Bois, Marris Ankrum, Maxie Rosenblum, Andrew Tombes. Screen play by Nat Perrin and Warren Wilson. Direction by Tim Whelan. M-G-M. Lowell Blackford, played by Kay Kyser, is a naive, honest, self-effacing young man with the secret asset of an “evil eye” which immobilizes victims unfortunate enough to get in his way. He uses it to decide an important prize fight. The picture gives Kay Kyser ample opportunity to lead his band and entertain in a manner to please his fans. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Matter of taste No interest ❖ THE UNKNOWN GUEST O O Victor Jory, Pamela Blake, Harry Hayden, Emory Parbell, Nora Cecil, Lee White. Screen play by Maurice Franklin and Philip Yordan. Direction by Kurt Newman. Monogram Pictures. When two elderly owners of an isolated hunting lodge disappear in a mysterious way,