Motion Picture Reviews (1944)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS Five film is powerful, and some of it so terrible that anyone who has not a strong grip on his emotions should not see it, but it ranks high as a picture of the war. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Very strong. Depends No. Much too on individual realistic ❖ THE FIGHTING SEABEES O O John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Dennis O'Keefe, William Frawley, Leonid Kinskey, J. M. Kerrigan, Grant Withers, Paul Fix, Ben Welden, William Forrest, Addison Richards, Jay Norris, Duncan Renaldo. Screen play by Borden Chase and Aeneas MacKenzie. Direction by Edward Ludwig. Republic Pictures. In addition to entertainment value, this film offers a constructive history of the Navy “C. B’s’’ (Construction Battalions), explaining their vital importance to the military effort, the reason for the requirement of combat training, and the necessity for central command. The action is exciting and dramatic, and while the romance is perhaps an unnecessary diversion, it adds to popular interest and serves to highlight the characters of two fine men. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Good Exciting ❖ A GUY NAMED JOE O O Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Van Johnson, Ward Bond, James Gleason, Lionel Barrymore, Esther Williams, Barry Nelson. Screen play by Dalton Trumbo, adapted by Frederick Hazlitt Brennen from an original story by Chandler Sprague and David Boehm. Musical score by Herbert Stothart. Direction by Victor Fleming. M-G-M. It may be a mistake to attempt to preach a lesson in a picture dealing with the supernatural. At any rate the best part of this film is that which deals with the living, and Spencer Tracy as Pete is most successful when he is the brilliant, reckless flyer, beloved by and loving beyond reason the lovely D’rinda of the Ferry Command. Killed in glorious combat, he returns as a spirit to act as mentor to a young flyer, guiding him through perils of training and of warfare in the South Pacific. The plot is lightened by humor which is shrewd and earthy. Most of the picture is very well presented by an excellent cast, the backgrounds are realistic with fine composition, and music is skilfully introduced, with the Army Air Corps song as a recurring theme. The scenes of aerial combat are some of the finest and most spectacular ever filmed. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Matter of taste Confusing THE HEAVENLY BODY O O Wm. Powell, Hedy Lamarr, James Craig, Fay Bainter, Henry O'Neill, Spring Byington, Robert Sully, Morris Ankrum, Franco Corsaro, Connie Gilchrist. Screen play by Michael Arlen and Walter Reisch. Based on a story by Jacques Thery. Direction by Alexander Hall. Production by Arthur Hornblow, Jr. M-G-M. Anyone looking for frothy nonsense will find it neatly dished up in this film. Professor Whitley is so intent upon computing the exact moment when his newly discovered comet will collide with the moon that his wife, Vickey, tired of his all-night absences, takes up astrology, which she confuses with astronomy, and becomes equally absorbed in finding out when she will meet her true love. By the time the professor has lost interest in heavenly bodies and begun to pay attention to more earthly matters, a lot of funny things have happened. William Powell as the professor and Fay Bainter as a fortuneteller are at their best, but Hedy Lamarr seems less adept in light comedy. The settings are unusually interesting. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Unobjectionable No interest HENRY ALDRICH, BOY SCOUT O O Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Joan Mortimer, Minor Watson, Darryl Hickman, David Holt, Richard Haydel, Ralph Hoopes. Original screen play by Agnes Christine Johnston. Direction by Hugh Bennett. Paramount. Except for the ending, which is unnecessarily exaggerated, this film keeps closer to the adventures of a real boy than most of the series. Henry is a Boy Scout, and in spite of his aptitude for getting into trouble, he becomes a “good example’’ and helps regenerate a spoiled brat placed in his care. The story emphasizes the Scout creed of honor and duty, and it has enough details of interest and humor to make it agreeable entertainment. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Good Exciting ending ❖ THE IMPOSTOR O O Jean Gabin, Richard Whorf, Allyn Joslyn, Ellen Drew, Peter Van Eyck, Ralph Morgan, Eddie Quillen, John Qualen, Milburn Stone. Original screen play by Julien Duvivier, dialogue adapted from the French by Stephen Longstreet. Photographed by Paul Ivano. Produced and directed by Julien Duvivier. Universal. Saved from the guillotine when the advancing Nazis bomb a prison in Tour, La Farge (Jean Gabin) escapes to join the Free French in North Africa. The gradual awakening of a man’s soul to the nobility of friendship and love of country is revealed in a convincing story of regeneration. The film is somewhat somber in tone, but it lacks any suggestion of sentimentality, is