Motion Picture Reviews (1944)

MOTION PICTURE REVIEWS Eleven exist in the U. S. as well as in Europe. Alof his perfect naturalness, his modesty, and his down-to-earth Americanism, The personal romance of the doctor lessens the tension of the film and makes one think of him more as an individual than as a symbol. There are many good performances by the members of the large cast. No other picture has revealed the psychology of the wounded so well as this one. Many spectacular scenes in Technicolor against the backgrounds of the Orient are handled in the De Mille style with masses of people in the Chinese city streets, on the wharves of Java, and on the ship which removes the last of the refugees. It is one of the best of the war films. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Fine picture with Too grim historical significance ❖ SUMMER STORM O O George Sanders, Linda Darnell. Anna Lee, Edward Everett Horton, Hugo Haas, Lori Lakner, Sig Ruman. Screen play by Rowland Leigh from novel by Anton Chekov, adapted by Marshall O'Hara. Direction by Eugene Schufftan and William McGarry, Angelus Pictures. United Artists. This is an exceptionally interesting interpretation of the Russian social structure before the Revolution, as told in a story of illicit passion resulting in tragedy. It is exceedingly well produced, tactfully presented, and very well acted, with especially striking performances by several supporting players. Its power depends upon its honesty which resorts to no sentimentality in emotional appeal through either plot or characters. The musical score is remarkably beautiful. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Too sophisticated Unsuitable ❖ TAKE IT BIG O O Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge, Fritz Feld, Lucile Gleason, Fuzzy Knight, Frank Forest, George Meeker. Original screen play by Howard J. Green. Direction by Frank McDonald. Paramount. The popular demand for light comedy musicals brings some to the screen which are a sheer waste of time. This film falls into that class with its silly and somewhat vulgar specialty acts interspersed with drink ing scenes. One sequence with a fabricated horse is really amusing. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children. 8 to 1 2 Mediocre No ❖ THIS IS THE LIFE O O Donald O'Connor, Susanna Foster, Peggy Ryan, Patric Knowles, Louise Allbritten, Dorothy Peterson, Jonathan Hale. Direction by Felix A. Feist. Universal. A pleasantly youthful atmosphere pervades this picture about a young girl who thinks she is in love with a handsome older man until a boy of her own age brings her to her senses. Susanna Foster has a charming voice, and her songs are well chosen, but she is too large a girl and too mature looking to be paired with Donald O’Connor, especially when Peggy Ryan, well-suited to him, is in the same play. The latter forsakes her incessant jitterbugging for some really talented comedy dance numbers. Donald is an original youngster, whose pursuit of an elusive cherry ‘ at the bottom of a lemonade glass is one of the funniest bits of pantomime on record. The older members of the cast are competent. The picture seems a little uneven, especially in the earlier scenes, but on the whole it is enjoyable light entertainment. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 1 2 Good I heme of doubt ful interest ❖ THREE MEN IN WHITE O O Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Marilyn Maxwell, Keye Luke, Ava Gardner, Alma Kruger, Rags Ragland, Nell Craig, Walter Kingsford, George H. Reed, Celia Travers. Direction by Willis Goldbeck. M.G.M. One of the poorer members of the Dr. Gillespie series shows the doctor becoming senile, bellowing at patients and nurses and quarreling with the staff during the moments he is not engrossed in choosing between a Chinese interne and a cocky American boy for his assistant. The romance between young Dr. Adams and a social worker flaunts all precepts of good taste and invites censorship when the girl uses extreme efforts to lure him to the altar. Two cases of moderate interest are used as examples of medical problems, and the inadequate plot is padded by rather trashy dialogue. Adolescents, 12 to 16 Children, 8 to 12 Poor entertainment No