The Movies ... and the People Who Make Them (1940)

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"The MOVIES 1940” an entertaining blend of snickers and shudders. Suspense doesn’t crumble till the last as the cast carries out their chores with plenty of energy. Kirk Pierce and Sally Ambler, advertising and script radio workers, become involved in an argument shortly before their scheduled wedding Sally skips off to her family mansion in Georgia, with Kirk in hot pursuit. Disappearance of an uncle’s corpse and later the strange murder of Aunt Maggie dissolve the argu ment until the culprit’s apprehension. Along the way a strange tombstone salesman, a raging storm, a slinking black cat, etc. keep things interesting. Edgar Kennedy as a comic sheriff, Joyce Compton as a giggling blonde, Willie Best as a scared servant and others season the crime angle with strong comedy elements. Arthur Lubin’s direction stresses the right situations, emphasizing mystery and laugh complications to good advantage. John Hubbard and Wendy Barrie as the bickering radio workers share the romantic spot. It’s a deftly manipulated thrill-comedy adequate for all but the most discriminating audiences. TRAILING DOUBLE TROUBLE . Produced by George W. Weeks, distributed by Monogram Director: S. Roy Luby Screenplay: Oliver Drake Story: George Plympton Photography: Ed Linden Editor: Roy Claires Ray "Crash” Corrigan John "Dusty” King ... Max "Alibi” Terhune &? Elmer Marian Horner The Baby Jim Moreland Amos Hardy ... Kirk Walt Drag Sheriff Bob Horner .. Themselves Lita Conway Nancy Louise King Roy Barcroft ..... Jack Rutherford Tom London ... William Kellogg Earl Matthews Forrest Taylor Ken Duncan The Range Busters gallop again in a regulation gun western; murderous ranchers attempt to grab the property of an orphaned baby but the boys step in. (Adults 8C Young People) (Running time, 58 minutes) THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Produced and distributed by Republic Director: George Sherman Screenplay: Barry Shipman Story: Earle Snell Photography: William Nobles Editor: Tony Martinelli Stony Brooke .. Tucson Smith Lullaby Joslin . Marcia Jeff Bradley Jim Chapman . Major Kelton . The Dentist .... Alice Chapman Mason Reynolds Fowler Robert Livingston Bob Steele Rufe Davis .... Pauline Moore Weldon Heyburn Carroll Nye . Tom Chatterton Si Jenks Mary Field John Merton Rex Lease Robert Blair Serviceable western melodrama. The Three Mesquiteers tangle with badmen again when they attempt to aid in the establishment of a prairie telegraph system. (Adults &L Young People) (Running time, 58 minutes) This second in the new Mesquiteer series runs along formula lines most of the way but manages to hold interest. The action pattern predominates, broadened by minor romance and comedy. Stony Brooke and Tucson Smith, abetted by jester Lullaby Joslin, combine forces with Jim Chapman, who is trying to maintain telegraph lines between western army posts in order to combat the local raiders. Jeff Bradley, a newspaper publisher and leader of the outlaws, frames the three crusading cowboys when they begin upsetting his schemes, but they escape, enlist the aid of the head army man in the district, restore the lines and eliminate the trouble-makers. There’s some fine photography included in the sequences, and although the direction seems a trifle jerky at times, interest is maintained up to the final fadeout. Robert Livingston as Stony remains convincingly rugged as the active leader, while Bob Steele as Tucson shares the top spot with convincing cowboy mannerisms. Rufe Davis as the comedy member clicks with his laugh contributions. As usual the girl — Pauline Moore — hasn’t much to do, but she stands around looking attractive enough. it’s another largeiy routine but fully adequate western release. Double Trouble falls together a little more smoothly than its predecessor but net result is just average western fare. This time the three heroes take over a buckboard carrying a murdered man and a baby, learn that Jim Moreland, executor of the slain man’s estate, plans to snatch the gravel contract for himself once he gets the infant heir out of the way. The Busters hide the baby, protect the tyke's trim young aunt when she enters the proceedings, and in good time take the tar out of the villains. The dialog is pretty hard to take, but the story is satisfying enough when it sticks to action. Ray “Crash” Corrigan and John “Dusty” King handle the heavy action, while Max “Alibi” Terhune wrenches out a few laughs with the aid of his ventriloquist’s dummy. Lita Conway is an alluring heroine even though the boys have to ride away from her at the finish for the next release in the series. LTL ABNER: Produced by Vogue Pictures, Ltd.; released by RKO Director: Albert S. Rogell Screenplay: Charles Kerr, Tyler Johnson Story: A1 Capp Photography: Harry Jackson Editors: Otto Ludwig, Donn Hayes Li'1 Abner Granville Owen Daisy Mae Martha O'Driscoll Mammy Yokum Mona Ray Pappy Yokum Johnnie Morris Lonesome Polecat Buster Keaton Cousin Delightful Billie Seward Wendy Wilecat Kay Sutton Granny Scraggs Maude Eburne Montague Johnny Arthur Barber Walter Catlett Cornelius Cornpone Edgar Kennedy The Sheriff Lucien Littlefield Mr. Oldtimer Lucien Littlefield Earthquake McGoon Charles A. Post Hairless Joe Bud Jamison Abijah Gooch Frank Wilder Mayor Gurgle Chester Conklin Marryin’ Sam Dick Elliott Cicero Grunts Mickey Daniels Hannibal Hoops Doodles Weaver Miss Lulubell Marie Blake Slapstick specialty bringing A1 Capp’s comic strip characters to the screen. With the Yokums, Lonesome Polecat, Granny Scraggs et al much in evidence, Li’l Abner eludes Daisy Mae come Sadie Hawkins Day down Dogpatch way. (Adults & Young People) (Running time, 73 minutes) Followers of Al Capp’s fabulous Dogpatch inhabitants should be well pleased with this offering. The film brings the quaint mountain folk to the screen with remarkable fidelity and there are plenty of laughs even though the plot doesn’t amount to much The dialect is a little mixed up at times but that too is a minor criticism. The story details Li’l Abner’s efforts to escape Daisy Mae and various other hillbilly sirens. The climax is a hectic Sadie Hawkins Day chase with Li'l Abner still out in front at the finish Along the way Mammy and Pappy Yokum, Earthquake McGoon, Hairless Joe, Lonesome Polecat, Cousin Delightful, Marryin’ Sam, etc. keep things stirred up. Granville Owen as Li’l Abner, Martha O’Driscoll as Daisy Mae, Johnnie Morris as Pappy Yokum and Maude Eburne as Granny Scraggs are especially convincing, while most of the others right down the line match their cartoon likenesses. MERCY PLANE: Produced by Sigmund Neufeld for Producers Distributing Corp. Director: Richard Harlan Screenplay; William Lively Photography: Jack Greenhalgh Editor: Holbrook N. Todd Speed Leslie James Dunn Brenda Gordon Frances Gifford Rocco Wolf Matty Fain Jim Gordon William Pawley Curly Harry Harvey Benson Forbes Murray An air speed pilot exposes an undercover ring of plane thieves after the head mobster’s sister gets him a job in a factory; it’s unimpressive melodrama aimed at juvenile audiences. (Adults & Young People) (Running time, 72 minutes) Featuring James Dunn as a crack airplane pilot and pretty Frances Gifford as the sister of a “hot crate” racketeer, Mercy Plane provides seventy-odd minutes desultory entertainment for child and nondiscriminating adult audience groups. Speed Leslie, continually losing air races to Brenda Gordon because of mysterious engine trouble, finally gets a job testing a “Mystery Plane.” This is stolen and he is grounded Brenda however, induces her brother Jim to employ the pilot in his plane-doctoring factory. Here Speed discovers that the doctored planes are stolen ones which will be turned over to foreign governments. A mildly exciting climax clears Speed and brings down justice on the heads of the real thieves. Dunn employs his usual flippant manner but most of the other actors seem a bit wooden. It’s acceptable Saturday matinee fare. 60