Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1952)

*'W Outstanding fV Good ^ Fair BRIEF REVIEWS A — For adults F — For the whole family p 98 ✓ (F) AARON SLICK FROM PUNKIN CRICK— Paramount, Technicolor: Musical version of the oldtime melodrama with Robert Merrill and Adele Jergens as a couple of crooks who try to fleece farm girl, Dinah Shore. With Alan Young. (May) ^ (F) ACTORS AND SIN— U.A.: A drama and a comedy about the theatre and the motion picture industry are combined in this rather off-beat twopart film. Edward G. Robinson, Marsha Hunt are in the first episode. Eddie Albert, Jennie Hecht in the second. (Apr.) V'V'V* (F) AFRICAN QUEEN, THE — U.A., Technicolor: A completely off-the-beaten-path adventure story with spinster Katharine Hepburn and rough mineworker Humphrey Bogart thrown together on a frail river craft in German East Africa. They set out to destroy an enemy gunboat and find a rare and unexpected kind of love. With Robert Morley. (Mar J ^ (A) ANOTHER MAN'S POISON— U.A. : A depressing British-made drama in which Bette Davis murders her husband to be free to marry Gary Merrill. (Apr.) ^^54 (F) ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN — Paramount : Jose Ferrer comes to the U. S. in search of happiness and a long-lost uncle; finds both and a romance with Kim Hunter in the bargain in this charm-laden bit of Americana. With Kurt Kasznar, Eugenie Leontovich. (May) ^ (F) BATTLE AT APACHE PASS, THE— U-I : Jeff Chandler repeats his Cochise character, and again tries to live in harmony with the white settlers until Bruce Cowling stirs up an incident that results in a bloody massacre. Susan Cabot, John Lund, John Hudson and Beverly Tyler are involved in the proceedings. (May) fc^}4 (F) BELLE OF NEW YORK, THE— M-G-M, Technicolor: Vera-Ellen’s a missionary worker and Fred Astaire a playboy in this rather disappointing lightweight musical set in the Gay Nineties period. With Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn. (May) k^54 (F) BEND OF THE RIVER — U-l , Te hnicolor: Jimmy Stewart guides a party of determined Missourians to Oregon and gets involved in some intense action when former pal Arthur Kennedy tries to highjack the pioneers’ food supply. With Julia Adams, Lori Nelson, Rock Hudson. (Apr.) l^54 (F) BIG TREES, THE — Warners, Technicolor: Unscrupulous lumberman Kirk Douglas gets reformed by Eva Miller in this trite melodrama concerning the preservation of the Giant California redwood trees. With Pat Wymore, John Archer. (Apr.) ^ (F) BOOTS MALONE — Columbia: Behind the scenes story of the race-track stables, introducing Johnny Stewart as a rich kid who yearns to be a jockey and Bill Holden as a shady agent who’s reformed bv the boy’s loyalty and affection. (Mar.) ^ (F) BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON— Warners, Technicolor: Disgraced civil war officer Ray Milland goes west to join the U. S. Cavalry and clashes with villainous Hugh Marlowe and warminded Sioux in this run-of-the-mill sage-brush drama. With Helena Carter. (Apr.) 54 (F) BUSHWHACKERS, THE — Realart : John Ireland, a peace-seeking Confederate sergeant, takes a newspaper job and gets involved in killings, arson, and murder charges. A violent Western. With Dorothy Malone, Lawrence Tierney. (Mar.) 54^ (F) CALIFORNIA CONQ UEST— Columbia, Technicolor: Cornel Wilde foils Mexicans and Russians and brings California into the Union all by himself according to this corny but fast-moving Western. With Teresa Wright. (May) k/ (F) CIMARRON KID, THE — U-I, Technicolor: Audie Murphy, after being twice railroaded to prison unjustly, joins up with the murderous Dalton gang in this ho-hum Western. With Beverly Tyler, Yvette Dugay, John Hudson. (Mar.) (A) DEATH OF A SALESMAN— C olumbia: Faithful screen version of the Pulitzer prize-winning play which tells of the mental deterioration of an average man whose false values lead to his downfall and the downfall of his sons. Starring Fredric March. With Kevin McCarthy, Mildred Dunnock, Cameron Mitchell. (Mar.) sS'/Vt (F) 5 FINGERS — 20th Century-Fox: The best spy story in years based on actual events which took place in Turkey during World War I, with James Mason as the cool spy who sold top war secrets to the Nazis for mercenary reasons. With Danielle Darrieux. Michael Rennie. (May) (F) FIRST TIME, T HE — Columbia : A light-hearted comedy about the trials and anxieties of parents Barbara Hale and Robert Cummings as seen through the eyes of their first offspring. (Mar.) V*\/ .(F) FLAMING FEATHER— Paramount, Technicolor: Blood ’n’ thunder Western with Sterling Hayden and Forrest Tucker involved in a bet as to who could discover and capture a vicious outlaw. With Richard Arlen, Barbara Rush. (Apr.) k/^ (A) FOR MEN ONLY — Lippert: An indictment against hazing in college fraternities in which Paul Henreid plays a defiant professor out to track down the culprit responsible for Robert Sherman’s death. With Russ Johnson, Margaret Field. (Apr.) ^yy2 (F) GIRL IN EVERY PORT, A — RKO : Bill Bendix and Groucho Marx, as two oldest sailors in the Navy, are involved in a lot of whacky goings on with horses. Marie Wilson and Don De Fore are in this nonsense comedy too. (Apr.) l/Vl/ (F) GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, THE — Paramount, Technicolor: A spectacular epic in which the acts, atmosphere and excitement of the Big Top are combined with the talents of Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, James Stewart, Gloria Grahame, Cornel Wilde and Dorothy Lamour to make this one of the most thrilling pictures of the year. (Mar.) (F) HERE COME THE NELSONS— U-I: The ingredients for fun and frolic are missing as the well-loved radio stars Ozzie, Harriet, David and Rickey Nelson bring their family life to the screen. With Rock Hudson, Barbara Lawrence. (Mar.) k^k/ (F) I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU— 20th Century-rox, Technicolor: Remake of classic “Berkeley Square” in which scientist Tyrone Power journeys two hundred years back in time only to find that the old days weren’t so good after all. With Ann Blyth as the 18th Century and modern miss Ty learns to love, and Michael Rennie. (Mar.) l/y'J* (F) l 'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS— Warners: Doris Day and Danny Thomas are a tuneful twosome in a heartwarming musical biography of lyricist Gus Kahn. With Pat Wymore, Frank Lovejoy, James Gleason. (Mar.) (F) INVITATION — M-G-M: A compassionate drama in which Van Johnson is persuaded by Louis Calhern to marry Dorothy McGuire in order to make happy her last year to live. With Ruth Roman. (Apr.) (F) ITS A BIG COUNTRY— M-G-M: A somewhat overdone lecture on what America is and why we should love it, illustrated by eight separate episodes of varied merit and enacted by an allstar cast including Van Johnson, Ethel Barrymore, Gene Kelly, Janet Leigh and Gary Cooper. (Mar.) k^ (F) JAPANESE WAR BRIDE— 20th CenturyFox: When Don Taylor brings wife Shirley Yamaguchi back to America a lot of high-powered unpleasantness results from the intolerance of family and triends. An indecisive melodrama. (Mar.) kA^ (F) JUST THIS ONCE— M-G-M: Attorney Janet Leigh is retained by Lewis Stone to prevent Peter Lawford from squandering his fortune in this delightful and diverting comedy. With Richard Anderson, Marilyn Erskine. (Mar.) ✓J4 (F) LAS VEGAS STORY. THE— RKO: Jane Russell, in Las Vegas with husband Vincent Price, meets up with ex-love Vic Mature and all three somehow get involved in a murder, in this corny and stilted story. (Apr.) k^k^ ( F) LONE STAR— M-G-M: Clark Gable is for the Unionization of Texas, Brod Crawford is against it and Ava Gardner wavers politically and romantically between them in this lusty outdoor drama. (Apr.) k^ (F) LOVE IS BETTER THAN EVER — M-G-M : A silly little comedy in which dancing teacher Liz Taylor pursues agent Larry Parks all over the place until she catches him. (Apr.) (F) MA AND PA KETTLE AT THE FAIR— U-I : Further misadventures of the homespun couple in which Ma loses a jam-making contest and Pa a sulky race. With Lori Nelson, Tames Best. (May) (F) MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT, THE— U-I: A delightful British-made comedy in which Alec Guinness invents an everlasting cloth — and throws the whole British textile industry into a turmoil. With Joan Greenwood. (Apr.) I/V54 (F) MARRYING KIND, THE — Columbia: Humor, tragedy and a lot of every-day plain living are unfolded in a marriage story of average couple, Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray. With Madge Kennedy, Sheila Bond. (May) k^T4 (F) MODEL AND THE MARRIAGE BROKER, THE — 20th Century-Fox: Amusing and sentimental comedy revolving around Thelma Ritter’s attempts to bring lonely people together and to make a match between reluctant Jeanne Crain and Scott Brady. With Michael O’Shea. (Mar.) 54 k/' (F) MUTINY — U.A., Technicolor: Mark Stevens as the skipper of a U. S. ship during the War of 1812 tries to break the British blockade and bring French gold back to America. A routine adventure yarn. With Angela Lansburv. (Mav) 1^1/54 (F) MY SIX CONVICTS— Columbia: Marshall Thompson, Gilbert Roland, Henry Morgan, Millard Mitchell, Alf Kjellin, Jay Adler prove to be unusual assistants to John Beal’s experiment in establishing prison reforms. An entertaining and different kind of picture. (May) k /lA (F) PAULA — Columbia: A heavy tear-jerking drama in which Loretta Young, after accidentally See page 22 for this month’s reviews hitting Tommy Rettig with her car, takes him into i her home and helps him regain his power of speech. With Kent Smith. Alexander Knox. (May) (F) PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER— '1 20th Century-Fox. An absorbing and different story with Gary Merrill as the sole survivor of an air crash, who calls on the relatives of Michael Rennie, ill Keenan Wynn and Shelley Winters; each visit pro 1 vides a drama of its own. Bette Davis has small but i effective role. (Apr.) ✓✓ (F) PRIDE OF ST. LOUIS, THE— 20th Century-Fox: Baseball’s Dizzy Dean comes jauntily to life with Dan Dailey as the pitcher whose screwy 1 antics provided amusement for thousands of fans, ] Joanne Dru as his understanding wife and Richard •] Crenna as his brother. With Richard Hvlton. (May) I (F) RANCHO NOTORIOUS— RKO, Techni I color: A tongue-in-cheek Western in which Arthur I Kennedy, seeking revenge for the murder of his 1 sweetheart, is led by Mel Ferrer to a robber’s hideout | run by Marlene Dietrich. From there on in every i tiling happens. (May) i/’ (F) RETREAT , HELL! — Warners: A true and gripping story of our soldiers in Korea and the < hardships they went through before and during the i infamous attack by the Chinese at Chosin Reservoir. With Frank Lovejoy, Richard Carlson, Anita Louise. (May) l/' (F) RETURN OF THE TEXAN— 20th CenturyFox: A modern day Western in which widower Dale Robertson returns to his ranch and tries to make a new life for himself. Joanne Dru and Robert Horton provide the .romantii triangle, Walter Brennan the humor, Richard Boone the villainy. (Mav) 1//2. (F) SAILOR BE IV A RE — Wallis-Para; : Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin are at it again — this time as gobs whose slapstick antics all hut sink the U. S. Navy. Corinne Calvet, Marion Marshall and Vince Edwards are part of what passes for a plot. (Mar.) ✓ .(A) ISLAND OF DESIRE— U.A. , Technicolor: Fair adventure story about the events that ensue when Linda Darnell and Tab Hunter are shipwrecked on a South Pacific island. With Donald Gray. (May) l/V (F) SCANDAL SHEET— Columbia: John Derek tracks down the murder of an unknown woman in order to get a scoop for newspaper editor Brod Crawford — and discovers that Brod is the murderer. An absorbing and suspenseful drama with Donna Reed. (Apr.) V* (A) SNIPER, THE — Columbia: A powerful drama about a young psychiatric killer (Arthur Franz) who roams the streets shooting innocent women. Marie Windsor and Mario Dwyer are his victims. Richard Kdey the psychiatrist who helps track him down. (May) 'S (A) SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR — Paramount: A morbid drama in which AA member Ray Milland tries to pull Joan Fontaine together and proceeds to fall in love with her. Teresa Wright is Ray’s loyal wife. (Apr.) (F) STEEL TOWN — U-T : The steel industry provides the background for the romantic complications which occur when the boss’s nephew, John Lund, falls for Ann Sheridan, Howard Duff’s girl. Fair to middling drama. (May) V'V, (F) THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS— Warners: An outdated melodrama in which Joan Crawford, notorious leader of a band of hoodlums, reforms after Dennis Morgan restores her failing sight. With David Brian. (Apr.) l/"/S (F) TREASURE OF LOST CANYON— U-I. Technicolor: William Powell and Rosemary DeCamp adopt Tommy Ivo, who was cheated out of his inheritance by Henry Hull, and set out to reclaim it for him. With Tulia Adorns. Charles Drake. (Apr.) ✓✓(4 (A) VIVA ZAPATA!— 20th Centurv-Fox: Marlon Brando’s excellent as the humble Mexican zealot who fought for nine years in order to regain the land stolen from his people. A baffling but brilliant motion picture. With Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn, Toseph Wiseman, Margo. (Apr.) ✓l/ (F) WILD NORTH, THE — M-G-M, Cinecolor: Northwest mountie Wendell Corey sets out to bring accused murderer Stewart Granger back to civilization, onlv to have Granger save his life instead. Rugged adventure. With Cyd Charisse. (Mar.) (F) WITH A SONG IN MY HEART— 20th Century-Fox, Technicolor: Heart-warming musical based on the true story of Jane Froman (Jane’s beautiful voice is on the sound tracks) and the courage that carried her through after a tragic plane crash. With Susan Hayward, Rory Calhoun, David Wavne. Thelma R-tter. tAnr.f (F) YOUNG MAN WITH IDEAS— M-G-M: Glenn Ford tries to establish himself in Los Angele* to prove to wife R"th Roman that he’s not a failure, and becomes involved with French singer Denise Darcel, student Nina Foch and a mob of gangsters. A light-weight amusing picture. (May)