Screenland (May-Oct 1942)

RECENT FILMS REVIEWED IN A FLASH! MRS. MINIVER — M-G-M. Jan Struther's book about the British wife and mother who could "take it" has been made into a great motion picture. It's a masterful message of courage and a fundamental lesson in fortitude. Greer Garson rises to heights in a poignant performance. Walter Pidgeon, splendid as the husband. THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS — RKO. Orson Welles has made a fascinating film from Booth Tarkington's novel about the disintegrating family whose spoiled young heir wrecks his mother's romance. Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Tim Holt score. HOLIDAY INN — Paramount. This Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire musical romance is swell escape from the doldrums. It is a grand show with new Irving Berlin tunes and inimitable performances by co-stars and cast. Crosby plays a crooner who converts his farmhouse into an inn open only on holidays. Marjorie Reynolds sings and dances charmingly. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY — Warners. This story of George M. Cohan's life is a great screen show. A triumph for Jimmy Cagney, perfectly cast as the showman, coloring a clever role with his own inimitable zest and humor. Ail-American entertainment to stir you to tears and excite you to cheers. Walter Huston, Joan Leslie, Jeanne Cagney, Rosemary DeCamp, Irene Manning, Richard Whorf in cast. BAMBI — Disney-RKO. Young and old will love, laugh, and cry over Bambi, the deer, Walt Disney's latest cartoon character creation in this beautiful full-length picture filmed from Felix Salten's famous story of animal life and love in the forest. EAGLE SQUADRON — W anger-Universal. This timely drama, dedicated to those gallant men who have helped make recent history, will hold your interest in spite of disjointed plot and ineffective characterizations. Has exciting actual scenes of aerial combat. Cast has Diana Barrymore, Robert Stack, John Loder, Jon1 Hall, Leif Erikson. THIS ABOVE ALL — 20 th Century-Fox. Here is a picture to tear your emotions to shreds. It's the film version of Eric Knight's best-selling novel about England in this war. Joan Fontaine gives a beautiful performance as the girl who joins the W.A.A.F. and falls in love with a Handsome Stranger, played by Tyrone Power. THIS GUN FOR HIRE — Paramount. Lusty melodrama about a ruthless killer and how he atones by catching up with fifth columnists. Plenty of excitement. Its fast and furious action will have you on the edge of your seat. Veronica Lake does her best acting so far, but newcomer Alan Ladd steals the show. Don't miss it. TO THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI — 20th Century-Fox. Why the Marines have commanded the respect of the world, their training, responsibilities, recreation, and the high ideals of the Marine Corps are rousingly presented. Swell and exciting entertainment. John Payne, as the cocky private, Randolph Scott, as the sergeant, Maureen O'Hara, as the nurse, all excellent. MY GAL SAL — 2 0 th Century-Fox. This picture, based on the career of the late Paul Dresser, ballad-writer, is an enchanting escape from today's troubles. Rita Hayworth, its star, gorgeously costumed as a Gay Nineties belle, is a vision in color ; Victor Mature, good as the song-writing hero. The star-studded cast also has Carole Landis, John Sutton, James Gleason, Walter Catlett, Mona Maris. REAP THE WILD WIND — Par/amount. Spectacular, thrilling. Cecil B. DeMille melodrama. It has adventure, romance, and a lot of American history of a century ago when pirate wreckers ruled the Florida keys. Never a let-up in the breathless action and the love scenes are exciting. Paulette Goddard gives a fiery performance. John Wayne, Ray Milland, excellent as her two suitors. MY FAVORITE BLONDE — Paramount. This combination of Bob Hope better than ever and beautiful Madeleine Carroll will appeal to everybody. The plot involves Hope in a ring of Nazi spies with a gorgeous blonde British agent against a background of crazy and screamingly funny misadventures. Has suspense, too. TORTILLA FLAT — M-G-M. John Steinbeck's human and moving account of the vagabonds of Monterey, California. You must see the picture, for it is a cinema masterpiece. Spencer Tracy, John Garfield, Frank Morgan, excellent in their roles ; Hedy Lamarr, a fiery human being as the girl in the story. IN THIS OUR LIFE — Warners. The story of two sisters and the havoc wrought when the bad one steals her sister'* husband, has Bette Davis at her most menacing and neurotic. Bette does a good job of making you loathe the bad sister, with Olivia de Havilland in the sympathetic role. George Brent, Dennis Morgan, the leading men. THE GOLD RUSH — United Artists. Charlie Chaplin's film of "the little fellow" who goes prospecting and his comic misadventures. Everyone, young or old, who enjoys a good hearty laugh and those kids who have never seen Charlie, will want to see it. SABOTEUR — Universal. Latest Alfred Hitchcock production. Bob Cummings, exciting as the defense-plant worker who has to clear himself of a sabotage charge ; Priscilla Lane, charming as the girl who helps him run the saboteurs to ground ; Otto Kruger, fine as a suavely sinister spy. Fun and thrills. THE GAY SISTERS — Warners. The story of three sisters (Barbara Stanwyck, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Nancy Coleman) fighting for their inheritance. Plot has unusual twists and tu-ns which even the smart guessers won't anticipate, and which atone for the tedium of some scenes. Girls are excellent ; but Gig Young, a newcomer, strolls away with the picture. LADY IN A JAM — Universal. Irene Dunne, as the wacky heiress who squanders a fortune, again proves what a fine comedienne she is. Its many chuckles, with some good hearty laughs and nottoo-deep plot, make this picture a real gloom chaser. Patric Knowles and Ralph Bellamy are in it. TAKE A LETTER DARLING — Paramount. This comedy romance which is gay and fastpaced reverses the order of male boss-attractive girl secretary, with Rosalind Russell playing the big business executive who hires Fred MaeMurray as her secretary. Sparkling dialogue and clever situations make it good entertainment. FRIENDLY ENEMIES — Edward Small-U.A. A comedy drama about the effects of the first World War on two German-born Americans, splendidly portrayed by Charles Winninger and Charlie Ruggles. It's set in an outdated era and action is limited because it's a conversation piece, but it's entertaining. TEN GENTLEMEN FROM WEST POINT — 20th Century-Fox. Stirring film about West Point's early days and the fight to preserve the Military Academy. Traditions, interwoven with humor, romance, and thrills, make it an exciting drama. Fine cast has George Montgomery, John Sutton, Maureen O'Hara, Laird Cregar. BEYOND THE BLUE HORIZON — Paramount. This fantastic tale about a jungle waif who tries to prove her inheritance right is escapist hokum. Has exciting animal scenes, comedy and romantic sequences. Dorothy Lamour again wears a sarong. Richard Denning, screen's new handsome blond leading man, is in it, too. THE WIFE TAKES A FLYER — Columbia. There's no limit to the kidding dished out to the Gestapo in this satire on the Nazis, but it is so overdone it can only be classed as slapstick comedy. Franchot Tone plays an RAF flyer who, stranded in Holland, hides in Joan Bennett's home and falls in love with her. ACROSS THE PACIFIC — Warners. Exciting, thrilling spy drama. Humphrey Bogart does a fine piece of acting as an Army officer who is dismissed from service so he may work for the Army Secret Service and heroically foils the enemy's plans. Mary Astor, good as the girl. RIO RITA — M-G-M. Saboteurs are written into the plot of this :new version of the familiar stage and screen show, but Lou Costello and Bud Abbott, with their uproarious antics, foil the spies. They're funnier than ever. John Carroll and Kathryn Grayson are good as the singing sweethearts. KIPLING'S JUNGLE BOOK — Korda-U. A. For children of every age. Rudyard Kipling's fantasy, the story of Mowgli, the Indian boy \ who wandered into the jungle to be reared bv ' the wolves, filmed in brilliant Technicolor. A, Mowgli, Sabu's sincerity shines through his work and makes it refreshing entertainment. SHIP AHOY — M-G-M. Lively, entertaining screen musical. A lot of good laughs — inspired by the screen's funniest man, Red Skelton, and new dance routines by Eleanor Powell, so you won't mind if the plot is far-fetched and unconvincing. MOONTIDE — .? Oth Century-Fox. If you saw Gabin's French movies, or if you're curious to see the Gallic panic for the first time, you'd better catch this. Gabin's great magnetism dominates this dull story about a hard-drinking dockhand who is reformed by the waif he rescues. Ida Lupino, fine as the waif. THE GREAT MAN'S LADY — Paramount. Sentimental saga of the Early West. The story of Ethan Hoyt, founder of Hoyt City. Flashback method of telling the story slows it up a bit, but splendid performances by Barbara Stanwyck and j Joel McCrea make it worth your while. I MARRIED AN ANGEL — M-G-M. MacDonald-Eddy fans will like this gay musical fantasy about a Budapest ..playboy who dreams he marries an angel. Jeanette and Eddy render lilting Rogers and Hart tunes in excellent voice. THE SPOILERS — Universal. Exciting new |j film version of Rex Beach's red-blooded saga of Klondike gold rush days. Highlight is the fight between John Wayne and Randolph Scott, which is the biggest, most realistic and brutal fist fight ever filmed. Marlene Dietrich excellent as the barroom queen. SUICIDE SQUADRON — Republic. A moving I war drama about a concert pianist, member of the Polish air force, who is parted from his American wife when she tries to keep him from rejoining a suicide squadron. Anton Walbrook. magnificent as the pianist-flyer; Sally Gray, good. Air scenes, thrilling ; fine musical score. . TWIN BEDS — United Artists. This bedroom farce is given a timely touch by having the wife ( Joan Bennett) neglect her hubby ( George Brent) in favor of her USO work. Bennett and Brent, j good, but Miseha Auer steals top honors as a romantic Russian. Repetitious, but screamingly funny. JUKE GIRL — Warners. This picture is about migrant farm workers in a Florida town at I crop-picking time. Ann Sheridan is seen as the ( juke joint dancer who loves Ronald Reagan. Murder, mob fury, attempted lynchings furnish the action. Richard Whorf is in it. Acting, good throughout. BROADWAY — Universal. Melodrama of the roaring '20 's which follows the life of George Raft, with George, as himself, telling about the old days and how he became a Broadway hoofer. Janet Blair, talented newcomer, good as his partner. Has old favorite tunes and well-done dance routines. RINGS ON HER FINGERS — 20th Century | Fox. Trite, romantic comedy with Gene Tierney ; playing a shop-girl who is transformed into an attractive lure to help fleece wealthy men. Henry Fonda is one of her victims, but love sets in. Has some spicy dialogue, and Gene is positively disturbing in some of the bathing suit scenes. MAISIE GETS HER MAN — M -G M. Red Skelton is Maisie's (Ann Sothern) man in the latest of this popular comedy series in which Ann plays a show girl who teams up with Red, amateur vaudevillian, who gets stage-fright on opening night. That scene alone is worth your time and money, but the rest is corny comedy. MISS ANNIE ROONEY — United Artists. The story, concerning a poor little girl and her "romance" with a rich boy, despite his family's disapproval, is too trite and not true enough for Shirley Temple, its star. Shirley's first movie rug-cutting is more fun than her first screen kiss. Supporting cast has : Dickie Moore, Guy ' Kibbee, William Gargan. MY FAVORITE SPY — RKO. A spy comedy with Kay Kyser playing a dumb band-leader who is called to Army service on his wedding day and made an espionage agent. His efforts become amusingly complicated when he can't explain his | actions to his bride. Ellen Drew and Jane Wyman, good, but we missed Ginny Simms, and j didn't get enough of Kay's band. Not our favorite Kyser film. TARZAN'S NEW YORK ADVENTURE — M-G-M. Tarzan's latest adventures take him to the big city. In addition to the jungle animals and the usual swinging from treetops, Tarzan thrills you with leaps from skyscrapers and does ; a Steve Brodie off Brooklyn Bridge. Too fantas , tic for grown-ups, but good kid stuff. 60