Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

'READ EVERY WORD! RU HARO ni\ CH»it an hfro In T^ias* firht for frerdom By BOSE PELSWIOK. A bang-up historical drama, the Capitol Theatre's "Man of Conquest" tells the story of Sam Houston and the fight for Texas independence from Mexico. It's also the first milliondollar production from the studios of Republic Pictures, whose product has hitherto been on the low budget side and whose initial ambitious venture is a satisfactory one. Filmed on a large and sweeping 1 scale, the picture is packed with action, offering stirring battle scenes, Indian fights and an interesting recreation of a colorful period in American history. The climax, of course, is the battle of San Jacinto, an impressively staged sequence in which the Texas soldiers defeat Mexico's troops with the rousing war cry, "Remember the Alamo." Richard Dix, starred in the title role, gives a convincing performance anilj is assisted by a large and able cast. Characterizing him as an adventurer, politician and soldier, the film is a biographical account of Houston from the days when he trapped andl hunted with the Cherokees until the time when he helped bnngl about the annexation of Texas bv tlie Union. His friendship with Andrew I ; Jackson, whom he joined at New Orleans, his campaign for Governorship of Tennessee, his uni happy first marriage and his | ' adoption by the Cherokee tribe are traced in considerable detail | during the first part of the film. The second half of the picture concerns itself with Houston's part in the history of Texas. And it's the second half that I contains most of the action, showing Houston starting off to carve an empire for himself in the Southwest and ready to lead other adventurers in a revolution that | would make Texas a "free state. Opposed at first by Stephen Austin, who did not want to fight Mexico's general, Santa Anna, he swings both Austin and his followers to his side after Santa | Anna's massacre of the garrison of the Alamo. And, persuaded by | Jackson, now President, of the necessity for Texas becoming part of the Union, he leads his men to i victory at San Jacinto Patriotic in theme and vigorously handled, the picture is good I entertainment. In addition to Mr. | Dix the cast includes Edward Ellis, who contributes a behevable portrait of Andrew Jackson; Gail Patrick, who is charming as the young woman who became Houston's second wife, even thougn she's a bit too glamorously made up for a pioneer girl. C. Henry Gordon, as Santa Anna; Ralph Morgan as David Crockett, and Robert Armstrong, Robert Barrat and George Hayes as a few of the fast-shooting citizens of the day. Colorful Career of Sam Houston Faithfully Taken From Biography By ARCHER WINSTEN The lives of most men need con siderable dramatic needling to mJike them adequate scenarios for movie thrills. Even historical figures in the center of great events require the molding of the flctioneer. But the life of General Sam Hou.>;ton, liberator of Texas from Mexican r— MOVIE METEK-1 rule. Governor of Tennessee and Texas, United States Senator, intimate of President Andrew Jackson and adopted son of a Cherokee Indian chief sounds like the pink elephant phase of a Hollywood scenarist When you see "Man of Conquest" at the Cajjitol Theatre your natural assumption is that Republic Pictures, an outfit given to sensational West' crns, couldn't control itself. But reference to the authoritative )IIe of Sam Houston, 'The Raven," wmtten by Marquis James, reveals an astonishing thing. "Man of Con tin Br EILEEN CREELMAN. Hollywood is continuing to discover America. Its latest bit of flag-waving, "Man of Conquest" at the Capitol Theater, is a more welcome picture than most. This is sound melodrama, a spectacular outdoor piece with a real character to lead its action. "Man of Conquest," in fact, is one of the best American historical films in a year filled with good Westerns. UOADWAY-N.y.C. H This is the story of Sam Houston, who was quite a man. The title, in spite or because of its blatantly dramatic quality, exactly suits Sam Houston. He was just that, a man of conquest, fiercely ambitious, eager to lead, willing to fight. He beems to have been in and out of trouble all his life. Always he had eo.od friends. Usually he had a fight on his hands. "Man of Conquest" tells of some of those fights, tells of them in strong dramatic terms, remember\z:g that motion pictures should move, that audiences enjoy action. ' Man o^ Conquest" gives them fiction, from that first glimpse of voung Sam coming home from a :,ear of hunting with the Indians through his political success, his tragic marriage with Eliza Allen, his flight 'back to the Indians, and that last wild adventure in Texas. Tt was Sam Houston who brought Texas into ths Union; and it was leally Texas who brought Sam Houston into the Union too. His conquest of that State made him realize for the first time that he was really a white man, and an American. All this makes for grand frontier drama, and as Stirling a spectacle as the movies have given us for a lOng time Hollywood likes to describe this type of fjim as an epic. Perhaps "Man of Conquest" is an <ipic. It's a mo.st worth while picture anyway Richard Dix, the hero of "Cimarron," plays Sam Houston with a vigor and intelligence that brings the character to life Edward Ellis, the doctor of "A Man to Remember," is Andrew Jackson, a colorful character and 'veil played. Gail I'atiick is the '■ouragcous, understanding Margaret, and Joan Fontaine the first "'ife, who was terrified by her hus^and and by his life "Man of Conquest" takes in quite a lot of territory, wandering from Tennessee to Arkansas, to Washineton, and down into Texas, then part of Mexico. The political dranta of the book is particularly interesting in this year of 1939. once more demonstrating that one s viewpoint all depends upon what country is seizing whose land. The American settlers in Mexico were dissatisfied with the Government. With Sam Houston at their head, they rebelled and took Texas away from Mexico. "Man of Conquest" looks upon this with approval, and makes the settlers' revenge for the Alamo a rip-roaring battle. If Republic can keep up to the standard of this, its first big picture, there will be a new company to reckon with among the major studios. quest" follows Houston's life wi'h praiseworthy accuracy, omitting or telescoping incidents only because there are limits to time, footage and scenery. When you see Houston drowning his sorrows among the Indians, consuming whisky out of what seems to be a Vat 69 four-fifths, remember that the real Houston, a hero of Gargantuan proportions, drowned that sorrow in barrels, not bottles. Nine barrels, to be exact: four of Monongahela whisky, one com, one cognac, one gin, one rum and one wine. The Cherokees, his adopted brothers, began calling him "Ar-dee-tahskee," which means 'Big Drunk." This period followed his Governorship of Tennessee, which he had resigned due to the mysterious tragedy of his first marriage. Before that he had been a pioneer, a soldier of reckless courage and a friend of the Indians. Afterwairds he returned to sobriety, fighting a canny rtiilitary campaign against the Mexicans, becoming the President of Texas, and later its Governor when it entered the Union. When the Civil War came Sam Houston, whose, physical courage had never been in question, rose to heights of moral courage. He op posed Secession when that was the most unpopular thing a man could do in Texas. Needless to say, this astonishing life cannot be covered completely vin the compass of a feature-length picture. I must confess that the acimg and production values, while a prodigious advance for a small company like Republic, are undistinguished compared to epic efforts of a major company. Richard Dix is a sincere and siraightforward actor but incapable of projecting a brilliant interpretation of a historical figure. Joan Fontaine as his first wife and Gail Patrick as his second are a couple of good-looking actresses. Robert Barrat and Robert Armstrong as Davcy Crockett and Jim Bowie arc nothing out of the ordinary. George Hayes, the comic figure of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series, figures as Houston's companiori on his long drunk. That's all right, but there again Hayes is just Hayes. He doesn't help create the illusion of 1830 in the Midwest. Our familiar' villain. C. Henry Gordon, takes over the Villain's role as Santa Ana Only Victor Jory as William Travis and Edward Ellis as Andrew Jackson give more to their roles than the honest, journeyman minimum. The lion's share of the praise for "Man of Conquest" goes to Sam Houston, the pioneer who lived a ready-n>ad« movie scenario just m if it were a man's life. All the producers had to do was try to come reasonably close. They did very well, all things considered. DAILY PaRTLT cloudi D«1I/ Mirror, tie.> MIRROR Long dedicated to Metro masterpieces, the august capitofw^ith those nice logue seats, this week sen«f lonally presents the product of a modest independent film comHepublic which made "Man of Conquest. The , ,s far from modest: it is big Rousing, f '"l"'^;'"/' exciting. It IS the story of Sam Houston and of Texas, ambitiouslv produced and staged. ^ith Richard Dix as Houston, ha,r on end and to provoke whoops one of the pany film is heading a big cast, it is mo-t elaliorate productions to have come from the side-street studios, and it fully justilies tlie daring investment in r by matching the most pretentious epics of the big ones. Dramatizing Houston's personal life and the blow which drove him from Tennessee to the wilderness which once was Texas, the film tiaces the caieer of that bizarre Dix does as impressive a job asi| Houston as he did as the pioneer; editor of "Cimarron." He ha.sn t . had such a role in many seasons J and he appears to have relished' his opportunity (!ail Patrick, as the hcorine, Edward Ellis, Victor Jory, Robert Barrat, in their historic roles, all abet him most ably "Man of Conquest" is vital, rou.-ing history, recorded in a vigorous, exciting play. It is big. ssion of sweeping and splendid. It waves too man to the ^Vf "t"^'' ^^'r^'^p-.v' . the flag true ' but not Texas to the Union in 4o. facKcc tne iiaK, ' . with fiKhtinp upload, immediate trusively. The fans will be hl.^'oly It "f 'drama to sUind the thusiastic over it I THE INDEPENDENT MAJOR COMPANY