Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1941)

Page 10 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 12, mi The Stars Look Down MGM Drama 99 mins. (Prod. No. 142— Nat'l Release, July 18) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Too morbid, depressing and tragic for most audiences. May be well received in class houses where patrons have read the book. BOX OFFICE SLANT: Lack of well known names and comedy will militate against this picture at the box office. Readers of the book may go for it, however. CaEt: Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn -Williams, Nancy Price, Allan Jeayes, Linden Travers. Cecil Parker. Milton Rosmer, Edward Rigby, George Camay. Ivor Barnard. Olga Lindo, Desmond Tester. Credits: Directed by Carol Reed. Produced by I. Goldsmith. From the book by A. J. Cronin. Screenplay by J. B. Williams. Adaptation by A. J. Cronin. Art director, James Carter. Camera, Mutz Greenbaum and Henry Harris. Plot: Redgrave, son of a miner, wins a University scholarship. He has always wanted to ease the miners' plight. He falls in love with Margaret and does not complete his course, returning to town as a school master. Although he had repeatedly urged the union not to allow the miners to work in a certain shaft they pay no attention to him. Later there is a cave-in and although Redgrave strives mightily, many perish, including his father. Meanwhile his wife has left him and his only hope for the future is that conditions may be improved. Comment: One of the heaviest, most morbid and tragic pictures of many a season, "The Stars Look Down" strives to solve a great social problem — one that existed in England but which hardly exists here any longer. In these days when entertainment is being sought, it does not fill the bill. There is not a light moment in it. The hero in the end has lost his father in a mine disaster, his wife has left him and he has no job. It's certainly not a cheery outlook and although it may be truly representative of conditions, it is not necessary, in this reviewer's opinion, to depict conditions or "life" if you want to call it that, quite so literally. Artistically, it is a beautiful picture and one which may call forth the praises of the critics for that reason. But the critics do not pay to enter the theatre and the public as a whole will not accept the picture, in our belief. At times the dialect is difficult to understand but production and direction are all that could be desired. It should be sold to the socially conscious of the community through publicity, personal letters, etc. Tie up with bookstores on the novel. Catchline: "A great dramatic novel becomes a greater dramatic screenplay." Warner Bros. Man Power Drama 105 mins. (Prod. No. 505, Nat'l Release, August 5) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) While the critics may not go for it, the average audience will; it has all the elements that the majority of audiences want. BOX OFFICE SLANT: Should prove to be a hypo to the summer box office. Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Egon Brecher, Ward Bond, Eve Arden, Joyce Compton, Lucia Carroll, Anthony Quinn, Barbara Pepper, Dorothy Appleby, Joseph Crehan, Cliff Clark. Credits: Executive producer, Hal B. Wallis. Associate producer, Mark Hellinger. Directed by Raoul Walsh. Story and screenplay by Richard Macaulay and Jerry Walsh. Film editor, Ralph Dawson. Plot: Robinson and Raft are both line Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending July 12) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Beyond the Law Blondie in Society Forced Landing New Wine SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Man Power Stars Look Down OBJECTIONABLE IN PART Dance Hall A Girl Must Live Angels With Broken Wings men for the power company. Robinson falls in love with and marries Marlene Dietrich, who works in a clip-joint. But she falls in love with Raft. When Robinson hears this, he almost kills Raft in a fight atop a high tension tower. But all ends well. Comment: The average fan is going to think this is a swell picture. It may not rate critical raves for as "art," it probably doesn't rate. But compared to most of the pictures to be released during the summer months, it will be a honey at the box office. There's action galore and Raft and Robinson are at their best with Marlene Dietrich maintaining the standard she has set since her comeback. The humor is great with plenty of smart cracks emanating from various characters. There are plenty of ways to put the picture over. Tie up with the local electric light and power company. Cash in on the recent publicity about the Robinson-Raft fight on the set of this picture. Plaster the front with stills showing the two in belligerent attitudes. Use a lobby display of a blowup of Marlene Dietrich and invite all the men to put their arms around. Arrange it so that when they do so they will get a mild shock. Catchline: "Lifelong friends and buddies — until a woman came between them." Emergency Landing Producers Drama 79 mins. (Prod. No. 109— Nat'l Release, May 23) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Fair attraction to fill in on double bills. BOX OFFICE SLANT: Lack of names precludes its drawing any business. Cast: Forrest Tucker, Carol Hughes, Evelyn Brent, Emmett Vegan, William Halligan, George Sherwood, Joaquin Edwards, Stanford Jolly, Stanley Price, Jack Lescoulie, Paul Scott. Credits: Original story and screenplay by Martin Mooney. Photography by Jack Greenhalgh. Film editor, Robert Crandall. Directed by William Beaudine., Produced by Jed Buell. Plot: Tucker and Vogan are working on the invention of a radio-controlled airplane which they are trying to sell to Halligan, airplane manufacturer. Carol and Evelyn, daughter and sister of Halligan, run out of gas near Vogan's desert outpost and Tucker arrests them for stealing gasoline. When a spy tries to wreck a new bomber and get away in Vogan's plane, the radio control brings him back and they sell their invention to the manufacturer. Comment: The story of this picture leaves much to be desired. Too many loose ends spoil it for most audiences. The performances of the principals are good but none of them is known with the possible exception of Evelyn Brent who hasn't been seen to advantage for many years. Direction is fairly smooth and the production won't reflect the low budget to the average movie-goer. If you must run double features, this is the kind of picture that can be played with a strong attraction and adequately serve its purpose. Sponsor a model airplane contest as it ties right up with the story. Offer a free parachute jump to anyone willing to make it. Catchline: "Daredevil test pilot vs. society's dizziest deb." Sergeant York Warner Bros. Drama 134 mins. (Block No. not set) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Absorbing biographical drama with powerful appeal to all types; acting, production and direction outstanding. BOX OFFICE SLANT: A big attraction with potent draw under any circumstances but heightened in its popular appeal due to timeliness of story concerning war. Cast: Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie, George Tobias, Stanley Ridges. Margaret Wycherly, Ward Bond, Noah Beery, Jr., June Lockhart, Dickie Moore, Clem Bevans, others. Credits: A Howard Hawks Production directed by Howard TIawks. Original screenplay by Abem Finkel and Harry Chandlee and Howard Koch and John Huston ; based upon the Diary of Sergeant York. Produced by Jesse L. Lasky and Hal B. Wallis. Plot: This is the biography of one of America's heroes of the World War. Starting with his life in Tennessee, the story details his claim to exemption from military service as a conscientious objector, his subsequent induction anyway and his heroism in the trenches. Comment: Vivid, pulsing drama with strong emotional and patriotic appeal — in brief, the stuff of which outstanding money pictures are made. There is a happy timeliness to the drama which forms the undercurrent of this story of a Tennessee mountain farmer whose religious beliefs make him a conscientious objector when drafted for the World War, but who works out in his own mind an acceptance of the patriotic cause and achieves heroic distinction at the front. Far more absorbing dramatically than the war sequences (themselves endowed with emotional punch) are the scenes of York's life of struggle as a farmer literally dragging an existence from the poor soil of his hill farm; his escape through drinking and brawling until his conversion to an extremely religious fervor; and his homely romance. Gary Cooper gives what many will hail as the very best portrayal of his career. Picking out those who deserve applause above the cast as a whole, is difficult. However, Margaret Wycherly seems sure of being mentioned as achieving one of the screen's finest characterizations for her impersonation of York's mother — a woman of character, of determination; a woman without fear but with great dignity amidst all her poverty and the whispered gossip about her son's drinking. Joan Leslie scores very importantly as the girl York falls in love with and ultimately marries. George Tobias does a good comedy part, and Walter Brennan, as usual, creates a lasting impression with his part as the religious mentor of the mountain community. Campaigning for the picture should be strong — it will stand up to the most vigorous selling on its attractions as the drama based on the life and heroism of America's world war hero. Sergeant York. Catchline: The absorbing drama of America's World War Hero. {Continued on Page 17)