Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

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10 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 2, 1944 The Falcon in Hollywood RKO Radio 67 mins. Mystery AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Hollywood sound-stage background for the mystery fans, with well mixed "who-dun-it" comedy and mystery atmosphere. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Where series is popular, this should do nicely as supporting feature. Cast: Tom Conway, Barbara Hale, Jean Brooks, Rita Corday, John Abbott, Sheldon Leonard, Konstantin Shayne, Emory Parnell, Frank Jenks, Walter Soderling, Useff Ali, Robert Clark, Veda Ann Borg. Credits: Produced by Maurice Garaghty. Directed by Gordon Douglas. Screenplay by Gerald Geraghty. Based on the character created by Michael Arlen. Photography, Nicholas Musuraca. Plot: Kidded by a pert girl taxi driver into interrupting his vacation, the Falcon chases a purse lifter and becomes involved in the murder of an actor at a Hollywood studio. He uncovers suspicious monetary transactions connected with a picture's financing. A well known gambler, one of the production's "angels," is also ingeniously murdered just as he is about to name the killer. The Falcon discovers the murderer, kills him after a chase through the stages and departs to continue his vacation. Comment: Good production (common to all of the Falcon stories), fast-moving direction and smart dialogue combine to make this new release in the series satisfying program mystery fare. V eda Ann Borg as the taxi driver, a new type of role for her, adds a nice feminine interest and is responsible for most of the laughs by constantly getting in the Falcon's way. Tom Conway maintains his customary suavity as the Falcon. John Abbott and Frank Jenks as detectives serve their purpose: for laughs. Interesting scenes of the sound stages provide an authentic background. The entire production gives the impression of having had a much more opulent budget than usually accorded this series. It should do nicely in any double-bill situation. Belle of the Yukon RKO Radio (Color) Musical Comedy 85 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) A pleasantly diverting musical comedy that provides enjoyable relaxation for average audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: By selling the names for all they're worth, by playing up the "Technicolor musical" angle and tieing-in on the songs, showmen can make this picture a potential box-office bonanza. Cast: Randolph Scott, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dinah Shore, Bob Burns, Charles Winninger, William Marshall, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Robert Armstrong, Florence Bates, Edward Fielding, Credits: An International Picture produced and direolled by William A. Seiter. Written for the screen by James Edward Grant from a story by Houston Branch. Photography, Ray Rennahan. Technicolor color director, Natalie Kalmus. Production design, costumes and dances by Don Loper. Music and lyrics by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen. Musical direction, Arthur Lange. Plot: When Gypsy Rose Lee arrives in Malemute she finds Honest Randolph Scott, her former sweetie, who had absconded with their joint funds and her affections. Dinah Shore, daughter of Charles Winninger, manager of Scott's Emporium, is in love with pianist William Marshall, who also has a mysterious past. Scott's scheme to swindle local miners is frustrated by Robert Armstrong, a professional gambler. All ends well, however, when Scott decides to go straight Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending Dec. 2nd) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE National Velvet SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Destiny My Gal Loves Music Winged Victory and marry Gypsy, and Dinah and Marshall are reunited. Comment: This musical comedy set against the background of Alaska's gold rush days is pleasantly diverting entertainment that should prove acceptable to average audiences. It might well have been a terrific hit had more emphasis been placed on songs and production numbers, and less on the story; for the picture is most entertaining when it deviates from the plot to present an occasional interlude of music and dancing. Apparently the story is a melodramatic satire on the gold rush days, but it does not always succeed in its good intent. In spite of its shortcoming, however, this film does provide enjoyable relaxation more likely to be desired than heavy dramatic fare by most moviegoers in these times, and what may be regarded as defects by initial critical spectators may well be overlooked by audiences in average communities. From a box-office standpoint, ''Belle of the Yukon" has the attraction of such names as Randolph Scott, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dinah Shore, Bob Burns and Charles Winninger to appeal to a wide variety of tastes. And it has the benefit of Technicolor photography, in itself a box-office asset. By selling the names for all they're worth, by playing up the "Technicolor musical" angle, by tieing in with music stores, dance spots, radio stations, etc., on the songs, showmen will be utilizing just a few of the exploitable angles that can make this picture a potential hox-office bonanza. Cyclone Prairie Rangers Columbia Western 55 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) For the fans who enjoy fighting action. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should get by in the western and action situations. Cast: Charles Starrett, Dub Taylor, Constance Worth, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy V.'akely and His Saddle Pals, Robert Fiske, Clancy Cooper, Ray Bennett, Stan JoIIey, Edward M. Phillips, Edmund Cobb, Forrest Taylor, Paul Zaremba. Credits: Produced by Jack Fier. Director, Benjamin Kline. Story and screenplay by Elizabeth Beecher. Photography, Fayte M. Brown. Plot: Charles Starrett, an FBI man sent to round up Nazis sabotaging the food supply of a valley in the west, meets the saboteurs, fights with them several times and finally rounds them up. Comment: The villains and heroes in this saga are so busy fighting and chasing that there isn't time for much story. Since most fans of the outdoor dramas care more for action than story, the film should get by. Charles Starrett is the hero; Walter Taylor gets the laughs; Jimmy Davis and Jimmy Wakely sing, and Wakely's musical crew pl:i3' a few numbers. My Gal Loves Music Universal Musical 63 mins. (Nat'l Release, Dec. 15) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A tuneful, amusing little number that will amuse the family. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Program musical that should add light-entertainment draw to a heavy top feature. Cast: Bob Crosby, Alan Mowbray, Grace McDonald, Betty Kean, Walter Catlett, Freddie Mercer, Paulina Carter, Tom Daly, Gayne Whitman, Chinita, Trixie. Credits: Produced and directed by Edward Lilley. Screenplay by Eugene Conrad. Original story by Patricia Harper. Adtaptation by Edward Dein. Photography, Hal Mohr. Original songs by Milton Rosen and Everett Carter. Plot: By disguising as child and mother, two girls (who do a sister act with a traveling medicine man) are able to enter a kiddies' radio contest. Their hoax is almost upset by a real child prodigy, who has been chosen as an alternate, but all ends well after the sponsor gets the story straightened out. Comment: Here is a tuneful and amusing little number that will prove acceptable entertainment for the average patronage. It is patterned along the same lines as most of the Universal program musicals, with several good songs, a collection of different acts and a nicely-paced story. Handling the principal roles are Grace McDonald, Betty Kean and Walter Catlett, with Bob Crosby and Alan Mowbray filling out the cast leaders. They all do well, particularly Miss McDonald, who sings, acts and dances. Another member of the cast who will attract is Freddie Mercer, a youngster of around twelve, who has an unusual singing voice. Several songs are presented by Bob Crosby and Betty Kean. The picture was produced and directed by Edward Lilley, who deserves credit for choosing a better-than-usual story. Columbia Carolina Blues Musical 81 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Here's one for the Kay Kyser fans, for it has all the fun of his radio show. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: The Kyser name makes this picture a definite draw. The addition of other talent should bring it into the money-maker class. Cast: Kay Kyser, Ann Miller, Victor Moore, Jeff Donnell, Howard Freeman, Georgia Carroll, Ish Kabibble, Harry Babbitt, Sully Mason, Harold Nicholas, The Christianis, Layson Brothers, Four Step Brothers, Doodles Weaver, Diane Pendleton, Robert Williams, Dorothea Kent, Frank Orth, Eddie Acuff. Credits: Directed by Leigh Jason. Screenplay by Joseph Hoffman and Al Martin. Original story by M. M. Musselman and Kenneth Earl. Photography, Franz Planer. Produced by Samuel Bischoff. Plot: An orchestra leader meets and falls in love with the daughter of a supposedly wealthy man and asks her to join his outfit. The girl's confession that she and her father are phonies leads to misunderstandings and a separation, but there's a happy ending. Comment: With so many millions of Kyser fans among theatre audiences, any picture in which he stars has a definite draw at the boxoffice. These are the theatregoers who enjoy the hot tootin' of his band, the vocalizing of Georgia Carroll, the Ish Kabibble routines and the usual antics Kyser employs when putting on a show. That's what this picture has to offer, for the story is unimportant: just a showcase for the Kyser gang and the other talent assembled by Columbia. Among {Continued on Page 57)