Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

December .^/l. nM4 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 9 Dancing in l\4anliattan Columbia Comedy-Drama 60 mine. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A delightful second feature that most of the family will enjoy. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Better than average supporting fare. Cast: Fred Brady, Jefif Donnell, William Wright, Ann Savage, Cy Kendall, Howard Freeman, Eddie Kane, Sally Bliss, Adelle Roberts, Jean Stevens, George McKay, Dorothy Vaughan. Credits: Director, Henry Levin. Original screenplay by Erna Lazarus. Photography, L. W. O'Connell. Producer, Wallace MacDonald. Plot: A wealthy financier turns over some marked money to a couple of blackmailers who to avoid arrest, hide it. The money is found by a young man who proceeds to spend it on his girl. The crooks try to recover it but they encounter trouble. When they finally gain possession, they discover the money is marked. This leads to their arrest. Comment: Fine performances and good direction, plus an escapist story, make this a programmer that will be delightfully received by average audiences everywhere. It can hold its own in almost any house, for there are plenty of laughs and lots of action in its fairy-tale theme ; the one about boy-getsgirl with rich man thrown in and some crooks intermingled for the menace. The outstanding performance in the picture is Jeff Donnell's; her interpretation of the young sweetheart lends charm to the story. Fred Brady does very well with the lead role, while William Wright as the heavy, gives a smooth portrayal. Ably directed by Henry Levin with good production values by Wallace MacDonald, this is the type of supporting fare that the public will want more of — as long as there is supporting fare. Tlie Suspect Universal Drama 85 mins. (National Release, Jan. 26, 1945) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) A splendid, entertaining crime story that may attract some extra interest for, unlike most crime dramas, the killer is a kindly, decent man who arouses audience sympathy. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: The draw of the Laughton name, plus the excellence of the character portrayals, makes this crime drama one bound to attract considerable attention. Cast: Charles Laughton, Ella Raines, Dean Harens, Stanley C. Ridges, Henry Daniell, Rosalind Ivan, Molly Lament, Raymond Severn, Eve Amber, Maude Eburne, Clifford Brooke. Credits: Directed by Robert Siodmak. Screenplay by Bertram Millhauser. Photography, Paul Ivano. Produced by Islin Auster. Plot: A shrew of a wife causes the manager of a swank London tobacco shop to commit murder. He gets away with it, marries the young girl with whom he's fallen in love. Everything goes smoothly until a next door neighbor accuses him of the crime. To prevent the neighbor from going to the police, the man is forced to kill him too. Eventually his conscience makes him give himself up. Comment: Here is a splendid, suspenseful, entertaining crime story bound to attract considerable attention, not only because of the way the suspense and situations are developed, holding the interest throughout, but because of the excellence of the character portrayals. Though the story follows the style of "Gaslight," "Double Indemnity" and others of like calibre, there's a very good chance that this picture may attract some Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending Jan. 30) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Keys of the Kingdom Saddle Leather Law Sing Me a Song of Texas SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Can't Help Singing Dangerous Passage extra interest for, unlike most crime dramas, the killer is a kindly, decent man who arouses audience sympathy. For those who take their drama seriously, this may be a cause for discussion. Charles Laughton, as the menace, does an outstanding job; he makes the man such a real, convincing person that the spectator is willing to justify his act. Ella Raines is the young girl he falls in love with, a role slightly different than any she's portrayed to date and one which she handles splendidly. Stanley Ridges plays the Scotland Yard Inspector, and Rosalind Ivan as the shrewish wife does so well with her interpretation that one is willing to kill her before Laughton gets the chance; an exceptionally effective bit of work. Direction is in the capable hands of Robert Siodmak. He brings out the best performance from each player, and builds the suspense steadily throughout. Tlie lyiummy's Curse Universal Horror 62 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Another horror picture for the entertainment of those who like to quivver and quake at the mummy's appearance. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: A typical offering where this type of picture is popular. Cast : Lon Chaney, Peter Coe, Virginia Christine, Kay Harding, Dennis Moore, Martin Kosleck, Kurt Katch, Addison Richards, Holmes Herbert, Charles Stevens, William Farnum, Napoleon Simpson. Credits: Directed by Leslie Goodwins. Screenplay and original story by Leon Abrams and Dwight V. Babcock. Photography, Virgil Miller. Produced by Oliver Drake. Plot: Superstition among the native laborers draining the swamp area in the bayou country causes trouble for a construction company. Then, when one of their number is found dead, it is up to the doctor from the Museum and his Egyptian colleague to clear the matter up in order to avoid chaos. Mummies come to life, and members of the party lose theirs, before order is restored and the mystery cleared up. Comment: The Mummy still carries on his nefarious deeds for the entertainment of those horror addicts who follow each and every one of these pictures. He continues to rise from the dead, killing and killing unsuspecting individuals who, although they refuse to believe in his existence, display the right amount of fear when he appears. This one, like all the others, will satisfy the audiences who like to quivver and quake at his appearance. Story is sort of a Romeo-andJuliet affair, following the pattern of Romeo getting his Juliet after death. Lon Chaney plays the Mummy, Virginia Christine is the long lost princess he's seeking and Peter Coe and Martin Kosleck are the two accomplices who bring the Mummy to life. Picture was directed by Leslie Goodwins, with Oliver Drake as the associate producer. The Utah Kid Monogram Western 56 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) The kids who like westerns will get their share of entertainment. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Standard offering for the Saturday matinee audience. Cast: Bob Steele, Hoot Gibson, Beatrice Grey, Evelyn Eaton, Mauritz Hugo, Ralph Lewis, Jamesson Shade, Mike G. Letz, Dan White. Credits: Director, Vernon Keays. Original screenplay by Victor Hammond. Photography, Harry Neumann. Associate Producer, William Strolibach. Plot: A crooked gang have been winning all rodeos, even to the extent of committing murder to do so. Steele enters one of the shows as a contestant and with the help of Hoot Gibson, manages to see that the event is run honestly, the crooks exposed and the rightful winner getting his share. Comment: The kids who come to see this western on a Saturday matinee will get their share of entertainment from the rodeo sequences, more than the western action. It is an unpretentious affair that will take care of its allotted time as a standard western. Most of the action is handled by iBob Steele with Hoot Gibson filling in. Mauritz Hugo makes a very convincing heavy and Beatrice Grey, in the feminine role, attracts more than the usual attention. Action and other sequences are smoothly blended by Vernon Keays' direction, while William Strohbach supervised. Song of the Range Monogram Western 56 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A combination of songs, action and laughs makes this satisfactory western film fare. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should draw where outdoor films are popular. Cast: Jimmy Wakely, Dennis Moore, Lee "Lasses" White, Cay Forester, Pierre Watkin, George Eldridge, Hugh Prosser, Steve Clark, Edmund Cobb, Bud Osborne, Kenneth Terrell, Carl Mathews. Credits: Di-' rector, Wallace Fox. Photography, Marcel Le Picard. Produced by Phillip N. Krasne. Plot: Moore is accused of murder by a young lady when he comes to return her wallet. His two pals, posing as sheriffs, help him to escape. Then Moore sets out to track the murderer down — only to learn that the girl and the slayer are U. S. agents after gold smugglers. Comment: The first in a new series from Monogram starring Jimmy Wakely, Dennis Moore and Lee "Lasses" White is a standard western with a combination of songs, action and laughs to please the outdoor fans. The three men work smoothly together, each taking care of his allotted assignment quite capably: Wakely with his songs, Moore handling the straight action and White doing his bit to garner the laughs. Smooth direction by Wallace Fox paces the story well. Production is by Phillip Krasne. Siie's a Sweetlieart Columbia DramaWith-Music 69 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A warm, pleasant picture for most families of boys in the service, for it creates an atmosphere of good feeling and removes some of the anxiety about the boys away from home. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: A neat second [Continued on Page 28)