Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1945)

16 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW May 5, 1945 Rough, Tough and Ready Columbia Comedy-Drama 66 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) The old routine about the two buddies who fight over their girl-friends is still good for some entertainment, especially to those who enjoy such by-play. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Will prove a satisfactory second feature in most situations. Cast: Chestei: Morris, Victor McLaglen, Jean Rogers, Veda Ann Borg, Amelita Ward, Robert Williams, John Tyrrell, Fred Graff, Addison Richards, William Forrest, Tex Harding, Loren Tindall, Bob Meredith, Ida Moore, Blackie Whiteford. Credits: Produced by Alexis Thurn-Taxis. Original screenplay by Edward T. Lowe. Photography, George Meehan. Directed by Del Lord. Plot: Story of a young man whose partner, a young lady, is in love with him. Having swiped his best, friend's girls for years, he finds himself in a different position when he steals the one girl his friend really loves. Enmity arises between them, which doesn't end before they're shipped overseas with the salvage command. However, all ends well when one saves the other's life, and the girl, now a Wac, shows up again. Comment: That old routine about a buddy who steals his pal's girl-friends has been made into a picture again, this time teaming up Chester Morris and Victor McLaglen. The result is a satisfactory offering for the secondary spot in most situations. For laughs, there's the usual mugging and byplay between the two men; for suspense and thrills there are the deep-sea diving sequences. Morris and McLaglen give satisfactory performances as deep-sea divers doing duty for the Army Engineers Salvage Division. Jean Rogers does well as the girl in love with Morris, and Veda Ann Borg, as the "real thing" in McLaglen's life, turns in a good bit of work, though the script leaves one wondering about her. Direction is by Del Lord; production by Alexis Thurn-Taxis. Grime Doctor's Courage Columbia 69 mins. Mystery AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A crime doctor mystery that will entertain most of the family, especially those who are familiar with this detective through previous offerings and radio. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: A worthy program offering. Cast: Warner Baxter, Hillary Brooke, Jerome Cowan, Robert Scott, Lloyd Corrigan, Emory Parnell, Stephen Crane, Charles Arnt, Anthony Caruso, Lupita Tovar, Dennis Moore, Jack Carrington, King Kong Kashay. Credits: Produced by Rudolph C. Flothow. Story and screenplay by Eric Taylor. Based on the radio program, "Crime Doctor," by Max Marcin. Photography, L. W. O'Connell. Directed by George Sherman. Plot: Tragedy follows the marital hfe of a young millionaire. His first two wives met violent deaths on their honeymoons, so when he marries the third time, his wife asks the Crime Doctor for help. During the investigations, the millionaire is killed. Suspicion points to several people, guests at a dinner party. There are several other murders before the mystery is solved. Comment: A worthy program offering and one of the better in the mystery drama series. It should fit in perfectly for the Saturday matinee trade and the adults who enjoy a good thriller. As the Crime Doctor who helps clear up so many involved cases and who in this case uses psychoanalysis, Warner Baxter turns in a nice portrayal. Hillary Brooke does -exceptionally well in her assignment and un Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending May 5th) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Captain Tugboat Annie Texas Manhunt SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Marshal of Laredo usually fine support is given them by Jerome Cowan, as a detective story writer. Balance of the cast is uniformly good, with Stephen Crane registering as the victim and Robert Scott as the killer. Direction by George Sherman has much to do with making this a better-than-average mystery, for he keeps the mood and the pace, in spite of story defects. Production is by Rudolph C. Flothow. China's Little Devils Drama 75 mins. Monogram AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) The entire family should be interested in this authentic story of the Chinese children who helped harass the Jap hordes who invaded their land. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: If well exploited, this should bring in very satisfactory returns wherever played. Cast: Harry Carey, Paul Kelly, "Ducky" Louie, Hayward Soo Hoo, Gloria Ann Chew, Fred Mah, Jr., Ralph Lewis, Jimmy Dodd, Betty Soo Hoo, Ralph Linn, Charles Sherlock, Allen Fox, Jon Gilbreath and others. Credits: Directed by Monta Bell. Original screenplay by Sam Ornitz. Based on an idea by David Diamond. Photography, Harry Neumann. Executive Producer, Trem Carr. Plot: A young Chinese refugee boy, the only living member of a destroyed village, is adopted by the American Flying Tigers in China. He learns all the Commando tactics of warfare, in spite of their desire to protect him. Later on he teaches these to other refugee children living at a white mission. Then this band go out to do their share of sabotage on the Japanese invaders. Comment: A highly exploitable picture and one that should bring in very satisfactory returns for both Monogram and the exhibitor, is this timely war story about "China's Little Devils." For with the war in Germany nearing an end, the war in the South Pacific will take on more impetus, and with China being used as one of the main bases for bombing Japan, any story about China will be timely and of strong interest to the average theatregoer. This is especially true when it contains the plight of children, as this one does. The picture introduces a young Chinese boy, "Ducky" Louie, and he does very well in his role of the leader of the little guerrillas. Playing top roles are two such fine troupers as Paul Kelly and Harry Carey, while a number of young Chinese boys and girls and other players, representing the Flying Tigers and the Japanese invaders, round out quite a large supporting cast. Production by Executive Producer Trem Carr is effective and Monta Bell gets credit for the direction. Honeymoon Ahead Universal Drama With Music 58 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Another Allan Jones musical that has several songs to satisfy the regular fans, and others, who are easily entertained. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Like others in this series, is a satisfactory light offering. Cast: Allan Jones, Grace McDonald, Raymond Walburn, Vivian Austin, Jack Overman, Murray Alper, Eddie Acuff, John Abbott, William Haade, Arthur Loft, Ralph Peters, Charles Miller, Sarah Padden, Jack Clifford. Credits: Directed by Reginald Le Borg. Screenplay by Val Burton and Elwood UUman. Original story by Val Burton. Photography, Paul Ivano. Produced by Will Cowan. Plot: When a prison choir loses a radio sponsor because the leader is pardoned, they make arrangements for a released member to incriminate him in a bank robbery so he can be returned by the police. Their plans fail because of a young girl who loves the leader, and complications arising from the robbery. Comment: This latest Allan Jones musical has several songs and a "not-to-be-takenseriously" story. As such, it should satisfy the regular fans and a lot of others who are easily pleased. Its title will attract many a theatregoer who seeks this type of film fare for entertainment, but who will, unfortunately, be disappointed in the finished product. Most of the fault lies with the slowmoving theme, for the cast is good, each member doing his respective work satisfactorily. Allan Jones sings four songs in his usual manner, while Grace McDonald sings several duets with him. Raymond Walburn, Vivian Austin and John Abbott help the proceedings along quite capably. Production by Will Cowan and direction by Reginald Le Borg are average. The Southerner United Artists Drama 92 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Depicting the misery, squalor and fortitude of the poor Southern tenant cotton farmer, this depresses rather than entertains. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Lack of marquee names and apparent exploitable angles will probably relegate this film to the neighborhood double-bill situations, although an obviously honest attempt has been made to give a true picture of "one third of a nation." Cast: Zachary Scott, Betty Field, Beulah Bondi, Bunny Sunshine, Jay Gilpin, Percy Kilbride, Blanche Yurka, Charles Kemper, J. Carrol Naish, Norman Lloyd, Jack Norworth, Nestor Paiva, Estelle Taylor, Dorothy Granger, Noreen Roth. Credits: Produced by Loew-Hakim. Directed by Jean Renoir. Based on the novel by George Sessions Perry. Photography by Lucien Andriot. Plot: Following the death of his uncle from exhaustion and heat in the cotton fields, Zachary Scott determines to take his advice and "work for himself." He and his wife, Betty Field, with their children. Jay Gilpin and Bunny Sunshine, with Granny, Beulah Bondi, take up their abode in a miserable hovel on uncleared land. Scott and his family clear the land, plant a crop and look forward to a lessening of their misery. One of the kids gets pellagra and they follow the advice of the town doctor to get a cow to provide milk for the youngster who recovers. Just as the crop is ready for harvest a cloudburst destroys their year's work. They start all over again. Comment: Although technical details and production have been handled with extreme care, and direction is masterful in its feeling