Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1946)

50 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 2, 1946 Columbia Pictures Lining Up Imposing Schedule of Important Releases for Anniversary Year Color Prominent in Stars as Well as Photography of Films Set for Celebration Program TUNEFUL. There's music and sprightly dancing (set off by the typical Hollywood sparkle of glittering settings) in the musical offering, "Tars and Spars," which is included in the five early Anniversary offerings from Columbia. OLD WEST. Romance of the old west will be brought to the screen in a new and ambitious Technicolor production set by Columbia for the Anniversary year. This is "Renegades," in which Evelyn Keyes and Willard Parker play the starring roles. SUSPENSE. Pat O'Brien, that consumate actor — famed and feared in Hollywood because of his scene-stealing abilities— will star in a punchy drama that is among the Columbia Anniversary shows. It's titled "Perilous Holiday." The imposing list of releases which Columbia has set for definite delivery during the first six months of 1946 as standard-bearers for the company's Silver Anniversary Year celebration is headed by "Gilda." There is reason for a natural inclination to put "Gilda" at the top of the group of five productions named by Columbia for the first half of its anniversary year. First, it stars Columbia's most glamorous feminine actress and one of the top-ranking personalities of the screen — Rita Hayworth. The other four pictures are: "Stars and Spars," "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest," "Pardon My Past," "Renegades" and "Perilous Holiday." "Gilda" has been classified by Hollywood as a "decidedly different" sort of picture for Miss Hayworth, whose co-star is the popular Glenn Ford, with Joseph Calleia and George Macready in principal featured roles. Charles Vidor (whose recent record is one of a steady procession of big "money pictures") directed "Gilda," which will bring Miss Hayworth to the screen as a dramatic actress in a highly emotional role after four years of spectacular success as a star of top-fiight musicals. This story (naturally) provides for Miss Hayworth to sing and dance in the course of its dramatic procession. "Renegades," a Technicolor ep'c of the old (Continued on Page 75) Set Pattern for New Cycles In Frim Fare (Continued from Page 45) comedy. "One Night of Love" in the same year brought grand opera to the screen and made good music something the masses could appreciate. With "The Awful Truth," Columbia led the way in sophisticated screwball farce, and with "Lost Horizon" and "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" proved that fantasy had a definite appeal. "Cover Girl" ushered in an entirely new variety of Technicolor musical, and made Rita Hayworth one of the top box-office draws in motion pictures. More recently, "A Song to Remember," a musical biography of Chopin in Technicolor, started a vogue for films featuring classical music. At 25, Columbia is young and vigorous and plans newer and better things. One of the many innovations on the Columbia agenda is the Technicolor musical, "The Jolson Story," This will mark the first time a great American theatrical personality has been immortalized during his lifetime. Columbia today, as one of the foremost fartors wherever motion pitcures are shown, in the opinion of Harry and Jack Cohn, is truly a tribute to its manpower. Many of the executives who now guide Columbia's destinies have risen from the ranks by displaying invaluable judgment, administrative ability and creative talent