Showmen's Trade Review (1945)

October 20, 1945 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW mm i i [i She Went to the Races MGM Comedy 86 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A few laughs, a couple of lovely girls and some horse races will entertain those who do not demand too much credulity in their movie fare. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Not one of MGM's better efforts, its lack of marquee names necessitate support or a leading feature for double-bill programs. Cast: James Craig, Frances Gifford, Ava Gardner, Edmund Gwenn, Sig Ruman, Reginald Owen and others. Credits: Directed by Willis Goldbeck. Produced by Frederick Stephani. Screenplay by Lawrence Hazard based upon a story by Alan Friedman and DeVallon Scott. Photography, Charles Salerno. Plot: In an attempt to raise $20,000 to continue the services of Edmund Gwenn at the research institute where they are associates, professors Reginald Owen, Charles Halton and Sig Ruman with Dr. Frances Gifford use their knowledge of science to calculate a method to beat the races. They decide that the horse owned by James Craig will be the winner of one race but Frances Gifford is dissuaded from betting on it on the advice of Craig. When it wins they have a misunderstanding, whereupon Craig decides to marry Ava Gardner. In an attempt to recoup their losses the professors decide again that Craig's horse can beat Ava's horse and the two girls let the horse-race decide who is to win Craig. Craig's horse wins, the doctor is returned to his research laboratory and Craig and Frances finally get together. Comment: Decidedly not one of MGM's better efforts, "She Went to the Races" is, nevertheless, amusing enough with occasional excitement engendered by the horse racing scenes to supply light entertainment for average audiences. Both Frances Gifford and Ava Gardner are gorgeous to look at and do excellent jobs of acting. Craig's part is played well enough, although the position of the man he plays is untenable. The others do well enough to supply what light comedy the picture contains. Production values are good but the direction is loosely contrived. "She Went to the Races" will require support or a leading feature to bolster it in doublebill programs in most situations. Yolanda and the Thief MGM (Color) Musical 106 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) A wealth of color, dancing and singing all lavishly intermixed in a fantasy which, although lacking heart appeal, should prove acceptable entertainment for those who like Fred Astaire's dancing and Technicolor pictures. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: The box-office value of the Astaire and Frank Morgan names, plus the fact that it's a Technicolor musical, should do much to keep this picture on the profit side of the ledger. Cast: Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, Frank Morgan, Mildred Natwick, Leon Ames, Mary Nash, Ludwig Stossel, Jane Green, Remo Bufano, Francis Pierlot, Leon Belasco, Chislaine Perreau, Charles La Torre, Michael Visaroflf. Credits: Directed by Vincente Minnelli. Screenplay by Irving Brecher. Based upon a story by Jacques Thery and Ludwig Bemelmans. Photography, Charles Rosher. Technicolor color director, Natalie Kalmus. Musical direction, Lennie Hayton. Produced by Arthur Freed. Plot: A personable young crook makes plans to gain possession of a South American fortune owned by a pretty young girl. His Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending Oct. 13) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE The Enchanted Forest Sunbonnet Sue SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY The Crimson Canary A Game of Death The Spanish Main Too Young to Know Yolanda and the Thief (For Week Ending Oct. 20) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Pursuit to Algiers SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Ho:d That Blonde Stork Club The Spider OBJECTIONABLE IN PART She Went to the Races plans proceed smoothly until he finds himself in love with her. From that time on strange things happen, and he ends up by marrying the girl. Comment: What might have been an outstanding Technicolor production with popular appeal — for it has the talent of Fred Astaire, the drawing power of both his and Frank Morgan's names, and the beauty and dancing of Lucille Bremer — turns out to be simply a collection of riotous, dazzling color sequences. Apparently the story is at fault, for Producer Arthur Freed has spared no expense in providing lavish sets and costumes with an intermixture of dancing and singing for eye and ear appeal. Missing from the entertainment formula, however, is perhaps the most vital ingredient: heart appeal. For while this is a romantic fantasy, its method of presentation, and the events that occur, lack sincerity and conviction. One finds it difficult, for example, to accept the premise that a girl could be so naive as Lucille Bremer is supposed to be after leaving a convent as to be "taken in" by Fred Astaire's "angel" scheme to acquire her fortune. Astaire does onl} two dance numbers, the first of which, a dream sequence, despite its originality may be a little too psychologically involved for average moviegoers to comprehend. Miss Bremer is an extremely attractive and talented young lady who dances well with Astaire and sings and handles her dramatic assignment with obvious ability. Frank Morgan's abilities seem to be subdued, while Leon Ames and Mary Nash, two other competent performers, are relegated to even lesser spots. Mildred Natwick is effective as the scatter-brain aunt of Miss Bremer, although a little time is required to "catch on" to her humor because of the general surroundings. While "Yolanda and the Thief" is not likely to create too much of a furore, its wealth of color and its singing and dancing should make it acceptable entertainment for the majority of moviegoers and worthy of the price of admission. The box-office value of the Astaire and Morgan names, plus the fact that it's a Technicolor musical, should do much to keep it on the profit side of the ledger. Senorlta From the West Universal Comedy 62 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Fairly amusing light comedy that should entertain not-too-discriminating audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Satisfactory general audience picture for the lower half of double-bill programs. Cast: Allan Jones, Bonita Granville, Jess Barker, George Cleveland, Fuzzy Knight, Oscar O'Shea, Renny McEvoy, Olin Howlin, Danny Mummert, Bob Merrill, Emmett Vogan, Billy Nelson, Jack Clifford, Spade Cooley and His Orchestra. Credits: Directed by Frank Strayer. Produced by Philip Cahn. Original screenplay by Howard Dimsdale. Photography, Paul Ivano. Plot: The ward of three rich operators of a gold mine has aspirations for a singing career. The men never tell her of their riches because of fortune hunters, so she sets out on her own. She meets a man who fronts for a famous radio singer, whom she admires, and he, knowing of her riches, tries to rush her into marriage. The real singer, however, learns the truth in time to woo and win the g.rl tor himself. Comment: Other than the music and singing of Allan Jones and Bonita Granville, this picture has little entertainment to offer, for the story doesn't have much substance and what there is of it is stretched out for the sixty-two minutes of running time, which makes it slow and draggy. For excitement, there's a fight in a night club with its subsequent wreckage, but most of the scenes are too laden with dialog for any action to take place. Miss Granville, Jones and Jess Barker, who is the third member of the triangle, all strive valiantly to make their parts believable, and they do pretty well considering the handicap of the material given them. In the supporting cast are such able performers as George Cleveland, Oscar O'Shea and Fuzzy Knight, and Spade Cooley and His Orchestra take care of the music. Direction by Frank Strayer is loose and Philip Cahn's production values are somewhat skimpy. Love on the Dole Four Continents Drama 89 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Reaction to this probably will be mixed. While it is a depressing subject it is engrossing and thought-provoking. Not for children. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Deborah Kerr's name is the film's only possible drawing power, except for the exploitation angles suggested by the distributor in his press book. The fact that censorship troubles have barred the picture from American distribution for four years may be stressed to sensationalize it. Cast: Deborah Kerr, Clifford Evans, Mary Merrall, George Carney, Geoffrey Hibbert, Joyce Howard, Frank Cellier, Martin Walker, Marie O'Neill and others. Credits: Produced and directed by John Baxter. Based on Walter Greenwood's novel and stage play, "Love on the Dole," with screen adaptation by Mr. Greenwood. Photography, James Wilson. Produced at National Studios, Elstree, England. Plot: Deborah Kerr, daughter of hardworking, depressed and poverty-stricken George Carney and Mary Merrall, lives in the slums of a British industrial city, from which there seems to be no escape. Deborah's aspirations go no higher than just a place of her own with Socialist leader Clifford Evans, whom she expects to marry when they have saved up enough for their own home. With the depression of the 1930s, they become even more indigent: Evans is {Continued on Page 43)