Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1946)

14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, June 22, 1946 Under Arizona Skies Monogram Western with Music 56 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Fair western that will satisfy the action fans, although not up to the standard of other Brown releases. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should be a good oiraw because of Johnny Mack Brown's name, coupled with Raymond Hatton. Cast: Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, Reno Blair, Riley Hill, Tristram Coffin, Reed Howes, Ted Adams, Raphael Bennett, Ted Mapes, Kermit Maytiard, Smith Ballew and the Sons of the Sage. Credits: Producer, Scott R. Dunlap. Director, Lambert Hillyer. Screenplay, J. Bentley Cheney, based on story by John McCarthy. Plot: An itinerant cowboy and his sidekick team up to keep a western community from being overrun by a gang of cattle rustlers. The rustlers are headed by the town's saloonkeeper and a supposedly reputable rancher, who manage to put the cowboy and his aide into jail on trumped-up charges. The hero escapes with the aid of the sheriff's daughter and her sweetheart, and tracks down the rustlers. The girl and boy are married. Comment: Johnny Mack Brown is as good as ever in this latest release in his series, but the picture suffers from lack of pace and an indifferent script. Musical background, also, does not maintain the tempo and mood necessary to reinforce the kind of action going on at the time on the screen. Often, music is slow and out of character with the slam-bang stuff being portrayed by Brown. Reno Blair, newcomer to films, screens well and shows promise; she is an excellent rider. Also seen to advantage in, a relatively small role is Kermit Maynard, oldtime western star Ken Maynard's brother. Kermit, incidentally, is a fine-looking chap and looks natural in his cowboy getup; he had his own series of westerns at one time. Several cowboy numbers done by Smith Ballew's musical crew are up to par. Crime of tlie Gentuiy Republic Mystery 55 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Mediocre picture that will have difficulty in pleasing even undisceming fans. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Will manage to get by as the lower half of a dual bill. Cast: Stephanie Bachelor, Michael Browne, Martin Kosleck, Betty Shaw, Paul Stanton, Mary Currier, Tom London, Earle Hodgkins, Garry Owen. Crejdits: Producer, Walter H. Goetz. Director, Philip Ford. Screenplay by O'Leta Rhinehart, William Hagens and Gertrude Walker from an original story by O'Leta Rhinehart and William Hagens. Photography, Reggie Lanning. Plot: When the president of a rich company dies, the vice-president tries to keep his demise a secret by hiding the body until after the stockholders' meeting so he can gain control of the corporation. A newspaper reporter learns the secret, but before he can expose conditions, he is kidnapped and held captive in a drugged state. His brother and the president's daughter become suspicious and uncover evidence which leads to the expose of the guilty parties. Comment: A poorly done picture, with a Legion of Decency Ratings (For Week Ending June 22) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE My Pal Trigger Return of Rusty SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Crack-Up Danger Woman Till the End of Time OBJECTIONABLE IN PART Lover Come Back weak script and indifferent direction. The cast is not up to overcoming the film's shortcomings, with none of the players possessing sufficient box-office appeal to adequately sell the mystery-drama. Suspense does not exist because the ultimate results are too obvious to the average moviegoer. Situations are too contrived and mediocre acting doesn't help any. Best work is done by Mary Currier, in a minor role. The Bamboo Blonde RKO Comedywith-Music 67 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A good, entertaining comedy that will please the average theatregoer, especially those who like Frances Langford. There is also the comedy of Ralph Edwards of "Truth and Consequence" fame. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: The drawing power of the title, plus the marquee pull of the Langford name, makes this strong enough for top billing in subsequents and neighborhood houses. Cast: Frances Langford, Ralph Edwards, Russell Wade, Iris Adrian, Richard Martin, Jane Greer, Glenn Vernon, Paul Harvey, Regina Wallace, Jean Brooks, Tom Noonan, Dorothy Vaughan. Credits: Produced by Herman Schlom. Directed by Anthony Mann. Screenplay by Olive Cooper and Lawrence Kimble. Based on a story by Wayne Whittaker. Photography, Frank Redman. Plot: The Skipper of a B-29 meets a nightclub singer on the night before he takes off for the Pacific. His crew christen her the "Bamboo Blonde," paint her picture on the bomber and name the ship for her. The bomber climbs to fame with its exploits and the girl rises to a top spot on 'Broadway, helped by the publicity. Their romance travels a rocky road when a wealthy deb decides to win the Skipper for herself, but all problems are finally solved. Comment: The drawing power of the title plus the marquee pull of the Frances Langford name, makes this program offering strong enough for top billing in the subsequent and neighborhood houses. It is the sort of picture that will please the average theatregoer, for it is a good entertaining comedy with a fair share of laughs. The comedy lines are handled by Ralph Edwards of "Truth and Consequence" radio fame while Frances Langford, in the title role, presents four song numbers in her own inimitable style. Iris Adrian makes a brief role productive of laughs and Russell Wade does all right in the romantic lead opposite Miss Langford. Others cast in important top roles are Jane Greer and Glenn Vernon. Inside Job 1 Universal Drama 65 mins| AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Pointing up the moral that "crime does not pay," this average program picture will please patrons of neighborhood and small town theatres, j BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should get by ai a bottom-rung feature on a double bill. Mighs serve well as the top film on a week-end] action bill. ' Cast: Preston Foster, Alan Curtis, Ann Rutherford, Joe Sawyer, Joan Fulton, Milburn Stone, Jimmie Moss, Samuel S. Hinds, Howard Freeman, Johtu Berkes, Harry Brown, Joe Kirk. Crcidits: Directed an^ produced by Jean Yarbrough. Screenplay by George] Bricker and Jerry Warner from an original story bjl Tod Browning and Garrett Fort. Musical direction,! Frank Skinner. Art direction. Jack Otterson. Photog-J raphy, Maury Gertsman. ' Plot: Attempting to go straight after taking the rap for gangster Preston Foster years before, Alan Curtis is spotted by the racketeer, threatend with loss of his job unless he robs the store in which he works. To outwit Foster, Curtis robs the store himself with the aid of his commercial model wife, Ann Rutherford. The couple remain in hiding while the law having "put the finger" on Curtis because of his prison record — searches for them. In his efforts to get revenge on Curtis, Foster is killed by a patrolman as he attempts to enter the Curtis apartment. Curtis and Ann are arrested and their sentence minimized because of their first aid to the patrolman shot by Foster. Comment: An average program picture, "Inside Job" points up the morals that "money is the root of all evil" and "crime does not pay." One factor in its favor from a logical standpoint but perhaps not from an audience viewpoint, since most moviegoers like happy endings, is that the principal characters, having committed grand larceny, are made to pay their debt to society via a prison sentence — minimized somewhat because of their aid to a wounded patrolman — but a prison sentence, nevertheless. For all its short length — only 65 minutes — the picture is slightly episodic and moves slowly much of the time. In a cast headed by Preston Foster, Alan Curtis and Ann Rutherford, only Foster performs with self-assurance; the others are never quite convincing enough. Patrons of neighborhood theatres and average theatres in small towns will take 'Inside Job" in their stride as a bottom-rung feature on a double bill, and some of its moments featuring a cute youngster named Jimmie Moss will appeal to the feminine element. Man From Rainbow Valley (Color) Republic Western 56 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A western with an original story that will entertain not only the western fans but all who like outdoor action fare. Story plus color makes this different than the average. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: This Monte Halej color western is a very good offering for thej trade. | Cast: Monte Hale, Adrian Booth, Jo Ann Marlowe,