Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

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SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, Jaiwary 25, 1947 39 Francis the First taining in the bargain. Because of its theme, it should be seen by everyone who drives Comedy 90 rhins. a car. Vog Films (French Dialog, English Titles) AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Good comedy with some moments of high hilarity. Should appeal to most intelligent adult audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Probably best for '"art" type theatres, but good enough for supporting feature on double-bill programs in some situations. Cast: Fernandel, Mona Goya, Alexandre Rignault, Henri Bosc, Sinoel, Genin, Lemontier, Mihalesco, Ferval, Faivre. Amato. Vitry, Marconi, Aime-Simon Girard. Alice Tissot. Credits: A Calamy production. Directed by Christian-Jacque. Scenario by Paul Fekete. Music by ' Sylviano. Plot: Fernandel, stage director of a traveling theatre company, has an ambition to play the lead in the company's operetta, Francis I, and when the leading man becomes ill, is designated by the director for the role. To gain confidence he submits to hypnotism and in a dream pictures himself as a Duke during the reign of Francis I. Upon awakening he is informed that the theatre's leading man has recovered, whereupon he returns to the hypnotist for another dose of the same pleasant dream. Comment: This Fernandel is a very funny fellow indeed. And in the ducal role he plays during the reign of Francis I of France, he is given every opportunity to carry on with the many comedy tricks he has learned during a long career. The story is a farce from start to finish, having no sense whatever, and includes some of the story tricks well known to American audiences in motion picture versions of "A Connecticut Yankee" in which inventions of the modern era are pushed back through time for use in earlier days. In this case Fernandel makes use of an encyclopedia, which includes details of the history of persons at the court of Francis I, to foretell their future. A flashlight, a modern traveling bag and other incongruous bits of paraphernalia also play prominent parts in the motivation of the comedy. One sequence in which Fernandel teaches the lords and ladies of the court how to dance in the manner of the 20th century is good for fullthroated laughs. Production values are fair and direction is not too careful as to detail, with one or two mob sequences showing an obscure extra looking directly into the camera lens. As a whole, however, "Francis the First" is a good comedy, easily understandable with the aid of English dialog titles. It should prove acceptable to most intelligent adult audiences but will have its most marked success in the so-called "art" or foreign-run film theatres. Might get by as a supporting feature in some situations, especially where audiences are discriminating. The Devil on Wheels PRC Drama 67 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) This picture gets across a most important message on safe driving and manages to be enter BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Exhibitors content to do so may play it merely as a supporting feature without benefit of ballyhoo. Alert showmen will wish not only to benefit at the box-office but also tie-in with local campaigns on safe driving. The picture will probably be viewed by thousands of traffic offenders in courts across the nation. Cast: Noreen Nash, Darryl Hickman, Jan Ford, Tames Cardwell, Damian O'Flynn, Lenita Lane, William Forrest, Sue England, Robert Arthur, Ann Burr. Produced by Ben Stoloff. Associate Producer, Jerry Briskin. Directed by Crane Wilbur. Original story and screenplay by Crane Wilbur from an original idea by Torn Sargent. Photography, L. W. O'Connell. Photographic effects, George Teague. Art direction, PerrySmith. Music by Alvin Levin. Musical direction, Irving Friedman. Plot: Taken to court for participating in a drag race with his "hot rod" car, Darryl Hickman is lectured by the judge and released. Darryl's father, Damian O'Flynn, incensed at being haled into court with his son, permits Darryl to keep his car. Later, one evening, while trying to elude police after running away from the morgue, where he had identified the. body of a friend killed in a drag race, Darryl strikes a car. The victim is his mother, who is seriously injured. His friend, Robert Arthur, who had escaped with him, is killed. Because Darryl fled the scene of the crash, he is taken into custody. Later, his mother recovers, while Darryl awaits sentence. Comment: Because of its theme and the honest effort of its producers to make a film that would help the nation's safety campaign, "The Devil on Wheels" rates more than mere program classification. There are some cliches, and some of the performances are somewhat stilted; but, on the whole, these slight drawbacks fade into insignficance when the "drive carefully" theme is taken into consideration. Without resorting to cheap theatricalism merely for the sake of sensationalism, the picture succeeds in getting across a most important message, and on top of that, manages to be entertaining in the bargain. Capable, if not particularly impressive performances, are essayed by Darryl Hickman, Noreen Nash, James Cardwell, Damian O'Flynn and others. Crane Wilbur's direction and screenplay are commendable, and Ben Stoloffs production values are good. For exhibitors content to do so, the picture can be played merely as a supporting feature without benefit of ballyhoo. For alert showmen who not only wish to benefit at the boxoffice but also aid local campaigns for safe driving, "The Devil on Wheels" is an exploitation natural. By the time it finishes its runs, more than likely it will have been seen by thousands of traffic offenders in courts across the nation. Many radio listeners, incidentally, may recognize the voice (not having seen the face) of the man who plays the father of a little girl killed in an auto crash in an early sequence of the film. Though the role is brief, it is effectively portrayed by Elliott Lewis, who frequently stars in airwave comedies and dramas. I'll Be Yours Universal Comedy-with-Songs 93 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) For Deanna Durbin's followers this picture has the elements they enjoy; a fine performance and splendid singing by Deanna, plus good portrayals throughout. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Satisfactory fare for the Deanna Durbin followers. For added box-office strength, there are the William Bendix and Adolphe Menjou names. Cast: Deanna Durbin, Tom Drake, William Bendix, Adolphe Menjou, Walter Catlett, Franklin Pangborn, William Trenk, Joan Fulton, Patricia Alphin, William Brooks. Credits: Directed by William A. Seiter. From the screenplay, "The Good Fairy," by Preston Sturges. Based on a comedy by Ferenc Molnar. Translated and adapted by Jane Hinton. Photography, Hal Mohr. Associate Producer, Howard Christie. Produced by Felix Jackson. Plot: To help a young conscientious lawyer get started, a young lady poses as his wife when she meets a wealthy man. The wealthy man's interest in her causes him to give the lawyer a contract with his firm; in this way, he hopes to win the girl himself. Things become quite involved after the lawyer learns the truth, but in the meatime he has saved the wealthy man quite a sum of money, so he keeps him on the job. And the boy and girl get married. Comment: That there is definite weakness in story structure of this latest Deanna Durbin offering is unfortunate, for the performances are excellent, the several songs Miss Durbin presents, just as well done, vocally, as anything she's sung heretofore; also there is a scattering of laughs throughout. But the story makes an excellent performer like Adolphe Menjou appear unreal in his characterization and fails to give William Bendix a chance to play up the type of role that has made him famous. Even Tom Drake, playing the romantic lead opposite Miss Durbin, though very good, doesn't seem to be at ease in his role, and players like Walter Catlett and Franklin Pangborn are in only for brief scenes. Granada, Sari Waltz, It's Dream Time and Cobbleskill School Song are the four numbers Miss Durbin sings; the first being the popular fi vorite. The picture has been lavishly produced by Felix Jackson and William Seiter competently directed. The Macomber Affair United Artists Drama 90 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Another excellent interpretation by Gregory Peck, in a picture that will entertain those who enjoy heavy dramatic fare. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Has excellent star names for box-office draw, particularly Gregory Peck, who is presently one of the tops in drawing power. Cast: Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, Robert Preston, Reginald Denny, Carl Harbord, Frederic Worlock, Jean Gillie, Earl Smith, Vernon Downing. Credits: Directed by Zoltan Korda. Screenplay by Casey Robinson and Seymour Bennett. Adaptation by Seymour Bennett and Frank Arnold. Adapted from Ernest Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis (Continued on Page 42)