Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1948)

12 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 30, 1948 The Box-Office Slant Current and Forthcoming Feature Product Reviewed from the Theatreman's Standpoint Nighttime in Nevada (Trucolor) Republic Musical Western 67 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Another Roy Rogers starrer to please the fans. Fastmoving, tuneful, and with all the usual ingredients on hand. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: You know what Rogers can do when it comes to raking in the shekels. Cast: Roy Rogers, Trigger, Adele Mara, Andy Devine, Grant Withers, Marie Harmon, Joseph Crehan, George Carleton, Holly Bane, and Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. Credits: Associate producer, Edward J. White. Director, William Witney. Original screenplay, Sloan Nibley. Photography, Jack Marta. Plot: Roy goes after a crooked ex-miner who is trying to bilk a young girl out of her rightful inheritance. With the help of Andy Devine and the Sons of he Pioneers, Roy manages to catch the villain in the act of stealing cattle. In a final battle, he kills the crook, and the girl gets her money. Comment: Another Roy Rogers starrer to please the fans. It is fast-moving, tuneful, and contains all the usual ingredients: Andy ■Devine for laughs, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers for songs and assistance to Roy, and the beautiful steed, Trigger. The story is nicely tailored for the star's needs, and veteran William Witney's direction is as dependable as ever. As far as the box-office is concerned, you know what Rogers can do when it comes to raking in the shekels. Let's Live a Little Eagle Lion Comedy 85 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) There are lots of laughs in this comedy. Average audiences will forget their troubles and have a good time. Not a candidate for critics' honors but certain to win hilarious approval from most moviegoers. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should do well in neighborhood and average community theatres, especially once word-of-mouth gets around. Cast: Hedy Lamarr, Robert Cummings, Anna Sten, Richard Shayne,' Mary Treen, Harry Antrim. Credits: Presented by United California Productions. Produced by Eugene Frenke and Robert Cummings. Associate Producer, Joe Gottesman. Directed by Richard Wallace. Screenplay by Albert J. Cohen and Jack Harvey. Photography, Ernest Laszlo. Photographic effects, George J. Teague. Art direction, Edward L. Ilou. Music score. Werner Heyman. Musical direction, Irving Friedman. Plot: This comedy concerns the romantic affairs of an advertising agency executive who, harried in his efforts to get a contract signed by his ex-paramour, head of a large cosmetics firm, decides, as a change, to take over the campaign for a book published by a feminine neuro-psychiatrist. Naturally, the executive and the doctor fall in love, and there are complications before everything is worked out satisfactorily. Comment: Average audiences will laugh more than just a little when they see "Let's Live a Little." In this first independent effort of United California Productions, which is headed by Eugene Frenke and Robert Cummings, comedy situations occur so frequently that the spectator hardly has time to recover National Reviewing Committees' Classifications A SONG IS BORN (RKO) FAMILY — National Board of Review. CLASS B — National Legion of Decency. (Objection: Suggestive dialogue, scenes and costuming-) ONE TOUCH OF VENUS (U-I) FAMILY — National Board of Review. CLASS B — National Legion of Decency. (Objection: Suggestive sequences.) LIVE TODAY FOR TOMORROW (U-I) MATURE — 'National Board of Review. CLASS B — National Legion of Decency. (Objection: Although some indictment is made against the evils portrayed in this film, nevertheless, the picture tends to justify suicide and mercy killing in some instances.) from one outburst when his risibilities are again tickled. And then, too, the laughter may drown out some of the lines for a few; but that doesn't matter much, for once the infectious laughter begins, it leaves scarcely anyone immune, even if he does happen to miss a line or two. Some of the comedy is slapstick, some not so slapstick; but much of it is cleverly contrived, and Actor-Producer Cummings carries it off exceptionally well. One might also say that he carries off the picture — it is all his, with capable support by Hedy Lamarr, Anna Sten, Richard Shayne and others, all under the direction of Richard Wallace. "Let's Live a Little" won't top any ten-best lists, nor are key city movie critics likely to describe it in glowing terms. But average audiences who like to forget their troubles and have a good time will eat it up. If the shekels coming into the box-office are anywhere near the number of laughs this comedy will provoke, Frenke and Cummings should find it a profitable venture. There appears to have been little or no skimping on production values. The Golden Eye Monogram Mystery 68 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Slowmoving Charlie Chan entry that has little to offer average audiences. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Despite its mediocrity, this release should get by because of the standing the series has established. Cast: Roland Winters, Mantan Moreland, Victor Sen Young, Tim Ryan, Bruce Kellogg, Wanda McKay, Ralph Dunn, Forrest Taylor, Evelyn Brent, Lois Austin, Lee "Lasses" White. Credits: Producer, James S. Burkett. Director, William Beaudine. Original screenplay, W. Scott Darling. Suggested by the Earl Derr Biggers character. Photography, William Sickner. Plot: Charlie is called to Arizona by a wealthy mine owner because of threats and attempts on the man's life. The mine owner is killed, however, before Chan can uncover the culprits. , Comment: This slow-moving Charlie Chan mystery has little to offer average audiences. At times it drags so perceptibly that one wonders why the film editor wasn't a little more active with his scissors. The situations are too contrived, and once again Mantan Moreland's humorous attempts are too forced. Victor Sen Young plays the Number Two son listlessly, although Roland Winters is good as Chan. The musical background is only fair, but other technical departments are up to par for the most part. The Angry God (Color) United Artists Dramatic Legend 57 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: An attempt to add a story to a travelog about a Mexican volcano will draw a perfect blank audience-wise. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Might possibly fill in where there is a long feature on top. The American Museum of Natural History is about the only known name, so you figure it out. Cast: Alicia Parla, Casimiro Ortega, Mario Forastieri. Credits: A Carlyle production. Direction, Van Campen .Heilner. Production, Edward J. Peskay. Screenplay, Harold McCracken, adapted from story by Emma-Lindsay Squier. Photography, Luis Osorno Barona. Volcano scenes photographed by Museum of Natural History. Music score. Vernon Duke. Plot: Colima, a Mexican god, desires the girl Napoli, who is betrothed to Nezatl. She will have none of him, so in revenge he causes Nezatl to lose his memory and he looses the force of the volcano on the town. The higher god then condemns Colima to become part of the volcano forever, and the young couple are reunited. Comment: In the, line of duty it is necessary to report here that "The Angry God" has little — and for most situations nothing — to offer the waiting exhibitor. The camera work presents at best a mild travelog, with even the volcano scenes only so-so. The legend has been fastened onto this framework in such an amateurish manner, both in respect to screenplay and acting, that the film hardly belongs in the commercial market. The high-falutin' language alone defeats this effort, and that is only one of the difficulties. The Guinea Pig (Reviewed in London) Pilgrim Drama 99 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Skilfully disguising a social problem as a success story, this magnificent film of English school life combines laughter and tears with sound reasoning and is bound to be favorably compared with "Goodbye Mr. Chips." Beautifully acted and directed, this is, with the exception of the introduction of a word not used in polite society, excellent entertainment for the entire family. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Current intentions are to roadshow it in the U. S. on a specialized basis. For Britain, it is a prestige picture which will draw the crowds. Cast: Richard Attenborough, Sheila Sim, Bernard Miles, Cecil Trouncer, Robert Flemyng, Edith Sharpe, Joan Hickson and others. Credits: Screenplay by Bernard Miles and Warren Chetham Strode in association with Roy Boulting. Produced by John Boulting. Directed by Roy Boulting. UK Distribution, Pathe. Plot: Under the Fleming Report, working class boys are being sent to exclusive tradition bound colleges free of charge. Richard Attenborough is such a boy. He does not fit in and Cecil Trouncer, his diehard housemaster, loathes the experiment. He runs away but Robert Flemyng, his tutor who has just returned from the Army, catches him and reasons with him to see it through. Slowly he appreciates the place and finds that much he despised he now admires. He wants to become a schoolmaster to help