Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

10 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 1, 1949 The Box'Oitice Slant Current and Forthcoming Feature Product Reviewed from the Theatreman's Standpoint (Swedish Dialog — English Titles) Scandia Films Drama 100 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Well photographed, well acted, but obvious melodrama with overinsistent music. Impelling folk dances. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Fair for art houses, with "Torment" stars. Particularly good for Swedish neighborhoods. Cast: Mai Zettevling, AH Kjelliii^ Sten Lindgren, Anna Lindahl, Hugo Hasslo, Ulf Palme, Torsten Bergstrom. Credits: Producer, Svensk Films. Director, Gustav Edgren. Screenplay, Gustav Edgren. Based on a novel by Margit Soderholm. Photography, Martin Bodin. Music, Charles Redland. English titles, Herman Weinberg. Plot: The daughter of a rich farmer defies her father and the superstitions of Sweden's northern provinces by running out of her morganatic wedding to be with a gypsy fiddler. Later lie inherits a farm and they marry. He is saved from the rapids by the girl's father when the latter realizes he has been tyrannical. Comment: This rustic legend runs to melodrama, unfortunately obvious and accompanied by too insistent music. It does have pictorial grandeur, however, with the hills and woods and rapid streams of northern Sweden, plus some rhythmically impelling folk dances, the charming title song and good acting by a handsome young couple. This couple, Mai Zetterling and Alf Kjellin, furthermore, achieved note in "Torment," which was cjuite successful here for a foreign-language film. Miss Zetterling has added to her reputation in several British films. "Sunshine Follows Rain" rates only fair in the art house category, the "Torment" stars being the principal angle. Clinging so close to the Swedish soil, it should be a particularly good entry for Swedish neighborhoods. 20th-Fox Drama 102 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) A poignant, stirring drama with a timely theme that is vital and gripping. Most audiences will find it daring and compelling entertainment, but unless a miracle in territorial censorship occurs, it may be forbidden to the very people who should see it. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Because of its controversial theme, this picture will stir up a great deal of interest and discussion that will redound to its benefit at the box-office. Cast: Jeanne Grain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, William Lundigan, Basil Ruysdael, Kenny Washington, Nina Mae McKinney, Griff Barnett, Frederick O'Neal, Evelyn Varden. Raymond Greenleaf, Dan Riss, William Hansen, Arthur Hunnicut. Credits: Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. Directed by Elia Kazan. Screenplay by Philip Dunne and Dudley Nichols. Based on a novel by Cid Ricketts Sumner. Photography, Joe MacDonald. Art direction, Lyle Wheeler and J. Russell Spencer. Music by Alfred Newman. Plot: Having lived in the North since she was a child, 22-year-old Pinky returns to her grandmother in the South. Pinky, a Negro, who had lived in the North since she was a child and had passed as winte, had fallen in love with a young doctor, and tells her grandmother she will return to him. But National Reviewing Committees' Audience Classifications THAT MIDNIGHT KISS (MOM) F.AMILY — National Board of Review CLASS A — ^SEC. 1 — National Legion of Decency SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (RKO) FAMILY — National Board of Review CLASS A--SEC. 1 — National Legion of Decency SLATTERY'S HURRICANE (20th-Fox) .MATLTRE— National Board of Review CLASS A— SEC. 2— National Legion of Decency Granny induces Pinky, a registered nurse, to nurse back to health Miss Em, the landowner for whom her family has worked since childhood. The young doctor arrives to proclaim his love, although Pinky tells him of her background. A Negro doctor asks her aid in helping young Negro girls become nurses, but she refuses because she plans to return North as soon as Miss Em recovers. But Aliss Em dies, leaving her property to Pinky. The will is cjuestioned and the case brought to court. Pinky wins, but the youngdoctor asks her to give up the home and come North with him. Realizing that Miss Em intended her to turn the house into a nursing home, Pinky decides to remain where she feels she belongs and fulfill Miss Em's wishes. Comment: "Pinky" is a poignant, stirringdrama. The plight of an attractive Negro girl who had passed as white in the North and who has returned to her southern home because of the conflict of background provides a situation that is vital and gripping. If Producer Darryl Zanuck's other film, ''Gentleman's Agreement," stripped the mask from intolerance in the case of anti-Semitism, this picture is even more daring and compelling in its presentation of the Negro question. The evil of prejudice is boldly revealed, and one cringes at the realization that this condition prevails today. As portrayed by Jeanne Grain, Pinky, though a Negro, might well have continued to successfully pass as white away from her Southern home. But there is that inner conflict of background which torments. And once she is home, the veil is lifted and prejudice and intolerance rear their ugly heads. Although she must give up the man she loves. Pinky realizes that her place is with her people. In the face of prejudice and intolerance, it is the only thing she can do. Elia Kazan has directed this drama with skill and understanding, and it is superbly acted by Miss Grain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, William Lundigan, Basil Ruysdael, Evelyn Varden and others in the cast. Producer Zanuck has chosen his cast with care, and Director Kazan brings forth from them performances that are startlingly true to life. This applies especially to those who portray intolerant, bigoted characters. Undoubtedly, "Pinky" will stir up a great deal of interest and discussion that will redound to its benefit at the boxoffice. But unless a miracle in territorial censorship occurs, it may be forbidden to the very people who should see it. Whatever develops, there can be no denying the fact that an extremely vital subject has been forcefully and convincingly brought to the screen by Darryl Zanuck. MGM War Drama 118 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Far and away THE picture of World War II. To many, it may well be THE picture of both wars. A truly impressive screen document with an array of magnificent performances. It will thrill men and women alike, and it will be talked about. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: In its subject matter and in its star names, this picture has strong box-office values. And the campaign being put behind it by MGM — probably the company's strongest in years — should insure top grosses in all situations. Cast: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson. Jerome Courtland, Don Taylor, Bruce Cowling, James Whitmore, Douglas Fowley, Leon Ames, Guy Anderson, Thomas E. Breen, Denise Darcel, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Arness, Scotty Beckett. Brett King and the original "Screaming Eagles" of the 101st Airborne Division, who play themselves. Credits: Produced by Dore Schary. Directed by William A. Wellman. Story and screenplay by Robert Pirosh, associate producer. Photography, Paul C. Vogel. Art direction, Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters. Montage sequences, Peter Ballbusch. Musical score, Lennie Hayton. Technical adviser, H. W. O. Kinnard, Lt. Col., Inf. Plot: This is the story of the quiet heroism of the men of the 101st Airborne Division during Ghristmas week, 1944, in the Battle of Bastogne. Although outnumbered, without supplies, and surrounded, the American troops hold Bastogne against the unexpected Nazi breakthrough. When the fog lifts and the sun shines again, droves of planes overhead shower supplies and ammunition on the beleagured infantrymen. Comment: There have been a few outstanding pictures based on World War I — "The Big Parade," "What Price Glory" and "Journey's End" come quickly to mind. There have been a number of World War II dramas, but they seemed to lack that "something" to make them imperishable. Only one fact seems crystal clear: "Battleground" is far and away THE picture of World War II. To many, it may well be THE picture of both wars. Here is a truly impressive screen document of that frantic Ghristmas Week of 1944 when outnumbered American troops without supplies held out against an unexpected Nazi breakthrough. Avoiding the temptation to treat the Battle of Bastogne from a spectacular scale with thousands of soldiers and planes and tanks. Producer Dore Schary and Associate Producer Robert Pirosh, who also wrote the story and screenplay, have wisely confined their treatment to a single platoon — a motley cross-section of America. The spectacular approach might have been temporarily thrilling and exciting, but not long remembered. By their treatment, Schary and Pirosh have made the story of the Battle of Bastogne an experience not easily forgotten. The plight of these beleagured Americans as they endure snow and cold and dirt and grime and possible annihiliation by the enemy is stripped of every bit of glamor and flag-waving and heroics. They grumble and gripe, they hate war, they want to go home — but they go on fighting. Their humor is, for the most part, bitterly derisive, their outlook frankly skeptical but their hope {Contimied on Page 13)