Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

22 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 22, 1949 Box-Office Slants My Foolish Heart (Continued from Page 20) ing to the sympathy of the feminine heart and to feminine tear ducts. Women will flock .to it and take their menfolk along, and their interest, in turn, will be held captive. Picture has been produced with all of Sam Goldwyn's attention to detail and with Director Mark Robson's flair for taking time to make all the effects 'he strives for perfectly plain. This slows up the action somewhat, but this is the sort of story where a fast pace is not needed. Lee Garmes' camerawork is a standout. The love story, happy and carefree at first, but in the end tragic, is one of genuine human appeal, with wholesome sentiment and good humor in its beginning. Dana Andrews is capital as a carefree young man taking love where he finds it without much thought for the girls who share it with him. He makes the transition into a man seriously in love with one girl very convincing, but without losing his gaiety. Susan Hayward as the girl who "loves not wisely but too well" gives one of her best performances and will doubtless cause a cataract of tears to flow. Kent Smith as the husband and Lois Wheeler as the girl long in love with him play their parts with discretion and get their meed of audience sympathy. Robert Keith as Susan's understanding, good humored father brings freshness and zest to his role, and Jessie Royce Landis as his tearful wife gives the part a needed comic touch. "My Foolish Heart" is, of its sort, capital Goldwyn entertainment with the traditional Goldwyn human interest "touch" and will doubtless hold audience interest throughout long runs in the bigger cities. It is a picture that should keep the cash rolling steadily into any box-office. Besides a "woman's love story" to play up in his exploitation, the exhibitor has the Goldwyn reputation for artistic and very human screen story, some good marquee names, fine direction and photography to help him attract patronage. A Dangerous Profession RKO Radio Mystery 78 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) A typical George Raft murder-mystery. Good performances and fine, suspenseful direction give it extra appeal. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should do about the same business as previous Raft films. It has the added exploitation worth of the Pat O'Brien name and the catchy title. Cast: George Raft, Ella Raines, Pat O'Brien, Bill Williams, Jim Backus, Roland Winters, Betty Underwood, Robert Gist, David Wolfe. Credits : Directed by Ted Tetzlafif. Written by Martin . Rackin and Warren Duff. Photography, Robert de Grasse. Produced by Robert Sparks. Executive Producer, Sid Rogell. Plot: An ex-cop, now in the Bail Bond business, falls for the wife of a man jailed for robbery and murder. He posts the bond for the man's release, only to discover him murdered shortly after. He gets into plenty of hot water before he finally nabs the rest of the gang, wins the girl and gets back the pledged money. Comment: A typical George Raft vehicle with intrigue, murder and suspense the basis of a story about the terrific business done by the bail bond companies who post bonds for criminals, and innocents as well, in order to keep them out of jail until proven guilty. Story holds interest and mystery, plus an entangling romance that causes lots of excitement. All the usual ingredients the Raft followers look for, have been incorporated into the plot, and this should make the film a satisfactory offering where he is liked. Raft gives his role a certain tough realism while Pat O'Brien, as his business partner, turns in his usual smooth job. Ella Raines, Jim Backus, Bill Williams and Roland Winters are more than capable in their important assignments. Ted Tatlaff's direction adds some interesting touches to this suspenseful film. Combination of the Raft and O'Brien names for the marquee, and a catchy title, should help sell this at the box-office. Zamba Eagle Lion Jungle Adventure 70 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) This picture has enough thrills and chills and adventurous excitement to please those moviegoers who enjoy this type of fare. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should do veil in the grind runs and neighborhood houses. Cast: June Vincent. Jane Nigh. Jon Hall, Beau { Conliiiiicd from Page 21) same specialized attention that is given to the making of pictures, the presentation of plays. If it is presented in a sloppy and careless manner it is certain to leave a sloppy impression with its audience. It quite naturally follows that if the audience's impression is poor, subsequent attendance will drop. This must be avoided, not only in the interest of the success of vaudeville but in the interest of maintaining and building interest in moviegoing as a national habit. If it requires that managers be replaced or executives properly schooled in order to acomplish this all important job, let's get about it without delay. Background Essential As for me, I must confess ignorance as to whether the shows will come in as they did in the old days or not. Maybe there will be considerable curtailment in the way of paraphernalia for transport and the acts will travel "light." But if they do, it should only serve to place added demands on the theatre for props and scenic effects. Under no circumstances will a front curtain and a braille be adequate. And a screen standard immovable on center stage will be disastrous to all concerned. I'm not suggesting or advocating any major order to the scenic studios, but I do believe that the installation of a picture sheet hung down in "one" to be essential. I also believe that some sort of a cyclorama that will permit use of full stage for "afterpieces" and the larger troupes is neded as is a street drop and an outdoor scene in "two" to be requisite to the variety of background essential to the creation of the proper accompanying atrriosphere to accentuate the various types and styles of performances to be rendered. As I understand, it, this presentation of vaudeville on a national, or semi-national, basis is in the nature of a test to determine whether or not the renewal of the once sure-fire audience-pulling performances will revitalize ailing box offices. To be fair to both theatre owners and the Bridges, George Cooper, George O'Hanlon, Harry Lauter, Darby Jones, Theron Jackson, Pierre Watkin, Alphonse Martel, Ray Corrigan. Credits: Directed by William Berke. Screenplay by Barbara Worth. From the original story by Maurice H. Conn, "The Girl and the Gorilla." Photography, James S. Brown. Special effects, Ray Mercer. Associate Producer, Harry Hendel. Produced by Maurice M. Conn. A Bert M. Steam production. Plot: A mother and her six-year old son are separated in the jungle when they are forced to bail out of their flaming plane. The mother is picked up by a couple of white hunters, while the boy is taken care of by a huge gorilla. Hurt in his descent, the child doesn't recognize his mother until another accident brings back his memory. Comment: This is a minor "Mighty Joe Young" with a huge gorilla playing the title role. Combining generous* jungle footage and a suspenseful, human st.ory, the picture has enough chills and thrills" and adventurous excitement to please those moviegoers who enjoy this sore of fare. Jon Hall and George Cooper are capable as the white hunters, and young Beau Bridges and June Vincent are effective in the son and mother roles. Director William Berke's know-how and Maurice Conn's production handling have given the film the inherent qualities needed to put it over with audiences seeking such an adventure as this. Should do well in the grind runs and neighborhood houses. vaudeville bookers and performers, such test must be conducted under the most favorable circumstances possible. The biggest portion of the cost of getting vaudeville off to the right kind of a start is an enthusiastic expenditure of elbow grfease and brow dew. A little thinking now — and a bit more of listening to old-time stagehands and managers— will prevent no end of confusion and delay when the shows arrive. Some figuring and a bit of the bank balance will of necessity be required to get the necessary scenery and correct present barriers in the way of stage equipment placement. But, on the whole, the job can be done at a minimum outlay if — and it's a big if — someone with know-how and experience will be given the reins and authority to accomplish the task. And please, please, don't try to see how cheap you can buy the accompanying picture. You don't need an "A" or "AA" but you should give the performers, who are strangers and utterly unknown to your audiences, the benefit of a good strong "B" containing a modicum of names familiar to movie patrons. And by all means watch the timing of the accompanying feature film program. A picture in the 70 to 90-minute field with a couple of single reels is most pliable. Personally, I believe a mistake is being made in asking performers to do five shows a day and six on Saturday. In the first place, it is my opinion that the performers are showing themselves at their "tiredest worst" on the last show which is exactly the time when the most discriminating spectators are in the audience. It has also been the experience of most of us "hang overs" from the old vaudeville days that performers seldom do their best when facing abreviated audiences. But then maybe time will prove the above conjectures to be all wrong. Maybe the doors will be jammed from opening to closing and that capacity five times each day will reward the effort of those who are making the great venture— or should I say those who are answering a public demand for vaudeville? Jack Jackson Problems of Vaudeville Presentation