Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

28 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 19, 1949 Box-Off ice Slants Tension {Continued from Page 25) follow his new life. Comment: "Tension" is graphic proof that valid writing, good direction and excellent performances can yield superior entertainment on a relatively modest budget. The picture lives up to its title, moving step by logical step to its climax. Suspense is maintained consistently to that point, and singleness ot eflFect makes the film seem short. Richard Basehart gives a powerful performance as the shy little druggist, achieving a progressive character development in his role that is chiefly responsible for the impact of the film. Audrey Totter does a standout job as the wife and Cyd Charisse is excellent as the girl who turns Basehart from his intent to murder. Barry Sullivan does a fine piece of actirig as the police lieutenant, while the more than adequate support of Lloyd Gough, Tom D'Andrea, William Conrad and Tito Renaldo contributes to the excellence of the picture. John Barry deserves recognition for a superior job of terse, tight-reined direction. Though "Tension" lacks top marquee strength, it does have a title that will draw and merits special exploitation effort on the part of the exhibitor. Word-of-mouth should push it into the top grosser class. Projecl X Film Classics Drama 60 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Lacking in smoothness but has reliable cops and robbers theme, Communist angles, New York background. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Could be a valuable second feature or grind offering. Cast: Keith Andes, Rita Colton, Jack Lord, Kit Russell, Joyce Quinlan, . Harry Clark, Robert Noe, Joanne Tree, Craig Kelly, Tom Ahearn, Dorothy Renard, William Gibberson, Herbert Holconibe, Vickie Hayes, Charles Martin. Credits: An Edward Leven Production. Producer, Edward Leven. Director, Edward J. Montagne. Screenplay, Gene Hurley and Earl Kennedy. Photography, Don Malkames. Plot: Wooed by a Communist group because of his former sympathy with them and his present positfon in an atomic energy FlUHAClCSMIMYIllAllfRS BEST QUALITYl QUICKCST SERVICE.' «v ,-0''' *^"'CAGb 1327 S. Wabash Avenue "KDtKf'^ NEWYORIC 619 W. 54th Street ];^ NOW SPECIALIZING\ IN REFRESHMENT SERVICE FOR DRIVE-IN THEATRESy SPORTSERVICE Corp. JACOBS BROS. BUFFALO, N. Y. • WA. 2S06 project, a young physicist uses the opportunity to work as an inside man for the U. S. government. Hanging around the group's nightclub headquarters he meets, in addition to a smoldering blonde singer of puzzling affiliations, the head man whom the government seeks. The plotter is finished off in a chase. The blonde? A good, clean kid from Peoria. Comment: The reliable old cops-and-robbers theme is handled here from a timely "Communist" angle and with a New York City background. Leading lady Rita Colton, furthermore, lends the touch another player attributes to her: "She practically smolders." Rita, said to be a mite of 17, is cast as the nightclub singer. Little can be said for her acting, however, while that of the other unknowns— Keith Andes as the young physicist who is attracted to her. Jack Lord as the Commie contact man and Kit Russell as the number one villain — is only routine, and the production is notably lacking in smoothness. An interesting twist is the group leader's appearance throughout not only as himself but also, unknown to the audience, as a cigarette girl; in that disguise he nearly escapes the climactic raid. The New York location has been realistically exploited in the photography. "Project X" could be, with its advance selling points, a valuable second feature or grind offering. The Inspector General (Color by Technicolor) Warner Bros. Comedy with Music 104 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) This first Danny Kaye comedy for Warner Bros, shows off the comedian to best advantage, with his whole bag of tricks to delight and convulse audiences. Photographed in Technicolor, this is a picture that should score' solidly with moviegoers who like comedy and music, especially the Kaye brand. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Should do well wherever it plays, for there are strong boxoffice values in the Kaye name. Cast: Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bato^, Elsa Lanchester, Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale, Walter Catlett, Rhys Williams, Benny Baker, Norman Leavitt, Sam Hearn, Lew Hearn, Nestor Paiva, Byron Foulger, Lennie Bremen. Credits: Directed by Henry Koster. Screenplay by Philip Rapp and Harry Kurnitz. Suggested by a play by Nikolai Gogol. Photography, Elwood Bredell. Technicolor Color Director, Natalie Kalmus ; associate, Mitchell Kovaleski. Music and Lyrics by the Associate Producer, Sylvia Fine. Produced by Jerry Wald. Plot: An honest, but illiterate young man is mistaken for an investigating Inspector General by the grafting mayor of a small town. To win his favor, the mayor gives him special treatment, and everything goes well, until the young man's crooked cousin shows up. However, the young man is honest enough not to be influenced by the cousin's threats and is influential in cleaning up the town. Comment: In this latest Danny Kaye picture, the first under his new long-term contract with Warner Bros., Producer Jerry Wald and his associate producer, Sylvia Fine (Kaye's wife), prove that they knew just what type of vehicle was needed to show Kaye off to the best advantage. For in "The Inspector General" one gets the real Kaye, in most of his phases: the clown, the comedian, the tragedian, the singer of specialized songs and the man who has the exceptional ability of handling each situation in his own inimitable way, with incomparable skill and rare understanding. It is a farce comedy thnt should score solidly wherever played, for there is only one Danny Kaye, and what he has to offer in this film is something no one will want to miss. Excellent support is furnished by Walter Slezak as his uncle, a crook who tries to take advantage of Kaye's ignorance, and by Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale and Elsa Lanchester as comic officials with whom he comes in contact. The Technicolor photography makes impressive the colorful backgrounds and costumes worn by the players, while the music and lyrics, written by Miss Fine, are the special kind she usually composes for Danny. The most outstanding of these is the one in which the comedian sings a quartet. It is quite Unusual and new and something Danny himself dreamed up. There are dance sequences, an eating scene and many chase sequences to keep the patrons amused and in a constant state of hysterical laughter. Direction by Henry Koster takes full advantage of Kaye's unusual ability, giving him the spotlight and surrounding him with an able supporting cast in every department. Tell It to the Judge Columbia 87 mins. Comedy AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Not just a good comedy but a very excellent one that should go a long way toward making both exhibitors and their customers happy. The producers have hit the entertainment jackpot with this one. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Smart exploitation is definitely in order, and word-of-mouth will play a large part in maintaining boxoffice grosses at a high level. Cast: Rosalind Russell. Robert Cummings, Gig You:ig, Marie McDonald. Harry Davenport, Fay Baker, Katharine Warren, Douglass Dumbrille, Clem Bevans, Grandon Rhodes, Louise Beavers, Thurston Hall, Jay Novello. Credits: Produced by Buddy Adler. Directed by Norman Foster. Screenplay by Nat Perrin. Additional dialog. Roland Kibbee. Story by Devery Freeman. Photography, Joseph Walker. Art direction, Carl Anderson. Musical score, Werner R. Heymann. Musical direction, Morris Stoloff. Plot: Attorney-at-Law Rosalind Russell is up before the Senate Judiciary Committee for approval of her appointment to a seat on the Federal bench. There is opposition from those who disapprove of her recent divorce from Attorney Robert Cummings. Her grandfather, Harry Davenport, is all in favor of her career and all in disfavor of Cummings. While the committee is considering Rosa NATIONAL ALLIED NENBERSHIP DRIVE Goe^ofocoK^ □CTDBER THROUGH DECEMBER 1949 739 W''^ ^//''^^ Members I 1,000 NEW ALLIED MEMBERS