Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 24, 1949 29 of the wife's selfishness, and because their child is killed and the wife cannot have another, the older sister sacrifices her life by bringing a child into the world and turning it over to the married couple. Comment: Except for a slow pace, this tragic tale of love and sacrifice should hold the attention of any audience interested in fine performances and strong, dramatic fare. In the main it is a woman's picture, for women are more likely to understand the reason for a young girl sacrificing her life and the man she loves, because of an imaginary loyalty to a younger sister. A large and capable cast, under William Dieterle's direction, turn in good performances with Robert Cunimings, Lizabeth Scott and Diana Lynn making up the triangle around which the plot revolves. Cummings, as always, is excellent in the role of the man both sisters love. Miss Lynn capably handles the part of the selfish spoiled sister for whom Lizabeth Scott sacrifices her life. Miss Scott gives a good portrayal of the older sister, although one finds it difficult to accept the character. That fine actress Eve Arden has little to do in a role that has nothing to offer for her exceptional talents. "Paid in Full" has good exploitation possibilities which, if taken . advantage of, should bring in satisfactory returns at the box-office. Hal Wallis produced. Without Pity (Italian dialog — English titles) Lux Film Drama 95 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Italy in its postwar naturalistic vein again. Story of a Negro soldier and a destitute girl. Uneven. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Notable selling angles for foreign film theatres. Not real art house material and out of the running for the South and small towns. Cast: Carla Del Poggio, John Kitzmiller, Pierre Clauut, C.iiilietta Masina, Folco LuUi, Lando Muzio, Enza Giovine. Credits : Director. Alberto Latuada. Story, Federico Fellini and Tulio Pinelli. Photography, Aldo Tonti. English titles, Clare Catalano. Plot: An American Negro soldier in trouble with the Army, and a destitute Italian girl, decide to leave Italy together. He steals money from a blackmarket leader and in the following chase the girl is killed. The soldier commits suicide. Comment: "Without Pity" is much too uneven to be real art house material and its sex and color business, plus the not flattering picture of American GIs, remove it from the running in the South and small towns. This latest Italian film in the postwar naturalistic vein does, however, have several notable selling angles for foreign film houses in the cities. Leading lady Carla Del Poggio is one of the Italian starlets featured in a Life spread Nov. 7, possible source of a nice theatre front blowup. Leading man John Kitzmiller is the Negro actor who made his mark in "To Live in Peace." Director Alberto Latuada, responsible also for "The .Bandit" and the yet-to-come "The Mill on the Po," is being mentioned by highbrows in the same breath with Rossellini and DeSica. The predominant theme of this film is provocative. And the distinction of banning has been conferred in the American and British zones of Germany. The Children (Swedish dialog — English titles) Scandia Films Drama 101 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Long 'Birth of a Ballet' This 30-minute short is tops for art houses and very good for other theatres that can capitalize on the presence in town of a ballet troupe. The basic positions, movements and dances of ballet and the work of the composer, choreographer and set designer are illustrated by members of the Sadler's Wells Ballet and described by Robert Helpmann of that company and the film "The Red Shoes." The film concludes with a short ballet. Alexander Shaw produced for the Crown Film Unit in England and Muir Mathieson directed. Oxfoxrd Films distributes. and leisurely exploitation of child appeal. Performers capable. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Best bets are Swedish centers and not too urban situations which can take a foreign film. Cast: Hans Lindgren, Siv Hansson, Anders Nystrom. Fiffi Honeth, Ulf Berggren, Paula Jagaeus, Christina Jagaeus, John Ericsson and others. Credits: Producer, S. Bauman. Director, Rolf Husberg. Screenplay, Rolf Husberg. Based on Laura Fitinghoff's novel, "Children of the Moor." Photography, O. Nordemar. English titles, A. Nostam. Plot: A family of seven children, orphaned by their mother's death, seek to avoid the poorhouse by trekking to another part of the country. They encounter snow, hunger and a few unsympathetic adults, but one by one they are adopted by kindly people. Comment: The nights are long in Sweden and the movies made accordingly, or so it may occur to some Americans who view them. A case in point is "The Children," a 101-minute opus with no relieving moments of speed. In deliberate and leisurely fashion it deals with the odyssey of these unfortunates and the havens they find, child by child. .A.ccurately titled, the film exploits every possible facet of child appeal. The older performers happen to be capable and the younger ones, in their naivete, quite charming. The plot has drama, if not dramatically treated. Best bets for "The Children" seem to be Swedish centers and not too urban situations which can take a foreign film. Enamorada (Spanish dialog — English titles) Azteca Films Drama 95 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Adult) Photography, performances and direction nearly lift story of a revolutionary and a lady above screenplay into "first rate" critical category. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Excellent for art houses and the Spanish-speaking audience. Cast: Pedro Armendariz. Maria Felix, Fernando Fernandez. Credits: Producer, Pan American Films. Director, Emilio Fernandez. Screenplay, Inigo Demartino and Emilio Fernandez. Photography, Gabriel Figueroa. English titles, Herman G. Weinberg. Plot: During the 1917 Mexican revolution an insurgent general occupies Cholula, enrages the daughter of a rich land-owner who opposes the uprising, falls in love with her and, after many setbacks, wins her. Comment: This Mexican film comes close to lieing first-rate from a critical point of view and commercially should be in a class almost hy itself among Spanish-language films in . English-speaking territorj'-. Outstanding are the photography of Gabriel Figueroa ("The Pearl" and "The Fugitive"), the sensitive direction of Emilio Fernandez ("The Pearl"), the unobtrusive singing of the Trio Calaveras and the performances of Maria Felix and Pedro Armendariz. VIEWS ON NEW SHORT SUBJECTS DANCING SHOES (20th-Fox— 9517 J Terrytoon in Technicolor. 7 mins. Mechanical shoes arc hawked by Heckle and Jeckle, the Talking Magpies, in a hotel lobby, with a wild chase by the house detective the comical result. Release date, Nov. '49. THE COVERED PUSHCART (20th-Fox— 9514) Terrytoon in Technicolor. 7 rains. Sourpuss and Candy Cciose meet up with a ramiiaging Indian who gets the works cartoon style when he begins to investigate the push-button gadgets in iheir ultra-modern trailer. Release date, Sept. '49. A TRUCKLOAD OF TROUBLE (20th-Fox— 9515) Terrytoon in Technicolor. 7 mins. A cat, a dog and a liird wlio sneak a ride in an empty moving van are forced by its driver to remove the furni.shings from a house. Their approach to this task is frivolous, as you can well imagine. Release date, Oct. '49. REALM OF THE REDWOODS {20th-Fox— 9255) Movietone Adventure. 8 mins. Lowell Thomas, he of the recent Tibetan mishap, concerns himself here with California, describing Technicolor views of the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Fisherman's Wharf and Chinatown in San Francisco; of Mt. Shasta Dam; of the redwoods and lumbermen at Mt. Lassen; and of Sacramento, Monterey, Pebble Beach and Yosemite Valley. Release date. Sept. '49. AMERICA'S HERITAGE OF HOSPITALITY (Col.— 1902) Film Novelty. 10^ mins. Where, what and how Americans eat is considered in this color report, with visits to .New Orlean's Antoine's, San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf and other restaurants of note. Release date, 8/25/49. MALICE IN THE PALACE (Col.— 2401) Three Stooges Comedy. 16 mins. Detectives now, these zany favorites search ancient Egypt for a stolen diamond. As the title indicates, violence does out. Release date, 9/1/49. HOWDY PODNER (Col.— 1860) Screen Snapshot. 9'/2 mins. Filmland celebrities holidaying at Las Vegas make this one. Included are Marilyn Maxwell, Michael North, Richard Hart, Rex Bell, Clara Bqw, Sylvia Sidney, Leslie Brooks, Walter O'Keefe, Yvonne De Carlo and Roy Rogers. Release date, 6/20/49. STRAWHAT CINDERELLA (Para.— K8-12) Pacemaker. 11 mins. Jinx Falkenburg narrates and appears in the story of Marion Wilson's apprenticeship at the Bucks County Playhouse, where she did various chores for that summer theatre and its stars until she got a bit part that landed her a Broadway tryout. Release date, 9/23/49. BARKING DOGS DON'T FITE (Para.— E9-1) Popeye Cartoon in Technicolor. 7 mins. It's a fourcornered fight this time, with spinach rescuing Popeye and his French poodle from defeat at the hands of Pluto and his bulldog. Release date. 10/28/49. WATER SPEED (Para.— R9-1) Grantland Rice Sportlight. 10 mins. The various competitive swim categories are demonstrated with ordinary, close-up and slow-motion shots from the big races of such champions as Alan Stack, Walter Riss and Miss Jackie l.evine. Ted Husing narrates. Release date, 10/21/49. LEPRECHAUN'S GOLD (Para.— P9-1) Noveltoon in Technicolor. 10 mins. Ireland's wee folk do their annual gold-washing, dance a jig and save a widow from eviction in this Technicolor cartoon. Should go well with Paramount's "Top O' the Morning." Release date, 10/14/49. THE FOOTBALL FAN ( Para.— K8-1 1 ) Pacemaker. 11 mins. Comedian Tom Ewell of the Broadway stage has a bout with a defective radio when he tries to tune in on a vital football game. All he can get is tantalizing snatches. Release date. 9/9/49. LOVE THAT PUP (MGM— W-133) Tom and Jerry Cartoon in Technicolor. 8 mins. Jerry the mouse enlists the aid of Butch the bulldog in his continuing fracas with Tom the cat and is ably assisted by Butch's young son — a little bulldog who brings a lot of trouble into Tom's life. Release date. 10/1/49. HOW COME? (MGM— S-152) Pete Smith Specialty. 10 mins. This comic commentator probes some familiar situation to find out how come, lor example, we always get into trouble when we tr\' to help our neighbors, or we can never find an\'lhing in the attic. OUT-FOXED (MGM — W-135) MGM Technicolor Cartoon. 7 mins. Droopy joins a gi'oup of hounds who have been promised a steak for every fox they catch, but the fo-x refuses to cooperate until Droopy tries the subtle approach. SONG OF THE BIRDS (Para.— P9-2) Noveltoon in Technicolor. 8 mins. Little Audrey shoots a young lilutbird and is plunged into remorse when the other birds prepare his funeral. Her prayers answered, the victim is revived, and Audry eventually wins her gunless way back into the good graces of tlie birds. Release date, 11/18/49.