Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

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26 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 31, 1949 THEY HELPED TO FEED NEEDY FAMILIES. All those cans of food you see above resulted from a canned-goods matinee held shortly before Christmas by I.M.P.S. Member Dick Peffley, manager of the Paramount Theatre, Freemont, Ohio. Peffley turned the mountain of canned food over to a leading charitable organization which distributed it to needy families. The special matinee got front-page newspaper coverage and the theatre received a world of goodwill from the townspeople on the project. That's Manager Peffley at the right with women of the charity committee and the youngsters who helped pile the cans. The little boy, by the way, may be a manager himself some day — ^he's Ricky Peffley, son of the Paramount skipper. Box-Office Slants Hollywood Varieties (Continued from Page 23) each entertaining in its own individual style. Comment: "Hollywood Varieties" is a good offering for the small towns and rural sections where there is little chance for the average patrons to see a "vaudeville" show . . . the "vaudeville" whose return has been heralded throughout the country. This is exactly like the famous variety shows of the past — a collection of individual acts— and for those who have never had an opportunity to see this type of entertainment and also for the old-timers who have always enjoyed vaudeville, it is a film that should attract because it is a good show. There is no storyline to tie the various acts together. Just a group of vaudevillians doing their stulT to entertain the customers. Robert Alda acts as master of ceremonies and the Hoosier Hot Shots are starred. Among the twenty acts presented in sixty minutes are such oldtimers as Shaw & Lee, Britt Wood, Hector and His Pals, Sandy and his Seals and many others, as listed in the cast above. Three songs include the title number, Ridin' Free and Be There My Love, the latter sung by Robert Alda. Production was handled by June Carr and Paul Schreibman, vVhile Paul Landres directed. Red Desert Lippert Prod. Western 60 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Slow pace and awkward flashbacks lessen the entertainment values of this western. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Most western fans are not too critical, so this will probably get by in most situations. Cast: Don Barry, Tom Neal, Jack Holt, Margia Newsreel Synopses (Released Wednesday, Dec. 28) ALL AMERICAN (Vol. 8, No. 375)— PAL party; Beauty culture class; Day nursery; Hi-Y awards by Doak Walker; Carver award to Jackie Robinson. MOVIETONE (Vol. 32, No. 103)— Ward leaves China; O'Dwyer wed; Grand Coulee repaired; Flattop in blizzard; Ice carnival; Trick dogs. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 21, No. 233)— Ward leaves China; Flattop in blizzard; O'Dwyer wed; Ice carnival; Trick dogs. PARAMOUNT (No. 36)— Champions of 1949 in ten sports. TELENEWS (Vol. 3, No. 51B)— O'Dwyer wed; Congressmen in protest ; Hunger strikes in Japan ; Americans freed in Korea; French vet pensions; Holy Year pilgrims; Santa Claus mystery display; Dog racing. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL (Vol. 22, No. 311) — Ward leaves China; Sandhurst cadets; Cat story: O'Dwyer wed; Navy vs. winter storms; CCNY-Oklahoma basketball. WARNER PATHE (Vol. 21, No. 38)— Ward leaves. China; O'Dwyer wed; Jet helicopter; Ski fashions; Flattop in blizzard; Hawaiian surf sport; Basketball; NYU-CaUfornia, LIU-USC. (Released Saturday, Dec. 31) MOVIETONE (Vol. 32, No. 104)— Newsreel history of 1949. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 21, No. 234)— Bill Stem's Sports Parade of 1949. PARAMOUNT (No. 37) — Truman accepts memorial carillon; Ward leaves China; O'Dwyer wed; "Samson and Delilah" premiere. TELENEWS (Vol. 3, No. 52A)— Ask illegal entry probe; Mexico's homeless kids; Pedalcopter; Ward describes detention; Brooklyn hero honored; Navy vs. winter storms; Fashions; Globetrotters-Celtics basketbaU. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL (Vol. 22, No. 312) — Highlights of the year. WARNER PATHE (Vol. 21, No. 39)— Greatest newsreel films of the last decade. Dean, John Cason. Credits: Produced by Ron Ormond. Directed by Ford Beebe. Screenplay by Daniel B. Ullraan and Ron Ormond from an original story by Daniel B. UUman. Photography, Ernest Miller. Plot: A U. S. Marshal is sent west by President Grant to recover stolen government gold and to block the intention of the bandit leader to establish his own kingdom within the boundaries of the United States. Comment: "Red Desert" opens with U. S. Marshal Don Barry chasing bandit Tom Neal across the waterless wastes. When Barry sits down to rest, the film flashes back to explain the situation : Barry has been sent west to block a revolutionary plot, and Neal is one of the plotters. Although this approach is novel for a western, the thread of the story is lost, and Barry's abilities are not up to the demands of a difiicult sequence. What was intended to be a chase of deadly intensity and grim suspense slows to a walk through mediocre performances and uninspired direction. Whenever the film does move forward, the action is 'up to standard, but there are ineptitudes to divert attention. Margia Dean, a very pretty girl, is given almost nothing to do, while the performances of Jack Holt and John Cason, the production values, narration and musical score are worthy of a better subject. Most western fans are not too critical, so this will probably get by in most situations. Guilty of Treason Eagle Lion Drama 86 mins. AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) A compelling and thought-provoking screen document based on the "trial-behind-the-trial" of Cardinal Mindszenty. Charles Bickford combines human and kindly sincerity with dignity and authority in his splendid portrayal of the Primate of Hungary. BOX-OFFICE SLANT: Because it is timely and newsworthy, it should have a wide audience. Its box-office success seems assured through the advertising, exploitation and publicity campaign which has just gotten under way by Eagle Lion and the Overseas Press Club of America. Cast: Charles Bickford, Paul Kelly, Bonita Granville, Richard Derr, Barry Kroeger, Elizabeth Risdon, Roland Winters, John Banner, Alfred Linder. Credits: A Jack Wrather-Robert Golden Production. Produced by Jack Wrather and Robert Golden. Directed by Felix Feist. Screenplay by. Emmet Lavery. Based on the book, "As We See Russia," by the members of the Overseas Press Club of America. Music, Emil Newman. Plot: Based on actual case records, this is the story behind the trial of Hungarian Cardinal Mindszenty, accused of being a "traitor and enemy of the people" by the communist rulers of Hungary. The Cardinal is questioned and tortured for a month but refuses to break. Drugs are administered, and in this state he signs a purported "confession" which he confirms in court. He is sentenced to prison. A Hungarian patriot, Bonita Granville, helps an American newspaperman, Paul Kelly, in his search for the true facts about the Cardinal, but she is arrested and tortured to death, while the Russian officer she loves, Richard Derr, is "liquidated" because of his association with her. Comment: Developed frbm the Overseas Press Club's book, "As We See Russia," this screen story of the "trial-behind-thetrial" of Joseph, Cardinal Mindszenty, Prince 'The Glass Mountain' This production which STR's London correspondent reviewed in the Feb. 12, 1949 issue should find much favor in this country since its star, Valentina Cortesa, has been seen here in several films recently, winning much critical praise for her work, notably in "Thieves' Highway." It is a "tender, romantic drama . . . will thrill feminine hearts," wrote the London reviewer. "Beautiful settings, fine music and an arresting performance by Valentina Cortesa . . . put this drama in the running for top stakes," he added, and "should draw big crowds to better class cinemas." All of which pretty well sums up its entertainment value for American audiences. The singing of the Italian baritone, Tito Gobbi of the La Scala Opera House, Milan, will delight lovers of good music.