Variety (Sep 1939)

Wednesday, September 6, 1939 PICTURES VARIETY 19 Film Reviews OKLAHOMA TERROR (Continued from page 14) at the outset, it finally straightens itself out and manages to get by, mostly on its abundance of battling. There are several implausible se- quences but they'll be passed over easily. Too, the footage could be shortened to make it more compact by scissoring portions of the many chases. , . . . Plot is written around the period right after the Civil War. Randall, captain in the northern army, re- turns west to find his father had been murdered and the area served by the stagecoach line which the father had managed in the grip of a band of cutthroats. He and his pal Fuzzy (Al St John) set about right- ing the wrong and acquire the sup- port of local ranchers who are fed lip with the gang's operations. In slvort order Randall and his vigi- lantes, helped by a man originally suspected of the father's death, but . who turns out to be the deceased's bosom friend, round up the gang in one full swoop at the -finale. The town's richest and most resi>ected citizen was behind it all. Virginia Carroll, formerly of New York legit, is the only femme in'the fllm. She hasn't much to do but that little is handled capably. St. John, comedian of old, gets in a few laughs. FIGHTING RENEGADE victory rclea^tt of Sam Katsman produc- ti'm. Kemurea Tim McCoy. Directed by .s^iin NewlicUl. OrlslnAl and adaptation b>- tvillliim lively: camera. Art Reed: etIKor. llolUriiok 'I'odd. At Central. N. Y.. duiO. VKHk Sept. 1, '3!>. Running time, »l MINt*. •Lightning' Kill Canon I i:i l»unia J Tim McCay M^irlan Willis... Joyce Itryant Magpie JBen Coriiett l.lnk Uenaun Ted Adtiin^ (lid Dobic Bud BuKler .lerry I,eonurd Dave O'Brien rrof. I.uclus Ijloyd Torrent Taylm- Slierirr Reed HoweN I'ru^pcctui- i John Klllotl ent's Condor Club, hoping to get the necessary evidence. Working with her are insurance company investi- gators who are trying to pin the goods on Clement, suspected of hav- ing caused some of his previous night club ventures to go up in name.";, laler collecting for loss of valuable stamp collections. Movita is exposed a.s the accused boy's sis- ter. Cornered in Clement's office, she u.ses latter's own gun in seU- deCcnse. Tracer buUets in weapon set another fire and furnish clue to Clement's arson methods. Hull aftd insurance men arrive in the nick o' time. Director Lambert Hillyer has given Movita every advantage to shine in the footage and flashy costuming. Actress fums in a nice performance and will hold audience interest with her rendition of 'The Burro Song,* 'Romance in Rio' and 'Daddy Mine.' First two numbers fit into the Latin atmosphere suitably, the' 'Burro' piece serving as the themeatic music throughout. HEARTBEAT (FRENCH-MADE) T''r,.iioh M.r. Cori). producllon and release. I''e»luVes Or.iii.-v )>rn>azi:) and .Tean Servala. l>irM*ted hy .Marcel Pagnnl. Screenplay by Mnri-el Paunitl fnun novel, by .leua Glono; nni.-4li? Iiy Vliiceol S<*i>lto; camera, Willy. I'l-cciewed in l'i-,>jcclli>n Room. N. T. Aus. :!». "ja. KiiiniliiK time: W MIKS. .\MKel» Orane Demails S;kitu-nli) Feroandel t'lariuH.. Henri Poupon ^ .^iiipde.s :douard Delmont l.(tui.4 .\ndrex I Ui Mi.ie Tolnon Air>lii Jeait Servala Tim McCoy, disguised in a Mexi- can bandit—'de best damn caballero' —role, pretty familiar stuff by now, attempts to dress up western bad man formula by cloaking the pro- ceeding in a pseudo-scientific expe- dition to recover museum relics from Indian burial grounds. Idea had possibilities. Writer has mangled theine so badly, however, that final result is nothing more than the usual roundup of band of desperadoes and killers. There's riding and shoot- ing action of sorts, but nothing to excite more than ordinary interest for action fan houses. McCoy, long hunted as the sui>- posed murderer of museum expedi- tion leader, turns up in disguise as El Puma, feared bandit of the Robin Hood type, when the new expedi tion arrives to take on where the old one left off. Head of expedition In which daughter of the murdered scientist has joined, to find her father's murderer, is a crochety urtreasonable character, played by Forrest Taylor. He falls afoul of a hireling of the real killer, Ted Adams, who sticks a knife in the professor and arranges blame to fall on El Puma. From there on, a three-way manhunt between the Pumas, Adams and sheriff's posses ensues. At the end . of the trail, where relics and gold are cached. El Puma finally gets his man and clears his name. Redeeming feature of this western is its magnificent canyon and boul- der backgrounds. Cameraman has handled scenic effects with good composition. McCoy, for the most part, is unimpressive despite in- gratiating cabellcro interpretation. His work lacks the vigor and hard scrapping qiialities expected of west- ern heroes. Joyce Bryant, the fem- me lead, is a looker but needs more experience. She has possibilities. (In Frinich. with Englis/l Titles) Fair French film, well produced aitd' containing several excellent character portrayals, but far too pon- derous in unraveling, failing to con- trast the gayer mood with the harsh dramatics in the latter portion. Film may be acceptable in the sure- seaters, but won't create much ex- citement. Exhibitors haven't much to attract patrons excepting the reputation Of Marcel Pagnol as an author and di- rector. Producers have employed a down-to-earth yarn of the French peasantry, with the daughter of a righteous farmer family going wrong and returning home with a fatherless child. It looks as though the cen- sor's shears had been wielded on several scenes, which has not made for smooth continuity or plausible development Of the cast,. Jean Servais is effect- ive, while Orane Demazis makes a sincere, inncKent country girl. F«r- nandeU as the simpleton adopted son of the family, supplies some humor- ous moments. Pagnors direction is distinctive at times, but be is too tedious in telling his story. Musical score by Vincent Scotto U a high- light. Weor. Seiter's Date' at U Hollywood, Sept. 5. William Seiter shifts to Universa4, on loan from ZOth-Fox, to direct 'It's a Date,' starring Deanna Durbin. Shooting starts at the completion of Miss Durbin's 'First Love,' now in its final stages. LONG SHADOW Hollywood, Sept. 3. Columbia's 15-chapter cliffhanger. The Shadow,' rolled today (Tiies.) with D. Ross Lederman and Norman Deming directing jointly. Victor Jory and Lorna Gray are toplined. No Forcing of Shorts Means Briefies Due for New Sales Ideas A realignment in subjects for shorts is foreseen for the 1940-41 sea- son because of the distributors' pol- icy during the coming season of not pushing the sale of the one and two- reelers as a prerequisite to getting a deal on features. Although exhib complaints persist that film salesmen are still making it OKLA. ALLIED TO TRY BUm POOL AGAIN Oklahoma City, Sept. 5. The buying pool plan, temporarily shelved last spring, will he revived at the forthcoming Allied Theatre Owners of Oklahoma convention here Sept. 26-27, Orville Von Gulker, head of the Allied organization, states. After being completely dratted, plan was set aside last spring due to lack of sufficient strength to put it over at that time. Tugboat' at Warners Hollywood, Sept. 5. Tugboat Annie' sails back into Hollywood, this time docking at Warners. Studio has acquired story rights from Metro and Norman ReUly Raine, Series wUl be shot under super- vision of Bryan Foy. appear wise to purchase shorts if favorable terms on the major por- tion of a contract is desired, tha beefs have fallen off somewhat. Changes in the type of shorts is expected, Lou Diamond, in charge of production of the program-fillers for Paramount, ayers, because producei's under the new policy will know what exhibitors want and what they don't want. 'Heretofore,' he declared, 'the shorts were sold in bulk with tha features and we didn't reaUy know, beyond a certain point, which were really popular with exhibitors and public. Now we'll be able to tell ac- curately by the sale of each short which subjects please the greatest audience. I look forward to the.new setup with interest' • Par has cut the number of shorts it is producing this year from 102 to AS. Other companies also have made reductions, principally Warners. WB will turn out 6B slngle-reelers and 18 doubles, for a total of 8S, as against 108 single and 28 two-reelers, a total of 136, during the past season. GoldstODC's M-G LUi Hollywood, Sept. 5. Richard Gpldstone, shorts pro- ducer, was upped to chief aide to Jack Chertok, head of brlefie pro- duction at Metro. New one-year contracts were also handed to Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, cartoon producers. GIRL FROM RIO (WITH -ONGS) M'HiOBram relcrtso of E. B. Derr proJiio- Hon. FpHlines Movltn, Woncn Hull. IJi- re'-liij by l.iiinbcrt lllllyer. Original hcrcfn- play by Jlillon Unison, John T. iNcvllli.: ciinioni. Paul Ivano; cdllor, I<u.<«i.|| Schiii)ngnrtli; finngs, Jolinnv l.nnge. l.i-w I"oilci-. Hiiiry Uublus. Hmlle de Uccnl. At <'enlriil. N. v.. <lual. week Sept. 1. "ail. Running time, M BIINS. ilarqulla. Movll.l Slavon Warren Hull t'»rlos AUn Baldwin yiekl ; Kay I.huilcor *'ilelifll Clay Clement ^'inolte \delo (»e»rco Soledad Jlmlneji Montgomery Richard Tucker Dennis Moare '•"son .Byrou Foulgcr Slow-paced arson and stamp- collecting racket mystery with fair entertainment and production values. Leans heavily on singing talents ot Movita, to exploit her vocal accom- plishments, lending distinction to an otherwise flat story. A dual entry. Planted as a prominent South American warbler, Movita is called to New York to extricate her brother from a scrape. Circumstan- tial evidence has involved him in arson and murder charges. Con- vinced ot his innocence and aided by her American sweetheart, a newspaperman, Warren Hull, she Obtains employment in Clay Clem- Tn ANN MILLER Currently featured In George White's "ScandaLs" at tha Alvin, New York Thank You Mr. George While Managenionl—WILUAM MORRIS ACENClf hank You, . . . LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS .... WALTER WINCHELL, N. Y. Daily Mirror—'... Ann Miller, the tap-dancing show-stopper in 'Scandals'.' ED SULLIVAN, N, Y. Daily News—'On llie Alvin stage she scored solidly . . . She's a cinch to get another crack at movies and a cinch to make good in her encore effort.' BURNS MANTLE, N. Y. Daily News—'. . . Ann Miller, a shapely dancer with a talent that is exceptional and a pictorial appeal beyond that of many of her tapping sisters.' LOUIS SOBOL, N. Y. Journal and American—. . . Others were in the happier mood and generous in applause for the lithesome pulchritudinous Ann Miller.' IBEE, Variety—'Ann Miller, the finest gir! laj) dancer seen on the Broadway boards in many seasons. Coast brunette beauty ... is easily the show's individual hit, house going for her in a big way.' DAMON RUNYON, N. Y. Daily Mirror—'. . , All the talented and beautiful young ladies are coining from Texas lately. Miss Ann Miller is both. She can dance almost any other young lady dancer in the business right out of a theatre.' ROBERT COLEMAN, N. Y. Daily Mirror—'. . . Ann Miller, the greatest gal tapster to hit Broadway since I'Lleanor Powell. . . . Ann is terrific. She's an eye tonic, has loads of style and a personality that whirls wilii hurricane force across the foot- lights.' RICHARD LOCKRIDGE, N.\Y. Sun—Ann Miller . . . dances effortlessly and stops the showj HELEN EAGER, Boston Traveler—'Ann Miller . .. with some •siicclactilar tap dancing ... lovcl}' to watch . . . displaying sotne brilliant footwork seen on the stage . . . the cinema theatre having released her to the stage, probably will be clamoring to get her back.' PEGGY DOYLE, Boston Evening American—'The sliow's standout is easily the lithe and lovely Ann Miller, a dancer.' BROOKS ATKINSON, N. Y. Times (Sunday)—'In the case of Ann Miller . , . she is an immensely skillful lap dancer with a mind.and legs of her own, and she is very pleasant company whenever she appears.' GEORGE ROSS, N. Y. World-Telegram-'. . , Ann Miller of Hollywood, whose trim tor.<;o and nimble tapdancing stopped the show at one point and lifted it up at another.' RICHARD MANSON, N. Y. Evening Post—'Ann Miller . . . stops the show . . . she has the talent, the figure and the assur- ance for big things.'