Variety (Nov 1939)

VARIETY FILM REVIEWS Wcilnesday, Xovember 1, 1939 11 •'§1 ' a consistent stride down the line in I the subsequents. This is a talker remake of the suc- I ccssful spook play of some years I back. Universal acquired the film ' rishis and turned out a silent version in 1927. Studio dusted the property oir for a remake a year ago, but sub- sequently sold the rights to Para- mount, Picture {jives Paramount a key to proper casting of Bob Hope in the i^-o oon cy , i jiiure. Studio has previously pro- lieinai',1 »»u""i<;y . vidcd him with broad comedy mate- ;Knmkle Thomas ' rial and roles that failed to ring with ciasio i^ofiim I sincerity. But in "Cat and the . .scimer Jm unnn ! ca,iai-y ■ he carries a straight '■^MuKias''M'l.'i'«r dramatic characterization, with cbm- l.'.'wiiiiHi.i iiouiii ' edy ouips and situations dropping .....Don UiuiKiii.-! into the plot naturally to accentuate. I the laughs., rather than previous al- WhiiP iheir flicker 'An-els i'«™P<-^ ^° Hopc;^ brand of While then last An^eis i ^^^^ ^^^..^^i^ ^^^^ ^^1^,^ Wa.<:h Their Faces,' removed some-; p;urietle Godd;ird gets her first co- thing or the Dead End Kids" bad-boy star billing, displaying confidence onu.v, current release apparently i and a.-surance in her role as-th^^ , • a ■ _„„„,•„ . to the eccentric millionaires fortune, marks their finis as the appealing | ,.oiinded portrayals are pro- gang from the far side of the tracks, j vidcd by members of the supporting ON DRESS PARADE \V:nt»iT Mrop, rolo:(Be of Drynn Foy pro. Aoi'ilKii. .-'tnia IX-nil Bnd Klils: frnlmi.t Jolin l.liil. Kiiinklf rhuiiinK, Cl.uilo l.orms. liii.itc'l In- wnihiin Cli'iiii'nH. Orleliiiil XI ii'fiililnv liv Tciii llodl nnJ-I'hnrleii lliil- | ilcii: iiinii'iM. Arllnii- 'rii.ld; oJltor. IJoui; , iii'iiiii. .M .■'ii-inil, -N. v.. week Ocl. :!7, ':<'.r. liiiiiiiljlK Uilii, Hi .MIN'!:>. i .M:iJor i;..lllns..' Billy llnlop I i iiiUl lloniiv .Mnik-im lloliliy Joi>l:in : I'll,I,I .liiliiiiiv (';il>',I Illinl'/. lli'll : ('..111 i;i.,i;.ii> Wiliiin...., <i;ilulcl lii'll .•:lili niiiH'.'iii 1 nil- h >-..l. .\ll.li;i<-l Uoll,ir. t'Hti«-l I.I. .Murphy... .MiN. .\i'.lry I'lipi. l-:v;iiiH l;iivpr. • l<':illp-r It.v.li) H]illi:i\v;i> r>i*, i.fwi.-* O'l.. NViMiinn lJlini-:ir Miniature Reviews They're cleaned up, brushed up, put in military school uniform.s, turned into refined little gentlemen—and ifs too bad. It's too bad, at least, that if the transition had to be made it should be in such- a mawkishly It cast, including John Beal, Douglas.s Monlgomcrv. Gale Sondergaard, Elizabeth Paltcr.son. Nydia Westman and George Zucco. I To provide chills and thrills, pros- , oective heirs to the fortune as.sem- i ble at the bayou home of the de- ! cca.sed 10 years aflcr his death. Will sentimental and obvious picture. 11; j\. ,cad. leaving estate to Paulette just doesn't ring true. i Goddard. when spooky manipula- To the credit of the gang, they i ijpns start from .strange sources. , , -i^, . ° , _ „,„ There s the low key lighting, drift- make of an impossible story a pass-1 shadows, eerie music, sliding able picture for the dualers. To re-1 panels and secret passages—all iitil- tain the kids' b.o. value, however, | izcd to fullest extent to accentuate Warner Bros, will certainly have to ' the chiller aspect of the piece. After do better than this for them in the three murders during the night. Hope solves the mystery—but only after Mi.ss Goddard has been placed in constant jeopardy. Script bv Walter De Leon and future. They are talented, individu ally and collectively, and if satisfac- tory story material can't be devised for them as a group, it might be wise ■ - . , . to forget them as an entity and use ■ Lynn Starling is a well-knit and one or two of them at a time. Ifs . workmanlike job of writing to re- obvious that they can't go on forever lain elements of surprise and com- as little toughies—especially inas-1 edy. Elliott Nucent direct.s most much as. they're getting to be rather | capably, and picture swings along at grown-up toughies now—so perhaps a smooth and swift tempo without dull moments. 'Cat and the Canary' will amply satisfy the mystery fans, and provide spine-chilling thrills for audiences generally. LITTLE ACCIDENT Hollywood, Oct. 25. rnlv^rsHl rftli^ane of Chnrle.i Lamnnt pro- iliKllon. Slnry Hu((h Herbert und fluhy .<»iii1y. IllrrilKl by ("hurleii Ijimont the quicker the breakup and weed ipg out begins the better. Of the six Dead-enders, four are totally reformed in the current yarn and Leo 'Spit' Gorcey succumbs be- fore the final bell. Bernard Punsley, in a bit, is the only one who man- ages to retain his dese-dem-and-dose. Gorcey is a poolroom prodigy whose father is a World War hero. His father's wartime buddy, John Litel, „^ _ runs a military school. _ Gorcey S i original w reenpluy by Paul Yawllr, and Rvc Gr*'ene. fioin play bv Vloyd l>eU and 'rhoniaji Mllchell: cninera. MlUon Krnsner; editor, Kriink Wrops. Previewed at Al^x- nider. (ilendale, Oct. 2S. '3U. Running tima, M .MINS. IVerliert- I'enrHOn. .^ilce reftiTiiiii,.. . Perry .Mlorton... 'I'nliby MorflHO... .loan HiiHlon - .Mallsfe Kritz Feld Mrs. Mlerlon Kathleen Howard Mr. Allrrlon Howard Hlckmnn ruiM-r Hanser RdRar Kennedy .\rleioiiH fitenwaler Bllcnnft Glrnrilot Jeft t:ollinp Charles D. Brown and Biiby Sandy father, on his deathbed, asks Litel to care for the boy. 'Spit' prefers the eight-ball in the side pocket to a uniform, but is tricked into going to the institute. He determines to up- set things, flouting all discipline. When Punsley comes up to tell him he was tricked, he packis up and be- gins to leave. Billy Halop, in role of the cadet major, attempts to .stop him. and in the battle that follows. 'Spit' pushes Halop through a second stor.v window. . Halop is. seriously injured and 'Spit' repents, deciding to stay. Other boys ostracize him, but he works hard and gets top grades in every subject. At camp in the summer he rescues a schoolmate, Gabriel Dell, from a Are in a munitions store- house. Both boys are seriously burned and Gorcey comes back to school a hero. He is made cadet major and is given his father's dis- lin"ui.«'hed service cross. 'Spit,* in tears after he pushes Halop out of the window, Is a hard sight to swallow. Any true Dead- ender would have scranuned. And his refusal to accept some of the silly military discipline and hazing from UDper classmen doesn't achieve auite the effect the freres Warner have desired. Truth to tell, he seems like the only sensible one in the school. Reverse gear into which other nortiop<! ft the melodramafics have also shifted is evidenced by titters of derision from the audience when the sentiment (fets thickest. Paciflcistically-minded may also find objection—as in other military school pictures, hvit more so now be- caii.se of the war—to the glorious manner in which the soldier's life Is painted. Tt looks like a partnership between WB and the '.recruiting service. Desnit«( the featured billing. Ci.ssie Loftus has only a bit nart as woman 'Who takes care of 'Snit' in the .<!lums. Frsnkie Thoma.s, who cfets simMar billine. Is a cadet who likewi<;e has a meager role. Herb. .... Klorenre Rlc« .. Ichard CnrlBon Ernest Truex .Joy IlcdRen 'On Dress Parade' (WB). Dead End Kids transferred- to mili- tary jJchodl. much to their diwd- vantagc. Mualcr. 'Cat and the Canary' (Par). Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard starred in chiller-thriller. Top programer for general audiences. •Little .\cridrnr (U). Baby Sandy's cutene.ss mixed with elemental comedy for support- ing attraction in nabcs. 'Pack Up Vour Troubles' (20th). Jane' Withers starrer with the Ritz Bros, for comedy support. Okay dualer.- •Too Busy to Work' (20th). Good Jones Family programer, Joan Davis adding knockabout comedy. 'Mutiny in the Big House' (Mono). ' Fairly strong prison slory for the action dualers. 'Jeepers Creepers' (Rep). Hill- billy -story thaf.s okay for the corn country. ^ ■Legion of Lost Flyers' (U). Action programer for duals, preferably as No. 2 feature. 'Ireland's Border Line' (Alex). Entertaining lri.>:h comedy with Jimmy O'Dca. Cinch for Celt nabes. 'Piccolo Hotel' tItalian-made). Fair sati.^fier for Italian con- sumption, but not elsewhere. •Ballo Al Castello' (Ital). Fan- tassy limited to Italian audi- ences. Pack Up Your Troubles (WITH SONG) 20lh-l''*ox lelea^e of .'^ol M. Wurtzcl pro- duction. Stars June Wlthera; fenturea Uilz nit>!i.. T.yiin 'Hori. Joac)ili Schlldkraut, Stanley l-'leldJi, Fritz T.eiber. Lionel Uoyce. Dlrcricd hy 11. Bruce ITtiinheratonc. Story and adaptation, I.ou Brfalow and Owen Fritncis: editor. Nick Dc MnKRio: aonf;, Sidney OInre and Jole Styne; photography, Luclen Andrlot. At r.iliice, N. T., dual, week Oct. 'id, "M. IltinninK time, 7S MINS. Collet le Jane Withers Itilz Krother.' Thcniaelvea Yvonne I-ynn DnrI Htigo r.udwiK luneph .Sohildkrnut Ssl. '.AnKfl Face" Walker Stanley Fields Pierre Ferrand Fritz r.clber GcnernI Von Itocch Ijionel Uoyoe Colonel tXlrattd .'.. .Ceorpen ncnnvent Madam Marchand... .Adrlenne' d'.\mbrlcnurt Adjutant r.enn Ames Mueller 'Williiim Von Urlncken Sentry Ed Gnrean Kane Hubert Bniinelt Kcnne Colonel SchiaKer Henry Victor TOO BUSY TO WORK Hollywood, Oct. 27. 20ih Cenlun--Kox releiiso of John Stone ItrtMliif'Uuii. KoiUureH Ihc Jonfa Fnmlly. Dlivi-U'il by Olio Jlrower. Oiiglnnl siTeen- |ihiv i>y KoUcri KIMr, Hflen l.oK«n and Sl:t"nli'y Riiuh, lmHC<l on 'Tliu Tor*'hlif«rr*i' by Kelly, nml 'Your Cnrlo lunlley' by 1(o\\iii'<l l.lndnny iin<I lii>r(r:intl ItoblnHon; ciiin'Mii, Kilwnrd ('KmjriKiT; ediior, Kml AlU-n. I'ifvii'wrd iil I'pinwn. I,. A., Ocl. ■J7. "lit. UiinnlnK Unie. (II .MINS. Jtilin .liinoM MiH. Jtibn Jonc^t .1ii4'k JniK'rt ltiiK(*l* JtlltON Lus'y Jonrs. Cranny Jones llut'by Jonos I.tilly ('ranker McHin-U Mi-s, Uonilulpli Itussf). Wilbur WViiiivnrUi TDiniiiy .Mi-Oulr'o ClItlKnn Ilfily i:iiyini)iiil Ji'tl rronly . ..^)irii)i; liyliiKtoii Ken Jlowoll Ornrirp I'JniPHt lunu (''rirlHon . Klorfncft Hoberls tlllly Mntiaii Jiinl) I >:ivls .. .I'lilck ClKindlcr . .\lH|-Jt>l'l0 (t:il('Hi>n .. Antlrow TttmbeA ..MiiiA-ln .SiepbiMiK ..... Irvhii; ]4:icun UvliMi JCiU'fnn . Ilal^^l<l Oooilwin JEEPERS CREEPERS (WITH SONGS) I^epubllc rdenae o( Arniund AjchoedT pro- duction. Sini'ii Weuvoi' Brua, and Klviry; femnrcH Xtiy JlnRcra and Mnrls '\Vrl:iun. Dlrei'ied by Frank MiicUnnnld. OrlKlniil a<-ri'>>ii play by Uoriell and Hluiirt .Mo tiowiin: c.iiner!i. Krneat .Miller; editor, Fni- p.it .Vims; ntimicAl director, Cy Kcucr. Jie- vlcnid In I'rojp.ction Hooni. N. Y., Oct. M, -M. lIuuniiiK time. «» .MINH. I.con Weaver ...Kriiiik \\'c:ivtr KU'liy ...... Koy HoKera .Maria Wrixiui Hilly l..« .J.lU'lcn l.lltleni'iil .. . . rhuri-tiin llali ... l.orctlii \Veftvi-r Jtihii Arlliur Ciuirllc fill If r lUiOilcr .-Mohley Latest in the Jones Family scries maintains gait of former releases to prove most acceptable for the pro- gram houses. Introduction of Joan Davis into the Jones group as a per- manent visiting - cousin gives op- portunity in future pictures for slap- stick mixed into the family routines that have mainly been done before. Story contains a smattering of two plny.s "The Torchbearers' and "Your Uncle Dudley.' Both have been made as talkers during past several years by Fox. Combining n few ideas from each, hile.st adventure of the Jonses covers plenty of ground in its 65 minutes' running time. Jones is still' neglecting his drug businei^s to carry duties of mayor. Mrs. Jones becomes leading lady for charity show, while I?a is promoted to head fund drive for a new hos- pital. Collections get mixed up, as does everything else, in the madcap melee of the amateur performance, but everything ends well when Pa Jones decides to devote his time to business for a change. Picture carries typical adventures of the oldest screen family at home in the midwestern town. Arrival of Joan Davis as permanent guest of the hou.sehold, and her attempts to handle duties of- hired girl, provide some broad and elemental knocka- bout comedy. Looks like addition of Miss Davis to the series will pro vide low comedy of .<;Iapstick type to contrast with motivation of the family affairs. 'Too Bu.-rv to Work' is above par in the recent Jones series releases. After two pictures as a boy, Baby Sandy switches to her real feminine gender in 'The Little Accident.' Story holds little similarity to orig- inal play by Floyd Dell and Thomas Mitchell, nor to film version of the latter turned out by U several years ago. Studio mainly utilizes the title here. Picture displays cute smile and antics of Baby Sandy, combining some elemental and slapstick com- edy sequences by Hugh Herbert and adult members of the cast, but all on a rather inconsequential story that serves nothing more than as an ex- cuse for the individual situations; As an attraction, 'Little Accident' will suffice as supporter in the family houses, lacking story strength to get attention above that slot. Story concerns the parental" mixup of the baby. Ernest Truex,. real father, abandons the child on desk of baby editor Hugh Herbert. To save his job, latter assumes grand- parent supervision and turns the baby over to his unwed daughter. From there on, it's a melange of tribulations for all concerned. Wind- up provides a slapsticky chase by the principals after the baby wrapped in a laiindry bag and headed for the mangier. Charles Lafriont catches a number of cute shots of Baby Sandy—mainly solo closeups that are neatly inter- cut into the action. Youngster is now toddling, and delivering a few words in addition to regulation coos. Picture is episodic, displaying at- tempt to piece together incidents to. get through regulation footage for a feature. Hugh Herbert gives a standard portrayal as the adopted grand- father, while Edgar Kennedy and i Etienne Girardot are used for com- edy sequences with Sandy. As care- taker of the baby for a brief spell while working as a paperhanger, Kennedy gets sufficiently involved with a paste pot, ladiler, paper, shcai-.<: and his hat to provide John'iica'i iknockabout comedy on the broad- b'oitcinas MontKoinrry side. Girardot catches several iia" r.u Onic sonderKa.ir.i ' chuckle.s US Salesman in a baby-wear ""L '''"'""' '■ shop, secondary romantic interest is '"'y -- '^yi'i" •^f"!"''"' .supplied by Florence Rice and Rich- AT AND THE CANARY Hollywood, Oct. 24. Piiramonnt release ot Arthur Hornbliiw. Jr.. lu'oiluction. Stnra TJob Hope and raiilelte Goddard. Directed by Elliott Nu- KCnl. SVreenplny by Walter De Irfon and r»yiin Slarlini^, bnaed on play by .lohii Wllierrl: cament, Charles i-ang; ediior, Archlo Marihck: naat. director. Mel Kp- Kteln. I'levlewed nt WoRlwooil Villuije.' O'l. 24. ':■!). TtunnlnR time, 73 MIN.S. Wniye rampbell.. .Bob Hop,. Joyci> Xorntan Paulette Oodilard ITi-ed niyrho rh.iriio Wiiiicr.. Ml A Old . T.Hw.ver Prosby Geonre Zucco Heu.lricha John AVray Indian Guide George ncEas ard Carlson, with Ernest Truex ap- pearing briefly for the climax. Picture was turned out on mod- erate budget, and as a ligh' ro. Retaining the basic spooky atrhoS' phere and chiller situations of John ' gramer will be acceptable > Willard's'original play. Paramount ' " injects plenty of legitimate comedy in this (^ne to provide ^ood .enter- tainment for general audiences. It's a top programmer foi*' upper bracket bookings in the keys, and will hit A pretty good programmer in the 'B' division, 'Pack Up Your Troubles' has the Ritz Bros, for sturdy com- edy support, plus numerous good laugh situations built around them and the star, Jane Withers. While not a picture that will cause box- office jams, the Withers-Ritz subject ought to do from fair to good, singly if pot pitched too high, or on dual bills. Script is a better than average job, well tailored to the talents of the cast, with broad comedy the strong undertone. Original was done by Lou Breslow and Owen Francis. In view of the comedy situations developed, the Ritzes most of the time are away out in front of Miss Withers. Lat- ter is now growing up and has lost that kiJ^hubbinesS. In fact, 'she's quite streamlined. Film opens during the last war, with the Ritzes auditioning their Dutch comedy routines in a book- er's office, but find their German dialect cancels them out automat- ically. They enlist in the army, are assigned to a mule battalion and the action switches to a small village in France where Miss Withers lives, She is maneuvered into the action suitably and some of the comedy sit uations built around her as well as the Ritzes, largely the latter, are more than ordinarily funny.. Plenty of rather good-sized laughs are aroused when the Ritzes, mas- querading as Germans for a local tavern affair,.are mistaken for real Huns by French soldiers. The es- cape in a balloon that lands them on German soil provides several belly laugh.s, in addition to the welcome that is given them as heroes by the Kaiser's higher-ups. . Carrying the situation further, the Ritzes are then interned as war prisoners by the Allies when they escape back to their own ground. A song, 'Who'll Buy My Flowers,' written .by Sidney Clare and Jule Styne, is a vocal for Miss Withers in a French tavern setting. The num- ber is lightweight and Miss Withers, not having a voice, doesn't get it anywhere. She al.<!0 does brief im- personations of Eva Tanguay and George M, Cohan. Neither means 'iich. ' r.vnn . Bari, as a French village doesn't have much footage or il .irtance. Neither does Joseph Mutiny in the Big House Monoicram release of Grant Wilheffl pro- duction. Stnm Harlon Marl.ane. Chnriea nicktord. Directed by .William Ninh. Srreeniilay. Robert Amlrcwa; story, Martin Mooney: «'aniera. Harry Neumann: ♦•ditnr, n. F. ."iehoenKarlh. At IJbeny, Lincoln, dual. RunninK time, M MIN.S. Father Joe.... Charlea Tlickford Red Itarton Macl.ane Warden I'at .Vorinrlty Johnny r........ DrnniH Moore Oap ..William Ilnyie Bltay Charles Foy t>ad Cieofxe Cleveland Mike. .Slgel Dcilruller Duke Kd Ka^■tc^ Jim Itichard Austin Frankle nuvaeii Mopton 'Mutiny' has spotty po.<:sibilities, but in the action-hot territories, especially in Catholic areas, it may come in a pretty fair winner. It's based on actual incidents in the life of a priest. Father Patrick O'Neil, who was awarded the Carnegie medal after his bravery in halting a Canon City (Colo.) prison break (.Oct. s; 1929), in which seven guards and five inmates were killed. Martin Mooney authored the story, from which Robert Andrews drew the scenario, but it hasn't quite enough action most of the way, only settling' down to a fairly snappy thriller as it gets to the finish. Drag is noticeable all the way,-although Charles Bickford, in the role ot the priest, does a hangup job of playing, Barton MacLane, the stir-toughie, leans a little too far forward to rip into the script at times, and he looks a bit forced. Play is mostly around a young con, Dennis Moore, who deadpans, and allows the other two topliners to take it away. Bereft of women, the cast will have a tough job overcoming 'the lack of trimming in the cheap spots used to a decorative skirt "The story starts in the jug, with the arrival of Moore, a forger rapped with 1 to 14 years for a $10 check. Bickford tries to salvage him, and MacLane works to stiffen him against the prison administration. Kid goes along with MacLane, until the for- mer gets the idea he's being a sucker and comes up for air. This is the first time up for Grant Withers, one-time leading man, as an associate producer, and it's a pretty fair fir.st stab on small budget. The pic deals wholly with the work of a prison chaplain, takes him through all the chore.s, even to a hanging, and in those communities predomin- antly Catholic, it lends every natural angle for tieup' and recommenda- tion becau.<;e it honors one of the heroes of the church. Generally speaking, 'Mutiny' will edge toward the profit side of the ledger tor the pop-pricers.. Barn. .Miner Ciiini Hlviry ■toy Ciiiinie Skccti'r tiranilpii.... t... M. K. Oui'unl.. V|oi,y reubviiiy This is definitely one to be re- served for the corn country. It is a successor to 'Down in Arkansaw,' made with much the same cast a year ago, and should do equally as well or better in the right spots. . Starring in the film are the Weaver Bros. .& Elvir.v ' (June Weaver), standard in vaude as 'The Arkansas Travelers.' Elviry's daughter, Lor- etta. 22, makes her picture debut in a minor role in the flirp, chalking it up as .something of a family affair. Tag on the pic, "J.ccpers Creepers,' results from the song which was popular a year or so ago. Rep pur- chased rights to both tunes and title> leather lothario Roy Rogers warbling it to his love interest. Maris Wrixon. It helps to a small degree to relieve the hillbilly quality of all the other tunes in the film. Leon Weaver, as the old-fashioned mayor and justice of the peace of a mountain village ruled by the spirit of brotherly love, is excellent-, eas- ily topping the rest of the cast. He's a natural for a role of this type and with less corny handling would be a strong bet in anyone's picture.. Brother Cicero will seem to the younger members of the. audience to be stealing the stuff of Harpo Mar.>c although he's been doing his no-talk routine sintie 1915. Never opens his mouth except to whistle. He's al.'?o an expert at tossing knives. Gen- erally plays the part of an oaf, in all not being a very impressive addi- tion. Si.ster Elviry. in the middle-aged maiden lady role, plays a variety of instruments in the hillbilly band with which the film is spotted, click- ing nicely. Roberts, as the town's sheriff, handles his strong, silent hossman business in slightly tired fashion, but gets off his .'Jeepers'. number in satisfactory style. Miss Wrixon as the vis-a-vis, daughter of a capitalist who brings ruin on the town, is stiff and stilted. She was borrowed from Warner Brothers to do the part. Appealing is nine-year-old Billy Lee, while character bits are amus- ingly handled—sometimes overdone, however—by Lucien Littlefield as the grandpappy, with an ear trum- pet, who turns into something of ■ jitterbug, and John Arthur, as (he rich' man's secretary-valet, who falls in love with Elviry, Story moves rather rapidly, con- taining plenty of action, including swell shots of a forest fire. Some ot the latter are apparently the mccoy, evidently- double negative work. Tale is of a quiet village where capi* talist Thurston Hall discovers coal after being sentenced by Weaver to use a pick for a day because he was carele.ss in tossing his lighted match- es into tindery bru.sh. Coal is on Weaver's property, but they won't tell, whereupon Hall obtains it by paying up back taxes. He moves a rough crew in, forcing Weavers out, but is almost burned to death when his men start a forest fire. Little Lee lad calls Weavers and others to help release Hall from under his over- turned car, whereupon he sees the light of brotherly love. Film has a strong labor angle, de- signed to please the common folk. Pictures the old moneybags as a re- lentless, unreasonable man: strike- breakers, whom he hires, as drunken, cold-blooded villains, and striking miners as gentle people who are only seeking their rights. Herb. where audiences are not lar about story values ,u mental comedy tricks are displayed. I Schlldkraut, who plays a spy for the But for a long stretch to build Baby ' Allies. Stanley Fields, Fritz Leiber Sandy's draw. Uiiiversal Jteeds bct-.| and Lionel Royce provide suitable ter material than here displayed. ! support. Char, Replate to Stevens Hollywood, Oct. 31. . George Stevens was named pro- ducer-director of RKO's remake of 'Enchanted Cottage.' Currently Stevens is handling 'Vigil in the Night.' Legion of Lost Flyers IToIversal release of Ben Plvnr prodnr- llon. stnra Itli-hurd Arien ami Andy ))e- vine; fenlurca Anne Naicel. Wlllltim I.undi- Ran, Quinn Williams. Una .Miinaon, 01- rcc.ted by Chrlaly Cabannc. sior.v. Pen Plvar; adaptation, Maurice Toml'rauel: edi- tor. Maurice WrlKht; phnloirraithy, -Jeroina Ash. At Rlalto. N. T.. week Oct. SS, '39. nunnlPK time, 63 MIM8. 'Imoji' <;illan Diehard Arlen 'Heet' Brumley. Andy Pevlne Pnilln Anne NaKel nalph I'erry Wllilain I.undlKan Jake Glilnn WilllamH Marttia Ona Munson Freddy Jerry Marloiva Smytho I.eon Ainea Mill Deicrt Yheodiir Von Kilii Frenchy I.eon Helasio niinkey Ilavlil Wiilock riarriRiin Jack (*arf:on Ueilha i'ldllh Miiin Sam |>iit Flnherly I'eiey. Ulddle Waller 'Legion ot Lost Flyers' is an action item dealing with intrigue and ro- mance around a group of renegade airmen working out of'an independ- ent airport in the Ala.skan wilder- ness. It will suit as a supporting dual entry. Richard Arlen and Andy Devine play pilot and mechpnic, respective- ly, with Devine and an Eskimo woman .serving as pretty good comic relief. The Eskimo role, played by Edith Mills, calls for. nothing more than 'ugh' and a couple belches out- side ot the effective pantomime. Yen of the Esk for motor grease and the (Continued on page 18)