Variety (Nov 1940)

16 FILM REVIEWS Wednesday, November 20, 1940 BITTER SWEET (Operetta) ■'■; - (TECHNICOLOR) ",. played the Leslie Crosbie role. Para- mount, 18 months later, brought it to the screen with Jeanne Eagels doing the top character. It played six weeks at the Criterion, ; N. '.Y.i on.'a two- -day $2 top policy. In the dawn of the sound era, Variijty's re- view announced : that 'dialog was -spoken; via W;E;: synchronization qn disc' It Was the first full-length rea .. . . . Hollywood, .Nov. 15.: . Metro-Goldwyri-Mayer. release :of' : Victor ■aviHe productloh. .Stars jennetle Mac- Donald and Nelson Eddy:, featuresGoOi-fre Sanders,. Iun Hunter, Felix: nres'stirt, ,Hd-.' ward' Ashley/Lyime -CarVev'; . Diana Lew IS.'. Directed by WV S. . Van'. Dyke.XI, Operetta —— — , _ • t-i-Aj «.♦., by X6e| yowiiidi.srrep.nfilay by i.eswer sum-. ture made, at Par s Long island svu- uels;' camera'. . Oliver. T. . :.Marsh; .Tec.hnl- : dios. ' v.-.- eolor pliotng'^iphj. Allen. Duvo'y: editor.:. • .i-. V:' • -tka'.. ctnrv iin fo •Harold F. Kress; musical direction. Her- ; Eachi ■ version . Ofthe^Stpry., Up. 10. beet stothahj additional; lyrics, ous Kiihn; land-, including the 1940 : model, has dunces, Krnst. Mairay, Reviewed at fl.rhuv j had :variations, principally. in the de- —— • u, : .'40. Running i nouemen t. Probably none, however, 'v. w ■ W , , ' has been- morei .melodramatic '■';than :jean e tte. ; M,cponnid . ^seH one, m^.likely,ito:;cau^ 'N.OVi man's ■■Chinese time. O.i MINS Sarah Ml I lick.':..;... Crtrl Linden...-../ JBafon vori . Tr;\ i.'i i ! '<-'l> • ■.Lorn - Shayne.'..... .'.': 'Mrt.x..v. Harry D'aventfy •'Polly..!'....... t ». Jane.-,. ....*'•'• .'.v..'.. Ernst.... ... I . .,'<:. '.•>: Mrs. MlUick.;.. ; Herr. Schllck.;. ; Lady Daventry .';..... Horr.WyleT:. Manon;..... f ...:.:■.'.. Market' Keeper.-.':-, Mama Luden . ..-. .>»v'l. . Neisori Hdily .G.e6rge~S;th'de.vs .Irin Hunter ■the audience to; leave: the theatre on ,„ „ a nbte of morbidity and a plush-and^ •••■\!:^*^ r ?*M*l- velvet sort of sordidness,, The end- H^Lvh^ the author-has ..;.:bianh i.ewis ibuift upi no feeling:.'of sympathy for v...'.%>^Guft:;-i)oia.-j.his principal character; yet: it's grim. .....V;sig.;numarin-1 '■" Lack of something to lighten :ao.q v;.i.ii«'net ! Ueechnr :| relieve the sobriety is the .: film's •v. ; nwries ; juiicis i shortcoming. . there^s not even the. firman' ffiVS ;comic ; character ,uw-liv, *»nrf-■ in . . ....Greta Meyor.j plays and pictures, the nearest ap- ; I proach being an educatOd^iii.Avo boy ;'Bitter " ' production a . visualrappeal backg. - - - l- j „„„,.o mounting of: the fetching Noel of -laiety was found in native dancers,. Coward songs; in his highly success- i .The continued ^eTiousness tends, to lul operetta, delivered, in solo and make the film at 4imes-seem- drawn duet by. Jeanette MacDortald and, out And. actually, a bit more cut- Nelson Eddy. It's • now chiefly eye- i ting might not be out. of order.: Di- -and-ear entertainment, ;with the ■■ rector William Wyletrhowever,, has original Behtimehtar charm and ro-^ : set himself a tempo which is rhythm marice- of the stage version , missing -with. the. Malay, locale and is riot gOr; For music lovers and the ' Mac- ing "to have his metronome thrown Donald-Eddy adherents,^ picture, is a off. As a whole, it's very effective. , musical treat that will hit the gait of j' story is essentially a mystery. It previous releases . of: the singing;".'opens' with Bette Davis shooting' a team. : ■.';■':■'' ; : ; . . \, : /'\ : .: '.' . man;dead as he runs from her plan- Frequeht■-''re n d i tio n s. .of nine ; tation house. The question mark Coward songs cause Mis.s MacDohald from there to the climax /is-why? and Eddy to bufst into song at evel'y . She explains to :her planter-husband, opportunity, but the excellence of Herbert Marshall, and; an attorncy- . the numbers overcomes any obvious friend; James: Stephenson, that the handicaps. . ...■''■, : ... •'• . '"imurdered man, ah old fanrtily in- W.ith the production concentrating timate, had made advances to her on the colorful mounting arid pre-;.'.and in lier angry resentment- she sentation of the song numbers^ the I pickedvup a -revolver.' It s ; evid0nt: story development receives minor /.from the coolness of her recital that attention. It's an obvious and static she's riot telling the truth. „■■.; •'•. romance from the. time ..music | Husbahd:accebts tale, but Stephen- teacher Eddy elopes with his pupil, , sori does not. While Miss Davis is in. Miss MacDortald; takes her to Vienna | prison awaiting a trial which is ex- while; he writes an operetta; .and his , pected to. be strictly a formality. ' tragic-death just as his work is to be . Stephenson's smart native assistant, presented. The love scenes between excellently played by Sen ■• Yung, the couple are-staid and cold,,neither - brings him word, of' a letter she has . providing any warmth, to those pro- written. ' It was to the.•"■man she ceedings which were a vital factor killed and was in the hands of his in the original, play. . ;. ^ J wife, .a Malayan gal, Gale Sorider- Both Miss MacDonald and Eddy | gaard. Through it, it is revealed that Interpret Coward's numbers in ex- jf or 10 years the murderess has been cellent style. All the favorites of the operetta are. here, including ■ 'Ziger. urter,' 'Little Cafe,' 'Tokay,' .and •I'll See You Again.' Supporting cast is neatly grooved for respective as- signments^ with. George Sanders, Ian Huriter, Felix Bressart, Edward Ash having an affair with her vidti'm and the fatal triggerwork resulted .when- she discovered he had thrown her over for the beauteous riativA v -The widow - not / only -wants a tremendous price for the letter;, but imposes unusual circumstances—Miss • W TiVnnp Cnrver' Diana Lewis • '""P^es-unusuai-cireumsMinces-^-iVliss BSf and Sg Rumahn most Davis must-bring the money herself . prominent. Scripter Lesser Samuels and di- rector W. S.. Van Dyke II allow the excellent score and the extravagant mounting in Technicolor to carry the Scene hetweeh the two women, with out a word being spoken, is hot one to be quickly forgotten! : Miss Davis* life,. by. purchase of the epistle, is saved for the moment, but it by no Miniature Reviews ; 'Bitter Sweet* (M-G). Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson: Eddy in ok 6Uper4avishi . mounting ,6f Noel Coward's operetta. \ : ■ 'The Letter'.' (WB). Excellent remak^ of Somerset Maugham play starring Bette Davis. • 'Escape to Glory' (Col). Pretty good wartime melfer. \ 'Arizona' (Col),. Okay western spec with Jean Arthur. ♦You'll Fina Out' (RKO). Kay Kyser's picture okay comedy en- tertainment with, musical trimr; : mings. ■.' '■•,-■'-.'..; . 'Youth Will Be Served* (20th). Jane Withers in a Passable pro- grammer about CCC and NYA camps. . ::-v: ; . ( 'A Night •' at", Earl Carroll's' (Par). Minor league filmU- sical devoted to extended parade of Carroll showgirls. 'Little Nellie Kelly' (M-G). Judy Garland . starred in light : and gay some tale, rich in se'nti- ' mentality. Profitable grosser. 'The Great Plane Robbery' . (Col)/ -. Humdrum . Jack. ; Holt cops-and-robbers : dualler about a hijacked airliner. 'TheXeatherpushers' (IX)., Okay addition to the :Arlen-Devine series. For the action houses. . 'Billy the Kid in Texas' (Prod ). Familiar . western yarn done, in quickie" styleV; strictly; , for lower; bracket dualers. : .:-. . ■[.■■ 'Range Busters' (Mono). . Okay western which tees off a series produced by George W. Weeks, former film salesman.' -. 'Hold That Woman' ; (PDC), Smalltime bottom-bracketer with /. James Dunn. Not -tor b.Q. ■ 'Texas' . Terros': (Rep). Trite western for lower duals. picture along without., much, assist- Vm£ahs^leadi tq^ a lived^happily-ever . ahce from their respective depart- after nnale.' Star s frigidity at times ments Utilizing the hew Technicolor- pro- cessing, -.'Bitter'.Sweet' has its nuttier-; ous elaborate settings accentuated by the tirit. photography; Final produc- tion number for background of Miss MacDonald's rendition of 'Zigeuner,' is most ingeniously contrived, having dancers in copper "brown and white costumes, with background in similar tones. It's one of the most. arresting sequences ever filmed in color, all seems to go even beyond the charac- terization. It seems often to lack spontaneity, although it is difficult and deserves no belittling. On the other hand, Marshall never falters. Virtually stealing thesp honors in the pic,- however, is Stephenson as the. attorney, while Miss . Sonder- gaard is the perfect mask-like threat. Picture ' is suspenseful from :be- ginning to end. So much so, in fact, inherently via the plot, that Wyler's striction' of color rather than dulging in a-large range of .hues. '; ■ . Walt the mbre effective because of its re- ; directoTial efforts along that line oc- . ,. i5 _^- ,m .__*u_w • casiohally.go too,far., .However. with a, story to be told more by words than action, the director takes no Chances on lOSs of interest by weav- TU17 I irTTCD ' I mg * ? hain of overlapping threats. . lnt Lt.l l ILK . j Set is of tremendous proportions Warner Bros.' release of Robert Lord pro- a ^ a ,.'^, e music by Max Steirier is auction. Stars Relie Davis: teatures Tier- paruculany noteworthy in creating bert Marshall. James Stephenson, Frieda: and holding a moOd as well at. in \S^'^}^^±J: M'JiS: poiriting u/ the dr&a : 'hS>. O'Brien with drink proclivities; John Halliday, the district : attorney, re- sponsible for railroading' innocents; Miss Bennett, his girl-friend, posing as secretary; Alan Baxter, fugitive murderer/trailirig Halliday to avenge a double-cross; flightly widow, Mar- : jorie Gateson; elderly couple, Francis Pierlot and Jessie Busley; and plug-ugly Frank Sully, also a Ger- man doctor, .Erwin Kaiser. - Story unfolds dramatics . in votit. trast of the assorted group when word- is received, soon after; sailing, of. war's, ioutbreak; There's good de- velopment of conflict arid, character reactions, leading up to appearance of submarine. . O'Brien mans a gun to cripple a sub, but boat engines are damaged. There's a fast courtship by O'Brien and Miss Bennett, while Baxter watches his chance to bump off. Halliday. Kaiser -signals'; siib^; marine with . diatherrriy machine frequency, but O'Brien devises decoy, suicide boat.: to save ship and .crew; Baxter forces Halliday along with: him in lifeboat'of death, which ac-; corriplishes sub destruction via depth- bombs. • .-•' - -•. O'P.rien is vigorous in the top spot, with Constance Bennett mainly in for decorative dressing. Baxter is good as the gangster, While Halli- day is okay as the sniveling .district attorney. Melville Cooper is excels lent as the ship steward with many jobs. '.-- Direction by John Brahni loses lit- tle footage in straight narratiori of the story without incidental detours. Walt. ; ARIZONA ■William Wyier: ,' Srreenrilay by ': Howard Koch from 1 play .by W- Somerset Ma»^l.«aiW.v ■ camera.'.-Tony. Gaudlo; e.djlor, Goorsc. Amy; ; miisIS.. Ma\- Stelner, Pr.eVlfcvved In. I'roje'cr tlon Room,-N.'.Y.,. NoVi .13, l'J40. ltuiinjhg tlmo; 95 M1NS. ... Leslie' Crosble.... Robert Crosble... ■ Howard .'Joyce...V Dorothy Joyce...: V Mrs.': Hamniond.; .Jolm.Wltbera.';;;; Adele Ainswdfti).. Prtapotti':'. ; ... Ong Chi Seng.,.. Mis. Coriper... . ... Chung;.- : IIl.^... .••.';-. Head Boy..,...;.., ,v.Belle •OavU ESCAPE TO GLORY ' Holly wood, Nov. 19. . .'TVerbeit M.-ifsh/iU.': .Columbia release, of Sam Blacholf pro- ..Tames S.teptn nson' .'ductlon... - : Stars ; Pat O'Brien, Constu'n'ce ,.. ..Krleilrt Inesciii.-t Bennett;., features-. John" Halildav, Melville , ;-Uaie'-£!.oHdergaa>.iV Cooper, Alan Baxter.. 'Directed by John .....; ;.Brnce LeKlei- Br;xhm.. ..Screenplay,: P. J.--Wolf son; Btoiy . . .JOlianbelh Kn«- Sidney. - Biddell,. Fredrlc Frimk; ' earner;/ . . .;ee011: IvellM way. 1" ran^: PlanSr; editor, Al Clark.? uss>t d(- .. ....... .Pen'.Vnnij. .rfttor,y <3i-M. Coleman; -musical director,' ....;'... ..Tio'rJs TjIoS'iI : >>,.;. atoloff. • Previewed - at Panlagea ...»Willie ■.-.'l'''u'n«r- '- N ' ; »v. :,18. '40. Running time. 70 MIXS, Hollywood, Nov. 19. ■■ .Columbia. velease of -Wesley ■ BUKgles l>i'P- du'etion-, ..dirpeteil' by Ruggles-, Slars Jean Arthur; - features' Warren William, Porter Hall. ' Screenidiiy,' Claude BInyon,- .based 11 pi>n story by Cllare.noe Buddlnijton Kelland'; "«mera, Joseph Walker, Harry Hailen- Merger, -Fayte Brown; .editors, Otto Meyeri VVllllam ■ Ijyon:: nss't • •dlfeotor, : ' Norman Demlng; -fnuslo, ■ -Vie-tor .Youtig'; musical director, M. W, SolofTv - Reviewed In Pro- jection Room Xov. 18, '-10i Hunning -tltne: J25 " ' - ' • - "'• tioris, picture devotes much footage to exposition of characters and in- cidental sidelights that veer from direct. story telling. This procedure in both script arid direction' results in bogging down of audience .inter 1 - est in several instances, and prevents sustained drive of picture through the period depicted. '• - -, -' • . Story opens -jn 1.860 when Tucson was nothing more■ than collection of adobe huts. Jean. Arthur, first American woman settler of the place, is a frontier hellcat with plenty courage, spirit and vision, in future of valley. Wandering adven- turer William Holden rides in from East, falls in love, but goes on to. California. Miss Arthur sets up freighter supply train to Fort Yurha, arid competes with partnership of Porter Hall and Warren William to start trouble.. Pai r atterhpts to block her at every turn, even setting In- dians against her wagon trains and stealing her savings. Holden returns with UniOn infantry from California, to see : hpr through successfully to establishment of ; dreamed ranch, stock of cattle and marriage of pair* Picture's reputed cbst. Set at $2^- 000,000.. There's a constructed replica of . a townsite, with hundreds of ex-; tras: /culled frbm present '■■ Tucson populace for: authenticity. 'Indians' attack on the cattle herd and Hold- eri's turn: of latter into Apaches is the highlight production punch of picture. ;. Much footage is devoted to. pointing up strange .. and Unusual characters among the early settlers, which might, be okay fpr^vW purposes but drag on eri'tertainrrierit side. . ■'■.' ■■' . -- : ■■ Jean Arthur dominates through- out with strongly ' conviheirig per- formance of a piorieer girl, shading character believably from hardness in . dealing.' with..'men to. softening fpr romance with Holden. Latter clicks as the ..hero,, and rates more western;, assignments. needing he-man zing. Warren William is .the slick eohniv.er Of gentlemanly mariner; Porter Hall fine as head, of 'town's 'outlaws; Paul Harvey good as sole storekeeper. Edgar Buchanari gives \ an arresting : characterization . as ' .town . bewhisk- ered judge:. Support includes typical western types. . ■ Photography ex-, cellerit. . - Wait. YOU'LL FIND OUT (with soNqs) Hollywood, NOv.' 14. RKO release of David Butler, production. ■Stars" Kay Kyse'r band; '..feoturea Peter i<orre.^ . Helen l'arnrfi; " : Deniiis O'Kecfe, Bela I,iigpsl, Boi ls Karjo.ff, • G|nny Slmins. Directed by David Uutjer. Screenplay by Jaines V. Kern.. fi cini story by Butler and- Kern; special material : by Andre^v Bennl- soh,'.Monty Brtce and II. ,T. M. Scott; enm- fcira,. Frank Redman; special eftecte, Vernon L.'. Walker; editor,- Irene -Morru; nsst. di- rector, ■ Freil Fleck; songsv' James MTclIugh, John Merc6r. Trcviewed at Punt ages; Nov. 13, '40. ■ •Running time, i>5 MlNS. .■'.' .'Kny' Kyse'r ...Peter I.orro Dennis O'Keefe* who stages minor romantic trimmings with Miss Par- rish; Alma Kruger as the latter's aunt who is victimized by the mystic seanqes of Lugosi; and members of the Kyser band troupe, including the photogenic featured songstress Giriny Simms; 'Ish Kabibble,' Harry Babbitt and Sully Mason. Five songs by: James McHagh arid John Mercer are included along this way, expertly sung by. Miss Simms, Babbitt 'Kabibble' and Mason. V 'Bad Humor Man' is a comedy specialty number in which the entire Kyser band crew participates for crazy antics and horseplay. Best of the ; othjefs is 'I'd Know You Any Where,' which has a chance for pop" atten- tion, featured bj; Miss ; Simms and Babbitt. Latter is the; juve of .the' band and. also at ease before the lens. But most relaxed of the band persOrinel, outside of .Kyser, is the comely Miss: Simms who bespeaks Hollywood promise. ■ Picture is the first to utilize> Gil- bert Wright's Sonovox mathine which adds to. the weirdness x>f the ghost-voice messages delivered dur- ing the seance. Apparatus is also used for musical finale to provide novelty ; presentations of apparent sinking by Various instruments in the band. : .." - y- r .-.'.-;.';:.'.-■ Walt. Youth Will Be Served (WITH SONGS) ' Sptli^Fox release of I^ucien Hubbard. p'io- ' ductlon.. Stars Ja'na Withers; features Jniia"^ Darwoll, Robert Conway, Klyse Ki«i\,- joe Brown,,:Jr.; John Qualen,. ChH"rle,s -HollandV■ Directed, by Otto Brower, . ^cH'einiljiv; ;Wanda : Tuchbck;' story, Ruth Fjisken and Hlldii Vincent;, songs,: Frank Loesser iijvd Lpula .Alter;.-danees;' Ntdtolas Casile; .ciimi-• era, ISdwhrd. Cronjaker;- musical ■ direction, Emll Newman;~ editor, Nick Da 'Magglo.-' At Palace. ,N> Y.. NoV. 14, '40; dual. Run- ning:, time, 06-MINS. :'... Eadle-May... ;.'...... Supervisor Stormer...;. Dr. Bob ........"...'.... .. Piimola. Benjy Clem Howie.... . . . ... .Hphrnlm.-.-; '.■. I;ls'beth.;.. : ;........ i, ^llss Bnidshaw.,.; Rufus-; Brltt. ..,'■.■.;., CCC .Major... Lily....,............. Mr.. Hewitt..;...... Sheriff..:.',......;.» Buck Miller..;....... Dan MoKay..'..". Henrietta. McNutt;.. i . .v.Tn'ne ' WUher*.- ..... JAoe l iarwi'll ,.;.Robert .I'oinvi'iy ...'..-;.. .Klyxfe .Kno'x , i. jue' .-Brown, 'Jr. ..; .;■■, ..John Qimlen ,. .Cliai'lCs Holland . v... ;Tilll.l<tn.. Porter ,'. .'.Cliira Itlandlck . ► .Tully M'ursliall' . .". .'Kdwln- .Stanley- .... M lldred Gbver. . ;... Illchiiril Lape .. .-.'.... iy •lvendair .. . . . J:imes. Flavin . v . . . V. lidi.llC Marr "j .>.Claiie-Du • Brey Kay ■■ Kv-ser. '. ■. .,'.... 'Prof.' : 'I' v ennlnger.. Judge Main waring. Prince- Sallano..'.. Janls-' Bellacrest..V, ChlJck. Deems...;-.... Aunt Ma:rgd; v...... Jurgen ,-i'. .Boris;, Karloff ..>..'^Bcla f.ugosi ;., .Helen' ,1'arrlsh -.'.'.Dennis O'lCeefe- ..... ..A.Ima Kruger .Joseph lSgg'ertton And'. Kay '.■Kyser"fl . band, featuring Glhny Simms. Harry...Batph'ltt. ••Islt. Ka.blbble' .. and Sully Maqon ■. v Tctsu Komat -A" 1 ^ ..Farrough (.'lulstlne Blaine.; . rrr - rT " ' ' John ;Mprgan : . . .. 'The Letter.Vhas- a history - runnii"' ' f •* ;. ;V•: -v -i- m '-r- '••••;; , ■ . ' . '"'.'ai-ry-perrln.-,... back to. 1927.■•: Twice it. has been,seen chm-ies Atterbee. in .legit and ;bnce- .'before .in films, .^ w |n9l » Vv - - •• .. . "sor Miidge. . each time with top femme- star iri' W?. Mtjdge...,v ; the principal role, Yet never .has ' it Tom l my MaioneV. been done With greater production ': Pi'r ?"i? ee ? 3, • • • •'• • ••-•'• .... •••-'. ■ ' , • •thref Engineer........ ; values, a better all-around, cast or -FirsV Mate. finer direction. A strong story, well-1 .Pat O'Brien Contsance' Bennett ..,. John';Halliday -..iMeJvitle -Cooper . . . . ... .. Alan Baxter ,/. ...... ... Edgar .Burliiman .MarJorie Giiiesbn. .Francis : Pleriot :...'.,.;....'.v;Jessie' -Busley' . i..'....... Stn h ley ■ Ijogan ;'.', .-.>(. . ... . .Frank . Sully. .. ..'....E.rwIn Kaiser ; Don. Beddoe Leslie - Deulson proved, Warner Bros, have shot-the : Carrying a strange cargo of Ameri-' works oh its production. Its defect: ^ s .f ro P. ^g^nd ;0rt a /British ' Js its grimness; ; However,i: current ou^l 'ffi p ^ 0 P G^ success of such films as 'Escape' strong melodrama and suspense to proves real drariia never, lacks pull, .pi'ovide top calibre programmer... It ? The Letter,'.as amatter Of'fact, will will, carry as billtopper where the ^ do bullish biz in slightly sophistir :h_ames Of Coristance Beririett-arid Pat cated first-runs, likewise in the keys. • O Brien rate marquee strength, : arid something less iri the later runs.' Picture is a .. good example of Somerset , s Ma-ugham's.; play -. made, a tightly.knit' script, combined with Its initial bow ih London 13 \ycar.s:^ straightforward direction in detail- ago with- Gladys Cooper iri the lead, ing drama and .Spotlighting. various It opened on Broadway on Sept. 27, characters aboard, thrown together 192.7, under the sponsorship of Mess- by flight from war clouds. There's inore Kendall. Katharine Cornell i the .;Ne'er-do-well ' adven turer Phoebe' Tltiis.-../;... Pe.ier MunHc. /.-,'.'.' .'•/offerson' .OSrt^ret'.-', Lazarus ;Ward...',;., Solon'ion --Warner;... ifnley..:.-..-';" Pe.te Kitchen;...".. Grant ' Q'ury.V.... ; ; Estevan Oilion. Bn.r( Ma'ssey ...... Hllhrio Halle'go.;.. Judge Bogirrdu.s;.., Joe Brlggs. .-•.-;;•.;';';. Sani' Hughes.. ...;.: - Meyer....',..;/. ; < 'Tei-ry-. ■;;■.■'■; »..;■.';'-.■ .y. Joy> ..... .. .. Tlrnin'liis. .<;;;, . Longstreet.. ........ Mano- ■'.;...■.'•. .. , •,,. Teresa. . v',';.. ; ';,;.; (iTapt. -HunlerV. ,... ..i.Tean ..'Arthur- ...William IIoMen .."Warren William ....... Porter-Hail .:.... . Paul Harvey .George Chandler .:. . ', Hyroh Foulger . ..,. R,egJs' Tooniey .. . ... ..Paiai 'Loiien' -. i..;.CoIlh .Tapley .... ..Uvald'o'.; Vafehi .,15d frar.' Buchanan ....Earl Cra.wfoi-a ... .Grift Burnctte ,;.';Luf1w'lg Hardt • Patrick 'Mnrlafty .'..; Frank: Darlen. ........ Syd~Saylor ,. ;•.. Wade/Croslvv ...V..-. .Frai\k-H'lii .. i.-Nina'-'' Camn'nna •.Addison'. Richards v Anpther expensive epic .of west- ern pioneering,, this. time the early ' settlement days' of Tucson, Arizona, j un t ql f. s '..-.with : usual melodramatics. I including bad men, warpath Indians, hardy settlers, wagon trains arid ro- mance.. Despite .overleftgth, it's ex- C1 tjng. entertainment of its kind, that will click profitable biz - in regular .runs as. solo or billtopper^ : Needs exploitation hypo for generally ex- tended runs. . Providing fictional 'trimrriirigs to factual history of early Tucson years, picture is ■ set against scenically exparisive background. Uhreelihg at slower tempo than is general policy for lusty, western of epia propor- Kay Kyser's secorid film starrer is solid comedy entertainment, '-with musical interludes, that will set the wickets Spinning at a merry .pace -up and down the line. Picture is much stronger: in both b.o. content ^and laugh appeal than Kyser's initialer, 'That's Right, You're/Wrong,' - arid is tuned directly to* present gerieral audience requirements. : 'ZJ' Story is a .lively adriiixti/re of comedy, music, and eerie- thrills, with accent on. the comedy side. After brief musical introdQction of Kyser and his aggregation K it gener- ates a fast pace that carries^ proceed- ings along in zestful, tempo through a maze of humorous and chiller , complications. Kyser plays himself in the picture, and does surprisingly well in smack- ing Over comedy lines arid, situations. He S relaxed before the camera, and turns in a .most creditable perfbfm- ance for his secorid film appearance, without any semblance of newcomer self^consciousriess. Boris. Karloff, Bela Lugosi arid Peter Lorre form a strong setup of sinister vijlainy, to provide plenty of trouble and conflict . for Kvser to combat.- But the band leader, ac- complishes success, after a series of hilarious and spine-tingling episodes. The Kyser troupe is engaged to play-'for a- private party on 21st birthday of Helen Partish. Affair is "janold secluded mansion which is filled with the usual catacombs of Secret passageways, secret panels and archaeological Collections. It's a , weird and. strange setup, accentu- ated when Lugosi puts on a mystic seance for the Visitors and Miss Par~ rishs life;," v endangered. Kyser senses - the plot,, and in ./broad comedic; style, proceeds to unravel the. mystery, by, finally rounding up the three plotters.--Of course, every^ thing is staged with a wild thunder- storm raging outside,' which seems to 6 regulation techriiqUe for- a chiller;, < ■■ ; David Butler assumes the dual »Sh of P r ?^ ucer -d»rector, in addi- V^". t0 „ splitting story credit with James. V. Kern, who wrote the script. Butler provides a slick piloting job to smacko to the utmost his numer- Ous comedy situations, ; arid . coriv petently spots the various songs for best effect. . . a ^ d ]i ion to the menacing trio oi Karloff, Lorre and Lugosi, sup- porting cast includes band manager 20th-Fox has s turned votit ■ a fair little programriier in this Jane: Withers* picture and has incidentally polished^ a. couple of apples for the Government by putting in a strong plug for the National' Youth Ad- ministration "arid the- Civilian Con- servation Corps camps. Using those two Federal projects as the spring- board, the. yarn is a combination of several standard plot ingredients— the anti-social youngsters who are: thawed by kindness, the sour old skinflint who is won arourid by a moppet's siinny smiile, the jailbreak and chase, and so On. There are even the. customary crocodiles in every down-south stream. ■I Jane . Withers gives a veteran frbuper's .^rfor'mance as the back- woods urchin who, wanders into the . NYA camp, but it's Charles Holland, the southern field-hand, who walks off with- the picture On the strength of his rousing . flsh T peddler songs.. Jane Darwell is a.kiridly NYA camp supervisor, Tully Marshall is con- vincing as the ornery old guy with the. tender, heart, Joe: Brown, Jr.,. is acceptable as Miss Withers! swamp side-kick, and John. Qualen Is satis- factory as . usual ; as her . father... Robert Conway and Elyse. Knox are decorative aS the decidedly inci- dental r.omantic interest. And for those who notice such things, there are a couple of platoons of comely ingenues as NYA campers. -Direction-"' and production are 'adequate,: : Hob*. A Night at Earl CarrollV .. (MUSICAL). . Hollywood, Nov. 1.3. Pammount release of Earl Carroll proV ductlon, • Fcaturea Ken • Murniyi Lillian Cprnfell, J.. Carroll Nalsh, Rose Ilobart, Brenda and CoBlna, Betty McLaughlin. Di- rected by : Kurt Neumann'. Original and screenplay by Lynn Starring; camera; Leo Tovar;,..editor. Alma >Iaerorle; asst.. dl-. •roctpr, Joseph Letert; songs, Victor Young Prank (ioesser, Ocrtrude .N'lese.ii, Frederick. Kollander,. N116 . Mehendez. Earl CnrroU, Dorcas Cochran. '. Previewed, at Paramount; ' IS'ov. 12; ;, 40. Hurinlng time, 61 1j; A MISS Barney Nelson..... Ramoha Lisa..;\.. Brenda Ouslier...,. ('olilna Ousher...... .Steve '.IvaHtilis-. • MayoT Jones.,. Alonzo Smith....;. Vic MurklL. . .. . . . .Miss Borgia,. Mlas d.». Mllb'.V.?..'." Miss DuBary...... Mac...... .Terry.''..:-...',.,;;,.,, Mnchlnif-t's.Mutei.'. Mayor Green.. >Iayor Brown...-.., Mayor f!ray'., Mayor White.... Mayor Stokea...... Stage Manager;..'.; La-Conga Singer.... Maldy. ,•....,-;.....;. Orchentra : Leader..' Radio' Announcer,., Dancevs;....... . . Jugglers. .Ken- Murray .-.'.; .Rose Hobart' .. . BIq nrhe Stewart ....... .Elvla Allmait .1. Carroll Nalsh ,...'.:..Russell- -TUcks . . ;;.-. '..lack Nor'0" ... . .;... John. -linlrd, ;;.:.'. .Ruth Rogeis ; . ..wBelty'McLnughJIu . ...'•. .Beryl ,Wallace .....'.-.'. ;johii. Hnrliiion ..'-.. Ray AValJccr .. .. .. ;. .Billy Gilbert .. /Wliriflm Da vld«on ; ..' ... ..; ForbeB . Murray .v. i; .Ralph' Emerpon ... . . it . ; Allan CaV.au ;.,•.♦ ...fieorge McKay, .'...... .<ioorge ' Meeker ■ .'. . . . .Mary Lou Cook ......... .'Vera 'Ijewlri . . . Flrjrlhe jMcKliinV.v ... .'.sTrumnn '• Bradley' Sterner Sl.stera '.The. Three. Nora us and Lillian Cornell and Lela Mcioro • Paramount undoubtedly paid Earl Carroll for the privilege of using his Hollywood cabaret theatre and ac- cptripariying talent for, this .picture, but from what's dri the screen it looks like the producer should have paid the studio. It's a national plug for his layout Via an extended trailer. (Continued on page 18)