Variety (May 1941)

Wednesday, May 21, 1941 UA'RIETY FILM REVIEWS 15 BLOOD AND SAND (With Songs) (TECHNICOLOB) Hollywood, May 20. 20th-Fox releano of Darryl F. Zanuck nroductlnn; nmoclate producer, Robert T, Knnc. Sl«r« Tyrone Power; fentures I^lndn Purnell, nila Hayworth. Directed by i Bouben MiimoullaA. Screenplay, Jo Kwerl She Knew All the Answers Hollywood, May 15. Columbia release of Charles R, Rogers production. Stars Joan Bennett, Fran- chot Tone; features John Hubbard, Eve Arden, Wllllnm Tnicy, Pierre Watkln. Di- rected by Richard Wallace. Screenplay by Harry Sedan. Kenneth Earl, Curtis Kenyon, bnr'ed on story by Jane Allen; camera, Henry Freullch; editor. Gene Hftv- llck; Asst. director,-Norman Deming. Pre- ".^-.^'-'^^.Z "SS'e.t''''pa?l'?"an'i'"R"a'e viewed at .Alexander,. Glendale, May 14, Ibanez; camera, Bmost Palmer and Ray Rennihnn; editor, Robert BIschoR; techni- color director, Natalie ICnlmu.<i. Previewed at Four Star, T^. A., May 10, '41. Running time, 123 .MINS. 41. Running time, 84 MINH. Gloria Winters Joan Bennett Murk Wlllow.i.; -..Frnnchol Tone Randy Bradford John Hubbard Sally Long Eve Arden Manolo de Palma Anthony Qulnn i *»'"'>'' Thurston Hall Garabato -. J. Carroll Nalsh Naclonal John Carradlne Encarnarlon Lynn Bnrl Natallo Curro Laird Cregar Guitarist Vicente Gomez Antonio T^pez 'William Montague Captain Plerr« Lauren...'...George Reeves Don Jose Alvarez Pedro de Cordoba Petlro Esplnosa Fortunlo Ronanova Priest '.'Victor Klllan La Puign Michael Morris Pablo Gomez Charles Stevens Carmen (ns child) Ann Todd Encarnaclon (as child)....Cora Sue Collins Ibanez's novel of the bullfighting arena, which served as a Valentino starrer back' in 1922, gets a second plcturization via talkers In a Darryl .^anuck presentation of elaborate production and colorful mounting. Ogleby Grody Sutton Lightly-textured romantic farce with unsophisticated material aimed at general audiences, 'She Knew All the Answers' will provide moderate entertainment in the regular runs for nominal biz. . Marquee voltage of ^oan Bennett and Franchot Tone may dictate key bookings in the first runs, but picture wiU.hold up best in the subsequent and family houses. It has several episodes of hilarity —also a standoff number of se- quences that just roll along without much interest. But the laugh mo- ments more than balance the dull spots to make for acceptance of the overall entertainment content. Jane Allen's tale concerns a chorine who is prevented from mar- rying millionaire playboy John Hub 1 ] 1 1 _4. — 1 1 Production investiture, combined with the marquee voltage of Tyrone ! bard'by latter's conservative broker Power m the top spot, assures top- S^l^^lf^f.'f'^IJiJ^^ii^':.?^..^?^!; flight grosses as solo or headline at- traction and holdover potentialities for the key runs. 'Blood and Sand' is associated in Pitching for the coin that would go with a favorable marriage, Joan Bennett forces herself into a job in the 'Wall Street brokerage office, and naturally winds up in love with the uncle. The playboy conveniently the memories of theatre-goers as a steps aside lor romantic freelancing, hot and decidedly sexy piece of mer- and everybody's happy. chandlse, chiefly because of 'Valen- tino's silent version two decades ago. Age places an over-emphasis of glamour on the subject in this re- spect, as the revival follows the original as a straight drama of the bullfight ring with ^ love triangle as main motivation. Divested of its colorful setting, the story is one of youthful romance and marriage, with the siren injecting herself to upset the proceedings when the mat- ador becomes the toast of the coun- try. There's a final reconciliation of the married couple at the end. Twentieth-Fox has provided a £>lendid cast and plenty of negative cost in putting the tale across. £s- fecially effective are the bullfight rena sequences, which disclose ex- ceptional camera angles and inter- cutting of shots of crowds at arena in Mexico City with studio shots. All the passes and swirls in bullfight- ing are vividly depicted, and still there is no actual thrust of the sword at the kill to provide goriness for picture audiences. Picture consumes 30 minutes in a prolog , to establish characters 10 years before the main portion of the story. Power is a peon kid in Seville, son of a bullfighter killed in the ring, decidedly illiterate, and with a pas- sion for bullfighting. He has an adolescent love for Linda Darnell, and finally runs off to Madrid with k bunch of his pals. Ten years later, as a minor league matador, he re- turns to Seville, marries Miss Dar- nell and goes on to become the most famous and widely acclaimed mata- dor of the time. Surrounded by leeches. Power is continually in debt, but happy with his wife until fasci- nated by sexy Rita Hayworth, so- cialite flame. Affair with the latter Miniatore Reviews There's little variation to the un- folding of a familiar story, but di- rector Richard 'Wallace has man- aged to inject several laugh se- quences that carry along the obvious formula. Miss Bennett's eye-exer- cise instructions for Tone, for pur-, pose of discarding his glasses, pro- vides top comedy moments in the two best laugh' sequences of the pic- ; ture. I the circus, she accompanies him to As the staid and conservative , the family mansion to meet the rela- broker. Tone displays excellent tal-.tives, especially grufi and eccentric ent along farcical lines—which will; auntie, Helen Westley. Wedding be tabbed by producers ^or future ceremony Js blown up by premature •Blood and Sand' (WB). Tip- top Technicolor filmization of old 'Valentino starrer a cinch for big grosses. 'She Knew AH the Answers* (Col). Joan Bennett and Fran- chot Tone in mildly entertaining. romantic farce-comedy. •Sunny' (RKO). Lavish re- make of musical comedy augurs only nominal biz for key runs. •The Big Boss' (Col). Passable Class B meller about a crusad- ing governor who busts a cor- rupt political machine. •Too Many Blondes' (U). Too little entertainment for other than secondary fUlter bookings. Stars Rudy 'Vallee. •Under Age' (Col). iSxpose of tourist camp racket, with em- phasis on 'sweater, girl' host- esses. Good 'B' dualer.. 'A Shot In the Dark' (WB). Strong gangster whodunit with William Lundigan, Ricardo Cor- tex, Regis Toomey. •Lady From Louisiana' (Rep). A top-bracketer that falls short of justifying the apparent ex- pense it represents, The Gay Vagabond' (Rep). Moderately entertaining for sub- urban audiences in this family- type comedy. •Sheriff of Tombstone' (Rep). Fair western starring R6y Rog- ers. Runs only 54 minutes. •Pirates On Horseback' (Par) Hopalong Cassldy rides again in standard action western. Tambledown Ranch in Arl- Eona' (Mono). Above average Range Buster western with songs. Nice b.o. expectancy. •Volga Volga' (Artkino). Fairly entertaining musical comedy, from the Soviet, ing. Picture suffers from lack of scenes and incidents but never be* marquee names and won't get sock : comes dull. reviews or word-o£-mouth plugging. Presence of so many comely dam*' However, it's a moderately enter- sels, serving as tourist camp lures taining filler, which is obviously all and hostesses and parading in sweat- that was intended, |ers, makes for attractive lobby dis- Story IS of a couple of orphan play with customers not likely to be brothers who are separated in child- ' disappointed by the melodramatics hood and meet again as grown men, I and near risque episodes. Hays of- one as crusading reform governor figc PCA edict against 'sweater girls' and the other, iinder a changed • obviously came out after this film name, as the crooked political boss ] ^as produced, but the Haysiana ^^l^^^^- w?'^ K^°!t ■'"T"! doubtlessly had many troublesome wt i^%.t,^2n*'"'T I moments avoiding the s.a. pitfalls of ^J^J^^^S^yl^^Ja lar^JJ'-r.,^^'^? -'''^'' uroduction. In fact, some of S»nt? ^nrf l^Jymt/rf.»r ?L ^^e double-mcaning appears to have ^Tn*^iI^e"^:itab^c'S»gd51 an7 ^c-ove.ed up b/ne'w twists to the r°ecoXz« l^is' lISayed^Ker'' ' ^ "W^ e'^^^' 5"^' °' M=tJfr,iiv i,w Ln/^r!u.rrri,,J^nh1 f".c.ti;.i:n homcs, who are forced to irSm H?r^P?rrt n^rf nl/vSrt^^i^ftV, ■ wfl^ ^ bunch Of ruthless gang- Film. IS directed and-played with ■ j operating a chain of crookid admirable .'.jeticence and, .conse-: ,„,„.., - . u-™.,-,. quently, witff persuasive iorce. If J°""f,t„TS^V LSvf fw »,^h tliere i-e few surprises and few :''worked out to pr^^^^^ such tense moments, thefe are none of i °Pwat'0"! j^^^^ the ridiculousljr hoke-laden scenes/f,'"J"" f","^!! as come^^^^^^ usual in Class B mellers. Picture ' i"=Jie" the camps w^^^ has steady pace and a reasonable 8yPPed on drinks food, poker games climax. ()tto Kruger is convincingly or hijacked. Theft of $18000 in casual as the blindly cynical po-' Rfms from one New Yorker leads to litical boss, while John . Litel is. th° eventual smashing of the syndi- rightly direct and even has the cate. , . . proper touch of pompousness as the i^an Grey easily tops the feminmj governor. Gloria Dickson Is much contingent as a girl who is enticed too attractive to be a newspaper- : into working at one of the syndl- woman, but her performance is skill- cate's camps, alone with her sister, ful, sincere and, when the part al- Mary Anderson. Latter is nearly as lows, moving. Don Beddoe's play- effectual excepting for a phoney ing of an illuslonless reporter Is ex- English accent that creeps into earlier pert. Hobe. I scenes. Alan Baxter rates top biU- I ing for' his despicable villain role, first lieutenant to Madame Burke, stern proprietress of the tourist camp operations. Mrs. Burke is neatly portrayed by Leona Maricle. Yolande Mollot, 'Wilma Francis and Patti McCarthy show up well as other hostesses. Tom Neal con- tributes a life-like character as the assignments. Miss Bennett is beau- teous as the showgirl, providing a standard performance. 'John Hub- bard displays plenty of personality as the playboy, while Eve Arden catches attention as the showgirl blonde. Young William Tracy util- izes a pip-squeak voice to advantage arrival and celebration of the bride's circus friends. There's a brief bat- tle of words and the ceremony offed. Sunny rejoins the circus but Car- roll soon follows for the inevitable reunion. More important than Miss Neagle's artheJoTflc^^ bo7. whilVXlm^^^^^ standard ^perforj^^^^^ sions deadpans successfully as a pri- vate secretary. Wolf. SUNNV (MUSICAL) Hollywood, May 17. deflects his work in the ring, and he falls from public favor. Wife leaves spot is the sterling performance of John Carroll, who gayly romps through as the young millionaire. Carroll's general camera poise and lightness gives a new slant on his film abilities. Ray Bolger's dance specialties are big time, and do much to lift entertainment factors. The Hartmans—Grace and Paul— carry their share of the light com- edy, and wind up in an eccentric dance. Edward Everett Horton is the flustery family lawyer; Helen West- RKO release o( Herbert WUcox produc- tion, dlreclcil by Wilcox. Stars Anna Neagle; feiilurOM Rny Bolger, John Car- roll, tMward Kvereit Horton. Screenplay by Slff Hei-zfg. fron\ musical comedy by Otto Harbach anil Oscar Hammersteln II; nmsle by Jerome Kern; oamern, Russell ' ley clicks aS the Stem aunt and head Metty; editor, Kimo Williams; special ct- of the socialite family; with Benny fects by Vernon L. Wolker; Asst. direc- p,,hin FripHn Tn<>«c-nrt nnri MiiPffin<: tor, Kenneth Holmes; musical direction ' ""^O}"' * "eoa inescori ana rauggins by Anthony Collins; ararngements, Collins Davies mOSt prominent in tne COm- and Gene Rose. . Previewed at Academy, pact supporting cast. rt'myi: I As in his film treatment of "No, Sunny SuIUvnn Anna Neagle . No, Nanette,' Wilcox uscd the hit Bunny Billings Ray Bolger tunes of the musical comedy mainly Hen7y SiTte^.^!I!-.Edward Evi^t^u Horro" foT background mCsic purposes, with Juliet Runnymede Grace Hartmon .'Who?' getting most of the attention. Egghead Paul Hariman Latter tune is sung briefly by Miss Elizabeth Warren ''i''""' J,",*^?" Neagle and Carroll, also a brief por TOO MANY BLONDES (WITH SONGS) Hollywood, May 14. Universal release of Joseph G. Sanford production. .Stars Rudy 'Vallee, Helen Par- rlsh; features Lon Chaney, Jr., Jerome _ _ Cowan, shemp Howard, Iris Adrian, Eddie young jewelry flrm salesman who Qulllon. Directed by Thornton Freeland. : f,,,7'vli»i„ v-friB.: tViP wndicate to Screenplay by Maxwell Shane, Louis S. | ultimately brings tne synoicaie lO Kaye; orlglnfil by Shane; camera, Milton justice. Krasner; editor, Beiiiard 'W. Burton; songs, i Story follows about the same pat- Mllton Resen, Everett Carter. Previewed i.. other Indieent girl yarns at Alexander, GlefldalB, May 18, '41. Run- "rn o'"". 'naiijeiii e"' ning time, 60 MINS. from this studio, with Edwaro Dick Rudy Vallee Dmytryks direction stressing the Virginia t...Helen Purrish ' abuse heaped on these luckless Morvin .....Lon Chaney, Jr. ' Wear. Ted Jerome Cowan I *emmes. Manager Shemp Howard Hortense Iris Adrian Wally Eddie Quillan Twitchell Irving Bacon Angle Jeanne Kelly j (WITH SONGS) Oarvanza Paco Moreno IWXin o\iii\Ma) Elevator Operator Ous Schilling I Worner Bros, release of First National Lorene Dorothy Lee 1 production. Features Wllllnm Lundigan, Dancers Carmela and Jose Cansino : -N'an Wynn. Ricardo Cortez, Regis Toonjcy, Singer DIhorah Rego ' Marls Wrixon. Directed by Wllllnm Mc- — - — - - . " Onnn. Screenplay by M. Coates Webster, from story by Frederick Kebcl; camera, James Van Trees; editor. Harold Mc- Lcrnnn; dialog director. Harry Seymour. At Ktrund, Brooklyn, week May IJ, '41. Running time: 66 MIM8. Peter Kennedy William Lundigan Dixie Wnyo ^ Nan Wynn Phil Richards Ricardo Cortex mil llydcr Regis Toomey Helen .\rmstrong Marls WrIxon Clare Winters. I-ueln Carroll Roger .Vrmstrong Donald nouglas Al .Mmlln Noel Madison Kchafft-r John Gallautlet NavHl Orruer Frank Wilcox (leorgc Kllpntrlck Theodore Von Eltz A SHOT IN THE DARK Humberto Herpera and Orchestra This is a B programmer from the Universal line that sputters and stutters due to Inadequacies in both the story and script. r^Nothing direc- tion nor cast can do about It—the basic material lust Isn't there. Pic- ture is minor league entertainment that will be picked up for lower- bracket filler dates in the secondary duals. Even broadly slapstick antics of fed- ■ •■ - - j. ptieips die Quillan and Shemp Howard are I ''''';;-;;.';;;;;;;;pr;,nW m. Thomos dragged in to catch tne few laughs MiivsoVti Emory Pameii resident in the picture. Three songs' ronn.ir.t Cnrrett Criiig by Milton Rosen and Everett Carter. Phoiosrnnher Jack wise are abover standard but wasted here. I Story has Rudy Vallee and Helen i Another sUck 'B' feature to come Parrish a newlywed radio team that from the Warner lot in recent splits up when the wife cannot un-! weeks, 'A Shot in the Dark is made derstand the affections of vaudeville to order for the exhibitor whp s blonde for her spouse. Too obvious I been kicking about the low quality prodding of Jerome Cowan results in ' of programers. Given more marquee Miss Parrish starting a divorce ac- 1 decoration, added polish and footage tion. Tale then wends a weary path i and this fllm might have fit into the until wife goes to Mexico to get a ' higher brackets as a first-rate draw, quick untying, and it all winds up in' As It stands, the picture wiU furnish a reunion and a fat radio contract' hefty support fo* the other feature for the couple. i while in lesser spots might well take Thornton Freeland, directing his over No. 1 position, first picture in Hollywood alter a | Adroit scripting by M. Coates M«"'!5Si&rV\siiin."V."Bll^ tion"of 'Do You Love Me?' while ' long absence "in finglandVis able to ; Webster alldTpafSlini diye<!tlon"l)y Muggins Muggins Davien Carroll sings the chorus of Sunny .inject a few laughs despite the inr,'William McGann lift a fairly, him, but r'eturns for his comeback Reporter Richard Lane in one spot. adequate material provided in the familiar story out of the rut. Re. trial after he splits with Miss Hay- Queens of Hearts Martha Tiiton . Picture opens with an extended 1 script. Vallee is best when crooning mainder is a battle for laurels amonf worth. Brilliant success in ringU ..<j„„nv' i.<: thp third successive nic- ' Pr^fam .of ^.the Jtreamhned cin:^^^ iwhilerole handed Miss the first four featured players dimmed by an accident after "' " - —» - acclaim, in which he is killed, on his deathbed, Anthony Qu acclaimed the new hero crowds. Power. delivers a persuasive per i piefee which starred Marilyn Miller , .gunny.. then a dance duo by I vided "by SheSp "fioward as a hVtel'"^^^^ Also in the '20s, and which was trans- HartmVn and Miss Neagle. This per-| manager, and Eddie Quieten, a on^ ! Sf|Vld ^ catch major audience attention on a jure audiences. But it's still a typi- IsoeciaUy the Bolger daScing. par with Nazimov%, who gives a , eal operetta Cinderella Ule with the . ^jicox has provided the picture fiorkmg performance as Powers n,usic of the original serving, on the ,3^(5^ production, which can be mother. John Carradine, Antliony ; ^hole, for the background orches- j, tabbed visuaHy during the un- Quinn, Laird Cregar and Lynn Barf tral accompaniment, rather than as -eeling Camera work of Russell ^%'^^l'jP';T'"t"V!i„^PPn''ro': !P.?i"Sjl\!'l ^.«,"f.'..f«Ii^,r\^.''L.'*^J Metty^s.excellent throughout, a.nd Walt. UNDER AGE Columbia releaee of Ralph Colm produe- thlng A jealous sweetheart who doesn't want the gangster chief to give up his night spot and who's insanely jealous of her femme society rival starts oft the complications which ciGtied:^orS^-wi^ ■ ^.^^^T^y^^ THE BIG BOSS , V^'^^f S-wSS pitching romance to Power. A ference of lightly-moulded musical * ?^olice i?DO?ter wh^^^^ guitar solo bv 'Vicente Gomez Is a comedy plot for picture require- Columbia release of Wallace Ma<Donald Allwrt Ward Don Beddoe police reporier ^, ""Vf" musical treat H«nite U^ production. Features Otto Kruger, Gloria Lily Fletcher Tolande Moll.it work. ToOmey, as the detective musical treat, despite lis oreviiy. I"^"^' ser ine maximu^^ Dickson, John Lllel. Don Ilcddoe. Dl- Crant.... Rkhord Terry . chief, chips in With his . Strongest Outside of the principals, and de- the dancing aoimies 01 nay ooigei, hy chories iiarton. Origipai screen-: Rhoda J™""" , characterization in several years. SDite thp Ipnuthv runnine time, who scores in three solo routines pi^y Howard J. Green; camera. Renjamln . Minnie ^»"L M'^Corly p:_.rrtn fortpy Iq n suave niterv pe's* littli'ae"for'>"r-?ut . and teams up with Miss Neagle for . Ki.ne; |J^.;r.„y,o.a Lawr.nc. At_R,aKo. -"-..•.•...•.•.•.•.•.•.•.■.•.■.•.•.•••.•••.•.•.•<iWe''n'"]len?Si; opSr fr^ilig to"" qSitX" bus'-^ definition of the supporting charac-. a pair of numbers, wiicox still r^^ jnchie Barbara Kent despite objections of friends and ters, and all remain rather sketchy tains a portion of Engli.sh airectmg.; j|„ .vainney otio Kruger Nell Nancy worth enemies. componefits of the whole. Most technique m holding t°o °" f^^^^^^^^ j^hn'nier Nan Wynn, from the cafes, is Im- prominent are Nalsh and Carradine, several scenes, where deft cutting '^"/„»"„'„'.'.\-;;;.'.'.'.'.-.-.-;;;;.-.'nin Bed!^^^^ Columbia employs an expose of a Prcssive as the night club torcher, Ctv. ...u— .... Ti™;.,»,.,o..,=c„„o would have heloed considerably to «-,„t„ i-oiumoia employs an expose qi a l^alnly because of her ability to sing u&uiiuueu^ txtx iiaisu a"vi ^.^i. ,7 u 1 WA «/^ne.:,4Ar^lV,1v \r\ Cliff Randall I'on iscurioe both of whom use Hemingwayesque would have helped consiaeraoiy to Fellows Robert Fiskc tourist camn racket as the ex- mainly Because 01 ner aoiiiiy xo sing dialog in their outbursts against the , speed up proceedings. . senator wiiiinms George i.*»sey "use for anotlTM aane^^^^^^ several popular tunes. She's also bullring addicts. Plctu.re has been The Cinderella adventures of Tony ">% t-""" ?sweatM airls'clutt^^^^^ the sweetheart role, with provided with lavish production 'Sunny; are set m New Orleans dur- )c 'uJider Aee' ne\^^^^^^ mounting greatly enhanced by Tech-, ing Mardi Gras fMtivit es. MiK | .Rather .commonplace stoi^y 1^ her hand. But the real find of the nicolnr offotoeranhv which carries Neagle is the star of. a streamlined given credibility and dignity .by Jhe teiwe of^ being anythl_ng__but__a_ B ^^^^^^^ j^^^..^ Carroll, as Cortez's jealous sweetie. She has lure and (Continued on page 18) nicolor photography which carries ' Neagle lesser contrast than recent color, pic- ; circus. tures and more natural tints. ^^^^ : becomes ^engaged r^- ■ gilsr B"miloTr«--;' fo7 fo"w"er:duaT- ' over age "in some' of Its Implausible She meets, falls In love and direction and performances In The;film primed for dualers, and as such s engaged to John Carroll, 1 Big Boss,' a modest, but satisfactory ; Is a fairly neat package. It Is not