Variety (Nov 1942)

nUf REVIEWS Wednesday, November 4, 1942 GENTLEMAN JIM Wnrner Bros. rel«<u of Robert Bnekner production. Stan Errol Flynn and Alosis smith: feniures Jack Canon, Al«n Hale, Jnhn Lod«r, Ward Bond, WlUIom Frowley, AUnnr Wateon, Arthur Shields, Dorothy \'nugban. Directed by Raoul Walib. Screen* play by Vincent Lawrence and Horace Mc- i'oy, based on life of James J. Corbett: • Hniera. Sid HIckox: editor. Jack Kllllfer. Tradtshown In N. v., Oct. 2», '42. Run- ning time, 104 MIN8. 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett Errol Flynn Victoria (VIckl) Ware Alexis Smith Waller Lowric Jack Cnrson rut Corbett Alan Hnle (.'Union DeU'ltt John Loder Drlaney William Prvwley Buck Ware Minor Watson John L. Sullivan Ward Bond Anna Held Madeleine L«Beau Harry Wataon Rhya Wllllama Father Burke Arthur Shields Ma Corbett Dorothy VauKhan George Corbett James Flavin Harry Corbett Pat Flaherty Judge Geary Wallla Clark Mary Corbett Marilyn Phillips Jack Burke .Art Foster President Mclnnes Edwin Stanley Colls Huntlnglon Henry O'Hara Charles Crocker Harry Crocker Governor Stanford Frank Mayo •''mith Carl Harbough •"uTo Fred Kelsey Jue Choynnkl Sammy Stein There's much that's fiction in 'Gen- tleman Jim,' also much redundancy, yet Warner Bros, has managed to turn out a good boxofflce film based on the life of James J. Corbett. In doing so, however, the scenarists sacrificed a good deal of one of the best reputations the boxing game has ever known. On celluloid, Corbett is a 'wise- guy,' brash character oozing with braggadocio. In real life the iteavy- WiiV..«i){WK '>vx- 3 3.''-effacing, quiet personaIi(> so ti.&tinctly apart from the general run of mugg fight- ers of that day that the 'gentleman' tag . was a natural. Those in the show business who knew Corbett will not recognize him in this pic- ture. Errol Flynn is the screen Corbett end is a real-life prototype only in the fact that Corbett was a bank clerk in Frisco and that his father was a bluff Irishman who operated a livery stable. There's much family business in the film, but only two of Corbett's actual'five brothers are shown. That's reasonable, inasmuch as both achieved a modicum of per- sonal fame; one, Harry, as the oper- ator of a popular Frisco sporting cafe, the other, George, as a base- ball pitcher. The cafe gets a slight mention, as a gift to the brothers from Corbett, but the baseball fact gets a complete brushoS. From there on, with the exception of some of Corbett's fights, the flbn is pure fiction. Corbett Is shown as a yoimg bachelor, who, because he got a prominent judge out of afx embarassing jam at an illegal bare- knuckle fight, gets favored treatment at the bank where he's employed; meets the beauteous daughter of a millionaire miner and thus gains entrance to Frisco's famed- Olympic club. After a sparring match with the club's imported boxing Instruct-, or, Corbett is given a cuflo athletic membership, but his brashness soon makes the bigwigs regret that. They frame Corbett with a pro fighter, but Corbett k.o.6 him. At a subse quent party^ according to the film. Corbett and his friend. Jack Carson, are tossed out of the Olympic when liquor makes Carson's mouth and feet misbehave. This is so far removed from fact that it's ludicrous. Firstly, Corbett was a revered member of the Olym pic club to the very end, although he was slightly peeved when the club's membiership failed to turn out en masse for his Coast opening in the William A. Brady-produced 'Gentleman Jack' (in the film the play is 'Gentleman Jim'). Secondly, Corbett was not a bachelor-member of the Olympic — he married Ollie Lake, a Salt Lake City school teach- er, in 1686, six years before he won the championship from John L. Sullivan. Other facts the film com- pletely sluffs off is that Corbett fought most of his battles bare- knuckle, including his 61-round draw V ith Peter Jackson, and that he first met Sulivan in a friendly sparring match at the Olympic club some years before their championship battle. It was then that Corbett, just a kid, became convinced that he could 'take' SuUivaa All this fiction, plus the scenarists' depiction of Sullivan, after being kayoed by Corbett, calling on the latter to wish him well and present him with his championship belt, take this picture out of the biographical class and into fantasy. Sullivan hated Corbett and when in his cups, which was often, the Boston Strong Boy made no bones about it. He never gave Corbett his champion- ship belt—that had been In the hock shops long before their battle. As a prizefight picture, however, this is above par in action, though there's much extraneous footage. The fight scenes are all excellent, and Flynn, in build alone, is not un- like the lithe Corbett Here the di- rection was excellent, for Flynn is shoitrn cleverly imitating Corl^ett's superb boxing, lightning footwork end rapier left jab that so befud- dled the stand-up, slugging pugs of that era. To add reausm, Flynn is minus his mustache and given.'the pompadour haircut Corl>ett affected. But when Flynn asks bis second to comb his hair between rounds of a fight, it's just another libel of Corbett's modesty. In taking so much license with Corbett's career, the scenarists also took plenbr Of license with his ro- mantic side. Hence Alexis Smith is injected as the miner's pretty daughter, who first looks upon Cor- bett as a boor and then learns to love him in the New Orleans moon- light after Corbett relieved Sullivan of his title. She's a knockout vis-a- vis, one of the prettiest femmes in Hollywood at the moment, and there's no question that the real-life Corbett, who had great affection for the distaff side, would have been smitten had he met her. Flynn and Miss Smith are the film's stars, but the acting honors go to Jack Carson, who pretty nearly steals the picture in the comedy role of Corbett's fellow bank teller and pal. Those scenes that Carson doesn't steal, Alan Hale cops. He plays Corbett's father. Screenplay, though, doesn't mention that Cor- bett's father, then in his 70's, mur- dered his wife in a fit of jealousy and then committed suicide. Two of Carson's scenes are com- edy gems — his drunk bit in the Olympic club and the hangover busi- ness the following morning, when he and Flynn wake up in Salt Lake City. William Fradwley, himself an old hand at copping a bit, also doesn't do bad by himself as Cor- bett's fight manager. Ward Bond does an excellent job as Sullivan; John Loder is okay as Miss Smith's prissy fiance; Dorothy Vaughan is properly buxom and motherly as Ma Corbett, and James Flavin and Pat Flaherty deliver well as the roughneck Corbett brothers. Others In the cast do' not particularly dis- tinguish themselves. There's very little in the picture about Corbett's long theatrical ca- reer; in fact, the story spots "Gentle- man Jack' before the Sullivan fight instead of after. The film story ends with that championship battle In 1692, so Corbett's long tenure as a standard vaude monologist, and his rep as the best fighter-actor in his- tory, are naturally left untold. Vincent Lawrence and Horace Mc- Coy turned out a pretty literate fight script, as such, and Raoul Walsh did a good directing job, es- pecially in the ring scenes. Much credit also accrues to cameraman Sid HIckox for a nifty picture— even if it isn't Corbett. Scho. Once Upon a Honeymoon Hollywood, Nov. 2. RKO release of Leo McCarey production, directed by McCarey. SUrs Ginger Rogers, Cary Onint; feattires Walter Slezak. Al- bert Dekker, Alt)ert Basserman. Story, McCarey and Sheridan Olbney; screenplay. GIbney; asst. director, Harry Scott; cam- era, George Barnes: editor, Tharon Wartti; muelc. Robert Emmett Dolan. Tradeahown In Hollywood, Nov. 2. Running time. 116 MIN8. Katie Ginger Rogers Pat Cary Grant Baron Von Luber Waller Slezak LeBlanc Albert Dekker HorelskI Albert Btiasernian BIsa FcrIke Boroa Cumberland Hurry Shannon Klelnoch John Banner Projected against European war background, with admixture of drama and adult comedy-romance, 'Once Upon a Honeymoon' is geared for strong biz as topline attraction— with Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant bright marquee voltage. Producer-director Leo McCarey develops hit tale at a decidedly slow pace, and despite the overlength footage, succeeds in holding atten- tion most of the way through. Par- ticularly deft is the maneuvering of Miss Rogers and Grant, with both smacking over iopnotch perform- ances to add much in holding atten- tion. Story picks up Miss Rogers as a naiv^kolddigger and former stripper from Flatbush in Vienna on the eve of her wedding to influential Nazi, Walter Slezak. Grant, American war correspondent, meets her and falls in love, following the honeymooning couple through eastern Europe until he convinces Miss Rogers her hus- band is Hitler's finger man. She ditches Slezak, after Warsaw tomb- ing, to escape with Grant through Scandinavian countries and eventu- ally land in France where pair team up with Albert Dekker, American espionage agent in on confidential Nazi information. Pair hop a ship for America, with Slezak disposed of en route for the final clinch. In deliberately focusing attention on Miss Rogers and Grant, McCarey spent much time on development of incidents, with result that there's an overload of dialog and too much footage devoted to secondary se- quences. Even with these draw- backs, picture holds together in good shape, and McCarey has done much with what might otherwise have emerged as a fragile yarn. Starring combo of Miss Rogers and Grant provides pair of sterling per- formances that do much to carry the extended and intimate tale through its lengthy unreeling. Excellent sup- port is provided by Slezak, Dekker, Albert Ba$serman, and Ferike Boros. Picture is mounted in suitable 'A' fashion, with brief newsreel clips in- serted at various points to'establish European locales. during early, days of Nazi conquest, ' < Walt.. . Miniature Reviews •Genticnuui Jtan' (WB). It's not Corbett, but good boxofflce. 'Once Upon • Honeymoon' (RKO). Sock comedy-drama with Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant 'Who Done Itr (U): Typical Abbott & Costello comedy with usual profitable biz for all runs. 'The Palm Beaeh Story '(Par) Surefire romantic farce with Claudette Colbert Joel McCrea. •My Heart Belonga to Daddy' (Par). Inconsequental 'B' has has nothing to do with song of same title. 'Wrecking Crew' (Par). Fast action adventure drama provides strong support for dualers. 'The Avengers' (Par-British). British Commando film too alow and due for dual datings. WHO DONE IT? HoUywood, Oct. 30. Universal release of Alex Gottlieb prodac- lion. sure Bud Abbott & Lou Costello. Di- rected by Erie Kenton. Screenplay by Btan- ley Roberta. Edmund Joseph, Jobn Grant; original story by Roberta; camera. Charles Van Enger: editor. Arthur Hilton; asst. director. Howard Christie. Previewed at the Rltz. L. A.. Oct. 2ft, '43. Running time. «e MlVs. Chick Larkln Bud Abbott Merryn Ullgrim Lou Costello Jimmy Turner Patrlc Knowles Lieutenant Mornn William Gargan Jane Little Louise Alibrltton Col. J. R. Andrews Thomas Gomes Bmnnigan.. ^..William Bendls Art Fraaer Don Porter Marco Heller Jerome CtiWgli Juliet Colilna Mary WIckes Dr. Anton Unrek Ludwlg Btossel Elevator Boy Walter Tetley Jenkins Edmund MocDonald Bud Abbott and Lou Costello con- tinue their comedy screen antics in this offering woven around a murder in a radio broadcast station. Making fjill use of duo's typical laugh-gen- erating routines and knockabout slapstick, picture will click off box- office returns comparable to pre- vious A&C pictures, which means happy biz all the way. The two comedians are on tor practically all of the footage, with spotlight focused on their combined adventures. There's no supporting singing, flandng or production num- bers inserted to partially break up the A&C straight line presentation on their own—although such niatc- rial would have helped to better space the comedians' appearances. Story is a thitily woven affair for maximum display of Abbott & Cos- tello. They're a pair of soda jerkers in a broadcast building, with script- writing ambitions, finally winding up In the audience of a whodunit air- ing In which a murder is perpetrated as the show goes on the air. Comics pose as detectives to jumble solution of the crime until arrival of officers William Gargan and William Bendix. and from then on it's a continual chase—with utilization of all types of props—until the finish. Gags Include plenty of physical and dialog efforts for laughs, with several that have been presented with slight variations in previous A&C pictures. Although laughs are neatly paced, scripters fall to hit roaring toppers to many of the situa- tions that could have been Improved by greater care on the writing side. Climax has Costello walking wires of the high-and-dizzy radio aerial for familiar thrlUs. Erie Kenton's direction concen- trates on laugh-lines of the two comedians, which naturally Includes broadly-burlesqued situations when- ever possible. Elongated Marv Wickes has some brief bits wltn Costello for contrast comedy, while supporting cast Includes Gargan, Bendix, Patrlc Knowles, Louise Ali- brltton, Thomas Gomez, Don Porter, Jerome Cowan and Ludwlg StossA. Production mounting is okay throughout Walt. The Palm Beach Story Paramount r^Ieose of Paul Jones pro- duction. SUrS' Claudette Colbert, Joel Mc- Crea; featurea Mary .Kslor, Rudy Vallee. Directed by Preston Sturges. Story by Sturges: camera, Victor Milner: editor. Stuart Gllmore. Trndeshown in New Yoiic Oct. 20. '42. Running time: 90 MIN8. Gerry Jeffers Claudette Colbert Tom Jelters Joel McCrea Prlnceaa Mary Astor John D. Hackeneacker Rudy Vallee First Member William Demarest Manager Franklin Pangbom Weinle King Robert Dudley Toto Sig Amo Second Member Jack Norton Wire ot Welnle King Esther Howard Mr. Aswoll Jimmy Conlln The Gent George Anderson Prospect Harry Hayden Doorman Monte Blue Fifth Member Dewey Roblnaon ■N'ear-alRhted Woman Eather MIchelson Mr. HInch Robert Warwick Dr. Kuck Torben Meyer Third Member Robert Greig Fourth Member Roscoe Ates Topnotch domestic-romantic farce is geared for excellent grosses. Minus even a hint of the war, and, in fact so far removed from the current tempo that it is virtually a fable in theme, this latest Preston Sturges production is-'packed with delightful absurdities which will prove a welcome change of pace in theatres that have perhaps been overloaded with strictly war output Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea aniL to a lesser ■ extent, Rudy. Vallee and Mary Astor, pMVltfe >BUreflfe, marquee dressing, apart from the intrinsic itory and tugb production values. Miss Colbert comes tlirough with one of her best light comedy in- terpretations. She's strikingly youth- ful and alluring as the slightbr screwball wife of five years stand- ing, who, after seeing husband Mc- Crea out of debt, suddenly decides to seek a divorce, adventure and a iNwlvoU for the husband she leaves behind. Tongue-in-cheek spoofing of the idle rich attains hilarious propor- tions in scenes where Vallee, as John D. Hackensacker the Third, Eroposes to the errant wife and Iter woos her by singing to her to the accompaniment of a privately hired sjnmphony orch big enough to flU the Radio Citv Music Hall pit Jolui D. is presented as a guy who gives only lOc tips because 'it's un- American' to give more. He carefully records the enormous amount of coin he spends outfitting the stray girl friend, because 'My frandfatner always told me to. But never add it up.' He doesn't re- member whether his sister (Mary Astor) is wedded to a fourth or fifth husband, but recalls that, 'She has been annulled twice and di- vorced once.' Slg Amo, as the current husband of the fabulously wealthy sister, is terrific in a nutty comedy role as a foreigner while Miss Astor handles her assignment for maxi- mum results. Dialog, In some mythi- cal foreign dialect, consisting main- ly of 'Itz^ and 'Nitz' is a sock laugh- getter. Another of the high spots Is a club car sequence on the train to Miami, where Miss Colbert has chiseled transportation from a group of prominent elderly playboys bound on a hunting spree. They wind up shooting the windows out of the ear, going through the train with a pack of hounds looking for the girl, and their car is finally un- coupled and left on a siding. Joel McCrea plays It straight, for the most part as the husband In- tent on winning his wife back. He's in for a few nifty romantic Inter- ludes. Title of the picture could be more oneaningful. Among other minor shortcomings ere the openlne scenes, which are a little confuslnf. de- picting two sets of twins. IVfoH. My Heart Belongs to Daddy Paramount release of Sol C. Siegel pro- duction. Features Richard Carlson. Martha O'Drlscoil. Cecil Kellaway, Frances Olfford, Florence Bates, Mabel Paige. Directed by Robert Slodmak. Screenplay, F. Hugh Hei^ bert; editor. Alma Macrorie: camera, Dan- lei Fapp. Tradeahown in N. T. Nov. 2, '42. Running time. 73 MINS. R. I. C. Kay Richard Carlson Joyce Martha O'Drlscoil Alfred Cecil Kellaway OrBct Frances Olfford Mrs. Saunders (Mummy) Florence Bates Miss Bcklea Mabel Paige 5«<». ■ Velm* Beiv Dr. Mitchell Francis Plerlot Josephine Fern Emmett Spo^u Buiy Farrlngton Oiaufteur Milton Kihbee Dean Remington Maurice Caaa Minister Alfred Hall No, Mary Martin hasn't a thing to do with this picture. In fact, the title, 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy,' hasn't even a remote association with the film. Nor does the song of the same l.'>bel. It's a 'B' for the duals. Story is about a bubble dancer and a professor. A Nobel prize-winning professor of astrophysics, no less, with a goatee to match. When the exigencies of impending motherhood force a widowed bur- lesque queen to seek shelter in the home of the professor, where she gives birth—with the aid of a con- veniently erudite cabbie—the pro- prieties of the letter's household are somewhat rudely upset. Particularly when the astrophysicist and the ec- dysiast ultimately ■ discover that smashing atoms and juggling bal- loon-bubbles could be mutually in- teresting, despite the snares set for him by a scheming parasite and her daughter. There isn't much to recommend in this yam, other than a plausible por- trayal of an implausible character by Cecil KeUaway, who plays the hackie-midwife-butler-master of the arts—all in the same film. (Carlson's part has t>een written considerably out of proportion, while Miss O'Drls- coil, as the hurley stripper, neither looks nor acts like one. She's a blonde beaut who acts well enough in the dramatic passages, but never achieves the fiippancy, nor even a suggestion of the tough exterior usually linked to a stripper. Kohn. Hackel Back at Rep. Hollywood, Nov. 8. A. W. Hackel signed a six-picture contract as producer with Republic, where he once worked in the same capacity but retired in 1038 because of illness. Recovering his health later, Hackel joined Monogram and pro- duced for 17 months. His last pic- ture on that lot was -The Living Ghost' WRECKING CREW Hollywood, Nov. 3. Paramount release of William Plne-Wii Ham Tbomas production. Stars Rklutti Arlen, Chester Morris, Jean Parker' feT tures Joe Bawyer, Esther Dale. Directed Frank McDonald. Bcreenplay by ^tnxweii Shane and Richard Murphy; original kv Robert T. Shannon and Mauri Qrashin- camera, Fred Jackman, Jr.; editor, William Zlegler. Tradeahown in L. A. Nov 2 '<!> Running time. 78 MIMS, *^ Matt Carney Richard Arlen Duke Mason Chester Moi^ Pegip' Starr Jean Paika Fred Bunco Joseph Sawrar Mike O'Glendy Eather Dale Joe Poeka Alexander Oranach Tom Kemp.. Billy Nelson Martha Poaka Evelyn Brent A Worker Ralph Sanfocd Frank Melton 5">; .William Hall gm";. Fred Sherman Chartle Alec Craig Priest Nigel de Bruller Mission Worker Bryon Foulger Concentrating on action, this latest Pine-Thomas entry for Paramount release zips along at machine-gun speed to rate as a fast adventure meller programmer that will tab plenty of bookings as a good sup- porter for the duals. Producers get another new back- ground for display of rough-and- ready dramatics and adventure. This time it's the tough boys who de- molish buildings and skyscrapers that romp through the footage. Rich- ard Arlen is the gang boss, while Chester Morris turns up as a good craftsman who seems to be a jinx on every job. Mix the pair for compe- titive romance with Jean Parker; financial difficulties of owner Esther Dale, unless the building comes down in time; and a climax that finds both Arlen and Morris perched atop a swaying wall; and there's plenty of excitement for the action patrons in the 73 minutes of running time. Script is crisply set up, focusing attention on the action throughout while director Frank McDonald holds to a fast pace with scenes clipped to minimum. Arlen and Morris team okay for a pair of aggressive per- formance, wiiile Miss Parker provides suitable romantic interest. Esther Dale blusters effectively as the com- pany operator, while good support is Provided by Joseph Sawyer, Billy felson and Alexander Granach. Production background of building demolishiAg is a fresh one for a pro- gram actloner, with stock shots se- cured early this year neatly dove- tailed into the dramatic action. Walt THE AVENGERS (BBinSH-MADE) Hollywood, Nov. 3. Paramount release of Paul Soakln pro- duction. Stars Ralph Rlchaniaon, Deborah Kerr. Hugh Wllllama and Orlffltb Jones. Directed by Harold French. Treatment and screenplay by Terence Rattlgan, Anatole de Urunwald and Patrick Kirwcn. Story by Fmnk Owen. Camera, Cyril Knowles; film editor, Michael -C. Chorlton. Tradeahown in L. A., Nov. 2, '42. Running time. S7 MIMB. Lockwood Ralph Richardson Kari Deborah Kerr Colin Metcalfe Hugh Williams Gunter Griffith Jones Wettau Francis L. Sullivan Naval Attache Roland Culver Aisled Finlay Currle McAllister Bernard Miles Olaf Niall McOlnnIs Gerds Elizabeth Mann Ingrid I'alrlcla Medina Editor Henry Oscar Mllligan John Warwick Evana Uavid Home NeWB Editor Henry Hewitt Evana' Secretary -^nn Farrer Another British cinematic ad- venture based on the activities of Commando raids in Norway, "The Avengers' unreels at too slow a pace to catch more than passing attention from American audiences. The over- long footage will detract from aver- age amount of filler bookings in the secondary duals. Script travels in low gear all the way and drops Into numerous what- of-it episodes. Dialog is decidedly bromidic, while direction is methodi- cp\ unimaginative and holds too long on unimportant scenes. Al- though Ralph Richardson gets top billing, he's only seen briefly in the first half—and picture could well use his breezy delivery all the way through. Story details the adventures of Hugh Williams, London sports writer, as British war correspondent in Nor- way, and later as a saboteur for the British Navy sent to destroy a Ger- man U boat base on the Norwegian coast. He enlists the aid of native villagers to set the stage for a rous- ing air bombard.-nent of the base, and later landing of the Commandos to complete destruction of the lay- out. Along the line, Williams falls in love with villager Deborah Kerr, for the usual romantics. J oductlon mor.nting is adequate. Walt. TITLE CHANGES Hollywood, Nov. 3. "Time to Kill' release tag on 'Mur- der, Murder Everywhere at 20th- Fox. Harry Sherman's 'Peace Marshal became 'Meet John Bonnlwell,' for United Artists release. 'One Man Army' at 20th-Fox went back to its original title, 'War Cor- respondent.' J 'Men of Courage' is release tag on 'The Shakedown' at Producers Re- leasing Corp.