Variety (Jul 1944)

10 PICTURES Wednesday, July 12, 1944 Take 11 Or l*»v« II (SONGS) Wnll-Pov j-'-iUi'si- i.f'.lirja.ii i''iiy.: UroililT- tli.li, Kllhs.l'lul H.'iUi r> -fr>n I n tf« IMiil S|l- m.tk. Kdwiinl'.-/!>.<£"',' . :Mai'Ji.tt« Massoiv, Ntnrilry ' ITHk' I'. Ilii'e.'l>-d l.v llenjanllil KHiii.rr. s.ii'i upl.iy. Il:i 1 o!ii Jin. isniiiii. Hnujs Wr-rrls, -Mm: ISl-miti: ..imrra, .l.iarph ; Ml- HhV'Ue,' Kiel ' .-«Mii 11: filUcr;: lla'try '.Rey- Tuilda: .uiiislt'.. Runt N'ewnuin: souk*, divcra : Knim-fr. ' •h.l.l-^lwvii July Ml, ,'.-H. . Jtllll- niiiK ilnio, 10.MISS. . Mill Mirt'f Milt siivi- J*Wi«..V. K foil Ill J>' Jl| )'i S' ''ill.., H.M.r.rjitiil.li 'IVyi limn .. Tiu.-k Liifl-v.-r . Ktlv Btltalril J'. -Huil.-. ;. 1 f' iirv . :nii«aoir .HihmelC nt Jiyan .SiarU'ey .-l'raiser .'.-•, .Iti.y rflimli.il ,.i',X,lill» Jlrvniu f'attetun V . .Anil CV.W , ..iNrfh] \Vli|l.ft' ,. I;rnit> .Hl.itio ;. . .Kraiik .I. mK.h . -K. S.. I'ull.v iiiim- Phil Baker's "Take It or Leave.It" film version is no $0.4 question when it comes to plot. However, it's OK summer film fare.. ■ ,..' » ' V.'s a loose'affair which adequately rides the crest, of Baker's radio pro- gram and. as put together, it's a curi- ous blend of: naive yet effectiy-e cinematic divertissement. The man- ner hi which a dozen clips from past Fox and Joe Schenck film produc- tions have been intertwined is a Sjdllful and audience-arresting device' to' niake the film fan: partici- pate in the quiz show. - • Baker emcees the unreeling of a series of highlight scenes from 20th- Fox, lilmusicals—Henie, Grable-Faye. Nicholas Bros., Ink Spots, Wiere Bros., Ritz Bros.. Dixie Dunbar, Jql- sbli; Buster Kealoii, et al. iThe. JeJ- son excerpt is from an old Joe Schenck <UA) production.! Thus is derived the ballyhoo of the "27 sur- prise stars,": an excellent merchan- dizing stunt. •..".:.■' Plot is sympathetically hung on Edward. Ryan, nervous young gob. who needs $1,000 for the fancy baby, specialist. He and Stanley Prager have just shipped in. Marjorie Mas- sow,, as Ryan's young wife, is win- some as the mother-to-be. When young Ryan takes her and his shipmate Prager to Baker's Take- lt-dr-Leave-It broadcast, and he par- ticipates, the $64 prize is rung up into several hundred as Baker rec- ognizes that the young U. S. seaman will need more than the usual $64 jackpot to meet expenses. Ryan had picked "scenes from famous movies" -T^^-lTiTr-csrtegt)r^^^4vlei•Mf^ewl«:e-lor the film-within-a-film unreeling, . Thus follow the succession of fihn- usical excerpts. They're well paced and spaced, with variety and novelty all the way.; In. fact, the audience- appeal is patent from the general at' titude of ."no\v, what is! the name of that picture!' approach. Incidentally; proof of how ephemeral is the average filmusical's impact, is evi- denced as the sundry clips unreel. Pictures of two years ago are as foggy in identification as that old Jolson and Buster Keaion clip. ■'-,'-'<:'. . Of the cast, Phil Silvers is in for a bit and B. S. Pull.y.lammjsler from the 52d street .(N. Y.) niteries, does OK in "a bit as the sfumblebum truck driver who collects his $1 and refuses to take a chance on .a deuce Baker, of course, could have tele- phoned h is s.l tiff pv er. He's h i tn se 1 f. an affable conierenciev, doing a cel- luloid version .of-his broadcast;. But the real story line motivates around the.shore-leave sailors and their con- cern in getting the best, baby doctor lor Miss Massow. She. does an okay job. as does Ryan,while in Stanley Prager, 20th-FON has, an: excellent comedy potential. Adci_ Fori y. TliU'vrx HI! K ■ Vailed A i I i."l"<• HlirniH iir.iitil. u6ii. •sM«in' NYOUaiii. lit'S'I; iVatui-'-a . Anil}. " I'.ljilrt ...liuliviy.' .;.H."K«'.ri<. I lunulas iinmhrlUe,'., I.oiilsci rii.r.i.., liirt Mill Hi t.tUl 1.1 i.tsti.v S.Jlllilfl s,-i-ci..iiii;.Vr Mi. listel ;M'!l,-d.v ftn'hhf Kiin-i.-, ins: 'l.i.ai'.l ,'i.ii i-hanii'lyra. Ereari'd by fl..'- H»ee IS. '.M.ill'nvil. Al X»« V...K iln-ane. X. V.. ivoek vt J-ily •!. -H.. Tilfliiltne lime. «ll .WINS. This recent "Hopalong Gassidy'' western should satisfy the pater fans for okay returns on the duals. } . .'• This time, William Boyd, as Hopa- long, is sheriff of Butteville. has cleaned up town, but election's 'com- ing-up'again and the.bad. .'lins.aiiklc back hoping to install Kirk Alyii, tavern keeper and weakling, into Boyd's office by keeping honest land- owners away from the polls. Boyd is defeated, and wh.eri he finds Alyn is controlled, by the lawless, he takes over on his own and again cleans. up the town. Boyd gives his-usually good per.-. for-marme An dy Clyde, grabs la u ghs as Boyd's contedic assistant.. Jimmy Rogers and Louise Currie ave okay as the romantics. Alyn and Douglas New York Theatres Miniature Reviews "Take ft or Leave U" tSongs) i2llth). Lightweight but engag- ing film, with songs, blcay lor the auinmer trade. :.-. - "Forty Thieves" (UA). Another ' Mopnlong . Cassidy" hoss opry •s'ta'fi'irig William Boyd, an aietipn- ful.'iiicldler for duals. kyir. Winkle Goes to War" iCcd. > Edward G, Robinson in strong tUutler .."Medal for the General" (Brit- isb-mr.de)., British: kids in this • put if over; appears to have Dice possibilities for America. "El Globo cle Cantolla" (Class) iMtx). Good comedy starling Mapy Cortes,, w'i.lh songs, but no English subtitles: '•.--.:■'■..■ "His Best Pupil" lAigentine). Lit'caS Demiire's best film and one of top ones from Argentine; may attract in U. S. Dfinibjille make .themselves, suf- ficiently despica.ble as the menaces. 1 Rest of cast does okay in lesser roles while . Lesley Selander's direction packs plenty of action:' Edba. Mr. Wink It' tioos i«» W«r • Hollywood, July 11 , iVijitimil'ir'.irloiiSii .it Ih.vii iti.iit iiu.il Si;iis.-:i;.hvi'.i.l <J, ltul.tii.iwi; iYutu.^s lliiili U.ini.u. li'il ll..n.i!rlw.ii lilil.inl j.miu'.. Ji.tiK-i-t. .-wniyi'i-oim. Hub .Hiiviiiej..: .tn- lii-lnl- liVAII'ml B. (!iTf|t, S'nP.-lijlfesi, Wnlilti Siilt. tsnuwt r.Mc.v -i.ml l.nnin s,.lt.- i.i«m, : 7ii.,ii) h„vp] l.y Tl.ifO.loic I'i-KCi: riili.,1-:. !tt. li;iiil l.'i.uil: . .•anifi.i:.-.Iiwepli WhIUct. t'u v.. .....I in' I I,ii1l> wnoii July HI. '44. ftuii-: S All SS. Will.. Ai.iy. I WIllklKj wjnKlc. ,'. . I,!., I, ! ....«.-»-.>• *si. m:i Him i- l. r ,'l ul- I , It.ill.h.W'tt'i.tfn . i'llllllllji i..-.. ...'. .M..lhii W,;. ..'.... M.iiilni ivii.'j:-i-«.v ■a; H: slink Ins... i I.- i. t;i,'i.i»i lii, .K.lvviir.i (!: tlnWWikm :... .:. ,•. . KiiHi. ■•Wiiii-iois; vi"«i "ui.'hwiitM.ij .. ....,,: .Ki.l.. H.iy-.i.fS , .Wl. hav.i i.mif ...... ItcUoi-i ; A nnslli.Hg .... -,...: IHi.-lii.r<|.(inilia's ..Wnllpi Ha.utwln ..Ail Siuiili ........ Ann :Hri(.eruHl<'i.i: .','..: .....Paul S= iHriiin ..-... '..-'.*.. Riiildy.- V»i-iim .... ,'Williaiu- Koi ii-si .-: Rerumtfm' MiiV't-K with Morlsnd Graham, ivjabel Con- standuros and John Laurie grabbing support credits. Maurice Elvey's direction meas- ures tip to the high standard of Elizabeth Baron's excellent adapta- tion of the novel by James Ronald, on which "Medal for the General" is based. ' Picture is notable for the bright editing by Grace Garland. Production values are outstanding, scenes in the War Office and a mili- tary club bearing the hall mark of authenticity. The General's country house, where the greater part of the story is unfolded, is as modern as a Hollywood star's beach bungalow". Iiicictcntally, in the 1939 sequences, American housewives will find their own servant problem the more mad- dening as they see the staff of do- mestics—butler, cook; and three "up- stairs' maids. War Oriice red tape comes in for Outspoken ribbing, \vliile the comic pomposity of Civil Defense officials in. the, first : days of formation, is treated in the .same way. Refusal of all these, outfits to make use of the old general's /services makes under- standable his. cancelling his news- paper subscriptions and scrapping his radio, proofs of his determination to..shut his mind to the war. If his turning 'recluse does riot adequately motivate- his decision to commit sui- cide, it at least heightens the con- trast worked fir him when the sex- tet ..of slum - kids are billeted on. him. . '.'. '■■ .': '.■.' ":. - .-■ •■: Of the kids, Gerald Moore, as an iinregenerate guttersnipe, who steals the General's niedals, has a.rare per- soiialily,. In his scenes with Tearle this shil'ty-eyed Artful Dodger more than holds'his own. El (s'lolW «l«> ('niilolla ("The Balloon of Cantolla'*) ' (MEXICAN-MADE) \\ (Songs) -;'.'::.>: - d.i.-l li|H : . ' "Mr. Winkle Goes to War" takes a case history among the ovei*-38s drafted ini.o Army service in early 1942 io weave a moderately interest- ing ialc: Edward G. Robinson's mar- quee voltage is necessary to hold this one as, a lop-biller; otherwise it's a strong duaier. 1 <■ Robinson . is a self-conscious bank clerk tied down 1o a desk and (ig-. ures. Actually, he's, more inclined to mechanics and gadgets. His resig- shop creates a conflict with his wife, but an induction:notice, and his entry into . the Army change the entire course of his life.' 'He.'.gradually loses,his hypochon- driac and milque-toast tendencies, shuns an' Army desk job for the mechanical division of ordnance and struggles through combat training. On a Pacific island he repairs a bulldozer during a Jap raid to emerge a casualty and a hero for the return h'oine and happy launching of his re- pairshop. ; "•.',,' -.:•':'-'■ .-'- - The dramatic narrative has several amusing situations neatly interwoven and lightly displayed, mainly through the direction of Al Green, but the script follows a standard path with little originality.'- Robinson competently handles the title role, getting okay support from Ruth Warrick, Richard Lane, Robert Armstrong' and Bob Haymes.. Latter sings a brief chorus of "Sweet Gene- vieve," with Robinson, Lane and Armstrong completing • the soldier quartet. Young Ted Donaldson is spotlighted as an orphan pal of Rob- inson interested in .assisting in the shop. The lad continues to mani- fest talent and personality. . Picture makes use of Pacific island invasion clips for combat sequences, together with a staged battle be- tween the Army and Japs. Photog- raphy is good. ' . Walt. Medal for the Genet-Hi (BRITISH-MADE) ■.'.,-.;.London, June 21. "-Aiifct.i-.'Viiif-i-i.-an i.'ilm Corpora tiorr ve- !*-.'.«« .,( Ri'iffnh Satforiiil film, sihis noil- fvey 'On!•:<•; .l.i.nnr. cle I'asalis. Illre.'lMl bv .Vlmiilre Hlvcy. . . S.TPPinilny. hy .KHa'ijbft.1] Baron;. ■tiVinwa.. -"Ja-irtea tVilmin.-. Aithn. i.i.i-i.ini. At flinlto. tV.mlun-, June 21. rtun- nim liinK. JOO Ml VS. ii-vi.1 Clrmh. l.ailj. I . !..*. Miill's Ha'if M.'.y.ii. 111-. J*rK»«»t.'..".-. I,unl. i II wrsiiiiiv.'. .ViTi-. knivistoi utv. Knoi'Veiv ,;; .',-. Hairy i-nii|iy Iraia* n.ilii.y \»<.i ............ Audit IV Hiinlt ;, ... .. UllIiaili.K Ofllwer., . .-.poilrv.ey "Ccarl*. .. ..If;inne -It? Cosfatlit . .-'. iAfoi'lillltl (Ji ah;.nt . MVilirl roltstanrturtifl It.tin Lain it. . . I'lll.-.it \ ('•ui-.itll ... .-Michael T.Hiiii.'a.-i ...'...... I rene .rinnd] . . Afiiuif eii (ilvnt... . ■.(i'ei.-ald .\)iit.j-p ..-;..' Fli-lnn Wfsli,. ....... P-i i, la. .(Ma'vkc ......David Ti-i.-kfh Pal Hearv- ... .•.Tlini-jf .v Wolti'l* Alec l :i, ,H\-Hi.^hf.iii [tosi!>« Boiiltf) English reverence of everything ancient has always operated to the hopeless disadvantage of youth on the' stage and in . pictures. "Medal for the General" gives six London kids a chance to show what they can do. '.They turn : in individual per- formances as good as the best, the "Dead End" kids ever did. These youngsters may 'make this film ap- peal to V. S. market, in "almost any house. . .-• ■•-' ■ , British National doesn't star, these- kids in their early teens: not even featuring therii. Godfrey Tcarlc and Joanne rie. Casalis' get top billing. i V...V? iiT .\lauHt-lo tie 5a Sei na pro- Slars Alapy t'oi It-a. .lose i'ilu i-il.; l'l-.l.ln.i:.ia.'«jH'olt, Kcr.iaml.i f./rlt-s. l. -.l'HTt-'C-lfll -hy. O. Mai-I'lnei! •liiKitii/N.: V... Week of .Inly K llllif. .100 MIXS, Mapy C'ortKs ....... ....;.... . ..iorie' I.Ubi-lan .... .; ..It.'sefliia ' Ma rtinez ...». .:. .:;., ,. ..I.njte Ke>es ,.'.,.:... ... .... Manila. Kliia ;..*..., Kain'u o Ooinez Ke'mtl- |.'riu(aiirltt Oi-lft>ll .; , l-'Pi nanrto Cot lew ........ .. .Set-Rin Oxiix .iV>iljnie1ti (IcierYero tie l.mla Sn >ft>jor AIiiiiiuo ("His Best Pupil") (ARGENTINE-MADE) ..Biienos Aires, June 25. • •AAA u'otTm:i'ifrlt and Vfltaife. 'Slaia Kn- rl((iii)-' Muind.-and A'nKel Miilfitna ; ...fen lure a tin-Mrs r'aVifc-lnl, Nin ma. I'aalilll) aiit! HiiiMei'ino- .nail'aKlia. pireervd -My.. J.ur.vn .ttciuare. Slmy and tlialt.lt by riiaes I'eiu de .Htirai. ami •Ili.ina.o .'Wau/i.;- Atlapted fro* i li« book "S!i.ri»!eii (»••'' by Tteopotrio I.i.Ki.nfK. Sr.: ..-«inrrii. Bob P.t.he.la. At A-iulnmwdnr, Boeniis: Alrea; Kunning ttuie, nr. mins.. ■'"" • -r.-r- ■■■ This is the best Argentine film produced to date. It marks a mile- stone in Argentine picture production. Lucas Deniare. who was respon- sible for "La G.uerra Gaucha." has proved that he can do it again. All asspciated with him in this, produc- tion, based on the life-of the Argen- tine statesman. Sarmiento. also have done well. Should draw attention in all parts of hemisphere. Sarmjenfo was perhaps Argentina's greatest statesman, educator, soldier, writer and civtlizer—and a stormy character. Friend of: the U. S-:, to which he was sent as Ambassador and from which he. brought school teachers to organize.Argentina's edu- cational system, this phase' of his lite lias not been. neglected in De- mare's .version of his life. . Adaptation of slnry to screen has Cleaning House; End 'Sweetheart Deals' •/ Chicago, July li. Another step toward removing the .stigma placed by former corrupt of- ficials on the Chicago Moving Pic- ture Operators' Union, Local No. 110,. was made last week, when the union completed negotiations oh a cefntvact' standardizing the pay of the machine operators! :,'.::.:.':;• - V New agreement pdts an end to the illegal "sweetheart deals", practiced' by/former union officers under mob. rule, by out I la wing verbal agree-, ments. Everything from now on will be in writing, with members- of the union having, a copy.i Theatres-are .classified according to the. number of seats and admission price and a : scale set up for .each class. Scale runsJrom $2 to£3.an hour. New-con^ tract, which - run's until Sept. .1.. 1945, provides vacations with pay for the' operators for the. first time. An- other', st ipulatioii adds 30-minutc.s'-..to: the 'working -day with pa\vThese are the.:, 30-n.iinutes heretofore given gratis by the operators under a clause in the old contract that pro- vided operators to be on hand a halt hour before showtime without, salary; Contract was sighed by the Exhib-- itors'. Association of Chicago, wivich. includes the Balaban & Katz circuit, the Great States and other circuits; the Allied.-Theatres .of Illinois. headed by jack Kirsch; Warner Bios, Essaness Theatres and by the Schooii- staclt and Sam Meyers houses'. .XJiiion' was represented by Eugene J.. At- kinson, union's new business man- ager; Clarence A. Jalas. his asssitant; James Gorman, president of the" union, and Dan Carmell, labor at- torney, who drafted the contract. ■ N.Y. WHITE COLLARITES COLLECT 45G BACK PAY . Under a decision of the N. Y.. La.-, bor Relations Board upholding terms agreed Upon between tlie Screen Office & -Professional Employees Guild. Local IO!!, CIO. and the 20th- Fox, Metro: and United Artists ex- changes in N. Y:, these: branches on. ... j/ii Spnni.vli; No English Titles) This comedy with, music Is for Spanish-speaking audiences in this cmnrn-yr-I T is lou ba d--there--ai-e--ito-|-g' lida y i7 ' - ol| t # a P-mjOmaJtHy_ English subtitles so that the film could achieve wider distribution, be- cause it. has all the attributes of a good production., . . '■"/■ . . . : Direction by G. Martinez Solares is especially commendable for, de- spite the fact that the picture un- winds in 100 minutes, there are very fe\v dull moments. Mapy "tiortes. who plays the lead, is a looker who knows how to act. giving, proper treatment to her comedy .lines, and playing her romantic role with un- derstanding. Jose Cibrian. male star, and the supporting cast of some of Mexico's best actors, also .do an ex- cellent job. resulting in^ an all- around topflight cinema—one of the best to come from south of the Rio Grande in a. longtime; '. Yarn deals w;lh the trio of ro- mances being carried on by the daughters of a Mexican family, against the wishes of th.eir mother, who has chosen three swains for her offspring herself. The comedic ruses used by the three gents seeking ttieir hands in marriage are surprisingly funny, and .well performed. Most of the music is intertwined in the script as a:suitor visualizes the type show he plans for Miss Cortes. ,:■'"■"'''., Musical sellings are elaborate, and the film has the earmarks of being an expensive production. Seeing this one makes it understandable how Mexican-made films are beginning to give -Hollywood product a strong fight for that country,'s playing time. ' •'■' '.'■ :.. ; ">.'.."' '. . ' . 5ien. : $45,000 in retroactive money to 105 white-collar members of the union, Under the terms of the deal worked out some time ago but sty* mied for a long while, the retroac- tive pay amounts to I2'i'i. from Sep- tember. 1942, to May last year, and: an additional 2!i'J, . since the latter date' up to' the present. . Following formal. signing of the., 'contract.^ between SOPEG and the three N. Y. film: exchanges, which will take place in a week or two, the union will -seek to gain ad<li- tional raises for its .members in the frontoffices of. Ihe branches through the classifications route Par Objects to Findings In Joe Cooper Actions Objections were marie by Para-', mount Pictures to the .findings -of Special Master. Francis W.'H. Adams, in which he .recommended dismissal of. the complaint against Rialto, Inc., J. H. Cooper Enterprise, Inc.. and Inf terstale Theatres, Inc.; all Colorado . corporations, named as defendants in the film company's suit. Par. seeks to be. declared owners of certain stocks iii the. three corporations, which are in Cooper's wime. .Cooper also a defendant- in the suit is presi- . dent and. director of the' corpora- tions. '. .';■' : ' ; "', ".■:. ';'• , r '.' Paramount Seeks to set aside the findings and wants the court to make its own findings on the evidence pre- sented or. in . the. alternative, reopen the. case and refer it back to Adams, for. the purpose of receiving vaddi- tional evidence . The-master's - report is . based on hearings conducted . by him, on the . question of whether or not the ac-:' ttvities of the corporations, conducted by Cooper, in New York, are con- ducted here with a fan - measure of permanence and continuity. . been imost skilfully done by M.auzi. and Petit de Miirat..- Love slory. is faintly . interwoven , in. '.remarkably good taste/. Sarmiento's son lost his- iife at battle of Curilpaity. while Sarmiento was iii 'U. S. as Ambassa- dor. When the' statesman: returned to take up: Presidency of his country, ■in sticccssion to Biirlolome Mitre, played realistically by' Orestes Ca-. viglia. the youngster was no. longer there to cheer him.-onV Scenes ;in'.e. well put together and phQlomiiphy:. is good. . . Muiiio's charactcrix'alio'n . 61 Sar- : miento is close tn...tinforgei(able, be-, ing an tmclinny. i epro'riiiction of-t|>e: Statesman himself. Angel Mapim . is superb as Snrmieiilo's son.. Eiithis. '..