Variety (Nov 1945)

Wedntfuby, November 7, 1915 P7VRIETY PICTURES 25 Film Reviews Confidential Agcnl \Vnni**r Bt1»«. retrasfi <*IT l.olifrl, IliiHitiei' ,„lii.li.ni. Blari" I'tun**. Buyer.• T.i>ni <■■> iWiim'tf KlUtUU 1'llxllti.U, IV-MM Vlrtur Ki'ri nceii,' (jOoi'Km CuaJuuiis. Seninmi. Iilw'-ied i>y Herman Kluim- s.'i npiiiitcij.'' is(>!#ert * Jtui'kiic\; 1'i-uin , |.v. (IrabMtll tlreeiie: tMllluf. tit'ui«f • I'loui'm. JjhiK'S Wmis JluftV*. iliuUu [„r. 1 .lii.U llinufl.s. , I'i;j<Ic!'Ii'ii.vii Oct, I»l J.' p. tin. i nuv-l Ami-> N. f win**. i )•..„„m..:.... |<. ('nllioi. I i ill". Klst» Cinil • < 4 urHp CViiHci'iiju..-.. Mt'lllMI as'-is i-'«''"•»•: |,„|.| lllMilllH'll »|K Mn <'lmuiTi.i Hi I.- 3' 1' . .Clint tit's Jiityi-r ^-Vii On .-i'l-.nriji. r.l I' - . I.K' . . Watwl:i Hi-«.l.i'ix .OfOrK* l'<iul.<uiih .. r.-iei -t-txi-rc . .KKiltia 'I'.iicuinn . .J.itin Wttii.uiitttl . .lfolllif* Hi-ii«-il ,..v.T>ati Ki-y'mniir . . : Ai l fc'.wlrr ,...... m;iph' Maiulw . .I&ivrf-lW* Oi'utll ,.,'., . ,.lMi UVlfe .j...i;i*"rK« '/.Uivo f the film, with due "credit to the Es- quire All-American band, wiiuiers, Coleman Hawkins and Oscar Petti- ford.who also appear in:film. Josh White, of Cafe Society (N. Y.) dis- tinction, renders "One Meal Ball" and "Jericho" in his inimitable tech- pique. - PerlorniUnces of Noah Beery; Jr., and Lois Collier are adequate. Thev were statically directed, ~ - -- --- -- Haldol :i (ONE SONG) Los Angeles. Nov. ,2. Jtyl»<J!lilii'< ,r**Jtiitse til* Jtifei-ifli Ivtiit'* liftnlur- liitli. .litfi-lt-il hy K.-JHP. Sun* .Inlm Wiiyljf. V»ra .Iptil.:. KuIhOiii,. Wiillcr Hi»i<n'a«4'OiV. luiw. WiK'tKi.ntl. H4K«.Mt)isi|rki, IMin Mim- KOll KrlVftl|il:i> . Uwmiif I l;c/.:ir>l: iii-tli- itia-l KO.ry,. Oirl J'uu-nVjii: iniii|il;ii ititi. t ln\\ - Miniature Reviews "Confidential Agent" (WB). Charles Boyer-Lauren Bacall will have to cany this one. "C'riauon Canary" tSongs I <U). Fair murder thriller, "Dak.la (Fltspi. Action melo- drama with okay prospects. John Wayne name will aid. " The "auspices under which. "Con- fidelifial Agent" was prod need-r-and the marquee values involved—are certain to insure a .certain amount of hoxoffice activity lor this melo- drama about the Spanish civil war. Charles Buyer and Lauren Bacall are the stars, and Warders (Robert Buckneri is the producer. The rest of the cast, headed by Katiiui Pax- jnou and Peter Lorre. must share the measure of respect that this east commands. Period. The entertain- ment values are something else again. ■ v "■ , The *tory is dated for these times, though it attempts to show, and do- ing it rather ambiguously, how in 19:17 the success of Franco adherents was to become the prelude to an even greater conflict. The yarn's de- velopment is inept, and the link of the romance with the basic story is .too pat. at the expense of the major story line. Boyer plays a Spanish concert puisieian who ,:iia£ giyeil UP i.his career to fight the fascists. He's de- tailed by Spanish republicans to go to Kngland and outbid the Francoites for British coal. The coal can be the difference between victory and de- feat. The plot specifically deals with the obstacle's that confront him. in- cluding the British fascists, and sec- ondary to this is the. romance that evolves between a British coal .ty- coon's daughter-and Boyer. The screenplay is uncertain all the way and. surprisingly, so is the di- rection by Herman Shumlin. How- ever, the latter difficulty can mostly be blamed on the script, which is over-written and, flimsy. Boyer. as usual, underplays to gain an effect as adequate as pos- sible under the circumstances. Miss Bacall, with more dialog than in her first pic. "To Have and Have Not" , (her second, unreleased as yet. is 'The Big Sleep." and "Agent" is her third), suffers from a monotony of voice and an uncertainty of per- formance. Her s.a.. however, is still plenty evident. Between the two stars there should be enough to put this picture over for both sexes. Miss Paxinou. invariably a fine actress, is inclined towards too- obvious melodramatics at times, while Lorre has oho. good scone in a characterization that is -compara- tively insignificant. Dan Sevniour. Victor Franecn. George Coulouris and Wanda Hendrix contribute sat- isfactory lesser performances. Knhu, Republic has dressed up a familiar land-grab story with sufficient pro- duction to give this: outdoor epic more than formula values. It has draw value in the John Way he name to aid in the action market and re- turns will prove okay. Action isn't always robust, but there are a number of knock-down tights to help carry it along. Plot has Wayne, a gambler, and his bride, licking to Dakota to make their fortune. Couple .is aware that the railroad will soon go through land they hope to acquire, but a gang of crooks are also hep to coming events and are swindling wheat farmers of land. Two factions have their ups and downs before farmers realize what is happening and climax comes when villains set fire to vast wheat, acreage in a last desperate attempt to have things their way. Wayne runs through his assign- ment under Joseph Kane's direction with ' his customary nonchalance. Vera Hruba Ralston, femme lead, comes through a river ducking, the I fire and lights with every hair in j place and not a single wrinkle, j Waller Brennan. a river boat captain. I and his duskv aide. Nicodemus 1 Slewart. supply several lighter ' moments. Ward Bond and Mike I MaztU'ki head up the choice heavies j in satisfactory fashion and others in the large cast do well. Ona Munson is wasted in a part little more than I a bit. Photography and other techni- ! cal appurtenances are workmanlike. ; Broy. Brand and Schlaifer Set Closer Liaison Between H'wood-N Y. 20th Ad Dept. Closer liaison . between .the New York and Coast ad-pub dents, of 2()th-Fox was established following a series of conferences concluded Monday ("n at the company's home office between Harry Brand, studio ^U_e4ue-ftaUi.-»u^ N. Y. ad director. Detailed plaiis for . advertising and exploiting the .1945- i '4(i. program were outlined. . ' Harry Brand and Jim Denloi. oi" | the studio pub dept. also conferred with Spyros Skoiiras. Tom Connors. W. C. Michel, Joseph H. Moskowit/.. William J. Kupper and other execu- tives at I he home vofTfce! They returned to the Coast yesterday (6i.: Members of the ad-pub depts. present at the meetings were: . Rodney Bush. Jules Fields. Christy Wilbert. Ted Lloyd. Sid Blumen- stock. Louis Shanficld, Abe Good- man. Bejnie Lewis. Earl Wingart, Virginia ' Morris. Leonard Gaynor. .Teannelte Sawyer. Joe Ehrlieh. Mel- va Lachman. Dave Bader and Roger Ferri. ; ' Schlaifer plans a Coast visit next week, his first since Hal Home re- s r fgned~ah"d he moved up. ; Exfaib Co-Op Accelerates V-Loan Drive After Slow Start; Set 4 JO Bond Shows fni Crimson 4'»n»rv (SONGS) tV'rsal relea**' of Koh l-'ali.^i in m,!iii>- •■■"II. '■' nn.'» Nmili li.-crv. ,ii., |„,|h i'..l- H»r. ,l..*h Wllife. Diiwlcl In .1, l m ||,„f. Wall; Sr.-,.|||,(;iy, H*n|-v Ida n'< l"..>'l. |v K ,.v i "IHlli-V (ia*i-.l'oil slury h> Mis* IMi.Kili.'*; eani.'i i. ,1,'rom.. Aah:»fnuaii'. I'*lu-'ir I'ah- I'lill.l: iMliljii-. |.„„| l,aiulrca. . •I'ra.l^-li.i.. 11 i |. Sli '-I,*.. IlilMl.illK IlilH'. ill lll.N* K. y H.oiiij Ji'all,. J'llimt .Uuiiin Ani in; >••,•... C I, HIII.O- K'l'^'ins s . N'n ■H. itl.iunv J|. .....!..'Ill l.il'-l l.M.iuiiia; 1'i.ilsf .Kl-v-n l l.-rai ..lain.- linl.1 . . ., SOW llnl'li" ■ ■•■iy. I.isli wiiii.- fcaniilra All-.litncrii.aii ISalJ.l lVliiit-i> . :V.'l.'ni.ili Itawlil'u*. O-ciir.lvlltiniil Audiences will take to this musical murdei-thriller. While some of the l>ei iormauces lack variety, and di- rectioiUs.ii_liUlc.mojiotonoiis. neitiier overcomes the suspenseful overtones conveyed by the Peggy Pbillips- Hem-y Blankfort scripi. Five jazz bandsmen are about to depart-frorri a smalltown nighLspot lor San Francisco for more affluent pastures when the femme vocalist has been mysteriously, murdered, two of the bandsmen are suspect I'om the start: Danny Morion .who loimd drunk and unconscious in lh_e same room with her. but his mind a blackout when revived: Noah Beery, Ji-., u ,| 10 j s set , n ] w , v ing the room with a dented trumpet. From here on it's under separate cover i»t' all until it's supposed to blow over. However, the situation Ihick- piiri xs guilt favors Becrv u ho tin- wittinglv':hocks his trumpet and Die like, only to "keep the detecUves on Ins clue-ful heel; Fini.. however. Huds the nitery owner guillv—he was in love with the dead singer, and bashed her head in because she threatened to leave town with the Jazz-makers. Jazz sessions with the band pro- vide sumo very diverting moments in GAMBLE SALUTES BIZ FOR BOND SUPPORT Washington, Nov. 6. Special kudo to pix biz was given last ..'week by Ted R. Gamble in a statement in which he said: "The 205.HOO persons in the pro- duction, distribution and exhibiting phases of the movie industry arc backing the Victory Loan with the same unified support in peace that became the symbol of America in war." Gamble . saic) the nation's film houses are cooperating with 2:>.00() locally-sponsored special events in the bond drive, an all-time- high. Beginning Nov.. 19 Gamble will broadcast a nightly report on the progress of the Victory Lolm over NBC, Latest, treasury figures show that Hlil). stations are broadcasting the •Treasury Salute" transcriptions: gad are handling the "Music for Mil- lions" scries: GOT the Herida Hooper. Jimmie Fidler and Dorothy Kilgal- len "diaries"; fiaO. recordings of one- niUnite messages by sports .figures, and 5H3. the messages, by farm, labor and management leaders. .' 16MM. FILMS AMED TO BOOST BOND DRIVE Chicago. Nov. 6. In the biggest problem yet to af- fect the lSmm. trade, the War Finance Division of the Treasury Dept. has arranged for the showing of bond-plugging films, to be used during the current Victory Loan Drive. Plans by the National 16mm. Victory Film Committee, headquar- ters in Chicago, call for screenings throughout the country by more than 300 volunteer distributors. With approximately 40.000 lfimm. projectors available for general use by church, civic and fraternal or- ganizations, plus those in the Armed J Forces, the 16mm. committee ex- I peels to substantially increase the | 33.402.950 audience reached during i the 7th War Loan Drive through i their .medium by films plugging j bond sales. This bettered by more than 10.000.000 the total audience contacted by the Himm.'s in the pre- vious Bth War Loan campaign. 1 Films run from 10 minutes to an I hour under such titles as "Diary of a ! Sergeant" lAvmyl, "Road to Ec- j covery" (Navy I. "Stillwell Road" ; (Army l. "Victory in the Air" j (Armyi. and others.- MORE WAC SHORTS VA and WB Dii-tribuMiis Lunger Ones—2':-Min. Band Brirfie, T«« Seattle Drama Editor | Into Theatre Ad Job i Willard El.-cy. dramatic editor of , the Seattle Star, is expected to re- , place the late Joe Cooper as assist- ant advertising manager of the Haip- j- iick-Evergreen Theatres in Seattle. I Cooper died Oct. 31 in, Seattle I while laying plans, for the chain's j Victory Loan Campaign. Vic Cllplett ; is head advertisingman for.the cir- cuit. . War Activities Committee has an nouhced release of two short*. "Wei come llJine." distribution of whic!-. was requested by the War Dept. and which wilt be handled by- United | Artists and "Appointment in. Tokyo,," a 52-minute film, depicting. the fall i of the Philippines., which will, b" | ! distributed; by . Warners. . "Welcome. Home" will be released Nov.; 22. while latter goes mil early next month. -. - ...',.... ".Appointment" shows the strategy. : developed in the i.siard-hopping tech- nique, while other film, narrated bv | Fredvic March-^a'nd"uui d f - by 'ci in i- i erameh of the Army Signal Corps. Army. Navy and faurinc photogra- pher-,. deals with the adjustment of servicemen to civilian life. Al*o being releas'-'d is a 2'$-min- ute- -short. "To Win the Peace." l«n use during the Victory Loan Drive. 'Caine' Toppers Set Hollywood. Nov. ,6. •Joan Fontaine and Alan Marshall draw top- roles in "Cristabel Caine" | at R.KO. Marshiill is on loanout from David O. Sel/nick. Piefuie is slated to roll the day .after Christina*. with William Pereira producing. Nylons Boost Bonds Fifty pairs dl nylon stockings brought $47,000 in bond sales at Loews Slate. White Plains. N. Y. First pair .was auctioned off for $5,(100 with men as well as — wom e n — bidding frantically for ■ these scarce items. They were sold out in 20 minutes. Michael Stranger, house- manager, ob- tained the giveaways. ' At the same rally, a $25 bond was donated to the vet in the audience ..with the longest iime. ...overseas. An infantryman with' 53 months abroad got the prize. WAC Digs Up Rare Autos, Radios For Drive Giveaways -The War .Activities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry is prov- ing to be a pie-Christmas Santa Clans with giveaways ranging all the way from free movie admissions to automobiles. . No less than 2.500.000 free' movie tickets are being donated by the in- dustry during file drive, according to estimate of Oscar 'Doob. campaign j director. Hollowing a tabulation from 1 the field. C. A. Srhultz and O. K. Mason cir- ' cujts in Kansas City have directed all their managers to offer free odr missions for bond purchases in 60 theatres in that area. More than 400 exhibs in the North Cai'olina area are similarly offering free admis- sions for bond buyers. A new Liberty Trailercoach has been promoted by the film industry in Washington. Cooperating with the Victory Bond Caravan, both will work us a unit in lining up sales. Trailercoach will ultimately be given away to a Bond-buyer. In Iowa, local exhibs have lined up automo- biles to be given as premiums in the drive. In San Antonio, in co- operation with local merchants, autos as well as refrigerators, sewing ma- chines .and radios are also being do- nated as prizes. In Des Moines, a Farmall tractor, a jeep and at least $1,000 in bonds will be given away at an auction to be held Dec. (i. Three Washington soft-drink firms have donated a $1,000 bond as prize for a drawing to be held at Loew's Talace after the drive. The RKO theatres in N. Y. are giv- ing reproductions of the Jap sur- render papers to all purchasers at their houses. FILM STUDIO CONTRACT I PRIZE IN BOND CONTEST | Hollywood, Nor. 6. Final details of the Victory Queen i contest, beihg run in the 11 western I stales of which the regional head is | Charles P. Skouras. have been com- I pleted. Grand prize for the femme I selected will be a one-year contract ! with a major, sludio. wilh possibili- ties that other'studios may be in-j terested in pactiiig the runners-up. ■ Contest is being limited to Cali- fornia. Washington. Arizona and Oregon; Many theatres in.those! stales are using the contest as . the pivotal ■ point in their campaign. | since basis 'of the pla n w ill , be the selection of four queens, one from each stale, with California getting I wo. one from the northern, part of the . Slate and the other,'from "the .-iouthern part. Cohteslants will be judged by an sTabdralf point, system, which iias bCvi) mailed to theatre owners. Ad- vertising mailer and traileis will als i be made available. —Stnei s' ottry are based on. purchase of "E" Bonds heavy returns ai.e e:;- pectfd from Ibis yrnlure. Thru These Portals (Rep) Passes Connie Moore Again Hollywood. Nnv.fi.- Republic handed-Constance Moore the top femme rcile in "Earl Carroll's Sketchbook." a musical to be pro. riuced by Robert North, starting in January, Actress played a like role in "Earl Carroll's Vanities" on the same lot la-4 year. Tiie Victory Loan Drive, was ac- celerated as it went into the second week on Monday <5i according t<» the first report issued by S. Hi Fabian.. campaign chairman. Opti- mism was expressed by the drive chief as the, campaign moves for- ward at a pace that compares favor- ably with previous drives.' Indica- tions are that the 4.800 bond pre- mieres of the 7th War Loan will.be exceeded. Fabian praised the CO-, operative efforts of the industry for the excellent showing made so far in the campaign, -.. .. The optimism is in direct conirast with the sentiments expressed when the drive was only three days old ! . and Fabian urged more w io'esnr ead use of bond-booths. Since then that situation has been corrected in most spots. .. ; . - •'.-'.. Fabian received glowing reports from all over the nation. From Harry C, Arthur's central division . word came that a' record number of Victory■ shows are- set in Eastern Missouri. Sellouts resulted fron the first perfognances announced. ' In Omaha, the Don McNeil "Break- fast Club" broadcast sold $490,000 , in Bonds while "Truth or Cohse- sellouts at the Audit'irium for a $4,175,875 total. In Kansas impetus is given by a Victory Queen contest, V'■: while a new Ford is being given awiy in Iowa as a sales stimulant. Kansas City made touch of Gen.* Wahnvright's apjicaranee with a biff p.irade. More than 250 free show3 are already lined up in that region. Texas, according to exhibitor chair- - man John Q. Adam:-, already has 670 free movie days sehedu'ed and expects to wind up with a 100% record. Linda Darnell appeared in. a Dallas street parade to whoop up excitement' for the drive, Atlanta already has 400 free shows lined up. while 400 Hollywood sales- men are canvassing the studios. Srx"TcgionaI meetings—are lined up for the all-out effort of the Wis- consin exhibs. Rallies are a part of the strategy lineup by slate exhibi- tor chairman Harold J. Fitzgerald to get maximum results in that state. In Washington. Lloyd Wineland, of the cx'iib planning committee, sold $35,000 in bonds to a small group. at a private premiere of "Weekend at the Waldorf." while Gus Metzger, exhibitor chairman for Southern California, is so encouraged by his first week's effort* that he sent a. $75,000,000 pledge to Fabian. Northern California theatres, in the opening week of the campaign, were slightly ahead of previous drive. Roy Cooper, regional chair- man, declared indications point to a $-'.0.00.000 total. New Orleans was ... rlso optimistic .with reports that a record breaking total was imminent. Bob O'Doniiell. in Texas, is push- ing a campaign to sell bonds as Christmas gifts, while Oregon re- ported that 80',", of the' esJiibilora have already set definite dales for. victory shows. Horace Bcals. of th» Brockton theatre. Brockton. Mass., has already achieved recognition for the oulstaiiding work done on the drive. He's been named regional chairman for Region (i by Sam . Pinanski. New England .regional chairman. Goal of $2,000,000 has been set by Fanehon & Marco's Fox. SI. Louis, an increase of 50" over the pre- vious campaign. Connecticut is 100% pledged for free-niovie day. They're now working on the Yale-Darlrnouth game tor. further promotion.; Eastern Pennsylvania is so confi- dent, that exhibs there have issued , a challenge, to the rest of. the n»- ; lion for top results. Paper Mill Playhouse. Milburn, V N.. J.. is devoting a showing, of :..■•' .. '■Roberta'-' .to the campaign ae.d house is scaled at fttaO.OOO, . - Initnts.' TrrofT Tndiahaoolis. Nov. 1. , Show business w.->s reoreseuled by Ann Sheridan and Will Kays at mammoth Victory Bond Rally and ice show opening new drive at the • Coliseum. Wednesday (.'Ml, At- • tendance was 10.000. Ann Sheridan, who was accompan.i'-.d by Steve 'TlMiiriagan' behihd IhP -sceltcs.—dTCW—rp" a tremendous response when she ,": called for a triljule ,l<i Carole Lom- bard; ''not. iii silence but with cheer- VT'ng pray ei-~a>i ovitTioh, "lb: h'ei'~a'i>3T her successful mission for that first Indiana heroine of the war—your own Carole Lombard.". Miss Lombard, a native of Fort Wayne, hid., was^kiljed in an air- plane crash while returning to Hol- lywood from the first bond rally of ' the war here in January, 1942. 4