Variety (Sep 1946)

16 FILM REVIEWS yARIETY Wc4lnc8«lay, September 18, 1946 TlM-i .lolson story (MUSICAIi-COLOB) cdliiml*! «!loaso ot .Sfdncr Skolaky (l.m-- Aur, (J.iflUti) lMC]0lH-tlO.l. PfatUri'fl i'aUiH, KM lvii JCpyos, Wm. Piminrosl, !!tll ChiiVuilfl'. .MiUrew SoU! ilnnoes. Hii r lUii'iiovi -limnlii'r.'i, .loi',. H- • I-''" '-'' leiu-i. \V. ■•llulli-f.i- mil8i»--d»rwU«.-. &J' " \v l,ti- M.iinnslV; amuigpmciils, until. 'V-.: Itunnlriff time AI iloNon . ■ • • vliUie, (li-nSini . Bicve-Miirliii . Turn liti.i iiiv ,. ■ J.PW Ura-UHUulfC Kiitlur M> l''«<- ■ . Al .rolsiin laf n. Hick nil'"" Aim Mnlisiy t«.» * boy") l2H\.MlNf<. ;,I"Ury Parks ... ..Kvelyii. Keycs ..WiUlam Di"m:irest ...; niir GfiO'lwin '.V.'.liUawlB Pmuith ....Tatirara Slinyne. .. .■.John Alpxaniltir Jo-Cnrro)l Dfiims'on ...KrncSt Cosrart .....S<'oUy JSwkftt . .William Forrest Eirl>....----Ar"' Toilil .....Edwin Maxw'H '*.,,,. .BinnicU Vo;^an •■The JoL.on Story" ""otfi"»\\y stars Al J Olson. Even as Jose Iturbi s oK-!c...on artistry go'//,X''chopi" ^■eVemScr," so wiU Jolson's s.ng.n|, rnt'^VThis^TeynicoK^^^^ Sio of the great mammy-singer s cav?c° Film is destined for smash gros.ses. . ■ , . ••The Jolson Story" joms the ui- cvea^in? cycle of show biz biographi- cals dcSling with StiU-living person- alil.ef And along with it comes a medley or Jolson songs that he first int od'iiccd and made famous. .\s a personality for a show biz ca'valcade JoUon is a natural, ot oou.sc It's axionjatic m show busi- ness that he ranks with Sir Harry Ifudcr and the late, Albert Cheya- ]ier as one of the three greatest tin"le men entertainers. ■ -The Jolson Story" einerges ;as aii American Success story m song. . " i-night be called a Hebrew Going Mv Way" but just as the Lrosoy picture .made the church back- Baby With a Dixie Mclociy" and "Apiil Showers" among others. In view Of the since broadly traves- tied "Sonny Boy,", the latter i.s out. Columnist Sidney Skelsky,,who en- gineered thi.s Jolson package tor : a Cbluriibia picture, and offtciales as produc-er thereof, has done a tiptop, job, in collaboration with Gordon Griffith, his associate produ.cer, and dir.cctgr Alfred E. Green. The; cast- ing i.s "excellent, the. clioiee of: song materia) on the beam, the pacing right, the theme honest and forth- right. Besides the top romantic pair, Ludwig Donath as Cantor Yoel.'-on and Tnmara Shayne as Mrs. YoeLson are the cast's outstandars., William Demarest and Bill Goodwin as Jpl- son's general advisers are capital) and the rest ot the cast competent. Scotty Beckett, who plays Jolson as a boy, also does a liighlight job. There's a -scene in which Cantor Yoelson explains a Variety headline containing the word sockeroo to hi.s wife. Sockerooi he explains ia a hep manner, means "a double socko," I'hat'.s what "The . Jolson •Story" should be at the b.o. ■ 4l>0i- Miniature Reviews .'tiifft'l on Mt Sh»uld«'r Hollywood, Sept. 14. .\n ists niiul A.ir.iiha ,.. , lii.K llairy ShapK.--..> .,: -Mr, l;, Bailiff lili ground inerde^Htairthere's^ even less j ■«-!,',"',',';'. of the synagog in this. That Al Jol- - son is Asa Yoelson, son of Can- tor Yoelson, in his Washington hometown, is incidental to the up- surge of a great American show bu.sincss per.sonality around whom is ] ' •• focused a trend of events r which • • - even now the competitive Warner Bros is ballyhooing anew as part of its 20th anniversary of sound. While "Don Juan" with a Vitaphone score koynoted the start pi souM. the full fruition of sound didn t come into being until more than a year later, in 1927, when Jolson s '■Jazz Singer" swept the world and revolutionized an. entire" industry I'lcass of X%arle,s K. It, Slara I'ttuI Muni, .\nn« ciiiiaie llaili,,^; ' features' . lliislow stf\-i'ris.Coorge ClevOlaniJ. Har(li,> .\lbriKht .laUKs l'Ma\in. IJirfoteJ by .Arehie ,Vla.yo ^:fr,','niilay. ilarVy .ScRaM. ItolamI Kibbod i,i-i;sinal. ,,t,>ry. Sosall; camera, .lame.*f Vaa Tret'.^; photograiihio offeota. tlowaril j. tler.-5,)ii: ibusif. Dimitri 'fipmkin;. editor," Asa ('iarl;. I'Kvieweil Hollywotxl, Sept. ill. ■-10. r.uTinirig-lime, I»(i; .»HKS.'. ,; i\ .,....-. .Paul Muiii i. ., , ... . ,\nne Ha.\tei'.. ..., .,., .(Maude Itaiiis .Onslow Stevens ...;. vtleorjie Cleveland ,... tlar^lie . AlliriRht ......".". , James"..!'lavin . ..Krakine Sanfotfi , .v...". .Marlon Martin ........ifohatti'in mile .Murray A'J.T ......... ..Inani Blair . .. ....... I'lj-itz! I.elbei- ........... Klli-t Kalbh >ara 0^'ier H.li llai NieK. Dr. .tliji,(fiufi, .Mhevt...,.;.. Smiley ....... lipllamv.. ... Minister. ... Mts: Bentt. y rh,airnian,:., .Tiin .. ■ .,... Ilraxen illri. "The .lolson Story" (ColoV- MusicaU (Col). A mop-up mu- sical. "AnKel on My Shoulder " (UA). Bright comedy-fiintasy wilti high- tMitrrtaiiiment quotient. •The DevilTS Playground" iXJA). Hopalong Cassidy tBUl Bovd) returns to the release .^chcdule in" a good average oateri .■ ■■•..■,:" "So Dark The Night" (Col). Abo^e-par whoctunit marred by weak screenplay, A "B" that has "A" quality. "Blondie Kno.ws Best" (Col). Staple fare fQi: faiAily trade. "Crime Doetor's Manliunt" tCol). Minor murder meller with Warner Baxter for mar- quee. . • ■■ V • • •'Roll On Tex».s Moon" (Songs) (Rep). Koy Rogers in solid outdoor actioner with songs. "Landrush" (Songs) iGol). Program .oater for thin b.o. re- turns from moppet appeal. "It's Great to Be Young" (Musical) (Col'). Minor musical ca.-it with juve players; dualer. ' Shadows Over Chinatown" (Mono). Routine Charlie Cnan whodunit pars the ,E;eneral run of the series. ,.,., Sarah Fadden ..\*l(tison Ttlcbarils ...... .Beia WeUlen . . .(teorse Meeker. ..:..t.ee .'^hynivvay .;.liu.s.s Whiteman .,, ,,TanieR Dunclet^ ,..,",,.Mike T.ally Haul Corss ...... Duke Taylor .... lOdward Kearte . ,",:.", ,Ol5e,«tor t'lDte Tiie llevil'S Playground t'niietl .Vrtists release of J.ewls.'.ts 'Kaelj- inll prtnlrvtion. .Itars Wiilin'in Boyfl;-tea- tures. An'ly ("ly<le,. llauil ■B"j«K!>.:- Elittne Riley. ': Direi'teS - by, (leorfte Arefialnbaud. Sci-e'eiiplay.' I'oris .Schmnler, ba.ieil on charal'terK iT"eiit«ii by Clarpnee K, Stultord.; oilitor. Kred W. Mleruei-; eaiiaera,. Mtiek siiMvuIei'. t reviewed,at the I'ark. .Narrows- bui'K. N; Y,, Sept. 14; 'W. . UunninR. time, «2,MI,SS.." This i-s but one of the segments^ of "The- Jolson Story." The yearning to: singi" to give generously of nim- Sfjlf. CJied by the still famed-in- sbowbii . catchphrase, ■ "Ybu aiiv't heard nothin' yet"; the Sunday nights at the Winter Garden, the birth of the runway as Jolson got closer to his audience, the incidental whistling in between vocalizing-r-all these are recaptured for the screen. But there's lots more on and ofl th(3 screen. As Evelyn Keyes pla.\'S Rtiby Keeler — only she's called Julie BeiLsoti—in meticulous man-- rler, she helps carry the boy-girl saga. Ziegfeld'S "Show Girl" and the "Liza" (Gershwin) tune, to which Mi.ss Keeler terped, are utilized foi: this purpose, as are Jplson's acci- dentally-on-purpose audiehce-inter- ruptions as he sings from the cus- tomer.?' side of the. footlights. (It's ■w.k. that as soon as Jolson stopped this pseudo-ad lib vocalizing the show collapised; that" a weak Zieg- feld masical was only sustained by its unofficial, unbilled star with his nightly vocal "interruptions"). The story; thus, is an average ad- jtiixture Of iaet -and fiction, perhaps a shade more factual than the aver- age show biz subject. More im- portant is that story line, the: fruitful .progres.sion ot an inspired trouper who was to laste the heights from minstrelsy to. \audeville, from Broadway musical C'lmedy hitdom to the talkers, car- rying along .his dancer-wife to some pretty goo.d. hei.ghts all her own. But the.real star of the production is that Jolson voice and that Jolson Kiedley. It was good showman.ship to ea.st this film with lesser people, particularly Larry Parks as the ^inammy bid. That was'an inspired casting but one wonders what audi- ences of another season: may think ■when fltcy hear Paries singing in his- own style, sans the traditional and: trademarked Jolson style. Be that a.< "it may, he's:'the: youthftil rein- carnation of the mamtny-singer. It's ^ujle apparent how .he must have -studied the Jolson: mannerisms: in bk.ck-and-white because the : vocal synclironiidatibn ("with a plenitU(3e of clnseups) defies detection. : ."'Angel on My Shoulder": stacks Up as nifty ientertaitiment in s'erio-eornic j vein slat-cd to. piense alfc . Valii:e:s are j there to rate good: business and if I given exploitation. h.ypQ returns Hopa tont? ""CJa.«8id.V. Caiifia-nia CartsoYi:. l.u,'ky JeriUins',. ;■.: Mrs; Kv.ta^i. .Tri(li?e .-Morton-. ;..\ Blieviff. . .... .:. ...:.., RotJertSi...;....... (^urly->;. .... v.-<.. l>an'l. ......,, H. S; Msivhal..... W4iire:.. ... Dwarf.....: -...: \Villi.l,n Hoyd ..Aiiily ("lyili! .:Itand Hrook!^ ., i'jlailie lliley. rinl-iert Elliott t'lih J, (ireene ranris ilolVinald , ... .No(| "VnunK ..Marie tiodKins "tteorRe l-IMredKe . .Kverell SbiPld.s . ..lohn (le.orKe ..lu shotild be sturdy. Word-of-raouth will be an aid. It's a fantasy; brightly polished by scripting, direction and: playing,: that punches over; Contents., Charles R. flogers' productioii meas-! ures up to his ..best in : shO.Wttanly- ^^•t!tles.. Top cast names of :Paitl MtiPi^ Anhe Baiter and: Claiide Ilains will; aid draw. Theme deal.s with Satan's efforts to best his Heavenly adversary at least once. H,'; uses as a. tool, for The "atferript a' gaiigster who—wants revenge on the pal who bumped him off. That doesn't sound like too hot a premise on which to base a picture but lesults are solid for entertaih- ment, Large credit. goes to Archie Mayo's deft direction in developing humor without offense and his guid- ance, of players. Harry Sogall and Roland Kibbee, scripting from Se- gall's origirial, have given plot punchy dialog and situations that click. .. Paul Muni is the murdered gang- ster, turning in performance that measures up to past credits and giv- ing film plenty of zip. Awakening in hell alter being bumped, Muni ., - , . -1 I wants out so he can get revenge on _it:.captures, in .Its his killer. - Claude Rains, as Satan„ sees chance to even things with a crlhio-buslihg earthly judge who's the double lor Muni. Old Nick offers Muni opportunity to get his killer if he'll, queer to judge's political halo. It's a deal, the: two. take off for earth and the fun" starts: Bowery lingo and f;angs(i?r mannerisms of Muni are an iil-fit for the judge's body, which Muni is occupying temporarily .with Satan's help. Thirigs dah-t: work out as the devil planned because Muni goes sott for the judge's fiancise and niixcs up all revenge plans. Windup packs a certain laugh as Muni brushes off Satari.'s^thxeats of torture with the threat Jo tell th| ft'a.4g§*m"(}"B,: how thfi big -boss'NvaV-fee'Sle'd on earth/ Rains shines as the Devil, shadiiig the :eharacter with a likeable puck- I ishness. good for botii, sympathy and chuckles. Annii Baxter is excellent as the troubled flaticee. Onslow: , Stevens, the: judge's psychiatrist, who: .As for Jolson's voice, it Has .nevpr" "pakes .some -wrong guesses about his I— li.^^ niu. Al, .4 . • nntir.nl'c - 4.,4 .After a hiatus 0:1' more than a year since the last Hopalong Cassidy w(;stern, 57th in the series is about tO: W reiea.sed by United Artists. Bill Boyd is- still in :th.e Sadille and the forrnula rertiains pat, so .there is no reason to ' olieve .that "Devil's Playground" will fare any less suc- cessfully than its respectably long line of predecessors. Fact is, Boyd is a fitting hero, the story is more than ordinarily engrossing for a hoss opry, and there's been no stinting on production yalue.s, as such, things go in a we.stern, so exhibs should find it a readily-acceptable booking. Long delay, since manufacture and release ot "the la-st Hopalong sees this one coming out under new pro- tluction auspices.-Boyd has become a partner in the unit with Carl Leserman, who handles the distribu- tion end, and Lou Pennish, one of the proprietors of General Service Studios, who takes care of produc- tion and financing, Harry Sherman, under whose aegis Clarence Mulford created the character and who pro- duced the great majority of the pix in the series, retains a percentage interest, but no production.authority. Ninety-hour shooting, schedule on which Hopalongs are produced in no way reflect on the first-rate photog- raphy, excellent locatioiis, unusu- ally good musical backgrounds, lib- eral u.se of extras and other produc- tion factors which give the series an edge on much of the average western output. George Archain- baud:S taut direction also is worth note. • . : Yarn is the usual affair in which Boyd and his pards, Andy Clyde and Rand Brooks, find a damsel in dis- tress (Elaine Riley) and, in .some 60 fast minutes, straighten everything out for her. This entails outsmart- ing the sheriff and the standard gang of leather-chapped cutthroats, led by Robert Elliott. Acting is rou- tine, . with Miss Riley earning a laurel (or the sagebrush equivalent thereof) for effective handling of her f^a,ture.d jiart. Herb. ••A" tag. Unforttinalf'ly, in this ca.so tlie inisS is tis Kood a.s t» milo, since the Die's faihiro lies in the dooisivf province of the screenplay, In aU other deparlmeuts, however, tlie fllm has been liandU'd wilh extraordinary artistry to ociual or bettor Holly- wood's highest-prieed product. It is sure to earn ■pi'ai^^^ fo'' nuich out of an little but, given tht- Haw in the screenplay and the cast Of unknowns, the lllin's impact iil (.he. b;(?. vvill be "softer than it deserve.s. Around the trail .structure ot a Stbi-y about a schizophrenic Paris police inspeeloi who becomes a" in- sane killer at night, a tight com- bination of idirection, camera-work and mtisical .scoring produce a series of i.solated visual efiects that are .subtle and moving to an unusual de- gree. Paradoxically, the film .seems to collapse uiider the weight o£ its technical niceties as director Joseph 1^ Lewis continuously takes time out to make his points through the in- direction of cinematic imageiy rather than directly through the spoken word. One sequence, Tor ex- ample, draws the relationship be- tween the police inspector and an ambitious daughter of a provincial innkeeper through pure camera tech- nique; Cutting quickly between the man and woman, the camera softly plays upon the girl's features then coldly shifts, not to the man, but to the chromium fixtures on his ex-, pensive car, the hubcaps, the door handles, the car's name, etc. The ef- fect and meaning are startling in their clarity. Settings for the pie, which unfolds, in an obscure French village, arc outstanding for their density and ac- curacy of detail. Despite the obvious budget limitations, the layout of the streets, interior decorations and land- scape shots define France as it exists in our imagination. Also contributing to the "ccntinental" touch, but .de- tracting cnce again from the film's b.o; potential, is the presence of nu- merous actors with foreign accents. Story revolvt-'s around the ill-fated romance between a middle-aged Parisian detective and a young coun- try Girl who is already betrothed to a neighboring farmer. On the wed- ding eve, the farmer, in a well-por- trayed dramatic encounter, threatens the detective and stalks out of the party, the girl following in a frenity of mixed emotions. Several days later, both the girl and farmer are found to have been -strangled to death. The'detective, who is famous for his sleuthing ability, is unable to find any clues btit the scripters, who were also stumped for an ending, solve the case through an . unfitting and totally mechanical foray into the lead roles assisted by Jonathan Hale playing the irate boss, and Larry Sitnnis and Mnrjorie Kent, as the children. Shemp Howard, playing a near-blind process-server, has a fat part which he plays to the hilt lor laughs ill his low-comedy style. ('i'im«<) llucior^s (•(duusUia: release of ttv'doipii .r, (<'ioiii,)w lirodvii'lloi^;, . .Sturfi , "Warner. (iiiMfl, l';il,*ii l,i"ri'>v:; .i-eatureH :\VlUUiin -lehivvl.w/ i''i'aiik .Siillj. . "l)irecied by: tVlillain ('itsili>, ,-<,:r,';,,;||.. pl.ay, t/elKit- l)ruek«tt rroiiv .ilocy h.v: ^!,],,:- 'I'aylur, bnseil on riulio prownilix,..:•l inifl lioeloc," hy Max fttjirein;canieva,: . t'hilip Taiiura; asat. dii'ector, Carl Itierke; ,',lit*ir DwiKlit Caldwell. TradeHhown N. v; l-w pl' ' It, Hi. llonnhiK time, <ll MINH. Dr. ttuliert: Ordwny , I r*Mie (.'otter..,.- In.^peeior Mannlut;.. lU!^^er ; Itiihy Karrell. Waldo........'....,.. ,S(^rKeant .llnulley,.,.. lit I aid CottO!' l*lillip Armhtronc;,.; MiiLituHLeblane, ...i .\Uredl.v............ 'torn,...... >,...;. .Vlarlha I!i>rn,ra . . : . ... .. . ...Warnin- Ita^u'r- ,l,:ilen. i)r,MV . William "t,'i'a wlt^.v ;.; .,, l,^rank iSull'y , . .(Miiire t.;:irl,'i,nl . . .llernerd N<:(l( li ......... . I.,in ;, .:l?:;raiivl.H ,j*it>.rl,a: «.. . . Myron I Iculv ,.,.. .oiui. iioTyHii: , ,.tva» Triesunit ., ,.. l*aul f<:, tiui'tiM . ;., Mary .Vewl,a\: . I.: <m 1.1 .calm of psychopathology, ' Together " with everything eh<; casting for this film is highly un- usual, with Steven Geray playing the lead role of tri^partite lover, de-- tective and killer. With a firm di- rectorial hand controlling the works, Geray gives a credible performance but'fails to evoke the pathos of "is situation. Micheline Cheirel, as the. young girl, is a talented actress with clear promise tor the future. Eugene 3orden. Ann Codec, Paul Marion and Hebn Freeman, in supporting roles, al.so add importantly to the overall sinccrity-of-the-fi-lmv— - Bloudio Knows Best; Columbia productuin and : release, Fea- lurea Penny Singleton, .Arthur Lake, l.any Simms, Miirjorie ICcni. Steven (Jer.-iy, ,Tonnlhan Vliile. Shemp Howard. Djrei i.i!d by Abby HTlln. Hereenplay by I5dw.,ird Bernd.l. Al Martin from stoi'y by Bcrnds lia.sed oh comic strip (.-hai-acter by I'-hie Younu; eamern. Philip Tannura: edilor, Aaron Stell. Traileshown "ept. Id, 'itl, Runnms tnne, <i» Ml^W. Blondie t)aKW0od A potpourri of rare p.sychiatric symptoms forms a basis for this story and it's a wobbly foundation. Tiik(Mi from radio's "Crime Doctor" sci u s, lilm has Warner Baxter in the"Doe- tor'' role for just about tlie whole of its marquee draw, EntertaiiiinoiU values are not strong enough to sus- tain it without heavy exhibitor t.t- ploitation. Unexplained twists; in the seenai io provide most of the mystery, and IheyVe still' unexplained at the end. ' Script concerns a returned vet who visits the doctor for diagnosis oC amnesia attacks, and is subsequently murdered by two hoods who .get the same treatment from a mysteiious gal. thought to be the sister of the vet's fiancee. Denouement nveals personality split in the fiance, Kllen Drew,, causing her to a.ssume dead sister's stronger personality. No one explained where the vet's aniiicsia attacks came from. In spite of the limping script, "Crime Doctor's Manhunt" has some fair moments, but the entire produc- tion could have been jacked up Ijy belter editing and direction. One house-searching sequence is evident- ly supposed to build suspense, but does nothing but put the brakes on interest. In this instance, as well as in .others, cutting would have added: much-needed pace. Caf,ting of some experienced hands such as Baxter. William Frawloy and Ellen Drew might .have made tlivec- ' tor William.Castle's job. easier but lie tailed to capitalize on it. The two hoods were made to look not so tough, and Miss Drew, in portiaying her weaker self, went to sacchmiiie; extremes. Radio show's bally may help this •series but as it stands the film i."! a borderline case. been better. Thus the magic of science has produced a composite -whole to eclipse the original at his most youthful best. The pops are a no.stalgic hit parade and, in this day and age of song revivals, a cinch for:'46-'47 reaffirmation. The tunes include "Rosie You Are My Posy." "Mammy," "Sittin' On Top of the World,": ""Vou Made Me Love You tl Didn't Wanna Do It)," "Swance" (on. the Winter Garden runway), '•'The Spaniard Who Blight- pd My Life" (production number), "Liza": and"42d Street" incidentally in the Keeler stuff, "Waitin' for (he Eobert E, TJee,'"- .'"Rockabye 'ifour patient's " Strange behavior; George Cleveland, Hardie Albright, good as Muni's murdering pal; James Flavin, Marion Martin. Murray Alper, Kurt Katch and others turn in solid "work to back tip the leads. Rogers and his associate producer, David W. Sicgel, have furnished smart backing for the .serio-fuh that transpires and mar.shalled expert technical aides, James "Van 'Trees' lensing and photographic effects by Howard Anderson on track exposure point up . fahta.sy elements. Music score by Dimitri' Tiomkin furthers ofrcd and other credits fit equally wf'll. Brog. So Dark iliu ::Vighl f'oUjnil)ia release of Ted Tticluiiond pro- duclion, ■i'-(;atui;es .Sto-veh (Jeray, Mieheliiio Cheirel, Kufteiie Uorden, Ann Codee, Helen. Jj'recmah,. Direeled by Joseph Jl. Lev^ia. Ser.eenplay. by "Martin Berkeley. Dwight Babopck Baaed oji story by jVulifOy Wisberg.: eameia, Burnett' (Jiiffe'y;- "editor. .Terome Thoms; muslo,- M.: W. Stotoff, 'J'rude.shown in ,N.^y., Sept. 16, "-io;: , IluhbinK time, Henri Caasin,. . .Hteven Geray i>!anp,ilo Michaud,..».;;, .iVtichKline Cheirel Pierre M lehaud...... i...... Kugene Borden Mama Michaud..;.,;. .Ann (.'odco I)r, Uonenurt. .Kgon Brccher Widow Bridelle...;,,,.,.,..Helen l<"Vdeman fiearges,.... .Theodoi'o fiottlleb t'ommis&fiji'e.' Grande, Gregory- Gay Ur, Manet,. . .. ..i.... .,,tftan Del Vol I.con Aehard.. .......rant Marion I'ere (tiii-lot.. . Krall R«mu Jean Duval.. .,..,, l.bul.'! Mereler Working out of the "B" corner of Columbia's lot, prodticer Ted Rich- mond, has created in. "So Dark (he Night" a film that barely misses the lt«»ll On T<'xas I^looii (SONGS) Hollywood, Sept. 12. Ttenublle release of Bdwiu'd ,I,..VVhif« itra- diii'llon. stars Roy Rogers; Ceotnrea tteoiMe "tluhby" l-layes,.: Dale, lilvans. llob Nolan and Kona of Pioneers.. Ulreeted by Willianv-: Witney. - Hereenplay. Paul Qangelin, -.Vlaurl fl-i'aahinl-oelginal sto^yT-.leon .Mnrj:.a..: eltui- era, "Williain Bradford: niu.sie. , JJale .IlnU.'i; ,, j-'Ollti.s. .lank tillliott, Tiih Spenecvi: f";iH:or,;. i.es Orlebeck. Previewed Hollywood.:;>'(>pt. 10. '4(1. Hunnlng time, «7 MINS. .Mexander,.. • * • • t'ooiiid-..,.;..,, .i.v, l)r. KehmUtl,:. ,r, C. DithcrH., • ■ .lim Gray..... .. .... Charles I'e;U>ody;. .A'lviu "Puddle..... t)r; Titu.s I 'onroy ■. • Davifl Ari'i.«ilionK. Ollie. .. .. . V. Mary ,..■..........- Cilorio. EvanR. . .. . . Uuth Kvnny. Penny .SlnglBtnn ..... Arthur I-alte ;.,. . Uirry Simma .. ;Marjoi'le tfent ....Steven Oei-iiy ,:. ..Ibnftthnn Hal" . .Hhenin Howard . . ..terome Cowan Danny :Mum'mert . .I.udwiff Donath . Arlliur I.ott :,..liidwin Cooper ,laol{ Rlee , i Alyn T.or,kwood ,; , .Carol tUiEhea .... . Kay "Mivli'.'i-y Saga of Blondie and. Dagwood. as dontinued in this pic,, is surefire family fare in all nabe situations. Following down the trail blazed by its predecessors, "Blondie Knows Best" is a fast mix of situation com- edy and. broad caricature sJJrved up in typical sprightly fashion. Although scripting for this "series has been re- duced to a formula known by rote to all filmgoers, all "Blondie" pix, including this one, manage to difEus* a charm that pays off at the box- office. Cinematic standards, more- over, have been kept at a consist- ently high level. • SttJry for this stanza revolves around Dagwood's bumbling at- tempts to impersonate his boss on an important contract assignment while, at the same time, trying to dodge a process server. Familiar situations of Dagwood in dutch with his wife, his boss, and the world in general, are squeezed for all their worth. In addition, the psychiatric fad is ex- ploited through Dagwood's falling into the hands of a couple of doctors who are fast on the hypodennic draw, Dagwood's rescue makes for a rousing windup -with Dagwood's whole family^ including a half-dozen pooches of varying size, joining in tile act. Cast remains standard with Arthur Lake and Penny Singleton in the ttoy Rogers.. 'I'rlKKor (iabbv Whitlaker..., .1111 Dolanoy Cole Gregory. Caotus ICate Taylor. Steve Anders t'rnnit U: Wilson.... llranniM'un. Bert Morris. Don Wllliama, rtoKevn ,. Kmao .... .GeorKe H«f.m Dale loyai's, Dennis lloey- .'.Ellzaboih Risdim .Fran.'l.'i .Mi'Doiiald ISdword K'lino . .. . ICenno Tluiican; ...Toni London .tlarry Strang. Pom Prescolt Kdward CasKlily Ned Barries.,.:.,, ,:;,... Lee : Rh«inwa.y; ,Ioe Cummlhga.............., ..meve "liari'elt " SLuht: ". , ;. .....,,,,,..".. . ... . . . I'lei'i'e t.ydeh lUih Nolan :& Sons of Pionen-f^ Solid western musical fare for .the Boy Rogers fans, "Roll" On Texas Moon" is a showmahly roundup t)f oater ingredients aimed at good re- turns in the established maritel for this type product. Action is fa.st and tunes are neatly integrated with plot. Production backing makes hand.y use of outdoors to lend values, gonfrally shaping film for favorable reception. Rogers vocals three of the tunes, working with Dale Evans on two and with the : Sons of the Pioneerson third. Latter group spots comed.V: number to round out score. Be.sl ot tunes are "Wontcha' Be a Friend of Mine," by Jack Elliott, and "The Jumpin' Bean," Pioneers' comedy piece by Tim Spencer. William Witney's direction keeps the plot concerning feud between cattlemen and sheepherders nioying at swift clip and puts players through their paces in smooth style. Dialog in the Paul Gangelin-Mauri Grasbm script minimizes stock we.stern foriri- ula to make appeal more adult wi(h- out overlooking interest for younger filmgoers. Story concerns. Rogers a>i trouble-Shooter for cattle combine who's assigned to prevent a range, war between ranchers and sheepmeii. War is being connived by villains Who want to grab off profitable -sheep ranch operated by Dale fcvans.; Around that theme there's plonty ol fast tiding, shooting and other thvins to sate action tastes with songs mixed in to bridge any gaps in movement. Rogers is in good-form, both acdon- wi.se and vocally. Same goes for Mi.ss Evans : in femme lead. Cleor.ge "Gabby" Hayes clicks with rire-eai- (Continued on page 22)