Variety (Jan 1948)

PIOl RETIEWS The Naked City Unlvcieal-InlenitttSpiiol release ot Mark Helliiieei' j;>roiiucUuQ (Julcii Bupkv s«BO«l«ta lirodiKCi'}. Slam Bwit FUxgcnCM. Wnct- «i| 1>7 Jia<«i JDasedfi (Fnta Xtanfc, anAiUiit director)* Sciemjilar. Albert Malts «Bd Matvin "Wrid, ft«m wWrr »w aislvSii ciditm, WUIiiun Daniels; «dUor, Vaul SViathenras; mnnie suiMrvimr, SHItan Kr1i«niner«ia: mosic. iMUUm Jtvzw and i'^nlc Sltlnnvr. TradiMsliotvn In T., Javu a». '48. Hunnlni!; time, V« 5IIKS. I.l. Bun MuWoon Bairy Fitxgerald Fruiik NHes.. ..Ilowsrd BiiR JiuMt MorriMii Dorothy Hart .Tiinm}' Hallonui Don Taylor Gartata.... I'M De Oryia Ifc lit«ueman..i...........House Jameiwn Mrs. Halloran .....Anne Earsent Mis. Baton' AdeUide Klein Mr. Batorj- .......Grover Buiseaa Dlcttetire I'erelU .Tom XMI Mrs. JHylton - KnW JfiulMy Oiptain Donahue...., li'rttnlc Conroy New York City can be a pretty ex citing place in 'wtiich to live. a$ Mark HeUinger told it. In "The Naked CityT—-tbe producer's last pic- tur«—Biaiiiieer fitnoted a uiagnifi- cenlly xealistic fcaleiddscDpe of. the juetropolis in action. Made entirely la New York, it lays bare a city caogbt ifiiitli its haunt! down. It can't miss! at tbe. boxoSice. "Naked City" has only a single star, Barry Fitzgerald. Yet. its b.o. plvspects are not to be measured in terms o£ stars. There's hardly a reC' ogniisable .name in the cast«.4roin a film b.0. viewpoint-^iit that doesnt matter. It is the unfolding of this > story that must assume the stellar ratinff. The word-of'mouth on "City" ehould be phenomenial. "Naked City" is a isoldly" fashioned yarn- about eastside, wcstsirie; about Broadway, the elevated, Fifth ave- nue; about kids playing hop-skip-and jump; about a populace of 8,000,009 —about a blond- beaut's mysterious murder In lan upper*westside apart ment house, It is the murder that forms "the basic narrative for "Naked City," and whenever Hellinger dealt .*'in blondes, homicide squads, news- papermen and thugs, he was always in his meUer. "Naked City?* ]a» «U :of' these. . v.,-: Hellinger's oil-screen voice eames the narrative; At the very openinl! he describes .New York, with the aid of a mobile camera, and its teeming humanity. Kids at play. Subway straphankers. Street vendors on Or chard street, ^en that blonde with .:a questionable background who is mys teriously murdered. The kind of a etory that Hellinger, one of the great tabloid crime reporters of the bath tub-gin era, used to write. Through the pic the: iHtoducer** voice punctuates and bridges the film's incidents. The homicide s(tuad runninir down infinitesimal clues, roundup of sus- pects, all the detail that goes with jgreat 'crim*-reporting — these have been told with painstaking detail by Albert Maltz and Malvin Wald in their screenplay. In this pic there are no props. A Manhattan police station scene was photographed -in the police station; a lower eastside cops-and-robbers chase was actually filmed in the lo- cale; the ghetto and its pu-shcarts wer$ caught in all their realism. Throughout, despite its onuUadent, stark melodrama, there has been no sight lost of an element of humor. Barry Fitzgerald, as-the film's focal point, In playing the police lieuten^ ant of the homicide squad, '-strides through-■ the role with tongue' in cheek, wltit Don Taylor as his young, detective aide. They creditably han- dle the lead roles, while lesser per- formers who stand out are Howard DuS and Ted De Corsia. Most of the others are in for bit. parts, all of the players, incidentally, excepting Fitz- gerald, being recruited from New York legit or radio ranks. The direction by Jules Dassin was crisp and sharply points up. the dra- matic content as does the excellent camera work of William. Daniels. The music score by Miklos Hmsa and Frank Skinner always helps activate the story. Yes, New York has been made into a pretty exciting place by Mark Hellinger. ^'Naked City" can stand as ft fitting memorial KaTin. C«lt Norifastde 777 SOth-ITox release of Otto Lnn^ pn»duct3on. Stars' James 'Kte^vart;: feature* Richard Caiite, .Lee J. Cobb, Helen ■Walker< Di- rected by Henry Hathaway,* 'Screenplay, jferome iSt&v, Jay Dnttlei*; 'Aclaptatioji, .I«onard HOKman and Quentln BciyMlts from articles by Barnes V. McGuIre' cam-' era, Joe MaoDoimld; editor, J. Watsom Webb, Jr, Trailemiovvn In N. Y., Jan. 10, *48. Kunniner time. 111 )1INS. McNeal ; J<iuiefi Stewart Frank Wiocek...Rlctmnl Oonte Brian Kelly - Lee J. Cobb Xjaura McMeal...... Helen Walker Wanda Skutnlk..*... Hrtty Garde Tlllle. .Kiisia OrzazijWBkl Helen Wieeek-ReyHka. .,T(jnnn<wle Ilergh Palmer. ...Ilon^i^ £tolth . ,Pai*ole Board Chairman Moroni Olsen '8am-B^axon .Tohn Mtilntire Martin Burns ■ .Paul Harvey fiullivan (. J, M. Ken-i^an Judgie Charles Moulton. ...Samuel S. Hindu 4?AAiek Zaievka. Georse Tyno Warden ,<•....... nlehard Bishop Boris. ..,.....». .Otto WaldlB frank, 3.x- ••• Minhael Chapln Jan Qruska...... .John Blelfer J'ohn Alb«Tlson. .>..<,,<. .Addtnon Bluhards X.arMn.-........,4.«..4«.««.^.H.lcha2^ Bober JBatnlmas............vtt.......JSddi« Dunn- . WJUIam J)ecli«r....i...........Percy Helton SYoMCBtlss Att»nMy.i..^.....Caiai4«» lane faltering pace, an uneven realistic focus and only a thin dramatic point. Its potential at the wickets will nlnge, chiefly on Iti «tttaetiv» tiU* «nd castaames.' Among the film'* principal draw- backs is James Stewarfs jarring and unpersuasive performance in, the key role. As a Chicago reporter who's assigned to dig up a himian-interest angle out of an 11-year-old murder case, Stewart shuttles between a phoney cynicism and a sob-sister s^timentalism without ever jelling the portrait into a recognizable newspaperman. ' His over-theatrical flaws become even more glaring against the .eijpertly controlled thesp- ing of the other players. Henry Hathaway's direction marks retreat from- the . docimientary form. Instead of consistent realism, he lapses into a hybrid technique with plenty «it hokey melodramatic tones. His handling of the relations between the city editor ancl reporter, for example, is only a modified ver- sion of Hollywood's stereotyped glamorization of a newspaper office. Based on a celebrated miscarriage of justice in 1932,' when two innocent men were sentenced to 99 years apiece for killing a cop, the screen- play constructs a serviceable plot on the foctual groundwork. Film, how- ever, tends to' wander aimlessly in: an aver-^uxd running time. Hath- away is forced to pad the pic with some highly interesting visual gim- micks, such .as the operation of a lie detector machine, a photo fac- simile unit, a photo-developing tank, etc. But while interesting in them- selves, these digressions do&'t help to fuse tihe. story 'etements into a tight, structure. Title is derived from -a personal ad platied in the Chicago IJmes- Herald by the mother of one of the prisoners offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the re.- lease of her -son. Answering' the ad, Stewart uses it as a peg for a series of human interest stories about the case. Initially skeptical, he's pro- gressively drawn to a belief in the man's innocence and finally commits himself to plead tiie -convict's «ase in his paper. Plot swivels on" Stewart's efforts to blast the> testimony of the eyci- witness who. identified the killers. Finally, through a cute trick in which eth old photo is blown up sev- eral hundred times in order to un- cover a decisive clue, Stewart proves that a judicial enor was committed and exonerates the man. For some unexplainable reason, the fete of the other innocent man Is left in the dark, fliaybe he never bad a moths'. Bichard Conte gives an intoisdy smcere' performance as the young PolishrAmericaii who is railroaded to jail. As a broken'-down ex-speak- easy operator, Betty Garde also draws a sharp portrait in a relatively brief role. Lee J. Cobb, as the .city editor, is competent; > as is the rest of the long ro^r of players, ' -Lensing is ekpeit, miihitaiuing' a surface tone in the style of a reeli Editing is fairly smootti' and the musical score lends an uoobtSn-. sive assisL Herm. ' To the Ends of Earth Columbia 'release of Sidney Buchman production. Stars Dick Powell, SiKne ljaa^ so; features Maylia, Xiudwlfir Donath, Vla- dimir Sokololl, Edgar Barrier, John Hoyt. Directed by Robert Stevenson. Screenplay, Jay Hichnrd Kennedy; camera, Burnett Gulley; editor, William Lyon; music dirco- ter, Jt W. Stoloff, ErevJeiiseij in N. r., Jan.-IS. ■<«&' ftunnlnsTtlaM, IM ItneS. MIcWl Barrows \ Dick poweU Ann Grant .Sigi» Hasso Shu pan Wu................ .. .Maylia, Nicolas Sokim......«..i....IiiudwlE Xtanatli; £,iun Chi Cbew ....Vladimir Sofcalo*^ OrleCT .Bdsar BuiTior BentLett,...............„ , John IToy t Coqunissloiwr I^lesier.....Varc«l Journet JUberio Berado I.uia VAn Bouten nindn Sha..... ...Prltz T.eibi?r CommiaRioner Hadley, Vei^non Steele Ifahmoud.. Peter Virgo <3ommuKi0ner Amar Hassam.X'On Kruicmaia Chlan Soo..,,.; , .Eddie r^e« Naftalie Vnimlstadter.,.... .Ivan 'i'riesault KtTnando. Ijeon Tjenolr Joe.... Peter Cliotig CasKldyo. CeorKo Volk Clark. Kobert Malcolm . Comm. Harry J. AuHlLnf^er.........Himself Mimatoro Reviews "Xhe Natced City" (UI-Hellin- ger). Ibrk Hellingnr's last pic- ture is attiaiey In th« bank. 'CaU NsrtksWe nV (90tb). Documentary based on VISH Chi- cago murder ease has moderate dramatic impact. the Eiub «f Earth" {Col).' Action me Her with opium- smuggling theme; good bu). helped by . Dick Powell-Signe Hasso, . <ar«a Were Meant Far Ke" (Songs) <30th). Nostalgic tune- fe.st; hefty entertainment content for boxoltice. "My «lrl ^Jisa" (WB). Warm, human Interest story about early-day immigrants, 'but no b.o. assurance in star names. "Albavaergae" (Par). Stene»< typed western, but with okay prospects due to xast names and ^:.color. ,•. • !• ,■• 'VerUaas Waters" <Mono). Modest programmer with «kay entertainmrat values. "TeaOt Avenac Aaxel" (M-G). Trite tearjerker with poUyanna twist. 'Will get some attention from family, trade. "Mary Lou" (Songs) (COL). Mediocre musical for dualerst "Stage to Mesa City" (EL). Fair galloper, with .'*JUdt" . t«- Rue as the marque^ lute fioir ac- tion trade. "Fauy" ' (Indie) (French). Deeply moving French pic star- ring Raimu; surefire for sure- seate'r trade. latest documentaiy from 20tfa-Fox, "Call. Nortbside 777" has all the separate ingredients for a sock film but registers only with a mild impact due to a lack of integration. Although following the surface pattern of such clicks as "The House on 92nd Street" and "Boomerang," this pic has a "To the Ends of Earth"Js a fast- moving melodrama with dkay box- office results to be expected from its; marquee lures and snappy exploita- tion of its sensational theme: This is the pic that encountered heavy opposition from the Production Code Administration because of its opium- smuggling background. Scripter Jay Richard Kennedy, however, has jug- gled the theme into conventional whodunit patterns without a'ny ob- jectionable stress on the opium angle. - Film generates considerable inter- .e!!t from its shifting locales. As a FX S. government narcotics investi- gator, Dick Powell ranges over the whole globe, with major plot devel- opments occUiTing hi such widely scattered points as San Francisco, Shanghai, Egypt, Havana and the Atlantic Ocean off the New .Jersey coast. Production and direction are neatly keyed to a realistic note, giv- ing Aiaximum credibilily to the pro< 'ceedings. Beneath the documentary veneer, however, the film'spins a fantastic yam which, if factual,.only provra once again that truth is stranger than fiction. Pic's major premise is based on the existence of an inter- national ring of power-hungry fa- natics aiming to subjugate the peo- ples of the world through the spread of dope. Tale opens in 1035 with Powell making a routine Ghedk of an 'un- diarteied diip reported ofiFJhe Cali- fornia coast. High-point of the film's action is, staged in the opeDing reel as the Japahieee^nanncd. steamer, racing to get beyond the IS-mile limit, jettisons 100 Chinese opium- plantation slaves to destroy aU evi-^ dence. Unable to pin a rap on the captain, Powell picks up his trail in'Shanghai and gets a scent on a . notorious gang which has organized its smuggling activities into a fine/ science. In China, Qie finger of savieion. points to enigmatic Signe Hasso, act-- ing ' as governess to a Chinese girl oi^pban, as the sangiaadffiT. Fowdl: continues his: pursuit ot''the gang into Egypt; where' it's srowing the stuff, then beads; for the shipment destination in. Havana. Crosunc paths once again with JMiss Hasso here, Powell plays cagily in order to crack the: gang'.s system of smug- gling the snioke past the U. S. cus- lams guards in New York. After some- incredible guesswork, ine- sumed to be bi^illlattt. deductioasi Powell salves :the riddle and nabs the real leader. Like most who- dunits, she turns out to be Va* most innocent-looking character in the ■lot, the babyish, Chinese orphan, Maylia, who has actually been dup. ing Miss Hasso.- Interlaced with the action, , pic tries to put across a laudable one- world idea. Windup shows a session of the' narcotics control commission of the United Nations organizatSon at work trying tl> wipe out the opium trade. At several points, howevers film gets bogged in some morsdizing talk which is not at> tuned to this high adventure type of story. Cast .tisoeup, headed by Powell and Miss Hasso, do^ a uniformly com- petent job. Powell is adequately tough and taciturn while Miss Hasso uses her exotic looks to best advan- tage. 'Vladimir Sokoloff, as a Chinese oflicial, and Ivan Triesault; afi a Dutch opium smuggler, legister with polished performances. Maylia, as the _ Chintise las.sie, is burdened by an incredible role which she carries bJavely. Camera work is excellent through- out, contributing largely to the cap- ture of the atmospheres in the various locales. Smooth editing and good score also lend able -assistanoie. to round out tho ear-and-foot- tickling scorp. . ' Music gives punch to the standard musical stoiy ptottittK around whidi is deleted the daiw m lB29,tbe stod: market crash aod the depression that followed. Sbort^ikirtedfilippers, spit- curls, hipflasks »Ad wide-bottomed trousers will carry young oldUmers back to the days of the "chidcen-ln- cvery-pot" prosperity slogan. Jeanne Crain charmingly portrays the '29 flapper. There is an infec- tious quaU^ to her playin& that takes a strong hold tm thi auditor. Dan Deiley socks over his spot as the band, leader, a composite of sev- eral of that period. Vocal chore mi the seiiien -songs, phis .tetpingL also falls his way. He iKores'in ati de- partments. In addition to the title tune, re- prised several times, score has' "(xoodnight Sweetheart," "Crazy RhythnC "Am't MLsbehaving," "If I Had You," 'TU Get By" and "Ain't She Sweet." Backing Dailey oh vo- cals is male trio, and arrangements are of the era, which heightens nos- talgia, value. Plot deals with marital upa and downs of Miss Crain and' JJailegr. Married on short acquaintance, the honejrmoon is a series of one-nl;^ stands, and when "Wall Street I^ps An Egg," Dailey cant adjust himself to hard times. A contrived qtUtup. takes place but the maestro wises up in time to make for a happy finale, Lloyd Bacon's direction has pace, humorous touches and other showmanly handling to build the en- tertainment content to a pleasing level. ■ Oscar Levant does ano&er of his sour-pussed characterizations — and that isn't bad.* He also -gives compe- tent touch to Gershwin's 'X:oncerto in F." Tercy Kilbride and Selena Boyle are amusing snialltowners. Barbara Lawrence, Herbert Ander- son and others in cast fill in. Fred Kohlmar's production guidance point&.up atmosphere of the ttht with auOientlcity aided by capable art ^ rection and set decorations. Good lensing was contributed by 'Vicfor Milner. Lionel. NewmanV musical direction has'sharp orchestral and vocal .arrangemeiAs by Herbert Spencer, Earle Ibgen and Ciiarles Henderson. Brag. pet>0d^ art <U«Ktioii, Dthor cttotributioas «x« My Girl Tlsa > (SONGS) Hollywood. Jan. Ifi. "Wanwia TftnoMt of Kilton. SMrllns (United 6tates.Plctium) production.' Stats LlIU Palmer, Sam,. Wan^maker; tefltucos .Aklm /(^liiuli; Alan -Kale;, tbiteo fiaas, Oale Boblilos, stel)a Adisr. Benny Baker. Directed by Elliott "Kuient. Sciwenplay. Allen l)orei:z; ijaecd upon a play by lai- cllle S. Pruinba and Sara B. ftfmitii; camera, Emeit llalier; .miivle, 21ax StehDer: editor, ChTlstlaH JNyby. Tradcxhown In Holly- wood Jan. la, '-J8. ItunninK time, 98 MIN8. TIsa Kepes . I.llll Palmer Mark Deuek ..Sam Wananulfcer Mr. Grumbat-h Akim Tamirolt IXiEHu Alan Ifato 3>scu...........,^....,..........B;ilS** VUam Jennjr Kcim...............-^.GaM Raliblu iKra. 'Kalndi..... ...Stella Adter Bennan, ^ ^ ,.,,„;. .Benny Baker Cl«otsl«,......M...........Sumner <aet<:tasU Blnta.......,'.,....»«.»...etd Totnack Svenson John Qaalen Hiley Tom Dl lion Ihf.atUim Roosevelt... Kidney Blackmer Prof. TalJOr.... .Fritz Felfl Otto .John Banner camera "Work, the Max Steiner scora stddded with oldtime and foreign tunes synonymous of the people and 'eaitlng and excelled^ Broj, jAllNHpi«««pi« (GOLOK) Hollywood, Jan. 14. Paramount leleaoe ot William Pine.wiW 11am- Thomaa (Clarion) croductii'iii. Sitn Hnndolph Beatt, Barbai» Brilton, Geoi-ES %labby" Hayw, ' Irfin Chanry; features Runell Bnydan, Catbertne Craig, Gcoraa Cleveland. Directed by Hay BoriKhL firreenplay, Gen* l>wl», Clarence Cpson Younn; from novel liy Juuke Shoit; eain* era (Clnecokn-), Fred Jackman, Jr.; music Bi-mt), Dan-ell Calk«r; editor, ITowatd «nv!lh. TradCHhown Jan. tS, '48; Itiinninc tline, m MINH, ■ €t>}e A rmm Riincliilph seatt T.etty Tyler Barl)!ii-;i Dritton Juke Georifo "Galiby" Uay«« Stove MurkU.. .....I.mi Ohaney Ted Wallace... HushiH H.iyiien Celia 'Wallace...............Ciitherlue Oi-als- John Amiln Rc-nree ClOM-land Myrtle Walton...,........ .liaroiyn ttvimea SheHH Unton,..Bernard J. .N'edcII SuKKini ..^«.......^liui»seU Siiupeon I'eiiri ..,,.,......,,. i.... jody «ll*)evt Jarluion.......,.....jDan Whit* Oave'WaUon. ...Inetag Itacun Matt Wayne , Jolin Ualloraa Jads« .'WUter Baldwin iron Were Meaat for Me (SONGS) Hollywood, Jan. 17. iOHl-Pos relea.se of l'-i-o<l Kohlmnr pro- duotiiin. Slars Jeanne Ci-aln, Dun Ballpy; featurea OncaV U'vant. liiirliura I,,:iim>ncc Seiean Boyle. r«r<-y ICUlH-ide. H«i-l«rt A«- deraon. IHrecte>1 by Uoyd Bacon, ficreen- pliiy, KHrit Moll, Valentine Davies; tamera. Victor Milner; mnaicnl direction, Lionel Xewmji n; orchefstral ■ armngeitMStttd, Her- iiert apeocer. Karle Haicen: vocal arianKo. incnta, dndei! RendeiKOn; dancee, Dan Diilley, Les Clark; editor. William Rey- nolds. Traileshown in Itollyivood Jan. 14, Ma Runnliie time, M miirH. I'OKBy Mnyhew.......,.....,i.Jeann« Crain Cluick Arnold...;.......,.. .Dan Dailey DetiHT. ........^ ......Oacar T,.e van £ LouiiW Clane.^........M ..JBarhara l^awrence Mrs. Mayb«ir..,. SeUna Boyle Mr. M«hew ...........Percy KUbilde Bddle... Herbert Anderson Framing itself around the still- listenable tunes of the 1929-30 crash era, "You 'Were Meant for Me" is pleasant entertainment thaft should do well at the boxoffice. Seven songs are given full treatment, and. a num- ber of others are interspersed briefly "My Girl Tisa" tells a warm, inter- esting story of American immi;;rants at the turn of the century. Handed colorful production in keeping; with the New York background of that era, film has strong performances and direction to rate xood word-of- mouth attention. Only sag in Whole show is the .hokum ending, but its fairytale flavor is held to short f oota£e. There's np b.o: asBiuance in the star names to back <ip the-.Obvi- ous top-budget allotment. Apparently, Milton Sperling's United States Pictures, leleasnnc through 'Warners, has pat a great deal of f aith - in capturing public fancy with a new male star, Sam Wanamaker. Exploiting of new star, the general strong eflfect o£ the pic- ture and word-of-mouth are all fac- tors that will help shape bdxoflice returns. Wanamaker is a young talent with a personality that builds. He makes an-able partner with LiUi Palmer m depicting little people who have come from the old codntry to^ow' with America. Characters tue graph- ically drawn in the seriptinjr and portrayals. Elliott Nugent achieves a telling eilect with his direction. Particularly good characterizations are Akim Tamirofl's sweatshop operator, Hugo Haas' villainy as crooked travel agent who preys on the hopeful, Stella Adler's lusty boatding-house- keeper, Alan Hale's politkian, and Benny Bajna's beer-barrelled type of the day. Allen Boretz scripted fr^m an un- produced play by Lticille S. Prumbs and Sara B. Smith. Plot depicts Miss Palmer as middle-European slaving^ to get money so her father can come to the new country. Her plans are undisturbed until she falls for Wanamaker, ambitious would-be lawyer. Story canries them through romance and heartbreak, deportation proceedings instigated by Haas, and other tribulaticMs with a line flavor Tight up to the wishful ending when ■youhg love is rescued bv the inter- vening hand of the President of the United States — Teddy Roosevelt. Final scenes don't compare In worth to ecnuincncss of preceding footage. Sperling has given film authentic production backing. Xlrnest Haller^a With all the basic ingtedients to be exciting western filmfare, "Albu- querque" nevertheless misses. Initial boxofflce outlook, however, is okay, based on values of such outdoor sturdies as Randolph Scott, George "Gabby" Hayes and others. Color lensing also adds- to , ticket'Selling possibilities,- Pine-llKimas, who have bee . turn- ing out successful string of bread- and-butter "B's" for Paramount re- lease, have a sturdy physical fram- ing in this pic, but story lacks punch, Basically, the Luke Short story, from which Gene Lewis and Clar- ence Upson Young did their script, has all the fried and true ingredients necessary to appeal to the western action fan. The crooked sheriff, the town bigshot, .stage holdups, pure sagebrush Jove and a sttcmig, true hero ate all fiient. Bialog and situ- ations are awkward. Scott and Hayes ' bolster doings considerably. Former is seen as nephew of 'town tyrant, George Cleveland, and stei)s in to help save a small wagon train line when the bigshot tries to kill off competition. There's never much doubt of the outcome and the hero eventually winds die winner. Barbara Btitton «nd Catherine Craig afe in for romance and arv adequate to demands. X,on Chaney teams with Cleveland for the heavy work, and Russell Hayden' on the side of the liero. Others measure up. Bay Enni^ .directed in a not- always-satistactory manner. Strong- er helming could have put more sock into action. The excellent color photography is by Fred Jackman, Jr. Other technical. aids aid first dass. Btog. MtoaoBicun iHSini] of Jack Wratlwr pre-' duetkn. Stan 9ns Castle, Audrey Ix«s, ^e«?isy Knudflea; featuren Samuel ^. Hinds, tilorla Holden. John Mlljan. Directed by Jack Berniurd. Screenplay, Iticliat-d Wona- Mr, Franda Baaenwald. Iruu Good Uoaae* keeplns atcry, *^earc1i,** ■ oy ;l>on Ware; camera, Henry Sharp; editor, fite^rt - S. Fryo. At New York theatre, X. y.. week Jiin. 19, m. RUnnint; time, «« MINH. Willie Hunter... .Don rj»«tl« Judy Gase ;.Audres> Ijons P^it Ileirla. ........^.^.^....PesKy Kuudcen Dana Verrla..Siunuel S. Miada ■Jim. FerrM .Gloria Holilen ^!arter I.a»kln,.. .Tohn MiUan Finnklia....A............../ Walter Sande «:i»ptaln P<irtei'............Stenicy Andrew* 'The B«M...... ..ry Kendall Fred .....i Gane Cawlch Bart (ieorjte Ramjey Rra<ika...........^...........'..MIice KlUan Fii<«ieraw>.„;......:...';........Jai&in fU*c(» "Perilous Waters" is a modest ptogrammer whose entertainment values are reinforced with liberal quantities of action and romanM. While there's nothing particuiarly original about the story, film man- ages to generate enough interest to more than hold its own in the dualers. Made on a budget said to have been around $225,000, picture re- flects a good standard of acting, direction and production for that kind -of coin. Cast is «n able one headed by Don Castle, who bears St resemblance to Clark Gable. Exhibs would do well to stress the yain's romantic angles in a bid for the femme trade. Audrey Long and Peggy Knudsen offer surefire eye appeal as contender's for Ca.stle's affections,, Plot is a relatively simple one with most of It unreeling aboard a yacht underway for Mexico. Owner of the vessel is a newspaper publisher (Samuel S. Hinds). He's been on an anti-gambling crusade, and Castle, ships aboard the craft to rub him out. But Castle, who's been hired to do the job for 10 grand, suffers a change of heart and fails' to fio through with his mission. Aljjo woven in the tale for more or less sinister effect are some small- time blackmailing and swindling which John Miljan attempts to p,uU off. In cahoots with Hinds' wife,' Gloria Holden, he tries to shake lum down as we-Il as the publisher's sec- retary. Miss Long. As a whole the acting is generally okay. Castle is stalwart enough as the hero, while roles of Hind.s. Mil- jan and Miss Holden are capably (Continued on page 20)