Variety (Mar 1948)

Weilneiday, IVIarch 3, 1948 Miracle mt th« Bells Hollywood; f«ib. 2S. - TLKO releane iit Jesm. I<. lJulcy-'WaIUr< IfacHiWfn production. fitMB Fred MacMur- iwy, Vftlli. Frtnic- Slnntni: ItMtuwn I^ee,!. C'rtbb, V«rmvllrti Pataky, Vhlllp Alin; Har- eia ■Vewnllyea. Dirwted hy IrvlnK PWlieJ. tlciK!enjaa.y, BMi Heclit, Quentln Rwnolds; trom i\oir»l by Russell Jannw; CTmera, Kobeit DcGraEse; Bcore, I^igh Harlluo; mnii (Enellalt lyilcsl, Ju1»b Styne aiid S»iiiniy Calm; bikhjIkI bell e(rectaj_t.H>ertjr OarlUoM, Inc.; eililor. Elmo ■VylUlmn*: TradeHhoWn Feb. 10, '48. Running time, 118 mWi Hill Dunnigan Fred MacMumjy t)lKa Tre.'skovna. . V»Ml rather Paul Franis Sinatra MaioUB Harris I.e»-J. Coht Anna Klovnsf.: Veronitai Pataky Mlnir Oow.,.., rhilln Ahn NU;k OrtoK-. Harold VM-nillj-rai Father, Siting.. tJharles Meredith Doctor.... ..i...., ... •. • .I'ranb' Wllop» "The ISiitHsle of the ISells" comes Jto the screen as ^ tremendously moving draniK Told with compel- ling ^pUcity And great, hieart, it will lato audience acelaim that counts -for heavy grosses. As a goodwill messenger for Hollywood. Aim also is potrat. In telling the story ot faith as narrateii- in Bussed JanueyV novel of the saine title, Jesse I.. Lasky and Walter MacEwen have strung their production: on a chord of simnlicity that registCTR with the widest ap- peal.' The-, characters; locale and theme ring true. Valli, introduced to American -audiences iti a prevnius Hollywood' production ('•Paradine-Case"), justi- fies any acclaim witti Mer perforaw- artce in "MSiacIe." It's- a- portrayal of great sympathy, understanding and boff talent. Her marquee value should soar after this. She- is not alone; though, with: Outstanding work'. Her co-.starSi Pred itSiacMur- ray and Prank Sinatra, top previous performances; and' Hsb featured and supporting , players- come- thmu^ -with characterizations that make the story live, .. ^'Miracle" is not without its human' chuckles,, and never bears down with a dramatic wei^ that -would make- for heaviness or tedi- eusness. Responsible for this smooth flow of interest is the direction of Irving Pichid, .which makes the al- most tworhour nmning time seem co-iparatlvely ntort. Screenplay by Ben ^Hecht. and Qi-sntin ReynaldK is always engross- iag in development,-takes-hold eor^ and never \ets- Up in the realistic unfoldmrait. Script 'isn't patterned too cloady in detail to the novel, ■but brings' out the original's theme with all the scope possible in screen treatment, , St»iy is. told partly in flashback as a hotshot, press agent biangs the body-of an actress back to the small Fennsyt mining'town, in' whii^ she was bom, ffir biuiial. The ehatacteir of the .girl, 'what she found in life end what she: panted to give to her people, is. brought out as Fred Mac- Murray, the flai^.recounts her story to the prie5t..af a ^all, poor chtlrch, MacMurrsgr's scheming to make her k funeral » memorable event' and, in- i cidental^ to- use that fanfare to in- f duce her .producer to release her Htst and only picture,- has a vivid reaction throughout- the nation. Story subject seems mortiid, but so 'tsstfully is it -handled, it never re- pels and the 'miracle of; the bells created , gets a strong grip on the imagination. Miss Valli's performance conveys the impression of tiie poor Polish girl, .'ambitious for good, with a feel- ing that sticks home. Her reading of Joan ef Arc in the motion picture sequences' is high artistry. Mac- Murray -shddics the p:a. character w'th just the righft touch to -win in- terest. Sinatra, the' poor priest, is outstanding. It's a human, thought.- ]ful portrayal. He «l«o sings Englidl Jyries'to a .Polidi folksong, "Ever iEIomeward;" for standout vocal mo- ment. Lee J. Cobb is a .dolid .ambassador for Hollywood in his performance ss the producer. It's a character that's more true to life than the popular fiction drafting of 'film mak^ ers as money-grubbers with no in- stinct for,:.good or beauty, 'Veronlka Fatalcy, a tempecamental actress, clicks in a single scene. Philip Ahn lends dignity to performance as an i>ged Chinese, and Harold'Vermilyea graphically gets over the smallness that afflicts too many persons in this -world. Leigh Ha«IIhc's musical score, -directed by Constantin Bakaleinl- tuofi, is an ace job. Special bell effects and other baclc^ound toneSj .figure importantly. Robert De- Grasse did the top quality lensing and other credits are equally out- standing in measuring this one for attention. Brogt Gary Cooper as Orville In WB Wrights' Biog Hollywood, March 2. Gary Cooper will play Orville 'Wright in Warner film on lives of the airplane inventors, Wilbur and Orville Wright. Henry Blanke will produce. It will be second film of Cooper's new Warner pact. First, going soon, will be "Fountainhead." Se«<l«l«-HMl (CObOtt) Hollywood, Feb. 28. aoth-Fox relcaSQ ot Walter Nonosco pro- duction. Stan 4uii« Hav«?! teetiuw lion McCalliater, Walter Breonan, .Anno Be- vero, Natalie Wood, HoWat Kitrno», Henry HliU, Tom luHft Direction and ecreenplay, F. Hugh Herbert. From novel by OeprW Agnew Chamberlain; camera <Tedhnlcolor), Smest Palmer; muMc. Cyril HodtarldQ; editor, Harluoa Jones. Tradeehowtt Feo. «• '48. Kunnlnv-tim«v Mr M«N8, . Uud McGiU June Haver Snug Dominy..............lion McCalUster Tony Maule. .'WaUer Hrennan Judith Domlny Anne Beyero Bean McGlU Natalie Wood Stretch Dominy............ .»obe»-t Kamra Milt Domlny Hem-y Hull Roarer McGIU jy>m 'fully Chea ^'^''IS?".? Mrs. MoQIU Geraldlho Wall Shcrlir Bursom.. Ken Christy Jmlge Stmtrell , ^l"^ Jim?.... Matt MeHuah Bai'brr.................Charles Wageliheim Duxait.'.............■■',...Hmliort Heiywwod Ted. .. .....Kdw-ard tSarK.-tn Blmer «uy B«J»'h Uulane Pat Collins 3Sx\. . .V. •: .OharMM Woolf Stablet Hatid .Kujfone Jackson Olrl Friend Marilyn Monroe Miniatiire Reviews "The Mirmele af the Bells" (RKO). Simple, moving story of faith. Certain of potent audience response. Strong b-o., "Soadda - Hoo! Sendda-Hsy!" (Cohjr). (20th). Modern farm- ing story excellent for general b.o. "Xfce Bctnrji of the WliUtlei" (Col). Fairish Whodunit for supporting situations;' "The B»wk *r »*W€ter Biver" (KL). Poor western in the Eddie Dean aeaAes, . "OklaaiMiiK mObataar (Rep). Allan "Rocky" Lane in fast- paced western thriller; fine sup- port on tM^nners. "Biiuiehe-Viary" (Color) (Brit- ish) (GCD). Stewart Granger in mo«dy meller; likely . only for prestige market in V& 'An OiUogy to a mule . doesn^t- sound like B good, commercial film idea, but "Scudda-Hoo! Scudda-Hay!" easily proves it is. Taken from the hovel of the same title, which en- joyed » wide, reading audience, plot has been adapted to celluloid in mannen that carries appeal for most any theatregoer. "Added value of Tenhnioolorj a sound story <rf faim life, and genwsd' production show- manship augur well for boxoffice. returns in most situations. 'While theme of giving the mule his proper' place in fame as a .'imart draft animal is thoroughly explored, elements ot stoity. that will hit; a wider ^peal have not been over- looked; Combination of the two has been developed with punch ifl' P. Hugh Herbert's script and^ as direc- tor, he overlooks no bets in pointing tile ingredients for audience inter- esl^i A flrstrate cvodit tm both counts. The. mule, with no .pride of an- -cestry and no hope for posterity, is shown for just what he is-^ hybrid developed from mating of a horse' to a jack—a proud uiimal, able to: hold his own witif the thoroughbreds for savvy, wotfc fdiility, or contrari- 'ness. FiliQ examples are .a pair of string animals', a lacgo^mule and a jenny.' ° . Lon McGallister gives a sound portrayal as the young farm lad who acquires ownership of the mules on the time-payment plan and bis ad- jventures. as he woisks and 'flght« to retain them ragainst: odds posed by nature and man ase engrossing. Left with a cruel stepmother and .■step- brother when his father, returns to the sea, McCallister hires himself out to a blustering farmer neighbor: Hard'Work to meet his weekly pay- ments on the team, his romance witih the- farnter's daughter, his friendship with an old muleskinner and other ingredients are told with jinteresting simplicity in the Herbert script. ; June Haver, as romance opposito: McCallister, justifies her staixing role in one scene when she tells off' her father for his plot to take aiway the boy's team. Otherwisev.her role is more or less standar4, Wsdtw Brennan is skillful as the old mult!- skinner. Anne Revere and Robwt Karnes are excellent as the menac.. iog step-parents. Tom Tully gives a top account of himself as the loud- mouthed farmer and little Natalie Wood clicks as Miss Haver's kid sis- ter. Henry Hull is seen briefly and effectively as McCallister's father. Geraldine Wall and others in the cast point up their playing well. Walter Morosco gar'bed ' the prO' •duction with topnotch outdoor values and gave the George Agnew Chamberlain novel intelligent screen interpretation. Ernest Palmer's color lensing milks every value from the outdoor and night scenery and other credits measure up in craftsmanship. , Bro0. Rottirn «»f the WUsder i^olmnbia releane ol' Rudi>l|ih C; Ij-lothow nroduotion. Featum HIcbael Duaiie. Le- nore AuHert, Itlohard T.dne; Dlrnoted hy I>, Hon X^dcnnan. Orlslnal atory, Comi'U Woolrlch, aueseiiied "oy CU8 program, ■The Whiotler"; screenplay, Edward Bock, Mau- rlcR TombraKe); camera, Philip Tahnui-ii; editor. Dirluht Caldwell; manic, MlBcha 'Bahaleinikoir. At ifew Yorker thetitre, N. T., Fob. 38, -ABi ItUnnlAK time, 63 MINS. Ted NIcholir. Michael IJuane Alice Barclay .Tjenors Aubert Gaylani Tmvem Richard I.«ne John JMmw Cam well Mre. Barclay...... .Ann Sltoeiiiaker Mrs. Hulakamv. ......Sarah Padden ...-. Gntntland. ,.. .Wilton flhiil Jolt Andennn..................Olin irowlin Hum Eddy Wall^ Arnold.... Z . .Trevor BardettB Sybil....;.....,..,......, Ann Doran Hart.............. .Robert Kmnett Keane Captain GrlgW..............Kdiiitfr Dearine would-be bride with Duane unable to providei Uny of her batsfcground that woidd lead to her return. From a few effects left b^ind, he's able to trace her-whereobouts and finally afi« feet a reunion after the customary chase and fisticuffs. , Central character of the CBS radio program, "The Whistler," has little if anylming to do with the proceedings; Occasjanally, the Whistler flashes across the screen with some dire forebodings that neither contribute nor detract from the general pro- cedure.' The lead roles by Duane and- Lcnore Aubert, lattep as the missing bride, are completely essayed, witti staunch support by Richard Lane as the private eye who walks ints the case. James- CardweU> pnvides-' the major portion of the villainy. . Directojr D. Boss Lederman man- ages' to infuse some excitement after the story padding is out ot the way. .Lensing by Philip Tannursis.ohay. open spaces plot in that the cowboy hero fakes being the newly, «rriv«l r«ncfaowner, a comely farame. Thte enables him to outwit the usual western outlaws and the familiar two-faced leaders, this time the lat- ter being a westwn newspaper pub- lisher. Besides painting him as tiioroughly unsonipulous^ yarn inclined, to poke fun at an out-of- -work legit actor. There's the usual note< due on the ranch, the careening^, stagecoach, stickups, gimplay. and' rough-and- tumble fights. Last one is staged on the top Of a racing stagecoach for a maximum of thrills. Besides the fine job turned in by Lane and his hoss^ Mildred Coles- adds the necessary femme touch as flie newly-arriv£d ranchowner. Eddy Waller adds some comedy touches as the hired hand at the ranch, Cieue Stutenroth' heads- the support. Bed- sides Canutt's fast direction, John IfisBurnie does nicely with- has cam- .era. Wenji Fiwy (Crier) London, Feb. 19. General Film Diatributors rclrjim! of- A. Hnw4oct{-Allsn ' (TlankH'iue«inU1) prodiHv lion. SJtars- Valerie HobAon. st*>wnrt Gran- der. . Directed by ' Man^ AJlOKrel. . flrreen- play by Au«lrey- I.indoii. (;!ccil MMJivom from n»y<.l by- J6eeph SliearinK, Hdltur, Jack Ubi-rla; .inu9U\ Clifton Piiricer; cam- era, Guy .ODeen, iH^iBttiy TlMwerth. At Odaon. Runnlnic Ume, W MIIW. Philip TiMM-o -.fitewavt Grsinser Bianetae Fury...,.>..:.,....Valerie Molimn Simon Fury . Waiter FitzKerald Lavurenre Fury.Michael Gouxh Kajdr Fraaer.. Maurice l>enliam {.onisa.... HyhillA Binder Oblonel Jcnliii>;^. ....^.GkUvard T^esfsr tJKvUtla Fnr^.'........,,. .Suzanne GlblHt Wetherby. Mhm Jeayes Galamy,..i .KmeRt Jay l.>vrd Rwlford............... Ai-ltiur '^Vontner .VML Wlnterbourne. ......Amy VetwM Almeer. Georse Woodlnrldjce Jordan ^.......Biian Herbert BroannitinK Couneel.T..Cecil Baniase Molly , t-nierry London ................ ;Tawn»en(l' WitJcliei; :Uta. Htiwkes, :..,...M«r!;aret Withers (SON«S.) . Baglo Lion reletme ot ■ Jew Thomas pro- duction, atain Ea<He D»am leiituree Jen- nlCer Kolt, .lloscoe Ate.^, Junci< Carimm. Dl- rei'teil by Ttay Taylor; Original a;)ieenpliiy, George Smith; crinni-a',. Kmic Miller; eongs, Dmn, Hill Bliiir. Pete Oatea; editor, Joe (Ituclr. I'rcviewed.JI, T., Feb. ■Sit, MS. Bun- iilUK time. SH-SHNS; ^ Bddie'. Kddio Doan 8oa)iy. ^. .Hoscee Ate« ViTlan. .'... ..Tennlfer : Holt <''aroiB ..V.....Juiu) Carliian Cochrane ..;.......Kddle Parker ■Mitchell..... .Tei-ry Frost 'Copper*. I.nne Bmdtord rHea-t^. t. .* .<i^arl Mathewa Heavy...........................Teii French .Bill... . Steve Clark Drh-er................... Tex Palmer Film vaults -evidently contributed in no small way to the footage of "Tl>e Hawk of Powder Rivec." Number of'scenes which had been, used in lureviously released Bddie Dean oatuners are spliced into the plot of this entry. Picture is. bound to produce a "haven't J seen this be> fore" reaction among the action fans. B.o. prospects mUd. While the story formula remains basically similar to other films in this series, thereY a slight switch in ■that Jennifer Holt is tiie .leader of' the outlaws, Her underlings kill her uncle who was on the vmge. of ex- posing her. JSfae ^ao plots- tb rub out her' cousin, June Carlson,, bttt the scheme is nipped by ]3!ddie Dean. Usual chase-, sequences, fisticutts and shootim; .sprinkle the reels. Quartet of songs is sandwiched in at ^Strategic points. Tunes sll had been spotted in other Dean pix. Acting is so-so with Dean contrib- bing his standard characterization of a U.S. Marshal on a secret mission. Miss Holt is a credible lieavy while Miss Carlson shows the need of further cicperience. Ros6oe Ates, as customary, supplies the comic re- lief. Others- are adequate. Ray Taylor's direction is fair. Producer Jerry Thomas drew the budgetary purse.^rings a bit too tightly on ''Hawk." Ernie MUler's camerawork is average. Joe Ghick rates a nod for editing the library clips in .so adroitly. T|us.,$l,900,(WO Xechniceldr entry in the current Joseph Shearing cycle <*™o!!s Ro.sc," "Mark of Cain," "So Evil My Love") is like all Shearing murder stories in that it's based on :fact. This film is on the famous.Buish murder in the 19th cento^y, which caused a stir throughout England. It is a morose, moody tale of sex and unabashed villainy. Picture has been well produced althtiutfa cool calcu- lation is visible in eiyery. move of the picture. Pic shnuld-cio well here, but may only find i. prestijge! market in U. S. .'fVench director Iiiarc AUegret makes his -EEnglish debut and his technique is evident throughout. He has used color to Jgreat advantage, while his settings and outdoor scene.s have immense beauty.. fhis should help put it; over although. prinNpal .b.o. jpodl will be Stewart Gxai^te. . Xhe suddenness with whidi the .cUmax is reached, the amazing and tiot wholly explicable chanjie in .« .'loving' womaai and' the seeming in- sanihr in the man 'afte loves .are never satisfactorily lacplained; Not one of the principals is.sympa- thetie, which is hardly an asset. But that is the nature of the tale, and Blanche^ played by 'Valerie Hobson (Mrs. Bavelock-Allan), certainly dominates the picture.. She has beautjr that lends itacffi enchantingly to color. If she cannot register the depth such a woman should have had ii perhaps is because it is asking too much of one person. credit side, flkn manages to generate that "old Russia" look' through au- thentic settings and backgrounds, appropriate costuming and sonie ' darldy shadowed lensing. Well-known yam ot« comscienoe- stricken muroerer who's finally driven to confessing his crime is enacts by a group of thesper? who make near-misses in tiieir parts. As Raskolniknv, flie pauperized intel- lectual with m Nl^fioleonic complex, Hampe. Fsaistmim glowers strongb through his role but lacks the fine shadings necessary - to project acute psychologioal suffeijngi As the de- tective who plays .« cat-and-mouse game with his victim, Sigurd Wallen also misses the depth of irony need- ed as counterpart to the crimlnars fake bravado. The women 'come through a bit more effectively. Gunn Wallgren, as the »ligious sti«etwaIker, registers with an honest and simple perform- ance. Playjns Baskolnikov's sister and mothw, Vrie Albin and Harriet Philipson usa'ddivw solid portray- als. Rest 9t the cast give good , sup- port : Herirt.' ',■ (DOCVMiBNTAS¥) American -Film Preduceofr Pniduciion. Narratinni, Georse Bryan and Philip .staUl; mlitoF, Jean Oner: music, EdwaM- (^ralg, ItevJewe* W. y,, Feb. 25, '48. Uunnlnis time, n mam. Aikilph HiHer. II iniKelt Kvti Hraun liti-isrit- Ifeimann Geiering. lltniwic Ifuul Josenb Ooebbela Iltmself Julius Stnicher........ .HlmwJt Heinrich Himmler.,........ ....Hlmqeir Beiilta MU—l lBii....... Hlnweir And a aKVPorltBgs'east ot other flunmiK and Infkmonv iierxmages. "The Return of the W hi s t le r" ■tnis'ses because of obvious padding of an insufficient amount of story ma- terial. With some judicious editing, the film could have been a superior suspense thriller. However, there's an'okay substitution of the chase and fisticuffs to provide the picture with the noimal quota of excitement. Fair dualer. There are times during the picture when the taut story lines of the Cornell Woolrich original are dis- cernible. However, an undue amount of slow dialog and unnecessary flash- backs obscure the virtues of the original idea of presenting a crime with few clues to work on. The story concerns the sudden dis- appearance of M i c h a e 1 D u a n e' s Stewart Granger, as Philip., is a curious- mi}dure of degeuefate no- bility with melodramatic stableboy. His best moments are those of pas-, sion, but the camera and the script'score is adequate, are occasionally less kind to him th'an it has been to his co-star. The .lesser characters are played with sldlL Camera work is good. Both con- tributed more than the usual share to a «U5tin<:;tive,,i^eture. Cane. Oklfthows Badlands Hcpubllt! release «( Gordon Kay produc- i.imi. KtarB Allan "Rocky" T..aiie. Directed by Yakimfi C'anutt. OrfvUml scittenplay, Bob WUlianiH; camera, John' HacrBurnle; editor. Ai thur TltibcrtB. Tradeshown .H Y,, I'Yb. *.!7, -4,8. Hunniiig time, m MIN». Allan "Boclcy" lJ^nc..Allan '-Hocky" I.Ane Nugget Clark.. ..lUddy Trailer Leslie Rawlins. ..Mildred Coles Sanders..................... .'.Roy Barcroft- Oliver Budt,'" Oenift stutenroth .lonathan Walpole...........B!arle Hodeins Hiiarkey,Dale Van SlcKel Ken RatrllnB... ^.Jay Klrby ytKatha Scrajig Cluiro Whitney .sherlfr........................ .Terry Frost l^ostmaetcr (lltttk Fatternon PirHM€-iiKcr............... IlouHe Peters, Jr. Htugecoach Dricer. Jack Kirk With' the baddUig of the Navy Club of the, Ul S., an indie produc- tion outfit; Imown as American Silm Producers has*-'compiled a chrone- logieal pictorial accouot of Hitler's rise and eventual slide to'oblivion. Negotiations for theatrical dL-rtribu- t'ion of the '61-minute film are in progress. Exhibitors will find the picture packed with exploitational qualities. For the most part, "Love Lite of Adolph Hitler" does not rank as a good documentary of the past war. Title chosen is cheap add lurid. "No doubt it will stimulate interest of ' '^ind bouse patrons, hut the better situations will shy away. - Market for this one will be garnered, by heavy .bally plus tlfe further atten- tion of those who are morbidly, cu- rious tis .to bow £va Braun looked in a bathing suit. Film's title is a misnomec inas- much as the pic sti«sses Hitler's de- sire for power as his dominating trait rather than overly developing the top Nazi's occasional fondness , for . women. Most of the footage ap- pears to be old newsrcel vault stuff. However, the producers claim much of the film's running time represents dips seized from the Germans, es- pecially the Sequent sequences where Hitler's paramour, Eva Braun, is seen froliekin^ at Berchtesgaden. Entire print is accompaaied by narration of George „ Bryan and Philip Stahl. Summed up, their comments ^iut aut a moral by re- tracing, the diabolical development of the Hitler military machine via the. Qelhiloid medium. Naturally, with the Navy Club sponaoring the picture, the moral is the "Navy is our first line of defense" and as such we must^ build it up to the extent where a tbniiar threat to world peace cannot be maxie. Editing and iiarm&m are fairly woll handled, while "ftae mnsieal Gilb. Clime and iPuwittluncnt (SWEDISH'-MABB) (In Swedish; '£n.0li«h Titles) Film -Hii^hts International relciisc of Terrafliiu piyHluction. Stai-s Hnmptt FauHt- man. D-lrettted by-Faustman. ?*c7't't.nrilny. Bcrtll AlalinlKirK, Kven Rtolpc; VKtsed on Dostoevaky novel; camera, Goran -Strinil- licrg. At fStaJilej', N. Y., VH). 28, '40. KunninK time, IM MNSi-. Raskolnikov. Hampe FslitsllYian jSenia... .. .... ,...........Ounn VVailfrren Samiotov Siiiurd Wallen Dunia. ,...... .Blsie Albitn X'U..|Jia .....Gfeeme- Funk<iulst Modern. .Tckla SJoblom ituBumlklD. -. .Toivo Pavtrlo Allona Uilsa Widborg Harmeladov. .. Huko BJOrnc Katarina.. I.isskuUn. John Kaiascfahft. .*... .Harriet Plillipson Lost HapiritaMRfifli (ITAUAN-MAIHE) X.C.I, release aed pi-oduetlon. .Slavs I.«Dnardo Cortese, Ulna MasBBll. Direrted by -F. M. Haiti. At Cinema Verdi, 1*. Y., Fell. !17, '48. Huonln« tKnei Iff *MSIB. UiorKio VIglieri....,, Leonardo Cnrtese Anna...........,....,.T....... .Dlna Batatoli Fi»nco ..Manuel Itiiero .Sahastrlaro , .Gliuieii)>e Porf>lll .Vicola......... i ,. ..ATHldo Tier! Maria................. Adrian* de Koberto Allan "Rocky" Lane and his big stallion, "Black Jack," go far in helping put over this western thriller. Aside from this, "Vakima Canutt, vet of many oat operas and former champ rodeo performer, has directed with a know-how that un- doubtedly stems from long contact with this type of screen fare. Hence, •it's a pat entry for spots where they go for these cactus mellers or to back up a No. 1 feature of many twin combos. Film deviates from familiar wide- This Swedish version of "Crime and Punisdiment" is the late.st and least successful cinenuitic try at the popular Dostoevsky novel. This one lacks the intensity of the French pic starring the late Harry,Baur, and falls far short of the technical slick- ness of the American version with Peter Lorre. Full of irrelevant de- tails and. loaded with gab, the pic travels at a .snail's paee with little to relieve the tedium. Thig entry will make only a slight dent in the sure- seater market. Chief defect lies in the scripters' presumption to improve the novel ■by adding some original story de- tails. As a result, the film frequently topple^ into a hokey mood com- pletely at odds with the overall seri- ous intent of the production. On (In Ifalion; English Titles) "Lost Happiness" is a minor of- fering with an appeal strictly limit- ed to' Italian-speaking audiences. Stilted and old-tashioncd, pie-dates way back to the ten-tweiit'»thirt' type of melodrama. Some ncwsieel ;^ots of the recent war are inter- laced into the story, but that's its only sign of modern vintage. Other- wise, .pic is marked by uneven di- rection, corny yarn and florid the.sp- ing. Background music is damaged by a noisy soundtrack. Plot concerns a fatal love triangle involving a famous violinist, llis wife and accompanist. Latter is a heel who takes odvant.-5Re of the wife's one moment of weakness to blackmail^ her into continuing the affair. Pushing his pique to rather extreme limits, he frames the hus- band to a 10-year jail sentence by planting fake evidence of his own murder. Choppy film suddenly ends as the culprit gets caught aAd killed hy the violinist, > Dina Sassoli, as the wife, is a striking looker who also docs a$ well as can be expected under the burden of her role. Leonardo Cor- . tese, as the vilionist, show.s some thesping promise, but Manuel Rocro. as the accompanist, shows nolliinf. but .ham. flei-m.