Variety (March 1951)

FILM REVIEW* t> Fr—« I**U WnlnfMlajr, March 7 f ItSl Miniature Renews i r Sonft' 'Par*, lop Hope |Ha ta Dina Runjraa ) il* il’i rime al •lift baaed on Bill Mauldin's •"Willie* and "Joe” character*, •olid bo pern perl* '•Only the Valiant 'Wit. Topnotrh cavalry-Indian ac* I loner far strong |ranet "Rawbide" «20th\ Suspense western aimed for nolld re* turn* ft* the Institution as tb« The Raabbarks, as related by per. trace* Ms exporter since anivol lit the neat as a yeutb. and Ms resultant drive to But hit lust for money ^ Interval haa S potential box office r inner in “tp Front Pic, l«Ht«ely baaed on the ‘Willie * and -Joe char art era created by Bill Mauldin in bla syndicated rart of the aame title i* a ! funns sometime* hilarious *poof of Army life among Gl Infantrs men Although It haa a number of en- in the Italian campaign of World teiiainiaa and amuuM qualities W ar II Marquee value except for •The Lemon Drop Kkf’ la a dia- the title, la alight, with David appointing picture It la neither Wayne and Tom Knell the only true Damon Run)on. from whose names of any consequence. PM abort story of the aa me title It mat mil snare fine nord-of-mouth adapted nor la It very funny Bob though nhich should make it a Mope. It may do fair business on tore bet in key city Arst runa and the marquee valise of the Nope and a top grosser In leaser situations Run> on names but It s unlikely to There may be some ml lea who be helped much by Rord-of-mouth mil carp at the emphasis placed on comment Army anafue* In these dav* of a It seem* curious that a producer nr « « ar effort But the fun con- 1 mth at much comedy and dramatic tent, providing excellent e*rape*t experience aa Robert L> Welch rnlertainmeut. la more than enough r ta had an outstanding record aa (a compensate for that While the j director of the Allen. Cantor and g| m evolves Into i.>st, racy slap- Benny radio shoos before switch- Mick after the Aral >o battle ae- Ing ta Alms should nuaa so Aa- quence*. ampler Stanley Robert* grant I y on a story like ‘Lemon haa nonetheless captured much of I)i op Kid * And It la apparent that the poignant situation of Mauldin s the picture falls because Its basic dog face character* Their perpet- concept Is orong Given this Ain Urfl bafAement and mild disgust at oise-cracking treatment. It could the ways of Army brass r|II hit scarcely fall to be a letdown home, particularly with ex-GIs in foe Damon Run)on stories are audience Invariably a curious combination of Wayne and Co ell. oho migrated sentimentality and farce, with the u Hollywood after making their - accent heavily on sentimentality^ , usr k» in Broadoav legit are Ane Despite their surface toughness and (ho*** aa the bat tie-hardened in- . 0 ? I L ?!..'*ata*ks up as O ale ism. they are fundamentally fantrymea. buddies ta the highly romantic innocent and in with ai excellent makeup treatment. utterly senoua Their ru mplete ta dua whiskers comedy stems not from funny awn imM ki»cd uniforms, they bring getting off witty gags, but from not- • Willie** and -Joe** to life They toe-bright guys reacting with at- most seriousness ta essentially lu- |hr script gives them full oppor- . , * n * M * n S u, J dieveus sMtmtlous As man as a lMfMl> to display their talent* Runvan character realises the Ri^y ■■■*• >k * -a iv— .trier enhance Ms bovoffi< xihole >am isn't completely an the (|U )L level the )oke is lost Paramount Itself scored a bullseye year* ago xiitb the deadpan a p peoa r b la mak- Straight** Song*! 'Metro*. Strong cast unable to overcome static >am Proems entry •'ll** *Col l Adult fare heavy on the morbid side and sus- pense- loaded Appeal may be limited to horror fans -House On Telegraph Hill** «20th*. Interesting melodrama «iwut a tic killer Fair bo M Abbott A C the Invisible Wan" »|>». One of the better A A C. ptx. geared for healthv grosses -My True fttory" 'Colt. Weak program metier for the dual* "Happy Go Lovely** 'British! •AB-Pathe*. David Niven. Vera-Flien. Ces solid backstage musical; aa Mg boxoffire winner -Outlaw (loM M 'Mono* Weak Johnnv Vlark western Atrictly for duals -Texaaa Never Cry" 'Colt. Fair Gene Autry boss opera “The l.lttle ballerina” 'Brit- ish* 'U* Martita Hunt Margot Fonte) n Vusne Marsh la light story. okay for arty spots. -Joseph Hrbmidt Atory** 'Germaa* «Indie*. Okay for *ome arty spot* solid for Ger- ••••••« l(oil)wood March f. Xan jf ImwH Q. pw r • -*’ Wars Tj r m* Nsr Soa tli's«* fe*'«rsa Hash mrtami Bm Jbapsv. Mur Bumanan. Jack mam Bs be law* HbHursf Sm seise. ShI k. raaneea tsitoow Rimm'i M Kipll* wS«'«r. R*' saw trmas.*. fra SB XI iMwjLmK Tmm '*WR I^mTL-crri *• Arlene Dahl oho clips Mm Isr . Nad laibai plenty of coin, and tec and \m _. Faula Raymond, oho die* m Ummt jU5I mS childMrlh Story, basical./, drtaiia .. <-»•*#• the life of a ruthless and unerr up*. ’ wTxasII loos man as a character study. * it| mm H»r* inconclusive results; aside Iran wiiwaaM H mmS m the (act bla hand la Anally called *• A Jy|' W and he parks in without reveal mm Evm* the hole card ta either the nt. Tv.**** nesses or the audience r££ Star billing is shared by Bn**, Miss MrCam bridge. Barry Soils hep*—* van. Arlene Dahl and Paula Rav- • i'SJ'SSZ m "* d »">> CUyd* Jarman Jr. Dir* Cwesu and I jnm Chaney featured Thry - partially avercams the strip! .q Maximum tu'pmt lor a »e««- b'-V*" 1 it mrnrrai«l in thl. T>rm»r aa tha rutk- i*imrr . in n Hainrd roatarrrr ^ Mar. aiaalaula tar >m i •* nhuh oiler* prrfrnl promts »l aal .fr*— 1 ■£**■ « ••larlary imm Omliey Ntrbta.' »mfa > l 4ua | a Him Dafcl h. nnciiul .. reenplay park! a amm- * r '< »'<* ralclara Ilia atUMtoa a* , fwl dramatic tion by Henry ?*hiMrSin "Tarrlalsr *■ xh * *«« retaining spot. stem “la full) engrossed Despite a strong- ^ HM^lST"and%lioctTy t *** Iv-told stary. however, picture Ma t J" V* the proper vehicle for Power, who Ms m arttal iplltir . i* wasted In pari and cornea off •f r _ delivered h *econd best ta number of other ! Situation which motivates action isnl new. but in present back- ground Is rounded into a thorough- ly Intriguing off-lhe-beaten-palh • f n i w wa ten Power and Mlsa Hayward held prisoner * at a stagecoach A *Jv station in the early weal by Hugh iw»s Marlowe an escaped mu r derer P^rmra As nauw irom a prison in the terntorv and »f*. Rr*#ti iut< hit three companion* who are bissrs waiting to rob the east-bound state next day which carries 'ww? f 100 000 in gold Power I* em- *•?•*• * _ . mi Mlm H<> KTK’ (S GWm Amur UH mlav cmm X* a power- " ^ m ..llo^uhwh <l.r*r- ruum unyr OI4*w* Hilhao, «N quM k *"* W- 1 m-m+T+x nr J im. Monica Lexna. who *uccee da her .. kmx *rrct.«or R mm -«| Sullivan. Miss Mcl ambridge Mm Dahl Chaney. Jarman. Jr sai Mlm Raymond Wall. | btOW* •« ). m - - d»»u n M« Mali >•••••••• ing Runvon t Little Mlm Marhtrl and the smash Guvs and Dalis” is make this a standout for action up lend* a suitable t Umax market fans particularly Star Acting honors are about evenh y Peck will fur- divided between frmine star and I me Rmrs mii. iu tsa of tmn m vtr-. m s m v ns boxafflce chances Marlowe both in hard boiled part* an the ^ cai Ar foc **?•"*** return* M»*s Havward in)eci* authority Paramount M ojr *nhout a hitch . • martinet aa Army ^ i*kint & her ■Yam haa them la an under- captain with lives strtrtly b> the taurhter bUk to Mar- _ nder- captain with lives strict I > b> the manned infantry unit on the front rule book consequent!) although lines north of Naples When regarded a« a fine soldier he Is * . Wavne la slightly wounded In -*c- greatly disliked b> currently demonstrating the same ||oi ^ ^wtll wangles a three-day revolves around Ma point on Broadway pam ta visit him In the Naples tachment of men So. although Hope la the pcm- ^ Slapstick shifts into high *Jich guard* the cipal interest and gets moat of the * Sirictly adult fare. “M* is tit psychological study ef a killeri twisted mind Whether it is entes tamment depends an the Indlvukul (though ir is at tii reaching a d> i climax that la tops for high t«o v t axree. wid his mm iMoi lowe la particularly strong aa the leadine a de- niurderer who makes Power go to an out do* t about Ma regular duties as west- onl> i»a%» hv bound stage stops for meals Jack 1 the fares particularly favor- the story Every time he gets off a typical Hope gag or plays l*’ ""J some u k business It kills the ^ ? | lausihilit> of Runyon's premise. . hat the title character Is no longer *" * gal father That gets them hack into WPs hands again After a of escapade*, they Are with Army truck Ailed with black- . d.«..t but . bngl m * rk ^ * ood * " Vry hopr “ diamond chiseler and longer sympathetic is pretty Incidental credulous hut xaay Anale - D, " rto ' A1, “ nd " H »" *“ rk rketeertng '»enreraiei> pusa inc men ri bA. k into he knows hate him the most, for the dangerous assignment Screenplay by Edmund H North »*tche« the Mrit of the f and Harry Bruun develops this ac- Technical credits adHreraally lion-promising premise with broad excellent ftnl Kaplans music t-as-a-glavs- «trokes and (iordon Dourlas di- rontrtbutmg to dramatic buildup A * ^ drive back to their buddies on the 1 ™ rv ? uunw " «»• . - rHlllB .- i~ n A. A thereby no . r .. ai uu. cive* rectlon sorks ever the basic idea ana nonert ■impson • coning lena penng Tctty much SELe anS tbT^ vTlmM M aTlT <* l^ian menace. Narrative, at mg brisknev* to the ,mee W I..L SZSls!? ” “ SIC times approaches point where it _ —— . _ known tl i) be a bit too gutty for femme but in no wise is thu ”M~ la a remake of p r oduced in Germany by Seyi Nebetual In IIU Principal u Ha shift in locale, presumabl) b California David Wayne, aa the biller *f small children, la effective aai convincing lad her Adler. a« i drunken lavry'er member of * gangster mob. turns in an outstand- ing perform an re. aa do Mania Gabel, the gangleader. and Howard tar Sam»H G f Mel and Sfctag "" !MrV * M.llon KraMier . Ilu.d camera r* ^oo that of a killer < Wayne. whose only victims are cMidrr* The city la up in arms over failurv of the police to nab the nurdrrrt of raids by police is I be activities of a cm ti Neither senpters a fiat, and film of the best cavalry- Indian offering* »a several sea* l*rck delivers soundly, and he Jane Darnel I, Fred Clark. "... yp * * makes the most of a colorful role. Flippco. William Frawlev ^ Ward Bond in a Victor MrLaglrn- BeHaver .S«d Melton and t>pe of tough-and heany Army ■ ■Ride Mraigki ISOM.M lloll)wood March I. Metre rvle.ae *4 iirltart im M«r* hiM. Vrlewe ttaSI Oerry UeireWe* U«« r««li 0 j« i» m4 trjidir* rt-.wS Jr . »dd hr* C Woe s Nd»rr Mm y *«k4t K MLiaari*. Kj) irfc a*. SI. Ihmmw Imm Si *>ndicate headed by GabeL Md knows that it cannot continue * »l Its floating dice games, bo o k* Joint* and other enterprises uniJ the killer Is caught Ta proud his rarkets. Gabel orders Ma gam to catrk the killer It become* Operation M Although police ait on the killer’s trail. Gabrl*s rs!fi. ‘C’./iTr ««P«»r*k him .nd c»»d Ire* * » Hik'd* Tr«4e before a crowd of beggars if Adler de and therefor* genuinely aborted minor hoodlums The picture's best *and basically funniest! scenes are the ones that moat nearly recreate the Run'on Runyon love Interest and she team* the^fulles?^' Suparting “F reflection upon the fine de- xh l Mar >■ t he catchy p| , mlth except mllMJer Are* of dory-telling evinced at all ITlhT'fiu rjllv rwellrnl' lr ** ^ * Mn * 11 rol# Ir.i riu hif lu Ih.\ uinfurnt to ■* lhr new-l#-actlon captain are fh* RJym. rM»rrmm1. Thu- }><-* v hitr J*nr D»r*»ll. Fr*d CUrfc Taytor. »Rd fMItarr.-lUly.M IHc Jay C VjVSu properly intent * 1 “**“h.Jd n “1^ '« «** “» (uod u lull** nalivr *nd »*»■*— pnlkiM.rfV *nd hrfty s.lvio Minriotti turns in a neat ^PP 0 ^ »• fwnushed by Loa r liar act erua tion as the father out <• m,k* a last buck (ram (hr Gl. Ak!? ^ M mi Hjvor Thus whew the I^emoa Dim Film haa been mounted on I?!,!?,,. af.K.,, .... i ShriaUr aut>ars ~r-T~ ns Hfm may a* nmnea a K^d tmZtSl ortcnal ,am b^T X-ndota lh» haul* n.«a “d. h.. _4 -.rr t r tZtt.ZT. * h ° “ k ' “ k '*'» * little to do w** Wiliam Cagney as producer “‘• ,TI * Lmm *~ m u _ , » u; h tossed in the l>pr of values which ~ ■"PfiFABA pay off best Camera work by c east Inside ^>" *r reUs y mt V y.. M Lionel Lindt a it artistic and lr * , ^ hl . handicapped t»\ an rrali*tic, and Fraiu Waxman t c I ¥,r v ' r, P! Wl . <1 *lou-pared r*» tusn musical *corc is properly atmos- pheric Editing in capable of Walt tlannemann and Robert ... , . . L1 _ . S Seller la iifhl and rompart. ra«eh topline hooking* but "««• *•-» J'm, Rord-of-moulh will not f nrrair V 1 tly touting a loatag horae and ‘ rr "*" Naple. atreet aerne* cauunc a tough gangater to toae a I 00 * 18 ' authentte <Hher penduc- «ad of loot It aeemi believable ,r » •««* Slat and laughable But the at heme to _ . “ ~ , ©•wo an o!d dolls’ home as a front Ally file % allnnfl to rolled Christmas funds to be Hollywood. March 2. Used to pay off ih** loss is used for » dr«ers rttddw mi W Ui Urw (’ m»> too many gars, although some of w TrV 'sm u.’.u/.V r m ^'ill* the coin-cdting gimmicks are Cm CboonT R*»ow bM A V...v*’ AB A if Marfpoi gusto Riw fends Mm. and a high spot in 1 krivtav not picture is Wayne’s ple««tmg of ha vtyj) *a- awfry XMU.bRH caar explaining his warped m»aA pTcJms VwJu STbiSS Arrival of police halts an at temp to Ivnrh the killer. Joseph Leary’s direction Mi w lion raptured the gruesome the"* wietev* skilfully. Picture haa quality 1 ‘* iVJu 1,1 appeal may be limited to loss " _ * 2 ‘ " ^ _* Jvrr? IImWUs Al*t. Aki Ard the the Kid dresses in aa old lady’* duds to aaitrh hack the hijacked ro'l is turned into pure slapstick Except that R is basically out of key with the Runion approach. Sid- ney LaaAeld’s direction ia compe- tent At least it is compact and Hobe imam "rT-aiiio* u-npt and slow paced r%r Mrr CmcWmi gh itmov Hired ion to merit only passing at- Wwt wi»«ub h.»n«lv *ewturn in the firs!runs *nd pro- * > ** 4 r, 1 ,u * tr y..fT fiofx-rt * fT>rn houses Only the east names u — Bmvi s I* North. Him < IMlM I -tag’wR. taMiflSr. Fr • pad. will. s V A Talks Indie producer Harry Popkin slipped Into N Y from the Coast on Monday 'SI to sd releasing plans for his upcoming product Popkin will huddle with top l alted Artists execs during Ms 10- day stay. Extension of his cur- rent, distributing pad with UA ha* yd to be decided. £ Class B for 6 Pix NO PrcX Four Hpllywood picture* and two through specula! JSLTffS foreign film import* were rated I^odc min>ng stoc Sis v«w- Clam “B” by the National legion threatened on th Story is laid in the fabulous 1(70 a of San Francsscw when mil- lionaires were in Comstock !* of Decency last week Mev»Ur Sr. M . . ~ n stocks When a run Is wi the ban! owned bv m>. \ Yank pix Merredr* McCambridge, tycoon Demand" David Brian who parlayed some dubious mining stork and a small u mr%* is called on Girl • • • • 1 I rwt include ‘‘Pa)mcnt »VT AtaAr*. n «RKO ‘ Raton Piu” • \VB Oue- dublmis mining Mo m bee” 'Pari and "Valentino" «CM^ bankroll into . fort, Trm Imports are ’’Flesh and B ond' lo R"'rnt financial panic in the l-ondon Film Prod I and “Vol- ««F. _ When meetme of a small Wmrr+m ’.rr: ^ u . u«* b«. ■ N««a Or *mr T®? Ij ^ ! “•M r *butmg in the ,(| n he Ms d-aR a «tt*d poker melodrama about a psychspa t S Most of the six pictures were to vf... M-Cm' rtf** where- killer, w.th San Francisco’s q» ^ For those who liko there tereer. rriilritr d for their "low moral (n he ihmG jf f, „r foe an *->* »>. kill re*ldon«ial sections 'a* b <*' entertainment rugged and blood), tone." * straight w.th Mr hank or his *oin. iContlnurd on page 1»>