Variety (September 26, 1951)

FILM REVIEW* 2 6. 1*51 C erf el ail ml h af heart, ae- P«r*m«(W rtlttw U liUun WvW» Kabcrt W » l«r l »«*» t »«*« **•# « *i«i* ► *••«*» r*fk*r «*4 w kiit*m > >mh (-•• Grant. Cat#* O OmmI. H« • M. W*h** tl»i rlaiW «iM«m W t i > , »l»r. im*h m kU» k* iMa#* « iM»r« l«* (.trnitl e.w'tafc.: fr»» ifwf lap t . \i"+ »h mm% |vn#*-ti«# Jm %' It Mr* ■ I «* *»r.m» l>ta |.irln(l*» <*» hrlfHtvt «» RrM« f«tk» A***rtftr Art. Avar iwMn< I ^ "*l •» I.*»«*»« trtt a /n* R*>rl Vk-*W»#r ■■ < hr • ► »♦ « « »rmW AM* •» l\ '•% f- for* I* *f» DU Kt!>•*! V)<.« H»t<k . Janitor Mm Pttlrhril T*«ii (.ummimIM 1 VMIMrm RanOt* , Lh Craat Mart rrraA frviiN * tan flu Mu RMm Ui« VrR Wnataai Craft# Mill (•Hit iHHmiall !4><ra<« M»M#A#w War**#r An4«l*M Can### M a l mo«l Imperceptibly tored at far M the medico it cerned to come within the Breen office naiMUrdi The unfrocked physician was an abortionist of rourae. la the on final Screen ver- sion has him actually deRvering the ilttrtt children Lee Garmea' camerawork la a hefty contribution incidentally in trial nan and nmndwi in i triumph end clinched with Mddtna fee the finale. Formula '<>«adh m r tongue a while < mrnt. White dealing with cowboy* and rattle ranches, film Isn't an out-and-out water of the stork type Mood it creates and the Techni- colored hues in which it it lenard •hope it for an okay reaction in the general situation, particularly above the routine outside of the cities and runs Howard Duff is a saddle tramp who can’t hold a Job because he 3Z2U Afgas^ss^l noo-profit making venture for the producers, there la every 1 iJu>li- I H xhat •«* rhelk up big h tu lift II peufita for eshihitorv. Nr the It ten he re- W every to lighten unfold less cosmopolitan Gregory Gay as the Ca!>ph. Tick garded as a prestige offering At* Valltn. Jo Gilbert and others are though intensely British in theme w ‘m| * ■ adequate to light demands of the the subject matter has wide dra- arrtpt and Lew Landers direction matic story which actually tshea place hates to see poopte pushed around . c **> v * lu ?i a ' t* 4 ** almost all In one Wyler'a j Heroine Mona Freeman, kitchen crafty and unde m an di ng directioo slavey on a large ranch into which le mostly respnmdhle. however, for Duff haa wandered, sees in him the generally fine results and 1 just the man to aeve the m to the art V • f I M##*»S tv *M gv*M* I* • v*4 iMlya (. »♦?•* CW *|r hw rl W usM s 4 «*#« S*Mm*»* G*r*ft# M**M must make Paramount regret that he'll soon be leaving the lot Herb Eftll Ike lay just the man to aeve the nearby spread of her friend. Josephine Hull, from ‘.he skullduggery of Craig ftteven* and hta wife. Bar- j have been achieved by Sam Kata man* production super* iston The ‘ safety con hel Supercmei olur tints show up nicoly , wide-scale release through the camera work of Ellis ■Drop Thla is one British ■he confined trade, but fairly for w. Carter. Good Cagney treatise on evils of drink be sold for generally reti ('an "Hollywood, Sept. 20 W ri*#r »•»*# r*W«e *1 M»«f» HUnl* pro***!** Ours. i*— s s < •<***» rs>ms TH*» »#t <f<lw •# Wtiham Wyler with :a dream Cast of truly pro t heaps and a pew- e'ful h;>m-n story, ar*tn h‘*s full stride in “'Vtcet»ve £»«rv ” The ttrodur* i -d rector ha* poMshed the egH hi hv Pulityemmcwianer ^ nev Luwsley mo a cinematic gem tbs’ CJMi’t be tesa than sure- fire at lb • h o With F » r k Dow das Eleanor Father and William Hrndlx provid- ing not on v marquee decoration hut. ahurt with the re*t of the rol- orfnl C"» J performances as good as lit v vi- ever given. Kingsley s day i*i the di; *y of a m I - ' rt Manhat- tan deter ive squad t »he* on it* full drrma humor, warmth, trag edv ami poinhanry, Script r Philip Vorct^n and Rob ci- Wyler Have stuck almost to the Inter of th« original play Even the location seldom changes from Kingsley’s single set. the realistic headquarters room of the detective Mtuad Yet. Wyler has given the story not only tremendous action but h*s uM'd his earners to heighten the engrossing point and counter- point of plot •; ■ The »ior* is essentially that of a mma«wr;H Jismm ui»< RowmU V.HIM l»i L i.*a Vwuu l*if#*i#«f b» «. c*.»* iwntau* i»s tus. a#« tss*ru. t rsw *rti »> Harlaa War# bars Knudson Its an unwilling Duff »r>o M trapped Into his do-good seiup hut after he comes in closer con- toct with Mlaa Hull, the widow, of a Union soldier who still re- fuses to admit his death on the battlefield he's all-out to light the . wrongs In his efforts ta gain con- trol of the ranch %o he ran sell | it to a raltrood. Stevens tries to *ewi have Miss Hull declared insane **• " t •i»* ,m«*i *•. Errol rfyaa foe HnilywnndL Bont. ■. a#**Mie rtlua W Wlttla* Marshall tr* ¥.«£ faatsraa PrWo. What more fitung subject could there have been to mark the Fes- tival than a blopic of William Friese-Greenef Thla story of the British motion picture pioneer is charged with rnol life drama, with the major incidents in bis often tragic life handled with a delicate degree of emotion and poignancy The flashback method of telling the story may be open to mjiu# criticism but II 1> dona, o f foc te dl »j****** . I M Jr m • t*t*m Vr|H « MINI 1 #• M*r«R Karla 1 >r*l«n<t J”h» !*#• Uurln lh,i*s H,.v4 l i.ptUMl l*«*ll|r 1 a*«laM Jail** < lltrstfM . Marls P NM I .#i*iu« Gars Ik# basHaW im n#u tt*l ilrtiMS . Travw a •Mb#*****# III a*uSs #<ts*r VI s '»• • x-.s's • ♦ » * e'a’ * 4 A ISM (>#• Tliu riM*. Its and placed In bis custody Triol. spiced with plenty Vtetar Krai**M. itarwri#* »» ingeniously and seems the logical > hwl n>«*. om way of haodling the plot, m. H#ftri Tav > •„ . 'T ' 7 , . Eric Ambler a screenplay is taken from Ray Allister« Wogra *«*l Sft«li _ era, M#r##l (irlwas. «Hl_. (1srr#r. gMul Uft#. ft SUMS f unn fWbKao fferesl .Ft j Jam#* ( •«*#* till V* wi.m luyw Larry Kmm4m»« ' . ClsarlMa Warners has combined a grim rapabty to kriiig warmth aad | valuo attached tu Errol riynn s study of alcoholism with a typual p| rn tv of humor to the telling of name on the marquees it has scant James Caghey drama and while the Harold fthumate storv *< ripUd f b a merit and the entertainment Vauth* and heart-tugs brings out that Mi*t Hull feels her late hus- ij* ■ band was too wonderful a person to ** K Myuh tu*t* f dead, so she haa continued her sill "B , ii gentle deception over the years Quite a point Is made of reading , “ < **1* a lettrr from Abraham Lincoln, ad- < dressed to the widow of an honor ahlv dead war hero and Mias Hull s great thesplan talent comes tj to the fore in punching this straight at the heart |- ....j Joseph Pevney directed a grim rapably to bring warmth Uc MarrWMts C*#*»r## Uciaaftc iessbei H#«»#i Sri«o J uUMn ........ mBTh h Mu h«!m* Pr*ii# phy ^ErMbt-Greeno; Cluan-Up of Krie# Victor tm , Sim One tJMtSlM Mitbi Os « • -• •. * • ’• • • • *■>-♦;•.•• *:V Vft|#j •,i * m ‘ DmUm flOMpOMS Aa« r#n #« a SiiHsm n«a#o#ii Mat# \ An Inventor " And the script pin- point* all the major triumph* and tragedies in the life of this pioneer . . > frail hu youthful beginnings a* a M “*l r i#r' r nhft photogr phers assistant, to his death in 1921 at a film industry meeting with only the price of a cinema ticket in hia pocket With virtually a tree choice of all the British talent ratling of the B"* ft as mm mt the major BapuhUc han tab— Bk Wttlfl 1 production problems The selec- tion of Robert D—at aa Erteoe - Greene is an escellent one. Al- ways a polished performer, he brings a new depth of sincerity ho* Ci • .v.. Meagfa ws*a#r Alt *r—g ...... Chftrl#* l**»«#tt Auw#r win Marshall pguBMClftM, fUmod h France, for releaae. Other than the valuo attached to Errol Flynn s the mixture ia not quite 100-proof It’s better than moot blends and bv Gerald Drayton < nnic I^e Bennett AdjMMal Duff and I worth i* equally minus 'PM! Title cards credit Ftygfl-'tllEp will i le a hosof Ace response under Miss Freeman team pleasantly ia the screenplay and Marshall for proper selling The typical Cagney |rvmg to keep pare with Miaa both production and direction Re phase* of (he story provide a good Hull Gene Lockhart the Judge: “ ‘ supply of rommrrvul values to Stevens Jay C. Flippen. the attract hi* action fans. About the first third of the story is taken up with s detailed study of a man with a great thirst which footage count kills hts newspaper career, shoves suits show lift I# espeneneg. or in- stinct, for attractive film-making In him dow n (he ladder to skid row dressing Uja * « a j. . u . m . _ and into the alcoholic ward of a ho'-ptlal. where he Ami* a friend I ^onard man who drove himself to a wel- j th , wlU u , ^ algirtlon come death because he lacked com- A|Ur thl , vtry wrH u*,# U4C Ht- K «*ion ard human umierstanding B nktook charity and kind n a n s dp the wrr rhes who daily pagaud through the squad room a* com- prom lie with evil I'syclmpathic in hi* block to seeing human behavior jn anything but black or white, he Im-om ht ti agedy on himself when he*t level and understanding to the role. It is s performance rich In human qualities, getting the right emo- tional pilch during the momrn** of triumph and reflecting the despair at time* of failure and frustration. Hia two wives are portrayed with Infinite charm - by Maria Schell and Margaret Johnston. Mis* Schell, as the ailing girl from Switzerland shares the Inventor* first and greatest triumph Her performance is frequently am- mated, always sensitive Miss which'It Wtif find Its Story la laid in early New Or- Johnston, as the second wife, oa GhartOs P. Bov le did leans Plot deals with the efforts of the other hand shares only his sheriff Ed Begley a ranch-owner. Dialog and situations Are unbellev and Chris Pin Martin. Mlsa Hull's able and the directorial pacing ia Mestran helper, alt make their eklremely Uow . Film does have a bang-up dockside fight for the addition to the Technicolor finale but this comes too late to balance the earlier flaws, Footage given the GoldstrlVs also shapes it up nicely for the utes production. supervision I also la way overtength at •? min providing portion Is out of the way. ‘ the good camera work Aim settles down to the kind rou^h-tough pyrotrehnic* expec ted of a Cagney vehicle While Cagney srOCea dramatic al- ly in his study of an alcoholic i the**# phases haven’t the commer rial appeal of his later character Brog. i Tkc Msgle I arncl (COLOR) tinable to fife compassion when rt 7;, t m #d drunk who acts hac k called for in his personal life * * urujjwno gria oac g d. u rm.nr^ **• | Ihr ^Wish.. . Ihruuih *] duly as he *rea it Hunting an il- ^ in . ., K _ d Fair MfipW fantasy for general releaae situations. Obe for Juve appea l . MU'heltne Prelle, servant girl, to advance herself to a home and hus- band on Charles St To do so she first uars Flynn, a tea captain to save her from hanging for murder To show her appreciation she tricks Vincent Price, a New Orleans fop Com a pioper family, into failure* Her interpretation re- flects the misery that these bring to herself and her five sons. For the remainder of the cast, all the top names of British film* have been recruited. Many front ing illegitimate children Douglas sudde nly finds him*elf bring virtu- ally blackmailed bv the medico Douglas’ wife, long hr fore she mar- ried him haa occasion to use the c harlatan v serv ice*—and the doc - tor hadn’t forgotten Even unable to compromise with a single mia- ttrp of his wife who has been true to him and whom he loves, the detective allows her no alternative but to leave him and himftelf no alternative but to virtually walk into the bullrts of a coked op fourth-time offender loose in the squad room M»*a Parker play* the wife with a dignity and emotional depth that makes a dramatic highlight of the s« ene in which she is forced to re- veal her pa*t and another in which she and Douglas think they have come to a reconciliation only to rv- a uc a moment later that Douglas s perverted mind again can’t com- promise The personal drama Is played r-tikd a broad and entertaining mosaic of oiher drama, humor and j«Ming love in the busy *ru »d room Lee Grant repeats one of the mem- orable stage r ul es of rc.ent years a* a pathetic, albeit amusing Httk Brooklynesque femme «hop)|fter Cathy O Donnell and C^aig Hill are a pair of kid# in love and in minor trouble that anyone less un- b nding than Douglas would see «n« nts a charitable viewpoint: V not her holdover f rom the legiter, Joseph Wi*em/,n. is top* as the sneering, dope-filled Igrcen- 1st who finally gets Douglas in an ettort tu e«cape. Sun .mother member of the original Broadway nst whom Wyler wisely used is Horace McMahon, who repeats his understanding performance as Commander of the detective squad Michael Strong, as Wise man’s witlc»* partner in crime, is likewise a fortunate' holdover from the Jc-Uler Neatly-t v ped dicks include DciUglm partner. Bendt\. and Bert F»»cd Frank Kaylen William Phillip* and Granc'o i Rhode* George MacReady i# the unlicense d doctor and Warner Anderson ex- celientlv cold as his sharp mouth- 1 piece Luis Van Routen is fine a#! • P<» ice- reporter Incidentally, the picture has up m a slugfest for a happy c-nding The Ivan Goff Ren Kc»bert* script ha* cad Id dialog and a believe able C'agn<-> character *--* a competent writing chore considering the ele- *u7 a iT ment* to be blended. Sometimes the biend is watered down a bit too much but the overall job ia a H«r»# good c redit sharpened by most of *•* the perfor manie* Gordon Douglas direction misses Hollywood, Sept 23 r*a«OM*<« r#i#*(M •* Sam K ft tW ft — gra- Owri i«*ft *M«r* l.artll# S#H J»ft« A#*r. t’tiiKa n*Mm 0#ft#as Ton* Koswfti n«rr Gpjsrr Cat. Risk VsttiM. ship, loaded with dynamit*. ex- - —‘ • 4 - -- - - — - - ranking *tar» have little more than walk-on bits and Quite a few ju*t nage Coaded^hTm'^o make a brief appearance without killing his uncle Windup finds even a line of dialog The name* Flynn becoaed of tho murder but, Art too numerous to llat. but mem managmg to escape and fight hia * tlon must be made of a fine rameui way back to his boat. Hts men aad a mob tangle at the dock, and the let Gilbert E*r#rto# i^'^Vrter * VdTt^ TnTk 1 1 led and the curtain comes down ** i rr * piodes In the fight, Mlsa Prelle is . -a - ^ 1 # -- — • .• e\t •'* # • S’* t e.s %f*A 4 • »•>. • fitvcct m # * s! # a - e « * *•’» *'* • • • v-i •w Arcrftftt Kr#*l#t*#4 *#e» tl. It ••• It MlUf ;v... Lari Oft OaU JoMft Afftf fftlrtrM l.eorg# T ... n#vw»o**4 m»rr AMMal - n*.N V*U»M Were* . . J# C.Uftert aa>q»M waiiftft* r«c##*at Tan** l4«r ('•esk .! V#r.ftaN ^•deSktft /kU Dwretis rn ► O' M • ■ • * W »' 1 .• ’J.-’* * » % a e • V mw • a * c*s • ' ,V, 4 . o * # U it few bets Beside* Cagney, two oiher* *tand out in prrfoimance They are James Gleason, as the former alcoholic who take* Cagney und- r his wing after the d t siege in the hospital The other is <5ig Young swell as the publisher* "* wSih. Th«,rr th. Ctrl Ca«nry iV’*." k>*e* to Young because of drink I _T^. Ill VifMl aff •an Ironic touch Raymond-Maa- Sl* ™J** ***J**i •J" scv. the publisher. Selena Royle AWBiP^ op A Arabian Nights-like fable, in color, will have more appeal to *« *. me publisher; Selena K«vle., • Silver Owi nwther; Lrrry Krtl- ?.!f III. “•f n e »« y- rt *ft " on Flynn bearing her body away in his arms. The mt apert sc ript And direction dealt permit th# players to find their role*. Flynn walks through the footage as an il (defined char- acter. as do most of the others Mis* Prelle'* physical attractive- ness serves her in good stead r Price has a thankless, stereotype e»F#A U.5 »»<* Agnes Moorehead s tal- MsIm fewk* rnt ia never used as the weird c a n panion to Misa Prelle Victor Francen and the others Are lad in the vague, rambling story-telling Musical score by Rene Cfoerec has ' its moments, as does the camera work by Marrel Grtgnon fXher technicals credits are stand- Hni<. ; ■, Broff. from Sir Ijiurence CMlvter as a policeman who la the first to *ee the inventor’s moving pstture: of a little gem from Miles Mallrson the conductor of a choral society; and Erie Portman as Frieae-Greene’s partner in a Lon- don photographic business. Technical Qualities are firM- clas* Jack Cardiffs Techniculur lensing maintains a high standard. John Bryan’* design* afrtke the right note of fidelity, and Richard Best's editing, while not aimed at «needing up the production Is efficient and effective Mgro ing and Charlita are ail good. A weak *pot in the character inter- 1 >rHat ion u the rumir gangster done by Sheldon Ia-onard. as much S directorial fault as the player's. Henry Blankr’s production super- viuen fives the Aim topnotch cast- ing and a lineup of physical values exactly Atted to the story. Robert Bulk* Irnstng is skilled, as are the other technical contributions. Btoq. ■■ Tl*e Udi F tCOLORi Hollywood. Sept 21 t a«rr*ftl r#!#«•# #| U M r4 G«i4st*tii aruMftctMft »*M H w »ftr4 Dug. Mom rtftftotw ft. 1 <i *#aklft# MuA f»«turft* bwkMrt. Cr»«c «U»#n* Jo C t# a# w> Pwftiai s« j« fcrro#|4o. G«r<l4 broua ■ t L#« n#ft«#o wars H#i ti mt r« (TtrlsNshn. € • '«U*r, \ irjtl V###» Kr#» W| I ummi Urn# IS MIMS 0»M Ms—a S natL m Wim N r.It# J*ft' • #«tV#rt C»t.l Gwthrtft s*#r»e p V v MaggaM Shi ■ |WUmA S >-v ....'. T f pretentiously dressed up beyond its worth. Lucille Ball is wasted in ier rote of a p«im*e*s but does supply • fair amount of marouee value John Agar, as the dashing hero is stilted Responsible for some life to the footage and much eye appeal IS Patricia Medina remaining mem ber of the top trio of players The never-never tale concocted by David Mathews opens with a pro log in which the Caliph of Baghdad is murdered His Infant t 3#,? *on escapes, however, having been - J “ 1 p'aced on the magic carpet which bears Him to th* safety of a loyal subject's home, where he it raised fetus rr*»— -Or##'— without benefit or knowledge of his royal beginning I Story proper concerns the sue- Maari— rr cesaor Caliph's oppressioo of bis “ subjects and the uprising against his tyranny led by the now-grown prince Latter, played by Agar, dashes around the desert as the Scarlet Falcon harassing the Caliph’s soldiers and in-between- times posing as court physician rr ft»—as Lou of harem culit-s and Mis# Ball !■ —» yj ft* >. ihc pnn.ru grt nowh.r. w.ih the noble doc, nor does Miss Medina, comely sister of one of the Falcon's men. George Tobias Tlie Magic Bai (BRITISH) (Color! (SONGS! U«s metier for general Hollywood. A* e a W fc t# r«l#ft— •# J« Akims Sum M C«— AArtaa Aaoth. CWU til Dftvta. gu-har# Jftft cSftl J***#* Afftftft DuftcSft# N Ba ar ssam r * whi**^**‘ >. i ftftMft ft l ***W ei ta. si i mSUr is Mias v- _ Wftt—r .......... ft* • A • *. » # •• •.« *- i vwAaa ... i rWas AwiMvfta >. Ja ms * Amm ........ Air hoc# , Mrs. DetaAwftt«r Atos K#»# M—Mar .. .«........ A boms AftVftf t—■ Mrs CUtrt ftrnnrth fr Orel—Mrs C AftWrt Aftfttt J. CW—iaa w rth JftMa H Oft vis Mlrkftftl ..’ft # #>.# •> • oo'.ft # # • ft . . * s ft * • • ft ft • • • •• rj/ - j » i' • A . A *•'# hi a a .• h i .••• V 4 e.a • aa.'a;A * Republic has an acceptable ac- tioner in The Sea Hornet For general situations resp o nse to it# JftrS Car—# i fttmai •« C—rl WitllMO r.i ’ * y > ixrwria Martui Eventually. Agar’s true identity is Who s Who of the British screen should be okay, and it haa added help of the names of Rod Cameron. Chill Will* I and others for this particular market. Producer-director Joseph Kane m •*«•§ Ra pl a ye n through the Gerald Drayson Adams original script at a pare that answers de- PMt r#(#mkiinf a mands of a plot dealing with deep- cut — membUag •, ^ ■ . rtol.n » uncovered by Raymond Burr, the the "Magic Box’* repreae'nU a I l olt1 . l ? ,ror1h 000 ‘f* 11 raUHas vi*## i—a uitk ik# uLJ #/ _• —~— — iL. ITT «>!„ Sprinkled into the action are sev- s<»ng* on which Adrian Boo^b Tlure « a nice warm feeling to Caliph’s vtzer. but with the aid of standout conlnbu* on by the film T,' Lady From Texas” that fiL the carpet and A lot of derrtn -do industry here to the 1951 Festival • r “ it strongly as family entertain- the hero is able to make right of Britain. It ia a picture of great I (Continued on page 20)