Variety (April 1953)

POM 1EVIEWS VednwJay, April 1, 1953 !!■« #m m Tlgfctr*|*e Taut "(dbaae/* *W*t a troupe frtM tike It#B Cur- tain, mrltii politic* ttii elrcut kYtr i—^ 2Wh*Fox release of Robert L. Jack* (Gerd Oswald, associate) production. Stars Fredrie March. Terry Mowe. Gloria Graluuae* Cameron MitchelL Diredcd by vus y«ran. Screenplay, . Robert E. Sherwood from story by'^Jeil Paterson; nude, Franz Waxman; camera. Geoix Kraus: editor, Dorothy Spencer: orches- tration, Earle Hagen; asst, director. liana Tost. Tradeshown N. Y.» ^lazch Z7, ^53. Running time, ICS MINS. Karel Ceralk Fredric March Tereza C*ma Terry Moore Zama Cernik ..Gloria Grahime Joe VosdeJt Cameron. Mitchell Pecker ...........Adolphe llenjcu Rarovic ............... .Robert Realty Rudolph - Alex D’Arcy Krofta .. R i char d Boone Konradin Pat Henning Jarenfir ....Paul Hartman The Chief John Dehnex CirJois Cernik ....The Brumbach. Circus Duchess ... Dorothea Wi«k .The Sergeant Philip K enn e rf iy Vina Konradin Edelweiss HalcSnn Captain William Castello Mrs. Jaromir ♦. .........Margaret Sleiak ‘'Man On a Tightrope” is a taut “chase” for OK b.o. in all situa- tions. The chase, in this instance. Is an entire circus, a shabby enough troupe but, nonetheless, a burden- some commodity to "sneak” across any Iron Curtain frontier. But Fredric March does achieve this as he maneuvers his one-ring cir- cus from Czechslovakia into the Western Zone and freedom. The political overtones are un- derplayed but the manner in which police state obligation is thriist upon even an itinerant group of mountebanks has been graphically scripted by Robert E. Sherwood. It depicts the last remnants of a once great circus until "the people and the state” took over its tech- nical ownership, and, permitted Jtfarch to manage and operate it under governmental sufferance. Director Elia Kazan has limned his characters with proper mood and shade, as the red-tape of the Beds becomes mountingly obstruc- tive. He has projected beaucoup romance against the general back- ground, including a willful daugh- ter (Terry Moore) and a flirtatious second wife (Gloria Grahame), un- til the return to the spirited man that March once was renews her affection for the reinvigorated hus- band whom she thought too solemn for happier domestic rela- tions. - j Terry,.Moore is equally volatile; in her ^ affections for Cameron! Mitchell, an itinerant deckhand i whom March, suspects as the spy; for the Czech secret police until: It is revealed that he is, in ac-i tuality, an American GL caught behind the Iron Curtain by freak of circumstance. There is effective suspense^ in Adolphe Menjou’s interrogation, as an officious propaganda minis- try attache whom John Oehner and Phillip Keimeally resent for overstepping his authority in their domain Of secret police probings. Robert Beatty, as a rival circus owner who. seemingly enjoys greater elan with the Commie au- thorities, emerges as the showman first, in a capitally staged fight scene with March as a cover-up for the spy or spies within' March’s own circus. The renegade turns out to be Richard Boone, the seemingly loyal boss man of the equipment. The bold daylight manner in which the circus, in full calliope style, parades right by the auxiliary frontier guards and plans its diver- sion tactics for escape into the American zone, has been plausibly staged by Kazan. Much of this footage was shot in Austria and Germany and bespeaks authentic flavor Every detail of the freedom-hun- gry troupers in their coup is plausi- bly performed and presented. Even the side byplay of the Czech sen- tries and the Yank counterparts come across in the right key, never overdone yet maintaining the proper pitch and excitement. All the components, from March, who is capital as the proud owner of a once proud circus, through the rest of the cast-, along with the Robert L. Jacks-Gerd Oswald pro- duction auspices, are big league. AbcL iMMMg til# Skeherht Palau (SONGS-COLORJ Mild Utile senrfeeeemedy with music, Technicolor, best suited for upper or lowercase pro- gram bookings generally* Hollywood, March 27. 20th-Fox release #f Fred Kohlmar pro- duction. Stars William Lundig&n. Jane Greer, Mi 1x1 Gaynor, Darid Wayne, Gloria De Harem features Gene Lock- hart. Jack Paar, Alrin Greenjaa. Billy Gilbert, Heay Kulky. Directed by Ed- mund GouldXng. Screenplay. Claude BLoycn, Albert Lewin, Burt Styier; based on a story by Edward Hope: camera {Technicolor), Leon Shamroy; editor, Louis LoefOer; musical direction, Lionel Nmma; songs, Harold Arlen, Ralph Blane. Previewed March 25, '53. Ru nnin g time, tfc MINS. Capt. Bill Wnibby William Lundigan Diana Forrester . Jane Greer Uozouila ..................Milzi Gaynor Lt. -Carl O. Schmidt .... ^^David Wayne Angela Toland Gloria De Haven Rev. ivdgcit .Gene Lockhart Lt. Mite Sloan Jack Paar Corp. Kolta .....Alvin Greenmail King Jilouili .............. Billy Gilbert 1st Sergeant Henry Kulky Major Cumin -Ljle Talbot Lt. Everly Ray Montgomery Lt. Homer Briggs George Nader Radio Operator Charles Tasnen Woolawei ...............Claude Allister Mrs. Edgelt Edith Evanson Col. Parker Fay Roope Vvitcb Doctor ........David Abdar Toami ...Sialofi Jerry Talo Aide to Colonel Clinton Bagwell The Faris "The Paris Express/ 1 Tech- nicolor British-made produc- tion starring Claude Rains and Marta Toren, was reviewed in Variety from London in the issue of Dec, 31, 1952,, under title of ‘The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By.” Myro said of the pic adapta- tion of the Georges Simenon novel that a "strong cast, pleasing color and an in- triguing yarn are the major selling qualities of this new Anglo-American film. Pic is strong enough to merit some wide popular showing in the U. sr Reviewer added that "the script does not consistently keep to the expected level, but the skill of the artists glosses over the writing defects. Ba- 'sic situation is adroitly han- dled while slick editing give£ the story forceful suspense.” Pic, which Raymond Stross produced in association with Josef Shaftel* is being dis- tributed in the U. S. by George J. Schaefer. The smaller, more general runs offer the best chances for "Down Among the Sheltering Palms,” a mild little service comedy with music that features so-so tunes and hitrand-miss humor. As a program booking it can go either top or hot- tom of the bill. The cast, while willing and com- petent enough, is more or less wasted in the weak, dated material dished out in the script. Edmund Goulding’s direction doesn’t help the unfoldment much. Fred Kohl- mar’s production uses Technicolor tints to dress up the presentation of a story about a tropical island paradise, where occupation troops, eager to woo willing native girls, are hamstrung by non-fraterniza- tion rules. The script, by Claude Bmyon, Albert Lewin and Bint Styier, from a story by Edward Hope, is very lightweight, htft does manage to gef a few titters here and there in contrived situations. - William Lundigan commands a troop of Gls sent to occupy the island of Midi in the South Pacific I at the close of World War II. Bo- cause of the non-fraternizationi regulations, he tries to set an ex- ample for his men by restraining! his feelings for Jane Greer, niece of Gene Lockhart, a missionary on i the island. Emphasis is on frus-; (ration all around and the situation ; isn’t helped any when Gloria De Haven, sexy newspaperwoman, visits the island and has her ad- vances spurned by Lundigan. Sbe reveals in her column that the island king had gifted the com- manding officer with a princess played by Mitzi Gaynor, thus stir- ring up an official investigation and further unrest among the Gls. When the linen has been washed, however, Lundigan is cleared and the non-fraternization rules are abolished so everyone is happy at the fadeout Co-starring with Lundigan and the Misses Greer, Gaynor and De Haven, is David Wayne, as a lieu- tenant. The foursome tries hard but needed a better script and firmer guidance. Lockhart, Jack Paar, Alvin Greenman, an amusing corporal; Billy Gilbert, the native king, and Henry Kulky, a top sarg, are among the featured players. Harold Arlen and Ralph Blane contributed "I’m a Ruler of a South Sea Island,” sung by Lundi- gan and Wayne; "Who Will It Be When the Time Comes,” nicely done by Miss Greer, and "What Make De Difference?,” sung by Miss Gaynor. The title tune is reprised several times and Miss De Haven sings the oldie, “All of Me." An unimpressive native dance is terped by Miss Gaynor. Technical credits are okay. Brog . 11 ■ / The Lov Hand (COLOR) Coast Paramount to 3-D; mx/Tort Ti’Lead Off . Hollywood, March 31. Fanchon &. Marco’s Hollywood Paramount, a 1,430-seater on Hol- lywood Blvd., is the fijjst major first-run theatre in this sector to adopt an exclusive 3-D policy. ^House has Warners’ "House of ^JVax” and Columbia’s "Fort Ti” •booked through June 17. . Hollywood Blvd., now has two major theatres exclusively devoted to new process pictures. The War- ner Hollywood, currently, remodel- ing for Cinerama, will open late in April with "This Is Cinerama.” and will be liked by most general audiences outside the top key situations. The Howard Christie production features fine scenic values, lensed on location near Durango, Colo., and these aid the film’s accept- ability. Picture is unfolded with interest under George Sherman’s direction and, as with most Me- Crea outdoor starrers, the em- phasis is on western authenticity and flavor, rather than helter- skelter oater action. Joseph Hoff- man scripted plausibly from a story by Irving Ravetch. Plot concerns McCrea and his 3 r oung son, Jimmy Hunt, who come to Timber lane and buy a small farm, obstensibly to make an honest, hut meager, living from the soiL They rind the commu- nity plagued with holdups and killings, but, even after the son has witnessed the killing of a Pinkerton man by outlaws, dad re- fuses to join a vigilante group that is trying to bring law and order to the town. McCrea teams with the outlaws to rob a stage and with his share of the loot buys things for the farm and marries neighbor Barbara Hale. Soon, however, McCrea’s mysterious comings and goings, timed with new robberies, alienate him from his family and it is not until the finale action that his son and wife discover he is*an undercover Pinkerton man trying to smoke out the leader of the outlaws. The latter is dis- closed as Charles Drake, affable and respected horse, rancher who heads the vigilantes., McCrea takes his starring role in stride and gives a good account of himself. Miss Hale is properly sweet as the bride and young Hunt excellent as the son. Alex Nicol and Jim Am ess contribute able skullduggery as Drake’s chief henchmen and the latter is a dis- arming villain. Roy Roberts, Frank Ferguson and young Wesley Mor- gan are among others doing their share in the plausible plotting. Maury Gertsman is responsible for the fine scenic values in the lensing. The editing is not quite as smooth as it could be. Brog . Well-made program western feature in color with Joel McCrea* Fort Vengeance (COLOR) Fair outdoor programmer for smaller situations; formula plotting and presentation* Hollywood, March 27. Universal release,of Howard Christie production. Star* Joel McCrea, Barbara 1 Hale. Alex Nicol; feature* Charles Drake, j.Jimmy Hunt, Jim Arnes*. Roy Roberts. i Frank Ferguson. Wesley Morgan. Directed 1 by George Sherman. Screenplay, Joseph I Hoffman; story, Irving Ravetch; camera, ! (Technicolor),, Maury Gertsman; editor 4 Paul Weatherwax. Previewed March 24, - '53. Running time, 7f MINS. j Zachary Hillock Joel McCrea 1 Fa rah Jane Skaggs ......Barbara Hale Jonah Varden Alex Nicol i George Hadley Charles Drake 1 Joshua ..» .Jimmy Hunt iGus Varden ........Jim Araess j Mr. Skaggs Roy Roberts <Mr. Dunn Frank Ferguson ; Daniel Skaggs ...........Wesley Morgan Joel McCrea heads the cast of i this well-made' western program * feature ir» Technicolor that makes • a direct pitch to the family trade Hollywood; March 30. Allied Artists release of Walter Wanger production. Stars James Craig, Rita Moreno, Keith Larsen; features Reginald Denny, Charles Irwin, Morris Ankrum, Guy Kingsford. Michael Grang- er, Patrick Whyte, Paul Marion. Emory ParnelL Directed by Lesley Selander. Written by Dan Ullman; camera (Cine- color). Harry Neumann; editor, Walter Hannemann; music, Paul Dunlap. Pre- viewed March 26, '53. Running time, 7 S MINS. Dick Jamfes Craig Bridget 4..Rita Moreno Carey Keith Larsen Major Trevett Reginald Denny Saxon — Charles Irwin Crowfoot .Morris Ankrum MacRea Guy Kingsford Sitting^ Bull Michael Granger Harrington Patrick Whyte Eagle Heart Paul Marion Fitzgibbon Emory Parnell This is a rathey placidly-paced outdoor programmer for the small- er situations, -where its formula plotting and presentation will draw a fair reception. Lesley Selander directed the Walter Wanger production from a screen story by Dan Ullman. Pic- ture isn’t equipped with as much excitement as desirable in this type of yam and, as a consequence, the footage is inclined to walk more often than it runs. Basically, the story is okay, plot dealing with two brothers, one good and one wild, who flee into Canada from the states after a card-game scrape. James Craig, the good one, talks his brother, Keith Larsen, Into joining the Royal Canadian Mount- ed Police. Brothers are useful to the Mounties, headed by Reginald Denny, because of their knowledge of Sitting Bull’s Sioux Indians, who also are in Canada trying to stir up the peaceful Blackfeet, led by Morris Amkrum. Larsen’s wild- ness continues and, with the aid of a crooked trapper, he steals furs from Ankrum’s son, Paul Marion. To prevent exposure, he kills the trapper and Marion is accused, To save Marion and upfiold the tradi- tional fairness of the Mounties, Craig goes after, his brother. The latter is killed by an arrow from an Indian and Craig brings in the body in the nick of time to save the falsely accused redskin and prevent an Indian uprising. Performances follow the formula handling. In addition to those named, other principals include Rita Moreno, the Lafcin-looking daughter of Emory Parnell, Irish trader, Charles Irwin and Guy Kingsford, Mounties, and Michael Granger as Sitting BULL Harry Neumann did the lensing, processed in Cinecolor, and the hues are not particularly good. Editing by Walter Hannemann and the music score by Paul Dunlap are okay. Brog . Woman They Almost Lynched (SONGS) Lghtweight, 'ialky feature for bookings in the lesser situa- tions or as a programmer. Hollywood, March 30' Republic release. Stars John Lund, Brian Donlevy, Audrey Totter, Joan Les- lie; features Ben Cooper, Nina Varela* Jim Davis, Reed Hadley, Ann Savage, Virginia Christine, Marilyn Lindsey, Nadia Galindo. Directed by Allan Dwan. -Screenplay, Steve Fisher; based on Sat- evepost story by Michael Fessier; camera, Reggie Tanning; editor, Fred Allen: mu- sic, Stanley Wilson; songs, Victor Young, Peggy Lee, Sidney Mitchell, Sam Stept. Previewed March' 27, '53. Running time, H MINS. Lance Horton .John Lund QuantriU Brian 1)0111617 Kate QuantriU Audrey Totter Sally Maris Joan Leslie Jesse James ...Ben Cooper Frank James .James Brown Delilah Courtney Nina Varela 1st Woman ...Ellen Corby 2nd Woman Fern Hall Mr*. Stuart .Minerva Urecal Cole Younger Jim Davis Bitterroot Bill Reed Hadley Glenda Ann Savage Jenny Virginia Christine Rose Marilyn Lindsey John Pablo Nacho Galindo Captain Richard Simmons Sergeant % Gordon Jones Bartender Frank Ferguson Driver . Post Park Qnantri&’s Henchman ..Tom McDonough Soldier Ted Ryan Lieutenant Richard Crane Hangman. ....... Carl Pitti Guard Joe Yrigoyen Boy Jimmie Hawkins Old Man James Kirkwood Bill Anderson .Paul Livermore Lightweight entertainment val- ues are offered in this awkwardly titled costume feature, which is headed for bookings in the lesser situations, or as a lowercase pro- grammer elsewhere, although its SO minutes of footage is long for that classification. Names are fa- miliar, but will mean little as far as ticket sales are concerned.. Promise of strong action is held out as film opens, but the pace soon peters out into a lound of talk that •” gets nowhere. Allan Dwan’s direction is best when dealing with the few brawling ac- tion scenes, hut can’t master the illogical script and excessive dialog that makes up most of the running time. Neither can the four stars, John Lund, Brian Donlevy, Audrej 7 Totter and Joan Leslie,- nor the other cast members. Presentation, without a producer credit, is pretentious to the ex- treme and a straight plot line is hard to sort out of the welter of story tangents and characters to be found in the Steve Fisher script, which was based on a Sat- evepost yam by Michael Fessier. Setting is an Arkansas-Missouri border town which is kept neutral in the War Between States by a lady mayor and lead mine owner, Nina Varela. To Border City comes Miss Leslie on a surprise visit to her brother Reed Hadley, bawdy-house keeper. and drunk, the latter because of his lost love for Audrey Totter, now the wife of Donlevy, who is seen as Quan- trill, leader of the outlaw gang. Lund’s part in all this is that of mine foreman for Miss Varela, but reall> a Confederate officer smug- gling lead to his forces. „ Script keeps the characters mill- ing around in an unorganized fash- ion that makes little sense and the title is drawn from the fact that Miss Leslie to find happiness after Lund, switches suspicion from him to herself and is almost huBg for being a Confederate spy. She’s saved, however, by Miss Totter, who by now has felt the softening influence of the good gii*l and is soriy for her past crimes. Donlevy has already fled by the time all this is happening and Miss Totter gets safely away, leaving Lund and Miss Leslie to find kappines aftgj the war is over* Dawn’s direction, even though he is dealing with poor material i* very uneven. The staging of the two songs sung by Miss Totter is ludicrous. Numbers are "How Strange” and "All My Life” and the only purpose they sen e is + o slow down the already slow pace Reggie Lannmg’s lensing and th-> ntner technical credits are stand- ard. Brog. .■ -—■■■■ ■ Fear and Besire , Arty war drama; a natural for art houses, possible companion feature for general bookings. Joseph Burstyn .release* of Stanley Kubrick production. Features Frank Sil vera, Ke nn e th Harp, Paul Mazursky, Stev* Coit, Vir ginia Leith, David Allen. Di- rected, photographed and edited bv Kubrick. Screenplay, Howard O. Sackler* music, Gerald Fried; associate producer' Martin PerveJer; assistant director, Ste^e Hahn. Previewed in N.Y.* March 26, "52 Running time, 4t MINS. Mac Frank Silvera Corby Kenneth Harp Sidney ................... Paul MazUrskv Fletcher Steve Coit Girl Virginia Leith Narrator * David Alien "Fear and Desire” is a literate, unhackneyed war drama, outstand- ing for its fresh camera treatment and poetic dialog. It’s a natural for the art house circuit, and a possible off-beat companion feature for gen- eral release. Pic is work of Stanley Kubrick, 22-year-old ex-Look magazine pho- tographer, who produced, directed, photographed and edited the film on a $100,000 shoestring budget. Film is written by 23-year-old poet Howard O. Sackler,! like Kubrick a fairly recent graduate of Taft High School, Bronx, N.Y. He has con- fected a blend of violence and philosophy' some of it half-baked, and some of it powerfully moving. Individual scenes stand out in im- pact, but the overall effect is not fully realized. Story deals with four Gls stranded six miles behind enemy lines and what happens to their moral fibre as they try to escape. Kenneth Haip, presumably repre- senting a glib intellectual, grows weary with his own sophistication. Paul Mazursky, over-sensitive to violence, is a weakling who tries to befriend a captured enemy girl, Miss Leith (a toothsome dish'; shoots her,, and then goes insane. Steve Coit is a level-headed South- erner who also winds up confused about his values. Frank Silvera plays the one character who fulfills himself—a tough, brave primitive, who purposely draws the fire of the enemy on himself on a river raft, so that Harp and Coit can shoot an eneniy general and escape in a captured plane. •Silvera, only vet actor in the cast, offers the most genuinely con- vincing characterization. But most deserved honors go to Kubrick for his versatile directing and lensing. Kubrick shot the entire 68 minutes of film in the San Gabriel Mts. and at a river at Bakersfield on the Coast, and he uses mists and tree leaves with telling effect. Music has been interpolated dramatically by Gerald Fried. 24- year-old Juilliard composer. While "Fear and Desire” may contain some pretentiousness and unneces- sary interpolations by narrator David Allen, it is definitely out of the potboiler class one would ex- pect .from a shoestring budget. The Cruel Sea (BRITISH) London, March 24. GFD release of Sta&los-Michael Balcon production. Star* Jack Hawkins; features Donald Slnden, Denholm Elliott, Virginia McKenna. Directed by Charles Frend. Screenplay, Eric Ambler, from book by Nicholas Monsarrat; camera, Gordon Dines? editor, Feter Tanner: mu- sic, Alas Rawsthorne. At Odeon, Lei- cester Square, London, March 24, '53. Running time, 13t MINS. Ericson Jack Hawkins Lockhart Donald Sinden Ferraby John Stratton * Morell .Denholm Elliott Bennett Stanley Baker Baker ....John Warner Tallow Bruce Seton Watts Liam Redmond Julie Hallam Virginia McKenna Elaine MoreU Moira Lister Doris Ferraby June Tborburn Tallow's Sister * Megs Jenkins Yeoman Well* ..Meredith Edwards Phillips Glyn Houston Tonbridge Alec McCowan Wainwrigbt .Leo Phillip* Signalman Rose Dafydd Havard Gracey .FTed Griffiths Sellar* ..««••«,*-»........Laurence Hardy Carslake .Sam Kydd Gray John Singer Broughton Barry Steel* Chalk up a major credit for a British studio. Ealing has hroken from its traditional light comedies to offer a serious, authentic recon- struction of the battle of the At- lantic, based,on Nicholas Monsar- rat's bestseller. Production, de- spite its overlong tunning time and other faults, emerges as a pic- ture of dramatic intensity and au- thenticity,, which should be reflect- ed in hefty b.o. grosses wherever it is shown. Much of the original novel’s ac- (Continued on prfie 24)