Variety (April 1953)

FILM REVIEWS P%axt&rr Wednesday, April 15, 1953 House of Wax (3-0) ♦ Socko b.o. via that new dimen- sion in sight and sound* Warner Bros, release of Bryan Foy pro- duction. Stars Vincent Price, Frank Love- jay. Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones, Paul Piccrni. Directed by Andre de Toth. Screenplay, Crane Wilbur, from story by Charles Belden (original title as first filmed by WB, "Mystery of the Wax Museum" reviewed. Feb. 21, 1933, 'i in. •Variety’)! camera (Warner Color), Bert • Glennon and Peverell Marley; ecr.ior, Rudi Fehr; sound, Charles Lang; NaturalVlslon supervision, M. L. Gunzburg (Dr, Julian Gunzburg, consultant); music, David But- tolph; orchestrations, Maurice dePackh; assistant director, Jimmy McMahon. Pre- viewed April 9, '53, Paramount, N.Y. Run- ning time, 90 MINS. This picture will knock ’em for a ghoul. ; Warners’ “House of Wax” is the post - midcentury “Jazz Singer,” What the freres and A1 Jolson did to sound, the Warners- have re- peated in third-dimensioh. Houses playing .'“Wax” in 3-D will be beaucouj) OK for b.o. Price 1$ capital a$ the No. 1 men- ace. Frank Lov*joy Js authoritative a* the lieutenant. Phyllis Kirk is purty as the ingenue who looks fairly convincingly scared hiit not so in the scream department—she needs a good, shrill, piercing shrieker as voice standin. Paul Picerni is okay as the juvenile and Carolyn Jones makes her moments count as the flighty kid who gets bumped off. Charles Buchlnsky Is the No. 2 menace, as the deaf- mute, and Reggie Rymal,-as the barker; is also standout. Rest of the cast is professionally com- petent. (Lionel A’twill, Fay Wray, Glen- da Farrell, Frank McHugh, Allen Vincent and Holmes Herbert were in the original Michael Curtiz- directed production, which was also in Technicolor. Variety re- view, at the Broadway Strand, dep- recated “the loose and uncon- vincing story” but conceded its b.o. potentials, Jeing primed for the horror school of film fan). “Wax” ran sans intermission at in smaller most avid fan of violence will be satisfied. There are several fight sequences In the plot, both fistic and gunplay. In the former, all veneer is shed as the males settle down to hand- to-hand combat, as primitive as the stone ages and' as violent as are all survival battles between males. The two gun duels are of like action; loud, quick and deadly, with the footage leading up to them crammed with meaningful menace. Just as ably as he breeds violent tension into those sequences,'does Stevens’ direction build life and emotion into the scenes of work, love, happiness and sadness that go in between. Plot is laid in early Wyoming, where a group of farmer-settlers have taken land formerly held by a cattle baron. Latter resents this intrusion on the free land and thfe fences that come with the/setting down of home roots. His fight is against Heflin chiefly, who is the driving force that keeps the fright- ened farmers together. Just when it seems the cattle man may even- A<? the first maior studio third- • the Paramount but in smaller it tnc c a Ltie inan^ may even- I houses, with small booth space,.the tually have his way, a stranger, to dimensional, not counting Colum-, . , . . . ,, . _ bia’s concurrent "Man in the intermission would come at the Dark” at the competitive Globe, i halfway point. AbeL on Broadway—and also doing OK b.o. despite its comparative short comings—“Wax” has the advan- tage in that it gives the audience a chiller-diller workout as few celluloid merchants of menace have done. Burbank pulled out all the stops on the macabre, the cadaver and the ghoulish props. It’s all there, and in spades—the creaking doors; human cadavers in too realistic effigy; the madman entrepreneur of this replica of Mme. Tussaud's Museum; the deaf-mute No. 2 menace (with Lionel Strongfort muscles to match); the sinister murderer stalking hjs victims; the blazing fire which destroyed the original musee; the death masks and the paraffin works; the hyper-realistic replicas of practically every hei- nous crime or violent act in his- tory (torture on the rack, Joan of Arc at the stake, Bluebeard, Marie Antoinette, assorted guillotines and kindred props, first criminal to die in the- electric chair, the hanging victims, etc.). Nothing has been missed. Sliane (COLOR) Socko drama of the pioneer west with both class and mass appeal. Strong b.o. possibili- ties. Hollywood, April 13. Paramount release of George Stevens production. Stars Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin; co-stars Brandon De Wilde; features Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan. Directed by Stevens. Screenplay, A. B. Guthrie, Jr.; added dia- log. Jack Sher; based on novel by Jack SchaefeV; camera (Technicolor), Loyal Crlegs; editors, William Hornbeck, Tom McAdoo; music, - Victor Young. Pre- viewed AprU 6, •’53. Running time, 118 MINS. Shane Alan Ladd Mrs. Starrctt Jean Arthur Mr. Starrctt Van Heflin Joey Slarrett Brandon De Wilde Wilson Jack Palance Chris Ben Johnson Lewis Edgar Buchanan Ryker .$ Emile Meyer Torrey Elisha Cook, Jr. Mr.' Shipstcad Douglas Soencer Morgan John Dierkes Mrs. Torrey Ellen Corby i Crafton’ Paul McVey ! Atlccy John Miller , _ . , , i M r.s. Shipstead Edith -Evanson Remake of Charles Belden s: Wright Leonard strong oldie, “Mystery of the Wax Mu- i Johnson Ray Spiker | 21 , seum” (Variety, Feb. 21, 1933), ! Susan Lewis Janice Carroll has been given, the full three- dimensional treatment in Crane Wilbur’s screenplay. Andre de Toth’s direction, while uneven and frequently as unconvincing as the basic scripting, none the less has geared it to the medium—chairs flying into the audience, cancan dancers pirouetting full into the camera, the barker’s pingpong hall, as a pitchman’s prop, likewise shooting out at the audience, the muscular menace springing as if from the theatre into the action. The stereophonic sound further assists in the illusion, although, just as often, there are technologi- cal missouts such as when, the clat- tering feet" precede the visual action. But in the main the utiliza- tion of the multi-horned sound ef- fects are more than sufficient unto the purpose thereof. The off- screen directional screams, foot- beats and the like, for all their melodramatic theatricalism, are highly effective. After all, this is part of that new public yen for a new dimension. It is patent how streophonic sound, in time, will more than compensate for the “depth” dimen- sion, as the other new processes (Cinemascope, etc.) come into ex- istence, leaning less to the utiliza- tion of the Polaroid glasses and more in favor of widescreen and directiqnal sound * to further the illusion of a “third” dimension. Warners here employs the Gunz burg Bros.’ NaturalVision tech- nique, first introduced in Arch Oboler’s “Bwana Devil” (now UA release). It is said that both Mil- ton and Dr. Julian Gunzburg dep- recated so large a house as the Broadway Paramount for Natural Vision, favoririg a smaller capacity than the 3,664-seater, However, it all comes off quite well. Charles Lang did all right in the main with the RCA Stereo- phonic sound (billed here as War- nerPhonic Sound). WB also uti- lized its own WarnerColor which, in some instances, achieved minor key lighting, although in the main it all blended quite well into the Frankenstein-Dracula motif. Fittingly, Bryan Foy, whose “Lights of New York” has some historic significance in the annals as the first 100% all-talker (also Warher Bros.), has the credit of having produced the first major studio feature in 3-D. Production, • basically, did not strain the budget and achieved maximum results with the eerie chases, ghoulish shenanigans in the N. Y. City morgue, the “14th St. Music Hall” (sic!) interior for the cancan, the police headquarters’ flashbacks, and the like. Casting is competent. Vincent Howells Martin Mason Mrs. Lewis Helen Brown Mrs. Howells Nancy Kulp Strong boxoffice possibilities accrue to this sdeko drama of the early west, which draws on sound plot and* characters, solid directo- rial interpretation and fine plajung to give it both class and mass appeal. It is by no means a con- ventional giddyap oater feature in Technicolor, being a western in the truer sense and ranking up with some of the select few that have become classics in the outdoor field. For the record, “Shane” was previewed in a process stage on Paramount’s experimental wide- screen, to an audience perched on makeshift seating. Despite these abnormal viewing conditions, the picture’s worth was not lessened, and the widescreen projection did contribute, in some measure, to a sense of bigness, although, again for the record, “Shane” would be a “big” picture on any size scr.een. Theatres equipped for widescreen showings should find the extra ballyhoo angle of this gimmick adding to the dollars taken in at the boxoffice. George Stevens handles the story and players in a manner that gives his production and direction a tremendous integrity. The casting is exceptionally good and the male stars have never. been seen to better advantage. This is particu- larly true of Alan Ladd in the title role. Under Stevens’ guidance, Ladd's performance takes on di- mensions not heretofore noticeable in his screen work, possibly be- cause he has seldom had such an honest character to portray. Van Heflin, the other male star, com- mands attention with a sensitive performance, as real and earnest as the pioneer spirit he plays. An oddity of this screen venture, brought to life under Stevens’ supervision, is the fact that the screenplay Is A. B. Guthrie, Jr.’s first, as is the novel from which it was adapted, the maiden effort of Jkck Schaefer. In both, the impact comes mainly from the fact there was a story to be told and all concerned went about the busi- 1 ness of telling it without unneces- sary writing embroidery; What fancying up there is comes from the directorial touches supplied by Stevens, who never rushes the picture or a scene. This measured, deliberate handling in many of the sequences may seem too slow for the tastes of the more regular run of audiences, and does account for the picture taking up nearly two hours of footage, but when the plot demands action he deals it out in such rugged doses that even the be known only as Shane,, rides on to Heflin’s homestead, is taken in and becomes one of the settlers, as he tries to forget his previous life with a gun. His six-shooter lies unused in a blanket roll, until the rancher brings in a killer to pro- voke a fight with Heflin. It is then that Ladd, as Shane, sees that he must again use his pistol for justice and to save his new-found friends. In the deadly finale, all enemies of the settlers are wiped out and Shane rides off again to a restless life. Starring with Ladd and Heflin is Jean Arthur, playing the. role of Heflin’s wife, who is attracted to the stranger who joins her family. Miss Arthur gives the character her special brand of thesping skill, which shows through the singularly dowdy costuming and makeup.' A standout is the young stage actor, Brandon De Wilde, whose work earns him a co-star credit. He brings the inquisitiveness and quick hero worship of youth to the part of Heflin’s son and Steven’s direction displays a true under- standing of boyhood in pointing up the role. Jack Palance, with short but impressive footage, is the hired killer. Emile Meyer, the bearded cattle king who sees his empire falling, is another who creates a tremendous impression for charac- terization. Edgar Buchanan, Elisha Cook, Jr., and Douglas Spencer are among the settlers who show up in the story-telling. Ben JohnSbn registers strongly as Ladd’s foe in the first bloody fist fight. John Dierkes, Ellen Corby and the others are good. PictOrially, the picture has been beautifully photographed in color by Loyal Griggs. Wyoming’s scenic plendors against which the story is filmed are breath-taking. Sunlight, the shadow of rain storms and the eerie lights of night, play a realistic part in making the picture a visual treat. The long footage has been well-integrated by the editing of William Hornbeck and Tom Me Adoo, and Victor Young’s music score is a decided asset. Brog. Titanic voyage from Southampton, to N.Y, on April 11, 1912, but the histori- cal facts behind the tragedy give substance to fiction. During the first half, the film is inclined to dawdle and talk, hut by the time the initial 45 or 50 minutes are out of the way, the impending disaster begins to take a firm; grip ort the imagination and builds a compet- ing expectancy. The final 30 min- utes, after the ship’s bottom is opened by a jagged iceberg spur, is strong screen drama, hitting hard at the emotions as frightened, but brave, people respond to the danger, and characters are molded in the crisis. It is -during these scenes that Jean Negulesco’s direction and the script really shine, bringing out the drama that lies in the confu- sion of shipwreck and pastengers’ reaction to certain doom. Here the script by Charles Brackets (who also produced), Walter Reisch and Richard Breen makes every word and action count, and Negulesco’s direction takes the players over the dramatic hurdles with a sure hand. The scenes will tear at the heart. The records show that of the 2,229 persons aboard, .nnly-712 escaped before the ship plunged to the bottom of the North Atlan- tic at 2:30 a.m., April 15, 1912. Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb do well by the principal roles in the fictional story. She is a wife trying, to take her two chil- dren, Audrey Dalton and Harper Carter, away from the spoiling in- fluence of a husband interested only in a superficial society life. The ship sails and during the en- suing footage an audience is made acquainted briefly with the assort- ed .people aboard as Miss Stan- wyck and Webb battle abortively to settle their family differences. This personal conflict is resolved in the heroic finale, as Webb be- comes a man in the crisis and says farewell as he remains with his son to go down with the other doomed persons, singing* “Nearer My God to Thee,” A shipboard romance between Robert Wagner, a student return- ing to the states, and Miss Dalton, offer some pleasant, touching mo- ments. Thelma Ritter has little to do as a rich western mine owner. Brian Aherne is excellent as the ship’s captain. Richard Basehart, a de-frocked priest addicted to the bottle* makes his few moments stand out, Allyn Joslyn is. good as a coward who sneaks aboard a life- boat disguised as a woman'. Young Carter makes his role of the boy believable. Brackett's production supervi- sion has the advantage of some high technical skills that add phys- ical wallop to the story. Reproduc- tion of the luxury ship, special ef- fects that picture the doomed ves- sel in the climactic moments, pe- riod costuming and other physical aspects are topnotch, and Joe MacDonald lenses them well. Music score by Sol Kaplan, di- rected by Lionel Newman, is good. Of note is the fact that the music is not allowed to detract from the dramatic impact of the finale se- quences, most of which are height- ened because only the sound that would go with these scenes is used, Brog , the broadly-belted comedy hokum. The Hal Wallis production, scripted by Herbert Baker and Walter De Leon, shapes the values to take ad- vantage of the numerous gags, physical business, songs and dances. Script, to which Ed Simmons and Norman Lear contributed added dialog, has its chief setting on a lonely, zombie-haunted island off the coast of Cuba, To get the prin- cipals on the spot, preliminaries are concerned with Martin, a cabaret singer, and his awkward chum, Lewis, back in New York, where they get mixed up with a gangster’s girl, Dorothy Malone, and, in fleeing a gangland ride, meet up with Lizabeth Scott, heir- ess to the' island. Martin & Lewis decide to go along with her as protection against mysterious men who are attempting to keep her from claiming her in- heritance. Once on the island, Lewis’ camedic, frightened reac- tion fo the supernatural atmosphere and they tricks pulled by the heavy to scare them off, keep the laughs running into each other before the mystery is solved arid* William Ching is revealed as the villain who wants the island because of a gold vein under the' old castle. Bats, sliding doors, hidden passages, etc., are among the standard equipment aiding the fun. Five newer tunes, plus Carmen Miranda’s “Mama yo Quiero,” are belted out in the music line. Mar- tin pipes Mack David’s and Jerry Livingston’s “I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine” as a lead-in to a hilarious routine in which a bum- bling Lewis decorates cafe guests with spaghetti. The comics team on “What Have You Done for Me Lately” and Miss Miranda is next out with “San Domingo,” on which M&L join. Martin woos Miss Scott with “When Someone Wonderful Thinks You’re Wonderful.” “The Enchilada Man” serves as a pro- duction piece for M&L, Miss Mi- randa and danqe line. Lewis decks himself out in platform shoes and fruit to take off Miss Miranda's “Mama.” Joseph J. Lilley’s musical direction and Leith Stevens’ music score are excellent. Oddly enough, a comedy, high- light in the picture is handled by uncredited Frank Fontaine,* play- ing a drunk who thinks Martin is a ventriloquist wfyen he is caught talking to Lewis, hidden in a trunk at dock-side. The comedy team is in its element in the story’s slap- stick harum-scarum. Miss Scott handles herself niftily and Miss Mi- randa shows up well. Miss Malone’s chores in the early footage are carried out delightfully as a gal who likes to kiss, even if it does displease her gangster boyfriend, Leonard Strong. George Dolenz, a sort of mysterious character; Ching, the heavy; Paul Marion, Jack Lam- bert, the zombi, and the others involved, supply capable support. Ernest Laszlo’s photography, the special photographic effects by Gordon Jennings and Paul Lerpae, the Edith Head costumes for the femmes, and the other contribu- tions backing the production are first-rate. Brog. Screen Arabia based on the 1912 sinking of the luxury liner. Good h.o. prospects. Hollywood, April 14. 20th_Fox release of Charles Brackett production. Stars Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck; co-stars Robert Wagner, Au- drey Dalton. Thelma Ritter; features Brian Aherne, Richard. Basehart, Allyn Joslyn, James Todd, Frances Bergen, Wil- liam Johnstone. Directed by Jean Negu- Iesco. Screenplay, Brackett, Walter Reisch, Richard Breen; camera, Joe MacDonald; editor, Louis Looffler; music, Sol Kaplan. Previewed April 10, '53. Running time, 97 MINS. Richard Sturges Clifton Webb Mrs. Sturges ’ Barbara Stanwyck Giff Rogers Robert Wagner Annette Audrey Dalton Mrs. Young Thelma Ritter Captain Smith j.. Brian Aherne Healey Richard Basehart Eari Meeker Allyn Joslyn Sandy Comstock a . James Todd Mrs. J. J. Astor Frences Bergen John Jkcob Astor .... WiUiam Johnstone Messenger Christopher Severn Devlin James Lilburn Officer Wilde ........ Charles Fitzsimons 1st Officer Murdock ... . Barry Bernard Vvidener Guy Standing. Jr. Mrs. Straus Helen Van Tuyl Isldor Straus .. Roy Gordon Mrs. Uzcadum Marta Mitrovlch Emma Ivis Goulding Bride Dennis Fraser Phillips Ashley Cowan Norman Harper Carter Officer Llghttoller Edmund Pux*dom Symons Lee Graham CoUegc Girls. Merry Anders, Gloria Gordon, Melinda Markey College Students .. Ronald F. Hagerthy, Conrad Feia, Richard West Se»re«l Stiff (SONGS—DANCES) Hilarious Martin & Lewis com- edy* with Latin haunted-house setting. Bright b.o. prospects. Tbe sinking of H.M.S. Titanic in 1912 provides a factual basis for this screen drama reenacting the tragic voyage. Overall, it is ex- cellent filmfare, particularly in the latter half, and it has good gross- ing prospects in regular release, market for which it is best suited. Story line is built around fic- tional characters aboard the sup- posedly unsinkable British luxury liner when it started its maiden Hollywood April 14. Paramount release of Hal Wallis pro- duction. Stars Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Lizabeth Scott, Carmen Miranda; features George Dolenz, Dorothy Malone* William Ching. Directed by George Marshall. Screenplay, Herbert Baker, Walter De Leon; added dialog, Ed Simmons, Norman Lear; based on play by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard; camera, Ernest Laszlo; editorial supervision, Warren Low; music direction, Joseph J. Lllley; music score, Leith Stevens; new songs. Mack David, Jerry Livingston; musical numbers, staged by Billy Daniel. Previewed in Hollywood. Running time, 104 MINS. Larry Todd Dean Martin Myron Mertz Jerry Lewis Mary Carroll Lizabeth Scott Carmelita Castina Carmen Miranda Mr. Cortega George Dolenz Rosie Dorothy Malone Tony Warren William Ching Carriso Twins Paul Marion Zombi Jack Lambert Police Lieutenant Tom Powers Trigger Tony Ban- Shorty Leonard Strong Pierre Henry Brandon Cop on Pier Hugh Sanders Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis are back in a free-wheeling round of slapstick hilarity—the kind they do so well— in “Scared Stiff,” new version of the old Paul Dickey- Charles W. Goddard play. The re- sults provide fun for all ages and hold out promise of bright box- office in practically all situations. - The typical M&L funning gets underway early and continues throughout the 106 minutes of footage. Any lapse in the pace is so slight, it will hardly be noticed, and only serves to provide a breath- ing spot for audiences as George Marshall sends the players through It Happens JEvery Thursday Entertaining comedy drama of country newspapering, with fa- miliar name of Loretta Young heading cast. Acceptable fare for general situations. Hollywood, April 13. Universal release of Anton M. Leader (Leonard Goldstein) production. Stars Loretta Young, John Forsythe; features Frank McHugh, Edgar Buchanan, Palmer Lee, Harvey Grant, Jane Darwell, Willard Waterman. Directed by Joseph Pevney. Screenplay, Dane Lussler; adaptation. Leonard Praskins and Barney Slater; based on novel by Jane S. Mcllvaine; camera, Russell Metty; editor, Frank Gross. Previewed April 7, '53. Running time, 80 MINS. Jane MacAvoy Loretta Young Bob McAvoy John Forsythe Fred Hawley Frank McHugh Jake Edgar Buchanan Chet Dunne Palmer Leo Steve MacAvoy Harvey Grant Mrs. Spatch Jane Darwell Myron Trout Willard Waterman Matthew Jimmy Conlln Mayor HuU Regis Toomcy Mrs. Holmes Gladys George Mrs. Dow Kathryn Card Homer Edward Clark Bartlett Eddy Waller Loretta Young heads up the cast in this entertaining comedy drama concerned with country news- papering. . It is a friendly, unpre- tentious, general market feature that should be well-liked in the regular situation, even though, not likely to create any great stir at the boxoffice. The Anton M. Leader produc- tion is based on Jane S. Mc- Ilvaine’s novel of the same title, which details the adventures of a young couple trying to run a small- town weekly. Joseph Fevney’s di- rection is good and the script lik- able, so things move along enter- tainingly for the 80 minutes of footage. Miss Young is excellent as the wife of John Forsythe, a big-city (Continued on page 22)