Variety (June 1953)

6 FILM REVIEWS VARtEfY Wednesday, June 10, 1953 Affair WUh a Stranger (SONG) jMediocre soap opera of show biz. marriage# overage returns via Jean Simmons# Victor Ma- ture marquee lure. Flaws Aren't Ironed Out Visually, Cinerama remains the most Impressive of the new film techniques, both in the 3-D and .r.inc Dnrwoii. Directed i>y vi idescreen category, it has the p- rccnijiay; Hiohard Flour- | ar f/e.st. scope and the .'greatest sense JIKO release of Howard irUKhe^i (Robert ; . Spark*! broduetton: Star* Jean SiihriVons. \ Victor'. Mf.tiircjV features Mary Jo Tarola, . Monu ! ;» : m-y-.ILo\ , ..t; nfl ‘(MMbelpWo*; -HowWff, 'Oie.'in*. yicvc.1' In. N.Y., June 0. ’53. Running time , e> MINS. r-ro'Mi Father vRill Bbilccle.v • DuJIv Mimt: y . ' Janet. MnoJIjfe'. . M'a 'P.'?,nidir Happy Mu'i-Kv. • -'Jet 1 ■ ..••• .. ' < lift) r"'n Ci'. i". -,. ('Viiihve' C'raif /. ’.MrJ'V'al.1;iec. ■'-Mi!*s Ct u'el" r. ■Top; . .. •. ■ .' ..Older'Timmv • ..... M.i iv ;J o Ta rola Monica I.cwl'i . Jant*. Harwell : . Dabbs (ireer Wailv Vernon Nicholas JoV diiim that brought • about Hoily- Jcnn qimmons ! v ood’s current technical revolution .vV.V.^ victor; Matotv .still, '.retains the basic? flaws that crix pointed out when it opened at the Broadway Theatre; N.Y., eight months ago. ••• Moving Over - to the Warner -The-" -, Ohye rarey . olr(> Friday ,(5) for an indefinite .Iiiion RronS-r?: : run. Cinerama .displayed; no large-: >r«e ricvcLatwi. ‘ scaie-,.technical. improvement. Faults . inn .c '■■■.noted"at. itsdebut still.Femai 11 , al- ; i though they might have been bet- ;V*•«l'’ J?■Vr!t , -i’Vv , '!l? nS ' tere.d to a slight degree. Use of nncl •V | c.' ,; ' M.'*fure will helpjii gen- j| irc( . projectors to throw the im- or;i morrC hut overall business T V . V iii So;ip np. iM fS'inf.hty of .slrupplinp' .lnios of deroaftation at the ' ])'ayv.Ti , 'h!.’s rnelTiage and sub.se-! points, where the film strips, meet, ouonl elimi) (j> bigtime are pieced The. synchronization,* said to. be; together: in a serif s of flashbac k • aulomatie now, is slightly improved t hat - are . trit e-. arid tiring. It's t he • although the same, jumping re- mind o / ’ yarn, indigenous, to ladies’., iiriijis. nwu's, but ri-ripter ;.fiiehard Flour- i prints used in the film, although ;.matched^-xeveid.dll’t. coloring, with the .the ; sharpest , . V1 ... .* pieiure; Caught from the rear, of :t!ie :playw.i;r;H arid his :wife-ore , thl>; ()| , ( . h estra to left of the center ex-. ; by sew ml :<>fthe>.dto^ .dark, with figures dis- A. ehe : n rea^f ion r/f.flash backs is ■ played on the screen overly elpngat- set off. and they air pitch in. with , V(t, .In a living room scene fentur- . tales of the'.voung couple. . 1 'nit commentator.' Lp well Thomas, . Ait the; el ie.ii e s a re in t h ei r. r e hi i -., latter’s body was out of proportion,, h'ry'-erieee, l r e’s broke and writing ' giving a foreshortened appearance; During its eight-month run at the Broadway,. Cinerama; played ;. to 323,504 people chalking Up .a gross of. $ 1,749,000. Seating capacity ; at at House 11i ii i i - i \ ^ unmc: <uivi yviii.iiiv^ in New Voiir. She’s a .model, loyelv , hut lone'y. '1’he marriage gets olf ; | to. a sli.nky start, ns she .continues f to : breadwip n bile he’s pound'ng tbe. nort;vble; He .finally gets a;play j the Broadway was 1,250 while a ! ci!«i°^ i, ' n 'K k 10 | the the Warner it: is 1,535. Hous night,-she...-.loses her baby. They ./n r .. f or '-ii A hdnrd nieturos" . adopt a . nionpet to pi»n her out .of ,s . ^’ 7j v slanuard. p ctures. /ii« rM aI.^m #ih /ill #' «i‘m ‘ <«i< a . »w\ iui.. '' ' •' ' • . . J‘* bob melancholy, and she; becomes so devoted to . the .kid that the writer tliinks ‘die’s lost, interest in his work, -which makes Kim bait for , ‘ .,|i er ,i the preying femme who’s starring : fi in. his new ‘show, The affaip which i hp-e w ith uolic . never materializes, by- the wayvas ' u °‘■ " ,lQ - pp 1C brought inlo the open by the col-1 iiinhist, but. a reconciliation is i . .quickly brought about, through the y ■ wife‘s \ ip.derstanding of wandering i husbands. . .Miss Simmons is .believable; in i . the role of the y.Oung wife, but Mature Is les'S than credible as the. playwright. Despite script Umita- t iops; ,sev(’rat A-one »orform.anees T'rom , tlie supporting players ;; emerge. Among; them are Mary .lb Tarola as Miss Simmons’ gal friend, j i leg ma n aiid ;aids hiip \vi tli one another. They’ie all the beast’s fraterniza- poliec horses. . Screenplay Vwot—only involves O’Connor in romantic entangle- nieiits hut has him on trial for mur- der. Yvette Dugay, daughter of a fruit-store proprietor, has a crush on ihe ei ack newsman. f .He fails to •reciprocate her affections' since lie's under the impression . he, can make tinie with society editor Nancy Guild. Trial ends wheri the mule testifies as to the defendant’s innpeenee. Tarola as Miss Simmons’ gal friend, j; O’Connor plays it straight, to tjahhs Greer as Miss Tarola’s bus- (lisli qiit a generous slice of humor, hand .and; W.nlty Vernon : as the ].Miss .Dugay.-deftly handles tier role friendly cabbie. Characterizatioiis j of a '.^clipgipg.•"yi'n-c , ’ ,; type .'wHQ;:-g.et.s of Jane D.arwoll as the friend of -her: n u, n despite Miss Guild’s . the family and Nicholas ■■'Joy as the i sophisticated coni pen satioP. Gene producer are^stock. Monica;■^ Lewis - Lockhart, as an. editor, and Harry is' properly sexy as the siren and ! Gates; as a top reporter, are eari-' s : a meat; warbling .job; .on Safii.-! cal tires rather, than the real thing, Arthur Hubin’s breezy direction the most of the fai^’C.. Prcw eonard Goldstein gives the yarn an authentic touch through • use of physical values,which point i.up New York’s cosmopolitan atmos- : I phere. This is. also enhanced via I Carl ;Ciuthrie‘s camerawork., Joseph ,. (Jershenson’s 'musical direction, : David Si Horsley’s special photog- raphy and Milton Carruth’s editing, among other technical contributors. ■ Gilb, ■ Coslow’s tune, VRiss and Hun.” . Roy Howland’s direction is heavy- • makesd handed. Other technical credits are [ dticer I, average, (JtOS. I Vfirn nn Francis Covers i lie of rugged scenery and plot, types is excellent. The Harry Joe Brown, production opens With the return of a weary posse with its mortality wounded sheriff. Success in hunting down the robbers it pursued is reported, but the. loot is missing and it is obvious the . fiosse ■ members are covering some dark secret.apd hop-, ing the; sheriff.will die before it, is revealed,.. : . Footage keeps skipping into the past and then pack into the present as Ilenry Hull plays an observer, role as a western liquor salesman. Principal characters are Crawford, a once heroic sheriff who has. be- come a drunk; Charles Bickford.; cattle;, baron, who has raised John Derek as a son; Warner . Anderson; Will Wright, Tom Powers and Ray- mond Greenleaf, four, greedy busi- ness men-who are .members of the posse, and James Bell, Skip .Home- rer and; Guy. Wilkerson, three poor ranchers who are being pursued after. robbing Bickford, ..Wanda Hendrix is the femPiC star, but has Only a few scenes as Derek's heart interest, ; Alfred Werker’s direction hits hard in the .action sequences, mak- ing them"-plenty:' rugged, and. his pacing would have shown to better advantage had not the flashback, technique been used in the script by Seymour, and Connie Lee Ben- nett-atfdRenp^ Guffey contributed, .the excellent photography and the other techni- cal. credits are good;- Btog. , ilfy; Thu! Sl<‘<‘ps Mild melodrama for program bookings iii more general mar- :■ kct. : /Hollywood, June 4. \ Republic release. of John II,. Aut*r .pro- ♦l.iic'tion. St:ir.‘ O.tu . young. Mala Powel-a, W.i 111 a nrsv'Pfl lm ji n,. Fid w n rd Arnold;, features Chip • WrRs, Milrle AVindsor, -.Paula Ray- mond; Otto Hulelt./ Wally Cassell, ■ Rim. .Hagcrthy. Directed fiy Auer. Screenplay, Stevfe Fisher; eaniera, .-John t». : , Russell, Jr.:, .editor, Fred. Allen; im(i*le, : R. Dale Hutts. Previewed June 3, ‘53, Running imc. .90: MINS.. . Jofinhy Kelly ..... >Gig Yountf Sally Connors. ; .. . ... Hayes Stewart Penrod Riddel. ,.... . .. Joe Chicago Lvdla Riddel .... Kfithy Kt?lI.V • • • • •. v .Slit..‘John Kelly, Sr. .. . . . . Clrcvig Warreri- Stubby .. ... . v, ...... f.i. P; rHer ......... Detective ... . . ...... ^.-. Agnes .' ■ ;. . Maiti'e d’hotel .......... Fa n rv Da n ,. ,.. Cab Driver ........ Mala Powers .. W ilUaiT) Talmari Edward Arnold .. . Chill Wills . Marie Windsor Paula Raymond ... VOtto Hulett .,..- W'ally Cassell Ron Hogerty . .James Andeljn . Thomas Poston . Bunny Kaeher Philip L. Roddy . XhQmas Jones Leonard Diebold Fourth in the‘Francis'' series looms as okay b;b. In. the gen- eral market. . Universal release of Leonard, Goldsiein produethm.. Stars Donald O'Connor: fea- tures Yvette ..Dugay,..-'.Gene :. Loelvhart'. I Nancy ; Guild Directed bv Arthur, l.iibtn. ! .Screenplay, O'.-ear Urodney, ; base<1' on" “Francis" character erented bv David ; KIcmiv:' camera, Carl. Guthrie;- editor, Mib ton (’arruth; music, Joseph: Gershenson. Trndeshown N.Y.,. June 5, ’53. Running time. 64 MINS. Donald CCoiinov . . Yvette DuCaj ... Gene Lockhart. : Nancy/Guild-; Larry Tito l.asl Posso Average western: good action for general duaiing. Peter Stirling, . . Marla Scdla ' . Tom Henderson. JVlbcrta Ames• ... Dan Austin ' .., Salvatore. Scola •Gin-net; ' : . ;i • Chief Hansen .., Evans ..■ " fourth Bell ii c 11.. K e nric th Ga me t; Vtor^-Rem . gt Ih. Its IOUt lh tllp-. before . 1 he n.ett*l camera; Burnett Guffey;: .editor; screen, with; ■ Francis. Covers the cme Haveiirk. Pi-eyiewett. juhe 4, .-’53. Big. T()\vh;’’ N.tivcltv of the charilt 1 - • Iiv,n>l,n <! t! h\e, miNs, - : . . Hpllywpod, June 8! Cohimhin release of Harry . Joe BroWn produrtion. / StHi-s /Bnyderlck' r Crnw(oRlV Gates l John Derek, Charles Bickford, Wuuda- Warner- Andersort, right; Tom Powers, James. Kirkwood,: . Skip Homeier, James Bell, tlu.v W'ilkeisort; Directed, byAlfred t.1-1 king- mille” so’fios ■ )'t'Vieenplay. Seymour add' Connie Silvio Mlnc'otli i.'I.lendiiN.^ features Wa .....Lbwcll - (Mlmore ! Ilenry Hull. WR|, Wrlgl , v., . WMlIianv lIaniean ; Raymond Circenlenf. J , ;. . .. Gale Gordon Kddy Waller, Skip Hohu A rather pretentious slab at pro,- found melodrama is made in the ’’City That Never Sleeps” but :it will have to be satisfied ’with- pro- gram bookings in the inore general market. That's the lovei on which its ontortainment Worth fits, oven though the 90 minutes of running time is overlong for the program- mer classification. . John H. Auer’s production and diroction loses itself ficcasionally in stretching for mood and nuances, Whereas a straighUine cops-and- robbers, action flavor w:oul.d have been inore appropriate to the ulti- mate release' fate of the offering; Same flaw is found in the Steve Fisher screen original Playing of the four east toppers, Gig .Young, it craz.Y', mixed-up cop; Mala Powers, a cheap, saloon dancer; William Ta’mnn, & magicirfi turned, hood, and Kdvvard Arnold, suave, crooked a tOrhcy, is; adequate to script and directorial. demands.. Chill: Wills, princioal featured player, walks through the film without any story definition, presumably being :■ a character that: represents the city of Chicago itself. : v . One niglit in. life on the Chicago police-force finds Young ready to blow his job and wife, Paula Ray- mond. to run avyiiy with MisS Pow- ers. He accepts an assignment from A rnol d to take Tal man over the state rlinerifi order to get inoney for the flight from reality, Before the. Coronation Color Flfans London, June 9, The limUatibris o£ TV and black and ; White newsreels ..have 'never been so clearly brought into focus as they have been by the color films of the Coronation. Television, had topicality and the newsreels gained in speed# but they all lost the. majestic pageantry and color which . highlighted the tinters. " i; “A ■ Queen Is Crowded.” (Hank Organization;Technicolor.. Run- ning time, 8.6 mins.) (ThfeFe’s also a shorter 60-minute version, for duals J The longest and most com- prehensive of the Coronation fea- tures, with, excellent- coverage of Abbey ceremony and all the main features ; pf the two-mile process sion. Cplor is uniformly good, with some magnificent long ; shots em-. phasizirig, the magnitude of the royal escort. Opening scenes of rural England were filmed in ad- vance, but more than 75 minutes of the running time is devoted to ■...Cbi-onatipn-'-Day: events, climaxing With the balcony scenes On Buck- jTnghRm-Palace—ineluding-^intimate close-ups of the royal family. Somewhat. extravagant .commen- tary; by Christopher Fry is- vividly .narrated;by. Sir Laurence Olivier. Sir Malcolm Sargent acted as mu- sical adviser, w ith special mu sic by Guy W«4rrac;k. (Film opened at the : (Guild Theatre, NV Y., Sunday (7); distributed by Universal.) /. "JElizabeth ; Is.: • Queen,”; ( Asso^ eiated British-Pathe; WatnerColor. Running time, 50 tnins.). With the. completion of this feature in .record time,;^^WarnerColor.Emerges as a serio.us rival to Technicolor. Despite, bad weather conditions the results arc outstanding; slightly variable in; quality, the hues are nevertheless richiy contrasted and the effect is Yividly Striking. Partly prefabricated, the film devotes some 35 minutes of the running time to Coronation Day, including extensive coverage of the religious ceremphy in Westminster Abbey. A. trimmed commentary by John Pud- riey is sincerely spoken by Lee Genii, with music arranged and •conducted by Sir Adrian Boult’. . "Coronation Bay,” (Movietone; GevaColor. Running time, 18 mins.). A compact edition of the Coronation, featuring the high- lights of the procession and the service. Color is patchy, and rare-, ly compares in quality with the other processes* Myro.. ter created by-; David Stern h;>s Worn fairly thin since, filmgoers saw the original "Francis’’ eariv;in ; ..1950. However, the: latest entrv boasts sufficieht .lniighs and amus- ing situations to satisfy the. general • market./ •• , ■ •. Then Sheriff. Fra/ler Jeti .Clayton...... Sampson. Drum* D. horah- Morley .. ,.li\ib«»rt Emerson Stokely -. ., I'oUci Mitchell ... Frank..-White Albert Hascti ‘•’S'.nothing logical or roalis- ryt^r kei ; ie about-the Oscar Brodney script. - ,V' , i!’ nWr • •••.• • • «........ s :, ,l 'K ■*>«-»; p;>mtra :m tomedy ! in-.,(^Ji , r £: , |}fe----V''-.-.- i . i -'.’/c-u • ,h ? 1 5 crvc t0 ; S ,s -$»<•>>'“ ■ '.'.v.Mii Donald () Connor’s top furimaking ' ^ h'.te h« ’Connor, of course, has been- Kane f v? nc 10 : Pnn , 7 a ever since; • tial Irancis^ film wcnt be- .A rontine run thrt Broderick ('rawford . ..... ... John Derek. ,., Charles Bickford ... Waiida Hendrix. ... War tier .Anderson. ;.,.;;. Henry Hull .. . . . . . . . .. . Will. Wright ...... Tohj Rowers Raymond Greenleaf .;.... . James Kirkwood ..v..; Eddy Waller Skip Hotneier James ficll Guy Wfikerson .Mira 'McKinney Helen Wallace Harry Hayden / .Monte Blue idle. O’ the mule'. f lire * rlw* a ( !n ia - Ilim W(,nt nt V - routine run • through general • 111 " v-V ■ bfial ; dat.es is m store Tort lm west- Ported v mie T I°" l,| ' n feature entry. While the. names stM'ies " thr> tnirt^f i ? hl L ' as fi m 1 u> *• re familiar and supply some book- because the story loses a choppy flashback The action stuff is good; lm niitU •?.” I 1 ”'’' t vv ‘ • as ar ^ the character per- 1 territic , formances. and the outdoor lCnsing . : • Volcano ."Volcano,” art Italian im- port to be; tradeshown today ( Wed.) in New York, was re- . .viewed .from; Rome by VaRi- ETY Feb. 22, 1950. A Ranaria Film production, it sfars^Anha . Magnafii,^Rossaro : Brazzi and : • . Geraldine Brooks.. William Dietorle directed .from.-a script, by Piero Teiiirii. and Victor ; Sloloff; United Artists is: dis-» . tribiiting in the U.' -S.. •• -. In appraising the- picture, Tubb. opined that its •’unusual back"rounds find local settings should have dominated ; this vehicle, Instead,, there’s an element of forced, reality .about it, despite. a real volcanic is-V land, real peasants, for actors, aml picturesque-1 ooking clvar- acters'.'.’ Sordid story concerns night is over, however, his dad, a veteran .cop, is dead, shPt^^ down by Taliiian, who also has managed to. bump . off Arnold and the latter’s two-timing wife. Marie Windsor, arid Young’s kid brother, Ron Hegerthy, is nearly fatally mixed up witJv the hood; These events and tragedies, piling in oni top of each other during the long night, con- vince Young he ;. should;, reconcile with his wife and stay on the force/ Otto - Hulett, as Young's . father; Wally CasscHV. brOken-doWn , actor who plays a mechanical man, and the other featured and supporting players go through fheir assign- ments 1 adequately, John L. Russeh’s photography makes okay use of Chicago streets and buildings for the low-key,, night-life effect re- quired to back the melodrama. Other technical aids are acceptable.; Brog, Tho; Oi*ai*Io '' . (BRITISH) Gimmick newspaper comedy done by big British cast: oidy. . : for dualers or arty; spots in U,S,; a w’ell and accurately foretells th# future. The obvious laughraakftig gimmicks are fully exploited in this story which has a rural Irish set- ting and a newspaper background. An attractive quota pic for British exhibs, It may do as a duller in American theatres. A Fleet Street reporter Who comes across the. Oracle while vacationing in Ireland, sees in him the possibility of saving his some-* what precariqUs job. For his trouble in obtaining a minuterby- minute weather forecast, he’ gets fired. But When he submits six winners for the following day?s rac- ing# his editor realizes he is on to something; special. During the next few weeks, the paper forecasts ; every winner and puts every, book- maker but of business. Then the Oracle is diverted to 1 help the. writer of the; "What • the Stars . Foretell” feature and the infallible predictions rbb the column of all its warmth and. humanity:. The staff, is up in, arms. In order to. bring the editor back to his. senses, they fake a message of a plane crash. in which his wife is returning from Paris. The screenplay makes a decided pitch at obvious laugh situations but endeavours to place,a, serious side to the story, The ^chuckles are consistently maintained right to. the end, when the Oracle takes a slam at-thercredit^titlesr-ThbrvbiceoL Gilbert Harding, Which is .used for the messages from the well; is. a strong angle for British audiences because he is one? of the best known TV and radio personalities. Robert Beatty .plays the editor in fbrth- right style while Michael Med win turns in an adequate performance as the reporter. The newspaper staff , is effectively played by Mer-* vyn Johns, Arthur Mficrfie, Gillian Lind* Ursula Howells and Louise Hampton. There is a warm contri- bution by Joseph Tbmelty and ah endearing performance by Virginia McKenna, who supplies the irici- 1 dental romantic interest, ' Film has been smoothly directed by Pennington Richards and com- petently tensed by Wolfgang SuS- chitzky. Jbhn Trumper’s editing keeps the pace rolling smoothly. Myro, Xachtwaeho (Keepers of the Night) (GERMAN) Casino Film release of JPijmaufbau Got- tingen ; production. Stars Luise Ullrich# Hans Nielsen/ Directed by Harald Brown. Screenplay, Brown; music. Mark Ldther. At. 58th SL Playhouse.'N.Y., May ;29, '53, .Running time. 109 MINS. ' Cornelia .V,. Luise Ullrich Pastor rifeger..;, . Han^Nielsen 'Stefan Gorgas . .... Rene Deltgen. ReV. ,' von Imhoff. ,. i....... Dieter Borsche Sister<J5uperlor ,.......'/.: Kathe Haack Lotte ’ .. ...... , Angelika Voelkher Sister Jakobc . Gertrud Eysoldt ' Tove^ and nnifcler;bn the island of Vulcano., Revi^ " per. ormr.nces of Mi.«s-'..M-?« r, ia'ni. , and Bra/ri.V" Di. 'Hi’ s' dipecr tion was fated, as "slroiig.” . / London; June 1, Associated British Fllxti Distributors re- lease of. a' Group. Three production.': Stars Robert Beatty; features Joseph Tonicity, Alervyn Johns, Michael Mcdwin, ■ Virginia McKenna,. Gillian. Lind. .Ursula Howells, Arthur Macrae/ Gilbert. Harming.-'Directed, by ■■ .Ppnnmgton Richards.. Screenplay by Patrick, Campbell from original story by ‘.Robert- /Barrs', camera* Wolf can?-, Sus-chit- z H.v: editor',. John-Truritpcr; music,. Temple Abady. At .Empire,. Leicester SqUare, Lon- don. Running time, •3 MrNS,' Robert/ Jefferson ... -i ... Robert Bc/ttv fom Mltchum McrVyh John’s Alan. Dighy ;,. ■,.. • ..;. ArUnir Macrae .Jane B'oycie •..........;,; Gillian;: Lind. ■. «.'* Ijj'Riila lIowcJ.I^. .iss rurnr.r ,.•' Louise Hamptbn. .penis - ., /.,, /.... John Chiirlesworth: ,a lmothy .Blake ..,.... ... Michael Mcdwin i2 l ! y noche V'.. ,...,. Joseph Tomeilty Snelagh - ; ... .....,'..,...Vu-ulma, McKenna Adams .... .' Lockwood AV.c.^t _>Irs. Lenlhan .;....... i; ...Mai re b’Neill . t>- ' •••*•*! ; i J din MriJrido • • • i • • '•'/.. L Dorek Tanslcv O-Kcelc' ..,.... / Patrick,/-McAUInev Oracl e . - ' .The "Oracle” of the title is heard but not s/on thr.ongh out• t hjs. Bfit- ish film, and 1 is n\;voice I’ltini fi’p.. past who resides at the but tom of (In Geiman; English Titles) Although it won the David O; Selznick Golden Laurel Award at the Venice.. Film Festival, this beautifully - constructed religioso drama, has only slender possibili- ties on the arthOu.se circuit and its Only chances for b o:, in general re- lease is if it’s . igiven special ex- ploitation among church groups. Its theme—about a Protestant pas- tor and a Gatholic priest struggling to retain faith in the face of Ag- nostic cynicism—will not offend anybody, .But its heavy devotional mood is sustained with little leav- ening humor, and its running time of 109 minutes is far too overlong. Harald Brown, who both scripted and directed it with loving: care in the American Zbiie pf West Ger- many, pits Hans Nielsen as a pas- tor in a sisterhood, hospital against Luise Ullrich, a skeptical resident doctoi*; He falls .for the jazz-lov- ing mediqo, but while she admires him, she rejects him with the line, (Continued on pago 21) y AffairN or ^foNNalivia - "Affairs >of. Messalina,” a Franco-Italian : co-production tradeshown iii New York last week, was reviewed, by Vari- ety March 1952, under its . original, title of "Messaline.” In appraising.the Maria Felix-? Georges Mareschal , stafirer, Mosk thought that "the story of the oversexed. Empress . Messaline has some exploita- tion pegs. Careful placing in sureseaters and/special situa- / tioris (should give thiis a good chance for real coinage in. .. America.” - Directed . find written by Carmine Gallone, the film is , a spectacle about decadent Rome and early Christianity. . "Following 'FabiblaV and; 'Last/ Days of .Pdmpeii',’:".-''tl ; ie^fitdtic‘ vvrote, "this has ;more story line and character develop- ment, than: its predecessors, i plus, e n”a u g h ^ suniptuous pageantry and. arena . massa- ■ ' ^ = Pres”~ r to' ... give ir"a - — push. Miss Felix was s.iid to be" properly sen c p;’ 1 ■ ? • ?. s. th e Empress, while Marechfil. is *"•v’ef'uate'.’ as a wouldrbe re- former. ' '