Variety (January 1954)

Wednesday 27, 1954 Tato BaMMUr ^ (COLOR-MUSICAL) Amusing: state musical transferred literally Intact te screen. Happy sutlsok. A United Artist*' release sir Albert Zursmlth-Ben Peekay production; Stars Phil Silvers; features Rose Marie. Danny ■ell Belew Zer# (BRITISH-COLOR)/ Arctic murder mystery; Alan Ladd's latest British-made meller lopks like a sturdy b.«, bet. ■■ tall, to bo any more ttw ■U^lQSSgajSagmHLSftCg iS I MS"i» Bragaet fluate the show being a familiar j young npairess ana miss i/tt ana i ■ •«. 2m to mo.t .5dleSc5 “""“HSEd are. convincing . « hor| ft.™, ... scrupulous Alaskan salmon flsner v«n man who doesn’t mind using fils w?”* *tebte o^en ^ We Van best friend. Brian Keith to win g«ef , latter’s fiance. Miss Sterling, for aym, a*. Keating m young^son^ana himself. As a fisherman, too he’s SSS?flnDomm^cz’ ** a Ji»Vng as crooked as they come, mobbing Mexican. mow. . .« /*_!. a £ _ -m' sinlth-Ben Peskay production; stars rnu l^nAnn Tan 10 himseil. as a nsnerniau, gSKfi^nsa. ttsdt&u&sv **■«. .«*»%£ *£4* >.<£•..«• »«»<*««» ‘“z^i®**?** Greene. Based on Broadway *nuBlcal oft tlon< Stiff Alan Ladd; features Sdlmon tr^ps Of th6ir fish# BOO IS same name. Scripts Gene Town*; : mude Jjf/ffl' by* responsible for Keith losing hjs boat under a glacier avalanche. (Masscr; dSccs? Ronafd Ifhclair; camera. “Tifc wfifte Botith." i»y;«am*nond innea These elements are juggled around William Bradford. Tradeshown in N.Y., with adaptation by Richard f 0r an old-fashioned yarn of ret ^ S85%® ribution and rlght-wlnning^ut. &Uy Diuon ®8.%S »» *>' *««»•”* «>»«. 10 Byaa gnally meeting alust end ciiff Lane Dartny Scholl “,N8^ ■ . • ■ * T when he deliberately steers a ; fel ♦ Sally Peters Judy Lynn Duncan Cralr Alan Ladd iow_heavv>s boat toward a glacier, Vic Davis Jack Albertson Judle -Nordahl ... , • • '**%*££& . .1®" VY»K aL th* Craft is Mgram melodrama ter rou V . A^ Aru^tel} *> „, mcyer Jr.. production; co-producers a Robert Nunes. Roger Cormsn. Stars Birh ard Conte. Joan Bennett, Wanda” Hiih /f*11 ***««?' Maly jjeiti Uiihhat«A: W AdtiMip.^rry Harvey* Tom 1 IUtMnJuru!%cmfkv. tSthu^ Routine 'science-fiction entry for fair returns in exploitation market. Hollywood, Jan.. 22. Nathgn Juran. Screenplay. Herb Meadow Jerome Odium; added dialog. Tom Huh’ bard. Fred Eggers; from a story by J ’ SK? tj&SfSSE* J>n' «• •« «»»• Jim Richard Conte Mrs. Cummings Joan Bennett .......... . . . Johnny Trama ,-. . . . ... ..... Oloria Smith. . ........... George Marcl rrama Miner ...... that little interest attaches,. SSOluSSS^^ p£vi SS5S; s£Sdebonrg V.V.?.V:V;;:.V.VpwtonHau£* Miss sterling, occasionally .looking is. '54. Running time, 71 mins. t • Ivan Praltf 4Ua« . wU ntiAla suAdnlnit <% #ri tfnr Tnil'r gisfc M SS!^-vrr::rr:.v" Mtesteriing. occasionally looking «. •«. Kunfma ««,. « ■ “Top Banana”, is a funny moving Mander* ‘”* * y yan wig, -does what she can with her por the exploitation market this 2nd inspector ‘ III HI .* .* ’. . . Joseph^crdhari picture, ill: ccilor;_wUh music, with ^ This new Alan Ladd starrer^^ ^ «Vrdwtnobl?^ science-fiction .entry indicates fair IMger* • is. a Vigorous action drama which reiams. but . is a Affair ai ................. ...... Fred GabJiS “Top Banana” is a funny moving Larsen /. ......... Manders better profile for the New Yorker TTZ ^ porting cast as fishermen, magazine than “Red Badge of . Aside, from the virility of the Technical departments are ca Courage.” story, this has an attractive and pably handled. William C. Mellor’i ’ What gives special significance Th^snowv^va^tes take on^meh carr}era. a“<*_jpro.ces: 5 . to “Tod Banana’^ ' is that it “vio .e sn,owy wastes take on a men raphy by Farciot Edouart and Wal lated”^ ^most^ ot ^the^ conventions 2f acin8 when lensed through lace Kelley most interesting. ; Technicolor cameras. There is also Whit. s have upped it to a true chiller-. ‘Highway Dragnet” represents T Film’s major premise is imagina the joint efforts, of four producers 1 live enough— plans of superman and six writers^ but they, all came " from another planet to destroy -Up short so this collaborative effort earthmen. Simply hasn’t been de will have to be satisfied with rou • v J ' — i1«. "‘m«a44a.. . ^ina nPAffbommAM <1a4aM P-ii* _ ?e -of AJdehfro|n we. « me Technical «ne story, this has an attractive Bna pably handled, William C. Mellors ,niorort points lie chiefly in the nossihil unusual locale in the Antarctic. /.nmora uinirv and nrn^ipsa nhntof? . ■ Certain Interest accrues in the u. ■ Ja. 1^ « osl pi ine .COIJve*J^,ons1.VI Technicolor cameras; There is also making screen musicals.^ Very life an interesting sidelight, on the tie, seemingly, was conceded to the technique and economics of whale cameras or the scenario departs «cihin.cr ment. Instead, the picture was a fishing. The yarn .describes the way in lnni-p^ri n i i u p P t h "n^ mn ^ to a whaler to help Joan Tetzel • thanhalfadozen^eTs6 taken bodilv learn the real cause of her father’s out of thl theatrical crates used ^eath Reports from the Antarctic for the1” road tour1 after ”Tod to London suggested he committed Banana” left the Winter Garden^ suicide, having thrown himself uanana lett tne winter uaraen, OV€rboard while ^ ship was at .. . , . anchor. She suspects foul play, , Will this considerable success in and is determined to find the truth. camera work and process photos w^^,\v^^rodiS marquee lure of its star na^ lace Kelley most interesting. . Peter Graves, meets a few of the, llk® to Put behind, bars. ■ * advance guard from the planet Taken from _a story by U. s. . Astrori Delta, but otherwise the ac Anderson and Roger Corman, the . tion doesn’t hold much attraction, script is by Hgrb Meadow and «yPsy I Graves, killed in a plane crash Jerome Odium, withm some added (COLOR) during atomic bomb experiments at d!ftlog thrown in by Tom Hubbard ' : ■ . Soledad Flats, Nevada, and brought end Fred Eggers. Plot is strictly Okay programmer for ««J55a» back to life through the skill of the one-dimensional and the writing ,lwJlaS0nsl Astronians, is mesmerized into de ; , able horse, Gypsy, and niopp liyering into their hands top secret .Richard ^ Conte plays an ex •tar .Corcoran make* atomic info Through his knowl Marine who. is the number one entry a natural for the kid edge that the basis of their powei* suspect in ,the Las Vegas . ^murder trafie. ■■ is electricity he is able to blow up Hug5eSil He Will this considerable success in and is determined to find the truth .. . . '■■■ ■« ^ T_ __a their under earth lab before they escaP®s from tne. police and, by a literal transference of a stage It is soon evident that suspicion Sidney rFr«rfkifn Yr. production. Ws can accomplish their object. rt^udfhma^Dho^ ' K*n? . dvixiands «* few 'wri ai?d he? nS&ff Vlnda Hendrii! ctorfa/i iirifii o 1000 Tf th«e skipper of one of the wIihIcfs biiq scc^cnpiRy* Martin. Berkeley; based on ft Wilder nieke^ no pdrticuler effort Ru hep actiotis sudience soon ppti ?. .hd?J5hE the son of the dead man's partner, {wK Kniaht; o.5i.ra (*■.«.), for characterizations in his direc “y. IS shoestripg picturemaking, let the fin<jR the nf cnenicion noint Harold Llpstcin; editor, Conrad A. Ner { flf,rpniahl«a ac thd» H ;■ v S "Cnneu Kiiiea miss shoestring toe dioDed in cold and ine.nngei oi suspieion P°ini via; raugiCf Rudolph g. Kopp. previewed won. uraves is accepcanie as tne Hughes because the latter had mounted Seldom has a dark horse J*n• 20* M‘ Runn ■ * time< 72 scientist Who knows the world is driven the phbtog’s husband to sui lniitfhortcn AocvS«^«vL Koiiaf bluff it out; but when that fails he mins. m grave dagger, but other theps cide It takes excessive footaee rams the ship in which Ladd and Mf^MaeWade^ Donna Corcoran are lost in stock roles. Topping while Conte, with the two femmls lion1 ■ Ov£ A?Pif w ;^1SS* T are sailing, thus hop S^“^J5e .V.’.*.V.V.V.‘ Frances De« cast are. James Seay as : an Army, in tow, continues fleeing and the tmn. Over a period of many mg to do away with his accusers, wade y. Gerald Larry Keating colonel; Steve Pendleton, FBI man; cops continue chasing before Miss months, on Broadway and on tour, It ends with a grim chase and fight rvrall. Lelobby Hyatt Barbara Bestar, GraVes’ wife; Bemiett finally confesses and %£} over the Antarctic wastes. Prank..Gentle,., another, scientist, Conte and Mi« Hendrix are in a-~ ^ j 1 ~ , ,.V • VT y.. saav 'X*RTICnO , , ' nttCVlV UailllUV JL. A UiUa. NJI«.A 0%AVy MUVUIVl , OVtV star ana stooges, Duiit up .an ac screehplay aims at maximum Rodolfo Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. Technical credits are average. cumulation Of gags and sight bust o .nJliTarV pX«n-« rfirp|.tinn Pedro ... Bobby Dorningue* VVj ness and tested throwaways which I??/ * •_ : Bobby Dominguez Jee Dominguez Whit . cannily managed ^ and thp cuhcprmpnt fipht • ^Q*1 in American films. Pix audi for this is making it against what n^ppprilnU lladd remains as the and Lassie and the remarkable 'n.:-?!.6-'8-!1!!!?. ® . s,„ tough and sincere friend who is ‘ ^*1 : a., n : 1 rnL* superb antics pri»dit toilet* oft f/a tiio' tough and sincere friend who : is J®™ =' ^SVSivSr WiiTih ■ : c , credit must go to the nni to see iusticc -done It 'is a Champion and Silver. Through pjg ics and incredible drive ® the efforts of Metro, a new name Jesse James Vs. The Daltonfi (COLOR) Contrived western with comeon title. . Hollywood, Jan. 22, each other’s arms. .The three leads do what they can with . their roles, which isn 't much, and of the trio, it’s Miss Hendrix who fares best. Reed Hadley is good as the cop, as is Miss Hushes. There’s also a flashy bit by Iris Adrian as a lunch counter waitress. Production via William F. Broidy (executive producer), Jack Jungmeyer Jr. (producer), A. Rob .,.uai D«vc aecuwu upnui. uuos; r' a a • * horses oi tne western neroes, suen noiiywuvu, «n. ert Nunes and Roger Corman (co Primarv rredlf miicf on tlm lou8« and Sincere friend Who . IS Phnmninn and Silver Through Columbia release of a Sam Katzman ert i* unea : an a JWger corman primary creait must go to the out to see justice done. It is a cnampion^ana^&iiver. mrougn prodUction. stars Brett King. Barbara producers) is sloppy, which some superb. antics and incredible drive tvDicallv virile nerformance Miss the efforts of Metro, a new name Lawrence; features. James Griffith, Bill how seems to be heightened toy of Phil Silvers, He is the living and will be added to this select Society. Phipps, John ciiff. Rory^Maiunson. wii Nathan Juran’s direction John n-ntnivna nf "Tnw Tetzel I13S 8 . pleasant . Style, ana ta A_ . hnwA « haaiitifnl Ham Tannen, Richard Garland, Nelson 11 s ■ .* ,* ■ j... ®Lih® T?P ?aWa manner and shows herself an ac Tt ’ Leigh. Directed by William Castle. Martin’s camera work is okay, ditto rim unvcia, nc is uie living win ue uuucu iu uua scicvl aw.icij. Nathan Juran ^ direction Jo in n-ntnivna nf "Tnw Tetzel lias 8 . pleasant . Style, ana ta A_ .linwA s haahfifnl Ham Tannen, Richard Garland, Nelson . uu^uiis uiici-iiuit. : .«« * Piototype of the Top .Banana manner and shows herself an ac beloilfs J° a horee, ? MBUtifu1, Leigh. Directed by wmiam Castle. Martin’s camera work is okay, ditto (burlesque lingo for head comic) [rpcQ whn comtoines charm and young, black colt dubbed Gypsy. Screenplay, Robert e; Kent; adaptation, the musical backing by Edward J. which he plays. Thanks to his 'SSf f*v W-,iSsi-«8i<>S?rt • '^V?5^Sa«iSv; :This. thoroughbred -emerges -gs s • ;Kay. Neal. comic virtu f)c;1 tv anH nrnfpccinnal B3S11 byflnoy flllQ btsnicy fliA cfop t\f ^flvn<sv ft low cflipcra* Lester H, White, editor# .Violrt ■ C0^?1C •yiI.lla2?liy ,“2a. Pr9lessipnai nairAr as fathet and son are too tne star oi wpsy _a tow Lawrence; music, Mischa; Bakaieinikoff. ■■ : . — authority, this film runs a long budgeter, especially judged from Previewed Jan. 19. *54. Running time, Draifnn*M finld 100 minutes without running down. Metro's usual standards. Exhibs, . . ... Wragon a bold vwuti^va UIIU . wuaiGVGl OlliaiL Willi" .1, XTi-.11 _ -/-I • j TS11 liUU UAI9 a uatuiai. v/uivi av wiu eisms the fast schedule and the melty. Niall MacGinnis and ^ Jill appears destined for programmer Sti* quick takes leave open to the cap Bpf"e|Jt SJJ^JSSJfhuted-ii' sP°ts; lt rates* however, as>a good imbmftt DJiton*.’ tious. It is readily forgivable that Joh.n Wilcox has contributed a Saturday afternooner, having sock GHkie .. some lip sync work could be belter, nne joto of Technicolor camera appeal for the kiddie trade, rniSt1 n^vir/Jfan or that some of the players and work. .. Pic seems to n€ed more Gypsy is teamed with moppet y * ■ legit chorines, new to studios, scissoring. rnyro. actress Donna Corcoran. He is the A ' . Running time, DPSgOll'S Gold ...... Brett King _ ■ _ . Barbara Lawrence Poorly-made meller for pro ... james^Grif ntb gramiUer market. .V.V.'.*.’. John Cliff . .. Rory Mallinson Hollywood, Jan. 22. . . William Tannen United Artists release of Aubrey WisRlchard Garland her^. Jack Pollexfen production. Stars Nelsoh Leigh John Archer. Hillary E-rooke: feature* Raymond Largay Noel Cravath, Dayton Lum is; Merrill ■ Stone, Marvin Press. Directed and writ* looked directly at the camera on occasion So what? Let it suffice that there are plenty of laughs. The plot would fit a thimble. The romance is a light breeze only. Musically not much can be said for Johnny Mercer’s unhighlighted score. The chorus girls are nice Alaska Seas Dull action programmer on salmon fishing with mild prospects generally. Hollywood. Jan. 20. -^11 tTa IUa • ruuiic, jnarvin rress. Direcica anu m actress Donna Corcoran. He is the . nuprlv-rnntrivpH w^clpi-n bv Wlsberg ?nd Pollexfen: camera, property of the MacWade family . n overly contrivea western stnniey Cortez; editor, Fred Feitshnns Jr.; (Ward Bond, Frances Dee and with occasional fast gunplay but *usir. AiberLGiawej. Previewed Jan. 21. young Miss Corcoran) who live in more often burdened with static ... .tofm Archer an unidentified western farming (jjaj0g “Jesse James vs The Dal V,vian Crosby Hniarv Brooke community periled by a serious . t,e!,!5e James VS. xne uai General Wong Kai Hal..... Noel Cravath drought. The horse is the special tons is an obvious pitch to cash Donald McCutchcon Davton Lunus property of the youngster. She in on exploitation possibilities of chengy .’ ’ ' M*rvin pV&i rides him to^chool ’each morning the title> which has .nothing to do Kshaw boy'*:;;::"^Jl;S looking but Hollywood lovelies arc Paramount release of Mel Epstein pro and : he picks up hlS mistress ... . . ArTuntf KftcciKTv duction. Stars Robert Ryan, Jan Sterling, nromntlv at three eVerv daV In With plot. Chinese youth Wyatt OrdunK possibly lovelier, -and Hollywood Brian KpIIHa Rarrvv features Rich Pr^mPliy liuec . UdJ» J11 L •_. , Sikh constable Reginald Smtfn dance scenes are certainly lavishcr. ard shannon. Ralph Dumitc, Ross Bagda fact, the villagers set their clocks Plot premises aiound a young police sergeant , ^pirr.fi This is a roadshow fun show on -s^ian. F®y Roope, Timothy Carey, -peter. as the colt breezes through town gunman, an outcast of society be .P«Wcf ««fc*r ^ibert Fne tinted’stbck^Color^Corp! of Arner 1SBWSSR every afternoon at the same time cause _he’s reputed to be Jesse <2%! ica need offer no apologies for the based on a story, by Barrett Willoughby; With water growing scarcer and James son, attempting to prove Edna purieieii jane> E)ii* technical ^iob Camera work cnnnH camera, william g. MeHor; editor, Archie in a desperate need of money, whether this is true. He throws in Rfverend Marlowe vA ?Ju»iT»rh^k and other craftwork are of Straight Pre^ewidTan? Bond,^ ;to «eR the horse to with the Daltons, through a P^ecu Madame curzon V.V.*.V Ernestine Banior away professionalism 7i mins. the Gerald Racing Stables, headed liar line of reasoning, in the hope Ren-. r Philip Van Zamit It would he diffirnli in cinoie Matt Kelly Robert Ryan by Larry Keating. Gypsy’s mistress, they may lead him to JesSe, whom u-v; ^Hueo out thR'UvaHofi<! eeennd irtA Sf2Sd • «lS.kyin ’ ' ' 1” n11? though heart-broken, is somewhat he thinks is still alive. Daltons are Kard Montgomery. V .V. Charles victor bananas wh'6Pmolf Keln SnveS S -'vSn? wufilns *• ®‘ene Srry reconciled to the situation when wiped out in a wild-shooting Cli Concubine Esther l m hirmenXerif of notion Km eSoT! . : : : : RichafdensehaBnnor?; apprised of the family’s difficulties, max, but hero meanwhile has ^ * Ha^bunn '•••'• i<oMRBgd?»5!!; H?'vev«rv. the borsc desperately learned he isn't the dead outlaw's ^’5S^-":::::r:,%3R»!iL but little knownS"toW picture fans’ wait Davis' ‘..V.'.V.VVt. B * . BfI? Roope misses his .. young mistress....'and • sor and can take his place in so Chinese mercenary p«v»d chow •are -nreeent w«ui :W-ycpff Timothy Carey ; from a racetrack 500 miles distant, ciety. — — ! — •• a 6ree-° • • ........... Peter coe he breaks away' and begins a re RrpH Kino ihrm.-c » i« There’s little in -the way of cn lld be diffin.lt in cinoir Matt Kelly Robert Ryan oy L.arry iveaung. uypsy s mistress, iney may ieaa nim 10 d esse, wnom ’^”"1 u-v; An^V.;^Hugo various eernnd ind SfS fin ' r * •J?1? •st«,l1"? though heart-broken, is somewhat he thinks is still alive. Daltons are Howard Montgomery .V V.’. Charles victor Whi^mblf fiSn Snvrvc ^ -vSn? wufilns *• uine Barry reconciled to the situation when wiped out in a wild-shooting cli Concubine Esther l m *n KmEr®r . : : : : : : Yiiicwih&Z apprised of the family’s difficulties, max, but hero meanwhile has ‘ ‘ : * «Ta°^t>unn are nresenY^^ ^Walter Pnalrr 6 vv.E?’ = wycof f . . ’ . ! *. ! ! ! I ! ! ! . I ! ! ' Timbthy c^rey ; from a racetrack 500 miles distant, ciety. are present, ^ Walter Dare Wahl, Grego Peter coe he breaks awav and begins a re SnS5 :COT!,5 V C TTv , a .markable jouJey home^ f,He out ufemSSKS; tertainmtnt hire, but with small of vast experience; Joey Faye, and “Alaska Seas” Is burdened with whs various mirsiters out to cet a 10le». measuring up geneially ^Xhibs clamoring for secondary SiedbteheFtwo UL^Sq1?3’ a *tory line ^t tele $1,000 reward for his capture; and c0 stars’ l^okav ^shioll3 ^SupmS* Product it will rate someprogram-, ana the two femme leads, Rose graphs every move ahead. There* arrives wearv dirtv and bleeding 9° Stars in okay fashion. Suppoit mer bookings nicelv in^be^new rri^lnln very are some excellent .shots of gla exactly at three at the^ ^schooihouse i?}h ^ ^IrsJiyiVe^B^ Aubrey Wisberg and Jack Pol mceiy in the new medium. cierg and a salmon fishing fleet at to meet Miss Gorcoran, TAh«Pnif5afi\eK^ lexfen are responsible for writing. Oldtimers will perhaps remark work, but, the tempo is drearily Of course, things are worked out nJrtm? directine and producing the melothat the tried and true corn is slow and seldom does plot hold neatly so that Gypsy and Miss Cor oJtSIk drama; Their joint efforts, in each, re-proving its worth, even though the spectator. Even with the lure corah can remain together. And department are veiy poor, even vast throngs may laugh and not of Robert Ryan and ^Jan Sterling the situation is helped no end by J pr for a small-budgeted feature, know they are witnessing some for marquee dressing; picture will the timely arrival of rain. as to ms laenuty, ana Nelson Leigh Script is conversational, action thing once known as burlesque and have to be sold hard for average Martin Berkeley sci^enplay 1S a Pnesv contrived, production values nil deader than the Columbia Wheel, results in. the action market. based on a story, by Eric Knight is Sam Katzman accords film suit and there is no chance for a pc; “Top Banana” needs selling, be ' Mel Epstein gives film suitable trite, ;but not without appeal within able production values but over formance from any of the cast, cause weak on names, but the word physical values in his production the defined category. The produc looked a good plot line, for which John Archer is an investigator nl-ivmnih nnoKif tA Ka K'htnl’iil i\m AnMMAiin kit 4 I i J _ ..^1.. a. a-,... J TTa^ ur,'ii;..W nr„~, nr ’ v._i. ^nmnimV mer bookings. format. Land, i by Jerry Hooper consequently1 Gypsy is the true star but Miss raphy. Whit. (Continued on page 26)