Variety (September 1954)

FILM REVIEWS PftlRIEfY Wednesday, September 29, 1954 A Stag* Is Born (C’SCOPE—MUSICAL-COLOR) Boffola boxoffice, period. Warner Bros, release of Transcona ($ld tuft) production starring Judy Garland, James Mason; features Jack. Garson, Charles Bickford. Directed by George Gukor. Screenplay, Moss £arte ,based_ort screenplay by Dorothy Parker-Alan Camp- bell-Robert Carson, from story 4W William A. . Wellman and, Robt. Carson. Assm^te producer, Vern Alyes; camera /Techni- color). Sam Leavitt; special efjecfs. H. F. Koenekamp; songs, Harold. Arlen * Ira Gershwin; "Born: In a Trunk" by Leonard GershC; dances, Richard Barstew; music, Ray Heindorf; Orchestrations, .Skip. Mar- tin; vocal ai'rangements,. Jack^ Camcai t, art, Irene and costumes,. Irene Sharatf, art director, Malcolm Bert; other cog. tumes, Jean Louis and Mary Ann Nyberg; asst directors, Earl Bellamy, .Edward Graham, Russell Llewellyn. Tradeshown N Y, Sept. 27, '54. Running time, 192 MINS. Ether' Blodgett Norman Mai Libby ....... Oliver Niles Danny McGuire Starlet • Siisan Graves ...... Libby's^Secretary Glenn Williams-.. Miss Markham Judy Garland .... James Mason .. . Jack Carson Charles Bickford Tom Noonan .... Lucy Mariow ,, Amanda Blake ...: Irving. Bacon .. Hazel. Shermet ..., James Brown Lotus Robb (Aspect ratio: 2.55-1) 41 A Star Is Bom”, was a great 1937 moneymaker when David O. Selznick and William A Wellman first made the Janet Gaymar-Fred- tic March starrer and it’s an even greater picture ” its filmusical transmutation, in CirierqaScope, under the Judy Garland-James Mason-Sidney • *Lrift aegis. . It • ■will not only mop up as a commercial entry; this indie production for WB release sets a number of artis- tic standards which may have their echoes in the intra-industry acco- lades that Usually . comes with the Ides of March. -A, Variety review traditionally concerns itself with the boxoffice/ leaving the artistic values of Oscar sweepstakes for the fan mags and columnists. But in the instance of a ‘‘comeback” personality like . Judy Garland it becomes a pertinent topic of discussion. The trade, like the public, rooted for her signal, in-personal ‘‘comeback” at the Pal- ace on Broadway, and the same values must obtain with this, her first film, arid under her husband’s production aegis, since leaving Metro, her young lifetime “home” lot in Culver City. , Unfolded in the showmanly Moss Hart, adaptation of the 1937 origi- nal is a. strong personal saga which somehow becomes, in a sense, in- tegrated into the celluloid plot. Tire reel and the real-life values some- times play back and forth, in pendulum fashion, and the unspool- Tng is never Wanting for heart- wallop . arid gusty entertainment values: r Just as it threatens to become a vocalistheniC tour-de-force,. such as in ‘‘Born In a Trunk,” the meaty plot strands pick up again, arid the whole cloth reaffirms its basic dra- matic pattern. ... ' The casting is ideal; the direc- tion sure; the basic ingredients honest'and convincing all the way. .: Miss Garland glitters with that Stardust which in the plot the Wastrel star James Mason recog- nizes. Arid her loyalties are as Gibraltar ftmidst the house of cards which periodically seem to collapse around her and upon hini—-rind invariably also affect , the brittle but understanding studio head, Charles Bickford. From the operiing drunken deba- cle at the Shrine benefit to the scandalous antics of a hopeless ^dipsomaniac when his wife (Miss Garland) wins the industry’s top accolade, the Academy Award, there is an intense pattern of real- life mirrorings which have been so skilfully captured on the perma- nent celluloid record. From the screaming-meemy fans in the lush Techriicolorful reincar- nation of the glittering Santa Mon- ica Blvd. panorarna to the tragic topper, as the hapless, hopeless lush of a husband walks into the Malibu surf, the three-hours plus is an authentic documentary. (Incidentally, Seiznick’s original “Star” was the first film to dis- prove. the , b.o. bogey that: Holly- wood. stories aren’t commercial; just as Par’s “Greatest Show On Earth” (DeMille) dittoed on behalf of circus stories,' which also for a time failed to click as film fare.) Integrated into the arresting ro- mance-vvith-music—the 1 sorigs are ,not intrusive, being plausibly spot- ted as “benefit” numbers or in-, rehearsal. rpiitines-^-is perhaps the best Inside stuff on the Hollywood film production scerie that has ever been publicly projected. The iritrb- studio. attitudes arid exaggerations; the private and public antics of the. great and the little people of the industry; the playback and musical rehearsal scenes; the flip asides ("I had a very young week last week”; or “that’s Pasadena; leave it alorie”); the Dr. Kildare fol-de- rol of the makeup men, including a yes man for the. top facial artist; the flip cracks about the Dietrich: eyebrow and the Crawfordjmorith; the big to-do to shoo.t a "waving hand (“I don’t, wanna see your face,’* screams the asst, director of this bit); the first preview jitters; the sardonic studio publicity chief who has been hatefully biding his time^these are samples of the many ingredients woven into the sum total* ... The Harold Arleri-Ira Gershwin numbers are tailored for the plot and not the jukeboxes although “The Man Who Got Away” is al- ready on the road in that direction. The yesteryear standards are plaus- ibly interlarded. Of the new songs, “Got to Have Me With You,” “Somewhere There’s, a Someone” and “Long Face Lost” tie into the script like it was a orie-man li- bretto creation. There are three or four dramatic Highlights that pile on .top of each other in a rnanrier which might create the suspicion of ariticlimac- tic toppers cluttering the cinema- turgy, but su6h is the pitch and the pyrainiding that the opposite is true. There are minor key highlights as when she assumes responsibility for the custody of her drunken husband, resulting in his 90-day City Jail term' being suspended. Or that heartbreak scene when she gayly recreates a Paris-C.hinese- Affican-cariocan “production” con- ceit^-to the playback disk in the home phonograph—that is better than if it were giveri a Radio City Music Hall production. : Whatever the production delays, which allegedly piled up a hear- $5,000,000 production cost, the end- results quite obviously were worth it. There is the ring of authority and a striving for as near-perfec- tion as possible that will pay off in jackpot proportions. And for all concerned.; Mason is as likeable a “heavy” as she is as a star. Bickford’s studio .] head concept, arid Carson’s impres- sion, of "a publicity chief, are the real thing. Alammister from a for- mer two-man. saloon act, Tommy Noonan, will emerge with many Hollywood opportunities as an earnest young man on his way to fatter roles. The rest are secondary although Lucy Marlow, as a star- let, makes her classy chassis bit stand up and out for heftier poten- tials. The veteran George Cukor di- rected with a sure hand from a tiptop script by Moss Haft; Richard Barlow’s dance-staging; the many art, costume and decor credits; Ray Heindorf’s usually capital music'al job; the Technicolorful lensing which evidences Wisdom when to minor-key the hues as well as full- up—all these are among the many plus values. It’s a wharrirtiQ 182 minutes that belies the full, three- hour course of entertainment, so arresting the unfolding. Fort Knox, move over. Abel. The Barefoot Ccmtcssa (COLOR) Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Hum- phrey Bogart and Ava Gardner teamed in one for the big money. United Artists release of Figaro pro- duction. Stars .Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart; features Edmond O'Brien, Marius Goring, Valentina Cortesa, Rossano Brazzi, Elizabeth Sellars, Warren Stevens, Franco - Interlenghi, Mari Aldon, Bessie Love, Diana Decker, Hill Frasser. Directed by Joseph L< Mankiewicz, Original screen- play by Mankiewicz; camera (Technicolor), Jack. Cardiff; editor, Williani Hornbeck; music/ Mario Nascimbene, Previewed in N.Y;, Sept. 24, '54. Running time, 121 MINS. Harry Dawes Humphrey Bogart Marla Vargas.............. Ava Gardner Oscar Muldoon Edmond O'Brien Alberto Bravano Marius Goring Eleanora Torlato-Favrlni Valentina Gortesa Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini Rossano Brazzi Jerry i...... Elizabeth Sellars Kirk Edwards Warren Stevens Pedro ................ Franco Interlenghi Myrna Marl Aldon Nightclub Proprietor. . Alberto RabagliatL BUsboy Ehzo\Staiola Maria's Mother ............' Maria Zaholi Maria's Father Renatq Chiantoni J. Montague Brown . ..........., Bill Fraser Mr. Black ...v.V.v John Parrish Mr. Blue ....;......v.Jim Gerald Drunken Blonde ......... Diana'Decker Gypsy Dancer .,..... ..-.. Riccardo Rloii The .Pretender ... .....’ Tonio Selwaft The Pretender's Wife. .Margaret. Ahderson Lulu McGee Gertrude Flynn Hector Eubanks ..... John Horne Mrs. Eubanks .. ......,..., Bessie Love Eddie Blake Robert Christopher Chambermai >.Ann Maria Paduan .Chauffeur ./..... Carlo.Dale (Aspect ratio : 1,75-1) Sharpness' of the characters, the high-yoltage. dialog, the cynicisriv and wit and wisdom of the story, the- spectacular combination of the immorally rich and the immorally sycopharttic-^-these add up to a click feature frprii writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It’s adult material all the way, making no compromises in focusing on the mores of its people: Hollywood filmsters, a fiscal high arid mighty newly-turned producer, arid un- employed, quondam Continental royalty. They’re to be found at a lush, party in Beverly Hills or the swank, gambling casino on the Riviera. This is a dish of ingeniously- fashioned, original entertainment for grown-up viewers. It has a strong show business flavor and a line or two that might be beyond the ken of strangers to pic-making. But its basic story (elements are strong and make for substantial fare on anybody’s menu. It’s potent boxoffice. Humphrey Bogart and Ava I Gardner have the. leads and regis- ter with : great effect. But then Mankiewicz has drawn fine per- foriiiarices all around. And in shaping the scenario, each mem- ber of his cast is given a chance to come to the fore with at least one. . histrionic . grandstand/ play. Thus each is shown to be an es- sential part of’ the plot, necessary to the well rounded, integrated whole. . Miss Gardner is the contessa of the title, “discovered” in a second- rate flamenco nitery. in Madrid. The trio of discoverers: Bogart-as a writer-director arid determined triember of Alcoholocis Ananymous; Edmond O’Brien, as a glib, nerv- ous, perspiring combination of pressagent and (apparent) pro- curer, and Warren Stevens, the producer who,, as he is aptly de- scribed' by another player; “owns Texas arid just bought California because he wahts to make a pic- ture;” This is the start of Miss Gardner’s career as a shining star and much-desired woman. Mankiewicz’ script frankly makes rio bones about who is or isn’t: (but would like, to be) romancing whom, Miss Gardner, for example, while refusing to satisfy the lusts of . her well-heeled admirers,' including Stevens and a zillionaire South America!!, is revealed as yielding to a guitar player from the Spanish honky tonk. Not namby-pamby/ either is. a wedding night scerie in which the Italian ex-count in whom the contessa finally has found her true love, discloses to her that war wounds inflicted in 1942 had rendered him impotent. Importantly, there’s- good taste throughout. Mankiewicz eschews shock values. Every item in the development seems to inherently belong. Where the material is strong by screen standards he has presented it without hedging but still also without any. ribald, undue emphasis. The director employs off-screen voices on many occasions. Bogart, at. the start, speaks. frorii. off- camera while he is seen silently observing the interment ritual for Miss Gardner at a small cemetery Iri an obscure Italian village. His spoken recollection of the first' meeting with the contessa then leads to the actual scene. It’s via this technique that Mankiewicz, with telling effect, gets across many story points: Miss Gardner is ideal iri her spot, looking, every, .inch the femme magnetism; around which, all the action revolves. She’s a beautifully- dimensioned knockout—the ward- robe departmerit didn’t, feel too restrained—-and does an impressive job of acting as the Spanish, casta- net hoofer who elevates to a part in the international coterie. Bogart is splendid throughout, "taking part quietly and with maxirimm effec- tiveness in the twists and turns of the intriguing story. With no desire to zero in on Miss Gardner himself—he marries a script girl —he becomes her paternalistic con- fidante and protector and their scenes together are dorie with genuine feelirig. O’Brieri clicks just right in the more flamboyant role of public re- lations man and servile aide to producer Stevens. Latter gives ai quiet moodiness 1 to the part of Owner of $200,000,000. Marius Gor- ing does a ze.sty job as the fabulous Latino whose turn for the dramatic spotlighting comes as, in a cleverly- staged argument, he admits to a free-wheeling life arid accuses Stevens also of being a sinner but hypocritically hiding behind a in ask of self-righteousness. At times,. Mankiewicz, the writef, seems over-generous in providirig his characters with words. Much of the talk is fresh and incisive and doubtless will be lifted by pirates of well-turned phraseology. But there’s: sp much ,pf. it that price in a while it gets in the way of, the. story. Despite which, his yarris flow smoothly with dramatic accent just in the correct, strategic places. Coming into the home- stretch, though, some of the pas- sages tend to slowness. The Figaro productiori provides fitting" backdrops for the iriterna- tional goings-on. Film, lensed in Italy, looks authentic and authori- tative with its mariy actual places and expertly-designed/ sets. The dye work by British '.^Technicolor, unusually exquisite, seems more subtle arid real than most tinted photography. Story ends as it began, at the cemetery, with Bogart this time reflecting on the climax of the life of the barefoot contessa (so billed because she liked to kick off her shoes). Rossano Brazzi, highly polished as the former Italo nobleman whom she marries, kills i her and her lover as he finds them together. Ironically, the count never learned that the contessa wanted to bear a' child for him even, though by another man. Score by Mario Nascimbene, mainly a thematic tune, of Spanish flavor that is not identifled, has value in. its own right 'and with proper merchandising could be a salable factor for the film. Other credits are topnotch although, in the late reels, sharper editing might step up the pace, As a footnote it might be added that Mankiewicz has been quoted as saying none of' his characters is for real. This was in arisWer to suspicion that the moneybags producer inight be an only slightly distorted mirroring of, to come right out and name him, Howard Hughes. With the aforementioned crack about his “owning Texas,” the pic does ti down the point of origin of the picturized pro- ducer. Hughes, of course, is -a Texan. But then lots of. men who rival Fort Knox in wealth come from Texas and. some move irito film ; . production. It’s understood there have been some cuts in the pic to reduce any further re- semblance. Gene. Woman’s Worl«l (C'SCOPE—COLOR) Hollywood at its commercial best, with names of Clifton Webb, June Allyson, Yap Hef- lin,. Lauren Bacall, Fred Mac- Murray, Arlene Dahl and Cornel Wilde serving as potent marquee bait. Twentieth-Fox release of Charles Brackett production. Stars Clifton Webb, Jlxne Allyson, Van Hfeflin, Lauren . Bacall, Fred. MacMurray, Arlene Dahl and Cornel Wilde. Features Elliot Ried and Margalq Gillmore. Directed . by. Jean Negulesco. Screenplay by Claude Binyon, Mary Loos and Richard Sale, with additional dialogue by Howard Lindsay and Russel: Crouse, based on a story by Mona Williams; cam-, era (Cinemascope),- Joe MacDonald;'..edi- tor* Louis Loeffler; music, Cyril J. Mock- ridge; song, "It's, a Woman’s World” by Sammy Cahn and Mockjidge; sung by the Four Aces. Previewed in N.Y., .Sept,-27, '54. Running time, 94 MINS- Gifford Clifton Webb Katie . June Allyson Jerry ; Van Heflin Elizabet Lauren Bacall Sid. ......,........., Fred MacMurray Carol ,,..../ Arlene Dahl BUI Baxter : .......... Cornel Wilde Tony. .../,.•; :... Elliott Reid Evelyn ....... Margalo Gillmore Tomaso Alan Reed Jarecki .; David Hoffman Worker—Auto Assembly,. GeprgC Melford Butler Cab Driver Bellboy Waiter .... Doorman .. Eric Wilton .Edwatd Astran Conrad Feid . . Marc Snow ... Bert Stevens ., Having servfed as an unofficial tourist bureau for Rome in “Three Coins in the Fouritain,” 20th-Fox, with the aid of the. Cinemascope camera, is now giving the VIP treatment to New Yrirk iri “Wom- ari’s World.” This is the film com- pany’s paen, to Gotharii and, for this alone, Zanuck & Co. rate a unanimous vote of thanks from the local Chamber of Conimerce and the N.Y. Visitors Bureau; The city, fortunately, has been peopled with attractive visitors— Clifton Webb, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Lauren Bacall, Fred Mac- Murray, Arlene Dahl and Cornel Wilde, a marquee lineup .that’ll draw in any city, big or small. Add to these, assets a slick story by Claude Binyon, Mary Loos and Richard Sale, with additional dia- logue by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The result is Holly- wood at its commercial best, a highly-polished product, technically and story-wise. The returns should be socko from all situations. Comparison between “Woman’s World” and Metro’s recent "Execu- tive Suite” is inevitable, since the basic story premise is similar—the behind-the-scehes scramble for the top job of a gigantic dridustrial firm. While the goings-on in “Executive” were more dramatic and sombre; the 20th entry takes the lighter approach and much of it is played for comedy. The wives of the men involved also play more prominent roles. Webb; as president of. Gifford Motors, a leading auto manufac- turing firm, brings three of his district managers to New York'for a firsthand observation, his aim being to select a successor to the recently-deceased sales manager^ He invites their wives along since he^believes that the right wife is just as important as the right man. for the job. ' : There’s Miss Allyson and Wilde from Kansas City, Miss Bacall arid MacMurray from Philadelphia, arid Miss Dahl and Heflin from Dallas, All the men in Webb’s estimation are equally capable of handling the No. 1 post. The final decision rests on their wives. Miss Allyson is a hayseed from K.C., extremely devoted to- • her husband and three children, bun- gling and embarrassed in Gotham’s glamor mill, wishfrig to return to her home but willing to accept her fate in N.Y. if he# husband Wants and gets, the job. Miss Bacall is bitter arid disillu- sioned and at the point of separar tion from her. ambitious husband who has neglected his family for his work in an ulcer-accompanied drive for advancement. Miss Dahl is a pushy glamor gal, not unwilling to. throw her sex around to gain her aim?. She be- lieves her efforts have played a large part in the business success of her husband. She wants the N.Y. job. for the glamor it repre- sents and wastes no time gbimr after it. . The characters of the 4 men are also neatly etched. Wilde is honest, outspoken, and devoted to his fam- ily. MacMurray is a proud, power- hungry /self-made man. Heflin is modest arid quietly competent. Webb is kindly and efficiently ob- servant despite his approach and seemingly facetious . manner. The choice, of course, is left to the very end and will, come as a .surprise to many. Unlike “Executive Suite,” m which the audience could quickly put its finger on the chosen man, “World” keeps ’em guessing. . The visit to New York of the hinterland execs and their wives gives the G’Scope camera .a won- derful opportunity to wander about Gotharm It captures the city’s more lush side—the. beautiful skyline, the tall buildings, the area along the East River and the United Na- tions,- Park and Fifth-Avenues, the Stork Club, the Plaza Hotel, an outside glimpse of Macy’s and 34th St., the approaches to the tunnels. It makes a great trailer for Amer-. ica’s key metropolis.' Orie aspect of New York life, better known to the femmes, is a/ particularly hilarious sequence in a so-called woirieri’s outlet store, vaguely similar to Klein’s on 1.4th St. While one may quibble ori the Dlausibility of s the story, there.Will be no quarrel; With the way it’s handled. The entire cast, under Jean Negulesco fine direction, con- tribute a performance,as polished as*.the entire production.. They're all “old pros” and give each char- acter the delineation that is re- quired. Since all contribute equally, it’s difficult to single anyone out individually. It’s team work at its best. In addition to the’star names, solid performances are, registered bv Margalo Gillmore, as Webb’s sister who aides in the o,o. of the wives, and Elliot Reid, ris the ty- coon’s nephew who selves as guide and one-man entertainment com- mittee. Charles Brackett has pulled out all stops in giving the picture top- notch, production values. The tech- nical aspects, including Joe Mac- Donald’s C’Scope-Technieolor tens- ing, a re all out of the* top drawer. Holl. This Is My Love (SQNG—COLOR) Unconvincirtg distaff drama with .. mild prospects. Hollywood, Sept. 28.. RKO rqteasc o£ Hugh Brooke produc- tion. Stars Linda Darnell, Rick Jason/ DanDuryea; Faith . DomergUe; features Hal Baylor, Connie Russell. Directed by Stuart Heisler. Screenplay, Ha^ar Wilde and Hugh Brooks; from the story “Fear. Has Black Wings” by Brooke; camera (Paithe Color), Ray Juhet editor, Otto Lud* . wig; music, Franz Waxman; song, Brooke and Waxman. Previewed Sept, 23, 54. Running time, 91 MINS. Vida Glenrt ,........ Murray •Evelyn ......... Eddie Connie Russell . David Myer ...... Shirley Myqr ... Mrs. Timberly . District Attorney Investigator .... Harry .. ....... Dr. Raines Customer Linda Darnell Rick Jason ... Dan; Duryea Faith Domergue Hal Baylor ; Connie Russell .. Jerry Mathers .. Susie Mathers ..< Mary Young William Hopper . Stuart Randall ,.,... Kam Tong Judo Holdren Carl Switzer (Aspect ratio: 1.66-1) Exhibitors bopkirig ‘‘This Is. My Love” will have to pitch it to the matinee-going femmes who are supposed ’ to like unhappy soap operas. Other film shoppers will hardly -take to the . tears-arid-tor- ment drama. Hence, boxoffice prospects are extremely mild. Production gets a good Patne Color dress arid first-rate lensing of the lowkey tints, but these as-, sets are lost on a plot that 1 comes to the screen with little real. dramatic wallop arid iri which the performers all seerii uncomfort- able. Allan Dowling is presenting the Hugh •. Brooke ! production through RKO arid starred are Lin-, da Darnell, Rick Jason; Dan Dur- yea . and Faith. Doinergue, all or whom can do better than they do here under Stuart Heisler’s direc- tion of the script by Bropke ana Hagar Wilde, which was based on Brooke’s story, ’Tear Hjis Black Wings.” The Misses Darrtell and Do- mergue are sisters, the latter mar- ried to Duryea, once a dancer and now a hopeless cripple. Approach- ing an 44 old maid” state, Miss Dm** nell goes off the deep epd for Jason when he enters the story, but is afraid of her feelings unui Jason and Miss Domergue start an off-hours affaii 4 . By now com- (Continued on page 16)