Variety (March 1955)

8 FILM REVIEWS Wedneeday, March o 30, 1955 Strategic Air CommaiHl (VISTAVISION—COLOR) Important-money addition to the “new era’’ picture business with exciting photography em- bellishing colorful ' subject matter and the James Stewart- June Allyson names to help further boot it home. 1 - n n r Omaha, March 29. Paramount release of Samuel J. Brlskln production. Stars James Stewart, ounc Allyson; costars Frank Lovejoy; features Barry Sullivan. Alex Nicol. Brace Ben- nett, Jay C. Flippen, James Bell, Rose- mary De Camp. Directed by Anthony Mann. Screenplay, Valentine Davies land Belrne' Lay Jr.; from a story by Lay; camera (VistaVison-Tcchnicolor), William Daniels; aerial photography. Thomas Tut- wller; aerial unit supervision, Paul Mantz; editor, Eda Warran; music, Victor Young; •ong, "The Air Force Takes Command," Young (music) and Ned Washington and Major Tommy Thomson Jr. (lyrics); Pre- ihieredT at Orphcum Theatre. Omaha, March 25, . J 55. Running time, 110 MINS. Lt. Col. Robert Hblland. James Stowart Sally Holland * . June Allysoq Gen. Ennis C. Hawkes ... .Frank Lovejoy Lt.'Col. Rocky Samford.... Barry Sullivan Ike Knowland Alex Nicol Gen. Espy Bruce Bennett Doyle Jay. C.vFHppc* Gen. Castle James Millican Rev. Thorne James Bgll Mrs. Thorne Rosemary De Camp Aircraft Commander.., Richard Shannon Capt. Symington John R. McKee Sgt.' Bible .. Henry Morgan Major Patrol Commander . Don Haggerty Radio Operator Glenn Denning Colonel Anthony Wnrde Airman ... Struthei' Martin Nurse Helen Brown Capt. Brown David Vaile Capt. Johnson Vernon Rich Duty Officer Harlan Wardc Air Force Captain Robert House Peters Jr. Lt. Controller Henry Richard Lupino Controller Okinawa William August Pullen Non Com. Tech. Sgt.. Stephen E. Wyman This picturized updating of the wil'd blue yonder looks sure to make quick , contact with tall money. Always interesting, often Spectacular and, in some instances, photographically s p q 11 b i n ding, “Strategic Air Command" also establishes Vista Vision as a major Contender in the bigsereen derby. Credit the real-iife U.S. Strategic Air Command with a very large assist. Concerning Air Force tech- nicalities, the film is on the beam. Operations of the SAC, which co- operated with Sam Briskin’s pro- duction company, have full appear- ance of authenticity, resulting in a pic that’s important document ahd distinguished from run-of.-the- heroics service epics. Briskin’s production widens the scope of its subject material, and audience appeal, beyond the con- fines. of strict military aeronautics. This is via interludes of SAC’s in- fluence on the intimate family life of a pilot, his wife and comes baby to make three. Some of this sug- gests cliche but keen dialog in the Valentine Davies-Beirne Lay Jr. script keeps it above formularized rut. Audience mitting likely will be evoked—as it was at the Omaha preem—with some of the in-flight footage. “SAC” is at its best when off the ground. Two giant ships engaging in a refueling operation, and sweeping views of a B36 with its jet engines skywriting long hyphens in blue smoke—this is visually stirring stuff. The aerial work was supervised by Paul Mantz and the tinting by Techni- color, unusually sharp, gives it more power. Screenplay, from a story by Lay, presents James Stewart as a hot- shot third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals who’s beckoned back to the Air Force, this time with the nation’s great, long-range striking force. Stewart shows his usual professional competence, stirred b$ the enormity and alert- ness of SAC, becoming increas- ingly enraptured with its meaning to .America’s welfare and finally, conveying believable sincerity in trying to convince 'his° wife that SAC is his lifetime calling. June Allyson scores as the wife, rebelling as the SAC takes hold on her mate and then showing sym- pathy and understanding. She’s warm and appealing. Frank. Love joy fits in splendidly as the commanding general, brisk, forceful and unyielding in his de- mands for efficiency and security. Barry Sullivan is ingratiating as a SAC lieutenant colonel and lesser parts are handled without flaw by Alex Nicol, Bruce Bennett, Jay C. Flippen, James Millican, James Bell and Rosemary De Camp. There’s no Korea, no guns pop- S ing or bombs away in “SAC.” riskin didn’t want a "war pic- ture.” It's a film backgrounded with Up-to-the-minute fact and As such provides good insight on U.S. retaliatory vehicles capable of get- ting half-way around the World with the Sunday punch of on atom or hydrogen bomb. •<o^!?$ 0ny Mann’s direction keeps SAC' well on the move, seguing smoothly from ground operations to the high altitudes. For an ac- tionful highlight, he wrings out f ood excitement particularly from tewart’s forced pancake landing In Greenland when his big jet bomber catches fire. Editing is sharp mostly, but appearing too abrupt in a couple of- spots. More loitering views ‘ of the B36 and B47 on the move would have been welcome. Victor Young’s score is fitting , throughout and a march, “The Air Force Takes Command,” by Young (music) and Ned Washington and Major Tommy Thomson Jr. (lyrics) has the color and beat to warrant much reprising at any kind* of mili- tary pageantry. “SAC” screening was at Omaha’s Orpheum Theatre which was spe- cially rigged for V’Vision showing from a horizontally-fed projector on kingsized curved screen. The definition- and lighting both were brilliant. A last-minute hitch in equipment installation caused a little screen quivver at the start but thft sooit disappeared. The audio -was standard but di- rectional sound will be made avail- able with • conventional format prints. (Only a relatively few very large theatres expectedly will play “SAC”~in the double-frame super- vision fashion). Gen. Curtis LeMay* four-star commander of SAC, has given the film his endorsement to the extent that his outfit will join in exhibitor promotion. —' providing military bands or equipment displays for the bally. This is a sell factor that shouldn’t he overlooked.* Gene . Tlie Prodigal (C’SCOPE-COLOR) The Biblical parable of the # , prodigal son. Lavishly treat- ed but long and dull. Lana Turner’s name to help but prospects spotty. Hollywood, March 29. Metro release of Charles Schnce pro- duction. Stars Latta Turner, Edmund Purdoxn, Louis Calhern; features Audrey Dalton, James. Mitchell, Neville Brand,. Walter Hampdten, Tnina Els, Francis L. Sullivan, Joseph Wiseman, John Dehner, Sandra Descher. Cecil Kellaway, Philip Tonge, David Leonard, Henry Daniel, Paul Cavanagh. Directed by Richard Thorpe. Screenplay, Maurice Zimm: rdaptatinn Rom the Bible story by Joe Breen Jr., and Samuel James Larsen; camera (Eastman Color). Jolieph Rutten- herg; editor, Harold F. Kress; music, Bronislau Kaper. Previewed March 16, *55. Running time, 117 MINS. Samarra Lana Turner Micah I Edmund Purdom Nahreeb Louis Calhern Ruth Audrey Dalton Asham James Mitchell Rbakim Neville Brand Eli Walter Hampden Elissa .... • Taina Elg Bosra Francis L.. .Sullivan Carmish Joseph Wiseman \ asmm Sandra Descher .Toram John Dehner Governor Cecil Kellaway Barber-Surgeon Philip Tonge Blind Man David Leonard Henry Dcniell Tobiah Paul Cavanagh Caleb a...; Dayton Lummls Tahra Tracey Roberts Uba . Jarma Lewis Merchant j a y Novello Carpenter's Wife Dorothy Adams Carpenter’s Son Peter De Bear Miriam PhyUis Graffeo Deborah Patricia Iannone £' avi< j Eugene Mazzola Kavak George Sawaya ?li?r e Richard Devon i^ania Ann Cameron Faradlne Gloria Dea * John Rosser Zubeir .. Charles Wagenheim (Aspect ratio : 2.55-1) Yet another in the Biblical cycle. Metro’s treatment of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (from Luke XV.) is a bigseale spectacle, mak- ing overwhelmingly lavish use of sets, props, CinemaScoped East- man Color and a well-populated cast. End result of all this flam- boyant polish, however, is only fair entertainment due for a mixed reaction from viewers. With Lana Turner heading the cast, and on the ticket play usually accorded religioso pix, it can be figured to get some coin initially, but there isn’t much to indicate any sus- tained draw. The brief 22 verses in Scripture Which tell the story of the prodigal who wanders from his home in pursuit Of the high priestess of Astarte have been stretched to one hour and 57 minutes. Producer Charles Schnee has filled the pic- ture so full of scene and spectacle that Richard Thorpe's direction is hard put to. give it any semblance of movement, or to get life and warmth into the characters and incidents. With rather empty characters to portray in the screenplay by Mau- rice Zimm from the adaptation by Joe Breen Jr., and Samuel James Larsen, the performances -by Miss Turner, as the high priestess; Ed- mund Purdom, the prodigal; Louis Calhern, the high priest of Baal, and most of the others in the huge •cast are hollow and generally un- interesting, Almost the ‘on’y note of character warrilth is to be found in the romance between the mute, runaway slave, James Mitchell, and the high priestess’ slave as played by Taina Elg. Most of the screen plot takes place in pagan Damascus, where the prodigal is busy spending his third of his father’s wealth trying to win the priestess away from her pagan gods to be his wife. It’s a standoff, though, because he will not give up his God, Jehovah, and she cannot renounce her dedication to As- tarte. The pagan‘revelry and tem- ple maidens dedicated to love give an exploitation angle for selling but actually come off tamely in the film. So do the love scenes be- tween Miss Turner and Purdom. Return of the prodigal to his home after having squandered his fortune and gone through the ad- ventures of love, slavery and bat- tle, and the open-handed welcome he receives is no more believable than what transpires in the pro- ceeding footage:’ Thorpe is able to wrap up most of the final 20 minutes of .film in an action key, starting with the flinging of Purdom, believed a dead slave, into the vulture pit. Here he fights off a frightening carrion-eater, frees other slaves, and leads them and citizens c tired of the rule of their pagan gods into a revolt that ends with the de- struction of the heathen temples, the idols and the priests and priestesses that served them. Seen briefly is Audrey Dalton, the prodigal’s betrothed. Neville Brand, a menacing, shavened scalp henchman to the high priest; Wal- ter Hampden, the Hebrew patri- arch who welcomes his son back; Francis L.* Sullivan, gross, conniv- ing moneylender, and Joseph. Wise- man, overplaying a Damascus beg- gar, are among others more prom- inently involved, in the story. The C’Scope lensing by Joseph Ruttenberg does a thorough 30 b of the pictorial Values furnished by cast, settings and art direction, while Bronislau Kaper provides a background score suggestive of the period. Brog. Interrupted Melody Biopic treatment of singer Marjorie Lawrence’s life. Done with beautiful music, movingly romantic feeling. Word-of- mouth ’potential should bolster b.o. prospects. Eileen Farrell dubbed the operatic voice. Hollywood, March 25. Metro release of. Jack Cummings pro- duction. Stars Glenn Ford, Eleanor Parker; features Roger Moore, Cecil Kellaway, Peter Leeds, Evelyn Ellis, Walter Baldwin. Directed by Curtis Bcrn- tiardt. Written by Willl-m Ludwig, Sonya Levien; based on her life story by Mar- jorie Lawrence; camera (Eastman Color), Joseph Ruttenberg, Paul C. Vogel; editor, John Dunning; dramatic score adapted *nd conducted by Adolph Deutsch; oper- atic recordings supervised and conducted oy Walter Du Cloux; musical supervison. Saul Chaplin; operatic sequences staged jy Vladimir Rosing; music adviser, Har- old Gelman; Miss Parker's singng by Sileen Farrell. Previewed March 18, 55. Running time, 105 MINS. Dr. Thomas King Glenn Ford Marjorie Lawrence Eleanor Parker ^yiil Lawrence Roger Moore Bill Lawrence Cecil Kellaway Dr. Ed Ryson Peter Leeds ?lara .. Evelyn Ellis lira Owens Walter Baldwin lime. Gilly Ann Codee limself Leopold Sachse Domte Claude des VigneuX m 1 .... A fine romantic drama with beautiful music is offered in this biopic based on the career of Mar- jorie Lawrence. The appeal to the discriminating is excellent, and all who go for stories told from the heart will find in “Interrupted Melody” plenty of worthwhile en- tertainment. For the marquees it has the names of Glenn Ford and Eleanor Parker. Add to that a class ad-pub exploitation campaign and a good word-of-mouth potential. Jack Cummings’ production su- pervision has smoothly coordinated the many factors in the film, which has an inspirational quality in re- counting how Miss Lawrence, struck down at the height of her singing career by crippling polio, was able to fight back and sing again by drawing on the strength of a devoted husband’s love. Miss Parker, as the singer, ahd Ford, as her doctor husband, are socko, with deftly shaded performances that come to the fore under the understanding, sympathetic direc- tion by Curtis Bernhardt. Latter had a topflight piece of screen writing to work from in the script by William Ludwig and Sonya Levien, based on her life story by Miss Lawrence. From winning a local singing contest in her native Australia, Miss Lawrence moved on to long, hard study in Paris, then operatic success on two continents and mar- riage to an American doctor, with a subsequent limiting of her en- gagements to New York so she could be near him. However, ho persuades her to accept a SQUth American tour, and it is while ful- filling this engagement that polio strikes. Up to this point the film is full of operatic montage of nine arias, all beautifully and thrillingly staged. Among them are O Dom Fatale from “Don Carlos,” The Habanera from “Carmen,” the Im- molation Scene from “Goetterdam- merung” and Un Bel Di Vedremo from “Madame Butterfly.” Remainder of the picture is given over to the singer’s struggle to overcome the depression and lack of confidence that siezes her after the illness. Here the playing and direction will wring tears, but the lump-in-throat.drama has such, a sensitive, honest feel that audi- ences .will join personally in what isr transpiring. How Miss Lawrence finds the. courage to again face the public, lifter singing for the sick and mained of World War II in farflung camps, climaxes in a spe- cial Metropolitan Opera perform- ance of “Tristan And Isolde.” Adding measurably to the musi- cal thrills nf the production is the flexible, soprano of Eileen Farrell, who does the actual, offstage sing- ing for Miss Parker’s character. Great credit "also is due Vladimir Rosing for his staging of the oper- atic sequences, the musical super- vision by Saul Chapin, the super- vision and conducting of the oper- atic recordings by Walter Du Cloux, and the contribution Adolph Deutsch makes with his adaptation and conducting of the dramatic 'score. Along with these musical credits, including Harold Gelman’s music advising, the recording su- pervision by Wesley G. Miller fig- ures Importantly. color used at the preview was not consistent in its hues. John Ful- ler’s editing, Carl Brandt’s scon* and other frChind-camera credits are good* Brog. Jump Into Hell Routine programmer., based on the French-Communist fight- ing in Indo-Chine. For lower- cage bookings. Hollywood, March 29. Warner Brer, release of David Weisbart production. Stars Jack Sernas, Kurt Kasznar, Arnold Moss, Peter Ven Eyck* features Marcel Dalio, Norman Dupont, Lawrence, Dobkin, Pat Blake. .Directed by David Butler. Written by Irving Wal- lace; camera, J. Peverell Marley; editor, Irene Morra; music. David Buttolph. Pre- viewed March 15, *55. Running time, 92 MINS. Capt. Guy Bertrand .... Capt. Jean Callaux The General Lt. Heinrich Heldman Sgt, Talte Lt. Andre Maupln Maj. Maurtyse Bonet Gizele Bonet ........ Jacqueline Major Riviere Cant. LeRoy Capt. Darbxey • Jack Sernas ... Kurt Kasznar ., . Arnold Moss Peter Van Eyck . Marcel Dalio Norman Dupont Lawrence Dobkin Pat Blake . Irene Montwlll .. • Alberto Morin . Maurice Marsac ... Louis Mcrcier Roger Moore, as Miss Lawrence’s brother; Cecil Kellaway, as her father; Peter Leeds, as a doctor friend; Evelyn Ellis, as the nurse; .Walter Baldwin, Ann Codee, Leo- pold Sachse and Stephen Bekasay are all good, but interest seems to be . concentrated almost entirely on ihe two stars, so thoroughly do they dominate the footage. The picture gains in pictorial splendor fcqm the CinemaScone lensing in Eastman Color by Jo- seph Ruttenberg and-Paul C-. Vo- gel. Other firstrate contributions including editing by John Dunning, the art and set direction a^d the costumes. Brog. Shotgun (COLOR) Good western filmfare for gen- eral outdoor market playdates. , The dramatic stand of the French at Dienbienphu in Indo- china has been transferred to the screen in a singularly Uninspired potboiler that will best serve in the programmer market as the lowercase half of the dual bills. Real and reel scenes are inter- mixed to depict the defense of the French fortress but it fails to come off as a graphic- or exciting account of warfare. The original screenplay by Irv- ing Wallace, as directed by David Butler, doesn’t give the affair much credibility so the viewer is never caught up in what’s transpiring on the screen. The human problems posed and the dialog the players are given to speak are strictly formula. So ,is the production supervision by David Weisbart and the technical support, from lensing on down. Hollywood, March 24. Allied Artists release of John C. Cham- pion production. Stars Sterling Hayden, Yvonne De Carlo, Zachary Scott; features Guy Prescott, Robert Wilke, Angela Greene, Paul Marion, John Pickard. Directed by Lesley Selandcr. Written by Clark E. Reynolds, Rory Calhoun; added dialog, John C. Champion, camera (Tech- nicolor), Ellsworth Fredericks; editor, John Fuller; music composed and con- ducted by Carl Brandt. Previewed March 22, '55. Running iime, U MINS. Clay *1 Sterling Hayden Abby Yvonne De Carlo Reb I Zachary Scott Thompson Guy Prescott TVmtlcy Robert Wilke Aletha ....... Angela Greene Delcadito Paul Marion Perez John Pickard Chris Ralph Sanford Frank Rory MaUinson Midge Fiona Hale Ed . Ward Wood Fletcher Lane Chandler Greybar : -A1 Wyatt Davey Harry Harvey Jr. (Aspect ratio: 1.85-1) “Shotgun” is good western,film- fare, slated to find favor with the outdoor fain generally. Familiar plot angles of vengeance and chase are freshened and the characters believeably established in a script that wastes no time going about its business. Names of Sterling Hayden, Yvonne De Carlo and £achary Scott also °go with release intentions so this one should farfe satisfactorily in the action market. Colorfully rugged outdoor lo- cales provide the setting for the John C. Champion production and his supervision, plus good direction by Lesley Selander, a properly valued script by Clark E. Reynolds and Rory Calhoun, and competent performances by the cast, lift the offering a cut above the level of the usual program western. The action gets rugged at times, but not objectionably so because the roughness is part of the story and not just dragged in to fit the ac- tioner rating. When a marshal is blown in two by a double blast from a shotgun, deputy Hayden takes up the killer’s trail, packing his own sawed-off, double-barrelled Weapon to use on his quarry. He also totes a rifle for some Apache troublemakers along the trail and a sixgun for personal arguments. In the pursuit’ of the killer, Guy Prescott, Hayden is joined by Miss De Carlo, whom he rescues from an Indian stake- out, and the pair is soon joined by Scott, a bounty hunter who wants the reward,on PrescotVs head. The adventuring the trio is put through has a familiar ring, but under the expert freshening in the script plays well. The action climaxes when Hayden and Prescott meet in a Shotgun duel to the death, and you know, who rides off into the sunset witli Miss De Carlo. The three stars and Prescott are assisting on the acting end by Robert Wilke, Paul Marion and John Pickard- Angela Greene gets short shrift as the girl who didn't want Hayden'to ride off on his mission of vengeance. ^ Ellsworth Fredricks’ photogra- phy does right by the action and scenery, but the print by Techni- Picture gets into its story when the beleaguered fort commander sends word to France for four vol- unteer officers to help him defend Dienbienphu. The volunteers are Jack Sernas, Kurt Kasznar, Peter Van Eyck and Norman Dupont. Before they arrive via parachute, footage is devoted to their reasons for attempting the dangerous and abortive mission, thus permitting the display of two femmes, Pat Blake and Irene Montwlll, in the flashback scenes. Otherwise, femmes mean nothing to the plot, which shows how the Communists breached the French defenses after 56 days of battling. At the windup, only Sernas and Dupont of the volunteers escape, taking with them dispatches on the defense. Arnold Moss plays the fort com- mander, but he, and such others as Marcel Dalio, Lawrence Dob- kin, Alberto Morin, Maurice Mar- sac, and Louis Mercier, fare no better at making this believeable than do the leads. The footage is long at 92 min- utes. Brog. Cult of tlie Cobra Well-done horror chiller with good b.o. potential in exploita- tion dates. Hollywood, March 22. Universal release of Howard Pine pro- duction. Stars Faith Domergue, Richard Lone, Marshall Thompson, Kathleen Hughes; features William Reynolds, Jack Kelly, Myrna Hansen, David Janssen. Directed toy Francis D. Lyon. Screenplay. Jerry Davis, Cecil Maiden, Richard Col- lins; story by Davis; camera, Russell Metty; editor, Milton Carrutlj. Previewed March 16 , '55. Runnlnc time, tl MINS. . Lisa Faith Domersue Paul Able Richard Lonff Tom Markel ........ Marshall Thompson Julia Kathleen Hughes Carl Turner JackjaKellV Marlah . .. Myrna Hansen Rico Nardl David -Janssen Pete Norton ....... . Wlllinm Reynolds Daru Leonard Strong Nick Homjnel James Dobson Inspector Walter Coy Dance Team The Carlssons Major Martin Fielding Ol’an Soule Mrs. Weber ..; Helen Wallace Army Nurse Mary Alan Hokanson High Lamian Priest. John Ilalloran Captain Williams ........ Alan Reynolds (Aspect ratio: 1.85-1) This Universal release is one of those offbeajt cnillers that can be promoted- to good returns in the exploitation market. Additionally, it is a strong entry for double bills elsewhere. Story premise is suf- ficiently imaginative and novel enough to build better than usual suspense and, while some may quarrel # with the topic, the dra- matic license taken is well done and served up for the entertain- ment of the horror fan. “ Plot gimmick here is fashioned around an Asiatic cult of snake worshippers who believe humans can change into snakes and back again. When six American GI's disrupt a secret ceremony, the high priest places a curse on them, vowing the Snake Goddess will kill them all. As developed in this Howard Pine production, the story line im-