Variety (January 1956)

FILM REVIEWS _ The Lieutenant Wore 1 1(» way to theatrical illma at "Ban in" ” Wl I mmi" Tim h tfu>mn lmnact’s not fS&mtefY Skirts (C’SCOPE— COLOR) Light escapist filmfare, with Totn Ewell, Sheree North, others sparking pleasant com¬ edy. Hollywood, Dec. 30, iom!” The. bigscreen. Impact’s not as sharp at was the televersion’s. Still, it hap a quota o£ tension?arousing scenes — a couple of which are really potent— plus the names of Glenn Ford and Dorina Reed to dress up the marquees. ^Business prospects can hit a good level over Tlt« Lone Ranger string stable operators with a filly 1 <rmmn R mimed Glory that can’t win (COLOR) enough -to pay for her feed. That with is» until the Derby ls run an event v?dJo in which she is entered after Bren the nan, trainer for Lup'ton’s big thor acter in typical derring-do. oughbred farm, and sundry stable . Tol. , characters raise the necessary en try fee. , Before the big win. Wedtteflday^ Jaminry 11, 195^ i filly I ■ Three Baa Sisters CdV. prosuecu van iui h guuu icvc» n-„. WilUa Gold LlJ •LCC* jjcjlvmc me all because the lure’s here for that beck r<j€ack wrather) production. Stars though. Miss O'Brien is put Hollywood, Dec. 30, sizeable number of filmgoers who ciayton Moore, Jay siiverheeis, Lyle through the emotional wringer 20th-Fox release of Buddy Adler pro like tO be rendered apart emo Bettger. Bonita Granville; /^r^ Perry tfai w g Lupton IS engaged to ggSi Star5 Jem Ewen^Shere^North; tionally. •' AnSa! snippy society Miss* Davis and has Tremaynef auJ? Reinheart. Directed by Principal problem faced, and frankq^ji®va1-Dir^^bd Meado^ basid taken a fling, at singing with Palj Frank Tashlin. Screcnplay,Albertlielch ^ that llkely wiU prevail for ..The€^ l^gendTcamera mer’S orchestra. Just as Glory Coi?r)n’LeoToV0?f yditor.James b ctrki most . all properties making the (Warner-Coior), Edwin DuParjeditor. grabs the Derby floral horseshoe,! music. Cyril J. Mockrldge; song. “Rock jump ffOttl tv to piX, Was filling ClarenceKolster; music. Davld^Buttolph. does MISS OBrienget her man Around the Island," Ken Darby; sung by out the pl()t to meet a nearly dou ^INS Running time. ^ ^ winners circle. Running"' tfme, ^mins. ■ ’ ’ ’ bled running time The dramatic ®he L0ne Ranger . ciayton Moore For the actual worth of the Gregory Whitcomb . Tom Ewell meat that was good for 54 minutes Tont0 . . . . Ja?vieilVBettcer story, picture takes a long time Katy Whitcomb . Sheree North on tv gets ground mighty thm dur Reece Kilgore . . -Lyle Bettger ^ jj. it gome history Of racing SSfW v throughout aynd pi< rtJ S33S8 SSSSr f“?0feaSd the ouutoebeaS: Mator^Dunning * .* .* * ." .* * * .Edward ^Platt weak filler material, injecting a The Governor ’ *. 1 ! *. ’• ‘ Charles KrtPbW^funP^* ‘‘Plorv'^'Getth? Buxom Date . Jacqueline Jontame feeling Of phoniness in spots and Powder . . Mickey^ Simpson Koehler tunes, f ~lory, ^ Gettm Mr. Curtis . . Arthur q. Bryan cfrainlnp unnerpfisarilv for sus . . "Tan. chandler Nowhere Road and Kentucky Sam . Paul Glass Straining, unnecessarily ior bus whltebeard . Lane Chandler PoraHicM ” Palmer’q good Delivery Boy . Keith Vincent pense in others. That long footage ^ajaGise). palmer s gooa Gloria . Kathy Marlowe could stand tightening too. , u tu* voice gives them something extra, SB-.—* jfflfi .The Nicholas Nayfick produc te^ry^We^rradio hiU^and l^mert^whf dols tofcMrptal 9S& ^VSyLYin^eTespeV teS/va'le ol the Detroit-pro ^SLto^Brie^ chlrlcte^1”® $£? Setseont... ^Dorothy SS5£ toTtowT&en th“ ffiiys smali ^uac*de:L?"etoraeng(Jaek‘^ ‘wrath^y „ T“hn*ca,I wilwd *M fiS Gateman . . 1 . Ralph Sanford son ig kidnaDDed and held for Warner feature uacx whuiw; good, from Wilfrid M. Clines Chorus j Giri . $500,000 ransom. The father can crammed with action and avoiding SuperScope lensing in Technicolor Miidredaiwiikins* ' .* .' ." .' ." . Heiene^^vi^rsfiaU and does raise the money as he’s far-fetched heroics. and Frank Perkins’ score on down Mother in Laundromat. . Marjorie stapp a. prosperous industrialist, but the Willis Goldbeck produced for the list. Brog. J? p . iuriHann® ’candaS? Kelly switch comes when he decides not Wrather, usin'g' the scenic splendor WAF . CPat McMahon to pay the ransom and goes on of Southern Utah to provide beau TllC Houston Story television to tell the watching kid tiful backdrop for the Herb Mea _ rvuie otv>, ,cintr rnmpdv affair napper. why. This is one of the dow script. Stuart Heisler’s direc R . . .j f Q#,rftnjarv “arket: °kaJL^ Pr°SpeCtS generally popular. Tom Ewell fol ^me'bfood money “for the°kid stsA^/^ role i?H!. •feS' generally popular, iom Jewell, ioi come blood monev for the kid X,,*™ TV/rnnro i« thp fitlA rnlp Columbia release of Clover (Sam Katz lnwincr hie olinlr in “Thp Seven Come uiouu inoiiey iui uie Clayton Moore, in tne title roie, man) production. Stars Gene Barry, Bar lowing ms click in ine napper»s capture, dead or alive:, if anfi Jav Siiverheeis, as his faithful bara Hale, Edward Arnold; features Paul Year Itch, costars with Sheree +hp child’s not returned unharmed m + ^ virion anri Richards, Jeanne cooper, Frank Jenks, North and the teaming should sup Tonto, swing over from video and John zaremba. Chris Alcaide. Jack v. Norm, ana tne teaming snuuiu &up What the fathers decision does to take easnv to the big screentsize. Littlefield. Paul Levitt, Fred Krone. Pete ply enough initial lure to get the bj[s wjfe hi? relatives and to the Thic timo it’* thoir ioh to find out 2:elle“-1 DlreStei by william Castle. Dicture off to an okav start. town nnrionc matroc on tho rp<;t This time, Its tneir JOD to nna OUl Screenplav and story. James B. Gordon; picture on t n, y . town curious makes up tne rest wba^ jg threatening a peace treaty camera. Henry Freulich; editor, Edwin Buddy Adler’s production super of the drama-befope the boy comes " it T: ^inne who throueh the Sry5ntL music, Mischa Bakaieinikoff. vicion Hnac' miito wall hv tho lipht bark wlth tne Indians, wno, tnrougn tne Tradeshown. N. Y., Dec. 22. ’55. Running vision does quite well oy tne iignt pacit. machinations of heavy Lyle Bett time, 79 mins. escapist filmfare, as does Frank Ford is splendid as the father. &e ereedv rancher who dreams of Fra*j^Duncan . Gene Barry Tashlin’s direction of the screen a role that takes full advantage of !n 'emnfre a?e being made t? ap l2SicI?K . ’.. Barbara Hai| play he wrote with Albert Beich his talent for projection The di treaty-breaker! The Lone from the latter’s original. Sassy di rection . fails to get much out of at the truth— Better ¥^5? . Jeanne Cooper alogue and situations predominate Miss Reed that can be felt and ge on a mouStSin on Se e® Constant j0?nanzVeffi and make for sly fun. Footage oc most of the other players, too, seem ^p^ation which is sacred to the Barker . .....Chris AteMde casionally strains into slapstick at odds with the characters they ?ndi^S and full of rich silver veint Se with the frenetics forcing chuckles, play, leaving it to Ford to carry Ina'adnsinan(* ^a,rsh . . . Fred Krone but the plot idea is enough to carry off the_s]iow One exception is ^ dUorisTneA<f ueace fettles on inspector’ Gyegg . L^iie^Hunt the show along at an amusing pace. Juano Hernandez understanding ^ Claudia b”v^ n, +ua a;,, butler. His big scene is when he the range he s ott to more gooa Talbot . Larry w. Fultz Story pits Ewell against the An comforts the father while the lat deeds to the cry of Hi Ho, Silver. Stokes . Charles Gray Force, and he wins, with an assist ter wonders if his decision was the Bettger, despite a familiar heavy . from nature. He’s an aging World rigbt one after it is believed the character to play, gives it a be Producer Sam Katzman, who War II hero now a tv writer; and w js dead Denevea tne touchp ^ turned out a hard hitting meller Miss North his wife, is an ex-WAC . * , f£ Alexailder that scenery. This ability to make even a couple of seasons ago in “The considerably younger. The comedy neve rSC?Jt rud es an d clear sharo unbelieveable characters credible Miami Story,” follows a similar of errors tees off when she rejoins iensin/by Arthur E Arling head has been noticedbefore in Bett pattern in “The Houston Story.” tiie service because he is recalled. up th! generally good techmcal ger’s performances. Bonita Gran While the former concerned the However, he’s rejected, and then Beuei«tuy Buou tecnniLai vUle doeg weU hig sufferipg Florida “mob,” this fresh entry is dejected because she likes her uni ^ _ y* wife as does Perry Lopez, cowboy built around a smalltime oil driller form. From then on comedy hinges Th VhuMtAm. Ffaim who' is killed for trying to help with “business” aspirations in a on his efforts to get her discharged. ,A f rwm the Lone Ranger. Robert Wilke, crime syndicate. It adds up to He becomes the male equivalent of 109000 Leagues • Bettger’s gunman John Pickard g°od action fare in the programmer a servicemen’s wife and upsets the Beverly Washburn, Michael Ansara market. base on which he lives with her. Confused science fiction entrv and Frank de Kova are among Despite the absence of stout Mam laugh nub spins around his tBIU"8ea science nciion emry other cast WOrthies marquee dressing, film neverthe efforts to trick his wife into think Hollvwood Dec ™ Edwin DuPar’s ’ color photog less has some familiar names in mg she’s going nuts and thus tak . nuuywuuu, ou. raphv js good and the other tech Gene Barry, Barbara Hale and wife, as does Perry Lopez, cowboy built around a smalltime oil driller who is killed for trying to help with “business” aspirations in a the Lone Ranger. Robert Wilke, crime syndicate. It adds up to Bettger’s gunman; John Pickard, good action fare in the programmer Beverly Washburn, Michael Ansara market. and Frank de Kova are among Despite the absence of stout other cast worthies. marquee dressing, film neverthe Edwin DuPar's color photog le$s has some familiar names in raphy is good. and the other tech gene Barry, Barbara Hale and ing a psycho discharge. Nature ja^mandanDa5eMnnef pCr°odPuctioieassta?s£ nical credits are on a par. Brog . " Edward Arnold. Moreover, the takes care of the battle, though, Kent Taylor, Cathy Downs, Michael 0 _ James B. Gordon story and screen takes care Of the battle, though, Kent Taylor, Cathy Downs, Michael when she becomes pregnant. ' Whalen; features Helene Stanton, Philip , ... ‘ „ . , Pine, .Rodney Bell, Pierce Lyden, Vm Ewell makes With the facial ex Janiss, Michael Garth. Directed by Dan pressions for some solid comedy Milner. Screenplay, Lou Rusoff; original e.s,nTMnrr N/ri^p. ■Nr««+7, story, Dorys Lukather; camera, Bryden SCOnng._MlSS North mostly acts her Baker; editors. Milner brothers; music, role with her legs and hips. It’s Ronald Stein. Previewed Dec. 29, ’55. a performance with which no one Runnbu( time, so mins. should quarrel as she’s equipped J*?,, . ; . n««n!= for SUCh physical thesping. Rita King ‘ V.’.'.'. V.V.*. V. . Michael V Whalen Moreno captures the fancy in a Wanda . Helene Stanton GSory (SONGS— COLOR) Sentimental film saga of Ken¬ tucky thoroughbreds and peo¬ ple; okay family trade entry. Hollywood, Jan. 10. play contain some exploitable twists that enterprising exhibs can turn to advantage. Another asset is realistic backgrounds indigenous to Houston and the Texas oil coun¬ try. Under William Castle’s crisp di¬ rection Barry eontribs a smooth portrayal of a shrewd oil worker mu re no captures tne lancy in a wanoa . RKO release of David Butler produc Vrf girl-upstairs takeoff from “Itch.” £*?rge . t&I tion. stars Margaret O’Brien, Walter who applies ms Knowleage ot the Rick Jason, handsome voune offi Andv . piercS Lydln Brennan, Charlotte Greenwood; features industry to the wrong channels. cer With his eve on Miss Nortiv Ethel Vivi Janiss John Lupton. Byron Palmer, Lisa Davis, Conceiving a plan to swipe Oil and Les Tremayne, as Ewefl’s literary Sherlff . Mlchael Garth ?iay. P^e^kune^ stoS G^’MarS gasoline from companies in the aeent and Alice Reinheart AF ‘ camera (Technicolor), Wilfrid M. Cline; Houston area, he approaches the captain, are among the featured “The Phantom From 10,000 syndicate through mob chief cast contributing importantly. Leagues” 1$ strictly a busher, but Previewed Jan. 5, ’6G. Running time, 99 ArJJ°}a-, .. Beverly Hills and Honolulu serve will serve its purpose in rounding ciarabei Tiibee . Margaret O’Brien adopted by' Arnold and top man alo?| wlthThe5 cast* art diecUon °f a f“al ^al'yho0,. ’?U1 because ^^•V.V.V.V'ctokSSS%£53 J“h,n Zaremba such syndicate un. and other setting*? are chnwn ofF °f a fairly effective title. Chad chadburn . John Lupton derlmgs as cafe owner Paul Rich Jo^advanule^i^Lo^To^ran" The science Action ' feature, g™g fflSf .V/.V.V: B^s,rfe S5WeJSTdL£SXAB2S ColorCOCyriUnSiMoclSdKe’es £%? turned out by Jack anf Dan ““r ; .dfspo^es 'of hi's'a.toSsarie^bSt^ K conducted by LiSSSfiewman, and ..gSa.^W-' friend fh“ the Ken Darby song “Rock Around makes little attempt at seeking Vasily . . Leonid Kinskey ms waiti ess-girl friend tips off the the Island,” are good Broo thrills with sufficient logic to hold SqueakyBob . ■ p»u1 e. Bums police. Also turning informer at uic iMdna, are gooa. . arog. & plot together> Nor fs there. a Alexander ............ Theron Jackson ^he windup is his longtime friend, clear windup . explanation to cue rpt,A F,r^?k. Jenks* whom he had in Ransom! how and why the events took stalled as front man in a dummy place. ?ndxi?, ^Bofoughbreds backstop oil corporation. Television script thins when Tn the Lou Rusoff scriDt from Aii'.r i rl Su^arrv?3?utia Throughout the proceedings is a stretched double length for an original by Dorvs Lukather a Yiin s^rong romantic angle via Barry’s screen but Glenn Ford’s name mutant^ ^ resulting^ ^ from rldiati’o^ E”tS ,an,i*£xci5ng clLm?x 0TL th! crush on cafe -singer Barbara Hale to help b.o. prospects. Sposure guardl an underwater S2neLlifSrer»dr^ff bTg offe^d who’s his intermediary with the atomic^lghtoff theashore<? of^Tali^ throufb RK0;n <Also changes the syndicate bigwigs. While the yarn Hollywood. Jan. 3. Sa After several swhnSers °i?ly 9-ne isn>t Particularly original, it man Metro release of Nicholas Nayfack pro and fishermen are killed hv the C10®se<^ the Derby wire ages to provide ample opportunity duction. Stars Glenn Ford, Donna Reed; / K1^d th* first.) Other than being overlength for Barrv to convinoinqlv make features Leslie Nielsen, Juano Hernan monster, the Defense Department at 99 minutes “Glorv” is an ar With ihflLnL .!!!.*« y make dez, Robert Keith. Directed by Alex and others start an investigation ui i1 -i ’ A ^°ry a 18 an ac~ With the strong arm Stuff. Segai. Screenplay, CyrU Hume, Richard a t the windup it turns out !hat a ^mily trade entry. Likewise, Miss Hale’s perform Malbaum; camera, Arthur E. Arling; edi Al *ne Winaup. It tUrnS OUt tnat a David Butler produced and di anee helns heighten tho venial tor, Ferris Webster; music, Jeff Alexan professor at the Pacific College of rected with skill realising tho o,,o^Jli1PSA 1 le g9neral der. Previewed Dec. 27, .’55. Running Oceanography let his experiment* a 4! Wltn 4-u Kl11, reallzinS the suspense, Arnold, however, is too time 101 MINS. get out of hand but he ?ights ?°+St the material in the pat as a syndicate lieutenant. Rich Bavid g. stannard . Glenn Ford Peter Milne script. Based on a ards impresses as a suspicious Edith Stannard . Donna Reed things by destroying the mutant, ctorv hv Gene ATarVov the nlnt -i “i. j,pi , . Charlie Teifcr . Leslie Nielsen the light source and himself Dy ,jrene Maricey, the plot hood, Jenks breezily handles his Jesse Chapman . Juano HernandeS ^ °,ffers »° surprises but wends a role as an innocent dupe ‘and Backett . Robert Keith * the Investigators are pleasant course through long JeanneCooperispertasthewait Mrs^^artiridge MatK*iaiAlb^rtson ^ ^ LendLg good Support ^e Dr. Paul y. Gorman.. Alexander Scourby wnne Lathy Downs is the daughter react in llnd. A more grownup, Zaremba, Alcaide, Jack V. Little Afdstantnarntfrd . Bobby ciark of prof Michael Whalen. Helene but still not grown, Margaret field and Paul Levitt among others Elizabeth stannard Lori* March Stanton and BMlip Pine appear as O’Brien, stars wifh Walter Bren Camerawork of Henry Freulich Sheriff Jake Kessing Robert BurtSn spies who want the professor’s se nan and Charlotte Greenwood, is good as is the editing of Edwin . ».Lon^*..W-iffirSoi2JSS £ve nfohance Stth'th? material th« bo^y. hokey, Bryant who trimmed toe footed to Fwd Benson . Robert Forrest “ave no cnancp with the materia L. doings. So do such othercabters a fast 79 minutes. Producer Katz Sgt. Wenzel . Dick Rich ^ B ^red^0d.i.?s as /onn X^upton, Byron Palmer, in man provided adequate physical ... , . TT. * Underwater shots of .skin divers male romantic spots, Lisa Davis, values in keeping with the budget After twice being staged live on and the general lensing is handled Gus Schilling aqd Hugh Sanders! while art direction of Palmentola ' th fVWd?anaSmZdr?fa Pf maiiA prof^s?loflk'>y Baker.' , lytias, Greenwood.. and Oier grand ard the Miacha Bakaeinlkoff “ o« this kidnap melodrama has made] ,, . grpQ. .J^jjghj^iV Miss .O’JBffieiv are; shoe are creditable* a « , • Gilb. Formula sex thriller, not ton f«Jtoned1,or program¬ mer bookings. United Arti»t^?e¥eSe0 of’ iferd®'™ Koch (Bel-Air) production. Star* MnJnT English, Kathleen Hughes, Sara sffi John. Bromfirtd; features Jean BarW Madge Keipiedy. DirectX by GUbm L* Kay. Screenplay, Gei?ld Dryson Adamsl camera, Lester Shorr; editor, John i? Schreyer; music, Paul Dunlap p,.V jjewed Jan. 4, ’56, , Running time. 74 . VicM . Marla EnHliah 7oin^* . . Kathleen llughe* Jim t Norton" ' .VV.V.’.V.V.*.’ John ,*Bromffe?d George Gurney . '... Jess Ker Aurtt Martha . Madge KennfS Tony Cadiv,..., . Tony George Mary .... -. . Palsy Navfack Wilson . Eric WimiS Carlos . . Brett Halsey Nadine . . Marlene Felton Thd promise of being a passable little sex thriller is held out by “Three Bad Sisters” but it doesn't always deliver. As it is, there is cheesecake and melodrama to sell . — the former having value for lob¬ by and ballyhoo ad display — so it should command enough program¬ mer bookings to get by. Gerald Drayson Adams’ story of three sisters, two bad and all neurotic, and the freelance plane pilot who gets mixed, up with them unfolds slbwly and not too credibly under Gilbert ;L. Kay’s direction. The idea seems okay for the in¬ tended release, but the overall ex¬ ecution of it falters so often the "-customers -will be hard to work up a steam over what’s transpiring. Kath&en Hughes is the murder¬ ous one of the cutie trio, while Marla English is an amoral sexpot and Sara Shane, the good one. is just as neurotic but without the offbeat tendencies of the others. John Bromfield is the pilot who en¬ ters their lives after th'e plane he is flying crashes and kills their rich father. None of the gals seem particularly upset by dad’s death. Miss Hughes schemes to get her two sisters to do away with them¬ selves so she’ll control the' family wealth, and brings in Bromfield on the plot. He likes the idea of mak¬ ing a dollar, until he ganders Miss Shane, falls in Ibve and marries her. First Miss English takes a suicide out, and then Miss Hughes, when she sees her scheme being wrecked, gets herself killed trying to put Bromfield out of the way. In all. those .highly meller goingson, Miss Shane shakes off her com¬ plexes and the two lovers look for¬ ward to a healthy, wealthy life to¬ gether. . The girls have the curves their roles demand, but Kay’s direction and the Adams . scripting don’t draw the best performances from them. Bromfield is okay under the same handicaps, as are Jess Park¬ er, lawyer who loses Miss Shane to the pilot, and Madge Kennedy, tippling, psycho aunt of the sistei* trio. Others have small footage. The Bel-Air production for Unit¬ ed Artists release; produced by Howard W. Koch under the execu¬ tive helming of Aubrey Schenck, obtains good physical values for the budget by assorted location lensing in L. A. environs. Lester Shorr did the good photography and other credits come off okay. Brog . Bay the World Ended Atom bomb obliterates most of humanity in this one. Bet¬ ter of two-film science fiction package. Hollywood. Dec. 29. American Releasing Ccrp. release o| Roger Corman (Golden Stale) production. Stars Richard Denning. Lori Nelson, Adele Jergens; features Touch Connors, Paul Birch, Raymond Hatton. Paul Dubov, Jonathan Haze, Paul Blaisdell. Directed by Corman. Story and screenplay, Lou Rusoff; camera. Jock Feindcl; editor, Ronald Sinclair; music, Ronald Stein, -Previewed . Dec. 28, ’55. Running tUne, Rick . . . • _ Richard Denning Louise . . Lori Nelson Ruby . A.-’elc Jergen* Tony . Touch Connors Maddison . . . . . . . Paul Birch Pete . Raymond Hatton Radek . . . Paul Dubov Contaminated Man . Jonathan Haz* Mutant . Paul Blaisdell American Releasing Corp. i* packaging this science-fiction, melo¬ drama with another thriller, “Phantom From 10,000 Leagues, for exploitation playdates, “Day the World Ended” is the better of the two, packs enough novelty in its plot theme to carry off its hor¬ ror chores satisfactorily, even though imagination runs away with the subject at times and the dialog is . inclined to be static and direc¬ tion slow-paced. Roger Corman produced and directed from » screen story by Lou Rusoff. . An atomic blast touches off al¬ most total • destruction of tne world, but Seven people, presum¬ ably *the 'only survivors, al® brought together in a western val¬ ley where a former sea captain ha“ prepared a 'hideway from just such (Continued on page 22)