Variety (November 1957)

6 FILM REVIEWS PZBUBFf Wednctday, November 6, 1957 The HiutelLbeek «( Notre Bame (C'SCOPE—COLOR) Old-fashioned pieturizatlon of Yictor Hut© classic. Hollywood, Oct. 31. Allied Artists release of Robert and Raj mood Hakim production. Stars Gina Lollobrlglda, Anthony Quinn; features Jean Danet, Alain Cuny, Danielle Dumont. Jean Tissler, Maurice Sarfati, Robert Ilirsch, Philippe Clay. Directed by Jean Delannoy. Screenplay. Jean Aurenche, Jacques Prevert, based on novel by Victor Hugo; camera (print by Technicolor), Michael Kelber; music, Georges Auric; editor, Henri Taverna. Previewed Oct. 23, '57. Running time, 103 MINS. Esmeralda.. Gina Lollobrlgida Quasimodo .Anthony Quinn Phoebus ....Jean Danet Claude FroUo . Alain Cuny Fleur de Lys.. Danielle Dumont Louis XI . Jean Tissier Jehan Frollo .. Maurice Sarfati Gringoire . . Robert Hirsch Clopln Trouilleiou. .. Philippe Clay In Ban Francisco of Cary Grant, Hay Walston and Larry Blyden, a trio of naval air aces of the Pacific war. Grant, the reckless leader of the triumvirate^ cooly^ circumvents red tape to let stateside after an extensive tour Of duty, with the in¬ tention of loving it up for four days. He does, meeting and falling in love with Suzy Parker in the process and winning her away from stuffy tycoon. Leif Erickson. Ralston meanwhile has been vic¬ torious in a campaign to be elected a congressman and Blyden has had little luck in the quick romance de¬ partment. News that their carrier has been sunk, however, sends them back to the war, ignoring the chance for extended . shore leave for Grant and Blyden via speaking tours of war plants and Walston’s opportunity to become a civilian as a result of his elections. There are occasional and bitter refer¬ ences to wartime profiteers, an an¬ gle which dominated much of the play, but the passage of time has dulled the sting and they serve now only to slow the comedy slightly. To overcome this, Epstein This version of the Victor Hugo classic,.although beautifully photo¬ graphed and extravagantly pro¬ duced, is ponderous, often dull and far overlength. Subject as presented is old-fashioned for today’s Ameri- . - - --.v- „ can audiences, and film will have ! has come up with sharp dialog that to be strongly sold. The Gina j frequently cues solid chuckles. Lollobrigida name may help in ! Stanley Donen has directed with some situations. ‘ ; a fine feeling for the comedy as- Actress is co-starred with An- : pacts and the film unspools smooth- thony Quinn, who plays the Quasi-! Grant is slick and satisfying*]!!! modo role previously enacted by j the key role and both Walston and Lon Chaney (in Universal 1923 l^yden register with conviction, version) and Charles Laughton ! Mlss Parker is decorative but with- (RKO, 193d). Rohertand Raymond! out any emotional quality in the Hakim as producers seem more in- ifole. And Jayne Mansfield ^wanders dined to offer spectacle than con-! in and out to supply good humor, centrate on pointing up story line e y e app £ a * emphasis on war- with any degree of freshness, and weary~pilots’inclinations in a good direction by Jean Delannoy is j portrayal There s also good work static rather than alert to making | from Erickson and, in much small- sum total more than a pageant of | or parts, from Nathaniel Frey as a color and crowds. From a produc-; Chief Petty officer; Werner Klem- tion standpoint, however, film is j per ®5 as a RR Q officer seeking to costly mounted. feather * a post-war nest; and Jack Kap. orders ATJl somewhat miscast as a nan e Gy psy ; tracked by wine, women and song, gnl of 15th Century Pans, but oc-, Wald » s overall production super- S 1is good the fibn has a <5? 1 professional flavor, aided by such I technical assists as Milton Kras- th® G>psy girl from hanging and s ner » s DeLuxe color lensing and 5h? e wh?rp S hI? C rIpenmpq \ Robert Simpson's editing. Lionel w 52 A S tic ^ 5 ! did the score and teamed ^PhpA e ^mnracc\nn e Vf gl t V hp ; with Carroll Coates for the title inf th nc !£S 1 tune which the McGuire Sisters r°ie. IBs makeup is not as extrtme : s { n g over the opening and closing as either of the two previous char- — acterizations. Alain Cuny, the alchemist who ; comes under the spell of Esmer-: afda, the Gypsy, and frames her for I an attempted murder she did not { commit, is called upon for a near- | caricature of the part, scarcely con- j vincing in today's market. Jean i Danet as captain of. the guard for » whose stabbing Esmeralda is sen-t tenced to the gallows, and Maurice j Sarfati, a struggling poet whom; Esmeralda marries to have him from execution by the Gypsies, lend capable support. Decision at Sundown (COLOR) v One of the better of the new¬ fangled westerns. Randolph Scott following, plus good stag¬ ing and story values, promises okay returns. Hollywood, Oct 25, Columbia Pictures release of ^ Scott- • Brown Production. Stars Randolph Scott; • co-stars John Carroll, Karen Steele, Valerie French; with Noah Beery, John Archer. Andrew Duggan, James Wester- Color photography by Michel field, John Litel. Ray Teal. Vaughn Tay- Kelber is cleverly handled andjior, Richard Deacon. H. M. Wynant. Pro- Rene Renoux’ production design j duc«i hy Harry J^ Brown. Directed by it.. Budd Boetticber. Screenplay by Charles catches the spirit of the time of I Lang Jr;, from Vernon L. Fluherty story. Louis XI. Music by Georges Auric . Camera *— "-^ provides melodic hacking. Whit. Kins Them for Me (C’SCOPE—COLOR) Cary Grant and Jayne Mans¬ field In amusing comedy about war aces loving up a short leave in San Francisco; okay boxoffice. Hollywood, Oct. 31. Twentieth-Fox release of Jerry Wald : Abe Production. Stars Cary Grant, Jayne Mans- ' field, Suzy Parker, also stars Leif Erick¬ son; features Ray Walston, Larry Blyden.. Nathaniel Frey, Werner Klemperer, Jack MuUsmey-. Directed by Stanley Donen; screenplay, Julius Epstein from the book "Shore Leave" by Frederic Wakctu<tn and the play version "Kiss Them for ale" by Luther Davis; camera (DeLuxe Color), Milton Krasner; editor. Robert Simpson; music, Lionel Newman. Previewed Oct. 30, 37. Running time, 102 MlNSj Crewson .: Cary Grant Alice.. Jayne Mansfield Gwenneth.-. Suzy Parker Eddie Tumbill .. Leif Erickson Mae (Lieut. McCann).Ray Walston Mississip...Larry Blyden C.P.O. Ruddle . Nathaniel Frey Commander Wallace. .Werner Klemperer Ensign Lewis.Jack Mullaney H.AJ. Pilot .. Ben Wright Gunner...Michael Ross Roundtree . Harry Carey Jr. Nellson........ Frank Nelson gebbie .. Caprice Yordan (Technicolor), Burnett Guffey; ] editor, A1 Clark; art . director, Robert I Peterson; music. Helnv Roemheld. Pre¬ viewed, Oct. 24, '57. Running time. 77 MINS. Bart Allison . Randolph Scott Tate Kimbrough ..John Carroll Lucy Summerton'. Karen Steele Ruby James .... Valerie French Sain ........ Noah Beery Doctor Storrow ..... John Archer Sheriff Swede Hansen.... Andrew Duggan Otis . James Westerleld Charles Summerton...John TAtel Morley Chase .. ... Ray Teal Barber .. Vaughn Taylor , Zaron . Richard Deacon ! Spanish . H. M. Wynant : Guy Wilkerson GervaiM A French import scheduled to be tradeshown today (Wed.) in New York, “Gervaise” was reviewed by. Variety Sept. 19, 1956, at the Venice Film Fes¬ tival.. Mask, opined that the Maria Schell starrer is "replete With stature and gloss for art spots, and has prospects for wide appeal to the distaff ele¬ ment.” Directed by . Rene Clement, film is based bn Emile Zola’s novel, “L’Assomoir” (The Trap). Story, reviewer pointed out, is a "two-hour naturalistic study of the life and hard times of a lower class woman under the Second French 'Em¬ pire.” Critic praised Clement’s direction and noted that Miss Schell’s performance, as the woman is “penetratingly effec¬ tive” at times and “overtechnl- cal” at.others. Continental Distributing is releasing the Agnes Delahaye- Silver Films-CICC production in the U.S, Carroll’s iron. control over the town, the other natives' get rest¬ less. Upshot is wholesale revolt and townspeople even out odds against embattled Scott. But in showdown with Carroll, his ina¬ morata. Valerie French, plugs Car¬ roll in the shoulder^ thus prevent¬ ing a gimfight. Pic ends in downbeat note, with town now rid of Carroll. However. Scott, who also pulls, out, is still bitter over truth’s he’s been forced to acknowledge, plus fact that buddy Beery had been killed by treachery during the gunplay. Role is an offbeat one for Scott, but be carries off the gunman’s frustrated rage very well. Carroll makes convincingly menacing heavy in the suave tradition. Miss Steele, as his understandably con¬ fused fiance, shows much promise of things to come. Miss French’S motivations aren’t always convinc¬ ing. but she’s a good actress who exoloits the role fully. Among rest of large and -good cast, Beery is outstanding as the illfated sidekick, with John Archer, Vaughn Taylor, Richard. Deacon. Andrew Duggan and John . Litel all contributing strong support. Fine Technicolor lensing by Bur¬ nett Guffey and other behind-cam- era credits show a high degree of professional skill. Kove. Baby Face Nelson Timely (a la Anastasia hood stuff) exploitation entry with Mickey Rooney name for mar¬ quee dressing. uclllc...Ann McCrea It has taken a dozen years and a transition from printed page to stage to screen to lend commercial possibilities to Frederic Wakeman’s first novel, "Shore Leave.” It was moderately successful as a book and eked out a short tun on Broad¬ way as a play by Luther Davis, under the title of “Kiss Them For Me.” Now, with virtually all of the serious material excised to hew closely to a comedy line and with Cary Grant and Jayne Mansfield as marquee bait, the film version produced by Jerry Wald for 20th- Fox release looks like okay box- office. Julius Epstein’s glib screenplay-, :ng of the basic material now em- j______ _ _ ihasfates the comedlc aspects of the I unwilling, a fact Scott cannot face. iectic, four-day "informal” leave} But with first overt resistance to This entry stacks up as one of the better of the new-fangled west erns. ■ Top billed Randolph Scott, with strong and loyal following, bolstered by generally high stag¬ ing quality by director Budd Bae.t- ticher and strong story values, in¬ dicate a substantial return on the investment. There are flaws, however, which should be duly noted. Occasionally. Boetticher’s attempts to stretch out suspense results in lag in story¬ telling pace. Also, climax stoutly defies belief, aggravated by fact that similar situations have already been used in a couple of telepix this season. (With tv concentrating on the west this season, this par¬ ticular problem of plot exposure promises to get worse for theatri¬ cal pix makers, before it. gets any better.) Complex screenplay by Charles Lang Jr., from Vernon L. Fluherty tale, spans a single 'day in cow town of Sundown. Scott, a mys¬ terious, revengeful gunman, rides into town. He’s after unsavory lo¬ cal wheel John Carroll, who’s slat¬ ed to marry local belle Karen Steele on that day. Scott breaks up the wedding and is beseiged with sidekick Noah Beery by Car- roll’s henchmen. Step by step, it develops that Carroll, in his none- too-scrupulous past, had stolen and later discarded Scott’s wife (since, dead); and that she hadn’t been United Artists release of a Fryman-ZS <A1 Zimbalist) production. Stars Mickey Rooney; co-stars Carolyn Jones. Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Leo Gordon, Anthony Caruso, Jack Elam, John Hoyt; features Ted De Corsia, Elisha Cook Jr., Thayer David, George Stone. Directed by Don Siegel. Screenplay, Irving Shulman and Daniel Mainwaring- from story by Shulman; camera. Hal Mohr; editor, Leon Barsche; music. Van Alexander. Tradeshown. N.Y., Get. 25, '57. Running time *5 MINS. Nelson... Mickey Rooney Sue. . - Carolyn Jones Doc Saunders^.'.... Sir Cedric Hardwicke Jerry... Chrise Dark Roeca :._.... Ted DiCorsia MJtc . ..Emile Meyer Hamilton . Tony Caruso DilUnger ..- ' Leo Gordon Miller...Drn Terranova Fatso .. Jack Elam Bonner . Dabbs Greer Johnson .... Bob Osterloh PoweU .... Dick Crockett Aldridge . Paul Baxley Connelly. Thayer David. Vickman ............... Ken Patterson Preston . Sol Goree Duncan.. Gil Perkins Harkins .. Tom Fadden Aim Saper .. Lisa Davis Parker - w ♦..***.** - John Hoyt Van Meter .. Elisha Cook Bank Guard ..Murray Alper Mr. Hall.. i--George Stone Kearns .... . Hubie Kerns With the barbershop murder of mobster Albert Anastasia still fresh in the headlines.United Artists has a hot exploitation picture in “Baby Face Nelson.” It might even start a new gangster film cycle. Marquee dressing is provided by Mickey Rooney who essays the title role. Nelson, in case anyone’s memory may have been dimmed by the years, was a member of the notori¬ ous Dillinger gang that scourged the midwest circa 1933. Dillinger himself was biopiced by the King Bros, some 12 years ago. Now it’s Nelson’s turn and the Irving Shul- man-Daniel Mainwaring acript makes • him a ruthless, k trigger- happy, coldblooded killer.. Of necessity, in the interest of historical accuracy, the cast wears depression days styles and the footage is replete with chase scenes involving Model A Fords, and dated “touring” ears. These aspects, incidentally, cause this A1 ZimbaHst production to be strongly reminiscent of oldtime action films now shown on video. The versatile Rooney whose varying roles in his long career have ranged from Puck (“Mid¬ summer Night’s Dream”) to Pi- nocchio is not particularly convinc¬ ing as the pint-sized Nelson. True, he snarls, Jboils with hatred and is unrepentant. But he merely seems to be going through the motions and his performance never matches the acting found in gangster clas¬ sics more than two decades ago. More impressive is Carolyn Jones' portrayal of Rooney’s loyal moll. She’s a plain jane who’s attracted to him by some strange affection. But with the FBI closing hi on the wounded Rooney, it is she who kills him when he admits he would even shoot down small boys. This death scene in a ceme¬ tery, with which the film ends, is especially raaudhn. Sir ' Cedric Hardwicke, another versatile actor, turns in a fine characterization of a drunken phy¬ sician who administers to the medi¬ cal needs of the DilUnger mobsters. Good support is suppUed by Lea Gordon as No. 1 desperado. Dill 5 n 7 ger, Anthony Caruso as Jienchman John Hamilton and Jack-Elam as the gang’s suave mastermind who devised the modus operandi ~Gf various bank jobs. Gilb. The Tall Stranger (C’SCOPE-COLORr Good western in an old-fash¬ ioned shoot-’em-up vein. Hollywood, Oct. 23. Allied Artists Production and Release. Stars Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo; fea¬ tures Barry-KeUey, Michael Ansara; -with Whit Bi&sfeU, Janies Dobsbn. George Neise. Adam Kennedy, Michael Pate, Leo Gor¬ don, others. Produced by Walter MirjLsch. Directed by Thomas Carr. Screenplay by Christopher Knopf, from a story by Louis L'Amour; camera; Wilfred Cline; editor, William Austin; art director, David Mil- ton; music, Hans Salter. Previewed Oct. 22, '57. Running time, 12 MINS. Bannon . Joel McCrea Ellen.. Virginia Mayo Bishop .. Barry Kelley Zarata ... Michael Ansara Judson .. Whit Bissell Dud.....James Dobson Harper . George Neise Red.Adam Kennedy Charley.Michael. Pate Stark Leo Gordon Cap . Ray Teal WUl - . Philip Phillips Pagones . Robert Foulk Mary ...... Jenifer Lea Chavez .. George J. Lewis Barrett .. Guy Prescott Murray .. Ralph Reed Purcell.Mauritz Hugo All Mlae to Give (COLOR) Old wuaiiie-ud-ndl* “Day They Gove Babies Away” has strong ©Motional appeal hut very elongated. Hollywood, Oct. 25. Universal release of Sam Wiesenthal production. Stars Glynis Johns. Cameron Mitchell, Sex Thompson, Patty McCor¬ mack; features Ernest True*. Hope Emerson, Alan -Hale, Sylvia Field, Royal Dane, Seta Shaw. Directed by Allen Reisner. Screenplay, Dale and Katherine Eunson, baaed, on former's - Cosmo mag story;."The Day They Gave Babies Away"; camera, William Shall; editors, Alan Crot- land Jr., Bettie Mosher; music. Max Steiner. Previewed Oct. 22, ’57. Running time, 103 MINS. Mamie .. Glynis Johns Robert ...Cameron Mitchell Robbie .................. Rex Thompson Annabella.. patty McCormack Dr. Delbert ... Ernest Truex Mrs. Pugmire ..Hope Emerson Tom CuUen . Alan Hale Leila Delbert. Sylvia Field Howard Tyler . Royal Daho Mrs. Runyon ..Reta Shaw Jimmie .. Stephen Wootton Kirk .. Butch Bernard Elizabeth -.. Yolanda White Katie Tyler .. Rita Johnson Mrs. Ralden... Ellen Corby Mrs. Stephens .. Rosalyn Boulter Mr. Stephens.. Francis DeSales Bobbie ...-r Jon Provost •This is primarily an old-fash¬ ioned shoot -’em - up r slug-it-out western, although “modernized” to include references to rape, housed j of ill-fame, illegitimacy and a few “Damns” and “Hells,” unheard of in the old oater format. As such, it may offer audiences welcome relief from the current crop Of “adult westerns,” in which the stress is on extensive and wordy psychological probings. The heroes are quickly and cleverly estab¬ lished as heroes, the villains as vil¬ lains, and then the plot moves on. Also making considerable differ¬ ence is that Christopher Knopf screenplay, from a Louis L’Amour story, while containing some gaps, is generally well-plotted and moti¬ vated and director Thomas Carr utilizes these advantages with brisk skilL B.O. chances seem okay in a wide variety of situations. Reduced to essentials, story line is the old one about the cow baron and the intruding homesteaders. In this ease, homesteaders are a band of emigrating Southern' veterans (time' is post-Civil War), who. pick up Joel McCrea, a returning Union, vet, who has been brutally shot from ambush and left to die, Mc¬ Crea is half-brother to heavy- handed rancher Barry Kelley, on whose land the wagon train is led through sinister machinations of scouts George Neise and Mauritz Hugo. McCrea attempts peacemaker’s role between factions, but winds up in the middle. It develops that Neise-Hugo axis is tied, up with outlaw hand led by Michael Ansara (who’s the unknown who shot down< McCrea in the opening scene), and are using the settlers in an intri¬ cate cattle-rustling scheme. Even¬ tually, things are resolved in a bang-up gunfight,- during which Kelley strangles Ansara before ex¬ piring himself, and Neise and the entire baddie crew are otherwise eliminated. Whereupon, McCrea invites the emigrants to Settle on what’s now his land, and- takes up i with Virginia Mayo, a somewhat! soiled belle who’s trying to turn over a new leaf. j McCrea, who knows his way around a western script, enacts the hero with customary authority and conviction. Miss Maya do.es a good jqb as the offbeat heroine (for a western). Kelley is toprate as Mc- Crea’s blustering, but good-hearted half-brother-. Leo Gordon, Michael' Pate, Adahi Kennedy; Whit Bissell, Ray Teal, Robert Foulk and George J, Lewis lend strong support and Ansara, Neise and Hugo are adept at their villainy; DeLuxe color photography, isn’t always even in quality from shot to shot. Additionally, background music of Hans . Salter, While apt enough, has a tendency to over¬ power in yolume, perhaps a sound¬ editing fault.' Kove. ‘AH Mine To Give” is a tear- jerger. Vastly overlong in its meandering buildup to the climax¬ ing sequences which give warmth and certain enchantment to the imfoldment, film still should De well received by both distaff and family audiences. Extreme length of 103 minutes will create certain booking difficulties. Picturization of Dale Eunson’s Cosmo mag story, “The Day They Gave Babies Away,” done years ago on radio’s Columbia Workshop, concerns the efforts of .the eldest of six children, aged 12, to find homes on Christmas Day for his small brothers and sisters after the death the day before of their widowed mother. Present script of Eunson and his wife, Katherine, now precedes this episode with a long recital of the trials of the parents, Glynis Johns and Cam¬ eron Mitchell, when, as young, im¬ poverished Scottish immigrants, they arrive in a small Wisconsin frontier settlement jnd start their family. 1 Allen Reisner, tv director mak¬ ing his bow in motion pictures, manages interesting characteriza¬ tions from cast and Sam Wiesen¬ thal comes up with suitable pro¬ duction values. Both Miss Johns and Mitchell are excellent, and Rex Thompson, as the youngster re¬ sponsible for placing the children left in his charge, before the county can take over, delivers strongly. Stephen Wootton and Patty McCor¬ mack also score interestingly in moppet roles, and strong support is offered by Ernest Truex, Sylvia Field, Hope Emerson, Alan Hal* and Royal Dano. Technical credits are headed by William Skall’s tine color photog¬ raphy, Wh.it. Gun Battle at Monterey Very minor entry for western • market. Hollywood, Nov. 1. Allied Artists release ol .Carl Hittlemaa production. Stars Sterling Hayden. Pamela Duncan, Ted de Corria, Mary Beth Hugh; features Lee Van Cleef, Charles Cane, Pat ComiOey, Byron Foulger, Mauritz Hugo, X Stanford Jolley. Directed by Hittleman, Sidney A. Franklin Jr. Screenplay, Jack Leonard. Lawrence Refner; camera. Harry Neumann; editor, Harry •'Coswick; music, Robert Wiley Miller. Previewed Oct, 28, *37. Running rime, 47 MINS. Turner . Sterling Hayden Maria.. Pamela Duncan Reqo .. Ted de Corsia Cleo .. Mary Beth Hughes Kirby...Lee Van Cleef Mundy . Charles..Cane Frank ... Pat Coralskcy Carson ...Byrop Fotllger Charley . Mauritz Huge Idwall ....I. Stanford Jolley “Gun Battle at Monterey”—the title bearing no connection with subject matter—is a minor western entertainment It suffers from a contrived plot and performances which neither ring true nor evoke interest Pic’s sole asset is star name of Sterling Hayden for mar¬ quee lure; The Carl Hittleman production is premised along lines so hoary they creak; and Hittleman and Sidney A. Franklin Jr;,, in their dual direGfiotf add little to Jack Leonard-Law- rence Resner Screenplay. Hayden, shot in the back and’left for dead by Ted de Corsia,: his partner in a. holdup in Monterey, seeks vengeance after his recovery.-' ‘Hayden fails to give a definite performance, with result small in¬ terest attaches to the unfoldment, and de Corsia’s characterization is overplayed: Pamela Duncan^ as the. Mexican girl who saves h?s life, and Mary Betti Hughes, dealer in,the casino, are at good as their few lines permit. Lee Van. Cleef is heavy as de Coriia’s gunman em¬ ployee, and Charles Cane is- a drunken she “f. Technical credits*ar.e standard. ' WhiU