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Opinions on Current Productions; Exploitips for Selling to the Public FEATURE REVIEWS
The Fuller Brush Man
F
Comedy
The Iron Curtain
F
Semidocumentary
Melodrama
Columbia ( ) 92 Minutes Rel.
20lhFox (816) 87 Minutes
Rel. May '48
Remembering the numerous jokes of which Mr. Fuller's
bright boy has been the butt, and with cognizance oi Red
Skelton's celebrated talent for buffoonery, comedy devotees
will chuckle at the mere prospect of the latter portraying that
itinerant purveyor of household gadgets. When they see it
as an actuality, the chuckles will grow to loud and continuous
guffaws, for seldom has such a carnival of gags and
slapstick been reduced to celluloid. Mounted wi;h the opulence
characteristic of Producer Edward Small, the vehicle
was hand-tailored for Skelton's sizable and diversified bag
of tricks. Inescapably the offering will find a place on the
"must see" list of all seekers of escapist entertainment—and
that spells top grosses in any man's show house. It's a
Harold Lloydish story with the title roler a lovable goon
getting into jams. Directed by S. Sylvan Simon.
-lit)
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A title familiar in the daily headlines has been lilted onto
a semidocumentary melodramatic story based on the aiomic
bomb spy disclosures in Canada some time back Canadian
backgrounds are used to give it authenticity. It Communist
front organizations had not been carrying on a campaign
against showing of the picture, it would be just another good
spy story, with suspense well maintained. Because of the
opposition from friends of Russia it has become a controversial
film supposedly charged with social significance and
an intent to influence international policy. This makes it
necessary for an exhibitor to decide whether his audiences
want straight entertainment — escapism — or entertainment
weighted with political problems. William W. Wellman directed
from a script by Milton Krims. Sol T. Siegel, producer.
Red Skelton, Janet Blair, Don McGuire, Hillary Brooke, Adele
Jergens, Ross Ford, Trudy Marshall, Nicholas Joy.
Gene Tierney. Dana Andrews, June Havoc, Edna Best,
Barry Kroeger.
So This Is New York
Comedy
Fighting Father Dunne
F
United Artists (581) 80 Minutes Rel.
Because with praiseworthy adroitness the picture captures
the feeling, atmosphere and dialog of the writings of the
late, great Ring Lardner, it should assert a strong appeal
among the countless enthusiasts about his works. The film
is based on one of the author's most popular yarns, "The
Big^Town." Its continuous humor, resultantly, is characterisically
wholesome with just enough tongue-in-cheek to assure
an additional fillip for the sophisticated' and nostalgic.
Another very definite exhibition asset is the presence in the
topline of Radio Comedian Henry Morgan, who has millions
of listening fans, many of whom will be eager to see him on
the screen for the first time. Those two phases alone should
guarantee the offering's boxoffice success—especially in de
luxe bookings—and they are bolstered by class in production,
performances and the direction of Richard O. Fleischer.
Henry Morgan, Rudy Vallee, Hugh Herbert, Bill Goodwin,
Leo Gorcey, 'Virginia Grey, Dona Drake, Jerome Cowan.
RKO Radio (- -) 93 Minutes Rel. June '48
Pathos, tender humor and a strong religious theme are
woven into a good boxoffice bet for family situations. Pat
O'Brien is warm and human as the struggling priest who
built a home for underprivileged newsboys in the early
1900s. The story is not dissimilar to "Boys Town" in that it
strikes a note of faith and brotherly love. Deft underplaying
of the more emotional scenes avoids suggestions of sacchirine
sentiment. The laughs are well paced, Una O'Connor
and Charles Kempner contribute two outstanding characterizations
with delightful touches of humor Arthur Shields,
familiar to audiences, is a crusty Irishman who sponsors
O'Brien's project. Darryl Hickman is excellent as the newsboy
O'Brien couldn't save from a life of crime. He accidentally
kills a policeman and is hanged. Heartbroken. O'Brien continues
fighting for his boys. Ted Tetzloff directed
Pal O'Brien, Dairyl Hickman, Charles Kempner, Una
O'Connor, Arthur Shields, Harry Shannon.
River Lady
F
Action Drama
(Technicolor)
\.,T
Under Caliiornia Stars
F
Musical Western
(Trucolor)
Univ-Int'I (661)
78 Minutes Rel. May '48
Republic (731)
70 Minutes
Rel. May 1, '48
Exhibitors in the market for an outdoor actioner with romance
will find "River Lady" to their liking. The four-way
love interest involving Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan Duryea, Rod
Cameron and Helena Carter is milked for all it's worth
against a brawling 19th century background of logging camps
and a Mississippi gamiiling ship. Technicolor photography
proves highly decorative and helpful. Half the time the romantic
antics of the principals seem to make little sense.
Miss DeCarlo, owner of the gambling ship, and Miss Carter,
daughter of the local lumber king, compete for Cameron's
love. He works for Miss Carter's father first as a logger
then as an executive, and is in love with Miss DeCarlo. So
is Duryea, a gambler. However, Cameron resents Miss De
Carlo's efforts to make a gentleman of him and he marries
Miss Carter. Direction by George Sherman is crisp.
Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan Duryea, Rod Cameron, Helena Carter.
Lloyd Gough, Florence Bates, John Mclntire.
Herein Roy Rogers is portrayed as himself, a motion picture
and radio star and a gentleman rancher. At first blush
such story idea appears to have considerable merit. But
when the scriveners thereof were confronted with the unavoidable
necessity of interjecting those basic ingredients
demanded by western fans, they found themselves in trouble.
For dramatic backbone they decided to make a kidnapping
victim— in reality it's hossnapping—of Trigger, Roy s
horse. Then, to bolster that weak thread, they latched onto
the hackneyed device of a boy and his dog. The result is
an unconvincing literary hodge-podge in which the standarn
fist fights, gun duels, chases and villainy seem out of piacs.
On the asset side, however, there are effective Trucolor
photography and the usual sprinkling of pleasing musico.
interludes. Directed' by William Witney,
Roy Rogers, Jane Frazee, Andy Devine, George H. Lloyd,
Wade Crosby, Michael Chapin. House Peters jr.
Casbah
Melodrama
Guns of Hate
F
Univ-Int'l (655)
94 Minutes Rel. April '48
On the lavish standard, from bizarre costumes, exotic
dancing by Katherine Dunham and her dusky cohorts, to
the emotions of the people who live in this out-of-bounds
section of Algiers for which the film is named. Tony Martin,
co-owner in the Marston studios which produced this, plays
and sings effectively the part of a glamor-boy thief, Pepe
Le Moko, who cannot leave the Casbah for fear of arrest.
Peter Lorre, sinister in his suavest manner as the police
inspector, uses Pepe's infatuation for a French girl tourist
to entice him outside the safety of the Casbah. For sophisticated
audiences, this will have bizarre charm, but those who
come to see Katherine Dunham and her dancers risk disappointment.
Neighborhood shows and small town situations
will not be impressed. Settings are interesting and it is well
cost. John Berry directed.
Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan Duryea, Rod Cameron, Helena Carter,
Hugo Haas, Thomas Gomez, Douglas Dick.
932
15
^oyomcF. May 15. 1948
RKO Radio (819)
61 Minutes Rel.
Selection of titles for run-o'-mill westerns apparently is
just as much a production problem as determination of story
material. Obviously the handle hung on this Tim Holt starrer
could aptly apply to almost any stock galloper. It happens,
however, that the yarn is the one about the fabulously-rich
lost gold mine, rediscovered by the old prospector who
promptly is done in by the heavies so that they can get the
well-worn map and jump the claim. While evident in prescribed
doses are the action ingredients, the film nonetheless
assays a few karats below the laudable average established
in their field by the long line of predecessors in the Holt
series. That's nothing to worry about, however, because the
offering will do its part in the field at which it is aimed.
Directed by Lesley Selander.
Tim Holt. Nan Leslie, Richard Martin, Steve Brodie,
Dell, Tony Barrett, Jim Nolan.
Myrna
on