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SHORTS REVIEWS Opinions on the Current Short Subjects Fishing for Fun MGM (Pete Smith Specialty) 9 Mins. Good. Absorbing scenes ol the pursuit by various methods oi various kinds of fish. The finale is really spectacular, showing Gene Beilharz, light-tackle champion of the Paojfic coast, fighting and landing a huge sailfish. Anglers everywhere will be thrilled at the sight oi the fish plunging through the sea and leaping high above its surface. Mr. Whitney Had a Notion MGM (Passing Parade) 11 Mins. Good. It isn't generally known that Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, mass-produced muskets for the U.S. army. The film makes a point of crediting him with introducing mass-production methods. Whitney is seen fighting government red tape and eventually winning out in his barnlike factory in Connecticut. The film has historical and human interest. Sen or Droopy MGM (Cartoon) 8 Mins. Good. Senor Droopy is a mild fellow who falls in love with a picture of Linda Romay and enters the bullring to distinguish himself. Pitted against him is the foremost matador of Mexico who algo likes Romay 's looks. Droopy is out of the running until the painting of mustaches on his would-be love's picture enrages him to the point of heaving the bull out of the arena, and he wins the gal. Donald's Happy Birthday RKO (Disney Cartoon) 7 Mins. Good. A very clever cartoon which deals with Donald's mischievous nephews. They need money to buy Donald a birthday present so they tidy up the yard and then present a bill for their services. Donald makes them put the money in a piggy bank, but they steal it and buy a box of cigars. Donald makes the little ducks smoke the whole box before he sees the birthday card—he then shrinks to the size of an insect. Heart Troubles RKO (Comedy Special) IG Mins. Good. Wally Brown is starred in a fairly amusing slapstick situation comedy. Enraged because his father-in-law loafs around the house, Wally pretends to have heart trouble. His wife and the father-in-law both try to help him and only make matters worse. Wally's boss arrives with a doctor and the latter learns that his only ailment is the measles. The boss then offers the father-in-law double salary if he will fill in for the furious Wally. I Found a Dog RKO (My Pal Series) 21 Mins. Good. The second in the newest of the "Pal" series, featuring "Flame," the Wonder Dog, and Gary Gray, a natural acting youngster, is solid fare for neighborhood audiences. Anne Nagel does a nice job as the boy's mother and Griff Harnett is a fine character actor. The story, which has a few heart-tugs, tells now Gary rescues a beautiful shepherd dog from a rabbit trap and thus forgets the recent loss of his pet dog. The owner of the shepherd dog wants him back, but Gary eventually is able to keep his new pet. Romantic Rumbolia Republic (Impossible Pictures) 8 Mins. Good. The fourth of the new series of Trucolor comedy cartoons produced by Impossible Pictures for Republic continues in the kidding vein set by the other three. The narration by Frank Nelson reviews the history of a mythical Latin American island called Rumbolia. The gags are corny but humorous and the parody on conventional travelogs is obvious. Ace in the Hole U-I (Lanfz Cartune) 7 Mins. Good. Woody Woodpecker is training for the army air corps but runs afoul of a tough sergeant. A flare in Woody's flying suit ignites and deposits him in a plane which promptly takes off. The sergeant joins him and crashes with the plane while Waody parachutes to earth. Woody is assigned a clipper job—clipping an endless line of army horses. Symphony in Swing U-I (Name Band Musical) 15 Mins. Good. Duke Ellington and his orchestra star with the assistance of the Delta Rhythm Boys, Kay Davis and the Edwards Sisters. The numbers are "Take the 'A' Train," "Suddenly It Jumped," "Turquoise Cloud," "Dancers in Love," "Knock Me a Kiss" and "Frankie and Johnny." It is fast, tricky entertainment with the Duke's personality as emcee giving it an extra fillip. Hop, Skip and a Chump (Blue Ribbon Hit Parade) Warner Bros. 7 Mins. Good. One of the best of the Technicolor rereleases about the two dumb crows. The birds decide to go hunting for a grasshopper, but the latter is too smart for them and makes chumps out of the crows. When the grasshopper starts bragging about how smart he is, however, he is finally captured by the two crows. Treachery Rides the Trail (Technicolor Adventure) Warner Bros. 10 Mins. Fair. Except for the element of novelty, this is a mildly amusing western short. A junior cast of players tries to re-enact the days when the wild west was really wild but most patrons will only label it "cute." Using miniature sets and appropriate props, the film tells how Black Rider, the terror of the Texas trail, terrorizes the town until a handsome ranger saves the day and the beautiful heroine. Water Wonderland Warner Bros. (Sports Parade) 10 Mins. Good. Some excellent shots of water sports in the balmy summer climate of southern California. The camera records a variety of swimming, diving, fishing, sailing and yachting sports, as well as the dangerous surf boarding. Places covered in the film are Lido and Balboa Island)^ Newport Beach and Corona del Mar. Stars Alone, He Says, Don't Make A Picture J^ W. MATTECHECK, Mack Theatre, McMiimville, Ore., says: " 'Command Decision' has a lot of gold braid and a lot of high-priced stars, but these do not in themselves make an entertaining picture. Classified as a percentage picture, it just about flopped with us because of the poor story and no appeal for women. Distributors still have a lot to learn—and Hollywood is slow in growing up." In the Newsreels Movietone News, No. 40: Blasts and fire damage Holland tunnel; blockade of Berlin is lifted; Truman honors women of achievement; I Am an American day celebrated in New York; Barkley salutes Israel at a New York anniversary rally; the Truculent Turtle-Û.S. navy plane; Roupd-Robin tourney; Capot captures the Preakness at Pimlico. News oi the Day, No. 274: New era in Berlin as blockade ends; chemical blast rocks Holland tunnel; Grandma Moses wins achievement award; American day celebrated; Capot wins Preakness. Paramount News, No. 77: Thrill-packed Preakness; Berlin freed from the blockade; 1 Am an American day. Universal News, No. 248: Berlin blockade; Holland tunnel explosion; Preakness. Warner Pathe News, No. 79: Holland tunnel blast; Berlin blockade; Dewey on vacation; women's press awards; Jap emperor; Swiss guards; seals on remote Pacific isle; French fashions—burlap and forbidden fruit dresses; Capot wins Preakness in photo finish. • Movietone News, No. 41: General Clay comes home from Berlin; Truman opens opportunity bond drive; another Roosevelt enters politics; Pope Pius proclaims a new saint; President Dutra of Brazil arrives in U.S.; "It Happens Every Spring" premiere; inflated building; Florida introduces the skim boat; Wellesley sophomores win crew race. News of the Day, No. 275: General Clay gets hero's welcome; spotlight on another FDR; Pope proclaims new saint; modern 49ers hit bond trail for Uncle Sam; great day for Monty Stratton; skim boating newest sport; U.S. honors president of Brazil. Paramount News, No. 78: Stars help launch bond drive; Washington greets Brazil's chief executive; FDR elected to Congress; U.S. salutes hero of the peace. Universal News, No. 249: U.S. acclaims General Clay; Brazil's president welcomed to the capital; international Golden Gloves; President asks bond support. Warner Pathe News, No. 80: Dutra; FDR jr.; McClay; General Clay; spring in the northwest; bond drive; Swiss acrobat; international Golden Gloves; surf boarders; Great Americans—Captain Lawrence. • All American News. No. 343: Newspaper of Norfolk, Va., wins Wendell Willkie award for journalism; Etta Moten, operatic star, wins praise during rehearsal; Philadelphia Stars Meet Kansas City Monarchs in baseball opener in Newark, N. J.; Awards presented to Howard university ROTC staff at annual review in Washington. All American News, No. 344: Stanley Kramer, producer of "Home of ths Brave," is honored in New York; pilgrimage to Rock City, Tenn.; youngsters of Norfolk, Va., battle for marble championship; postal worker of Dallas turns inventor; sculptress exhibits work at New York's New School for Social Research. • Telenews Digest, No. 20A: Germany—blockade ends; England—Eisler caught; Washington—Congress debates on giving arms to Europe; New York—the Philadelphia Symphony orchestra leaves for a tour of London; England—naval conference; Egypt— girls in calisthenics; Pimlico—Capot takes Preakness Telenews Digest, No. 20B: Shanghai under siege; nation honors General Clay; Washington — President Dutra of Brazil pays Truman a ten-day state visit; New York Congressman-elect FDR jr. leaves for Europe; Texas—a howling tornado in Texas leaves ruin in its wake; Italy—Alpine floods; France a Frenchman posing as an archaeologist is forced from the top of an 80-foot obelisk when , police discover he's only a publicity seeker. 14 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide May 28, 1949
Opinions on Current Productions; Exploitips for Selling to the Public FEATURE REVIEWS The Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend F Comedy (Technicolor) 20th-Fox (91G) 79 Minutes Rel. Juno '49 During recent seasons the screen has been treated—and profitably— to some outstanding features which undertook to burlesque the time-honored gallopers. This goes one step further inasmuch as it hovers between the screwball comedy and a western, although about all that it adopts from the latter category is locale, circa and aura. Written, directed and enacted strictly for laughs, and lushly tinted in Technicolor, the film's humor—which carries fairly well most of the way—is broad and blatant and sufficiently rowdy to make the picture a borderline case as concerns the production code. As a straight-shooting dancehall gal, who gets in hot water because she repeatedly plugs a judge in the derriere, La Grable has plenty of opportunity to display the celebrated gams which established her as No. 1 pinup girl, and her fans will like her change of thespian pace. Limned and megged by Preston Sturges. Betty Grable, Cesar Romero, Rudy Vallee, Olga San Juan, Leave It Sterling Holloway, Hugh Herbert, El Brendel. to Henry Comedy Monogram (4827) 57 Minutes Rel. June 12, '49 Stalwart trouping and a tight, laugh-laden script which places emphasis upon wholesome, homespun comedy render this eminently suitable for booking in that secondary spot, for which exhibition niche it is further qualified by reason of its compact running time. Second in a projected series costarring Raymond Walburn and Walter Catlett (the initiale: "Henry the Rainmaker"), the new entry reflects improvement over the first, assaying higher in entertainment content and benefiting from well-drawn, typical and humorous smalltown characterizations. Most audiences should find it to their liking. Walburn and Catlett carry the major part of the thespian load, delivering in their standard slapstick style the former as a busybody lawyer, the latter as the community's muddle-headed mayor helplessly involved in one of Walburn's wild schemes. Directed by Jean Yarbrough. Raymond Walburn, Walter Catlett, Gary Gray, Mary Stuart, Barbara Brown, Houseley Stevenson, Ida Moore. Jimn Mighty Joe Young F \'Zl7 RKO Radio ( ) 93 Minutes Rel. July 23. '49. Hokum in unlimited quantities and of unabashed quality ignites this pin wheel of adventure, fantasy, action and humor. Some 16 years ago, Merian C. Cooper, the film's co-producer, gave the screen "King Kong," the popularity and profits of which will be remembered with drools by I veterans of the exhibition field. Whether this—cast in a ina, A somewhat similar mold and again treating with a gigantic "lit gorilla—can deliver similarly probably depends upon how much tastes in screen fare have changed in that decade and a half. Possibly because he suspects such changes, Cooper apparently approached his chore with tongue in cheek, which resulted in the offering being sufficiently flexible so that spectators can look at it for laughs or for thrills, depending upon the individual. Inasmuch as there are plenty of both, the film should register stoutly at the turnstiles. Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack. Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Robert Armstrong. Frank McHugh, Douglas Fowley, Denis Green, Paul GuiHoyle. Lust for Gold F ~^' Columbia ( )' 90 Minutes Rel. Juno '49 Purportedly this is a factual history of the fabulous Lost Dutchman mine in Arizona's Superstition mountains, said to be the hiding place of $20,000,000 in gold. If so—and a foreword by the governor of Arizona attests to the film's authenticity— then here is another and striking example of truth being frequently stranger than fiction. For the film spins a story of greed and passion, intrigue and murder that is unrelentingly savage and violent, unleavened by comedy touches and therefore destined to appeal more strongly to masculine than to feminine patrons. Within that limitation, it rates on a par with the other current entries— and they are legion—in the present popular cycle of hardbitten outdoor fare. The teaming of Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino in the leads should prove a marquee asset, and S. Sylvan Simon's dual chore as producer and director was effectively accomplished. Ida Lupino, Glenn Ford, Gig Young, William Prince, Edgar Buchanan, Will Geer, Paul Ford. The Gay Amiga United Artists (604) 62 Minutes Rel. May 13, '49 ^he second in Philip N. Krasne's new Cisco Kid series has more laughs than action but is entertaining enough to serve as supporting dualler in the neighborhood houses. Not strong enough to stand alone in action spots. Made on a modest budget, the film again plays up Cisco as a philosophical adventurer and his pal, Pancho, as a loquacious busybody. Duncan Renaldo is adequate, but not virile enough as Cisco, while Leo Carrillo gives one of his stock comedy portrayals as Pancho. Joe Sawyer contributes a few laughs as a dim-witted army sergeant and Armida supplies the feminine interest as a lively little spitfire. The scenic backgrounds are outstanding. When Cisco is blamed for banditry which was actually committed by an American gang, he determines to capture the real outlaws. He has several clashes -with on army sergeant before he exposes the culprits. Directed by Wallace Fox. Duncan Renaldo, Leo Carrillo, Armida, Joe Sawyer, Walter Baldwin, Fred Kohler jr., Kenneth MacDonald. F only $205 ttlr, FIv The Walking Hills Dram
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CHESTER FRIEDMAN EDITOR HUGH E. FRA
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Profit Producers The mammoth lobby
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Screenings and Tieups With Bookshop
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New MPAA Section Headed by Harmon N
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State Labor Board Certifies lA Loca
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Harold extreme Personnelifies SDG F
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sd(McC(M ^cfront By JOHN SULLIVAN n
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'Belvedere' Continues at High Mark
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. . Manager PORTLAND TSu'is Morgan
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Allied Rally at Peoria Draws 40 Sho
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NORTH CENTRAL CONVENTION RE-ELECTS
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ALLIED INDEPENDENT THEATRE OWNERS O
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. . Eph Booth Fires Darken Two Iowa
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