Boxoffice-October.01.1955

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REVIEWS
Adiines for Newspaper and Program
The Deep Blue Sea F
Ratio: Drama
2.55-1 (Cinemascope,
De Luxe Color)
20th-Fox (527-2) 99 Minutes Bel. Nov.' '55
The first British feature in CinemaScope and De Luxe Color,
this is a splendidly acted and dramatically interesting
picturization of the London and Broadway stage hit. Although
occasionally talky and slow-moving, the screenplay by
Terence Rattigan follows his play closely, but also has the
advantage of additional scenes laid in the Swies Alps, crt
a British airplane show and in various night spots in London's
Piccadilly, all of them magnificently photographed.
Ably produced and directed for Sir Alexander Korda by
Anatole Litvak, who gets a fine performance from Vivien
Leigh, looking more mature than before but who rises to
great histrionic heights as a married woman hopelessly in
love with an irresponsible test pilot. While hers is the only
strong marquee name, except for the art houses, her plight
will appeal to v/omen patrons and make the film suitable
for all the better general situations, except in small towns.
Kenneth More, last year's British Academy Award winner
and recently chosen best of 1955 at the Venice Film Festival,
will be remembered from "Genevieve" and "Doctor in the
House" and again he contributes a faultless portrayal of
a likable "bounder." Emlyn Williams is excellent as the
wealthy husband and Eric Portman is outstanding as an
ex-doctor reduced to bookmaking for a living—and both of
these players are familiar to art house devotees.
As the film opens, Vivien Leigh has tried to commit suicide
in a London boarding house, but is saved by the timely
arrival of the landlady, who calls in Eric Portman, another
boarder, who has been disqualified as a doctor. Portman
learns that she is living with Kenneth More, an irresponsible
former RAF pilot, for whom she left a life of luxury with her
wealthy husband, Emlyn Williams. When More returns from
a golf game and accidentally learns about Vivien's suicide
attempt, he takes to drink and, realizing their life together
is unhappy, he decides to take a job in Canada. Realizing
she has lost More and unwilling to go back to her husband,
Vivien again contemplates taking her life, but Portman
persuades her to turn down the repentant
new life—alone.
More and try a
Vivien Leigh, Kenneth More, Emlyn Williams, Eric Portman,
Moira Lister, Arthur Hill, Dandy Nichols.
CATCHLINES:
Two Academy Award Winners-, Vivien "Scarlett O'Hara"
Leigh and Kenneth "Doctor in the House" More, in a Great
Dramatic Hit About Love and Frustration . . . Unable to Live
a Life of Love, She Refused to Return to a Life of Luxury.
Fort Yuma
United Artists (5533)
79 Minutes
F
Ratio:
1.85-1
Rel.
Drama
(Technicolor)
Although the tempo that patrons will expect in a picture of
this type is a bit tardy in developing, when it does come
it is sufficiently speedy and sanguinary to satisfy the ardent
followers of cavalry-an'-Injuns yarns. Meanwhile the film's
earlier dramatic sequences will not be found amiss by the
ticket buyers for more general tastes, even though the action
addicts may feel that there should have been more shootin'
and less sociological connotations. Inasmuch as there are
no cast names that can be counted on to stampede the fans,
it might be v/ell for showmen to concentrate on subject
matter, scenery and Technicolor in exploiting the offering.
T-'o feature, was made on the desert near Kanab, Utah,
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y liol-Air Production.,, a partnership of Aubrey Schenck and
;. i V/, Koch, and is impressive as concerns backgrounds
;l accoutrements. Considering the absence of
lipers, performances are acceptable, for which
ndards much credit is probably due the exiirection
of Lesley Selander.
older chieftain of the Mimbreno Apaches is shot
he and his party are approaching the gates of
fori Yuiiia, bent on a peace parley, the redskins prepare
for a war of revenge. Under the command of Peter Graves,
n •ihitn:. out with ammunition and reinforcements
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d outpost. The trek is laden v/ith danger
^'^'lentlessly stalk the parly. In a savage
; capture the munitions v/agons and don
1. hiy uniioruis, their plan being to take Fort Yuma by
the main gate, then selling fire to the ammui;
Bui heroic work on the part of Graves and other
iiers ol the rescue expedition defeat the plan and, in
hand-to-hand combat, the Apaches are put to rout.
Last
Poler Graves, Joan Vohs, John Hudson, Joan Taylor,
Addison Richards, William Phillips, James Lilbum.
CATCHLINES:
Fori Yuma .
Doorway to Doom .
to the Flaming Frontier
Where
. . .
. .
Apaches Rode . . . Thrill to
Outpost
the Blazing
in a
Story
Land the
oi a Battle to
thf |i, i!f: . . Told in Flaming Technicolor.
1852 BOXOFFICE
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Tennessee's Partner
F
Ratio;
Western Drama
2-1 (Superscope,
Technicolor)
RKO Radio (602) 87 Minutes Rel. Sept. '55
'
Bret Harte's lusty tale of the California gold-rush era,
filmed in 1916 and again in 1925, still makes a colorful outdoors
film, even if its story is by now a familiar one because
of the dozens of carbon copies turned out by various studios
under other titles. With John Payne, Rhonda Fleming and
Ronald Reagan as marquee bait, it will satisfy in action
houses, make a good supporting dualler for general situations.
Director Allan Dwan takes too long to establish his
gamblers, loose ladies and prospector characters but, about
midway in the action, interest picks up and the climax is
replete with fist fights, gunplay and general excitement. The
romantic interest is stronger than is customary in these
gold-rush plots, but the happy ending is completely unbelievable—even
maudlin. Produced by Benedict Bogeaus in
Technicolor Superscope. Photography is first-rate.
Payne turns in a capable acting job as the inveterate
gambler, Tennessee, which makes his apparent reformation
in the end the more improbable. Reagan is likable and
convincing as the wandering cowpoke, who becomes his
"partner," although Payne never knew his name, and
Rhonda Fleming is excellent as the red-haired "Duchess,"
madam of a gambling establishment. Such familiar villains
as Anthony Caruso and Myron Healy are well-cast, but
Coleen Gray is the weak spot as the seemingly innocent
girl who cheats the cowpoke.
Rhonda Fleming, who presides over a gambling establishment
with attractive "hostesses" in a California gold-rush
town, is enamored of John Payne, a rakish gambler who
splits his winnings with her, but shies away from marriage.
Ronald Reagan, a roving cowpoke, saves Payne's life in a
gun battle and the latter takes him in and learns that he is
about to wed Coleen Gray, a girl Payne recognizes as a
former flame. To prevent her cheating Reagan of his savings,
Payne runs off with her and then deserts her, but Reagan
is out to "get" him. After a terrific fight, Reagan learns the
truth and is reunited with Payne, but, later, is killed by a
bullet intended for Payne.
John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, Ronald Reagan, Coleen
Gray, Myron Healy, Morris Ankrum, Anthony Caruso.
Court-Martial
CATCHLINES:
Four ol the Old West's Most Famous Characters, Immr:'
ized by Bret Harte . . . Tennessee Believed in Taking Chr:-
—As Long As He Cut the Cards . . . The Colorful ^ i :
Rush Days.
:
Kingsley International 105 Minutes Rel.-
A thoroughly absorbing courtroom drama, in the best
British tradition, this is top-fliaht fare for the art houses and,
with David Niven for marquee drav.', can also play the better
key city neighborhood houses.
The procedure of a British Army court martial will prove
fascinating to many patrons, with most of them also amu.^ed
by some of the detail. Based on a successful British pi "V.
"Carrington, V. C," (This title was used for the filn; ;n
England but would be meaningless to U. S. patrons), ihis-
Romulus production is expertly directed by Anthony Asquith^,
one of England's top directors.
Niven gives a precise, almost flawless, performance
jj
aat
a distinguished Army officer accused of misappropriating
battalion funds and entertaining a woman in his barracks^
room. Margaret Leighton, who has attracted attention im'i
;mch recent British films as "The Good Die Young" and "The
Holly and the Ivy," gives an excellent portrayal of his cold, I
neurotic wife and a newcomer, Noelle Middleton, is attractive
and capable as the "other woman"—a sympathetic i
David Niven, a British Army major whose back pay :. ;
been hopelessly blocked by a spiteful commanding o)
who resents Niven's war record, borrows some batt .i
funds after warning his superior he will do so. C
martialled on this charge, as well as of entertaining a V
captain, Noelle Middleton, in his quarters, Niven at
refuses to have his wife give evidence that they we:
need of money. At the trial, his superior denies being ;
that Niven would take the the money and wife, Marg : -I
i
Leighton, turns up and, jealous of Noelle, also denies 1
i
told about Niven's plight. The court finds Niven guilty .
he refuses to appeal until Noelle learns that a telep:
operator had listened ia on the crucial conversation
hi.-; wife.
David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Geoffrey Keen, Noelle
Middleton, Allan Cutherbertson, Victor Maddem.
CATCHLINES:
With His Career At Stake—He Must Rely on the Testimo;
of a Cold Unstable Woman . on the Great Briti;
Stage Hit.
1. 1955 1849
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