Boxoffice-November.19.1955

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Opinions on Current Productions
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Good Morning, Miss Dove
20th-Fox (S28-0) 107 Minutes
F Ritio:
2.5S-1
Drama
(Cinemascope,
Dt Line Color)
Rel. Nov. -55
In a ir.arke: glutted by lilms dealing with juvenile delinquency,
violence and terror, there should be a warm and
highly proiitable welcome lor a motion picture that i-rojects
American youngsle. s as decent, law-abiding boys and girls
who grow up to be wholesome, useful citizens. Such a
leature is "Miss Dove," with nary a smidgeon ol villainy
only heorttugs, humanity and nostalgia. It is, in ellect a
stirring symposium ol life in Small City, U. S. A., and calloused
indeed is the American who has ever resided in a
community ol limited population who doesn't experience a
happy glow—and a copious tear or two—as it is unfolded
Against a background ol the career of a typical old maid,
small-town school teacher— fondly known as "that terrible
Miss Dove'—are told the stories ol several ol her former
pupils, as well as her own. One day, as she is seated
at her tyrannical desk, she is stricken and rushed to the
hospital. While she is lying in bed awaiting serious surgery
—performed by one ol her one-time "boys"—various incidents
recall her earlier experiences with many of the city's
leading inhabitants, which memorable events are projected
through llashback technique. While her life hangs in the
balance, the entire community mourns and then rejoices
unanimously at her recovery.
lenniler Jones is superb in the title role, and her performance
is rendered the more praiseworthy because she is
an aging dogmatic spinster and a dominant port ol the portrayal
is played while she's immobile in a hospital bed.
For this excellent delineation—and those ol comparable
standards by a careluUy chosen supporting cast — great
credit is due the sensitive direction of Henry Koster; on
expertly limned screenplay by Eleanore Griffin; and the
characteristically impressive and good-taste production
values, including CinemaScope and De Luxe Color, supplied
by Samuel G. Engel.
lenniier lones, Robert Stack, Kipp Hamilton. Robert Douglas,
Peggy Knudsen. Marshall 'Thompson, Chuck Connors.
CATCHLINES:
There's Love and Laughter, Hearttugs and Tears, in This
Gently Compelling Story of a Lady, Who Devoted Her Life
to Building Good Citizens and Reaped a Rich Reward.
A Lawless Street
Columbia (814) 78 Minutes
F
Ratio:
1.S5-1
Western
(Technicolor)
Rel. Dec. '55
This is a typical Randolph Scott vehicle for that hardriding,
fast-shooting, on-the-side-of-fhe-lcrw star. While the
plot is hackneyed ior the most part, two women in the cast
have better roles than usual in a typical western, and have
name value. Angela Lansbury co-stars and Jean Parker
plays a prominent supporting role. Produced by Harry Joe
Brown and directed by Joseph H. Lewis, it is a good action
house entry and the scenery in Technicolor gives a de luxe
touch that lilts it out ol the ordinary western category. Laid
in the frontier Colorado Territory, the story concerns a town
marshal who has stayed alive only because he was able to
shoot first. When a gunman shows up with the express
purpose of killing the marshal, and loses to a faster trigger,
the gunman's brother, dull-witted but giant-sized, tries to
settle it with his fists but he too is bested. Meantime the
opera-house owner and saloonkeeper want to open up the
town, which means getting rid of the marshal, so they hire
another gunslinger. In the meantime, the marshal's ex-wife,
heading a music-hall troupe, arrives in town. She has left
him years ago because of the strain of expecting any
moment to become a widow. Though still in love, the strain
is the same and the opera-house owner woos her, having
now an extra incentive to see the marshal buried. In a brawl
with the new gunman, the marshal suffers a scalp wound
and the town opens up, thinking him dead. Cared for by
the friendly doctor, and his ex-wife, Scott surprises the
street rioters and closes up the town. The opera-house
owner's lormer girl Iriend, a rancher's wife, offers to give
testimony against him and his lawless friends and both
the marshal and the ex-wife reunited, feel his numbered
days a.-e over.
Randolph Scott, Angela Lansbury. Warner Anderson,
lean Parker. Wallace Ford, John Emery, James Bell.
CATCHLINES:
Slow to Anger but Quick on the Draw . Gunman
Meets Gunman, the Street is Outside the Lcrw ... A
Marshal Who Stayed Alive by Lightning Speed on the
She Left Him Because She Loved Him too
Trigger . . .
Well to Face His Death Every Day,
1878 BOXOFFICE
Hi.
olfii
I T,
. Cini.
500. I
flO*
1 city
Target Zero
Warner Bros. (508)
92 Minutes
F
Ratio:
1.85-1
Drama
ReL Dec. 12. '55
"Everything is so distorted. Nothing seems real or lasting.
Thus, toward the end of the film, spoke Peggie Castle, the
only lemme in the cast, and il she had been paid lor it she
couldn't have voiced a better cryptic critique ol this war drama,
which is so deplorably dated that it is doubtful that anyone,
with the possible exception of the juveniles, will give it much
time, attention or patronage. In a parade ol cliches are to
be iound occasional oew twists and spots ol action, but they
are so smothered in long stretches of soul-searching, extreme
and overlong dialog and implausible situations that their
possible eiiectiveness is completely lost. So, even if one
is willing to assume that there is still some interest in the
fighting that took place in Korea back in 1952, it is doubllul
this offering could hope to do much to satisly such need. It is
made the more ol an exhibition problem because it is too
long for the supporting spot on average double programs,
and too weak as concerns both entertainment and exploitation
potentials to head up the bill.
The feature's most obvious weakness lies in the screenplay,
which patently made effort to incorporate every dramatic
and emotional situation employed by innumerable preceding
battle pictures. Nor is heavy-handed direction by Harmon
Jones of much help. Considering the material with which
they were confronted, a few of the performances—especially
that by Miss Castle—are acceptable.
She portrays an American girl serving with the United
Nations civilian relief organization. When her car is wrecked
behind enemy lines she is rescued by a British tank crew,
which is later joined by a squad ol American infantrymen
cut off from their company. How they all fight their way
back to their own lines furnishes the meager plot. David
Weisbart produced.
Richard Conte, Peggie Castle, Charles Bronson, Richard
Stapley, L. Q. Jones, Chuck Connors. John Alderson.
CATCHLINES:
. . of Heroism
The Story of the Glory in the Fighting GI .
Beyond the Call of Duty ... a Thrilling Page Torn From
Modern-Day History.
Headline Hunters F
Ratio: Action Drama
L66-1
Republic (5440) 70 Minutes ReL Sept. 15, '55
Another run-of-the-mill action melodrama, with Rod
Cameron's name as marquee draw, this will satisfy in the
supporting spot on neighborhood duals. Cameron, who has
discarded his western togs temporarily, does a convincing
acting job as a seasoned-in-alcohol ace reporter and Ben
Cooper is equally good as an on-his-toes cub reporter.
However, CameTon and Cooper get little or no help from a
hackneyed plot and the uninspired direction of William
Witney. The iinale is last-moving and filled with fisticuffs
but what goes before is only mildly interesting. Julie Bishop
does well enough as the slight romantic interest and Joe
Besser's familiar comic style gets laughs in his very brief
appearance as a matter-of-fact coroner. William J. O'Sullivan
is associate producer.
In the story, Ben Cooper, graduate of a school of journalism,
wins the scholarship that entitles him to a reporting job on
a city newspaper, where he is assigned as leg man to Rod
Cameron, a cynical byline man who refuses to get excited
when Cooper brings him a first-hand account of the murder
of a liquor czar. The annoyed Cameron plays a trick on
Cooper which makes him lose his job. Later, Cooper, who
understands Spanish, comes across with evidence that a poor
Mexican wetback is being framed by the district attorney,
who is anxious to get votes, for the murder. Cameron, urged
on by Julie BishoD, the district attorney's secretary, agrees
to track down the interpreter who evidence framed the
Mexican. The district attorney, John Warburton, sends two
killers to get the interpreter before Cameron can reach him.
In the pitched battle that follows, Cameron and Cooper fight
the gunmen until the police arrive. At Cameron's insistence.
Cooper writes the big story and gets his job back and a
byline, while Cameron wins Miss Bishop. At the fadeout
another young scholarship student arrives at the newspaper
office.
Rod Cameron, Julie Bishop. Ben Cooper, John Warburton.
Raymond Greenleaf. Chubby Johnson. Joe Besser.
CATCHLINES:
Deadline for Murder—With a Killer on the Loose . . .
Danger Was His Byline—the City Was His Beat—and It
Led Him Deep Into Murder ... As Shocking As an Extra.
November 19, 1955 1879