Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

. . From
REVIEWS
Adlines for Newspaper and Programs
Cockleshell Heroes
F
Ratio:
War Drama
2-1 (Cinemascope,
Technicolor)
Columbia (813) 97 Minutes Rel. April '56
Based on a little-known operation of World War II, this
British-made CinemaScope feature in Technicolor has both
action and authenticity, in addition to incidental human
interest and humor. Jose Ferrer, who is director as well as
star, supplies the name value for the U. S. and Trevor Howard
will be familiar to all dovotees of British fare.
Based on a Reader's Digest story by George Kent, it was
produced by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli and is by
far the best of the several they produced in England for
Columbia. As directed by Ferrer, the tale of the training
of a group of ten British marines to use canoes (or cockles)
to get to the German-held port of Bordeaux and attach mines
to destroy the enemy shipping captures the interest from the
start, especially as the spectator gets to know and like the
men. The early training scenes and the tests the men go
through are filled with chuckles, just as the actual "Operation
Cockleshell" is filled with suspense and excitement. The
women are incidental and seen only in flashbacks, except
for Yana, a blond songstress who warbles "The London I
Love" very effectively in a saloon sequence.
Ferrer gives one of his best performances as the major
commissioned to train the men and Howard is superb as
the frustrated non-combat adjutant who resents Ferrer, but
later volunteers to join his operation. Victor Maddern, as
a cocky sergeant and the eight other actors who play the
men are varied types—all of them excellent.
In March 1942, Jose Ferrer, who has been commissioned
by Britain to train a small force of marines manning canoes
and carrying mines to destroy the enemy ships in Bordeaux
harbor, reports to Trevor Howard in Portsmouth. Howard
despises Ferrer's unconventional methods, but he helps him
pick nine men, who are trained to man the canoes. When
the men are ready, a ship takes them to the mouth of the
river but one is injured en route. Howard volunteers to take
his place. Two men aie lost in the river, four more are
captured by the Nazis, but the rest attach mines to the
big ships. Howard disobeys Ferrer's orders to retreat and
he and his canoe partner are also lost. Only Ferrer and
one other survive.
. . .
Jose Ferrer. Trevor Howard. Victor Maddern, Yana,
Dora Bryan, Beatrice Campbell.
CATCHLINES:
Ten Brave Men Started Out on the Most Desperate Adventure
of the War . the Reader's Digest Story That
Thrilled Millions . . . They Called Them Canoe Commandoes
The Never-Before Told Story of the Top-Secret Guys.
Please Murder Me
F
Ratio:
Drama
1.85-1
Distrib. Corp. of America 78 Minutes Rel. Mar. '56
Through the combination of adroit scripting, sincere and
competent performances and able direction by Peter Godfrey,
an intricate and definitely original story idea is developed
into an engrossing picture that is generously qualified to add
appeal to any dual program and can proudly grace the
topside thereof in most situations. The plot, as the title
indicates, treats with murder, and the ending is anything
but a happy one. Nonetheless, the feature is not particularly
depressing, probably because the yarn "is so arrestingly
woven that the spectator is prone to ignore its seamy-side
facets. It is a Gross-Krasne production, the initialer in a series
of photoplays that the'outfit, heretofore specializing in fabricating
films for TV, plans to make for theatrical exhibition.
Heading the cast is Angela Lansbury in the type of role
which has characterized many of her previous screen appearances,
that of a conniving conscienceless femme heavy.
Her delineation is praiseworthy, as are those contributed
by co-starring Raymond Burr and every member of a thoughtfully
selected supporting cast. Donald Hyde, who produced
and collaborated on the screenplay, mounted the vehicle
convincingly, with an expert eye to technical and atmospheric
details.
Buddies during the war, Burr and Dick Foran have remained
close friends in civilian life, but Foran's wife,
Miss Lansbury, and Burr—now a prominent attorney—fall
in love. When Foran is found shot to death, Angela claims
she killed him in self-defense and, with Burr as her lawyer,
is acquitted when he reveals himself to be the other man,
and that Foran had tried to slay her. When Burr finally
realizes Angela used him as a pawn, and that she is in love
with still another man, he traps her and brings her to justice.
Angela Lansbury, Raymond Burr. Dick Foran, John
Dehner, Lamont Johnson, Robert Griffin, Denver Pyle.
CATCHLINES:
A Lovely Woman to Look at But a Killer Under the Skin
. . . She Knows How to Bring Out the Worst in the Best of
Men . . . Don't Miss the Thrill-Packed Story of a Crime That
Was Perfect—Almost.
1934 BOXOFFICE
23-5
Cil
Battle Stations
T7 Ratio: War Drama
r
1.85-1
Columbia (828) 81 Minutes Rel. Feb. '56
. . .
Life aboard an aircraft carrier in World War II has its
exciting moments for the action-minded fans, but this picture
also has considerable routine footage which includes training
of the crew and inspection of the ship—none of which
will interest women patrons, especially as romance has
been entirely omitted. John Lund, William Bendix and Keefe
Brasselle supply fair marquee draw, but the picture rarely
rises above the level of supporting fare. However, it can
stand alone in key city action spots.
Actually filmed aboard a U. S. Navy carrier, the inspection
tour conducted by William Bendix, playing the
ship's tough bos'n, is authentic and gives these scenes
a documentary quality. But the various characters are
stereotyped and also include an understanding chaplain,
a cocky sailor who resents discipline and a combat pilot
worried about his impending fatherhood. As directed by
Lewis Seiler, the actors inject some life into these portrayals,
especially Brasselle, as the trouble-maker. But the best
performances are those of Richard Boone (TV's "Medic") as
the stern captain, and Jack Dimond, as a courageous young
gunner. Lund doesn't have a chance to shine in his colorless
role. Produced by Bryan Foy.
In February 1945, John Lund, a Jesuit priest and Navy
chaplain, arrives aboard a big aircraft carrier and, during
his inspection tour, he meets the Protestant chaplain, as well
as Keefe Brasselle, a cocky sailor with no illusions or faith,
and William Leslie, a combat pilot who later disobeys orders
and lands on the carrier despite a fuel leak. Leslie is
grounded by the captain (Richard Boone), who has been
putting the men through rigorous training. Brasselle gets
into a fight with the bos'n, but Lund fails to report him.
In March, the carrier is within 100 miles of Japan when a
Kamikaze plane severely damages the ship. Brasselle leads
a rescue party that saves the men who are trapped below
the decks. The crippled carrier faces both enemy airplanes
and submarines, but the flat-top manages to survive. The
regenerated Brasselle is promoted for his heroism.
John Lund. William Bendix, Keefe Brasselle, Richard
Boone, William Leslie, Jack Dimond, James Lydon.
CATCHLINES:
The Screen Thunders With the Great Flat-Top Story . . .
Authentically Filmed Aboard a U. S. Navy
33,000 Tons of Explosive Human Emotion
Traps One Hundred Men in a Hold.
Carrier.. . .
Bomb Blast
SHORTS
REVIEWS
The Egg and Jerry
MGM (CinemaScope Cartoon) 8 Mins.
Good. A neat little tale and extremely well drawn. Madame
Woodpecker's egg hatches and the chick mistakes Jerry the
mouse as its mother. It immediaJely goes to work demolishing
furniture with its powerful bill until Tom the cat tries to take
over. Jerry watches with glee as Tom gets the worst of it.
Even after Tom swallows the woodpecker, it pecks holes in
him.
The Flying Sorceress
MGM (CinemaScope Cartoon) 7 Mins.
Good. Tom and Jerry fun at just about its best. Tom answers
an ad and finds himself employed by a witch who rides him
on her broom through the skies at a frantic pace. While she
sleeps, Tom steals the broom, goes on a solo flight and scares
the wits out of Jerry. Tom awakens to find it all a dream,
but when he experiments with the house broom, it suddenly
takes off with him. He is last seen passing the moon.
Lionel Hampton and Herb Jeffries
Univ.-Int'l (Musical Featurette) 15 Mins.
Good. Lionel Hampton, currently appearing in "The Benny
Goodman Story," is a favorite with dance and record
enthusiasts. The well-known orchestra plays "International
Boogie Woogie" and the Hamptones, a vocal quartet, do the
novelty "The Bug." Herb Jeffries sings "Adam and Evil
Blues'^ and Vicky Lee warbles "Baby Don't Love Me No
More," both in familiar style. This may rate marquee
billing where the teenagers abound.
Heart of an Empire
Warner Bros. (CinemaScope Gems) 9 Mins.
Fair. Although photographed in WarnerColor and wide- •
screen, this short dealing with London's historical spots is
similar to a half-dozen shown during the past few years.
The shots include: Buckingham Palace, with its changing of
the guard; the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and
Piccadilly Circus. These scenes will be familiar to anyone
who has seen the excellent shorts at the time of the
Coronation.
February 18, 1956
1931