24.07.2014 Views

Boxoffice-March.06.1948

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

'<br />

'-<br />

SHORTS REVIEWS<br />

Tex Beneke and His<br />

Orchestra<br />

(Martin Block's Musical Merry-Go-Round)<br />

MGM 10 Minutes<br />

Good. Second in the new series is an informal<br />

telling of a success story interspersed<br />

with the playing of several of the most popular<br />

Beneke and Glenn Miller records by Martin<br />

Block. Beneke, a broad-shouldered, likable<br />

guy, joined Glenn Miller's orchestra in the<br />

early part of the war. When Miller was reported<br />

missing v/hile entertaining the troops,<br />

Beneke took over and brought Miller's musical<br />

aggregation continued success.<br />

Freddy Martin and His<br />

Orchestra<br />

Very good. First of a new series starring<br />

America's No. 1 disk jockey is a lively and entertaining<br />

short with both band and film star<br />

value. Keenan Wynn, MGM comedy star,<br />

comes in to interview Martin Block as he sits<br />

at the turntable with a supply of records to<br />

play. Freddy Martin is then seen as well as<br />

heard playing "Cumana," "Tonight We Love,"<br />

based on the Tchaikovsky concerto, and<br />

"Come to the Mardi Gras."<br />

Jungle Closeups<br />

20th-Fox (Movietone Adventure) 8 Minutes<br />

Very good. Movietone's long-range camera<br />

gels some remarkable closeup views of South<br />

Africa's wild life in its natural habitat in the<br />

5,000,000-acre Kruger National Park in eastern<br />

Transvaal. This short has the best shots of<br />

giraffes, zebras, monkeys and lions seen in<br />

recent years. Ed Thorgerson adds some<br />

amusing narration.<br />

Olympic Class<br />

Swiss Cheese Family<br />

Robinson<br />

20th-Fox (Terryloon) 7 Minutes<br />

Good. Mighty Mouse again comes to the<br />

rescue of some unfortunate rodents in a novel<br />

cartoon subject. The victims of a shipwreck<br />

toss a bottle with a message into the sea.<br />

They land on a desert island and are almost<br />

devoured by cannibals before the message<br />

reaches the mouse relaxing on the sands of<br />

Miami Beach. Of course, he dashes to rescue<br />

and vanquishes the cannibals.<br />

Tex Beneke & Orchestra<br />

Univ-Int'l (Name Band Musical) 15 Minutes<br />

Good. A Number of old and new dance<br />

favorites make this a pleasant short. There<br />

is "Moonlight Serenade," long the identifying<br />

theme of the late Glenn Miller, who formerly<br />

headed the Beneke orchestra. In addition,<br />

there are: "Over the Rainbow" from the<br />

film "Wizard of Oz," "Too Late," "Sleepy Time<br />

Gal," "Blue Is the Night" and "Kalamazoo."<br />

Beneke and the Moonlight Serenciders handle<br />

the vocals.<br />

Opinions on the Current Short Subjeets-<br />

Snow Capers<br />

Univ-Int'l (Two-Reel Special) 19 Minutes<br />

Good. A little late for the winter season<br />

but still an interesting filler. There are striking<br />

scenes of the Canadian Rockies around<br />

Banff, Alberta, with beautiful shots of ski<br />

experts speeding down the mountainsides.<br />

There also are several scenes of midwinter<br />

swimming in an outdoor pool heated by natural<br />

springs. Mel Allen, radio sports announcer,<br />

handles the narration.<br />

A Feather in His Hare<br />

Warner Bros. (Bugs Bunny Special) 7 Minutes<br />

Hilarious. Bugs Bunny is in top form as he<br />

tangles with a not-so-bright Indian intent on<br />

capturing his scalp. Bugs is captured several<br />

times, but the Indian doesn't give up easily.<br />

He manages to lure Bugs into an improvised<br />

tepee barber shop for the purpose of scalping<br />

the rabbit. The carrot-munching rascal knocks<br />

the Indian unconscious and places a bunch<br />

of cigars in his fist. At the close the Indian<br />

complains to Bugs that he is the last Mohican.<br />

Bugs looks up to the sky to find a stork<br />

delivering a baby Indian. This stork is followed<br />

by a squadron of storks carrying miniature<br />

Bugs Bunnies. They chorus, "What's up.<br />

Pop?"<br />

The Friendship Train<br />

Warner Bros. (Documentary) 14 Minutes<br />

Good. The foreword to the reel by Harry<br />

Warner explains that the film was made as<br />

a gesture of thanks to the millions of Americans<br />

who contributed gifts to the Friendly<br />

Food train. The film follows the course of the<br />

train from its gala sendoff in Los Angeles,<br />

eastward across the U.S. Contributions of<br />

food are shown being piled into boxcars as<br />

the train lengthens in its journey to New York.<br />

Drew Pearson, originator of the Friendship<br />

Food train idea, is depicted at various stops<br />

the train makes, personally helping to load<br />

the boxcars and thanking food contributors.<br />

Dwight Weist and Andre Boruch are narrators.<br />

20th-Fox (Movietone Sports Review) lOMins.<br />

Good. A group of aqua queens demonstrate Teddy, the Rough Rider<br />

that they have what it takes to achieve<br />

Olympic class. The American girls, Ann<br />

Warner Bros. (Technicolor Special) 20 Minutes<br />

Curtis, Marilyn Sahner, Nancy Merki, Jeanne Good. Sidney Blackmer, who plays Theodore<br />

Roosevelt in the film, "My Girl, Tisa,"<br />

Wilson, Suzanne Zimmerman and Zoe Ann<br />

Olson, work at making top speed swimming portrays the feature role of the Rough Rider<br />

turns under the eye of coach Charlie Savage. in this rerelease. The film offers particular<br />

Other athletic events narrated by Mel Allen appeal to civic and school groups. The short<br />

are Robert Bennett of Brown university, for follows his career from 1895 when he became<br />

track and field; Bob Fitch, discus thrower, police commissioner of New York City to his<br />

and Dr. Steve Seymour of Los Angeles, javelin d'eath. There is a brief exciting scene of the<br />

expert.<br />

action in the Spanish-American War. Blackmer's<br />

portrayal of Roosevelt is effective. His<br />

speeches are a trifle over-long.<br />

Thanks, America<br />

Warner Bros. (Italian documentary) 27 Minutes<br />

Interesting. Incum, Rome, newsreel producer<br />

in Italy, has donated this documentary<br />

account of the distribution of the Friendship<br />

Food train gifts for showing in the U.S. to<br />

Warners. Footage concentrates mainly on<br />

shots of unloading of the food gifts and the<br />

reactions of the Italians when they ore told<br />

the food will go to children. Orson Wellse is<br />

narrator. The film is particularly suited for<br />

showing in Italian neighborhood houses.<br />

What's Brewin Bruin?<br />

Warner Bros. (Merrie Melody) 7 Minutes<br />

Amusing. The bear family decides to go<br />

to sleep for the winter. The baby bear is<br />

built like Garantua and speaks in a manner<br />

reminiscent of Finnegan on the "Duffy's Tavern"<br />

radio show. Papa bear spends the winter<br />

trying to stop a leak in the roof and attempting<br />

to prevent the baby bear from<br />

crushing him to death in his sleep. They<br />

share the some bed. When papa finally is<br />

prepared to get some sleep, spring downs.<br />

In the Newsreels<br />

Movietone News, No. IG: President describes '<br />

reactionaries as "lloogie birds"; American ,;<br />

flour arrives in China; helicopter tested; carni- i<br />

val in Rio; films of "Tokyo Rose" who enter- 9<br />

tained GIs in the Pacific; Ming leads a dog's 9<br />

life; navy wrestling; U.S. Olympic star takes '1<br />

ski jump. ^<br />

News of the Day, No. 250: Democrats open %<br />

presidential battle of 1948; starving China to- \<br />

day; quintuplets for the Leos; baseball in the<br />

|<br />

air; one-man helicopter; carnival time in Rio.<br />

Paramount News, No. 53: Joe Louis; Selassie<br />

attends Epiphany rites; Mountbatten calls on<br />

maharajah; fashions—spring and summer; political<br />

fireworks begin; Red Cross trailer.<br />

Universal News, No. 120: Truman keynotes<br />

1948 campaign; U.S. food arrives in China;<br />

spring rains flood Seville and other Spanish<br />

towns; colorful carnival in Rio; hill-climbing<br />

machine demonstrated at Seattle; billiard<br />

champ shows amazing skill at Barcelona-<br />

Gregory Peck appeals for Red Cross.<br />

Warner Pathe News, No. 55: Demonstrate<br />

plans for Turks; Mountbatten honored by<br />

maharajah- Democrats at Jackson day dinner;<br />

feeding China's needy; this was "Tokyo Rose";<br />

canaries in melodrama; London art show.<br />

• ^,<br />

Movietone News, No. 17: Atom bomb kills<br />

"<br />

i<br />

40, injures 100; United Nations faces a crisis;<br />

'>':<br />

first films aboard an illegal ship; Czecho-<br />

Slovakia taken over by Communists; President ,<br />

Truman's trip; General Eisenhower in civilian -;.<br />

life; Los Angeles Freedom Train; 15 to I long jj<br />

shot beats Assault. J<br />

News of the Day, No. 251: The Palestine *<br />

tragedy; explosion rocks Jerusalem; United 1<br />

Nations crisis; the Hagonah ship drama; new |<br />

look for General "Ike"; Czechoslovakians in •»!<br />

chains. 5<br />

Paramount News, No. 54: Communists con- sj<br />

trol Czechoslovakia; Truman the tourist; Eisen-<br />

|<br />

hower in civilian clothes; Palestine and the s<br />

United Nations.<br />

Universal News, No. 121: United Nations -t<br />

ponders Palestine crisis; bomb explosion in °<br />

Jerusalem; refugee ship seized by British;<br />

Truman tours the Caribbean; third pctrty candidate;<br />

General "Ike" dons civilian clothes.<br />

Warner Pathe News, No. 5B: U.S. rejects<br />

force in Palestine; Henry Wallace and Senator<br />

Taylor; Truman in the Caribbean; Eisenhower<br />

dons civilian attire; long shot wins<br />

Widc-ner cup race; Reds take over Czecho- ^<br />

Slovakia; Great Americans—Sam Houston. m<br />

Telenews Digest, No. 7: South boycotts Jack-l<br />

son day dinner; Bulgarian exile tells of fightl<br />

with communism; US. coins get treasuryl^<br />

check: tea imports put to U.S. taste test; should:*<br />

women be permitted to drink in bars alone?;-*<br />

Latin-American nations join to fight delinquency;<br />

the inauguration of President Ramon<br />

;<br />

Vallegos; Mexican rodeo shows off co-wboys i<br />

and tractors: Czechoslovakian cavern will be- j'l<br />

come national tourist spot; Samoan king pre- .1<br />

fers to be GI soldier; facsimile broadcasting,<br />

the women's world; Florida—the same old<br />

'.<br />

story; European wrestling championship; j<br />

Celebes ox fighting.<br />

All American news, VoL 6, No. 279: Howori<br />

graduate is new Notre Dame librarian; NegroJ<br />

minister elected head of Brooklyn church<br />

federation: 4-year-old Dayton, Ohio, boy composes<br />

and plays o-wn piano numbers: annual<br />

sports festival in Congo is great demonstration<br />

of skill; annual carnival held in New<br />

Orleans.<br />

All American News, Vol. 6, No. 280: Joe Louis<br />

and wile Marva sail on Queen Mary for exhibition<br />

tour of Europe; President speaks to-<br />

Jefferson day dinner; Thomas family of Jack<br />

sonville, Fla., rears triplets; Emperor Haile Se-jl<br />

lassie and Marshal Montgomery revie-w<br />

troops; All American news cameraman covers<br />

President Truman's Caribbean journey.<br />

}<br />

12<br />

BOXOrnCE BookinGuide :: Mar. 6, 1948,<br />

J

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!