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II<br />
i'^<br />
Opinions on Current Productions; Exploitips for Selling to the Public<br />
FEATURE REVIEWS<br />
Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! F<br />
,""'"'<br />
' ^ (Technjcolor)<br />
20th-Fox (811) 98 Minutes Bel. Apr. '48<br />
At first blush it would seem hardly likely that a story<br />
in which the pivotal characters are a callow farm youth<br />
and a team ol mules would hove much to ofier in the way<br />
of diverting film entertairunent. In this instance, at least,<br />
such a surmise is far from correct—for out of those elements!<br />
plus a simple, homespun story. Technicolor photography and<br />
a gold-plated cast, has been fashioned a straightforward<br />
piece of entertainment that has undeniable charm, a refreshing<br />
lack of sophistication, and all the earmarks of a<br />
boxoffice winner. In atmosphere and plot technique the subject<br />
is reminiscent of Charlie Ray's great silent-screen hits<br />
and—once showmen surmount the hurdle of an awkward<br />
title—should do top business, not only in first run spots but<br />
also, and emphatically, in small town and rural communities<br />
Directed by F. Hugh Herbert.<br />
June Haver, Lou McCallister, Walter Brerman, Anne Revere,<br />
Natalie Wood. Robert Karnes, Henry Hull, Tom TuUy.<br />
The Sainted Sisters<br />
Paramount (- 89 Minutes Rel.<br />
That old one about the regeneration of a crook through the<br />
influence exerted by more soulful companions is accorded<br />
an intriguing new twist in this one, wherein the lawbreakers<br />
are a couple of confidence gals on the lam after a $25,000<br />
blackmail shakedown. The accent is on homespun comedy,<br />
performances are generally good, and the marquee lure of<br />
Barry Fitzgerald, Veronica Lake and Joan Caulfield should<br />
be potent enough to draw the customers in satisfactory<br />
quantities. It is Fitzgerald, a tombstone-carver for a smalltown<br />
cemetery, who sets the girls on the straight-and-narrow<br />
path after they moved into his home, intending to use it as<br />
a hideout. Ultimately his integrity convinces them they must<br />
pay the penalty, so they go back to New York and give<br />
themselves up, planning to return when they have discharged<br />
their debt to society. Directed by William Russell.<br />
Veronica Lake, Joan Caulfield, Barry Fitzgerald, William<br />
Demarest, George Reeves, Beulah Bondi.<br />
Miracle of the Bells<br />
RKO Radio (869) lis Minutes Rel.<br />
Producers lesse L. Lasky and Walter MacEwen have a<br />
solid hit in their film version ol the best-selling tome by<br />
Hussell Janney—adroitly combining fact and fancy, realism<br />
ana spiritual overtones, in a manner that can hardly fail to<br />
striko a responsive chord in the hearts of all but the most<br />
cynical audiences. Splendidly cast, ably directed by Irving<br />
Pichel, Janney's sentimental tale of a priest, a pre.ss agent<br />
and a famous film actress who returns in death to her birthplace,<br />
a Pennsylvania coal town, is told largely in flashback.<br />
Slow in getting under way, the tempo picks up rapidly<br />
once the plot and characters have been established, and<br />
the "miracle" referred to in the title is handled so deftly<br />
that it provides a novel and heart-warming climax. Fred<br />
IvIacMurray is the press agent, Valli the actress and, in an<br />
unusual casting, Frank Sinatra portrays the priest.<br />
Valli, Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, Philip<br />
Ahn, Dorothy Sebastian, Billy Wayne.<br />
Strawberry Roan F<br />
°"cT^o°orr<br />
Columbia (<br />
)<br />
—<br />
Minutes Rel.<br />
There s a pot ol gold for all but de luxe houses at the foot<br />
this rainbow-colored film. Combining a less routine kind<br />
ol<br />
of western action, ranch chores such as capturing and<br />
breaking wild horses from the hills, with Autry's singing and<br />
breath-taking scenery in Cinecolor, there is tense drama<br />
in the plot. A ranch owner's love son causes for his blind<br />
rage at the stallion which injures Joe when the boy tries to<br />
break him. Autry hides with the horse in the hills and gentles<br />
him so the boy will recover his spirit and ride again. Musical<br />
numbers are patently dragged in and the "chase" element<br />
is not overlooked; even birds-and-the-bees information<br />
simply dramatized by the arrival of a foal. Small town audiences<br />
and neighborhood houses will love all this which<br />
augurs well for future Autry films under the Columbia banner.<br />
John English directed.<br />
Gene Autry, Gloria Henry, Jack Holt, Dick Jones, Pat Buttram.<br />
Rufe Davis, John McGuire.<br />
The Man From Texas b Phantom Valley<br />
Eagle Lion (815) 71 Minutes ReL Mar. 6, Columbia (965) 53 Minutes Rel. Feb. 19, 48<br />
This outdoor drama makes cagey use of the interest audiences<br />
always have in daring American frontier bandits.<br />
With a competent cast headed! by James Craig, this saga<br />
of the El Paso Kid also shows what his unconventional means<br />
of making a living meant to his wife and family. Loving him<br />
and pleading with him to live a normal life of respectability,<br />
this churchgoing woman always wanted a church ceremony<br />
performed in addition to their hasty marriage by a justice<br />
of peace, but a posse interferes. At times the Kid tries to go<br />
straight, even legally borrowing money from a bank to go in<br />
business. There is a whimsical, tongue-in-cheek quality to<br />
much of the script which will delight sophisticated audiences<br />
as well as action ones. The climax is really sensational, the<br />
Kid saving the gold-laden train carrying him 1o prison from<br />
the holdup gang that betrayed him. Leigh Jason directed.<br />
James Craig, Lynn Ban, Johnnie Johnston, Una Merkel, Wally<br />
Ford, Harry Davenport, Sara AUgood.<br />
Tornado Range<br />
Different from others of the Durango Kid series in little but<br />
names and places, and perhaps in that the leader of the<br />
outlaw gang turns out to be a woman. Ever since the murder<br />
of one of the ranchers and the robbery of granger funds<br />
he had withdrawn from the bank, a feud has been going<br />
on which Charles Starrett in his twin-personality of Steve<br />
Collins, government agent, and Durango Kid, outlaw, tries<br />
to settle. Smiley Burnette rides about on his sway-backed,<br />
ring-eyed white nag, cracks his jokes and sings his corny<br />
tunes, with an occasional assist to the plot. Ozie Waters<br />
and his Colorado Rangers give out with those western tunes<br />
which have become routine for recent sagebrush dramas.<br />
In spots where the series has drawn a following, this sagebrusher<br />
should fill out a weekend action double bill. Directed<br />
by Ray Nazarro.<br />
Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, Virginia Hunter, Joel Friedkin,<br />
Robert W. Filmer, Mikel Conrad, Zon Murray.<br />
Oklahoma Badlands<br />
Eagle Lion (854) 56 Minutes Rel. Feb. 21,<br />
Eddie Dean's ingratiating personality and pleasing way<br />
with a cowboy ballad are the outstanding features of a<br />
formula western. It will do good business in western and<br />
action houses only. Once again Roscoe Ates plays the stuttering<br />
comedy relief and Jennifer Holt makes a decorative<br />
heroine but George Chesebro, usually the villain, is on the<br />
side of the law this time. There is plenty of gunplay and<br />
cross-country riding as well as one rip-roaring fistic encounter.<br />
Dean is assigned by the U.S. land office to protect<br />
the interests of the homesteaders, who are moving west .<br />
.<br />
have open title. The ranchers warn Dean that they mean<br />
to claim their government land to which the cattle ranchers<br />
to stop the homesteader caravan from coming through.<br />
When Dean convinces the ranchers that outlaws are stirring<br />
up trouble, peace is assured. Directed by Ray Taylor.<br />
Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, Jermiler Holt George Chesebro,<br />
Brad Sloven, Terry Frost, Marshall Reed, Russell Arms.<br />
i<br />
nno<br />
ROYOFPirtE / March<br />
'48 Republic (753) 59 Minutes Rel. Feb. 22. '48<br />
It's diificult to see how, in an hour's footage, there could<br />
have been crammed more action, gunplay, fist-fights, runaway<br />
stage coaches, cattle-rustling and other assorted<br />
skulduggery. Latest in the series starring Allan "Rocky"<br />
Lane, the sizzling pace marks it as a sure-fire entry in<br />
action houses and should have the red-blooded juvenile fans<br />
tearing up the seats. The ingredients are of the staple,<br />
bread-and-butter variety: Cowardly cow-thieves; the brain<br />
behind the gang; the comedy-relief ranch foreman; the beautiful<br />
girl kidnapped by the crooks and rescued in time's nick.<br />
With these items as the story framework. Lane ric'es into the<br />
Iray, masquerading as a dude from the big city, and virtually<br />
single-handed rounds up the rascals—disposing of<br />
enough ammunition in the process to ventilate everybody<br />
within miles. Directed by Yakima Canutt.<br />
Allan "Rocky" Lane. Eddy Waller, Mildred Coles, Roy Barcroft,<br />
Gene Stutenroth, Earle Hodgins, Dale Van Sickel.
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