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Opinions on Current Productions; Exploifips for Selling to the Public<br />
FEATURE REVIEWS<br />
Adventures of Don Juan<br />
Warner Bros. (812)<br />
113 Minutes<br />
F<br />
Melodrama<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
Rel. Jan. 29, '49<br />
Command Decision<br />
MGM ( ) 113 Minutes Rel.<br />
F<br />
War<br />
Drama<br />
Herein Errol Flynn reverts to the type of role which first<br />
won him fame and fortune. The yarn of the swashbuckler<br />
of easy virtues was bench-tailored for the considerable<br />
Flynnian talents along those lines and resultantly the picture<br />
looks like money in the bank for any show house in<br />
which it is booked. Wisely the amorous passages of the<br />
offering are written, directed and delineated with a very<br />
obvious tongue-in-cheek approach, which phase will delight<br />
the more sophisticated spectators. But the redoubtable Don's<br />
toying with the tender passion merely serves as a hook<br />
upon which is hung a good, old-fashioned cloak-and-dagger<br />
melodrama, replete with spectacle, chases, fights, intrigue,<br />
sword-play and other elements to warm the hearts of the<br />
action devotees. Handsomely produced, the picture is lush<br />
throughout. Directed by Vincent Sherman.<br />
Errol Flynn, Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas, Alan Hale,<br />
Romney Brent, Ann Rutherford, Robert Warwick.<br />
Whiplash<br />
Warner Bros. (811) 91 Minutes Rel. Jan. 15, '49<br />
While in some phases the story tries to be so hard-boiled<br />
that it challenges realism, the over-all effect of this highspeed<br />
drama is one that will greatly appeal to the average<br />
ticket-buyer, which endows the film with great promise as a<br />
top-bracket grosser. The prizefight game is the backbone of<br />
the yarn, but blended therewith is a torrid romance, a dash<br />
of gangsterism and a garnishment of idealism. There's an<br />
explosive climax which alone justifies the price of admission<br />
and the fight sequences are sufficiently gory and convincing<br />
to satisfy the devotees of legalized mayhem. Performances<br />
are generally acceptable, most especially those contributed<br />
by Dane Clark, possibly his best to date, and the characteristically<br />
brittle comedy relief supplied by Eve Arden. Production<br />
accoutrements reflect d generous budget and Lew<br />
Seller's direction gives the offering its needed tempo.<br />
Dane Clark, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Jeffrey<br />
Lynn, S. Z. Sakall, Alan Hale, Douglas Kennedy.<br />
If for no other reason than the marquee magnetism of its<br />
striking lineup of male stars this should prove to be something<br />
of a bonanza in any theatre into which it is booked.<br />
And to assure its success, the film generously fulfills the<br />
promise of its impressive cast. Different from earlier war<br />
dramas built around the heroic activities of the army air corps<br />
during the closing days of World V/ar II, there isn't a single<br />
foot of air combat film. Rather, the story deals with the work<br />
of the general officers who directed the brave lads who fought<br />
the battles. Nor does it pull any punches in exposing some of<br />
the mistakes, politics and foibles in such higher echelon.<br />
Almost documentary in its approach and apparently unusually<br />
authentic as to technical details, the film is thoroughly<br />
engrossing while performances, of course, are excellent.<br />
Directed by Sam Wood.<br />
Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, 'Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy,<br />
Charles Bickiord, John Hodiak, Edward Arnold.<br />
Act of Violence<br />
MGM ( ) 83 Minutes Rel. Feb. 11, '49<br />
An intensive manhunt as the main theme of a motion picture<br />
has proven its effectiveness in countless screen offerings.<br />
Herein it is again employed with all of the suspense, grimness<br />
and excitement inherent to the subject and bolstered by<br />
a new story twist which generates considerable additional<br />
entertainment worth. With such basically sound plot ingredients<br />
entrusted to a star-dotted, hard-working, ablydirected<br />
cast, the result is an above-average dramatic feature<br />
which should score solidly in both critical reactions and<br />
general patronage. Van Heflin is the hunted, Robert Ryan<br />
the hunter, and they split a substantial jackpot of acting<br />
honors, which is no meager accomplishment in view of the<br />
strength and contribution of a name-heavy supporting cast.<br />
Ryan, obsessed with a desire for vengeance, goes gunning<br />
for Heflin, his former army captain who sold out his comrades<br />
in a German prison camp. Directed by Fred Zinnemann.<br />
Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, Mary Astor, Phyllis<br />
Thaxter, Berry Eroeger, Taylor Holmes, Harry Antrim.<br />
F<br />
Angel on the Amazon Mr, Perrin and Mr. Traill F<br />
Republic (720)<br />
86 Minutes Rel. Nov. 1, '48<br />
Starting out as a saga of high adventure in the jungles,<br />
this winds up as a study in psychiatry in staid Pasadena,<br />
Calif. And while covering that chunk of geography, it charts<br />
a comparably wide range of literary license; so wide, in fact,<br />
that spectators may find unbelievable the story premise<br />
which has Vera Ralston in the title role as sort of a modern<br />
"She" who stays just as young as her 20-year-old daughter.<br />
Vera portrays both, of course. The picture's best bet is found<br />
in the strong and effective co-starring lineup and in impressive<br />
production mountings. Much of the motivation takes<br />
place in Rio and through the adroit use of process shots, that<br />
romantic city furnishes backgrounds and atmosphere which<br />
give the film considerable of a boost in entertainment values.<br />
For those productional assets and good direction credit goes<br />
to John H. Auer.<br />
George Brent, Vera Ralston, Brian Aheme, Constance Bermeit,<br />
Fortunio Bonanova, Alfonso Bedoya, Gus Schilling.<br />
Eagle Lion ( ) 91 Minutes Rel.<br />
A splendid character study of life in a staid British school<br />
for boys, this Rank picture concentrates on the personal problems<br />
of the faculty rather than the students. David Farrar<br />
has some following with feminine patrons, but the unfortunate<br />
choice of title will hurt the picture's boxoffice draw<br />
generally. It will cause favorable comment and do good business<br />
in art houses and a few metropolitan spots. From a slow<br />
beginning, which shows the dull, day-by-day life of a group<br />
of frustrated professors, the story builds steadily up to a<br />
gripping, suspenseful climax. The romantic angle is introduced<br />
logically and the film is filled with amusing human<br />
interest touches. David Farrar is excellent as Traill, a<br />
young teacher who resents the deadly routine imposed by his<br />
middle-aged colleague, Perrin. Marius Goring manages to<br />
win sympathy in his portrayal. Lawrence Huntington directed.<br />
David Farrar, Greta Gynt, Marius Goring, Raymond Huntley,<br />
Finlay Currie, Edward Chapman, Mary Jerrold.<br />
Siren of Atlantis<br />
Jungle Jim<br />
United Artists (574) Rel. Dae. 17, '48 Columbia (134)<br />
Exotic stuff, this. So exotic, in fact, that some spectators<br />
may encounter difficulty in trying to determine what it's all<br />
about. The picture's first and best chance for commercial<br />
success lies in its considerable exploitation quotient, which<br />
exploitation can stress sex and adventure, the offering's<br />
principal literary assets. Fitting into those elements, and<br />
doing her level best to read drama into her over-accented<br />
seductiveness, Maria Montez portrays the ageless queen of a<br />
lost empire which periodically is rediscovered by hardy<br />
hombres who go expeditioning. Those intrepid investigators<br />
are, of course, always young and desirable—to the queen,<br />
that is. So she enslaves them and toys with their love and<br />
emotions until she tires thereof or a new victim stumbles in.<br />
Producer Seymour Nebenzal mounted the vehicle to give<br />
it an aura of productional opulence, which, too, will aid<br />
in its merchandising. Directed by Gregg Tallas.<br />
998<br />
73 Minutes<br />
F<br />
Outdoor<br />
Drama<br />
ReL Dec. '48<br />
Action drama without the appeal of Tarzan, since Johnny<br />
WeissmuUer wears traditional tropic trousers and swings<br />
from no trees. A number of jungle life closeups will appeal<br />
to many, though some of the scenes are a bit terrifying for<br />
young children, such as the battle with the lion. A woman<br />
scientist heads a scientific expedition to find the drug which<br />
paralyzes, used on native arrows, but which also has curative<br />
powers for paralysis in small doses. This also results<br />
in a treasure hunt, a renegade photographer attaching himself<br />
to the safari. Finding a temple full of jewels and gold,<br />
the white adventurers escape being sacrificed to an idol<br />
in that old nick of time—all but the renegade villain who is<br />
shown falling into a fiery pit. Some half-hearted romancing<br />
but the best parts of the picture are the really good jungle<br />
shots. William Berke directed.<br />
Johnny WeissmuUer, Virginia Grey, George Reeves, Lita<br />
Baron, Rick Vallin, Holmes Herbert, Tex Mooney.<br />
BOXOFFICE December 25, 1948 997
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