Boxoffice-January.07.1950

Opinions on Current Productions; ixploitips for Selling to the Public
FEATURE review:^
(FOR STORY SYNOPSIS ON EACH PICTURE, SEE REVERSE SIDE)
Riding High F
'"""'"'
Paramount (4917) 112 Minutes Rel. April '50
Some fine emotional contrasts, a series of mirth-provoking
situations and a climactic horse racing scene with a whale
of a punch make this one of the best Bing Crosby pictures
in a long time. Crosby's singing is limited and it fits into
the story development without orchestrations, but the numbers
are excellent. The picture will be a hit—no foolingl
It had an audience roaring during a recent sneak preview
at the New York Paramount. Coleen Gray, feminine lead,
has outstanding appeal and a hypnotic talent for catching
audience sympathy. Charles Bickford, as a cantankerous
business magnate; Raymond Walburn, as a gay, irresponsible
racetrack follower, and Clarence Muse, as Crosby's horse
training pal, are a trio of oldtimers who do an expert job
of laugh-making. The fine directorial touches of Frank Capra
are evident throughout. The screen play was done by Robert
Riskin from a Mark Hellinger story.
Bing Crosby, Coleen Gray. Charles Bickiord, Raymond Walburn.
Douglass Dumbrille, limmy Gleason.
Montana
T? Western
(Tectinicolof)
Warner Bros. (914) 79 Minutes Rel. Jan. 28, 'SO
Because of the presence of all of the prescribed ingredients,
this Errol Flynn actioner doubtlessly rates classification
as a super-western and can be merchandised as such.
Unfortunately the finished product fails to display to their
best advantage the king-size elements which went into its
making and prominent among which are the name cast.
Technicolor photography, impressive production values and
its geographically intriguing subject. The shortcomings
obviously stem from scripting, direction and editing. A standard
oater plot—the one about the wars for the range between
cattlemen and sheepherders, which has been used
in countless quickie sagebrushers—is but slightly elevated
through bigness and introduction of a few unusual slants
and bits of action. While Flynn delivers with characteristic
tongue-in-cheek effectiveness, the remainder of the cast is
never convincing or at ease. Directed by Ray Enright.
Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, Douglas
Kennedy, James Brown. Ian MacDonald, Charles Irwin.
Girls' School
Columbia (213) 62 Minutes Rel.
Here is a variation of the ever-popular Cinderella theme in
which a gambler's daughter hides herself in a fashionable
girls' school in the south. It has pretty girls, an old southern
mansion, and the kind of aristocracy which makes much of
character. There is sufficient mystery to hold the interest
of those who like it in mild doses—no murders, no real
crimes, but the heroine remains under a cloud until that
final unfolding so dear to conventional plots. The romance
is lukewarm but Joyce Reynolds and Ross Ford make an
ideal couple in a wholesome, uninspired fashion. Thurston
Hall does a good job portraying the southern colonel with
moral scruples but little business ability. The picture never
rises above the program level and is obviously slanted for
the dualers, but has exploitation angles suggested by the
Lew Landers directed.
title.
Joyce Reynolds, Ross Ford, Laura EUiot, Julia Dean, Thurston
Hall, Leslie Banning, Joyce Otis.
When Willie Comes MarchingHome F^""'"'
20th-Fox (003) 82 Minutes ReL Feb. 'SO
There are so many laughs, with brief interludes of satire,
that the audience is limp at the finish. It's a story ol a
frustrated local hero who finds himself back in his home
town as a gunnery instructor a few weeks after his elaborate
farewell. Finally, he is assigned to a bomber and
leaves for England, but is back in four days. The story is
loaded with high-class comedy situations, gags, small town
doings and army formality. Dan Dailey's performance as
the soldier is a riot and William Demarest, as his father, is
a standout. The love interest furnished by Colleen Townsend
is light. Corinne Colvet highlights a brief but exciting
sequence in France. It has small town and big town appeal
and rates top billing. John Ford was the director and
Fred Kohlmor the producer. Mary Loos and Richard Sale
did the screenplay from a story by Sy Gombert.
Dan Dailey, Corinne Colvet, Colleen Townsend, William
Demarest, James Lydon. Lloyd Corrigan.
The Great Rupert
Eagle Lion ( ) 88 Minutes Rel.
Heartwarming wholesomeness, a touch ol fantasy and a
goodly comedy content are the highlights of this refreshingly
different photoplay produced by George Pal, who will be
remembered for his Puppetoon shorts. Rupert is a trained
squirrel—a puppet, of course—and his antics share the laughs
with humorous situations and often-bright dialog. Most of
the latter is entrusted to the expert hands of Jimmy Durante,
whose performance is characteristically exuberant and
ingratiating. While the film moves at a leisurely gait, its
warmth and imaginativeness more than compensate for its
lack of pace and it should prove more than satisfying to the
average ticket buyer. To add further appeal, there is a strong
strain of romance. The unusualness of the yarn and the
marquee value of Durante and other members of the cast
constitute the best selling angles. Directed by Irving Pichel.
Jimmy Durante, Terry Moore, Tom Drake, Frank Orth, Sara
Haden, Queenie Smith, Chick Chandler.
Guilty of Treason
Eagle Lion ( ) 85 Minutes BeL
While its preachments are so strongly stressed in spots
that they may become suspect—and possibly irksome—as
propaganda, the overall productionol and thespian phases ol
the historical feature wins its rating as among the best of the
anti-Communist films that Hollywood has so far produced.
Furthermore, it undoubtedly has far greater exploitation
potentialities than any of the others. They lie in the obvious
possibilities for productive tieups with patriotic organizations
and with the Catholic church. Resultantly, the picture should
do as well commercially as predecessors on the some theme.
Showmen need only to consult their ledgers to ascertain how
good—or bad—that is. Charles Bickford's performance as
Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty is refreshingly free of heroics.
The film is impressively mounted and creates the impression
of authenticity as to atmosphere and historical details.
Directed by Felix Feist.
Charles Bickiord, Paul Kelly, Bonita Granville, Richard Derr,
Barry Kroeger. John Baiuier, Alfred lander.
Without Pity A
"*"•'""=
Lux Films ( ) 95 Minutes Rel. Dec. '49
Theatres showing sensational films will find this Italian
feature up their alley. Others will avoid it because of great
risk of public criticism if not of censorship. The company
says it was banned in the American and British occupation
zones in Germany. That is understandable because the
characters ore mostly prostitutes preying on American soldiers
during the war on black marketeers. A lot of explanation
of why poverty forced the women into prostitution does not
e.ccuse the story. Veterans probably won't want the public
reminded that during the strain and loneliness of war their
conduct wasn't always perfect. The chief characters are an
Italian girl and an American Negro, both of whom through 9 i,^
circumstances go wrong. The girl is finally shot and the
man suicides. Exploitation would have to be along sensational
lines. Alberto Latuado directed. Lux's address is
1501 Broadway.
Corla Del Poggio, John Eitzzniller, Pierre Claude, Giulietia
Maaina. Folco Ltilli, Lando Muxio, Enza Giovine.
1106 BOXOFHCE
The Glass Mountain
F
"""••
Eagle Lion (012) 97 Minutes Rel. Nov. '49
Magnificent scenic backgrounds, a superb musical score
and a vivid performance by Valentino Cortesa ore the outs;anding
features of this British-made picture filmed in the
Italian Dolomite mountains and in Venice. These assets, plus
the engaging portrayal of an opera star by Tito Gobbi, who
also sings several operatic arias, should make this a boxoffice
winner in the art houses and in most key city first
runs. Play up the fact that Miss Cortesa scored in "Thieves'
Highway" and the forthcoming "Malaya," both Hollywood
films. The romantic story, with its many poignant moments,
will have a strong appeal to women patrons but some males
may find it overly-sentimental and slow-moving. Two British
stars, Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray, give sympathetic
performances as a husband and wife separated by the former's
wartime romance. Snow-covered mountain shots are
breathtakingly beautiful. Henry Cass directed.
Valentino Cortesa, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Sebastian
Shaw, Tito GobbL Antonio Cento, A. Moile.
January 7, 1950 1105