Word: paramount
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...Human Bondage--at the Paramount and Fenway--An inferior version of the Maugham novel, which was portrayed on the screen once before in a manner able enough to make superfluous this Paul Henried-Alexis Smith attempt...
Monsieur Beaucoire (Paramount), the late Booth Tarkington's graceful romance about a Louis XV nobleman who disguised himself as a barber, was once (1924) a vehicle for Rudolph Valentino. Times (not to mention plots) change: today it is a scooter for Bob Hope. Mr. Hope, fortunately, plays the masquerading role...
...Years Before the Mast (Paramount), based on Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s semi-classic, is no more unfaithful to its original than most screen adaptions. Taken as plain fiction, Two Years Before the Mast is a good, rough sea story. Taken as Paramount presents it-as a faithful Dana report of the U.S. merchant seaman's lot a century ago-it sounds and looks like a job of rewriting by one of the more fanatical members of the National Maritime Union...
...straight adventure the picture is good. Paramount's standard conception of a mad seacaptain becomes something very far from stock in Howard da Silva's fine, complex, pent-up performance. William Bendix is real and frightening as his brutal and devoted first mate, and Brian Donlevy is resolute and sympathetic whenever he has a chance. Alan Ladd suffers, fights and makes up to womankind with his usual chilly proficiency and Barry Fitzgerald scuttles obscurely around in the galley, making all he can of his few lines...
Africa was enjoying a rash of ritual murder. Three years ago jet-complexioned Sir Ofori Atta, Paramount Chief of Akim Abuakwa, died (of natural causes) in the Gold Coast Colony. Soon his friend and secretary, Mensah, Chief of Apedwa, disappeared from view. After long investigation by the British authorities, eight natives were convicted of murdering Mensah, and sentenced to hang (TIME, Dec.11,1944). Mensah, the Crown contended, had been sacrificed to provide blood to daub a ceremonial stool which represented the late Sir Ofori; or to provide Sir Ofori with a companion in the spirit world; or both...