"Oscar H. Horovitz, in Firenze, Queen of the Arts, has once again produced an excellent record of a city, turning this time to Firenze (Florence), the Tuscan capital of the Italian Renaissance. Firenze is a monochromatic city of varying tones of brown, but a most attractive one as Mr. Horovitz has shown, existing today just as it did during the 16th Century. Belying the film's title, however, the many art treasures for which this city is justly famed are ignored, the filmer desiring apparently to show Firenze through an architectural eye. The film is, nevertheless, interesting, with lively pace and plenty of human interest. Here is a rewarding excursion to one of the fabulous cities of our time." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"In Festival Michigan, Cornelius Vanden Broek undertook to record all of the fairs and community festivals that occur in the State of Michigan throughout the year. He was prompted to make this record for the benefit of many friends who were not able to attend them and thus to provide them with a vicarious participation. The usual parades, crowning a queen of this or that, live stock, home preserves, midway attractions and various contests for young folks are all here, done with pleasantly brief sequencing. A lively commentary accompanies the film. On the whole, this rather formidable undertaking results in a pleasant and completely honest endeavor. Mr. Vanden Broek achieved his goal with fine spirit." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Anyone who sees Fabulous Florida will appreciate that Haven Trecker not only has covered that state thoroughly in his travels, but that he has worked hard to record its tourist and industrial highlights in a long series of effective sequences. Beautifully photographed, well edited and with a pleasantly informative narrative, Fabulous Florida is distinguished by the excellence of many of its sequences. We remember with particular pleasure the section devoted to Marineland and its sea life, and the colorful sequence on the manufacture of fishing lures." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Maxine Messner, who began her career before her uncle's camera in 1948 with Maxine's Big Moment, has very probably ended it in Dark Interlude. Well, it was a career which began happily — with the simple elation of a school girl's first formal date. And it is one which now ends happily — with marriage. But in the course of this final production it was touch and go whether our heroine would achieve this happiness. For in Dark Interlude William Messner has asked his niece to play a young lady struck down — only temporarily, as it turns out — by blindness. It is a role which she discharges with a moving simplicity and honesty — as, in fact, do those who play her father and her sweetheart. And Mr. Messner brings to their aid superb camera work and delicately luminous dramatic lighting. Unfortunately, however, the development of his basic theme does not match in simplicity and clarity either the film's playing or its production values." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Candy Capers is a gay little dance fantasy in animation, using lollypops, wafers and other familiar childhood sweets. It is gay, that is, until the entrance of the villain— a long black sinuous licorice snake. The wafers shiver in horror as one of them is captured by the intruder. Then they organize their attack and rout the enemy. Roy Fulmer jr. has achieved smooth animation of his puppets and accompanies them with a pleasant musical score. The result is a bit of confection that is a delight to the eye and ear." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Produced by the Long Beach (Calif.) Cinema Club for its local Community Chest, Because of You is a competent presentation of the various community services offered by the local welfare organizations which receive their support from the Chest. The activities of these agencies, as they aid an unfortunate family to which things seem to happen, are presented in a well-paced manner, without appearing to overemphasize any one agency over the others. The production was well photographed by Lucille Lloyd, capably directed and acted, and is smoothly edited. The narrative, while good, could have been shortened in spots. For a club and community effort, Because of You accomplishes its objective of making its viewers Community Chest conscious." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"In The Ladybird, W. G. Nicholls has told the story of the life of the common ladybug — remember "Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home . . ."? — in a film that is entertainingly instructive as well as distinguished by excellent photography, composition and editing. Many of the extreme closeups of the tiny ladybird as it goes through the various stages of its insect life-cycle are indeed remarkable. Mr. Nicholls's skill in closeup cinematography is particularly well demonstrated in the series of scenes featuring the ladybird's value as a devourer of the aphids that so bother rose growers. A narrative that is educative and well written creates a feeling of respect for the ladybird as a friend to man in his constant struggle against destructive insects. Here is a nature study which is first class in every way." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Stretching for more than a thousand miles along Australia's northeastern coast stands the Great Barrier Reef, a vast agglomeration of tide-swept coral islands and islets. For mariners who have threaded their way through these perilous formations, they hold little of enchantment. But to Alfred T. Bartlett (who confines his camera to the Whitsunday group) they are such stuff as dreams are made on — and he has portrayed them thus in The Enchanted Isles. Mr. Bartlett's canvas is a rich one, comprising all of the classic elements of romance: the sun-drenched strand, the nodding palms, the lovely girls and, always and ever-present, the clean blue of the sky and the yet-deeper blue of the circumambient waters. He has painted these elements both in large, lush compositions and with observing attention to the minutiae of vibrant life around him. Even his colors (via the magic of the pola screen) are richly sensuous in their depth of saturation. An unabashedly romantic narrative ("Have you ever dreamed a secret dream?" is the opening line) rounds out this affectionate and interpretive travel study." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 333-334.
"Once again two movie makers have pooled their joint knowledge of movie making and their companion interests in ornithology to produce a delightful film of bird life — a record of camera hunting for gulls, terns, ospreys, black skimmers and other water birds along parts of the Atlantic littoral. In Seashore Safari, Robert E. Lawrence and J. Donald Sutherland have wisely limited the subject matter and footage of their film to a small portion of the almost unlimited world of birds. Seashore Safari is presented in a clear and crisp manner, with many scenes outstanding for their beautiful photography. The film is well edited. The accompanying narrative is unfailingly informative, without being verbose. All in all — an excellent production." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 333.
"Lovers of boats and devotees of movie making alike will probably never see enough of Rochester Race, produced by Walter F. Chappelle jr. in the summer of 1952. For this picture is one of the most complete and authentic records of big-league yacht racing that has been produced to date. For big league indeed was the 72 foot yawl Escapade, owned by Wendell Anderson of the Detroit Yacht Club and sailing as scratch boat in the Rochester point-to-point race westward to Hamilton, Ont., eastward to Stony Point Light, and then back to the Rochester inlet. And big league too was Mr. Chappelle's detailed coverage of this grind, as the proud beauty — with a crew of fourteen and 2630 square feet of working sail area — barreled through heavy seas, slatted and drifted in the calms — but came home by 38 seconds the winner. Working under difficult (and often dangerous) conditions, the producer nevertheless achieved a variety and quality of scenes which are amazing. His handling of side or back lighting, as a big Genoa or spinnaker jib arched out from the Escapade, creates many moments of breath-taking beauty. With Rochester Race Mr. Chappelle has proved beyond the cavil of superstitious yachtsmen that a fine movie may be made on a fine racing craft — and yet still win the race." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 332-333.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema