CINEMA
DADDY LONG LEGS. (Carlton.)—BATTLE CRY. (Warner.) LIKE La Dame Aux Camelias, Daddy Long Legs is a story which each succeeding genera- tion takes out of pound, rehashes, refurbishes and presents with a flourish to a public which never seems to tire of it. The latest version. garbled to suit the nationality of its leading lady, is written by Phcebe and Henry Ephron. has music by Johnny Mercer, and stars Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron who, as the orphan and her elderly incognito guardian, dance their disparate years into oblivion. Age has only faintly withered Mr. Astaire, most emphatic- ally not crippled him, the crisp elegance of his dancing still maintaining its speed and polish, still manifesting the artistry which none can nor ever will match. Though Autumn above the collar, his feet remain eternally Spring, black patent-leather lambs frisking in evergreen meadows, and it is a privilege to watch them Even so, most of the dancing goes to Miss Caron who, by being intensely susceptible to dreams, becomes involved in a series of ballet- fantasies of her imagination. These, designed by Roland Petit, are lovely, and give the dreamer ample scope to indulge in every form of terpsichorean craft from the pure toe- tipped to the sexy bare-hipped. Though by reputation of the gamine class. in the revealing horrors of an American girls' college Miss Caron appears extremely adult, and it is pos- sible some may miss the pouting Lilli. Thelma Ritter and Fred Clark do noble work in the background with a variable script, and the direction, by Jean Negulesco, is wholly satis- factory, perfectly balanced between chat and entrechat. Only one good tune, though, and I must confess I missed Hugh Martin's lyrical score composed for Love from Judy, the previous Daddy Long Legs adaptation.
As for Battle Cry, words all but fail me From every American war film Warner's have culled the worst features and congealed them into one long agony of embarrassment. Right through the war we follow a Marine unit and every hackneyed character and every corny situation is exploited to the full. From tough sentimental colonel to innocent private, from merciless training to Christmas hymn singing at the front, every word and move is fore- shadowed and all are squirmingly painful. Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, Tab Hunter, James Whit- more and Nancy Olson head a huge cast of intoxicated sex maniacs, the lot being pushed around the globe by Raoul Walsh on missions which few British citiemagoers will be able to survive.
VIRGINIA, GRAHAM
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