Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

^kott ^ulr^QCt Bar-Rac's Night Out M-G-M 10 Minutes Infinite patience and extreme caution were employed by the cameramen in filming this original short treating of the nocturnal wanderings of Bar-Rac, otherwise a hungry racoon, in search of food. This Pete Smith specialty, containing the customary amusing narration, actually tells a dramatic story of the struggle for existence among the furred inhabitants of the forest. Sent out by the Mrs. to bring home provender for the kiddies, Mr. BarRac encounters a series of varied adventures, at the end of which he sneaks back to his tree-stump home tired — and emptyhanded. Hl-De-Ho Vitaphone 11 Minutes Against an autobiographical story background, Cab Calloway presents several of his famous “swing” numbers in a manner that will start audiences’ feet tapping in rhythm. As a youngster in Harlem, Cab had visions of being a great orchestra leader but his mammy disapproved because she had other plans for him. A visit to a fortune teller reveals, in a series of dissolveshots, his eventual success, first in Harlem and later on Broadway. These shots permit the reenactment of various colorful episodes from the orchestra leader’s career and picture him singing some of his hit tunes. An entertaining and well-executed “Melody Master.” Land of the Midnight Sun Vitaphone 10 Minutes E. M. Newman’s latest tour of interesting old-world spots takes in such littleknown sections of Scandinavia as the immense Fjords of Norway and the more primitive parts of Lapland where the inhabitants still make their own clothes, carve toys and loom cloth for export. The city of Bergen, great fishing export center, has many quaint old landmarks. Lapland lies to the north and it is here that the useful reindeer supplies the hard-working people with material for their daily toil. These last scenes have unusual interest although the color photography frequently gives them a blurred effect. On the Nose Paramount 10 Minutes^ This Sportllght treating of the training of leading types of sporting dogs is a welledited and frequently thrilling human interest short. Exerting a particular appeal to dog-lovers, the reel loses much of its freshness through being the second or third to be filmed on this same subject. Divided into three sequences, we first see the fox hound in an exciting southern chase, then the well-known Chesapeake Bay retrievers in a duck hunt, and, finally, setters, bird dogs and pointers working with sportsmen hunting quail. Ebb Tide GB 10 Minutes Humorous narration and unusual photography lift this subject head and shoulders above the run-of-themill short reels. Giving novel treatment to life among various types of beach fauna, there are presented revealing closeups of some unusual sea mammals, reminding the laymen of how little he knows of the truly amazing life about us. Among the rarely -pictured subjects shown is the timid starfish which buries its head and body, too, in the sand on someone’s approach. The photography is remarkably clear notwithstanding the speedup of the camera in spots to quicken the creatures’ movements. A large New York theatre audience liked the sallies of the commentator, despite a tendency to pun, and the typical English wit caused gales of laughter which probably indicates improvement in the potency of British humor and its effect on American audiences. Paths Topics No. 5 RKO 9 Minutes Another novel and fast-moving issue showing the “world through the camera’s eye,” this reel goes British in a big way through the inclusion of Raymond Knight, radio’s famous “Cuckoo” who gives some impersonations that garner plenty of laughs. Also a beautiful scenic bit picturing the Frisian Islands near the north coast of Holland where the inhabitants literally force their living from the hard and rocky soil, and the world’s strangest zoo where the spectators are placed in a cage to observe monkeys which wander at large. The closing subject deals with tiny tools and brushes which are worn on the fingers rather than held in them. Screen Snapshots No. 7 Columbia 91/2 Minutes A novel nickelodeon party in costume is the highlight of this glossary account of what the film celebrities do with some of their spare time. If names mean anything this subject should satisfy. There’s a sequence at a circus that brings out some horse-play by Joe Fenner and others; a host of players watching a crew race; a bit at Chester Morris’ home and the Fred Stone costume party. About 50 top-notch screen personaUties are seen in the reel. Swing Wedding M-G-M 8 Minutes Against a background of riotous color, Harmon-Ising studios have executed a clever satire on the current craze for swing music which is certain to add a bright note to any program. Such famous sepia stars as Cab Calloway, “Fats” Waller and Bill Robinson are caricatured as frogs and the resemblance to these mill-pond denizens is astounding. The musical accompaniment to the gay frog-pond wedding ceremony is delightfully swingy although the basic tunes are easily recognizable. A distinctly novel color cartoon. The Wedding Deal Columbia 11% Minutes The cumbersome quality attached to the telling of this rambling and illogical affair of broken hearts and dreams is not likely to provoke the average audience interest for which the story was intended. The tale concerns a young man whose ambition to become a doctor allows him to be drawn into a marriage deal he later realizes was a mistake. Coincidentally, he falls in love with a patient and it is her child, foisted upon the doctor on her deathbed, that reunites the doctor and his wife. One of the Court of Human Relations series, it is acted by Alexander Kirkland, Dorothy Libaire and Greta Granstedt. It misses by a wide margin. When the West Was Young Columbia 9 Minutes This Columbia Tour is in keeping with the fidelity of facts which has been evident in the previous releases in this series. Tombstone, Ariz., is the scene of this color film and the historical sights around the town are described by Bud Jamison and Charles Sargent, playing a pair of prospectors, as they question the sheriff. Two interpolated vocal numbers, “When the Sun Is Slowly Sinking in the Desert” and “Just Roamin’ Around,” add much to the quiet pleasure which the short’s interesting treatment will give to the majority of picture patrons. BOXOFFICE :: April 10, 1937. 17