The Film Daily (1939)

DAILY : Friday, June 2, 193$ : SEE DELAY IN HOUSE ON BLOCK-BOOKING {Continued from Page 1) merce Committee yesterday gave inquirers to understand that the corresponding Senate committee's action in favorably reporting the Neely block-booking bill to the Senate "would not in any way sway or influence" the House committee in considering block-booking legislation at this session. Inside observers expect the House committee to be occupied about a month more in handling the moot transportation legislation bearing the name of the chairman. Attitude of Lea and his close advisers is that block-booking legislation will have to go over into next session to permit continued consideration of currently "more important legislation." Such a contingency, in event of Senate passage of the Neely bill, would mean a repetition of legislative situation at last session when the Neely bill passed the Senate only to find block-booking legislation bottled up in the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee. However, this time proponents would be enabled to hammer single-handedly at the House next session since this session is only the legislative first half of the current Congress and all legislation left pending at this session's close will automatically go over to next year. At the office of Congressman Edmiston, West Virginia Democrat, sponsor of the House companion measure to the Neely bill, it was reported he was returning from West Virginia to press for House action. Meanwhile Senator Neely released to Senate officials his report on his own measure. Four-Star Sales Drive Winners Are Announced Winners in Paramount's Four-Star Sales Drive were announced yesterday by Neil F. Agnew, vice-president and general sales manager of Paramount. Leaders in the five separate divisions of this 13-week drive period were as follows: for district managers', George A. Smith was first with Ralph C. LiBeau second. In the branch managers' division first place was won by Albert Mendenhall, of Omaha; second John T. Howard, of Detroit and third by Chester J. Bell, of Denver. Salesmen division was led by I. G. White, of Los Angeles, second E. Rubin, of Omaha and third place to J. Wilcox, of Salt Lake. First place in the bookers' division was won by Omaha, second Detroit and third place went to Denver. In the Ad Sales Managers' division, first was won by Wendall Overturf, of Omaha, second Selby Carr, of Minneapolis and third by James Nicoll, of New Orleans. REVIEWS Of nCUJ RHUS industry vets unite AS PICTURE PIONEERS "Young Mr. Lincoln" with Henry Fonda, Alice Brady, Marjorie Weaver 20th Century-Fox 100 Mins. NOTEWORTHY DRAMA OF LINCOLN'S EARLY LIFE WITH FONDA SCORING BRILLIANTLY. A highly entertaining presentation of Abraham Lincoln in those few years of his life just before he became a great world figure when he came from the little town of New Salem in Illinois to take up law practice in Springfield. There has never been presented on stage or screen a portrayal of a great historical personage that carried more warmth and understanding than this human study of the young Lincoln. Credit must be divided between the author of the screenplay, Lamar Trotti; Director John Ford, and in greatest measure to Henry Fonda for projecting a characterization of Lincoln in his formative years as the gangling youth who was groping awkwardly to find himself. Here is a wellrounded characterization that presents Lincoln with his failings as well as his virtues, a youth lacking the fine polish of his rival Stephen Douglas but already showing flashes of that homey wit and brilliant qualities of mind and character that started him on his great career. Director Ford wisely chose to put the emphasis on the human qualities, combining them with the story of his first murder trial which forms the backbone of the picture and furnishes the suspense and electric drama. No court trial has been more brilliantly presented. It catches the uncouth atmosphere of court room trials of that period in a frontier country, and combines fine comedy with tense thrills. Essentially an episodic narrative endeavoring to touch the highlights of Lincoln's early days. Director Ford has contrived to give the disconnected episodes a sense of flow and related action that is remarkable. It opens with the country store in New Salem, the brief romance with Ann Rutledge and her untimely death, Lincoln's decision to go to Springfield and the law, and then a rich fund of colorful incidents that all serve to round out the character of the man in this remarkably brilliant portrayal by Fonda. History thus comes to life on the screen shorn of any mustiness or stodginess — a living, vital story that no mere fictional work could achieve. Here is no patriotic hoorah or propagandistic taint to mar a superb production that shines in every department. The camera work is outstanding. The painstaking research to insure historical exactitude is everywhere apparent. The direction is something over which to grow really enthusiastic. Henry Fonda's superb performance puts him in line as a serious contender for the Academy Award. Alice Brady is splendid in the role of Abigail Clay, the backwoods mother who sees her two boys facing the death penalty. A long list of minor characters forms a background to round out the central character, all playing minor notes, but that is as it should be in a dramatization of such a figure as that of Lincoln. Selling angles: Lincoln as a human being in a dramatic highlight of his career, and a great performance by Henry Fonda. CAST: Henry Fonda, Alice Brady, Marjorie Weaver, Arleen Whelan, Eddie Collins, Pauline Moore, Richard Cromwell, Donald Meek, Dorris Bowdon, Eddie Quillan, Spencer Charters, Ward Bond, Milburn Stone, "S.O.S. Tidal Wave" with Ralph Byrd, George Barbier, Kay Sutton Republic 60 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) TELEVISION, RACKETEERING AND POLITICS MIXED TO PROVIDE A THRILLER. A tidal wave sweeping over New York City, accompanied by an earthquake, if the spectacular highlight of this offering. The television pictures of the supposed catastrophe are used to throw voters of a city outside New York into a panic in an attempt to win an election. The pictures are televised at the instigation of Marc Lawrence, a racketeer, who is behind the candidacy of Ferris Taylor for mayor. Ralph Byrd, ace television broadcaster, is expected to expose the Lawrence-Taylor crowd, but refrains from any action fearing harm to his wife, Kay Sutton, and their child, Mickey Kuhn. However, when the racketeers cause the death of Byrd's best friend, George Barbier, who has collected evidence against Taylor, and injuries to Kay Sutton and Mickey, Byrd swings into action. He forces Taylor to admit the television pictures arc fakes, while Lawrence is killed by a truck while trying to escape from Byrd. John H. Auer has done an effective job of directing, while Armand Schaefer functioned as associate producer. Maxwell Shane and Gordon Kahn wrote a gripping screenplay, based on an original story by James Webb. Jack Marta's photography is first-rate. CAST: Ralph Byrd, George Barbier, Kay Sutton, Frank Jenks, Marc Lawrence, Dorothy Lee, Oscar O'Shea, Mickey Kuhn, Ferris Taylor, Donald Barry, Raymond Bailey. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Armand Schaefer; Director, John H. Auer; Author, James Webb; Screenplay, Maxwell Shane, Gordon Kahn; Cameraman, Jack Marta; Editor, Ernest Nims; Art Director, John Victor Mackay; Musical Director, Cy Feuer. DIRECTION, Effective. PHOTOGRAPHY, First-Rate. Dividends Declared by Two Canadian Theater Companies Montreal — Earnings of the Strand Hamilton Theater, Ltd., increased in 1938, with net profit equivalent to 67 cents on the common shares, compared with 30 cents in the previous year. Dividends of $8 a share were paid on the 8 per cent pre-5 ferred stock in both years. Back dividends are now paid up to Jan. 31, 1931. A decline in earnings of Paramount Oshawa Theaters, Ltd., is shown by the financial statement for the year ended Dec. 31, 1938. Net profit was equivalent to $1.29 on the common shares, as against $1.57 in the preceding year. Dividends of $1 were paid on the common stock in 1938, as compared with $1.50 in the previous year. Cliff Clark, Robert Lowery, Charles Tannen, Francis Ford, Fred Kohler, Jr. CREDITS: Producer, Kenneth Macgowan; Director, John Ford; Original Script, Lamar Trotti; Cameraman, Bert Glennon; Editor, Walter Thompson . DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, (Continued from Page 1) by Jack Cohn, Columbia vice-prex\ Letters sent to 100 industry vets already have drawn acceptance from the following, Cohn said yes terday: Jack Alicoate, Louis Astor, Bv".;ne; Balaban, Leon J. Bamberger?,. Jac Bellman, Maurice A. Bergman, I K. Blake, Clayton E. Bond, Harr Brandt, Wm. Brandt, Leo Brechei Jules E. Brulatour, Harry D. Buck ley, Thomas J. Connors, Georg Dembow, Sam Dembow, Jr., Ned E Depinet, S. H. Fabian, Leopol Friedman, Harry Goetz, Paul Gv lick, P. S. Harrison, Ed Hatrick, He Hode, Joe Hornstein, Arthur A. Le< Charles E. Lewis, Joseph A. Mc Conville, Chas. C. Moskowitz, Da Michalove, P. A. Powers, Marti Quigley, W. F. Rodgers, George < Schaefer, L. J. Schlaifer, Chark Stern, Albert Warner, A. P. Wa? man, George Weeks, Lou Weinberg M. J. Weisfeldt, Herman Wobbe and Robert S. Wolff. New organization, which wi charge no dues, will be primaril for the purpose of meeting over tt luncheon or dinner table two c three times a year, swapping remi iscences and promoting good fello ship. Because the phrase "He's i conference" has come to be a b? word in motion picture circles, Coh plans that the get-togethers t known as "Conferences," rather tha meetings. Club will be started on its wa very soon, according to Columbia vice-president, with a "Beefsteak i Murphy Forecasts Crackdow on Pix Execs. Evading Ta (Continued from Page 1) terday by AttorneyGeneral Frari Murphy who revealed at his pre conference that the Justice Depar ment had received from the Trea; ury Department information ind eating violation and tax evasions income tax filings reported by ce tain high ranking motion pictu industry officials. Murphy specified the number < tax violations uncovered as "six < seven high ranking picture officials He made clear that the alleg<c violations which his department w prosecute are confined to picture e: 1 ecutives and not stars. He cite no names. It is understood that Murphy pe sonally conducted a preliminary i vestigation during his West Co?; tour. WB Sets Five for July Warners will release five featur during July. Titles and relea dates are "Naughty But Nice," Ju 1; "Hell's Kitchen," July 8; "W terfront," July 15; "Daughte Courageous," July 22 and "The Coboy Quarterback," July 29.