Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1936)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY MOTION PICTURE DAILYS HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "More Than a Secretary" (Columbia) Hollywood, Dec. 1. — Premised on the "you can't mix business with love" idea, "More Than a Secretary" is a comedy-romance that looks like an audience pleaser. With cleverly contrived situations and smart dialogue, which is occasionally a bit zippy, and high class individual performances by the cast against a background of worthy production detail, the film matches the standard of Columbia's better pictures. Fresh and novel in theme, the show is built of popular stuff and is gay, airy amusement. Handling his role understandingly, George Brent plays a physical culture magazine publisher and is a nut for all health food fads. As the chief patron of a secretarial school run by Ruth Donnelly, Jean Arthur, because of her inability to keep the stenographers, decides to take a job with Brent herself. It is love at first sight for both. Because she turns the financially weak magazine into a money-maker while Brent is vacationing, Miss Arthur is made editor when he returns and Dorothy Kent, a dizzy blonde, is hired as her secretary. There ensues a gay series of misunderstandings causing Brent to think he is in love with Miss Kent and other incidents causing Miss Arthur to rise in womanly wrath. In the hilarious climax Brent, waking up to the true state of his business and romantic affairs, chases after Miss Arthur to pop the question which will make her his wife as well as his editor. With fun the principal quality of Brent's and Miss Arthur's work, their efforts are accentuated by the contributions of Miss Donnelly, Miss Kent, Lionel Stander, Reginald Denny and Charles Halton. Composed of elements calculated to please audiences and exhibitors, the film is based on "Safari in Paradise" by Matt Taylor with the screen play by Dale Van Every and Lynn Starling. Alfred E. Green directed. Previewed without production code seal. Running time, 80 minutes. "G." "Racing Lady" ( Radio) Hollywood, Dec. 1. — -The sole distinction of this offering is the exciting horse race finish which, if it were built up for greater suspense, might have raised the picture above average. However, events leading to the race are so dull and the characters so artificial that interest lags until that scene starts and the picture concludes when the race ends. The central characters are Ann Dvorak; Harry Carey, her father, who trains horses; Smith Ballew, a wealthy automobile manufacturer who races his stable to advertise his cars ; Berton Churchill and Ray Mayer, touts, and Willie Best, Alex Hill and Hattie McDaniel, colored aides to Carey's family. Ballew tricks Miss Dvorak into training his string and differs with her on racing etiquette, but unites with her lomantically after Miss Dvorak wins the arguments and the big handicap race. Dorothy Yost, Thomas Lennon and Cortland Fitzsimmons wrote the screen play from two stories, one by Damon Runyon and the other by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston, which Wallace Fox directed. Ballew, making a poor showing in his first appearance, may console himself that the part would probably have defeated a more experienced actor. Suitable only for dual billing, the picture can best be plugged by stressing the race sequence. Production Code Seal No. 2,664. Running time, 59 minutes. "G." "Winterset," opening tomorrow morning at the Radio City Music Hall, was previewed from the coast on Noik 14. "Tundra" and "King of Hockey" open this morning at the Criterion. The former zvas previewed by wire from Hollvzvood on Aug. 22 and the latter on Oct. 31. "Rembrandt." another picture opening this morning, but at the Rivoli, was revieivcd by cable from London on Noi>. 17. Wednesday, December 2, 1936 Short Subject "Amuse Yourself (Educational) More of the insane antics of Jefferson Machamer and his bevy of girl models. They act out an entertainingly half-witted story which revolves about Machamer's efforts to land a cartoon with an agency headed by a screwy trio of morons. He succeeds and there follows a celebration with clever and snappy entertainment furnished by the females and a rumba orchestra composed of the Seven Loria Brothers, their ages ranging from about 20 to 5 years. Production Code Seal. No. 01,324. Running time, 20 mins. "G." "Touring Brazil" (Twentieth Century-Fox) A nicely turned out issue of the Magic Carpet. With splendid photography it takes the audience to the interesting points about the South American country delving down into a mine, into the jungle for the rubber industry, an alligator slaughter and the gay time of a carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Also, there are many beautiful scenic shots, the last of which reveals dawn coming over the still lighted city. Reviewed without production code seal. Running time, 9 mins. "G." "Gopher Trouble" ( Universal) Billy Gopher is annoying Miss Henrietta Hen, in this cartoon, by cutting up in his underground fashion beneath her garden. Hysterical, Miss Hen calls Oswald, who, with the help of his dog, Elmer, proceeds to track down the rodent. There follows spectacular comic business, much of which is old stuff, with the final result when Oswald,' using dynamite, blows up Miss Hen's Mansion. The gopher is finally taken care of with a flower pot. Fair stuff at its best. Production Code Seal No. 2,729. Running time, 7 mins. "G." "Legend of the Lei" (Treasure Chest-Educational) The idea why departing travelers cast the famous Hawaiian wreaths when they leave the islands is given exposition here. The legend of the princess who was forced to marry a visiting noble rather than her real love is played against authentic settings and reproduced in glaring and splotchy color. It is sentimentally interesting. Production Code Seal No. 0870. Running time, 10 mins. "G." "Television Highlights" ( McntoneU niversal ) A trick television set is used for the introduction of a collection of acts among which are Gogo De Lys, Roy Smeck and Patsy Wynn. It has novelty and is moderately amusing. Production Code Seal No. 01,292. Running time, 10 mins. "G." "The Village Smithy" (Vitaphone) A cartoon parody on the famous ppem done with clever and humorous situations and comic relief. It features "Porky." Should make a pleasing item on any program. Production Code Seal No. 2,807. Running time, 7 mins. "G." Sells Chicago Franchise Max D. Weinberger, general sales manager of General Pictures Corp., has sold a five-year franchise for the Chicago territory to Henri Elman, operator of the Capitol Film Exchange there. Elman has organized General Pictures of Illinois to handle the product separately from Capitol. Dr. Otto Freminger III Hollywood, Dec. 1. — Dr. Otto Ludwig Freminger has given up his assignment to direct "Nancv Steele Is Missing" for Twentieth Century-Fox because of illness. George Marshall will replace him. Dr. Freminger will direct "Rings On My Fingers" when he has recovered. 17 Variety Club Indianapolis Indianapolis, Dec. 1. — Carl Niesse has been elected chief barker of Tent No. 10, succeeding Marc J. Wolf, who had served two terms. Other officers are Floyd Brown, first vice-president ; A. C. Zaring, second vice-president ; B. E. Jolley, treasurer, and Sol Greenberg, secretary. Directors named are Curtis Butler, Kenneth Collins, R. W. Baker, Harry Markun, Dale Miller and Joe Cantor. The new officers will take over on Jan. 1. Minneapolis Minneapolis, Dec. 1. — Fred Astaire will judge the prize waltz contest at the Twin City Variety Club charity ball Saturday night at the Hotel Radisson. Although he will not be there in person, pictures of the contestants in action will be made and sent to him in Hollywood. Proceeds of the ball will go to the Glen Lake sanitarium for the installation of a ventilating system to permit patients to see pictures all the year round. Washington Washington, Dec. 1. — Tent No. 11 will hold its annual election Dec. 7. Five new members to be added to the board of governors. Those retiring from two-year terms are : J. Louis Rome, Samuel N. Wheeler, Harry Hunter, William E. S. Wilcox, and Harry S. Brown. The governors half way through two-years terms are Carter T. Barron, A. Julian Brylawski, John J. Payette, Rudolph Berger, Samuel A. Galanty, Joseph P. Morgan. Wall Street "U," Eastman Gain on Board Net High Low Close Change 37 37 54 Columbia, pfd. . . 4254 4254 4254 + 54 Consolidated , , . . 4% 454 454 54 Consolidated, pfd.. 17 1654 1654 % Eastman Kodak.. 179 179 179 —1 Eastman, pfd. ...164 164 164 +2 Gen. T. Equip 29 2844 2854 -54 Loew's, Inc 6444 6344 6354 54 Loew's, Inc., pfd.. 196 106 106 Paramount 21% 21 2154 + 54 Paramount 1 pfd.. 159^ 156 156 +2 Paramount 2 pfd.. 19% 1954 1954 Pathe Film %Vi 854 844 + 54 RKO 8 m 7% 20th Century-Fox. 37^4 3624 3754 20th Century, pfd. 47 47 47 54 Universal, pfd 105 105 105 +2 Warner Bros 17fg 1654 1654 -54 Curb Drops Slightly Net High Low Close Change Grand National .. 354 354 354 Sentry Safety .... % 54 54 Sonotone 254 2 m 54 Technicolor 22J4 22 22 54 4*4 454 % Bonds Rise a Little Net High Low Close Change Loew's 6s Ml ww deb rights 10154 10154 10154 + 54 Paramount B'way 3s '55 70% 7054 70% + 54 Paramount Pict. 6s '5S 10154 101 101 RKO 6s '41 pp.... 11654 11654 11654 Warner Bros. 6s '39 wd 9854 9844 98*4 + 54 (Quotations at close of Dec. 1)