Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

62 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November I 0. I 934 of the year's best. It is not a special because it is too drawn-out and too stagy. An average picture that will please. Clean. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. Geperal patronage. SHE LEARNED ABOUT SAILORS: Lew Ayres, Alice Faye— One of the best comedies we have had for months. Just perfect for small towns. 1 won't ask for any better one than this. Played October 13. — George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Del. Small town patronage. SHE WAS A LADY: Helen Twelvetrees— Played on double bill and was pleasantly surprised with this one. Better than I expected and my patrons liked it, but business was just average. Running time, 67 minutes. Played Oct. 15-16.— A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. STAND UP AND CHEER: All Star Musical— An excellent musical with little Shirley Temple as the outstanding star. Good music, good acting and pleased all who came. Played a little too late for the attendance it deserved. Running time, SO minutes. Played October 10-11.— Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kans. Small town patronage. MGM DANCING LADY: Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone, May Robson, Winnie Lightner, Fred Astaire, Ted Healy — Story of the rise of a chorus girl. Good acting. Good story. Plenty of lafiFs and just enough pathos to make it interesting. Fine dancing by Crawford in this. Pleased here. Better story than most musicals, though not as spectacular. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. DEATH ON THE DIAMOND: Robert Young, Madge Evans — Good program picture. Baseball story with several good numbers. Nat Pendleton and Ted Healy furnish the comedy relief. It's OK. Did average business here. Running time, 74 minutes. Played October 24. — B. Hollenbeck, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Washington. Small town patronage. GIRL FROM MISSOURI, THE: Jean Harlow— Entertaining for small towns but silly in spots and far-fetched. Much better than "Bombshell." Harlow does not draw as well as she used for us. Would not consider this picture ofifensive. Played Oct. 1718.— A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. GIRL FROM MISSOURI, THE: Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Franchot Tone, Lewis Stone, Patsy Kelly —Excellent picture, business slightly better than average. Wasn't the "special" it was rated to be. — C. J Hurley, Jr., Manager, New Winn Theatre, Winnfield. La. Small town patronage. GIRL FROM MISSOURI, THE: Jean Harlow— Could not get an early date on this picture so played it on a double bill. An interesting story, well acted and was especially pleasing to the young folks. The patronage was good. Running time, 73 minutes. Played October 25-26-27.— W. J. Powell, Lonet Theatre, Wellington, Ohio. Small town and rural patronage. GIRL FROM MISSOURI, THE: Jean Harlow— A lot has been written as to what the Decency drive would do to the Jean Harlow pictures. Judging by this, the results are all to the good. It is packed with real entertainment and you don't have to hide and blush with embarrassment when respectable people leave the theatre. Patsy Kelly should be given equal credit with Jean Harlow. Without Patsy it would not be nearly as good. It seems to me that Patsy Kelly is too good to be wasted on two-reel comedies. With parts properly written for her she can make a good picture great and a poor picture passable. Business above average. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. GOING HOLLYWOOD: Marion Da vies, Bing Crosby. Fifi D'Orsay, Stuart Erwin, Ned Sparks, Patsy Kelly — Story of a girl who would be an actress and finally succeeds. Lots of music, plenty of laffs and some fine ensembles. Clean picture. Should please any audience. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. HFR SWEETHEART, CHRISTOPHER BEAN: Marie Dress1er._ Lionel Barrymore, Helen Mack. Beulah Bondi — A kindly old doctor almost turns hypocrite when an opportunity of securing wealth faces him. Dressier as the house maid turns out one of the finest bits of acting of her career. A splendid picture containing drama, excitement, romance and lafifs. It will please any audience. Clean picture.— Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. MANHATTAN MELODRAMA: William Powell, Myrna I-ov, Clark Gable — We capitalized on the Dillinger killing and we're telling you they enjoyed every minute of the 95. Several came back the second night and it has to be good in order for patrons to do that. Metro is delivering some of the finest motion pictures this year thnt it has been our privilege to see. Running time. 95 minutes. Played Oct, 19-20.— B. A. McConnell. Emerson Theatre, Hartford, Ark. Small town patronage. MEN IN WHITE: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy— A very fine picture, recording good and 100 per cent entertainment. However, I can't see where Metro should class this as a special. I could have done more business on a western. Running time, 75 minutes. Played Oct. S-6.— B. A. McConnell, Emerson Theatre, Hartford, Ark. Small town patronage. MURDER IN THE PRIVATE CAR: Charles Ruggles — Just a program picture with no draw at box office. The runaway railroad car furnishes some excitement to an otherwise uninteresting picture. Running time, 65 minutes. Played Oct. 8-9. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. MURDER IN THE PRIVATE CAR: Charles Ruggles, Una Merkel — A fast moving mystery story that pleased my patrons. Mystery, comedy and tragedy hold the interest to the last reel. Beautiful scenery and a spectacular rescue from the runaway car is the highlight. Running time, ,65 minutes. Played October 17-18.— Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage.: MYSTERY OF MR. X., THt: Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Allan — A good mystery picture that will more than satisfy patrons who like this story. Played October 13.— J. N. Creswell, Cedarville Theatre, Cedarville, Ohio. General patronage. OPERATOR THIRTEEN: Marion Da vies, Gary Cooper— A good picture of Civil War days. Our patrons have liked Miss Davies ever since they saw "Peg o' My Heart." This picture will stand advertising and will do better than average business. Running time, 86 minutes. Played Sept. 5-6.— A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. PRIZEFIGHTER AND THE LADY, THE: Myrna Loy, Max Baer, Primo Canera, Jack Dempsey, Walter Huston, Otto Kruger — Story of the rise of a prizefighter. Fine story. Splendid acting. Good ensemble numbers. Baer's acting will prove a very agreeable surprise. And Myrna Loy as leading lady is superb. Fight scenes are splendid, but don't let the trailer confuse your audience into believing this to be the Baer-Canera championship fight picture; the trailer is misleading. This is a very fine picture. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. SHOULD LADIES BEHAVE?: Alice Brady, Lionel Barrymore, Conway Tearle — The laughable tale of a would-be-misunderstood wife. Alice Brady steals the picture from Barrymore — and that's somethin'. Plenty of good laughs in this. Clean. Pleased here. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. SONS OF THE DESERT: Laurel and Hardy— Story of a couple of married men who try to outwit their wives and attend a convention. Married folks especially will enjoy this. A bit draggy in spots, but on the whole rather funny. Drew quite a number of laughs. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks. Alaska. General patronage. STAMBOUL QUEST: Myrna Loy. George Brent— This picture did not help Myrna Loy, whom our patrons had begun to like. A complicated affair. A poor title and poor at box office. Running time, 90 minutes. Played October 1-2. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. STAMBOUL QUEST: Myrna Loy, George BrentBrent — I agree with the exhibitors who said too much kissing in this picture. I did not do any business, but I thought it was a little better than a program picture. Running time, nine reels. Played October 24-25. — J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. TARZAN AND HIS MATE: J. Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan — The warm weather this fall has paralyzed the show business as we're in a mining town and it doesn't matter what we run. we can't get them out. What few saw Tarzan ate it up. It's a swell show from every standpoint. One boy said he wished we would have Tarzan every week. Running time, 116 minutes. Played October 12-13.— B. A. McConnell, Emerson Theatre, Hartford, Ark. Small town patronage. THIN MAN, THE: William Powell, Myrna Loy— One of the best shows of the year. William Powell's best show. Holds the interest to the last reel. Pleased 100 per cent. Running time, 91 minutes. Played October 20-21.— Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. THIN MAN, THE: William Powell, Myrna Loy— Just about the nicest picture we've run this year. This boy Powell is the berries and Metro couldn't have teamed up a better bet than Myrna Loy with him. She's a honey. Running time, 91 minutes. Played October 17-18. — B. A. McConnell, Emerson Theatre, Hartford, Ark. Small town patronage. TREASURE ISLAND Wallace Beery, JTackie Cooper — If I would write what I think of this picture MGM would sue me. To me it was 110 minutes of battle, murder and sudden death. Wonderful acting by the entire cast, well produced and with some fine shots of ships and the sea. Comments ranged from "wonderful" to "rotten." Kiddies and young folks liked it and T think it pleased about 90 per cent of the adult patronage. That is what my patrons thought of it. I must be a low brow and a poor judge of pictures, for I thought it was the worst picture I ever exhibited. Why blacklist gangster pictures and let this one get by? Long John Silver makes Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd look like pikers. This is no doubt a wonderful picture because the critics say it is, but if I never see another one like it it will be 27 years too soon. I am still dreaming of carving knives and sharks. Running time, 110 minutes. Played October 26-27-28.Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. Monogram DIAMOND TRAIL, THE: Rex Bell— A good western. Good print and good recording. Running time, six reels. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town patronage. SWEETHEART OF SIGMA CHI, THE: Mary Carlisle, Buster Crabbe — Fair picture. Bad print. I played it too old. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town patronage. Paramount BELLE OF THE NINETIES: Mae West— After showing this film, it strikes us that Mae West is like the State Fair. When you've seen her once, you've seen her all time. And it looks like the public is beginning to feel that way. — Jake Jones, Ritz Theatre, Shawnee, Okla. General patronage. ELMER AND ELSIE: George Bancroft, Frances Fuller — I can't remember when I have had a worse one than this one is. It is bad from start to finish. It all revolves around Elmer and Elsie and it is Elmer this and Elsie that until it was painful to hear it. Never have I seen lack of brains in both the acting and the directing. They ought to pay the exhibitor to run it. Phooey with such a picture and I know that my audience would say likewise. Anyway, half of them walked out on it and I would have gone, too, if I could have left the box office. One word says it — terrible. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. HELL AND HIGH WATER: Richard Arlen— Paramount, like all other producers, occasionally makes a mediocre picture, but I do not recall one that featured Arlen which failed to please. Jack has not outworn his welcome on the screen yet, while many who entered films when he did or even later, have fallen like snowflakes in a winter storm. Richard may never reach the heights, but I'm quite willing to wager a carload of thousand dollar bills, he'll never reach the depths. Personally I should prefer the happy medium. He has a wife, baby, lots of friends and seems to have a steady job. Could one ask for more? The answer is obvious or shall we say no? Incidentally, I might add, this was a fine little picture. Not "was," but is. A little old, but so am I. Played October 23. — Peter Bylsma, Victory Theatre, Napoleonville, La. •Small town patronage. KISS AND MAKE UP: Gary Grant, Genevieve Tobin, Edward Everett Horton — The resistance that you will have on this one is the title. It is hard to get the small town audience to go for one that is as mushy as this one would indicate. We did our best in the advertising to overcome this jump of title, but it was useless. They did not come and that tells the story of what a title will do to militate against a fair picture. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. LADIES SHOULD LISTEN: Gary Grant, Frances Drake, Edward Everett Horton — A Paris locale, three women and two men, a very thin story. Horton helps save the picture and this lady Frances Drake has plenty on the ball given a better vehicle. She has the voice, swell looking and apparently is an actress. I miss my bet if she is not a star to be heard from later in a better role. Good in what she had to do with. In the way of story the picture is not there for a small town. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. LADIES SHOULD LISTEN: Gary Grant, Frances Dee — This is another program picture with some comedy and some very pretty sets. Played it one day to about average Friday business. Running time, seven reels. Played October 19. — J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. LADIES SHOULD LISTEN: Gary Grant, Frances Drake — Light, good entertainment, no bad moments. Business normal. Patrons all well pleased and many of them said they would see it again. Played September 30, October 1. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. LAST ROUND-UP, THE: Randolph Scott— I thought this would draw and it sure did. Brought in both low and high brow. Lay stress to songs to get the high brows and you'll do extra business. Pleased 100 per cent. Running time, 61 minutes. Played October 15-16. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. LEMON DROP KID, THE: Lee Tracy, Helen Mack, Baby LeRoy — Just a program picture. It did not do any business for me. I should have played it one day only. Running time, seven reels. Played October 15-16.— J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. LEMON DROP KID: Helen Mack, Lee TracyTracy is not his old self, at least not in this picture. Helen Mack is excellent in most any picture, to my patrons. This, in my estimation, is just another picture and is not a very large drawing card. Played October 14-15. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. LITTLE MISS MARKER: Shirley Temple-Excel