Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

November 10. 1934 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 63 lent picture and Shirley Temple draws them in. Picked this up late and did good business. ,Her pictures cannot be classed as "kid pictures" and I think that is one reason they appeal to all classes. Running time, 60 minutes. Played October 10-11. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. LITTLE MISS MARKER: Adolphe Menjou, Dorothy Dell, Shirley Temple— Shirley Temple is the whole show and she carried her part to a finish. But why in the world do they have to put her in stories of this type? Played October 2.— J. N. Creswell, Cedarville Theatre, Cedarville, Ohio. General patronage. MRS. WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PATCH: Paul ine Lord, W. C. Fields— A good picture and it pleased. Entire cast good. Children extra good. If you have it booked double your advertising and do a little extra work and you will make some money with the picture. Running time, 75 minutes. Played October 2223.— J. A. Verchot, Opera House Theatre, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. NOW AND FOREVER: Shirley Temple— Good picture, but not as good as "Little Miss Marker." Did a good Saturday night business and Sunday night the power lines were down so we had a dark house. Oh, well, if It isn't one thing it's another. Played October 2L— B. HoUenbeck, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small town patronage. NOW AND FOREVER: Shirley Temple, Gary Cooper, Carole Lombard — Excellent draw account fame of Shirley Temple. Story none too good. Played September 16-17. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. SCARLET EMPRESS, THE: Marlene Dietrich— A complete flop. I did not have a single person to tell me they liked this picture. Some wanted their money back. Personally, I thought it was a fair picture. Guess I was wrong. Running time, 11 reels. Played October 17-18.— J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. SCARLET EMPRESS, THE: Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge — Business below expectations. This picture is an excellent production if your audience likes grandeur in settings and acting; my audience does not care for it, though we had a few favorable comments. The direction is excellent. Played October 7-8. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. SHE LOVES ME NOT: Bing Crosby— Best Crosby picture so far. Everyone liked it and it drew a good attendance. Running time, 84 minutes. Played October 14. — B. HoUenbeck, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small town patronage. SHOOT THE WORKS: Jack Oakie— Good program picture. Average business. Played October 17.— B. Hollenbeck, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small town patronage. SITTING PRETTY: Jack Oakie, Jack Haley— Old but still good. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town patronage. SIX OF A KIND: Burns and Allen, W. C. Fields— The few who came to see it were pleased. Title had no drawing power. Running time, 65 minutes. Played October 16.— J. N. Creswell, Cedarville Theatre, Ohio. General patronage. THIRTY DAY PRINCESS: Sylvia Sidney— A nice little picture with nice little leading lady. At times Sylvia looks positively pretty. At other times she does not. But at all times she looks the perfect artist she is. When she smiles, her whole face lights up and you smile with her, although you may be losing money on the picture. This might have been entitled "Smiling Thru" as the patrons smiled 100 per cent while exiting, while I was invited to step over to the corner and have a "Smile" and these "Smiles" being served in a glass without cost to me, caused me to smile. If there was one who did not like this picture, he or she was discreetly silent. Did not lose on this one, but would still sing its praises if I did lose. Running time, 8 reels. Played October 21-22.— Peter Bylsma, Victory Theatre, Napoleonville, La. Small town patronage. THUNDERING HERD, THE: Randolph Scott— Not as good as we expected. Just an average western that will get by on weekends. Running time, 59 minutes. Played September 7-8. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. WAGON WHEELS: Randolph Scott, Gail Patrick— A real good western picture made on a big scale. Some good singing. Scenery was very good. Did about average business and pleased. Running time, seven reels. Played October 27. — J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. WAGON WHEELS: Randolph Scott, Gail PatrickOne mention of Zane Grey in my advertising and I am sure of a packed house. This picture is quite noisy, though the song "Wagon Wheels" is very excellently used. This is the best western I've had for some time. Story and action good. Played October 19-20. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. WE'RE NOT DRESSING: Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard— Very good musical. Running time, ,76 minutes.— P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. YOU BELONG TO ME: Lee Tracy. Helen Mack— I did not see this picture, but was told it was good. FROM LOUISIANA AND OKLAHOMA From Far West and Far South come two new contributors to "What the Picture Did for Me" this lueek. They are: C. J. Hubley, Jr., New Winn Theatre, Winnfield, La. Jake Jones, Ritz Theatre, Shawnee, Okla. Read their reports in this issue. Running time, seven reels. Played October 26. — J. A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S. C. Small town patronage. YOU BELONG TO ME: Lee Tracy, Helen MackFair story. Young David Holt looks promising. Tracy was below par. Business normal. Played September 23-24.— Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. YOU'RE TELLING ME: W. C. Fields— Kept audience laughing all the time. Very good comedy. Running time, 61 minutes.— P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. RKO AGE OF INNOCENCE, THE: Irene Dunne, John Boles — A very fine picture. One that will create talk. But isn't the public tired of this Back Street stuff? — Jake Jones, Ritz Theatre, Shawnee, Okla. General patronage. COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler & Woolsey— Better than their worst, but not as good as their best. This team does not mean much for us any more. Some fairly good comedy, but the costume stuff drives our patrons away. Running time, 72 minutes. Played October 12-13.— A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler and Woolsey— Very good comedy. Wheeler and Woolsey always were good. Running time, 71 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler and Woolsey— This picture was not up to the standard of the Wheeler and Woolsey productions, being too exaggerated. I consider it an ordinary offering only. Played October 20. — George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Del. Small town patronage. DOWN TO THEIR LAST YACHT: Mary Boland. Polly Moran, Ned Sparks, Sidney Fox, Sidney Blackmer — One of the most miserable botch jobs of production I have ever seen. Given all kinds of material to work with, stars, story, music and money, the net result is a total loss. Apparently no one in the cast or in the studio cared a tinker's dam what became of the picture, and what happened is history. It is easy to sell, however, and will get them past the gate for one day, maybe two. With me, it was one day, and then the cyclone struck. I'm lucky I have my shirt left. Running time, 62 minutes. Played Oct. 14-16. — A. West Johnson, Heilig Theatre, Eugene, Ore. University and general patronage. FOUNTAIN, THE: Ann Harding. Brian Aherne, Paul Lukas — Very good, but does not have universal appeal. A little draggy.— Jake Jones, Ritz Theatre, Shawnee, Okla. General patronage. FOUNTAIN, THE: Ann Harding Brian Aherne, Paul Lukas — This is very poor entertainment so far as the average patron is concerned. It is a typical RKO picture, being 100 per cent talking and the action missing. Thanks to RKO for giving Miss Harding one picture where the "going to have a baby" scene is missing. In all of her past pictures, that was the outstanding scene and I personally wish this would be omitted in all stories. Business fair. Running time, 84 minutes. Played October 20. — J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, O.xford, N. C. General patronage. HIS GREATEST GAMBLE: Richard Dix, Dorothy Wilson — My patrons like Dix and this picture went over well, although business was below normal. Played October 2-4.— Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. KEEP 'EM ROLLING: Walter Huston— Pretty good Friday-Saturday picture. Little too much horse to make No. 1 entertainment. Running time, 68 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. ONE MAN'S JOURNEY: Lionel Barrymore-A good picture. Old but worth playing. >Jo business for me, however. Running time, eight reels.-^Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town patronage. RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD, THE: Miriam Hopkins, Joel McCrea — Very good. Miriam Hopkins great. — Jake Jones, Ritz Theatre, Shawnee, Okla. General patronage. STINGAREE: Irene Dunne, Richard Dix— This is one of the better of the summer's pictures. Business normal. Played October 12-13.— Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small tov/n and rural patronage. STRICTLY DYNAMITE: Jimmy Durante, Lupe Veicz, Norman Foster, William Gargan, Marian Nixon— Wild and of little entertainment value. My patrons like Velez but not Durante. Business below average. Played September 28-29.— Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. THIS MAN IS MINE: Irene Dunne, Ralph Bellamy —Action slow at beginning, as this portion of the picture was all dialogue. But toward the end both the actors and the acting was lively and the picture ended very satisfactorily. Just a fair production. Played October 29. — George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Del. Small town patronage. THEIR BIG MOMENT: Zasu Pitts, Slim Summer ville — Good comedy featuring Zasu Pitts and Slim Summerville that pleased my family night patrons. A lot of laughs and that is what they want. Running time, 68 minutes. Played October 24-25. — Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. THEIR BIG MOMENT: Zasu Pitts, Slim Summerville— Rather simple story. Pitts is getting better, but not Summerville. No business. Played September 1820. — Art Warner, Colonial Theatre, Grandview, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. United Artists BOWERY, THE: Wallace Beery, George Raft, Jackie Cooper, Fay Wray — Story of the rise, fall and rise again of a colorful Bowery character. Good plot. Good acting by entire cast. Lots of laughs, plenty of tense drama. Not clean enough for a Sunday school, but still, not too smutty. Presents facts as they were in the old days. Would not recommend it for kids, but adults will eat it up. — Don Adler, Empress Circuits, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. BULLDOG DRUMMOND STRIKES BACK: Ronald Colman — Just fair and not much draw for us. Played it on Friday and Saturday to below average business. Colman not well known here. First time we have used United Artists pictures and am afraid they are a little too sophisticated for small towns. Running time, 68 minutes. Played September 10-11. — A. C. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. HOUSE OF ROTHSCHILD, THE George ArlissIn my opinion, one of the best pictures played here this summer. Evidently my patrons thought dfheiwise, for it grossed the lowest Saturday and Sunday for three months. Had extra music and other good shorts with it to make it a good program. I rise up in needing to ask why an e-xhibitor should try to run the socalled better class of picture when they don't even pay expenses. Played October 27-28. — Harold C. Allison, Baldwin Theatre, Baldwin, Mich. Small town patronage. MOULIN ROUGE: Constance Bennett— Good musical comedy, but did not draw at the box-office. Running time, 70 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII, THE: Charles Laiighton, Robert Donat, Binnie Barnes, Elsa Lanchester. Merle Oberon— Life story of Henry VIII. Costume play. Acting by Laughton is superb, but on the whole this picture failed to click; lacks definite clirnax, which American audiences demand. An historical epic which people should see, though it wouldn't do them any great harm if they missed it. Not a special. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. WHOOPEE: Eddie Cantor — Very good musical comedy that drew only fair. Eddie Cantor is slipping. Running time, 90 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage. Universal BE MINE TONIGHT: Jan Kiepura, Magda Schneider—Story of mistaken identities. Good plot, but acting is not up to American standard. However, singing by the leading man makes up for any other defects the picture may possess. Even though your audiences may not like "high class" music, I feel certain they will enjoy the singing, especially that of the last reel or two. Clean. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. BY CANDLELIGHT: Elissa Landi, Paul Lukas— A laffable tale of mistaken identities. Lukas should not have shaved his moustache oft — he looks too different. However, the picture should please. Has some clever lines and interesting situations. Sophisticated, laffable. but not a picture for the children. — Don Adler, Empress Circuit, Fairbanks, Alaska. General patronage. CROSBY CASE, THE: Wynne GibsonJust a program picture with no box office appeal. Played September 26-27.— A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage.