Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1940)

October 5, 1940 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 15 ranged with stores handling women's apparel and luggage. Flood the town with throw-aways, imprinted "Clear The Streets, Dulcy Is On Her Way." Restaurants might feature a special "Dulcy Barbeque Steak" during the run of the picture. Catchline: "Dulcy ... the original zaney whose heart of gold was where her brain ought to be." Melody And Moonlight (Hollywood Preview) Republic Musical 72 rruns. (Prod. No. S— Nat'l Release, Oct. 11) AUDIENCE SLANT: (FAMILY) ENTERTAINING, WITH LAUGHS GROWING AS AUDIENCE SOPHISTICATION DROPS. BOX OFFICE SLANT: LACK OF NAMES WILL HOLD IT TO AVERAGE. Cast : Johnny Downs, Barbara Allen, Jerry Colonna, Jane Frazee, Mary Lee, Frank Jenks, Claire Carleton, Jonathan Hale, Marten Lamont, Edward Lewis, Robert Remington, Paul Cordner, William S. Kerns, Maurice Costello, Nick Copeland, Gino Corrado, others. Credits: Director, Joseph Santley. Produced by Robert North. Screenplay by Bradford Ropes, from an original by David Silverstein. Director of Photography, Ernest Miller. Art director, John Victor McKay. Film editor, Ernest Nims. Musical director, Cy Feuer. Songs by Jule Styne, George H. Brown and Sol Meyer. Plot: .Jane Frazee, debutante No. 1, has her career as a cafe hula dancer cut short by her father, Jonathan Hale. Ordered home, she and her aunt, Barbara Allen (who sympathizes with her), force her fiance^ Marten Lamont, to take them to the Glass Slipper ballroom. Johnny Downs, vaude hoofer now working as a bellhop, mistakes Jane for one of the hostesses. She substitutes for his partner, they place second in a jitterbug contest which breaks up in a fight, landing Barbara and Jerry Colonna, the boy friend she has picked up, in jail. Jane breaks away from home. Ousted from_ her hotel, Johnny sends her home to his sister, Mary Lee. With no theatrical work, they conceive the idea of teaching tap dancing by radio. Colonna offers to sponsor, Hale makes him cancel. Johnny sees Hale, learns who Jane really is and thinks she has been using him for a new thrill. Jane gets Frank Jenks, the Glass Slipper manager, to become the sponsor, then has a fight with Downs. Mary sees Jane and Hale, wins the latter to her side and Jane makes the broadcast, where their engagement is approved and announced. Comment: Outside of de luxe operations, this will prove a good supporting item to balance a heavy dramatic feature. The story and jokes are its weakest points, therefore it will only appeal to less sophisticated audiences. Typical Joseph Santley direction brings a number of novel treatments of stock camera shots and the four musical numbers, while average, are tuneful. Jane Frazee, radio vocalist, who plays the romantic lead opposite Johnny Downs is best in her song and dance numbers. Mary Lee, a personality-plus juvenile, registers strongly as his kid sister. Jerry Colonna plants his now standardized variety of humor but Barbara Allen (Vera Vague on the radio) is less impressive. She's too smartly dressed and intelligent looking for the gags she draws to impress those who see her as well as radio audiences. Catchline: "A Park Avenue debutante on her own." That Gang Of Mine (Hollywood Preview) Monogram Comedy-Drama 62 m'ns. (Prod. No. 4021, Nat'l Release, Sept 23) AUDIENCE SLANT: (FAMILY) SHOULD ENTERTAIN THE YOUNGSTERS. BOX OFFICE SLANT: OKAY FOR A SATURDAY MATINEE SPOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES. Cast: Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Clarence Muse, Dave O'Brien, Joyce Bryant, Donald Haines, David Gorcey, Sunshine Sammy Morrison, Eugene Francis, Milton Kibbee, Hazel Keener, Richard R. Terry, Wilbur Mack. Credits: Directed by Joseph Lewis. Screenplay by William Lively. Film editor, Carl Pierson. Photography by Robert Cline. Produced by Sam Katzman. Plot: Leo Gorcey, one of the East Side Kids, wants to become a jockey, although he has never been on a horse. The gang has been using an unused stable as a playground, when they suddenly find it occupied by Clarence Muse and his Kentucky race horse. They raise enough money to enter the horse in a race, but due to Gorcey's inexperience, the horse loses. Eugene Francis's father, who saw the race becomes interested and decides to train the horse. Just before the race, Gorcey changes his mind about riding and persuades an experienced jockey to ride, and the horse comes in a winner. Comment: This one should fit in okay on a Saturday matinee spot in the neighborhood houses. While the picture has a fair amount of action, it suffers from an inferior script, so transparent at times, that it becomes annoying. In its favor are the performances of the entire cast, which includes Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan and Clarence Muse, all of whom rise way above the material. Although made on a low budget, it is well directed and produced and should entertain the youngsters. It is doubtful if the adults will like it. A jockey riding a race horse around town, will make a good ballyhoo stunt. Racing equipment could be spotted in your lobby and out front. Catchline: "It took more than a tough hide to become a jockey." Universal Ragtime Cowboy Joe Western 58 mins. (Prod. No. 5061— Nat'l Release, Sept. 20) AUDIENCE SLANT: (FAMILY) OKAY FOR THE WESTERN FANS. BOX OFFICE SLANT: DEPENDS ON HOW WELL WESTERNS DO IN YOUR SITUATION. Cast: Tohnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight. Nell O'Day, Dick Curtis, Marilyn Merrick, Walter Soderling, Rov Barcroft, Harry Tenbrook, George Flues, Ed Cassidy, Buck Moulton, Harold Goodwin, Wilfred (Continued on page 25) m ■ starring Kermy BAKER • Frances LANGFORD H„ah HERBERT Mory BOLAND-Ann MILLER PATSY KELLY-PHIL SILVERS-STERLING HOLLOWAY j DONALD MacBRIDE • BARNETT PARKER FRANKLIN PANGBORN'SIX HITS AND A MISS ' and his HARMONICA eonoh MINEVITCH RASCALS • John H. Auer— Director NT CAJT Cr JCEEEN AND CADIC /TAE/!