Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

October 3, 1042 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 37 SHORT SUBJECT CHECKUP (by Series) planes to reach its target, complete its mission, and return to its base with one motor shot out, seven of eleven control cables shot away, the rear landing wheel blown off and the two front wheels shot flat. The early background scenes are interesting enough in themselves, but the realism and suspense of those scenes dealing with the crew's exploits are thrilling, to say the least. Captain Wheless displays poise and confidence in his performance. He doesn't act, he is completely natural ; there is no awkwardness or fear of the camera in this young pilot's makeup. Too, he is revealed as a typical American, the fellow next door whom everybody likes. No little credit for the subject's fine production values and performances are due Producer Gordon Hollingshead and Director Lewis Seller. "Beyond the Line of Duty" should be seen by every American. Every exhibitor fortunate enough to play it should boost it to the skies. To permit it to play without benefit of special promotion should constitute nothing less than an exhibitor failing in the line of duty to his patrons and to his country. Screen Snapshots No. 2* (Good) Col. (4852) 10 mins. Between cake-baking sequences, film actor Allyn Joslyn acts as master of ceremonies for clips in this reel. First, the audience is introduced to mothers of Gary Coopejj Mickey Rooney, John Carroll, Bonita Granville, Mary Howard, Director George Marshall, Wendy Barjie, Bing Crosby, Fred MacMurray, Nancy Kelly, Robert Sterling, Pat O'Brien, Marsha Hunt and Shirley Temple. Next, Joan Davis and Bob Burns are shown in their Victory Gardens. Finally, Juanita Quigley stages her own War Bond drive after Larry Simms and Danny Mummert unwittingly reveal the fact that their respective parents are hoarding sugar. Nearly all the clips have evidently been specially staged for the Screen Snapshots cameraman ; even so, they are still interesting, and the reel as a whole provides a pleasant ten minutes. Ralph Staub directed. United States Marine Band* (Outstanding) Vita. (8503) Melody Master No. 3 10 mins. Foregoing the customary peacetime dance orchestras as Melody Master subject matter, Warner Bros, brings to the screen for the first time the United States Marine Band and chorus under the direction of Captain William F. Santelmann, band master. Following a stirring martial rendition of the Marine's Hymn, the versatile organization presents a portion of the dramatic symphonic poem, Les Preludes (Liszt), reverts again to martial themes with the playiug of Song of the Marines and concluding with Semper Fidelis. When a subject brings a catch to your throat with its uplifting and inspiringpresentation of the story of the Marines on land, sea and air with martial music in the background, that subject is worthy of the word "great." Through most of the footage the band is filmed against the background of the nation's capital. Splendid is the direction of Jean Negulesco. Be assured that before the subject ends, your patrons will be cheering and applauding with patriotic pride and enthusiasm. You should be proud to play and your patrons will have been proud to see the "United States Marine Band." It was produced by Gordon Hollingshead. Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 6 Para. (Zl-6) 9 mins. (Good) Most interesting feature of this one-reeler which, incidentally, was photographed at Pickfair, home of Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers, is the fashion show based on famous covers of The Saturday Evening Post. Costumes of the early years of the 20th century are modeled by COLUMBIA ^1940-41^ ^1941 -42-> Com Com Series Sold pleted Sold pleted 18 All 18 16 Cinescopes 10 9 8 5 Color Rhapsodies 16 10 16 8 Community Sings 10 8 10 All Fables Cartoons 8 All 8 5 Glove Slingers Kl None 4 A II All International Forum.... None 6 3 New York Parade 6 2 None Panoramics None 12 5 Phantasies Cartoons 8 7 8 5 Quiz Reels 6 All 6 5 Screen Snapshots 12 9 10 All Stooge Comedies 8 All 8 All This Changing World... . None 6 2 Tours 10 All 8 4 Washington Parade 6 4 None World of Sports 12 8 12 10 TOTAL 130 107 140 100 METRO-GOLDWYN MAYER Cartoons 18 13 16 14 Miniatures 10 All 10 o Our Gang 9 All 10 o y Passing Parade 9 All 10 6 Pete Smith Specialties. . 14 12 14 Fitzpatrick Traveltalks 12 All 12 All Special Subjects 1 Two Reel Specials 6 All 6 5 TOTAL 78 71 78 DO PARAMOUNT Animated Antics 10 13 None Color Classic , None 1 None Fascinating Journeys . . . 6 All 2 All Gabby Cartoons 8 All None Headliners 8 7 6 5 Hedda Hopper None 6 All Madcap Models 6 4 6 All Paragraphlcs 6 5 None Popeye 12 All 12 All Popular Science 6 All 6 All Quiz Kids None 6 All Robert Benchley 4 All 4 5 Speaking of Animals None 6 All Special Cartoon 1 1 1 1 Sportlights 13 All 13 All Superman Cartoons None 12 All Unusual Occupations . . . 6 All 6 All TOTAL 86 86 86 86 Joan Davis, June Duprez, June Havoc, Ann Gillis, Lola Lane and Joyce Matthews. The subject also contains glimpses of Reginald Denny, Frieda Inescort, Boris Karloff, Adolphe Menjou, Ian Hunter, Rudy Vallee, Mary Pickford, Reginald Gardiner, a kiltie band and others. It closes with three i-opular stars, living symbols of American women in wartime, saluting the Flag : Claudette Colbert of the V olunteer American Army Canteen Service, Joan Bennett of the American Women's Voluntary Service and Mary Pickford of the American Red Cross. Good entertainment for any audience, it was produced by Herbert Moulton. Record Breakers (Interesting) RKO (24,313) Sportscope No. 13 8 mins. Despite the present campaign for old phonograph records, this subject has nothing to do with that kind of record ; instead, it presents world famous record breakers of the cinder track in action. Greg Rice and John Munski are shown fighting it out the mile-and-a-half special during the Drake Relays. Then the scene shifts to the SSth Annual AAU Track Meet at New * Indicates 1942-43 Release RKO-RADIO ^1940-41-^^1941-42Com G>m Series Sold pleted Sold plefed Disney Cartoons 18 All 1 o 18 o Edgar Kennedy 6 All 6 All Information Please .... 13 All ,13 10 Leon Errol 6 All 6 All March of Time 13 All 13 All Picture People 13 10 13 All 1 1 None Ray Whitley 4 All 4 All None 3 None Special Subjects 1 Sportscopes 13 AM 13 All TOTAL 87 All 86 75 20TH CENTURY FOX Adventures of Newsreel Cameraman 4 4 4 6 Dribble Puss Parade 4 1 None Fashion Forecast 4 None None Magic Carpet 8 10 1 y B o Believe It Or Not None 1 None Sports Reviews 6 7 o All Mil Terrytoons 26 All 26 All World Today None 4 4 TOTAL 52 52 52 52 UNITED ARTISTS World in Action None 12 7 UNIVERSAL Cartunes 13 All 13 A II AM Musicals 13 All 13 A II AN Special Subjects 1 1 2 A II All Stranger Than Fiction. . . 15 All 15 All All Variety Views 15 All 15 A II All TOTAL 57 57 58 58 VITAPHONE-WARNER BROS. 9 All 12 All 3 An None Hollywood Novelties . . . 6 All 6 All Looney Tunes 16 All 16 15 Melody Masters 10 AM 10 All Merrie Melodies 26 All 26 24 Special Subjects 2 2 None 1 Sports Parades 10 All 10 9 Technicolor Specials . . . 6 All 6 All TOTAL 83 88 86 83 GRAND TOTAL 578 552 598 527 York's Triborough Stadium where Tom Montgomery throws the discus, Al Blozis the shot put. Other amateur record breakers include Boyd Brown, javelin thrower; Seaman William Brown, broad jumper ; Cliff Bourland, 400meter runner; Bill Cummins, 110-meter high hurdler ; Cornelius Warmerdam, pole vaulter, who sets a new high of 15.2 feet; Harold Davis, 100-meter dasher ; and Leslie MacMitchel, Leroy Weed and Gilbert Dodds, 1,500-meter racers. Whether sport fans or no, audiences will find this an entertaining subject. It was produced by Frederic Ullman, Jr. Information Please No. 10 (Average) RKO (24,210) 11 mins. Rating this new release in the Information Please series as "average" is just another way of saying it's excellent, as have been the previous releases. John Carradine, character actor, is the guest who appears with the regulars : Oscar Levant, Franklin P. Adams and John Kieran. The questions they are called upon to answer and their good-natured ribbings provide wholesome, amusing and educational screen fare. Fredric Ullman, Jr. produced under the supervision of Dan Golenpaul.