Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

44 These Are the Men (Good) MGM — Special 11 mins. Produced originally for the British Ministry of information, and now being released in America by MGM, here is the most intimate close up of the German leaders ever given to the people by the motion picture screen. The commentary which was written in free verse by the young Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, is something to write home about. Hitler, Goebbels, Goering and Hess each are shown at length speaking to the masses ; each describes his rise to pov^fer through the words placed in his mouth by the poet. They are convicting words of criminals facing doom, and the audience will rave about this short for a long time to come. This film is a real credit to British production and deserves .playing time on every screen in America. It'^ real service is to acquaint the public witii.,.the character of our enemies. (Top Slice) One Ham's Family MGM (W-451) Cartoon 8 mins. This Technicolor travesty on the Three Little Pigs motif is sheer delight. The wolf dresses as Santa Glaus, but he fails to fool the piglet, Junior, who slams the wolf around like nobody's business, until that worthy growler loses his skin in fact, and is barely able to get it back in the form of a fur coat. Excellent art work and careful animation added to the comedy make this short just about everything that could be desired. It's for any audience, kids and adults alike. Election Daze MGM (C-496) Our Gang (Good) 10 mins. Mickey thinks he has it all his way in the coming election because he's already president, but Froggy— the boy with the husky voice — runs as a candidate too. They electioneer and curry favor with lemonade and jelly beans, but the vote is a tie. Then they try dividing the Shorts on 42nd St. An observer walking along 42nd Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue the other day reported that of all the theatres along that famed thoroughfare, only two were advertising short subjects on their marquees. One theatre billed "Army Show" as a special added attraction, while another advertised "Young and Beautiful" as a "second feature" to "Stage Door Canteen." Both "Army Show" and "Young and Beautiful," it was pointed out, are Warner shorts. The eagle-eyed pedestrian: Manuel Tarshish, of Warners' short subjects publicity department. club in two, literally, by painting a line down the middle of the meeting room. But this is unsatisfactory and they come to a secret vote by ballot. Here to the surprise of the two candidates, dark horse Janet is the winner and the boys have to take a back seat. The kids will like this very much, and the older folks will look on indulgently. All right for every type audience except the very sophisticated. Cavalcade of the Dance (Excellent) WB (9503) Melody Master 10 mins. Veloz and Yolanda re-create the story of American dancing. Beginning with the Maxixe, they continue on through the Tango, the Charleston, the Black Bottom, show their versatility in jitterbugging and wind up with an exotic interpretation of the Rhumba. The team's dancing is a joy to watch, and their interpretations of the various steps in the evolution of American dancing are remarkable, to say the least. Songs played for the various numbers include Victory Waltz, Darktown Strutter's Ball, Dengoso, Mi Hijo, Jeepers Creepers, and Lamento Esclavo. Subject has been capably directed by Jean Negulesco, and should receive special endorsements and tieins from local dancing schools. NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . . (Released Saturday, October 2) MOVIETONE (Vol. 26, No. 8— Allied forces in action at Salerno; U. S. bombers range South Pacific to bomb Japanese; Lew Lehr sees twins; Football: Army vs. Villanova — Navy vs. North Carolina Navy Pre-Flight; Shipyard workers pause for athletics. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 15, No. 206)— Sensational Salerno Films: Drama of Fifth Army's epic victory on the bloody beaches — Heroic storming of shore by Yanks, Canadians, Britishers — Generals Clark and Alexander meet at the front — Fifth Army holds beachhead, pushes on to Naples and Rome. PARAMOUNT (No. 9)— Football: Army vs. Villanova; Mail Christmas gifts early; Films of invasion of Italy at Salerno. PATHE (Vol. 15, No. 11)— Films of invasion of Italy at Salerno; Mail Christmas gifts early; Red Cross workers on tour of Egypt; Mrs. Roosevelt home from South Pacific; Football; Navy vs. North Carolina Navy Pre-Flight. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 16, No. 228)— Invasion of Italian mainland; Allied planes bomb Japanese in Solomons; Mrs. Roosevelt home from South Pacific; Salmon seined from Columbia River; Army buys turkeys so troops abroad will have bird for Thanksgiving ; Football: Great Lakes vs. Iowa — Army vs. Villanova. ALL-AMERICAN (Issued Weekly— Vol. 2, No. 49)— Veterans of two wars in Legion meet at Omaha; Stork visits Brookfield Zoo ; Baltimore children stage patriotic rally; Negro buckaroos in Texas stage rodeo; Chandler Owen reviews battle of Sicily, capture of Lei and Munda. {Released Wednesday, September 29) MOVIETONE (Vol. 26, No. 7)— Victory at Lae; Assault by sea — Paratroop pincer — Air landing drama — Visitors for MacArthur; General Marshall tells Legionnaires we're on our way; Allied bombers rake France as invasion looms; Styles inspired by "Jane Eyre"; U. S. colored troops show British new drill. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 15, No. 205)— MacArthur in plane directs paratroops; U. S. bombers blast airfields along Nazi Westwall; War talk by General Marshall stirs the American Legion; Negro troops show British new drill; New rubber plastic; Alaska Highway link opens to traffic. PARAMOUNT (No. 8) — American planes bomb Nazi France; American soldiers in Nazi uniforms "capture" Fort Knox, Ky. ; General Marshall addresses American Legion ; General Marshall addresses Senate committee on father draft; Paratroops smash Lae; Camera analysis of New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals. PATHE (Vol. 15, No. 10)— Legion hears General Marshall; Mexico celebrates independence; U. S. bomber makes crash landing; Secretary Knox arrives in England; Allied paratroops smash Lae. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 16, No. 227)— Allied paratroops smash Lae; Lord Louis Mountbatten with British troops; General Marshall addresses American Legion; Hammond, Ind., in drive against black markets; Secretary Knox arrives in England; Berlin bombing; Canada's women riveters; Elastic plastic; Crash landing in New Guinea; Lily Dache designs new hat. Europe's Crossroads (Excellent) 20th-Fox — March of Time No. 2 19 mins. Portugal — the hot spot of Europe — is the subject of this engrossing March of Time subject that covers the story in a most scientific manner. The film starts by showing the strong position of the Church in reference to the Government, and then introduces Prime Minister Salazar, strong man of the regime which has reestablished the state on a firm basis. This country is authoritarian ; that is, the people do not vote, but are represented by guilds in the central council chamber. The picture shows the life of the country, the better — but still poverty-stricken — condition of the peasants, and its chief industries : wine-making, cork, and tungsten ore. From this the film switches to the foreign elements in Lisbon, which is a catchall idt, refugees and officials from both Allies and X^is. The viewer gets the impression of the cosmopolitan nature of this set-up and the clash of personalities and ideas. Lastly, the newspaper correspondents decide that Portugal has taken a strictly neutral stand, with the intention of keeping out of the war and working only for Portugal. This is the first really comprehensive information to appear on the Portugal status and will be received with great interest by all intelligent audiences. Women at War (Outstanding) WB (9001) Technicolor Special 20 mins. Filmed in co-operation with the U. S. Army at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, here is a stirring and impressive, a timely and unforgettable story of the Women's Army Corps; a subject that should quickly dispel any misapprehensions many people might have had concerning the Wac and its part in the war effort. From the time eager young recruits arrive, through their basic training, on to their graduation from either the specialists' school or the officers' candidate school, and finally to their participation in training maneuvers, the subject presents a well-told and revealing story of the Wac. Jean Negulesco has imparted skillful direction to the proceedings, and in leading roles Faye Emerson, Dorothy Day, Marjorie Hoshelle, Virginia Christine and Robert Warwick have admirably essayed true to army -life characterizations. Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby's address to the graduates rings with inspiration and determination, and should, of its own accord, instill the desire to become a Wac in the hearts of thousands of American women. Being released coincidentally with the nation-wide ten-week Wac recruiting drive, exhibition of this outstanding Technicolor subject and tie-ins with local Army officials should be a must for exhibitors. Cartoons Ain't Human (Good) Paramount (E2-12) Popeye 7 mins. Popeye decides that cartoons are not exciting enough, so he proceeds to make one himself. He draws in himself as hero and Olive Oyl as heroine. This is slam-bang old-time melodrama, with a villain who pursues Olive and "don't mean right by the gal." When he is spurned he ties her to a railroad track and she is rescued by Popeye. When the cartoon is finished Popeye shows it to Olive and the Kids by means of some very interesting studio technical work. While this is some distance from Popeye's usual spinach didoes, the film is consistently amusing and holds up to average.