Boxoffice (Jul 7, 1951)

ABOUT PICTURES An open forum in which, jor the most part, exhibitors report on subsequent-run showings of pictures. One (*) denotes a new contributor; two (**) is one who has been reporting jor six months or longer; three (***) a regular who has been reporting jor one year or more. These columns are open to all exhibitors. COLUMBIA Born Yesterday (Col) — Judy Holliday, Broderick Crawford, William Holden. Well, it did it again! This is the second time I’ve played “Born” to top business, It gave me one of my best Tuesday giveaway nights. Practically all were repeats. Weather: Clear. —Don Donechue, Novato Theatre, Novato, Calif, Small town and rural patronage, ° * ° Last of the Buccaneers (Col)—James Ellis0n, Mary Beth Hughes, Jane Frazee. There was too much nice color, also too high production values to be lost on a cast that had no star power at all. Part of them never will have, if I’m any judge. The story is okay, if pirate or sea stories hold up for you. Here they die a miserable death. Film rental was most reasonable, but I didn’t even get it back. This made a very bad week at the boxoffice a heck of a lot worse. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Small town and rural patronage. eee Pygmy Island (Col)—Johnny Weissmuller, Ann Savage, David Bruce. This picture we double billed with Roy Rogers for the weekend. I think it is a fine picture but we did not enjoy good business, due to the farmers being too busy on the Jand. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Warm—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont. General patronage. | 93 LIPPERT PRODUCTIONS Bandit Queen (LP)—Barbara Britton, Willard Parker, Philip Reed. They liked this action feature. The plot differs from the dumb westerns I’ve shown lately. The title drew ’em in, Played Tues., Wed.—Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. a Sie METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Devil’s Doorway (MGM)—Robert Taylor, Louis Calhern, Paula Raymond. This is a different kind of western, with Taylor in a different role, and it is as good as it was different. They liked it. When Metro makes westerns they are good—but why can’t they find more suitable titles? Spring work, a band concert, and a pinch in spending kept this from doing average business, Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot and windy. —Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Smail town patronage. mio Happy Years, The (MGM)—Dean Stockwell, Scotty Beckett, Darryl Hickman. This was mighty fine. All comments were good. However, I thought it a little too long. It played below “Watch the Birdie” to poor business. However, this should please in any situation. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Clear. —Don Donohue, Novato Theatre, Novato, Calif. Small town and rural patronage. *°* Right Cross (MGM)—June Allyson, Dick Powell, Ricardo Montalban. Two beautiful nights were wasted on this. It is another weak one from MGM. No wonder Leo roars. It is too bad to put stars like these in a no-good story. It sure was a washout here. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Good.—Bill Leonard, Leonard Theatre, Cedar Vale, Kas. Small town and rural patronage. dt Ag Summer Steck (MGM)——Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken. From the comments I heard about the trailer, I knew I was in for a beating on this one. Twelve different people came out in one evening and told me 2 they were going to pass my Sunday show because it was another of those loud musicals. I offered all of them passes, just to prove they were wrong, and couldn’t get a taker in the bunch. Sunday wasn’t good, Monday was off, and if I had known what Tuesday was going to be, we'd have gone somewhere and taken in a show. Weather: Fair.—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Rural patronage. 209 Two Weeks With Love (MGM) — Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern. Swell show—this is really a worth-while picture. It is a nice, clean, wholesome family story. Business was way below par but those that came surely enjoyed it. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Fair.—Bill Leonard, Leonard Theatre, Cedar Vale, Kas. Small town and rural patronage. 25% Vengeance Valley (MGM)—Burt Lancaster, Robert Walker, Joanne Dru. This is a good western picture in color which did fair business, but I failed to show a profit on it as the rental was too high. The exchange booked it to me as a super-duper, which it is not. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good.— E. M. Freiburger, Dewey Theatre, Dewey, Okla, Small town patronage. *\siy Watch the Birdie (MGM)—Red Skelton, Arlene Dahl, Ann Miller. This gave me one of the poorest Sundays I’ve ever had. On top of it all, Red wasn’t up to snuff. Skip it unless you can buy it cheap. My deal with Loew’s is darned rough. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Clear—Don Donohue, Novato Theatre, Novato, Calif. Small town and rural patronage. = MONOGRAM Blues Busters (Mono)—Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Adele Jergens. The Bowery Boys pleased and did their average business. They have what the customers want to pay money to see. Played Fri., Sat—Melvin M. Edel, State Theatre, Centralia, Ill. General patronage. oe PARAMOUNT At War With the Army (Para)—Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Polly Bergen. This is comedy Makes You Feel Good ToSee Them in Line TWILIGHT IN THE SIERRAS (Rep)— Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Estelita Rodriguez. This western in Trucolor was doubled with a reissue, “Village Barn Dance,” with Lulubelle and Scotty and an excellent cast of radio talent. We had many favorable comments from our pa2trons as this is the kind of entertainment that our small town and rural patrons go for. The bill played with the best Fri-Sat, business in months. This was the third time “Village Barn Dance” had played this theatre and folks enjoyed it just as much as when it was brand new. You exhibitors in small towns are missing the boat if you don't play the hillbilly relssues—and they can be bought right. It makes you feel good to see them standing in line once more, Try one of these on your double feature programs, and you won’t be sorry.—Marion F. Bodwell, Paramount Theatre, Wyoming, Ill. Small town and rural patronage. eos eee His Neighboring Town Did Him Good Turn WO WEEKS WITH LOVE (MGM)— Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern. To our pleasant surprise, this did above average business. Our big neighboring town theatre played it day and date. Its manager blanketed my town with heralds—which helped me a Iot. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot and windy.—Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Small town patrons age. po at its best, from the leading screwballs. Business was good for the midweek, but the checker was there, and that made us unhappy. It will do extra business and it is one of the best ‘“army-type” comedies ever made. Business? We ain’t squawking. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather: Cool and windy. . —Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Small town patronage. bea Branded (Para)—Alan Ladd, Mona Freeman, Charles Bickford. This is the best western picture Ladd ever appeared in. Everybody raved about it. Business was good and the color excellent. This part was tailored for Ladd and his popularity here is number-1 with everyone. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Warm. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Small town patronage. oat fags Mr. Music (Para)—Bing Crosby, Nancy Olson, Charles Coburn. I expected to show & profit on this one, but instead took a loss. I guess Crosby is slipping. It seems that the picture is too long and too talky. There is not a catchy song in the whole show—and I am a musician and ought to know. One of the tradepapers said it was excellent but I don’t agree. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger, Dewey Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. eee Tripoli (Para) — -Maureen O’Hara. John Payne, Howard DaSilva. You'll find this is a@ good patriotic action hit that will be most pleasing to the youngsters and teenagers and the perfect feature for a tieup with the schools. We gave them half the profit to help defray the cost of printing this year’s high School annual. Both of us ended up with a nice profit on midweek and I built a little good will, I hope. Schools let out for it. You can use this to the same advantage if you're interested. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair.—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Small town and rural patronage, °**°* RKO RADIO Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The (REO) —Reissue. Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, Myrna Loy. Grant again drew them in but Shirley Temple is extremely unpopular in this country—Myrna Loy very popular. It is not a bad comedy, at that. It played to good houses and the racing and sports scenes were as funny as any we have seen in years. ee ou aaey a ueatte, Kitwe/Nkeana, odesia, Africa, setae ca, Town and mining Gunga Din (RKO)—Reissue. Ca Victor McLaglen, Douglas Taihee ieee fared as well as could be expected, as right now nothing is doing any business. Seasonal farm work has us behind the eight-ball. It is a fine reissue, with good print etc. and worth playing in action houses. Played Tues, Wed, Weather: Hot. — Ken Christianson, eatre, ay e/a eshburn, N. D, Small town Thing From Another World, The (RKO)— di Tobey, Margaret Sheridan, James oung. We used this on Fri., Sat. but would recommend it for midweek instead, as it Scared too many of the kids and many of our BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: July 7, 1953 i