Box office digest (Dec 1938-Dec 1939)

NOVEMBER 8, 1939 5 1L /?« C§ce: REPORTS "DISPUTED PASSAGE” TOP PICTURE WITH MARX RROTHERS ALSO STROM PARAMOUNT— I Release In a period when national box office averages are spotty — very good in certain industrial centers picking up because of war angles, very poor in others, and over the average much below what some good attractions would normally gross, it is interesting to watch what Paramount is doing with “Disputed Passage,’’ a depiction of the Lloyd C. Douglas novel, published with all the ballyhoo background of Cosmopolitan Magazine. The picture is holding at a healthy average of 115%; doing much better in many spots where its background values are being exploited. It will pick up, for the simple reason that it is an intelligent, sincere picturization of what Douglas fans — you might call them fanatics — expect of their idol. Credit for this goes to Harlan Thompson, producer, who did not allow ’movie' temptations to lure him from giving them Douglas as they want Douglas. Sharing the credit is a straight line directorial job by Frank Borzage. and an increased opportunity for that rapidly growing favorite John Howard, who shares top honors with Dorothy Lamour. Lloyd Douglas’ offerings have a consistent record as box office winners, as witness “Green Light.” and “Magnificent Obsession, so this one should continue to hold its own as it travels to subsequent runs; its present rating being remarkably good considering a comparatively reasonable production cost. MGM-.I New Release MGM also hits in the money making class this week with the new Marx Brothers picture. “AT THE CIRCUS.” which on its first openings is doing fairly well at a 112% average. While this is not as strong as many of the former Marx Brothers comedies, still it is satisfactory considering the general off conditions throughout the country today, with the exception of New York, the only location where business has really been good since the opening of the World's Fair. As there are so many heavy melodramas on the market today, “AT THE CIRCUS will be a life-saver for many hookers in spots to lighten up the situation. The picture itself rates as one of the most hilarious of the Marx offerings. FOX— 2 New Releases Twentieth Century-Fox has two new' releases this week, neither of which are of any particular importance, as one is just a weak programmer, while the second is an English importation. Fox’s latest programmer from the Sol Wurtzel unit is entitled “HEAVEN WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE.” which is just getting by at a 71% average. While this picture Of Five New Releases in the Past Week. Two Rated Over 100%, and Three Were Below The Mark. e is quite entertaining, still it is entirely lacking in marquee names, and thus will have to be double billed with a much stronger box office picture. The featured cast includes Jean Rogers. Raymond XX alburn. Marjorie Rambeau. Glen Ford, and Eddie Collins. Ricardo Cortez directed. 4 1 1 IT'S IN THE WORKS! The Box Office Digest's NEW YEAR'S SUMMARY — the most efficient work§ ing tool ever devised for all branches of this industry. f; In compact form — with dictionary clarity — all the essential facts that the showman or picture worker needs about every picture currently in circulation. The box office angles and figures; the reviewer's thoughts. All wrapped up in a handy package. P.S.: The advertising pages will be working for our friends day in and day out because it is the sort of working tool that will be used day in and day out. s Fox’s second release this week is another of the Robert Kane English-made pictures, “SHIPYARD SALLY.'’ Grade Fields, who is starred, rates as the third most popular box office favorite in England, and yet she has such a small following over here that on its first bookings, “SHIPYARD SALLY is only averaging around 68%, which is about the same as Grade’s last two pictures released through Fox. “XX e re Going To Be Rich and “Smiling Along.” However, this comedy drama of the great Scotch shipyards and docks will probably fill in as satisfactory entertainment on the lower half of the average double bill, particularly in the “nabes” and even more so in sea part towns and cities. Monty Banks, who has been responsible for the Grade Fields productions of the past two or three years, also directed this one. RKO— I New Release Sol Lesser's attempt to give Sonja Henie a little ice skating competition by introducing his new six year old starlet, Irene Dare, has not so far proved very successful, for in her first starring picture, “EVERYTHING S ON ICE. ” the figures are exceptionally weak at a 67% average. In introducing little Irene Dare to stardom, producer Sol Lesser overlooked the two most important essentials. First, a new star should be introduced to the public with a cast of big marquee names to help put her over, and second a terrific national publicity exploitation and advertising campaign is very important, which in this case was definitely absent. However, as the picture was made on short money, the results may be satisfactory from a box office angle as far as Mr. Lesser is concerned. as he is resigning his RKO releasing set-up and forming a new organization with Ernst Lubitsch, which will produce big “A” attractions for the United Artists program. Irene Dare is exceptionally clever on skates and has plenty of personality, so much so that if a major producer picked up this young lady's option (in case Mr. Lesser doesn't) she might be built into a fairly big box office name. Jackie Coogan, Shirley Temple, and other child stars made their biggest successes at about her age. The featured cast is headed by Roscoe Karns, Edgar Kennedy, Lynne Roberts, Eric Linden, and Bobby XX atson. Erie C. Kenton directed for Principal Picture — RKO release. HIGHLIGHTS (Continued from Page 4) market place. . . . Flash! Did you see the New York reports that gave the Friday, Saturday business on “Drums Along The Mohawk? . . . Our word to The Digest office is a powerful hit of testimony as to selling value of that nation-wide broadcast. . . . The picture opened at a top figure around $9000. something to crow about in any man’s picture league. . . . Ordinarily our tables of expectations in the office here would indicate that a hit would move up about $3000 additional on the Saturday date. Instead, after the broadcast, the picture leap-frogged $6000. . . . There’s a slice of the radio expense back already. . . . Multiply it. . . . Cards coming in from the preview sneaks out of town on “Of Mice and Men" are hot — really hot. . . . Looks as though Roach has a humdinger. 5 New Features Not in Last Issue 1. Disputed Passage PAR We Est. 115 no 2. At The Circus MGM 112. 115 3. Heaven With Barber Wire Fence. FOX 71 70 4. Shipyard Sally FOX .... 68 70 5. Everything’s On Ice RKO 67 65