National Box Office Digest (Jan 1940-Jan 1941)

6 THE BOX OFFICE DIGEST 'Invisible Stripes’ Upholds Warner Gangster Standard CURRENT REVIEWS 1. Invisible Stripes WAR We Est. 105 2. The Earl of Chicago MGM 90 3. Calling Philo Vance WAR 70 4. Cafe Hostess COL 70 5. City of Chance FOX 70 WARNERS (The Digest Estimates 105%) Executive Producer. Hal B. Wallis Asso. Producer. ...Louis F. Edelman Director Lloyd Bacon Screenplay Warren Duff Story Jonathan Finn Based on the book by Warden Lewis E. Lawes. Stars: George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden. Featured: Humphrey Bogart, Flora Robson, Paul Kelly, Lee Patrick, Henry O’Neill, Frankie Thomas, Moroni Olsen, Margot Stevenson, Marc Lawrence, Joseph Downing, Leo Gorcey, William Haade, Tully Marshall. Photographer Ernest Haller Film Editor James Gibbon Time 75 minutes Lloyd Bacon’s direction, a grand balance of fast-stepping pace and milking of individual moments, makes this latest version of the Warner Brothers picture good entertainment, and almost makes one forget that basically it is nothing more than formula No. 666 of the Warner saga. Treatment of a yarn was never more emphatically shown than in the result that Bacon and his scripters have secured from what is really nothing more than another pared off the Warner gangster suspects for the morning round-up. It will give satisfaction aplenty to most audiences. Exhibitors will know more about its box office possibilities in their respective territories than we do. Critics have been sounding the death knell on Warner gangster epics for lo. these many years — but the March of Crime goes on. So. who are we to guess? George Raft carries the keynote burden of “Invisible Stripes” with Jane Bryan and V illiam Holden suDplying the romantic angle. It is a story of parole, and the effort of released George Raft to stay on the right side of the law. while he “fathers” his younger brother Holden. The latter. anxious to marry Jane Bryan, is impatient. Raft risks a return to old ways to get the money from a bank hold-up that will set the kid up in business. When he tries to walk out on the gang, afterwards, the shooting starts. There is plenty of the shooting, and a corking chase finish. In addition to the pricipals mentioned, above ordinary performances are turned in by Flora Robson and Humphrey Bogart, Miss Robson registering with articular strength. All in all, a good show. It is essentially a director’s picture, with Lloyd Bacon probably more than willing to give due share of credit to Warren Duff's scripting. Exhibitors Booking Suggestion: Aces in the gangster classification , so you can judge your own possibilities, and choose your spots, by knowledge of how your audiences feel about re-fighting the battles of prison and gangsterdom. Previewed Dec. 21th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “The high production quality of ‘Invisible Stripes,’ combined with a superlative direction job and some fine performances, give this picture its moneymaking possibilities. It offers little or nothing that is new in its treatment of the familiar theme.” VARIETY : “Warners, with a long line of money-making crime pictures written into its production record, clicks with another. Yet, while it is hewn from the same basic plank as its flow of predecessors from the Burbank lot, it stands out in sharp contrast because of its red-blooded, action-crammed, suspenseful screen play, its telling direction and its masterful performances.” 'Earl of Chicago’ Critics Hit; Box Office Worry MGM (The Digest Estimates 90%) Producer Victor Saville Director Richard Thorpe Screenplay Lesser Samuels Story: Charles de Grandcourt, Gene Fowler. Book .Brock Williams Stars: Robert Montgomery, Edward Arnold. Featured: Reginald Owen, Ed mund Gwenn, E. E. Clive, Ronald Sinclair, Norma Varden, Halliwell Hobbes, Ian Wulf, Peter Godfrey, Billy Bevan. Photographer Ray June Musical Score: Werner Heymann Film Editor Frank Sullivan Time 85 minutes “The Earl of Chicago” is apparently another orphan left on the industry’s doorstep by the outbreak of Europe’s war and its astringent effect on the English market. Skillfully directed by Richard Tborpe, played to the hilt by Robert Montgomery and Edward Arnold, together with fine support. it is, nevertheless a picture that never makes up its mind. For one half the distance it is corking American gangster comedy; for the other half it floun ders between straight drama and some sort of message about the glories of being a Briton, and the triumph of being able to walk to the scaffold with the chin up. Give Robert Montgomery a few more of these performances aimed at critics and possible Award mention and he will be in shape to wash up. Which is a shame, because he is a trouper, he does possess personality, and he should be able to find roles that the cash customers want. And maybe the cash customers deserve some consideration along with the critics. Story of “Earl of Chicago” opens with Montgomery doing a good job in unexpected surroundings as the king-pin racketeer of his city, and establishes Edward Arnold, who has done a stretch from which he might have been saved if Montgomery had not "ratted" on him at the trial. Comes the plot device that makes Montgomery the heir to a British title, and his decision to travel and see how7 the pickings are in this new pasture. He takes Arnold along because, as he says, “Arnold has always been honest.” Transition finds the erstwhile racketeer slowly imbibing the traditions of the race and the title, whole Arnold is secretly looting the money hoard. Premise has been established that, big as he is in conniving, Montgomery has a childhood-born fear of guns. Then to a corking dramatic scene which results in Montgomery killing Arnold, and on to the trial before the House of Lords. The trial, incidentally, may be a socko for British audiences, but it is going to be just so much so-so for Americans in the mass. And Montgomery, going through a reel or so without a line of dialogue. is superlative acting and direction, but it is not made for his Sioux Citv fans. As has been mentioned, the ending is stark tragedy. Edward Arnold troupes with all his assured skill in the all-important role opposite Montgomery. Supporting cast, practically all-British, is excellent. Richard Thorpe’s direction is top-notch, with a piece of material that was always a problem. Production guidance was by Victor Saville. who held the reins on those successful English made pictures Ben Goetz delivered to MGM. His entire production is class and quality: but maybe it is one of those stories that shouldn't have been started until it had made up its mind. Exhibitors Booking Suggestion: A puzzler. The critics will boost , but we are afraid the customers will puzzle. Previewed Dec. 26. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “So completely different as to defy classification, ‘The Earl of Chicago’ is an absorbing, wholly fascinating picture. It has so many facets of distinction, so much that is striking and unusual, combined with a story which is unflaggingly gripping and unpredictable to its final, impressive climax, that it adds up to a rare screen treat. This is real entertainment, so superbly7 done that it adds new lustre to everyone connected with it.” VARIETY: “This is a strange and potent combination — of travesty7 and tragedy — a tragic drama of bizarre contrasts, with a long comedy7 prelude. As such it offers entertainment far off the beaten paths of formula and is the kind of stuff for which Robert Montgomery has strong liking.”