National Box Office Digest (Feb-July 1941)

FEBRUARY 8, 1941 7 'Back Street' May Be Heavy For 1941 Diet UNIVERSAL The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 125% Producer __ . Bruce Manning Director Robert Stevenson Screenplay Bruce Manning, Felix Jackson Based on novel by Fannie Hurst Stars Charles Boyer, Margaret Sullavan Featured: Richard Carlson, Frank McHugh, Tim Holt, Frank Jenks, Esther Dale, Samuel S. Hinds, Peggy Stuart, Nell O’Day, Kitty O’Neil, Nella Walker, Cecil Cunningham. Photographer William Daniels Art Director Jack Otterson Time 89 minutes The woman appeal inherent in any "other woman” yarn, particularly one with the background of "Back Street,” given excellent production such as Bruce Manning has accorded this new Universal version, will undoubtedly result in figures on the black side of the ledger for exhibitors playing the picture. For, there is also the Boyer-Sullavan value. But the picture is a problem for 1941 audience diets. It is slow-paced in motion, a bit bewildering in characterization, and a trifle on the hammy side every now and then in direction. However, the women who turn out for the box office line to see how the wrong sort of women live and die, and who may like to point out to hubbies the things that befall the man who strays from the path, will probably again chuck their coin in. This new version, while retaining the underlying theme, is not quite the "Back Street” story that John Stahl produced and directed for Universal. So. aside from the values in the title and theme, it must be considered pretty much as a new picture. This time it is Charles Boyer in the original John Boles characterization, with Mar 'You're the One' PARAMOUNT The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 90% Written and Produced by Gene Markey Director — ..Ralph Murphy Featured: Orrin Tucker, Bonnie Baker, Albert Dekker, Jerry Colonna, Edward Everett Horton Lillian Cornell, Walter Catlett, Don Castle, Teddy Hart, Renie Riano, Eddie Conrad, Tom Dugan, Clarence Wilson, Mariska Aldrich, Charles Lane. Photographer Ted Tetzlaff Time 81 Minutes There isn’t much sense to the proceedings in "You’re the One,” but there are plenty of laughs. There isn’t much heft to the story outline, but apparently Producer-Writer Gene Markey and Director Ralph Murphy just decided they had a 1941 vaudeville show on their hands, and were satisfied to make it a fast-stepping bill, even if somewhat disconnected. And in search of anything and everything to tickle the risibilities, they didn’t even garet Sullavan handling Irene Dunne’s marquee chores. The city slicker comes to the small town. This particular slicker happens to be Charles Boyer, who extends his overnight visit for a week or more when his eyes meet those of Margaret Sullavan. Miss Sullavan is a cocky miss of the town, a step-daughter, who really seems to be getting along well with romance by association with Richard Carlson, youngster with ideas about horseless carriages. Miss Sullavan falls for Boyer, and he reciprocates, but the trouble is that the latter has a fiancee back somewhere in the East. Even at that, he forgets the fiancee for a few minutes, actually plans to marry Margaret, but, darn it, the gal misses the boat. So the paddle wheels churn down the river while our heroine stands on the dock. Years later they meet again, on a New York street corner, in a snowstorm. The eventuality — Miss Sullavan becomes the other woman, with a luxurious apartment, and spoodles of furs. Because poor Charlie had meanwhile become married, and was also a father, Boyer vouchsafes the question of getting a divorce from his lawfully wedded spouse once, but nothing comes of it. And even after he lets her down badly on one occasion and Miss Sullavan returns to the home town, with definite plans to marry the likeable auto genius, nothing happens. Because Boyer shows up. All of this puts quite a burden on Charles Boyer for the audience appeal of the picture, because it must depend on how the women palpitate over Mr. Boyer, on how many excuses the men will make for him and for Miss Sullavan. Both of the stars turn in grand performances, with Frank McHugh close on their heels in a part that starts as brisky comedy, but ends by giving this fine actor meaty moments of seriousness. Richard hesitate to drag in many of the moth-eaten gags. But, as Jerry Colonna puts it in one dialogue line topping a situation, "It’s old, but it’s reliable.” The picture has its box office values in the radio following that goes hot for Orrin Tucker’s music, for Bonnie Baker’s individualistic style, and for Jerry Colonna at last getting some real footage. It takes on its added strength in the fact that the balance of the cast has been hand-picked for veteran troupers who know the job of getting laughs. Its weakness is that the collection of this sort of talent practically forced Writer Markey, in getting the utmost out of the musickers and the comics, to confine himself to the slenderest of story outlines, just sufficient to change scenes. But Ralph Murphy manages to hold it together, to give it pace, and who is worrying much about sense these days? We won’t attempt to tell the story, or to give due praise to all the cast credits deserv Carlson’s fine job will advance his career; he is the fellow you hope will win the girl. Bruce Manning, in his initial production assignment at Universal, has also served as collaborator on the screenplay. Despite his dated subject, he has a money picture that will start his producer record at Universal off with a bang, and when he gets his teeth into such subjects as he wrote so often for Deanna Durbin, you can expect even more noise. Director Robert Stevenson, who came here from England for an assignment with David Selznick, which turned out to be a loan-out to RKO for "Tom Brown’s School Days,” handles his scenes very much on the "stagey” side — that is, each scene is a lifting and lowering of the curtain, without full consideration for motion picture pace. The result is a sense of heaviness, not entirely necessary. Aside from Frank McHugh’s top performance, mention should be made of good supporting jobs turned in by Frank Jenks and Tim Holt. Jack Otterson’s art direction had to cover quite a span of years as the story unfolds, and the results he achieved are aces. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: Pretty safe woman’s picture. If you double bill, get a haywire comedy with it. If not, just sell those women who still remember the book, and are waiting to buy tickets again. Previewed February 4th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "The master craftsmanship which is evidenced in every foot of 'Back Street’ makes of it an absorbing, beautifully done film, with deep human appeal.” VARIETY: "'Back Street,’ Fannie Hurst’s most widely read novel, comes to the screen in its second edition for full potential entertainment value and the assurance of box office riches.” ing that praise. Telling the story wouldn’t mean much, and listing the orchids would be like using one paragraph to give the highlights of about six weeks of the old Palace Theatre of regretted memory. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: A crazy collection of laugh hokum, whose box office values you can best judge yourself by your knowledge. Not for critics, but if you have one of those "mass” audiences they’ll have a heck of a good time. Previewed Jan. 29th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "Looking at Gene Markey’s 'You’re the One’ is like looking into a Christmas stocking. It’s full of delightful surprises and you never know what’s coming next.” VARIETY: "Followers of Bonnie Baker and Orrin Tucker’s rhythms on the radio and records will like their favorites’ venture into a different medium Bolstered by a streling melange of mad comedians, couple have been given a showmanly film debut under the guidance of Gene Markey. The Baker-Tucker fans should form a ready-made theatre audience to which the followers of Jerry Colonna will be added.” Good Audience Bet