National Box Office Digest (Feb-July 1941)

MARCH 18, 1941 9 Crosby-Hope-Lamour Trio, Click Again PARAMOUNT The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 145% Produced by Paul Jones Director Victor Schertzinger Stars: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour Featuring: Una Merkel, Eric Blore, with Douglas Dumbrille, Iris Adrian, Lionel Royce, Buck Woods, Leigh Whipper, Ernest Whitman, Noble Johnson, Joan Marsh, Luis Alberni, Robert Middlemass. Photography Ted Tezlaff Lyrics and Music ..Johnny Burke and Jimmie Van Heusen Time 87 minutes "Hay-wire and Handsome” is probably the phrase that best describes "The Road to Zanzibar”. Hay-wire it certainly is, but handsome, in the sense of a full carload of laughs, it is doubly certain. Paramount has a top money-maker, and all concerned with the production a bold faced credit for their records. A group of the top entertainers in the show business get together on "The Road to Zanzibar,” backed by adroit direction and an ace-high gag line script. It may gradually dawn on you that you are only seeing an illustrated elongated radio script, but who cares — the illustrations are good, and the script is great. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope team up to toss the lines back and forth for most of the picture’s footage and there can be no doubt that the duo is a permanent. There is a lesson in timing for any comedian in watching these real troupers — and hearing them — as they take a brittle piece of story material and make it sparkle. For our money, you can give us reels and more reels of Crosby and Hope throwing those lines back and forth at each other. And don’t forget — the marquee also has that Dorothy Lamour allure. And Dorothy 'The Penalty' MGM The Digest’s Box Office Estimate 75% Producer .... Jack Chertok Director Harold S. Bucquet Screenplay Harry Ruskin, John C. Higgins From Play by Martin Berkeley Stars Edward Arnold, Lionel Barrymore Featured: Gene Reynolds, Marsha Hunt, Robert Sterling, Emma Dunn, Veda Ann Borg, Richard Lane, Gloria De Haven, Grant Mitchell, Phil Silvers, Ralph Byrd. Photographer Harold Rosson Time 70 Minutes The basic story premise of "The Penalty” has been used so often that you should not be fooled by just hearing it boiled down. It is just about the tough little kid who reforms in the right environment. Regeneration formula No. 3X. But it has always been good, and it has never been done better than in this picture under the finessed direction of Harold Bucquet, with able assistance from a corking cast, a skillfully constructed screenplay. gets plenty of moments to give the audience that allure in the natural course of the story. Miss Lamour warbles only one number— "You’re Dangerous” — but it is a good one, and it is probably better to send one number home than to be burdened with three or more so-so melodies. For the sake of the freshmen — and, incidentally, the exhibitors — we might mention that Miss Lamour’s physical charms are not neglected. Even without a sarong. Then there is a welcome appearance from Una Merkel. Earlier in the week Miss Merkel turned in a fine job in a Universal picture, and about this time you will probably find the critics re-discovering that that gal is a trouper. Support is fine, but the story structure is such that it is carried by the principals, and the bulk of that on a sort of "Primrose and Dockstader” team routine — in white face, however — between Crosby and Hope. Director Victor Schertzinger has shown his usual skill in blending music with motion picture, but goes further in clinching honors with his handling of patter laughs. The general effect is that Crosby and Hope were having a heck of a good time, and since the audience also gets that feeling, give the proper bouquets to the direction that brought about the effect. You have the reviewer up a stump when he starts to tell the story. As a matter of fact, there isn’t any. We are introduced to two Americans, stranded in a synthetic Africa. Bing is the brains of the team, Bob is the "Fearless” who does the work — and Bing gives him every sort of job from being expelled from a cannon to trying to fly without wings. Into the action enter two girls, Dorothy Lamour and Una Merkel. They are trying to scrape up the money so that the beauteous Entertainment values are a problem. Where they will take their drama straight and comparatively heavy, it will click. Where they prefer the current streamlined blend of tongue in cheek and meller they will not be so hot. MGM has given it a top cast, including Edward Arnold, Lionel Barrymore, and Gene Reynolds, with the prize opportunity of going of course, to the latter youngster in a story of this sort. The story is a blend of crime, and thrilling meller. with the joys and honesty of the rural life. Raymond is the son of a notorious killer, Edward Arnold, for whom the FBI have no love. But the kid thinks his dad is the greatest man in the world, and readily accepts his tutoring in the fine arts of being tough. He lands in a reformatory, however, while his wily father still eludes arrest. Eventually Gene is paroled to a farm. Comes the regeneration, but always hanging over Raymond like a shadow is the Dorothy can get to the other side of Africa to marry a certain millionaire. They happen to catch Bing and Bob at the time when the team, which is, incidentally, always planning to buy return trip tickets to the States when they can maneuver the price, is temporarily flush with money. The girls pull a racket, get the boys started on a safari across Africa, and for no particular reason the story gets moving. For equally inconsequential reasons, the story wanders off so that we can have a couple of hilarious reels with Crosby and Hope alternately gods and finally potential cannibal fodder in the African wilds. The picture is crisp with laughs throughout, but these scenes are tops in old-fashioned bellylaughs. Producer Paul Jones is piling up his credits on the joyous side of the Paramount ledger. The lyrics by Johnny Burke, music by Jimmie Van Heusen, include numbers that you will be buying on the records if you can’t get by the BMI barrier. They have been spotted well, they are few enough in number to give them audience value, and they are good. Exhibtor’s Booking Suggestion: A top money picture. Previewed March 10th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "One of the greatest pieces of entertainment that was ever offered theatres for dating and extended runs.” VARIETY: "Following 'Road to Singapore’ with this companion piece, 'Road to Zanzibar,’ Paramount demonstrates that it has found a hit comedv formula in the Bing Crosbv-Bob HooeDorothy Lamour combination and the treatment of material with the riotous abandon given by Director Victor Schertzinger and the reoeat script bell-ringer by Frank Butler and Don Har»man. This is ton-layer comedy stuff for anv man’s theatre and will keep audiences in gales of laughter. As a coin getter, it will stand up amongst the elect of the season.” fact that his father wants him back in his way of life. The FBI knew this and the parole was really bait for a trap. Bucquet’s direction handles this combination of tough environment, the kid’s reformation under the influence of a normal life, and the thrills of FBI law enforcement with the skill that he has evidenced in all his MGM productions. Jack Chertok’s bow as a feature producer shows that he knows how to put together the right elements. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion: Date it with a musical or screwy comedy. If playing singles, spot it for the adult nights. Previewed March 11th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: "It is a gem of entertainment which bathes its audience in a flood-tide of warmth. 'The Penalty’ outshines many vaunted specials and is certain to become a sleeper hit.” VARIETY: "This story of the weaning awav of a son from blind loyalty to a ruthless criminal father is given an intense sense of reality which holds susoensful interest every foot of the way. It will stand up in either spot of the program in almost every situation.” Artistic But Doubtful B. O.