National Box Office Digest (Jan-Dec 1945)

BOX OFFICE DIGEST OJke, Bxmc Office, ( Continued from Page 5) bound to be interested. Sylvia Sidney has the feminine lead with Porter Hall, John Emery, Robert Armstrong, Wally Ford and Rosemary DeCamp featured. Smart exhibitors will double their playing time on this one and exploit it to the limit. Two down and one to go ! United Artists’ second release, “It’s In the Bag,” is certainly in the bag at the box office, as the first box office figures indicate a 144 per cent average. This is the first picture to come from the new Jack Skirball-UA unit and it looks as if they are going to do all right. Furthermore, we hear that their second production “Guest Wife” now in the cutting room will even top this one. “It’s In the Bag” is a fast-moving comedy starring Fred Allen of radio fame who has his pal Jack Benny in a guest appearance spot, as are also Don Ameche, Victor Moore and Rudy Vallee. However the actual featured cast is headed by Bill Bendix, Binnie Barnes, Bob Benchley, Jerry Colonna, John Carradine and William Terry. Dick Wallace, as usual, turns in an excellent directorial job. “Delightfully Dangerous,” 92 per cent, is the third release from United Artists. This is a little better than average for the recent Charles Rogers pictures, but it is one of those productions that needs plenty of selling, one thing in which this unit is definitely lacking. With Jane Powell, Ralph Bellamy and Constance Moore co-starred in this entertaining comedy, the picture could do much better if properly publicized and exploited. Arthur Treacher, Louise Beavers and Andre Chariot head the featured cast. Art Lubin directed for Producer Charles Rogers. PARAMOUNT — 3 Releases Paramount Studios have three new entries — two strong box office attractions and one good programmer. “The Affairs of Susan,” 163 per cent, is the first Hal Wallis Production for Paramount release and is certainly hitting a fast pace. Paramount definitely did their organization a fine turn when they signed Academy Award winner Hal Wallis to make three pictures a year for their release. For the past ten years, as everyone knows, Mr. Wallis was in charge of production for Warner Bros, where he had a long list of box office successes. “The Affairs of Susan” is a fast-moving, spicy comedy co-starring Joan Fontaine and George Brent with a featured cast headed by Dennis O’Keefe, Walter Abel, Don De Fore and Rita Johnson. Bill Seiter turned in an excellent directorial job, his third big hit this year, the two previous ones being “It’s a Pleasure” and “Belle of the Yukon.” Paramount’s second release is the new Alan Ladd box office hit, “Salty O’Rourke” which has a large number of openings and is averaging 160 per cent, meaning hold-overs in every situation. Opposite the popular Ladd in this fine melodrama of the turf is Gail Russell, with Bill Demarest, Stan Clements, Bruce Cabot and Spring Byington in supporting roles. Raoul Walsh (on loan-out from Warner Bros.) directed “Salty O’Rourke,” his second big hit in the last two months, as his Warner Bros, production “Objective Burma” is also running a very high figure. E. D. Leshin was Associate Producer to B. G. DeSylva, who was then in charge of Paramount production. Paramount’s third and last release “HighPowered” is the latest in the program series from the Pine-Thomas unit. Robert Lowery and Phyllis Brooks are co-starred in this war production plant thriller with Mary Treen, Joe Sawyer and Roger Pryor featured. William Berke directed for Producers Bill Pine and Bill Thomas. RKO — 2 Releases RKO-Radio Pictures have one big box office hit and one so-so programmer. “The Enchanted Cottage” on an important number of key city openings is averaging 153 per cent, proving to be one of the strongest pictures to come off the RKO lot this year. Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire, who recently scored heavily in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” are co-starred in this modern version of the returned injured aviator who finds romance in spite of his being terribly disfigured, with Herbert Marshall as the match-maker. Accordingly the story is very timely and veteran exhibitors will remember this story was also produced after World War I, with Dick Barthelmess and May McEvoy co-starred. Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington and Hillary Brooke are in the featured cast. Harriet Parsons, Louella’s little daughter and formerly a Republic producer, made this as her first picture for RKO under the guidance of Executive Producer Jack Gross. John Cromwell, who rates so high for his direction of “Since You Went Away” also handled the megaphone on this film. Incidentally, Mr. Cromwell was just signed to a seven year contract by Producer Darryl F. Zanuck, to make his forthcoming pictures for 20th Century-Fox. RKO’s second release, “Zombies on Broadway,” 83 per cent, the latest in the Wally Brown-Alan Carney comedy series, is a burlesque on the horror type of melodrama. Bela Lugosi, Anne Jeffreys and Frank Jenks are featured. Gordon Douglas directed for Producer Ben Stoloff under Sig Rogell’s supervision. UNIVERSAL — Also 2 Releases LIniversal Studios have two new releases — one a big box office special, while the second is also turning in very good figures. Walter Wanger’s new Technicolor romantic production “Salome, Where She Danced” is very strong at a 146 per cent average — especially considering the fact that this picture introduces a new star, Yvonne De Carlo. Now that Maria Montez has gone on strike and is currently under suspension it rathei looks as if Miss De Carlo will step into her roles, and she certainly got off to an excellent start with “Salome.” In spite of the fact that the title is a little misleading the picture is “standing them up” all over the country, according to wires just received by Mr. Wanger’s office. Rod Cameron plays opposite Miss De Carlo with a fine cast of featured players headed by David Bruce, Walter Slezak, Albert Dekker, Marjorie Rambeau, John Litel and others — really a great bunch of troupers. Charles Lamont capably directed for Producer Walter Wanger. “Patrick, the Great,” 124 per cent, will be Universal’s last Donald O’ConnorPeggy Ryan co-starring comedy for the duration, with the former in the service. Like the rest of the series this one is doing very nicely on its first runs and they always pick up when they hit the nabes. In supporting roles are Frances Dee, Donald Cook, Eve Arden and Irving Bacon. Frank Ryan turned in a very fine directorial assignment for Producer Howard Benedict. WARNER BROS.— 1 Release Warner Bros.-ist National’s only new release is the Bette Davis starrer, “The Corn is Green.” This is more or less of a class picture and it is hard to tell yet just where it will end up; but at present it is averaging 143 per cent. It is a good critic’s picture but like some Academy Award winners it may not be too strong at the box office. Bette Davis hit an all-time high with her last release, “Mr. Skeffington,” 182 per cent. But “The Corn is Green” is a dry, somber melodrama that may not be too pleasing for Bette’s average fans, of which there are so many. If Hal Wallis were still in charge of production at Warners this is not the type of story he would select for Miss Davis. The role was really meant for an older woman, such as Ethel Barrymore who appeared in the stage version. There really is no leading man, but the featured cast includes Nigel Bruce and introduces two promising newcomers from the stage — John Dali and Joan Lorring. Irving Rapper directed for Producer Jack Chertok, who recently resigned from Warner Bros, and signed with the Hunt Stromberg production unit. COLUMBIA — Also 1 Release Harry Cohn’s Columbia Studios have their best box office hit since “A Song to Remember” with “Counter-attack,” 142 per cent, a strong melodrama of the present war laid on the Russian front. Producer-Director Zoltan Korda, who gave exhibitors a big hit a little over a year ago with Humphrey Bogart in “Sahara,” is responsible for the success of “Counter-attack.” This story also deals with operations of the tank corps in a different locale. Paul Muni is starred with Marguerite Chapman portraying the feminine lead. Larry Parks, Roman Bohnen, Erik Rolf and George Macready appear in supporting roles. MONOGRAM — 2 Releases Monogram Exchanges have two new programmers, both of which will make excellent fillers, or possibly get by in the nabes and ( Continued on Page 20)