Box office digest (May-Dec 1946)

«4 BOX OFFICE DIGEST "A Stolen Life” Has Bette Davis in Two Roles (WARNERS) The Digest's Box Office Estimate : 165% Director Curtis Bernhardt The Players: Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Dane Clark, Walter Brennan, Charlie Ruggles, Bruce Bennett, Peggy Knudson, Esther Dale, Joan Winfield, Clara Blandiek. Photography < Sol Poll to ( Ernest Haller Time 109 minutes (A. B. D. Production) “A Stolen Life” is the first Bette Davis offering from Warners produced under the new set-up giving the star her own production unit. It is tailor-made to the star’s high ability, aimed directly at feminine emotions, and should undoubtedly rack up healthy grosses. The very qualities which make “A Stolen Life” so sharply a Bette Davis production, and therefore so certain of warm reception from her followers, may limit its appeal to many other segments of the picture theater audience. The picture is slow getting under way, frequently draggy in later spots, not strong in its male characterizations. The highlight is Miss Davis in not one, but two, superb thespian performances. She plays twin sisters, widely differing in characteristics. One role gives her opportunity for portraying a keen-witted, predatory female, whose roving eye even captures and weds the man whom her sister, Kate, had planned to marry. The latter girl possesses warm human qualities the direct opposite of her selfish sister. The plot’s tight complication comes about when the unscrupulous Davis is lost in a storm while the sisters were sailing a sloop off the New England coast, and opportunity arrives for Kate, still loving her man, to impersonate the drowned schemer. It produces a situation rich in the drama close to the woman spectator’s heart. As stated, Miss Davis delivers on all counts in a masterful deliniation of the two wddely separated characters. In somewhat thankless roles due to the lack of meaty characteristics, Glenn Ford and Dane Clark are efficiently thespian. Walter Brennan is on for a colorful New England old-timer spot. Charles Ruggles has his moments, and Bruce Bennett one outstanding moment. Direction by Curtis Bernhardt makes the most of the many situations of good theater that the theme and its development provide, greatly overcoming many stretches when the script pauses too long. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion : Woman’s picture for the great Bette Davis fan army. . . . Previewed April 26th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “Bette Davis has her finest screen role since ‘Dark Victory’.” VARIETY: “Strictly femme-appeal piece which will garner strong returns lured by namestudded cast.” "In Old Sacramento” Big Scale Western By Experts (REPUBLIC) The Digest's Box Office Estimate : 110% Associate producer-director Joseph H. Kane The Players: William Elliott, Constance Moore, Hank Daniels, Ruth Donnelly, Eugene Pallette, Lionel Stander, Jack La Rue, Grant Withers, Charles Judels, Paul Hurst, Victoria Horne, Bobby Drake, Dick Wessel. Photography Jack Marta Time 88 minutes Both Republic and producer-director Joseph Kane know their great outdoors, and the factors in the wide open spaces that make for red meat entertainment, so that with a colorful title like “In Old Sacramento,” and a top budget, it may be foreseen that the result will be solid entertainment for the field. “In Old Sacramento” is all that, accented by a generous portion of musical moments. In addition, the picture marks the stepping up of Republic’s Bill Elliott to the status of top budget star William Elliott, and the popular priced favorite makes the grade very satisfactorily. There is little that is new in the general running of “Sacramento’s” story, though there is over-all originality, or at least daring, in its willingness to bring the top male character to a tragic end as recipient of a bullet. Kane manages fast pace throughout, balances his standard elements of western meller and humor wfith the melodic interludes effectively, and consistently evidences his professional “at-homeness” in the atmosphere. Elliott is seen in something of a Murietta role — the avenger. Claim jumpers were responsible for the killing of his brother, and Bill, er William, shows up later as Spanish Jack. He poses as a gambler, does plain and fancy highjacking on the side as part of his vow to mal^e society pay. The romantic thread concerns dance hall queen Constance Moore, who almost gets him to the straight and narrow path but is too late, thus bringing us to the sacrificial climax when Spanish Jack gives up the ghost to save youngster, Hank Daniels. It is quite a cast that Republic assembled for the followers of the action stuff. In addition to Elliot’s very effective performance, one that should cement his place in the top budgeteers, Constance Moore’s pleasing personality and charming rendition of four song numbers, the cast is studded with names of tried and true troupers. Exhibitors Booking Suggestion: Money number in the outdoor field. . . . Previewed April 24th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID : REPORTER: “Fills the bill.” VARIETY: “Satisfactory high-budget west ern to net Republic nice returns.” She Wrote the Book” Offers Joan Davis Real Spot (UNIVERSAL) The Digest's Box Office Estimate: 90% Executive producer Joe Gershenson Producer Warren Wilson Director Charles Lamont The Players: Joan Davis, Jack Oakie, Misclia Auer, Kirby Grant, John Litel, Jacqueline deWit, Gloria Stuart, Thurston Hall, Lewis L. Russell, Raymond Largay, Victoria Horne, Verna Felton, Jack J. Ford, Phil Garris. Photography George Robinson Time 74 minutes Joan Davis has a chance of drawing box office money proportionate to her present unchallenged top position as a radio comedienne if she continues to get the material and direction provided in “She Wrote the Book.” This Universal offering gives a full mea sure of hairbrained fun for the average fan, and will find many a welcome booking spot. It starts off with a likely premise, milks the multitude of situations developed out of that premise, and while on the loose and slightly wild side doesn’t go overboard for its laughs to any great extent. Joan is introduced as a mild calculus professor undertaking a mission to New York on behalf of Gloria Stuart. The latter, wife of the college dean, is the unknown author of “Forever Lulu,” and the amber passages of that novel make it inadvisable for her to disclose her identity. Joan takes over the nominal task of meeting the publisher. The inevitable happens, which means that the hot passages of the book are forced on Joan in her real life. A bout of amnesia helps to muddle things. Miss Davis romps through the part, without being too rompish. Jack Oakie is a good foil as the publisher’s publicity man, Mischa Auer has some standout moments as a Rusisan bartender. It is a pleasure to see Gloria Stuart back on the screen in the role of the real author, and Kirhy Grant and John Litel help the support. Warren Wilson’s production, in the Joe Gershenson unit, is showmanlike, and director Charles Lamont show's his experience and skill in getting full values from the script. Exhibitor’s Booking Suggestion : Good fun. . . . Previewed April 30th. WHAT THE OTHER FELLOWS SAID: REPORTER: “Few comedy notions have packed more hilarious implications.” VARIETY: “The kind of show that generates laughs.”