Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

— #■ 1 C As Viewed by Red Kann Published Every Saturday by Associated Publications Editorial Offices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. Louis Rydell, Advertising: Manager. Wm. Ornstein, Eastern Editor. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable address: "BOXOFFICE, New York.” Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Holwood, Calif. Ivan Spear, Manager. Telephone Gladstone 1186. Publication Offices: 4804 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Morris Schlozman, Business Manager. Telephone Chestnut 7777. Other Associated Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER, BOXOFFICE RECORDS, BOXOFFICE PICTURE GUIDE, published annually; THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a section of BOXOFFICE. ALBANY — 21-23 Walter Ave., M. Berrigan. ATLANTA— 183 Walton St., Helen Hardy. JAckson 6331. BOSTON — 14 Piedmont St., Brad Angler, Liberty 9305. BUFFALO — Buffalo Theatre, G. C. Maurer. CHARLOTTE— 216 W. 4th, Pauline Griffith. CHICAGO — 332 S. Michigan Blvd., Hal Tate. Wabash 4575. CINCINNATI — 127 Tremont St., Ft. Thomas, Ky„ Clara Hyde. Highland 1667. CLEVELAND — 12805 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Elsie Loeb. Fairmount 0046. DALLAS — 408 S. Harwood, V. W. Crisp, Southwestern editor. Telephone 7-3553. DENVER — 319 S. Clarkson St., J. A. Rose. Telephone Spruce 0318. DES MOINES — The Colonade, Rene Clayton. DETROIT— 424 Book Bldg., H. F. Reves. Telephone Cadillac 9085. HOLLYWOOD — 6404 Hollywood Bvd., Ivan Spear, Western editor. GLadstone 1186. INDIANAPOLIS — 42 West 11th St., Kolman Hirschman. KANSAS CITY— 4804 East Ninth St.. Jesse Shlyen, Midwest editor. CHestnut 7777. LITTLE ROCK— P. O. Box 253, Lynn Hubbard. 3-0166. MEMPHIS — 399 So. 2nd St., Carolyne Miller. MILWAUKEE— 210 East Michigan St., H. C. Brunner. Kilbourn 6670-J. MINNEAPOLIS — Essex Bldg., Maurice Wolff. NEW HAVEN — 42 Church St., Suite 915, Gertrude Pearson. 6-4149. NEW ORLEANS — 1136 Behrman Ave., J. W. Leigh. NEW YORK CITY — 9 Rockefeller Plaza, William Ornstein, Eastern editor. OKLAHOMA CITY — Box 4547. E. W. Fair. OMAHA — 5640 Woolworth. Monte Davis. PHILADELPHIA — 426 Pine St., Joseph Shaltz. WALnut 0860. PITTSBURGH— 1701 Blvd. of the Allies, R. F. Klingensmith. ATlantic 4858. PORTLAND, ORE. — 925 N. W. 19th St., Harold Donner. Broadway 0136. ST. LOUIS — 5149 Rosa Ave., David F. Barrett. Flanders 3727. SALT LAKE CITY — 167 South State St., Viola B. Hutton. WAsatch 165. SAN FRANCISCO — 1095 Market St„ A1 Scott. Market 6580. SEATTLE — 2418 Second Ave., Joe Cooper. Seneca 2460. WASHINGTON— 1426 G St., Earle A. Dyer. IN CANADA CALGARY— The Albertan, Wm. Campbell. HAMILTON — 20 Holton. N., Hugh Millar. LONDON — 97 Adelaide St., S., John Gore. MONTREAL — 4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G„ Roy Carmichael. Walnut 5519. REGINA — The Leader-Post. Bruce Peacock. ST. JOHN — 161 Princess St. D. Fetherston. TORONTO — 242 Millwood. Milton Galbraith. VANCOUVER— 615 Hastings., C. P. Rutty. VICTORIA — 434 Quebec St., Tom Merrlman. WINNIPEG — 709 Selkirk Ave., Ben Lepkin. THIS turns out to be a sequel to "Script for a Happy Ending," editorial which ran on neighboring page a few weeks ago. Pete Harrison was again deploring "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" on the basis, you may recall, of a statement made by Nelson A. Rockefeller, coordinator of commercial and cultural relations among the American republics, before the New York Chamber of Commerce. Rockefeller endeavored to illustrate "the decay of democracy" by pointing out the Axis powers were employing Hollywood-made films to discredit procedure by majority rule. Your observer, in rebuttal, thought the contrary on two counts. One was an awareness which must prevail in other countries that all political systems have their failings and, in some regard or another, are to expect an occasional booting because of them. The other was a warning that colorations should not be applied to festers, actual or potential, internally because of external opinion and that important is the need to protect and safeguard what we have while we have it. On Pete's approach if it is carried to its ultimate conclusion, the theatres of America finally will be loaded down with butterflies and sunsets. Could it be argued, for instance, that "The Great McGinty" should not have been made because exposure of machine politics and stuffed ballot boxes will give the totalitarian powers another opportunity to place thumbs against their noses and extend the other four digits in the direction of America? Could it be argued, furthermore, that "Jesse James" was improper material because it showed railroads in a pilfering land campaign with government sanction? What about that old one, the gangster cycle, currently climaxed in a fashion by "High Sierra"? Should this type of film, reflecting a true, if unfortunate, segment of the American scene, be verboten because it may implant ideas overseas about the kind of a country this is? In "Hudson's Bay," the British business class, as of that day, was shown ready to rob the Indians until Paul Muni put a stop to it. But what of it and why not? "The Philadelphia Story" showed the Main Liners out of Philadelphia to be drinkers, wastrels and snobs and "Kitty Foyle" did the same thing on behalf of the Guaker City's bluest blue bloods. Would Harrison suggest these important attractions not be made or these essential dramatic overtones be eliminated in the cause of overpowering honey and light? If he does, he's apt to face a lot of letters from his subscribers. " Night Train " SLIGHTLY on the tardy side in making "Night Train" so late. Already and regularly reviewed, the purpose now is to spotlight brief attention here on this British-made spy melodrama. In the Hitchcock manner, Carol Reed directed with a degree of suspense and thrills that makes "39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes," which are of the same school, clutch to their undeniable laurels. Even 20th-Fox admits it had a sleeper on its hands with this one, which is so good, it becomes very good. Having seen it once, it is the column's intention to see it again. And, whether this design influences exhibitors and playdates or not, at least it doesn't happen often. Finally FROM behind the bushes or whereever he may have been in retirement and without warning emerges Ali Gaga. Writes he: "I read a biography of Sam Marx in one of the trade papers the other day. According to this account, he was born in 1920. His first job after leaving Columbia, University not Pictures, was with Universal. A year later, he joined the late Irving Thalberg. By 1930, and at the age of ten by my reckoning, he was story editor for M-G-M and remained in that post seven years. "This tells me all I ever needed to know what's wrong with the business." Reaction NO DOUBT, you will remember the recent one on Thurman Arnold — how he got into his berth in New York expecting to wake up in Washington the following morning only to discover it was Boston. This has induced the following sort of comment: "It looks to me as if Mr. Arnold had gone and done it again." From an anti-decree guy, of course. 10 BOXOFFICE :: February 22, 1941