Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

Skott SubiQCt Paramount Pictorial Paramount (P8-11) 10 Mins. Three unrelated items, each concerning water as it bears on history, industry and play make up this interesting reel. The first sequence deals with the source and coui'se of the Thames, England’s famous river. At it winds its way through the country the camera picks out many charming scenes that point up the river’s historical background, as well as shots of some of the best-known colleges. Next is the manner in which water serves as a workshop for cultivating fish in the Philippines. Final bit is the work done by Miami Beach lifesavers. Jamaica Paramount (Color Cruise) 10 Mins. All the tropical loveliness for w’hich the ■West Indies is famous is caught here to the distinct advantage of the armchair traveler. Done in Cinecolor, the reel portrays an endless array of charming scenes and pastimes for the stay-at-homes. Most of the footage is taken around Kingston. The reel dips into some of the farming and industrial background of the island, as well as the gorgeous interior. Many beautiful buildings and beach scenes are contrasted with the native customs which still dominate portions of the island. Nick's Coffee Pot 20th-Fox (Terry-Toons) 7 Mins. This animated tale of the denizens of Bugville rates as average cartoon fare. All are having fun at the opening of Nick’s coffee pot when the spider appears on the scene to disrupt the proceedings. He kidnaps the waitress whose sweetheart is the kitchen-boy. With that, the emergency squads swing into action and bombard the spider’s craft. Tire kitchen-boy comes to the rescue of his sweetheart and they ride away on a dragon-fly as the ship with the spider sinks. A Bully Romance 20th-Fox (Terry-Toons ) 7 Mms. Gandy the Goose relates his adventures in Mexico when he wooed a charming Senorita. The humor content of the cartoon is just fair. Gandy is forced to accept the challenge of the Senorita’s father and fight a gigantic bull. He triumphs over the bull after a furious struggle. Lucky Pigs Columbia (Color Rhapsody) 7 Mins. Average cartoon fare presented in Technicolor. It’s about Mama and Papa Pig who win the sweepstakes. They receive universal acclaim and go on a buying spree. In their excitement they overlook the income tax collector. When they get through with him, all they have left is memories of their moment of glory. Death Valley Thrills (Grantland Rice Sportlight) Paramount 10 Mins. This corking reel is just about as different and amusing as might be expected if you saw a couple of men skiing in sand. And that's just what they're doing. And they're doing it in a manner sure to tickle the funny bones of a lot of people. The background for their adventures is a decided attribute to the subject, the action taking place in Death 'Valley, where the mountainous sand dunes provide a most fascinating setting. The means for their adventures is a specially rigged, broken-down "jalopy," formerly an automobile. With this they go in for some of the strangest aquaplaning yet conceived. There's also some skiing on dry salt lakes and other snowless maneuvers usually associated with winter sports. To top it all off, the car takes a spill over a cliff that looks to be a few hundred feet high. At the bottom it looks like a more complete wreck than it did a few moments earlier. But the two men hop into the “crate" and off it goes for more fun. A beautiful police dog adds to the general amusement of the reel. Ave Maria French Film Exchange 10 Mins. A film showing the grandeur of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartes, one of the most magnificient edifices in France. It is an awe-inspiring sight as the camera explores the cathedral with its splendid sculpture and statuary. Unfortunately, the photography is only a little better than mediocre. Trip to the Sky French Film Exchange 11 Mins. A hypothetical excursion into celestial space based on recent scientific research that should prove both interesting and instructing to audiences. An idea of what constitutes the universe is vividly presented. Help Wanted M-G-M (Crime Does Not Pay) 21 Mins. Heavy-hitting and entertaining drama I hat also renders a community service by exposing an employment agency racket. The way the unscrupulous operators work is by bribing a foreman of a plant to lay off a percentage of the help each month. The operators supply the help but first collect half the wages in advance. Tom Neal, as the lad who is the victim of one of these racketeers, is very effective. Edward Pawley is good as the gangster. Jo Ann Sayers is Neal’s wife with Clem Bevans as the old man who kills himself when he loses his job. The directorial effort by Fred Zinnemann is both competent and assured. Sand Hogs (Adventures of a Newsi’eel Cameraman) 20th-Fox 10 Mins. A tribute to the men who build tunnels under rivers. Two projects, the Lincoln Tunnel and the San Jacinto mountain aqueduct, are the locales. Most of the footage is confined to sand hogs at work under the Hudson River. It is always an interesting account of the perils attached to the job. The big moment is the meeting under the Hudson River of the two groups of workers who have been working in opposite directions. Lew Lehr handles the narration straight, but is not as effective as when he is speaking in comedy dialect. Tempest Over Tunis 2Qth-Fox (Magic Carpet) 11 Mins. Tunis, the danger spot of the Mediterranean, comes in for some effective treatment by the Magic Carpet cameraman. Lowell Thomas handles the narrative in his usual competent style. Glimpses of the native population and a Hebraic tribe which have occupied the site of an island for centuries form a picturesque background for the more serious emphasis on Tunis. In keeping with the theme, there is an impressive sight of the French military machine prepared to defend the colony against all costs. Hollywood Hobbies M-G-M (Miniature) 10 Mins. If your patrons generally favor the sort of subject that makes capital of flocks of Hollywood personalities without benefit of makeup, this one will fit the bill. The usual business of catching the stars during more informal moments of their “private” pursuits is the approach here. Joyce Compton and Sally Payne start off on an auto tour of the film factories and manage to get glimpses of some of their “favorites.” The best shot is at the end, during a baseball game between the leading men and comedians. 82 BOXOFFICE :: July 1, 1939