Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

REVIEW FLASHES BARRICADE (20th-Fox) — ^There is a sheerness about this that impels a lack of impression. Warner Baxter's screen generalship and some action excitement supply the better part of the popular elements. Co-featured are Alice Faye and Charles Winninger. Gregory Ratoff directed. BIG GUY, THE (Univ) — Among the better prison films. The cast is good, the direction keeps action moving at a lively clip. It is acceptable entertainment. Victor MeLaglen, Jackie Cooper, Edward Brophy, Peggy Moran. Arthur Lubin directed. FOUR WIVES (WB) — The wide popularity of its predecessor, “Four Daughters," should help this one. Unfortunately, however, as wives they prove considerably less entertaining than they did as daughters. Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, Eddie Albert, Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Gale Page. Michael Curtiz directed. NIGHT OF NIGHTS, THE (Para)— Pagliacci theme with occasional moments of emotional appeal, but lacking the necessary elements to win rating as general audience entertainment. Pat O'Brien, Olympe Bradna, Roland Young. Lewis Milestone directed. RETURN OF DR. X, THE (WB)— The mad scientist returns from the grave with a load of chills sufficiently hefty and frigid to assure their money's worth to all who shop for thrills, shivers, gasps and shrieks in their entertainment. Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris. Vincent Sherman directed. SAGA OF DEATH VALLEY (Rep)— Especially entertaining is this Roy Rogers' western, rating as one of Joe Kane's better directorial efforts. With Rogers are George Hayes, Donald Barry and Doris Day. SHORS (Amkino) — Just another historical remnant in the Russian propaganda pattern, despite its production magnificence, massiveness and grand characterizations. E. Samiolove, I. Skuratov, A. Khvilia. Alexander Dovzhenko directed. BONGS AND SADDLES (SR)— Mighty meager western program fare, that Just about shaped up as midweek filler. Gene Austin, Lynne Berkley, Henry Roquemere. Arthur and Max Alexander produced; Harry Fraser directed. COMPLETE REVIEWS on the above pictures will appear in an early issue of BOXOFFICE. "V' Remaking "Deacon" Universal has added a re-make of “Alias the Deacon” to its winter production schedule, with Richard Wallace set to direct from a script being written by Nat Perrin. It gets the gun January 7. Anti-Nazi League to Intensify Activity Declaring that “changing events” call for a period of intensified activity, the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, through its executive board, has prepared and issued a far-reaching statement of policy, titled a “Declaration of Democratic Action,” in which it sets forth a concrete program, including a general membership discussion as to whether the HANL’s name should be changed. To keep America neutral and to preserve the bill of rights are listed as the two major aims of the HANL — for which the organization will strive through an expanded schedule of education, mass meetings, public protests and investigations of asserted violations of civil liberties. The resolution was drafted by a committee headed by Donald Ogden Stewart, League chairman; Frank Tuttle, Dudley Nichols and Bern Bernard. Meantime representatives of 47 wddelydivergent groups joined forces under the Southern California Committee of the American Union for Concerted Peace Efforts at an organizational meeting and unanimously ratified a common program of action to keep America out of the European war. Herbert Biberman, writerdirector and member of several liberal groups, presented a report opposing war as the way to end Hitlerism and warning that this country’s entrance into the conflict would precipitate results as dire as those which followed the last World War. Among the organizations participating were the HANL, the Motion Picture Artists Committee, Associated Film Audiences and the Motion Picture Democratic Committee. The Associated Film Audiences began a series of special screenings November 20 at the headquarters of the Hollywood Film Alliance. Initial program included a French film, “A Nous La Liberte,” a documentary, “Harvesters of the Forest,” and “Easy Street,” an early Charlie Chaplin comedy. Martin Berkeley, film scenarist, reviewed “Hitler Is No Fool,” a new book by Karl Billinger, at a luncheon meeting of the liberal arts committee of the American League for Peace and Democracy. Two Top Spot Film Roles To Madeleine Carroll Two choice film roles have been picked off by Madeleine Carroll, the star having been selected for one of the feminine leads in Edward Small’s “My Son, My Son” and for one of the top spots in Cecil B. DeMille’s forthcoming Paramount release, “Northwest Mounted Police,” to be filmed in Technicolor. The Small vehicle, being produced for United Artists, is now in work, while DeMille plans to begin shooting late next month. Berkeley Gets "Good News" Next assignment for Director Busby Berkeley at Metro will be “Good News,” co-starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. SPEARHEADS (Continued from page 19) kin’s production, and direction by Alexander Hall leave nothing to be desired. Metro presented an engrossing chapter in the career of that ingratiating young medico in “The Secret of Dr. Kildare,” destined to be well-received by “Kildare” fans and general audiences alike. The script by Willis Goldbeck and Harry Ruskin deftly blends three distinct story motivations into a neatly-tailored whole, and Harold S. Bucquet imparted careful and evenly -paced direction. Twentieth Century-Fox has a sure audience pleaser in “The Honeymoon’s Over,” a simply-handled programmer loaded with homey comedy, smoothly directed by Eugene Forde. * * * To carry out the tradition that no film feast is complete without the standard garnishment of sagebrush, RKO Radio contributed “Legion of the Lawless,” in which George O’Brien again is successful in cleaning out the lawless element in a border town. Bert Gilroy’s production calls for a maximum of ridin’ and shootin’, while David Howard packed enough spirit and action in his direction to satisfy western fans, juvenile and adult alike. Doris Schroeder wrote the script from an original by Berne Giler. Judell to Supplement Slate On Completion of Studios While maintaining a steady schedule at its local headquarters on the Grand National lot, Ben Judell’s Producers Pictures Corp. will supplement its activities early next month when, upon completion of studios in Prescott, Ariz., production work will start on the first of three series of eight westerns. First to get under way will be “The Sagebrush Family Trails West,” featuring Bobby Clark, 13-year-old cowboy. Peter Stewart will direct, beginning December 4. Initialer in a western series starring Tim McCoy, “Texas Renegades,” gets the gun in Arizona December 11. This will be followed by “The Man From Oklahoma,” starring George Huston. Opening of the Arizona plant will be celebrated by the Prescott chamber of commerce and other civic organizations upon completion of the first Clark starrer, and will be known as “Bobby Clark” day. Meantime Judell’s “Mercy Plane” is nearing completion on the GN lot. It will be followed by “Gold Star Mothers,” now being cast. Lesser to Concentrate on Big Productions for UA Sol Lesser, with the cancellation of his two remaining Bobby Breen pictures for RKO Radio release, has declared his intention of devoting his full time to his big budget films for United Artists release. To date, however, his Principal Pictures company personnel remains intact with Barney Briskin as producer and no switches being made to Sol Lesser Productions, the UA company. BOXOFHCE :: November 25, 1939 21