Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1940)

. REVIEW FLASHES • Comedies Dominating Production Slates HER FIRST ROMANCE (Mono) — Cinderella story with a collegiate background which presents Edith Fellows in her first adolescent role. And a charming Miss she is, her appearance, acting and singing all contributing to an effective performance. Considering its cost, the picture emerges as well-knit entertainment. I. E. Chadwick produced; Edward Omytryk directed. HUDSON'S BAY (20th-Fox)— A colorful phase of Canada's early history, the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company, is herewith transferred to celluloid and, while the picture is impressively and spectacularly produced, its fate as popular entertainment is subject to considerable doubt. Paul Muni is starred. Handicapped by an assumed accent, the role fails to give his dramatic ability a chance to assert itself. The feature will undoubtedly do top business in the Canadian and English markets, but rank-and-file American audiences will not rush to see it. Kenneth Macgowan produced. Irving Pichel directed. (Continued from preceding page) GKOKGB EMERSON, animal expert, set as technical advisor on zoo sequences in “Fools Rush In.” ADRIENNE EAZEN editing "The Common Error,” a Crime Does Not Pay short. JOSEPH RU'rTENBERG photographing musical numbers for “The Ziegfeld Girl.” PAUL VOGEL photographing screen tests for supporting roles in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Spencer Tracy starrer, which rolls January 2 with Victor Fleming directing. LES WHI'l'E to lens “Andy Hardy's Private Secretary,” latest Hardy Family picture, which George Seitz will direct. JEANETTE BATE, dance expert, signed as dancing instructor for the studio’s younger contract players. AL AKST to edit “l-2-3-Go!” new Our Gang oii©“r©6l6r« SERGEI PET.SCHNIKOFE named unit manager on “Rage in Heaven.” .JACK.SON ROSE lensing “Immigration,” newest Crime Does Not Pay short. LESTER WHITE lensing special crowd shots for “The Bad Man,” Wallace Beery starrer. AL SIEGEL reports from New York to begin work as vocal coach and song routine expert on new musical jiroductions. Monogram iMAITv WRIGHT named assistant director on “You're Out of Luck.” Paramount ROLLIE ASHER named assistant director on “One Night in Lisbon.” EDDIE BERNOUDV named assistant director on “One Night in Lisbon.” DICK BLAYDON named technical advisor on “One Night in Lisbon.” RKO Radio .VRGYLE NELSON named assistant director on “The Devil and Miss Jones.” CARROLL CLARK set as art director on “Show Business.’* L. P, WILLIAMS named art director on “Sunny,” next Anna Neagle starrer, 20th Century-Fox MTI.LIAM ECKHARDT replaces TOM DUDLEY as assistant director on “Tall, Dark and Handsome,” Dudley having incurred a foot injury. .\RTHUR BERTHELET signed as dialogue director on “Tall, Dark and Handsome.” MTLLIAM KOENIG and a staff have checked out for Mexico City to arrange for locations and secure government approval for “Blood and Sand,” next Tyrone Power starrer. Universal BARNEY OLDFIELD signed as technical advisor on 1907 auto racing sequences in “Back Street.” Warner Bros. IRVING RAPPER conducting sound and photog LOVE THY NEIGHBOR (Para't)— That the teaming of those radio feuders. Jack Benny and Fred Allen, would be a comedy success was almost a foregone conclusion, and under Producer-Director Mark Sandrich's able guidance the result surpasses expectations and should score heavily where boxoffice patrons are Benny and Allen conscious. The script, a melange of mirth and music, is cunningly tailored to their talents and the laughs come thick and fast, although their verbal vituperations result in a draw. WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GIRL? (Univ)— So long as Universal can resurrect the titles of former song hits it will probably continue to use them as frameworks for low-budgeted comedies with music of which series this latest is tuneful, diverting and acceptable. Having better story values than most of its predecessors, it commands attention as better supporting fare. Joseph Sanford produced; Arthur Lubin directed. raphic tests for “Winged Victory/’ which he will direct as his first chore since being i-iromoted from dialogue director. HYKON HA.SKIN directing second unit of "The Sea Wolf” on location in the Catalina Channel. 4AMLS WONG HOWL to lens “The Bride Came C. O. D.” 'I'HOMAS PKATT to edit “Murder on the Second Floor.” (Continued from page 31 > in transmitting a delicate and engrossing book to celluloid. It was almost a foregone conclusion that the teaming of Jack Benny and Fred Allen in a film would be a comedy success. In Paramount’s “Love Thy Neighbor,” Producer-Director Mark Sandrich surpasses expectations with a gay, laugh-infested vehicle that should score heavily wherever there are followers of the Benny-Alien radio feud — which is practically everywhere. The original screen play by William Morrow and Edmund Beloin was cunningly tailored to the comedians’ respective talents; while Sandrich had an additional comedy asset in the inimitable Eddie (Rochester) Anderson — a name to conjure with in the delivery of mirthprovoking lines. * • • Topping the second group, three in number, and all rating recognition as above-par programmers, was Paramount’s “Victory,” a compact, compelling melodrama with the sultiT Dutch East Indies as its locale. Adapted from a famous Joseph Conrad story, it will be eminently acceptable wherever audiences appreciate their adventure on the subtle side. A superb cast contributes rich characterizations and John L. Balderston’s screen play is shaded •with violent physical action. These assets, plus competent production by Anthony Veiller and John Cromwell’s Comedies — of both the broad and subtle variety — maintain a stranglehold on first place among pictures planned by the major studios during the winter months, 15 such vehicles already having been announced. Runner-up is the straight dramatic film, of which nine are on the line for camera work in the next few weeks. Super-scale westerns seemingly have taken a back seat, together with musicals, with only two in each classification as yet announced. Sole biographical film will be Warner’s “Sergeant York,” rolling in January. Comedies include: “The Bride Came C. O. D.,” “Thirty Days Hath September” and “Miss Wheelwright Discovers America” at Warner; “Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary” and “Mr. Co-Ed” at M-G-M; “One Night in Lisbon,” “Skylark,” “Kiss the Boys Goodbye” and “Caught in a Draft” at Paramount; RKO Radio’s “Tom, Dick and Harry” and “Weekend for Three;” Republic’s “Sis Hopkins” and “Puddin’ Head,” and Columbia’s “Amateur Angel.” Dramatic entries include “Winged Victory,” “Fiesta in Manhattan” and “The Return of the Falcon” from Warner; “Blossoms in the Dust,” “The Trial of Mary Dugan” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” from M-G-M; RKO Radio’s “True to Form;” 20th Century-Fox’s “Dead Men Tell” and Paramount’s “Hold Back the Dawn.” The westerns are Warner’s “Bad Men of Missouri” and Frank Lloyd’s “Lady From Cheyenne,” for Universal. M-G-M’^ “Lady Be Good” and Paramount’s “Ballerina” are the only musicals thus far listed. usual deft direction, brands the picture as a first-rate entry. Warner has a piece of good, solid entertainment in “Pour Mothers,” newest in the “Lemp Family” series. Stephen Morehouse Avery turned in a homespun, human script which was ably directed by William Keighley, while Henry Blanke provided the offering with every necessary production trapping. As general audience fare it is more than satisfactory. Exciting melodrama is the same studio’s “South of Suez,” possessing enough entertaining elements to please the rank and file of theatre patrons. Ban*y Trivers’ script, based on Sheridan Gibney’s original, is somewhat involved, but Director Lewis Seiler surmounted that slight handicap in his efficient piloting chore. William Jacobs served as associate producer. * ♦ * So long as Universal continues to resurrect titles of former song hits, it will probably use them as the frameworks for low-budgeted comedies with music, of which series “Where Did You Get That Girl?” is the latest. It is tuneful, diverting and generally acceptable. Jay Dratler’s original, and the script by him, Paul Franklin and Stanley Rubin, contains better story values than its predecessors and Leon Errol bolsters the Thespic roster considerably with a comedy performance. Joseph G. Sanford produced and Arthur Lubin directed. Hollywood Personnelities ft 'St Spearheads VI . ■ — V BOXOFFICE December 21, 1940 H 33