The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (Jun 1, 1941)

Page 4 ; The Exhibitor June Ist, 1941 REGAL A WOMAN’S FACE: . If you like your entertainment different, here it is. If you liked Joan Crawford before, you will rave about her now. If you didn’t like her before, this will make you wonder why not. It is really a picture that should be on everyone’s must list and while it may need clever exploitation, we feel that it is destined to go places and might be one of the best ten of the year. Starred with Crawford is Melvyn Douglas. ABUL THE BUL-BUL AMEER: We take off our hats to ome of the grandest cartoons we have viewed in some time and which, to our way of thinking, is worth advertising, in many cases, over the feature. HER FIRST BEAU: COLUMBIA Fairly entertaining picture with the marquee value of Jane Withers and Jackie Cooper. It is a family story based on puppy love that plenty of the oldsters will get a kick out of and is good clean fun for any audience. However, this picture will have to be strongly campaigned to reap any sort of harvest iat the box-office. SHE KNEW ALL THE ANSWERS: This latest comedy from the company that knows how stars Joan Bennett and Franchot Tone and is the old story of the chorus girl getting mixed up in Wall Street and instead of marrying the man she started out for, ends up winning the broker. This one is as clean a package as has ever come out of Hollywood, there not being an off-color situation or line in the entire entertainment. Which once again proves that a good comedy doesn’t have to rely on sex or off-color wise-cracks to get by. We feel that here is a picture that will do fairly well by the 'cash register. BK .O: THE RELUCTANT DRAGON: Latest Disney feature-length cartoon in which Bob Benchley roams the Disney Studios. Picture not only contains plenty of good laughable cartoon sequences but is very entertaining «and educational in portraying the inner working of the Disney Studios. The feature is very well done. The best sequence to our way of thinking is “The Outside of a Horse is Good for the Inside of { a Man” with Goofy, and the weakest part is the actual showing of ‘The Reluctant Dragon” at the finish. Properly sold and exploited, this picture should fare satisfactorily at the Box-Office. SUNNY: The third in the series of musicals made by Wilcox, starring Anna Neagle surrounded by a good cast is, to our way of thinking, on a par with the first of the series, “Irene,” or probably better. As the second in the series was not up to scratch, it may cause question at the box-office in regard to this newest film but with proper handling, this fare with swell music such as “Who,” “Do You Love Me?” etc., can be put over. The Welsh are coming into their own on stage and screen. ‘‘Proud Valley,” said to be a Ixnockout, has a Welsh background. There are many people from Wales in Canada and good numbers of them are settled in certain districts. The picture should lend itself to special exploitation in those areas. There are a number of societies made up of Welsh folk. Where there is a colony there’s usually a _ choir. They would probably be glad to supplement the program in some way. Other Welsh works current are “How Green is My Valley,” a book that will be filmed soon, and Ethel SBarrymore’s play, ‘The Corn is Green.” The latter may also find its way to the screen. Pittsburgh press agents of “Major Barbara,” G. B. Shaw’s HEATING AND VENTILATING CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS| WWII | TIPS ON EXPLOITATION UNITED ARTISTS NEW WINE: Directorially dull and limpy throughout but always pleasant. A chronicle of the composer Schubert’s life. Ilona Massey is the girl who gives up love to push her musical pal. Allen Curtis plays Schubert like it isn’t in his line. It isn’t. Billy Gilbert goes through the same popular huffing and puffing—but without dialect, a pleasant surprise. Albert Basserman, as Beethoven, is splendid. Binnie Barnes is practically a female version of Hugh Herbert as a screwball duchess. The music is good, of course. Will have to e-billed. be double-b UNIVERSAL FLAME OF NEW ORLEANS: A romantic comedy presenting Marlene Dietrich in a different type of role to her last two or three pictures and which, while we do not feel it will be any terrific box-office sensation, should, nevertheless, be well received. Bruce Cabot does a swell job as the lead. BLACK CAT: A spooky comedy starring Basil Rathbone and Hugh Herbert that is far from top entertainment, suffering possibly from story material and direction but will satisfy those who seek this type of picture if built with strcng support. BLOOD AND SAND: FOX Big and broad production. Plenty of plush, flash and dash. Classic color and some scenes are magnificently staged. Runs for 123 minutes and holds together all the way. True Love vs The Other Woman—with bulls butting in all the time. Tyrone Power is quite convincing and Rita Hayworth, as a smoldering wench, was never better and should prove |a top star after this piece of work. Linda Darnell and John Carradine give great support. Slightly slow for the subject. The sand is there but the blood is only indicated. Will have a powerful pull at the ticket wicket. GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST: A routine musical with Alice Fay, John Payne and Jack Oakie at his very best that is good entertainment of the light variety. Should fare satisfactorily at the box-office. MILLION $ BABY: VITAGRAPH Here is a sweet comedy that will please audiences everywhere and should build by word of mouth advertising. Priscilla Lane, Jeffery Lynn and May Robson lead a good cast and the picture moves at a terrific clip, packed with hokum as the public loves it, with plenty of romance and comedy. Picture goes a little haywire towards the finish, otherwise same would have been classed a solid hit. THREE’ SONS O’GUNS: Fairly good comedy programmer that is reminiscent of ‘“‘Three Cheers for the Irish.” The competent cast is headed by Tom Brown, Wayne Morris and Joan Leslie. Gingers Rogers Snags One More Award Ginger Rogers, winner of the Academy Award for her performance in RKO-Radio’s “Kitty Foyle,’ has been voted the most popular star by the part of the British Navy which is based in the far north. In a letter asking Ginger to consider herself patroness of the “Home Fleet Cinema,’ Lieutenant. Commander Michael Everard, R.N., writes: “Thought perhaps you might like to know how very popular you are with officers and men from the Ad play, passed around a patch of hair, beard, eyebrows and moustache that, when put on, gave a startling Shavian effect. You might play with this one. The kids would be glad to parade the stuff. The holdback on the imside of the Hess affair has given exhibiitors of fictional war features a chance to tie in the mystery. It prodded public interest in the pictures considerably. Catchlines attracted the attention. Playing “After Mein Kampf,” the comeon copy read: “Did Rudolf Hess actually write Mein Kampf?” “Why did the No. 2 Nazi desert his chief?” “See the picture Hitler Fears . .’ For “Voice of the] miral of the Fleet down. The more Night” the ad read: ‘The reasons} films you can make and send over Hess left Germany are seen in’ here the better we shall be pleas‘Voice of the Night.’ ” ed.”