Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 28, 1942)

January 28th, 1942 Truman Talley Passes Away The film world was shocked by the death of Truman H. Talley, famed newsreel figure, more than a week ago. He was the executive vice-president of Movietone News, Inc., a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox and a producer of short subjects. Talley, who joined the Fox organization in 1922 as foreign editor, became director-in-chief two years after. Later he became personal representative of William Fox and remained with the company after Fox left. He organized British Movietone News and other departments. He was the first to introduce newsreel commentators taken from famous news analysts of the day and was regarded as an innovator. Talley was born in Rockport, Mo., March 18, 1891 and was a graduate of the University of Missouri, After a career on St. Louis papers, Talley became director of The Herald’s Paris bureau during the peace conference in 1919, and later became European manager of New York Herald News Service. S. R. Kent, 20th-Fox president, issued the following statement: “The passing of Truman Talley at this time will be felt deeply in the industry’s war effort. As an outstanding authority on documentary motion pictures, his vast knowledge of the international scene made him a personality we will find hard to replace. To me personally his death is particularly grieving. Our association extended beyond the office where I found him a most warming friend. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation is indeed the poorer by this sad occurrence which takes from it one of its most capable executives.” Modernistic Stage Curtains & Drapes, Posture-Perfect Seating CANADIAN THEATRE CHAIR CO. 277 Victoria St., Toronto, Ont. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Page 3 (Critics Pick f0nTheSa quave || Ace Newsreels with re Bossin i nei Be Ding Dong Del He rings the bell for Paramount pictures, does Delbert Goodman, now Canadian manager of that exchange. Del is a fellow who has been around some, remembered what he has seen and tells about it, under pressure, in a nice and laughy way. For nigh on a score of years this chipper fellow was a sort of unappointed good-will envoy for Hollywood amongst the slanty-eyed brethren, hostile and otherwise. He has hawked the dazzling celluloid in almost every civilized habitation and forgotten corner of the Far East, from the Road to Mandalay to the haunts of the head-hunters. The lanternloving Chinese, after thousands of years, learned some things about magic lanterns from him. He landed right side up over here a couple of hops ahead of the Mikado’s mob as it came muscling in. Now he sits in an office on Bond Street, Toronto, dreaming, no doubt, of sultry Sundays in the Orient and frosty Fridays in Canada. And probably wondering about The Street of the Dancing Girls in Canton and who’s around Madam Godam’s in Shanghai. Thoughts like these are what happens to a scribe who sees too many movies—or falls under the spell of a Del. Give the man a rickshaw he can ride—and he’ll bring back a new account for Paramount. Why Is a Jap? You learn from him what makes Hirohito and his henchmen run. For one thing, they don’t get every seventh day or sixth half-day off. They lay off the job three times each month for a day and not in all cities at the same time. No wonder they have a suicide complex. That’s the main theme of Jap song, story and scenario. So many Jap couples, stymied in the pursuit of happiness by the way of life, began taking double-headers into craters that the government became alarmed and froze death into certain forms—such as military aggression. You see what rules their subconscious minds individually and in the mass. Their present fix is the result of it. Films were beginning to open windows in their minds and let in the fresh air of reason till the ruling caste canned them. And what do you think was one of their most popular Hollywood pictures? Cecil B. De Mille’s “Northwest Mounted Police”! Should we feel flattered? He Likes Filipinos x Del has a special place in his heart for the United States’ former wards and present fighting partners. The Islanders have no racial prejudices. They’ve had their own university for 326 years. It was bombed recently. Filipinos are inherently polite. Children cry little, are rarely cross and even motion picture patrons do not complain lustily, as is often the practice with other races. One of the most popular songs of the Phillipine Islands is ‘Tf I Had a Talking Picture of You’’ from Janet Gaynor’s “High Society Blues.” Remember? The native bands still play it, now after many years, at funerals. And they dislike moustaches. hedges are box-office freezeouts. Lucky lads. That gives them one more reason to hate Hitler than we have. Stars who sport hirsute Those Clever Chinese! When an American picture is shown in a Chinese theatre and there is a lineup the manager just removes a reel or two from the middle, hastening the climax. Then the audience leaves and the line moves on. “So what?” chuckled Del. “Jack Hunter was screening a long double-bill for some friends one night. It started late so he did the same thing. And nobody knew the difference!” “However,” he added with a dead pan, “it wasn’t a Paramount picture.” Recognizing the dramatic and important role newsreels play today in our current entertainment, critics throughout the continent have polled their choices of the ten best. Here they are: 1. President Roosevelt’s war address after Japan had attacked U.S., and swift action of Congress in declaring war on Japan (Paramount). Expertly done. 2. Churchill-Roosevelt meeting on the high seas (News of Day). 3. Dakar defence preparations by the French and first motion pictures of how this vital African port, closest to South America, shapes up (Paramount). Exclusive story by Pierre Naintree and first films permitted by the Vichy government. 4. Series of comedy stories framed around a monkey in a Buffalo Zoo (Universal). Dug up through initiative of smaller city correspondent. Closest approach to filling the void left by Lew Lehr’s continued absence. 5. Saga of Ark Royal (News of Day). Though all from the library, smart editing by M. D. Clofine elevated it to a rare human interest yarn because of the many times the British airplane carrier was previously sunk. 6. The truth about Martinique (Paramount). Douglas Duont, cameraman, secured exclusive films showing how French gold is piled up there, some 200 U.S.-made planes are rotting on the docks, how poor the natives are, and the number of French warships tied up there. 7. Bringing war wounded back home to Australia (Movietone). Crack story, skillfully edited and narrated, and of particular interest on how the Australian government (which, of course, okayed the pictures) is treating war realism and morale. 8. Air raid stories on how London fared after the blitz fire and biggest bombing attack (Movietone). Other reels had the same material but this one stood out. 9. Convoy from Iceland (Pathe). Neal Sullivan’s camera work made this graphic. 10. Defence of Tobruk (Paramount). Trim editing and intelligent use of man-on-spot voice lifted this above others which had much the same material. Honorable Mention: British convoy fights off air attack (Movietone) and Inauguration of Roosevelt, first president in U.S. history to serve a third term (Paramount). Flesh in London The Grand, London, is using a revue policy for Friday and Saturday. Manager Jim Simmons reports that it has increased admissions considerably.