Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 19, 1942)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Aug 19, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 19, 1942)
Leaf #:
0003
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, and Canada
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Picture Pioneers, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Film Weekly

  • Editor: Hye Bossin (1942-64)
  • Renamed Canadian Film & TV Bi-Weekly (1965-69, editor: Stan Helleur)
  • Renamed Candian Film Weekly(1970, editor: Ed Hocura)

Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70) was edited by Hye Bossin and published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., wholly owned by leading exhibitor, Nat Taylor. In the late 1930s, Taylor was head of the Independent Theatre Association and his Toronto-based chain, Twinex-Century (Twentieth Century), was the largest independent circuit in the country. In 1941, however, he negotiated for chain affiliation with upstart Canadian Odeon before leveraging a better deal and greater booking control with nationally-dominant Famous Players Canada, Ltd. No longer independent, he took ownership of the Independent Theatre Association’s semi-monthly magazine, The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (1940-41), installed Hye Bossin as editor, and laid plans to relaunch in January 1942 under a new name, Canadian Film Weekly. This enduring key publication was no longer solely focused on independent exhibitors but instead covered the entire industry on a national scale–exhibition, distribution and production–with some attention given to studio news from New York and Hollywood.

Bossin was a vibrant writer with a canny way with words, admired in the industry in the United States as well as Canada. He was one of a large family who lived above their father’s secondhand shop in the Jewish “ward” downtown in Toronto. His older brother was a bookie with ties to the underground; his younger brother was a famous journalist, protégé of Walter Winchell, and Hollywood screenwriter. In contrast, Hye spent nearly two decades learning the publishing trade in a printers’ shop before trying a stint as a Hollywood publicist, then writing a column for the Toronto Star Weekly before taking Taylor’s offer to edit the Film Weekly. Bossin was central to the creation of the Canadian Film Archive, the Canadian Film Awards, and he wrote some of the first histories of early cinema in Canada, published in the first volumes of the annual Canadian Film Weekly Year Book (1951-70).

In 1957, the Film Weekly had incorporated the rival Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57), and began dating its start to that paper’s earlier start as the Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18). Subsequent variants of the Canadian Film Weekly and its yearbooks always claimed their roots all the way back to 1915 and the origins of the film industry trade press in Canada. After Bossin died in 1964, the Weekly’s new editor, Stan Helleur, renamed the magazine Canadian Film & TV Bi-Weekly, scaling back the pace of publishing but adding a purview for television and broadcasting. The annual was renamed similarly, its subtitle amended to “Year Book of the Canadian Entertainment Industry.” An attempted renewal to weekly format in 1970, edited by Ed Hocura, was short-lived and Nat Taylor decided instead to relaunch under an entirely new title, Canadian Film Digest (1971-77) and Canadian Film Digest Yearbook (1971-86).

– Paul Moore, March 2024

Further Reading

  • Bossin, Hye. “Canada and the Film: The Story of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry.” In Canadian Film Weekly Year Book of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry, 21-41. Toronto: Film Publications of Canada, 1951.
  • Moore, Paul. “Chronicling a National History: Hye Bossin’s Canadian Film Weekly and Year Book.” In Eric Hoyt and Kelley Conway, eds., Global Movie Magazines. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2024.

Date Added:
August 08, 2024
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Canadian FILM WEEKLY August 19th, 1942 Columbia THE TALK OF THE TOWN Sizeup: A highly intelligent comedy woven out of a modern theme. It maintains a fast pace and a deep interest, as well as Sharp and steady laughter. Jean Arthur, Cary Grant and Ronald Colman make the most of three rich, distinctive roles. What Goes On: Cary Grant is a small-town agitator, wrongly accused of burning down a local factory, who breaks jail when a fair trial seems out of the question. He hides in a cottage rented to Ronald Colman, dean of a law school, by Jean Arthur, a school teacher who hasn't heart to turn Grant in. She gets herself hired as Colman’s secretary, passes Grant off as the gardener until she goads Colman into taking an active part in Grant’s defence. Both men become interested in her romantically. Colman gets a Supreme Court appointment and Grant wins freedom and the girl. Sizeup: Jean Arthur loses nothing at all against the expert playing of Colman and Grant. Colman displays his smoothest manner and tones, a direct contrast to Grant’s honest presentation of a desperate, dirty fugitive. The picture is grim and tense during the early part but lightens up and gives way to comedy. Every part in the film, no matter how small, was expertly cast and so Glenda Farrell, Edgar Buchanan, Rex Ingram, Leonid Kinsky and other well-known players pop up all through. “Talk of the Town” was directed splendidly by George Stevens, who did “Woman of the Year” and should rank as one of the big pictures of the season for its escape value alone. SABOTAGE SQUAD Payoff: The police squad hunts down the leader of a Nazi spy ring, doing it in a fashion that provides suspense and speed throughout for the auditor. What Goes On: There are some loose ends that are hardly noticeable and a few novel twists. Bruce Bennett is the cop whose rival for the affections of Kay Harris, Eddie Norris, is a reformed thief. The cops are out to locate the man who owns a certain medal, the evidence of authority among the spies. Norris’ friend, George McKay, a paroled pickpocket, lifts the wallet of Sydney Blackmer, a respected scientist, and finds the medal. The medal is found on Norris, who is allowed to escape. Norris is trailed by police and spies, the police guessing that the spies will go after him. The action leads to the prevention of sabotage in an aircraft factory, Norris deliberately crashing a dynamiteJaden truck carrying him and Blackmer. Sizeup: This is extremely interesting for a B. BLONDIE FOR VICTORY Payoff: Good issue of the popular series. Plenty of howls and an up-to-the-minute theme. What Goes On: Blondie organizes a housewives’ service brigade and disorganizes the home life of Dagwood and the. neighbors. Dagwood borrows a military uniform and pretends he has enlisted to bring Blondie back to the responsibilities of the home. Then the involvements start. Sizeup: Stuart Erwin, Jonathan Hale and some new faces join Lake, Singleton and the old ones. 20th Century-Fox FOOTLIGHT SERENADE Payoff: Betty Grable and Victor Mature in their most modest offering of recent date which is, nevertheless, tuneful, lively and interesting. John Payne, Jane Wyman, Cobina Wright, Jr., and June Lang lend their weight to it. It’s a musical. What Goes On: Mature is the champ pug starring in a show and hot for Grable, a chorus girl married to Payne. James Gleason, the producer, makes them keep it quiet and Grable has to bear Mature’s wooing. Payne, Mature’s sparring partner in the show, takes a licking in the ring when Mature finds out that Grable has been carrying on with him. When Mature learns that they’re married he’s a sport about it. Sizeup: Though a backstage musical, the prizefight angle, unworked in film musicals since Baer made a picture with Loy, gives it a certain freshness. Phil Silvers, as a stage comic and Gleason’s aide, does much for the film. There are six musical numbers. a RR A eA tc Phone: Adelaide 4316 Republic JOAN OF OZARK Payoff: Good comedy for the lovers of boisterous, countrytype humor as specialized in by Judy Canova. The studio has teamed her with another disciple of broad humor, Joe E. Brown. Together they work out a series of substantial laughs. What Goes On: Joe E. Brown is a vaudeville booker who kids Canova into coming to New York and singing in a night club. He poses as an FBI man, tells her that she’s needed to spy on the night club owners, suspected of being spies. They really are. Sizeup: The picture has four songs. Familiar players are Eddie Foy, Jr., and Jerome Cowan. Universal TREAT ’EM ROUGH Payoff: Nice little prizefight drama about oil thieves. What Goes On: Eddie Albert is a prizefighter against his rich Pappy’s wishes. Pappy is an oil king whose wells are being looted for sale to the enemy. Eddie straightens it out. Sizeup: Peggy Moran, William Frawley, Monte Blue, Jack Mulhall, Ed Pawley and Dewey Robinson. Reviewed Earlier ESCAPE FROM CRIME (Vitagraph) Gangster piece of distinctly minor classification. Richard Travis is a reformed crook who goes straight and helps round up his old mob. Julie Bishop, Jackie C. Gleason, Rex Williams and Frank Wilcox. PARACHUTE NURSE (Columbia) A timely subject is this female branch of the service. Marguerite Chapman just can’t jump and is tricked into it by her pals, thereby remaining in the army. William Wright and Louise Albritton. SUNDAY PUNCH (Regal) Plenty of punch, some laughter and a familiar story. Good names on hand to present this story of a gold-digger who reforms for her college-bred pugilistic sweetheart. William Lundigan, Jean Rogers, Dan Dailey, Jr., Guy Kibbee, J. Carrol Naish, Leo Gorcey and Rags Ragland. TAKE A LETTER, DARLING (Paramount) Long on loud laughter. Rosalind Russell is the advertising executive who needs an escort to placate wives of potential account-givers. Fred MacMurray, Constance Moore and Macdonald Carey. & XHIBITORS BOOKING ASSOCIATION A thoroughly reliable, tried and proven buying and booking service for Independent Theatre Owners. 21 DUNDAS SQUARE Toronto Frank Meyers, Manager