Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 17, 1943)

Page scan 0002 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Nov 17, 1943
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 17, 1943)
Leaf #:
0002
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
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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THE PICK OF THE PICTURES Vol. 8, No. 47 ‘True to Life’ with Mary Martin, Franchot Tone, Dick Powell, Victor Moore Paramount 94 Mins. SURE-FIRE COMEDY PANS OUT AS SOCK ENTERTAINMENT FOR FAMILY AUDIENCES; MOORE BIG HIT. “True to Life’ is wholesome family entertainment which invokes the spirit of fun without reserve. It should have no trouble at all providing a walloping time for patrons craving escape from the deluge of war films. The film is mad, jolly stuff that will cause the customers to laugh themselves silly. Seriousness doesn’t raise its ugly head for a single instant to spoil the fun. The picture takes a good-natured poke at the radio soap operas in telling the story of two highpriced ether scribblers who turn to life for their inspiration when they face the heave-ho from their sponsor because their current family program has gone bleh. One of the duo saves the day by moving in with the screwy family of a hash-slinger without divulging his identity. They get plenty of material to keep the program going until the family threatens to sue. Matters are complicated when one of them falls in love with the hash-slinger and has to meet the competition of the other, a wolfish fellow. Everything works out well in a wow of a finale which will have the patrons busting their sides. Mary Martin plays the hashslinger and Franchot Tone and Dick Powell the radio writers, the latter the one who gets the girl. While all three are good, it is Victor Moore, as Miss Martin's eccentric father, who captures most of the honors in a tremendously funny performance. Fine work also is turned in by Mabel Paige, Beverly Hudson, Raymond Roe, Billy Demarest, Clarence Kolb, Ernest Truex and others. The cast is good down to the minutest role. Don Hartman and Harry Tugend packed plenty of excellent material into their screenplay, which stems from a yarn by Ben and Sol Barzman and Bess Tafel. George Marshall’s direction has given their script loads of life. Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer have contributed a trio of tunes sung nicely by Miss Martin and Powell. Paul Jones functioned well as associate producer. CAST: Mary Martin, Franchot Tone, Dick Powell, Victor Moore, Mabel Paige, Beverly Hudson, Raymond Roe, Bill Demarest, Ernest Truex, Clarence Kolb, Harry Shannon, Charles Moore, Tim Ryan and many others. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, | Ld [LA VOrIce ef the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE VA te A mouster REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK ‘Princess oO’ Rourke’ with Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings Warner 94 Mins. ROMANTIC COMEDY IS DELICIOUS FUN MARKED FOR GOOD BOX OFFICE SHOWING; FILM BOASTS STRONG CAST. This “Princess O’Rourke” spreads a royal feast of entertainment. As a romantic comedy, the production should carry special weight with the femme patrons. The film is delightful fun from first to last, having been treated in tongue-in-cheek fashion by Norman Krasna, who wrote the show as well as directed it. The services of a strong cast help clinch the film’s success. The picture is a delicious variation of the story about the princess and the commoner. The princess in this instance is Olivia de Havilland and the commoner Robert Cummings. Miss de Havilland is a visitor in the States with her uncle (Charles Coburn), who has given up hope of finding a royal suitor for her. The princess experiences love for the first time when she meets Cummings, a transport pilot, while she is travelling incognito to San Francisco. The fun gets into full swing when the plane turns back because of bad weather and the princess, dosed with sleeping tablets, is left in Cummings’ care. The two lose no time in whipping up a hot romance, with Miss de Havilland leading Cummings to believe that she is a poor refugee. When Cummings learns the truth he is bowled over. The romance gets the blessing of Coburn upon the latter’s discovery that the dominance of boys in the Cummings’ family history marks the lad as an ideal husband for a princess. Miss de Havilland and Cummings are swell as the lovers. Coburn, Jack Carson and Jane Wyman lend them fine support in other principal roles. Standing out in minor roles are Gladys Cooper, Harry Davenport, Minor Watson and Ray Walker, among others. Kresna's direction matches the quality of his script, which was produced by Hal B. Wallis in the manner it deserved. CAST: Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Harry Davenport, Gladys Cooper, Minor Watson, Nan Wynn, Curt Bois, Ray Walker, David Clyde, Nana Bryant, Nydia Westman, Ruth Ford, Julie Bishop, Frank Puglia, Rosina Galli, Ferike Boros, Dave Wllock, John Dilson, Edward Gargan. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. \ REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS November 17, 1943 ‘Sweet Rosie { ‘Girl Crazy’ °G O’Grady’ with Betty Grable, Robert Young 20th-Fox 74 Mins. TECHNICOLOR MUSICAL ANOTHER POPULAR HIT FROM 20th-FOX; GRABLE, YOUNG FINE TEAM. In “Sweet Rosie O’Grady” 20thFox has fashioned another of its lush, colorful and supremely entertaining musicals. Set in the days when the “Police Gazette” was in its fiower, the picture should be a cinch to sell. The picture, aided by fine Technicolor camera work, is ready-made for top grosses. William Perlberg, who produced the film like a real showman, has assembled a cast that has vast drawing power. In the leading roles are Betty Grable and Robert Young. Miss Grable is a stage favorite and Young a writer for the “Police Gazette.” They become bitter enemies when the latter reveals some unpleasant facts about her. As in all cases of the sort, their enmity turns to love before the finale. Before Young gets Miss Grable he has to dispose of a British duke (played by Reginald Gardiner). The film is a hectic affair developed with snap and precision. The entertainment is bolstered by some superb production numbers and four tunes by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren, not to mention the name tune, which is used as a sort of motif. The GordonWarren songs are “My Heart Tells Me,” “Goin’ to the County Fair,” “The Wishing Waltz” and “My Sam,” all of them catchy and possessed of a popular quality. Miss Grable and Young are good for loads of fun. The former has a chance to display her talents to the full, Adolphe Menjou as Young’s boss and Gardiner as the duke lend fine support. To be noted among the others are Vir ginia Grey, Sig Ruman, Alan Dinehart. Irving Cummings has struck a nice balance in his direction. CAST: Betty Grable, Robert Young, Adolphe Menjou, Reginald Gardiner, Virginia Gray, Phil Regan, Sig Ruman, Alan Dinehart, Hobart Cavanaugh, Frank Orth, Jonathan Hale, Stanley Clements, Byron Feulger, Lilyan Irene, Milton Parsons, Dorothy Vaughn, Hal K. Dawson, George Chandler, Charles Trowbridge, St. Brendan’s Choir, Leo Diamond and His Solidaires. Degen Geed. PHOTOGRAPHY, ne. Doug Watt to Army | Doug Watt, manager of the Biltmore, Oshawa, Ontario, has| | left to join the army. with Mickey Reoney, Judy Garland M-G-M 98 Mins. MUSICAL COMEDY IS MADE-TOORDER FILM FARE FOR YOUNGER ELEMENT; ROONEY, GARLAND TEAMED SUCCESSFULLY. An entertainment filled with the spirit and exuberance of youth the film version of the Guy BoltonJack McGowan stage musical is meat for youthful audiences—and rightfully so. The film is faststepping diversion abounding in comedy and music. The pattern is familiar, but this does not detract from the hox office value of the film. Nor does Hollywood’s conception of college existence rob the production of its drawing power. The film is concerned solely with handing out a good time— something which it does commendably. The film teams Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland to the complete satisfaction of the younger people, who will be delighted at the opportunities offered the two players to strut their stuff. Especially certain to meet with great approval from the young fans and spur the box office possibilities of the picture is a boy-and-girl romance between Rooney and Miss Garland. Miss Garland comes into Rooney’s life when he is dispatched to a small cow-country college to cure his craze for girls. Mickey pursues Judy with contempt for every obstacle that offers itself. As in so many stories of this type, Rooney violently hates the college and its emphasis on western customs until he meets Miss Garland and falls for her. Soon he does an about-face to the extent of organizing an enrolment drive to save the college from closing. The film winds up with Mickey very much a hero and he and Miss Garland very much in love. The story gives Rooney and Miss Garland plenty of leeway. They get nice support from Gil Stratton, Robert E. Strickland, “Rags” Ragland, June Allyson, Nancy Walker, Guy Kibbee and one or two others. Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra are on hand to supply the chief accompaniment for _ the George Gershwin music, to which Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics. The film boasts several lavish production numbers. Norman Taurog’s direction and Arthur Freed’s work as producer merit a bow. CAST: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Gil Stratton, Robert E. Strickland, *Rags”” Ragland, June Allysen, Nancy Walker, Guy Kibbee, Frances Rafferty, Henry O’Neil, Howard Freeman, Tommy Dorsey and orchestra. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Geod. ———