Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 2, 1944)

February 2, 1944 Bs ‘Battle of Russia’ OnThe § quare Does Well Here (Continued from Page 1) with Aye Bo on opening day. The film was made as one’ of the orientation series for military showing only but turned out to be so interesting that a demand arose for public distribution. Expertly handled, it combines history, pageantry, music, dancing and travel scenes. It certainly is best of its type to be offered — to the public until now. Actual war and horror scenes are limited, the purpose being to explain the kind of a people the ~ Russians are, how they found ~ themselves at war and why they Canadian FILM WEEKLY Read Be ran United Tale of a Haunted Seaman Movies are global in their travels and so are merchant seamen. This universal affinity is a grand thing for the wartime wandercr * but better never the twain shall meet than Sunday, Monday and always everywhere. That’s how Merchant Mariner Jack Scott of = Orillia, Ontario, feels about it. In Toronto Jack dropped in to see Hopalong Cassidy as 2 matter of personal preference. The next week he was in Prescott, Ontario, where the only house in town featured Hoppy. His next stop was Ogdensburg, New York, where he had to see Hopalong again. By now Jack was being suffocated by alkali dust and war longing for the sea again. SUBMARINE BASE John Litel Landing in Montreal on a five-hour layofi, he headed for the Alon Baxter nearest movie—well, it was Cassidy again or nothing at all. A bec e Bead antl ke re elon . Iris Adrian sailor must stick close to port. Next we find Scott in Halifax with & 5 acer ae Army Officials say that it has some time to spare. He went to the Family Theatre. Hopalong. Cursing the Cassidys he crossed the bay to Dartmouth—to find Hopalong there ahead of him. He rushed back to Halifax, hurried to the Community theatre and ran smack into Hoppy again. So he spent the time wandering around and wondering whether the been a definite impetus to recruiting and patrons, until now somewhat indifferent to war films, were agreeably surprised at the clarity of the explanation of — TIGER FANGS Frank mental miseries had caught up with him. be Bok Haunted and desperate, he was glad to be off to the tranae BES and the interestingaa® Buster Crabbe quillity of the sea, with only mere annoyances—storms, subs and P SE Ds Battie “OF SE Fifl D’Orsay planes—to upset a man’s peace of mind. When he landed in Port ever atte 0), oan has been shown so far it has au Spain, Trinidad, he was fit as a fiddle and ready for movies again. But Hoppy was waiting for him. His ship went on to Georgetown, British Guiana, where there is one English-speaking theatre—but Hopalong had taken over! Last week Jack Scott came home to Orillia and dropped around to see a movie and a friend at the same time. The friend was W. N. LaRose, house manager of the Opera House—but the movie was a Hopalong Cassidy. It was LaRose who told me about the travels and travails of Scott. Scott went on a verbal rampage when he saw Hoppy threesheeted. Reviewers and critics who are flicker-happy and wake up screening may give a pint of blood to the Red Cross on learning * how lucky they really are. HARVEST Hollywood ought to give Scott a medal. MELODY f ‘ , Rosemary Lane Eary Notes Johnny Downs Talk about vandalism—Bill Harry of our favorite pool-hall Radio Ro tells me that customers steal snooker balls. They cost $1.50 each. 2. pia Now what would anyone want with a pool ball? ... Mr. and Mrs. The Vigilantes Harold Jackson celebrated thelr 15th anniversary the other day with a party. He manages the Bayview. . . Overheard: “Big money doesn’t make a big man.” .. One manager who likes a pun is awaiting the coming of the Sinatra film, “Higher and Higher,” s0 that he can bill it: “Coming Swoon!” ... Eating out is hazardous these days. One fellow found a towel in a cake he had bought and the manager explained that it might have been put there by a vengeful ex-employee. Another fellow found a staple in his pie In one of a popular chain of restaurants. Broke a tooth drawn enthusiastic editorial and critical support. The ‘Toronto Daily Star said editorially that “The film provides a grand tour ecross the Soviet Union and through some of its most romantic and dramatic pages of history.”” Much has been made of its folk dancing and musical sequences and of its musical background. The score is mainly from Tchaikovsky’s music. The public, having been acquainted with German atrocities — by earlier Russian films, is ex-— posed only to enough to remind them of the Nazi mentality. New Manager 3 Len J. Jones, formerly of — RCMP, is now managing the Capitol, Lethbridge. ; Film Lost in Wreck A considerable number of prints from different companies were — lost in the explosion and fire that — took place on a train in the Maritimes recently. e THE GIRL FROM MONTEREY Armida Veda Ann’ Borg THE BLACK RAVEN George Zucco Noel Madison on it. The manager looked at him in blase fashion while listening, then handed him a card. “That’s our dentist,” he explained. “He handles all our cases.” ... Two cockney women in a shelter during Iscove Moves Up In UA Toronto Branch Al Iscove has assumed duties the bombing of London and one sald, “I do wish that fellow Hitler would marry and settle down!’ BOOK | Saves" img O WwW I The English I was leafing through a book of Empire Club speeches made a Producers Releasing during 1938-39 and came upon one by Brigadier James Mess, who is known to many motion picture people. In his speech, called “What Is the British Point of View?” he told an interesting rtory. During a bitter three-hour debate about Munich, in which Corporation LIMITED Executive Offices: 277 Victoria St., Toronto, 2, Ont. of supervision of the Toronto ~ branch of United Artists, tem-_ -s porarily replacing A. J. Jeffery, who moved into the spot of Canadian sales manager when David — H. Coplan left to take charge of — UA in Britain. Iseove, well-liked in the indus try, started with the Allens in 1929. In 1938 he went to Calgary Churchill had turned his greatest powers of speech upon Chamas manager of the Grand Na— Ae berlain, the latter rose to reply. tional branch there, shifting to an “I cannot agree with my Right Honorable Friend—” he said, UA in 1941 as office manager. A then with a smile turned to Churchill, “if I may still call him so.” while later he became Calgary ie 3! Churchill half-rose, bowed his head, and said: “If I am not branch manager. are unworthy, sir.” He was transferred to the ; The House of Commons cheered. Toronto branch in 1942.