Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 8, 1944)

Page scan 0006 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Nov 8, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 8, 1944)
Leaf #:
0006
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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c @ Vol. 9, No. 45 The Hour Before The Dawn with Franchot Tone, Veronica Lake Paramount 75 Mins. STORY OF A PACIFIST WHO TURNS FIGHTER RATES AS GOOD DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT; ACTING IS TOPS. “The Hour Before the Dawn” is an excellently produced film that dispenses good dramatic entertainment. William Dozier, associate producer on the film, has received swell co-operation from Frank Tuttle, the director; Michael Hogan, who authored the screenplay, and a cast headed by Franchot Tone and Veronica Lake. These combined talents have turned out a production that sustains the attention from start to finish. Not to be overlooked for exploitation purposes is the fact that W. Somerset Maugham did the novel from which the Hogan screenplay is taken. Often moving is this story of a pacifist and what happens to him when England is forced to declare war on Germany. Tone, a son of British aristocracy, declares himself a conscientious objector because he loathes killing. The history of his obsession against blood-letting goes back to his childhood when he accidentally shot a pet dog to death. Assigned to farm labor, Tone does what he can for his country on the home front. To add to his difficulties, the fellow takes as his wife Miss Lake, a Nazi agent, who carries on her activities under the guise of an Austrian refugee. The girl's identity doesn’t come to light until she sets @ beacon for the Luftwaffe, enabling the Nazis to bomb a secret airfield near the home she shares with Tone. Tone and Miss Lake perform commendably in the main roles. The former commendably in the main roles. The former makes the pacifist a most sympathetic character, while Miss Lake plays the Nazi agent with subtlety, managing a foreign accent convincingly. John Sutton, Binnie Barnes, Henry Stephenson, Philip Merivale, Nils Asther and Dayid Leland are others whose work helps the film a lot. CAST: Franchot Tone, Veronica Lake, John Sutton, Binnie Barnes, Henry Stephenson, Philip Merivale, Nils Asther, Edmond Breon, David Leland, Aminta Dyne, Morton Lowry, Ivan Simpson, Donald Stuart, Harry Allen, Mary Gordon, Ernest Severn, Raymond Severn. DIRECTION, Fine, PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK Heavenly Days with Fibber McGee and Molly RKO 72 Mins. RADIO TEAM APPEARS TO GOOD ADVANTAGE IN COMEDY THAT IS IDEAL FOR FAMILY PATRONAGE. The popularity enjoyed by Fibber McGee (Jim Jordan) and Molly (Marian Jordan) on the radio will spell success for “Heavenly Days.” The film is full of the amiable, simple humor that is characteristic of the comedy team on the air, stacking up as ideal family entertainment, The makers of the film have been wise in keeping the radio stars from going beyond their depth in this film venture. The two have been made to remain their natural selves, with happy results. Their conduct never strays from the human, a fact which helps to explain the warmth of their work in “Heavenly Days.” The story isn’t intended to be taken too seriously. If one makes allowance for the lack of logic, one should have an easy time enjoying the content of the production, which was turned out by Robert Fellows in good style, though unpretentiously. In “Heavenly Days” Fibber McGee goes to Washington to speak for the “average man,” who, he feels, is being sadly neglected. His campaign in behalf of what Henry A. Wallace loves to refer to as the “common man” is productive of no end of hilarious complications. His drive te have Mr. Average participate more actively in the activities of the nation bears fruit, and at the finale McGee, himself, is selected as the average American in a poll conducted by Dr. Gallup. McGee and Molly move easily through their roles. Eugene Pallette, Raymond Walburn, Gordon Oliver, Frieda Inescort, Irving Bacon, Charles Trowbridge, Barbara Hale and Don Douglas are good in the supporting parts The King’s Men help with several musical numbers. The screenplay of Howard Estabrook and Don Quinn, based on a yarn by the former, has touches of satire inspired by the Washington scene. The film has lively direction by Estabrook. CAST: Jim Jordan, Marian Jordan, Eugene Pallette, Gordon Oliver, Raymend Walburn, Barbara Hale, Don Douglas, Frieda Inescort, Irving Bacon, Charles T e, King's Men. DIRECTION, Good, PHOTOGRAPHY, Good, Mr. Skeffington with Bette Davis, Claude Rains Warner 146 Mins. BETTE DAVIS HITS NEW ACTING HEIGHTS IN DRAMATIC FILM DESTINED FOR HEFTY GROSSES. “Mr. Skeffington,” taken from the best-seller by “Elizabeth,” provides Bette Davis with a dramatic yehicle that permits her to give full play to her acting skill. Her portrayal of a vain selfish woman obsessed by the fear of growing old adds immeasurably to her stature as an interpreter of unpleasant women. Unquestionably the film is hers, although the presence of Claude Rains as her husband helps no little in making the production the strong attraction that it is. With Miss Davis performing as she never has before there is no doubt about the box office fate of “Mr. Skeffington.” There is every reason to justify the prediction that the film will turn out as the actress’ greatest success. Miss Davis, aided principally by Rains, makes of the offering a vivid and showy drama that is strikingly effective in exploring the mind and soul of Fanny Trellis, the central character, and explaining the motives that lie behind her behavior. The story takes Miss Davis from 1914 to 1940. She lives an existence filled with suitors. Next to men her main interest is her looks, to preserve which she will Sacrifice everything. By the time she reaches the end of the film her struggle against the ravages of age has become pitiful and ridiculous. Her marriage to Skeffington (Rains), a wealthy broker, goes on the rocks as a result of her unwillingness to grow up. Rains goes to Germany where he is thrown into a concentration camp, later to be released. At the finale Rains, feeble and blind, returns to America to be taken care of by Miss Davis, who, her beauty now completely gone, becomes aware of her duty to her husband and the daughter born of their union. Vincent Sherman has directed superlatively. CAST: Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Walter Abel, Richard Waring, George Couleuris, Marjorie Riordan, Robert Shayne, John Alexander, Jerome Cowan, Charles Drake, Dorothy Peterson, Peter Whitney, Bill Kennedy, Tom Stevenson, Halliwell Hobbes, Sylvia Arslan, Bunny Sunshine, Gigi Perreau, Dolores Gray, Walter Kingsford, Molly Lamont. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRA.PHY, Excellent. REVIEWS IMFORMATION RATINGS $2.00 Per Annum The Merry Monahans with Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, Jack Oakice, Ann Blyth Universal 91 Mins. LATEST O'CONNOR PICTURE DESTINED FOR GREAT POPULARITY; WEALTH OF MUSIC A FACTOR. Generously endowed with comedy, sentiment and romance, the latest of the Donald O'Connor music, starring films should have no trouble winning the hearts of young and old. Dealing with show people in the golden days of vaudeville, the film, produced spiritedly and on a reasonably ample by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano, revives many of the famous tunes of another day and tells a fami scale liar story in a most entertaining manner, The great popularity in store for the production will be more than justly deserved. Vivid, colorful and atmospher ically right, the picture relates the fortunes of a _ theatrical family consisting of O'Connor, Peggy Ryan and Jack Oakie, the last-named playing pop. Two romances are offered for the delectation of the fans. One involves O'Connor and Ann Blyth; the other, Oakie and Rosemary De Camp. O'Connor adds further to his stock. He, Oakie, and the Misses Ryan and Blyth make a swell foursome under the able direction of Charles Lamont. CAST: Denald O'Conner, Peggy Ryan, Jack Oakie, Ann Blyth, Rosemary De Camp, John Miljan, Gavin Muir, Isabel Jewell, lan Wolfe, Robert Homans, Marion Martin, Licyd Ingraham. CREDITS: Preducers, Michacl Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Director, Charles Lamont; Screenplay, Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano; Cameraman, Charles Van Enger; Art Directors, John B. Goodman, Martin Obzina; Sound Director. Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russel A. Gausman, Leigh Smith; Film Editor, Charles Maynard; Special Effects, John P. Fulton; Musical Director, Hana J. Salter; Dance Directors, Louis Da Pron, Carles Remero. DIRECTION, Geod. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Theatre Wanted 400 seats or over within radius of several hundred miles of Toronto, Will pay cash, BOX 10 Canadian Film Weekly