20th Century-Fox Dynamo (August 26, 1939)

6 NEW DYNAMO ' JAPAN, EUROPE LEAD OVERSEAS Despite Conditions Both Over Quota So Far in ’39 Japan and Europe con- tinue to lead the Over- seas department’s 1939 delivery race insofar as territories and divi- sions, respectively, are concerned. The fact that notwith- standing the presence of war interest and war scare in Japan and Europe, re- spectively, those two units can continue to lead is in it- self remarkable. On the annual basis Doyle’s Japs lead Colombia by 48.90 points. On the seasonal basis they command with a margin of 22.75 over Sweden. Ben Miggins’ Europe is over quota on accumulated 1939 de- livery among the divisional on the seasonal basis. But so is Goodman’s Far East, which is second. The latter trails Europe by 6.89 points. On the annual basis, Europe leads the Far East by 4.13. Five countries are over quota on the annual basis. They are: Japan France Colombia Spain Norway On the seasonal basis 13 terri- tories are over 100 per cent. They are: Japan Sweden Norway Colombia France F. M. States Jugo-Slavia Notwithstanding the threats that have terrorized Poland for months, the Warsaw office has been delivering on a par with the company’s healthiest branches anywhere in the world. It stands 11th in the seasonal calculation and 10 on the annual basis. Harley’s Britons are third in both analysis of the foreign ef- fort. On the annual basis they are 2.2 points behind Far East. They trail the latter on the sea- sonal effort by 2.9. THE STANDINGS Following is the standing of every Overseas territory and di- vision on 1939 delivery on the annual basis: TERRITORIES On the seasonal basis here is how they stand: TERRITORIES Trinidad Germany Philippines Poland Holland Latvia SKOURAS SAYS K-7 TOPS ANYTHING THIS INDUSTRY HAS SLATED FOR 1939-40 By SPYROSSKOURAS President of National Theatres, Inc. LOS ANGELES—In the course of a year I make many visits to all of the major studios. I visit at Movietone City every time I am in Los Angeles and I do so because the enthusiasm and optimism I find there on every visit always gives me a lift. Sometimes some of the advance hopes are not fully realized, but there is one thing that is always certain: the studio is always in there trying and doing its very best. On this visit to the 20th Century-Fox lot I find not only the usual seasonal hope and promises, but, more important, I find a justification for practically everything told me. So far this studio has turned out “Elsa Maxwell’s Hotel for Women” and “Stanley and Living- stone,” both of which pictures are turn- ing in a great result, and the latter is breaking many records. I have just seen “Hollywood Cavalcade” and here is a truly fine motion picture, and a great credit to our industry. Here is a motion picture that, in my opinion, will crowd “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” for box office results. It has everything any really entertain- ing picture could possibly have. It’s got a great cast of top, modern names in Alice Faye and Don Ameche, and a long list of old-timers everyone will be glad to see again. The young and old will crowd theatres Spyros Skouras to see “Hollywood Cavalcade” because the young will thrill to the beautiful, moving, romantic story and the old will enjoy that and the presence of old favorites. Everything about “Hollywood Cavalcade” is box office. It is beautifully done in Technicolor and I want to repeat that in my opinion it will give “Alexander’s Ragtime | Band” a run for box office earnings. In other words, were one to ask me how I would class | “Hollywood Cavalcade,” I would unhesitatingly class it j with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” in box office value and in l entertainment. Then here on the lot they have a picture entitled “The Rains i Came.” Everybody out here is certain this picture will break S every record of any picture ever produced by this company— I and, in my opinion, it most assuredly should do exactly that. j A great story from a best seller with probably the greatest j box office cast ever assembled in a single picture, the spec- I tacles, great as they are, it should make history. The spec- | tacles never slow down one of the greatest stories ever filmed j by any company. When I think of “Drums Along the Mohawk,” “Brigham | Young,” “Little Old New York,” “The Blue Bird,” “Grapes j of Wrath,” “Swanee River” and all the other big pictures ! under way here, then I know that nothing can stop theatres j using 20th Century-Fox attractions from breaking all exist- s ing records not once or twice, but time and again this season. ! I know what every company is planning and I have seen | much of their product and I have talked with their producers, J so I know what is in their minds. And I know what Zanuck S is doing. With that knowledge in mind, I am convinced that | 20th Century-Fox will set the box office production pace for j all companies to follow. Philadelphia Boring In! — . j Indications at press-time, i on basis of returns from 22 of the 37 branches, were that { Edgar Moss’ Atlantics would j probably be leading the dis- tricts on standing based on revenue garnered on short j subjects during the first week of the seventh annual S. R. I Kent Drive. All three of their | branches went well over quota. At the left District Man- j ager Moss is pictured with Sam Gross’ Philadelphia per- I sonnel. The Philadelphians did not quite make total de- livery quota in that introduc- I tory chapter, but they are j boring in and they got off in the $2000 Movietone-Terry- | toon prize race to a flying j start. Gross’ Quakers are confi- I dent that before the Drive is i much along they will be found trouping with the head- j liners. Speeding up their j sales and getting the best terms ever obtained in that j territory. “STANLEY” CHEERED BY THE BRITISH TRADE TRADE PRESS COMMENTS POSITIVE IT WILL CLEANUP THROUGHOUT BRITISH ISLES By Pan-American Clipper Ship to New Dynamo LONDON, ENG.—Darryl Zanuck’s “Stanley and Livingstone” is the recipient of superlative praise from the local press, whose representatives were enthralled at a trade showing held the other day. The trade press critics were united in the opinion that “Stanley and Livingstone” would be one of the major box office successes of the season throughout the British Isles. The performance of Spencer Tracy in particular was enthusias- tically appraised by the critics. Sales Director R. Sutton Dawes announced that “Stanley and Livingstone” would be one of the British Isles’ Kent Drive releases this Fall. Publicity Director Roy Si- monds is now making arrange- ments for an elaborate British premiere, with the advance newspaper campaign already well under way. A front-page review in To- day’s Cinema, a trade daily, car- ried the following comment: “Flawless portrayal by Spencer Tracy in Darryl F. Zanuck’s finest production. Here is a really outstanding picture. That it will prove an entertainment treat for the connoisseur and the lover of spacious spectacle alike is not for a moment in doubt, and it is equally certain that from Dec. 25 (general British re- lease date) onwards, its title will be on everybody’s lips as a film on no account to be missed. In particular, we would again emphasize the flawless work of Spencer Tracy in the role of Stanley, and in recording that it is probably the finest thing that even he has ever done, we make a sig- nificant tribute which will surely not be lost on show- men.” FILM RENTER The Daily Film Renter, an- other trade daily, commented as follows: “ ‘Stanley and Livingstone’ makes grand drama! Spencer Tracy’s latest is definite box- office hit. Spencer Tracy gives a magnificent performance in ‘Stanley and Livingstone,’ out- standing subject screened to an enthusiastic audience yesterday by 20th Century-Fox. The film j "Stanley" Set in | England Dec. 25 j ! LONDON—British Man- l j aging Director F. L. Har- j j ley announced this week i ! that Zanuck’s “Stanley | | and Livingstone” would be | i available for general re- i j lease in the British Isles ! I on Dec. 25. j Meantime, the advance j t exploitation campaign and S j plans for a roadshow type j | premiere are under way. | has big scale spectacle, genuine- ly powerful emotional inspira- tion and first-rate background shots photographed by a special expedition. Tracy’s work is bril- liant. Here is a really worth- while picture, packed with ad- venture, action, thrills, heart appeal and myriad audience an- gles, and an offering that can safely be recommended as an outstanding box office for all halls.” Today’s Cinema later made this observation: “Superb production qualities and flawless portraiture by Spencer Tracy. Vivid detail in- troducing spectacular pageantry of reporter’s dogged courage. Assures an entertainment which many will regard as memorable indeed.”