20th Century-Fox Dynamo (February 3, 1940)

4 NEW DYNAMO ‘GRAPES’, A CONTROVERSIAL EPIC, SECOND W EEK’S STAR T TERRIFIC Jams New York’s Rivoli For Astounding Attendance Mark As Trade Thrills To Its Greatness With Ticket-Buying Crowds Zanuck’s sensational and faithful picturization of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” swung dramatically into its second week at the Rivoli theatre in New York on Wednesday. And as it did so, the entire nation, led by none other than Presi- dent Roosevelt, tackled the problem of what to do to help the Dust Bowl refugees whose plight is so realistically dramatized in this most daring motion picture ever made! As New Yorkers flocked daily by the thousands to the Rivoli, millions—and that’s not a wishful-thinking statement—were flooding exhibitors all over the country to ascertain when “The Grapes of Wrath” would be locally presented. This demand was relayed to the branches by exhibitors who are pleading for the setting of an early release date. ‘Blue Bird’ Opens As Road-Show In Betroit And San Francisco! DETROIT—(By Wire)—“The Blue Bird” was revealed here Thursday night, at the Detroit theatre, in all its Technicolor splendor. Superlatives, in surprisingly large numbers, bespoke the pleasure of critics on The Free-Press, Detroit News and Detroit Times. “The Blue Bird,” one of the handful of productions this company has road-shown in Detroit in the past 20 years. Appear at the President's Ball! Below, Tyrone Power and his wife (Annabella) as they arrived last week-end in New York. Note reporters. Rear, second from right, Milton Howe of Harry Brand’s studio publicity stalf, who accompanied them. Tyrone and Anna- bella on Monday night appeared with Brenda Joyce at the President’s Birthday Hall at Washington, D. C. The word of mouth praise “The Grapes of Wrath” in- spired and the critics’ un- precedented praise has made this masterpiece the most discussed and most-in- demand picture in the his- tory of this business. That was the reportorial fact stressed by newspapers and echoed in the public de- mand for early showings. Metropolitan newspaper critics’ “rave” reviews were re-echoing in the pages of national magazines, this week. New York critics, columnists and editors were devoting a tremendous vol- ume of ticket-selling word- age to the triumph “The Grapes of Wrath” repre- sents not only for this com- pany, as a whole, and Zan- uck personally, but for the industry generally! The Associated Press staff of critics, the New York Daily News and others selected it “as the outstanding picture of the month, easily, and of any day,” as The New York Times’ Prank Nugent put it! From the Southwest continued to come requests from exhibitors for pre-release showings! Oklahoma itself is begging for the earliest possible showing! By the end of the week, Mr. Wobber expected to announce the date for its first showing in California, where much of the action of “The Grapes of Wrath” takes place. Pete Harrison of Harrison’s Reports loudly acclaimed the making and availability of this unparalleled vehicle. Verbal cheers came from showmen, the editorial columns of newspapers, the pulpit, and from thousands of ticket-buyers, representing every type and age of movie fan, who helped “The Grapes of Wrath” set a new at- tendance record at the Rivoli! The New York Times, Sunday, in editorial comment on this established box office hit, said: “We suppose there will be a passive resistance to the film in some quarters because it bears the stamp of ‘social conscious- ness’ and so, automatically, ceases to be entertainment. Cer- tainly nothing could be farther from the truth. Our definition of entertainment is not ‘that which amuses’ but ‘that which interests.’ As a running story ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ is never less than absorbing. A good part of its chronicle is com- pounded of the earthy humor that abounds in the folk who live close to the soil. A good part of it is bold melodrama. A large part of it can claim kin- ship with the most hoary screen device of all — the chase — al- though the chaser in this case is Hunger and the fugitive is a clattering, wheezing old truck bearing the Joads. Perhaps we can sum it up better by saying we were no more conscious of the film’s running time of a fraction over two hours than we Continued on Page 9 “GRAPES” BRINGS MORE PRAISE Letters, Wires, B.O., Editorials Mirror Popularity! Unsolicited praise from countless people —hundreds of them New York ticket-buy- ers—and from numer- ous sources has been inspired by “The Grapes of Wrath.” Generally, newspapers complimented Zanuck and company for the “courage to make such a powerful picture.” Women’s clubs, Federal, State and municipal officials joined typical theatregoers in lavishing added praise on this triumphant attraction. In Washington, as in Okla- homa and California, the de- mand for an early showing was extremely persistent and popu- lar. In Congress, members who ere now considering the Neely bill, looked upon the industry with “added respect because of ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ ” as one well-informed correspondent put it. With but one glaring excep- tion, the trade press congratu- lated the company on the pic- turization of the best seller. As Nat Blank, Des Moines circuit showman, said in Miami this week, “an undertaking like this does our business no end of good becasue it disproves the ridiculous claim of millions who say they have stayed away from pictures because they are not aimed to please the fully devel- oped mind.” was enthusiastically ap- plauded by the Midwest premiere. Critics agree it is incom- parable as a fantasy done in Technicolor. Shirley Temple’s performance is be- lieved to launch her on a great career as a dramatic actress. She personally received easily the greatest reviews her efforts have locally inspired. Exhibitors predict a “clean- up” when it is generally released to them, according to what was told Detroit Branch Manager Lester Sturm. Darryl F. Zanuck, Director Walter Lang and all who had a hand in making “The Blue Bird” were recipients of sincere praise. SECOND OPENING OF THE WEEK SAN FRANCISCO—Ev- erything was in readiness for the opening here Friday of the road-show engage- ment of “The Blue Bird.” An elaborate advance cam- paign heralded the engagement. Branch Manager G. M. Bal- lentine was predicting a “fine public response.” Contests and numerous tie- ups featured the advance cam- paign. THIRD WEEK IN NEW YORK “The Blue Bird” went into its third week at the Hollywood theatre, New York, on Friday. The metropolitan road-show engagement will be concluded on next Thursday (Feb. 8). Later this month it will go into the Roxy, probably follow- ing “Little Old New York,” which opened at that metropoli- tan theatre this Friday. BEAT QUOTA!