The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1939)

Servisectbn 2 Tracy fans, while holding up the lower half of dual bills. It’s the familiar tale of the criminal lawyer who digs a hole deep enough for his own burial. This time it’s Tracy, who saves Patric Knowles from a murder rap, only to have Knowles run off with Barbara Read, Tracy’s daughter. Knowles figured on wedding Read so that Tracy, then his father-in-law, would never mention that his son-in-law really murdered a man. It ends with the spellbinder unsuccessfully trying to defend himself. For the benefit of those who are worried about Tracy, he only gets a light sentence. Newspaper reporter Allan Lane eventually gets the girl. Estimate: Habe dualler. Way Down South (947) Family Melodrama with Music 6 2m. Bobby Breen, Steffi Duna, Ralph Morgan, Alan Mowbray, Sally Blane, Charles Middleton, Clar¬ ence Muse, Hall Johnson Choir. Directed by Bernard Vorhaus. Ol’ Massa Breen opens the valves on his sensitive tear ducts and frees the pressure on his soprano pipes in this tear-jerking drama of the ol’ south, suh. It seems as if, back in 18 54, Breen’s good-natured pop, Ralph Morgan, ups and kicks the bucket, leaving a mean cuss as the estate’s executor. The executor intends to sell the slaves, realize a nice profit, and then scram. Massa Breen won’t have it and ferls the viTlun with the aid of Alan Mowbray. The redeeming features are the vocal offerings of the Hall John¬ son Choir and Breen’s rendition of "Louisana.” Since the story was set in 1854, we wondered how one of the Negroes happened to have a pack of Chesterfields in his pocket and how the entire group of slaves learned to Lindy Hop and other jitterbug routines. Estimate: For Breen fans; nabe duals. Note— The production number of RKORadio’s "Bachelor Mother,” as given with the review on page 346, should be 932. REPUBLIC Should Husbands Work? (816) Family Comedy 65m. James, Lucille, Russell Gleason, Harry Daven¬ port, Marie Wilson, Mary Hart, Tommy Ryan, Berfon Churchill, Henry Kolker, Arthur Hoyt, Barry Horton, Mary Forbes, William Brisbane, Harry Bradley. Directed by Gus Meins. Whether Republic and the Higgins family (the Gleasons plus Harry Davenport, Mary Hart, Tommy Ryan) can answer this poses does not matter, for this one is the best of the series thus far, what with its complicated mergers of two drug companies, the junior Gleason and Marie Wilson, and all the other understandings and misunderstandings in this cinema-great American family. Berton Churchill and Henry Kolker are the heads of rival drug concerns, which finally merge — when the last 10 shares of stock (held by the junior Gleason for a rise, to provide the funds for matrimony) at long last bought in. It is all good fun and should make more friends for the Higgins family. Estimate: Good ssipporting fare. Wyoming Outlaw family Western 56m. John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Raymond Hatton, Donald Barry, Adele Pearce, LeRoy Mason, Charles Middleton, Katherine Kenworthy, Elmo Lincoln, Jack Ingram, David Sharp, Jack Kenney, Yakima Canutt. Directed by George Sherman. Other than being a more or less traditional western— in which the intrusion of telephones and radio (including on-the-spot, remote-control broadcasting) — the chapter in the experiences of the Three Mesquiteers is mainly notable for the substitution of Raymond Hatton for Max Terhune. With all due respect to Terhune, the theatre audience and this reviewer seem to be agreed that this was a change for the better, for Hatton provides the comedy coursing the narra¬ tive more effectively, and in a manner more in keeping with the nature of the piece. Story here concerns the machinations of LeRoy Mason, rhe local dispenser (for a monetary consideration only) of local work and relief, and how Donald Barry attempts to stave off his folks’ poverty, finally becoming embroiled with the law. The Three Mesquiteers sure try to work things out, but it seems that Barry has beat them to it. It is a good action western, which gets the audience response that all good Mesquiteers shows should. The change in the Mesquiteers, as manifest in this production presages an even better reception of the series in 1939-1940, when Robert Livingston rejoins the trio as Stoney Brook, the screen role he created. Estimate: Okay for western Mesquiteer fans. 20th CENTURY-FOX Stanley and Family Livingstone (003) Spencer Tracy, Richard Greene, Nancy Kelly, Walter Brennan, Charles Coburn, Henry Hull, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Henry Travers, Hasson Saul, Miles Mander, Brandon Hurst, David Tor¬ rence, Paul Stanton, Holmes Herbert, Montague Shaw, Joseph Crehan, Russell Hicks, Paul Harvey, Robert Middlemass. Directed by Henry King. What amounts to a thespian field day for Spencer Tracy, this combination of an historical drama and glorified travelogue should take in more than the normal stack of blue chips when it comes up for consideration by the movie-going public. A film as big and as well directed as "Stanley and Livingstone” deserves big exploita¬ tion and would be able to use an extra dose of it in spots where the customers think history be¬ longs in textbooks. As Henry Morton Stanley, the New York Herald’s ace reporter, Tracy is assigned by publisher Henry Hull to find Doctor David Livingstone (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) who was reported lost in Africa by Charles Coburn’s London paper. The hardships and tribulations underwent by Stanley before he found Living¬ stone are pictured thrillingly and superbly by Tracy. He finds the lost explorer-missionarygeographer and becomes his greatest admirer. His report to London bigwigs about the discovery is greeted with jeers, but notice of Livingstone’s death changes the former greeting to cheers. Hardwicke’s performance is, as always, a stand¬ out. Nancy Kelly, as the girl who inspires Tracy, does a neat job, as does Richard Greene, the man she eventually weds. Walter Brennan, Coburn, Henry Travers, Henry Hull are all ex¬ cellent in important roles. Tracy’s performance, however, puts him definitely in line for another grab of the Academy Award. Estimate: The kind of show which can be exploited for big returns. UNITED ARTISTS They Shall Have Music Family Drama with Music 115m. (Goldwyn) Jascha Heifetz, Andrea Leeds, Joel McCrea, Gene Reynolds, Walter Brennan, Porter Hall, Terry Kilburn, Walter Tetley, Chuck Stubbs, Tommy Kelly, Jacqueline Hash, Alfred Newman, Mary Ruth, John St. Palis, Alexander Schonberg, Marjorie Main, Arthur Hohl, Paul Harvey, "Zero,” Peter Meremblum California Junior Sym¬ phony Orchestra. Directed by Archie Mayo. This is the tops in celluloid entertainment, embracing the genius of Jascha Heifetz and his violin, which will appeal to the devotees of fine music, together with a human story, tailored to stir the emotions of the average picture-goer. Story is woven around the discovery and edu¬ cation of musical talent in a school devoted to the purpose of encouraging youngsters without means to develop their inborn genius. Influenced by fine music, Gene Reynolds, a thieving street urchin, together with his pals of the gutter, is reformed after the school is saved from the hands of creditors by the personal appearance of Heifetz. Walter Brennan is excellent as the maestro of the juvenile orchestra, and Reynolds takes top acting honors in the principal juvenile role. Romantic sequences are well done by Andrea Leeds and Joel McCrea. Jacqueline Nash, a little girl vocalist, scored sensationally with the pre¬ view audience. The picture has been expertly tailored for maximum appeal to both class and mass, and it should score a direct hit at both metropolitan and suburban theatres. Audience reaction was excellent. Estimate: A top notch attraction; can be sold for big returns if properly exploited. Winter Carnival Family Melodrama (Wanger) 9lM. Ann Sheridan, Richard Carlson, Helen Parrish, James Corner, Robert Armstrong, Alan Baldwin, Joan Brodel, Virginia Gilmore, Cecil Cunningham, Robert Allen, Marsha Hunt, The McCash Twins, Morton Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Kenneth Stevens, Benny Drohan, Martin Turner, Dick Winslow and his Orchestra. JTirected by Charles F. Rresner. Weaving a pleasant entertainment fabric from the yarn provided by Dartmouth College’s famous winter carnival, Walter Wanger’s latest cine¬ matic contribution should do its share in keeping the grosses up around the point of normality. Other than Ann Sheridan and Richard Carlson, there aren’t many marquee names to plug and the love story is a familiar one, making it a film which needs a bit of smart showmanship. There are no indications that this will set the box office afire, but there are signs that the cashier will be busier than usual. One great contribution made by the picture is its introduction of a big crop of fresh, new faces, besides giving exhibitors some snow-capped fare for the summer. The story concerns professor Carlson who falls in love all over again with glamour gal Sheridan after the latter had divorced the Duke for whom she jilted the professor. There are signs that the oomph gal’s kid sister was going to fol¬ low her older sister’s path, but Miss Sheridan puts an end to that. Robert Armstrong makes the most of a supporting part as a down and out reporter. Among the new exciting faces to be seen are James Corner, Alan Baldwin, Joan Bro¬ del, Robert Allen, Morton Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Kenneth Stevens. The skiing events are more than just exciting. "Winter Blossoms,” as sung by Stevens, is a swell little tune. Estimate: Can be exploited; has all the angles. UNIVERSAL Adult I Stole A Million Drama 76m. George Raft, Claire Trevor, Dick Foran, Flenry Armetta, Victor Jory, Joe Sawyer, Robert Elliott, Tom Fadden, John Hamilton, Stanley Ridges, George Chandler, Mary Forbes, Phil Tead. Directed by Frank Tuttle. This is a drama packed with suspense and good trouping. George Raft turns in one of his best performances, as a cheap rowdy with no self-control, who goes from bad to worse to be finally killed for his crimes. Raft, being fleeced by a sharper, who sells taxi cabs to independent owners, grabs his money from the skinflint and makes tracks for another city, where he meets Victor Jory, head of a bank-robbing mob who also gives Raft the double cross. Moving on, Raft meets Claire Trevor, operator of a florist shop, and romance blossoms. He buys a garage 354