The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1939)

SIX POINT COLUMBIA Those High Grey Walls (1015) Family Melodrama 81m. Walter Connolly, Onslow Stevens, Paul Fix, Bernard Nedell, Iris Meredith, Oscar O’Shea, Nicholas Soussanin, Don Beddoes. Directed by Charles Vidor. A stimulating departure from the runof-the-mill prison narrative. “Those High Grey Walls” is one of those unpretentious affairs which turn up every now and then to provide exhibitors with a lot more than expected. Not by any stretch of the imag¬ ination a big money picture, this is a good “B” which might advantageously receive top-billing. Doctor Walter Connolly is sent up the river to pay for a mistake in judgment. His medical slants interfere with those of prison medic Onslow Stev¬ ens. There is a bit of skullduggery in the form of a murder and attempted escape pinned on Connolly, but everything’s straightened out with the two doctors get¬ ting together in principle and thought dur¬ ing an emergency obstetrics case. Bernard Nedell, as a whacky egotistical prisoner, turns in a smash comedy job. Estimate: Strong dualler; may be fea¬ tured. U-Boat 29 (English Made) Family Drama 79m. Conrad Veidt, Sebastian Shaw, Valerie Hobson, Marius Goring, June Duprez, Athole Stewart, Agnes Laughlan, Helen Haye, Cyril Raymond, Hay Petrie. Di¬ rected by Michael Powell. Another in the ever-growing list of timely wartime celluloid, this spy thriller from Irving Asher’s British studio must take its place with the leaders. Because those of Conrad Veidt and, to a lesser ex¬ tent, Valerie Hobson and June Duprez are the only names known to American fans, this must be tackled by exploiting its ex¬ treme timeliness. Submarine commander Veidt is assigned to meet a female spy on English land, and together they would get information which would lead to the torpedoing of a great number of British war vessels during the first world conflict. Valerie Hobson, an English counter¬ espionage agent, works with naval officer Sebastian Shaw to misinform Veidt, thus centralizing a number of U-boats for com¬ plete destruction. Veidt discovers his mis¬ take in time to commandeer a passenger vessel, which is summarily sunk by the submarine he once commanded. Veidt garners most of the acting honors. Estimate: Exploitable British program. METRO Babes In Arms Family Comedy Drama with Music 97m. Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Charles Winninger, Guy Kibbee, June Preisser, Grace Hayes, Betty Jaynes, Douglas McPhail, Rand Brooks, Leni Lynn, John REVIEWS Sheffield, Henry Hull, Barnett Parker, Ann Shoemaker, Margaret Hamilton, Jos¬ eph Crehan, George McKay, Henry Roquemore, Lelah Tyler. Directed by Busby Berkeley. This is bang-up entertainment, which moves at a fast pace from start to finish. There is never a dull moment. Mickey Rooney runs away with acting honors and does the best job in his screen career. The story is an adaptation of the Rogers and Hart stage play, in which Mickey, as the son of Charles Winninger, a top line vaudeville actor on the down grade, deter¬ mines to show his parent that he is bom to the stage. To prevent authorities from sending him, his sister (Betty Jaynes), two friends (Judy Garland and Douglas McPhail), and the rest of the colony of actor’s children to state institutions, be¬ cause the parents are broke and cannot pay rent, Mickey writes and stages a kid play which proves so successful that a big time producer buys the production and puts it on Broadway. The whole action of the picture is a clever assembling of gags, music and dancing, which sends the audi¬ ence homeward completely satisfied. Audi¬ ence reaction was very good. Estimate: Top-notch attraction. Dancing Co-Ed (3) Family Comedy Drama With Music 84m. Lana Turner, Richard Carlson, Artie Shaw and Orchestra, Ann Rutherford, Lee Bowman, Thurston Hall, Leon Errol, Roscoe Karns, Mary Field, Walter Kingsford, Mary Beth Hughes, June Preisser, Monty Woolley, Chester Clute. Directed by S. Sylvan Simon. Here is a fast-moving collegiate drama set to the tempo of Artie Shaw’s swing music. We find Lana Turner planted in a co-ed college by Roscoe Karns, because Lee Bowman’s wife is going to have a baby, which upsets the plans of a motionpicture company to star Bowman and his dancing wife. Karns then publicises a grand contest, college girl winner to become Bow¬ man’s dancing partner. Turner meets Rich ard Carlson, editor of college paper, who is suspicious of the contest, determining to find out if a girl has been planted in his college. He selects Turner to help him. Ann Rutherford, steno in the motion-pic¬ ture company, goes to college to assist Turner in the duplicity. Romance sprouts between Turner and Carlson, and, after many tiffs and near exposures, Turner confesses to Carlson on the night of the finals in the dancing contest, and he has her kidnaped to keep her out of the con¬ test. Arriving at the shack where she is confined, he finally capitulates to her wishes, brings her back to the dance hall to do her stuff but the judge selects Ruth¬ erford as the winner, when she pinch-hits for Turner who arrives too late. There is nothing left for Carlson and Turner to do but elope and get married. Audience reaction was good. Estimate: Better than average dual sup¬ port. Thunder Afloat (4) Melodrama 94m. Wallace Beery, Chester Morris, Virginia Grey, Douglas Dumbrille, Carl Esmond, Clem Bevans, John Qualen, Regis Toomey, Henry Victor, Addison Richards, Hans Joby, Henry Hunter, Jonathan Hale. Directed by George B. Seitz. A timely melodrama, dealing with the operation of German U-boats during the first World War, this is packed with thrill¬ ing suspense, lusty comedy. Wallace Beery is a lazy tugboat skipper, fond of the bot¬ tle, is best managed by his daughter, Vir¬ ginia Grey, who has accompanied him on every cruise. His rival for merchant marine contracts is Chester Morris, whom he tricks into joining the Navy. When his own tug is sunk by a U-boat, Beery joins the service just to get even with the sub commander. More conflict arises when he is forced to take orders from Chester Morris, but Beery makes good when im¬ prisoned on the sub, eventually giving the location of the underseas craft and bringing about its capture. Beery becomes a hero, while there is every indication that his daughter will become a bride. Estimate: Timely fare that can be ex¬ ploited for good results. MONOGRAM Crashing Through Action Drama 55m. James Newill, Warren Hull, Jean Car¬ men, Milburn Stone, Walter Byron, Stan¬ ley Blystone, Robert Frazer, Joseph Gir¬ ard, Dave O’Brien, Earl Douglas, Ted Adams, Roy Barcroft, Iron Eyes Cody. Directed by Elmer Clifton. Phil Krasne’s Criterion production, sug¬ gested by Laurie York Erskine’s Renfrewof-the-Royal-Mounted stories, will prob¬ ably be best used as a western on Satur¬ day matinees. There is enough action and scenery to carry on the tradition, but the story of how a gold shipment is filched and how Mountie James Newill retrieves it is rather attenuated even for 55 minutes. And the three numbers — “Mounted Men,” “Crimson Sunset,” “You’re So Easy On the Eyes” — add nothing at all to the celerity of the occasion. Warren Hull, wounded through most of the footage, is Newill’s pal, while Jean Carmen is the romantic excuse, and Milburn Stone the cause of all the trouble. Estimate: Saturday matinee filler. PARAMOUNT Disputed Passage (3908) Family Drama 91m. Dorothy Lamour, Akim Tamiroff, John Howard, Judith Barrett, William Collier, Sr., Victor Varconi, Gordon Jones, Keye Luke, Elisabeth Risdon, Gaylord Pendle¬ ton, Billy Cook, William Pawley, Renie Riano, Z. T. Nyi, Philson Ahn, Dr. E. Y. Chung, Phillip Ahn, Lee Ya-Ching. Directed by Frank Borzage. October 4, 1939 THE EXHIBITOR 391