The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1943)

June 30, 1943 THE EXHIBITOR Novelty MERCHANT CONVOY. Coliunbia — Panoramic. 10m. Howard St. John, com¬ mentator, relates how an English freighter was torpedoed. Among the crew is a youngster, who, when saved, vows ven¬ geance against the enemy. When he is re¬ leased from the hospital, he takes a course in a gunnery school, and soon he goes back to sea as a member of the gun crew on another freighter. On this trip, his vow is fulfilled. GOOD. (4904). SCREEN SNAPSHOTS No. 9. Columbia. 10m. Harlow Wilqox does the narrafion while the camera makes a tour of Holly¬ wood. First stop is the Actors’ Home, accommodating 146 guests, where Edward G. Robinson, Basil Rathbone, Lucille Glea¬ son, Jean Hersholt, Donald Crisp, Allan Jones, and Hattie McDaniels are visiting. Next comes a visit to Duke Ellington’s birthday party with boys from the armed forces getting some cake from Rochester. Marlene Dietrich goes with the camera to the California ship building yards for a little bonds selling. On a visit to Lemoore Field Ann Miller does some dancing for the boys, ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale goes through her act, and the Kings Men contribute a novelty song. The short closes with a skit by Fibber McGee and Molly. GOOD. (4859) . SCREEN SNAPSHOTS No. 10. Colum¬ bia. 10m. Mischa Auer plays a double role. As a soldier, he phones to his twin brother in Hollywood from camp to find out what is new. The camera swings to the Naval Aid Auxiliary headquarters, where Ann Rutherford, Una O’Connor, and Jane Wyatt are busily turning out bandages, clothes, etc. Next the service man’s can¬ teen at Fort McCosker is visited where Jinny Simms, Vera Teasdale, and Jean Parker are entertaining the boys. At the home of Gracie Fields, she is entertaining boys from the RAF autographing photos. A visit to the home of Bill Thompson, and a peek at Giro’s, where Rudy Vallee, Joan Davis, Billy Gilbert, Anne Shirley, Phil Regan, Arleen Judge, the Ritz Broth¬ ers, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lake are seen, concludes the tour. GOOD. (4860) . TRIFLES THAT WIN WARS. MetroPassing Parade. 10m. A search for a bil¬ liard ball that isn’t made of ivory, an empty bottle, and a spider all contribute to aid the nation in time of war. Inter¬ esting, told in the usual PP fashion, this is a good number. GOOD. .. Color Sport GRAY, WHITE AND BLUE. Vitaphone — Sports Parade. 10m. (Technicolor) . Var¬ ious and numerous types of geese and ducks and their migratory habits are shown. Tricks employed by the hunter as he hunts for the fowl are illustrated as well as some expert marksmanship. Good photography of birds in flight as well as on the ground highlight the film. GOOD. (8411) . Sport AMPHIBIOUS FIGHTERS. Paramount — Grantland Rice Sportlight. 9%m. This shows the members of the Amphibious Command, the soldiers who wade, swim, and ride through jungles and streams, train. Shots of the boys under attack during practice, the methods used, etc., make this an ace short, ranking with the best numbers of this kind. EXCELLENT. (R2-8). RACING ROYALTY. RKO — Sportscope. 8m. Various race tracks throughout the country now stand deserted due to the now famous gas shortage. In other locali¬ ties, however, tracks are still flourishing despite the gas situation, the shortage of help at the tracks, and the exorbitant prices that horse owners have to pay for feed. The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness are vividly described by Clem McCarthy, with Count Fleet starring in both races by coming _in the winner. GOOD. (34310). Color Travel MEM9RIES OF AUSTRALIA. Metro— Fitzpatrick — Miniature. 10m. Australia, before the war, is covered by an up-todate commentary, but some of the scenes have appeared in previous Fitzpatrick entries, and the result is a routine travel subject. FAIR. (W-438) . SCENIC OREGON. Metro — Fitzpatrick Traveltalk. 9m. Covered are the Columbia River, Crater National Park, the famed Crater Lake, among other things, and the result is a pretty, routine, travel number. FAIR. (T-420). WAC-OWI LIFT YOUR HEADS. 20th Century-Fox — OWI.^ 10m. This was produced by the ■ British "Ministry of Information, and has been edited by the OWI. It deals with special companies of Germans and Aus¬ trians who have escaped from Hitler’s con¬ centration camps, and who have joined with the English. In the early days of the war, due to a shortage of weapons, these men were used as a labor crew, but now they are being trained to use all types of military equipment. Some of the men recount tales of the torture that they went through in the concentration camps. Special treatment had to be lav¬ ished on these men, because of the ordeals they went through, but now they are a hardened group of top-flight fighting men ready for what may come. EXCELLENT. WAR TOWN. 20th Century-Fox— GWI. 10m. The film shows how, with the aid of the various government agencies. Mobile, Ala., a typical American war town over¬ flowing with defense workers, solved its health and housing problems. Vast hous¬ ing projects were instituted, and slums were cleared away. Decent housing, medi¬ cal care, adequate transportation, nurs¬ eries for the war workers’ children, and other improvements provided by Congres¬ sional appropriation are doing much to raise the ratio of wartime production. GOOD. S«rvlsectlon 5 1297