The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

S ervisection 5 THE SHORTS PARADE SERIAL FLYING G-MEN. Columbia — Serial. Robert Paige, Richard Fiske, James Craig, Lorna Gray, Sammy McKim, Dick Curtis, William Lally, Walter Merrill, Stanley Brown, Don Beddoe, Forbes Murray. Directed by Ray Taylor, James W. Horne. 1 5 episodes — first, 29m., others, two reels. Combining the timely angle of spies, plus the appeal of an air thriller, a G-Man action story Columbia has rung the bell again with "Flying G-Men.” The opening chapter sees four war-time fliers (then known as the "Four Sky Hawks”) named flying G-Men to combat espionage, led by "the professor.” When their mutual friend, builder of a radio-controlled bomber, is murdered, they create the avenging character of the Black Falcon to work alone. The initial offering is packed with plenty of action of all kinds, ending with an aerial head-on collision. The yarn has eminent possibilities, which, it seems certain, in the light of "The Spider’s Web,” Columbia will plumb to the continued delight of the youngsters of all ages, the seekers of vicarious' thrills. EXCELLENT. (9180-9194). W. W. TWO-REEL Dramatic SPANISH CHILDREN IN THE U. S. S. R. Amkino. 15m. Edited somewhat along the lines of a newsreel, in the manner of The March of Time, this tells the story of youthful Spanish Loyalist refugees in the Soviet Union. It goes on to show how these same children are educated to think the way of all communists. Opening newsreel shots of bombing of Spanish civilians are heart-searing. GOOD. L. S. M. Comedy MUTINY ON THE BODY. Columbia— Comedy. 1754m. Joseph Smith and Charles Dale, proprietors of the Klassy Korset Kompany, go to Dr. Klubber’s health farm, mess things up generally in their characteristic manner. GOOD. (9429). W. W. SWING YOU SWINGERS. Columbia— Comedy. 19 54m. Cast as a distant relation of the immortal Beethoven, Andy Clyde owns a conservative musical instrument shop. Next to swing, his greatest peeve is children. Naturally, he didn’t like the idea of a cousin dying, leaving a couple of kids on his hands. To add to his embarrassment, bill collectors threaten to close down his shop. One of his “adopted” children gets the idea of forming a kid orchestra, soon converts Clyde into a jitterbug. It is one of the better Clyde comedies, a healthy departure from the old all-slapstick routine. GOOD. (9428). L. S. M. THREE LITTLE SEW AND SEWS. Columbia — Comedy. 16m. Not only ringing the bell, but kicking that gong far beyond any comedy heights heretofore attained, the Three Stooges offer a spy travesty that is at once characteristically Stoogian slapstick, and excruciatingly, screamingly funny. Larry, Curly, Moe are tailors to the naval officials of the Republic of Televania. Curly, donning the admiral’s uniform (which was to have been cleaned, pressed for the party), attend a reception given by spies in order to obtain information on a new submarine. In a melee, the boys are shanghaied on the U-boat, but capture the spies, come out all right despite a terrific bombardment by land, air. All goes well until Curly smashes a bomb he caught falling from an airplane, while showing the admiral how he kayo’d the spies. Fade-out has the boys, as angels, being still pursued by the admiral, also an angel. EXCELLENT. (9404). W. W. WE WANT OUR MUMMY. Columbia— Comedy. 17m. As detectives seeking the mysteriously disappearing Egyptology professor, the Three Stooges are commissioned to go to Egypt to br.ng back the mummy of King Rootin-Tootin. They go (by taxi), succeed, after many Stoogian escapades, in getting both the professor, the mummy. Notable, however is Curly’s pantomime, going swimming in the mirage ocean. GOOD. (9405). W. W. Musical BANK NOTES. Universal — Mentone. 19m. This is the best yet in this series. It opens with an exhibitor protesting to a bank president because the bank has put in entertainment, to which the president says that if theatres can run “Bank Night,” then vice versa. Gus Van is m. c., introducing some fast moving acts, making for topnotch musical entertainment. GOOD. (3228). H. M. A DREAM OF LOVE. Metro-Musicals. 17m. Produced by James Fitzpatrick, this was apparently made in England, looks as if it was edited to two-reel size. It tells a few highlights in the life of Franz Liszt, presents some of his music, indicates how he lost in love, eventually became a great composer. For class houses, it is a nice entrant; for others, a bit slow. GOOD. (R-803 ). H. M. WILD AND BULLY. Universal — Mentone. 19m. J. Harold Murray is the m.c. out west, while the Eight Virginians sing, Lillian Carman presents a solo, Texas Jim Lewis, and his cowboys cavort, the Skating Carters present a roller skating act, Bob Parker offers a comedy solo. The net result is a fast, average entrant in the series. GOOD. (3227). H. M. ONE-REEL Color Cartoon ALWAYS KICKIN’. Paramount — Color Classic. 7m. Hunky, Spunky — two mules who made a nice impression last season — are back, should please again. Spunky rescues the little bird from the bad hawk, with Hunky coaching. It should procide amusement for any audience. GOOD. (C8-3 ) . H. M. KANGAROO KID. Columbia — Color Rhapsody. 754m. The kangaroo kid lives to play his fiddle, much to the disgust of his father who would rather have his son become a boxer. He frames the kid into entering the ring with an amateur champion; the kid knocking out his opponent. This has been done many a time before. FAIR. (9505). PEACEFUL NEIGHBORS. Columbia — Color Rhapsody. 9m. Excellent, what with foreign fascists forces clamoring for more land, or else, Charles Mintz is resorting to burlesque as the best form of ridicule. Two roosters, their respective clans, each want more room in which to work. War results. Peace is easily brought about when doves intercede with gifts. EXCELLENT. (9506). L. M. ROBINHOOD MAKES GOOD. Vitaphone— Merrie Melodie. 8m. The small squirrel wants to be Robinhood, but the other two force him to be the villain. However, when the wolf captures the two, the small one saves the day. He becomes Robinhood. This is not in the top category, but it is pleasant enough. GOOD. (4511). H. M. THE THREE BEARS. 20 th Century-Fox — Terrytoon. 7m. Near tops in Paul Terry’s technicolor offerings, this tells the familiar story of Goldilocks, who, taken in by the Papa Bear (because she fiddled "Santa Lucia”), routs the big bad hunter, with the three bears, Goldie going into a jam session for a finale. GOOD. (9526). W. W. Cartoon I’M JUST A JITTERBUG. Universal— Walter Lantz Cartune. 7m. The schoolroom has a jitterbug contest at night when the characters of a drawing come to life. Story-book folk join in, with the cuckoo clock getting annoyed, getting a shotgun, taking care of all of them. FAIR. (3248). IT’S AN ILL WIND. Vitaphone — Looney Tune. 7m. Porky goes fishing with his duck friend, a small dog. They land in a deserted house when a storm comes up, generally becoming entangled in a lot of old equipment, etc. FAIR. (4807). H. M. MAGIC BEANS. Universal — Walter Lantz Cartune. 7m. The little mouse in this Nertsery Rhyme buys magic beans, climbs up the vines, finds the house with the golden hen, the ogre, is almost caught, until he protests against the direction, refuses to fight the ogre, leaves the set. There are some novel touches. FAIR. (3 249) H. M. MY FRIEND THE MONKEY. Paramount— Betty Boop. 7m. Betty invites the monkey into her house, has him play with Pudgy, but the monk has bad manners, leads Pudgy a merry chase. Betty, not knowing all this, winds up by telling Pudgy she has purchased the monk as a pet. This is just filler. FAIR. (T8-6). H. M. THE NICK OF TIME. 20th Century-Fox — Terrytoon. 7m. Taking an idea from Leon Schlesmger, Paul Terry comes through with one of his better black-and-whites, depicting the burlesqued western hero, One-Gun Gary (patterned after Hairbreadth Harry), rescuing the damsel from the clutches of Bad Bill. An off-screen voice carries the narration, with the characters stopping from time to time to talk back to that voice. By the Schlesinger standard, this is crude, but it marks a definite step in the not heretofore too progressive Terrytoons. GOOD. (9508). W. W. SOUP TO MUTTS. Universal — Walter Lantz Cartune. 7m. The dogs hold an amateur show, with a mechanical applause machine registering the winners. A cat, disguised as a dog, tries to win, but loses his skin at the wrong time. FAIR (3247). H. M. Musical COMMUNITY SING, No. 5. Columbia. 10m. Emceed by personable Stanley Brown, who would make a nice addition to the cast of any fulllength feature, this is the best of the series. Dedicated to friends, friendship, the screen singers (garbed in cowboy duds) give out with "Me and My Shadow,” "That Old Gang of Mine,” "Oh, How I Miss You Tonight,” "Oh, What a Pal Was Mary,” "Dear Old Pal of Mine,” "Gee, But It’s Great to Meet a Friend from Your Home Town.” It’s a good bet for real audience appeal. EXCELLENT. (9655). L. S. M. JERRY LIVINGSTON AND ORCHESTRA. Vitaphone-Melody Master. 10m. Jerry Livingston and band play, while a boy, girl, another female go through the jitterbug motions. The jitterbugs may like it, especially the "I’m Just a Jitterbug” rendition. For the others, this is just a musical filler. FAIR. (4709). H. M. MUSIC THROUGH THE YEARS. Paramount Headliner. 10m. Jan Garber, orchestra play song hits from 1929-1938, with some of the numbers "Louise,” "Sing You Sinners,” "Just One More Chance,” "Please,” “Did You Ever See a Dream Walking,” “Love In Bloom,” "Lookie, Lookie, Lookie,” “Melody in the Sky,” "Thanks For the Memory,” with male, female vocalists doing the honors. It emerges as a pleasant musical entrant. GOOD. (A8-7). H. M. READIN’, WRITIN’, AND RHYTHM. RKORadio — Nu-Atlas. 10m. Ten minutes of jitterbug jam, this makes swell musical fun. It would rate better if an emcee who thought he was pretty funny didn’t bog down the action. Lucky Millinder’s popular negro orchestra swung out in the groove while Jimmy, Nora Bell danced, the Quintones sang, the entire company went to town on a hep-cat big apple, shag session. It should definitely appeal to the ’teen age crowd despite the master of ceremonies. GOOD. (94208). L. S. M. (Shorts Parade, continued on page 261) 259