The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

Servisection 3 winning Marjorie Bell. That is about all there is too it, except that Baker does a bit of warbling, more riding, and a trifle less fighting and shooting. Altogether, however, “Honor of the West” is a satisfactory Baker. Estimate: Satisfactory Baker. The Phantom Stage (3056) Western Family 57m. Bob Baker, Marjorie Reynolds, George Cleveland, Forrest Taylor, Reed Howes, Murdock McQuarrie, Glenn Strange, Frank Ellis, Arnie Adams, Jack Kirk. Directed by George Waggner. This sixth and last of the 193 8-1939 Bob Bakers is, by far, the best of the series and should go far in making exhibitors forget some of the earlier entrants. It seems that gold leaves Medicine Hat, but never arrives in Terminal City, mysteriously disappearing en route. When no one will take the coach driving job (for the drivers are all pinched as culprits, accessories before or after), Baker does. He is at first successful, but when a particularly big shipment of the yellow metal vanishes, he puts two and two together and figgers that there was probably some one secreted in the big trunk that was shipped back and forth. There was, and Baker follows the clue, finally grabbing, with the sheriff’s help, the guilty parties. While Baker does not ride, fight or shoot a great deal, he turns in a creditable performance that should satisfy. Romantic moments are with Marjorie Reynolds, the owner of the stage line. Although that could have been omitted without any detriment to the picture, Baker’s four songs — something about "Riding the Road to Sante Fe,” “Give Me the Life of a Cowboy,” “Come On, You Cowboys, We’re Branding Today,” "Riding Down That Utah Trail” — do have the merit of being tuneful, well spotted, and short. Estimate: Best of the Bakers. WARNERS-FN Family I Am Not Afraid Melodrama !9m. fane Bryan, Charles Grapewin, Henry O’Neill, Elizabeth Risdon, Jimmy McCallion, Dickie Jones, John Russell, Fred Tozere, John Gallaudet, Don Douglas, William Royale, Boyd Irwin, Emmet Vogan, Grace Stafford, George Gukl, Norman Willis, Alan Davis, Charles Richman, Millard Vincent, Kenneth Harlan. Directed by Crane Wilbur. This is a remake of "Star Witness,” produced in 1931, with the late Chic Sale in the title role. Producer Bryan Foy has brought it up to date to correspond with the present trend towards Americanism. It emerges as good dual fare. The remodeled plot is woven around recent bombing of graft investigators in Los Angeles. Charles Grapewin, his family are important witnesses needed by the district attorney’s office to prove the murder of an investigator, existing corruption in the mayor’s office. Family is subjected to beatings by gangsters, the kidnapping of Grapewin’s son, grandson. Family is brought together, but all are afraid to testify for fear of further beatings by the gang. Grapewin, a Civil War veteran, shames them into siding with the law by stressing Americanism. All ends well with the gangsters getting their just imprisonment. Estimate: For nabes, duals. MISCELLANEOUS Champions of the family Sports Commercial 50m. (Industrial Pictures) Players, coaches, executives of the National Professional Football League, with commentary. With more all-American grid stars than we would like to handle on the playing field (or anywhere) romping across the screen, this is a natural for houses catering to a sports-minded public. Exhibitors can made a lot of friends by screening this film for various high school, college, independent athletic organizations. Opening with training scenes of the Detroit Lions, it shows the correct way of playing each position. Incidentally, the only commercial plug shows the Lion gridders eating General Mills’ Wheaties for breakfast. After showing how the positions should be played, the camera travels to, the playing where shots of grid heroes in real competition are shown. Individual shots of topnotchers performing their specialties is another stellar attraction. Unlike most commercials, this has a small rental fee, but the action, football instruction, etc., apparently make it worthwhile. Estimate: Excellent sports film. Gridiron Smoky Trails (Metropolitan) Family Western 56m. Bob Steele, Jean Carmen, Murdock McQuarrie, Bruce Dane, Carleton Young, Ted Adams, Frank LaRue, Jim Aubrey, Bob Terry, Frank Wayne. Directed by Bernard B. Ray. Action, fighting, riding, shooting — everything save a story — characterize this second of the new series of Bob Steele westerns. What passes as narrative concerns Our Hero’s efforts to wipe out outlawry, the picking up of strays before they have become entirely separated from the herd. Murder of Steele’s (Murdock McQuarrie) father adds further incentive to his quest, which is, of course, almost singleh'andedly successful. During the course of the action, time is taken by Bruce Dane for the singing of "Home on the Range,” ' Dusty, "Journey’s End,” and a spook story set to music. Estimate: Okay Steele. FOREIGN The Gang’s All Here Family Comedy Drama (Associated British) 75M Jack Buchanan, Googie Winters, Edward Everett Horton, Otto Kruger, Syd Walker, David Burns, Walter Rilla, Charles Carson, Leslie Perrins, Ronald Shiner. Directed by Thornton Freeland. Because the British sense of humor usually falls flat in this country, what possibly must have been a howling scream in London is just another lower half dualler here. Patterned along the lines of the zany detective films which made the rounds of American playhouses not so long ago, this is the story of private detective Jack Buchanan, whose nostalgia for things dangerous, mysterious prevents him from staying at his newly acquired country home for the purpose of being with wife Googie Winters, knocking off some detective stories. He gets mixed up in a diamond robbery, recovers the stolen gems from Otto Kruger, Jack LaRue, returns them to prince Walter Rilla. Edward Everett Horton should get plenty of laughs as Buchanan’s butler, but with an occasional exception, this isn’t so very funny. It is okay to play this on the lower half of a nabe dualler, but even then it is advisable to play up the cast members whose names are more familiar here. Estimate: Just fair comedy; nabe lower half dualler. Housemaster (Associated British) Family Comedy Drama 85m. Otto Kruger, Phillips Holmes, Diana Churchill, Joyce Barbour, Rene Ray, Kynaston Reeves, Walter Hudd, Michael Shepley, John Wood, Cecil Parker, Henry Hepworth, Rosamond Barnes, Laurence Kitchin, Jimmy Hanley. Directed by Herbert Nrenon. Perhaps weak direction is the cause of Ian Hay’s charming successful stage plays’ ("Bachelor Born”) missing the target as a screen vehicle. Otto Kruger heads a more than satisfactory cast; individually the situations are reeking with the more obvious British humor, but yet the film in its entirety emerges as hardly more than an average support for a dualler. The picture moves slowly for the most part, but happily quickens pace after about an hour — too long a time to wait. Kruger is housemaster at a typically English school. The new headmaster, severe Kynaston Reeves, lays down a mess of harsh laws jvhich meet with the disapproval of students, faculty. To add to the woes of the school, Kruger finds himself guardian to three girls (Diana Churchill, Joyce Barbour, Rosamond Barnes) who lead the students in revolt. Ovington fires Kruger, but the latter takes over the headmaster’s post following a last minute change of plans. Phillips Holmes, a refugee from the American cinema, handles the juvenile lead (what there is of it) with finesse. The story revolves around Kruger, however, who does a nice job. Estimate: Fair support for duals; plug American names. Without a Home family Drama (Foreign Cinema Arts) 90m. Adam Domb, Alexander Marten, Ida Kaminska, Ben Taker, Sz. Dzigan, J. Schumacher, Viera Gran, Dora FakJel. Directed by Alexander Marten. Although distinguished by some of the finest acting seen in a Yiddish production, this Polish importation is sub-par stuff. The Warsaw Art Players, as fine a troupe of actors as can be found anywhere, are stymied by material which calls for buckets of tears, but with no logical reason to bring out those same tears. Where houses play Yiddish films as policy, this would make a fair entrant, but it wouldn’t pay for the occasional dabler in Jewish picture presentation. Outside of the author, there are no prominent AmericanJewish names for the marquee. Alexander Marten comes to America after his son drowns in Poland. He gets a dish-washing job in a cabaret, falls in love with night club singer (Viera Gran) who helps him raise money to bring his family here. Because he work night, Marten’s wife, Ida Kaminska, feels her home is going to pot. After their son, Ben Zuker, disappears, reappears the family is reunited. As was mentioned before, all parts are played nicely. From a technical angle, the photography, direction are both very mediocre. Estimate: For strictly Yiddish-policy houses. 297