The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

Servisection 7 THE SHORTS ONE-REEL Color Cartoon MOUNTAIN EARS. Columbia— Color Rhapsody. 6m. Borrowing a few ideas from Leon Schlesinger and adding a few new wrinkles of their own, the Mintz boys did a fairly okay job on this takeoff on the Hatfield-McCoy feud. There are plenty of laughs, as well as a few lulls. GOOD. (1504). L. S. M. Cartoon NEVER SOCK A BABY. Paramount — Popeye. 6m. Muscleman Popeye reaches for his spinach when he needs it most, and, gadzooks, the can is empty. If only for that turn in fortune, this is worthy of a bit of extra applause. However, there are enough laughs and giggles in “Never Sock A Baby” for it to rate among the best of the recent crop of black and white sketches. After a spanking administered by Popeye, baby Swee’pea takes to the open road. His misadventures end in a dream. GOOD. (E 9-1) L. S. M. Comedy DAD FOR A DAY. Metro — Our Gang. 10m. The familiar Our Gang pattern is happily discarded this time, and, although the reel is a bit more digestible, it is hardly humorous enough to qualify as a comedy. One of the kids is in the dumps because he has no father and can’t attend the fathers and sons picnic. It all ends happily. GOOD. (C-132). L. S. M. THE SILLY SEASON. 20th CenturyFox — Driblepuss Parade. 9m. Out of the newsreel library and other spots, Lew Lehr has concocted this collection of screwy publicity stunts, which have been funny from time to time. Seen are Florida and Coast vacation spots, as well as a couple from Atlantic City. Lehr’s commentary gets some good cracks in and it all shapes up as passable comedy entertainment. FAIR. (0402) . H. M. Color Musical MOMENTS OF CHARM OF 1940. Paramount— Headliner. 11m. Phil Spitalny and His All-Girl Orchestra, last season’s Jay Emanuel Shorts Award winner, put a lot of good musical and vocal meat into the 11 minutes allotted them, but the quality of the short suffers a bit by the weakness of the Cinecolor. Entire orchestra opens with a version of Raymond Scott’s “Toy Trumpet,” after which Maxine leads the choir in a rendition of Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” Following “The Bee,” as played by PARADE Evelayn and the violin section, the complete ensemble goes to town on “Begin the Beguine.” GOOD. (A9-3) . L. S. M. Musical COMMUNITY SING, No. 3. Columbia. 10m. With Jessie Parker and Maxine Conrad doing the baton-twirling and Gene Morgan the ceremony-mastering, a cycle of college songs is presented — including numbers from the Universities of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, of Harvard, and the U. S. Military Academy — but, outside of “Fair Harvard” and “Anchors Aweigh,” this is a listening rather than a singing contribution to entertainment. The topical angle should help. GOOD. (1653). W. A. W. MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Paramount— Symphonic Series. 9m. The lilting strains of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” provides the score for Frederick Feher and his National Philharmonic Orchestra in this exciting musical. The camera and sound faithfully reproduce the overture from the popular opera. EXCELLENT. (D9-2) . L. S. M. AN ORGAN NOVELTY. Vitaphone— Melody Master. 9m. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Crawford ring in their talented youngster and make this interesting organ serenade a three-cornered affair. Adding to the tonal effects of the organ are the vocal offerings of Bob Simmons and Miriam Grahame. Clips from what seems like Warner musicals of the past are tinted in sepia and provide choral dancing in accompaniment to the Crawford’s music. GOOD. L. S. M. Color Novelty POPULAR SCIENCE No. 2. Paramount. 10m. Just about the most interesting of a swell series, this issue of Popular Science is also worthy of huzzahs because it utilizes Cinecolor to best advantage. Seen are the preservation of meat and poultry by means of rubber latex jackets; building ready-made homes by means of pouring concrete in standard molds; modernization of the pineapple industry; and exciting experiments in Chicago’s Underwriters’ Laboratory. EXCELLENT. (J9-2) . L. S. M. Novelty ANTI-MUTUEL TALK. Society for Prevention of Crime. 3m. This is a talk given by George Drew Egbert, president, Society for the Prevention of Crime, in opposition to the pari-mutuel amendment in the New York horse-racing laws. (No estimate.) L. S. M. SCREEN SNAPSHOTS No. 2. Columbia— 11m. Hollywood’s animal actors and their trainers supply the targets for Harriet Parsons’ cameramen in this grand subject which makes it two honeys in a row to open the series’ 17th year. EXCELLENT. (1852). L. S. M. INFORMATION PLEASE No. 3. RKORadio. 10m. Number three in the celluloid editions of radio’s “Information Please” lacks some of the novelty of the two previous issues, but makes up for it by placing humor ahead of concentration upon brainstorming. Author Clarence Budington Kelland aids regulars John Keiran, Franklin P. Adams, and Oscar Levant in answering the questions posed by Clifton Fadiman. GOOD. (04203). L. S. M. Sport AFTERNOON AT A BULL FIGHT. Charles A. Emanuel. 10m. More a newsreel summary of the event of an afternoon at a Spanish ring, rather than a reel on the Sportlight manner, is this discussion of bull fighting, up to but not including with kill. Included are scenes of the pageantry of the fight and the activities of the picadores, matadores and all the other-dors attendant on the Spanish sport. FAIR. M. M. C. AQUA-RHYTHM. Paramount — Grantland Rice Sportlight. 10m. Ted Husing narrates while students of the Florida State Normal School for Girls, Tallahassee, go through intricate formations in the water. The swimmers, in white bathing suits, present beautiful pictures, in a short that should be appreciated anywhere. It is certain to be an audience pleaser. GOOD. (R9-5) . H. M. Travel HISTORIC CITIES of INDIA. Columbia — Tour. 10m. Centering attention largely on the new and old cities of Delhi, and the environs of Agra, this is a well-made and pleasantly presented black-and-white travelogue which, like 99.44 percent of similar works, has its high point in the shots of the ever-fascinating beautiful Taj Mahal. GOOD. (1552). W. A. W. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. Columbia— Washington Parade, No. 1. 10m. Combining a tour through the worldfamed Smithsonian Institution with a plea for adherence to our American ideals, the third of the Washington Parades is a worthwhile addition to any program. Landmarks in the art and industrial advances of the world are seen. Basil Ruysdael does a grand job in delivering Jack Kofoed’s narrative. GOOD. (1901). L. S. M. Alphabetical Guide ( Continued from page 422) SUED FOR LIBEL— 66m. — RKO-Radio 400 SURPRISES OF MATRIMONY, THE (Le Sorprese dl un Matrimonion) — 118m. — Columba 410 T TAMING OF THE WEST — 61m. — Columbia 399 TELEVISION SPY — 57m. — Paramount 400 TEN NIGHTS IN A BARROOM — dim. — B&M Pictures 418 THAT THEY MAY LIVE — 73m. — Mayer-Burstyn . . 410 THESE GLAMOUR GIRLS — 78m. — Metro 379 TWO BRIGHT BOYS— 7014m. — Universal 387 THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC — 101m. — United Artists 354 THOSE HIGH GREY WALLS — 82m. — Columbia ... .391 THREE SONS — 72m. — RKO-Radio 392 THUNDER AFLOAT — 94m.— Metro 391 TORPEDOED (Our Fighting Navy) — 75m. — Film Alliance of U. S 387 TORTURE SHIP — 62m. — Producers Pictures 409 TREACHERY ON THE HIGH SEAS — 68m. — Times 394 TRIGGER FINGERS — 53m. — Victory 381 TROPIC FURY — 62 %m. — Universal 370 20,000 MEN A YEAR — 83m. — 20th Century-Fox . 409 U U-BOAT 29 — 79m. — Columbia 391 UNDER-PUP, THE — 88m.— Universal 380 W WALL STREET COWBOY — 66m. — Republic 386 WE ARE NOT ALONE — 112m. — Warners 417 WHAT A LIFE! — 79m. — Paramount 385 WHY THIS WAR? — 81m. — Samuel Cumings 409 WINTER CARNIVAL — 91m. — United Artists 354 WITNESS VANISHES, THE — 66m. — Universal 393 WOMEN, THE — 134m. — Metro 379 THE EXHIBITOR 421