The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR Servisection 2 straight shot to bring things to a happy conclusion. Virginia Vale supplies the romantic interest with more grace and charm than the average heroine of the wide open spaces. Audience reaction at a suburban theatre was fair. Estimate: Okay for O’Brien fans. That’s Right, F™MILY xr < wr Comedy with Music You're wrong 93m (Oil) Kay Kyser and His Orchestra ( with Ish Kabibble, Harry Babbitt, Ginny Simms, and Sully Mason), Adolph Menjou, Lucille Ball, Moroni Olsen, May Robson, Edward Everett Horton, Hobart Cavanaugh, Roscoe Karns, Dennis O’Keefe. Directed by David Butler. All the entertainment value embodied in radio’s popular “College of Musical Knowledge” is faithfully transferred to the screen in this cinematic laugh and rhythm machine entitled “That’s Right,, You’re Wrong.” In Kay Kyser, RKORadio has the prize radio plum of the year, and they’ve dished up the bespectacled southerner with a novel script, instead of with an ornate meaningless production. It’s estimated that Kyser’s Wednesday evening broadcasts reach 20,000,000 persons each week and that’s a lot of potential moviegoers in anyone’s language, so grease up the ticket register. Despite Kyser’s objections, his orchestra wants to make a movie after receiving a bid from mogul Moroni Olsen. With Adolphe Menjou as the unit producer and Edward Everett Horton and Hobart Cavanaugh assigned to the script, the nearest thing to a completed movie is a screamingly hilarious screen test featuring Kyser as a gondolier and Lucille Ball as his glamour girl. Among the catchy ditties vocalized by Ginny Simms, Ish Kabibble, Harry Babbitt, and Sully Mason (who are also plugging them via the air waves) are “Little Red Fox,” “Happy Birthday to Love,” “The Answer Is Love,” “Chatterbox,” and “Fit To Be Tied.” In short, this is a tuneful, witty, and swiftly-paced affair which shows that Kay Kyser is as much fun before the camera as he is behind the mike. Estimate: Money musical. REPUBLIC The Higgins Family in The Covered Trailer (915) Family Comedy Drama 66m. James, Lucile, Russell Gleason, Harry Davenport, Mary Beth Hughes, Tommy Ryan, Maurice Murphy, Maude Eburne, Spencer Charters, Tom Kennedy, Hobart Cavanaugh, Pierre Watkin, Frank Dae, Richard Tucker, Willie Best, Walter Fenner. Directed by Gus Meins. Once again the Gleasons play the celluloid Higgins right up to the hilt, and once again Republic comes through with okay family-nabe fare in the latest of the Higgins’ adventures. Having planned a South American cruise, the whole thing falls through when Lucile Gleason pulls a boner. The family goes on a trailer tour rather than be the town’s laughing stock. Then follows a bear chase; imprisonment; reports of the drowning of the entire family; charges of embezzlement against James Gleason; and the eventual straigtening-out. It all adds up to a pretty nice entertainment sum. And the fact that the Gleasons — poppa, momma, and sonny — are just about the cinema’s No. 1 family in real life only adds to the pleasure. Estimate: Entertaining Higgins entry. Rovin’ Tumbleweeds Family Western 64m. Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, Mary Carlisle, Douglass Dumbrille, William Farnum, Lee “Lasses” White, Ralph Peters, Gordon Hart, Vic Potel, Jack Ingram, Sammy McKim, Reginald Barlow, Eddie Kane, Guy Usher, Pals of the Golden West. Directed by George Sherman. Republic’s Public Cowboy Number One slings his cinematic lasso around a story which brings in migrant workers, floods, an oatie version of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” all of which apparently was too much for one 64-minute film. Although this rates among Gene Autry’s weakest efforts, his drawing power is nothing to be sneered at. Floods make migrant workers of rancher friends of Autry, who is elected to Congress on the platform that he will get flood control for the territory. Douglass Dumbrille’s henchmen foil Autry on every turn, and the Washington cowboy returns with nothing accomplished. There’s another flood during which Dumbrille works hand in hand with those who tried to stem it, thus bringing about a change in his stone heart. There isn’t much time for action, what with seven singing sequences filling in wherever posible. Mary Carlisle is adequate as Autry’s radio announcing gal friend. Estimate: Weak Autry. Saga of Death Valley (952) Family Western 58m. Roy Rogers, George “Gabby” Hayes, Donald Barry, Doris Day, Frank M. Thomas, Jack Ingram, Hal Taliaferro, Lew Kelly, Fern Emmett, Tommy Baker, Buz Buckley. Directed by Joseph Kane. In as well-mounted a production as can be wished for in a western, Roy Rogers romps a bit higher up on the popularity scale. His pleasing voice gets an opportunity to give out with a few range songs, but for the most part, the celluloid is devoted to telling a pretty good story and to showing off plenty of gun -toting action. Young Rogers’ father is killed by Frank M. Thomas and the son vows vengeance. His brother is kidnapped by Thomas and is brought up as the leader of the outlaw’s night raiders. Rogers returns to his home section and puts the crooks to rout, but not until he is reconciled with his long-lost brother The photography is excellent. Doris Day is adequate as the femme interest. Estimate: One of Rogers’ best. 20th CENTURY-FOX Family Day-time Wife (020) Comedy 7 70m. Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Warren William, Binnie Barnes, Wendy Barrie, Joan Davis, Jean Valerie, Leonid Kinskey, Mildred Gover, Renia Riano. Directed by Gregory Ratoff. Tyrone Power becomes a light comedian, and so does Linda Darnell. Both are infinitely better in straight dramatic roles. The names of both will draw, however, and satisfactory grosses may result if this picture is sold right. Story concerns Powers philandering with secretary Wendy Barrie. Power’s wife (Linda Darnell) learns of his carryings-on and decides to win him back by equipping herself with all the tricks of a secretary. Accordingly, she obtains a position with wolfish Warren William, all unbeknown to her husband, of course. The whole thing winds up in a penthouse party to which Williams and Power bring their secretaries. Darnell saves the day when William’s wife enters unexpectedly, later forgives husband Power when she learns his affair with Barrie was surprisingly innocuous. Estimate: Sell the names. UNIVERSAL Tower of London Family Melodrama 93m. Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Barbara O Neil, Ian Hunter, Nan Grey, Vincent Price, Rose Hobart, John Sutton, Lionel Belmore, Ralph Forbes, Frances Robinson, Ernest Cossart, G. P. Huntley, John Rodion, Ronald Sinclair, John Herbert-Bond, Donnie Dunagan, L. G. Carroll, Miles Mander. Directed by Rowland V. Lee. Universal has produced an impressive, dramatic melodrama of England and court intrigue of the 15th century, studded with feature and star names, and possessed of many angles for merchandising. While it is not likely to cause excitement in the box-office division, it seems to possess some possiblity where strong selling gets behind it. As in most costume pictures, the actors occasionally get held up by the trappings, armor, etc. Essentially, it is a story of the lust for power demonstrated by Richard (Basil Rathbone), brother of Edward IV. Intent on getting the throne, Richard, with the aid of Boris Karloff, the executioner of the Tower, eliminates those in the line of secession, one by one, until fate, in the person of Henry Tudor, catches up with him and kills him in battle. The intrigue, murders, etc., all take place in the Tower, where Henry VI had been imprisoned by Edward IV (Ian Hunter.) Romance is handled by Nan Grey, as ladyin-waiting, and John Sutton, as John Wyatt, on the side of Henry Tudor. Universal has spent plenty of money in the show, and for some types of houses, where the costumes don’t carry weight, the torture chambers, murders, etc., secret passages, etc., can be made to help attract patrons. In the presence of both Rathbone and Karloff, the exhibitor has a rare exploitation opportunity, for here are two actors whose work is so well known that it can be assumed that the public will want to see them in a nip-and-tuck battle for histrionic honors. Estimate: Exploitable for best returns. West of Carson City Family » J Western 1 ) 55m. Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Baker, Fuzzy Knight, Peggy Moran, Harry Woods, Robert Homans, Al K. Hall. Directed by Ray Taylor. The fourth in this series, starring Johnny Mack Brown, with Bob Baker and Fuzzy Knight as aides-de-camp, is a fast-moving, satisfying western, which will help establish this group as one of the best open-air series of the season. Laid in Pony Express days, the story begins with a gold rush, which brings the lawless element to Ridgeville. But our Johnny is up to the minute, taking very little time to clean out the bad ’uns, after they had threatened the life of the judge and his daughter. Bob Baker sings two songs, Fuzzy Knight supplies comedy and there is the usual quota of hard riding, fist fights, gun battles, etc. In short, this series is holding to a standard, and as such it should more than please. Estimate: High-rating western. 424