The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

Servisection 7 The Shorts Parade (Continued from page 434) possessor of one of the finest basso voices of the day, this all-Negro one-reeler is good enough celluloid for houses catering to white folk and is a sure-fire crowdpleaser for Negro audiences. With a chorus singing Negro spirituals in the background, Muse portrays a father who fears his son has died. When the son awakes, Muse breaks into a beautiful vocal rendition of a Negro spiritual. GOOD. L. S. M. STEPHEN FOSTER SONGS. Columbia —Community Sing, No. 4. 10%m. In a presentation top rating from production and musical standpoints, Columbia here offers a nostalgic series of Stephen Collins Foster songs, including “Oh, Susanna,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” “Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair” (as a solo by Donald Grayson), “Old Folks at Home,” “The Camptown Races,” and “My Old Kentucky Home.” Done by an unidentified mixed group of singers, with Stanley Brown as the master of ceremonies, this is indeed tops for either singing or listening. EXCELLENT. (1654). Novelty FUTURE ADMIRALS. Philip Provenza. 11m. A summary account of the life of a cadet at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, “Future Admirals,” narrated by Ted Jewett, offers little new to the record of the oft-photographed institution on the Severn. Although not the best of the ilk, it is yet a good subject and should find a ready welcome. GOOD .W. W. INFORMATION PLEASE, No. 4. RKORadio. 10m. Music expert Deems Taylor augments regulars — John Keiran, Franklin P. Adams, and Oscar Levant — in what rates about the most entertaining of a truly grand series. Interrogator Fadiman pays out more than the usual amount of cash to the Will Rogers Memorial Fund, as the experts muffed several questions, but there was a lot of fun during the muffing. Music masters Taylor and Levant aligned themselves against Keiran and FPA, with Fadiman ordering the cashier THE EXHIBITOR to pay out another $25 every few moments as the result. EXCELLENT. (04204). L. S. M. LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT. Stark Films. 10m. A routine commercial short, this plugs milk', with a stenographer’s day as the means of presenting the product. FAIR. M. M. C. ROMANCE OF THE POTATO. MetroPete Smith Specialty. 9m. Pete Smith is in good form as he shows, historically and otherwise, of the part the potato has played in history. How it was found in the 15th Century, how it helped start the French revolution, how it turned the course of history (not altogether acurately) is indicated in one of Smith’s good numbers. GOOD. (S-103). H. M. SKY FIGHTERS. 20th Century-Fox— Adventures of Newsreel Cameraman. 10m. Paul Douglas tells the story of the Army’s plan to train aviators, ground crews, etc., while some superb photography of action training, army fields, etc., is seen. All in all, filmed with the co-operation of the U. S. Government, this belongs in the higher bracket. EXCELLENT. (0203) . H. M. THE WEST WALL. RKO-Radio— Reelism. 12m. One of the most unusual and objective studies of the famous front defenses of both France (the Maginot Line) and Germany (the Siegfried Line), this sepia subject is one of the most saleable features to come from the RKO-Radio cameras. Major George Fielding Eliot explains the intricacies of the Maginot and the Siegfried Lines and points out the difficulties and the loss of life resulting from any attempt to break through either one. Diagrams and excellent photography illustrate the stage of the theatre of war. EXCELLENT. (04604). L. S. M. WITH THESE WEAPONS. The American Social Hygiene Association. 11m. After showing the work of scientists Schaudinn, Wassermann, Ehrlich, and their present-day counterparts in finding the weapons with which to conquer the ravages of syphilis, this exceptional onereeler stands on the promise that the disease can be wiped out within one genera tion if the people are educated to the facts. With David Ross handling the narrative more than capably, the action shows what step should be taken when one suspects he is carrying the disease. A film, as worthy and as well done as this one is deserves wide exhibition. EXCELLENT. L. S. M. Sport FROST FROLICS. Viking-Tennyson. 10m. With sufficient variety to add zest to an otherwise routine topic, Phil Godfrey tells about Saint Moritz, Switzerland, dwelling primarily on skaters (plain and fancy) and skiing. GOOD. W. W. JAI ALAI. Columbia — News World of Sports. 9m. Fastest of all sports, jai alai is described, with also an account of the making of the necessary equipment, and a final glimpse of a big-league game. The reel is full of action and the commentary is good, making an interesting subject for the sports-minded. GOOD. (1802). W. W. Color Travel LAND OF ALASKA NELLIE. Metro— FitzPatrick Traveltalk. 9m. James FitzPatrick takes a trip to Alaska, stops at Seward, and then visits Alaska Nellie, a local celebrity. While Nellie is undoubtedly the belle of the area, the question is whether she is a travel subject, herself. Personally, we could have stood more of the scenery. FAIR. (T-55) . H. M. VALIANT VENEZUELA. Metro— FitzPatrick Traveltalk. 9m. A visit to our neighbor in South America, views of Caracas, of the various lakes, of the hill country, the sugar plantations, statues, churches, and a bow to Simon Bolivar, “the George Washington of the land,” with a final plea for South American friendship. GOOD. (T-54) . H. M. Travel THE KANGAROO COUNTRY. 20th Century-Fox — Magic Carpet of Movietone. 9m. Australia, its beaches, sheep ranches, industries, big cities, natives, animals, flowers, are all well presented by Lowell Thomas in a good travel short. GOOD. (0104) . H. M. LAST MINUTE PARAMOUNT All Women Have Secrets Adult Comedy Drama 74m. (3914) Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen, Jr., Jean Cagney, Peter Hayes, Betty Moran, John Arledge, Janet Waldo, Lawrence Grossmitt, Una O’Connor, Kitty Kelly. Directed hy Kurt N eumann. Shorts Release Number Listing ( Continued from page 436) LOONEY TUNES 5601 Porky’* Hotel Sept. 2 5602 Jeepers Creepers Sept. 23 5603 Naughty Neighbors Oot. 7 5604 Pled Piper Porky Nov. 4 5605 Porky the Giant Killer Nov. 18 5504 Artie Shaw and Orchestra Dec. 30 Alphabetical Guide (Continued from page 438) STANLEY AND LIVINGSTONE — 101m. — 80th CJen turv-Fox 3S4 STOP, LOOK AND LOVE — 67m. — 20th Century-Fox 380 STRAIGHT SHOOTER— 60m. — Victory 418 STRANGER FROM TEXAS, THE — 54m. — Columbia 431 SUED FOR LIBEL — 66m. — RKO-Radio 400 SURPRISES OF MATRIMONY, THE (Le Sorprese dl un Matrimonion) — 118m. — Columba 410 T TAMING OF THE WEST — 64m. — Columbia 399 TELEVISION SPY — 69m. — Paramount 400 TELL YOUR CHILDREN — see The Burning Question TEN NIGHTS IN A BARROOM — 61m. — B&M Pictures 418 Featuring James Cagney’s kid sister, Jean, this picture with its rather ominous title turns out to be a lower-half dual yarn about marriage in college. Cagney is pert, plump, and not particularly talented as an actress. Peter Hayes handles his comedy role well, enlivening a frequently lagging story. Joseph Allen, Jr., and Cagney decide to marry, even though he is working his way through college and striving to become a great research scientist. They see the handwriting on the wall, when two other college couples, friends of theirs, marry and become miserable, yet they cannot believe the same 5606 The Film Fan Dec. 16 MELODY MASTERS 5501 Swing Styles Sept. 2 5502 Vinoent Lopez & Orchestra Sept. 29 5503 Rubinoff & Orohestra Nov. 11 5403 Mechanix Illustrated, No. 2 Dec. 2 MERRIE MELODIES 5301 Sioux Me Sept. 9 5302 Little Lion Hunter Oot. 7 thing will happen to them. However, responsibilities catch up with the already hard-pressed Allen, and he falls down in his research work, Jean takes on several part-time jobs so that he can devote more time to study, but when she loses a good job and learns she is going to have a baby, she decides to leave Allen and not stand in the way of his success as a scientist. Allen refuses to let her go, and everything seems hopeless until Allen’s professor comes through for the desperate couple. Virginia Dale, Hayes, and John Arledge furnish the bulk of the comedy. Estimate: Lower-half dualler. 5303 Land of the Midnight Fun Sept. 23 5304 Good Egg Oot. 21 5305 Fresh Fish Nov. 4 5306 Fagin’s Freshman Nov. 18 5307 Sniffles and Bookworm Dec. 2 5308 Screwball Football Dec. 16 5309 Curious Puppy Dec. 30 VARIETIES 5701 Vote Trouble Sept. 9 THAT THEY MAY LIVE — 73m. — Mayer-Burstyn . . . .410 THESE GLAMOUR GIRLS — 78m. — Metro 379 tures 418 THAT’S RIGHT, YOU’RE WRONG— 95m. — RKO Radio 424 THUNDER OVER PARIS— 82m. — Transatlantic .... 425 TWO BRIGHT BOYS — 70%m. — 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 TOWER OF LONDON — 92m. — Universal 424 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 TWO THOROUGHBREDS — 62m. — RKO-Radio 432 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 WEST OF CARSON CITY — 65m.— Universal 424 WHAT A LIFE! — 79m. — Paramount 385 WHITE SQUADRON, THE — see Lo Squadrone Bianco WHY THIS WAR? — 81m. — Samuel Curnings 409 WINTER CARNIVAL — 91m. — United Artists 354 WITNESS VANISHES, THE— 66m.— Universal 393 WOMEN, THE — 134m. — Metro 379 Y YUKON FLIGHT— 57m.— Monogram 431 437