The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR Servisection 4 and runs Charlie a close second for comedy honors. Charlie also sings for the first time on the screen and clicks with a specially written number, “I’m Charlie McCarthy, Detective.” Sanity of plot is thrown to the winds with every situation being milked dry for maximum hokum and slapstick delivery. The film has been made strictly for laughs and in that category it more than fills the bill. Audience reaction was good. Estimate: Okay for the Bergen-McCarthy fans. Riders of Pasco Basin (4062) Family Western 56V2m. Johnny Mack Brown, Boh Baker, Fuzzy Knight, Frances Robinson, Ted Adams, Arthur Loft, Ed Cassidy, Rudy Sooter and his Californians. Directed by Ray Taylor. Fourth of the Brown-Baker series, this holds to the high mark set by the others. How hero Johnny outwits the bad element who seek to hoodwink the ranchers with a phony dam proposition is told in a fast-moving manner, punctuated by plenty of fighting, shooting, hard riding, and a last minute cleanup on the part of the vigilantes. Neither his pal’s doubts or his gal’s losing faith in him deters our Johnny from his goal. Three songs help things along. Estimate: High-rating member of the series. W&RNERS-FN Invisible Stripes (408) Family Drama 82m. George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Flora Robson, Paul Kelly, Lee Patrick, Henry O’Neill, Frankie Thomas, Moroni Olsen, Margot Stevenson, Marc Lawrence, Joseph Downing, Leo Gorcey, William Haade, Tully Marshall. Directed by Lloyd Bacon. A good cast, which includes a number of box-office names, pulls this picture away from the pitfalls inherent in its somewhat time-worn plot. Jane Bryan hasn’t much to do, but does it well, and Flora Robson is splendid as the mother of Raft and Holden. The story opens as Raft is released from prison on parole. He is determined to keep to the straight and narrow, even more determined that his younger brother will not wander from it. However, he soon learns that an “excon” cannot escape his past. When he finally works himself up to a decent position, a mistaken accusation by the police causes him to lose it, and, when he sees his brother getting more and more discouraged, he decides to tie up with bank robbers Bogart and Kelly. Raft soon makes enough money to set his brother up in a garage, and later makes it possible for the boy to marry his long-patient sweetheart, Jane Bryan. Raft then quits the gang, but when brother Holden is involved by Bogart during a get-away, Raft has the boy clear himself by identifying members of the gang for the police. The gang gets after Raft, and in a climatic gun battle Raft, Bogart, and Kelly are killed. Leo Gorcey, one of the Dead End Kids has a small part. Estimate: Sell names in cast for good grosses. MISCELLANEOUS The Adventures of Family The Masked Phantom WeS55^ (Equity) Monte Rawlins, Larry Mason. Betty Burgess, Dot Karroll, Sonny Lamont, George Douglas, Matty Kemp, Boots, the dog. Directed by Charles Abbott. In the low western sphere, introducing another western name, Monte Rawlins, this may not find complaints where they aren’t particular about their open-airfare. Rawlins proves that a western star needs more than a horse and a saddle, and even the presence of an alert dog doesn’t help. The background is concerned with the elicit smelting of stolen gold, with resale to the government, the arrival of the masked phantom, as in days gone by when the bad ’uns ruled the area, and the eventually routing of the villainous element. There are three songs. Estimate: Low-grade western. Bad Boy Adult Drama (Atlas) . 65m. Johnny Downs, Rosalind Keith, Helen MacKellar, Spencer Williams, Jr., James Robbins, Holmes Herbert, Dick Cramer, Harry Lang. Directed by Herbert Meyer. How Johnny Downs and Rosalind Keith got themselves mixed up with this poorly executed affair is beyond our understanding. However, to get down to the business of the day, this gangster yarn can find a market in spots which haven’t access to product or as the lower half of a dualler in a backwoods situation. Downs is a talented draftsman who was destined for success in the engineering field. James Robbins leads him astray when he starts him gambling, and Rosalind Keith completes his degeneration by marrying him. In the meantime, mother Helen Mac Kellar emotes all over the screen. Keith, Downs, and Robbins try terribly hard to make something of this, but it’s no go. (Not to be confused with Warners’ John Garfield-Brenda Marshall picture now in production.) Estimate: Very weak inde, sell Downs. FOREIGN II Corsaro Nero (The Black Pirate) (Esperia) Family Melodrama 96m. Ciro Verratti, Silvana Jachino Ada Biagini, Nerio Bernardi, Cesco Baseggio. Checco Durante, Gino Cellano. Directed by Amleto Salgari. Based on a story by Emelio Salgari (not to be confused with “The Black Pirate” released by the United Artists in 1926, with Douglas Fairbanks, pere, starred), “II Corsaro Nero” is good fare for foreign language houses, and particularly to those catering to Italians. With interest in other aspects than pure narrative, the picture, even to one not comprehending the language, has its action quota of sword play, running street fights, and naval encounters, with the main narrative pegs being the springing of Ada Biagini, one of the Black Pirate’s (Ciro Verratti) band, captured by the authorities, and a naval encounter when the Black Pirate meets Silvana Jachino. Estimate: For foreign-language, particularly Italian, houses. Doctor Antonio Family Drama (II Dottor Antonio) 103m. (Itala Films) Ennio Cerlesi, Maria Gambarelli, Lamberto Picasso, Tina Zucchi, Mino Doro, Margherita Bagni, Augusto de Giovanni, Romolo Costa, Luigi Pavesi, Vinicio Sofia, Claudio Ermelli. Directed by Enrico Gauzzoni. The Italian studios, having recently sent us a rousing spectacle like “Scipione L’Africano,” follow through with another excellent high budget tale; this time built around the framework of Ruffini’s account of the revolution against Ferdinand II„ King of Naples. Ennio Cerlesi, in the title role, finds his love for English Maria Gambarelli conflicting with his duty as leader of the revolution. Director Enrico Gauzzoni tops an okay job with swell megaphoning on a DeMille-like battle scene. The lack of English titles limits this for exhibition, except in Italian audience houses where it should do a land office business. Estimate: Box-office success for Italian nabes. Ideal Marriage (Matrimonio Ideale) (Esperia) Family Comedy Drama 84m. Assia Noris, Umberto Melnati, Gino Cervi, Clara Padoa, Marisa Vernati Norma Nova, Pina De Angelis, Enzo Biliotti, Aiistide Barhetti, Guglielmo Barnabo, Bianca Stagno Bellincioni. Directed by Camillo Mastrocinque. Another of Italy’s ever-improving cinema products, “Ideal Marriage” is a swiftIy~pacud tale which should show to good box-office advantage in spots which can use film without benefit of English titles. Assia Noris, the daughter of an aristocratic but poor family is courted by Umberto Melnati, the son of wealthy commoners. The courtship was by arrangement of the parents, but Melnati and Noris use all sorts of ruses to find out if the other’s love was true. Noris, one of Italy’s most popular and beautiful actresses, does a grand job. Ditto for Melnati, Gino Cervi, and Clara Padoa. Estimate: Very good Italian import. r AMILY soldier’s Bride ... . „ Melodrama (Jaakann Morsian) 83m (Werner F. Savela) Tuulikki Paananen, Ritva Aro. Tuli Arjo, Kullervo Kalske, Tauno Palo, Ossi Elstela, Urho Somersali, Erkki Uotila, Sasu Kaapanen. Seeing as how the sympathy of the world is leaning heavily in favor of Finland, this Finnish war meller has loads of timeliness as a selling point, but, besides that quality, there is nothing outstanding enough to warrant selling to to other than Finnish patrons. It deals with World War conflict between the Russian Cossacks and a German regiment manned by Finns. Soldier-student Tauno Palo falls in love with Russian dancer Tuulikki Paananen. Through his love for her, he comes across the spying activities of Erkki Uotila. A smash melodramatic climax okays the show for okay Finnish returns. Estimate: Should make dough for Finnish houses. Two’s Company (B. and D.) Family Comedy 64m. Ned Sparks, Mary Brian, Patric Knowles, Harry Holman, Gibb McLaughlin, Gordon Harker, Morton Selten. Directed by Tim Whelan. The comedy which dominates this English importation may suffice for the other side of the pond but it falls flat for domestic audiences, thus relegating “Two’s Company’ to the bottom of duals where it can be played. The yarn has Mary Brian, daughter of wealthy American Harry Holman, taken to England where suitor Ned Sparks thinks he can convince her she ought to wed him, but romance, in the person of the Viscount’s son, Patric Knowles, soon conquers all. Estimate: Bottom dualler for houses which can play English product. ( Continued on page 445) 442