The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

16 THE EXHIBITOR Our Mister Mentlik INTERVIEWS A CELEBRITY Dear Editor: Youthful Pete Mayer is back in the States after a seven-month hectic stay in England. Pete’s the son of Arthur Maver, purveyor of blood and thunder via celluloid at the Rialto, New York City. This reporter, press agent Phil Gerard, and young Mayer were gabbing about the latter’s adventures while making a camera record of the events which led to the seething turmoil in which Europe now finds itself. We listened to his tale with a great deal more enthusiasm than a newspaperman should really show. Last spring, Herbert Kline, the 30-yearold chap who produced “Crisis,” was planning on doing another documentary. Along came Mayer and joined up. Having had his share of movie-making experience while with Pathe here and on the coast, he brought along plenty of practical knowledge. Mrs. Kline was another member of the outfit. The trio got to London easily enough and there picked up Alexander Hackenschmied, the ace cameraman who had worked on “Crisis” with Kline. An English gent named Slocum, a still cameraman who was hurriedly taught the principles of action work, completed the crew which set out to record history in the making. We asked Pete if there was any diffi culty getting shots in England and if the censors didn’t slash to bits most of what they did shoot. “It’s a funny thing,” he replied, “but the English were swell all the way through. We went to Sir Robert Van Sittart and he gave Hackenschmied, literally a man without a country since Hitler took Poland, a “white paper” which served all the purposes of a passport. Sir Robert must have been impressed by our freshness and anxiety to make a documentary for the American people and not an outright propaganda piece for Great Britain. We were permitted to shoot anything our hearts desired. About censorship — once the war started, we expected censorship, but only one, small, unimportant sequence was taken from our work.” Pete handled the situation in England during the filming work; Slocum went to Danzig; the others travelled through Poland and France. The Klines and Hackenschmied must have gone through plenty of action? “Herb and his wife were almost killed getting out of Poland,” came the affirmation. “They made the last train from Warsaw and the usual three-hour trip across the border took more than ten hours. Herb saw incendiary bombs dropped by German planes setting fire to homes along the road. Nazi planes flew low over the train while strafing it. Passengers were killed. Through it all Herb was taking pictures and his wife — a brave girl if there ever was one — was knitting.” Once back in England, the work of editing the documentary got under way at Warners’ Teddington studios. The March of Time staff and the independent film makers in England proved very co-operative to the Americans. “Exhibitors in and around London.” said Pete, “show documentaries to a great larger extent than they do here. They feel it’s their duty to educate the theatre-goers. Hence, there are many more films of that type available there than in the States.” Mayer went into greater detail on some of the adventures and difficulties befalling the Kline camera expedition and bemoaned the fact that subs didn’t shoot up at him while crossing to Halifax on a British freighter with convoy. The convoy accompanied them for three days of the ten-day return crossing, and the cameras were ready to record any war activity asea. “But no luck — not a darn thing happened.” Herb Kline is out on the coast trying to sell “Lights Out In Europe” to one of the majors for national distribution. The written commentary and the vocal narrative will both be done by big names. Pete Mayer is taking in all New York has to offer these days. He’s been home a few weeks, but A. M. hasn’t seen his son many evenings during that time. “They say,” asserted P. M., “that once you’re in England a few months, you become Anglicized. I can’t see it — boy there’s no place I’d rather be and live than right here in America.” And Pete isn’t one of those flag-waving patriots. Your New York Correspondent, Lew Mentlik Advance Shots ( Continued from page 15) tempt to make the various individual Roman states one solid Italy provides the story about which was built this spectacular production. Unlike most of the Italian Films Esperia has released here, this lacks the entertainment value of its HEROES OF THE SADDLE (Republic) —Robert Livingston, Raymond Hatton, Duncan Renaldo, Patsy Lee Parsons, Loretta Weaver. 56m. Not quite up to the usual Three Mesquiteers’ standard. “Heroes of the Saddle” is okay stuff for the hoss-opera regulars, but we fear it won’t go a long way toward making converts of the regular run of movie-goers. THE INVISIBLE KILLER (Producers Distributing Corporation) — Grace Bradley, Roland Drew, William Newell, Alex Callam. 65m. The usual girl -reporter, police story, albeit with good selling angles, this is well done, with Grace Bradley as the newspaper reporter who keeps bobbing up while homicide squadder Roland Drew (her fiance) investigates some murders — whose solution Bradley finallv uncovers. THE SAINT’S DOUBLE TROUBLE (RKO-Radio) — George Sanders, Jonathan Hale, Helene Whitney, Donald McBride. 67m. Leslie Charteris’ fictional character sauvely continues foiling the police, capturing the criminals, and providing grand entertainment for the paying customers in this latest offering of the popular “Saint” series. George Sanders plays a dual role, with his “other half” being the crook. THEY WANTED PEACE (Amokino) — F. Bagashvili, Tamara Makarova, S. Smirnova, K. Miuffo, M. Gelovani. 73m. A propaganda picture, which seems to attempt to rationalize Russia’s alliance with Germany, “They Wanted Peace” should do okay business in spots where Soviet films have gone over in the past. It is strictly for the radical element and should not be tried upon the average moviegoer. Shorts MEN OF MUSCLE (RKO-Radio— Reelism) . 9m. Good. m m loo*’*' can a "But life 'S sacred' to the kill"* °f Charles BICKFORD OWEN DAVIS, JR. • DORIS DAY • PAUL GUILFOYLE A Republic Picture January 17, 1940