The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR 15 Director Norman Foster and 15 principals, with a company of 45 technicians, have gone to Sidona Basin, Arizona, for two weeks of shooting “Viva Cisco Kid.” . . . Albert Shelby Levino has been signed to write the story for “Western Union.” . . Studio will not scrap Oakie town, built for “The Grapes of Wrath,” saving it for its historical value. . . . Donald Meek, William Gargan, and Mary Beth Hughes have been added to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” W anger Walter Wanger has signed Robert Benchley to add his wit to the scenario now in preparation for Alfred Hitchcock s production of “Personal History.” Warners Elsa Maxwell’s first two short subjects —“How to Give a Party” and “Riding into Society”— will be directed by William McGann. . . . “Saturday’s Children is the new title for the John GarfieldAnne Shirley film which started shooting as “Married, Pretty and Poor.” . . . Director William K. Howard gets a new term contract effective February 1. . . . Studio announces a five-month production program which will include the filming of 16 “A productions with a general budget of $22,000,000. The 16 features will be filmed under the supervision of J. L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis, executive producer. Mary Anderson, one-time candidate for the Scarlett O’Hara role, has a new contract here as a result of present in early scenes of “We Shall Meet Again, which stars Merle Oberon, George Brent, and Pat O’Brien. “Years Without Days” became “The Castle on the Hudson.” . . . Eddie Albert s first starrer will be “An Angel from Texas.” . . . Bette Davis reported tor All This, and Heaven, Too.” . . . “Magic Bullets” has shrunk to “The Magic Bullet. Errol Flynn is vacationing. . . . Dennie Moore, Broadway stage actor, has reporter for work in “Saturdays Childien. Book Review LORENZO GOES TO HOLLYWOOD. By Edward Arnold. 282pp. New York. Liveright Publishing Corporation. Edward Arnold is one of our most active featured players. He also was included as one of the “poison” stars in the famed blast by an exhibitor organization not so long ago. Readers might be interested in his reaction to it. First he wanted to start a suit, but then figured it couldn’t do any harm. He points out then that following the blast he appeared in five pictures — “all successes”: “The Crowd Roars,” ‘ You Can’t Take It With You,” “Let Freedom Ring,” “Idiot’s Delight,’ “Man About Town.” Mr. Arnold is a bit misinformed on his five “successes.” Most exhibitors can tell him otherwise about “Let Freedom Ring and “Idiot’s Delight,” and perhaps a few about “The Crowd Roars.” Otherwise, “Lorenzo Goes to Hollywood” is the autobiography of an actor who seems pretty well satisfied with the progress he has made. The trade, outside of general reader interest, may be especially attracted by some angles which comment on production goings-on. All in all, pleasant reading, if unimportant. Advance Shots On COMING REVIEWS New Pictures Tersely Told Philadelphia — Received too late at The Exhibitor’s office here to be included in this week’s Blue Section were reviews of the following pictures. These Advance Shots are given pending the publication of the next issue of the Six-Point Reviews (Blue) Section. Features THE BLUE BIRD (20th Century-Fox) — Shirley Temple, Spring Byington, Nigel Bruce, Gale Sondergaard, Eddie Collins, Sybil Jason, Johnny Russell, Laura Hope Crews. 82m. A beautiful and enchanting version of a literary classic, which should be indelibly inscribed on the minds of old and young, is “The Blue Bird,” based on Maurice Maeterlinck’s description of the real source of happiness and contentment. It is the adventures of Myrtyl and her brother, who, with their cat and dog, search for the Blue Bird of Happiness in the past and the future, only to find that they actually had it in the present. The picture, possessing many exploitation angles, must, however, be sold in the “different” manner. CONDOTTIERI (The Leaders), reviewed in this issue, is the new title for Esperia’s “Giovanni de Medici, the Leader.” SIDEWALKS OF LONDON (Paramount)— Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Larry Adler. 85m. This is a story of London’s buskers (curbstone entertainers), of how one of them (Charles Laughton) develops a talented girl (Vivien Leigh), sees her go to the top, but himself failing in big time and returning to his busker troup. It is all Laughton and Leigh, albeit with plenty of entertainment to satisfy the patrons. WOLF OF NEW YORK (Republic) — Edmund Lowe, Rose Hobart, James Stephenson, Jerome Cowan, William DDemarest. 69m. With Edmund Lowe turning in a smooth performance as the criminal lawyer turned district attorney, “Wolf of New York” happily shapes up as one of Republic’s most entertaining entries. Although the film is loaded with familiar court room scenes, director William McCann refused to allow most of the court room and last-minute reprieve to bob up. The smaller situations will find this meller a swell attraction for the top spot. Shorts ANDY PANDA GOES FISHING (Universal— Walter Lantz Cartune). 8m. Fair. GOODNESS A GHOST (RKO-Radio— Radio Flash Comedy) . 15m. Fair. INFORMATION PLEASE, No. 5 (RKORadio). 10m. Good. January 24, 1940