The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

14 THE EXHIBITOR Advance Shots On COMING REVIEWS Philadelphia — Received at the home office of The Exhibitor since last week’s edition of the Blue Section was printed have been reviews of the following pictures. Complete Six-Point Reviews will be printed in the next Blue Section. Features CASTLE ON THE HUDSON (Warners) — John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, Pat O’Brien, Burgess Meredith, Henry O’Neill, Jerome Cowan. 77m. A re-make of “20,000 Years in Sing Sing,” the Warden Lawes yarn which first hit the screen back in 1933, “Castle On the Hudson” is a corking prison drama. When better highgrey-walls stuff is made, you can lay odds it will be done by Warners. Nothing startling or strong enough to set box offices afire, the film packs enough wallop to satisfy most anybody as a top attraction. CONVICTED WOMEN (Columbia) — Rochelle Hudson, Lola Lane, Frieda Inescort, June Lang, Glenn Ford. Patterned after the style of “Prison without Bars,” this Columbia visit to a pen for femmes is okay reelage for the lower half of duals. Rochelle Hudson, a nice girl in search of a job, is railroaded into serving a sentence at a pretty vile prison. There is nothing much that can be said for — or against — the picture. DEATH RIDES THE RANGE (Colony) — Ken Maynard, Fay McKenzie, Ralph Peters, Julian Rivero, Charles King, Sven Hugo Bord, 56m. Ken Maynard, a government agent, succeeds in solving two murders, saving one ranch, and cottoning onto a source of helium for the U. S. Government— all without firing a shot, but with some fisticuffing — in quite the usual manner, satisfying to the fans. THE GRAPES OF WRATH (20th Century-Fox)— Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charles Grapewin, Dorris Bowden. 129m. The filmization of John Steinbeck’s dynamic story, that pyramids climax upon climax, is greater than the original work. With the right handling, there is no reason why this sordid tale of migrant workers cannot hit high-water marks in grosses. Darryl F. Zanuck and Director John Ford go off on the right foot by casting the show to perfection. HIDDEN ENEMY (Monogram) — Warien Hull, Kay Linaker, William von Brincken, George Cleveland. 63m. Okay spy meller stuff for the nabes and provinces, “Hidden Enemy” can be sold on the basis of its obvious timeliness and occasional inserts of patriotism. In the story German-dialect spies are pitted against Russiandialect espionage agents. HONEYMOON DEFERRED (Universal) — Edmund Lowe, Margaret Lindsay, Elizabeth Risdon, Joyce Compton, Chick Chandler. 59m. One of those frothy little mystery yarns with plenty of outlets for sophisticated humor of the minor “Thin Man” variety, “Honeymoon Deferred” should prove more than satisfactory entertainment from its supporting spot on duals. I TAKE THIS WOMAN (Metro) — Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr, Verree Teasdale, Kent Taylor. 98m. Finally emerging from an enforced hibernation, “I Take This Woman” seems to be a nice enough batch of celluloid, whose commercial possibilities are chiefly the drawing powers of Hedy Lamarr, Spencer Tracy, and others. The triangle theme will be added bait for the women — and the men will be taken care of by Lamarr. LIFE ON THE HORTOBAGY (Jewel) — Janos Cinega, Mrs. Janos Cinega, Istvan Kanyasi. 79m. Maybe Samuel Cummings does not get his hands on outstanding productions, but there is no doubting the gentleman always pops up with something sensational enough to have plenty of selling angles. In this case, it is a harmless thing, badly acted by Hungarian natives and equally poorly produced, but the birth of a colt adds the Cummings’ selling oomph, especially as it was these scenes on which the New York censors clamped down. THE MARINES FLY HIGH (RKORadio) — Richard Dix, Lucille Ball, Chester Morris, Steffi Duna, John Eldridge. Swell dualler fare, with top-spot possibilities in the smaller situations, “The Marines Fly High” does not stint a whit on the action. Action fans will have no complaints on the story of this obvious composition. OVER THE MOON (United Artists— Korda) — Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison, Ursula Jeans, Robert Douglas, Louis Borell. 83m. A pleasant concoction of light romance and frivolity, “Over the Moon” (in Technicolor) will shatter no records but the paying customers won’t ask for refunds. When Merle Oberon inherits $18,000,000, Rex Harrison breaks his engagement, and then — with Oberon and that sort of cash, it’s everybody’s fun Shorts BOWLING SKILL (Paramount — Sportlight). 8m. Good. BULLETS AND BALLADS (Universal — Musical) . 18m. Fair. CUBA (Paramount — Color Cruise). 9m. Bad. EDGAR RUNS AGAIN (20th CenturyFox — Terry-Toon). 6m. Fair. GYPSY SONGS (Columbia— Community Sing, No. 5). 10m. Fair. HARVEST TIME (20th Century-Fox— Terry-Toon). 7m. Fair. KNOW YOUR MONEY (Metro— Crime Doesn’t Pay). 21m. Excellent. MIGHTY HUNTERS (Vitaphone— Merrie Melody). 7m. Good. NIGHT DESCENDS ON TREASURE ISLAND (Metro — FitzPatrick Traveltalk). 9m. Excellent. NOTHING BUT PLEASURE (Columbia — Comedy). 17%m. Good. THE OLD SOUTH (Metro— Miniature) . 10m. Excellent. SHAKESPEARIAN SPINACH (Paramount— Popeye) . 6m. Good. SUGAR WIND (Paramount— Paragraphic) . 9m. Fair. RHYTHM JAMBOREE (Universal — Musical). 18m. Excellent. WHERE TURF MEETS THE SURF (Metro — Miniature). 11m. Good. January 31, 1940