The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR Servisection 2 getting his community to build adequate housing facilities for the “shanty” dwellers living in unhealthful conditions on the outskirts of town. The so-called civic leaders foil his plans on all sides until an epidemic of spinal meningitis among the “squatters” threatens the entire town. A three-cornered romance is taken care of by Dorothy Lovett, Robert Baldwin, and Tom Neal, Baldwin winning the girl on his merits. Hersholt is almost hooked by a sourpuss portrayed by Vera Lewis. Estimate: Tops in the series; good dualler. REPUBLIC Forgotten Girls (920) Family Melodrama 68m. Louise Platt , Donald Woods, Wynne Gibson, Robert Armstrong, Eduardo Ciannelli. Jack LaRue, Barbara Pepper, Charles D. Brown, Sarah Padden, Ann Baldwin. Directed by Phil Rosen. Tearjerker meller for the nabe duals, “Forgotten Girls” will have to depend upon its suggestive title for its chief draw. There are occasional bright moments during the picture, but for the most part it’s familiar stereotyped celluloid. Louise Platt is sent to women’s prison (it looks more like a hotel) for a murder committed by her stepmother, Wynne Gibson. Reporter Donald Woods falls in love with Platt and proceeds to gather evidence of her innocence. Gibson has an attack of the jitters and hires Eduardo Ciannelli to spring her stepdaughter. Eventually, Ciannelli orders the death of Wynne, whotells all on her deathbed. Estimate: Support on nabe duals. Ghost Valley Raiders (991) Family Western 55m. Donald Barry, Lona Andre, Leroy Mason, Tom London, Jack Ingram, Horace Murphy, Ralph Peters, Curley Dresden, Yakima Canutt. Directed by George Sherman. “Ghost Valley Raiders,” first of a new series, with Donald Barry starred, sees, among other things, the tradition-shattering spectacle of Our Hero taking time out — right in the midst of a mess of leadslinging — to, above all things, reload this shootin’ irons. Outside of that “GVR” is a story of stagecoach pilferers and their being brought to justice. Barry, newcomer to the field, is personable enough, a good rider, and versed in using his left as well as his right. He does not sing and, in the action-western field, seems to have what it takes — if Republic can offer better vehicles than “Ghost Valley Raiders.” Estimate: A new star arises. Rancho Grande Family Western 68m. Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, June Storey, Mary Lee, Dick Hogan, Ellen E. Lowe, Ferris Taylor, Joseph de Stephani, Roscoe Ates, Rex Lease, Ann Baldwin, Roy Barcrojt, Edna Lawrence, The Pals of The Golden West, Brewer Kids, The Boys’ Choir of Saint Joseph’s School. Directed by Frank McDonald. Taking advantage of the tremendous success of “South of the Border,” the Gene Autry oatie based upon a popular song hit, Republic follows through with another song hit as a title tab in “Rancho Grande.” Short on the action, but long on the singing and photographic effects, this doesn’t pack quite the punch found in its predecessor. However, it should keep the Autry fans happy. June Storey and Dick Hogan, madcap heirs to the ranch foremanned by Autry, arrive and play right into the hands of some crooked folk who were planning to prevent the completion of a dam on the property, thus taking over the huge Rancho Grande. Storey and Hogan wake up to their responsibilities in time to be of assistance in outwitting Ferris Taylor and his gang of hoodlums. Title song is sung often and effectively throughout and a catchy tune entitled “You Can’t Change the Swing on the Range” is also due for some popularity. Other numbers include “There’ll Never Be Another Pal Like You,” “I Don’t Belong in Your World,” “You Can’t Take the Boy Out of the Country,” “Belles of the Bunkhouse,” and “Whistle.” Singing moppet Mary Lee steals the show. Estimate: Standard Autry. 20th CENTURY -FOX Star Dust ^ Family (036) 85m. Linda Darnell, John Payne, Roland Young, Charlotte Greenwood, William Gargan, Mary Beth Hughes, Mary Healy, Donald Meek, Harry Green, Jessie Ralph, Walter Kingsford, George Montgomery, Robert Lowery, Hal K. Dawson, Jody Gilbert, Gary Breckner, Paul Hurst, Irving Bacon, Billy Wayne, Fern Emmett, Tom Dugan, Lynne Roberts. Directed by Walter Lang. ' Here is one of those pleasant bits of screen play which will provide entertainment for all moviegoers even if it doesn’t remain in their minds for any length of time after seeing it. Exhibitors will find that the film will not lose any money or friends if placed top on a dualler. Talent scout Roland Young combs the sticks for new players, returning to Hollywood with waitress Linda Darnell, footballer John Payne, and songstress Mary Healy. Healy comes through with flying colors, but underhand work by casting director Donald Meek and actress Mary Beth Hughes puts the kibash on the other two aspirants. Dramatic coach Charlotte Greenwood and Young conspire successfully to put over Darnell, but Payne is handicapped by a bad nose-breaking habit. The ever popular song which gives the film its title provides the background music and Healy vocalizes on it once. “Secrets in the Moonlight” and “Don’t Let It Get You Down” are two other tunes in the picture destined for air wave play. Charlotte Greenwood makes an auspicious return to the screen after a long absence. Darnell is more beautiful than ever and teams charmingly with Payne. Director Walter Lang does okay with this frothy jibe at Hollywood. Estimate: Nice program offering; top dualler. Viva Cisco Kid (039) Family Melodrama 71m. Cesar Romero, Jean Rogers, Chris-Pin Martin, Minor Watson, Stanley Fields, Nigel de Brulier, Harold Goodwin, Francis Ford, Charles Judels. Directed by Norman Foster. Since he first appeared on the garrulous tintypes ’way back in 1931, uncounted miles of film have been threaded through U. S. projection machines, but that the Cisco Kid has progressed during those nine years is open to serious doubt. “Viva Cisco Kid,” another in 20th Century-Fox’s series written around one of O. Henry’s more famed characters, is just another picture, with Cesar Romero making a valiant attempt to impersonate Warner Baxter as the personable Robin Hood of the sagebrush and tumbleweed. ’Twixt amours, the Cisco Kid here gets himself tied up in a stagecoach robbery, another at the bank, and a gang using a mine as a front. When it is all over, the major accomplishment seems to be the expenditure of 71 minutes and a few scenes of the western wilds, stern and rockbound. Estimate: Strictly for Cisco fans. UNITED ARTISTS Adult Rebecca (Selznick) Drama 127m. Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson, Nigel Bruce, Reginald Denny, C. Aubrey Smith, Gladys Cooper, Florence Bates, Melville Cooper, Leo G. Carroll, Leonard Carey, Lumsden Hare, Edward Fielding, Philip Winter, Forrester Harvey. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Here is sombre, psychological drama, an expert piece of screen craftsmanship, exceptionally well directed and produced. Highly emotional, this picture appeals strongly to women, and this story of the despairing frustration of two lovers who eventually find happiness should draw the feminine moviegoers in droves, with their mates not far behind. Above all, “Rebecca” is signalized by the performance of Joan Fontaine. Up to the present, Miss Fontaine has been a player of more or less inconsequential roles in more or less inconsequential pictures. No longer, however, is Miss Fontaine consigned to such a fate; for her performance in “Rebecca” marks her as a dramatic actress of major proportions. Lawrence Olivier, of course, is darkly attractive, forceful, excellent. Story treats of the bitter, oppressive hatred of Olivier for “Rebecca,” his first wife, who has been dead a year when the picture opens. He meets Joan Fontaine in Monte Carlo where she is acting as a companion to a wealthy American woman, marries her. They return to Olivier’s ancestral home in England, a gloomy, majestic castle, full of musty rooms and old memories of “Rebecca.” Reminders of the first wife obtrude themselves everywhere and soon make life and love impossible for the newly married pair. Fontaine feels that Olivier is still in love with “Rebecca” but clings to him desperately. She is uncomfortable and afraid in the old castle, is constantly stumbling over memories and reminders of the first wife. A diver accidentally finds the wreck of the boat in which “Rebecca” had drowned, and evidences of murder are discovered. Now Olivier reveals to Fontaine that he hated and despised his first wife, and when she accidentally killed herself in a fall, Olivier, knowing he would be suspected, took her body out in the boat and sank it. When Fontaine learns that hate not love stands between her and Olivier, she takes new courage, sees him through a murder investigation, helps him into a new life despite the machinations of an evil housekeeper, excellently portrayed by Judith Anderson. Alfred Hitchcock’s direction is noteworthy and the production is an artistic achievement for David O. Selznick. Audience reaction was very good with several rounds of applause for outstanding bits of character delineation. Estimate: Class offering that can be sold to the mass if properly exploited. 500