The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

Servisection 5 Color Novelty GUN DOG’S LIFE. Vitaphone — Color Parade. 10m. How pointers and setters are trained, with the color uniformly good, and the commentator’s contribution a bit brighter than usual. Dog lovers will be more than satisfied. GOOD. (5407). H. M. Novelty AIR ARMY. RKO-Radio — Pathe. Reelism. Tabloidically telling the story of America’s air force and the government’s methods of keeping it at the height of efficiency, “Air Army” is also an editorial urging preparedness as the road to peace. Seen in action are the various types of planes which form the army’s air armada. There are several exciting scenes, but for the most part it’s routine reelage. GOOD. (04609). L. S. M. INFORMATION PLEASE, No. 9. RKOPathe. 11m. The boys get together again and gang up on Clifton Fadiman, this time with Elmer Davis, well-known writer, as guest authority. They identify children’s games, products made from animals shown them, and correct a series of jumbled maps of European countries, keeping up their usual run of witty chatter all the while. GOOD. (04209). D. O. KNOW YOUR MONEY. United States Secret Service Treasury Department. 11m. Mediocre photography detracts from this excellent government short narrated in “March of Time” fashion by Lowell Thomas. The major part of the 11 minutes is devoted to information on ways of distinguishing between good and counterfeit money, and the distinctions are made so simple as to be immediately evident to anyone looking for them. GOOD. J. M. STRANGER THAN FICTION, No. 75. Universal. 9 l/3m. This presents a collector of Indian tribal masks at the U. of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penna.; a tourist camp for geese where birds flying South from Canada can rest and feed; a graveyard for race horses at Lexington, Kentucky, which contains the remains of some of the most famous steeds of yes THE EXHIBITOR teryear. Other features are a canary in Baltimore that does tricks to get its food, a man in Topeka, Kansas, who collects pencils and a salmon counter at Bonneville Dam. FAIR. (4380). D. O. Sport TOMORROW’S STARS. Columbia— News World of Sports. 9m. This short pictures the activities at Joe Stripp’s Baseball School in Orlando, Florida, where tomorrow’s stars of the diamond are made. Ambitious youngsters are shown being instructed by well-known old-timers and current favorites. A crisp commentary and excellent photography make this an especially interesting subject. EXCELLENT. (1806). J. M. Color Travel ARGENTINA. Paramount — Color Cruise. 9m. A trip to Argentina, and although the subject matter is interesting, the color, generally, is way below standard, thus detracting from what might otherwise be an interesting subject. On subject matter it rates fair, on the color, poor. FAIR. (K9-6) . H. M. SITKA AND JUNEAU. Metro— Fitz-Patrick Traveltalk. 9m. The two capitals of Alaska, the old and the new, with the usual FitzPatrick commentary and some interesting scenes. Because of the awakened interest in our northern possession, this should hold attention. GOOD. (T-60) . H. M. Travel GOING PLACES, No. 75. Universal. 9 2/3m. Death Valley, its transformation from an arid graveyard of lonely prospectors to a vacationland of cool, clear springs and swanky hotels is the subject of this travel short. Although its topsoil is hard, dry, and lifeless, there is a great deal of water only a few feet underground; the hotels have tapped this water supply and pumped the life-giving fluid into gardens and luxurious swimming pools. Only man ever to get rich from mining gold in Death Valley is “Death Valley Scotty” who is shown in his “Two Million Dollar” mansion built in the heart of the desert. GOOD. (4360). D. O. NICKEL HEAVEN. Forester Films. 9m. This film is an interesting study of Coney Island, New York City’s “Heaven at the End of a Subway Ride.” Both the picturization and the narration are effective, with the night shots of bright lights hiding the tawdriness of the place especially well done. The attempt to needlessly cover too many angles in the nine-minute runningtime detracts slightly from the continuity of the narrative. GOOD. J. M. UNVEILING ALGERIA. Columbia — Tour. 10m. Another exceptional piece of travel celluloid is delivered in this tour of Algeria by Andre de la Varre. Although the subject matter in itself is not unlike other travel reels, the photography and Len Sterling narrative boost it to the top rung. After showing the country’s landscape and old Roman ruins, the film paints a contrast of the new and old Algiers, supposedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. If your patrons like travelogues, they’ll love this. EXCELLENT. (1556). L. S. M. Commercial SITTING PRETTY. Jam Handy. 10m. Another one of a smartly-produced commercial series, bringing in veiled plugs for Chevrolet, this has a name, Harry Langdon, the aide of a flag pole sitter. Knocked unconscious, Langdon imagines himself in a museum where he tries out different forms of conveyances. Naturally, he winds up in a Chevrolet. Where the commercial type of film can be used, this is tops. GOOD. H. M. DESIGN FOR HAPPINESS. Motion Picture Section of Federal Housing Commission. 9m. An excellently produced propaganda film expounding the advantages of FHA loans, “Design for Happiness” is good enough celluloid for a nine-minute spot in all theatres, even those operated by Republicans. Photographed in Technicolor by the commei'cial department of Pathe News and narrated by Lowell Thomas, it shows the steps taken to obtain an FHA loan. EXCELLENT. L. S. M. LAST MINUTE FEATURE REVIEWS The Mysterious Mr. Reeder Family Melodrama 62m. (Monogram — 3926) Will Fyffe, Kay Walsh, George Curzon, Chili Bouchier, John Warwick, Lesley Wareing, Romilly Lunge, Betty Astell, Derek Gorst, Ronald Shiner, Wally Patch, George Hayes, Dorothy Dewhurst. Directed hy Jack Raymond. This looks as if it originally was another in the Inspector Hornleigh series, and with Gordon Harkins unavailable to play the Scotland Yard sleuth, Hornleigh became Reeder, and Harkins became Fyffe. That may not be so, but it’s a pretty good guess Fyffe, familiar to vaudeville fans in some American key cities, does an acceptable job in the title role of this Britishmade entry, but lacks Harkins’ amusing acidity. The story finds Inspector Reeder on the trail of British counterfeiters, complicated by the murder of Reeder’s professional pal by the head of the ring. It is strictly in the melodramatic vein, with no love interest and practically no comedy, and lighting is, as usual with British films, on the weak side. Nevertheless, its action moves fast. Estimate: British-made B melodrama for action houses. Covered Wagon Trails Family ° Western (Monogram — 3963) 53m. Jack Randall, Sally Cairns, David Sharp, Bud Buster, Glenn Strange, Kenneth Duncan, Lafe McKee. Directed hy Harry S. Wehb. This is a western plentifully supplied with fighting and action, an excellent vehicle for Jack Randall, a horse-salesman who has a herd which he is going to sell to a group of new settlers, of which his brother is a member. When his brother is killed by cattlemen trying to keep the settlers from reaching their destination, Randall, incensed, determines to avenge the crime — and also help the wagon train along. Things seem pretty black at times, with the tables turning at a whirlwind rate, but Randall’s fists and ready gun win out in the end. He also gets the girl, who has been hovering discreetly in the background throughout the picture. Several rough and tumble fights have been staged. As a concession to the present trend, a song, “Under the Western Sky,” has been included in the film — not sung, however, by Randall. Estimate: High-ranking Randall. The Doctor „ Family >t> i wr-r Comedy Drama lakes a Wile 88m. (Columbia) Loretta Young, Ray Milland, Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick, Edmund Gwenn, Frank Sully, Gordon Jones, Georges Metaxa, Charles Halton, Joe Eggerton, Paul McAllister. Directed by Alexander Hall. Farcical celluloid, “The Doctor Takes a Wife” should also help raise the level of box office receipts. Loretta Young and Ray Milland turn in some grand screwball comedy sequences. Alexander Hall’s deft handling of a fast-moving screen play is an aid in making this one of the frothiest bits of cinema seen in some time. Story has young professor Milland and spinster author-heroine Young the victims of circumstances which causes the world to believe they’re married. It’s better for both of them to keep up the gag to retain their respective jobs as well as that of Reginald Gardiner who publishes Young’s books. What goes on before the two leads get married provides more laughs than a Rube Goldberg invention. Estimate: Zanie comedy at its best. 521