Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

November 8, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 43 J. C. Jenkins — His Colyum DEAR HERALDWORLD: OMAHA, NEBR. We don't want to be considered as a press agent for the Fox organization, for we are not. We couldn't be a press agent for a dog fight, and the Fox organization don't know that there is any such guy in the world as we are, but we're here nevertheless and we are going to put into practice what our father hammered into us when we were a kid; viz., always give credit where credit is due. Fox has made some bad pictures, everybody knows that and so does Fox, and Fox is going to make some more bad ones and Fox won't admit it, but we will and save Fox the humiliation. Now from the foregoing you have no doubt concluded that we are not very strong for Fox, but that's because you are not as well acquainted with us as you should be, and you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for neglecting so important a duty, for to know us is as pleasant a sensation as scratching yourself against a post when you have the sevenyear itch, and the most of you know how that feels. Some time ago we made the statement in this Colyum that the Fox organization was entitled to adopt the Buick slogan, "WHEN BETTER PICTURES ARE MADE FOX WILL MAKE 'EM." Since then we have seen "SUNNY SIDE UP," "THEY HAD TO SEE PARIS," "HIGH SOCIETY BLUES," "ON YOUR BACK," "THE LONE STAR RANGER," "SO THIS IS LONDON," "COMMON CLAY," and a number of others, we are still sticking to the statement. And now comes along "THE BIG TRAIL" and "UP THE RIVER." We haven't seen "THE BIG TRAIL" yet, but we have seen "UP THE RIVER," and that is what we want to tell you about, so as to carry out our father's teachings. "UP THE RIVER" is a picture built around a prison story and is played (in the main) by convicts in the penitentiary. In fact, the most of the action takes place within the confines of that institution, and from this you will conclude that each spool of film will be packed with rough stuff that will make your wife and daughters wonder why you brought them to see it. But such is not the case, no, indeed, Abner, such is not the case, for John Ford, the director, looked after that, and there isn't an offensive expression, nor a nasty suggestion in the entire picture. We will take off our hat to John Ford and shoot 18 holes of golf in our B. V. D.'s if necessary to prove our contention that John Ford has directed the best prison comedy that ever came to the stage or screen. Now, we could make it stronger than that, but it isn't necessary. What we hope is, that the Fox organization, as well as all other producers, will learn from, this picture that what the public wants is CLEAN entertainment, and if they do, John Ford will be entitled to a monument that will make the Statue of Liberty look like an asparagus stalk. Spencer Tracy, as "St. Louis," is a lovable, tough whelp (if there could be such a character), and you will like him in spite of the fact that he is up for ten years. Warren Hymer," as "Dannemora Dan," is a mixture of thug, horse thief, porch climber, fence and everything else you can think of, except a bigamist. He is up for life when he ought to have been hung, but when you see him you will vote him about the best guy you know of. Claire Luce, as Judy, got in bad by trusting too much in a lowdown whelp who was so slick he could teach a Sunday school class and get away with it. Judy was such a sweet, lovable character that at times a little salt water will trickle off the end of your nose and you will cuss yourself for crying at a criminal. Humphrey Bogart, as Steve, was in love with Judy (he'd have been a chump if he hadn't been), and he had been "framed" and sent up by a court that had never heard of the Chicago system, and that's how he came to be in the penitentiary. The girls will all fall for Steve. The billing says that Joan Lawes' Sophie would steal a red hot cook stove, and we guess she would. Anyhow, she could steal us and she wouldn't have to wait until after dark, either. We'd be the easiest stealin' she ever had. William Collier, Sr., as "Old Pop," is the manager of one of the prisoners' ball teams, and you ought to see the ball game they staged out in the penitentiary yard. When you see this picture, and if you don't like it, don't say anything to us about it or you will start a helluvan argument. What we are interested in most is whether or not producers of motion pictures will learn anything from this picture. If they do, that monument for John Ford won't be half tall enough. * * * Some scientist made the statement that cannibals won't eat people who use tobacco in any form. Well, who wants to give up smoking just to please some durned low-down cannibal, anyhow? * * * Up at the Orpheum theatre last night we saw a picture they called "A LADY SURRENDERS," with Conrad Nagel and some other folks and two or three women. The picture was well named, all right, for about all one girl did was to surrender. She carried a white flag around with her and every time Conrad saw it he ran over to her and captured her, and then would ensue a kissing match that would start a fight between the tomcats out in the alley. * * * We saw more of the Jones family out on the golf grounds Tuesday than we supposed there were in the whole world, and every guy in the bunch claimed his first name was Bobby. The committee having the tournament in charge made the serious mistake of giving us too big a handicap. When we walked out on the grounds with a brassie, mashie and putter, we heard one of the committee say, "Give that old guy plenty of handicap, he can't play this course under a week, anyway." So they did, and we came home with the best prize in the bunch, and since then that committee has been threatened with violence. Whenever they give us a handicap it makes us feel just like stealing acorns from a blind sow. Ted Mendenhall, Paramount manager, drove a ball in a sand trap at 3:30, and at 6 o'clock he phoned the office to send out a spotlight and six lanterns, and the record shows that he made that hole in four hours and twenty-seven minutes. Micky Larson of Oakland, Nebr., wouldn't play because he said when he left home he promised his wife that he would be very careful of his company. Bill Bowker of Dunlap, la., came out to the grounds with a longhandled mallet and said he understood we were going to play croquet. Bill is awfully strong on croquet. When Bob Greenblatt went to drive off at No. 1, somebody made some remark about Universal service, and Bob dropped his club and the argument was on — and was still on when we left the grounds at night. We are betting on Bob. Ot 4:30, Denny Donaldson was still wading Papio creek looking for a ball he shot off of No. 1 tee at 1:15. At No. 3 tee Charley Williams, president of the M P T O, left the grounds because he said it was too great a strain on his religion, and Earl Miller spoke up, kinda nasty like, and said that was the first he knew he had any. It was a great game and we'd like to tell you more about it, but George says to ring off, and when George says to ring off, he means ring off. Well, anyhow, we'll betcha that that committee has learned something about handicaps. J. C. JENKINS, The HERALD-WORLD man. P. S— The HERALD-WORLD covers THE field LIKE an April SHOWER.