Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

November 15, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 41 rest of the comedy relief, which includes Spencer Charters and Charles Dow Clark, is fair. Grayce Hampton, as the fearless mistress of the supposedly haunted house, gives a most convincing performance and is just the type of person Mrs. Rinehart would want her to be. Love interest is very modest, Una Merkel and 'William Bakewell being the enamoured pair. Gustav Von Seyffertitz lends atmosphere to the product with his cold and mysterious portrayal of a physician. The pictorial magnificence of the picture makes the most stolid audience sit up and take notice. When spectators burst into applause because a cameraman and a background and a camera have got together in perfect accord, the cameraman must be good. The cameraman was Ray June. — Edward Churchill. Hollywood. LOVE FEVER Boy Friends — Sound Hal Roach— M G M "Love Fever" is one of the eight two-reel releases of "The Boy Friends" directed by Bob McGowan for Hal Roach, and numbers among its players Mary Kornman and Mickey Daniels, the original stars of the "Our Gang" comedies, also directed by McGowan. McGowan has made a point of staying away from gags and gag-lines, and has devoted himself to making the youngsters in the cast act themselves, the preview reveals. The result is wholesome, adolescent comedy. The elders in the preview audience found that "Love Fever" recalled their own adolescent experiences and enjoyed themselves, while the youngsters went wild at the antics of Mickey Daniels, Mary, and the other members of the cast. Thelma Todd was especially effective as the actress who amused herself by "vamping" the male members of the cast, and in this way, straightened out their love entanglements with their girl friends. One of the outstanding features of the series is the introduction of the characters and those who made the film by two girls, costumed as heralds. They speak both the names of those who participated and the names of those in the cast, and the effect is pleasing to both eye and ear. A AUDIO REVIEW NO. 40 Pathe — Sound This review on the whole is about as interesting as any Pathe has yet shown. For the hosts of anglers everywhere there is a first feature, conspicuous particularly for its fine photography, picturing a fisherman casting into the waters of a mountain stream. The fish below the surface are seen striking at the bait, till one is hooked and drawn to the top. "Bagdad" eives an excellent idea of the manner of life in the Orient, with several very clear shots of the Eastern mosques. Following is a most realistic scene of the Arctic waters breaking on the rocky shores of the northland. Against a beautiful panorama of sea as a background, with no life appearing in the picture, it is yet a fascinating scene. The review concludes with a fantastic conception of New York as it might be, if one had sufficient imagination or a nightmare. Ferryboats float above bridges, trains rush through the streets and the people walking there, in a novel review idea. Appropriate incidental music accompanies the audio. Running time, 10 minutes. A AUDIO REVIEW— NO. 36 Pathe — Sound Another of the old vintage popular sentimental ballads, sung by the review quartet, opens this review. "Silver Threads Among the Gold" is the present choice. One of the quartet introduces the number in a short explanation of the origin. The setting is in a parlor appropriate to 1880. It will probably awaken echoes in those of sufficiently ripe age, but the younger generation will not go into ecstasies. Well sung, nevertheless. Tom Hogan directed. A good color effect is achieved with Pathe chrome in the following portion, featuring the novel appearance on the film of two fancy skaters in the process of evolutions, at the same time being reflected in the smooth ice beneath their skates. The review closes with short shots in various poses, mostly iuformal, of every president of the United States since the beginning of the motion picture. It is interesting to note the difference in quality of the first pictures, of McKinley, and the last, Herbert Hoover. McKinley is shown speaking at Buffalo the day before his assassination. Then follows Roosevelt, at home and in Africa; Taft at his summer home in Canada; Wilson as he signed the declaration of war; Harding at Marion, in his newspaper office; Coolidge on the farm in Vermont; and Herbert Hoover at his favorite outdoor sport, fishing. Unusual and interesting are all these intimate glimpses into the lives of the great. Running time, 11 minutes. Editorial in St. Louis Paper Upholds Protest Of Cuba on Pictures (Special to the Herald-World) ST. LOUIS, Nov. 13.— An editorial in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, concerning the recent protest of the Cuban government to the United States for protection from libel in motion pictures, which give distorted and untruthful ideas concerning life on the island, says: "Like protests have been made, but unofficially, by the people of England, Germany, France, Spain and possibly other countries. "Our producers are charged with ignorance and even mendacity in depicting the people of other lands, their habits and language. In the present instance it is complained that an American picture undertakes a revelation of the underworld life of Havana, which the Cuban minister says is utterly untrue.^ "Whether or not underworld life and night life in our American cities is as bad, as vulgar and as lacking in spiritual values as our flood of crime and the pictures alleged to represent them, and thus libelous to us as a nation, there is no doubt that such pictures have a demoralizing tendency on young minds and only in a less degree upon the older ones. It is to the credit of the Cubans that they resent such nictures and desire to have them kept from the eyes of their people." Warns Exhibitors of Alleged Film Defrauder (Special to the Herald-World) INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 13.— Charles Metzger, secretary of the Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana, has sent a letter to exhibitors warning them of the allegedly fraudulent activities of a man known as Gene Layman or Jean Laymon. The letter states he formerly conducted a ballyhoo stunt for theatres, featuring a live lion, and that he has more recently been selling and booking independent pictures of state right concerns. A number of Indiana exhibitors indorsed checks for him at their banks which later were rejected, it was stated. There is a warrant for his arrest at Brazil, Ind., Metzger says. Norma Shearer Given Long Contract by M G M (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, Nov. 13.— Norma Shearer, star of "Let Us Be Gay" and "Divorcee" has taken an extended-term contract with M G M. Although Miss Shearer first gained fame in silent pictures, her greatest portrayals have been on the talking screen. Gladys McArdle Buys Lebanon Gladys McArdle has purchased the Lebanon theatre, Lebanon, Kan., from R. W. Rorabaugh. Harvard U. Reports on the Motion Picture Industry ! ' I 'HE many absorbing busi-* ness problems that have confronted the motion picture industry and how they have been met — met in a way that has made this a #2,000,000,000 industry. HARVARD BUSINESS REPORTS (Vol. 8) compiled by and published for the Graduate School of Business Admin' istration, George F. Ba\er Foundd' tion, Harvard University. Also for Theatre Managers and Projectionists Richardson's Handbook Volume 1 and 2 #6.20 Richardson's Handbook Volume 3 (on sound) 5.10 Combination Rate Complete Set 10.20 and Vol. 8 of Harvard Business Reports 7.50 Prompt shipment will he made if order is accompanied by certified chec\, money order or draft. We will also ship C. O. D. HERALD-WORLD BOOKSHOP 407 So. Dearborn St. Chicago