Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1934 - Aug 1935)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1935 AS I SEE THEM . . . Reviews of New Films By ROLAND BARTON BOXOFFICE RATING We have been requested by many exhibitors to use some simple system of indicating our rating of the boxoffice value of the films reviewed below. The "point" system of evaluation, at best, can give you only an arbitrary estimate of a picture's drawing power, so we urge you to read the entire reviews. Some pictures are particularly suitable for certain types of audiences and this must be covered in the detailed criticisms. • Means POOR • • Means AVERAGE • • • Means GOOD • © © © Means EXCELLENT Plus ( + ) and minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating. Boxoffice Rating • • • • — THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING With Edward G. Robinson, Jean Arthur, Arthur Byron, Arthur Hohl, Wallace Ford Directed by John Ford Columbia — 95 Minutes Comedy Melodrama For GENERAL Audiences. Columbia is deserving of, at least, a left-handed compliment. They grind out entirely too many films that fall into the banal class of "programmers," which means that they contribute nothing substantial either to art or the boxoffice, but, the occasional worthwhile movies delivered by this studio are real hits. "It Happened One Night," "Lady for a Day," "One Night of Love," and "Broadway Bill" have all been fine movies and financial successes. Now, it is our belief, they are to be joined by "The Whole Town's Talking," which provides one of the most novel stories, one of the finest performances, and one of the most competent directorial jobs delivered from Hollywood this season. The sole weak point is the film's title, which is deceptive and not very attractive. Edward G. Robinson establishes himself as an uncommonly adroit comedy actor, as well as verifying the fact that he is still the screen's unexcelled gangster. John Ford has directed with a really extraordinary sense of tempo, maintaining a hectic speed throughout the picture, cutting from scene to scene at just the proper moment. Scriptists Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin have again demonstrated that they know as much about this screen writing business as anyone in Hollywood. They constructed a fast-moving, suspenseful screen play from W. R. Burnett's yarn about a meek, nose-grinding bookkeeper who happens to be a perfect double for the nation's toughest gangster. The timid clerk, named Jones, is picked up by the police and grilled unmercifully, until the gangster, Mannion, pulls another job while the coppers are "sweating" the unfortunate . Jones. The police let him go, giving him a letter IT of identification, to prevent his being rearrested. Having become famous as "the man who looks like Mannion," poor Jones is dogged by a series of wild, comic and exciting adventures. He is signed to write a scries of articles ridiculing Mannion. Then, Mannion turns up in Jones' room and demands the use of the police letter every uight. Laughs pile on thrills throughout the story. never allowing it to slip, for a moment, into the dullness of wasted footage. The climax has Jones directing Mannion's pals to shoot down their own leader in the belief that he is really the blundering Jones. There is a romance current thru the story, involving Jones and Jean Arthur, who, incidentally, is a pleasant revelation. Robinson handles the roles of Jones and Mannion, each to perfection. This has practically everything that makes for grand entertainment. It's excellent ! Boxoffice Rating WOMEN MUST DRESS With Minna Gombell, Gavin Gordon, Robert Light, Hardie Albright Directed by Reginald Barker First Division — 76 Minutes Comedy Drama For GENERAL Audiences. The greatest appeal of "Women Must Dress" is directed toward the women, but it will not bore the males. The production is good and the acting competent. The most glaring fault is the failure of either the script writer or Director Barker to climax the high points of the story with punch. Sequences come and go without being topped off, a fault all too common in many recent films. Minna Gombell and Gavin Gordon have be;n happily married for some 20 years. Minna is a drudging housewife, whose principal interest lies in making her home pleasant for her husband and their grown daughter, who is engaged to a young doctor. Gordon becomes acquainted with another woman, a neighbor, who convinces him that he is suited for a better life. Hoping to make his wife realize that there are other things in life besides home-keeping, he buys her an expensive dress, which she promptly returns, because it costs too much. He realizes that she is hopelessly domesticated and falls in love with the other woman. Offered an opportunity to go to South America on a project, Gordon breaks the news to his wife and tells her that he intends to marry the other woman when he returns in one year. Minna obtains a divorce and returns to her former job of designing clothes. She dresses beautifully and lives as a sophisticated woman. Her daughter becomes engaged to a wealthy and worthless boy, giving up the young doctor. An accident makes her realize that she loves her old sweetheart and their marriage is arranged. Gordon returns from South America and, as he and his divorced wife, standing side by side during their daughter's marriage ceremony, realize how foolish they had been. They are reconciled. There is a fair amount of comedy, provided by Minna's old mother with a penchant for "playing the ponies." "Women Must Dress" will do at least average business in family houses. Boxoffice Rating • © ■ HOME ON THE RANGE With Randolph Scon, Evelyn Brent, Jackie Coogan, Addison Richards Directed by Charles Barton Paramount — 55 Minutes Western For ACTION Audiences This has a good cast, which should help it at the boxoffice, but as a western it is disappointing. Based on a Zane Grey story, "Code of the West," it brings Jackie Coogan back to the screen, although not as the most important character in the picture. The cast, Zane Grey and the Paramount label may lead exhibitors to expect something above the average, but "Home On the Range" fails to click because it is too talky. It does not measure up, in action and speed, to many westerns coming from independent producers. The production values and acting is of superior quality, however. Evelyn Brent, one of a band of crooks working a come-on game in a small town, falls in love with Randolph Scott, whose ranch is desired by the leader of the gang. During an argument, the leader kills one of his partners. He then sets out to rid himself of Scott by starting a forest fire on his ranch. When Scott enters his horse in a race through which he hopes to win enough to pay off the mortgage, the villain bribes the jockey. Jackie Coogan comes to the rescue, riding the horse to victory. The gang leader is caught and arrested for the murder, and Scott and Brent settle down on the ranch to the tune of the famous "Home On the Range." During the course of the picture, there is inserted a scene of Joe Morrison, the crooner, singing the song. Many of the outdoor scenes look like clips from old silent films. It will serve as just another western. It only runs 55 minutes. Boxoffice Rating © + ENCHANTED APRIL With Ann Harding, Frank Morgan, Reginald Owen, Katherine Alexander RKO — 65 Minutes Sophisticated Comedy Drama For CLASS Audiences. Another "dud" from the RKO studios! "Enchanted April" contains practically nothing that will serve as entertainment for either class or mass audiences. The former will find it a phoney attempt at sophistication and the la'ter will probably razz it. The story concerns Ann Harding, who has been deserted by her husband, Frank Morgan, and Katherine Alexander, who is bored by her overbearing spouse, Reginald Owen. The two women decide to go off to Italy together. There they take a villa and bring in two society ladies to share it with them. Owen, learning that the society women are in the same house, feels that it offers him an opportunity to impress some worthwhile people, so he arrives at the villa. Morgan, who is in love with one of the society women, comes there to see her, not knowing that his wife is living there, too. Ann believes that her husband has arrived to reconcile their differences, but she learns that he is in love with another woman. However, Morgan realizes that it is his wife that he really loves and it all ends well, but illogically and stupidly. Miss Harding, who we long thought to be a very capable actress, does much to dispel that illusion with her poor performance here. Reginald Owen is rather comical in a spot or two. Frank Morgan, who is a peerless comedian when given material to handle, acts like he is as bewildered by thi story as we were. Skip this one, if you can. THEATRES WANTED! Phila., Up-State, New Jersey, Delaware Our Dealings Are Strictly CONFIDENTIAL M.H.Coodis,lnc. 1201 Chestnut St. PHILADELPHIA, PA. PEN N Dependability Lowest Prices Let Us Quote On Your Next Requirements 309 N. 13th St., Phila. RIT. 3273 THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. "Not a dark house in more than 20 years of film delivery service!" NEW JERSEY MESSENGER SERVICE 250 N. JUNIPER ST. PHILA.