Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

8 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1935 AS I SEE THEM . . . Reviews of New Films By ROLAND BARTON MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM BOX-OFFICE RATING SHAKESPEARE'S FANTASY ... A notable attempt to elevate the movie standards and somewhat of an artistic triumph . . . Beauty, romance, fantasy and comedy combined in a glittering "spectacle" version of Shakespeare . . . Too long . . . Curiosity will pull it through in large cities . . . Shakespeare in person couldn't help it in the hinterland . . . Rates • • • • in class houses; • • • — in neighborhoods; • • — in rurals. Warner Bros. 132 Minutes James Cagney . . . Dick Powell . . . Jean Muit Joe E. Brown . . . Frank McHugh . . . Ian Hunter . . . Olivia DeHavilland . . . Anita Louise . . . Victor Jory . . . Hugh Herbert . . . Mickey Rooney . . . Directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle An appraisal of all the literary, artistic and filmic virtues and faults of this first talking picture attempt at Shakespeare had best be left to those critics who are confined to longer columns than I am here allowed. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is still a commercial movie to be delivered to the public through exhibitorowned theatres, so let us consider its boxoffice aspect. It is a beautiful motion picture and a noteworthy effort to raise the estimation in which the screen is held by the better-educated, or "intelligentsia," of the world. That, it will accomplish, for Shakespeare has been faithfully translated to film in a movie, which, while it is a Max Reinhardt "spectacle," is still more the work of the immortal Bard of Avon. Therefore, theatres catering to "class" or student audiences will find a ready and eager response awaiting "Dream." It should do excellent business in such houses. But, what of the average city neighborhood theatre, where Shakespeare is someone often heard of, but far less often read? In cities where the picture has been roadshowed, the tremendous publicity accorded it by Warners and the local newspapers should have stimulated sufficient curiosity to bring better-thanaverage returns when it reaches the "nabes." The audience will probably be bored by the two hours, twelve minutes of fantasy and poetry, but they will laugh aplenty at the antics of such of their old favorites as Joe E. Brown, Frank McHugh and Hugh Herbert, making the Bard's lines seem more hilarious than they ever read in print. The middle class city folks will want to see Shakespeare's play to be able to say they had seen it. These factors will count in all but the cheap action houses, where the response will be comparable to that accorded "Dream" in country theatres. There (we hope we are proven wrong), the sight of Jimmy Cagney in Shakespearean garb is likely to bring a lot of giggles at the start. The beauty of Shakespeare's poetry may intrigue those who have never read any of his works enough to command silence and attention, but not enough to make them enjoy so lengthy a film that has so little of those qualities they commonly associate with their movies and desire in them. I sincerely believe every rural theatre owner should run "Dream," if he can obtain it on very reasonable terms. Everywhere, there are some people who look forward to seeing it and they should not be deprived of the opportunity, providing Warners do not insist on making the showing too hazardous a venture for the exhibitor. Hastily reviewing the film itself, it should be mentioned that the Warner stock comedians are extremely funny; Cagney handles his ro'e of Bottom capably, if in undistinguished manner; Dick Powell gives the poorest performance in the play; such lesser names as Ian Hunter, Victor Jory and Olivia DeHavilland turn in the best Shakespearean characterizations; the musical score is grand. Regardless of its merits, or lack of them, Warner Bros, deserve a compliment for trying to help the movies "grow up." R. B. IT'S IN THE AIR BOX-OFFICE RATING COMEDY . . . Moves at snappy pace with plenty of Benny-isms . . . Healy a howl . . . Plenty of laughs all the way through . . . But, it all adds up to "just another" comedy that rates • • business down the line. M-G-M 80 Minutes Jack Benny ... Ted Healy . . . Una Merkel Nat Pendleton . . . Grant Mitchell . . . Directed by Charles T. Reisner A gag-studded comedy that pulls laughs consistently throughout. As a sports racketeer, Jack Benny has a part that fits him like the proverbial kid glove. His material is better suited to his suave, slick, nonchalant style than any he has been given in his previous two picture attempts. Ted Healy, however, walks off with laugh honors as Benny's stooge. Nat Pendleton, too, as a "T" man on their trail, has his laugh innings. The goofy plot keeps the comedy hopping along at a merry pace, building to a snappy finish with Benny doing a stratosphere stunt 14 miles up in the air. From the b. o. angle this looks like an average grosser, although it might go a bit higher where Benny's air build-up has been very strong. Those who see it will like it. PLOT: Benny and Healy, easy money sports racketeers, take to the wide open spaces when "T" man Pendleton gets hot on their trail for tax evasions. In a swanky midwest hotel. Benny meets his wife, Una Merkel, from whom he has been separated since she gave up trying to reform him. He is soon mixed up with a gang of beer, salami, etc., manufacturers, and Mitchell, an airplane manufacturer, who promote him into attempting a stratosphere flight for publicity. Benny balks, but is induced by his wife to go through with it and then go straight. After making a success of the flight and doing an extremely funny broadcast from 14 m:l-,■^ up, Benny is told by Pendleton that he can go free if he pays up what he owes in arrears. AD TIPS: Sell this as a comedy howl. The stratosphere angle offers many lobby and marquee display ideas. Miniature compo figures of Benny and Healy hanging from baloons, etc. Sell Benny as being in his funniest picture. NONNIE. HERE'S TO ROMANCE BOX-OFFICE RATING LIGHT MUSICAL . . . Serves principally to introduce Nino Martini, singer. His singing is excellent, but balance of picture below par . . . Should pull average grosses in class spots, but rates • • — in nabes generally . . . Flop for rurals and action houses. Fox 87 Minutes Nino Martini . . . Genevieve Tobin . . . Mme. Schumann-Heink . . . Anita Louise . . . P-.e:5;naid Denny . . . Directed by Alfred E. Green As a vehicle for introducing the beautiful voice of Nino Martini, Metropolitan Opera and radio star, "Here's To Romance" serves moderately enough, but a meagerly contrived plot, Martini's sad attempt at acting and a lack of saleable (Continued on Page 6) 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 ( — ) wjll be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating.