Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

8 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1935 AS I SEE THEM . . . Reviews of New Films By ROLAND BARTON A NIGHT AT THE OPERA BOXOFFICE RATING COMEDY . . . Best of the Marxes . . . Brings howls from start to finish . . . Humor is a bit more rational than before, but still nothing more than insane . . . Travesty on grand opera may bring it more class audience response . . . Rates • • • where the Marxes are liked; • • in action and rural spots. M-G-M 95 Minutes Groucho, Chico, Harpo Marx . . . Kitty Carlisle . . . Allan Jones Directed by Sam Wood Probably the best Marx Bros, picture to date. Supplied with the most uproariously funny material they have ever had (by George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind and Kevin McGuiness), these three loons bring continuous laughter from the moment they enter the picture. One might almost complain that there is too much comedy, that it is tiresomely funny. About 15 minutes could have been clipped and "Night At the Opera" would not have been any the worse for it. Getting themselves involved in the grand opera business, the three madcaps cause a near riot in laughs when they slip the music of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" into the score of "II Trovatore," with Harpo and Chico playing catch across the orchestra pit and Groucho marching down the aisle selling peanuts, popcorn, crackerjaclc. Groucho was never in finer fettle and if there must be any complaint against him, it's that he lets his lines go too fast — they're still laughing when the next one is being delivered. From the above, you should gather that "A Night at the Opera" is a very, very funny movie. It is. I understand the Marx Bros, films do not do well in most of the nation's theatres. There is no reason why this should do any better than their previous films in action or rural houses, but the opera angle should help it in class spots. PLOT: Carlisle is in love with Jones, an unknown operatic tenor, whom the three Marx Brothers take under their wing and sell him to the Metropolitan through the wealthy matron to whom Groucho is playing gigolo. A rival and villainous tenor persists in disrupting their plain; but is thoroughly vanquished when the lover-tenor triumphs after the riot at the opera. Betwixt and between more things happen than anyone other than Kaufman, Ryskind and McGuiness, the authors, can remember; but it makes for grand fun. AD TIPS: Sell it as THE scretn riot of all time. Fastest, funniest, Marx-iest. That is all. NONNIE. SO REP THE ROSE BOXOFFICE RATING DRAMA . . . Well played, with tender drama and comedy relief . . . But, it leaves one wondering what it tried to tell . . . Great show for the South, but a problem for theatres in North . . . Will do from • • to • • • depending on theatre and location. Paramount 81 Minutes Margaret Sullavan . . . Walter Connolly . . . Randolph Scott . . . Janet Beecher . . . Dickie Moore . . . Elizabeth Patterson . . . Clarence Muse . . . Directed by King Vidor No film made this year offered as difficult a problem in judging its boxoffice value. Here you have a beautiful, tender, dramatic story of the havoc wrought by the Civil War upon a well-to-do, contented Southern family. Fine players people the cast and play their roles to the hilt. And, during the unfoldment of the story, one enjoys "So Red the Rose" thoroughly, for the people always have one's sympathy and there is a fair amount of suspense about their predicaments. But the conclusion is very unsatisfactory and one is left perplexed. What was obviously intended as a preachment against war, ends up as a glorification of it — and especially as it was fought by the South against the North. Below the Mason-Dixon Line, this picture should win great success, for it carries high praise for the chivalry of Southern men and the courage of their women. In the North, however, it will have to get by strictly on its dramatic merits and, while it has many, the unsatisfactory ending detracts considerably from them. From Virginia south, this should do good business. In the North, class audiences may respond as well, but action houses will do just fair. PLOT: Connolly is head of a happy, moderately wealthy Southern household, including his wife, son and daughter. When the Civil War breaks out, this family refuses to be swayed by the hysteria and both father and son stay at home. But, after the son's friend is killed in battle, the war spirit sets in and eventually Connolly and his son go away. Only Randolph Scott, a nephew who was raised in the North, refuses to go, despite the scornful attitude of Margaret Sullavan, the daughter, whom he loves. When the son is killed, Scott goes off to fight with the South. Connolly is shot and comes home to die. His regiment returns to the old mansion one night, when Margaret is hiding a wounded Yankee soldier. Scott finds him and seems determined to have him hung, but Margaret pleads for his life. She realizes that war has changed Scott from a gentle, peace-loving man to a brute and is sorry she urged him to fight. However, he relents and does not turn the Yankee over to his men. Scott is captured by the Northerners, who burn down the mansion. After the war is over, Scott is freed and returns home to Margaret. AD TIPS: This is adapted from Stark Young's bestselling novel. Randolph Scott should be billed with Sullavan and Connolly; he scored a hit in "Roberta." Sell as one of the great stories of all time — the novel was acclaimed so. R. B. FRISCO KIP BOXOFFICE RATING MELODRAMA . . . Typical Cagney tough role — and a bit tougher than his others . . . Plenty of rough and tumble action . . . Won't have as wide appeal as other Cagney films . . . Rates • • • — for action houses: • • for better class spots. Warner Bros. 80 Minutes James Cagney . . . Margaret Lindsay . . . Ricardo Cortez . . . Barton MacLane . . . Lili Damita . . . Donald Wood . . . George E. Stone . . . Directed by Lloyd Bacon This is topheavy with action and where customers like Cagney and, particularly, like him in a brawling, smashing type of role, they will put "Frisco Kid" over to good grosses. Employing the same locale and the same period of "Barbary Coast" (United Artists), it opens with Cagney's introduction to the Coast by showing him killing one of the town's toughest characters in a fight, then traces his ruthless, savage career as the kingpin of Barbary Coast, down to his last-minute rescue from hanging by the Vigilantes. It makes for ( Continued on Page 7) BOXOFFICE RATING We have been requested by many exhibitors to use tome 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 ( -f) and minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating.