Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN1 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. KING OF THE DAMNED BOXOFFICE RATING ADVENTURE-DRAMA . . . Best production out of the G-B studio to date . . . Devil's Island story of cruelty, bravery, loyalty and restrained romance . . . Gripping . . . Fine acting and direction . . . Rates • • • — G-B 75 Minutes Conrad Veidt . . . Helen Vinson . . . Noah Beery . . . Directed by Walter Forde No more absorbing and exciting film has reached the screen this season than this. From the very start, and for three quarters of the film's running, one is held in gripping suspense as the story builds steadily to a climax in which mob action, tragedy, despair and ultimate triumph are mingled with dramatic intensity. The action centers on a penal island, dominated by cruel grafting heads and the plot concerns the plan of the prisoners to take command of the island. It is stark realism for the most part, the only relief being the romance between the leader of the condemned and the daughter of the deposed commandants, and the comedy of Noah Beery. As the "King of the Damned", Conrad Veidt is superb. There is an ominous quietness about his playing that strengthens the role far beyond what loud theatricals might have done to it. On a par with Veidt is Beery who, as the childish, loyal convict brute, delivers a performance that excels anything he has ever done before. The romance between Veidt and Vinson is effectively restrained. There is nothing English about "King of the Damned." It is a forceful, dramatic, effective movie that might have come from one of the better American studios. It should get grosses above average everywhere. PLOT: Helen Vinson arrives on the penal island to visit her father, the commandant, who is ill. Her fiance, who has been assistant in charge, is a cruel tyrant who drives the convicts at a killing pace to finish a swamp road in time to earn his graft payment. Veidt, leader of the plot to liberate the convicts, is orderly to Helen's fiance and he utilizes his position to organize the revolt. An immediate, unuttered attachment springs up between Helen and Veidt and he is sent away with the road gang as a consequence. The first atempt to stage a revolt fails when one of the convicts squeals. Beery refuses to reveal his co-conspirators and is sentenced to be executed. A moment before Beery is to be killed, the real revolt breaks loose and the convicts take possession of the island. They start to reconstruct everything to prove to the outside world that they are better than their former masters. Their work, however, is interrupted when a battleship comes to the island and it is revealed that it was warned by Helen. The island is bombarded and only the heroism of Beery in signalling the ship saves the entire place from destruction. Veidt surrenders and asks his followers to accept imprisonment again, but under the promised fairness of a new commandant. He sails for England to stand trial, convinced of his right, and Helen goes with him. AD TIPS: This deserves strong selling. The title should be used for advance teaser campaign . . , "Who is the King of the Damned?" Go rough in the copy and sell it to the men — it is their picture! M. W. REVIEWS, in a paper with the COURAGE to say what it thinks are the only REVIEWS worth reading! Everything in Equipment NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 1315 VINE STREET, PHILA. SPRuce 61 56 DANCING FEET BOXOFFICE RATING MUSICAL COMEDY . . . Liviely, amusing, dance-ful comedy . . . More than makes up for lack of strong names with excellent comedy material, good tunes and speed . . . Whirlwind dancing finish . . . Rates * * + on wordof-mouth buildup. Rep it hi ic 7 0 Minutes Ben Lyon . . . Joan Marsh . . . Isabel Jewell . . . Eddie Nugent . . . Vince Barnett . . . Purnell Pratt . . . Directed by Joseph Santley A surprise! A bright, cheerful, danceful musical, with more comedy than music, that starts off at a right smart pace and maintains it down through a whirlwind finish. It has few names that look big on a marquee, but it has everything else; youth, gaiety, freshness, vitality, romance, singable and swingable tunes, some of the swiftest dancing these eyes have ever seen and a production that would do credit to any of the so-called major studios. It is a pleasant treat for your customers. Vince Barnett is a howl as chiropractor taking dancing lessons all over the hostesses' feet. In the romantic roles, beautiful Joan Marsh, Ben Lyon and Eddie Nugent are all fine. And Isabel Jewell again wins recognition as a grand little actress. The finish is a knockout. By adroit cutting, they flash from the broadcastings of dancing lessons to those listening in. In rapid fire scenes, you get shots of everyone in the city catching the spirit of the idea and hoofing all over the screen. It is all swift and all the dancers are aces up, providing a socko finish. Wordof-mouth plugging will build this up as it goes along. It should bring above average grosses everywhere. PLOT: Socially prominent Joan, her do-nothing sweetie. Ben Lyon, and their young friends find the comingout party given by Joan's grandfather too tame, so they skip off to a dime-a-dance joint. There Joan meets Eddie Nugent, who has ideas about becoming a dance instructor. When Joan returns home, she faces an irate granddaddy and she leaves home when he scolds her severely. After Lyon refuses to elope with her, she goes to a hotel, where she again meets Nugent, who pays her bill with his last $3 5. Back