Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1936 9 joins Naish's band of outlaws and proceeds to terrorize all of California. During a raid on a stage coach, Linden's fiancee is accidentally killed. A posse is organized and the band of outlaws exterminated. Baxter, mortally wounded, staggers to Margo's grave, where he dies AD TIPS: Action bouses will do best by selling the revenge motile and Baxter in a swashbuckling romantic bandit role. Class houses will respond to the historical background, etc. Compare "Robin Hood" to "Vna Villa." Sell it on epic proportions. RUDY. THREE GODFATHERS BOXOFFICE RATING WESTERN DRAMA ... Far above average western with good cast . . . Will get by in houses that usually do not use horse operas . . . Rates • • + for action spots. M-G-M 80 Minutes Chester Morris . . . Lewis Stone . . . Walter Brennan . . . Irene Hervey . . . Sidney Toler Directed by Richard Boleslawski Evidence that Metro believed this would evolve as something much more important than a mere western is contained in the fact that Richard Boleslawski was named director and Chester Morris and Lewis Stone were cast in it. The result may be disappointing, then, to the producer, but "Three Godfathers" sizes up as a western of better than average proportions. The direction is nothing of which Boleslawski might be proud. What gives the film its greatest interest is the sincere acting of the three desert bandits, Morris, Stone and Walter Brennan. The plot does not warm up until the film is half gone, but once the preliminary footage is past, we have an absorbing melodrama of sacrifice and heroism that lifts the entire picture above the usual horse opera level. "Three Godfathers" might be used to advantage by some middle class nabe spots that ordinarily shy from westerns; the cast and production both warrant it. Regular action houses should do above average with this. PLOT: Morris, Stone and Brennan, comprising an outlaw band, visit Morris' old home town with the object of robbing the bank. Morris hopes to renew his romance with Irene Hervey, daughter of the town minister, but finds that she is being engaged the day he arrives. Tliey rob the bank and flee over the desert. The three bandits find a man and woman dead at a poisoned waterhole and a baby still alive. They determine to bring the baby safely back to the town. Stone and Brennan die and Morris is left alone to complete the job. Only a short distance from his home town again, Morris reailzes that he cannot make it unless he takes a drink of water from one of the poisoned holes. Since the poison does not take effect for an hour, he manages to reach his former sweetheart and gives her the baby, then drops dead. AD TIPS: Sell the cast in this and impress them with the fact that it is not an ordinary western. It h a Peter B. Kyne story. L. J. Little Red Schoolhouse BOXOFFICE RATING COMEDY DRAMA ... An insurmountable problem for almost any theatre . . . Title no attraction; cast ditto and subject matter ditto also . . . May get by for special children's matinees . . . Rates • First Division (Chesterfield ) 61 Minutes Frank Coghlan Jr. . . . Ann Doran . . . Dickie Moore . . . Lloyd Hughes . . . Richard Carle . . . "Corky" Directed by Charles LaMont Begins as a sort of Gus Edwards' schooldays with childish pranks and even the old problem of "if 3 hens and a quarter lay six eggs and a half in two days, how many eggs will they lay in a month" is dragged in. "Little Red Schoolhouse" will doubtless lay plenty of eggs itself by not dragging anyone into the theatres. Its moral-pointing "be good boys and stay in school instead of running away and getting mixed up with bad company," but it just doesn't come off as more than a namby-pamby school lesson. The youngsters are all obviously "speaking their parts" and the others do what little they have to in satisfactory manner. 'Corky' the dog, takes the acting honors. The direction is uninspired and the film consequently drags slowly along to an apparent climax. For all its simplicity, it somehow doesn't ring true. This is suitable for the short end of a dual bill or for special kiddie shows. PLOT: Ann keeps house for her two brothers, Frank, 17, and Dickie, 10. Frank doesn't get along with Lloyd Hughes, Ann's boyfriend and co-teacher at the local schoolhouse, so he runs away and gets mixed up with some hoboes. One of them, Richard Carle, is a gangster, returning to his mob in the city. He takes Frank with him and the youth is used, innocently, in a holdup, during which a watchman is shot. Frank is sent to a reformatory. Hughes hears of his plight and comes to help him. When he visits the boy in the reformatory, Frank pushes him into a closet and makes a break. Hughes is accused of aiding his escape. Frank learns that Hughes came to help and he gives himself up. The watchman recovers and absolves Frank, leading to the arrest of the gangsters. He returns to his sister and the "Little Red Schoolhouse." AD TIPS: Tie up with your local school for a special matinee showing. Sell it to clean picture groups, etc. Action houses should plug the reformatory and gangster angle. NONNIE. HELL SHIP MORGAN BOXOFFICE RATING SEA MELODRAMA . . . Bancroft returns in strong meller . . . Definitely made for action spots where is will please mightly . . . Rates • * + where Bancroft is liked; • • — in better class houses. Columbia 65 Minutes George Bancroft . . . Ann Sothern . . . Victor Jory Directed by D. Ross Lederman George Bancroft returns to the screen after a prolonged absence in this unpretentious, but effective, melodrama of the sea. His performance is forceful and indicates that there are bigger, more important roles in store for him in the future. "Hell Ship Morgan" is burdened with a routine plot, but Director Lederman has contrived to keep it moving along at a fast pace throughout and it will provide exciting entertainment for action fans. Victory Jory, as Bancroft's pal and rival in love, turns in a better than usual performance and Ann Sothern, in a subordinate role, handles the romantic interest adequately. The story builds to a sea storm climax that is thrilling and more than compensates for some slower moments in the earlier sequences. Bancroft has not been away long enough for his followers to forget him and he can still be relied on to draw them into the action and rural houses, where "Hell Ship" should do slightly above average. The title and type of story precludes profitable returns in better class spots. Personally, we are happy to see the robust Mr. Bancroft back and hope that he is favored with vehicles worthy of his great talents. PLOT: Jory, a down-and-outer, is picked up by Bancroft, captain of a fishing schooner, and given a job on the boat. The two men become great friends and vow that they will never have anything to do with women. Later, Bancroft falls in love with Ann Sothern, and Jory, mindful of their pact, tries his best to lead his benefactor back into their old path. Gradually, love grows between Jory and Ann and when they are on a fishing trip the restraint that has kept both from showing their feelings bursts and they admit their love for each other. Bancroft learns of this and, angered, he sends Jory over the side in a terrific storm to fix something. When Jory gets caught and faces death, Bancroft goes over to save him and is caught himself and crippled. Realizing that he stands in the way of the others' love, Bancroft tosses himself into the water and drowns. AD TIPS: Sell the return of Bancroft. Recall all his past great roles and show plenty of stills of him. To the ladies, play up the eternal triangle angle. If sea stuff is not taboo in your house, plenty of fishing equipment can be promoted for your lobby. L. J.