Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

s WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1936 AS I SEE THEM . . • REVIEWS OF NEW FILMS By ROLAND BARTON BOXOFFICE RATING:— • Means POOR; • • Means AVERAGE; • * • Means GOOD; • • • • Means EXCELLENT Plus ( + ) and Minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating. At best this -point" system can (five 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 criticism revIews Hollywood Preview ROMEO AND JULIET BOXOFFICE RATING CLASSIC TRAGEDY . . . Great woman's picture . . . Norma Shearer heads a star sprinkled cast and gives her best performance to date . . . Rates • • • • for class houses, grading down proportionately with intelligence of audiences. M-G-M Noti' runs over 2 hours; to be cut. Norma Shearer . . . Leslie Howard . . . Basil Rathbone . . . John Barrymore . . . Edna May Oliver . . . C. Aubrey Smith . . . Andy Devine . . . Ralph Forbes . . . Reginald Denny . . . Conway Tearle . . . Henry Kolker . . . Violet Kemble Cooper . . . Robert Warwick Directed by George Cukor The greatest love story in the English language has been brought to the screen with all the beauty of the original lines preserved and practically every scene of Shakespeare's play retained. Handsomely mounted and photographed in a highly artistic manner, the film pictorially is a thing of great beauty. Norma Shearer shines in the difficult role of Juliet and Leslie Howard was an ideal choice for her much smitten lover, Romeo. Crowding these two for honors, Basil Rathbone gives one of his thoroughly hateful characterizations, while John Barrymore offers a highly animated portrayal of the gay Mercutio. It is easy to sec that money has not been spared to make this classic a screen masterpiece which it most certainly is. The sets are massive and authentic. Before them is a constant procession of interesting types to balance the tender, intimate moments when the two lovers find stolen happiness. The whole thing has been beautifully directed by Geo. Cukor who has managed to give the proceedings a human, down-to-earth touch which avoids all suggestion of the highbrow. MGM and all connected with this picture rate a hand. It took courage to spend so much money on what looked like a big gamble. However, they have nothing to worry about for the film is sure to gross many, many times its cost besides helping to boost the prestige of motion pictures as a medium of entertainment. PLOT: Romeo and Juliet, between whose families there exists a long standing feud, fall hopelessly in love. Following a secret marriage, Romeo is banished from Verona for killing Juliet's cousin (Rathbone) in a dual. Juliet's parents, not knowing she is married, force her into a match with Paris (Ralph Forbes). On the eve of her wedding day, Juliet, in desperation, takes a sleeping potion which will make her appear dead 48 hours, meanwhile sending word of her hoax to Romeo who is to join her in running away. The message is sidetracked and Romeo thinking her dead, goes to her tomb and takes poison. When Juliet awakes and finds her lover a suicide, she takes his knife and kills herself. This double tragedy has the effect of reuniting the enstranged families who realize that their hatred and bitterness has been the cause. AD TIPS: A wealth of tie-ups to he obtained with schools, colleges, women's clubs and many organizations not often approachable. Book stores, department store windows and many commercial products bearing same name as picture all good prospects. HARRY BLAIR (Hollywood). PHANTOM OF SANTA FE BOXOFFICE RATING ALL-COLOR OUTDOOR DRAMA . . . Surprisingly good color job, with more action than any of the previous tinted epics . . . Winds up in a blaze of excitement . . . Weakness is in cast, but acting is competent . . Rates • • + or slightly better generally. Bu rroughs-T arzan 60 Minutes Norman Kerry . . . Frank Mayo . . . Carmelita Geraghty . . . Nina Quartaro Directed by Jacques Jaccard Done in handsome Cinecolor, this is an eye-filling and oftimes exciting outdoor melodrama. While the hues are not as brilliant as those in the Technicolor films, "Phantom of Santa Fe" has what previous color pitcures have lacked — action. It winds up in a wild and wooly chase that will have action fans whooping it up. For those satisfied with less sanguinary entertainment, there is an appealing adventure story, capable acting by a cast of unimportant names and beautiful outdoor scenery. Despite the weakness in the cast, this may prove to be more popular than either of the two Technicolor productions, "Becky Sharp" or "Dancing Pirate." Certainly, it has more of the elements that please the patrons of action and rural spots. PLOT: Kerry, in love with Nina, suspects Mayo, also her suitor, of being the leader of a band of renegades who stole a fortune in gold ceremonial vessels from the Mission Guadalupe in Old Mexico. Tabbed "The Phantom of Santa Fe" for his quick and daring raids in search of the stolen valuables, Kerry enlists the aid of Mayo's mistress, Carmelita, to trap Mayo. She tips him off that the loot will be smuggled out of town in a passing wagon train. After a wild chase and battle, the wagon train is overtaken; the loot recovered, and, as the priest waves his blessing, Kerry carries off Nina on his horse to eternal romance. AD TIPS: Sell the color, but stress the fact that this has, in addition, a thrilling adventure story. Tie it up with "Trail of the Lonesome Pine," only other outdoor color film. For street bally, send a masked rider in Mexican cowboy costume through the town on horseback. NONNIE. Hollywood Preview THE GLORY TRAIL BOXOFFICE RATING OUTDOOR DRAMA . . . Renegade band of Confederates in conflict with Indians . . . Lots of action and rates above average western + for action and rural houses. Crescent Pictures 65 Minutes Tom Keene . . . Joan Barclay . . . James Bush . . . E. H. Calvert . . . Frank Melton . . . Walter Long Directed by Lynn Shores Out of the ordinary by reason of good sound story, which compensates for an excess of fights and chases. Keene shapes up as the hero and should prove popular in the E. B. Derr series, of which this is the first. James Bush is convincing as Keene's rash young lieutenant who sacrifices his life in the belief that by so doing he will save his fellow colonists. Joan Barclay makes an attractive heroine and others in the cast are (Con tin tied on page 6)