Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1938)

4 %depettdtnt EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN 'ALWAYS IN TROUBLE' Rates • • generally. Hollywood Preview 20th Century-Fox 70 Minutes Jane Withers, Jean Rogers. Arthur Treacher. Robert Kellard, Eddie Collins. Andrew Tombes. Nana Bryant, Joan Woodbury. Joseph Sawyer. Charles Lane, Pat Flaherty Directed by Joseph Santley This falls short of the high standard Jane Withers has held in her recent pictures. Fault lies in the story, which is confused and too slow in starting. The moppet's faithful followers will probably turn out in goodly numbers, but they'll be disappointed. DISAPPOINTING JANE Jane is the daughter of new-rich Nana Bryant, who forbids her husband, Andrew Tombes, to work. Tombes, however, has been conducting business through Jane. When Robert Kellard arrives with some papers for Tombes to sign, situations occur which show Jane a method of bringing her mother and sister Jean Rogers down to earth. They take a yachting trip, Kellard substituting for Tombes in the pilot's cabin, unbeknown to others in the family. They are wrecked, land on an island where they become involved with a group of gangsters. All ends well when Tombes locates them and they discover that the report of his financial collapse was WITHERS riLM merely a gag perpetrated by Withers and uncle Eddie Collins. Withers carries most of the action, but cannot possibly be expected to sustain a story as weak as this. Nana Bryant romps off with the acting honors in the film's latter half. Eddie Collins scores as the comic uncle Jean Rogers is seen briefly. Kellard fails to register in the juvenile spot. Santley's direction is best in the several slapstick sequences. AD TIPS: Feature Withers. HANNA (Hollywood). 'WHILE NEW YORK SLEEPS' EXCITING MYSTERY YARN Rates • • as J nailer; OK alone in action houses. -Hollywood Preview 20th Century-Fox G3 Minutes Michael Whalen, Jean Rogers, Chick Chandler. Robert Kellard. Joan Woodbury. Harold Huber. Marc Lawrence, Sidney Blackmer, William Demarest, June Gale, Cliff Clark, Edward Gargan. Minor Watson, Robert Middlemass Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone 20th Century-Fox's new "Roving Reporters" series gets off to a flying start with this excellent comedy melodrama. It's a well-written murder-mystery, abounding in good dialogue and amusing situations. Inexpensively produced, smart direction and good acting overcome any deficiencies. Comment on this should be favorable and will form a sizable waiting public for subsequent films of the series. Ace reporter Whalen is lured back to his job from a vacation when a murder occurs, which his editor believes is connected with a ring of bond thieves. The ensuing developments involve his girl friend, Jean Rogers. He succeeds in clearing her, but is greatly sur prised to discover that Jean has decided to marry Robert Kellard, her home town fiance. Whalen's performance in this is far superior to anything he has done before. Miss Rogers is good-looking heroine. Chick Chandler's comedy clicks. Robert Kellard, Harold Huber, Marc Lawrence and William Demarest score in supporting roles. Humberstone's direction has the virtues of suspense, fast tempo and sustained interest. AD TIPS: Sell the "Roving Reporters," so they can be hooked up with future vehicles. HANNA (Hollywood). 'DRUMS' DULL BRITISH Rates • • — as d nailer. Hollywood Preview United Artists (Korda) 95 Minutes Sabu, Raymond Massey, Roger Livesey. Valerie Hobson, David Tree, Desmond Tester, Francis L. Sullivan, Archibald Batty, Frederick Culley, Amid Taftazani, Lawrence Bascomb, Roy Emerton, Michael Martin Harvey. Martin Walker. Ronald Adam. Charles Oliver. Julian Mitchell, Miriam Pieris Directed by Zoltan Korda This is another of those British films of DRAMA India replete with dutiful soldiers, turbanned Khans and loyal, as well as disloyal, natives. Story has been done many times before — and better. Technicolor adds little. This Korda release will elicit only mild response in this country. It is slated for secondary dual spotting. The English are attempting to make an agreement with a certain Indian potentate to forbid the transporting of fire arms through his country to the other small empires, which threaten England's control of the country. When the negotiations are completed, the Khan's brother, Raymond Massey, slays him. Sabu, successor to the throne, escapes with the help of a loyal friend. Sometime later, Roger Livesey goes with a troupe of men to visit Massey, who is now running things Massey plans to kill all the soldiers during their attendance at a festival. Sabu hears of it and arrives in time to disrupt Massey's plans. Not far behind him, of course, are the kilted English soldiers. Sabu is an ingratiating youngster. The supporting cast is adequate, but with the exception of Massey, none are familiar to the American public. HANNA (Hollywood; MAN FROM MUSIC MOUNTAIN' AUTRY LACKING ACTION Rates • • • for western houses, on star's name. Republic 57 Minutes Gene Autry. Smiley Burnette. Carol Hughes, Sally Payne, Ivan Miller, Polly Jenkins and Her Plowboys. Edward Cassidy. Lew Kelly, Howard Chase. Albert Terry, Frankie Marvin Directed by Joe Kane From a production standpoint, this is one of the best Autry westerns we've seen. There is story aplenty, and in the modern fashion, too. There is the usual cowboy yodeling. The usual comedy relief. BUT, being an old-fashioned western rooter (as most hoss opera fans are!), MAN FROM MUSIC MOUNTAIN did NOT satisfy this reviewer Frankly, the Autry problem has us worried. He's still tops in his field, and his picture should get good grosses in western houses, but he'll slip unless Republic corrects a few faults that are creeping into his films. First: success seems to have affected Autry. He doesn't seem to be working as hard as he did in his earlier pics. Second: they are stressing novel plot angles to the detriment of the all-essential western element— action. Autry is cast as a millionaire cowboy in this one. He befriends the people of a ghost town, who have been robbed by a fake gold mine scheme perpetrated by villain Ivan Miller. By duping the crooked gang into believing there really is gold in the mine, Autry has the crooks ready to buy back the stock — until a climax explosion unearths a real gold strike and enriches the townspeople. Practically all the action is confined to the last few minutes. Autry strolls through a rather light role. The support is good. Joe Kane's direction is somewhat higher class than most westerns, but we don't think that is good western direction. PIX. BOXOFFICE RATING: • Means POOR; • • AVERAGE; • • • GOOD; • • • • EXCELLENT