Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

REPUBLIC Republic has officially joined the Producers' Association, althougii no one seems to know what benefits will accrue as a result of the move. There's going to be a change of pace for Roy Rogers who, after appearing almost exclusively in adventure yarns with historical backgrounds, will be steered into stories of lighter content. They will emphasize his singing voice which has been heard but infrequently in the past. Joan Blondell has been signed for "Lady for a Night" opposite Ray Middle ton. . .Phillip Terry, young Paramount player, has been borrowed for "Newspapermen Are Human". . ."Mattie Harrigan," to star Judy Canova, will be Harriet Parson's first feature production for Republic. IN PRODUCTION — "Down Mexico Way" (Gene Autry-Smiley Burnet-'3), "Jesse James At Bay" (Roy Rogers-Gabby Hayes). PREPARING — "Gaucho of El Dorado," "Newspapermen Are Human" (Phillip Terry). RKO-RADIO Low comics are back with a bang and the latest move to cash in on their popularity is RKO's teaming of Bert Lahr and Buddy Ebsen. The duo, set for one co-feature turn in "I'm Dying to Live," will continue their teaming in a modernized version of the oldtime musical comedy hit, "Hit the Deck." If they go over in these two appearances, further plans will be developed. Speaking of comedy, an interesting letter from Jean Fenimore, of Baltimore, reached our desk this week. She says, "I wish FILM BULLETIN would write about Disney. Where is Mickey MouseDonald Duck and all the rest? I honestly can see no virtue in the lull length cartoon features and I miss Silly Symphonies and the short DLsneys. These short things about animals that Warners are doing these days are darned good. The last one I saw was the Wacky Worm and it's really a howl. Disney, in the words of Louella Parsons, 'had better look to his laurels.' "Also, I wish you would advise someone to have a Marx Brothers festival. It is a shame, in a way, that they won't be making more films, but the old ones are magnificent and war or no war, crisis or not, there are people left in the world who love a sublime sense of the ridiculous, who can see the logical conclusion to which all Marxian tomfoolery points and who find both means and end irresistible. It seems ridiculous that with all the resources at Hollywood's command, it should sit by idly and permit the team to break up." Although still the cloudiest studio outfit in the business, ambitious plans are afoot here at RKO and if only a few of them materialize, the future will be more profitable than at any time in the past. One of the steps being contemplated is a return to bigtime musicals. RKO used to lead the pack with such memorable entries as "Flying Down To Rio," "Roberta" and the Astaire-Rogers tunefilms. "Hit the Deck" has been mentioned already on this page. William Dieterle will immortalize the history of jazz in "Syncopation," which has an all-star cast. "I'm Dying to Live ' has musical interludes and "The Mayor of 44th Street" is a yarn about jitterbugs. In the editing room is "Playmates" with Kay Kyser and John Barrymore. "Street Girl" is another film-musical in the last phases of production. For the future RKO has several musical properties from which to draw — "Fiddlesticks," "Serenade," "On The Seine" and "Words and Music." It seemed that RKO would withdraw from its affiliation with Herbert Wilcox and Anna Neagle. Instead, a new deal has been announced calling for the duo to make seven features in the next three years. First under the new pact is the previously announced film of the life of flier. Amy Johnson, still untitled. RKO has signed a new contract with William Hawks, president of United Productions. Hawks' first film will be a picturization of John Steinbeck's "Red Pony" and will mark the reunion of the famous author with Lewis Milestone. The latter, signed by Hawks to produce and direct. "Red Pony" directed "Of Mice and Men." Added interest in the new contract was lent with the announcement that Steinbeck personally will write the screen adaptation of his story. That DisneyGoldwyn deal for "The Life of Hans Christian Anderson" has been abandoned due to Disney's new labor troubles . . .Goldwyn is fostering a co-operative production venture with a group of headline production personalities to film Ernest Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" in Africa... Ruth Warrick has been given the title role in "Sister Carrie"... Newspaper serializations of future Goldwyn pictures have been thumbed down as the outgrowth of exhibitor protests. . .RKO closed one of the season's biggest distribution deals when its first block was sold to 267 Fox West-Coast accounts. . .Claire Boothe and David Hempstead are huddling on a story for Ginger Rogers... Louis de Whol, astrologer-philosopher-author, will predict the future in Pathe newsreels, marking the first time a seer has been engaged in this fashion. His political predictions have proved remarkably correct. . .RKO has had to close out the teaming of Jack and Tim Holt in "Call Out the Marines" due to the former's ex tended engagement in "Holt of the Secret Service" at Columbia... Ginny Simms has quit Kay Kyser in favor of a long term contract at RKO...Angna Enters, dance mime, will play a role in "Passage From Bordeaux". . .The Canadian Government has commissioned the Walt Disney studios to produce animated films for training purposes. Ten pictures are slated to roll at RKO within the next six ■weeks — "Call Out the Marines" (Edmund LoweVictor McLaglen), "Joan of Pans" (Michele Morgan), "Valley of the Sun," "The Mayor of 44th Street," "Out of Gas" (Charles Laughton-John Hall), "Passage From Bordeaux" (Lucille Ball), "Syncopation" (WilUam Dieterle), "Powder Town," "Gwangi," "I'm Dying to Live" and ' Untitled Orson Welles." IN PRODUCTION — "Playmates" (Kay KyserJohn Barrymore), "Street Girl" (Ray Bolger-Anne Shirley), "A Date With The Falcon" (George Sanders-Wendy Barrie), "Ball of Fire" (Gary Cooper-Barbara Stanwyck), "Call Out the Marines" (Victor McLaglen-Edmund Lowe), "Come on, Ranger" (Tim Holt). C.VSTINOS: Bert Lahr, Buddy Ebsen, Ray Bolger. Lucille Ball in "Hit the D'-ck" Frances Noa'., Joan Merrill in "I'm Dying to Live"... Paul Kelly, Robert 8.niili, Franklin Fansborn, Martha Mears in "Call Out the Marines" ...Thomas iMiuhtU in "Joan ot Paris" ... Ted Worth, Peggy Mclntyre, Liiiilv W'aile ill '-Syncopation" . . . Dana Andrews in "Ball ot Fire" . . . UIKKCTOR .VSSKiN.^lENTS: Charles Vidor to 'The Tuttles of Tahiti" ... Robert .SH vi art to --Joan oi: Paris" ... STOKY Bt YS: "A Plague on You" by Carroll Graham. 20th CENTURY-FOX If you're of a mind with this reporter you will agree that Laurel and Hardy are two of the funniest fellows on the screen. So it comes as good news that "Great Guns." their first at 20th Century, is rated high in the estimation of those who have seen it. The boys have taken a new pride in their work — even going so far as to insert a special sequence in "Great Guns" at their own expense. The result is a contract with the studio calling upon them for ten pictures over a three year period. Fortunate in having veteran comedy maker Monty Banks for their first stint, it is deemed likely that the collaboration will continue — ^at least for their next couple of films. Harry Joe Brown, whose last production was "Wild Geese Calling" has checked off the lot . . . Cramped for space, a number of productions are being held up here for a few days... It hasn't been reported that Jean Renoir walked off "Swamp Water" over front ofBce interference. We thought those days were over at Fox. IN PRODUCTION — "Confirm or Deny ' (Don Ameche-Joan Bennett), "Young America" (Jane Withers-Clen Roberts), "Lone Star Ranger" (John Kimbrough-Sheila Ryan). PREPARING — "Rise and Shine," "Son of Fury," "Remember the Day." (■.VOTINGS: Milton Berle in "Rise and Shine"... Ann Todd in "Remember the Day". ..Cesar Romero, Lloyd Nolan in "Law and Order, Inc.". ..Kay .l.ilmsi.n. Gene Tierney, Cobina Wright. Jr. in "Son of Fury" ... George .M.aii _Mi,...ry, Alice F.aye in "My Gal Sal" ... DIRECTOR A.ssio^ Mli>'T.S: li.i iH ii I. Leeds to "Blue, White and Perfect" .. .CO>."rRACTS: Sara Allgood til term pact. UNITED ARTISTS Ga'oriel Pascal, who has been in Canada, returned to New York last week where he stated that his production plans have not been halted by the war and that he will complete two Shaw films by Spring — "Anns and the Man" and "Captain BrasJbound's Conversation." These will be followed by Paul Galileo's "The Snow Goose," which Pascal intends to produce in Canada. Gregory Ratoff has set a budget of $2,500,000 for the first three pictures he will make presumably for UA release. The films are "The American Way." "Pal Joey" and "No Money in Her Purse." Loretta Young, Fredric March and Florence Eldridge have been contracted by Ratoff. The rumors persist that Loew-Lewin will end its UA distribution deal without completing another picture. . .The signing of David Selznick as a UA partner will take place shortly .. .Jack Schlaifer has been named Edward Small's sales head and vicepresident. . .Hal Roach has completed the financial arrangements for his next group of streamlined features. . .Alfred Hitchock is back in town, after a New York trip, to begin conferences with David Selznick on his next picture. . .Sir Cedric Hardwicke is a late addition to the cast of 'Walter Wanger's "Sundown." He will play a small but important role. IN PRODUCTION — "Jungle Book" (SabuJoseph Calleia), "Corsican Brothers" (Douglas Fairbanks. Jr.-Ruth WaiTick), "Shanghai Gesture" (Gene TierneyVictor Mature). PREPARING — "The Eagle Squadron," "Cheyenne" (Bruce Cabot). UNIVERSAL Universal is asking for percentage deals on 20 of its 1941-42 releases. The first loud squawk came from Fox West-Coast and (Continued on Page 20) SEPTEMBER 6, 1941 15