The Film Daily (1934)

Monday, June 11, 1934 DAILY 17 17 HOUSES ARE OPENED IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST (Continued from Page 1) Ephrata; Music Box, Harrington; Pierce, Pierce, Ida.; Grand, Weippe, Ida., and Potlatch, Potlatch, Ida. Among other reopenings are the Colonial, Bremerton; Ferndale, Ferndale; New Deal, Nespelem; Liberty, Republic; John Hamrick's Music Hall, formerly the Roxy, Seattle; Orpheum, Cottonwood, Ida.; Roxy, formerly the Granada, Lewiston, Ida. Five New RKO Features On View at Convention (Continued from Page 1) Kahane will come east from the coast, but J. R. McDonough, president of Radio Pictures, has not as yet decided on leaving the studios for the meetings. Depinet will make the principal speech. Levy will preside. About 250 will attend. Actor Group Opens Boston Office Boston — American Federation of Actcrs, vaudeville actors' union, has established a branch office here at the Avery House. Mass meeting is to be held tomorrow night in the Avery Hotel. CODE CASES Activities of Local Grievance and Zoning and Clearance Boards STOP AUTO GIVEAWAYS Omaha — Mort Singer of the Orpheum, S'oux City, la., has received a ruling: from the local grievance board to discontinue giving away automobiles in lottery. Minne Lusa Theater, Omaha, won a case against North Star Theater over the latter giving away groceries. Board ordered the practice stopped. Because no complaining witnesses appeared, the Muse Theater, Omaha, is allowed to give groceries. 1*1 In another ruling, no code violation was found in the case of a Columbus. Nebr., theater allowing a newspaper to distribute its tickets free in an advertising tieup, since the paper itself purchased tickets. REVERE ZONING STAYS Boston — The local clearance and zoning board voted not to change zoning so that Revere would be entitled to play pictures 28 days after Boston in one of the most important meetings to date. A petition that Chelsea be given no clearance over Revere was approved. FREE PASSES ORDERED OUT Kansas City — J. S. Rigney, operator of the Westport, was found guilty by the grievance board of giving away free passes, and notified to desist from the practice. On the second charge against Rigney, that of playing Universale "Cross Country Cruise" at 10 cents when it was due at 20cent spots, the board asked Rigney to support his contention that he advertised the show at 10 cents (through a mistake) but charged 20 cents, with affidavits. In the Bethany, Mo., case, in which monopoly of product is charged, the board postponed final decision until next Wednesday. Critic Lets Fan Answer Film Forum Questionnaire A FAN viewpoint on the questions in the 1934 Critics' Forum conducted by THE '* FILM DAILY was obtained by George L. David, motion picture critic of the "Rochester Chronicle," Rochester, N. Y. Among the most interesting replies received by David and published in his department in the "Chronicle" was the following from William Newcomb of 26 Swan Street, Rochester: "I don't expect my answers to Film Daily's questionnaire to satisfy the average Rochester movie-goer, but then I am inclined to generally agree with reviewers in my critical reactions to the pictures, and, it is sad to relate, a great many Rochesterians aren't! "'1 — What is more important, star value or story value?' "Story value every time. I am not thinking of box office here at all. But my own enjoyment. There is a general tendency to build stories around stars, which right at the outset makes that story sterile. Many feared that 'Men in White' would be merely a starring vehicle for Clark Gable. We were agreeably surprised. "If given my choice of deciding movie manufacture for six months, I'd ask for the following: a. Fantasy: Satiristic, futuristic. b. Extravaganza: With more attention paid to story variation, less to comedy. c. Propaganda: (Yes, I'm prepared for your tomatoes and eggs). But unlike your contemporary, Miss Croughton, I like propaganda pictures. (Naturally, I like propaganda of my pets: Sociological and political reform; psychological therapy. " '2 — How would you rate the morale of the screen with those of the stage or current literature, etc?' "Who cares? How does it effect the calibre of my entertainment? That is all the acid test I would apply. " '3 — Rate in order the type of short subject preferred.' "Cartoon comedies, short sophisticates, newsreels. " '4 — What effect do you see on motion pictures when television becomes practical entertainment?' "About 20 million folks who formerly went to pictures now stay home for their radio entertainment; cheaper, and old folks are tired; another 10 million stay home who are deafened. Television might keep another 10 million home. I give up. " '5 — What brings patronage to the box office? Admission price, quantity of entertainment, type of picture or star?' "For myself: Type of picture, of course. For those whose income has been appreciably reduced, quantity entertainment — plus rate of admission. For the hoi-poloi, the star. " '6 — What's right — or wrong — with Hollywood?' "What's right? The engineering minds are as right as a capital R. They have made unusual advances. "What's wrong? Too many relatives of the bigwigs on assignments entirely over their heads; too many story writers for every production; too much star system; too little daring to branch into the unknown; too much SEX and not enough probing into social and psychical phenomena. As Pabst, the German movie genius, says: Hollywood doesn't tackle the issues of the day; yet there are good stories in these issues. " 7 — How can theaters improve their services to the patrons?' "Help the deafened with a sprinkling of hearing aids. Use more musical shorts of quality. There is no lack of theater courtesy today. " '8 — What are your pet motion picture likes?' "I'm not answering this question for what it was probably intended, but I take pleasure in praising a very little-heralded picture: 'Eight Girls in a Boat,' for — beauty of story, characterizations, photography. For independence of mind of the director. For courage of the producing company. For sincerity of all engaged. The beauty of the outdoor settings placed in the environment of higher learning has been equalled in only one other institutional background: a retreat in the Berkshire hills for social workers, ministers and educators, where all camp members are nudists. " '9— Your pet dislikes?' "Triangles and the usual pictorial review. " '10— Pet squawk?' "Stories without any aim — those lacking any motivating purpose for its protagonists." New Polish Producer Warsaw — Kamera Co., new producing company, has started activity on a historical film. Four other studios are preparing superfilms in Polish. Prague Studios Active Prague — Three native pictures, with three more dubbed in German, are in work in three studios here. One of the pictures is a musical by Oscar Strauss. DuWorld Gets Terriss Shorts DuWorld has acquired world distribution rights to "Quest of the Perfect Woman," a series of onereelers produced by Arthur Hammer and featuring Tom Terriss. "Vampire of Marrekesh" and "Veiled Dancer of Eloued," first two of the .series, are completed. Betty Compton in British Film London — Betty Compton, wife of James J. Walker, starts work today in "The Richest Girl in the World" at the Warner studio in Teddington. PRESIDENT TO AMEND RENT CLAUSE IN LAW (Continued from Page 1) out to the President by Federal Judge Knox in a memorandum submitted prior to the signing of the law, and it is understood that the President signed the act with the intent of having the rent clause promptly clarified. Possibility looms that hundreds of expunged future rent claims against Paramount involving millions of dollars will be revived unless the law is amended. Statewide Files Suit Over Deposit Milwaukee — Clarence H. Benton, trustee for Statewide Theaters, has started suit in Federal Court against Grand and Sixth Building Co. to recover $52,642 in behalf of creditors. The complaint says Statewide on Jan. 1, 1933, assumed a 15-year lease on the Wisconsin theater and roof garden, held by Midwesco. At that time the Grand and Sixth firm held a deposit of $52,642 from Midwesco to guarantee 1932 rentals. Lease was surrendered by Statewide in February, 1933, and in July it was adjudged bankrupt. Benton contends the deposit fund should revert to Statewide. This is the second suit filed by the trustee, the first being to recover $119,000 in cash and property from M. L. A. Investment Co. Casey Robinson Rejoins Rogers West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Casey Robinson has returned to the Charles R. Rogers organization after writing an original which Harry Joe Brown will produce for First National. He is now adapting "McFadden's Flats." THE INDUSTRY'S DATE BOOK Today: Universal sales meeting, Drake Hotel, Chicago. June 11-12: Warner-First National midwest sales meeting Drake Hotel, Chicago. June 12: Hearing on amendment to film code for re-definition of the term "employee," Department of Commerce Building, Room 2062, Washington. 10 A.M. June 13-14: Allied leaders' meeting in New York. lune 1 6July 2: International Motion Picture Week, Vienna. June 18: Meeting of Paramount's National Advisory Council of Theater Operators, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles. June 18-19: Warner-First National regional sales meeting, San Francisco. lune 18-20: RKO annual sales convention, Drake Hotel, Chicago. lune 18-20: Paramount annual sales convention, Hotel Ambassador, Los Angeles. June 18-22: American Federation of Musicians convention, Cleveland. June 20: Annual Boat Ride of the Warner Club aboard S.S. Peter Stuyvesant to Bear Mountain. July 25: I.T.O.A. boat ride and outing. Aug. 1-20: Second Exhibition of Cinematography, Venice, Italy. Oct. 29: S.M.P.E. Fall Meeting, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York.