The Film Daily (1937)

TT1W hursday, Dec. 16, 1937 : 0*\ DAILY V .V REVIEWS Of THE IIEUJ flLfflS .V > £ FOREIGN * Klctrt Till Drabbning" (Ready for Action) h Ake Soderblom, Thor Modecn, Sickan Carlsson, Carl Strom indinavian Talking Pictures 85 Mins. ENTERTAINING COMEDY WITH A IMPETENT CAST AND AN AMUSING ORY. \n unpretentious comedy, this new eign film has Sweden's leading comedy im, Soderblom and Modeen, heading a npetent cast that make the most of an using story about the navy. It is well ned, and the story moves rapidly, with : result a pleasing piece of screenfare. ere is a continuous series of gags oughout the picture as Soderblom and ideen, two gobs on a naval ship, conuously get into trouble and make trouble everybody else. They fall in the water, put in the brig, and are in hot water oughout the pix. They have one serious ne, where they save a girl from drownThe appearance of Sickan Carlsson, comely and capable young lady, aboard : battleship, makes more complications, I there is a pleasant romance woven 0 the story, with Carl Strom getting the 1 in the end. Full use of English titles I enable anybody to understand the ture, which was produced in Sweden. IAST: Arnold Sjostrand, Ake Soderblom, Dr Modeen, Sickan Carlsson, Carl Strom, an Bohlin, Knut Frankman, Ka Nerell, th Weijden, Anna-Greta Adolphson, ian Jonsson. IREDITS: Produced by Svensk Film Inrrie; Director, Edvin Adolphson; Screen y, Weyler Hildebrand. ERECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, W. )ur New Industry Firms Chartered by N. Y. State Albany — Four new industry comnies have been chartered by New rk State. They are: United Decoating Co., Inc., New irk City; to wash and decoat mo|n picture films. Ray Handelsin, Benjamin Spector, Samuel J. iringer, incorporators. Levar United Theater Corp., ooklyn; to operate motion picture waters. Stephen J. Toth, David L. jin, Sally Lang, incorporators, laht Theaters Corporation, New rk City; to operate motion pic•e theaters. Jesse Long, Michael Idreyer, Sam Spachner, incorpo;ors. Syndicate Amusements, Inc., New irk City; to operate motion pice theaters. Helen C. Nugent, len D. Carey, Charlotte Svigels, orporators. U. of Minn. Film Course Minneapolis — The University of (nnesota visual education service lugurates a motion picture appretion course next month. 'Krach im Hinterhaus" 'A Fifi Mind Orult (Trouble Backstairs) with Henny Porten, Else Elster, Rotraut Richter, Reinhold Bernt Germania Films 85 mins. FAIRLY AMUSING COMEDY WITH AUDIENCE VALUE RESTRICTED TO FANS SPEAKING GERMAN. This new German picture is capably handled by the cast, with an engaging story to boot, but the comedy value is restricted to an audience that understands the German language. The picture opens in an apartment house, with a flock of counter accusations being made by the tenants as to who is stealing the coal briquets owned by Use Fuerstenberg. Henry Porten is accused of taking the coal by the superintendent, Reinhold Bernt, and sets a trap for the thief, when she sends her daughter, Else Elster, to the cellar with some gunpowder which is sprinkled on the coal. When the coal explodes in Bernt's stove he is immediately accused of stealing it and a hot court fight ensues as all the tenants take sides. Berthold Ebbecke, as the son of the lawyer, who is defending the superintendent, defends the tenants as he is engaged to Miss Elster. All comes out well, with boy getting girl, and the villain put in his place. Rotraut Richter, as the daughter of one of the tenants, parades prominently through the picture as she has her hand in all the affairs of the apartment. Miss Elster is attractive and capable, and Ebbecke is convincing in his part. The rest of the cast headed by the able comedian Henny Porten, is adequate. CAST: Henny Porten, Else Elster, Rotraut Richter, Reinhold Bernt, Gerda Kuffner, Gaston Briese, Use Fuerstenberg, Hilde Sessak, Paul Mederow, Berthold Ebbecke, Gerhard Bienert, E. von Winterstein, Meta Jaeger, Carl Joensson. CREDITS: Produced by ABC Films; Directed by Maximilian Boettcher and Veit Harlan; Presented at the Casino Theater in all German dialogue. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Three Deals Awaiting Leo McCarey on Coast West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Three deals are reported pending the return here of Leo McCarey from New York. Accompanied by Mrs. McCarey, the producer-director recently arrived there following a European vacation. Doran Takes 5 Weeks' Leave West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — D. A. Doran, Columbia story editor, will take a fiveweek' leave of absence to produce the stage play, "Sun-Up to SunDown." He leaves Friday for New York. Joe Rivkin Leaves Columbia West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Joe Rivkin has resigned from Columbia as talent chief and expects to announce his affiliation with another major studio shortly. (All Men Are Wild) with Paul Javor, Maria Lazar, Antai Pager Hungarian Pictures, Inc. 92 Mins. AMUSING COMEDY BUT ENTERTAINMENT VALUE RESTRICTED TO FANS UNDERSTANDING HUNGARIAN. Amusing light comedy in abundance has been incorporated in this new Hungarian importation, but lack of English titles limits audience value of pix. A rather slender story has been turned into a pleasing piece of screenfare by able direction and a capable cast, with a well trained little Scotty playing no small part in the picture. Paul Javor is a capable actor, and possesses a fine singing voice along with his virile good looks, while Maria Lazar proves to be a very attractive foil. Antai Pager turns in his usual expert comic performance, and the rest of the cast all do their bit to help the picture along. Javor, after entering a hotel as a prominent artist, is unable to pay his bills when no clients appear and is forced to shine shoes. Maria Lazar, a wealthy widow, arrives at the hotel and Javor immediately starts an intensive campaign to win a commission from her. He winds up, with the help of his dog, not only with the commission but a wife as well, with his bills paid and everything straightened out. Rezso Torok and Miklos Vitex have injected a number of extremely funny situations into their script, which have been made the most of by Director Viktor Gertler. CAST: Paul Javor, Maria Lazar, Antai Pager, Gero Maly, llena Dajbukat, Gyorgy Denes, Piri Vaszary, Sandor Pethes. CREDITS: Produced by Reflektor Films; Director, Viktor Gertler; Screenplay, Rezso Torok and Miklos Vitex. Presented at the Modern Playhouse with all Hungarian dialogue. DIRECTION. Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Green Named Chief Barker Of Omaha Variety Club Omaha — Omaha Variety Club has elected Walter M. Green, chief barker to succeed Albert Mendenhall. Evert R. Cummings, first assistant chief barker, was re-elected. Sam Epstein, dough guy, succeeds M. G. Rogers. Sol Francis is the new second assistant chief barker. Edward Shaf ton was re-elected property master. Canvassmen named were: H. J. Shumow, D. V. McLucas, R. S. Ballantyne, William J. Foley, H. Novitsky, E. I. Rubin, Mendenhall and Rogers. Clowns to the national convention in Cincinnati are Shafton and Shumow with Green and Mendenhall as alternates. Drive-ln Corporation Is Chartered in Ohio Cleveland, Ohio — Drive-in-Theater Corp. of Ohio has been chartered, principals being William R. Brunn, Robert M. Skall, and George B. Harris. It is believed to be the state's first "Drive In" film enterprise. 'Merlusse' ("The Codfish") with Henri Poupon French Motion Picture Corp. . 70 Mins. APPEALING AND REALISTIC STORY SIMPLY TOLD, BUT AUDIENCE VALUE IS RESTRICTED. French dialogue in this picture kills any box-office value it might have for other than French speaking audiences, as the English titles do not give an adequate description of what is happening, or being said. The most compelling scenes in the pix could only be appreciated by an audience with a thorough knowledge of the language. The story is bitingly true to life, and, although slightly amateurish in production, it should meet with a good reception in its proper sphere. Marcel Pagnol falls short of his notable "La Maternelle" and "Topaze," in this one. Henri Poupon, a French school teacher, rules his pupils through fear, and they nickname him "the codfish." He is hurt by their pranks, as they don't appreciate his real love for them. Christmas Eve he is in charge of dormitory with pupils who didn't go home. He makes them all presents and they reciprocate with their children's possessions, of much greater worth than money to them, and to Poupon. He achieves affection of children and pending promotion in one fell swoop. CAST: Henri Poupon; The children of a French school and its teachers. CREDITS: Produced, Directed and Written by Marcel Pagnol. Presented with French dialogue and English titles. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. Cleveland Exchange Union Re-elects Johnson Prexy Cleveland — J. K. Johnson, Columbia shipper, was re-elected president of the Film Exchange Employes Local B-5 of the IATSE. Other officers elected were: vice-president, John C. Wein, RKO shipper; financial secretary, Irwin Sears, Vitagraph shipper. Board of trustees is composed of Joe Bernstein, Grand National shipper; Pearl Geib, Warner inspectress and Harry Lyman, Universal poster and ad sales manager. Named to the executive board were: Harry Lyman, John C. Wein, Alice Pennington, Gertrude Swee, George Sendry, Jerry Krupka and Henry Fosbender. Ira Beckstead was again elected business agent for the union. At the next meeting, to be held in January, the above officers will be installed and a recording secretary will be elected for the coming year. Tax Test Case Proceeds Harrisburg, Pa. — Decision of Sun Oil Co. to discontinue operation of chain stations was not due to chain store tax act, according to testimony given yesterday in American Store's attack against the law. Also testifying were representatives of several large food chains. Test case is being closely watched by theater circuits which also have challenged the levy's constitutionality. J_