The Film Daily (1938)

THE Monday, October 3, 1938 DAILY PREVIEWS OF THE DEW FILfflS v "Stablemates" with Wallace Beery, Mickey Rooney M-G-M 89 Mins. CLICKS STRONG WITH THE OLD RACETRACK MELLER INGREDIENTS AND BEERYROONEY COMBO. Chalk it up as a swell emotional racetrack yarn loaded down with the good old hoke. All the old ingredients are there that made the daddy of all the racetrack yarns, "Checkers," score with ma and pa when we were still unborn. But they have been disguised and camouflaged with new twists and modern slants. Also there is the angle of Wallace Beery and Mickey Rooney doing their pal act with heart-tugging embellishments that will knock the customers into emotional moments. Beery as an old drunken tramp meets up with Mickey as a stable boy for an owner with one horse that loses a race,, and the owner is washed up. He gives the nag to Mickey, and the boy learns that his stablemate in the form of the human derelict is really a once famous veterinarian. After tremendous and patient coaxing and wheedling, Mickey finally gets the human wreck to sober up sufficiently to examine the horse and discover a tumor in its foreleg, which he successfully operates on. This is the same operation that he had done many years ago on a famous race horse. This business sounds routine to tell it, but the way the suspense and emotional values are built up through one sequence after another is really fine. And so the regeneration of the tramp as he throws in his lot with the boy and the horse, till after many adventures they are ready to enter the horse in a race. A chance meeting by Mickey with a woman who owns a famous stable gives him the break he had been praying for. She enters the horse under her colors, with Mickey as the jockey. Grand suspense injected with the fact that Beery has a detective trailing him for a tragedy that killed a jockey years ago in a race after Beery had doped the horse for a gambling ring. Retribution catches up with Beery as the detective spots him as the race starts, and this combined with the thrilling ride gives a new angle to the old racetrack theme. Beery and Rooney are tops with grand performances. The direction gets every ounce of entertainment value out of a very exciting and human story. CAST: Wallace Beery, Mickey Rooney, Arthur Hohl, Margaret Hamilton, Minor Watson, Marjorie Gateson, Oscar O'Shea. CREDITS: Producer, Harry Rapf; Director, Sam Wood; Authors, William Thiele, Reginald Owen; Screenplay, Leonard Praskins, Richard Maibaum; Editor, W. Don Hayes; Cameraman, John Seitz. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHS The Best. Further Fleischer-Union Pact Talks Due This Week Meeting between Max Fleischer, Inc., and a committee representing the United American Artists and Professional Workers union on Friday to work out terms of a new contract was adjourned until this week. It is expected that negotiations will be completed this week. 'A Man to Remember' with Anne Shirley, Edward Ellis, Lee Bowman RKO Radio 80 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) SPLENDID STORY OF SACRIFICE AND HUMANITY PACKS PLENTY OF AUDIENCE APPEAL. A beautiful story of sacrifice and humanity is this tale of the country doctor who lived a life of service for others and whose death was mourned by everyone who knew him. A tone of reality pervades the piece in such a manner that an intense interest is built up in the doings of this man to whom money meant little while he worked for the welfare of mankind. The picture is one which should be seen as a document of unselfishness, and many a public spirited group could do well to sponsor it. Edward Ellis, who plays the doctor, turns in a truly grand performance. It is a gem of honesty and sincerity. Anne Shirley's portrayal of his ward, who is evei by his side, is a characterization of sweetness and tenderness. Playing the doctor's son is Lee Bowman. His work is worthy of commendation as is that of William Henry, John Wray, Granville Bates, Harlan Briggs, Frank Thomas and Dickie Jones, all of whom carry lesser roles. This excellent production was directed by Garson Kanin. Its good taste and fine presentation are qualities for which he deserves a lot of credit. So is his guiding of the players. The splendid screenplay was the work of Dalton Trumbo from Katharine Haviland-Taylor's story. Robert Sisk produced and Lee Marcus was production executive on a picture that it would do everyone a lot of good to see. As for plot, Edward Ellis returns to Westport after years of practice elsewhere as quite an unsuccessful physician, at least financially speaking. His wife has died and with him is his small son. His first case is the delivery of a child. The mother dies and the embittered father departs from the town leaving the baby to Ellis to bring up. In the nineteen years that he practices in Westport, he goes through all sorts of experiences, notable in his unselfishness and the work he does with no thought of financial reward. His boy (Lee Bowman) grows up to be a successful doctor and the girl (Anne Shirley) a fine young lady. For a while, the boy tries a money medical career, but he comes back to follow in his father's steps and it seems, too, that the girl and boy love one another. The father's job is done and he passes on, to be mourned by the whole town. CAST: Anne Shirley, Edward Ellis, Lee Bowman, William Henry, John Wray, Granville Bates, Harlan Briggs, Frank M. Thomas, Dickie Jones, Carole Leete, Gilbert Emery, Joseph De Stefani. CREDITS: Production Executive, Lee Marcus; Producer, Robert Sisk; Director, Garson Kanin; From the Story, "Failure," by Katharine Haviland-Taylor; Screenplay, Dalton Trumbo; Cameraman, J. Roy Hunt, ASC; Art Director, Van Nest Polglase; Associate, Albert D'Agostino; Editor, Jack Hively; Sound, John L. Cass; Montage by Douglas Travers; Musical Score, Roy Webb. DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. "Mr. Wong, Detective" with Boris Karloff, Grant Withers, Maxine Jennings Monogram 68 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) FAST-MOVING MYSTERY STORY WITH PLENTY OF SUSPENSE LAUNCHES NEW SERIES. This picture gets the new Boris Karloff series off to a good start. Karloff does his usual splendid work as an Oriental detective, who solves a trio of murders that puzzle San Francisco police. William Nigh's direction is skillful and holds suspense to the end. William T. Lackey rates credit as associate producer. Hooper Atchley and William Gould, partners of John Hamilton, induce Hamilton to sign papers agreeing to turn over business to the partner who survives the others in event of death. The partners are trying to ship mysterious chemical to a foreign country. John St. Polis, an inventor, threatens Hamilton with death because he has not returned his formula. Hamilton is found dead at his desk and St. Polis is held for questioning. Karloff finds fine glass near Hamilton's body and is convinced he was murdered. Chemists declare the glass held a deadly gas. Atchley and Gould are found dead under the same circumstances surrounding Hamilton's death. Karloff makes the deduction that gas is in the glass bulb, which shatters at the sound of a police siren and that the murderer (St. Polis) always arranges to have his victims call the police. Grant Withers, as a police captain, who is always outwitted by Karloff, Lucien Prival, Maxine Jennings, Evelyn Brent and George Lloyd are among the principals. Houston Branch wrote a gripping screenplay. CAST: Boris Karloff, Grant Withers, Maxine Jennings, Evelyn Brent, George Lloyd, Lucien Preval, John St. Polis, William Gould, Hooper Atchley, Frank Bruno, John Hamilton, Wilbur Mack, Lee Tong Foo, Lynton Brent, Grace Wood. CREDITS: Producer, Scott R. Dunlap; Associate Producer, William T. Lackey; Director, William Nigh; Based on series by Hugh Wiley; Screenplay, Houston Branch; Cameraman, Harry Neumann; Editor, Russell Schoengarth; Musical Director, Art Meyer. DIRECTION, Suspenseful. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. O'Loghlin Starts Final Kent Drive Tour Oct. 21 Third and final trip of James P. O'Loghlin, 20th-Fox Kent Drive leader and Canadian district manager, as leader of this year's Kent Drive, will start in Los Angeles around Oct. 21. He will be accompanied on this trip by William J. Clark, short subjects sales manager. He will also be accompanied by William J. Kupper, William C. Gehring and William Sussman, division managers, in their respective divisions. Kupper will start out with O'Loghlin on the trip, and the other two sales managers will meet him when he reaches their respective territories. BUERMELE REPLACES AT DET. CO-OP • (Continued from Page 1) after a board of directors meeting Saturday morning. It is reported here that Moor %may head a new booking organiza( Despite persistent rumors that H. M. Richey, head of public relations for Cooperative, would also leave, Delodder stated that no further changes were contemplated. However, more reorganization steps are expected early this week. Allied Eastern Regional Plans Pix Buying Survey (Continued from Page 1) jects slated for discussion include the government's anti-trust suit, the Neely bills, the North Dakota theater divorcement measure and the "Motion Pictures Greatest Year" campaign. In addition to Allied units of New England, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, D. C., a number of indie exhibitors of Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania are expected to be present. A supper dance and floor show at the Nomad Club are slated for the opening night, Oct. 19, with other entertainment on tap Thursday afternoon and night, including a cocktail party and banquet. Suitable diversion has been arranged for the wives of delegates. vi i ( Tern ti Lui rah; pi mioi tame name Bai Parai regre Majors' Foreign Managers To Hold Meeting Tomorrow (Continued from Page 1) learned over the week-end. At the same time it was learned that the Italian government has granted a stay of time en filing licenses until Dec. 1. It originally set a 10-day deadline which expired last Friday. Rome (By Cable) — Definition and details of application attending the newly framed film decree, carrying possible modifications, are expected to be announced here this week, it is reported in well-informed circles. Representatives of American film interests in Italy have already presented their views to local official channels under whose jurisdiction film imports are regulated. Minn. Supreme Court Rules Ten-O-Win Lottery, 4 to 3 Minneapolis— By a split decision, 4-3, the Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday handed down a decision ruling Ten-O-Win a lottery. Decision was in the case against the Schubert Theater Players Co., operating Lyceum theater, St. Paul. Trial in Ramsy County District Court had resulted in a conviction. h il Wi Pi! Supi