The Film Daily (1938)

THE mm DAILY Friday, October 28, 1938 KAO AND B. F. KEITH PROFITS SHOW DROP (Continued from Page 1) 122.65 under that of last year when the company reported a 53-week profit of $1,219,486.06. For the 39 weeks ended Oct. 1, K-A-0 reported a net profit after all charges of $596,049.83, equal to $9.26 per share on the 7 p.c. cumulative convertible preferred, compared with a profit of $914,672.15 for the corresponding period ended Oct. 2, 1937, when the figure represented $14.22 per share. B. F. Keith's 39-week net ended Oct. 1 was $368,281.46, compared with $663,946.42 for the corresponding period ended Oct. 2. Saenger Affiliate Gets 2 Devoto Yazoo City Houses New Orleans — Circuit control of Gulf States' best possibilities came nearer reality yesterday with the sale of Mrs. B. J. Devoto's Devoto and Yazoo theaters at Yazoo City, Miss., to A. J. (Slim) Higgenbotham's Dixie Theaters, a Saenger Theaters affiliate. The sale was confirmed to Film Daily correspondent in New Orleans over the long distance phone by the veteran showwoman while New Orleans sources were expressing surprise and doubt. Mrs. Devoto, who entered the business 21 years ago, sold out once before and was a dogged fighter. Said the new operator would take over next week but refused to discuss the purchase price. Latter is reliably reported as $6,000 yearly during the life of her leases. Dixie probably will close the smaller house within six months when the lease expires, work out a deal for equipment and run the larger in association with the theater it now has there. To Show Chinese Picture at Met. for China Relief Metropolitan Opera House will show a picture on Nov. 18 for the first time in its history. The Met. will be wired for sound. The picture will be "Sable Cicada," a Chinese film sponsored by the Associated Boards for Christian Colleges in China, and the Church Committee for China relief. Henry R. Luce is chairman of the sponsoring committee. Produced in Shanghai with Chinese actors, the film will have Chinese dialogue and music. New Dallas House Opens Dallas — New Interstate Lakewood Theater opened yesterday. Dick Foy, son of the famous stage comedian, Eddie Foy, manages the theater. "Love Finds Andy Hardy" is the opening picture. REVIEWS Of REUJ FILMS * SHORTS * "The World Is Ours" Motion Pictures' Greatest Year 20 mins. Fine Industry Film A very fine piece of showmanship plugging the M. P. Greatest Year Drive. It represents a collaboration by all the Hollywood studios in putting over to the American public the story of the motion picture and what it really represents to any local community. A typical American family of four is the cast. Dorothy Peterson plays the mother, Samuel S. Hinds the father, Johnny Walsh and Anne Shirley the children. Charles Grapewin is the grandfather. Through their eyes, and their comments, the reactions to the motion picture of these basic audience elements are put across very effectively. The story opens with the family at home one evening, discussing the value of the movies in their lives. They go to a neighborhood theater. Here the audience reaction of this family group is recorded. On a vacation trip, the Typical American Family visits Hollywood, and this gives an excuse to present scenes from current productions at each of the major studios. The production hits a dramatic and fast tempo with a flashing of scenes from innumerable pictures, and intimate shots of popular stars from all the lots. The finale has the family journeying back home to their little town, that is typical of all American towns, realizing fully just why the movies represent their best entertainment. Produced by Frank Whitbeck. Original story and screen play by Lou Harris and Herman Hoffman. Directed by Basil Wrangell. Narrated by Truman Bradley. Musical score by David Snell. Special effects by Gordon Jennings. Hollywood montage by Peter Ballbausch. The March Of Time (Inside the Maginot Line) RKO 19 mins. Timely and Interesting What are probably the first pictures ever taken in and around the noted French fortifications are shown in dramatic fashion in the newest issue of M O T. Timely to an extreme degree, the film cashes in heavily on the tremendous publicity given this subject during recent weeks. The exterior shots show the numberless concrete pillboxes housing their death dealing guns, spikes to trap tanks and miles of barbed wire fortifications. Inside the fortifications, you see the French Ai-my going through its daily routine, from eating and sleeping to manning the fortifications full strength when an alarm is sounded. Detailed drawings appearing in newspapers and magazines, which have been partially guess work, are borne out by the film's revelations. Undoubtedly the film was produced under the supervision of the French Government, with specific shots allowed to be taken, but it is absorbing material just the same. The training of the French Army and the tremendous activity in connection with French armament programs are also presented in interesting fashion. Pre-sold by a barrage of free publicity, this reel should be a tremendous B.O. attraction. "Stranger Than Fiction" (Number 53) Universal 9 1/3 mins. Sustained Entertainment Seven oddities are spliced together to make this reel diverting, and each has its particular appeal. Paul Behne, made armless in a railroad accident, refused to let this misfortune deter him from his ambition to become an artist, and the opening shots show him as an instructor in painting at the Delgado Trades School, and manning palette and brush himself with extraordinary skill. Intermediate subjects depict a Seneca Indian who has mastered the bow and arrow of his forefathers ; a pool of ravenous fish which bob to the surface to feed enthusiastically from the hands of a restaurateur; the gathering of sea mussels at low tide on an Oregon coastal rock; and A. L. Teeters' mastery of "typewriter painting" which he does handily. Boob Murray's pet duck in Memphis winds up the footage which is consistently entertaining. "Dalecarlia" Sweedish Travelfilm Sanders Films 10 mins. Very Interesting Like other hidden corners that treasure heritages of beauty, Dalecarlia has been fairly untouched by those modern currents that tend to obliterate all that is picturesque in life. The scenes here show old traditions that still survive, homesteads that have been preserved and against this setting quaint native costumes that are still in use. The community farms, where men and women share equally in the work, including farming, spinning, weaving and the making of grind stones are particularly interesting because of their most modern co-operative methods and regulations, although their primitive farm implements and customs have been unchanged for centuries. Take Schenck's Testimony Deposition of Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew's, Inc., was taken yesterday in connection with a stockholders' suit to prevent a profitsharing plan from being put into effect. Testimony was taken in the offices of E. K. Ellis, attorney for the stockholders involved in the action. UNAFFILIATED GROUPS FINISH REFORM TALKS (Continued from Page 1) will remain in New York for a few days to carry on informal discussions. *> Allied's committee continue? lo huddle with the distribs. yesterday and the deliberations probably will be resumed today. All parties are remaining mum as to what has transpired at the sessions and, although progress has been reported, the extent of the progress has not been revealed. Warners, Shea Set Deals for United Artists Pictures (Continued from Page 1) playing of UA product in the circuit's 400 houses and was set by Joseph Bernhard and Clayton Bond, of Warners, and Harry Gold, representing UA. The Shea chain has contracted for the UA program in all its situations in New England, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Deal was set by Ed Grainger and A. J. Kearnev for Shea and Gold for AU. Stockholder's Right to Sue Columbia Upheld by Court Application of Columbia Pictures et al for dismissal of the suit brought by Betty Davis, holder of 162 shares of voting trust certificates, was denied bv Supreme Court Justice Charles B. McLaughlin here yesterday. Plaintiff, who is asking for an accounting since 1929, charges that the company has paid excessive bonuses to Harry and Jack Cohn and to Joe Brandt and further claims that certain options to purchase stock were illegally transferred. Justice McLaughlin ruled the plaintiff had a legal right to sue and that her action was not barred by the statute of limitations. Dunlap's Mother-ln-Law Dies Death of Mrs. Frank Lewis, mother-in-law of Scott Dunlap, vicepresident in charge of Monogram's production, was learned in New York yesterday. Mrs. Lewis died at the Hollywood hospital following a heart attack. Funeral services were held at the Church of the Blessed Sacraments and burial at the Hollywood Cemetery. Gets Devil's Island Pix National Pictures Corp. has acquired U. S. rights to "Cheri Bibi," said to be the only authentic French talkie based on Devil's Island, Edwin Fadiman announced yesterday. Deal, effected via Films Red Star of Paris, was made timely by the week's announcement France will resume convict shipments to the penal colony Nov. 20.