The Film Daily (1938)

5] > ^Monday, November 14, 1938 1MI DAILY , BRIT. LION TO RELEASE 46 REP. PIX YEARLY (Continued from Page 1) pictures budgeted between $150,000 and $300,000 to cover quota requireme"^, with a strong probability thi, \t least six of these pictures will be distributed in the United States by Republic, Smith said. He stated that a Republic gross of $2,000,000 for 1938-39 in the U. K. was not at all unlikely as current business was about 25 per cent ahead of last year. Smith said that the recent Republic product distributed in England has been more than favorably received. He expects to hit a new high in accounts serviced for the current season. Smith also asserted that budgets on pictures made in England by his company, to cover quota requirements and for distribution here, might be substantially boosted for the 1939-40 season, but would not estimate the amount of increase contemplated. Breakdown of Republic pix to be handled by British Lion will find a minmum of 26 features, 16 Westerns and 4 serials being exported. Smith conferred with Herbert J. Yates, and Morris Goodman, Republic foreign head, while here. He expects to return here in the Spring and will visit the Coast studios of the company at that time. On Friday, he looked at "Storm Over Bengal" and "I Stand Accused," Republic's two newest productions, and predicted that both pictures would get. first-run West End playing time in London. Republic Execs. Study Budget Boost Proposal A substantial advance in budgets for Republic productions on the 1939-40 program is being studied by the company execs, it was learned from reliable sources over the week-end. Budget for 1938-39 was originally announced at $6,000,000. However, increases have been made on several pix, with the latest Gene Autry western set at $95,000. Although Republic did a gross business of slightly over $4,000,000 for 1937, estimates for this year's gross business are far in excess of that figure. It is estimated that the company will do around $2,000,000 in the United Kingdom alone for the year, and Republic's foreign distribution setup has been strengthened and expanded greatly during the past 10 months. REVIEWS Of nEUJ flLfllS * SHORTS * Paramount Pictorial (P8-4) Paramount 10 in ins. Enjoyable Three well-presented pictorials, starting with modern scientific methods of prospecting for oil. A truck that is a traveling laboratory manned by scientists prospects for the fluid gold, drilling hundreds of feet, and unerringly finding the oil wherever it exists. The second offering presents the contrasts of the human mountain climber risking his neck, and then showing the mountain goat pei'forming the same task without any effort as part of its daily jaunts for food. The southern Dlay ground of Florida, especially Miami, showing its myriad attractions for the northern visitor. Narrated by Frank Galop. "Patio Serenade" (Mentone Brevity) Universal 17 mins. Worthwhile Classy revue done in the atmosphere of a Spanish night club, with the talent being outstanding Spanish and Latin-American artists. They include Tito Coral, Laura Suarez: Armida, Gloria Belmonte, Theodore & Denesha, Blanco & Batet, the Seven Songsters. Especially commendable is the dancing of Gloria Belmonte. The vocal and instrumental work of the others, as well as the high level of dancing throughout, makes this a worthwhile short. J. J. Fitzgerald Resigns Chicago — J. J. Fitzgerald has resigned as contract manager for James Coston, Warner zone manager. He intends to go into commercial business in Lima, O. "The Rabbit Hunt" (Walter Lantz Cartoon) Universal 7 mins. Fair The hunter starts out with his dog to bag a rabbit. But the bunny is smarter than the dog, and has a lot of fun fooling him. Finally the dog gets caught in a trap, and the rabbit helps release him. Later when the hunter catches up with the rabbit and is about to shoot, the dog repays the saving of his life by interfering effectively. "Dollars and Sense" (Going Places) Universal 9 mins. City and Farm Contrast Two subjects are covered in this short — Manhattan Island and the chinchilla fur industry. In the first Graham McNamee presents a contrast of the New York of the early Dutch settlers with the modern city, more especially with reference to the great skyscrapers. The skyline beauty is photographed very gorgeously. The unique chinchilla farm in Inglewood, California, the only one of its kind, where the owner is successfully raising this rare and costly fur worth more than its weight in gold, is depicted entertainingly. "The Playful Polar Bears" (Color Classic C8-2) Paramount 7 mins. Good Sentiment This cartoon will get the kids, for it shows a mother polar bear's tender care of one of its youngsters who wanders away and gets in the line of fire of a bunch of hunters who arrive on the Arctic shores with their schooner. Ma rescues the baby who has been stunned by a bullet, and the entire bear colony are holding a mourning ceremony preparatory to burial. But the tears of the mother bring the babe to consciousness again, and then the bears turn the mourning into a festival of rejoicing. Paramount "Goonland" (Popeye) 7 mins. Wild Adventure Popeye goes to a desert island in search of his old man whom he has not seen in forty years. Poopdeck is the name of the old boy, who is a dead ringer for Popeye, only with white whiskers. He smokes a pipe, too. The island is run by a strange race of savages, called Goons, that look like the Zombies. Popeye is made a prisoner, and they are getting ready to drop a great rock on him from the cliff above, when dad comes to the rescue as he breaks out of his prison with the help of his son's can of spinach. They flee 1 the island together. Hunt to the Oriental Chicago — Jack Hunt, now in charge of the State-Lake Theater for Jones, Linick, Schaef er, will be placed in charge of the Oriental Theater, when it is taken over by the circuit on Nov. 18. Sam Levine, who has been on the sick list, is expected to resume his old post at the State-Lake Theater and will be assisted by Chester Amberg, formerly in charge of the Woods Theater for the circuit. Lust to Build Another Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAI Li Washington — Sidney B. Lust, prominent independent exhibitor, has signed papers for a new theater in Hyattsville. It will be a 1,000 seater, directly on the Baltv more-Washington highway and will have parking accommodation for 500 cars. John Eberson will design the theater. Corbin Houses to Schine Cincinnati — Schine Circuit has taken over the Hippodrome and Kentucky Theaters at Corbin, Ky. BOOK REVIEWS AMERICA NOW: An Inquiry Into Civilization in the United States, by 36 Americans; edited, with an introduction, by Harold E. Stearns. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1938. $3.00. In the initial chapter, the position of motion pictures in contemporary American life is discussed, together with that of the alleged arch-competitor, Radio. Author of this leadoff article is the well-qualified-tospeak Louis R. Reid, former radio editor of the New York American and currently ad-publicity manager of Cosmopolitan Pictures and News of the Day. What he has to say of filmdom, its practices, prestige and shortcomings deserves the careful examination of those upon whose shoulders revolve the responsibilities of making films for the nation's audiences. There is no unwarranted axe-grinding nor placid pussyfooting in Reid's resume of conditions prevalent in Hollywood. He declares that artistic progress in studios, is still hampered by the seemingly inescapable necessity of making pix dominant appeal to childish intelligence; that the film capital is fettered by self -plagiarism, and that the public has become bored by imitations, and for this latter reason have, in many instances, withdrawn their attendance. Theater men, he , cites, are closer to the public and hence are best judges of when star popularity wanes. But competition is so keen in Hollywood that producers are forced to sign stars to longterm contracts. Other expressed opinions are that (a) the program pix during period of depression has met with a serious and growing loss of public patronage; (b) Hollywood is so bound by its rigid fetish of entertainment that it impedes its own progress; (c) superlatives no longer sway the American film fan; (d) mass production of the screen schedule occupies the paradoxical position of hampering artistic progress the while it develops commercialism. Specifically, Hollywood accomplishes its purpose. Its tricks are often spectacular and exciting; and that (e) Hollywood's weakness lies in overproduction. Discussion "A" and "B" pix, Reid says: If the producers have come to rely more and more upon the profits of the "B" picture to tide them over for their splurges on the "A" pictures, it might be well for them to consider the freedom from such dependence that would be theirs were they to substitute merit as a criterion in place of the dollar mark. Reid also suggests that producers might advantageously foster a spirit of progressive, but unblatant, nationalism through pix dealing with the tremendous aspects of our social and industrial life. — G. H. M.