The Film Daily (1938)

e^te? Monday, November 21 , 193 TO S. A. TRADE PACTS TO AID FILMS vVREVIEUJS Of the new f urns ^ (.Continued from Page 1) failure to gain concessions for U. S. product entering England. U. S. industry is especially interested in Argentina, where legislation making possible discriminary measures has been introduced; in certain other Latin-American countries where Fascist-Nazi penetration is a thread, and in Australia where adverse legislation is not improbable. (See story on Page 9.) Details of the new U. S.-Canada trade pact, effective Jan. 1, 1939, disclose American film entering Canada will enjoy a tariff of 20 per cent ad valorem, which is a reduction of one-third over the Dec. 1935 figure, and 20 per cent lower than the current duty. Photographic papers are also put at 20 per cent ad valorem, motion picture projection equipment and parts exported from the U. S. retain their 15 per cent duty ad valorem which had been granted under the former treaty. Duty on cameras entering Canada was scaled down from 30 per cent to a new low of 17/2 per cent ad valorem, while professional motion picture cameras and parts dropped from 30 per cent to 10 per cent, also a new low level for such items. Canada also conceded % per cent per linear foot motion picture film positives of 1% inches and over, from former 3c to 21/4c. Colonial provisos include film duty in Jamaica dropped from 20 per cent to 5 per cent, or one-quarter the former duty. Photographic apparatus and chemicals for photographic use dropped same amount. Motion picture apparatus and films retained free Malayan entry. Jahore, served by Malay States, also maintained free entry, as did Dendah. Northern Rhodesia retained old film duty of five shilling per 100 ft., or 25 per cent ad valorem, dependent upon the type and classification of the films. Trinidad, Tobago, and Somaliland Protectorate dropped their duties from 23 per cent to lVA per cent, including apparatus, projection equipment, film blanks and other unfinished material. Concessions on photographic material were most noticeable in the Bahamas and Barbados. In latter colony, duty on photographic material, appliances and accessories took a 100 per cent drop from 22 per cent to 11 per cent. In Bermuda, equipment dropped from 12% per cent to 2l/2 per cent. British Honduras' bound rate on film will remain pegged at 15 cents per 100 ft., while British Guiana's rate drops 33 per cent to 16 per cent. Fiji Islands duties on films are pegged at three pence per 100 ft., while duties on films to the Gold ("oast Colony and Protectorate have been dropped entirely from one .-hilling per 100 ft. to free entry. "Secrets of a Nurse" with Edmund Lowe, Helen Mack, Dick Foran Universal 69 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) EFFECTIVE DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT DESPITE NONE TOO CONVINCING ENDING. Although the ending is not too convincing, this picture adds up to effective dramatic entertainment. It has outstanding performances by Horace MacMahon and Helen Mack, with excellent direction by Arthur Lubin. Burt Kelly rates credit as associate producer. When Leon Ames, a gambler, fears that Clyde Dilson, a second, whom he "fixed" to put belladonna in the water used to sponge Dick Foran, fighter, who loses to Jack Roper, will squeal, he has MacMahon shoot Dilson. Ames has wagered $5,000 with Paul Hurst, Foran's manager. Foran, badly injured in the fight, is taken to a hospital where Helen Mack, a nurse, falls in love with him. Edmund Lowe, a criminal lawyer, who is in love with Helen, later gets Foran a job as a bellboy in a hotel, where Hurst calls on Ames to tell him he has evidence that Ames had MacMahon kill Dilson. Ames' man, Paul Fix, shoots Hurst, but Foran is arrested for the murder. Lowe defends Foran, but he is convicted to hang. Lowe forces a confession from Ames, but Fix, to save himself, fires on Ames. Fatally wounded, Ames is taken to a hospital, where Helen and Lowe get the evidence that frees Foran. CAST: Edmund Lowe, Helen Mack, Dick Foran, Samuel S. Hinds, Paul Hurst, Leon Ames, David Oliver, Frances Robinson, Clarence Muse, Stanley Hughes, Horace MacMahon, Dorothy Arnold, George Chandler, Clyde Dilson, Virginia Brissac. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Burt Kelly; Director, Arthur Lubin; Based on story "Westside Miracle" by Quentin Reynolds; Screenplay, Tom Lennon and Lester Cole; Cameraman, Elwood Brendell; Art Director, Jack Otterson; Associate, Charles H. Clarke; Editor, Ed Curtis; Musical Director, Charles Previn; Sound, Bernard B. Brown. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHY, Good. PHOTOGRA Warner Exchange Moves To Own Building Today Warners New York exchange office employes, formerly located in the Film Center Building move today into their new headquarters at 315 W. 44th St., adjoining the company's home office building. Located in the new exchange headquarters will be the shipping, inspection and ad sales departments of the company's local Vitagraph branch office, as well as the cashiers department. The general offices of the exchange will be located on the 2nd floor of the home office at 321 West 44th Street, which has also been remodeled to include individual booking booths. "Black Bandit" with Bob Baker Universal 58 Mins. WEAK WESTERN FOLLOWS THE ROUTINE FORMULA WITH BOB BAKER DOING NICE WORK. A rather routine story is somewhat redeemed by the evident knowledge of the writer or director of what cowpunchers really do when they are working down on the ranch, on the range, or around the chuck wagon. These little authentic touches are a welcome relief. But the story itself is just as routine as most of them. Bob Baker doubles as twins, one the hero and the other the bad bandit. And so it is worked out with all the usual trimmings, to the point where there has to be a showdown for law and order, and right and justice. Of course the bad bandit twin sees the light at the climax, and practically sacrifices his life in order to put brother in the clear, as the ranchers were getting suspicious of their new young sheriff, and talking about stringing him up to a tree for the depradations of his bandit brother. All of which plot material is worked out with the heavy hand of workers in a foundry. It rates just the average western for the filler on a dual program. Bob Baker handles himself well, and deserves better material. CAST: Bob Baker, Marjorie Reynolds, Hal Taliaferro, Jack Rockwell, Forrest Taylor, Glenn Strange. CREDITS: Director, George Waggner; Author, Joseph West; Screenplay, Same. DIRECTION, Poor. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. "Phantom Gold" with Jack Luden Columbia 56 mins. ROUTINE FORMULA WESTERN OFFERS NOTHING UNUSUAL TO STIR THE THRILL-FANS' INTEREST. This one is too spotty in story treatment to rate more than commonplace. Jack Luden rides into the neighborhood of a ghost town with his two buddies, playing his guitar while another pal sings. They pick up a youngster and his dog, cast adrift when the Rattler (Charles Whittaker) and his gang from their hideout in the ghost city murder the child's parents as they rob their wagon outfit. From this point the narrative rambles into the scheme of the outlaws to start a modern gold rush by salting an old mine near the ghost town, and hoping to profit by robbing the prospectors as they arrive. Of course Luden nicks their plans in the approved western hero manner, but the proceedings are done without any particular snap or originality. A reasonable amount of fights, the usual chases, and considerable gun-play put this in the routine formula along with the average thriller of the plains. CAST: Jack Luden, Beth Marion, Barry Downing, Charles Whittaker, Hal Taliaferro, Art Davis, Jimmy Robinson, Jack Ingram, Buzz Barton, Marin Sais. CREDITS: Director, Joseph Levering; Author, Nate Gatzert; Screenplay, same. DIRECTION, Weak. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. "Forbidden Territory' with Gregory Ratoff, Binnie Barnes J. H. Hoffberg 74 mi POOR STORY CONSTRUCTION At1 DIRECTION ARE TOO GREAT HAND CAPS FOR CAST. This looks as if it might have be thrown together over a couple of wee ends. Best feature of the production the novelty of the landscape in Lat< which doubles for Russia, with the qua village shots, the flat little wagon dra\ by three horses, and the snow see through the forest road, all so differs from the American scene. The story thrown together carelessly, the directi is ditto, and the cast comprised of go actors only serves to make you reali how poor all the rest of it is. The p is quite meller, but never gets rea suspenseful or exciting because it is nev made believable. A Britisher and his s arrive in the so-called Russian Soviet t< ritory to hunt for a missing son who 'anguishing in a prison. A Russian sin; in love with the British prisoner he with the necessary info to lead them to t prison, the lad walks out of the pris just like that, they start to flee in t little vehicle with the three horses, a fter many adventures escape across t Rumanian border with a commissar and gang chasing them right to the bore gate. CAST: Gregory Ratoff, Ronald Squii Binnie Barnes, Tamara Desni, Barry Ma kay, Anthony Bushed, Anton Dolin, M< guerite Allan. CREDITS: Producer, R. B. Wainwrigl Director, Phil Rosen; Author, Dennis Whea ley; Screenplay, Alma Reville. DIRECTION, Poor. PHOTOGRAPH Fair. Split Develops in Ranks of Musicians' Local 80 Split in the ranks of Local 80 musicians' union, was revealed ov the week-end with announceme that Arthur Pryor, band leader, running for post of president on i surgent ticket backed by the Cor mittee for Better Unionism. Pryi stated that his decision to run hs been made after he had investigate charges of mismanagement. Ele tion will be held on Dec. 15. Ray Moon Opens New Consol. Theater Servic Detroit — Ray Moon, ex-Co-opers tive Theaters general manage opens his new booking service t( day in the Fox Theater Building a Consolidated Theater Service Con pany. He will also handle Trailei Made trailers in Michigan, eviden ly combining independent exhibitc booking and representation of fill service companies.