The Film Daily (1939)

Wednesday, June 7, 1939 -, .V R6VI6UJS Of TH( nCUl flLfllS -V -V "Tarzan Finds a Son" with Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan M-G-M 90 Mins. POWERFUL ATTRACTION FOR THE KIDDIES AND ADVENTURE LOVERS SHOULD HAVE THEM YELLING FOR THE ANIMAL JUNGLE STUFF. A great attraction for the kiddie and adventure lovers with Tarzan and his mate, Maureen O'Sullivan, finding a little babe which is the sole survivor of a plane wrecked in the African jungle. They raise the boy, who becomes the constant companion of his father. Five years after the plane crash, a searching party of English people arrive looking for evidence of the death or escape of the sole passengers, an Englishman and his wife and their baby. If alive, the babe is the sole heir to a vast fortune in England. Henry Stephenson heads the searching party, being one of the heirs, along with Ian Hunter and his wife, Frieda Inescourt, in the event the child is proved to have died. The complications and excitement develop with the unscrupulous attempts of Hunter to take the child back to England, and as his guardian control the fortune or else do away with the little chap. This horrible and sinister possibility that is suggested by the upright Mr. Stephenson as the aristocratic Lord Lancing, gets him made a prisoner by the dangerous relative with dark designs. But as they proceed out of the jungle with the little boy, they are captured by a savage tribe. Tarzan comes to the rescue with a herd of elephants and a troupe of monkeys, rescues the scheming Londoner and his wife, and of course his own mate. The boy has previously escaped to notify Tarzan, who performs a remarkable escape from the bottom of a cliff alongside a waterfall, to dash to the rescue with the elephants. It is all highly picturesque, unbelievable and exciting, but no doubt the youngsters will go for it in a big way. The youngster, played by John Sheffield, is really remarkable in the way he responds to direction, and swims as good as Weissmuller in some beautiful underwater stunting. Sales angles: Weissmuller as Tarzan, the remarkable kid's work; the great animal jungle stuff, and remarkable underwater scenes. CAST: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, John Sheffield, Ian Hunter, Henry Stephenson, Frieda Inescourt, Henry Wilcoxon, Laraine Day, Morton Lowry. CREDITS: Producer, Sam Zimbalist; Director, Richard Thorpe; Screenplay, Cyril Hume; Cameraman, Leonard Smith; Editors, Frank Sullivan, Gene Ruggiero. DIRECTION, Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY, Beautiful. "Maisie" Four Conn. Closings Due New Haven — Warners have closed the Tremont, Ansonia, for the Summer. The Capitol, Danbury, which was dark last Summer, remains open. Loew's, Inc., is expecting to close the Palace, Hartford, at an early date; last year the house was kept open. Fishman Theaters will cut Apollo operating time to three-aweek, beginning June 11, and close the Lyric and Winchester "indefinitely" on June 17, Dr. J. B. Fishman announces. with Robert Young, Ann Sothern and Ruth Hussey Metro 74 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) EXCELLENT COMEDY DRAMA SHOULD PLEASE IN ANY TYPE OF THEATER. Here is a comedy drama that should please in any type of theater. It has action, romance, comedy and bright, snappy dialogue. It is one of Edwin L. Marin's best directorial efforts and he never allows the interest to lag. Ann Sothern has a field day in the title role and gives a sparkling performance, delivering her lines with telling effect. Robert Young does excellent work as a woman-hater, whose viewpoint is changed by Ann. Ian Hunter and Ruth Hussey give effective performances, while Cliff Edwards, Anthony Allan and George Tobias are others who do good work. Mary C. McCall, Jr., has provided an excellent screenplay, marked by unusually good dialogue. Ann, a small-time vaudeville performer, stranded in a Western cow-town, sets her cap for Young, who is managing a ranch for Hunter. Hunter, who is unhappily married to Ruth Hussey, brings his wife to the ranch. He is cheered up by Ann and when he decides to take his life he wills the ranch to Ann and Young. When Hunter is found dead, Young is charged with the murder, but a letter that Hunter wrote to Ann telling of his plan to kill himself and give her and Young the ranch, wins Young's freedom. J. Walter Ruben deserves credit for his work as associate producer. CAST: Robert Young, Ann Sothern, Ruth Hussey, Ian Hunter, Cliff Edwards, Anthony Allan, Art Mix, George Tobias, Richard Carle, Minor Watson, Harlan Briggs, Paul Everton, Joseph Crehan, Frank Puglia, Willie Fung. CREDITS: Producer, J. Walter Ruben; Director, Edwin L. Marin; Author, Wilson Collison; Screenplay, Mary C. McCall, Jr.; Cameraman, Leonard Smith; Art Director, Cedric Gibbons; Associate, Malcolm Brown; Editor, Frederick Y. Smith; Musical Score, Edward Ward. Theater Cashiers Organize Charlotte — Theater cashiers of Charlotte have organized a club called the "Cassier," which will meet twice a week. Officers are: Lillian Byram, president; Margie Lent, secretary; Mabel Hord, vice-president; Ruby Thomas, treasurer. All are unmarried. The organization was formed at a dinner party of the dozen charter members. 1 1 Fined for "Quizzo" Portland, Me. — Eleven "Quizzo" respondents, charged with maintaining gambling establishments or with being present at gambling games, received fines ranging from $50 to $100 and costs in Superior Court. "Grand Jury Secrets" with John Howard, Gail Patrick and William Frawley Paramount 62 Mins. (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) FAST MOVING NOVEL STORY SHOULD CLICK WITH ANY AUDIENCE. Put this one down as a "sleeper." The novel story, direction, acting and production are all handled excellently. The direction by James Hogan was very good and he kept the pace of the story moving at high speed with never a lag at any time. Sam Engel deserves many bows for his excellent work as associate producer. The picture will have lots of support from the "hams" (amateur radio operators) because of the activities of these radio people. John Howard, as the reporter and "ham," does a good acting job, as does Harvey Stephens as the assistant district attorney, and Gail Patrick is good as Stephens' fiancee. The attempt of the district attorney to break the bucket shops dealing in fake stocks is revealed by the assistant district attorney's brother, John Howard, a reporter. This investigation was to have been kept secret but through a short wave gadget which Howard leaves under his brother's desk in the grand jury room, he finds out what the jury is investigating and has it printed in his newspaper. Howard has his name attached to the story and Stephens, his brother, is put on the carpet by the district attorney. A murder and a lot of activities take place and in the end Howard, who has been a real "smartalec," and feels the world owes him all he can take from it, redeems himself in the eyes of his family. The original by Irving Reis and Maxwell Shane and the screenplay by Reis and Robert Yost were very well written. It is the old cops and robbers story beautifully dressed, with many new and interesting twists. Jane Darwell as the mother, Porter Hall as one of the brothers, and William Frawley as the side kick of Howard, all do excellent work in supporting roles, and Kitty Kelly, Elisha Cook, Jr., Richard Denning and Frank M. Thomas turn in good work in smaller parts. There should be no trouble in booking this picture in any house. CAST: John Howard, Gail Patrick, William Frawley, Jane Darwell, Porter Hall, Harvey Stephens, John Hartley, Elisha Cook, Jr., Kitty Kelly, Morgan Conway, Jack Norton, Richard Denning, Frank M. Thomas, Edward Marr. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Sam Engel; Director, James Hogan; Authors, Irving Reis, Maxwell Shane; Screenplay, Irving Reis, Robert Yost; Cameraman, Harry Fischbeck, ASC; Art Directors, Hans Dreier and Franz Bachelin; Editor, Hugh Bennett; Sound, George Dutton and Glenn Rominger. DIRECTION, Very Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Censors Ban "Le Roi" "Le Roi," French film imported by the Film Alliance has been banned in its entirety by the New York State censor board, it was re ported last night. "Spoilers of the Range" with Charles Starrett Columbia 57 Mins. CARRIES GOOD AMOUNT OF THRILLS IN ACTION WESTERN INTERSPERSED WITH MUSIC. A typical Starrett thriller tha^ -noves along nicely paced with action all ■-'' way, but lacks any particular originality, sticking to the formua stuff. The hero plays ball with a group of ranchers who have built a dam and who go on the cuff to a crooked gambler for a large sum of money. The trouble starts when the gambler hires a killer gang to keep the ranchers from getting their cattle to market and raising the necessary dough to pay off the debts. There is the usual number of range songs through the action, contributed by the Sons of the Pioneers. An unusual amount of romance also, with Iris Meredith, a very good looker as westerns go. The heavy in this saga is Dick Curtis, who makes a strong impression, along with Kenneth MacDonald in the role of the gambler who hires him to do the dirty work. CAST: Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith, Dick Curtis, Kenneth MacDonald, Hank Bell, < Bob Nolan, Edward LeSaint, Forbes Murray,; Art Mix, Edmund Cobb, Edward Pell, Sr. CREDITS: Director, C. C. Coleman, Jr.; Author, Paul Franklin; Screenplay, same: Cameraman, Allan Siegler; Editor, William Lyon. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY Okay. Fuller Signs Spewacks West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Sam and Bella Spewack have been signed to do the screenplay on "The Man Who Lost Himself," a novel by H. de Vere Stacpoole which Walter A. Futter will produce in England late this summer. The picture stars Leslie Howard who is also co-producer. Paramount Pictorial (P8-9) Paramount 10 mine Timely The academy of the Coast Guarc at New London, showing the training of the force ashore and afloat. Unr usual photography of animals anc birds, showing how ducks look below the surface of the water, and hov some birds behave after dark. Col ette, the style authority, tells womer why certain styles look lovely oi models but not so hot on the averag* ' woman. She supplies a practica formula for dressing becomingly. Bell & Howell Prexy Back i Chicago — Prexy J. H. McNabb o:. the Bell & Howell Co. has re; turned from an extended busines; trip abroad, where he visited man; of the branches of the company Company is getting ready for Wes^ Coast visual convention, which wi! be held in Los Angeles in mid-July Cocks Quits Quimby Fort Wayne, Ind. — Harvey G Cocks, general manager of th Quimby Theaters, has resigned, ef fective immediately, to become gen eral manager and part owner of ; new theater operating corporation "*-'