The Film Daily (1929)

THE 34 ■<£&?& DAILY Monday, July 15, 1929 Newspaper Opinions "Fox Movietone Follies" Fox Roxy, New York AMERICAN—* * * A frail tale indeed is made to suffice for the draping of the widely heralded "Fox Follies" * * * But despite story weakness, and not too robust continuity, there are individual numbers and individual performances that carry the more feeble moments nicely. * * * DAILY MIRROR—* * * Lots of legs and one snappy theme-song don't make an ace picture, and this widely ballyhooed song-anddance festival from the Fox lot is quite a disappointment. "Breakaway," one hot dance number, is great. You'll be hearing it all over town before long. The other songs are innocuous. * * * DAILY NEWS — * * * It boasts some pleasant talent— Sue Carol, Stepm Fetchit, Sharon Lynn and David Rollins excel. EVENING JOURNAL—* * * The production is a picturized stage revue, threaded together with a thin, back-stage plot. There are songs, dances and large choruses of decorative young women. The result is something like a lengthy series of talking and singing short numbers. * * * EVENING WORLD — * * * does not measure up to what Fox officials had hoped for it. At least, it doesn't live up to what they have been predicting about it. Which is one way of saying that it doesn t click as well as it might have. The principal reason, perhaps is that it has little unity; it merely is a series of musical sketches composed of singing, dancing and comedy lines. And, outside of two or three of the principals, there is scant professional material in it. * * * . , GRAPHIC — * * * The music of the "Movietone Follies" is good and there are two songs which already are being heard on the air and wherever orchestras toot their jazz. This screen revue has its entertainment value, but it is handicapped by those unfortunate features which have been obvious in every singing and talking picture where the cameras were focused on a large scene * * * HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * Armed with two musical numbers that have a reasonable chance to become song hits, * * * As Broadway shows of its school go, it isn't a very edifying entertanment and it is further handicapped by the fact that its spectacular numbers are almost each week done more effectively on the stage of the playhouse where it is being presented, but, nevertheless, this screen revue does have its minor virtues. * * * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * A disappointment, considering what outsiders _ from the Coast have led us to expect from it. Obviously a lot of money has been spent on costumes and settings. Some of the tunes are catchy, and the dance numbers are quite good enough to get by. But as a whole it emerges as a spectacle that is pretentious to no particular purpose, for the continuity vacillates between the incoherent and the franklv feeble. * * * POST — * * * has a shabby old story, a lot of aggressively uninteresting young people, bad photography, bad recording and music hardly worthy of a college show. 1 think the producers were unfortunate in the very form they selected —a curtain stage. There is nothing duller than photography of painted scenery and stage sets. * * * SUN — * * * Filled with such clever Fox minors as Sue Carol, David Rollins, John Breeden, Sharon Lynn, Warren Hymer and even the immortal Stepin Fetchit (or Bert Williams, 1929 model), its revue, gayety, pace and bell-like recording make it something to brag about. As for quality in its songs, dance and dialogues, it has none, or almost none, when compared to the materials of first rate Broadway revues', * * * WORLD — * * * Youth, beauty and movement are everywhere to be seen in the first musical revue of its kind to be transferred to the audible screen * * * with these very estimable ingredients go a libretto juvenile in its obviousness, a general directorial treatment of the second grade and a structural design of vaguest merit. * * * TIMES — * * * Merry and refreshing is the entertainment offered * * * Some of the singing is not as effective as one might hope for, but it is a picture that has been produced with a pleasing sense of humor and with no littte photographic skill. * * * Film Boards of Trade Report Additional Theater Changes KENTUCKY ReOpenings Columbia — Rialto ; Weeksbury — Weeksbury ; Williamsburg — Grand. Changes in Ownership Blue Diamond — YMCA, sold to Blue Diamond Coal Co. by Geo. Elliott; Coxton — Coxton, sold to Melcroft Coal Co. by C. C. Bowling ; Defiance — Defiance, sold to Willie Combs by Troy Combs ; Earlington — Temple, sold to John L. Long by C. E. Good; Hopkinsville — Alhambra, sold to W. B. Dozier by Hopkinsville Am. Co.; Latonia — Darby, sold to Wm. Miller by J. C. Patterson; Madisonville — Cameo and Garrick, sold to E. W. Dozier by Holeman & Dozier; Paintsville — Arcade, sold to Hondel, Kirk, Morrison & Cain by Fred Meade; Pikeville — Weddington, sold to G. C. Scott by Saad & Ramsey ; Sassafras — Sassafras, sold to Willie Combs by Troy Combs ; Shonn — Loyal, sold to W. J. Randle; Whitesburg — Karlton, sold to John Speaks by Mrs. B. M. Davis. Closings Franklin — Liberty ; Glomawr — Reliance ; Hopkinsville — Alhambra; Louisville — Shawnee ; Madisonville — Garrick ; Tomkinsville — Star ; Water Valley — Arcade ; West Valley — Arcade. LOUISIANA Changes in Ownership Aimjite — Amite, sold to Sam Currier by Arthur Bender; New Orleans — Best, sold to F. R. Blanchard by Henry Lazarus ; Sulphur — Sulphur, sold to Heard & Richards by A. C. Toniette. MASSACHUSETTS Changes in Ownership Lowell — Strand, sold to Publix Theaters by S. Torgan ; Waltham — Embassy, sold to New England Theat. Oper. Co. ; Worcester— Capitol, sold to Olympia Oper. Co. by Worcester Olympic Co. Closings Brain tree — Braintree. MICHIGAN Changes in Ownership Caro — Strand, sold to John E. Handy by E. J. Chapman; Detroit — 'Bandbox, sold to John Cairns by Geo. D. McGonegal; Brooklyn, sold to Lillian Goldberg by John Cairns ; Crown, sold to O. H. Buntrock by Harry McCreedy; Priscilla, sold to Arthur Robinson by N. Gorback ; Grand Rapids — Galewood, sold to N. L. McCarty by O. M. Crothers ; Royal Oak — Baldwin, sold to A. R. Fleming by Citizens Theater Co. ; iSaranac — Gem, sold to La Verne Weaver by Harvey Collier ; Yale — Princess, sold to C. H. Schuckert by G. H. Cavanaugh. Closings Columbiaville — -Columbia ; Grand Haven — Robinhood ; Grayling — Opera House; Hermansville — Boris ; Luther — Gilbert ; Marcellus — State ; Prescott — Liberty. MISSOURI New Theaters Palmyra — Pal. Re-Openings Bland — Rodelia; Newark — Paramount. Changes in Ownership Bunceton — Princeton, sold to J. H. Grant by Brent Peters ; Kingston — Majestic, sold to R. K. Hartley by Merle Warden; Knox City — Princess, sold to J. W. Smith & Son by G. Wolter ; Lucerne — Community, sold to A. G. Reeves by Clate Cox; Memphis— Majestic, sold to Mrs. H. L. Bridgman by R. S. Dhority ; Milford— Idle Hour, sold to W. J. Ready by Boles Bros. ; Ravenna — Community, sold to Eliza Brooks by Clate Cox; St. Joseph — Revere and Rialto, sold to Amuse. Enter. Co. by Fred Greenburg; St. Louis — Gem, sold to R. C. Rogers by Wright & Brueggeman; Logwood, sold to Frank J. Miller by A. Raaba; ..Warsaw — Warsaw, sold to O. A. Dickson by S. H. Yoffie. Closings Eagleville— Community ; Jamesport — Jamesport ; Kansas City — Broadmour; Ozark — Clifhaven; Maplewood — Majestic, (.formerly Uptown); Pleasant Hill — Peoples; St. Joseph — Park & Liberty; St. Louis. — Cherokee, Kozy, New Pestalozzi and Whiteway ; Springfield — Ritz ; Tina — Globe; Urbana — Electric. MISSISSIPPI Closings Ecru— High School. MONTANA Changes in Ownership Glendive — Rose, sold to Jack Gavan by Winkes & Suckstoff. NEBRASKA Openings Anselmo — Community ; .Wig Springs' — Seaman ; Edgewood — Strand; Hooper — Amuzu; Lyman — Gem ; Thedford — Audit ; Zehling — Koehler. Changes in Ownership Boelus — Opera House, sold to Andy Jensen by A. J . Meyers ; Broadwater— Isis, sold to Elwood Singer by Wehn & Merritt; Bruning — Opera House, sold to H. F. Kelin by Gilbert West ; Culbertson — American, sold to Mrs. Ida Brook by H. W. Dettman; Dorchester — Colonial, sold to Frank T. Sobotka by N. L. Curtis; Grand Island — Island, sold to Jack Riggs by Ralph R. Moody ; Meadow Grove — Grand, sold to W. W. Lewis by D. E. Cottrell ; MitchellCrystal, sold to McDonald Bros, by C. G. Steen ; North Platte — Alhambra, sold to Lingeman & Connely by N. J. Hansen ; Waterloo — Community, sold to Woste & Todd by V. E. Chamberlain. Closings Beaver Crossing — Liberty ; Cotesfield — Opera House; Goehner — Club; Lyman — Ideal; Table Rock — Movie ; Western — Rex. Hollywood Granada Reopens West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — The Granada on Sunset near Gardner has reopened. W. E. For Drumright Okla. Drumright, Okla. — Western Electric sound apparatus has been installed at the Dunkin. Pacent Device for Lyons, N. Y. Lyons, N. Y. — Pacent Reproducer has been installed at the Clyde Playhouse, according to William Croucher, manager. "Lucky Boy" was the feature inaugurating sound. W E. At Stafford Springs Stafford Springs, Conn. — Western Electric equipment is to be installed at Wood's. Scott Closes Theater Youngstown, O. — The Market Street operated by George Scott is closed. No opening date is announced. Rebuilt Lachute House Open Lachute, Que. — The new Rex has been opened at Lachute by F. J. Vassio, owner. A brick theater has replaced the structure which burned last spring. Gatineau House Dark Gatineau, Que. — The Regent, operated by Joseph La flam me, is dark for the summer. For some time it had been operating only two days each week. Talking pictures in Ottawa have taken the crowds. All-Talker Program Hits Ottawa — That the public likes a change is indicated in the case of B. F. Keith's, where Manager J. M. Franklin has introduced the all-talker policy, vaudeville and house orchestra having been dropped. Prices are reduced ten cents. It now looks as if it will be a long time before vaudeville returns to the house. "Alias Jimmy Valentine" (M-G-M) Four days in advance of showing a "rhyme race" was started in the Waukegan Daily News — similar to the one run in the Chicago American — and along the lines suggested in the "Valentine" press book. Awards of theater tickets were offered to the best lines that were supplied to the verses which appeared in the paperBuddy Hooton, Genesee, Waukegan, 111. "Carnation Kid" (Paramount) A florist consumated a deal for 600 carnations at the wholesale price of five cents a piece. By giving the florist recognition on the back of a card that was tied to each carnation, the carnations only cost the theater two cents per. On each of the carnations was tied a card reading, "Compliments of The Carnation Kid — Hoping to see you at The Montgomery Thurs., Fri., or Sat." The other side read, "Say it with flowers, but say it with ours — Fred's Flower Shop." — E. E. Whitaker, Montgomery, Spartanburg, S C. "Last Warning" (Universal) Devised the gag of having fans write dialogue for a series of six scenes which are silent. Pictures or these scenes were published in the! Pittsburgh Press during the run of) the mystery, and prizes offered for; the best conversations. The dialogue and prize winners were run in the Press each day. — Stanley, Pittsburgh. "The Donovan Affair" (Columbia) Cards, the size of a business card carried copy, "You will find out Who Killed Jack Donovan at the Riviera week of April 20th." These cards were placed with cashiers in stores who gave them out, slipped them into pockets of coats in checkrooms — and were also placed on store counters throughout the city. — Wm. O'Hare, Riviera, St. Paul. "The Iron Mask" (United Artists) A man walking the streets, wearing an "iron mask," and another in the velvet jacket and tall boots of a musketeer of the period of Richelieu attracted much outside attention to the showing. The dressed-up pair led a parade of newsboys of The Commercial Appeal and Evening Appeal on a "treasure hunt" tour of the loop section, which ended at the Palace for a pre-showing of the film for their benefit. Each boy was given little tokens of reward by various merchants visited on the "hunt," and "Iron Mask" banners and placards were carried by every one of the lot throughout. — Palace, Memphis.