The Film Daily (1929)

Warners Add 11 Houses of Gottesman Circuit ;fe NEWSPAPER *y FILM DOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME OL. XLIX No. 40 Friday, August 16, 1929 Price 5 Cents "Fast Life" THROUGHOUT its length, I "Fast Life" is marked by a P" strength in treatment, a Ifamatic intensity and a sincerity | performance that stamp thislat|t First National production with stinction. Starting out on a tempo of jazz, lade exceedingly natural and true b life by intelligent direction, the rama veers sharply toward one ragedy, almost embraces another nd carries on to its conclusion on well-sustained level of suspense, t sounds like a picture of merit nd it is. Two Forces Combine Here is an instance of how direcion and performances may combine o secure extremely effective results, rwo youngsters, part and parcel of i fast-moving young set, marry iecretly. A drunken friend finds bem together and turn insulting. In he brawl that follows, which you lear but don't see, the boy is killed tnd the young husband held. He is :onvicted of murder and sentenced :o die, only to escape the electric :hair by a last-minute confession rrom a totally unsuspected source. \n old stunt of the melodrama, as iou will recognize, but handled by fohn Francis Dillon so competently :hat it appears entirely plausible and believable. Loretta Young is the wife. She is splendid and most emphatically a star of tomorrow. Doug Fairbanks, Jr., does nice work when called upon for it, which isn't often. Chester Morris, who did such fine trouping in "Alibi," is third lead in a role to which he imparts a dramatic power that practically makes the picture his. Audience Fodder "While you know Fairbanks will never go to the chair, the development is so good that there is built up in the spectator's mind a suspense and a curiosity over exactly how he is to get his freedom. That is always good theater and always good motion picture. It is fodder for audiences and we believe they will go for it — all the way. K A N N CONTRACT AND ARBITRATION CHANGES SOUGHT BY ALLIED 17 COEIESffl THIERS ACQUIRED 81 WARNERS New London, Conn. — In addition to the six Connecticut houses of the chain, Warners will take over 11 other Alfred Gottesman theaters, it is stated here. Deal for acquisition of the six Connecticut houses was reported exclusively by THE FILM DAILY several days ago. The Gottesman theaters are Garde, here; the Commodore Hall, Derby, Conn.; Cameo, Bridgeport; Roger Sherman, New Haven; Majestic, Hartford; Peekman, Peekskill, N. {Continued on Page 8) WARNERS BUY HARMS AND 6 OTHER MUSIC FIRMS Although it had been persistently denied, after report that the deal had been set had been published in THE FILM DAILY, Warners has acquired Harms, Inc., and six affiliated musical publishing and distributing organizations. The firm, which owned the Harms and others, is Music Publishers Holding Corp. Warners exchanged 140,364 shares for all the stock of the music firm, totaling at market value, $8,421,840. Capitol Stage Shows to be Routed to Loew Houses Stage shows of the Capitol, New York, are to be circuited to four other Loew theaters in the metropolitan area. The shows now are being offered at the Valencia, Jamaica, and upon opening of the Kings, Aug. (Continued on Page 8) Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Charles Jawitz of N. Y. Funeral services were held in New York yesterday for Charles N. Jawitz, president of Jawitz Pictures (Continued on Page 8) MACK SENNETT'S FIRST talking feature Comedy — Advt. 202 Wired Toronto — There are 202 wired theaters in Canada, states Col. John A. Cooper, president of the M. P. Distributors and Exhibitors of Canada. Of these, 84 are in Ontario, 41 in Quebec, 36 in the Winnipeg division, 12 in Alberta, ten in British Columbia and 19 in the Maritime provinces. It is estimated that about 35 per cent of Canada's seating capacity is represented in wired houses. PATHE VICE PRESIDENCY Colvin W. Brown has resigned as executive vice president and a director of Pathe, it became known yesterday, when his resignation became effective. He has been with the company since it reorganization, when Joseph P. Kennedy assumed charge as special advisor. In his capacity as vice president, Brown did much to carry the company through the difficulties from which it emerged after the reorganization. Executive management of the company now is in the hands of E. B. Derr. Another Chain Held in Bid for "Pan" Houses Memphis — If Radio-Keith-Orpheum does not exercise its option on the Pantages here, another circuit will take over the house, which has been (Continued on Page 8) Griffith toMake Talker Based on Lincoln's Life Abraham Lincoln will be the central figure of D. W. Griffith's first talker. It soon will be placed in production for release through United Artists. A silent film version of the life of Lincoln was produced some years ago by Al and Ray Rockett and released by First National. An hour of Uproarious laughter and fun, "MIDNIGHT DADDIES"— Advt. Parleys, with Association Recognized, Are Aims Cited by Cole Dallas — Texas exhibitors banded together with other units of Allied, are asking "for nothing except that the organization to which we belong and the men we have chosen to head that organization be recognized in negotiations to stabilize the industry," Col. H. A. Cole, president of the Texas unit, states in a statement on the arbitration deadlock. This is seen as an outline of Allied's position in the arbitration tangle. "The association," says Cole, "is in favor of a fair arbitration system, but is opposed to arbitration based on an unfair contract and confined strictly to an enforcement of that contract through illegal means." "And as independent theater own(Continued on Page 8) STEFFES COlil COAST ON ALLIED STATES MISSION Minneapolis — W. A. Steffes plans a trip to the West Coast in connection with organization work of Allied States Ass'n, which ha concluded five year franchise with Tiffany-Stahl and RKO, and is understood dickering a co-operative buying deal on RCA-Photophone equipment. Steffes, prior to leaving Chicago, made known that he will keep on fighting until all companies' records are sold the same as any music score records. N. Y. Stage Producers Mark Time on Talkers The group of New York stage producers, which has been considering a combination with talking film producers, has postponed action on offers made and has "decided to wait until we can direct our own productions on the talking screen," Arch Selwyn states in an article in the current issue of "The Quill," published by (Continued on Page 8) BIG entertainment for the public; BIG profits for you — Advt.