The Film Daily (1935)

-■!■ THE '%2H DAILY Tuesday, Feb. 12, 193 NEWS of the DAY Rochester — Abe Harris, M-G-M representative, has been shifted to Buffalo, with Ralph Maw of Buffalo coming here. Florence, Ala.— Louis Rosenbaum of the Muscle Shoals Theaters, Inc., was recently elected an associate director of the Chamber of Commerce. Lincoln, Neb. — Sunday shows get an added boost here from now on with a Lancaster county board decision which bans Sunday night dancing. Kansas City — "The County Chairman" is being held for still another week at the Uptown. Guaydan, La. — Frank DeGrauww, who operates theaters in Abbeville and Kaplan, will open a house here shortly. Seating capacity estimated at 350. Czechoslovakian Exhibs Establish Own Exchange Prague — At a meeting of 300 theater owners organized in the Social Democratic Party recently it was decided to establish a film exchange together with an independent association. The move is expected to work unfavorably on the position of the Ass'n of Motion Picture Owners, which has only about 150 members. Jasons, Burton and Rauh Making M-G-M Shorts West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Leigh Jason, Will Jason, Val Burton and Stanley Rauh are set to make a series of two-reel musicals in Technicolor for M-G-M. Leigh Jason will direct and collaborate with Rauh on the stories, while Will Jason and Burton will do the music and lyrics. Mascot Equips Plant West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — A deal has been closed by Albert E. Levoy, general manager of the Mascot Studios, with Peter Mole of Mole-Richardson to completely equip the North Hollywood plant with newest type electrical apparatus. Preview for "Town's Talking" A trade preview of Columbia's "The Whole Town's Talking" will be held Thursday at the Astor Theater, with about 1,000 exhibitors attending. The picture will have a prerelease showing at the Radio City Music Hall. Second Week for "Pimpernel" The Music Hall is holding "The Scarlet Pimpernel" for a second week beginning Thursday. » REVIEWS of NEW FEATURES « Janet Gaynor and Warner Baxter in "ONE MORE SPRING" Fox 87 mins. CHARMING AND ENTERTAINING COMEDY DRAMA OF THE DEPRESSION IN MANHATTAN. IT'S GOT BOX-OF FICE APPEAL. Robert Nathan's best-seller affords Winfield Sheehan material for a comedy drama thoroughly charming and entertaining. It has both moments of whimsy and pathos, all effectively done. The three principal parts are carried by Janet Gaynor, Warner Baxter and Walter King, as the trio of derelicts, and their performances are splendid. Through the courtesy of a member of the city's street cleaning department, they establish themselves in a barn in Central Park. Baxter is a bankrupt antique dealer, Gaynor a hopeful actress, and King a concert violinist. Apart from the vicissitudes of poverty, which are humorously dealt with, they persuade a fleeing banker, whose institution has crashed, to return and face the music. And Baxter develops matrimonial intentions via Gaynor. Henry King's direction doesn't miss an opportunity to score. Cast: Janet Gaynor, Warner Baxter, Walter King, Jane Darwell, Roger Imhof, Grant Mitchell, Rosemary Ames, John Qualen, Nick Foran, Astrid Allwyn, Lee Kohlmar', Jayne Regan and Stepin Fetchit Director, Henry King; Author, Robert Nathan; Screenplay, Edwin Burke; Cameraman, John Seitz; Musical Director, Arthur Lange. Direction, Fine. Photography, Grade A "ThYmYSTERY MAN" with Robert Armstrong, Maxine Doyle Monogram 65 mins. CRIME PLOT WITH NEWSPAPER ATMOSPHERE CARRIES PLENTY THRILLS SUSPENSE AND ACTION. If you know anything about newspaper operation, and how the average reporter works, the treatment of both in this opus may strike you as far-fetched and very exaggerated, and you'll be right. But the fact still remains that the producers have delivered a fast-moving yarn with plenty of original twists, surprises and suspensebuilding material. The original story is above the average in furnishing fresh material away from the routine formula forming out crime thrillers. Robert Arm strong has the role of a reporter fired from a Chicago paper, who lands in St. Louis broke. He meets a pretty girl, Maxine Doyle, also busted, and the two form : sort of friendly partnership. Armstrong Sets a line on a dangerous criminal the police are after, walks into his holdup of a night club, and with the help of thgirl, eventually gets his man, a scoop, a job, the girl, and practically everything but the presidential nomination. But they should cut down on those drunken reporter sequences that spoil the opening. Cast: Robert Armstrong, Maxine Doyle Henry Kolker, Leroy Mason, James Burke Guy Usher, Jimmie Burtis, Monte Collins, Sam Lufkin, Otto Fries, Norman Houston Dell Henderson. Director, Ray McCarey; Author, Tate Finn; Screenplay, John Krafft, Rollo Lloyd; Editor, Carl Pierson; Cameraman, Harry Neumann. Direction, Very Gccd Photography, Okay. "ROBERTA" with Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Helen Westley (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) RKO Radio 85 mins. SMASH MUSICAL WITH STRONG CAST, STORY, MELODIES AND STYLE FLASH COMBINING TO PUT IT OVER WITH A BANG. Fred Astaire dances, Ginger Rogers anc' Astaire dance, Astaire sings, Miss Rogers sings, Irene Dunne sings, beautiful gowns that draw nothing but ah's and oh's, in fac! some creations that drew applause, Astaire dances, Rogers and Astaire dance, and you have the wow you want — "Roberta." Ad some beautiful music, especially "Smokr Gets In Your Eyes" sung by Irene Dunne some clever comedy, and, oh yes, the stor — well, you don't need much, but there i enough to furnish a pleasing backgroun for the singing, dancing, clothes and com edy. The rest of the cast was well chosen especially Randolph Scott as the unwilling heir to the gown shop, and Helen Westle; as his aunt who leaves it to him. William Seiter's direction carried the story along at an even keel, the comedy situations b? ing outstanding. Bernard Newman dr signed the gowns and, from the female sighs, they must be it. Coming shortly after "The Gay Divorcee," "Roberta" ha: some mark to hit. The pictures are very different but neither can be oversold. "Roberta's"' cast, dancing, music, and clothes gives you plenty to work with. Cast: Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Helen Westley, Claire Dodd, Victor Varconi, Luis Alberni Ferdinand Munier, Tcrben Meyer, Adrian Rcsley, Bodil Rosing. Director, William Seiter; Screenplay, Jane Murfin, Sam Mintz, Allan Scott; Music and Lyrics, Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach; Additional Lyrics, Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh; Additional Dialogue, Glenn Tryon; Dances, Fred Astaire; Cameraman, Edward Cronjager; Recording Engineer, John Tribby; Editor, William Hamilton. Direction, Smooth. Photography, Best. FOREIGN "SCHLOSS HUBERTUS," in German; produced by Ufa; directed by Hans Deppe; with Hansi Knoteck. Hans Schlenck, et al. At the 79th St. Theater. Fairly entertaining romance of a painter and a young countess filmed in picturesque setting of Bavarian Alps. "UNE ETOILE DISPARAIT" ("A Star Disappears"), in French; produced by Paramount; directed by Robert Villers; with Constant Remy, Suzy Vernon, Marcel Vallee, Sandra Ravel, et al. At the Fifth Avenue Playhouse. Produced at Paramount's Joinville studio, this is a good murder mystery surrounding the death of a film star. Acting is fine, and there is comedy by the customary dumb detective. "GRETL ZIEHT DAS GROSSE LOS" ("Gretl Wins First Prize"), in German; produced by Gustav Althoff; directed by Carl Boese; with Lucie Englisch, Hans Brauseweteer, et al. At the 86th St. Casino Theater. Enjoyable comedy about an office girl and her orchestra-leader sweetheart, with Shorts Revie1 Andy Clyde in "I'm a Father" Columbia 20 min Amusing Good domestic hokum. Though h appears to hate kids, Andy Clyd goes into ecstacies when he discovei a hope chest full of baby clothes i his house. So he starts in bein' ultra-nice to the wife, who suspeel he's gone bugs. Later, informe that _ has wife has rushed to tr hospital, Andy hurries there an goes through the excitement of a expectant father, only to find in tl end that his Mrs. had been helpin out a neighbor in connection with blessed event. The comedy has bee well constructed and should partii ularly delight the family trade. "Vacation Daze" with Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnellj Vitaphone 18 min Swell Comedy With two expert comedy di pensers from the feature rani heading the cast, this two-reeler well above average. Allen Jenkins a mailman. On his day off, wif Ruth Donnelly forces him to tal her and their boy on a picnic. Fir: comes the usual trouble with tl car, then with a motorcycle cop, ar finally at the picnic spot and su] posedly unknown fishing hole whe: Allen and the kid, after walkir miles, find the place jammed wit nutty fishermen. A good script ai loads of excellent gags keep the a tion pepped up all the time. Oug to click anywhere. "Richard Himber and His Orchestr; (Melody Masters Series) Vitaphone 10 mill Excellent Staged with considerable elegan in an elaborate setting, this bai number has novelty, class and ge eral entertainment. Besides the semble work of the musicians, the is a nicely conceived violin special by Himber, with the effect of a da cer doing her tripping on his viol? as he plays; some vocalizing by Jor Nash and a hot rhumba dance by I ballroom pair. a mixup over a winning lottery ticl! providing the basis for a good deal of fi. "SENORA CASADA NECESITA MAI DO" ("A Married Woman Needs a Hi band"), in Spanish; produced by Fox Hollywood; directed by James Tinlii with Catalina Barcena, Antonio More Barbara Leonard, Jose Crespo, Romua Tirado. At the Teatro Campoamor. ^ Excellent performances by Catalia i cena and other members of stronV'give chief merit to story about a marr couple who have gone stale on each ot and seek to revive mutual interest by voking jealousy.