The Film Daily (1939)

I Monday, July 24, 1939 3i« DAILY FPC MEETING OPENS REVIEWS Of I1CIU flLfllS TODAY AT NIAGARA (Continued from Page 1 ) meet replaces the former Eastern managers' convention in Toronto, aprt regional conferences in the T^%, held in former years. New seSSon will he designated "Record Royal Year." This morning is to be given over to registrations and get-together meetings, with N. L. Nathanson, president; J. J. Fitzgibbons, vicepresident; C. Robson, T. J. Bragg, Ben Geldsaler, M. Stein, L. I. Bearg, R. S. Roddick, Frank H. Gow, E. A. Zorn and R. W. Bolstad scheduled to address an afternoon general gathering. Following the general meeting, the delegates will be divided into groups which will meet this evening and Tuesday and Wednesday. Conductors and topics at these group sessions include: Geldsaler, booking; Fitzgibbons, theater operation; James R. Nairn, advertising; E. Harris, maintenance; Bolstad, head office. Thursday's closing session will be another general meeting with addresses scheduled by Nathanson, Fitzgibbons, Bragg, Bolstad, Stein, Geldsaler, Bearg, Gow, R. S. Roddick and Zorn. Nathanson will distribute bonus cheques at this session. Convention will be terminated at a banquet Thursday night. "Beau Geste" with Gary CooDer, Ray Milland, Robert Preston (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Paramount 120 Mins "Juarez" Getting Record Play in Latin-America Latin-American market figures announced by Warners' home office indicate that "Juarez" has set a new company record for playing time since "Adventures of Robin Hood." More than 4,700 houses have thus far played the pix which still is in relatively early distribution stages. During comparative period, "Robin Hood" was shown by approximately 4,200 Latin-American outlets. "Old Maid" on Friday West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Reserved seat, dress world premiere of "The Old Maid," Pulitzer prize play, co-starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, will be held at Warners' Beverly Hills theater Friday night. "The Old Maid" will go into general release on Sept. 2 and will be the first picture on Warners' 1939-40 program. "Dr. I. Q." to Twin Cities? Chicago— The "Dr. I. Q." program will not be staged at the Chicago Theater tonight as scheduled. Plans are under way to shift the program to the Twin Cities. Weber Joins E-C Milwaukee — Richard L. Weber, Jr., has joined the Eisenberg-Champion Co., local advertising agency, as director of trade paper relations. SPLENDID PICTURIZATION OF NOVEL HIGHLIGHTED BY EXCITING BATTLE SCENES RATES AS B.O. HONEY. The stubborn defense made by a small | band of French Foreign Legionnaires in resisting four attacks by Arabs on a Sahara desert fort highlight the screen's version of Percival C. Wren's famous novel. Led by a crude, cunning sergeant Brian Donlevy, the Legionnaires stave off the various onslaughts, and although their losses are heavy, Markoff's ruse in propping up the dead soldiers and making the Arabs believe they I are active combatants saves the day for the : defendants of the fort. The battle scenes are among the most exciting ever screened I and reflects much credit on Director Wil! Ham A. Wellman, who also produced the picture. Two of the brave defendants are Beau Geste (Gary Cooper and his brother John (Ray Milland), the latter killing the ruthless Markoff when he attempts to steal the gem from the fallen Beau. It is the third brother, Digby (Robert Preston), who finally reaches the fort and gives Beau the viking funeral he had desired, by burning the fort whose defendants have all been slain. Under suspicion of having stolen a gem, valued at £30,000, from their aunt (Heather Thatcher1, the three brothers flee and join the Foreign Legion. It is not until the day he lies dying that Beau reveals he took the gem, but that it was of glass and the real one had been sold by his aunt for £30,000. Cooper, Milland and Preston do splendid work as the brothers, while Donlevy has never been better than as the brutal, ambitious sergeant. Susan Haywood is decorative and capable as the love interest opposite Milland. J. Carrol Naish, Albert Dekker and Harold Huber are among the principals who do splendid work, with Charles Barton contributing the lighter moments. Donald O'Connor, Billy Cook and Martin Spellman do pleasing work as the Geste brothers as children. David Holt and G. P. Huntley, Jr., are among the principals. Richard Carson supplied a gripping screenplay and excellent dialogue. CAST: Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, Susan Hsyward, J. Carrol Naish, Albert Dekker, Broderick Crawford, Charles Barton, James Stephenson, Heather Thatcher, G. P. Huntley, Jr., James Burke, Arthur Aylesworth, Harry Woods. Harold Huber, Stanley Andrews, Donald O'Connor, Billy Cook, Martin Spellman, David Holt, Ann Gillis, Harvey Stephens, Henry Branden, Barry Macollum, Ronnie Rondell. CREDITS: Producer, William A. Wellman; Director, William A. Wellman; Second Unit Director, Richard Talmadge; Author, Percival Christopher Wren; Screenplay, Richard Carson; Cameraman, Theodor Sparkuhl; Art Directors, Hans Dreier and Robert Odell; Editor, Thomas Scott; Musical Score by Alfred Newman. DIRECTION, Splendid. PHOTOGRAPHY, Tops. "Four Feathers" with Ralph Richardson, C. Aubrey Smith United Artists 115 Mins. SPECTACULAR BATTLE SCENES WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN MAKES THIS SUPER-THRILL ENTERTAINMENT. There has probably never been a production with more stirring and spectacular battle scenes than the two that highlight this picture. The story, however, is another matter, for it's in the typical British tradition of the gentlemen of the army of an earlier day, who sat around their baronial halls and talked of their military achievements from the days of Balaklava down to Khartoum. But take the battle stuff, and you've got something to shout about. Nothing like it has ever been done. It's terrific, superb, spectacular and sensational. And you can quote us on that. There are four young British officers in a regiment that 10 years after the fall of Khartoum and the death of General Gordon are about to go with their command to the Soudan to join Kitchener. One of them, John Clements, a sensitive lad and imaginative, revolts at bloodshed and the army life forced upon him by generations of fighting men. He resigns, and is branded a coward, even by the girl he is engaged to. As the regiment embarks, Clements receives a package with three white feathers attached to the cards of his fellow-officers. He plucks one himself from the girl's fan, knowing that she feels the same way. He realizes he has ruined his own life and brought disgrace to those close to him, and makes up his mind to atone. Disguised as a Seagali, a native tribe whose tongues have been removed by the Mahdi, the Dervish clvef opposing Kitchener, he makes his way by tortuous methods up the Nile. He reaches a detachment of troops commanded by Ralph Richardson, one of his officer-pals who had donated a white feather, to find them slaughtered by the Dervishes. Richardson has escaped death, but is totally blind from sun exposure. Clements floats down the Nile with his helpless companion and deposits him on the outskirts of the encampment of the regiment. Later he works his way into Omdurman, still in his native disguise, there to aid his other two officer friends who are prisoners of the Mahdi. Meanwhile, the Mahdi flings his entire forces fanatically against the British squares deployed on the desert plains, the white cLcl Dervishes coming on toward the cameras in wave after wave. And that's a thrill' spectacle for any exhibitor's screen. The battle scenes are superbly handled, also the incidental scenes around the prison, as the disguised Britisher frees the prisoners and his two friends, and they seize the arsenal and turn their fire on the Dervishes as they flee in defeat from Kitchener's victorious troops. Thus the once disgraced officer returns the four feathers to the donors with interest, and is received back home in England as a hero, and back to the arms of his loved one. Selling angles: stress spectacular fighting sequences as an action special; splendid Technicolor. CAST: Ralph Richardson, C. Aubrey Smith, John Clements, June Duprez, Jack Allen, Donald Gray, Robert Rendell, Archibald Batty, John Laurie, Derek Elphinstone, GFI SIX MONTHS' NET CLIMBS TO $356,117 Consolidated Film Industries, Inc. and subsidiaries report consolidated net earnings for the six months ended June 30, of $356,117, after deducting depreciation . and normal taxes but before provision for Federal surtax on undistributed profits, equivalent to 89 cents per share on the 400,000 shares of $2.00 preferred stock outstanding. This compares with net profit of $317,442, or 79 cents per share on the same number of preferred shares for the corresponding period in 1938. With respect to the company's investment in Republic, Herbert J. Yates, president, stated: "The management feels that marked progress will be made throughout the current season." Prentice Hall, Inc., to be New RKO Resident Agent (Continued from Page 1) approved and confirmed the RKO reorg. plan, it was learned on Friday that the principal office of the new RKO company is to be located at 317-325 South 'State St., Dover, Del. Prentice Hall, Inc., is to be RKO Corp.'s resident agent there. A meeting of the four remaining directors of the "old" RKO Corp. is slated for today to elect to that board the directors approved by Judge Bondy. Filing of certificate of incorporation of new company was pending on the week-end. Realignment of Executive at Museum of Modern Art Museum of Modern Art announces that Alfred H. Barr Jr., by action of the board of trustees executive committee, has been appointed an administrative vice-president of the institution in addition to his present post, and attending title, director of the Museum. It is also announced that John E. Abbott, director of the Museum's film library, has been made an administrative vice-president with the title of executive vice-president. Resignation of Thomas D. Mabry, Jr., as executive director, was accepted by the committee; the resignation of Mrs. Frances Collins, director of publications, disclosed; and the appointment of lone Ulrich as assistant treasurer and controller. Florence West is, under the realignment, named manager of the Museum. Frederick Culley, Hay Petrie, Henry Oscar. Clive Baxter, Allan Jeayes, Major John Knott. CREDITS: Producer, Alexander Korda; Director, Zoltan Korda: Author. A. E. W. Mason; Screenplay, R. C Sherriff, Oliver H. P. Garrett. DIRECTION, Very Good. PHOTOGRA PHY, Excellent.