The Film Daily (1940)

Thursday, January 11, 1940 THI DAILY ,v V REVIEWS OF THE IIEUI FILmIS :< :< "Scandal Sheet" with Otto Kruger, Ona Munson, Edward Norris Columbia 67 Mins. P*_JRAMMER DEALING WITH A SCA^JAL-MONGERING PUBLISHER OKAY FOR NABE TRADE. Probably "Scandal Sheet" will be okay as a second feature for the nabe trade. The cast is able enough and the action fast, but the story is trite and there is nothing novel to dress up the time-worn angles used as a basis. Otto Kruger, publisher of a scandal-mongering tabloid, Ona Munson, former lover and columnist on his paper, and Edward Norris, as a young reporter who does not know that they are his parents, are okay in the principal roles. Remainder of the cast is adequate and Nick Grinde does as good a job of direction as he could with the material. Norris graduates from a school of journalism and Kruger gives him a job on his paper. Norris makes good and gets a better job on a paper which he considers respectable. Attacked by the city administration, Kruger hires Edward Marr, a detective, to "get" something on the leader of the reform group. Marr doesn't get what he is looking for, but unearths Norris' true identity. Kruger murders him when he tries to extract a large sum of money and goes to the chair rather than ruin his son's life by telling the truth, despite the fact that Norris discovered the information which convicted him. CAST: Otto Kruger, Ona Munson, Edward Norris, Edward Marr, John Dilson, Don Beddoe, Eddie Laughton, Linda Winters, Nedda Harrigan, S. Jackson, Frank M. Thomas. CREDITS: Produced by Columbia; Director, Nick Grinde; Original Screenplay, Joseph Carole; Cameraman, Benjamin Kline; Editor, William Lyon. DIRECTION, Adequate. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Record Advance Seat Sale Opens for RKO's "Lincoln" Washington Bureau, of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Ticket sale for the world premiere of RKO Radio's "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" at the local RKO Keith Theater on Jan. 22, and for the four initial weeks of the picture's run, commenced here yesterday, breaking a precedent for film houses in this city. Proceeds of the premiere performance, which will be attended by a galaxy of notables headed by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, will be donated to the Children Hospital Fund of the Newspaper Women's Guild of Washington. Sanders Opposes Ellis Annual election of officers by the Motion Picture Associates will be held Tuesday at a luncheon at the Astor. Every post on the slate, with the exception of the financial secretary's job, is being contested. Jack Ellis, president, is being opposed for re-election by Morris Sanders. "Cafe Hostess" with Preston Foster, Ann Dvorak, Douglas Fowley Columbia 63 Mins. RACKET EXPOSE HAS GOOD ACTION, AN ABLE CAST AND FREE-FOR-ALL FIGHT AS THRILLING CLIMAX. Delving into the racket files for material, "Cafe Hostess" tells the story of clip joints. Picture has plenty of action, a free-for-all fight as a climax that is a wow, and an able cast. Picture should serve neatly as a program offering for the nabe trade. Preston Foster, Ann Dvorak, Wynne Gibson, Douglas Fowley and Peggy Shannon have the principal roles. Sidney Salkow directed from a script by Harold Shumate. Tay Garnett and Howard Higgin wrote the story. Ann, hostess in a clipjoint run by Fowley, rolls Foster when he gets off his ship after a long cruise and is out for a little entertainment. However, Foster returns again despite the fact that he knows she is Fowley's girl. They fall in love and she agreees to marry him, but is afraid Fowley will murder Foster. Wynne Gibson tips off Foster about the plot Fowley is hatching, and Foster rounds up some of his shipmates before he returns. They clean out the place in workmanlike fashion and when the police get there Fowley is found stabbed to death. Miss Gibson admits to the murder and also lets slip the information she is Ann's mother. CAST: Preston Foster, Wynne Gibson, Ann Dvorak, Peggy Shannon, Douglas Fowley, Arthur Loft, Bruce Bennett, Eddie Acuff, Bradley Page, Linda Winters, Beatrice Blinn, Dick Wessel. CREDITS: Produced by Columbia; Director, Sidney Salkow; Screenplay, Harold Shumate; Original Story, Tay Garnett and Howard Higgin; Cameraman, Benjamin Kline; Editor, Al Clark. DIRECTION, Good. Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Advitagraph Corp. Prexy Here for Dealer Confabs J. Kenfield Morley, president of the Advitagraph Corp., of Louisville, manufacturers of Frolite projectors and producer-distributor of promotional films, is in New York for a series of dealer conferences. Following a week's stay here, he leaves with Mrs. Morley for a month's vacation in Florida. Notopolous Buys Grand Altoona, Pa. — Anastasius N. Notopolous, head of Altoona Publix Theaters, Inc., has purchased the Grand Theater, Huntingdon, for $55,000 from the P. O. S. of A. Hall Association. Murphy on Powell Pix West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Ralph Murphy will direct "I Want a Divorce," first Dick Powell-Joan Blondell co-starrer for Para. "Thou Shalt Not Kill" with Charles Bickford, Owen Davis Jr., Doris Day Republic 67 Mins. PROGRAMMER IS SINCERELY CHARACTERIZED, BUT STORY IS SLOW MOVING. Drawing upon honor among clergymen of different faiths and the reactions of inhabitants of a small town to a tragedy, this new Republic film has been sincerely characterized by the players, but the story is slow moving. However, the cast works hard and there are a number of redeeming features which will make the pix acceptable as neighborhood fare. Charles Bickford, as a Protestant clergyman, Owen Davis Jr., Doris Day, Paul Guilfoyle and Sheila Bromley do well by their roles. Davis returns to the town of Freeedom to get a cold recception, and he turns to Sheila Bromley, a bar maid, for companionship. He meets Doris Day, daughter of one of the best families, but her family oppose their friendship. He gets in the good graces of the family, but is ordered to sever all ties with Sheila. He tells Sheila what has transpired and leaves, but she is found murdered the next morning. Davis is found guilty. Guilfoyle, the murderer, confesses to Bickford when a priest can't be found, but he recovers from his accident. However, Guilfoyle, after failing to kill Bickford and thereby destroy all evidence against himself, makes a complete confession when he dies in his own trap. CAST: Charles Bickford, Owen Davis, Jr., Doris Day, Paul Guilfoyle, Granville Bates, Charles Waldron, Sheila Bromley, George Chandler, Charles Middleton, Emmett Vogan, Leona Roberts, Ethel May Halls, Edmund Elton, Elsie Prescott. CREDITS: Associate Producer, Robert North; Director, John H. Auer; Screenplay, Robert Presnell; Original Story, George C. Brown; Cameraman, Jack Marta; Editor, Ernest Nims. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Ralph McGowan to Take F & M Post In St. Louis Worcester, Mass. — Ralph McGowan, manager of the Plymouth Theater here, has been appointed supervisor of Fanchon & Marco Theaters in St. Louis. He will be replaced by R. Lawson Daniels, manager of the Olympia Theater. William J. Ryan returns to take over the management of the Olympia. To, Examine Harold Lloyd Federal Judge Murray Hulbert yesterday ordered Harold Lloyd to appear for examination in Los Angeles on Jan. 15 in reference to the suit of William Jordan Rapp and Lowell Brentano against Lloyd and the Harold Lloyd Corp. Plaintiffs claim plagiarism of the play "Greek to You" by the picture "Professor Beware" and asks $75,000 damages. "Macushla' with Pamela Wood, Liam Gaffney, Max Adrian Transatlantic Films 58 Mins. STORY OF GUN-RUNNINGI ACROSS THE ULSTER BORDER IS PARTICULARLY TIMELY. Released at the same time a terrific drive is being staged in Ireland to stop the smuggling of munitions across the Ulster border, this English-made film is extremely timely and should attract attention. The film has plenty of action and develops good suspense before an exciting climax. Pamela Wood, Liam Gaffney and Max Adrian are capable in the principal roles and the remainder of the cast is adequate. The settings are authentic and director Alex Bryce has given the film a good pace. Only fault lies in a stumbling beginning that overemphasizes characterizations of the people involved in the story. In a village on the Ulster border we meet the Muldoon family. Pamela Wood, the daughter, is being sparked by one of the border guards. The apple cart is upset, however, when her brother, Max Adrian, is recognized as a rebel. He is caught by the guards, but manages to escape after saving the life of Pamela's guard, Gaffney. CAST: Pamela Wood, Liam Gaffney, Max Adrian, Jimmy Mageean, Kitty Kirwan. CREDITS: Produced by 20th-Fox in England; Director, Alex Bryce. Presented at the Belmont Theater. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Canadian War Loan Short to Play in 700 Theaters Montreal — "Call to a Nation," short explaining, with striking effect, the need for Canada's new national war loan, will make its appearance in over 700 theaters across the dominion this week-end. Produced by the National Film Board, the short is packed with action in revealing, upto-the-minute shots of 'Canada's war effort on many lines. Moe Grassgreens Feted Albany — Moe Grassgreen, 20th Century-Fox branch manager, and his wife were feted this week on the occasion of their 15th anniversary. Present from Film Row were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Miller, Columbia; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Engel, Universal; Mi-, and Mrs. Bernie Kranze, RKO; Mr. and Mrs. Lou Golding, Fabian district manager; Mr. and Mrs. Ben Dare, 20th Century-Fox; Neil Hellman, indie exhib. and Mrs. Hellman; Mr. and Mrs. Gene Vogel, Metro. To Attend Ampa Luncheon Betty Grable and Ezra Stone are additions to the guest list for today's Ampa luncheon at Stouffer's. John Chapman of the Daily News will speak.