The Film Daily (1942)

^ Monday, August 10, 1942 Jenny fo Make 12 >ix for United Artists (Continued from Page 1) •iroducer of all productions, according to Arthur S. Lyons who repreents Benny in the deal. ^f^Jvyons is negotiating with George ^Kaufman and Moss Hart to write Iran original screenplay for Benny's irst picture under the new agreenent. Ernst Lubitsch is being L nought as its director. Each picture | vill be budgeted for approximately 1 .£1,000,000. Initial production will I :;tart in January and plans call for [ ninimum of two a year with Benny li starring in one of these. I President Edward Raftery of UA ''isaid UA is negotiating two more II mportant deals. Still another production arrangement is in the mak , ;ng, engineered by Lyons who is about . to conclude negotiations for picturi• zation of "Porgy and Bess" which ' will be made in Technicolor, a United Artists release. Petrillo Asks Dismissal Of Suit; Blames Arnold Chicago — James C. Petrillo, AFM prexy, on Friday filed a motion to dismiss the Government's anti-trust suit for an injunction against his ban on recordings. Petrillo issued a statement in which he said Thurman W. Arnold, Assistant Attorney General, was using the D of J's suit "to test out some of his pet theories which have recently been repudiated by the United States Supreme Court." Glider Film for 20th-Fox )yVest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — A picture dealing with the Army's training of glider pilots to be called "Condors of the Air," will be produced by 20th-Fox. The Army will co-operate in the making of the film. The studio has sent Charles Belden, who will write the scenario, on a tour of the glider training schools to gather material. Sumner on Tax Group Boston — Stanley Sumner of the University Theater, Cambridge, has been elected chairman of the UMPI tax committee in Massachusetts. The other members of the committee are Charles E. Kurtzman, Loew Theater manager in Boston, and A. M. Kane, Paramount branch manager. Femme Aide for Jerauld Pittsfield, Mass. — Mrs. Frederick Fullgrab, who as Eleanor Reynolds served as cashier at the Capitol Theater several years ago, has been appointed assistant manager by Manager James M. Jerauld. She's the first 'femme managerial aide there. reviews of new turns "The Cyclone Kid" with Don "Red" Barry, Lynn Merrick Republic 57 Mins. TYPICAL WESTERN SHOULD SCORE WITH REGULAR FANS. Richard Murphy has written an original screenplay full of action for this average little western, which boasts some nice photography by Bud Thackery and good direction by George Sherman. Don Barry is working for a perfidious cattle owner who finds the ranchers' practice of making their homes on Governmentowned property distasteful, since he has always considered this land his own. His brother (John James) shows up in town and hampers his activities extensively. Having sent his brother through medical school on the dough he managed to collect through his crooked dealings, Barry is ashamed to have him discover his vocation. There is plenty of underhanded action and young James joins the cause of the ranchers. The sheer treachery of Alex Callam, boss of the gang, exceeds the usual lawlessness and goes so far as to poison wells and make children violently ill. He tries to persuade Barry to run his brother, the young doctor, out of town, but Barry reforms and even becomes a hero. Suffice it to say that everything turns out beautifully and Barry is made a sheriff before the pic comes to a halt. Nice performances are turned in by Barry, Lynn Merrick, James and the rest of the cast. CAST: Don "Red" Barry, John James, Lynn Merrick, Alex Callam, Joel Friedkin, Lloyd "Slim" Andrews, Rex Lease, Joe McGuinn, Monte Montague, Frank La Rue. CREDITS: Associate Producer, George Sherman; Director, George Sherman; Original Screenplay, Richard Murphy; Cameraman, Bud Thackery; Art Director, Russell Kimball; Musical Director, Cy Feuer; Film Editor, Edward Schroeder. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. New Attempt to Mediate Warner-SPG Controversy The United States Conciliation Service made a new attempt to mediate the contract dispute between Warner Bros, and the Screen Publicists Guild of New York, Local 114, UOPWA, at a conference at the Park Central Hotel on Friday. The conference was reported a failure. Another attempt at conciliation will be made today. Two members of the Conciliation Service participated in Fridav's conference. Thev were Harry Winning and Samuel M. Spencer. Warner Bros, was represented bv Sam Schneider and Harold S. Bareford. The members of the union's negotiating committee appeared for the SPG. The company was understood to have rejected nroposals calling for retroactive and severance pay and to have insisted on a straight twoyear pact not subject to reopening at the end of one year. "Highways By Night" with Richard Carlson, Jane Randolph RKO 63 Mins. ROUTINE MELODRAMA HAS ENOUGH ACTION TO GET IT BY ON DOUBLEFEATURE BILLS. The story of the hothouse lad of wealth who sets out to prove that he can make his way in the world on his own has been revived in "Highways by Night," a fairly entertaining melodrama crowded with action and excitement which finds time for a laugh or a smile here and there. Richard Carlson plays the rich lad who comes out of his cotton to find out about life at first-hand when he can no longer support the taunts of his uncle (Ray Collins). The lad learns more about life than he bargained for. In no time at all he finds himself mixed up in a melodramatic situation that draws out all the manhood in him. Gangsters headed by Barton MacLane are trying to wreck a rival outfit being run by Jane Randolph, her brother (Gordon Jones) and her grandma (Jane Darwell). Carlson accepts a job with Miss Randolph's company hoping to learn who is at the bottom of the villainy. After risking his hide he unmasks the villains and returns to uncle as a full-fledged man. Carlson employs breathing spells in the melodramatic action to carry on a romance with Miss Randolph, to whom he becomes engaged in the end after breaking off his betrothal to a society snob (Renee Haal). Carlson performs nicely, as do Miss Randolph, Miss Darwell. MacLane, Collins and Jones among the principals and Miss Haal, Jack La Rue, George Cleveland and Paul Fix among the lesser players. Peter Godfrey directed well from a screenplay by Lvnn Root and Frank Fenton based on the Clarence Budington Kelland story "Silver Spoon." Herman Schlom produced the film. CAST: Richard Carlson, Jane Randoloh. Jane Darwell, Barton MacLane, Ray Collins, Gordon Jones, Renee Haal, George Cleveland, Marten Lamont. Jack La Rue, John Maguire, James Seay, Cliff Clark, Paul Fix. CREDITS: Producer, Herman Schlom; Director, Peter Godfrey; Screenplay, Lynn Root, Frank Fenton; Based on story by Clarence Budington Kelland; Musical Director, C. Bakaleinikoff; Cameraman, Robert de Grasse; Art Directors. Albert S. D'Agostino, Carroll Clark; Film Editor, Harry Marker. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. Completing Negotiations With Exchange Workers Chicago — Sam Lamasky, Film Exchange Employes Union President, reported Friday that negotiations were beine comttleted with M-G-M and Republic exchange employes. The CIO also is making an effort to organize film employes here. rack Susami Turns Exhib. Detroit — Jack Susami, salesman with Universal here for 21 years, has resigned to take over the Rupert Theater, east side house, from Al RuDert, who is retiring and will move West. KAO 26-Week Profit Rises to $507,571 (Continued from Page 1) last year, an increase of $294,131. Provision for Federal income taxes is based on a 45 per cent rate for 1942 as compared with a 30 per cent rate for 1941. Profit before provision for depreciation and income taxes was $1,300,100, compared with $635,402 last year. Conn. Exhibitors Hold Bond Rally Tomorrow New Haven — Urged to co-operate and sacrifice in spite of many demands on their time, Connecticut exhibitors have been invited to a special War Bond and Stamp rally at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Hotel Taft for the purpose of planning the Nutmeg State's part in the billion dollar industry campaign in September. Connecticut MPTO and Allied Theater Owners of Connecticut separately urged their memberships to attend the meeting, exchange ideas, and formulate effective plans and policies. In addition to I. J. Hoffman, Warner theater department zone head, and Harry F. Shaw, Loew-Poli division manager, cochairman for theater activity in this connection in the state, John Hurley, William Falsey and Philip Hughes of the U. S. Treasury Department will address the exhibitors. Committee chairmen for the state are announced as follows; Norwalk, O. Hamilton; Bridgeport, Matt Saunders; Hartford, Henry Needles, Fred Greenway and Theodore Harris; New Britain, Joseph Borenstein; Waterbury, Julia Smith and Edward Fitzpatrick; Torrington, John ScanIon; Danbury, E. J. Harvey; New Haven, Lou Schaefer, Robert Russell, John Hesse; New London and Norwich, Joseph Boyle, John Miklos, Jack Murphy; Meriden, Joseph Samartano, Leo Ricci, William Scanlon; Stamford, Sam Weiss, and William Brown. As a result of the two weeks' daily noon Victory House programs on the New Haven Green, with Harry Shaw as chairman of entertainment, $2,535,917.50 was raised, which sum was credited to the New Haven theaters, at $32.50 per seat for the 15 leading theaters. Lobby collections will swell the fund considerably, but have not yet been computed for July. Dipson Quits Board Rochester — Nikitas D. Dipson, chairman of the draft board in nearby Batavia, has submitted his resignation to Governor Lehman as the result of a disagreement over the induction of a Batavia youth. John Pickett Recovers John Pickett, 70, veteran Warner manager at the Capitol, Willimantic, Conn., is back at the theater two months after a major operation.