The Film Daily (1932)

DAILY Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1932™ ll ALLIED-M.P.T.OI GROUP MEETING IN WASHINGTON (Continued from Page 1) expected to hold a second conference with Kent. Attendance at the Washington conference is expected to include: President M. A. Lightman of the M. P. T. 0. A.. President Al Steffes of Allied, Abram F. Myers and Sidney Samuelson. RCA Victor Demonstrates 'High Fidelity' Recording {Continued from Page 1) Principal features of the system, as explained by Photophone engineers, are: a greatly increased range of tonal reproduction, an increased dynamic range with the ability to reproduce sound shadings from the merest whisper to the full ensemble effects of the symphony orchestra, and virtual elimination of extraneous "ground" noises. Pictures used in the demonstration included "Dixiana," representing early day sound; "Bill of Divorcement." for prssent-day standards: a Van Beuren cartoon, with "High Fidelity" sound, and a sound recording alone ■ >f Ravel's "Bolero" played by Warings Penn-ylvanians. There was also a recorded talk by Leopold Stokowski praising the new system and predicting that the ultimate method of recording will be on film, because of its superior advantages. Best example of the "High Fidelity" was provided by the "Bolero" number, in which tones of the various instruments were except'onally clear and recognizable. More naturalness was noted in the recordings, with spoken dialogue losing its metallic sound, while background noises and hissing sounds during extremely soft passages seemed entirely absent. Film recorded with the new system can be used in all types of projectors without any adjustments or changes, according to RCA officials, and can be counted upon to improve reproduction on even the oldest types of enuipm»-nt. The hitrh fidelity is not an adantatinn of former equipments, but a wholly new desicn based on experience, the ofnc:aIs stated Cost of the recording equip ment is less than the old nnnaratus. and the use of a new ribbon "mike" will permit directors to inject more action in pictures, it POMSH FILM BOOKED "Ten Condemned." one of the first Polish talkers shown in this country, has been booked for the Leader. Baltimore, and the Plavhouse, Wilmineton, Del. At the Voerue, Philadelphia, the picture is beintr held over for a week. Siemund Sulin is handling all exploitation on the picture. WV HARDING'S NEXT \Vn'. Cnart Bureau of THE FILM DAI1 Y Hollvwood — Ann Harding's n for RKO will be "The White Moth," adapted by Zoe Akin*. Dorothy Arzner will dirert. with Pandro Berman as associate producer. CHARLES A. SMITH DEAD Chillicothe, O. Charles A. Smith, 58, who last managed the Sherman here, died recently. Set 10 Weeks for "Goona" First Division's release. "Goona-Goona," which is going into Its eighth week at the RKO Cameo. Is aiming to hold over for 10 weeks at least. "RACKETY RAX" with Victor McLaglen, Greta Nissen, Allan Dinehart Fox 70 mins. AMUSING GANGSTER COMEDY WITH FOOTBALL BACKGROUND. GOOD COMZDY GAGS. Pineapple-tossing gangsters go in for football in this entertaining comedy. Its gags are laugh-provoking and the players who stage them are all first class. Picture suffers from a too-thin story. Love interest is very much in the background. McLaglen plays an underworld king who eventually muscles into the football racket by buying Carnarsie College. His team of mobsters gang their way to a succession of victories. Finally his opposition, too, takes over a university without McLaglen knowing about it and challenges Carnarsie to a game, with big side bets. It ends in a free-for-all scrap, with gats and submachine guns in action, and the coppers finally interfering. Cast: Victor McLaglen, Greta Nissen, Nell O'Day, Arthur Pierson, Allan Dinehart, Vincent Barnett, Esther Howard, Ivan Linow, Stanley Fields, Warn Bohd, Eric Mayne, Joe Brown and John Keyes. Director, Alfred Werker; Author, Joel Sayre; Adaptors, Ben Markson and Lou Ireslow; Recording Engineer, Frank Mac: Kenzie; Cameraman, L. W. O'Connell. Direction, Good. Photography, Fine "MANHATTAN TOWER" Remington 67 mins. MODERN DRAMA OF SKYSCRAPER SCORES WITH FAST TEMPO, PUNCH SITUATIONS AND FINE HUMAN INTEREST. This first production of Remington Pictures scores effectively in practically all departments, and qualifies easily for showing in the first-string theaters. Frank Strayer's direction is admirable throughout, with a fast tempo that builds emotionally and dramatically to a neat climax. The drama and human touches are nicely balanced and blended in a very natural and believable story of everyday folks working in an office building. Opens up with some spectacular shots of skyscrapers, bringing the story down inside various offices in the Empire State building, with a mass of authentic shots of this building inside and out. Two distinct love themes parallel each other, one between the bosses and one between the hired help. The theme is that of of a stock market crash, with the scoundrelly head of a commercial concern involving a half dozen people in near-ruin of one sort or another, with a surprise scene eliminating him sensationally. Looks like a pix that carries wide pop appeal. Cast: Mary Brian, Irene Rich, James Hall, Hale Hamilton, Noel Francis, Nydia Westman, Clay Clement, Billy Dooley, Jed Prouty, Wade Boteler. Director, Frank Strayer; Author, David Hempstead, Jr.; Adaptor Norman Houston; Dialoguer, same; Cameraman, Ira Morgan; Editor, Harry Reynolds. Direction, Expert. Photography, Very Good. "KEINE FEIER OHNE MEYER" ("No Party Without Meyer") (In German) Chas. Unger 83 mins. AMUSING BROAD COMEDY WITH SOME AGREEABLE MUSICAL NUMBERS INTERSPERSED PROVES GENERALLY ENJOYABLE. Dealing mainly with the ups and downs of a marriage broker, this Gustav Althoff production hands out quite a number of pood laughs, and with its appropriate musical augmentation it manages to hold to a nice level of entertainment. Along with the matrimonial agent there is a pal of his who is stuck on an alderman's daughter, rlso desired by the agent. But his ardent feelings are not reciprocated, so there is the familiar comedy routine of the lovesick swain and his vain attentions. Siegfried Arno, who plays this role, is a capital comedian. The same goes for Ralph Arthur Roberts, the alderman, and there is a pleasing performance by Dina Gralla in the role of the girl. The scenic background contains several exceptionally interesting outdoor shots, and the handling of the production in general is satisfactory enough from the standpoint of German audiences. Cast: Siegfried Arno, Dina Gralla, Ralph Arthur Roberts, Kurt Vespermann, Adele Sandrock, Lucie Englisch, Maly Delschaft. Director, Carl Boese; Authors, Fritz Falkenstein and Curt Braun; Cameramen, W. Hameister and M. Gottschalk; Musical Director, A. Guttmann. Direction. Good Photography, Fine "WENN DIE SOLDATEN" ("When the Soldiers...") (In German) George Schneider 85 mins. GAY COMEDY WITH MUSIC IN AUSTRIAN MILITARY BACKGROUND PROVIDES GOOD SHARE OF LIVELY ENTERTAINMENT. Produced by Hegewald-Film of Berlin, this military comedy augmented with musical numbers should prove quite enjoyable to German audiences. It is somewhat livelier than the majority of Teutonic importations, its music is pleasing, the military background is colorful, and there is an able cast headed by Gretl Theimer of "Three Hearts in Waltz Time." Action takes place in a garrison town, where the usual military romances get under way. In one instance a certain lieutenant with a reputation as philanderer falls in love with the general's daughter, who knows him only as a civilian doctor attending the girl's aunt. For comedy contrast, a couple of the soldiers are in a race for the hand of an attractive chambermaid. After the usual complications and suspense, the happy fadeouts are accomplished. Otto Wallburg, playing the general, is another of the able German actors who have become popularly known here. Cast: Gretl Theimer, Charlotte Ander, Ida Wuest, Hermann Thiemig, Paul Heidemann, Ernst Verebes, Oskar Marion, Otto Wallburg, Jack Mylong-Muentz. Directors, J. and L. Fleck; Author, Karl Farkas; Adaptor, same; Music by, Will Meisel; Cameraman, Eduard Hoesch; Recording Engineer, Carl Kroschke. Direction. Good Photography, Good ENCOURAGEMENT NEEDED SAYS W. RAY JOHNSTON ! [ (.Continued from Page 1) tures, on his return from a curtailed vacation in Mexico. "I've noted a penchant lately on the parti*' of certain executives for breaking into print: ? with censorious views of the way the businessis being run and the kind of product being turned out," says Johnston. "This is no time for such tirades, no matter how honest the man's motives may be. Besides the bad effect on morale within the industry, they provide ammunition for the professional ma ligners on the outside. "For one thing, the charges that the industry's sag in business is due to its shortsighted executives, poor product, etc., are not quite true. Any intelligent person knows that our industry has been affected the past two years by a condition which has similarly affected the businesses of all the world. As a matter of real truth, our industry has been the object of envy and admiration to the leaders of other industries, for the manner in which we have met the economic assault. "As for the charges of poor product, inertia and lack of imagination on the part of fhe industry's executives, I hold that these allegations show the squawkers to be infinitely more short-sighted than the victims of their attacks. One has but to observe the character of recent product — films made from novels by our most advanced thinkers ; films made from plays aimed for the most enlightened audiences ; originals being written by Pulitzer Prize winners — to know that the industry is experimental-minded, courageous, and trying hard to keep pace with the growing development of public intelligence. If 'Strange Interlude,' 'A Farewell to Arms,' 'Cynara' and 'If I Had a Million' are not perfect cases in point, then I don't know what are. I have every faith in the Zukors, Kents, Schencks. Warners, Mayers and other able men who are piloting this industry to good times again." Griffith Reading Yarns But Won't Resume Soon (Continued from Page 1) I have not come across a suitable story and. until I do, I shall not merely rush to Hollywood for the sake of making a film. There is too much of that and too much production of 'just pictures.' Every picture is made for the box-office, as they call it. How often does a company make a really fine picture for the sake of giving the public something heautiful with poetry of scenes, action, dialogue and story? 'It's not box-office,' they say. So I say that those fine artistic triumphs are 'box-office.' Possibly they will not be great money makers, but they will bring the better class of people back to the theaters and that is a present day necessity. Not every company can afford to do that. Independents, of course, can not. Let the major producers make one or two fine, outstanding artistic productions without both eyes focused on the box-office and the industry will sureiv regain much that it has lost." TWIN PREMIERE FOR "KID" Twin opening of Eddie Cantor in "The Kid from Spain," Samuel Goldwyn picture, are planned for Nov. 17, when the United Artists' production will have its premiere at both Warners' Western in Los Angeles and the Palace, New York. Matters in connection with roadshowing of the picture are being arranged by J. J. McCarthy, who has arrived in New York from the coast. New "Troika" Version A re-cut and re-edited version of "Troika," foreign silent picture with music and sound effects, ts playing the Acme Theater this week. It Is being distributed by The Film Exchange. The new version runs 74 minutes.