The Film Daily (1935)

DAILY Saturday, Dec. 14, 1935 « REVIEWS » "THE GREAT IMPERSONATION" with Edmund Lowe, Valerie Hobson, Wera Engels Universal 67 mins. INEFFECTIVE PRODUCTION OF IMPOSSIBLE MELODRAMA THAT WILL GIVE LIMITED SATISFACTION. This is an inadequate and unworkmanlike pcture. The plot is from one of E. Phillips Oppenheim's outdated international spy yarns written years ago. In trying to modernize it, they only suceeded in emphasizing the creakiness of the outworn material. Edmund Lowe strives heroically with the impossible dual characterization handed him and the wonder is that he can make it seem even very remotely plausible. The plot is a highly complicated affair about international munitions trafficking, and so on through the business of an insane wife, a ghostly crazy voice yelling at night outside the manor hall, and a meller plot of blowing up all the ammunition dumps in England which the hero frustrates. The director had a tough job that his best efforts couldn't disguise of its crudities. Cast: Edmund Lowe, Valerie Hcbson, Wera Engels, Lumsden Hare, Spring Byington, Henry Mcllison, Frank Reicher, Brandon Hurst, Leonard Mudie, Claude King, Charles Waldron, Murray Kinnell, Esther Dale, Dwight Frye. Producer, Edmund Grainger; Director, Alan Crosland; Author, E. Phillips Oppenheim; Screenplay, Frank Wead, Eve Green; Cameramen, Milton Krasner, John P. Fulton. Direction, Licked by Material. Photography, Okay. "SWEET SURRENDER" with Tamara and Frank Parker Universal 80 mins. WEAK MUSICAL HANDICAPPED ALL THE WAY FROM UNCONVINCING STORY TO POOR CASTING. With an implausible story, a cast of little marquee value, and further marred by the assigning of acting roles to performers whose specialty is something else, this production rates below par as entertainment. Use of the S. S. Normandie and Jack Dempsey's restaurant as locations also smack too much of free advertising. There is a good deal of flash musical comedy background, but it means little in the face of the general tediousness of the story and the way it is enacted. Tamara plays the role of a dancer who is going abroad in disguise. A crook, Arthur Pierson, whose moll resembles the dancer, arranges to have his girl adopt the dancer's identity, with resultant complications and Tamara getting into trouble, from which she is extricated for a wedding bells finale with Parker. Cast: Tamara, Frank Parker, Helen Lynd, Russ Brown, Arthur Pierson, Jack Dempsey, Abe Lyman and Orchestra. Producer, William Rowland; Director, Monte Brice; Author, Herbert Fields; Screenplay, Charles Beahan, John V. A. Weaver, Edward C. Lilley; Music-lyrics, Arthur Swanstrom, James Hanley, Neville Fleeson, Mabel Wayne; Cameraman, William Miller. Direction, Misses Photography, Fair. A LITTLE from "LOTS" By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD VTICTOR McLAGLEN has been assigned by Darryl F. Zanuck to a lead role in the forthcoming 20th Century-Fox production "Under Two Flags." Ronald Colman is starred. Nigel Bruce also has been added to the cast. ▼ T T Jack Haley's contract with 20th Century-Fox has been renewed. t r T M-G-M has purchased "Absolute Quiet," a new story by George F. Worts, author of "The Phantom President." ▼ T T James Hilton, author of "Lost Horizon" and "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," has arrived at the M-G-M studios. His first screen assignment, although not definite, may be a treatment of "Camille" for Greta Garbo. ▼ ▼ T Ginger Rogers, RKO star, has just been made an admiral of the Texas navy by Governor James A. Allred of the Lone Star State, and an ornate commission to this effect will be formally presented to the little film star under official auspices. ▼ TV Completing the filming of five actresses who, on the first appearance before the cameras attained stardom and set an all-time record for salary, Director Henry King and his 20th Century-Fox unit yesterday left Callander, Ont., home of the Dionne Quintuplets, to return to Hollywood. Jean Hersholt, as Dr. Dafoe, and Dorothy Peterson, as the nurse, are among members of the unit. ▼ T T "Men On Her Mind" is the new title of Bette Davis's latest picture, which has just gone into production at First National's West Coast studios with Warren William as leading man. It was formerly known as "The Man With the Black Hat." William Dieterle is directing. ▼ V ¥ Rollo Lloyd has been engaged by Columbia for "Hell-Ship Morgan," with George Bancroft and Ann Sothern in the leads and Victor Jory featured. ▼ ▼ T The Hal Roach studios announce that 20-months old Patsy Doris May has been given a five-year contract, and thus becomes the youngest member of the studio personnel. She will join the "Our Gang" troupe immediately. Nebraska Notes Lincoln — Potentates of the local theater scene arrived from all sides here this week. T. B. Noble, Jr.. general manager of the Westland theater, dropped in for a day from Denver, in company with Lem Stuart, former ad chief for Publix, now with Lord & Thomas. Joe Phillipson, auditor for J. H. Cooper, came in from New York, and Louis J. Finske, Cooper's division manager from Denver, came from other direction. Midwest Vaudeville Exchange changed hands this week, going to Hazel Johnson, who has a dance studio here. Formerly owned by Jimmy Wiley, who goes to Washington, D. C, the first of the year. Barbara Livingston, wife of the Capitol manager here, leaves for the coast Dec. 26. She'll join the Frank Zehrungs. Pacific Northwest Notes Seattle — Foreign film series of the university district of Seattle is again changing to the Egyptian theater, where originally shown, being switched from the Neptune. A Movie Star Ball is to be staged Jan. 10 at the Trianon of Seattle by the Independent Order of Foresters. "Mutiny" has gone into a fourth week at the United Artists theater of Portland. Tenth Week for "Maternelle" "La Maternelle" goes into a tenth week at the 55th St. Playhouse on Monday. Pittsburgh Briefs Pittsburgh — The Warner, first-run house, switches to a double bill policy on Thursday. Charles (King) Cupples, assistant manager at Warners' Schenley theater, was killed in an auto accident in Homestead last week. Oscar Boyce usher, was severely injured. A record crowd is expected to honor Art Levy, chief barker of the Variety Club and Columbia exchange head, at his testimonial dinner in the Roosevelt Hotel on Monday. A number of guests are expected from New York and Cleveland. Al Hilger is pinch-hitting for Sam Stern in the Warner office during Sam's two-week rest in a hospital. Mrs. Florence Fisher Parry, "Press" movie columnist, left town on her annual vacation. Al Barnett and Lottie Swartz have set their wedding date for next Sunday. Glanced on Film Row: John Lengyel, Peter Antonoplos, Ed Elder, Gabe Rubin, Ike Silverman, Hal Lund, Jack Trott, Harry Handel and Bob Higgins. San Antonio Notes San Antonio — Jose Bohr, playerproducer, is in town en route to Hollywood. While here he will make personal appearances. Mary Louise Walliser, critic of the "Evening News," will return about Dec. 24 from her eastern trip. Capt. G. F. Neuhauser presented "Das Alte Lied" at the Hermann Sons Hall on Sunday. « DATE BOOK » Dec. 19: A.M. PA. Third Annual Christmas Luncheon for the benefit of the Film Daily Relief Fund, Hotel Astor, New York. Dec. 20: Paramount Pep Club dance, Hotel Astor, New York. Jan. 11: Independent Theater Owners' Ass'n annual ball, Hotel Astor, New York. Jan. 12: Philadelphia Variety Club's first annual dinner and installation, Hotel BellevueStratford, Philadelphia. Jan. 12-13: Annual convention of M. P. T. O. of North and South Carolina (place to be set). Jan. 26: Testimonial dinner in honor of Harry Hershfield, sponsored by the Broadway Cheese Club. Hotel Astor, New York April 27-30: i M. P. E. spring convention cdgewater Beach Hotel. Chicago. Detroit Doings Detroit — Chet Bell, for several years at the Paramount exchange here, has been shifted to manage the Salt Lake City branch. Russell J. Sederstrom has joined the sales and service staff of RCA Photophone. Henry L. Koppin, father of Henry S. and George F. Koppin, circuit operators, died this week. Morris Anderson has been appointed manager of the new Rio theater by the Cohen Circuit. Anderson comes from the Mayfair, now jointly managed by Philip Katzen and Harry Ackley on an all-night policy. J. O. Brooks, chief booker for Butterfield theaters, is back from a trip around the circuit. National Picture Service has taken over the Clymatograph Motion Picture Service headed by W. Emerson Clyma. Charles W. Snyder, formerly with the Pantages theater in San Diego, Cal., has begun his duties as film censor to assist Sergeant Joseph Kollar. J. S. Jossey of Cleveland and Louis Weiss of New York were in town this week. Burton London, operator of the Beacon, has installed a large clubroom on the second floor for the free use of theater parties guaranteeing at least 50 tickets. Variety Club, now headed by Maurice J. Caplan, is holding a keno party at the Book-Cadillac Hotel tonight, together with a preview at the Fine Arts theater, for the benefit of the theatrical welfare fund. H. M. Richey and Ray E. Moon are the new Variety vice-presidents, with Jack Saxe as treasurer and Max Smitt as secretary. Frank A. Wetsman, Mannie Gottlieb, Harold Robinson, Barney Kilbride, Alex Schreiber and Carl Buermele are the directors. Max Allen, owner of the Lincoln Park theater, is remodeling the house and increasing capacity to 1,000 from 600. Opening of the Rialto, Three Rivers, is tentatively set by Associated Theaters for Dec. 20. Mack Krim was hurt in a polo game. Ernest A. Geyer, publicity specialist, is in town.