The Film Daily (1936)

THE Monday, Jan. 6, 1936 DAILY « DATE BOOK « Today: Hearing on Equity proceedings in suit against Warners, Paramount and RKO, Federal Court, St. Louis. Jan. 7: Allied Theaters of New Jersey regular meeting, Hotel Lincoln, New York, 2 P. M., preceded by board meeting at 11 A. M. 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: Lambs' New Year Gambol, Lambs Club, New York. Jan. 14: Annual convention of M. P. T. 0. of Virginia, Hotel John Marshall, Richmond. Jan. 15. Mid-winter meteing of General Exexecutive Board of I.A.T.S.E., Fleetwood Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla. Jan. 26: Testimonial dinner in honor of Harry Hershfield, sponsored by the Broadway Cheese Club, Hotel Astor, New York. Jan. 26-27: Annual convention of M. P. T. 0. of North and South Carolina, Pinehurst, N. C. Feb. 3: Allied States Ass'n eastern directors' meeting, Baltimore. Feb. 4-6: Allied States Ass'n board of directors' annual meeting, and meeting of the Produce Committee, Washington, D. C. April 20-21 : Annual convention of Northwest Allied, Minneapolis. April 27-30: S. M. P. E. spring convention, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. ST. LOUIS DEFENDANTS MAYASKCONTINUANCE (Continued from Page 1) ernment are required to be present this morning when court opens. New additions to the list including Y. Frank Freeman, head of Famous theaters; Neil F. Agnew and Carl E. Milliken of the Hays organization, The defendants will call their witnesses as they are needed. George J. Schaefer, who recently resigned from Paramount as vice-president, will be among them. New Orleans Notes New Orleans — Midnight shows in commercial area houses did well this New Year's Eve with tendency of the city toward less expensive entertainment giving the film houses with their 41-cent admissions a break. Unverified reports to the effect that First Division would withdraw its exchange from this city and distribute through an independent exchange here are persisting. William Miller (Snake) Richardson, formerly district manager for First Division, has resigned. His contract expired and he refused a cut. Richardson was here for the Sugar Bowl game. It's Celebrity Productions Celebrity Productions, Inc., and not Celebrity Pictures will make seven color cartoons for Revelation Films, Ltd., English business film producing and distributing organization. • • • THE MOTION picture editors of the nation's newspapers are growing more excited and enthusiastic as the Big Day approaches the announcement of The Film Daily Official Industry Ten Best Poll they enjoy a kick that is denied to us who are not closely contacting the reaction among their readers who are voting in the local Ten Best Polls the following letter from Harry Remington, motion picture editor of the Minneapolis "Tribune" gives you one of many enthusiastic comments we are receiving from newspaper editors in all parts of the Nation T T T • • • "WE WENT ahead with the Ten Best Poll among the 'Tribune's' readers," writes Mister Remington "And what a contest! It was, as Durante would say, the greatest this side of oblivion We had 10,000, which breaks all records for our contests We offered prizes to the best men and the best women pickers And apparently whole families sat down to judge the Ten Best We received envelopes with five and six ballots in them The response was immensely satisfactory And we can thank Film Daily for the smart idea Thanks for your co-operation" T T T • • • THINK OF it. 10,000 enthusiastic picture fans in the Minneapolis territory all steamed up on the Ten Best Idea all fighting for a chance to win some free passes to local theaters and that ties the theater man right into the Ten Best Idea and gives the local theaters scads of publicity money cannot buy it's one of the greatest exploitation stunts ever pulled and costs the theater practically nothing and best of all, what should please you lazy theater muggs NO WORK the newspaper m. p. editor does all the work and dumps the gravy right in your laps now you showmen in other spots where the local editor isn't ballyhooing this circulation and good-will builder for his paper have a Grand Opportunity for next year show him what 40 and more live motion picture editors have done in big and little spots from coast to coast to put their papers out in front of the competition with this Natural with your co-operation on season passes as the prizes you can both go to town in a Big Way and will the local picture fans enjoy it! The Film Daily Ten Best Idea is Goaling the Nation's Fans we have stacks of newspaper clippings and correspondence to back up that statement it has become a National Institution (and you home office publicity lads, get busy and steam up your theater department to grab this B. O. Builder for next year) T T ▼ • • • AND LOOK what the Ten Best Idea is doing right in the classrooms the English Dep't teacher at the William Nottingham High School in the Syracuse territory ran a Ten Best poll of the pupils suggested by Chester Bahn's Upstate New York Poll in the Syracuse "Herald" (the darn thiqg is spreading right into the classrooms and becoming a part of the curricula!) participants were asked to list the 10 pictures they had enjoyed most ballots were unsigned, so that "desire of pleasing the teacher" was not a factor T T T • • • AND HERE is the result of the ballot, arranged alphabetically and not in order of vote preponderance "Call «f the Wild" "Cardinal Richelieu" "David Copperfield" "Les Miserables" "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" "Mutiny on the Bounty" "Naughty Marietta" "Roberta" "Scarlet Pimpernel" "Sequoia" advising M. P. Editor Chet Bahn of the result, Vice-principal Harold J. Coon observes: "This is a significant commentary on what our youth actually prefer and might be studied with profit by some producers. In addition, it should be a source of considerable comfort to parents." Profes sor Coon said something! note that the list is entirely free from Sensational and Sexy Pix here is the smashing answer to those alarmists who say that the Motion Picture is demoralizing the coming generation €€ REVIEWS ■■ 9 » "THE LEAVENWORTH CASE" with Donald Cook, Jean Rouverol, Norman Foster, Erin O'Brien-Moore, Maude Eburne, Warren Hymer (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) RePublic 65 mins. ENTERTAINING MURDER MYSTERY WITH GOOD CAST AND EMPHASIS ON THE COMEDY ANGLE. This mystery yarn should make satisfactory program entertainment. Its best point is the comedy work of Warren Hymer and Maude Eburne. Although there are a number of suspects, the murderer is identified to the audience at the start. The point is to have the detective discover the killer. However, the person who unravels the mystery is not the detective but the comic hard-of-hearing old maid aunt played by Maude Eburne. A monkey is used by Donold Cook in turning on gas jets. The old man, who is having trouble with his family concerning the disposition of his wealth, dies from gas. While doing the same kind of job on the niece, the monkey lingers too long on the job and is discovered. Through a fake suicide, Miss Eburne, the detective Norman Foster, and his helper, Warren Hymer, get Cook to confess to the crime. Cook gives a smooth performance as the villain, Hymer and Maude Eburne handle the comedy very well, and the rest of the cast do nice work. Albert DeMond and Sidney Sutherland's screenplay from Anna Katherine Green's novel has some catchy dialogue and Lewis Collins' direction keeps things moving, and there is enough suspense to hold one interested. Ken Goldsmith supervised this production, which shows up well. Cast: Donald Cook, Jean Rouverol, Norman Foster, Erin O'Brien-Moore, Maude Eburne, Warren Hymer, Frank Sheridan, Gavin Gordon, Clay Clement, Ian Wolfe, Peggy Stratford, Archie Robbins, Bess Stafford, Lucille Ward, Belle Mitchell, Marie Rice, Carl Stockdale, Dagmar Oakland. Director, Lewis D Collins; Author, Anna Katherine Green; Screenplay, Albert DeMond, Sidney Sutherland; Cameramen, Ernest Miller, Jack Marta; Editor, Dan Milner. Direction, Good. Photography, A-l. FOREIGN "REIFENDE JUGEND" ("Adolescence"), in German; produced and directed by Carl Froehlich; with Hertha Thiele, Albert Lieven, et al. At the 86th St. Casino Theater. Drama on the order of "Maedchen in Uniform," dealing with youthful psychology in a boarding school, is well acted and directed, making good entertainment for those who understand German. "UNGKARLSPAPPAN" ("The Bachelor Father"), in Swedish; produced by A. B. Svensk Filmindustri; directed by Gustaf Molander; with Olof Winnerstrand, Brigit Tangroth, et al. At the Fifth Ave. Playhouse. Pleasing combination of human interest and comedy, with good cast, capable direction and interesting scenes compensating for the unoriginal story.