The Film Daily (1936)

16 THE DAILY Monday, Apr. 6, 1936 « REVIEWS » "ABSOLUTE QUIET" with Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey, Raymond Walburn, Stuart Erwin, Ann Loring, Wallace Ford, J. Carrol Naish (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) M-G-M 65 mins. "GRAND HOTEL" THEME A LIVELY PROGRAM NUMBER THAT EXCEEDS LIMITATIONS WITH ABOVE PAR ACTING BY COMPARATIVE NEWCOMERS. Even though this show is a Metro program number, it is mighty good entertainmenl fo: those who want something lively. For a Grand Hotel-like affair which is loaded with talk, it is surprising what a great amount of action and suspense has been injected. Even though their characters are slightly exaggerated, it is the playing of Bernadene Hayes, a newcomer, and Wallace Ford that make the show as interesting as it is. This girl's breezy manner and style of delivery was just meant for the role and she dishes out the flip lines in grand style. Ford, as her husband and foil, also gives a standout performance. Lionel Atwill, Raymond Walburn, Stuart Erwin, Ann Loring, Louis Hayward and Robert Gleckler do splendid work. The story by George F. Worts and the screenplay by Harry Clork contain a lot of suspense, the dialogue is fast and George Seitz's direction keeps things moving rapidly. A couple of wise-cracking jail-birds, Bernadene Hayes and Wallace Ford, break away from the sheriff and land at Atwill's ranch. An airplane crashes there. Included in the group are the comic governor, a Hollywood juvenile and a reporter, and a would-be actress. Atwill takes fiendish delight in controlling the destinies of others and he convinces the actor that the jail-birds are the cause of the crash in which his facial beauty was marred. The actor proceeds to kill the two. Atwill also tries to ruin the governor. Everyone is w se to Atwill, and when, in an exciting moment, his heart fails him, the others go their way. Cast: Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey, Raymond Walburn, Stuart Erwin, Ann Loring, Louis Hayward, Wallace Ford, Bernadene Hayes, Robert Gleckler, Harvey Stephens, J. Carrel Naish, Matt Moore, Robert Livingston. Producer, John W. Considine, Jr.; Director, George B. Seitz; Author, George F. Worts; Screenplay, Harry Clerk; Cameraman, Lester White; Editor, Conrad A. Ner vig. Direction, Lively. Photography, Smooth. Margaret Sullavan in "THE MOON'S OUR HOME" with Henry Fonda, Charles Butterworth (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Paramount 80 mins. WIDE BOX-OFFICE APPEAL IN COMEDY ROMANCE WITH SPICY DIALOGUE AND ACE PERFORMANCES. This is a delightful, refreshing comedy that should please all types of audiences. Here Margaret Sullavan is a clever comedienne and Henry Fonda demonstrates that he is also adept at handling laughs. William A. Seiter, a veteran in directing comedy, overlooks no opportunity in getting a maximum of laughs. Boyce De Gaw and Isabel Dawn turned in a swell script, while the additional dialogue by Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell is excellent. Charles Butterworth furnishes a large quota of fun and Henrietta Crosman, Beulah Bondi, Margaret Hamilton and Spencer Charters are The Foreign Field ♦ ♦ News Flashes from All Parts of the Globe ♦ ♦ $24,000,000 from Theater Tax London — The British entertainment tax netted the government more than $24,000,000 for the eight months ending Feb. 29. Approximately 67 per cent of this amount came from picture theaters. For U. A. Release London — Arnold Pressburger's next British Cine Allianz production will be "The Life of Edmond Kean" which United Artists will release. Sylvia Sidney's English Film London— Alfred Hitchcock is preparing the story in which Gaumont British will star Sylvia Sidney who will report at the Shepherd's Bush studio sometime this month. French Navy Producing Films Paris — M. Francois Pietri, chief of the French Admiralty, has named a cinema commission to go into the matter of making films which will create interest in the French navy and stimulate recruiting. France has already produced four naval propaganda films this year. Austrian Film Notes Vienna — Hans Rameau, soon to go to Hollywood, has completed "A Night in Paris" and also the story for a musical comedy for Mondial. . . Ladislaus Fodor is another Viennese scenarist recently called to Hollywood where he will write four stories for M-G-M Franz Werf el, recently returned from America, is writing a scenario for Alexander Konda on the life of Verdi. . . .The Berlin producer, Franzos, has acquired Rudolf able principals. Margaret Sullavan, a temperamental movie star, rushes away from her socialite grandmother's home to escape the attentions of Butterworth, who wants to marry her. She goes to a New England village for winter sports, preceded by Fonda, an author-explorer, who is avoiding crowds. They fall in love, are married, but their wedding night is ruined when Margaret's perfume upsets Fonda. She rushes to New York, where her grandmother insists she marry Butterworth, but Fonda follows and hubby and wife are re-united. Joseph Valentine's photography deserves praise. The picture is a credit to Walter Wanger, its producer. Cast: Margaret Sullavan, Henry Fonda, Charles Butterworth, Beulah Bondi, Margaret Hamilton,. Henrietta Crosman, Dorothy Stickney, Lucien Littlefield, Walter Brennan, Brandon Hurst, Spencer Charters, John G Spacey, Margaret Fielding. Producer, Walter Wanger; Director, William A. Seiter; Author, Faith Baldwin; Screenplay, Isabel Dawn, Boyce De Gaw; Additional Dialogue, Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell; Cameraman, Joseph Valentine. Direction, Tops Photography, Fine Hans Bartsch's story, "Hannah and Her Three Lovers", which he will film in Vienna with Erich Engels directing. .. .The old English morality play, "Everyman", is to be filmed here by a group of business men headed by the German banker, Ernst Hymann. Ernst Loenner, young Viennes stage director, will direct it. .. .Cine-Delta has been reorganized under the name of Danube Film Co., and the big industrialist, Gionio Luzatto, taken in as partner by Ernst Neubach. "Shadows of the Past" will be the first production under the new firm name. Louise Ullrich will be the star....Erna Sack, coloratura singer, has been engaged by Dr. Wilhelm Szekely to make her picture debut for Gloria. « DATE BOOK» Report Clasa-H oily wood Tieup Mexico City — It is reported here that a major American producingdistributing firm is negotiating a deal with Clasa to become a unit producer for it in Mexico, to make 12 Spanish dialogue pictures a year, six Class A and six Class B. Three of the Class A would be made also in English with Hollywood director and players. G.C.F. Capital 6% Million London — Registered as a private company which will acquire not less than 90 per cent of the issued share capital of General Film Distributors, G. C. F. Corporation, Ltd., recently announced a nominal capital approximating $6,125,000. English Accessory Co-op Likely London — Cooperative purchasing of accessories by exhibitors of London and Home Counties area seemed likely following a meeting of nearly 40 operators at the Trocadero recently. Mechanics were set for further exhibitor recruits, on the premise that substantial savings on supplies from carbons to furnishings could be realized if the proposed organization had at least 100 subscribers. May Produce in Scotland Edinburgh — At a recent meeting of officials of the Church of Scotland here, a committee was appointed to consider the possibility and desirability of forming a Scottish Churches Film Guild for the production of motion pictures for the interest of church members and in the service of the church. Scenarios would be written by the clergy. Moreno for Mexican Film Mexico City — Antonio Moreno, now in Spain, will arrive here in May to play the lead in Producciones Duquesa Olga's "El Crimen de Don Antonio" ("The Crime of Don Antonio"). Today: Annual convention of M. P. T. O. of Ark., Miss., and Tenn. at Hotel Chisca, Memphis. April 8: Dramatists' Guild general meeting, Hotel Shelton, New York. April 18: Annual party of Detroit Film Bowling League, Fort Shelby Hotel, Detroit. : April 18-19: National Variety Club Banquet, Columbus, 0. April 20-21 : Annual convention of Northwest Allied, Minneapolis. April 25: Detroit Variety Club annual party, Detroit. April 27-30: S. M. P. E. spring convention, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. May 16-June 7: International Cinema Exposition, Dusseldorf. June 3-5: Allied national convention, Hollenden Hotel, Cleveland. June 5-8: Independent Supply Dealers Ass'n annual convention, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. July 1: Special meeting of Neb., la. and Dak. M. P. T. O., Omaha. Milwaukee Notes Milwaukee— Joe Hickey has resigned as manager of the Ogden, East Side Milwaukee house, to become manager of the Times, West Side theater. The Cameo is slated to reopen April 11 in Kenosha with "Modern Times" booked for a full week. The house has been thoroughly renovated during its one-month dark period and reopens under the direction of William Exton, who is supervisor of the Kenosha and Gateway theaters in Kenosha for the Standard Theaters Co. Rock River Theater Co. has filed articles of incorporation in Milwaukee with A. D. Kvool, E. P. Vollendorf and C. J. Brewester as signers of the articles. All are associated with the Saxe Amusement Management, Inc. The Heywood Amusement Co. has purchased the present site of the Star in Stanley and will raze the house to erect a new 500-seat theater. Construction work on the new house is slated to start soon. Detroit Notes Myron Van Buren has been made manager of the Majestic, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Butterfield Circuit houses. Mr. Van Buren was transferred from the Butterfield Majestic Theater at Grand Rapids, Michigan, of which he was manager. Jimmie Scott, formerly salesman for RKO in Detroit, has joined Univei'sal staff on the coast. The Sho-All trailers of Lloyd Hammond are being sold through Wisconsin, Ohio and Kentucky. The front of the Cooley Theater, belonging to Nat Kaufman, is being entirely remodeled.