Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1936 - Dec 1937)

%dep*ndettt IXHIBITOBS FILM BULLETIN AS I SEE THEM REVIEWS OF NEW FILMS By ROLAND BARTON BOXOFFICE RATING:— • Means POOR; • • Means AVERAGE; • • • Means GOOD; • • • • Means EXCELLENT Plus ( + ) and Minus ( — ) will be used occasionally to indicate slightly above or below the point rating. At best this "point" system can eive you only an arbitrary estimate of a picture's drawing power, so we urge you to read the entire reviews. Some pictures are particularly suitable for certain types of audiences and this must be covered in the detailed criticism. DODSWORTH Holly a ood Pic lieu BOXOFFICE RATING ADULT DRAMA . . . Splendid interpretation of the stage success . . . Strictly adult entertainment . . . ( ast and production flawless . . . Rates • • • generally; more in class houses. Goldwyn-United Artists 90 Minutes Walter Huston Paul Lukas . . David Niven . Odette Myrtil . . Ruth Chatterton . Mary Astor . . . Gregory Gaye . . . . Spring Byington Directed by William Wyler A fine production that has been produced in adult manner for adult audiences. In transition from the stage version by Sidney Howard (he also did the him play), "Dodsworth" has not suffered, but, on the contrary, the episodic, scene changing treatment necessary on the stage has given way to an evenly paced, smooth flowing movie. It is more effective dramatically than was the stage version and a superb cast lends an authenticity to all the main characters that makes them seem very real people. It will realize its best returns from class houses, but rates well above average as an attraction for every location. Houston, as Dodsworth, the mid-western automobile manufacturer, whose social climbing, neurotic wife almost rums him, delivers the same honest, clean-cut performance that won him plaudits on the stage. His changes of mood, bewilderment, hurt, attempted understanding and righteous answer at his wife's actions are superbly portrayed. Ruth Chatterton is excellent as the frantic wife, who fears old age, whose desire for adventure .\n<^\ romance has her hapless husband trailing her to foreign countries. Her pathological dread of losing her youth and beauty, her recourse to philandering and the growing disregard and eventual loathing with which she views the unfortunate Dodsworth are all deftly characterized by Miss Chatterton. She fully creates a feeling of futile sympathy for the unhappy woman as she sinks lower and lower in her own and her husband's regard. Mary Astor is sweetly sympathetic as the beautiful, poised widow m whom Dodsworth finds re lict and understanding. Down the line, the east is worthy of the honorable mention that space forbids. William Wyler has directed with taste ami intelligence. W) TIPS: Class bouses will not require any sensational exploitation on this, but other spots, where ll„ hook ,niJ stage l'l,i\ are not so well known, should go strongly after tin "angles." The cruelty oj Dodsu or/h's wife offers a strong selling point in thi cheaper \/><j/V HANNA (Hollywood). THREE MESQUITEERS, The BOXOFFICE RATING MODERN WESTERN ... A darb . . . Crippled dough-boys as homesteaders sure-fire for added sympathy . . . Will positively have western fans sitting on edge of their seats and cheering . . . Rates • • • for action spots. Republic 60 Minutes Bob Livingston . Sid Saylor Directed by Ray Taylor Roy Corrigan . A honey for action houses! Take the old story of the homesteaders trying to settle on some government land and the battle the cattlemen put up to drive them out; make the homesteaders crippled war vets; make these vets the most likeable gang you ever met; add the Mesquiteers, two lovable heman cowboys who come to their rescue, and Sid Saylor, whose natural corned}' and efforts to become a genuine "westerner;" top it off with a pitched gun battle that might have been the Marne all over again for all the zest the cripples put into it; and you have something that rates with the best westerns ever made. You will be a long time forgetting the scene where Saylor sends up flairs which bring the disabled vets over the top. Intended as a series, the first of the "Three Mesquiteers" gets off to a fast start and slaps itself over with a bang! \\ hat it lacks in known names n more than makes up in story -\nd action. Max all the rest be as good as the first. AD TIPS: Sell >!>,■ wai vet angle. Tie-up u iti> Legion posts. Sell it as something way off of th, • : path oi u csterns. NOW11 MISSING GIRLS BOXOFFICE R,ATL\(, MELODRAMA . . . Engrossing gangster yarn by Martin Mooncy, who knows his stuff . . . Plenty of shooting in exciting finale . . . Cast good . . . Rates • • • — for all action and rural spots. Chesterfield 67 Minutes Roger Pryor . . . Muriel Evans . . . Noel Madison . . . Sidney Blackmer Directed by Phil Rosen 1 his attention-compelling gangster yarn comes from the pen of Martin Mooncy, the N. Y. newspaperman who recently spent 30 days in jail for refusing to talk before a grand jury. This fellow knows his underworld and the characters who inhabit it, scheme in it, run its rackets and live in constant fear of that death-dealing bullet that is surely coming their way. In "Missing Cirls," a well-made and engrossing indie production, Mooney's writing is always authentic and charged with the sort of realism that made his other films, "Bullets or Ballots" and "Special Agent," convincing and exciting gang stuff. His name and the title are grand exploitation material that smart showmen will cash in for well above average grosses generally. The plot concerns itself at the beginning with the adventures of "missing girls" stranded in the big city, but soon drifts into the connections of a couple of innocent girls with a band of gangsters. Considerable tension is created by the efforts of the girls to get out of the toils of the racketeers, with reporter Psoger Pryor (portraying Moonej I digging up the stuff that will land the mugs behind bars. It winds up with a bang-up and carefully directed gun battle at the gang's farm house, a finale that will have 'em sitting tip on the edge oi their seats. Pryor has a juicj rule .is the gang-busting reporter .\nd handles it in tine style. We award acting honors to Muriel Evans, fem lead, a young lady who will he seen and heard lots in the near future. The cast is studded with well-known faces and all do their bits to perfection. The direction b) Phil Rosen is always fast-paced and never lags. Production values are big league. AD TIPS Set Sleepers" campaign in FILM BULLETIN isstii of Scptembei " Sell Vfoonrj jnd thtill, for big dough. NONNI1