Motion Picture Daily (Jun-Aug 1931)

Friday, August 14, 1931 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Fullers Plan Expansion in Antipodes Sydney — A third exhibiting circuit, worthy of consideration as formidable opposition to Union Theatres and Hoyts, looms on the horizon here with the decision of Fullers Theatres, Ltd., to expand its present circuit. Under a plan devised by Sir Benjamin Fuller, the company will gather in suburban houses around Sydney for a start ; expand later to other states ; and then move into the country, adding to its circuit the pick of theatres offered. To build a theatre on the site of the old City Hall in Brisbane, and a modern house in Lismore, Fullers Metropolitans, Ltd., already has floated a loan of $1,000,000; but according to present intentions, building will stop there, and Fullers will concentrate on the acquisition of existing theatres. Sydney suburban theatres now held by F"ullers number five. There are four more situated in Melbourne and Adelaide in which review and musical comedy are presented ; and to cap that lot, there is the string of 60 in New Zealand. ^ ir Benjamin indicates that the company's expansion policy, has, as much as anything else, been decided upon so that an increase in film buying power can be gained. As the next biggest circuit to Union and Hoyts, the Fullers have been obliged to take a back seat when the new selling season is in full swing ; they have only been allowed to buy when the oppositions have picked the plums, and on many occasions they have been almost completely squeezed out. When their value to the distributors nears that of Union and Hoyts, the buyingselling position will become unusually interesting. Prediction is made that Fullers will some day threaten the ascendancy of Hoyts and Union. It would only be a matter of history repeating itself. T. J. West, Cosen Spencer and J. D. Williams, the leading Australian exhibitors of their time, formed a combine that looked impregnable. Then along came a stranger named Waddington, and he made such progress in a business that was foreign to him, and hit the "impregnable combine" so hard, that it was forced to buy his theatres at an exorbitant price. If it hadn't proved as impregnable as it had looked before, with Waddington's theatre under its wing, the combine then appeared unassailable. However, another factor in the shape of Hoyts entered the field, LTnion followed, and today, that combine is divided into three subsidiary companies of Union Theatres. What Hoyts and Union have done, should not be beyond the compass of Fullers. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW" Capitol in Rochester Slashes Price Scale Rochester. N. Y. — The Capitol, downtown Comerford house, has slashed to 25 cents daily and 35 cents S iturdays, Sundays and holidays. C hildren's admission was set at 10 ci;nts for all time. The Monroe, neighborhood house, has returned to a single-feature policy after a survey of patrons. The Critics Say 'The Star Witness' ■ Warners. AMERICAN — "The picture starts with a bang. It is a good story, excellently told; there are laughs mingled with its tragic factions, and not a little inspiration to be better American citi-ens. Warners have clicked again." MIRROR — "A story made doubly impressive by its timeliness. Acted by a company of brilliant stars, directed with imagination, written with punch, 'The Star Witness' is thrilling entertainment. Chic Sale plays this character role remarkably. Walter Huston is magnificent. Frances Starr and Grant Mitchell^ appear to splendid advantage. 'The Star Witness' is good, strong stuff and a vastly entertaining picture." DAILY NEWS— *** (Three Stars) ''The new production is in for a run as it is made of the stuff that popular pictures are made of." GRAPHIC — "A definite message in its plot and a significant message in its timely unreeling. Has its power in the conviction that the tragic events which occur in the family in 'The Star Witness' might have happened to any domestic group living in any community today." HERALD-TRIBUNE— 'Wo< only timely, but moving and dramatic. Here certainly is the stuff of effective drama." JOURNAL — "A vivid screen drama that parallels grim fact. Its plea, its patriotism, its theme is the conflict between law-abiders and law-breakers, and its appeal is powerful. The story is filled with suspense." POST — "Comes uncomfortably close to the truth. The cast is e.rcellent. Merits public attention, as the silence of witnesses in recent murder outbreaks in New York would seem to indicate quite clearly." SUN — "A vivid, arrestinn picture, a different phase of the crime problem. 'The Star Witness' is not essentially a gangster picture for it deals almost solely with the seemingly hopeless task confronting a district attorney. Sure-fire lines which go over bio with the audience. It moves rapidly, it is e.xciting, it is well acted." TELEGRAPH — "r/ie picture packs a punch with pathos and humor and clicks along in one, two, three order. It is one of the best cast films on the whole seen in some time. Its direction is more than able, it is on the order of quiet effectiveness which smacks of brilliance. Also the dialogue is fresh. Picture of merit." TIMES — "A well-knit melodrama with an effective vein of sentiment. As an entertainment it is highly successful." WORLD-TELEGRAM■■Onf of the hardest-hitting melodramas to come this way in a long time is 'The Star Witness.' Constantly (iriptnng, thrilling and powerful document. First rate entertainment. 'Traveling Husbands' RKO-Radio AMERICAN— **»TA? story is real good melodrama, and no silly comedy about drummers. DAILY MIRROR— Entertaining. This is quite a serious melodrama, though it is deftly spiked with comedy. DAILY NEWS — Gin orgies, whoopee parties, gun-play, all figure in this fantastic mediocre plot. GRAPHIC — "Traveling Husbands" is the fast-moi*ing melodrama turned out in a finished manner, and for its type is c.vccllent film fare for summer audiences. HERALD-TRIBUNE— **T;if picture does move smoothly and with considerable vigor and despite its faults, it is lively and engaging. For one thing, it is almost entirely without pretension. JOURNAL — Numerous side-issues involve the plot to such an extent that every nozv and then it trios itself up. POST — The life of a traveling salesman is a lound of card games on trains and one girl friend after another between encounters with "tough prospects" in the business world, if "Traz'eling Husbands" is to be accepted as an accurate portrayal. SUN — Starting out as if it were to be a comedy, the plot wanders hither and yon through a series of uninteresting happenings, only to wind up as melodrama at its 7vorst'""'It is all very sad. WORLD-TELEGRAM— ^i pathetic as the plight of the salesmen it portrays the new tenant at the Mayfair does, however, occasionally, flash a few moments of amusement and entertainment, but the lapses in between are much too long for comfort. 'Young As You Feel' Fox AMERICAN7"/if vehicle fits the homespun humor of the star as though Mr. Ade had fashioned it to order''** DAILY MIRROR— /i dandy. You'll enloy it. DAILY NEWS— r/ii> latest Will Rogers isn't a hilariously funny play, but its rather quiet but obvious humor will appeal to a large audience. GRAPHIC— -.^j Young As You Feel" labors under a dull story and inane dialogue. HERALD-TRIBUNE — **''"Young As You Feel is an ideal Rogers vehicle, for whether or not vou will enjoy it depends on your attitude toward the star. JOURNAL — Rogers enthusiasts -mU no doubt find it entertaining although it isn't quite up to the standard of his previous productions. TELEGRAPH — It is not a great picture. The plot IS simple and easy to see through WORLL-TFLEGR-AM — The friiiht he throws into his two children and his faithful business manager as he goes aallivanting around nightclubs and speakeasies, the racetracks, and buying expensive presents for Ins prettv companion provides most of the .jtorv's complications and what few amusing moments it has.. ,^ J^t'N — // you are on our slide you'll find Young As You Frel" e.rcellent entertainment. POST — "Young As You Feel" is an casy-gouig pleasant film, all around. 'Huckleberry Finn' Paramount . A.MERICAN — "For pleasant, gentle entertainment, you'll have to shop a lot to beat "Huckleberry Finn." DAILY MIRROR—^ knockout. Better than "Tom Sawyer." DAILY NEWS — The situations are not quite so funny, nor are Hack's and Tom's adventures so exciting. GRAPHIC — "Huckleberry Finn" is refreshing in its suhject***it should repeat tne success of "Tom Sawyer"*** HERALD-TRIBtnSIEf/ig eagerly awaited version of "Huckleberry Finn" arrived at the two Paramount Theatres yesterday ■where It proved a grievous disappointment*** J_OURNAL — Children will enjoy this one and there were plenty of laughs from the more adult members*** POST— ***this movie, to say the least, disappointing*** SUN — "Huckleberry Finn" as enjoyable as it ts. docs not seem quite as qood as "Tom Sawycr"***At any rate, you'll have a aood time at "Huckleberry Finn"*** WORLD-TELEGRAM— ***</!a< some of Twain's sensitive quality has been recaptured, but on the whole "Huckleberry Finn" IS a disappointment. AMERICAN—^;/ in all, scarcely exciting— but "a cute little picture" none the less. DAILY MIRROR— Good fun. A very entertctining movie. DAILY NEWS— r/i(? color effect and setting arc the best features of the picture. HERALD-TRIBUNE — ***it is rather frothy entertainment, the thinness of its substance being bridged over somewhat by li«C ^'"'^''''''y of Mary Brian's performance POST — ***presents a brand of practical humor which for sheer grotesquery ranks with the most vivid examples in that line that Hollywood has ever turned out. SUN — A woefully feeble and hackneyed story***Thcrc's really no excuse whatsoever for "The Ruiwrnund." TEI KGRAPn— It's quite orderly and co'^'mei'dable. JOURNAL — One of those amiably divertinn fcatherweinht films known as "light sui""ier rtttrrtainmcnt"*** GRAPHIC — ***a mildly amusina, fairly ron'^*^tJr . govrieonsly tinted love tale*'*'* WORLD TELEGRAM — A generally feeble .story, made more unreal by some silly and inane dialogue and characterization that hark back to the movies' original infancy*** Seattle Fall Season Gets Into Stride Seattle — With Fox West Coast Theatres heralding "The Big Parade of New Product" and the RKO Orpheum magnates advertising "Good Times Show Month," the fall film season is apparently well under way here, about three to four weeks in advance of the usual fall opening. Large institutional ads by the RKO house listed "The Common Law," "Dirigible," "The Miracle Woman" and "The Public Defender" as the first four of the new season's coming attractions. Vaudeville, as usual, will also be featured. Fox West Coast retaliated with "Politics" as the attraction that opened the Fox Paramount theatre last week, "Son of India" now current at the same house, and "Smiling Lieutenant" packing patrons into the Fox Fifth Avenue. "Sporting Blood," "Huckleberry Finn" and other attractions are listed for August showing at the Paramount, and the next attraction at the Fifth Avenue will be Will Rogers' "Young as You Feel." John Hamrick is planning the inauguration of his fall season at the Music Box theatre within the next three weeks, and it is considered probable that he will open his Blue Mouse theatre again early in September. The house has been dark for the last several weeks as a result of mediocre patronage. "BUY RIGHT — BUT BUY NOW Toronto Carnival Lid Reclamped by City ToKONTO — The old carnival trouble has broken out afresh in Toronto with the appearance of a Boyd tent show at Willowvale Park. At the beginning of the year there was an "understanding" that no carnivals would be permitted to play Toronto. Officials of the Canadian Legion overcame the obstacle, however, and a carnival slipped into the park. There was a mild protest from exhibitors. When the carnival applied for an extension of two weeks, after a run of two weeks, there was a real howl from the exhibitors. Largely on this account, the Toronto Board of Control gave the carnival only one week more and then reclamped the lid. The license fee for carnivals is only $50, and they used to stay as long as they liked. The nearest exhibitor to the Willowvale Park pointed out to the mayor that he paid $5,000 a year in taxes. "BUY RIGHT— BUT BUY NOW" "f/" Would Collect on "King of Jazz's" Eats Chicago — Paul Whiteman's food bills which, it is alleged, were charged to Universal when the band leader was working on "The King of Jazz," figure prominently in a suit for $1,500 filed in Circuit Court here against Whiteman by attorneys for Universal. Only the precept of the suit has been filed, but Universal's attorneys explained that countless items of food, telephone calls, telegrams, and tuxedos for members of Whiteman's band, were paid for by the studio, which has since been unable to collect from U'hiteman, they charge.