Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, February 16, 193*1 "Nana" Loop Smash; Gets $26,000 Take Chicago, Feb. 15.— "Nana" with the new star Anna Sten hung up a sensational take of $26,000 in its first week at the United Artists and created a big splash in the Loop. At that figure "Nana" is top for the house this year, since it passes by some $500 the opening week of "Roman Scandals." Hitting at the same pace in the larger Oriental across the street is "Queen Christina," which also hung up a fine $26,000. The Garbo versus Sten situation is creating an interesting setup with plenty of speculation on which is going to come out on top in the second week's run. RKO'S Palace was strong at $22,500 with "Man of Two Worlds" on the screen and Anatole Friedland's "Fifty Million Frenchmen" on the stage. "Madame Spy" gave way after five days of sagging grosses at McVickers, while "Dinner at Eight rounded out a, seven-week Loop run at the Roosevelt with $7,500. Total first run business was $139,000. Average is $137,000. Estimated takings: Week Ending Feb. 7: "NANA" (U. A.) UNITED ARTISTS-(1,700), 30c-40c-60c, 7 days. Gross: $26,000. (Average, $17,000) Week Ending Feb. 8: "THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN" (M-G-M) CHICAGO-(4,000), 35c-50c-68c, 7 days. Ted Lewis show on stage. Gross: $J5,0UU. (Average, $34,600) "MAN OF TWO WORLDS (Radio) PALACE— (2,509), 35c-50c-75c, 7 days. Anatole Friedland's "Fifty Million Frenchmen" on stage. Gross: $22,500. (Average, $22,000) _ . „ Week Ending Feb. 9: "MADAME SPY" (Univ.) McVICKERS— (2,284), 30c-40c-60c, 7 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $13,000) "QUEEN CHRISTINA" (M-G-M) ORIENTAL— (3,940), 30c-40c-60c, 7 days. Gross: $26,000. (Average, $23,000) "DINNER AT EIGHT" (M-G-M) (Fourth Loop Week) ROOSEVELT— (1,591), 25c-35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $11,000) Week Ending Feb. 10: "JIMMY AND SALLY" (Fox) STATE LAKE — (2,776), 20c-25c-35c, 7 days. Francis White and Eddie Lambert heading vaudeville bill. Gross: $16,000. (Average, $17,000) "Carolina" Pulls $7,500, Omaha Top Omaha, Feb. 15. — Grosses stayed pretty even last week, with "Carolina" at the Paramount hitting a par at $7,500. Other houses dipped slightly below average. "I Am Suzanne" and "Madam Spy" at the Orpheum brought $7,000. Total first run business was $23,250. Average is $24,250. Estimated takings : Week Ending Feb. 7: "CAROLINA" (Fox) ORPHEUM— (2,900), 25c-35c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $7,500) Week Ending Feb. 8: "ROMAN SCANDALS" (U. A.) WORLD— (2,200), 25c-35c-40c, 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $5,000) "CONVENTION CITY** (F. N.) "WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD" (F. N.) BRANT) EIS— (1,100), 25c-35c, 7 days. Gross: $4,250. (Average, $4,500) Week Ending Feb. 9: "I AM SUZANNE" (Fox) "MADAM SPY" (Univ.) ORPHEUM— (3,000), 25c-35c, 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $7,250) Looking Over Shorts 'Let* s You and Him Fight {Par amount) A swell "Popeye, the Sailor," cartoon. Popeye fights Bluto, the heavyweight champion, for his title, and wins it with the aid of his trusty can of spinach. Packed with laughs. Running time, 6 mins. "Dance Parade" {Educational) Featuring the talented youngsters that seem to abound in Hollywood, this short is fair entertainment. The children sing, dance and play various musical instruments, and at times give impersonations of screen stars. This should go well where this type short is liked. Running time, 18 mins. 'Those Were the Days" (Vitaphone) Featuring Harry Meyers, song writer, the Four Eton Boys and several others, this musical short, built around past and present song hits of Meyers' is fairly entertaining. Running time, 10 mins. "Buddythe Gob" ( Vitaphone) In this, his latest "Looney Tune" cartoon, Buddy is a sailor just arrived in China. He rescues a fair Chinese maiden from a dragon, and arouses the ire of the natives. Winds up with the conventional chase. Fairly amusing. Running time, 8 mins. "Flying Bodies" (Paramount) A Grantland Rice Sportlight, featuring timing and motion of polevaulters, tumblers, skiers and surfboarders. The reel is worth running for the shots of the tumblers alone. The scenes featuring the skiers are particularly striking. Running time, 10 mins. "The Fighting Priest' (InterA merican) A pictorial record of the background of Father Charles E. Coughlin, this one-reel short proves very interesting. Shots of his church, the Shrine of the Little Flower, the new monument erected by the radio listeners' contributions and the broadcasting studio in Detroit are seen. Windup is a talk by the priest himself. Off screen dialogue by Harlow Wilcox. Running time, 7 mins. "Rip Van Winkle (Educational) One of the "Terrytoons" with an old codger and his dog being chased away from a house by a shrewish old female. They are entertained by the elves in a forest and have a lot of laughs, including a chorus by a group of penguins. Finally Rip is kicked by a mule and sails through the clouds until he lands back where he started. Good kid entertainment. Running time. 6ZA mins. "Davey Jones's Locker" (M-G-M) First of a new series featuring the character "Willie Whooper," and done in Cinecolor, is fair entertainment. The color photography is very well done, but the characters and laughs don't seem to register. The story concerns the trouble Willie and his girl find themselves in when they hook Neptune while fishing, and are pulled below the sea. It winds up with the conventional duel to protect the heroine, Willie defeating Davey Jones. Running time, 7^2 mins. "The Devil Doghouse" (Radio) Clark and McCullough up to their usual antics, this time as private detectives. The laughs fly thick and fast once Clark starts, but the first few minutes of the film are dull. Running time, 21 mins. "Croon Crazy" (Radio) One of the "Cubby, the Bear" cartoon series, with Cubby as a radio crooner, impersonating various stars of the ether. Got plenty of laughs, particularly the bang-up finish. Running time, 7 mins. "Polynesian Follies" (Imperial) A very interesting travelogue dealing with the little known Maori race. The film is perhaps a trifle long and repeats itself in spots, but it manages to keep audience attention. The native songs alone are worth the price of admission. Running time, 26^ mins. "The Little Red Hen" (Celebrity) This is one of the Pat Powers ComiColor series, and a good one. The red hen goes to the pig, the duck and the mouse to help her and her chicks plant her wheat and gather it. They turn her down. But, when, derisively, she asks them if they will help her eat her bread, do they say "No." Indeed, no. They get the door in their face, and the hen and her brood eat the bread they worked for. Running time, 9 mins. "The Doctor" (Educational) A famous painting — "The Doctor" — with an off-screen narrative describing its origin, starts this short. Montagu Love as the doctor, Helen Morgan as the mother, Herbert Rawlinson as the father and Dorothy Werner as the ill child make up a tableau. The poses are held until the doctor begins to speak, and then Miss Morgan breaks into a song at the side of the cradle. The photography is excellent, but Miss Morgan's singing leaves something to be desired. Running time, S]4 mins. "The Expectant Father" (Educational) A laugh riot, as the press agents say. It has timing and a smartly developed story. Ernest Truex works for a big bruiser. Montagu Love, and can't get up his courage to tell him he has to go to the hospital, as his wife is going to have a baby. He finally gets away by a fluke, is arrested, and then hurried across Brooklyn Bridge on the handlebars of a motorcycle cop. He meets Love in the waiting ward. The scenes in this "Carolina" Is $5,000 Smash, Indianapolis Indianapolis, Feb. 15. — "Carolina at the Apollo with a gross of $5,00 doubled the average take and as result is being held over for anothe week. "Gallant Lady" at the Palace, wit a gross of $5,500, was $1,000 over pa for the second best business this weel"Convention City" at the Circle wa just average and "Madame Spy" a the Lyric was also average with . gross of $6,000. The Indiana with i twin bill composed of "Hips, Hip Hooray" and "Eight Girls in a Boat grossed $4,500, which is the best twii bill business so far. Total first run business was $24,50<". Average without the Indiana is $16, 500. Estimated takings for the week end ing Feb. 10: "CAROLINA" (Fox) APOLLO— (1,100), 20c-40c, 7 days. Gross $5,000. (Average, $2,500) "CONVENTION CITY" (F. N.) CIRCLE— (2,600), 20c-40c, 7 days. Lum 'n Abner on stage. Gross: $3,500. (Average $3,500) "HIPS, HIPS, HOORAY" (Radio) "EIGHT GIRLS IN A BOAT" (Para.) INDIANA— (3,100), 20c-40c, 7 days. Gross $4 500 "MADAME SPY" (Univ.) LYRIC— (2,000), 20c-40c, 7 days. Gross $6,000. (Average, $6,000) "GALLANT LADY" (U. A.) PALACE— (2,800), 20c-40c, 7 days. Gross $5,500. (Average, $4,500) Report New Judell Dew Chicago, Feb. 15. — Reports are cur rent of a new arrangement involving B. N. Judell, Inc., and the local Ma jestic Pictures branch, but those concerned locally refuse to talk. room, where all the expectant fathers hang out, are one laugh aftei another. Al Christie produced it wit! George Webber doing the photography. Running time, 21 mins. "She Wronged Him Righf (Paramount) A very amusing "Betty Boop" cartoon, done in the manner of the ok time melodramas, with Betty as the heroine about to lose her home to th< villain. "Fearless Fred" saves her and all ends happily. Running time 7 mins. "Buddy's Show Boat' (Vitaphone) One of the "Looney Tune" cartoon series. Captain Buddy pilots his showboat down the Mississippi, stages a parade through a town, and then puts on his show. A big deckhand is the menace in his romance. It has a snappy musical accompaniment and ought to please the kids. Running time, 7 "Horsepower" (Paramount) A very interesting and entertaining Grantland Rice Sportlight dealing with horses. Several shots of Percherons hitched in teams are shown, and then the action shifts to Fort Riley where the U. S. Army horsemen perform. Running time, 10 mins.