Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Monday, March 26. 1934 "One Night" Leads 4 Purely Personal ► "One Night" Pulls Bad Montreal Week Montreal, March 25. — Lent hit theatres a wallop last week, but "It Happened One Night," as the important half of a twin bill at the Princess, ran up a fine $7,500. "Shadows of Sing Sing" was the other picture. Every other first run hit the skids to a certain extent. Total first run business was $36,000. Average is $36,500. Estimated takings for the week ending March 17: •ESKIMO" (M-G-M) "OLIVER THE EIGHTH" (M-G-M) CAPITOL— (2,547) , 25c-35c-50c-60c-75c, 7 clays. Gross: $8,500. (Average, $9,000) IMPERIAL— French operetta. "THE GHOUL" (British) LOEWS— (3,115), 25c-35c-50c-65c-75c, _ 7 davs. Stage: "Illusions" Idea; Bernice Claire; Lucille Page; Lamberti; the 6 Danwills; 12 Canadian Rockets. Gross: $10.IIDO. (Average, $10,500) "THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN" (M-G-M) "THE GIRL FROM MAXIM'S (British) PALACE— (2.600), 25c-35c-50c-60c-75c, 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $11,000) "IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" (Col.) "SHADOWS OF SING SING" (Col.) I'RTNCESS — (2,272), 25c-35c-50c-65c, 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $6,000) Court Rules Talkies Hold a Libel Danger Albany, March 25. — Sound films as a possible new instrument of libel were considered in a majority opinion of the Appellate Division in denying a motion to dismiss a $150,000 libel action brought against Paramount Publix by Mrs. Minerva Brown, Norwich, N. Y., who charges her reputation and character were injured by the picture, "An American Tragedy." "Such a production ma.y be libelous," the court's opinion states. "In the hands of a wrongdoer these devices (sound films) have untold possibilities toward producing an effective libel." Chester Gillette was executed for the murder at Big Moose Lake in 1906 of Mrs. Brown's daughter. The plaintiff charges that the picture portrays her as a slovenly and illiterate person. Equity Group Seeks New Officer Lineup A challenge to the present Actors' Equity Ass'n administration headed by Frank Gillmore developed Saturday at a gathering of the membership at the Astor at which opponents of the administration succeeded in getting three candidates named to the nominating committee wkich will draw up p slate of officers to be voted upon at the annual meeting to be held in May or June. Jane Seymour, Jane Wheatley and Millard Mitchell were the three named. Other members of the nominating group chosen were Selena Royle, Bert Lytell and Ernest Truex. Elected alternates were Burgess Meredith, Morris Carnovsky and Jerome Cowan. Len Daly Goes to U. A. Len Daly, formerly with Paramount, has joined the foreign publicity department at United Artists. Hays Meeting Today Annual meeting of the Hays organization is scheduled for today. BILL PINE left for the coast yesterday after several weeks of looking over exploitation ideas at the Paramount home office. He'll be back shortly. Morris Simpson, special representative for Paramount International, arrives from Europe on the Olympic tomorrow with John W. Hicks, head of the Paramount foreign department. John W. Hicks, Jr., is in Berlin now and from there goes to Paris and then to England. After a visit with John C. Graham in London, Hicks will return to New York. Joe Bezaiiler, assistant to E. M. Saunders, left Saturday for a tour of M-G-M exchanges which will include Kansas City, Omaha and Denver. "Oswald in the Candy House" ( Universal) The idea of Hansel and Gretel has been burlesqued in the form of an Oswald cartoon with music. All th« dialogue is sung. Oswald and his sister are led into the woods where they are lured to a candy house in which a witch tries to burn them alive, but is foiled. They finally get back towing the candy house behind them. It's good stuff for kids. Running time, SJ/2 mins, "Funny Little Bunnies" (Disney-U. A.) Great Easter release for the kids with a snappy theme song and some fine color work. A couple of bunnies bounce across the landscape, pull aside a curtain, and the spectator is behind the scenes where bunnies make chocolate rabbits, paint Easter eggs, and distribute them around. A swell continuity is punctuated with some laughs that will get grownups as well as youngsters. Running time, 8^ minutes. "Nervous Hands" ( Vitaphone) Ben Blue in a two-reeler built around a jealous husband. Billy Halligan. with Loretta Savers as the wife. Hallisan. while repairing his aerial on the roof, gets into an argument with Blue, who escapes down the fire escape into Halligan's apartment. The complications become acute when Miss Savers tries to repair a rip in Blue's trousers. Plentv of laughs. Running time, 20 mins. "Broadway Nights" (Paramount) Set in a Broadway night club and featuring the Yacht Club Boys, this short is well done, but will probably fail to register with the average audience because of the sophisticated material of the performers. An intricate dance routine by a well trained chorus, and Ed Paul and his orchestra are also presented. Running time, 10 mins. HOWARD DIETZ will have one of his songs in "Operator 13," which the Four Mills Brothers will render. The song is "Jungle Fever." Eddie Aaron of M-G-M is back from a circuit of M-G-M branches and expects to leave this week on another tour. Hal Horne gets back today from Miami, where he's been recuperating from a recent illness. Jack Cohn is also due back today. Mary Pickford will be given a testimonial dinner by the Actors' Dinner Club tonight prior to her leaving for another personal appearance tour. Robert Montgomery arrived in New York yesterday for a vacation. George Dillon is in from Washington. ' "Mills Blue Rhythm Band" ( Vitaphone ) There is plenty of pictorial variety and some fine music in this "Melody Master" one-reeler. Singers are Sal'y Gooding. Freddie Washington, llamtree Harrington and the Three Dukes. The number opens in a night club. There are nine selections. Running time. 10 mins. "The Vanishing Shadow" (Universal) In the first three episodes of this serial there are automobiles chases, fights, mysterious disappearances by means of an electrical apparatus, a train hitting an automobile, and other forms of excitement. The story revolves around the effort of Walter Miller to get hold of Onslow Stevens' Tribune stock. Miller's daughter, Ada Ince, is on the side of the Stevens and he also has the aid of James Durkin, an electrical expert, who controls a number of mysterious devices. In the first episode Stevens escapes to Durkin's laboratory after he thinks he has shot William Desmond. In the second there is a free-for-all fight in Miss Ince's apartment when the gang tries to capture Stevens, with a mysterious death ray figuring in the brawl. The third closes with a big dynamite blast on a road construction job. Each chapter runs about 20 minutes. It ought to be good kid entertainment, and it may also please those adults who like plenty of action not weighted down by too much story. "Come to Dinner" (Vitaphone) A fairly amusing burlesque on "Dinner at Eight." The impersonations of the members of the cast of "Dinner at Eight" are very good. The plot is laid out along the same lines as those of the feature. Margot Stevenson is featured. Running time, 20 mins. $9,000, Portland Portland, March 25. — "It Happened One Night" brought in a substantial first night crowd and the pickup was steady during eight days at the Paramount. The take was $9,000, or $4,000 over normal, "Ever Since Eve" was supplemental on the double bill. May Robson in "You Can't Buy Everything," changed to "She Wolf of Wall Street," together with "Love Birds" brought in $6,400 at the Broadway, just $400 over normal. Hamrick's Oriental went back into the first run column, bringing the house again up to average with a double bill, "I Like It That Way" and "Two Alone." First run totals were $25,900. Average is $23,000. Estimated takings for the week ending March 15 : "YOU CAN'T BUY EVERYTHING" (M-G-M) "LOVE BIRDS" (Univ.) BROADWAY — (1.912). 25c-35c-40c, 7 davs. Gross: $6,400. (Average. $6,000.) "MAN OF TWO WORLDS" (Radio) HAMRICK'S MUSIC BOX-(2.000I. 25c35c-40c. 7 days. Gross: $2,000. (Average. J3.000.) "I LIKE IT THAT WAY" (Univ.) '•TWO ALONE" (Radio) HAMRICK'S ORIENTAL— (2,000), 25c35c. 7 days. Gross: $2,000. (Average. $2,000.) "OLIVER TWIST" (Monogram) "WOMAN'S MAN" (Monogram) PAXTAGES — (1,700). 15c-25c. 7 daj s Gross: $1,700. (Average. $2,000.) "IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" (Col.) "EVER SINCE EVE" (Fox) PARAMOUNT — (3.008), 25c-35c-40c. 8 days. Gross: $9,000. (Average. $5,000.) "PALOOKA" (U. A.) UNITED ARTISTS-(945), 25c-35c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $4,800. (Average. $5,000.) "One Night" Tops Buffalo 3rd Week Buffalo, March 25. — "It Happened One Night," in its third week, coupled with "The Lineup" as a new secondary feature, still was the town's big news, getting $8,400 or $1,900 above normal. "Nana" only went $200 over average. Total take was $44,100. Normal k $43,500. Estimated takings for the week end-' ing March 23 : "NANA" (U. A.) BUFFALO — (3.500), 30c-55c, 7 days Stage: "Melody Mad Parade," with Johnny Perkins, the Twelve Aristocrats, Ruth Petty. Terrell & Fawcett, Jerry and Her Baby Grands. Betty Weems. Gross: $15,200 (Average. $15,000) "THE MYSTERY OF MR, X" (M-G-M) "FRONTIER MARSHAL" (Fox) CENTURY— (3,000), 25c. 7 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,000) "PALOOKA" (U. A.) "IF I WERE FREE" (Radio) GREAT LAKES — (3,000). 25c-40c, 7 day? Gross: $8,000. (Average, $8,000) "NO MORE WOMEN" (Para.) "I WAS A SPY" (Fox) HIPPODROME — (2,100), 25c-35c. 7 day? Gross: $6,500. (Average, $8,000) "IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" (Col.) "THE LINEUP" (Col.) LAFAYETTE— (3.300). 25c. 7 days. 3r. week. Gross: $8,400. (Average. S6.50O) St. Louis Holds "Harum' St. Louis, March 25. — For tht| second week in succession the Fo: ! has held over its program, "Davii Harum" going into a second week o ; March 23. The picture will make wa; for "George White's Scandals" oil March 30. Looking Over Shorts