Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

Wednesday, May 16, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY London Films Will Limit Future List With a maximum of six features for United Artists release on its new ■ season schedule, London Films, proi ducers of "The Private Life of Henry . VIII" and "Catherine the Great," will [ continue a policy of turning out a ' limited number of pictures in the hope of attaining quality product, Etienne Pall os, general sales manager for the ^company, said yesterday. ! Pallos, who is here from London to complete talent arrangements for the company's new schedule, related that following the success of London r Films' first two productions, company heads had to wage a battle with their bankers to retain the "fewer and bet i ter" pictures policy. The bankers, he ■ said, reasoned that if two pictures , made the profit they did, a. schedule J of 25 for next season would return a profit that much greater. Pallos estimated that "Henry VIII" ' has grossed $1,000,000 in the United ! Kingdom and $300,000 in Germany to date. No estimates are available on i the American gross as yet, he said. First for 1934-35 Set London Films' first release of the new season will be brought here in September by Douglas Fairbanks. It will be "The Private Life of Don Juan," with Fairbanks starred. Following it on the schedule are "The Scarlet Pimpernel?' for which either Ronald Colman or Fredric March is being sought. A Hollywood director will be signed for this picture, with all American talent arrangements to be completed by Pallos before his return to London in two weeks. Lewis Milestone has been signed to direct H. G. Wells' "100 Years to Come," third on schedule. The fourth will be Robert E. Sherwood's "The Marshal," with Maurice Chevalier. Alexander Korda, London Film head, will direct. Charles Laughton is set for a Frederick Lonsdale story and the company has signed Elizabeth Bergner, star of "Catherine the Great," for one picture. This, however, may be deferred to the following season's schedule if Miss Bergner's arrangements for American stage and screen work interfere. In that event, Rene Clair, French producer, would make one picture for the company. The complete London Films deal with United Artists is for 16 pictures, to be made in accordance with whatever schedule is set by the British company. Pallos stated that he did not believe that Nazi Germany's ban on "Catherine the Great" would be rescinded, due to the fact that it was banned because of public disturbances at its exhibition. City Tax Bill Passed The Board of Aldermen yesterday passed Mayor LaGuardia's city tax program placing a levy of one-twentieth of one per cent on the gross earnings of general business and corporations and one-tenth of one per cent on gross receipts of brokers. "Dawn to Dark" Sold DuWorld Pictures have sold "Dawn to Dark" to New England Film Exchange, Sa.ck Amusement Enterprises and Elliott Film Co. for New England ; Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas ; Minnesota, North and South Dakota, respectively. Looking 9Em Over "He Was Her Man" ( W amers) Gangster revenge motivates the story, but its application is varied by something bordering on martyrdom when James Cagney goes back to save the girl, Joan Blondell, from the men who are pursuing him. Cagney, fresh from jail, charges two cronies $15,000 for opening a safe, and before starting the job tips off the police. It's his revenge for their failure to split on a previous job. A policeman is killed. Fleeing from gangster revenge, Cagney appears in a San Francisco hotel, but is recognized by a racetrack tout who tips off the gang. In a weak moment Cagney falls for a streetwalker who is distraught because she can't get south to a fishing village where her prospective bridegroom, Victor Jory, is waiting for her. Cagney pays her way and goes with her. The day before the wedding she can't make up her mind to run away with Cagney or stay and get married. Cagney solves the problem by departing, but at a bus station learns the girl is in danger. He goes back. In the closing sequences she is married and he is walking down a cliff followed by two men with drawn guns. Tory's work as the prospective bridegroom is splendid. Sarah Padden is surprising as a Spanish mother with an accent. Cagney is his alert, peppery self at all time. "Murder in Trinidad" {Sol M. Wurtsel-Fox) Good mystery drama with enough of action and suspense to satisfy audiences that favor productions of the kind. The story is well constructed, motives for the murder are logically established and suspicion is placed on enough members of the cast to conceal the real murderer until the last. With a setting for a large part of the story in tropical swamps outside of Trinidad, South America, the plot is enhanced by a sinister atmosphere. Nigel Bruce, as a detective, is brought from London by the governor of Trinidad to apprehend the leader of a gang of diamond smugglers operating through the island. Bruce's aide is murdered when he comes upon a clue to the secret hiding place of the gang — an island in the heart of a treacherous swamp. Soon after, the governor is murdered and the trail leads Bruce and his new aide, Victor Jory, to the gang's hideout. The subsequent shooting of the leader there reveals that he had an accomplice close to the governor in Trinidad. A trap is set and the accomplice reveals himself in stepping into it. Bruce turns in a fine performance as the detective. Others in the cast, which includes Heather Angel, J. Carrol Naish, Douglas Walton and Francis Ford, satisfy. Flash Reviews "The Merry Frinks" { Warners ) Hollywood, May 15. — . . . With an over-abundance of laugh cracks, the film is good program material and should do well. . . . "Call It Luck" {Fox) Hollywood, May 15. — Produced undoubtedly as a programmer for neighborhood houses and subsequent runs, "Call It Luck" achieves the producer's intent. ... "Once to Every Bachelor" {Liberty) Hollywood, May 15. — An interesting story . . . well-rounded general audience entertainment . . . strong program attraction. . . . Hollywood, May 15.nicely. . . . 'Midnight Alibi" {Warners) , . . interesting, melodrama should fare "Romance in Budapest" {Dll World) Light and gay and full of charm . . . provides delightful diversion. Coast Production Pace Is Unchanged [Continued from paye 1) editing stages. There were 16 shorts preparing and 25 editing. Paramount continued to lead the field with eight features in work, four preparing and four editing ; M-G-M had six working, nine preparing and one editing; Fox had five, four and three; Warners, four, six and 10; Radio, three, two and seven ; Columbia, two, two and three ; Universal, two, one and three ; United Artists, zero, two and zero, while the independents registered a total of seven, five and eight. The short subject reports showed M-G-M with two working, two preparing and four editing ; Roach, one, two and four ; Warners, two, two and zero; Universal, zero, one and two; Columbia, zero, one and three, while the independents reported a total of five, six and eight. B. F. Keith Losses For 1933 $580,387 Boston, May 15. — Net loss of 387, after taxes, depreciation amortization of capital assets, interest, loss on investments and capital assets and provisions for losses of affiliated companies, is reported by the B. F. Keith Corp. and subsidiaries (controlled by Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corp.), according to a report filed with the secretary of state. This compares with net income of $209,782 in 1932, which was equal to 52 cents per share for 400,000 no-par shares of capital stock. The balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 1933, shows current assets of $766,077; current liabilities of $42,141, and working capital of $344,836, compared with working capital of $221,575 at the close of the previous year. Fascist Film Goes To Cummins for £/. S. Samuel Cummins stated yesterday he had acquired American distribution of "The Black Shirts," produced in Italy under direct guidance of Premier Mussolini. The picture, as it now stands, is in 13 reels. "Forgotten Men" will follow "Hitler's Reign of Terror" at the Columbia which Cummins has under lease for 13 weeks with "The Black Shirts" and a film dealing with world revolutionary movements spotted in thereafter. Cummins alleged yesterday the Nazi Government had set aside $3,000,000 to propagandize its cause in the United States and is making efforts to block his Hitler picture. Reviezvs of these films will appear in full in an early issue of Motion Picture Daily. Sales Tax Campaign Started in Kansas (.Continued from page 1) the state legislature convenes, it appears from early agitation for such a measure. Proponents of a sales tax for the benefit of Kansas schools are building a strong lobby with an eye to the next session. Because of inadequate returns from the school levy on real estate, it is considered entirely possible a general sales tax will be advocated.