Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

ursday, November 15, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY •Says Press in N.Y.Aids Red Propaganda (Continued from page 1) 'ew York Times and Richard Watts, r., of the New York Herald-Tribune, Lit scores the editors of "two of .merica's greatest and most construcvely conservative newspapers," with sing asleep on the job on the night ie Sennwald and Watts comment assed the copy desk and thus achieved ublication in the columns of their repective newspapers the following jorning. Asserting that "Three Songs About >.enin" is another effort of the Soviet ) "make a forum of the American :reen," the editor of the Herald reminds that the American screen for ne four decades of its building, "held self especially in the entertainment srvice of the whole people and free f all or any manner of special pleadag." Likened to "Soap Box Speech" Furthermore, Ramsaye finds himself l total disagreement with published ewspaper comment which held the icture about Lenin to be representaive of a new technique. "This picure," he asserts at one point, "in its rimitive emotional content and inept lessages of state has the precise qualy of a soap box speech in Union ■quare. In cinematographic quality, it oes not compare favorably with overight assemblage of topical film made i the newsreel editing offices in New fork." If Sennwald's review in the Times > correct in describing the picture as lazing "a trail into the infinity," tamsaye wonders how it came about hat the Times failed to run the comient on the first page. "The Times > a fancier of discoveries," he states arcastically, "and it would seem that he sizable progress into the territory f anybody's infinity would rate as lews fairly high even alongside 'Little America' and the frosty chirps of Commander Byrd." Criticizes Watts' Article Castigating Watts' comment in the ierald-T ribune , Ramsaye also refers o an article by the former in the November issue of New Theatre, ortan of the League of Workers' Theitres. In that article Watts charges hat the "most frank and vicious antiadical propaganda I have found in he films for several years was in a ■ox picture called 'I Believed in You'." Ramsaye disposes of that allegation vith this: "Just fancy Mr. Watts spending several years' looking for 'frank and [icious anti-radical propaganda' and inally coming up with the perfect pecimen like that! "But Mr. Watts," continues Ramaye, "is sure that he sees 'shifting ityles' in the treatment of the Soviet Jnion and that the producers of Holywood are making desperate but in:ffectual efforts to keep pace with what they see as popular sentiment in he matter.' "Mr. Watts is so generous as to )bserve to the readers of the New Theatre that he feels that, while the California producers are 'heartily if iometimes furtively on the side of the Looking 'Em Over (Continued from page 8) banker and head of a band of crooks, has ridden over a cliff into a lake. Chico, Cody's horse, does some spectacular stunts. Young Bill Cody, Jr., pulls some good comedy stunts that ought to increase the juvenile appeal of the film. The photography is splendid. Direction was by Bob Hill. Previewed without production code seal. Running time, 61 minutes. Classification: "G." "Fugitive Road (Chesterfield) Invincible has produced in "Fugitive Road" entertainment that is interesting chiefly for its atmospheric treatment. The characters are true to type and the backgrounds add to the realism of the story. The setting is an Austrian military post on the Austro-Italian frontier. The commandant is Erich Von Stroheim, who has felt the lack of feminine companionship in the eight months he has been there. The arrival of Wera Engels, a Russian girl on her way to America, is welcomed. He pretends her passport is false in order to detain her. The girl allows him to make love in the hope he will relent and permit her to proceed. During her detainment Miss Engels meets Leslie Fenton, an American gangster being held as a fugitive from justice. Fenton shatters Von Stroheim's love plans by forcing the commandant at pistol point to have a marriage arranged between Miss Engels and himself. His purpose is to extend to the girl the protection of his American citizenship. When Fenton finds Miss Engels has fallen for him he is considerably disturbed. But before the final fadeout the two are mutually in love. In the end Von Stroheim turns noble and fixes things so the couple can go on. The scenes between Miss Engels and Von Stroheim carry too much of a suggestion of attempted seduction to rate this as family entertainment. Hank Mann, George Humbert and Ferdinand Schumann-Heink are also in the cast. Frank Strayer directed. No code seal. Running time, 66 minutes. Classification: "A." "The Blue Danube" (Mundits Pictures) A slight but pleasing production, charming in its musical content and photographic accomplishment. The simplicity of its story is enhanced by restrained performances by the principles, Joseph Schildkraut, Dorothy Bouchier, Brigitte Helm and Desmond Jeans, and the discriminating direction of Herbert Wilcox. It serves as a proper setting for the music of Alfred Rode and his Royal Tzigane Orchestra, which is really the feature of the production and its reason for being. Members of the orchestra are described as Tzigane gypsies, formerly of the Austrian and Hungarian forest lands. The story is that of Sandor and Yutka, gypsy lovers, played by Schildkraut and Miss Bouchier, who are estranged when Sandor keeps a tryst with Miss Helm, a countess in whose home the gypsy orchestra has played. Yutka, the gypsy girl, aware of her lover's faithlessness, deserts the gypsy tribe. Sandor goes in search of her and, in time, finds her married to a wealthy man. He re-wins her and they plan to return together to the tribe. On the night of their planned departure Yutka witnesses an accidental meeting between Sandor and Miss Helm and, believing them still to be in love, returns to her home with her husband. Sandor goes back to the tribe alone. "The Blue Danube" should please music lovers and class audiences. Production code seal, No. 080. Running time, 48 minutes. Classification: "G." "Redhead," which opens at the Criterion this morning, was reviewed on Sept. 18. established order,' it is because of instinct rather than of 'intellectual malice.' " While the Herald's editor finds himself emphatically at odds with Sennwald and Watts and, therefore, their newspapers, he remarks Eileen Creelman, critic of the New York Sun, was able to sit through "Three Songs About Lenin" without "incurring spasms." He concludes with a dig at the Soviet theory of government and plays with the thought that perhaps Sennwald and Watts will be decorated by Moscow for their services. Court Holds Cincy Case Columbus, Nov. 14. — U. S. District Judge Benson W. Hough has under advisement an action brought by the Provident Savings Bank & Trust Co. of Cincinnati to set aside the appointment of Ben L. Heidingsfeld as receiver of the Shubert and Cox theatres at Cincinnati. Fraud is charged. Tri-Ergon in New Move for Para. Action (Continued from page 1) over Paramount's reorganization proceedings. Judge Coxe two weeks ago granted leave to Tri-Ergon to continue its patent infringement litigations against Paramount Publix by lifting the Federal injunction which restrains creditors from continuing or bringng new suits against a debtor corporation. Successful prosecution by Tri-Ergon of litigation against Paramount Publix, however, would not have the effect of binding the Paramount trustees, whose jurisdiction extends over active Paramount subsidiaries. In the event Judge Coxe authorizes Tri-Ergon to proceed against the trustees it is considered unlikely that any action along these lines would be taken prior to the pending Supreme Court review of the validity of the Tri-Ergon patents. The patents company merely would be placed in a position where it could institute immediate actions against the trustees in the event of a Supreme Court decision favorable to it. Tri-Ergon sought to include the trustees in its litigation in the preparation of a mandate for Judge Campbell's signature in Brooklyn about 10 days ago. Charles Neave, representing Paramount, objected to this phase of the mandate and was later upheld by Judge Campbell who ruled that the broad jurisdictional powers over Paramount held by Judge Coxe properly gave to the latter the right to rule on this point. Judge Coxe is expected to render a decision within the next few days. Bernerd Will Make Headquarters Here (Continued from page 1) British shores for a year. Instead of visiting the States, he will go into reverse and visit London under the arrangement which transplants his activities to America on behalf of Gaumont British. The company continues to express its satisfaction over the progress reported to date on American activities. Its executives already have seen "The Iron Duke" and admit readily it's a picture. The Music Hall in New York will get it first run, it is declared here. MPTO to Open Rooms Philadelphia, Nov. 14. — The M. P. T. O. of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware will dedicate its new headquarters, on the second floor of the northeast corner of 13th and Vine Sts. on Nov. 23. The new offices will provide space for board meetings and small gatherings. The large open meetings will probably still be held at one of the local hotels. The dedicatory luncheon will be at the Hotel Adelphia. Sunday Vaude Stopped Albany, Nov. 14. — Sunday vaudeville has been stopped at Harmanus Bleecker Hall after a warning from the police that it is against the law.