Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "The Perfect Clue" (Majestic) Hollywood, Nov. 23. — Better than ordinary in story, acting and presentation, this rates as more than satisfactory audience entertainment. Dramatic romance in the characters of the picture makes good use of the action and dialogue in a series of interest-holding situations building to a unique crime solution climax. Dorothy Libaire, resenting her father's proposed re-marriage, elopes with "Skeets" Gallagher. A change of heart causes her to desert him to meet Ex-Convict David Manners for a series of romantic situations. Manners succumbs to Miss Libaire's charms, but the pair is arrested on a murder suspicion. The father bails out the girl. She, with jittery Gallagher, returns to the scene of the crime to discover a clue hidden in a bowling pin and to prove the identity of the killers to the authorities thereby. The expected happy ending ensues. Mild thrills and excitement prevail and are climaxed by a sensational auto chase scene. "The Perfect Clue" is clean and wholesome throughout, Lilita Westman's original adapted by Albert DeMond, with Ralph Ceder and Don Brown furnishing the dialogue. Robert Vignola's direction is intelligent and geared to action for thrill fans. Miss Libaire and Manners are convincing and real in the lead roles with Gallagher furnishing contrasting comedy that is sure to please in the subsequent run field. The picture affords an opportunity for clever showmanship in creating interest. Previewed without Production Code Seal. Running time, 63 minutes. "G." 4 Kennedy to Appear For Pathe Hearing J. P. Kennedy, former Pathe Exchange head, now director of the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission, has consented, through counsel, to appear in a Pathe stockholders' suit growing out of the 1931 sale of the company's assets to RKO on the condition that he be not required to submit to examination before trial on the allegations in the complaint. Charges that the RKO deal resulted from "high pressure salesmanship" and that more than half of the $3,000,000 RKO notes given in payment are now in default were made by Harry L. Kreeger, counsel for a Pathe stockholders' group, at the hearing before Supreme Court Justice Cotillo on Pathe's application for its extraordinary meeting of stockholders, approved by the court for March 4, to ratify the company's plan of recapitalization. Walter Vincent, one of the stockholder plaintiffs, told the court that it had been impossible to serve Kennedy in the suit up to now but that his counsel had recently disclosed Kennedy's willingness to appear on the condition stipulated. Stuart W. Webb, Pathe president, stated that the RKO transaction had nothing to do with the company's need for financial reorganization and declared that the indifference of stockholders to special meetings called earlier to consider the reorganization plan made it necessary to ask the extraordinary meeting. Slight Gain Shown By Coast Studios Hollywood, Nov. 23. — Studios are becoming more active. There were two more features and four more shorts before the cameras last week than during the preceding week. Total subjects in work for the past week were 37 features and eight shorts, while 19 features and 13 shorts were in the final stages of preparation with 41 features and 18 shorts in the cutting rooms. Paramount headed the field with seven features before the cameras, three preparing and four editing. Warners had six, one and five; Universal, six, zero and four ; M-G-M, four, four and nine; Columbia, four, three and five ; Fox, three, three and five ; 20th Century, one, zero and one ; Radio, one, two and five, while the independent group had a total of five, three and three. In the short subject division Roach had two before the cameras, two preparing and three editing ; Columbia, one, two and two ; Radio, zero, two and five ; M-G-M, zero, four and four ; independents, five, three and four. Levy Completes Trip Jules Levy, vice-president and general sales manager of the RKO Distributing Corp., returns to the home office today, having flown from the coast after a visit to the studios. Before arriving on the coast, Levy toured the RKO branches. Will Film Bridie Play London, Nov. 23. — Alexander Korda, London Films production executive, reveals his company will film "Mary Read," James Bridie's new play. Mrs. Rhoden Is Buried Kansas City, Nov. 23. — Funeral services for Mrs. C. A. Rhoden, mother of E. C. Rhoden, Fox Midwest division manager, took place in Omaha, where she died. Besides her husband, she is survived by two sons and two daughters. Attending the funeral from Kansas City were, in addition to Rhoden, L. J. McCarthy, Fox Midwest district manager, and C. A. Schultz, head of Commenwealth Theatres. Loew West in January David Loew, vice-president of Loew's, Inc., will leave for the coast the end of January for a vacation. He intends to play a lot of golf and give the M-G-M studios the once-over. He recently returned from the south, where his contemplated vacation was ruined by a few snowstorms. G-B Signs Song Writers Gaumont British has signed three American song writers, Maurice Sigler, Al Hoffman and Albert Goodheart, who have left for England. Sailing Today on Paris Henri Klarsfeld, of the Paramount Paris office ; Sam Morris, vice-president of Warners and his son, Edwin; Val Parnell, London theatre operator ; Marcel de Sano, assistant supervisor with Irving Thalberg ; Richard de Rochemont, European correspondent for March of Time Newsreel and Pierre Sandrini, French and South American theatre operator, all sail today for Europe on the Paris. Collins Starts New Pact Hollywood, Nov. 23. — Cora Sue Collins starts her seven-year M-G-M contract on Monday. After the first six months the company has a six months' option which is followed by six one-year options. Mordant Shairp's option, expiring Dec. 3, will not be exercised. He's a writer. Barcelona a Father Baton Rouge, La., Nov. 23 — Joe Barcelona, owner of the Tivoli, and member of the clearance and zoning board, is the father of a baby girl. Saturday, November 24, 1934 Short Subjects "Rural Romeos" (F o x-Educaiional ) Harry Gribbon fans probably will like it, but a preview audience in s, projection room remained calm. Grib-> bon, as a down-on-his-luck crooner, applies to a farm house for a handouH He is taken in, and arouses th< jealousy of Harry Short, who is aftei the hand of Virginia Fairfax. Aftei What Symbols Mean The "G" symbol indicates general entertainment. The "A" symbol indicates adult entertainment. various incidents on the farm, durinf which Gribbon sings, they arrive a a country fair and Gribbon wins ; hog calling contest by hiding a micro phone under his vest. The pictun winds up with the farmers chasinj him. Viewed with no production cod seal. Running time, 21 mins. "G." "Spice of Life, No. 4" (Spice of Life-Columbia) Fourth in this series with a pro logue and epilogue by Dr. Rockwell vaudeville headliner and, like it predecessors, carrying jokes and som< political comment in titles and pre pared by the editors of The Literary Digest in the style of the one-tirn Topics of the Day. Of average enter tainment value which might easily be come something beyond through th national backing accorded this serie in the columns of The Digest. N( production code seal. Running time 8 mins. "G." "Dartmouth Days" (M-G-M) Here is a short subject with reaj audience appeal. It is made up wholl; of scenes in and around Dartmouth College, particularly during the Win,1" ter Carnival. Student activities fronffl football to skiing are shown and par I ticularly interesting and thrilling ar the skiing races and jumps, all perl formed by members of the studenB body. The reel winds up with a col lege song. Code seal, No. 97. Runnin; time, 10 mins. "G." 'Crossroads of the World (Fox-Educational) A "Magic Carpet of Movietone with the scenes laid in Singapore. Th photography is splendid and is don in such a way that the scenes blen from one phase of Oriental life to an other. The narrative is breezy. Ver well done. Running time, %Y\ min; "G." Warner Group Returnini Hollywood, Nov. 23. — Albert I Warner, Gradwell Sears and A. V\ Smith started east by plane tonigl following conferences on forthcomin Warner and Cosmopolitan product. Home Is Heading Bach Hollywood, Nov. 23. — Hal Horn( United Artists publicity head, was o his way back east tonight with h bride. Garbo and Her Latest The hinterland, sometimes known as Hollywood, has been reporting difficulties over "The Painted Veil" as shown there in preview form. The first couple of reels, it appears, met with the disfavor of M-G-M studio executives. So back for retakes, a la the well-known Metro system, went those reels under the direction of W. S. Van Dyke. Yesterday and in its release form, the Garbo picture was screened locally. Whatever the trouble may have been over the opening sequences, it is gone now. The picture is a lot of the Garbo, her beauty, her close-ups, her emotional range and the intrigue of her walk. Also in it is plenty of Herbert Marshall, this time probably more effective than this reviewer, at least, can recall him. George Brent, as a pleasant heavy, is generally good. "The Painted Veil" is a warmer Garbo than the woman in "Queen Christina" and, in point of what it takes to make substantial box-office, considerably ahead of it. KANN