Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, December 5, 1934 Penn Democrats in Sunday Show Moves Scranton, Dec. 4. — Lackawanna county's six representatives of the House of Representatives, when they caucus here next Friday night, are expected to discuss plans for the introduction of a bill legalizing Sunday movies in Pennsylvania. With the House in control of the Democrats, Representatives Munley, O'Neill and Coleman, all Democrats, are said to feel that a Sunday measure would have little if any difficulty in passing the House. The Republicans continue in control of the Senate, but observers say that enough liberal sentiment prevails there to warrant the passage of a bill should one surmount the hurdles in the lower house. The legislature convenes early in January. MPTOA Convention Poll About Ready Polling of M.P.T.O.A. directors on the meeting place for the organization's next annual convention will be concluded this week with New Orleans indicated in advance as the choice. The convention would be held just prior to Mardi Gras, next February. Ed Kuykendall, M.P.T.O.A. president, who arrived in town yesterday to conclude the poll and begin convention arrangements starts a new tour of southern theatre centers late this week. His trip will include stopovers in Washington, the Carolinas, Missouri and Kansas. He has just completed a jaunt in the interests of theatre owners in Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia. Comer ford Back North Scranton, Dec. 4. — M. E. Comerford returned today from Warm Springs, Ga., where he was a weekend guest of President Roosevelt. Comerford and his nephew, Frank C. Walker, were introduced on Saturday night to the audience at the Community Playhouse by President Roosevelt as "the men who made this theatre possible." When it was decided about a year ago to build a playhouse at the settlement for infantile paralysis victims at Warm Springs, President Roosevelt turned over the job to Comerford. The latter protested, saying he was not an engineer. The President, however, insisted and Comerford, with the help of Walker, went through with the assignment. Korda Acquires "Road" London, Dec. 4. — Alexander Korda, production head of London Films, has acquired the screen rights to "The Broken Road," A. E. W. Mason's novel, and will start production in the spring.. United Artists will handle the American release. Milestone to Para. Hollywood, Dec. 4. — Lewis Milestone has been signed by Paramount to direct "Two on a Tower," a musical starring Mary Ellis. Mrs. Louis Boyer III New Orleans, Dec. 4. — Mrs. Louis Boyer, manager of the office for the National Screen Service here, is ill in the hospital. Looking 'Em Over "Gambling" (Harold B. Franklin-Fox) George M. Cohan, that "Yankee Doodle" boy, deserves a far better break than the dispensers of celluloid have dished out to him to date. Having had one rather indifferent experience with Paramount, the veteran of many seasons on the legitimate stage is handicapped in his second effort in what is only average entertainment, retarded by a routine story that fails to be lifted by routine direction. He is a gambler, his life wrapped up in an adopted daughter who is never seen in the picture. Found murdered presumably, suspicion shifts and divides itself among three people : the boy the girl was supposed to marry ; Dorothy Burgess, already his wife, and Wynne Gibson. The trial results in an acquittal for the boy, whereupon Cohan turns detective until he discovers who committed the deed, which, eventually, turns out to be an accident. Suspense, presaged by the drift of the story in its earlier sequences, never develops in sizable enough quantity. Then, too, there is little of the imaginative in the direction. While performances, led off by Cohan's, are adequate, the entire mood of "Gambling" somehow or other reminds of another and earlier day in production. Rowland V. Lee, who has many good pictures to his credit, fumbled on this one. Production code seal No. 0181. Running time, 90 minutes. "G." K. "Cheating Cheaters" (Universal) When one group of jewel thieves tries to outsmart another, each believing the other to be honest, there are likely to be some interesting complications. That is just what happens in "Cheating Cheaters," which, however, is scarcely more than fair entertainment because the plot is pretty old and many of its developments are not very difficult to surmise. Among the prominent names in the cast are Fay Wray, Henry Armetta and Minna Gombell. Not so well known, but no less capable, are Cesar Romero, Francis L. Sullivan and Anne Shoemaker. Each of the two gangs thinks the other a wealthy and respectable family group possessing a fortune in jewels. Each goes to work on the other. When the truth is revealed there is surprise all around. Miss Wray is the nemesis in the case. A detective, she joins one of the gangs so that she may get the goods on it. But her work makes it possible to kill two birds with a single stone. Romance creeps into the plot when Miss Wray falls in love with Romero, one of the thieves. In the end she sees the fellow off to jail with a promise she will do all in her power to let him off with as light a punishment as possible. Richard Thorpe directed. Code seal No. 333. Running time, 66 minutes. "G." MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "The Church Mouse" (Warners) Hollywood, Dec. 4. — Produced at the Warner (Teddington) studio in England, this picture serves as a good vehicle for the American debut of Ian Hunter, English actor recently signed to a long-term contract by the company. Swinging into a stride which it never loses to the final fadeout, the picture unfolds as a pleasant comedy well-acted, directed and produced. The story concerns Laura La Plante, an unemployed girl of the ugly duckling type, who forces her way into the private office of Bank President Hunter and sells herself to him as a private secretary. While making herself invaluable to Hunter's business affairs, she gradually develops poise and beauty. Slowly and quite unaware of her conquest, she steals Hunter's heart, ousting one by one the long list of his affairs of the heart. Hunter evidences much charm and should click particularly with feminine fans. Miss La Plante is pleasing as the "church mouse." Jane {Continued on page 10) Committees Chosen To Help Samuelson Two new commmittees were appointed yesterday at the regular Allied of New Jersey meeting in line with the general plan to relieve President Sidney Samuelson of detailed organization work. They are the supply buying committee, composed of Harrj Hecht, and Dave Mate, and financt and dues committee, consisting of David Snaper, Louis Levin and Louis Gerofsky. The code, product and internal problems also were discussed. Levin was chairman yesterday and Snaper will be chairman next week. Following the meeting, Samuelson told Motion Picture Daily that the Xew Jersey unit is a "down-to-exhibitor organization, now for down-toearth pictures." He added that criticism from members every week is helping solve the problems of exhibitors and a daily job is being done for every member. "We are developing manpower and that's what counts," he added. In three months Samuelson will celebrate 15 years as an active member in the New Jersey association. He and George Brennan were the two organizers. He leaves today for New Orleans to take a short rest and attend the board of directors meeting Dec. 11-12 at the Roosevelt. Abram F Myers will be chairman of the southern session. M-G-M Still Leader In Percentage Sales M-G-M sells more contracts or percentage in Greater New York thar any other of the 12 distributors, latest weekly analysis of sales policie; by Allied of New Jersey shows. Within the last few weeks, the New Jersey unit has been making ; recapitulation of sales policies of E major and independent companies The purpose is to watch from wee! to week the selling policies for pos sible changes. Paramount, it wa: noted, deviated from straight per centages where the theatre could no afford to continue operation on thi: plan. In the case of M-G-M, stric adherence to percentages is noted. At yesterday's meeting, Paramoun was praised by the unit for diverging from its original percentage edict. Showmen's Pictures Put in Bankruptci An involuntary petition in bank ruptcy was filed against Showmen': Pictures, Inc., independent producei and distributor, in the Federal cour for the Southern District yesterday The three petitioners, represented b: Edwin M. Slote, were J. P. Mulle: & Co. with a claim of over $1,000 George Schmitt & Co., upwards o $37, and Howard S. Hummell, ovei $100. The company against which the pe tition was filed had no comment t< make yesterday. Adeline Barthold Buriei Passaic, N. J., Dec. 4. — Funera services were held here early thi week for Miss Adeline Barthold, chiel cashier at the New Montauk Theatn since the present theatre was erected Garret Voorman, manager of thi New Montauk, said "she would b> hard to replace" in a glowing tribute