Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

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Friday, December 21, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 13 For 'Better Understanding9 League; Better Days Seen U. A, Sells Entire Lineup to Saenger New Orleans, Dec. 20. — Suddenly reversing the sales policy it was presumed to have adopted for the year, United Artists rejected all applications from independents whose towns conflicted with houses in which E. V. Richards has an interest, and sold the entire product to the Saenger circuit, E. V. Richards' Athliated Theatres, and United Theatres, a group of 18 subsequent run houses in this city which does its buying more or less under Richards' direction. This reversal came as a surprise to independents who, because of the wide buying done by Saenger and Affiliated in the country, were depending almost entirely upon United Artists for major product. RKO sold Saenger two weeks ago, so the average independent whose houses conflict with either Saenger or Affiliated, or with United Theatres in New Orleans, is left in a predicament. Flash Previews The Night Is Young — . . . conveys a Continental flavor . . . heavy with so-called pomp, clank and uniforms, larded over with Teutonic cliches of \esteryear. . . . Where Novarro draws this may attract, but it will require energetic resourcefulness to lift it above the average. . . . Million Dollar Baby — . . . apparently has a hokum quality that should click in neighborhoods and smaller houses and prove more than satisfactory to youngsters. . . . These films will be reviewed in full in a later issue of Motion Picture Daily. Writers' Guild Awards Hollywood, Dec. 20. — First annual awards of the Screen Writers' Guild for the best written pictures of the year were announced tonight at its initial annual dinner-dance at the Trocadero. "It Happened One Night," by Robert Riskin, was first ; "The Thin Man," Albert Hackctt and Frances Goodrich, second; "The House of Rothschild," Nunnally Johnson, third; "One Night of Love," |S. K. Lauren, James Gow and Edmund North, fourth ; "Gay Divorcee," Ueorge Marion, Jr., Dorothy Yost and Edward Kaufman, and "Of 1 fuman Bondage," Lester Cohen, tied for fifth. i James T. Hanlon Dead Atlanta, Dec. 20.— James T. Hanrlon, 42, for 14 years branch manager I for M-G-M, died here of pneumonia, ^'following flu. Hanlon was a member of the clearance and zoning board. He had I been with M-G-M nearly 20 years, and ihad started as poster clerk, workling his way through all stages up to the branch management. David Egert Passes David Egert, brother of Harry, treasurer of Progressive Poster Exchange, Inc., suddenly passed away yesterday. He was 40. Shelton Rites Tomorrow Kansas City, Dec. 20. — Funeral services will be held Saturday for William Lisle Shelton, owner of the Ashland, who died yesterday at 66. By B. B. KAHANE (.Continued from fane 1) will strive for the "bigger" productions and avoid the mediocre type. Grosses should increase, first, because better productions usually bring better grosses, and secondly, because there are unmistakable evidences that the country is out of its mental doldrums or, at the least, is on the way out, and this psychological improvement in the viewpoint of the people of the nation will have a favorable effect on box-offices. It is up to the industry to help the up-swing in business and sentiment by making outstanding pictures that will provide varied and worth-while entertainment to theatre-goers. We will participate in the return of prosperity and we should do our share to promote that prosperity. By A. MONTAGUE (Continued from pane 1) Its premise — better understanding between producer and exhibitor — is something fundamentally sound and highly desirable. With perfection of this relation automatic cooperation between producer and exhibitor will follow. And this condition, in turn, will create increased revenues. In every phase of financial, commercial and industrial life it is conceded that confidence is the keynote of recovery. Understanding between producer and exhibitor is synonymous with confidence in the industry. No formalities and no organization are necessary prerequisites to put this tremendous force at work for mutual advantage. In its strongest manifestation, confidence enables the exhibitor to differentiate between the great picture and (Continued f managed to keep everybody but Arthur Tracy and Nick Lucas interested for the duration of the two and one-half hour luncheon. Tracy and Lucas were preoccupied with thinking up Bing Crosby songs which they crooned later with a dedication to their absent comrade. They caused C. C. Pettijohn, who trailed them on the program, to lament that he, too, didn't know any of Crosby's songs, old or new, to sing. The charitable notes were struck by Louis Nizer and Alicoate, who called attention to the need for aiding the industry's unfortunates and cited, anonymously, deserving cases known to the administrators of A.M.P.A.'s charities. "Not all of these cases," Alicoate reassured the gathering, "arc like Nizer. We sent him a Christmas basket last year and he called his butler to carry it indoors. Then wanted to return the oranges because they weren't Sunkist." Pettijohn called the charity appeals of these two "the best act of the day," Korda's Latest By BRUCE ALLAN London, Dec. 20.— "The Scarlet Pimpernel," latest from Alexander Korda and London Films, is an artistic production, notable for the line acting of Leslie Howard. It is less melodramatic than the original version and this time emphasizes comedy values. The tempo is rather slow, the film lacks obvious punch and is for connoisseurs of action and production values rather than for the masses. Merle Oberon is good, as is Nigel Bruce as the Prince of Wales. the "sleeper" and to exploit the former in a manner enabling him to extract from it all available revenue to the advantage of the producer as well as himself. The production is sold to the exhibitor on the basis of confidence. I te, in turn, sells it to the public on the same premise. Fvcry one is satislied and every one benefits, whereas in the absence of this confidence a tremendous amount of playing time would be sacrificed in proving to the public the worth of the attraction. r>ueh loss of time always is at the cost of producer and exhibitor alike and adversely affects the business of both. One's assets in the industry cannot be estimated solely upon a computation of realty holdings, or of the value i if leaseholds. The greatest equity lies in a richer value — the relation he has developed and can develop with those with whom he docs business. rom page 1) despite the fact that "too many sweet things were said." Harry Hershfield, Cheese Club president, augmented the appeals for remembrance of those down on their luck by pointing out that many in the industry minimize the plight of others because all around are people who still have some money. "We are apt," Hershfield said, "to be like the little Yiddish woman who was approached by a panhandler. 'Please, mum,' pleaded the man, 'can you help me out? I ain't eatin' a thing for four days.' Responded the woman, 'You should force yourself to eat.'" This, apparently so confused Billy Ferguson, presiding at the time, that he followed up by introducing Red Kami as editor of Motion Picture Herald and Jack Cohn as president of Columbia. Thereafter, Sally Rand, who disdains dancing raiment other than feathers or translucent balloons, was introduced and launched a dissertation on her ai * and the relation to it of merch. ^ndis.'ng and window undressing ; Berman Sees Flood Of Musicals Coming Pandro S. Berman, Radio producer, predicted yesterday that a flood of musicals shortly will reach the market. "Musicals are making money," he stated, "so every company in Hollywood is planning several. Why things should travel like this in cycles in Hollywood, I couldn't say, but everyone knows that it does." Berman has been in town several days looking over Broadway shows. I le attended the recent board of directors' meeting of the company. He bought no stories or plays while here and leaves for the coast over the week-end. Streimer Is Elected Head of Film Board Moe Streimer of United Artists is successor to Henry Randel of Paramount as president of the New York Film Board of Trade. Other new officers are : Jack Bellman of Hollywood, first vice-president ; Robert Fannon of Majestic, second vice-president; Jack Bowen, M-G-M, treasurer ; Dave Levy, M-G-M, secretary ; Joe Lee, Fox, scrgeant-at-arms. Lee replaced Edward Schnitzer of Columbia in the last post after seven years. Induction will take place during the week Jan. 10-15. To Coast for Xmas ( oast-hound today in time to reach Hollywood for Christmas will be: Winfield Sheehan, production generalissimo for Fox. Gabe Yorke, Fox studio publicity head. Paul Sloane, the director. Mildred Ginsberg, wife of Henry, vice-president and general manager of the Roach studio. "U" Building Team I [oi.i.Ywooo, Dec. 20. — Jean Dixon joins Universal on a long-term contract Jan. I, The studio is now looking for a series of stories in which to l.-i ui i< li M iss I )'i ' on and I I ugh O'Connell as a co-starring comedy team. Writ Against Reinhardt I. os Angeles, Dec. 20. — Max Reinhardl today was restrained from working on Warners' "A Mudsummer Night's Dream" by a writ granted in Superior Court to A. A. Haendler, executive of a French theatrical producing agency. Meet Writers Dec. 27 Hollywood, Dec. 20. — Writers expect a showdown on the final draft of their code of fair practice at a meeting with producer representatives Dec. 27. Lucas sang another of Crosby's songs, dedicated, this time, to Phil dc Angelis, ami lioris Morros took the bow when Ferguson introduced Nicolai Balieff of the Chauve Souris. Others introduced by the toastmasters included E. W. 1 (amnions, Felix Feist, Sylvia Froos, Mac Murray, Major Edward Rowcs, David Bernstein, Jack Pearl, l.ily Pons, Ken Strong, Joseph Connolly, Kitty Carlisle, Al Lichtman, Clendennin Ryan, Henry R. Luce, Richard lionelli, Karen Morley, Smith & Dale, Postmaster Albert Goldman, Shirley Ross, Grovcr Whalen and Walter Huston, Some Talks, Some Ribbing, Some Crowd at Ampa Lunch