Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW " The Night Is Young" (M-G-M) Hollywood, Dec. 21. — Laid in a mythical locale, perhaps near Vienna or Berlin. With a familiar plot with the framework of an archduke (Ramon Novarro) that-away about a ballet dancer (Evelyn Laye) but prohibited from marrying her by the previous selection of his mate by his royal uncle, who looks like the late Franz Joseph, an operetta has been evolved under Dudley Murphy's direction that conveys a Continental flavor. Una Merkel, Edward Everett Horton, Charles Butterworth, Charles Judels and Herman Bing are humorous delights in their respective comedy roles, but the script takes meager advantage of their splendid talents. • Vicki Baum wrote the story with the screen play by Edgar Allan Woolf and Franz Schulz. Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd, wrote the libretto and Sigmund Romberg the music. The production is heavy with so-called pomp, clank and uniforms, larded over with Teutonic cliches of yesteryear. Novarro and Miss Laye sing together while romancing. The music is technically good, but tunes for the masses to whistle are missing. Murphy, known for unusual direction, here uses the usual technique. James Wong Howe, one of Hollywood's ace cameramen, photographed well. Where Novarro draws this may attract, but it will require energetic resourcefulness to lift it above the average. No code seal. Running time, 83 minutes. "G." "White Lies" (Columbia) Hollywood, Dec. 21. — Dealing with a newspaper editor whose nose for news dominates his finer senses, this one proves sufficiently entertaining. The story rambles in spots. However, good cast performances lift the film perceptibly. Walter Connolly is excellent as the hard-boiled editor who makes Victor Jory a police chief to please Fay Wray, his daughter. At the same time Connolly publicizes the thievery of Leslie Fenton, who is doing his best to make good his former mistakes. The climax features the murder of Miss Wray's friend by the accused Fenton and the subsequent arrest of Miss Wray as the murderer. Jory, in his role as police chief, feels obligated to prosecute Fay. He winds up, however, by marrying the girl. Harold Shumate has turned in a creditable script. Leo Bulgakov displayed keen intelligence in the direction. Fenton, Connolly, Fay Wray, and Irene Hervey, as Fenton's girl friend, turn in top notch performances. Benjamin Kline's photography is good. This is average entertainment, but will need shrewd exploitation for box-office results. Production Code Seal No. 555. Running time, 74 minutes. "G." "Million Dollar Baby" (Monogram) Hollywood, Dec. 21. — Based on a clever idea, this comedy affords much opportunity for smart showmanship. Given a popular, topical premise, the yarn tells of the discovery of another Shirley Temple. Ham and Egg Trouper Ray Walker and Arline Judge, disguising their son as a girl much to the kid's embarrassment, win the contest. Sneaking off the train during his triumphant trip to Hollywood, the youngster falls in with a tramp, later to become involved with a bunch of gangsters. Believed kidnaped, the yarn builds flamboyant excitement to be climaxed by a thrill chase and denouement revealing the pseudo Shirley as a boy. Performances are uniformly good with Walker, as the father, and George Stone, a publicity accelerator, outstanding. Concentrating on comedy, the dramatic contrast in the closing sequences makes for unusual suspense. The triangle of romantic conflict between Miss Judge, Walker and Jeannette Loff is secondary. Joseph Stanley is credited with the original story and direction with cooperation on the screen play by John Krafft. The picture apparently has a hokum quality that should click in neighborhoods and smaller houses and prove more than satisfactory to youngsters. Previewed without production code seal. Running time, 65 minutes. "G." 4 Fines Imposed for Use of Three Films (Continued from page 1) TJ. S. District Judge Murray Hulbert, according to the Hays office. The defendant was Dion Hoffarth of Yonkers. The plaintiffs on the Harold Lloyd picture were the Harold Lloyd Corp. and Paramount Picture Distributing Corp. The plaintiffs on the two Van Beuren shorts were Pathe Exchange, Inc. ; the Van Beuren Corp. and RKO-Pathe Distributing Corp. Gabriel L. Hess was attorney for the plaintiffs. The testimony showed that the Copyright Protection Bureau discovered the Lloyd film being shown in Maine under the title "Hollywood Bound." Providence Hit by Free Radio Program (Continued from page 1) a free radio "amateur night" each Saturday at the Metropolitan, sponsored by Bamby bread. Last Saturday's show drew around 2,000 patrons. These "amateur nights" are a real menace to theatre men, they contend. The radio sponsors pay for the air, a band and then offer small cash prizes for the appearance of between 20 and 40 "entertainers." Seattle First Runs Drop Double Bills (Continued from pane 1) several months of duals. This house will play extended runs from Hamrick's Music Hall, and will also book first runs when extended runs are not available. Last to abandon duals will be the Paramount, which started them six weeks ago with vaudeville in addition. Christmas week will see the end of double features there. Trans-Lux Officers Hold Their Control (Continued from page 1) of the Albee estate, were elected to the company's board of directors at the meeting. It had been previously revealed at the first half of the meeting, which was held Wednesday, that the company earned a net profit of $168,985 for the 10 months ended Oct. 31, sufficient to warrant another 10 cents dividend, bringing total payments for this year to 20 cents. Arthur C. Melvin Hurt Baltimore, Dec. 21. — Arthur C. Melvin, Fox salesman for many years here, is in a hospital suffering from a fracture of the left arm, broken ribs and possible internal injuries which he received when he was struck by an automobile while crossing North Avenue near Druid Hill Avenue last night. He is in a serious condition. Haveth E. Mau Injured Cincinnati, Dec. 21. — Haveth E. Mau, receiver for the Shubert and Cox here, under whose supervision the houses are operating, suffered a broken collar bone and other injuries when his automobile struck a telephone pole. His condition is not serious Flash Review The Prescott Kid — .... as riproaring a western as the star (Tim McCoy) has ever appeared in. . . . This film will be reviewed in full in a later issue of Motion Picture Daily. Saturday, December 22, 1934 Short Subjects "Pathe News" (Radio) Pathe News editors have here compiled an interesting record of exciting news events during 1934. The fields of sports, politics, crime, aviation and industry are covered. The reel opens dramatically with flashes of the havoc caused by war, cold, droughts, floods and fire. It then reviews with brief scenes, but effective in their brevity, Dillinger, Hauptmann, riots, strikes, European monarchs and dictators, Russia, flights over the Pacific and other interesting developments in aviation, Max Baer training for his fight with Camera, the streamlined train and so on into the new developments of the NRA. Running time, 10 mins. "Don Quixote** (Celebrity) This is a burlesque of Cervante's immortal story. Audiences anywhere should find a great deal of entertainment here for the story is funny, the musical accompaniment good and the coloring extremely striking. An inmate of an insane asylum reads the story of a knight of olden times and imagines that he himself is Don Quixote. He escapes from his cell and goes forth to battle a windmill, to come out second in the encounter. He then strives -to rescue what he feels is a maid in distress only to have her turn out to be an ugly old maid. As a result of this encounter he is glad to return to the asylum. Reviewed without Production Code Seal. Running time, 8 mins. "G." " Henry* s Social Splash** ( Universal) Henry Armetta makes this short, a Warren Doane production, one of the funniest comedies Universal has released in a long time. When his wife and daughter wheedle him into going to Newport for a fling at society life, Henry finds himself in strange waters. The formalities of society irk him. In the end he busts and vents his anger on everyone in sight. Other players are Elaine Baker, Sylvia Picker, Franklyn Pangborn, Lucien Prival and Fred Kelsey. Code seal No. 368. Running time, 21^4 mins. "The Whole Show** ( U niversal) James Barton has an opportunity to display his various talents in this short, which is nothing more than vaudeville. The performer gives a good account of himself. The film is a melange of song, dance and humor. On the program with Barton are Gladys and Will Ahearn, the Arkansas Travelers, Kathryn Penman, John Barton and the dance team of Beverly & Revel. This has much to recommend it. Code seal No. 0220. Running time, 20 mins. Court Weighs Photo Suit Boston, Dec. 21. — Municipal Court Judge Charles L. Carr has taken under advisement the $50,000 suit brought against the Park Entertainment Corp. by Fofo Lauk of New York, who alleges the unauthorized use of her photograph in a lobby display at the Park, operated by the company.