Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Looking 'Em Over (Continued from page 10) Her children and grandchildren are interested in having a good time and not in work. Comes 1929 and a crisis. The workers of the mill must be protected and so Miss Robson goes on their side, winning out in the end and saving the company. A romance develops between Miss Wray and Jory in the meantime, but the finish of this affair falls flat when the lovers are not united. Roy William Neil directed and got the most out of the story. Al Seigler's photography is exceptionally good. Production Code Seal No. 465. Running time, 67 minutes. "G." "Within the Rock" (Hollywood) There's no telling, they say, what love will drive men to. Take Creighton Chaney in this Showmen's Pictures production. A mountaineer with an ambition to sit in the state legislature as the champion of the unprivileged mountain folk, he wants Lila Lee badly. To get her he threatens her father, a wealthy judge a bit crooked, he'll tell the authorities he saw the old fellow throw a lad over a cliff during a fight over the honor of a younger daughter. Miss Lee marries the youth to save dad. Her loathing for Chaney does not subside until the last few feet, when, offered her release by her husband, she goes back to him. Meanwhile, she has made it possible for Chaney to improve his knowledge and run for state representative. The film has its unbelievable moments, but on the whole is fairly entertaining. The acting is adequate and the atmospheric treatment commendable. Lafe McKee, Francis McDonald, Edmund Breese, Fern Emmett, Audrey Ferris, Vic Potel and Tommy Bond are other players. Albert Ray directed. No code seal. Running time, 65 minutes. "G." MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "Man Lock" (Fox) Hollywood, Jan. 8. — This picture is punctuated with thrills as its entertainment strength. It is an original story by Borden Chase and Edward J. Doherty and is a vivid, realistic cross-section view of sand hogs building a tunnel under New York's East River. The yarn deals primarily with two tunnel construction gangs, one headed by Victor McLaglen and the other by Charles Bickford, racing their halves of the job to the middle under the river. Following exciting sequences picturing fire and flood in McLaglen's portion of the tunnel, he wins the race. Edmund Lowe, as McLaglen's wisecracking pal, gives a splendid performance. McLaglen contributes a fine portiayal of a hard-boiled gang leader. Florence Rice is adequate as the romantic interest. Marjorie Rambeau is effective as a waterfront beer parlor owner. Raoul Walsh aimed his direction for suspense. Jack Otterson's art direction is good. The photography by Hal Mohr and L. W. O'Connell is a feature. This is a good average show attractive to McLaglen and Lowe fans. Previewed without production code seal. Running time, 65 minutes. "G." 12 Conservatives Win California House (Continued from page 1) William Mosely Jones, Democrat. Jones was a major figure in Upton Sinclair's campaign for the governorship. The vote is taken as an indication of the waning of Sinclair's influence. The so-called liberal Democrats captured the pro-tem speakership by electing John O'Donnel of Woodland with 44 votes against 34 for Clifford Kallam of Watsonville, a conservative Democrat. Among the film people present were W. H. Lollier of Fox West Coast, Los Angeles ; Hulda McGinn, and J. C. Bryson of the Hays office. Roxy Theatre-Fox Suit Set Jan. 21 (Continued from page 1) the Roxy stock to Fox Theatres Corp. for approximately $4,000,000. Of this amount $3,000,000 had been paid by the theatre company up to the time of the default in 1932. Basil O'Connor, former law partner of President Roosevelt, will represent Fox Theatres in the trial. Fox Film, also involved, will be represented by Max D. Steuer. The trial is expected to last a month or six weeks. Clemmons Adds New Theatre in Texas With the opening recently of the Texan, a 600-seat theatre in Port Arthur, Tex., the Jefferson Amusement Co. and East Texas Theatres now operate a total of 50 in Texas, J. C. Clemmons, president of the first named circuit, stated yesterday upon his arrival from Beaumont. He is here with Sol E. Gordon, head of the East Texas circuit, and both plan to spend about 10 days in New York on business. Conditions in Texas are very satisfactory, Clemmons said. Won't Face Witnesses Boston, Jan. 8. — Herbert Logan, Connecticut actor, held here in $10,000 bail on his alleged admission he was hired to burn a Boston theatre, refuses to see witnesses for his possible identification as the person responsible for a $12,000 fire in New Haven last August in which a warrant of arrest was issued. E. M. Loew, several of whose houses were bombed recently, said : "I have ordered my night watchmen to shoot to kill any prowlers they find in any of my theatres." Bernerd Back Shortly London, Jan. 8. — Jeffrey Bernerd arrives in New York Jan. 15 on the Olympic for a stay the length of which is uncertain. He says it depends on conditions as he finds them in the States. Mark Ostrer remains here. To Succeed McGuinnis Boston, Jan. 8. — -Joseph Brennan, manager of Loew's State here, has been named executive secretary of Allied Theatres of Massachusetts, succeeding James J. McGuinnis, who died recently. Anna Hughes will continue as secretary, according to indications. Dog Film, Roadshow Hollywood, Jan. 8. — "Life Returns" will be handled as a roadshow by its producer, Dr. Eugene Frenke, and not by Universal which was considering it. This is the picture which deals with Dr. Robert Cornish's bringing a dead dog back to life. Promises a Fight J. A. Koerpel of Eureka Prod., which planned to market "Ectacy" in this country, declared yesterday his company would serve notice of an appeal from the ban placed on the film by the Treasury Dep't. This, he added, will be followed by a suit in Federal court. Hold Herbert Marshall Hollywood, Jan. 8. — Herbert Marshall has signed a new Paramount contract which calls for three pictures in 1935 and one in 1936. The first will be 'Morning, Noon and Night," an unproduced play by Marcella Burke. Sylvia Sidney will have the feminine lead. See A.T. & T. Net $5.75 Advance estimates indicate that the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. system in 1934 will show earnings of $5.75 a share on 18,662,275 shares. This will provide for absorption of another substantial deficit of Western Electric and would compare with $5.38 a share in 1933 and $5.96 in 1932. Wednesday, January 9, 1935 Production Spurts With '35's Advent (Continued from page 1) two editing. M-G-M has five, two and six ; Fox five, three and two ; Radio six, three and one; Warners four, three and five; Universal four, zero and three; Warners four, two and six ; Columbia two, two and five while the independent group shows four, two and six. In the short subject division, the independents show three before the cameras, four preparing and five editing. M-G-M zero, five and four ; Universal zero, one and zero ; Columbia zero, zero and two and Radio zero, zero and five. Jersey Allied Unit Approves I EPA Deal (Continued from page 1) exhibitors, in addition to being members of the New Jersey organization, can benefit by the activities of the Philadelphia association. Dave Snaper was chairman of the session and Louis Gold will wield the gavel next Tuesday. A committee has been appointed to check into a shortage of prints locally. Members of the unit claim they cannot get prints from all major exchanges when availabilities fall due. Reports were made by committees on the following subj ects : release dates, a cooperative program which the national organization plans to publish weekly, finance, executive, film survey, substitutions, code, supply buying and entertainment. A supper and card party will be given on Jan. 10 for members at Harry Hecht's Ritz restaurant in Passaic. The agreement between the two associations will be put in writing after minor modifications have been made. Philadelphia, Jan. 8. — The I. E. P. A. at its meeting today ratified an agreement on dual membership with Allied of New Jersey, which will bring 48 new theatres into the fold. The new exhibitors will be welcomed at a luncheon next Tuesday. According to the agreement, Allied will service the local unit with code and film information in addition to keeping the I. E. P. A. in touch with legislative problems. Efforts have been resumed to merge the I. E. P. A. and the M. P. T. O. of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, but the stumbling block, according to an I. E. P. A spokesman, is the affiliated members in the M. P. T. O. unit. The I. E. P. A. wants the merged unit strictly independent. The M. P. T. O. is expected to make a statement Friday on the merger plan. At that time Lewen Pizor, who was elected president last week, will be installed. Constitution Defender Washington, Jan. 8. — The industry today was given a part in the movement to defend the Constitution with the appointment by the American Liberty League of Hal Roach as a member of its advisory committee. George Roberts Gaining Cleveland, Jan. 8. — George Roberts, Fox district manager, who has been ill with pneumonia, is in Atlantic City and expects to be back on his job shortly.