Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

Wednesday, September 25, 1935 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 15 Variety Club Cincinnati Cincinnati, Sept. 24. — Approximately ISO barkers and guests descended on the Hillcrest Country Club for the first annual golf tournament, and when it was over it looked as though they had been drilling for oil. Jim Grady, chairman of the golf committee, declared this was not the original intention. Larry Benton and Joe Oulahan went around the 18 holes in 82, tied for the low gross. They will play off for the club trophy. Al Sugarman had a 163 to his credit at the windup, and apologized for not being in practice. Besides Grady, the committee consisted of Johnny Allen, Billy Bein, Maurice White, F. Wesley Huss, Jr., Alan Moritz, Joe Oulahan, Herman Bernstein, Paul Krieger and H. Bugie. Al Bergren, a new recruit in the RKO art department, is the latest barker on the roster. Work is expected to start shortly on remodeling quarters of Tent No. 3 to annex the adjoining room, making a total of three rooms. Kansas City Kansas City, Sept. 24. — Harry Taylor, C A. Schultz and Tommy Thompson, kings for Sept. 23, presented Merle Gill, ballistics expert of the Kansas City police department, who talked on famous firearms from the Civil War down to the present, and illustrated from his own collection of more than 400. Included in the display were guns used by "Pretty Boy" Floyd, Wilbur Underhill, early day peace officers and bandits. The largest crowd of the season attended. Among the guests were two presented by Bev Miller — E. H. Scurlock and Al Marshall. Fred Wolfson, Edgar Stern, Dr. Gillis and Frank Hensler will be royalty Sept. 30, and Frank Lambater, Jack Renfro and Miller, Oct. 7. Charter Center Theatre Albany, Sept. 24. — Center Theatre Corp. has been chartered here to take over the operation of the Center in Rockefeller Center. Incorporators are : Andrew Jackson, Rudolph A. Travers and Cyril S. Stanley. Other incorporations are : Livingston Theatres, Inc., Oneida, by Myron J. Kallet, Sidney J. Kallet and Alexander L. Saul, and Herbert's Homunculi, Inc., Brooklyn, by Reuben B. Shemitz, Paula Rothenberg and Seymour A. Guttman. Open Cincinnati Empress Cincinnati, Sept. 24. — The Empress, heretofore exclusively a burlesque house, closed for the summer, has reopened with burlesque and pictures on a grind basis. Robert Simon is manager. Matinee admission is 25 cents, evenings, 25 and 35 cents. New sound equipment has been installed. Start Vancouver House Vancouver, Wash., Sept. 24. — After numerous rumors regarding the building of the Kiggins theatre, work has actually been started. Plans call for the construction of a reinforced concrete building of modern architecture at a cost of $60,000. It will seat 800. Evergreen will operate. Looking 'Em Over "Passing of the Third Floor Back" (Gaumont British) London, Sept. 12. — This is box-office material, subject only to the qualification that the dialogue has a rather pronounced London tang. Founded on the stage play from which Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson made a fortune, it has the sob appeal and the semi-mystical atmosphere which, right back to the days of "The Miracle Man," has fetched the masses. The theme is the appearance of a mysterious stranger at a London apartment house where all the meaner vices, typified by a queer assortment of boarders of both sexes, flourish rankly. His influence, pitted against that of the most evil of the boarders, is seen at work in the case of a couple who wish to sell their daughter to a rich husband, of a middleaged female snob, an embittered spinster, and of the maidservant, hard-driven by a greedy mistress. Eventually it triumphs. Jerome's play went over big because it succeeded in presenting, without infringing British censor rules, a direct conflict between sacred and diabolic forces, and the film has the same appeal. Frank Cellier acts magnificently as the human-devil and Conrad Veidt is also impressive as the Christ-man ; all told, it is a good cast. Plot values are good, apart from the strong theme appeal and there is good humorous relief. Where the difficulty of accent is not a bar, this might be played to good business. Running time, 90 minutes. "G." "The Private Secretary" ( Twickenham-British) London, Sept 13. — Selling values here are Edward Everett Horton and the fact that, in his first British picture, he is seen in a stage farce which, in its day, was almost in the "Charley's Aunt" class as a box-office draw. The material "dates," its appeal resting on the predicaments of an innocent young clergyman who is persuaded to pose as the nephew of a rich Anglo-Indian while the young man takes the clergyman's post of private secretary to a rich man with a country house and a pretty daughter. The real nephew wants to disguise from his relative that he is up to his eyes in debt, but, in fact, the gentleman from India likes a young man of spirit and is disgusted with the spineless clergyman. The adventures of the latter, punctured by the phrase "I don't like London," are marked by rather obvious humor, giving Horton little chance for his usual subtlety, but there is a good travesty of a spiritualistic seance at the end. It is a case of talking Horton and the famous Hawtrey farce and on these lines it can be sold to audiences which like broad comedy. Running time, 75 minutes. "G." ALLAN "Iceland Fishermen" (DuWorld) Done wholly in French, an adaptation of the novel by Pierre Loti, "Pecheur DTslande," this picture is drama in its entirety, picturing, with little relief, the simple, hard life of the hardy fishermen of France who engage in their activity off the bleak coast of Iceland in the north. Numerous superimposed translations of important bits of dialogue make for ready understanding of the story by one not familiar with the language employed. The exhibitor might well use the film in a tieup with schools from the French language standpoint. As entertainment, although of interest, it is a bit too stark, a bit too drab for general audience enjoyment, despite something of action aboard the fishing boat. The story has a silent and reserved fisherman falling in love with a girl, just returned from Paris, but refusing her because he thinks himself not good enough for her. Eventually they are married, but he fails to return from his first cruise after their honeymoon. The film was produced and directed by Pierre Guerlais. Yvette Guilbert, Thorny Bourdelle and Marguerite Weintenberger are featured. No production code seal. Running time, 67 minutes. "G." Lennon Signs as Writer Hollywood, Sept. 24. — Tom Lennon, formerly of the RKO publicity department, has been signed to a term writing contract at that studio, and has moved over to the writers' building. Lennon's first assignment will be on "The Wild West." Film Row to Dance Hollywood, Sept. 24. — Film Row will give a dance at the Breakfast Club on Oct. 19. About 400 are expected by Guy Gunderson, head of the entertainment committee. Plans are being laid for about four such dances a year. Short Subjects "Circus Days" (Educational) Clever animation and a typical circus plot go to make this Terry-Toon an amusing addition to a program. In the cartoon manner, it begins with a parade and with clever invention continues with trained seals, a flying trapeze act in quantity, a trick wrestling match and winds up with a ballet of lions in Hawaiian style. Recommended. Production Code Seal No. 0601. Running time 8 minutes. "G." "Rodeo Day" (Educational) Opening with a newsreel shot of rodeo activity, this short continues on in a slight story vein that is interwoven with cowboy songs of dubious merit. The winner of the bronco busting, a braggart, is thwarted by an impersonation of a "bad man" in marrying the songbird of the piece. The "bad man" forces his pal to marry the girl and on being unmasked winds up the offering with a wise crack. Production Code Seal No. 0519. Running time 11 minutes. "G." "Morocco Mirage" (Fox) The city of Marrakech in Morocco with its semi-civilized inhabitants is the interesting theme of this Magic Carpet. Arresting scenes of Berber life and some fine architectural photography appeal to the eye. Shots of horsemanship and a horserace make a contrast. It concludes with interior scenes in a harem. Recommended. Production Code Seal No. 0449. Running time 10 minutes. "G." "Penny Wise" (Educational) Joe Cook's eccentric lunacies that can be depended on to go over with audiences are here devoted to the operation of a department store. With the store left in his care he reacts to every suggestion and goes it one better. It winds up with a hilarious chase about the store with much "Cookiana" in evidence. Highly recommended. Production Code Seal No. 0569. Running time 17 minutes. "G." "Night Life in Europe" (Fox) Night life activities on the continent are arranged in this short to build up to a climax in Paris. London, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, San Remo and Madrid are shown with their offerings in various places of entertainment. Mostly consisting of national dancing, the climax takes place in the real Folies Bergere in Paris with the dancing of the "can-can." Production Code Seal No. 0434. Running time 10 minutes. "G." "Kiss the Bride" (Educational) Expelled from college and out on their own, Tom Patricola and Buster West set up housekeeping to fool West's father into supporting them. For a while the ruse works, then West's sister uncovers Patricola's impersonation but all ends well. The effort is played in the farce manner and should be pleasing where there is a Patricola and West following. Production Code Seal No. 0490. Running time 17 minutes. "G."