Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1936)

Friday, November 20, 1936 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Warners' Campaign Named "Sears Drive" {Continued from page 1) was named coordinator for the drive, the name of which was adopted unanimously over the objection of Sears. Major Albert Warner, vice-president, suggested the Sears designation, and paid tribute to the sales executive. Sears said today that Warner sales are $4,000,000 above the corresponding period last year. James E. Coston stated that Warners have suffered no losses -since the | institution of duals in the territory. He predicted that the double featuring idea will be abandoned within 90 days. The current meeting will be held over for another day as a result of the arrival in Chicago of the company's "Gold Diggers" plane. Festivities in honor of the air visitors included the bestowal of the key to the city by the mayor, a parade along Michigan Boulevard and a broadcast over CBS. "Diggers" in Detroit Today The "Gold Diggers" plane will arrive in Detroit for its seventh stop today, having come on from Chicago. A series of assorted welcomes there will feature the day, and tomorrow the plane will reach Cleveland. The group will remain there over the weekend, leaving on Monday for Pittsburgh. Warner Kid Party Set The local Warner Club will hold its annual Christmas Kiddie Party on Dec. 19, to which all child relatives of members will be invited. Gifts, refreshments and entertainment will feature the affair. Para. Denies Early Will Join Company Paramount officials yesterday denied Washington reports that Stephen Early, assistant secretary to President Roosevelt, would become associated with the company on Jan. 1, or later. Local associates of Early quoted him as saying recently that he had received several "tempting offers" from business organizations, none of which was identified with the film industry, however. No Resignation Confirmation Washington, Nov. 19. — Reports that Stephen Early, assistant secretary to the President, will resign his White House post to join Paramount on Jan. 1 could not be confirmed here today, but observers expressed no surprise at the rumor, which has been circulated from time to time in the past. The inauguration of President Roosevelt for his second term is expected to be followed by changes in his official family, several of them arising from the desire of officials to return to private life. It would not be surprising if Early is among this group, but it has not been believed generally that he would leave until after the inauguration. Toeplitz After Ellison Hollywood, Nov. 19— Harry Sherman has received an offer from Toeplitz of London for the services of Jimmy Ellison in "She Takes the Low Road." The picture will be made in Rome. War Play Theme in Clear, But Its Handling Is Not (Continued from page 1 ) larded with unimportant and undistinguished music by Kurt Weill. "Johnny Johnson," the program advises, is a legend. It is also balderdash and a considerable expenditure of energy thrown into the pot with merely vapor and an occasional savory odor for the trouble. Satirically and in comedy, it tells of a small town tombstone cutter who stays out of the war and enlists only when spurred by Woodrow Wilson's proclamation that this is a war to end wars. He makes a bad and troublesome soldier, conceives the brotherhood of man idea and, as a solo gargantuan, tries to sell the scheme to the American soldiery while a German sniper whose life he had saved, does likewise on the other side of no man's land. But Johnny gets shot in gluteals when he becomes careless. Escaping from his hospital bed, he sprinkles the Allied high command with laughing gas and extracts an order calling off all shots. As the effects wear off, so is the order rescinded. Johnson is sent home, confined to an insane asylum where he organizes a League for World Republics and 10 years later, is set free. In the meantime, he has lost his girl, of course, but that fails to prevent his final song spouting of faith in man and happier days to come. For a guy who got such a pediculous break, Johnny proves quite a man and the Group Theatre a bunch of incurable optimists. Good Points Too Few It is true there are flashes of excellent stage technique, embellished by fine lighting and effects. Also are there spasms of laughter, overtoned by the grim and tragic drama which should stalk through all lost causes. The good points are woefully sparse, however, and never begin to make amends for the large patches of meaningless mish-mosh which clutters the stage throughout most of the evening. Russell Collins did cut a woebegone figure in the asylum scene, but for performance this reviewer will take Morris Carnovsky's fine and comic interpretation of the asylum's psychiatrist. John Hay Whitney is reported to have backed "Johnny Johnson." At least, in part. For a horse breeder of parts and an expert of last summer's season at Saratoga, he should have known better. Prelates End Meet; No Film Statements Wa shington, Nov. 19. — The annual meeting of the Archbishops and Bishops of the Catholic Church was concluded today and the administrative board of the Catholic Welfare Council began its sessions which will carry over through tomorrow. It could not be learned whether or not films were discussed by the hierarchy, but it was indicated that if anything is to be made public it will be handled by the administrative board. G. B. Gets "Millionaire" G. B. will release "Weekend Millionaire," an Alliance Film. George Weeks closed the deal. Censors Cautious Chicago, Nov. 19. — "Reunion," the new Twentieth Century-Fox effort with the Dionne Quintuplets, has been given a pink ticket — adults only — by the censor board. It is reported the censors thought youngsters shouldn't hear certain references of an obstetrical nature. After all, that Callander roof was a small landing area for five storks! Phil Goldstone Sues EKC on 16 mm. Films Los Angeles, Nov. 19. — Phil Goldstone and Phil Goldstone Prod, today filed suit in Superior Court against Eastman Kodak Co., Eastman Kodak Stores and Kodascope Library of Los Angeles, seeking an injunction restraining the further use of two 16 mm. films to which Goldstone claims exclusive rights. An accounting of profits is also asked as well as an additional $50,000 damages. Goldstone claims ownership rights to films titled "Hearts of Humanity" and "Phantom Express" which were designed for home entertainment. He charges that the defendants for four years copied these films on 16 mm. gauge and used them commercially. Sam Wolf represented Goldstone. Tax Appeal Off to Jan. The hearing of arguments on appeals involving application of the municipal sales tax to film rentals, scheduled for Dec. 3 before the Court of Appeals at Albany, has been put over to the January term of the court. Frederick H. Wood, attorney for major distributors in the appeal, asked for the adjournment when he found he could not be ready with his argument by the originally scheduled hearingtime. Delay Consolidated Plan Consolidated Film Industries, Inc., has delayed putting into effect the stock changes voted at the recent meeting because of an injunction in the Keller vs Wilson & Co. case. Attorneys have advised the company not to file a certificate of amendment or to consummate the recapitilization. The $1 dividend will be held up for this reason. Denies Dictograph Plea Federal Judge Julian W. Mack yesterday denied the motion of Dictograph Products, Inc., for an injunction to restrain the Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation of transactions in the stock and other activities which the company charges amount to persecution. Republic in Cairo Spot Cairo, Nov. 3. — Joseph V. Messeri, director of Josy Films, has returned from the continent, where he booked Republic product for the Cosmo here. 34 MORE WARNER DAYS