Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

Thursday, January 7, 1937 MOTION PICTURE DAILY New Orleans Enjoyed Best Aherne the Shining Light In Disappointing "Othello9 Year in Seven (Continued from page 1) 1935, while bank balances on open accounts averaged approximately 33l/j per cent over the previous year. Christmas savings accounts were about $500,000 over 1935, while bonuses distributed to stockholders and employes ran over the aggregate of the previous five years. There was little new theatre construction. The New Center was renovated at an approximate cost of $30,000 by Henry Lazarus. Several of the United circuit houses had new fronts, lobbies and marquees, while the independents have made minor additions. Grosses advanced without exception, from the Class A houses to the small neighborhoods, but there was no advance in prices. The tremendous increase in business in all lines can be traced in part to the Government. Newspaper lineage was far in advance of any previous year while local radio advertising, exclusive of the chains, is increasing monthly and according to managers of the five stations contracts running into the new year have been signed. Exchanges report more than a healthy growth upstate, owing to the establishment of a number of new theatres, and the operation of a sixday week, where previously the theatres ran only two or three nights a week, with better prices for product. Texas Gaining Steadily Dallas, Jan. 6 — The experiences in 1936 and forecasts for 1937 by officials of Interstate and Texas Consolidated Theatres may be regarded as a pretty good index of theatre conditions in this state, since the two circuits control and operate more than 100 houses. Karl Hoblitzelle, president of the circuits, reports that 1936 was a good year but that he anticipates still greater business in the new year. Business statistics compiled by the Dallas Chamber of Commerce lend support to the showman's claims. Retail and department store sales averaged about 25 per cent over 1935, building permits jumped all over the state, bank clearings and debits also mounted, but the most reliable index is that sales of new automobiles for 11 months of 1936 were 20 per cent ahead of the whole previous year. This last figure is for Dallas County but the rest of the state showed similar gains. Hoblitzelle's circuits spent approximately $2,000,000 in 1936 in building 18 new houses, mostly suburban, and two were acquired. This program was centered in the larger cities occupied by Interstate. Hoblitzelle revealed that a reconstruction program is planned for 1937 in the smaller cities of the state, in which Texas Consolidated operates. Fire in Columbus House Columbus, Jan. 6.— The stage and scenery of the RKO Palace was badly damaged today by a fire of undetermined origin which forced the closing of the house. Property damage has not been estimated (Continued f', in production investiture and of moving power in histrionics. That's enough stalling around and brings the matter at hand to hand. It is "Othello," ventured last night at the New Amsterdam Theatre by Max Gordon. The same Max Gordon who put on "The Women" for prestige and this play for profit. The evening, in its larger aspects, was largely a polite bore. True, the play had its moments of tenseness and its moments of drama. The devilish machinations of Iago in implanting the vicious seeds of jealousy in the Moor's fertile mind gave the first end of the first long act a gripping curtain. There is drama in the second half as well and a deal of slaughtering what with Cassio duelling with Roderigo, Iago finishing off the latter, Othello throttling Desdemona, Iago stabbing Emelia and meeting death at the end of Othello's sword, not to overlook Othello's exit by his own hand. But the drama, while it held this restless purveyor of the scene, never moved him. Not one perceptible bit. Plot Implausible Today As a matter of fact through modern eyes, the business of the plot was a silly affair. All that Othello had to do was send one of his messengers, or a battalion if he preferred, to produce Cassio, then find out whether or not Desdemona had given him the telltale handkerchief which seemingly proved her infidelity although how seems foolish as well. But, that might have made no play and given Gordon nothing to open last evening. Yet, as it stood, a shining light gleamed throughout. His name is Brian Aherne, he who plays the goodlooking, suave and polished, cunning and brilliant, villainous Iago, the cause of all the blood letting in Cyprus. Aherne was, to this way of thinking, a splendid Iago and away out front where the cast was concerned, not excepting Walter Huston's Othello. For Huston disappointed this department rather grievously. Do not get the impression his performance was bad. Rather is it that his rendition disastrous deflation," the President said, "it is to the interest of the nation to have Government help private enterprise to gain sound general price levels and to protect those levels from wide, perilous fluctuations. "Sober second thought," he continued, "confirms most of us in the belief that the broad objectives of the National Recovery Act were sound. We know now that its difficulties arose from the fact that it tried to do too much. For example, it was unwise to expect the same agency to regulate the length of working hours, minimum wages, child labor and collective bargaining on the one hand and the complicated questions of un rom page 1) merely was not good enough. You might ask what your grouch anticipated he would see. He is not quite certain on that score, but he is very definite in his conclusion that Huston did not deliver it. Cast inadequacies were also present in a number of directions. Nan Sutherland was a lacking Desdemona ; Natalie Hall was generally inadequate as Emelia ; Cassio reflected anything but the soldierly mien which might be expected of Othello's lieutenant. The others, in lesser roles, were alternately satisfactory and not. Practically all of them declaimed, rather than acted. And that, too, failed to help matters. In point of production, this "Othello" had flashes of great beauty. By and large and on the whole, however, it falls shy of the overwhelming stagecraft which marked both the Gielgud and the Howard "Hamlet." Shakespeare had something to do with that one, likewise. U. A. Theatres Have $167,846 Net Profit United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., reports a net income of $167,846 for the year ending Aug. 31 after depreciation, amortization, Federal taxes and other charges. This is equal to eight cents on each of the 500,000 common shares after preferred dividends. For the year ending Aug. 31, 1935, there was a net loss of $58,400. Rites for Julius Steiner Funeral services will be held at 9 :30 this morning for Julius Steiner, father of Joseph, general sales manager of American Tobis, at the Home for Hebrews, 105th St., between Columbus and Amsterdam Aves. G. A. Lincoln Dead Chicago, Jan. 6. — Glenn A. Lincoln, formerly prominently identified with the theatre supply field in Chicago, died last night in Denver, according to word received here today. fair trade practices and business controls on the other. "The statute of NRA has been outlawed. The problems have not. They are still with us." However, the President pointed out, it is a "proven impossibility" to secure decent conditions and adequate pay for labor through state laws, and "it is equally impossible to obtain curbs on monopoly, unfair trade practices and speculation by states alone." Federal laws supplementing state laws "are needed to help solve the problems which result from modern invention applied in an industrialized nation which conducts its business with scant regard to state lines." Probing Power In Anti-Trust Cases Sought (Continued from page 1) anti-trust division should be equipped with independent facilities for instituing investigations in the public interest and thus relieved of its almost complete dependence on interested private initiative. "The division should be equipped with an economic staff unit qualified to make initial exploratory studies and statistical business surveys necessary to enable the division to inaugurate of its own motion investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into situations presenting some substantial element of suspicion, without waiting as at present for private complaints to be filed by interested parties." In his section of the report, outlining the activities of the division during the fiscal year ended June 30, last, the Assistant Attorney General touched upon the St. Louis case and the suit later instituted in New York. See Bills for Aid To Small Business (Continued from page 1) committee met here today to put the finishing touches on its proposed industrial legislation. Details of the proposed legislation were not made public tonight, but it was learned in reliable quarters that accepting the views expressed by President Roosevelt in his message to Congress today that the original NRA covered too much ground, the industry control legislation probably will be divided into two parts, one dealing exclusively with the prohibition of unfair competition and the other providing for a restoration of code labor conditions. Observers in Washington expressed the view tonight that Berry's proposals for industry control will be added to the score of other suggestions on the same subject and that any bill which is taken up for consideration by Congress will be written by the Congressional committees in charge of the legislation. In view of the desire of the President to eliminate the emergency lending organizations, it is not believed that proposals for Federal aid to small business have much chance of enactment. Sterling Acquires Monogram Pictures (Continued from page 1) P. Friedhoff, treasurer; M. S. White, secretary. Louis S. Lifton, director of Sterling's publicity and advertising, retains this post under the new setup. All new Monogram exchanges will be ready to start in June when the following releases will be ready: "Legion of Missing Men," "The Outer Gate," "Romance of the Limberlost" and "Paradise Lost." Closes Brooklyn House Arthur Mayer has closed the Trans Lux in Brooklyn. President Takes New Stand For Principles of the NRA (Continued from page 1)