Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Hollywood Previews "There's Always a Woman" {Columbia) Hollywood, March 16. — There is enough slick, silky mystery-comedy in "There's Always a Woman" to make it fit entertainment for any exhibitor's patrons. The film moves at machine gun speed, blending brilliant dialogue into the story of a harassed investigator and his wife who knows she is a super sleuth. The film should take a place in the season's list of popular serio-comic attractions. For exploitation there are the names of Joan Blondell and Melvyn Dougla?. Mary Astor, Frances Drake, Jerome Cowan and Robert Page round out the support, while Thurston Hall, Pierre Watkin, Walter Kingsford and Lester Mathews capably assist in minor roles. There are also tricky possibilities for showmen's talents. Wilson Collison's original is a soundly contrived yarn that merges entertainment elements. Gladys Lehman's adaptation offers comedy that borders on slapstick, mystery to befuddle the fans and double-dyed-inthe-wool melodrama that perks up attention immediately and holds it throughout. Alexander Hall directed. Douglas has a complicated murder to solve. Miss Blondell, his wife, has no great respect for his sleuthing talents and takes a hand in the case. They approach the problem from different angles. Despite everybody's efforts to keep the woman out of the case, she comes up with the solution. The goings on are high amusement that should prove pleasing and profitable to all concerned with its public presentation. Running time, 80 minutes. "G." "Law of the Underworld" (RKO) Hollywood, March 16. — "Law of the Underworld" may be described as an afterthought of the gangster picture cycle. It will provide plenty of entertainment for those who like their melodrama in the raw. It concerns an advertising man who mingles in society while directing the activities of a gang of thieves and who, having involved two youngsters, boy and girl, in a life of crime, gives up his life to gain them freedom. The cast is topped by Chester Morris, Anne Shirley, Eduardo Ciannelli, Walter Abel, Richard Bond, Lee Patrick, Paul Guilfoyle and Eddie Acuff, all of whom deliver well seasoned performances, outstanding among which is Ciannelli's portrayal of a cold blooded "kill crazy" gunman. A polished directorial job has been done by Lew Landers, who guided the screenplay of Bert Granet and Edmund L. Hartmann. It was based on the story "The Lost Game," and the Al H. Woods stage production by John B. Hymer and Samuel Shipman. Robert Sisk produced. Morris, the head of the thieves, forces Miss Shirley and Bond, about to be married, into acting as decoys for a robbery. Ciannelli, anxious to head the gang, kills one of the victims, disobeying Morris, who later slays him. In a civic cleanup move, Miss Shirley and Bond are arrested by Abel, a special prosecutor, but maintain silence, fearing underworld retribution. Morris, taken into custody, confesses so the youngsters may go free. Running time, 60 minutes. "A." (Additional Reviews on Page 6.) Thursday. March 17, 1938 Quigley Urges New Standards In Advertising (Continued from pane 1) < tk advertising business, and urged _J listeners to benefit by the industry's experience in order to prevent a ; public protest. A round table discussion following Quigley 's talk was of the consensus that his analysis and conclusions were correct. Speakers brought out that | the advertising profession has been making efforts to "clean its own J house" and that unless its adopts selfregulation, such as is now in effect 1 in the film industry, outside pressure ' will be brought to bear. Profit of Decency Cited James O'Shaughnessy, general manager of the National Independent Broadcasters, Inc., and chairman of J the group, in introducing Quigley, , recalled his services and the influence 3 of the Quigley Publications in bringj ing about higher standards of the screen through the industry's own ' efforts at a reasonable adjustment to -I its moral and social responsibilities. O'Shaughnessy said that decency had : resulted in greater popularity of films ; and estimated the increased revenue 1. at 200 million dollars last year. "The lessons that the motion picture industry learned in the stress of great public protest have not been learned > in general advertising," Quigley said. "The organized film industry, since I the adoption of the codes, has learned • among other things that decency is A good business. It had its test at the bar of public opinion, a test which might have been avoided but was not, ■, probably for the same reasons that govern the continuance of wrong pracE tices in the advertising business : First, the public had not been heard from, at least not emphatically ; enough ; second, the easiest way is always attractive, and third — and very important — the practical application of the principles of morality either in the making of motion pictures or in the preparation of advertising requires very much more than the mere inten i tion to do so." Criticises New Publications i Commenting on a "crop of new magazines which are rapidly destroy: ing America's traditional reputation 3 for decency," Quigley said, "If I were ■J either an advertiser or an advertise: ing agency I would not be happy over ! some of these new standards in publications which are now flourishing." I "I shall not venture to suggest the specific steps the advertising profession should take to meet and control the conditions which obviously need J attention," he declared. "I do know that the danger signal is plainly visible. Adequate, intelligent and reasonable regulation will provide great satisfaction for those who accomplish it. It will create a genuine public benefaction and at the same time will inevitably prove to be good business." Gets Music Box Post Seattle. March 16.— Ron Kelly has been named manager of the Music Box here. Conferences Start Soon with AF of M Definite arrangements for the proposed conferences between American Federation of Musicians officials and the producers' labor committee on reemployment of musicians within the industry will be made immediately upon completion of the A. F. of M. meetings with independent broadcasters on the use of transcriptions, Joseph N. Weber, A. F. of M. president, said yesterday. "The subject of increased employment of musicians by film producers is on the docket of our national executive board, the only body which has authority to take up the matter, and will be the first order of business upon completion of our present discussions of transcriptions," Weber said. He added that, inasmuch as no definite arrangements had been made yet, he was unable to say whether the meetings would be held here or in Hollywood. The A. F. of M. president declared that he had no knowledge of any move to call off or postpone the annual negotiations of the international unions included in the basic contract with producers, as reported. The negotiations are expected to be held here in about three weeks, with present indications pointing more to conferences on methods of spreading employment, rather than to a reopening of new wage and hour schedules. Sherman Signs Selander Hollywood, March 16. — Director Lesley Selander has been signed to a year's contract by Harry Sherman. He will guide the current "Hopalong Cassidy" series, now being prepared by five writers — Norman Houston, Maurice Geraghty, Louis Gasnier, I John Rathmil and Jack O'Donnell. 3 Short Subject "March of Time, No. 8" (RKO) In many ways this is one of the strongest issues which March of Time has offered. Composed only of two subjects, each is brilliantly handled. "Brain Trust Island" and "Arms and the League" are the titles, and the second, in view of the events of the past few weeks in Europe, becomes perhaps the most timely subject the producers ever have released. It is, in effect, a review of the history of the League of Nations, picturing Woodrow Wilson, its founder, Aristide Briand, Ramsay MacDonald and Gustav Stresemann giving it courage and a measure of strength. But then came the rise of Hitler and Mussolini, and Japan's blows at China, and the virtual collapse of the League. And this, despite the frantic efforts of Anthony Eden, young and brilliant English Foreign Secretary and League champion. Then Eden is displaced as Prime Minister Chamberlain seeks conciliation. With every newspaper in the country screaming of turbulent Europe, this reel is marquee material of no mean drawing power. The second half of the reel is devoted to the rejuvenation of battered and poverty-stricken Key West by a young New Dealer, Julius F. Stone, Jr., who turned to the tourist trade as a means of reviving the island with New Deal dollars, and who succeeded admirably. The only difficulty seems to be that Key West faces the danger of becoming a glorified Coney Island, and its citizens are worried. All of it is excellently pictured. Running time, 18 mins. "G." Plan Johnson Memorial A program planned as a memorial to Martin Johnson, film producer and explorer, will be held at Carnegie Hall on the evening of April 1. Mrs. Osa Johnson will lecture during the showing of a film containing excerpts from the explorer's best known productions. An impressive list of sponsors is headed by Mayor LaGuardia. Wall Street Board in Decline Again Net Open High Low Close Change Cons m Cons., pfd. 55/s 6 SH + % E. K. ... 150 150 150 150 G. T. E... ic% wy& 107/s 1074 % 46 46Vt 4454 4554 —m Para 954 954 m. 854 54 Para. 2 . 9 9 9 9 54 Pathe .... SH 5% 5 5 — H RKO 3H 35-6 54 20th Fox . 22J4 22Vi 2154 2154 54 20th pfd. . 28 2S 28 28 54 Univ. pfd.. im 39% 39% y* W. B S 5 v» W. B. pfd. 35 35 3454 3454 —3% Curb Issues Drop Net Open High Low Close Change G. N 54 54 54 54 —1/16 Monogram 2 2 2 2 Sonotone . . M lVs M M — Vi Tech 1954 195/6 1854 18% — Vi Trans -Lux 254 254 254 254 Bond Movement Uneven Net High Low Close Change Loew 354s '46 9854 9854 9854 + 54 Para. B'way 3s '55 5854 5&54 5854 — 54 Para. Pict. '47. . . . 6854 6854 6854 — 54 W. B. 6s '39 68 67J4 68 + 54 (Quotations at close of March 16)