Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Tuesday, July 12, 1938 Hollywood Previews "I'd Give a Million" (20th Century-Fox) Hollywood, July 11. — -This comedy is as far off the beaten track as anybody surfeited with the flow of sophisticated knockabout offerings of a few months back could possibly wish. It is proportionately funny. Showmen who have put away on their top shelves the more extreme phrases which emphasize humor can take them down and dust them off for this picture. The situation which gives rise to unprecedented complications is that in which the citizens of the French Riviera find themselves when notified by a newspaper headline one morning that the very next hobo they meet may be the mysterious millionaire who exchanged clothes with a knight of the road last night after declaring himself eager to give a million francs to anyone who would render him a service without thought of reward. The citizens promptly made honored guests of all the tramps in the community, more tramps arrive, are similarly welcomed, and the town goes charitably mad. Meanwhile the real millionaire, aware of the state of affairs, obtains employment with a circus, falls in love with a girl, mistrusts her motive but learns he needn't have, and finally makes good the newspaper's story by distributing the million francs as promised. Warner Baxter has a superb role as the millionaire. Peter Lorre is impressive as a vagabond, John Carradine as another. Jean Hersholt plays a relatively minor part in his usual thorough manner and Marjorie Weaver continues her steady march to popularity as the girl in the case. The cast is long and includes a dozen or more striking characteristic performances. A most involved story by Cesare Zavattini and Giaci Mondaini is the basis of a greased-lightning screenplay by Boris Ingster and Milton Sperling. Producer Kenneth Macgowan and Director Walter Lang have made of it an immensely amusing motion picture. Running time, 70 minutes. "G." William R. Weaver "The Affairs of Annabel" (RKO-Radio) Hollywood, July 11. — An amalgamation of hokum farce comedy from start to finish, RKO-Radio's "The Affairs of Annabel" satir izes the studio publicity end of the picture business. Gag follows gag in action, dialogue, characterizations and situations. It's no behind-the-scenes story. Lou Lusty, in his initial production effort, saw to it that nothing trite or stale should be included. As everything happens out in the open for every one to see and hear, Jack Oakie and Lucille Ball check in with fine performances and the support which features Ruth Donnelly, Bradley Page, Fritz Feld, Thurston Hall, Granville Bates, James Burke, Le Van Atta, Anthony Warde and Edward Marr leaves nothing undone that would add to the plot's nonsense. Press agent Oakie's imagination and thirst to publicize Lucille Ball is the premise for the merriment. To exploit a prison picture, he gets her in jail for three days that stretch out to 30. There's fireworks, of course, and more when, to exploit 'A Maid and a Man," Oakie gets Miss Ball a maid's job. Nothing goes right and everything is funny as yeggs make the Granville Bates-Elisabeth Risdon home their hideout. A gang of film extra cops storms the house shooting blank cartridges, but when the gangsters return real bullets they flee in panic. World wide publicity comes to Miss Ball when she captures the criminals. But there's no peace for her. To exploit "The Diamond Smuggler," her next picture, Oakie has her arrested as a smuggler and the fadeout has her chained in the arms of Secret Service men. The original story by Charles Hoffman is fresh and new and so is the screenplay which Bert Granet and Paul Yawitz did. As they went after novelty in preparation, Ben Stoloff's direction wraps their work as well as that of the players up into an attractive bundle of showmanship screen amusement. Running time, 75 minutes. "G." Gus McCarthy Variety Club 8 Ohio ITO Relies on Allied in Pact Talks Columbus, July 11. — That the board of directors of the I.T.O. of Ohio were aware of the impending plans for conciliation conferences between distributors and exhibitors as far back as one month ago, is disclosed in the revelation of a resolution passed by the board on June 14. The resolution, unanimously adopted, declared that no member of the organization "act in any capacity" with respect to the plan without prior authorization by Abram F. Myers, general counsel of the national Allied organization. The resolution refers to "rumors" that the major distributors "will shortly recommend" that representatives of distributors and exhibitor organizations confer on conciliation and arbitration, expresses the belief that such a plan would be advantageous to the industry, and declares that such a plan "can only be satisfactorily consummated for its members through the advice and guidance of national Allied." Calls New Kentucky Lottery Law Illegal Frankfort, Ky., July 11. — Assistant Attorney General Guy H. Herdman has expressed the belief in an opinion that the 1938 act declaring lotteries legal is unconstitutional. The act went into effect Saturday. The opinion was given R. O. Willingham, Bardwell City Attorney who asked if it were legal for a merchant to give purchasers tickets and give prizes to winners of ticket drawings. Mr. Herdman said the act was intended to make such transactions and "also newspaper drawings" and Bank Night legal, but he said he believed the Court of Appeals would declare the act a nullity. Score Club Tourney To Be Held Tomorrow About 75 members of the Score Club, formerly the Monday Nighters, will tee off at Fenway Country Club, White Plains, tomorrow in the club's first annual golf tournament. Max Cohen, head of Cinema Circuit and of Allied of New York, is in charge of arrangements. Prizes contributed by industry organizations will be awarded for a large variety of scoring achievements. Clofine Going Abroad Extension of News of the Day coverage in Europe is contemplated by Michael D. Clofine, managing editor, who will leave tomorrow on the N ormandie for London, Paris and Rome. This will be his first trip to Europe in 15 years, Ed Hatrick, chief of the Hearst film interests, having previously attended to newsreel matters during trips abroad. Mr. Clofine will be accompanied by his wife and expects to be gone a month. "Sheik" Rights to UA. Argentine, Uruguay, Paraguay, Cuba, Straits Settlements and Siam distribution rights to "Son of the Sheik" have been purchased by United Artists from Emil Jensen, president of Artcinema Associates, Inc. The deal was closed by Arthur W. Kelly, U. A. vice-president in charge of foreign distribution. Withdraws Alger Motion Abraham K. Webber, attorney for independent stockholders of RKO, yesterday withdrew an application which had been heretofore unrevealed, requesting Judge William Bondy to rescind the appointment of George W. Alger as special master to hear amendments to the plan of reorganization of RKO. Mr. Webber's application had been submitted to Judge Bondy on June 5 but was never filed. Leaves Justice Dep't. Washington, July 11. — Hammond E. Chaffetz special assistant to the U. S. Attorney General, who during the past eight years has been connected with many of the important antitrust actions brought by the Government, will leave the Department of Justice service July 15 to engage in the practice of law in Washington, it has been disclosed by Attorney General Cummings. Minneapolis Minneapolis, July 11. — The Annual Variety Club golf tournament at Oak Ridge has been set for Friday. Don Woods heads the golf committee. Work is being started on the enlarged quarters for the club in the Nicollet Hotel. The newly acquired space on the third floor will give members approximately three timrf' as much room as formerly. 1 ^ Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, July 11. — Under the direction of Harry Kalmine, commander, Variety Post of the American Legion is presenting a vaudeville show on the first Wednesday of every month at the Veterans' Hospital in Aspinwall. The first one was given last week and featured almost 20 acts. Harry Seed's wife and daughter and Mrs. Sam Fineberg have left to spend the summer in California. Johnny Harris was honored over the weekend at a birthday surprise stag; party arranged by Mrs. Harris. Dick Stable and his wife, Gracie Barrie, were guests of honor at the Lew Leftons' Family Night. Archie Fineman will be missing for the next three weeks while he's vacationing in Mt. Clemens. Ditto Charles Danver, whose "Pittsburghesque" column is a daily feature in the Post-Gazette. He'll take his vacation at home, however. Earle Bailey's family has joined him here, closing their home in Philadelphia. John Hooley is back in harness again after a long illness. Variety Honors Cullen Pittsburgh, July 11. — Variety Club held a farewell dinner tonight at the William Penn hotel in honor of M. J. Cullen, manager of Loew's Penn who has just been promoted to special assignment duty at the home office in New York. Mr. Cullen will leave the end of this week for his new duties, his successor here being Charles Kurtzman from the Capitol in Washington. Wall Street Kodak in Best Board Showing Net Open High Low Close Change Col. ..13% 13% 13% 13% 'A Cons ■ 154 VA 154 m E. K 170 171 170 171 -H54 E. K. pfd.,167 167M 165 165 —2 G. T. E. . 14 WA 14 WA + % Loew .... . sm 5154 50-/4 sm v» Para ■ 10% 1154 1034 10M -% Para. 2 ■ nys 1154 11% uy4 Pathe . . . . 6 6 5% 5% 'A RKO . 2% 2Va. 254 2Vz 54 20th Fox . . 25 25 WA 2VA -i 20th pfd.. ■ 3454 34^ 34% 3454 + % LTniv. pfd . 38 38 38 38 W. B. ... . 6% 6% 6-4 6% W. B. pfd. 35 35 35 35 —l Curb Rises in Fractions Net Open High Low Close Change G. N % H 5/16 % Monogram 3 3 3 3 + 54 Tech 22% 22% 21K 22 — J4 Trans -Lux 2J4 254 254 2J4 + % Bonds Generally Increase Net High Low Close Change Para. Pict. 6s '55 9554 95 9554 +154 Para. Pict. '47.... 81 81 81 — $4 RKO 6s '41 70 70 70 W. B. 6s '39 79 7854 79 + }4 (Quotations at close of July 11)