Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

iFriday. July 15, 1938 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Masot New Zealand Theatre Units Are Realigned By CLIFF HOLT Sydney, June 21 (By Airmail via Loudon) — The acquisition of 25 per ent of the stock of J. C. Williamson Picture Corp., (New Zealand) Ltd. by Theatre Holdings, Ltd., has an important bearing on the theatre situation in New Zealand. Hitherto the circuits have waged a gular fight for business, with J. Williamson Films, the John H. ason group and the Hoyts-FoxMoodabe combination each occupying a corner. The amalgamation of the J. C. W. and Mason interests reduces the circuit situation to two rival ;camps. Theatre Holdings, Ltd., is the new company formed by the financial group represented by John H. Mason, and it is stated that the operation of John Fuller and Sons, Fuller-Hayward, Ltd., J. C. W. Picture Group, New Zealand Theatres, Ltd., and Christchurch Cinemas, Ltd., will engage its attention. Beaumont Smith, who founded J. C. W. Picture Corp. in 1925, has disposed of 25 per cent of his stock to Theatre Holdings and resigned as managing director. He has retained his debentures, which amount to the largest individuallyowned on the company's lists, and has been invited to act in an advisory capacity for a specified minimum of itwo years. Tapernoux Files Report John S. Tapernoux, as president of French Motion Picture Corp., now in the process of reorganization, filed a monthly report of the company for the period June 13 to July 12 in the U. S. District Court here yesterday. The report revealed receipts for that period of $1,326 and expenditures of $1157. Change Columbia Title Hollywood, July 14. — "The Lady Objects" will be the release title of the first Lanny Ross starring film for Columbia, which went into work as "Lady Lawyer." Wall Street Mixed Activity Marks Board Net Open High Low -lose Change Col. . 1434 1534 1434 1434 — 54 Cons. pfd. . m 754 754 754 + 54 E. K .16854 172 16854 170 + Vi E. K. pfd.. 171 171 171 171 +3 G. T. E.. ■ 1454 1454 14 14 54 ■ 5054 5254 5054 5154 54 Para. • 1154 11H 1154 1134 54 Para. 2 . im im 1134 1134 Pathe ■ 634 734 634 754 + 34 RKO ■ 254 254 234 234 54 20th Fox . . 25 2554 2434 2434 34 I'niv. pfd. 3954 3954 3954 3954 % W. B. ... . m 754 634 7 + 54 Short Curb Gains Net Open High 34 Low Close Chang' C N 34 34 34 Monogram 234 234 234 234 Sentry 54 54 54 54 Sonotone . . 154 134 134 134 + 54 Tech. . . . 2254 22^ 2254 2254 Trans -Lux 2% 254 254 254 54 Univ. Pict. 454 434 454 454 + 54 Keith Bonds Rise 4 Points Net High Low Close Change Keith 6s '46 90 90 90 +4 Para. Pict. '47.... 82 82 82 — 34 RKO 6s '41 70 6954 6934 — 34 W. B. 6s '39 80 79 79 —1 (Quotations at close of July 14) Hollywood Previews "The Texans" (Paramount) Hollywood, July 14. — One way to notify the clients definitely as to the scale, tone and general character of this major western is by mentioning that the story, like that of "The Covered Wagon" of immortal memory, is from the pen of the late Emerson Hough. This film has the same broad sweep, the same tang of historical veracity and tells its story as that one did, most impressively, in terms of cattle drive, stampede, Indian fight and cavalry rescue. It is native American melodrama produced in vast dimension. Mr. Hough's story is of the period immediately following the Civil War when carpetbaggers exploited the South, specifically Texas. The cruelty and injustice inflicted by avaricious reconstructionists are depicted in early sequences reminiscent of "The Birth of a Nation" and the picture ends with the formation of the Ku Klux Klan in prospect. The prime incident to which the story narrows down is the driving of a herd of 10,000 cattle from a Texas ranch into Mexico and thence back across the Rio Grande to Abilene, Kan., when greedy local agents of the Union attempt to seize a ranch by means of extortionate taxation. The major episode in the long cattle drive are a grass fire, an Indian raid, a dust storm, a headlong crossing of a roaring stream by horse and covered wagon, and various stampedes. All of these are filmed on a gigantic scale and with extraordinary realism. The effectiveness of these scenes is a tribute to Producer Lucien Hubbard. Joan Bennett and Randolph Scott are co-starred, she playing the rebellious ranch owner and he the heroic American who ultimately convinces her the Union is entitled to her loyalty. May Robson gives the most memorable performance, as her grandmother, with Robert Barrat, Walter Brennan, Francis Ford and Raymond Hatton supplying strong characterizations. Running time, 90 minutes. "G." William R. Weaver "Danger on the Air" ( Universal) Hollywood, July 14. — Growing curiosity of the American public concerning behind the scenes activities of radio broadcasting may rank "Danger on the Air" for exploitation purposes above the other three of the series of Four Crime Club productions Universal has on the 1937-'38 program. Virtually all of the action takes place in a radio center, and the film is timely in that it has as part of its story the current warfare between newspapers and radio stations because of advertising. A sponsor, hated by everyone, is murdered in a mysterious manner and Donald Woods, as a sound engineer, sets out to solve the murder at great personal danger. The denouement comes in the final reel, as all the characters are gathered in the office of the head of the broadcasting company. The screenplay of Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively, who adapted the Xantippe novel "Death Catches Up with Mr. Kluck," is interspersed with comedy which met apparent approbation of the preview audience. Otis Garrett directed the Irving Starr production. Supporting Woods are Nan Grey, Jed Prouty, Berton Churchill, William Lundigan, Skeets Gallagher, Edward Van Sloan, George Meeker, Frank Milan, Lee J. Cobb, Johnny Arthur, Lind Hayes, Louise Stanley, Eloise Rawitzer and Joseph Downing. Running time, 67 minutes. "G." Vance King "Young Fugitives" (Universal) Hollywood, July 14. — "Young Fugitives" has much human interest appeal. It is a philosophic homily and contains two plots, welded together in the climax. The locale is a small town. The story concerns the experiences of a Civil War veteran, Harry Davenport, in preserving a $50,000 windfall and putting his wealth-worshipping townsmen in their places, his relationship with Dorothea Kent, wild girl of the road, and an old friend's son, Robert Wilcox, a bad boy, whom both reform. As dialogue is the main medium of interpretation, the action punch of the story is reserved for the finale. When crook pals of Wilcox plan to rob Davenport of his fortune, the young fellow rushes to the old soldier's defense, and with the aid of Legionnaires, who have been waiting to fete Davenport, put the would-be robbers to rout. Satisfied that the youth has been reformed and happy in the knowledge that he is in love with Miss Kent, Davenport settles down to a life of ease with his old cronie, Clem Bevans. Davenport and Bevans are the outstanding characters in the show. The story is an original by Edward James. It was adapted by Ben Grauman Kohn and Charles Grayson and was directed by John Rawlins. Running time, 65 minutes. "G." Short Subjects "Joaquin Murrieta" (M-G-M) The man of the title, the famous California outlaw, reputedly lost his head, physically speaking, when rangers caught up with him. The gruesome relic was exhibited for a number of years but there was some doubt as to its authenticity. This "Historical Mystery" covers that story with brief reenactments of incidents in the career of Murrieta. At the conclusion the audience is gracefully left out on a questioning limb. Interestingly done and attention-holding. Running time, 11 mins. "G." "Window Shopping" (Columbia) This is a good cartoon idea cleverly and entertainingly worked out. In interesting Technicolor the plot concerns mice who, during the night, invade various stores, and have a comic and hilarious time among the merchandise and food. Dawn comes and they troop back to their holes carrying a good supply of various items along. The animation is novel and the idea a new twist to a standard form. Running time, llA mins. "G." "Find What's Wrong" (Paramount) The exhibitor can tie in the pastime of finding production boners with the selling of this short, which concerns just what the title indicates. A short film is presented and the audience asked to find 10 errors. The film is repeated and a bell rung when each mistake occurs. It's different, which every audience should relish. Running time, 10 mins. "G." "Tail End" (Universal) A cartoon that undertakes to burlesque a film story usually is quite funny and the audience quickly catches on. That is the case here. The characters are dogs and the setting is a dead end street on the waterfront. The action follows the lines of the feature only with humorous exaggeration. Good. Running time, 7 mins. "G." Warners 2-Day Meet At Frisco Tomorrow San Francisco, July 14. — Warner bookers and ad salesmen will meet Saturday and Sunday at the Empire Hotel, San Francisco, for the second of the company's four such conferences. The sessions will be conducted by A. W. Schwalberg, supervisor of exchanges. He will be assisted by Stanley Hatch, advertising accessories sales manager, and I. F. Dolid, assistant to Norman H. Moray, Vitaphone sales manager. Among those who will attend the meeting are : Denver : L. E. Hobson, M. E. Austin and P. Gundy ; Los Angeles : W. R. Walsh, H. Slater, B. H. Sexton, J. Pierce, M. Shipp and P. Webster; Portland: H. P. McNary, C. W. Hudson, and R. Hopfel ; Salt Lake City : C. Saphro, J. Griffin and M. Wood ; San Francisco : J. Hanley, V. Preston, H. Wisnia and N. Laurice; Seattle : G. G. Maxey, J. W. Parry and D. Weston ; Calgary : S. Pearlman ; Vancouver : H, Dalgleish.