Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

10 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, September 14, 19! Production Down; 31 Films in Work Hollywood, Sept. 13. — Thirty-one pictures are shooting this week, a drop of five from last week's total, as 11 finished and six started. Twenty-six are being prepared, and 67 are being edited. Started were : "Dramatic School" and "Young Dr. Kildare," M-G-M ; "K e n t u c k y," 20th Century-Fox ; "Strange Faces" and "Exposed," Universal; "Hard to Get," Warners. In addition to these shooting are: "The Spider," Columbia ; "The Lady and the Cowboy," Goldwyn ; "Listen, Darling," "The Great Waltz," "The Shining Hour," M-G-M ; "St. Louis Blues," "Disbarred," "Say It in French," Paramount ; "Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus," Principal ; "Gunga Dinn," "Miracle Racket," RKO ; "Topper Takes a Trip," Roach ; "Made for Each Other," "Selznick; "Jesse James," "Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation" and "Arizona Wildcat," 20th Century-Fox; "Service de Luxe," "The Storm," Universal ; "Trade Winds," Wanger ; "Going Places," "Dawn Patrol," "They Made Me A Criminal," "Unfit to Print," "Nancy Drew, Detective" and "Women in the Wind, Warners. Finished were : "North of Texas" and "South of the Rio," Columbia ; "Stablemates," M-G-M; "Mr. Wong, Detective" and "Where the Buffalo Roam," Monogram ; "Zaza" and "Frontiersman," Paramount ; "Prairie Moon," Republic ; "Down on the Farm," 20th Century-Fox ; "That Certain Age," Universal, and "Wings of the Navy," Warners. Columbia started one short subject, the only activity in this field. M-G-M is preparing six, and RKO one. A total of 12 is being edited. To Repeat Film Course The course of film study begun last year by the Film Library of the Museum of Modern Art will be repeated this fall under the direction of John Abbott and Iris Barry, director and curator of the Film Library, respectively. The course is scheduled to start Oct. 4. Fox, Starr Buy Stories Hollywood, Sept. 13. — Lawrence Fox and Irving Starr have purchased two stories to go into production immediately for release through Universal. They are : "Lady Luck," by G. Carleton Brown and Emanuel Manheim, and "Call Me a Liar," by Jerry Sackheim and Jerry Horwin. "Suez" to Open Oct. 14 "Suez" will have its premiere at the Roxy Oct. 14. It will be released nationally three weeks later. A campaign on the scale of that devoted to "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is to be put on with lineage in trade papers, dailies, fan magazines and other national magazines. To Handle Italian Films Amerital Film Importing & Distributing Corp. has been organized here to handle the output of Cine Citta, Italian producing unit. Anthony R. Crocco, Pietro Ricci and S. E. Di Gennaro are listed as officers of the company. The company has 17 films with English sub-titles ready for distribution. New York Previews "Pals of the Saddle" {Republic) Republic delivers superior western entertainment in this latest Three Mesquiteer opus. Bob Livingstone is absent from the cast. His saddle is capably filled by John Wayne. The action content, development of the story and performances are up to the standard of this series. The stress is upon thrills with a laugh here and there to relieve the tension. George Sherman's direction keeps things constantly on the move. The boys stumble upon an international arms smuggling ring. Wayne is impressed into the secret service by Doreen McKay when her aide is killed. He makes the contacts with headquarters as they are about to deliver a poison gas chemical to a Mexican port. All sorts of exciting complications enter the picture. They are dealt with properly, however, by brains, fists and six-shooters. Wayne is taken prisoner near the conclusion. Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune set him free and they proceed to play havoc with a wagon train that is conveying the contraband. They hold the outfit at bay until a cavalry unit arrives. At the conclusion the trio ride off quite free of any romantic entanglement. The photography is excellent. Josef Forte, George Douglas, Frank Milan, Ted Adams, Harry Depp and Jack Kirk contribute effective supporting roles. The screenplay is by Betty Burbridge and Stanley Roberts. Running time, 55 minutes. "G." Joseph Priore "Avocate D' Amour" ("Counsel for Romance") (Regal Distributing) The appealing and attractive figure of Danielle Darrieux, who has acquired no little reputation among American film goers, is the chief asset of this French film for theatres in the United States, and it is no mean asset. The picture, produced by Raoul Ploquin from a screenplay by Jean Boyer, and plentifully supplied with English subtitle translations of dialogue, is light comedy with a touch of music, as Miss Darrieux raises her voice in occasional rendition of romantic melody, in a voice in keeping with her appearance, light and attractive. She is aided, both in song and story, by Henry Garat, personable enough and handling himself and his role adequately. The actress proves once again her ability to handle a light comedy role, supplying a deft touch to a well-rounded performance. The exhibitor need hardly be told that Miss Darrieux's appearance is the selling factor of greatest prominence, plus a catchy title. Miss Darrieux graduates with honors from law school, but her father wants her to marry and settle down. Finally they strike a bargain. She shall have 18 months, and if she fails of any sort of success, she shall marry a man of her father's choice. She is assigned a case, falls in love with the "thief," and finally learns it is all a hoax staged by her father, the man of his — and her — choice being her "client." Running time, 88 minutes. "G." Charles S. Aaronson "Die Sextanerin" ("The College Girl") (Henka Film Exchange) This film was produced in Prague, Czechoslovakia, by the Metropolitan Film Co. It has German dialogue which is translated by English subtitles. The entertainment content, of a dramatic nature, should appeal to audiences that understand the language. For American audiences it will probably seem slow-moving and the unfoldment of the plot may be found rather familiar. The action concerns a young student. She has little home life. Her mother is an opera singer and her father a preoccupied businessman. The girl falls in love with a handsome professor who comes to teach at the school. She permits the infatuation to become an obsession and consequently experiences the pangs of jealousy, the taunts of her classmates and eventually a mental breakdown. An innocent meeting with the young teacher starts a scandal in the school and they both are dismissed. The ensuing disgrace causes the girl to take poison. However, she is discovered in time. The conclusion shows the two understanding each other. The production has much foreign atmosphere and stresses the adolescent outbursts of the students. The performances are convincing. The principals are practically unknown here. Running time, 85 minutes. "A." Joseph Priore Stockholders Suing Officers of Condo > Complaints against the officers ai directors of Condor Pictures, Inc., i eluding George H. Hirliman, pres dent, and Amedee J. Van Buren, char man of the board, were filed yeste day in the U. S. District Court 1 104 stockholders owning 15,170 shar of the company. The complain asked for approximately $60,00 charging that in December, 1936, tlj defendant filed an untrue registrant statement with the Securities Br change Commission. The staten^j was untrue, the complaint continue in that it stated that Condor Pictur had a lease on a studio, and on M; 11, 1937, it was alleged, the Securiti Exchange Commission suspended tl statement. Is Restraint on Stills Behrend Motion Picture Supp House, Inc., was restrained pendii trial from allegedly infringing upon copyrighted stills of Vitagraph, In according to a decision handed dov yesterday by Federal Judge Franc G. Caffey. To India on Film Plam London, Sept. 13. — John Cornfiel head of British National, will lea1 for India tomorrow to complete a rangements for the film, "Daught of India," Technicolor production be made partly in England and part in India. This first British Nation film will be released through Ass ciated British. Plan Cleveland Theatn Cleveland, Sept. 13. — A $150,0i theatre to have 1,500 seats, will 1 built in Euclid, suburb of Clevelan by three local exhibitors, James 1 Scoville, John D. Kalafat and Howai Reif. Parking space for 600 cars wj be provided. MillerUlm Is Rename Dover, Sept. 13. — Millerfilm Corj New York, has changed its name . Miller Broadcasting System, Inc. Wall Street Board Off Vs to 3V2 Points Ne Open High Low Close Chan Col 133/& 13^4 13 13 — ? Cons. pfd... 854 854 8 8 — 3 E. K. 173*4 17354 167 167 -A G. T. E. . . 15 15 14 14 — 5 Loew 50 S1J4 46 46 — Para 1054 1054 954 954 —13 Para. 1 90 90 85 85 — 35, Para. 2 1154 H54 10 10 — 1 1 Pathe 954 954 8 8 — 1? RKO 254 254 2 2 — 5? 20th Fox .. 257/x 2654 235*4 2354 —2; 20th pfd ... 3354 3354 3254 3254 —1 Univ. pfd. . 40 40 3954 3954 —J! W. B 654 6Y2 554 554 — 1 Curb Declines Lightly Ne Open High Low Close Chan G. N 7/16 7/16 7/16 7/16 Tech 2054 2054 1854 1854 — 1 Trans-Lux 254 254 254 254 •■■ Univ. Corp. 354 354 354 354 — ' Univ. Pict. 554 5-54 554 554 — | Few Bonds in Gain Ne High Low Close Chan Keith 6s '46 91 90 90 —1 Loew's 3!4s '46....10054 10054 10054 +5 Para. Pict. 6s '55. 95 95 95 Para. Pict. '47.... 80 80 80 + : RKO 6s '41 68 68 68 — 5 W. B. 6s '39 7454 7454 7454 ...j (Quotations at close of Sept. 18) I