Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY New York Preview "The Sisters" (Warners) Out of the newly found entertainment vein which Warners discovered in the brilliant "Four Daughters" has come "The Sisters," from the same source. Its cast is brilliant; its production values of the highest. Above all, its story is one of virtually universal appeal. These three sisters are three divergent personalities, with wide-apart characteristics which color their actions and reactions to love and life. In the background is the calm tranquility of a home at Silver Bow, Mont., of the quiet father who is the town's druggist, the understanding mother who watches her daughters face their problems, fight their battles. It is essentially a sound human story, one whose counterpart might well be found in any home, anywhere, in the 1904-'08 of the film's setting, or the 1937-'38 of today. And there is drama to stir the pulses, the crashing, terrifying San Francisco earthquake, minor to the sequence of the picture's story, but fiercely impressive in its roaring kaleidoscope of terror. The exhibitor has here a strong property to sell to his patrons, a brilliant filming of the well known novel by Myron Brinig of the same title. Anatole Litvak has welded the components of the story with skill and distinction, aided measurably by a more than competent cast. Milton Krims wrote the screenplay. Errol Flynn and Bette Davis share the lead, Miss Davis being especially effective as the elder sister who finds happiness, then loneliness, despair and happiness again at last with the restless, irresponsible Flynn, San Francisco newspaper man who comes to Silver Bow, sweeps her back with him, then leads her an unenviable life, despite her unswerving loyalty. Anita Louise and Jane Bryan are her sisters, the one flighty, selfish, preferring comfort to love ; the other staid and anxious for security. Beulah Bondi is good as the mother, but for Henry Travers, as the father, there must surely come more demand from film patrons. It was he who contributed so much to the stage success of "You Can't Take it With You" in New York, and his quiet, almost humble way is one of vast appeal. Dick Foran, Ian Hunter, Donald Crisp and Alan Hale all contribute far more than adequate support. Compounded of human elements, expertly stirred, the picture is a distinctive offering of merit as real entertainment. Running time, 94 minutes. "G." Charles S. Aaronson 2 GN to Finish Its New Sales Setup Shortly With an initial group of new pictures already completed and several in work or being prepared, Grand National Pictures is in a position to begin distribution immediately. The new sales organization will be completed with the appointment of men to the remaining vacancies this week. The final sales meeting will be held at the St. Moritz next Saturday and Sunday, at which the final appointments will be announced. The first appointments were made known at the Chicago meeting. Grand National has five completed pictures ready for release with the formal start of operations. Four ad-' ditional features are in work and several more in preparation. The completed pictures are "Shadows Over Shanghai," with James Dunn and Ralph Morgan ; "Frontier Scout," with George Houston ; "Cipher Bureau," a spy story with Leon Ames and Joan Woodbury ; "Sunset Strip Case," with Sally Rand, and "Titans of the Deep," based on the bathysphere expeditions of William Beebe and Otis Barton. "Seven Seas" In Production In production are "Seven Seas," "Never Mind the Guard," "Empire of the West" and "Wonder World." Among the pictures in preparation is "Exile Express," the first of two starring Anna Sten. Other titles on the new company's schedule of 44 features are "Snake Bite," from the Robert Hitchens story ; "Alimony Racket," by Gouverneur Morris ; "Uptown New York," by Vina Delmar ; "Two Kinds of Love," by Ursula Parrott; "Recklessness," by Eugene O'Neill ; "Summer Resort," by Edna Ferber ; "The Racket King," by Rex Beach ; "Where Lonely Ladies Walk," by Tiffany Thayer ; "What Price Paradise," by Sada Cowan ; "The Way of All Women," by Faith Baldwin ; "My Son," by Martha Stanley ; "Snow Covered Wagons," by Julia Cooley Altrocci ; "Oh, Susannah," Bernard McConville's musical romance ; "Slave Trader" and "Jitterbug." At least 26 of the 44 features are scheduled to be made bv Fine Arts Pictures, headed by Franklyn Warner. Six of the 24 westerns scheduled will be girl-musical pictures, with Dorothy Page, radio artist. Others will be based on the "Trigger Pal" and "Troubadour of the Plains" stories. On the short subject list of 44 are 18 two-reelers ; a new one-reel series of "Treasure Chest" productions, 13 in number, and another series of 13 one-reelers featuring stage, radio and screen personalities. Alperson East Today Chicago, Oct. 3. — Edward L. Alperson concluded the New Grand National sales meet here with individual conferences. He will leave for New York tomorrow. Mr. Alperson said the sales staff was enthused over the new setup and the product schedule. Grainger Sets Deal With Warner Houses James R. Grainger, Republic president, has closed a new season product contract with Warners' coast theatres including situations in California, Oregon and Washington. Assisting him were Grover C. Parsons, western district manager, and Francis Bateman, Los Angeles branch head, with Lou Halprin and Port Major acting for the circuit. Barney Rosenthal, Republic franchise owner in St. Louis, has signed the Frisina circuit of 20 theatres in Southern Illinois. Hold Tearle Services Hollywood, Oct. 3. — Private funeral services were held here today at 2 P. M., for Conway Tearle, who died over the weekend. Mr. Tearle was 60 years old and had been ill for two months. He is survived by his widow, who was professionally known as Adele Rowland. Peter Tender Passes Cleveland, Oct. 3. — Peter Tender, owner with John Pekras of the Capitol, Rivoli and Lincoln theatres in Elyria and the Tivoli in Lorain, died suddenly here today of a heart attack. He was 50. He is survived by his wife and son. Fairbanks to Make Film on the Coast Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., will produce his planned picture for United Artists release in Hollywood next winter, according to his present plans, he reported yesterday on his arrival in New York from England on the Queen Mary. The picture will be based on the life of Lola Montez and may be completed in time for release on this season's schedule. Mr. Fairbanks will be in New York for about two weeks before leaving for the coast. He plans to spend the entire winter in this country. Para. Wagon in Capital Washington, Oct. 3. — Bill Langford and Charles Mooshian arrived here over the weekend driving a covered wagon as advance ballyhoo for Paramount's "The Arkansas Traveler." The vehicle is due in Baltimore tomorrow. Yom Kippur Tomorrow Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, will begin at sundown today and continue through sundown tomorrow. Hotel Astor Plans Club The Hotel Astor is planning a club and dining room for the film industry. The Ampa may hold its meetings there this season. Tuesday, October 4, 1938 John Cecil Graham Leaves Paramount John Cecil Graham, Paramount managing director for Great Britain for the past 20 years, resigned yesterday. No successor has been designated yet, but indications are that John W. Hicks, Paramount vicepresident and foreign head, who is now in London, will make the appointment in the near future. Mr. Graham's resignation ( % cabled to Barney Balaban, Paramount president, from London yesterday. Mr. Balaban expressed regret and appreciation of Mr. Graham's long service with the company. Prior to his assignment to the London post early in 1919, Mr. Graham served for two years in the company's home office here as a special representative. Golf Winners Are Named Ira Genet, Vitaphone script writer, won first prize for the low net score at the annual golf tournament held by the studio at the Hillcrest Golf Course, Jamaica, L. I., over the weekend. Other prizes went to Sam Sax, Lloyd French, Saul Chaplin, Sammy Cahn, Roy Mack, Dick Willis, Stuart Karpf, Cy Wood, Sr., Cy Wood, Jr., Lee Stewart, Norman Moray, Ed Schreiber, George Ackerson, Milton Cohen, Gerald Marfleet, Irving Hyland, Harold Bauman, Jack Henley and Eddie Forman. Buddy Rogers Is Injured Buddy Rogers, husband of Mary Pickford, suffered a sprained shoulder and cuts and bruises in an automobile accident near Columbus yesterday. Miss Pickford left New York last night to be with her husband, who was reported here as resting comfortably in a Columbus hospital. Miss Pickford is expected back in New York by the end of the week. MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) MAKTTN QUIGLEY, EditorIn -Chief and Publisher; J. M. JERAULD, Managing Editor: JAMES A. CRON. Advertising Manager. EDITORIAL STAFF: Charles S. Aaronson. Jack Banner, Al Finestone, Sherwln A. Kane, Joseph Priore. Published dally except Saturday, Sunday and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., Martin Quigley. president; CoMn Brown, vicepresident and treasurer. Publication office: 1270 Sixth Avenue at Rockefeller Center, New York. Telephone: Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York." All contents copyrighted 1938 by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York office. Other Quigley publications: MOTION PICTURE HERALD. BETTER THEATRES, TEATRO AL DIA, INTERNATIONAL MOTION PICTURE ALMANAC and FAME. . HOLLYWOOD: Postal Union Life Building. Vine and Yucca Sts. ; Boone Mancall. manager: William R. Weaver, editor. WASHINGTON: Albee Building, Bertram F. Llnz. representative. CHICAGO: 624 S. Michigan Ave., C. B. O'Neill, manager. AMSTERDAM: 87 Waalstraat: Philip de Schaap. representative. BERLIN: Steulerstrasse 2. Berlin W. 35; Joachim K. Butenberg, representative. BUDAPEST: Szamos-Utea 7, Budapest I; Endre Hevesl. representative. BUENOS AIRES: Avallaneda 3949; N. Bruski, representative. COPENHAGEN : Rosengaarden 14: Kris Winther, representative. HELSINKI: Fredriksgatan 19C; Charlotte Laszlo, representative. LONDON: 4 Golden Square, W. 1: cable address. Quigpubco, London; Hope Williams, manager. MELBOURNE: Regent Theatre Buildings, 191 Coilins St.; Cliff Holt, representative. MEXICO CITY: Apartado 269. James Lockhart, representative. MONTEVIDEO: P. O. Box 664; Paul Bodo representative. MOSCOW: Petrovskl Per 8: Beatrice Stern, representative. PABIS: 21, Rue de Berri; Pierre Autre, representative. PRAGUE: Uhelny trh 2. Prague 1; Harry Knopf, representative. RIO DE JANEIRO: Caixa Postal 3558: L. S. Marinho. representative. ROME: 54 Via Delia Mercede; Joseph D. Ravotto. representative SANTIAGO de CHILE: Casilla 13300: A. Weissmann. representative. SHANGHAI: Rooms 38-41 Capital Theatre Building. 142 Museum Road: J. P. Koehler. representative. STOCKHOLM: Kuneseat.an 36; Ragnar Allberjr, representative. TOKYO880 Sasazuka. Ichikawa-shl, Chiba-Ken: H Tomtna?a. representative. Entered as second class matter Sept. 23, 1938 at the post office at New York, N. Y..' under the act of March 3. 1879. Subscription rates per year 16 In the Americas and foreign $12. Single copies 10 cents.