Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1938)

Wednesday, November 2, 1938 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 99 Age," "Kicks Boston's Lead With $22,000 Boston, Nov. 1. — "That Certain A^e," with "Mr. Doodle Kicks Off," (VQ the first runs last week with $22,OUD at the RKO Memorial. The bill was held for a second week, is Both holdovers were strong. "If I Were King," with "Mysterious Mr. Moto," took $14,000. "Too Hot to Handle" and "Girls' School" fared well for a second stanza at Loew's State and Loew's Orpheum, $7,000 at the former and $12,000 at the latter. "Garden of the Moon," with "Girls on Probation," grossed $9,000 at the Paramount and $4,000 at the Fenway. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 29: "Garden of the Moon" (W. B.) "Girls on Probation" (W. B.) FENWAY— (1,382), (25c-35c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $4,500) "Too Hot to Handle" (M-G-M) "Girls' School" (Col.) LOEW'S ORPHEUM — (2,907) (25c-35c40c-S5c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $12,000. (Average, $12,000) "Too Hot to Handle" (M-G-M) "Girls* School" (Col.) LOEW'S STATE— (3,537) (25c-30c-40c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $11,000) "If I Were King" (Para.) "Mysterious Mr. Moto" (2ttth-Fox) METROPOLITAN— (4,332) (25c 35c 40c 55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $11,000) "Garden of the Moon" (W. B.) "Girls on Probation" (W. B.) PARAMOUNT— (1,790) (25c-35c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $9,000. (Average, $8,000) "That Certain Age" (Univ.) "Mr. Doodle Kicks Off" (RKO) RKO MEMORIAL— (2,970) (25c-35c-40c55c) 7 days. Gross: $22,000. (Average, $13,000) "Can't Take" Big At Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, Nov. 1. — "You Can't Take It With You" was something of a sensation at the State. It more than doubled the normal gross . of the house with $7,500. "Too Hot to Handle" also was in the money in a big way with a gross of $8,600. This was $3,400 over par for the Criterion. "Stablemates" turned in a good $5,100 at the Midwest in eight days. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 26-27: "Too Hot to Handle" (M-G-M) CRITERION— (1,500) (25c-35c-40c) 9 davs. Gross: $8,600. (Average, $5,200) "Mr. Doodle Kicks Off" (RKO) "Wives Under Suspicion" (Univ.) LIBERTY— (1,200) (20c-25c) 4 days. Gross: $1,650. (Average, $1,800) "Freshman Year" (Univ.) "One Wild Night" (20th-Fox) LIBERTY— (1,200) (20c-25c) 3 days. Gross: $750. (Average, $700) "Stablemates" (M-G-M) MIDWEST— (1,500) (25c-35c-40c) 8 days. Gross: $5,100. (Average, $4,500) "You Can't Take It With You" (Col.) STATE— (1,100) (25c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $3,000) "Four Daughters" (W. B.) TOWER— (1,000) (25c-35c) 4 days. Gross: $1,150. (Average, $2,500) "That Certain Age" (Univ.) TOWER— (1,000) (25c-35c) 3 days. Gross: $1,000. (Average, $2,500). This picture played one week at Midwest, skipped a week and then was placed in first run Tower. New York Preview "Ballerina" (Mayer-Burstyn) For those who delight in the beauty of the ballet at its best, for those who enjoy the music of Chopin and Gounod played by a symphony orchestra, for the mothers who have tried to make Pavlowas of their daughters or Paderewskis of their sons this will be an outstanding picture. It has been directed with rare understanding of child psychology by Jean Benoit-Levy. The two adult women principals, Mia Slavenska and Yvette Chauvire, are beautiful to look at and are fine dancers. The work of five child actresses — Janine Charrat, Mady Berry, France Ellys, Claire Gerard and Jacqueline Queffelec — is unsual, to say the least The story tells of the heartaches and the consuming ambition of stage dancers. A child dancer cripples a ballet star because she fears she will supplant her "godmother," but in the end the crippled woman forgives her as a teacher. The story is easy to follow through sub-titles in spite of the French dialogue. In other words the film is unusual. It has some of the best talent in France and is well done. The so-called intelligentsia in search of art will enthuse over it. College audiences and little theatre audiences will vote it outstanding, but it will have a limited appeal in those sections of this country where the audiences think art is something they keep in museums. Running time, 85 minutes. "G. J. M. Jerauld Hollywood Previews "Lawless Valley" (RKO) Hollywood, Nov. 1. — "Lawless Valley" is a fast number in the George O'Brien western series being produced by RKO. It again retains the producer-director team of Bert Gilroy and David Howard, who have collaborated on the previous westerns and who are responsible in large measure for the increasing popularity of the films. The picture was previewed on the day that Fred Kohler, Sr., the menace, died and it is his first picture in which Kohler appears with his son, Fred Kohler, Jr. Opposite O'Brien is Kay Sutton. The cast includes Walter Miller, Lew Kelly, George MacQuarrie, Earle Hodgins, Chill Wills, Dot Farley and the Negro singing troupe, "The Four Tunes." The story, by W. C. Tuttle, and adapted by Oliver Drake, has a novelty opening for a western picture, with O'Brien, the hero, being paroled from prison after serving more than a year upon his conviction as a stagecoach robber. Following that, the story is formula, with Kohler, Sr., the guardian of Miss Sutton, attempting to force her to marry his son to keep her ranch in the family, and the mysterious stranger turning out at the last minute to be the Government man seeking the real criminals. What the story lacks in originality is made up by the action crammed in 60 minutes of unreeling. The picture successfully exploits the physical prowess of O'Brien. Running time, 60 minutes. "G."* Vance King "Where the Buffalo Roam" (Monogram) Hollywood, Nov. 1. — This is a personality western, plus songs, with Tex Ritter ridin', shootin', fightin', singin' and conducting a quiet romance in the west of the era before the buffalo found official sanctuary. There are eyefilling shots of the beasts roaming in herds, and some talk about them, but the story gets away from that subject early and takes up an honest Texan's quest for the outlaws who killed his mother. The narrative is stopped for one long sequence given over to the music of Louise Massey and the Westerners, string musicians who also sing. Ritter's buddies are Horace Murphy and Snub Pollard. Dorothy Short is the girl friend. John Merton and Richard Alexander are the heavies. Story and screenplay are by Horace Emmett and Al Herman directed for Edward Finney, associate producer. The film is produced on a practical basis for a definite type of audience, the one that counts no screenshow complete without a western. Running time, 65 minutes. "G."* Roscoe Williams *"G" denotes general audience classification. 99 Certain Age Gets $11,500 At Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Nov. 1. — "That Certain Age" at $11,500 and "The Arkansas Traveler," with Ted Lewis on the stage, at $22,000 made the Alvin and Stanley, respectively, the standouts here last week. Other houses fared badly. The Penn took $11,500 with "The Sisters" and "Give Me a Sailor" and "Bulldog Drummond in Africa" took $3,100 at the Fulton. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 27: "That Certain Age" (Univ.) ALVIN— (1,850) (25c-50c) 7 davs. Gross: $11,500. (Average, $6,500) "Give Me a Sailor" (Para.) "Bulldog Drummond In Africa" (Para.) FULTON— (1,750 ) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $3,100. (Average, $4,500) "The Sisters" (W. B.) PENN— (3,300) (25c-50c) 7 'days. Gross: $11,500. (Average, $11,000) "The Arkansas Traveler" (Para.) STANLEY— (3,600) (25c-60c) 7 Stage: Ted Lewis' band. Gross: (Average, $18,000) "Stablemates" (M-G-M) WARNER— (2,000) (25c-50c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $5,600. (Average, $5,000) days. $22,000. "Stablemates" Hits $15,000, Cincy Top Cincinnati, Nov. 1. — "Stablemates" was the top grosser last week, giving the RKO Palace a nifty $15,000. It was moved to the RKO Capitol. "The Sisters" gave the RKO Albee $12,500 and was moved over to Keith's for a second stanza. "Boys Town" continued to draw heavily in its fourth downtown week at the RKO Grand, where it garnered $4,200 and was held over. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 27: "The Sisters" (W. B.) RKO ALBEE-(3,300) (35c-42c) 7 days. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $12,000) Moved to Keith's. "Stablemates" (M-G-M) RKO PALACE— (2,700) (35c-42c) 7 days Gross: $15,000. (Average, $10,000) Moved to RKO Capitol. "You Can't Take It With You" (Col.) RKO SHUBERT— (2,150) (35c-40c-55c) 7 days, 4th week. Gross: $7,300. (Average, $12,000) Held. "That Certain Age" (Univ.) RKO CAPITOL— (2,000) (35c -42c) 7 days, 4th downtown week. Gross: $5,000. (Average. $6,500) "Frankenstein" (Univ.) "Dracula" (Univ.) RKO LYRIC— (1.400) (35c-42c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: 7 davs. $4,600 (Average, $6,500) "Boys Town" (M-G-M) RKO GRAND— (1,200) (25c-40c) 4th downtown week. Gross: $4,200 age, $2,750) Held. "Crime Takes a Holiday" (Col.) (2 days) "Come on Leathernecks" (Republic) (2 days) "Mr. Doodle Kicks Off" (RKO) (3 days) RKO FAMILY— (1,000) (15c-25c) Gross: $2,300. (Average. $2,450) "Garden of the Moon" (W. B.) KEITH'S— (1.500) (30c-40c) 7 davs. Gross$3,600. (Average, $6,500) 7 days. ( Aver Gus Kahn Gets Contract Hollywood, Nov. 1. — M-G-M has given a new contract to Gus Kahn, song writer, under which he starts his sixth vear at the studio.