Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

2 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 2, 1940 Feature Reviews "City of Chance" (20//i Century-Fox) HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 1. — Using as introductory technique, that of a newsreel, with varied scenes and off-screen comment depicting the universality of the gambling spirit in a large city, "City of Chance" thereafter concerns itself with the events of one night in a de luxe gambling house. Seen as partners running the resort are C. Aubrey Smith and Donald Woods, while Lynn Bari is cast as a reporter sent out to expose the resort, Amanda Duff as a society girl who is being blackmailed, and Richard Lane as a gangster who wants to control the resort. Melodramatic elements of the story are more prominent than the comedy touches, which were well received by the preview audience. John Larkin and Barry Trivers were responsible for the original screenplay, with Ricardo Cortez directing, the picture having come from the Sol Wurtzel side of the studio. Running time, 58 minutes. "G."* Walter Selden "Katia" (Mayer & Burstyn) The tragic romance of a young girl and a monarch, which ends in his assassination, this French production of E. A. Algazy for Metropa Films of Paris, offers Danielle Darrieux an opportunity to demonstrate once more her skill as an actress of charm and versatility. Her performance is the outstanding entertainment factor in the production, wherein English subtitles permit understanding for those unfamiliar with French. The girl is a daughter of Russian nobility of the middle 19th Century, the monarch young Alexander II. Despite the traditional enmity of her family for the Romanoffs, she meets and falls in love with Alexander, and he with her. Her effort to persuade him to grant a constitution to the Russian people she loves fails only when his assassination occurs a few days before her coronation and following her secret marriage to the Czar, then a widower. John Loder, as Alexander, is hardly more than adequate, being rather too stiff for easy handling of the role. Maurice Tourneur directed from a screenplay by Jean-Jacques Bernard. Running time, 80 minutes. "G."* Charles S. Aaronson Blumberg Is Host To Trade Officials Nate J. Blumberg, Universal president, and William A. Scully, vicepresident and general sales manager, were hosts Friday to a large number of New York trade officials and press representatives at the Astor Hotel. The occasion was in the nature of an annual New Year's party inaugurated by Blumberg two years ago upon becoming president of Universal. Among those present were : Blumberg and Scully, F. J. A. McCarthy, William Heineman, Joseph Seiclelman, Spyros Skouras, Arthur Mayer, Malcolm Kingsberg, Leon Goldberg, George Skouras, John Nolan, Lou Politick, Andrew Sharick, Tom Meade, Walter Reade, Arthur Rapf, Leo Abrams, Sam Shain, Harry Goldberg, John J. O'Connor, Jules Levy, Al Suchman, Fred Meyers, Jack Shea, H. J. Yates, Max Cohen, Harry Brandt, Ed Peskay, Sol Schwartz and Joseph O'Brien. Also Harry Mandel, Leo Justin, Marry Emde, Lou Goldberg, Harry Pimstein, Milton Maicr, Max Fellerman, Daniel Shaefer, Jules Brulatour, Joseph Seider, David Chatkin, Bud Rogers, Daniel Collins, William Freiday, William German, Ethel Wilson, Francis Levin, Mona Reilly, Loretta Casserly, Hank Linet, William Joft'e, Maurice Kami, John Flynn, Pete Harrison, Charles Lewis, William Ornstein, Al Steen and Sherwin Kane. 22 Para. Releases For Next 5 Months Paramount' s release schedule of 22 pictures for the next five months was announced as follows oyer the weekend by Neil F. Agnew, vice-president in charge of distribution : January — "Emergency Squad," "Geronimo," "Sante Fe Marshal." and "Remember the Night." February — "Parole Fixer," "The Light That Failed," "Sidewalks of London" and "Knights of the Range." March — "Seventeen," "Adventure in Diamonds," "Women Without Names," "Road to Singapore" and "The Farmer's Daughter." April — "Dr. Cyclops," "Opened by Mistake," "French Without Tears" and "The Biscuit Eater." May— "Way of All Flesh," "Showdown," "Typhoon," "Light of the Western Stars" and "Buck Benny Rides Again." Ida Bartel Dies Cleveland, Jan. 1. — Ida Bartel, veteran film exchange employe here, died late last week of a heart attack. She was with M-G-M 11 years. Get Press Book Jobs Lynn Farnol, United Artists publicity and advertising director, has promoted Thomas McCabe, Robert Gildersleeve and Ned Norwich to jobs in the press book department. For Lunch, Dinner or Supper LaHIFF'S TAVERN The Industry's MEETING and EATING PLACE 1 56 W. 48th St. Tel. CHickering 4-4200 *"G" denotes general classification. Congress to Settle Fate of Film Bills (Continued from page 1)^ other measures pending, including bills to create a Federal motion picture commission, to ban alien actors, to try films out for the recording of court trials and to establish a Bureau of Fine Arts. While there are no indications that any important new film measures will be introduced during the coming session, it is expected that new copyright legislation will be introduced and an effort made to obtain its enactment, the success of which, however, is doubtful. Past history of copyright legislation shows that it takes two full sessions to obtain consideration by both houses. Radio Measures Coming Up In the field of radio legislation, the Administration drive for reorganization of the F.C.C., which President Roosevelt has been represented as ready to drop in view of the "improvement" in that body, and the campaign for investigation of the commission are the most important activities carried over into the new session. Other measures affecting radio include bills for establishment of a Government broadcasting station, for further experimental use of super-power, and for restrictions on radio advertising. \Paramount Theatre Grosses $1,920,000 Paramount theatre, under Robert Weitman, managing director, grossed an estimated $1,920,000 during 1939, it was revealed over the week-end. This figure does not include the grosses for "Gulliver's Travels" and "The Great Victor Herbert." The average annual gross during the past five years has been an estimated $1,699,000. In 1935, when Paramount inaugurated its stage band policy, the gross was $1,209,652. This figure, compared with the gross for 1939, shows the effectiveness of the new policy. Streimer Testifying Boston, Jan. 1.— Moe Streimer, New York branch manager for United Artists, tomorrow will continue his testimony in the Morse & Rothenberg anti-trust action against major companies here. Streimer began his testimony Friday. SCRATCHES On Film Can Be Removed Only by AMERICAN RECONO, INC. 245 W. 55th St.. New York, N. Y. Negative — Positive — Color Film Rejuvenated i Purely Personal ► PERCY E. FURBER, vice-president Trans-Lux Movies Corp., and Mrs. Furber left over the weekend on a 12-day cruise to Venezuela. • Cliff Reid, RKO associate .producer, arrived in town over the7 ;ekend from the Coast. • Charles Laughton starts a personal appearance tour in the South tomorrow at the Fox, Atlanta. • Mitchell May, Jr., returned from Miami over the weekend. Basil Bleck, attorney for Alexander Korda, returned to England Saturday on the Manhattan after several weeks here and in Hollywood. • Don Ameche returned to the 20th Century-Fox studio over the weekafter a brief stay in New York. • Jose Schor of Columbia is vacationing in the South. • Peyton Gibson of Universal has gone to the Coast for a brief studio visit. • Jesse L. Lasky is expected in New York from the Coast tomorrow. • Jack Cohn and Mrs. Cohn are expected back from a brief Florida holiday within the next few days. Sam Shain has gone South on a week's trip. William Levine of the M-G-M contract department has announced his engagement to Beatrice Harris. The wedding will take place in April. • William Longdon and Lillian Wilson, both of the M-G-M exchange in Charlotte, have just disclosed their marriage of three months ago. • Edward Renick, Boston salesman for M-G-M, has been spending his vacation in New York. • Anthony Z. Nelle, foreign film director, leaves this week for Hollywood. He is negotiating for a studio post. MOTION PICTURE DAILY (Registered U. S. Patent Office) Published daily except Saturday, Sunday and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York City. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Colvin Brown, Vice-President and General Manager; Watterson R. Rothacker, VicePresident; Sam Shain, Editor; James A. Cron, Advertising manager; Chicago Bureau, 624 South Michigan Avenue, C. B. O'Neill, manager; Hollywood Bureau, Postal Union Life Building, Boone Mancall, manager, William R. Weaver, Editor; London Bureau, 4. Golden Square, London Wl, Hope Williams, manager, cable address "Quigpubco, London." All contents copyrighted 1940 by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc. Other Quigley publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres. International Motion Picture Almanac and Fame. 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 $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies 10c.