Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

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2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, January 24, 1940 i Purely Personal ► JOHN BALABAN, after a checkup at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is back at his desk in Chicago looking after theatre matters. • Dave Whalen of Republic is in Washington accompanying Gene Autry on a series of personal appearances. Autry tomorrow will be the guest of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt at the Ft. Myers, Va., Horse Show. • Herb MacIntyre, captain of the RKO Ned Depinet sales drive, and Harry Gittleson, editor of the company house organ, will return Feb. 5 from a tour of all exchanges in the United States and Canada. • Fritz Blocki, press representative for Jones, Linick & Schaefer, Chicago circuit, is taking a month's leave of absence. Blocki produces the "Court of Missing Heirs" radio show in his spare time. Richard be Rochemont, managing director of the March of Time, Ltd., is due here today on the Manhattan., for conferences with his brother, Louis de Rochemont, producer of the reel. Frankie Darro, Monogram star, arrives, here today from a Midwestern personal appearance tour. He will spend a few days in town before appearing at the Tower in Camden, N. J. Mary Howard of the cast of "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" will be the guest of Governor Johnson of Kentucky at a ball at the Hotel Cumberland in Middlesboro. Ky., on Friday. • James R. Grainger, Republic president, has left on a tour of Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal exchanges. He is due back Monday. • Peter Levathes, assistant to Spyros Skouras, leaves with Mrs. Levathes today on the Oriente for a two-week trip to Havana. • Homer B. Snook, RCA Photophone reproducer sales manager, has returned from a business trip to the South and Midwest. • Ingrid Bergman is en route to Hollywood after a 10-day stay here on her return from a vacation in her native Sweden. e Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Borde are the parents of a girl, Ellen, born this week. Borde is a booker for RKO in Chicago. • E. V. Richards of Saenger Circuit is en route back to New Orleans after a brief visit at the Paramount home office. • Dr. and Mrs. J. B. Fishman of the Fishman Theatres in Connecticut leave this week for Miami Beach. • Lou Diamond, Arthur Hopkins, Erno Rapee, Ted O'Shea, Charles Casanave, Harry Sherman, Russell Holman and Max A. Cohen Critics9 Quotes "GONE WITH THE WIND" (M-G-M) No puny adjectives fit "Gone With the Wind." It is the most lavish, probably the most magnificent, ever to come out of Hollywood. Certainly it is the biggest. . . . One is hardly conscious of the passing minutes and hours. — Mildred Martin, Philadelphia Inquirer. For four hours, they (the audience) sat in rapt and undivided attention to a handsome, scrupulous movie that gives "colossal" new meaning. . . . Has received an almost reverent screen translation.— Elsie Finn, Philadelphia Record. It came, it was seen, it conquered. Make no mistake about it, "Gone With the Wind" is the hit of movie history. This longest, costliest, most publicized of all photoplays is also an entertainment. Its narrative is continuall}' engrossing. — Philadelphia Public Ledger. It is a fetching commentary on human conflict. . . . Vivien Leigh plays the role magnificently, most of the time. . . . Well acted from top to bottom. ... It is a moving and emotion-stirring screen adventure.— J. H. Keen, Philadelphia Daily News. A remarkable faithful picturization of the novel. . . . An absorbing, magnificently pictured drama of human adventure. . . . This is not Hollywood's greatest picture. — Laura Lee, Philadelphia Bulletin. "THE BLUE BIRD" (20th-Fox) Shirley Temple is delightful as the naughty little girl. . . . "The Blue Bird" is a beautiful film. The sets are opulent and the photography gorgeous. It should prove an enchanting adventure for the" youngsters. And their elders will have a dandy time, too. — Robert Coleman, N. Y. Mirror. The film fantasy is a pictorial gem. . . . The settings are beautifully and artfully designed. . . . The adventures in the graveyard and the fiery forest are enough to frighten the small members of the audience, (but they) are few and far between. — Kate Cameron, N. Y. Daily News. The original allegory about happiness cut to a bedizened and frequently embarrassing Hollywood pattern. . . . The film is ornately literal where it should have been magically suggestive. — Howard Barnes, N. Y. Herald Tribune. As a children's show we suppose it is quite acceptable. . . . Has become even more earthbound in the manner of its screen translation.— Frank Nugent, N. Y. Times. "ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS" (RKO) Raymond Massey brings to the screen — and makes him live again — America's greatest statesman. ... I urge you to see it. No typical Hollywood formula is followed. . . . Grover Jones made a brilliant movie version of Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize Play. Los Angeles Herald Express. A dignified, honest account of the young Abraham Lincoln. . . . Raymond Massey's portrayal of Lincoln is one that you will remember. . . . Ruth Gordon is marvelous as Mary Todd. . . . The picture is far too long. — L. A. Examiner. A reverential interpretation. . . . Oddly narrative in its technique. ... A sense of remarkable reality is conveyed. — Edwin Schallert, L. A. Times. Newsreel Parade at Nick's Hunting Room in the Astor for lunch yesterday. • Charles E. McCarthy, Joe Lee, Harry Buxbaum, Herman Wobber, Ed Churchill, Robert Milton, Walter Huston and John Huston lunching at Sardi's yesterday. • Cresson E. Smith, Western and Southern sales manager for RKO, returned yesterday from a tour of exchanges. • Henry Woods, M-G-M checker in New Haven, is recuperating in a local hospital after an operation. Ernst Lubitsch and Albert Deane of Paramount were among diners at Jack & Charlie's yesterday. • Sam Shain returns from Washington today. Harold Kline Heads New York Bookers Harold Kline of the Cocalis Circuit has been elected president of the Motion Picture Bookers Club of New York. Alec Arnswalder of M-G-M was named vice-president and Edward Susse of the same office, financial secretary. Other officers are: Ben Levine, United Artists, treasurer; Dora Fried, Producers Distributors Corp., recording secretary; Herb Richek, U.A., sergeant-at-arms. Bernie Brooks of the RosenblattWelt Theatres and Dan Ponticelle, Warners, were voted trustees. Ed Richter and Harry Margolies of M-G-M, Max Fried of Warners and Henry Suchman were named to the board of directors. Dinner and the installation of officers will be held Feb. 5. Nezvs from the zvarjront in France concerns the record cold rather than battle. Submarine maneuvers off the West Coast, Murphy and Jackson sworn in, jour U'. S. liners junked, and heroes oj the Squaius being rewarded are important happenings^ cozvrcd. Reels and then contents /oGfl low : MOVIETONEWS NEWS, No. 39— Squaius heroes honored. Four liners junked in Maryland. Submarine maneuvers in Pacific. Record snow in Rome. Snow storm in Paris. Cold curtails air activities in France. Ice skating in Holland. French troops in West Africa get artillery practice. "Blue Bird" opening on Broadway. Lew Lehr. Joe Louis in training. Washington University oarsmen in training. Ski jumping at River Grove, 111. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 237— Mines on British coast. Record cold in France. New U. S. subs in Pacific. Earl Browder convicted. Murphy and Jackson sworn in. Senator Borah dies. Hat fashions. Washington University crew training. Skiing in Wisconsin. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 42— Browder found guilty, sentenced. Unity Mitford returns to England. Liners sold for scrap. Try new windmobile in Florida. Bobbies get new headgear for blackouts. Last rites for Borah. Honor men of Squaius rescue. Submarine fleet in defense maneuvers. Louis signs for bout with Godoy, both fighters in training. U. of Washington in rowing practice. Ski tournament in Illinois. RKO PATHE NEWS, No. 54— Nation mourns Borah. Crew of scuttled Nazi liner detained in California. Unity Mitford returns to England. Diving heroes of Squaius rewarded. Murphy and Jackson take new jobs. University of Washington crew training. British mine sweepers in action. Ski jumping meet. UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL, No. 843— Finns capture Soviet soldiers. Nation mourns Senator Borah. Columbus crew quitting U. S. Squaius heroes decorated. Murphy and Jackson take new offices. Liners ready for scrap auction. Girls don goofy _ swim suits at Miami. Crew of Washington University prepare for race. Girls fight in mud ring. Skiing. Pursuit plane crashes in test. Berkson and Mills Form Screencraft Screencraft Pictures, Inc., has been organized to distribute nationally through state right exchanges by J. S. Berkson and B. H. Mills, former Republic franchise holders in Albany, Buffalo and Detroit. The company has ready for release "War Angels," with an all-woman cast; a series of six Tim McCoy westerns and a series of six Thrill-ODramas. Berkson has left on a sales trip to Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati. 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, 1S79. Subscription rates per year $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies 10c.