Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1940)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, January 29, 1940 'Herbert' Top Seattle Draw With $6,500 Seattle, Jan. 28.— "The Great Victor Herbert" and "Henry Goes Arizona" with $6,500 at the Paramount, was the only bill to do better than average. The weather was very cold. Estimated takings for the week ending Jan. 26: "Raffles" (U. A.) , ' v "Torchy Plays With Dynamite" (ZOth-Fox) BLUE MOUSE— (950) (25c-40c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $4,000) "Remember the Night" (Para.) "Mexican Spitfire" (RKO) FIFTH AVENUE — (2,500) (25c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $6,200. (Average, $7,000) "Music in My Heart" (Col.) "Beware Spooks" (Col.) LIBERTY— (1,800) (10c-15c-25c) 7 days. Gross: $3,800. (Average, $5,000) "Swanee River" (ZOth-Fox) "Missing Evidence" (Univ.) MUSIC BOX— (950) (25c-40c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,800. (Average, $4,000) "The Earl of Chicago" (M-G-M) "The Cisco Kid and the Lady" (ZOth-Fox) ORPHEUM — (2,450) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $5,600. (Average, $6,000) "Brother Rat and a Baby" (W. B.) PALOMAR— (1,500) (15c-25c-40c) 7 days. Vaudeville headed by Betty Vickers. Gross: $4,600. (Average, $5,000) "The Great Victor Herbert" (M-G-M) "Henry Goes Arizona" (M-G-M) PARAMOUNT— (3,050) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $6,500. (Average, 6,000) Hitler, Aides Satirized By Stooges Comedy (Continued from page 1) its shooting, gives the Stooges the names of "Hailstone," "Gallstone" and "Pebble." While the name of the country in the film is called "Moronica," no doubt is left that a parallel of Germany is intended. Mannerisms of Hitler are aped by "Hailstone," even to speeches in German. "Gallstone" wears a resplendent uniform bedecked with medals, including several 'on his coattails. The plot has munitions makers aiding a trio of paperhangers to oust the king of "Moronica" in a move referred to as a "Beer Hall Putsch." Successful, they launch into a series of persecutions, including the burning of all books in the nation and demanding concessions of land from other countries. The trio at a peace conference "appeases" ministers from other lands by violence. During a lull, "Hailstone" and "Gallstone" dance around with each other and play pattycake. They discover a spy named "Mata Herring," who escapes to help the deposed king stage a revolt against them. The dictator and two aides flee by mistake to a "lion's den" populated by ferocious beasts at behest of dictator and are devoured. Fadeout has lion, which ate "Hailstone," belching. In the dialogue between the Stooges several words of Yiddish are used prominently. Jules White produced the short, which pulls no punches in speeches and action concerning dictators and their methods. Club Plans Benefit St. Louis, Jan. 28. — Plans are being formulated here by the Variety Club for a benefit show at the Municipal Auditorium at the end of February to obtain funds for pneumonia serum for the city hospitals. Critics9 Quotes "ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS" (RKO) A significant screen drama. . . . An altogether satisfying biography of America's ranking idol. ... It creates a warm, living and eloquent portrait of its hero. . . . Hollywood also is entitled now to feel it has created a fitting memorial to Lincoln.— Jay Carmody, Washington Star. Adheres closely to the celebrated stage play. . . . Raymond Massey's performance from beginning to end is a superb piece of miming. ... A rounded and compelling dramatic entity. — Nelson B. Bell, Washington Post. "Abe Lincoln" is a one-man picture, if ever there was one. . . . Massey's characterization is more than skin deep. . . . He is great — really great — in the spectacular scenes, but he is equally great in the scenes where he doesn't say a word.— Carol Fink, Washington TimesHerald. THE LION HAS WINGS" (Korda-U.A.) A fascinating film as well as first rate propaganda. . . . Brilliantly staged and staunchly performed. . . . Alexander Korda has produced this semi-documentary, semi-staged photoplay with a laudable lack of hysteria. — Howard Barnes, N. Y. Herald Tribune. Although it is propagandists, "The Lion Has Wings" happens also to be a tremendously interesting and exciting motion picture. . . . The German raid is a gripping and fearful sequence. . . . An interesting, informative and thrilling show. — Frank S. Nugent, N. Y. Times. It is propaganda, frank, pure and unadulterated. . . . The film is entirely factual. . . . Every minute of it is absorbingly interesting. . . . No more important piece of British propaganda has been seen in the theatre during our times. — N. Y. Daily Mirror. An undisguised British propaganda picture. . . . The film has no fictional plot or story. — Rose Pelswick, N. Y. Journal and American. A documentary picture, not a story-telling one. ... Is all propaganda, all documentary and your interest in it will depend entirely on your interest in the British style of approaching the current war. — N. Y. Post. Frankly propaganda and, as such, a little difficult for a neutral to take. It is expert propaganda, however. . . . An interesting and wellmade specimen. — Eileen Creelman, N. Y. Sun. How England defends itself from enemy air raids, and in turn strikes back at its opponent is told vividly and instructively. . . . An absorbing documentary. . . . The film is worth seeing because it is enormously entertaining. — William Boehnel, N. Y. World-Telegram. Reorganize G. N. Canadian Company Toronto, Jan. 28. — A reorganization of Grand National Films, Ltd., a Canadian company, is announced by H. J. Allen, vice-president and managing director, as a result of the Grand National windup in the United States. The Canadian firm was an independent incorporation, but, in view of developments, the name will be dropped and Allen will use his own name for the time being at least. Allen will be the Canadian distributor of Fine Arts and George Hirlman productions as well as a number of state-right features, one of which, "France Is Ready," has been booked into many circuit and independent houses across the Dominion. H. Kauffman is the Monti eal branch manager of the Allen exchange organization ; I. H. Allen is branch manager at Winnipeg and J. Allen recently took charge at Vancouver. Nominations Listed For Sound Award Hollywood, Jan. 28. — John Aalberg, chairman of the Academy sound recording award committee, has announced the following nominations for the award : "Balalaika," "Day-time Wife," "Gone With the Wind," "Great Victor Herbert," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Man of Conquest," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Of Mice and Men," "Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex," "When Tomorrow Comes." Meetings to view the nominated productions will be held during the next six weeks. Suit Asks $590,000 In Song Royalties Suit for $590,000 in royalties during the last 20 years on "Nola" and three other songs has been brought in Supreme Court, Brooklyn, by Mrs. Charlotte Arndt Alexander as administrator of the estate of her brother, the late Felix Arndt, composer. Sam Fox Publishing Co. is defendant. The other compositions are "Marionette," "An Operatic Nightmare" and "Clover Club." The publishing company has filed a general denial and asserts "Nola" was purchased outright. Loew Stockholder Suit Is Dismissed Suit of Norman Wolf and Mannes Fuld, minority stockholders of Loew's, against that company, A.T.&T., Western Electric and Erpi has been dismissed by N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Valente for failure to state a cause of action. Justice Valente ruled that charges that Loew's was paying excessive rentals for sound production equipment had not been substantiated in the complaint. Suit Over 16mm. Rights Suit for $35,000 damages and an accounting has been filed in N. Y. Supreme Court against Majestic Pictures Corp., Major Film Laboratories, Inc., Herman Gluckman and Thomas W. Evans by Phil Goldstone Productions. Plaintiff claims that Majestic assigned the 16 mm. rights to ten of its films without its authorization. Frigid Wave Hurts Denver Film Business Denver, Jan. 28. — Severe cold wave, with temperature below freezing all week, and below zero much of the time, caused grosses to suffer. Estimated takings for the week en I ing Jan. 24: "Destry Rides Again" (Univ.) ALADDIN— (1,400) (25c-40c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $3,500) "The Great Victor Herbert" (Para.) DENHAM— (1,750) (25c-35c-40c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,500) "We Are Not Alone" (W. B.) DENVER— (2,525) (25c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $8,500. (Average, $9,000) "Shop Around the Corner" (M-G-M) "Flying Deuces" (RKO) ORPHEUM— (2,600) (25c-35c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $8,000. (Average, $9,000) "Barricade" (20thFox) "City of Darkness" (ZOth-Fox) PARAMOUNT— (2,200) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $3,500) "Four Wives" (W. B.) "Laugh It Off" (Univ.) RIALTO— (878) (25c-40c) 7 days. "Four Wives," 3rd week. Gross: $2,000. (Average, $1,750) RKO Starts Anew; ,000,000 Capital (.Continued from page 1) transferred to the new company Friday. The transfer ceremony, consisting largely of bookkeeping entries and the delivery of securities, took place in the Irving Trust offices in the RKO building. Representatives of both the Irving Trust and the new company were present at the transaction which lasted less than a half hour. The trustee is expected to remove his offices from the RKO building within the next two weeks. A statement issued by RKO pointed out that the company in seven years of reorganization proceedings had reduced its fixed indebtedness by $11,000,000, exclusive of reductions effected by the plan. Moreover, it reported that gross income was increased from $44,000,000 in 1933 to $52,000,000 in 1939. Republic's New Film Has Village Preview About 150 persons, including exhibitors, circuit executives and the press, were guests of H. J. Yates and Morris Epostein, manager of Republic's New York branch, at a dinner and screening of "Village Barn Dance" at the Village Barn in Greenwich Village Friday night. Gene Autry, Republic's Western star, was guest of honor, having arrived from Washington. Among the guests were Joseph Bernhard, Al Finestone, Marvin Schenck, John Benas, Al Suchman, Al Reid, Arthur Schwartz, Jack Hatten, Sidney Picker, Harry Wurtzel, Grover Schaefer, Charles Reed Jones, David Whalen, Frank Lynch, James Cunningham, in addition to Amon G. Carter, publisher of the Fort Worth Star Telegram; Congressman John Nichols of Oklahoma ; Councilman Alfred E. Smith, Jr. ; Robert Johnson, assistant publisher of the Mirror; Judy Canova, Buddy Hazzard, Stan Lomax, Block & Sully and others.