Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1940)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, July 15, 1940 Hollywood Reviews "Young People" (20th Century-Fox) HOLLYWOOD, July 14.— "Young People" is Shirley Temple's "swan song" at 20th Century-Fox, and is the story of a little girl growing up in vaudeville with her foster parents, to their retirement and life on a New England farm. By use of portions of musical numbers from three of her earlier films, the transition of the girl up to the present is shown. Acting as her foster parents are Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood, both of whom give excellent humorous characterizations. Chief love interest is supplied by Arleen Whelan and George Montgomery. Harry Joe Brown produced the film, with Allan Dwan as his director. Edwin Blum and Don Ettlinger wrote the screenplay. Music and lyrics for five additional numbers were supplied by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. The preview audience at the Westwood Theatre applauded uproariously, and gave every indication of being thoroughly entertained. Running time, 78 minutes. "G."* Vance King (M-G-M) Hollywood, July 14. — There will be varying audience opinion on "We Who Are Young," a grim portrayal of the struggle of two young married people against loss of jobs, preying of loan sharks, loss of furniture, going on relief, and impending childbirth in the face of dire poverty. The scene is New York. The couple, just married, run up against money troubles their first week. On relief for three months, and with his wife expectant, the man in a frenzy starts work at a construction job "just to be doing something" without pay when the foreman has him arrested for trespass. The head of the construction company bails him out, gives him a job, the young man's former employer realizes that "money isn't everything," and twins are born. Lana Turner and John Shelton enact the leading roles, Miss Turner doing a dramatic characterization which excites interest and Shelton, a newcomer, showing promise. Gene Lockhart, Grant Mitchell, Henry Armetta and Jonathan Hale head the supporting cost. This M-G-M picture is the first American production effort by Seymour Nebenzahl, who produced "Meyerling," "M" and others. Harold S. Bucquet directed from an original screenplay by Dalton Trumbo. Running time, 79 minutes. "A."* Vance King "They Drive By Night" ( Warners) Hollywood, July 14. — "They Drive By Night" is a vigorously, sometimes bawdily, told story of the trucking business, which takes in a panorama of rough and ready action, romance and an adventure in growing insanity. George Raft, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart are the principals in the film, which tells of the unrequited love of a married woman for an employe of her husband and her insane effort to involve him in a murder which she committed. Many of the lines of dialogue in the Jerry Wald-Richard Macaulay screenplay are decidedly off color and have double meanings. It is an adaptation of A. I. Bezzerides' novel of Californian trucking. Supporting plavers include Gale Page, Alan Hale, Roscoe Karns, John Litel, George Tobias and Henry O'Neill. Standout in the cast is Miss Lupino, whose portrayal of the wife in love with her husband's employe is a finely etched performance. When Raft turns down her advances, she kills her husband. Hale, making it appear as an accident. After she finds out that Raft is going to marry Miss Sheridan, she involves him in the murder. At his trial, she breaks down on the stand, her mind completely gone. Raoul Walsh directed this Mark Hellinger production. Running time, 95 minutes. "A."* Vance King Television Getting Films From Coast {Continued from page 1) for a pleasant half-hour variety show, it was said. If the film coin machines prove popular there will probably be a steady source of supply. In addition, the producers of such films are not likely to fear complaints from theatre owners, it was said, and the bar and dance hall proprietors are not likely to find a one-time show on television competition for their machines. At present, most of NBC feature films are Westerns, and there is little effort being made to find better product. This was explained yesterday on the ground that the Westerns are receiving a rating of "two" from the audiences which rate the attractions each week. "Two" is equivalent to "good" and as long as this type of entertainment continues to please, there is a reluctance to spend more money for more expensive features, it was explained, even if major product were available. At taverns and bars, where a great many receivers have been installed, the long film features are not popular and better product would result in only a slightly increased audience rating, it was said. Meanwhile, NBC intends to continue its regular service of five matinee and five evening programs weekly over W2XBS, the New York station. Although costs have been cut by the elimination of most of the extensrue studio productions the 10 periods will be filled with outside pickups of sporting events, films and occasional studio shows. Until there is some definite decision on standards and commercialization, no effort will be made to return to the old schedule which sometimes ran up to 15J4 hours a week during the Republican convention. RKO to Reduce Cooperative Ads (Continued from page 1) has correspondingly placed on the producer and distributor, the latter has had to act in self-protection. RKO, in the future, it is asserted, intends to do cooperative advertising only in special situations, as the individual circumstance warrants. Other major company executives assert that the cooperative advertising problem has become increasingly worse over the years, not from the standpoint that the distributors and producers have been unwilling to cooperate this way, because they have, but because the exhibitor has been shortsighted enough to trim his own advertising and to expect the distributor to carry most of the load. Publicity for Publicist Charles Einfeld, director of advertising and publicity for Warners, is the subject of an article in the current issue of the weekly magazine, Friday. Considerable space is devoted to the Einfeld campaign on the "Oomph Girl," Ann Sheridan. *"G" denotes general classification. "We Who Are Young" *"A" denotes adult classification. 'Rockne' Bows Sept. 15 Hollywood, July 14.— Gradwell L. Sears, Warners general sales manager, has set Sept. 15 as the national release date for "Knute Rockne — All American." Sears is here for studio conferences. Penner Due Today Joe Penner is due from the Coast today. He will attend the opening in Syracuse, N. Y., Thursday evening of the Universal film, "The Boys from Syracuse," in which he is featured. Donald Immortalized The event of modern publishing is expected to take place in October, with Random House the publisher and a first edition of 25,000 copies planned. The subject of the important biographical work is one Donald Duck, a child (brain) of Walt Disney. The biography is near completion by one of Disney's staff on the Coast. Circuits Grant AGVA Recognition (Continued from page 1) vaudeville in film theatres, was cleared last week by a decision by Ben Golden, arbitrator, in the dispute between the circuits and the union. The major point of the decision was one permitting the circuit's booking offices to continue charging five per cent for booking acts. Golden also ruled on the number of performances to be played per week in certain classes of houses, but refused to reveal details. However, with all points under serious dispute decided by the arbitrator, the final agreement was relatively simple. A major victory for the union is its recognition as the sole collective bargaining agency for all stage performers except musicians. There was little argument about the number of performances per week or minimum salaries except in special situations and these terms were agreed upon early in the negotiations. RKO to Distribute Jenkins Fight Films (Continued from page 1) club. Stanton Griffis, chairman of the executive committee of Paramount, is chairman of the board of the Madison Square Garden Corp., and Peter Rathvon of the RKO directorate also is on the Garden board. It is believed this situation may result in some sort of a dual distribution arrangement on the future fight pictures by RKO and Paramount. Pat O'Brien Free Lance Hollywood, July 14. — Pat O'Brien, on the starring roster of Warners for the past seven years, has concluded his contract with that company, and is now functioning as a free lance player. His last film under the Warner pact is "Flowing Gold," just completed. 'Leopard Men' to Globe E. L. McEvoy, vice-president and general sales manager of Select Attractions, Inc., has closed a contract with Harry Brandt for the New York opening of B. F. Zeidman's film, "Leopard Men of Africa," at the Globe on Broadway, July 27. Weeks Starts Western Hollywood, July 14. — George W. Weeks has started work on the first of his eight "Range Busters" Westerns for Monogram release. Roy Luby will direct from Jack Natteford's story.