Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1943)

6 Motion Picture Daily Monday, July 19, 194 Critics9 Quotes . . . "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS" (Paramount) "In spite of its almost interminable and physically exhausting length . . . and in spite of some basic detruncations of the novel's two leading characters, it vibrates throughout with vitality and is topped off with a climax that's a whiz ... so much that was fine in the novel and so much that was humanly true have been faithfully reproduced in the picture . . . the superb characterizations are the outstanding merit of the film. . . . And also it is produced as magnificently as any film has ever been." — Bosley Crowthers, N. Y .Times. "CABIN IN THE SKY" (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) ''Cabin in the Sky," after a slow start, really swings into action. Embracing everything from spirituals to jive, from the deeply emotional Ethel Waters to the slim and provocative Lena Home, it is anybody's money's worth of entertainment. — Harrison Carroll, Los Angeles Herald Express. "Cabin in the Sky," with its highly talented all-Negro cast, is one of the most delightful screen plays to come out of Hollywood this year. It is one of those rare blends of mirth, melody and play-acting that strike deep into the heart. The film deals with such fundamentals as love, simple faith, and human frailty. — Paid T. Gilbert, Chicago Sun. Bountiful entertainment. It is by turn an inspiring expression of a simple people's faith in the hereafter and spicy slice of their zest for earthy pleasures. This first all-Negro screen musical in many a year is a most welcome treat. — T. M. P., New York Times. "MY FRIEND FLICKA" (20th Century-Fox) Sympathetic acting, fine direction, and swell script work, however make tht picture much more than a mere recital of words. It grips you. — Lee Mortimer, N. Y. Daily Mirror. It is a magnificent and stirring story, simply told against a beautiful background. "My Friend Flicka" is delightful, inspiring. — Norman Clark, Baltimore News-Post. "My Friend Flicka" should be pleasurably appealing to the majority of moviegoers — what with its indescribably beautiful colored outdoor back grounds into which is woven the refreshing and touching tale of a boy's devotion to a horse. — Archer Winstein, Nezv York Post. One of the season's best pictures. It is away from the war, away frorr politics and the film was made in the finest color photography so far. — Eileen Creelman, N. Y. Sim. On the whole it is a tender and persuasive film, although there are moments when its sentiment goes overboard. — Harrison Carroll, L. A. Herald Express. "My Friend Flicka" is charming and deserves bouquets. — Dorothy Manners L. A. Examiner. 12 4 Super-Escapist' Films Coming from Paramount— Agnew (Continued from page 1) is the finest ever released, but is two or three years ahead of its time in superlative entertainment values," he said. The productions named by Agnew were : "Let's Face It," with Bob Hope and Betty Hutton ; "Lady in the Dark," Mitchell Leisen's Technicolor production starring Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Warner Baxter and Jon Hall; "The Story of Dr. Wassell," Cecil B. DeMille's Technicolor production starring Gary Cooper, Laraine Day and Signe Hasso ; "Riding High," Technicolor musical with Dorothy Lamour, Dick Powell and Victor Moore; "So Proudly We Hail," Mark Sandrich production starring Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard and Veronica Lake ; "True to Life," with Mary Martin, Franchot Tone, Dick Powell and Victor Moore; "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," starring Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, written and directed by Preston Sturges ; "No Time for Love," starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray ; "Hostages," with Luise Rainer, Arturo de Cordova, William Bendix and Paul Lukas ; "The Uninvited," starring Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey and Donald Crisp; "Frenchman's Creek," Mitchell Leisen Technicolor production with Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova and Ralph Forbes, and the Technicolor Sam Wood production "For Whom the Bell Tolls," starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. Paramount's Shorts Schedule The company's new season short subject schedule, announced at the meeting by Oscar A. Morgan, short subjects sales manager, consists of 64 shorts, of which six will be two-reel subjects and the balance single reels. The program consists of nine series, three of which, "Little Lulu," "Noveltoons" and "Musical Parade," are new. Three-quarters of the programs will be in Technicolor, Morgan said. Others who addressed Friday's session of the meeting were : Charles M. Reagan, assistant general sales manager ; Hugh Owen, Eastern division manager ; George Smith, Western division manager ; Robert M. Gillham, advertising and publicity director ; Stanley Shuford, advertising manager ; Alec Moss, exploitation manager ; George Brown, studio publicity manager ; Louis Phillips, company attorney ; Claude Lee, public relations officer, and J. A. Walsh, chief statistician. Following Elected The following were elected to the Paramount sales department's One Hundred Per Cent Club for 1943: Edward H. Bell, New York; Weldon A. Waters, Albany; Herbert C. Thompson, Washington ; William Twig, Cincinnati ; William W. Sharpe, Charlotte ; Thomas Frank, Des Moines ; Harry M. Haas, Los Angeles ; Donald R. Hicks, Salt Lake City ; Irving J. Werthamer, Milwaukee ; Walter P. Wiens, Dallas ; James R. Velde, Detroit, and John E. Kent, Seattle. Loew, Lyons Form New Film Company (Continued from page 1) tures. Each will be budgeted at $1,000,000, Producing Artists announced. With the Lyons' talent resources to draw upon, the company has arranged for stars and directors associated with it to head their own companies and thereby to participate in profits. The arrangement permits such stars and directors to engage in outside pictures for other producers, as well, it was stated. Producing Artists' first production will be a large-scale musical, as yet untitled, employing the music of Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter, who already have been signed, and possibly that of George Gershwin and Irving Berlin, with whom negotiations are now in progress. Rouben Mamoulian will produce and direct. Jack Benny, with his own company, will produce a series of comedies for Producing Artists, it was stated. Producing Artists will headquarter at General Service Studios, and expects within a few years to produce from 10 to 18 top-budget productions annually, according to Loew. The company also may engage in Broadway production, it was stated. Lyons is scheduled to arrive in New York from here today to open negotiations for original musical and dramatic material and to advance the plans for play production. Clearance Cases Are Filed in Boston (Continued from page 1) 45-day clearance of the Capital, and in the case of move-overs from the Loew's to the Elm Street, it asks that the 30-day clearance begin with completion of the showing at the Loew's. The second complaint was filed by Watertown Square Theatre, Inc., operator of the Strand, Watertown, and asks a reduction to seven days of the present clearances of the Coolidge Theatre, which range from 14 to 30 days. More First Runs For Army Overseas Washington, July 18. — Stepping up of distribution of first-run U. S. films abroad from three to four programs a week is announced here tonight. Programs consisting of a feature and a short are flown regularly from this country to 18 overseas exchanges for circulation in areas where our troops are stationed. Individual Army circuits varv in length, running to as much as 1,500 miles. Columbia Dividend Columbia's board of directors has declared a dividend of 68^4 cents per share on the $2.75 convertible preferred stock, payable August 16, to stockholders of record on August 2. Brown Says Pleasure Driving Ban to End Boston, July 18.— OPA Administrator Prentiss Brown stated in a talk before the Chamber of Commerce here at the weekend that lifting of the pleasure driving ban may be expected any day. He indicated that he believed the ban accomplished no useful I purpose, saying that the galIon and one-half of gasoline// allowed East Coast motorists^ . each week did not permit of any "pleasure" driving. May Extend Schine Divestiture Time (Continued from page 1) is expected to make a report on the situation to the court and leave it to the judge to decide whether the circuit has exhausted every effort to comply with the requirements of the standstill agreement and if it should be left in possession of the theatres. Schine circuit originally agreed to dispose of 16 theatres under terms of an "armistice" on the Government's anti-trust suit against the circuit. Copyright Suit vs. Loew's Is Settled Papers filed in Federal Court Friday indicate that the copyright infringement action brought against Loew's Inc., by Bettie MacDonald, former Ziegfeld showgirl who turned author and wrote "Ziegfeld Girl," had been discontinued and settled out of court. Miss MacDonald, who charged that Loew's pirated her novel and story in producing a motion picture, contended that she wrote "Ziegfeld Girl" in 1932 and in 1933 entered into an agreement with American Weekly, Inc., to write articles which embodied portions of the novel under the titles "Secrets Behind the Scenes at the Follies," and "Behind the Scenes at the Follies." Officers Confer on Plans for 'Army' Major General Irving J. Phillipson, executive director of Army Emergency Relief, met with Service Command Directors and Air Force directors, of Army Emergency Relief at the Pennsylvania Hotel Friday to discuss Army Relief problems and plans for the national showings of Irving Berlin's "This Is the Army," produced by Warners for Army Emergency Relief. Plans for special premiere performances of the picture in 1,200 cities were detailed by the advisor to the executive director, Col. Charles F. H. Johnson. The picture will open in key cities August 12, following the N. Y. premiere July 28. Screen 'Heaven' Tonight "Heaven Can Wait," 20th CenturyFox's new Ernst Lubitsch production, will be screened at the RKO 23d Street Theatre tonight. The screening will be preceded by a dinner at 21 Club for trade press representatives and other guests of 20th-Fox.