Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1943)

10 Motion Picture Daily Monday, December 13, 1! Reviews "Rookies In Burma" (RKO) "TO OOKIES IN BURMA" is fairly mild war comedy which has apparently sought to adopt some of the Abbott and Costello style with Wally Brown, double-talk man, and Alan Carney, as the two rookie comedians. The story concerns Brown and Carney, two privates in the American Army in Burma, who start out peeling their way through a pyramid of G. I. potatoes. Brown, anxious to distinguish himself as a hero, enlists Carney to help him capture a Jap machine gun nest. They wind up in a prison camp, along with Erford Gage, their tough top-sergeant, who is not in sympathy with the two would-be heroes. Brown's doubletalk and Gage's brains get them out of the prison with some important Jap military documents. The rest of the tale concerns the trip back to the American lines. On the way the boys pick up Joan Barclay and Claire Carleton, two American chorines trying to get to India. They do get back, of course, by way of an elephant jaunt and a ride in a Jap tank, and are decorated for bravery. The final sequence finds them, resplendent in their medals — peeling potatoes. Chief fault of the film lies in a poor dialogue pattern and weak script. Leslie Goodwins directed and members of the cast did as well with the parts as could be expected. Edward James wrote the original screenplay and Bert Gilroy produced. "Rookies in Burma" emerges as fairly satisfactory; the kids, especially, will like it. Running time, 62 mins. "G."* Helen McNamara "Pistol Packin' Mama" {Republic) BASED on the top-played novelty ditty entitled "Pistol Packin' Mama," Republic is releasing this feature to take advantage of the tune's popular value. Robert Livingston, big-town gambler, wins $100,000 at a dice table in a Western town saloon owned by Ruth Terry. He does this by palming a third cube in his hand and throwing numerous "passes." Although her cohorts claim that Livingston was using legitimate dice, Miss Terry, who still is doubtful, vows to get even with him and so uses an assumed name to get a job as singer in a nightclub which Livingston bought with his gambling winnings. She finally challenges him to cut a deck of cards, the wager being ownership of the club against her money. Miss Terry palms an ace and wins the wager. From then on, Livingston falls in love with Miss Terry, who becomes engaged to another man, only to realize suddenly that she really is in love with the gambler. Theme of the picture is based on the condoning of gambling, gambling deceit and lawlessness. It is definitely adult classification. Performances by Miss Terry, Livingston and a supporting cast including Wally Vernon, Jack LaRue and Helen Talbot are substantial but not always convincing. The tune "Pistol Packin' Mama" is sung and played six times ; three other songs in the picture are just fair. The King Cole trio is impressive in a brief sequence in which they are featured. Eddy White was associate producer and Frank Woodruff directed from a screenplay by Edward Dein and Fred Schiller based on an original by Dein and Arthur Caesar. Running time, 64 mins. "A"* Fred Stengel. Studio Unions Vote To Admit the SPG 'Oklahoma' Takes $41,500 In Los Angeles Los Angeles, Dec. 12. — Sunday blew up an "un-California rain" to dampen weekend grosses, but it did not wet down "In Old Oklahoma," running singly at the Hollywood Paramount, with "Good Fellows" at the Downtown, which hit $41,500 against a $30,676 average. "Top Man" and "Hi Ya, Sailor," gets about $27,300 in a nine-day stretch at FWC's Egyptian-Los Angeles-Ritz combination, when averages around $24,500 for an even week, while "Whistling in Brooklyn," coupled with "The Man from Down Under," sold off sharply in the circuit's Carthay Circle-ChineseLoew's State-Uptown setup, dipping to an estimated $44,200 against $53,21 1 average. Estimated receipts for the week ending Dec. 8 : "Whistling in Brooklyn," (M-G-M) "The Man from Down Under" (M-G-M) CARTHAY CIRCLE— ( 1.516) (45c-55c75c-90c) 7 days. Gross: $6,700. (Average, $8,407) "Whistling in Brooklyn" (M-G-M) "The Man from Down Under" (M-G-M) CHINESE— (2,500) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 7 days. Gross: $11,000. (Average, $14,052) "Top Man" (Univ.) "Hi Ya, Sailor" (Univ.) EGYPTIAN— (1,500) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 9 days. Gross: $10,500. (Average, $12,000) "The Son of Dracula" (Univ.) "The Mad Ghoul" (Univ.) HAWAII— (1,000) (33c-44c-55c-75c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $5,266) "First Comes Courage" (Col.) "My Kingdom for a Cook" (Col.) HILLSTREET — (2,700) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $15,244) "Whistling in Brooklyn" (M-G-M) "The Man from Down Under" (M-G-M) LOEWS STATE— (2,500) (45c-55c-75c90c) 7 days. Gross: $19,000. (Average, $20,752) "Top Man" (Univ.) "Hi Ya, Sailor" (Univ.) LOS ANGELES— (2,098) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 9 days. Gross: $18,600. (Average, $13,000) "First Comes Courage" (Col.) "My Kingdom for a Cook" (Col.) PAN TAGES— (2,000) (45c-S5c-75c-90c) 7 days. Gross: $13,500. (Average, $12,810) "In Old Oklahoma" (Rep.) PARAMOUNT HOLLYWOOD— (1,407) (45c-55c-65c-85c) 7 days. Gross, $14,000. (Average, $10,808) "In Old Oklahoma" (Rep.) "The Good Fellows" (Para.) PARAMOUNT DOWNTOWN (3,595) (44c-55c-65c-85c) 7 days. Gross: $27,500. (Average, $19,768) "Top Man" (Univ.) "Hi Ya, Sailor" (Univ.) RITZ— (1,376) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 9 days. Gross: $8,200. (Average, $9,416) •'Whistling in Brooklyn" (M-G-M) "The Man from Down Under" (M-G-M) UPTOWN— (1,715) (45c-55c-75c-90c) 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $10,000) "Old Acquaintance" (WB) WARNER HOLLYWOOD— (3,000) (45c55c-75c-90c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $15,115. (Average, $13,651) "Old Acquaintance" (WB) WARNER DOWNTOWN— (3.400) (45c55c-75c-90c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $17496. (Average, $16,094) "Old Acquaintance" (WB) WARNER WILTERN— (2.200) (45c-55c75c-90c) 7 days. 2nd week. Gross: $14,359. Average, $12,794) SPG Nominations The Screen Publicists Guild, meeting last week at the Hotel Capitol, nominated the following members for office: Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., president; Jack Shawn, Harry Hochfekl. Carl Rigrod, Rob Ferguson, 1st vicepresident; Jesse Hanish, Carl Rigrod, 2nd vice-president ; Gertrude Gelbin. Eob Ferguson, secretary, and Charles Wright, treasurer. "G" denotes general classification. *"A" denotes adult classification. 100 Filmites to Bring Army Holiday Cheer Over 100 screen personalities, supplied by the Hollywood Victory Committee will participate in a holiday en" tertainment planned for every possible U. S. Army hospital and camp by the War Department and USO-Camp Shows, it is announced here by the Public Information Committee of the industry. They will cover 28 routes throughout the West Coast area by train and through the Southwest, Middle-west and Northwest by plane. Additional routes out of New York for stage and radio entertainers have been set. British Reel to M-G-M "Danger Area," second single-reel subject produced for and sponsored by the British Information Service, will be released nation-wide by M-G-M. Hollywood, Dec. 12. — The conference of studio unions voted last week to admit the Screen Publicists Guild to membership in this AFL group. This is considered the first step in the possible formulation of an industry-wide union of professional independent guilds under a single AFL charter, Teete Carl, president of the SPG, told Motion Picture Daily. Sackett Buys ' Sheik' Chicago, Dec. 12. — M. D. Sackett of Guaranteed Pictures has been appointed Metropolitan New York representative for "Son of the Sheik," according to an announcement here by Herb Elisburg. Big $62,000 for Sinatra in Bosto Boston, Dec. 12. — The big news the week in Boston was the $62, appearance of Frank Sinatra, v "The Falcon and the Co-Eds" on screen. There were seven show; day. Other downtown theatres pre ed because of the Sinatra appearai since many who could not get into | Boston went instead to nearby tl | tres. The week was one of the 1 in many months. Estimated receipts for the w ending Dec. 9 : "TheTalcon and the Co-Eds" (RKO) RKO BOSTON— (3,800) (44c -55c -65c | 95c). On stage: Frank Sinatra in pe: with Jan Savitt and his band. Gross: $62 (Average, $26,800) "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (ZOth-Fox) "Submarine Alert" (Para.) METROPOLITAN— (4,367) (44c-55c j Gross: $28,400. (Average, $28,300) "Girl Crazy" (M-G-M) "Something About a Soldier" (Col.) LOEWS ORPHEUM— (3,000 ) (44c j 65c). Gross: $23,800. (Average, $24,80C "Girl Crazy" (M-G-M) "Something About a Soldier" (Col.) LOEWS STATE— (3,400) (44c-55c j GrossT $17,600. (Average, $17,400) "In Old Oklahoma" (Rep.) "Let's Face It" (Para.) PARAMOUNT — (1,400) (44c-55cGross: $8,900. (Average, $8,500) "In Old Oklahoma" (Rep.) "Let's Face It" (Para.) FENWAY— (1,200) (44c-55c-65c) 7 c Gross: $6,500. (Average, $6,000) 'Top Man' Really I Tops with $24,6 Minneapolis, Dec. 12. — "Top IV coupled with a stage show appe.| headed for $24,000 at .the Orphi to lead here. "Princess O'Rou j was pointing for a healthy $14,50 *a the State. Business held up well t after Thanksgiving, when a lapse ji dinarily is experienced. Estimated receipts for jthe \ ending Dec. 11 : "Adventures of a Rookie" (RKO) GOPHER— (998) (35c) 7 days. C $3,200. (Average, $3,400) "True to Life" (Para.) LYRIC— (1,250) (40c-55c) 7 days, |il week. Gross: $5,500. (Average, $4,50 "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (ZOth-Fox) CENTURY— (1,600) (40c -55c) 7 days Si week. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $7,0C "Top Man" (Univ.) ORPHEUM— (2,800) (45c-60c) 7 days.i stage: Tommy Dorsey and his orchrl Peg-Leg Bates. Gross: $24,000. (Ave ;g< $11,600) "Princess 0"Rourke" (WB) STATE— (2,300) (40c-55c) 7 days. (M $14,500. (Average, $12,000) "The Iron Major" (RKO) WORLD— (350) (4Oc-50c-55c-75c) 7 y 2nd week. Gross: $2,000. (Average, S !« "Mystery of the Uth Guest" (Mono.) "Hi Ya, Sailor" (Univ.) ASTER— (900) (20c-30c) 7 days, withjiic week change. Gross: $2,500. (Av jig $2,300) Ray Moon Drive Stars Ray Moon, branch manage : o 20th-Fox's New York exchange, *v a luncheon at the Piccadilly li>t< late last week, launching the Ray 1 j» Drive. Home office executives jih attended included A. W. Smith Jr Eastern sales head ; William Gel 'ni Western sales head; L. J. ScKm Central sales head. Seymour F rii booking manager of the exchange jva toastmaster. Mexican 'Nana' Comp h Mexico City, Dec. 12. — A Meica version of Emile Zola's "Nana," -sx ring Lupe Velez, has been comipte here after being in work for ye weeks. It is scheduled for r |fis early next year.