Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1944)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, February 28, 1944 "Going My Way" (Continued from page 1) the fact that he's been put in charge of the parish to bring the church through financial difficulties, but to bring it through nevertheless. Crosby, as Father O'Malley, who had his own dance band in his college days and used to workout with the St. Louis Browns because they wanted him to, writes a fine song, entitled "Going My Way," to raise money for the church. The music publishers reject that one, but take a swing number he's knocked out for the choir boys' amusement, the money for which serves the same purpose. That's the long and short of the script, but not the heart and soul of it, which are not things to be disposed of in a synopsis but are things to be experienced with realization and relish from a seat in any auditorium. /CROSBY'S performance is masterly in its understatement, which in ^ this case does not mean the same thing as restraint, but as the picture goes along the performance of Barry Fitzgerald, as the elder •priest, overshadows it in richness and feeling. The two, blending like colors in a rainbow, are more than enough to compensate audiences for their 125 minutes and the prevailing price of admission. But there is more than this in the picture. There is, of particular importance to exhibitors whose patronage includes the addicts of upperlayer music, the presence of Rise Stevens, Metropolitan Opera star, who sings "Carmen" with all the trimmings and some other songs without them. And for the juniors, and the parents of juniors, there is choral singing by a band of youngsters led by Stanley Clemens — who provides a performance that is a landmark in its own tough-guy division — who do their singing in their play togs instead of vestments and swing some of it for variation. There are performances by Frank McHugh, Gene Lockhart, Jean Heather and Eily Malyon, and by Fortunio Bonanova and William Frawley, which add to the charm and impact of the whole without dimming in any degree the lustre of the Crosby-Fitzgerald achievement (which is one not to be forgotten when Academy voting time comes around again a year hence). To "Carmen," "Ave Maria" and other staples have been added some new songs by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen — notably the title song — which have about them those qualities which make for 'Hit Parade' status when Crosby has worked his magic with them on the Kraft Music Hall airshow. Running time, 125 minutes. "G."* Release date not set. William R. Weaver Crockett Named to Tax Unity Council The board of directors of MPTO of Virginia has approved the organization's participation in an industrywide tax unity program and has designated William F. Crockett, president, as its representative therein, Crockett revealed to Motion Picture Daily here at the weekend. He will return to Norfolk today. "Virginia exhibitors," Crockett said, "feel that a contemplated tax roundtable is a great step forward for the industry. Such a conference can be of great assistance in film tax legislation which is bound to come up in the future." Crockett revealed that some 290 theatres in Virginia have already collected $83,053 in the March of Dimes campaign, a 300 percent increase over 1943's $27,000. He stated that Virginia theatres will "fully participate" in the forthcoming Red Cross Drive. Crockett said that the shortage of theatre help in Virginia "is terrific." Theatre owners are unable to secure even girl ushers, cashiers or ticket takers and the turnover in maintenance help is acute. Several upstate Virginia houses even used women projectionists recently. Although materials are available for theatre repairs it is difficult to secure anyone to make them, he said. Crockett disclosed that he and his partner in Bayne-Roland Theatres are applying for permission to build a 1,000 seat first-run house at Virginia Beach, a war area. Loew's Bond Sales Almost 13 Millions Loew's reported here at the weekend that up to and including Feb. 22, 158,566 "E" bonds had been sold in its theatres for the Fourth War Loan drive, with a value of $12,844,038. New York theatres sold 85,892 bonds, with a value of $7,292,238. while out-of-town theatres sold 72,674 bonds, valued at $5,551,800, the company stated. Seventy-three war bond premieres, resulting in bond sales of $2,649,000, were reported by the Minneapolis War Activities Committee for the Fourth War Loan drive. Total of $4,154,775 in bonds was sold for bond-admission shows in Southern Ohio during the drive, it was reported by Arthur Frudenfeld, RKO division manager, who is WAC industry chairman for the district. Stralem Elected a Columbia Director Donald S. Stralem has been elected to the board of directors of Columbia Pictures, the company reported here at the weekend. Stralem, who is a partner of Hallgarten and Co., New York, is also a director of U. S. Leather and Stahl-Meyer and is president of Travelers Aid Society. Para. Will Do NAM Film Paramount will make a two-reel educational film, tentatively titled "The Triangle of Plenty," from the Reader's Digest article, for the National Association of Manufacturers. Leslie Roush will direct. *"G" denotes general classification. No Directed Verdict In Jackson Park Case Chicago, Feb. 27.— After two days of defense arguments, Judge Michael fgoe at the weekend overruled motions for a directed verdict of "Not Guilty" on behalf of the nine defendants in the Jackson Park Theatre anti-trust suit. The trial is expected to continue two more weeks. The court's action followed an earlier plea by Thomas G. McConnell, attorney for the plaintiffs, who charged that his clients were under duress and would have to go out of business if justice failed to give them the right to bid for the product of the distributors. Balaban and Katz is the principal defendant. GrifHs Will Confer With Flinn, Freeman Hollywood, Feb. 27. — Stanton Griffis, chief of the motion picture bureau of the Office of War Information, will arrive here today from the East to confer with John C. Flinn, coordinator of the Hollywood division of the War Activities Committee, and Y. Frank Freeman, vice-president of Paramount in charge of studio operations and president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers. While here Griffis will make his' headquarters at the Paramount studio. He expects to remain on the Coast two weeks. 'Watch' Tops Foreign Language Circle Poll Warner's "Watch on the Rhine" was selected as the best film of 1943 by the New York Foreign Language Film Critics' Circle, during a broadcast last night over station WNYC here. William C. Edlin, president of the Circle and editor of The Day, presented a scroll to Albert S. Howson of Warners. On the speaking schedule were : Edward Corsi ; State Labor Commissioner, and Prof. Frederic M. Thrasher of New York University, who discussed the influence of American films on citizens of foreign origin. Sigmund Gottlober, executive director of the Foreign Critics, presided. Second place went to Noel Coward's "In Which We Serve," third to "The Human Comedy," while fourth was a tie between "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Random Harvest," "This Is the Army" and "Casablanca." Blumberg Here for Universal Meetings Nate Blumberg, Universal president, is due in New York today for preconvention sales conferences with home-office executives. He will attend the annual stockholders' meeting in Wilmington March 8, when the board of directors is to be elected. Blumberg will also attend the annual board meeting here on April 3, when officers are to be elected. Films' Essentiality Unchanged by WMC Washington. Feb. 27.— The War Manpower Commission at the weekend issued a new list of essential activities, brought up to date, but indicated no changes in those listings affecting the film or radio industries. Still included as essential activities are the production of motion pictuirtl both technical and vocational training!! for the Army, Navy and war production industries; film processing; news reels ; development of sensitized film ;' production of radio and television equipment and Vinylite transcriptions, and radio broadcasting and television. It was explained that the list serves, as a general guide upon which manpower programs for allocating labor to different needs are based. It is used, among other purposes, in determining whether workers may transfer from job to job with approval of the U. S. Employment Service and by the Selective Service boards in reviewing requests for occupational deferment. RKO Service Corp,, Union Meet Tomorrow Conferences will be held here tomorrow between RKO Service Corp. and the new Motion Picture Theatre Operating Managers, Assistants and Cashiers Guild of RKO managers, which is seeking certification as collective bargaining agent for all metropolitan RKO managers, assistant managers and cashiers. The union, now preparing contract demands, is headed by George Dunn, manager of RKO's 81st St. A steering committee consists of Harold Daly, 23rd St. Theatre; A. E. Arnstein, 58th St. ; John Thompson, Hamilton ; Joseph Tully, Richmond Hill ; Laurence F. Greib, Albee ; Leon Kelmer, Kenmore, and Harry Lyons, Madison. The guild is represented by H. N. Glickstein of Boudin, Cohn and Glickstein. Warner Executives To Confer on Coast Ben Kalmenson, Mort Blumenstock and Samuel Schneider, Warner executive, will leave the latter part of this week for the Coast to confer with Jack L. Warner and Charles Einfeld on releases for Spring and Summer. Einfeld will accompany the partyj back to New York, about March 15, to work on the world premiere and national launching of "The Adventures of Mark Twain." Jesse L. Lasky, producer of "Twain," will come East the end of this week to remain until the premiere at the Hollywood Theater in April. OCR Will Assist Exhibitor Operation Washington, Feb. 27. — Regional representatives of the Office of Civilian Requirements are undergoing a week's training in Washington designed to acquaint them with functions of the recreation section and other branches of the Service Trade Division, it was disclosed at the weekend. An OCR representative is to be assigned to each War Production Board regional office, to assist exhibitors and other operators of service establishments in maintaining service.