Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1944)

Motion picture Daily Wednesday, December 6, 1944 Three-Day 4IT Sales Meet Starts Friday (Continued from page 1) Meyers, Eastern sales manager; F. J. A. McCarthy, Southern sales manager; A. J. O'Keefe, Western sales manager; Edward A. McEvoy, short subject sales manager, and district managers David A. Levy, New York ; lohn J. Scully, New England; M. M. Gottlieb, Chicago; Joe E. Garrison, Kansas City ; Dave Miller, Cleveland ; H. D. Graham, Atlanta; C. J. Feldman, Los Angeles; P. E. Rosian, Cincinnati; Salem Applegate, Philadelphia, and Maurice Bergman, head of the Eastern advertising department. In announcing the meeting, Scully explained that one primary purpose of bringing the sales executives to New \ork is to crystallize the handling and exploitation of "Can't Help Singing," Deanna Durbin's first color picture. 'Can't Help Singing, ' Scully said, "is the top budget picture in Universal's history." During the three-day conference, plans also will be furnished for future Universal releases. Strike Hits Republic And RKO in St. Louis (Continued from page 1) called, and 20th Century-Fox, in which the film company agreed to deliver pictures to the theatre under the existing contract. Harry Arthur. Jr., F. & M. general manager, announced today that y0 theatre managers, meeting last night, voted to sue the union, its members and all parties to the tie-up for damages. Arthur charged that the strike interferes with the war effort by preventing war bond shows. RKO pictures are shown in all firstfuns here except the Loew's State and Oipheum Theatres, and Republic pictu< es are shown in 300 theatres in the area, including most of the major houses. The film exchanges are notifying out-of-town theatres to pick up films as long as deliveries cannot be made. So far the strike has not affected any out-of-town theatres. Reviews 'Sunday Dinner for a Soldier" 100 From Industry Honor William Dover Hollywood, Dec. 5. — Industry leaders tonight honored William Dover at a banquet at the Beverly Hills Hotel, attended by 100 representatives of all organizations and studios. Kenneth Thomson, Abe Lastfogel, Charles Maddock, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore and Edward G. Robinson were among the speakers who paid tribute to Dover for his achievements during two years overseas in charge of USO entertainment for the troops. Blumenstock to Macon Mort Blumenstock left here yesterday for Macon, Ga., to set up headquarters for nationwide publicity and promotional activities in connection with the world premiere there of Warners' "God Is My Co-Pilot," on Feb. 1. He will return to New York next week to complete arrangements for the world premiere of "Hollywood Canteen" here and in Albany on Dec. IS. Will Yolen accompanied Blumenstock to Macon and will remain there indefinitely. (20th Century-Fox) THE subject of hosting service men, farced by "Janie," now lends itself to idyllic romance, as well as comedy, in a Walter Morosco production that should captivate even the most hard-boiled audience. It is the simple tale of a Spanish-American War veteran, Charles Winninger, and his four grandchildren, who plan and skimp and work with touching eagerness to provide a Sabbath repast for an unknown soldier from the USO. They have their troubles. Grandpa spends too much of his pension check on a new dress for the older girl, Anne Baxter, who keeps house. Connie Marshall, the younger girl, wastes away when it looks as though her pet chicken, "Lady Elizabeth," will have to be slaughtered for the feast. Billy Cummings, the Older boy, beats the rugs so earnestly he knocks down the clothes line and ruins the curtains. And Bobby Driscoll, the baby, stands on his feet — because he stands on his head only when things are going well. Then, on Sunday, the bus driver, 'Chil' Wills, arrives with the news that there's been a mix-up and will be no soldier. It is a blow, especially to Miss Baxter, who is in the habit of sneaking off to the gaunt foundations of a never-finished hotel, where, in what would have been the ballroom, she likes to dance with an imaginary partner to an imaginary orchestra playing "I'll See You in My Dreams." How this dream becomes real, in the person of a lonely, homeless B-29 waist-gunner, John Hodiak, whom the kids find wandering through the neighborhood, is unfolded in a series of heartwarming scenes that climax the picture. The cast rings true, Miss Baxter and Hodiak in particular. Lloyd Bacon, making noteworthy use of tableau fadeouts, directed from a script which Wanda Tuchock and Melvyn Levy based on a Martha Cheavens story. Running time, 86 minutes. "G."* Release in December. Tom Loy * "G" denotes general classification. "Experiment Perilous" (RKO Radio) Hollywood, Dec. 5 THE New York of 41 years ago provides the colorful background against which an extremely interesting psychological drama unfolds in "Experiment Perilous," based upon a novel by Margaret Carpenter. Because its scalpel probes sharply into decaying mental processes which are not normally predictable, the film is not an easy one to follow. It is not at all unlikely, as a consequence, that the average audience may become somewhat confused and not entirely clear at all points as to what exactly gives here. Subject matter further suggests the attraction will hold limited appeal for 'teenagers and rely upon adults for support, probably in the large cities at that. Apart from its tendency toward knotting various, but admittedly necessary, offshoots of the principal story line, "Experiment Perilous" has much to recommend it for those who want their drama straight, not diluted with bubbled water. It gets off to a fine degree of suspense in a careening railroad train fighting its way through violent storms. It is there that George Brent, prominent doctor, gets his first hint of Paul Lukas and his wife, Hedy Lamarr. Thereafter, they meet. Brent is retained by Lukas to probe Miss Lamarr's sanity. Circumstances demonstrate, in due order, that she is quite rational, that Brent has fallen in love with her and that it is Lukas who is mad. Story convolutions are many and spread from the main characters like something akin to spokes of a wheel. However, the climax arrives when Lukas, feigning suicide on a Boston-bound boat, returns to do away with his wife and young son and Brent, as he had eliminated another of Miss Lamarr's admirers some years earlier, and his own sister latterly. It is about at this point when Lukas' mind cracks completely and persuades him to round out his series of criminally insane deeds by blowing up his home through gas. Lukas is killed and the others injured. Recovery follows to pave the way for completion of the romance between Miss Lamarr and Brent. The treatment advances the barest trace of infidelity on the wife's part insofar as the paternity of her child is concerned. However, it is a wisp of a suggestion which leaves the audience to determine what it will. There is also a decided anti-ckmax when the script deems it required to re-establish what the onlooker already knows :. Lukas' death at the hands of his own diabolic plottings. Nevertheless, Robert Fellows, executive producer ; Warren Duff, doubling as producer and scenarist, and Jacques Tourneur, director, have moulded their ingredients into a solid job of serious picture-making for grownups. They have gotten acting performances of general excellence from their principals and their supporting players, who include Albert Dekker, Carl Esmond, George N. Neise, Margaret Wycherly, Stephanie Bachelor, Mary Servoss, and, notably, Olive Blakeney. As a piece of production craftsmanship, the film, moreover, is so good it enters the category of an achievement. The horse-and-buggy decade has been captured with a fine fidelity and appreciation. The responsibility of Albert S. D'Agostino and Jack Okey, the art directors, deliver with distinction. Their companion-artisans in all of this are those experts of the camera, Tony Gaudio and Vernon L. Walker. Running time, 91 minutes. "A."* No release date set. Red Kann * "A" denotes adult classification. Connors Talks on Forthcoming Films (Continued from page 1) nors introduced Hal Home, director of advertising and publicity, who announced that the Army Air Forces is cooperating with the company on a national publicity and exploitation campaign for "Winged Victory." Lt. Col. Stanford Chester chief of special events division i Washington, assisted by Lieut. Da mon R. Elder, will direct the exploitation and special events program. AAF public relations office in Washington has named Capt. Charles J. Giezendanner, Jr., as national project officer. Assistants Named Home announced that Capt. Brice Hayes, Lieutenants Marie Jay Cady, Elnora L. Gerlow and S R. Walker, and M/Sgt Raymond Williams, of the AAF, will assist in the New York City campaign. S/Sgt. Bill Doll, Sgt. Irving Schneider and Cpl. Joe Quilian will be stationed at the New York publicity offices of 20th-Fox to assist on newspaper, periodical and radio publicity. Home introduced the personnel in his advertising, publicity and exploitation department to the meeting, including Charles Schlaifer, his assistant. Spyros Skouras, president, will address today's meeting. The March of Time will hold a reception at 6 p.m. at the Hampshire House for the delegates. Winged Victory' Set Fcr Roxy Christmas "Winged Victory" will be the Christmas picture at' the Roxy Theatre here, Tom Connors, 20th-Fox vice-president in charge of distribution, announced yesterday. The company will turn over all proceeds from distribution of the film to Army relief funds. Rites Tomorrow for Robert Warwick, 66 Hollywood, Dec. 5. — Funeral services will be held here Thursday at Strothers' Chapel for Robert Warwick, 66, film actor, who died Sunday after a brief illness. Interment will be in Hollywood Memorial Park. Warwick's career in the industry dates from the early days of silent pictures. His widow survives him. Brizee Killed in France Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 5. — Pfc. Clifford H. Brizee, formerly of Eastman Kodak here, has been reported killed in action in France. Survivors include five children. 'Celestials' 1st Meeting "The Celestials," new monthly luncheon-club for those in advertising, newspaper and magazine fields, held its inaugural at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel here, yesterday, with 300 in attendance and James A. Farley as guest speaker. Several film personalities were among the entertainers. Among film publicity men invited were : Maurice Bergman, Mort Blumenstock, Herb Crooker, Hank Linet, Fred Lynch, Barret McCormick, Rutgers Neilsen, Al Wilkie, Howard Dietz and R. J. Gillham.