Motion Picture Herald (Dec 1932 - Mar 1933)

52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD February 4, 193 3 TOO BUSY TO WORK.: Will Rogers, Maureen O'SuUivan— This was liked better than his previous talkies by our patrons. Played Jan. 19-20. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. TOO BUSY TO WORK: Will Rogers— They don't make any better entertainment than this to please country town. 100% satisfaction. Business rotten, but no fault of the picture. Pleased all that came.— Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. Town and country patronage. WILD GIRL: Joan Bennett, Charles Farrell— Patrons thought this was going to be an up-to-date jazz picture according to title, but it turned out to be a kind of western. Anyway, it was good. Eugene Pallette as the stagecoach driver almost stole the picture. Running time, 74 minutes. Played Jan. 18-19. — H. Bettendorf, Opera House, Foley, Minn. Small town patronage. Majestic HEARTS OF HUMANITY: Jackie Searl— One of the best kid pictures we have run. Fine feature for Friday and Saturday. Sure gets the kids in. We ran a cowboy picture with it and it went over with a bang. Played Jan. 21-22. Running time, 70 minutes.—Alyce Cornell, Galewood Theatre, Grand Rapids, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. Mascot PRIDE OF THE LEGION: Rin Tin Tin, Jr.— Will satisfy any audience. Action and thrills. Play this one up strong. Give them a good two-reel comedy with it and you'll have a good show. — William Thatcher, Royal Theatre, Salina, Kansas. Small town patronage. MGM BLONDIE OF THE FOLLIES: Marion Davies— Fair picture. Supposed to be a special but far from it. Did good business on it. Doubled it to help it along. Davies is dead from the neck up. Our patrons don't go for her. They come to see other features. Played Jan. 8-9. Running time, 90 minutes.— Alyce Cornell, Galewood Theatre, Grand Rapids, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. BLONDIE OF THE FOLLIES: Marion Davies, Robert Montgomery — This show failed to draw for me but it is good and worthy of a good house. Well worth advertising. Played Dec. 2-4. Running time, 90 minutes.— W. T. Biggs, Adair Theatre, Adair, Iowa. General patronage. DIVORCE IN THE FAMILY: Jackie Cooper, Conrad Nagel— A picture that will please every member of the family. Every theatre should show this one. Running time, 81 minutes.— Hippodrome Theatre, Julesburg, Col. General patronage. DOWNSTAIRS: John Gilbert— The story is terrible. Gilbert wrote it, so you know what to expect. Virginia Bruce is so so. Gilbert is through, no drawing power at all. Played Jan. 10-11. Running time, 72 minutes.— Alyce Cornell, Galewood Theatre, Grand Rapids, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. DOWNSTAIRS: John Gilbert— No good, and they felt the same as I, for they walked out on it. It takes more than film to get by now, the novelty of talkies has worn oiT and it takes pictures. Played Oct. 22-23. Running time, 84 minutes.— >W. T. Biggs, Adair Theatre, Adair, Iowa. General patronage. FAITHLESS: Tallulah Bankhead— In spite of the generally adverse criticsm of this feature, I consider it good. The acting of Bankhead was good and the whole picture went over well. Played Jan. 7. — George Hodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Del. Small town patronage. FAITHLESS: Robert Montgomery, Tallulah Bankhead — An extra good entertainment. Both stars fine. Balance of cast good. — Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. Town and country patronage. FAST LIFE: William Haines, ClifT Edwards, Madge Evans— Plenty of action to the picture, but Haines is back at his smart alec stuff that we thought the directors had tamed him down on. Also it was a mighty good thing for Haines that he had Edwards in support for his work as Bumpy shaded Haines with the audience. If this one goes over you can credir Edwards. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. Small town patronage. GRAND HOTEL: All star--A grand flop for tne. Can account for this production only in one way. All this bunch of actors had gathered on the lot long before time to commence work on their various productions and some one suggested a rehearsal. _ So on with the makeup. A little of this and a little of that. A few shots of one and a few shots of the other. Just testing out the camera, etc. Then lo and behold — old man Metro says what's the use of wasting this good film and spend a million or two advertising it. Make a special of it. People_ don't know the difference and we'll make 'em like it. So the "Grand Hotel" is just a great long drawnout conglomerated mess of nothing. _ I will never be able to crank my mind up to a point when I could say it was anything but a joke on the people. — Ned Pedigo, DeLuxe Theatre, Garber, Okla. Small town patronage. LETTY LYNTON: Joan Crawford— Pleased our crowd of Monday and Tuesday fans when they expect a sophistication sex picture. One man said he liked it better than "Strange Interlude." Played Jan. 9-10. Running time, 86 minutes. — G. Carey, Strand Theatre, Paris, Ark. Family patronage. THE MASK OF FU MANCHU: Boris Karloff— This picture did splendidly above average business. It is not as good as the previous Fu Manchu pictures made by Paramount and was quite disappomting to some, but it pleased the majority. Karloff, with this picture, adds more to his laurels in becoming a new Lon Chancy. — T. Thompson, Palace and Princess Theatres, Cedartown, Ga. Small town patronage. THE MASK OF FU MANCHU: Boris Karloff— Boris Karloff is the star, and Bore-us is right. More kicks on this than any three pictures in ages. Oh, Metro — what's wrong. Couldn't you see that this was not wanted? Come on, old Leo, and give us some more of those truly good pictures you made when times were good. Now's when we need you at your best. Sure I know you've got some good ones up your sleeve, but let's have 'em now. Played Jan. 31. Running time, far too much. — Joe Hewitt, Lincoln Theatre, Robinson, 111. Mixed patronage. PAYMENT DEFERRED: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan — What few came in at the beginning left before the end. Without a doubt the worst picture we have ever shown. Take a fool's advice and make a deal of some sort, but don't run it. Probably will never hear the last of it. Played Nov. 18. — H. R. Hisey, State Theatre, Nashville, 111. Rural patronage. PROSPERITY: Marie Dressier, Polly Moran — Splendid picture which drew better than anything we have had in months. Pleased 100%. Played Jan. 8-9. — Edith M. Fordyce, Princess, Selina, La. General patronage. PROSPERITY: Marie Dressier, Polly Moran — What a show. It's all entertainment. Not quite as good as Emma, but still plenty good. This is the kind of a picture that will put the industry back on its feet. And it is really what the people want. And why not give them what they want, especially when they pay all the bills. We need less art and more entertainment. Played Jan. 15-16-17. Running time, 77 minutes.— Walt Bradley, Moon Theatre, Neligh, Neb. General patronage. SKYSCRAPER SOULS: Maureen O'Sullivan, XVarren William — A dandy picture. Maureen O'Sullivan steals the show. Did average business. Running time, 95 minutes. — Hippodrome Theatre, Julesburg, Col. General patronage. SON DAUGHTER: Raymond Novarro, Helen Hayes— A slow moving Chinese picture that is very uninteresting and absolutely no appeal to anyone. Just another poor picture and a good argument for the Brookhart Bill. Played Jan. 1-2.— Gerald Stettmund, Odeon Theatre, Chandler, Okla. Small town patronage. SPEAK EASILY: Buster Keaton— Not much— P. S. Jones, Star Theatre, North Brookfield, Mass. SPEAK EASILY: Buster Keaton. Jimmy Durante — Not quite as good as the other Keatons. Personally I was disappointed. Running time, 80 minutes. — Hippodrome Theatre, Julesburg, Col. General patronage. STRANGE INTERLUDE: Norma Shearer, Clark Gable — Finely acted picture, but hard to put over. Strictly a class picture, the "High Brows" will like it but the "High Ball" boys in the balcony won't know what it's all about. Drew very little extra business. Played Jan. 19-20. Running time, 110 minutes.—R. W. Hickman, Lyric Theatre, Greenville, 111. WASHINGTON MASQUERADE: Lionel Barrymore — This is a good picture but has no drawing power whatsoever. Will please those you can get to come in. Running time, 90 minutes. — Hippodrme Theatre, Julesburg, Col. General patronage. Monogram GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY: Betty Compson, Tom Douglas — A good entertaining murder story. OK for Saturday.— Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. Town and country patronage. GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY: Betty Compson— They should pension Compson. She is too old to act. Fair picture. Doubled it and did good business. Kids get a boost out of Compson. She's good as a comedy. Played Jan. 15-16. Running time, 65 minutes.— Alyce Cornell, Galewood Theatre, Grand Rapids, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. HONOR OF THE MOUNTED: Tom Tyler— A good western. — Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. Town and country patronage. STRANGE ADVENTURE: Regis Toomey, June Clyde — -A very good entertaining picture. Good story, well acted. — Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. "Town and country patronage. Paramount THE BIG BROADCAST: Stuart Erwin, Bing Crosby— A very entertaining production, and one which all small towns should play. Some will not like it, but the masses will get a big kick out of it. Stuart Erwin is swell. Played Dec. 15. — Lee Brewerton, Capitol Theatre, Raymond, Alberta. Small town patronage. THE BIG BROADCAST: Radio stars— Perfectly splendid and was it liked? Several people came back the second time to see it. Play it and tell everybody you have it. It is certainly an outstanding attraction that will make money for you. Played Dec. 26-27. Running time, 80 minutes. — A. N. Miles, Eminence Theatre, Eminence, Ky. Small town patronage. BILLION DOLLAR SCANDAL: Robert Armstrong, Carole Lombard — Good show, minus love interest. Men will like it. Played Jan. 17-18.— D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. BILLION DOLLAR SCANDAL: Robert Armstrong, Carole Lombard — Here is a "honey" in any man's house. Title and cast don't mean much at b. o., but it's a picture. A take-off of the Tea-pot Dome scandal and one grand mouthful of enjoyment. "Thanks, Paramount, arid all concerned in making this one. Played Jan. 20.— Joe Hewitt, Lincoln Theatre, Robinson, 111. Mixed patronage. THE DEVIL IS DRIVING: Edmund Lowe, Wynne Gibson — ^Another gang picture that is somewhat modified and will probably go over for a one-night showing. Dozens similar to it have been shown before and would class this one as being no better or worse than the rest of them. Drew regular Saturday night business. Played Jan. 21. Running time, 81 minutes. — R. W. Hickman, Lyric Theatre, Greenville, 111. THE DEVIL IS DRIVING: Edrnund Lowe, Wynne Gibson — Hits the fancy of our audience. Good Saturday show with plenty of action to satisfy. Keep it up, Paramount. Played Jan. 6-7. Running time, 62 minutes. — I. W. Rowley, Ward Theatre, Pismo Beach, Cal. General patronage. THE DEVIL IS DRIVING: Edmund Lowe, Wynne Gibson — A very good picture and drew well for me. — P. S. Jones, Star Theatre, North Brookfield, Mass. THE DEVIL IS DRIVING: Edmund Loew, Wynne Gibson — This is a good picture dealing with the automobile stealing racket as handled by organized big city criminals. Cast is good and it will fit into any program. — Chas. Lee Hyde, Grand Rapids, Pierre, S. D. EVENINGS FOR SALE: Herbert Marshall, Sari Maritza — This is good entertainment and pleased people. Like "They Call It Sin" everyone liked it better than they thought they would. A little picture that goes big. — Chas. Lee Hyde, Grand Theatre, Pierre, S. D. A FAREWELL TO ARMS: Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper — Truly a magnificent picture. It is a finished product. The cast is excellent and the direction is superb, yet there were a good many who didn't like it, mainly because of the tragic ending. However, it has tremendous drawing power and should do a good business in all localities. Hayes' artistry ^yill be remembered always. Played Jan. 13-14. — T. Thompson, Palace and Princess Theatres, Cedartown, Ga. Small town patronage. A FAREWELL TO ARMS: Gary Cooper, Helen Hayes. Did a flop that made Steve Brodie look like an amateur. Nicely produced and well acted. However, if that means anything at the box office, we have yet to find it out. Played Jan. 8-9.— H. R. Hisey, State Theatre, Nashville, 111. Rural patronage. HE LEARNED ABOUT WOMEN: Stuart Erwin, Alison Skipworth — Who said not to make a star of Erwin ? This boy is another Will Rogers. He has a comedy all his own and I am glad to see him starred. Here is a picture for every member of the family. Back it on family night and hold it an e.xtra day. It's clean, wholesome entertainment for any house and you can stand at the door and smile at your patrons as they pass out of the house. You don't have to hide when you have this class of stuff. Supporting cast is good and story great. Paramount seems to be making better pictures since they cut the deadwood out of the old oak. — S. H. Rich, Rich Theatre, Montpelier, Idaho. Town and rural patronage. HERITAGE OF THE DESERT: Randolph ScottIt should go big where patrons like Zane Grey. A lot of hokum but they eat it up. Played Jan. 20. — Lee Brewerton, Capitol Theatre, Raymond, Alberta. Small town patronage. HORSE FEATHERS: Four Marx Brothers, Thelma Todd — A lot of nonsense but they liked it, so what else is wanted? If you please your patrons, the piano player always gets a hand. If you want comedy book this one. The best Marx Brothers I have screened. Played Jan. 13-14. Running tirne, 72 minutes. — W. T. Biggs, Adair Theatre, Adair, Iowa. General patronage. HOT SATURDAY: Nancy Carroll— Nice little show that pleased the customers. With a surprise ending. Not much for children, but nothing objectionable. Played Jan. 10-11. — J. Glenn Caldwell, Prince.ss Theatre, Aurora, Mo. Small town patronage. HOT SATURDAY: Nancy Carroll, Gary GrantVery good program picture. Drew better second day than first. — R. L. Nowell, Cherokee Theatre, Monroe, Ga. Small town patronage.