Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1933)

April 22. 1933 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 53 WHAT THE DICTLCE DID ECD ME Columbia MAN AGAINST WOMAN: Jack Holt— A new type gangster-police picture. Not a shot is fired in this picture. Story of a tough cop who used his fist instead of a gun to get his man and his woman. The crowd seemed to enjoy it. Drew less than average business. Holt not a popular star here. Played Mar. 4. Running time, 67 minutes. — Steve Farrar, Orpheum Theatre, Harrisburg, 111. Small city patronage. MAN AGAINST WOMAN: Jack Holt, Lillian Miles — Very good Saturday picture. Just the kind suited for Holt. Miles' singing is good. Played Apr. 1. Running time, 63 minutes.— P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. THAT'S MY BOY: Richard Cromwell, Dorothy Jordan, Mae Marsh — A good football story. One that will please. Running time, 71 minutes. Played Mar. 9-10-11.— Boom and DuRand, Lyric Theatre, EUendale, N. D. Small town patronage. WHITE EAGLE: Buck Jones— Very good western. Columbia has the right idea about westerns. A western made nowadays has got to have a good story the same as any other production or it will not please. Played Mar. 24-25. Running time, 62 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. First National CENTRAL PARK: Joan Blondell— It is a short picture, 58 minutes, but enough action and doings crammed into this for several pictures. The kind of doings that should please old and young, male and female. Drawing pow"er above present day averages. —J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. General patronage. FIREMAN SAVE MY CHILD: Joe E. BrownVery good comedy with plenty of laughs. Played Apr. 2-3. Running time, 70 minutes.— P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. GRAND SLAM: Paul Lukas, Loretta Young— A great show for bridge players. A fair show for those who do not play bridge. We could not get the bridge players out to see this show, and all the others stayed home thinking they would not enjoy it because they did not enjoy bridge. The result was that we did the poorest Sunday and Monday in many months. This is good entertainment if you can sell it. We couldn't. Played Apr. 2-3'. Running time, 68 minutes. — Steve Farrar, Orpheum Theatre, Harrisburg, 111. Small city patronage. LOVE IS A RACKET: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Lee Tracy, Ann Dvorak — Here is a picture that shows how dumb the title writers are to use the word "love" in a picture that has some action and a fair story and would have had a chance to do, perhaps, what is a normal business in a time when there is no business to speak of. There is some romance but not enough to stress it in the title and ruin what little draw it might have had. If the producers would only wake up to the fact that titles with the word "love" in them don't have a chance with the small town audiences. They expect to see sophistication and the picture is not. Could not be with Lee Tracy in it. With the pictures that we have run with titles as "Born to Love," "Right to Love," my clientele shies away from them as it I had a smallpox sign on my door. They are hoping for pictures and will not take a chance on spending if they are not sure of what they will get. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. THE MATCH KING: Warren William— This one fails to get into the big feature class as they had a good story idea but it failed to come out big. It's just a program picture that will not cause any comment one way or another. We played it on our cheap admission night and it drew 25% under normal business and there was no kicks. Played Mar. 31. Running time, 75 minutes. — Steve Farrar, Orpheum Theatre, Harrisburg, 111. Small city patronage. THREE ON A MATCH: Joan Blondell. Warren Williams — Very good all around entertainment. You can make promises about it and satisfy the cash customers. Drawing power a little above average. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. General patronage. Fox AFTER THE BALL: Esther Ralston— Wonder what the poor exhibitors ever done to Fox Film Corporation to have some'thing like this one wished oflF on them ? Another all English picture. If this is a sample — God save the King and the Queen and throw in the Prince of Wales for good measure. Recording terrible. With exception of Ralston, actors all foreign. Played Mar. 11. Running time, 70 minutes. — R. W. Hickman, Lyric Theatre, Greenville, 111. General patronage. N this, the exhibitor's own department, the theatremen of the nation serve one another with information on the box office performance of product for their mutual benefit. It is a service of the exhibitor for the exhibitor. Address all communications to — What the Picture Did for Ue MOTION PICTURE HERALD 1790 Broadway, New York BROADWAY BAD: Juan Blondell— This one don't have to go to Broadway to be bad, it was plenty bad here. The picture was bad and business was bad. What has gone wrong with Fox ? Have they gone bad? We can't remember when we had a good picture from them. This one drew less than half average business. Wish we had shown it on our cheap admission nights. Played Apr. 5-6. Running time, 60 minutes. — Steve Farrar, Orpheum Theatre. Harrisburg, 111. Small city patronage. CALL HER SAVAGE: Clara Bow— This star stages a comeback and what a comeback. The picture may be episodic in spots but as a whole will satisfy all except the super critical. The best drawing picture in several weeks. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre. Detroit, Mich. General patronage. CALL HER SAVAGE: Clara Bow— Our audience very much divided on this one. I think most of them came out to see how she stacked up with the modern stars that have come to the front since she left the screen. If she gets the right kind of stories she may come back, but they will have to be better than this one. Rather crudely directed. "Dynamite" they called her and she did the dynamite all right and then the inevitable child that dies to tear your heart out. — A.. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. Small town patronage. THE GOLDEN WEST: George O'Brien — Usual western fans on hand to enjoy this. Played Apr. 8. — C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Mixed patronage. HANDLE WITH CARE: James Dunn, Boots Mallory — An excellent show for Saturday or family. Clean as a hound's tooth and good entertainment for children and grownups. Not so interesting to the flappers. Mallory handled her part very creditably. The two little boys, with very prominent parts, are good. You that want clean entertainment, book this. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric Tlieatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. HANDLE WITH CARE: James Dunn, Boots Mallory— It was a fair picture but Jimmy's laugh was too silly for words. When producers have a good team they seem to split them, which usually spells the star's doom. Played Feb. 19-20.— C. V. Martina, Playhouse Theatre, Clyde, N, Y. Small town patronage. HANDLE WITH CARE: James Dunn, Boots Mallory— A mighty fine little show. Buster Phelps is darling. Running time, 76 minutes. Played Mar, 6-7-8. — Boom and DuRand, Lyric Theatre, EUendale, N. D. Small town patronage. HANDLE WITH CARE: Boot Mallory , James Dunn — Excellent. One of the best all around pictures we have played for a long time. Clean, wholesome and entertaining from start to finish. Mallory wonderful and Dunn also good. I wish the producers would make more pictures of this type. Played Mar. 10-11. Running time, 70 minutes.— P. G. Held. New Strand Theatre. Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. HAT CHECK GIRL: Sally FilersGood picture. Played Mar. 26-27. Running time, 65 minutes. — P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. HUMANITY: Boots MaL'ory — Fine picture from Fox. Good for Sunday or any day. Nothing so extra big. but will please. Human story. Well acted by entire cast with Ralph Morgan carrying oflF the honors. Played Mar. 17. Running time, 75 minutes. — R. W. Hickman, Lyric Theatre, Greenville. 111. General patronage. HUMANITY: Boots Mallory, Alexander Kirkland— HO Hum — just a waste of time, energy and film. The title was appropriate for I don't see for Humanity's sake why they wasted time and money to release it unless to get our money and I guess that's the proper answer. Played March 30. — Joe Hewitt, Lincoln Theatre, Robinson, 111. Mixed patronage. HOT PEPPER: Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe— Too "hot" for small town patronage catering to respectable people and family trade. Every town has some who like them "hot," but they won't keep you in business. Running time, 76 minutes. Played Apr. 3-4-5. — Boom and DuRand, Lyric Theatre, EUendale., N. D. Small town patronage. ME AND MY GAL: Spencer Tracy— Very good production. Well suited to the class of patrons of the Green Lantern. Quite funny, and pleased our people. Played Apr. 8. — George Lodge, Green Lantern Theatre, Claymont, Del. Small county patronage. ME AND MY GAL: Joan Bennett, Spencer Tracy — Not bad. but coarse humor. Played Mar. 16-17-18. — Boom and DuRand, Lyric Theatre, EUendale, N. D. .Small town patronage. PLEASURE CRUISE: Roland Young, Genevieve Tobin — A very clever picture chock full of entertainment. Tobin was excellent, and Young delivered as usual. You can always count on Young. This makes a good two day picture. However, it's in the program class. Played Apr. 4-5. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. SMOKE LIGHTNING: George O'Brien, Nell O'Day, Betsy Ross — An excellent outdoor picture. Plenty of comedy and not much "boss opera." Little Betsy Ross furnishes quite a bit of entertainment with her riding. Played Apr. 1.— D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. Majestic THE UNWRITTEN LAW: Mary Brian, Lew Cody — Well, fellas, we're back in that grinding cycle again. This time the film is a story of betrayal and vengeance, motion picture studio as a background, with a supposedly new mystery angle. The majority of the cast have unconsequentia! roles and play them that way. Every possibility of the story has been taken advantage of, but no satisfactory results. Everything about the direction and producing, with the possible exception of the settings, has the brand of amateurism. The chief source of poor picture material lies in the fact that the producers of independent pictures have tried to pattern pictures after some successful feature released recently, giving the above results, with a few changes, of course. Its not like you, Majestic. It's best that you amend your methods. Just a fair picture. Played Apr. 10-11. Running time. 65 minutes.— William Dabb, Lyric Theatre, Shenandoah, Pa. Small town patronage. MGM CLEAR ALL WIRES: Lee Tracy, James Gleason — A mighty poor one day picture. Tracy and Gleason tried hard enough to put it over. Too much Russia and Russians. Absolutely no entertainment in it. Tracy and Gleason both good, but they were unable to make it acceptable entertainment. Played Mar. 26-27. D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. CLEAR ALL WIRES: Lee Tracy— Shame on you, Leo. At a time when exhibitors are so desperately in need of good pictures you continue to release stuflf like this. Mr. Joe Hewitt, the exhibitor from Robinson, 111., says: "You have some good pictures up your sleeve." Don't know where Joe got this information, but if so — why the devil don't you shake them down. No business on this because it didn't deserve any. Leo hasn't made a dime for me this year. Played Apr. 5. Running time, 70 minutes. — R. W. Hickman, Lyric Theatre, Greenville, 111. General patronage. FAST LIFE: William Haines— This picture has everything from speed and thrills to a little romance. Haines and Madge Evans good, but Cliflf Edwards steals the whole show. I don't see why they don't put him in more shows. Played Mar. 14-15. Running time, 76 minutes. — George W. Luce, Riviera Theatre, Gering, Neb. Small town patronage. GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE: Walter Huston — Yes, it's all they claim for it. Truly a most remarkable picture. Every one of our patrons praised it immensely. However, some dyed-in-the-wool Republicans could not resist saying "Roosevelt" propaganda, so it's advisable to stress in your advertising that the story was written before election and in production at that time and finished before the inauguration, which fact belies any propaganda. We have always recognized Walter Huston for his wonderful ability, but this is his masterpiece. The whole cast