Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1934)

October 6, 19 34 icia Ellis Neil Hamilton, Isabel Jewell-Just a twenty minutes comedy stretched to 64 mmutes. Runnine time 64 minutes.— Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre? Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. i^lTTLE MISS MARKER: Shirley Temple, AdolpheMenjou Dorothy Dell-Cute show Pretty fair business, but not what was expected. To give cred.t where it belongs, bum business probably due to carelessness in booking in midweek. Ho hum, live and ear" or somepm. Running time, 78 minutes Played Sent 11-12-13.— Kent C. Hartung, State Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. LONE COWBOY: Jackie Cooper-Good picture. Did very good business here. Played Sept. 12.-B Hollenbeck Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small town patronage. MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Guy Lombardo, Burns and Allen-This is absolutely the best musical since ••We're Not Dressing." Drew well and pleased all. The Burns-Allen team drew the miners and all then Families Excellent business and came out crying lor more Good for a small town. Don t let it get ay. Played Sept. 18.-Gene Michael, Freeburn Theatre, Freeburn, Ky. Small town patronage. MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Guy Lombardo, Burns and Allen— A darn good nonsensical show. .Better ?han we expected affer reading our reports » this box-office barometer as we do weekly and then some You know what to expect when the Gracie is in a picture, so why kick if it is a bit silly. We, and the folks out here, enjoyed the whole business and it's entertainment and that's what we're selling so I give this a bit of a hand against some o the knock? Fve read. Running time, seven reels. Played Aug 29-30 -Henry Reeve, Mission Theatre, Menard, Tex. Small town patronage. MELODY IN SPRING: Lanny Ross Charlie Ruggles Mary Boland, Ann Sothern-CTiarhe Ruggles fnd Mary Boland decided a few of 'em to take a chance The photography was fine and the music nleasing the picture deserved better business than deve&ed. Ros* can sing, but needs about ten tacks worth of Freddy March's ''it.'' Running time 76 minutes Played Aug. 21-22.— Kent C. Hartung, State Theatre! Portland. Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. MURDER AT THE VANITIES. Carl Brisson Kitty Carlisle, Victor McLaglen, Jack Oakie— Hot weather holiday and lack of big name made this one dc f a beautiful flop for me, but the picture is quite a lot of all right The women went for Brisson m a b% way, and his next picture should bring better results Running time, 88 minutes. Played Sept. 2-3 4-Kent C. Hartung, State Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. NOTORIOUS SOPHIE LANG: Gertrude Michael, Paul Cavanagh-From the title you would expect a scandal But it is a comedy of a super-crook by the name of Lang. Thin story, but this Michaels girl Sarsomething^on the ball if given a better vehicle It will get by on a popular priced mght.—A. E Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, fad. General patronage. NOW AND FOREVER: Shirley Temple, Gary Cooper. Carole Lombard, Sir Guy Stand.ng-The Temple person gets bigger and bigger at the B. U. Th™ starved small town people, sick of the introveit junk based on the decadent novels turned out by a generation of fifth .rate writers who have lost the meaning of humanity, turn eagerly to the clever u„seHcognscious child who says something modern novelists lack genius to say. It s a straight clean mop-up Had ?o have a little thief in 't however. We must have our crime or bust.-Herman J . Brown. Majestic and Adelaide Theatres, Nampa, Idaho. General patronage. SCARLET EMPRESS, THE: Marlene Dietrich-A good picture with especial appeal to Dietrich fans. Excellent sound effects. Played Sept 9-10-11 .-A J Affelt, Tosco Theatre, Osceoda, Mich. Small town patronage. SHE MADE HER BED: Sally Eilers— Very good program picture. There was only one objection on th°s picture and that was where a tiny baby was being frightened by a tiger and then was placed in an fee-box for safety by its. mother The house Burns and it is so horrible thinking of the baby , n the fire. Perhaps the producers thought this thrilling but it almost spoiled the show and was so unnecessary to the story. Outside of this it gave excellent satisfaction and drew well. . Plaj -ed i Aug 2122-23 — Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Racine, Ideal Theatre Burns, Ore. Small town patronage. SHOOT THE WORKS: Jack Oakie, Ben Bernie— A very good picture. Ben Bernie with his Yousah" and his "Fwogive Me" made a hit with those who dared the box office. Running time 81 mrnues.-Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. THIRTY DAY PRINCESS: Sylvia Sidney, Cary Grant-Clever little show, with lots of nize clothes for the ladies to envy, but business just fair, just fair Running time. 74 mmutes. Played Sept. 5-6.— Kent C Hartung, State Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. TRUMPET BLOWS, THE: George Raft— I've seen quite a few kicks on this one and if you played it on your alleged "best days," I can understand it. We played it on the weekend and it went over in good shape. It seems to satisfy the ones who want action thought it's a rather different setting of the bull ring and it gets the ones who usually lay off the MOTION PICTURE HERALD SEVEN MORE SHOWMEN JOIN CONTRIBUTORS To the ranks of contributors to "What the Picture Did for Me" come seven more showmen who find the reports of other exhibitors of practicable service to them and desire to do their share. The seven are: Hollis Drew, Temple Theatre, East Jordan, Mich. A. West Johnson, Heilig Theatre, Eugene, Ore. A. F. Affelt, Iosco Theatre, Oscoda, Mich. Gene Michael, Freeburn Freeburn, Ky. Kent C. Hartung, State Portland, Ore. Russell Allen, Allen's Farmington, New Mexico. W. Horace Reese, Spruce Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Theatre, Theatre, Theatre, ordinary western or program action Picture. OK. here. Running time, eight "els ^'^V^m'-di —Henry Reeve, Mission Theatre, Menard, Tex. bmall town patronage. UNDER THE TONTO RIM: Stuart Erwin— They certainly have a nerve using this title for this picture for it has no connection whatever with /Cane Grey's story. Slim Saturday business on this one. Played Aug 24-25.— Roy W. Adams, Mason Theatre, Mason, Mich. Small town patronage. WE'RE NOT DRESSING: Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman. Leon Errol-Nice clean musical that pleased everyone. Did fair business with second night holding up better than first. Story rather crazy but that didn't hurt the picture.-E. C. Van Fradenburg, Valley Theatre, Manassa, Colo. Farming community patronage. WHARF ANGEL: Victor McLaglen— Terrible. Very uninteresting. The whole atmosphere of the show is dull. Personally, I think that Alison Skipworth spoils almost any show she is in Business very poor. Played Aug. 24-25.-Mr and Mrs. Wilfred Racine, Ideal Theatre, Burns, Ore. Small town patronage. WITCHING HOUR, THE: Judith Allen, Tom Brown— A trick title and what was supposed to be a successful stage production made into a picture. Don't mean a thing to the average patron, it is based on a murder with hypnotic suggestion. JNo one in the cast that meant a thing and the picture failed at the box-office. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. WITCHING HOUR, THE: Judith Allen, Tom Brown— Consistently fine performance by the entire cast made this an unusually fine drama to my personal taste, but hardly anyone else came to get a taste Poorest business of the summer for me. Running time, 63 minutes. Played Aug. 23-24.— Kent C. Hartung, State Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. WITCHING HOUR, THE: Judith Allen— Good program picture. Very unusual type of story dealing with hypnotism. John Halliday turns in a fine performance. Business average but it is thrilling and gave satisfaction. Played Sept. 11-12-13.— Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Racine, Ideal Theatre, Burns, Ore. Small town patronage. YOU'RE TELLING ME: W. C. Fields— Another good Paramount. This picture drew well and pleased all. Our patrons would rather see W. C. Fields than eat their supper. Good business as usual with this comedian. Played Aug. 21.— Gene Michael, Freeburn Theatre, Freeburn, Ky. Small town patronage. YOU'RE TELLING ME: W. C. Fields, Joan Marsh, "Buster" Crabbe, Adrienne Ames— People went wild about this picture here. It is really funny. People were laughing from start to finish. Pleased 100 per cent. Best midweek business since last spring; second night almost as good as the first. Running time, 70 minutes.— Bob Schwall, State Theatre, Ipswich, S. Dak. Small town patronage. 79 ley, Nils Asther, Judith Wood— Krugcr in my house, and this is no exception. His work w always fine. Several favorable comments on Karen Morley after long absence from our screen. Don t let 'em see the outcome of the picture first, if they enjoy figuring things out for themselves Running time, 74 minutes. Flayed Aug. .11 -Sept. 1.— Kent C. Hartung, State Theatre, Portland, Ore. Neighborhood patronage. DOWN TO THEIR LAST YACHT: Mary Boland, Polly Moran, Ned Sparks, Sidney Fox Sidney Blackmer-A musical of millionaires gone, broke. We ar glad to sec Sidney Fox back again. Heard some comments and some . kicks on this one Not t SO hot. Running time, 64 minutes.— Bob Schwall, State theatre, Ipswich, S. Dak. Small town patronage. HAT, COAT AND GLOVE: Ricardo Cortez, Barbara fcobbinS-The characters .read, through their lines as if they were sleep-walking, instead of playing in a murder picture. Just a fair picture for footage if you want just so much film. The first day was average, but Max Baer's barnstorming trip cut The second to nothing.-A West. Johnson, He. hg Theatre, Eugene, Ore. University and general patronage. HIPS HIPS, HOORAY!: Wheeler and Woolscy— At their best. Can't see why anyone would run this down My patrons ate it up. I had several comments on this one, which is pretty good fommg from miners who wanted more, although they had never seen the combination before. A good Thursday show for me. Played Sept. 13.-Gene Michael, Freeburn Theatre, Freeburn, Ky. Small town patronage. LIFE OF VERGIE WINTERS: Ann Harding, John Boles-This is a very good picture that pleased the majority of my patrons. It is a romantic drama of the mother-love theme. If the tragic ending had been changed, this would have added much to the entertainment value of the entire picture. However my patrons enjoyed it and that, is the most important thing. Strictly adult entertainment Played one day to good business. Running time, 82 mmutes. Played Sept 20.— J. J. Mcdford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxtord, N. C. General patronage. LIFE OF VERGIE WINTERS, THE: Ann Harding John Boles-One of the rankest, rawest, most salacious, risque or what-have-you pictures that was ever shown in my theatre. I agree with the many worthy organizations who placed this picture on the condemned list; I have only contempt for that class who take a perverse attitude when attempts are made to rule such from the screen. For those of you who are tied up with your churches or organizations as X am, let me tell you that in this picture a married man who has no reason whatever to prove false to his wife, goes back to his first love and has a baby with her, a single woman. There is also a scarlet, wanton street runner in the picture who gets in wrong and must have $500 to get rid of her wrong, or what-have-you, Nellie. The man in the case is shot in cold blood, thereby giving an innocent, wortnj young man an easy way to become a daddy ihere are two cold blooded murders; also a highlight where the son is influenced to rob his father s sale and is plainly shown doing it. If you like that kind of a story for your class of patrons, run it; if not, then fight it My attendance was pitiful; on the second night we had to wait about one hour past the opening time until several sauntered in. Paid a big rental for it and did not gross half on both nights. The acting was superb and none of those who saw it walked out. Personally, I thought it was a fine production but it certainly belongs on the condemned list and will not bring to the theatre that class ol decent people which is necessary for success in any small town. Running time, 82 minutes. Played September 17-18.— A. H. Edwards, Orpheum Theatre, Orwigsburg. Pa. Small town and rural patronage. RKO COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler and Woolsey —Swell comedy of their usual type with the smut left out. Pleased above average crowd. Played Aug. 22-23.— Hollis Drew, Temple Theatre, East Jordan, Mich. Town and country patronage. LOST PATROL, THE: Victor McLaglen. Boris Karloff— I was badlv disappointed in this picture. My patrons likewise. The business was about the average, but would not have been this good but tor the advertising. Sorry I played this.-Gene Michael. Freeburn Theatre. Freeburn, Ky. Small town patronage. MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD: James Gleason. Edna May Oliver— A good program picture. — B. C. Brown, Vernon Theatre, Viroqua. W is. Oeneral patronage. MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD: Edna May Oliver James Gleason, Bruce Cabot, Gertrude Michael, Regis Toomey, Jackie Searle— A worthy successor to the "Penguin Pool Murder, and it brought us pretty darn good business. Print we had was so dark that the characters spoke from a dark screen most of the time, with just a suggestion or movement, if you watched closely. That may be a new thought for some producer— seven or eight reels ot dialogue, with very reasonably priced setting, one dark room. (We won't play it.). Running tune, A minutes. Flayed September 14-15.— Kent C. Hartung. State Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Neighborhood patronage. OF HUMAN BONDAGE: Leslie Howard. Bette Davis— Somebody ought to give Bette Davis a medal for her work and bravery in playing her role. A truly fine picture for those who can think, but it leaves the average shop-girl cold. Opened to good Sunday business but fell off badly next two days. But I don't care; I'm proud to have run it. — A. West Johnson, Heilig Theatre, Eugene, Ore. University and general patronage. CRIME DOCTOR, THE: Otto Kruger. Karen Mor RENEGADES OF THE WEST: Tom Keene