Motion Picture Herald (Jun-Sep 1934)

64 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 2 1, 19 3 4 June 26-27.— D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small town patronage. THIRTY DAY PRINCESS: Sylvia Sidney, Gary Grant— Clean, clever comedy drama of the Uttle actress substituted for the princess, as she tours the United States, hoping to secure a loan for her country. Best Sidney for many a month. Running time, 73 minutes. Played June 20-21.— P. G. Estee, S. T. Theatre, Parker, S. D. Small town patronage. THREE-CORNERED MOON: Claudette Colbert— This picture caused me to .get the razz for several weeks and it was a shame. I played it when Colbert had just made such a grand start in my town in "Torch Singer," Just not the type of story, entirely too silly. — Robert K. Yancey, Paradise Theatre, Cotter, Ark. General patronage. THUNDERING HERD, THE: Randolph ScottGood western. All stars good. Business very good. It is hard to beat some of the old timers like Beery and others. Running time, six reels. Played June 29-30.— C. A. Kelley, Rex Theatre, Custer City, Okla. Small town patronage. TRUMPET BLOWS, THE: George Raft— Story of two brothers in love with the same girl. How Raft (one of the brothers) leaves to become a famous matador. The entire action is slow and will not carry your interest throughout. Running time, 69 minutes. —Perry L. Lessy, Diamond Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Neighborhood patronage. TRUMPET BLOWS, THE: George Raft, Frances Drake— Mexican locale, with a bullfight for climax. Clean and fairly interesting. Not a special. Running time, 72 minutes. Played June 24-25.— P. G. Estee, S. T. Theatre, Parker, S. D. Small town patronage. WE'RE NOT DRESSING: Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, Burns and Allen, Ethel Merman— Good musical with the women nuts about Crosby, so the audience was predominantly women. A few men dragged in by their wives and sweethearts. Further they had a girl that has what it takes, in Ethel Merman, that can dance and sing, and if they had left Bing out of a couple of songs of which he sang too many if you ask the audience, the picture would have been better. Tliis Merman girl is easy on the eyes and has a splendid voice. Paramount is building too much of the show around Crosby and he is not the knockout they think he is with the average audience. A little restraint in this would have been better, and the girl Merman should have been given more of a part. Her first number with Errol was a knockout and it was my opinion that the avidience were waiting for more from her and less of Crosby. Here's hoping that Ethel Merman comes again soon. She captured the audience with that first song. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. WE'RE NOT DRESSING: Bing Crosby— Here is good clean entertainment. The only criticism heard, Bing sang too much and I agree, his singing really became tiresome. Other than this it's great entertaiment for all classes. Played June 21-22. — D. E. Fitton, Lyric Theatre, Harrison, Ark. Small townpatronage. WITCHING HOUR, THE: Judith Allen, Tom Brown — The most unique murder play that I have ever seen. The people will go for this play. Paramoiuit gave us something new when they gave us this one. Running time, 64 minutes. Played June 18-19.— William Day, Jr., Grand Theatre, Dunkirk, Ohio. General patronage. WITCHING HOUR, THE: Judith Allen, Tom Brown, John Halliday — i\Iystery murder case, with the solution having to do with the power of hypnotism. Running time, 64 minutes. Played June 17-18. —P. G. Estee. S. T. Theatre, Parker, S. O. Small town patronage. YOU'RE TELLING ME: W. C. Fields, Joan Marsh, Adrienne Ames — Clever comedy that pleased all. Wish we could get more of these. No sex rot, which is spoiling so many other pictures for our allage crowds, typical of small towns. Running itme, 70 minutes. Played June 9.— P. G. Estee, S. T. Theatre, Parker, S. D. Small town patronage. RKO ACE OF ACES: Richard Dix — A good aviation picture. Dix good and cast likewise. Business only fair. Running time, 74 minutes. Played June 28-2930. — Fred E. Johnson, Cardington Theatre, Cardington, Ohio. Town and country pa-tronage. BLIND ADVENTURE: Robert Armstrong— Played this on a double feature and wish I could have !eft it out. Another fine piece of junk. RKO say they didn't make it, some independent did it for them and he had to have his money. RKO just can't seem to make the grade with their own or anyone else's pictures. Played June 26. — Robert Wile, Granada Theatre, Pearl River, N. Y. Small town and suburban patronage. COME ON DANGER: Tom Keene— Another good western by this popular star. The kind the country people enjoy on Saturday and go out of the show satisfied and tell you so. — Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville. Mich. City and country patronage. HEADLINE SHOOTER: William Gargan. Frances Dee — Not bad but did not bring any extras. Played June 28-29.— Harold C. Allsion, Baldwin Theatre. Baldwin, Mich. Small town patronage. HIPS, HIPS, HOORAY!: Wheeler and Woolsey— It certainly is a pleasure to hear our people laugh instead of coming out of the movie with a sour face. Of course, the story is impossible, but it's funny. Played July 7-8.— Harold C. Allison, Baldwin Theatre, Baldwin, Mich. Small town patronage. IF I WERE FREE: Irene Dunne, Clive Brook— A very nice little drama to which Irene Dunne and Clive Brook did full justice. Their acting talents were hardly extended in this picture, but it ended happily for all concerned except the bo.x-office, and that's my concern, is it not? Played July 6. — Peter Bylsma, Victory Theatre, Napoleonville, La. Small town patronage. KEEP 'EM ROLLING: Walter Huston— Just fair. Did not please many, although Huston's acting is great. Running time, 70 minutes. Played June 29-30. — A. B. JefTeris, New Piedmont Theatre. Piedmont, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. LITTLE WOMEN: Katharine Hepburn, Frances Dee. Constance Bennett, Paul Lukas — An excellent production which drew to the theatre many who seldom attend a performance. Played June 20-21. — C. W. Mills. Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. LOST PATROL, THE: Victor McLaglen. Boris Karloff — A good picture of the kind. Great acting but a terrible flop at the box-office. The few that we did get in said they liked it. but the customers were scarce. — Bert Silver. Silver Family Theatre. Greenville. Mich. City and country patronage. MIDSHIPMAN JACK: Bruce Cabot, Betty Furness — Very fair performance to fair business. Played June 16.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. SING AND LIKE IT: Zasu Pitts, Ned SparksFair play. Zasu Pitts was the main attraction and her supporting cast was good. Wasn't much to the play, but all the actors were good. Running time, 72 minutes. Played June 12-13. — William Day, Jr., C5rand Theatre, Dunkirk, Ohio. General patronage. SING AND LIKE IT: Pert Kelton, Nat Pendleton. Ned Sparks, Zasu Pitt.s — This is a silly picture and only the cast with Pendleton, Sparks and Kelton saving it. Zasu Pitts is wearing out with our public and she is the weak sister in the cast. Three in the last thirty days with her in the cast. Wliy they can't find another star that can do these dumb parts is beyond me, but in every picture you know just what she is going to do, no variation at all, another feminine Jimmy Durante. This, I know, that our public are tiring of her and are not backward in saying so. She has waggled her hands through so many pictures that she is getting to be an acute pain to our clientele.— A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. SING iSJMD LIKE IT: Zasu Pitts— Just seventytwo minutes wasted. This is one rotten picture. There is nothing in its favor. Keep Pitts in two reelers and make feature pictures that are feature pictures. Running time. 72 minutes. — Perry L. Lessy. Diamond Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Neighborhood patrona.ge. SON OF KONG: Robert Armstrong— An overdrawn impossible picture for kids. — R. V. Fletcher. Lyric Theatre, Hartington, Neb. General patronage. SON OF THE BORDER: Tom Keene—Not much of a picture. Of course the picture is old and in the print we got the recording was terrible, but even with a new print it would still be a poor picture. Business average. Running time, 55 minutes. Played July 3.— B. Hollenbeck, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small town patronage. SPITFIRE: Katharine Hepburn — Good picture but too slow. Will draw some extra business. — R. V. Fletcher, Lyric Theatre, Hartington. Neb. General patronage. SUCCESS AT ANY PRICE: Douglas Fairbanks. Jr.— This picture had possibilities, but they were not used. As it is, it is not a picture for the mass because they won't understand it. Not for children, due to the drinking and other insinuations made by the characters of the photoplay. Running time, 74 minutes.—Perry L. Lessy, Diamond Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Neighborhood patronage. THIS MAN IS MINE: Irene Dunne, Ralph Bellamy —Very good program picture. Irene Dunne is a sweet singer. Recording good. Running time. 74 minutes.— P. G. Held. New^ Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. Neighborhood patronage. TWO ALONE: Jean Parker— Double billed this picture. It is a sweet little programmer, nothing big. but very clean and a pleasure to show. Pleased the ladies. Running time, 74 minutes. Played June 29-30.— A. B. JefTeris, New Piedmont Theatre, Piedmont, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. —Terrible. Set it out.— R. V. Fletcher, Lyric Theatre, Hartington, Neb. General patronage. BLOOD MONEY: George Bancroft— Not worth running.— R. V. Fletcher, Lyric Theatre, Hartington, Neb. General patronage, GALLANT LADY: Ann Harding— Very fine picture to extra business. — R. V. Fletcher, Lyric Theatre. Hartington Neb. General patronage. HALLELUJAH, I'M A BUM: Al Jolson— Pleased about 90 per cent and drew a little above average at the box-office. — Robert K, Yancey. Paradise Theatre. Cotter. Ark. General patronage. HOUSE OF ROTHSCHILD, THE: George Arliss. Boris Karlofi' — This is an excellent picture and pleased all who saw it, but business was smaller than expected. It is a historical drama of Europe in the late 1790's. Arliss turns in the best performance of his entire career as do the excellent supporting cast. This is perfect in regard to direction, acting and settings and should prove the best picture of the year. Tlie closing scene in color was highly pleasing and very beautiful. Too bad that business should be so poor on such great entertainment as this. Played three days to fair business. Running time, 86 minutes. Played July 2-3-4.— J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. MASQUERADER, THE: Ronald Colman— With the English accent this was the poorest picture we have played in a long while. We repeat, very poor sound. Played July 5-6.— Harold C. Allison, Baldwin Theatre, Baldwin, Mich. Small town patronage. MOULIN ROUGE: Constance Bennett— A big picture but we did not get film rental out of it. One of our worst box-office flops. Big enough, good enough, but no drawing power. Played June 24-25.— Bert Silver. Silver Family Theatre. Greenville, Mich. City and country patronage. MOULIN ROUGE: Constance Bennett— Good picture almost spoiled by Constance trying to sing. Some extra business.— R. V. Fletcher, Lyric Theatre. Hartington, Nev. General patronage. PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII, THE: Charles Laughton— Poor recording. English cast ruined this picture. Only thing held this picture was the acting ot the star. Played June 17-18-19. M. D. Utterback, Lyric Theatre, Wellington, Kan. General patronage. ROMAN SCANDALS: Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting. Gloria Stuart, David Manners— Tliis is only fair entertainment. It is a musical comedy with plenty of good music, beautiful girls and gorgeous costumes, but just another flop at our box-ofifice. There are two drawbacks, the dream angle and the historic setting. These two types of shows never draw any business in our town as our public seems to be against them. Cantor is fast losing his popularity here and the receipts on each picture get smaller and smaller. The best scene in the entire show is the chariot race in the end. That is a "wow" and my patrons enjoyed every second of it. Practically every scene of Ruth Etting was cut, but the little part she did have was played beautifully and beautiful Gloria Stuart turns in some great acting. Played two days to on y fair biisiness. Running time, 85 minutes. Played June 25-26.-J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. WHOOPEE: Eddie Cantor-This is one old reissue tliat turned them away for lack of standing room Every one has been raving about what a show it was. Positively one of the best box-office draws ever produced. This picture did turn away business against the worst competition in months. I have yet to see a person who didn't like this show. I would like to see this picture reissued again in about five years. If you haven't played this over by all means do so you won't be disappointed.— Robert K. Yancey, Paradise Theatre, Cotter, Ark. General patronage Universal United Artists ADVICE TO THE LOVELORN: Lee Tracy, Sally Blane— It's as good as "Blessed Event." Just the type of show this Tracy should always be in. Patrons mostly young folks. Played July 1-2-3.— M. D. Utterback. Lyric Theatre, Wellington, Kan. General patronage. BITTER SWEET: Anna Neagle, Fernand Graavey BLACK CAT, THE: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, David Manners— Just another one of those horror pictures that the people don't want to see. That must be it as they did not come to see it. The act'"g 'S great, but who wants to be horrified nowadays. Did not draw any business here. If you like this kind, this is a good one.— Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. City and country patronage. COUNTESS OF MONTE CRISTO: Fay Wray, Paul Lukas— This was hard to follow and evidently has no drawing power, for we established a new low on It. Patsy Kelly just about stole the show. She was its one good asset.— A. N. Miles, Eminence Theatre, Eminence, Ky. Small town patronage. CROSBY CASE, THE: Wynne Gibson, Onslow Stevens— Pretty good mystery tale. Clean. Running time, 60 minutes. Played June 15-16.— P. G. Estee, S. T. Theatre, Parker, S. D. Small town patronage. GLAMOUR: Paul Lukas, Constance Cummings— Several juveniles had been warned by their rehgious teachers not to attend the showing of this picture. Personally, I could not find much to warrant this ban. I don't, however, think Constance Cummings was properly cast here and I do think it was a little over-rated by the producers. I should call it a fairly good program picture entitled to only program picture rental. Played July 1-2.— Peter Bylsma, Victory Theatre, Napoleonville, La. Small town patronage. GLAMOUR: Constance Cummings, Paul Lukas — (Continued on follotvintj page, column 2)