Motion Picture Herald (Jun-Sep 1934)

68 MOTION PICTURE HERALD September 29, 1934 drama pleasingly told. There is nothing offensive about this and this fact should be stressed in your advertising. Many reports state this is offensive but our patrons disagree with that statement. Don't fail to play this if you want to do a good business. Played two days to average business. Running time, 74 minutes. Played Sept. 10-11.— J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. GIRL FROM MISSOURI. THE: Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, Lionel Barrymore— A very good picture. Gave good satisfaction to all that we got in to see it. Deserved better patronage. Running time, 74 minutes. Played Sept. 2-3.— Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Michigan. City and country patronage. HOLLYWOOD PARTY: All Star Musical— I can most certainly agree with the exhibitor who said a few weeks ago that the biggest thing about this picture was the press book. The only thing he forgot to mention was Jimmy Durante's nose, of which we saw too much. Laurel and Hardy were the best things in it, and they were only on for just a few minutes. — J. E. Ross, Jr., Strand Theatre, St. George, S. C. Small town patronage. MANHATTAN MELODRAMA: Clark Gable, William Powell — Gable and Powell both considered big stars and they are good to draw at my theatre when they are put in pictures suitable in their class of acting, but in this Gable goes to Sing Sing and Powell resigns as Governor of New York. Running time, 95 minutes. Played July 5-6. — Walter Odom, Sr., Dixie Theatre. Durant. Miss. General patronage. MURDER IN THE PRIVATE CAR: Charles Ruggles, Una Merkel — Good mystery picture. Best Ruggles picture I've seen. Una Merkel is good. Picture pleased well; exciting; drew fair crowd. Played Sept. 6-7.— K. H. Ball, Royal Theatre, Brownstown, Indiana. Small town patronage. MURDER IN THE PRIVATE CAR: Charles Ruggles, Una Merkel — A good comedy mystery story with plenty of excitement . . . the type that will entertain every minute. Played Sept. 15. — J. Glenn Caldwell, Princess Theatre, Aurora, Mo. Small town patronage. MURDER IN THE PRIVATE CAR: Charles Ruggles, Una Merkel— This is one of the greatest thrill pictures of the year. It is a melodramatic comedy with plenty of thrills, comedy and romance. This is good entertainment for the entire family, but would draw better with the "murder" left out of the title. The last reel of the picture makes this show what it is. Played one day to very good business and pleased 100 per cent. Running time, 65 minutes. Played Sept. 15.— J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. OPERATOR 13: Marion Davies, Gary Cooper— This is a good picture, enjoyed by most. Good crowd. Played Sept. 4-5.— K. H. Ball, Royal Theatre, Brownstown, Ind. Small town patronage. OPERATOR 13: Gary Cooper, Marion Davies— Parts in this picture are fine, but when it comes to the war parts we all have had enough. But we must go on, too much invested to become hopeless. The comment is on now for cleaner pictures but m.v wish is for pictures for drawing them in better, especially the second night. — Walter Odom, Sr., Dixie Theatre, Durant, Miss. General patronage. OPERATOR 13: Marion Davies, Gary Cooper— What a pleasure it is to run a picture like this one! Had the town talking about it. Some came to see it the second day, so they must have gone for it. The scene where the four Mills Bros, sing "Sleepy Head" cannot be beaten. Played to the best crowds in six months and everyone went home happy, as well as myself. — J. E. Ross, Jr., Strand Theatre, St. George, S. C. Small town patronage. SADIE McKEE: Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone— A high class picture in every way. One naked scene which would be covered more no doubt in future pictures, but which don't take up enough footage to bother much. I thought that the death scene of Gene Raymond dying of tuberculosis was stretched out much too long and the graveyard cough repeated too often. These are but minor criticisms upon a picture which deserves high praise. Drawing power, while above average, was not enough to cover the extra cost of this. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. THIN MAN, THE: William Powell, Myrna Loy— A very good mystery drama with much more humor than in most pictures of this type. The only fault I can find is the excessive drinking; enough is consumed to float a battleship. Drawing power of this above average. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. THIN MAN, THE: William Powell, Myrna Loy— Another detective picture. If your people like pictures like this, OK with me. — Walter Odom, Sr., Dixie Theatre, Durant, Miss. General patronage. THREE ON A HONEYMOON: Sally Eilers, Johnny Mack Brown — Not an outstanding picture, but pretty well liked. Fair crowd. Flayed Sept. 1-2. — K. H. Ball, Royal Theatre, Brownstown, Ind. Small town patronage. VIVA VILLA! Wallace Beery — In my opinion, this is one of the best pictures made in the 1933-34 group. Didn't do great business, as the picture is a bit too gruesome for women and children. Beery does the best acting of his career in this picture. Supporting cast is good. Running time, 114 minutes. Played Sept. 9-10-11.— Paul McBride, Avalon Theatre, Fillmore, Utah. Small town patronage. Monogram HAPPY LANDING: Ray Walker, Jacqueline Wells — Ray Walker is all right. This is a good little picture. Running time, 63 minutes. Played Sept. 12-13. —Mrs. N. Monte Gill, Strand Theatre, Montpelier, Vermont. General patronage. HE COULDN'T TAKE IT: Ray Walker, Virginia Cherrill — Second picture from Monogram and it is a very fine little picture. First Monogram picture I played was "Manhattan Love Song" and it was a big disappointment. But "He Couldn't Take It" cannot be compared to the other film. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town patronage. LOUDSPEAKER. THE: Ray Walker, Jacqueline Well.s — Ray Walker, because of his liveliness, youth and refreshing vivacity is well liked here. In "The Loudspeaker" Ray becomes a bit too "freshy." As a whole "Loudspeaker" is a fair picture on a double feature program. Running time, 71 minutes. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. MAN FROM UTAH. THE: John Wayne— Pretty good western. Inaccurate direction. Public address speakers on every port in grandstand during rodeo performances and the announcer uses a megaphone. Flayed Sept. 7-8.— Earl J. McClurg, Grand Theatre, Preston, Idaho. Rural and small town patronage. RETURN OF CASEY JONES: Charles Starrett, Ruth Hall — Good railroad story that everyone enjoyed. Played it with Baer-Carnera fight pictures and with my usual good luck, it rained us otit both nights. If you can get them in, they will like the picture.— J. E. Ross, Jr., Strand Theatre, St. George, S. C. Small town patronage. SHOCK: Ralph Forbes, Gwenllian Gill— This is a very good picture that should please any patron. It is a drama of the war presenting the story of a shell-shocked victim. It is localed partly in London and partly in the front line trenches. It is good entertainment for the whole family and is one of the best war pictures in some time. We played one day to good business and pleased very well. Running time, 66 minutes. Played Sept. 7.— J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. Paramount COME ON MARINES: Richard Arlen, Ida Lupino, LiOna Andre, Monte Blue — Outside of an objectionable dance scene, this gave our customers satisfaction. Business normal. Running time, 68 minutes. Played Aug. 29-30.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, New York. Family patronage. DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY: Fredric March, Evelyn Venable, Sir Guy Standing, Helen Westley— Very, very good. March surpasses about anything he has ever done. Much fodder contained here for the minds of country folk. But still a pretty "heavy" picture. Was well received, but only by those few who made the most of an opportunity to see it. Running time. 78 minutes. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. FEROCIOUS PAL, THE: Kazan— the Wonder Dog, Ruth Sullivan, Robert Manning — I picked this up as an experiment — whether or not I could substitute dog pictures for westerns, because of the latter's scarcity. The experiment is a failure. The plot in "Ferocious Pal" is an entertaining one. but sound and light was very, very bad. Running time, 55 minutes. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. HERE COMES THE GROOM: Jack Haley, Patricia Ellis — Here is a good picture of the slapstick variety and will please all who like this type of entertainment. It is strictly comedy fare with plenty of wisecracks, together with a touch of drama, romance and thrills. We played this on a late Saturday night show and our patrons thought it good entertainment but rather silly. Good business. Running time, 64 minutes. Played Sept. 8. — J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C. General patronage. LITTLE MISS MARKER: Adolphe Menjou, Shirley Temple — Hardly necessary to report on Shirley Temple's pictures. If she isn't next to Will Rogers in drawing power it's your fault. — M. P. Foster. Granada Theatre, Monte Vista, Col. General patronage. LONE COWBOY: Jackie Cooper, Lila Lee. John Wray — Fair picture. Patrons like westerns. Pleased about seventy-five per cent. Fair crowd. Played Aug. 30-31.— K. H. Ball, Royal Theatre, Brownstown, Ind. Small town patronage. MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Guy Lombardo, Burns and Allen — While some managers have reported adversely in reference to this attraction, our patrons were very well pleased. Normal business. Running time, 60 minutes. Played Aug. 22-23. — C. W. Mills. Arcade Theatre, Sodus, New York. Family patronage. MURDER AT THE VANITIES: Carl Brisson— Just a fair musical. Carl Brisson has a nice voice but is hard to understand. Jack Oakie yells his way through ten reels, much to the disgust of the patrons. Duke Ellington's band is too hot for motion pictures; the music sounds too brassy. They should confine their efforts to jazz. Running time, 90 minutes. Played Sept. 2-4.— Paul McBride, Avalon Theatre, Fillmore, Utah. Small town patronage. NOTORIOUS SOPHIE LANG: Gertrude Michael, Paul Cavanagh — A good program picture. Nothing big, but will satisfy anybody. Gertrude Michael is sure good to look at. Paramount should give her more and better parts. Fair business. Running time, 64 minutes. Played Sept. 12-13.— H. J. Stallings, Moon Theatre, Henderson, N. C. NOW AND FOREVER: Gary Cooper, Carole Lombard, Shirley Temple, Sir Guy Standing — A sure box oilice attraction. Everybody wants to see Shirley Temple. While I don't think she is quite as good in this picture as in "Little Miss Marker," still you will do more business with this picture, due to the advertising given her in "Little Miss Marker." Running time, 82 minutes. Played Sept. 15-16.— C. G. Budd, Rialto Theatre, Anita, Iowa. Above average patronage. SHOOT THE WORKS: Jack Oakie— The public is getting awfully tired of Jack Oakie trying to do a Lee Tracy. Paramount sems to be fumbling around in the dark and don't seem to know how to make a good first class musical. Bing Crosby is the only star they have that can put over a musical picture. Running time, nine reels. Played Sept. 6-7-8. — Paul McBride, Avalon Theatre, Fillmore, Utah. Small town patronage. THIRTY DAY PRINCESS: Sylvia Sidney, Gary Grant— A well liked picture. Miss Sidney does the "Princess-substitution" act for the real Princess. Oiir patrons liked this play very much and believe it suitable for Sunday playing. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. THIRTY DAY PRINCESS: Sylvia Sidney. Gary Grant — Here is a nice little comedy that gave excellent satisfaction; but business was decidedly off. Running time, 60 minutes. Played Sept. 5-6.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. WE'RE NOT DRESSING: Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, Ethel Merman, Leon Errol — Everyone liked this that likes Bing Crosby. Drew well and pleased about ninety per cent. Played Sept. 8-9.— K. H. Ball, Royal Theatre, Brownstown, Ind. Small town patronage. WITCHING HOUR. THE: Sir Guy Standing, Judith Allen, Tom Brown, Gertrude Michael — A strong feature, produced with an excellent cast. Thrilled our aiidience. Business a little above normal. Running time, 64 minutes. Played Sept. 8.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. YOU BELONG TO ME: Lee Tracy, Helen Mack, David Holt, Helen Morgan — We look for this picture to make a star out of David Holt. Be sure to play this picture and don't fail to advertise David Holt— another Shirley Temple. Played Sept. 1-2. — C. G. Budd, Rialto "Theatre, Anita, Iowa. Above average patronage. RKO BACHELOR BAIT: Stuart Erwin, Rochelle Hud son. Pert Kelton, Skeets Gallagher — A "Matrimonial Bureau" story. Stuart Erwin very good, as also were Rochelle Hudson, Pert Kelton and Skeets Gallagher. The political angle shown in this feature adds to the general hilarity. Business fair. Running time, 74 minutes. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler and Woolsey — These stars are popular here. They help' chase the blues away and that is the kind of entertainment the majority are looking for these days. Consider this picture better than the average Wheeler and Woolsey. Running time, 72 minutes. Played Aug. 23-24-25.— Russell Allen, Allen's Theatre, Farmington, N. M. General small town patronage. COCKEYED CAVALIERS: Wheeler and Woolsey — "This is one of the best this team has made. As a comedy picture it gave good satisfaction. Most people have forgotten how to laugh in these parts, but this one seemed to get out most of them and they said it was good. Played Sept. 9-10. — Bert Silver, Silver Family Theatre, Greenville, Mich. Town and country patronage. COME ON DANGER: Tom Keene— The threatened shortage of westerns has led me to buy up a few of RKO's old ones. "Come On Danger" held up as good as any western which I have ever played. I hope that the rest of the Keenes are as good. Running time, 55 minutes. — Antonio C. Balducci, Avon Theatre, Canastota, N. Y. General patronage. CRIME DOCTOR: Otto Kruger, Karen Morlev— They liked it but don't let them in on the last five minutes or the picture is spoiled. Played Sept. 11-12. — M. P. Foster, Granada Theatre, Monte Vista, Col. General patronage. DOUBLE HARNESS: Ann Harding, William Powell—This is just N. G. for drawing power; Ann Harding can't bring them in. People that saw it liked it. but they were few. Running time, 74 minutes. Played Sept. 9-10-11.— W. R. Boughn, Jr., Soo