Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1935)

74 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 6 , 1935 C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. General patronage. STAR NIGHT AT THE COCOANUT GROVE: Musical Revues— Very goixl two-reeler with well rlone color by Technicolor. Singing and dancing with Bing Crosby, the highlight when he sings "With Every Breath I Take." Ted Fio Rito's orchestra helps a lot. Altogether, above average.— John A. Milligan, Broadway Theatre, Schuylerville, N. Y. Small town patronage. ZION, CANYON OF COLOR: Fitzpatrick Travel Talks— Beautiful, with a couple of appropriate songs that add greatly to its effectiveness. Running time, eight minutes.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. General patronage. Paramount BABY BE GOOD: Betty Boop Cartoons— This cartoon started out swell. Evidently the cartoonist that drew this was in a hurry to go on a fishing trip as the last half is a repetition of the first half in reverse motion. Running time, seven minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. DANCE CONTEST: Popeye, the Sailor— One of Popeye's besi. — G. Carey, Strand Theatre, Paris, Ark. Family patronage. POOR CINDERELLA: Color Classic— Very good und the color is brighter than technicolor, but not quite as natural. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. RKO LA CUCARACHA: Steffi Duna, Don Alvarado— A really beautiful subject in color and the Spanish costumes and settings show up beautifully. Not much comedy and just a little high-class to be generally appreciated. Running time, 21 minutes. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage.' LA CUCARACHA: This is extra fine in color and it pleased.— W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. RKO' COMEDIES: Have not received a good comedy yet. Mostly very silly. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. United Artists CHINA SHOP, THE: Silly Symphony— These color cartoons are nice, but are no better than some others we play and which cost us about half as much. The cartoons seem to go more for art than comedy and my patrons like them funny. Running time, eight minutes. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. Universal AT THE MIKE: Universal Comedies — Very good. Our patrons like these acts better than the usual run of slapstick comedies. — J. R. Patterson. Majestic Theatre, Fort Mill, S. C. Small town patronage. \yORLD'S (FAIR AND WARMER: Arthur Lake— This comedy received good audience response. It has plenty of action. — J. W. Noah, New Liberty and Ideal Theatres, Fort Worth, Texas. General patronage. Vitaphone BUSINESS IS A PLEASURE: Broadway Brevities — This is a fine musical subject in color. — J. W. Noah, New Liberty and Ideal Theatres, Fort Worth, Texas. 'General patronage. COUNTRY BOY, THE: Merrie Melodies— All color, Merry Melody of Peter Rabbitt. Swell— elegant. Running time, eight minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. DARLING ENEMY: Broadway Brevities— A very good inusical comedy. Running time, two reels.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. General patronage. GOOD MORNING, EVE: Leon Erroll— Just fair. These musical shorts are not as good as they used to be, or^ my patrons are getting tired of them. I believe it is mostly a case of the former. Running time, 18 minutes. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. I HAVEN'T GOT A HAT: Merrie Melodies— A fair cartoon in color. — J. W. Noah, New Liberty and Ideal Theatres. Fort Worth, Texas. General patronage. LITTLE JACK LITTLE: Vitaphone Pepper Pot— These Little Jack Little one-reelers are as good as any we use. We have played two of them and both were excellent entertainment. Running time, 10 minutes.—A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. MY MUMMY'S ARMS: Harry Gnbbon— A very FIVE MORE JOIN RANKS To the ranks of the reporters to the "What the Picture Did for Me" department have come five more contributors, from the northeast, the northwest and the south. They are: Sam E. Kimball, Cornish Theatres, Inc., Limerick, Me. F. Bernard Money, Jr., Carohna Theatre, Lexington, N. C. J. B. Patterson, Majestic Theatre, Fort Mill, S. C. Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. E. J. Pennell, Berrien Theatre, Berrien Springs, Mich. entertaining two-reel comedy. Lots of laughs. — L. G. Tewksbury, Opera House, Stonington, Maine. Small town patronage. OH SAILOR, BEHAVE: El BrendelJust fair. Not many laughs. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. OUT OF ORDER: Ben Blu^Just fair.— J. R. Patterson, Majestic Theatre, Fort Mill, S. C. Small town patronage. PAREE, PAREE: Dorothy Stone, Bob Hope— Just average or a little below. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. PEACH OF A PAIR: Big V Comedies— Awful is the word. Running time, 20 minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. PHIL SPITALNY AND HIS MUSICAL QUEENS: Melody Masters — A very good band act that seemed to please all. — J. R. Patterson, Majestic Theatre, Fort Mill, S. C. Small town patronage. RADIO SCOUT: Big V Comedies— Reports swell. Running time, 20 minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. SMOKED HAMS: Big V Comedies— The poorest comedy that Vitaphone has ever made. Nuf sed. — J. R. Patterson, Majestic Theatre, Fort Mill, S. C. Small town patronage. SOFT DRINKS AND SWEET MUSIC: Broadway Brevities — A very good musical comedy. A little better than the average. — J. R. Patterson, Majestic Theatres, Fort Mill, S. C. Small town patronage. STORY CONFERENCE— Lillian Roth— It's a shame to waste good talent on such shoddy story material as this. Poor. — J W. Noah, New Liberty and Ideal Theatres, Fort Worth, Texas. General patronage. VACATION DAZE: Big V Comedies— A good comedy. Will please your Friday and Saturday audience. Running time, 20 minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. WHAT, NO MEN?: El Brendel, Phil Regan— El Brendel does not have much to do, but this one is far above average and the color scenes are very nice. Running time, 20 minutes. — A. E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small town patronage. WHAT, NO MEN?: Broadway Brevities— All color musical featuring El Brendel. Very good. Spicy. Running time, 20 minutes. — E. A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small town and country patronage. Serials First Division YOUNG EAGLES: Boy Scouts— Very much pleased with opening chapter of this serial and if rest of serial is half as good, will be more than satisfied.— L. G. Tewksbury, Opera House, Stonington, Maine. Small town patronage. Mascot LAW OF THE WILD: Rex, Rm Tin Tin, Jr., Ben Turpin, Bob Custer — If you want serials get this one. I am on Chapter No. 5. It's 100 per cent ahead of "The Red Rider" and that's saying a lot. — Sam A. Kimball, Cornish Theatres, Inc., Limerick, Maine. General patronage. Universal TAILSPIN TOMMY: Maurice Murphy, Noah Beery, Jr.— Have almost completed this serial, and having run serials almost without a break for nearly 10 years, feel that I know a little about them. This is one of the very best and has built up as we started the first chapter with a blizzard. The main reason why this is better than most serials is because it has a lot of comedy in each chapter. — L. V. Bergtold, Opera House, Kasson, Minn. Rural and small town patronage. TAILSPIN TOMMY: Maurice Murphy, Noah Berry, Jr. — Builds up in nice shape and has action enough for the most rapid serial fan. If you run serials, you'll make no mistake booking "Tailspin." — Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. General patronage. Unusual Dispute Between Erpi and Owner in Courts The United States circuit court of appeals at San Francisco will soon pass upon a petition of Electrical Research Products, Inc., for an appeal in a somewhat unusual contractual dispute, involving the awarding of damages to an exhibitor whose reproducing equipment had been replevened for allegedly violating his license. It was the first decision of its kind, and there will not be another like it for there exists no other similar license in any of Erpi's agreements with exhibitors for the rental of its equipment. In the Summer of 1928, when exhibitors were asking for reproducing equipment, W. D. Gross, exhibitor in Alaska, requested Erpi to install reproducers in his Coliseum theatres at Juneau and Ketchikan. At that time the demand for equipments in the United States was so great that Erpi did not desire to extend its operations to Alaska. In the following January, upon Mr. Gross agreeing that the amount to be charged for service would be determined at a later date, Erpi accepted contracts from him. It was agreed that the amount to be charged for service would be above the scale of charges established in the United States but would be for a reasonable amount since the two theatres were 1,000 miles from the nearest servicing base at Seattle. Later, it was concluded that the company would service Mr. Gross's properties at the same rate charged in the States. Thereafter, Mr. Gross, while on a film-buying expedition to Seattle, is alleged to have signed a separate memorandum agreeing to pay a specific charge, and on this basis made payment for servicing his theatres during the previous months when charges had been allowed to accumulate because of the non-existence of a payment scale. The contract was subsequently violated, it was alleged by Erpi, when Mr. Gross neglected to make regular servicing payments. Erpi then replevened the machines. The case of Electrical Research Products, Inc., versus W. D. Gross, reached Judge George F. Alexander's United States District Court at Juneau some few weeks ago, and embraced counter claims made by Mr. Gross totaling $300,000. The court, however, is said to have refused permission to Erpi to introduce certain evidence, including the letters in which Mr. Gross agreed to fix the amount of the service charge after the main contract was executed, and a jury found for Mr. Gross, awarding in all. damages of $58,436. E. J. Moriarty, general attorney for Erpi in New York, associated with R. E. Robertson and Henry Roden, represented Erpi, while H. L. Faulkner and J. A. Hellenthal represented Mr. Gross. "We are confident of a reversal on appeal," said a statement from Erpi headquarters.