Motion Picture Herald (July-Aug 1935)

August 9 3 5 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 85 WHAT THE PICTLCC DID rCD ME Columbia AIR HAWKS: Ralph Bellamy, Tala Birell, Wiley Post — If you want one of the best air pictures made in a long time, get this one and it will suit the customers if anything will. Action, comedy and good interesting story make for fine entertainment.— W. H. Brenner, Cozy Theatre, Winchester, Ind. General patronage. BROADWAY BILL: Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy, Walter Connolly — Here is a picture you can't miss. Good acting, good story and good everything. Play this by all means. Columbia, our patrons thanked us for showing it and now we thank you for letting us have it at a reasonable price. Many, many favorable comments. Only objectionable thing was the part that Darro played. What's wrong, Frankie? — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town and rural patronage. BROADWAY BILL: Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy— You may promise an evening of super entertainment and the picture will live up to it. A grand show. Played June 14. — Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. FIGHTING SHADOWS: Tim McCoy— An interesting story of the Northwest Mounted PoHce. Drew well for me and everyone well satisfied. Running time, 58 minutes. Played July 12. — Chas. T. Nelson, Fay Theatre, Jasper, Fla. Small town and rural patronage. FIGHTING RANGER, THE: Buck Jones, Dorothy Revier — For western fans this proved O. K. Just another western to others, which means they stayed home. Played July 19. — Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. LADY BY CHOICE: Carole Lombard, May Robson, Walter Connolly, Roger Pryor — One of the better pictures on which you can't go wrong. Played June 28. —Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. LOVE ME FOREVER: Grace Moore, Leo Carrillo— It seems unfortunate that such a lovely personality as Grace Moore should be wrecked, so far as the screen is concerned, on the shoals of repetition. This picture is almost a duplication of "One Night of Love." While the story and its locale, for the most part, are difierent, all the highlights of the first film are to be found thinly disguised in the second. Miss Mocre is seen as a talented singer who finds her way to the Metropolitan Opera House via a cabaret and then a night club, where she is heard by the opera authorities. As in film number one we find her singing from a balcony, only this time is is in Lake Placid instead of_ Italy. Again she is seen having a case of nervous jitters before making her initial public appearance as a singer. And, of course, there is an amorous young man whom she eventually decides against in favor of the older gentleman responsible for her success. The novelty of "One Night of Love" lay in its introduction to operatic excerpts from the finest operas. "Love Me Forever" practically takes up where the first film goes overboard with high C's and arm waving. Don't misunderstand, "Love Me Forever" is a good picture of its type but certaintly not what it should be. — J. W. Noah, Liberty & Ideal Theatres, Fort Worth, Texas. General patronage. ONE NIGHT OF LOVE: Grace Moore, TuUio Carrninati — One Night of Love for Miss Moore, but two nights of empty seats for us. Too highbrow for our crowd. Thought it great personally. Running time, 82 minutes.— D. M. Reardon, Globe Theatre, Holyoke, Mass. General patronage. WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING, THE: Edward G. Robinson, Jean Arthur — This was a splendid picture, but had only average business. Wouldn't call it a special. Robinson isn't so popular with us.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Can. General patronage. WHOM THE GODS DESTROY: Walter Connolly, Robert Young, Doris Kenyon — Very good; a betterthan-average production. Played May 31.— Frank E. Sabin. Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. First National CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE: Warren William—Another good Clue Club mystery story. But don t overdo them. First National, because patrons will soon tire of them. Running time, 68 minutes. Played July 17-18.— Horn & Morgan, Star Theatre, Hay Sprmgs, Neb. Small town patronage. CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE: Warren William—Another of the endless cycle of murder pictures IN this, the exhibitors' 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 Me MOTION PICTURE HERALD I 790 Broadway, New York and we are getting tired of them. Good enough for this kind of picture. No draw at the box office. Running time, 69 minutes. Played July 20-21. — Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. CONVENTION CITY: Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Mary Astor — This sure pleased a Saturday night crowd. Played with a western and it made a fine show. Many, many laughs. Played mighty old but they liked it just the same. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town and rural patronage. FASHIONS OF 1934: William Powell, Bette Davis — Old but very good and it drew better than expected. — Sammie Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Small town and rural patronage. G MEN, THE: James Cagney, Margaret Lindsay — A strong picture with plenty of action. There is almost no comedy relief in the picture. Plenty of drama is enacted in "The G Men" and it is a good weekend picture for any house. But right on the heels of this one comes the old vicious cycle, "Public Hero No. 1," "Let 'Em Have It," and we have them both in a short time. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. G-MEN, THE: James Cagney, Ann Dvorak, Robert Armstrong, _ Margaret Lindsay — Excellent entertainment, so said our patrons, and turned out in goodly numbers to prove they meant it. Cagney is a favorite with this town and as this was an unusual role for him, his fans were curious to see how he would acquit himhelf. Nice business. Running time, 85 minutes. Played July 17-18. — M. R. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. Small town and rural patronage. GO INTO YOUR DANCE: Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler — Flopped on this one badly on account of playing it a month too late. Nothing wrong with the picture if you like Warner musicals, but there seems to be plenty of people who evidently do not like them, as the box office records show on the last two or three of the musicals. — Warren Weber, Deluxe Theatre, St. John, Kan. General patronage. GO INTO YOUR DANCE: Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler — Al has a swell voice and uses it in this picture.' Ruby has some dancing ability and also registers here. Stereotyped dancing numbers of large ensembles are getting pretty shopworn, though. Running time, 97 minutes. Played July 7-8.— Horn & Morgan, Star Theatre, Hay Springs, Neb. Small town patronage. GO INTO YOUR DANCE: Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler — A real good musical. Give Al Jolson some songs to sing_ and a story fairly worth while, which will hold the interest, and the result will be good entertainment. This has a story that holds together nicely, and songs that are much above the average. Al Jolson gives it all he has got, which is plenty, and Warner Bros, did not spare the cash. Business a little better than average. — J. E. Stocker, Myrtle Theatre, Detroit, Mich. Neighborhood patronage. MARY JANE'S PA: Aline MacMahon, Guy Kibbee — Heretofore this pair have scored, but this picture did not. I don't think that Kibbee will hold up as a star heading a cast. He was swell in supporting roles and I think that he would be more successful than carrying the whole picture. At least I must gather that reaction from the slight business that this picture did. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. MARY JANE'S PA: Aline MacMahon, Guy Kibbee — This proved to be some swell show for our Fourth of July celebration. Good story with plenty of come dy situations. Exceptionally interesting when the politicians are put to rout and the old home town newspaper gets into action to turn a losing cause into victory. The little girl actress is mighty sweet and should do well in future productions. Running time, 71 minutes. Played July 4. — John J. Metzger, Oriental Theatre, Beaver City, Neb. General patronage. Fox BLACK SHEEP: Edmund Lowe, Qaire TrevorThrilling and very interesting story on board ship. Edmund Lowe is a favorite here and we would like to see more of Claire Trevor. Running time, 75 minutes. Played July 3-4. — Horn & Morgan, Star Theatre, Hay Springs, Neb. Small town patronage. COWBOY MILLIONAIRE: George O'Brien— Average O'Brien, and average for O'Brien is better than most of his type. Played July 16-17. — A. B. Jefferis, New Piedmont Theatre, Piedmont, Mo. Small town patronage. DARING YOUNG MAN, THE: James Dunn, Mae Clarke — Just a fair program picture; nothing to. rave about. Will get by and that is about all. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. DAVID HARUM: Will Rogers, Evelyn Venable— Gave one hundred per cent entertainment and attendance was fine. I doff my hat to Bill. Played July 5. — Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small town patronage. DOUBTING THOMAS: Will Rogers. Billie Burke, Alison Skipworth — They come to see Bill in anything that he is in but this is the weakest sister that he has ever appeared in. This one will not add to his record. I have seen stars fall and seen them rise, and it does not take many weak pictures to finish them with the public. Billie Burke did not help it any for us. Most of our audience don't go for her at all. She is too fluttery and affected, but maybe that is what the role called for. I don't know but they are very vocal about her acting and a lot of the patrons that I have close contact with express themselves that way. And I think that the criticism is justified. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. DOUBTING THOMAS: Will Rogers, BilUe Burke, Alison Skipworth — Not the type of picture our patrons like to see Rogers in. The rest of the cast was the whole show until the last reel or two, when Rogers took matters into his own hands with laughable results. His take-ofif on crooners is a riot, the best spot in the whole picture. Business just fair and audience reaction split. Running time, 73 minutes. Played July 21-23.— M. R. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. Small town and rural patronage. DOUBTING THOMAS: Will Rogers— Still our best drawing card. If it's a Rogers picture, the patrons ask no more. Of course, some are better than others, and this, in our opinion, was not his best by any means. Even then, some expressed the opinion that it was his best or equal to his best. Seemed to us that it started very slowly but picked up toward the end. Running time, 75 minutes. Played July 12-13. — Horn & Morgan, Star Theatre, Hay Springs, Neb. Small town patronage. DUDE RANGER, THE: George O'Brien— When it comes to operas, the only kind that fill my house are Zane Grey's horse operas. This one did the trick. Above average business. Running time, 63 minutes. Played July 26-27.— Harry M. Newman, Liberty Theatre, Lynden, Wash. Small town and rural patronage. DUDE RANGER, THE: George O'Brien— Good Friday-Saturday picture. Average hot weather business. George O'Brien well liked here. Pleased SO per cent. Running time, 64 minutes. — D. M. Reardon, Globe Theatre, Holyoke, Mass. General patronage. IT'S A SMALL WORLD: Spencer Tracy. Wendy Barrie — One of the best programmers from Fox. This picture is far better than lots of so called specials. You won't make a mistake by playing this one. Running time, 71 minutes. Played June oO-July 1.— Chas. T. Nelson, Fay Theatre. Jasper, Fla. Small town and rural patronage. OUR LITTLE GIRL: Shirley Temple. Joel McCrea— Somewhat disappointing all around. Neither the part for Shirley, nor the type of story the fans wish to see her in. .At times she lost entirely the sweet naturalness which has endeared her to the public, and seemed forced in action and line delivery. Come on. Fo.x, give her kid stories and cast James Dunn with her, and watch the public smile. Running time. 66 minutes. Played July 14-16. — M. R. Harrington, Avalon