Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1937)

December II, 1937 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 69 WHAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME Ambassador THANKS FOR LISTENING: Pinky Tomlin— Race horse tipsters tell you to string along with their selection and you will win. I have been stringing along with Pinky and he is not going over so I am taking Pinky off a pension. This one drives more out of the theatre than it brings in. — W. H. Brenner, Cozy Theatre, Winchester, Ind. General patronage. Columbia COUNSEL FOR CRIME: Otto Kruger, Jacqueline Wells— A fair picture and a fair business. Played November 17. — L. A. Irwin, Palace, Theatre, Penacook, N. H. General patronage. END OF THE TRAIL: Jack Holt, Louise Henry— We ran into the heaviest early winter snow storm in years, so business was correspondingly affected. Our patrons enjoy Jack Holt, but they did not like the ending of this feature. Played November 20.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. HEROES OF THE RANGE: Ken Maynard— Another western, but no such following as in "Strawberry Roan." They still like Ken.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General patronage. LOST HORIZON: Ronald Colman— One of the biggest and best pictures that has ever come out of Hollywood, with a near perfect cast and directing. The picture is not a small-town picture, consequently business is just fair, but I am not sorry that I ran it, and if you can get them in, you can rest assured that they will come out satisfied. Running time, 118 minutes. Played November 21-23. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Kan. Small town patronage. LOST HORIZON: Ronald Colman— Hit this hard with plenty of advertising and the box office will show the results. If Columbia could give us more like this one what a grand thing it would be. No call for double features if they would. Running time, 118 minutes. Played November 14-16. — R. W. Crickmore, Rainbow Theatre, Newport, Wash. Small town patronage. RANGER COURAGE: Bob Allen, Martha Tibbetts— Good enough western, and if it wasn't for these, we couldn't pay the rent. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Kan. Small town patronage. WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE: Grace Moore, Cary Grant, Aline MacMahon — Excellent, but owing to bad weather our business was disappointing. Played November 17-18.— C. W. Mills, Arcade Theatre, Sodus, N. Y. Family patronage. First National BACK IN CIRCULATION: Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien — This is Joan's picture and she's swell in the part. It resulted in fair business. Played November 20.— L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N. H. General patronage. BACK IN CIRCULATION: Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien — Fat O'Brien, a typical newspaper editor who answers nine phones at once and slams around the office yelling a hundred orders to the minute, as the he-man, and Joan Blondell, as the he-woman crack reporteress who can knock a man down with her tough little fists; both rush around and bellow at each other in a hackneyed newspaper story of little merit. No one raved, no one growled. Business average. — C. T. Cooney, Jr., Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Me. General patronage. BACK IN CIRCULATION: Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien. — Plenty of action and comedy and the folks liked it. It is noisy, but it is the kind that most of the small towns like. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. BACK IN CIRCULATION: Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien — Good newspaper story with good stars and suspense. Running time, 85 minutes. — W. E. McPhee, Strand Theatre, Old Town, Maine. General patronage. CONFESSION: Kay Francis, Ian Hunter— The same sordid pictures which Kay Francis seems to specialize in. Being a Catholic town we played up the confes N 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 Rockefeller Center, New York sion angle and enjoyed increased business, bringing in divided opinions.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General patronage. DANCE, CHARLIE, DANCE: Stuart Erwin, Jean Muir— I double featured this one, but it is plenty good for a single bill. Stuart Erwin, as the small town rube who takes the city slickers to the cleaners, is a scream. Then, entire cast is good, good story and an all around good feature. Running time, 64 minutes. Played November 13-14. — Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. EVER SINCE EVE: Marion Davies, Robert Montgomery, Patsy Kelly— This is a fair show, but it took a nose dive here that left me gasping for breath. Marion Davies and Bob Montgomery are both washed up here. They give a fair performance, but for some reason do not click. Patsy Kelly and Allen Jenkins are both good. Don't quite know what was the reason, but it certainly flopped. Running time, 79 minutes. Played November 17-18.— Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. PENROD AND SAM: Billy Mauch, Henry Watson — Booth Tarkington's story is here given an ultramodern aspect. We doubt he would recognize the characters so changed are their surroundings. Except for the kid trade, this was a poor drawing card. Played November 20.— L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N. H. General patronage. PERFECT SPECIMEN, THE: Errol Flynn, Joan Blondell — It is a natural. Plenty of clever stuff and Flynn and Blondell good in the roles of the perfect man and the gal that knows what is good for him. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. TALENT SCOUT: Donald Woods, Jeanne Madden — Just a programer that will get by. Running time, 60 minutes.— W. E. McPhee, Strand Theatre, Old Town, Maine. General patronage. THAT CERTAIN WOMAN: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda — Played this on bargain night and it drew extra business. It is a good show. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. Grand National ARIZONA DAYS: Tex Ritter, Eleanor Stewart— A very good western with plenty of action and a story that pleased all. Running time, 55 minutes. — A. J. Inks, Crystal Theatre, Ligonier, Ind. Small town patronage. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer BETWEEN TWO WOMEN: Franchot Tone, Maureen O'Sullivan, Virginia Bruce — The picture is O. K., but it did not draw.— W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. BIG CITY: Spencer Tracy, Luise Rainer— What else can you hope for but a swell show with these two as leads and being supported by as carefully selected a cast as MGM put in this one. It is tops in anybody's language. The final scenes with the old time fighters and wrestlers bring back fond memories. Running time, 85 minutes. — A. J. Inks, Crystal Theatre, Ligonier, Ind. Small town patronage. BIG CITY: Luise Rainer, Spencer Tracy— The first Metro I have played for several years. Had heard that Big City" wasn't so hot.. Was pleasantly surprised as this is a really fine production and entertainment all the way. Many fine comments. Here is a Sunday show with plenty of action and suitable for all classes— L. V. Bergtold, New Westby Theatre, Westby, Wis. General patronage. BRIDE WORE RED, THE: Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone— Joan Crawford is no bet here and at the rental Metro gets for this, the engagement was a washout for us. Why don't they forget this star and make pictures with pretty girls who can act, then sell them for what they are worth at the box office, not on what they did when business was business. Played November 14-16.— Mayme P. Musselman, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Kan. Small town patronage. BRIDE WORE RED, THE: Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone, Robert Young— An awfully poor title for a pretty fair picture. The audience isn't convinced of the affection between Crawford and Tone upon which the picture depends for its denouement. A changed title would probably help it to do better business. Played November 21-23— R. B. Hippie, Bijou Theatre, Pierre, S. D. General patronage. BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938: Robert Taylor, Eleanor Powell, Buddy Ebsen, Judy Garland— Good musical. Did extra business and pleased. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Ind. Small town patronage. BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938: Eleanor Powell, Robert Taylor — Eleanor Powell's first picture put Frances Langford and Buddy Ebsen in pictures, and this one puts Judy Garland in for sure. This "Broadway Melody" won't do as much business as the previous ones, but it is still a good enough picture. Played October 31-November 1-2— R. B. Hippie, Bijou Theatre, Pierre, S. D. General patronage. CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS: Freddie Bartholomew, Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore — A swell picture to extra poor business. Any story of the sea is a bad bet for my town. We have had so little rain out here, I guess folks are afraid of getting sea sick. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. EMPEROR'S CANDLESTICKS, THE: William Powell, Luise Rainer— Two great stars cast in a fine story. The flaw is that the cash customers do not like costume pictures and it is hard to get them out. However, this picture pleased very well on a Bank Night. Played October 27.— C. O. Shuler, Heflin Theatre, Heflin, Ala. Small town and rural patronage. EMPEROR'S CANDLESTICKS, .THE: William Powell, Luise Rainer — Good show of its kind, but the worst Saturday business I have had for a year. No draw at all for me. — W. H. Hardman, Royal Theatre, Frankfort, Kan. Small town patronage. FAMILY AFFAIR, A: Lionel Barrymore, Cecilia Parker — These are another Jones family series being developed by Metro and think they are going to be very popular for double bills if they continue to be as good as this one. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General patronage. FIREFLY, THE: Alan Jones, Jeanette MacDonald— The action is far too slow and as a result the picture is far too long. The picture obviously cost a lot to produce, but probably won't get it all back. — R. B. Hippie, Biju Theatre, Pierre, S. D. General patronage. MAYTIME: Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald— Swell picture. No complaints. Give us more musicals like this one and musicals will be back on top as a drawing card. Running time, 132 minutes. Played November 21-23.— R. W. Crickmore, Rainbow Theatre, Newport, Wash. Small town patronage. NOBODY'S BABY: Patsy Kelly, Lyda Roberti, Lynne Overman — Double featured this one and it kept them laughing from start to finish. Lyda Roberti is very good Not much of a story, but it handed them a good laugh and that's what they want. Running time, 67 minutes. Played November 13-14. — Gladys E. McArdle, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kan. Small town patronage. PERSONAL PROPERY: Jean Harlow, Robert Taylor— Good entertainment. Seemed to please everyone as there was no knockers. Running time, 88 minutes. Played November 12-13. — R. W. Crickmore, Rainbow Theatre, Newport, Wash. Small town patronage. ROMEO AND JULIET: Leslie Howard. Norma