Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1941)

72 MOTION PICTURE HERALD January 25, 1941 {Continued from preceding page) wyck. Toel McCrea, Walter Brennan— YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING: Alice Faye, Don Ameche— Used these old ones to substitute for poor program pictures of the past year. Excellent business and if you replav these you won't regret it. — William G. Clark, Almo Theatre, Pine Bluff, Ark. Suburban patronage. BRIGHAM YOUNG, Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Dean Jagger — Another history picture that didn't draw its breath. Yes, it's a good picture but that don't pay the film bill. My popcorn machine almost outgrossed it. Running time. 86 minutes. — Captain Jim Haney, Milan Theatre, Milan, Ind. General patronage. BRIGHAM YOUNG:' Tyrone Power. Linda Darnell, Dean Jagger — This is one of the most impressive pictures we have played this season. We had a fine crowd and they all thought it was dandy. It has plenty of action and a tremendous story. Dean Jagger held the audience's attention thoroughly every time he spoke. Magnificent scenery and some good humor by John Carradine do their share to make this top-notch. I recommend it unreservedly. It will attract all ages; it will brigham young and brigham old. Running time, 113 minutes. Played January 10-11. — W. Varick Nevins III, Alfred Co-Op Theatre, Alfred, N. Y. Small college town and rural patronage. DOWN ARGENTINE WAY: Don Ameche, Betty Grable, Carmen Miranda — This is without doubt one of the greatest that Fox has ever produced. It has everything in it, music, dancing, comedy, horse racing, etc. If you have not played this one, you can really go to town if you put the publicity out on it. Running time, 88 minutes. — Captain Jim Haney, Milan Theatre, Milan, Ind. General patronage. MARK OF ZORRO, THE: Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone — Very good action type of picture. Pleased a good Sunday attendance. Running time, 93 minutes. Played January 5-7. — N. E. Frank, Wayland Theatre, Wayland, Mich. Small town patronage. MICHAEL SHAYNE, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver — Good detective story with plenty of comedy. Good business on week end date. Running time, 77 minutes. Played January 1011. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. NIGHT TRAIN: Margaret Lockwpod, Rex Harrison — Once in a blue moon an English picture comes along that gets by, but here is one that will knock you for a twister. Play this on a Sunday and give it all you got. Some of my patrons sat through it twice and came back the second night. It's a honey if there ever was one. Running time, 93 minutes. — Captain Tim Haney, Milan Theatre, Milan, Ind. General patronage. STREET OF MEMORIES: Lynne Roberts, Guy Kibbee — A nice little picture. Will please on double bill. Running time, 70 minutes. Played January 8-9. — N. E. Frank. Wayland Theatre, Wayland, Mich. Small town patronage. United Artists OUR TOWN: William Holden, Martha Scott, Fay Bainter — We were somewhat reluctant to play this one, but we personally were impressed with it, although the opinion of the crowd was about equally divided. No drawing power. Running time. 90 minutes. Played Jan. 3-4. — N. E. Frank, Wayland Theatre, Wayland, Mich. Small town patronage. STELLA DALLAS: Barbara Stanwyck, John Boles — Played this picture twice, both times to outstanding business. Repeat this for some real business. — William G. Clark, Alamo Theatre, Pine Bluff. Ark. Suburban patronage. THIEF OF BAGDAD, THE: Conrad Veidt. Sabu. June Duprez — Beautiful picture, superbly directed and well played by a splendid cast. Wonderful camera work. Fantastic story, but the crowds enjoyed it, and we do mean crowds. Running time, 93 minutes. Played January 12-14. — N. E. Frank, Wayland Theatre, Wayland, Mich. Small town patronage. THIEF OF BAGDAD, THE: Conrad Veidt, Sabu. June Dpurez — It took two years to make and $2,000,000 to produce this truly great picture, and Conrad Veidt, Sabu, June Duprez, John Justin. Rex Ingram, Mary Morris, et al, were most excellent in their truly fine performances. A most truly Arabian Nights tale, it has all of the charm and glamor that makes the imagination wonder what next. The flying horse, the all-seeing eye, the magic carpet, and the Djinn imprisoned by King Solomon two thousand years ago, and released by Sabu, produces the greatest credit to the scope of the camera, and Sabu's three wishes, granted by the Djinn help to bring about a happy conclusion, and the two lovers are in due time wed and live happily ever afterwards, and the thief of Bagdad becomes a great and influential personage and a second King Solomon in wisdom and great learning. All audiences seeing this picture will like it. except the very small ones who may become terrified by the Djinn, who is truly terrifying most of the time. — William Noble, Midwest Theatre, Oklahoma City, Okla. General patronage. fighting, gambling, civic righteousness, the present patriotic "bunk" and other ills that the human, in mass, is heir to. A card shark, Bob Burns, posing as a deacon, takes over a whole bunch of hypocrites and profiteers as he should do and saves the widow's property and brings about a happy ending for a romance. This fellow Burns is really good in this role. We repeat, this is a dandy show. Running time, 72 minutes. Played January 5.— Joseph Gray, Gray Theatre, Spangler, Pa. General patronage. DESTRY RIDES AGAIN: Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart — Best Western epic produced during the year. Action, comedy, pathos united in fine proportion. Thoroughly enjoyed by women, men, children. You can guarantee this for your action crowd. Doubled with western. Played November 28-30. — William G. Clark, Alamo Theatre, Pine Bluff, Ark. Suburban patronage. IF I HAD MY WAY: Bing Crosby, Gloria Jean, Charles Winninger — not exactly new, but still good. The first twenty or twenty-five minutes of this picture is exceptionally fine, then it drops to a somewhat lower level and continues with good entertainment. Re-introducing "old timers" like Eddie Leonard, Blanche Ring and others, was a pleasing gesture reminding some of us that we must be getting along pretty well, not meaning much to the present generation. Running time, 92 minutes. Played January 1-2. — Joseph Gray, Gray Theatre, Spangler, Pa. General patronage. IT'S A DATE: Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Eugene Pallette — Once again we scored heavily with Deanna, as has been the case with several of her other pictures which we have been pleased to offer "the world's choosiest audience." All of her pictures are so refreshing that it is difficult for one to fail to enjoy them, and I suppose the men here are not to be excepted. In this one, Deanna, as the talented daughter of a famous, but elderly, stage star, acts with charm and assurance, proving beyond question that she is more than a pretty young girl with a good voice. And speaking of voice, she renders Schubert's "Ave Maria" for a brilliant finale to a picture that everyone should see. Running time, 100 minutes. Played January 4. — J. A. Reynolds, Director of Education and Recreation, New Jersey State Prison, Trenton, N. J. Prison theatre patronage. GIVE US WINGS: "Dead End" Kids, Wallace Ford, Anne Gwynne — A good story, well made and full of pep, as all pictures are with these boys starring. Perfect week end entertainment, and the aviation feature appeals to all. Running time, 62 minutes. Played January 10-11.— Kenneth M. Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. General patronage. HIRED WIFE: Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherne, Virginia Bruce, Robert Benchley — Very good picture. Did not do business we expected. Everybody liked it. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Can. General patronage. INVISIBLE WOMAN. THE: John Barrymore, Virginia Bruce, John Howard — This picture has a perfect title, which is not always the case these days, and a grand story, well directed and well played. The crowd will go for it in a big way. Running time, 70 minutes. Played January 5-6. — Kenneth M. Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. General patronage. LAW AND ORDER: Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight — A very good western. The more my patrons see of Johnny Mack Brown the better they like him, and photography good. Running time, 58 minutes. Played January 11-12. — Kenneth M. Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. General patronage. MY LITTLE CHICKADEE: Mae West, W. C. Fields — Story lacks plausibility and movement. Fair picture — based on draw — not so good. Doubled with western. Played December 12-14. — William G. Clark, Alamo Theatre, Pine Bluff, Ark. Suburban patronage. ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS: Allan Jones, Nancy Kelly, Abbott & Costelk> — Not much to this one. Just another musical that didn't raise much furor. But it has two comedians, Abbott and Costello, that top anything that we have seen in a long time. They are about the only high spot in the picture. Given a careful treatment in a comedy, they will be a weltome addition in this business that needs laughs at this time. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General patronage. Warner Brothers Universal ALIAS THE DEACON: Bob Burns, Mischa Auer, Dennis O'Keefe — This is a dandy show. It is a satire on any number of our popular frailties, including prize ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO: Bette Davis, Charles Boyer — We took a beautiful lacing on this show. Not a small town picture. A very good show, but somewhat depressing. A splendid deilneation of what happens to a husband, his wife and children when the wife and mother is a selfish, self-centered, unreasoning, emotional and jealous monster. An unusual story, but by no means an impossible one. It's a woman's show ; not that it will do any of them any good. Enjoyed by me and the other six patrons that came to see it. Running time, 143 minutes. Played January 8-9. — Joseph Gray, Gray Theatre, Spangler, Pa. General patronage. FLOWING GOLD: John Garfield, Frances Farmer, Pat O'Brien — A good action picture, but not worth what we had to pay for it. A Rex Beach story. Well directed, in which O'Brien does his best work up to now. Garfield puts on his usual fatalistic role, but with a pleasant relief from final desperation. Running time, 82 minutes. Played December 29. — Joseph Gray, Gray Theatre, Spangler, Pa. General patronage. FOUR MOTHERS: Priscilla. Rosemary and Lola Lane, Gale Page, Claude Rains, May Robson — The picture is very good and equal to its predecessors, "Four Daughters," "Four Wives," now "Four Mothers," and their children, also four in number, is • a story to be continued in our next. Claude Rains and May Robson provide most of the acting. The Lane Sisters. Gale Page, Frank McHugh, Jeffrey Lynn and Dick Foran and the four little 'uns are all excellent, and were excellent in their several parts. Played January 8-14. — William Noble, Criterion Theatre, Oklahoma City, Okla. General patronage. KING OF THE UNDERWORLD: Humphrey Bogart, Kay Francis — Here is another picture with an outstanding, good plot. Exciting, different. Pleasant change from usual gangster's plot. Will please. Doubled with "Coast Guard." Played December 1718.— William G. Clark, Alamo Theatre, Pine Bluff, Ark. Suburban patronage. KNUTE ROCKNE— ALL AMERICAN : Pat O'Brien, Gale Page, Ronald Reagan, Donald Crisp — A very good picture, but business way off. Those who came liked it very much. Newsreels take the drawing power away from a football picture. There are too many football shots in them a this time of the season. Running time, 98 minutes. — Captain Jim Haney, Milan Theatre, Milan, Ind. General patronage. LADY WITH RED HAIR, THE: Miriam Hopkins, Claude Rains — Did not get half the film rental from this product. The first night killed the box office for me. Too much dialogue for a small town audience. No action and no music. Pass this one up for certain if you are in a spot like mine. Miriam Hopkins has no followers here. Running time, 80 minutes. Played January 2. — A. L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Saskatchewan, Can. Small town and rural patronage. VIRGINIA CITY: Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Randolph Scott, Humphrey Bogart — Good Business. Good entertainment, well produced, but too long. Bogart. Alan Hale and Guinn Williams the makings of this opus. Audience reaction very good. Running time, 119 minutes. Played January 12-14. — G. A. Skelly. New Arcade Theatre, Newark, Ohio. General patronage. Short Features Columbia BARNYARD BABIES: Fable Cartoons— Just so-so. Bits of life; awful pathetic. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Can. General patronage. BEAUTIFUL SWITZERLAND: Columbia ToursVery good. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Can. General oatronage. FISHING IN HAWAII: Sport Reel— Real good.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre Tilbury, Ontario, Can. General patronage. MASTER OF CUE WITH WILLIE HOPPE: Sport Thrills — Willie Hoppe does some trick billiard shots that certainly surprised and interested the audience. Running time, 10 minutes. — V. Varick Nevins in, Alfred Co-Op Theatre, Alfred, N. Y. Small college town and rural patronage. ROUGH HOUSE FIESTA: Sport Thrills— As might be expected, the men here "ate this one up." It shows two teams of bone crushers, Nick Lutz and Dropkick Murphy vs. Battling Haggerty and LaVerne Baxter, in what is known as "modern wrestling," but which resembles better what is described in the dictionary as mayhem. It is really funny and should provide a laugh for all regardless of sex. Running time, 10 minutes. — J. A. Reynolds. Director of Education and Recreation, New Jersey State Prison, Trenton, N'. J. Prison theatre patronage. King of Comedy Film Corp. IN THE BANK (RE-ISSUE): Charles Chaplin— This re-issue of an old Charlie Chaplin favorite was greeted with applause, laughed at heartily, and proved to be of interest generally. I think it did its share of drawing a good crowd as I advertised it well. The photography and action are much better than you would expect and the musical scoring is good. It brought back a lot of memories to the older folks and everyone is interested in when we will play the next one. You can't ask any more than that, can you? The print I had was almost brand new. Running time, 15 minutes.— W. Varick Nevins III, Alfred Co-Op Theatre, Alfred, N. Y. Small college town and rural patronage. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer AMERICAN SPOKEN HERE: Passing Parade Series — Very good short dealing with present-day slang. Has some comedy. Running time, 10 minutes. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. HIDDEN MASTER, THE: Passing Parade— Good single reel. Running time, 9 minutes. — A. L. Dove Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Saskatchewan, Can. Small town and rural patronage. KIDDIE KURE: Our Gang Comedy— Average Our Gang comedy. Running time, 10 minutes. — E. M. Frei (Continued on page 77)