Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1941)

October 4, 194 1 Texas (Columbia, 1941-42) Super Western "Texas" is a western that has all the sweep, immensity and grandeur of the state from which it derives its name. There is enough material, action and plot development to make three westerns. Painted on the immense canvas of Texas in the post Civil War period, with the transportation of cattle the motivating theme (synopsis appears on Page 181 of the Product Digest) the picture tells of the careers of William Holden and Glenn Ford. Starting out as friends, they have exciting adventures together, but their paths and then their ethics diverge. Holden falls on the wrong side of the scales of justice and pays for it with his life. Ford attains respect, admiration and the girl. Other members of the cast are Claire Trevor as the girl who is loved by both men, George Bancroft and Edgar Buchanan, but it is William Holden who is the focal point of interest. His is a fine performance. The "Dan Thomas" he portrays is more than just a typical bad man of the West : he is a human being. Edgar Buchanan is interesting as a dentistvillain, synonymous terms. Some of the events that take place in his dentist's chair will strike a familiar chord in one's teeth. Deserving special mention is a prizefight between William Holden and an opponent. Lasting a mere thirty-five rounds, it is an exhibition of brute strength, power and realism, something in the nature of a classic. In addition, there is a stage-coach hold-up, action, shooting, double-crossing, narrow escapes, love scenes and a stampede of cattle at the finish, all photographed in sepia. Samuel Bischoff, producer, and George Marshall, director, have fashioned a western of large-scale proportions that has much to offer to exhibitor and audience alike. Previewed at the company projection room before an audience of one, the writer, whose personal reaction was definitely favorable.— Irene Smolen. Release date, October 9, 1941. Running time, 94 minutes. P. C. A. No. 7231. General audience classification. Dan Thomas William Holden Tod Ramsey Glenn Ford "Mike" King Claire Trevor Windy Miller George Bancroft Doc Thorpe Edgar Buchanan Don Beddoe, Andrew Tombes, Addison Richards, Edmund MacDonald, Joseph' Crehan, Willard Robertson, Patrick Moriarty, Edmund Cobb. Mob Town (Universal, 1941-42) Crime Prevention Melodrama The East Side Kids and the Little Tough Guys commit more than the usual amount of knocking about and also more than the usual amount of entertainment in this elaboration of the "Crime Does Not Pay" theme. The film offers some opportunity for showmen to enlist exploitation support of the police department in that it features the success of the bigbrother type of endeavor on the part of policemen in the education of juveniles on the evils of criminal association. MOTION PICTURE HERALD see 77 Although emphasizing a moral, the film as produced by Ken Goldsmith and directed by William Nigh abounds in action ranging from street fights to hold-ups, murders and motor chases through city streets with guns blazing. Outcome of the story is not too clearly forecast at any point and considerable suspense is generated. Billy Halop heads the juvenile contingent. Dick Foran and Ann Gwynne carrying on the slight romantic interest. Previewed for the trade press at the studio. — W. R. W. Running time, when seen in Hollywood, 62 minutes. Release date not set. P. C. A. No. 7509. General audience classification. Tom Billy Halop Pig Huntz Hall String Gabriel Dell Ape Bernard Punsly Frank Dick Foran Marion Ann Gwynne Samuel S. Hinds, Darryl Hickman, Paul Fix. SHORT PRODUCT PLAYING BROADWAY Week of September 27th ASTOR Water Bugs MGM feature: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde MGM CAPITOL Football Thrills of 1940.... MGM Glimpses of Florida MGM Feature: Lady Be Good MGM CRITERION Kitchen Quiz, No. I Columbia Splits, Spares and Strikes. . Columbia Feature: Ice-Capades Republic MUSIC HALL March of Time, "Thumbs Up, Texas" RKO Radio Feature: Lydia U nited Artists PARAMOUNT Popular Science, No. 6 Paramount The Wizard of Arts Paramount Feature: Our Wife Columbia RIALTO The Jeep — Popeye Paramount Is Everybody Happy? Universal We Americans Pathe-FHA Feature: Bowery Blitzkrieg. . Monogram RIVOLI Pluto's Playmate Disney RKO Radio Isle of Fate Universal Feature: Unfinished Business. . Universal ROXY Ice Carnival 20th Cent.-Fox Aristocrats of the Kennel .. 20th Cent.-Fox Community Sing, Series 6, No. 3 Columbia Feature: A Yank in the R.A.F. 20th Cent.-Fox 37 Pittsburgh Sees Big Stage Season With 19 weeks already booked for the presentation of stage productions and $29,000 grossed during the opening week, Sam Nixon, manager of the Nixon theatre in Pittsburgh, predicts the biggest legitimate stage season since the 1920's. Katherine Cornell in "The Doctor's Dilemma" topped her previous appearance in that city by several thousand dollars, despite lukewarm critical notices, during the week of September 15th, the earliest opening week in years. Advanced sales for the coming season have totaled more than $14,000 and more than 4,000 American Theatre Society subscriptions have already been sold, compared to 2,800 sales during the corresponding period last season, Dorothy O'Connor, secretary of the organization, has disclosed. Following Ed Wynn in "Boys and Girls Together," the Nixon's revised schedule will present "Native Son," Al Jolson in "Hold On to Your Hats," "Separate Rooms," "Meet the People," Ethel Barrymore in "The Corn Is Green" as the first ATS play, then two weeks each for "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Panama Hattie," "My Sister Eileen," "Pal Joey," "Claudia" and "Louisiana Purchase." The Senator theatre, ordinarily for motion pictures exclusively, will be converted into a legitimate house for two weeks beginning November 17th to present "Life With Father." The original date, a fortnight earlier, was changed when film bookings became so crowded due to continued delay on Alvin theatre rebuilding that a product pileup of the Harris booking office necessitated more time to clean up some of its pictures. Reconstruction of the Harris Alvin, downtown sister house to the Senator, has been held up due to difficulty in securing building materials because of defense priorities, John H. Harris stated. Former Manager Ed Shafer of the Casino, now with the Gayety in Albany, said last week that his theatre will be changed into a legitimate house for two weeks of legitimate stage. RCA "Magicote" Lens Process Is Announced RCA's Magicote process is ready for application to motion picture projector lenses, after having been employed in Hollywood for some while, in improving the light transmission and brilliance of camera lenses, the parent company announced from its Camden, N. J., headquarters, through Edward C. Cahill, division manager of RCA Photophone. The field force of the latter unit will handle the new service for exhibitors. The lenses will be shipped by the field force to the RCA factory at Indianapolis, where the company has a special air-conditioned laboratory. The Magicote process is the application of a thin, durable, transparent film to glass-toair surfaces of anastigmatic lenses, cutting down light reflections, which normally reduce lens speed. E. C. Treib Drowned Caught in a flash flood between Ruidiso and Roswell, N. M., where he owned the Apache and Capitan theatres, E. C. Treib, 55, was drowned last week, with two assistants, Pete Espinoza and Manuel Chavez. LATE REVIEWS For other Showmen's Reviews Product Digest Section, page