Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1944)

%HAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME* Columbia BEAUTIFUL BUT BROKE: Joan Davis, Jane Frazee — This feature was excellent for my weekend double bill. The picture is quite entertaining and has some very good comedy in it. We did excellent business. Played Friday, Saturday, May 5, 6. — Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. DESTROYER: Edward G. Robinson, Glenn Ford, Marguerite Chapman — This picture is replete with saltsprayed action on a destroyer. The fact that Old Navy, as represented by tradition-bound Edward G. Robinson, has a big contribution to make to New Navy, enacted by technician Glenn Ford, is forcefully presented. Here's excitement and entertainment. Played Saturday, April 8.— J. A. Reynolds, N. J. State Prison, Trenton, N. J. Prison patronage. NONE SHALL ESCAPE: Alexander Knox, Marsha Hunt — This is an excellent feature which pleased all my patrons. We did above average business. Played Wednesday, Thursday, May 3, 4.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. . t SAILOR'S HOLIDAY: Arthur Lake— This feature just got by on my double bill spot. It's nothing to brag about. Played Friday, Saturday, April 28, 29.— Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. SUNDOWN VALLEY: Charles Starrett— This is just an average picture. By no means is Starrett a favorite in my community. Played Friday, Saturday, May 5, 6. —Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. WHAT A WOMAN!: Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherne —This is just a fair show. There is some good comedy in this feature, but it didn't have any draw in my town. We did below average business and my patrons didn't comment on this feature one way or the other. Played Sunday, Monday, April 16, 17.— Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. WHAT'S BUZZIN', COUSIN: Ann Miller, John Hubbard—This feature is O.K. I played it rather late, but my patrons enjoyed it.— C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, la. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer BEST FOOT FORWARD: Lucille Ball, William Gaxton— I'm really surprised that MGM would ever release a feature as terrible as this. There is not one redeeming feature to it. Lucille Ball, as usual, was terrible, and where did they get that fellow, Gaxton? Without Nancy Walker there just wouldn't have been any show. MGM must have forgotten to screen this feature. — E. L. Ornstein, Rialto and State Theatres, Marengo and Milltown, Ind. Small town patronage. CABIN IN THE SKY: Lena Home, Ethel Waters, Rochester — This feature really pleased my crowd, and I believe it should do well in any situation. Running time, 98 minutes. Played Sunday, April 23— Sgt. William E. Goewey, Overseas Camp Theatre. Military patronage. DR. GILLESPIE'S ASSISTANT: Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson — This feature is O. K. and my audience liked it. — C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, la. DuBARRY WAS A LADY: Lucille Ball, Red Skelton— If it wasn't for the fact that this feature was in Technicolor, I doubt whether this would have held up. Anyway, my patrons liked this feature, and I heard only a few complaints. Running time, 101 minutes. Played Wednesday, April 12. — Sgt. William E. Goewey, Overseas Camp Theatre. Military patronage. GIRL CRAZY: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland— Here's a good musical with plenty of comedy in it. It was -not made on a lavish scale, but with enough entertainment to get it by. It's possible you might make a little money if everyone hasn't left your community. — E. L. Ornstein, Rialto and State Theatres, Marengo and Mill town, Ind. Small town patronage. LASSIE COME HOME: Roddy McDowall, Edmund Gwenn — Here's a fine show that was enjoyed by all my patrons. It's the kind of feature a small town exhibitor really likes to play in his theatre. This feature set a house midweek record. Played Tuesday-Thursday, April 18-20.— Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. RANDOM HARVEST: Ronald Colman, Greer Garson —I'm not fooling when I say this is a swell picture which was enjoyed by all my patrons. We did a little above average business, but it wasn't the picture's fault that we didn't do more. Played Monday, Tuesday, April 24, 25.— K. John, Legion Theatre, Bienfait, Sask., Canada. Small town patronage. 56 . . . the original exhibitors' report* department, established October 14, 1916. In it theatremen serve one another with information about the box-office performance of product — providing a service of the exhibitor for the exhibitor. ADDRESS REPORTS: What the Picture Did for Me, Motion Picture Herald, Rockefeller Center, New York, 20. REUNION IN FRANCE: Joan Crawford, Philip Dorn, John Wayne — This is a pretty good program picture which lasts 102 minutes. I didn't receive many complaints from my customers. Played Sunday, April 2. — Sgt. William E. Goewey, Overseas Camp Theatre. Military patronage. SWING SHIFT MAISIE: Ann Sothern— This is a fine show with a war plant background. I have several Ann Sothern fans in my town and, as usual, we did good business and reaction was favorable. Played Tuesday-Thursday, May 2-4. — Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, Mb. Small town and rural patronage. THREE HEARTS FOR JULIA: Ann Sothern, Melvyn Douglas — This feature was enjoyed by all my patrons and there are plenty of laughs to keep this story moving along. Played Wednesday, April 5. — Sgt. William E. Goewey, Overseas Camp Theatre. Military patronage. WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN: Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford — Skelton does not make a hit with my patrons.— C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, la. WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN: Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford — This is just another of the Skelton Whistlers with the kind of hokum that goes over well with my patrons. Played Friday, Saturday, May 5, 6. — R. Lavari, Liberty Theatre, Verona, Pa. Paramount BIRTH OF THE BLUES: Bing Crosby, Brian Donlevy — This is an excellent picture which pleased all who came, but there were not so many. However, I believe it's good enough for any spot. Played Monday, Tuesday, April 17, 18. — K. John, Legion Theatre, Bienfait, Sask., Canada. Small town patronage. . CITY THAT STOPPED HITLER: Russian Documentary— This picture will take the prize as the poorest draw of the year. It hit a new low and it's nothing but a combination of news shorts that we had shown months ago. Played Friday, Saturday, May 12, 13.— H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, 111. HOLD BACK THE DAWN: Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland — Much to my surprise we received many favorable comments on this feature, in spite of the fact that we did not consider it a small town picture. We did average business. Played Monday, Tuesday, May 1, 2. — K. John, Legion Theatre, Bienfait, Sask., Canada. Small town patronage. LET'S FACE IT: Bob Hope — Hope does not draw in my community. The picture is funny, but nothing big. — C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, la. NO TIME FOR LOVE: Claudette Colbert, Fred McMurray — Here's a fine picture which failed to click at the box office. — H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, 111. NO TIME FOR LOVE: Fred MacMurray, Claudette Colb'ert — Here's a fine comedy which you can play any day of the week. We did poor business, but that was no fault of the picture, just tough opposition. Played Sunday-Tuesday, April 30-May 2.— R. Lavari, Liberty Theatre, Verona, Pa. SO PROUDLY WE HAIL: Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, Sonny Tufts — Here's a wonderful picture, well made, well directed and well acted. My patrons who saw it raved about it. It's a pity there are so few around here to see such a good picture as this. — E. L. Ornstein, Rialto and State Theatres, Marengo and Milltown, Ind. Small town patronage. Republic HIT PARADE OF 1943: John Carroll, Susan Hayward — This is just an average picture. Played Friday, Saturday, April 28, 29.— K. John, Legion Theatre, Bienfait, Sask., Canada. Small town patronage. IN OLD OKLAHOMA: John Wayne, Martha ScottHere's a super Western, which I single billed successfully on the weekend. There's plenty of action in this feature. Played Friday, Saturday, May 5, 6— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. LARAMIE TRAIL, THE: Smiley Burnette— This is just the usual routine Western which pleased my Friday, Saturday patrons. Played May 5, 6. — E. M. Freiburgerl Paramount Theatre, Dewey, O'kla. Small town patron'] age. LARAMIE TRAIL, THE: Smiley Burnette— This i| an excellent Western. It was the first one of this series I've ever played and it looks like they are O. K. Playec Friday, Saturday, April 28, 29.— Charles A. Brooks, Rit; Theatre, Marshfield, Mo. Small town and rural patron age. MOJAVE FIREBRAND: Bill Elliott, Gabby HayesThis series proves most popular in any community am both Elliott and Hayes are favorites for my Westen fans. This feature is O. K. Played Friday, Saturday April 21, 22.— Charles A. Brooks, Ritz Theatre, Marsh ! field, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. TUMBLING TUMBLEWEED: Gene Autry, Lucill Browne — All of these reissues have played at both m houses, but still they come in to see them again. Thi one is no better than any of the rest, but the boy in the overalls like him. — E. L. Ornstein, Rialto an State Theatres, Marengo and Milltown, Ind. Small tow patronage. RKO Radio 5: Anne Shirley, Roger Daniel— Wl , more pictures of this sort? I ran tH 11 ADVENTURES OF A ROOKIE: Alan Carney, Wall Brown — Carney and Brown are all right and they kej the audience laughing throughout the feature. It's light-hearted comedy about scarlet fever, a tough sei geant and three rookies. Here's a good picture for an bill, as everyone likes this pair. Played Tuesday -SundaApril 25-30.— Andrew Mayeshiba, Technical Dept., Heai Mountain, Wy. AROUND THE WORLD: Kay Kyser, Joan Davis After running this feature, we are convinced that Ke Kyser can devote his talents to "jive" and "boogie-wot gie." The high school boys and girls seemed to fir this picture very funny, but we did terrible busines Played Wednesday, Thursday, May 3, 4.— A. C. Edward Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal. Small lumber town pa ronage. BOY SLAVES don't they make more pictures of this sort!' 1 ran as a special and had a full house. We're always getti: requests for pictures like "Skippy," "Sooky," "Bisct Eater," "Two Thoroughbreds," etc. "Tear-jerker" pi tures of this sort go over big in my community. Play Monday, May 1.— Andrew Mayeshiba, Technical Dep Heart Mountain, Wy. FOREVER AND A DAY: All-Star Cast— This p ture is not so good for small towns, but we did avera business. These all-star pictures do not go over so w in my community. Played Friday, Saturday, April 21, f — K. John, Legion Theatre, Bienfait, Sask., Canac Small town patronage. GOVERNMENT GIRL: Olivia de Havilland, Sor, Tufts»— This is an excellent picture and story with v poor direction. It was like getting to the edge of a cl It got to the point where there should have been sor thing doing and then it just quit. In other words, just one of those no-point stories which could have h a lot better.— E. L. Ornstein, Rialto and State Theati Marengo and Milltown, Ind. Small town patronage. HIGHER AND HIGHER: Frank Sinatra— What a li ing we took by playing this product. We sure swoo at the box office. Instead of higher and higher, it she have been lower and lower. Played Monday, Tuesc May 1, 2— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, O Canada. HIGHER AND HIGHER: Frank Sinatra— The g came to swoon, the boys to become boisterous w Sinatra started to sing and the older folks just dror in to play "Bingo." Played Friday, Saturday, May 5 — H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, 111. SPITFIRE: Leslie Howard, Rosamund John— Thi: a very good feature, but it won't do a bit of busi in small towns. I double billed this feature with "Adtures of a Rookie," which is a good little comedy. \,m the correct stories and a bit of exploitation, this ] Ir, Alan Carney and Wally Brown, will be as good as, o'li bad as, Abbott and Costello.— E. L. Ornstein, Rialto if (Continued on page 58) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MAY 27, I L