Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

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'/what the picture did for me* Columbia CRIME DOCTOR: Warner Baxter, Margaret Lindsay —Just a fair picture, weak in spots. Played Wednesday, Thursday, May 31, June 1.— J. H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. Small town patronage. CRIME DOCTOR'S STRANGEST CASE: Warner Baxter, Lynn Merrick — Good program picture for weekeni" trade and a double bill. My patrons like Warner Baxter. Played Friday, Saturday, June 7, 8. — Cleo Manry, Buena Vista Theatre, Buena Vista, Ga. RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE: Bela Lugosi, Frieda Inescourt — A good picture, but did no business— in fact, so poor that we took it off after the first day (had it booked Thursday and Friday). In the past six months we have found on numerous occasions that spook mystery pictures that formerly did an unusually good gross have flopped, and when this happens in a theatre catering to the kind of patronage we have, it's time the producers start considering curtailing so many chiller-dillers. Two years ago we would have played a picture like "Return of Vampire" on Sunday and Monday. . . today it can't hold up for a two day date in mid-week. Played Thursday, June 8. — Abe H. Kaufman, Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. Family patronage. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ABOVE SUSPICION: Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray — Very good performances by Joan Crawford and Fred. This picture held our audience's attention up to the very end. Played Wednesday, May 17. — Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO 887. Military patronage. A GUY NAMED JOE: Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne — Did better than average business. Pleased most of audience. Can recommend it for any exhibitor. — L. G. Tewksbury, Opera House Theatre, Stonington, Maine. Small town patronage. ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE: Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone — Best liked picture that we have played this year. Wish we could get more like this. Will do well in any location. Played Sunday, May 7. — Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO 887. Military patronage. BROADWAY RHYTHM: George Murphy, Ginny Simms — Jam packed with talent from start to finish. Just what the public wants and more of it. You can't pick out just one for credit, it goes to all the cast. This Ginny Simms just sparkled in the picture, and nice voice, but the ones that really stopped the show were the sensational acrobats, the Ross Sisters, and one, I think it was Doug Kelly, who topped any one who has crossed our screen in his impersonations. I may be in the minority but I would like to see some of the top musicals brought back— Rose Marie, those of that type. We have a precedent for this request in that the good reissues have outgrossed the current product. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. CRY HAVOC: Margaret Sullivan, Ann Sothern— This gi feature did not click so hot at the box office. Although I ^ the patrons who saw it said it was "Right good." Played Sunday, June 4. — Cleo Manry, Buena Vista Theatre, Buena Vista, Ga. Small town patronage. EYES IN THE NIGHT: Edward Arnold, Ann Harding— A marvelous weekend show . . . the dog in the picture is superb as is all the action of the picture. Marvelous business, everyone pleased. Flayed Friday, Saturday, June 16, 17.— Ken Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. LASSIE COME HOME: Roddy McDowall, Edmund Gwenn — This is one that was tops. Everyone enjoyed this one. It's one of the best all around audience pictures of the season. Play this one by all'means. Played Sunday, Monday, June 11, 12.— Bob Neely, Times Theatre, Jonesboro, 111. Small town patronage. SEE HERE, PRIVATE HARGROVE: Robert Walker, Donna Reed — Very much enjoyed by our crowd. A lot stayed for a second show, which is unusual at our shows. Plenty of laughs. Should do well anywhere. Running time, 100 min. Played Wednesday, May 3. — Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO1 887. Military patronage. TUNISIAN VICTORY: Documentary— Educational picture that my people did not want to see. Some walked out. Business poor.— F. R. Crist, Crist Theatre, Loveland, O. Small town patronage. Paramount NO TIME FOR LOVE: Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray— Everyone went wild for this. If they were all as good as this, wouldn't this be one great business. Played Wednesday, May 24.— Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO 887. Military patronage. 40 . . . the original exhibitors' reports 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. SO PROUDLY WE HAIL: Paulette Goddard, Veronica Lake — It must have been good for an audience to sit in an auditorium for two hours with the temperature almost 95 degrees. Very good picture but in my opinion it was slightly long. Played Sunday, May 28. — Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO 887. Military patronage. SUBMARINE ALERT: Richard Arlen, Wendy Barrie — Paramount, please — no more like this. Flayed Sunday, May 21— Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO 887. Military patronage. -J SULLIVANSv THE: Anne Baxter, Thomas MitchellFox did make a good one this time. \ But I can't see why they had to give it a depressing ending. Why not carry the comedy through. Acting fine and business good. Played Sunday, Monday, June 11, 12. — F. R. Crist, Crist Theatre, Loveland, O. Small town patronage. • UNINVITED, THE: Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey— Another dialogue picture. Scenes taken in an old house. Very dark picture; nothing there to cost* very much. The same old story. A "C" in top allocation. I feel like I havC been gypped. Played Friday, Saturday, June 9, 10.— F. R. Crist, Crist Theatre; Loveland, O. Small town patronage. \ Republic IN OLD OKLAHOMA: John Wayne, Martha Scott— This was a very good picture. All of our customers enjoyed this one. I have been thinking that we should have more like this one and I think Technicolor would have been very good on this picture. Played Sunday, Monday, June 4, 5. — Bob Neely, Times Theatre, Jonesboro. 111. Small town patronage. PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA: Ruth Terry, Bob Livingston— Just right for my town. Did extra business. — L. G. Tewksbury, Opera House Theatre, Stonington, Maine. Small town patronage. RKO ACTION IN ARABIA: George Sanders, Virginia Bruce —This is the worst picture we have played in years. There is about five minutes of action in it. Skip it. Played Friday, Saturday, June 16, 17. — J. H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. AROUND THE WORLD: Kay Kyser, Joan Davis— This is one of the best musicals that we have played for some time. All of our audience enjoyed it and we were very well pleased with the box office receipts. Play it if you haven't. Played Friday, Saturday, June 17, 18. — Bob Neely, Times Theatre, Jonesboro, 111. Small town patronage. AROUND THE WORLD: Kay Kyser, Joan Davis— This feature drew a better than average crowd and seemed to please 100%. Joan Davis drew most of the laughs. Fine escapist picture. — L. G. Tewksbury, Opera House Theatre, Stonington, Maine. Small town patronage. BEHIND THE RISING SUN: Tom Neal, Margo— First night business was grand and comments from patrons were "Good Show." but business was so low second night I just wondered if they really thought it was good, as comment first night always affects second night and this did not prove to help me any. Played Wednesday, Thursday, June 7, 8. — Cleo Manry, Buena Vista Theatre, Buena Vista, Ga. FALCON OUT WEST: Tom Conway, Barbara Hale— These Falcon pictures are always good. Patrons pleased. Flayed Friday, Saturday, May 12, 13.— J. H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, . Nova Scotia, Canada. Small town patronage. GILDERSLEEVE ON BROADWAY: Harold Perry, Billie Burke — Used this on a double bill with Tarzan s Desert Mystery. Had several walkouts but there were many laughs by those who remained. Played Friday, Saturday, June 9, 10.— A. S. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Calif. Small lumber town. HIGHER AND HIGHER: Frank Sinatra, Michele Morgan— Not a bad picture. Sinatra might be able to sing but we would rather heat" Bing Crosby any day. Played Wednesday, Thursday, May 10, 11.— J. ,H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada..., Small town patronage. TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY: Johnny Weismuller, Nancy Kelly— The Tarzan fans turned' out '.in good numbers to see this episode and every one apparently was sat isfied there being no complaint or walkouts Played Friday, ■ Saturday, June 9, 10. — A. S. Ed,wards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Calif. Small lumber town. UP IN ARMS: Danny Kaye, Dinah' Shore— Kaye is versatile in his impersonations; I suppose that he Tanks as a top comedian. It is light entertainment, but, at that, I noticed some restlessness in the audience as the picture progressed. I think it was a case of just a little too much of Kaye.— A: E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia Theatre, Gojumbia City* Ind. / r Twentieth CenturyFox BUFFALO BILL: Joel McCrea, Maureen O'Hara— This picture is all you exhibitors could ask for — color, action, history — and the folks turned out big in this college town. Also 100% for. farmers. Played Sunday-Tuesday, June 11, 13.— Ken Gorham, Town Hal] Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. Rural patronage. GUADALCANAL DIARY: William Bendix, Preston Foster^Fine action picture that pleased practically all, although we still get complaints about booking war pictures. Running about 93 min. Played Wednesday, May 10.— Sgt. Wm. E. Goewey, Overseas, APO1 887. Military patronage. GANG'S ALL HERE, THE:. Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda—Very few comments from my customers which is unusual, and as for myself, it is one of the poorest I have ever seen Alice Faye in. Very few laughs. And the scenery was very much overdone. On the whole was very poor. Flayed Sunday, Monday, June 18,19.— Bob Neely, Times Theatre, Jonesboro, 111. Small town patronage. GANG'S ALL HERE: Alice Faye, Carmen MirandaBusiness was below capacity, but fair. There were no complaints and every one seemed happy at the finish. The picture leaned more towards photography than story. We were held too far back on playing dates. Played Sunday, Monday, June 11, 12.— A. S. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Calif. Small lumber town. LODGER THE: Merle Oberon, George Sanders.— What a licking we took with this picture; wish we hadn't played it. Played Wednesday, Thursday, June 14, 15.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. PARIS AFTER DARK: George Sanders, Brenda Marshall—This feature flopped miserably. The cast was good and their acting very creditable but there was just no interest. Therefore, no business. Played Wednesday, Thursday, June 7, 8.— A. S. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Calif. Small lumber town. THE PURPLE HEART: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte — Our crowd a little disappointed and some who saw it wished they had not but still a great picture and worth your best playing time. Played Sunday-Tuesday, June 4-6.— Ken Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury. Vt. Action lovers patronage. THE PURPLE HEART: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte — Almost all of this picture was taken in a court room. Not a bad piece of work; my patrons were pleased. Played Monday, Tuesday, May 8, 9.— J. H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. Small town patronage. SWEET ROSIE 0*GRADY: Betty Grable, Robert Young — Very nice picture, nice color, good comedy. Play it. Flayed Wednesday, Thursday, June 7, 8. — J. H. Bustin, Imperial Theatre, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. Small town patronage. SWING OUT THE BLUES: Bob Haymes, Lynn Merrick— Has appeal to younger set. Business fair. Played Sunday, June 11. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. TAMPICO: Lynn Bari, Edward G. Robinson— Just another picture. Allocated too high. Double-bill it. Flayed Tuesday, June 13— F. R. Crist, Crist Theatre, Loveland, O. Small town patronage. United Artists FALSE COLORS: William Boyd— A very good Hopalong Cassidy western— in fact a(l his outdoor releases are well done. Played Friday, -June, 9. — Abe H. Kaufman. Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind'. Family patronage. RIDERS OF THE DEADLINE: William Boyd— Good western; country people go for these. Played Friday, Sat (Continued on opposite page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY I, 1944