Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

(Continued from page 36) MERRY MONAHANS, THE: Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan — very good musical show which pleased everyone. Business was above average. It is Donold O'Connor at his best. Played Wednesday, Thursday, Nov. 15, 16. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. Warner Bros. ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN: Fredric March, Alexis Smith — A very interesting picture, the first part of which takes you along the Mississippi in one of the old time river boats. Good acting by all, including Alan Hale. This film was very well liked by the majority of patrons. Played Sunday -Tuesday, Nov. 12-14.— M. Ewing, Ewing Theatre, Midlothian, 111. Suburban patronage. AIR FORCE: John Garfield, Gig Young— Business way down on this one. — R. R. Kiefer, Rural Circuit Theatre, Hardisty, Alta., Can. Village and rural patronage. GAY SISTERS, THE: Barbara Stanwyck, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gig Young — Very good show but business down. — R. R. Kiefer, Rural Circuit Theatre, Hardisty, Alta., Can. Village and rural patronage. JANIE: Joyce Reynolds, Robert Hutton— This picture with a comparatively weak box office cast made a tremendous hit here at this theatre where it rolled up one of the year's best Sunday and Monday engagements. Warners not only made a good comedy, but gives you a "home run" trailer which sells the picture like nothing else does. Don't overlook this one. Played Oct. 29, 30. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. MAKE YOUR OWN BED: Jack Carson, Jane Wyman —A laugh riot full of funny situations and sure to please all. Good attendance. Played Friday. Saturday, Nov. 10, 11.— M. Ewing, Ewing Theatre, Midlothian, 111. Suburban patronage. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY: James Cagney, Joan Leslie — Too much flag waving. Business down. — R. R. Kiefer, Rural Circuit Theatre, Hardisty, Alta, Can. Village and rural patronage. Short Features Columbia COMMUNITY SING NO. 11: Yes'r That's My Baby— This series is popular with us. They creat a nice atmosphere.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. IDLE ROOMERS: All Star Comedies— Good. Lots of laughs. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. PICK A PECK OF PLUMBERS: All Star Comedies —Pure slapstick that clicked. — Leonard J. Leise, Rand Theatre, Randolph, Neb. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer BEAR RAID WARDEN: Technicolor Cartoons— Featuring the character "Barney Bear," this cartoon went over well here and pleased all. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Pahz Theatre. New Paltz, N. Y. MOVIE PESTS: Pete Smith Specialties— Well, it has finally been made — the picture which kids an audience about itself and does it very well, indeed. It certainly made our audience laugh. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. THE BODYGUARD: Technicolor Cartoons— Tom and Jerry plus a bulldog add up to a fairly entertaining seven minutes which pleased all the kiddies here. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. RKO Radio CONTRARY CANDOR: Walt Disney Cartoons— This is well worth playing. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. THE KITCHEN CYNIC: Edgar Kennedy— We needed some domestic relief on a program, and this one filled the bill nicely as do all Kennedy's "married" comedies. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Twentieth CenturyFox BACK DOOR TO TOKYO: March of Time— An excellent subject with vivid scenes of India and China. There are also pictures of General Stilwell, who has been mentioned very often in recent news stories. — Thomas di I Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. CARMEN'S VERANDA: Terrytoons— This looked like just a fair cartoon to us. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. DOG SENSE: Sports Review— I think that this is a fine animal reel which almost any kind of an audience will like. It tells all about hunting dogs and retrievers. It made a hit here. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. GHOST TOWN: Terrytoons— Gandy Goose, a cat and lots of ghosts are loose in a "western" atmosphere. I'm going to play this one over again on a spook show, where it will prove most helpful. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre. New Paltz, N. Y. SHORT PRODUCT PLAYING BROADWAY Week of November 27 ASTOR Monumental Utah MSM Sports Quiz MGM Featiire: Kismet MGM CRITERION Ski for Two Universal Robot Bomb RKO Feature: Lost in a Harem MGM GLOBE Listen to the Bands Vltaphone Lost and Foundling Vltaphone Feature: Dark Waters United Artists HOLLYWOOD Booby tHatchet Vltaphone Their Dizzy Day Vltaphone Feature: To Have and Have NorV/arner Bros. R I ALTO On the Way to Rio Paramount Feature: One Body Too Many. . Paramount RIVOLI Jasper's Paradise Paramount Feature: Frenchman's Creek . . . .Paramount ROXY Uncle Sam, Mariner? 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Irish Eyes Are S'«i/i«jf . 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND Let's Go Fishing Vltaphone Buckaroo Bugs Vltaphone Their Dizzy Day Vltaphone Feature: Very Thought of You Warner Bros. GHOST TOWN: Terrytoons— Clever color cartoon.— E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. LEW LEHR MAKES THE NEWS: Dribble Puss Parade— This is a mixture of everything that is funny, including Lew getting socked on his nose by a ball at the circus. Everyone here laughed. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. NYMPHS ON PARADE: Sports Reviews (Color)— A very nice bathing beauty reel which doesn't hurt any program. Tliere are plenty of pretty girls and surefire talk by Ed Thorgerson. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. NYMPHS OF THE LAKE: Sports Reviews (Color)— Very good. It made a nice show. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. STUDENTS OF FORM: Sports Reviews— A visit to the campus of a girl's school showing the activities of the students outside the classroom. Good entertainment. Tliorgerson does the talking. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. THE BUTCHER OF SEVILLE: Terrytooons — Fair film fare.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. SWINGTIME. HOLIDAY: Name-Band Musicals— Good two-reel musical show. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, De.wey, Okla. SWINGTIME HOLIDAY: Name-Band Musicals— Fifteen minutes of music, dancing and singing which proved very popular here with "Wing and a Prayer" as the feature. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Victory Films AMERICA'S HIDDEN WEAPON: This is the story of the victory garden and the vital part it plays in the war effort. It is well done and was well received by our audience. This one is dated. The narrator says "do better in 1944." Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. ATTACK: This is a 50-minute documentary film on MacArthur's New Guinea campaign. It is an exciting film and good all the way. The closing three minutes includes a camera trip along the beach with dead bodies all over the place. — 'Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz "Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Vitaphone HARE FORCE: "Bugs Bujiny" Specials.— If you like cartoons, this is O.K.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. HARRY OWENS & ORCHESTRA: Melody Mastei Bands— Good musical reel featuring Hawaiian music— E, M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. SKI WHIZZ: Vitaphone Varieties — Entertaining reel — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla, SUNDAY GO TO MEETIN' TIME: Blue Ribbon Hi Parade — Good color cartoon.— E. M. Freiburger, Pari mount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Swiss Face Grave Product Shortage Washington Bureau There is a serious shortage of motion pictui product in Switzerland, the Department of Con merce this week indicates in a survey of conditio!^ in Switzerland, not available when its main repoi on markets for American films was published j month ago. j Compiled by Nathan D. Golden, chief of th' motion picture unit, on the basis of informatio] furnished by Robert T. Cowan of the State De partment foreign service, the survey shows tha Swiss exhibitors are in a bad way, cut off entirelj from importations of foreign films since last Julj The refusal to permit the showing of any foreigi films was in retaliation for the action of the Ger mans in blocking the transit of Allied films tl Switzerland when they took over northern Ital; about a year ago. Prior to that time, America! films, after being cut off temporarily at the out break of the war when France collapsed, had bee imported between 1940 and 1943 through the poi of Genoa, under an agreement with Italy. ! Currently, the report said, there is a very seri ous shortage of feature films and a complete lac of foreign newsreels, and exhibitors are showin, American films 10 and 20 years old. "This ha partially helped to overcome the present crisis, bii conditions will rapidly grow worse if new films d not arrive by the end of 1944," Mr. Golden said. After the war, it was indicated, Russia wi^ emerge as a competitor to the U. S. in Switzerlan and will "expand its exportation of motion pic tures and may possibly try to take the position formerly occupied by Germany and Austria." ! Limited by law, the number of theatres in Swit zerland has remained constant during the last fe^ years at 350, with a combined seating capacity c approximately 125,000 persons and a yearly attend ance of about 36,000,000, it was stated. Norton Ritchey Returns From Navy to Monogram Norton V. Ritchey, Monogram vice-president c' foreign distribution, has returned to the New Yor office and active work, after duty with the Nav as lieutenant. Mr. Ritchey, who served in the first World Wai in this one served at Third Naval District head quarters in New York, and on the destroyer Knight, and Stern. Active participation by Monogram in post-wa world markets, a participation which will includ opening of wholly owned offices in key points, wa, announced this week by Mr. Ritchey. < National Screen Publishers Magazine for Servicemen As a tribute to the men and women of Nation? Screen Service, Inc., New York, now in th armed forces, the organization publishes ever two months a pocket-sized magazine titled "Serv ing Their Country." Information about employed photos, poetry, furlough and discharge news, ac dresses, etc., fill out the 32 pages of the Noverr ber-December issue. Circulation is limiteld t employees in all branches of the service and err ployees in exchanges throughout the country. "Hollywood Canteen" Will Open December 15 | The world premiere of Warners' "Hollywoo! Canteen" has been set for December 15 at th New York Strand, with more than 200 addition; openings scheduled for the Christmas-New Yea period. The radio campaign on the film's music; numbers has been under way for several week 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 2, 194