Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

'/what the picture did for . . . the original exiiibitors' reports department, estobiiilied October 14, 1916. 'la tlieatremen serve one another with information about the box-office performone* < product — providing a service of the exhibitor for the exhibitor. ADDRESS REPORT^ What the Picture Did for IMe. Ivlotion Picture Herald, Rockefeller Center. New Yeric 2j Me+ro-Goldwyn-Mayer AMERICAN ROMANCE, AN: Brian Donlevy, Ann Richard — Technicolor seems to be the go word in this community, but the extreme cold and continued snow froze the receipts at the box office. The picture, with very good character acting on the part of Donlevy, a good story, although somewhat overdone at times, and some interesting and educational material therein, should have grossed a lot more for me. Personally, I think it is a swell picture and see no reason why it shouldn't do business in the neighborhood when the weather is half decent. It is a lot better than some of my weekend features and probably would have done better on a Sunday through Tuesday bilUng. Played Wednesday, Thursday, Jan. 31, Feb. 1.— Sid J. Dickler, Belmar Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa. Neighborhood patronage. ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE: Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone — Andy is still good at the box office here. I think the picture was O.K. with the exception of his fiancee being much too old in her manner for Mickey. There are lots of laughs. — Edward H. Belz, Community Theatre, Athens, Wis. Rural and small town patronage. BARBARY COAST GENT: Wallace Beery, Binnie Barnes — Business very poor. My customers asked why not another feature. It seems that I have to double bill on Wednesday and Thursday whether I want to or not. Those who came seemed to like the feature. Played Wednesday, Thursday, Jan. 24, 25. — Bryce Paulsen, Remus Theatre, Remus, Mich. Rural patronage. BATHING BEAUTY: Red Skelton, Esther WilliamsWonderful production that failed to gfross what was expected. I believe that it had the wrong title to gross properly. However, can use many pictures of this type. Played Sunday and Tuesday, Jan. 21 and 23. — B. Bennett, Victory Theatre, Calhoun, Ky. Small town and rural patronage. GASLIGHT: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman — ^I was rather afraid that this Victorian thriller would not be well received here, but contrary to my expectations it did average business and was enjoyed by all. Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman really do something to this type of feature and one cannot help but admire very good performances.— Edward H. Belz, Community Theatre, Athens, Wis. Rural and small town patronage. LOST ANGEL: Margaret O'Brien, James Craig— A good picture that you can give a preferred date and please all. Margaret O'Brien is very popular with my customers. Played Thursday -Saturday, Jan. 4-6. — H. B. Narfason, Foam Lake Theatre, Foam Lake, Sask., Can. Rural and small town patronage. LOST IN A HAREM: Bud Abbott and Lou CostelloLou and Bud's corny slapstick stuff seemed to go over better in this one; in fact, judging from the lobbv comments the cash customers liked this Abbott and Costello picture best of all their films. Of course, some credit is due to Miss Maxwell, some to the film editors and some to the good music. There was not enough J. Dorsey for the "solid sox." The kids came early and stayed late, allowing no turnover. Business pretty good. Played Sunday -Tuesday, Jan. 28-i30.— Sid J. EHckler, Belmaf Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pa. Neighborhood patronage. LOST IN A HAREM: Bud Abbott, Lou CostelloBusiness below average. The customers say these two try too hard to be funny and the result is that they are not at all funny. Double billed with "Manpower." Played Wednesday, Thursday, Jan. 3, 4.— Bryce Paulsen, Remus Theatre, Remus, Micli. Rural patronage. MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR: Lana Turner, John Hodiak — It is a long drawn out story about nothing in particular which would call for sustained interest on the part of the audience. The women who came, however, loved it. They said it was fine, but business was poor. I fail to understand why such a story should prove of sufficient interest to warrant such a lavish production. Played Sunday, Monday, Jan. 14, 15. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Thetare, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR: Lana Turner, John Hodiak — There was shown only a mild interest in this picture. What it lacked, I don't know. All I know is that we lacked customers. Played Friday, Saturday, Jan. 26, 27.— H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, 111. Neighborhood patronage. RATIONING: Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main— This is well up to the general run of Beery pictures. If your fans like Beery, they will like this one. TTie box office held its own in spite of bad weather. Played Wednesday, Friday, Jan. 17-19.— H. B. Narfason, Foam Lake Theatre, Foam Lake, Sask., Can. Rural and small town patronage. SEE HERE. PRIVATE HARGROVE: Robert Walker, Donna Reed — This faature drew very well for us and was enjoyed by all. Business above average.— Robert H. Belz, Community Theatre, Athens, Wis. Rural and small town patronage. , < I SEVENTH CROSS, THE: Spencer Tracy, Signe Hasso — They came in droves to see this one. Spencer Tracy really pulls them in here. This is the third picture with a war theme that has done good business here. Played Sunday, Jan. 28. — Bryce Paulsen, Remus Theatre, Remus, Mich. Rural patronage. Paramount FRENCHMAN'S CREEK: Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordoba — It is amazing how much money is squandered on trite screen material; the production on this alone must have reached well into the millions. The finished picture is not down the ally of small towns and I doubt if the rank and file patron is going to get excited about it. I heard some complaints about its length. Business here was very good. It was helped in a large measure by the first decent Sunday weather in four weeks. It's too bad the system in 6ur business permits so much waste of valuable talents and materials. Personally, I liked Mr. Rathbone better than anything else in the picture. He did full justice to his villainous role. Played Sunday, Monday, Jan. 21, 22.— Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. GREAT MOMENT, THE: Joel McCrea, Betty Field— Another one that was not very gjood. Business was at its lowest ebb. Played Sunday, Monday, Jan. 21, 22. — H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, 111. Neighborhood patronage. I LOVE A SOLDIER: Paulette Goddard, Sonny Tufts —We failed to do any business with this picture. This picture went over very well, but Mr. Tufts did not make any new records as a great lover. The work of Miss Bondi was sensational. Miss Goddard was delightful as usual. Played Wednesday, Thursday, Jan. 24, 25.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Calif. Small lumber town patronage. NATIONAL BARN DANCE: Jean Heather, James Brown— Had twice the usual Christmas Eve business with this picture. Played Sunday, Dec. 24.— Bryce Paulsen, Remus Theatre, Remus, Mich. Rural patronage. NATIONAL BARN DANCE: Jean Heather, James Brown— This film is made to measure for the small town audience. All the rural folk for miles around turned out to see it, in spite of roads, which were choked with snowdrifts. I don't know how our big city cousins will take it, but for us, it is great stuff. Business was very good. We doubled it with "Jungle Woman." Played Friday, Saturday, Jan. 19, 20.— Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. STORY OF DR. WASSEIX,: Gary Cooper, Laraine Day— A wonderful picture that did O.K. even though it was bloody and a war picture. This kind of war picture is O.K. once in a while. Christmas shopping, which was early this year, hurt some, but we would have starved if we did not have something like this to hold us over until the holidays were over. Played Sunday, Monday, Dec. 3, 4.— B. Bennett, Star Theatre, Ft. Branch, Ind. Small town and rural patronage. TAKE IT BIG: Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard— This picture did not mean a thing at our box office. We had the poorest Sunday and Monday business that we have had in many moons. Played Jan. 21, 22.— H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, HI. Neighborhood patronage. TILL WE MEET AGAIN: Ray Milland, Barbara Britton — It is a very tender story of an attempted escape of an American aviator from occupied France. The war background kept . many away but those who came were deeply impressed by the story of a religious novice who removes her veil and dies a heroine. Frank Borzage never directed more carefully and I'm sure we have a winner in the person of Miss Britton, who does well in the first picture I've seen her in. Business was fair to good. Played Friday, Saturday, Jan. 26, 27. — Thomas di Lorenzo, New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y. Small town patronage. RKO Radio AROUND THE WORLD: Kay Kyser, Joan Davis, Mischa Auer — I have no objection to Kay Kyser going around the world, but I sure wish he had not stopped at my theatre. We had many walkouts and many com plaints. It is the kind of a picture that does not make the exhibitor popular. We had the lowest box offi receipts for months. Played Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 2 27.— H. B. Narfason, Foam Lake Theatre, Foam LaU Sask., Can. Rural and small town patronage. ' CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE: Simone Simon, kJ Smith — There were parts of this picture that were real touching but others parts were too exaggerated. '11 little girl was wonderful. Played Friday, Saturday, Ja 26, 27.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal Small lumber town patronage. | GIRL, A GUY AND A GOB, A: George Murphy, l' cille Ball — Here is an oldtimer that did farily well at tj box office. It is a swell comedy and the names of Geon Murphy and Lucille Ball back it up. For once a servl man loses the girl to another guy. A sailor who tol his girl to see it said that it didn't end right. That the only complaint that we received. Played Tuesd Wednesday, Oct. 31, Nov. 1.— Ralph Raspa, State Th tre, Rivesville, W. Va. HEAVENLY DAYS: Fibber McGee and Molly— Ti is a fair picture but priced too high for the amount gross. It failed to do what was expected of it. Ho ever, can't complain too much about this producer a , distributor as they make box office pictures for tow of this size and I don't mean maybe. Played Sund Monday, Jan. 7, 8.— B. Bennett, Star Theatre, Ft. Bran Ind. Small town and rural patronage. i NORTH STAR, THE: Walter Huston, Anne Baxte This is a wonderful production and a picture that eve one should see. The music and the dramatization of i Russian life are very good. Walter Huston was wond!ful in his role. Played Wednesday -Friday, Jan. 241. — B. Bennett, Victory Theatre, Calhoun, Ky. Small tol and rural patronage. NORTH STAR, THE: Walter Huston, Anne Baji • —This was great at the box office and surprising to ! since it was a war drama. I expected to have onci :t the lowest grosses of the year. This is a swell story, s has both laughs and tears. Played Sunday, Mondj, Oct. 15, 16.— Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, % Va. iV SHOW BUSINESS: Eddie Cantor, George MurphlThis is the type of musical comedy that people go ' in a big way. It would have made more money ifi; had been done in Technicolor. The comedy was i\r plied mostly by Joan Davis and Eddie Cantor. Pla^ll Sunday, Monday, Oct. 22, 23.— Ralph Raspa, State Th' • tre, Rivesville, W. Va. SHOW BUSINESS: Eddie Cantor, George Murph • Played this late as I took it out for "Since You Wi ; Away" about two months ago. What a fool I was. T i outgrossed "Since You Went Away" three to two. Vi live and learn in this business but it sems that we ca : learn it all. This is a wonderful picture and we ni 1 more like it. Eddie Cantor can do everything; so \ i George Murphy. Played Sunday, Monday, Jan. 28, 25 • B. Bennett, Star Theatre, Ft. Branch, Ind. Small to i and rural patronage. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS: Disi ■ Cartoon Feature — Business was surprisingly good co ■ pared to what we made the first time we played it. T li simple story will please both young and old. Pla I Sunday, Monday, Oct. 29, 30.— Ralph Raspa, State Th • tre, Rivesville, W. Va. •STEP UVELY: George Murphy, Frank Sinatra , poor picture that did O.K. at the box office. Doub 1 with "Brother Rat." Played Sunday and Tuesday, J i, 14 and 16.— B. Bennett, Victory Theatre, Calhoun, 1 . Small town and rural patronage. 1 Republic ATLANTIC CITY: Constance Moore, Bradford T ■ lor— Over-rated by the producers. This one did not g > the patrons what they came into see. I think the mate, I was O.K. but it just didn't jell to make it a pict ) for your best playing time. It would not do at all f midweek.— Edward H. Belz, Community Theatre, Ath< ' Wis. Rural and small town patrotiage. CALL OF THE ROCKIES: Smiley Bumette, Soi Carson— This was substituted for "Death Valley M' hunt" and gave the fans about the same action, rid and comedy that they want. Business above aven despite very cold weather.— Edward H. Belz, Commu* Theatre, Athens, Wis. Rural and small town patrom {Continued on page 32) 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 17, (