Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(Continued from preceding page) THE DEVIL ON WHEELS: Damian O'Flynn, Lenita Lane — Sell this one from the fact that it was recently voted the picture of the month by Parent's Magazine and you will do all right. It did almost outstanding business and was fully liked and appreciated by a whale of a lot of customers. My rural customers went for it in a big way and there was more comment on it than any picture I had played for a long time. Played Saturday, March 22.— Harold J. Johnson, Elberta Theatre, Palisade, Colo. DOWN MISSOURI WAY: John Carradine— I bought this one because of the title and I am sorry to have to admit it, but it is a genuine dud. No story, plot, cast or anything else. Plenty of walkouts on this one. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 5.— Harold J. Johnson, Elberta Theatre, Palisade, Colo. MEET THE NAVY: Oscar Naske— A nice picture for Canadian audiences. I believe, generally speaking, this picture has been doing O.K. Played Monday, Tuesday, March 31, April 1.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario. QUEEN OF BURLESQUE : E velyn Ankers, Carle ton Young — The name brought them in, but they left the theatre disappointed. Miss La Rose had a swell act in the picture. Played Friday, Saturday, March 28, 29.— Ralph Raspa. State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Republic DAYS OF BUFFALO BILL: Sunset Carson— One of the worst pictures I have seen Sunset Carson in and was not so well liked in this small town. Will have to do better than this if Carson is ever a good draw in this town. Played Saturday, March 15. — Thurman A. Shillings. Pastime Theatre, Danville, Ark. HITCHHIKE TO HAPPINESS: Al Pierce— Terrible. If you can get away from playing it, don't. One redeeming feature, we didn't have to run two shows, as they all walked out by the time the second show was half over. Print was as terrible as the show. And they _ have the nerve to sell it at top bracket prices. Still have a headache. Played Saturday, Sunday, Jan. 4, 5. — C. R,. Jordan, Operahouse Theatre, Cogswell, N. D. RKO Radio BADMAN'S TERRITORY: Randolph Scott, Ann Richards — One of the best pictures at the box office I have had since the war. Played Sunday and Monday. Just the picture for my town or small town patronage. Played March 2, 3. — Thurman A. Shillings, Pastime Theatre, Danville, Ark. CORNERED: Dick Powell— Patrons did not go for this picture although well acted and good plot. No good for small town. Business below average. Played Wednesday, Thursday, Jan. 29, 30.— Wm. F. Deuty, Capitol Theatre. Parish, N. Y. CRACK-UP: Pat O'Brien, Claire Trevor— 0''Brien is dropping fast. I believe he should go back to Warners and make a feature worthy of his acting ability. This feature had no draw — nor was it liked. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, March 25, 26. — Ralph Raspa, State ' Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD: Joan Fontaine, Mark Stevens — This being a small town with rural patronage, I almost pulled this one out to keep from starving to death after the first afternoon. It is very slow, the plot is weak and is almost entirely dependent on star value and acting to keep it from being a total flop. Patrons come out of this wondering what it was all about and if you are stuck and have to play it in a small town such as this be sure and advertise to see it from the beginning. Entirely too many cutbacks. Flayed Sunday, Monday, March 23, 24. — Harold J. Johnson, Elberta Theatre, Palisade, Colo. HEARTBEAT: Ginger Rogers, Jeanne Pierre Aumont — This may cause some theatres to have a heartbeat but in mine this one is a deadbeat. It turned in the poorest ThursdayFriday business that I have had in some time. It is definitely not a picture for a small town which depends upon rural patronage to keep the doors open. Ginger Rogers is far from being nil to par in this so-called good picture. Played Thursday, Fridav. March 28. 29.— Harold J. Johnson. Elberta Theatre, Palisade, Colo. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: James Stewart, Donna Reed — After seeing this one men and women alike will come out thinking that it is a wonderful life. Stewart in his first picture since the ^ war does a really marvelous job. The whole supporting cast from beginning to end is very good also. If we could all depend on having more pictures of this caliber and get a halfway decent deal with good playdates we could quit some of the squawking and play fewer and better pictures. Played Sunday-Tuesday, March 23 25. — Harold J. Johnson. Elberta Theatre, Palisade. Colo. NOCTURNE: George Raft. Lynn Bari— Raft is a "used-to-be" around here. Not worth the price I r-aid for it, nor the "A" time I gave it. Played Sunday, Monday, March 23, 24.— Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. SONG OF THE SOUTH: Bobby Driscoll, Luana Patten — Played to house capacity for 14 shows, two Department Is Pot-Betlied Stove In Village Store —Worldwide Harland Rankin, president of the Rankin Enterprises, Catbam, Ont., has contributed so frequently to the What the Picture Did for Me department that his name is known as far afield as Holland. Several months ago a Dutch exhibitor, C. J. D. Meerstadt of De Steeg, read Mr. Rankin's comments and was moved to write him. That correspondence has now reached the stage where they are exchanging packages of food and tulip bulbs, and a genuine friendship has developed. "So you see," wrote Mr. Rankin to the Herald this week, "your column is popular and I feel fellow exhibitors should give a little of their time to it." Mr. Meerstadt's latest letter to Mr. Rankin, in part, follows: "Close to the stove I am writing you this letter, because a Russian wind is blowing through the Low Countries. It is about 10 degrees below zero with a kind of blizzard knocking at the windows. Although I still have my cinema, I have gone back to work as a chemical analyst in the concrete factory. On one side I am an employee; on the other side I am independent. In your last letter you wrote that it was your intention to send me a box. I'll give you a list of the things we get on our coupons: Bread, 2,000 grams; meat, 250 grams; cheese, 100 grams, etc. It is meant for one week. You see it is not too much, but it is enough and I do not think it necessary that you send me canned goods. There are people in the world who need it more. You can do me a great favor, though: Mrs. Meerstadt is in great need of some nutmegs. I just contracted for nine pictures from the Motion Picture Export Association: a Tarzan picture, 'How Green Was My Valley', 'Reap the Wild Wind', etc." of which were for High and Grammar School students. A picture which is entertainment for parents and children. Don't fail to play it. Played Monday Wednesday, Feb. 17-19.— Mrs. Lula H. Ash, Hally Theatre, Dahlonega, Ga. THE STRANGER: Orson Welles. Loretta YoungEmotional drama that failed to draw. Our customers need something to take their minds off their troubles. Business below average both nights. Played Sunday, Monday, March 22, 23— Jean Roberts, Huron Theatre, Pontiac, Mich. SUNSET PASS: James Warren, Nan Leslie— Zane Grey's pictures are always welcome here. This wasn't up to the previous ones but it satisfied. Doubled with "Gallant Bess" and a bang-up show. Business above average both nights. Played Sunday, Monday, March 30, 31. — Jean Roberts, Huron Theatre, Pontiac, Mich. TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN: Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce — Had competition both nights on this picture, basketball game first night and school play second, but you can't go wrong on this one for small town and rural population. Everyone liked it. Played Thursday, Friday, March 13, 14.— Thurman A. Shillings, Pastime Theatre, Danville, Ark. WITHOUT RESERVATIONS: Claudette Colbert, John Wayne — Lots of laughs with plenty of comedy scenes take the taste out of the people's mouths since they can forget that as far as story value, there just isn't any. It's just a mad chase from one coast to the other that could happen to anyone at sometime or another in his life. Just fair business here. Played Sunday. Monday, Feb. 9, 10. — Harold J. Johnson, Elberta Theatre, Palisade, Colo. Screen Guild BOHEMIAN GIRL: Laurel and Hardy— Doubled with Western to excellent business. Pretty old but it has the stuff to get young and old in. Our formula for Friday -Saturday business: Nonsense without romance, and solid action with a little Western music added. A few good names always help. Played March 21, 22.— C. M. Hulbert, Gem Theatre, Cornell, Wis. Twentieth CenturyFox BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman, Richard Denning— A picture that was liked by young and old alike. Did good business both days. Just wish there were more made Hke it. The only way that it could have been better is to have been made in Technicolor. Can't miss on this one. Played Sunday, Monday. March 16, 17. — Thurman A. Shillings, Pastime Theatre, Danville, Ark. BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman, Richard Denning— Very good. Very good business. Patrons liked it and came again to see it. Played "Shadow's Over Chinatown" with it. Played Fridav. Saturday, March 20, 21.— Wm. F. Deuty, Capitol Theatre, Parish, N. V. BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman, Richard Denning— Am naming Highland Dale as the star as am sure that's what brought them in both nights to secthis one. Business way above average. Flayed Sunday, Monday, March 9, 10.— David Bull. Lake Theatre. Howard Lake, Minn. Rural and small town patronage. BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman. Richard Denning—Play this one on a night that the children are able to attend; a natural for suburban and small town situations. Played Thursday, Friday. — Elstun Dodge. Elstun Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio. BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman. Richard Denning—A fair picture. Did not draw as well as other animal pictures in color. Wonder why they must always put horror into such pictures, which makes little children unhappy. Plaved Monday. Tuesday, March 31, April 1.— Mrs. Lula H. Ash. Hally Theatre Dahlonega, Ga. College and rural patronage. CENTENNIAL SUMMER: Jeanne Craine, Cornel Wilde — There was a time when these Technicolor musicals would do some business, but that time has passed. The story in most of them is bad! Poor business. Played Sunday-Tuesday, March 9-11. — Carl M. Hulbert, Gem Theatre, Cornell. Wis. CENTENNIAL SUMMER: Jeanne Crain, Cornel Wilde — Another picture which builds the morale of the small town exhibitor and pays oft at the box office, too. Played Thursday, Friday, March 27, 28.— Mrs. Lula H. Ash, Hally Theatre Dahlonega, Ga. College and rural patronage. CLAUDIA AND DAVID: Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young — We didn't think business could drop to such a low! Here is one to stay away from. We paid just twice as much as we could afford for this. Plaved Tuesday -Thursday, March 25-27— C. M. Hulbert, Gem Theatre, Cornell, Wis. CLAUDIA AND DAVID: Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young — Good comedy, but storm held back attendance. Played Sunday, Monday. March 16, 17. — Wm. F. Deuty, Capitol Theatre, Parish, N. Y. CLUNY BROWN: Charles Boyer. Jennifer Jones— Boyer not up to par in this one. He does not take in this town. Well acted, but something seemed to be lacking to put it across. No good for small towns. Played Wednesday, Thursday. Feb. 5. 6. — Wm. F. Deuty, Capitol Theatre, Parish. N. Y. IF I'M LUCKY: Vivian Blaine. Harry James— Thi~ was just another disappointment; no draw and very poor reaction. Good only for second spot on double bill. Played Wednesday. Thursday. March 26. 27.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre. Scotia. Calif. IF I'M LUCKY: Vivian Blaine. Perry Como, Harry James — Had several walkouts on this one and would have done the same myself had I been free to do so. For either small or large town, would shy away from this one if possible. Played March 9. 10. — Tliurman A. Shillings, Pastime Theatre. Danville, Ark. MARGIE: Jeanne Crain, Alan Young — Should do well in any type of theatre. — Elstun Dodge. Elstun Theatre. Cincinnati. Ohio. (Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 19, 1947 45