Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(Continued from preceding page) Hayworth, Playhouse Theatre, Pink Hill, N. C. Small town patronage. NEVADA: Robert Mitchum, Anne Jeffreys— The first Zane Grey Western we have played. Although it was quite old it drew the action fans. Bad roads and Spring floods didn't keep our fans away. Doubled with a drama and they made a swell combination for entertainment. We only play about a dozen double features a year and the rest will have to be good to out-gross this one. Played Monday, March 17. — Fred J. Hutchings, Community Theatre, Leader, Sask., Can. Small town and rural patronage. NOTORIOUS: Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant— Superb acting and good suspense. Played Monday, Tuesday, March 10, 11. — James C. Balkcom, Jr., Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. NOTORIOUS : Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman— This is a well-made drama, but business was just above average. Played Sunday, Monday, March 30, 31. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. SONG OF THE SOUTH: Disney Feature Cartoon — We feel that this is the best film we have ever run through the projection machine. Business good. We are proud, and hope to show something like this again.— W. F. Caudell, South Miami Theatre, South Miami, Fla. Suburban and rural patronage. TOMORROW IS FOREVER: Claudette Colbert, George Brent, Orson Welles — This one brought them out and it was well received. Played Wednesday, Thursday, April 9, 10.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. Screen Guild MY DOG SHEP: Tom Neal, Helen ChapmanPlayed this with "Open the Door, Richard," from Astor. My folks liked the combination. I couldn't ask for more. Played Wednesday, Thursday, March 19, 20.— Joe R. Hayworth, Playhouse Theatre, Pink Hill, N. C. Small town patronage. WILDFIRE: Bob Steele, Sterling Holloway— Terrible acting, sound recording and story material. We had a number of walkouts. The trailer was actually better made than the picture. My patrons expected to see a really good horse picture. There wasn't enough of the horse. Played Thursday, Friday, March 27, 28.— Newman R. Robinson, Joy Theatre, West Rutland, Vt. Twentieth CenturyFox ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM: Irene Dunne, Rex Harrison — This picture proved no good. Pass it up. Played Monday, Tuesday, April 7, 8. — Harla'nd Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. BLACK BEAUTY: Mona Freeman, Richard Denning— Played this alone with a cartoon and a comedy. It is especially for the family trade and it packed the house. It is a well produced, if not always too well acted, presentation of the time-honored story, with a cleanliness and wholesomeness about it which cannot but have a strong appeal to audiences surfeited by murd?r and psychosis. Played Wednesday, April 2.— John R. Cooney, Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Me. IF I'M LUCKY: Vivian Blaine, Harry James— This went over in a big way with my Sunday patrons. Played March 16. — James C. Balkcom, Jr., Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN: Gene Tierney, Vincent Price — Did not do business for me. Customers who really wanted to see this had two opportunities to see it before it got to me. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 22. — Newman R. Robinson, Joy Theatre, West Rutland, Vt. MARGIE: Jeanne Craine, Alan Young — A box office natural from every viewpoint. The middle-agers came to reminisce and the bobby-soxers to see how Mommie and Daddie conducted themselves in the flapper days. Why can't the producers stay wise and realize that this is the sort of good clean entertainment that the American public wants. Box office results spell the answer. Flayed Sunday, Monday, April 6, 7.— »Ted Keelen, Royal Theatre, Sheffield, 111. MY DARLING CLEMENTINE: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell — The title does not fit the picture. There is only a short singing sequence of Clementine. — A. E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. MY DARLING CLEMENTINE: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell — This should please any small town operator. It drew good business and pleased the customers. Perhaps the people in the wide open spaces aren't as appreciative of "art" as their city brethern but they surely go for stories of the good old U. S. A. with American actors. Played Sunday, Monday, March 16, 17.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal. Small lumber town patronage. THREE LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE: June Haver, Vivian Blaine — A lavishly produced musical in Technicolor, but it fell short at the box office. I guess the nearby larger towns milked it dry before it got to me. Played Monday, Tuesday. March 17, 18.— Joe R. Hayworth, Playhouse Theatre, Pink Hill, N. C. Small town patronage. WHAT SPRING? It's not what the picture did for me that's been the concern of A. L. Dove and his Bengough theatre, Bengough, Saskatchewan. It's been the weather. In a disgusted kind of letter written to the Herald recently, Mr. Dove wants to know: "Can any exhibitor realize what a small town exhibitor has to put up with?" And, if you can't realize, here's his answer: "Here we are living in a civilized country in the twentieth century and the climatic conditions are so bad that for weeks at a time there has been no mode of transportation into this locality except by air. Roads were all blocked by huge drifts of snow. Railroads were tied up. Where most of the people in this country are considering spring work, we are blocked in by snow. Farmers and their families here are certainly looking forward to getting back to enjoying motion picture entertainment." WAKE UP AND DREAM: John Payne, June Haver Most people wondered why they made this one. Had some walkouts. There is no story and no need for color. Clem Bevans saved the show. Played Sunday, Monday, March 9, 10.— G. R. Borden, Jr., Am -Be Theatre, Blaine, Wash. United Artists BREAKFAST IN HOLLYWOOD: Tom Breneman, Bonita Granville — Despite playing this on Easter Sunday with nice weather it did very poor business. Played Sunday, Monday, April 6, 7.— Abe H. Kaufman, Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA: Vivian Leigh, Claude Rains — Georgeous Technicolor, good acting, wonderful sets, but the story was lacking. More action and less talk would have made a super film. Our patrons were disappointed. An above average crowd turned out so the box office didn't suffer. Played Friday, Saturday, March 21, 22.— Fred J. Hutchings, Community Theatre, Leader, Sask., Can. Small town and rural patronage. FOOL'S GOLD: William Boyd, Andy Clyde— An entertaining Western which did good business on Friday and Saturday. However, the picture did not seem to be up to Hopalong's standard. Played April 4, 5. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. LITTLE. IODINE,: Jo Ann Marlowe, Marc CramerA good little family picture. It was thoroughly enjoyed by my patrons. Business good. Played Sunday, March 16. — Joe R. Hayworth, Playhouse Theatre, Pink Hill, N. C. Small town patronage. LITTLE IODINE: Jo Ann Marlowe, Marc Cramer — You can do nicely without this. The public squawked and I can't blame them. The thing was "hammed" up with not much story and the clever stuff just didn't go over. I doubled it with the new Cassidy and that saved the day. Flayed Tuesday-Thursday, Feb. 25-27. — G. R. Borden, Jr., Am-Bc Theatre, Blaine, Wash. STRANGE WOMAN, THE: Hedy Lamarr, George Sanders — Hedy Lamarr is beautiful as usual and the picture is no' worse than the book, if not a little better in its modification of the original story. The picture has considerable box office appeal, although dramatically it is only second rate. Business very good. Played Sunday-Tuesday, March 30-April 1. — John R. Cooney, Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Maine. Universal BADMEN OF THE BORDER: Kirby Grant, Fuzzy Knight — There was a time when a cheap Western would be the next month's payment, but we are beginning to believe that people are getting better educated. This time we lost money. — W. F. Caudell, South Miami Theatre, South Miami, Fla. Suburban and rural patronage. DEAD OF THE NIGHT: Mervyn Johns, Roland Carver — A below average crowd witnessed this. For the most part they were expecting something different and were disappointed. It is a strange and novel film which lacks star appeal. Played Monday, March 24. — Fred J. Hutchings, Community Theatre, Leader, Sask., Can. Small town and rural patronage. EAST SIDE OF HEAVEN: Bing Crosby, Joan Blondell — We have had very good success with these reissues. They are well received and well liked and business is above normal. — W. F. Caudell, South Miami Theatre, South Miami, Fla. Suburban and rural patronage. SHE WROTE THE BOOK: Joan Davis, Jack Oakie — This was no draw here. No adverse comments, but just no business. Played Friday, Saturday, March 21, 22.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal. Small lumber town patronage. Warner Bros. BIG SLEEP, THE: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall — A thriller that was really enjoyed by my patrons. Played Sunday, Monday, March 2, 3.— Bob Fulkerson, Village Theatre, Sunflower, Kan. NIGHT AND DAY: Cary Grant, Alexis SmithPlayed this late, but it was very good. — Business above average, which proves to us that a good show never gets old. Played Sunday, Monday, March 9, 10.— W. F. Caudell, South Miami Theatre, South Miami, Fla. Suburban and rural patronage. NOBODY LIVES FOREVER: John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald — They liked this one. It has a good story, some comedy and lots of action. It held their interest and we had many fine remarks about it. Played Friday, Saturday, March 7, 8— G. R. Borden, Tr., Am-Bc Theatre, Blaine. Wash. NORA PRENTISS: Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith— This didn't please my first night crowd, but the second night patrons raved about it. Oh, well, that's show business. If Nora Prentiss kept her mouth shut, why can't I? Played Monday, Tuesday, March 17, 18. —James C. Balkcom, Jr., Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Short Features Columbia HOT WATER: All Star Comedies— Very good slapstick comedy which we played again. Customers laughed at it as much as they did on the original showing. — Abe H. Kaufman, Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer CAT FISHIN': Tom and Jerry Cartoons— This is the best cartoon I have ever seen on the screen and I expect it to keep this private rating until Metro sends us a better one, which will probably not be long, as each T&J always seems to be better than the last one. They are only three or four laps ahead of the nearest competitor from any other producer. — John R. Cooney, Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Maine. HENPECKED HOBOES: MGM Technicolor Cartoon, like everything from the Quimby factory. — John R. Cooney, Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Maine. Paramount JASPER IN A JAM: George Pal Puppetoons— A wonderful Puppetoon with plenty of hot music and terrific Technicolor. — Bob Fulkerson, Village Theatre, Sunflower, Kan. RKO Radio EARLY TO BED: Walt Disney Cartoons — Good color cartoon. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. NOISY NEIGHBORS: Edgar Kennedy— Usual good Edgar Kennedy comedy. There is a lot of slapstick hokum that our patrons like. — Abe H. Kaufman, Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. WHAT, NO CIGARETTES?: Edgar Kennedy— Very amusing comedy. — James C. Balkcom, Jr., Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Twentieth CenturyFox THE UNINVITED PESTS: Terrytoons — Pleasing color cartoon. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, O'kla. Warner-Vita phone ALICE IN MO VI ELAND: Featurettes — Another good feature from this studio. We play all their shorts and only occasionally find cause to complain. This was up to their usual standard. — Fred J. Hutchings, Community Theatre, Leader, Sask., Can. HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES? Blue Ribbon Cartoons — A reissue cartoon which pleased. E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. 48 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 26, 1947