Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Sep 1953)

O . . . 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. Columbia HANGMAN’S KNOT: Randolph Scott, Donna Reed — Made a big mistake in giving preferred time for this. It is strictly an ordinary western which should have been played on our Saturday bill with some support. Scott is good, but not on Sunday. Played Sunday, Monday, June 28, 29. — George F. Tatar, Lockport Drive-In Theatre, Gasport, N. Y. TARGET HONG KONG: Richard Denning, Nancy Gates — If you’ve got an extra sixty minutes and an audience with nothing better to do — okay. These unimpressive, uninspired action fillers may do all right somewhere, but not here. On the weak end of a good program, they bore. Doubled with something like “Toughest Man in Arizona” (Rep.), the result is paralyzing at the B.O. Played Friday, Saturday, June 26, 27. — William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer DEVIL MAKES THREE, THE: Gene Kelly, Pier Angeli — Terrific picture loaded with suspense and action. Kelly is badly miscast as the American officer, but even that is overcome in the pace of direction and the strong story line. The authentic backgrounds add greatly to the picture, and the final scene at the Hitler house in Berchtesgaten is nothing short of terrific. Doubled with “Remains to Be Seen” (MGM). Played Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, June 23, 24, 25. — William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. IVANHOE: Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor — A good picture, good color and well played by the stars. It would have done good box office if MGM had let us have it before it was so old. Played too late and box office was below average. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, June 23, 24.— W. W. Kibler, Caroline Theatre, Bowling Green, Va. JEOPARDY: Barbara Stanwyck. Barry SullivanSolid, nerve-wracking drama packed into a quick and impressive 69 minutes. Running time alone confines it to double feature brackets, but it should be a satisfying shot-in-the-arm for any program. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, June 30, July 1, 2. — William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. NAKED SPUR, THE: James Stewart, Janet Leigh — A good western picture, well played by James Stewart and well liked by all who saw it. Film rent too high to make any money on the picture and box office was below average. Played Thursday, Friday, June 25, 26. — W. W. Kibler, Caroline Theatre, Bowling Green, Va. Paramount CLEOPATRA: Claudette Colbert, H. Wilcoxon — We doubled this with “Somebody Loves Me” (Para.), with Betty Hutton. Business was up reasonably well. The telephone calls concerned “Cleopatra” and what time it started. The show ran too long because of the double bill. We missed the color in “Cleopatra”— present day spectacles are usually rainbowed. Played Wednesday,^ Thursday, Friday, June 24, 25, 26.— Robert B. Tuttle, Sky Drive-In Theatre, Adrian, Mich. RED MOUNTAIN: Alan Ladd, Lizabeth Scott — A colorful and confusing bore. This and “Thunder in the East” (Para.) just about finish Ladd off. Doubled with “The Story of Robin Hood” (RKO), the idea being to add a bit of Americana to the English story. We should have saved_ our dough. Those who came were here to see “Robin,” then promptly went home. Many, many walk-outs. Played Sunday, Monday, J“"e 21, 22. William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. , STIFF: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Liza beth Scott Loud, brash and thoroughly satisfying to the M. & L. fans^ who seem to be legion here. The younger set calls it a “groovie movie,” and even the oldsters object to the inanities with a twinkle in their eyes. Reported generally as not as good as “The Stooge,” but no one seemed to notice. Solid show business! Played Sunday, Monday, June 28, 29.— William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. SON OF PALEFACE: Bob Hope, Jane Russell — Doubled with Technicolor “Blazing Forest” (Para.) to solid Sunday and good Monday-Tuesday, although, as we’ve said before, the week days are nothing to brag about. We’re earning our living two days a week. If the film companies get too hungry on weekends, we’ll really have to do some belt tightening. Played Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, June 21, 22, 23.— Robert B. Tuttle, Sky Drive-In Theatre, Adrian, Mich. Republic FAIR WIND TO JAVA: Fred MacMurray, Vera Ralston — Republic must have concentrated all their effort on the trailer. Beautiful effects in color and on the technical side, but that doesn’t compensate for the dismal direction and performances. This doesn’t compare with “Wake of (he Red Witch” (Rep.), and that was nothing to rave about. Vera Ralston — why? Played Tuesday, Wedne day, Thursday, June 30, July 1, 2. — William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. TOUGHEST MAN IN ARIZONA: Vaughn Monroe, Joan Leslie — Fair color, routine story and a pleasing but unimportant personality in Vaughn Monroe added up to absolutely nothing on a weekend. When a western isn’t Friday-Saturday material here, there’s just one thing to blame — the picture. Might be a second feature, but you’ll regret trying to sell it on top. Played Friday, Saturday, June 26, 27.— William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. RKO-Radio KING KONG: Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot — All the publicity this oldie got did not help our box office one bit. Below average crowd for the1 fair weather we had. Paid too much money for it. Should have used it as a second feature. Played Thursday, Friday, June 18, 19.— George F. Tatar, Lockport Drive-In Theatre, Gasport, N. Y. STORY OF ROBIN HOOD, THE: Richard Todd, Joan Rice — All the familiar antics and action of “Robin Hood” repeated for the delight of the youngsters. Those who remember compare it unfavorably with the swashbuckling of Errol Flynn. Good fun and very, very English, whcih I suppose is as it should be. Nobody broke down the doors getting in to see it. Played Sunday, Monday, June 21, 22. — William A. Blair, Vaca Theatre, Vacaville, Calif. Twentieth Century-Fox LYDIA BAILEY : Anne Francis, Dale Robertson — We liked this Technicolor picture, although the box office wasn’t too hurried. Maybe Republic’s “HitchHike to Happiness” didn’t help any. Played Thursday, Friday, June 11, 12. — Robert B. Tuttle, Sky Drive-In Theatre, Adrian, Mich. STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER: Clifton Webb, Ruth Hussey— This one drew. People here really like their bands, so naturally they came out to hear Sousa. It is a very good picture, and I do not see why it wouldn’t draw in any community. We paid too much for it, however. Played Sunday, July 5. — Marcella Smith, Vinton Theatre, McArthur, Ohio. WHAT PRICE GLORY?: James Cagney, Dan Dailey — Still looking for the people to come in to watch this picture. A terrible flop — no comparison with the picture of the same name made years ago. Played Thursday, Friday, June 11, 12. — George F. Tatar, Lockport Drive-In, Gasport, N. Y. Universal IT came FROM OUTER SPACE: Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush — We played this 3-D1 with a musical short and the results were very satisfactory. A very entertaining picture for the imagination. Children received it very well. We held for an extra day over the week’s run. Played Tuesday through Tuesday, June 16-23. — Earle H. Showve, De Anza Theatre, Riverside, Calif. LITTLE TOUGH GUYS: Robert Wilcox, Helen Parrish, Dead End Kids — We can’t keep people away on Saturday, and usually a Dead End Kids or hillbilly type of film sends us scurrying around the lot to find parking places. The critics should come to the theatre to see some of the pictures the public like to pay to see. RKO’s “Road Agent” and “Woman in Green” (U) rounded out the bill. Played Saturday, May 30.— Robert B. Tuttle, Sky Drive-In Theatre, Adrian, Mich. Warner Bros. DESERT SONG: Kathryn Grayson, Gordon MacRae — We played this on our new “Panoramic” screen and the patrons raved about it. The second feature, “Siren of Bagdad” (Col.) was found to be very entertaining and a good combination. The gross for the run was satisfactory. Played Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 28, 29, 30, July 1. — Earle H. Showve, De Anza Theatre, Riverside, Calif. SHE’S BACK ON BROADWAY: Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson — I don’t think this one was nearly as good as “She’s Working Her Way Through College.” Virginia Mayo has been a good box office draw here, but I think if they play her in a few more like this one it will kill her drawing power here. A number of customers said they were disappointed in the picture, and we paid too much rental. Played Sunday, Monday, June 21, 22. — W. W. Kibler, Caroline Theatre, Bowling Green, Va. SPRINGFIELD RIFLE: Gary Cooper, Phyllis Thaxter — This did quite well, I mean we just managed to stay out of the red. I consider this quite a feat these days. This is a good picture and will draw wherever westerns and Cooper are liked. Played Sunday, June 21. — Marcella Smith, Vinton Theatre, McArthur, Ohio. THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS: Joan Crawford, Dennis Morgan — Picked this one up for my patrons, who like this kind of picture. This is a very good Joan Crawford picture, also very good acting by David Brian; in fact, I thought he was a bit rough. If your fans like rough stuff, play it. Played Saturday, June 27. — James Hardy, Shoals Theatre, Shoals. Ind. WHERE’S CHARLEY : Ray Bolger, Allyn McLerie — Here’s one made in Britain you can play that your patrons will howl over. Ray Bolger, who is known here from “April in Paris” (WB), is a riot as Charley’s aunt. Maybe. you could even sell it better under that title. Business good. Played Monday, Tuesday, June 8, 9. — Lew Young, Norgan Theatre, Palmerston, Ont., Canada. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 18, 1953 35