Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

April S. 1939 S H O \V M N ' S T R A I) !■: R 1-. V I E W Pufje 25 REPUBLIC OF PANAMA Prod. No. K8-5 Interesliiig Para. Color Cruise No. 5 9 mins. Comment: The title of this is slightly a misnomer as the first half of it is devoted to the Panama Canal and the way it works and the latter, as everyone knows, is not part of the Republic of Panama. But the subject is interesting nevertheless, giving brief views of Cristobal, Colon, the Canal, including the locks and the Gaillard Cut, the ruins of old Panama and some views of the modern city. Produced by Palmer Miller and Curtis F. Nagel. Exploitation: Tie up with travel agencies. If tliere is a Grace Line office near you, this would be an especially good tieup since one of its ships, the Santa Lucia, is shovv'n going through the locks. GOING PLACES NO. 61 Prod. l\o. 3359 Interesting Univ. Going Places 9 mins. Comment: Beautiful Rio de Janeiro, with its unrivalled scenery, sunny beaches, gay metropolitan life and handsome modern buildings is the port of call in this latest "Going Places." A vista of the city from atop Sugar Loaf Mountain, together with scenes of the Aveneeda Rio Bronco, Rio's Broadwaj' and Fifth Avenue, are highlights. Your audiences will get that vacation urge when they see this. Produced by Joseph O'Brien and Thomas Mead. Exploitation: Since the recent Pan American Conference brought South America to the fore in front page news, this subject comes at an opportune time. Give it a good plug in your regular ads. Try for a feature story on the travel page of your local newspaper. LITTLE TOUGH MICE Prod. I\o. 3251 Good Univ. Lantz Cartune No. 11 7 mins. Comment: The big tough mouse and his pals grab the groceries of Baby Mouse as he passes their hangout. But our little hero gets revenge when he places a fire under the trio, who had eaten his popcorn. They pop all over the place, much to his delight, and probably to the delight of most children. Alex Lov} directed. Exploitation: Regular mention in your ads and in the lobby. NOW IT CAN BE SOLD Prod. No. 9434 Funny Col. All Star No. 14 17 mins. Comment: Andy Clyde, one of the screen's oldest comedians, can still draw a good laugh from an audience, judging from this comedy. He keeps a "swap shop" in this one and has added to his troubles an ornery boy. The boy gets into all kinds of trouble but the climax in which he hides a robber's swag in a drawer of a secretary that is beinghoisted up the side of a building is a real howl. More comedies of this kind wouldn't be amiss on many programs ; but more's the pity, there are fewer and fewer being made these days. Exploitation: A good gag on this one would be to set up a swap shop in your lobby. If handled right, this can be a great stunt. Put Andy Clyde on j-our marquee. He is well worth plugging. PREST O CHANGE-0 Prod. l\o. 4514 (Tech.) Good Vita. Merrie Melodies No. 14 7 mins. Comment: Although this cartoon can be labeled as good, it nevertheless fails to come up to the excellent ratings established by predecessors in this series. Our two lieroes take refuge in a house of magic on a stormy night, and the comedy depends on their predicaments at the hands of a vanishing rabbit. There are none too many laughs, and the usual clever gags present in these cartoons are absent here. Leon Schlesinger produced. Exploitation: You might invite amateur magicians to appear on your stage and demonstrate how well they can make the demand, "Prest-O Change-O" work for them. Tie up with dealers of magicians' supplies. RIVER THAMES Prod. No. Not Set (Tech.) Beautiful UA. World Window No. 8 10 mins. Comment: Starting at the source of Britain's major river, this beautiful film traces its course by peaceful meadow and historic building to the busy London docks and the sea. In the upper reaches carefree bathers play; lower down we see seemingly lazy barges, fuss}^ tugs and ocean going liners, bound for all corners of the earth. The color is as near perfection as any yet seen on the screen. Excellent as the short is, those who know the Thames Vallej^ may be disappointed that many lovely reaches and beautiful sights like Windsor Castle have been omitted. A less pedantic commentarj^ would improve matters. E. S. & E. W. Keller produced. Exploitation: Give this special mention in ads and lobby displaj^ taking care to stress the naturalness of the color. Also let all English societies know about the showing. FIRST RUN SHORT PRODUCT BROADWAY, NEW YORK (Week Beginning April 8) ASTOR— Penny's Picnic (MGM) rev. 1-7-39; Nostradamus (MGM) rev. 10-15-38; Popular Science No. 2 (Para.) rev. 11-19-38. CAPITOL — Imperial Delhi (MGM) rev. 3 25-39: Marine Circus (MGM). CRITERION— Clock Wise (RKO) rev. this issue ; Swing Vacation (RKO) ; Lone Ranger Rides Again No. 8 (Rep.) rev. 218-39. PARAMOUNT — Pictorial No. 9 (Para.) Good Skates (Para.) ; Popular Science No. 3 (Para.). RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL— The Ugly Duckling (RKO) rev. 10-22-38. RIALTO— The River (Para.) rev. 1-8-38. RIVOLI— Merbabies (RKO) rev. 3-25-39; Gems of the Orient (Modern Films) rev. 3 25-39. ROXY — G-Men Jitters (20th-Fox) ; Fashion Forecast for Spring and Summer (20thFox). CHICAGO LOOP (Week Ending April 8) APOLLO — Unusual Occupations No. 4 (Para.) rev. 1-21-39; Dave Apollon and Orchestra (Vita.) rev. 12-17-38. GARRICK— Hunting Dogs (20th-Fox) rev. 4 1-39; Happy Tots (Col.). ROOSEVELT — Champagne Music of Lawrence Welk (Para.) rev. 3-4-39; Mystic Siam (20th-Fox) ; So Does An Automobile (Para.) rev. 4-1-39. UNITED ARTISTS— Three Kings and a Queen (Para.) rev. 4-1-39; Bars and Stripes Forever (Vita.) SPORTING WINGS Prod. No. 94,30ft Very Good RKO-Pathe Sportscope No. 8 9 mins. Comment: This subject, instead of treating aviation commercially, treats it as a pastime for the man of average income. Air enthusiasts, so we learn, have formed sport aviation clubs in various parts of the country. Gar Wood, in the closing sequence, is shown flying his amphibian, an example of the aviator pursuing his hobby on a grander scale. It's extremely interesting all the way, and the comments by Andre Baruch are enlightening. Frederic Ullman, Jr. produced, while Frank R. Donovan supervised. Exploitation: Get members of the local aviation club to attend a screening. Perhaps, if facilities permit, you can screen it for them at their club house. A model plane contest would also be advisable. CLOCK WISE Prod. No. 93,404 Funny RKO-Radio 16 mins. Edgar Kennedy Comedy No. 4 Comment: Edgar can't stand the "boom boom" of the grandfather clock his fatherin-law has built. He succeeds in getting rid of it. onh^ to learn his wife had some money in the clock. He gets it back again, only to learn that the money was in the kitchen clock. Then he starts after the old man. He ends up by getting the worst of the deal. There are several hilarious moments in this comedy, which was directed by Charles E. Roberts and produced by Bert Gilroy. Exploitation: Tie up for window displays with clock makers. You might conduct a search for several different kinds of old clocks to be displaj-ed in the lobby. RANCH HOUSE ROMEO Prod. No. 93,503 Diverting RKO-Radio Ray Whitley No. 3 17 mins. Comment: Ray Whitley and the 6 Bar Cowboys see their boss being swindled when he trades his ranch for a worthless mine. But when a hotsy-totsy chorus girl offers to help the boys get the ranch back, they accept her services. Interspersed with some lively western tunes, this subject is diverting entertainment. Exploitation: Tie up with music shops for window displaj'S. If you have a cowboy band in your town, get them to play in prominent public places to boost the subject. HELLO, MAMA Prod. No. 94,206 Fair RKO-Radio Nu-Atlas No. 6 9 mins. Comment: As George Jessel talks to his mother over the telephone about the big show he's going to put on, the scene dissolves into the particular number he is describing. Notable among the entertainers are the Four Eton Boys, Frieda Sullivan, and Emerson's Mountaineers. It's a fair subject. Those who like Jessel will get a kick out of his monologue. Exploitation: Since Jessel broadcasts every Wednesday' night for Reid's Ice Cream, contact your local radio station for spot announcements before and after the broadcast. If there are Reid branches in your town, arrange cooperative tie-ups with them.