Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 10 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW April 29, 1939 Union Pacific Para. Historical Drama 135 mins. Hold-ups, Injuns, Train Wrecks, Fast Riding, Shooting; What More Can You Ask? (National •Release Date, May 5) Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Akim Tamiroff, Lynn Overman, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, Anthony Quinn, Evelyn Keyes, Stanley Ridges, Regis Toomey, Syd Saylor, J. M. Kerrigan and many others. Screenplay by Walter De Leon, C. Gardner Sullivan and Jesse Lasky, Jr. Based on an adaptation by Jack Cunningham of a story by Ernest Haycox. Produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Plot: Barbara Stanwyck is the daughter of a railroad engineer who works the first train up to the end of each day's track during the great struggle to build the railroad linking the coasts. McCrea is the trouble shooter for the road sent to keep Donlevy and Preston from interfering with the building of the road. The latter holds up the payroll of the company but marries Barbara just before he is about to be caught. Later after many more adventures, he is shot by Donlevy, who in turn is shot bv McCrea's pals. 'SUMMARY: Boy! to be running a theatre that can play this picture. It's got romance, action, Indians, hold-ups, train wrecks, comedy, fast shooting, hard riding and — well, what more can you want? Cecil B. DeMille has taken all these elements, wrapped them all up together and put out one of the grandest box office pictures not only of this year but of every year. There isn't a foot of it we'd eliminate despite its length. This story has been crying to be made for years and here at last it is; but it's worth waiting for. All the other records should go out the window when this one hits town. It's hard to pick out any individual performance as outstanding; McCrea, Barbara Stanwyck, Lynn Overman and Akim Tamiroff have a slight edge on some of the others but they're all grand. The scenes of the train wreck and the troops coming to the rescue are simply superb. The Indians wrecking of the train has been wonderfully portrayed. But so has everything else in the whole thing. Sell this for all you're worth. Of course, tie up with local Union Pacific offices. Take advantage of the Pennzoil tieup. Get displays in the lobby of various articles of the period. OUTSTANDING: The action, DeMille's direction, the absorbing story and the acting of Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Tamiroff and Overman. Catchline: "Roaring Westward On America's road to glory," (FAMILY) Confessions of a Nazi Spy WB 02 mins. True Story Call the Police to Quell Disturbances And Handle the Crowds Sure to Come (National Release Date, May 6) Cast: Edward G, Robinson, Francis Lederer, George Sanders, Paul Lukas, Henry O'Neill, Lya Lys and 72 others. Screenplay by Milton Krims and John Wexley. Directed by Anatole Litvak. Legion of Decency Ratings: (For Week Ending April 29) SUITABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Chasing Danger Smoky Trails The Rookie Cop Union Pacific Feud of the Plains Heritage of the Desert SUITABLE FOR ADULTS ONLY Big Town Czar For Love or Money Calling Dr. Kildare OBJECTIONABLE IN PARTS Lucky Night Lucky Night Plot: This film is a depiction of the menacing under-cover activities fostered in this country by the Nazi regime in Germany. The espionage methods revealed in the film are based on the facts brought out by the recent trials in New York, Los Angeles and the Panama Canal Zone. Leon G. Turrou, former F.B.I, agent, who smashed one of Nazi spv rings, acted as technical adviser. SUMMARY: There's one thing that stands uppermost in the mind of any reviewer who sees this picture. It will do a sensationally tremendous business. Its reception is likely to be very spotty because of its theme as those centers with strongly Nazi preferences may go to considerable lengths to show their disapproval. But in their very disapproval lies the secret of the picture's success. As entertainment, it is not as strong as it shows up as propaganda. But it is the kind of propaganda which there is plenty of need for as every true American will agree. The picture starts ofif somewhat like the March of Time with a narrator who fills in gaps in the story occasionally. Some of the scenes showing the Bund camps over here are sensationally shocking and make one afraid of what the future might bring to us. As for the acting, there is plenty to be said. Paul Lukas, Edward G. Robinson, Francis Lederer and several others are outstanding in their characterizations. The direction is fine. One strong point which may be in the picture's favor is its adherence to facts. Every line in it has been taken from a newspaper. Although newsreel shots of Hitler are used, Goebbels, who is anathema to most Americans is portrayed by an excellent but unnamed actor. The film's timeliness, importance and story content are things to be given careful consideration before you launch your campaign. Whether or not your community is made up of people sympathetic to and active in anti-Nazi activities, whether organizations, schools and the newspapers will cooperate with you, are points only you alone can determine. Teaser ads and radio announcements, will create word-of-mouth publicity. OUTSTANDING: Robinson, Lederer, Lukas and the message the picture gets across so successfuly. Under this head, too, must come the courage of the Warner Bros, in making a film of this nature in the face of threats. Catchline: "It was our American duty to make this picture , , , it is your American privilege to see it," (FAMILY) MCM Comedy-Drama 82 mins. Delightfully Gay and Modern Film With Novel Twists Should Satisfy Generally (National Release Date, May 5) Cast: Myrna Loy, Robert Taylor, Joseph Allen, Henry O'Neill, Douglas Fowley, Bernard Nedell, Charles Lane, Bernadene Ha^^es, Gladys Blake, Marjorie Alain, others. Screenplay by Vincent Lawrence and Grover Jones from the story by Oliver Claxton, Directed by Norman Taurog, Produced by Louis D, Lighton, Plot: Myrna Loy, daughter of steel magnate Henry O'Neill, decides to leave home and go out "on her own." While job-hunting she meets Robert Taylor, Although broke, luck seems to come their way during the evening, and they end the celebration b}' getting married, Taylor gets a job, and all is well until he gets an idea the two should celebrate again, just as they did when thejr first met without a dime in their pockets, Myrna, meanwhile, has become a budget-conscious housewife, with the result that Taylor's idea separates them. But they are soon re-united again. Whatever Ta-\-lor does is all right with Mvrna. SUMMARY: Here's a delightfully gay and modern comedy-drama that's sure to please young couples and prospective newlyweds. To the more conservative and conventional folk, the antics of Myrna and Taylor may border too much on the screwball side; but generally speaking, the film as a whole is rather enjoyable. At least, its plot has a few new twists in a familiar formula. Both stars handle their performances capably, while other members of the cast are more or less relegated to the background, since the plot centers around Myrna and Taylor. As light spring or summer entertainment, "Lucky Night" should fit all right into preferred playing time, provided you give it a good selling campaign. The title lends itself to tieups. Let newspaper readers submit short letters on what they believe was their lucky night. Get your merchants to tie in with you on a stunt whereby young couples who are in their stores at a particular moment on one (a lucky night) of three possible evenings receive gifts or merchandise. OUTSTANDING: Myrna Loy and Robert Taylor. Catchline: "Their lucky night is loads of lun and gayety for lucky you," (ADULT) Juarez WB Historical Drama 1 32 mins. Distinguished Screen Drama Will Be Magnet to Draw Heavy Patronageof All Classes (National Release Date Not Set) Cast: Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Brian Aherne, Claude Rains, John Garfield, Donald Crisp, Joseph Calleia, Gilbert Roland, Gale Sondergaard, and others. Adapted by John Huston, Wolfgang Reinhardt and Aeneas MacKenzie from Bertita Harding's novel, "The Phantom Crown", and a play by Franz Werfel, Directed by William Dieterle. Produced by Hal B, Wallis. Plot: Maximilian of Austria (Brian For Additional Exploitation Ideas on These Pictures Consult the Encyclopedia of Exploitation — See Page 41