Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1940)

April 27, 1940 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 17 Rhythm of the Rio Grande (Cuntiimed from page 13) the arsonists. Pablo, a Mexican bandit, has been killing and raiding there, and Tex tells Suzan he is Pablo. Captured by Martin Garralaga, the real Pablo, Tex learns that the killing is being done by others, since Garralaga only seeks the man who betrayed his sister. Convinced Tristram Coffin is the killer, Tex and Garralaga combine their forces, but Bannister has Tex arrested. He escapes and rides to the ranch, Mitchell leads Garralaga's men there and Tex kills Coffin, saving the bandit's life. Pablo returns to Mexico and Suzan forgives Tex. Comment: There's nothing wrong with this picture that a good story couldn't have fixed, since Tex is his usual willing self ; Frank Mitchell does some of the back breaking stunts and falls which brought him fame on the stage when he was with Mitchell & Durant and director Al Herman has staged a couple of fights which literally wreck the place. The three songs earn the same comment as given for the story. All of the regular Tex Ritter exploitation angles can be revived. In addition, a tiein with the practice of Pablo, the bandit, of always leaving some sort of silver ornament can be created, by lining up windows with novelty and souvenir shops in which their silver ofTerings are featured If the local radio station has a regular amateur program, include in your advance a small additional prize for the amateur best imitating Tex' singing. (FAMILY) Catchline: "Tex and a bandit stop a killer's game." ^ AUDIENCE SLANT: NOT EQUAL TO TEX RITTER'S USUAL STANDARD. BOX OFFICE SLANT: AVERAGE WESTERN. The Saint iakes Over RKO-Radio (Holh'wood Preview) Mystery Drama 60 mins. (Prod. No. 33— Nat'l Release, June 6) Cast: George Sanders, Wendy Barrie, Jonathan Hale, Paul Guilfoyle, Morgan Conway, Robert Emniett Keane, Cyrus W. Kendall, James Burke, Robert Middlema'ss, Roland Drew, Neila Walker, Pierre Watkin, Harry Bradley, William Bakewell and others. Credits: Screenplay by Lynn Root and Frank Fenton, based on a character created by Leslie Charteris. Photographed by Frank Redman; F"ilm Editor, Des-niond Marquette. Art Director, Al Herman. Directed by Jack Hively. Produced by Howard Benedict. Plot: George Sanders (The Saint) meets Wendy Barrie crossing from London to New York, on the way to aid his friend, Jonathan Hale, a police detective who was fired when five gamblers killed his main witness and planted $50,000 in his safe. She eludes him at customs, but he meets her again when working on the case, after three of the gamblers have been killed under circumstances pointing towards Hale as the killer. Police nab the Saint as the killer of the third man, but he escapes and tricks Cyrus Kendall and Morgan Conway into talking in a room where a set broadcasts it to police headquarters. Wendy, established as the murdered witness' sister, kills Kendall as he is escaping and is herself fatally wounded. Hale is restored to his job. Comment: After a lapse in the one just preceding it. the Saint series comes right back to the high standard previously set. While a little more mystery might have been desired, the good casting and excellent work of the top players makes this a feature to hold mystery fans right through; and humorous sallies in the early minutes are also sure to win audience favor. Running a close second to Sanders as to standard of performance is Paul Guilfoyle, seen as a dumb safe cracker with a genius for sajang the wrong thing. Jack Hively's directorial pacing throughout stands out. All of the regular Saint stunts, including book store and library window tieups with the Charteris series can be repeated. A stunt to start them talking can be set as an advance lobby feature. Get a pair of special glasses such as the gambler exposed by the Saint wears, letter your advance notice on a poster in luminous ink and then invite your patrons to look through these glasses and read a message on what was apparently a clear board. (FAMILY) Catchline: "The Saint has to clear up three murders — to clear himself." AUDIENCE SLANT: VVILL HOLD ANY AUDIENCE; CAN HEAD BILL IN HOUSES WHERE MYSTERIES ARE FAVORED. FANS OF THIS SERIES WILL LIKE IT. BOX OFFICE SLANT: SHOULD DO BETTER THAN AVERAGE FOR THIS SERIES AND WILL BUILD INTEREST IN IT. Saps At Sea UA 56 mins. Comedy (Nat'l Release May 3) Cast: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Ben Turpin, Dick Cramer, Harry Bernard, Eddie Conrad. Credits: Directed by Gordon Douglas. Screenplay and original story by Charles Rogers, Felix Adier, Gil Pratt and Harry Langdon. Director of photography. Art Lloyd. Photographic effects by Roy Seawright. Film editor, William Ziegler. Art director, Charles D. Hall. Produced by Hal Roach. Plot: Laurel and Hardy work in a horn factory. Hardy contracts hornomania, so they rent a boat, intending to stay at the dock. But an escaped convict boards the boat to hide, a goat chews its moorings and they awake in the middle of the ocean. Hardy subdues the killer with the great strength he has when he hears a horn and they are rescued by the police, but land in trouble when Hardy, hearing a horn, beats up a cop. Comment: Tliis is a short subject blown up {Continued on page 18) BLITZKRIEG OVER LONDON! Flaming He^sd lines come {o life in the sir edm lined version of and its BLITZKRIEG at the BOX OFFICE too! DOUBLE THE NORMAL GROSS MINNESOTA AMUSE. CO. — OPENING DATE 'WAY OVER NORMAL GROSSES INTERMOUNTAIN THEATRE CIRCUIT PUBLIC BAMFORD CIRCUIT RKO BUILDING N. Y. C.