Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

26 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 9, 1943 Libbv Owen Ford Backs Science Reel A special promotion campaign has been launched by the Libby-Owen Ford Glass Co. of Toledo, to back show ngs of Paramount's Popular Science J3-1 short, released October 15th, it was announced this week by Oscar Morgan. A sequence in this Paramount one-reeler provides a glimpse into the future, of special interest to the housewives cf America. It is called "The Kitchen of Tomorrow" and shows the use of glass in a complete modern kitchen with an actual demonstration of innumerable hitherto unheard-of conveniences. The Libby-Owen Ford people are utilizing all of the promotion facilities of their huge organization to stimulate the showing of this Popular Science reel in theatres. They have prepared fifty thousand special one-sheet posters which are available to theatres free of charge, and they have instructed all of their numerous dealers and field men to cooperate with local theatres showing the film. To insure the maximum attendance at theatres showing this Popular Science reel, booking dates will be made available in advance to the manufacturer, who in turn will contact local theatres and arrange for the display of posters, special window displays and the use cf cooperative newspaper ads. Community Sing No. 3 (Super Reel) Columbia (5653) Community Sing Series 8 9% mins. Lucy Monroe, the Star Spangled Banner Girl, makes her first screen appearance in this, the finest Community Sing ever made. Miss Monroe, accompanied by Leonard Joy and the Victor Recording Orchestra, does a bang-up job with our favorite patriotic tunes, closing the reel with the national anthem. The audience reaction to this short should be just about perfect and the subject is highly exploitable. The musical numbers included are : The Army Air Corps Song, Anchors Aweigh, Over There, and The Star Spangled Banner. Miss Monroe is very easy on the eyes and, backed by such a splendid musical organization plus exceptionally good stock shots of planes, ships, guns and national shrines, the result is super. All profits from the reel go to U. S. Army Relief Fund and all production and talent services were donated. It is being released as one of the regular Community Sing Series. Oklahoma Outlaws (Well Done) WB (9107) Santa Fe Western 20 mins. That a good outdoor film need not be longer than 20 minutes to satisfy the tastes of western fans is proved by the plot, characterizations, incidents and action that have been injected into this two-reeler. Story, laid at the time of the opening of the Cherokee Strip, concerns the skulduggery of a gang of ruffians who bamboozle honest citizens out of their land, then take over the town's gambling concession, thus breeding lawlessness. William Naworth's narration saves footage by laying the foundation for the action that follows, and the performances of the principals, as well as B. Reaves Eason's direction and the fine all-around production treatment, make this an exciting and action-packed subject. Robert Shayne has the . . NEWSREEL [Krlcascd Saturday, October 9) MOVIETONE (Vol. 26, No. 10)— Allied armies march on Rome; U. S. Navy task force attacks Japanese on Marcus Island; "Battleship X" revealed to be U.S.S. South Dakota; Archbishop Spellman asks prayers for Rome and Pope Pius; Occupy wins Belmont Futurity; Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech (except Philadelphia and New Haven) — Pennsylvania vs. Yale (Philadelphia and New Haven only); World Series of 1943 opens in New York. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 15, No. 208)— Allied armies drive on in Italy; Archbishop Spellman asks prayers for Rome and Pope Pius; Japanese ships feel sting of American air gunners; Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech; World Series of 1943 opens in New York. PATHE (Vol. 15, No. 13) — Navy smashes Japanese island base; Fifth Army at Naples; Haven for U. S. air force fighters in England; Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech; World Series of 1943 opens in New York. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 16, No. 230) — Salerno action; World Series of 1943 opens in New York; Soldiers parade in rain; Holy Name war service; Futurity for bond holders; Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech. ALL-AMERICAN (Issued Weekly— Vol. 2, No. 50) — 100-year-old ex-slave sells war bonds; "Miracle man" proves he knows the ropes; Major West of Wacs seeks recruits; Farm hands from Jamaica; School children help with crops ; Union League in national convention ; Joe Louis off for one-night stands; Negro Marines demonstrate fitness. PARAMOUNT (No. 11)— Football: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech ; Protestant services for 8000 sailors ; Allies push on toward Rome; World series opens. leading role, with Juanita Stark, Warner Anderson, Erville Alderson, Addison Richards and Charles Middleton giving adequate support. Wherever westerns are liked, this should please. Furthermore, its brevity will allow greater leeway in arranging programs so as to schedule more shows per day. Desert Playground (Interesting) WB (9502) Sports Parade 10 mins. Setting for this interesting Sports Parade in Technicolor is Palm Springs, world-famed resort in Nevada. Some of the hotels, with their swimming pools, tennis courts and other recreational facilities, are shown, after which ping-pong and horse-back riding come in for treatment. The annual parade and circus, with pretty girls, Indians, bands and clowns ends the one-reeler in a riot of color. All types of audiences should enjoy this subject, which was directed by Arnold Albert. More likely than not it will bring back nostalgic memories of playtime pre-war days, create hopes for the return of such resort life after the war. SYNOPSES . {Released Wednesday, October 6) MOVIETONE (Vol. 26, No. 9)-^Scuttling of French fleet; Nazi jitters in Norway; Allies bring Liberty to liberated territories; Boats for invasion; Paratroop "attack" in war maneuvers; Red Cross sightseers; Football: Army vs. Navy — in Australia; Mrs. Roosevelt entertains boys in New Zealand. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 15, No. 207)— Mrs. Roosevelt tells soldiers joke on President; Scuttling of French fleet; Senators visit Mac Arthur on South Pacific front; Mail Christmas packages to men overseas before October 15; French line up for liberation of homeland; Hollywood Bond Cavalcade welcomed home by fans; Red Cross girls see Sphynx. PARAMOUNT (No. 10)— Nation tops Third War Loan quota; Cavalcade back in Hollywood; Seven men on a raft; Football stars play bridge in empty stadium; AMG rushes administrators for occupied territories abroad; Mussolini mystery; Scuttling of French fleet; General Giraud inspects French warships; Mrs. Roosevelt in Washington; Mrs. Roosevelt's joke on President wows soldiers. PATHE (Vol. 15, No. 12)— French ships scuttled; Italian fleet joins Allies; General Giraud reviews French might; AMG rehabilitates Sicily; Stars sell billion in bonds; Football: Iowa vs. Ohio State. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 16, No. 229) — Men of the Hour: General MacArthur greets touring U. S. Senators — General Giraud inspects French warships — General deGaulle visits French soldiers — General Spaatz decorates four men of RAF; French Navy scuttled; AMG in Sicily; Bond Cavalcade ends; Bond drive in Chinatown ; Mrs. Roosevelt tells joke ; Jack Benny troupe returns; Football: Dartmouth vs. Holy Cross — Football stars play bridge in empty stadium. Boogie Woogie Man (Very Pleasing) Universal (8231) Swing Symphony 7 mins. Another of those swell Technicolor showdressers pointed for the jive fans. This time it is a ghost convention broadcasting an appeal for membership on a ghost to ghost hook-up. The Boogie Woogie delegates from Harlem give out with hep-antics until the clock strikes and they take a ghost powder. It is a very pleasing and well produced musical cartoon. Popular Science No. 6 (Very Good) Paramount (J2-6) Popular Science 10 mins. The sixth issue of Popular Science contains a variety of subject matter that offers a lively ten minutes of interesting material. First a police station and crime detection laboratory on wheels claims attention. From Chicago headquarters, the Illinois state police hightail along the road at sixty miles an hour to the scene of a crime, and examine all clues on the spot. A novel Hollywood gymnasium in Hollywood has a basketball court that slides away to either side, revealing a large swimming pool — with the usual girl swimmers. The source of Rio de Janeiro's mosaic sidewalks is explained by the use of colored stones which are gathered and cut. The New Orleans ship-building program is shown, with landing barges and torpedo boats the chief items. How these go along an assembly line is very instructive to the layman. .-Altogether a worthwhile number. Adventures of The Flying Cadets (Plenty of Action) Universal Serial — 13 Episodes Approx. 20 mins. each Against the timely background of flying cadet training a sinister character, in league with German spies and known as The Black Hangman, stalks and kills each of the members of an African Expedition in an attempt to secure a missing map of the caves of An-Kar-Ban. Each of the victims is shot, which leaves the killer's title still a mystery at the end of chapter three but his identity is revealed and he is one of the party of explorers. Like most serials the plot is largely kid stuff lacking credulity for the adult mind. It has plenty of action and star value to count at the box-office. ADV. Can^t Get It? Joe Hornstein Has It