Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, February 1, 1947 The Electronic Mouse Trap (Very Good) 20th-Fox (7503) Mighty Mouse Terrytoon 7 mins. Scientific minded cats invent an electronic mouse trap which catches the mice, engulfs them and, on an endless belt, places a dozen at a time into boxes for shipment to other cats. They corner the market until Mighty Mouse learns of their nefarious scheme and with his sense of justice triumphant, turns his incredible talents to the liberation of his friends. In Technicolor. Fantasy of Siam (Excellent) 20th-Fox (7201) Movietone Adventure 8 mins. This is a fascinating trip through Siam, with its palaces and temples and resplendent shrines. One sequence shows the incredibly gorgeous inside of the throne room itself, the first time it has ever been photographed. Astounding ruins of old temples indicate the grandeur of this dreamy country of the past, little changed even in this postwar time. The short is well worth showing and advertising. Germany — Handle with Care! (Excellent) 20th-Fox March of Time 19 mins. Much has been printed and photographed about present-day conditions in occupied Germany— so much, in fact, that the information available has tended to confuse rather than clarify the picture of that country and the conditions obtaining there as they affect America and Americans. This new edition of The March of Time, however, takes audiences on a trip through the four occupied sections of Germany, those handled by Russia, France, England and the United States, and in its commentary gives objective arguments for and against the various methods of handling and re-educating the German population so that it may, in time, again become self-sufficient without the war potential that has enabled it to invade various sections of Europe three times in the past 50 years. The March of Time fakes no editorial attitude for or against the methods used by any of the occupying countries; this is straight motion picture reporting which does not try to influence audiences. It reports the facts as they are available and permits viewers of the film to make up their own minds. It is an excellent short subject with many angles for theatre exploitation. Rodeo (Very Good) Swedish Glassmakers (Interesting) Para. (L6-2) Unusual Occupations 10 mins. The principal item in this short subject is the art of glass-making in Orrefors, Sweden, and it is indeed an unsual occupation. The master craftsmen here have for generations turned out elaborate cyrstal services and exquisite glassware. Other items in the one-reeler concern a westerner who carves otft caricatures of the western scene from blocks of basswood, the Nipponese custom of hair-dos, and the collection of old patent models owned by Antoine Gazda. Air-Borne Pastures (Good) Para. (J6-3) Popular Science 11 mins. Billed as the chief attraction of this subject is that sequence showing the reclamation of the vast desert wastelands through the airborne distribution of scientifically-treated grass seed. But what will attract the attention of most moviegoers, and especially women, are those scenes showing the vast improvements in kitchen culinary equipment. Upon seeing the new gadgets demonstrated, women are likely to become impatient for their appearance on the market Another sequence shows America's largest Karakul herd in California. . . . NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . . . (Released Saturday, February 1) NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 18, No. 242)— New French Republic born, Auriol president; Gandhi's last mission ; Flaming war in Indo-China ; First films of Communist China: Supreme Court photographed; Jungle king (gorilla) in captivity in Chicago zoo; Middlebury winter carnival; Dog racing; Ice yachting. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 20, No. 8)— New French President elected; Indo-China war rages; Youth envoys are welcomed; Europe's coldest winter; Dog races; Ice boating. PATHE (No. 47) — Haile Selassie reviews troops; Fierce battle rages in Hanoi; Polish envoy arrives; Greek ship hits a mine; Auriol heads French Republic; First pictures of Communist China. MOVIETONE (Vol. 29, No. 44)— Fighting in IndoChina; New French President; Gandhi's peace march; Inside Communist China; Lehr says hello to his 1 uncle, a hairy relative; Ice yacht regatta; Dog racing; Skiing. PARAMOUNT (No. 45) — Boston indoor track meet gets going; Reports from Yenan; France's Fourth Republic takes shape; Adolph Zukor, film pioneer, honored; French smash on in Indo-China. (Released Wednesday, January 29) NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 18, No. 241)— Full scale war in Indo-China; New explosion ends truce in Palestine; Marshall sworn in; Truman and scientists; South Carolina inaugural; New Pennsylvania governor; Induction in Alabama; Adelaide Hawley's fashions; Bill Stern's sport topics — skiing, dog sleds, wrestling. PARAMOUNT (No. 44) — Marshall takes over; London says "Watch the Birdie" at Niblo's bird circus; First pictures of the war in Indo-China; Who's Georgia's Governor?; Flying Irishman sets ski record. PATHE (Vol. 18, No. 46)— Revolt in Indo-China; Battle of Governors continues in Georgia; General Marshall sworn in as Secretary of State. MOVIETONE (Vol. 29, No. 43)— War in IndoChina as French battle Viet Nam revolt; Marshall sworn in; Haifa police headquarters blown up; London strike settled; Resort styles; Governor Duff inaugurated at Harrisburg, Pa. ; Ski-jumping record set, UNIVERSAL (Vol. 20, No. 7)— War rages in IndoChina ; Battle of Governors in Atlanta ; Marshall takes oath as Secretary of State; Ski jumping champions; Muddy maulers at Florida mud baths; Pennsylvnia inaugural; Texas Governor sworn in. ALL AMERICAN (Vol. 5, No. 223)— Former Navy commander returns to Montgomery, Ala. ; Dress-making classes in Kansas City; Infantile paralysis drive opens; Swell sculptors, Atlanta; Operation course at Meharry Medical School, Nashville; 25th Infantry sets 'em up at Fort Benning. Columbia (8853) Screen Snapshots 10 mins. All scenes in this Screen Snapshots No. 3 are taken inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, packed to the very doors by screen celebrities and lesser lights of Los Angeles and vicinity. Among the celebrities seen during the wild and woolly action of the Rodeo are : California's Governor Earl Warren, Rhonda Fleming, Preston Foster, Yvonne deCarlo, Fred Brady, Leo Carrillo and Victor McLaglen leading his famed cavalry troop. Also shown are Dale Evans, Roy Rogers and Trigger, with the trick horse going through his repertoire of stunts. Good entertainment. Moron Than Off (Fair) Columbia (8434) All Star Comedy 18 mins. Sterling Holloway is chronically absentminded, which gives him an opportunity for a few padded sequences, and because he is unable to remember to pay an installment on his household furniture it is taken away and his wife leaves him. He has bought a sweepstake ticket, however, which wins and makes him rich, except for the fact that he loses the ticket and that, of course, gives him another opportunity for comedy sequences when he and his partner chase the ticket all over town. Just fair. Monkey-Tone News (Amusing) 20th-Fox (7901) Lew Lehr 9 mins. In a travesty on its own Movietone News 20th-Fox and Lew Lehr have combined talents to produce an amusing series of sequences with monkeys as actors and with Lehr's droll commentary. Selling the Sun ( Excellent) Para. (R6-6) Sportlight 10 mins. Count on the producers of the Grantland Rice Sportlights to take any subject in the world of sports and make it into a short subject that will entertain all types of moviegoers. They've done it again with "Selling the Sun," which takes the spectator to sunny Florida for a glimpse of outdoor activities by sunsoaked beauties at Miami, St. Augustine and St. Petersburg. There is plenty of pulchritude in the reel, much of it evident during a contest at Cypress Gardens to select a grapefruit Queen. Lots of people will wish they could bask in' the Florida climate when they see this short. In any event, it will help pep up any program. Ted Husing speaks the commentary of Justin Herman. Musical Cartoon Series Plans for a series of musical cartoons starring Tom and Jerry and featuring well-known compositions have been announced by Fred Quimby, head of MGM's short subjects department. Reason for the series is the success of "The Cat Concerto," the musical score of which is based on Liszt's Second Hungarian Rhapsody.