Variety (Nov 1939)

1« VAltlETY PICTURES Wcilnesilaf, November 1, 1939 Rosenberg Reelected Western Pa. MPTO Prez; Exhib-Exchange Shifts Piltsburgh, Oct. 31, M. A. Rosenberg was reelected president of the MPTO of Western Pennsylvania at the organization's annual convention here last week in the Roosevelt hotel. Edward Beedle won the vice-presidency, replacing William L. Brown, no longer in the theatre business, while Fred Her- xington and Joseph Gellman were returned to the secretary and treas- ury posts, respectively. Meet, by the way, also honored Herrington on his 30th anniversary as an ex- hibitor organizer. Dr. C. E. Herman, Israel Roth and William R. Wheat, Jr., wiere re- named directors and newcomers to the board are deorge Corcoran ind Charles R. Blatt. In the future, the MPTO wili preBx Allied to its or- ganization label. Louis Krieger, one of vets in film distribution, has gone back into the business- again, opening an indie ex- change. International Picture Dis- tributing Corp. Has the Allied fran- chise in Western Pennsylvania and We.st Virvinia. He's the father of Lester Krieger, with WB in Phila- delphia area, and started in pictures originally with Warners here quar- ter of a century ago. Stale. Mevcrsdnle, Pa., acquired from Orlo Heckler by V. F. Scott, chain operator with headquarters' in Johnstown. Pn. Heckler will remain lit the house as chief projectionist. Jennings Adds Duo Columbus, Oct. 31. Harry Jennings, operating in Ohio und We.st Virsinia, has taken over the Majestic and Princess, London, frorli Virgil Price. W. Smith, operator of Orpheum, Nelsonville, leased town hall in Mc- Arlhur and is remodeling for 300- seat theatre. Will open within a month, the only theatre in the town. The new Beverly scheduled to open Nov. 15. Woodrow Weiler named assi.stant manager of Loews Broad. John Stiffler of Ohio theatre succeeds him. owner, A. T. Worthington. Carmack also owns and operaties the Carma in the same town. Percy Essick and Meyer Fine have reopened the Ohio, Gallon, dark most of summer. W. J. Powell has sold his Lo-Net theatre in Wellington to Walter Steuve, formerly of Canton; who operates in Findlay. Frank Nolan will manage the house. . David Fettman named manager of the Harbor, Ashtabula Harbor, C, recently acquired by K. Thomas, of Youngstown. Fred Schull shuttered his Bremen, in Bremen. O. Bruce Sunkel has taken over the Times. Roseville, O., from Louis; Parhas. James H. Moore, Cleveland, pur- chased, the Lincoln building, Colum- bus, from the Buckeye Bldg. & Loan Co. at a cost of S75,000. Building houses the 300-seat Lincoln theatre. Lon^ Look« Set (o Renew Mount Vernon, O., Oct. 31. A verbal agreement between trustees of the Knox County Memo- rial Bldg. and E. W. Long, indie, to renew Long's lease on -the Memorial theatre, has been announced. Long raised his bid .from $3,000 to $3,600 yearly. For the pSlst five years he paid $2,400. ■ In declaring to renew Long's lease, tru!>tees • ended a bitter controversy that began in July when the Schine circuit attempted to obtain the thea- tre with a bid of $3,750. At that time several civic and .patriotic or- ganizations sponsored petitions ask- ins that the Long lease be' continued. Schine, it had announced, would clo.se the house if it obtained the lease, concentrating on its two other houses here. Scbram Adds One Canton, O., Oct. 31. Fred Schram, former lessee of the Lyric, Delta, now operating the Em- .pre.ss in Whitehouse. G. L. Carmack of Findlay has ac- quired the Star, Bluffton, from its Bernic Mills FeUd . Albany, Oct. 31. Bernie Mills, former Republic franchise holder, was honored at a luncheon attended by 125 film men here Monday (30). They presented him with a wrist watch. Speakers were Moe Silver, Warner Bros, dis- trict manager in Albany and Buffalo districts; Lou H. Golding, Albany di- vision manager of Fabian circuit; Jack Berkowitz, of Buffalo, long Mills' partner, and Arthur Newman, present Republic manager here. In attendance were Frank McCarthy, Universal eastern district sales chief: George Lynch and Lou Goldstein, of New York Theatres THERE'S A BETTER SHOW AT THE The "DEAD END" KIDS "ON DRESS PARADE" >«liio IN FKRSON HA, KEMP oKcui^KA SXRAIMD25C B'way mil 471b St. HBLU OVEK "JAMAICA INN" with CHARLES LAUGHTON (JMTEn pn/i^TI nrondway AKTfSTS nlVUU atlWiSt. D«or> OPIB (lao A.M. UIDNITE (HOWt "DISPUTED PASSAGE" with nOnOTHY MMOIB AKlHf X.4MIH0F|i- JOHS HOWAItV HET.t, OVER IN PERSON DICK POWELL X^ddy Powell arid Band PARAMOUNT TIM En EUUAKE SVi'** MUSIC HALL HEI.n OVftR 'm. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON" Spectacular Stage Production* kLOEWt Lilt Timet Tidiy "jrone.vmn«n In Ball" I Ntble Sl»!e -t Orch. STROUD TWINS [HARRIET HOCTOR Tfaurtdajr flarj- r««prr "THE REAT. CI.OHY" • In Person Kdmuntl ■ 1< O tV E Othcn DD«n 10 A.M. li 2nd Big Week gl M-G.M'i Hit! MICKEY .TUBY • ROONEY • GARLAND in "BABES IN ARMS' Conilnuoui (ram 10 ».m ^ Pig. .Vlcei, 2Se t« I p.m. ('■WM<4(»n Lit, Show ll*S g.m. NItely i Robert Donat in M>G-M's IgOODBYE MR. chips , with Grcrr Garaoii • eilt MON.TH Schine chain in Cloversville; Bill Smalley, Smalley circuit. Coopers- town. .... _ Another shakeup in Warner Bros, theatre.? of Albany and Buflalo zones brought new managers to the Avon, Utica; Keeney, Elmira, and Haven, Olean. Arnold Stoltz came from Philadelphia zone to the Avon to leplaee Murray Lafayette, whom New York State Manager Moe Sil- ver shifted to'Oleah, vice Al'Beck- cricb. The latter resigned, ns did Doc WcsHall at Keeney. Ed Yarbor- oufih, ex-RKO circuit man, took over Keeney. Gniferic'B Invite Greenville, O., Oct. 31. J. O. Guthrie^ lessee and manager of the nearby Karolyn theatre. New London, has been invited by city council here to take over the audi- torium of the new $50,000 city hall as- a cinema. Council members have arranged for the regular exhibition of Diclures on Thursday and Satur- day nights. StdTes Framed Minneapolis, Oct. .')1. Some 'friends' of W. A. StclTes, Twin City Variety club chief barker and Northwest Allied. president, a practical joker himself, framed it so that Steffes would be called to jury duty and couldn't get himself ex- cused. They didn't know that Stelfes had made all arrangements to at- tend the Carnegie Tcch-Notre Dame football ^me and Variety club an- nual banquet in Piltsburgh last Sat- urday and Sunday. As result of the gag, Steffes was forced to forego the trip, although he already had purchased his foot- ball and banquet tickets, and he was plenty burned. It was the first time he has mis.<!ed a Variety club ban- quet in Pittsburgh. - SlDrles 'in Binehamion Buffalo, Oct. 31. All theatres in Binghamton are operating under single-feature pol- icy under mutual agreement. The Avon, Syracuse, when re- opened by Al Gilbert hit a new high in sorhething or other—free admis- sions for everyone. Colonial, Niagara Falls, reopened under management of Jerry Harri- son, formerly manager of the Mer- cury, Buffalo. Don Wricht's Berth Indianapoli.s Oct. 31. The new Csquire, nabe, a linit of Cantor Neighborhood Theatres, will open Friday (3). House, formerly the Garrick. been given renovation job. Don Wright, for three years with Cantor at Emerson and Rivoli, will manage. Cii.«Ino, S: P.. Sold 5kin Fraiicisco, Oct. 31. Pettr H.. Markowitz. representing local theatre .syndicate, has pur- chased the C.nsino theatre properly, cn Elli.s and Mason, here. Theatre will bt refurnished and redecorated. Sioltz to VlU^a. Utica. N. Y., Oct. 31. Arnold Stoltz, recently in charge of publicity for Atlantic City Steel Pier, succeeds Murray Lafayette as manager of the WB Avon here. After three years in Utica. Lafayette leaves to take charge of two WB Olean theatres. VIRGINIANS LOCATE Hollywood, Oct. 31. Headed by director Michael Curtiz Warners' 'Virginia City' troupe of 200 players and technicians moved to Flagstaff, Ariz., yesterday (,Mon.) to start shooting on location. Cast i.-: lopped by Errol Flynn snd Miriam Hopkins. Berth Sells Hooge Milwaukee, Oct. 31. Edwin Jj. Berth, for past 25 years operator of the Pastime. Kiel, re- linquished the house to Eskin The- atres, Inc. New owner will remodel. TITLE CHANGES Hollywood, Oct. 31. 'Riders of the Pasco Basin' is re- lease title for 'Vigilante War' at Uni- versal. 'Framed' is new handle for Uiii- versal's 'Trouble Is My Middle Name.' Columbia switched from 'Street of Missinx. Women' to 'Cafe Hostess.' 'No Power on Earth' became 'Big .Guy' at Universal. Univer.sal changed Test Driver' to 'Danger on Wheels.' 'Under Western Skies' became 'Westbound Stage' at Monogram. Columbia made -three changes: 'The Incredible Mr. William.s' to 'The Amazing Mr. Williams'; 'Passport to Happiness' to 'Music in My Heart.' and !Renegade Law' to 'Two-Fisted Hanger.' 'The Night of Nights' is release handle on 'Happy Ending' at Para- mount. 'The Outlaw* went back to its original title, 'Vinegaroon,' at Sam- uel Goldwyn. Film Reviews Legion of Lost Flyers (Continued from page 14) way she follows Devine around, dog- like, produces vralcome Euixeafie from the larxe .amount of flying in- dulged, crashes, landings in bad -weather, etc. The flyinK becomes dreary and monotonous on occasion. Aside from the romanoc that de- velops at the far-nothern airport after Arlen gets there, the story is importantly concerned with the pilot's efforts to clear himself of sus- picion in a crash in which several passengers i>erished. Arlen succeeds in washing himself of guilt in con- nection with the fatal mishap. Anna Nagel and Ona Munson, as sister^, arc Alaskans, but it's neyer explain- ed what they do, why they iarc there and where they live. Though the village is mentioned, it is never seen. Both appear to advantage, while Icssers in the fiood-sized cast include William Lundigan, Guinn Williams and Theodor Von Eltz. Williams is not called upon for any laughs. - Christy Cabanne's direction is fairly steady and sati.sfactory but the crash that Arlen survives is iinbe- lie\'ablG. The way -Arlen lands a plane in a canyon'and tak-es off from there is another highly implausible feature of the picture. Ch«r. Ireland's Border Line (nCISH-MADE) Wllltnm AlrsnndiT i-*?fiiyft of ITnrry O'l)oliuv:iil prtxlui-i ion, Krnluvi-M .lii)irii\ O'Ueu. l>lr«i-le<l liy U'n<inuv:iii. .^^ Hi-I- iiiont. N. Y., week Ocl. I'J. ' Kuiiiliiitf llnic, fit MIN8. Dllly 13rannlGftn A nil la l)urk«. .Mlcliiicl O'Connor.... Maura., S«rgeant Muc.Aleer... .^erEennt Hogan...... .Mbrrt 'CylCT .^-nOie Tyler. Jimmy "O'DeR ... Myrc-UM .Murvrii I, II. I-Mwiii Ililzrl Jl\it;hrn ItuiiakI M.-tli-tniiHon .Sopl ]'iir(-i-II . i . Ken \V:in ln,';(nn .lulin .'^IIC(1A rates her role ns Miss Doria's un- sympathetic mother, Laura Nucel debuts as the siren -vho succumbs to the big bad wolf. There's a touch of John Garfield in Andrea Checci's in- terpretation of the wayward son. Expert cutting and sometimes su- perb direction standout Fhotog. rapby is above average. Hugo. La Noche de los Mayas ('Nicht af the Mayas') (IN SPANISH) Mexico City, Oct. 25. MIrr raleam of K.^MA produciloii. .Stun Arturo d« Cordoba, Kslela ni<]:i. T.<:ulirla. <.'oroti.-i and r.ula Aldaa. Dlrccllon unil «r-ennrlo .by Chano llrufta: b:lf!^•ll on lb* lio\-»l of .AiitonIo Mediz llollo; nnislc. Cor- ncllo Cntdcnfts; ramera, Gllb'^rio FiRiie- mra. At Cine Teatro Al.im'-d.-i, Mexico cily. MunnlHK time: VB MlN.v. t^z , .\rturo (1c roriloba ..I-:nr-l:i Tndi '/'fM'. iihrhi. Coiona While M;in : l.ill.s AldHa Lol'a Kattier. .MlBUt-l A. l-'errli .*;«-uUy Whohxn .liininv WiMin.iti Dullock Dyi-ne Tom Dunne Pert little Irish comedy built around Jimmy O'Dea who gets in a string of laughs via his role of an itinerant job seeker who becomes involved in a jewel robbery. Cheaply mode, with few interiors and tho.«e mostly devoid of any expensive productional touches, the film neverlhelcs.s is en- tertaining, despite its innocuous story. Can pass in Irish nabcs. O'Dea gets tangled up with the thieves when their car staHs in the gateway and he fixes it. In tli$ process his bag becomes mixed with the valise containing the stolen jewels, '''urns out that the two are respected but unsuspected residents living nearby where O'Dea ,seltles as a handy man at a pub. Rest of the time is taken.by the thieves trying to get their swag bag back without putting him wise to its content'. Unraveling of the whereabouts of the thieves and the jewels' is neatly dovetailed with the rivalry between northern and southern Ireland, from which the fllm draws its name. Cops on both sides are determined to nab the crooks. It's furthered by hav- ing the daughter of the pub owner in love with a flatloot of one faction, while her father is attempting to force her to marry one from the' other side of the line. Once O'Dea geti wise to the thieves' identity (they were dis- guised) he schemes with the cop favored by the pub owner's daugh-^ ter to get 'em to the other side of the line so the officer can nab 'em, get the glory and win the gal. Film drags in spots but, by and large, the direction keeping things moving at a neat pace throughout Photography average. Sound fairly good except for'a few inside scenes where acoustics bother. Perform- ances are all believable. This film has lots to recommend itself to American audiences inter- e.sted in one of America'.s vanished civilizations, the Maya Indians. Ii's a neatly done story of what hap- pened when a white man stumbled upon the jungle hamlet in . Yucatan slate, whb.<;e folk live much like their ancestors of 20 centiu irs ago. Settings are the McCoy: Real Yucatan jungles and ancient May;in ruins. There is a pleasing scciucncc of an aulliciitic Mayan fiesta. People of the pic are not s.iv.nuce; though jiingleitcs, they have relincincnt and arc fiood-looking. Cast is of high order, photography and .';oiind are good, and incidental mu.-iic haunting. Artiiro de Cordoba plays a young huntsman, who's crazy about E.'tela Inda and she about him. Isabela Corona, as an apprentice witch, likes de Cordoba and is working to get him to forget his first love, when along come.i! Luis Alda.<;, seeking chicle concessions. .Scnoiiln Inda and the wliite man fall h.Tvd for each other; there's high scandal about their goings-on. fannod by the cun- ning Corona gal. Drouglii is making it tougher and tougher for the vil- lagcr.i. and latter witches .'o well that the townsfolk burn hei' alive in an effective night sequence. Wrath of the town turn,'! on Mi.^f Inda: it is figured that it won't rain because she has sinned. De Cordoba man hunts Aldas in the jungles and kills him at the very time Miss Inda, guided by her father and other head- men, reach the sacrificial well, down which the prettiest ■ maidens were thrown in olden times when it didn't rain. Deft twist at the end make.^ her leap into the well, a breath-' taking plunge, dignified suicide in- stead of u,sacrifice. Grnlmtiie. STORY BUYS Hollywood.- Oct. 31. Paramount purchased '1 Wanted Wing.i,' aviation yarn by Lieut B'eirne Lay, .Ir. . Samuel Goldwyn bought 'Macin- tosh,' South Sea tale by Somerset Maugham. Warners acquired film ri--' ts to Polan Banks' novel, '.laiiuary Heights.' Henry King bought Beth Brown's novel. 'Wedding Ring,' for produc- tion at 20th-Fox. PICCOLO HOTEL ('Small Hstel') (irALIAN MADE) Rome, Oct. 19. ArUsIt.-ARsnclatl-relcnso of Alfa produc- tion, stum >JmmA GruDimatlca. Directed by Perm Uallcrlnl. S(-reenplay. Peiro Bnl- lerlnl. from Ktory by f.ulgl Rl(-cl; C4imera. (/SO 'r.-imbardla. At llie Barberlnl, Kome. llnnnlijg lime, ti MINfl. Oust: Kmma Grainmatlca. Mlno 4'0r«, T.nuia Nuccl. Andrea rheccl. Giildo No- larl. Lulsellii Beghl, Lola Bracclnl, Blanca Uorla. The 1939 Venice Biennial's fir^t film to be .shown to thejpublic, 'Pic- colo Hotel,' is fairly worthwhile. Moving at a slow clip, and lacking a story with which to occupy its thor- oughly talented cast, 'Hotel' is not slated for any major triumphs here or abroad, though locally it should be a satisfier. Perro Ballerini, who both adapted and directed, reverts to the hack- neyed 'Grand Hotel' method of tell- ing half a dozen stories. Incidents lack relationship and are too brief to build up interest Principal charac- ter is the kind proprietoress who finally is forced to sacriftce her small Budapest hostelry in order to pay off .some di.shonest debts incurred by her black-sheep son, Emma Grommaticn, a,<t the land- Jad.v, gives an A-1 performance. Among the boarder,':. Bianca Doria standi out as a hy.sterical young girl, who, when she isn't pulling hair wilh her mother, is chasing alter the hotel .smoothie, Lola Braccini exaggc- BALLO AL CASTELLO (■Ball at the CastlC) (ITALIAN-MADK) Rome, Oct 13. Inilualrie CInennitoeraidiirbu li;ilt:inc If-. lease of Jtnlclne i-'Min, SI:u'.-4 .Aiidii ^'Klll: roiilinee Anlonlu t;enl3. C.iilo l,iinili.:rdl, >=n'ndr:i Jtavel. Uil'i'cied l<y "Mjissiinilino NeuJi-ld. Screenplay by Cn In Ijillii Post:!: iikiioi;, Oiuste Blancull; i-;innn;. VhIchv \'ii-h; dances, Mur:i. Doiihm-: music, b'r.'iiin,-!. At the 'l.'lnen^a Covso, Home, HnnnliiR time, HS MIMS. l^rela 1.4irBcn Aliiln ■\*j*lU 'L'cnenle Paola Karlnsky Anruulo (;fnl:L il I'lhiclpe Glorlfio,,, C.-ii-m> )*nlb:irdl Itlla VulcnII ,S;iMdJ:i. «:ivtl Ii;illcl Alofltcr 3'cCi-ovit-Ii, ,t:i".-*i'pl)C J'iero'i-^l il I'l-ini-Ipe .Nicola,.. C:iir;Mrii lie t'i'n'zii Scb,-i:*ll;nin T.nrsen... \';isco Crcll DIrcrlor oC Ibo Theiilre t'rultlo Xoiario Subslllute Uallei .Miisli r.,, b:i mlno tl'Olivlo A harmless little fantasy charm- ingly directed and acted, 'Ballo al Ca.stello' will catch on with those who would think about implausible Prince Charmings, Alida Valli's wistful charni and elfin qu:ilities gives the pic a b.o. boost. Film's possibilities are just for Italian audi- ences.. Story unreels around a young bal- lerina, Greta Larsen (Miss Valli), who is unwittingly picked up by the Crown Prince and driven to her bal- let school. Those who. see her come to conclusions and just as she's about to be put out of the ballet school for repeated tardiness she's skyrocketed to the post of premiere dan.seusc. She's pretty much crushed to find it isn't on her own merit that she got the job, but because the ballet mas-, ter thinks she's the prince's lady friend. But she determines to carry through the mistaken idea. The prince finally does take the tumble, needless to say. Carlo Lombardi, as the prince. Is dashing, and Antonio Centa, as his amorous aide, pleasant. Sandra Ravel overplays the jilted ballerina, and Gii'i.scppe Pierozzi injects plenty of boorish humor into his ballet- master role. .Pageantry of mythical c6urt life i.s well done, but ballet scenes are uninspiringly photographed, Hugo. Pathe Labs on Coast Pal he Laboratories Co. i.<; reported negotiating for a new lab on the Coast, 1o supplant the present far cilitits in Boundbrook, N. J. Pathe top executives and allor- neys presently are in Hollywood al- tending to details of proposed new plant