Variety (Sep 1941)

24 PIGTUBES Wednesday, September 3, 1941 Top Films of 1940-41 ^Continued from pai« 1; niche lor himself high in the esteem i most successful film ventures of all and financial ratings wherever time, including 'Ben Hur,' 'The Birlh 'Caught in the Draff was shown, of a Nation," 'Big Parade,' 'Covered snd the continuing fine records of Wagon' and the same director's own Mickey Rooney and Bette Davis. '10 Commandments.' Showmen also are unstinting in In contrast to 'Gone' and 'North praise of exceUent directorial work. West,' in a season significant for a of which there were numerous not- group of sUndout popular successes able examples. Cecil B. DeMilU next rating goes without protest from achieved the distincUon of turning any source to the trio ot Abbott and in the season's biggest grossing pic- Costello screen farces for Universal— ture. 'North West Mounted' Police' "Buck Privates, In the Navy and (Par); Arthur Lubin is credited with 'Hold That Ghost'—listed in the or- directing the three Abbott and Cos- der of release, although Navy hit tello films, and William Wyler, Raoul the jackpot. Walsh, Michael Curtiz. George Cukor Abbott and Costello and Rouben Mamoulian made con- Brief summary of the sUange be- epicuous contributions. havior of the Abbott and Costello Among women stars of enhanced films is as weird as some of the drawing values. Ginger Rogers im- shadow antics of the stars previous- proved as a boxoffice asset during ly long established in burlesque and the season, as did also Betty Grable, more recently popularized as radio and musicomedy zanies. The gold- rush at the boxoffice when 'Buck FommpRO Star« |Qifl.4l Privates- was released was over- reinnie D.U. Jldr5, IJ'*"^'** Uoo^ed by numerous first-run opera- tors who allowed independent com- petition to cash in at the mutuels. Audiences grew daily at the first showings. Holdover engagements became the rule In nearly every ex- hibition spot. Re-bookings swarmed the Universal exchanges. Additional prints were tossed into circulation. While some film executives were be- moaning 'conditions,' Abbott and I Costello flaunted business Indices. They were no flash-in-the-pan. 'In I the Navy' followed with the benefit of national word-of-mouth boosting. Extended runs extended themselves into subsequent showings. 'Navy' struck the public risibles in the very spot where Chaplin in 'Shoulder Arms' had tickled the boxoffice 25 years ago. It is a fact that more fllmgoers attended 'Navy* thian any I other picture of the season. Comes next another success yam, I the boxoffice exploitation of Katha- rine Hepburn in 'Philadelphia Story' (M-G). Off the screen for more than two years, during which she toUfed in the legit version of Philip Barry's satiric expose of society life on the , , , „ ,. ^ „ „ Main Line, Hepburn's return was In fllmuslcals; Rosalind Russell, for greeted by long queues at theatre her two fine comedy performances in lobbies. Not overlooking, of course, 'TMs Thing Called Love' (Col) and 0,^^ she had highly expert and cap- They Met in Bombay' (M-G), Dor- a^le assistance from James Stewart, othy Lamour firmly estabUshed her- f^^^ Grant and Ruth Hussey, and sell by displaying versatiUty. And almost perfect direction from George Katharine Hepburn scored her great- (^or est screen success, after a two years' arbitrary general listing ol absence, in 'Philadelphia Story.' season's features in boxoffice Although the boxoffice bell rang^^m^ beyond the highspots men- loudest for Rooney, Abbott-Costello tioned. Is virtually Impossible, in and Bob Hope, top Igrosses also were y^e light of the extraordinary up- turned in by James Ca^ey, Errol i^^t of theatre business that showed Flynn, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, jtself in August, the closing month wyn's production, 'Little Foxes,' starring Bette Davis, and released by RKO. Showing exclusively at Radio City Music Hall, New York, it registered $112,000 on its opening week with signs of exceeding tliat record summer figure in the current stanza. • CoincidenUlly, the latest of the Hardy Family series, Xife Begins for Andy Hardy,' starring Mickey Rooney and Lewis Stone, is in posi- tion to exceed any of its prede- cessors and reach a pinnacle with Metro's best for the year. It is | holding lor extended runs every- where. V With equal astonishment, showmen are viewing the initial engagements of 'Dive Bomber' IWB), last release of an outstanding program. A War- ner sales executive declares it will surpass at the boxoffice the previous leaders, 'Santa Fe Trail,' 'Bride | Came C.6.D.' and 'Knute Rockne.' In the same group is Columbia's new release, 'Here Comes Mr. Jor- | dan,' unique in story and treatment, and excellently acted' by Robert | Top-Rating Pictures for 194041 COLUMBIA •Penny Serenade,' Irene Dunne, Cary Grant; dir. George Stevens. This Thing Called Love,' R. Russell, M. Douglas; dir. Alexander Hall. 'Howards of Virginia,' Cary Grant, Martha Scott; dir. Frank Lloyd, 'She Knew AU the Answers,' Tone, Joan Bennett; dir. Richard Wallace. •"Here Comes Mr. Jordan,' Montgomery, Rita Johnson; dir. Alex Hall. METRO 'Gone With the Wind,' Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh; dir. Victor Fleming, 'Philadelphia Story,' Hepburn, J. Stewart, Cary Grant; dir. Geo. Cukor. 'Strike Up the Band,' Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland; dir. Busby Berkeley. 'Comrade X,' Clark Gable, Hedy LaMarr; dir. King Vidor. 'They Met in Bombay,' Gable, Roz Russell; dir. Clarence Brown. 'Andy Hardy's Pri. Sec.,' M. Rooney, L. Stone; dir. George B. Seitz. 'Ziegfeld Girl,' Judy Garland, J. Stewart, H. LaMarr; dir. Robt. Leonard. 'Escape,' Norma Shearer, Robt. Taylor; dir. Mervyn LeRoy. 'Men of Boys Town,' Spencer Tracy, M. Hooney; dir. Norman Taurog. 'Love Crazy,' Myrna Loy, William Powell; dir. Jack Cummings. ^'Life Begins for Andy Hardy,' M. Rooney, L. Stone; dir. Geo. B. Seitz. (Alphabeticallv) Bette Davis, 'The Letter,' 'The Great Lie,' 'Bride Came C.O.D.' (WB), 'Little Foxes' (RKO). Deanna Durbln, 'Spring Pa- rade,' 'Nice Girl' (U). Alice Faye, 'Tin Pan Alley,' •That Night in Rio' (20th-Fox). Jady Garland, 'Strike Up the Band,' 'Ziegfeld Girl,' 'Life Be- gins lor Andy Hardy' (M-G). BeUy Grable, 'Tin Pan Alley,' 'Moon Over Miami,' 'Down Ar- gentine Way'. (20th-Fox). Katharine Hepbnrn, 'Philadel- phia Story' (M-G). Dorothy Lamoar, "Road to Zanzibar,' 'Caught in the Draft,' 'Aloma of the South Seas' (Par). Myrna Loy, '3rd Finger, Left Hand,' 'Love Crazy' (M-G). Ginger Rogers, "Kitty Foyle,' Tom, Dick and Harry' (RKO). Bosalind Bnssell, "This Thing Called Love' (Col), 'They Met in Bombay' (M-G). of the season. At least three, and probably four, films from as many different studios sky-rocketed in first runs. Standout is Samuel Gold- P Tyrone Power, Don Ameche and | Bing Crosby. That Midas touch in show busi- ness, that elusive element that en thuses the public and loosens its dol- lars at the boxoffice, manifested it- . sell in all its varied and baffling DA nU-orforc IQdA-dl forms during the film season. | D.V. UllCtWIO, lJtW-«l Thumbing through the booking sheets of important first-run thea- tres, scanning the returns of hun- dreds of subsequent showings, and analyzing the weekly telegraphic reports from VAHiErr correspondents In all key release cities, there is but one conclusion to be reached: the showman and the alchemist deal with fragile material. Neither rule nor rote governs the boxoffice. Dollar success is based on ingredients, prop- erly fused, of story material, treat ment, performance, timeliness and exploitation. The outstanding film successes of the season ranged a wide span of subject matter, and an even wider field ot creative and acting talent. In actual receipts, the presentation of 'Gone With the Wind' (Selznick- MG), at popular prices, garnered the largest receipts. In the previous sea- son 'Gone' had exceeded every known figure for theatre intake when it was shown .at the $1.10 scale. There were millions, apparently, who wait- ed until the 'regular* release, not counting return customers. Although bookings did not exceed 8,000 thea tres, the total paid at the wickets was sufficient to add $4,000,000 to the film rental account. DeMille's Topper Of the season's regular releases, DeMiUe's 'North West Mounted Po- lice,' cashed in on the pioneering by Metro in advanced admissions on ^om Tpwn,' toward the end of the previous season. Par urged its own and Independent theatre outlets to advance prices for the DeMllle melo- drama. Domestic film rental soared to $2,750,000, with sufficient untiUed soil to warrant substantial additional Income. Europe's battle royal tem- porarily has deferred the foreign revenues which ultimately will lift Voxih West' Into the class with the (Alphabeticallv) David Batter, 'Caught in the Draft' (Par). Charles Chaplin, 'The Great Dictator' (UA). George Cnkor, 'Philadelphia Story' (M-G). Michael Cnrtls, 'Santa Fe Trail,' 'The Dive Bomber' (WB). Cecil B. DeMllle. 'North West Mounted Police' (Par). Alexander Hall, 'Here Comes Mr; Jordan,' This Thing Called Love' (Col). Alfred Hitchcock, 'Foreign Correspondent' (UA), 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' (RKO). Frill Lane, 'Western Union,' 'Return of Frank James,' 'Man- hunt' (20th-Fox). Walter Lang, 'Tin Pan Alley,' 'Moon Over Miami' (20th-Fox). Mitchell LelscD, 'Arise My Love,' 'I Wanted Wings' (Par). Frank Lloyd, 'Howards of Vir- ginia' (Col), 'Lady From Chey- enne' (U). Arthur Lnbln, 'Buck Privates,' 'In the Navy,' 'Hold That Ghost' (U). Ronben Mamoollan, 'Mark of Zorro,' 'Blood and Sand' (20th- Fox). Victor Sohertzlnger, 'Rhythm on the River,' "Road to Zanzibar,' 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye' (Par). BaonI Walsh, 'Strawberry Blonde,' 'High Sierra,' 'Man Power' (WB). Sam Wood, "Kitty Foyle,' 'Devil and Miss Jones' (RKO). William Wyler, 'The West- erner' (UA), The Letter* (WB), Uttle Foxes' (RKO). George B. Belts, 'Andy Hardy's Private Secretary,' 'Life Comes to Andy Hardy* (M-G). Male B.O. Stars, 194041 (Alphabetically) Abbott and Costello, 'Buck Privates,' 'In the Navy,' 'Hold That Ghost' (U). Don Ameche, 'Moon Over Miami,' 'Down Argentine Way,' That Night in Rio' (20th-Fox), 'Kiss Boys Goodbye' (Par). James Cagney, 'Bride Came C.O.D.,' 'Strawberry Blonde,' 'City lor Conquest' (WB). Charles Chaplin, 'The Great Dictator' (UA). Gary Cooper, 'North West Mounted Police' (Par), 'The Westerner* (UA), 'Meet John Doe' (WB). Bins Crosby, 'Rhythm on the River,' "Road to Zanzibar' (Par). Clark Gable, 'Comrade X,' They Met in Bombay' (M-G). Bob Hope, 'Road to Zanzibar,' 'Caught in the Draft' (Par). Tyrone Power, 'Mark of Zorro,' 'Blood and Sand' (20th-Fox). Mickey Booney, 'Strike Up the Band,' 'Andy Hardy's Private Secretary,' 'Men of Boys' Town,' 'Life Begins for Andy Hardy' (M-G). PARAMOUNT 'North West Mounted Police,' Cooper, Goddard; dir. Cecil B. DeMille. 'Caught in the Draft,' Bob Hope, Dor. Lamour; dir. David Butler. 'Road to Zanzibar,' Crosby, Lamour, Hope; dir. Victor Schertzinger. 'Love Thy Neighbor,' Jack Benny, Fred Allen; dir. Mark Sandrich. 'Virginia,' Madeleine Carroll, Fred MacMurray; dir. E. H. Griffith. 'Shepherd of Hills,' J. Wayne, B. Field,. H. Carey; dir. Henry Hathaway. 'Arise My Love,' Claudette Colbert, Ray Milland; dir. Mitchell Leisen. 'I Wanted Wings,* R. Milland, Brian Donlevy; dir. Mitchell Leisen. ICiss the Boys Goodbye,' Mary Martin, Don Ameche; dir. V. Scliertzinger. •'Aloma of the South Seas,' Dor. Lamour, Jon Hall; dir. Alfred Santell, RKO "Kitty Foyle,' Ginger Rogers; dir. Sam Wood. 'Tom, Dick and Harry,' Ginger Rogers; dir. Garson Kanin. 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith,' Lombard, Montgomery; dir. Alfred Hitchcock. 'Devil and Miss Jones,' Jean Arthur, Chas. Coburn; dir. Sam Wood, •Sunny,' Anna Neagle; dir. Herbert Wilcox. 'No, No, Nanette,* Anna Neagle; dir. Herbert Wilcox. 'Reluctant Dragon,' Walt Disney. •'My Life With Caroline,' Ronald Colnvan; dir. Lewis Milestone. •'The Little Foxes," Bette Davis; dir. William Wyler. • Recently released. Montgomery, Rita Johnson and a | good cast under Alexander Hall's di- rection. If there Is a single phase of the I exhibition field that has marked the closing season as indicative of new things to come, it is the trend among theatre operators to break down the I long established system of regular changes of attractions, usually limit- ed to one week, in the larger first runs. Extended playing of popular features dates back to the earliest film days, and many cities supported | profitably one or more small ca- pacity theatres given over exclusively I to this policy. But the more spa- cious houses for years have clung tenaciously to weekly and bi-weekly | change. Within the past 12 months radical { departures from booking routine have encouraged theatre operators to extend playing time. The effect of such a policy, in more imiversal | use, is viewed by showmen as en- couraging to production and the I probable solution to the Uls of double billing. It removes a ceiling { from film rental possibilities. No Capra at Columbia; 'Penny Serenade' No. 1 Highlights of each distributor's top grossers; For the first time in a dozen years Columbia had no Fn Capra pro- duction lor exhibitors, as the di- rector and Bob Riskin, scenarist, switched to Warners. With accurate estimate on 'Mr. Jordan' deferred until wider returns, Columbia's leader for the season was 'Penny Serenade' (Irene Dunne- Cary Grant; directed by George Stevens). Its success was general, a holdover in many spots. Original exploitation was used in initial runs by placehient ot news- paper advertising copy on pages two or three in hundreds of dailies, in- sertions being timed to regular amusement colunm announcements after the opening campaign. Film was released in nearly all keys be- fore the first run engagements in New York and Chicago. 'This Thing Called Love' (Rosalind Russell-Mclvyn Douglas) was one of the year's provocative pictures, stirring no little comment on account of the connubial theme. Director was Alexander Hall, who'also di- rected 'Mr, Jordan.' 20TH-FOX 'Tin Pan Alley,' Alice Faye, Betty Grable; dir. Walter Lang. 'Moon Over Miami,' Don Ameche, Betty Grable; dir. Walt. Lang. 'Mark of Zorro,' Tyrone Power; dir. Rouben Mamoulian. 'Down Argentine Way,' Don Ameche, Betty Grable; dir. Irv. Cummings. 'Tobacco Road,' Chas. Grapeyi^in; dir. John Ford. 'Return of Frank James,' Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney; dir. Fritz Lang. "Blood and Sand,' Tyrone Power; dir. Rouben Mamoulian. TTiat Night in Rio,' Alice Faye, Don Ameche; dir. Irv. Cummings. "Western Union,' Robert Young, Randolph Scott; dir. F. Lang. 'Man Hunt,* Joan Bennett, Walt Pidgeon; dir. Fritz Lang. UNITED ARTISTS "The Great Dictator,' Charles Chaplin. 'Thief of Bagdad,' Conrad Veidt, Tabu; dir. Ludwig Berger. 'Foreign Correspondent,' Joal McCrea; dir. Alf. Hitchcock. "The Westerner," Gary Cooper; dir. William Wyler. "That Hamilton Woman,' Vivien Leigh, L. Olivier; dir. Alex Korda. 'Son of Monte Cristo,' Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett; dir. R. V. Lee. UNIVERSAL "In the Navy,' Abbott & Costello; dir. Arthur Lubin. 'Hold That Ghost,' Abbott & Costello; dir. Arthur Lubin. 'Buck Privates,' Abbott & Costello; dir. Arthur Lubin. "Back Street,' Charles Boyer, Margaret SuUavan; dir. Bruce Manning. 'Spring Parade,' Deanna Durbin; dir. Henry Koster. 'Nice Girl?' Deanna Durbin; dir. William Seller. 'Lady From Cheyenne,' Loretta Young, Robt. Preston; dir. Frank Lloyd. WARNERS "Santa Fe Trail,' Errol Flynn, Olivia DeHaviland; dir. Michael Curtiz. 'Bride Came C.O.D.,' James Cagney, Bette Davis; dir. William Keighley. 'Knute Rockne,' Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan; dir. Lloyd Bacon. 'Strawberry Blonde,' Cagney, DeHaviland; dir. Raoul Walsh. 'The Letter,' Bette Davis; dir. William Wyler. 'The Great Lie,' Bette Davis; dir. Edmund Goulding.- "Meet John Doe,* Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck; dir. Frank Capra. "Man Power,' E. G. Robinson, Dietrich, George Raft; dir. Raoul Walsh. "High Sierra,' Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino; dir. Raoul Walsh. •'Dive Bomber,' Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray; dir. Michael Curtiz. • Recently released. Crawford's Comeback; Metro's Gables, Rooneys story at Metro is in the potency of studio's screen talent, of the type to carry smoothly finished product to upper boxoffice brackets. Picture ratings hit the groove of star values, for the most part Mickey Rooney figured in four releases in the first 10, two of them Hardys; also 'Strike Up the Band,* teamed with Judy Garland, and 'Men of Boys' Town,' hitched with Spencer Tracy. The two Clark Gable entries, 'Comrade X' and 'Bombay,' are high on the list. Some light on the heavy man- power at Metro Is reflected by the fact that in the first 10 on the stu- dio's list only George Seitz is cred- ited with two pictures. Work of the following is represented: Fleming, Cukor, Berkeley, Vidor, Brown, Leonard, LeRoy, Taurog and Cum- mings. •■ Two other films did excellent business. They are Joan Crawford in 'A Woman's Face,' which served to usher her back into fast company, and Robert Taylor in 'Billy the Kid,' a shoot-'em-up, which registered big through the midwest and south. Of significance is growing recog- nition of some ot the newer and younger Metro talent, notably Katherine Grayson, who appeared in 'Private Secretary'; Laraine Day, giv^n top spot in a re-make of Trial of Mary Dugan'; Ruth Hussey, who scored as comedy lead in "Philadel- phia Story,* and Ann Rutherford, who held her place opposite Rooney in the Hardy series. Studio also uncovered Red Skel- ton from vaudeville as a screen comedian. Hope, Bing, Benny-Allen, Lamour, 'Va.' Par's Tops At Paramount, man of the hour is Bob Hope. 'Caught in the Draft' whisked him onto the rare atmos- phere of upper stardom. This pic- ture is second on the company's list of grossers, not too far behind 'North West Mounted.' The Hope-Dorothy Lamour combination also appeared with Bing Crosby In 'Road to Zanzi- bar.! Latter continues among stu- dios best boxoffice personalities.