Variety (Sep 1942)

18 nCTURES Wednesday, September 23, 1912 FILM BOOKING CHART This Week's New Shorts <For infonnation of theatre and film exchange bookers Variety presents a complete chart of feature releases of all the American disCrtbuliMs coin- pfliiies for the current quarterly period. Date of reviews as given in Variety and the running time of prints are included.) Key to Type Abbrcuiaiioni: M—Melodrama; C—Comedy; CD—Coined)/ Drama; VV—Western; D—Drama; RD —Romantic Drama: MU—Mustcal Figures herewith indicate date of Variety's review and running time, WEEK OF BELEASE—7/16/42 Prairie Gnnsmoke (CoD W -Dr(HBS-of the Congo (U) M Wines for the EaRle (WB) S/1 M Arizona Bonnd (Mono) 9/10/41 W B. eUlot-T. Hitter 61 S. Erwin-O. Munson U A. Stierldan-D. Morgan 58 B. JoDes>T. McCoy WEEK OF BELEASE—7/23/42 Escape from Crime (WB) S/3 This Above All (2«th) S 13 Pierre of the Plains (M-G) 6/17 Thundering Hoots (RKO) HI Neighbor (Rep) M SI R. Travls-J. Bishop RD 118 T. Power-J. Fontaine M U J. Carroll-R. Hussey W 61 T. ilolt-R. WhIUey C i. Parker-J. Archer Blondle For Victory (Col) Crossroads (M-G) 6/24 Smart Alecks (Mono) 9/9 Klondyke Fnry (Mono) 7/IS Call of the Canyon (Rep) 8/19 It Happened In Flatbash (2«th) Pardon My Saropg (U) 8/S 6/1 C P. Slngleton-R. Lake RD 34 W. PowcU-H. Lamarr C 66 R. Pryor-M. Hoaenbloom W W E. Lowe-L. Fairbanks W 71 G. Antry-S. BorneU CD 80 L. Nolan-C. Landls C 83 Abott & Costcllo WEEK OF BELEASE—S/13/42 Bad Men of the Hills (Col) W Mrs. Miniver (M-G) S/13 D 133 HUlbUly BUtekrelg (Mono) 9/16 C U Timber (U) 8/12 C S8 The Old Homestead (Rep) 8/26 C 68 C. SUrrett-L. Walters G. Garson-Wi Pldncon B. Dnncan-E. Kennedy L. CartiUo-A. Divine Weaver Bros. WEEK OF BELEASE 8/26/42 Talk of the Town (Col) (7/29 CD 118 Borders of the West (Mono) W Are Husbands Necessary (Par) 6/17 CD 80 Priorities on Parade (Par) 7/29 MU 79 Bambl (RKO) S/27 CD 70 The Pled Piper (20th) 7 8 D 84 Shadows of the Sage (Rep) W C. Grant-J. Arthur B. Jones-T. McCoy R. MiUand-B. Fields A. MlUer— J. Johnson (Disney Cartoon) M. WooUey-R. McDoweU Three Mesqneteers Spirit of Stanford (Col) Isle of Missing Men (Mono) Youth on Parade (Rep) Sunset Serenade (Rep) 9/9 Bells of Caplstrano <(Rcp) 9/16 Mexican Spitfire's Elephant (RKO) Berlin Correspandent^20tb) 8/12 Give Ont Sisters (U) 9/2 CD F. Albert-M. Chapman M 61 H. Howard-G. RoUnd W J. Hnbbard-M. O'Drlscoll W S8 R. Roge'rs-H. Parrlsh W 73 G. Antry-S. Burnett 8/S C 83 L. Velez-L. Errol M 70 V. Gllmore-D. Andrews MU 6S Andrews SUters WEEK OF BELEASE 9/17/42 King of the Stallions (Mono) Somewhere I'll Find Ton (M-O) 8/S Wings and the Woman (RKO) Carefnl, Soft Shoulder (26th) 8/12 HaUway to Shanglial (O) 9/9 One of Our Aircraft Is BUssIng (U) W RD M M H M 107 ?/ 61 Thonderelond-D. O'Brien C. Gable-L. Turner A. Neegle-R. Newton V. Brnce-J. Ellison L Herrey-K. Taylor Q. Tearle-E. Postman WEEK Of BELEASE—9/24/42 My Sister Edeen (Col) 9/16 CD Police Bullets (Mono) M Bandit Ranger (RKO) W Just OS Broadway (20th) 8/12) CD Sin Town (U) M Desperate Journey (WB) 8/19 D 97 R, Russell-B. jUieme J. Marsh-J. Archer T. Holt-C. Edwards 6< L. Nolan-M. Weaver C. Bennett-B. Crawford 107 E. Flynn-R. Regan WEEK OF BELEASE—16/1/42 Lucky Legs (Col) Phantom Killer (Mono) Highways by Night (KKOj Iceland (20th) ff/Tz Get Hep to Lore (U) Moon and Sixpence (U) Moscow Strikes Back (Artkino) 8/19 MU M M MU MU D SS J. Falkenborg-K. Harris D. Pnrcell-J. Woodbury R. Carlson-J. Randolph S. Henle-J. Payne G. Jean-J. Frazee G. Sanders-H. Marshall (Documentary) WEEK OF BELEASE 16/8/42 Darlns Young Man (Col) C Foreign Agent (Mono) M Here We Go Again (RKO) 8,26 C Girl Trouble (20th) 9/23 CD Destination Unknown (U) M Yon Can't Escape Forever (WB) 8, 26 CD Flying Tigers (Hep) 9/23 M J. E. Brown-M. Chapman J. Sheldon-G. Storm E. Bergen-McGee & Molly D. Ameche-J. Bennett 1. Hervey-W. Gargan G. Brent-B. Marshall J. Wayne-A. Lee TRADESUOWN AND FOB FUTUBE RELEASE Night In New Orleans (Par) S/6 M 75 Once Upon a Thursday (M-G) 3/20 M 66 Yankee Doodle Dandy (WB) 6/3 MU Hi Holiday Inn (Par) 6/17 MU 101 Eagle Squadron (U) 6/17 RD 108 Tombstone (Par) 6/17 W 7S I Live In Danger (Par) 6.-17 M 73 Apache Trail (M-G) 6/24 W 66 United We Stand (20lh) 7/1 66 The Young Mr. Pitt (20th) 7/1 M 118 Footllght Serenade (20th) 7/8 MU 81 The Pride of the Yankees (RKO) 7/ls D 128 Flying Fortress (WB) 7/IS M 110 War Against Mrs. Hadley (M-G) 8'S D 8& Journey Into Fear (RKO) 8/S M 68 Tales of ManhatUn (20th) 8/S CD 117 Cairo (M-G) 8'12 MU 101 Wake Island (Par) 8/12 D 87 A Yank at Eton (M-G) 8.12 CD 88 Secret Enemies (WB) 8/19 M 58 Now. Voyager (WB) 8/19 D 117 Wildcat (Par) 9/2 CD 7U The Glass Key (Par) 9/2 M 85 The Major and the Minor (Par) 9 2 CD IO<i Between Us Girls (U) 9/2 CD 88 Eyes In the Night (M-G) 9/9 D 80 Me and Me Gal (M-G) 9/9 MC 104 White Cargo (M-G) 9/16 D 89 The Omaha Trail (M-G) 9/16 W 61 Springtime In the Rockies (20th) 8,26 MU 90 Tne Hard Wav (WB) 8/26 D 108 Th". Hlfl'len Hand (WB) 8/26 M 67 George Washington Slept Here (WB) 8/26 CD 93 D. Lamonr-R. Denning M. Ilunt-R. Carlson J. Cagney-J. Leslie B. Crosby-F. Astaire R. Stack-D. Barrymore R. DIx-K. Taylor C. Morris-J. Parker L. Nolan-D. Reed (Documentary) R. Donat-R. Morley J. Payne-B. Grable G. Cooper-T. Wright R. Greene-C. Lehman E. Arnold-F. Balnter J. Cotton-D. Del Rio (All star cast) J. MacDonald- R. Young B. Donlevy-R. Preston M. Rooney-E. Gwenn C. Stcvens-F. Emerson B. Davls-P. llcnreld R, Arlen-A. Judge B. Donlevy-V, Lake R. Rogers-R, Milland D. Barrymore-C. Cuniniincs e. Amold-A. Harding J. Garland-G. Murphy H. Lamarr-W. PIdgcon J. Crale-P. BUke B. Grable-J. Payne I. Lnpino-D. Morgan C. Stevens-E. Fraser J. Bcnny-A. Sheridan Community Sine No. 2 (Song sub- jocl. Col, lOVs mins.)—These sccni to KG on forever, with no deviation fi-uin wooden formula started years ntji). except there seems less reason llian usual for this issue. 'Carry Harry' i Harry Langdon comedy. Col, 17 mins.)—Langdon looks older, but he's a kid alongside .-ome of the gags foisted on him here. Couple of femme lookers are \v;i.<tcd as Langdon .<itrives lo over- tome ancient vintage material Premise that If one slapstick fall cau.scs a laugh, three in succession will triple the laughter is proved rnllacious in this ishort. •The fiuinble Canary' (Cartoon comedy. Col, 7 mins.) — Dave Fleischer's production and Eddie Kilfeather's music go far in making ihi.i a novel cartoon entry. Idea of .1 ma«pie talking a caged canary out of its happy home to go south Is nicely developed, and topped by a iirprise climax. •Song of Victory" (Color cartoon comedy. Col, 8 mins.')—Had this l)cen I'hc first.cartoon in which Axis dictators were thwarted by animal characters it might have been stand- out. But it isn't, and predecessors make this suffer in comparison. Some original gags, neat animation and color. „ . .„ ■Screen Snapshots No. 2' (Col, 10 mins.)—Allyn Joslyn, as m.c, is shown baking a cake. Introes mothers of Hollywood screen stars— also Bob Burns, Joan Davis, Rosa- lind Russell. Even Burns' clever work fails to lift this out of the dull groove as these so-called snapshots from Hollywood get more tiresome with each succeeding Issue. U's (1,752,346 Net Gain In Line With Constant Upped Grosses Since '36 Despite profit of $4,760,873, before provision for Federal income and ex- cess profits taxes and providing for writeoff of company equities in cer- tain foreign territories, Universal's net profit after all charges and taxes | amounted only to $1,752,346 in the 39-wcek period, ended lasf Aug. 1. This compares with net profit of $2,000,864 in the corresponding 39 weeks last year, after similar de- ductions. Company actually showed more than $2,000,000 increase in profit n the 39 weeks, as compared with last year (when profit was $2,751,864) before charges and Federal taxes. While Universal's net profit was $1,752,346, the corporation's provision for Federal taxes totalled $2,780,809 in the period covered by the report. Income tax was figure* at the 40% rale and excess profits tax at the 90% rate, because both schedules aip- pear likely to be adopted by Con- gress presently. Manner in which the tax bill has increased is shown by the fact that the company pro- vided $2,029,809 more for taxes than in corresponding period last year when U paid out $751,000. Universal noted in its report that restricted funds (frozen money) in- creased by $1,956,828 during the period in Great Britain. Third quarter ending on Aug. 1 showed net profit of $255,246, and $1,023,596 earnings before Federal in- come and excess profits taxes as against $631,530 net profit in the cor- responding quarter last year, and $992,530 before Federal taxes. Resume of Universal's gros.s in- come reveals that it has been in- creasing steadily ever .'since 1936, with company coming out of the I'ed in 1939 and showing a net profit ever since starting with that year. U gross income amounted to $17,408,- 254 in 1936; to $18,150,876 in 1937 and $20,190,117 in 1938. In the years following when net profit was re- ported, the gross was $23,878,868 in 1939, $27,677,627 in 1940 and $30,283,- 523 in 1941. This year likely will top the '41 figure. Universal Annual Earnings 1930-42 Net profit except as noted: (•) Deficit 19.30 V. '$2,047,821 1931 615,786 1932 • 1,250,283 1933 • 1,062,216 1934 238,792 1935 • 677,186 1936 • 1,988,524 1937. » 1,084,999 1938 • 591,176 1939 1,153,321 1940 2,390,772 1941 4,396,499 (1941 by Quarters) First Second Third Fourth Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter STOa.795 $1.0SS,S39 $892,530 $1,644,834 • 1942 by Quarters) $I..S18.niS $2,218,962 $1,023396 Note: All of 1941-42 figures are be- fore tax deductions. Film Reviews Continued from page 8 TU ERES LA PAZ Lack of continuity and occasion- ally imperfect sound don't help, allhouuh music by Julian Bautlsta is excellent. Production has been well mounted, with old-time scenes set by Gori Munoz particularly good. Film has especially strong appeal for femme audiences, but certain come- dy situations tossed in to relieve the melodrama arc also helpful. Ray. THE HIDDEN HAND W'.ii'Mri lti',i>. |ir<><lut;lluii niid rolenxc. Din-.ti.l !•> l;i-n Sliiliiff. Si'MeiiDlHy, An- tliuity i*iil<li>\vny iiiij Uu>inol)U .Svliruch, liiiKi'il I'll i>Kiv l>v Jtiifun Klni;: plmlciKni- I-hv Hi-i^rv Sli:irp; o.lltnr. irRiMiri .Mi'i^ov ii,>ii': .liMl.'i: .lliv.loi. Harry Spyniiuir. 'I'rM.hill N. V . SOM. I'.T.'. Uuii- liilli: tJnii'. Im I'l-llM- 'I'lliilll. OlUlU SIOVCIIH XJ:iry Wltiilrlil KllMilifth KruMi-r mill Jillle Ulnliup i himfr. in . WlUlo lloiil Dr. fjiwi.Mi-o I'ImiinliiK Knillk Wlk'ni UirliLlH I'l nliiK O'tll CunnlnKluim ]':8(ell<> nulh Ford John Oi^iniiliiK Milton Panmna Wiillcr I'liiiniiiiii: Itolonil Drew lliirme CImukIkk l""'" .*<lcyonMiin NutHi' Marian ITdll lliiiilr Ine» Qiiry Miillo Kern Tung particularly moving, and the Engli>.h subtitles are extremely poor. Yarn deals with a former Swedish opera singer who purchases a cafe- teria through money advanced by a friend, the attempt at a robbery and the ex-sineer's conversion of the would-be thief. Love develops be- tween the singer's daughter ^nd the reformed thief, but the latter is .-ir- rested and finally cleared of the charges. At no point is there any suspense and the plot is so obvious as to make Its unraveling tcidious. Some good acting is provided by most of 'he principals, with the star being Ed- vard Perssons. Photography is gen- erally good, as are the Sweden back- ground scenes. Direction is slow. Edd«. This is strictly a workout for Warners' stock company. No names, a trite horror story and modest pro- duction relegate 'The Hidden Hand' to the lower half of the duals. Type of story is remindful of yarns used early in pictures and in the serials. It concerns a nut who escapes from an asylum and returns to his former home, committing sev- eral murders before being appre- hended by' the authorities. Milton Parsons, a$ the mad killer, contributes the sanest performance. Knhn. SECRET MISSION IRRITISII-MADE) „ London, Sept. 9. f:i-ii.i:,l I'lliii I ii^l I'iliiiliirH relriiHC uC Alur- • i-l lI'-lijii.iM iM.,.l!i< 11,111. |.*i-aturefl <'arla l.i'liiiiann. Miiuli WltllaiiiM. .Ihiiiph Mnmin, .Mli'lia.l WIl.lliiL-. Ilini'tiil liy linrotd I-'r-'iiili. .»<.-n.|Mi|ila>'. .\iialiili* ilo Qrunwnld anil H-.i^il ll;iilli-il fiiiiii iirik'lnal Htury by Sliaiiii 'ri'ifiici- V,iiiiit(. l.'iiiiHM'a. Hrrnnrd Knii«\ It'!-, rvril Knowli^s. Al Loli-pulcr Sqilar,- th.'.ili>., ■.•■lulnll. nunnlltg llllic, III .MINS. Kuk-li Wllllainn ....I'.irlii l,elimunn , laiiiea MiiHon Uiiliinil f'ulver ....Ml.'haol WlldtnR Nani'y I'rice Terry WalBh Ilctly WarMn N Uholaa St'iart ....K'Mrpl HIApanok I'i'liT llailii'll .Millull. .1.' I': I. Kai.ill il>' I'arMiil... Mfi\ liow-.tli .\..lil.y CI Il k Vloli'ltf l-'ayll- .Mm. .Ni.l.l.y i-l.irU. . <'A|itaill Mm l.clt'/.lo. MaJ.il I K <;rni-i iil \ ,>ii It. li-hiiiaiiii. I-'. U. WflndhnllMn Captain III' Inlin Ralew Suit. Li'^iii. .l.n-kj«iin .'itiirt-nrl OranRer Occupied France a.s a land over- flowing, if not with milk and honey at least with plenty of good cognac and vintage champagnes not to mention ample supplies of coffee and food, is one of the several surprises 'Secret Mi.ssion' has to offer. It's .'^atisb'ing fare for war-minded audi- ence."!. Unlike the leisurely unfolding of the story on the screen, this is the tale of three Englishmen and one Fighting French Army Intelligence officer slipping into France to dis- cover Ihe strength of the coastal de- fenses. Two of the quartet, posing as champagne agents and friends of von Ribbenlrop, succeed in getting into the German G.H.Q., where tliey obtain the information wanted. Thereafter, they are kept on the run dodging their pursuers, a telephone call to Berlin eliciting the info that von Ribbentrop never heard of them. Production value, especially in a massive underground fortress, dem- olition of which by bombing is the highlight of the picture, is consider- ably above average. Direction gen- erally is competent. Adequate per- formances are turned in by all the principals, and bit parts are admi- rably handled. In the hands of a .skill- ful cutter thinne.ss of plot (chief fault with lhi.sonc) could be largely eliminated. SOLIGA SOLBERG ('Sunny Snnber(') (SWEDISH-MADE) .Scaialla Spri'lallleil rpleaiM of I2mll A. PfthrH:«>-ii pidiliicliiin. lilrei'ted liv I'l'liriuuin. Story. Gulflo Valnntln and Harry l]">bnrff; music, Alvnr Kraft. Revlewoil at 4i)ita Stiwl Ihi-nlic. N.V.. Sopt. H. "IJ. Iliinnlnir iline, n MINK. .SolberE r:il\ni.l rim-wn Mr». .XollifiK Malta ArlilllM IjOtlPn AniiH (lr«lii KrIuRtroni I'flr Cin-aii Itrrnltal'il KallA Ainl<*iH.*iin Tord Andi'rn'.n KrBM«o i)l»«nt, In,-,! jlcriihplin i-arlenKoii Hiiko BJorne Mra. farlcsi.,,11 (Ii-rda BJornc I.iHa f!arli-iiH.iii InKor Sundberg .Ian CnrlMiwn Mia N'nrdaUihl Dpcra Prima Dunna Ilulhin Wcljden ilpi.ra .SlnKPr llnlRi-r .'»Jolif rit '^rrhfUm )*a*r Ktny Owandner l-alesiiian.. \rno l.ln.lblail Dirc lnr nf (•bl|.li,.n-i4 Hume Krlk Uoni-n .NiBlitivalihinnii s,^n Meurk This is a light Swedish comedy with limited appeal for Swedish- .speaking audiences. Story has little aclion, its nationalistic spirit is not War Thins Out S Continued from page i — folks, as well as more younger peo- ple, in picture theatre audiences. Willie admittedly getting a consid- erable part of the younger genera- tion below 18, chief aim of this pub- lic relations drive would be to sell this above-40 group on the merits of screen entertainment. Part of the effort to enlist these two groups as regular theatre pa- tfons may result in producers veer- ing over to two new types of prod- uct. One would appeal to the very young theatre customer.';, and use almost 100% youth casts (this, too, is figured as a means of filling any void caused by the departure nt numerous male stars into the .serv- ice). The other would be to make more homespun dramas and lilms with homey themes calculated to in- terest the elderly clientele. It is fairly well known that this older group has been ncglectcH in recent years with a majority of pic- tures, obviously because those above 50 and 60 years have been weaned away from film theatres as regular patrons. Realignment would see more dramas of true American home life produced. Sobseqocnts Hot Full realization of what iiirnads the war has made into the 21-4S male theatre group became appar- ent recently when different com- panies began^ getting reports of dwindling bdxoffice busine.<;.<; in .<:ub- sequent-run theatres. While gio.t.scs in first-runs are way up. the .siib- sequenta in the same cities have suf- fered. This Is particularly true in New York City, of course, where thou- sands have been called into service from civilian lite without any com- pensating war industry work to off- set. Subsequents and neighborhood houses also hav^ suffered in N. Y. because many males, not called to the colors, have migrated to war ac- tivity centers. Likewise, smaller communities have felt the war comparatively to a greater extent than larger citie.<:. Non - industrial .communities and rural towns not only have lost much of the male population between 21 and 45, but have been doubly hard hit by thousands leaving for ne.nrby spots where they could receive the benefit of higher wages and regular employment in war plants. Aside from very young p:iti'ons, the exhibitor In such localities has had to depend heavily on older folks for patronage. In most places of this type, exhlbs have suffered .se- verely because their older patrons never have been steady theatrego- ers. It has shown up in gro.<:.ses with many exhibitors in the!;e towns clamoring for rental adju.stments. Mainly it has been a matter of se- curing rental adjustments or shut- tering for the duration. PRC campaign would strive to make the older folks the same steady customers of the cinema they were in the late '20s. Such a campaign is rated the only sure means, of taking up the slack caused by so niiiny younger men going to war. Pair for Auer at Rep. Hollywood. Sept. 22. John H. Auer is as.'igncd lo hold tht; production reins on two new pictures at Republic, .starting with 'Tt.hiti Honey,' a Ruth Terry mu- sical, slated to roll Nov. 2. Second Is an untitled Jane Withers starrer, due to .••■tai t about Dec. 15.