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IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as Second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1919

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1941 No. 1

HERE AND THERE

IN THE OCTOBER 26 ISSUE I discussed in these
columns the matter of the Federal Admission Tax and its
application to admission prices charged to students. I
urged the industry to carry on an educational campaign to
the end that the tax law might be amended to provide
that the exemption from the tax should apply not only to
children under twelve years of age, but also to all students,
soldiers, sailors and young men of the C.C.C. camps.

In the November 9 issue I reproduced a letter addressed
to the United States Internal Revenue Department, St.
Paul, Minnesota, by Fred H. Strom, Executive Secretary
of Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest, taking up the
fight to accomplish the purpose that I had outlined.

Since that time, Northwest Allied, through Mr. Strom,
has carried on an intensive campaign to have the tax ruling
on student admissions modified. The letters exchanged be-
tween Mr. Strom and the Treasury Department, both at
Washington and at the St. Paul division, are too volumin-
ous to reproduce in these columns, but they contain con-
vincing arguments, which may bring about the results
desired.

Northwest Allied has indicated also that, if the Com-
missioner of Internal Revenue should refuse to reverse his
ruling, suit would be instituted to test the validity of the
ruling. The exhibitors would then have a clearcut decision
by the courts as to the application of the tax on student
admissions, as well as on admissions of C.C.C. workers and
of those in the military service of the country.

Some of the other regional organizations of Allied have
joined in the work started by the Northwest regional, either
by supplementing the protests of Mr. Strom, or by sub-
mitting to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue specific
questions, the answers to which may lay the foundation for
a court battle.

Of course it is difficult to predict the action that will be
taken by the Tax Department. But one thing is certain,
and that is the worthiness of the cause that has been
undertaken. The exhibitors are trying to make available
to the youth of the country, and to those in the military
service, entertainment at the lowest possible cost. These
young people have a definite need for entertainment at
frequent intervals ; in fact, during these depressing times the
fulfillment of this need is essential to their well-being. Yet
they don't have the means with which to buy the amount of
entertainment they should have. To help them hurdle the
obstacle of a fund shortage, the exhibitor has reduced the
price of admission for them, and he insists that the govern-
ment do its bit by exempting them from the Admission Tax.

The job that Northwest Allied has undertaken is by no
means a job that affects only one locality; it is a matter
of national concern, and if the Tax Department should
refuse to reverse its ruling, the two other available avenues
of attack should be followed without delay, namely, an
appeal to the courts for a reversal of the ruling and an
appeal to Congress for an amendment of the Tax Law.

Here is a cause that should be championed, not by only
one group of exhibitors, but by an entire industry. It may
be well to let Northwest Allied, the group that has taken
the initiative, assume the leadership, but all groups should
get behind the leader if they want to be assured that their
efforts will prove successful.

* * *

ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE surveys
ever undertaken by an exhibitor organization has just
been concluded by the Allied Information Department, and

the results have been embodied in its report issued on
December 12, 1940, under the heading of "The Aid Analyst."

An introduction to the report says : "This report is the
independent exhibitor's answer to the so-called 'national
sales policies' which are proved to be non-existent; to the
demands for higher film rentals, which are shown to be
unnecessary ; to the restriction of cancellation rights ; and
to the forcing of shorts, which is continuing unabated.
Here in cold, accurate figures you will find the answers.
It has been well said that knowledge is power. Put AID's
report to work for you by comparing the national figures
and your territorial figures with your own individual opera-
tion."

The report indicates that, despite efforts of the distribu-
tors to obtain higher rentals for the 1940-41 season than
they received for their 1939-40 product, the majority of
exhibitors bought their product either on the same terms
as they bought for the previous season, or at better terms.

In 1935, Harrison's Reports, after making an extensive
survey among exhibitors, published its findings in a pam-
phlet called "Harrison's Digest," which proved conclu-
sively that "national sales policy" was nothing more than
a phrase used by film salesmen to "bluff" some exhibitors
into buying product at higher prices than the product
warranted. It showed unbelievable differences in selling
terms between theatres of almost identical location, size and
requirements.

When the publication of Harrison's Digest was discon-
tinued in 1938, the distributors apparently began to work
the "national sales policy" gag again, and it took the AID
survey to explode it once more.

The AID survey shows that, with the exception of
Metro, the distributors in many instances made contracts
for features all on flat rental terms, and, as the report
states, "this disposes of the claim by the various companies
that there is a national sales policy requiring the exhibitor
to buy some pictures on percentage." Based upon the total
number of contracts analyzed, the report shows that nation-
ally 42% of the contracts were sold all-flat and 58% were
sold with some percentage pictures.

Although this paper, by reason of its experience in com-
piling Harrison's Digest, was not surprised at the findings
of the AID survey, it was gratified to note that "without
exception exhibitors in organized territory paid a lower
percentage of the gross for film than did exhibitors in non-
organized territories. This also holds true when the buying
of members of exhibitor organizations is compared with
that of non-members in the same territory."

Harrison's Reports congratulates Allied on the great
service it has rendered to exhibitors through the AID
survey and report, and suggests that, for their own benefit,
all exhibitors should cooperate with Allied in furnishing
the information requested for future surveys. Only with
such information can AID make its surveys comprehensive
enough to be compelling, and only by having the AID re-
ports based upon comprehensive surveys can the exhibitors
use them to advantage in dealing with the film salesmen.

* * *

SIDNEY R. KENT, president, and Herman Wobber,
general sales manager, of Twentieth Century-Fox are to
be congratulated on the steps they have taken in preparation
for entering upon the new selling methods under the Con-
sent Decree. They have adopted the sensible attitude that
the Decree is now an accomplished fact, and that so long
as it remains the guiding rule for the distribution of motion
{Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 4, 1941

"Flight Command" with Robert Taylor,
Walter Pidgeon and Ruth Hussey

(MGM i January 3 ; time, 114 min.)
Very good entertainment 1 It is one of the most thrilling
aviation pictures made, and realistic, too, since the United
States Navy air force cooperated in the production. The
subject matter is timely, for it shows the work and practice
maneuvers done by the Navy in line with the defense pro-
gram. One of the most exciting scenes is that in which
four Navy planes, flying through a thick fog, are guided
to the landing field by means of a mechanical device ; and
there are several other scenes, equally as exciting. The
story offers plentiful human appeal and good romantic
interest : —

The crack squadron at the San Diego Naval Air Station,
known as the "Hell Cats," is headed by Walter Pidgeon ;
both he and his wife (Ruth Hussey) are extremely popu-
lar with the men. Pidgeon and his men are surprised when
they learn that a vacant place in their squadron would be
filled by a reserve from Pensacola, for they felt that their
outfit was too tough for a cadet. Robert Taylor, the selected
cadet, is overjoyed at his appointment, thinking that the
"Hell Cats," as was their custom, had selected him. Per-
mitted to join the squadron in machine gun practice, he
tries so hard to be good that he runs into the target and
puts the squadron out of the running. It is then that he
learns that the "Hell Cats," had not asked for him. Shep-
perd Strudwick, Miss Hussey's brother, feels sorry for
him, and gradually the others warm up to him. He works
with Strudwick on a fog-landing device; one foggy night
Strudwick, without permission, takes out a plane to test
the apparatus. He crashes and is killed. Miss Hussey is
heartbroken. Pidgeon comforts her ; but he has to leave
for Washington that night. She breaks down ; Taylor tries
to help her by taking her out. By the time Pidgeon returns,
Miss Hussey is not sure of her love for him; she leaves
him, promising to return when she felt she loved him again.
The men in the squadron, thinking that Taylor was the
cause of it, are furious; he, in turn, is disgusted at their
accusation and hands in his resignation. Before it comes
through, he joins the squadron in maneuvers. A plane
from another squadron is lost at sea and the "Hell Cats"
are sent out to locate it. They find it and are ready to
return, when Pidgeon's plane springs a gas leak; he is
forced down and crashes on a rocky island. Taylor goes
after him, and flies him back in his plane, followed by
the others. A heavy fog sets in; but, by means of the
device, which Taylor had perfected, the men on the field
guide them down safely. Pidgeon is rushed to the hospital.
Miss Hussey returns, happy to be back with Pidgeon, who
had recovered. The men of the squadron, realizing their
mistake, plead with Taylor to remain ; he agrees.

John Sutherland and Commander Harvey Haislip wrote
the story, and Commander Haislip and Wells Root, the
screen play; Frank Borzage directed it, and J. Walter
Ruben produced it. In the cast are Paul Kelly, Red Skelton,
Nat Pendleton, Dick Purcell, William Tannen, Addison
Richards, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Dr. Kildare's Crisis" with Lionel
Barrymore, Lew Ayres, Laraine Day,
and Robert Young

(MGM, November 29; time, 74 wm.)

If the pictures that are to follow in this series are as good
as this one, there is no reason why the "Dr. Kildare" films
should not continue for a long time. This time the subject
matter deals with epilepsy ; and the story is even more
interesting than the others in the series and has stronger
human appeal because the patient involved is the heroine's
brother, whose illness affects his sister's future happiness.
There is plentiful comedy to relieve the tension ; most of the
laughter is provoked by Lionel Barrymore, who terrorizes
all the hospital workers by shouting at them. The romance
is charming : —

Lew Ayres (Dr. Kildare) and his nurse fiancee (Laraine
Day), who had been thwarted in their attempts to elope by
Lionel Barrymore, Ayres' superior, because he wanted
them to have a regular wedding at which he could be best
man, make new plans. They are pleasantly surprised when
Miss Day's brother (Robert Young), arrives in town.
Young was all excited about a project he had in mind,
which would require financing. Ayres promises to introduce
him to a millionaire. But Ayres notices something strange
about Young. Without telling Miss Day anything, he in-
duces Young to undergo a test ; at its conclusion he believes
that Young was suffering from epilepsy. Ayres is deter-
mined to marry Miss Day, in spite of the fact that she,
too, might be afflicted some day. But she finds out about

the diagnosis and refuses to marry Ayres. Barrymore takes
a hand in the case ; he discovers that the epilepsy had been
brought on by a head injury and was not hereditary. Ayres
operates on Young, who recovers. Ayres and Miss Day
now look forward to their marriage with happiness.

Max Brand and Willis Goldbeck wrote the story, and
Mr. Goldbeck and Harry Ruskin, the' screen play ; Harold
Bucquet directed it. In thecast are Nat Pendleton, Walter
Kingsford, Alma Kruger, Bobs Watson and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Case of the Black Parrot" with
William Lundigan, Maris Wrixon,
and Paul Cavanagh

(First National, January 11; time, 59 min.)

A fair program murder-mystery melodrama. The fol-
lowers of stories of this type should enjoy it, for the villain's
identity is not disclosed until the end. Since several persons
are suspected, one's interest is held fairly well. The story
is somewhat involved ; but it moves at a pretty good pace
and is worked out fairly well at the conclusion. The produc-
tion values are good and the performances competent. There
is a romance : —

Maris Wrixon and her uncle (Charles D. Waldron)
arrive back home with an antique cabinet Waldron had
bought in Europe. William Lundigan, a reporter, who had
been a passenger on the same boat and had fallen in love
with Miss Wrixon, realizes that there was some mystery
attached to the cabinet. Mysterious things start happening :
first, a strange man who had been waiting to see Waldron
dies suddenly, after having touched the cabinet. Then
Waldron himself dies in the same mysterious way. Two
strange women become involved in the case, as does Paul
Cavanagh, supposedly the son of the art dealer from whom
Waldron had bought the cabinet. Eventually Miss Wrixon
and Lundigan trap Cavanagh, and prove that he was a
dangerous criminal who knew that valuable diamonds were
hidden in the cabinet and who had been responsible for
the death of the two men.

The plot was adapted from the play by Eleanor R. Bel-
mont and Harriet Ford, and the novel by Burton E. Steven-
son; Robert E. Kent wrote the screen play, Noel M. Smith
was director, and William Jacobs, producer. Eddie Foy,
Jr., Luli Deste, Joseph Crehan, and others are in the cast.

Not for children. Class B.

"She Couldn't Say No" with Roger Pryor,
Eve Arden and Cliff Edwards

(First National, December 7; time, 62 min.)

Although Warner Bros, produced a picture in 1930 called
"She Couldn't Say No," supposedly written by the same
author who wrote the story for this picture, there is abso-
lutely no similarity in the stories. This is just a program
farce of minor importance, lacking in star names. It may
fit a double-bill, where something light is needed as a second
feature, for occasionally there are situations that provoke
laughter. Theatres that cater to audiences who are not too
exacting in their demands as long as a picture offers comedy
may fare better with it than high class theatres : —

Roger Pryor, an unsuccessful young lawyer, and his
sweetheart-secretary (Eve Arden), who, too, was a lawyer
but who did not practice because of Pryor's objections to
her having a career, are overjoyed when they finally get a
case. Pryor is assigned to the job of inducing a wealthy
eccentric farmer (Clem Bevans) to sell him his farm, which
an aeroplane company wanted as a landing field. But Pryor
is unable to see Bevans, who suspected everybody of being
connected with a breach-of-promise suit that had been
brought against him by his elderly fiancee. Cliff Edwards,
Pryor's process server, finally obtains an interview with
Bevans by pretending that he had once been sued for
breach of promise and had won the case. He makes an
appointment for Bevans to meet him at Pryor's office. The
understanding was that if Pryor handled the case, he would
receive as his fee the farm. But as luck would have it,
Pryor was out of town, and so Miss Arden handles the case
and leaves for the small town. When Pryor hears about it,
he is enraged, for he thought Miss Arden was seeking a
career for herself. Just to spite her, he decides to repre-
sent the plaintiff. The case is finally dismissed when the
elderly couple decide to marry. Miss Arden receives the
deed to the property, which she in turn hands over to
Pryor. They are reconciled and decide to marry.

Benjamin M. Kaye wrote the story, and Earl Baldwin
and Charles Grayson, the screen play ; William Clemens
directed it, and William Jacobs produced it. In the cast
are Vera Lewis, Irving Bacon, Spencer Charters, and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

January 4, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Kitty Foyle" with Ginger Rogers,
Dennis Morgan and James Craig

{RKO, December 27; time, 108 min.)
Very good ! The picture stands very good chances at the
box-office, first because of the wide popularity of the novel
from which it was. adapted, and, secondly, because of its
Own merits. The story is simple but realistic ; it has deep
human appeal, a stirring romance, and delightful comedy
bits ; moreover, the performances are excellent. There are
a few situations that tug at one's heart-strings, and others
that provoke hearty laughter. The story is told in flash-
back : —

On the night that Ginger Rogers had agreed to marry
James Craig, a young doctor, she receives a visit from
Dennis Morgan, her former husband. He tells her that,
although he had remarried, he could not forget her, and
that he had left his wife ; his intention was to live in South
America. He asks Miss Rogers to go with him. She prom-
ises to meet him at the dock. While packing, the picture of
her past flashes in front of her. She remembers the day
she had met Morgan, son of a wealthy, socially-prominent
Philadelphia family ; he had called on her father for help
in writing an article. Learning that she was out of work,
he had offered her a position in his mazagine publishing
firm. In a short time, they had fallen deeply in love with
each other. But the magazine had failed and they had
parted. When her father died, she had gone to New York.
There she had met Craig, a young struggling doctor. But
Morgan had found her, and induced her to marry him.
Once back in Philadelphia with his family, she realized
she did not fit in with them, and she had left. She and
Morgan were divorced. Learning that he had become en-
gaged to a society girl, she did not tell him that she was
going to have a baby. She was grief-stricken when she
learned that the baby had died at birth. She and Craig had
become friends again; and she had finally accepted his
marriage proposal. She stops packing, realizing suddenly
that going away with Morgan would only mean unhappi-
ness, even though she still loved him; and so she marries
Craig, for she was fond of him and knew he was dependable.

The plot was adapted from the novel by Christopher
Morley. Dalton Trumbo wrote the screen play, Sam Wood
directed it, and Harry E. Edington produced it. In the
cast are Eduardo Ciannelli, Ernest Cossart, Gladys Cooper,
Odette Myrtil, Mary Treen, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Behind the News" with Lloyd Nolan,
Frank Albertson and Doris Davenport

(Republic, December 20; time, 74 min.)

This is a good program comedy-melodrama. It is a news-
paper story, revolving around two reporters, one, cynical
and hard, the other, new at the work and idealistic. Both
Lloyd Nolan and Frank Albertson, as the two reporters,
give good performances; as a matter of fact, due to their
ability, one's attention is held throughout, for on occasion
the action lags. The closing scenes are fairly exciting.
There is a pleasant romance : —

Frank Albertson, on graduating from college, wins a
scholarship entitling him to six month's work as a reporter
on a certain newspaper. Robert Armstrong, the editor,
assigns Albertson to Lloyd Nolan, ace reporter; he pur-
posely did it, knowing that it would annoy Nolan. Albert-
son, who had always admired Nolan's work, feels unhappy
when he realizes that Nolan had changed from an idealistic,
forceful writer to a cynical reporter. Nolan tries to dis-
illusion Albertson about newspaper work, but he clings to
his ideals. While Nolan is off on a spree, a big story about
an escaped criminal breaks ; Albertson covers it, writes a
story and sends it to the editor under Nolan's name. Nolan
is grateful ; and, since he had become fond of Albertson,
decides to force him out of newspaper work, because he felt
he was too decent to be in it. First, he gives him a misleading
story, which Albertson turns in to Armstrong ; Armstrong
thinks that Albertson had tried to put something over on
him, and is furious ; but he cannot discharge him until the
scholarship expired. Albertson accidentally learns that an
innocent man had been framed on a murder charge ; he tries
to convince Nolan that they should work on it. At first,
Nolan refuses to listen to him ; but later he decides to
follow up the clues. He and Albertson uncover the plot, and
prove that the District Attorney himself was mixed up in
the case. By this time, Albertson is considered a full-
fledged reporter. And Nolan finally marries Doris Daven-
port, who had been patiently waiting for the event.

Dora Schary and Allen Rivkin wrote the story, and Isabel
Dawn and Boyce DeGaw, the screen play ; Joseph Santley
directed it, and Robert North produced it. In the cast are
Paul Harvey, Charles Halton, Eddie Conrad, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Romance of the Rio Grande" with
Cesar Romero, Patricia Morison, Ricardo
Cortez and Lynne Roberts

{Twentieth Century-Fox, January 17; time, 72 min.)
A fair addition to the "Cisco Kid" series. Although it
lacks real thrilling action, such as fights and fast horseback
riding, the performances are adequate and the story is
fairly interesting. One is held in some suspense because
of the hero's efforts to outwit the villain. As in the other
"Cisco Kid" pictures, the comedy is handled by Chris-Pin
Martin, whose efforts to steal are thwarted by the hero : —

Pedro deCordoba eagerly awaits the arrival of his grand-
son (Cesar Romero) from Spain, for he wanted to turn
the ranch over to him and also to see him married to his
ward (Patricia Morison). DeCordoba did not know that
his own nephew (Ricardo Cortez) was at the head of
cattle rustlers who had been stealing from his ranch, and
that he and Miss Morison were sweethearts. Cortez in-
structs his men to kill Romero before he could reach the
ranch. The "Cisco Kid" (also played by Romero), seeing
the attempted murder, rushes to the man's help. He is
amazed at their resemblance to each other. He leaves the
man in the care of a friend, and then leaves for the ranch
to take the grandson's place; he is welcomed there with
open arms. In a short time, he finds out all about Cortez.
He purposely arouses Cortez' s jealousy by pretending to
be in love with Miss Morison, when he really had fallen
in love with Lynne Roberts, a friend of the family. In a
quarrel that follows between Miss Morison and Cortez,
they are both killed. Romero turns the ranch over to the
rightful owner, who had recovered. He tells him everything,
and suggests what he should say to Miss Roberts, so that
she would suspect nothing.

Katherine F. Gerould wrote the story, and Harold Buch-
man and Samuel G. Engel, the screen play ; Herbert I. Leeds
directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it.

Not for children. Class B.

"Hudson's Bay" with Paul Muni

{Twentieth Century-Fox, January 3; time, 94 min.)

Fair. The picture lacks the excitement that one would
expect in a story depicting the formation of the Hudson's
Bay Company. Instead of action, the plot is developed by
dialogue ; moreover, more stress is placed on the person-
alities of the characters involved than on the story itself ;
for those reasons, the action lags. There are one or two
situations that hold one in suspense, but those are not
enough to hold the spectator's attention throughout. Another
fault is the fact that Paul Muni's part requires him to talk
with an accent, which becomes tiresome after a while. The
love interest is mildly pleasant : —

Muni and Laird Cregar, two French-Canadian fur trap-
pers, induce John Sutton, an English lord who had been
banished from his country, to invest all his money in their
scheme to trade for beaver pelts with the Indians at
Hudson's Bay. Sutton accompanies them on the trip. They
have great luck, returning to Montreal with 300,000 pelts.
But the scheming governor, by invoking laws against them,
takes the pelts away from them. Managing to escape with
part of the furs, they leave for England, in hope of interest-
ing the King (Vincent Price) in their idea of founding a
Hudson's Bay Company, and at the same time of winning
forgiveness for Sutton. Gene Tierney, Sutton's fiancee, is
overjoyed at seeing him. Muni's ideas appeal to the King,
and he permits the founding of the company. Sutton, Muni,
and Cregar, supplied with ships and funds, prepare to go
back to Hudson's Bay. Miss Tierney induces them to take
her brother (Morton Lowry), hoping that the experience
would make a man of him. By the time they reach the fort,
the last outpost on the edge of the wilderness, Lowry rebels,
refusing to go further. The three men leave; word soon
comes to them that Lowry, by plying the Indians with
liquor, had taken from them a great store of fur pelts. They
rush back, and find that Lowry had incited the Indians to
fight each other. The Indian chief insists on justice, inform-
ing Muni that the only way to bring peace to the country-
side would be to execute Lowry. Despite Sutton's pleas,
Muni does just that. They return to England with a fortune
in furs ; when the King learns of Lowry's death, he im-
prisons the three men. But when Muni tells the King that
he had left word with the Indians not to deal with the
English if he did not return, the King sets them free. Sutton
marries Miss Tierney.

Lamar Trotti wrote the original screen play, Irving
Pichcl directed it, and Kenneth Macgowan produced it. In
the cast are Virginia Field, Nigel Bruce, Robert Greig,
Chief Thundercloud, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 4, 1941

pictures, both the seller and the buyer should abide by its
terms and should do everything possible to make the best
of it.

These men have announced that they intend to sell their
product in full harmony with the letter and the spirit of
the Decree. They will seek no loophole or shortcut nor try
to evade any of its requirements, and although they con-
cede that arbitration is a great thing for the industry, they
will try to carry on their business in such a way as to satisfy
each customer fully, and thus avoid the necessity for
arbitration.

They place the responsibility for selling, not only pictures,
but also a fair clearance, upon their salesmen, branch
managers and division managers, and, as in the case of
some of the other distributors, they will compel the field
forces of the company, who are in direct contact with the
exhibitors, to assume personally the full responsibility for
any violations of the Decree.

Since they have decided to put this responsibility on the
men in the field, they have, with commendable foresight,
undertaken a system of education for these men concerning
the requirements of the Decree. Letters of instruction have
been sent to the field men by the general counsel of the
company, who will also meet with them on personally con-
ducted meetings at twelve of the exchanges, while other
members of the legal staff will explain the Decree at the
different branches throughout the country. Moreover, the
general counsel is preparing a manual outlining and ex-
plaining the provisions of the Decree, copies of which will
be placed in the hands of every salesman.

In his letter of instructions, the general counsel of
Twentieth Century-Fox makes the significant statement
that "if our job of selling is properly done, the clearance
we sell should never have to be arbitrated."

It is to be hoped that the executives of the other distribu-
tors will assume the same kind of attitude, and will prepare
their sales forces for the new order of things under the
Decree.

With the distribution forces thus united in their desire
to sell in accordance with the provisions of the Decree,
and with the exhibitors, even those who had opposed the
Decree, manifesting their intention to cooperate fully with
the government in giving the Decree a fair trial, all branches
of the industry should profit from the benefits that the new
selling system may make possible.

* * *

THE EXECUTIVES OF several distributing companies
have revealed a definite policy to place the responsibility for
any future complaints by exhibitors directly on the shoulders
of the film salesmen.

In the past, when the exhibitor made a complaint about
some exceptionally harsh terms that had been imposed upon
him by the salesman, or about the shorts, newsreels and
trailers he had been compelled to buy in order to get the
contract for features, the salesman would say that he had
merely carried out the instructions of the home office ; the
home office would disclaim knowledge of any such instruc-
tions, and would say that either the salesman had acted on
his own initiative, or the exhibitor was laboring under a
complete illusion.

Now that the distributors announce publicly that they will
not take any chances of being held in contempt of court
under the Consent Decree for some sharp practice by a
salesman, and that any salesman who tries to execute some
neat little trick of his own conception will have to take the
full responsibility for it, there should be few tricks pulled
by the salesmen, for they will no longer be able to avoid
the consequences of their actions by "passing the buck."
Thanks to the Consent Decree, the selling of pictures should
become a better and cleaner business than it has ever been.

A beneficial result should be obtained also in the pro-
duction end of the business, for with the selling of pictures
in groups of five, which no doubt will gradually change to
the selling of pictures singly, the chief consideration in
each sale will be the merit of the picture. To enable the
salesmen to make sales, the studios will have to turn out
good pictures. The men who produce such pictures will
command high salaries, and the studios will be happy to
pay them. The men who consistently produce product of
inferior quality will become a drag on their employers, who
will soon find it much too unprofitable to retain them on
the pay-rolls.

To a far greater degree than most producers had ever
thought possible will be the establishment of unit pro-
duction, which this paper has advocated for years. The
unit producer will be given complete charge of the pro-

duction of a picture. He will have to approve the story, the
cast, the director and every move that may be required to
turn out the finished product. And he alone will have to
take the blame if the picture should turn out to be unsalable.

Placing the full responsibility for the product on the
shoulders of the man who is' actually in charge of the
creation of that product will'move him to exert all his
efforts and to make use of all his talents in doing the work
for which he is hired. It is amazing what a man of ability
can accomplish when he is made to assume full responsi-
bility for his conduct!

Don't be surprised to find better pictures coming out of
Hollywood, and a happier relationship growing up between
the buyer and the seller of those pictures.

* * *

HATS OFF TO Nicholas M. Schenck, president of
Loews ! He seems to have remembered the vehement pro-
tests of the exhibitors against motion picture stars appear-
ing on radio programs.

Not so long ago the number of outstanding film actors
and actresses on the radio's national hook-ups was appalling.
While the exhibitor waited at the box-office for his patrons,
the performers who were then starring on his screen were
at the very same time giving those patrons a radio show
free of charge.

Following a loud and sustained protest by exhibitors
generally, the producer-distributors either curtailed or
abandoned the practice of lending their stars to their com-
petitor broadcasting companies, a practice that was destined
to undermine seriously the picture business.

Recently, a sponsor who had beer, interested in a new
MGM radio program was turned down by Nicholas M.
Schenck. He refused to permit his studio forces to partici-
pate in the production of a new radio show, because such
a show would be "against the best interests of the ex-
hibitors."

In commending Mr. Schenck, Harrison's Reports
wishes to add that such a show would be against the best
interests of the entire motion picture industry, and that all
the leaders of the industry should remain alert against any
further attempts by the radio people to encroach upon the
picture business.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

'TONE WOLF TAKES A CHANCE," with Warren
William, Henry Wilcoxon, June Storey, and Eric Blore.
The pictures in this series are usually pretty good program
melodramas with comedy.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"RAGE IN HEAVEN," with Robert Montgomery,
Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, and Lucile Watson. No
facts are available about the story, except that it is to be
adapted from a story by James Hilton, who wrote "Good-
bye Mr. Chips." The players mentioned are good, and so
the picture may turn out good to very good.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"SCOTLAND YARD," appraised in the December 21
issue as "Uncensored."

United Artists

"POT O'GOLD," with James Stewart, Paulette God-
dard, Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights, Dick Hogan,
and Mary Gordon. This picture is to be produced by James
Roosevelt's company. No facts are available about the
story ; but the cast is good.

Universal

"BUCK PRIVATES," with The Andrews Sisters, Bud
Abbott and Lou Costello, Jane Frazee, Lee Bowman, Alan
Curtis, and Leonard Elliott. This will probably be a comedy
on army life. Exhibitors who have played "One Night In
the Tropics" will be in a position to judge whether Abbott
and Costello are drawing cards in their theatres. The cast
looks pretty good ; most likely the picture will turn out a
pretty good comedy.

Warner-First National

"MURDER ON THE SECOND FLOOR," with Bruce
Lester, Heather Angel, Paul Cavanaugh, Frieda Inescort,
Mary Field' and Miles Mander. The cast does not warrant
more than a prograrn rating for the picture.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

No. 1

Vol. XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1941

(Semi-Annual Index — Second Half 1940)

Titles of Pictures Reviewed on Page

A Little Bit of Heaven— Universal (86 min.) 166

Always a Bride— First National (57 min.) 190

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante— MGM (87 min.) 110

Angels Over Broadway— Columbia (79 min.) 166

Ape, The — Monogram (62 min. ) 175

Argentine Nights — Universal (73 min.) 146

Arise My Love — Paramount (110 min.) 171

Arizona — Columbia (126 min.) 194

Bad Man from Red Butte— Universal (58 min.)

Bank Dick, The— Universal (71 min.) 198

Barnyard Follies— Republic (68 min.) 199

Before I Hang — Columbia (62 min.) 163

Behind the Door— Columbia (See "Man With

Nine Lives") 71

Bitter Sweet— MGM (93 min.) 191

Black Diamonds — Universal (59 min.) 134

Blackout— United Artists (81 min.) 190

Blondie Has Servant Trouble— Columbia (70 min.) ..122

Blondie Plays Cupid — Columbia (68 min.) 178

Boom Town— MGM (116 min.) 131

Boys From Syracuse, The — Universal (73 min.) 114

Boys of the City — Monogram (63 min.) 118

Bngham Young— 20th Century-Fox (113 min.) 146

Calling All Husbands— Warner Bros. (63 min.) 155

Captain Caution — United Artists (90 min.) 134

Captain Is a Lady, The— MGM (65 min.) 107

Carolina Moon — Republic (65 min.) Not Reviewed

Carson City Kid— Republic (57 min.) Not Reviewed

Chad Hanna— 20th Century-Fox (87 min.) 206

Chamber of Horrors — Monogram (79 min.) 127

Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum— 20th Century-Fox

(63 min.) 142

Charter Pilot— 20th Century-Fox (70 min.) 195

Cherokee Strip — Paramount (86 min.) 182

Christmas in July — Paramount (66 min.) 158

City for Conquest — Warner Bros. (104 min.) 154

Comin' Round the Mountain — Paramount (63 min.) ..134

Comrade X— MGM (89 min.) ..203

Cowboy from Sundown — Monogram (58m.). Not Reviewed
Cross-Country Romance — RKO (68 min.) 107

Dance Girl Dance— RKO (88^ min.) 139

Dancing on a Dime — Paramount (74 min.) 167

Dark Streets of Cairo — Universal (59 min.) 203

Devil's Pipeline, The — Universal (65 min.) 186

Diamond Frontier — Universal (71 min.) 163

Dispatch From Reuter's, A — Warner Bros. (89 min.) .174

Dr. Christian Meets the Women— RKO (66 min.) 111

Dr. Kildare Goes Home— MGM (78 min.) 150

Doomed to Die — Monogram (66 min.) 127

Down Argentine Way — 20th Century-Fox (88 min.) . .167

Dreaming Out Loud— RKO (81 min.) 146

Dulcy— MGM (73 min.) 163

Earl of Puddlestone — Republic (66 min.) 138

East of the River — First National (72 min.) 179

Ellery Queen, Master Detective — Columbia (68 min.). 202

Escape— MGM (103 min.) 179

Escape to Glory — Columbia (73 min.) 195

Fantasia — Walt Disney Productions {2l/2 hours) 191

Fargo Kid, The— RKO (63 min.) 187

Father Is a Prince — First National (56 min.) 179

Five Little Peppers in Trouble — Columbia (65 min.) . .151

Flowing Gold— Warner Bros. (80 min.) 138

Foreign Correspondent — United Artists (120 min.)... 134

Four Mothers — Warner Bros. (86 min.) 206

Friendly Neighbors — Republic (67 min.) 183

Fugitive from a Prison Camp — Columbia (59 min.) 139

Fugitive, The — Universal (76 min.) 115

Gallant Sons— MGM (75 min.) 191

Gaucho Serenade — Republic (59 min.) ... .Not Reviewed
Gay Caballero, The — 20th Century-Fox (57 min.) . . . .159
Gay Mrs. Trexel, The — MGM (See "Susan and God") 95
Girl from Avenue A — 20th Century-Fox (73 min.) ... 130

Girl from God's Country — Republic (74 min.) 130

Girl from Havana— Republic (67 min.) 147

Girls of the Road — Columbia (60 min.) 118

Girls Under 21 — Columbia (63 min.) 187

Give Us Wings — Universal (61 min.) 195

Glamour for Sale — Columbia (59 min.) 182

God Gave Him a Dog — Paramount (See "Biscuit

Eater") 62

Golden Fleecing, The — MGM (67 min.) 143

Golden Gloves — Paramount (68 min.) 127

Golden Trail — Monogram (52 min.) Not Reviewed

Gold Rush Maisie— MGM (82 min.) 123

Go West— MGM (80 min.) 202

Grand Old 'Opry — Republic (67 min.) Ill

Great Dictator, The— United Artists (125 min.) 170

Great McGinty, The — Paramount (82 min.) 122

Great Plane Robbery, The — Columbia (53 min.) 194

Great Profile, The— 20th Century-Fox (71 min.) 154

Haunted Honeymoon — MGM (83 min.) 150

Haunted House — Monogram (70 min.) Not Reviewed

He Stayed for Breakfast — Columbia (88 min.) 135

Hired Wife— Universal (95 min.) 150

Hit Parade of 1941— Republic (86 min.) 174

Howards of Virginia, The — Columbia (114 min.) 142

Hullabaloo— MGM (77 min.) 178

I Love You Again— MGM (98 min.) 130

I Married Adventure — Columbia (78 min.) 139

I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now — Universal (63 min.) . .159

I'm Still Alive— RKO (72 min.) 155

I Want a Divorce — Paramount (92 min.) 150

Jennie — 20th Century-Fox (77 min.) 203

Kid from Santa Fe — Monogram (50 min.) . .Not Reviewed

Kit Carson— United Artists (97 min.) 143

Knute Rockne — All American — Warner Bros. (97m.). 162

Laddie— RKO (70 min.) 158

Ladies Must Live — First National (58 min.) 131

Lady in Question, The — Columbia (81 min.) 135

Lady with Red Hair— Warner Bros. (80 min.) 186

Land of Six Guns — Monogram (54 min.) . . .Not Reviewed

Laughing at Danger — Monogram (61 min.) 126

Leatherpushers, The — Universal (63 min.) 147

Let's Make Music— RKO (84 min.) 202

Letter, The— First National (97 min.) 187

Li'l Abner— RKO (78 min.) 182

Little Men— RKO (83 min.) 199

Little Nellie Kelly— MGM (98 min.) 186

Lone Wolf Keeps a Date, The — Columbia (65 min.) . . .203
Long Voyage Home, The — United Artists (103 min.) .167

Love Thy Neighbor — Paramount (81 min.) 207

Lucky Partners— RKO (99 min.) 138

Man I Married, The— 20th Century-Fox (77 min.) . ..118
Man Who Talked Too Much, The —

First National (74 min.) 107

Margie — Universal (59 min.) 162

Mark of Zorro, The— 20th Century-Fox (93 min.) ... .178

Maryland— 20th Century-Fox (90 min.) Ill

Meet the Missus — Republic (68 min.) 195

Meet the Wildcat— Universal (60^ min.) 175

Melody and Moonlight — Republic (72 min.) 174

Melody Ranch— Republic (83 min.) 190

Men Against the Sky— RKO (75 min.) 142

Mexican Spitfire Out West— RKO (76 min.) 175

Michael Shayne, Private Detective —

20th Century-Fox (76 min.) 206

Military Academy — Columbia (66 min.) 126

Millionaires in Prison— RKO (63^4 min.) 110

Money and the Woman — Warner Bros. (66 min.) 138

Moon Over Burma — Paramount (75 min.) 171

Mummy's Hand, The — Universal (67 min.) 151

Murder Over New York— 20th Century-Fox (65m.) -.203

My Love Came Back — Warner Bros. (84 min.) 106

Mystery Sea Raider — Paramount (77 min.) 135

New Moon— MGM (100 min.) 107

Night at Earl Carroll's, A — Paramount (62 min.) 194

Night Train— 20th Century-Fox (92 min.) 163

Nobody's Children — Columbia (65 min.) 182

No, No, Nanette— RKO (96 min.) 207

Northwest Mounted Police — Paramount (125 min.) ..170
No Time for Comedy — First National (92 min.) 151

Old Swimmin' Hole, The — Monogram (79 min.) 182

One Crowded Night— RKO (67!/2 min.) 139

One Man's Law — Republic (57 min.) Not Reviewed

One Night in the Tropics — Universal (83 min.) 183

On the Spot — Monogram (62 min.) Not Reviewed

Out West with the Peppers — Columbia (62 min.) 118

Pals of the Silver Sage — Monogram (52m.) Not Reviewed

Pastor Hall— United Artists (105 min.) 126

Phantom of Chinatown — Monogram (61 min.) 190

Philadelphia Story, The— MGM (111 min.) 194

Pier 13— 20th Century-Fox (65 min.) 123

Prairie Law— RKO (58^4 min.) 106

Pride and Prejudice— MGM (116 min.) 114

Private Affairs — Universal (74 min.) 106

Public Deb No. 1— 20th Century-Fox (80 min.) 147

Quarterback, The — Paramount (73 min.) 162

Queen of the Yukon — Monogram (73 min.) 159

Rainbow over the Range — Monogram (58 min.)

Not Reviewed

Ramparts We Watch, The— RKO (88 min.) .127

Ranger and the Lady — Republic (59 min.) . Not Reviewed

Rangers of Fortune — Paramount (79 min.) 155

Remedy for Riches— RKO (68 min.) 190

Return of Frank James, The — 20th Century-Fox

(92 min.) 131

Return of Wild Bill — Columbia (60 min.) . .Not Reviewed

Rhythm on the River — Paramount (92 min.) 135

Riders from Nowhere — Monogram (54m.) .Not Reviewed

Sailor's Lady — 20th Century-Fox (66 min.) 110

Sandy Gets Her Man — Universal (66 min.) 186

San Francisco Docks — Universal (65 min.) 198

Santa Fe Trail— First National (109 min.) 207

Scatterbrain — Republic (72 min.) 115

Sea Hawk, The— Warner Bros. (126 min.) 122

Second Chorus — Paramount (84 min.) 199

Seven Sinners — Universal (85 min.) 178

Sky Murder— MGM (72 min.) 171

Slightly Tempted — Universal (60 min.) 179

Son of Monte Cristo, The— United Artists ( 102 min.) . . 198

South of Pago Pago— United Artists (97 min.) 119

South of Suez — Warner Bros. (84 min.) 206

South to Karanga — Universal (59 min.) 122

So You Won't Talk— Columbia (69 min.) 159

Sporting Blood— MGM (82 min.) 114

Spring Parade — Universal (88 min.) 158

Stage to Chino— RKO (59 min.) 123

Street of Memories — 20th Century-Fox (70 min.) 175

Texas Rangers Ride Again, The — Paramount (67m.). 198

That Gang of Mine — Monogram (62 min.) 162

They Drive By Night— First National (94 min.) 119

They Knew What They Wanted— RKO (96 min.) . . .166

Thief of Bagdad— United Artists (108 min.) 170

Third Finger, Left Hand— MGM (96 min.) 171

Tin Pan Alley— 20th Century-Fox (94 min.) 191

Too Many Girls— RKO (84 min.) 166

Trail of the Vigilantes — Universal (74 min.) 202

Tugboat Annie Sails Again — First National (76 min.) . 174

Untamed — Paramount (81 min.) 110

Up in the Air — Monogram (60 min.) 158

Victory — Paramount (78 min.) 207

Villain Still Pursued Her, The— RKO (66 min.) 127

Wagons Westward — Republic (70 min.) 106

Wagon Train— RKO (59 min.) 167

We Who Are Young— MGM (79 min.) 119

When the Daltons Rode — Universal (79 min.) 123

Who Killed Aunt Maggie ?— Republic (69 min.) 183

You'll Find Out— RKO (97 min.) 187

Young People — 20th Century-Fox (79 min.) 126

You're Not So Tough — Universal (71 min.) Ill

Youth Will Be Served— 20th Century-Fox (66 min.) . .183

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)
2210 Beyond the Sacramento — Elliott (58 min.) . .Nov. 14

2021 Lone Wolf Keeps a Date— William Nov. 23

2012 Escape to Glory— O'Brien-Bennett (re.) Nov. 28

2024 Ellery Queen No. 1 Master Detective —

Bellamy-Lindsay (reset) Nov. 30

2203
2031
2033
2101
2211
2005

2204

Thundering Frontier— Starrett (57 min.) ...Dec. 5

The Great Plane Robbery— Jack Holt Dec. 9

The Phantom Submarine — Louise-Bennett ..Dec. 20

Arizona — Arthur-Holden-William Dec. 25

Wild Cat of Tucson— Elliott (59 min.) Dec. 31

This Thing Called Love —

Douglas-Russell (reset) Jan. 2

The Pinto Kid— Starrett (61 min.) Jan. 9

The Face Behind the Mask — Lorre-Keyes Jan. 16

Lcgac> — Warner Baxtcr-Ingrid Bergman Jan. 31

First National Features

(321 IV. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)

562 East of the River — Garfield-Marshall Nov. 9

552 The Letter — Davis-Marshall-Stephenson Nov. 23

571 She Couldn't Say No — Pryor-Arden-Edwards.Dec. 7
551 Santa Fe Trail— Flynn-deHavilland -..Dec. 28

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)
108 Escape — Shearer-Taylor-Veidt Nov. 1

110 Bittersweet— MacDonald-Eddy Nov. 8

111 Gallant Sons — Cooper-Reynolds-Hunter Nov. 15

112 Little Nellie Kelly— Garland-Murphy Nov. 22

115 Dr. Kildare's Crisis — Ayres-Barrymore (r.)..Nov.29
114 Go West— Marx Bros.-Carroll-Lewis Dec. 6

113 Comrade X — Gable-Lamarr-Homolka (reset) . Dec. 13
No release set for Dec. 20

116 Keeping Company — Morgan-Rutherford (re.). Dec. 27

117 Flight Command — Taylor-Pidgeon-Hussey ...Jan. 3

118 Maisie Was a Lady — Sothern-Ayres Jan. 10

119 The Philadelphia Story — Grant-Hepburn Jan. 17

120 Land of Liberty — (charity film) Jan. 24

121 The Wild Man of Borneo — Morgan-Burke Jan. 24

122 Come Live With Me — Stewart-Lamarr-Hunter.Jan. 31

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.)
4010 Old Swimmin' Hole — Moran-Jones (79m.) .. Oct. 21
Take Me Back to Oklahoma— Ritter (65m.) .Nov. 11

Phantom of Chinatown — Keye Luke Nov. 18

West of Pinto Basin — Range Busters (61m.) .Nov. 25
Pride of the Bowery — Gorcey-Jordan (63m.) .Dec. 16
Her First Romance (Her Father's

Daughter) — Edith Fellows (reset) Dec. 25

Rollin' Home to Texas (Under Texas Stars)
—Ritter (reset) Dec. 30

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

1939- 40 Season

3946 North West Mounted Police — Cooper-

Carroll-Goddard-Foster (reset) Dec. 27

1940- 41 Season

4007 Christmas in July— Powell-Drew Oct 25

4010 World in Flames— (62 min.) Oct. 25

4008 Dancing on a Dime — Paige-Frawley Nov. 1

4009 Arise My Love— Colbert-Milland Nov. 8

4050 Three Men From Texas— Wm. Boyd (75m.) .Nov. 15

4011 A Night at Earl Carroll's— Murray Dec. 6

4012 Texas Rangers Ride Again — Howard-Drew. Dec. 13

4013 Love Thy Neighbor — Benny-Allen-Martin ..Dec. 27

4014 Second Chorus — Astaire-Goddard-Meredith ..Jan. 3

4051 Doomed Caravan — William Boyd Jan. 10

4015 Victory — March-Field-Hardwicke Jan. 17

4016 The Aldrich Family in Life with Henry —

Cooper-Ernst-Bracken Jan. 24

You're the One — Tucker-Horton-Dekker Feb. 7

The Mad Doctor — Rathbone-Howard-Drew . Feb. 14

Republic Features

(1776 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

063 The Trail Blazers— Three Mesq. (58m.) Nov. 11

041 Melody Ranch— Autry-Durante-Miller Nov. 15

073 Texas Terrors— Red Barry (57 min.) Nov. 22

018 Meet the Missus— Karns-Donnelly Nov. 29

053 The Border Legion — Rogers-Hayes (58m.) ..Dec. 5
009 Behind the News— Nolan-Albertson Dec. 20

064 Lone Star Raiders— Three Mesq. (57m.) ....Dec. 23

074 Wyoming Wildcat — Red Barry Jan. 6

054 Robin Hood of the Pecos — Roy Rogers Jan. 14

Ridin' on a Rainbow — Gene Autry Jan. 28

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

105 The Villain Still Pursued Her— Louise Oct. 11

107 Laddie— Holt-Gilmore Oct. 18

104 They Knew What They Wanted—

Laughton-Lombard-Gargan Oct. 25

109 Li'l Abner— Owen- Ray Nov. 1

106 Too Many Girls— Carlson-Ball (reset) Nov. 8

111 Mexican Spitfire Out West —

Velez-Errol (reset) Nov. 15

108 You'll Find Out— Kyser-Lorre-Karloff Nov. 22

182 The Fargo Kid— Tim Holt (reset) Dec. 6

114 No, No, Nanette— Neagle-Carlson Dec. 20

112 Kitty Foyle— Rogers-Morgan Dec. 27

113 Remedy for Riches— Hersholt-Hull Dec. 29

161 Convoy— Clive Brook (78 min.) Jan. 3

110 Little Men— Fra.ncis-Oakie (reset) Jan. 10

115 Let's Make Music— Crosby-Rogers .....Jan. 17

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 w. 56th St., New York, N. Y.)

113 Down Argentine Way— Ameche-Grable Oct. 11

114 Night Train — Lockwood-Harrison Oct. 18

111 The Great Profile— Barrymore-Hughes Oct. 25

117 The Mark of Zorro— Power-Darnell Nov. 8

102 Street of Memories— Roberts-Kibbee Nov. 15

119 Youth Will Be Served— Withers-Darwell Nov. 22

120 Tin Pan Alley— Faye-Grable-Oakie-Payne ..Nov. 29

118 Charter Pilot— Nolan-Bari-Whelan Dec. 6

121 Murder over New York — Toler-Weaver Dec. 13

122 Jennie— Gilmore-Henry Dec. 20

123 Chad Hanna— Fonda-Lamour-Darnell Dec. 27

115 Hudson's Bay — Muni-Field-Tierney Jan. 3

124 Michael Shayne, Private Detective — Nolan ...Jan. 10

125 Romance of the Rio Grande— Romero Jan. 17

128 Tall, Dark and Handsome — Romero-Gilmore. . Jan. 24
127 Girl in the News — Lockwood- Williams Jan. 31

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

Pastor Hall — Lawson-Pilbeam Sept. 13

The Westerner — Cooper-Brennan-Davenport Sept. 20

Long Voyage Home — Payne- Mitchell Nov. 22

Blackout— Veidt-Hobson Nov. 29

The Thief of Bagdad— Veidt-Sabu Dec. 25

The Son of Monte Cristo — J. Bennett-
Hayward (reset) Jan. 1

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

5061 Ragtime Cowboy Joe — J. M. Brown (58m.) .Sept. 20

5020 The Mummy's Hand — Foran-Moran Sept. 20

5001 Spring Parade — Durbin-Cummings Sept. 27

5019 Diamond Frontier — McLaglen-Nagel Oct. 4

5017 A Little Bit of Heaven— Jean-Stack Oct. 11

5024 Slightly Tempted— Herbert-Moran (60m.) . .Oct. 18

5062 Law and Order— J. M. Brown (57m.) Oct. 18

5007 Seven Sinners — Dietrich- Wayne Oct. 25

5036 I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now — O'Keefe Nov. 1

5052 The Devil's Pipeline — Arlen-Devine Nov. 1

5021 Sandy Gets Her Man — Baby Sandy-Erwin. .Nov. 8

5063 Pony Post— J. M. Brown (59 min.) Nov. 8

5015 One Night in the Tropics — Jones-Kelly Nov. 15

5023 Meet the Wildcat— Bellamy-Lindsay Nov. 22

5048 Next Time We Love — reissue Nov. 22

5010 The Bank Dick— Fields-Merkel Nov. 29

5026 Margie — Brown-Grey Dec. 6

5008 Trail of the Vigilantes— Tone (reset) Dec. 13

5025 Give Us Wings— Halop-Ford Dec. 20

Invisible Woman — Barrymore-Howard (re.) .Dec. 27
Where Did You Get That Girl ?— Parrish-

Quillan-Errol Jan. 3

Lucky Devils — Arlen-Devine Jan. 3

San Francisco Docks — Mcredith-Hervey . . . .Jan. 10

5064 Boss of Bullion City— J. M. Brown (59m.) . . Jan. 10
Six Lessons from Madame LaZonga —

Velez-Errol Jan. 17

Back Street — Sullavan-Boyer Jan. 24

Meet the Chump — Hugh Herbert Feb. 7

Dark Streets of Cairo — Gurie-Byrd Feb. 14

Love at Last — Durhin-Stark Feb. 21

Mr. Dynamite — cast not set Feb. 28

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W . 44th St., New York, N. Y.)
Beginning of 1940-41 Season

519 Calling All Husbands — Tobias-Truex Sept. 7

506 City For Conquest — Cagney-Sheridan Sept. 21

502 Knute Rockne — All American— O'Brien Oct. 5

511 A Dispatch from Reuter's — Robinson-Best . . . .Oct. 19
513 South of Suez — Brent-Marshall-Tobias Nov. 16

512 Lady with Red Hair — Hopkins-Rains Nov. 30

525 Here Comes the Navy — reissue Dec. 21

503 Four Mothers — Lane Sisters-Page-Rains Jan. 4

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE
Columbia — One Reel

2901 The Mint— Washington Parade (lO^m.) ...Oct. 25

2702 Happy Holidays— Phantasies (6m.) Oct. 25

2554 Islands of the West Indies— Toiifs..( 10m.) . . .Oct. 25

2752 Mouse Meets Lion— Fables' (6^m.) Oct. 25

2503 The Mad Hatter— Color Rhapsody (7m.) ..Nov. 3

2973 Nice Work If You Can Do It— Cine. (9m.) . .Nov. 8

2652 Community Sing No. 2 — (11m.) Nov. 8

2853 Screen Snapshots No. 3— (9^m.) Nov. 22

2601 Take It or Leave It No. 1 — Columbia

Quiz (11^ min.) Nov. 22

2555 Sojourn in Havana — Tours (9j^m.) Nov. 25

2802 Hunting Wild Deer— World of Sports

(9y2 min.) Nov. 25

2504 Wise Owl— Color Rhapsody (7^m.) Dec. 6

2902 U. S. Military Academy (West Point) —

Washington Parade (10^ min.) (reset) . . .Dec. 13

2653 Community Sing No. 3 — (11m.) Dec. 13

2753 Punch and Judy— Fables (6^m.) Dec. 13

2556 Beautiful British Columbia— Tours (lO^m.).Dec. 20

2974 Unusual Crafts — Cinescope (9m.) Dec. 25

2602 Take It or Leave It No. 2— Quiz (ll^m.) . . .Dec. 25
2951 Magic City— New York Parades Dec. 25

2854 Screen Snapshots No. 4 Dec. 27

2803 Ali The Giant Killer— World of Sport Dec. 27

2654 Community Sing No. 4 Jan. 1

2975 Ocean Trails — Cinescope Jan. 3

2903 Naval Academy — Washington Parade Jan. 3

2505 A Helping Paw — Color Rhapsody (7m.) ....Jan. 7

2557 From Singapore to Hongkong — Tours Jan. 10

2804 Splits, Spares and Strikes— World of Sport.. Jan. 10

2855 Screen Snapshots No. 5 Feb. 2

2703 Little Theatre (Wallflower) —

Phantasies (reset) Feb. 7

2754 Streamline Donkey — Fables Feb. 7

Columbia — Two Reels

1939- 40 Season

1193 The Arsenal of Revolt— Dck No. 13 (17m.) . .Oct. 11

1194 Holding the Fort— Dick No. 14 (17m.) Oct. 18

1195 The Deadwood Express— Dick No. 15 (18m).Oct.25

1121 Prison Bars Beckon — Green Archer No. 1

(31^ min.) Oct. 25

1122 The Face at the Window— Archer No. 2

(21 min.) Nov. 1

1123 The Devil's Dictograph — Archer No. 3

(18^ min.) Nov. 8

1124 Vanishing Jewels — Archer No. 4 (19m.) Nov. 15

1125 The Fatal Spark— Archer No. 5 (19m.) ....Nov. 22

1126 The Necklace of Treachery — Archer No. 6

(21 min.) Nov. 29

1127 The Secret Passage— Archer No. 7 (17K>m.) .Dec. 6

1128 Garr Castle Is Robbed— Archer No. 8

(21 Yt min.) Dec. 13

1129 The Mirror of Treachery — Archer No. 9

(18 min.) Dec. 20

1130 The Dagger That Failed— Archer No. 10

(20 min.) Dec. 27

1131 The Flaming Arrow — Archer No. 11 (19m.). Jan. 3

1132 The Devil Dogs— Archer No. 12 (19%m.) . . Jan. 10

1133 The Deceiving Microphone — Archer No. 13. .Jan. 17

1134 End of Hope— Archer No. 14 Jan. 24

1135 Green Archer Exposed — Archer No. 15 Jan. 31

(End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

2403 Cuckoo Cavaliers — Stooge (17Hm.) Nov. 15

2425 Blondes and Blunders — Catlett (16m.) Dec. 13

2426 His Ex Marks the Spot— Keaton (18m.) Dec. 13

2404 Boobs in Arms— Stooge (18m.) Dec. 27

2427 The Watchman Takes a Wife— Clyde Jan. 10

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel

1939- 40 Season

W-94 Gallopin' Gals— cartoons (7m.) Oct. 26

K-128 Dreams— Passing Parade (10m.) Nov. 16

(End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

T-213 Old New Mexico— Traveltalks (9m.) Oct. 26

C-293 Goin' Fishin'— Our Gang (10m.) Oct. 26

M-231 Rodeo Dough— Miniatures (10m.) Nov. 9

T-214 Beautiful Bali— Traveltalks (9m.) Nov. 23

W-241 The Lonesome Stranger — cartoons (9m.). Nov. 23

C-294 Kiddie Kure— Our Gang (11m.) Nov. 23

S-262 Wedding Bills— Pete Smith (10m.) Nov. 30

K-281 American Spoken Here— Pass. Par. (11m.). Nov. 30

S-263 Sea For Yourself— Pete Smith Dec. 21

T-215 Old New Orleans— Traveltalks (9m.) Dec. 21

M-232 The Great Meddler— Miniatures Dec. 21

W-242 Mrs. Ladybug— cartoons Dec. 21

T-216 Mediterranean Ports of Call— Traveltalks. Jan. 4

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels

Beginning of 1940-41 Season

P-201 Eyes of the Navy — Crime Doesn't Pay

(20min.) Oct. 26

P-202 You, The People— Crime Doesn't Pay

(21 min.) Nov. 30

Paramount — One Reel

VO-1 Nature's Nursery — Paragraphic (9y2m.) ...Oct. 11

EO-2 My Pop, My Pop— Popeye (6^m.) Oct. 18

AO-2 Listen to Larry— Headliner (9y2m.) Oct. 25

HO-2 Sneak, Snoop and Snitch — cartoon (6m.) ...Oct. 25
RO-3 Motorcycle Stunting— Sportlight (9Hm.)..Nov. 1

JO-2 Popular Science No. 2— (10m.) Nov. 1

S0-1 The Trouble with Husbands—

Benchley (10^4 min.) Nov. 8

MO-1 River Thames- Yesterday — Journeys

(9l/2 min.) Nov. 8

GO-2 The Constable— cartoon (7m.) Nov. 15

E0-3 With Poopdeck Pappy — Popeye (6m.) Nov. 15

V0-2 Seeing Is Believing — Paragraphic (lOj^m.) . Nov. 22

LO-2 Unusual Occupations No. 2 — (10m.) Nov. 29

HO-3 Mommy Loves Puppy — cartoon (6m.) Nov. 29

RO-4 Marine Round-Up— Sportlight (9m.) Dec. 6

E0-4 Popeye Presents Eugene, The Jeep —

Popeye cartoon (6 min.) Dec. 13

AO-3 Johnny Messner and His Orchestra —

Headliner (10 min.) Dec. 13

HO-4 Bring Himself Back Alive — cartoon (6m.) .. Dec. 20

JO-3 Popular Science No. 3 Dec. 20

MO-2 The Sacred Ganges — Journeys Dec. 27

VO-3 Breezy Little Bears — Paragraphic (10m.) . .Dec. 27

GO-3 All's Well— cartoon Jan. 3

E0-5 Problem Pappy — Popeye (6m.) Jan. 10

RO-5 Feminine Fitness — Sportlight (9m.) Jan. 10

U0-1 Western Daze — Madcap Models Jan. 17

M0-3 Indian Temples — Journeys Jan. 24

SO-2 Waiting for Baby — Benchley Jan. 24

04113
04114
04115
04116
04117
04118

14403
14304
14204
14404
14305
14205

13501
13104
13702
13403
13105
13703
13502

RKO — One Reel

1939- 40 Season

Goofy 's Glider — Disney (8m.) Nov. 1

Fire Chief — Disney (8m.) Nov. 22

Pantry Pirate — Disney (8m.) Dec. 27

Timber — Disney (8m.) Jan. 10

Pluto's Playmate — Disney Jan. 24

Little Whirlwind — Disney Feb. 14

(End of 1 939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

Picture People No. 3— (10m.) Nov. 8

Snow Fun — Sportscope (9m.) Nov. 22

Information Please No. 4 — (11m.) Nov. 29

Picture People No. 4 — (10m.) Dec. 6

Snow Evils — Sportscope (9m.) Dec. 20

Information Please No. 5 — (11m.) Dec. 27

RKO — Two Reels

Bar Buckaroos — Ray Whitley (16m.) Nov. 8

March of Time No. 4— (19m.) Nov. 22

Tattle Talevision — Errol (19m.) Nov. 29

Drafted in the Depot— Kennedy (19m.) Dec. 20

March of Time No. 5— ( 19m.) Dec. 20

The Fired Man— Errol (20m.) Jan. 10

Prairie Spooners — Whitley (13m.) Jan. 31

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

1502 Touchdown Demons — Terry-Toon (7m.) ..Sept. 20
1601 Acquitted by the Sea— Ripley (10m.) Sept. 27

1553 How Wet Was My Ocean— T.-Toon (7m.).. Oct. 4

1201 Midget Motor Mania — Adv. News

Cameraman (8 min.) (reset) Oct. 11

1503 Happy Haunting Grounds— T.-Toon (7m.) . .Oct. 18

1103 Isle of Mystery— Father Hubbard (10m.) . . .Oct.25

1554 Landing of the Pilgrims — T.-Toon (7m.) ..Nov. 1

1302 Lure of the Trout— Sports (9m.) (reset) ...Nov. 8

1504 The Magic Pencil — Terry-Toon (7m.) Nov. 15

1104 Old Dominion State— L. Thomas (10m.) ...Nov. 22

1555 Plane Goofy — Terry-Toon (7m.) Nov. 29

1303 Bowling for Strikes — Sports. (8m.) (reset). Dec. 6

1505 The Snow Man — Terry-Toon (7m.) Dec. 13

1105 Spotlight on Indo China — Thomas (9m.) . . . .Dec. 20

1556 The Temperamental Lion — T.-Toon (7m.) .. Dec. 27

1304 The Rodeo Goes to Town — Sports (10m.) Jan. 3

1506 What a Little Sneeze Will Do— T.-T. (7m.) . .Jan. 10

1202 Training Police Horses — Adv. News Cam. ...Jan. 17

1507 Hairless Hector — Terry-Toon Jan. 24

1203 The Modern Highway — Adv. News Cam Jan. 31

1557 Mississippi Swing — Terry-Toon Feb. 7

(1402 "The Tale of Butch the Parrot," listed in the last
Index as a December 6 release, has been postponed to Feb-
ruary 28.)

Universal — One Reel

5353 Going Places 583— (9m.) Nov. 11

5243 Knock-Knock — Lantz cartoon (7m.) Nov. 25

5374 Stranger Than Fiction 884— (9m.) Dec. 2

5354 Going Places 884— (9m.) Dec. 23

5244 Syncopated Sioux — Lantz cartoon Dec. 30

5375 Stranger Than Fiction 885 — (9m.) Jan. 1

5355 Going Places 885— (9m.) Jan. 20

5245 Not Yet Titled— cartoon Jan. 27

Universal — Two Reels

5683 Human Dynamite— G-Men No. 3 (19m.) . . . .Oct. 15

5684 Blazing Danger— G-Men No. 4 (18m.) Oct. 22

5222 Congamania — musical (17m.) Oct. 23

5685 Trapped by Traitors— G-Men No. 5 (20m.) .Oct. 29

5686 Traitors' Treachery — G-Men No. 6 (22m.).. Nov. 5

5687 Flaming Death— G-Men No. 7 (19m.) Nov. 12

5688 Hurled Through Space— G-M. No. 8 (18m.). Nov. 19

5689 The Plunge of Peril— G-Men No. 9 (20m.) . . Nov. 26

5223 Torrid Tempos — musical (18m.) Nov. 27

5690 The Toll of Treason— G-Men No. 10 (18m.). Dec. 3

5691 Descending Doom— G-Men No. 11 (21m.) . . .Dec. 10

5692 The Power of Patriotism — G-Men No. 12

(19 min.) Dec. 17

5781 Flaming Havoc — Green Hornet Strikes

Again No. 1 (20 min.) Dec. 24

5224 Tickled Pinky— musical (17m.) Dec. 25

5782 The Plunge of Peril— Hornet No. 2 (21m.) . .Dec. 31

5783 The Avenging Heavens — Hornet No. 3

(21 min.) Jan. 7

5784 A Night of Terror— Hornet No. 4 (18m.) . . . Jan. 14

5785 Shattering Doom— Hornet No. 5 (18m.) Jan. 21

Beat Me, Daddy Eight to the Bar —

musical (17 min.) Jan. 22

5786 The Fatal Flash— Hornet No. 6 (21m.) Jan. 28

6706
6403

6604
6505
6707
6303
6605
6708
6709
6504
6606
6404
6710

6202

6002
6203
6204

Vitaphone — One Reel

Bedtime for Sniffles— Mer. Mel. (8m.) Nov. 23

Diary of a Racing Pigeon — Sports Parade

(9y2 min.) Nov. 23

Porky's Hired Hand — L. Tunes (7m.) Nov. 30

Henry Busse & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9y2m.) . . Nov. 30
Of Fox and Hounds — Mer. Melodies (9m.) . .Dec. 7
Mexican Jumping Beans — Novelties (9j4m.) . Dec. 7

Timid Toreador — Looney Tunes (6m.) Dec. 21

Shop, Look and Listen — Mer. Mel. (8m.) . . .Dec. 21

Elmer's Pet Rabbit— Mer. Mel. (7l/2m.) Jan. 4

Skinny Ennis & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9m.) ..Jan. 4

Porky's Snooze Reel — L. Tunes Jan. 11

California Thoroughbreds — Sports. (10m.) ..Jan. 11
The Fighting 69l/2 — Merrie Melodies Jan. 18

Vitaphone — Two Reels

Alice in Movieland — (Ed Sullivan's

Hollywood) — Bway. Brevities (21 min.) .. Nov. 16

March on Marines — Technicolor (19m.) Dec. 14

Love's Intrigue — Bway. Brevities (18m.) . . . .Dec. 28
Dog in the Orchard — Bway. Brevities Jan. 25

NEWS WEEKLY

NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Paramount News

36 Wednesday ...Jan. l^P

37 Saturday Jan. 4

38 Wednesday ...Jan. 8

39 Saturday Jan. 11

40 Wednesday . . Jan. 15

41 Saturday Jan. 18

42 Wednesday ...Jan. 22

43 Saturday Jan. 25

44 Wednesday . . Jan. 29

45 Saturday Feb. 1

46 Wednesday . . . Feb. 5

47 Saturday Feb. 8

48 Wednesday ...Feb. 12

Pathe News

15236
15137
15238
15139
15240
15141
15242
15143
15244
15145
15246
15147
15248

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

Sat.

Wed.

(E.)
(O.).

(E.)

Jan
. Jas
Jan
Jan
.Jan.
Jan
Jan. 22
Jan. 25
Jan. 29
.Feb. 1
.Feb. 5
.Feb. 8
. Feb. 12

Universal

941 Wednesday ..Jan. 1

942 Friday Jan. 3

943 Wednesday ..Jan. 8^
''44 Friday Jan. KjM

945 Wednesday . Jan. 15^

946 Friday Jan. 17

947 Wednesday .Jan. 22

948 Friday Jan. 24

949 Wednesday . Jan. 29

950 Friday Jan. 31

951 Wednesday ..Feb. 5

952 Friday Feb. 7

953 Wednesday . .Feb. 12

Metrotone News

232 Thursday

233 Tuesday

234 Thursday

235 Tuesday

236 Thursday

237 Tuesday

238 Thursday

239 Tuesday

240 Thursday

241 Tuesday

242 Thursday

243 Tuesday

244 Thusday

...Jan. 2
...Jan. 7
...Jan. 9
. . Jan. 14
...Jan. 16
...Jan. 21
. . Jan. 23
. . Jan. 28
..Jan. 30
...Feb. 4
...Feb. 6
...Feb. 11
...Feb. 13

Fox Movietone

33 Wednesday . . Jan. 1

34 Saturday Jan. 4

35 Wednesday ...Jan. 8

36 Saturday Jan. 11

37 Wednesday . . Jan. 15

38 Saturday Jan. 18

39 Wednesday . . . Tan. 2lM

40 Saturday Jan. 25^

41 Wednesday ...Jan. 29

42 Saturday Feb. 1

43 Wednesday . . Feb. 5

44 Saturday Feb. 8

45 Wednesday . . Feb. 12

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, lOTfc

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates:

United States ..$15.00

U, S. Insular Possessions. 16.50

Canada . . . - ...... .... 16.50

Mexico, Cuba, Spain. 16.50

Great Britain 15.75

Australia, New Zealand,

India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50
35c a Copy

1270 SIXTH AVENUE
Room 1812
New York, N. Y.

A Motion Picture Reviewing Service
Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors

Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial
Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

Published Weekly by
Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

Publisher
P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Established July' 1, 1919

Circle 7-4622

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 1941

No. 2

HERE AND THERE

WRITING FOR THE Sunday, December 29, 1940, issue
of the New York Times, Mr. Thomas M. Pryor called
attention to "some of the things which might conceivably
be regarded as among the year's highlights :

"Obviously the unkindest cut of all was Samuel Gold-
wyn's frank confession in a national magazine that Holly-
wood was 'sick' and that there apparently wasn't a doctor
in the house. This was regarded as heresy by most of his
fellow-producers who only two years before had poured a
million dollars into an all-industry campaign to convince
an apathetic public that 'motion pictures are your greatest
entertainment.' * * *

"But the most embarassing (to Hollywood) aspect of
the Gallup survey was the disclosure that ony 54,000,000
people went to the movies weekly, whereas for years Mr.
Will Hays had been saying that the number was 85,000,000.
There was considerable controversy over that point, since
the poll was made in the middle of the Summer, when busi-
ness is admittedly off, but nobody could explain how that
85,000,000 figure came into being. We read in the trade
papers that a Hays office spokesman said the industry got
it from the Department of Commerce, but that agency had a
handy explanation, too; it got the figure from the Hays
office. So there !"

Regardless of who invented the figure of 85,000,000, the
fact is that millions of former movie patrons stay away from
the theatres week after week. They have no prejudice
against the theatres — on the contrary, they enjoy the atmos-
phere and the comfort of the movie house. Moreover, al-
though they may not be convinced that motion pictures are
their greatest entertainment, they have found that motion
pictures can sometimes be their greatest entertainment.
Yet they do not go to the movies except on rare occasions.

Such a condition may warrant the assertion that the in-
dustry is "sick," but it does not warrant the statement that
there isn't a doctor in the house, for the doctor who can
cure the sickness complained of has always been available.
The trouble is that the industry has failed to call upon him
often enough. The doctor I refer to is represented, as you
have no doubt guessed, by good pictures.

If any one doubts that good pictures will still make peo-
ple fight one another to get into the theatres, he need only
see the newsreel shots of the crowds at the Radio City
Music Hall where "Philadelphia Story" is playing, and he
will, I am sure, change his opinoin. To get into that theatre
patrons stood four abreast in a line going completely around
an entire city block, and the police reserves had to be called
to handle the overflow crowds that could not get into the
line and were therefore interfering with traffic.

With an indication, such as this one, that the public will
patronize good pictures, and with the assurance that the
production of a greater number than ever of such pictures
will be inveitable in the new order of things under the
Consent Decree, the industry may with justification look
forward to a healthy, prosperous era.

* * *

THE FIRST EFFECTS OF THE Consent Decree
have begun to be felt : four of the five consenting distribu-
tors have already announced that they plan to add any-
where from two hundred to two hundred and fifty salesmen
to their staffs and it is expected that Paramount, which is
not yet ready to make the announcement, will add another

sixty or so, bringing the total to approximately three hun-
dred salesmen. In other words, three hundred new men will
be taken from the roll of the unemployed and given re-
munerative jobs.

The fact that most of the additions will be merely pro-
motions from other jobs within the organizations does not
alter the situation — new men will have to be hired to take
the jobs of those that have been promoted, a healthy con-
dition in any industry.

Harrison's Reports admits that the Consent Decree is
lopsided — that it does not give the independent exhibitors
one-half of what they expected to receive ; but lopsided
was also the NRA Code, yet under it the independent ex-
hibitors received benefits that they were not able to get
before the adoption of the Code, nor after the NRA had
been outlawed. For instance : in a large number of cases
the Code Authority found that the circuit theatre had
bought more pictures than it required. In such cases, the
Code Authority compelled that theatre to let its competing
theatre have a number of pictures. Such a thing had never
been heard of, except perhaps in cases where the wronged
exhibitor had resorted to the courts for relief.

Likewise, under the Consent Decree, the independent
exhibitors may not get all the relief they need, but they will
get some relief, the extent of which will depend on whether
they belong to an exhibitor organization or not, and to
what kind.

Allied has already announced that it will act as a sort of
Clearing House for complaints from its members, so long
as such complaints are based upon actual experiences. With
Allied as a sentinel, the complainants are sure to receive
the attention their complaints deserve, and, as Abram F.
Myers, its general counsel, has aptly said, through National
Allied "the full scope and national character of the viola-
tions can be pointed out."

* * *

"LAND OF LIBERTY" WAS ORIGINALLY a mo-
tion picture that ran approximately two hours and ten min-
utes, and representated a cavalcade of American history
from Colonial days to the present time, all the scenes having
been taken from feature pictures that had previously been
produced by the major companies.

In order that the motion picture industry might do its
part in the present war emergency, this picture has been
edited so that it will run approximately 90 minutes, and
will be distributed by Metro. The distributor will be allowed
only a nominal sum, far below the actual cost of distribu-
tion, and the net proceeds will be donated to war emergency
welfare work.

The reports are that the picture is great, not only localise
of its artistic value, but also because of its tendency to in-
spire patriotism and love of country. As Mr. Nate Yamins.
former president of National Allied has said: "My opinion
is that the picture is beautiful and that it is something that
every exhibitor ought to show and that every true American
ought to see."

Mr. W. F. Rodgers of Metro lias said of the picture : "We
are releasing it as a regularly released picture and will
designate it according to grosses established at its test en-
gagements * * * and if the desi : nation given is too low we
ask your cooperation in voluntarily increasing the rental,
and by the same line of reasoning if its designation is
higher than its results justify, and you have lost money, wo
will gladly redesignate it in a lower bracket. The support
{Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 11, 1941

"Pride of the Bowery" with Leo Gorcey
and Bobby Jordan

(Monogram, December 16; time, 63 min.)

Fair program entertainment; its appeal should be directed
particularly to the younger trade. Although the story is
thin, it moves at a pretty good pace, alternating between
comedy and action. Most of the laughter is provoked by
the toughness of Leo Gorcey, who imagines himself to be
an expert fighter. He wins one's sympathy towards the end,
when he tries to shield another young boy who had com-
mitted a theft. The fight scenes are fair : —

Gorcey wants to be a fighter ; his friend (Bobby Jordan) ,
realizing that he could not train in the tenement section
where they lived and knowing that they could not afford to
go to a camp, enrolls himself, Gorcey and three other
friends in a C.C.C. Camp. He leads Gorcey to believe that
he was taking him to a training camp. When Gorcey arrives,
he acts tough ; but he soon finds out that he was at a C.C.C.
Camp, and, although he resents it at first, he calms down.
He picks an argument with a supervisor, who suggests that
they fight it out in the ring. Gorcey loses, and refuses to
shake hands. For that reason, all the boys decide not to talk
to him. One of the boys whom Gorcey had befriended
tearfully confesses to him that he had stolen $100 from
the commander's office. Gorcey enters a professional fight
to earn the $100 so as to replace it. He is caught trying to
put the money back. Instead of telling the truth, he takes
the blame himself and prepares to leave camp. But Jordan,
knowing that Gorcey would not do anything dishonest,
forces the thief to confess. Gorcey is congratulated by all
the boys.

Steven Clensos wrote the story, and George Plympton,
the screen play ; Joseph H. Lewis directed it, and Sam
Katzman produced it. In the cast are Donald Haines,
Carlton Young, Sunshine Sammy, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Where Did You Get That Girl?" with
Helen Parrish, Charles Lang
and Eddie Quillan

(Universal, January 3; time, 65 min.)

A fair program comedy with music. Its appeal should be
directed mostly to young folk who enjoy swing music, for
that is the picture's main attraction. Adult audiences who
do not enjoy music of that type may find the picture, even
though the action is breezy, slightly tiresome, since the
story is thin and far-fetched. There are a few fair comedy
situations and a romance : —

Helen Parrish, a singer, induces Charles Lang, a com-
poser of classical music, to permit Eddie Quillan, a musician,
to change his music to swing tempo, for she felt that was
the only way he could gain recognition. Quillan and his
band of youthful players, composed of neighborhood
friends, practice on instruments loaned to them by Leon
Errol, pawnshop owner. Being without funds, the boys and
Miss Parrish secretly enter a recording studio at night ;
their purpose was to make a record to use for audition pur-
poses. Just as the record is finished, they hear an explosion
and on rushing out find that the safe had been blown open
by crooks. They are so frightened that they run away
without taking the record. Through an error, thousands of
copies of the record are made by the recording firm. Since
they did not know who made it, they label it as "The
Mystery Band." The records sell very well. But Quillan
and Miss Parrish realize that they could not identify them-
selves as "The Mystery Band," for it would mean arrest,
since the police were looking for them in connection with
the robbery. The crooks are finally caught and confess. This
leaves the way clear for the band to come forward and
identify themselves ; they receive contracts from the radio
and recording companies. Lang and Miss Parrish are united.

Jay Dratler wrote the story, and he, Paul Franklin, and
Stanley C. Rubin, the screen play ; Arthur Lubin directed
it, and Joseph G. Sanford produced it. In the cast are
Franklin Pangborn, Stanley Fields, Tom Dugan, and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

"This Thing Called Love" with Rosalind
Russell and Melvyn Douglas

(Columbia, January 2; time, 98 min.)

This sex comedy is strictly for the adult trade. In spite of
the fact that the story is thin, it is, for the most part, ex-
tremely amusing, mainly because of the excellent perform-
ances by the competent cast. The plot is risque ; as a matter
of fact some of the scenes are unusually daring. But there
is no doubt that it will keep adult audiences chuckling
throughout ; moreover, the picture is pleasing to the eye,
for it has been given a lavish production and the women
wear fashionable clothes : —

Rosalind Russell, a business executive, informs Melvyn
Douglas, her fiance, that if he wanted to marry her he would
have to follow her ideas — that for the first three months of
their marriage they were to be husband and wife in name
only. She felt that in that way they would learn to know
each other better. Douglas agrees to it only because he felt
he could break down her determination. They arc married ;
despite his efforts to charm her, he cannot make her change
her mind. Her sister finally convinces her that she was
doing the wrong thing. Just when Miss Russell is ready
to succumb, Douglas develops a case of oak poisoning and
has to go to a hospital. Many complications arise because
of the fact that a woman was mixed up in the case. Miss
Russell is all set to go to Reno for a divorce. But Douglas
recovers and, after explanations, they are finally reconciled.

The plot was adapted from the play by Edwin Burke.
George Seaton, Ken Englund, and P. J. Wolfson wrote
the screen play, Alexander Hall directed it, and William
Perlberg produced it. In the cast are Binnie Barnes,
Allyn Joslyn, Gloria Dickson, Lee J. Cobb, Gloria Holden,
Leona Maricel, and Rosina Galli.

Not for children or adolescents. Strictly for adults.
Class B.

"Convoy" with Clive Brook

(RKO, January 3; time, 77 min.)

A good melodrama of present-day naval warfare ; it was
produced in England. Because of the fact that the battle
scenes are the most important part of the story, its appeal
may be directed mainly to men. Since the picture was made
with the cooperation of the British Admiralty, the action
seems realistic. As a matter of fact, the battle scenes in the
end between the British cruiser and the German battleship
are so well done that one feels as if one is watching the
actual battle. The story is a little slow in getting started ;
moreover it is difficult for one to understand the dialogue
in the beginning because of the accents. But once the action
starts, one's interest is held : —

Clive Brook, commander of a British cruiser, brings his
ship to port after having successfully engaged in a battle
with a German submarine. Brook is annoyed when lieu-
tenant John Clements reports for duty aboard his ship.
Clements had broken up Brook's home by running away
with his wife, whom he had later deserted. Brook receives
orders to start off again, to take charge of a convoy. The
cruiser sails, eventually joining the fleet of merchantmen.
One vessel is missing; its Captain (Edward Chapman) had
refused to have protection and had set off on his own
course. The vessel is captured by a U-boat, which in turn
is sunk by a destroyer. The vessel, slightly damaged,
joins the convoy. Aboard the vessel is Brook's former wife.
He learns from her that she, and not Clements, had broken
up the affair. Brook receives warning of a German raider.
Since Chapman's damaged vessel could not keep up with
them, Brook orders Chapman to destroy it. Instead, Chap-
man leaves the convoy during a fog. He accidentally dis-
covers the whereabouts of the raider. By means of a code
message sent by his siren, he warns Brook of the raider ;
but the raider sinks the vessel. Brook prepares for battle
with the raider and eventually wins out. Clements dies a
hero.

Patrick Kirwan and Pen Tennyson wrote the screen
play, Mr. Tennyson directed it, and Michael Balcon pro-
duced it. In the cast are Judy Campbell, Edward Rigby,
Charles Williams, Alan Jeaves, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

January 11, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Girl In the News" with
Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn Williams ■
and Barry K. Barnes

(Twentieth Century-Fox, January 31 ; time, 76 min.)
This British-made picture is a good murder melodrama.
Even though the murderer's identity is known, one is held
in tense suspense because of the fact that the heroine is
unjustly accused of the crime and one wonders how her
innocence will be proved. The manner in which this is
done may be slightly far-fetched but it is exciting. The
performances and direction are very good. The romance is
made an important part of the story : —

Margaret Lockwood, a nurse, is unjustly accused of hav-
ing poisoned her patient because of a legacy the woman
had willed her. The woman herself had taken the over-
dose of sleeping pills, but no one seemed to believe Miss
Lockwood. Barry K. Barnes, a young attorney, defends
Miss Lockwood, and wins her acquittal. Miss Lockwood
tries to obtain employment, but she is turned down every-
where she goes. One day, she receives a marked copy of a
paper containing an ad for a nurse ; the ad requested that
the applicant send a picture of herself along with her letter.
Miss Lockwood decides to use another name. She obtains
the position. It is at the home of a wealthy invalid, whose
wife seemed to be very devoted. Unknown to every one,
the wife and her butler (Emlyn Williams) were planning
to poison her husband and place the blame on Miss Lock-
wood. They carry out their plans and Miss Lockwood is
arrested. Barnes, who had fallen in love with Miss Lock-
wood, and was certain she was innocent, rushes to her
defense. During the trial, he makes use of a trick by which
he forces Wiliams and the widow to confess. Miss Lock-
wood is freed.

George Vickers wrote the story, Sidney Gilliat, the
screen play ; Carol Reed directed it, and Edward Black
produced it. In the cast are Roger Livesy, Margaretta Scott,
Wyndham Goldie, Basil Radford, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"The Invisible Woman" with John Barry-
more, Virginia Bruce and John Howard

(Universal, December 27; time, 72 min.)
A pretty good comedy for the masses. Unlike "The
Invisible Man" pictures, this at no time becomes serious ;
the whole thing is treated in a comedy vein. As far as the
trick photography is concerned, it is handled well; but it
does not offer anything new to those who saw the other
pictures in which the character became invisible. Many
of the situations provoke hearty laughter. And the romance
is developed in an amusing way : —

Playboy John Howard, upon learning from his attorney
that he had spent his entire fortune, informs John Barry-
more, an eccentric scientist who had been conducting experi-
ments at Howard's estate, that he could no longer finance
him. Barrymore gleefully tells him that he will make him
rich again, for he had invented a machine by which he could
make people invisible. Barrymore advertises for some one
to undergo the experiment. Virginia Bruce, a model, dis-
gusted at the abuses heaped on her and the other girls by
their employer, answers the advertisement. Barrymore
makes her invisible. In that state, she goes back to her
office and teaches her employer a lesson. He becomes a
different man. Barrymore pleads with her to continue with
the experiment in order to convince Howard. Although
she is invisible, Howard falls in love with her voice. When
she materializes he is thrilled at her beauty. They go
through some exciting adventures with a racketeer, who
steals the machine and kidnaps them. But Miss Bruce, by
drinking liquor, becomes invisible again and in that state
knocks out the whole gang. They get back the machine.
Miss Bruce and Howard marry.

Joe May and Kurt Siodmak wrote the story, and Robert
Lees, Fred Rinaldo and Gertrude Purcell, the screen play;
A. Edward Sutherland directed it, and Burt Kelly pro-
duced it. In the cast are Charles Ruggles, Oscar Homolka,
Charles Lane, Donald MacBride, Edward Brophy, and
Margaret Hamilton.

Suitability, Class A.

"Bowery Boy" with Dennis O'Keefe,
Louise Campbell and Jimmy Lydon

(Republic, December 27; time, 71 win.)
A fair program picture. The production values are pretty
good and the players are competent ; but the story is trite.
Although one is supposed to feel sympathy for the young
boy befriended by the hero and the heroine, his actions are
so unpleasant, that one loses interest in the efforts of the
heroine to help him. Except for the closing scenes, the story
is lacking in excitement. There is a routine romance : —

Dennis O'Keefe, a young doctor, arrives at the Bowery
to take charge of a clinic. His nurse (Louise Campbell)
expresses doubt whether he would be able to stand the
conditions, for not only was the work strenuous, but the
people they had to deal with were tough. Young Jimmy
Lydon, tough gang leader, who committed petty thefts,
idolized his young brother, who was ill ; he refused to
call in a doctor, for he felt that doctors had been the cause
of his mother's death. But Miss Campbell and O'Keefe
finally convince Jimmy that his brother belonged in a hospi-
tal. They give Jimmy work at the clinic and permit him
to live there. Jimmy believes Roger Pryor, a racketeer
dealing in inferior food, when he tells him that O'Keefe
was unfair to him, in that he refused to sign food certifi-
cates permitting Pryor's firm to sell to hospitals and other
places. Through a trick, Jimmy gets O'Keefe to sign these
certificates, which he sells to Pryor. But when an epidemic
of food poisoning breaks out and the food is traced to
Pryor's firm, Jimmy realizes his mistake. Pryor kidnaps
Jimmy, fearing he might talk. But Miss Campbell, together
with a group of Bowery men who liked Jimmy, rescue him
and capture Pryor. Jimmy is a changed boy. And O'Keefe,
who had given up a wealthy society girl (Helen Vinson)
who did not believe in his work, proposes to Miss Campbell.

Sam Fuller and Sidney Sutherland wrote the story, and
Robert Chapin, Harry Kronman, and Eugene Solow, the
screen play; William Morgan directed it, and Armand
Schaefer produced it. In the cast are Paul Hurst, Ed
Gargan, John Kelly, Selmer Jackson, and others.

Not suitable for children. Class B.

"Lucky Devils" with Richard Arlen,
Andy Devine and Dorothy Lovett

(Universal, January 3; time, 61 min.)
Fair program entertainment ; it combines melodrama with
comedy and romance. Stock shots of fires and other events
have been used to good advantage and fit in the story, since
the hero is supposedly a newsreel cameraman taking pic-
tures of the various events. The story is far-fetched; yet
the action fans may overlook that fact since the story moves
at a pretty good pace : —

Arlen and Devine, ace newsreel cameramen, resort to
tricks to outwit their rival newsreel men. Arlen goes so
far as to send out a fictitious news bulletin over the tele-
type machine operated by his girl friend (Dorothy Lovett)
so as to insure a scoop for himself. Because of it, Miss
Lovett loses her job. Arlen and Devine arrive at their office
one night just after two members of a spy ring had stolen
films of a picture Arlen had taken of an important Dam.
Miss Lovett, who had obtained another position as a news
broadcaster, purposely gives Arlen a fake news report of an
explosion at the Dam. Arlen rushes there ; before he leaves
he instructs Devine to steal a model of the Dam from the
World's Fair and to photograph it so that they could use
the miniature as the real thing. Devine's young cousin ac-
cidently wrecks the model, and Devine photographs it. With-
out waiting to hear from Arlen, he sends the film out to
theatres, pretending that it was the filming of the actual
explosion of the Dam. When the news comes out that there
had been no explosion. Devine and Arlen find themselves in
hot water. But they make up for this by capturing two
saboteurs who were actually planning to blow up the Dam.
Miss Lovett forgives Arlen.

Sam Robins wrote the story, and Alex Gottlieb, the
screen play ; Lew Landers directed it, and Ben Pivar pro-
duced it. In the cast are Janet Shaw, Jack Arnold, Ralf
Harolde, Tim Ryan, and others.

Suitability, Gass A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 11, 1941

and cooperation in the distribution and showing of this
picture will reflect great credit to our industry. * * * "

There can be no doubt in any one's mind that here is a
chance for the entire industry, for every branch of it, and for
every person in it, to put aside all partisanship and per-
sonal grievances, and to form a united front for the distri-
bution and exhibition of Land of Liberty, so that the great-
est number of people possible can see it and be affected by
its inspirational qualities. Thus, the motion picture indus-
try, which has always played a prominent part in any work
involving the welfare of the nation, will accomplish the
two-fold purpose of raising the pitch of patriotism and
making a substantial contribution to the war emergency
welfare work of our country.

Every exhibitor in the land should not only arrange to
play this picture himself, but also see to it that all his
exhibitor friends play it.

* * *

ED KUYKENDALL, PRESIDENT of M. P. T. O. A.,
seems determined upon sabotaging the Consent Decree.
He has been going around to meetings and conventions of
theatre owners, branding the Decree as "stupid, misnamed,
unfair," and saying that the exhibitors may expect from it
"nothing but trouble," and that "talk of exhibitor coopera-
tion 'to make it work' and to 'give it a fair trial' is more
or less nonsense."

Another exhibitor organization's head to fight the Decree
was Harry Brandt, of New York City — he fought the De-
cree bitterly before it was adopted ; but after its adoption,
he asked the exhibitors in general, and the members of his
organization in particular, to give the Decree a chance.
That is a better spirit than that shown by Kuykendall.

How does Kuykendall know that the Decree will bring
the exhibitors nothing but trouble? Why doesn't he want
to give it a chance? He knows that nothing is to be gained
by name-calling, and that no governmental agency would
listen to a request for relief from the Decree until it had
been put into effect and had proved burdensome.

The Decree is now the law of the industry, even if only
temporarily. The sensible thing to do is to stop crying about
it, and to start making the most of it. If, after a fair trial,
it should turn out that Kuykendall was right, then we all
would fight to have the Decree set aside, and the govern-
ment would not, I am sure, demand that the industry con-
tinue to operate under a selling system that is proving in-
jurious to the interests of those whom it had set out to
protect; but if it proves beneficial, why not retain it and
try to have it improved?

Kuykendall wants the eradication in a day of abuses that
have been ingrained into the body of the industry over a
period of years. He should take Harry Brandt's advice :
"to hold his reins asd keep his horse in check, until he
knows where he is going."

* * *

SEVERAL PERSONS IN THE INDUSTRY have
been decrying what they call the abortive cost of arbitra-
tion under the Consent Decree. They try to make it appear
that arbitration will be so expensive that few exhibitors
will be able to seek redress in the arbitration tribunals.
They base their claims upon the provision of the Decree
that the maximum fee for the arbitrator shall be fifty dol-
lars per day.

In the opinion of this paper, these persons are creating
a false impression, motivated perhaps by a desire to sabotage
the Decree. If they were really sincere, they would take
into consideration the fact that the fifty dollar fee of the
arbitrator is the maximum fee, and that the history and
policy of the American Arbitration Association, the Arbi-
tration Administrator, indicate that the fees of their arbi-
trators have always been kept down to a minimum, and
whenver possible the arbitrators have rendered their serv-
ices gratis.

The A.A.A. has announced repeatedly that in making
up the schedule of charges for the motion picture industry,
the fees of the arbitrators will be kept as low as possible ;
that where the subject matter of the arbitration involves the
public welfare, such as the offensiveness of a picture in a
certain community, the arbitrators will receive no compen-
sation ; and that only in very rare cases will the arbitrators
be paid the maximum fee, or any amount approximating the
maximum.

After studying these reports of the A.A.A., and after
discussing the matter with attorneys who have had experi-

ences in arbitrations before the A. A. A., I am convinced
that arbitration under the Consent Decree will be inexpen-
sive enough to make it available to every exhibitor and
that the controversies will be determined, not only at a
lower cost, but also in less time, than they can be decided
in any court proceeding.

What I have said regarding the Decree in its entirety, I
say in regard to the arbitration provision : do not criticize
it and do not despair of it until you have given it a fair
trial.

* * *

THE NEW YORK FILM CRITICS have declared
that the best motion picture for the 1940 season was the
Twentieth Century-Fox feature "Grapes of Wrath."

This paper will not contest their judgment, but wishes to
say that, as a result of this award, there may be a renewal
of the demand for its showing, just as there was a demand
for repeat dates on RKO's "The Informer," when that
picture won the award.

There is constant talk about a temporary shortage of
product in the next season as a result of the readjustment
in the method of selling pictures. This may or may not be
so, but it will do not harm for exhibitors to fill in some
play-dates with pictures for which there is a demand for a
return engagement. For this reason, you will do the wise
tiling if you should watch the effect of the New York critics'
award on "Grapes of Wrath."

* * *

AT A TRADE PAPER CONFERENCE held on
December 18, George Schaefer, president of RKO, stated
that, when the new sales policy goes into effect next sum-
mer, film rentals will be founded, not on cost, as is usually
the case now, but on quality. In other words, the fact that
a picture has cost two million dollars will not command
a greater price than a picture that cost one-half that amount
if the quality does not warrant it.

This is as it should be and should have been all along,
except that the selling system now in effect had made pos-
sible the great rentals for pictures that cost much money
even though they did not entertain. But Mr. Schaefer now
says that pictures should demand prices commensurate with
their quality.

The new selling system under the Consent Decree should
open the door to a stream of good pictures produced by
capable independent producers — good, not because they
represent huge expenditures of money, but because they are
the result of intelligent, understanding effort.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"BILLY THE KID," with Robert Taylor, Brian Don-
levy, Ian Hunter, Mary Howard, and Guinn Williams. The
cast is good, and Frank Borzage, the director, competent.
It should turn out a very good outdoor picture.

"ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY," with
Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker,
and Ian Hunter. No facts about the story are available, but
most likely it will go over as usual with the "Hardy" fans.

Republic

"PETTICOAT POLITICS," with Roscoe Karns, Ruth
Donnelly, Spencer Charters, Lois Ranson, George Ernest,
and Polly Moran. This is another one in the "Higgins Fam-
ily" series. Roscoe Karns, as "Joe Higgins," goes into
politics and has many adventures fighting the crooked poli-
ticians. The story is routine; it should turn out a fair pro-
gram entertainment.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"DEAD MEN TELL," with Sidney Toler, Sen Yung,
Sheila Ryan, and Robert Weldon. This will most likely be
another "Charlie Chan" picture. They usually turn out
pretty good program entertainment.

United Artists

"BROADWAY LIMITED," with Victor McLaglen,
Marjorie Woodworth, Dennis O'Keefe, Patsy Kelly, Zasu
Pitts, Leonid Kinsky, and George E. Stone. Individually
the players are not strong drawing cards, but combined,
they make up a good cast. The story is probably a comedy,
judging by the fact that Patsy Kelly, Zasu Pitts, and Leonid
Kinsky are in the cast. With care given to the production
it should turn out good entertainment.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879<

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oat. a ^uyy Columns, If It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1941 No. 3

HERE AND THERE

SPEAKING TO THE MEMBERS of the Chamber of
Commerce of the State of New York on January 9, Mr.
Nelson A. Rockefeller, co-ordinator of commercial and
cultural relations among the American republics, stated
that agents of the Axis powers are employing American
motion pictures to discredit democracy in general, and the
United States in particular. He said that the picture they
employ most to show the "decay of democracy" is "Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington."

In criticizing the theme of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washing-
ton" editorially in the October 21, 1939, issue of Harrison's
Rfports, I said partly :

"As an American citizen, I resent Mr. Capra's casting of
reflection upon the integrity of the United States Senate,
and I am sure that there will be millions of other Amer-
icans who will feel likewise when they see the picture. I
resent it particularly in these times, when the whole world
is going through strenuous days, and the prestige of this
nation may be needed to bring peace among the warring
nations. How will the people of other countries feel towards
this country when they are made to believe that the United
States Senate, the entire Congress, for that matter, is con-
trolled by crooked politicians? What faith can they have in
such a nation as a promoter of peace?"

A day or so after the issue containing that editorial ap-
peared, Abe Montague, general sales manager of Columbia,
called me up on the telephone and, indicating his resent-
ment, tried to convince me that I was wrong in my assump-
tion that the picture cast a reflection upon the United States
Senate; and immediately afterwards, some trade paper
editors took me to task for having expressed a resentment
against the picture's theme. Among these, Red Kann, editor
of Box-office, was most pronounced. Red said partly:

"We have been trying to figure out why Pete is excited
to a point where he calls upon Allied to pick on the nice
and honest Mr. Smith as a catapult to launch renewed at-
tempts at enactment of the Neely Bill. Little being immune
from Hollywood story ingenuity, why should senatorial im-
munity go untouched? . . .

" 'Mr. Smith,' actually, is one of the finest expressions of
faith in country that the studios have launched. ..."

In replying to Mr. Kann, I said partly :

"... Suppose this picture had been produced in Ger-
many? What would the defenders of this picture's theme
say? . . .

"... I am just trying to picture in my mind the glee that
Paul Goebbels, the German propaganda minister, will feel
when he first sees 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.' He
will, no doubt, want every man, woman and child in Ger-
many to see it. . . . "

Acccording to Mr. Rockefeller, Dr. Goebbels has done
more than that — he has made an effort to have every man,
woman and child in South America see it, to the glory of
Columbia Pictures Corporation and of Frank Capra, pro-
ducers and distributors of the picture.

* * *

WHILE WE ARE DISCUSSING A PICTURE that
has cast reflection upon the law-making body of this nation,
it would not be out of place to discuss another picture,
which carried propaganda injurious to a friendly nation, a
nation that is fighting, not only for its own existence, but
also to spare us the necessity of having to fight for our own
existence, too — Great Britain. I am referring to "The Sea
I lawk," produced, as you all know, by Warner Bros. As
those of you who have seen the picture remember, the story
presents the hero as trying to help Queen Elizabeth aug-

ment the English navy by means of the gold he proposed
to steal, and afterwards did steal, from Spanish mercen-
aries. To make the "pill" palatable to the picture-goers, who
resent seeing a hero resort to unethical acts, the author, or
whoever was responsible for the characterization, tried to
excuse the hero's unethical act on the ground that the Span-
iards had stolen the gold from the Aztecs, and for that
reason they were not entitled to it, but what he really aimed
to do was to convey the idea that Great Britain has attained
her greatness by just such means, implying that, since the
England of today is no different from the England of the
old days, she does not deserve the sympathy of this nation
and of the other democracies of the world. It is a vicious
implication, to say the least.

It is hard to believe that the treatment of the story was
unintentional, for I feel that no person with a kindly feeling
towards a nation that is shedding its blood for itself as well
as for the world's democracy could have given the story
such a twist, particularly since there was no need to follow
the mood of the Sabatini book, which, though it bears the
same title, has nothing in common with the picture.

No one may question the patriotism of either Harry
Warner, or of Jack Warner, or any member of the Warner
family — it has been too well tested to be questioned. And
yet the picture is, in my opinion, a deliberate malicious
propaganda against the English nation.

Since most of the times the final picture is not the work
of any individual but the thought and work of many in-
dividuals, I cannot fairly put the blame on any one of those
who have taken part in the production of "The Sea
Hawk" ; this can be done only by the Warners, after a
careful check up. They will be serving the interests of this
nation well if they should conduct such a checkup.

THE AFOREMENTIONED TWO INCIDENTS
should make the producers much more careful in choosing
stories for their pictures. It is not enough that they should
shout their patriotism from the house tops ; it is not enough
that they should pay their taxes to the penny, or join
patriotic organizations, or contribute liberally to patriotic
movements — the greatest patriotic contribution they can
make is to see that they do not accumulate profits by "sell-
ing" their country short.

* * *

THE GAME OF BINGO IS nothing but gambling, no
matter with how much piety some churches may cloak it.

One would think that the churches would be the ones who
would be preaching against Bingo just as they are against
all forms of gambling; but such is not the case.

Pete Wood, business manager of Independent Theatre
Owners of Ohio, says that Bingo is the worst competitor
the exhibitors have and since it is a profit-making scheme,
it should be taxed, just as are taxed other business enter-
prises. As a matter of fact, he calls Bingo a racket. And he
is right !

The unfairness of competition from Bingo is the fact that
it is indulged in mostly by the churches, which are tax-
exempt institutions.

The secretaries of all other organizations, too, should
follow Mr. Wood's example, working for the taxation of
Bingo games. Competition should thus be equalized.

Taxation of Bingo games may have also the ultimate
effect of stopping its indulgence by churches, for it is likely
that, when a tax-exempt institution resorts to a profit-
making scheme, the law may require that its tax-exemption
privilege cease.

(Continued on last fatjc)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 18, 1941

"Keeping Company" with Frank Morgan,
Irene Rich, Ann Rutherford
and John Shelton

(MGM, December 27; running time, 79 min.)

A mildly entertaining family picture of program
grade. According to reports, MGM intends making a
series of pictures with the same cast; if so, they will
have to get better material for the ones to follow. The
plot developments in this story are familiar; as a matter
of fact, if it were not for the occasional comedy bits
provided by Virginia Weidler, it would be tiresome.
The performances are adequate and the production
values are good: —

Frank Morgan and Irene Rich are the happy parents
of three daughters — Ann Rutherford, Virginia Weid-
ler, and Gloria DeHaven. The peace of the household
is suddenly disturbed, when it becomes evident that
the oldest daughter (Miss Rutherford) was in love
with John Shelton and that she wanted to marry him.
Both Morgan and Miss Rich try to advise the young
couple, before their marriage, about how to avoid un-
happiness; but the two young sweethearts are so much
in love that they feel their marriage would be different
and they never would have difficulties. But the time
comes, shortly after their marriage, when a quarrel
takes place because of Miss Rutherford's suspicions
about Shelton's affairs with a young lady (Virginia
Grey) with whom he had been friendly before his
marriage. She believes the worst, quarrels with Shel-
ton, and then goes back to live with her family. Her
mother and father try to patch up the quarrel but are
unsuccessful. They are finally brought together at a
picnic given by Shelton's employer (Gene Lockhart) ;
reunited, the young couple pledge never to quarrel or
mistrust each other again.

Herman J. Mankievvicz wrote the story, and Harry
Ruskin, James H. Hill, and Adrian Scott, the screen
play; S. Sylvan Simon directed it, and Samuel Marx
produced it. In the cast are Dan Dailey, Jr., Sara Haden,
and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Maisie Was a Lady" with Ann Sothern,
Lew Ayres and Maureen O'Sullivan

(MGM, January 10; time, 79 min.)

A fair addition to the "Maisie" series. It has comedy
and some human appeal; but it is extremely "talky,"
thus slowing up the action. Moreover, the plot is far-
fetched. The production values are good, however;
since most of the story takes place in the home of a
millionaire, the backgrounds are lavish. Miss Sothern
gives her typically good performance as "Maisie," and
is ably assisted by a competent cast: —

Having been the cause of Miss Sothern's losing her
job in a carnival show, Ayres, millionaire playboy,
offers her a position as maid in his luxurious home,
where he lived with his sister (Maureen O'Sullivan).
C. Aubrey Smith, who had been butler for the family
for many years, is shocked by Miss Sothern's appear-
ance; he gives her hints on how to dress and act. Miss
Sothern becomes personal maid to Miss O'Sullivan.
She feels sorry for her, for she knew that her fiance
(Edward Ashley) did not love her and was just after
her money. Miss O'Sullivan had a house full of guests
to celebrate her engagement to Ashley. She was look-
ing forward eagerly to a visit from her father (Paul
Cavanagh), whom she seldom saw. Her first disappoint-
ment comes when she receives from her father another
gift of diamonds in lieu of a personal visit. And when
she learns the truth about Ashley from the girl he had
jilted, she is heartbroken. She takes poison. It is only
the quick thinking on the part of Miss Sothern that
saves her life. Cavanagh rushes to his daughter's side.
Miss Sothern, disgusted at what had happened, berates

both Cavanagh and Ayres for their lack of attention to
Miss O'Sullivan. Things change for the better. And
Ayres, who had fallen in love with Miss Sothern, pro-
poses marriage.

Betty Reinhardt and Myles Connolly wrote the story,
and Miss Reinhardt and Mary C. McCall, Jr., the screen
play. Edwin L. Marin directed it, and J. Walter Ruben
produced it. In the cast are Joan Perry and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Land of Liberty"

(MGM, January 24; time, 97 min.)

This is the picture compiled by the Motion Picture
Producers and Distributors of America, Inc., that
Metro-Goldvvyn-Mayer is releasing on a non-profit
basis, for the benefit of war relief organizations; it
was shown, in longer form, at both the New York and
San Francisco fairs last summer.

By selecting parts from newsreels and features, Cecil
B. DeMille, who edited the film with the assistance of
Herbert L. Moulton, Francis Stuart Harmon, Arthur
H. DeBra, and William H. Pine, has put together a
picture, which is a cavalcade of American history; it
should prove very interesting to Americans, particu-
larly in these uncertain times. It should also give them
renewed courage in the forces of democracy, for it
depicts the hardships and strife that the early Amer-
ican settlers w:ent through because of their beliefs in
democracy and in liberty and justice to all. It is good
propaganda in the worthy cause of democracy and
American ideals.

In some of the scenes, the actual sound track is used
from the pictures from which they were taken; and in
others, the commentator supplies the necessary ex-
planations.

Many players of note are seen throughout; but no
one has any special important place, and some appear
just for a second.

Jeanie MacPherson and Jesse Lasky, Jr., wrote the
narration.

"You're Out of Luck" with Frankie Darro
and Mantan Moreland

(Monogram, Rel. date not set; time, 60 min.)

Fair program entertainment. As is the case with most
of the pictures in this series, the plot is extremely far-
fetched. Yet it may fit adequately in a double-feature
program in neighborhood theatres, where patrons are
not too discriminating, since the action is fast-moving
and there is plentiful comedy. Mantan Moreland, as the
colored porter friend of Frankie Darro, provokes most
of the laughter by his efforts to keep out of trouble.
Aside from Moreland and Darro, the other players do
not make much of an impression: —

Darro and Moreland, employed in an apartment
building, become involved in the case of the murder of
one of the tenants. Darro's brother (Richard Bond), a
police detective, asks Darro to help him solve the case,
for, if he failed, he would be demoted. Darro insists that
Moreland help him. Although he agrees, Moreland is
unhappy because he felt he would be getting into
trouble unnecessarily. From information received from
the victim's pal, Darro traces the murder to a notorious
gambler. But before he could do anything, the pal is
murdered. In the meantime, Bond is demoted from de-
tective to plain policeman; this makes his fiancee (Kay
Sutton) unhappy. Darro, with the help of his brother
and Moreland, finally traps the murderer. Bond is pro-
moted to a Captaincy, and Darro and Moreland go back
to their every-day work.

Ed Kelso wrote the screen play, Howard Bretherton
directed it, and Lindsley Parsons produced it. In the
cast are Vicki Lester, Janet Shaw, Tristram Coffin,
Willie Costcllo, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

January 18, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Saint in Palm Springs" with
George Sanders, Wendy Barrie
and Paul Guilfoyle

(RKO, January 24; time, 65 min.)
A fair program murder-mystery melodrama. The plot
is far-fetched and less exciting than the previous pic-
tures in the "Saint" series. Yet it holds one's interest
fairly well, mainly because of the good performances,
which are superior to the story values. The regular fol-
lowers of pictures of this type will find that the plot
developments are obvious; moreover, they will have no
trouble in identifying the villain, even though he is not
actually exposed until the end. Paul Guilfoyle, as a re-
formed crook, provokes laughter by his worrisome
nature : —

Immediately upon his arrival from Europe, George
Sanders, known as "The Saint," is requested by Jona-
than Hale, Chief of Police Detectives, to help him out
in an important case. Hale wanted Sanders to accom-
pany a certain man to Palm Springs; the man would
there turn over to Wendy Barrie three postage stamps
valued at $65,000 each. These stamps represented the
entire fortune of her father, who lived in Europe, and
who had had the stamps smuggled out of the country.
The man is killed by a mysterious intruder, who had
not been able to find the stamps. Sanders undertakes to
deliver the stamps himself. On the train he meets Linda
Hayes, who, unknown to him, was working for a for-
eign agent who wanted the stamps. They both stop at
the same hotel. Sanders meets Guilfoyle, a former
crook, out on parole; Guilfoyle had turned honest and
was now the hotel detective; he introduces Sanders to
Miss Barrie. Sanders offers to turn the stamps over to
her immediately. But he is knocked out and the stamps
are taken from him. He recovers them again. But before
he could turn them over to Miss Barrie, three persons
are killed; and he, Guilfoyle, and Miss Barrie go
through many adventures, involving a gang of crooks
who had tried to steal the stamps. The crooks are
caught, the stamps are turned over to Miss Barrie, and
Sanders continues on to further adventures.

Leslie Charteris wrote the story, and Jerry Cady, the
screen play; Jack Hively directed it, and Howard Bene-
dict produced it. In the cast are Ferris Taylor, Harry
Shannon, Eddie Dunn, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Flight from Destiny" with Thomas
Mitchell, Geraldine Fitzgerald
and Jeffrey Lynn

{Warner Bros., Rel. date not set; time, 74 min.)
This is the type of picture that intelligent audiences
in particular should enjoy. The theme, although un-
pleasant in some respects, is different and interesting,
and the acting and direction are good. But as far as
the masses are concerned, the story is sombre and the
action slow-moving, since a good part of the footage is
given over to Thomas Mitchell's philosophical theoriz-
ing. Yet audiences who are looking for something a
little different may find this absorbing: —

Mitchell, a college professor, is told by his doctor
(James Stephenson) that he was suffering from a heart
ailment which would result in his death in about six
months. Eager to do something in the last few months
of his life that would benefit mankind, Mitchell asks
his associates what they would do under such circum-
stances. One man says that he would commit a murder,
that is, of a person whose presence on earth only
brought suffering to others. The idea intrigues Mitchell
and he discusses it with Stephenson, who discourages
such thoughts. Mitchell is visited by Geraldine Fitz-

gerald, wife of Jeffrey Lynn, a young artist of promise,
who had been Mitchell's favorite pupil. She tells him
that something was happening to Lynn, who seemed
upset but would not discuss it with her. Mitchell inves-
tigates and finds that Lynn was under the influence of
Mona Barrie, a woman of evil reputation, who had in-
duced Lynn to paint portraits in the style of a famous
old master, which she intended selling as the master's
own works. Mitchell pleads with her to release Lynn,
but she refuses. Lynn himself tries to get out of her
clutches, but she threatens him. Mitchell kills her.
When Lynn is arrested for the murder, Mitchell rushes
to the police and confesses. He is tried and sentenced to
the electric chair. He feels no remorse for what he had
done, that is, not until he learns that his theories were
misunderstood by the average person, who might be
influenced to commit murders, as one man had already
done. He goes to his death, realizing that he had made
a mistake.

Anthony Berkeley wrote the story, and Barry Triv-
ers, the screen play; Vincent Sherman directed it, and
Edmund Grainger produced it. In the cast are Jonathan
Hale, David Bruce, Thurston Hall, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Play Girl" with Kay Francis,
James Ellison and Mildred Coles

(RKO, March 7; time, 77 min.)
A fair sophisticated comedy. The story is not very
substantial, nor is it particularly edifying for young
folk, since it shows Kay Francis engaging in gold-
digging that borders on blackmailing. Yet adults may
find it amusing, for it has a few good comedy situa-
tions, a pleasant romance, and engaging performances.
Women, in particular, may like it, for Miss Francis
and Mildred Coles wear a variety of beautiful clothes;
and the backgrounds are lavish: —

Miss Francis, who had practiced the art of golddig-
ging for many years, realizes that, although she was
still attractive, she was getting older and could not at-
tract the wealthy type of men who had been her victims
heretofore. While down in Florida looking for new
"prospects," Miss Francis becomes acquainted with
Mildred Coles, a penniless young girl who wanted to
work as secretary for Miss Francis. Noticing that Miss
Coles was young and beautiful, Miss Francis makes
her a proposition: she would train her how to handle
men, pay for her clothes, and introduce her to wealthy
men, in return for which Miss Coles would share any
money she might get from these men with Miss
Francis. Everything works perfectly, except that Miss
Coles dislikes the work; Miss Francis explains to her
that in a way it was not wrong, for the men they vic-
timized were wealthy and should pay for the privilege
of having the company of a charming young woman.
Miss Coles meets and falls in love with James Ellison,
a young rancher. At first Miss Francis discourages the
affair, but when she looks up Ellison's financial rating
and finds out that he was a millionaire, she urges Miss
Coles on. But Miss Coles rebels; when Ellison proposes
marriage, she runs away. Miss Francis then decides to
marry Ellison herself, that is, until she meets his charm-
ing mother, who makes her realize the wrong she would
do. Miss Francis sends Ellison after Miss Coles. And
she prepares to meet his wealthy uncle, who was look-
ing for a wife.

Jerry Cady wrote the screen play, Frank Woodruff
directed it, and Cliff Rcid produced it. In the cast are
Nigel Bruce, Margaret Hamilton, Katharine Alexan-
der, and George P. Huntley.

Not for children or adolescents. Strictly for adults.
Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 18, 1941

GEORGE W. MATHESON, Dean of St. John's Uni-
versity, has reported that, since 1929, the number of under-
graduates enrolled in the nation's law schools has dimin-
ished by more than thirty-eight per cent. In the State of
New York, the drop has been even greater — more than
sixty per cent. In other words, in this state there are sixty
per cent fewer lawyers today than there were prior to 1930,
the year when the shrinkage became noticeable.

In the motion picture industry, the depression has in-
creased the number of lawyers rather than decreased it, for
there were so many violations of the law since 1929, and so
many breaches of leases and of contracts, that the legal
stair's of the home offices had to be augmented in order that
the many lawsuits that had sprung from these violations
and contract breaches might be taken care of.

But from now on, the number of lawyers employed by
the motion picture industry, on extra occasions as well as
regularly, should diminish, for the consent decree will
cause the elimination of many of the existing lawsuits, and
will remove many of the causes of such suits. This will
naturally be a blessing.

* * *

THE SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK near Holly-
wood opened Saturday, December 28, and it was packed
with picture people.

No one can begrudge people trying to have some fun in
life, but race tracks in and around Los Angeles absorb the
interest of picture makers, little as well as big, so much that
the quality of pictures suffers, not little, but considerably.
Some picture celebrities own race tracks, some others have
an interest in one, some own race horses, while some others
have their minds on the races during the racing season to
the exclusion of everything else. It is a wonder that any
good pictures are made at all during the racing season.

* * *

ACCORDING TO DOUGLAS CHURCHILL, Holly-
wood correspondent of the New York Times, Twentieth
Century-Fox is trying to create an air of mystery around
"Tobacco Road," to make it appear as if there would be
some protests from some people if anything should leak out.

Maintaining an air of mystery for such a purpose is, of
course, considerably effective when a fine picture is on the
way, but when the picture turns out exactly the opposite
from what the "air of mystery" leads one to believe that it
is, the effect is disastrous. For this reason Mr. Zanuck is
taking on a great responsibility in resorting to such tactics
on "Tobacco Road."

Harbison's Reports has already expressed an opinion
as to the value of the long-run play for a picture ; it has
said that the material is altogether unsuitable for picture
purposes. Let us hope that that opinion is wrong. But ex-
perience has proved that story material of this type makes
the poorest sort of entertainment. "An American Tragedy,"
produced by Paramount, is one of them ; "Sanctuary," pro-
duced by the same company and released by it as "Temple
Drake," is another ; "Of Mice and Men," produced by Hal
Roach and released through United Artists last season, is
still another.

Fame of book or play does not seem to make much dif-
ference in cases of this kind. Take, for instance, "An Amer-
ican Tragedy"; the book was a best seller, and its author
(Theodore Dreiser) famous; yet the picture flopped. The
same statement may be made also of "Sanctuary," "Of
Mice and Men," and of many other properties of this type.

Let us hope that Mr. Zanuck has profited by the experi-
ences of the other producers, if not by his own experiences,
and that he has made enough radical alterations in the play
to get a good picture this time.

* * *

AT A LUNCHEON GIVEN FOR HIM at Miami,
Florida, about two weeks ago by Mitchell Wolfson, theatre
operator, Ed Kuykcndall, president of MPTOA, spoke on
the Consent Decree.

Ed was as inconsistent on that occasion as he has always
been talking about the Consent Decree. For instance, he
said that he did not understand the Decree, and that he
received seven different opinions from seven different law-
yers as to what it meant. Yet he attempted to analyze it.

He asserted that the Government forgot the very purpose
that prompted it to institute the suit against the major
companies — theatre divorcement. He then praised the Code,
which had been worked out two years ago, stating that the

exhibitors would have obtained some reforms had they ac-
cepted the Code, but he forgot the fact that the Code had
no divorcement provision in it.

Kuykcndall condemned the fact that the Decree had no
cancellation provision in it, but he failed to acquaint thoie
present with the fact that no smart exhibitor is compelled
to buy a picture group that contains pictures he feels that
he cannot make money with, or that the cancellation pro-
vision in the Code would not have been observed, as ex-
perience has proved to us all.

Ed stated that, if all the exhibitors, regardless of affilia-
tion, had worked together, they would have undoubtedly
obtained a better Consent Decree, but failed to say that he
refused repeatedly to join hands with Allied, which asked
his cooperation.

To make his inconsistency more definite, he closed his
speech with a plea for cooperation by all exhibitors to the
end that the Consent Decree may be enforced properly. The
exhibitors will thus get the chance of seeing whether the
Decree is or is not workable. He forgot that in his recent
bulletin lie advised against any cooperation.

Well, Ed, if you can get away with such stuff, good luck
to you !

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"THE TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN," with Laraine
Day, Robert Young, Marsha Hunt, and Tom Conway.
When this was first produced in 1929, with Norma Shearer
as the star, it was a powerful court-room drama. The story
still offers opportunities for good drama witli a sprinkling
of comedy, which is brought about by the comments of the
witnesses. As in the case of all remakes, however, the fact
that it was done once before may prove a hindrance at the
box-office.

"FREE AND EASY," with Ruth Hussey, Robert Cum-
mings, Nigel Bruce, Reginald Owen, and Forrester Har-
vey. Although no facts are available about the story, it
seems, judging from the cast, that it will be a comedy with
romance. It should make a good program picture.

Paramount

"ONE NIGHT IN LISBON," with Madeleine Carroll,
Fred MacMurray, Dame May Whitty, John Loder, Patricia
Morison, Akim Tamiroff, and Billie Burke. The cast is
good, and Edward H. Griffith, the producer-director, com-
petent. It should turn out very good entertainment, its box-
office possibilities depending on the popularity of the stars.

Republic

"BAD MAN FROM RIO," with Don Barry. Western.

"PRAIRIE PIONEERS," with Bob Livingston, Bob
Steele, and Rufe Davis. Western.

"CITADEL OF CRIME," with John Wayne, Frances
Dee, Edward Ellis, and Harold Huber. The players are
competent. With a good production, this should turn out
good.

RKO

"SHOW BUSINESS," with Alan Mowbray, Donald
McBride, Elyse Knox, and Elisabeth Risdon. Alan Mow-
bray and Donald McBride appeared in "Curtain Call,"
which was a comedy about show business. This will prob-
ably be along the same order as the first picture, which did
only fair business.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"RIDE ON, VAQUERO," with Cesar Romero, Mary
Beth Hughes, Lynn Roberts, Chris-Pin Martin, and Wil-
liam Demarest. Probably a western.

Warner-First National

"A BASHFUL HERO." appraised in the December 28
issue as "Stuff of Heroes."

"WINGED VICTORY," with Geraldine Fitzgerald,
James Stephenson, Barbara O'Neil, Donald Crisp, Richard
Ainley, Bruce Lester, Montagu Love, and Frank Reicher.
The story was written by A. J. Cronin, who wrote also
"Citadel," in which Robert Donat appeared. Judging from
the author and players, this should turn out very good
entertainment.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879;

Harrison's Reports

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ooc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1941 No. 4

HERE AND THERE

SPEAKING AT AN ARBITRATION affair arranged
by the American Arbitration Association last week, Mayor
LaGuardia said that the settling of cases out of court will
be useless if it is to be surrounded by similar rules and
regulations as is court procedure. "If arbitration is going
to be formalized; if you are going to have strict rules of
procedure," he said, "then I say it serves no useful pur-
pose, because it establishes another tribunal alongside the
existing courts. Disputes were settled long before we had
lawyers, long before we had courts. . . ."

That Mayor LaGuardia is right no one may dispute. This
prompts us to cast an eye upon the arbitration procedure
established in this industry by the Consent Decree. There
are too many rules to adhere to — too many restrictions. The
result will be that the abritrators will be hamstrung.

Yet we have to admit that, however much-regulated is
the arbitration that has been provided by the Consent De-
cree, it is far superior to the "controlled" arbitration that
was in effect prior to December, 1929, the time when Judge
Thacher declared it illegal. Besides, there is now a chance
to have it modified in case it proves one-sided in some
types of disputes, because the Department of Justice will
supervise it, whereas under the old arbitration system no
reforms could be effected unless the exhibitors first ob-
tained the producers' consent.

* * *

A PARAMOUNT STATEMENT early in December
to the effect that, when the decree goes into effect, the
company will not sell in a locality a second five-picture
group until the first group is sold brought strong protests
from Fred Strom, Secretary of Allied Theatre Owners of
the Northwest, on the ground that that would be a violation
of the spirit of the Consent Decree.

Mr. Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, wrote to
Mr. Strom denying any intention by Paramount to violate
either the letter or the spirit of the Consent Decree, stating
that the interpretation given to the First Paramount
statement was wrong.

* * *

YOU UNDOUBTEDLY REMEMBER the question
that had been brought to the attention of this paper by
Mr. Brothers, of Boulder Dam, Nevada, about the injustice
of the tax law provision that compels the collection of tax
for the price of the full ticket when a reduction is made to
students, to C.C.C. Camp boys, and to others, and of the
efforts made by the Minneapolis Allied to persuade the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue to give a new ruling,
enabling the exhibitor to collect a tax only on what is paid
for the ticket.

Shovmtcn's Trade Review, in its issue of November 16,
1940, stated that it had found a way out of the difficulty. Its
suggestion read as follows :

". . . Mark off a certain section of seats 'Students' Sec-
tion,' sell tickets to students specifically for this section.
If the students fail to sit there, that's most unfortunate but
it does not affect the payment of the tax in any way. If you
have sold them tickets for a specific section, that is as far
as you can go. You have complied with the law."

The only drawback with this advice is the fact that Mr.
Chick Lewis, editor of that paper, did not guarantee to
those who would follow his advice to pay the fine, in case
they were fined, or to go to jail for them, in case they were
convicted for violating the tax law and given a jail term.

On December 10, Mr. Brothers wrote me that he had
advised Chick Lewis that he was out of order with his
suggestion, but that he had seen no correction of this poor
advise. "If you know him well," Mr. Brothers said, "you
better tell him to do so, for if any number of exhibitors by
trying such an arrangement get caught in the wringer, it

appears to me that Mr. Lewis is going to have a lot of
explaining to do."

I informed Mr. Brothers that I had sent a copy of his
letter to Chick Lewis. But until Mr. Lewis makes that
correction, I advise those of you who have read that article
to disregard it, because of the danger involved.

Incidentally, Mr. Strom, secretary of Allied Theatre
Owners of the Northwest, continues his efforts to get a
new ruling. If he should be unsuccessful, then there is only
one other way out — amendment of the tax law, through
the efforts of the exhibitor representatives.

* * *

SOME EXHIBITORS FEAR THAT, when they file
a complaint against a distributor, either with the Depart-
ment of Justice, or with the arbitration board rather than
settle the dispute "out of court," they may be subjected
to reprisals.

In my opinion, such fears are without any foundation, so
far as company policies are concerned — no distributor will
take the chance of severe punishment.

Not even the film salesmen will dare resort to reprisals
after the clarification of their responsibility. Each company
has acquainted its sales forces with its policy, and has in-
formed them that they will be responsible personally for
the violation of any of the terms of the Decree.

On January 16, the Department of Justice issued a state-
ment stating that such fears are unfounded, and assured the
exhibitors that they will punish for contempt any person
who might resort to reprisals against any exhibitor who
tries to protect his interests under the provisions of the
Decree.

* ' * *

SENATOR BURTON K. WHEELER has accused the
motion picture industry of carrying on a violent propa-
ganda campaign with a view to inciting the American
people into wanting to go to war.

If Senator Wheeler is as accurate in his other statements
as he is in this statement of his, this paper feels sorry for
the American people, a portion of whom he represents.

There is no truth whatever in his assumption that the
people of this industry want the United States to go to war ;
like the majority of the people of the entire nation, can-
vassed repeatedly by Dr. Gallup, the great majority of
those engaged in the motion picture industry want the
United States to supply the nations that are fighting for
the preservation of democracy with whatever they need to
win the war, but not to send American boys over there to
take part in the actual fighting.

People in high positions should be careful as to what
they say ; they should refrain from making rash statements.

Incidentally, the following telegram was sent to Senator
Wheeler by Mr. Louis de Rochemont, producer the The
MARCH OF TIME:

"Your telegram asking the deletion of your picture and
remarks from the MARCH OF TIME subject 'Uncle Sam
— The Non-Belligerent' has been forwarded to me from
New York. Your intemperate and reckless charge of war-
mongering by the MARCH OF TIME obscures the
fact that the principal portion of this picture deals not with
the opinions of American political men and statesmen but
with the tragic fate of the millions who have come under
the tyranny of the Nazis either as a result of appeasement
or as a result of easy conquest. Your picture and your re-
marks as well as those of Verne Marshall and Congressman
Vito Marcantonio will not be removed from this issue of
the MARCH OF TIME. We consider it our duty, as
journalists, to let the public see and hear the nun who
oppose the policies of those of our leaders who wish to
keep the war away from this hemisphere by giving un-
stinted aid to the British."

(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 25, 1941

"Virginia" with Madeleine Carroll
and Fred MacMurray

(Paramount, February 21 ; time, 108 min.)
Despite the lavish backgrounds, technicolor photog-
raphy, and good performances, "Virginia," a modern
romantic drama of the South, is just fair entertainment.
Lacking a substantial plot and exciting action, it be-
comes tiresome at times. The one bright spot is the
performance given by the youngster Carolyn Lee; so
natural and charming is she that mostly everything she
does and says is amusing. One of the picture's failings
is the fact that the characters, except on one or two
occasions, do not awaken real sympathy. This is no
fault of the performers, who try hard, but of the ma-
terial. Even the romantic interest lacks conviction: —

Madeleine Carroll, who had been born in Virginia
but had lived most of her life in the North, returns to
her home to inspect the plantation she had inherited;
her intentions were to sell the place. She becomes ac-
quainted with Fred MacMurray, her next-door neigh-
bor, and his charming little daughter (Carolyn Lee);
but she cannot find out anything about MacMurray's
wife. She does not understand or share MacMurray's
contempt for Southerners who would sell their homes,
particularly to Northerners. She meets Stirling Hayden,
an extremely wealthy New Yorker, who had bought
MacMurray's family plantation, which had been taken
over by the bank. She and Hayden become good friends;
through him and his friends she finds out that Mac-
Murray's wife, a woman of loose morals, had wandered
away from home. Just when Miss Carroll is ready to
sell the plantation, a former family slave tells her that
she did not have to sell because he knew where $50,000
belonging to her family was hidden; it turns out to be
confederate money. But Miss Carroll hasn't the heart
to disappoint the old man and so decides to stay on;
MacMurray helps her take care of the place. She falls
madly in love with him, but he refuses to respond be-
cause he was married. Desperate, she promises to marry
Hayden. When Carolyn meets with an accident, Miss
Carroll insists on giving her blood for the transfusion;
this brings her close to MacMurray, who confesses his
love. But again things are spoiled, when MacMurray
receives a letter that his wife was returning. Miss
Carroll leaves for New York, not knowing that Mac-
Murray's wife had killed herself. She later returns to
the plantation with Hayden, whom she had again
promised to marry. On the day of the wedding she
learns the facts, but feels duty-bound to go through
with the wedding. Hayden, however, releases her and
she finally marries MacMurray.

Edward H. Griffith and Virginia Van Upp wrote
the story, and Miss Van Upp, the screen play; Edward
H. Griffith directed and produced it. In the cast are
Helen Broderick, Marie Wilson, Paul Hurst, Tom
Rutherford, and others. — Suitability, Class A.

"High Sierra" with Humphrey Bogart
and Ida Lupino

(First National, January 25; time, 99 min.)

This is a fairly good gangster melodrama, but it is
strictly adult fare. Its appeal should be directed mostly
to followers of pictures of this type. Although it is a
little slow in getting started, it picks up speed; and,
since it has exciting gangster action and ends in a thrill-
ing manner, with the chief character, a gangster, trap-
ped by the police on Mt. Whitney, it holds one's atten-
tion. The story is somewhat demoralizing, because of
the fact that it tries to glorify a gangster — for instance,
on one hand it shows him to be a killer and crook, and,
on the other, a benefactor to an impoverished family.
Of course, he pays for his crimes in the end: —

Humphrey Bogart, a gangster, receives a prison
pardon. He looks up Donald MacBride, his old friend
and partner in crime, but finds that he had gone out
West for his health, and had left word for Bogart to
meet him there. While driving out West, he becomes
acquainted with Henry Travers, his wife (Elisabeth
Risdon), and their granddaughter (Joan Leslie), who
was crippled: they. too. were travelling out West to

live with Miss Leslie's mother, who had remarried.
M iss Leslie's charm and innocence appeals to Bogart;
he promises to look them up. Before visiting MacBride,
he meets his associates in crime at a mountain cabin
resort. They were Alan Curtis and Arthur Kennedy,
two young criminals breaking into big-time crime;
with them was Ida Lupino, whom Curtis had brought
along. Bogart demands that Miss Lupino leave; but her
pleas win him over. When the two young men fight
over her, Bogart orders her to move into his cabin. She
soon falls in love with him. Bogart, who wanted to
marry Miss Leslie, provides money for an operation;
she is cured, but she tells him she could never love him;
the gay life now appealed to her. Bogart goes to see
MacBride, who was bedridden. He tells Bogart that the
plan was to rob the safe of a fashionable resort hotel, in
which the guests' jewels and cash were kept. After mak-
ing elaborate plans, Bogart carries out the robbery; but
Kennedy and Curtis are killed in the getaway. The
hotel clerk, who had been in league with them, con-
fesses. Since the police were looking for him, Bogart
turns the jewels over to a third party for sale; this
man promises to pay him his share, but fails to do so.
Desperate, Bogart sends Miss Lupino, whom he now
loved, away, promising to meet her. He tries to get his
money, but is trapped by the police. By climbing up
Mt. Whitney quite a distance, he is able to hold off the
police; but eventually he is killed. Miss Lupino, who
had rushed back when she learned he had been trapped,
is grief-stricken; she gives herself up to the police.

W. R. Burnett wrote the story, and he and John
Huston, the screen play; Raoul Walsh directed it, and
Mark Hellinger produced it. In the cast are Barton
MacLane, Henry Hull, Jerome Cowan, and others.

Unsuitable for children and adolescents. Class B.

"The Aldrich Family in Life With Henry"
with Jackie Cooper

(Paramount, January 24; time, 80 min.)
As in "What a Life," the first picture in the "Aldrich
Family" series, this, too, is entertaining program fare.
It should please the listeners of "The Aldrich Family"
radio program, for it follows the style of the program,
which centers around the trials and tribulations of
"Henry," who innocently becomes involved in many
predicaments from which he finds it difficult to extri-
cate himself. The picture's appeal should, however, be
directed mostly to young folk, for adults might find it
a little trying at times. Eddie Bracken, as Jackie's
"side-kick," makes a good impression : —

Jackie, who had read an advertisement offering
young boys a trip to Alaska during the summer months,
part of the expenses to be paid by each boy, is de-
termined to earn the money so as to go. His father tries
to dissuade him, for he feared the man might be a
faker. But Jackie refuses to listen. This drives his
father so frantic that he writes a letter to the man who
had inserted the ad, telling him what he thought of him,
and asking him not to accept Jackie. Jackie tries to ob-
tain an interview with the man (Moroni Olsen), who,
it develops, was the millionaire that Jackie's father and
the other men of their town had been trying to per-
suade to enter into a business deal with them; but
Jackie is unable to see him. When Olsen learns that
Jackie had called on him and had been sent away, he
feels sorry, and decides to pay Jackie a visit. Upon
his arrival in town, he is greeted by the leading men
but he refuses to talk business. Jackie finally gets to
see him and wins his admiration; both Jackie's father
and the other men are amazed when they learn that
Olsen had decided to enter into a business deal with
them because of what Jackie had told him. Jackie wins
$100 at a bank night in a theatre, but complications
arise because the money was supposed to be earned.
Jackie finally convinces Olsen that he should be ac-
cepted for the trip.

Clifford Goldsmith and Don Hartman wrote the story
and screen play; Ted Reed directed and produced it.
In the cast are Hedda Hopper, Fred Niblo, and others.

Suitability, Ck*»s A.

January 25, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Tall, Dark and Handsome" with
Cesar Romero, Virginia Gilmore
and Milton Berle

(20th Century-Fox, January 24; time, 78 mm.)

Good program entertainment. Although the story re-
volves around racketeers, it is not a typical gangster
picture; it has comedy and romance and the hero is not
vicious. The production is lavish, the performances are
very good, and the action is interesting. The dialogue
is, on occasion, risque: —

Cesar Romero, a racketeer, becomes interested in
Virginia Gilmore; but, knowing that she was a decent
girl, he felt he could not approach her in the usual
way. He leads her to believe that he had been married,
that his wife had died, and that he needed a governess
for his children; he offers her the job and she accepts it.
He then has to work fast: first he orders his henchman
(Milton Berle) to go out and bring back a child; then
he has the house filled with toys, so that when Miss
Gilmore arrives everything looks natural. But he has
trouble with the boy Berle had brought, for he was a
tough kid whose father had been a gangster. When
Romero receives a visit from another racketeer (Shel-
don Leonard), Miss Gilmore learns the truth. Romero
and Leonard call a halt to their enmity and decide to
become partners. But when Leonard shows an interest
in Miss Gilmore, Romero warns him to stay away. Miss
Gilmore forgives Romero, and is overjoyed when he
offers her a job as singer at his night club; she becomes
the star of the show. When Romero gives a party cele-
brating his engagement to Miss Gilmore, Leonard, who
had fallen for Miss Gilmore, attends with his friends.
Berle, while drunk, takes Miss Gilmore down to the
basement, where he shows her that the men whom
Romero was supposed to have killed were really alive
and faring well. Romero kept them prisoners and could
not release them for then Leonard and the other gang-
sters would know that he was not as tough as he pre-
tended to be. But the imprisoned men escape and make
their presence known. Leonard, no longer afraid of
Romero, takes him for a "ride." He orders two men
who had been held prisoners by Romero to do the
shooting but they only pretend to kill Romero, and
permit him to escape. Romero has Berle plant his ring
and wallet on an unrecognizable body at the morgue;
the body is identified as that of Romero's. Romero then
orders the two men who had helped him escape to tell
the District Attorney that Leonard had killed him.
Leonard is arrested for the murder, tried, and sentenced
to life imprisonment. Romero manages to let Leonard
know that he was alive, but tells him that, although he
had committed many murders, he would have to pay
with his life for a crime he had not committed. Leonard
screams with rage. Romero marries Miss Gilmore, and
leaves town; he was through with racketeering.

Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware wrote the screen
play, H. Bruce Humberstone directed it, and Fred
Kohlmar produced it. In the cast are Charlotte Green-
wood, Stanley Clements, Frank Jenks, and others.

Not for children or adolescents. Class B.

"Her First Romance" with Edith Fellows,
Wilbur Evans and Jacqueline Wells

(Monogram, December 25 ; time, 78 mm.)

This is pleasant program entertainment. It is Edith
Fellows' first grown-up part and she handles it well,
displaying talents as a singer, as well as acting ability.
Wilbur Evans, who is new to pictures, has a good
voice; he sings a few solo numbers and two duets with
Miss Fellows. The story is lightweight and a little im-
probable; yet it is not objectionable: —

Although seventeen years old, Miss Fellows had few
friends and never went any place because her half-
sister (Jacqueline Wells), who was her guardian, re-
fused to buy her good clothes; she spent most of her
time studying. Miss Fellows is thrilled when a young
man asks her to attend the school reception with him;
she did not know that he had been forced to ask her
as part of his initiation duties in order to join a frater-

nity. Miss Wells not only refuses to buy her a dress
but also objects to her going. The family maid, who
adored Miss Fellows, promises to buy her the neces-
sary clothes. Miss Fellows accidentally meets Evans,
a noted singer who was on a vacation, and they be-
come good friends. She is eager for him to meet her
cousin, whose fiance (Alan Ladd) had been stolen from
her by Miss Wells. When she learns the circumstances
surrounding the invitation for the dance, she refuses to
go with the young man. Instead, Evans takes her. She
looks so charming, and sings so well, that she becomes
the hit of the evening and the most popular girl in
school. Miss Wells decides to drop Ladd in order to go
after Evans; but Miss Fellows tries to stop her because
she herself had fallen in love with him. In the mean-
time, Ladd marries Miss Fellows' cousin. Miss Wells
is shocked when Evans tells her he loved Miss Fellows
and wanted to marry her. Miss Fellows is delighted.

Gene Stratton Porter wrote the story, and Adele
Comandini, the screen play; Edward Dmytryk directed
it, and I. E. Chadwick produced it. In the cast are
Judith Linden, Roger Daniel, Marion Kirby, and
others. — Suitability, Class A.

"Cheers For Miss Bishop" with Martha Scott
and William Gargan

(United Artists, Rel. date not set; time, 94 min.)
A charming, sentimental drama, revolving around a
teacher, who, because of her ability, sympathy, and
understanding, came to be loved and respected, not
only by the students at the college, but also by every
one who came in contact with her. Her personal life
receives a great deal of attention — her two unhappy
loves. There is very little comedy in the picture, but
there are several situations that bring tears to one's
eyes. The closing scenes, which show the faculty and
the students giving her a surprise party at her retire-
ment, is one of such situations. The part of the teacher
gives Miss Scott an opportunity to convince the in-
dustry that she possesses extraordinary acting talent;
she is as convincing as a teacher over seventy as she
is when she had just been appointed to the job in her
early twenties: —

Miss Scott is thrilled when, at the age of nineteen, she
is accepted as a student in the first University in her
town. She graduates with honors and receives an ap-
pointment as a teacher at the same University. William
Gargan, who had loved her for many years, hopes that
she would marry him; but she loved him as a friend.
She becomes acquainted with Donald Douglas, a newly
arrived lawyer; they fall in love with each other and
set their wedding date. But Miss Scott's young boy-
crazy cousin (Mary Anderson) involves Douglas in an
affair with her. Naturally the wedding is called off, and
Douglas is compelled to marry the cousin. A short time
later Miss Anderson, whom Douglas had deserted,
returns to Miss Scott, for she was expecting a baby
and needed help. She dies at childbirth; Miss Scott
and her mother bring up the baby, a girl. Gargan
still hopes that Miss Scott would marry him, but she
refuses. The girl (Marsha Hunt), now grown, enters
the University. A new professor (Sidney Blackmcr)
arrives at the University. He and Miss Scott fall in
love with each other; but since he was married and
his wife refused to give him a divorce, they decide to
part; Blackmcr resigns. Miss Scott realizes that her
life was to be one of devotion to the teaching profession.
Miss Hunt marries and goes away. She has a daughter
who, when grown, enters the University as a student.
Finally the time comes for Miss Scott to retire. She is
honored at a banquet, which is attended by some of her
old pupils who had become famous. She is overjoyed
at the reception. Old faithful Gargan is at her side.

The plot was adapted from the novel by Bess Streeter
Aldrich. Adelaide Heilbron and Sheridan Gibney wrote
the screen play, Tay Garnett directed it, and Richard
A. Rowland produced it. In the cast are Edmund
Gwenn, Sterling Holloway, Dorothy Peterson, Ralph
Bowman, and others. — Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

January 25, 1941

THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION
has just issued a statement informing the industry that
arbitration under the Consent Decree will be ready to start
the first day of February. A panel of sixty arbitrators from
this area has been already selected; they are from a mov-
ing picture panel approximating 1200 men throughout the
country.

According to Mr. C. V. Whitney, president of the Amer-
ican Arbitration Association, the arbitrators are all busi-
ness and professional men and they will be paid when they
take part in the settling of disputes. Mr. Whitney said that
the Association, in accordance with its principle, has seen
to it that movie arbitration is just as simple and inexpensive
as arbitration in other businesses.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"THEY DARE NOT LOVE," with Martha Scott,
George Brent, and Paul Lukas. The title indicates that this
will be a drama ; but no facts are available about the story.
The players are good. Miss Scott recently won recognition
for her performance in "Our Town" and she is now appear-
ing in the United Artists picture "Cheers For Miss Bishop."
The success of this picture will probably depend on the
drawing power of the stars.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"ROOSTY," with Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold,
Gene Reynolds, Veda Ann Borg, Robert Sterling. Judging
by the cast, this should make a good picture.

RKO

"THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES," with Jean
Arthur, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, Edmund
Gwenn. Norman Krasna has written the screen play, and
Sam Wood is directing the picture. With such a combina-
tion of screen play writer, director, and competent players
this should turn out very good, its box-office success de-
pending on the popularity of the players in each locality.
Twentieth Century-Fox

"A VERY YOUNG LADY," with Jane Withers, Nancy
Kelly, John Sutton, and Janet Beecher. Miss Withers is
given pretty good support in this picture, and it should turn
out good program fare.

Warner-First National

"MISS WHEELWRIGHT DISCOVERS AMER-
ICA," with Jeffrey Lynn, Priscilla Lane, Ronald Reagan,
May Robson, Lee Patrick, and Helen Westley. With such
a cast, the picture should turn out pretty good.

"THIRTY DAYS HATH SEPTEMBER," with Eddie
Albert, Joan Leslie, Alan Hale, John Litel. The cast does
not warrant more than good program rating.

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES
Columbia

The previous box-office performances of Columbia pic-
tures were published in the November 30 issue :

"Nobody's Children" : Fair-Poor.

"Girls Under 21": Good-Poor.

"Blondie Plays Cupid": Good-Fair.

"Lone Wolf Keeps a Date" : Fair.

"Escape to Glory" : Good-Fair.

"Ellery Queen No. 1 Master Detective" : Good-Poor.

"The Great Plane Robbery" : Fair-Poor.

Nine pictures, excluding five westerns, have been re-
leased. Grouping the pictures of the different ratings from
the beginning of the season, we get the following results :

Good-Fair, 2; Good-Poor, 2; Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 4.
First National

The previous box-office performances of First National
pictures were published in the November 30 issue :

"The Letter" : Very Good-Fair.

"She Couldn't Say No" : Fair-Poor.

"Santa Fe Trail" : Excellent-Very Good.

Eight pictures have so far been released. Grouping the
pictures of the different ratings from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results :

Excellent-Very Good, 1 ; Very Good-Fair, 2; Good-Fair,
2 ; Fair-Poor, 3.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The previous box-office performances of Metro-Gold-
wyn-Mayer pictures were published in the November 30
issue :

"Escape"; Excellent-Very Good.
"Bittersweet": Good-Poor.
"Gallant Sons" : Good-Fair.
"Little Nellie Kelly" : Good-Fair.
"Dr. Kildare's Crisis" : Good-Fair.
"Go West" : Good-Fair.
"Comrade X" : Very Good-Good.

Fifteen pictures have been released. Grouping the pic-
tures of the different ratings from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results :

Excellent- Very Good, 2 ; Very Good-Good, 1 ; Good, 1 ;
Good-Fair, 7; Good-Poor, 1 ; Fair, 3.

Paramount

The previous box-office performances of Paramount pic-
tures were published in the November 30 issue:

"World In Flames" : Fair-Poor.

" Three Men From Texas" : Good-Poor.

"A Night at Earl Carroll's": Fair-Poor.

"Texas Rangers Ride Again" : Good-Poor.

"Love Thy Neighbor" : Excellent-Good.

"Second Chorus" : Good.

Fifteen pictures have been released. Grouping the pictures
of the different ratings from the beginning of the season,
we get the following results :

Excellent-Good, 1 ; Very Good-Good, 1 ; Good, 1 ; Good-
Fair, 5 ; Good-Poor, 3; Fair-Poor, 4.

RKO

The previous box-office performances of RKO pictures
were published in the November 30 issue:

"Li'l Abner" : Fair- Poor.

"Too Many Girls" : Good-Fair.

"Mexican Spitfire Out West" : Good-Poor.

"You'll Find Out" : Good-Fair.
• "No, No, Nanette" : Good-Fair.

Eleven pictures, excluding two westerns, have been re-
leased. Grouping the pictures of the different ratings from
the beginning of the season, we get the following results :

Good-Fair, 4; Good-Poor, 1; Fair-Poor, 5; Poor, 1.
Twentieth Century-Fox

The previous box-office performances of Twentieth Cen-
tury-Fox pictures were published in the November 30
issue :

"Street of Memories" : Fair-Poor.

"Youth Will Be Served" : Fair.

"Tin Pan Alley" : Excellent- Very Good.

"Charter Pilot" : Fair-Poor.

"Murder Over New York" : Fair.

"Jennie" : Good- Poor.

"Chad Hanna" : Very Good-Fair.

Twenty-one pictures have been released. Grouping the
pictures of the different ratings from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results :

Excellent- Very Good, 1 ; Excellent-Fair, 1 ; Very Good-
Good, 1 ; Very Good-Fair, 1 ; Very Good-Poor, 1 ; Good-
Fair, 1 ; Good-Poor, 6; Fair, 2; Fair-Poor, 7.

United Artists

The previous box-office performances of United Artists
pictures were published in the November 30 issue :

"Long Voyage Home" : Good-Fair.

"Blackout" : Fair-Poor.

"The Thief of Bagdad" : Very Good-Good.

"The Son of Monte Cristo" : Good.

Ten pictures have been released. Grouping the pictures of
the different ratings from the beginning of the season, we
get the following results :

Very Good-Good, 3; Good, 1; Good-Fair, 4; Fair, 1;
Fair-Poor, 1.

Universal

The previous box-office performances of Universal pic-
tures were published in the November 30 issue :
"Seven Sinners" : Good-Fair.
"I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now" : Fair- Poor.
"The Devil's Pipeline" : Fair-Poor.
"Sandy Gets Her Man" : Good-Poor.
"One Night in the Tropics" : Good-Poor.
"Meet the Wildcat" : Fair.
"The Bank Dick" : Good-Poor.
"Margie" : Fair-Poor.
"Trail of the Vigilantes" : Good-Fair.
"Give Us Wings" : Fair.

Nineteen pictures, excluding three westerns, have been
released. Grouping the pictures of the different ratings from
the beginning of the season, we get the following results :

Very Good-Good, 2; Good-Fair, 5; Good-Poor, 4; Fair,
2; Fair-Poor, 6.

Warner Bros.

The previous box-office performances of Warner Bros,
pictures were published in the November 30 issue :

"A Dispatch From Reuter's" : Good-Poor.

"South of Suez" : Fair.

"Lady With Red Hair" : Good-Poor.

Six pictures have been released. Grouping the pictures of
the different ratings from the beginning of the season, we
get the following results :

Very Good-Good, 1 ; Very Good-Fair, 1 ; Good-Poor, 2 ;
Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 1.

Entered as second-class matter January 1, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1*7*

Harrison's Reports

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AJC a uopy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1941 No. 5

HERE AND THERE

HOW SCRUPULOUSLY THE DISTRIBU-
TORS intend to observe the provisions of the Con-
sent Decree may be evidenced by a letter this office
has received from Mr. Neil Agnew, Vice-president
and general manager of Paramount, dated January
27. Says Mr. Agnew :

"Dear Pete: In Harrison's Reports of Janu-
ary 25th I note your comment to the effect that
some exhibitors fear the filing of a complaint be-
fore the new arbitration boards may give rise to
reprisals.

''You may be interested to know that each and
every Paramount exchange is now being given per-
sonal, minute instructions either by Paramount's
chief counsel or his first assistant, on the ground,
and that the keynote of these meetings with all
members of the Paramount field forces is a scrupu-
lous regard for all the rights of the exhibitor.

"As I conceive the operation of the Consent De-
cree through the first year, I feel that many arbitra-
tion cases may take the form of test cases to estab-
lish the modus operandi in various directions.
These decisions will guide and benefit exhibitor
and distributor alike.

"At any rate, I guarantee no malice will be tol-
erated in Paramount's dealings with arbitration or
any other phase of its relations with its customers."

As stated elsewhere in this issue, the general
managers of other major companies have given
similar instructions to their sales forces, indicating
unmistakably a sincere effort to give the Consent
Decree a fair chance to test its workability.

Harrison's Reports wishes to thank Mr. Ag-
new for his determination to see that no salesman
working for Paramount may resort to subterfuges.

CAN AN OLD HORSE BE TAUGHT new
tricks ? I believe it can.

Jay Emanuel, editor and publisher of the re-
gional trade paper, The Exhibitor, says partly the
following in the January 22 issue under the head-
ing, "THE SALESMAN UNDER THE DE-
CREE."

"At the present time, lawyers for the various
companies are going around to branches discussing
what can and what can not be done under the de-
cree. Although we haven't been a party to any of
these conferences, we can guess that a definite bur-
den will be placed on the individual salesman. In-
as much as in most cases he is the sole direct contact
between exhibitor and company, how he handles
himself will be all-important, and, in cases of dis-
pute, if a matter comes to arbitration or even to
court, what the salesman has said to the exhibitor
will be of great interest. The company branch head
willl be able to prove that the salesman was in-
structed one way, and if there is any trouble it is
probable that the salesman will be in the middle of

it. If the exhibitor alleges certain tactics which
violate the consent decree have been used, the sales-
man will have to prove that he isn't guilty. In this
regard, we don't envy the salesman. All we can say
is that he watch his step. ..."

There have been times when the distributors,
after protracted negotiations with exhibitor repre-
sentatives, agreed upon certain reforms and so in-
structed their sales forces, but the salesmen, in
order to make a good showing and thus put them-
selves in line for promotion, disregarded the in-
structions entirely. As a matter of fact, whatever
trouble has been caused in the industry — the gov-
ernment and private suits — has been caused largely
by the refusal of the sales forces to comply with
home office instructions.

But times have changed and, from the letter sent
to this office by Mr. Neil Agnew, general manager
of Paramount, the film companies are doing all that
is humanly possible to impress upon their sales
forces the necessity for their observing scrupu-
lously the provisions of the Decree. The writer is
thoroughly convinced that a film salesman who will
resort to subterfuges in order that he may make a
better deal will have no place in the industry. Those
who will not submit to the new order will have to
get out.

In the opinion of this paper, the Consent Decree
will prove beneficial to the film salesmen as much
as to anybody else. A greater number of them will
be needed, and the chances for promotion will be
greater than they have ever been in the history of
the industry. For this reason it seems inconceivable
that any of them will do anything to put their
chances into jeopardy.

* * *

THE ALLIED EXHIBITORS OF THE
Northwest have decided to seek legislation for the
purpose of nullifying the Consent Decree provision
that compels the distributors to sell their pictures
in blocks of five pictures maximum ; they want to
buy them in big blocks, as heretofore.

It is the opinion of this paper that they will waste
their efforts, for according to competent legal op-
inion a law such as they are seeking cannot stand a
test in the courts ; it will be declared unconstitu-
tional.

The exhibitors of the Minneapolis territory ami
all other exhibitor opponents of the abolition of
block-booking and blind-selling should l)ear in
mind that this controversy affects the interests, not
only of the exhibitors, but also of the public. As a
matter of fact, it is the public that suffers the most
by the present block-booking and blind-selling sys-
tem. For this reason they should at least give the
Consent Decree a chance. There is time enough to
agitate against it if it should prove injurious in
application.

(Continued on last (ytge)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 1, 1941

"Come Live With Me" with Hedy Lamarr,
James Stewart and Ian Hunter

(MGM, January 31 ; time, 85 min.)

The combined drawing power of Hedy Lamarr and
James Stewart and a lavish production are the only assets
this picture possesses. The story is thin, unbelievable, and
slightly ridiculous; and the happenings are so obvious that
any average picture-goer should know well in advance just
how it will all end. Even the romance seems improbable.
Despite the efforts of the players, the picture fails to hold
one's interest throughout : —

Ian Hunter, wealthy publisher, and his wife (Verree
Teasdale) live their own private lives: she goes out with
other men, and he spends most of his time with Hedy
Lamarr, a young Viennese, with whom he was in love. She
agrees to marry him if he should obtain a divorce, on condi-
tion that his wife was not hurt thereby. Hunter is frantic
when he learns that Miss Lamarr's permit to stay in the
country had expired, and that she was in danger of being
deported. The immigration officer suggests that she marry
an American and thereby receive a quota number. Miss
Lamarr accidentally becomes acquainted with Stewart, an
impoverished author. She tells him of her trouble, and then
suggests that if he would marry her, she would give him
$17.50 a week for his living expenses, which he could repay
to her at his convenience. Feeling sorry for her, he agrees.
The whole affair inspires him to write a novel. He sends
the manuscript to Hunter's firm, little realizing that Hunter
was the man involved. Miss Teasdale reads the script and
recommends it to Hunter for publication. When he reads it,
he realizes who Stewart was and sends for him. During the
conference, Miss Teasdale sees through the whole thing.
She orders Hunter to give Stewart a check for $500 for
advance royalties, hoping that with money he would have
courage to win over Miss Lamarr. When Miss Lamarr asks
him for a divorce, he is unhappy because he had fallen in
love with her. Before agreeing to it, he insists that she
spend a day with him. He drives her out to the country
where his grandmother lived. She telephones Hunter, ask-
ing him to call for her. But she is so charmed by every-
thing and by the change in Stewart, that by the time Hunter
arrives she does not want to see him, for she realized she
was in love with Stewart. She sends Hunter away, and she
and Stewart are united.

Virginia VanUpp wrote the story, and Patterson Mc-
Nutt, the screen play ; Clarence Brown directed and pro-
duced it. In the cast are Donald Meek, Barton MacLane,
Ann Codee, Adeline DeWalt Reynolds, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Six Lessons From Madame LaZonga"
with Lupe Velez, Leon Enrol
and Helen Parrish

( Universal, January 17; time, 61 min.)

Just a moderately entertaining program comedy with
music. About the only thing that can be said for it is the
fact that the action is fast-moving; also that on one or two
occasions Lupe Velez and Leon Errol manage to provoke
laughter by their antics. The story is silly, the gags are old,
and the action, which borders on the slapstick, is more to
the taste of juveniles than of adults. The title song, which
is not introduced until the very end, is sung pretty well by
Miss Velez : —

Charles Lang, leader of a cowboy band, arrives in New
York hoping to obtain night club work ; but he learns that
the rage was for rhumba and conga bands. Being without
funds, Lang and his men take jobs on a boat bound for
Havana; their idea was to get a job playing in Havana,
and then return to New York as experienced rhumba
players. On the boat Lang meets Helen Parrish ; since she
and her father (Leon Errol) spoke with an accent, he
thought they were South Americans ; he did not know that

they were Americans who were just putting cn an act in an
effort to get a job for Miss Parrish as a singer. Errol hoped
to place Miss Parrish in the cafe owned by Lupe Velez in
Havana ; to his surprise he finds Miss Velez a passenger
on the boat. She asks him not to speak to her during the
trip because she was trying to promote financing to reopen
her cafe, which had been closed because of lack of funds.
In the meantime, Errol becomes acquainted with William
Frawley, a petty crook, who poses as a wealthy man ; but
Errol is wise to him and sells him phoney stock for $1,000.
Once in Havana, Frawley and his henchmen learn about
the trick and demand their money back. But Miss Velez
suggests that the money be used to open her night club,
and they could all be partners. Everything ends happily :
the club is reopened, Miss Parrish and Lang and his boys
are engaged as entertainers, and Errol is able to drop the
accent he had been using.

Larry Rhine and Ben Chapman wrote the story, and
Stanley C. Rubin, Marion Orth, Larry Rhine, and Ben
Chapman, the screen play; John Rawlins directed it, and
Joseph G. Sanford produced it. In the cast are Shemp
Howard, Eddie Quillan, Guinn Williams, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Honeymoon For Three" with
George Brent and Ann Sheridan

(Warner Bros., January 18 ; time, 75 min.)
A fair comedy for adults. It was produced once before,
in 1933, under the title "Goodbye Again." Although sev-
eral changes have been made in the plot, the picture is no
more entertaining than was the first version. As a matter
of fact, its box-office chances are smaller than they were
in 1933, for since that time so many good romantic com-
edies have been produced that this fails to make much im-
pression. It is amusing on occasion, and slightly tiresome
at other times. Since the characters do nothing to awaken
one's sympathy, the story lacks human appeal : —

George Brent, a famous author, accompanied by his sec-
retary (Ann Sheridan), with whom he was in love, sets
out on a lecture tour. Upon arriving at one of the towns, he
receives a visit from an old college flame (Osa Massen) ;
at first he does not even remember her. Although she had
married Charles Ruggles, a practical business man, she
had never forgotten Brent ; as a matter of fact, she was
silly enough to think that she had been the source of in-
spiration for all his novels. Ruggles tries to see Brent, but
is unsuccessful ; instead, he pours out all his troubles to
Miss Sheridan, telling her that his wife had nagged him,
constantly comparing him to Brent. He, therefore, wanted
to see this wonderful man his wife had raved about. Brent
does not know how to get rid of Miss Massen, who threw
herself at him. She frightens Brent by telling him that she
intended divorcing her husband so as to marry him. He
finds her attractive, but decides he must disillusion her ;
but first he agrees to go to her country lodge to spend the
day there with her. When their car breaks down, they stop
at a roadside inn for dinner. To Brent's surprise, he finds
that Miss Sheridan and Ruggles were there, too. He tries
to hide the fact that Miss Massen was with him, but they
soon find out. Miss Sheridan leaves, in disgust. Brent is
terrified — Ruggles was eager to give his wife a divorce,
which meant he would have to marry her. But Miss Sheri-
dan finally comes to his rescue by pretending that he was
the father of her child. Miss Massen is cured. And Brent
promises to marry Miss Sheridan.

The plot was adapted from a play by George Haight and
Allan Scott. Earl Baldwin wrote the screen play, Lloyd
Bacon directed it, and Henry Blanke produced it. Jane
Wyman, William T. Orr, Lee Patrick, Walter Catlett,
Johnny Downs and others are in the cast.

Not for children. Class B.

February 1, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Father's Son" with John Litel,
Frieda Inescort and Billy Dawson

(Warner Bros., February 1 ; time, 57 min.)
A moderately entertaining program picture, suitable
mostly for the family trade. It lacks appeal for the movie-
goers who want action in the pictures they go to see, since
in this case dialogue takes the place of action. Whatever
interest one has in the picture is owed to the fine perform-
ances given by the three leading players and Christian Rub ;
they act their parts realistically and awaken sympathy : —
Frieda Inescort and her husband (John Litel) are happy
when their young son (Billy Dawson) returns home from
military school for his summer vacation. Litel, an impor-
tant lawyer and public official, loves Billy but has no
patience with him. Billy, like other boys, gets into trouble ;
but Litel cannot understand this. Instead, he reprimands
the boy, and exacts promises from him that he would not
do certain things. Billy, feeling that his father did not
love him, runs away from home ; he is found by Christian
Rub, a kindly old fisherman, who saves him from the
clutches of kidnappers and returns him to his home. Again
Litel displays his temper. Miss Inescort pleads with him
to be more tolerant ; but when he refuses she leaves him,
taking Billy with her. Billy has a glorious time, playing
with every one he pleased, doing what he pleased, and
spending time with Rub. But Billy knows that the separa-
tion was bringing unhappiness to both his father and
mother. And so he thinks of a plan to bring them together :
he hides out and sends a note to his mother, pretending that
he had been kidnapped. She naturally rushes to Litel for
help. They find Billy, and thus the family is reunited.

Booth Tarkington wrote the story, and Fred Niblo, Jr.,
the screen play ; D. Ross Lederman directed it, and William
Jacobs produced it. In the cast are Bernice Pilot, Phillip
Hurlic, Sammy McKin, Sonny Bupp, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"So Ends Our Night" with Fredric March,
Margaret Sullavan, Glenn Ford
and Frances Dee

(United Artists, February 14; time, 120 min.)

A powerful but very depressing drama revolving around
the plight of refugees stranded in Europe without pass-
ports. There are situations that tear at one's heartstrings.
On occasion, the tension is relieved by comedy bits, but
they are not strong enough to divert one's attention from
the main dramatic theme. One is held in pretty tense sus-
pense throughout, because of the danger to several charac-
ters, for whom one feels deep sympathy. The performances
are excellent ; but the surprise of the picture is Glenn Ford,
who, for the first time, has really been given a chance to
display his ability; his performance is outstanding. Even
though the ending is a happy one for the hero and the hero-
ine, one is left with a sad feeling, for the solving of their
own problem does not affect the plight of others in posi-
tions similar to theirs. One of the most powerful scenes is
that in which Ford, imprisoned along with a few other
refugees, remembers his happy home life with his mother
and father, and suddenly bursts out crying. And there are
many other scenes equally as touching : —

Fredric March, a political refugee from Germany, has
learned how to be tough and to fend for himself. Since he
had no passport, he had to spend his life evading the police
who, when they would catch up with him, would deport
him to another country, where a similar fate awaited him.
In one of the prisons, he meets Ford, a young Jewish refu-
gee from Germany, and gives him hints on how to care for
himself. During Ford's wanderings, he meets Margaret
Sullavan, another Jewish exile from Germany ; she had
been a brilliant student, but had to give up everything along
with many others. She and Ford fall in love; but she real-
izes the hopelessness of the situation and leaves for Vienna,
where a job was waiting for her, without saying goodbye

to Ford. But he follows her there. Again he meets March,
who was working in a carnival ; he gets Ford a job there.
March then tells him of his unhappiness at his separation
from his wife (Frances Dee), for whose safety he worried.
Erich Von Stroheim, a Gestapo agent, offers March a
passport if he would give him the names of his friends ; but
March refuses. Miss Sullavan is forced to resign from
her new position ; she finds Ford. Happy at their reunion,
they promise to stick together. They go through much
suffering, wandering from place to place. Finally they
arrive in Paris, where, with the aid of March, they obtain
employment. Through a friend, March learns that his wife
was in a hospital, dying after an operation. He determines
to go back to Germany, even though it meant death. Before
he goes, he leaves an envelope with money to be turned
over to Ford in case he did not return in ten days. As soon
as he arrives in Germany, he is picked up. He promises
to give the names of his friends in return for the privilege
of seeing his wife. The officials agree. Miss Dee dies happy
at seeing March once again. Von Stroheim, who had ac-
companied him to the hospital, asks for the names. March,
taking him by the arm, pulls him with him out of a window,
and they both fall to their death. With the money March
had left them, Miss Sullavan is able to obtain a passport
for herself and Ford. They plan to go abroad ; but neither
one can forget March.

The plot was adapted from the novel "Flotsam" by
Erich Maria Remarque ; Talbot Jennings wrote the screen
play, John Cromwell directed it, and David L. Loew and
Albert Lewin produced it. In the cast are Anna Sten, Jos-
eph Cawthorn, Leonid Kinsky, Roman Bohnen, and others.

It is too sombre for children. Class B.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith" with Carole Lombard
and Robert Montgomery

(RKO, January 31 ; time, 95 min.)

Good ! It is another one in the long line of marital com-
edies that have been produced recently. The story itself is
thin, depending on different farcical situations for most of
its entertainment value. The fact that it holds one's atten-
tion throughout is owed to the deft direction and the en-
gaging performances. Another attraction is the picture's
lavishness. Audiences who know Alfred Hitchcock as a
director of thrilling melodramas may expect this to be
another one in that class ; for that reason, exhibitors should
stress the fact that it is a comedy so as not to disappoint
their patrons : —

Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery manage to
keep happily married by following one rule : should they
quarrel, neither one was to leave the bedroom until they
had finally made up. Sometimes this rule kept Montgomery
away from his law office for a week; but his partner (Gene
Raymond) did not complain. After one such session lasting
three days, Montgomery and Miss Lombard finally make
up and he goes to his office. The first visitor is the man who
had married them; he informs Montgomery that, owing to
a technicality, he and Miss Lombard were not legally mar-
ried. This amuses Montgomery. He sees Miss Lombard
that evening, little realizing that she, too, knew of the
situation. After waiting an entire evening for him to sug-
gest that they remarry, Miss Lombard, in disgust, throws
him out of their home. Since she was a free woman, she
goes out with Raymond, who loved her ; she promises to
marry him. Montgomery goes wild. He follows them wher-
ever they go and humiliates Miss Lombard in the presence
of Raymond's parents, who are shocked at the idea of their
son marrying such a woman. After many adventures, Miss
Lombard finally succumbs, realizing that she loved only
Montgomery.

Norman Krasna wrote the story and screen play, and
Harry E. Edington produced it. In the cast are Jack Car-
son, Philip Merivale, Lucile Watson, William Tracy,
Esther Dale, Emma Dunn, and others.

The dialogue is a little too risque for children. Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 1, 1941

DR. ALFRED N. GOLDSMITH, a personal-
ity too well known in the motion picture industry
to need introduction, was honored recently by the
Institute of Radio Engineers with the 1941 medal,
for "his contribution to radio research, engineering
and commercial development, his leadership in
standardization, and his unceasing devotion to the
establishment and upbuilding of the institute and
its proceedings."

Few persons in the industry know how much
Dr. Goldsmith has contributed towards the refin-
ing of the sound on films, not only in recording but
also in reproducing. He has been the unyielding
advocate of sound-on-film as against sound-on-
disc ; he advised the switch from the one type sound
to the other at a time when Warner Bros, was the
leading producer of sound pictures and the staunch
supporter of the sound-on-disc system. But even as
strong a company at that time as Warner Bros,
could not arrest progress ; despite its avowal in
November, 1929, that it would never change from
sound-on-disc to sound-on-film, in August, 1930, it
announced that it would make the switch.

Dr. Goldsmith has two inventions to his credit
on television. The one concerns a superimposed
background, independent of the subject but fitting
in ; the other, the employment for the reproduction
of images of a large number of small inexpensive
tubes instead of one large but expensive tube.

* * *

SOME TRADE JOURNALS CONVEY the
information that several booking companies are
about to be formed to book for such exhibitors as
are unable to view the films themselves when they
are tradeshown. A ten per cent booking fee will be
charged the exhibitors who take advantage of their
services.

Harrison's Reports wishes to advise the ex-
hibitors to wait until they find out whether they
want such services or not, at so high a cost. It is
time enough to contract for such services after they

find out that they must have them.

* * *

I UNDERSTAND THAT EFFORTS are to
be made by BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) to in-
terest the theatre owners to take part in its fight
against ASCAP.

In the opinion of this paper, it will not be difficult
for BMI to induce the theatre owners of the coun-
try to take part in this fight ; they have a grievance
of their own — the tax they have to pay in accord-
ance with the seating capacity of their theatres. In
their opinion, it is a double taxation, since the pro-
ducer pays to ASCAP royalty for whatever music
is used in the pictures ; and when they were paying
for score, they were taxed triply.

But many exhibitor leaders are wary lest they
fall from the frying pan into the fire. Suppose
BMI, with the help of the exhibitors, became
strong ; what guarantee have they that they will not
pay royalty to two organizations instead of to one,
as at present ?

Abram Myers has this matter under advisement
and I am sure that he will bring it to the attention
of the Allied board of directors, now meeting in
Washington. There is no question that Allied will
seek to obtain guarantees before tying up with
BMI.

No one may, or should, begrudge the members
of ASCAP for collecting royalties from those who
profit from the work of their brains; but the ex-
hibitors have the right to object to triple, or even
double, taxation, no matter what the excuses.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Paramount

"CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT," with Bob
Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Eddie Bracken, Lynne
Overman, Clarence Kolb, and Paul Hurst. This
should make a good comedy, and, considering Bob
Hope's popularity, should do from good to very
good at the box-office.

"MEN OF ACTION," with William Boyd.
Western.

Republic

"SIS HOPKINS," with Judy Canova, Bob
Crosby, Charles Butterworth, Susan Hayward,
Jerry Colonna, Katherine Alexander, and others.
This will most likely be a comedy with music, and,
judging by the cast, it will be one of Republic's
higher-budgeted pictures. Exhibitors will have to
judge for themselves the strength of the players as
box-office attractions. The picture itself should be
good.

Twentieth Century-Fox

. "BLOOD AND SAND," with Tyrone Power,
Linda Darnell, Alan Curtis, Laird Cregar, and
John Carradine. This was first produced by Para-
mount in 1922, with Rudolph Valentino as the star.
It was successful. The story depicts the tragedy of
the hero who, having risen from poverty to fame as
a toreador, becomes involved with an adventuress,
thereby neglecting his wife and child. He tries, in
vain, to get out of the woman's clutches. He dies
from wounds received during a bullfight when he
loses his nerve because of the taunts of the adven-
turess. The story has action and human appeal, but
the ending is tragic, which is a drawback as far as
present-day audiences are concerned. Perhaps the
ending will be changed. At any rate, the production
should be lavish. Its box-office success will depend
on Tyrone Power's drawing power in each locality.
Universal

"THE FLAME OF NEW ORLEANS," with
Marlene Dietrich, Roland Young, Bruce Cabot,
Mischa Auer, Andy Devine, Laura Hope Crews,
and Raymond Walburn. No facts are available
about the story. But Joe Pasternak is producing it,
and Rene Clair, the famous French director is di-
recting it ; also the cast is good. It will most likely
be a comedy in the style of the others in which Miss
Dietrich has recently appeared. Exhibitors who
played the other pictures will be able to judge what
its box-office value will be for them.

"THE LADY FROM CHEYENNE," with
Loretta Young, Robert Preston, Gladys George,
Edward Arnold, Frank Craven, and Jessie Ralph.
No facts are available about the story. The cast is
good. It will probably make a good picture with
similar box-office results.

"THE MAN WHO LOST HIMSELF," with
Brian Aherne, Kay Francis, and Henry Stephen-
son. The cast is only fairly good ; and, since no facts
are available about the story, it is difficult to predict
what the results will be.

Warner-First National

"THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D.," wth James
Cagney, Bette Davis, Stuart Erwin, and George
Tobias. With two such popular and good players as
Bette Davis and James Cagney, this should turn
out very good, with excellent box-office results.

"SINGAPORE WOMAN," with Brenda Mar-
shall. David Bruce, and Bruce Lester. The cast
warrants no more than good program rating.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1941 No. 6

HERE AND THERE

THE ALLIED BOARD OF DIRECTORS, meeting
in Washington, took up the Consent Decree as one of the
most outstanding exhibitor questions.

Mr. Lee W. Newbury, President of the New Jersey
Allied, head of the Policy Committee, submitted to the
meeting the following observations regarding the provisions
that are beneficial to the exhibitors and those that are not.

The Policy Committee found that :

Section III is beneficial in that it puts an end to blind-
selling, making it possible for the exhibitor to determine
the suitability of the pictures he intends buying.

Section IV does not abolish block-booking entirely and,
unless the distributors are scrupulously fair in selling their
pictures when the Decree goes into effect, the hardships the
exhibitor will suffer under it will outweigh the benefits.

Section V should eradicate the evil of compelling the
exhibitor to buy short subjects in order for him to obtain
the features, but it fears that, as long as the salesmen have
several classes of products to sell, there will be a temptation
to tie up the sale of undesirable product along with the
product the exhibitor wants to buy.

Since the distributors have declared that they intend to
discipline any of their salesmen who may fail to observe this
Section of the Consent Decree scrupulously, the exhibitor
will have little to fear for a breach of this kind, particularly
if he should report to Allied any violations of it ; Allied has
undertaken to keep its eye on the behavior of the salesmen
with a view to taking appropriate action should any of them
resort to "chiseling" tactics.

Section VI, relating to the right of the exhibitor to have
some kind of run, is beneficial in that it ends exclusive sell-
ing, resorted to by some producers so as to favor the bigger
circuits, particularly the affiliated circuits, against smaller
circuits, as well as individual exhibitors, at the same time
keeping pictures away from fly-by-night exhibitors.

Section VIII is highly beneficial to the exhibitor in that
it provides for arbitrating complaints against unreasonable
clearance.

Section X is of little value to the exhibitors, in that the
arbitrating of cases of discrimination in the granting of a
run imposes too many conditions ; but it is of value to those
exhibitors who might qualify under all the conditions im-
posed.

Section XI is the weakest of all the Sections, in that it
postpones indefinitely the remedying of a condition against
which Allied has fought bitterly all these years — theatre
divorcement. Allied contends that theatre ownership by the
producers has been the cause of all the industry evils, and
postponing the curing of these evils for three years is the
worst disappointment that Allied has felt. But Allied prom-
ises to watch the action of the theatre-owning producers
closely with a view to determining whether they, in acquir-
ing additional theatres, or in erecting new ones, violate the
provisions of the Consent Decree, so as to call the atten-
tion of the Department of Justice to them.

"Robert L. Wright, Special Assistant to the Attorney
General, in charge of administering the Consent Decree,"
says the Allied release, "paid a visit to the directors and
kindly consented to answer questions. This proved to be a
profitable session and the directors will carry the informa-
tion derived back to their members."

Harrison's Reports recommends to all exhibitors who
are not members of Allied now to become members of their
regional Allied units at once, so that they might get the
benefit of all valuable information passed to members.

Whatever your viewpoint about Allied is, I can conscien-
tiously say that it is the only exhibitor organization that
deserves the consideration of every independent exhibitor.
No matter what faults you may find in its structure, it is
the only organization to which you may appeal for aid and
get it.

* * *

AS STATED IN LAST WEEK'S ISSUE, the music
tax matter came up for discussion at the Allied meeting in
Washington last week. Mr. Myers had written to BMI
asking whether it intends to collect royalty from theatres
for performing publicly copyrighted music reproduced from
the films they play, and Mr. Russell R. Clevenger, Director
of Public Relations for BMI, replied as follows :
"Dear Mr. Myers :

"In my reply to your letter of the 21st, I can say that
BMI is definitely committed to a policy of clearance at the
source of all music, which will be put into effect just as
soon as ASCAP agrees to do the same. Such a policy will
unquestionably be a great benefit to motion picture exhibi-
tors as it would relieve them of paying double for music.
It seems to me that the motion picture exhibitor has just
complaint against the policy taxing so much per seat for
performance fees as he has no control whatever over the
music he receives.

"In answer to your question, BMI has no plan in mind
for collecting royalties from exhibitors and it is doubtful if
such a policy would be adopted unless it were essential to
compete with ASCAP.

"BMI now has under its control a supply of copyrighted
music sufficient for producers of motion pictures to draw
upon. We have several contracts pending with producers
but, of course, anything that your Association might do to
urge the playing of BMI music in your theatres would be
helpful in stimulating its use."

Mr. Myers accompanied the release of this letter with an
explanatory note under the heading, "END OF THE
MUSIC TAX," recommending that the exhibitors study
the letter carefully, so as to compare the attitude of BMI
with that of ASCAP, which refused to reply to a similar
letter sent to it, asking for the same kind of information.

I have read Mr. Clevenger's letter carefully, and the
deeper I study it the more thoroughly I am convinced that
the exhibitors are headed toward double taxation by two
different organizations, ASCAP and BMI. Let us examine
the letter :

Mr. Clevenger admits that the exhibitor pays for music
a double tax, concedes that he has a justifiable complaint
against double taxation because he has no control whatever
over the music he receives, but accompanies his assurance
that BMI is definitely committed to a policy of clearance
of all music at the source by the reservation that BMI will
adhere to such a policy only if ASCAP agrees to do the
same, implying that, if ASCAP should refuse to follow the
BMI example, BMI might do what ASCAP is doing now
— double tax the exhibitors.

"BMI," says Mr. Clevenger, "has no plan in mind for
collecting royalties from exhibitors," unless ASCAP re-
fuses to stop collecting such royalties, in which case BMI
might find it necessary to collect a similar tax.

Just how the collecting of royalties by ASCAP can
affect the position of BMI, Mr. Clevenger does not say ;
and neither can I find an explanation.

As I said in one of the foregoing paragraphs, the ex-
hibitor is about to become a victim of double taxation, by-
two different music associations, unless, of course, the
Government succeeds in inducing ASCAP to sign a Con-
(Continued oh last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 8, 1941

"The Wild Man of Borneo" with
Frank Morgan, Mary Howard
and Billie Burke

(MGM, January 24; time, 78 min.)

Whatever entertainment value this program comedy
has depends on Frank Morgan's peiformance, for the
story is ordinary and pretty silly. There are occasional
spurts of comedy due to the actions on the part of
Morgan, who tries to make every one believe that he
was an important actor. The fact that one feels sym-
pathy for him is owed, not to the character he portrays,
but to Morgan's own ability, for in other hands the
part might have been an objectionable one. The story,
along with the backgrounds and costumes, is old-
fashioned. There is a routine romance: —

Morgan, who made his living selling fake medicine,
learns that his sister had died; this meant that his
daughter (Mary Howard), whom he had not seen for
many years, was left alone to administer the estate.
He goes to his daughter, only to find that the estate
was bankrupt. She, believing what he had written to
her about his success and his trips around the world,
is overjoyed at his arrival, and suggests that they leave
for New York. He pawns his watch to pay the rail-
road fare. He obtains lodgings for himself and his
daughter at a boarding house owned by Billie Burke, a
tender-hearted widow, who worshipped Richard Mans-
field, the great actor. Morgan wins her respect by pre-
tending that he was Mansfield's intimate friend. The
other boarders, particularly Donald Meek, who wanted
to marry Miss Burke, scoff at his stories. Morgan is
finally reduced to the point where he has to accept em-
ployment as a "wild" man at a penny arcade owned by
an old friend (Walter Catlett). He leads every one to
believe that Mansfield was ill and that he was taking his
part. Eventually they learn the truth. But Miss Burke
forgives him and even asks him to marry her; but he
refuses. He plans to run away; his daughter finds out
about it and prevents him from doing so. Instead, she
insists that he go into partnership with her fiance
(Dan Dailey, Jr.), who had an idea for projecting mov-
ing pictures; they open the first motion picture show
in Catlett's arcade.

The plot was adapted from a play by Marc Connelly
and Herman J. Mankiewicz; Waldo Salt and John
McClain wrote the screen play, Robert B. Sinclair
directed it. In the cast are Marjorie Main, Andrew
Tombes, Phil Silvers, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Arkansas Judge" with Weaver Bros.,
Elviry, Roy Rogers and Spring Byington

(Republic, January 28; time, 72 min.)

Wherever the Weaver Brothers and Elviry are popu-
lar, "The Arkansas Judge" should do good business, for
it is probably their best effort to date. For one thing,
it gets away from the slapstick type of comedy that
they have indulged in heretofore; for another, it gives
them an opportunity to portray sympathetic characters.
They sing a few songs in their customary style, but the
music in this case is incidental. The story itself is not
particularly exciting; it holds one's attention mainly
because of the sympathy one feels for a few characters:

Leon Weaver, founder and judge of Peaceful Valley
community, is proud of his community, since every one
was friendly and no one harbored ill feelings toward
any one else. But the peace of the town is suddenly
broken when Eily Malyon, a widow, suddenly accuses
Spring Byington, the community handy woman, of
having stolen fifty dollars from her. Leon and his
brother Frank stoutly defend Miss Byington, knowing
that she was hard-working and honest. Gossip gets
around that Veda Ann Borg, daughter of the town
banker (Frank M. Thomas), had been seen sneaking

out of the widow's house, and that she might have
stolen the money. The town is divided. Thomas realizes
that his daughter had stolen the money to buy a new
dress, but he wants to save her from disgrace. He, there-
fore, starts talk against Miss Byington; furthermore,
he insists on bringing a slander action against Leon,
employing as his witnesses several persons who were
indebted to him. The jury finds against Leon, which
meant he would have to give up his home and belong-
ings to pay the verdict. Thomas asks him to stay on, on
one condition: that Miss Byington be sent away. Leon
refuses to accept those terms. A group of townspeople,
angered because the Judge was leaving them, take
matters into their own hands, for they felt it was Miss
Byington who should leave. They set fire to her home,
not knowing she was in it. She is saved by Roy Rogers.
Miss Borg finally confesses. Naturally every one feels
ashamed of their actions against Miss Byington. Leon
stays on, and his daughter (Pauline Moore) marries
Rogers.

The plot was adapted from a novel "False Witness,"
by Irving Stone; Dorrell and Stuart McGowan wrote
the screen play, Frank McDonald directed it, and
Armand Schaefer produced it. In the cast are June
Weaver, Loretta Weaver, Minerva Urecal, Monte Blue,
Russell Hicks, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Ride, Kelly, Ride" with Eugene Pallette,
Marvin Stephens and Rita Quigley

(20th Century-Fox, February 7; time, 58 min.)

Minor program fare. Not only is the story trite, but
the production values are poor and the players lack
box-office value. And to make matters worse, the story
revolves around horse racing, which, even in the best
pictures, does not as a rule interest women. A romance
has been woven into the plot, but it is of the puppy-love
variety and can hardly be taken seriously: —

While on their way to the Santa Anita racetrack,
Richard Lane, race horse owner, and his trainer
(Eugene Pallette) stop at a ranch; they are impressed
by the riding skill of a young cowhand (Marvin
Stephens). Noticing that the foreman mistreated Ste-
phens, they offer to take him along with them, and to
train him as their jockey. After a year of training under
Pallette, Stephens is a capable jockey. He meets Charles
D. Brown, race horse owner, his wife (Dorothy Peter-
son), and daughter (Rita Quigley). Brown asks Lane
to permit Stephens to ride his horse in the next race;
he agrees. Lane, who had made betting arrangements
with gamblers, asks Stephens to throw the race, but
he refuses. Lane's jockey fouls Stephens, who falls and
is injured. He is taken to the hospital. The jockeys,
feeling sorry for Stephens who needed money for his
hospital bills, decide to fix the next important race: they
pick the horse that should win and then bet on it,
hoping in that way to make enough money to turn
over to Stephens. Pallette overhears Lane planning to
bet on the race that had been fixed; he had found out
about it through his crooked jockey. Unaware that the
boys were doing it for Stephens, he telephones to him
and tells him about the frameup. Stephens, realizing
that Brown would lose everything if his horse did not
win, leaves the hospital and rushes to the track; al-
though injured, he insists on riding Brown's horse; and
he wins. He is cheered by every one and receives his
first kiss from Miss Quigley.

The plot was adapted from a story by Peter B. Kyne;
William Conselman, Jr. and Irving Cummings, Jr.
wrote the screen play, Norman Foster directed it, and
Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In the cast are Mary Healy,
Chick Chandler, Lee Murray, Cy Kendall, Frankie
Burke, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

February 8, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Along the Rio Grande" with Tim Holt
and Ray Whitley

(RKO, February 7; time, 64 win.)
The western fans should enjoy this. In spite of the
fact that the plot is, routine, it has the ingredients that
appeal to the followers of action pictures — fast horse-
back riding, fights, and exciting chases; and the hero
is, as usual, courageous in the face of danger. Tim
Holt becomes better with each picture; he rides well,
makes a good appearance, and acts with more ease.
Comedy and a few songs have been worked into the
plot:—

By posing as bank robbers, Holt and his two pals
(Ray Whitley and Emmett Lynn) join the gang
headed by Robert Fiske, who had cold-bloodedly killed
their ranch employer. Fiske had been terrorizing the
ranchers, first, by rustling their cattle, and, secondly,
by forcing them to turn over their receipts for cattle
they might have sold; he managed to elude the Sheriff
by crossing the border after each robbery. Whenever
Holt and his pals learn about an intended holdup by
Fiske's gang, they manage to get word to the Sheriff,
who, in that way, is able to prevent the robbery and
arrest a few of Fiske's men. Fiske is furious; he tries
to find out how the news had leaked out, and eventually
learns about Holt working with the Sheriff. He plans
to trap Holt and the Sheriff by giving out misleading
information to Holt. By fast thinking on the part of
Betty Jane Rhodes, a singer at Fiske's cafe, and Whit-
ley, Holt receives warning. The gang is rounded up and
Fiske is trapped. Holt and Miss Rhodes fall in love
with each other.

Stuart Anthony wrote the story, and Arthur V.
Jones and Morton Grant, the screen play; Edward
Killy directed it, and Bert Gilroy produced it. In the
cast are Hal Taliaferro, Carl Stockdale, Slim Whit-
taker, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Misbehaving Husbands" with
Harry Langdon and Betty Blythe

(Producers Releasing Corp.; time, 64 mitt.)

A fair program marital comedy, suitable for neighbor-
hood theatres. Although the story is not unusual, it
has several amusing situations; and it gives Harry
Langdon a chance to show his ability as a comedian,
without the use of his customary silly makeup. The
production values are fair, too. A mild romance is
worked into the plot: —

Harry Langdon and Betty Blythe have been happily
married for many years. Langdon, a department store
owner, is extremely absent-minded; when he becomes
engrossed in his work he forgets all about time. Miss
Blythe, wanting to surprise him, plans a party for their
wedding anniversary. But Langdon becomes involved
in an argument with his assistant about window-dress-
ing and fails to show up at the party. An old friend, who
was on her way to the surprise party, sees Langdon
with one of the store models, and misunderstands. She
spreads the story at the party, and Miss Blythe over-
hears it; she suspects the worse. Langdon arrives late
at night and tries to sneak into the house; Miss Blythe
catches him and, finding a woman's slipper in his pocket,
is frantic. She refuses to listen to his explanation that
it came from a wax window model. She decides to sue
Langdon for divorce, and gives the case to a crooked
lawyer. When the lawyer notices that she was on the
verge of making up with Langdon, he frames him; Miss
Blythe then resolves to go ahead with the proceedings.
But Ralph Byrd, a young lawyer cousin of Langdon's,
investigates and exposes the crooked lawyer. Explana-
tions follow and Langdon and Miss Blythe are recon-
ciled.

Cea Sabin wrote the story, and Vernon Smith and
Claire Parrish, the screen play; William Beaudine di-
rected it, and Jed Buell produced it. In the cast are
Esther Muir, Gayne Whitman, Florence Wright, and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Back Street" with Margaret Sullavan
and Charles Boyer

(Universal, February 7 ; running time, 89 mitt.)

This story still offers good adult entertainment. But,
as is the case with most remakes, it is not as stirring as
was the first version, in which Irene Dunne and John
Boles starred. Patrons who did not see the first version,
however, not being familiar with the plot, should find
it an absorbing drama. As was the case with the first pic-
ture, the subject matter, which deals with a married
man's living with an unmarried young girl, has been
handled with extreme delicacy. As a result of such treat-
ment, one feels sympathy with the heroine, despite the
part she plays in a married man's life. The hero, how-
ever, fails to awaken any sympathy, for although he
treats the heroine with kindness and consideration, it is
only she who suffers. Some of the situations stir one's
emotions deeply. The most emotion-stirring situation
is in the end, where the hero is shown dying as a result
of an apoplectic stroke. He spends the last few minutes
of his life trying to convey to his son his desire to talk
to the heroine by telephone. In that part, Mr. Boyer's
acting is superb; he should win the Academy of Arts
and Sciences' award for men actors with hands down: —

Margaret Sullavan, who ran a small-town store, ac-
cidentally meets Charles Boyer, a young banker who
had stopped over at her town; they fall in love with
each other. But he was engaged to some one else and
so, after a few days, has to bid her goodbye. Just as he
was to board the boat taking him away, he realizes that
he loved Miss Sullavan too much to give her up; he
telephones her to meet him at the dock immediately, his
intention being to marry her and take her with him.
Through the trick of an objectionable young man, Miss
Sullavan misses the boat and loses her chance of marry-
ing Boyer. Five years later, in New York, she runs into
Boyer, and learns from him that he was married and
the father of a son. After spending an evening together,
they realize they still loved each other. Miss Sullavan
agrees to become Boyer's mistress, knowing that her
life would be a dull one, for she could not be seen
publicly with him. Hurt at his not having called im-
mediately upon his return from Europe, she goes back
home. She plans to marry Richard Carlson, an old
suitor. The night that she was to leave to meet Carlson,
Boyer appears. He tells her how important she was in
his life; unable to give him up, she goes back to the old
relationship, which continues for many years; she
watches with pride Boyer's great success. Everyone,
including Boyer's son (Tim Holt), knows about the
affair; but not Boyer's wife. Whenever Boyer and his
family went to Europe, Miss Sullavan would sail on the
same boat. Holt is enraged; on one of their trips to
Paris, he confronts Miss Sullavan and insults her. Boyer
arrives, and tries to explain but Holt refuses to listen.
The following day, Boyer has a stroke and dies. Miss
Sullavan is heartbroken. Holt goes to see her, offering
her passage back to America. Noticing that she looked
ill, he goes for a doctor; but she dies before his return.

The plot was adapted from the Fannie Hurst novel;
Bruce Manning and Felix Jackson wrote the screen
play, Robert Stevenson directed it, and Mr. Manning
produced it. In the cast are Samuel S. Hinds, Frank
McHugh, Frank Jenks, Esther Dale, Peggy Stewart,
Nell O'Day, and others.

Not suitable for children or adolescents. Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 8, 1941

sent Decree, and the Decree provides against double
taxation.

It seems to me as if this danger can be averted only by
legislation, such as Allied tried to introduce in Congress
several years ago.

Harrison's Reports is not opposed to the authors' and
composers' getting a just remuneration for the work of
their brains, but the right of the exhibitor to complain
against double and even triple taxation should not be dimin-
ished thereby. Let there be found a method by which the
charge for the use of the copyrighted music for public per-
formance for profit be made at the source; it is the only
method by which injustice may be averted.

* * *

AT A RECENT MEETING of Allied of the North-
west, in Minneapolis, the membership decided to proceed
with state legislation against the Consent Decree's five-
picture group method of selling. Only four members voted
against it.

Mr. Peasley, president of the organization, was in New
York early this week and I sought to obtain from him the
information whether he was for or against the proposal, but
he would not commit himself, evidently preferring to stand
by the majority of the membership, right or wrong ; but my
information from Minneapolis is to the effect that he is one
of the four who opposed the motion.

If the Northwest exhibitors have money to waste in try-
ing to have passed a law that will eventually be thrown out,
that is their business ; but they could find better use of the
money by spending it in seeing that the provisions of the
Decree are observed scrupulously.

* * *

IN A RECENT ISSUE OF THE house organ of
Independent Theatre Owners of this city, Harry Brandt
printed a letter he addressed to Judge Goddard urging that
James J. Walker, former Mayor of New York City and
former counsel of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of
America, when it was an independent exhibitor organiza-
tion, to be appointed as one of the Appeals Board arbitrators.

I have always accepted recommendations on exhibitor
matters from Harry Brandt with a certain reservation, but
this is one time that I agree with him fully.

I have known Mr. Walker for more than twenty years
and today I feel towards him as warmly as I did the first
year I met him. I am thoroughly convinced that, if he were
appointed as one of the members of the National Appeals
Board, the interests of those exhibitors whose cases come
before it would be protected to the fullest extent. Mr.
Walker knows what the words "protection," "clearance,"
"play-date," and the other terms employed in the trade
mean, and hence he might have been of invaluable aid to
the other members of the board. Unfortunately, the De-
partment of Justice said that Mr. Walker would not do ; it
preferred to give the job to some superannuated ex-federal
judge, who knows nothing about the picture industry; and
until he and the other judges learn what "clearance," "zon-
ing" and the other terms mean, the exhibitors will suffer.

The exhibitors, not only of New York State, but of every
state in the Union, owe a debt of gratitude to James J.
Walker, for the beneficial legislation that he sponsored
while he was first an Assemblyman, then a Senator, in
this State, and afterwards Mayor of New York City, for
this legislation has influenced the framing of laws in other
states and cities. The Sunday Option Bill is one of them ;
exhibitors both of this state and of other states, as well as
the producers, have made millions in combined profits as a
result of that law. And how about the Fire Underwriters
Law, the provisions of which have been copied by many
other cities?

And these are only two laws that have benefited the
exhibitors.

Take it from me : James J. Walker is an exhibitor at
heart, and the Government's failure to appoint him as one
of the arbitrators is a great loss to the motion picture
industry.

* * *

AN EXHIBITOR OF A STATE nearby writes me
partly as follows :

"The distributors have already set up a machinery how
to circumvent the consent decree — at least as to the short
subjects.

"At this very time they are already selling, and in several
instances have to my personal knowledge sold, the 1941-42
short-subject product.

"In one instance I have heard the exchange manager
state to a certain exhibitor : 'You won't buy the shorts ? I
won't sell you next year,' meaning this coming season.

"I personally know that the exhibitor in question can-
not afford to buy any more shorts because of the fact that
his is a double-bill situation and he pays for a considerable
number of shorts he is not able to play. . . ."

There are some other accusations in the letter.

This paper cannot pay any attention to communications
where the name of the offending salesman as well as of the
company he works for are not divulged. But, aside from
that, if an exhibitor, after what has been said repeatedly
in the columns of this paper as well as of all other trade
papers about the instructions that have been issued by the
home offices to the forces in the field, will still fall for the
old bunk it is the fault of no one else but of himself. He
could bring the name of the offending salesman to the
attention of either the home office of the company the
salesman works for, or the Allied organization. Certainly
Pittsburgh, the zone from which this complaint emanates,
has a fine organization and a complaint by this exhibitor to
Mr. Fred Herrington, the able organization's secretary,
will bring an avalanche of trouble on the salesman's head.

This paper suggests that, whenever a complaint is made
by an exhibitor against a salesman, the exhibitor give the
name of the offending salesman and of the company he
works for. In this manner, the complaint may be brought
to the attention of the home office executives.

Let us do things right !

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Monogram

"AIR DEVILS," with the East Side Kids, Joan Bar-
clay, and George Eldredge. Probably on the same level as
the other pictures with the East Side Kids. Program enter-
tainment.

Paramount

"KISS THE BOYS GOODBYE," with Don Ameche,
Mary Martin, Oscar Levant, Eddie Anderson, Elizabeth
Patterson, Jerome Cowan. This has been adapted from the
successful stage comedy. The cast is good, and it should,
therefore, turn out a good to very good comedy with similar
results at the box-office.

Republic

"THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY," with Bob Steele,
Claire Carleton, Milburn Stone, Monte Blue, Helen Mac-
Kellar. An action melodrama revolving around two broth-
ers, one a crook and the other an officer of the law. The
story offers chances for plentiful action. It should turn out
a good program picture.

"BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN," with Gene
Autry, Smiley Burnette, Jacqueline Wells, Mary Lee, Ed-
ward Norris. This should make a good western.

United Artists

"NEW WINE," with Bona Massey, Binnie Barnes, Alan
Curtis, Albert Basserman, Billy Gilbert, Sterling Hollo-
way. The cast is good. The picture should turn out from
good to very good with similar box-office results.

Universal

"MODEL WIFE," with Joan Blondell, Dick Powell,
Charles Ruggles, Lee Bowman, Ruth Donnelly, Hobart
Cavanaugh. Judging from the cast this will probably be a
comedy ; it should turn out good, with its box-office possi-
bilities depending on the drawing power of the Blondell-
Powell combination.

"MR. DYNAMITE," with Lloyd Nolan, Irene Hervey,
J. Carrol Naish, Robert Armstrong, Elisabeth Risdon.
Probably a pretty good program melodrama.

Warner-First National

"STRANGE ALIBI," with Arthur Kennedy, Joan
Perrv, Minor Watson. Program melodrama.

"Affectionately yours," with Merle Oberon,

Dennis Morgan, Rita Hayworth, Ralph Bellamy, James
Gleason. No facts are available about the story. But the
players do not warrant more than a fairly good box-office
rating.

"NO HARD FEELINGS," with Ricardo Cortez, Wil-
liam Lundigan, Maris Wrixon. Program fare.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 R™m 1 ftl 9 Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 ftoora 1014 Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 . t> ■ • c _. .

front Rritnin i 75 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia New ' Zealand' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

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' Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

o5c a uo°y Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1941 No. 7

HERE AND THERE

MR. ADOLPH ZUKOR HAS just announced
that he has accepted the chairmanship of the
Amusement Industry's Division of the Greek War
Relief Association. He has established his head-
quarters at the Paramount Bldg., 1501 Broadway.

Serving on his committee will be Will H. Hays,
Martin Quigley, Sidney R. Kent, Sam H. Harris,
Joseph Bernhard, and William G. Van Schmus.

Gradwell Sears has taken charge of the chair-
manship of the distributors' committee, and John
H. Harris of the exhibitors'.

The country has been divided into twelve zones,
with the following chairmen: Arch M. Bowles,
John J. Friedl, Harry M. Kalmine, M. A. Light-
man, M. J. Mullin, R. J. O'Donnell, Elmer G. Rho-
den, E. V. Richards, Jr., Frank H. Ricketson, Jules
J. Rubens, J. R. Vogel, and R. B. Wilby.

In accepting the Chairmanship of this Commit-
tee, Mr. Zukor said :

"In all my years in the Amusement Industry I
have attempted to protect my name, the name of
Paramount and the industry itself. When I was
approached by the Greek War Relief Committee to
accept the Chairmanship of the Amusement Indus-
try, I was reluctant, not because I did not think the
cause was a great one, as I believe the contrary
most enthusiastically, but I was fearful that for
obvious reasons I would not be able to give the full
energy necessary to raise the funds so badly needed
to help those who fight not only for their homes and
liberty, but for civilization itself. Because of the
nature of the cause and its urgency, I have accepted
the Chairmanship of the Amusement Industry for
the Greek War Relief Association."

The Committee will announce its plans of action
in the near future ; in the meantime, every one of
you should do his utmost to help the Greek Relief
organization whenever he can. There are more
than six hundred local committees throughout the
United States right now, and in a short time the
number of them will reach a thousand.

Greece is not asking you to help its soldiers —
they can take care of themselves ; but it does ask
you to help the widows and orphans of those who
have fallen in the battlefield, fighting a war they
did not provoke, and tried with every possible
means to avoid, even to the point of humiliation ;
also the civilians, bombed by people who do not
want to bomb them — there has never been any en-
mity between the Greek and Italian people — but
who are ordered to bomb them by a person whom
Winston Churchill, in his Sunday speech, described
as, crafty, cold-blooded and black-hearted, "who
had thought to gain an empire on the cheap by
stabbing fallen France in the back." It is to help

the victims of this monster that has induced Mr.
Zukor to accept the chairmanship of this commit-
tee, and the other members of the committee to
serve on it.

Let us all do whatever we can to help this great
cause ; I am doing my bit at National Greek War
Relief Headquarters, at 730 Fifth Avenue, this
city, in the publicity department.

* * *

IN THE ANNUAL REPORT of the chairman
of Allied States Association, which report was
read at the meeting in Washington last month, the
following was said as to the organization's future
policy :

"The controlling fact around which you must
formulate Allied's policy for 1941, is that the con-
sent decree has been entered. The selling system
which it prescribes for the five consenting com-
panies will apply to all pictures released by them
after August 31st. Unless the three non-consenting
defendants sign up in the meantime, the chances
are that the experiment will last for only one sea-
son. Other provisions are presently effective, or
will be as soon as the arbitration machinery can be
set up. The main issue of the suit — theatre divorce-
ment— has been postponed for a test period of
three years.

"The rank and file will look to the National
Board for guidance as to what their attitude to-
wards the decree should be. Is further opposition
desirable or feasible? If so, what form should that
opposition take?"

The opinion of this paper is that the Consent
Decree provision that limits the picture blocks to
five pictures or to a smaller number should be given
a fair chance to prove itself.

* * *

IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT that the
majority of the members of Allied are not in favor
of the Consent Decree as it has been adopted, for
they feel that it does not give them the reforms
that they had sought all along. For this reason they
are again determined to fight for the Neely Bill, for
this Bill would make it possible for them to buy as
many pictures at one time as they would want,
without being compelled to buy pictures that might
prove unsuitable for their requirements.

The old Neely Bill is, of course, dead, but it has
been reintroduced in the Senate, and its number is,
S. 183. Allied says that it still has the backing of
the public groups.

This time the Bill has been amended to remove
the opposition of the Bill's opponents, in accord-
ance with views expressed by them at the last
hearing.

(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 15, 1941

"Road Show" with Adolphe Menjou,
Carole Landis and John Hubbard

(United Artists, January 24 ; time, 86 min.)
This comedy is made up of such a hodgepodge of non-
sense that its appeal will be directed only to the most ardent
followers of slapstick. It makes use of some pretty old gags
to provoke laughter, but only on occasion do they prove
amusing. It starts off well enough ; but it soon peters out,
with poor results. The players try hard, but they are up
against such poor material, that their struggle is a hopeless
one : —

Millionaire John Hubbard, on the day of his marriage to
Polly Ann Young, suddenly gets frightened and pretends
to have a fit. She sees through the trick and is so enraged
that she has him placed in a sanitarium for the insane,
threatening to keep him there until he promised to go
through with the marriage. Hubbard cannot convince the
doctors of his sanity. He becomes acquainted with Adolphe
Menjou, one of the inmates, who claimed he was sane but
found it more comfortable to live at the sanitarium, since
his wealthy nephew (Charles Butterworth) paid all the
bills. Menjou and Hubbard escape, and join a carnival show
owned by Carole Landis. She learns that the police were
after them, but, since she felt sorry for them, she permits
them to stay with the show, even though it caused her in-
convenience ; Hubbard does not tell her who he was. The
show has bad luck. Menjou, in order to impress Miss
Landis, claims that Hubbard was a famous lion tamer. She
is overjoyed at the news, because with such an act, her
carnival would become famous. Hubbard is terrified when
he has to get in the cage ; he climbs out through the top and
one of the lions follows ; this causes a riot, but they finally
get the lion back in the cage. Menjou leads the carnival to
Butterworth's estate ; he orders them to set up their tents.
Then he invites Butterworth and his friends to pay them a
visit, his intention being to charge them high prices. But a
gang of rowdies, angry at being kept out, break up the
circus. Hubbard, whose secretary had found him, orders the
man to buy an up-to-date carnival, which he eventually
presents to Miss Landis. They are united.

Eric Hatch wrote the story, and Arnold Belgard, Harry
Langdon and Mickell Novak, the screen play ; Hal Roach
directed and produced it. In the cast are Patsy Kelly,
George E. Stone, Margaret Roach, Willie Best, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Petticoat Politics" with Roscoe Karns
and Ruth Donnelly

(Republic, January 31 ; time, 66 min.)

This latest addition to the "Higgins Family" series is a
slapstick comedy, limited in its appeal. The story is silly,
and the comedy is of the nerve-racking type that tires in-
stead of amusing one. It may go over in neighborhood thea-
tres where the family trade is not too exacting in their de-
mands ; but intelligent audiences will find the whole thing
pretty tiresome : —

Ruth Donnelly becomes worried when an insurance sales-
man tells her that men who retire do not live long ; her hus-
band (Roscoe Karns) had just retired from business in
order to live a life of ease on his annuity policy income. She
tries to induce him to do little things around the house, but
he bungles everything and in the end proves to be more of a
nuisance than a help. Miss Donnelly hits upon a solution —
to have Karns nominated to run as Mayor against the
crooked politician who was in office. At first Karns is an-
noyed, but then he decides to run in order to become some
one important in his community and thus be able to join the
"Knights of Bedlam," an exclusive men's club from which
he had been blackballed. But then his troubles begin — first,
he makes a bet with one of the crooked politicians that he
could beat the crooked Mayor ; and later he learns tha: the
politicians and racketeers would stop at nothing to insure
the election of their man. The reform ticket is split when
Pierre Watkin is entered as another candidate. But he real-
izes the danger, and soon withdraws as a candidate ; he
decides to see to it that Karns is made a member of the
"Knights of Bedlam." He and a few of the other members,
wearing masks, "kidnap" Karns in order to put him through
the initiation ceremony. But Karns, thinking they were the
politicians out to get him, tries to escape through a window,
only to find himself hanging from an electric sign that was
gradually giving way. He is finally rescued, inducted into
the society, and even elected Mayor, thereby winning promi-
nence and a large sum of money.

Ewart Adamson and Taylor Caven wrote the original
screen play. Eric C. Kenton directed it. and Robert North
produced it. In the cast are Spencer Charters. George
Ernest. Lois Ranson. Polly Moran and Paul Hurst

Suitabilitv. Class A

"Meet the Chump" with Hugh Herbert,
Lewis Howard and Jeanne Kelly

(Universal, February 14; time, 60 min.)

A program farce, suitable mostly for the Hugh Herbert
fans. The story, and most of the action, is silly. Herbert, in
the typical part of a scatter-brained character, is occasion-
ally comical ; but by the time the picture is half finished,
one begins to get a little tired of his antics, for he is con-
stantly on the screen : —

Herbert, who acted as trustee for his nephew's inheri-
tance, is reminded by his secretary that, according to the
terms of the will, he was to turn over $10,000,000 to his
nephew (Lewis Howard) the next day, on condition that
Howard was married before sundown of that day. But
Herbert had dissipated at least half the estate, and, realizing
that the penalty would be a ten year prison term, decides to
act insane. The first tlung he does is to discourage Howard's
fiancee (Kathryn Adams) from marrying him. Then he
goes to a sanitarium ; when Howard visits him there, Her-
bert leads everyone to believe it was Howard who was in-
sane. But Howard manages to escape; one of the nurses
goes after him. He offers a taxi driver a large sum of money
to get him back to the city in time to marry. But the taxi
driver was a member of a gang headed by Richard Lane,
and, thinking the gang could get money out of Howard,
takes him and the nurse (Jeanne Kelly) to the hideout.
Lane listens to Howard's story. First he induces Miss
Kelly to marry Howard. Then he and the gang go after
Herbert, hoping to make him pay Howard so that they
could collect. But everything is finally adjusted when it
develops that Herbert had made a large sum of money on
some investments and could pay off Howard.

Hal Hudson and Otis Garrett wrote the story, and Alex
( iottlicb, the screen play ; Edward Cline directed it, and Ken
Goldsmith produced it. In the cast are Anne Nagel, Shemp
Howard, Andrew Tombes, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Western Union" with Robert Young,
Randolph Scott, Dean Jagger,
and Virginia Gilmore

(20th Century-Fox, February 21 ; time, 95 mitt.)
Photographed in technicolor, this outdoor melodrama is
not only visually exciting, but has some thrilling action,
good comedy bits, and romance. And to top it off the per-
lormances are very good. Particularly outstanding is the
acting of Randolph Scott. Not too much time is wasted on
plot details ; instead it goes in for action, of the type that
the fans enjoy — riding, fighting, and heroic deeds. And yet
the story, in its simple way, is interesting, for it deals with
the initial efforts of Western Union to string cables west-
ward, and the hardships endured by men in carrying out
that task : —

Randolph Scott, one-time member of a band of outlaws,
saves the life of Dean Jagger, head builder for Western
Union. When Scott joins Jagger's crew as scout, Jagger
makes him understand that he would not give his past away.
Robert Young, a young college graduate from the East, is
signed on as surveyor. Every one finds him amusing at
first, because of his fine clothes and good manners ; but he
soon proves his worth to them. The Western Union work-
ers are hampered by Indian raids. Scott, who knew the
territory well and was surprised at Indian attacks, decides
to track the matter down. He finds that the raiders were
not Indians, but the members of his former gang, headed by
Barton MacLane, who disguised themselves as Indians.
Scott returns to the camp, but reports that the attackers
were Indians. Next day the advance crew is attacked by
Indians, and manage to beat off the raiders when they re-
ceive help from the main camp. By the time they return to
the main camp, they find it in ruins, and the livestock stolen.
They trace the cattle to MacLane's headquarters, but are
forced to pay $5,000 for its return. Although Scott is greeted
familiarly by MacLane, Jagger asks no questions, but em-
phasizes his confidence in Scott. MacLane kidnaps Scott,
and then starts a forest fire, destroying the camp again.
Scott escapes, but arrives too late. Jagger demands an ex-
planation ; instead of giving one, Scott resigns. Just before
lie leaves he tells Young to tell Jagger that MacLane was
his brother. Scott goes after MacLane, but is killed. Young
shoots it out with MacLane and kills him. The Western
Union line is finished. Young and Virginia Gilmore, Jag-
ger's sister, are united. They regret that Scott was not alive
to see the proceedings.

Zane Grey wrote the story, and Robert Carson, the screen
play : Fritz Lang directed it. and Harry Joe Brown pro-
duced it. In the cast are John Carradine. Chill Wills. Rus-
seil Hicks. Victor Kilian. and others.

Suitability. Class A.

February 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Face Behind the Mask" with
Peter Lorre and Evelyn Keyes

(Columbia, January 16 ; time, 69 min.)

A fair program melodrama. One's interest is held mainly
because of the sympathy one feels for the two leading char-
acters, portrayed by Peter Lorre and Evelyn Keyes. They
both give such good performances that they make a. far-
fetched story seem plausible at times. The picture is not
one to relax the spectator, for it deals with human suffering
and ends tragically for both hero and heroine. But there are
a few situations that stir one's emotions ; and, because of
the pity one feels for the hero and the heroine, one's interest
is held pretty well to the end : —

Lorre, a Hungarian immigrant trying to get a start in
America, is caught in a fire in his cheap hotel. He recovers ;
but his face is so disfigured that people are horrified when
they look at him, and no one is willing to give him a job,
even though he was an excellent mechanic. Disheartened,
Lorre tries to jump in the river, but he is saved from doing
this by George E. Stone, a petty crook. Stone and Lorre
become inseparable friends. Stone tried to induce Lorre to
join him in stealing, but Lorre refuses, until their situation
becomes desperate due to Stone's poor health. Then Lorre
carries out a daring robbery ; Stone and his crooked friends
insist that Lorre become their leader. He enters the life of
crime only to make enough money to have plastic surgery
performed on his face so that he could obtain honest em-
ployment again. When the time comes that he has enough
money, he learns to his sorrow that it was too late for any-
thing to be done. Instead, the doctor makes a mask for him,
which he is compelled to wear. When Lorre meets Miss
Keyes, a blind girl, his life changes ; he tells her all about
himself and about his ugliness, but that does not matter to
her ; they plan to marry. Lorre gives his men notice that he
was quitting. They misunderstand and plan to get even.
They plant a bomb in the radio in his automobile. While
Lorre was away answering a telephone call from Stone,
who wanted to warn him, Miss Keyes gropes for the radio,
turns it on, and is killed in the explosion. Grief-stricken,
Lorre brings about the death of the four men responsible
for the crime by flying them to the desert and depositing
them there without food or water. He, too, dies.

Thomas E. O'Connell and Arthur Levinson wrote the
story, and Allen Vincent and Paul Jarrico, the screen play ;
Robert Florey directed it, and Wallace McDonald pro-
duced it. In the cast are John Tyrrell, Al Seymour, James
Scay, and others.

Xot for children. Class B.

"Buck Privates" with Bud Abbott,
Lou Ccstello, Lee Bowman
and Alan Curtis

(Universal, January 31 ; time, 83 min.)

This is a very good comedy for the masses. For one thing,
it is the first comedy of army life to be produced; for an-
other, the action is fast-moving, alternating between com-
edy and musical interludes, with just a dash of romance.
Abbott and Costello definitely establish themselves as a
comedy team that should win wide popularity. Each time
they appear, they provoke hearty laughter. The story itself
is thin ; but that is incidental, for there are so many amus-
ing situations that one overlooks the lack of a plot : —

Abbott and Costello, in order to avoid arrest for having
sold neckties on the street without a license, hide in an army
recruiting station. Thinking that they were in a theatre that
was having bank night, they sign papers without realizing
that they were enlisting. Their troubles begin when they get
to camp, for their sergeant turns out to be the very police-
man they had run away from. Costello, in particular, finds
himself in trouble — not only does he talk too much, but he
is a complete nitwit when it comes to training. Both he and
Abbott become friends with Lee Bowman, a snobbish
wealthy young man, who expected his prominent father to
obtain his release, and with Alan Curtis, Bowman's former
chauffeur. Both Bowman and Curtis are rivals for the
affection of Jane Frazee, one of the hostesses at the camp.
Bowman eventually redeems himself when he shows brav-
ery in army maneuvers. He undergoes a change, realizing
that army life was not bad ; he decides to remain in the
army. Both he and Curtis are transferred to an officers'
training camp; they are happy to learn that Miss Frazee
had been transferred to the same camp.

Arthur T. Horman wrote the original screen play. Ar-
thur Lubin directed it. and Alex Gottlieb produced it. In
the cast are the Andrews Sisters. Nat Pendleton. Samuel
S. Hinds. Leonard Elliott, and oth«r«.
Suitability. Class A

"You're the One" with Bonnie Baker,
Orrin Tucker, Albert Dekker and
Edward Everett Horton

(Paramount, February 7 ; time, 83 min.)
This comedy with music will have to depend mostly on
the popularity of Bonnie Baker and Orrin Tucker and his
band to put it across. The story is silly and only now and
then amusing. It has a few things to its credit, however ;
one is the lavish production, and the others are the few
tuneful musical numbers. In spite of the fact that Jerry
Colonna's comedy antics are based on some old gags, he
manages to provoke most of the laughter. The romance is
routine : —

Edward Everett Horton, a theatrical agent, tries to in-
duce Albert Dekker, a famous band leader, to give Bonnie
Baker an audition. But Dekker was interested only in
blondes, and refused to listen to Miss Baker because she
was a brunette. Besides, he had just lost his radio contract.
In order to win a new contract with an important sponsor
who insisted that he would have to get thinner, Dekker
leaves for Colonna's weight-reducing sanitarium, there
to reduce. In the meantime, Miss Baker, through an error,
has her hair bleached blonde. It makes quite a difference in
her appearance, and she actually looks glamorous. Horton
decides to take her up to the sanitarium so as to win Dek-
ker's attention. Horton buys her beautiful clothes, and has
her pose as a mysterious glamour girl. Dekker falls for her
at first sight. But she proves to be a disappointment to
Orrin Tucker, leader of the band at the sanitarium, for he
had known her when she was a sweet simple girl without
any affectations. Eventually she reveals to him the reason
for her change ; he then offers her a job with his band but
it is too late, for by that time Dekker had already signed
her up to sing with his band. But Dekker loses the contract
because, instead of reducing, he had gained weight. This
automatically releases Miss Baker, and she is free to join
Tucker's band. Dekker is at first disappointed, but he soon
forgets about it when he becomes attracted to Lillian Cor-
nell, a nurse, who proves to be a good singer.

Gene Markey wrote the story, screen play, and produced
the picture. Ralph Murphy directed it. In the cast are Renie
Riano, Teddy Hart, Eddie Conrad, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Mad Doctor" with Basil Rathbone,
Ellen Drew and John Howard

(Paramount, February 14; time, 89 min.)

Good for the followers of horror films. The story holds
one's attention to the end, for not until then is the heroine
out of danger. It moves along at a pretty fast pace, and
occasionally is pretty exciting. The story is neither cheerful
nor pleasant; yet those who enjoy pictures of this type will
find it engrossing ; credit for this is due to the direction
and to the capable performances by the leading players.
There are occasional comedy bits to relieve the tension : — ■

Basil Rathbone, a doctor who had been educated in
Vienna, practices medicine in a small town in the United
States. No one, except his assistant (Martin Kosleck),
knew of his past — that he had been married in Vienna, that
his first wife had been unfaithful and that he had killed her ;
that since his arrival in America he had made it a practice
to marry wealthy women and then kill them, thereby col-
lecting their fortunes. Ralph Morgan, the local physician,
is suspicious of Rathbone after his last wife dies ; and he
is unhappy, too, for she had been a fine woman and a good
friend. But there is nothing he can do. Rathbone and Kos-
leck leave for New York. Rathbone becomes acquainted
with Ellen Drew, a wealthy young girl with a suicide com-
plex. He becomes her constant companion and helps bring
her hack to normalcy. And for the first time he finds that he
is really in love. This changes him completely and he de-
cides to forget his past and try to marry Miss Drew and
live a normal life. But John Howard, a young reporter who
loved Miss Drew, is suspicious of Rathbone and starts in-
vestigating. He soon learns the facts. Rathbone and Kos-
leck realize they were trapped, and attempt to cover up
their deeds by murdering Morgan, who could give the most
damaging testimony against them. Rathbone hurriedly mar-
ries Miss Drew, who knew nothing of his past, hoping to
leave the country with her. But she finds out about it on the
day of their marriage and is h > rified. Realizing everything
was lost, Rathbone plunges to his death. Miss Drew and
Howard arc reconciled.

Howard J. Green wrote the screen play, Tim Whelan
directed it. and George Arthur produced it. In the cast are
Barbara Allen. Kitty Kelly. Hugh O'Connell, Hugh Soth-
ern. and others.

Not for children or adolescents. Gass B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 15, 1941

There is no doubt that Allied, if it were again to
take up the fight for the passage of this Bill, would
have the support of the public groups that it had
before, with perhaps new groups added ; but whe-
ther it can overcome opposition and succeed in
having it passed it is difficult to tell in advance.

* * *

AT THE MEETING OF THE Allied board
of directors in Washington last month, Al Steffes,
of Minneapolis, was elected Honorary National
Councillor of the organization.

The office carries neither duties nor emoluments,
and to a person like Al it would mean nothing, ex-
cept that, by giving him such an office, the Allied
leaders wanted to show their appreciation for the
work Al had done when he was an active member
of the board. It is, indeed, a creditable demonstra-
tion of appreciation.

Most of the readers of this paper and many
others, members of the motion picture industry,
remember that, one year ago last month, Al Steffes,
while attending the meetings of the Allied board of
directors in Washington, was taken ill with a heart
ailment and since that time he has been trying to
regain his health ; and the writer is glad to report
that he is well on his way to such recovery as the
type of his illness makes possible. Though com-
plete recovery is difficult, the last report that I
received from his personal physician indirectly in-
dicates that Al Steffes can live to be of ripe old age
if he should merely take ordinary precautions. And
I am glad to state that he is obeying doctor's orders
to the last detail.

I am sure that his many friends want to have this
information.

* * *

AT THE ALLIED MEETING in Washington
last month, H. A. Cole was reelected president.

The official release gives the following facts :

H. A. Cole, president ; Abram F. Myers, general
counsel and chairman of the board; Martin G.
Smith, treasurer ; Herman A. Blum, financial sec-
retary ; Charles H. Olive, secretary, and Arthur K.
Howard, recording secretary.

The Executive Committee consists of the fol-
lowing :

H. A. Cole, Nathan Yamins, Sidney Samuelson,
Martin Smith, Jack Kirsch, Mike Rosenberg, Roy
Harrold, and Abram Myers, (ex-officio member).

* * *

IT LOOKS AS IF Samuel Goldwyn and United
Artists will compose their differences without court
action. Such is at least the information that was
printed in the trade papers last week.

If correct, this is, indeed, good information for
the exhibitors, for Mr. Goldwyn has been making
meritorious pictures, and when he discontinued
producing, disbanding his organization, an impor-
tant producer was removed from the field.

This is no time for any one who can make good
pictures to lie idle ; the theatres need good pictures,
and the profits from them go to swell the Govern-
ment's income, so badly needed these days.

* * *

THE SUBJECT OF RAISING admission
prices has created considerable controversy. Some
exhibitors favor the idea, but some exhibitors op-

pose it. The Pittsburgh Allied unit recently passed
a resolution opposing the increasing of admission
prices on outstanding pictures.

Harrison's Reports has advocated the raising
of admission prices all along the line wherever
feasible, and when it is not feasible to raise them at
least on outstanding pictures. Its policy has been
supported by some important industry factors.
Now comes also Joseph Bernhard, general manager
of Warner Theatres, advocating the same thing.
This he did at the AMPA luncheon last week.

In no other industry is an article of higher qual-
ity sold at the same price as an article of lower
quality. Why should it be different in the motion
picture industry?

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

^ "A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND IS WALL
STREET," with Joan Bennett, Franchot Tone,
John Hubbard, Eve Arden. This will most likely
be a comedy. But the players do not rate more than
fairly good to good rating at the box-office.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
"A WOMAN'S FACE," with Joan Crawford,
Melvyn Douglas, Conrad Veidt, Marjorie Main,
Donald Meek. This should make a good drama, and
with the players mentioned, it should do very good
at the box office.

Monogram

"SIGN OF THE WOLF," with Grace Bradley,
Louise Beavers, Mantan Moreland. The plot is
based on the Jack London story. The players do
not wararnt more than fair possibilities at the box-
office.

Paramount

"POWER DIVE," with Richard Arlen, Jean
Parker, Billy Lee, Roger Pryor. Probably an action
picture ; but with the players mentioned, it rates
only program possibilities.

RKO

"SUNNY," with Anna Neagle, Ray Bolger,
John Carroll, Edward Everett Horton. This should
make a good musical comedy, with its box-office
possibilities depending on Miss Neagle's popular-
ity in each locality.

"REPENT AT LEISURE," with Kent Taylor,
Wendy Barrie, George Barbier. Fair program
picture.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"THE COWBOY AND THE BLONDE,"
with George Montgomery, Mary Beth Hughes,
Alan Mowbray, Fuzzy Knight. Probably a comedy
of fairly good program rating.

Universal

"OH, CHARLIE," with Bud Abbott, Lou Cos-
tello, Richard Carlson, Evelyn Ankers, Joan Davis,
Marc Lawrence. After the showing of "Buck
Privates," Abbott and Costello should become pop-
ular with the masses, who will probably be eager to
see them again. Should "Oh, Charlie" turn out
good entertainment, it should do very good at the
box-office.

Warner-First National

"SHINING VICTORY," appraised in the
January 18 issue as "Winged Victory."

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

Vol. XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1941

No. 1

(Partial Index No. 1— Pages 2 to 24 Incl.)

Titles of Pictures Reviewed on Page

Aldrich Family in Life With Henry, The—

Paramount (80 min.) , , 14

Along the Rio Grande— RKO (64 mm.) 23

Arkansas Judge, The— Republic (72 min.) 22

Back Street— Universal (89 min.) 23

Behind the News— Republic (74 min.) • • 3

Beyond the Sacramento— Columbia (58m.) . Not Reviewed

Border Legion— Republic (58 min.) Not Reviewed

Bowery Boy— Republic (71 min.) 7

Case of the Black Parrot, The— First National (59m.) 2

Cheers for Miss Bishop— United Artists (94 min.) ... 15

Come Live With Me— MGM (85 min.) 18

Convoy— RKO (77 min.) o

Dr. Kildare's Crisis— MGM (74 min.) 2

Father's Son— Warner Bros. (57 min.) 19

Flight Command— MGM (114 min.) 2

Flight From Destiny — Warner Bros. (74 min.) 11

Girl in the News, The— 20th Century-Fox (76 min.) ... 7

Her First Romance— Monogram (78 min.) 15

High Sierra— First National (99 min.) 14

Honeymoon for Three — Warner Bros. (75 min.) 18

Hudson's Bay— 20th Century-Fox (94 min.) 3

Invisible Woman, The — Universal (72 min.) 7

Jolly Old Higgins— Republic (See "The Earl of
Puddlestone") 138/40

Keeping Company — MGM (79 min.) 10

Kitty Foyle— RKO (108 min.) 3

Land of Liberty— MGM (97 min.) 10

Law and Order — Universal (57 min.) Not Reviewed

Lucky Devils — Universal (61 min.) 7

Maisie Was a Lady — MGM (79 min.) 10

Melody Girl — Republic (See "Sing Dance Plenty

Hot") 130/40

Misbehaving Husbands — Producers Releasing (64m.) . 23
Mr. and Mrs. Smith— RKO (95 min.) 19

Play Girl— RKO _( 77 min.) 11

Pony Post — Universal (59 min.) Not Reviewed

Pride of the Bowery— Monogram (63 min.) 6

Ragtime Cowboy Joe — Universal ( 58m. )... Not Reviewed

Ride, Kelly, Ride— 20th Century-Fox (58 min.) 22

Romance of the Rio Grande — 20th Cent.-Fox (72m.) . . 3

Saint in Palm Springs, The— RKO (65 min.) 11

She Couldn't Say No — First National (62 min.) 2

Six Lessons From Madame LaZonga — Universal

(61 min.) 18

So Ends Our Night— United Artists (120 min.) 19

Take Me Back to Oklahoma — Monogram (65 min.)

Not Re iewed

Tall, Dark and Handsome — 20th Century-Fox (78m. 1 . 15

Texas Terrors— Republic (57 min.) .Not Reviewed

This Thing Called Love — Columbia (98 min.) 6

Three Men From Texas— Paramount (75 min.)

Not Reviewed

Trail Blazers — Republic (58 min.) Not Reviewed

Tree of Liberty — Columbia (See "Howards of
Virginia") 142/40

Virginia — Paramount (108 min.) 14

West of Pinto Basin — Monogram ('61m. ) . . .Not Reviewed
Where Did You Get That Girl ?— Universal (65m.) ... 6
Wild Man of Borneo, The— MGM (78 min.) 22

You're Out of Luck — Monogram (.60 min.) 10

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

2012 Escape to Glory— O'Brien-C. Bennett Nov. 28

2024 Ellery Queen No. 1 Master Detective —

Bellamy- Lindsay Nov. 30

2203 Thundering Frontier — Starrett (57m.) Dec. 5

2031 The Great Plane Robbery— Jack Holt Dec. 9

2033 The Phantom Submarine — Louise-Bennett ..Dec 20
2101 Arizona — Arthur-Holden-William Dec. 25

2211 Wild Cat of Tucson— Elliott (59m.) Dec. 31

2005 This Thing Called Love — Douglas-Russell ..Jan. 2

2204 The Pinto Kid— Starrett (61 min.) Jan. 9

The Face Behind the Mask — Lorre-Keyes ...Jan. 16
The Devil Commands— Karloff-Duff (65m.). Feb. 3

2212 Across the Sierras — All star west. (58m.) Feb. 13

Adam Had Four Sons (Legacy) —

Baxter-Bergman (reset) Feb. 18

Meet Boston Blackie — Chester Morris Feb. 20

Blondie Goes Latin — Singieton-Lake Feb. 27

2205 Outlaws of the Panhandle— Starrett (59m.) .Feb. 27
Missing Ten Days — -Harrison- Verne Feb. 28

First National Features

(321 W. 44</; St., New York, N. Y.)
552 The Letter — Davis-Marshall-Stephenson Nov. 23

571 She Couldn't Say No — Pryor- Arden- Edwards . Dec. 7
551 Santa Fe Trail — Flynn-deHavilland Dec. 28

572 Case of the Black Parrot — Lundigan-Foy Jan. 11

556 High Sierra — Lupino-Bogart-Curtis Jan. 25

The Strawberry Blonde — Cagney-deHavilland-

Hay worth-Hale-Tobias Feb. 22

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

115 Dr. Kildare's Crisis — Ayres-Barrymore Nov. 29

114 Go West — Marx Bros.-Carroll-Lewis Dec. 6

113 Comrade X — Gable-Lamarr-Homolka Dec. 13

No release set for Dec. 20

116 Keeping Company — Morgan-Rutherford Dec. 27

117 Flight Command — Taylor-Pidgeon-Hussey ...Jan. 3

118 Maisie Was a Lady — Sothern-Ayres Jan. 10

119 The Philadelphia Story— Grant-Hepburn ...Jan. 17

120 Land of Liberty — (charity film) Jan. 24

121 The Wild Man of Borneo — Morgan-Burke Jan. 24

122 Come Live With Me — Stewart- Lamarr- Hunter. Jan. 31

123 Blonde Inspiration — Shelton-Grey-Dekker Feb. 7

125 The Trial of Mary Dugan — Young-Day Feb. 14

126 Andy Hardy's Private Secretary — Stone-

Rooney-Hunter-Rutherford Feb. 21

127 Free and Easy — Hussey-Cummings-Bruce ...Feb. 28

128 Rage in Heaven — Montgomery-Bergman Mar. 7

124 The Bad Man — Beery-L. Barrymore-Day Mar. 14

The Ziegfeld Girl — Garland- Stewart Mar. 21

Roosty — L. Barrymore-Reynolds-Arnold Mar. 2S

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

Her First Romance — Edith Fellows Dec. 25

Rollin' Home to Texas — Ritter (63 min.) Dec. 30

Trail of the Silver Spurs — Range Busters (,60 min.) .Jan. 5
Dead Man's Shoes — Banks-Lawson (Eng. prod.) . .Jan. 15

You're Out of Luck — Darro-Moreland Jan. 20

The Kid's Last Ride — Range Busters Feb. 10

Ridin' The Cherokee Trail— Ritter Feb. 25

Air Devils — East Side Kids Mar. 10

Sign of the Wolf — English cast Mar. 15

February 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. 7.)

1939- 40 Season

3946 North West Mounted Police — Cooper-

Carroll-Goddard- Foster Dec. 27

{End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

4010 World in Flames— (62 min.) Oct 25

4008 Dancing on a Dime — Paige-Frawley Nov. 1

4009 Arise My Love — Colbert-Milland Nov. 8

4050 Three Men From Texas— Wm. Boyd (75m.) . Nov. 15

4011 A Night at Earl Carroll's— Murray Dec. 6

4012 Texas Rangers Ride Again — Howard-Drew. Dec 13

4013 Love Thy Neighbor— Benny-Allen-Martin ..Dec. 27

4014 Second Chorus — Astaire-Goddard-Meredith . . Jan. 3

4051 Doomed Caravan— William Boyd (61 min.) . .Jan. 10

4015 Victorv — March-Field-Hardwicke Jan. 17

4016 The Aldrich Family in Life With Henry—

Cooper-Ernst-Bracken ....Jan. 24

4017 You're the One— Tucker- Baker-Dekker Feb. 7

4018 The Mad Doctor — Rathbone-Howard-Drew .Feb. 14

4019 Virginia — Carroll-MacMurrav Feb. 21

4052 In Old Colorado— William Boyd Feb. 28

4020 The Hardboiled Canary— Jones-Foster Mar. 7

4021 The Lady Eve — Stanwyck-Fonda-Coburn ...Mar. 21
Las Vegas Nights — Regan- Wheeler Mar. 28

4053 Border Vigilantes— William Boyd Apr. 4

Republic Features

(1776 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

064 Lone Star Raiders — Three Mesq. (57m.) Dec. 23

019 Bowery Boy — O'Keete-Campbell-Lydon Dec. 27

074 Wyoming Wildcat — Red Barry (56 min.) Jan. 6

054 Robin Hood of the Pecos— Rogers (59m.) Jan. 14

044 Ridin' on a Rainbow — Gene Autry (79m.) Jan. 24

010 Arkansas Judge — Weaver Bros.-Elviry Jan. 28

020 Petticoat Politics— Karns-Donnelly Jan. 31

075 Bad Man From Rio— Red Barry Feb. 14

065 Prairie Pioneers — Three Mesquiteers Feb. 16

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., Nezv York, N. Y.)
106 Too Many Girls— Carlson-Ball Nov. 8

111 Mexican Spitfire Out West — Velez-Errol Nov. 15

108 You'll Find Out — Kyser-Lorre-Karloff Nov. 22

182 The Fargo Kid— Tim Holt Dec. 6

114 No, No, Nanette — Neagle-Carlson Dec. 20

112 Kitty Foyle — Rogers-Morgan Dec. 27

113 Remedy for Riches— Hersholt-Hull Dec. 29

161 Convoy — Clive Brook Jan. 3

110 Little Men — Francis-Oakie-Bancroft Jan. 10

115 Let's Make Music — Crosby-Rogers Jan. 17

116 The Saint in Palm Springs — Sanders-Barrie ..Jan. 24

117 Mr. and Mrs. Smith — Lombard-Montgomery . .Jan. 31

183 Along the Rio Grande— Tim Holt Feb. 7

121 Play Girl — Francis-Ellison Mar. 7

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 w. 56th SL, Nezv York, N. Y.)
127 Girl in the News — Lockwood- Williams Jai.,31

129 Ride, Kelly, Ride— Pallette-Stephens Feb. 7

130 Golden Hoofs— Withers-Rogers-Aldridge Feb. 14

126 Western Union — Young-Scott -Jagger Feb. 21

132 Murder Among Friends — Weaver-Hubbard. .Feb. 28

133 Tobacco Road — Grapewin-Rambeau-Tierney .Mar. 7

134 Sleepers West — Nolan-Bari-Hughes Mar. 14

135 The Outlaw— Mitchell-Houston-Russell Mar. 21

136 Dead Men Tell— Toler-Aldridge- Yung Mar. 28

131 Scotland Yard— Kelly-Gwenn-Loder Apr. 4

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)
5019 Diamond Frontier — McLaglen-Nagel Oct. 4

5017 A Little Bit of Heaven— Jean- Stack Oct. 11

5024 Slightly Tempted— Herbert-Mown (60m.) . .Oct 18

5062 Law and Order— J. M. Brown (57m.) Oct 18

5007 Seven Sinners — Dietrich- Wayne. Oct 25

5036 I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now— O'Keefe Nov. 1

5052 The Devil's Pipeline — Arlen-Devine Nov. 1

5021 Sandy Gets Her Man — Baby Sahdy-Erwin. .Nov. 8

5063 Pony Post— J. M. Brown (59 min.) Nov. 8

5015 One Night in the Tropics — Jones-Kelly Nov. 15

5023 Meet the Wildcat— Bellamy-Lindsay Nov. 22

5048 Next Time We Love — reissue Nov. 22

5010 The Bank Dick— Fields-Merkel Nov. 29

5026 Margie — Brown-Grey Dec. 6

5008 Trail of the Vigilantes— Tone- Moran Dec. 13

5025 Give Us Wings— Halop-Ford Dec. 20

5018 Invisible Woman — Barrymore-Howard Dec. 27

5030 Where Did You Get That Girl ?— Parrish-

Quillan-Errol Jan. 3

5053 Lucky Devils — Arlen-Devine Jan. 3

5027 San Francisco Docks — Meredith-Hervey Jan. 10

5064 Boss of Bullion City— J. M. Brown (59m.) . . .Jan. 10

5022 Six Lessons From Madame LaZonga —

Velez-Errol Jan. 17

5011 Buck Privates — Abbott-Costello-Curtis Jan. 31

Back Street — Sullavan-Boyer (reset) Feb. 7

Meet the Chump — Hugh Herbert (reset) . . . .Feb. 14
Nice Girl (Love At Last) — Durbin Feb. 21

5040 Dark Streets of Cairo— Gurie-Byrd (re.) ...Feb.28

Mr. Dvnamite — Nolan-Hervey (reset) Mar. 7

Model Wife— Blondell-Powell Mar. 14

5065 Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie —

J. M. Brown (59 min.) Mar. 21

Double Date — Cast not set Mar. 21

Lady From Cheyenne — Young- Preston Mar. 28

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)

525 Here Comes the Navy — reissue (86 min.) Dec. 21

503 Four Mothers — Lane Sisters-Page-Rains Jan. 4

510 Honeymoon for Three — Sheridan-Brent Jan. 18

520 Father's Son — Litel-Inescort-Dawson Feb. 1

Flight From Destiny — Fitzgerald-Mitchell ....Feb. 8
The Great Mr. Nobodv — Albert-Leslie Feb. 15

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

The Son of Monte Cristo — Bennett (reset) Jan. 10

Road Show — Hubbard-Landis-Menjou Jan. 24

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE

Columbia— One Reel

2902 U. S. Militarv Academv — Washington

Parade (10^ min.) Dec. 13

2653 Community Sing No. 3 — (11m.) Dec. 13

2753 Punch and Judy— Fables (6y2m.) Dec. 13

2556 Beautiful British Columbia — Tours (lO^m).Dec. 20

2974 Unusual Crafts — Cinescope (9m.) Dec. 25

2602 Take It or Leave It No. 2— Quiz (ll^m.) . . .Dec 25

2854 Screen Snapshots No. 4 — (9m.) Dec. 27

2803 Ali The Giant Killer— World of Sport

(W/2 min.) Dec. 27

2654 Community Sing No. 4 — (10m.) Jan. 1

2505 A Helping Paw — Color Rhapsody (7m.) Jan. 7

2557 From Singapore to Hongkong — Tours (10m.). Jan. 10

2903 Naval Academy— Wash. Par. (10m.) (re.) .. Jan. 17
2951 New York Parade (Magic City) —

(9Y2 min.) (reset) Jan. 24

2975 Feathers (Ocean Trails) — Cinescope

(9y2 min.) (reset) Jan. 31

2855 Screen Snapshots No. 5 — (9m.) Feb. 2

2703 Little Theatre— Phantasies (6m.) Feb. 7

2754 Streamline Donkev — Fables (7m.) Feb. 7

2603 Take It or Leave It No. 3— Quiz (11m.) Feb. 7

2655 Community Sing No. 5 — (\0l/2m.) Feb. 7

2804 Splits, Spares and Strikes — World of Sport

(10 min.) (reset) Feb. 21

2904 Untitled— Washington Parade Feb. 21

2506 Way of All Pests— Color Rhapsody Feb.28

2604 Junior I.Q. Parade— Quiz (9l/2m.) Mar. 7

2755 It Happened to Crusoe — Fables Mar. 14

2704 Music in Your Hair — Phantasies ..Mar. 28

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

February 15, 1941

Columbia— -Two Reels

1939- 40 Season

1133 The Deceiving Microphone — Archer No. 13

(18 min.) Jan. 17

1134 End of Hope— Archer No. 14 (18m.) Jan. 24

1135 Green Archer Exposed — Archer No. 15

(18 min.) Jan. 31

(End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

2403 Cuckoo Cavaliers— Stooge (1754m.) Nov. 15

2425 Blondes and Blunders— Catlett (16m.) Dec. 13

2426 His Ex Marks the Spot— Keaton (18m.) ....Dec. 13

2404 Boobs in Arms— Stooee (18m.) Dec. 27

2427 The Watchman Takes a Wife— Clyde (16m.). Jan. 10

2428 Fresh as a Freshman— All star ( 1854m.) Jan. 29

2121 Flaming Tepees— White Eagle No. 1 (32m.) Jan. 31

2405 So Long Mr. Chumps— Stooge Feb. 7

2122 The Jail Delivery— White Eagle No. 2 Feb. 7

2123 The Dive Into Quicksand— Eagle No. 3 Feb. 14

2124 The Warning Death Knife — Eagle No. 4 Feb. 21

2125 Treachery at the Stockade— Eagle No. 5 Feb. 28

2126 The Gun-Cane Murder— Eagle No. 6 Mar. 7

2127 The Revealing Blotter— Eagle No. 7 Mar. 14

2128 Bird Calls of Deliverance— Eagle No. 8 Mar. 21

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel

1939- 40 Season

K-128 Dreams— Passing Parade (10m.) Nov. 16

A-100 Third Dimensional Murder — Special (7m.) .Mar. 1
(End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

S-263 Sea For Yourself— Pete Smith (10m.) Dec. 21

T-215 Old New Orleans— Traveltalks (9m.) Dec. 21

M-232 The Great Meddler— Miniatures (11m.) ..Dec. 21

W-242 Mrs. Ladybug— Cartoons (8m.) Dec. 21

M-233 The Happiest Man on Earth — Miniatures

(11 min.) Dec. 23

T-216 Mediterranean Ports of Call — Traveltalks

(9 min.) Jan. 4

M-234 More About Nostradamus — Miniatures Jan. 18

S-264 Penny to the Rescue — Pete Smith Jan. 25

C-295 Fightin' Fools — Our Gang Jan. 25

T-217 Red Men on Parade— Traveltalks (9m.) ...Feb. 1

S-265 Quiz Biz— Pete Smith Feb. 8

K-282 Whispers— Passing Parade Feb. 8

Metro-Gold wyn- Mayer — Two Reels

P-202 You, The People — Crime Doesn't Pay

(21 min.) Nov. 30

P-203 Respect the Law — Crime Doesn't Pay

(20 min.) Jan. 4

P-204 Forbidden Passage — Crime Doesn't Pay Feb. 8

Paramount — One Reel

JO-3 Popular Science No. 3— (10m.) Dec. 20

MO-2 The Sacred Ganges — Journeys (10m.) Dec. 27

V0-3 Breezy Little Bears— Paragraphic (10m.) ..Dec. 27
RO-5 Feminine Fitness — Sportlight (9m.) (re.)... Jan. 3

E0-5 Problem Pappy — Popeye (6m.) Jan. 10

U0-1 Western Daze — Madcap Models Jan. 17

GO-3 All's Well-Cartoon (654m.) (re.) Jan. 17

S0-2 Waiting for Baby— Benchley (10m.) Jan. 24

LO-3 Unusual Occupations No. 3 — (10m.) Jan. 24

A0-4 Gene Krupa and His Orchestra — Headliner

(10 min.) Jan. 31

M0-3 A Village in India ( Indian Temples) —

Journeys (1054m.) (reset) Jan. 31

EO-6 Quiet, Pleeze — Popeye Feb. 7

R0-6 Acrobatic Aces — Sportlight (9m.) Feb. 7

H0-5 Pop and Mom in Wild Ovsters — Cartoon

(1054 min.) Feb. 14

G0-4 Two for the Zoo — Gabby cartoon Feb. 14

JO-4 Popular Science No. 4 Feb. 21

V0-4 The Quiz Kids— Paragraphic Feb. 21

RO-7 Canine Sketches— Sportlight Feb. 28

U0-2 Dipsy Gypsy— Madcap Models Feb. 28

RKO — One Reel

1939- 40 Season

04117 Pluto's Playmate— Disney (8m.) Jan. 24

04118 Little Whirlwind— Disney (8m.) ..Feb. 14

(End of 1939-40 Season)

1940- 41 Season

14403 Picture People No. 3— (10m.) Nov; .&

14304 Snow Fun — Sportscope (9m.) Nov. 22

14204 Information Please No; 4 — (11m.) Nov. 29

14404 Picture People No, 4— (10m.) Dec 6

14305 Snow Evils — Sportscope (9m.) Dec. 20

14205 Information Please No. 5 — (11m.) Dec. 27

14405 Picture People No. 5— (10m.) Jan. 3

14306 Mat Men — Sportscope (9m.) Jan. 17

14206 Information Please No. 6— (1054m.) Jan. 24

14406 Picture People No. 6— (10m.) Jan. 31

14101 Golden Eggs— Disney (8m.) .| Mar. 7

RKO — Two Reels

13501 Bar Buckaroos— Ray Whitley (16m.) Nov. 8

13104 March of Time No. 4— (19m.) Nov. 22

13702 Tattle Talevision— Errol (19m.) Nov. 29

13403 Drafted in the Depot— Kennedy (19m.) Dec. 20

13105 March of Time No. 5— (19m.) Dec 20

13703 The Fired Man— Errol (20m.) Jan. 10

13106 March of Time No. 6— (21m.) Jan. 17

13502 Prairie Spooners— Whitley (13m.) Jan. 31

13107 March of Time No. 7 Feb. 14

13404 Mad About Moonshine— Kennedv (19m.) ..Feb. 21
137C4 When Wine's Away— Errol (20m.) Mar. 14

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

1502 Touchdown Demons — Terry-Toon (7m.) ..Sept. 20
1601 Acquitted by the Sea— Ripley (10m.) Sept 27

1553 How Wet Was My Ocean— T.-Toon (7m.).. Oct. 4

1201 Midget Motor Mania — Adv. News Cameraman

(8 min.) Oct. 11

1503 Happy Haunting Grounds — T. Toon (7m.) . .Oct. 18

1103 Isle of Mystery— Father Hubbard (10m.) ...Oct. 25

1554 Landing of the Pilgrims — T. Toon (7m.) ...Nov. 1

1302 Lure of the Trout — Sports (9m.) Nov. 8

1504 The Magic Pencil — Terrv-Toon (7m.) Nov. 15

1104 Old Dominion State— L. Thomas (10m.) ...Nov. 22

1555 Plane Goofy — Terry-Toon (7m.) Nov. 29

1303 Bowling for Strikes — Sports. (8m.) Dec. 6

1505 The Snow Man — Terry-Toon (7m.) Dec. 13

1105 Spotlight on Indo China— Thomas (9m.) ...Dec. 20

1556 The Temperamental Lion — T. Toon (7m.) ..Dec. 27

1304 The Rodeo Goes to Town — Sports (10m.) . . .Jan. 3

1506 What a Little Sneeze Will Do— T. T. (7m.) Jan. 10

1202 Training Police Horses — Adv. News

Cameraman (10 min.) Jan. 17

1507 Hairless Hector — Terry-Toon (7m.) Jan. 24

1203 The Modern Highway — Adv. News

Cameraman (9 min.) Jan. 31

1557 Mississippi Swing — Terry-Toon Feb. 7

1106 Untitled— Father Hubbard Feb. 14

1508 Fishing Made Easy — Terry-Toon Feb. 21

1402 The Tale of Butch the Parrot— T. Toon Feb. 28

1558 The Home Guard — Terry-Toon Mar. 7

1305 Symphony in Snow — Sports Mar. 14

1509 When Knights Were Bold— Terry-Toon . . . .Mar. 21

5353
5243
5374
5354
5244
5375
5355
5245
5376
5356
5246
5377

Universal — One Reel

Going Places £83— (9m.) Nov. 11

Knock-Knock — Lantz cartoon (7m.) Nov. 25

Stranger Than Fiction £84 — (9m.) Dec. 2

Going Places 384 — (9m.) Dec. 23

Syncopated Sioux — Lantz cartoon (654m.) ..Dec. 30

Stranger Than Fiction 385 — (9m.) Jan. f>

Going Places 385— ( 9m.) Jan. 20

Mouse Trappers — cartoon (654m.) Jan. 27

Stranger Than Fiction 386— (,9m. ) Feb. 3

Going Places 386— (9m.) Feb. 17

Fair Todav— cartoon (6'4m.) Feb. 24

Stranger Than Fiction 387 Mar. 10

February 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page D

Universal— Two Reel*

5685 Trapped by Traitors— G-Men No. 5 (20m.) .Oct 29

5686 Traitors' Treachery — G-Men No. 6 (22m.) . .Nov. 5

5687 Flaming Death— G-Men No. 7 (19m.) Nov. 12

5688 Hurled Through Space— G-M. No. 8 (18m.). Nov. 19

5689 The Plunge of Peril— G-Men No. 9 (20m.) . . Nov. 26

5223 Torrid Tempos — musical (18m.) Nov. 27

5690 The Toll of Treason— G-Men No. 10 (18m.) .Dec. 3

5691 Descending Doom — G-Men No. 11 (21m.) . . .Dec. 10

5692 The Power of Patriotism — G-Men No. 12

(19 min.) Dec. 17

5781 Flaming Havoc — Green Hornet Strikes

Again No. 1 (20 min.) Dec. 24

5224 Tickled Pinky— musical (17m.) Dec.25

5782 The Plunge of Peril— Hornet No. 2 (21m) . .Dec. 31

5783 The Avenging Heavens — Hornet No. 3

(21 min.) Jan. 7

5784 A Night of Terror— Hornet No. 4 (18m) . . . Jan. 14

5785 Shattering Doom— Hornet No. 5 (18m.) Jan. 21

5225 Beat Me, Daddy Eight to the Bar— musical

(17 min.) Jan. 22

5786 The Fatal Flash— Hornet No. 6 (21m.) Jan. 28

5787 Death in the Clouds— Hornet No. 7 (17m.) . .Feb. 4
5788" Human Targets— Hornet No. 8 (20m.) Feb. 11

5789 The Tragic Crash— Hornet No. 9 (20m.) . . . .Feb. 18

5226 Bagdad Daddy— musical (17m.) Feb. 19

5790 Blazing Fury— Hornet No. 10 (19m.) Feb. 25

5791 Thieves of the Night— Hornet No. 11 (20m.). Mar. 4

5792 Crashing Barriers— Hornet No. 12 (19m.) . .Mar. 11

Vitaphone — One Reel

6706 Bedtime for Sniffles— Mer. Mel. (8m) Nov. 23

6403 Diary of a Racing Pigeon — Sports Parade

(9y2 min.) Nov. 23

6604 Porky's Hired Hand— L. Tunes (7m) Nov. 30

6505 Henry Busse & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9l/2m.) . . Nov. 30

6707 Of Fox and Hounds — Mer. Melodies (9m.) . .Dec 7

6303 Mexican Jumping Beans — Novelties (9^m.).Dec 7

6605 Timid Toreador — Looney Tunes (6m.) Dec. 21

6708 Shop, Look and Listen— Mer. Mel. (8m.) ...Dec. 21

6709 Elmer's Pet Rabbit— Mer. Mel. (7j^m.) Jan. 4

6504 Skinny Ennis & Orch. — Mel. Mast. (9m.) ...Jan. 4

6606 Porky's Snooze Reel — L. Tunes (7m.') - Jan. 11

6404 California Thoroughbreds — Soprts (10m.) ..Jan. 11

6710 The Fighting 69J4— Mer. Mel. (7m.) Jan. 18

6304 History Repeats Itself— Novelties (9m.) Jan. 18

6503 Jan Garber & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9Hm.) . . . .Feb. 1

6711 Sniffles Bells the Cat— Mer. Mel. (8m.) ....Feb. 1

6607 The Haunted Mouse — Looney Tunes (8m.). Feb. 15

6712 The Crackpot Quail— Mer. Mel. (7j4m.) ....Feb. 15

6713 The Cat's Tale — Merrie Melodies Mar. 1

6405 Fight, Fish, Fight— Sports Parade (9m.) ...Mar. 1

6608 Joe Glow the Firefly — Looney Tunes Mar. 8

6506 Cliff Edwards & His Buckaroos—

Melody Masters Mar. 8

6305 The Boar Hunt— Novelties Mar. 15

6714 Tortoise Beats the Hare — Mer. Melodies ...Mar. 15

6609 Porky's Bear Facts— Looney Tunes Mar. 29

6715 Goofy Groceries — Merrie Melodies Mar. 29

Vitaphone — Two Reels

6002 March on Marines — Technicolor (19m.) Dec 14

6203 Love's Intrigue — Bway. Brevities (18m.) Dec. 28

6204 Dog in the Orchard— Bway. Brev. (21m.) . . Jan. 25

6003 Meet the Fleet— Tech. Special (20m.) Feb. 8

6205 Take the Air— Bway. Brev. (20m.) Feb. 22

6102 The Lady and the Lug— Elsa Maxwell Mar. 22

NEWSWEEKLY

NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Paramount News

49 Saturday Feb. 15

50 Wednesday ...Feb. 19

5 1 Saturday Feb. 22

52 Wednesday . . . Feb. 26

53 Saturday Mar. 1

54 Wednesday . . Mar. 5

55 Saturday Mar. 8

56 Wednesday . . Mar. 12

57 Saturday Mar. 15

58 Wednesday . . Mar. 19

59 Saturday Mar. 22

60 Wednesday . . Mar. 26

61 Saturday Mar. 29

62 Wednesday . . Apr. 2

Pathe News

15149 Sat. (O.h.Feb. 15
15250 Wed. (E.).Feb. 19
15151 Sat. (O.).. Feb. 22
15252 Wed. (E.). Feb. 26
15153 Sat. (O.).Mar. 1
15254 Wed (E.).Mar. 5
15155 Sat. (O.).Mar. 8
15256 Wed. (E.). Mar. 12
15157 Sat. (O.).Mar. 15
15258 Wed. (E.).Mar. 19
15159 Sat. (O.). Mar. 22
15260 Wed. (E.). Mar. 26
15161 Sat. (O.). Mar. 29
15262 Wed. (E.).Apr. 2

Universal

954 Friday Feb. 14

955 Wednesday ..Feb. 19

956 Friday Feb. 21

957 Wednesday ..Feb. 26

958 Friday Feb. 28

959 Wednesday .Mar. 5

960 Friday Mar. 7

961 Wednesday .Mar. 12

962 Friday Mar. 14

963 Wednesday . Mar. 19

964 Friday Mar. 21

965 Wednesday . Mar. 26

966 Friday Mar. 28

967 Wednesday .Apr. 2

Metrotome News

245 Tuesday ....Feb. 18

246 Thursday ...Feb. 20

247 Tuesday ....Feb. 25

248 Thursday ...Feb. 27

249 Tuesday Mar. 4

250 Thursday . . . Mar. 6

251 Tuesday Mar. 11

252 Thursday . . . Mar. 13

253 Tuesday ....Mar. 18

254 Thursday ...Mar. 20

255 Tuesday ....Mar. 25

256 Thursday . . . Mar. 27

257 Tuesday .... Apr. 1

Fox Movietone

46 Saturday Feb. 15

47 Wednesday . . Feb. l9

48 Saturday Feb. 22

49 Wednesday ..Feb. 26

50 Saturday Mar. 1

5 1 Wednesday . . Mar. 5

52 Saturday Mar. 8

53 Wednesday . . Mar. 12

54 Saturday Mar. 15

55 Wednesday . . Mar. 19

56 Saturday Mar. 22

57 Wednesday ..Mar. 26

58 Saturday .... Mar. 29

59 Wednesday ..Apr. 2

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 D^-ioio Harrison's Reports. Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 Rwmio" Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 . „, ., ,-,!,._ ,-, • • c •

rr»nt nriMin 1 K 7S A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia New 'Zealand,' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July I, 1919

India, Europe, Asia 17.50 rt . , _ ,. _ , , _ _. . ■ -

_ Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

ii>c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1941 No. 8

HERE AND THERE

IN LAST WEEK'S BULLETIN of The Inde-
pendent Theatre Owners of Ohio, Pete Wood,
business manager of the organization, reprints
from "Printers' Ink" a very interesting article
dealing with the reasons why moving-picture pa-
tronage has fallen off. Though some give as a rea-
son of this falling off double-billing, others high
admission prices, and still others the poor quality
of the pictures, "Printers' Ink" says that the real
reason is the method employed for advertising
pictures. The article says partly the following :

"Like all its predecessors in the entertainment
business, Hollywood has clung stoutly to the
sucker-bait doctrine of advertising and publicity.
The public is a sap. The public not only can be
fooled, but likes to be fooled. . . ."

Though "Printers' Ink" has put its finger on the
right trouble, it is not alone the misleading or lurid
advertising that has driven a large part of the pic-
ture-going public away, but the poor quality of the
pictures caused by the poor stories chosen. The
average Hollywood producer does not judge the
merit of his picture by the quality of the story, but
by the results at the box-office. There have been
some cases where pictures, poor in quality, have
done good business. But this was owed, not to the
picture itself, but chiefly to the stars that appeared
in it. And when a picture does business, a producer
cannot be convinced that he made a mistake in put-
ting popular stars in poor stories ; he points the box
office results to you with ghoulish pleasure. The
fact that the drawing powers of a popular star were
killed by the poor stories given him or her is im-
potent to change the mind of the producer — he
opens his books and shows you the box-office re-
sults ; he refuses to be swayed even by the fact that,
had the stories been good, the box-office results
would have been still better.

Need we bring a more striking example than the
case of Katharine Hepburn? She was declared
"poison to the box office" until she came out with
"The Philadelphia Story," which played at the
Radio City Music Hall for six weeks and, accord-
ing to Gus Eyssell, assistant to Mr. Van Schmus,
it could have played many more weeks but for the
fact that the theatre had other commitments.

The producers have to resort to lurid and even
misleading advertising to draw the public into the
theatres, because the proportion of bad to good
pictures is as great as ever, despite the advance in
picture-producing technique. A short time ago I
told you of my difficulty in picking out ten best 1940
pictures for the Film Daily annual poll. That is the
proof of my assertion.

* * *

THAT SOME CONFUSION will result from
the interchanging of pictures between blocks it is
conceded. Several weeks ago Jack Kirsch, presi-

dent of Allied Theatre Owners of Illinois, ex-
pressed his fears to me that such an interchange-
ability will cause a hardship to the Loop exhibitors
in Chicago. But like everything else, a remedy will
be found; application of the new sales policy will
soon show how to meet a condition of this kind.

Mr. Fred Strom, executive secretary of Allied
Theatre Owners of the Northwest (Minneapolis
territory), is giving this matter considerable
thought. Recently he said, "If the distributor will
permit interchanging of pictures from one group to
another, it seems to me offhand that this automatic-
ally would take care of cancellation demands
through eliminations between distributors and ex-
hibitors by mutual agreement." In plain words, he
says that, if the distributors will permit inter-
changeability of pictures between or among differ-
ent five-picture groups, they will do it only because
the exhibitor does not want certain pictures of one
group and prefers certain pictures of another group,
and the distributor agrees to abide by the exhibi-
tor's demands.

There have been exhibitors who have been pro-
testing against the Consent Decree because it de-
prives them of their cancellation privilege. Mr.
Strom asserts, and with justification, that the ex-
hibitor's cancellation right is, not only retained
by him, but enlarged, for, whereas up to this
time he could cancel only ten percent of his pic-
tures, and twenty percent of MGM pictures if his
film rental put him in that category, he now has a
cancellation privilege the limit of which depends
on negotiation between buyer and seller. That cer-
tainly is a gain.

Some exhibitors may gainsay that the exhibitor
will not enjoy a cancellation privilege unless the
distributor should agree to an interchange of pic-
tures. But will there be any among the five consent-
ing distributors who will refuse interchangeability ?
And if none will refuse interchangeability, do you
think that Columbia and Universal will refuse a
similar privilege, in some form? Personally I doubt
it ; the pressure will be so great that both these com-
panies may have to conform to the new selling sys-
tem, unless, of course, the government loses its case
against them, in which event the industry may
revert to the old selling system.

Incidentally, the instructions sent by the Twen-
tieth Century-Fox home office to its salesmen pro-
vide for interchangeability of pictures between
blocks.

Of course, there is the possibility that the dis-
tributors may find the interchanging of pictures a
cumbersome and confusing process. If the different
groups should be broken up and shuffled around
extensively, the distributors may reach a point
where they will be unable to keep track of the per-
formance of the pictures in the different territories.
(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 22, 1941

"The Phantom Submarine" with
Anita Louise and Bruce Bennett

(Columbia, December 20; time, 69 min.)

This program melodrama lacks a plausible plot. Yet it
has plentiful action of the type to hold one in suspense and
should, therefore, prove acceptable to the action fans who
are not too exacting in their demands. The closing scenes
are the most exciting, for it is there that the villain is ex-
posed and arrested. 1 here is a romance, but it is incidental :

Anita Louise, a newspaper reporter, is called in by the
United States Government to help solve the mystery sur-
rounding the sinking of several ships that had gone out in
search of gold supposed to have gone down with the S.S.
Arcadia ; they felt that a foreign government was mixed
up in it in some way. Miss Louise, unable to induce Bruce
Bennett, diver on the S.S. Retriever that was ready to sail
with a crew of thirty-six men in search of the gold, to take
her along, becomes a stowaway. Mysterious things begin to
happen : Miss Louise sees a man jump overboard, but when
she tells this to Bennett and the Captain and describes the
man to them, they tell her that no such person had signed up
with them. They finally reach the island of San Fernando
where, to their surprise, they find Pedro DeCordoba living
in luxury ; he explains that he wanted to get away from
everybody. But Miss Louise finds there the man who had
jumped overboard. DeCordoba tries to hold her a prisoner,
but Bennett rescues her. He descends in his diving suit in
search of the gold, and finds it ; he orders the men to haul
it up. Realizing that DeCordoba had some reason for not
wanting anyone to descend in search of the gold, Bennett
looks further and discovers that mines had been laid so as
to cut off the Phillipines from the United States. Bennett
rises, only to find that DeCordoba and his men had taken
possession of the ship. But a U.S. destroyer arrives in time
to save them and arrest DeCordoba and his men. The gov-
ernment agents are grateful to Miss Louise and Bennett for
their work. They congratulate them on their forthcoming
marriage.

Augustus Muir wrote the story, and Joseph Krumgold,
the screen play ; Charles Barton directed it, and Ralph
Cohn produced it. In the cast are Oscar O'Shea, John
Tyrrell, Victor Wong, and others. Suitability, Class A.

"The Great Mr. Nobody" with Eddie Albert,
Joan Leslie and Alan Hale

(Warner Bros., February 15 ; time, 71 min.)

Fair program entertainment. The story, although simple,
has human interest, some comedy, and a pleasant romance.
As entertainment, it is neither exciting nor novel ; yet the
characters are appealing and their actions praiseworthy.
The picture is well suited for the family trade because of
its wholesomeness, and should, for that reason, fare best in
neighborhood theatres ; moreover, the players are not
strong box-office attractions : —

Eddie Albert and Alan Hale scrimp and save in order to
get together enough money to buy a boat and sail the seven
seas. The day comes when they have enough money, that
is, if Albert could sell his car for $200. But, through an
accident, the car rolls down a hill and into the river ; thus
the purchase of the boat is delayed, and both Albert and
Hale have to go back to their respective jobs. This does not
displease Joan Leslie, who worked on the same newspaper
as Albert did, and who loved him. She urges Albert to
make a name for himself. Enthused when he realizes that
Miss Leslie loved him, Albert makes several suggestions
to John Litel, manager of his department, hoping to win a
bonus. But Litel takes the credit for himself. Miss Leslie is
furious, but Albert refuses to believe that Litel had cheated
him. When Albert undertakes to support a poor fatherless
family and to pay for the operation needed for the young
son, Hale is furious. Albert finally learns about Litel's
treachery and berates him ; he is discharged. He goes to
the waterfront to visit with his friends. Litel, who had been
threatened with exposure by Miss Leslie, follows him there
to tell him he would give him a good position ; but Albert's
friends throw him into the river. Albert, who could not
swim, jumps in after him, but is himself saved by Litel. At
a dinner given by the newspaper owner, Litel is commended
for his bravery. But he gives all credit to Albert. In addi-
tion, Albert receives the yearly valor award for having
cared for the poor family, also a higher position at an in-
creased salary. Just then he receives a notice that he had
been drafted into the Army. Miss Leslie promises to wait
for him.

Harold Titus wrote the story, and Ben Markson and
Kenneth Garnet, the screen play ; Ben Stoloff directed it,
and William Jacobs produced it. In the cast are William
Lundigan, Paul Hurst, Dickie Moore, and Charles Trow-
bridge.

Suitability, Class A.

"Golden Hoofs" with Jane Withers,
Charles "Buddy" Rogers and
Katharine Aldridge

(20th Century-Fox, February 14; time, 67 min.)

Just a moderately entertaining program picture. Jane
Withers needs better stories than this to keep her following.
It is difficult for her to make an impression or display her
talents in a picture based on so. routine a plot. The stery,
which deals with trotting horses and Jane's devotion to the
sport, is hardly interesting enough for the average picture-
goer; moreover, the production values are ordinary: —

Jane, young trainer of trotting horses at the Yankee
Stock Farm, is discouraged when she learns that the newr
owner (Charles Rogers) intended to get rid of all the
trotters to make room for race horses. At first, he refuses
to listen to her pleas ; but he soon begins to understand
what the sport meant not only to Jane but to his neighbors.
He sells "Yankee Doodle," an ailing trotter, to Jane and
her grandfather (George Irving) for $5; under their good
care, the horse gets well, good enough to enter a race.
Rogers makes a bargain with Jane : if she would agree to
train one of his trotters, and if it should win the race, he
would make room on his farm for the trotters and continue
the sport ; he even learns how to do the driving himself.
Jane imagines herself in love with Rogers, thinking that he,
too, loved her. She is so annoyed when Katharine Ald-
ridge, Roger's fiancee, shows up, that she refuses to con-
tinue the training. Instead, she induces her grandfather to
train '"Yankee Doodle" for the race, hoping that he would
win and thus obtain the $15,000 purse which he could use
for the building of a new hospital. Irving is forced out of
the race by an emergency call. Rogers wins the race and
purse. But he turns the money over to Irving, to be used for
the hospital fund. Jane then forgives him.

Roy Chanslor and Thomas Langan wrote the story, and
lien G. Kohn, the screen play ; Lynn Shores directed it, and
Walter Morosco and Ralph Dietrich produced it. In the
cast are Buddy Pepper, Cliff Clark, Phillip Hurlick, and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Trial of Mary Dugan" with
Robert Young and Laraine Day

(MGM, February 14; time, 89 min.)

Good entertainment, but not as powerful as the first ver-
sion produced by MGM in 1929, with Norma Shearer as
the star. Several changes have been made in the plot, some
to the good of the picture, but others that weaken it dra-
matically. Considering, however, that eleven years have
elapsed, and that even those who saw the first picture may
have forgotten it by this time, it should prove interesting to
the average picture-goer. The court-room scenes are effec-
tive, holding one in suspense. The tension is relieved by
some good comedy bits provided by Marjorie Main, as the
outspoken landlady at whose boarding house the murder
had been committed. The romance is pleasant : —

Laraine Day escapes from reform school and goes to
Los Angeles, there to meet her father, who had been re-
leased from prison. But her father is killed in an automo-
bile accident before she could talk to him. She obtains em-
ployment, under an assumed name, at a firm headed by Tom
Conway. She and Robert Young, a member of the firm's
legal staff, fall in love with each other. One day he tells
her of his chance to go to South America on an important
job and asks her to marry him; she happily agrees. But
when she learns that she would have to get a passport,
which meant presenting a birth certificate, she is frantic.
Rather than tell Young the truth about herself, she breaks
their engagement. Young goes to South America ; upon his
return six months later he is shocked to read that Miss Day
was on trial for the murder of Conway. He rushes down to
the court room. Realizing that Miss Day's attorney (John
Litel) was not handling the case competently, he makes his
presence known to Miss Day and demands that Litel resign
so that he himself might try the case. The victim's wife
(Frieda Inescort) testifies that Miss Day had lured Con-
way away from his home, and had killed him when she heard
he was finished with her. But Young cleverly proves that,
although Conway had been in love with Miss Day, he had
never spoken of his affection for her until he learned that
his wife had been unfaithful to him. Young proves further
that Miss Inescort and Litel were lovers, and that Litel had
killed Conway. Miss Day is freed ; she and Young are
married.

The plot was adapted from the play by Bayard Veiller.
Norman Z. McLeod directed it, and Edwin Knopf produced
it. In the cast are Marsha Hunt, Henry O'Neill, Sara
Haden, and others.

Not for children or adolescents. Class B.

February 22, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Dead Man's Shoes" with Leslie Banks
and Wilfrid Lawson

(Monogram, January 15; time, 68 min.)

This British-made drama should entertain intelligent au-
diences : the story is interesting, the direction competent,
and the performances good. Although the name of the
author "is not Trieiit'ioned, there is no -'oubt that the plot was
adapted from the stage play "Libel," by Edward Wooll,
which was produced in New York in 1935. Unlike the play,
which unfolded in a court room, in the picture the court
room sequences are only part of the action. One feels deep
sympathy for the hero, whose happiness is threatened by a
blackmailer. The most interesting part of the story is the
fact that one is held in suspense as to the hero's identity, of
which he himself was not certain : —

Roger DeVetheuil (Leslie Banks), a wealthy industrial-
ist, brings a slander suit against a newspaper that had car-
ried a story claiming that he was really Jean Pelletier, a
criminal; that he had been in the same regiment with De-
Vetheuil, to whom he had borne a striking resemblance,
and that when DeVetheuil was reported missing, he had
taken his place. DeVetheuil wins his case when Lucien Sar-
rou (Wilfrid Lawson) testifies that Pelletier had died in
his presence. DeVetheuil and his wife Viola (Joan Marion)
are overjoyed when the case is finished. But their troubles
just begin — Sarrou calls on them and tells them he had lied
at the trial, that he knew all along that he was Pelletier,
and that he wanted a large sum of money for his silence.
De Vetheuil orders him out of his home. But he begins to
worry over the fact that he might after all be Pelletier. He
visits Pelletier's mother and, although she refuses to say
anything, he knows that she, too, believed him to be her son.
Then he goes to see Michele Allain (Judy Kelly), Pelle-
tier's former sweetheart, who was now living with Sarrou.
She, too, insists that he was Pelletier. Sarrou, by using
DeVetheuil's son, forces DeVetheuil to turn over to him a
large sum of money. By this time DeVetheuil is convinced
that he was Pelletier, and is determined to give up his pos-
sessions and surrender himself to the police. Michele, in
order to protect DeVetheuil, shoots Sarrou and herself ;
Sarrou dies. Before she dies, Michele tells the police that it
had all been a blackmail plot.

Hans Kafka and Nina Jarvis wrote the screen play,
Thomas Bentley directed it. Geoffrey Atkins, Nancy Price,
Walter Hudd and others are in the cast.

Xot for children. Class B.

"Scattergood Baines" with Guy Kibbee,
Carol Hughes and John Archer

(RKO, February 21 ; time, 68 min.)

A moderately entertaining homespun comedy, of program
grade. It is best suited for the family trade and small towns,
since the action revolves around a small town and its char-
acters. The picture moves at a somewhat slow pace ; this is
due to the fact that the story is thin, concentrating more on
characterizations than on plot. The fact that the "Scatter-
good Baines" stories have been serialized and that there is
a radio program centering around that character may add
to the picture's value at the box-office : —

Scattergood Baines (Guy Kibbee), a wanderer, settles in
the small town of Coldriver. Starting with only forty dol-
lars, he soon adds to it $750, by outwitting three of the
tradespeople. Twenty years pass, and Scattergood is now
the leading citizen of thriving Coldriver ; he had married,
prospered in his business, built a railroad to convey timber
to the mills, and owned considerable property. Every one
respected his opinion and came to him for advice, which he
gave freely. When the new schoolteacher, Helen Parker
(Carol Hughes) arrives, Scattergood informs her that her
good looks would go against her with the school board ; he
takes her to his home and has his wife comb her hair in a
conservative style and change her dress. He even makes her
wear glasses. Scattergood tries to bring her together with
Johnny Bones (John Archer), an impoverished but fine
young lawyer; but Bones shows no interest in her at first.
They later become good friends. The local pulp paper mill
owners, eager to obtain the railroad from Scattergood, so
that they could charge high freight rates, send their repre-
sentative to buy it. Scattergood pretends that they had the
upper hand but, with the aid of Bones, outwits them. At
first his neighbors do not understand, and accuse him of
betraying them. But they eventually realize their mistake,
and apologize. Helen marries Bones.

The plot was adapted from a story by Clarence B. Kel-
land ; Michael L. Simmons and Edward T. Lowe wrote the
screen play, Christy Cabannc directed it, and Jcrrold T.
Brandt directed it. In the cast are Francis Trout, Emma
Dunn, Lee (Lasses) White, Willie Best, and Bradley Page.

Suitability, Class A.

"Strawberry Blonde" with James Cagney,
Qlrvia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth

and Alan Kale
(First National, February 22; time, 96 min.)

When this was first produced by Paramount in 1933, un--
der the title "One Sunday Afternoon," it was just fairly
good entertainment; this remake is somewhat better. But
the story, set against an old-fashioned background, is
slow-paced, and the character portrayed by James Cagney,
although enacted in his usual competent style, may prove a
little disappointing to his fans. The performances by the
leading players are all good ; outstanding are Alan Hale, as
Cagney's father, and George Tobias, as his friend. The
story has human interest, and several situations are quite
touching. It is told in flashback : —

Cagney, who was learning dentistry by a correspondence
course, ekes out a living at various jobs, since his father
(Hale), a jovial but unreliable person, could not earn a
living. Cagney, along with several other young men in
town, is in love with Rita Hayworth, the flirtatious town
belle. He is heartbroken when she suddenly marries Jack
Carson, an aggressive, cheap crook, who showed signs of
forging ahead. Cagney is consoled by Olivia de Havilland,
Miss Hayworth's girl friend; in a short time they are mar-
ried. About two years later, Miss Hayworth and Carson
return ; he is now an important business man, while Cagney
was driving a milk truck. Because of Miss Hayworth's in-
sistence, Carson gives Cagney a job in his contracting busi-
ness. His duties consisted of signing papers about which he
knew nothing. When a building collapses, killing Cagney's
own father, the district attorney starts an investigation, and
learns that defective materials, supplied by Carson's firm,
had been used in the construction. Since Cagney had signed
all the papers, he is held responsible, and sent to prison for
five years. Miss de Havilland goes to work as a nurse,
patiently waiting for his release ; the day finally arrives.
Cagney continues with his studies and finally receives his
diploma as a dentist. They settle in another neighborhood.
A few years later, on a Sunday afternoon, Carson, who was
suffering from a toothache and was unable to find any other
dentist, is taken to Cagney's office. Cagney, in a revengeful
spirit, thinks of killing Carson by an overdose of gas; but
when he sees how miserable both Miss Hayworth and Car-
son were, despite their wealth, he changes his mind. He
then realizes how lucky he was to have married Miss de
Havilland.

James Hagan wrote the play from which this was
adapted, and Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein, the screen
play ; Raoul Walsh directed it, and William Cagney pro-
duced it. Una O'Connor, George Reeves, and Lucile Fair-
banks are in the cast.

Suitability, Class A.

"Secret Evidence" with Marjorie Reynolds
and Charles Quigley

(Producers Releasing Corp.; time, 63 min,)

A fair program melodrama. The production values are
adequate, and the performances satisfactory. The story it-
self is somewhat far-fetched, but it keeps one somewhat in-
terested because of the sympathy one feels for the heroine.
The best part of the picture is the court-room scene at the
end, where the hero goads a witness into disclosing the
truth. There is a pleasant romance : —

Marjorie Reynolds, who had just become engaged to
Charles Quigley, an assistant District Attorney, is shocked
to receive a visit from Ward McTaggart, to whom she had
once been engaged ; she had broken the engagement when
she had learned of his criminal pursuits. McTaggart threat-
ens to involve her brother in a robbery unless she would see
him again ; she promises to visit him that evening. Her
brother follows her there, intent on killing McTaggart.
She struggles with him, to get the gun, and in doing so a
shot is fired. Just then some one else fires at McTaggart,
wounding him. Miss Reynolds hides her brother's gun. She
calls for help for McTaggart, but runs away before any one
could sec her. Her brother is arrested for the shooting and
Reynolds is assigned to prosecute the case. Although Mc-
Taggart knew who had shot him, he refuses to talk, his
purpose being to belittle Quigley in Miss Reynolds' eyes.
But Quigley knows what McTaggart was up to, and traps
him into confessing. Her brother's name is cleared; Miss
Reynolds and Quigley plan to marry.

Edward Bennett wrote the story, and Brcnda Kline, the
screen play; Willliam Nigh directed it. and E. B. Derr
produced it. In the crist are Howard Masters, Kenneth
Harlan, Donald Curtis, Bob White, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

February 22, 1941

In such a case they may discard the practice of in-
terchanging pictures, and adopt a policy of selling
to the exhibitor only those pictures that he wants
out of the group. In other words, the exhibitor
would have the option of buying either an entire
group or only a part of the group. Should this
happen, the exhibitor would certainly have an effec-
tive cancellation privilege.

NEIL AGNEW, general manager and vice presi-
dent of Paramount, announced upon his return to
New York from Chicago the end of January that,
in the beginning of the coming season, Paramount
will make available to the exhibitors three five-
picture groups. The first block will be ready for
trade-showing, he said, early in the summer. He
said that, because many exhibitors are worrying
lest there be a shortage of product next year, he
wanted to assure them that, so far as Paramount is
concerned, production will continue as before. In
addition, he stated that Paramount will deliver to
the contract holders all the 1940-41 feature pictures
scheduled.

A similar assurance from the other distributors
should go a long way towards allaying the exhibitor

fears about product shortage.

* * *

AT A RECENT MEETING of Allied Theatre
Owners of New Jersey, a resolution was passed
condemning all producer-distributors, with the ex-
ception of MGM, for having made available their
features and their shorts for non-theatrical exhibi-
tion, even in places where there is an established
theatre.

1 don't know whether the resolution that was
passed by the New Jersey organization condemning
the practice will induce the distributors to discon-
tinue it. Personally I doubt it, for I understand the
minds of some distributors pretty well by this time
— whenever they see a dime they will go after it,
no matter whether anybody else is hurt or not,
particularly if they see a chance to "get even" with
some exhibitor who may have refused to agree to
their rental terms. What I want to point out, how-
ever, is their short-sightedness: if they support
non-theatrical institutions against established thea-
tres, the established theatres in most instances will
have to go out of business, for the non-theatrical
institution, not bound either by ethics or by estab-
lished business principles, will have the advantage
over the established theatre. Its revenue may come
from other sources than the admission price ; and
for this reason they may resort to practices that no
regular theatre may be permitted to resort to.

This paper is in sympathy with the protesting ex-
hibitors of New Jersey, but it sees no effectiveness
in their protest unless every other organization in
the United States makes a similar protest ; the dis-
tributors may then heed the combined protests.

* * *

AN EXHIBITOR WHO BECOMES a mem-
ber of his local unit of Allied States Association of
Motion Picture Exhibitors will be more than re-
paid the cost of dues from only one item — the in-
formation that he will receive from the Allied
Information Department, called "AID" for short.

The last AID Bulletin contains a summary of
the information it received from Allied mem1>ers on
the 1940-41 contracts.

When the Consent Decree goes into effect next
summer, every exhibitor will need such information
as AID is able to furnish to Allied members; such

information will enable him to buy his pictures
more intelligently. AID tells you (1) what to do
and when to do it; (2) what rentals are paid by
other exhibitors situated similarly and of the other
terms imposed on them; and (3_) what you should
do to protect your interests.

Allied now has a special membership for exhibi-
tors who are situated in territories where no Allied
unit is functioning. This new policy makes it pos-
sible for every independent exhibitor to avail him-
self of the benefits Allied members receive.
* * *

THURMAN ARNOLD, Assistant Attorney
General, commonly known as "Trust Buster,"
wants the Sherman and the Clayton Acts so changed
by Congress as to make it difficult for the big corpo-
rations to find loopholes so as to escape punishment.

That there are weaknesses in these Acts we of
the motion picture industry know only too well. For
instance, though these laws are said to forbid one
corporation from acquiring control of another cor-
poration when it is competitive, a few years ago
Warner Bros, acquired control of First National,
eve n though First National was a competing corpo-
ration.

There are other wrongs that could be righted by
the modification of the two Acts.

Mr. Arnold wants Congress to enact also another
law — making it illegal for the owner of a patent to
grant licenses that restrict quantity production for
the purpose of keeping the selling price of the
article up, the price at which such an article may be
sold, the manner in which and the purpose for
which it may be used. He feels that the patent laws
should make it possible for the owner of a patent
to enjoy a monopoly of his brain work to the fullest
extent, so long as he produces and sells the article
himself, but when he grants licenses to others, the
licensees should not be permitted to restrict pro-
duction, price, or use.

If a law such as this were in the statute books,
the exhibitors could have saved millions of dollars,
which they were compelled to pay to the companies
that control patents on sound, or to the moving pic-
ture producers in the form of score charges.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"HER FIRST BEAU," with Jane Withers,
Jackie Cooper, Edith Fellows, Josephine Hutchin-
son. Good program.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"BLOSSOMS IN THE DUST," with Greer
Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Marsha Hunt, William
Henry, Fay Holden ; to be produced in technicolor.
No facts are available about the story, but judging
from the cast it should make a fairly good enter-
tainment.

"LOVE CRAZY," with William Powell, Myrna
Loy, Fay Bainter, and Gail Patrick. A sure-fire cast
that insures very good box-office possibilities.
Paramount

"SKYLARK," with Claudette Colbert, Ray Mil-
land, Brian Aherne, Binnie Barnes, Walter Abel,
Mona Barrie, Ernest Cossart. This is to be adapted
from the successful stage play, which was a draw-
ing room comedy. It will probably be given a lavish
production and should do very well at the box-
office, considering the popularity of the players.
RKO

"ROBBERS OF THE RANGE," with Tim
Holt and Virginia Vale. Western.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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1270 SIXTH AVENUE
Room 1812
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A Motion Picture Reviewing Service
Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors

Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial
Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

Published Weekly by
Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

Publisher
P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Established July 1, 1919

Circle 7-4622

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1941 No. 9

HERE AND THERE

I AM BEGINNING TO BELIEVE that those
of the Minnesota exhibitors who are in favor of
the passage of the measure that has been intro-
duced in the Minnesota legislature to make it un-
lawful for the distributors of motion pictures to
refuse to sell their product in bulk, sight unseen,
either do not understand the question involved, or
have been carried away by the oratory of some
other members, or are determined to get even with
the Consent Decree, or lack the ability to do proper
reasoning. How else can one interpret their deci-
sion? How can any one insist that buying a "pig
in a poke" is better than seeing and examining the
articles before purchase?

Criticizing my attitude towards Allied Theatre
Owners of the Northwest, Fred Strom, executive
secretary of the organization, tells me that, though
he, like Voltaire, will fight for my right to disagree
with him, yet he wholly disapproves of what I say
on the subject, pointing out to me that, despite the
legal opinion that I obtained about the bill that the
Minnesota organization has sponsored, the legal
opinion he has obtained proves to him that the
measure is constitutional.

But, leaving the constitutionality of the bill to
one side, can any reasonable person say that buy-
ing from a distributor in the beginning of the sea-
son fifty pictures, often without a single title in the
contract, and without the name of an author in any
of the proposed pictures, is better than buying five
pictures at a time, after a compulsory tradeshow-
ing?

Of course the Consent Decree is lopsided; so
was the motion picture Code under NRA. But dur-
ing the NRA days many circuit exhibitors were
compelled to disgorge to their competitors, small
independent exhibitors, many pictures they had
bought for no other purpose than to keep them
away from those competitors, and the distributors
were made to give the independent exhibitors bet-
ter treatment — a condition that did not prevail be-
fore the Code nor after its outlawing. Likewise
similar will be the case, I believe, with the Consent
Decree when it goes into effect : although it does
not give the exhibitors what they, as said, hoped to
get, it gives them something — a chance : to see what
they will be about to buy ; to buy features without
shorts ; to have some kind of pictures, no matter of
what run ; to have unreasonable clearance and
other disputes arbitrated. That is something !

The Northwest exhibitors may, of course, retort
that the Neely Bill, too, has been framed for the
purpose of enabling the exhibitor to buy all the

pictures of a distributor, but there is a difference
between the two : in the Neely Bill, the producer
will be compelled, before sale, to furnish the ex-
hibitor a synopsis for each picture he offers for
sale. In this manner, the exhibitor will know what
type of pictures he will obtain.

In one part of his letter to me, Mr. Strom says :

"I should like to ask you, Pete, if the Consent
Decree and the block-of-five sale is such a fine
thing, why is it that not only in Minneapolis, but
all over the country, the circuits have ducked for
cover by making long-term franchises? ..."

The very fact that, just before the Consent De-
cree went into effect, the circuits rushed to control
the product for several years is the best proof that
these circuits consider the Consent Decree detri-
mental to their interests and, correspondingly,
beneficial to the interests of the independent ex-
hibitors. It is manifest that, if they had waited un-
til the Consent Decree went into effect, they would
not have so easy a time — independent exhibitor
alertness would prove too much for them.

The moving picture public has declared itself
against compulsory block-booking. For this reason
the action of the Minnesota exhibitors is contrary
to the interests of the public. And the picture-going
public's wishes certainly should be taken into con-
sideration.

* * *

MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND theatres
have already pledged themselves to give a benefit
performance in behalf of the Amusement Division
of the Greek War Relief Association, of which Mr.
Adolph Zukor is, as said, president.

Mr. Zukor has appointed Mr. Gradwell Sears,
president of Warner Bros, organization, as chair-
man of the distributor committee, and John H.
Harris, the Pittsburgh exhibitor and prominent
leader in the Variety Clubs, as head of the ex-
hibitor committee.

Each of these two chairmen has appointed a
committee of twelve in different parts of the coun-
try so as to get the best results.

It is expected that, before the time for the bene-
fit performances (March 25 to 30) approaches
several thousand theatres will be ad tied to the list.

The spirit of the sacrifice the Greek soldiers
have shown in Albania has not left the American
exhibitors and distributors unmoved ; they feel that
the least they can do is to bolster up their spirit by
assuring them that their wounded will be cared for
with the best that medical science can offer, and
that their widows and orphans will be fed while the
conflict continues.

(Continued on last Page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 1, 1941

"The Hard-Boiled Canary" with
Allan Jones, Susanna Foster
and Margaret Lindsay

(Paramount, March 7; time, 79 mitt.)

Fairly good entertainment. Although the story is not
novel, it has human appeal, plentiful music, romance, and
comedy. Most of the action takes place at the National
Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, where youngsters
are given free boarding and musical training during the
summer months. Some of the youngsters, who play impor-
tant parts, show remarkable talent; not only are they good
musicians, but competent performers as well : —

Allan Jones, son of the founder of the music camp, and
his friend (Lynne Overman), press agent for an opera
company, discover an excellent singer (Susanna Foster) in
a burlesque show. When the place is raided, Miss Foster
manages to escape ; she hides in Jones' limousine. When he
and Overman find her there, dressed in her burlesque cos-
tume, they do not know what to do with her. She tells
them she was on parole from reform school, and if caught,
would be sent back. Since they were about to leave for the
camp, they decide to take her with them. Once at camp,
Miss Foster rebels, referring to everything as "kid" stuff.
Margaret Lindsay, newly appointed efficiency expert, feels
that the girl was hopeless, but Jones pleads with her to be
patient. At first Miss Foster has no friends, but gradually
one group warms up to her and helps her. A young student,
who had taken a dislike to her, learns that she was out on
parole, and spreads the news ; but, instead of the children
turning against Miss Foster, they turn against the gossiper.
For this Miss Foster is moved to tears, and realizes how
wonderful the life at camp was. The camp plans its big
annual show which was to be combined with that of an
opera company. At the try-out performance given before
the opera officials, Miss Foster sings the leading part and
makes a fine impression. But the story of Miss Foster's
past, given to the newspapers by her well-meaning sister
(Grace Bradley), who had been her burlesque partner,
puts the camp in a bad light. Miss Foster runs away so as
not to cause any further trouble. But Jones and Miss Lind-
say find her and take her to the theatre, where she sings
and receives an ovation. Jones and Miss Lindsay, who had
fallen in love with each other, are overjoyed at the outcome.

Andrew R. Stone and Robert Lively wrote the story, and
Frederick Jackson, the screen play; Andrew Stone directed
and produced it. In the cast are William Collier, Sr., Haimo
Hatto, Kaye Connor, and others. (Class A.)

"The Lady Eve" with Barbara Stanwyck
and Henry Fonda

(Paramount, March 21 ; time, 93 min.)
A very good romantic comedy, the type that should enter-
tain sophisticated audiences as well as the masses. The
story is not unusual ; yet it has so many comical angles, and
the direction and acting are so good, that one's attention is
held throughout. Moreover the lavish backgrounds and the
glamorous clothes worn by Miss Stanwyck should prove
to be an added attraction for women : —

Henry Fonda, son of a millionaire brewer (Eugene Pal-
lette), returning from a year in the jungle, meets Barbara
Stanwyck, one of the passengers on the boat. Little realiz-
ing that she and her father (Charles Coburn) were card-
sharks who intended victimizing him, he falls madly in love
with her. Happy when Fonda proposes marriage to her, she
plans to tell him about herself and her father, but, before
she could do so, Fonda finds out about them and breaks
with her. She is furious at his intolerance and plans to get
even with him some day. Learning that Eric Blore, one of
their card-shark companions, had set up residence in the
wealthy section where Fonda and his parents lived, she in-
duces him to introduce her as his titled niece ; Pallette and
his wife give a ball in her honor, at which she is introduced
to Fonda. Fonda is amazed at the resemblance to his first
love and is soon madly in love again. Miss Stanwyck mar-
ries him. On their marriage night she tells him fantastic
stories about her affairs with other men, which he believes ;
disgusted, he leaves her. He then arranges to leave for the
jungle again. Miss Stanwyck and her father board the same
boat. Fonda, believing her to be the girl he had first loved, is
overjoyed to see her and tells her that, even though she and
her father were card-sharks, he loved her. She gradually
reveals the truth to him.

Preston Sturges wrote the screen play and directed it ;
Monckton Hoffe wrote the story. Paul Jones was the pro-
ducer. In the cast are William Demarest, Janet Beecher.

Not for children. Adult fare. Class B.

"Tobacco Road" with Charley Grapewin
and Marjorie Rambeau

(20th Century-Fox, March 7; time, 84 min.)
If it were not for the advance publicity that this picture
has been given and the fact that the play has had so long a
run in New York, it probably would not attract attention,
for neither the story, as it has been treated, nor the charac-
ters are of the type to appeal to the masses. It has been
cleansed of most of the filth that was part of the play ; but
that does not help matters much, for the story is completely
lacking in human appeal. Perhaps the producers thought
that, like "Grapes of Wrath,'" this story had social signifi-
cance. Such may have been the case with the novel, but
certainly not so with the present picture. It is difficult for
one to take seriously the plight of such odd, unappealing
characters : —

Jeeter Lester (Charley Grapewin), his wife Ada (Eliza-
beth Patterson), and two of their children, Dude (William
Tracy) and Ellie May (Gene Tierney), live in a broken-
down shack in the Georgia backwoods known as "Tobacco
Road." Being without funds, they are unable to do any
planting and live by what they could borrow or steal.
Jeeter, whose family had always lived from the land, could
not get himself to live in the city to work in a factory. His
children, except for the last two, had deserted him. But the
worst blow comes when he is informed by the official of a
bank that had taken over the land that he would have to
move unless he could pay $100 yearly rent. When elderly
preaching Sister Bessie (Marjorie Rambeau) lures young
Dude into marrying her by buying him an automobile,
Jeeter, thinking she had plenty of money, asks her for $100.
But she had spent all her money on the automobile. Jeeter-
tries to steal the automobile so as to sell it, but he is caught.
The poorhouse is the next step. When Lov (Ward Bond),
who was married to Jeeter's young daughter, weepingly
informs him that his wife had left him, Jeeter induces him
to take Ellie May in her place. Just when Jeeter and Ada
were ready to go to the poorhouse, they receive a visit from
the son (Dana Andrews) of the former land owner, who
tells them he had paid six months' rent for them ; he gives
Jeeter ten dollars to do some planting, but Jeeter just talks
about it ; Ada knew he would do nothing.

The plot was adapted from the novel by Erskine Cald-
well and the play by Jack Kirkland ; John Ford directed it,
and Darryl F. Zanuck produced it. In the cast are Slim
Summerville, Grant Mitchell, Zeffie Tilbury, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"The Monster and the Girl" with
Ellen Drew, Robert Paige
and Paul Lukas

(Paramount, February 28; time, 64 min.)

For a horror picture, this is pretty good entertainment,
in spite of the fact that the story is extremely far-fetched.
The expert direction makes one overlook the silliness of
the plot and keeps one interested in the proceedings. It is,
however, strictly for the adult trade, not only because of
the horror angle and of the murders, but because of the part
which deals with a vice ring. Some of the characters who
are members of the vice ring are the most objectionable
types seen on the screen. One feels pity for the heroine, who
innocently becomes involved with this ring : —

Ellen Drew, who lived in a small town with her
brother (Phil Terry), leaves for the city. While making
the rounds of the employment agencies, she meets
Robert Paige, and after a short friendship they marry.
She awakens the morning after the marriage only to
find that Paige was a member of a vice ring, that she
had gone through a mock marriage with him, and that she
was in the grip of the ring, from which she could not es-
cape. Terry finally learns of his sister's shame and arrives
in the city intent on finding and killing Paige. Paul Lukas,
head of the gang, frames Terry on a murder charge. Terry
is tried and sentenced to die. Before going to the electric
chair, he gives his permission to a scientist to remove his
brain after death, to be used for scientific purposes. Miss
Drew is frantic ; she meets Rod Cameron, a young news-
paper reporter, who takes an interest in the case but they
are helpless — Terry dies. The scientist transplants his brain
to a gorilla. Gradually Terry's desire before his death to
avenge his sister's downfall manifests itself in the gorilla.
He escapes from his cage and kills the six members of the
gang. The gorilla is finally killed.

Stuart Anthony wrote the original screen play, Stuart
Heisler directed it, and Jack Moss produced it. In the cast
are Onslow Stevens, Gerald Mohr, Joseph Calleia.

Not for children or adolescents. Strictly adult fare.
Class 8.

March 1, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Blonde Inspiration" with John Shelton
and Virginia Grey

(MGM, February 7 ; time, 71 min.)
' Jus.t a program comedy. In spite of the fact that the action
is fast-moving, it is difficult for one to remain interested in
the proceedings, for the story is silly and tiresome. An-
other weak point, as far as its box-office value is concerned,
is the fact that the players are not strong attractions. There
are a few amusing scenes in which laughter is provoked due
mainly to the antics of Donald Meek, as an intoxicated au-
thor. The romance is routine : —

Tired of being ordered around by his wealthy, domineer-
ing aunt (Alma Kruger), John Shelton leaves her home
and his position in her firm, in order to write a novel. His
uncle (Reginald Owen), who sympathized with him, gives
him two thousand dollars ($2,000; that Miss Kruger had
entrusted to him. Shelton becomes involved with Albert
Dekker and Charles Butterworth, penniless and crooked
publishers of a cheap magazine featuring western stories ;
they promise to print his stories on condition that he in-
vest two thousand dollars with them. They needed the
money to pay the printer so that they could publish three
more issues, after which they would be able to sell the
magazine to a large printing outfit. Virginia Grey, who
worked in the office, helps Shelton with the work; she
hasn't the courage to tell him that Dekker had no intention
of using Shelton's name as the author, but that he would
use the stories under the name of a well-known author
(Donald Meek) who had been writing for them but had
been too drunk to continue with the work. Shelton is
shocked when he sees the magazine without his name.
Learning that his aunt had demanded the money from
Owen, Shelton realizes he would have to continue working
so as to get his share of the sale of the magazine and thus
repay Owen. Miss Grey outwits Dekker by changing the
copy in the next issue so that Shelton's name would appear.
Shelton goes wild when he finds out they had stolen the
script of his novel for release in their cheap magazine. But
he finally comes to the conclusion that he was no great
writer, and so accepts a lucrative offer with a large publish-
ing firm to write routine stories. He and Miss Grey fall in
love with each other.

John C. Holm wrote the story, and Marion Parsonnet,
the screen play ; Busby Berkeley directed it, and B. P. Fine-
man produced it. In the cast are Rita Quigley, Marion Mar-
tin, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Devil Commands" with Boris Karloff

{Columbia, February 3 ; /i»tf, 65 min.)

This is certainly a poor example of horror melodrama.
Seldom has a picture of that classification proved to be so
boresome as is "The Devil Commands." The fact that the
story is ridiculous is not the picture's main fault, for often
one overlooks that fact when the action is thrilling. But in
this case, the action is slow-moving, there is too much dia-
logue, and the proceedings are tedious : —

Boris Karloff, a respected scientist, spends most of his
time working on a machine that registered people's brain
waves, and recorded them on a chart. Karloff is overcome
with grief when his wife is killed in an automobile accident.
He refuses to go home with his daughter (Amanda Duff) ;
he preferred to stay at his laboratory working on his inven-
tion, by means of which he hoped to communicate with his
dead wife. He decides to work with Anne Revere, a spirit-
ualist, in an effort to contact his wife. They use Ralph Pen-
ney, the office janitor, in one of the experiments. The elec-
trical shock is too much for him, and he becomes demented.
They rent a house in a remote section in New England, and
take Penney with them. There they continue their work;
the Sheriff accuses them of robbing graves for their experi-
ments, but since he could find no evidence against them he
could not prosecute them. Trouble begins when their house-
keeper is accidentally electrocuted in the laboratory ; they
lead the Sheriff to believe that she had fallen over a cliff
to her death. But the folks refuse to believe their story, and
set out in a group to break up the laboratory. Miss Duff
arrives, hoping to get her father to leave with her. But he
prefers to remain and insists that she help him with the
experiment since Miss Revere had died during one of the
tests. Suddenly the apparatus explodes, and Karloff is
killed. Miss Duff is saved by Fiske.

William Sloanc wrote the story, and Robert D. Andrews
and Milton Gunzberg, the screen play; Edward Dmytryk
directed it, and Wallace MacDonald produced it. In the
cast are Dorothy Adams, Walter Baldwin, Kenneth Mac-
Donald, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Adam Had Four Sons" with Warner
Baxter and Ingrid Bergman

{Columbia, February 18; time, 80 win.)

This, is a fairly strong drama that should appeal, to
women. Both the direction and acting are very good. Al-
though the sex angle involving two brothers ana the wife
of one is unpleasant, it is not the main theme ; it is the sac-
rifice made by the heroine in order to spare the hero unhap-
piness that is the outstanding feature. The story has con-
siderable human interest ; and the characters, with the ex-
ception of the unfaithful wife, are sympathetic : —

Warner Baxter and his wife (Fay Wray) are extremely
happy with their four sons ; moreover, his stock brokerage
business was flourishing. They welcome to their home the
new governess (Ingrid Bergman), who had recently ar-
rived from Europe ; the children grow to love her. Baxter
is heartbroken when his wife dies; then the crash of 1907
wipes him out. A well-to-do relative (Helen Westley)
sends the three older boys to school, and Baxter gives up
his home to live in a cheap apartment with his youngest son.
He sends Miss Bergman back to Europe, promising to call
for her when things picked up. When the war breaks out,
all four boys enter the service. By this time Baxter had re-
built his fortune and had brought Miss Bergman back to
his home. The family is surprised when one of the sons
(Johnny Downs) arrives home on leave with a wife (Susan
Hay ward). Miss Bergman instinctively dislikes Miss Hay-
ward, but does not let Baxter or the others know it. Downs
and two of his brothers receive orders to leave for France ;
the oldest son (Richard Denning) is not sent abroad. On
one of his visits home, Miss Hayward lures him into an
affair with her. In order to spare Baxter unhappiness, Miss
Bergman, who loved Baxter, permits him to believe that
she was the woman involved. After the armistice, the family
is reunited. Miss Hayward betrays herself to Downs, who,
in desperation, tries to kill himself. Baxter finally learns
the facts. He compels Miss Hayward to leave. It is then
that he realizes he loved Miss Bergman; they marry.

The plot was adapted from the novel "Legacy" by Charles
Bonner; William Hurlbut and Michael Blankfort wrote
the screen play, Gregory Ratoff directed it, and Robert
Sherwood produced it. In the cast are Robert Shaw,
Charles Lind, June Lockhart, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Andy Hardy's Private Secretary" with
Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney
and Ian Hunter

{MGM, February 21 ; time, 100 min.)

This is a very good addition to the "Hardy" series. Not
only is Mickey Rooney in top form, but the story is amusing
and has plentiful human appeal. Moreover the picture
serves to introduce Kathryn Grayson, a young newcomer
with an excellent singing voice. But, as is usually the case
with the pictures in this series, it is Mickey who dominates
the scene, providing most of the entertainment. His ac-
tions, as the harassed high-school student who gets into
trouble, are familiar to the followers of this series ; yet they
are still amusing. Despite the length of the film, one's in-
terest is held well to the end : —

Mickey, president of the high-school senior class, works
very hard with other students, preparing for their gradua-
tion exercises. He is overjoyed when his father (Lewis
Stone) tells him that he was going to replace Mickey's old
car with a new one. Stone takes an interest in Ian Hunter,
whose two children (Miss Grayson and Todd Karns) were
in the graduating class. First he suggests that Mickey make
Kathryn his private secretary; this idea pleases Mickey.
Then Stone telephones to a friend in Washington, who ob-
tains a government appointment for Hunter on a South
American mission ; but it meant that Hunter and his chil-
dren would have to leave before graduation. Mickey, with-
out realizing the harm he might do, changes the date in the
acceptance telegram so that they could remain until after
graduation. Because of the change, Hunter loses the job.
Mickey tearfully confesses to his father and to Kathryn
what he had done. Then to add to Mickey's woes, he learns
that he had failed his English examination, which meant
he could not graduate. He is humiliated and tries to run
away. But the students induce the principal to give Mickey,
who had always been a good student, another test, which
he passes. He graduates with the others, and is overjoyed
when his car finally arrives. Stone obtains another position
for Hunter.

Katharine Brush wrote the story, and Jane Murfin and
Harry Ruskin, the screen play ; George B. Scitz directed
it. In the cast are Fay Holden. Ann Rutherford, Sara
Hadcn, Gene Reynolds, and others. (Class A.)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 1, 1941

A UNITED PRESS DISPATCH, sent Febru-
ary 19 from London, stated that Jonkheer Dirk
Jan de Geer, former Premier of the Netherlands
government in exile, was kidnapped in Portugal
and taken to Germany by plane.

The New York Evening Post commented upon
this incident by pointing to the fact that this fan-
tastic kidnapping is similar to that in "Foreign
Correspondent," the Walter Wanger picture, in
which the Dutch Premier is shown kidnapped in
Holland by the Nazis, taken to a windmill, and
there tortured so as to compel him to give away
valuable information about a secret defense pact
the Netherlands Government had entered into
with a foreign power.

Monroe Greenthal, publicity and advertising di-
rector of United Artists, when he read this story
in the newspapers, was quick to take advantage of
the extraordinary opportunity offered to call the
attention of the trade papers to it so that they might
advise those exhibitors who have not yet played
"Foreign Correspondent" to play it now and to use
the incident to attract more patrons.

* * *

IF FOR NOTHING ELSE BUT for the re-
ducing of the number of law suits brought against
them by exhibitors charging violation of the anti-
trust laws, the producer-distributors ought to do
everything there is in their power to make the Con-
sent Decree work fairly and impartially. And this
paper is glad to report that, from what has been
printed in the trade papers, and from private in-
formation that I have obtained, some of which has
been printed in these pages, it seems as if they in-
tend to apply the provisions of the Decree with
fairness and impartiality. As a matter of fact, they
are determined to hold their salesmen and held
executives themselves responsible for the violation
of any of its provisions.

* * *

THE FIRST COMPLAINT TO BE filed un-
der the arbitration provision of the Consent Decree
was in Washington, D. C, on February 7; it was
brought by Thomas Goldberg, president of Wal-
brook Amusement Co., of Baltimore, against
Twentieth Century-Fox and Warner Bros., to
settle a controversy on clearance.

Writing on the subject in the February 19 issue
of The Exhibitor, of Philadelphia and of other
zones. Mr. Jay Emanuel, the publisher, said that,
when the history of the motion picture arbitration
tribunals is written, the name of Thomas Goldberg
will stand high as the first exhibitor to bring an
action for the settlement of a question that has
vexed exhibitors from the day clearance has been
adopted in the industry.

That arbitration to settle inter-industry disputes
was needed, no one can dispute ; and there was no
other way of getting it nationally without fear of
court intervention, with possible penalties, except
through the Consent Decree.

It is the opinion of this paper that, once arbitra-
tion has established precedents to guide future ac-
tion of those engaged in the three branches of the
industry, the number of controversies will dimin-
ish. Clearance may be the only question that will
keep on causing disputes, by reason of the fact that
conditions will keep on changing constantly, and

the rights of distributors to grant clearance, and
of the different classes of exhibitors to enjoy it,
will vary frequently. But as long as there will be a
means of settling them quickly and effectively, the
entire industry will profit.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"CNDER AGE," with Nan Grey, Alan Baxter,
Alary Anderson, Tom Neal. Both Miss Grey and
Baxter are good performers ; this should make a
good program picture.

"NORTH FROM THE LONE STAR," with
Bill Elliott and Dorothy Fay. Western.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE," with
Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner,
Donald Crisp and Ian Hunter. There is no doubt
that, with such a cast, the picture will be given a
careful production and, from a technical stand-
point, will be very good. Whether or not the public
wants to see Mr. Tracy in a story so unpleasant as
"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" remains to be seen.

RKO

"BEFORE THE FACT," with Cary Grant,
Joan Fontaine, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Dame May
Whitty, Nigel Bruce. This is a very good cast; the
possibilities are that it will turn out a very good
picture with similar box-office results.

Republic

"MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY," with Peter
Lorre, Florence Rice, Dennis O'Keefe, Stanley
Ridges. A racketeer melodrama in which a young
attorney and a girl reporter track down the criminal.
The cast is pretty good and so are the box-office
possibilities.

"IN OLD CHEYENNE," with Roy Rogers,
George "Gabby" Hayes. Western.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST,"
with Alice Faye, John Payne, Cesar Romero, Jack
Oakie, Mary Beth Hughes. A very good cast ; the
story will probably be a musical with comedy and
romance. Very good box-office possibilities.

Universal

"UNFINISHED BUSINESS," with Irene
Dunne, Robert Montgomery, Preston Foster, Eu-
gene Pallette. No facts are available about the
story. But the cast is good, and with the usual care
given the Irene Dunne pictures it should turn out
very good.

"DOUBLE DATE," with Edmund Lowe, Una
Merkel, Peggy Moran. The cast does not warrant
more than program rating.

Warner-First National

"THREE SONS O' GUNS," with Wayne
Morris, Tom Brown, William Orr, Lucille Fair-
banks. Possibly a pretty good program picture.

"SERGEANT YORK," with Gary Cooper,
Joan Leslie, Walter Brennan, Dickie Moore, Ward
Bond. Probably an outdoor melodrama, its box-
office possibilities depending on the popularity of
Gary Cooper in each locality.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

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1270 SIXTH AVENUE
Room 1812
New York, N. Y.

A Motion Picture Reviewing Service
Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors

Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial
Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

Published Weekly by
Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

Publisher
P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Established July 1, 1919

Circle 7-4622

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1941 No. 10

HERE AND THERE

IN A RECENT POLL OF HIS, Dr Gallup
found that the picture-going public selected, with
the exception of one picture, "Rebecca," different
pictures from the motion picture critics to make
up its Ten Best.

This gives Harrison's Reports an idea: Why
not let each theatre carry its own poll annually
with the view of getting the public's opinion as to
the pictures it liked best during a twelve month
period ? A particular week could be set aside when
every theatre could take the poll simultaneously.
Imagine the publicity the picture industry could
get out of an annual event of this kind, and the
number of people that could be drawn into the
theatres.

The publicity men of the film companies should

get together to discuss this idea with a view to

determining which way it could be worked out to

the best advantage.

* * *

WHO SAID THAT UNDER the Consent De-
cree there will be no improvement in the quality
of the pictures? At present Hollywood is astir
trying to fit its production schedule to the Consent
Decree. Every one of the five consenting compa-
nies is gearing up its production in such a way
as to make ready as great a number of pictures
as possible, and as early as possible.

Out of this activity, an improvement in the
quality is bound to be effected, for every work-
ing for these studios knows that the pictures will
have to be tradeshown before sale.

Who can deny that the manufacturer, when he
is compelled to display his wares and to permit
the buyer to examine them minutely, will be care-
ful as to their quality ?

One other effect of the Consent Decree on pro-
duction will be this : whereas up to this time per-
sons of ability were side-tracked because of poli-
tics, this will no longer be the case. The demand
for persons of this type will be so great that every
one of them will be given the chance that they did
not have under the old system, under which a pic-
ture was sold before it was made, as one of a
block.

Even the non-consenting companies will be af-
fected by the Consent Decree : When MGM, Para-
mount, RKO, Twentieth Century-Fox and Warner
Bros, show a decided improvement in the quality
of their pictures, Universal, United Artists and
Columbia will have to better their product ; other-
wise the exhibitors will not be so eager to buy it.

This paper believes that, as a result of the
"Tradeshowing Before Selling" system, the num-
ber of money-making pictures will increase ; to such
an extent, in fact, that neither the producers nor
the exhibitors will want to go back to the old sys-

tem, and even the non-consenting companies will
join the others voluntarily.

* * *

ACCORDING TO A RECENT STATE-
MENT, Herbert Yates, Sr. said that, this year,
Republic Pictures will spend on picture produc-
tion $5,000,000 more than it spent in any other
year in the history of the company.

When Herb Yates first formed Republic, he said
to the writer, with emphasis, that he would put
the company over. It might take a little time, he
said, but he had no doubt as to the outcome. And
from the improvement that Republic pictures is
showing every year, there is no doubt that Herb
Yates has made good.

The industry would be far better off if there
were more Yateses, for the greater number of suc-
cessful film companies the better off the exhibitor
can be.

* * *

THE RESPONSE OF THE PICTURE thea-
tres to the appeal sent out by the Amusement Di-
vision of the Greek War Relief Association, of
which Division Mr. Adolph Zukor is the president,
for benefit performances during the six days be-
ginning with the 25th and ending with the 30th of
March, has been unprecedented. Never in the his-
tory of this industry has there been so spontaneous
a response ; every exhibitor seems to be ready to
do whatever he can to help the drive for this worthy
cause.

There seems to be no need for any one to urge
the exhibitors to join in this drive; every one is
responding without any coaxing.

Those exhibitors who have not yet been ap-
proached may write either to Mr. John Harris
(William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh), who has charge
of the picture theatre end of the Amusement Di-
vision, or to Mr. Adolph Zukor, Paramount Bldg,
Suite 406, New York, N. Y.

EARLY IN JANUARY A GROUP of theatre
owners of this state met in New York City and
formed a new Allied unit ; thev adopted the name,
"New York State Unit of National Allied." They
could not have adopted the simpler "Allied Thea-
tre Owners of New York," because that is tbe
title of the Max Cohen organization, adopted when
it was part of National Allied.

When he disagreed with the national Allied
policy, and later his organization was expelled from
the Allied ranks, Max Cohen should have applied
to the state authorities for a change of the name
of his organization, so as to eliminate the word
"Allied." He should have done so particularly
after he joined MPTOA, the producer-controlled
organization.

(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 8, 1941

"Nice Girl?" with Deanna Durbin,
Franchot Tone, Walter Brennan
and Robert Stack

(Universal, February 21 ; running lime, 95 min.)
Deanna Durbin continues to delight one with her charm,
her fine singing voice, and her acting ability. But "Nice
Girl ?" is not so strong, from a story standpoint, as some of
her other pictures. It is nevertheless entertaining, for it has
human interest and plentiful comedy, in addition to the
music. Moreover Miss Durbin is surrounded by competent
players who give her excellent support. Miss Durbin's ro-
mantic involvements are handled in a light vein and prove
to be amusing : —

Robert Benchley, a scientist, who lived in a small Con-
necticut town with his three daughters (Miss Durbin, Ann
Gillis and Anne Gwynne), is excited when he receives word
that a representative of a New York scientific foundation
was on his way to interview him. The girls, expecting the
representative to be an old man with a beard, are taken by
surprise when he turns out to be a young and charming
man (Franchot Tone). Annoyed because her boy friend
(Robert Stack) took her for granted, Jane contrives,
through a trick, to drive Tone back to the city when he is
ready to leave. They arrive in the city late at night during
a heavy rainstorm. Tone suggests that Miss Durbin spend
the night at his home. She is a little uneasy, but, wanting to
appear sophisticated, accepts the invitation, half expecting
1 one to make love to her. When Miss Durbin overhears
him talking over the telephone to his mother, who was out-
of-town, telling her how amused he was by the whole affair,
she is ashamed and angered, and leaves the house. She ar-
rives at her town in the early morning. Something goes
wrong with the horn of the car, and everyone in town is
awakened. Shocked at seeing Miss Durbin at such an hour,
the gossipers get to work. Before long, the rumor spreads
that she was going to mary Tone; Miss Durbin, to spite
Stack, confirms the rumor. She is surprised when Tone ar-
rives; he had come to tell Benchley that he had been
awarded a fellowship. When Tone hears of the predicament
Miss Durbin was in, he purposely acts like a cad, thus leav-
ing the way clear for her to renounce their "engagement."
Stack forgives Miss Durbin ; they are reconciled.

Phyllis Duganne wrote the story, and Richard Connell
and Gladys Lehman, the screen play ; William A. Seiter di-
rected it, and Joe Pasternak produced it. In the cast are
Helen Broderick, Elisabeth Risdon, Nana Bryant, and
cithers.

Class A.

"Here Comes Happiness" with Edward
Norris and Mildred Coles

(Warner Bros., March IS; time, 57 min.)
Minor program fare. The story is so ordinary that one
knows almost from the very beginning just how it will pro-
gress and end ; for that reason it naturally fails to hold one
in suspense. Its box-office possibilities are slight, not only
because of the hackneyed plot, but also because the players
lack drawing power. Nor will this picture do much to build
up a following for the young players, who are hampered
by poor story material : —

On the day of her marriage to Richard Ainley, a fortune
seeker, Mildred Coles rebels and runs away; her father
(Russell Hicks) is delighted, for he disliked Ainley. She
moves to a cheap apartment, her intention being to look for
work. The first night she moves in she becomes acquainted
with her next-door neighbors and there meets Edward
Norris, who worked at the hazardous job of cleaning the
outside of buildings. After a few meetings, Miss Coles and
Xorris fall in love and become engaged. With money sup-
plied by her father, she tries to buy an interest in a business
for Norris. But he finds out about it, misunderstands, and
insults Miss Coles. She goes back home and tells her mother
she was now prepared to marry Ainley. But Hicks contrives
to get Norris to the house on the day of the wedding.
Through a trick he leads Ainley to believe that he had lost
his fortune ; Ainley promptly runs away. Hicks then brings
Norris out, explains everything to him, and insists that he
and Miss Coles marry. The young sweethearts are delighted.

Harry Sauber wrote the story, and Charles Tedford, the
screen play ; Noel M. Smith directed it, and William Jacobs
produced it. In the cast are Marjorie Gateson, John Ridgley.
and others.

Suitability, Class A. . . .

"The Great Train Robbery" with Bob Steele,
Claire Carleton and Milburn Stone

(Republic, February 28; time, 61 mitt.)

This program outdoor action melodrama should go over
well with the followers of such pictures, for it is both novel
and exciting. Although it lacks players of note, the story is
the important thing ; it is entertaining and holds one in
tense suspense throughout. The plot developments provide
several thrills ; and there are fights and chases of the usual
order. This picture has no connection with the picture of the
same name produced in 1903: —

Bob Steele, a railroad detective, arrives at the station to
board the train carrying a rich shipment of gold which he
was to guard. As the train pulls out, Claire Carleton, an en-
tertainer in a cafe owned by Steele's brother (Milburn
.Vone) jumps on. Hal Taliaferro, chief of the railroad de-
tectives, feels that something was wrong and wires orders
to different stations to stop the train. But the train passes
all signals and finally disappears completely. How that
could happen is a complete mystery to everyone for the train
had travelled along a single track road which supposedly
had no sidings. Actually what had happened was that Stone
and his gang had boarded the train, knocked out Steele,
forced the passengers to leave, and had then thrown the
engineer oft. Steele had escaped. They had then run the
train to a rusty old side track which ran through a tunnel ;
once they had the train through the tunnel, they had dyna-
mited the entrance, thereby closing it. An old prospector,
who had seen what the gang had done, gives the information
to Steele, who had been walking to the nearest station.
Steele manages to get to the train to rescue Miss Carleton,
who had gone there to warn him of his brother's plan. By
that time the railroad officials and detectives arrive ; they
are able to overpower the gang. Stone is killed trying to
escape.

Olive Cooper, Garnett Weston, and Robert T. Shannon
wrote the screen play ; Joseph Kane directed and produced
it. In the cast are Helen MacKellar, Si Jenks, Monte Blue,
and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Meet Boston Blackie" with Chester Morris,
and Rochelle Hudson

(Columbia, February 20 ; time, 60 min.)
A fairly good program melodrama. The story is ex-
tremely far-fetched; yet the action is fast and at times ex-
citing and the background is colorful. And, since both the
hero and the heroine are in constant danger, the spectator
is held in suspense throughout. The romantic interest seems
to be forced, and is of little importance to the development
of the plot : —

Chester Morris, former safe-cracker, and his pal
(Charles Wagenheim), returning to America, notice one of
the passengers (Constance Worth) being molested by a
sinister-looking man. Morris goes to her help : she thanks
him but refuses to tell him anything. When the liner docks,
Morris receives a visit from Richard Lane, detective in-
spector, who believed that Morris had been in some way
involved before he left for Europe in the theft of valuable
jewels. Morris goes to his stateroom for his bags and there
finds a dead man, the very one who had annoyed Miss
Worth. Morris, knowing that Miss Worth had committed
the murder, realizes that he would have to find her to prove
his own innocence. His search takes him to a carnival show ;
there he finds her and demands an explanation. They enter
a car to take a ride in a side show so that they could talk in
private ; but before she could tell him much, she is murdered
by two men. Morris runs away. From what Miss Worth
had told him, he knows that the "Mechanical Man" at one
of the side shows was in some way involved in the case.
Fearing that the murderers were after him, Morris forces
Rochelle Hudson, who was sitting in her car nearby, to
drive him away. They are pursued by the murderers but
manage to elude them. By this time, Lane is after Morris
for the two murders. But Morris finally proves his inno-
cence and solves the case by revealing that the "Mechanical
Man" and his henchmen were the murderers, also secret
agents who were attempting to smuggle out of the country
a bomb sight belonging to the U. S. Government. The case
finished, Morris takes leave of Miss Hudson to continue
with his adventures.

Jay Dratler wrote the screen play, Robert Florey di-
rected it, and Ralph Cohn produced it. In the cast are Jack
O'Malley, George Magrill, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

March 8, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Murder Among Friends" with Marjorie
Weaver and John Hubbard

(20th Century-Fox, February 28 ; time, 66 min.)

A fair program murder mystery melodrama with comedy.
The plot is pretty far-fetched; nevertheless it should enter-
tain the followers of stories of this type and should hold
them in suspense since the murderer's identity is not divul-
ged until the end. Moreover, the action, involving several
murders, moves at a fast pace. The tension is relieved by
comedy now and then which is provoked by the actions of
the scatter-brained heroine. The romance is incidental : —

John Hubbard, a young doctor, receives a visit from
Marjorie Weaver ; her fast and at times confused tale about
a tontine insurance policy makes him think she was de-
mented. But as she progresses in her explanation he begins
to understand that what she was telling him was that his
father, who had been one of the insured, had been murdered
along with several other men who were insured under the
same policy. According to the terms of this policy, under
which eleven men had taken out group insurance, at the
end of a certain period the surviving members would divide
the insurance money. She shows him a list of the men who
were insured, and they decide to investigate each one. But
as they go along more murders occur. In the meantime,
Hubbbard finds it difficult to explain his absence to his
fiancee (Cobina Wright, Jr) who was threatening to break
their engagement. Eventually only one man (Lucien Little-
field) of all those insured remains, and Hubbard and Miss
Weaver believe him to be the murderer. Through a trick,
they trap the real murderer who turns out to be Littlefield's
wife (Mona Barrie). She had killed the other men so that
her husband might inherit the entire $200,000, after which
she had intended killing him. The police arrest her. Hub-
bard, who had by this time fallen in love with Miss Weaver,
is happy that Miss Wright had broken their engagement.

John Larkin wrote the original screen play ; Ray Mc-
Carey directed it, and Ralph Dietrich and Walter Morosco
produced it. In the cast are Douglas Dumbrille, Sidney
Blackmer, Truman Bradley, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"A Girl, a Guy and a Gob" with Lucille Ball,
George Murphy and Edmond O'Brien

(RKO, March 14; running time, 90 min.)

A very good comedy with romance and fast action. Al-
though the players are not strong box-office attractions,
their performances are so good that there is no doubt that
audiences will forget about the lack of star names and just
enjoy themselves. The picture is filled with gags, some of
the slapstick variety, but most of them comical enough to
provoke hearty laughter. It should be given strong selling
methods to get the audiences into the theatre, for once they
are in there is no doubt that they will be entertained : —

Lucille Ball and her noisy family, consisting of mother
(Kathleen Howard), father (George Cleveland), and
brother (Lloyd Corrigan), attend a concert, using the box
tickets Corrigan had found. Edmond O'Brien, who had lost
the tickets, arrives with his fiancee (Marguerite Chapman)
and her mother (Nella Walker) and, since he was known,
is permitted to go to the box ; he demands that the others
leave his box. Miss Ball, not knowing that her brother had
found the tickets, refuses to leave. O'Brien and his party
are compelled to take seats in the orchestra. Miss Ball
accidentally drops her purse, which hits O'Brien on the
head. She and her family leave in a hurry when they learn
that Corrigan had found the tickets. Miss Ball is surprised
the next day to find that her new job was secretary to
O'Brien. When he sees her his first impulse is to throw her
out, but her explanations satisfy him and he asks her to
stay. He becomes acquainted with her fiance, a sailor
(George Murphy), who was planning to leave the Navy so
as to settle down and marry Miss Ball ; and he meets her
family. He has a boisterous and hilarious time, gets into
fights, and sees life as he had never seen it before ; and to
his surprise he enjoys himself thoroughly. Miss Chapman,
disgusted at what was happening, breaks the engagement.
This would have made O'Brien happy, for he had fallen in
love with Miss Ball ; but he liked Murphy and did not want
to interfere. Everything is finally adjusted — Murphy goes
back into the Navy, which he did not want to leave in the
first place, and Miss Ball and O'Brien marry.

Frank Ryan and Bert Granet wrote the screen play,
Richard Wallace directed it. and Harold Lloyd produced it.
In the cast arc Henry Travers, Franklin Pangborn. Mady
Correll, and others.

Suitability. Class A

"Footsteps in the Dark" with Errol Flynn,
Brenda Marshall and Ralph Bellamy

(Warner Bros., March 8 ; time, 95 min.)

A fairly good murder-mystery melodrama with comedy.
Although it is pretty obvious who the murderer is, the pic-
ture holds one's attention, since the mystery is not actually
solved until the end and it is not until then that the mur-
derer's identity is divulged. There is a good sprinkling of
comedy to relieve the tension, and fair romantic interest. It
may please the Errol Flynn fans, who, by this time, may
have become tired of seeing him in costume pictures : —

Flynn, supposedly a respectable investment broker, writes
a mystery book under an assumed name, in which he pokes
fun at his society friends. His wife (Brenda Marshall) and
her mother (Lucile Watson) amuse him by their remarks
against the author. As a matter of fact, Miss Watson is so
annoyed that she plans to bring a slander action on behalf
on one of her clubs against the publisher and the author.
Flynn, who, during the writing of the book, had become
friends with Alan Hale, the police inspector, has an idea
that he would make a good detective. Feeling certain that
the death of Noel Madison, a diamond dealer, had not been
due to natural causes but that he had been murdered, Flynn
decides to investigate the case himself, since Hale refused
to listen to his theories. His investigation leads him to Lee
Patrick, a burlesque performer ; in order to get information
from her, he pretends to be an ardent admirer. In the mean-
time, Miss Marshall, suspecting that something was wrong,
has Flynnn trailed by a detective. She is shocked when she
hears of his meetings with Miss Patrick. She gets into
trouble herself when she decides to visit Miss Patrick, for,
upon her arrival there, she finds her dead. Flynn then ex-
plains everything to his wife ; at the same time he realizes
that he would have to solve the case to clear her of any
suspicion of murder. He finally corners the murderer
(Ralph Bellamy), who had worked with Miss Patrick in
stealing jewels from Madison. He had killed her when she
had tried to run out on him with the jewels.

Lester Cole and John Wexley wrote the screen play,
from the play by Lazlo Fodor, Bernard Merivale and Jef-
frey Dell. Lloyd Bacon directed it, and Robert Lord was
associate producer. In the cast are Allen Jenkins, William
Frawley, Roscoe Karns, Grant Mitchell, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Blondie Goes Latin" with Penny Singleton
and Arthur Lake

(Cohunbia, February 27; time, 68 min.)
This is good program entertainment, the best so far pro-
duced in this series. The story is amusing and the produc-
tion is fairly lavish ; moreover, it gives Penny Singleton
and Arthur Lake an opportunity to display their talents
along musical lines, and both show up to good advantage.
As entertainment, it should prove amusing not only to the
followers of the "Blondie" series, but also to those who are
not familiar with the characters, for the picture can stand
on its own : —

J. C. Dithers (Jonathan Hale) invites Dagwood Bum-
stead (Arthur Lake), who worked for him, along with his
wife Blondie (Penny Singleton) and their child (Larry
Simms) on a South American cruise with him. The Bum-
steads are delighted. Just before sailing time, Dithers re-
ceives a telegram informing him that a certain man was
ready to close an important real estate deal with him ;
Dithers is compelled to ask Dagwood to give up his vaca-
tion to take care of the deal. Dagwood and Blondie part in
tears. Through an accident, Dagwood is prevented from
leaving the boat; the ship's orchestra mistake him for their
new drummer and make him rehearse with them. He fin-
ally tells the whole story to Lovey (Ruth Terry), singer
with the band ; she in turn tells him that unless he agreed
to play with the band, they would all lose their jobs for the
regular drummer had not shown up. Dagwood, fearing the
wrath of Mr. Dithers, finds it necessary to hide. But his
presence aboard the ship is discovered by Blondie, who mis-
understands and tells him she never would talk to him again.
Dagwood, dressed in female attire, appears with the band,
but weeps throughout because of Blondie's attitude. But
things are adjusted when Lovey tells Blondie the truth ; and
Mr. Dithers is delighted that Dagwood had not left, for he
had found a customer on board the ship who had offered
him more money for the property.

Quinn Martin wrote the story, and Richard Flournoy
and Karen DeWolt. the screen play ; Frank R. Strayer di-
rected it. and Robert Sparks produced it. In the cast are
Tito Guizar, Irving Bacon, and Eddie Acuft.

Suitability. Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 8, 1941

Of course Mr. Cohen has the right to continue
to use the word "Allied" in his organization's
name, legally, but not, in the opinion of Harrison's
Reports, morally; it may be confusing to an ex-
hibitor who may want no part of MPTOA, but
wants to join the ranks of the national Allied or-
ganization.

* * *

WHEN THE CHARGES FOR ARBITRAT-
ING disputes were made known, it seemed at first
glance as if none but the most opulent exhibitors
would be in a position to resort to arbitration, but
the Arbitration Association has arranged the emol-
uments of the arbitrators to make a resort to ar-
bitration easy by every exhibitor who may find
himself in dispute with an exchange, or with an-
other exhibitor.

Although the rules provide for a fifty-dollar fee
for each arbitrator, this fee will be paid only in big
cases, involving unusual complaints — cases where
such a fee is justifiable; in cases involving smaller
exhibitors, the maximum fee will be fifteen dollars,
and in most cases the charge will be much smaller.

When the arbitration machinery was in its em-
bryonic stages, those who opposed the Consent De-
cree tried to frighten the exhibitors with claims
about the exorbitant costs of arbitration. On several
occasions, Harrison's Reports urged the exhibi-
tors to have no fears, to have faith in the writer's
belief-that the arbitration costs, when finally fixed,
would be within the reach of all. That belief has
been justified fully.

* * *

WHO IN THIS INDUSTRY has ever heard
of a case in which a picture theatre under construc-
tion had any rights to a run unless it was part of a
large circuit ? Vet such a case is an actuality : The
Ellet Amusement Company, of Akron, Ohio, has
just filed a case before the Cleveland arbitration
board demanding that its Ellet Theatre, when com-
pleted, be given the same run as two other theatres,
the Norka and the Rialto.

This case has been made possible only because
of the Consent Decree, which has made arbitration
of such cases possible.

Can any one say that this is not a gain for the
exhibitor?

* * *

IN A RECENT ISSUE OF THIS PAPER,
I stated that, when arbitration has functioned for
some time and precedents have been established,
there will be much fewer complaints to arbitrate
than there have been all these years.

Already it has been announced that the first case
to be brought to arbitration, that of the Walbrook
Theatre, in Baltimore, may be settled "out of
court."

The industry will hear of more out-of-court

settlements. If it does, it will be a healthy sign.

* * *

ACCORDING TO THE TRADE PAPERS,
the talks between representatives of the Depart-
ment of Justice and of the Schine circuit for a
Consent Decree are off, by reason of the inability
of the two groups to come to an understanding
about the Schine's plans for theatre expansion.
Evidently the Schine circuit wants a free hand, to
build new theatres or buy out other exhibitors, and
the Department of Justice wants to curb these ac-
tivities to a certain extent.

The Department of Justice will have many a
headache in the future also from the theatre-

owning producers, whose avidity for more theatres
is as sharp as ever. It had an opportunity to curb
them by means of the Consent Decree, but it failed
to take it ; the present theatre-limitation provision
is full of so many holes that the Department might
just as well have left it out.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"SENATE PAGE BOYS," with Herbert Mar-
shall, Virginia Bruce, Gene Reynolds, J. M. Kerri-
gan. No facts are available about the story ; but the
cast is good and the picture should be likewise.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"THE UNIFORM," with Clark Gable, Rosa-
lind Russell, Jessie Ralph, Eduardo Cianelli. The
two leading players are extremely popular ; this
will probably turn out very good with similar box-
office possiblities.

Monogram

"TUMBLEDOWN RANCH IN ARIZONA,"
with Ray Corrigan, John King, Max Terhune.
Western.

Paramount

"PIONEER WOMAN," with Barbara Stan-
wyck, Joel McCrea, Brian Donlevy. The title seems
to suggest an outdoor drama. At any rate Miss
Stanwyck's performance in "Lady Eve" should
make audiences eager to see her again. The two
supporting players are good, and so the possibili-
ties are that this will make a good picture, with
similar box-office results.

"NURSES DON'T TELL," with Anne Shir-
ley, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning. Probably
a drama ; but the players are not strong enough to
warrant more than pretty good program rating.
Republic

"TWO-GUN SHERIFF," with Don "Red"
Barrv. Western.

RKO

"TOM, DICK AND HARRY," with Ginger
Rogers, George Murphy, Alan Marshal, Burgess
Meredith. Very good cast with very good box-
office possibilities.

Universal

"HIT THE ROAD," with Gladys George, Bar-
ton MacLane, Bobs Watson, Bernard Punsley.
Program melodrama with some comedy, since the
"East Side Kids" are in it.

"THE BLACK CAT," with Basil Rathbone,
Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, Gale Sonder-
gaard. This was produced by Universal in 1934 ; it
was a typical horror picture. Judging by the cast,
Universal no doubt intends to make it a combina-
tion melodrama-comedy.

Warner-First National

"HIGHWAY WEST," with Brenda Marshall,
Olympe Bradna, Arthur Kennedy, William Lundi-
gan. With the players mentioned, this should make
a pretty good program entertainment.

"THE NURSE'S SECRET," with Lee Pat-
rick, Regis Toomey, Julie Bishop, Ann Edmonds.
Program entertainment.

"THE GENTLE PEOPLE," with Ida Lupino,
Thomas Mitchell, John Garfield, Eddie Albert,
John Qualen, George Tobias. This is being adapted
from the stage play — a melodrama revolving
around two harmless and kindly fishermen who
are victimized by a gangster and are finally com-
pelled to kill him. The cast is very good, but the
picture's possibilities will depend on how the story
is treated.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 8, 187ft

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1941 No. 11

HERE AND THERE

MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND THEATRES
have informed Mr. Adolph Zukor, chairman of the Amuse-
ment Division of Greek War Relief Association, that they
will give benefit performances for the relief of the suffering
civilians in Greece. Of these theatres, five hundred will give
midnight performances, about fifty of them in the Metro-
politan area of New York City.

In his statement, Mr. Zukor speaks with enthusiasm
about the progress made for the Greek Festival of Freedom,
which will be held at the Radio City Music Hall, midnight
of March 28, under the direction of Messrs. Wm. Van
Schmus, resident manager of the Music Hall, and Joe
Vogel, of Loew's, Inc. Many stars of stage and screen will
take part in that festival.

Serving with Countess Mercati on an advisory committee
for the event are Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, Princess
Xenia of Greece, Princess Paul Chavchavadze, Cimon
Diamantopoulos (Greek Minister to the United States),
Nicholas G. Lely (Greek Consul-General in New York),
Mrs. Huntington Astor, Mrs. Leonidas J. Calvocoresi,
Francis W. Crowninshield, Andrew Empiricos, Conde Nast,
Andre Vagliano, George Skouras, and Spyros Skouras
(president of Greek War Relief Association).

Assisting Mr. Zukor are John H. Harris, of Pittsburgh,
as chairman of the Exhibitors' Committee, and Gradwell L.
Sears, as chairman of the Distributors' Committee.

Mr. Harris is assisted by Messrs. J. R. Vogel, M. J.
Mullin, Harry M. Kalmine, Jules J. Rubens, Elmer C.
Rhoden, and John J. Friedl. Assisting Mr. Sears are
Messrs. M. A. Lightman, William K. Jenkins, R. J. O'Don-
nell, E. V. Richards, Frank H. Ricketson, and Arch M.
Bowles.

In Chicago, Messrs. Rubens and John Balaban are giving
a gala midnight show. In Minneapolis, John Friedl has
arranged for a special show to feature the Minneapolis
Symphony Orchestra, undoubtedly under Dimitri Mitrop-
oulos, the famous conductor of that orchestra. The Fox
Theatre, in Detroit, will give a midnight show. In Buffalo,
Vincent McFaul will hold a gala show in Shea's Great
Lakes Theatre. In Boston, M. J. Mullin has arranged for a
midnight show at the Metropolitan .and for fifty-five special
midnight shows throughout New England. In Oklahoma,
the Griffith Amusement Company will give fifty special
shows. In the Pittsburgh area, Harry Kalmine has arranged
for forty-eight shows.

Each night of the theatre Drive, which begins March 25
and ends March 30, will wind up with lobby collections.
Approximately 5,000,000 emblematic buttons have been dis-
tributed to the theatres.

Gradwell Sears is working among the exchanges with
enthusiasm to make his department equally successful. The
general sales managers of all major companies have as-
sured him full cooperation. Each general sales manager has
instructed his branch offices to carry out Mr. Sear's pro-
gram in every detail.

MGM has made for the Drive a 200-foot trailer starring
Melvyn Douglas. In calm but forceful appeal, Mr. Douglas
outlines the role of the Greek soldiers in the present con-
flict, and tells of the suffering of the civilians. This trailer
is furnished to every exhibitor to boost the Drive.

If you have not yet been approached and wish to take part
in this Drive, write to Mr. Adolph Zukor, Paramount
Bldg., New York City, and ask for instructions.

* * *

THE PREVIEW RACKET IN HOLLYWOOD is
getting into a mess again, according to The Box Office
Digest. The object of a preview is to test the public's reac-
tion to a new picture, fresh from the cutting room. For this
reason no advance advertising for the picture should be

done; it should just be put on the screen on the last day of
a program, after nine o'clock in the evening.

In the old days, previews were so held. But some smart
showmen, particularly of the affiliated kind, began to bally-
hoo them in front of the theatre ; later they took ads in the
newspapers, and scores of autograph hunters were attracted
to the theatre. Thus the very object for which previews
were held was defeated.

As a result of complaints, the studios recently decided to
discontinue announcing the previews. But now they are re-
sorting to another evil procedure — inviting the critics to
such previews and wining them and dining them before the
picture is shown.

Says The Box Office Digest partly : " . . . One preview
last week found a group of critics rousted from their seats,
chosen as the result of experience in reviewing, to make
room for a couple of Governors and a score or more of the
director's guests. . . . Another found a house manager forced
to explain to his audience that the preview would be delayed
because the last bus had not arrived from the studio. . . .
And this after the main title of the picture had appeared on
the screen, then suddenly been choked by the projectionist.
. . . What is the analysis of such happenings? . . . Why
can't the companies get down to the straightforward
WORKING PRESS preview system of Harry Brand at
Twentieth, which satisfies all. ... Or is it because some of
the top executives are afraid of the picture's reviews unless
they are dressed up in free lunch? . . . They'd better think
it over. . . . Because some of the reviews on which they
place the most importance are written by the boys who have
to meet deadlines. . . . And even ham and cheese on rye
won't compensate for a missed deadline."

Perhaps the cure for this evil lies in the new sales system,
forced on the five major companies by the Consent Decree.

* * *

WHAT VOCIFEROUS OPPOSITION to double
features and to "give-aways" has not been able to do all
these years, the Clearance provision of the Consent Decree
may do. Those who show single features have Clearance
preference against those who show, either double features,
with or without give-aways, or single features, with give-
aways.

Another cause that may contribute to the eventual elimi-
nation of the double-feature is the compulsory trade-show-
ing. When the exhibitor sees what he buys, he would natu-
rally want to buy the best pictures offered, and to side-track
the program pictures that are mediocre. If he should decide
upon a definite policy of showing only the best pictures, as
against the present policy of showing everything produced,
"sight unseen," he will be unable to fill all his dates with
choice pictures, with the result that he will himself abandon
the showing of double-features. Improved exploitation
methods and better Readers for the newspapers should en-
able him to convert his policy more easily, to his eventual
profit.

* * *

THE OWNER OF A DRIVE-IN theatre in New
Orleans has brought an action before the local arbitration
board against Paramount under Section IV of the Consent
Decree for refusing to sell him film of some run.

In some territories Drive-In theatres have caused great
losses to regular theatres and this case will, no doubt, serve
to establish whether Drive-In theatres are regular theatres
and for this reason covered by the aforementioned provision
in the Consent Decree.

The verdict in this case ni3y depend largely on whether
Paramount has been serving Drive-In theatres in other
territories or not : if it has been the established policy of this
company not to serve film to this type of theatres then the
(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 15, 1941

"It Happened to the Man"
with Wilfrid Lawson

(RKO, Foreign Dept.; time, 81 min.)

This drama, produced in England, is limited in its appeal
as far as American audiences are concerned. There are sev-
eral reasons for this : for one thing, the players, with the
exception of Wilfrid Lawson, are unknown ; secondly, the
story is quite heavy and somewhat depressing. Moreover,
the characters are not particularly appealing. It is best
suited for small theatres that cater to adults who go in for
something different in picture entertainment : —

Wilfrid Lawson, a well-known but unscrupulous finan-
cier, finds himself in a predicament, owing to the treachery
of his partner (Reginald Tate). Lawson insists that Athole
Stewart, the titled chairman of his board of directors, assure
the investors that everything was all right; otherwise they
would all be disgraced, for Lawson had forged Belgian
bonds to leave as security with the bank for a loan, and if
anything went wrong the bank would investigate. To add
to his troubles, Lawson's mistress (Marta Labarr) runs
away with Tate. Lawson arrives home in the midst of a
party given by his daughter (Patricia Roe) and his son
(Brian Worth). His wife (Nora Swinburne) informs him
that his daughter and Stewart's son were in love. Suddenly
word reaches them that Stewart had killed himself. The
whole scandal becomes known, Lawson is arrested, and
sentenced to five years imprisonment. His family settle in
a small suburb under an assumed name. Upon his release,
Lawson finds that his family did not want to have anything
to do with him. He tracks down Miss Labarr and Tate ; in
a quarrel, he kills Tate. Miss Labarr, who still loved him,
leaves with him ; they travel as husband and wife. They
meet Edmond Breon and interest him in a legitimate
scheme. He arranges for them to meet his neighbors for
local financial support. It turns out to be the very village
where his wife and children had settled. Heeding the pleas
of Miss Swinburne, he then reveals his identity to the
would-be investors without revealing his relationship to
Miss Swinburne ; they turn against him. But he convinces
his son of his honest intentions and promises to make good
some day for his sake.

Roland Pertwee and John H. Turner wrote the story,
and Paul Herzbach and Nina Jarvis, the screen play ; Paul
L. Stein directed it and Victor Hanbury produced it. In the
cast are Ivan Brandt, Thorley Walters, and others.

Not for children or adolescents. Class B.

"That Night in Rio" with Don Ameche,
Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda

(20th Century-Fox, April 11 ; time, 91 mm.)

Very good entertainment. Produced on an extremely
lavish scale and photographed in technicolor, it has the in-
gredients for strong mass appeal — romance, comedy, and
music. The story, revolving around a case of mistaken iden-
tity, is not unusual ; yet it has many amusing twists, and
holds one's interest. For women, there is the added attrac-
tion of stunning clothes worn by Alice Faye. Exhibitors
who did well with "Down Argentine Way" should cer-
tainly duplicate that success with this picture : —

Don Ameche, an American, becomes a favorite in Rio,
where he entertains at a fashionable cafe. But he has trouble
with his jealous sweetheart (Carmen Miranda), an enter-
tainer at the same cafe. Ameche's favorite number was
impersonating a wealthy and influential baron (also played
by Ameche), to whom he bore a striking resemblance; the
skit revolved around the baron's affairs with women, which
were known to all. The skit amuses the baron, who, with
his wife (Alice Faye) and friends, had gone to the cafe.
While there, the baron receives word that his aeroplane
company was going to lose an important contract, which
meant ruination, particularly since the baron had taken
money from his bank to buy more stock in the company. He
leaves town in an effort to put through a loan. Knowing
that his absence at the stock exchange would create suspi-
cion, his partners engage Ameche to impersonate him.
Ameche innocently buys up the balance of the stock in the
company. He then attends a reception given at the baron's
home, and tries to make love to Miss Faye ; but she knows
who he is. When the baron returns unexpectedly, his part-
ners try to get Ameche out ; but he is cornered by J. Carroll
Naish, a powerful financier, who speaks to him in French.
Not understanding the language, he agrees to everything,
thereby selling the aeroplane company to Naish. The baron,
jealous because of Ameche's attentions to his wife, tries to
play a joke on her that night by pretending that he was the
actor ; but she, knowing who he was, leads him on. This
makes him furious. Ameche's selling the company saves the
baron. After explanations, the baron and his wife are re-
conciled.

The plot was adapted from a play by Rudolph Lothar and
Hans Adler ; George Seaton, Bess Meredyth and Hal Long
wrote the screenplay, Irving Cummings directed it and
Fred Kohlmar produced it. In the cast are S. Z. Sakall,
Curt Bois, Leonid Kinsky, and Frank Puglia.

Class A.

"A Dangerous Game" with Richard Arlen
and Andy Devine

(Universal, August 22; time, 61 min.)

There's not much to recommend in this farce. An attempt
is made to strike a serious note, involving a murder mys-
tery. But it is difficult for one to take it seriously, since
most of the incidents are handled in a slapstick fashion.
One or two situations provoke laughter ; aside from that,
the action is tiresome, since noise and silliness have been
substituted for real comedy : —

Andrew Toombes, who had presumably inherited a for-
tune, hides out in a sanitarium, for he suspected every one
of trying to get his money away from him. Two sets of
crooks arrive at the sanitarium for the purpose of stealing
the fortune, which they believed Toombes carried with him.
But they are prevented from doing this by the arrival of
Richard Arlen, a detective. Unknown to every one, Andy
Devine, who worked at the hospital, was really Aden's
assistant. Arlen notices a strange patient, who complained
that every one was trying to poison him. Jeanne Kelly, a
nurse, suspected something peculiar was going on with
regard to this patient. Before long, the two doctors who
headed the sanitarium, die in an odd manner. Finally
Arlen solves the case by proving that Toombes was the
murderer. He and the doctors had worked on a scheme to
keep the mysterious patient, who was the real heir, under
the influence of drugs. Toombes was to collect the fortune
and then share it with the doctors. The patient is brought
back to normalcy by Miss Kelly ; he verifies everything.

Larry Rhine and Ben Chapman wrote the story, and they
and Maxwell Shane, the screen play ; John Rawlins di-
rected it. In the cast are Edward Brophy, Marc Lawrence,
Robert O. Davis, Richard Carle, Tom Dugan, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"The Penalty" with Edward Arnold, Lionel
Barrymore and Gene Reynolds

(MGM, March 14; time, 80 min.)

The stage play, "Roosty," from which this picture was
adapted, did not arouse much enthusiasm among the play-
goers— it lasted just eight performances. Nor is there much
to recommend in the picture ; aside from good performances,
it has few other good points. The story is unpleasant and
the production values are of the routine order. Even the
ending, which shows the regeneration of the young hero,
somehow leaves one cold. The romance is incidental : —

Edward Arnold, bank robber and killer, cleverly exe-
cutes another bank robbery. But, unknown to him, the
G-Men are on his trail. Arnold goes to his hideout where
his girl friend (Veda Ann Borg) and his young son (Gene
Reynolds) were waiting for him. Reynolds worshipped his
father. Arnold teaches him the tricks of his trade and how
to defend himself. The G-Men finally trail them to the
hideout. Miss Borg is killed and Arnold wounded. Reyn-
olds helps him to an automobile and drives him to a secluded
spot ; Arnold orders him to leave him there and to drive
away by himself, so as to fool the G-Men. The G-Men
catch up to Reynolds and take him under their charge.
Instead of sending the boy to a reform school, the judge
puts him under the care of a young farmer (Robert Ster-
ling), who needed the money the state paid for the boy's
care so as to continue his farm work. Reynolds is insolent
at first and tries to run away. But he is stopped from doing
so by Marsha Hunt, Sterling's fiancee. He becomes good
friends with her grandfather (Lionel Barrymore). Reyn-
olds manages to get a letter through to his father ; but the
G-Men trace it. They follow an advertisement inserted in a
newspaper by Arnold, informing Reynolds when he would
call for him ; on that day, they surround the farm. Arnold
arrives and orders Reynolds to leave with him. When
Barrymore tries to stop him, Arnold shoots him. Reynolds
is horrified ; pointing a gun at his father, he orders him to
leave, refusing to go with him. Arnold steps outside and
walks into the trap set by the G-Men, who finally kill him.
Reynolds is comforted by Sterling and his mother (Emma
Dunn), who had grown very fond of the boy.

The play was written by Martin Berkeley ; Harry Ruskin
and John C. Higgins wrote the screen play, Harold S.
Bucquet directed it, and Jack Chertok produced it. In the
cast are Richard Lane, Gloria DeHaven, Grant Mitchell,
and others.

Not for children. Class B.

March 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Rage in Heaven" with Robert Montgomery,
Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders

(MGM, March 7 ; time, 84 min.)

Class audiences may find this somber drama interesting.
But it is hardly the kind of entertainment that the masses
are looking for today. For one thing, the theme, revolving
around a psychopathic character, is depressing ; for another,
the action is slow-moving. No fault can be found with the
production, or with the acting and direction, which are all
of the highest order. It is simply the story that is unpleas-
ant; it is difficult for one to derive pleasure from a picture
in which an appealing and sympathetic character is tor-
tured by a mentally deranged person : —

Robert Montgomery, heir to the large steel works owned
by his family, is unable to face responsibilities. Unknown
to his mother (Lucile Watson), he had been confined in an
institution for the insane in Paris, from which he had es-
caped. On his way back to London, he meets George
Sanders, an old school friend he had always admired be-
cause of his courage and ability to do things; he insists
that Sanders join him at his home. Miss Watson is over-
joyed to see Montgomery. She speaks frankly to him — first,
that he would have to take charge of the business ; secondly,
that she hoped he would fall in love with the young refugee
girl (Ingrid Bergman), whom she had engaged as her
companion. Montgomery does fall in love with her; to
his surprise, she, admitting her love for him, accepts his
proposal. They are married. Montgomery tries to take over
the leadership of his business but, in an effort to show his
superiority, he incurs the enmity of the executives and
workers. And all the time he tortures himself, believing
that his wife and Sanders loved each other. He drives
his wife frantic by his constant reference to such a possi-
bility. He engages Sanders for an important position in his
firm, but becomes more jealous of him when Sanders dis-
plays unusual ability. He even tries to kill him. Frightened
by his actions, Miss Bergman runs to Sanders for help. He
arranges an appointment with Montgomery. Desperate,
Montgomery kills himself, leaving everything arranged so
as to make it appear as if Sanders had killed him. Sanders
is tried and convicted. At the last moment, Miss Bergman
finds Montgomery's diary. On the strength of the recorded
facts, Sanders is freed. He and Miss Bergman marry.

The plot was adapted from the novel by James Hilton.
Christopher Isherwood and Robert Thoeren wrote the
screen play, W. S. Van Dyke II directed it, and Gottfried
Reinhardt produced it. In the cast are Oscar Homolka and
Philip Merivale. (Not for children. Class B.)

"Melody for Three" with Jean Hersholt,
Fay Wray and Walter Woolf King

(RKO, March 28; time, 66 min.)

A pretty entertaining program picture, the best so far
produced in the "Dr. Christian" series. It has human ap-
peal, some comedy, and good classical music. A youngster
(Schuyler Standish) displays fine talent as a violinist, and
is also a pleasant performer. Although the action is not
exciting, it holds one's attention since one takes an interest
in the leading characters : —

Finding it difficult to make a living as a music teacher for
herself and her son (Standish), Fay Wray takes assign-
ments as a nurse for the town physician (Jean Hersholt).
One day Miss Wray tells Hersholt of her past — that she
had been married in Paris, and, because of a misunder-
standing, had left her husband, returned to America, and
obtained a divorce. Her husband never knew that he was a
father. Hersholt is called to treat the victim of an aeroplane
crash who, he learns, was a famous orchestra conductor
(Walter Woolf King). From a picture he had seen at Miss
Wray's home, he recognizes him as her former husband. lie
contrives to bring them together, and for a time it looked as
if they might become reconciled. But King's fiancee (Astrid
Allwyn) arrives, makes a scene, and insists that King marry
her. When King telephones Miss Wray's home, and Schuy-
ler answers, saying that his mother was not at home, King
thinks that she had remarried and had a child by the second
marriage. He leaves for Chicago with Miss Allwyn. Her-
sholt is determined that King should find out about his son.
He takes the boy to Chicago ; as soon as they arrive there,
he rushes him to the broadcasting station where King was
rehearsing. He contrives to get the boy into the rehearsal
hall, and orders him to play. King is surprised at the boy's
talent ; and when Hersholt tells him who the boy was he is
overjoyed. King and Miss Wray are reunited.

Lee Loeb and Walter Ferris wrote the screen play, Eric
C. Kenton directed it, and Stephens-Lang Productions pro-
duced it. In the cast are Andrew Tombes, Maude Eburne,
Cliff Nazarro, and others. (Suitability, Class A.)

"Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery" with
Ralph Bellamy and Margaret Lindsay

(Columbia, March 24 ; time, 69 min.)
Just a moderately entertaining program murder-mystery
melodrama. The story is far-fetched and the action is not
particularly exciting. Yet it may appeal to the regular
followers of stories of this type, who like to be kept guess-
ing, for the solution is not given until the end. The method
employed in divulging the motive for the crime and the
murderer's identity is somewhat weak. The romance is
routine : —

Noel Madison is selected by Chinese officials as their
agent to sell a fortune in jewels in America, the money to
be turned over to their agent, who in turn would buy and
ship foodstuffs to them. The day Madison arrives in New
York, he is murdered and his body is hidflen in a trunk.
His daughter (Ann Doran), suspecting that something
was wrong, communicates with an old friend (Margaret
Lindsay), who worked for Ralph Bellamy, an author who
did detective work as a hobby. Bellamy finds the body and
immediately calls for his father, the police inspector (Char-
ley Grapewin). Miss Lindsay is eager to continue with the
investigation, but Bellamy wanted her to pay attention to
her duties as his secretary ; they quarrel and she resigns.
She continues on the case herself. She goes to the victim's
apartment for clues ; there she gets into a fight with a
mysterious Chinese woman (Anna May Wong). The
police and Bellamy finally arrive ; by that time they find
another corpse. Bellamy solves the case by proving that the
second victim had killed Madison, and that he in turn had
been killed by Frank Albertson, a newspaper reporter, who
had tried to find the jewels. It develops that the jewels were
at the customs office, waiting for the proper person to claim
them. Bellamy finds the official receipt, which he turns over
to Miss Wong, the American representative for China.
Miss Lindsay and Bellamy patch up their quarrel.

Ellery Queen wrote the story, and Eric Taylor, the screen
play ; James Hogan directed it, and Larry Darmour pro-
duced it. In the cast are James Burke, Eduardo Ciannelli,
Charles Lane, Russell Hicks, and Mantan Moreland.

Not for children. Class B.

"Missing Ten Days" with Rex Harrison

(Columbia. February 28; time, 77 min.)
This melodrama, produced in England, should find favor
with American patrons, even though the players are not
well known here. The story is a little far-fetched ; yet it
holds one's attention throughout, for the action is fast-
moving and exciting. Particularly thrilling are the closing
scenes, in which the hero races in an automobile to overtake
an ammunition train on which a time bomb had been placed.
Comedy and romance are fitted into the story without re-
tarding the action : —

While walking along a street in Paris, Rex Harrison is
shot. He wakes up in a hospital and asks the police authori-
ties to send for his father. When his father (Robert Rendel)
arrives, he tells him he cannot remember anything about
the past ten days ; the last thing he could remember was
that he had given a stranger a ride in his plane to Paris, and
that he had crashed. Since the wound was not serious, Har-
rison is able to leave the hospital ; he is determined to find
out what had happened to him. He makes the rounds of the
cocktail bars, where he is addressed by two mysterious
looking gentlemen, who send him to a fashionable dress-
maker. There a young lady (Karen Verne) upbraids him
for having left the house overnight without her permission.
He realizes that he must be her chauffeur. When they
arrive home, Joan Marion, governess to Miss Verne's
brother, speaks to Harrison about getting the plans and
acts as if she were his sweetheart. Harrison becomes in-
trigued with ■ the whole thing. Things finally become
clearer; he learns that Miss Marion and the men who had
spoken to him were members of a spy ring, of which he had
been a member during the time he had lost his memory.
Their plan was to get inside information on French forti-
fications from Miss Verne's grandfather, a French general.
Harrison finally tells Miss Verne everything, and they at-
tempt to get to her grandfather. But they are captured by
the spy ring, and held prisoners. They hear that a time
bomb had been placed on an ammunition train, which
would blow up the fortified area. They finally escape, and
race to warn the authorities; Harrison accomplishes this
at the risk of his own life ; the spies arc caught. Miss Verne
and Harrison are united.

Bruce Graeme wrote the story, and John Median, Jr.,
and James Curtis, the screen play ; Tim Whelan directed
it, and Irving Asher produced it. In the cast arc C. V,
France, I^o Genu, Anthony Holies, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 15, 1941

complainant will probably be unable to substantiate the
charge that he has been discriminated against.

It is an interesting case, and one that could not have been
determined nationally in any other way except through ar-
bitration, made possible by the Consent Decree, unless, of
course, it had been taken to the courts at a great cost.
* * *

AT A RECENT AMPA LUNCHEON, Mr. William
G. Van Schmus criticized exaggerated advertising of un-
deserving pictures.

One of the reasons that have caused a slump in the box-
office receipts of picture theatres is exaggerated advertising.
To the publicity departments of the producers, every pic-
ture is a "dreadnaught" special ; and the press sheets are
written in that, spirit. The result has been that the public
has lost confidence in picture advertisement to such an ex-
tent that they often refuse to believe the truth.

With the start of the trade-showings, Harrison's Re-
ports hopes to review, not only pictures, but also press
sheets, so that the exhibitors may know what press-sheet
statements are highly exaggerated and for that reason
dangerous to use.

ALLIED STATES ASSOCIATION OF
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITORS
729 Fifteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D. C.

March 7, 1941

Ascap Consent Decree

Judge Goddard of the U. S. District Court in New York
City has signed a Consent Decree negotiated between the
Department of Justice and the American Society of Com-
posers, Authors & Publishers.

This terminates the civil suit under the Sherman Act that
has been pending for many years. It is understood that the
criminal case recently filed in Wisconsin will be settled by
the payment of fines in an agreed amount.

Exhibitors Only Slightly Affected

The decree mainly concerns broadcasting and the inter-
nal organization and affairs of ASCAP. Only two pro-
visions relate to motion picture theatres. They are :

Sec. 2 (2) which provides that ASCAP shall not grant
licenses "which shall result in discriminating in price and
terms between licensees similarly situated ; provided, how-
ever, that differentials based upon applicable business fac-
tors which justify different prices or terms shall not be
considered discrimination * * * ; and provided further, that
nothing contained in this sub-paragraph shall prevent price
changes from time to time by reason of changing conditions
affecting its market for or marketability of performing
rights."

Sec. 2 (6) which provides that ASCAP in connection
with any offer to license shall not "refuse to offer a license
at a price or prices to be fixed by said defendant (ASCAP)
for the performance of such specific (i.e., per piece) musical
compositions, the use of which shall be requested by the
prospective licensee."

What Do They Mean?

Sec. 2 (2) is a loosely drawn anti-discrimination clause.
It is so loosely drawn that it is hard to see how it could be
enforced by a proceeding for criminal contempt. This office
does not know what discriminations the Section is aimed
at, but it is convinced that the Court would have a hard
time deciding whether a given price differential was "based
on applicable business factors" justifying the same, or not.

The provision leaves ASCAP free to change its rates
from time to time.

This Section is not likely to be of any value to motion
picture exhibitors. There is some danger that ASCAP
might use it as an excuse for wiping out the existing differ-
entials between big theatres and little theatres. If any
Allied member is confronted with such attitude on the part
of ASCAP he should report it to National Allied immedi-
ately, so that the latter can make proper representations to
the Department of Justice.

Sec. 2(6) means simply that if an exhibitor wishes a
license for a specific composition or number of composi-
tions, instead of ASCAP'S total repertoire, ASCAP can
not refuse to offer a specific composition or compositions
at a price to be determined by it.

This probably is of no value to exhibitors because (1)
an exhibitor does not know what compositions will be re-
corded on the films and must be prepared to reproduce
whatever tunes are sent him; and (2) the price of specific
compositions is in the control of ASCAP and it would

probably ask as much or more for a specific license or
licenses as it would for a general license.

Sec. 2 (6) does not become operative until one year
after date of entry ; Sec. 2 (2) becomes effective in 90 days.

Short on Interstate Commerce
Allied made representations to the Department of Justice
relative to incorporating in the decree a provision that all
royalties must be collected at the source (i.e., from the
producer), thus relieving exhibitors of the obligation to
pay royalty to ASCAP.

The Consent Decree entered against Broadcast Music,
Inc., on February 3 provided, with respect to broadcasting
that royalty should be collected at the source ; that is, that
BMI could collect only a single royalty from the network
and not a separate royalty from each station (II (4)). A
similar provision is contained in the ASCAP Decree
(2 (4)).

No provision for a single royalty payable at the source
is made with respect to exhibitors in either decree. There
are two possible explanations of this :

( 1 ) Broadcasting is considered a public performance,
so is the reproduction of music in a theatre. Broadcasters
derive all their rights from ASCAP. Exhibitors get the
public performing rights from ASCAP but the recording
rights are handled by an entirely different organization.
The Department could not very well insist that another
organization collect from the producers a royalty which
ASCAP is entitled under the copyright law to collect from
the exhibitors.

(2) Broadcasters are directly engaged in interstate
commerce whilst motion picture exhibitors merely give
local exhibitions. The film is, of course, transported in
interstate commerce. But the music is recorded at the
studios pursuant to an arrangement between one organiza-
tion and the producers (or Western Electric and RCA),
and is reproduced in the theatres pursuant to an arrange-
ment between ASCAP and the exhibitors. It is hard to
find much interstate commerce in the relations between
ASCAP and the exhibitors ; and the Sherman Act applies
only to contracts, combinations and conspiracies that affect
interstate commerce.

Allied made its representations to the Attorney General
in the hope that ASCAP in the interest of an amicable
adjustment would yield a few points. Evidently ASCAP
would not yield and under the statute the Department was
not in a very strong position to compel it to do so.

(To be concluded next zveek)

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"CHAIN GANG," with Otto Kruger, Gloria Dickson,
John Litel, Don Beddoe. With the players mentioned, this
should make a fairly good program melodrama.

"TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM," with Rudy Vallee,
Rosemary Lane, Ann Miller, Glen Gray and his Casa Loma
Orchestra, Joan Merrill, Allen Jenkins, The Three Stooges.
A good cast for a pretty good musical.

Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer

"WASHINGTON MELODRAMA," with Frank Mor-
gan, Kent Taylor, Ann Rutherford, Dan Dailey, Jr. Fairly
good program possibilities.

Paramount

"HOLD BACK THE DAWN," with Charles Boyer,
Olivia deHavilland, Paulette Goddard, Walter Abel, Victor
Francen. Cast, director, and producer are all very good,
and so the chances are that this will be a very good enter-
tainment.

Republic

"PALS OF THE PECOS," with Bob Livingston, Bob
Steele, Rufe Davis. Western.

"ROOKIES ON PARADE," with Bob Crosby, Marie
Wilson, Ruth Terry, Gertrude Niesen, Cliff Nazarro. A
comedy with music, part of which is laid against an army
camp background. The cast is fairly good, and the possibili-
ties for the picture are likewise.

RKO

"MY LIFE WITH CAROLINE," with Ronald Colman,
Anna Lee, Katharine Leslie. Reginald Gardiner, Charles
Winniger, Gilbert Roland. Although Miss Lee is a charm-
ing actress, she is not quite well known here, and so the
picture will have to depend mostly on Ronald Colman's
popularity for box-office appeal. No facts are available about
the story.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New ?ork, New Tork, under the act of March 8, 1879>

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1941 No. 12

HERE AND THERE

This paper takes great pleasure in presenting to you a
critical review by Martin Quigley, fellow-publisher, of
''Greece Fights Back," the single-reel feature subject, which
has been produced for the Greek War Relief Association
by March of Time.

"THE GLORY THAT IS GREECE
"At the invitation of the editor of Harrison's Reports
I shall undertake to report to subscribers on the subject of a
motion picture entitled, 'Greece Fights Back.'

"Mr. Peter Harrison, the editor of this journal, who is
widely known and affectionately esteemed throughout the
length and breadth of the motion picture business, has in-
dulged himself in some misgiving as to whether or not he
should undertake a report on this picture. The obvious
reason being that after some two score years of devoting
himself conscientiously toward building a reputation for an
unprejudiced critical viewpoint he does not wish at this
late date to jeopardize his reputation by even pretending to
be unprejudiced when it comes to a consideration of 'Greece
Fights Back.'

"The truth is that Mr. Harrison is as far removed from a
position of neutrality and non-partisanship on the subject
matter with which this picture deals as the embattled
soldiers of the army of Greece are from the cry of
'Komarad' in the face of an approaching enemy. Hence the
undertaking of your present reviewer. There is, in addition,
another reason : Mr. Harrison, after years of pointed refer-
ences to casting and performance, finds himself, embar-
rassingly, in the role of an actor in 'Greece Fights Back.'
It is true that he is neither the romantic lead — if there were
one — or the heavy — which there is certainly one — but he is
in there pitching and as a result, from now on, Mr. Gary
Cooper better stick to his horse.

" 'Greece Fights Back,' was produced by the March of
Time organization under the able direction of Mr. Louis de
Rochemont as a spearhead for the industry's drive for
Greek relief. It is, in the usual March of Time manner,
challenging, provocative and effective. It tells with stacatto
emphasis the story of the Glory That is Greece — the re-
crudescence in this modern day of the spirit of Ther-
mopylae, that spirit of the valiant man fighting for home and
freedom which Homer tells us of in one of the most famous
lines in all literature, 'Terrible was the twang of the silver
bow.'

"The film discloses scenes of the actual warfare in the
frozen mountain passes, the electrifying defense summoned
up by a small people against a greater enemy. Interesting
scenes of civilian activity are depicted and in the midst of
these the arrival of British reenforcements are noted. There
is a poignant scene of an American relief meeting in which
a young woman reads a touching letter from a soldier at the
front and immediately following it is announced that the
letter read was from the young woman's fiance, who in the
interval of its transport across the Atlantic had made the
supreme sacrifice for his fatherland. It is in this scene that
Mr. Harrison is an interested and impressed member of
the screen audience.

"The film, withal, is a brilliant symbol of a brave people,
a people whose ancestors made a contribution to Western
Civilization which forever places our world in their debt,
even if its present stirring defense against aggression had
never been made — because it was Greece wherein our
ideals of government were cradled and it was her philoso-
pher? who first defined those human rights of life, liberty
and human dignity upon which all good government is
based.

"Martin Quigley."

"Greece Fights Back" will be distributed by Paramount,
and will be sold to the exhibitors just as any other meri-
torious short feature, but Paramount will make no charge
for its distribution whatever.

The largest part of the raw stock was furnished by
Eastman Kodak, and the remainder by Du Pont, free.
Consolidated Laboratories, De Luxe Laboratories, and
Pathe Laboratories did the printing, also free of any
charge.

Although the Greek War Relief Association is grateful
to every one who has contributed and will contribute his
services toward the production, advertising and distribu-
tion of this short feature, the one that deserves its gratitude
the most is Walter Futter, the well known independent
producer. Mr. Futter reviewed more than twenty-two
thousand feet of film, out of which he selected the scenes
that he thought were the best. He donated his services.

After selecting the scenes, he suggested to Mr. George
Skouras to obtain the services of the March of Time, for
producing the finished product. And the March of Time
accepted the assignment, without charging anything either
for its services, or for the cost of material, or for the
salaries of its sound men and of its cameramen.

Because of the fact that Greece is the only small nation
to have said "No !" to the dictators, preferring to stand by
Great Britain, its ally, "Greece Fights Back" should prove
a great box-office attraction on that fact itself, let alone that
the reel possesses deep human interest. For this reason you
will deprive your patrons of a great emotional treat if you
were to fail to show it, as early as possible.

* * *

WHILE WE ARE TALKING about "Greece Fights
Back" for "The Glory That is Greece," it would not be
out of place if I mention the fact that the raw stock from
Eastman Kodak and from Du Pont was obtained free by
Mr. George Dembow, of National Screen Service, assigned
to the task by Mr. Herman Robbins, president of the com-
pany. Mr. Dembow could not have worked harder if he
had tried to put over a deal that would have netted him
large profits ; he put his heart and soul into his efforts.

Incidentally, the Melvyn Douglas trailers that have been
produced by MGM for this short feature, free of charge,
will be distributed by National Screen Service free. MGM
has furnished it six thousand trailers. These are now in
the exchanges, and can be obtained by the exhibitors at once.

* * *

WHEN AMERICAN PICTURES are sent to coun-
tries other than those in which the language spoken is
English, they are sent either with the sound "dubbed," or
with titles written in the language spoken in a particular
country superimposed on the positives, with the dialogue
in English left undisturbed.

If the sound is "dubbed," the drawback is that the move-
ments of the lips do not correspond with the movements of
the lips of the language to which the dialogue is translated ;
this is a disconcerting blemish. If the sound is left undis-
turbed and the meaning is conveyed by means of super-
imposed titles, the picture has this disadvantage: most of
the attention is devoted to listening to the dialogue to
catch the meaning, and very little time is left to watching
the action.

Since the usual practice is to superimpose titles, the dis-
advantage could be overcome to a great extent by so con-
structing the script as to have the actors do very little talk-
ing. Unfortunately, such is not the case now : despite the
constant admonition by many critics, the producers continue
to overburden the pictures with dialogue, in most instances
(Continued on last Pagt)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 22, 1941

"Meet John Doe" with Gary Cooper,
Barbara Stanwyck and Edward Arnold

(JVariter-Capra, Rel. date not set; time, 123 mm.)

Excellent ! Here is entertainment with strong mass ap-
peal, something they will understand and appreciate, for it
is a story that glorifies the masses. Combining strong human
interest with comedy and romance, the action arouses one's
respect for the average man ; moreover, it presents a strong
plea for human decency, for kindliness, and above all for
the preservation of American democracy. And all this is
done without any preachment or any sacrifice to the pic-
ture's value as pure entertainment, for the message is con-
veyed in such a way that it tugs at one's heart ; and it keeps
one engrossed throughout. The ending is somewhat unbe-
lievable, insofar as it refers to the character portrayed by
Edward Arnold; but, considering the picture's virtues, that
can be overlooked : —

Writing her last article for the newspaper from which
she had just been discharged, Barbara Stanwyck inserts in
her column a letter that she herself writes but which she
signs "John Doe" ; in it the supposed writer complains of
the meanness and ugliness of the world in general and
threatens to jump on Christmas Eve from the City Hall
Building. The letter creates such a stir, that James Gleason,
the managing editor, calls for Miss Stanwyck and demands
from her the letter ; she admits that there had never been
one, but suggests that they find a down-and-out typical
American, introduce him as the John Doe, and boost circu-
lation by means of daily articles. The idea appeals to the
publisher (Arnold), who reengages Miss Stanwyck. She
and Gleason pick Gary Cooper, a former baseball player,
whose arm had gone bad and who, since then, had been liv-
ing the life of a hobo. He agrees to act the part of John Doe
only because it meant he could earn enough money for
medical expenses to bring his arm back in shape. The public
takes to him ; as a matter of fact John Doe Clubs are formed
all over the country. The fact that he had served as inspira-
tion to so many people thrills Cooper ; to add to his happi-
ness Miss Stanwyck admits her love for him. He is, there-
fore, shocked when Gleason, slightly drunk, tells him that
Arnold intended using Cooper at the John Doe Club con-
vention to put Arnold's name across as President of the
United States, and that Arnold was a fascist. Cooper tries
to denounce Arnold at the convention meeting, but Arnold's
hoodlums break it up and instead bring disgrace to Cooper
by referring to him as a "phoney." The people leave in dis-
gust. Arnold, fearing that Cooper would kill himself, goes
to the City Hall Building, and sure enough finds Cooper
ready to jump off. His pleas are in vain; only the timely
arrival of Miss Stanwyck saves Cooper. Arnold, remorseful,
promises to print in his paper the following day a confession.

Richard Connell and Robert Presnell wrote the story, and
Robert Riskin, the screen play ; Frank Capra directed and
produced it. In the cast are Walter Brennan, Spring Bying-
ton, Gene Lockhart, Rod LaRocque, and others.

Class A.

"The Round-Up" with Richard Dix,
Patricia Morison and Preston Foster

(Paramount, April 18; time, 89 min.)

Although this has been given a more lavish production
than most westerns, and the players are better box-office
attractions than are usually found in pictures of this type,
"The Round-Up" somehow lacks the excitement of the
ordinary western. This is owing to the fact that too much
footage is given over to the development of the plot, with
the result that the picture is lacking in action. Only on one
or two occasions does it really give the fans the thrills that
they look for, such as fast riding and fights : —

On the day of her marriage to rancher Richard Dix,
Patricia Morison receives a shock by the return of her
former fiance (Preston Foster), who, she believed, had been
killed. Unknown to her, Dix had received a letter informing
him that Foster would return, but he had never told Miss
Morison about it for fear that she would not marry him.
Foster tries to make love to her, but she refuses to listen to
him ; she is unhappy, however. Dix takes her on a wedding
trip to Denver; Foster follows them there. When Dix is
compelled to return home because of Indian raids, Miss
Morison stays on to do shopping. Foster makes his presence
known, and insists on accompanying her on a shopping tour.

They go out that evening, and end up at a gambling casino,
where Foster loses heavily. The owner (Jerome Cowan)
threatens Foster; Miss Morison, to save his life, gives her
diamond ring as security. The next day she goes back home.
She tells Dix that she had lost the ring ; when questioned,
she denies that she had seen Foster. But Dix learns the
truth, and suspects the worst. Eventually he gets the facts ;
Foster, who had proved himself a hero during an Indian
attack in which Cowan and his gang were involved, con-
fesses all to Dix; Foster then dies from gun wounds. Dix
and Miss Morison are reconciled.

Edmund Day wrote the story, and Harold Shumate, the
screen play ; Lesley Selander directed it, and Harry Sher-
man produced it. In the cast are Ruth Donnelly, Don Wil-
son, Betty Brewer, Douglas Dumbrille, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Mr. Dynamite" with Lloyd Nolan
and Irene Hervey

(Universal, Mar eh 7; time, 63 mm.)

A moderately entertaining program melodrama, with
some comedy and a routine romance. Despite a far-fetched
plot, the action fans may enjoy it, for there is plentiful ac-
tion, and a little excitement. Lloyd Nolan manages to give
a good performance, despite inferior material ; he is wasted
in pictures such as this one : —

Nolan, a well-known baseball player, while sightseeing
at a New York carnival street, is attracted to Irene Hervey,
who worked at a side-show run by Ann Gillis. He follows
her into a theatre and is surprised to see her leave hurriedly
alter the man sitting next to her topples over, dead from a
knife wound. He follows her and, when he finally catches
up to her, he accuses her of the murder and insists on tak-
ing her to the police. But she tells him that she and the
murdered man had been after a gang of foreign agents and
saboteurs. Nolan, much to the disgust of Miss Gillis, who
feared he might injure himself and not be able to play base-
ball, decides to help Miss Hervey. They obtain the informa-
tion they needed, and, with the help of the police, capture
the gang. Nolan makes Miss Gillis happy by playing with
her baseball team.

Stanley C. Rubin wrote the original screen play, John
Rawlins directed it, and Marshall Grant produced it. In the
cast are J. Carrol Naish, Robert Armstrong, Frank Gaby,
Elisabeth Risdon, and others.

The murders make it unsuitable for children. Class B.

"That Uncertain Feeling" with
Merle Oberon, Melvyn Douglas and
Burgess Meredith

( United Artists, April 20 ; time, 83 min.)

For class audiences this is a fairly good sophisticated sex
comedy; direction, acting, and production values are all
good. But the story is so thin, and the action for the most
part so slow, that, despite several pretty comical situa-
tions, the average picture-goer may find it slightly tiresome.
It will, therefore, have to depend on the popularity of the
stars for wide box-office appeal : —

Merle Oberon, married to successful Melvyn Douglas,
suffers from hiccups. Following the advice of her friends,
she visits Alan Mowbray, a fashionable psychoanalyst, for
treatment. He leads her to believe that her ailment was due
to dissatisfaction with her husband. At Mowbray's office
one day she meets Burgess Meredith, a pianist, whose ec-
centricity amuses her. They become friends and prove to
be a good tonic for each other — she gets rid of her hiccups
and he gets rid of his inhibitions. It suddenly dawns on
Douglas that he was losing his wife. In an effort to bring
her to her senses, he offers to give her a divorce, and then
moves out of the apartment. But she is determined to go
through with the divorce and makes final arrangements.
But she soon tires of Meredith's eccentricities and humbles
herself by asking Douglas for forgiveness. He pretends to
have a woman in his apartment ; but she sees through the
trick, and purposely acts worried. Reconciliation follows ;
and Meredith is ousted from Miss Oberon's apartment.

Donald Ogden Stewart wrote the screen play, Ernst
Lubitsch produced and directed it. It is a Sol Lesser pro-
duction. In the cast are Olive Blakeney, Harry Davenport,
Eve Arden, and Sig Rumann.

Not for children. Class B.

March 22, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Men of Boys Town" with Spencer Tracy
and Mickey Rooney

(MGM, April 11 ; time, 106 mm.)

Those who enjoyed "Boys Town" should enjoy also this
follow-up, even though it is not as powerful as the first pic-
ture. It nevertheless has human interest, comedy, and senti-
mental appeal ; as a matter of fact, it is sometimes a little
too sentimental. As in the first picture, there is no romantic
interest ; the story is concerned just with the boys who have
been or are connected with Boys Town, and with the influ-
ence exerted upon them by Father Flanagan (Spencer
Tracy) : —

Father Flanagan (Tracy) is upset because of his inability
to raise money with which to continue the new buildings he
had started at Boys Town. When his friend and adviser
Dave Morris (Lee J. Cobb) returns from a business trip
and hears about Father Flanagan's predicament, he be-
rates him but promises to try to raise the money. Ted, a
young boy (Larry Nunn), who had killed a guard in a
reformatory, confesses to Father Flanagan that he had done
so because the cruel guard had beaten him so badly that he
had become a hopeless cripple. The court puts Ted under
the Father's care. Whitey (Mickey Rooney), Mayor of
Boys Town, and the other boys try to make Ted happy ;
but he refuses to respond. Eventually they win him over ;
and Father Flanagan makes him happy by telling him that
a famous surgeon was going to operate on him and make
him well. Father Flanagan is upset when a wealthy couple
(Henry O'Neill and Mary Nash) express a desire to adopt
Whitey, for he was fond of him and depended on his help
with the boys ; but he refuses to stand in his way. Whitey
is unhappy at leaving. While trying to see a boy at the
reformatory to give him a message from Ted, Whitey be-
comes involved with Flip (Darryl Hickman), a tough
young runaway from the reformatory. They are both ar-
rested and put in solitary confinement at the reformatory.
Father Flanagan comes to Whitey's help and obtains both
his release and that of Flip's. They all go back to Boys
Town. Ted undergoes the operation and is cured. The
wealthy couple take an interest in Ted and offer to finance
the new buildings. Everyone is happy.

James K. McGuinness wrote the screen play, Norman
Taurog directed it, and John W. Considine, Jr., produced it.
In the cast are Bobs Watson, Sidney Miller, Addison
Richard, Lloyd Corrigan, Arthur Hohl, and others.

Class A.

"Free and Easy" with Robert Cummings
and Ruth Hussey

(MGM, February 28; time, 56 min.)

Tiresome ! Good performers and lavish sets are wasted in
this picture, for the story is not of the type to hold the in-
terest of an average audience. For one thing, it is all dia-
logue and no action ; for another, no one does anything to
awaken sympathy. Moreover, the plot developments are
obvious ; and the romance is routine : —

Robert Cummings and his father (Nigel Bruce), al-
though penniless, manage, by clever planning, to get to the
best places and mingle with society people. Each one's idea
was to marry a wealthy woman. Cummings becomes ac-
quainted with Judith Anderson, one of the richest girls in
England. He warns her that he was after her money, but
she is amused because of his honesty. At a party at her
home, he meets Ruth Hussey, a widow, and falls in love
with her at first sight. He proposes, suggesting that they
could live on her money ; but she confesses that she, too,
was penniless and intended marrying wealthy Reginald
Owen. Realizing that they loved each other, they decide to
marry and take their chances at earning a living. Bruce
incurs a large gambling debt and in desperation tries to kill
himself. But Cummings prevents it ; instead, he proposes to
Miss Anderson, who accepts him and who pays off the
debt. Miss Hussey is heartbroken. Cummings then confesses
to Miss Anderson his love for Miss Hussey. She releases
him; thus Cummings and Miss Hussey are reunited, their
troubles over, for Bruce had married a rich widow.

The plot was adapted from a play by Ivor Novello ; Mar-
vin Borowsky wrote the screen play; George Sidney di-
rected it. In the cast are C. Aubrey Smith, Tom Conway,
Charles Coleman, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Topper Returns" with Joan Blondeil,
Roland Young and Carole Landis

(United Artists, March 21 ; lime, 88 min.)
Pretty good entertainment. It combines effectively mur-
der-mystery melodrama with comedy ; and, for those who
did not see the other "Topper" pictures, the trick photog-
raphy revolving around a character that dematerializes and
reappears at will is an added source of amusement. The
production is lavish, and the performances and direction are
good. The action in the first half is a little slow ; but it
picks up speed in the second half. All the old tricks, such as
sliding panels, a masked villain, and various other happen-
ings, are used to create an eerie atmosphere. The romance
is incidental : —

Carole Landis, accompanied by her friend (Joan Blon-
deil), arrives at her home, after many years absence. She
is greeted by her father (H. B. Warner), to whom she was
actually a stranger. The house is dismal looking, except
for Miss Landis' room. Since Miss Blondeil seemed to like
it so much, Miss Landis insists that they change rooms.
That night Miss Blondeil is murdered. Rising as a ghost,
with the ability to materialize at any time, she calls on
Roland Young, who lived in the next house, and insists that
he help her solve the mystery ; otherwise, she would arrange
that his wife (Billie Burke) would see her in his room.
They go through many exciting experiences, during which
another murder is committed. Finally the mystery is solved
by Miss Blondell's ghost and Young. They place Warner in
a position where he has to confess that he was not Miss
Landis' father, that he had committed the murders, but had
planned to kill only Miss Landis so that he could keep her
fortune. He is killed trying to escape. He, too, is able to
materialize. Miss Blondeil induces him to sign a confession
clearing Young.

Jonathan Latimer and Gordon Douglas wrote the original
screen play, Roy Del Ruth directed it, and Hal Roach pro-
duced it. In the cast are Dennis O'Keefe, Patsy Kelly,
Eddie (Rochester) Anderson, George Zucco, Donald Mac-
Bride, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Road To Zanzibar" with Bing Crosby,
Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour

(Paramount, April 11 ; time, 92 min.)

Very good ! Bing Crosby and Bob Hope are again teamed
in a comedy that follows the style of "Road to Singapore";
as in the first picture, there is no plot to speak of, but plenty
of gags, most of which are extremely comical. Crosby and
Hope give proof once again of their ability to w'ork to-
gether without either one detracting from the other's spe-
cial talents. They are on the screen throughout, which is a
good thing, for they are the main attraction : —

Crosby and Hope, two American sideshow performers,
are stranded in Africa. Hope looks forward to the day when
they would have enough money to return to America ; but
Crosby is always looking for some way to double their
money, usually ending up by losing it all. They fall for a
wild story given them by Una Merkel, who tearfully pleads
with them to buy her pal (Dorothy Lamour), who was
being auctioned off by a tribe that had supposedly kidnapped
her. They do as she asks, little realizing that the girls split
the receipts with the fake auctioneer. They needed the
money to get to Miss Lamour's fiance, a wealthy young
man ; Miss Merkel was determined that nothing would stop
them. Crosby and Hope go even further; they finance a
safari through the jungle. Before reaching their destina-
tion they find out about the trick the girls had been playing
on them, and order the girls to leave, even though by this
time Crosby and Miss Lamour had fallen in love with each
other. The girls leave with the guides ; Crosby and Hope
wander through the jungle, arc captured by a cannibal
tribe, escape and finally land in some small town with
money in their pockets again, for they had pulled a trick.
But their troubles start all over again when Crosby finds
Miss Lamour, who had decided not to marry her wealthy
suitor.

Sy Bartlett and Don Hartman wrote the story, and Mr.
Hartman and Frank Butler, the screen play ; Victor Schcrt-
zinger directed it, and Paul Jones produced it. In the cast
arc Eric Blore, Douglas Dumbrille, Iris Adrian, Lionel
Royce, Buck Woods, and others.

Gass A.

March 22, 1941

eighty percent of it unnecessary, with the result that no full
advantage is taken of what is left of the foreign markets ;
or of all the foreign markets before the war had started.

These remarks are not meant to imply that there is no
need to curb the extent of the dialogue as far as the
domestic market is concerned : as stated frequently in these
columns, most of the dialogue could be eliminated from
every one of the pictures, not only to the betterment of the
pictures, but also to the savings of a great part of the cost,
livery scene in which dialogue is employed must be photo-
graphed several times so as to make it perfect, whereas
scenes in which no dialogue is employed are often taken
only once. You may imagine the saving in the cost of pro-
duction when scenes are taken only once, or even twice.

ALLIED STATES ASSOCIATION
(Concluded from last week's isstte)
BMI's Promise
In a letter to Allied dated January 29, Russell R. Cle-
venger, Director of Public Relations of BMI, said:

In answer to your question, BMI has no plan in mind
for collecting royalties from exhibitors and it is doubt-
ful if such a policy would be adopted unless it were
essential to compete with ASCAP.

There is no way of telling how long BMI will retain
this policy after ASCAP has made a deal with the broad-
casters and the two organizations are forced to compete
on even terms.

The most threatening part of the situation is that the
producers of motion pictures may start using the composi-
tions of both ASCAP and BMI and the exhibitors will be
faced with two seat taxes instead of one. The producers
should do all in their power to avoid this.

ASCAP was invited to submit a statement of its position
on a number of questions for incorporation in this bulletin,
but it failed to respond. It is painfully evident that Gene
Buck is indifferent to the good will of the exhibitors. The
fact that ASCAP is off the air indicates that he has been
equally unfortunate in his relations with the broadcasters.
What ASCAP needs among other things is a leader with a
little tact and diplomacy.

The Gallagher Decision

Two affiliated regionals, taking their cue from the re-
ported action of exhibitors in one territory, have inquired
whether it would be safe for them to discontinue paying
the seat tax on the ground that ASCAP is a trust and there-
fore can not sue them for damages.

The theory that ASCAP music can be played without
payment of royalty apparently is based on the decision of
the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Wash-
ington in the case of Gene Buck et al. v. Phil H. Gallagher
et al.. In Equity, Cause No. 606, decided December 23, 1940.

The case is an attack by ASCAP on a statute of the
State of Washington which made it unlawful for separate
copyright owners to pool their copyrights in order to fix
prices, etc., except where the licenses are issues assessing
rates on a "per piece" system of usage.

A motion was made to dismiss the suit on the ground
that the real plaintiff, ASCAP, was a monopoly and, there-
fore, was not entitled to bring a suit in equity.

The Court (consisting of a U. S. Circuit Judge and two
District Judges) found, based on decisions in other cases,
that ASCAP restrains trade and commerce in violation
of the Sherman Act and, therefore, held that it was not
entitled to maintain its suit.

Thus the Court did not pass on the constitutionality of
the Washington Anti-ASCAP law, but closed its doors to
the plaintiff, denying it a hearing on the grave constitu-
tional questions it had raised. It is expected that the
validity of Anti-ASCAP legislation will be passed on by
the Supreme Court at the current term.

Is It Safe to Play and Not Pay?
There are four reasons why the playing of ASCAP music
without a license from ASCAP would appear to be a very
dangerous course to follow.

1. The decision in the Gallagher Case is subject to appeal
to and possible reversal by the Supreme Court.

2. It is not clear, assuming the correctness of the decision
based on the facts of that case, that the principle would
■extend to a case where an exhibitor had played the music,
infringed the copyright, and reaped the benefit thereof.

3. Infringement proceedings usually are brought in the
name of the individual copyright owner, not ASCAP, and
there is a question whether ASCAP's inability to sue would

extend to a member who is not seeking to enforce any illegal
agreement between himself and the exhibitor but is merely
.seeking damages for infringement of his copyright.

4. All distributors license their pictures upon the condi-
tion "that if copyrighted musical compositions are included
in such recorded sound, the Exhibitor will have at the date
or dates of the exhibition of each such motion picture a
license from the copyright proprietor or from any licensee
of such copyright proprietor to perform publicly the said
copyrighted musical compositions." This provision will be
found in every license agreement either as a condition of the
licensing clause or in the warranty clause. The reason for
this is that the distributor in supplying recordings of copy-
righted music to exhibitors without a license to perform
the same, may be held by the copyright owner for contribu-
tory infringement. Therefore, exhibitors who play ASCAP
music without a license are violating their contracts with
the distributors and may not be able to get pictures.

The risks are too great for large numbers of exhibitors
to incur. If it is desired to test out the many complicated
questions involved in such an experiment in any territory,
it would be wiser for some one exhibitor to be the guinea
pig and let his case be a test case. Exhibitors in general
are not so prosperous that they can risk being mulcted in
damages in order to vindicate a theory.

What Can Exhibitors Do?
The root of the trouble is to be found in the copyright
law which permits a separate charge for the public perform-
ing rights. The only remedy is the adoption by Congress
of the "Allied Amendments" to the copyright law. These
amendments provided that all rights and royalties should
be merged in a single charge — the film rental. These have
been offered whenever Congress has considered a general
revision of the law. No such legislation has ever passed and
in view of the current emergency it is not likely that Con-
gress will soon take up the subject. Allied did not have
the support it should have had when such legislation was
pending. When another opportunity is afforded, all exhibi-
tors had best get behind the "Allied Amendments."

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"NAVAL ACADEMY," with Jimmy Lydon, Freddie
Bartholomew, Joe Brown, Jr., Pierre Watkin, and David
Durand. The cast is good for a picture of this type. It
should make a good program entertainment.

•RETURN OF DANIEL BOONE," with Bill Elliott.
Western.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"LADY BE GOOD," with Ann Sothern, Eleanor
Powell, Robert Young, Lionel Barrymore, John Carroll,
Red Skelton, Rose Hobart. A good cast, with good box-
office possibilities for the picture.

Paramount

"NIGHT OF JANUARY 16," with Robert Preston,
Ellen Drew, Nils Asther, and Margaret Hayes. A court-
room melodrama. With the cast mentioned, it should make
a fairly good program attraction.

"LITTLE MISS MUFFET," appraised in the March
8 issue under the title "NURSES DON'T TELL."

Republic

"THE LADY FROM NEW ORLEANS," with Ona
Munson, John Wayne, Ray Middleton, Helen Westley,
Henry Stephenson. The players listed are good, and the
story offers opportunity for a pretty good melodrama, with

romance.

"THE SINGING HILLS," with Gene Autry. Western.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"MIAMI," with Don Ameche, Betty Grable, Robert
Cummings, Jack Haley, Carole Landis, Charlotte Green-
wood. This will probably be a lavish musical, with Miami
as its background. With the players mentioned, it has very
good box-office possibilities.

Universal

"CRACKED NUTS," with Mischa Auer, Una Merkel,
Stuart Erwin. A program comedy.

"HORROR ISLAND," with Dick Foran, Peggy
Moran, Leo Carrillo. A program melodrama, probably

with some comedy.

Warner-First National

"UNDERGROUND," with Jeffrey Lynn, Philip Dorn,
Karen Verne, Frank Reicher. A program melodrama.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March S, 187*

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1941 No. 13

HERE AND THERE

THE TRADE PAPERS HAVE REPORTED
the dismissal of an arbitration proceeding in the
case of the Ken Theatre, of Chicago, against RKO,
Paramount and 20th Century-Fox, on the ground
that the Arbitration Board had no jurisdiction.

From the meager facts given in the trade papers
at the time that this issue of Harrison's Reports
goes to press, it seems as if the complaint of the
Ken Theatre did not specify clearly that it sought
to remedy a condition of unreasonable clearance ;
it might have been construed as a demand for a
particular run. Apparently the arbitrator decided
that the complaint was for the granting of a par-
ticular run under Section 10 of the Consent Decree,
which is not subject for arbitration until September
1, this year.

Although this paper does not have all the facts
of the case available, the decision is of sufficient im-
portance to warrant the issuing of a warning to
such exhibitors as may be in a similar situation : If
you have a controversy involving a question of
clearance or run, do not rush to the American Arbi-
tration Association with your complaint until you
have studied the Consent Decree carefully and have
determined under which section your controversy
comes.

Section 3, provides for the trade-showing of pic-
tures before sale; Section 4(a), provides that pic-
tures be sold in groups of not more than five ; Sec-
tion 5, provides that theatres in different districts
be licensed on separate contracts; and Section 10,
provides a remedy for the arbitrary refusal of a
distributor to license its pictures on the particular
run requested by an exhibitor in one of the exhibi-
tor's theatres in existence, or replacing a theatre in
existence, at the date of the Decree. All these Sec-
tions have application only with respect to features
released after August 31, 1941. This means that
controversies arising under these Sections cannot
be arbitrated until after that date.

Arbitration is effective, and has been effective
since the date of the Decree, on controversies relat-
ing to the forcing of shorts, newsreels, trailers and
serials; the refusal of a distributor to license its
pictures on some run (to be designated by the dis-
tributor) ; the complaint of an exhibitor that a
feature licensed to him is offensive to his commu-
nity on moral, religious or racial grounds; and the
unreasonableness of a theatre's clearance.

Before you file any more complaints for arbitra-
tion, you should make certain that your complaint
is based upon a controversy that is subject to arbi-
tration now.

LAST WEEK ADOLPH ZUKOR, chairman
of the Amusement Division of the Greek War

Relief Association, announced that more than 7,600
theatres are taking part in the industry Drive,
which began March 25, the anniversary of the
Greek Independence Day, and is to end March 30.
At least 800 of these theatres will give midnight
shows, he said, the biggest of them by the Radio
City Music Hall, where a number of prominent
screen stars are scheduled to appear. Some of these
are coming from California just for the perform-
ance in that theatre.

In Cincinnati, the ticket sales are handled by the
Greek Letter Sororities of the University of that
city.

In Boston, the Big Show will be given at the
Metropolitan Theatre.

In the Dallas territory, more than one hundred
and forty theatres are giving special performances,
in some cases followed by dances.

In Des Moines, many of the theatres are donat-
ing one day's receipts.

Detroit is holding a big midnight show at the
Fox Theatre.

Indianapolis has already sent $3,039 from pri-
vate contributors to the Amusement Division, and
the Variety Club there will hold a Tag Day.

Minneapolis has already arranged for seventy-
nine special shows.

Oklahoma City will have fifty-five special shows.

Philadelphia expects to have fifteen special
shows, the biggest of them at the Earle.

Washington (D.C.) has already enrolled three
hundred and fifty theatres.

Baltimore will have a big show at the Hippo-
drome.

New Orleans has enrolled one hundred and
eighty theatres, fifty of them to give special per-
formances.

In the New York City area nine hundred theatres
will take part, with twenty of them giving big
shows.

The Malco, in Memphis, has already held a sell-
out show.

Los Angeles has had two special shows, one at
Grauman's Chinese, and one at the Shrine Audi-
torium.

Never in the picture industry's history has so
much enthusiasm been shown for a drive; it is cer-
tainly a tribute to the plucky Evzone soldiers of
Greece, who have said to the dictators a "No!"
they will never forget.

* * *

IN THIS PAPER'S OPINION, there will be
a shortage of star talent next season. And the
reason for it is the fact that every producer will
want to make "A" pictures and every one of them
will want to obtain names that mean something at
the box-office.

(Continued on last /><iyf)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 29, 1941

"The Sea Wolf" with Edward G. Robinson,
John Garfield and Ida Lupino

{Warner Bros., March 22 ; time, 100 min.)

Although this is the fourth time "The Sea Wolf" has been
made, it is still a powerful sea melodrama ; it should prove
pretty thrilling to men. But, since part of the action is
brutal, women may find it a little too strong for their tastes.
Yet it is an absorbing picture ; this is due not only to the
interesting story, but also to the realistic settings, the ex-
cellent performances, and the intelligent direction. The
sufferings of some of the men at the hands of the sadistic
Captain makes one feel pity for them. There are several
situations that hold one in tense suspense ; the situation in
which Gene Lockhart, a former well-known doctor, who
had suffered humiliation at the hands of the crew, climbs
up the rigging to jump to his death, is one such situation.
Even the romance is made an important part of the action :

The reputation of the ship known as "The Ghost" is so
bad that, in order to get together a full crew, the Captain's
mate shanghaies several men aboard. The Captain (Edward
G. Robinson) was known for his cruel, ruthless, and sadis-
tic actions. During a heavy fog in San Francisco Bay, a
ferry collides with another boat. The ferry sinks ; two
passengers are rescued and taken aboard "The Ghost" ;
they are Ida Lupino, who had been running away from the
police, and Alexander Knox, a cultured writer. When Knox
recovers, he finds that the ship was already out at sea; he
demands that they turn back, but Robinson refuses. He
makes him cabin boy. John Garfield, who had signed up for
the job, resents his new assignment; but Robinson beats
him into submission. Garfield gives his blood to save Miss
Lupino's life. And when she recovers, he stands by her
when Robinson humiliates her in the presence of the other
men by referring to her prison record. The crew revolts,
kills the mate, and throws Robinson overboard; but he
manages to get back and inflicts further cruelties on the
men. Garfield is determined to escape and to take with him
Miss Lupino. Garfield, taking advantage of a spell of tem-
porary blindness suffered by Robinson, escapes in one of
the lifeboats together with Miss Lupino, Knox, and Stanley
Ridges. But after days of drifting without food, Ridges
dies. Then they sight a boat, which turns out to be "The
Ghost." It was slowly sinking. It had been attacked by
Robinson's brother, an honest trader, who knew that Robin-
son was out to steal his cargo. All the men on Robinson's
ship had been killed ; but Robinson himself was still alive,
but completely blind. He traps Garfield, locking him in the
supply room, which was gradually filling with water.
Knox, who was dying from a shot inflicted by Robinson,
finally tricks him into giving him the key, which he turns
over to Miss Lupino. Garfield and Miss Lupino take all the
supplies they can carry, and then set out in their small boat
for a nearby island, there to start life anew. Robinson and
Knox go down with the ship.

Robert Rossen wrote the screen play from Jack London's
story ; Michael Curtiz directed it, and Hal Wallis produced
it. In the cast are Barry Fitzgerald, Francis McDonald,
Howard daSilva, David Bruce, and others.

It may be a little too strong for children. Class B.

"Man Made Monster" with Lionel Atwill,
Lon Chaney, Jr., and Anne Nagel

( Universal, March 28 ; time, 59 min. )

Just a program horror melodrama. The story is ex-
tremely far-fetched ; for that reason, an adult audience will
find it difficult to take it seriously or be shocked by the
action ; it may, however, prove thrilling to the youngsters.
One has sympathy for the killer, a victim himself of a mad-
man ; but on occasion, his actions, resulting from his pre-
dicament, are somewhat sickening. The routine romance
is incidental : —

Lon Chaney, Jr., the sole survivor of an electric train
crash in which all the other passengers were electrocuted,
is invited by Samuel S. Hinds, a well-known electro-
biologist, to visit him at his laboratory, so that he could
make tests of his apparent immunity to electricity. Hinds'
assistant (Lionel Atwill), who had been carrying on experi-
ments to prove that human life could be motivated and con-
trolled by electricity, conceives the idea of using Chaney
for his experiments. Knowing that Hinds would be against
this, Atwill starts the experiments during Hinds' absence.
Chaney absorbs powerful electric charges, until he becomes
helpless ; with the treatments, however, he is powerful. Fol-
lowing Atwill's instructions, he kills Hinds. He is arrested,
tried, and sentenced to death. In the electric chair he ab-
sorbs three terrific shocks, but, instead of dying, becomes a
superhuman monster. He electrocutes all who try to stop
him. Anne Nagel, Hinds' niece, who suspected Atwill, con-
fronts him. He admits it and is about to make her his next
victim when Chaney enters and kills him. He then dons a

rubber suit and carries Miss Nagel out of the house. But
the suit catches on a barbed wire fence; the electricity
passes from him and he dies.

H. J. Essex, Sid Schwartz, and Len Golos wrote the
story, and Joseph West, the screen play ; George Waggncr
directed it, and Jack Bernhard produced it.

Not for children ; Class B.

"The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance" with
Warren William, Henry Wilcoxon
and Eric Blore

(Columbia, March 6; time, 75 min.)
The followers of this series may enjoy this latest addition,
even though the plot is extremely far-fetched, for the action
is fast-moving, sometimes exciting, and occasionally amus-
ing due to the antics of Eric Blore. But discriminating au-
diences, who demand plausibility in the development of a
story, will find it rather childish, for too many liberties are
taken in the plot construction. The romance is of minor
importance : —

In spite of his efforts to keep out of trouble, Warren
William innocently becomes involved in a murder. Realiz-
ing that he would have to prove his innocence, William
escapes from the police and starts out on the trail of the
real killers. He discovers that Lloyd Bridges, inventor of
a burglar-proof baggage car which was used by the govern-
ment to ship U.S. currency engraving plates, had been kid-
napped by a gang of counterfeiters ; their purpose was to
force him to open the baggage car so that they could take
the plates. Knowing that Bridges, a friend of the murdered
man, was the only one who could prove his innocence,
William sets out to find him. After a few exciting encoun-
ters with the gang, William learns that they had left
Bridges locked in the car after they had taken the plates.
William, hearing that the baggage car would be broken
open by government officials, which meant that poison gas
would be released, thus killing Bridges, forces a motion
picture operator to show him a closeup of a newsreel in
which Bridges was shown turning the combination to the
safe in the car; thus he gets the combination. Rushing by
aeroplane, he overtakes the train and frees Bridges in time.
The gang is rounded up, the plates recovered, and William's
innocence established.

Earl Felton and Sidney Salkow based their screen play
on a work by Louis Joseph Vance; Sidney Salkow directed
it, and Ralph Cohn produced it. In the cast are June
Storey, Don Beddoe, Evalyn Knapp, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Double Date" with Edmund Lowe,
Una Merkel, Peggy Moran
and Rand Brooks

(Universal, March 14 ; time, 60 min.)

A mild program comedy, suitable mostly for the family
trade in neighborhood theatres. There's not much to the
story itself ; but it has several amusing situations and a
little breezy action; moreover, the performances are pretty
good. As far as discriminating audiences are concerned,
they may find the action, particularly on the part of the
two young interferers, a trifle wearisome : —

Peggy Moran and Rand Brooks both rush home from
school with the same purpose in mind : she to stop her aunt
( Una Merkel ) from marrying their next-door neighbor
(Edmund Lowe), and Brooks to prevent Lowe, who was
his father, from marrying Miss Merkel. The young folk
thought that Miss Merkel and Lowe were both too old to
think of such things. They try to talk their elders out of the
marriage idea, and almost succeed in separating them. But
Lowe and Miss Merkel finally decide to elope. They take
Brooks' car so that he would be unable to follow them. But
Brooks is determined to stop them : first, he telephones the
police that his car had been stolen. Then he and Miss Moran
start after them in her old car. Unknown to them, the police
were after them, for Miss Moran had accidentally become
involved in a holdup ; the night before she had innocently
taken the crook in her car to the railroad station, for which
he had given her a ten dollar bill, which turned out to be
counterfeit. All four eventually land in jail — Lowe and
Miss Merkel, on a charge of having stolen the car; and
Miss Moran and Brooks, as part of the holdup gang. Ex-
planations follow, and the charges are dropped. Lowe and
Miss Merkel are married by the Judge ; by that time the
young couple are happy, for they had grown fond of each
other.

Scott Darling and Erna Lazarus wrote the story, and
they and Agnes C. Johnston, the screen play ; Glenn Tryon
directed it, and Joseph G. Sanford produced it. In the cast
are Tommy Kelly, Hattie Noel, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

March 29, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"That Hamilton Woman" with Vivien Leigh
and Laurence Olivier

(United Artists, April 30; time, 125 min.) _

Although this has been given an extremely lavish pro-
duction and is acted faultlessly by an excellent cast, it is
entertainment for class audiences. Its lack of mass appeal is
owed to the fact that the story moves at a leisurely pace,
and, except for the battle in the closing scenes, lacks thrill-
ing situations. Another objectionable point is Laurence
Olivier's makeup, showing that he had lost an eye and an
arm in warfare; this is historically accurate, yet it hardly
makes of him the romantic figure that people like to see on
the screen. It will, therefore, have to depend on the drawing
power of the stars, as well as on the fascination of the well-
known romance between Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson,
for strong box-office results. The story is told in flashback :

In the year 1786, beautiful Emma Hart (Vivien Leigh)
arrives with her mother (Sara Allgood) at the British
Embassy in Naples, Italy, to visit Sir William Hamilton
(Alan Mowbray), the British Minister, to whose nephew
Emma was engaged. Sir William soon reveals the truth —
that his nephew had no intention of marrying her, and that
he had sent her to his uncle in return for the payment of his
debts. At first Emma is heartbroken. But she succumbs to
the pleas of Sir William to accept luxuries from him, and
in time he even marries her. Although Emma had come
from poor, common people, she develops, under careful
tutoring, into a clever, well-poised woman, and the Queen's
favorite. In 1793 Sir William receives a visit from Captain
Horatio Nelson (Laurence Olivier), who brings news of
the declaration of war between England and France. Need-
ing Italian soldiers, Nelson pleads with Sir William for an
audience with the King. Through Lady Hamilton's intimacy
with the Queen, she is able to get for Nelson what he
wanted. Years pass and they meet again ; Emma is shocked
at seeing Nelson's condition — he had lost an eye and an
arm. Again she helps him ; and soon they are deeply in love
with each other. Ready to leave on an important assign-
ment, Nelson learns of a revolution in Naples. He returns
and saves the royal family as well as Emma and her hus-
band. He is commanded to return to England. He goes, but
takes with him Emma. There he is hailed as a hero, and is
given the title of Lord. Yet he refuses to give up Emma,
much to the unhappiness of his wife and his father. Emma
gives birth to a daughter, Nelson's child. The death of Sir
William leaves her penniless and she is beset by debts.
Nelson returns from war, resigns from the service, and
sets Emma up in a home in the country, where he lives with
her. But their plans are disturbed when the government
pleads with Nelson to return to active service. Nelson fi-
nally defeats Napoleon, but loses his own life. Left alone,
Emma goes down until finally, an old woman, she lands in
prison for trying to steal a bottle of liquor.

Walter Reisch and R. C. Sheriff wrote the screen play,
and Alexander Korda directed and produced it. In the cast
are Gladys Cooper, Henry Wilcoxon, Heather Angel,
Halliwell Hobbes, Gilbert Emery, and Miles Mander.

Not for children. Class B.

"A Man Betrayed" with John Wayne,
Frances Dee and Edward Ellis

(Republic, February 27; time, 81 min.)

Republic has given this picture a fine production — the
sets are lavish, the performers competent, and the direction
adequate. But it falls down as far as the story is concerned.
The plot is a rehash of the familiar crooked politician
theme, with few novel developments ; and in some instances
it is pretty far-fetched. Yet the general run of audiences,
who enjoy melodramas of this type, may find it enjoyable
for it is occasionally exciting; and the hero is a sympathetic
character. There is a romance : —

John Wayne, a young small-town lawyer, arrives at
Temple City to investigate the mysterious death of his
friend, who had died after attending a local night club. He
soon learns that Edward Ellis, political leader, was the
power in the city and that he would have to see him for any
information he needed. He forces his way into Ellis' home;
but instead of seeing Ellis, he meets his young daughter
(Frances Dec), who, unaware of her father's political con-
niving, had bet him that she could get rid of Wayne. She
induces him to take her out and they see each other fre-
quently after that ; they fall in love with each other. Wayne
finally sees Ellis, and from the conversation realizes that
Ellis was determined that the verdict on Wayne's friend's
death should remain "suicide." Wayne accepts a position
in Ellis' organization, only because he hoped to get the
evidence he needed. During an important election, one of
Kllis' henchmen turns against him. To offset this, Ellis
brings in outside "voters" ; all this is known to Wayne.
This gives him the chance he wanted ; he unearths an old

law stating that any man suspected of voting illegally
could be held without bail. In company with the police, he
helps them round up and arrest all the outside voters, who
confess. A leading newspaper prints the truth about Ellis'
organization ; Ellis is ruined. Miss Dee turns against
Wayne for what he had done. But she soon relents and they
are reconciled.

Jack Moffitt wrote the story, and Isabel Dawn, the screen
play ; John H. Auer directed it, and Armand Schaefer pro-
duced it. In the cast are Wallace Ford, Ward Bond, Harold
Huber, Alexander Granach, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Las Vegas Nights" with Phil Regan,
Bert Wheeler, Constance Moore
and Tommy Dorsey

(Paramount, March 28; time, 87 min.)

The youngsters, who are "jitter-bug" minded, will prob-
ably enjoy this musical, for in it appears Tommy Dorsey
and his band, who are extremely popular with the "swing"
fans. Aside from Dorsey's music, however, there is not
much to recommend in this comedy with music, for the story
is trite, the action slow-moving, and the performances just
passable. The musical numbers in which Dorsey and his
band appear are pleasing, if not exciting. The routine ro-
mance is of little help to the picture : —

Constance Moore, Lillian Cornell, and Virginia Dale,
three sisters, together with Miss Dale's husband (Bert
Wheeler), arrive in Las Vegas to take possession of some
property they had inherited. They are approached by Hank
Ladd, a crooked lawyer, who urges them to sell the prop-
erty for $500 ; they were unaware that the interested buyer
had instructed Ladd to offer $5,000. Miss Moore suggests
that, instead of selling, they open a night club on the prop-
erty with the money she had won at gambling while on a
tour of the clubs with Phil Regan, a rancher. Unknown to
her, Wheeler had gambled away the money which she had
entrusted to him. He buys the furniture on credit from
Ladd, giving him notes to cover the amount. On the opening
night, Ladd's henchmen wreck the place ; Ladd hopes he
would thus have the girls at his mercy. But they find out
that it was Regan's father who was trying to buy the prop-
erty ; Miss Moore suspects Regan had made love to her
just to get the property. But he proves that she was wrong ;
through a ruse, he gets his father to offer $45,000 for the
property, which the girls finally accept. And Ladd is ex-
posed as a crook. Miss Moore and Regan are united.

Ernest Pagano and Harry Clork wrote the original
screen play, Ralph Murphy directed it, and William Le-
Baron produced it. In the cast are Betty Brewer, Eddie
Kane, Henry Kolker, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Sleepers West" with Lloyd Nolan,
Lynn Bari and Mary Beth Hughes

(20//i Century-Fox, March 14; time, 73 min.)

A fair program melodrama, with some comedy. Although
the story is not novel, it should hold the interest of an
average audience fairly well because the action, for the
most part, is pretty fast-moving and at times holds one in
suspense. Most of the story unfolds aboard a train : —

Lloyd Nolan, a private detective, is among the passengers
aboard a San Francisco-bound train. He was guarding
Mary Beth Hughes, an important witness in a murder case.
Her testimony could clear the man on trial ; he had been
framed by a crooked politician whose own son had com-
mitted the murder. Don Costcllo, a private detective in the
employ of the crooked politician, is on the train; his in-
structions were to stop Miss Hughes from arriving in San
Francisco, even if it meant killing her. Another passenger
is Lynn Bari, a newspaper reporter who had once been
engaged to Nolan but who now was engaged to Don
Douglas, attorney for the crooked politican. She tries to
find out what Nolan was doing on the train, but he refuses
to talk. Miss Hughes, against Nolan's instructions, lv-
comcs friendly with Louis Jean Heydt, a passenger who
had accidentally fallen against the door to her compartment.
He confesses that he was running away from his wife, and
she tells him her troubles; they decide to run away to-
gether. Miss Bari, little realizing what she was doing, tries
to help them. Hut Nolan sees through her trick, and finally
gets Miss Hughes to San Francisco. Her testimony saves
the accused man. Heydt goes back to his wife. Miss Bari
breaks her engagement to Douglas, and takes up with
Nolan where they had left off.

Frederick Nobel wrote the story, and Lou Broslow and
Stanley Rauh. the screen play; Eugene Forde directed it,
and Sol M. Wurtzcl produced it. In the cast are Ben
Carter, Oscar O'Shca, Harry Hayden, and Ed Brophy.

Suitability. Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

March 29, 1941

There will be a great need for the creation of
new talent and the producers will do well to start
thinking as to how to create it the quickest way
possible.

The late Lewis J. Selznick used to say that he
could make a star with one good story. And he
repeatedly proved himself right. As a matter of
fact, he could have gone further than that — he
could have said that he could have created a star
with one good scene in a picture. One such striking
case is that of Andrea Leeds, retired since her mar-
riage. Miss Leeds appeared in "Stage Door" in a
subordinate part, and for the first time in pictures.
And yet she was made a star just by the masterful
way she bandied that one scene.

It is true that the director had had a great deal
to do with the way she had acted her part. But if
the author had not done the necessary preparatory
work, that scene would have fallen flat.

Miss Leeds must, of course, be given credit for
good acting. But even with good acting and excel-
lent direction, the story must have substance.

George Raft is another actor who was made by
a subordinate part — in "Scarface."

Promising young players should be given good
parts in big pictures, and the leads should not be
permitted to sidetrack them. In this manner there
will be a better chance to fill the demand next
season.

* * *

WHEN THE NICKEL-IN-THE-SLOT ma-
chines to show short films was first announced,
most exhibitors were over-excited out of a belief
that it would mean just so much more competition.
But as time goes on there is less excitement and
even less concern. And the reason for it is that the
"jute'' box is not an opposition to the regular mov-
ing-picture entertainment. As a matter of fact, the
jute box should create a desire in people to go to
see pictures, for a three-minute showing of a film
subject would in no way satisfy their craving, with
the result that they would be induced to go to the
nearest picture theatre to see a longer picture. No
patron would be willing to pay five cents for a
three-minute entertainment after its novelty had
worn off, when he could pay anywhere from fifteen
cents to twenty-five cents and see a three-hour
entertainment.

There should be no fear whatever even from the
16mm film, provided the producers put safeguards
around the subjects they release for the 16mm
market. And the producers are enforcing safe-
guards. It has been announced, for example, that
Universal, Paramount, RKO, and Twentieth Cen-
tury-Fox require that all contracts between the
16mm firms and exhibition places must be approved
by representatives of these companies so that they
might determine whether the account is or is not a
competitor to an established theatre, that the films
must be rented to non-commercial institutions but
not to schools, and that they must be rented only
after the pictures have completed their regular
runs. Under such safeguards, the exhibition of
16mm film should prove of benefit to the industry
instead of detriment; they will help make picture-
goers.

THE FIRST ARBITRATION CASE to be
decided in this industry is that of the Park Theatre
of Nashua, New Hampshire, heard before the Ar-
bitration Board of Boston. The complaint was un-

der Section 6 of the Consent Decree, for inability
to get film of any run. Mr. George S. Ryan, a law-
yer known in the motion picture industry well, was
counsel for the plaintiff.

A few days before the hearing, Loew's held a
conciliation conference with Mr. Ryan and agreed
to sell to his client. The others went ahead with the
case.

At the hearing, the other distributors filed writ-
ten consents to an award.

The case was decided in favor of the exhibitor,
by an award directing the distributors to offer their
pictures for license to the Park Theatre, "to the
extent of pictures released for exhibition up to
July 13, 1942 inclusive, on a run to be designated
by said distributors and upon terms and conditions
fixed by said distributors, which are not calculated
to defeat the purpose of Section 6 of the Consent
Decree."

In the pre-Consent Decree days, this exhibitor
would have spent a fortune in the courts without
any assurance that the court's decision would be in
his favor. It took only twenty-nine days from the
filing of the demand for arbitration to decide this
case.

Is the Consent Decree worth it ? A number of the
Minnesota exhibitors say it is not; they seem to
prefer to "sizzle" under the old system, unable to
get relief except through costly litigation, never
sure that the court will see the justice of their
complaints.

Perhaps this case will open their eyes.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"OFFICER AND THE LADY," with Rochelle
Hudson, Roger Pryor, Bruce Bennett, Sidney
Blackmer. A fairly good program cast.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

" UNTITLED 'KILDARE'," with Lew Ayres,
Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day, Bonita Granville,
Red Skelton. Samuel S. Hinds, Emma Dunn. All
the pictures in this series have been good and there
is no reason why this should not be of the same
calibre.

"MAN FROM THE CITY," with Virginia
YVeidler, Robert Sterling, Marsha Hunt, Fay
Holden. Judging it from the cast, fair program
entertainment.

Monogram

"WIDOWS OF THE PRESS," with Jean
Parker, Wallace Ford, Jed Prouty, Dennis Moore,
Paul Fix. A fair cast for a similar program enter-
tainment.

RKO

"HURRY, CHARLIE, HURRY," with Leon
Errol, Mildred Coles, Russell Gleason, Eddie Con-
rad. Program entertainment.

Universal

"SANDY STEPS OUT," with Baby Sandy,
Kathryn Adams, Raymond Walburn, Edward
Everett Horton, Evelyn Ankers. With the players
mentioned, this should make a fairly good picture.

"MUTINY IN THE ARTIC," with Richard
Arlen, Andy Devine, Anne Nagel, Addison Rich-
ards. The series of pictures in which Arlen and
Devine have appeared have ranged from fair to
moderately entertaining program pictures. This
probably will not differ much in production values
from the others in the series.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

filtered as second-class matter january 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1941 No. 14

Has the Industry Further Use of the Hays Seal? — No. 1

For some time there has been a subdued but definite
objection to the Production Code Seal of the Hays
Association, but several occurrences of late have made
it clear that the stage is set for a show-down. These
occurrences indicate unmistakably that this Seal will
have to go, either by the voluntary act of the Hays
Association, or by compulsion of some outside force,
such as the courts.

Having read the signs of the times clearly, Harrison's
Reports has decided to bring the question to the fore for
the purpose, not of causing discussion about it, but of
pointing out to the producers the necessity of taking
steps to eliminate something which, even at the height
of its success, was considered an imposition upon the
industry, because it had not attained the object for
which it had been adopted. Unless they take such steps,
the consequences may be serious for them.

On several occasions in the past this paper advised
the major companies to cease their useless efforts to
obtain reversal of court decisions by which they were
found guilty of having employed monopolistic prac-
tices to gain control of the motion picture industry, but
its advice was disregarded. Yet in each case the outcome
was just as Harrison's Reports had predicted.

In calling such predictions to the attention of the
major producers, Harrison's Reports is prompted by
no other motive except to save them from costly en-
tanglements, as will undoubtedly be the case if they
should again refuse to heed its advice. Besides, every
time they are dragged to the courts for violation of the
anti-trust laws, the entire industry gets a black eye.

The events that have focused attention on the Code
Seal are: (1) The loud, and lately very frequent, com-
plaints of the Catholic Church and of the Catholic
Legion of Decency against the immoral tone of an in-
creasingly larger number of major releases, which bear
the Production Code Administrator's Seal; (2) the
notices that the Production Code Administration has
sent to producers, independent as well as major, in-
forming them that the fees for reviewing their pictures
for the purpose of determining whether a Seal should
be granted or not have been stepped up to the point of
becoming burdensome to the little fellows; (3) the suit
filed by Criterion Pictures Corporation in the District
Court of California against the Hays Association and
its Production Code Administration, charging violation
of the anti-trust laws and asking $1,500,000 as damages;
and (4) the decision by the United States Supreme
Court, holding illegal and in restraint of trade under
the anti-trust laws the methods employed by fashion
originators and millinery creators guilds.

Why should these occurrences constitute a threat to
the continuance of the Purity Seal, and of its foster
parent, the Production Code Administration, a subsidi-
ary of the Hays Association? Certainly none of these,
taken alone, nor even all four, taken together, could
have so grave an import as to necessitate the scrapping
of the Seal were it not for the objectionable history of the
Seal itself. This history, Harrison's Reports will en-
deavor to lay bare with the hope that the major com-
panies may discontinue using it as a club to police the
industry.

When in 1934 the Hays Association realized that the
agitation against immoral films with the consequent
boycott on the part of the Catholic Church had hurt the

business of the picture theatres, Mr. Hays conceived
the idea of proposing to the Catholic Bishops cleaning
up the films by means of self-regulation among the
major companies. Aided by prominent Catholics, Mr.
Hays was given the chance he was seeking.

Immediately after the consent of the Bishops for
self-regulation was obtained, the major companies met
and decided that each studio would submit its scripts
to a central body for criticism. This body would have
the right to reject scripts or to order modifications. It
was also decreed that pictures would be reviewed by
the staff of this body before release. And to insure that
no major company disregarded this decision, it was
agreed that each picture would be given a seal. Joseph
I. Breen, enjoying the confidence, not only of the pro-
ducers, but also of the Catholic Church, was appointed
to administer the Code, which had been formulated for
the purpose with the approval of the Bishops.

Let it be said here that Mr. Breen has done an excel-
lent job, despite the obstacles that writers, directors
and unit producers had put in his way, and no question
would have arisen as to the employment of the Code
Seal had he confined his activities among the members
of the Hays Association. As a matter of fact, there
would have been nothing but commendation. Unfor-
tunately such has not been the case: the supervision of
scripts and the reviewing of pictures before release was
extended to include the independent producers. These
felt that they did not need the Hays Seal, and were un-
willing to subscribe to the Hays Code, but were com-
pelled to do so, because they could not sell their films
to the affiliated theatres unless their films had the Seal.
Even though many affiliated theatres were willing, and
often eager, to book their films, they were prevented
from doing so, for at a meeting of the Hays Associa-
tion when the Code was formulated it was decided by
the major companies to impose a fine of $25,000 on any
affiliated theatre that would exhibit a seal-less film.
By these means, the major companies were able to im-
pose upon the independents a fee for the reviewing of
their films and for the seal that is attached to them when
tliey are approved. No independent can have his film
reviewed and approved, even if they deserve approval,
unless he first pays to the Hays Association, or rather
to the Production Code Administration, a fee.

When in 1934 the Hays Association conceived the
idea of placing on pictures an emblem to indicate their
decency, Mr. Hays wrote to Archbishop John T. Mc-
Nicholas, then chairman of the Bishops' Committee on
motion pictures, setting forth the great good the major
producers hoped to accomplish by means of this em-
blem. The purpose was, wrote Mr. Hays, "more effec-
tively to influence the character of motion pictures pro-
duced by members of our association." Thus Mr. Hays
had limited the police power of the Production Code
Administration to pictures produced by members of
his association — he said nothing about controlling
either exhibition in affiliated theatres, or independent
production.

His letter continued: "The industry is arranging to
give wide publicity to the use of this emblem in its
various announcements. It is proposed that company
advertisements will, through the use of this emblem,
identify motion pictures which have been approved.
Local exhibitors will be encouraged further to afford
this guidance to the public."

(Continued on last fagc)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 5, 1941

"1 Wanted Wings" with Ray Milland,
William Holden, Wayne Morris and
Brian Donlevy

(Paramount, Roadshow; running time, 134 min.)

Timely in theme, and spectacular in its filming of the
air scenes, this aviation picture, centering around the
training of men for the Army Air Corps, should, as
far as this part of the picture is concerned, prove
exciting and inspiring particularly to young men, and
certainly interesting to all others. And, since it was
actually photographed at Randolph, Kelly, and March
Fields, with the cooperation of the United States Army
Air Corps, it is extremely realistic. When it sticks to
the flying scenes, and to the training and friendship of
the men engaged in learning how to fly, the picture
is entertaining and even exciting. Its weakness lies in
the story dealing with the private affairs of the leading
characters, for this is based on a hackneyed idea that
involves unpleasant characters and situations. The story
is told in flashback: —

Three young men — Ray Milland, wealthy society
man, Wayne Morris, a none too bright ex-All American
football star, and William Holden, former garage
mechanic — cadets in the Army Air Corps, become fast
friends. Brian Donlevy, a Captain and their instructor,
is proud of the progress made by Milland and Morris;
but he cannot understand Holden's failure to advance.
He has a talk with him and learns that Holden was
brooding over an unhappy love affair. Uonlevy en-
courages him, and soon Holden proves that he had the
makings of a fine pilot. Holden and Milland go to a
night club, where, to Holden's surprise, he finds his
ex-sweetheart (Veronica Lake), who was an enter-
tainer. She meets Milland and, learning of his wealth,
decides to go after him. Milland, ashamed of his
cowardice in standing by while Holden rushed to drag
a pilot out of a burning plane, goes to the night club,
becomes intoxicated, and spends the night with Miss
Lake. Holden goes after him and manages to get him
back to camp; he insists that Miss Lake leave Milland
alone, but she laughs at him. At Miss Lake's insistence,
Milland sees her a few times; but he had fallen in love
with Constance Moore and wanted to marry her. Be-
cause of an accident in which Morris is killed, Holden,
wing commander, is discharged. Preparing to leave, he
meets Miss Lake, who tells him she was going to have
a baby and was going to force Milland to marry her.
To save Milland's career, Holden marries her himself.
He then learns that she had lied about the baby. But
after a year she leaves Holden and goes away with a
gangster. Milland is overjoyed when he finds that
Holden, who had rejoined the service, was a member
of the crew of the bombing ship he was to fly during
maneuvers. Miss Lake, who had killed the gangster,
and had rushed to Holden for help, hides in the bomber.
Alaneuvers over, Holden is ordered to get the flares
ready. In the supply room he finds Miss Lake; she
accidentally sets off a flare. Holden sounds the alarm,
gets the bomb bay open, and throws out the flare.
Donlevy loses his balance and falls; Holden dives after
him and opens his parachute; they land but Donlevy is
seriously injured. Milland lands the bomber to get the
two men; in attempting to take off again, the plane is
damaged, and crashes. Miss Lake is killed. Court-
martial follows, and Milland tries to take the blame.
But Holden confesses. They are found not guilty; and
both men return to their work as pilots. Milland and
.Miss Moore are united.

Eleanor Griffin and Frank Wead wrote the story, and
Richard Maibaum, Lieut. Beirne Lay, Jr. and Sig Her-
zig, the screen play; Mitchell Leisen directed it, and
Arthur Hornblow, Jr. produced it. In the cast are Harry
Davenport, Phil Brown, Edward Fielding, and others.

The clothes worn by Miss Lake and her actions make
it unsuitable for adolescents; otherwise Class A.

"Horror Island" with Dick Foran,
Leo Carrillo and Peggy Moran

(Universal, March 28; time, 60 min.)

A minor program murder melodrama with some
comedy. The story is silly, and the direction stilted;
even the performances lack conviction. Situations pre-
sumably meant to be eerie and frightening turn out to
be just ridiculous. As entertainment, its appeal will be
directed mostly to juveniles: —

Dick Foran, owner of an uninhabitated island, re-
ceives a visit from Leo Carrillo, an old-time sailor, who
tries to convince him that he had found a map which
indicated that a fortune was hidden in the castle on the

island. Carrillo had only one-half of the map, but hoped
to find the other. When Foran receives a visit from a
wealthy cousin (John Eldredge), who offers to buy the
island, he becomes suspicious and thinks that maybe
Carrillo was telling the truth. But, since he had no
money, he organizes a trip to the island, calling it a
treasure hunt; he charges each person fifty dollars.
When the party finally lands on the island, strange
things begin to happen, and several persons arc killed.
Foran discovers who the murderer was, and traps him.
They eventually find the treasure box, but it turns out
to be empty. He learns, however, that the government
wanted to buy the island to use as a naval base, which
meant he would have money. He proposes to Peggy
Moran, one of the excursion members, with whom he
had fallen in love.

Alex Gottlieb wrote the story, and Maurice Tom-
bragel and Victor McLeod, the screen play; George
Waggncr directed it, and Ben Pivar produced it. In the
cast are Fuzzy Knight, Lewis Howard, Hobart Cava-
naugh, and others. (Not for children. Class B).

"The Man Who Lost Himself" with
Brian Aherne and Kay Francis

(Universal, March 21 ; time, 72 min.)
A fair comedy. The story, revolving around the mis-
taken identity theme, is thin and quite far-fetched; yet
it manages to hold one's attention fairly well because of
good performances and occasional comical situations.
S. Z. Sakall, as valet to the hero, is quite engaging and
provokes most of the laughter. The production values
are good: —

Brian Aherne, disappointed in a business deal, be-
comes friendly with another man (also played by
Aherne) at a cafe; they bear a striking resemblance to
each other. After a night of drinking, Aherne wakes
up the following morning to find himself in a strange
house, where he is greeted by the servants in a familiar
way. He realizes then that they were mistaking him
for the master of the house, with whom he had spent the
night drinking. To complicate matters he reads in the
newspapers that the other man had been killed in an
accident, and had been identified as Aherne himself.
He is about to give up when he meets the dead man's
wife (Kay Francis), who, too, thought he was her hus-
band. Then he decides to help her. First he straightens
out several unpleasant matters that had resulted from
Miss Francis' husband's almost insane recklessness.
Then he goes about winning the love of Miss Francis.
Eventually she learns the truth, and is happy, for her
own husband had made her unhappy.

H. DeVere Stacpoole wrote the story, and Eddie
Moran, the screen play; Edward Ludwig directed it,
and Lawrence W. Fox, Jr. produced it. In the cast are
Henry Stephenson, Nils Asther, Sig Rumann, and
Dorothy Tree. (Suitability, Class A).

"Dead Men Tell" with Sidney Toler

(20th Century-Fox, March 28; time, 60 min.)
This is a good addition to the "Chan" series, even
though the story is pretty far-fetched. The followers of
murder mystery-melodramas should enjoy it, for the
action is fast-moving; and, since the murderer's identity
is not disclosed until the end, it holds one in suspense.
As in the other "Chan" pictures, most of the laughter
is provoked by the detective's young son, whose over-
enthusiastic attempts to outwit his father lead him into
trouble: —

Sidney Toler (Charlie Chan), knowing that his young
son (Sen Yung) was attempting to hide on a ship that
was to sail in search of a hidden treasure, goes on board
to look for him. Toler meets Ethel Griffies, organizer
of the treasure hunt; she tells him that she had torn the
map leading to the fortune in four pieces, kept one for
herself, and mailed the other pieces to three individuals,
no one knowing who the others were. A little later she is
found dead. Evidence indicates to Toler that some one,
knowing of her bad heart condition, had frightened her
to death and had stolen her part of the map. Several
persons are under suspicion. Toler finds his son and
enlists his aid in solving the mystery. Finally the mur-
derer is discovered; and the parts of the map he had
stolen are recovered. With the case closed, Toler in-
sists that his young son leave with him, for at his age
schooling was more important than adventure.

John Larkin wrote the original screen play, Harry
Lachman directed it, and Walter Morosco and Ralph
Dietrich produced it. In the cast are Sheila Ryan, Robert
Weldon, Don Douglas, Katharine Aldridge, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

April 5, 1941

"The Bad Man" with Wallace Beery,
Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day and
Ronald Reagan

(MGM, March 28 ; time, 70 min.)
This is the third time this story has been produced;
it definitely suffers by comparison with the first two
versions. As entertainment, it is just ordinary pro-
gram fare. For one thing, the plot is out-moded; for
another, the direction is stilted, and the action is slow-
moving. Even such competent players as Wallace
Beery and Lionel Barrymore are unable to bring life
to their respective roles, since the material is poor; and
the overabundance of dialogue tends to tire the spec-
tator:—

Barrymore and his nephew (Ronald Reagan) are
despondent, for Wallace Beery, a bandit, and his gang
had stolen their cattle, and Henry Travers was ready
to foreclose the mortgage he held on the property.
Laraine Day, Reagan's childhood sweetheart, who had
married Tom Conway when Reagan had left her in
Maine to go out West to help his uncle, arrives with
her husband for a visit. Conway offers to buy the
ranch; but Barrymore, suspicious of his generosity,
discovers that there was oil on the property. Beery re-
turns to the ranch for another holdup; but he dis-
covers that Regan had once saved his life. He tries to
straighten things out by taking the mortgage from
Travers and attempting to kill Conway. But his plans
are interrupted by the sudden arrival of soldiers. Never-
theless he returns that evening, and just in time, too,
for Conway and Reagan were fighting and Conway was
brandishing a gun. Beery kills Conway, thus leaving
the way clear for Miss Day and Reagan, who still loved
each other. Then he goes after Travers to get back the
mortgage.

The plot was adapted from the play by Porter Emer-
son Browne; Wells Root wrote the screen play, Richard
Thorpe directed it, and J. Walter Ruben produced it.
In the cast are Chris-Pin Martin, Chill Wills, and
Nydia Westman.

Not for children. Class B.

"Mr. District Attorney" with Dennis
O'Keefe, Florence Rice and Peter Lorre

(Republic, March 27; time, 68 min.)

A fairly good program melodrama. It may bring a
better-than-average audience to neighborhood theatres,
since it is based on the popular radio program of the
same name. The action is fairly fast-moving, and from
time to time it is exciting. Moreover the production
values are pretty good, and the performances adequate.
It has some pleasant comedy bits, and a romance: —

Dennis O'Keefe, a Harvard graduate, obtains through
his influential uncle a position in the District Attorney's
(Stanley Ridges') office. He bungles the first criminal
case in which he acts as assistant and incurs the wrath
of Ridges. To get him out of his way, Ridges gives
O'Keefe the voluminous files of a closed case revolving
around a criminal (Peter Lorre) who had absconded
with a large sum of stolen money. Ridges instructs him
to read all the papers. Florence Rice, a newspaper re-
porter, feels sorry for O'Keefe, and tries to help him.
When several of the marked fifty-dollar bills stolen by
Lorre turn up at a race-track, Ridges gets excited; he
immediately takes the case away from O'Keefe. But
Miss Rice and O'Keefe decide to follow it up on their
own. First they discover that the money had been stolen
from Lorre's safe deposit box by a bank teller who
had given it to his girl friend. Then they learn that
Minor Watson, an influential lawyer and politician,
were mixed up in the case. Lorre finally appears, but
his wife, whom he had deserted, kills him. Watson is
trapped and confesses. Ridges, realizing O'Kecfc's
ability, permits him to try the case against Watson.
O'Keefe and Miss Rice are united.

Karl Brown and Malcolm S. Boylan wrote the screen
play, William Morgan directed it, and Leonard Fields
produced it. In the cast arc Charles Arnt, Joan Blair,
Charles Halton, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Ride On Vaquero" with Cesar Romero,
Mary Beth Hughes and Chris-Pin Martin

(20th Century-Fox, April 18; time, 64 min.)

As in the other "Cisco Kid" pictures, Cesar Romero's
performance is superior to the story values. This is just
another western, with fair action, occasional excitement,
and a touch of romance. The plot is routine, and the
developments should be obvious to the followers of
pictures of this type. Romero appears in two dance
numbers with Miss Hughes; this is a welcome addition
to the picture: —

Romero, captured by soldiers while keeping an ap-
pointment with a young lady, bemoans his fate. The
commander offers him his freedom if he would agree
to help him break a kidnapping ring. At first he refuses;
but when he hears that a rancher, an old friend of his,
had been kidnapped and was held for ransom, he sets
out with his pal (Chris-Pin Martin) to uncover the
ring. He goes to a town known as Las Tablas, and
visits the saloon. There he finds Miss Hughes, a former
girl friend whom he had jilted; she is angry at seeing
him but she does not give him away to the Sheriff.
Eventually he learns that the owner of the saloon and
the town banker were really the heads of the kidnapping
ring. They try to kill him when they discover that he
was "The Cisco Kid," but he, with the help of Martin,
outwits them. He rescues his friend, and returns him to
his home; he then forces the ring leaders to sign a con-
fession. Hearing the soldiers approaching, Romero
leaves the prisoners and the confession with Miss
Hughes, to turn over to the soldiers; he and Martin
rush away.

Samuel G. Engel wrote the screen play, Herbert I.
Leeds directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In
the cast are Lynne Roberts, Robert Lowery, Ben
Carter, William Demarest, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Footlight Fever" with Alan Mowbray
and Donald MacBride

(RKO, March 14; time, 69 mm.)

This program farce has been patterned along the
same order as "Curtain Call," the first picture in which
Alan Mowbray and Donald MacBride appeared in the
parts of impoverished theatrical producers attempting
to put on a play. As was the case with "Curtain Call"
it is moderately entertaining fare. Despite the silliness
of the plot, at times it is amusing; in one or two situa-
tions the antics of Mowbray and MacBride provoke
hearty laughter. The romance is routine but pleasant: —

Mowbray and MacBride are heartbroken; the backer
for their new show had withdrawn his money. Lee
Bonnell, the leading man, is discouraged, for it meant
he would have to again postpone his marriage to Elyse
Knox. Mowbray and MacBride, upon learning that
Miss Knox was an heiress whose fortune was managed
by her aunt (Elisabeth Risdon), think of a scheme to
get her to back the play. They visit Miss Risdon,
dressed as sailors, and pretend to have been pals of her
old sailor sweetheart, who had disappeared on the day
he was supposed to have married her. They tell her he
had written the play, and suggest she produce it. Al-
though she finds out about the trick, she is interested
and instructs her business agent (Bradley Page) to
invest the money for her. But when Page learns that
Miss Knox, of whom he was fond, was in love with
Bonnell, he orders the producers to withdraw Bonnell
from the cast. Mowbray takes the part during re-
hearsals; the plan was for Bonnell to appear on open-
ing night, when Page could do nothing. But Mowbray,
imagining himself to be a great actor, insists on con-
tinuing in the lead. MacBride, disgusted, arranges to
have a sandbag dropped on Mowbray's head. The trick
works, but they arc both injured. They wake up two
months later in a hospital, happy to learn that their play
was a success.

Ian McLcllan Hunter and Bert Cranet wrote the
screen plan, Irving Rcis directed it, and Howard Bene-
dict produced it. In the cast are Charles Quigley,
Chester Clutc, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 5, 1941

Immediately afterwards, affiliated circuits gave or-
ders to their theatre managers not to show a picture
unless it had the Hays emblem. They had to give such
orders for, as said, they were subject to a $25,000 fine
if they should show a picture that did not carry the
Seal. Thus the independent producers were "hooked."

It is true that the independents are not compelled to
obtain a Seal, but if they do not obtain it their pictures
arc not bought by the affiliated circuits; and without
this revenue they cannot stay in business.

When the Hays Association, by means of the em-
blem, gained control over independent production, it
felt that there was no longer any need for "wide pub-
licity to the use of this emblem," or for "the use of this
emblem" in "company advertisements," or for encour-
agement to local exhibitors "to afford this guidance to
the public." The greatly ballyhooed Seal, or "emblem,"
as Mr. Hays preferred to call it, was removed from the
prominent position it occupied at the beginning of the
film, and was placed in an inconspicuous corner of the
introductory title, reduced to a fraction of its former
size — a peanut under the big tent of a circus, ostensibly
to hide it from the public, instead of displaying it promi-
nently; and it has been removed from all newspaper
advertisements.

(To be continued next week)

HERE AND THERE

THE SEVENTH NATIONAL CONVENTION
of Variety Clubs of America will be held at the Hotel
Traymore, at Atlantic City, on May 15, 16 and 17.

The plan is to have every train bringing Club mem-
bers reach Philadelphia at about the same time, so that
they may all be taken to Atlantic City on one big train.

The Hotel Reservation Committee, headed by Henry
Clark, of Philadelphia, has charge of this coordination,
working together with each committee appointed by
the Chief Barker of each Tent.

Bill Clark, of Philadelphia, is heading the Transpor-
tation Committee.

This year there are two Honored Guests committees.
The one is headed by Ned Depinet and Gradwell Sears,
and looks after the eastern part of the country, and the
other is headed by Walter Wanger, Bob O'Donnell,
and Paul Short, and takes care of the western part of
the country.

John H. Harris, National Chief Barker, expects a
great attendance.

Those who desire further information may apply to
the Publicity Committee, 1313 Paramount Bldg., New
York, N. Y.

* * *

A WAVE OF SETTLING DISPUTES before they
are submitted even to arbitration, let alone to litigation,
has been started by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

It is a healthful sign, for there is no other industry
where so much ill will prevails between sellers and
buyers.

There are, of course, cases that cannot be settled
"out of court," but the majority of them can so be
settled if a spirit of give-and-take be adopted.

The time when the seller used to say to the buyer: "I
own the goods and I can sell them to any one I choose,
and on any terms I want" has passed; today the buyer
has rights that must be taken into consideration by the
seller.

* * *

FELLOW-EDITOR CHESTER B. BAHN had an
intelligently written editorial in the March 6 issue of
The Film Daily. Mr. Bahn, calling the attention of the
industry to the fact that the Ohio exhibitors have
started an agitation to have the Ohio Censorship law
so modified as to exclude censoring of newsreels, stated
partly the following:

"It would be well for not only exhibitors but all those
whose allegiance is pledged to democratic principles to
remember that for the preservation of a free America,
a free screen is as vital as a free press. . . . The censor
who deletes today, given the authority, is apt to insert
tomorrow. ..."

New York State does not censor newsreels. But this
does not mean that this state should be considered

liberal as compared with other states that do censor
newsreels. Censorship is an illiberal institution and
should be abolished. To have censorship means that the
morals of the censors are superior to the morals of
those for whom censorship is intended.

There has never been a more opportune time to do
away with censorship than the present time, when
every one is alive to the effects of censorship of speech
as well as of sight in the totalitarian countries, from
which we ourselves are now suffering. There should be
started at once an agitation in which not only the pro-
ducers but also all the exhibitors should take part in
enlisting the aid of the people of the United States for
the abolition of censorship of films. I am sure that, in
this, we shall have the cooperation of the entire press of
the nation. Who can guarantee that censorship of the
films may not be extended to include censorship of the
press, and eventually censorship of thought and even
of religious belief? It should be left to the police au-
thorities to ban from the screen, or from the press, the
objectionable.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"UNTITLED MARX BROS.," with Groucho, Har-
po, and Chico Marx, and Tony Martin, Virginia Grey,
Margaret Dumont. MGM has assigned a good support-
ing cast for the Marx Brothers. Yet the box-office
possibilities will depend on the popularity of the Marx
Brothers in each locality.

Monogram

"THE PHANTOM KILLER," with John McGuire,
Polly Ann Young, Bela Lugosi. A program melodrama.

Republic

"COUNTRY FAIR," with Lulubelle and Scotty,
Guinn Willilams, Eddie Foy, Jr., June Clyde, William
Demarest, Marc Lawrence. A political comedy, with a
hillbilly background. Fair box-office possibilities.

RKO

"SCATTERGOOD PULLS THE STRINGS,"
with Guy Kibbee, Dink Trout, Mildred Coles. Exhibi-
tors who played the first "Scattergood" picture are in a
position to judge the possibilities of this follow-up.

"A CERTAIN MR. SCRATCH," with Thomas
Mitchell, Walter Huston, Anne Shirley, James Craig,
Simone Simon, Jane Darwell, Gene Lockhart. The cast
is good, and the box-office possibilities are the same.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"MAN HUNT," with Walter Pidgeon, George San-
ders, Joan Bennett, John Carradine. With the players
mentioned, this should make a good program offering.

"SUN VALLEY," with Sonja Henie, John Payne,
Milton Berle, Joan Davis, Glenn Miller and his Or-
chestra, Lynn Bari, Nicholas Brothers. The "Sun Val-
ley" background, which will most likely be used for
this picture, coupled with the popular players, and the
usual lavish production given Sonja Henie pictures,
should insure this as a good box-office attraction.

Universal

"SING ANOTHER CHORUS," with Johnny
Downs, Jane Frazee, Mischa Auer, George Barbier,
Iris Adrian. Fairly good program possibilities.

"TIGHT SHOES," with Broderick Crawford, Anne
Gwynne, John Howard, Binnie Barnes, Leo Carrillo,
to be produced by Jules Levey. No facts are available
about the story, but judging by the players mentioned
the picture has pretty good box-office possibilities.

Warner-First National

"PASSAGE FROM HONGKONG," with Keye
Luke, Lucille Fairbanks, Keith Douglas, Richard Ain-
ley. Probably a melodrama, of program grade.

"DIVE BOMBER," with Errol Flynn, Fred Mac-
Murray, Ralph Bellamy, Robert Armstrong, Regis
Toomey, Allen Jenkins. Although the feminine lead is
not yet mentioned, the male players selected are alone
capable of insuring good box-office results.

Vol. XXIII

IN TWO SECTIONS — SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1941

No. 14

(Partial Index No. 2 — Pages 26 to 52 Incl.)

Titles of Pictures

Reviewed on Page

Adam Had Four Sons — Columbia (80 min.) 35

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary — MGM (100 min.).. 35

Blonde Inspiration — MGM (71 min.) 35

Blondie Goes Latin — Columbia (68 min.) 39

Buck Privates — Universal (83 min.) 27

Dangerous Game, A — Universal (61 min.) 42

Dead Man's Shoes — Monogram (68 min.) 31

Devil Commands, The — Columbia (65 min.) 35

Double Date — Universal (60 min.) 50

Ellery Queen's. Penthouse Mystery — Columbia (69m.).. 43

Face Behind the Mask, The— Columbia (69 min.) 27

Footsteps in the Dark — Warner Bros. (95 min.) 39

Free and Easy — MGM (56 min.) 47

Girl, A Guy, and A Gob, A— RKO (90 min.) 39

Golden Hoofs — 20th Century-Fox (67 min.) 30

Great Mr. Nobody, The— Warner Bros. (71 min.) .... 30
Great Train Robbery, The— Republic (61 min.) 38

Hard-Boiled Canary, The — Paramount (79 min.) 34

Here Comes Happiness — Warner Bros. (57 min.) 38

It Happened to One Man— RKO (81 min.) 42

Lady Eve, The— Paramount (93 min.) 34

Las Vegas Nights — Paramount (87 min.) 51

Lone Wolf Takes a Chance, The — Columbia (75 min.) 50

Mad Doctor, The — Paramount (89 min.) 27

Man Betrayed, A — Republic (81 min.) 51

Man Made Monster — Universal (59 min.) 50

Meet Boston Blackie — Columbia (60 min.) 38

Meet John Doe — Warner-Capra (123 min.) 46

Meet the Chump— Universal (60 min.) 26

Melody for Three— RKO (66 min.) 43

Men of. Boys Town — MGM (106 min.) 47

Missing Ten Days — Columbia (77 min.) 43

Mr. Dynamite — Universal (63 min.) 46

Monster and the Girl, The — Paramount (64 min.) 34

Murder Among Friends — 20th Century-Fox (66 min.) . 39

Nice Girl? — Universal (95 min.)

Penalty, The— MGM (80 min.) 42

Petticoat Politics— Republic (66 min.) 26

Phantom Submarine, The — Columbia (69 min.) 30

Rage in Heaven — MGM (84 min.) 43

Road Show — United Artists (86 min.) 26

Road To Frisco, The — First National (See "They

Drive By Night") 119/40

Road to Zanzibar — Paramount (92 min.) 47

Round- Up, The — Paramount (89 min.) 46

Scattergood Baines— RKO (68 min.) 31

Sea Wolf, The— Warner Bros. (100 min.) 50

Secret Evidence — Producers Releasing (63 min.) 31

Sleepers West— 20th Century- Fox (73 min.) 51

Strawberry Blonde — First National (96 min.) 31

That Hamilton Woman — United Artists (125 min.) ... 51

That Night in Rio— 20th Century-Fox (91 min.) 42

That Uncertain Feeling — United Artists (83 min.) 46

Tobacco Road — 20th Century-Fox (84 min.) 34

Topper Returns — United Artists (88 min.) 47

Trial of Mary Dugan, The— MGM (89 min.) 30

Western Union— 20th Century- Fox (95 min.) 26

You're the One — Paramount (83 min.) 27

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

2204 The Pinto Kid— Starrett (61 min.) Jan. 9

2029 The Face Behind the Mask — Lorre-Keyes Jan. 16

2028 The Devil Commands— Karloff-Duff Feb. 3

2212 Across the Sierras — All star west. (58m.) . . .Feb. 13
2006 Adam Had Four Sons — Baxter-Bergman. . .Feb. 18

2027 Meet Boston Blackie— Chester Morris Feb. 20

2015 Blondie Goes Latin — Singleton-Lake Feb. 27

2205 Outlaws of the Panhandle— Starrett ( 59m. ) . Feb. 27

2044 Missing Ten Days — Harrison- Verne Feb. 28

2022 The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance — William... Mar. 6
2025 Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery —

Bellamy-Lindsay - Mar. 24

2213 North From the Lone Star— Elliott (58m.) . .Mar. 31
2034 The Great Swindle— Jack Holt Apr. 10

Penny Serenade — Grant-Dunne Apr. 17

Under Age — Grey-Baxter _ Apr. 24

The Chain Gang — Kruger-Dickson Apr. 28

They Dare Not Love — Brent-Scott Apr. 30

Her First Beau — Withers-Cooper-Fellows. . .May 8
She Knew All the Answers — Tone- J. Bennett May 15
Naval Academy — Freddie Bartholomew May 22

First National Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. YS)
559 The Strawberry Blonde — Cagney-deHavilland-

Hayworth-Hale-Tobias Feb. 22

573 Shadows on the Stairs — Inescort-Cavanagh . . Mar. 1

568 Knockout — Kennedy-Bradna (73 min.) Mar. 29

Strange Alibi — Kennedy-Perry-Hale (63m.) .Apr. 19
The Wagons Roll at Night — Bogart-Sidney. . .Apr. 26

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, iV\ Y.)

123 Blonde Inspiration — Shelton-Grey-Dekker Feb. 7

125 The Trial of Mary Dugan — Young-Day Feb. 14

126 Andy Hardy's Private Secretary — Stone-

Rooney-Hunter-Rutherford Feb. 21

127 Free and Easy — Hussey-Cummings-Bruce ...Feb. 28

128 Rage in Heaven — Montgomery-Bergman ....Mar. 7

129 The Penalty (Roosty)— Arnold- L. Barrymore-

Reynolds (reset) Mar. 14

No release set for Mar. 21

124 The Bad Man— Beery-L. Barrymore-Day (re.) Mar. 28

131 Washington Melodrama — Morgan-Rutherford. Apr. 4

132 Men of Boys Town — Tracy-Rooney Apr. 11

130 Ziegfeld Girl — Stewart-Garland- Lamarr Apr. 18

Monogram Feature*

(630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

The Kid's Last Ride— Range Busters (59m.) Feb. 10

Ridin' The Cherokee Trail— Ritter (60m.) Feb. 25

Flying Wild (Air Devils)— East Side Kids Mar. 10

Sign of the Wolf — English cast (reset) Mar.25

Break the News — Maurice Chevalier Apr. 10

Hoosier Schoolboy — Mickey Rooney (To be reissued

under another title) Apr. 17

Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona — Range Busters. . .Apr. 20

Shadows in the Night — Bela Lugosi Apr. 25

Widows of the Press — Parker-Ford Apr. 30

The Pioneers — Tex Ritter May 3

The Human Ghost— K. Kent-J. Kelly May 10

April 5, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

4018 The Mad Doctor— Rathbone-Howard-Drew. .Feb. 14

4019 Virginia — Carroll-MacMurray Feb. 21

4020 The Monster and the Girl— Drew-Paige Feb. 28

4052 In Old Colorado— Wm. Boyd (66m.) (re.) . .Mar. 14

4022 (4021) The Lady Eve— Stanwyck-Fonda ...Mar. 21

4023 Las Vegas Nights — Moore-Regan Mar. 28

4024 The Roundup — Dix-Morisorf- Foster Apr. 4

4025 Road to Zanzibar — Crosby-Hope- Lamour ...Apr. 11

4053 Border Vigilantes— Wm. Boyd (62m.) (re.) . .Apr. 18
Power Dive — Arlen-Parker-Pryor Apr. 25

(In the last Index "Hardboiled Canary" was listed as a
March 7 release. The release date has been postponed and
the title has been changed to "There's Magic in Music")

Republic Features

(1776 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)
(We are reprinting releases starting with December 5 be-
cause a December 6 release was omitted from the previous
Indexes.)

053 The Border Legion — Rogers-Hayes (58m.) .. .Dec. 5

008 Barnyard Follies — Lee-Davis Dec. 6

009 Behind the News— Nolan-Albertson Dec. 20

064 Lone Star Raiders — Three Mesq. (57m.) Dec. 23

019 Bowery Boy — O'Keefe-Campbell-Lydon Dec. 27

074 Wyoming Wildcat — Red Barry (56m.) Jan. 6

054 Robin Hood of the Pecos— Rogers (59m.) Jan. 14

044 Ridin' On a Rainbow — Gene Autry (79m.) Jan. 24

010 Arkansas Judge — Weaver Bros.-Elviry Jan. 28

020 Petticoat Politics — Karns-Donnelly Jan. 31

075 The Phantom Cowboy (Bad Man From Rio) —

Red Barry (56 min.) .' Feb. 14

065 Prairie Pioneers — Three Mesq. (57m.) Feb. 16

011 A Man Betrayed — Wayne-Dee-Ellis Feb. 27

021 The Great Train Robbery— Steel-Carleton. .. .Feb. 28

045 Back in the Saddle— Autry (73m.) Mar. 14

012 Mr. District Attorney — O'Keefe-Rice-Lorre. .Mar. 27

055 In Old Cheyenne — Roy Rogers Apr. 1

002 Sis Hopkins — Canova-B. Crosby-Butterworth. Apr. 1

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

183 Along the Rio Grande— Tim Holt Feb. 7

121 Play Girl — Francis-Ellison (reset) Feb. 14

123 Scattergood Baines — Guy Kibbee Feb. 21

120 A Girl, A Guy and A Gob— Ball-Murphy Mar. 14

119 Footlight Fever — Mowbray-MacBride Mar. 21

124 Melody for Three— Hersholt-Wray Mar. 28

125 Repent at Leisure — Taylor-Barrie Apr. 4

184 Robbers of the Range— Tim Holt Apr. 18

Twentieth Century-Fox Feature*

(444 W. S6th St., New York, N. Y.)
131 Scotland Yard — Kelly-Gwenn-Loder Apr. 4

137 T'-at Night in Rio — Faye-Ameche-Miranda. . .Apr. 11

138 Riov on Vaquero — Romero-Hughes-Martin. . .Apr. 18

139 Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It — Harker Apr. 25

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

The Son of Monte Cristo— Bennett-Hayward Jan. 10

Road Show — Hubbard-Landis-Menjou Jan. 24

So Ends Our Night — March-Sullavan-Ford Feb. 14

Cheers for Miss Bishop — Scott-Gargan Feb. 21

The Great Dictator — Charlie Chaplin Mar. 7

Topper Returns — Blondell-Young-O'Keefe Mar. 21

That Uncertain Feeling — Oberon-Douglas Apr. 20

That Hamilton Woman! — Leigh-Olivier Apr. 30

Pot O' Gold — Goddard-Stewart-Heidt Easter Release

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

5008 Trail of the Vigilantes — Tone-Moran Dec. 13

5025 Give Us Wings— Halop-Ford Dec. 20

5018 Invisible Woman — Barrymore-Howard Dec. 27

5030 Where Did You Get That Girl ?— Parrish-

Quillan-Errol Jan. 3

5053 Lucky Devils — Arlen-Devine Jan. 3

5027 San Francisco Docks — Meredith-Hervey Jan. 10

5064 Boss of Bullion City— J. M. Brown (59m.) . . Jan. 10
5022 Six Lessons From Madame LaZonga — Velez.Jan. 17

5009 (5011) Buck Privates— Abbott-Costello Jan. 31

5002 Back Street— Sullavan-Boyer Feb. 7

5032 Meet the Chump— Herbert-Howard-Kelly .. .Feb. 14

5003 Nice Girl?— Durbin-Tone-Stack Feb. 21

5040 Dark Streets of Cairo— Gurie-Byrd Feb. 28

5041 Mr. Dynamite — Nolan-Hervey Mar. 7

5037 Double Date — Moran-Lowe-Merkel (re.) .. .Mar. 14

5065 Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie —

J. M. Brown (59 min.) Mar.21

The Man Who Lost Himself — Aherne-

Francis Mar.21

Horror Island — Foran-Moran Mar. 28

Man Made Monster — Atwill-Nagel Mar. 28

5054 Mutiny in the Arctic — Arlen-Devine Apr. 4

Lady From Cheyenne — Young- Preston (re.) .Apr. 11

The Flame of New Orleans — Dietrich Apr. 18

Model Wife — Blondell- Powell (reset) Apr. 25

Black Cat— Rathbone-Herbert May 2

We're In the Navy Now — Abbott-Costello. . .May 30

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W. 44//; SL, New York, N. Y.)

514 Flight From Destiny — Fitzgerald- Mitchell Feb. 8

515 The Great Mr. Nobody — Albert-Leslie Feb. 15

509 Footsteps in the Dark — Flynn-Marshall Mar. 8

521 Here Comes Happiness — Coles-Norris Mar. 15

501 The Sea Wolf — Robinson-Lupino-Garfield . . . Mar. 22

A Shot in the Dark — Lundigan-Wynn-Cortez. .Apr. 5
The Great Lie — Davis-Brent-Astor Apr. 12

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE

Columbia — One Reel

2903 Naval Academy— Wash. Par. (10m.) Jan. 17

2951 New York Parade— (9^m.) Jan. 24

2804 Ice Capers— World of Sport (10m.) Jan. 24

2975 Feathers— Cinescope (9j4m.) Jan. 31

2855 Screen Snapshots No. 5 — (9m.) Feb. 2

2703 Little Theatre— Phantasies (6m.) Feb. 7

2754 Streamline Donkey — Fables (7m.) Feb. 7

2603 Take It Or Leave It No. 3— Quiz (11m.) . . . .Feb. 7

2655 Community Sing No. 5 — (lO^m.) Feb. 7

2805 Splits, Spares and Strikes — World of Sport

(10 min.) Feb. 21

2976 Movie Magic — Cinescope (10m.) Feb. 22

2558 Western Wonderland— Tours (9m.) Feb. 28

2506 Way of All Pests— Color Rhapsody (7m.) . . .Feb. 28

2904 The Spirit of 1941— Wash. Parade (10m.) . . .Mar. 7

2604 Junior I.Q. Parade— Quiz (9^m.) Mar. 7

2755 It Happened to Crusoe — Fables (6y2m.) Mar. 14

2507 The Carpenters— Color Rhapsody (8}4m.) ..Mar. 14

2856 Screen Snapshots No. 6 — (10m.) Mar. 14

2656 Community .Sing No. 6 — (10m.) Mar. 14

2977 This is England— Cinescope (10m.) Mar. 27

2952 Abroad At Home— N. Y. Parade (9V2m.) . . .Mar. 27

2704 There's Music in Your Hair — Phantasies . . . Mar. 28

2806 The Jungle Archer— Sport (11m.) Mar. 28

2559 San Francisco — Tours Apr. 3

2605 So You Think You Know Music No. 1— Quiz. Apr. 3

2508 The Land of Fun— Color Rhapsody Apr. 18

2857 Screen Snapshots No. 7 Apr. 25

2657 Community Sing No. 7— (9m.) Apr. 25

2978 Capital Sidelights — Cinescope Apr. 28

2606 Take It Or Leave It No. 4— Quiz May 1

2705 The Cute Recruit— Cartoons May 2

2756 Kitty Gets the Bird— Cartoons May 16

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

April 5, 1941

2403
2425
2426
2404
2427
2428
2121
2405
2122
2123

2124

2429

2125

2126
2430
2127
2128

2406
2129
2130

2431
2131

2132

2432
2133

2134

2433
2135
2407
2434

Columbia— Two Reel*

Cuckoo Cavaliers— Stooge (l7V2m.) Nov. 15

Blondes and Blunders— Catlett (16m.) Dec 13

His Ex Marks- the Spot— Keaton (18m.) . . . .Dec. 13

Boobs in Arms — Stooee (18m.) Dec- 27

The Watchman Takes a Wife— Clyde (16m.). Jan.- 10
Fresh as a Freshman— All star (18^m.) ...Jam 29
Flaming Tepees— White Eagle No. 1 (32m.) Jan. 31

So Long Mr. Chumps— Stooge (I7l/2m.) Feb. 7

The Jail Delivery— White Eagle No. 2 (20m.) Feb. 7
The Dive Into Quicksand — Eagle No. 3

(19^m.) Feb. 14

The Warning Death Knife — Eagle No. 4

(19m.) Feb. 21

So You Won't Sqawk?— All Star (16m.) . . . .Feb. 21
International Forum No. 1 — Special (16m.) . .Feb. 22
Treachery at the Stockade — Eagle No. 5

(20m.) Feb. 28

The Gun-Cane Murder— Eagle No. 6 ( 18m.) . Mar. 7

Yumpin' Yiminy — Brendel (17j4m.) Mar. 7

The Revealing Blotter— Eagle No. 7 (17m.). Mar. 14
Bird Calls of Deliverance— Eagle No. 8

(18m.) Mar. 21

Dutiful But Dumb — Stooge (17m.) Mar: 21

The Fake Telegram— Eagle No. 9 (18m.) . . .Mar. 28
Mystic Dots and Dashes — Eagle No. 10

(18m.) Apr. 4

Glove Affair— All star (17m.) Apr. 4

The Ear at the Window— Eagle No. 11

(17m.) • Apr. 11

International Forum No. 2 — Special Apr. 17

The Massacre Invitation — Eagle No. 12

(18m.) Apr. 18

Black Eyes and Blues— Karns (16$4m.) Apr. 18

The Framed-Up Showdown — Eagle No. 13

(17^m.) Apr. 25

The Fake Army General — Eagle No. 14

(21m.) May 2

The Ring and the Belle— Clyde (17m.) May 2

Treachery Downed — Eagle No. 15 (17m.)... May 9
All The World's a Stooge— Stooge (16m.) . .May 16
Ready Willing But Unable— Brendel

(16^m.) May 30

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer— One Reel

S-263 Sea For Yourself— Pete Smith (10m.) Dec 21

T-215 Old New Orleans— Traveltalks (9m.) Dec 21

M-232 The Great Meddler— Miniatures (11m.) ..Dec 21

W-242 Mrs. Ladybug— Cartoons (8m.) Dec 21

M-233 The Happiest Man on Earth — Miniatures

(11 min.) Dec. 28

T-216 Mediterranean Ports of Call — Traveltalks

(9 min.) Jan. 4

M-234 More About Nostradamus — Miniatures Jan. 18

S-264 Penny to the Rescue— Pete Smith (10m.) . . Jan. 25

C-295 Fightin' Fools — Our Gang (9m.) Jan. 25

T-217 Red Men on Parade— Traveltalks (9m.)... Feb. 1

S-265 Quiz Biz— Pete Smith (9m.) Feb. 8

K-282 Whispers— Passing Parade (10m.) Feb. 8

C-296 Baby Blues— Our Gang (9m.) Feb. 15

W-243 Abdul the Bulbul Ameer— Cartoon (8m.). Feb. 22
C-297 Ye Olde Minstrels— Om Gang ( 1054m.) .. Mar. 8

T-218 Alluring Alaska— Traveltdks (9m.) Mar. 8

W-244 The Prospecting Bear— Cartoons (8^m.) .Mar. 8

S-266 Memory Tricks— Pete Smith (SV2m.) Mar. 15

K-283 More Trifles of Importance — Passing

Parade (10^m.) Mar. 22

K-284 Out of Darkness — Passing Parade Mar. 29

T-219 Glimpses of Kentucky — Traveltalks (7j4m.) Apr. 12

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels

P-202 You, The People — Crime Doesn't Pay

(21 min.) Nov. 30

P-203 Respect the Law — Crime Doesn't Pay

(20 min.) Jan. 4

P-204 Forbidden Passage — Crime Doesn't Pay

(21m.) Feb. 8

Paramount— One Reel

RO-5 Feminine Fitness — Sportlight (9m.) Jan. 3

EO-5 Problem Pappy — Popeye (6m.) Jan. 10

UO-1 Western Daze— Madcap Models (8^m.) . . Jan. 17

GO-3 All's Well— cartoon (6^m.) Jan. 17

SO-2 Waiting for Baby— Benchley (10m.) Jan. 24

LO-3 Unusual Occupations No. 3 — (10m.) Jan. 24

AO-4 Gene Krupa and His Orchestra — Headliner

(10m.) Jan. 31

MO-3 A Village in India — Journeys (lO^m.) Jan. 31

EO-6 Quiet, Pleeze — Popeye (6m.) Feb. 7

RO-6 Acrobatic Aces— Sportlight (9m.) Feb. 7

HO-5 Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters— cartoon

(lOfcm) Feb. 14

GO-4 Two for the Zoo — Gabby cartoon (.6z/2m.) . .Feb. 14

JO-4 Popular Science No. 4— (10m.) Feb. 21

VO-4 Red White and Blue Hawaii (The Quiz

Kids)— Paragraphic (9^m.) Feb. 21

RO-7 Fishing Fever (Canine Sketches) — Sport-
light (9^m.) Feb. 28

EO-7 Olive's Sweepstake Ticket — Popeye (6m.). Mar. 7
HO-6 Twinkletoes Gets the Bird — cartoon (6m.). Mar. 14

MO-4 Delhi — Fascinating Journeys (10m.) Mar. 21

AO-5 Bob Chester and His Orchestra — Head-
liner (9m.) Mar. 21

LO-4 Unusual Occupations No. 4 — (10m.) Mar. 28

RO-8 Canine Sketches— Sportlight (9^m.) Mar. 28

EO-8 Flies Ain't Human — Popeye Apr. 4

UO-2 Dipsy Gypsy — Madcap Models (reset) Apr. 4

SO-3 Untitled — Benchley comedy Apr. 11

GO-5 Swine Cleaning — Gabby color cartoon Apr. 11

HO-7 Speaking of Animals — Animated antics . . . .Apr. 18
RO-9 Sun Fun— Sportlight (9m.) Apr. 25

Paramount — Two Reels

FFO-1 Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy — Special

Fleischer cartoon (Uy2m.) Apr. 11

Republic — One Reel

028-1 Chinese Garden Festival — Meet the Stars

(10m.) Dec 24

028-2 Baby Stars— Meet the Stars (11m.) Jan. 24

028-3 Variety Reel— Meet the Stars (10m.) Feb. 24

028-4 Los Angeles Examiner Benefit —

Meet the Stars (10m.) Mar. 24

Republic — Serials

082 Mysterious Doctor Satan — Ciannelli-

Wilcox 15 Episodes

081 King of the Royal Mounted — Lane-
Strange 12 Episodes

080 Adventures of Captain Marvel — Tyler 12 Episodes

RKO — One Reel

14406 Picture People No. 6— (10m.) Jan. 31

14307 Caballero College— Sportscope (9ra.) Feb. 17

14207 Information Please No. 7— (10m.) Feb. 21

14501 Eyes on Brazil — South American series

(11m.) Feb. 21

14407 Picture People No. 7— (10m.) Feb. 28

14101 Golden Eggs— Disney (8m.) Mar. 7

14308 Publicity— Sports (9m.) Mar. 14

14208 Information Please No. 8 Mar. 21

14502 What's Happening in Argentina — (10m.) . .Mar. 21

14102 A Gentleman's Gentleman — Disney (7m.) . .Mar. 28

14408 Picture People No. 8 Mar. 28

14103 Baggage Busters — Disney (7m.) Apr. 18

14104 A Good Time for a Dime— Disney (7^m.) .May 9

RKO — Two Reels

13108 March of Time No. 7— (19m.) Feb. 14

13404 Mad About Moonshine— Kennedy (19m.) ..Feb. 21

13704 When Wifie's Away— Errol (20m.) Mar. 14

13108 March of Time No. 8— (18m.) Mar. 14

13405 It Happened All Night— Kennedy ( 19m.) . . . Apr. 4

13109 March of Time No. 9 Apr. 11

13503 Redskins and Redheads— Whitley (18m.) ..Apr. 25

13705 A Polo Phoney— Errol (18m.) May 16

April 5, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page D

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

1557 Mississippi Swing — Terry-Toon (7m.) Feb. 7

1106 Caribbean Sentinels — Lowell Thomas (10m.) Feb. 14

1508 Fishing Made Easy — Terry-Toon (7m.) Feb. 21

1306 Playing With Neptune— Sports (9m.) Feb. 28

1558 The Home Guard— Terry-Toon (7m.) Mar. 7

1107 The Miracle of Hydro — Lowell Thomas

(10m.) Mar. 14

1509 When Knights Were Bold — Terry-Toon

(7m.) Mar. 21

1305 Symphony in Snow — Sports (reset) Mar.28

1510 The Baby Seal— Terry-Toon Apr. 4

1701 Bottle of the Atlantic— Quentin Reynolds Apr. 11

1559 Uncle Joey — Terry-Toon Apr. 18

1108 Untitled— Father Hubbard's Adventures Apr. 25

1511 A Dog's Dream — Terry-Toon May 2

1702 War in the Desert — Quentin Reynolds May 9

1512 The Magic Shell — Terry-Toon May 16

(1402 "The Tale of Butch The Parrot" listed in the last
Index as a February 28 release has been postponed.)

Universal — One Reel

5377 Stranger Than Fiction No. 87— (9m.) Mar. 10

5357 Going Places No. 87— (9m.) Mar. 17

5378 Stranger Than Fiction No. 88— (9m.) * Mar. 24

5358 Going Places No. 88— (9m.) Mar. 31

5247 Hysterical Highspots of American History —

Lantz cartoon (6j^m.) Mar. 31

5379 Stranger Than Fiction No. 89— (8m.) Apr. 7

5359 Going Places No. 89— (9m.) Apr. 21

5248 Scrub Me Mama with a Boggie Beat — Lantz

cartoon Apr. 28

Universal — Two Reels

5792 Crashing Barriers— Hornet No. 12 (19m.) . .Mar. 11

5793 The Flaming Inferno— Hornet No. 13(17m.) .Mar. 18

5227 Music in the Morgan Manner — Musical

(17m.) ... Mar. 19

5794 Racketeering Vultures — Hornet No. 14

(20m.) Mar. 25

5795 Smashing the Crime Ring — Hornet No. 15

(19m.) Apr. 1

5881 Wings of Disaster— Sky Raiders No. 1 (19m.) Apr. 8

5882 Death Rides the Storm— Raiders No. 2 (21m.) Apr. 15
5882 The Toll of Treachery— Raiders No. 3 (19m.) Apr. 22

5228 Jumpin' Jive — Musical Apr. 23

5884 Battle in the Clouds— Raiders No. 4 (20m.) . .Apr. 29

Vitaphone — One Reel

6713 The Cat's Tale— Mer. Melodies (8m.) Mar. 1

6405 Fight, Fish, Fight— Sports Parade (9m.) ...Mar. 1
6608 Joe Glow the Firefly — Looney Tunes (6^m.)Mar. 8
6506 Cliff Edwards & His Buckaroos — Melody

Masters (10m.) Mar. 8

6305 Wild Boar Hunt— Novelties (10m.) Mar. 15

6714 Tortoise Beats the Hare— Mer. Mel. (8m.) . .Mar. 15
6609 Porky's Bear Facts — Looney Tunes (7m.) . .Mar. 29

6715 Goofy Groceries — Merrie Melodies (9m.) .. .Mar. 29
6507 Freddy Martin & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9m.) . .Apr. 12

6716 Toy Trouble — Merrie Melodies Apr. 12

6406 Sky Sailing — Sports Parade (10m.) Apr. 19

6610 Porky's Preview — Looney Tunes Apr. 19

6508 Marie Green & Her Gang — Mel. Mast Apr. 26

6717 Trial of Mr. Wolf — Merrie Melodies Apr. 26

6611 Porky's Ant — Looney Tunes May 10

6718 Farm Frolics — Merrie Melodies May 10

Vitaphone — Two Reels

6102 The Lady and the Lug— E. Maxwell (19m.) .Mar. 22

6004 Wings of Steel — Technicolor special Apr. 5

6206 The Seeing Eye — Bway. Brevities May 3

6005 Soldiers of the Saddle — Tech. special May 17

NEWS WEEKLY

NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Paramount News

63 Saturday Apr. 5

64 Wednesday ...Apr. 9

65 Saturday Apr. 12

66 Wednesday ...Apr. 16

67 Saturday Apr. 19

68 Wednesday ...Apr. 23

69 Saturday Apr. 26

70 Wednesday ...Apr. 30

71 Saturday May 3

72 Wednesday . . . May 7

73 Saturday May 10

74 Wednesday . . . May 14

75 Saturday May 17

Pa the News

15163 Sat. (0.)..Apr. 5
15264 Wed. (EJ.Apr. 9
15165 Sat. (O.).. Apr. 12
15266 Wed. (E.) .Apr. 16
15167 Sat. (O.).. Apr. 19
15268 Wed. (E.) .Apr. 23
15169 Sat (O.).. Apr. 26
15270 Wed. (E.) .Apr. 30
15171 Sat. (O.)-.May 3
15272 Wed. (E.).May 7
15173 Sat. (O.).. May 10
15274 Wed. (E.). May 14
15175 Sat (O.).. May 17

Universal

968 Friday Apr. 4

969 Wednesday ..Apr. 9

970 Friday Apr. 11

971 Wednesday ..Apr. 16

972 Friday Apr. 18

973 Wednesday ..Apr. 23

974 Friday Apr. 25

975 Wednesday ..Apr. 30

976 Friday May 2

977 Wednesday . . May 7

978 Friday May 9

979 Wednesday . . May 14

980 Friday May 16

Metrotone News

258 Thursday ...Apr. 3

259 Tuesday ....Apr. 8

260 Thursday ...Apr. 10

261 Tuesday ....Apr. 15

262 Thursday . . .Apr. 17

263 Tuesday Apr. 22

264 Thursday ...Apr. 24

265 Tuesday Apr. 29

266 Thursday . . . May 1

267 Tuesday May 6

268 Thursday ...May 8

269 Tuesday May 12

270 Thursday ...May 15

Fox Movietone

60 Saturday Apr. 5

61 Wednesday . . .Apr. 9

62 Saturday Apr. 12

63 Wednesday . . .Apr. 16

64 Saturday Apr. 19

65 Wednesday ...Apr. 23

66 Saturday Apr. 26

67 Wednesday . . . Apr. 30

68 Saturday May 3

69 Wednesday . . . May 7

70 Saturday May 10

71 Wednesday . . . May 14

72 Saturday May 17

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 187ft

HARRISON'S

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a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1941 No. 15

Has the Industry Further Use of the Hays Seal? — No. 2

(Continued from last week)
What were the accomplishments of the Hays Seal after it
had served to dominate virtually all production of motion
pictures?

As pointed out in last week's issue, the Seal was con-
ceived primarily as a token of appeasement to the Catholic
Bishops. It was to be attached to major releases as a sign
of self-regulation among the Hays Association members,
indicating that they had cleaned up their pictures and were
keeping filth and indecency out of their productions.

But the vigilance of the Bishops, of other religious
groups, and of social welfare organizations was not dimin-
ished ; their unceasing pressure upon the producers, together
with the work of Mr. Breen, had the effect of raising the
moral standards of the pictures for a while.

Then came the relapse. The producer-members of the
Hays Association began to feel that they had succeeded in
appeasing the Bishops. In fact, they thought that the time
had come when the mere continuance of the use of the Seal
would be taken to mean a continuance of the standards they
had promised the Bishops to uphold. Then they began to
feel as if the time had come for them to make pictures
without regard to the Bishops. And if Joe Breen got in
their way, they could handle him all right. Weren't they
paying his salary?

Immediately the moral tone of the pictures changed. The
market was flooded with gangster pictures, despite pro-
tests from both the religious and the lay press. There was
released picture after picture with scenes and dialogue
saturated with indecency and vulgarity. Joe Breen was
"pushed around" when he offered objections ; the Legion of
Decency banned pictures that flaunted the Purity Seal ;
the Bishops voiced their condemnation ; and many Catholic
publications intimated that the time had come to renew the
boycott against the movies.

And so, after six years of patience and tolerance, the
religious groups, which were to have been appeased by the
Seal, are dissatisfied and annoyed. They have lost faith
in the emblem, and, for that matter, in those who hold the
power to say where it shall be affixed and where it shall
not. Those for whom the Seal was invented are not im-
pressed in the least measure by a production-code number
as a guarantee that the picture to which it is attached has
been guaranteed against filth. Thus we find the religious
and social welfare agencies looking upon the Seal with
suspicion and disapproval.

* * *

Now, what about the independent producers ? As said in
last week's issue, they were "taken over" by the Hays
Association, because they had to have the Seal on their pic-
tures if they hoped to stay in business.

At first the independents objected strenuously to the re-
straint upon their freedom of operation. They complained
about the charges to which they were subjected for the
unwanted "service" of having their pictures reviewed by
the Production Code Administration, preliminary to the
granting of a Seal. But after the system had been in effect
for a few years, the independent producers began to accept
it as an integral part of the process of making pictures.

On January first of this year, however, the Hays Asso-
ciation increased the charges for this "service." That was
enough to wake the independent producers out of their
lethargy. They realized that, if the "service" charge could
be increased without their consent once, it could be increased
again and again, to the point where independent produc-
tion would be wholly unprofitable, if not impossible. They
became apprehensive of their future, and as their resentment
mounted, some of them began discussing ways and means

of escaping from the powerful clutch of the Hays Asso-
ciation.

It should be remembered that the independent producers
had no part in the act of "pulling" the Seal, as a magician
might pull a rabbit, out of the hat of Will Hays ; they had
nothing to do with the formation of the Production Code
Administration ; and they have no representation in that
body. They feel in no way responsible for the existence of
the Seal. And rightly so, for there was very little filth in
the independent films during the time when there was the
greatest outcry by the churches against filth on the screen.
This paper dares any one to challenge this statement. There
are figures in existence for consultation.

But even if this were not true, what right has Will Hays
and the producers he represents to institute a censorship
that smacks of monopoly ? What right have they to deter-
mine which pictures of the independent producers, with
whom they are in competition, are fit for public exhibition,
and which are not ?

They may answer that there must be some agency to
guard against filth that might be injected into independent
films, and that the Seal is the only means whereby such an
agency may function. Such an answer is no answer at all,
for no man should be compelled to have his moral conduct
judged by his enemies, nor his business conduct determined
by his competitors.

Suppose this industry were engaged in the making of
toys instead of motion pictures. And suppose a group of
the largest manufacturers had set up an agency, such as
the Production Code Administration, to pass upon the
product of their competitors, the smaller, less-powerful
independents, to determine the danger, not to the morals
of the public from seeing the motion pictures, but to the
health and safety of the children from playing with the
toys. What would happen to an independent's new toy,
which, because of some novel feature, seemed destined to
become a big seller, cutting into the business of the big
manufacturers heavily? What a chance that poor inde-
pendent would have of getting approval in time to capitalize
on the possibilities of his product !

A group of independent producers, who have been giving
deep study to the problems raised by the Seal, recently
expressed the situation to this paper as follows :

"We cannot accede to these increased charges (the in-
creased 'service' charge of the Production Code Adminis-
tration, effective January 1, 1941) nor do we see any
reason why any independent producer should pay them.
As a matter of fact we, the independent producers, who
are not members of the Hays Association, should never
have permitted it to exact a fee from us for looking at our
pictures. Since we have no voice in the fixing of these
fees, it is quite conceivable that the Hays Association,
just as it has increased its charges this year, may continue
to increase them to a point where it would be entirely im-
possible for an independent producer to remain in business.

"In his letter announcing the increased charges, Mr.
Breen said that his organization is depending entirely upon
fees received for servicing pictures for producers and dis-
tributors. It may be that, when his organization screens
a picture of a producer-member of the Hays Association
and grants a Seal to that picture, cither as screened, or
after the making of suggested alterations, it is rendering
a service to that producer. But certainly it renders no
service to us by looking at our pictures, particularly when
the pictures are submitted under compulsion and contrary to
our principles of doing business.

"The Production Code Administration was formed to
police the product of the Hays Association members, be-
(Continucd oh last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 12, 1941

"The Lady From Cheyenne" with
Loretta Young, Robert Preston
and Edward Arnold

(Universal, April 11 ; running time, 87 min.)

A pretty entertaining comedy-melodrama of the old
West ; it treats humorously, if not accurately, on the meth-
ods employed by the women of Wyoming to obtain the
right to vote. The production values are good and the per-
formances competent. It lacks the vigorous action of some
westerns, for only on one or two occasions is it really
exciting; instead, it goes in more for plot detail and
character studies. The romance is pleasant : —

On the day of the auction of railroad land in the new town
of Laraville, Wyoming, Edward Arnold, a crooked poli-
tician, orders his attorney (Robert Preston) to see to it
that no one but his own men buy the desirable waterfront
lots. Only one of these choice lots goes to an outsider — to
Loretta Young, a naive young schoolteacher from Phila-
delphia. Miss Young builds a schoolhouse on the property,
and undertakes to teach the children. Arnold builds a
saloon and runs the town, much to the disgust of Frank
Craven, a newspaper publisher. Miss Young is attracted to
Preston and is about to follow his advice about selling her
property to Arnold when she learns from Craven that
Arnold's intentions were to obtain control of the water-
front to charge the farmers exorbitant rates for the water.
Enraged, Miss Young tells Arnold and Preston what she
thought of them. Arnold burns down Miss Young's school-
house; then he sends his men to beat up Craven. Miss
Young and the other women are aroused ; but, since no men
were brave enough to face Arnold, the women decide to
take matters in their own hands. They send Miss Young
to the Cheyenne legislature to try to have a bill enacted
giving the women the right to vote and to serve on juries.
Preston, who had been elected to the legislature, does
everything in his power to stop Miss Young. But Miss
Young, by enlisting the aid of Gladys George, who knew
intimately some of the men in the legislature, obtains the
promise of Stanley Fields to introduce the bill. By a trick,
she induces the members to pass the bill. Preston, having
heard that Arnold had shot a farmer who had tried to get
his water from Miss Young's property, is enraged, and
returns home. Learning that Arnold had ordered his men
to get Miss Young who was returning home, Preston sets
out with a few others to rescue her. Arnold and his hench-
men are arrested by federal officers. At Arnold's trial, the
all-woman jury finds him guilty. Miss Young and Preston
are united.

Jonathan Finn and Theresa Oaks wrote the story, and
Warren Duff and Kathryn Scola, the screen play. Frank
Lloyd directed and produced it. In the cast are Jessie
Ralph, Samuel S. Hinds, Willie Best, Joseph Sawyer and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Great Lie" with Bette Davis,
Mary Astor and George Brent

(Warner Bros., April 12; time, 107 min.)
An engrossing romantic drama, with strong appeal for
women. Handled with care and directed with intelligence,
it is the type of story that, despite its lack of action, keeps
one interested throughout. This is owed partly to the ex-
cellent performances given by Bette Davis and Mary
Astor ; but it is really Miss Astor who is the outstanding
personality. The role she portrays is a colorful yet some-
what unpleasant one ; and she acts it with competence and
realism : —

George Brent, after a wild party, marries Miss Astor, a
famous concert pianist. But he is still in love with Miss
Davis, whom he had known for a number of years. Learning
from his lawyer that Miss Astor had married him before
her final divorce decree had been entered, and that, there-
fore, his marriage to her was not legal, Brent asks her to
remarry him the following Tuesday, when the decree would
be final. She tells him that she had an engagement to play
in Philadelphia on that day. Taking that as a dismissal,
Brent goes back to Miss Davis; she is overjoyed to learn
that he was free and they are married. Their honeymoon
is cut short when the government calls him to make a flight
to South America. While he is gone, Miss Davis learns that
Miss Astor was expecting a baby ; she does not believe her.
Miss Davis hears that Brent's plane was lost and that he
had been given up. She goes to Miss Astor and pleads with
her to have the baby ; she would take the baby and in return
would settle a large amount of money on Miss Astor. They
go to a lonely spot in Arizona, where they were unknown;
Miss Davis cares for Miss Astor, puts up with her tan-
trums, and does her best to make her comfortable. After
the birth of the baby, Miss Astor continues with her career

and Miss Davis takes the baby to her plantation ; everybody
thinks the child is hers. A few months later, Miss Davis
receives the joyous news that Brent had been found. He
returns home, and is happy to find the child. He, too, be-
lieves Miss Davis was the mother; she does not tell him
otherwise. But Brent's return changes Miss Astor's plans.
She goes to the plantation, determined to tell him the truth
so as to break up the marriage. Miss Davis tells Brent ;
he forgives her and offers the baby to Miss Astor. Realizing
then that she could never win him back, Miss Astor gives
up her claims to the baby and leaves.

The plot was adapted from a novel by Polan Banks.
Lenore Coffee wrote the screen play, Edmund Goulding
directed it, and Henry Blanke was associate producer. In
the cast are Lucile Watson, Hattie McDaniel, Grant
Mitchell, Jerome Cowan, and others. (Class A.)

"The Great Swindle" with Jack Holt

(Columbia, April 10; time, 54 min.)

The usual Jack Holt picture, both from the standpoint
of production and of story. Not only are the plot develop-
ments obvious, but the action is slow due to an over-
abundance of dialogue. There is no romance : —

Jack Holt, adjuster for a fire insurance company, and
his assistant (Don Douglas), while going through the
remains of a warehouse that had burned down, find evidence
of arson. They confront the warehouse owner (Jonathan
Hale) with this fact when he calls at the insurance com-
pany to collect on his insurance. But Hale denies em-
phatically knowing anything about it. Holt's investigations
lead him to Henry Kolker, president of a bank, to whom
Hale was indebted. Boyd Irwin, head of the insurance com-
pany, admits to Kolker his inability to meet the policy;
and, since he owed Kolker money which he could not pay,
Kolker takes over the insurance company. He tries to
induce Hale to settle the policy for the amount of the
notes he held against him, which equaled just one-half of
the value of the policy. Hale refuses to do this. Holt then
discovers that Kolker had himself engaged the men to
burn down Hale's warehouse. With the help of the police,
he obtains Kolker's confession. Kolker's henchmen are
arrested. Hale receives his money, and Irwin gets back his
insurance company.

Eric Taylor wrote the story, and Albeit DeMond, the
screen play ; Lewis D. Collins directed it, and Larry Dar-
mour produced it. In the cast are Marjorie Reynolds,
Sidney Blackmer, Douglas Fowley, and Tom Kennedy.

Suitability, Class A.

"Sign of the Wolf" with Michael Whalen
and Grace Bradley

(Monogram, March 25; time, 68 win.)

Dog fanciers should enjoy this picture, for the real stars
are two remarkably intelligent Alastian Shepherd dogs,
who do many exciting tricks. The story itself is moderately
entertaining, a program melodrama, with some action and
a little human interest ; it should fare best with the family
trade. The romance is pleasant ; and Mantan Moreland
provides the comedy : —

Grace Bradley, owner of two Alsatian Shepherd dogs
(Smoky and Shadow), decides, after exhibiting both dogs
at a show, to sell Shadow because she feared that he was
a trouble maker. But Moreland, her servant and trainer,
unable to bear parting from the dog, hides him in the rear
of the plane in which they were to return to their home.
They crash in a snow storm, and both Moreland and Miss
Bradley are injured. Smoky runs away, but Shadow looks
for help. He finally lands at the fox farm owned by Michael
Whalen, who lived there with his young brother (Darryl
Hickman), a few helpers, and a maid (Louise Beavers).
He makes them understand that something was wrong and
leads them to the wrecked plane. They move Moreland and
Miss Bradley to their home, where they care for them.
Miss Bradley is heartbroken when she learns that Smoky
was lost, and offers a reward for his return. Smoky had
been found by two fur hijackers, who had trained him to
steal pelts. The fox camp owners, led by the hijackers to
believe that Miss Bradley's dog Shadow was the culprit,
demand that the dog be shot. But Darryl, who loved the dog,
sets him free and urges him to run away. Shadow goes after
Smoky. Whalen, suspecting the hijackers, goes after them.
Shadow saves Whalen's life by jumping on one of the men
who had aimed his gun at Whalen. The trappers arrive and
capture the hijackers. Both dogs are returned to Miss
Bradley. Whalen and Miss Bradley plan to marry.

The plot was adapted from a story by Jack London;
Elizabeth Hopkins and Edmond Kelso wrote the screen
play, Howard Bretherton directed it, and Paul Malvern
produced it. In the cast are Wade Crosby, Tony Paton,
and others. (Suitability, Class A.)

April 12, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Pot O' Gold" with James Stewart,
Paulette Goddard, Horace Heidt
and his orchestra

(United Artists, Easter rel.; time, 85 min.)

A fairly good comedy with music. The story is routine ;
yet it may please the masses for it has music of the popular
variety, the players are appealing, and there is plentiful
comedy as well as a romance. Considering the popularity
of the "Pot O' Gold" radio program, many persons who
follow the program may want to see the picture ; with this
additional source to draw from, the picture may do well at
the box-office : —

Lacking money to continue his small-town music store,
Stewart arrives in the city to live with his wealthy uncle
(Charles Winninger), who wanted him in his business.
Stewart arrives at the place of business at an exciting
moment — during a brawl between his uncle and Mary
Gordon, who owned the property next to Winninger's
factory which he had vainly tried to buy. Stewart, attracted
by Miss Gordon's daughter (Paulette Goddard), finds
himself fighting against his uncle and accidentally hits him
with a ripe tomato. Stewart is hailed as a hero and lodgings
given him at Miss Gordon's house, where lived a group of
penniless musicians. Their music was a source of irritation
to Winninger, but he could do nothing about it. The leader
of the band (Horace Heidt) finds out who Stewart was, but
he does not give him away. Instead, they think of a plan:
Stewart should go to his uncle's home, and induce him to
go away on a vacation. In that way Stewart could take
charge of the radio program sponsored by Winninger, and
so put the band on the air. Things work out as they had
planned, except that Miss Goddard finds out about Stewart.
In anger, she makes a statement over the air that Winninger
would give away $1,000 each week to some lucky person.
Stewart naturally has to go through with the offer ; but no
one knows how to tackle it. At the last moment, the idea of
choosing a telephone number and calling the lucky party
dawns on Stewart, and the program goes over strong. Win-
ninger returns and is irate at first; but the program's
success cheers him, and everything is settled. He and Miss
Gordon become friends, and Stewart and Miss Goddard are
united.

Andrew Bennison, Monte Brice, and Harry Tugend
wrote the story, and Walter DeLeon, the screen play;
George Marshall directed it, and James Roosevelt produced
it. In the cast are Frank Melton, Jed Prouty, Dick Hogan,
James Burke, Charles Arnt, Aldrich Bowker, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"A Shot in the Dark" with
William Lundigan, Nan Wynn
and Ricardo Cortez

(Warner Bros., April 5; time, 57 min.)

A typical program melodrama, suitable for theatres that
cater to the followers of gangster-action pictures. There's
nothing new in the story ; but, since it moves at a pretty
fast pace, the fans probably will not complain. And, since
the murderer's identity is not disclosed until the end, it may
add to then interest, even though his identity is quite
obvious. Nan Wynn sings a few popular songs quite well : —

William Lundigan, a reporter, and Regis Toomey, a
detective, are both guests at the night club owned by
Ricardo Cortez on the night that he was giving a farewell
dinner to his employees. He tells them he was selling out
all his business interests to a friend (Theodore Von Eltz),
because he wanted to settle down in a legitimate business
and marry Maris Wrixon. He incurs the enmity of the
racketeers, who had offered him even more for his holdings,
for he had refused to sell to them. Von Eltz is killed on the
night of his arrival. Toomey begs Cortez not to try to take
the law in his own hands. A former sweetheart of Cortez',
whom he suspected of having committed the murder, is
killed, and Cortez insists that he killed her. Lundigan and
Toomey, working together on the case, arrive at a solution.
They prove that Miss Wrixon had been married to Von
Eltz and had killed him so as not to spoil her chances with
Cortez; that the man (Don Douglas) she passed off as her
brother was really her lover ; that she had killed the girl
who had suspected what was going on and that Cortez,
believing that Miss Wrixon had committed the murder in
self defense, had tried to shield her. With the case finished,
Toomy and Lundigan rush back to the night club to see
Miss Wynn, whom they both loved ; to their surprise they
find that she was out with some one else.

Frederick Nebel wrote the story, and M. Coates Web-
ster, the screen play; William McGann directed it, and
William Jacobs produced it. In the cast are Lucia Carroll,
Noel Madison, John Gallaudet, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"The Devil and Miss Jones" with
Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings,
Charles Coburn and Spring Byington

(RKO, April 11 ; running time, 92 min.)

Very good ! First and foremost in the picture's favor are
the excellent performances and intelligent direction. The
story itself is not novel, but it has been developed in so
amusing a fashion that it holds one's interest throughout.
It is a delightful combination of comedy, romance, and
human interest ; and it centers around agreeable characters.
The settings, designed by William Cameron Menzies, are
exceptionally good, and add to the entertainment values : —

Millionaire Charles Coburn, who prided himself on the
fact that for twenty years his picture had not appeared in
a newspaper, is agitated when he learns that he had been
hung in effigy outside a department store he did not even
know he owned. He is determined to find out who were
the labor agitators. Displeased with the choice of private
detective engaged to investigate the matter, Coburn decides
to undertake the job himself. Since no one knew who he
was, he uses the detective's name, and is assigned to the
shoe department. He immediately takes a violent dislike
to the section manager (Edmund Gwenn), who ruled with
an iron hand. Jean Arthur, who worked in the same de-
partment, believing that Coburn was penniless, gives him
money for lunch. She brings him together with Spring
Byington, who worked in the same department. Since
Coburn had made up a story about his past — about the
cruelty of the firms he had worked for — Miss Arthur takes
him to a labor meeting run by Robert Cummings, her
sweetheart, who had been discharged from the store.
Coburn is held up as an example of the cruelty of employers.
Coburn grows fond of his new friends ; he has a wonderful
time with them on a jaunt to Coney Island, where he eats
everything without ill effects. Miss Arthur is shocked
when she accidentally learns that Coburn was a "detective" ;
but he shows his loyalty by siding with the workers. Miss
Arthur inspires the workers to walk out. Coburn gets Miss
Arthur, Miss Byington, and Cummings to his home, pre-
tending that he had arranged a meeting with the owner.
When they find out who Coburn was, all three faint. But
everything ends happily — Coburn puts in the reforms the
workers wanted, re-engages Cummings, thereby making it
possible for him to marry Miss Arthur, and himself marries
Miss Byington.

Norman Krasna wrote the original screen play. Sam
Wood directed it, and Frank Ross produced it. S. Z. Sakall,
William Demarest, Walter Kingsford, Montagu Love, and
Richard Carle are in the cast. (Class A.)

"Shadows on the Stairs" with
Frieda Inescort and Paul Cavanagh

(First National, March 1 ; time, 63 min.)

A minor program melodrama. The only novel touch about
it is in the end, where it is disclosed that what had preceded
was just a play that the author had been reading to some
friends. It lacks real excitement and a coherent plot ; for
that reason discriminating audiences will find it tiresome,
and even the most ardent followers of murder mystery
melodramas may find it but mildly entertaining. The ro-
mance is unimportant : —

Frieda Inescort and her husband (Miles Mander) run a
boarding house; they, their daughter (Heather Arisen,
four boarders and a maid live there. It comes to light that
Miss Inescort and Paul Cavanagh, one of the borders, had
been intimate for some time. Miss Inescort was nervous
and worried over the mysterious work that Cavanagh was
doing; he refused to confide in her, but assured her that
everything would be satisfactory. Miss Angel and Bruce
Lester, an impoverished playwright-boarder, had fallen in
love with each other. Lester tells her that something strange
was going on in the house. Involved in the scheme with
Cavanagh was Turban Bey, another border. Cavanagh and
the housemaid (Phyllis Barry) are murdered. It becomes
known that the murders had been committal by Mander,
who had become jealous of Cavanagh ; he had not meant
to kill Miss Harry, but she had been in his way. The police
discover that Bey was buying ammunition for a revolt in
his country.

At that point, Lester is seen finish ing reading the play
to the occupants of the boarding house, who arc amused that
their names had been used for such unpleasant characters.
Lester than confesses to Miss Angel that he was a famous
playwright who had lived at the boarding house to get local
color. They are united.

Frank Vosper wrote the story, and Anthony Coldcway.
the screen play ; D. Ross Lcderman directed it. In the cast
are Lumsden Hare, Charles Irwin and others.

Not for children. Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 12, 1941

cause experience has taught that, if they should be left
alone, they might demoralize themselves out of business.
This being the case, the burden should be on them to
finance Breen's department. The burden should not be
spread to those who are in no way responsible for the
conditions that have brought the Seal into being, and who
would be quite content and would keep out of trouble if the
Production Code Administration did not exist at all.

"We may have been coerced into paying the charges of
that organization up to the present time, but we do not
intend to be forced into paying any increased charges
without doing something to put an end to the whole system."
{To be continued next week)

HERE AND THERE

RECENTLY THE NEW YORK newspapers stated
that about fifteen Broadway play producers have decided,
beginning the coming fall, to charge to high school stud-
ents, at matinee performances, only twenty-five cents
instead of the regular price of admission.

What has impelled these producers to establish a low-
rate admission price is their desire to develop theatre-
goers.

It was just such a motive that had prompted Mr. Earle
Brothers, of Boulder City, Nevada, to suggest that the ex-
hibitor leaders employ their efforts towards eliminating
the tax from cut-rate student tickets.

It seems as if the Brothers idea, which had impressed
theatre owners when it was discussed in these columns last
year, has died down, and Harrison's Reports takes this
opportunity of urging them to take the necessary steps
to the end that cut-rate tickets for school children and
C.C.C. Camp boys be exempted from taxation.

FRED H. STROM, Executive Secretary of Allied
Theatre Owners of the Northwest, writes me that the
Minnesota law deals only with two sections of the Consent
Decree — compulsory trade-showing, and selling in blocks
of five. It was an answer to an editorial, "Is the Consent
Decree Worth It?" which appeared in the May 29 issue.

It will serve no good purpose if I were to dwell on the
subject again, but I am going to ask Mr. Strom, and all
those exhibitors for whom he is acting, one question:
Suppose the producers, after the law is passed, withdrew
their exchanges from the state of Minnesota, and trans-
ferred them to a state nearby. How is Mr. Strom going to
enforce the law?

The transferring of the exchanges is not an improb-
ability ; already some distributors have so threatened,
according to the March 10 issue of The Film Daily. And if
this should happen, the cost to the exhibitors should be
enormous.

* * *

ACCORDING TO THE APRIL SEVEN issue of
Motion Picture Herald, out of fourteen "Some Run" cases
so far submitted to arbitration, three of them were settled
(all by MGM) out of court, two have been granted, one
dismissed and appealed to the National Board, and on one
the board was split with the exhibitor winning two points.

It is an encouraging record.

*'■■*".*

ACCORDING TO WEEKLY VARIETY, United
Artists, Universal, and Columbia are preparing to heed
the decisions of the arbitration boards in the matter of
clearance.

As stated in Harrison's Reports, when the Consent
Decree provisions went into effect the three non-consenting
companies would find themselves confronted with prob-
lems that would compel them to heed the spirit of the
Decree. We are living in an interdependent world and these
three companies certainly can not conduct business as if
they were all alone.

As time goes on they will be confronted with the neces-
sity of even altering their sales policies in the matter of
selling the entire product in the beginning of the season :
when the exhibitors find that they can buy from the Big
Five as many groups-of-five as they want and even re-
ject certain pictures from each group, Columbia, Universal
and United Artists will be compelled to give the exhibitors
similar deals.

Despite the squawks from many exhibitor organization
centers, this paper believes that, when the new selling
system has been given a fair test, it will prove so bene-
ficial that every objector will want to climb on the band
wagon.

AT THE TIME THIS PAPER reviewed Warner's
"Meet John Doe," the ending showed Edward Arnold, the
fascist-minded industrialist, expressing remorse for his
actions and promising to print in his paper a confession.

This ending has now been changed. It shows Gary Cooper
walking away from the edge of the roof, with Miss Stan-
wyck in his arms. Nothing is said by Arnold.

* * *

THE METRO-GO LDWYN-M AYER organization has
stuck its chests out because of the fact that the Book of
the Month Club has endorsed its short, "Happiest Man On
Earth," a piclurization of Albert Maltz's short story which
in 1938 won the O. Henry Memorial Award.

What has made the MGM officials feel chesty is the fact
that this is the first time that the Book of the Month Club
has endorsed a film subject of any kind.

There is no doubt in the writer's mind that, when the
Consent Decree becomes the settled guide of conduct in
the motion picture industry, more and more shorts will be
produced with short stories of well-known authors as the
foundation, for under the new selling system the cheap
feature will have a tendency to disappear, its place to be
taken by better quality of shorts. It has been the double-
feature that has retarded the improvement of the shorts.

Let us hope that the example set by MGM, of making
short subjects out of short stories of well-known authors,
will be emulated by other companies.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"HANDS ACROSS THE ROCKIES," with Bill
Elliott, Dub Taylor. Western.

Monogram

"REDHEAD," with June Lang, Johnny Downs, Eric
Blore, and Harry Burns. This will probably be a romantic
comedy with music. Pretty good possibilities.

"KING OF THE ZOMBIES," with John Archer,
Mantan Moreland, Joan Woodbury, Dick Purcell. Fair
program possibilities.

Paramount

"THE GREAT MAN'S LADY," appraised in the
March 8 issue under the title "Pioneer Woman."

"BUY ME THAT TOWN," with Lloyd Nolan, Albert
Dekker, Constance Moore, Sheldon Leonard. Good pro-
gram possibilities.

"ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS," with Dorothy
Lamour, Jon Hall, Lynne Overman, Philip Reed, to be
produced in technicolor. Wherever Dorothy Lamour's
"sarong" pictures have gone over before, there is no
reason why this one, too, should not do well.

Republic

"SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE," with Roy Rogers,
George Hayes. Western.

"THE GAY VAGABOND," with Roscoe Karns, Ruth
Donnelly, Ernest Truex, Bernardine Hayes. Program
entertainment.

RKO

"PARACHUTE BATTALION," with Robert Preston,
Nancy Kelly, Edmond O'Brien, Harry Carey, Buddy
Ebson, Patric Knowles. A fairly good cast, and similar
box-office possibilities.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"MAN WITH THE SHOVEL," with George Mont-
gomery, Osa Massen, J. Carrol Naish. Program entertain-
ment.

Universal

"HELLO, SUCKER," with Hugh Herbert, Peggy
Moran, Tom Brown. Program.

"MEN OF THE TIMBERLANDS," with Richard
Arlen and Andy Devine. Program.

Warner-First National

"MANPOWER," with Edward G. Robinson, Marlene
Dietrich, George Raft, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh. Very
good cast, with similar box-office possibilities.

"BAD MEN OF MISSOURI," with Dennis Morgan,
Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman. Good program possibilities.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

Harrison's Reports

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ooi. d. ^upy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1941 No. 16

Has the Industry Further Use of the Hays Seal? — No. 3

In last week's issue, the second article of this series
concluded with the statement, made by a group of
independent producers, to the effect that they did not
intend to pay the increased charges of Will Hays'
Production Code Administration, "without doing some-
thing to put an end to the whole system."

One producer has already started something: early
this year, Criterion Pictures Corporation filed suit for
$1,500,000 damages in the U. S. District Court of Cali-
fornia against the Hays Association and the Production
Code Administration, charging monopoly in restraint
of trade and violation of the Sherman and Clayton
anti-trust laws. The suit is founded upon the claim that,
in 1937, the defendants refused to issue a Seal to plain-
tiffs' feature "Damaged Goods," whereas they granted
a Seal to the Warner picture that dealt with the same
subject, "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet."

For the present, this paper is not concerned with the
relative merits of the two pictures in question; nor with
any comparison, either of their subject matter, or of
the moral tone of their treatment. At this time little
importance need be attached to the reasons for the
granting of a Seal to one picture and for the refusal of
it to the other, for these are all matters for the court
to determine; what I am concerned with is the broader,
more comprehensive issue — the power of the Hays
Association to impose a death-sentence upon an inde-
pendent producer's picture, a sentence from which there
is no appeal.

When a man has spent his time, his efforts and his
money in producing a motion picture, he should have
the right to license it for exhibition throughout the
land, free from restraint oi any kind, except such re-
straint as may be exerted by duly constituted govern-
mental authority when, in the exercise of its police
powers, it deems the picture harmful to the health,
welfare or morals of its citizens. And even then, if this
restraint should, in his opinion, be arbitrary or un-
reasonable, the producer should have the right of appeal
to the courts. He certainly should not be governed by
the decision of his competitors.

Notwithstanding that this paper, as said, takes no
sides in the suit between Criterion Pictures Corpora-
tion and the Hays Association, it is struck with an in-
escapable observation: any system that would put a
person in a position to even assert the claim made by
the plaintiff in this suit is unwholesome and unsound.

Last month the Hays Association sent to producers
a letter, reading in part as follows:

"In recent months we have noted a marked tendency
to inject into motion pictures shots of low-cut dresses
and costumes, which expose women's breasts, as well
as 'sweater shots' — shots in which the breasts of women
are clearly outlined and emphasized.

"All such shots are in direct violation of the provision
of the Production Code, which states clearly that 'the
more intimate parts of the human body . . . the breasts
of women' . . . must be fully covered at all times;
that these should not be covered with transparent or
translucent material, and they should not be clearly
and unmistakably outlined by the garment."

Then followed a warning that, "in the future," any
shots that violate this provision of the Code will be
rejected.

This paper does not wish to debate with either Joe
Breen or the Hays Association the extent to which
women's breasts may, with decency, be exposed, and
the manner in which they may be shown, in pictures.
What it wishes to emphasize is its belief that neither
Breen nor the Hays Association should have the right
to determine these questions for a non-member of that
Association.

In effect, the aforementioned letter says that, in
recent months, there have been injected into motion
pictures shots that expose women's breasts, and that
such shots are in direct violation of the Production
Code. The most recent example of the condition com-
plained against is the Paramount picture, "I Wanted
Wings." The Legion of Decency mentioned this condi-
tion when it placed the picture in its "B" list, and the
press and many motion picture reviewers commented
about it in their reviews. One of these reviewers went
so far as to become facetious about it. If the exposure
of women's breasts is a violation of the Code, then this
picture should not have been given a Seal until every
objectionable shot had been removed, for seldom does
Veronica Lake appear in a scene where her breasts are
draped in accordance with the requirements of the
Code. Yet the picture has a Purity Seal.

I mention this picture, not as the most flagrant
offender, but as the latest offender. There have been
many others, as Joe Breen himself admits. None of
them, however, has been denied the Purity Seal. The
Hays Association did not tell these member-producers
that they must re-shoot the pictures, or at least delete
the objectionable shots, before granting them the Seal.
Oh, no! The Hays Association was dealing with its
members — with those who furnish the money for its
maintenance. And so, instead of banning the pictures,
it merely issued a warning about future productions.

In the case of "Damaged Goods," assuming that its
subject matter is in violation of the Production Code,
the Hays Association did not give it a Seal and issue
a warning about future productions; it merely pointed
to the provision of the Production Code, which it
claimed that it violated, and said, "Sorry, no Seal."
But then, the producer of "Damaged Goods" was only
an independent — not a contributing member of the
Hays Association.

The New York Times of Sunday, February 16, 1936,
carried a statement given out by Mr. Sinclair Lewis,
the famous novelist, informing the public that Will H.
Hays had banned the production of his novel, "It
Can't Happen Here." On the surface, the reason given
was that the book was anti-fascist, and that the produc-
tion of a picture founded on this book might offend the
German and Italian governments. But Mr. Lewis."
statement contained also the following:

"Mr. Howard [The late Sidney Howard, the famous
playwright, who had been engaged by Metro to write
the screen play for Mr. Lewis' hook], further reports
(Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 19, 1941

"Citizen Kane" with Orson Welles

(RKO, Rel. date not set; time, 120 mm.)

This is a great picture, any way one looks at it. And
it brings to the motion picture industry an exciting new
personality — Orson Welles, a man whose talents both
as actor and director will be acclaimed by adult audi-
ences far and wide. What amazes one is that, in his
first picture, Welles shows a keener understanding of
motion picture technique than many old-timers; cour-
age, in that he has avoided anything that smacks of
routine picture-making; and ingenuity in the method of
presenting his story. People will talk about the unusual
photography, about Welles' dramatic method of using
shadows and lighting effects. It may not be what one
terms "mass" entertainment, since the Mercury Theatre
players who appear in the leading roles with Welles are
completely unknown to motion picture audiences, and
the picture itself is extremely intelligent fare. Yet the
publicity that both the picture and Welles have received
has created so great an interest amongst the public that
its box-office success is undoubtedly assured: —

Kane (Welles), aged millionaire, dies alone in the
palace he had built to house the many pieces of art he
had acquired. A newsreel company official, curious as
to what was behind the word "rosebud" uttered by
Kane just before he had died, sends one of his men to
try to dig out facts about Kane's past that would shed
some light on the matter. From the various persons
interviewed by this investigator, the story of Kane's
life unfolds — his acquisition by inheritance of a small
newspaper, which he and two friends undertake to de-
velop; his gradual rise to fame, acquisition of more
newspapers, and his entry into public life. But he en-
joyed his power too much, and people feared him. His
marriage ended unhappily, after he had become in-
volved in a scandal with Susan Alexander (Dorothy
Comingore), a singer. Later he married her, and in-
sisted that she become a professional singer. Since her
voice was such that no opera company would have
her, Kane built an opera house for her. Despite his
power and wealth, he could do nothing about the poor
reviews she received. She later gave up singing, and
retired with Kane to the palace he had built. The se-
cluded life wore on Susan's nerves and she left him.
Lonesome, without friends, Kane died in his palace.
Yet no one could give an explanation as to the word
"rosebud." At the end, as many things belonging to
Kane were burned, a child's sled bearing the word
"rosebud" is thrown into the furnace, without anyone
realizing that that was the answer to the riddle.

Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles wrote the
original screen play, and Mr. Welles directed and pro-
duced it. In the cast are Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane,
Ray Collins, George Coulouris, and others.

Although not for children, it is Class A for adults.

"Power Dive" with Richard Arlen
and Jean Parker

(Paramount, April 25; time, 68 win.)

A fair program aviation melodrama. Neither the story
nor the aviation scenes are particularly novel; and there
are only two really thrilling situations. The one shows
a crackup; and the other, a test flight in which the hero,
after completing a power dive, finds that the controls
had jammed. These latter scenes hold one in pretty
tense suspense; but at the same time they are nerve-
racking. There is a pleasant but routine romance: —

Richard Arlen, a daring pilot, cracks up in his first
attempt to establish a new transcontinental speed rec-
ord. His employer and old friend (Roger Pryor)
promises to build a new and better plane for Aden's
next attempt. Arlen, who had financed his brother's
training as an aeronautical engineer, is shocked when
his brother (Don Castle) arrives by plane, which he
had flown himself. Arlen had insisted that Castle

keep away from flying; and so he sees to it that he is
put to work designing planes. Jean Parker, mistaking
Castle for Arlen, speaks to him about a new plane her
father had designed; he lets her go on thinking that he
was Arlen. But when Arlen meets her, the deception
is uncovered; she takes it good-naturedly. Arlen in-
duces Pryor to manufacture the plane, with Castle
supervising the job. Miss Parker and Castle fall in
love; so when Arlen proposes she naturally turns him
down and tells him why. Arlen, about to set out on his
second attempt to break the transcontinental speed
record, kisses Miss Parker. Castle, misunderstanding,
quarrels with Arlen and starts a fight. On the day of
the test flight of Miss Parker's father's plane for U. S.
Army officials, Arlen is surprised to find that Castle
was to accompany him, to make flight recordings.
Everything works perfectly; just when Arlen was
ready to land, the controls jam. Forcing Castle to bail
out, Arlen cuts the control cables, managing the con-
trols by hand. His hands are cut badly but he brings
the plane down safely. The army accepts the plane;
and Castle and Miss Parker are united.

Paul Franklin wrote the story, and Maxwell Shane
and Edward Churchill, the screen play; James Hogan
directed it, and William C. Thomas produced it. In the
cast are Helen Mack, Cliff Edwards, Billy Lee, and
Louis Jean Heydt.

Suitability, Class A.

"Strange Alibi" with Arthur Kennedy
and Joan Perry

(First National, April 19; time, 63 mm.)

Action fans should enjoy this program melodrama.
The plot is not novel — as a matter of fact it is routine;
yet one's attention is held fairly well because of the
sympathy one feels for the hero, who innocently had
become involved in a murder charge. There is plentiful
gangster variety action, a few thrills, (particularly in
the closing scenes), and a formula romance. The direc-
tion and performances are adequate: —

Arthur Kennedy, a detective on the police force,
quarrels with his chief (Jonathan Hale) and resigns
from the force. Unknown to everyone, Kennedy and
Hale had planned the argument so as to make it appear
as if Kennedy was angry with the police force. In this
way he is able to join a gambling syndicate for the
purpose of finding out the identity of the leader. To his
amazement, he learns that the two men at the head
were none other than a police Captain (Cliff Clark) and
a lieutenant-detective (Stanley Andrews). Clark is
satisfied that Kennedy had gone over to the side of
crime, but Andrews is a little suspicious. He follows
Kennedy to a boarding house, and, when he finds him
in conference with Hale, Andrews kills Hale, knocks
out Kennedy, and puts the gun in his hands. Kennedy
is arrested and, since his only witness, a criminal, had
run away, he is sentenced to life imprisonme.it. His
sweetheart (Joan Perry) promises to do all she can to
help him. Kennedy goes through torture with the other
prisoners. He hears from a friend (Florence Bates),
owner of a waterfront cafe, that the criminal who could
testify for him had returned. Kennedy escapes and
goes to the cafe; but by the time he arrives the witness
was dead. Kennedy manages to reach the governor.
Through a ruse, he exposes Clark and Andrews to the
satisfaction of the governor. His pardon granted, Ken-
nedy is reinstated on the police force, and marries Miss
Perry.

Leslie T. White wrote the story, and Kenneth Garnet,
the screen play; D. Ross Lederman directed it, and
William Jacobs produced it. In the cast are John
Ridgely, Howard da Silva, Wade Boteler, Ben Welden,
and others.

Not for children. Class B.

April 19, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Sis Hopkins" with Judy Canova,
Bob Crosby and Charles Butterworth

(Republic, April 1 ; time, 97 min.)

Those who like Judy Canova and her brand of
comedy should enjoy this picture, for she appears
throughout, singing, dancing, and clowning; and she
has been given a good supporting cast. Moreover, the
production values are good, and the picture closes with
one of those typical lavish musical numbers. The rou-
tine plot and trite dialogue are, however, a drawback,
so far as class audiences are concerned; but for the
masses there is enough entertainment value in the
comedy and music to satisfy their demands. (A picture
called "Sis Hopkins" was released in 1919; but the
only resemblance this picture bears to the old picture is
in the title — the story has been altered completely) : —

Charles Butterworth, retired millionaire plumber,
invites his country niece (Miss Canova) to his home.
This annoys both his wife (Katharine Alexander) and
his daughter (Susan Hayward), who had social aspira-
tions, for Miss Canova's appearance and actions seemed
silly to their friends and embarrassing to them. Follow-
ing Miss Alexander's demands that he send Miss
Canova away, Butterworth decides to send her to the
same college attended by Miss Hayward. This makes
matters even worse; first, Miss Hayward's classmates
tease her about her cousin. Then, socially prominent
Bob Crosby, leader of the school band and director of
the yearly play, tells Miss Hayward that Miss Canova
would replace her in the cast. Miss Hayward sends for
her parents, and thinks of a way of getting Miss Canova
out of the school. She leads her to believe that she
would be taken into her sorority, but that first she would
have to perform at a burlesque house as part of her
initiation. Miss Hayward then calls the police to raid
the place. Just as the police arrive, she rips off Miss
Canova's dress; Miss Canova is arrested, but later re-
leased. The girls who had joined in the trick regret their
actions. Miss Canova gets into further trouble when she
is accused of having tried to steal Miss Alexander's
mink coat. She refuses to give an explanation, knowing
it would involve her uncle, who had loaned the coat
to a chorus girl, who had later given it to Miss Canova
to return to him. Butterworth finally confesses; Miss
Canova is cleared and is able to appear in the show;
she is a hit.

F. McGrew Willis wrote the story, and Jack Town-
ley, Milt Gross, and Edward Eliscu, the screen play;
Joseph Santley directed it, and Robert North produced
it. In the cast are Jerry Colonna, Elvia Allman, Carol
Adams, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Scotland Yard" with Nancy Kelly,
Edmund Gwenn and John Loder

(20th Century-Fox, April 4 ; time, 65 min.)

A pretty good program melodrama. Although the
plot is highly improbable, it is exciting enough to hold
the interest of an average ludience pretty well. The
action is fast-moving, and the developments toward
the end, involving a gang of foreign agents, keep one
in suspense. The settings are realistic. This picture was
produced in 1930, with Edmund Lowe as the star; a
few changes have been made in the plot, and the back-
ground is now that of presert-day London: —

While escaping from Edmund Gwenn, a Scotland
Yard Inspector, Henry Wilcoxon, notorious bank rob-
ber, stops at the home of a titled millionaire banker
(John Loder). He overhears Loder taunting his young
wife (Nancy Kelly) with the fact that she was happy to
see him go to war. Wilcoxon, at the point of a gun,
orders them to turn over the keys to their car; before
he leaves he takes from Miss Kelly a diamond locket
containing her picture and that of Loder's. Gwenn
catches up with Wilcoxon, but again he makes a spec-

tacular escape and, in order to avoid Gwenn, joins the
Army, where he displays courage. Wilcoxon suffers
severe face injuries. The plastic surgeon, assuming that
the face in the locket was that of his patient, performs
an operation; Wilcoxon is amazed to find that he had
acquired Loder's face. Naturally everyone at the hospi-
tal believes him to be Loder; even Miss Kelly, who had
arrived to take her "husband" home, believes him to be
Loder. The criminal (now played by Loder) decides
to keep up the deception, his purpose being to enter the
bank and take all the money for himself that he wanted.
Miss Kelly is thrilled at the change in her "husband";
they fall in love. A gang of foreign agents, knowing
that the real banker was a prisoner in Germany, con-
front the deceiver and threaten him with exposure
unless he turned over to them all the bank assets. In
the meantime, Gwenn, suspicious all the time, discovers
the truth; he shows the locket he obtained from the
hospital to Miss Kelly. She realizes then that she had
been living with the criminal. Loder outwits the spies,
causing their arrest and thus saving the money. Gwenn
tells him that the war record had cleared up his criminal
record, and that he was free to go back in the army
again. Miss Kelly urges him to go.

The plot was adapted from the play by Denison Clift;
Samuel G. Engel and John Balderston wrote the screen
play; Norman Foster directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel
produced it. In the cast are Melville Cooper, Gilbert
Emery, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Repent At Leisure" with Wendy Barrie
and Kent Taylor

(RKO, April 4; time, 66 min.)

This romantic comedy is a fair program entertain-
ment. The settings, as well as the performances, are
adequate. The story is routine; except for one or two
situations, it develops just as one expects. It should,
however, please the family trade, since it has comedy,
human interest, and a pleasant romance: —

On the day that she was to marry a fortune-hunting
Count, Wendy Barrie, with the consent of her million-
aire father (George Barbier), runs away. Still dressed
in her wedding gown, she boards a bus and is seated
next to Kent Taylor, who, it develops, worked in her
father's department store. He pays her fare; they take
a liking to each other and arrange to meet for dinner
that evening; she does not tell him who she really was.
Thinking that she was penniless, he permits her to live
in his apartment while he sleeps at a friend's home.
When Taylor learns that all single men were going to
be discharged from the store, he informs the manager
that he had been married for over a year. He tells Miss
Barrie what he had done, and, since she had fallen in
love with him, she agrees to marry him. On her first
meeting with the manager, she pretends that she and
Taylor have a baby. Then they are in real trouble and
have to adopt a baby. In the meantime, Miss Barrie,
unknown to Taylor, tells her father about him; to
Taylor's surprise he receives promotions until he is
general manager. In time everyone in the store, except
Taylor himself, knows that he was married to the
owner's daughter. Finally Taylor learns the truth, and
is so enraged that he leaves Miss Barrie, as well as his
position; he goes to work for a competitor. He makes
competition so keen, that Barbier is compelled to ask
for a merger. But the baby finally brings Miss Barrie
and Taylor together again. And the combined stores
look forward to good business, without any quarrels.

James Gow and Arnaud D'Usseau wrote the story,
and Jerry Cady, the screen play; Frank Woodruff di-
rected it, and Cliff Reid produced it. In the cast arc
Rafael Storm, Nella Walker, Thurston Hall, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 19, 1941

that Mr. Hays told the producers that he didn't know
which way the next elections might go, and that he
certainly didn't intend to offend the Republicans."

You thus see that, by means of the Seal, the pic-
ture producers' political beliefs, as they may some-
times creep into the films, are subjected by the Hays
Association to censorship.

Now they have gone one step farther: In the New
York Times of Sunday, March 30, 1941, Mr. Thomas
M. Pryor, in his column on current film events, reports
that Mr. Addison Durland has been appointed to the
staff of the Production Code Administration as a
specialist in Latin-American affairs. "Mr. Durland's
job," writes Mr. Pryor, "will be to police all scripts
dealing with South America. He will begin his new
duties on April 14. Will H. Hays, president of the
Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of Amer-
ica, Inc., officially designated Mr. Durland's appoint-
ment as 'another step in the motion picture industry's
cooperation in current efforts to promote hemispheric
solidarity'."

No one will question the praiseworthiness of a co-
operative effort to promote hemispheric solidarity. But
should such effort be allowed to become the means of
giving an unwarranted power to one group over another
in this country? And that is exactly what may happen
through the appointment of Mr. Durland, for it is not
inconceivable that, in view of the history of the Hays
Seal, the picture of an independent may be denied the
Seal and thus be barred from the affiliated-circuit
theatres; that is, from most of the first run houses in
the United States, if it should conflict with Mr. Dur-
land's ideas of what will promote hemispheric solidarity
and what will not.

Thus it is that the Hays Association has accumulated
enormous power and is able to exercise it over, not only
those who willingly submit to it, but also those who
object to it strenuously.

The United States Supreme Court has made some
pointed comments about a similar condition in the
ladies' garment and millinery industries. These will
be discussed in next week's issue.

(To be continued next week.)

HERE AND THERE

"CITIZEN KANE," the Orson Welles-RKO pic-
ture that has created so much controversy between
William Randolph Hearst and the motion picture in-
dustry in general and RKO in particular, will at last
be released. Thus the public, the interest of which has
been aroused to high pitch, will have a chance to judge
for itself whether there is anything to the claimed re-
semblance between the story of the hero in the picture
and the life of Mr. Hearst, and if there is, whether any
reflection is cast upon him.

Even if there should be any such resemblance, it is
the opinion of this paper that Mr. Hearst should have
been flattered by the characterization instead of being
incensed, for in most of the picture the hero is a sympa-
thetic, and in the remainder he is a forceful, character,
no different from other successful business men, hard-
boiled somewhat, and selfish sometimes. But the early
characterization leaves so deep an impression that his
later selfishness is impotent to erase the kindly feeling
one conceives for him in the beginning.

As to the artistic merit of the picture itself, it is the
opinion of this writer that it is going to set standards
that other directors-producers will have to follow. I
have have been told by a reliable authority that one of
Hollywood's outstanding directors has expressed him-
self as follows, not in the words recorded here, but in
the spirit: "Here is a fellow who has never produced
a picture, yet has made a monkey out of us all."

The story is simple — nothing extraordinary about it;
but the direction is superb. The acting, particularly that
of Mr. Welles, who impersonates Kane, the publisher;
the lights and the shadows in the photography, which
make the picture a living, breathing thing; the camera

angles — all combine to make "Citizen Kane" an out-
standing piece of art.

As to its box-office possibilities, I would say that,
the interest that has been created among the public,
picture-going and not, as a result of threats of reprisals
against picture people if this picture should be released,
combined with the' picture's artistic merit, should help
it gather more money at the box-office than any other
picture that has ever been released with the exception
of "Gone With the Wind." Though it will show its
biggest strength in the big cities, the towns should give
it as good a reception, because of the publicity.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"BETTY CO-ED," with Ruby Keeler, Harriett
Milliard, Ozzie Nelson and orchestra, and Gordon
Oliver. With the players mentioned, this will probably
be a musical show with romance. The players are well
known, and so the picture has pretty good box-office
possibilities.

"OBITUARY," with Frank Craven, Eileen O'Hearn,
Roger Pryor. Program.

"PRISONER ON DEVIL'S ISLAND," with Sally
Eilers, Donald Woods, Eduardo Ciannelli, Victor
Kilian. Pretty good cast for program entertainment.

"ONE WAY STREET," with Anita Louise, Russell
Haydcn, Noah Beery, Jr., Dick Purcell. Pretty good
program possibilities.

"BLONDIE IN SOCIETY," with Penny Singleton,
Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, Daisy. Exhibitors should
be guided by the box-office performances of the other
"Blondie" pictures.

Monogram

"THE PIONEERS," with Tex Ritter. Western.

Paramount

"THE PARSON OF PANAMINT," with Charlie
Ruggles, Ellen Drew, Philip Terry, Joseph Schildkraut,
Porter Hall, Janet Beecher. It was made in 1916 with
Dustin Farnum; that version was a fairly good program
picture.

"WORLD PREMIERE," with John Barrymore,
Frances Farmer, Ricardo Cortez, Don Castle, Virginia
Dale. No facts are known about the story; but, judging
by the players, this should be a pretty good entertain-
ment.

"NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH," with Bob Hope,
Paulette Goddard, Edward Arnold, Helen Vinson, Leif
Erikson, Willie Best. Very good as to cast and box-
office possibilities.

"HENRY FOR PRESIDENT," with Jimmy Lydon,
Charlie Smith, June Preisser. This will be the next one
in the "Henry Aldrich" series, but with a new cast.
Program.

Republic

"THUNDER OVER THE OZARKS," with the
Weaver Brothers and Elviry, John Archer, Kane Rich-
mond, Loretta Weaver. Wherever the Weaver Brothers
and Elviry are popular and their pictures have met with
success, this, too, should duplicate the box-office per-
formances of the other pictures.

"ANGELS WITH BROKEN WINGS," with Bin-
nie Barnes, Edward Norris, Gilbert Roland, Jane
Frazee, Billy Gilbert. Good cast with good box-office
possibilities.

RKO

"DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER," appraised
in the April 5 issue as "A Certain Mr. Scratch."

Universal

"TOO MANY BLONDES," with Rudy Vallee,
Helen Parrish, Lon Chaney, Jr., Eddie Quillan, Jerome
Cowan. Good program possibilities.

Warner-First National

"FLIGHT PATROL," with James Stephenson,
Ronald Reagan, Olympe Bradna, Regis Toomey. Pretty
good cast for a picture with similar box-office possi-
bilities.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 187ft

Harrison's Reports

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dDC a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SEIIVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1941 No. 17

Has the Industry Further Use of the Hays Seal? — No. 4

(Continued from last week)
In the first three articles cf this series, I pointed out the
enormous control that the Kays Association had acquired
over the industry through its power to either grant or deny
the Purity Seal to films of its members, as well as to films
of independent producers. The purpose of those articles
was to show the relationship of the Seal, the Hays Associa-
tion, the independent producers, and the industry itself, so
that I might compare it witli a similar relationship in the
ladies' garment and millinery industries, as a warning of
what we may expect, should the Hays Association persist
in retaining the system.

Lest some persons think that these articles exaggerate
the control exercised by the Hays Association through the
Seal, allow me to quote from a recent report of a select
committee to the Temporary National Economic Commit-
tee, authorized by Congress to make a complete study and
investigation with respect to rhe concentration of economic
power in, and financial contrcl over, production and distri-
bution of goods and services. This report, entitled "The
Motion Picture Industry — A Pattern of Control," has the
following to say about the Seal :

"The Production Code consists of a rather detailed state-
ment of undesirable scenes or situations or methods of pro-
duction which the members of the Hays organization have
pledged themselves to avoid. Since a simple pledge of this
kind is more likely to be honored in the breach rather than
the observance, a Production Code Administration has been
formed to implement it. The Production Code Administra-
tion reviews all completed films submitted by members or
non-members. It will review scripts, but does not give prior
approval merely from the reading of a script.

"Objectionable material in a photoplay must be removed
before the Hays office places its seal of approval on the
film. The code has definite teeth, in that the members of the
Hays organization have agreed to pay a $25,000 fine to the
organization for the exhibition in any affiliated theatre of
any picture which lacks the seal of approval.

"It is evident that refusal of the seal of approval to a
first-class independent production would immediately make
it a financial failure because it could not be shown in any
of the 2,800 theatres controlled by the large companies. It
might not even be necessary flatly to refuse the seal of
approval. Granting the seal might be made conditional on
the deletion of small parts of the film which nevertheless
served to destroy the essential appeal of the picture.

"It is true that few complaints have been made by inde-
pendent producers regarding the activities of the Produc-
tion Code Administration. But, even granting that the
powers of the code administration have in every case been
wisely and equitably used, there remains a definite question
as to whether such control of the business of potential or
prospective competitors can properly be lodged in the hands
of an interested industry group. The motion picture indus-
try has over the years consistently opposed governmental
censorship of films largely on the grounds that the power of
censorship might not be wisely exercised. How much more
assurance is there that this power will always be wisely
exercised by a non-governmental group?"

Although the affiliated circuit:, control, as the report indi-
cates, only 2,800 theatres out of approximately 17,000 thea-
tres in operation, one must bear in mind that these repre-
sent, according to the same report, "more than 80 percent
of all metropolitan first-run theatres," from which is de-
rived the greater portion of all film rentals.

Let us now discuss what happened in the dress and mil-
linery industries.

Since the conditions in the two industries were the same,
except that one had organized the Fashion Originators

Guild of America, and the other the Millinery Creators
Guild, to fight piracy of styles in dresses and millinery,
respectively, and since the latter was condemned by the
United States Supreme Court in a decision based upon its
ruling that the former was operating illegally, it will suf-
fice to consider only the dress industry.

For a long time the owners of fashion designs of expen-
sive dresses complained that these fashions were pirated
and copied extensively by manufacturers of inexpensive
garments. To stop this practice, there was organized a
Guild, with a membership of designers, manufacturers, dis-
tributors and retailers of dresses, as well as makers, con-
verters or dyers of the textiles from which the garments
are made. Their program was outlined on the theory that
the unauthorized copying of fashion designs constitutes an
unfair trade practice. Under this theory, they decided to
penalize any retailer who should sell a copied-design dress.
The penalty was a refusal by all members of the Guild to
sell merchandise to the guilty retailer.

Since it was almost impossible for a retailer to operate
profitably unless he could buy from Guild members, it be-
came a simple enough matter to compel the retailers to
join the organization, forcing them to abide by its regula-
tions. Moreover, since independent manufacturers had to
have textiles from Guild members, it was equally simple
to compel these manufacturers to do likewise.

Those who have read the first three articles of this series
will, no doubt, find a familiar theme in the outline of con-
ditions in the dress industry. The Guild has all the mark-
ings of the Hays Production Code Administration, even
though it could not very well put a seal on each garment.
The penalty, too, was different : the offender was not fined
$25,000.00 ; he was boycotted.

But somebody reported the condition to the Federal
Trade Commission, and an investigation followed. At the
hearing, the Guild asserted that its intention was to protect
the industry from unfair competition, from piracy of valu-
able rights inherent in fashion designs — a motive as noble
as the purpose of the Hays Association in its desire to pro-
tect the motion picture industry from salacious films. Un-
impressed by the lofty ideals of the Guild, the Federal Trade
Commission decided that the group had prevented sales in
interstate commerce, lessened competition, and tended "to
create in themselves a monopoly." Accordingly, it issued
an order that the Guild cease and desist from the practices
mentioned.

On March 3, of this year, the United States Supreme
Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the action of the
Trade Commission. The Court's opinion, written by Mr.
Justice Black, contains language that should be of particu-
lar interest to the members of the Hays Association, for it
may be easily paraphrased to fit the motion picture indus-
try ; it is the following :

"Because of these alleged wrongs [the piracy of designs],
petitioners [members of the Guild], while continuing to
compete with one another in many respects, combined
among themselves to combat and, if possible, destroy all
competition from the sale of garments which are copies of
their original creations.

"They admit that to destroy such competition they have
in combination purposely boycotted and declined to sell
their products to retailers who follow a policy of selling
garments copied by other manufacturers from designs put
out by guild members.

"As a result of their efforts approximately 12,000 re-
tailers throughout the country have signed agreements to
cooperate with the guild's boycott program, but more than
half of these signed the agreements only because con-
(Continued on last page)

66 HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Penny Serenade" with Irene Dunne
and Cary Grant

(Columbia, April 24; time, 120 min.)
A deeply stirring drama, interspersed with delightful
comedy bits. The story itself is simple; yet it holds one's
attention from the beginning to the very end. Credit for
this is due to fine direction and superb performances by
Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Although the story is of
the "tear-jerker" variety, it is not maudlin. There are
scenes that stir one's emotions so strongly that it is
difficult for one to hold back one's tears. There is no
doubt that the picture will have a powerful appeal for
women. And even the men should find it extremely in-
teresting, because of its honesty in the portrayal of the
two leading characters, and of the natural way in which
the story unfolds. The story is told in flashback, in a
somewhat episodic fashion; but this does not diminish
one's interest in the outcome: —

Miss Dunne, clerk in a music store, and Grant, a
newspaper reporter, meet and fall in love. He arrives at
a New Year's Eve party in a jubilant mood, for he had
just been notified of his assignment to Japan, with an
increase in salary; and since he had to leave that very
night he induces Miss Dunne to marry him, promising
to send for her within three months. They are finally
reunited in Tokyo. Grant had rented a charming house;
he is delighted when Miss Dunne tells him she was go-
ing to have a baby. He comes home one evening with
the good news that he had inherited $20,000, which,
after the payment of debts, would leave him with $8,000;
he had resigned his position and proposed that he and
Miss Dunne travel for a time and then settle down in a
small American town, where he would publish a news-
paper. Suddenly there is an earthquake, their house is
left in ruins, and Miss Dunne is injured. Back in San
Francisco, at a hospital, Miss Dunne learns that not
only had she lost her baby but that she could never
have another. Grant tries to cheer her up by informing
her that he had bought a newspaper in a small Cali-
fornia town, to which they move. They are joined by
Grant's faithful friend and assistant (Edgar Buchanan).
Miss Dunne is unhappy, until they finally adopt a baby
girl. Even though it was a struggle to make ends meet,
the child brings joy to them for five years, when the
little girl, stricken by a sudden illness, dies. Both Miss
Dunne and Grant are so grief-stricken that they drift
apart. Eventually Miss Dunne decides to leave him.
Before going away, she plays various records, so as to
recall the past. Grant enters just as she had finished.
They receive a telephone call from the head of the
orphanage who had heard of their loss, and offered for
adoption a two-year old boy. Suddenly differences are
forgotten; they are reconciled and rush to the orphan-
age for the baby.

Martha Cheavens wrote the story, and Morrie Rys-
kind, the screen play; George Stevens directed and
produced it. In the cast are Beulah Bondi, Ann Doran,
Eva Lee Kuney, Leonard Willey, and others.
Suitability, Class A.

"Reaching For the Sun" with Joel McCrea,
Ellen Drew and Eddie Bracken

( Paramount, May 2; time, 89 min. )

A fairly entertaining drama with comedy. It may
appeal to the masses, for the characters portrayed are
average simple folk; and the events in their lives are
probably similar to those of many picture-goers. It is
not a glamorous picture, insofar as settings or charac-
terizations are concerned; yet it has some human ap-
peal, some fairly pleasant comedy, and the action is
fairly fast. The one really thrilling situation comes
towards the end, where the hero and the villain are
shown engaged in a passionate struggle by means of a
crane and a winch they operated at an automobile
factory. But this episode is not strong enough to lift
the picture above the grade of good program: —

Joel McCrea, a simple-iiving ciam digger of the Micb-

April 26, 1941

igan north woods, decides to go to Detroit to work in
an automobile factory so as to earn enough money to
buy an outboard motor, after which he would return to
clam-digging. He becomes acquainted with Eddie
Bracken, who, too, was waiting on the long line of job-
seekers. Through a ruse, McCrea manages to get both
himself and Bracken inside the gates of the factory and
they obtain jobs. McCrea becomes acquainted with
Ellen Drew, waitress at the lunch counter near the
factory. There he gets into a fight with a bully (Albert
Dekkcr) in which McCrea knocks Dekkcr out. McCrea
and Bracken become partners in the clam-digging plan;
they buy a motor on the installment plan. Eventually
McCrea and Miss Drew marry. Bracken becomes a
boarder in their home. Miss Drew resents having the
motor around, for she did not want to go to the woods
to live; she felt McCrea could do better working in the
factory. She is more definite in her stand after their child
is born. After a layoff at the plant, McCrea is compelled
to pawn the motor. He and Bracken are finally rein-
stated, at better positions, and the first thing they do is
to redeem the motor; this so annoys Miss Drew that
she leaves with the baby. McCrea and Dekkcr get into
another fight at the factory; Dekker, who operated a
giant crane, goes crazy; he manages to overturn Mc-
Crea's machine. McCrea is injured. He is rushed to the
hospital, where one of his legs is amputated. When
Miss Drew rushes to his side, McCrea pretends he does
not want her. Later, however, she learns he had merely
pretended he did not want her, and she returns to him ;
they are reconciled. They go to the woods to live.
Bracken tries it out for a time, but the place proves
too quiet for him, and so he returns to Detroit.

The plot was adapted from the novel "F.O.B. De-
troit" by Wessel Smitter; W. L. River wrote the screen
play, and William A. Wellman directed and produced
it. In the cast are Billy Gilbert, James Burke, Regis
Toomey, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Knockout" with Arthur Kennedy,
Olympe Bradna and Virginia Field

(First National, March 29; running time, 73 min.)

A good program picture of its type. The action keeps
one interested fairly well, and a few of the situations
may excite some people. It is a prize-fight melodrama,
with the usual hokum of misunderstandings between
husband and wife as a result of a third woman, and of
efforts on the part of the villain to put obstacles in the
path of the hero. The picture has been produced on a
somewhat larger scale than the average program pic-
ture. The one trouble with Arthur Kennedy is that he
does not look like a tough prize fighter: —

Arthur Kennedy, a prize fighter, wants to quit the
ring so as to please his wife, Olympe Bradna. He had
obtained employment at a health farm, catering to mil-
lionaires. But Anthony Quinn, his manager," seeing his
opportunity of making a top-notch prize fighter out of
him vanish, uses his influence to have Kennedy dis-
charged. Reduced to poverty as a result of his inability
to obtain employment, he goes back to Quinn. With
proper training and adequate publicity, he reaches the
top. His egotism makes him neglect his wife and take
up with Virginia Field, a society girl. When he finds
that Kennedy will no longer take orders from him to
give up the society girl and to attend to his work more
seriously, Quinn induces a rival of his to bet against
Kennedy, for he was going to dope him so that he might
lose the fight. Kennedy loses, not only the fight, but
also Virginia. He then goes back to his wife and, with
the money she had saved, they start a health farm of
their own.

The story is by Michael Fessier; the screen play, by
M. Coates Webster. Edmund Grainger produced it, and
William Clemens directed it.

Suitability. Class B.

April 26, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Flying Wild" with Leo Gorcey
and Bobby Jordan

(Monogram, March 10; time, 63 min.)
This comedy-melodrama is entertainment mainly for
the juvenile trade — the story is too far-fetched and too
silly for adult appeal. About the only thing that can be
said in the picture's favor is the fact that on a few.
occasions the antics of the "East Side Kids" provoke
laughter. Aside from that, the production values are
ordinary, and the performances, aside from the leading
players, stilted: —

Bobby Jordan and the other boys of his gang, except-
ing Leo Gorcey, work at an aeroplane factory. Gorcey
hangs around the factory all the time, but he does not
believe in hard work. The plant owner (Herbert Raw-
linson) tells the boys that saboteurs were operating at
the factory, but that he had been unable to discover their
identity. Gorcey becomes interested in a fully-equipped
hospital plane that was kept at the airport; he overhears
a conversation between the doctor-owner (George
Pembrooke) of the plane and two other men that
arouses his suspicions. When he tells Rawlinson what
he had heard, Rawlinson laughs at his doubts of the
doctor and attributes Gorcey's suspicions to the fact
that the doctor had once ordered Gorcey out of the
plane. Gorcey enlists the aid of Jordan so as to trap
Pembrooke. He substitutes Jordan for a supposed pa-
tient who was to be flown across the border; the purpose
was for Jordan to find out who the parties were at the
other end. They succeed in their task, and are finally
able to prove the guilt of Pembrooke and his henchmen.

Al Martin wrote the screen play, William West di-
rected it, and Sam Katzman produced it. In the cast
are Donald Haines, David Gorcey, Bobby Stone,
Sammy Morrison, Joan Barclay, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Ziegfeld Girl" with James Stewart,
Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, Lana
Turner and Tony Martin

(MGM, April 25 ; running time, 131 min.)

The popularity of the leading players alone should
insure excellent box-office returns. And the masses will
find it entertainment to their liking, for it has romance
and music, drama, some comedy, and lavish settings,
particularly for the musical backgrounds. But it is no
"Great Ziegfeld" either as to production or as to story
values. As a matter of fact, the part of the story dealing
with Lana Turner is somewhat sordid. The most de-
lightful characters are portrayed by Judy Garland, and
Charles Winninger, as Judy's father. A few of the lavish
numbers from "The Great Ziegfeld" are used in the
closing scenes. The dialogue is a little suggestive in a
few spots: —

Three newcomers are chosen for the new Ziegfeld
Follies — Judy Garland, who had toured in vaudeville
with her father (Winninger); Lana Turner, a former
department store elevator operator; and Hedy Lamarr,
wife of a penniless musician (Philip Dorn). Miss Gar-
land is saddened when Winninger insists on leaving her
to start a new vaudeville act with an old friend (Al
Shean) ; Miss Lamarr is unhappy because of her separa-
tion from her husband, who had refused to accept sup-
port from her; but Miss Turner looks forward to her
new glamorous life with joy. James Stewart, Miss
Turner's truck-driver fiance, is worried about her, and
rightly so, for in a short time she takes up with wealthy
Ian Hunter, who sets her up in a luxurious apartment,
and buys her beautiful clothes and diamonds. Disgusted,
Stewart joins a racketeer-bootlegging outfit for the
purpose of making a great deal of money so as to win

her back. But when he finally does earn the money, he
spurns her attentions. Hunter, on the very night he had
decided to propose marriage to Miss Turner, overhears
her talking to Stewart. Instead of proposing, he breaks
with her. Stewart is later arrested and sent to prison.
Miss Turner drinks to excess and, when one night she
appears at the theatre in an intoxicated condition, she is
discharged. She goes from bad to worse. Finally she
goes back to her parents, but she is very ill, suffering
from heart disease. Stewart, released from prison, calls
on her; he tries to cheer her up by telling her they
would be married and move to the country. When he
leaves, she dresses and goes alone to the opening of the
new Follies show, in which Miss Garland was to star.
She leaves before the end. After walking down the
steps, she collapses and is taken to the manager's office.
Miss Lamarr, who had left the Follies and had become
reconciled with her husband, with whom she was at-
tending the show, learns about Miss Turner and rushes
to the office; Miss Turner dies, just as the curtain had
been brought down on a new Follies hit.

William Anthony McGuire wrote the story, and
Marguerite Roberts and Sonya Levien, the screen play;
Robert Z. Leonard directed it, and Pandro S. Berman
produced it. In the cast are Jackie Cooper, Edward
Everett Horton, Paul Kelly, Fay Holden, Eve Arden,
Rose Hobart, and others.

Unsuitable for adolescents. Adult fare. Class B.

"Model Wife" with Joan Blondell,
Dick Powell, Charlie Ruggles
and Lee Bowman

(Universal, April 18; time, 78 min.)

Fairly good entertainment for the masses. It is a
pleasant marital comedy and, although it is based on a
familiar plot and lacks excitement, the average picture-
goer probably will enjoy it, for the story has human
appeal, the performances are engaging, and the action
is breezy. An added attraction for women is the display
of fashionable clothes in one of the scenes: —

Joan Blondell and Dick Powell, unknown to their
employer (Lucile Watson1), owner of a fashionable
dressmaking establishment, are married, knowing that
Miss Watson would not employ married women.
Against Powell's wishes, Miss Blondell insists on work-
ing for a while so that they could save enough money
to have a child. Her troubles start when Miss Watson's
son (Lee Bowman) is taken into the firm and she is
made his secretary. He falls in love with her and tries
to take her out, but she naturally refuses; in the mean-
time, Powell was getting more jealous each day. Bow-
man proposes to Miss Blondell, but is turned down by
her. This annoys Miss Watson and, when she learns
that Miss Blondell loved Powell, she promptly dis-
charges him. Disgusted, he takes a fling at gambling
with the money he and his wife had saved, hoping to
win enough so that Miss Blondell could leave her posi-
tion. Instead, he loses all the money, and Miss Blondell,
too, when she finds out what he had done. Miss Blon-
dell starts divorce proceedings, intending to marry
Bowman. Thjs so disgusts Powell that he accepts an
offer to go to China on a dangerous mission. When
Miss Blondell hears of this, she is unhappy, for she still
loved him. Miss Watson, regretting her part in separat-
ing the couple, brings them together again, and then
reengages him.

Leigh Jason wrote the original story, and directed
and produced it. The screen play was written by
Charles Kaufman, Horace Jackson, and Grant Garrett.
la the cast are Ruth Donnelly. Hilly Gilbert, and John
Qualen.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

April 26, 1941

strained by threats that guild members would not sell to
retailers who failed to yield to their demands, threats that
have been carried out by the guild practice of placing on
red cards the names of non-cooperators (to whom no sales
are to be made), placing on white cards the names of co-
operators (to whom sales are to be made), and then dis-
tributing both sets of cards to the manufacturers.

"The 176 manufacturers of women's garments who are
members of the guild occupy a commanding position in their
line of business. . . .

'"The power of the combination is great ; competition and
(he demand of the consuming public make it necessary for
most retail dealers to stock some of the products of these
manufacturers. . . .

"It [the Guild's system] narrows the outlets to which
garment and textile manufacturers can sell and the sources
from which retailers can buy, subjects all retailers and
manufacturers who decline to comply with the Guild's pro-
gram to an organized boycott, . . . and has both as its
necessary tendency and its purpose and effect the direct
suppression of competition from the sale of unregistered
textiles and copied designs.

"Ill addition to all this, the combination is in reality an
extra-governmental agency, which prescribes rules for the
regulation and restraint of interstate commerce and pro-
vides extra-judicial tribunals for determination and punish-
ment of violations, and thus 'trenches upon the power of
I he national legislature and violates the statute.' . . .

"The purpose and object of this combination, its poten-
tial power; its tendency to monopoly, the coercion it could
and did practice upon a rival method of competition, all
brought it within the policy of the prohibition declared by
the Sherman and Clayton acts."

Can any one fail to note the striking resemblance between
the methods used by both the Guild and the Hays Produc-
tion Code Administration? And is it not reasonable to
assume that the independent producers who, as a business
expedient, but against their wishes, have subscribed to the
Purity Seal may now be encouraged and aroused by the
Fashion Guild decision to file a complaint with the Federal
Trade Commission ?

The independent producers, as said, were not represented
at the formulation of the Production Code, and are not rep-
resented on the Hays Board of Directors. Notwithstanding,
the Hays Association insists upon subjecting them to its
regulations, on the assertion that it is for the good of the
industry.

If the decision of Mr. Justice Black still leaves them
unconvinced that they have no right to set themselves up
as an "extra-governmental agency" over those whom they
do not represent, I shall recall to them, in the next issue, a
direct reprimand they once received for a like attempt.
(To be continued next week.)

HERE AND THERE

UNITED ARTISTS HAS ANNOUNCED, as every
one of you undoubtedly knows by this time, that it will dis-
card the old selling policy, in force from the day the com-
pany was organized, instituting in its place a policy that
calls for the sale of the entire product of the different pro-
ducers. In other words, if you want to buy the Eddie Small
pictures you must buy the pictures of all the other pro-
ducers, on one contract.

Harrison's Reports regrets this change, for it hoped
that, with the consent decree, affecting five major com-
panies, in effect. United Artists would find selling in small
blocks easier. But evidently its executives feel that selling
under the Decree would be harder.

Since some exhibitors may be confused because of the
change in the selling system of United Artists, Harrison's
Reports again reminds you that the Selznick Pictures are
•not affected by the new selling system. David Selznick
xnves to United Artists two more pictures. These he will
deliver. But they are to be sold apart, on individual con-
tracts.

If you have the two undelivered Selznick pictures under
contract, you are under no obligation to buy other United
Artists pictures to insure delivery of these two pictures;
you will get the Selznick pictures even if you never buy
another United Artists picture. Even if you don't have the
two Selznick pictures under contract and you wish to
contract for them now, you still do not have to buy any of
the other United Artists pictures. As a matter of fact, you
are under no obligation to buy the two Selznick pictures
at one time ; you may buy the one, and if you wish to buy
the other later on, you will be able to do so, provided you
meet the terms reuuired bv the Selznick organization.

ONE OTHER PIECE OF INFORMATION that
should benefit you is that which concerns "Meet John Doe,"
the Capra production distributed by Warner Bros. The
agreement between Mr. Capra and the Warner organiza-
tion stipulates that "Meet John Dee" shall not te used to
influence the licensing of any other Warner-First National
photoplay ; it must be sold individually.

If any salesman has refused to license "Meet John Doe"
to you unless you agreed to buy other Warner-First Na-
tional pictures, you should communicate with Mr. Capra,
in care of the Warner Studios, at Burbank, California.
* * I *

IN THE FALL OF 1939, The Hollywood Spectator as
well as The Hollywood Reporter criticized George
Schacfer, president of RKO, for having given Orson Welles
$750,000 and unrestricted authority to produce a picture.

The gist of the criticism of the editors of both papers
was the fact that Orson Welles had never either produced
or directed a motion picture, and had never acte 1 in one.
And yet, The Hollywood Spectator said, "he has been
given [by George Schaefer] a contract and a large sum of
money to spend in producing, directing, writing and acting
a motion picture. . . ."

In an editorial that appeared in the October, 19 39, issue
of Harrison's Reports, the writer of these lines said partly
the following :

"Why should these two trade paper editors [Welford
Beaton and Bill Wilkerson] have singled out Mr. Schaefer
[for criticism] when what he did is no worse than what
others are doing in Hollywood every day — producers giv-
ing incompetent relatives unheard of amounts of money to
produce pictures with? At least George Schaefci picked
out a person who has brains, and whose ability has been
proved. . . ."

Mr. Welles has produced a picture — "Citizen Kane,"
and this picture has proved a sensation in the trade. This
gives the writer the satisfaction of knowing that he en-
couraged both Mr. Welles, as a newcomer in the motion
picture industry, and Mr. Schaefer for having had the
courage to engage him and to give him blanket authority
to produce a motion picture, placing a large sum of money
at his disposal, for I felt that any producer who could pro-
duce on the radio a drama that made people accept the im-
possible, as he had done when he had made millions of people
in the United States believe that people from the planet
Mars had attacked the earth, certainly deserves a chance at
producing a motion picture, with large sums of money.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"ENEMY WITHIN," with Robert Sterling, Van Hef-
lin, Charles Winninger. Program.

Republic

"THE DESERT BANDIT," with Don Barry, Lynn
Merrick. Western.

"SADDLEMATES," with Bob Livingston, Bob Steele,
Rufe Davis. Western.

RKO

"CYCLONE ON HORSEBACK," with Tim Holt.
Western.

"INTERLUDE," with Jean Hersholt, Dorothy Lovett,
Robert Baldwin. This may be another in the "Dr. Chris-
tian" series. If so, program entertainment.

"THE FATHER TAKES A WIFE," with Adolphe
Menjou, Gloria Swanson, Neil Hamilton, John Howard,
Desi Arnaz, Florence Rice. Miss Swanson has been away
from pictures too long to assume that she has retained all
her following. Yet the male players are good, and there
may be many who will be curious to see Miss Swanson
again. It should, therefore, be a pretty good box-office bet.

"LADY SCARFACE," with Judith Anderson, Frances
Neal. Mildred Coles. No facts are known about the story,
but the players do not warrant more than program rating.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"BELLE STARR," with Gene Tierney, Henry Fonda,
Randolph Scott, Elizabeth Patterson, Dana Andrews,
Louise Beavers. With the players mentioned, this should be
pretty good entertainment.

United Artists

"ILLUSIONS," with Merle Oberon, Alan Marshal,
Joseph Cotten, Hans Jaray, George Reeves, Edna May-
Oliver : an Alexander Korda production. All. of Mr. Korda's
pictures are lavishly produced. But no facts are known
about the story. Judging by the players it should be a
orettv good box-office attraction.

Entered as second-elass matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3,

Harrison's Reports

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o5c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SE IVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1941 No. 18

Has the Industry Further Use of the Hays Seal? — No. 5

(Concluded from last week)

What is the fundamental objection to the Hays Produc-
tion Code Administration aid its Purity Seal?

The answer is that they represent a system of controlling
those who wish to remain free ; of imposing regulations
upon those who have no voice in the formulation of the
regulations ; of compelling b jsiness men to be governed in
their business by their competitors. In short, it savors of
"taxation without representation" — utterly abhorrent to
the American mind.

To defend the system on the assertion that the independ-
ent producers submit their pictures for a Seal voluntarily
and without compulsion would be of no avail. In the Fashion
Originators Guild case referred to in last week's issue, the
United States Supreme Court has, in effect, declared that,
where the "the power of the combination is great," where
"competition and the demand of the consuming public make
it necessary" for a person to deal with members of the com-
bination, and where these members would not deal with the
person who "failed to yield to their demands," his agreement
to cooperate with the program of the combination could not
be considered voluntary. In such circumstances, he must be
deemed to have "signed the agreements only because con-
strained by threats. . . ."

An independent producer makes a picture of extraordi-
nary merit. He cannot book it into an affiliated theatre un-
less4he first pays the Hays Association to look at it and
bless it with its insignia of approval. Until this is done, the
affiliated theatres cannot play the picture, regardless of how
much they should like to play it. The producer dares not tell
the Hays Association to take its Seal and "go jump in the
lake" with it, for unless he has access to the affiliated houses
his production is a financial failure. The theatre manager
dares not play the picture without the Seal, for he would
be fined $25,000.00. Can anyone truthfully call this unre-
strained freedom of action ?

The only other attempted defense of the system is that,
since it is motivated by good intentions for the benefit of
the entire industry, the improprieties of its methods should
be overlooked. But the members of the Hays Association
know that this is no defense at all. They made a like asser-
tion in 1929, when they were charged with violating the
Federal anti-trust laws in the use of compulsory arbitration.
What happened? Judge Thatcher outlawed compulsory
arbitration, and voided the contracts that contained com-
pulsory arbitration provisions. In so doing, he said :

"Assuming the contracts and the system of compulsory
arbitration to have been just and reasonable in operation,
the fact that many exhibitions were not represented in the
conference leading to their adoption cannot be disputed.
One can hardly imagine a more direct restraint upon trade
than an agreement between competitors in an open market
not to trade except upon terms which they have fixed in
advance."

Could any language be more pertinent to the subject un-
der discussion? All one need do is substitute "Purity Seal"
for "compulsory arbitration" and one will have a clear
picture of the system's illegality.

But let us continue with Judge Thatcher's language :
_ "But it is argued that the terms of the Standard Exhibi-
tion Contract were not unfair or unreasonable; that the
system of compulsory arbitration has been of great advan-
tage to exhibitors and distributors alike, and therefore that
the agreement of the distributors to use only this form of
contract in all their dealings, and to enforce its arbitration
clauses by collectively refusing to deal with any exhibitor
who fails to comply with them, is not an undue restraint of
interstate commerce. ... In judging the inherent character
of the restraint one must look njt only to the restraint vol-

untarily imposed upon the competitive activities of those
who are in the combination, but also to the involuntary re-
straint imposed upon the freedom of outsiders to engage in
trade under natural and normal conditions. It is therefore
not enough to say that competition between distributors is
keen and active, or even that it has been prompted and en-
hanced by what has been done, if, in fact, it can be seen that
the freedom of others to engage in trade, to enter into nor-
mal commercial agreements, and to have recourse to the
courts for their rights, has been unduly restrained by the
coercive and collective action of the defendants. That com-
petition between the distributors has been promoted by the
adoption of the Standard Exhibition Contract, and that in
many ways general trade conditions have been vastly im-
proved, I have no doubt, and so find. But the record is
equally clear that all this good has been accomplished
through the exercise of irresistible economic force con-
solidated by combination in the hands of the distributors,
who collectively control the available supply of films and
by virtue of this control have imposed their will upon the
industry."

Then follows language that should be read in light of the
fact that, in the arbitration case, regulations were imposed
upon exhibitors through control of films, whereas, in the
case of the Seal, regulations are imposed upon independent
producers through control of theatres. That language is :

"By agreement of these distributors, exhibitors who were
not represented in the adoption of the uniform contracts
have been constrained to accept their terms regardless of
their wishes, and by the compulsory system of arbitration,
sanctioned and enforced by the collective action of the dis-
tributors, have been constrained to perform the contractual
obligations thus assumed. In fairness it cannot be said that
the restraint imposed upon these exhibitors is voluntary
because they accept and agree to be bound by the contracts.
They can have none other, because the defendants have
agreed that they shan't ; and unless something more than
the mere acceptance of all they can get is shown they must
be said to have acted under an involuntary restraint, im-
posed and continued by the defendants to the end that the
contracts shall be signed and their terms obeyed. That such
coercive restraint upon the commercial freedom of an ex-
hibitor who was neither represented nor consulted with
reference to the agreement to adopt the standard form of
contract is undue and unreasonable both at Common Law
and under the Sherman Act, I cannot doubt. Gains resulting
from such restraints to the industry as a whole do not in the
eyes of the Statute justify the vicarious sacrifice of the indi-
vidual, even for the sake of bigger and better business. A
State Legislature could not lawfuly impose compulsory
arbitration upon the motion picture industry. (Wolff v.
Industrial Court, 262 U.S. 522.) Much less should it be
within the power of a combination of practically all the dis-
tributors to do so by coercion exercised through control of
the available supply of films."

Thus the system is left without any defense, and, as this
column goes to press, the newspapers and the trade papers
report that, on May first, the system will be left also with-
out its nominal head, for Joseph I. Breen has tendered his
resignation as Director of the Production Code Adminis-
tration.

In the opinion of this paper, Joe Breen, more than any
other person, made it possible for the Production Code
Administration to function all these years. Since he had
the ability and the courage that his job required, and since
he had the respect and admiration of the Catholic Hierachy,
Mr. Breen was able to resist the numerous demands made
by some of the major producers that the Code provisions
he relaxed for their private benefit, and thus he was able
{Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 3, 1941

"Under Age" with Nan Grey and Tom Neal

(Columbia, April 17; time, 60 min.)

A minor program melodrama, suitable mostly for thea-
tres that cater to the rougher type of patron. The story is
neither novel nor particularly pleasant. It deals with rack-
eteering in which young girls play an important part ; and
at times the action is pretty suggestive. Intelligent audi-
ences should find the closing scenes, in which the girls band
together to force a confession from one of the racketeers,
slightly ridiculous. The romance is routine : —

Upon their release from the county detention home, where
they had been sent on a charge of vagrancy, Nan Grey and
her young sister (Mary Anderson) receive from Alan
Baxter an offer to work for an organization that ran road-
side inns. Miss Anderson is all for it, but Miss Grey turns
it down. When their funds run out, Miss Anderson insists
on accepting Baxter's offer, and so Miss Grey joins her.
They are interviewed by Leona Maricle, head of the organ-
ization, and are accepted by her. Their job was to walk on
the highway, pretend they were hitch-hiking, and stop, if
possible, expensive looking cars that were driven by men.
The next step was for them to induce the driver to stop off
at one of the roadside inns maintained by their organiza-
tion, and make him spend money ; they would get a per-
centage of the take. Miss Grey picks up Tom Neal, jewelry
firm manager. Although Neal was wise to her, he follows
her to the inn. While they were dining, Baxter rifles Neal's
car and steals from it a jewel case containing $18,01)0 in
diamonds. Neal does not discover this until alter he leaves
the place. In the meantime, Miss Grey is worried about her
sister, who had taken to the "easy" life with joy; what
angered her was that she had become familiar with Baxter.
Neal later corners Miss Grey and asks her to tell him every-
thing; Baxter and Miss Maricle see her with him. Thinking
that she had talked, they get hold of her and give her a
severe beating. This sobers Miss Anderson, who decides to
tell all she knew. Baxter, hearing of her intentions, kills
her. The girls then get together, and with the help of Neal,
force Baxter to talk. The gang is rounded up and sent to
prison. Miss Grey and Neal are united.

Stanley Roberts wrote the story, and Robert D. Andrews,
the screen play ; Edward Dmytryk directed it, and Ralph
Cohn produced it. In the cast are Yolande Mollot, Richard
Terry, Wilma Francis, and others.

Not suitable for children or adolescents. Class B.

"Rookies on Parade"
with Bob Crosby and Ruth Terry

(Republic, April 17; time, 69 min.)
A fairly good program entertainment. Although the story
is thin, it has the ingredients for mass appeal — comedy,
music and romance. And it is timely, too, since part of
the action unfolds in an army camp. Bob Crosby, Ruth
Terry, and Gertrude Niesen handle the musical numbers
effectively enough, while Eddie Foy, Jr., Marie Wilson,
and Cliff Nazarro make the most of the comedy situa-
tions in which they appear. The first half is a little slow;
but once the action moves to the army camp, it picks up
speed : —

Bob Crosby, an irresponsible song writer, loses the money
he earns gambling. This so irks his fiancee (Ruth Terry)
that she decides not to marry him ; and so they part.
Crosby's music comes to the attention of Sidney Blackmer,
a Broadway theatrical producer, who induces millionaire
William Wright to back Crosby's show. Miss Terry is
called to audition for a leading part. Thinking that Crosby
had recommended her, she is happy, but she finds out that
he knew nothing about it and that it had been his pal
(Eddie Foy, Jr.,) who had recommended her. Just when
things looked brightest, Crosby and Foy are drafted into
the army and have to abandon the play. Miss Terry and
her pal (Marie Wilson) enlist as army entertainers and
are sent to the camp where Crosby and Foy were sta-
tioned. Crosby is cynical about army life; this annoys
Miss Terry, who gives all her attention to Wright, who,
too, was at the army camp. Blackmer visits Crosby and
suggests to him that he might use the camp facilities to try
out his play, after which Blackmer could produce it on
Broadway. Crosby goes ahead with the plan, and the play
is a hit. The favorable reaction of his buddies and superiors
to what he had done touches Crosby, and he refuses
Blackmer's offer to commercialize on his success. This
gesture so impresses Miss Terry that she becomes re-
conciled with him.

Sammy Calm and Saul Chaplin wrote the story, and
Karl Brown, Jack Townley, and Milt Gross, the screen
play ; Joseph Santley directed it, and Albert J. Cohen
produced it. In the cast are William Demarest, Horace
MacMahon, and others. (Suitability, Class A.)

"Thieves Fall Out" with Eddie Albert,
Joan Leslie and Jane Darwell

(IVarncr Bros., May 3; time, 72 min.)
A fair program entertainment. It's one of those pictures
in which there is a maximum of dialogue and a minimum
of action. Here and there it manages to be amusing, and
even a little exciting ; but for the most part the story is
silly, tending to tire the spectator. The performers are capa-
ble ; as a matter of fact whatever entertainment value the
picture has is owed to their efforts. There is a routine
romance : —

Eddie Albert is in love with Joan Leslie, but his father
(Alan Hale), for whom he worked, refuses to pay him a
decent salary, thereby making it impossible for him to
marry Miss Leslie. Albert turns to his spirited grandmother
(Jane Darwell ) for advice. Knowing that he would come
into a $1U0,(JUU inheritance when his mother (Mina Gom-
bell) died, Miss Darwell suggests that he sell his interest
in the legacy, and invest the money in a good business. Al-
bert goes to see an investment broker (Hobart Cava-
naugh) ; the broker offers him $31,000 for the legacy on
two conditions : first, that Albert marry, and, secondly,
that he become a father as soon as possible. Albert induces
Miss Leslie to elope with him. When Miss Darwell sees
Miss Leslie knitting baby clothes, she assumes that she
was going to have a baby and so informs Albert. He rushes
to the broker with the good news, gets the money, and starts
the business. In the meantime, Cavanaugh sells out to a
gangster (Anthony Quirin), who did not believe in long-
time investments. Quinn goes to see Albert's father and
tells him that he expected him to buy back the investment,
otherwise something might happen to his wife. Albert's
parents are shocked at what he had done, and Miss Leslie
is angered ; she leaves Albert. Miss Darwell, by leading
Quinn to believe she was the beneficiary, takes matters into
her own hands. She tricks Quinn into returning all the
papers to her. Freed of worry, the whole family rejoices at
the reconciliation between Albert and Miss Leslie.

The plot was adapted from a play by Irving Gaumont and
Jack Sobel ; Ben Markson and Charles Grayson wrote the
screen play, Ray Enright directed it, and Edmund Grainger
produced it. In the cast are William T. Orr, Ed Brophy,
Vaughan Glaser, Nana Bryant, and Hattie McDaniel.

Suitability, Class A.

"Washington Melodrama" with
Frank Morgan and Ann Rutherford

(MGM, April 18; running time, 80 min.)
A good program melodrama. Superior productior values,
capable acting and direction, and fast-moving action are its
outstanding features, for the story itself is develops i along
familiar lines. It should hold the interest of an iverage
audience for, in addition to the melodramatic actio? , it has
comedy, a romance, and music which fits into the pi jt with-
out retardng the action : —

Frank Morgan, a Washington millionaire philant iropist,
is the leading backer of a bill to feed civilians in v. ar-torn
Europe. Opposing this bill is Kent Taylor, newspaper pub-
lisher, who based his objections on the fact that the food
would probably fall into the wrong hands. Taylor does not
let the fact that he was in love with Morgan's djughter
(Ann Rutherford) alter his viewpoint. Because h.s wife
(Fay Holden) and daughter were travelling around the
world, Morgan was lonesome. He accidentally becomes ac-
quainted with Anne Gwynne, a chorus-girl ; she had been
encouraged to start the friendship by Dan Dailey, Jr., the
unscrupulous master-of-ceremonies at the night club where
she worked. At the end of the innocent friendship, which
had lasted for a few months until his wife and daughter
returned, Morgan writes Miss Gwynne a note thankit g her
for her kindness and enclosing a large sum of money. But
Miss Gwynne respected Morgan too much to take money
from him and was in the midst of writing a note to return
the money when Dailey enters. In an argument with her, he
strikes and kills her. He takes the money and the note Mor-
gan had written. With the note in his possession, he is able
to blackmail Morgan, who did not want any scandal to
interfere with the passage of the bill. But a reporter on
Taylor's newspaper finds a glove Morgan had accidentally
left at Miss Gwynne's apartment. Morgan then tells the
facts to his daughter and to Taylor. Through fast work on
their part, they trap Dailey and clear Morgan, thereby
giving him a chance to fight for his bill. Taylor and Miss
Rmherford plan to marry ; but he still fights the bill.

The plot was adapted from a play by L. du Rocher Mac-
pherson. Marion Parsonnet and Roy Chanslor wrote the
screen play, S. Sylvan Simon directed it, and Edgar Sel-
wyn produced it. In the cast are Lee Bowman, Virginia
Grey, Sara Haden, Douglas Dumbrille, and others.
Not for children or adolescents. Class B.

May 3, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Flame of New Orleans" with Marlene
Dietrich, Bruce Cabot and Roland Young

( Universal, April 25 ; time, 79 min.)

A fairly good romantic comedy. Universal has given it a
lavish production ; and Marlene Dietrich is attractive and
capable in the leading part. But those are the picture's
main selling points, for the story itself is lightweight. It is
patterned along the style of other Dietrich pictures, except
that it lacks the exciting action of the others. There are a
few amusing situations ; these result not so much from the
material at hand, as from deft direction and good perform-
ances. The action takes place about 1840, in New Orleans : —

Miss Dietrich arrives in New Orleans from Europe for
the purpose o! getting a millionaire. She had become too
well known in Europe as an adventuress ; and, since no one
in New Orleans knew her, she poses as a Countess. She
contrives to become acquainted with Roland, the town's
richest bachelor, and in a short time he is madly in love with
her. Unaware that Young was calling on her, Miss Dietrich
shouts from her bedroom to her maid that they had better go
hack to New York since there was no eligible rich men in
New Orleans. When her maid (Theresa Harris) tells her
that Young had overheard what she had said, she has to
think fast. She leads him to believe that the person he had
heard was her "cousin," a "bad" person. He believes her,
until at a reception one night, he overhears some disparag-
ing remarks made by Mischa Auer about Miss Dietrich,
wliom he had once known in Russia. He then demands to
speak to the "cousin." Miss Dietrich naturally refuses to
grant him the privilege. But she instructs Miss Harris to
tell Young that he could find the "cousin" at a waterfront
cafe any night. Miss Dietrich, dressed in a vulgar fashion,
goes to the cafe, where she is confronted by Young and
Auer ; Auer identifies her as the girl he had known. Re-
lieved, Young goes through with his marriage plans. But he
enters into a plan with Bruce Cabot, a young sailor who
had fallen madly in love with the countess, to abduct the
objectionable "cousin" and tike her away. Cabot finds out
that the countess and the "cousin" were the same. He
abducts her, but does not let aer know of his discovery. She
finds him attractive and spends the night with him on the
boat ; by morning she is in leve with him, but leaves, intent
on going through with her marriage to Young. Cabot ap-
pears at the ceremony ; when Miss Dietrich sees him she
breaks up the marriage and runs away with him.

Norman Krasna wrote tlv screen play, Rene Clair di-
rected it, and Joe Pasternak produced it. In the cast are
Laura Hope Crews, Eddie Quillan, Andy Devine, and
Frank Jenks. (Not for adole; cents. Adult fare. Class B.)

"The Cowboy anc the Blonde" with
Mary Beth Hughes an 1 George Montgomery

(20th Century-Fox, ?fay 16: time, 68 min.)

This is pleasant program entertainment, even though the
story is routine. The performers are capable, the production
values pretty good, and the motion picture studio back-
ground colorful. Mixing comedy with romance, it moves
along in a breezy style, and manages to hold one's attention
fairly well throughout : —

Mary Beth Hughes, motion picture star, is disliked by
everyone because of her temperamental outbursts. Since her
pictures were big money-makers, the studio could not afford
to offend her; and so the studio chief (Alan Mowbray)
was constantly pacifying her. She becomes acquainted with
George Montgomery, a handsome young cowboy, who had
been invited to the studio by Mowbray for a screen test.
This friendship changes her ; she works willingly and
forgets about temperament. Richard Lane and Robert Em-
mctt Keane, producer and casting director respectively,
decide that, even though Montgomery's screen tests were
terrible, it was worth putting him on the regular payroll
just to keep Miss Hughes happy. She even agrees to work
with Montgomery on a new screen test. But Mowbray finds
out about the relationship and. annoyed, rushes to Miss
Hughes for an explanation. Montgomery, overhearing
their conversation and, thinking that Miss Hughes had
made a fool of him, leaves just before she confesses to
Mowbray her love for Montgomery. He goes back to his
ranch, where Miss Hughes follows him. Just as they were
patching up their quarrel, Mowbray arrives with a whole
crew of cameramen. Believing the worst, Montgomery
orders Miss Hughes to leave with Mowbray. She goes
hack to her old tantrums. Montgomery's pal (Fuzzy
Knight) gets a message to Miss Hughes that Montgomery
was sick. She falls for the trick, and rushes to Mont-
gomery's side. They are finally reconciled.

Walter Bullock and William Brent wrote the story, and
Mr. Bullock, the screen play; Ray MeCarey directed it.
and Ralph Dietrich and Waiter Morosco produced it.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Black Cat" with Basil Rathbone,
Hugh Herbert and Broderick Crawford

( Universal, May 2 ; time, 70 min.)

A fair program murder-mystery melodrama, with com-
edy. It is somewhat slow in getting started ; as a matter
of fact, it is not until the closing scenes when the murder-
er's identity becomes known and the heroine's life is en-
dangered that the action is really exciting. Up until that
point, the plot is developed in a routine fashion ; and, in
spite of the fact that the customary tricks to create an
eerie atmosphere are employed, the picture is seldom ac-
tually "spine-chilling." Hugh Herbert provokes laughter
by his familiar brand of comedy : —

Gathered at the home of elderly Cecilia Loftus are her
relatives who all looked forward to her death so that they
might inherit her wealth. She reads her will to them, tell-
ing each one what his or her share would be; but she does
not tell them of the trick clause, which was that no one
would receive anything until after the death of her house-
keeper (Gale Sondergaard) and of the cats that lived in
the house. Broderick Crawford arrives with an offer to buy
the house ; he brings with him Herbert, who wanted to
buy the antique furniture. Mysterious things begin to hap-
pen. Miss Loftus is murdered; this is soon followed by
the murder of Miss Sondergaard. Since the telephone
wires had been cut and the bridge had been washed away
in a storm, it was impossible to call for the police. Anne
Gwynne, the chief beneficiary under the will, suddenly
discovers the identity of the murderer — it was Gladys
Cooper, who needed the money to keep the affections of
her husband (Basil Rathbone) who, she knew, had be-
come attracted to a younger woman. Miss Cooper trits
to kill Miss Gwynne, but Crawford prevents her. Miss
Cooper herself meets with death when an overturned can-
dle sets fire to her negligee.

Robert Lees, Fred Minaldo, Eric Taylor and Robert
Neville wrote the screen play ; Albert S. Rogell directed
it, and Burt Kelly produced it. In the cast are Bela Lu-
gosi, Claire Dodd, John Eldredge, and Alan Ladd.

Not for children. Adult fare. Class B.

"Wagons Roll at Night"
with Humphrey Bcgart, Sylvia Sidney,
Eddie Albert and Joan Leslie

(First Nat'l, April 26; time, 83 min.)

A fair melodrama with a circus background. The pic-
ture derives its thrills from two situations — one at the
beginning where Eddie Albert holds an escaped lion at
bay, and the other, towards the end, when Albert, while
performing his lion-taming act, finds that he is unable
to control a ferocious lion. Otherwise, the plot is familiar ;
it rises above average program entertainment mainly be-
cause of good performances by competent players : —

Humphrey Bogart, owner of a small-time carnival show,
is enraged when Sig Rumann, the lion-tamer and main
attraction of the show, becomes intoxicated just before
opening time. During the act, one of the lions escapes and
wanders into town ; it enters the grocery store where
Eddie Albert worked as a clerk. Although frightened,
Albert holds the lion at bay until the carnival men arrive.
Albert is cheered by every one. Seeing a chance to cash in
on the publicity, Bogart decides to employ Albert in the
lion act. Sylvia Sidney, Bogart's sweetheart who worked
in the carnival, tries to dissuade him, for she felt that
Albert was too decent for that kind of life. But Albert
insists on taking the job. Bogart's hunch proves to be cor-
rect ; Albert draws large crowds. Bogart eventually turns
the lion act over to Albert and discharges Rumann. In-
furiated Rumann picks a fight with Albert ; Rumann is
accidentally pushed against the lion's cage and is badly
clawed by one of them. Since Bogart was away. Miss
Sidney takes matters into her own hands and hides Albert
on the farm owned by Bogart, where his young sister
(Joan Leslie) lived. When Bogart returns and hears of
this, he is enraged, for he had always insisted on keeping
his sister away from carnival folk. Despite his objections,
Albert and Miss Leslie fall in love and tell him of their
intentions to marry. To make matters worse, Miss Sidney
tells Bogart that she was leaving him because she had
fallen in love with Albert herself. Bogart induces Albert
to appear one night in the case with a lion that was con-
sidered to be a killer, hoping that Albert would Ih> killed.
Heeding the last-minute plea of his sisier. Bogart rushes
into the cage to save Alln-rt. and is himself seriously
wounded. Albert finally gets him out of the ca^o. Before
dying, Bogart gives the young couple his blessings.

Fred Niblo, Jr., and Barry Trivets w i otc the screen play.
Ray Enright directed it, and Harlan Thompson produced
it. In the cast are Cliff Clark, Charley Fov, Clara Blandick
and others. (Suitability, Class A.)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 3, 1941

to keep the Production Code Administration from becom-
ing a complete farce. Moreover, in the opinion of this paper,
there is no other person in the industry who can give to the
Production Code Administration the dignity and effective-
ness that Joe Breen has given to it.

The Production Code Administration, with its Purity
Seal, has failed in its primary purpose of appeasing the
advocates of clean films ; from what has been written here,
the legality of its operation is extremely doubtful ; those
to whom it is intolerable may soon ask the courts to deter-
mine the question of its legality ; and in the meantime, it
will be without the guidance and moral force of its Direc-
tor, Joe Breen.

In these circumstances, Will Hays will have to prove to
the members of his association that he is paid, not only to
get them out of trouble, but also to prevent them from get-
ting into trouble. He can do so by announcing that the Pro-
duction Code Administration has been dissolved and that
the Purity Seal has been abandoned.

Editor's Note : Discussion of comments and suggestions
on the Seal received by this office will be carried on in these
columns from time to time, until the Seal is discarded, or
until the Production Code Administration is turned into an
advisory agency to read scripts and to review pictures sub-
mitted to it only by members of the Hays Association.

HERE AND THERE

YOU HAVE READ IN THE TRADE PAPERS, I
am sure, that the Minnesota exhibitors have succeeded in
putting the anti-block booking bill through both legislative
bodies, and that the bill is now before Governor Stassen.

By the time you will receive your copy of this issue, the
Governor will undoubtedly have decided whether to sign
or veto the bill. If he vetoes it, the exhibitors of Minnesota
will be spared further efforts and unnecessary expense ; if
he signs it, then the decision as to the bill's constitutional-
ity will be determined by the U. S. Supreme Court, where
it will eventually be taken by the Government.

Recently I was told that the leading spirits among the
Minnesota exhibitors who induced the organization to sup-
port the bill were three — Ben Friedman, Harold Fields,
and Sol Lebedoff ; also Andy Anderson, but he was drawn
in unwittingly.

But though these exhibitors may have been largely re-
sponsible for the passage of the bill, they were provoked
into action mainly by the conduct of some of the distribu-
tor representatives at the exchanges, for as soon as the
Consent Decree went into effect they began telling the
exhibitors : "We've got you now where we want you. There
will be one 50%, one 40%, and one 35% picture in every
five-picture group."

It will cost the producers a great deal of money in an
effort to prove the bill unconstitutional, but they should
blame, not the exhibitors, but their own men.

* * *

SPEAKING TO THE MEMBERS OF AM PA at a
luncheon given in his honor, Ned Depinet, vice president
in charge of RKO distribution, said partly the following
about the new sales policy, as instituted by the Consent
Decree :

"The new system has its advantages for all of us and
the biggest and most important in my opinion is that it
shakes us all out of a groove, and places us out in the open
and on our mettle to do a better job. The old standardized
system worked too smoothly for many and bred self-satis-
faction, laziness and many other evils for the good of
many. . . .

"It is as logical as 2 and 2 makes 4 that exhibitors will
build up a larger patronage if they screen all pictures be-
fore licensing and playing them and really set out to cash in
on the value of each picture and try to milk it dry. . . ."

He spoke also about the responsibility of the producers to
deliver to the exhibitors product of better quality.

These remarks, coming from a distributor, should cer-
tainly impress the exhibitors with their honesty and candid-
ness, prompting them into thinking of means and ways
whereby they could draw a large patronage in their thea-
tres. No producer or distributor seems to have any doubt
that the number of meritorious pictures that will be pro-
duced under the new system will be greater than at any
other time in the past ; it is up to the exhibitor, then, to work
a little harder so as to derive a greater benefit.

* * *

IN HIS COLUMN THAT APPEARED in last Sun-
day's issue of The New York Times, Douglas Churchill,
Hollywood correspondent of that paper, states that the

contemplated alteration of the tax structure will have a
greater effect in altering production plans in Hollywood
than even the Consent Decree itself. He says that the in-
crease of taxes and the surtaxes, though they will not com-
pel the producers to abandon the star system, under which
the industry has been operating since the nickelodeon days,
may restrict it materially. His theory is that the lrghly-paid
directors and stars will reduce the number of pic'ures they
will make a year because, after the saturatior point is
reached, it will be no use for them to earn more money, for
all additional money will go to pay the additional taxes.

The purpose of this article is not to criticize th >se of the
highly-paid stars and directors who feel that it i ; a crime
to work a little more if the income from such wo k will go
to the Government in the form of taxes, although such a
criticism would be deserved, hut to point out that there is
no evil but is mixed with good : if the highly-paid stars and
directors should feel that the tax saturation point in their
income should be reached by two, or even three, pictures,
then the producers will be compelled to give a (hance to
younger talent, eager to go places, but unable to do so just
now because of the lack of an opportunity.

As said repeatedly in these columns at one time or other,
the late Lewis J. Selznick was in the habit of saying that
he could make a star with one good story. The truth of this
statement has been proved correct repeatedly. Such being
the case, then the producers should have no difficulty in
creatin<T new talent by suitable story material. All they have
to do is to concentrate their thoughts on story material a
little more than they have done up to this time. It may be
necessary for them to shake themselves out of their lethargy,
but it can be done.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"OUR WIFE," with Ruth Hussey, Melvyn Douglas,
John Hubbard, Charles Coburn. The stage play from which
this is to be adapted was a sex-comedy, and it did not meet
with success. There is no doubt that Columbia will clean it
up considerably ; considering that, and also the fact that the
players mentioned are good, it has good box-office possi-
bilities.

"SON OF DAVY CROCKETT," with Bill Elliott.
Western.

"HEAVEN CAN WAIT," with Robert Montgomery,
Rita Johnson, Claude Rains, James Gleason. Good cast with
similar box-office possibilities.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"GETAWAY," appraised in the last issue as "Enemy
Within."

"BARNACLE BILL," with Wallace Beery, Virginia
Weidler, Marjorie Main, Leo Carillo, Donald Meek. The
cast is good ; but the success of the picture will no doubt
depend on the story. "The Bad Man," Beery's last picture,
was not so "hot."

Paramount

"FORCED LANDING," with Richard Aden, Eva Ga-
bor, J. Carrol Naish, Nils Asther, Evelyn Brent. This is to
be produced by the same outfit that made "Power Dive."
Should it be produced on the same scale, exhibitors can
judge its box-office possibilities by what "Power Dive" did
for them.

"BIRTH OF THE BLUES," with Bing Crosby, Mary
Martin, Brian Donlevy, Carolyn Lee, Rochester, Jack Tea-
garden Band. Very good cast with similar box-office possi-
bilities.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"DANCE HALL," with Cesar Romero, Carole Landis,
J. Edward Bromberg. Good program.

Universal

"BEYOND THE LAW," with William Gargan, John
Litel, Anne Nagel. Program.

"IN THE NAVY," with Abbott and Costello, Dick-
Powell, Claire Dodd, Andrews Sisters. Very good possi-
bilities.

"HALF WAY TO SHANGHAI," with Charles Bick-
ford, Evelyn Ankers, Frank Albertson. Pretty good pro-
gram.

"MARSHAL LAW," with Johnny Mack Brown. West-
ern.

Warner-First National

"NAVY BLUES," with Ann Sheridan, Jack Oakie,
Martha Raye, Eddie Albert, Jack Haley, Jack Carson.
Very good cast with similar box-office possibilities.

Entered as second-elasa matter January 4, 19H, at ttie post oflllee at New York, New York, under th« Mt 6f March 3, 1*7*

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1941 No. 19

HERE AND THERE

IN THE APRIL 26 ISSUE of Harrison's
Reports, I stated that United Artists had an-
nounced a change in their selling policy, from
selling by individual pictures, or by groups of
each individual producer, to selling them by the
entire block, which would include the pictures
of all the producers with the exception of David
Selznick's (and of Korda's). By a telegram,
sent from Hollywood, Mr. Arthur Kelly, gen-
eral manager of United Artists, informs this
paper that United Artists will continue to sell
as before. Here is his telegram :

"My dear Pete : I notice in your issue of April
26th a statement about the selling policy of
United Artists Corporation. This information
has only just reached me at the Coast hence I
hasten to correct the statement and also to
check your fears. United Artists' selling policy
has not changed, and will not be changed and
there was no thought of changing it. A canvas,
however, was made by us of various formula
sellings which we brought to the attention of
our producers for their general information. It
was proposed that with certain circuits some
type of formula could be devised whereby it
would make it possible for a picture to exact a
maximum film rental based upon returns of the
box office. I should be very happy to discuss our
selling plans in the future with you on my arri-
val in New York. In the meantime I would
greatly appreciate it if you would afford us the
opportunity of correcting your statement. I re-
peat again our policy is each picture sold indi-
vidually on its merits. Be st wishes."

Harrison's Reports is ,;lad, indeed, that United
Artists did not go througl1 with the original inten-
tion of selling the pictures of all its producers in a
block, of basing its charge igures on the system em-
ployed by Metro-Goldw} n-Mayer, and of com-
pelling all other producers to refuse to deliver a
picture to an exhibitor, if such exhibitor should
fail to lift a picture of one producer on its ex-
hibition date. Such a change might involve
United Artists in all sorts of difficulties.
* * *

ACCORDING TO THE MONDAY ISSUE
of Motion Picture Daily, Leonard Goldenson,
head of the theatre division of Paramount,
stated upon his return from a trip that theatre
attendance is below the average for the season.

Similar is the private information that this
paper received recently. Asa matter of fact, my
informant stated that the exhibitors are worry-
ing a great deal. According to logic, these ex-
hibitors told him, business should have been
better than at any other time since 1929, for
there is very little unemployment and the wages
paid are higher than at any other time since
1929,

The causes given for the poor business are
many and varied; they all sound logical. But
despite their logic, no causes for the poor busi-
ness now prevailing can stand up against a
plentifulness of good pictures — a far greater
number than are produced now.

Since the old system has proved impotent to
produce a greater number of pictures than was
produced up to this time, there is hope that the
system that will be introduced by the Consent
Decree may give the answer to the exhibitors'
prayers. At any rate, the exhibitors have noth-
ing to lose by the new system and much to gain.

THE INDUSTRY is certainly indebted to
William Randolph Hearst for the marvellous
publicity he has caused to be given to "Citizen
Kane," which is now playing at the Palace
Theatre, Broadway, on a two-a-day basis.

Tickets are now sold four weeks in advance,
and before one or two weeks are over it may be
impossible to obtain tickets for even months.

The picture would, of course, have made a suc-
cess without Hearst's hostility to it as reflect-
ing, in his belief, upon his own life, but the fuss
he has created in his effort to stop its exhibition,
and the personal campaign he has started
against Orson Welles, have created enough n-
terest to make the picture's success sure.

The New York reviewers "went to town"
with their reviews, and so did the reviewers in
other cities, if they happened to have seen the
picture. As a matter of fact, some of them have
written even editorials about it.

What is Mr. Hearst going to tell the readers
of his papers when they don't see a review in
any of his papers, and don't even notice a men-
tion of the picture's title? The public will cer-
tainly know something about the picture and
the reasons for his refusal to say anything about
it by way of comment.

THE MINNESOTA BILL that would com-
pel the distributors to sell their entire year's
output instead of in groups of five, which was
passed by the two houses, has been signed by
Governor Stassen.

The Bill is destined to create many difficul-
ties for the distributors for, contrary to pro-
cedure in other states, in the State of Minne-
sota it is, not the Attorney General who is
charged with the enforcement of the laws, but
the county attorneys.

It will be necessary for these attorneys to
determine whether certain roadshow pictures
can or cannot be sold individually. There are
many other similar questions that will have to
be determined by them for the benefit of the dis-
(Conlinued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 10, 1941

"The Great American Broadcast" with
Jack Oakie, Alice Faye, John Payne
and Cesar Romero

(20//i Century-Fox, May 2; time, 91 mitt.)

Very good ! The fact that the story, which revolves
around the development of radio entertainment, is purely
fictional should not detract from one's enjoyment of the
picture, for it offers so much in the way of entertainment
that one forgets about the plot. For one thing, the Oakie-
Faye-Payne combination again comes through with fine
performances, with Oakie standing out, as usually. There
is plentiful music, of the popular variety, sung mostly by
Miss Faye; delightful comedy; typical romantic compli-
cations, and highly entertaining specialty acts by "The
Nicholas Brothers," "The Four Ink Spots," and "The
Wiere Brothers." A highlight of the picture is the old
newsreel shot of the Dempsey-Willard bout ; since the
bout scenes and several scenes preceding it are In sepia tint,
the difference between present-day and the old-day photog-
raphy is not too evident. The action starts in 1919: —

Oakie and Payne work out a plan to popularize radio.
With the backing of millionaire Cesar Romero, they set up
a broadcasting station, but their first attempt is a dismal
failure. Their big chance comes when they broadcast the
Dempsey-Willard bout ; the people then realize the enter-
tainment possibilities that radio could give them. But the
friendship between Oakie and Payne is broken up when
Oakie learns that Payne had fallen in love with his girl
(Miss Faye). He and Romero go to New York to start
radio broadcasting on a big scale, while Payne and Miss
Faye, now married, settle down in New Jersey, where they
open a small broadcasting station. Miss Faye appeals to
Romero for a loan to enlarge their station ; but when
Payne finds out about it, he is furious and leaves Miss Faye.
She signs a contract to sing on Oakie's station, and within
a year she becomes their leading star. Oakie, knowing that
she still loved Payne, feels sorry when she tells him she
was going to Reno for a divorce so as to marry Romero.
Through a ruse, he gets a message to Payne, who arrives
at the studio on the night of the first national broadcasting
hook-up. Oakie prevents Miss Faye from leaving, and
brings about a reunion between her and Payne.

Don Ettlinger, Edwin Blum, Robert Ellis, and Helen
Logan wrote the screen-play ; Archie Mayo directed it, and
Kenneth Macgowan produced it. In the cast are James
Newill, Eula Morgan, William Pawley, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Mutiny in the Arctic" with Richard Arlen,
Andy Devine and Anne Nagel

(Universal, April 18; time, 61 min.)

A moderately entertaining program melodrama, suitable
mostly for the juvenile trade ; but intelligent audiences may
find the plot somewhat ludicrous, for it is far-fetched. The
fans who can take anything so long as there is action,
however, may accept it, since there are a few fights and
adventure. The best part of the picture is the background
shots used in the ice country scenes ; these are comprised
of stock shots of crumbling icebergs, also of scenes of per-
sons escaping on ice floes : —

Richard Arlen and Andy Devine obtain the backing of
Addison Richards for an expedition to find a new radium
deposit in the Arctic. They charter a vessel owned by
Oscar O'Shea, who acts as Captain. Unknown to Arlen
and Devine, Richards enters into a plot with the first mate
(Don Terry) to steal the map and then take control. Terry
kills the Captain, and steals the map ; but he and his com-
panion turn also on Richards. Arlen, Devine, Richards, the
cpok and a dog are cast adrift on an iceberg. Anne Nagel,
Devine's sister and Arlen's fiancee, hears that the ship had
been sunk, and sets out by aeroplane to search for the sur-
vivors. She lands at an Eskimo village where she finds
Terry ; he informs her that Arlen and Devine had gone
down with the ship. She starts out for home ; accidentally
she spies the survivors. In trying to land, she crashes her
plane, but she is unharmed. According to Devine, the melt-
ing berg on which they were stranded was nearing land.
Arlen swims for shore and lands at the Eskimo village
completely exhausted. The friendly Eskimos set out to
rescue the others; they arrive just in time, for the iceberg
was breaking up. In an encounter with Terry, Arlen over-
powers him, gets back the map, and arranges to carry on
the expedition.

Paul Huston wrote the story, and Maurice Tombragel
and Victor McLcod, the screen play ; John Rawlins di-
rected it, and Ben Pivar produced it. In the cast are Harry
Cording, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"South of Panama" with Roger Pryor
and Virginia Vale

(Producers Releasing Corp.; time, 64 min.)
This spy program melodrama is best suited for small
towns and neighborhood theatres, where patrons are not

too exacting in their demands. The story is highb implaus-
ible ; yet it should serve its purpose as a program filler, for
the action moves at a pretty good pace, and the perform-
ances are pleasant. There are a few exciting moments, in
winch the hero becomes entangled with the villains; these
hold one in some suspense. The romance is routine: —

Virginia Vale, who worked as an entertainer in Panama,
rushes to the airport to meet her brother, who had flown
down from Washington to make important government
experiments on aeroplanes with a new camouflage paint he
had invented. Realizing that she had been followed by two
sinister-looking men, she signals her brother (Hugh Beau-
mont ) not to recognize her ; instead she embraces a stranger
(Roger Pryor), who had alighted from the plane, and
whispers to him to pretend to be her brother. Pryor, a
newspaper reporter, intrigued by her action, follows her
instructions. No sooner do they enter a taxicab than they
realize that the driver was an enemy. Pryor knocks him
out and drives the cab back to town. He insists that Miss
Vale explain everything to him; instead she sneaks away.
By means of a disguise, which she used in her capacity as
a singer at the cafe, Miss Vale talks to Pryor without his
realizing she was the girl he had been looking for. Lionel
Royce, head of the spy ring, which wanted the formula of
Beaumont's invention, kidnaps Pryor, thinking he was Miss
Vale's brother ; it is then that Pryor finds out what it was
all about. Royce learns of the trick and is enraged ; he goes
after Beaumont and Miss Vale. By quick thinking, Pryor
manages to get Miss Vale and Beaumont out of the hideout.
The spies go after them in a car, but they meet with an acci-
dent and are killed. Freed from danger, Beaumont returns
to Washington. Miss Vale and Pryor are united.

Ben Roberts and Sidney Sheldon wrote the screen play,
Jean Varborough directed it, and T. H. Richmond pro-
duced it. In the cast are Lucien Prival, Duncan Renaldo,
Lester Dorr, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"A Very Young Lady" with Jane Withers,
Nancy Kelly and John Sutton

(20th Century-Fox, June 13; time, 79 min.)

Just a fair program picture of adolescent love. It is a rej
make of "Girls' Dormitory," produced in 1936. Except that
the story has been treated in a lighter vein and has a more
logical ending, this version is no improvement on the old
version. As a matter of fact, it is somewhat dragged out and
too talky ; moreover, it is doubtful if the Jane Withers fans
will enjoy seeing her in the part she portrays here for, with
the exception of one situation, she is made to act in a
subdued manner : —

Jane, a pupil at an exclusive girls' school, sneers at lady-
like manners, refuses to go to parties, and does not hesitate
to fight, even with boys. The head of the school (John Sut-
ton) talks the matter over with Nancy Kelly, one of the
teachers; she suggests that they write to Jane's father to
send her a party dress, for she felt that once Jane vent to
a party and was complimented she would change. T le plan
works, particularly when Sutton, following Miss Kelly's
advice, presents flowers to Jane at the first party she at-
tends. When Richard Clayton, a pupil of a military acad-
emy attending the dance, tells Jane that flowers were a
token of love, she is thrilled, and immediately thinks that
Sutton loved her, and that she was madly in love with him.
She writes imaginary love letters to him, which she de-
stroys. But one of these letters falls into the hands of Janet
Beecher, a stern teacher, who demands an investi gation.
Jane tries to run away, causing concern to Sutton and Miss
Kelly ; but she is found and brought back. She finally con-
fesses everything to Miss Kelly, not realizing that Miss
Kelly herself loved Sutton. When Miss Kelly reveals to
the investigating committee and Sutton himself the truth,
they drop the investigation. Jane goes on thinking that Sut-
ton still loved her and that he would propose after gradua-
tion. But she finally decides to sacrifice her love for him in
order to save young Richard from "going to the dog;" be-
cause of his love for her. She suggests that Sutton marry
Miss Kelly, which he does.

The plot was adapted from the play by Ladislas Fodor;
he and Elaine Ryan wrote the screen play ; Harold Schu-
ster directed it, and Robert T. Kane produced it. In the cast
are June Carlson, Charles Halton, Cecil Kellaway, and
others.

Suitability, Class A.

May 10, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Lady From Louisiana" with John Wayne
and O ia Munson

(Republic, Apt il 22 ; time, 82 min.)

A fairly good melodrama, with a romance and some
comedy. It is a little slow in getting started, but it gradu-
ally picks up speed and in ihe second half the action, which
is of the racketeering type, is well-paced ; moreover, the
picture ends with exciting flood scenes. The performances
are engaging, and the production values are good. Since the
action takes place around 1885, the costumes are naturally
old-fashioned : —

Ona Munson meets John Wayne aboard a Mississippi
river boat bound for New Orleans ; they fall in love. Un-
known to her, Wayne's mission in New Orleans was to
investigate the lottery run by her father (Henry Stephen-
son) ; nor is he aware of her identity. When, on landing, he
is greeted by Helen Westley, head of the anti-lottery
league, Miss Munson is a little annoyed ; but she felt that
he would soon find out that it was an honest business. Her
father, however, forbids her to see him. Stephenson dis-
covers that his assistant (Ray Middleton) had actually
been stealing lottery funds that were supposed to have been
turned over to hospitals, and that he had been accepting
graft from a notorious section of New Orleans for the pro-
tection he could give them. Stephenson discharges him.
Middleton's henchmen murder Stephenson and make it look
as if the fanatics in Wayne's league had committed the mur-
der. Miss Munson is heartbroken and refuses to see Wayne.
Instead, she decides to fight Wayne, and, since neither she
nor any one else had known about Middleton's actions, she
puts him at the head of the organization. She uses her social
position, wealth, and charm to get into the good graces of
public officials; thus she is able to thwart Wayne at every
turn. Wayne, with the aid of Miss Westley, steals the lot-
tery records, which incriminated all the public officials re-
ceiving graft. It is then that Miss Munson learns the truth
about Middleton. With the evidence at his command,
Wayne rounds up everyone connected with the lottery, and
brings them into court. During the trial, a storm breaks
out and the court house caves in. Knowing that Miss Mun-
son intended talking, Middleton tries to escape with her ;
but as the levee gives way, flooding the streets, Middleton
saves himself. He rushes aboard a steamer, and at the point
of a gun orders the Captain to set sail. Wayne jumps aboard
the steamer and forces the Captain to turn back and use his
boat to plug the break in the levee. In a fight with Middle-
ton, he throws him overboar 1. The flood is under control.
After everything is cleared up, Wayne and Miss Munson
are married.

Edward James and Francis Faragoh wrote the story, and
Vera Caspary, Michael Hogan and Guy Endore, the screen
play; Bernard Vorhaus directed and produced it. In the
cast are Jack Pennick, Dorothy Dandridge, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"They Met in Argentine" with Maureen
O'Hara and James Ellison

( RKO, April 25 : time, 76 min.)

This comedy with romance and music is just fair enter-
tainment. The plot is ordinary the action slow-moving, and
the romance routine. Only in the musical numbers does it
have any real "pep" ; the b< ;t dance routine is the one
towards the end, in which a large group participates. The
one real thrill comes during a game played by six men on
horseback, in which the fierces: sort of fighting and brutal-
ity is displayed : —

James Ellison, while in Buenos Aires on an assignment
from an oil company, receives a telephone call from his
employer ordering him to buy a famous race horse owned
by Robert Barrat. Barrat is not interested in selling the
horse. Joseph Buloff, Barrat's trainer, takes a liking to
Ellison and suggests that he leave with him for Barrat's
estancia where there would be held a bull auction. Buloff
would introduce him as an imp< rtant cattle buyer to impress
Barrat. Buloff hoped that Elli;on would fall in love with
Barrat's daughter (Maureen O'Hara). But Barrat learns
what Kllison was really after: through a trick he forces
Ellison to bid a large sum of money for a prize bull ; in
addition, he keeps sending bulls to Ellison's employer as
gifts. At a fiesta given by Barnt, Alberto Vila, who loved
Miss O'Hara and was jealous of P311ison, chooses him to
play in a dangerous game, of which Ellison knew nothing.
Kllison saves Vila's life when another player tries to harm
him ; he brings Vila, who was unconscious, back to the
estancia. Miss O'Hara, thinking that Ellison had purposely
injured Vila, berates him. And Barrat then tells him he

knew what he was after, and in order to get rid of him
would give him the race horse as a gift. Ellison leaves ; but
when Vila regains consciousness and reveals what had
happened, Miss O'Hara is ashamed of herself. She rushes
after Ellison and confesses her love for him ; he returns to
her home with her.

Jerry Cady wrote the screen play, Leslie Goodwins and
Jack Hively directed it, and Lou Brock produced it. In the
cast are Buddy Ebsen, Diosa Costello, Victoria Cordonva,
Luis Alberni, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES

(Continued from back page)

RKO

"Kitty Foyle" : Excellent-Good.
"Remedy for Riches" : Fair-Poor.
"Convoy" : Fair-Poor.
"Little Men": Fair-Poor.
"Let's Make Music" : Fair-Poor.
"Saint in Palm Springs" : Fair-Poor.
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith" : Good.
"Play Girl" : Fair-Poor.
"Scattergood Baines" : Fair-Poor.

Twenty pictures, excluding the westerns, have been
checked. Grouping the pictures from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results : Execellent-Good, 1 ;
Good, 1; Good-Fair, 4; Good-Poor, 1; Fair-Poor, 12;
Poor, 1.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"Hudson's Bay" : Good-Fair.

"Michael Shayne, Private Detective" : Fair-Poor.

"Romance of the Rio Grande" : Fair-Poor.

"Tall, Dark and Handsome" : Very Good-Fair.

"Girl in the News" : Fair-Poor.

"Ride Kelly Ride" : Fair-Poor.

"Golden Hoofs" : Fair-Poor.

"Western Union" : Very Good-Good.

"Murder Among Friends" : Fair-Poor.

"Tobacco Road" : Very Good-Fair.

"Sleepers West" : Fair-Poor.

Thirty-two pictures have been checked. Grouping the
pictures from the beginning of the season, we get the fol-
lowing results : Excellent- Very Good, 1 ; Excellent-Fair, 1 ;
Very Good-Good, 2; Very Good-Fair, 3 ; Very Good-Poor,
1; Good-Fair, 2; Good-Poor, 6; Fair, 2; Fair- Poor, 14.

United Artists

"Road Show" : Fair-Poor.

"So Ends Our Night" : Good-Poor.

"Cheers for Miss Bishop" : Very Good-Poor.

Thirteen pictures have been checked. Grouping the pic-
tures from the beginning of the season, we get the following
results : Very Good-Good, 3 ; Very Good-Poor, 1 ; Good, 1 ;
Good-Fair, 4 ; Good-Poor, 1 ; Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 2.

Universal

"Invisible Woman" : Fair-Poor.

"Where Did You Get That Girl ?" : Fair-Poor.

"Lucky Devils" : Fair-Poor.

"San Francisco Docks" : Fair-Poor.

"Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga" : Fair-Poor.

"Buck Privates" : Very Good-Good.

"Back Street" : Good.

"Meet the Chump" : Fair- Poor.

"Nice Girl" : Very Good-Good.

Twenty-eight pictures, excluding the westerns, have
been checked. Grouping the pictures from the beginning of
the season, we get the following results : Very Good-Good,
4; Good, 1; Good- Fair, 5; Good-Poor, 4; Fair, 2; Fair-
Poor, 12.

Warner Bros.

"Four Mothers" : Good-Fair.

"Honeymoon for Three": Good-Fair.

"Father's Son" : Fair-Poor.

"Flight From Destiny" : Good-Poor.

"Great Mr. Nobody" : Fair-Poor.

"Footsteps in the Dark" : Good-Fair.

"Here Comes Happiness" : Fair-Poor.

"The Sea Wolf" : Very Good-Good.

Fourteen pictures have been checked. Grouping the pic-
tures from the beginning of the season, we get the following
results : Very Good-Good, 2 ; Very Good-Fair, 1 ; Good-
Fair, 3; Good-Poor, 3; Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 4.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 10, 1941

tributors, who naturally would not want to
break the law, if it should remain uncontested.
You may imagine, then, what the difficulties of
the distributors will be when each county at-
torney gives certain points of the law his own
interpretation.

The Department of Justice will do nothing to
contest the constitutionality of this law ; it will,
therefore, be up to the producers to do it. And
as yet they have not formulated definite plans ;
they are awaiting the advice of their attorneys.

It is probable that the producers will apply
to the courts for an injunction to stay the exe-
cution of the law until the federal courts deter-
mine whether it is or it is not constitutional.
* * *

THE TWELFTH NATIONAL CONVEN-
TION of Allied States Association of Motion
Picture Exhibitors will be held this year at the
Benjamin Franklin Hotel, in Philadelphia, for
three days beginning on Tuesday, September 26.

The problems that may arise as a result of
the adoption of the Consent Decree will be
analyzed thoroughly for the benefit of all ex-
hibitors.

All, however, will not be business ; the com-
mittee in charge is making plans to prepare for
the delegates and for the guests a highly enter-
taining program.

The committee looks forward to a big attend-
ance on the part of industry executives.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"TILLIE THE TOILER," with Kay Harris,
William Tracy, George Watts. This will prob-
ably be a new series based on the comic strip.
It is difficult to pass judgment on it until the
first picture will be released. Based on the value
of the players as box-office attractions, however,
it is just program.

Goldwyn

"THE LITTLE FOXES," with Bette Davis,
Richard Carlson, Teresa Wright. This is to be
based on the successful stage play by Lillian
Hellman. In reviewing the play, Richard Watts,
Jr., drama critic for the Herald-Tribune said:
"Miss Hellman's new play is a grim, bitter and
merciless study ; a drama more honest, more
pointed and more brilliant than even her triumph-
ant previous work, 'The Children's Hour' ('We
Three')." With Bette Davis heading the cast,
there is no reason why this should not make a
very good picture, with similar box-office re-
turns.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"UNHOLY PARTNERS," appraised in the
March 8 issue under the title "The Uniform."
Monogram

"WRANGLER'S ROOST," with Ray Corri-
gan, John King. Western.

"THE GANG'S ALL HERE," with Frankie
Darro, Keye Luke, Jackie Moran, Marcia Mae
Jones, Mantan Moreland. Good program.
Paramount

"AMONG THE LIVING," with Albert Dek-
ker, Susan Hay ward, Gordon Jones. Good pro-
gram.

Republic

"NEVADA CITY," with Roy Rogers. West-
ern.

RKO

"DUDE COWBOY," with Tim Holt. West-
ern.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"DRESSED TO KILL," with Lloyd Nolan,
Mary Beth Hughes, Sheila Ryan. Nolan is a
good performer; therefore, good program.

"YANK IN THE R.A.F.," with Tyrone
Power, Betty Grable, John Sutton, Reginald
Gardiner, Bruce Lester. Very good with similar
box-office possibilities.

"LAST OF THE DUANES," with George
Montgomery, Lynnc Roberts, Eve Arden. Pro-
gram.

Universal

"BIG HOUSE BLUES," with Robert Paige,
Anne Gwynne, Nat Pendleton, Elisabeth Ris-
don. Program.

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES

The previous box-office performances were published in
the January 25 issue.

Columbia

"The Phantom Submarine" : Fair-Poor.

"Arizona" : Very Good-Fair.

"This Thing Called Love" : Good-Fair.

"Face Behind the Mask" : Fair-Poor.

"The Devil Commands" : Fair-Poor.

"Adam Had Four Sons" : Good-Fair.

"Meet Boston Blackie" : Fair-Poor.

"Blondie Goes Latin" : Good-Fair.

"Missing Ten Days" : Fair-Poor.

"Lone Wolf Takes a Chance" : Fair-Poor.

"Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery" : Fair-Poor.

Twenty pictures, excluding the westerns, have been
checked. Grouping the pictures from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results : Very Good-Fair, 1 ;
Good-Fair, 5; Good-Poor, 2; Fair, 1; Fair-Poor, 11.

First National

"Case of the Black Parrot" : Fair-Poor.

"High Sierra" : Very Good-Fair.

"Strawberry Blonde" : Very Good-Fair.

Eleven pictures have been checked. Grouping the pic-
tures from the beginning of the season, we get the following
results : Excellent- Very Good, 1 ; Very Good-Fair, 4 ;
Good-Fair, 2; Fair-Poor, 4.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"Keeping Company" : Fair-Poor.

"Flight Command": Very Good-Good.

"Maisie Was a Lady" : Good-Fair.

"Philadelphia Story" : Excellent-Good.

"Wild Man of Borneo" : Poor.

"Come Live With Me" : Good-Fair.

"Blonde Inspiration" : Fair- Poor.

"Trial of Mary Dugan" : Fair-Poor.

"Andy Hardy's Private Secretary" : Excellent-Good.

"Free and Easy" : Poor.

"Rage in Heaven" : Good- Fair.

"The Penalty" : Fair-Poor.

Twenty-seven pictures have been checked. Grouping the
pictures from the beginning of the season, we get the follow-
ing results : Excellent- Very Good, 2 ; Excellent-Good, 2 ;
Very Good-Good, 2; Good, 1; Good-Fair, 10; Good-Poor,
1 ; Fair, 3; Fair-Poor, 4; Poor, 2.

Paramount

"Doomed Caravan" : Good-Poor.
"Victory" : Fair.

"Aldrich Family in Life with Henry" : Fair.
"You're the One" : Fair-Poor.
"The Mad Doctor" : Fair-Poor.
"Virginia" : Excellent-Good.
"Monster and the Girl" : Fair-Poor.
"In Old Colorado" : Good-Poor.
"The Lady Eve" : Very Good-Good.
"Las Vegas Night" : Fair.
"The Roundup" : Fair- Poor.

Twenty-six pictures have been checked. Grouping the
pictures from the beginning of the season, we get the fol-
lowing results: Excellent-Good, 2; Very Good-Good, 2;
Good, 1; Good-Fair, S; Good- Poor, 5; Fair, 3; Fair-
Poor, 8.

(Continued on inside page)

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March S, 1S79>

s Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 Room 1812 Harrison's Reports, Inc..

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 Room ioia Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico Cuba, Spain 16.50 A Motjon picture Reviewing gervice

ureal ^ntain i0- 10 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

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India, Europe Asia .... 17.50 Ug Ed,toHal Policy. No probiem Too Bis for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

35c a Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1941 No. 20

The Minnesota Compulsory Block-Sales Law

Now that the exhibitors of the State of Minnesota have
succeeded in having passed a law to regulate the sale of
motion pictures in accordance with their wishes, let us look
into this law to determine whether it will or will not prove
beneficial to their own interests.

Section 2 provides that no distributor shall license his
feature films to an exhibit )r unless the license provides
that "all the feature motion picture films, which such dis-
tributor will license during the exhibition season, or the
unexpired portion thereof, s lall be included. The term 'all
the feature motion picture ilms' shall apply to each pro-
ducer for whom the distribt :or is acting."

In other words, a distributor, in selling his feature films
to an exhibitor, must sell tnem all or none at all. By the
same token, if an exhibitor should wish to buy one or two
of a distributor's pictures the distributor will tell him :
"Oh, no, Mister! I cannot s all you part of my product; I
must sell you every feature oicture I intend to release for
the season." In other words, a definite end is put to spot
booking in Minnesota.

This part of the law will certainly work a greater hard-
ship on the independent distributors than on the major
distributors. An exhibitor might be willing to buy part of
an independent distributor's program, but such distributor
will not be able to sell him le s than his entire output.

In the case of United Artists, the law is ambiguous, for
the sentence, "The term 'all feature motion picture films'
shall apply to each producer for whom the distributor is
acting" may be interpreted in two ways : The one is that
United Artists must sell to an exhibitor all the feature pic-
tures of an individual producer; the other is that it must
sell to him all the feature pictures of all its individual pro-
ducers together. If the latter interpretation is correct, an
exhibitor will not be able to buy the Selznick pictures
unless he buys also the Wanger, the Lesser, the Small, the
Hal Roach, the Korda pictures, including the pictures of
any other producer who may release pictures through
United Artists in a given season. If so, how can any one
expect the courts to uphold a law that prohibits a manu-
facturer (the producer) from selling his product unless in
such sale is included the product of other manufacturers
with whom he has no financial interests, and with whom
he is related only by virtue of the fact that they all employ
the same selling organization?

As to the cancellation clause, the law provides that the
exhibitor may cancel a minimum of 20 per cent of the pic-
tures he will contract for if he should consider these pic-
tures "injurious and damaging to his business or offensive
on moral, religious or racial grounds. ..."

It is noteworthy that this provision of the law has two
consequences : the one is, that it does not grant to the ex-
hibitor an unconditional cancellation right; he may not
cancel a single picture on the mere ground that he does not
want to play it, a right he enjoyed in the pre-Conscnt
Decree days — he must first prove that it is injurious or
damaging to his business, or that it is offensive to the
people of his community on either moral, religious or
racial grounds. The other is that it gives the exhibitor an
unlimited cancellation right — there is no "ceiling" to the
number of pictures he may cancel as long as he can make
the assertion that the pictures he desires to cancel arc in-
jurious and damaging to his business, or arc otherwise
offensive to the people of his community. (The specified
minimum cancellation right might just as well have been
left out, for it is meaningless, since the law did not set a
maximum cancellation right.)

The influence this limitless cancellation provision will
exert may be that subsequent-run exhibitors may cancel

every first-run picture that has shown a poor box-office
performance, but they will first have to prove that it would
prove injurious and damaging to their business were they
to play it. The catch is that, unless an exhibitor plays a
picture, he would have a hard time proving that it would
injure or damage his business; yet he cannot cancel it
after he has played it, for the cancellation notice must be
sent within fifteen days after the notice of the picture's date
of availability is received.

Suppose an exhibitor, after objecting to playing a given
picture, was induced to play it, and after playing it he
found that it did not make him any profit. In such a case,
the distributor will surely have a lawsuit on his hands,
unless he offers to the exhibitor a satisfactory settlement.

Is it any wonder that the distributors stopped selling
their pictures in the State of Minnesota as soon as the law
went into effect? With the criminal penalty attached to
that law, it would be highly dangerous for a distributor to
sell less than his entire program for the season, when at the
same time five of the major companies are prohibited, by
reason of the Consent Decree, from selling more than five
pictures on any one contract.

Thus the Minnesota compulsory block-sales law is des-
tined to cause a havoc to the interests, not only of the major
companies, but also of the independent distributors, as well
as of the independent exhibitors themselves, whose interest
the law was supposed to protect.

A lawyer friend of mine has told me that he has never
seen a law so loosely drawn and so ill-considered as this
law. He went so far as to state that it hasn't the slightest
chance of survival in a court test.

The law departments of some of the major companies are
convinced that the law will be nullified by the courts. The
Department of Justice is reported to have expressed a
belief that the statute is unconstitutional in that it violates
the Interstate Commerce clause and the Due Process clause
of the Federal Constitution. Even the attorney general of
Minnesota is reported to have expressed a doubt as to its
constitutionality when he made a study of it at the request
of Governor Stassen. But Governor Stassen, having been
elected by aid of the theatre owners of that state, signed
the bill to please them, regardless of the doubts expressed
by his attorney general on its constitutionality.

It is probable that the major distributors will apply for
an injunction to stop the enforcement of this law until such
time as its constitutionality has been determined by the
Federal courts. If they do not do this, they may have to
move their exchanges to a Wisconsin town, nearest to
Minneapolis, and then tell the Minnesota exhibitors : "Do
you want film? Come over here and get itl"

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEAL

When the first article of the scries on the Production
Code Seal appeared, Mr. Martin Quigley, publisher of
Motion Picture Herald, with whom I am on the most
friendly terms, called on me to point out to me, in a friendly
fashion, the harm that he feared would be done if, as a
result of my articles, the producers were compelled to
abandon the Seal, or to disband the Production Code
Administration.

One some points I agreed with Mr. Quigley, but on
other points I was in decided disagreement with him. I
suggested to him that, when the series of those articles was
completed, he give me in writing his point of view so that
I might present it to you. The letter below is from Mr,
Quigiey :

( Continued on last page )

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 17, 1941

"Roar of the Press" with Jean Parker
and Wallace Ford

{Monogram, April 30; time, 72 mm.)

A pretty good newspaper story, of program grade. Wal-
lace Ford, as a hard-working reporter, is, by virtue of a
competent and believable performance, mainly responsible
lor the picture's entertainment value. On occasion the
action is slowed up by too much dialogue ; but, for the
most part, it moves along at a fairly good pace and holds
one's attention well. There is plentiful comedy and a
romance : —

Ford, a reporter for a New York newspaper, marries a
small-town girl (Jean Parker) and brings her to New
York for their honeymoon. Just as they are about to enter
their hotel, the body of a man falls from the roof of a build-
ing next to the hotel. Ford naturally rushes to the scene,
and from papers in the man's pocket finds out that he was
an important person, the head of an organization known
as "Guard America Committee." When Ford telephones
the information to the managing editor (Jed Prouty),
Prouty insists, despite Ford's pleas that he was on his
honeymoon, that he continue on the case. Miss Parker is
dejected and worried, for she does not see Ford at all.
Ford's investigations lead him to the belief that the man
had been murdered ; he finds also another dead man, who,
in some way, was tied up in the case. Eventually Ford gets
to the bottom of the case and proves that the murders had
been committed by tilth columnists. The villains attempt
to harm Ford and Miss Parker, whom they had tricked to
their hideout ; but quick thinking on the part of Paul Fix,
a gangster friendly to Ford, saves the young couple, and
the spies are rounded up. Ford and Miss Parker finally get
together.

Albert Duffy wrote the screen play, Phil Rosen directed
it, and Scott R. Dunlap produced it. In the cast are Su-
zanne Kaaren, Harlan Tucker, Matty Fain, and others.

Suitability Class A.

"King of the Zombies" with Dick Purcell,
John Archer and Joan Woodbury

{Monogram, May 14; time, 67 min.)

It may have been the intention of the producers to make
"King of the Zombies" a horror thriller, but this program
picture has turned out a moderately interesting comedy and
not a thriller. The melodramatic part of the story, dealing
with zombies and spies, is too silly to be taken seriously by
anyone but juveniles. Yet it may go over in houses that
cater to fans who want action, regardless of story values.
Mantan Moreland, as the hero's frightened servant, is
quite amusing ; he provokes laughter each time he appears :

Owing to dangerous storm conditions, John Archer is
forced to ground the plane in which he, his servant (More-
land), and his friend (Dick Purcell) were passengers;
they find themselves on a mysterious looking island. Their
investigations lead them to a house inhabited by Henry
Victor, who introduces himself as a doctor, Victor's wife,
who seemed to be under a hypnotic spell, and her niece
(Joan Woodbury). Miss Woodbury tries to tell them they
were in danger, but Victor prevents her from doing so. In
the meantime, Moreland discovers that there were zombies
on the premises. Both Purcell and Archer laugh at him,
but they later find out he was right. They finally trail Victor
to a voodoo ceremony he was conducting with the aid of
some natives. There they find an important Admiral of the
U. S. Navy, who had been kidnapped by Victor's men and
held prisoner. It develops that Victor was the head of a
gang of spies, and that he was attempting to force the ad-
miral to reveal government secrets to him. Archer and
Purcell finally turn the tables on Victor, who is himself
killed by the zombies. They are finally rescued. Archer and
Miss Woodbury fall in love with each other.

Edmond Kelso wrote the screen play. Lindsley Parson;
produced it, and Jean Yarborough directed it. In the cast
are Patricia Stacy, Guy Usher, and others.

Suitability Class A

"Country Fair" with Eddie Foy, Jr.,
June Clyde and Guinn Williams

(Republic, May 5; time, 74 min. )

This slapstick comedy, which mixes hill-billy characters
with city politicians in a farcical manner, should give satis-
faction in small towns and neighborhood theatres. Some of
the situations are laugh-provoking, due mostly to the an-
tics of Eddie Foy, Jr., as manager for the political candi-
date. And, although the story itself is slightly silly, it moves
at a fast pace, alternating between comedy, romance, and
music : —

Foy, manager for William Demarest, candidate for gov-
ernor, is extremely eager for Demarest to win, because
June Clyde, manager for the rival candidate, had promised
to marry Foy should Demarest win. Both candidates know
that, in order to win, they would have to obtain the vote of
the citizens of Potts County, and so they both set out to
win over the voters. They arrive in the midst of a county
fair, and find that the citizens are more interested in elect-
ing Lulubelle the most popular girl than in listening to
political speeches. Realizing that he was getting nowhere,
Foy hits an idea to win the votes. He tells everyone that
Lulubelle was Demarest's long-lost daughter who had been
kidnapped from him by gypsies. But Miss Clyde informs
the town's strong man (Guinn Williams), who was Lulu-
belle's sweetheart, of the trick. Williams is angry and warns
Demarest that no one would vote for him. Thinking he
would lose. Demarest so informs Harold Huber, a gang-
ster, who was ready to bet all his money on the election.
But Williams changes his mind and decides to run with
Demarest as lieutenant governor. They are naturally
elected. But Demarest soon disappears from the s:ene and
Williams becomes governor.

Jack Townley wrote the story, and Dorrell an 1 Stuart
McGowan, the screen play; Frank McDonald diiected it,
and Armand Schaefer produced it. In the cast ai ; Ferris
Taylor, Maurice Cass, Lulubelle and Scotty, and others.

Suitability Class A.

"The Invisible Ghost" with Bela Lugosi

(Monogram, April 25; running time, 64 min.)

This horror melodrama is strictly for the ardent follow-
ers of entertainment of this type. Others may find the story
extremely far-fetched and the action a little slow-moving.
Routine tricks are employed to create an eerie atmosphere ;
but only in one or two spots are they effective. Since the
murderer's identity is known to the audience from the be-
ginning, the mystery angle is naturally dispensed with.
There is some comedy and a formula romance : —

The police are at a loss to discover the identity of the
murderer who had killed several persons in the vicinity of
the home owned by Bela Lugosi. Lugosi, a kindly person,
who lived with his daughter (Polly Ann Young) in the
large house, refused to move because of his sentimental
attachment to the place and his hope that some day his
wife (Betty Compson), who had left him, would return.
Miss Compson had returned, slightly demented; Lugosi's
faithful gardener had hidden her in his quarters in as effort
to restore her to health before letting Lugosi know of her
presence. Unknown to everyone, even to himself, Lugosi,
while under a hypnotic spell cast on him by Miss Compson,
committed the murders. The blame for one of these mur-
ders is placed on John McGuire, Miss Young's fiance. Mc-
Guire, is tried, convicted, and put to death in the electric
chair. His twin brother (also played by McGuire) calls to
see Lugosi, in an effort to obtain facts to clear his brother's
name. One night, while in the presence of McGuire and
police officers, Lugosi suddenly gets a spell and the truth
is revealed. Just then Miss Compson dies, and Lugosi re-
gains his sanity. He willingly goes with the police, ready to
pay for his crimes.

Al and Helen Martin wrote the screen play, Joseph H
Lewis directed it. and Sam Katzman produced it. In the
cast are Clarence Muse. Terry Walker. Ernie Adams, and
others.

Not for children. Class B

May 17, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Big Boss" with Otto Kruger,
John Litel and Gloria Dickson

(Columbia, April 28; time, 70 min.)

A fair program melodrama. Not only is the plot familiar,
but it is developed in a routine style, without any novel
touches. The fact that the spectator's interest is held to
some degree, is owed to the performances by the leading
players, who, despite weak material, manage to make an
impression. Comedy and romance round out the plot : —

John Litel, a country lawyer, gains prominence and
eventually becomes state senator. When the anti-lynching
bill he sponsors is passed, Gloria Dickson and Don Bed-
doe, two newspaper reporters, are surprised, for they knew
that no bill could be passed unless it was backed by Otto
Kruger, powerful political leader. They immediately as-
sume that Litel had become one of Kruger's men. When
Miss Dickson confronts him, Litel denies any connection
with Kruger. Kruger calls to sec Litel; Litel fails to rec-
ognize him as his own brother who had run away from
home when quite young. Kruger offers to help Litel in his
political career; although Litel knew of Kruger's reputa-
tion he accepts his help, warning him that he would give
no favors in return. Litel eventually becomes governor. His
first attempt to do away with slave chain-gang labor by
legislation fails ; it is then that he learns that Kruger and
a few cf his associates profited by the slave labor. Through
a series of circumstances involving a murder, Litel traces
Kruger's record and learns that he was an escaped convict ;
also that he was the murderer. When he confronts him with
the facts, Kruger confesses. But Litel learns that evening
that Kruger was his brother. He decides to resign rather
than prosecute his own brother. Kruger, in order not to
ruin Litel's career, gives himself up, without divulging his
relationship to the governor. Litel and Miss Dickson are
united.

Howard J. Green wrote tiie screen play, Charles Barton
directed it. In the cast are Robert Fiske, George Lessey,
Joe Conti, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"They Dare Not Love" with George Brent,
Martha Scott e nd Paul Lukas

(Columbia, April 30; time, 76 min.)
Just a fair drama, based on an anti-nazi theme. It suffers
by comparison with some of the other pictures of this type,
for the story in this case is weaker and the action is too
slow-paced to hold one in tense suspense. Moreover, al-
though the performances by George Brent and Martha
Scott are good, the characters they portray fail to awaken
the spectator's deep sympathy. It is only towards the end,
when Brent and Miss Scott are caught in the web of a nazi
plot, that one's emotions are stirred. Considering the present
state of world affairs, audiences may not be in a receptive
mood for entertainment of this type : —

Brent, an Austrian prince, escapes from Vienna just as
Hitler's men take over. On a steamer bound for America,
he meets two friends — Egon Brecher, a professor, and his
daughter (Miss Scott), who, too, had escaped in time. By
the end of the trip Brent and Miss Scott are in love ; but
she asks him not to see her again, first, because of his social
position, and, secondly, because of the fact that she could
not give up her fiance, who was in a concentration camp.
Brent leads a gay life in the company of a society friend
(Kay Linaker) ; but he cannot forget Miss Scott. He
meets her one day and follows her to her home. Brecher
upbraids him for having forgotten his friends who were
suffering. This sobers Brent. He goes to Paul Lukas, a
Gestapo chief, and offers to give himself up if Germany
would release seven of his friends, including Miss Scott's
fiance. Lukas agrees to this and arranges for Brent to sail.
But Miss Scott learns that not only was her fiance in New
York, but that he was a German agent ; furthermore, that
Brent had walked into a trap. She rushes to the steamer to
warn him. He then realizes that he had been lured aboard
a German boat ; Miss Scott is prevented from leaving. The
Captain (Frank Keirhcr) marries them. Hating the things
Lukas stood for. Reicher ignores the code message warning
him that, since Germany was at war with England, he
should change his course. They are attacked by an English
destroyer and forced to surrender. Brent and Miss Scott
are overjoyed when they are taken prisoners by the British.

James E. Grant wrote the story, and Charles Bennett
and Ernest Vajda. the screen play: James Whale directed
it. and Sam Bischoff produced it. In the cast are Roman
Bohnen, Edgar Barrier, and other*.

Suitability Class A.

"The People vs. Dr. Kildare" with Lew
Ayres, Lionel Barrymcre, Laraine Day
and Bonita Granville

(MGM, Released May 2; running time, 77 min.)

This picture maintains the quality level of the other pic-
tures of this series. It holds one's interest, and touches one's
heartstrings considerably. The hero's efforts to find the
cause of the paralysis of a patient, on whom he had per-
formed an emergency operation, so as to save the hospital
he worked for a large sum of money from a lawsuit, as
well as his own reputation as a skillful surgeon, are fol-
lowed by the audience with sympathy and good will. Lionel
Barrymore is as impressive as ever as the famous surgeon
Gillespie, and Mr. Ayres does as well as he did in other
pictures of the series. Miss Day hasn't much to do, and
nothing is said about their marriage : —

While driving with Miss Day, Ayres witnesses an acci-
dent in which Bonita Granville's spleen had been so in-
jured that he had to perform an operation on the spot so
as to save her life. Bonita recovers, but she remains para-
lyzed. She believes that her paralysis was the result of
Ayres' lack of skill. Bonita sues the hospital and Dr. Ayres
for a large sum of money. Ayres is convinced that the
operation was not the cause of the paralysis. A chance
remark by one of the characters during a recess of the
trial gives him a clue. He follows it up and is eventually
enabled to prove that the paralysis was the result of a
spinal trouble. Eventually he is permitted to perform an
operation on her and, by removing the cause of the trouble,
Bonita recovers completely, and is able to resume her skat-
ing act, which had made her famous.

The plot has been taken from an original story by Law-
rence P. Bachmann and Max Brand ; it was put into screen-
play form by Willis Goldbeck and Harry Ruskin. Harold
S. Bucquet directed it.

Suitability, Class A.

"A Woman's Face" with Joan Crawford,
Melvyn Douglas and Conrad Veidt

(MGM, May 9; running time, 105 min.)

A strong, engrossing melodrama, strictly for adults. It is
actually a horror picture, and is slightly revolting in some
respects. Yet it keeps one completely absorbed, holding one
in tense suspense throughout. The revulsion one feels is
brought about by the facial disfigurement of Miss Craw-
ford ; fortunately she appears only during part of the picture
with that disfigurement. The story itself is unpleasant, since
it deals w ith a group of worthless persons ; but so expert
are the performances that one finds the characters fasci-
nating. Moreover the heroine's regeneration pleases one.
The story is told in flashback ; it opens in a courtroom
where the heroine is on trial for a murder, and the plot
unfolds as each witness gives testimony : —

Joan Crawford, embittered and lonely, hates the world;
this was due to the fact that she had a horrible face dis-
figurement which made people shudder when they looked
at her. She had, therefore, chosen a life of crime ; she and
her assistants practiced blackmail. She falls madly in love
with Conrad Veidt, who was the first person who not only
did not shudder when he saw her, but actually showed
affection for her. While at the home of Osa Massen, the
flighty, unfaithful wife of Melvyn Douglas, a famous sur-
geon, where she had gone to blackmail Miss Massen, she
accidentally meets Douglas, who takes her for a common
thief. Yet he feels sorry for her and induces her to undergo
plastic surgery. After a painful period, she emerges a beau-
tiful young woman. Still in love with Veidt, she agrees to
go to the estate of his wealthy uncle (Albert Basscrman)
as governess to his young grandchild (Richard Nichols) ;
the plot was for her to kill Richard so that Veidt might
inherit his uncle's wealth. But association with the child,
who adored her, changes her, and she finds herself unnhle
to kill him. Douglas, a guest at the house, is happy to find
that Miss Crawford was engaged in honest occupation.
Veidt, crazed by the change in his plans, attempts to kill
Richard himself. Douglas, who by that time, knew of the
scheme, rushes with Miss Crawford to save Richard ; Miss
Crawford shoots and kills Veidt. Douglas, who had learned
of his wife's infidelity and had entered a suit for divorce,
stands by Miss Crawford, with whom he had fallen in love.

The plot was adapted from a plfcy by Francis de Croisset ;
Donald Oedcn Stewart and Elliot l'aul wrote the screen
nlay ; George Cukor directed it. and Victor Savillc nro-
duced it. In the cast are Reginald Owen. Marjorie Ma:;.,
Donald Meek. Charles Quigky. and others.

Not for children or adolescents. Class B.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 17, 1941

"Dear Pete :

"I am glad to take this opportunity to avail myself of
your kind suggestion that I set down for consideration
certain views, previously expressed to you, which are in
opposition to the position you have taken with respect to
the certificate system of the Production Code Administra-
tion.

"The agreement, entered into in 1934, under which prin-
cipal producing companies bound themselves not to exhibit
publicly motion pictures unless and until held by the com-
petent authority to be in conformity with the provisions of
the Production Code, was a step in the direction of reliev-
ing a condition which had become the subject of voluble
public and private protest.

"The accompanying agreement under which the fact that
a picture had been so passed upon and approved would be
attested by the affixing of a seal of approval, bearing a serial
number, was and is a necessary device for purposes of
regulation and enforcement.

"At the time these agreements were entered into, it
appeared obvious that no ultimate and integral good pur-
pose would be served under the new policy of betterment
and reform unless companies operating circuits of theatres
would, in their theatre departments, conform to and abide
by the provisions of the new policy.

"For purposes of regulation and enforcement, these
companies agreed that they would not only refrain from
releasing pictures which had not been passed under the Code
but, also, that they would refrain from exhibiting pictures
that had not been passed under the Code. Hence the un-
availability of screen time in affiliated houses for pictures
not bearing the Code seal, against which you so emphatic-
ally complain. I wish to suggest that possibly you would
have found grounds for even more emphatic complaint if
you had discovered in these recent years that the right hand
of these companies in exhibition was not letting the left
hand in production know what it was doing.

"At the same time, it was promptly decided, as a matter
of fair play, that producers of pictures, domestic or foreign,
who were not members of the association would be ad-
mitted, on an equal cost and service basis, to the facilities
of the Production Code Administration. Thereby, any pro-
ducer, great or small, domestic or foreign, who was willing
to conform to the overwhelming demand of American pub-
lic opinion for decent motion pictures was provided with
all necessary facilities in order to have his pictures quali-
fied for acceptance on moral grounds in the affiliated
theatres.

"It was then my thought, which has remained unchanged
through the years, that no producer worthy of the name
would seek to take commercial advantage out of the de-
ency commitment of the organized industry by the delib-
erate production of pictures outside the provision of the
decency code and if he did so the closing of the doors of
the affiliated theatres, amongst many others that follow
similar policies, would only be providential retribution.

"I have said that producers who are not members of the
association were to share, equally, the cost and facilities
in the treatment of their pictures by the Production Code
Administration. Mr. Joseph I. Breen, the director of the
Production Code Administration, has stated that the cost
of treating independent product has consistently, from the
inception of the Administration up to the present time, been
at out-of-pocket expense to the Association. In other words,
the charges for examining independent production, confer-
ence and script reading have deliberately been held at
levels below the actual cost to the Association. Mr. Breen
knows the facts as you could not know them, except after
examination of his records.

"No public authority has stated that the Production
Code Administration system, including the award of cer-
tificates to decent pictures, is illegal. No court has pro-
nounced it as illegal. It therefore seems to me that you are
anticipating both the public authorities and the courts to
the end, perhaps, of finding yourself in company with
opportunists and exploiters who may be seeking to destroy
a measure in the public interest for selfish purposes.

"The Production Code and the accompanying system is,
up to now, the best means that has been discovered to keep
the screen decent, to curb the purveyor of motion picture
filth and to safeguard the prosperity and stability of the
industry.

"I think you do your own reputation, the industry and
the public, as well, a disservice when you seek to organize
opinion against a system which, while not perfect, is the

most reasonable that has been proposed and the only one
which has operated with manifest success in this or any
kindred field.

"The system has materially improved the moral stand-
ards of American motion pictures. That it has not worked
perfectly with respect to the control of objectionable mate-
rial is an inevitable accompaniment of the difficulties which
surround the operation and its administration by human
beings who are not infallible.

"If there is a legal question under our laws involved, that
is a matter for the courts to determine. In the meantime, it
may well be remembered that a litigant who comes into
court with unclean hands, in whatever type or kind of
litigation, is by no means in a position of assured victory.

"And certainly the person who seeks, for purposes of
individual commercial gain, to break down a system which
has contributed so importantly to public welfare in order
to exhibit salacious or otherwise objectionable material
does not come into court with clean hands.

"Very truly yours,

"Martin Quigley."

Mr. Quigley states that, since no public authority has
yet pronounced the Code illegal, I might find mys-lf in the
wrong company if the system were to be uphelJ by the
courts eventually.

Though I have had no legal training, it does n>>t take a
lawyer to determine that, the setting up of an extra-
governmental body and the vesting it with the ] ower of
pronouncing life or death on a competitor's prodi. :t, reeks
with illegality. Besides, before writing that s Ties of
articles, I consulted competent counsel, who, 01 several
occasions, and on similar matters, gave me opin: jns that
have in each case proved to be correct. It is the same coun-
sel who, in the Dallas case, suggested to me to advise the
producers that it was useless for them to appeal from
Judge Atwell's decision. And the subsequent decision of
the Supreme Court justified that opinion fully.

It seems as if Mr. Quigley evidently has misunderstood
me. I do not presume to lay down the law for the Hays
Association ; I am merely pointing out the dangerous
ground on which its system rests, so that the producers
may remedy the condition before the authorities start to
do something about it.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"THE YEARLING," with Spencer Tracy, Gene Eck-
man, Ann Revere, Chill Wills. The book from whi;h this
is to be adapted has been a best seller. But since the other
players, aside from Spencer Tracy, are not strong box-
office attractions, it will have to depend on his name for
its box-office success. It will undoubtedly turn out very
good.

"LIFE BEGINS FOR ANDY HARDY," with Lewis
Stone, Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Sara
Haden. Where the "Hardy" series is popular, this, too,
should do good business.

"SMILIN' THROUGH," (in technicolor) with Jean-
ette MacDonald, Brian Aherne, Ian Hunter, Patrick
O'Moore, Jackie Horner. This was made twice before, once
in 1922 and again in 1932; Norma Shearer, Fredric March
and Leslie Howard starred in the 1932 picture. There is no
doubt that MGM will give it a lavish production that will
be aided by the technicolor photography. But the story is
slightly old-fashioned and familiar to many picture-goers.
Since Miss MacDonald is in the cast there undoubtedly
will be fine music. But the success of the picture will have
to depend strongly on the box-office value of the stars.

Paramount

"SECRET OF THE WASTELANDS," with William
Boyd. Western.

Republic

"PUDDIN" HEAD," with Judy Canova, Francis Led-
ercr, Raymond Walburn, Slim Summerville, Alma Kruger,
Buster Keaton. The story is amusing, and offers pretty
cood possibilities for an entertaining comedy, with music.
Wherever Miss Canova's pictures have done well, this
should have similar results.

RKO

"THE GAY FALCON," with Georgs Sanders, Wendy
Barrie, Allen Jenkins. Good program.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

Vol. XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1941 No. 20

(Partial Index No. 3 — Pages 54 to 76 Inc.)

Titles of Pictures Reviewed on Page

Bad Man, The— MGM (70 min.) 55

Black Cat, The— Universal (70 min.) 71

Citizen Kane— RKO (120 min.) 62

Cowboy and the Blonde, The — 20th Century-Fox

(68 min.) 71

Dead Men Tell— 20th Century-Fox (60 min.) 54

Devil and Miss Jones, The— RKO (92 min.) 59

Flame of New Orleans, The — Universal (79 min.) 71

Flying Wild — MonogTam (63 min.) 67

Footlight Fever— RKO (69 min.) 55

Great American Broadcast, The — 20th Century-Fox

(91 min.) 74

Great Lie, The— Warner Bros. (107 min.) 58

Great Swindle, The— Columbia (54 min.) 58

Horror Island — Universal (60 min.) 54

I Wanted Wings — Paramount (134 min.) 54

Knockout — First National (73 min.) 66

Lady From Cheyenne, The — Universal (87 min.) ... 58

Lady From Louisiana — Republic (82 min.) 75

Man Who Lost Himself, The— Universal (72 min.) ... 54

Mr. District Attorney — Republic (68 min.) 55

Model Wife — Universal (78 min.) 67

Mutiny in the Arctic — Universal (61 min.) 74

Penny Serenade — Columbia (120 min.) 66

Pot O' Gold— United Artists (85 min.) 59

Power Dive — Paramount (68 min.) 62

Reaching for the Sun — Paramount (89 min.) 66

Repent At Leisure— RKO (66 min.) 63

Ride on Vaquero — 20th Century-Fox (64 min.) 55

Rookies — Universal (See "Buck Privates") 27

Rookies on Parade — Republic (69 min.) 70

Scotland Yard — 20th Century- Fox (65 min.) 63

Shadows on the Stairs — First National (63 min.) 59

Shot in the Dark, A — Warner Bros. (57 min.) 59

Sign of the Wolf — Monogram (68 min.) 58

Sis Hopkins — Republic (97 min.) 63

South of Panama — Producers Releasing (64 min.) ... 74

Strange Alibi— First National (63 min.) 62

There's Magic in Music — Paramount (See "Hard

Boiled Canary") 34

They Met in Argentine— RKO (76 min.) 75

Thieves Fall Out— Warner Bros. (72 min.) 70

Under Age — Columbia (60 min.) 70

Very Young Lady, A — 20th Century- Fox (79 min.) .. 74

Wagons Roll at Night — First National (83 min.) 71

Washington Melodrama — MGM (80 min.) 70

Ziegfeld Girl, The— MGM (131 min.) 67

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

2213 North From the Lone Star— Elliott (58m.) . .Mar. 31

2034 The Great Swindle— Jack Holt Apr. 10

2002 Penny Serenade — Grant-Dunne (reset) Apr. 24

2036 Under Age — Grey-Baxter Apr. 24

2037 The Big Boss (Chain Gang)— Kruger-Litel. . Apr. 28
2011 They Dare Not Love— Brent-Scott Apr. 30

2214 The Return of Daniel Boone— Elliott (61m.) .May 7
2013 Her First Beau — Withers-Cooper-Fellows. . .May 8
2008 She Knew All the Answers — Tone-J. Bennett. May 15
2020 Naval Academy — Freddie Bartholomew May 22

Senate Page Boys — Marshall-Bruce May 30

Time Out for Rhythm — Vallee-Miller June 5

2206 Medico of Painted Springs — Starrett June 12

First National Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)
559 The Strawberry Blonde— Cagney-deHavilland-

Hayworth-Hale-Tobias Feb. 22

573 Shadows on the Stairs — Inescort-Cavanagh. .Mar. 1

568 Knockout — Kennedy- Bradna Mar. 29

567 Strange Alibi — Kennedy-Perry-Hale Apr. 19

560 The Wagons Roll at Night— Bogart- Sidney. . . Apr. 26
Affectionately Yours — Oberon-Morgan

(88m.) May 10

563 Singapore Woman — Marshall-Bruce (64m.) . .May 17

Me tro-Goldwyn- Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

126 Andy Hardy's Private Secretary — Stone-

Rooney-Hunter-Rutherford Feb. 21

127 Free and Easy — Hussey-Cummings-Bruce ...Feb. 28

128 Rage in Heaven — Montgomery-Bergman ....Mar. 7

129 The Penalty — Arnold- L. Barrymore Alar. 14

No release set for Mar. 21

124 The Bad Man— Beery-L. Barrymore-Day . . . .Mar. 28
No release set for Apr. 4

132 Men of Boys Town — Tracy-Rooney Apr. 11

131 Washington Melodrama — Morgan-K. Taylor

(reset) Apr. 18

130 Ziegfeld Girl — Garland- Stewart- Lamarr (re.). Apr. 25

133 The People vs. Dr. Kildare — Ayres-Day-

L. Barrymore-Granville May 2

136 A Woman's Face — Crawford-Douglas May 9

135 I'll Wait For You— Sterling- Hunt-Kelly May 16

134 Love Crazy — Powell- Loy- Patrick May 23

Billy the Kid — Taylor-Donlevy-Hunter May 30

The Get- Away — Sterling- Adams- Winninger .June 6
The Bargain Basement — Marx Bros.-Martin. . June 13

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

Sign of the Wolf— Bradley- Whalen Mar. 25

Break the News — Maurice Chevalier Apr. 10

Hoosier Schoolboy — Rooney (reissue) Apr. 17

Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona — Range Busters

(62 min.) Apr. 20

The Invisible Ghost (Shadows in the Night) — ■

Bela Lugosi Apr. 25

Roar of the Press (Widows of the Press) —

Parker-Ford Apr. 30

House of Mystery — K. Kent-J. Kelly (reset) May 7

The Pioneers — Tex Ritter (reset) May 10

King of the Zombies — Archer-Moreland May 14

Redhead — Downs-Lang-Blore May 21

Silver Stallion — LeRoy-Mason May 28

Ranglers Roost — Range Busters June 4

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

4052 In Old Colorado— Wm. Boyd (66m.) Mar. 14

4022 The Lady Eve — Stanwyck-Fonda Mar. Jl

4023 Las Vegas Nights — Moore-Regan Mar. 28

4024 The Roundup — Dix-Morison-Foster Apr. 4

4025 Road to Zanzibar — Crosby-Hope-Lamour ...Apr. 11

4053 Border Vigilantes— Wm. Boyd (62m.) Apr. 18

4026 Power Dive — Arlen- Parker- Pryor Apr. 25

4027 Reaching for the Sun — McCrea-Drew Mav 2

4021 There's Magic in Music — Jones-Foster May 16

4054 Pirates on Horseback— Wm. Bovd (68m.) ..Mav 23

4028 I Wanted Wings— Milland-Holden-Morns. . May JO

May 17, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

Republic Features

(1776 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

074 Wyoming Wildcat — Red Barry (56m.) Jan. 6

054 Robin Hood of the Pecos— Rogers (59m.) Jan. 14

044 Ridin' On a Rainbow — Gene Autry (79m.) Jan. 24

010 Arkansas Judge — Weaver Bros.-Elviry Jan. 28

020 Petticoat Politics — Karns-Donnelly Jan. 31

075 The Phantom Cowboy— Red Barry (56m.) .. .Feb. 14

065 Prairie Pioneers — Three Mesq. (57m.) Feb. 16

011 A Man Betrayed— Wayne-Dee-Ellis Feb. 27

021 The Great Train Robbery— Steel-Carleton . . . Feb. 28

045 Back in the Saddle— Autry (73m.) Mar. 14

012 Mr. District Attorney— O'Keefe-Rice Mar. 27

055 In Old Cheyenne— Roy Rogers (58m.) (re.) . .Mar. 28

066 Pals of the Pecos— Three Mesq. (56m.) Apr. 8

076 Two-Gun Sheriff— Red Barry (56m.) Apr. 10

002 Sis Hopkins — Canova-B. Crosby (reset) Apr. 12

013 Rookies on Parade — B. Crosby-R Terry Apr. 17

014 Lady From Louisiana — Munson-Wayne Apr. 22

046 The Singing Hill— Autry (75m.) Apr. 26

015 Country Fair — Foy, J r.-Clyde- Williams May 5

056 Sheriff of Tombstone — Rogers-Hayes May 7

022 The Gay Vagabond — Karns-Donnelly May 12

077 Desert Bandits— Red Barry May 12

Angels with Broken Wings — Barnes-Roland. .May 15

067 Saddlemates — Three Mesq May 24

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)
5009 Buck Privates— Abbott-Costello Jan. 31

5002 Back Street— Sullavan-Boyer Feb. 7

5032 Meet the Chump — Herbert-Howard-Kelly .. .Feb. 14

5003 Nice Girl?— Durbin-Tone-Stack Feb. 21

5040 Dark Streets of Cairo— Gurie-Byrd Feb. 28

5041 Mr. Dynamic — Nolan-Hervey Mar. 7

5037 Double Date — Moran-Lowe-Merkel Mar. 14

5065 Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie —

J. M. Brown (59m.) Mar. 21

5016 The Man Who Lost Himself— Aherne Mar. 21

5033 Horror Island — Foran-Moran Mar. 28

5012 Man Made Monster— Atwill-Nagel Mar. 28

5043 Lady From Cheyenne — Young- Preston Apr. 11

5054 Mutiny in the Arctic — Arlen-Devine (re.) . . .Apr. 18

5014 Model Wife— Blondell- Powell (re.) Apr. 18

5011 The Flame of New Orleans — Dietrich (re.) ..Apr. 25
5028 The Black Cat— Rathbone-Herbert May 2

Too Many Blondes — Rudy Vallee May 23

In the Navy (We're In the Navy Now) —

Abbott-Costello May 30

Men of the Timberland — Arlen-Devine June 6

Tight Shoes — Howard-Crawford-Barnes ...June 13

San Antonio Rose — Cast not set June 20

Law of the Range — J. M. Brown June 20

Hit the Road— Dead End Kids June 27

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

183 Along the Rio Grande— Tim Holt Feb. 7

121 Play Girl — Francis-Ellison Feb. 14

123 Scattergood Baines — Guy Kibbee Feb. 21

120 A Girl, A Guy and a Gob— Ball-Murphy Mar. 14

119 Footlight Fever — Mowbray-MacBride Mar. 21

124 Melody for Three — Hersholt-Wray Mar. 28

125 Repent at Leisure — Taylor-Barrie Apr. 4

122 The Devil and Miss Jones— Arthur Apr. 11

184 Robbers of the Range— Tim Holt (62m.) . . . .Apr. 18

128 They Met in Argentine — O'Hara-Ellison Apr. 25

163 Bringing Up Baby — Grant-Hepburn (reis.)..May 2
131 Saint's Vacation — Sinclair-Gray May 9

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W . 44th St., New York, N. Y.)

514 Flight From Destiny — Fitzgerald-Mitchell Feb. 8

515 The Great Mr. Nobody — Albert-Leslie Feb. 15

509 Footsteps in the Dark — Flynn-Marshall Mar. 8

521 Here Comes Happiness — Coles-Norris Mar. 15

501 The Sea Wolf — Robinson-Lupino-Garfield Mar. 22

522 A Shot in the Dark — Lundigan-Wynn-Cortez.Apr. 5
504 The Great Lie — Davis-Brent- Astor Apr. 12

516 Thieves Fall Out — Albert-Leslie-Darwell May 3

523 The Nurse's Secret — L. Patrick-Toomey May 24

Million Dollar Baby — P. Lane- Lynn-Reagan. May 31

Warner-First National-Special

500 Meet John Doe — Cooper-Stanwyck May 3

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 W. 56th St., New York, N. Y.)
131 Scotland Yard — Kelly-Gwenn-Loder Apr. 4

137 That Night in Rio — Faye-Ameche-Miranda. . . Apr. 11

138 Ride on Vaquero— Romero-Hughes-Martin ..Apr. 18

139 Mail Train (Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It) —

Harker-Sim Apr. 25

140 Great American Broadcast — Faye-Oakie May 9

141 Cowboy and the Blonde — Hughes-Montgom'y. May 16

142 The Great Commandment — Beal-Dekker May 23

143 Blood and Sand — Power-Darnell-Hayworth ..May 30

(135 "The Outlaw," listed in the February 15 Index as a
March 21 release, has been postponed)

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

The Son of Monte Cristo— Bennett-Hayward Jan. 10

Road Show — Hubbard-Landis-Menjou Jan. 24

So Ends Our Night — March-Sullavan-Ford Feb. 14

Cheers for Miss Bishop — Scott-Gargan Feb. 21

The Great Dictator — Charlie Chaplin Mar. 7

Topper Returns — Blondell-Young-O'Keefe Mar. 21

That Uncertain Feeling — Oberon-Douglas Apr. 20

That Hamilton Woman 1— Leigh-Olivier Apr. 30

Pot O' Gold — Goddard-Stewart-Heidt Easter Release

Major Barbara — Hiller-Harrison-Morley

Rel. date not yet set

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE
Columbia — One Reel

2903 Naval Academy— Wash. Par. (10m.) Jan. 17

2754 Streamlined Donkey — Fables (7m.) (re.) Jan. 17

2951 New York Parade— {9y2m.) Jan. 24

2804 Ice Capers— World of Sport (10m.) Jan. 24

2975 Feathers — Cinescope (9}^m.) Jan. 31

2855 Screen Snapshots No. 5— (9m.) Feb. 2

2704 Little Theatre— Phantasies (6m.) Feb. 7

2603 Take It Or Leave It No. 3— Quiz (11m.) .. . .Feb. 7

2655 Community Sing No. 5— (lO^im.) Feb. 7

2804 Splits, Spares and Strikes —

World of Sport (10m.) Feb. 21

2976 Movie Magic — Cinescope (10m.) Feb. 22

2558 Western Wonderland— Tours (9m.) Feb. 28

2506 Way of All Pests— Color Rhapsody (7m.) .. .Feb. 28

2904 The Spirit of 1941— Wash. Parade (10m.).. Mar. 7

2604 Junior I. Q. Parade— Quiz (9y2m.) Mar. 7

2755 It Happened to Crusoe — Fables (6J4m.) Mar. 14

2507 The Carpenters — Color Rhapsody (8^m.) . .Mar. 14

2856 Screen Snapshots No. 6— (10m.) Mar. 14

2656 Community Sing No. 6— (10m.) Mar. 14

2977 This is England — Cinescope (10m.) Mar.27

2952 Abroad at Home— N. Y. Parade (9J/2m.) .. .Mar. 27
2704 There's Music in Your Hair— Phan. (6^m.) .Mar. 28
2806 The Jungle Archer— Sport (11m.) Mar. 28

2559 San Francisco Metropolis of the West —

Tours (9}4m.) Apr. 3

2605 So You Think You Know Music No. 1—

Quiz (llj^m.) Apr. 3

2508 The Land of Fun — Color Rhapsody (7m.) . . . Apr. 18

2857 Screen Snapshots No. 7— (10m.) Apr. 25

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

May 17, 1941

2657 Community Sing No. 7— (9m.) Apr. 25

2807 Diving Thrills— Sport Reels .Apr. 25

2978 Capital Sidelights— Cinescope Apr. 28

2606 Take It Or Leave It No. 4 — Quiz (11m.) May 1

2756 Kitty Gets the Bird— Cartoons May 16

2560 Beautiful Ontario — Tours May 23

2658 Community Sing No. 8 May 29

2509 Tom Thumb's Brother — Color Rhapsody June 5

2858 Screen Snapshots No. 8 June 6

2757 Dumb Like a Fox— Cartoons June 19

(2705 "The Cute Recruit," listed in the last Index as a
May 2 release, has been taken out of the schedule.)

Columbia — Two Reels

2122 The Jail Delivery— White Eagle No. 2 (20m.) Feb. 7

2123 The Dive Into Quicksand— Eagle No. 3

(19j4m.) Feb. 14

2124 The Warning Death Knife — Eagle No. 4

(19m.) Feb. 21

2429 So You Won't Sqawk?— All Star (16m.) . . . .Feb. 21
International Forum No. 1 — Special (16m.) . .Feb. 22

2125 Treachery at the Stockade— Eagle No. 5

(20m.) Feb. 28

2126 The Gun-Cane Murder— Eagle No. 6 (18m.) .Mar. 7

2430 Yumpin' Yiminy— Brandel (17J4m.) Mar. 7

2127 The Revealing. Blotter— Eagle No. 7 (17m.) .Mar. 14

2128 Bird Calls- oi Deliverance— Eagle No. 8

(18m.) Mar. 21

2406 Dutiful But Dumb— Stooge (17m.) Mar. 21

2129 The Fake Telegram— Eagle No. 9 (18m.) . . .Mar. 28

2130 Mystic Dots and Dashes— Eagle No. 10

(18m.) Apr. 4

2431 Glove Affair— All star (17m.) Apr. 4

2131 The Ear at the Windcw—

Eagle No. 11 (17m Apr. 11

2132 The Massacre Invitation —

Eagle No. 12 (18m. Apr. 18

2432 Black Eyes and Blues— Karns (1654m.) Apr. 18

2133 The Framed-Up Showdown —

Eagle No. 13 ( 1754m. ) Apr. 25

2134 The Fake Army General —

Eagle No. 14 (21m.) May 2

2433 The Ring and the Belle— Clyde (17m.) May 2

2135 Treachery Downed — Eagle No. 15 (17m.)... May 9

2181 The Stolen Plans—

The Spider Returns No. 1 May 9

2407 All the World's a Stooge— Stooge (16m.) . . .May 16

2182 The Fatal Time-Bomb— Spider No. 2 .May 16

2183 The Secret Meeting — Spider No. 3 May 23

International Forum No. 2 — Special (re.) May 27

2184 The Smoke Dream — Spider No. 4 May 30

2434 Ready Willing But Unable— Brendel (16m.) .May 30

2185 The Gargoyle's Trail — Spider No. 5 June 6

2186 The X-Ray Eye— Spider No. 6 June 13

Paramount — One Reel

EO-5 Problem Pappy — Popeye (6m.) Jan. 10

UO-1 Western Daze— Madcap Models (8}4m.) . . Jan. 17

GO-3 All's Well— cartoon (6?4m.) Jan. 17

SO-2 Waiting for Baby— Benchley (10m.) Jan. 24

LO-3 Unusual Occupations No. 3 — (10m.) Jan. 24

AO-4 Gene Krupa and His Orchestra — Headliner

(10m.) Jan. 31

MO-3 A Village in India— Journeys (10j4m.) Jan. 31

EO-6 Quiet, Pleeze— Popeye (6m.) Feb. 7

RO-6_ Acrobatic Aces— Sportlight (9m.) Feb. 7

HO-5 Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters — cartoon

(1054m) Feb. 14

GO-4 Two for the Zoo— Gabby cartoon (6$4m.) . .Feb. 14

JO-4 Popular Science No. 4— (10m.) Feb. 21

VO-4 Red White and Blue Hawaii (The Quiz

Kids)— Paragraphic (9}4m.) Feb. 21

RO-7 Fishing Fever— Sportlight (9}4m.) Feb. 28

EO-7 Olive's Sweepstake Ticket — Popeye (6m.) ..Mar. 7
HO-6 Twinkletoes Gets the Bird — Cartoon (6m.).Mar.l4

MO-4 Delhi — Fascinating Journeys (10m.) Mar. 21

AO-5 Bob Chester and His Orchestra —

Headliner (9m.) Mar. 21

LO-4 Unusual Occupations No. 4 — (10m.) Mar. 28

RO-8 Canine Sketches— Sportlight (9^m.) Mar. 23

EO-8 Flies Ain't Human — Popeye (6m.) Apr. 4

UO-2 Dipsy Gypsy — Madcap Models (8}4m.) Apr. 4

SO-3 Crime Control — Benchley comedy (10m.) . . .Apr. 11
GO-5 Swing Cleaning — Gabby color cart. (6}4m.) .Apr. 11
HO-7 Speaking of Animals — Animated ant (8m) .Apr. 18

RO-9 Sun Fun— Sportlight (9 min.) Apr. 25

JO-5 Popular Science No. 5 — (10 min.) May 2

HO-8 Sneak, Snoop and Snitch in Triple

Trouble — Animated cartoons (6 m.) May 9

EO-9 Popeye Meets Rip Van Winkle — Popeye

cartoon (6 min.) May 9

MO-5 Indian Durbar — Journeys (10 min.) May 16

SO-4 The Forgotten Man — Benchley comedy Mav 23

RO-10 On the Spot— Sportlight (9*4 min.) May 23

HO-9 Zero, The Hound — Animated cart. (6m.). .May 30

UO-3 Hoola Boola — Madcap Models May 30

LO-5 Unusual Occupations No. 5 June 6

AO-6 Your Favorite Program-Those We Love —

Headliner June 6

EO-10 Olive's Boithday Presink — Popeye ....June 13

GO-6 Fire Cheese — Gabby cartoon June 20

RO-11 Lasso Wizards — Sportlight June 20

HO-10 Twinkletoes-Where He Goes-Nobody

Knows — Animated cartoons June 27

Paramount — Two Reels

FFO-1 Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy — Special

Fleischer cartoon (17J4 min.) Apr. 11

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer — One Reel

M-234 More About Nostradamus — Mina. ( 11m.) . .Jan. 18
S-264 Penny to the Rescue — Pete Smith (10m.) . . Jan. 25

C-295 Fightin' Fools — Our Gang (9m.) Jan. 25

T-217 Red Men on Parade— Traveltalks (9m.)... Feb. 1

S-265 Quiz Biz— Pete Smith (9m.) Feb. 8

K-282 Whispers— Passing Parade (10m.) Feb. 8

C-296 Baby Blues— Our Gang (9m.) Feb. 15

W-243 Abdul the Bulbul Ameer— Cartoon (8m.) . .Feb. 22

C-297 Ye Olde Minstrels— Our Gang (11m.) Mar. 8

T-218 Alluring Alaska— Traveltalks (9m.) Mar. 8

W-244 The Prospecting Bear — Cartoons (9m.)... Mar. 8

S-266 Memory Tricks— Pete Smith (9m.) Mar. 15

K-283 More Trifles of Importance —

Passing Parade (11m.) Mar. 22

K-284 Out of Darkness— Passing Parade ( 1 lm.) . Mar. 29

W-245 The Little Mole— Cartoons (9m.) Apr. 5

T-219 Glimpses of Kentucky — Travel. (8m.) Apr. 12

S-267 Aeronutics — Pete Smith (10m.) Apr. 26

W-246 The Goose Goes South — Cartoons (8m.) . .Apr. 26

C-298 1-2-3 Go— Our Gang (10m.) Apr. 26

T-220 Yosemite the Magnificent — Travel. (8m.).. May 10

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels
P-204 Forbidden Passage —

Crime Doesn't Pay (21m.) Feb. 8

Republic — One Reel

028-4 Los Angeles Examiner Benefit — Meet the

Stars (10 min.) Mar. 24

028-5 Hollywood Meets the Navy — Meet the

Stars (10 min.) Apr. 24

Republic — Serials

080 Adventures of Captain Marvel — Tyler 12 Episodes

083 Jungle Girl — Frances Gilford 15 Episodes

RKO — One Reel

14208 Information Please No. 8— (10m.) Mar. 21

14502 What's Happening in Argentina — (10m.) .. .Mar. 21

14102 A Gentleman's Gentleman — Disney (7m.) .. Mar. 28

14408 Picture People No. 8— JOm.) Mar. 28

14309 Sword Soldiers — Sportscope (9m.) Apr. 11

14103 Baggage Busters — Disney (7m.) Apr. 18

14209 Information Please No. 9— (11m.) Apr. 18

14409 Picture People No. 9— (Sm.) Apr. 25

14104 A Good Time lor a Dime — Disney (71 im.) . .May ^

14310 Jockey's Dav — Sportscope May 9

14210 Information Please No. 10— (10m.) May 16

14105 Canine Caddy — Disney (7m.) Mav 30

14106 Nitty Nineties— Disney (7m.) June 20

May 17, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page D

13108
13404
13704
13108
13405
13109
13503
13110
13705
13406
13706

RKO — Two Reels

March of Time No. 7— (19m.) Feb. 14

Mad About Moonshine — Kennedy ( 19m. ) . . Feb. 21

When Wine's Away — Errol (20m.) Mar. 14

March of Time No. 8— (18m.) Mar. 14

It Happened All Night— Kennedy (19m.) . . .Apr. 4

March of Time No. 9— (21m.) Apr. 11

Redskins and Redheads— Whitley (18m.) . ..Apr. 25

March of Time No. 10 May 9

A Polo Phoney — Errol (18 min.) May 16

An Apple in His Eye — Kennedy (14m.) June 6

A Panic in the Parlor— Errol (18m.) June 27

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

1305 Symphony in Snow — Sports (9m.) Mar. 28

1510 The Baby Seal— Terry-Toon (7m.) Apr. 4

1701 Battle of the Atlantic— Q. Reynolds (9m.) . . .Apr. 11
1559 Uncle Joey — Terry-Toon (7m.) Apr. 18

1108 Arctic Springtime — Father Hubbard Apr. 25

1511 A Dog's Dream — Terry-Toon (7m.) May 2

1109 (1702) A Letter From Cairo (War in the

Desert) — Lowell Thomas May 9

1512 The Magic Shell — Terry-Toon May 16

Universal— One Reel

5248 Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat —

Lantz cartoon (6 min.) Apr. 28

5380 Stranger Than Fiction No. 90— (9m.) May 5

5360 The Modem Way Down East — Going Places

No. 90 Mav 12

5381 Stranger Than Fiction No. 91— (9m.) May 19

5249 Dizzy Kitty — Lantz cart. (7m.) May 26

5361 The Trail of Father Kino— Going Places

No. 91 May 26

5382 Stranger Than Fiction No. 92— (9m.) June 2

5250 Salt Water Daffy — Lantz cartoon June 9

Universal — Two Reels

5228 Jumpin' Jive — Musical (17m.) Apr. 23

5884 Battle in the Clouds— Raiders No. 4 (20m.) . . Apr. 29

5885 The Fatal Blast— Raiders No. 5 (18m.) May 6

5886 Stark Terror— Raiders No. 6 (19m.) May 13

5887 Flaming Doom— Raiders No. 7 (18m.) May 20

5229 Shadows in Swing — musical (18m.) Mav 21

5888 The Plunge of Peril— Raiders No. 8 (18m.) . .Mav 27

5889 Torturing Trails— Raiders No. 9 (19m.) ... June 3

5890 The Flash of Fate— Raiders No. 10 (17m.) . June 10

Vitaphone— One Reel

6713 The Cat's Tale— Mer. Melodies (8m.) Mar. 1

6405 Fight, Fish, Fight— Sports Parade (9m.) ...Mar. 1

6608 Joe Glow the Firefly — Looney Tunes (6^m.)Mar. 8

6506 Cliff Edwards & His Buckaroos— Melody

Masters (10m.) Mar. 8

6305 Wild Boar Hunt— Novelties (10m.) Mar. 15

6714 Tortoise Beats the Hare— Mer. Mel. (8m.) . .Mar. 15

6609 Porky's Bear Facts — Looney Tunes (7m.) . .Mar. 29

6715 Goofy Groceries — Merrie Melodies (9m.) .. .Mar. 29

6507 Freddy Mai::n & Orch.— Mel. Mast. (9m.) ..Apr. 12

6716 Toy Trouble — Merrie Melodies (7m) Apr. 12

6406 Sky Sailing — Sports Parade (10m.) Apr. 19

6610 Porky's Preview — Looney Tunes (6^m.) . . . Apr. 19

6508 Marie Green & Her Gang — Mel. Mas. (10m) .Apr. 26

6717 Trial of Mr. Wolf— Mer. Melodies (7m.) . . . .Apr. 26

6611 Porky's Ant — Looney Tunes (8m.) May 10

6718 Farm Frolics — Merrie Melodies (8m.) May 10

6407 Big Bill Tilden— Sports (9m.) May 24

6719 Hollywood Steps Out — Mer. Melodies May 24

Vitaphone — Two Reels

6102 The Lady and the Lug— E. Maxwell (19m.) . .Mar. 22

6004 Wings of Steel — Techniocolor spec. (20m.) . .Apr. 5

6206 The Seeing Eye — Bway. Brevities (15m.)... May 3

6005 Soldiers of the Saddle— Tech. special May 17

6207 Sockeroo — Brevities (21m.) May 31

NEWSWEEKLY

NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Paramount News

76 Wednesday . . . May 21

77 Saturday May 24

78 Wednesday ...May 28

79 Saturday May 31

80 Wednesday ...June 4

81 Saturday June 7

82 Wednesday . . June 11

83 Saturday June 14

84 Wednesday . . June 18

85 Saturday June 21

86 Wednesday . . June 25

87 Saturday Tune 28

88 Wednesday ...July 2

Pathe News

15276
15177
15278
15179
15280
15181
15282
15183
15284
15185
15286
15187
15288

Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.).
Wed. (E.)

.May 21
. May 24
.May 28
.May 31
June 4
June 7
June 11
June 14
June 18
.June 21
June 25
June 28
July 2

Universal

981 Wednesday ..May 21

982 Friday Mav 23

983 Wednesday ..May 28

984 Friday May 30

985 Wednesday . June 4

986 Friday June 6

987 Wednesday ..June 11

988 Friday June 13

989 Wednesday . June 18

990 Friday June 20

991 Wednesday ..June 25

992 Friday June 27

993 Wednesday ..July 2

Metrotone News

271 Tuesday Mav 20

272 Thursday ...May 22

273 Tuesday May 27

274 Thursday ...May 29

275 Tuesday June 3

276 Thursday ...June 5

277 Tuesday June 10

278 Thursday . . . June 12

279 Tuesday June 17

280 Thursday . . . June 19

281 Tuesdav June 24

282 Thursday ...June 26

283 Tuesday July 1

Fox Movietone

73 Wednesday . . . May 21

74 Saturday May 24

75 Wednesday ...May 28

76 Saturday May 31

77 Wednesday ...June 4

78 Saturday June 7

79 Wednesday ...June 11

80 Saturday June 14

81 Wednesday ...June 18

82 Saturday June 21

83 Wednesday . . . June 25

84 Saturday June 28

85 Wednesday ...July 2

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3,

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States J16.00 R«rti«1ft12 Harrison's Reports. Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 ftwm iou Publisher

Canada 6.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain i6.50 . „, .. . . „ .

Proat Rritnin , c 7i= A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia New' Zealand," Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 Jtg Editorial Policy: No problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

6bc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1941 No. 21

HERE AND THERE

IS TELEVISION HERE? On May 9, the
RCA Manufacturing Company gave a television
demonstration to an invited gathering at the New
Yorker Theatre, this city, on a 15 x 20 foot screen.

The outstanding features televised were a sketch
with Taylor Holmes, and the Overlin-Soose middle-
weight championship match as it was fought at the
Madison Square Garden.

The demonstration was a poor sample of what
the art of television is capable of, for I have seen
better pictures than that, both on a home set, using
a very small screen, as well as in a projection room,
using a large screen. The sketch was trite, and the
photography of the championship match poor. In
addition, the fight was annoying, for just at the
moment when one would get a thrill from a good
blow the cameramen flashed their lights for their
pictures and the effect was lost. As to the other
features, all I can say is that the television people
seem to be committing the same blunders as the
motion picture producers, for instead of giving
features with action they tired one by giving fea-
tures with too much talk.

Although television is capable of a far better per-
formance than that at the New Yorker, television,
in my opinion, will require years of development
before reaching the point where it may give compe-
tition to picture entertainment. The present draw-
backs, in addition to imperfect reception, are: (1)
cost of installation — the receiver costs $30,000.

(2) Additional operators, who, because of the
highly technical skill required, must be paid higher
wages than are paid to moving machine operators.

(3) The weekly cost of wire service, which will
amount to anywhere between $200 and $250 a week.

(4) The cost of the events and of the features, un-
known at present on account of the fact that no
company has yet been formed to furnish such enter-
tainment, and for that reason it is impossible for
any one to determine, even approximately, the
charge that will be made.

Taking all these costs into consideration one may
ask : will the additional attendance in the theatres
that may install a television receiver be enough to
pay for these additional costs ? An answer cannot
be given just now.

Occasional features and many sporting events
such as horse races, baseball games, football games
and others should draw big crowds. But with all
these advantages it will take a long, long time be-
fore the exhibitor should begin, as said, worrying
about competition from ibis source, unless, of
course, the producers of motion pictures go to sleep
and continue shoveling out the trash they have been
passing as entertainment.

ON THE OCCASION OF THE 22nd Annual
Convention of their organization, and of the East-
ern Regional Conference of Independent Exhibi-
tors, which affairs will be held at the Ritz-Carlton
Hotel, at Atlantic City, on June 11, 12 and 13, the
members of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey
have decided to give Mr. Lee Newbury, president
of the organization, a testimonial banquet.

Mr. Newbury deserves every honor the New
Jersey exhibitors can bestow on him, for he has
woiked tirelessly to promote the interests of the
organization, often at the sacrifice of his own in-
terests.

Unless an exhibitor has been leader of an exhi-
bitor organization, he little realizes the work in-
volved.

Harrison's Reports hopes that, not only every
exhibitor in this territory, but also a large number
of distributor executives will be present at that
affair to honor a square shooter.

* * *

EARL J. BROTHERS, of Boulder City, Ne-
vada, wired to D. S. Bliss, Deputy Tax Commis-
sioner, at Washington, D. C, as follows:

"It is sincerely hoped that in making revisions of
defense tax on theatre tickets the Treasury Depart-
ment will recognize the benefits to be derived from
a more equitable distribution of the tax if and when
exemption is lowered to nine cents and that you will
cause to be enacted legislation that will place the
tax load on children and adolescents more in pro-
portion to their admission price rather than in an
exact amount to that paid by adults using same seat.

"It is furthermore hoped that enlisted men may
be exempt from tax where tickets are purchased in
their own canteens. I believe you will find theatre
men throughout the country some of your best sup-
porters and if given fair and businesslike consid-
eration can and will do much more in regards to
increasing the potential taxes. How long will hear-
ings on new defense tax measures continue and
what are the chances of small-town exhibitor being
given opportunity to testify?"

Allied States Association should support Mr.
Brothers' efforts to have students', C.C.C. Camp
boys', and soldiers' cut-rate tickets be taxed in pro-
portion to the price paid for such tickets, and not to
the standard price for them; Mr. Brothers feels
that such a modification in the taxation of these
tickets will help bring greater patronage to the
theatres and will at the same time ease the amuse-
ment burden of these classes of patrons.

While talking about the subject of taxing theatre
tickets, allow me to say that, early this month, Mr.
Abram F. Meyers, general counsel of Allied Slates
(Continued on last /"oyi')

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 24, 1941

"The Gay Vagabond" with Roscoe Karris
and Ruth Donnelly

(Republic, May 12; time, 66 min.)

In spite of the fact that the action is fast and that there
are a few amusing situations, this program comedy is only
mildly entertaining. The story, based on a mistaken iden-
tity theme, is quite silly ; as a matter of fact, the plot
becomes more involved and ridiculous as it develops, so
that, by the time it is half way finished, the specator be-
comes slightly bored with it all : —

Ruth Donnelly constantly berates her husband (Roscoe
Karns) because he was afraid to ask his employer (Ernest
Truex) for an increase. In order to show him that she had
better business sense than he, she uses their savings of five
thousand dollars to buy an option on some worthless prop-
erty. Karns, beside himself with worry, leaves his home
for a walk. At the same time, his twin brother (also played
by Karns), who was supposed to have died in China, ar-
rives in town to visit Karns. The twin brother becomes
mixed up in a cafe brawl with Truex, who thought he was.
his employee, and with a blonde girl he had picked up at
the bar. He leaves the cafe to go on a business trip, prom-
ising to return in a few days. When the blonde and another
man leave the cafe they notice Karns sitting on a bench,
presumably intoxicated. Thinking he was their friend, they
put him on the train to Detroit, where the twin brother
was going. From then on, Karns' troubles begin. His wife
thinks he had deceived her, Truex discharges him, and he
finds himself in trouble with the blonde and with another
girl, supposedly his brother's fiancee. To add to his trou-
bles, he is pursued by two evil-looking men, who were
after Jiis twin brother for having cheated them out of profits
on a deal. Everything is explained when eventually the
brothers appear side by side. Karns asserts himself and is
given a promotion and increase by Truex ; and he sells
Truex the property at a profit.

Ewart Adamson and Taylor Caven wrote the screen play,
William Morgan directed it, and Robert North produced it.
In the cast are Margaret Hamilton, Abner Biberman, Ber-
nadene Hayes, Lynn Merrick, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Singapore Woman" with Brenda Marshall
and David Bruce

(First National, May 17; time, 64 min.)

There's not much to recommend in this melodrama. Not
only is it routine both in theme and development, but it
lacks human appeal ; moreover, the characters do nothing
to awaken sympathy. The action is, for the most part, slow-
moving ; only in two situations is there any excitement,
and they are both brought about by the same cause — a
saloon brawl. As a matter of fact, the picture is best suited
for theatres that cater to a rough crowd : —

While slumming at a cheap cafe in Singapore, David
Bruce is shocked when he notices at the next table Brenda
Marshall ; not only was she dressed shabbily but she was
intoxicated as well. Bruce, remembering the favor that her
father had once done for him, decides to take her to his
rubber plantation to bring her back to health ; he refuses to
take seriously the stories told about her being a "jinx."
The stories were that men who came in contact with her
usually ended up badly, that wherever she went trouble
started, and that even her husband had died a short time
after their marriage. She had become hardened and even
resented Bruce's efforts to help her. However, after a few
days, her hardness disappears and she falls in love with
Bruce. He is fascinated by her, and they become intimate.
Bruce finds himself in an embarassing position. His fiancee
(Virginia Field) arrives for a visit; but he finds that his
affections had switched to Miss Marshall. She tries to tell
him that she was not the right person for him, but he re-
fuses to listen. By making a large loan, he is able to start
work on the mines her father had willed her. On the day
that Bruce and Miss Marshall were to be married, she is
shocked to find that her husband (Richard Ainley) was not
dead ; instead, he had returned to loot the mines. While Miss
Marshall is driving with him to the mines, they meet with
an accident and are taken to the hospital. Bruce, misunder-
standing, does not visit her. But he changes when he learns
that Ainley had died and that she had turned over the mines
to Bruce. He goes to her and they are finally united.

M. Coates Webster and Allen Rivkin wrote the screen
play from a story by Laird Doyle. Jean Negulesco directed
it. In the cast arc Jerome Cowan, Rose Hobart, Heather
Angel, Bruce Lester, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"One Night in Lisbon" with Fred
MacMurray and Madeleine Carroll

(Paramount, June 13; time, 95 min.)

Although most of the action takes place in war-torn
London, this romantic comedy steers clear of seriousness ;
its main purpose is to keep one laughing, and this it ac-
complishes fairly well. It may not do for the action fans,
since the only excitement occurs in the last fifteen min-
utes, where the heroine becomes involved with spies ; but
that part of the story is somewhat silly and fails to make
much of an impression. What it relies on mostly are the
performances, as well as dialogue and situations that are
pretty risque. There is an excessive amount of love-making
that may, after a while, prove a little tiresome to some type
of audiences : —

Fred MacMurray, an American flier who had ferried
bombers across the Atlantic to the RAF, finds himself out
in the London streets during an air raid ; he is ordered to
enter one of the air-raid shelters. There he finds Made-
leine Carroll, and with him it is love at first sight. His
manner frightens her, and she is happy when the "all-clear"
signal is given so that she could leave the shelter and pro-
ceed to a party given by a friend (Billie Burke). When
MacMurray tries to enter the house with her, she orders
him to stay outside, even though he insisted that he had
been invited to the same party. When Miss Burke tells her
that was true, she is embarrassed and rushes home. Mac-
Murray is amused when he meets John Loder, a British
navy officer in love with Miss Caroll ; he bluntly tells him
he intended marrying Miss Carroll himself. MacMurray
forces his way into Miss Carroll's home ; Loder follows
shortly thereafter. Annoyed by the bickering between the
two men. Miss Carroll orders them to leave. But she is
happy when MacMurray returns, for she had fallen in love
with him. Her war duties, coupled with constant interfer-
ence by Loder, keep them apart. MacMurray suggests that
they fly to Lisbon for a short holiday. Miss Carroll re-
ceives permission from the Minister (Edmund Gwenn) for
whom she worked, to go. He gives her a letter to deliver to
the British Ambassador ; he then spreads word that
she was carrying an important letter, his purpose being to
have her act as a decoy to trai spies. As soon as they
arrive in Lisbon their troubles start — first, Loder shows
up; then, MacMurray's divorced wife appears, and last,
the spies kidnap Miss Carroll. Finally everything- is ad-
justed, and MacMurray and Miss Carroll plan to rr.arry.

The plot was adapted from a play by John VanDruten ;
Virginia VanUpp wrote the screen play, and Edward H.
Griffith directed and produced it. In the cast are Patricia
Morison, Dame May Whitty, Reginald Denny, and others.

Suitability, Class A for adults; Class B for adolescents.

"I'll Wait For You" with Robert Sterling
and Marsha Hunt

(MGM, May 16; running time, 71 min.)

A fair program picture. It is a remake of "Hide -Out,"
produced by MGM in 1934, with Robert Montgorr ;ry as
the star. The first half, revolving around gangster ictivi-
ties, moves at a pretty fast pace ; but the second half, which
deals with the regeneration of the hero, slows down. One's
interest is held mainly by the engaging performances of the
entire cast. There is some comedy, a little human interest,
and a romance : —

Robert Sterling, a New York racketeer, is known for his
toughness with business men who refused to join his "pro-
tective association," and for his romantic success with the
ladies. Sterling, in a tight spot when one of his victims
talks, is ordered by his chief to leave town. Paul Kelly and
Don Costello, two detectives, give chase to Sterling and
fire at him ; although wounded he manages to continue
driving his car and elude them, finally arriving at a farm-
house in Connecticut. The family, consisting of father
(Henry Travers), mother (Fay Holden), and two daugh-
ters (Marsha Hunt and Virginia Weidler), take Sterling
in, believing his story that he had been held up and shot by
thugs. Miss Hunt and Sterling fall in love with each other,
and he undergoes a change. But Kelly and Costello trail
him to the farm, and he is compelled to go back with them
to face a prison term. He makes the family believe that he
had to go away on a business trip, but he tells the truth to
Miss Hunt. She promises to wait for him.

Mauri Grashin wrote the story, and Guy Trosper, the
screen play ; Robert B. Sinclair directed it, and Edwin
Knopf produced it. In the cast are Carol Hughes, Reed
Hadley, Ben Weldon, Theodor Von Eltz, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

May 25, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Love Crazy" with William Powell
and Myrna Loy

(MGM, May 23 ; time, 98 min.)

This is a little different from the usual sophisticated
type of comedy in which Myrna Loy and William Powell
have appeared together, for it borders somewhat on the
slapstick. Yet it should entertain pretty well those who
enjoy seeing these two stars in a romantic comedy, for they
give expert performances and provide plentiful laughter by
their actions. Most of the slapstick occurs in the second
half, where Powell pretends to have become insane. In-
sanity, even treated in a farcical vein, is distasteful to
many picture-goers, and Powell's actions during that time
are slightly silly and even a little unpleasant. Yet Powell
and Miss Loy are talented enough to make the most of the
material at hand and to keep one's interest alive : —

Just as they were about to celebrate their fourth wed-
ding anniversary, Powell and Miss Loy are annoyed at the
unexpected arrival of her mother (Florence Bates). After
staying with them for dinner, she prepares to leave; she
falls and sprains her ankle and is compelled to stay a while
longer. She sends Miss Loy on an errand that would keep
her away for several hours. Powell, angry and lonesome,
decides to go out for a few drinks with an old friend (Gail
Patrick), who lived with her husband in the same building.
Miss Bates, having overheard him make the appointment,
informs Miss Loy of the adventure when she returns. Com-
plications follow when Miss Loy, in an effort to make
Powell jealous, becomes involved with a strange man (Jack
Carson). When Powell returns and tells her what had
happened, she refuses to believe him and leaves. Following
the advice of his lawyer (Sidney Blackmer) he pretends
to be insane, so as to prevent Miss Loy from obtaining
a divorce. She, seeing through the trick, has him
sent to a sanitarium. He finally escapes and rushes home,
only to find that the police were there looking for him.
Dressed in a wig and ladies' clothes, he poses as his own
sister. Although Miss Loy knows who he is, she does not
give him away. They finally become reconciled.

David Hertz and William Ludwig wrote the story, and
they and Charles Lederer, the screen play ; Jack Conway
directed it, and Pandro S. Berman produced it. In the cast
are Sig Rumann, Vladimir Sokoloff, Donald MacBride,
Sara Haden and others.

Children will not understand some of the suggestive re-
marks, but adolescents may. Suitable therefore for adults as
Class A, but adolescents, Class B.

"Her First Beau" with Jane Withers
and Jackie Cooper

(Columbia, May 8 ; running time, 77 min.)

A fairly amusing program entertainment, revolving
around adolescents. The performances are engaging and
the story is, for the most part, appealing; yet, as entertain-
ment, it should interest the younger audiences more than
the adults — the grown-ups may tire a little at the
juvenile proceedings, partic ilarly during the romantic
interludes. Several amusing situations result from Jane
Withers' attempts to appear frown-up : —

Jane, aged fifteen, and Jac' ie Cooper, aged sixteen, are
good pals. Jackie was all excited about a sailplane he had
invented and intended to fly. Jane's mother (Josephine
Hutchinson) was worried about her daughter because she
showed no interest in clothes or parties. But all this
changes when Jane's youthful uncle (William Tracy)
brings to their home his college friend (Kenneth Howell).
Jane soon finds herself fascinated by him. Believing that
his flattery and assiduousness were indications that he
loved her, she is thrilled. Eager to make a real impression
she secretly buys herself a sophisticated sleeveless
gown to wear at a party her mother was giving for Tracy.
Although Miss Hutchinson is shocked when Jane appears
looking ridiculous in the gown, she decides to leave her
go into the party as she was dressed so that she could learn
a lesson. And Jane does learn her lesson when everyone
laughs at her ; she then realizes she had made a fool of
herself. When she hears that Jackie had gone up in his
plane and that his father feared he had drowned, she for-
gets about her own troubles. They all rush to the lake over
which Jackie had flown, and are surprised when he sud-
denly appears in the plane. Upon his return, Jane greets
him with a lecture.

Florence Rycrson and Colin Clements wrote the story
and Gladys Lehman and Karen DeWolf, the screen play;
Theodore Reed directed it, and B. B. Kahane produced it.
In the cast are Martha O'Driscoll, Edgar Buchanan, Edith
Fellows, Jonathan Hale, and Addison Richards.
Suitability, Class A.

"House of Mystery" with Keneth Kent
and Judy Kelly

(Monogram, May 7; running time, 61 win.)

A fair murder mystery melodrama. The fact that it is an
English picture and the players are unknown to American
audiences may prove a drawback as far as the masses are
concerned. Yet the followers of pictures of this type should
enjoy it, for the murderer's identity is not revealed until
the end and they should, therefore, be kept in some sus-
pense. There is excitement in the closing scenes, where the
heroine's life is shown endangered: —

Ruth Maitland, a wealthy widow, believed in the mystic
powers of her young companion (Judy Kelly). In order
to convince a new acquaintance (Antoinette Cellier) of
this, she arranges for a seance. Miss Cellier insists on
tying up Miss Kelly before beginning the seance. After that
is done and the lights are turned out, a mysterious masked
figure enters the room and strangles Miss Maitland. Both
Miss Kelly and Miss Cellier disappear. Peter M. Hill, sup-
posedly Miss Kelly's fiance, calls on Keneth Kent, famous
criminologist, and pleads with him to investigate the case,
with the hope of finding Miss Kelly and proving her inno-
cence. Kent finds that the purpose of the murderer had
been to steal his victim's jewels, but that he had been unable
to find them. Kent discovers them himself, hidden in a
safe in the floor. During his investigation another woman,
who had information to give him as to Miss Kelly's where-
abouts, is murdered. But, from a letter the woman had
written to him before leaving her home, Kent is able to
trace the hideout of the gang. He arrives just in time to
save Miss Kelly ; at the same time he proves that Miss
Cellier was part of the gang and that Hill himself was not
only at the head of it but also the murderer. He had pur-
posely called the detective into the case so as to divert
suspicion from himself.

The plot was adapted from a novel by A. E. W. Mason ;
Doreen Montgomery wrote the screen play, and Walter
Summers directed it. Walter Rilla, Clifford Evans, and
others are in the cast.

Not for children. Suitability, Class B.

"Major Barbara" with Wendy Hiller,
Rex Harrison and Robert Morley

(United Artists, date not set; time, 123 min.)

The trio responsible for "Pygmalion"— George Bernard
Shaw, Gabriel Pascal, and Wendy Hiller — have again con-
tributed to the motion picture industry an English film that
deserves the highest praise for its excellence in all depart-
ments, acting, direction, and production ; and, of course, of
primary importance is the intelligent screenplay and dia-
logue, written by Mr. Shaw himself. Yet, for all its superi-
ority, it is definitely a class picture. There is no doubt that
high-class audiences will find it enormously entertaining,
and that it will fare very well in large metropolitan thea-
tres ; but its reception by the rank and file is questionable,
for it makes no concessions to mass appeal : —

Wendy Hiller, daughter of a millionaire munitions manu-
facturer (Robert Morley), devotes her life to her work
in the Salvation Army. She is a persuasive and sincere
talker and is responsible for saving many souls. Rex Har-
rison, a brilliant professor, follows the crowd to listen to
one of her speeches and falls in love with her at first sight ;
he even joins the Salvation Army as the drum-beater, to
be near her. She soon returns his love. Miss Hiller invites
her father (Robert Morley), who scoffed at her devoutness
to the cause, to see the work she was doing. She promises
in return to go through his munitions factory. He arrives
the day she was having a difficult time trying to convert a
tough cockney (Robert Newton), and is amused at what
he sees. The leader of the Salvation Army (Sybil Thorn-
dike), having heard that Morley was visiting his daughter,
rushes to see him. Miss Hiller receives a terrific shock
when Miss Thorndike willingly accepts from Morley, as
well as from a prominent whiskey distiller, $50O,0(R) with
which to carry on their work. Newton, a spectator, taunts
her with the remark, "What Price Salvation?". Feeling
that her hopes had been shattered, she resigns from the
army. Yet she joins her family and Harrison for the visit
to her father's factory. What she sees opens her eyes : her
father had provided decent living quarters for the workers
and their families and, with his money, had done consider-
able good for the masses. Morley informs the family that
he intended making Harrison his successor. Miss Hiller
agrees to this, for now she felt that with money she could
do for humanity more.

Gabriel Pascal directed and produced it. In the cast are
Etnlyn Williams, Deborah Kerr, David Tree, Penelope
Dudley-Ward, and others. Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 24, 1941

Association, proposed to the Ways and Means
Committee at Washington that all tax exemptions
from amusement tickets he eliminated, except in the
case of children who are not charged more than ten
cents. He feels that, by this method, the temptation
in highly-competitive situations to reduce the price
of admission to a point under ten cents will be dis-
couraged ; and if children's tickets where the price
is not higher than ten cents are exempted children's
attendance will be preserved.

At the same time he suggested that a tax should
be placed on bowling alleys, skating rinks and
similar other rival amusements, not on the admis-
sions to these places, but on the use of the facilities.

In the subject of taxing film rentals, Mr. Myers
pleaded with the committee so to frame the law
as to make it impossible for the producers to pass
the tax on to the exhibitor.

In the matter of eliminating the tax from all
tickets, P. J. Wood, business manager of Inde-
pendent Theatre Owners of Ohio, went even
further. In a memorandum submitted to the Ways
and Means Committee on May 9, he recommended
that the tax apply on all tickets, beginning with the
five-cent tickets.

Mr. Wood, too, recommended that bowling al-
leys, skating rinks, shooting galleries, cabarets, pool
and billiard parlors, bingo games and other such
amusements be taxed, the tax to be based, not on
the admissions, but on the use of the facilities.

Another important recommendation he made
was to the effect that the tax exemptions relating
to religious, educational, or charitable organiza-
tions be eliminated, on the ground that these or-
ganizations have gone into the entertainment busi-
ness as revenue-producing enterprises, "virtually
supplanting offerings and dues." "Under the ex-
isting law," Mr. Wood said, "the tax is paid by the
person paying the admission; consequently, if the
exemptions are repealed, the burden will be borne
mainly by the general public attending the per-
formances rather than by the religious, educational
or charitable institutions providing the entertain-
ment. If it is desired to exempt the soldiers attend-
ing Army-camp theatres, special provision can be
made for that. But we feel that the general public
attending performances given by such organiza-
tions in competition with the theatres should not be
exempted from the tax."

Mr. Wood figures that, in the State of Ohio
approximately $15,000,000 spent on Bingo games,
went untaxed, and calculates that the tax the Gov-
ernment could collect nationally from these games
alone could run up to millions. "Persons patroniz-
ing bingo games do so to be amused and entertained
and are taxed if they attend such form of amuse-
ment when it is operated in a theatre." Why, then,
he implied, should these games escape taxation
when they are operated elsewhere ?

There is logic in Mr. Wood's recommendations

to the Ways and Means Committee.

* * *

MANY EXHIBITORS HAVE BEEN try-
ing to find out the reasons why business is poor
when by all rules of logic it should have been excel-
lent. There is very little unemployment. As a matter
of fact, most defense industries work three shifts,
and pause only for eight hours on Sundays for the
oiling and the repairing of machinery. And the
wages paid are the highest in years.

Some exhibitors think that those who work in
the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and in the 4 p.m. to 12 mid-
night shifts, have no chance to go to a picture show,
and they have instituted morning matinei-s to see
whether they could capture some of the lc st trade.
It is too early yet to know the results.

And yet the bowling alleys are packe i to the
limit every evening. This state of affairs has made
some other exhibitors believe that the present-day
pictures do not fill the needs of the entertainment-
seeking public. "We are living under great stress,"
one exhibitor said to me, "and people want action
to take their minds off the world's troubles. Since
they don't find action in pictures, they go to the
howling alleys, where there is plenty of action."

There is logic behind these observations, and the
producers will do well to heed the warning.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"MEDICO OF PAINTED SPRINGS," with
Charles Starrett. Western.

"THE DEVIL TO PAY," with Ralph Bellamy,
Charley Grapewin, Margaret Lindsay, John Beal,
Spring Byington. This will be another Ellery
Oueen detective picture. Good program.

"TEXAS," with William Holden, Glenn Ford,
Claire Trevor, Edgar Buchanan. This will prob-
ably be a "big" outdoor melodrama. The players
are good.

"TONIGHT BELONGS TO US," with
Loretta Young, Dean Jagger, Conrad Veidt. Good
cast with similar possibilities.

Paramount

"SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS," with Joel Mc-
Crea, Veronica Lake, Margaret Hayes, Raymond
Walburn. Preston Sturges will handle this picture.
His previous pictures have all been very good, and
there is no reason why this should not be in the
same class.

Republic

"KANSAS CYCLONE," with Don Barry.
Western.

RKO

"OUTLAW TRAIL," with Tim Holt. Western.

"LOOK WHO'S TALKING," with Edgar
Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Fibber McGee and
Molly, Lucille Ball. Both the Bergen and Fibber
McGee radio programs are extremely popular and
have wide audience appeal. For that reason there
should be a ready-made audience eager to see a
picture in which they appear together.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"PRIVATE NURSE," with Brenda Joyce,
Jane Darwell, Robert Lowery, Sheldon Leonard,
Ann Todd. The cast mentioned rates this a good
program offering.

"CHARLIE CHAN IN RIO," with Sidney
Toler, Mary Beth Hughes, Ted North. The pic-
tures in this series usually turn out good program
entertainment.

United Artists

"INTERNATIONAL LADY," with Ilona
Massey, George Brent, Basil Rathbone. (An
Edward Small production.) No facts are krown
about the story but the cast is good.

Warner-First National

"BULLETS FOR O'HARA," with Joan Perry,
Roger Pryor, Anthony Quinn. Program.

Entered as second-elass matter January 4, ISM, at the pest office at New York, New York, under the aet of March 3, WW

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1941 No. 22

REVERBERATIONS FROM THE
ARTICLES ON THE HAYS SEAL

As a result of the letter from Mr. Martin Quigley, pub-
lisher of Motion Picture Herald and other publications,
which was published in the May 17 issue of this paper, and
which presented the opposite side's point of view as regards
to the five editorials on the Hays Association's Seal, Mr.
Arthur L. Mayer, proprietor of the Rialto Theatre, at
Times Square, wrote a letter to Mr. Quigley offering cer-
tain objections to his statements, and sent me a copy for
reproduction in these columns.

Publishers' courtesy requires that Mr. Quigley's reply to
Mr. Mayer's letter be published side by side.

Mr. Mayer's letter, dated May 22 :
"Dear Martin :

"I am like one of those faithful fans who follow the home
baseball team all around the circuit. I read you even when
you wander as far from the Herald home plate as Har-
rison's outfield — read you frequently with disagreement,
but always with complete confidence in your good faith and
your devotion to the best interests of the motion picture
industry.

"Those interests seem to me deeply involved in your re-
cent letter to Pete Harrison. In it, you refer to those who
desire 'to exhibit salacious or otherwise objectionable ma-
terial,' and applaud their failure to obtain bookings in the
affiliated theatres as 'providential retribution.' As an inde-
pendent distributor whose pictures have been occasionally
denied bookings in affiliated theatres through the edicts of
the Code Administrator, I cannot regard such boycotts with
your cheerful faith in their divine origin, nor do I agree
that my failure to secure a seal necessarily brands me as a
lecherous old rascal engaged in peddling pornographic
propaganda.

"I stress the personal angle, not because this is in any
manner a personal issue, but because my own experiences
seem to me to indicate the danger to all of us in the present
Code procedure. I am at present, for instance, distributing
a French picture, 'Pepe Le Moko.' This production has
been passed without any cuts by the New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland and both Boston Censor Boards — indeed,
by every censor who has thus far screened it. Apparently,
the guardians of our public morals do not consider it 'sala-
cious or otherwise objectionable.' It has been hailed by
critics in New York, Boston and Los Angeles as 'an out-
standing screen achievement ranking with the few master-
pieces of the screen.' Apparently, the reviewers do not
regard its distributor as a fit associate for Lucky Luciano.
We have screened the picture for large groups of clergy-
men, educators and social workers whose comments and
letters to me vary from 'a good picture' to 'one of the
greatest ever shown.' Apparently, these public spirited citi-
zens found it neither improper nor prurient.

"Nonetheless, Mr. Harmon of the Motion Picture Pro-
ducers and Distributors of America has supplied us with a
list of cuts which must be made in the picture before a
certificate of approval will be issued. Nothing valuable
could be accomplished by discussing to what extent far
greater latitude in the interpretation of Code requirements
has been extended to fully half a dozen recent major com-
pany productions. Suffice it to say that rulings promulgated
by an organization representing only the majors, yet affect-
ing the fate of independents must, like Caesar's wife, be
above suspicion. To command respect and acquiescence,
their impartiality, justice and consistency must be so ob-
vious that they cannot be questioned.

"It seems to me more constructive to question the quali-
fications of any one individual, no matter how well inten-

tioned or how expert a judge of indecency, to decide what
should or should not be seen by thousands of Americans.
On what just basis can you brand us, distributors of a re-
jected picture, as having 'unclean hands' because Mr. Har-
mon does not see eye to eye with many equally reputable
and God-fearing members of the community. I am as deeply
opposed as you or any man to the exhibition of 'salacious
or objectionable' pictures. The problem which your letter
seems to me to completely ignore is who is to decide what
is salacious or objectionable: the representatives of an
organization of major producers and distributors, constitut-
ing a body on which we have no representation, subject to
the human frailties to which you refer and from whose
ruling we have no appeal, or the duly constituted govern-
ment authorities whose decisions if improper can be ques-
tioned and overthrown in the courts. No group of self
respecting men, yourself included, would in my opinion
permanently permit the propriety of their conduct, or the
sanctity of their property to be passed upon by their com-
petitors without even the elementary rights of redress. Such
a system may or may not be legal. It certainly is not
American.

"Sincerely yours,

"Arthur L. Mayer."

Mr. Quigley's reply, dated May 27 :
"Dear Arthur :

"Your forthright and intelligent manner of approach
makes a communication from you an interesting experience.
Your letter of May 22nd is by no means an exception. It is
interesting, indeed, and I am glad of the opportunity it
affords for comment.

"I cannot say whether I would be in agreement with the
Production Code Administration in instances referred to
in which certificates were denied on pictures you submitted,
because I do not know what the subjects are. I do know-
that there are pictures, produced in this country and else-
where, which transgress provisions of the Production Code.
I realized, too, as I mentioned in my letter to Pete Harrison,
that the operation of the Code system is in the hands of
human beings who are not infallible. There have been
inevitable mistakes, both in the granting and in the with-
holding of Code certificates.

"However, I am sure you would not say, for instance,
that because the courts have made mistakes the whole
judicial system should be abolished.

"You refer to your interesting and important subject,
'Pepe Le Moko' :

"It is some time since I saw this picture and my recol-
lection of it is not entirely clear. But I do recall certain
incidents which I think transgress the limits of material
which may be said, with reason and experience, to he . im-
propriate for exhibition in the general theatrical field. The
assignation scene, for example, is one. This seen, , as
played, was in no sense necessary to plot or characteriza-
tion and therefore becomes gratuitous suggestiveness. Its
probable, or at least potential, effect upon youthful and
impressionable minds is harmful— harmful in the iighl of
the experience of the race and in the judgment of moralists
and educators.

"This picture, when originally released in France, its
country of origin, was 'condemned without reservation'
by the leading classification agency, 'Cinema l ists', in its
issue No. 41 of March 5, 1937.

"A rough translation of 'Cinema Lists' reference to
'Pepe Ia- Moko' reads as follows:

"'Morality: The plot, based on materialism and involv-
ing thieves, assassins and prostitutes is completely unac-

(Continucd on last faye)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 31, 1941

"Affectionately Yours" with Merle Oberon,
Dennis Morgan, Rita Hayworth and
Ralph Bellamy

(First National, May 10; time, 88 min.)

Aside from good production values and a few amusing
situations, this is a typical domestic farce ; it is only fairly
entertaining. The story, besides being thin, is made up of
familiar situations and gags ; much of the comedy is forced,
with the result that it proves tiresome instead of amusing.
Even the players are at a disadvantage. For instance,
neither Merle Oberon nor Dennis Morgan seems to be at
ease in her or his respective comedy role, although each
works hard. Patrons who are not too discriminating may be
amused at the antic actions of the different characters : —

Morgan, foreign correspondent for a New York news-
paper, gives the same routine to each of the girls he meets —
that is, if he were not married he would consider marrying
her. He tells the same story to Rita Hayworth, a fellow-
reporter, but she takes him seriously. When Morgan re-
ceives a cable from a friend informing him that his wife
(Merle Oberon), to whom he had been married for four
years, but with whom he had lived for only seven months,
had divorced him, he is frantic ; he telephones New York
and informs his editor (James Gleason) that he was taking
the next clipper home. Miss Hayworth follows him. Glea-
son, knowing that the reason for the divorce had been Miss
Oberon's dislike of newspaper work, because it kept her
husband from her, is eager to see that the divorce remains
intact. Morgan arrives in New York only to learn that Miss
Oberon was about to marry Ralph Bellamy. He pursues
and attempts to make love to her, but she sees through all
his tricks. He even tries to make her jealous about Miss
Hayworth, but that, too, fails to work. On the day of Miss
Oberon's marriage to Bellamy, Gleason tricks Morgan to
Miss Hayworth's apartment, where he keeps him locked
up. But Morgan manages to get out, and, just before the
ceremony, gets a message to Miss Oberon to the effect that
lie was in the hospital due to an accident. She naturally
rushes to him ; but again she sees through the trick. This
time, however, she cannot resist him and they are reunited.

Fanya Foss and Aleen Leslie wrote the story, and Ed-
ward Kaufman, the screen play ; Lloyd Bacon directed it,
and Mark Hellinger produced it. In the cast are George
Tobias, Hattie McDaniel, Jerome Cowan, Butterfly Mc-
Queen.

Suitability, Class A.

"She Knew All the Answers" with
Joan Bennett, Franchot Tone
and John Hubbard

(Columbia, May 15; time, 85 min.)

A fairly entertaining romantic comedy. The story is thin
and on occasion slows down ; yet it has several amusing
situations, some of which provoke hearty laughter. The
sprightly performances by Franchot Tone and John Hub-
bard are of considerable help; they are able to overcome
ordinary material and give it a fresh twist. The romantic
complications are developed according to formula, but are
amusing for the most part : —

Joan Bennett, a chorus girl, and John Hubbard, a mil-
lionaire playboy, decide to elope. But they are prevented
from so doing by Franchot Tone, Hubbard's guardian,
who, according to the terms of the will, could disinherit
Hubbard if he did not marry a girl Tone approved of. Miss
Bennett has an idea : she would manage to obtain employ-
ment in Tone's Wall Street firm, win his confidence and a
letter of recommendation, and then compel him to give his
consent to the marriage. By pretending to be in need of a
position so as to take care of her "invalid sister," Miss
Bennett wins Tone's sympathy and he engages her as tele-
phone operator. A blunder on her part almost brings ruin
to the firm ; but Tone handles the situation cleverly and
turns the mistake into a profitable deal for himself as well
as for the other members of his firm. In appreciation, they
all offer her expensive gifts, which she declines for the
purpose of impressing Tone with the fact that she was not
a golddigger. Tone becomes attracted to her and takes her
out to dinner. He soon falls in love with her, and she
returns the love. But when he finds out about the trick, he
denounces her, and gives his consent to her marriage to
Hubbard. But on the wedding day, Hubbard finds that he
does not want to get married and so he pretends to faint
at the altar. That gives Miss Bennett and Tone a chance to
declare their love for each other, and they run away
together.

Jane Allen wrote the story, and Harry Scgall, Kenneth
Earl, and Curtis Kenyon, the screen play ; Richard Wal-
lace directed it, and Charles R. Rogers produced it. In the
cast are Eve Arden, William Tracy, Pierre Watkin.

Suitability, Class A.

"Sunny" with Anna Neagle
and John Carroll

(RKO, May 30 ; time, 97 min.)
Although the story has been changed considerably from
the one used in 1930 when Warner Bros, first produced it,
this is still a typical musical comedy with romance. It has
been given a lavish production, and the performances are
all satisfactory. When the individual performers go through
their routines — such as Miss Neagle and Ray Bolger danc-
ing, and the Hartmans clowning — then one is entertained ;
but the trouble is that there is too much uninteresting ac-
tion, with the result that the picture becomes slightly
tiresome : —

During New Orleans carnival time, Miss Neagle, star
of a streamlined circus, becomes acquainted with John
Carroll, wealthy auto manufacturer. They soon fall in love
with each other and plan to marry. This disgusts Carroll's
sister (Frieda Inescort), who felt that he was marrying
out of his class. Carroll brings Miss Neagle to the tamily
estate to meet his aunt (Helen Westley), who ruled the
family with an iron hand. Miss Inescort's rudeness and
Miss Westley 's apparent disapproval make Miss Neagle
unhappy, and she decides not to go through with the mar-
riage. But that night Miss Westley sees her alone and con-
fesses to her that she liked her and was happy that Carroll
was marrying her. This turns Miss Neagle's fears to joy.
On the day of the marriage, Miss Neagle's old circus
friends, following a suggestion made by Miss Inescort, and
thinking they would surprise Miss Neagle, arrive at the
estate dressed in their circus clothes. Things get out of
hand and Carroll orders them to leave. He quarrels with
Miss Neagle and they part. She goes back to the circus.
But Carrod follows her, and they are finally united.

The plot was adapted from the play by Otto Harbach
and Oscar Hammerstein II; Sid Herzig wrote the screen
play, and Herbert Wilcox directed and produced it. In the
cast are Edward Everett Horton, Benny Rubin, Muggins
Davies, Richard Lane, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Billy the Kid" with Robert Taylor,
Ian Hunter and Brian Donlevy

(MGM, May 30; time, 95 min.)

MGM has given this outdoor melodrama a lavish produc-
tion, including technicolor photography. Some of the out-
door scenes are so magnificent that they should thrill
spectators ; for instance, the one of stampeding cattle is
something for one to remember. But for all its lavishness,
it lacks the type of action and excitement that one ex-
pects in a western picture. Only in the beginning and at the
end are the situations thrilling; in between, the action
moves at a leisurely pace, without any thrills and excite-
ment. Moreover, the plot developments are routine : —

Robert Taylor, known for his daring criminal exploits,
arrives at the town where his companion (Frank Puglia)
was imprisoned. He effects his release and then boldly
faces the Sheriff and others ; he gives evidence of his
courage and his ability with guns. Gene Lockhart, c ooked
saloon owner, who ran the town, invites Taylor to join his
gang, assuring him that he would get plentiful excitement ;
Taylor accepts. His first job was to help stampede cattle
belonging to lan Hunter, a rancher who had refused to
deal with Lockhart. Taylor and the other members of the
gang do their job and are about to leave when some one
shoots at Taylor. He corners the man, only to find that he
was his boyhood friend (Brian Donlevy), and that he was
foreman of Hunter's ranch. Donlevy tries to talk him into
going straight and working for him, but Taylor laughs at
him. However, after he meets Hunter and his sister (Mary
Howard), and sees the way they lived and what fine per-
sons they were, he undergoes a change ; he leaves Lockhart
and goes to work for Hunter. When Lockhart's men kill
Puglia, Taylor is determined to go after them. But Hunter
dissuades him from doing so; he informs him and Donlevy
that he had been appointed United States Marshal and that
he would bring the culprits to trial. Hunter appoints Don-
levy his deputy. On the night of Hunter's sister's birthday
party, at which he was going to announce her engagement
to Donlevy, Hunter is killed by Lockhart's men. Taylor
then refuses to be dissuaded ; going after the gang, he kills
the men responsible for the murder, along with the crooked
Sheriff and Lockhart. Donlevy, acting in his capacity as
Deputy, tries to stop Taylor and eventually is forced to
kill him. Law and order is then brought to the state.

Howard Emmett Rogers and Bradbury Foote wrote the
story, and Gene Fowler, the screen play; David Miller
directed it, and Irving Asher produced it. In the cast are
Lon Chancy, Jr., Henry O'Neill, Guinn Williams, Cy
Kendall, and others.

Too much shooting for children. Class A for adults.

May 31, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"Shining Victory" with Geraldine
Fitzgerald and James Stephenson

(First National, June 7; time, 79 min.)

This is an interesting drama, and it is acted with skill.
But as entertainment, it is suitable mainly for class audi-
ences. The serious, rather somber, story, which is unre-
lieved by comedy, and the tragic ending in which the hero-
ine dies, will likely prove a drawback as far as the masses
are concerned. As in most dramas of this type, the action
moves at a leisurely pace : —

James Stephenson, an English scientist who had been
working in Budapest with Sig Rumann, is disgusted when
Rumann writes an article taking credit for experiments in
mental diseases made by him. When he complains to Ru-
mann, he promises to correct the misunderstanding; but
that night Stephenson receives a visit from two rough-
looking men by whom he is ordered to leave the country
immediately. Back in London, Stephenson meets an old
doctor friend (Donald Crisp) who was associated with
Montagu Love in a sanitarium for mental diseases. Love
induces Stephenson to join his staff, and to carry on his
experiments there. He gives him as his assistant a young
doctor (Geraldine Fitzgerald), who was eager to learn
what she could from Stephenson so as to use her knowledge
for medical work among the poor in China, where she ex-
pected to go. Stephenson's temper disheartens her at first,
but she soon overlooks this failing because she had fallen
in love with him ; he, too, falls in love with her, and they
plan to marry. This drives Barbara O'Neill, who worked
at the sanitarium, frantic, for she loved Stephenson. Losing
control of herself, Miss O'Neill goes to Stephenson's labo-
ratory, where he had placed his records referring to amaz-
ing cures in mental diseases, and sets fire to the place. Miss
Fitzgerald rushes in and throws the records out of the
window; but she is burned to death. Stephenson's pub-
lished records bring him fame; but, instead of accepting
lucrative offers, he goes to China to carry on the work
Miss Fitzgerald had planned to do.

A. J. Cronin wrote the story, and Howard Koch and
Anne Forelick, the screen play; Irving Rapper directed it,
and Robert Lord produced it.

Too sombre for children. But Class A for adults.

"Blood and Sand" with Tyrone Power,
Linda Darnell and Rita Hay worth

(20th Century-Fox, May 30; time, 125 min.)

The producers have spared no expense in giving this pic-
ture an extremely lavish production, which is enhanced by
technicolor photography. There are situations here and there
that are tensely exciting, particularly during the bullfight-
ing scenes; others that are terdcr, touching, and romantic,
and still others that are comical. But the story is primarily
a tragedy, for it depicts the do-vnfall of a sympathetic char-
acter, who eventually meets with death. And there are times
when the action drags. Yet the fame of the story, the popu-
larity of Power, and the excellence of production may com-
bine to bring about very good box-office results. This story
was first produced in 1922, with Valentino as the star : —

Tyrone Power, having risen from poverty to wealth as
the most famous matador in Spain, marries Linda Darnell,
his childhood sweetheart. They live in a luxurious home,
to which Power had brought his mother (Nazimova), his
sister and her husband. Wealth docs not matter much to
Miss Darnell ; her chief concern was for Power, whom she
idolized and worried about. He knew that she was the only
true friend he had. At one of the fights he meets Rita
Hayworth, a beautiful, sophisticated but wholly heartless
woman of the world and, despite his love for his wife, he
cannot resist her and soon he is completely under her spell.
His work suffers and he is jeered by the spectators. Even
the fact that his wife had left him, and that he was running
into debt, cannot draw him away from Miss Hayworth.
But soon she tires of him and turns to the new idol of the
hour. On the clay of an important bull-light Power, who
had gone to the church to pray as he always did before an
exhibition, finds Miss Darnell there. They fall into each
other's arms. He then promises that, alter that tight, he
would retire and they would lead a peaceful life. He gives
a brilliant exhibition and receives the cheers of the crowd;
but suddenly the bull charges and gores him. He dies in his
wife's arms.

Vinccnte Blasco Ibanez wrote the story, and Jo Swelling
the screen play; Roubetl Mamoulian directed it, and Robert
T. Kane produced it. In the cast are Anthony Quini),
J. Carrol Naish, John Carradiue, Lynn Bari, Laird Crcgar.

Not for children. Class B.

"Million Dollar Baby" with Priscilla Lane,
Jeffrey Lynn and Ronald Reagan

(Warner Bros., May 31 ; time, 100 min.)

Good mass entertainment. It has comedy, romance, music,
and human interest, as well as fast-moving action and
snappy dialogue. The only bad spot is the ending, which is
not only unbelievable but also pretty silly. Up to that point,
one follows the ups and downs in the heroine's life with
interest, for she is a likeable character. Disregarding the
ending, there is sufficient entertainment in the picture to
hold the average spectator's attention throughout : —

May Robson, who had inherited her family's millions
made in American industry, prefers to live in Europe. She
is surprised to receive a visit from Jeffrey Lynn, a young
attorney associated with the law firm that represented her ;
he had been sent abroad for the purpose of giving her a
letter written by the senior member of the firm when he had
died. The letter informs her that her father had stolen a
fortune from his former partner, who had died leaving a
young granddaughter (Priscilla Lane), without any money.
Miss Robson decides to return to America, and to make an
effort to right the wrong. She conceals her identity and
takes a room at the boarding house where Miss Lane lived.
She becomes accmainted with her and with her musician-
sweetheart (Ronald Reagan) ; she grows to like both of
them. She instructs Lynn to give Miss Lane a' certified
check for one million dollars without divulging where it
had come from. At first Miss Lane thinks it is a joke; but
when she learns it is true she is ecstatic, for it meant that
she could give up her job, marry Reagan, who then could
compose his music in peace. But to her surprise, Reagan
refuses to marry her because of the money. Disgusted, she
goes out with Lynn, who introduces her to high society.
Reagan goes out of town with a band and Miss Robson goes
back to her own home ; this leaves Miss Lane alone. She is
less happy than when she had had no money. Lynn finally
tells her about Miss Robson and takes her to her home.
Miss Robson decides to train her for society, and arranges
for a large reception. That night Lynn proposes to her ; to
her surprise she learns that he was a millionaire himself.
But she can think only of Reagan. She decides that the
only way she could be happy was to give her money away.
She arranges for this and then rushes to Reagan ; they are
joyfully reconciled.

Leonard Spiegelgass wrote the story, and Casey Robin-
son, Richard Macaulay and Jerry Wald, the screen play ;
Curtis Bernhardt directed it. In the cast are Lee Patrick,
Helen Westley, and others.
Suitability, Class A.

"Naval Academy" with Freddie
Bartholomew, Jimmy Lydon and
Billy Cook

(Columbia, May 22; running time, 67 min.)

This follows the formula set for pictures of this type,
from the theme to the actions on the part of the boys. For
instance, there is the familiar hazing adminstercd by upper
grade boys to the newcomers, the cynical attitude of one of
the students towards training and duty and his eventual
reformation, the friendship between three of the students,
and other familiar details. As juvenile entertainment it is
all right ; it should serve best as a program filler : —

Jimmy Lydon, an orphan, is taken from reform school
and given the chance to make good as a student at a naval
academy. It was the school his own father had attended ;
but the fact that his father's name was honored by the
school because of his bravery and his devotion to his coun-
try meant nothing to Lydon, for he felt his father had died
because of this devotion. Jimmy's roommates arc Freddie
Bartholomew and Billy Cook. Gradually the environment
changes Jimmy's viewpoints. When Freddie become- in-
volved in a theft, Jimmy tries to take the blame at a school
hearing, but Freddie tells the truth. Billy finally conte-scs
that he had been at the bottom of it all and that he alone
was responsible. All three boys receive punishments, hut
are i>crmitted to remain at the school. They become fast
friends; and Jimmy is a new boy, for he now loved the
school and everything it stood for.

Robert J. CosgritT wrote the story, and David Silverstein
and Gordon Rigby, the screen play ; Krle C. Kenton di-
rected it. In the east are Pierre W'atkin, W arren A.-he,
Douglas Scott, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

May 31, 1941

ceptable. Tiiere are brief but repeated scenes of prostitutes.
Costumes are abbreviated and marked by revealing nudity.
There are scenes of violence and brutality. Mistress and
lover are interchangeable. The sordid surroundings give a
most real impression of the lowest existence.'

"I am unimpresed with the actions of political censor
boards. I hold political censorship vicious in principle and
unworkable in practice. In view of the avalanche of public
protest that descended upon the industry in 1934, it can
hardly be argued that the pictures released in the preceding
years were held unobjectionable by the public— by civic,
educational and religious leadership. Yet all of the pictures
which provoked the protest were passed by political censor
boards. If political censorship had damned the flow of
objectionable material there would have been no public
protest.

"Considerable familiarity with newspaper criticism of
motion pictures has left me with the impression that the
critics are but little concerned with the morality of pictures
and that their criticisms afford little ground for moral
guidance except occasionally, and this usually is in reverse.

"I share completely with you your objection to the judg-
ments of any one individual on these matters. To avoid
one-man judgments and to create an organized, systematic
method of dealing with questions arising out of the moral
influence of motion pictures is why the Production Code
and the committee system of the Production Code Adminis-
tration were developed.

"The judgments and recommendations of the Production
Code Administration are developed out of committee study
and conference, all under the guidance of the Code. As to
the Code itself, it is a document which has stood every test
to which it has been subjected. Its provisions have been the
means of satisfying public demand for a betterment in the
moral standards of films. Under actual operation, during
the past seven years, it not only has not been a handicap
but has been an aid to the production of films more accep-
table to the public in an entertainment sense.

"The industry and the public are not expected to accept
the judgment of Mr. Harmon, Mr. Breen, Mr. Hays or
any other person as to the moral and social fitness of a film.
Such procedure would be in violence with the idea of the
Code and the accompanying system of enforcement. But
when a group of experts, qualified by study and experience,
examine a subject in the light of an intelligently prepared
codification of principles and practices involved in the mor-
ality of public entertainment, then, it seems to me, if you
wish to dissent from the verdict it is you and not the Pro-
duction Code Administration which is asserting an individ-
ual opinion. And if you happen to be the producer or distri-
butor of the subject in question it is hardly reasonable to
assume complete objectivity for your opinion.

"The Production Code Administration had to be set up
by some organized agency in the industry. It was logical
that it should be set up by the Association, because its mem-
bership are the producers and distributors of most of the
product and on this account have the burden of the respon-
sibility. The Production Code Administration is a self-
contained bureau, responsible only for the enforcement of
the Code. I see no reason why its personnel should not com-
prise a person or persons nominated for the position be-
cause of especial fitness by interests in the industry other
than the membership of the association.

"Your reference to 'duly constituted government authori-
ties' means political censorship. I shall undertake to pre-
sume that you really do not mean that you favor political
censorship of an art-form such as the motion picture.

"No, internal and voluntary industry regulation, admin-
istered by a committee of qualified experts acting under the
guidance of a sound Code is not only best in principle but
best also in practice, as it has proven itself during the past
seven years.

"If the system of administration as presently operated
admits of criticism, in theory or in practice, with respect to
particular interests in the industry, the course of wisdom,
then, it seems to me, is not to wreck it but correct it.

"Very sincerely yours,

"Martin Quiglf.y."

HERE AND THERE

Recently Gradwell Sears informed the industry that
Warner Bros, will have a flexible policy in selling its pic-

tures under the Consent Decree. The A pictures will prob-
ably be sold individually and not as "coine-ons" in groups
of five. Many of the B pictures will be sold in the same way.

The general idea of such a policy would be to make as
many pictures stand on their own merit as possible, and be
sold for only what each picture would warrant.

In some cases, convenience might, of course, require that
two or more pictures, or even five, be placed in the same
group, although the grouping of five pictures would be an
exception to the rule, for it is not expected that many occa-
sions will arise where necessity will require the grouping
of five pictures in a single block.

The announcement of such a sales policy indicates an
optimistic outlook for the future. It proves that Warner
Bros, has such confidence in the quality of the pi :tures it
will produce that it is willing to sell each picture on its own
merit. And when good pictures are made, the exhibitor is
assured of a profitable operation.

Within one week after the Consent Decree had been
signed this paper stated : "This writer's opinion is that the
good pictures will be sold invariably as single pictures. . ."

In the January 4, 1941, issue these columns stated: "A
beneficial result should be obtained also in the production
end of the business, for with the selling of pictures in groups
of five, which no doubt will gradually change to the selling
of pictures singly, the chief consideration in each sale will
be the merit of the picture."

I am even more convinced than I was months ago that
the other distributors will follow the lead of Warner Bros,
and announce that they, too, have confidence in the quality
of their forthcoming productions, and will sell most of
them singly, for prices commensurate with the box office
value of each production.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Universal

"FLYING CADETS," with William Gargan, Edmund
Lowe, Peggy Moran, Frank Albertson. Good program.

"I, JAMES LEWIS," with Franchot Tone, Walter
Brcnnan, John Carroll, Carol Bruce, Nigel Bruce. This is
to be a Frank Lloyd production. The cast is good and the
possibilities are that it will turn out a good picture.

"MOONLIGHT IN HAWAII," with Johnny Downs,
Jane Frazce, Leon Errol. Good program.

"RADIO REVELS OF 1942," with Frances Langford,
Ken Murray, Don Wilson, Skinnay Ennis and Band,
Susanne Miller. Probably a good program musical.

"RAWHIDE RANGERS," with Johnny Mack Brown.
Western.

Columbia

"MR. JORDAN COMES TO TOWN," appraised in
the May 3 issue under the title "Heaven Can Wait."

"GIRLS FROM PANAMA," with Jinx Falkenberg,
Joan Davis, Joan Woodbury. Pretty good program possi-
bilities.

"MYSTERY SHIP," with Paul Kelly, Lola Lane,
Roger Imhof. Fair program.

"LADIES IN RETIREMENT," with Ida Lupino,
Louis Hayward, Edith Barrett, Elsa Lanchester, Evelyn
Keycs. This is to be adapted from the successful stage play.
It is a murder-horror melodrama, of the type to hold one in
tense suspense. If if should turn out a very good picture in
the horror class, it should do very well at the box-office.

Monogram

"MURDER BY APPOINTMENT," with Wallace
Ford, Marian Marsh, Sarah Padden. The players rate this
as a pretty good program picture.

Paramount

"BAHAMA PASSAGE," (in technicolor) with Mad-
eleine Carroll, Stirling Hayden, Mary Anderson, Leo G.
Carroll. There is no doubt that from a production stand-
point this will be good. But a geat deal will depend on the
story, for, aside from Miss Carroll, the other players are
not strong box-office attractions.

Entered as second-elass matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879,

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly fcy

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ureat Britain . ........... 10.10 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1941 No. 23

HERE AND THERE for many years — always without success. They pretend

ACCORDING TO LATEST INFORMATION, to deplore the intervention of the Government in the

seventy-one cases were arbitrated in four months. Six 1Ild«str>' s aftairs and refuse to recognize that the mod-

, . , , , „„„ uni^.^- erate concessions now being made are wholly due to

boards have been without any cases whatever. . & J

. , . such intervention.

This is a healthful sign, indicating that, not only . .

r,. , . . j-4jl£ 1 It can not be doubted, however, that in some parts

many of the complaints are adjusted before submission . ... , ' . , ' . , ^ , .

J.. ,. , \ , ... ,, .■ . -4 . „„ . of the country this systematic hammering of the arbi-

to arbitration, but also that the distributors are more 3 . ' . _. ° f

. , ' , . . . , ■ i . tration svstem is having its effect on the filing of

careful now not to violate the exhibitors rights than , . ,, J fa &

C 1 11 111 S

they were at any other time in the past. * * *

Commenting on the subject, Mr. Abram F. Myers
said in his May 20 bulletin: AS TO THE THEATRE EXPANSION policy of

„T , .. .. , r, , the affiliated circuits, Mr. Myers said:

In explanation of the comparatively tew cases hied,

a majority of the regionals report that the consenting "The ineffectiveness of Sec. XI to prevent the con-
distributors are adjusting many grievances before senting defendants and their affiliated chains from ex-
claims are filed. This applies particularly to exhibitors panding in the exhibition field during the three year
who were unable to license pictures of any run. *est Penod was pointed out by Allied to the Department
,.T, , . , ,. , ,!■ j. . - of Justice and to Judge Goddard, but its advice fell on
It appears to be the policy of the consenting distn-

butors to offer some run to all theatres applying there-
for including drive-ins. ..." "From many parts of the country come reports of

such acquisitions and building and to the extent that
Allied members are affected thereby these reports have

UNDER THE HEADING, "Does the Decree been lodged with the Department of Justice.

Afford Substantial Relief," Mr. Myers, in his May 20 ,irr. . .

r 1 a e s id artl * 1 he provisions of Sec. XI are a sham and unless the

re e e' 1 P y' Department of Justice can persuade the defendants

"No one has ever claimed that the decree afforded a voluntarily to desist from their present course this

remedy for all the ills of the industry. There are many feature of the decree will become open scandal "

grievances as to which it would be futile to file arbitra- * * *

tion cases. AN ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE to throw the

"Not only does not the decree touch upon numerous biame for the poor business prevailing among the pic-

gnevances against which the exhibitors have com- ture theatres to the withdrawal from circulation of one

plained in the past, but its provisions are inadequate million draftees.

properly to remedy many of the grievances to which ^. . ., ,,• . ., » r .... ,

r, H J , . r J 6 That the calling to the Army of one million men has

they expressly relate. . . . , ..

' ' contributed to the present slump, no one can dispute,

"These weaknesses have been pointed out by Allied but tne causes of the slump are diversified. In some

on numerous occasions and need not be repeated here. localities the slump is attributed to local causes; in

"However, it is fair to add — this being based on ex- others, to what has already been given in these columns,

perience— that the General Counsel of Allied, in review- Jack Kirsch, the Allied leader in the Chicago terri-

ing cases submitted through the regional associations, tory, attributes the slump to the double bill as much as

has been forced to advise against the filing of com- to any of the other causes. He was in New York last

plaints in a number of otherwise meritorious cases be- week end and, while I was talking to him, he said: "We

cause they did not fit the r arrow specifications of the have driven patrons away with our double bills. In the

Decree. ... single-bill days, I used to close my box office at 10:30,

and the patrons could still see the entire feature. Today

UNDER THE HEADING, "The Cabal Against I have to close my box office at 9:30, because after that
Arbitrations," Mr. Myers said: . nour a patron cannot see a complete show. And I can-

"Most Allied regionals have lately taken steps to not de,ay tlie closing hour, because then I would have

assist their members in filing claims for relief which do to Pay overtime to my employees."

not affect the interests of ot'ier members. There is considerable logic in Mr. Kirsch's observa-

"In some non-Allied territories, especially those in tions- There is no use trying to do wishful thinking by

which the local exhibitor organizations are dominated believing that the patron would see one full feature

by the affiliated circuits, it is rumored that systematic anyway; you deal with human nature, which expects

effort is being made to poiscn the minds of the exhibi- 10 receive as much as is offered; and when a patron

tors against the arbitration system and to persuade enters a theatre after one-half of the first feature is

them not to file their claims. shown, he feels that he has been "cheated."

"The probability that these rumors are true is in- Better pictures is the solution of the problem. With

dicated by the eagerness of leaders of the circuit-domi- sucn pictures, shown a longer time, the double feature

nated exhibitor organizations to advocate conciliation, may be gradually eliminated,

mediation and other will-o-thc-wisps as a substitute * * *

for arbitration. PRODUCERS IN HOLLYW OOD bad better be

"These men have been advocating relief for exhibi- careful in filming scenes with Congressional atmos-

tors by voluntary action of the distributors and chains ^Continued on last page)

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 7, 1941

"A Voice in the Night" with Clive Brook
and Diana Wynyard

(Columbia, May 20 ; time, 80 min.)
This British-made melodrama, revolving around the
efforts of freedom-loving Germans to fight against the
Nazi rule, is well-made, but it is nerve-wracking enter-
tainment. Most persons are under a strain just now
owing to existing conditions, and a picture such as this
just adds to one's uneasiness. The scenes of Nazi bru-
tality are horrifying; and the murder of the hero and of
the heroine in the end is heartbreaking. Several of the
situations hold one in suspense; and the bravery on the
part of the hero in carrying on his work is inspiring.
The action takes place in Germany: —

Clive Brook, a well-known surgeon, is heartbroken
when he sees the Nazis kill his dear friend, a clergy-
man, for asking his congregation to pray for his fellow-
clergymen in concentration camps. To add to his un-
happiness he finds that his own brother-in-law (John
Penrose), a Storm Trooper, had been with the gang
responsible for the murder. Brook and his wife (Diana
Wynyard), a popular actress and newly appointed Di-
rector of Pageantry, were very much in love, but she
could not understand his complaints, for she had faith
in the Nazi regime. With the help of Derek Farr, a
young radio mechanic whose fiancee (Joyce Howard)
had been attacked by a Storm Trooper and then sent to
a concentration camp, Brook starts what he called "The
Freedom Radio," through which he sends illegal broad-
casts to the German people, revealing to them the true
state of affairs. The Gestapo agents vainly try to locate
the station. Miss Wynyard suspects the truth; when
she confronts Brook, he admits it. This is overheard by
Penrose. When Brook leaves, he insists that his sister
tell him where he had gone. By pretending to be against
Brook, she induces him to accompany her to Gestapo
chief. She gives him misleading information as to
Brook's whereabouts, and then rushes to him to warn
him. By this time she realizes how blind she had been
about the Nazis. She joins Brook just as he was begin-
ning his most important broadcast. They are found by
the Gestapo and both are murdered.

Louis Golding and Gordon Wellesley wrote the story,
and Jeffery Dell, Basil Woon, and A. DeGrunwald, the
screen play; Anthony Asquith directed it. In the cast
are Raymond Huntley, Bernard Miles, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Scattergood Pulls the Strings" with
Guy Kibbee and Bobs Watson

(RKO, May 23 ; running time, 67 min.)

A nice little program picture, suitable for the family
trade. It has human interest, a little comedy, and
pleasant performances. What it lacks is action; yet in
neighborhood theatres it may give satisfaction because
of one's interest in the sympathetic characters, particu-
larly in the hero, whose kindly deeds bring happiness to
others. There is a mild romance: —

Guy Kibbee, adviser and benefactor in the small town
in which he lived, becomes interested in a young boy
(Bobs Watson), who had wandered into the town. He
induces Bobs to join him at his home for dinner. Both
Kibbee and his wife (Emma Dunn) find the boy charm-
ing and are eager for him to live with them; Bobs agrees
to stay for a short time but, without revealing his
reasons, informs them that he would have to move on.
He finally confides in Kibbee: his father (Monte Blue)
had been convicted on a murder charge; after his re-
lease from prison he had wandered away not wanting
to ruin Bobs' life. But Bobs loved him and, since his
mother had died, he wanted to find his father and to tell
him that he was not ashamed of him. Kibbee locates
Blue working in a nearby lumber camp, but he does not
tell Bobs anything, wanting first to do something about
clearing Blue's name. This he does and obtains a full
pardon for him. Then father and son are joyfully united.
At the same time, Kibbee helps the romance between
Susan Peters and James Corner, by selling a formula
concocted by Corner, thus giving him enough money to
settle in business and to marry Miss Peters.

Clarence Budington Kelland wrote the story, and
Christy Cabanne and Bernard Schubert, the screen
play; Mr. Cabanne directed it, and Jerrold T. Brandt
produced it. In the cast are Dink Trout, Carl Stockdale,
Paul White, and others. (Suitability, Class A.)

"Caught in the Draft" with Bob Hope
and Dorothy Lamour

(Paramount, July 4 ; time, 82 min.)

The masses, particularly the Bob Hope fans, are
going to find this very enjoyable. It is another army-
training coined}', in which romance plays a big part.
In spite of the fact that Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour
are the leading players, there is no music; this is to the
picture's benefit, for in that way the action is not slowed
up. There are several extremely amusing situations,
comical dialogue, and good acting on the part of Hope:

Hope, a motion picture star, is scared of guns and
noise. When he reads of the draft, he is frightened. He
meets Dorothy Lamour, daughter of an Army colonel
(Clarence Kolb). He tries to impress her, but she re-
mains aloof. Hope, his agent (Lynne Overman), and
buddy-chauffeur (Eddie Bracken) think of a plan; they
engage an actor to pose as an Army sergeant to whom
Hope would apply for enlistment; the "sergeant" would
naturally turn him down. But, unknown to Hope, he is
interviewed by the real sergeant and, before he knows
what had happened, he is in the Army. To console him,
Overman and Bracken enlist and all three are assigned
to the same regiment. Hope finally wins Miss Lamour
over, but she wants him to show her that he is not afraid
of guns and that he could act bravely. He gets into
trouble all the time and annoys Kolb. Kolb warns Hope
that he would not give his consent to the marriage
unless he was made a corporal. He finally shows that he
had real courage : he risks his life to stop an army contin-
gent from walking into the path of gun fire. He is made
a corporal and marries Miss Lamour.

Harry Tugend wrote the story and screen play;
David Butler directed it, and B. G. DeSylva produced
it. In the cast are Paul Hurst, Ferike Boros, Phyllis
Ruth, Arthur Loft, and others. (Class A.)

"The Bride Wore Crutches" witi
Lynne Roberts and Ted North

(20th Century-Fox, June 13; time, 55 min.)

There is not one redeeming feature about this pro-
gram newspaper melodrama. First of all, the s ory is
silly; moreover, the production values are me liocre,
and the direction stilted. As entertainment, it is about
up to the level of a ten-year old intelligence; certainly
adults will find the plot developments ridiculous and
hardly worthy of their attention: —

Through the recommendation of Grant Mitchell,
publisher of an important metropolitan newspaper, Ted
North obtains a position as reporter on the paper, much
to the disgust of Richard Lane, managing editor. North
mishandles his assignments and gets the newspaper
into trouble with the police; Edgar Kennedy, police
Captain, warns North to stay away from him. Lynne
Roberts, an experienced reporter on the same paper,
takes North under her wing and tries to teach him how
to go after a a story. Since he had been present at a
bank robbery and knew what the criminals looked like,
she suggests that he try to uncover the whereabouts of
the gang and thus get a good story. Following her sug-
gestions, he finally locates them at a hotel, and he takes
a room near theirs. He poses as a criminal and thus gets
in with them; they plan another bank robbery. North
telephones Kennedy about the plans, but he refuses to
listen to him. North is given the job of handling the
gun; when the gang leaves the bank with the money,
he orders them to hold up their hands. Just then the
police arrive and round up the gang. North is acclaimed
as a hero. He finally marries Miss Roberts.

Ed Verdier and Alan Drady wrote the story, and Mr.
Verdier, the screen play; Shepard Traube directed it,
and Lucien Hubbard produced it. In the cast are Robert
Armstrong, Lionel Stander, Harry Tyler, and others.

Not for children. Class B.

June 7, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"In the Navy" with Dick Powell,
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello

( Universal, May 30 ; time, 86 min.)

There is no doubt that "Buck Privates" created a
large following for Abbott and Costello, and there is no
reason why this follow-up should not do very good
business. It may not be as hilarious as "Buck Privates"
since some of the gags are already known; yet it is a
very good comedy, with many amusing situations; be-
sides, the clowning of Lou Costello, who appears almost
throughout, is a source of merriment. There is plentiful
music of the popular variety sung by Dick Powell and
by The Andrews Sisters; and the production values are
very good. The comedy highlight is the situation where
Costello dreams that he had taken command of the ship.
A romance is woven into the plot but it is of slight
importance: —

Dick Powell, leading radio crooner, is tired of having
women pursue him; he runs away and, unknown to any
one, joins the Navy. But Claire Dodd, photographer for
a gossip magazine, sights him and tries to get his pic-
ture; with the help of Abbott and Costello he outwits
her and gets the film from her camera. In the meantime,
Costello is having his troubles; he had led his girl
friend (Patty Andrews) to believe that he was an offi-
cer when actually he was only the pastry cook. Al-
though he had been in the Navy six years, he had never
been aboard a ship. Finally he gets his chance as cook
on the battleship Alabama. Miss Dodd, hearing that
Powell had been assigned to this battleship, boards the
vessel on visitor's day. She stows away in the potato
locker, where Abbott and Costello find her. Before they
have a chance to get rid of her, the battleship starts for
Honolulu. She disguises htrself.as a sailor; but Powell
is wise to her, and sees to it that she gets no pictures.
They finally call a halt to their enmity and become good
friends. Abbott suggests to Costello that, since he did
not want Miss Andrews to see him as a cook, he should
pretend to be sick; he induces him to take a sleeping
potion to simulate illness. Costello dreams that he was
commanding the ship and getting it into trouble. He
awakens, screaming with fear. Abbott assures him that
everything was all right. Powell and Miss Dodd plan
to marry.

Arthur H. Horman wrote the story, and he and John
Grant, the screen play; Ar hur Lubin directed it, and
Alex Gottlieb produced it. n the cast are Dick Foran,
Butch and Buddy, Shemp Howard, and others.

Class A.

"Adventure in Washington" with
Herbert Marshall, Virginia Bruce
and Gene Reynolds

(Columbia, May 30; time, 84 min.)

Fair entertainment. Except for the fact that the back-
round — that of the United States Senate, is new, the
story relies on the old formula of the regeneration of a
tough youngster. It has some human interest; but as
entertainment, its appeal should be directed mostly to
the juvenile trade, who may be interested in the work
done by Senate page boys. The act committed by the
young hero to avenge what he thought was a wrong
done to him is extremely unpleasant; for that reason
one is not touched by the fact that he is forgiven. The
romance is incidental: —

At the insistence of a political adviser, Herbert Mar-
shall, a United States Senator, appoints as his page boy
Gene Reynolds, the tough son of an old friend who had
once helped him. Marshall tries to impress Reynolds
with the fact that it was an honor to be a Senate page
boy, and that most of the boys came from good families
and had fine manners. But Reynolds scoffs at his talks
and continues acting tough, even fighting with the other
boys. Under the influence of Virginia! Bruce, a radio
commentator, who had been carrying on a feud with
Marshall, Reynolds changes, and grows to like his
work, the boys, and even the honor of his position. He

receives a blow when Marshall discharges him for hav-
ing listened in on a conversation between two Senators;
these Senators insisted that Reynolds had betrayed
them. Angry at what had happened, Reynolds goes to an
unscrupulous lobbyist (Pierre Watkin) and sells to him
valuable secrets pertaining to a new defense appropria-
tion bill. After doing so, he learns that he had been
forgiven and would be taken back as a page boy. He
rushes to Watkin, gives back the money to him, and
pleads with him not to use the information. But it is too
late. This brings disgrace to Marshall, and he is accused
of having sold out to Watkin. A Senate investigation
follows. Reynolds, reading of it, rushes back to Wash-
ington and clears Marshall. He in turn is tried by the
other Senate page boys, who forgive and reinstate him.
He delivers a stirring speech. Marshall and Miss Bruce
become attracted to each other.

Jeanne Spencer and Albert Benham wrote the story,
and Lewis R. Foster and Arthur Caesar, the screen
play; Alfred E. Green directed it, and Charles R.
Rogers produced it. In the cast are Samuel S. Hinds,
Ralph Morgan, Vaughn Glaser, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Too Many Blondes" with Rudy Vallee,
Helen Parrish and Lon Chaney, Jr.

(Universal, May 23; time, 60 min.)

A fair program picture. Little happens in it that
would arouse one's interest or awaken one's sympathy.
What the exhibitor will have to depend upon to draw
people to his box office will be the name of Rudy
Vallee, the few numbers he croons, and to some extent,
the title; the story itself offers little help. The mild
comedy toward the end might help somewhat: —

On his way to the railroad station to board a train
that would take him to Hollywood where a radio con-
tract awaited him, his wife and a friend, Rudy Vallee is
accosted by too many blondes, old acquaintances of his
during his vaudeville days. Helen Parrish, his wife, a
bride of two weeks, frets but bears it all until on the
train one evening his vaudeville friends entangle him
in a poker game; it is too late when he finds out that the
car in which he and his wife were riding had been cut
off, and the car he had found himself on had been
switched to the line leading to San Francisco. By the
time he reaches Los Angeles, his friend, who was in
love with his wife, persuades Helen to apply for a di-
vorce. But to get a divorce she needed $500, and neither
Rudy nor Helen had any such amount. Willing to make
his wife happy by giving her the divorce she wanted, he
proposes that both save their money until the right
amount was saved. Fearing that the newlyweds might
make up, the friend and rival steals some of their money.
When Rudy sees Helen in a dress she had just made
over, he thinks that she had used some of their savings
to buy a new dress with and reproaches her. Helen, too,
thinking that it was he who had taken the missing
money, reproaches him likewise. Realizing that neither
had solid grounds for a divorce, Rudy starts flirting
with a waitress, who agrees to help him manufacture
divorce evidence for Helen. But while they were in his
apartment awaiting Helen, the waitress' truck driver
friend appears and spoils everything. Helen decides to
go to Mexico for a divorce, and the whole party goes
along with her. In the meantime the Los Angeles radio
manager gets a sponsor who insists that only Rudy
and Helen were to appear in the act. He telephones to
Mexico to the manager of the hotel where they were to
stop to stall the divorce until he gets there. He arrives
in the Mexican city just in time to stop the divorce pro-
ceedings and to bring about a reconciliation between
Rudy and Helen.

Thornton Frccland directed it, and Joseph G. San-
ford produced it. Others in the cast are Eddie Quillan,
Jerome Cowan, Iris Adrian, and Shemp Howard.

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 7, 1941

phere, for the national legislators are in no mood to
tolerate misrepresentation of their acts and activities.
Unless the producers do so, the industry will pay, to
employ a colloquial term, "through the nose."

It has been the habit of the producers in Hollywood
to think in terms of democracy: they have taken it for
granted that, since our form of government is demo-
cratic, we have the right to say what we want. We
demand the same freedom as the press. But the pro-
ducers have been thinking in terms of democracy only
so far as the other fellow is concerned. How would we
feel if some one should produce a film that would show
real corruption in Hollywood, not the product of a fer-
tile imagination? The shoe would then be on the other
fellow's foot.

* • * ■ *

SHORTLY AFTER THE CONSENT DECREE
was signed, those who were opposed to it tried to arouse
the exhibitors to join the opposition. One method em-
ployed frequently was to frighten the exhibitors with
the assertion that the cost of arbitration would be so
high that only those exhibitors who had substantial
means would be able to take advantage of it.

This paper fought against those who sought in this
way to sabotage the Consent Decree. In the January 11,
1941 issue, these columns stated:

"In the opinion of this paper, these persons are creat-
ing a false impression, motivated perhaps by a desire to
sabotage the Decree. If they were really sincere, they
would take into consideration the fact that the fifty
dollar fee of the arbitrator is the maximum fee, and that
the history and policy of the American Arbitration
Association, the Arbitration Administrator, indicate
that the fees of their arbitrators have always been kept
down to a minimum, and whenever possible the arbitra-
tors have rendered their services gratis.

"The A.A.A. has announced repeatedly that in mak-
ing up the schedule of charges for the motion picture
industry, the fees of the arbitrators will be kept as low
as possible; that where the subject matter of the arbi-
tration involves the public welfare, such as the offen-
siveness of a picture in a certain community, the arbi-
trators will receive no compensation; and that only in
very rare cases will the arbitrators be paid the maxi-
mum fee, or any amount approximating the maximum.

"After studying these reports of the A.A.A., and
after discussing the matter with attorneys who have
had experience in arbitrations before the A. A. A., I am
convinced that arbitration under the Consent Decree
will be inexpensive enough to make it available to every
exhibitor and that the controversies will be determined,
not only at a lower cost, but also in less time, than they
can be decided in any court proceeding."

The first quarterly report of the Motion Picture Arbi-
tration Tribunals announced that, for the first three
months of operation under the Consent Decree, 56
arbitration cases were filed, of which 18 were completed
by either awards or settlements. This labor is an
accomplisment far greater than could ever have been
achieved through litigation in the courts.

The report states further that the average cost in
each case for filing fees and Arbitrator was $23.50, and
for stenographic expenses, $15.54, making a total aver-
age cost $39.04. The average cost of the stenographic
charges was raised by the inclusion of one item of
$63.76, which was the cost not only of the stenographic
charges at the hearing, but also of the three transcripts
for use on appeal. Had this item not been included, the
average cost would have been reduced considerably.

The accomplishment of the Arbitration machinery
under the Consent Decree are indeed praiseworthy.
And as the Arbitration boards gain experience, and
learn to cut corners, the accomplishments will be even
greater.

The industry should be grateful for its present sys-
tem of arbitration.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"KING OF DODGE CITY," with Bill Elliott and
Tex Rittcr. Western.

"YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH," with Fred
Astaire, Rita Hay worth, Sunnie O'Dea. Good cast;
handled with care this should make a good entertain-
ment.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"RINGSIDE MAISIE," with Ann Sothern, George
Murphy, Robert Sterling, Florence Bates. The cast is
good; but exhibitors should judge its box-office possi-
bilities by what the other "Maisie" pictures have done.

"HONKY TONK," with Clark Gable, Lana Turner
and Marjoric Main. Very good possibilities.

Monogram

"WANDERERS OF THE WEST," with Tom
Kecnc. Western.

Paramount

"SHEIK OF BUFFALO BUTTE," with William
Boyd. Western.

Republic

"HURRICANE SMITH," with Jane Wyatt, Ray
Middleton, J. Edward Bromberg, Henry Brandon. The
players mentioned are good; but its outcome will de-
pend on the story treatment.

"GANGS OF SONORA," with Bob Livingston,
Bob Steele. Western.

"UNDER FIESTA STARS," with Gene Autry,
Smiley Burnette. Western.

RKO

"LORD EPPING SEES A GHOST," with Leon
Errol, Lupe Velez, Charles Rogers, Zasu Pitts, Elisa-
beth Risdon. The pictures in this series are as a rule
fairly comical; but the players do not warrant more
than program rating.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"CHARLEY'S AUNT," with Jack Benny, Kay
Francis, James Ellison, Arleen Whelan, Laird Cregar,
Anne Baxter. This was made twice before, in 1925 by
P.D.C., and in 1930 by Columbia; both pictures turned
out very good comedies. There is no reason why this,
too, should not be extremely comical; the players are
good. The box-office results will depend on Jack
Benny's popularity in each locality.

"WILD GEESE CALLING," with Henry -onda,
Joan Bennett, Warren William, Ona Munson, Tiarton
MacLane. Good cast with similar box-office possi-
bilities.

Universal

"MAN FROM MONTANA," with Johnny Mack
Brown. Western.

"SAN ANTONIO ROSE," with Robert Paige, Jane
Frazee, Eve Arden. Good program.

"ALMOST AN ANGEL," with Deanna Durbin,
Charles Laughton, Robert Cummings. Very good possi-
bilities.

Warner-First National

"THE SMILING GHOST," with Wayne Morris,
Brcnda Marshall. Program.

"KING RUBBER," with Jeffrey Lynn, Constance
Bennett, Mona Maris, Regis Toomey, Roland Drew.
Pretty good cast with similar box-office possibilities.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1874

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII

THE BOX-OFFICE SICKNESS
AND ITS CURE

FROM TIME TO TIME this paper has at-
tempted to analyze the causes that have brought
about a slump in the box offices of the picture
theatres. The double bills, the drafting of more
than one million young men to the army, the
poor quality of the pictures and other happen-
ings were given as the causes.

Today roller-skating rinks, bowling alleys,
miniature golf courses, soft-ball games, and
other amusements of this type are thriving,
whereas the picture theatres are showing to
empty seats.

While the different causes ascribed have
helped to empty the theatres, what more than
any other cause has brought the box office
slump is the poor quality of pictures, and pros-
perity.

Some of you may be shocked when you read
that this paper ascribes the poor business con-
ditions to prosperity. Here are the reasons that
are prompting it to make such a statement :

When business was poor, people were liv-
ing either on borrowed money or on what they
had saved during the prosperous times. Not
having much to do when they were idle, they
went to pictures. No matter how poor were
the pictures, they went to them just the same,
to kill time. Today the same people — or most
of them — are working and saving to pay back
their old debts. Knowing how poor were the
pictures during their idle days, they resist the
glowing advertisement s for pictures that are
to be shown in their h cal theatres. They are
too tired when the wo king day is over, and
the ordinary type of pic* ures will not lure them
away from their hornet.

What is needed now nore than at any other
time in the history of the picture business is
pictures that will so stand out as to pry them
loose from their homes and make them for-
get how tired they are. By this I do not mean
that the producers must make two million dol-
lar pictures, but picture.' that entertain. "Buck
Privates" did not cost a million or even a re-
spectable portion of such an amount, but it
made people forget theii miseries and induced
them to go to the theatres, for it was a good
entertainment.

Harrison's Reports believes that the Consent
Decree will do much to improve the quality of
pictures. Knowing that they can no longer sell
pictures like so many pounds of sausages, the
major companies will m;ike a serious attempt
to improve the quality of their product. They
may abandon production of mediocre pictures

No. 24

and concentrate their efforts in the making of
pictures that will entertain instead of merely
filling a schedule. If they should fail, then there
will be more bowling alleys and more roller
skating rinks. Perhaps some exhibitors, too,
may turn their theatres into bowling alleys.

HERE AND THERE

MAN IS A CONSERVATIVE ANIMAL
by nature. He acquires certain habits during his
life and it takes great pressure to make him
drop them.

The Hollywood producers hang on to the old
star names, no matter how "delapidated" some
of them may be, and refuse to give new faces
the chance that might bring these faces forward,
often with only one good story.

You cannot, of course, blame the producers
altogether for such a state of affairs — the ex-
hibitors should be blamed to a large extent for
they sour their faces if the picture that is of-
fered them lacks star names, even though the
picture itself might be an excellent entertain-
ment. If they should be induced to buy it, they
are defeated right from the start, for they put
themselves into a frame of mind that makes
them lose the battle before the fight begins.

There should be team work between pro-
ducers and exhibitors in putting over pictures
with new faces, for both are destined to benefit
from the success of the efforts. But the coopera-
tion should not be a one-sided burden : the pro-
ducer should furnish the exhibitor with all the
advertising accessories he needs, and should
give him sound exploitation ideas for putting
the pictures over from the box-office point of
view.

The Hollyii'ood Reporter, commenting on the
same subject a few months ago, said :

"Hollywood is filled with talented people
who, if given breaks, may blossom into box
office attractions, and Hollywood needs new
faces, new names in addition to a lot more
names to cast those pictures that are now being
held up. The start of an activity on the part of
every studio to give opportunity to new people
is no difficult task and if that activity is carefully
planted with the theatre operators, it is our
impression that they would gladly cooperate in
creating some new selling names. . . ."

Hollywood docs not lack talent that it can
bring out. Many a major studio has under con-
tract promising young men and young women
who could be made popular with good stories
and with adequate publicity, but these are let
warm the studio benches for weeks and months,
and in some cases even years. Why this should.
{Continued on last page)

SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 14, 1941

"Angels with Broken Wings" with
Binnie Barnes, Gilbert Roland
and Jane Frazee

{Republic, May 15 ; time, 72 min.)

Just fair program entertainment. Although Re-
public has given the picture a lavish production and
has cast it with capable players, who work hard, it
fails to rise above average program fare because
of a silly plot and trite dialogue. Individually the
players make a good impression, in spite of the
fact that they are hampered considerably by the
material. As entertainment, this should go over
best with family audiences who are not too demand-
ing about story values : —

The three daughters (Jane Frazee, Leni Lynn,
and Marilyn Hare) of widow Katharine Alexander
are happy that their mother was going to marry
again, particularly since they liked the man of her
choice (Sidney Blackmer). Just before the wed-
ding, Blackmer learns that the Mexican divorce
he had obtained from his first wife (Binnie Barnes)
had been outlawed; to add to his troubles, Miss
Barnes, a golddigger, returns and demands a large
sum of money for another divorce. Miss Alex-
ander's daughter, together with a few friends,
think of a way of getting rid of Miss Barnes with-
out paying her any money. They induce Miss
Frazee's fiance (Edward Norris) to pose as an
Argentine millionaire, and to win Miss Barnes'
attentions. The plan works perfectly, until the real
Argentine millionaire (Gilbert Roland), whose
name Norris had been using, appears on the scene.
They explain everything to him, and he promises
to help them. Blackmer is able to win the divorce,
without paying Miss Barnes anything. And Roland
who had believed that Miss Barnes had actually
fallen in love with him, and was, therefore, ready
to marry her, finds out that she wanted him only
for his money and escapes from her by pretending
to be insane. Miss Alexander and Blackmer are
married.

George C. Brown wrote the story, and he and
Bradford Ropes, the screen play ; Bernard Vor-
haus directed it, and Albert J. Cohen produced it.
In the cast are Mary Lee, Billy Gilbert, Leo Gorcey,
Lois Ranson, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

"Men of the Timberland" with
Richard Arlen, Andy Devine
and Linda Hayes

(Universal, June 6; time, 61 min.)

A fair program action melodrama. The scenic
background of the forest country is good; as a
matter of fact, it helps to offset the mediocrity of
the plot. Of help, too, are the interesting stock
shots of logging scenes. As entertainment, how-
ever, its appeal should be directed more to men
than to women, for there are a few rough fights and
murders, but no romance : —

Willard Robertson and Francis McDonald enter
into a plot whereby they induce Linda Hayes,
owner of a vast tract of timberland, to permit them
to cut down the timber, all three to share in the
profits when the sale is made. She does not know
that it was their intention to cut down more than
was permitted by the government. Robertson en-
gages Andy Devine and his pal (Paul E. Burns)
to supervise the job. Devine, too, is unaware of
their intentions. Two U. S. Forest Rangers, who

were surveying the ground and had gathered in-
formation that would incriminate Robertson, are
killed by McDonald. When Richard Arlen, chief
Forest Ranger, arrives and starts investigating,
Robertson warns him not to interfere; even Miss
Hayes feels that his complaints were not justified.
Devine begins to suspect that something was wrong.
One night at a cafe Arlen gets into a fight with a
few lumbermen who had accused him of jeopar-
dizing their jobs ; during the excitement McDonald
throws a knife at Arlen but it strikes Burns instead ;
when Burns dies, Devine is grief-stricken and joins
sides with Arlen in clearing up the mess. Miss
Hayes, too, promises to do what she could. They
finally trap McDonald; he confesses to the mur-
ders and implicates Robertson ; both men are ar-
rested. Miss Hayes, working under government
supervision, agrees to continue the job, with Devine
as supervisor.

Paul Jarrico wrote the story, and Maurice Tom-
bragel and Griffin Jay, the screen play ; John Raw-
lins directed it, and Ben Pivar produced it. In the
cast are Gaylord Pendleton, Hardie Albright, Roy
1 larris, and others.

The murders make it unsuitable for children.
Class B.

"Redhead" with June Lang
and Johnny Downs

(Monogram, May 21 ; time, 63 min.)

Just a mildly entertaining program picture. In
spite of the fact that the players work hard, they
are hampered by trite material and stilted direction
and so fail to make much of an impression. The
main fault, however, lies in the editing of the pic-
ture ; the cutting is bad, with the result that the
action is at times a bit confusing : —

W ealthy Frank Jaquet, angered by the drunken
brawls in which his playboy son (Johnny Downs)
was constantly getting into, orders him to leave
home ; he refuses to give him any money, instruct-
ing him to work for a living. Downs starts out by
getting drunk ; he accidentally prevents June Lang,
an impoverished model, from committing suicide.
Downs makes her a proposition — he suggests that
she marry him and that together they face his
father. She would pose as a golddigger, the father
would pay her off, and she and Downs would share
the money. But Jaquet sees through the scheme ;
instead of showing disapproval, he tells Downs he
would have to shift for himself. But unknown to
Downs, he makes Miss Lang a proposition that if
she would make a man of Downs he would pay her
$10,000. Miss Lang trades Downs' expensive car
for a roadside restaurant. He goes to work in a
nearby steel mill, and manages to induce the men
to patronize Miss Lang's restaurant. They get
along well and soon Downs and Miss Lang are in
love. But an accident at the factory sets Downs
back and he takes to drink again. In despair, Miss
Lang leaves him ; she writes to Jaquet telling him
she wanted no money. Downs realizes he had made
a mistake. He goes after Miss Lang ; when he finds
her they are reconciled. By this time Jaquet is
satisfied with his son's wife.

Vera Brown wrote the story, and Conrad Seiler
and Dorothy Reid, the screen play ; Edward Cahn
directed it, and I. E. Chad wick produced it. In the
cast are Weldon Heyburn, Anna Chandler, Harry
Burns, and others.

Suitability, Class A.

June 14, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Reluctant Dragon" with
Robert Benchley

(Disney-RKO , June 27 ; time, 73 min.)

This is entirely different from the other Disney
features, in that live characters appear throughout ;
and the cartoon sequences do not represent a con-
nected story. Although it has been given the same
fine production that all other Disney pictures have
received, it is doubtful if the public will accept it
with the same enthusiasm that they showed for the
other cartoon-features, for it lacks enchantment;
actually it is a grand tour of the Disney Studios in
which one sees how the various departments work
in getting together the cartoons. This is presented
in an interesting way ; yet it is more suitable for a
short subject than for a feature.

The three important cartoons are "Baby
Weems," "How to Ride a Horse," and "The Re-
luctant Dragon." Each one is good in itself, both
from the standpoint of subject matter and of pro-
duction values.

The story revolving around Robert Benchley is
as follows : Egged on by his wife (Nana Bryant)
to visit Mr. Disney in an effort to sell him the idea
of producing the story "The Reluctant Dragon,"
Benchley arranges an appointment and arrives at
the studio. He is taken in hand by a young guide,
who insists on giving him statistical information
with reference to the studio. This tires Benchley,
and so he manages to elude his guide and to sneak
into various departments, where he sees how the
work is done, and also the finished product. He
even visits the art classes and the department where
the studio paints are made and the celluloids are
painted. Finally he sees Disney, who was about to
start a screening of a new cartoon. He invites
Benchley to join him. To his surprise, the cartoon
is based on the story he had intended selling to
Disney. He leaves and meets his wife; she scolds
him for not having thought of the idea sooner.

Ted Sears, Al Perkins, Larry Clemmons and
Bill Cottrell wrote the screen play.

Suitability, Class A.

"The Nurse's Secret" with Regis Toomey
and Lee Patrick

(Warner Bros., May 24 ; time, 63 min.)
A moderately entertaining murder-mystery
melodrama of program grade. All the routine
tricks, such as mysterious prowlers, screams, dim-
ming of lights, and other familiar acts, are em-
ployed to create an eerie atmosphere. At times
they are effective and properly frightening ; but at
other times they just seem silly and only tend to
confuse one. Yet followers of pictures of this type
may enjoy it, since the murder's identity and the
solution to the murders are not divulged until the
end : —

Clara Blandick suffers a severe shock when she
discovers her nephew's dead body. Her servants
(Leonard Mudie and Virginia Brissac) call in the
police; Regis Toomey, police inspector, is put in
charge of the case. Since Miss Blandick's doctor
suggested that she have a nurse, Toomey asks that
his girl friend (Lee Patrick), a graduate nurse, be
assigned to the case. He instructs her to watch for
clues. Miss Patrick keeps her eyes open and ob-
tains valuable information for Toomey. Although
the coroner announces that the death had been
accidental Toomey and Miss Patrick know that it

had been murder. Together, they arrive at the solu-
tion but not until Miss Blandick, too, is murdered.
They discover that the murder victim had been
married, that his wife had been in love with another
man who had tried to protect her ; at first Toomey
suspects the lover, but later he discovers that the
victim's own lawyer had committed the murders.
His plan had been to collect the dead man's insur-
ance. With the case finished, Toomey and Miss
Patrick leave for Connecticut to be married.

Mary Roberts Rinehart wrote the story, and
Anthony Coldewey, the screen play; Noel M.
Smith directed it. In the cast are Julie Bishop, Ann
Edmonds, George Campeau, Charles D. Waldron,
and others.

Not for children. Class B.

"Time Out For Rhythm" with Rudy Vallee,
Ann Miller, Rosemary Lane
and Allen Jenkins

(Columbia, June 5; time, 75 min.)

This musical comedy with romance is good pro-
gram entertainment for the masses. The story is
thin, serving merely as a framework for the musi-
cal numbers and comedy acts. But it has been given
a lavish production ; moreover, the individual per-
formers are good, the music is of the popular
variety, and the comedy antics of "The Three
Stooges" amusing. Added to this is a touch of ro-
mance and some human interest : —

Rudy Vallee, a Harvard graduate, comes to the
attention of Richard Lane, a night club owner, be-
cause of his ideas as to entertainment. The night
they form a booking agency partnership, Lane
learns that his star singer (Rosemary Lane), with
whom he was in love, was leaving him to join a
band and marry the leader. The partnership busi-
ness of Vallee and Lane is extremely successful ;
they are at the height of their success, making plans
for a big television show which was to be presented
under Vallee's supervision. But everything goes
wrong when Miss Lane, who had divorced her
husband, returns ; Lane immediately insists that
Vallee change his plans so as to make her the star
of the show. Vallee discovers that Miss Lane's
maid (Ann Miller) was extremely talented, and
he plans to put her in the show. Owing to a mis-
understanding, the broadcast is cancelled by Lane
and he and Vallee dissolve their partnership. Sepa-
rated, they are failures. When Vallee receives word
from a Hollywood talent scout that he wanted new
faces, his hopes are restored. He gets the show
together again; he pleads with Miss Lane to ar-
range matters so that he could give the show in the
night club owned by Lane. She agrees, on condi-
tion that she be starred ; Miss Miller, hearing that
and not wanting to be in Vallee's way, leaves. Lane,
thinking the whole thing was a tryout for a new
show for his club, is angry when he learns it was an
audition. lie quarrels with Miss Lane; she finally
decides to abandon the stage to marry Lane. And
Miss Miller gets her big chance and is acclaimed.
The partnership is formed once again.

Bert Granet wrote the story, and Edmund L.
Ilartmann and Bert Lawrence, the screen play;
Sidney Salkow directed it, and Irving Starr pro-
duced it. In the cast arc Joan Merrill, Stanley
Andrews, Glen Gray and his ( )rchcstra, and others,

Suitability, Class A.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 14, 1941

be so no one can explain with logic, for in most
of these cases logic does not prevail.

There is a scarcity of box-office names and the
producers would do well to think of means and
ways whereby new talent could be given a
chance.

* * *

HERE IS AN INTERESTING LETTER,
which P. J. Wood, business manager of The
Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, sent to
Mr. Frank Capra, and a copy of it to each mem-
ber of his organization :

"June 2, 1941

"Mr. Frank Capra,
"Warner Bros. Studios
"Burbank, California.
"My dear Mr. Capra: —

"You have undoubtedly heard that the motion
picture box-office is sick and, as one who has
shown by his past performance that he has a
vital interest in the industry, it must give you
considerable concern.

"Last week, in Cleveland, the theatre owners
of Ohio held a meeting to discuss the whys and
wherefores of the situation and many in attend-
ance attributed our sick box-office to the fact
that too much quantity of entertainment is being
forced upon our customers, and I am tempted to
agree with them because of a recent experience
of my own.

"On May 23rd, I happened to be in Spring-
field, Ohio, and with nothing to do that evening
I dropped in at Warner's Majestic Theatre to
see 'Meet John Doe.' I entered the theatre at
about the third reel of 'Rookies On Parade,'
after which I was compelled to suffer through
nearly two hours of 'So Ends Our Night' in order
to reach zcliat I had paid to see — 'Meet John Doe.'

"I left the theatre suffering from an aggra-
vated case of 'motion picture indigestion' and,
frankly, I can't tell you whether or not I en-
joyed your picture.

"Cordially yours,

"P. J. Wood,
Secretary."

The affiliated theatres have had as much to
do with the creation of the double and the triple
bills as have the independent theatres. Right
here in New York the Paramount Theatre is
guilty of showing a double bill on the eve of
the date on which the picture is to be changed,
even though it is a single-feature house ; they
show the new picture once at the tail-end of the
old picture's engagement.

This paper considers such a policy destructive
to the efforts of those exhibitors who want a
single-feature policy in that it encourages
people to expect more.

The affiliated theatres that now show double
and some times even triple features had better
begin thinking of going to single features, for
with the defense program absorbing most of the
raw material and labor no one can predict
whether a dire shortage of both will be created
or not. If a shortage should be created, these
theatres would be compelled to adopt single
features before they had had time to educate
their public to them. And this advice goes also
for the independent exhibitors.

There was a time when double features were

necessary. But the time now has come when the

double feature has to go to prevent a picture

famine. And the quicker serious thought is

given to the elimination of the double feature

the better off the industry will be.

* * *

OUR GOOD OLD FRIEND M. (for "Mike")
H. Hoffman — Pioneer Pictures Corporation,
Tiffany, Liberty and of other film companies —
is back again ; he has announced that, after a
temporary retirement from the business on ac-
count of the death of his son, he has reentered
production and will produce twenty-six pic-
tures for the 1941-42 season. Liberty National
Pictures Corporation is the name of his new
company.

Mike produced several money-makers in the
past and Harrison's Reports hopes that he can
make money-makers again. The theatres need
such pictures.

Harrison's Reports feels that the exhibitors
will welcome the re-entry of Mr. Hoffman into
production. The theatres can stand a few more
good pictures.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"YOUNG AMERICANS," with Bonita
Granville, Dan Dailey, Jr., Leo Gorcey, Ray
MacDonald. With the players mentioned, this
should be a good program picture.

Monogram

"CITY LIMITS," with Frank Albertson,
Lorna Gray, Jed Prouty. Program.

Paramount

"REAP THE WILD WIND," (in techni-
color) with Ray Milland, John Wayne, Paul-
ette Goddard, Robert Preston, Raymond Mas-
sey, Lynne Overman, Susan Hayward, and
many others. The excellent cast, coupled with
the fact that the novel from which this has been
adapted has been a best seller, should make this
an excellent box-office attraction.

Republic

"ICE-CAPADES," with Dorothy Lewis,
Jerry Colonna and the Ice-Capades cast.
Handled with care this should make a pretty
good entertainment, and should go over par-
ticularly with the ice-skating fans.

RKO

"MEXICAN SPITFIRE'S BABY," app aised
in last week's issue as "Lord Epping Sees It
Through."

An untitled feature with Tim Holt, Ray Whit-
ley. Western.

Universal

"MOB TOWN," with Billy Halop, Huntz
Hall, Gabriel Dell, Dick Foran, Anne Gwynne.
Program.

"RAIDERS OF THE DESERT," with
Richard Arlen, Andy Devine, Linda Hayes.
Program action melodrama.

"THE MASKED CABALLERO," with
Johnny Mack Brown. Western.

Warner-First National

"LAW OF THE TROPICS," appraised in
last week's issue as "King Rubber."

"NINE LIVES ARE NOT ENOUGH," with
Ronald Reagan, James Gleason, Joan Perry, Ed
Brophy. Good program.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

H APRI^OISI^ RFPORT^

n r\ rv rv 1 O v«/ 1 N w rv C i r\ I

tt_i WTTT XT'CTX/ VrtOV XT XT OATTTDHA V TTTT V C 1 fl/f 1

VOL XXlii JNJa«W YUKa, N. Y., oAIUKJJAi, JULY 5, 1941

— ■ g

No. 27

(Semi-Annual Index — First Half of 1941)

riffej o/ Pictures Reviewed on Page

Adam Had Four Sons — Columbia (80 min.) 35

Adventure in Washington — Columbia (84 min.) 91

Affectionately Yours — First National (88 min.) 86

Aldrich Family in Life With Henry, The —

Paramount (80 min.) 14

Along the Rio Grande — RKO (64 min.) 23

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary — MGM (100 min.).. 35

Angels with Broken Wings — Republic (72 min.) 94

Arkansas Judge, The — Republic (72 min.) 22

A Woman's Face— MGM (105 min.) 79

Back Street— Universal (89 min.) 23

Bad Man, The— MGM (70 min.) 55

Behind the News — Republic (74 min.) 3

Beyond the Sacramento — Columbia (58m.) .Not Reviewed

Big Boss, The— Columbia (70 min.) 79

Big Store, The— MGM (83 min.) 102

Billy the Kid— MGM (95 min.) 86

Black Cat, The— Universal (70 min.) 71

Blonde Inspiration — MGM (71 min.) 35

Blondie Goes Latin — Columbia (68 min.) 39

Blood and Sand — 20th Century-Fox (125- min.) 87

Border Legion — Republic (58 min.) Not Reviewed

Bowery Boy — Republic (71 min.) 7

Bride Wore Crutches, The— 20th Century-Fox (55m.) . 90

Broadway Limited — United Artists (74 min.) 99

Buck Privates — Universal (83 min.) 27

Case of the Black Parrot, The— First National (59m.) 2

Caught in the Draft — Paramount (82 min.) 90

Cheers for Miss Bishop — United Artists (94 min.) ... 15

Citizen Kane— RKO (120 min.) 62

Come Live With Me— MGM (85 min.) 18

Convoy— RKO (77 min.) 6

Country Fair — Republic (74 min.) 78

Cowboy and the Blonde, The — 20th Century-Fox

(68 min.) 71

Cyclone on Horseback— RKO (60 min.) 102

Dangerous Game, A — Universal (61 min.) 42

Dead Man's Shoes — Monogram (68 min.) 31

Dead Men Tell— 20th Century-Fox (60 min.) 54

Devil and Miss Jones, The— RKO (92 min.) 59

Devil Commands, The — Columbia (65 min.) 35

Double Date— Universal (60 min.) 50

Dr. Kildare's Crisis— MGM (74 min.) 2

Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery — Columbia (69m.) . 43

Face Behind the Mask, The — Columbia (69^ min.) 27

Father's Son — Warner Bros. (57 min.) 19

Flame of New Orleans, The — Universal (79 min.) 71

Flight Command — MGM (114 min.) 2

Flight From Destiny — Warner Bros. (74 min.) 11

Flying Wild — Monogram (63 min.) 67

Footlight Fever— RKO (69 min.) 55

Footsteps in the Dark — Warner Bros. (95 min.) 39

For Beauty's Sake— 20th Century-Fox (61 min.) 102

Free and Easy — MGM (56 min.) 47

Gay Vagabond, The — Republic (66 min.) 82

Get-Away, The— MGM (88 min.) 99

Girl, A Guy, and A Gob, A— RKO (90 min.) 39

Girl in the News, The — 20th Century- Fox (76 min.) ... 7

Golden Hoofs— 20th Century-Fox (67 min.) 30

Great American Broadcast, The — 20th Century-Fox

(91 min.) 74

Great Lie, The— Warner Bros. (107 min.) 58

Great Mr. Nobody, The— Warner Bros. (71 min.) .... 30

Great Swindle, The — Columbia (54 min.) 58

Great Train Robbery, The — Republic (61 min.) 38

Hard-Boiled Canary, The— Paramount (79 min.) 34

Here Comes Happiness — Warner Bros. (57 min.) 38

Her First Beau— Columbia (77 min.) 83

Her First Romance — Monogram (78 min.) 15

High Sierra — First National (99 min.) 14

Hit the Road— Universal (61 min.) 102

Honeymoon for Three — Warner Bros. (75 min.) 18

Horror Island — Universal (60 min.) 54

House of Mystery — Monogram (61 min.) 83

Hudson's Bay — 20th Century- Fox (94 min.) 3

IH Wait For You— MGM (71 min.) 82

In the Navy — Universal (86 min.) 91

Invisible Ghost, The — Monogram (64 min.) 78

Invisible Woman, The — Universal (72 min.) 7

It Happened to One Man— RKO (81 min.) 42

I Wanted Wings — Paramount (134 min.) 54

Jolly Old Higgins— Republic (See "The Earl of
Puddlestone ") 138/40

Keeping Company — MGM (79 min.) 10

King of the Zombies — Monogram (67 .min.) 78

Kitty Foyle— RKO (108 min.) '. 3

Knockout — First National (73 min.) 66

Lady Eve, The — Paramount (93 min.) 34

Lady From Cheyenne, The — Universal (87 min.) ... 58

Lady From Louisiana — Republic (82 min.) 75

Land of Liberty— MGM (97 min.) 10

Las Vegas Nights.— Paramount (87 min.) 51

Law and Order — Universal (57 min.) Not Reviewed

Lone Wolf Takes a Chance, The — Columbia (75 min.) 50

Love Crazy — MGM (98 min.) 83

Lucky Devils — Universal (61 min.) 7

Mad Doctor, The— Paramount (89 min.) '. 27

Maisie Was a Lady— MGM (79 min.) 10

Major Barbara — United Artists (123 min.) 83

Man Betrayed, A — Republic (81 min.) 51

Man Hunt— 20th Century-Fox (101 min.) 98

Man Made Monster — Universal (59 min.) 50

Man Who Lost Himself, The— Universal (72 min.) ... 54

Meet Boston Blackie — Columbia (60 min.) 38

Meet John Doe — Warner-Capra (123 min.) 46

Meet the Chump — Universal (60 min.) 26

Melody for Three— RKO (66 min.) 43

Melody Girl — Republic (See "Sing Dance Plenty

Hot") 130/40

Men of Boys Town — MGM (106 min.) 47

Men of the Timberland — Universal (61 min.) 94

Million Dollar Baby— Warner Bros. (100 min.) 87

Misbehaving Husbands — Producers Releasing (64m.) . 23

Missing Ten Days — Columbia (77 min.) 43

Mr. and Mrs. Smith— RKO (95 min.) 19

Mr. District Attorney — Republic (68 min.) 55

Mr. Dynamite — Universal (63 min.) 46

Model Wife— Universal (78 min.) 67

Monster and the Girl, The — Paramount (64 min.) 34

Moon Over Miami — 20th Century-Fox (90 min.) 103

Murder Among Friends — 20th Century-Fox (66 min.) . 39
Mutiny in the .Arctic — Universal (61 min.) 74

Naval Academy — Columbia (67 min.) 87

Nice Girl ?— Universal (95 min.) 38

No Greater Sin — University Pictures (78 min.) 102

Nurse's Secret, The — Warner Bros. (63 min.) 95

One Night in Lisbon — Paramount (95 min.) 82

Out of the Fog— First National (86 min.) 98

Paper Bullets— Producers Rel. Corp. (69 min.) 98

Penalty, The— MGM (80 min.) 42

Penny Serenade — Columbia 120 min.) 66

People vs. Dr. Kildare, The— MGM (77 min.) 79

Petticoat Politics — Republic (66 min.) 26

Phantom Submarine, The — Columbia (69 min.) 30

Play Girl— RKO (77 min.) 11

Ponv Post — Universal (59 min.) Not Reviewed

Pot O' Gold— United Artists (85 min.) 59

Power Dive — Paramount {bS min.) 62

Pride of the Bowery — Monogram (. 0 J min.) 6

Rage in Heaven— MGM (84 min.) 43

Ragtime Cowboy Joe — Universal (,58m.) . . . Not Reviewed

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index — First Half of 1941, Page B

Reaching for the Sun — Paramount (89 min.) 66

Redhead — Monogram (63 min.) 94

Reluctant Dragon, The— RKO (73 min.) 95

Repent At Leisure — RKO (66 min.) 63

Richest Man In Town, The— Columbia (69 min.) 103

Ride, Kelly, Ride— 20th Century-Fox (58 min.) 22

Ride on Vaquero — 20th Century-Fox (64 min.) 55

Road Show— United Artists (86 min.) 26

Road To Frisco, The— First National (See "They

Drive By Night") 119/40

Road to Zanzibar — Paramount (92 min.) 47

Roar of the Press — Monogram (72 min.) 78

Romance of the Rio Grande — 20th Cent-Fox (72m.) . . 3

Rookies — Universal (See "Buck Privates") 27

Rookies on Parade — Republic (69 min.) 70

Round-Up, The— Paramount (89 min.) 46

Saint in Palm Springs, The— RKO (65 min.) 11

Saint's Vacation, The— RKO (61 min.) 99

Scattergood Baines— RKO (68 min.) 31

Scattergood Pulls the Strings— RKO (67 min.) 90

Scotland Yard — 20th Century-Fox (65 min.) 63

Sea Wolf, The— Warner Bros. ( 100 min.) . . . . 50

Secret Evidence — Producers Releasing (63 min.) 31

Shadows on the Stairs — First National (63 min.) 59

She Couldn't Say No— First National (62 min.) 2

She Knew All the Answers — Columbia (86 min.) 86

Shining Victory — First National (79 min.) 87

Shot in the Dark, A— Warner Bros. (57 min.) 59

Sign of the Wolf — Monogram (68 min.) 58

Singapore Woman — First National (64 min.) 82

Sis Hopkins — Republic (97 min.) 63

Six Lessons From Madame LaZonga — Universal

(61 min.) 18

Sleepers West— 20th Century-Fox (73 min.) 51

So Ends Our Night— United Artists (120 min.) 19

South of Panama — Producers Releasing (64 min.) ... 74

Strange Alibi — First National (63 min.) 62

Strawberry Blonde — First National (96 min.) 31

Sunny — RKO (97 min.) 86

Take Me Back to Oklahoma — Monogram (65 min.)

Not Reviewed

Tall, Dark and Handsome — 20th Century-Fox (78m.) . 15

Texas Terrors — Republic (57 min.) Not Reviewed

That Hamilton Woman — United Artists (125 min.) ... 51

That Night in Rio— 20th Century-Fox (91 min.) 42

That Uncertain Feeling — United Artists (83 min.) 46

There's Magic in Music — Paramount (See "Hard

Boiled Canary") 34

They Dare Not Love — Columbia (76 min.) 79

They Met in Argentine— RKO (76 min.) 75

Thieves Fall Out— Warner Bros. (72 min.) 70

This Thing Called Love — Columbia (98 min.) 6

Three Cockeyed Sailors — United Artists (76 min.)... 103
Three Men From Texas — Paramount (75 min.)

Not Reviewed

Tight Shoes — Universal (67 min.) 103

Time Out For Rhythm — Columbia (75 min.) 95

Tobacco Road — 20th Century-Fox (84 min.) 34

Too Many Blondes — Universal (60 min.) 91

Topper Returns — United Artists (88 min.) 47

Trail Blazers — Republic (58 min.) Not Reviewed

Tree of Liberty — Columbia ( See "Howards of

Virginia") 142/40

Trial of Mary Dugan, The— MGM (89 min.) 30

Under Age — Columbia (60 min.) 70

Underground — Warner Bros. (95 min.) 99

Very Young Lady, A — 20th Century- Fox (79 min.) . . 74

Virginia — Paramount (108 min.) 14

Voice in the Night, The— Columbia (80 min.) 90

Wagons Roll at Night— First National (83 min.) 71

Washington Melodrama— MGM (80 min.) 70

Western Union— 20th Century-Fox (95 min.) 26

West of Pinto Basin — Monogram (61m.) . . .Not Reviewed

West Point Widow— Paramount (63 min.) 98

Where Did You Get That Girl ?— Universal (65m.) ... 6

Wild Man of Borneo, The— MGM (78 min.) 22

You're Out of Luck — Monogram (60 min.) 10

You're the One — Paramount (83 min.) 27

Ziegfeld Girl, The— MGM (131 min.) 67

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)
2002 Penny Serenade — Grant-Dunne Apr. 24

2036 Under Age — Grey-Baxter Apr. 24

2037 The Big Boss— Kruger-Litel Apr. 28

2011 They Dare Not Love— Brent-Scott Apr. 30

2214 The Return of Daniel Boone— Elliott (61m) .May 7
2013 Her First Beau — Withers-Cooper-Fellows. . .May 8

2008 She Knew All the Answers— Tone-Bennett. .May 15

2020 Naval Academy — Freddie Bartholomew May 22

2010 Adventure In Washington (Senate Page

Boys) — Marshall-Bruce May 30

2026 Richest Man In Town — Craven- Pryor June 12

2215 Hands Across the Rockies— Elliott (57m.) . . .June 19

2009 Time Out For Rhythm— Vallee-Miller (re.). June 20

2206 Medico of Painted Springs — Starrett (reset) .June 26

2019 Sweetheart of the Campus — Keeler June 26

2041 I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island —

Wood-Eilers (71 min.) June 30

Two in a Taxi — Louise-Hayden July 10

2207 The Medico Rides— Starrett July 15

Blondie in Society — Singleton-Lake July 17

The Officer and the Lady — Hudson-Pryor July 24

2216 The Son of Davy Crockett— Elliott July 30

First National Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)
566 Affectionately Yours — Oberon-Morgan May 10

563 Singapore Woman — Marshall-Bruce May 17

564 Shining Victory — Stephenson-Fitzgerald June 7

555 Out of the Fog— Garfield-Lupino June 14

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

131 Washington Melodrama — Morgan-Taylor Apr. 18

130 Ziegfeld Girl — Garland-Stewart-Lamarr Apr. 25

133 The People vs. Dr. Kildare — Ayres-Day May 2

136 A Woman's Face — Crawford-Douglas May 9

135 I'll Wait For You— Sterling-Hunt-Kelly May 16

134 Love Crazv — Powell-Loy- Patrick May 23

137 Billy the Kid— Taylor-Donlevy-Hunter May 30

185 Mata Hari — Reissue June 6

138 The Get-Away — Sterling-Adams (reset) June 13

139 The Big Store (The Bargain Basement)—

Marx Bros. -Martin (reset) June 20

140 They Met In Bombay— Gable-Russell June 27

141 Barnacle Bill— Beery-Main-Weidler July 4

186 Navy Blue and Gold — Reissue July 11

142 The Stars Look Down — Williams-Lockwood .July 18

143 Ringside Maisie — Sothern-Murphy July 25

Life Begins For Andy Hardy — Rooney Aug. 1

Mary Names the Day — Ayres-Day Aug. 8

Blossoms in the Dust — Garson-Pidgeon Aug. 15

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

The Invisible Ghost — Bela Lugosi Apr. 25

Roar of the Press — Parker-Ford Apr. 30

House of Mystery — K Kent-J. Kelly May 7

The Pioneers— Tex Ritter (58m.) May 10

King of the Zombies — Archer-Moreland May 14

Redhead — Downs-Lang-Blore May 21

Silver Stallion — LeRoy-Mason (57m.) May 28

Ranglers Roost — Range Busters (57m) June 4

The Gang's All Here — Darro-Moreland (61m.) ..June 11

Wanderers of the West — Tom Keene June 25

Murder By Invitation — W. Ford-M. Marsh June 30

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

4028 I Wanted Wings— Milland-Holden-Morris ..May 30

4029 One Night in Lisbon — Carroll-MacMurray . .June 13

4030 West Point Widow— Shirley-Carlson June 20

4031 Parson of Panamint — Ruggles-Drew June 27

4032 Caught in the Draft— Hope-Lamour July 4

4033 Forced Landing — Arlen-Gabor-Naish July 11

4034 Shepherd of the Hills— Wayne-Field July 18

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index — First Half of 1941, Page C

Republic Features

(1790 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

055 In Old Cheyenne— Roy Rogers (58m.) Mar. 28

066 Pals of the Pecos— Three Mesq. (56m.) Apr. 8

076 Two-Gun Sheriff— Red Barry (56m.) Apr. 10

002 Sis Hopkins— Canova-B. Crosby Apr. 12

013 Rookies on Parade— B. Crosby-R. Terry Apr. 17

014 Lady From Louisiana — Munson- Wayne Apr. 22

046 The Singing Hill— Autry (75m.) Apr. 26

015 Country Fair — Foy, Jr.-Clyde- Williams May 5

056 Sheriff of Tombstone— Rogers-Hayes (56m.). May 7

022 The Gay Vagabond — Karns-Donnelly May 12

077 Desert Bandits— Red Barry (56ra.) (re.) May 24

067 Saddlemates— Three Mesq. (56m.) (re.) May 26

016 Angels with Broken Wings — Barnes-Roland . .May 27

057 Nevada City— Roy Rogers (58m.) June 20

078 Kansas Cyclone— Red Barry (56m.) June 24

003 Puddin' Head — Canova-Lederer June 25

023 Poison Pen — Robson-Newton (66m.) June 30

068 Gangs of Sonora — Three Mesq July 10

047 Sunset in Wyoming — Gene Autry July 18

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

163 Bringing Up Baby — Reissue May 2

132 Scattergood Pulls the Strings— Kibbee May 23

131 Saint's Vacation — Sinclair-Gray (reset) May 30

133 Sunny — Neagle-Carroll-Inescort May 30

185 Cyclone on Horseback — Tim Holt June 6

191 The Reluctant Dragon — Disney June 20

166 Frank Buck's Jungle Cavalcade June 27

126 Tom, Dick and Harry — Rogers-Murphy July 4

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 W. S6th St.. New York, N. Y.)

139 Mail Train — Harker-Sim Apr. 25

140 Great American Broadcast — Faye-Oakie May 9

141 Cowboy and the Blonde — Hughes-Montgomery.May 16

142 The Great Commandment — Beal-Dekker May 23

143 Blood and Sand — Power-Darnell-Hayworth ..May 30

144 For Beauty's Sake — Sparks-Weaver-North .June 6
112 The Bride Wore Crutches — Roberts-North ..June 13

146 Man Hunt — Pidgeon-J. Bennett-Sanders June 20

145 A Very Young Lady — Withers-Kelly- Sutton June 27

147 Moon Over Miami — Ameche-Grable-Cum'ngs. July 4

148 Accent on Love — Montgomery-Massen-Naish .July 11

149 Dance Hall — Romero-Landis-Henry July 18

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

Topper Returns — Blondell-Young-O'Keefe Mar. 21

Pot O' Gold— Goddard-Stewart-Heidt Apr. 13

That Uncertain Feeling — Oberon-Douglas Apr. 20

That Hamilton Woman 1 — Leigh-Olivier Apr. 30

Broadway Limited — McLaglen-O'Keefe-Kelly June 13

New Wine — Ilona Massey-Alan Curtis Aug. 8

Major Barbara — Hiller-Harrison-Morley August

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

5054 Mutiny in the Arctic — Arlen-Devine Apr. 18

5014 Model Wife— Blondell-Powell Apr. 18

5011 The Flame of New Orleans — Dietrich Apr. 2S

5028 The Black Cat— Rathbone-Herbert May 2

5034 Too Many Blondes— Rudy Vallee May 23

5000 In the Navy— Abbott-Costello-Powell May 30

5055 Men of the Timberland — Arlen-Devine June 6

Tight Shoes — Howard-Crawtord-Barnes June 13

San Antonio Rose — Frazee-Paige June 20

5066 Law of the Range — J. M. Brown (59m.) ...June 20

Hit the Road— Dead End Kids June 27

Bachelor Daddy — Baby Sandy-Horton July 3

Hello Sucker— Herbert-Brown (60m.) July 11

5056 Raiders of the Desert — Arlen-Devine July 18

5067 Rawhide Rangers— J. M. Brown (56m.) July 18

This Woman is Mine — Tone-Bruce July 25

Cracked Nuts — Erwin-Merkel Aug. 1

Hold That Ghost— Abbott-Costello Aug. 8

5057 A Dangerous Game — Arlen-Devine Aug. 22

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)

523 The Nurse's Secret — L. Patrick-Toomey May 24

508 Million Dollar Baby— P. Lane- Lynn- Reagan. .May 31

524 Passage From Hongkong — L. Fairbanks-

Douglas-Cavanagh June 21

558 Underground — Lynn-Maris-Dorn- Verne June 28

Warner-First National

500 Meet John Doe — Cooper- Stanwyck May 3

550 Devil Dogs of the Air— Reissue (86m.) June 7

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE
Columbia — One Reel

2703 Little Theatre— Phantasies (6m.) Feb. 7

2603 Take It Or Leave It No. 3— Quiz (11m.) . . . .Feb. 7

2655 Community Sing No. 5 — (lO^m.) Feb. 7

2805 Splits, Spares and Strikes— Sport (10m.) . . . .Feb. 21

2976 Movie Magic — Cinescope (10m.> Feb. 22

2558 Western Wonderland— Tours (9m.) Feb. 28

2506 Way of All Pests— Color Rhapsody (7m.) . ... Feb. 28
2904 The Spirit of 1941— Wash. Parade (10m.) . . . Mar. 7

2604 Junior I. Q. Parade— Quiz (9y2m.) Mar. 7

2755 It Happened to Crusoe— Fables (6j4m.) ....Mar. 14

2507 The Carpenters— Color Rhapsody (8j4m.) . .Mar. 14

2856 Screen Snapshots No. 6— (10m.) Mar. 14

2656 Community Sing No. 6 — (10m.) Mar. 14

2977 This Is England— Cinescope (10m.) Mar. 27

2952 Abroad at Home— N. Y. Parade (9^m.) .... Mar. 27

2704 There's Music in Your Hair —

Phan. (6^m.) Mar. 28

2806 The Jungle Archer— Sport (11m.) Mar. 23

2559 San Francisco, Metropolis of the West —

Tours (9'/3m.) Apr. 3

2605 So You Think You Know Music No. 1 —

(IVAm.) Apr. 3

2508 The Land of Fun — Color Rhapsody (7m.) . .Apr. 18

2857 Screen Snapshots No. 7 — (10m.) Apr. 25

2657 Community Sing No. 7 — (9m.) Apr. 25

2978 Capital Sidelights — Cinescope (11m.) Apr 28

2606 Take It Or Leave It No. 4— Quiz (11m.) . . . .May 1

2807 Divine Thrills— Sport Reels (9m.) (re.) ....May 9

2560 Beautiful Ontario— Tours (9m.) May 23

2658 Community Sing No. 8 — (10m.) May 29

2808 Aquaplay— Sport (10m.) June 6

2858 Screen Snapshots No. 8— (10m.) June 6

2509 Tom Thumb's Brother —

Color Rhap. (7Hm.) June 12

2756 Kitty Gets the Bird— Cartoons (7m.) (re.) . June 13

2979 Fighter Pilot— Cinescope C8m.) June 13

2510 The Cuckoo L Q. — Color Rhapsody July 3

2706 The Wallflower— Phantasies (6m.) July 3

2859 Screen Snapshots No. 9 July 11

2757 Dumb Like a Fox — Cartoons July 18

Columbia — Two Reels

2181 The Stolen Plans— Spider Returns No. 1

(3314m.) May 9

2407 All the World's a Stooge— Stooge (16m.) .... May 16

2182 The Fatal Time-Bomb— Spider No. 2 (22m.) . May 16

2183 The Secret Meeting— Spider No. 3 (20m.) . . Mav 23
International Forum No. 2— Spec. (\9lAm.) . May 27

2184 The Smoke Dream— Spider No. 4 (19m.) . . .May 30

2434 .:eady, Willing But Unable— Brendel (16m.) . May 30

2185 The Gargoyle's Trail— Spider No. 5 (21m.) . June 6

2186 The X-Ray Eye— Spider No. 6 (18m.) June 13

2435 Yankee Doodle Andy— All Star (18m.) ...June 13

2187 The Radio Boomerang— Spider No. 7 (19m) .Tune 20

2436 French Fried Patootie— All Star (18m.) June 27

2188 The Mysterious Message— Spider No. 8 June 27

2408 I'll Never Heil Again— Stooges ( 17m.) ... July 4

2189 The Cup of Doom— Spider No. 9 July 4

2190 The X-Ray Belt— Spider No. 10 July 11

2191 Lips Sealed by Murder— Spider No. 11 Julv 18

2192 A Money Bomb— Spider No. 12 July 25

2437 Love at First Fright— Brendel (17m.) July 25

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index — First Half of 1941, Page D

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel

T-220 Yoiemite the Magnificent— Travel. (8m.). May 10
K-285 Willie and the Mouse— Pass. Par. (lira.) .May 17

W-247 The Rookie Bear— Cartoons (8rn.) May 17

S-268 Lions on the Loose— Pete Smith (9m.) May 24

K-286 This Is the Bowery— Pass. Par. (10m.) . . . .May 31

M-23S The Battle I— Miniatures (11m.) May 31

T-221 Glimpses of Washington State— Travel-
talks (9m.) June 7

W-248 Dance of the Weed— Cartoons (9m.) June 7

M-236 Memories of Europe— Miniatures (8m.) . . .June 14

S-269 Cuban Rhythm— Pete Smith (9m.) June 14

M-237 The Man Who Changed the World— .

Miniatures June 28

T-222 Haiti, Land of Dark Majesty— Travel July 5

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels

P-204 Forbidden Passage — Crime Doesn't Pay

(21m.) Feb. 8

P-20S Coffins on Wheels— Crime Doesn't Pay

(17m.) June 7

Paramount — One Reel

SO-4 The Forgotten Man— Benchley (1054m) . .May 23

RO-10 On the Spot— Sportlight (9*4m.) May 23

HO-9 Zero, The Hound— Animated cart (6m.).. May 30
LO-S Unusual Occupations No. 5 — (10m.) (re.) . .May 30
AO-6 Your Favorite Program-Those We Love —

Headliner (10 Vim.) June 6

EO-10 Olive's Boithday Presink— Popeye (6m.) . .June 13

GO-6 Fire Cheese — Gabby cartoon June 20

RO-11 Lasso Wizards— Sportlight (9m.) June 20

UO-3 Hoola Boola — Madcap Models (reset) June 27

HO-10 Twinkletoes-Where He Goes-Nobody

Knows — Animated cartoons (6J4m.) June 27

JO-6 Popular Science No. 6 July 4

EO-11 Child Psykoloj iky— Popeye (6m) July 11

AO-7 Hands of Destiny— Headliner July 11

HO-11 Copy Cat — Animated cartoon (6m) July 18

GO-7 Gabby Goes Fishing — Gabby cartoon July 18

RO-12 Snow Dogs— Sportlight (9m.) July 25

UO-4 The Gay Knighties — Madcap Models July 25

Republic — One Reel

028-5 Hollywood Meets the Navy— Meet the

Stars (10m.) Apr. 24

028-6 Stars at Play— Meet the Stars (10m.) May 24

028-7 Meet Roy Rogers— Meet the Stars (10m.) June 24
028-8 Stars— Past and Present— Meet the Stars

(10m.) July 24

Republic— Serials

083 Jungle Girl — Frances Gifford 15 Episodes

14310
14210
14410
14105
14503
14311
14211
14106
14312
14107
14108

RKO — One Reel

Jockey's Day — Sportscope (9m.) May 9

Information Please No. 10— -(10m.) May 16

Picture People No. 10— (8m.) May 23

Canine Caddy — Disney (7m.) May 30

How Goes Chile ?— ( 10m.) May 30

Rolling Rhythm — Sportscopt (9m.) June 6

Information Please No. 11 — ('lm.) June 13

Nifty Nineties — Disney (7m.) June 20

Steeds and Steers — Sportscope (9m) July 4

Early to Bed— Disney (8m.) July 11

Truant Officer Donald — Disney (8m.) Aug. 1

RKO— Two Reels

13110 March of Time No. 10— (18m.) May 9

13705 A Polo Phoney— Errol (18m.) May 16

13406 An Apple in His Eye — Kennedy (14m.) June 6

13111 March of Time No. 11— (17m.) ...June 6

13706 A Panic in the Parlor— Errol (18m.) June 27

13112 March of Time No. 12 July 4

13504 Musical Bandit— Whitley (16m.) July 18

Twentieth Century-Fox— One Reel

1108 Arctic Springtime— Father Hubbard (10m.) .Apr. 25

1511 A Dog's Dream — Terry-Toon (7m.) May 2

1109 A Letter From Cairo— Thomas (9m.) May 9

1512 The Magic Shell — Terry-Toon (7m.) May 16

1703 Empire in Exile — Leland Stowe (10m.) May 23

1560 What Happens At Night—

Terry-Toon (7m.) May 30

1307 Fun on Rollers — Sports (9m.) June 6

1513 Horse Fly Opera — Terry-Toon (7m.) June 13

1704 Anzacs in Action — Leland Stowe June 20

1514 Good Old Irish Tunes — Terry-Toon (7m.). June 27

1110 Winter in Eskimo Land— Hubbard (10m.).. July 4

1515 Bringing Home the Bacon — Terry-T. (7m.) July 11
1702 War in the Desert— Reynolds (10m.) July 18

1516 Twelve O'Clock and All Ain't Well—

Terry-Toon (7m.) July 25

Universal— One Reel

5360 The Modern Way Down East — Going Places

No. 90 (9m) May 12

5381 Stranger Than Fiction No. 91— (9ra.) May 19

5249 Dizzy Kitty— Lantz cartoon (7m) May 26

5361 The Trail of Father Kino— Going Places

No. 91 (9m.) May 26

5382 Stranger Than Fiction No. 92— (9m.) June 2

5250 Salt Water Daffy— Lantz cartoon (7m.) June 9

5362 Mountain Summer — Going Places No. 92

(9m.) June 9

5383 Stranger Than Fiction No. 93 June 23

5363 Meet Jimmie the Chump— Going Places

No. 93 (9 min.) June 30

5251 Woody Woodpecker — Lantz cart. (7m.) July 7

5252 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Co. B. —

Lantz cartoon July 14

5364 Not Yet Titled— Going Places No. 94 July 21

5384 Stranger Than Fiction No. 94 July 28

Universal— Two Reels

5890 The Flash of Fate— Raiders No. 10 (17m.) . June 10

5891 Terrors of the Storm— Raiders No. 11 (20m) June 17

5230 Music A La King — Musical (17m) June 18

5892 The Winning Warriors — Raiders No. 12

(18m.) June 24

5231 Is Everybody Happy ? — Musical July 2

5232 Once Upon a Summertime — Musical July 30

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6781 Death Marks the Trail— Riders of Death

Valley No. 1 (19m.) July 1

6782 The Menacing Herd— Riders No. 2 (19m.) . July 8

6783 The Plunge of Peril— Riders No. 3 (19m.) . . July 15

6784 Flaming Fury— Riders No. 4 (19m.) July 22

6785 The Avalanche of Doom — Riders No. 5

(19m) July 29

Vitaphone— One Reel

6719 Hollywood Steps Out— Mer. Mel. (8m.) . . . . May 24

6612 A Coy Decoy — Looney Tunes (7j4m.) June 7

6720 Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt— Mer. Mel. (8m.) . June 7

6408 Sail Ho— Sports Parade (10m.) June 14

6509 Hal Kemp & Orch.— Melody Masters (9m.) . June 14

6613 Porky's Prize Pony — Looney Tunes (7m.) . June 21

6721 The Wacky Worm— Mer. Melodies (7m.) . . June 21

6722 The Heckling Hare — Merrie Melodies July 5

6614 Meet John Doughboy — Looney Tunes July 5

6409 It Happened on Rollers — Sports Parade July 19

6723 Inki and the Lion — Merrie Melodies July 19

Vitaphone — Two Reels

6206 The Seeing Eye — Bway. Brevities (15m.)... May 3

6208 Hunting the Hard Way— Bw'y. Brev. (16m) . May 17

6207 Sockeroo— Brevities (21m.) May 31

6005 Here Comes the Cavalry (Soldiers of the

Saddle) — Special (21m.) (reset) June 28

6103 Throwing a Party— Maxwell com. (20m.) July 12

6209 Happy Faces — Broadway Brevities July 26

6006 Brazilian Rhythms— Tech. Special Aug. 23

NEWS WEEKLY

NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Paramount News

89 Saturday .

90 Wednesday

91 Saturday .

92 Wednesday

93 Saturday .

94 Wednesday

95 Saturday .

96 Wednesday

97 Saturday . .

98 Wednesday

99 Saturday . .
100 Wednesday

■ July 3
.July 9
.July 12
.July 16
.July 19
.July 23
..July 26
.July 30
..Aug. 2
. . Aug. 6
..Aug. 9
..Aug. 13

Pathe News

5189 Sat (O.). July 5
5290 Wed. (E.) July 9
5191 Sat (O.). July 12
5292 Wed. (E.) July 16
5193 Sat. (O.). July 19
5294 Wed. (E.) July 23
5195 Sat. (O.). July 26
5296 Wed. (E.) July 30
5197 Sat (O.).-Aug. 2
5298 Wed. (E.).Aug. 6
5199 Sat. (0.)..Aug. 9
52100 Wed. (E.). Aug. 13

Metrotone News

284 Thursday ...July 3

285 Tuesday July 8

286 Thursday ...July 10

287 Tuesday July 15

288 Thursday . . . July 17

289 Tuesday July 22

290 Thursday ...July 24

291 Tuesday July 29

292 Thursday July 31

293 Tuesday Aug. 5

294 Thursday ...Aug. 7

295 Tuesday ....Aug. 12

Fox Movietone

86 Saturday July 5

87 Wednesday ...July 9

88 Saturday July 12

89 Wednesday . . July 16

90 Saturday July 19

91 Wednesday .. July 23

92 Saturday July 26

93 Wednesday .. July 30

94 Saturday Aug. 2

95 Wednesday ...Aug. 6

96 Saturday Aug. 9

97 Wednesday . . . Aug. 13

Universal

994 Friday July 4

995 Wednesday July 9

996 Friday July 11

997 Wednesday July 16

998 Friday July 18

999 Wednesday July 23
1000 Friday July 25

Beginning of New
Issue

1 Wednesday ...July 30

2 Friday Aug. 1

3 Wednesday Aug. 6

4 Friday Aug. 8

5 Wednesday Aug. 13

Entered as leeend-elMi matter January 4, 1981, at the post office at Ne^fr York, New Tork, under the act 6f March 3, W?*<

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 Rrtnmlftl? Harrison's Reports. Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 i\wra 1016 Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

GrTafBrUain' SPain'" ' «8 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service ■

Australia New ' Zealand,' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 Jts EditoHal Policy. No problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

ibc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1941 No. 28

HERE AND THERE dences lately that tend to confirm the belief that

THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY is double bills have hurt the business,

undergoing a decided change as a result of the new The poor quality of the pictures has, of course,

sales policy. And what is more, every one in the hurt the business more than double-billing. As a

home offices of the five distributors feels it. matter of fact, the blame should be laid largely on

The work of arranging the trade showings has that factor> for the doilble billing has been caused

been going on at high speed. Instructions have been at 'fast seventy-five per cent by the poor picture

issued that every exhibitor be invited to attend the quality and only twenty-five per cent by affiliated

trade showings, no matter whether he is or is not a theatre competition Many exhibitors, though they

customer of the company issuing the instructions. dld not believe in double bills, were compelled to

New men have been hired, not only at the home institute them, because they could not show ninety

offices, but also at the exchanges. per cent of the pictures made in a single bill. For

„, . , . re *. j u a while double bills, being a noveltv, went over, but

The theatre circuits too, have been affected by h are { ' ^ and We thg H

the change ; they have been compelled to hire more of ^ of ^ kture/is what ft . ^ nQ<y

men to take care of the added work. ^ the box.office F

_ There have been general radical changes in the Ag Moe w q{ pUm BuUeti of phiIa_
industry four times before the present change : , h- put itj double bills will be forced out of the
when the two-reel feature first came out, around ^ ^ 'b either or reSolutions at
1913; when the admission prices were raised from cxhibitor conv/ntionSi but by a decided improve-
the five-cent level ; when the multiple-reel feature . ^ ]{ q{ ±e
displaced the single-reel and the double-reel fea- ^ , J .. r. , r
tures, around 1915, and when sound came, around The new sales policy of the five major com-
1928. (Color, too, ushered in a change, but it was Pames- forcfed on them by the Consent Decree, may,
not general-Kinemacolor, around 1910.) as said before bring about the desired improve-
* . , , , , ment. When the producers ofter the exhibitors
Every time a radical change took place, the in- ^ ds for in tion before purcbase, they
dustry revived - both exhibitors and producers win be%om lled to make better goods.
made greater profits. Will the present change be dif-
ferent ? We shall not have long to wait to find out. * * *

* * * THE SUBJECT OF TRADE PRESS review-
RELATIVE TO CHARGING LOWER ad- ing is stin hot. Writing in the July 5 issue of Mo-
mission prices to young men who have just passed tjon Picture Herald, Terry Ramsaye, editor of that
boyhood, discussed in last week's issue, Mr. Elmore paper, says that the distributors' home offices are
D. Heins, of National Theatres, Roanoke, Va., an still reluctant to make a definite decision on the
old subscriber to this paper, writes : subject. Some of these offices have remarked, Mr.

"Your editorial in the July 5 issue 'An Out-of- Ramsaye says, that perhaps it would be better if

Town Exhibitor . . ,' and so forth, about price the pictures were shown to the trade papers first in

after 12 years of age : You mention 'Charged young New York, instead of in Hollywood, for then the

men.' Why not boys and girls ? trade paper critics would be removed from the

"The enclosed ad, which we ran in newspapers "high pressures of the lay press, or the Churchill

beginning May 7th, speaks for itself. We ran also group."

four trailers in our theatres. The results arc most Harrison's Reports agrees with Mr. Ramsaye,

gratifying. We find that many who used to pay 10c that the reviewing by trade-paper critics should be

now are buying in the 'Junior' class. (The tax on done in New York, where it has always been done,

20c tickets is 3c. We get 17c. The tax on 25c tickets and not in Hollywood, where the reviewers might

is 4c. We get 21c.) be high-pressured, not by the "Churchill group,"

(Ed. Note: The advertisement Mr. Heins refers but by the producers of the pictures. When the

to indicates that he is charging special prices to price a picture will command will depend a great

persons of the Junior class— from 12 to 18 years, deal on the reviews of the trade paper critics, in

20c up to 5 :30, and 25c thereafter.) cases where the exhibitors cannot attend the show-

"Admission tickets and not double-features have bigs themselves it is natural for these producers to

kept the folks at home, even when the pictures are ,liakc every cffort to >»<b-icnce the judgment of

good » these critics.

Mr. Heins is right relative to charging young Harrison's Reports calls on the distributors to

girls, like young men, a price between the children's ^SCind their decision aboul showing the pictures

and the adults' prices, but this paper questions his brst in 1 EoUywood. I heir failure to give the New

remark about double bills. There are many evi- {Continued on hist Page)

110

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 12, 1941

"I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island" with
Sally Eilers, Donald Woods and
Edward Ciannelli

(Columbia, June 30; time, 71 min.)

A minor program melodrama, based on a routine plot,
and developed according to formula. It is lacking in sur-
prise twists, and even in excitement, for most of the story
is told by dialogue instead of by action. Only in the closing
scenes is one held in some suspense. The background of the
prison island is familiar also: —

Donald Woods, first mate on a ship bound for New
York, and his pals arc happy when the ship stops at a small
French port during carnival time. They arc given shore
leave to have a good time. Woods is attracted to Sally
Eilers, who was sitting alone and crying. He cheers her
up and asks her to spend the evening with him. She tells
him that she was married to an important official but that
she was very unhappy. By the end of the evening they are
in love with each other. Woods decides to leave the ship
so as to stay with Miss Eilers and help her obtain a divorce.
In a quarrel with his Captain, he strikes and accidentally
kills him. For this he is sentenced to three years on Devil's
Island. Miss Eilers' husband (Edward Ciannelli), who
had been appointed doctor for the island, insists that Miss
Eilers accompany him there ; she goes only because Woods
would be there. Ciannelli and the prison commander make
plans to get easy money. For one thing, they sell to private
dealers their year's supply of medicines belonging to the
government. But trouble starts when an epidemic breaks
out at the prison and no medicine is available ; the doctor
himself is stricken, and while delirious confesses about the
medicine. Woods and a kindly guard rush to the mainland
where they force the drug dealer to return the medicine to
them. With this they stop the epidemic and save the doctor.
The graft and corruption is exposed to the governor.
Ciannelli is killed trying to escape. Woods is pardoned, and
he and Miss Eilers are married.

Osso and Edgar Van Eyss wrote the story, and Karl
Brown, the screen play. Lew Landers directed it. In the
cast are Victor Kilian, Charles Halton, Dick Curtis, John
Tyrrell, and Robert Warwick.

"Hello Sucker" with Hugh Herbert,
Tom Brown and Peggy Moran

(Universal, July 11 ; time, 60 min.)

An inoffensive program picture. The efforts devoted to
it deserved a better story. Those who like Hugh Herbert's
particular type of comedy should enjoy it pretty well, since
the picture will not, in all probabilities, be seen in any
theatre except as the second part of a second-rate bill. A
. mildly interesting romance is shown : —

In answer to a glowing advertisement, Tom Brown, a
small-town fellow, arrives at the bier city and buys a broken-
down vaudeville agency. When he goes to the office the
following morning to start the day going, he finds Peggy
Moran, also from a small-town, trying to do the same
thing. By comparing notes, they come to the realization that
they had been "gypped." Hugh Herbert had been thrown in
with the outfit. So the three try to do the best they can
with a difficult situation. They get jobs in different estab-
lishments demonstrating things. Since each drew crowds in
his type of work, they believe they could be more successful
if they used vaudeville acts with which to draw crowds to
the windows. Their venture is successful and in a short
time they become prosperous. Meanwhile Peggy's small-
town sweetheart comes to town and in a short time she is
given an opportunity to find out how small was her small-
town sweetheart, and how big was Tom. Thus the two
become partners, not only in business, but also in life.

Edward Kline produced it under the supervision of Ken
Goldsmith. Walter Cattlet, Lewis Howard and June Storey
are three other members of the cast.

"Passage from Hongkong" with
Lucille Fairbanks and Keith Douglas

(Warner Bros., June 21 ; time, 61 min.)

A minor program picture. There are two strikes against
it : for one thing, it lacks players whose names mean any-
thing at the box-office ; for another, the story is a rather
juvenile concoction of melodrama and comedy, lacking in
adult appeal. Even the romance is routine : —

Americans in Singapore are warned by the American
Consul to leave as soon as possible. Lucille Fairbanks and
her aunt (Marjorie Gateson) try to obtain passage to
America, but they are unsuccessful. Keith Douglas, another
stranded American, who had fallen in love with Miss Fair-
banks at first sight, tries to offer his services to them, but
they refuse to talk to him. Discouraged, lie inserts an ad
in a newspaper asking Miss Fairbanks to call him. She
replies by an ad asking him to write her five letters and if

she found them interesting she would see him. In his letters
he tells her a thrilling tale about how he had become in-
volved in a murder. Feeling sorry for Douglas, Miss Fair-
banks is unhappy, for she felt that Douglas needed help.
Just then Miss Gateson informs her she had obtained pas-
sage for them. But she soon finds out that Douglas wasn't
in trouble at all, and that he had made up the story to win
her attention. She decides to teach him a lesson. With the
aid of the police inspector and the very man Douglas had
claimed had been murdered, Miss Fairbanks works out a
plot whereby Douglas appears as a murderer. Not until
he had been properly frightened does she admit to him that
it had all been a joke. By this time they are in love, and
arrange to go back to the United States together.

Earl Derr Biggers wrote the story, and Fred Niblo, Jr.,
the screen play ; D. Ross Lederman directed it, and William
Jacobs produced it. In the cast are Richard Ainley, Paul
Cavanaugh, Gloria Holden, Lumsden Hare, and others.

"The Bride Came C.O.D." with Bette Davis
and James Cagney

(Warner Bros., July 12; time, 92 min.)

With two such strong drawing names as BeUe Davis
and James Cagney, this picture should do very good busi-
ness. It is a lightweight comedy, amiably acted by the two
leading players. Several of the situations are extremely
comical, others mildly pleasant. It is the type of picture that,
lacking a substantial plot, depends for its appeal on indi-
vidual situations and good performances. At any rate, it is
a relief to see Miss Davis in a comedy for a change : —

Stuart Erwin, radio commentator, in order to get a
scoop, arranges for band leader Jack Carson to elope with
Miss Davis, daughter of a millionaire oil man. He charters
a private plane owned by Cagney to take them to Las Vegas
for the ceremony. Cagney, in need of money to pa f off the
balance due on the plane, calls Miss Davis' father Eugene
Pallette), and arranges with him to bring Mi; s Davis
home unmarried, for which Pallette would giv : him a
substantial sum of money. He manages to get Ca son and
Erwin away from Miss Davis, and he sets off al <ne with
her in the plane. She is furious and even attempts to jump
out, but he stops her. The plane crashes in the desert, near
a ghost town inhabited by only one man (Harry Daven-
port). Miss Davis makes Davenport believe that Cagney
had kidnapped her, and he puts him in the broken down
jail. Later he finds out the truth and releases him. In the
meantime, Carson and Erwin in one plane, and Pallette in
another, start out to find the pair. Miss Davis and Cagney
get lost in an old mine ; even though he knew the way out
he pretended that it was the end for them. She confesses
that she had fallen in love with him ; but, upon learning
that he had tricked her, she is again enraged. To spite
him, she marries Carson when he arrives with a judge. She
later regrets this, and to her relief finds out that, since the
judge was from Nevada and the marriage took place in
California, the ceremony was not binding. She and Cagney
are joyfully united.

Kenneth Earl and M. M. Musselman wrote the story,
and Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein, the screen play ; Wil-
liam Keighley directed it, and William Cagney produced
it. In the cast are George Tobias, William Frawley, and
Edward Brophy.

"The Gang's All Here" with Frankie Darro,
Marcia Mae Jones, Jackie Moran
and Mantan Moreland

(Monogram, June 11 ; time, 61 min.)

A mild program melodrama. It is based on a routine plot,
and is developed in so obvious a fashion that it gives the
spectator few surprises. The only excitement the picture
offers is in the scenes on the road showing the villains
hijacking trucks; otherwise, nothing happens to thrill one.
The comedy, too, is of the routine type that has been used
in the other pictures in which Mantan Moreland has ap-
peared with Frankie Darro : —

Darro and his pal (Mantan Moreland) accept positions
as truck drivers for the trucking firm owned by Robert
Homans ; they were unaware of the fact that Homans was
involved in an insurance swindle whereby his trucks were
being smashed and his drivers killed. An attempt is made
to hijack the truck driven by Darro and to push him off
the road ; but his skill as a driver prevents the criminals
from carrying out their plans, and he carries through his
assignment untouched. Darro, Miss Jones, and Moran
finally discover the fraud, and learn that Homans had been
made a part of it against his will. The criminals try to
kidnap them, but are outwitted. They are rounded up.

Edmond Kelso wrote the screen play, Jean Yarbrough
directed it, and Lindsley Parsons produced it. In the cast
are Irving Mitchell and Ed Cassidy.

HARRISON'S REPORTS ill

July 12, 1941

"Puddin' Head" with Judy Canova,
Francis Lederer, Raymond Walburn and
Eddie Foy, Jr.

(Republic, June 25 ; time, 79 min.)

Where Judy Canova is popular, there is no reason why
"Puddin' Head" should not go over well. She goes through
her customary antics, singing and clowning in a way that
is familiar to her followers. The story, as usual, does not
make such sense, and lacks appeal for class audiences, but
it provides several situations that are pretty comical ; and
the production values are good. Moreover, Miss Canova is
given able support by a cast of competent players : —

When Raymond Walburn, scatter-brained vice-president
of the United Broadcasting System, discovers that, through
an error on his part, the company's new building was
standing on one foot of ground owned by some one else, he
is horrified. His equally scatter-brained son (Eddie Foy,
Jr.) suggests that they visit Miss Canova, a hill-billy girl
who had inherted the property, so as to try to buy it from
her. She had not even known that she owned the property,
and is delighted to hear of it, for she had always wanted to
live in the city. Instead of selling it to them, she decides to
move there with her uncle (Slim Summerville) , the cows,
chickens, and pigs, and to live in the rickety old house that
stood on the property. Walburn is afraid to tell his stern
sister (Alma Kruger), president of the company, about his
troubles. Instead he and his son engage Francis Lederer, an
impoverished Prince, to persuade Miss Canova to sell.
Lederer conceives the idea of leading Miss Canova to be-
lieve that she would be given a lucrative radio contract and
so induce her to spend money lavishly. In that way she would
get into debt and be forced to sell. Through an accident,
however, her voice actually does go over the air. The broad-
casting company's most important client hears her and in-
sists that she be given a contract for his program. Thus
everything is cleared up — Miss Canova receives a good con-
tract, and she, in turn, gives her land to the broadcasting
company.

Jack Townlcy wrote the story, and he and Milt Gross,
the screen play ; Joseph Santley directed it, and Albert J.
Cohen produced it. In the cast are Astrid Allwyn, Hugh
O'Connell, Chick Chandler, Paul Harvey, and others.

"Dance Hall" with Cesar Romero
and Carole Landis

(20//i Century-Fox, July 18; time, 73 min.)
A moderately entertaining program picture. There's
nothing unusual to the story, yet it has fair adult mass
appeal because of "wise-cracks," (some of which is a little
suggestive), interpolations of popular music, and good
performances by the leading players. There is comedy and
romance : —

Carole Landis, a singer from New York, arrives at a
dance hall in Pennsylvania managed by Cesar Romero ;
she had been engaged to sing with the band. Romero, who
was popular with the ladies, finds it difficult to impress
Miss Landis, and is annoyed. This annoyance is intensified
when Miss Landis takes away all his money in a dice game.
One evening she relents and goes for an automobile ride
with him. Having begun to like him she permits him to
kiss her. He embarrasses her by laughing at her and stating
that she was just like all the other girls. Annoyed, she
jumps out of the car and starts walking home. She is picked
up by J. Edward Rrombcrg, a kindly salesman, who takes
her home. Thereafter he calls nightly at the dance hall to
hear her sing, and to sit and talk with her. By this time
Romero is jealous and in love with Miss Landis. She goes
out with him again ; they drive out to the country. She
makes him confess that he loved her. While he was talking,
she sneaks off in the car, giving him a taste of his own
medicine, for he is compelled to walk home. Romero, who
had lost a large sum of money gambling and was unable
to meet the debt, borrows from William Henry, one of his
musicians, all his savings to pay this debt ; he did not know
that Henry had intended using the money to go to New
York to have his music published. When Miss Landis
tells him of this, he is determined to get the money back
for Henry ; he runs a crooked lottery which he himself
wins. This money he returns to Henry and sends him on
his way to New York. But the crowd had found out about
the crooked machine and were enraged. They attack
Romero; he is finally rescued by the police and put in jail.
Brombcrg, who realized that Miss Landis was in love with
Romero, returns the lottery money, and Romero is freed.
Romero and Miss Landis are finally united.

W. R. Burnett wrote the story, and Stanley Rauh and
Ethel Hill, the screen play; Irving Pichel directed it, and
Sol M. Wurtzcl produced it. In the cast are Charles Halton,
June Storey, Shimen Ruskin, William Ilaade, and others.

"Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper

(Warner-\st Nat'l., tel. date not set; time, 133 min.)

Excellent entertainment. The exploits of Sergeant York
during the last World War in wiping out a nest of machine
guns and capturing single-handed 132 Germans is some-
thing that Americans remember and will want to see enacted
on the screen. But it is not alone the war scenes that make
this picture the fine entertainment that it is ; the first half
showing York's life on his Tennessee farm is engrossing : —
his struggles to eke out a living under trying circumstances,
his family life and romance, how he found religion, are all
told in a simple but deeply-moving style. Colorful, too, are
the characterizations of his Tennessee neighbors, and their
amusing actions both in play and business. The picture is
timely in the extreme ; without preachment, it pays a fine
tribute to patriotism, making one proud to be an American,
Mr. Cooper has never done better acting. Margaret Wych-
erly, as the mother, does a fine bit of acting. As a matter
of fact, every one of the players does well.

Alvin C. York (Cooper), his mother (Margaret Wych-
erly), brother George (Dickie Moore), and sister Rosie
(June Lockhart) all work hard on their mountain farm.
Alvin occasionally lets loose by drinking too much with
some of his friends. But once he meets Gracie Williams
(Joan Leslie), his one ambition is to own better farm land
to make a place for himself so that he could marry her.
Pastor Rosier Pile (Walter Brennan) in vain tries to talk
to York religion. One night York, heartbroken at the loss
of farm property a neighbor had promised to sell him, for
which he had worked night and day, sets out to kill the
neighbor. A storm breaks out and lightning strikes the
rifle, knocking it from his hands. To York this was a
symbolic sign and he becomes a religious man. When
America declares war, he becomes a conscientious objector
for, according to his religion, to kill another man was a sin.
His appeal for exemption is denied and he goes to camp.
A talk with his commanding officer and a reading of the
history of the United States makes York realize that it
was necessary to defend his country. York distinguishes
himself as a great hero when, in October, 1918, at the
Argonne, he single-handed wipes out a machine gun nest,
killing at least twenty Germans and capturing 132 others.
When he is decorated, he states he had been impelled to
do it to prevent more killings. With the war over, York
returns to his home in Tennessee, where, to his joy, he
finds a farm and home ready for him ; it had been presented
to him by the people of the State of Tennessee.

Abem Finkel, Harry Chandlce, Howard Koch, and John
Huston wrote the screen play from the diary of Sergeant
York. Howard Hawks directed it, and Jesse Lasky and Hal
B. Wallis produced it. Others in the cast are Stanley
Ridges, George Tobias, Ward Bond, Noah Beery, Jr.

"Bachelor Daddy" with Baby Sandy,
Edward Everett Horton and Donald Woods

(Universal, July 3; time, 60 min.)

Not even the "cuteness" of Baby Sandy and the fact that
she now talks can do much for this program farce. It is
based on so ridiculous a plot, and the situations are so
forced, that, instead of entertaining one, it is simply annoy-
ing. The only possible audience this may please is the
followers of the "Baby Sandy" pictures ; but they will have
to like her very much to overlook the triteness of the plot : —

When Kathryn Adams is arrested for peddling candy
without a license, she, fearing that the authorities might
learn she had a child (Baby Sandy), gives another name.
Since she did not have enough money to pay her bail, she
is compelled to remain at the jail. The judge, knowing
that, when she gave him her name as "Smith," she was tell-
ing an untruth, chides her for using that name since there
were honorable people who had that name, such as the three
brother-bachelors who lived at his club. She sends a letter
to the club addressed to Mr. Smith telling him that "their"
child was alone and needed some one to take care of her.
The three brothers (Horton, Woods, and Raymond Wal-
burn) rush to the house and take Baby Sandy back to their'
hotel. The trouble then starts. As soon as Miss Adams is
released she rushes to the club and manages to net to the
brothers' apartment, even though it was against the rule
for women to enter the place. Her presence is misunder-
stood by Evelyn Ankers, Woods' fiancee, whose Father
(Jed Prouty) was about to merge his candy business with
that owned by Woods and his brothers. The deal is called
off. By giving the brothers a new recipe for candy, destined
to put their business back on its feet. Miss Adams saves
the day. By this time Woods is in love with her, and gives
up Miss Ankers to mai n Mis^ Adams.

Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo wrote the screen play,
Harold Young directed it, and Hurt Kelly produced it In
the cast are Franklin Pans-horn, Ilardie Albright, Gcorgt*-
Meader, Bert Roach, and others.

112

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 12, 1941

York critics the same break will indicate that they
fear to subject their product to their critical judg-
ment.

* * *

ANOTHER MAJOR COMPANY has an-
nounced that it will sell its pictures either singly
or in groups of five — Twentieth Century-Fox. So
stated recently Herman Wobber, general sales
manager of that company.

As stated repeatedly in these columns, Harri-
son's Reports believes that all the big pictures
will be sold singly, and only the inferior pictures
will be sold in groups of five. Thus the big pictures
will be subjected to the critical judgment, not only
of the exhibitors, either directly or through their
favorite trade paper critics, but also of the public.

The smaller exhibitor is destined to derive great
benefits, for he will have a chance to learn how a
picture fared at the box office before saying to the
salesman, "yes !" The exhibitors of earlier runs
will derive benefit, not only by the fact that they
will have a chance to see what they are buying, but
also of correcting their judgment as to prices and
terms when they find out that they had paid for the
first groups more money than the pictures deserved.
Consequently, they will be "well armed" when
they are approached by the salesman for the pur-
chase of the subsequent groups.

Can any one doubt that the producers will have
to put forth their best efforts in improving the qual-
ity of their pictures ? It will mean millions of dollars
each year one or the other way. Will they be so
blind as to allow the continuance of the present
system when they see millions slipping out of their
hands ?

As to Universal, Columbia and United Artists,
which have so far refused to change their selling
policies, how long will they continue to sell their
pictures under the old system unless they offer to
the exhibitors pictures that vie in quality and box
office worth with the pictures of the major com-
panies ?

* * *

"EVERY BRANCH OF THE INDUSTRY
has bemoaned," says Bill Wilkerson in the July 2
issue of his Hollyzvood Reporter, "the death of
the 'picture habit' — the activity of that great mass
of entertainment seekers who formerly got up from
their dinner table two or three nights a week and
went to the movies. . . ."

Mr. Wilkerson then goes on to explain that the
fault for the loss of that habit by a great mass of
picture-goers is owed to no one else but the motion
picture industry itself — producers, distributors, ex-
hibitors — "by its lying on pictures, its double-
dealing ; its overselling and its underselling. . . ."
"And when the business dropped," he continues,
"the boys tried to lure them back with more over-
selling; more promises of quality that generally
did not exist, but the audiences wouldn't be lured.
They were wised up, were too smart, so they con-
tinued to stay away and away and away, and now
even do so on good shows. . . ."

True words are these, but Mr. Wilkerson seems
to forget that, as far as the exhibitor is concerned,
he works with the tools that are furnished him by
the producers. He does not write the press sheets
that contain "readers" which praise the pictures
in glowing terms, even if the picture is not worth
showing, and which the producer expects him to

use in an effort to draw to the box office more
patrons.

I have known exhibitors who boosted their box
office receipts by hanging outside the box office a
sign reading, "Don't come in today — picture poor."
Their patrons liked the novelty of being fore-
warned, and they went in just the same. But per-
manent business cannot be built merely by the
exhibitor's telling the truth to the public ; the nov-
elty soon wears out and people go to such theatres
then only when the pictures are good.

The improvement of the box office rests in the
hands chiefly of the producers.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"THREE GIRLS ABOUT TOWN," with
Joan Blondell, John Howard, Binnie Barnes, Rob-
ert Bcnchley, Janet Blair, Eric Blore. Pretty good
cast, with similar box-office possibilities.

"ROARING FRONTIERS," with Bill Elliott.
Western.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"WHEN LADIES MEET," with Joan Craw-
ford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Herbert Mar-
shall, Spring Byington. Very good possibilities.

"NEW YORK STORY," with Edward G.
Robinson, Edward Arnold, Laraine Day, Marsha
Hunt, William Orr. Good cast.

Monogram

"DYNAMITE CANYON," with Tom Keene.
Western.

Paramount

"THE REMARKABLE ANDREW," with
William Holden, Brian Donlevy, Ellen Drew, Rod
Cameron, Porter Hall. Pretty good cast.

Republic

"FROM RAGS TO RICHES," with Alan Bax-
ter, Mary Carlisle, Jerome Cowan, Eddie Acuff.
Good program possibilities.

RKO

"OBLIGING YOUNG LADY," with Joan
Carroll, Edmond O'Brien, Richard Carlson, Ruth
Warrick. Little Joan Carroll has received a great
deal of publicity lately because of the good show-
ing she made in the Broadway play "Panama Hat-
tie." The players mentioned to appear with her in
this picture are pretty good.

United Artists

"TANKS A MILLION," with James Gleason,
William Tracy, Noah Beery, Jr., Elyse Knox,
Douglas Fowley. Good program players.

Universal

"HELLZAPOPPIN'," with Olsen and John-
son, Martha Raye, Jane Frazee, Mischa Auer. The
popularity of the play from which this is to be
adapted and of Olsen and Johnson should insure
good box-office returns for this picture.

"BADLANDS OF DAKOTA," with Brod
Crawford, Hugh Herbert, Andy Devine. Program
action.

"RIDE 'EM COWBOY," with Bud Abbott and
Lou Costello, Dick Foran, Anne Gwynne, Leo Car-
rillo, The Merry Macs. There is no reason why
this should not meet with the success of the pre-
vious Abbott and Costello pictures.

Entered as Secbrid-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at ;New York, New York, tindef the act of March 3, 187*

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1941 No. 29

HERE AND THERE

THE FIRST TRADESHOWING in this city took
place Monday morning, July 14, at the Broadway Theatre,
where "Parachute Battalion," the RKO picture, was shown.

I expected that a big number of exhibitors would attend,
but there were no more than fifty persons, including some
trade paper critics.

If one is to judge by the lack of exhibitor enthusiasm at
this first tradeshowing, the exhibitors of this territory
have decided to obtain their information as to whether a
picture is good, fair or poor, and what its box-office possi-
bilities are, from the trade-paper critics.

Harrison's Reports will exert its best efforts to give
the service that the exhibitors must have.

* * *

THE MATTER OF REVIEWING seems to have
been decided in favor of the trade-paper critics instead of
the critics of the lay press. The distributors in New York
have resolved that the pictures will be shown to the trade-
paper critics first, and the lay-press critics are to see a pic-
ture not before the opening light at the theatres.

The latest producer decision seems to have upset the
Hollywood newspaper correspondents, but it seems as if
some attention has been pa d to the exhibitor protests on
the ground that, if the pictu es were to be shown to the lay
critics long before the pictures started their run, the public
would be influenced by the .noods of these correspondents,
or of the regular newspaper critics, and thus the box-office
value of the pictures would diminish.

It is a wise decision.

* * *

MR. PHIL CHALERES, manager of the Majestic,
Springfield, Ohio, has sent a letter to Frank Capra calling
inaccurate the statement that Pete Wood, manager of the
Ohio exhibitor organization, made to Mr. Capra, in a
letter, which was printed in the June 4 issue of Harrison's
Reports, to the effect that the Capra picture "Meet John
Doe" was shown along with two other features, "Rookies
on Parade" and "So Ends Our Night."

Mr. Chaleres states that "Meet John Doe" was shown
with the two pictures in question only at the preview night,
and at no other time.

Even at that, showing a picture of "Meet John Doe"
caliber along with two other features is an abuse, the prac-
tice of which should be discontinued. If the showing of two
features on the same bill is bad for the business, showing
three features is worse, even if they are shown only at a
preview.

* * *

THE PRESS SHEET ON the RKO picture "Para-
chute Battalion" contains a few hints that might help the
picture. Arranging for the personal appearance of a local
aviator to describe briefly the sensation a parachute jumper
feels when jumping off the plane is one of them. Arranging
luncheons for this aviator with local civic organizations is
another. (But not all exhibitors can carry out these two
suggestions.) Obtaining the cooperation of the American
Legion Posts and of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is an-
other helpful suggestion. There are a few other fairly good
suggestions and some others that are not so practical.

Among the press-sheet readers is one that discloses the
fact that the parachute troops were invented, not by the
Germans, nor by the Russians, but by an American — Tug
Wilson, Warrant Officer at Fort Benuing. A story around
this officer — of his efforts to persuade U. S. Army men to
establish a body of Parachute Troops, would be, in the
opinion of this paper, very effective. It would appeal to
the pride of Americans. But the facts given in the press

sheet are not enough to enable an exhibitor either to write
or to have some one write a good-size story around this
officer — big enough to create a deep impression.

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES

The previous box-office performances were published in
the May 10 issue.

Columbia

"The Great Swindle" : Fair-Poor.

"Penny Serenade" : Excellent-Good.

"Under Age" : Good-Poor.

"The Big Boss" : Good-Poor.

"They Dare Not Love" : Good-Fair.

"Her First Beau" : Fair-Poor.

"She Knew All the Answers" : Good-Fair.

"Naval Academy" : Fair-Poor.

"Adventure in Washington" : Good-Fair.

Twenty-nine pictures, excluding the westerns, have been
checked. Grouping the pictures from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results : Excellent-Good, 1 ;
Very Good- Fair, 1 ; Good-Fair, 8; Good-Poor, 4; Fair, 1;
Fair-Poor, 14.

First National

"Shadows on the Stairs" : Fair-Poor. ^
"Knockout" : Fair-Poor.
"Strange Alibi" : Fair-Poor.
"Wagons Roll At Night" : Good-Fair.
"Affectionately Yours" : Good-Fair.
"Singapore Woman" : Good-Poor.
"Shining Victory" : Good-Fair.
"Out of the Fog" : Good-Fair.

Nineteen pictures have been checked. Grouping the pic-
tures from the beginning of the season, we get the follow-
ing results: Excellent-Very Good, 1; Very Good-Fair, 4;
Good-Fair, 6; Good- Poor, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 7.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"The Bad Man" : Good.

"Men of Boys Town" : Very Good-Good. ^

"Washington Melodrama" : Good-Poor.

"Ziegfeld Girl" : Very Good-Good.

"People vs. Dr. Kildare": Good-Fair.

"A Woman's Face" : Very Good-Good.

"I'll Wait for You": Fair-Poor.

"Love Crazy" : Very Good-Good.

"Billy the Kid" : Very Good-Good.

"The Get-Away" : Good-Poor.

Thirty-seven pictures have been checked. Grouping the
pictures from the beginning of the season, we get the fol-
lowing results: Excellent-Very Good, 2; Excellent-Good,
2 ; Very Good-Good, 7 ; Good, 2 ; Good-Fair, 1 1 ; Good-
Poor, 3; Fair, 3; Fair-Poor, 5; Poor, 2.

Paramount

"The Road to Zanzibar" : Excellent- Very Good. J

"Border Vigilantes" : Good-Poor.

"Power Dive": Good-Poor.

"Reaching for the Sun" : Good-Fair.

"There's Magic in Music": Fair.

"Pirates on Horseback": Good-Poor.

"I Wanted Wings": Very Good-Good.

"One Night in Lisbon": Very Good-Good.

"West Point Widow": Good-Poor.

Thirty-five pictures have been checked. Grouping the pic-
tures from the beginning of the season, we set the following
results: Excellent-Very Good, 1 : Kxeellcnt-( iood, 2: \'er>
Good-Good, 4; Good, 1; Good-Fair, 6; Good-Poor, 9;
Fair, 4 ; Fair-Poor, 8.

114

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 19, 1941

"Here Is a Man" with Edward Arnold,
Walter Huston, James Craig
and Anne Shirley

(RKO, 1941-42 release; time, 105 min.)

Technically and artistically this is very fine. But the
story isn't very attractive ; it has been presented in an
allegorical form, and for that reason alone it will be
limited in its appeal to class audiences. The moral it points
out — that no American should sell for material gains his
soul, his love of freedom, or his sympathy for his neighbor,
is noble. Yet the manner in which it is presented, for all its
novelty, tends to depress one, for the characters are either
struggling with their consciences throughout, or going
through unhappy incidents, or fighting against bad luck.
There are a few light touches, but these are not enough to
offset the gloominess. The most stirring scene is in the end
where Edward Arnold, portraying Daniel Webster, makes
a fine speech to regain the hero's soul : —

It is the year 1840, in New Hampshire. James Craig, his
young wife (Anne Shirley ) , and his mother (Jane Har-
well) live happily on their farm; but things begin to go
wrong and Craig is beset by troubles — a mortgage on his
farm, ruined crops, and other hard luck. He cries out that
his troubles were enough to make him sell his soul to the
devil. No sooner does he utter these words than the devil,
in the person of Walter Huston, appears; he strikes with
Craig a bargain to make him a rich man, but at the end of
seven years he was to give him his soul. With the gold,
Craig is able to pay off the town miser, who held the mort-
gage. The miser is shocked, for he recognizes it as devil's
gold, for which he himself had sold his soul. The seven
years that follow change Craig to a selfish, heartless man;
he had turned from his wife and child to a young girl
(Simone Simon), a friend of the devil's. Miss Shirley
appeals to Arnold (Daniel Webster) for help. When the
time comes for Craig to give up his soul he realizes the
wrong he had done and is remorseful. Arnold comes to his
help. In a court consisting of a judge and jury of "dead"
notorious American traitors, he sways them by his oratory
and wins freedom for Craig. After that, Craig becomes the
same good person he once was.

The plot was based on the story "The Devil and Daniel
Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet. He and Dan Totheroh
wrote the screen play, and William Dieterle directed and
produced it. In the cast art Gene Lockhart, John Qualen
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Tom, Dick and Harry" with Ginger Rogers,
George Murphy, Alan Marshal
and Burgess Meredith

(RKO, July 4; running time, 86 mitt.)

Pleasant entertainment. It is a light comedy, the laugh-
provoking properties of which are owed to directorial
treatment and to good acting rather than to story. As a
matter of fact, there is hardly any story. A great deal of
the comedy occurs in Ginger Rogers' dreams. At first she
dreams that she had married George Murphy and that she
had several little Murphys. As the children Mr. Kanin,
the director, used Mr. Murphy himself, making him look
little by double photography. The same is true of Miss
Rogers' dream about Burgess Meredith. Objection may
be found by some patrons to the fact that Ginger Rogers
violates the prevailing moral code : it is she who accosts
Meredith first, and Marshal afterwards. But since the pic-
ture is a comedy the majority of picture-goers will un-
doubtedly overlook this breach of etiquette : —

The steady "date" of Ginger Rogers, a small-town tele-
phone operator, is Murphy, an ambitious automobile sales-
man, but she has dreams of marrying Marshal, a wealthy
young aristocrat, whose picture she had seen in the papers.
In front of the building where she worked, she sees Mar-
shal's car and, thinking that Meredith, an auto mechanic
who was driving it, was Marshal, enters it. Meredith drives
her home. After learning who he was, she still keeps com-
pany with him. Through the fact that Meredith knew Mar-
shal, Ginger meets Marshal. He takes her out and gives her
a fine time, while Murphy and Burgess were waiting for her
in front of her house. When Marshal brings her home
around midnight, the two object to her being away with
Marshal, but she bids them appear the following morning
after breakfast, at which time she would decide whom she
would choose as a husband. For a while, it seemed as if
she would marry wealth, but in the end she chooses pov-
erty— Meredith.

The story and screen play is by Paul Jarrico ; it was pro-
duced by Robert Sisk. Joe Cunningham, Jane Seymour,
Lenore Lonergan and others are in the supporting cast.

Good for the entire family.

"Manpower" with Edward G. Robinson,
Marlene Dietrich and George Raft

( IV anier, Aug. 9 ; time, 104 min.)
A rowdy, tough melodrama, the kind that should appeal
more to men than to women. In 1937, Warner Bros, pro-
duced "Slim," a melodrama in which there was employed
the same background — that of high-tension power line
work. The story has, however, been changed, but the re-
sults are not better. "Slim" was not only a little more
thrilling, but it was a pleasanter entertainment, for there
was no enmity between the two men at any time because
of the heroine. In "Manpower" a typical triangle twist
causes a rift in the relationship of two friends resulting in
the death of one of them. The scenes that show the men at
work on the high-tension power lines still afford one a
thrill ; particularly exciting are the closing scenes, in which
the hero tries to kill his pal. There is plentiful comedy, of
the rough type ; it is provoked by the conversation of the
tough men : —

Edward G. Robinson, foreman of the power line gang,
of which he had once been an active worker until he was
injured and grounded, falls in love with Marlene Dietrich.
Even though he knew she had served a year in prison and
worked in a clip joint, he felt sorry for her; eventually he
marries her, much to the disgust of his pal (George Raft).
She tries her best to make Robinson happy. When Raft is
injured, Robinson insists that he be brought to his home,
so that Miss Dietrich could look after him. She falls in
love with Raft, and she so tells him; being true to Robin-
son, he leaves. When Robinson is called away with his gang
on a dangerous assignment, Miss Dietrich decides to leave
him. She goes to her former employee for a reference letter
to some one in Chicago. While she is at the club, the place
is raided and she is arrested. Raft learns of this and, wish-
ing to spare Robinson sorrow, pays her bail and insists that
she go to the camp to see Robinson. She confesses all to
Robinson, who, thinking that Raft had double-crossed him,
sets out to kill him. In a fight atop one of the pewer lines,
Robinson falls to his death. Raft and Miss Dietrich are
united.

Richard Macaulay and Jerry Wald wrote the screen
play, Raoul Walsh directed it, and Mark Hellinger was
associate producer. Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Egon
Brecher, Ward Bond, and Eve Arden are in the cast.

Not suitable for children or adolescents.

"Accent on Love" with George Montgom-
ery, Osa Massen and J. Carrol Naish

(2Gth Century-Fox, July 11; time, 61 min.)

Lacking names of box-office value and a substantial plot,
this picture is just a fair human-interest comedy of pro-
gram grade. The story is unbelievable; moreover it is
developed without any novel twists. The only outstanding
thing is the performances. These are superior to the mate-
rial. As entertainment, it is suitable for the family trade
in small towns and neighborhood theatres : —

George Montgomery, married to wealthy Cobina Wright,
Jr., who treated him with contempt, is tired not only of
his unhappy marriage but also of his job with her father
(Thurston Hall). Eager to do some real manual labor, he
joins a WPA crew digging ditches. The foreman (J. Carrol
Naish) takes an interest in Montgomery, and insists that
he go home with him, for he believed that Montgomery
had no money or home of his own. Naish's wife and son
like Montgomery, although the son (Stanley Clements)
tried to act tough at first. Montgomery becomes acquainted
with Naish's neighbors, and leads a happy life, particularly
after he meets and falls in love with Osa Massen, who
lived in the same house. Learning that the house in which
Naish lived, along with many others in the neighborhood,
were badly in need of repairs and were a menace to the
health of the tenants, and that all the buildings were owned
by Hall, Montgomery goes to see him, without disclosing
to any one his connection with Hall. Through a ruse he
gets Hall to go with him to inspect the houses ; he has Hall
dress in laborer's clothes and pose as a down-and-out
friend of his. Since no one had ever seen Hall, the plan
works. When Naish and the others accidentally learn who
Montgomery was they are unhappy, for they felt he was a
spy of Hall's. But Hall sets them straight, promising to
do everything Montgomery asked of him. Moreover he
tells Montgomery he had ordered Miss Wright to go to
Reno for a divorce so that Montgomery could marry Miss
Massen.

Dalton Trumbo wrote the story, and John Larkin, the
screen play. Ray McCarey directed it, and Walter Morosco
and Ralph Dietrich produced it. In the cast are Minerva
Urecal, Irving Bacon, Leonard Carey, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

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July 19, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

115

"Parachute Battalion" with Robert Preston,
Nancy Kelly, Edmond O'Brien
and Harry Carey

(RKO, 1941-42 release; 88 win.)

From the production point of view, it is a very good pic-
ture. The players make their parts so real that one is made
to feel as if present before life incidents. From the box
office point of view, however, it is a difficult picture. To
begin with, the players, outside of Harry Carey, do not
mean much at the box office. Then the picture is hard to
exploit. The only thing the exhibitor can "harp" on is the
fact that this is the first picture to be woven around para-
chute troops. Perhaps the fact that the employment by
Germany of parachute troops to win several victories has
created enough interest to send a large number of people
to the theatres that will play it. The fact that the picture
shows how parachute troops are trained will help. In any
event, the picture is not the kind that an exhibitor should
be wary about showing. There is mild romantic interest,
but there is lack of emotional appeal : —

Robert Preston, son af wealthy parents, surprises his
father by informing him that lie had enlisted in the Para-
chute Battalion. To this battalion join also Buddy Ebsen,
a good-natured hill-billy, and Edmond O'Brien. The three
become friends. But soon Preston and O'Brien disagree
because of Nancy Kelly, daughter of Harry Carey, para-
chute troop expert. O'Brien was the son of Robert Barrat,
commanding officer, but they had been separated for years.
On the day the new recruits were to make their first jump,
Richard Cromwell becomes so insane with fear that he
pulls a gun and threatens to shoot Carey unless he grounded
the plane. But O'Brien interposes himself between Crom-
well and Carey and saves Carey's life. He is acclaimed as a
hero. But later he confesses to Carey that he, too, was
mortally afraid to make a parachute jump and acquaints
him with his resolve to apply for a transfer to another
service. Carey is heart-broken by this. When his transfer
paper is delivered to him, he is first induced by Carey to
make another flight, so as to please Nancy. While up in
the air, Carey pushes him and both fall off the plane. This
breaks O'Brien's fear spell. A few days later O'Brien saves
Preston's life by crawling out of the cock-pit, going to the
tail of the plane, and cutting O'Brien's parachute ropes,
which had been caught in the rudder. Nancy accepts
O'Brien as her sweetheart.

John Twist and Major Hugh Fite, of the Air Corps,
wrote the story and screen play ; Howard Benedict pro-
duced it, and Leslie Goodwins directed it.

There is nothing morally objectionable in it.

"Lady Be Good" with Eleanor Powell,
Ann Sothern and Robert Young

{MGM, 1941-42 release; time, 111 min.)
MGM has spared no expense in producing this romantic
musical. But the plot is hackneyed ; it is the same old story
of success's going to the hero's head, and of his eventual
regeneration. A great deal of footage is wasted in details.
The best part is the music, which is made up of tuneful
popular melodies, two of them taken from the play of the
same name. The Berry Brothers, the well-known colored
dancers, are standouts in their two numbers ; and Eleanor
Powell executes well her dance routines. Towards the end
there is a large production number, supposedly performed
on a stage, that looks as if it took up at least an acre of
ground : — ■

Ann Sothern, called to testify in her divorce action
against Robert Young, tells her story to the kindly judge
(Lionel Barrymore) : she had taken an interest in Young,
a composer of popular music, when he was down and out.
By collaborating — that is, she as the lyric writer and he as
the composer — they had become successful and eventually
had married. But success and good times witli the wrong
sort of people had gone to Young's head and he had become
too lazy to work; and so Miss Sothern had left him. She
obtains her divorce. Young is lost without her. He tele-
phones and asks her to see him. They start working on a
song, and again the team turns out a winner. Hut Miss
Sothern keeps their relationship strictly on a business
basis. Her best friend (Miss Powell) thinks of a way to
make Young jealous; she leads him to believe that John
Carroll, a radio singer, was in love with Miss Sothern, when
in reality she and Carroll were in love with each other.
The plan works; Young proposes and Miss Sothern, unable
to resist him, marries him again. Thirty minutes after the
ceremony, Miss Sothern learns that Young had no inten-
tion of settling down to hard work, and they part. Rose
Hobart, a society woman, turns Young's head by making
him believe that he was talented enough to compose a sym-
phony. Miss Sothern enters suit for another divorce but

her plea is denied. Young finally sees the error of his ways,
and there is a reconciliation.

Jack McGowan wrote the story, and he, Kay Van Riper
and John McClain, the screen play; Norman Z. McLcod
directed it, and Arthur Freed produced it. In the cast are
Red Skclton, Virginia O'Brien, Reginald Owen, and Connie
Russell.

Suitable for all.

"Barnacle Bill" with Wallace Beery,
Marjorie Main and Virginia Weidler

(MGM, July 4; time, 91 min.)

Audiences will have to be exceedingly fond of Wallace
Beery to enjoy this picture, for most of the action centers
around him. Moreover, his portrayal of a lazy, hard-drink-
ing scamp is so familiar that his antics are not quite as
amusing as they used to be. But the main fault is the fact
that the story is developed by dialogue instead of by action,
with the result that the spectator becomes restless and
somewhat bored. One or two situations provoke laughter
due to amusing characterizations : —

Beery, a San Pedro fisherman, is constantly in debt ; he
was too lazy to work, entrusting most of the labor to his
assistant (Leo Carrillo), and whenever he did work he
would spend his earnings on liquor. His main creditor was
Marjorie Main, grocery store proprietor; her generosity
to him was prompted by the fact that she loved him. When
Beery 's young daughter (Virginia Weidler), whom he had
not seen since infancy, arrives to live with him, he is
touched by her declaration of confidence in him. He induces
Miss Main to take care of her, so that he could take a job
on a tunafishing boat. Beery had had his eye on a large
boat for a long time ; he finally induces Miss Main to lend
him the purchase price. After getting it, his first impulse
was to run away to the South Sea Islands; but when Vir-
ginia expresses sorrow at his selfishness in refusing to help
the other fishermen rid themselves of Barton MacLane,
racketeering fish dealer, as he had promised, he undergoes
a change. He helps put MacLane out of business, at the
same time establishing a prosperous business for himself.
He and Miss Main are married.

Jack Jevne wrote the story, and he and Hugo Butler, the
screen play ; Richard Thorpe directed it, and Milton Bren
produced it. In the cast are Donald Meek, Connie Gilchrist,
Sara Haden, Don Terry, and others.

Suitable for general audiences.

"Hurry, Charlie, Hurry" with Leon Errol

(RKO, July 25 ; time, 65 mitt.)

A moderately entertaining program comedy. The begin-
ning is comical — situations here and there provoke hearty
laughter ; but the remainder is weak, for the story is of the
two-reeler variety, hardly substantial enough for a fea-
ture, with the result that the action drags somewhat. Leon
Errol works hard to keep the audience laughing; but his
antics arc familiar to every one by this time, and so one is
only fairly amused : —

Leon Errol tries to help his daughter (Mildred Coles)
elope with Kenneth Howell; Errol's wife (Cecil Cunning-
ham), a social climher, does not approve of the match.
The plans fail and the elopement is stopped by Miss Cun-
ningham. Instead, she decides to take her daughter to a
fashionable resort to meet a wealthy, socially eligible
young man. Errol, who had no desire to accompany them,
pretends that the vice-president of the United States had
sent him a telegram requesting his presence in Washington.
Miss Cunningham is delighted at the honor. After his
wife's departure, Errol goes off on a fishing trip to Okla-
homa with an old friend. He becomes friends witli three
Indians who shower their attentions on him. Errol goes
back home and is greeted by a welcoming committee and a
band ; they wanted to hear all about his political plans. To
add to his troubles, his three Indian friends arrive to pay
him a visit. He leads his wife to believe that they were part
of his political work in connection witli Indian tribes. Mi-*s
Cunningham insists that he invite the vice-president to a
party. Errol dictates a telegram, which he later destroys;
but his secretary sends the copy off. In the meantime, Errol
arranges for his friend to pose as the vice-president. Com-
plications arise when the friend disappears and Krrol him-
self poses as the vice-president without knowing that

Howell was doing the same in order to help him out. The
final blow comes when the vice-president actually shows up.
Everything is explained to him and he is amused ; lie puts
Errol on his Indian Cotniniltec.

Luke Short wrote the story, and Paul G. Smith, the
screen play; Charles Roberts directed it, and Howard
Benedict produced it. In the east are Eddie Conrad, l.alo
Enemas, George Watts, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

116

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 19, 1941

"The Stars Look Down" with Michael
Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood

(MGM, July 18; time, 98 mm.)

This British-produced picture tells, in stirring fashion,
the plight of the Welsh coal miners, and the personal trag-
edy of one. In spite of the fact that the story is powerful
and at times heart-rending, and that the direction and acting
are excellent, it is doubtful if it will appeal to the Amer-
ican masses. For one thing, only two of the players are
known here ; for another, the poverty and struggles of the
miners and the tragic outcome tend to depress one consid-
erably. Theatres that cater to intelligent audiences, who
desire something unusual in screen fare, should certainly
book this picture : —

Michael Redgrave, descendant of a long line of Welsh
miners, studies and wins an Oxford scholarship. His father
(Edward Kigby) is proud of him, but his mother (Nancy
Price) felt his place was in the mine. Redgrave's one hope
was to fit himself to fight for the rights of the miners.
During a strike started by Rigby, who influenced the men
not to work in one of the mining sections due to danger of
its collapsing under tons of water, the hungry strikers raid
a butcher store. Emlyn Williams, crooked son of one of
the miners, steals the money in the register. His own
father and Rigby are jailed; later they are freed and the
strike is settled. Williams leaves town; he becomes a book-
maker. Since he was having an affair with the wife of a
coal magnate and felt that his landlady's daughter (Mar-
garet Lockwood), whom he had promised to marry, was in
his way, he brings her together with Redgrave, who was
studying at the university. He then runs away. Miss Lock-
wood goes to Redgrave, pretends she loved him, and induces
him to marry her and give up his studies. He takes a teach-
ing post, much to the disgust of the miners, who had looked
to him for help. Williams, newly-made representative for
the coal magnate, enters into an agreement with the mine
owner to work the dangerous mine. He also has an affair
with Miss Lockwood. Redgrave discovers both things, and
naturally leaves his wife. He pleads with the union officials
to put a stop to the new contract, but they refuse on the
ground that he was prejudiced against Williams. Red-
grave's predictions come true — the mine collapses, and
among the victims are his own father and young brother.
Out of the tragedy comes the hope that the authorities
would now listen to Redgrave's pleas for the miners.

A. J. Cronin wrote the story, and J. B. Williams, the
screen play ; Carol Reed directed it, and I. Goldsmith pro-
duced it. In the cast are Allan Jeayes, Linden Travers,
Cecil Parker, and others.

Not for children or adolescents.

"Poison Pen" with Flora Robson

(Republic, June 30; time, 66 min.)
This melodrama, produced in England, is fairly inter-
esting, but it is strictly for adults ; the story is heavy and
somewhat depressing. Although the identity of the guilty
person is obvious to the audience, one's interest is held
well ; this is due mainly to the excellent performance given
by Flora Robson, and to the good performances by the
other players. So effective is Miss Robson's acting, that
one feels pity for her when her part in the village tragedies
is disclosed. The action takes place in a small English
village : —

Ann Todd, daughter of the village Minister (Reginald
Tate), is overjoyed when she learns that her fiance (Geof-
frey Toone) was on his way home from* Australia, for this
meant that she would soon be married. Her spinster aunt
(Flora Robson), who had raised Miss Todd, hates the
idea of losing her niece, but offers her best wishes along
with the others. The peace of the village is suddenly shat-
tered. A series of malicious unsigned letters are received
by most of the village folk, accusing them or members of
their families of evil doings. A few of the gossipy women
place the blame for these letters on an innocent young dress-
maker. Unable to convince them of her innocence, she hangs
herself in the church belfrey. Tate pleads with his people
to disregard the letters and to stop the malicious gossiping.
But the letters get worse. One of the men, believing the
untruths in a letter referring to his wife's misconduct with
another man, kills this other man. Tate realizes then that
it was time to call in the police. Even Toone receives a
letter accusing Miss Todd of misconduct. Tate induces his
daughter to leave the village with Toone, so as to get mar-
ried and escape the evil. That night be learns the horrible
truth: Miss Robson herself was the offender. Unable to
bear parting with Miss Todd, she had written the poison
pen letters to others so that no one would be suspicious
when Toone received his letters, which she had sent in an
effort to break the engagement. The police arrive to arrest
her; but she eludes them and jumps to her death.

Richard Llewellyn wrote the story, and William Fresh-
man and Doreen Montgomery, the screen play ; Paul L.
Stine directed it, and Walter C. Mycroft produced it. In
the cast are Catherine Lacey, Athole Stewart, and others.

Not for children or adolescents.

"Two In a Taxi" with Anita Louise,
Russell Hayden and Noah Beery, Jr.

(Columbia, July 10; time, 63 min.)

There is not much in this program offering to entertain
the masses. For one thing, instead of diverting the average
person's mind from his everyday troubles, it brings him
face to face with problems that in many cases are similar
to his own. For another, the characters are ordinary peo-
ple, and their surroundings naturally lack glamor, since
they are all in the financial struggling class. Moreover, the
characters indulge in a great deal of conversation, with the
result that the action lags. Only in one scene towards the
end is there any excitement. The romance is routine: —

Russell Hayden, a taxicab driver, is eager to marry Anita
Louise, but lie realizes that he could not earn enough
money as a driver to do so. He accidentally learns of a
good opportunity to buy a gasoline station, and confers with
the owner (George Cleveland). Cleveland states that if
Hayden could make a down payment of $300 within six
weeks, he would permit him to take possession and pay the
balance in weekly installments. Hayden starts oi t full of
hopes of getting the money together; he works l.ight and
day. At one point, realizing that it would be difficult to get
the money needed, he plans to drive a car for a gang of
crooks, but his pal (Noah Beery, Jr.), who planned to
become his partner, prevents him from doing so. Hayden
shows bravery in pursuing the crooks and rounding them
up. For this he receives a check for $100. But he is still
short the money; he even quarrels with Miss Louise, who
planned to leave town. But they patch up their quarrels,
and to their joy they find that Cleveland was willing to
accept whatever money Hayden could pay.

Howard J. Green, Morton Thompson, and Malv'n Wald
wrote the screen play, Robert Florey directed it, an 1 Irving
Briskin produced it. In the cast are Dick Puree! i, Chick
Chandler, Fay Helm, Paul Porcasi, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Forced Landing" with Richard Ai-len,
Eva Gabor and J. Carrol Naish

(Paramount, July 11; time, 66 min.)
A typical program melodrama, with a few thrills, a
little comedy, and a romance. A good deal of footage is
devoted to scenes in which the characters do nothing but
talk ; for that reason the action is occasionally slowed up.
But there are a few thrilling air scenes, particularly towards
the end, where the hero outwits an enemy agent, downing
his plane and landing his own plane safely. The romance
is routine : —

Richard Arlen, an American pilot who had enlisted in
the army of an independently governed island in the Pacific,
gets into trouble by striking his superior officer (Nils
Asther) in a quarrel over Eva Gabor, Asther's fiancee.
Arlen and his mechanic (Mikhail Rasmuny) land in jail.
Asther offers Arlen his freedom on condition that he resign
from the army and join the civil air service. Arlen accepts
this suggestion. His first assignment was to fly to Fort
Ponasta where Miss Gabor's father was in charge of build-
ing new fortifications. Miss Gabor joins him in order to
see her father. Arlen finds conditions there serious ; the
workers were rebelling because they had not been paid.
Arlen explains to them that two planes carrying gold to
them had mysteriously disappeared ; he promises to return
in three days with the gold. He and Miss Gabor leave. On
the way back he sights the wrecked plane of his pal who
had last set out with the gold. He lands the plane, and is
captured by J. Carrol Naish, outlaw rebel chief. Naish
plans to kill them. But when Naish's young son is acci-
dentally shot, Arlen offers to fly him to a doctor. The boy
is saved. When the police arrive, Naish surrenders. Arlen
pleads with the army commander to send the gold in a
hurry, and the commander assigns Asther to convoy the
plane Arlen would fly. Once up in the air Asther reveals
himself by firing at Arlen, who then realizes that Asther
was an enemy agent and that he had sabotaged the other
planes so that the workers would rebel and the fortifica-
tions would not be built. Arlen crashes Asther's plane, and
succeeds in reaching the island with the gold. He is hailed
as a hero. He and Miss Gabor marry and go to America.

Maxwell Shane and Edward Churchill wrote the screen
play, Gordon Wiles directed it, and William C. Thomas
and William C. Pine produced it. In the cast are Evelyn
Brent, Victor Varconi, John Miljan, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921. at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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„ Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

a uopy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1941 No. 30

HERE AND THERE

THE FIRST FEW PICTURES of the 1941-
42 season that have so far been shown under
the provisions of the Consent Decree have not
startled anybody: "Lady Be Good," with Elea-
nor Powell, Ann Sothern and Robert Young,
produced by MGM, is a lavish production, but
it has no story. It is not a bad picture, but when
a producer decides to spend so much money on
a picture, you would think that the story he
would select would be commensurate with the
cost.

At the time of writing this editorial, RKO
showed four pictures and, with "Citizen Kane,"
the first group is complete. "Citizen Kane" is
an excellent production, but its box office possi-
bilities have yet to be demonstrated. "Here Is
a Man" is a finely produced picture but because
of its theme it will likely prove a flop — it is the
story of "Faust," laid in New England. "Para-
chute Battalion" is a good picture, but hardly
for women, and its lack of names will undoubt-
edly prove of disadvantage. "Father Takes a
Wife" is a nice little comedy, but it is unlikely
that it will set the box office afire — Gloria Swan-
son is not known to the young generation, and
since her last pictures before her retirement
from the screen were not drawing very much
it is unlikely that she will draw a big number
from the old crowd, although it is a picture that
no exhibitor need be hesitant about showing.
"Lady Scarface" should have been released last
year.

In spite of the fact that the exhibitors have
shown a deplorable lack of enthusiasm, the com-
pulsory trade screenings are, in the opinion of
this paper, the greatest blessing that could have
been ever bestowed upon the industry. Even
though many exhibitors will not attend these
screenings, they will await the report of their
favorite reviewer and, when a picture is bad,
they will, either refuse to buy it, no matter how
tightly it is locked with other pictures, or offer
very little for it ; and when the producers see
how much money they lose by their failure to
exert their hardest efforts to produce good pic-
tures they will reconsider.

Don't let any one make you believe that no
producer starts out with the intention of mak-
ing bad pictures, for many producers do, by
their support of a system that places incompe-
tent relatives and friends into important posi-
tions and that sidetracks capable people. When
they begin to see the profits slip from their
fingers, they will be compelled to change the
system.

TO ITS EXISTING HEADACHES, natural
to a distributor, United Artists has decided to
add another headache, that of operating thea-
tres. Talking to trade paper editors last week,
Arthur Kelly, general sales manager of that
company, revealed the fact that his company
has decided to form a chain of theatres. Nego-
tiations for the acquisition of the first dozen
have, he said, been completed.

Though Mr. Kelly has given an excuse that
these theatres are to form show windows for
his company's product, the real reason seems to
be to put United Artists into a bargaining posi-
tion wth regard to the other theatre-owning dis-
tributors.

To operate theatres successfully, a distributor
must have a theatre-operating organization.
United Artists has none at present. And it will
take it a long time before it can set up one. It
must have good managers. These it can obtain
from other theatre-operating distributors, at a
price.

Even though the quality of pictures is in gen-
eral no different from what it was in former
years, business would not have been so bad
were it not for the fact that the chains have
robbed the theatres of individual operation. An
individual operator gives a theatre greater at-
tention than a chain manager. He studies the
wants of the public with much greater care, be-
cause any improvement in the method of his
operation rebounds to his benefit, whereas the
manager knows that only when he makes the
box-office bulge with dollars will he get a bonus
or a small increase in salary. By getting into
exhibition, United Artists just helps to deprive
more theatres of individual operation.

This paper believes that getting into exhibi-
tion is not the way by which a distributor could
"lick" the problem of better representation for
his pictures, but by delivering good pictures
and by so exploiting them that no chain opera-
tor can afford to leave them unplayed. All the
other methods are merely makeshifts, proving
disastrous in the end.

* * *

AT THE CONVENTION OF THE Twen-
tieth Century- Fox in Los Angeles last week,
Joe Schenck urged the sales forces to fight for
proper percentages and better play-dates, as the
only way by which the loss of the income from
the foreign market and the greater cost of pic-
tures could he offset.

The Hollywood trade papers do not report
Mr. Schenck as having said anything about im-
(Continucd on last payc)

118

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 26, 1941

"The Officer and the Lady" with Rochelle
Hudson, Roger Pryor and Bruce Bennett

(Columbia, July 24; time. 59 min.)

A routine program "cops-and-robbers" melodrama, fair
entertainment for those who are satisfied with chases, fist
fights, and gun fights between the crooks and the police : —

Bruce Bennett, a policeman, vainly tries to induce
Rochelle Hudson to marry him. She objected to the fact
that he was a policeman; her father (Oscar O'Shea), a
former policeman, had been crippled by a gangster's bullets.
Moreover, O'Shea lived in fear that some day this gangster
(Sidney Blackmer) would escape from prison and carry
out his threat to kill him. Much to Bennett's disgust, Miss
Hudson goes out with Roger Pryor, a loan shark. Pryor
was really Blackmer's right hand man, and used his business
office to cover up his gangster activities. Blackmer escapes
from prison, and, by means of a disguise, evades the police.
He and Pryor plan a jewelry store holdup. At the jewelry
store, one of the henchmen accidentally lifts from the hook
the telephone receiver, and the operator overhears their
conversation ; she notifies the police, who rush to the scene
of the crime. But Pryor and Blackmer get away. Bennett
follows a hunch and gets the necessary evidence against
them, but they are forewarned. Soon after, they kidnap
O'Shea and Miss Hudson, and start out on a wild auto-
mobile trip to escape the police. They are finally caught.
Miss Hudson forgets about her prejudices against the
police and marries Bennett.

Lambert Hillyer wrote the story, and he and Joseph
Hoffman, the screen play ; Sam White directed it, and
Leon Barsha produced it. In the cast are Richard Fiske,
Tom Kennedy, Joe McGuinn, Charles Wilson, and others.

The gangster activities make it unsuitable for children.

"Blondie in Society" with Penny Singleton
and Arthur Lake

(Columbia, July 17; time, 77 min.)

This should prove amusing for the followers of this
series, for, despite the silliness of the plot, the action moves
at a fairly good pace, and some of the situations provoke
laughter. As in all the other "Blondie" pictures, the
"Bumsteads" get into many predicaments from which they
do not extricate themselves until the very end. Patrons in-
terested in dogs, too, should find this amusing, for two
well-trained dogs appear in the picture : —

Blondie (Penny Singleton) is enraged when she learns
that Dagwood (Arthur Lake) had lent fifty dollars to an
old school friend (Chic Chandler), when she did not have
enough money to buy their child a bicycle, or to get a
permanent wave for herself. She orders him to demand the
money back. But instead of returning with the money, he
brings home a Great Dane given to him by Chandler in
payment for the debt. Not only does the dog eat all their
food, but he causes a great deal of damage to property be-
longing to their neighbors, and the "Bumsteads" are pre-
sented with bills from everyone. Blondie is on the verge of
obtaining a divorce ; but she reads of a dog show in which
$500 was offered as the grand prize for the best Great
Dane, and so she decides to forgive Dagwood and to try to
win the prize money with their Great Dane. Not knowing
that Dagwood and his employer (Jonathan Hale) had
promised the dog to William Frawley, one of their best
customers, and had promised not to exhibit it, Blondie
arranges to show the dog. Everyone is upset, particularly
when the dog wins the prize and several persons claim it.
Eventually things are settled by Hale's paying all the bills
Dagwood had incurred, in addition to a bonus, and by pre-
senting the dog to Frawley, who in turn gives him a large
contract.

Eleanore Griffin wrote the story, and Karen DeWolf,
the screen play ; Frank R. Strayer directed it, and Robert
Sparks produced it. In the cast are Larry Simms, Danny
Mummert, Edgar Kennedy, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime" with
Ralph Bellamy and Margaret Lindsay

(Columbia, Aug. 7; time, 70 min.)

A routine murder mystery melodrama of program grade.
Following the formula set for pictures of this type, the
plot places several persons in a suspicious light, keeping
one guessing as to the murderer's identity. The story is
somewhat involved and since the characters are too talka-
tive, the action slows up occasionally. There is a little
comedy and a romance : —

John Beal leaves home when he learned that his father
(Douglas Dumbrille) had sold his stock in a power com-

pany short, thereby ruining all his friends who had invested
in the company, including H. B. Warner and his daughter
(Linda Hayes). Warner is shocked when he learns what
Dumbrille had done, for he was under the impression that
Dumbrille, too, had been ruined. Beal, who was in love with
Miss Hayes, offers his help to Warner, but he refuses it.
When Dumbrille is murdered, several persons are sus-
pected: first Beal, then Spring Byington, the dead man's
sister, and even Warner. But it develops that the murderer
was Walter Kingsford, Warner's butler, because he, too,
had lost his savings. With his name cleared, Beal is able to
marry Miss Hayes.

Ellery Queen wrote the story, and Eric Taylor the screen
play; James Hogan directed it, and Larry Darmour pro-
duced it. In the cast are Charley Grapewin, James Burke,
Sidney Blackmer, and Charles Lane.

The murder makes it unsuitable for children.

"Murder by Invitation" with Wallace Ford
and Marian Marsh

(Monogram, June 30 ; time, 63 mm.)
A moderately entertaining program murder mystery
melodrama, suitable as a second feature. The story is
routine. Sliding panels, underground passages, and sus-
picious actions on the part of several characters are em-
ployed to create an eerie atmosphere ; these are mildly
effective : —

Sarah Padden, an eccentric wealthy spinster, is annoyed
when her relatives bring an action to have her declared
insane that they might manager her estate. Their efforts
fail, for the court declares Miss Padden sane. She invites
all her relatives to her home. Gavin Gordon, the instigator
of the insanity proceedings, is worried about the invitation ;
he goes to see Wallace Ford, a newspaper columnist, and
tells him he had a premonition that he would be murdered,
and that, if he were, Miss Padden would be the guilty per-
son. As Gordon had suspected, he is the first to be killed,
and then two others. Ford and his secretary (Marian
Marsh) rush to Miss Padden's home to help the police
investigate the murders. Miss Padden herself thinks of a
way of trapping the murderer. She sets her house on fire,
pretending that the money was in it. Her constant com-
panion (Hazel Kemer) breaks under the strain, confessing
that she and her husband had committed the murders so as
to get rid of the relatives and thus inherit the fortune them-
selves. Miss Padden then discloses that her wealth con-
sisted of confederate money, which was of no value.

George Bricker wrote the screen play, Phil Rosen di-
rected it, and A. W. Hackel produced it. In the cast are
George Guhl, Wallis Clark, Minerva Urecal, Arthur
Voting, and others.

The murders make it unsuitable for children.

"Father Steps Out" with Frank Albertson,
Jed Prouty and Lorna Gray

(Monogram, July 19; time, 62 min.)

A pleasant program comedy, suitable for the family trade.
Although the story is not novel, it keeps one fairly well
entertained due to engaging performances and well-placed
action. A few situations provoke laughter, and, towards the
end, some excitement. It should fit in nicely in a double-
feature program : —

When Jed Prouty, wealthy railroad owner, outwits his
rival by buying up the controlling share in his railroad
company, all the newspaper reporters try to get a story
from him ; but he refuses to see them. Frank Albertson, an
enterprising young reporter, knowing that Prouty was
under doctor's care, poses as the doctor's assistant and
makes arrangements to join Prouty on a vacation; Albert-
son hoped in that way to get the story. But Prouty's daugh-
ter (Lorna Gray), learning that Albertson was a reporter,
tips off her father, and they leave the next day without him.
He races after the train by motorcycle and finally boards it.
Through an accident, Prouty falls off the train and is be-
friended by two hoboes ; he finds the carefree life very
pleasant, particularly since he eats, without bad effect,
everything the doctor had warned him against. In the mean-
time, Prouty's rival, taking advantage of his mysterious
disappearance, tries to gain control of Prouty's company.
But Albertson finds out where Prouty was ; despite inter-
ference by two of the rival's henchmen, he gets Prouty
to the ciyt in time to stop his rival. By this time Albertson
and Miss Gray are in love with each other.

Joseph West wrote the screen play, Jean Yarbrough di-
rected it. and Lindsley Parsons produced it. In the cast are
Frank Faylen, John Dilson, Charles Hall, John Maxwell,
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

July 26, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

119

"Lady Scarface" with Dennis O'Keefe
and Judith Anderson

(RKO, 1941-42 season; time, 66 mk)
There's not much that can be said for this program
melodrama. The story is trite, and the performers are
hampered by the poor material. Moreover, the players have
little box-office popularity. The only possible audience it
could appeal to would be those who enjoy action of the
"cops-and-robbers" type, regardless of story values. There
is a routine romance worked into the plot : —

A daring robbery and murder is committed by a gang
headed by Judith Anderson. The police knew that the
leader's name was "Slade" but they had no idea that "Slade"
was a woman. Dennis O'Keefe, of the Chicago police, is
assigned to the case. Frances Neal, photographer for a
magazine, insists on following him so as to get pictures of
the arrests when they would take place. One of the gang-
sters is caught, and an envelope addressed to "Mary
Jordan," and containing $8,000 in cash, is found in his
room. O'Keefe decides to send the envelope through the
mail, and then keep watch at the hotel to which it was ad-
dressed for whomever would call for it. A young couple
(Mildred Coles and Rand Brooks) register at the hotel,
and then ask for a letter in the name of "Mary Jordan,"
Mildred's maiden name. At first O'Keefe thinks they were
the criminals, but he realizes that it was pure coincidence
that the girl had the same name, and that the envelope did
not belong to her. What they had been waiting for was a
check from Brooks' uncle to cover their honeymoon ex-
penses. O'Keefe keeps watching and finally the crooks show
up. Realizing that something was wrong, they rush out, and
O'Keefe and his assistants rush after them. They finally
capture them, and force them to talk. To bring the leader
out into the open, O'Keefe decides to follow the crooks'
method of code ads. The trick works, and Miss Anderson
sneaks into the hotel to get the money. She endangers the
life of Miss Neal, who had been waiting for her, thinking
she could capture her alone. But O'Keefe arrives in time
and captures Miss Anderson. The young couple turn the
money over to the police. O'Keefe finally proposes marriage
to Miss Neal.

Arnaud D'Usseau and Richard Collins wrote the original
screen play, Frank Woodruff directed it, and Cliff Reid
produced it. In the cast are Eric Blore, Marc Lawrence,
Damian O'Flynn, Marion Martin, and others.

Not for children.

"Father Takes a Wife" with Adolphe
Menjou, Gloria Swanson, John Howard
and Florence Rice

{RKO, 1941-42 Release; time, 79 mitt.)
A pleasant but light comedy. RKO has given it a lavish
production, and the performances are good. There may be
many persons who would want to see Gloria Swanson
again ; if so, they will be well pleased both by her per-
formance and her appearance, for she acts with charm and
can still show off clothes to an advantage. A few of the
situations and parts of the dialogue in the first half are
quite amusing ; but, since the plot is thin, it peters out in
the second half, where the situations that provoke laughter
are few : —

When Adolphe Menjou, millionaire owner of a shipping
concern, informs his stuffy young son (John Howard) and
his equally stuffy wife (Florence Rice) that he intended
retiring, so as to marry a famous actress (Miss Swanson)
and have a good time, they are shocked. But Menjou goes
through with the marriage and sets off with his bride for
Mexico. On their trip home on one of Menjou's merchant
steamers, the Captain discovers a stowaway (Desi Arnaz).
Once he is shaved and dressed in Menjou's clothes, Arnaz
looks quite handsome and Menjou becomes jealous. Thrilled
by Arnaz's singing voice, Miss Swanson suggests that they
take him under their wing and launch his career ; they in-
vite him to stay at their house. Menjou becomes so annoyed
at the attention Miss Swanson gives to Arnaz, and the con-
tinuous singing by Arnaz, that he insults his wife and they
part. In an effort to patcli things up for them, Howard and
Miss Rice suggest that Arnaz stay at their home. In a short
time the same thing that had happened in Menjou's home
happens in Howard's home, and he and Miss Rice part.
Both wives refuse to sec their respective husbands. But
when both men learn that they were to become fathers,
they are so delighted that they rush to their wives for a
reconciliation.

Dorothy and Herbert Fields wrote the screen play. Jack
Hively directed it, and I.ee Marcus produced it. In the
cast are Helen Brodcrick, Neil Hamilton, Grady Sutton,
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"My Life with Caroline" with Ronald
Colman and Anna Lee

(RKO, August 1 ; time, 81 nun.)

This romantic marital comedy is light entertainment,
suitable more for the class trade than for the masses. It
will have to depend on Ronald Colman's popularity for its
box-office appeal. The plot, which revolves around a scatter-
brained young woman, is flimsy and lacks human appeal.
The characters talk too much. The production is lavish
and the performances by the leading players are good.
Anna Lee, a new actress, displays charm and talent. The
story is told in flashback : —

Ronald Colman, married to Anna Lee, knew that, al-
though she loved him, she was susceptible to the romantic
pleadings of other men, in an innocent way. And so, when
he receives a telegram from her stating that she was re-
turning to New York on an important matter from the
Idaho resort, where she had gone with her father (Charles
Winninger), he knew it was a man again and flies to her.
When he arrives at the airport, he sees her with this other
man (Gilbert Roland) and smiles when he overhears her
remark that it was a strange thing, but she felt that it had
all happened to her before. Colman's mind then goes back
to the last romance Miss Lee had had, with a millionaire
sculptor (Reginald Gardiner), who had made her believe
that her influence would make him a great artist. She had
been ready to go away with Gardiner, but Colman, know-
ing she would not be happy, had slyly worked things out
so as to bring her to her senses, for which she was grateful.
In order again to bring her to her senses, he has his
chauffeur pass by her table carrying the atrocious modern-
istic head Gardiner had sculptured of her. She follows the
chauffeur to the car where Colman was waiting for her and
falls into his arms, happy to have been saved again.

John Van Druten and Arnold Belgard wrote the screen
play, Lewis Milestone directed it, and William Hawks pro-
duced it. In the cast are Katherine Leslie and Hugh
O'Connell.

Although there is nothing immoral in the picture it is
hardly entertainment for children.

"Hurricane Smith" with Ray Middleton
and Jane Wyatt

(Republic, July 20; time, 68 min.)
Although the plot is far-fetched, this program melodrama
offers fairly good entertainment for a double-feature pro-
gram. The production values are good, and the perfor-
mances engaging. One's interest is held mainly because of
the sympathy one feels for both hero and heroine. There
are a few exciting situations, and towards the end the
spectator is held in suspense : —

It is love at first sight for Ray Middleton, rodeo per-
former, when he meets Jane Wyatt, a newspaper reporter.
Although she, too, became attracted to him, she refuses to
give him an immediate answer, promising to write from her
office in Chicago. After putting her on the train accidentally
he runs into two criminals ( Edward Bromberg and Harry
Brandon) and is knocked out by them. They then rob the
express car of $200,000 belonging to a bank. Brandon shoots
and kills one of the guards. When Middleton recovers, he
is accused of the crime ; he is tried, and sentenced to death.
Miss Wyatt, hearing about it, rushes to his defense. On his
way to the death house, Middleton sees in the train Brandon
and. managing to escape from his guard, faces Brandon with
a gun. Bromberg escapes, and Brandon, while jumping off
the train, is killed; Middleton escapes with the bag of
money. Brandon is identified as Middleton. Miss Wyatt
finds Middleton; he tells her the whole story, yet she is
willing to marry him and take a chance. While travelling
west, they come to a ghost town inhabited only by Harry
Davenport, a lawyer. He tells them that a man with money
and vision could make it a paradise. Middleton, pretending
that he could get money from a certain "Colonel," follows
Davenport's advice and in a short time he is prosperous
and the town is flourishing. He is overjoyed when his son
is born. A few years later, Bromberg shows up and demands
a share of the profits, otherwise he would talk. Enraged
when Middleton tells him he had paid back all the money
to the bank, and frightened at Middleton's threats, Brom-
berg pulls a gun; but Miss Wyatt, who had been hiding,
shoots and kills him. Davenport covers things up by stating
that the "Colonel," who had decided to visit them, had
killed the man in self defense and had then tied. Middleton
is cleared and with Miss Wyatt hopes for a happy life.

Charles G. Booth wrote the story, and Robert Presnell.
the screen play ; Bernard Vorhause directed it, and Robert
North produced it. In the cast are Casey Johnson, Charles
Trowbridge, and others.

Not for children.

120

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 26, 1941

proving the quality of Twentieth-Century Fox
pictures to justify the increased demand, for so
far as the 1940-41 product is concerned, many
exhibitors feel that they paid too much for it.
The picture improvement was taken up by
Darryl Zanuck, production head. Mr. Zanuck
said that, before a picture will be made at the
Twentieth Century-Fox studio, it will have to
measure up to three standards : The story must
be right, the cast must fit, and it must have
ingredients of good showmanship.

These are fine words, and his resolution com-
mendable ; but where was he during the 1940-
41 season? His product did not measure up to
these three standards during it. What assur-
ances have we then that what he said last week
will not be empty words — words employed on
the occasion to stimulate the spirits of his sales
forces?

There is at least one difference now: his pic-
tures must measure up to the standards he has
set in his convention speech ; otherwise he will
find that the higher percentages and the better
play-dates Mr. Schenck spoke of at the same
convention will not be obtainable.

* * *

EXHIBITORS WHO CANNOT ATTEND
the trade screenings given by the consenting
distributors under the provisions of the Consent
Decree should be careful of rackets: they may
be solicited to subscribe, either to some confi-
dential reviewing service, or to a booking corpo-
ration on the basis of, either weekly fees, or a
percentage of the money the subscribing ex-
hibitor pays for film.

There is no excuse for a reviewing service to
be confidential. If the proponents of such a
service mean to give the exhibitor an accurate
report, why should they fear to give it in the
open?

As for subscribing to some new booking cor-
poration, when they subscribe, the benefit they
might derive from the system that compells the
producers to show their goods before purchase
will be lost, in fees.

According to weekly Variety, the Indepen-
dent Theatre Protective Association of Wis-
consin and Northern Michigan has decided, at a
recent meeting, to protect the exhibitors of its
territory from the promoters of a confidential
reviewing service that had just started in that
part of the country.

There is no exhibitor need that cannot be
taken care of satisfactorily by the existing re-
viewing services. If there is any variance in the
judgment of a critic as compared with the actual
value and quality of the picture, an exhibitor
can discover it in no time by making a compari-
son of that critic's judgment with how the pic-
ture performed at his box office.

* * *

AT THE REQUEST OF Thomas Dewey,
national USO campaign director, the motion
picture industry, under a committee headed by
Joseph Bernhard, general manager of Warner
Bros. Theatres, will make a drive for funds,
beginning the 1st of September.

Assisting Mr. Bernhard are a number of
prominent exhibitor leaders from different or-
ganizations.

As chairman of the trade paper committee,
Mr. Bernbard has appointed Maurice ("Red")
Kann, of Boxofficc, and Mr. Kann has requested
several trade paper editors, including the editor
of this publication, to act as members of his
committee.

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES
RKO

"A Girl, a Guy and a Gob" : Good-Fair.
"Footlight Fever": Fair-Poor.
"Melody For Three": Fair-Poor.
"Repent at Leisure": Fair-Poor.
"The Devil and Miss Jones" : Very Good-
Good.

"They Met in Argentine": Fair-Poor.
"Scattergood Pulls the Strings": Fair-Poor.
"Saint's Vacation" : Fair-Poor.
"Sunny" : Good-Fair.

Twenty-nine pictures, excluding the west-
erns, have been checked. Grouping the pictures
from the beginning of the season, we get the
following results :

Excellent-Good, 1 ; Very Good-Good, 1 ;
Good, 1; Good-Fair, 6; Good-Poor, 1; Fair-
Poor, 18; Poor, 1.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"Dead Men Tell": Fair-Poor.

"Scotland Yard" : Good-Poor.

"That Night in Rio" : Very Good-Good.

"Ride on Vaquero" : Good-Poor.

"Mail Train": Fair-Poor.

"Great American Broadcast" : Very Good-
Good.

"Cowboy and the Blonde": Fair-Poor.

"The Great Commandment" : Fair-Poor.

"Blood and Sand": Very Good-Good.

"For Beauty's Sake": Fair-Poor.

"The Bride Wore Crutches": Fair-Poor.

"Man Hunt": Very Good-Fair.

Forty-four pictures have been checked.
Grouping the pictures from the beginning of
the season, we get the following results : Excel-
lent-Very Good, 1 ; Excellent-Fair, 1 ; Very
Good-Good, 5 ; Very Good-Fair, 4; Very Good-
Poor, 1 ; Good-Fair, 2; Good-Poor, 8; Fair, 2;
Fair-Poor, 20.

United Artists

"The Great Dictator" : Excellent-Good.

"Topper Returns" : Good-Fair.

"Pot O' Gold": Good-Fair.

"That Uncertain Feeling": Good-Poor.

"That Hamilton Woman": Very Good-Fair.

"Broadway Limited" : Fair-Poor.

Nineteen pictures have been checked. Group-
ing the pictures from the beginning of the sea-
son, we get the following results : Excellent-
Good, 1 ; Very Good-Good, 3 ; Very Good-Fair,
1 ; Very Good-Poor, 1 ; Good, 1 ; Good-Fair, 6;
Good-Poor, 2 ; Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 3.

Warner Bros.

"A Shot in the Dark" : Fair-Poor.

"The Great Lie" : Very Good-Good.

"Thieves Fall Out" : Fair-Poor.

"The Nurse's Secret" : Fair-Poor.

"Million Dollar Baby": Good-Fair.

Nineteen pictures have been checked. Group-
ing the pictures from the beginning of the sea-
son, we get the following results : Very Good-
Good, 3; Very Good-Fair, 1; Good-Fair, 4;
Good-Poor, 3 ; Fair, 1 ; Fair-Poor, 7.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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ibc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1941 No. 31

HERE AND THERE

DON'T YOU THINK THAT by this time Will H.
Hays, head of the producers' association, would have quit
handing out platitudes, the kind he has been handing out
since 1922, the year he came into the industry? He hasn't
varied them a bit.

Because of his past political connections, his name stands
out in the nation. Consequently, the more innane these
platitudes are, the more ridiculous they make the industry
seem; the public is prone to judge us all by what he says.

Here are some extracts from his speech on Defense, made
in Los Angeles two weeks ago :

"Motion pictures have a definite service to perform, and
I have every confidence in their ability to do the job."

(Editor's Note: The only service that the motion pic-
tures perform is to enrich those engaged in it. Idealism?
Shucks 1 Whom is he "kidding"? If a producer had a story
that would make a highly artistic picture, he would drop
it like a hot potato if he felt sure that it would lose him
money. If the picture that makes him money carries a
message, he is glad to receive the plaudits of the industry
and of the public; but profits is the first consideration.)

"Entertainment and recreation might be likened to ma-
chine tools necessary to bring human machinery to the
height of its efficiency." (Editor's Note: I have been trying
to figure out what he means by this statement of his but I
have not been successful. Can any one of you enlighten me ?)

"The informational, educational and inspirational ele-
ments on our screens are growing."

"Pictures do not need any other horse to ride in order to
play their part in the preparedness of mind and body which
results from recreation."

"There are those who would use the films to bemuse,
rather than amuse, the American public."

"There are a few — very few — on the fringes of the in-
dustry who think that, if they could treak the Code, they
could improve the box-office appeal of the product. No real
factor in the production, distribution and exhibition of
pictures wants to depart from the standards of wholesome
entertainment that now marks the industry's earnest effort
for proper self-regulation. Only those in whom originality
is dried up believe they need to pick up themes or treatments
in the gutter." (Editor's Note: This last gem has given
me a good chuckle : Joe Breen, former Production Code
Administrator, quit his post because he could no longer
stand the racket. That is what at least he said to the trade
paper and newspaper representatives at an interview.)

"Nothing that has to do with the moral content of pictures
is too unimportant for the need of the greatest possible
vigilance." (Editor's Note: There wasn't much vigilance
displayed in "They Drive by Night," "Torrid Zone," and
hundreds of other pictures, whether the heroines wore
sweaters or not.)

These are some of the gems in that speech of his.

A few years ago, Mr. Hays was invited by the American
Newspaper Publishers Association to address one of their
meetings. After the event, a prominent newspaper pub-
lisher, general manager of a large number of important
newspapers in the eastern part of the country, made the
following remark to me in a semi-angry mood : "Why
doesn't he stop giving us platitudes. After all, he was ad-
dressing an intelligent group of people, and he should have
used a new speech instead of an outworn one."

For the motion picture industry's as well as of his own
sake, Mr. Hays should drop thees platitudes; they tend to
lower us all in the estimation of the American public.

ANALYZING THE INDIFFERENCE that the ex-
hibitors have shown towards the compulsory tradeshowings
imposed upon the five major producers by the Consent
Decree, Chick Lewis, in the July 26 issue of his Showmen's
Trade Review, says partly : "Obviously the plan of trade-
showing before sale is no good. The majority of exhibitors
prefer to be guided by trade paper reviews. So why not
change it? . . ."

Chick Lewis' deductions are altogether wrong. If the
exhibitors, instead of attending the tradeshowings, prefer
to let the reviewers report to them as to a picture's quality
as well as possible box-office appeal, why change the system
that compells the producers to show their pictures to the
reviewers by law instead of by sufferance? If the system
were to be changed and the producers were relieved of the
obligation of showing their pictures before sale, what
guarantee have the reviewers that they will be shown the
pictures so that the exhibitors might be guided as to their
worth ?

As stated in these columns repeatedly, Harrison's
Reports considers the screenings before sale as the greatest
blessing that could ever have been bestowed upon the motion
picture industry. It is the only system that can convince
producers in Hollywood that their methods are wrong, and
that, if they should wish to see an improvement in the
quality of their pictures, they must reward ability and
side-track incompetence.

Already the system is beginning to show results ; the first
pictures that have been screened to the reviewers as well
as to the exhibitors have demonstrated conclusively the
necessity of showing the picture before sale; hardly one
out of five has been of any merit.

The exhibitors should not lose their patience and say that
there is no use for the new system if the pictures under it
are going to be as poor as they were before ; it will take a
year before results will be had. As said in last week's issue,
when the producers see how much their profits are reduced
by not delivering to the exhibitors meritorious pictures,
they will be compelled, of necessity, to better their product.
They know how to make good pictures if they could only
resist the temptation of appointing incompetent relatives
and friends to important positions, side-tracking competent
people.

* * *

THE EGG HAS AT LAST BEEN hatched: a suit
to test the constitutionality of the Minnesota compulsory
block-booking law has already been filed, in the District
Court of Ramsay County (St. Paul). As a matter of fact,
suits have been brought by three different companies —
Paramount, RKO, and Warner Bros ; they seek a declara-
tory judgment and a permanent injunction to prevent the
enforcement of the law.

Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest, which was
instrumental in the passage of that law, has engaged attor-
neys to defend the constitutionality of the law.

Both sides intend to ask the court for quick action to
enable either side to make its appeal to the higher courts
for final adjudication.

Unless the question is determined quickly, the exhibitors
of Minnesota will run the risk of finding themselves short
of product, some of them even being compelled to shut
down their theatres, unless the five consenting companies
request Judge Goddard to release them temporarily from
the Consent Decree's provisions that compells them to sell
their pictures in blocks that do not exceed five pictures.

On competent advice, this paper has taken the position
(Continued on last page)

122

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 2, 1941

"Wild Geese Calling" with Henry Fonda,
Joan Bennett and Warren William

(2X)th Century-Fox 1941-42 release; 78 min.)

Those of you who will buy this picture will have to de-
pend for box-office results on the drawing power of Henry
Fonda, and not on the quality of the picture, for although
the plot has been taken from a fairly popular book, it has
been so changed that those who have read the book will
hardly recognize it. The treatment follows the regular
Hollywood formula of subordinating every emotion to the
emotions of sex, with viciousness. In the book, the hero's
friend is a loyal fellow, who stands by the hero and his
wife whenever they are in trouble. In the picture the hero's
friend has been made into a scoundrel, intimating that he
and the heroine had had illicit relations before the heroine
had met the hero and married him. This friend makes im-
proper advances to the heroine, though she was married
to the hero, his best friend. There is hardly any human in-
terest. Even the hero loses one's good will because he had
lost faith in his wife : —

Henry Fonda, a drifting lumberjack, reaches Seattle
and goes to a saloon in search of a lnend of his (Warren
William J, who was supposed to arrive from San Fran-
cisco. He finds a letter informing him of his delay. He
becomes acquainted witli Joan Bennett, a chorus girl, whom
he soon marries. William, a man who had made his money
by cheating people out of their properties, arrives and is
surprised when, at the home of tonda, he is introduced to
Joan Bennett, Fonda's wife, whom he had known from past
days, and the pretense begins. In the absence of Fonda,
William tries to make love to her, but Joan resents it.
Burton MacLane arrives in town and seeks to kill Wil-
liam, who had cheated him out of his hotel, as well as for
having prevented him one time from killing William.
Joan goes to William's home to warn him and there she is
found by Fonda, who misunderstands. Fonda and Joan have
a quarrel, but when he learns that she was to be a mother
he prevents her from leaving. They leave the town to live
in a cabin in the woods until she gave birth to her baby.
While in town to get a doctor to deliver the baby, Fonda
is shot and wounded dangerously by MacLane, who in turn
is shot and killed by William. William and a woman, a
dance-hall girl (Ona Munson) put Fonda in his boat ; they,
too, enter it and, riding the storm, reach Fonda's cabin.
There Ona acts as a midwife. The child is a boy. William
explains to Fonda that there had been nothing wrong be-
tween him and Joan, and he leaves the place as a friend.

Horace McCoy wrote the screen play, Harry Joe Brown
produced it, and John Brahm directed it.

Not for children under 14 ; hardly for young women.

"Sun Valley Serenade" with Sonja Henie,
John Payne, and Glenn Miller
with his orchestra

(20th Century-Fox 1941-42 release; 86 min.)

A delightful comedy, photographed in beautiful Sun
Valley, Idaho, in winter, with winter sports forming a con-
siderable part of the action, with some songs and some
orchestra music rendered by Glenn Miller's orchestra, and
with a charming romance thrown in for good measure. The
scenic background is a treat to the eye, and should induce
a considerable number of the cultured picture-goers to see
the picture twice. The story, although simple, is more inter-
esting than that of any of Sonja's last few pictures. Mr.
Payne is a capable as well as attractive actor and, given a
few good stories, there is no reason why he should not
become as popular as either Jimmy Stewart or Robert
Taylor. Miss Henie, too, does excellent work. Milton
Berle contributes some of the comedy : —

Because Lynn Bari, a singer, had a crush on John Payne,
Glenn Miller's orchestra of which John was a member gets
a chance to play at Sun Valley. As a publicity stunt, John
is induced to adopt one of the refugee little children that
were to arrive from Europe. But instead of a little girl,
John finds that to his lot fell a very big girl — Sonja Henie.
The orchestra departs for Sun Valley and John leaves
Sonja behind, not only because she would be a trouble to
him but also because Lvnn Bari might become jealous. But
Milton Berle, having got stuck on Sonja, is induced by her
to take her along, concealing her in the train. John is sur-
prised when the following day he sees Sonja at Sun Valley.
At first he keeps her away from him, but because Lynn
did not like outdoor sports, and because Sonja was an ex-
pert at skiing as well as at ice skating, John spends a con-
siderable part of his time with her. Little by little love
grows on him. When Lynn finally sees John slipping away
from her hands, she becomes angry, denounces him and
threatens to leave Sun Valley, thus hoping that she could
compell him to give up Sonja. But the head of the band,
popular by this time, decides to let Lynn go, promising the

management that he would put together an ice show that
would eclipse Lynn's ability. 1 hey carry out their promise,
giving a superb ice show. John and Sonja decide to marry.

1 lie story is by Arthur and Robert Hai an ; the screen
play, by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. The lyrics and the
music by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. Milton Sperl-
ing produced it and Bruce Humberstone directed it.

Oood for the entire family.

"Charlie's Aunt" with Jack Benny

(2u//i Century-i'ox 1941-42 release; 82 mm.)

When tins picture was produced by P.JJ.C. in 1925, with
bidney Chaplin, it was a riotous entertainment, and did
unprecedented business. Many exhibitors rebooKed it sev-
eral times, and each time they did as well. Columbia pro-
duced it in 19J0 under the supervision of Al Christie, but
although it turned out a good entertainment, it did not do
one-hall the business that was done by the F.L.C. version.
'1 ne present version is just a fair entertainment but, because
oi Jack Benny, it might not tare badly at the box oihce.

the comedy is provoked by Jack Benny's impersonation
of a woman — a rich widow from Brazil (Kay t rancisj,
aunt ot Charlie (Richard Hayden j, one oi his chums; he
had been compelled by Kichard and another cnum (James
Llhson) to assume the impersonation; otherwise they
would refuse to exonerate him of the cliarges brought
against him by the Proctor (Reginald (J wen,), and he
would thus be expelled from (Jxlord. 1 he object oi Hayden
and Ellison was to have him chaperon two oeautuul young
girls, sisters, (Anne Baxter and Arleen Whelan), with
whom they were in love.

Additional mild comedy is provoked when the girls'
father (Edmund Gwenn), realizing that he could recoup
his fortune by marrying Charlie's aunt, makes love to "her."
Then Hayden and Ellison conceive the idea of having Jack
benny obtain from Gwenn his written consent for their
marrying his daughters. Still more comedy is provoked
when Kay Francis arrives incognito. At once she realizes
that the person who had been impersonating her was a man
— and what a man 1 She had already fallen in love with him.

It is shown that Benny had obtained Gwenn's written
consent to the marriage of his daughters, but that immedi-
ately afterwards he had been shocked by his discovery
that Benny was not the rich widow from Brazil, where
Brazil nuts come from, but a man, and that the real widow
(Kay) was in love with Jack Benny.

The plot has been founded on the play by Brandon
lhomas. William Perlberg produced it, and Archie Mayo
directed it, from a screen play by George Seaton.

Good for the entire family.

"Dressed to Kill" with Lloyd Nolan
and Mary Beth Hughes

(20f/i Century-Fox 1941-42 release; 74 min.)

Not a bad murder-mystery melodrama of the program
variety, suitable for a double bill. The complexities of the
plot are worked out well enough to hold one's interest until
the end, where the identity of the murderer is revealed. The
romance is not so appealing; Miss Hughes shows a selfish
nature — she refuses to accept Nolan's justifiable excuses
for his repeated failure to keep his appointment with her
to marry her : —

Lloyd Nolan's arrangements to marry Mary Beth
Hughes are interrupted when, while he was leaving with
her for the license bureau, he hears a scream and, being a
private investigator, decides to investigate the cause. Thus
he comes upon a double murder. Before telephoning the
police, he telephones to the editor of a newspaper and sells
him the first facts of the murder story. He then proceeds
to figure out how the murderer was able to kill two per-
sons at the same time, with two different pistols, whereas
only one report had been heard. After satisfying himself as
to the method, he telephones the police. Several persons are
suspected, but with the clues he had obtained before the
arrival of the police he is able to determine that two of those
who would eventually be suspected, a man and a woman,
were innocent. Thus he induces the woman to engage him
as a private investigator so that, by his discovering the
murderer, she and her friend might escape arrest with a
consequent indictment for murder. Lloyd eventually suc-
ceeds in uncovering the real murderer, even though he had
endangered his own life. With the money he earned, he is
ready to go through with the marriage. But it was too late ;
Mary had left him for good.

The plot has been founded on the novel by Richard
Burke. The screen play is by Stanley Raub and Manning
O'Connor. Eugene Ford directed it and Sol Wurtzel pro-
duced it. Sheila Ryan and Wm. Demarest are in the cast.

Being a murder melodrama, it is hardly suitable for
children under 14.

August 2, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

123

"Bowery Blitzkrieg," with Leo Gorcey,
Bobby Jordan, Warren Hull, Huntz Hall
and Bobby Stone

(Monogram, Aug. 1 ; 62 nvin.)

It is doubtful if Monogram has ever produced a better
picture than "Bowery Blitzkrieg." Though "Boy of the
Streets," with Jackie Cooper, was a fine picture, and
proved popular at the box-orrice, it was produced somewhat
crudely, ihe present picture is a finished product from
every point of view — story, direction, acting, and atmos-
phere. And there are in it many situations with human
appeal. Leo Gorcey seems to have the makings of another
Lagney ; with one or two more stories like this one, and he
will be "tops." Bobby Jordan, too, does some expert acting.
As to Bobby Stone, the swell-headed young tool of the
gangsters, one could not have disliked more deeply a young
boy of the character he impersonates ; his good acting
makes the part real. Warren Hull is a sympathetic police-
man. There is comedy, the usual kind with tough kids. And
a romance is interwoven in the plot : —

To send Leo Gorcey, leader of a gang of East Side kids,
to the reformatory, Bobby Stone tells Bobby Jordan that
Leo, Bobby's pal, had implied that his sister (Charlotte
Henry ) had illicit relations with Warren Hull, a police-
man, to whom she was engaged. As a result, Bobby has a
fight with Leo and they break their friendship. By working
hand in hand with gangsters, young Stone is able to own
a car. By telling Bobby Jordan that, if he would work with
him to hold up stores he, too, could own a car, Stone induces
him to become his accomplice. Hull eventually succeeds
in inducing Leo, the toughest of the kids, to take up train-
ing at the police gymnasium and thus put his fighting
ability with his fists to good use. After considerable train-
ing, Leo wins two amateur fights for young boys. The police
are proud of him. Another match is arranged, but when
he overhears Charlotte telling Warren Hull's mother
(Martha Went worth) that the breaking of her engagement
to Warren had been caused by him, Leo, he leaves the house
and goes to the gymnasium behind a pool hall, conducted by
Keye Luke. A crook goes to Leo and offers him a one
thousand dollar note to throw the fight, but Leo kicks him
out of the place. The note is found in the premises, and
Leo sends it to Martha Wentworth with a note explaining
the incident. During a holdup, staged by Bobby Stone with
the help of Bobby Jordan, Warren runs after them. They
take refuge behind some boxes. When Jordan sees Stone
aiming his gun at Warren, he yells at him to be careful
and jumps on Stone. In the struggle, Jordan is wounded
seriously by the bullet that Stone had fired. He is taken
to the hospital. Leo learns of the affair and goes to the hos-
pital and, when he hears from the doctor that a blood trans-
fusion was necessary to save Jordan's life, Leo offers his
blood which, after a test, is found to be of the right type.
Leo fights that evening despite the doctor's orders for a
three-day rest, and is about to lose when Charlotte, who
had rushed to the ring to stop the fight, tells Leo that
Bobby Jordan would live. He rises, puts all his strength
behind his punch, and knocks out his opponent. Warren
and Charlotte become reengaged.

Brendan Wood and Bonn Mullahy wrote the story, and
Sam Robins the screen play. Wallace Fox directed it and
Pete Mayer produced it.

Because of the regeneration moral, the picture cannot be
denied to children under 14.

"Private Nurse" with Jane Darwell,
Brenda Joyce, Sheldon Leonard
and Robert Lowery

(2Qth Century-Fox, 1941-42 release; 61 min.)
Although there is mild human interest in several of the
situations, and one's attention is held fairly well up to the
closing scenes, "Private Nurse" is no more than a program
picture, for the story lacks depth. Trying to sober up a
young drunkard after his drunken sprees is not the kind of
aition that would inspire one or that would make one ad-
mire the heroine and her friends for that, even though their
parts are sympathetic. The situation where the ex-boot-
legger shows great affection to his little daughter and tries
to win back her love may make many people laugh derid-
ingly, for one can hardly associate a man who had made
his wealth by law violations and no doubt murders with
an affectionate father. Miss Joyce is a charming young
actress, and with better stories there is no reason why she
should not become a box-office favorite. Jane Darwell is
loveable as the good-hearted Irish nurse: —

Brenda Joyce, a registered nurse, is stranded in New-
York where she had gone to marry her sweetheart. Jane
Darwell, another nurse, befriends her and invites her to her

home to live until she obtains a position. The little girl
(Ann) of an ex-bootlegger (Sheldon Leonard) is hurt and
the bootlegger's chauffeur, who lived in the same house and
had known Jane and Brenda, begs Brenda to attend the
little girl. Since Jane was absent on a call, she has the little
girl taken to her home. The attachment the little girl had
shown for Brenda compells Sheldon to hire Brenda, and to
order her to hire an extra nurse. She engages Jane. A wom-
an telephones to Brenda to ask her about the girl's health and
informs her that Ann was her daughter. She was conducting
a flower shop, Irom which Robert Lowery, a young drunk-
ard whom Brenda and Jane had often taken care of, and
who had fallen in love with Brenda, had been sending flow-
ers to her. Little Ann gets well and decides to give Jane
a surprise birthday party. Sheldon gives Brenda money to
buy whatever would be needed for the party. '1 hey naturally
needed flowers and little Ann induces Brenda to take her to
the florist shop from which those beautiful flowers had
come. Reluctantly Brenda leads her there. The mother is
grateful to Brenda. But when Sheldon learns about it, he
is furious and discharges Jane as well as Brenda. But Jane
talks back to him. Ann overhears the conversation and, with
tears in her eyes, denounces her father. Jane eventually
convinces Sheldon that Ann needed her mother. Sheldon
telephones to his former wife and offers remarriage.

The story and screenplay is by Samuel G. Engel ; the
direction, by David Burton. Sol Wurtzel produced it.

There is nothing morally objectionable in it.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

(MGM, 1941-42 release; 12/ min.)

This Robert Louis Stevenson book was already produced
twice, both times by Paramount — the first time in 1920,
with John Barrymore, and the second time in 1932, with
Fredric March. Both times the picture turned out excellent
from a production point of view, but both times it turned
out horrible from the entertainment point of view, yet both
times it made a great box-office success. No different opin-
ion may be expressed about the present version : it is a fine
piece of art, from the point of view of direction, acting and
atmosphere. Mr. Spencer Tracy gives as fine a performance
as was given either by Mr. Barrymore, or by Mr. March.
And there is no question that the box-office success of it
will be as great, and may be greater, because of the dearth
of good pictures. But just the same the picture is horrible
— as horrible as were the other two pictures : —

Dr. Jekyll (Spencer Tracy), a specialist in mental dis-
orders, was of the belief that he had the power to separate
the good from the evil in human nature. When he comes
upon a man who seemed to be "possessed," he wants to
test his theory on him but his colleagues deny him the right
to go against the ethics of the profession. His theories
bring about a straining in his relations with Sir Charles
Emery (Donald Crisp), to whose daughter Beatrix (Lana
Turner) he was engaged. On his way home with Dr. John
Lanyon (Ian Hunter) he rescues from an assailant Ivy
(Ingrid Bergman), a young woman, whom he takes to her
home. There she makes a play at him. Home again, he
drinks a concoction he had been working on for the pur-
pose of changing human nature and suddenly he is trans-
formed into a monstrous person, bent upon evil : he calls
himself "Hyde." By another concoction he is able to trans-
form himself back into Dr. Jekyll. Disturbed by Dr.
Jekyll's unorthodox theories, Sir Charles takes his daugh-
ter to Europe. Frustrated in his efforts to prove his theories
correct, and separated from the woman he loved, Dr.
Jekyll turns himself into Hyde and, seeking and finding
Ivy, puts her under his spell and keeps her virtually his
prisoner. Upon the return of Beatrix from abroad with her
father, friendly relationship is again established and Dr.
Jekyll resolves to give up "Hyde" completely. He destroys
the key to the secret passage to his laboratory, and "Dr.
Jekyll" assures Ivy that "Mr. Hyde" will no longer trouble
her. But he soon finds out that he had lost the power of
controlling himself, and is unable to prevent himself from
turning into Hyde. As Hyde he strangles Ivy and beats
Sir Charles to death. He rushes to his laboratory to drink
the potion that would transform him into Dr. Jekyll, but
because he had destroyed the key he is unable to enter. In
the end, he is shot and killed by Dr. Lanyon, who was the
only one who knew of his secret.

Victor Fleming directed the picture from a screen play
by John Lee Mahin. Rarton Madame ami C. Aubrey Smith
are in the supporting cast.

Not for children.

Additional reviews are printed in Section
Two, pages 124A, 124B, 124C, and 124D.

124

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 2, 1941

that the Minnesota law is unconstitutional, and that the
money and efforts spent for its passage are a waste. On a
supposedly equally competent advice, Fred Strom, ex-
ecutive secretary of Allied Theatre Owners of the North-
west, has taken the position that the law is constitutional.
We shall soon know what set of lawyers is right.

* * *

THE SUGGESTION THAT IS CONTAINED in
a letter sent out by Pete Wood, business manager of The
Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, to the members of
his association to the effect that the exhibitor's play-dates
are an asset, and that they should be offered to the lowest
bidder, is very good, indeed, but impracticable, by reason
of the fact that, in the motion picture industry, competition
is confined among, not the sellers, but the buyers. As long
as the supply of meritorious pictures falls far short of the
demand, that long it will be the exhibitor who will make
a bid for the producer's product, and not the producer for
the exhibitor's play-dates.

There is no use shutting our eyes to realities. It is easy
to arouse the exhibitor by making him believe that his
play-dates are more valuable than the producer's good
pictures, but the picture we would thus paint to him would
be false.

The exhibitors are not compelled to resort to all kinds
of strategies in order for them to get the pictures they
want. If they would only refrain from buying the poor
pictures, the producers would soon find out that they will
have to make good pictures if they should want to keep the
wolf from the door. The Consent Decree puts the exhibitor
in the happy position of refusing to buy such pictures.

It is my understanding that no exhibitor would refuse to
pay good money for a picture, particularly if he could ob-
tain good pictures twice or even more times as often as he
was able to obtain them in the past, provided he can make
a profit with each one of them. He no doubt feels that it
is preferable to pay twice the rental in one week, as long as
he can make twice the profits. Wouldn't logic confirm the
correctness of such an observation?

* * *

UNDER THE HEADING, "Root of All Evil," sup-
posedly a picture with Gary Cooper, Madeleine Carroll
and other well known names, the Hollywood Reporter
printed a humdinger review. The story, as given in that
review, is highly interesting, and one that could represent
the quality of a highly entertaining picture.

At the end of the review there is the following ex-
planation :

"To all studio heads : There was no intention of being
impertinent in having printed this mythical review of a
mythical picture. Our only desire is to convince you that
your actual production of our story would rate such a re-
view. For further details, call Richard Himber at the
Garden of Allah. That is the reason for this advertisement."

The idea of trying to sell a story by such a method is,
indeed, clever, and Harrison's Reports hopes that Mr.
Himber has already been approached by some producer to
buy his story, for it is very good and could make an excel-
lent picture.

This method of selling a story, however, indicates to this
writer but one thing — that Mr. Himber tried and tried to
reach some story head to sell his story to, but in vain. And
that is exactly what is the trouble with Hollywood : pro-
vided you have an uncle or a friend in court, you have no
chance, unless you are a famous author, in which case they
come to you. Even famous authors sometimes have trouble
in reaching important story officials. Several years ago I
had a famous author, writer of stories about Alaska, call
on me to tell me that thirty-five dollar a week stenographers
was all that he could reach in trying to sell a story.

Mr. Himber's method of going about to sell his story
indicates something else — that in Hollywood there are
scores of people with imagination, but they are not given a
chance. Why ? Because those in command fear for their
own jobs.

* * *

"SERGEANT YORK" HAS DONE phenomenal busi-
ness at the Astor, this city, even though the weather was
excessively warm.

Did it require ingenuity on the part of any exhibitor, or
reviewer, for that matter, to tell in advance that the picture

would be a great box-office success ? Not at all 1 The picture
itself spoke so aloud that no one could have mistaken its

voice.

What is it that has made "Sergeant York" a success?
Is it Gary Cooper ? Of course he is one of the most popular
screen stars and his name over the marquee is enough to
attract the crowds.

But we have seen Gary Cooper pictures that failed.

What is it, then? Its success cannot be laid to sex situa-
tions 1 — there are none in it. It is nothing else than that the
story moves one to the very depths of his heart.

Every one who has something to do with the producing,
distributing and exhibiting of pictures should see "Sergeant
York" so as to learn a lesson from it.

* * *

"THEATRE MANAGERS," said George Skouras,
head of the bkouras circuit in this district, "because of the
double feature policy, have found themselves shorn of all
desire to inject showmanship, potent selling campaigns,
into their activities. Every theatre shows the same pictures
and in most instances the same combination starting with
the first runs and going right down the line."

Mr. Skouras seems to have overlooked the fact that, if
the exploitation campaigns ot exhibitors do not differ, the
blame lies as much with the publicity departments of the
producers as with the exhibitors themselves. Some exhibi-
tors map out their own exploitation campaigns. It is this
sort of exhibitors that have shown the way to the producers
In the early days, when I was head of the machine, supply
and accessory department of the General Film Company in
Seattle, I remember Jensen and Von Herberg planning
their own exploitation campaigns, causing crowds to line
up around the block where the Alhambra was situated, not
on feature pictures as we know them today, but on one-reel
and two-reel subjects. I still remember how they piled
them up with "Ivanhoe."

I remember having sold Mr. Von Herberg 300 one-
sheets, 1U0 three-sheets, and 25 twenty-four sheets, on a
two- reel subject, and saw two-page advertisements in the
"P. I." and the Times. Charles Branham, at the Strand, in
Minneapolis, was another such exhibitor. And there have
been many other exhibitors of this type.

But not all exhibitors are trained to do what Messrs.
Von Herberg and Jensen, Charles Branham and others
did ; many of them must be helped. Unfortunately, the help
they receive from some publicity departments is no help at
all ; it tends to standardize exploitation campaigns. Hence
the similarity of them, as Mr. Skouras has observed.

* * *

POOR BUSINESS IN THE MIDDLE WEST is
ascribed by Hollywood to the deliberate act of the exhibi-
tors' advising their customers not to see a picture if it
should happen to be bad. That is what was stated by
Douglas Churchill, Hollywood correspondent of The New
York Times, in his column Sunday, July 20. He stated also
that the exchangemen in the area affected are frantic be-
cause this exhibitor attitude lowers the film rentals of
percentage pictures.

Is this a producer alibi ?

BOX-OFFICE PERFORMANCES

Universal

"Dark Streets of Cairo": Fair-Poor.

"Mr. Dynamite" : Fair-Poor.

"Double Date" : Fair-Poor.

"The Man Who Lost Himself" : Good-Poor.

"Horror Island" : Fair-Poor.

"Man Made Monster" : Fair-Poor.

"Lady From Cheyenne" : Good-Fair.

"Mutiny in the Arctic" : Fair-Poor.

"Model Wife" : Good-Poor.

"Flame of New Orleans" : Fair.

"The Black Cat" : Fair-Poor.

"Too Many Blondes" : Fair-Poor.

Forty pictures, excluding the westerns, have been
checked. Grouping the pictures from the beginning of the
season, we get the following results : Very Good-Good, 4 ;
Good, 1 ; Good-Fair, 6 ; Good-Poor, 6 ; Fair, 3 ; Fair-
Poor, 20.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

Vol. 23 NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1941 Page 124A

"Hold Back the Dawn" with Charles Boyer,
Olivia de Havilland, and Paulette Goddard

(Paramount, 1941-42 release; 115 min. )

The name of the three stars may help to draw patrons
at the box office, but the story will not help much, in spite
of the fact that Paramount made much fuss over it in the
trade papers at the time of its acquisition. The chief trouble
with it is the fact that Boyer, the chief character, is pre-
sented as an unprincipled person, and no one can take
whole-hearted interest in such a person. The story's treat-
ment follows the regular Hollywood formula, in which sex
is dragged into a story by the ear, not because the situa-
tions demand it. There was a chance to inject sex, and the
author did not overlook the opportunity of injecting it. The
most interesting and moving part is toward the end, where
the supposed-hero's character undergoes a change and he
becomes worthy of the heroine : —

Charles Boyer sneaks into the Paramount studio and,
approaching a director whom he had met in France, begs
him for $500 for a story he would tell him. He said that
he had to have the money before his arrest by Federal
officials. Boyer eventually persuades him to listen to the
story :

In a Mexican town near the United States border, Charles
Boyer, a European dancer, is informed by an immigration
official that his country's quota had been filled for the fol-
lowing eight years. He learns that, if he could marry an
American girl, he could enter in four weeks. He tries hard
to get acquainted with one of them and finally succeeds in
establishing acquaintance with Olivia de Havilland, a
school teacher from Azuza, California. His suave manner
sweeps her off her feet and she marries him the following
day. She then returns to the United States, understanding
fully that he would enter it within four weeks. At the
Mexican town he meets Paulette Coddard, an old flame of
his and dancing partner, and they reestablish their rela-
tionship. In a week's time, Olivia returns. Realizing that a
U. S. Inspector was seeking to find Olivia to inform her
that he had not married her for love, Boyer takes Olivia
and they drive to the country. There they come upon
a religious celebration, and they enter the church. Since the
priest was blessing all the newly-weds, Olivia induces
Boyer to kneel before the priest so as to receive his bless-
ings. Then Boyer realizes how good Olivia was, and de-
cides to reform and stand by her. When Paulette realized
that Boyer was to leave her, she explains their relationship
to Olivia. Just then the inspector arrives. Olivia protects
Boyer, but after the interrogating is over, she leaves him
and returns to the States. On the way she has an accident
and is injured seriously. At the hospital the doctors despair
of saving her life because she did not want to live. When
Boyer hears about the accident he takes the car of a friend
and, driving past the immigration guards, succeeds in elud-
ing them and in eventually reaching the Los Angeles hos-
pital where Paulette had been taken. By talking to her and
telling her that they would be together always, he succeeds
in bringing her back to consciousness. The police arrive
to arrest him but he again eludes his pursuers and reaches
the Paramount Studio to tell the story to his friend from
whom he obtains $500, which he intended to return to his
wife, for an equal amount she had given him after their
marriage; he just wanted to atone. Through the efforts of
Olivia, who had regained her health, Boyer is admitted to
the United States, and to her arms.

Ketti Frings wrote the story, and Charles Boyer and
Billy Wilder the screen play. Mitchell Leisen directed it,
and Arthur Hornblow, Jr., produced it.

Hardly for children — good for adults.

"Three Sons O' Guns" with Wayne Morris,
Tom Brown and Irene Rich

(First National, Aug. 2 ; time, 64 min.)
Poor ! It is one of those comedies in which everyone
talks so much that one finds oneself exhausted instead of
entertained. Moreover, the three sons of Irene Rich behave
in so ridiculous and even objectionable a manner that their
actions tend to annoy one. The only pleasant characters are
those portrayed by Irene Rich, as the overworked mother,
and by Moroni Olsen, her kindly suitor : —

Widowed when her three sons were quite young, Miss
Rich works hard and manages to get along with the little
that her husband had left her. The boys (Wayne Morris,
Tom Brown, and William Orr) grow up to be irresponsi-
ble and of no help to their mother. Morris wants to be a
trumpet player, Orr an actor, and Brown, a fight promoter ;
but none of them thought of working so as to earn a living.
Marjorie Rambeau, an aunt who had been living with them
since their father had died, upbraids the boys for their
selfishness. Miss Rich is thrilled when she receives a mar-
riage proposal from wealthy Olsen, whom she had known
for a long time ; she refuses to give him an answer until
she could consult with her sons. But the boys, eager to
have an excuse to be exempted from army duty, lead her
to believe that they would be heartbroken should she
marry ; she is so touched by their apparent devotion that she
turns Olsen down. In the meantime, Orr tries to marry the
daughter of their next-door neighbor, so as to be certain
to be exempted ; but she wants him to wait, and so he
rushes off and marries some one else, not knowing that her
divorce decree was not yet final. The army catches up with
all three boys, and they are all taken for service. This gives
Miss Rich her opportunity to marry Olsen. The army makes
men of the three brothers, who now take a serious outlook
on life.

Fred Niblo, Jr., wrote the screen play, Ben Stoloff di-
rected it, and William Jacobs produced it. In the cast are
Barbara Pepper, Fritz Feld and Susan Peters.

Morally suitable for all.

"New Wine" with Ilona Massey
and Alan Curtis

(United Artists, Aug. 8; time, 82 min.)

Here is entertainment that will be enjoyed heartily by
cultured audiences and music lovers ; it is a story of the
struggles of Franz Shubert, the famous composer, and
excerpts from many of his compositions are played through-
out. It may not prove popular with the masses, for the
tempo is slow and the romance ends on an unhappy note.
Yet the story is a tender one and has deep human appeal.
Moreover the production values are good and the perform-
ances are charming. The story is told in an interesting
manner ; starting out in modern times, at a concert in Car-
negie Hall, the story of Shubert's life is pictured at differ-
ent stages, according to the composition played by the
orchestra. Two plots are unfolded concurrently with success.

The modern story deals with a young couple attending
the concert. The girl was unhappy because she had discov-
ered that her boy friend was untrue, and the boy was un-
happy because he had been jilted by a young lady. The
music brings the strangers together and they leave good
friends.

The story dealing with Shubert tells of his inability to
teach mathematics when his heart was with his music. Flee-
ing Vienna in order to avoid being conscripted into the
mercenary army, Shubert escapes into Hungary. There he
arrives at a large ranch belonging to a Countess (Binnie
Barnes) and managed by Anna, a beautiful young woman
(Ilona Massey). Anna, attracted by the gentle Shubert and
thrilled by his music, which she had heard him play on an
old piano in the attic, tries her best to help him. But her
efforts fail, for Shubert insults a Duke and the Countess,
and both he and Anna are ordered off the premises. They
go to Vienna, where Shubert returns to his old lodgings
with Poldi (Billy Gilbert), to whom he was already in-
debted. Anna tries to interest publishers in Shubert's music,
but without success. She takes the beginning of a symphony
composed by Shubert to Beethoven, and pleads with him
to read it. Beethoven, after reading the score, declares
Shubert to be a genius ; he instructs Anna to bring him the
complete score. But Shubert, eager to marry Anna, goes
back to his teaching post and neglects his symphony. And
Beethoven dies suddenly. Realizing that she would be in
Shubert's way, Anna goes back to the Countess. Although
heartbroken, Shubert continues with bis music.

Howard Fstabrook and Nicholas Jory wrote the screen
play, Reinhold Schunzel directed it, and William Sekely
produced it. In the cast are Albert Basserman, Sterling
Hollowoy. Richard Carle, John Qualen, and others.

Suitable for all.

124B

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 2, 1941

"Nothing But the Truth" with Bob Hope,
Paulette Goddard and Edward Arnold

(Paramount 1941-42 release; time, 90 min.)
A fine farce, a great deal of it of the bedroom variety.
The situations that provoke laughter are spread all the
way through. Most of the laughter is caused by Bob Hope's
efforts to keep on telling the truth about everything for
twenty-four hours, because he had bet $10,000 that he could
go through telling the truth and nothing but the truth dur-
ing that period of time. Many hilarious situations result
because of it. He had to tell a middle-aged woman who
loved to pose as young that she could not look thirty if she
wore a paper bag ; had to tell prospective buyers of some
stock his associate was trying to unload that it "stunk,"
and other such damaging truths. A great deal of laughter
is provoked by Bob Hope in the situations in the houseboat
where he, deprived of his clothes, which had been taken
away by his two betting associates, is compelled to tiptoe in-
to the bedroom of a woman to take away her dressing gown,
which he dons, to enable him to visit Paulette Goddard,
who had telephoned him. The bedroom situations have been
handled so well that there is no vulgarity anywhere. There
are, of course, some double-meaning wisecracks, but they
are subtle. The photography and settings are a treat to the
eye : —

The story begins to unfold when Bob Hope, who had
just gone broke as a broker, is taken into the firm of Ed-
ward Arnold and Leif Erickson. Arnold hoped that Bob
would be able to dispose of his worthless stock in a quick-
silver mine, in Mexico. Paulette Goddard, niece of Edward
Arnold, comes to the office and Arnold and Erickson, think-
ing that she was after them for a large donation for a
charity purpose, switch her over to Bob to get rid of her.
Bob is courteous and considerate to her, and then is told
by her that she had $10,000, which she wanted invested to
be doubled up quickly. Bob accepts the money. In a discus-
sion with Arnold, Bob insists that the best policy in selling
stock would be to tell the truth at all times. Arnold insists
that no man can tell the truth all the time and be able to
survive. Bob bets him $10,000 that he could, and Arnold
and Erickson accept the wager. Then the fun begins. Bob
wins the bet, but not until after he had upset everything
and had come near to breaking friendships as well as mar-
riages. He wins also Paulette Goddard.

The plot has been taken from the play by James Mont-
gomery, which was, in turn, taken from the Frederick S.
Isham novel. Don Hartman and Ken Englund wrote the
screen play. Arthur Hornblow, Jr., produced it, and Elliot
Nugent directed it. Glenn Anders, Helen Vinson, and
Grant Mitchell are in the supporting cast.

Being a bedroom farce, you have to use your judgment
about showing it to children under 14, and booking it on a
Sunday.

"Down in San Diego" with Leo Gorcey,
Dan Dailey, Jr., Bonita Granville
and Ray McDonald

(MGM 1941-42 release ; running time, 70 min.)

There isn't much to this story — it is rather artificial, con-
structed by the author arbitrarily, but the action is fast
enough to make the picture suitable for a double bill. The
heroics, performed by the sympathetic characters, should
cause youngsters to cheer : —

All the fuss is caused by young Leo Gorcey, Ray Mc-
Donald, Dorothy Morris and a few other friends who,
having suspected that there was something wrong some-
where in the actions of Dan Dailey, Jr., brother of Bonita
Granville, a chum of theirs, decides to investigate so as to
save Dan from trouble. Dan had been keeping the slot ma-
chines, belonging to some gangsters, in repair and when he
expressed a desire to leave them by joining the U. S. Ma-
rines, they and some German spy agents with whom they
were in league frame him by making him believe that he
had murdered a man, thus compelling him to agree to take
orders from the Germans, delivering to them naval infor-
mation. By moving to San Diego and obtaining jobs, the
youngsters are able to follow their "hunches," which even-
tually lead them to the spy agents. Dan is told that his
secret is known and, since he was not at heart unfaithful to
his country, he goes to Henry O'Neil, Commander of the
Marines, and tells him all about the Germans and the part
he had played. O'Neil instructs him to keep on cooperating
with them so as to give the military authorities a chance to
capture them. The spies, however, being well informed,

hold Dan a prisoner when he calls on them. But they had
figured without the youngsters ; these, by inciting the
police into chasing them, lead them to the lair of the spies,
whom they arrest. In the fray, Dan is shot by the Germans
and killed. The government acclaims the youngsters for the
part they had played in the capture of the spies.

The story is by Franz G. Spencer ; the screen play, by
Harry Clork and the author himself. Frederick Stephani
produced it, and Robert B. Sinclair directed it.

Morally there is nothing objectionable in it.

"Sunset in Wyoming" with Gene Autry

(Republic, July 15; 65 min.)
An exhibitor has to depend on Gene Autry to draw his
followers to his box office, for the story is rather weak.
Mr. Autry again takes the part of the popular fellow who
stands by the weak. Only this time he does not allow to be
rushed into precipitate action, preferring to work things
out legally and logically. There is a mildly interesting
romance : —

A lumber company, by cutting down the trees indis-
criminately, causes Hoods that destroy the land of the
farmers. Gathering the farmers, Monte Blue decides to
take the law into his hands, but Gene persuades him and
his followers to give him a chance to bring relief peaceably.
Taking Smiley Burnette, his man, along, he goes to the
city and forces his way into the home of George Cleveland,
president of the lumber company. To his surprise he finds
Cleveland, not only willing to correct the wrong, but also
eager. He must, however, go slow about the matter less his
granddaughter marry Robert Kent, whom he had appointed
manager of the company, and whom he despised. They
resort to all kinds of methods to induce the state to declare
the mountain near their town a state park but are unsuc-
cessful. They gain their point only after a heavy rain had
endangered the lives of many, including that of the Gov-
ernor and his wife.

The story is by Joe Blair ; the screen play, by Ivan Goff
and Anne Morrison Chapin. Harry Grey produced it and
William Morgan directed it. Maris Nixon, Sarah Edwards
and others are in the supporting cast.

Good for the entire family.

"Hold that Ghost" with Abbott and Costello

(Universal, August 8; running time, 86 min.)

This latest Abbott and Costello comedy should provoke
laughter of even greater intensity than that provoked by
either of these stars' two previous pictures, "Buck Pri-
vate" and "In the Navy," by reason of the fact that, not
only are the stars known far better now than they were
when they appeared on the screen for the first time, but the
picture has a greater number of laugh-provoking situa-
tions. The action is so fast, and the comedy sequences occur
so often, that the audiences should be kept laughing con-
stantly. Most of the comedy situations occur in the old
haunted house, which the two stars had inherited from a
gangster under the terms of a strange will. The gags of
sliding panels, of moving furniture as if by magic, of pro-
truding fingers ready to wrap themselves around the neck
of a victim, are used effectively, in spite of their age. In
addition, there appear in the picture the Andrew sisters,
of great vaudeville fame, doing a few numbers : —

The story deals with Abbott and Costello, two waiters,
who get mixed up unwittingly with gangsters, as a result of
which mixing up they inherit an old house, used by the
gangsters as a lair. They take possession of the house. Be-
cause no one knew where the head gangster had hidden
his wealth, after his death (killed by the police while he
was running away from them) his henchmen haunt the
house with the hope that they would some day discover the
hidden wealth. The gangsters attempt to frighten away
Abbott and Costello and their friends, but, despite their
fright, they stick it out, until eventually they find a quantity
of greenbacks stuffed into a moose's head. Their joy, how-
ever, turns into a disappointment, for the money was
counterfeit. But in the end, they are rewarded by the success
they had made of the old house, which they had turned into
a health resort.

The story is by Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo ; the screen
play, by the two authors and John Grant. Arthur Lubin
directed it, and Burt Kelly and Glenn Tryon produced it.
Richard Carlson, Joan Davis, Mischa Auer, Ted Lewis
and others are in the cast.

Good for the entire family.

August 2, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

124C

"Buy Me That Town" with Lloyd Nolan,
Constance Moore, Albert Dekker, Sheldon
Leonard, Ed Brophy and Warren Hymer

(Paramount 1941-42 release; 70 min.)

Just a fair program picture, suitable for a double bill.
The story is artificial, in that what happens in it can hardly
happen in real life, and since there is hardly any human
interest in it its artificiality stands out. There is a comedy
situation here and there, and a formula romance : —

Lloyd Nolan, member of Sheldon Leonard's gang, tells
Sheldon, who had been drafted, that he could not beat the
draft and might just as well do the best he could under the
situation. But Sheldon vows to return after a year and
again take up the leadership. Nolan, however, knew that
the old rackets were washed up and, taking along Albert
Dekker, one of his henchmen, drives to the country, intend-
ing to find a place where he could settle. At Middle Village,
a small town, he is arrested for speeding and is given a stiff
fine. When he complains, Richard Carle, judge of the town,
informs him that he is compelled to put on stiff fines — the
town was so bankrupt that it was for sale. Thereupon
Nolan decides to buy the town, particularly since he would
be near Constance Moore, the Judge's niece. He then pro-
ceeds to help bring back prosperity. He sends for some of
his loyal henchmen to help him run the town. Just as things
had begun to go well, Sheldon appears and demands of
Nolan that the town be run in accordance with his own
ideas. But Nolan refuses to agree. Sheldon induces Dekker
to sell him his half of the town, and then proceeds to set
fire to the idle factory, which Nolan intended to reopen.
Just then Dekker relents and, rushing to the factory, tries
to prevent Sheldon from carrying out his purpose. Each
shoots at the other. Sheldon is entangled in a machine and
was liberated by Nolan, who had arrived to the scene, by
Brophy and by Dekker only after he agreed to deed back
to Dekker the one-half of the town he had bought from him.
Constance Moore eventually realizes that Nolan was the
right sort of fellow.

The story is by Harry A. Gourfain, Murray Boltinoff
and Martin Rackin ; the screen play by Gordon Kahn.
Sol C. Siegel directed it, and Eugene Zukor produced it.

Being a semi-gangster picture, you will have to be
guided by your local situation whether you should book it
or not.

"Henry Aldrich for President"

(Paramount 1941-42 release; 70 min.)

Watching the actors of this picture do their stuff is just
like watching a group of children playing marbles ; and
those who will see this picture will get no more fun out of
it. The players consist mostly of young men and young girls
of college age, and the action unfolds chiefly on college
grounds. The action is not of much interest, except in the
closing scenes, where young Jimmy Lydon flies a plane,
even though he had never done a solo flight. The producer
then put in the action every hokum stunt that has been put
into melodramatic action of this kind. That part of the
action is considerably thrilling. There is a young romance
interwoven in the plot.

Jimmy Lydon is tricked into putting in his candidacy for
president of the student body at a college. Almost every
student thought he would have much fun by seeing Jimmy
humiliated ; to every one of them the election of Kenneth
Howell was a cinch, because Kenneth had much money and
was buying every student ice cream sodas. But Mary
Anderson, loving Jimmy, withdraws her own candidacy to
help elect Jimmy. She is jealous when Jimmy pays atten-
tion to June Preisser. By the manipulations of Charlie
Smith, Jimmy's chum, who acted as his election manager,
Jimmy is elected. But the following day the principal sends
for him and shows him counterfeit ballots. Thinking that it
was the work of Charlie, Jimmy refuses to explain and he is
expelled from college. Mary and Charlie, however, had
learned that the counterfeit ballots had been the work of
Howell. But how could they prove it ? They call on every
printer in town and learn that the printer of those ballots
was with a fair in a town two hundred miles away, and the
fair was to close that night. Jimmy goes lo the gas station of
a friend of his, who had been teaching him how to fly. He
persuades his friend to fly him to the fair grounds. This his
friend does. They locate the printer and promise him a sub-
stantial reward if he would go along to identify Howell.
Just as they were ready to board Jimmy's plane the in-
spector comes along and threatens the flyer with a loss of
his license perpetually if be should be caught flying before

his disciplinary period had expired. In desperation, Jimmy
takes the plane up, and reaches town. In landing, however,
he smashes the plane. But he has the printer with him, to
testify to his innocence.

The original screen play is by Val Burton. Sol C. Siegel
produced it, and Hugh Bennett directed it.

Nothing objectionable in it morally.

"Cracked Nuts" with Stuart Erwin,
Una Merkel and Mischa Auer

(Universal, Aug. 1 ; time, 60 min.)
Mediocre program fare. Not only are the plot develop-
ments obvious, but the story is so completely silly that it is
doubtful if even the ardent picture-goer will have patience
to sit through to the end. The pity of it is that good per-
formers, who know how to handle comedy material, are
wasted, for even they are unable to overcome the triteness
of the plot : —

Stuart Erwin, small-town winner of a slogan prize of
$5,000, arrives in New York to find his sweetheart (Una
Merkel), who had left their small town to seek employment
in the city. He wanted to marry her and take her back
home. He finds her working as secretary to William Fraw-
ley, an impoverished patent attorney. Frawley, penniless
himself, is eager to obtain backing to manufacture a robot
designed by Mischa Auer. Frawley does not know that
Auer had a man hidden inside who worked the robot ; he
was under the impression that it was a mechanical marvel.
Before Erwin knows what it is all about, he invests his
$5,000 in a company that would manufacture more robots.
Frawley's ex-wife (Astrid Allwyn), to whom he owed
back alimony, finds out about the $5,000 and attaches it ;
Auer and Frawley are disconsolate. And so is Erwin when
he finds out that Auer was a fake. He enlists the aid of two
of his small-town friends; they pose as millionaires who
were willing to finance the new robot company, but on one
condition, that there be no other stockholders. And so
Frawley induces Miss Allwyn to return the $5,000 to
Erwin, in return for a fifty per cent share of the new com-
pany. Erwin gets back his money, and marries Miss Merkel.
And the cheaters learn that they were fooled.

Erna Lazarus and W. Scott Darling wrote the screen
play, Edward Cline directed it, and Joseph G. Sanford pro-
duced it. In the cast are Shemp Howard, Manton Moreland,
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Bullets For O'Hara" with Joan Perry,
Roger Pryor and Anthony Quinn

(IVamcr Bros., July 19; time, 51 min.)

Minor program entertainment. It is a routine crook melo-
drama, with only a fair degree of excitement. The one thing
in its favor is that it is short, and so it can be used on the
lower half of a double feature program at those theatres
where patrons go in for pictures of this type. There is a
mild romance : — -

Joan Perry, who had been under the impression that her
husband (Anthony Quinn) came from wealthy society
folk, is shocked to learn that he was a crook. She is humili-
ated when he robs the young society couple ( Richard Ainley
and Maris Wrixon) with whom they had been vacationing
at Florida. He forces her to accompany him back to Chi-
cago. Hut police detective Roger Pryor trails them and by
means of an aeroplane overtakes the train. Quinn escapes,
leaving Miss Perry with the warning that lie would kill
any man who might come between them. Miss Perry is
arrested and tried as an accomplice, but her friends testify
as to her innocence and she is freed. She later divorces
Quinn. As a means of bringing Quinn out into the open,
Pryor suggests that Miss Perry marry him. The trick
works ; although the hotel was surrounded, Quinn manages
to get in ; he knock Pryor unconscious and then takes Miss
Perry away with him. They hide out at a waterfront hotel ;
Quinn was negotiating for a boat to take them away. Miss
Perry cuts the telephone wires, and then attaches to the end
of the wire a note asking for help. When the telephone
repair men arrive, they find the note and relay the message
to Pryor. He arrives with the police. After a gun fight,
Quinn and his accomplices are killed. By this time Pryor
and Miss Perry are in love with each other and decide to
stay married.

P. J. Wolfson wrote the story, and Raymond Schrock,
the screen play; William K. Howard directed it. Dick
Purcell, Hobart Boswofth and others are in the cast.

124D

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 2, 1941

"The Bride Came C.O.D." with James
Cagney and Bette Davis

(Warner Bros., July 12; 91 mitt.)

Evidently the author wrote the story of this picture im-
mediately after getting up from bed in the morning, when
he was yet in a semi-yawning condition. While in that
condition he remembered that the night before he had an
idea for a story, and, pronto ! — he sent for his secretary and
dictated it. But one should blame, not the author for writing
it, but Warner Bros, for accepting it, and then for making
a picture out of it. Mr. Cagney has not been given a worse
story in his entire career. Oh, yes ! laughter is provoked,
whenever Bette Davis falls on a cactus plant and wounds
her rear end with the spines, but the director of any cheap
western could have provoked laughter by the same means,
and you wouldn't have to pay more than ten dollars for
that picture. It would not, of course, have James Cagney
and Bette Davis in it, but when you get a picture with these
two stars you expect to get a picture that is based on a
story commensurate with their drawing powers. Besides,
who among Cagney's followers enjoys seeing Cagney
punched in the jaw and not almost killing the fellow who
would hit him? The story is too artificial to be believed.

All the fuss in the picture is caused by the fact that
James Cagney, an aviator who owned a plane that was to
be taken away from him because he had failed to make the
payments due on it, overhears a telephone conversation
between Bette Davis, at a Los Angeles airport, and Eugene
Pallette, Bette's millionaire father in Chicago, in which
Pallette was trying to dissuade his daughter from marrying
Jack Carson, an orchestra leader. Bette cuts him off, and
Cagney tells the operator that he was talking to Chicago
and was cut off. When connection is reestablished, Cagney
makes a deal with the father whereby he was to deliver
Bette at the Yuma airport for ten dollars a pound of Bette's
weight. Cagney succeeds in putting Bette in his plane with-
out Carson and, while flying, Bette causes the plane to
ground; they land at Bonanza, a California ghost town.

From that point on, the story deals with how the "kid-
napper" was sought, and how in the end Carson loses and
Cagney wins Bette.

Kenneth Earle and M. M. Musselman wrote the story,
and Julius J. and Philip T. Epstein, the screen play. William
Keigley directed it.

Morally there is nothing objectionable in it.

"New York Town" with Fred MacMurray
and Mary Martin

(Paramount, 1941-42 release; time, 75 mm.)

A light but pleasing comedy, with considerable human
interest. The story holds the interest fairly tense. Mr. Mac-
Murray wins one's sympathy by his chivalry toward the
heroine. Miss Martin sings very little. The settings in many
parts are beautiful. Thus the picture is made to suit all
kinds of audiences ; and since the leads are popular and
some of the subordinate players known well, the picture
should prove successful at the box office : —

Mary Martin, of Vermont, comes to New York. Fred
MacMurray, a photographer plying his trade in the streets
of New York, comes upon her and, seeing that she wore
a stocking with a run, realizes that she was broke and, after
many efforts, succeeds in making her understand that he
had no designs on her and thus induces her to accept his
hospitality at his studio, shared by Akim Tamiroff, a Rus-
sian ex-professor, a refugee. She is made the salesman of
the big enlargements, which Tamiroff has been making
for rich persons, whose names they had been taking out of
the telephone directory. Unable to sell any enlargements,
Mary is despondent. MacMurray suggests that the best
way out would be for her to marry a wealthy man. He picks
out a Paul Bryson. She rebels at the thought, but she is
eventually persuaded to take old man Bryson's picture
and call on him at his home. But instead of the elderly Bry-
son, Mary meets Junior (Robert Preston), and he is so
nice to her that they strike a pleasant acquaintance. But
MacMurray soon realizes that he was in love with Mary
and begins to sulk and to resent Mary's going with Preston.
But everything is straightened out in the end: through the
good offices of Preston, who had listened to the pleas of
Mary, Tamiroff obtains an appointment at a University as
a professor and thus he does not have to leave the United
States, and Mary and MacMurray come to confess their
love for each other.

The story is by Jo Swerling ; the scenario, by Mr. Swer-
ling and S. Lewis Meltzer. Charles Vidor directed it and
Anthony Veiler produced it. Some other players in the cast
are Lynn Overman, Eric Blore and Fuzzy Knight.

Good for the entire family.

"Ringside Maisie" with Ann Sothern

(MCM, August 1 ; 96 min.)

Of just about the same quality as the other pictures of
this series. There is some human interest, and the action
keeps pretty fast. The only difference is the boxing match,
which is conducted expertly. Robert Sterling, who has the
makings of a popular young star, fights with skill. There
are some emotional scenes. Miss Sothern again takes the
part of the good girl who struggles to make an existence : —

When Ann loses her job as a taxi dancer because she
could not tolerate "pawing" she is sent by her manager to
a tryout as the partner of Jack LaRue, dancer in a resort
hotel in the Adirondacks. Not having enough money to
pay her fare, the train conductor puts her out and she is
compelled to walk. On the road she meets Robert Sterling,
a fighter, training under the management of George Mur-
phy, and Sterling suggests that she wait for his truck, which
was following, to take her to her destination. At the hotel,
LaRue makes improper advances to her and she quits the
place in disgust. Murphy cautions Ann not to have any
designs on Robert, whom he was training to become a great
fighter. The following day, Robert takes Ann to his mother
(Margaret Moffat), a chair invalid, living in the city, but
he cautions her not to tell his mother that he was training
for the ring. When his mother learns that Ann is unem-
ployed, she persuades her to stay with her. Robert eventu-
ally enters the ring and wins the first two fights. But he
dislikes fighting and when he eventually gathers courage
to tell Murphy that he would quit, Murphy becomes so in-
furiated that he threatens to prosecute him to make him
live up to his contract. In the third fight, Robert is knocked
unconscious. At the hospital, the doctor discovers that
Robert had gone blind. Murphy, conscience-stricken, uses
his savings to employ the best brain specialist to perform
a brain operation that restores his eyesight. By this time,
Ann and Murphy are in love with each other.

J. Walter Reuben produced it, and Edwin L. Marin
directed it from a story by Mary C. McCall.

Because of the improper advances to Ann by Jack
LaRue, it is questionable whether small-town theatres can
show it on a Sunday.

"Bad Men of Missouri" with Dennis Morgan,
Jane Wyman, Wayne Morris and
Arthur Kennedy

(First National, July 26; time, 74 min.)
A good outdoor action melodrama. The western fans
should certainly enjoy it, for it has fast action, plentiful
gun-play, good horseback riding, and a few thrills ; the lat-
ter are caused by the encounters between the hero and his
brothers, and the villain and his henchmen. Although the
story is routine, it holds one's attention because of the
fast-moving action. The acts of the hero and his brothers
are not particularly edifying for youngsters, since they
resort to robbing banks and to holding up individuals ; but
the bad effect is overcome to some degree by the fact that
they did not keep the money for themselves but turned it
over to their poverty-stricken neighbors. There is a ro-
mance : —

When Dennis Morgan and his brothers (Wayne Morris
and Arthur Kennedy) return from the Civil War to their
home in Missouri, they find that the town was run by a
crook (Victor Jory), who, through some legal technical-
ity, was robbing the farmers of their land. The brothers,
grief-stricken when their father is killed by one of Jory's
henchmen, decide to take the law into their own hands.
By stealing money belonging to Jory himself, they are able
to provide the farmers with enough cash to meet their pay-
ments and thus save their farms. Jory is determined to
get the brothers. A chance meeting with Jesse James, the
famous outlaw, results in the brothers' joining forces with
him. They rob banks and others, but they keep no money
for themselves ; they send it all to the poor. Morris is in-
jured during one of the holdups. Since James insisted that
they should move on and Morgan refused to leave Morris,
they part, each going his own way. Jory thinks of a way
of trapping the brothers ; knowing that they would risk
their lives for Jane Wyman, Kennedy's sweetheart, he
imprisons her. His plan works ; Kennedy offers himself in
return for Miss Wyman's freedom. He is imprisoned ; and
Jory sets a trap to have all three brothers killed by his men.
But the brothers are too wise for him, and turn the tables
on him by sending him and his henchman into the trap that
results in their death. The brothers, all wounded, give
themselves up; but, since they had done a great deal of
good, they are pardoned. They look forward to a new life.

Robert E. Kent wrote the story, and Charles Grayson,
the screen play ; Ray Enright directed it. In the cast are
Spencer Charters, Howard da Silva, Alan Baxter and
Walter Catlett.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, AUGUST 9. 1941 No. 32

An Exhibitor's Viewpoint on the Pictures Tradeshown

EARLY MONDAY MORNING I received from an
exhibitor, whose opinions I value most highly, his last
week's copy of Harrison's Reports with highly interesting
comments noted on its margins, and I thought of passing
these comments on to you, because 1 am sure that you will
profit highly from them.

The following are his comments on the pictures, most of
which come under the Consent-Decree selling :

'"HOLD BACK THE DAWN' (Paramount) 35%
and, Pete! this will do very big; it's the way the girls like
to see Boyer." (Editor's Note: I agree with this exhibitor
that Boyer is a very popular star, and for this reason the
picture should do well at the box office. But that does not
change the fact that Boyer's part is despicable. A better
characterization of him could have been made to the advan-
tage, not only of the box office, but also of the star's popu-
larity.)

" 'BUY ME THAT TOWN" : You say 'suitable,' and
Paramount wants 30%. Which one of you is wrong? I
think price is correct." (Editor's Note: I still say that the
picture is of program grade, regardless of the percentage
charged for it.)

" 'HENRY ALDRICH FOR PRESIDENT* : You say,
'Watching the actors of this picture do their stuff is just
like watching a group of children playing marbles ; and
those who will see it will get no more fun out of it,' and yet
Paramount wants 25% and says that it is better than the
previous one with Jackie Cooper." (Editor's Note: The
following was said of "The Aldrich Family in Life With
Henry" : "As in 'What a Life,' the first picture of the
Aldrich Family series, this, too, is entertaining program
fare." But every exhibitor knows that Jackie Cooper is a
star whereas Jimmy Lydon is practically unknown. For this
reason, "Henry Aldrich for President" should not command
as big a price as the previous Aldrich Family picture.)

'"NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH' (Paramount),
with Bob Hope. It will probably do well at the box office,
but 40% with preferred dates 1" (Editor's Note : This pic-
ture might be worth 40% if played in big down-town thea-
tres and other theatres catering to high-class patronage,
but I doubt if it is worth that much to theatres that cater to
melodrama-loving crowds.)

" 'NEW YORK TOWN' (Paramount), with Fred Mac-
Murray — 35%. When you say 'light Lbut pleasing comedy],'
do you mean at the box office ?" (Editor's Note : The box-
office performance of this picture will depend mostly on
MacMurray.'

"'DOWN IN SAN DIEGO': Have you ever seen a
worse MGM picture? Didn't they know about the Consent
Decree? It positively stinks!" (Editor's Note: The open-
ing sentence in the review of this picture was : "There isn't
much to this story."

"'CHARLIE'S AUNT' (20th Century-Fox)." In the
review, I said : "... a fair entertainment but, because of
Jack Benny, it might not fare badly at the box office." My
exhibitor friend commented as follows : "I say that this
will do only fair business, even with Jack Benny. They
knew it was to be sold under the Consent Decree."

'"DRESSED TO KILL' (20th Century-Fox): Why
should the independent exhibitors have to pay 25$ for this
c — p?" (Editor's Note: The review said that it is suitable
for a double bill. As a further comment, I may say that the
production values are poor. You would think that Nolan
would be dressed immaculately, but the coat he tries on lit--
so badly that the title seems ridiculous.)

"'PRIVATE NURSE' (20th Century-Fox)": The re-
view said that ii is no more than a program picture. This
exhibitor says: "You, as an exhibitor, could not sell this
one either."

" 'WILD GEESE CALLING' : Not much !" The review
is in full agreement with this exhibitor.

'"SUNSET IN WYOMING' (Republic), with Gene
Autry. This fellow has been slipping lately." (Editor's
Note : Of course, he has been slipping; the stories Republic
has been giving him could not have other results — they are
the formula type.)

'"CRACKED NUTS* (Universal)." The review said:
"Mediocre program fair." This exhibitor says, "It stinks !"
But why should my friend "kick" about this picture? It has
been sold, not under the Consent Decree, but in a block of
fifty.

'"BULLETS FOR O'HARA' (Warner Bros.)": (Ed-
itor's Note : The exhibitor put a circle around the running
time of this picture, which is 51 minutes.)

This exhibitor commented further as follows :
"Dear Pete : Some pertinent comments ! You are entitled
to your opinion, as is any one. But what would you say if I
can prove to you that you have lost subscriptions because
you favor five-picture sales ? Don't you see that it does not
help the exhibitor to book at the prices they are asking now :
It is a seller's market. The seashores can't get pictures and
are up against it worse than ever.

"The producers knew they were to sell five pictures at ;.
time. Why didn't they improve? The answer is, they tr>
but can't.

"Fox is asking 40% for 'Charlie's Aunt,' which is not
doing any business. O.K., so they will settle for 35%, but
it is not worth more than 30%." (Editor's Note: Early re-
ports indicate that the picture is doing big business.)

" 'New York Town' at 35%— worth 30%.

" 'Sun Valley' at 40% — O.K., may be.

" 'Dressed to Kill' at 25 c/c — should be flat.

"Have you seen RKO's prices? Gloria Swanson at 35' ■
a Lee Marcus production, and they did not renew his con-
tract. Jack Hively, the director, who cannot boast of having
set the world afire with the pictures he has so far directed,
is put in the 35% class.

"If you were an exhibitor, and needed product, what
would you do ? Close up ? Let me tell you right now — there
will be plenty of theatres that will close up. And I'll bet on
it !"

I agree with almost everything this exhibitor says, par-
ticularly about the pictures, on which we seem to be in
agreement 100%. But I am in complete disagreement with
a few of his remarks. For instance, he says that I am fight-
ing for the system that compels the distributor to sell his
pictures in groups of five. 1 am doing no such thing. What
I am fighting for is the elimination of blind selling. If the
distributors would furnish synopses of the stories and casts,
then I am for a system that would enable the distributor to
offer to the exhibitor fifty pictures at a time, or one hundred,
if he could furnish them, But as long as they will not do
that, I consider the system established by the Consent De-
cree preferable to the mass production system, sold blindly.

Just in which respect would the exhibitor be better off it
the pictures that have been tradeshown were to be sold in
groups of fifty-five? He would have to buy them at the same
price, and, if after playing them he found out that he lust
money with them, he would go hat in hand to the distribute:
and beg for an adjustment ; and when the following season
came and he objected strenuously to the exorbitant demands
of the salesman, he would he told : "Didn't I treat you ri^ht
last year? Didn't I give you an adjustment?" And he would
have no argument to counteract the salesman's demands,
Thus he would continue to be the slave of the distributor —
always under an obligation to him.

(Continued on last page)

126

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 9, 1941

"Whistling in the Dark" with Red Skelton,
Conrad Veidt and Ann Rutherford

(MGM, August 8 ; time, 77 min.)

This comedy-melodrama was made by MGM
once before, in 1933. As was the case with the first
picture, it is good entertainment. Although more
emphasis has been placed on the comedy in this
version, it in no way detracts from the excitement
of the action. The story itself is pretty far-fetched ;
but that can be overlooked since it provides plenti-
ful excitement and comedy. It is the type of picture
that should go over particularly well in crowded
theatres. Red Skelton is given an opportunity to
display his talents as a comedian and does so well
that there is no doubt that he will soon have a large
following : —

Conrad Veidt, head of a gang conducting a fake
cult by means of which they lured wealthy women
to their premises, is enraged when he learns that a
certain man stood in the way of his inheriting one
million dollars left by one of his followers. Since
he did not want to commit an open murder, and
knew of no other way of getting rid of the man,
Veidt decides to follow the advice of his men — to
kidnap Skelton, who conducted a radio program on
crime stories which he concocted himself, and to
force Skelton to think up a plot by means of which
they could kill the man without leaving any clues.
At first Skelton refuses ; but when Veidt has his
men kidnap also Ann Rutherford, his sweetheart,
and Virginia Grey, his sponsor's daughter, he is
compelled to give in. The plan he works out is for
one of Veidt's henchmen to follow the intended
victim on a plane and to put poison in the mouth
wash he was to use. Left in the hideout with just
one of the henchmen, Skelton, Miss Rutherford,
and Miss Grey hit upon an idea. Since Veidt had
torn the telephone box out, they connect the tele-
phone wires to a radio and in that way are able to
contact the telephone operator. By leading the
guard to believe that they were pretending to give
a broadcast, they get their message over and the
man is saved ; the police then arrive in time to
rescue them and to round up the gang.

The plot was adapted from the play by Laurence
Gross and Edward C. Carpenter ; Robert Mac-
Gunigle, Harry Clork, and Albert Mannheimer
wrote the screen play ; S. Sylvan Simon directed it,
and George Haight produced it. In the cast are
Rags Ragland, Henry O'Neill, Eve Arden, Paul
Stanton, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Kisses for Breakfast" with Dennis Morgan,
Jane Wyatt and Shirley Ross

{Warner Bros., July 5 ; time, 81 min.)

A fair romantic comedy. Here and there the ac-
tion provokes laughter ; but for the most part the
proceedings are silly and there is too much dia-
logue. The production is, however, lavish, and the
performances engaging. And since it has romance
and some comedy, it may appeal to a young crowd
that enjoys light entertainment: —

Immediately after his marriage to Shirley Ross,
Dennis Morgan receives a visit from a former girl
friend who insists on having a talk with him. He
goes to her car and they drive off. A man who had
been biding in the car makes his presence known;
both he and the girl demand money from Morgan.
In a fight with the man, Morgan is hit over the

head. When he regains consciousness, he does not
remember anything, not even his name. He wan-
ders away. The police find his hat at the shore ;
everyone takes it for granted that he had drowned.
Miss Ross holds funeral services ; she is consoled
by her former suitor (Jerome Cowan). In the
meantime, Morgan, having found in his pocket the
name and address of a girl (Jane Wyatt ), goes to
see her in the hope she might know who he was.
Miss Wyatt was Miss Ross' cousin, but, not having
met Morgan, she has no idea who he is. Morgan
stays on at her plantation, they fall in love, and
marry. When Miss Wyatt receives an invitation to
Miss Ross' marriage to Cowan, she and Morgan
decide to go. Everyone is naturally amazed when
they see him, and they act peculiarily ; Morgan and
Miss Wyatt think they are all crazy. Miss Ross'
uncle, a doctor, hypnotizes Morgan and brings
back his memory. Everything is explained to him.
But, since both women wanted him, he is in a pre-
dicament. He finds it is Miss Wyatt whom he loved.
And so, by pretending that he had lost his memory
again, he settles everything, for Miss Ross had be-
come disgusted and planned to divorce him.

Kenneth Garnet wrote the screen play, Lewis
Seiler directed it, and Harlan Thompson produced
it. In the cast are Lucia Carroll, Lee Patrick, Una
O'Connor, Barnet Parker, and others.

"They Meet Again" with Jean Hersholt

(RKO, July 11 ; time, 67 min.)

This is one of the weaker entries in the "Dr.
Christian" series. For one thing, aside from Jean
Hersholt none of the other players have any draw-
ing power at the box-office. For another, the story
is lightweight, the direction is somewhat stilted,
and the action is slow-moving. About the only
bright spot in the picture is young Anne Bennett,
who sings operatic as well as light music very well.
The story follows the customary pattern, that of
"Dr. Christian" doing everything in his power to
help some one else. It is best suited for the family
trade in small towns and neighborhood theatres : —

The birthday party given by Hersholt for young
motherless Anne is spoiled when Hersholt learns
that Anne's father (Barton Yarborough ) had been
arrested on a charge of stealing $3,000 from the
bank where he worked. Despite Yarborough's pleas
of innocence and Hersholt 's efforts to help him, he
is tried, convicted, and sentenced to prison. He
leads Anne to believe that he was going away on a
business trip. But when she learns the truth from
her school friends she is heartbroken and becomes
desperately ill. Hersholt and his nurse's fiance
( Robert Baldwin) decide to get at the bottom of
the matter. Their investigations lead them to the
belief that the real culprit was the bank president's
own son (Frank Melton), who had become in-
volved with a golddigger. They get the informa-
tion they need and finally a signed confession from
Melton. Yarborough, who had been given a tempo-
rary parole to be at his child's bedside and later at
a song contest in which she was competing, receives
the happy news that he was a free man.

Peter Milne wrote the story, and he and Maurice
Leo, the screen play; Erie C. Kenton directed it,
and it is a Stephens-Lang production. In the cast
are Dorothy Lovett, Maude Eburne, Neil Hamil-
ton, and others.

August 9, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

127

"Here Comes Mr. Jordan" with Robert
Montgomery, Claude Rains and
Evelyn Keyes

{Columbia, August 21 ; time, 94 min.)

Here is a picture that is praiseworthy from many
angles ; for one thing, the theme is novel and the
plot developments ingenious ; for another, the pro-
duction values are good, and the acting and direc-
tion are of a high standard. Moreover, it combines
high comedy with drama and romance. Yet for all
its good points, it may be limited in its appeal to
class audiences, for the plot may be beyond the
understanding of the average picture-goer. At any
event, regardless of the intelligence of the audi-
ence, it is necessary for one to see the picture from
the very beginning; should one enter the theatre
fifteen minutes after it had started, one may be un-
able to understand what it is all about : —

Robert Montgomery, a pugilist who was about
ready to take a crack at the championship bout, in-
sists on flying his own plane from his training quar-
ters to New York, much against the wishes of his
manager (James Gleason ). His plane crashes, and
the next minute Montgomery finds himself walk-
ing above the clouds, accompanied by a heavenly
messenger (Edward Everett Horton). He refuses
to believe he was dead and demands to see the man
in charge (Claude Rains). Rains, upon looking up
the records, finds that a mistake had been made, for
Montgomery had fifty more years to live. He then
discovers that Horton had snatched Montgomery's
soul from his body before he had died. Rains orders
Horton to put Montgomery's soul back into his
body ; but they discover to their horror that the
body had already been found and cremated by
Gleason. Rains then travels upon the earth with
Montgomery offering him the bodies of many who
were about to die ; but Montgomery refuses them
because they were not fit for a fighter of his calibre.
Finally they settle upon the body of a millionaire
who had just been murdered by his faithless wife
(Rita Johnson) and her lover (John Emery).
Montgomery had accepted the body only because of
his sudden interest in a young girl (Evelyn Keyes),
whose father had been framed by the murdered
man. To all outward appearances, Montgomery
looks like the murdered man, whose sudden reap-
pearance shocks both Miss Johnson and Emery;
but his soul and brain remain that of the fighter's.
He rectifies the wrong and in the process falls in
love with Miss Keyes. Montgomery calls Gleason
and convinces him of his identity ; they plan the
bout. But again the murderers strike, this time by
shooting. Rains induces Montgomery to leave the
body in time and to enter the body of a boxer fight-
ing the championship bout; this fighter had been
shot by crooked gamblers. Montgomery does this
and wins the bout. Rains then arranges for Mont-
gomery to forget his past and to assume the identity
of the fighter. He brings him together again with
Miss Keyes.

Harry Segall wrote the story, and Sidney Buch-
man and Seton I. Miller, the screen play; Alex-
ander Hall directed it. and Everett Kiskin pro-
duced it. In the cast are Donald MacBride, Don
Costello, Halliwell Hobbes, and others.

( )n account of the murder it may not be suitable
for children.

"Highway West" with Brenda Marshall,
Arthur Kennedy, William Lundigan
and Olympe Bradna

{First National, August 23 ; time, 63 min.)

There's nothing new in this program melodrama ;
yet it holds one's interest to a fair degree, for the
action, which is of the gangster variety, is some-
what fast-moving and at times a little exciting, and
the performances are satisfactory ; moreover, one
is in sympathy with the heroine, who had inno-
cently become involved with a gangster. The thing
against it is the familiarity of the plot construction ;
any typical movie-goer should know in advance just
how it will end : —

Brenda Marshall marries Arthur Kennedy and
for six months is very happy, touring the country
with him. She could not understand, however, why
he insisted on moving from place to place. But the
truth is revealed to her when, after leaving town
hurriedly one night with Kennedy, the police follow
them. She then learns that Kennedy was a bank
robber ; he is shot in the fight with the police, but
manages to escape after killing one policeman and
wounding another. They stop at a doctor's for
treatment; while the doctor is caring for Kennedy,
Miss Marshall runs away. The doctor calls the
police, and Kennedy is arrested ; he is sentenced to
life imprisonment. Three years later, Miss Mar-
shall, together with her younger sister (Olympe
Bradna) runs a successful motor-tourist camp.
William Lundigan, a government agent, in love
with Miss Marshall, tries to induce her to
marry him. Miss Marshall is shocked to learn that
Kennedy had escaped from prison and was on his
way to her place. She is forced to put him up in one
of the cottages, but she warns him she was through
with him. Miss Bradna, not knowing who Kennedy
was, is fascinated by him ; to cure her, Miss Mar-
shall arranges things so that Miss Bradna would
see her kissing Kennedy. Disgusted, Miss Bradna
runs away. Before leaving, Kennedy and a pal
execute a daring robbery of an armored car, and
kill the driver. But they are trapped; Kennedy is
killed by Miss Marshall's assistant (Slim Summer-
ville ), an old-timer who boasted of his courage and
finally had an opportunity to show it. With the re-
ward money, Summerville plans to send Miss
Bradna to college, thus leaving the way clear for
Miss Marshall to marry Lundigan.

Leon Abrams and George Abbott wrote the
story, and Allen Rivkin, Charles Kenyon and Ken-
neth Garnet, the screen play; William McGann
directed it, and Edward Grainger produced it. In
the cast are Dorothy Tree, and others.

Not for cihldrcn.

128

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 9, 1941

My friend forgets one thing : if the first block of five will
lose money for an exhibitor, the salesman will have a tough
time getting the same prices for the next block. Many ex-
hibitors— the wiser ones — know it and are just waiting.
And what do you think will be the moral effect on the sales-
men when 12,000 exhibitors battle for the same thing at
approximately the same time, each exhibitor telling the
salesman that the block of five he is offering him is not
worth the price, citing as a proof the fact that he had lost
money with the previous block?

Of course there has not been an improvement in the
quality of the first blocks offered. But my exhibitor friend
forgets the fact that Rome wasn't built in a day. Improve-
ment will come with time, whereas no improvement could
be hoped for under the old system.

Let each exhibitor remember that, under the present sys-
tem, he can at least fight for his rights— he can shout to the
salesman that his block is not worth the percentages he
demands, whereas under the old system the distributor
would sell him in the beginning of the season merely picture
numbers — so many numbers in the 40% class, so many in
the 35%, and so on ; and when the time came for the delivery
of the pictures, the distributor would just put a "number"
in the classification he wanted, and the exhibitor would have
no way out but to accept the distributor's verdict.

Another abuse that the present system has eradicated is
the practice of taking pictures away from the contract
holders and, either roadshowing them, or selling them the
following season for more money.

As to my friend's telling me that I have lost subscriptions
by supporting the present system, I wish to express my
regrets, but I shall keep on fighting for what I believe is
right for the exhibitor, feeling that in the end I shall be
rewarded. I have had a previous experience of that : In
1920, I fought the First National Franchise, because I
thought it was administered unfairly for the small exhibi-
tors. Many such exhibitors became angry at me, because
First National consisted of exhibitors and they felt that I
was fighting exhibitors. But it did not take them six months
to realize how right I was, and they flocked back to
Harrison's Reports.

I cannot understand how an exhibitor, as intelligent as is
my friend, whose comments are printed in this article, will
support a bankrupt system. The radio, the bowling alleys,
the roller skating rinks and other amusements have taken
people away from the theatres, for no other reason than
that the pictures have been terrible, with no hope for im-
provement unless some radical change took place in the
industry to cause betterment of the product, the only meaib
that would enable the theatres to bring the people back. Not
by any rules of logic can this phenomenon be explained, a
phenomenon that has afflicted many other exhibitors besides
this exhibitor.

IS THE CENSURE OF THE EXHIBITOR
ON TRADE SCREENINGS JUSTIFIED?

The Independent h-xhibitors have been criticized severely
by the trade papers as well as by the distributors for their
failure to attend the trade screenings in greater numbers,
but this paper believes that this criticism, being general, is
altogether unjustified, for no attempt has been made to set
down the class of exhibitors who fail to attend.

The first-run exhibitors with theatres in the distribution
centers or in big cities near these centers attend the trade
screenings in full numbers, unless, of course, they see the
pictures in their private screening rooms. So do many
exhibitors having theatres in the neighborhoods of big
cities. It is only small-town exhibitors, and older-run ex-
hibitors with theatres in the neighborhoods of big cities,
that fail to attend.

Do these exhibitors deserve a censure for their failure to
attend ?

To arrive at the correct answer one must study their
motives. The small-town exhibitors fail to attend because
of the hardships of the trip and of the expense involved, in
addition to the fact that, since they will not buy the pictures
until weeks after these pictures start their run in the big
cities, they will have plenty of opportunities to learn of
their box-office performances. The latter motive is what
prompts also the big city neighborhood exhibitors to absent
themselves from these screenings.

Still another motive is the fact that many of these ex-
hibitors do not consider themselves good judges of picture
values, and prefer to obtain the verdict of their favorite
reviewers — reviewers who have had years of experience at
reviewing and are, as a result of their particular training,
able to name the winners to a greater degree than they
could name them themselves. Spending hours upon hours

at reviewing pictures is laborious work for those who are
not accustomed to it in addition to causing them to take
valuable time away from their work — time they could
utilize to a greater advantage in exploiting the pictures and
in attending to the one thousand and one other matters that
go with the operating of a theatre. Under these circum-
stances, the criticism is unjust and unfair.

A solution of the small town exhibitor problem has been
offered by two of the five major companies — Paramount
and Warner Bros. Neil Agnew has announced that he has
arranged so that the salesman of a given territory, away
from the distribution center, will take prints along with
him to show them to as many exhibitors as he can get to-
gether ; and Grad Sears has announced that, even though
the Consent Decree stipulates that only one trade screening
may be given, exhibitors may see the pictures at the Warner
Bros, exchanges any time they wish. In other words, there-
will be almost continuous trade screenings.

The action of these two executives is commendable, and
HakkisOin's Reports hopes that the other companies will
emulate their example.

HOW PICTURE "DESERTERS" COULD
BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE
THEATRES

"The biggest job of this year — and next — ," says Abram
F. Myers, chief counsel of Allied States Association, "will
be to induce the public to patronize the box office.

"This is an industry job. It can not be accomplished by
the members of one branch without the help of the members
of the other branches.

"The producers must make the kind of pictures the public
wants to see. The distributors must cooperate with the ex-
hibitors in cushioning the impact of the new selling system.
The exhibitors must aid in informing the other branches as
to the tastes and preferences of their patrons. All must join
in all out efforts to sell and re-sell motion picture enter-
tainment to the public.

"One thing needed is a nation-wide joint advertising
campaign ; not institutional advertising but advertising oi
individual pictures ; not advertising in the great national
periodicals, but advertising in the local newspapers concur-
rently witli the exhibition of pictures. . . .

"The purpose of motion picture advertising is to stimu-
late a desire to see the picture featured in the ad. The effect
is largely dissipated if the picture is not immediately avail-
able ; the reader will not retain his recollection of the adver-
tisement for very long.

"The distributors split advertising costs with some oi
their big first-run accounts and then wipe their hands of
the matter. That may be enough in normal times, but pres-
ent conditions call for special measures. There may be no
direct incentive for the distributor to help the subsequent-
run and small town accounts in advertising fiat rental pic-
tures. But there is every reason why they should aid those
accounts in advertising pictures played on percentage.

"When an exhibitor who is playing a picture at 40%
spends money to advertise that picture in the local paper,
he is effect paying the distributor 40c on the dollar for
money invested by the exhibitor in advertising a joint
enterprise.

"If advertising pays — and few will deny it — then it would
seem to be good business for the distributor to say to the
exhibitor, 'On all percentage pictures it will be proper to
deduct from the gross receipts before computing the per-
centage to which I am entitled, an amount not to exceed
blank dollars to be expended in advertising such pictures in
the local newspaper.' "

This paper agrees with Mr. Myers that the biggest job
confronting the motion picture industry is to bring back the
lost patronage. Unfortunately he lays greater stress on
advertising than he does on improving the quality of the
product. Intensive advertising of poor pictures may induce
many people to come back to the theatres but it cannot keep
them there.

The first releases that have been offered to the exhibitors
under the Consent Decree are not encouraging ; they are
not of the type that could induce the "deserters" to come
back into the fold. As a matter of fact, picture per picture
they are not of higher quality than were the pictures of
former seasons. The producers have to exert greater efforts.

Let no one lead you into believing that they cannot im-
prove decidedly the quality of their product ; there are, as
said in previous issues, people in Hollywood who have the
brains, knowledge and ability to produce better pictures,
but they are either kept in subordinate positions or are not
given any chance. The system must be changed so that
these people may be given a chance.

TWO SECTIONS— SECTION Oimil

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 P«w»w, 1 ftl 9 Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 1WUIH Wl£ Publisher

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6S>c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII

HERE AND THERE

RECENTLY W. F. RODGERS, general
manager of distribution of MGM, was offered
the presidency of United Artists and. although
he wanted to accept the offer, he would not do
so unless he obtained his release from MGM
in good spirit.

Bill talked the matter over with Nicholas
Schenck, but Mr. Schenck would under no
circumstances release him. Thus the deal fell
through.

No one can blame Mr. Schenck for having
refused to release Rodgers, for, to MGM, Bill
is more than a general sales manager — he is a
man who inspires his sales forces, not by
grandiloquent speeches, but merely by sim-
plicity and kindliness. Bill is approachable
even to the last film mender in the organiza-
tion. Hence the great loyalty to him of every-
one in the MGM organization.

No doubt Mr. Schenck feels that he can get
another sales manager, perhaps not as capable
as Bill Rodgers, but nearly as capable ; but
he can hardly find one who would command
so much affection and loyalty. If he were to
let Bill go, the morale of the sales forces
would sink very low, not because they could
not do as good work without him, but because
every one of them would feel that he had lost
a real friend.

There are in the industry, however, people
who feel that Mr. Schenck should have looked
at this matter, not from the MGM, but from
the entire industry, point of view. They are
of the opinion that an industry that has been
so good to him is entitled to some service
from him. And he could not have rendered
it a greater service than to release Mr.
Rodgers for the United Artists post.

Although this paper feels the same way. still
it cannot criticize Mr. Schenck for having said
"No!" Who else in his position could, under
the same circumstances, have said "Yes!"?

IT WAS THE BELIEF THAT, with
the new order established by the Consent
Decree, the abuses practiced under the old
system would be discontinued. It seems, how-
ever, that such is not the case altogether.

One of the worst abuses was the inter-
changing of pictures among the different class-
ifications. Every exhibitor thought that, since
the pictures were bought after a trade screen-
ing, since an exhibitor, in buying a group of
five pictures, had already determined what
each picture was worth to him, and since the
distributor, in accepting the exhibitor's offer,
was accepting the exhibitor's price determina-

No. 33

tion, there would be no interchange of pictures
in that group. But Mr. Abram F. Myers now
comes along and reveals the fact that, by a
provision in the new contract, RKO reserves
the right to make such interchanges.

Commenting upon this act of RKO's, Mr.
Myers says :

"The selling of completed trade-shown pic-
tures should eliminate any possible justifica-
tion for the interchange of terms and condi-
tions, except with the consent of the exhibitor.
We feel that RKO has made a mistake in
retaining a provision giving it sole power in
the premises in its new form. We earnestly
hope that no other company will follow its
example, and that RKO will not see fit to
exercise the privilege it reserves to itself.

"The exhibitor has the right to expect that
the terms and conditions set opposite each
picture are the terms and conditions that will
apply to that picture . . . He should not be
placed in a position where, after making
arrangements adapted to the fee which he
expects to pay, he is informed that he must
pay a higher fee."

Under this provision, we are again going
to have two sets of exhibitors : those who, not
having a stiff competition in their town, will
refuse to sign an RKO contract until the
interchanging provision were eliminated, and
those who, having strong competition, will
have no other way out than to sign it.

UNDER DATE OF JUNE 2, P. J. Wood,
secretary of the Ohio Allied unit, wrote to
Mr. Capra that, on May 23, he was at Spring-
field, Ohio, and went to the Majestic to see
"Meet John Doe," and had to sit through
one-half of "Rookies on Parade" and the full
feature of "So Ends Our Night" before being
able to see "Meet John Doe."

Upon reading of Pete's letter to Capra in
the June 14 issue of Harrison's Reports, Mr.
Phil Chakeres. manager of the Majestic, wrote
to Mr. Capra calling Pete's statement in-
accurate, in that he had shown "Meet John
Doe" with two other features only at the
preview — the night before the opening of the
Capra picture. Naturally Mr. Chakeres sent
a copy of his letter to Pete Wood.

Pete comes back at Mr. Chakeres with a
letter to Capra so hot that it should make iron
melt. Part of Pete's letter reads as follows:

"Mr. Chakeres' admission that he has been
in the theatre business for thirty years is quite
interesting and I assume that the wealth of

(Continued on hst p.tge)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1941

130

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 16, 1941

"International Squadron" with Ronald
Reagan and James Stephenson

(Warner — 1st Natl., 1941-42; running time, 86 min.)

As in most aeroplane pictures, this depends on exciting
stunt flying for its thrills. What makes it a little more
exciting than the average picture of its type is the fact
that it takes place in the war territory, and combats as well
as air-raiding scenes, are depicted realistically. Neither the
story nor the characterizations are novel ; nevertheless the
different characters are pleasant. The action is breezy, the
dialogue natural and at times amusing, and the romantic
interludes are well handled and so do not interfere with
the action: —

Ronald Reagan, test pilot for an aeroplane concern, turns
down the suggestion of his former friend (James
Stephenson), an Englishman who had arrived in America
to buy planes for Britain, to join the R.A.F. He even
refuses a lucrative offer to fly to England a bomber which
had been purchased by sympathizer. But he quickly
changes his mind when a process server tries to serve h;m
with papers in an action tor alienation of affections. To-
gether with his mechanic (Cliff Edwards), he successfully
flies the bomber over to England, landing in a thick fog.
He becomes acquainted with Olympe Bradna, a French
refugee doing war work, and leaves with her on an official'
call. They get caught in an air raid. The sight of suffer-
ing and courage prompts Reagan to join the R.A.F. .
Despite his ability as a fighter, he is compelled to go
through the routine training. He takes everything as a
joke, however, considering it more important to keep a
date with a girl than to carry on his work. During one
of his drunken sprees, his pal (William Lundigan) takes
over for him and is killed. Lundigan's wile berates
Reagan and makes him realize what a cad he had been.
When an important assignment is given to Miss Bradna's
fiance, Reagan knocks him out and takes his place. He
carries out the assignment successfully, but is himself
killed.

Frank Wead wrote the story, and Barry Trivers, the screen
play; Lothar Mendes directed it, and Edmund Grainger
produced it. In the cast are Julie Bishop, Reginald Denny,
John Ridgely, Joan Perry, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Little Foxes" with Bette Davis
and Herbert Marshall

(Goldwyn — RKO, August 29; time, 115 min.)

This is a powerful drama. Although it revolves around
a group of rapacious persons, so brilliantly has the story
been handled that one's interest is held from beginning to
end. This is not a picture in which the star alone shines;
Miss Davis is, as usual, competent, but outstanding too
are the lesser roles, particularly those portrayed by Patricia
Collinge and Teresa Wright, both unknown to motion
picture audiences. The story is not pleasant — as a matter
of fact, extremely sensitive persons may find it highly dis-
tasteful and even sickening; but audiences that seek novelty
in story and perfection in direction and acting should find
it fascinating. There is no doubt that it will be received
in large cities very well. The action takes place in a
Southern town in the early 1900's: —

Bette Davis and her two brothers (Carl B. Reid and
Charles Dingle) plan to invest $75,000 each in a new
cotton mill that would employ labor at slave wages, know-
ing that their investment would bring them millions in
return. Since Miss Davis' husband (Heibert Marshall),
who was suffering from a heart ailment, would not answer
the letters she had sent to him at the Baltimore hospital
where he was being treated, she sends their daughter
(Teresa Wright) to bring him home. The trick works.
But Marshall, disgusted at the avaricious plans of his wife
and of her brothers, refuses to enter the combine. Having
found out through Reid's son (Dan Duryea), who
worked at Marshall's bank, that Marshall had $90,000 in
negotiable bonds in his safe-deposit box, Reid and Dingle
induce Duryea to steal them; they are thus able to complete
the financing of the deal. Marshall discovers the theft and
interrogates Miss Davis about it. When he realizes that
her brothers had double-crossed her, he, in order to punish
her for her selfishness, informs her that he would neither
prosecute them nor demand a share of the profits; instead
he would consider it as a loan to be paid back to Miss Davis
upon his death, for that would be the sole inheritance she

would receive. She taunts him with her contempt of him,
and he suffers a heart attack. She sits by watching him
struggle for his medicine; he collapses and that night he-
dies. Immediately after his death she goes after her
brothers and demands seventy-five percent of the business
for her silence; they are compelled to give into her wishes.
But Miss Wright, having overheard the conversation,
realizes at last how horrible a woman her mother was; she
leaves her to go away with Richard Carlson, a young
newspaper reporter, who loved her.

The plot was adapted fiom the stage play by Lillian
Hellman; Miss Hellman wrote the screen play, and William
Wyler directed it. In the cast are Jessie Grayson, John
Marriott, Russell Hicks, and others.

Not for children.

"Navy Blues" with Ann Sheridan, Jack
Oakie, Martha Raye and Jack Haley

(Warner — 1st Natl., 1941-42 season; time, 108 min.)

The masses should find pretty diverting this comedy with
music and romance. Although it lacks a substantial or
even credible plot, and makes use of some old gags for its
comedy, it has several selling points for the average movie-
goer. For one thing, the production values are good; for
another, the performances are breezy, the few musical inter-
ludes are entertaining, and some of the comedy situations
provoke hearty laughter: —

Jack Oakie and Jack Haley, two gobs attached to a U. S.
battleship, arrive in Honolulu broke but full of ideas. But
first they have to rid themselves of Haley's wife (Martha
Raye), who was waiting in Honolulu to collect money for
her support. Oakie and Haley become acquainted with
Herbeit Anderson, a meek gob, who held the record as the
Navy's best gun-pointer; to their joy they learn that he had
been transferred to their ship. Warning him not to tell any
one else of the transfer, they go about placing bets on
target practice, with money they had borrowed from a petty
officer (Jack Carson) ; they even pawn ship trophies to
cover bets. To their horror they learn that Anderson's en-
listment was up before target practice and that he had no
intention of re-enlisting, preferring to go back to his farm
in Iowa. Carson and the other shipmates threaten them
unless the cash and trophies were returned. Oakie and
Haley try in vain to induce Anderson to re-enlist. Finally
Miss Raye's pal (Ann Sheridan) steps in. She leads
Anderson on and soon he is in love with her; but she
warns him she would not consider marrying a man who
failed to re-enlist in these difficult times. Richard Lane
and his pals, who had taken Oakie's bets and did not want
Anderson to re-enlist, try to lead him to believe that Miss
Sheridan was a spy who was trying to trick him into re-
enlisting so as to get Navy secrets from him. Anderson
is dejected but he re-enlists. Yet on the day of target
practice he has no heart for his work because of his
thoughts of Miss Sheridan. She flies over the battleship
to let him know she loved him ; this cheers him up and
he makes a perfect target score. The boys naturally win
all their bets; but Miss Raye collects the money.

Arthur T. Horman wrote the story, and Jerry Wald,
Richard Macaulay, Arthur T. Horman, and Sam Perrin, the
screen play; Lloyd Bacon directed it, and Jerry Wald and
Jack Saper were associate producers. In the cast are Jackie
C. Gleason, William T. Orr, John Ridgely, Katherine
Aldridge, and others.

There is some risque double-meaning talk, but children
will not understand it.

"The Deadly Game" with Charles Farrell,
June Lang and John Miljan

(Monogram, July 26; time, 63 min.)

Theatres in small towns that cater to action-loving fans
should find this a suitable addition to a double-feature
program. It is an espionage melodrama; and, although the
plot is pretty far-fetched, it moves at a fairly fast pace, and
holds one in fair suspense. The romance is unimportant: —

Charle Farrell, a government agent, decodes a message
sent by a mysterious broadcasting station to German agents.
From the message he learns that the life of a former
German citizen, a scientist (J. Arthur Young), was in
danger. Farrell and a few men of his department rush to
Young's laboratory; although they are able to save Young
and his daughter (June Lang), they are too late to save
the apparatus on which he had been working for the U. S.
Government and which the Germans wanted. Farrell be-
comes interested in Miss Lang and promises to provide

August 16, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

131

adequate guard for her father. Farrell continues with his
investigations, which finally lead him to a hotel run by one
of the foreign agents. By posing as a German agent,
Farrell learns that the leader of the spy ring was John
Mil j an, who had been posing as a respectable art dealer.
Eventually Farrell and his men are able to outwit the
German spies, and to round up the gang; they also save
Young, who had been kidnapped by the agents. With the
work finished, Farrell turns to romance, and marries Miss
Lang.

Wellyn Totman wrote the screen play, Phil Rosen
directed it, and Dixon R. Harwin and Barney A. Sarecky
produced it. In the cast are Bernadene Hayes, David Clarke,
John Dilson, Dave O'Brien, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Rags to Riches" with Alan Baxter
and Mary Carlisle

(Republic, July 31; time, 57 min. )

This program melodrama has been given a good produc-
tion and is helped considerably by competent performances ;
but the story is routine, offering only a fair degree of
excitement. One of its faults is the fact that the plot is
developed without any surprises. Yet theatres that cater to
audiences who go in for action gangster melodramas, regard-
less of story values, may do satisfactorily with this. A
romance and some music comprise part of the action: —

Alan Baxter, driver for an automible rental firm, becomes
innocently involved in a theft when the two passengers who
had engaged him rob a fur concern. He purposely wrecks
the car; since the two passengeis are killed, Baxter has no
one to testify for him, and he is arrested. His sweetheart
(Mary Carlisle) goes to see Jerome Cowan, a music pub-
lisher who was sponsoring her career as a singer; she is
unaware that he was at the head of the fur theft racket.
He promises to help, but instead instructs his lawyer to try
the case poorly; Baxter is found guilty and sent to prison.
Miss Carlisle meets with success as a singer; she assures
Baxter that she would always love him and urges him not
to be jealous of Cowan. Upon their release on parole,
Baxter and Eddie Acuff obtain positions with a trucking
concern, unaware it was part of Cowan's outfit. Cowan's
jealous sweetheart (Suzanne Kaaren) double-crosses him
and gives information to Ralf Harolde, a rival crook, as
to shipments of fur. Harolde tries to hijack the truck
driven by Baxter and Acuff, but they manage to escape.
They then realize what they were up against. In the mean-
time, Baxter believes the worst about Miss Carlisle and
Cowan and parts from her. He and Acuff plan to expose
Cowan, Harolde, and their henchmen. They finally accom-
plish this at the risk of their own lives. Baxter and Miss
Carlisle are united.

James Webb wrote the screen play, and Joseph Kant-
directed and produced it. In the cast are Michael Morris,
Paul Porcasi, Rosina Galli, and others.

Not suitable for children.

"Raiders of the Desert" with Richard Arlen,
Andy Devine and Linda Hayes

(Universal, July 18; time, 60 min.)

This is no better than the other action pictures in which
Richard Arlen and Andy Devine have appeared. This time
the action is based on so silly a plot, that as entertainment
it is up to the level of intelligence of fourteen-year-olds,
at the most. There is action, consisting of fist fights, and
an attempted uprising by an Arab tribe; but it fails to
arouse much excitement since it is difficult for one to take
it seriously. The best part is the comedy handled by
Devine; he manages to provoke laughter on occasion. The
romance is of minor importance: —

Arlen and Devine stow away on a ship, believing it was
bound for California. To their surprise they learn they
were bound for Arabia ; discovered by the mate, they are
compelled to work hard for their passage. Arlen becomes
acquainted with Linda Hayes, one of the passengers; she
was bound for Libertahd, there to act as secretary to George
Carleton, who had formed a democratic government and had
helped the natives to live peacefully. The peace of Libertahd
was threatened by a desert chief (Ralf Harolde), who
wanted to rule with an iron hand. He numbered amongst
his spies Carleton's right hand man (Turhan Bey). Arlen
and Devine escape from the watchful eye of the mate and
go to Libertahd; Arlen is happy to again find Miss Hayes.
Arlen prevents one of Harolde's tribesmen from killing
Carleton. He senses what was going on, and warns Carleton
accordingly. Devine accidentally stumbles upon informa-

tion leading him to believe that Harolde was smuggling
guns into the city, in preparation for an uprising. He and
Arlen warn the townsfolk, who prepare in time; they out-
wit Harolde, killing him and most of his tribesmen and
capturing the rest. With peace restored, Arlen goes back
to the United States, taking with him Miss Hayes as his
wife.

Maurice Tombragel and Victor I. McLeod wrote the
screen play, John Rawlins directed it, and Ben Pivar pro-
duced it. In the cast are Maria Montez, Lewis Howard,
Harry Cording, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Citadel of Crime" with Robert Armstrong

(Republic, July 24; time, 58 min.)

Direction, acting and realism of atmosphere deserved a
better story than this one. As it is, the picture may be
considered suitable only for the second part of a double
bill. It is a moonshiner-racketeer story, with a mildly
interesting romance: —

Robert Armstrong, about to be put to death on a framed
charge, is freed by the efforts of Paul Fix, head of a syn-
dicate of racketeers, who had done the framing. Fix wanted
to send Armstrong to the hillbillies of Virginia to organize
the moonshiner trade. When Armstrong is told who had
had him freed and what was wanted of him, he shoots and
kills Fix and then takes over the racket. He goes South
and, because he had been born there, he had no trouble in
enlisting the aid of Russell Simpson, an influential hillbilly,
and soon moonshine liquor flows to New York. The head
of the Iternal Revenue Bureau deputizes Frank Albertson
to discover the culprits, and soon Frank's suspicions fall
on Armstrong. Linda Hayes is in love with Frank, but she
also likes Armstrong. Soon, however, he convinces her that
Armstrong was a bad character. Frank persuades Russell
to stop supplying the Armstrong gang with moonshine
liquor. Armstrong finds out that Frank was a revenue
agent and sets out to kill him. But Frank, with the aid
of Simpson and his men, is able to kill some of the
gangsters and to arrest the others. Armstrong is shot and
killed. Frank and Linda become engaged.

The story is by Don Ryan. George Sherman directed
and produced it.

Being a racketeer picture, it is hardly suitable for children
under 14.

"The Smiling Ghost" with Wayne Morris
and Brenda Marshall

(Warner — 1st Natl., 1941-42; running time, 71 min. )

A routine spooky melodrama of program grade; it has
comedy and a romance. The plot is rather silly, and for
that reason the picture is limited to the ardent followers
of pictures of this type. There are employed all the old
tricks that create an eerie atmosphere, such as a masked
murderer, mysterious secret panels leading to underground
passages, stormy weather, and suspicious actions on the
part of several of the characters; but only on occasion are
they effective: —

Wayne Morris, an impoverished engineer, gladly accepts
an offer from wealthy Helen Westley to pretend to be
engaged to her granddaughter (Alexis Smith) for one
month. For this he was to recieve $1,000 and all expenses.
What Morris did not know was that Miss Smith had been
labeled "The Kiss of Death Girl," for two former suitors
had met with a violent death, and a third was crippled for
life. In engaging Morris, Miss Westley's purpose was to
lure on the murderer and unmask him. Morris, in com-
pany with his constant companion (Willie Best), leaves
for Miss Westley's country estate; after being kissed by
Miss Smith he decides he liked the job. But when Brenda
Marhall, a newspaper reporter, makes the facts known to
him he decides to leave; Miss Smith induces him, however,
to go through a marriage ceremony with her. The cere-
mony is started and that brings forth the murderer, who, it
develops, was a former suitor, who was supposed to be
crippled; since he had been rejected by Miss Smith he had
decided that no one else should have her. Morris then
realizes that he loved Miss Marshall, and is happy that he
had not married Miss Smith.

Kenneth Garnet wrote the screen play, Lewis Seiler
directed it, and Edmund Grainger produced it. In the
cast are Alan Hale, Lee Patrick, David Bruce, Richard
Ainley, and Charles Halton.

It might frighten children; otherwise, morally suitable.

132

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 16, 1941

experience that he has gained through this
long period of time has enabled him to be-
come, as he has, one of the greatest showmen
in the country. I am impelled to make this
statement because of the long run — nearly
five years — that BANK NIT E has enjoyed
at his Springfield theatres — all five of them.
And this notwithstanding the fact that Mr.
Chakeres operates all of the theatres in
Springfield, except one. Frankly, it would not
surprise me at all to learn that BANK NITE
was operated with 'MEET JOHN DOE' as
a second feature.

"Another indication of Mr. Chakeres out-
standing showmanship is amply evidenced by
the fact that, in addition to BANK NITE, he
also stages a QUIZ PROGRAM once a week
at his Regent Theatre, in conjunction with the
Dow Drug Company.

"Once a week, at his Ohio theatre, Mr.
Chakeres gives his patrons an opportunity
to win a mess of groceries among fifty or sixty
prizes. It will also be of interest to you to
learn that Mr. Chakeres also shows pictures."

Harrison's Reports feels that no exhibitor
who shows a triple feature, even at a preview,
has any justification to defend himself. Con-
sequently, it must stand by Pete Wood in this
altercation by written word.

WRITING ON THE SUBJECT OF jump-
ing the charge from ten cents to thirty or
thirty-five cents to children when they pass
into the adolescent age, an old subscriber to
Harrison's Reports writes that it is an unwise
procedure. "Taking a jump from ten cents to
thirty-five cents is quite a stretch for some
youngsters to make, especially at the time
when they are trying to take their best girls
to the show."

It is this exhibitor's opinion that the
theatres should adopt a lower price for young
men and women so as not to cause them to
lose the picture-going habit.

Although the same idea has been expressed
by other exhibitors, it is an idea, this corres-
pondent writes, that deserves the serious con-
sideration of every exhibitor.

This paper feels the same way about the
matter.

ON JULY 7, REPRESENTATIVE COX
introduced in the House Bill H. R. 5242, the
purpose of which is to exempt members of
the armed forces of the United States from
paying a tax on admissions to places of
amusements, and Earl J. Brothers, of Boulder
City, Nevada, feels that the exhibitors should
urge their Congressmen to support this Bill.
But in view of the fact that the new Revenue
Bill provides for the exemption of these forces
from paying the tax, the exhibitors would be
merely duplicating efforts if they were to
support the Cox Bill.

Mr. Abram F. Myers states the following in
a release dated July 28 :

"The bill contains no express exemption of
children's admissions. However, the theatres
are at liberty in the case of (a) municipal
officers on official business, (b) children under
12 years of age, and (c) members of the
military or naval forces or the Civilian Con-
servation Corps, when in Uniform, to admit

them free and charge no tax, or to admit
them at a reduced rate and collect merely the
tax on such reduced rate ..." On all other
occasions, the tax on reduced-rate tickets shall
be the tax collected for full-rate tickets.

The efforts of the exhibitor representatives
should be directed toward obtaining a conces-
sion also for students.

PLANS' FOR THE HOLDING of the
Twelfth Annual Allied States Convention on
September 16, 17 and 18, at the Benjamin
Franklin Hotel, in Philadelphia, are proceed-
ing without a hitch. Sidney E. Samuelson,
chairman of the Convention Committee, has
announced the appointment of the different
committees, each of which is to take care of
a different task.

According to a release from the Philadelphia
headquarters of the Convention Committee,
the problems that will be discussed on the
floor of the convention are of weighty im-
portance to every exhibitor.

If you have not yet made up your mind to
attend, make it up now ; and if you have
already made it up to go but have not made
your reservations, write to Mr. Samuelson at
once. Do not wait until the last minute for
making hotel reservations, for the attendance
is expected to be so great that you will have a
hard time obtaining suitable accommodations.

IN ORDER TO FIND OUT whether the
distributors are quoting the same price on
each of the five pictures of a group, P. J.
Wood, secretary of the Ohio exhibitor organ-
ization, has sent to the organization's mem-
bers cards for each member to fill in with the
prices that have been quoted to him by each
distributor for each of the pictures of the
group he has been offered.

BECAUSE OF THE SUPPOSITION that
the suit against the three non-consenting dis-
tributors— Universal, Columbia and United
Artists — may not be settled before June 1,
1942, the time a final decree is to be entered,
and the Consent Decree may, as a result of it,
be suspended, Mr. Abram F. Myers, general
counsel of Allied States Association, suggests
that a liaison committee, consisting of pro-
ducers, distributors and exhibitors, be formed
so that, whatever changes may be undertaken
in the industry, may have the consent of all
three branches of the industry, contrary to
previous procedure when the two branches
made decisions that affected exhibitor in-
terests vitally without consulting exhibitor re-
presentatives. Mr. Myers feels that harmony
would result thereby.

Incidentally, the Allied Washington office
informs the industry that the Allied executive
committee has approved the application for
membership of the New York State Unit of
National Allied, Inc.

The headquarters of the new unit are at
200 Gannon Bldg., Troy, N. Y.

ACCORDING TO JOSEPH BERNHARD,
chairman of the Motion Picture Drive of the
U. S. O. campaign, up to last week 2,327
theatres enrolled for the drive that starts on
Labor Day and continues for a week.

By the time the Drive starts, a formidable
number of additional theatres are expected to
enlist in this worthy drive.

IN TWO SECTIONS — SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

Vol. XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1941 No. 33

(Partial Index No. 4 — Pages 106 to 128 Inch)

Title of Pictures Reviewed on Page

Accent on Love — 20th Century- Fox (61 min) 114

Bachelor Daddy — Universal (60 min.) 111

Bad Men of Missouri — First National (74' mm.) 124D

Barnacle Bill— MGM (91 min.) 115

Blondie In Society — Columbia (77 min.) 118

Blossoms in the Dust — MGM (98 mm.) 106

Bowery Blitzkrieg — Monogram (62 mm.) 123

Bride Came C.O.D., The — Warner Bros. (91 mm.) 124D

Bullets for O'Hara — Warner Bros. (51 mm.) 124C

Buy Me That Town — Paramount (70 mm.) 124C

Charlie's Aunt — 20th Century-Fox (82 min.) 122

Cracked Nuts — Universal (60 mm.) — 124C

Dance Hail — 20th Century-Fox (73 min.) 111

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde— MGM (127 min.) 123

Down in San Diego — MGM (70 mm.) 124B

Dressed to Kill — 20th Century-Fox (74 min.) 122

Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime — Columbia

(70 mm.) 118

Father Steps Out — Monogram (62 min.) 118

Father Takes A Wife— RKO (79 mm.) 119

Forced Landing — Paramount (66 min.) 116

Gangs All Here, The — Monogram (61 min.) 110

Gay City, The — Paramount (See "Las Vegas Nights ) 51

Hello Sucker — Universal (60 min.) 110

Henry Aldhch for President — Paramount (70 min.).....124C

Here Comes Mr. Jordan — Columbia (94 min.) 127

Here Is A Man — RKO (105 mm.) 114

Highway West — First National (63 min.) 127

Hold Back the Dawn — Paramount (115 mm.) 124A

Hold That Ghost — Universal (86 mm.) 124B

Hurricane Smith — Republic (68 min) 119

Hurry, Charlie, Hurry— RKO (65 mm.) 115

I Was A Prisoner on Devil's Island— Columbia

(71 min.) 110

Kiss the Boys Goodbye — Paramount (84 min.) 106

Kisses For Breakfast — Warner Bros. (81 min.) 126

Lady Be Good— MGM (111 min.) 115

Lady Scar face — RKO (66 min.) 119

Mail Train — 20th Century- Fox (87 min.) 107

Manpower — Werner Bros. (104 min.) 114

Murder By Invitation — Monogram (63 min.) 118

My Life With Caroline— RKO (81 min.) 119

New Wine — United Artists (82 min.) 124A

New York Town — Paramount (75 min.) 124D

Nothing But the Truth — Paramount (90 min.) 124B

Officer and the Lady, The — Columbia (59 min.) 118

Parachute Battalion — RKO (88 min.) 115

Parson of °anamint, The — Paramount (83 min.) 107

Passage Frc-n Hongkong — Warner Bros. (61 min.) 110

Poison Pen — Republic (66 min.) 116

Private Nurse — 20th Century-Fox (61 min.). 123

Puddin' Head — Republic (79 min) _. 111

Ringside Maisie — MGM (96 min.) _124D

San Antonio Rose — Universal (63 min.) _ 107

Sergeant York — Warner-Ist Natl. (133 mm.) Ill

Shepherd of the Hills, The — Paramount (98 min.) 107

Stars Look Down, The — MGM (98 mm.) 1 16

Sun Valley Serenade — 20th Century-Fox (86 min.) 122

Sunset in Wyoming — Republic (65 min.) 124B

Sweetheart of the Campus — Columbia (69 min.) 106

They Meet Again — RKO (67 min.) _ 126

They Met in Bombay— MGM (91 mm.) 106

Three Sons O' Guns — First National (64 min.)._

Tom, Dick and Harry — RKO (86 mm.)

Two In A Taxi — Columbia (63 mm.)

Whistling in the Dark— MGM (77 min.).u

Wild Geese Calling — 20th Century- Fox (78 mm.).

-124A
_114
__116

—126
__122

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES
Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

She Knew All the Answers — Tone-Bennett__May 15

Voice in the Nignt — Brook- Wynyard May 20

Naval Academy — rreddie Bartnoiomew cviay 2?

Adventure in Washington — Marshail-Bruce__May 30

Richest Man m Town — Craven-Pryor June 12

Hands Across tfte Rockies — Elliott (57 mm.) June 19

Time Out For Rhythm — Vallee-Milier June 20

Medico of Painted Springs — Starrett

(62 mm.) June 26

Sweetheart of the Campus — Keeier June 26

2008
2040
2020
2010
2026
2215
2009
2206

2019
2041

2042
2216

2014
2039
2207

2017
2023

I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Isiand-

Wood-Eilers June 30

Two in a Taxi — Louise-Hayden July 10

The Son of Davy Crockett — Elliott
(60 mm.) (re)

July 15
Jury 1/

The Officer and the Lady — Hudson-Pryor July 24

Blondie in Society — Singleton-Lake

Thunder Over the Prairies (The Medico

Rides) — Starrett (6L mm.) (reset) July 30

Tillie The Toiler — Harris-Tracy Aug. 7

Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime —

Bellamy-Lindsay —Aug. 14

Here Comes Mr. Jordan — Montgomery-Rains Aug. 21

Our Wife — Dougies-Hussey-Drew Aug. 2?.

You 11 Never Get Rich — Astaire-Haywoith Sept. 25

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Mystery Ship— Kelly-L. Lane-

Harmon of Michigan — Harmon- Louise-
Ladies in Retirement — Lupino-HaywarcL

-Sept. 4
sept. 11
-Sept. 18

First National Features

(321 W . 44tb St., New York, N. Y.)
555 Out of the Fog — Garrield-Lupino..

557 Bad Men of Missouri — Morgan- Wyman_
574 Three Sons O Guns — Morris-Rambeau-
565 Highway West — Marshall-Kennedy

-June 14
-July 26
-Aug. 2
-Aug. 23

553 Dive Bomber — Flynn-MacMurray-Bellamy Aug. 30

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Metro-Gold wyn-IYIayer Features

(1540 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)
139 The Big Store — Marx Bros.-Martin

140 They Met in Bombay — Gable-Russell..

141 Barnacle Bill — Beery-Main- Weidler....
186 Navy Blue and Gold — Reissue..

142 The Stars Look Down — Williams-Lockwood
144 Blossoms in the Dust — Garson-Pidgeon

143 Ringside Maisie — Sothern-Murphy (reset) —
147 Whistling in the Dark — Skelton-Veidt m

June 20
June 27
July 4
July 11
.July 18

-July
•Aug.
Aug

5
I

146 Life Begins for Andy Hardy — Rooncy (re) ..._Aug. 15
145 Dr. Kildare s Wedding Day (Mary Names

the Day) — Ayies-Day-L. Barrymorc (reset) Aug. 22

When Ladies Meet — Crawtord-Taylor-Garson Aug. 29

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — Tracy Date not set

202 Lady Be Good — Sothcrn- Young Date not set

203 Down in San Diego— Gorcey- Parley Date not set

August 16, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., New York N. Y.)

Wanderers of the West — Tom Keene (58 min.) —.June 25

Murder By Invitation — W. Ford-M. Marsh June 30

Father Steps Out — Albertson-Prouty-Grey July 19

Deadly Game — Farrell-Lang July 26

Fugitive Valley — Range Busters (61 mm.) July 30

Bowery Blitzkrieg — East Side Kids-Luke Aug. 1

Dynamite Canyon — Tom Keene (58 min.) Aug. 8

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Arizona Bound — Buck Jones (57 min.) July 19

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)
4030 West Point Widow— Shirley-Carlson

-June 20

4032 Caught in the Draft — Hope-Lamour July

4033 Forced Landing — Arlen-Gabor-Naish July 11

4034 Shepherd of the Hills — Wayne-Field July 18

4035 Kiss the Boys Goodbye — Ameche-Martin Aug. 1

4055 Wide Open Town— William Boyd (79 nun.) Aug. 8

4036 World Premiere — Barrymore-Farmer Aug. 15

4031 Parson of Panamint — Ruggles-Drew (reset) Aug. 22

4037 Flying Blind— Arlen-Parker-Wilson Aug. 29

4038 Aloma of the South Seas — Lamour-Hall Aug. 29

4060 Ruggles of Red Gap Reissue

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Republic Features

(1790 Broadway, New York, N. Y.)

077 Desert Bandits — Red Barry (56 min.) May 24

067 Saddlemates — Three Mesq. (56 min.) May 26

016 Angels with Broken Wings — Barnes-Roland May 27

057 Nevada Cry — Roy Rogers (58 min.) June 20

078 Kansas Cyclone — Red Barry (56 min.) June 24

003 Puddin' Head — Canova-Lederer June 25

023 Poison Pen — Robson-Newton June 30

068 Gangs of Sonora — Three Mesq. (56 min.) July 10

047 Sunset in Wyoming — Gene Autry (65 min.) July 15

024 Citadel of Crime — Armstrong-Hayes July 24

025 Rags to Riches — Baxter-Carlisle July 31

004 Ice-Capades of 1942 — Lewis-Ellison Aug. 20

048 Under Fiesta Stars — Autry Aug. 25

026 Doctors Don't Tell — Beal-Rice-Norris Aug. 27

058 Bad Man of Deadwood — Roy Rogers Aug. 27

(One more Gene Autry to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

107 Mountain Moonlight — Weaver Bros.

(68 min.)

108 Hurricane Smith — Middleton-Wyatt—

..July 12
-July 20

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

132 Scattergood Pulls the Strings — Kibbee

133 Sunny — Neagle-Carroll-Inescort

May 23

May 30

131 Saint's Vacation — Sinclair-Gray (reset) June 6

185 Cyclone on Horseback — Tim Holt (reset) June 13

191 The Reluctant Dragon — Disney June 20

166 Frank Buck's Jungle Calvacade June 27

126 Tom, Dick and Harry — Rogers-Murphy July 4

134 They Meet Again — Jean Hersholt July 11

172 The Story of the Vatican — special (54 min) —July 18

129 Hurry Charlie Hurry — Leon Errol July 25

135 My Life With Caroline— Ronald Colman Aug. 1

186 Six Gun Gold— Tim Holt Aug 8

(more to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Citizen Kane — Orson Welles Sept. 5

202 Parachute Battalion — Preston-Kelly Sept. 12

203 Lady Scarface — O'Keefe-Anderson Sept. 26

204 Father Takes a Wife — Menjou-Swanson Oct. 3

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 W. 56th., New York, N. Y.)

.....July 18
....July 25

149 Dance Hall — Romero-Landis-Henry

150 Kipps — Redgrave- Wynyard

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Charley's Aunt — Benny-Francis-Ellison Aug. 1

202 Dressed to Kill — Nolan-Hughes-Ryan Aug. 8

203 Wild Geese Calling — Fonda-Joan Bennett Aug. 15

204 Private Nurse — Darwell-Joyce-Leonard Aug. 22

205 Sun Valley Serenade — Henie-Payne-Berle Aug. 29

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)

That Hamilton Woman! — Leigh-Olivier Apr. 30

Broadway Limited — McLaglen-O'Keefe-Kelly June 13

("New Wine" and "Major Barbara" have been transferred
to the 1941-42 Season)

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Three Cockeyed Sailors — Trinder.

.July 4
-Aug. 29

Lydia — Merle Oberon-Joseph Cotten

Major Barbara — Hiller-Harnson-Morley (re) Sept. 12

International Lady — Brent-I. Massey-Rathbone Sept. 19

Sundown — Tierney-Cabot Oct. 31

New Wine — Ilona Massey-Alan Curtis

Release date postponed

5055
5012
5031
5066
5029
5035
5038
5056
5067
5039

5057
5044

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., New York, N. Y.)

Men of the Timberland — Arlen-Devine

Tight Shoes — Howard-Crawford-Barnes

San Antonio Rose — Frazee-Paige

Law of the Range — J. M. Brown (59 min.).

Hit the Road — Dead End Kids

Bachelor Daddy — Baby Sandy-Horton

Hello Sucker — Herbert-Brown

—June b

_.June 13

-June 20

-June 27

-July 3

—July 11

—July 18

.-Aug. 1

..Aug. 8

..Aug. 22

Aug. 22

Raiders of the Desert — Arlen-Devine

Rawhide Rangers — J. M. Brown (56 min.)

Cracked Nuts — Erwin-Merkel

Hold That Ghost — Abbott-Costello

A Dangerous Game — Arlen-Devine

This Woman is Mine — Tone-Bruce (reset)
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6061 The Man From Montana — J. M. Brown Sept.

Badlands of Dakota — Stack-Rutherford. Sept.

Unfinished Business — 1_ 'nne-Montgomery Sept.

Sing Another Chorus — Fra^ee-Downs Sept.

The Americanos — Foran-Orrillo Sept.

Almost an Angel — Durbin-Laughtoa Sept. 26

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W. 44th St., New York, N. Y.)

558 Underground — Lynn-Maris-Dorn- Verne

517 Kisses for Breakfast — Morgan-Wyatt

507 The Bride Came C.O.D.— -Cagney-Davis

518 Bullets for O'Hara — Perry-Pryor

505 Manpower — Robinson-Dietrich-Raft

_June
-July
-July
..July
-Aug.

28
5
12
19

(End of 1940-41 Season)

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

August 16, 1941

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE
Columbia — One Reel

2807
2560
2658
2808
2858
2509

2756
2979
2510
2706
2859
2757
2758
2707

Diving Thrills — Sport Reels (9 min.) May 9

Beautiful Ontario — Tours (9 min.) May 23

Community Sing No. 8 — (10 min.) May 29

Aquapiay — Sport (10 min.) June

.June

Screen Snapshots No. 8 — (10 min.)

Tom Thumb's Brother — Color Rhap.

(7V2 min.) . June 12

Kitty Gets the Bird — Cartoons (7 min.) June 13

Fighter Pilot — Cinescope (8 min.) June 13

The Cuckoo I. Q. — Color Rhapsody (7 min.) July 3

The Wallflower — Phantasies (6 min.) July 3

Screen Snapshots No. 9 — OV2 min.) (re) July 18

Dumb Like a Fox — Cartoon (7 min.) July 18

Playing the Pied Piper — Cartoons (7 min.) Aug. 8

The Merry Mouse Cafe — Phantasies . Aug. 15

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Columbia — Two Reels

2188 Mysterious Message — Spider No. 8 (18 min.) June 27
2408 I'll Never Heil Again — Stooges (17 min.) July 4

2189 The Cup of Doom— Spider No. 9 (19 min.).__Juiy 4

2190 The X-Ray Belt—Spider No. 10 (18 min.).__July 11

2191 Lips Sealed by Murder — Spider No. 11

(18 min.) July 18

2192 A Money Bomb — Spider No. 12 (17 min.)._July 25

2437 Love at First Fright — Brendel (17 min.) July 25

2193 Almost a Confession — Spider No. 13

(20 min.) Aug.

2438 Host to a Ghost — Clyde (17 min.) Aug.

2194 Suspicious Telegrams- — Spider No. 14
(17 min.) Aug.

2195 The Pay-Off— Spider No. 15 (19 min.) Aug.

(End of 1940-41 Season)

1
8

8
15

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

3451 International Forum No. 1 — (16 min.)

3452 International Forum No. 2 — ( 19V2 min.).

—Feb. 22
_._May 27

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel

M-237 The Man Who Changed the World —

Miniatures ( 1 1 min. )

T-222 Haiti, Land of Dark Majesty — Travel-talks
(8 min.)

-June 28

July
-July

W-249 The Alley Cat — Cartoons (10 min.)

K-287 Your Last Act — Passing Parade (11 min. ) ...-.July 12

C-299 Robot Wrecks — Our Gang (11 min.) July 12

W-250 The Midnight Snack — Cartoons (9 min.) July 19

M-238 Ghost Treasure — Miniatures (11 min.) Aug. 2

S-270 Water Bugs — Pete Smith Aug. 16

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels

P-205 Coffins on Wheels — Crime Doesn't Pay

( 17 min. ) _ June 7

P-206 Sucker List — Crime Doesn't Pay (21 min. ) .-...July 26

GO-7 Gabby Goes Fishing — Gabby cart.
(71/2 min.)

RO-12 Snow Dogs— Sportlight (9 min.)

MO-6 The Jungle — Journeys (101/2 min.)

LO-6 Unusual Occupations No. 6— (10 min.).

EO-12 The Pest Pilot— Popeye (6i/2 min.)

HO- 12 The Wizard of Aits — An. Cartoons
(6 min.)

— July )8
— July 25
—July 25
— Aug. 1
— Aug. 8

-Aug. 8
-Aug. 15

VO-5 Football Parade — Paragraphic

GO-8 Its a Hap Hap Happy Day — Cartoon

(7 min.) _Aug. 15

RO-13 What's Lacrosse? — Sportlight (9 min.) Aug. 22

UO-4 The Gay Knighties — Madcap Models (re.) Aug. 22
HO- 13 Twinkletoes in Hat Stuff — Cartoon_.___L_Aug. 29

CO-1 Vitamin Hay — Color cartoon (6l/2 min.) Aug. 29

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Republic — One Reel

028-8 Stars-Past and Present — Meet the Stars
(10 min.) _____

-July 24

RKO — One Reel

14107 Early to Bed — Disney (8 min.) .July 11

14212 Information Please No. 12 — (10 min.) July 11

14108 Truant Officer Donald — Disney (8 min.) Aug. 1

14313 Craig Wood — Sportscope (9 min.) —Aug. 1

14213 Information Please No. 13 Aug g

14109 Orphan's Benefit — Disney (9 min.) Aug. 22

14110 Old MacDonald Duck — Disney (8 min.) Sept. 12

(Eight more Disneys to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

24401 Picture People No. !________

24201 Information Please No. 1

-Sept 12
-Sept. 19

RKO — Two Reels

13112 March of Time No. 12 — (20 min.) July 4

13504 Musical Bandit — Whitley (16 min.) July 18

13113 March of Time No. 13 — (18 min.) Aug. 1

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

23401 Westward Ho-Hum — Kennedy (16 min.) -Sept. 5

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

1704 Anzacs in Action — Leiand Stowe (10 min.) June 20

1514 Good Old Irish Tunes — Terry- Toon (7 min.) June 27
1110 Winter in Eskimo Land — Hubbard (10 min.) July 4

1515 Bringing Home the Bacon — T. Toon

(7 min.) July a

1702 War in the Desert — Reynolds (10 mm.) July 18

1516 Twelve O'Clock and All Ain't Well —

Terry- Toon (7 min.) July 25

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Paramount — One Reel

GO-6 Fire Cheese — Gabby Cartoon (6V2 min.) June 20

RO-11 Lasso Wizards — Sportlight (9 mm.) June 20

UO-3 Hoola Boola— Madcap Models (8V, mm.) June 27
HO- 10 Twmkletoes-Where He Goes-Nobody

Knows — Animated cartoons (6V2 mm.) June 27

JO-6 Popular Science No. 6 — (10 min.) July 4

EO-11 Child Psykolo)iky — Popeye (6 min.) July 11

AO-7 Hands of Destiny — Headliner (9 min.) July 11

HO-11 Copy Cat — Animated cartoon (6 mm.) July 18

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

2201 Soldiers of the Sky — Douglas (10 min.) Aug 1

2551 The Old Oaken Bucket— Terry-Toon

(7 min.) Aug. 8

2101 Sagebrush and Silver — L. Thomas (10 min.) Aug. 15

-501 The Ice Carnival — Terry-Toon Aug. 22

2401 .American Sea Power — Lowell Thomas Aug. 29

2552 The One Man Navy — Terry-Toon Sept 5

2301 Pedigreed Dogs — Sports Sept. 12

2502 Uncle Joey Comes to Town — Terry-Toon Sept. 19

2202 Highway of Friendship — Adv. News

Cameraman Sept. 26

August 16, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page D

Universal — One Reel

Vitaphone — Two Reels

5383 Stranger Than Fiction No. 93 — (9 min.) June 23

5363 Meet Jimmie the Chump— Going Places

No. 93 (9 min.) June 30

5251 Woody Woodpecker — Lantz cart. (7 min.) July 7

5252 Andy Panda's Pop— cartoon (7 mm.) July 14

5364 Isles of Fate — Going Places No. 94 (10 min.) July 21

5384 Stranger Than Fiction No. 94 — (9 min.) July 28

5253 The Screwdriver (Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

of Co. B) — Lantz Cartoon --Aug. 11

5365 Garden Spot of the North — Going Places

No. 95 (9 min.) Aug. 18

5385 Stranger Than Fiction No. 95 — (9 min.) Aug. 25

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6241 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Co. B— cartoon Sept. 1
6371 Stranger Than Fiction No. 96 Sept. 8

Universal — Two Reels

5892 The Winning Warriors — Raiders No. 12
(18 min.)

..June 24

5231 Once Upon a Summertime — Musical

(17 min.) (reset) July 2

5232 Rhythm Revel — musical (16 min.) July 30

5233 Merry Madcaps — musical -Aug. 20

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6781 Death Marks the Trail — Riders of Death

Valley No. 1 (19 min.) July 1

6782 The Menacing Herd — Riders No. 2 (19 min.) July 8

6783 The Plunge of Peril— Riders No. 3

(19 mm.) July 15

6784 Flaming Fury — Riders No. 4 (19 min.) July 22

6785 The Avalanche of Doom — Riders No. 5

(19 min.) July 29

6786 Blood and Gold — Riders No. 6 (20 min.) Aug. 5

6787 Death Rides the Storm — Riders No. 7
(18 min.)

-Aug. 12

6788 Descending Doom — Riders No. 8 (19 min.) Aug. 19

6789 Death Holds the Reins— Riders No. 9
(19 min.) Aug. 26

6790 Devouring Flames — Riders No.
(18 min.)

..Sept.

6221 Is Everybody Happy — musical Sept.

6791 The Fatal Blast— Riders No. 11 (19 min. ). -Sept

6722

6614

6409

6723
6306
6724
6410
6615

6510

6725
6616
6726

Vitaphone — One Reel

The Heckling Hare — Mer. Melodies

(7V2 min.) „ July 5

Meet John Doughboy — Looney Tunes

(7 min.) July 5

It Happened on Rollers — Sports Par.

(9 min.) July 19

Inki and the Lion — Merrie Melodies (7 min.) July 19

Trouble in Store — Novelties (10 min.) Aug. 2

Aviation Vacation — Merrie Melodies Aug. 2

Lions for Sale — Sports Parade (9 min.) Aug. 9

We, the Animals Squeak — Looney Tunes

(9 min.) Aug. 9

Those Good Old Days — Melody Mast.

(10 min.) Aug. 16

Sport Chumpions — Merrie Melodies -Aug. 16

Henpecked Duck — Looney Tunes _ - Aug. 30

Snow Time For Comedy — Merrie Melodies Aug. 30

(End of 1940-41 Season)

6005 Here Comes the Cavalry — Special (21 mm.) June 28
6103 Throwing a Party — Maxwell com.

(20 min.)

6209 Happy Faces — Bway. Brevities (17 min.).

6006 Carnival of Rhythm (Brazilian Rhythms)

Tech. Special

..July 12
..July 26

..Aug. 23

(End of 1940-41 Season)

NEWSWEEKLY
NEW YORK RELEASE DATES
Paramount News Metrotone News

101 Saturday Aug. 16 296 Thursday .......Aug. 14

102 Wednesday ....-Aug. 20 297 Tuesday Aug. 19

103 Saturday Aug. 23 298 Thursday ......Aug. 21

104 Wednesday.__Aug. 27 299 Tuesday Aug. 26

(End of 1940-41 Season) 300 Thursday Aug 2S

1941-42 Season 301 Tuesday Sept. 2

302 Thursday . Sept. 4

1 Saturday Aug. 30 303 Tuesday Sept. 9

I T edn"d3y ScCpt- 5 (End of 1940-41 Season)

3 Saturday Sept. 6

4 Wednesday Sept. 10

5 Saturday .Sept. 13

1 sTX"£ "o Season

8 Wednesday _._Sept. 24 200 Thursday .-...Sept. 11

9 Saturday .Sept. 27 201 Tuesday Sept. 16

202 Thursday Sept. 18

203 Tuesday Sept. 23

Pathe News 204 Thursday — Sept 25

205 Tuesday Sept. 30

151101 Sat. (O.) Aug. 16
152102 Wed. (E.) Aug. 20
151103 Sat. (O.) Aug. 23

152104 Wed. (E.) Aug. 27

(End of 1940-41 Season)

1941-42 Season

25101 Sat. (O.) Aug. 30

25202 Wed. (E.) Sept. 3

25103 Sat. (O.) Sept. 6

25204 Wed. (E.) Sept. 10

25105 Sat. (O.) Sept. 13

25206 Wed. (E.) Sept. 17

25107 Sat. (O.) Sept. 20

25208 Wed. (E.) Sept. 24

25109 Sat. (O.) Sept. 27

Universal

6 Friday

7 Wednesday

8 Friday

9 Wednesday

10 Friday

11 Wednesday

12 Friday _.,

13 Wednesday

14 Friday

15 Wednesday

16 Friday

17 Wednesday

18 Friday

Aug. 15

-Aug. 20

_ Aug. 22

...-Aug. 27
-Aug. 29

Sept. 3

- Sept. 5

.....Sept. 10
......Sept. 12

....Sept. 17
Sept. 19

.....Sept. 24
Sept. 26

Fox Movietone

98 Saturday Aug. 16

99 Wednesday Aug. 20

100 Saturday Aug. 23

101 Wednesday Aug. 27

102 Saturday Aug. 30

103 Wednesday _„.Sept. 3

104 Saturday Sept. 6

(End of 1940-41 Season)

1941-42 Season

1 Wednesday Sept. 10

2 Saturday .Sept. 13

3 Wednesday Sept. 17

4 Saturday .Sept. 20

5 Wednesday Sept. 24

6 Saturday Sept. 27

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 Rrt«m 1 Rl 9 Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 Room ioia Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 „ . „ . . .

rrent Rritsin 1^7>5 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia New 'Zealand,' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

India, Europe, Asia 17.50 _ ,.. ,T „ , , _ „. . „ ... . ,

„K ' Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

6i>c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1941 No. 34

HERE AND THERE dire consequences for the independent exhi-
MY EXHIBITOR FRIEND whose com- b!tor> insisting that the old system of selling
ments on the sales policy that has been imposed Pictures is far more preferable than the new
on the five major companies by the Consent syst+em- Since Universal is not one of the con-
Decree were published in the issue of August 9 sentm& companies but still adheres to the old
seems to be an inconsistent fellow. If you s>r^tem by which an exhibitor may buy its
remember, he predicted dire consequences for ent.ire year s output, what right has he to com-
the independent exhibitors as regard to their plain against the prices and the terms Us-
ability to get pictures to keep their houses verAsal 15 asking? Js** that what he wants?
open, as well as to prices. He stated most Among this exhibitors criticisms, in the
emphatically that soon there will be many August 9 issue there was one about the high
houses dark for inability to get pictures, and Pr!ces tha,V ?Ve consenting companies are
the exhibitors will have to pay "through the askin&- . M^ information is that what these
noses" for whatever pictures they get companies are asking they have not been able
Now, read what he has written me again: to Set; tbe exhibitors are not paying them be-
"This may be of interest to you and your caus^ not on^ the pictures so far shown do
readers 1 deserve them, but they would be too high

"Universal, which for a long time was going *™ if the A*"?* we.re buetter than h is- .

to deliver 'Unfinished Business' and the Boyer Those exhibitors who have set themselves

on the 40-41 contract, is now going to deliver aSalns/ the, P!cture S^np sales system

these next year. In addition^ the company have formed their judgment too hastily ; they

inserted an extra 35% picture this year, an f ould have waited to see how it would per-

Abbott and Costello, and another high-bracket for+m in °Peratl°n. If they had shown a little

picture, 'Tight Shoes,' which is a dog, making Patience, they would soon find out that it is

it a 5012a. Furthermore, the company is get the only system that will enable them to buy

ting awful tough with exhibitors, with the P"*™ at what each P*ture is worth to their

result that all this good will which Blumberg ox o ce. ^ ^

totrumbkawa buildin- UP wiU slowlv start WHY ISN'T THE INDUSTRY doing

°«^rTUm , ' awav" something to counteract the attacks by Sena-

How long can a company do these things? tors Nye and Wheeler? If these attacks are

After all, U is an outfit that needed the ex- left unanswered, much harm will be done to

hibitors when Blumberg, Scully et al came in, ^he industry

but they seem to forget it. Furthermore, the " There is so much to talk about that the m_

deals they are asking for 41-42 are real tough, dustry's defenders will have no trouble in off-

although the circuits are being offered only a setting the harm such attacks may do In

fraction of the same number of percentage pic- charitable work and in national defense efforts,

tures. You can investigate the following the motion picture industry has always been

figures— check them up: in the forcfront Whenever a governmental

Independents: 16 at 35% to 40%; 12 at agency, not only state, but national as well as

259fe; balance flat. local, appeals to the industry for aid, it gives

"Circuits: 6 at 35%; 6 at 30%; 7 at 25% ; jt unstinting

'llellzapoppin' and the Lloyd extra." Direct advertising of pictures, as recom-

I have not investigated these figures, and mended by Mr. Abram F. Myers and other
for this reason I cannot say whether the terms exhibitor leaders, is, of course, helpful ; but
Universal is asking for its new product in all institutional advertising should not be over-
other territories are the same as those that it looked. And the industry leaders should think
is asking in this exhibitor's territory. As far of engaging radio speakers to tell the Ameli-
as his territory is concerned, all that I can can public at least once a month of the good
say to you is that this exhibitor is usually in- that our industry is doing,
formed well, and his statements may be de- Where is Mr. Hays? What is he doing to
pended upon at all times advise the industry leaders of the need to do

What I wish to call your attention to, how- something about these attacks?

ever, is not the terms that Universal is asking * * *

of the exhibitors, but this: For months now IN THE AUGUST 9 ISSUE of "Film

this exhibitor, like many other exhibitors, has Bulletin," Moe Wax, its editor and publisher,

been complaining against the sales policy that has this to say about "Unfinished Business,"

has been forced upon five consenting compan- the Irene Dunne picture. After quoting from

ies by the Consent Decree, predicting, as said, (Continued on last page)

134

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 23, 1941

"Tanks A Million" with William Tracy
and James Gleason

(United Artuh, 1941-42; time, 51 min.)

This is the first of Hal Roach's streamlined features; if
the others to follow should offer as high quality of enter-
tainment, Roach has hit upon a very good idea. Large-
downtown theatres should find it a welcome part of a two-
feature program, and smaller theatres can show it even as
their first feature. It is a fine comedy of army life. Some
of the situations are extremely comical and should provoke
hearty laughter. The comedy is not forced but comes
naturally; and the leading character (William Tracy) is a
likeable person. The fact that there is no romance does not
detract t;om the enjoyment of the picture: —

Tracy, a railroad information cleik, is a walking encyclo-
pedia. Having been drafted into the Army, Tracy studies
all the rules and regulations in advance. On his very first
day in camp he astounds the officers by his knowledge. In
a short time he is made a top sergeant. This irks Joseph
Sawyer, who had been in the Army for twenty years before
he had been made a sergeant. He tries many tricks to dis-
credit Tracy, but to no avail, for everything usually turns
out to benefit Tracy. When the new commanding othcer
(James Gleason) arrives, Sawyer pleads with the Captain
(Douglas Fowley ) to assign Tracy as Gleason's orderly, for
he knew Gleaon s irascible nature and he felt that Tracy
would annoy him with his outbursts of rules and regula-
tions. Tracy accidentally spills powder on Gleason s uni-
form and rushes outside with it to clean it off ; he puts it
on and admires himself in it. A hostess (Elyse Knox),
believing that he had been promoted, insists that he walk
with her; just then a radio official, thinking he was Col.
Gleason grabs him by the arm and rushes him to the broad-
casting station, where Gleason had been scheduled to make
a speech. Tracy makes the speech and then returns to
camp, fearful of the consequences. But when Gleason
receives a telephone call from Washington complimenting
him on the speech, he softens and praises Tracy. Sawyer
goes to pieces at the outcome of events.

Paul G. Smith, Warren Wilson, and Edw. E. Seabrook
wrote the screen play and Fred Guiol directed it. Jn the
cast are Noah Beery, Jr., Knox Manning, Frank Faylen,
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Mystery Ship" with Paul Kelly
and Lola Lane

(Columbia (1941-42) Sept. 4; time, 65 min.)

Theatres catering to discriminating audiences will not
find this program melodrama particularly suitable for their
needs. But where action is demanded above anything else
and patrons enjoy watching tough characters plotting and
indulging in fights, this should do all right, for those
patrons will find it fairly exciting. It is at best, however,
suitable only for smaller theatres. The story is far-fetched ;
and, although it has romantic interest, this only tends to
slow up the action: —

Lola Lane, a newspaper reporter, and Paul Kelly, a
G Man, try on several occasions to marry but each time
they are interrupted by their duties to their respective jobs.
On the day set for their latest attempt to marry, Kelly is
called to his office and, together with his pal (Larry Parks),
is assigned to a dangerous task that would keep him away
for five months. Miss Lane, knowing that there must be
a big story attached to the assignment, hides on board the
ship Kelly was sailing on. It develops that the other
passengers were Kelly's prisoners, a gang of dangerous
alien criminals to be deported to their respective countries.
Parks' job was to pose as one of the prisoners and to keep
Kelly informed as to any plots. When Kelly finds Miss
Lane, he warns her to behave and not to send any radio
messages to her paper. Through a clever plot, the prisoners
obtain the necessary ingredients for a bomb, with which
they blow their way to freedom. They overpower the crew
and take command. Kelly, Parks, and the Captain are put
to work in the boiler room. But Kelly and Parks outwit
them and get to a secret radio by means of which they send
a message through the regular radio on the ship, which
the gangster-leader interprets as coming from one of his
own country's ships. The gangster proceeds as per Kelly's
instructions and finds, to his dismay, that an American
destroyer was waiting for them. Miss Lane is sent home
on the destroyer. When Kelly finally arrives home, Miss
Lane is waiting at the pier, determined to marry him.

Alex Gottlieb wrote the story, and David Silverstein and
Houston Branch, the screen play; Lew Landers directed it,
and Jack Fier produced it. In the cast are Trevor Bardette,
Cy Kendall, Roger Imhof, Dwight Frye, and others.

Not for children.

"Ice-Capades" with Dorothy Lewis
and James Ellison

(Republic, Aug. 20; time, 88 min.)

This is Republic's most ambitious effort to date; and it
can be recommended as good mass entertainment. It
combines romance and comedy with spectacular ice-skating
routines, featuring the "Ice-Capades" company, including
several well-known skating stars. The skating scenes are
worked into the plot in a logical way, and, since there-
are not too many of them, they are all entertaining. The
story is neither exciting nor novel; yet it serves its purpose
well enough: —

James Ellison, newsreel cameraman, falls down on his
assignment to go to Lake Placid to photograph a famous
skating star. Knowing that his failure would mean dis-
missal, Ellison and his assistant (Jerry Colonna) go to
Central Park where they photograph a young girl (Dorothy
Lewis) who was skating there; Ellison instructs Colonna
to take only long shots of the girl. He then turns the reel
over to his superior (Alan Mowbray), claiming that they
were pictures of the famous skating star. When the pic-
tures are shown in a newsreel theatre, Ellison is horrified
to find that Colonna had taken close-ups of the girl. Phil
Silvers, an eccentric theatrical producer, sees the news-
reel and is struck by the girl's ability; he decides to produce
an ice-show. Thinking that he was signing up Miss Lewis,
he enters into a contract with the manager of the skating
star. He later learns his mistake and sues the newsreel
company for a million dollars for fraud. Mowbray threatens
to throw Ellison into jail. But Ellison appeals to Silvers —
suppose he should find the girl, then Silvers could star her
and he would be acclaimed as a discoverer of new talent.
But he finds Miss Lewis to be an elusive person; he did
not know that she was sought by the immigration author-
ities for deportation, and did not want any publicity. But
Mowbray induces her to enter the show, pretending that
otherwise Ellison would go to prison. She does enter the
show, and is acclaimed as the star. Her troubles are over
when Ellison proposes marriage to her, for that meant she
would not have to leave the United States; any way she
loved Ellison.

Isabel Dawn and Boyce DeGaw wrote the story, and
Jack Townley, Robert Harari, and Olive Cooper, the screen
play; Joseph Santley directed it, and Robert North produced
it. In the cast are Barbara Jo Allen, Gus Schilling, and
others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Our Wife" with Melvyn Douglas,
Ruth Hussey and Ellen Drew

(Columbia, August 28; time, 99 min.)

A pretty good sophisticated romantic comedy. The pro-
duction is lavish and the performances engaging. The story
is of the type to appeal more to class audiences than to
the masses, particularly since the plot is developed more by
dialogue than by action. Yet it will probably draw the
mass trade as well, owing to the popularity of the leading
players. Considering the fact that the story is flimsy, it is
to their credit that one's interest is held throughout: —

Ruth Hussey, her father (Charles Coburn), and her
brother (John Hubbard), all three sedate professors, are on
their way home from Europe. When one of the passengers
(Melvyn Douglas), while intoxicated, falls overboard, a
rumor starts that he, a former leader of a popular band,
had tried to commit suicide because his wife (Ellen Drew)
had divorced him. The ship stops at Cristobal for a few-
hours, and the passengers go ashore. Miss Hussey, her
father and her brother, hastening back to the ship, notice
that Douglas, intoxicated again, was going the wrong way.
They take him back to the ship and the next morning
learn, to their dismay, that Douglas had wanted to stay in
Cristobal. Apologies are accepted by Douglas and they all
become good friends; in a short time Miss Hussey is in
love with Douglas. Since he planned to return to Cristobal,
Douglas insists that Miss Hussey and her family use his
suburban home in New York for the summer. Whey they
eventually arrive there they find, to their surprise, that
Douglas had returned to it. He had been inspired by
his love for Miss Hussey to return and do some serious
composing. They stay on as his guests. He completes a
symphony which is played by a leading orchestra. That
night he receives a visit from Miss Drew, who pleads with
him to take her back. He makes her understand that he
loved Miss Hussey. Just as she was to leave, Miss Drew
falls down a flight of stairs and cries out that she could
not move. She is clever enough to fool the doctors, who
agree that she was suffering from temporary paralysis.
Naturally she stays on at the house. Miss Hussey knows
she can walk, but all her attempts to prove this are futile.

August 23, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

135

Douglas, feeling duty-bound, agrees to take Miss Drew
away for treatments. An accidental fire is Miss Drew's
undoing; she gives herself away, showing that her legs
were perfectly all right. Douglas and Miss Hussey are
united.

The plot was adapted from a play by Lillian Day and
Lyon Mearson; P. J. Wolfson wrote the screen play, and
John M. Stahl directed and produced it. In the cast are
Harvey Stephens and Theresa Harris.

Morally suitable for all.

"Tillie the Toiler" with Kay Harris
and William Tracy

{Columbia, Aug. 7; running time, 67 rain. )

This is the first in a new series to be produced by
Columbia. The comic strip by Russ Westover, from which
the characters are taken, is known widely, and may prove
helpful in putting the series across. Although the first
picture is just mildly pleasant program entertainment, the
series has possibilities, for the characters involved are
amuing and sympathetic. Most of the comedy is provoked
by "Tillie,'' who, although very pretty and charming, lacks,
brains. Fortunately for her, the predicaments she gets into
usually turn out to benefit her as well as others: —

"Tillie" (Kay Harris) charms everyone she meets by
her sweetness and good looks ; she has many boy friends.
"Mac" (William Tracy) falls in love with her at first
sight. When "Mr. Simpkins" (George Watts), his em-
ployer, discharges his secretary, "Mac" induces him to
engage "Tillie. " She accepts the position only because
the firm manufactured dresses which she could buy at a
wholesale price. "Mr. Simpkins" dictates to her a letter
to a "Mr. Winker" (Ernest Truex) offering him a partner-
ship in his firm; he needed the money "Mr. Winker" would
bring in. But while dictating the letter, "Mr. Simpkins"
makes side remarks about Winker being a crook, which
"Tillie" innocently inserts in the letter. Naturally this
enrages "Winker" and the partnership deal is off. "Mr.
Simpkins" goes to Chicago to interview another possible
partner. He instructs "Tillie" very carefully about sending
the new fall designs to the workroom. Again "Tillie"
blunders and sends the wrong designs to the workroom.
She then induces "Mac" to enter their line in a fashion
display; against his better judgment "Mac" does this,
fearful of what the results would be when "Mr. Simpkins"
would return. Miracles happen; the clothes are acclaimed
by the buyers, much to the surprise of "Mr. Simpkins"
who had returned, and business starts to boom. "Mac" is
made general manager.

Karen DeWolf wrote the story, and she and Francis
Martin, the screen play; Sidney Salkow directed it, and
Robert Sparks produced it. In the cast are Daphne Pollard
as "Mumsy," Jack Arnold as "Whipple," Marjorie Reynolds
as "Bubbles," and Franklin Pangborn, Bennie Bartlett,
and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Dive Bomber" with Errol Flynn,
Fred MacMurray and Ralph Bellamy

(First Natl., Aug. 30; time, 131 min.)
This is one of the most interesting aviation pictures
made, for it touches on a subject that is hardly known to
the public — that of the research work done in aviation
medicine to combat the atmospheric ailments suffered by
fliers; and since the U. S. Navy cooperated in its produc-
tion the picture has an authentic and realistic flavor. It
has been given an excellent production, photographed in
technicolor; many of the scenes of planes flying in forma-
tion are breath-taking in their beauty. Yet the picture
should appeal mostly to men ; the lack of romance, the
technical talk, and the absence of feminine interest, may
prove a drawback as far as women are concerned. It will,
therefore, have to depend on the popularity of the players
and the timeliness of the subject for strong box-office
appeal: —

Fred MacMurray, Regis Toomcy, and Louis Jean Heydt,
three intimate friends, are all members of the U. S. Navy
Air service. In maneuvers over Honolulu, Heydt meets
with a serious accident, and is rushed to a hospital. Navy
doctor Errol Flynn insists on an immediate operation; but
he was too far gone and he dies on the table. Embittered
MacMurray and Toomcy haven't much faith in Flynn and
feel that there was a possibility that he might have
blundered; at any rate, they refuse his offer of friendship.
Flytm, vitally interested in research work dealing with
aviation medicine, decides to study it first hand by becom-
ing a flyer himself. MacMurray is irritated when he is
assigned to instruct Flynn; he insults Flynn at each oppor-
tunity. Flynn becomes a good friend of and assistant to

Ralph Bellamy, chief research specialist in aviation med-
icine; together they work hard to discover means of
combatting the various forms of aviation illness, such as
blackouts and high altitude sickness. In a general check-up
of the men, they find Toomey suffering from chronic
fatigue, which meant he would have to be grounded. Un-
able to take it, Toomey resigns and joins a Canadian outfit
flying bombers to Europe; MacMurray is enraged. But
Toomey's crackup and eventual death proves to MacMurray
that Flynn was right, and he offers himself for any tests
they might want to make. Together, he and Flynn perfect
a suit to protect high-altitude fliers. But just before the
final test Flynn discovers that MacMurray was suffering
from fatigue and forbids him to make the test. MacMurray
disregards the warning and takes the plane up; but it is
too much for him. Feeling that he was through, he makes
notations just before becoming unconscious. The plane
goes into a spin, crashing and killing MacMurray. In a
touching ceremony, the Navy men gather at the San Diego
Naval Air base to pay tribute to the courage of MacMurray,
whose death was not in vain, for his tests meant that flying
could be made safer.

Frank Wead wrote the story, and he and Robert Buckner,
the screen play; Michael Curtiz directed it, and Hal B.
Wallis produced it, with Robert Lord as associate producer.
In the cast are Herbert Anderson, Allen Jenkins, Addison
Richards, Cliff Nazarro, Alexis Smith, and others.

Suitable for all.

"Life Begins For Andy Hardy" with
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland

(MGM, August 15; time, 100 min.)

This latest "Hardy" picture is just as human, just as
interesting, as well as amusing as were the others in the
series. As a matter of fact, "Andy" is even more sym-
pathetic, for, in the process of growing up, he displays
good characteristics. "Andy's" predicaments have been
treated in a somewhat serious vein, with less emphasis on
the comic angles. This is to the picture's benefit. Never-
theless it has its light touches; and, as usual, everyone in
the cast performs his or her respective role realistically
and capably: —

After the high school graduation, Lewis Stone (Judge
Hardy) has a serious talk with Mickey Rooney (Andy
Hardy) about his future. Rooney is not certain about
going to college, preferring instead to try to earn his own
way for a time. His parents, despite their fears, permit
him to go to New York to look for work. Judy Garland,
Rooney's childhood friend and most ardent admirer, who
lived in New York, promises to keep an eye on Rooney,
even though he treated her like a child. Rooney finds it
difficult to obtain work; just when he is down to his last
cent he obtains a job as office boy for $10 a week. He
befriends a young man (Ray McDonald), who had ambi-
tions to become a doncer. He even sneaks him into his
hotel room, since Ray had no money of his own. Rooney
is shocked when he returns home one evening to find that
McDonald had died from a heart attack; he obtains a loan
so as to pay for a decent funeral. Rooney is about to
become involved with the wrong sort of girl (Patricia
Dane), but his better judgment and his father's advice
help him to overcome the temptation. Sobered by the things
that had happened to him, Rooney decides that education
was important, and so he returns home ready to enter
college in the fall.

Agnes Christine Johnston wrote the screen play, and
George B. Seitz directed it. Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford,
and Sara Haden are in the cast.

Suitable for all.

"Forty Thousand Horsemen"

(Goodwill Pict. Corp.; running time. 85 min.)

An interesting war melodrama, showing the exploits of
the Anzac Cavalry in Africa and the Holy Land during the
first World War. The plot is of little consequence, except
as the means of following the troops from one battle to
another. Although none of the players are known in this
country, they do well in their respective roles, particularly
Grant Taylor. The battle scenes are handled well; the
cavalry charge in the fine battle is thrilling.

Produced with the cooperation of the Australian Depart-
ment of Defense, the picture will depend for its drawing
power upon the interest of the public in the Australian
Anzac soldiers whose valor in the present war has made
them heroes.

Morally suitable for all.

136

HARRISON'S REPORTS

an advertisement that Universal published in
the February 9 issue, pointing out to the fact
that, by a statement in that advertisement,
Universal promised to deliver this picture in
the 1940-41 season, Mr. Wax said the fol-
lowing :

"It went into production February 5th and
shooting was completed on April 8th. It was
in the cutting room until April 27th, when
director Gregory La Cava locked it up and
got married. He returned from his honey-
moon at the end of May and did some more
work on the film until about the middle of
June, then the score was completed. About
the 22nd of July it was previewed in both
Oakland and Palo Alto on the coast. Univer-
sal decided to make a new ending and La Cava
returned to the lot on July 29th and made a
few added scenes with Irene Dunne.

"Despite the viscissitudes encountered dur-
ing its production, UNFINISHED BUSI-
NESS could easily have been 'finished busi-
ness' well in advance of the expiration date
of Universale 1940-41 contracts."

But suppose it wasn't ready by that time,
what would prevent Universal from deliver-
ing the picture in the 1940-41 season? I well
remember that Metro for several years had the
pictures of three seasons overlapping ; and it
kept on delivering the pictures owed from
each season. Bill Rodgers cleaned up the
owed pictures eventually by cancelling them,
but he did that only after obtaining the written
consent of the exhibitors involved.

Harrisons Reports will be glad to publish
Bill Scully's version of the matter.

* * *

FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS Harrison's
Reports has been saying that the sales system
that the five consenting companies have been
compelled by the Government to adopt will
prove beneficial, not only to the exhibitors,
but also to the producers ; the producers, by
being compelled to show their goods before
being permitted to sell them, would have to
improve the quality of their pictures. "Variety"
now comes along and supports this theory,
only in another way.

In its August 13 issue, it has this to say
partly :

"Generally mediocre — or worse — quality of
the pix in the first blocks being offered under
the consent decree is one of the greatest breaks
the industry has ever had the good fortune to
experience. So opined ... a top executive, in
an excellent spot to view the full range of
production, distribution and exhibition.

"His reasoning is simple. Distributors are
having a tough time selling the films. Sales-
men are having bad reviews and tough talk
tossed into their faces until they are blue, by
exhibitors who have seen the product and know
whereof they speak.

"Result is that contracts aren't coming in
the way they were expected ..."

That most of those exhibitors who are now
opposed to the new sales policy will soon
realize how beneficial it is, this paper can
hardly have any doubt. The only trouble
will be that, just as they are beginning to
receive the benefits, the Consent Decree will

be nullified, because, as Abram F. Myers stated,
it is doubtful if the case against the three
non-consenting distributors will have been
finished by August 1, next year.

But even if the Consent Decree is abolished,
it will have left its mark upon production —
the producers will have learned by that time
that it pays them to produce good pictures,
and they will undoubtedly continue produc-
ing them.

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE MGM pic-
tures under contract should roll up your
sleeves and go to work to get the most money
out of "Whistling in the Dark"; you will get
good dividends if you should do so, for it is
truly a fine comedy.

Red Skelton is not, of course, known yet.
but he is a capable actor, and has the making
of a first-rate star. And you should do all
there is in your power to introduce him to
your public.

Some of you may say: "Why should I exert
great efforts to help make a star and then be
charged higher prices for his pictures?"

When an unknown player becomes a star,
his pictures cost more money, not only be-
cause he draws a bigger salary, but also
because the film company who has him under
contract cannot afford to put out cheap pic-
tures. Consequently, the distributor has to
charge more money for that star's pictures.
After all, it is not how much the exhibitor has
to pay for a picture that counts ; it is what
the picture will bring to the box office. It is
better to pay for a picture a rental equivalent
to 35%, and even 40%, of the gross receipts
and play to capacity houses, than pay a very
small price for a picture and draw into the
theatre no more than a corporal's guard.

* * *

ALLIED STATES ASSOCIATION has
urged the House and the Senate committees
to start the tax from 5 cents, instead of ex-
empting all admissions up to and including
10 cents, on the ground that some of the
exhibitors who are now charging 10 cents
would lower their admissions to 9 cents so as
to avoid paying the tax. This, he felt, would
do the other theatres much harm.

At the same time, Mr. Myers, who was
speaking for the Allied organization, recom-
mended that children should be exempt from
paying a tax.

"The bill (H. R. 5417,)" said Mr. Myers,
"as reported by the committee embodies the
principal features of Allied's program, but
should be amended in certain particulars."

* * *

LOOK OVER YOUR FILES of Harrison's
Reports, and if you find the copy of an issue
missing let me know so that I may send you
a duplicate copy.

Do not wait until you look for the informa-
tion you want and find the proper copy miss-
ing ; ascertain now, so that you may not be
inconvenienced when you should want the in-
formation and you will not be able to get it
immediately.

Missing copies of all back issues are fur-
nished to the subscribers without any charge.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1941 No. 34

HERE AND THERE

UNDER THE HEADING, "Viewpoints,"
Chick Lewis, editor and publisher of "Show-
men's Trade Review," said the following in his
August 23 issue :

"It was an exhibitor speaking . . .

"He, like so many other exhibitors, had
anticipated only trouble, higher prices and
possibly shortage of product in the consent
decree selling methods. Instead, his exper-
iences on the first blocks proved to be quite
the contrary. In the case of one particular
company he stressed the fact that because it
had a poor year he could never have made a
deal because based on past performances he
would have to offer substantially less money
under block buying. He could not afford to
gamble on the company for another year.

"However, he was one of the limited number
who sat through the screenings of this com-
pany's first block of five, and having seen the
pictures for himself he was better qualified to
make the deal he did make within two days
after the screenings. Instead of the distri-
butors making extravagant claims about pic-
tures to come, they said nothing and let the
pictures speak for themselves — which they
did, eloquently."

Unfortunately, by the time the exhibitors
begin, as said in last week's issue, to feel the
benefits of the new selling system, the system
will be abolished, unless the Government, of
course, wins its case against the three non- ,
consenting distributors.

There is one point, however, to which I
wish to call your attention : just why there
should be a shortage of product, as was pre-
dicted by my exhibitor friend whose comments
were printed in these columns three weeks
ago, and by other exhibitors, is something
that I cannot understand. The studios are
working harder, if anything, and have allotted
for production purposes more money this sea-
son than they had alloted last season.

As for the assertion that the exhibitors will
have to pay more money for film, it is my
belief that capable exhibitors will be able to
pay less, if anything, than they would have
paid had they bought the pictures in a block
of fifty, by reason of the fact that the sales-
men will not be able to employ smooth talking
to make an exhibitor believe that the pictures
which they are selling him, and which are not
yet even a twinkle in the producers' eyes, are
going to be the "greatest the world has ever

seen" ; he will either have seen the pictures
himself, or will have received a report from a
reliable source, and will know what they are
actually worth to him.

* * *

COMMENTING FURTHER upon the sub-
ject of Universal's withholding "Unfinished
Business" from the 1940-41 season and selling
it among its 1941-42 season's pictures, Moe
W ax, editor of the Philadelphia "Film Bulle-
tin," says:

"From time to time, a distributor thinks it
is smart business to pull out a scheduled sum-
mer release and hold it for re-sale the follow-
ing season. Since the time of the celebrated
exhibitor 'strike' against Paramount several
years ago, there has been a decrease in the
distributors' inclination to employ this shabby
practice, but it appears occasionally, as in this
case of 'Unfinished Business.' "

When the contract contains numbers, or
only titles, without any distinguishing mark
to enable an exhibitor to "pin" a distributor
down, there is no way by which an exhibitor
could legally force a distributor to deliver a
picture that is withheld. The only system
that can make such a procedure impossible is
that which has been imposed on the five dis-
tributors by the Consent Decree. And yet
there are exhibitors who are opposed to it.

You can't eat your cake and have it. If you
want an end to such abuses, then you have to
accept a system that can put an end to them ;
otherwise you will continue having them.

* * *

ADDRESSING THE EXHIBITORS of
North and South Carolina at their convention,
H. M. Richey, assistant to W. F. Rodgers, of
MGM. stated that his company started a can-
vass of ninety leading newspapers throughout
the United States in an effort to find out from
them what the public wants in pictures.

As a publicity stunt, canvassing leading
newspapers for such a purpose is an excellent
thought, but if it was intended as a means of
finding out what sort of pictures the public
would prefer it is a waste of time. Paramount
had a similar thought in its early years, only
that it sought to ascertain public taste through
exhibitors, instead of through the press — each
film shipment contained a blank, which the
exhibitor was requested to sign, informing
Paramount how that particular picture was
liked by his customers. The results of such
a canvass were nill.

(Continued on last page)

138

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 30, 1941

"Lydia" with Merle Oberon

{United Artists, Aug. 29; time, 100 min.)

This romantic drama, told in flashback, has been given
an excellent production and is performed by a competent
cast of players skillfully; but it is strictly adult fare. Its
appeal will be directed mostly to women; as far as men art-
concerned, the pace is too leisurely, and the story may prove
too sentimental for their tastes. Moreover, it is one of
those pictures in which the plot is developed by dialogue
rather than by action. There are several touching scenes
dealing with the heroine's contact with poor blind children.
Edna May Oliver delights one, as usual, with her charac-
terization of a sharp-tongued but kind old lady: —

At the dedication exercises of a new home for blind
children, Miss Oberon (made up as an elderly woman)
meets Joseph Cotten, an old friend whom she had not
seen for many years; she promises to call at his apartment
for tea. When she arrives there, she is delighted to find
George Reeves and Hans Yaray, two men who had loved her
in her youth. They start talking about old times. The
story drifts back to the time when Miss Oberon, young,
charming and impetuous, lived with her wealthy grand-
mother (Miss Oliver), whom she adored. Cotten, a young
physician and son of the family butler (John Halliday),
had escorted her to her first ball. Although he had fallen
in love with her at first sight, she had eyes only for Reeves,
with whom she had planned to elope. Cotten, feeling that
Reeves was not for her, had thwarted their plans. At first
she was heartbroken; but she got over it quickly for she
had become interested in a poor blind boy; this had led
her to found a home for poor blind children. To this
home had come Yaray, a blind pianist, who offered his
services. In a short time, he, too, had fallen in love with
her. But when she had met Alan Marshall, she had
forgotten every one else. They had gone to her family
cottage in a fishing village, where they had spent several
intimate and happy weeks. But one day he went away,
leaving a note saying that, although he loved her, there
was another woman; that as soon as he could settle matters
he would return and marry her. She had waited in vain ;
she had finally promised to marry Cotten. Her grand-
mother's sudden death had been a shock and she had gone
back to the cottage for a rest. Realizing then that she
could not have forgotten Marshall, she had broken off with
Cotten. She had devoted her life to the blind children after
that. Just as she finishes her story Marshall appears; he
inquires why he had been called to the place for he recog-
nizes no one, not even Miss Oberon. She knows then how
foolish had been her romantic dreams.

Julien Duvivier and L. Bush-Fekete wrote the story, and
Ben Hecht and Sam Hoffenstein, the screen play; Mr.
Duvivier directed it, and Alexander Korda produced it. In
the cast are Sara Allgood, Billy Roy, and Frank Conlan.

Not suitable for children or adolescents.

"Flying Bind" with Richard Arlen
and Jean Parker

(Paramount, Aug. 29; time, 68 min.)

This is a pretty good program melodrama. The first
half is devoted to the romantic bickering between the hero
and the heroine and is fairly amusing. The thrills are
concentrated in the second half, and during that time one
is held in pretty tense suspense. Although discriminating
audiences may find the story far-fetched, the masses will
overlook this, for it provides plentiful excitement. The
comedy is a little forced: —

Richard Arlen, a commercial aviator, leaves his job to
open an air-line service of his own, and Jean Parker, a
stewardess, goes with him. Arlen buys a plane and calls
his company the "Honeymoon Air Service"; he flies couples
to Las Vegas, where they are married, and then back to Los
Angeles. In six months he is able to pay off his debt for
the plane. But he is so engrossed in his business that he
neglects Miss Parker. Annoyed when she overhears him
saying that he could not think of romance with her because
she was too important to his business, Miss Parker tells
him she was resigning and that she would marry an ardent
suitor (Dick Purcell), a publicity agent. Arlen, to prevent
this, sends Purcell east on a fake publicity job. In the
meantime, Roger Pryor, Arlen's former co-pilot, enters into
a plan with a foreign agent (Nils Asther) to steal a secret
device from a U. S. bomber, and to use Arlen's air-service
to escape. Asther and a co-worker (Kay Sutton) pose as
a couple wishing to be wed and leave in the plane with
another couple (Grady Sutton and Marie Wilson), Miss

Parker, and Arlen's mechanic (Eddie Quillan.) They go
through the marriage ceremony is Las Vegas; just as they
were to take off, Pryor, who had already stolen the device,
appears, and begs Arlen for a ride. Once in the plant,
Pryor and Asther, at the point of a gun, order Arlen to
cross the border. The plane is damaged and Arlen is forced
to land. Sutton in an effort to set up a signal, starts a
forest fire. Pryor tries to kill Arlen but is himself killed.
The others are rushed into the plane. Arlen outwits Asther
and flies to Las Vegas where Asther is arrested and the
device recovered. By this time Miss Parker realized she
could not leave Arlen.

Maxwell Shane and Richard Murphy wrote the screen
play, Frank McDonald directed it, and William H. Pine
and William C. Thomas produced it.

Not suitable for children.

"Charlie Chan in Rio" with Sidney Toler,
Mary Beth Hughes and Victor Jory

(H)th Century-Fox, Sept. 5; time, 61 min.)

This is neither as gripping nor as interesting as some of
the other "Chan" pictures. For one thing, the mystery is
solved with a minimum number of thrills, and the story
lacks conviction; for another, the regular followers of pic-
tures of this type should be able to spot the murderer easily.
Yet the production values are good, the comedy provoked
by "Chan's" son is amusing, and the performances are
adequate. It should, therefore, fit in well enough on a
double-feature program: —

Sidney Toler (Charlie Chan) and his son (Sen Yung)
leave Honolulu for Rio de Janeiro, there to arrest Jacqueline
Dalya, who was wanted on a murder charge. They arrive
on the day that she had become engaged to a young million-
aire (Ted North). Not wishing to start a scandal in the
cafe where she worked, Toler and the Rio police chief
(Harold Huber) decide to arrest her at her home that night.
But by the time they arrive they find that she had been mur-
dered. They naturally start the investigation by questioning
several persons who had arrived for the engagement party.
Kay Linaker, the victim's secretary, supplies Toler with
information he needed. Having learned that Miss Dalya
had paid a visit to a psychic (Victor Jory) that afternoon,
Toler orders that he be brought to the house; also Truman
Bradley, Miss Dalya's ex-husband. Jory confesses that he
was the brother of the man Miss Dalya had murdered, and
that, under the influence of a drug, he had induced her to
confess; he had recorded the confession. Chan, following
a clue, accuses Miss Linaker of the murder. She then con-
fesses that she was the wife of the man Miss Dalya had
murdered, and, knowing that Miss Dalya intended eloping
with North that night and would thus evade arrest, she
had killed her.

Samuel G. Engel and Lester Ziffren wrote the screen
play, Harry Lachman directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel pro-
duced it. In the cast are Cobina Wright, Jr., Richard Derr,
Hamilton MacFadden, Iris Wong, and others.

Not suitable for children.

"Belle Starr" with Randolph Scott
and Gene Tierney

(20th Century-Fox, Sept. 12; time, 87 min.)

This is another post-Civil War story, in which great care
has been taken with the production. But for all its lavish-
ness and technicolor photography it is only fair entertain-
ment; and, considering that it is an outdoor melodrama, it
is surprisingly lacking in excitement. The story is not
such as to thrill or even please the spectator, for it is filled
with bitterness, hatred, and suffering. Moreover, the two
most sympathetic characters meet with death in the end.
One of the picture's other faults is the excessive amount of
dialogue, which slows up the action. There is very little
comic relief: —

When John Shepperd, a Captain in the Confederate
Army, returns at the end of the Civil War to his Missouri
home, he finds that his sister (Gene Tierney) was still
passionately devoted to the Southern cause and would not
abide by Yankee laws. In the presence of Dana Andrews,
a Major in the Union Army, who loved her, she expresses
great admiration for Randolph Scott, a guerilla leader, who
was gathering together an Army to fight the Northerners.
Scott, having learned from his aide (Chill Wills) about
Miss Tierney's praise of him, calls to see her while she
was giving a dinner party at which Andrews was present.
She proudly introduces Scott to her shocked guests. Andrews
orders Scott to leave with him; but once outside Wills

August 30, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

139

disarms Andrews and Scott goes back to the party. The
Union Army, tipped off by an informer, rushes to Andrews'
help, but Scott and his men manage to get away; Scott is,
however, wounded and returns to Miss Tierney, who takes
him into the house. He is found there and arrested to-
gether with Shepperd. Following orders, Andrews is com-
pelled to bum down Miss Tierney's home. Embittered, she
joins Scott's army and engineers the escape of Scott and of
her brother; they all rush to the hideout in the hills. Miss
Tierney refuses to leave with her brother or to believe him
when he tells her that Scott was not fighting for a cause
but for the thrills. Eventually she marries Scott and fights
right along with his men. She shows disapproval when
Scott takes into his army notorious outlaws; her brother
is killed by one of these outlaws. She begs Scott to give
up, but he wants to carry through one more scheme; she
leaves him. But, on learning that Scott and his men were
walking into a trap, she rushes to warn them; she is shot
and killed by a vicious informer for the reward money. In
order to thwart this murderer, Scott refuses to identify her
as his wife; he gives himself up.

Niven Busch and Cameron Rogers wrote the story, and
Lamar Trotti, the screen play; Irving Cummings directed it,
and Kenneth Macgowan produced it. In the cast are Eliza-
beth Patterson, Louise Beavers, Olin Howland, and Joseph
Sawyer.

Morally suitable for all.

"World Premiere" with John Barrymore,
Frances Farmer and Ricardo Cortez

(Paramount, Aug. 15; time, 70 min.)

An attempt to mix comedy with melodrama has had only
fair results in this picture. The trouble is that one can
hardly take the melodramatic action seriously, for the char-
acters involved in these acts are lampooned. For instance,
three foreign saboteurs, who set out to destroy a certain
motion picture and those concerned in its production, are
supposed to be the menaces; instead, they are the comedians.
Moreover, since there is no one for whom the spectator can
feel particular sympathy, one loses interest in the outcome: —

Sig Rumann, a German agent, and Luis Alberni, an
Italian agent, leave for Hollywood with instructions to
destroy a new film, based on an anti-Axis theme, which had
been produced by John Barrymore. By posing as extras,
they manage to get into the studio. They learn that Barry-
more intended leaving with the leading players for Wash-
ington, there to hold the world premiere of the picture.
They send threatening letters to everyone warning them not
to go. At first, no one takes the threats seriously, believing
it to be part of a publicity campaign started by Barrymore.
But they soon find out differently, and every one refuses to
go. Barrymore tricks them on to the train, and they find
themselves on the way to Washington, against their own
wishes. The film, which had been placed in the cage of
a tiger, as a means of protection, is stolen by Fritz Feld,
leading foreign agent; he substitutes for it a German-made
film praising the new order. He throws the can containing
the regular film out of the train, without realizing that it
had fallen right into the baggage car of a train that was
going in the opposite direction. The film is delivered to
the theatre, after the German-made picture had already
started and had surprised the audience. The spies try to
hold back the delivery of the film, but they are finally over-
powered, and the regular picture is screened. Differences
that had arisen between the stars (Frances Farmer and
Ricardo Cortez) are adjusted.

Gordon Kahn and Earl Felton wrote the story, and Earl
Felton, the screen play; Ted Tetzlaff directed it, and Colbert
Clark produced it. In the cast are Eugene Pallette, Virginia
Dale, Don Castle, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"This Woman Is Mine" with Franchot Tone,
John Carroll, Walter Brennan
and Carol Bruce

(Universal, Aug. 22; time, 90 min.)
Just a moderately entertaining sea melodrama. For three-
quarters of the picture, the action moves at a slow pace and
the characters indulge in too much talk. Only in the closing
scenes, during an Indian raid on the ship, is there any real
excitement. The settings are realistic and the performances
are good. But the material is weak; thus the players are
at a disadvantage. There are a few songs and a romance.

The action takes place in 1810: —

Aboard the "Tonquin," which sails from New York on
a fur-trading expedition for John Jacob Astor, are Walter
Brennan, the Captain; Nigel Bruce and Leo G. Carroll,
experienced fur-traders; Franchot Tone, Astor s trusted
employee; John Carroll, a French-Canadian leader of the
crew, and the crew itself. After the ship had set sail, Tone
discovers Carol Bruce, a young singer, who had been lured
aboard the ship by Carroll; he had led her to believe they
were bound for France, where she could further her career.
Brennan, a stern disciplinarian, is shocked to find the girl
and believes that Tone had brought her aboard. He orders
her to work as cabin boy and warns the crew that any one
caught speaking to her would be given fifty lashes. Tone
comforts Miss Bruce the best he can. While the ship stops
at an island for water, Miss Bruce goes aboard. Carroll
follows her and begs for forgiveness. But when she men-
tions marriage, he laughs at the idea; she then realizes that
his feelings for her were not genuine. Since they had not
returned to the boat, the Captain starts to sail away without
them. Tone, at the point of a gun, forces him to return
for them; after this is done, Tone is put in the brig and
Miss Bruce is locked in her room. Carroll, conscience-
stricken, confesses and offers to marry Miss Bruce, but she
refuses; her affections were all for Tone. The ship finally
reaches its destination, and N. Bruce and Carroll start
their negotiations with the Indians. The Captain, thinking
he could do better than the others, listens to a conniving
Indian (Abner Biberman), who tricks him into sailing the
ship to his tribe for fur-trading; Miss Bruce is aboard.
Tone and Carroll, hearing of this, risk their lives to get
to him to warn him; but by the time they arrive the un-
friendly Indians had boarded the ship. Tone and Miss
Bruce escape, but the others are trapped. Brennan, although
wounded, blows up the ship.

Gilbert W. Gabriel wrote the story, and Seton I. Miller
and Frederick Jackson, the screen play; Frank Lloyd directed
and produced it. In the cast are Frank Conroy, Sig Rumann,
and others.

Suitability Class A.

"Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day" with
Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore
and Laraine Day

(MGM, Aug. 22; time, 82 min.)

Having decided to take Laraine Day out of this series
so as to feature her in bigger pictures by which it hopes to
make her a first-rank star, the executives of the Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer studio found no other way of doing it
successfully without hurting the Dr. Kildaire series except
by killing off the character Miss Day represents in the pic-
ture. This gave the studio a chance to play upon the
audiences' sympathies. In quality, the picture comes up to
the standard of the others of this series. The suspense is
just as tense, its educational tone just as interesting, and
the romance just as pleasing: —

The wedding day of Dr. Lew Ayres and Nurse Laraine
Day is set, and Dr. Lionel Barrymore promises to spend a
month in a sanitarium so that Dr. Miles Mander, a
specialist, might give him a thorough examination to deter-
mine whether he had cancer or not. A bachelor dinner
is given for Dr. Ayres and, because he could not attend it
as he had been called into consultation on an important
case, Miss Day decides to take his place. While crossing
the street she is run over by a car and killed. Dr. Ayres
is so broken up when he sees her dead that he goes to
pieces. Dr. Barrymore then undertakes to win him back
to his work. He eventually succeeds, for Ayres' love for
his work was as great as was his love for Miss Day.

The story is by Oimond Ruthven and Lawrence P. Back-
man; the screen play, by Willis Goldbcck and Harry Ruskin.
Harold S. Bucquet directed it. Some of the supporting
players are Red Skelton, Samuel S. Hinds, Nils Asther and
Alma Kruger.

Suitable for the entire family.

140

HARRISON'S REPORTS

August 30, 1941

Several years ago Motion Picture Herald
sought the opinion of exhibitors as to what
books, plays or magazine stories would make
box office pictures, and the answers were such
that, if the producers would have paid any
attention to them, they would have gone broke
in no time.

Picture production is a specialized art, and
the fact that newspaper people make their
living out of writing, or of criticizing pictures,
does not qualify them as experts of what the
public wants. Even when they possess a
natural aptitude to pass on story material,
still they have to acquire some experience be-
fore being able to hit a bull's eye.

* * *

BY A CIRCULAR LETTER sent to every
member of The Independent Theatre Owners
of Ohio, P. J. Wood, secretary, informed them
that the contract of a certain silverware com-
pany does not contain "the full representa-
tions of the deal." Mr. Wood tried to com-
municate with the officers of the company in
Chicago, but was told by the young lady in
charge of the office that they had not been in
the office for ten days and she did not know
their whereabouts.

This is not the first time that Mr. Wood
has tried to protect the members of his organ-
ization from unreliable persons ; he has sent
out frequent warnings.

The exhibitors should make it a point, be-
fore signing a contract with the representa-
tives of companies they know nothing about,
to consult the secretary of their regional or-
ganization. The secretary, before endorsing
any such company, will naturally investigate
it. In this manner, their interests will be
protected.

* * *

ACCORDING TO AN INSPIRED state-
ment in the trade press, the earnings of Para-
mount Pictures Corporation for 1941 will be
about $9,500,000.

Harrison's Reports is glad, indeed, that
things look so rosy for Paramount, and no
doubt for the other distributing companies,
for the reason that, about two years ago, they
all started crying, leading the exhibitors to
believe that, with the loss of their foreign
market, they might be compelled to fold up,
unless, of course, the exhibitors came through
with more money for the pictures.

The distributors will now have no excuse
for asking higher film rentals, unless they im-
prove the quality of their pictures greatly. Of
the pictures they have so far shown, the per-
centage of good pictures is not greater than
that of former seasons.

NORMAN SPER IS RECOGNIZED as
being the foremost authority on football. He
writes for Liberty Magazine, his column is
syndicated in a number of newspapers, and he
gives radio broadcasts on a national hook-up.
For years he had been predicting which team
will win the nation's twenty-five outstanding
football games, and he has been eighty per
cent accurate. He has been able to be so
accurate by close study of the different teams,
and the performance of each individual player,
lie obtains data on more than one hundred
teams.

Mr. Sper is now compiling thirteen 400-foot
shorts, which he is going to release to the
theatres one a week, the first one to be shown
one week before the first game of the season
is played.

During the practice season of last spring,
Mr. Sper took more than seventy-five thousand
feet of film of all the players who will repre-
sent the colleges this fall.

Each short reel will contain the shots of the
players of the two teams that are to play the
game one week afterwards. These shots,
some of which will be in slow motion, Mr.
Sper will analyze, and then he will make a
prediction as to what team he thinks will win
the game, and why. Thus the spectator will
have a chance to determine whether Mr. Sper
is justified in making a certain prediction or
not.

Feeling that this reel will be a great induce-
ment for increased patronage, Harrison's Re-
ports is passing this information on to you
for whatever it is worth.

Distribution of these reels is made by Myke
(M. H.) Lewis, a former distribution execu-
tive of Paramount, from the Hotel Pierre,
New York City.

* * *

YOUR COPY OF NEXT WEEK'S issue
of Harrison's Reports will reach you two and
perhaps three days late. The reason for it is,
first, the holiday, and secondly the fact that
Paramount is going to show two pictures on
Tuesday, two on Wednesday, and one picture
on Thursday, and I want to include them in
that issue.

* * *

LOOK OVER YOUR FILES of Harrison's
Reports, and if you find the copy of an issue
missing let me know so that I may send you
a duplicate copy.

Do not wait until you look for the informa-
tion you want and find the proper copy miss-
ing; ascertain now, so that you may not be
inconvenienced when you should want the in-
formation and you will not be able to get it
immediately.

Missing copies of all back issues are fur-
nished to the subscribers without any charge.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1941 No. 36

HERE AND THERE

ACCORDING TO LAST WEEK'S Variety
the Minnesota exhibitors are panic-stricken as
a result of the situation they themselves have
created, and are pleading with the distributors
to find some way by which they could release
pictures to them so that they might not be
compelled to shut down their houses because
of lack of pictures to run.

Every one of you knows, I am sure, that
Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest suc-
ceeded in having passed in that state a law
that requires the distributors to sell all their
year's output in a group. This naturally made
the selling system that was established by the
Consent Decree illegal. The distributors have
appealed to the courts for an injunction until
the constitutionality of the law was tested,
and it seems as if the decision of the court on
the injunction proceedings will not be reached
for several weeks. In the meantime, the ex-
hibitors in that state are finding the available
product diminishing to a dangerous point.

On competent counsel's advice, Harrison's
Reports has taken the position that the
Minnesota compulsory block-booking law is
unconstitutional ; the Minnesota exhibitors,
also on advice of counsel, believe that the law
is constitutional. The law's status, however,
will not be known until the U. S. Supreme
Court, to which the decision will, if adverse,
be naturally appealed to, has rendered its
decision. In the meantime, the exhibitors of
that state are paying. If the distributors find
some way to circumvent the Minnesota law
temporarily and offer them relief, they will
have to pay the distributors' terms and like it.
They will have to pay "through the nose" even
if the law should be declared constitutional,
because they have placed themselves into an
inferior position when it comes to bargaining.
They must have pictures to keep their houses
open, and the distributors seem to be biding
their time letting the exhibitors sizzle.

In contrast to the conditions in Minnesota
are the conditions everywhere else. Because
of the fact that the exhibitors have a chance
to see the pictures that they are asked to buy,
they are offering a price commensurate with
their value, and not with what the salesmen
would have made them believe that they are
worth.

Can there be a better selling system other
than that which compels the seller to show
what the quality of his wares is before a sale?
The Minnesota exhibitors say that there is —
the blind-selling system ; common sense says
that there is not. In the meantime they have

created a situation from which they do not
know how to extricate themselves.

* * *

IN THE LAST ISSUE OF "Theatre Arts,"
Walter Wanger writes partly as follows:

"Only when producers are assured that dis-
tinctive new films will be given individual
consideration will they be able to bring about
proper advancement in the field of production.
In the light of 1941, a reclassification of enter-
tainment and its more intelligent presentation
are as important to progress as giving pic-
tures the greater realism and character they
need so much."

How can the producers produce "distinc-
tive new films" under the factory method,
which Walter Wanger advocated so much?
When Mr. Abram F. Myers spoke to the
screen-writers guild, seeking their support of
the Neely Bill, which would make it possible
for the producers to make "distinctive new
pictures," Wanger tried to discredit him as
advocating censorship— he insisted that the
Neely Bill was nothing but censorship.

Walter Wanger may be ready with the pen,
but as an advocate of "distinctive new pic-
tures" by the old system, he is distinctly old-
fashioned.

* * *

SOME TIME AGO A SMALL TOWN
exhibitor called this paper's attention to the
fact that some trailers emphasized the fact
that the pictures were the best in the previous
year.

"Broadway Melody," he said, was dated
correctly and nothing could be done about it.
but not "Young Tom Edison," the trailer of
which stated that it was "one of 1940's out-
standing productions." He felt embarrassed to
run in April, 1941, a picture that was con-
sidered the best in 1940. It was apt to lead
people to believe that he ran nothing but old
pictures.

The exhibitor's complaint is just and some-
thing should be done about it. In the case
of "Young Tom Edison." the title might just
as well have stated that it was one of the best
pictures of the year instead of 1910. The pic-
ture would not have been praised any the less,
and the exhibitors who ran it would not have
been presented to the public as showing old
pictures.

It might be hotter if dated pictures, such as
"Broadway Melody," were produced early in
the year so that all subsequent run theatres
might be able to show it before the year is
over.

142

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 6, 1941

"Birth of the Blues" with Bing Crosby,
Mary Martin and Brian Donlevy

(Paramount, Rel. date not set; time, 85 min.)

Considering the popularity of the players and the attrac-
tive title, this should do very good business. And the
masses- should enjoy it considerably, even though the action
is occasionally slowed down by details. The majority of
the songs are tunes that will be familiar to many; they
should be enjoyed by young and old alike, for both Crosby
and Miss Martin put them over in fine style. An additional
attraction for the younger crowd is the jazz music. There
is a pleasant romance and some comedy. The story opens
in New Orleans, in 1895: —

Minor Watson is horrified because of his young son s
preference for the music of the colored folk instead of the
classics. Despite many whippings, he refuses to change.
By 1910, the son (Bing Crosby), now grown, still prefers
the colored rhythms; his hope was to form a band of white
players to introduce and popularize jazz music with white
folk. He is overjoyed when his faithful servant (Rochester)
tells him that he had found a "hot" cornet player (Brian
Donlevy.) But they first have to bail him out of jail;
this they accomplish with money borrowed from Miss Martin,
whom Crosby had met accidentally. Miss Martin goes
to live with her grandfather, but she soon returns with her
baby aunt (Carolyn Lee): her grandfather had died, and,
since she had no one to go to, Crosby permits her to live
in his run-down mansion, where he and the players lived.
She surprises them all with her fine singing voice, and
Donlevy suggests that she join the band; he and Crosby
teach her the new form of music they played. Their first
appearance together at a cafe owned by J. Carrol Naisli
is a big hit, and they play to a packed house nightly. When
they receive a better offer in Chicago, Naish and his hench-
men warn them not to leave. But they put up a good fight
and, through a ruse, manage to get away. Crosby, who had
thought that Miss Martin loved Donlevy, is delighted when
he learns she preferred him.

Harry Tugend wrote the story, and he and Walter DeLeon,
the screen play; Victor Schertzinger directed it, and Monta
Bell was associate producer. In the cast are Jack Tear-
garden, Warren Hymer, Horace MacMahon, Ruby Elzy,
and others.

Suitable for all.

"Nine Lives Are Not Enough" with
Ronald Reagan and Joan Perry

(Warner-\st Natl., Sept. 20; time, 62 min.)
A fairly entertaining program picture. It combines
murder-mystery melodrama with comedy and a formula
romance. Although the plot is routine, the action is fast-
moving and, since the murderer is not identified until the
end, one's interest is held throughout. In addition, the
performances are good and some of the dialogue quite
amusing: —

Ronald Reagan, a newspaper reporter, was always in
trouble with his city editor (Howard da Silva) because of
his habit of sending in stories before checking the facts.
For this he is demoted and ordered to cruise around in
a patrol car, with two policemen (James Gleason and
Ed Brophy) on routine cases. They receive instructions to
go to a house in an out-of-the-way section; they are informed
by the landlady that one of her tenants had not left his
room for a few days. When they break in the door they
find the body of a millionaire, who was wanted by the
police. They discover also that the house had been leased
by the landlady from a notorious criminal (Ben Welden).
Reagan sends in his story labeling it as murder; he gets
into trouble again when the coroner issues a verdict of
suicide. But Reagan is not satisfied, for he had talked to
the victim's daughter (Joan Perry) and was convinced that
the man had no reason to kill himself. After an investiga-
tion, he discovers that her father had been kidnapped and
killed by his partner (Howard Hickman), who had stolen
money from the firm; Hickman had been helped by Welden.
Hickman is killed by the police in trying to escape. Miss
Perry buys the newspaper and makes Reagan managing
editor, much to da Silva's disgust.

Jerome Odium wrote the story, and Fred Niblo, Jr., the
screen play; A. Edward Sutherland directed it, and William
Jacobs produced it. In the cast are Faye Emerson, Peter
Whitney, Charles Drake, Vera Lewis, and others.

Not for children.

"Law of the Tropics" with Constance
Bennett and Jeffrey Lynn

(Warner-lst Natl., Oct. 4; time, 75 min.)
Just a fair program drama, with a South American tropi-
cal background. Both the story and its development is

routine; and, since the players are not strong box-office
attractions, the picture's best chances will be on a double-
feature program. The performers are not to blame, for
the material and dialogue puts them at a disadvantage: —

Jeffry Lynn and his pal (Regis Toomey) worked hard
at their jobs at the rubber plantation in South America
owned by Paul Harvey; they had great respect for their
supervisor (Hobart Bosworth). When Lynn discovers a
new way to speed up the rubber process, he willingly turns
it over to the company; he is given a short leave of
absence to meet his American fiancee, who was supposed to
arrive by boat at a nearby town, where they would marry.
LIpon arriving at the hotel he finds a cable from her saying
that she had changed her mind. Disgusted, he starts drink-
ing and soon tells his troubles to Constance Bennett, a
cafe entertainer. Next morning, ashamed to face his friends,
he leaves for the plantation. Miss Bennett, in an effort to
evade an American detective who was after her on a murder
charge, boards the same boat on which Lynn was sailing.
She tells him that, for $500, she would marry him, and
thus save him from humiliation; no one would know the
difference. The plan works; Miss Bennett and Toomey's
wife (Mona Maris) become good friends; she tells her
the truth, and Miss Maris promises to help her. In the
meantime, Miss Bennett and Lynn fall in love. She is
shocked when Bosworth kills himself, after having been
told that he was through. Through a ruse, she forces
Harvey to appoint Lynn manager, at an increased salary.
But her happiness is soon shattered, for the detective finds
her again, and this time she is compelled to go back with
him. Lynn throws over everything to be with her so
as to help her prove her innocence.

Alice T. Hobart wrote the story, and Charles Grayson,
the screen play; Ray Enright directed it, and Ben Stoloff
produced it. In the cast are Frank Puglia, Thomas Jackson,
Craig Stevens, and Charles Judels.

Morally suitable for all.

"Among the Living" with Albert Dekker,
Susan Hayward and Harry Carey

(Paramount, Rel. date not set; lime, 68 min.)

This melodrama is best suited for theatres that cater to
followers of horror pictures. The story is far-fetched;
but the atmospheric settings, competent direction, and ca-
pable performances set the proper mood for a story of this
type; one is held in suspense. Yet many picture-goers may
not enjoy it, for the story is extremely unpleasant; this, is
so particularly towards the end, when a bestial crowd,
egged on by the promise of a large reward, goes after
the murderer. So ugly are their actions that they prove
more disagreeable than the act of murder itself. The
dialogue in some situations is suggestive: —

Albert Dekker returns to his home town with his wife
(France Farmer) to attend his father's funeral. That
night Dekker hears from an old family friend (Harry Carey)
a gruesome story: When he, Dekker, had been sent away
from home as a young boy, his twin brother had remained
at home. His mother had died as a result of his father's
cruel treatment, and his twin brother had been driven mad
by her suffering. Although Dekker had been informed that
his twin brother had died, Carey, a doctor, tells him he
was still alive but hopelessly mad, and at times danger-
ous. Carey had signed the false death certificate in return
for a fine hospital. But Carey felt it was now time for
Dekker to assume the care of his brother (also played by
Dekker.) The insane brother kills his keeper and escapes.
He rents a room in a boarding house. The landlady's gold-
digging daughter (Susan Hayward) plays up to him and
he is fascinated by her; no one was aware of the fact
that he was mad. When a young mill girl is murdered,
Carey and Dekker know who did it; they offer a $5,000
reward for the capture of the murderer. Miss Hayward,
eager to get the money, and believing that the murderer
was hiding out in the broken-down mansion where Dekker
himself had been hidden for years, induces the madman to
accompany her there. He reveals his insanity and tries to
kill her; but her boy friend arrives in time to save her.
Although wounded, the madman escapes. The mob tries
to kill the sane brother, whom they had taken for the
murderer. Unable to convince them of the existence of a
twin brother, he escapes and rushes to his father's grave,
where he is followed by the mob. There they find him
bowed over the body of the madman, who had died from
the wounds.

Brian Marlow and Lester Cole wrote the story, and Mr.
Cole and Garrett Fort, the screen play; Stuart Heisler di-
rected it, and Sol C. Siegel produced it. Gordon Jones,
Jean Phillips, Maude Eburne, Frank M. Thomas are in
the cast.

Unsuitable for children.

September 6, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

143

"Glamour Boy" with Jackie Cooper,
Susanna Foster and Walter Abel

(Paramount, Rel. date not set; time, 80 min.)

A very good comedy. Not only is the story itself
amusing, but the characterizations are fine, the action is
breezy, and the dialogue laugh-provoking. One of the
picture s novelties is the insertion of a few scenes of the
old picture "Skippy," in which Jackie Cooper appeared
when he was but a child; these should delight audiences.
There are many other amusing bits, such as the idea of
having an important motion picture producer reluctantly
singing to his baby over the telephone so as to put him
to sleep. The romance is pleasant: —

William Demarest, an ex-convict, bemoans the fact that
his young son (Darryl Hickman) had been spoiled by too
much education, and that mentally he was now his superior.
Darryl, a motion picture star, astounds everyone by his
wealth of information. But Walter Abel, the head of the
studio, realized that his pictures were not drawing. While
having a soda in a drug store after the premiere ot Darryl's
latest picture, Abel is surprised to find there Jackie Cooper
working as a soda clerk; Jackie had been a big star as a
child. When Jackie suggests that they remake "Skippy"
with Darryl as star, Abel thinks it a good idea, and en-
gages Jackie to coach Darryi in the part which he had
once made famous. In the meantime, Abel was having
other troubles. His young musical star (Ann Gillis) had
walked out on him because of a fight over salary. He de-
cides to put an unknown (Susanna Foster) in her part,
for the girl had looks and a beautiful voice. Jackie, who
had become acquainted with Susanna, tries to lead her to
believe that he had something to do with her success;
but later he confesses and she forgives him. Abel orders
Susanna to stop seeing Jackie and to go out with more
famous people instead ; Jackie misunderstands. Miss Gillis"
agent tricks Jackie into getting for him the film test made
by Susanna; he wanted to show it to Miss Gillis to bring
her to her senses. He promises Jackie that the new picture
Miss Gillis would be in would have Jackie as her leading
man. Jackie is horrified when he learns that the agent
had tricked him by having Miss Gillis put back in the
picture, thus ruining Susanna's chances. Unable to stand
the taunts of his former friends, Jackie decides to leave
Hollywood. Young Darryl, who had learned to like Jackie,
hides out in Jackie's car and starts a kidnap rumor, with-
out Jackie's knowing what was happening. The publicity
from the would-be kidnapping results in Jackie's returning
to Hollywood and Susanna's getting her big chance; Darryl
beams with delight at his own brilliance, much to his
father's disgust.

Bradford Ropes and Val Burton wrote the original screen
play; Ralph Murphy directed it, and Sol C. Siegel produced
it. In the cast are William Wright, Jackie Searle, John
Gallaudet, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Night of January 16" with Robert Preston,
Ellen Drew and Nils Asther

(Paramount, Rel. date not set; time, 79 min.)

A good murder-mystery melodrama with a novel twist.
The action is fast-moving; and, since the heroine is in
constant danger, one is held in suspense to the very end.
There are a few good comedy bits and a routine romance.
Another thing in its favor is the lavish production: —

Robert Preston, a sailor, is annoyed to learn that his
53,000,000 inheritance was in jeopardy because of a short-
age of $20,000,000 in the firm in which the inheritance
had been invested; the firm was controlled by Nils Asther.
Preston informs the members of the Board of Directors
that he would get at the bottom of things and demand an
explanation from Asther. But that night Asther is myster-
iously murdered, and his secretary (Ellen Drew) is held
for the murder. Preston, believing that Miss Drew was
guilty, and that she also knew where the missing money
was hidden, induces the members of the Board of Directors
to bail her out so that he could follow her and thus find
the money. Things work out as he had planned, except
that he finds that Miss Drew was actually innocent, and
that she knew nothing of the missing $20,000,000. Being
unable to find evidence to clear Miss Drew, Preston helps
her escape during the murder trial, conducted temporarily
on the scene of the murder. They decipher a code they
had found in Asther's diary, which gave them the key
to the missing money and to the murderer. Again with
the help of the directors, Preston and Miss Drew are
given a plane to fly to Havana, which was the first stop the
murderer would have to make to collect part of the money
that had been hidden there. When they arrive there,
Preston orders Miss Drew to stay in her room, while he

looked for the murderer. But the murderer visits Miss Drew;
to her amazement she finds that it was Asther; the murd-
ered man had been his partner in crime, whom he had killed.
He attempts to kill Miss Drew, but is prevented by the
timely arrival of Preston and the police. Asther is ar-
rested, and Preston and Miss Drew marry.

The plot was adapted from the play by Ayn Rand. Del-
mar Daves, Robert Pirosh and Eve Greene wrote the screen
play, William Clemens directed it, and Sol C. Siegel pro-
duced it. In the cast are Donald Douglas, Margaret Hayes,
Clarence Kolb, Rod Cameron, Cecil Kellaway, and others.

Not for children.

"Mexican Spitfire's Baby" with Lupe Velez,
Leon Errol and Buddy Rogers

(RKO, Rel. date not set; time, 69 min.)

Audiences are familiar by this time with Leon Errol's
antics in the double role he has portrayed in this series;
for that reason its amusing angles are lessened. Here and
there the action provokes laughter because of the confusion
brought about by Errol's impersonating another man. But
the story is thin; as a matter of fact it is two-reel material
stretched to feature length: —

Leon Errol, worried because his nephew (Buddy Rogers)
and his wife (Lupe Velez) quarreled too much, decides that
if they had a baby they would quarrel less. Knowing that
an English lord (also played by Errol), with whom they
were to sign a contract, was soon to leave for America,
Errol cables him to bring for adoption a war orphan. But,
since Errol had not specified to the Lord which war he
meant, the Lord brings with him an orphan from the first
world war, in the person of grown-up, blonde, and beautiful
Marion Martin. Upon the lord's arrival, Errol and Rogers
realized they were in trouble. Errol decides to take Miss
Martin to the country to hide her from his wife and from
Miss Velez. But by doing this he incurs the wrath of
Miss Martin's fiance (Fritz Feld) and his own wife (Eliza-
beth Risdon). After much confusion, everything is ex-
plained to everyone's satisfaction.

Jerry Cady and Charles E. Roberts wrote the screen play,
Leslie Godwins directed it and Cliff Reid produced it.
Zazu Pitts and Lloyd Corrigan are in the cast.

Some of the remarks are suggestive and so it is not
suitable for children.

"Skylark" with Claudette Colbert,
Ray Milland and Brian Aherne

(Paramount, Rel. date not set; time, 94 min.)
This marital comedy-drama is good entertainment for the
masses, particularly the women. The story itself is not the
attraction, for it is routine and ends just the way one ex-
pects it would. Yet it has been given an extremely lavish
production, the acting and direction are competent, and
many of the situations are amusing. It leans heavily on the
romantic side, which makes it all the more attractive for the
women: —

Claudette Colbert, after five years of marriage to Ray
Milland, is still very much in love with him as he is with
her. But he is so engrossed in his important position with
an advertising agency, that at times he neglects her. He
even brings his business into his home, finding it necessary
to entertain advertising accounts. Miss Colbert has to put
up with it all, in spite of the fact that she found it dis-
tasteful. But the limit of her endurance is reached when
Milland offers to turn over their cook to the wife (Binnie
Barnes) of his most important client (Grant Mitchell.)
Miss Colbert particularly disliked Miss Barnes, who was
vulgar and domineering. Digusted, Miss Colbert leaves
her own anniversary party and goes for a drive with one
of the guests (Brian Aherne); this enrages Miss Barnes,
who was fond of Aherne. When she returns. Milland
quarrels with her and orders her to telephone Miss Barnes
and apologize. She does this, but at the same time she
decides to leave him. In order to win her back, he pre-
tends that he had resigned his position; but the lie annoys
her, and she finally divorces him. He tries his best to get
her to remarry him, but by this time she and Aherne were
seeing a great deal of each other. Milland obtains a
government post in South America; for the last time he
asks Miss Colbert to go with him. She refuses, preferring
instead to accompany Aherne on his boat. But she realizes
at the last moment that she loved Milland, and so they arc
finally reunited.

The plot was based on the play by Samson Raphaelson;
Allan Scott wrote the screen play, and Mark Sandrich
directed and produced it. In the cast are Walter Abel.
Ernest Cossart, Mona Barric, and James Rcnnie.

Morally suitable for all.

(Reviews continued on next page)

144

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 6, 1941

"Unfinished Business" with Irene Dunne,
Robert Montgomery and Preston Foster

(Universal, Sept. 12, time, 95 mitt.)
The strong combination of the three leading players
should insure very good box-office results. The story is
somewhat weak, and in many of the situations not adequately
motivated, but the acting is very skilful, and the back-
ground lavish. Deft direction and charming performances
help to put over several delightfully human as well as comic
situations, despite the story's shortcomings. The romance
is pleasant: —

While on her way to New York in search of a career,
Miss Dunne, a small-town girl, meets on the train Preston
Foster, wealthy playboy. She mistakes a flirtation and a
few kisses for the real thing; when they bid each other good-
bye at the station he promises to call her. She waits in
vain for the call, not realizing that he had forgotten all
about her. She obtains a position at a night club owned
by Walter Catlett; her duties were to answer the telephone
in a singing voice, also to sing birthday greetings to
customers. One night she is overjoyed when she is ordered
to sing greetings to Foster, who had arrived with a parry
of friends. His casual manner of dismissing her makes her
cry. Montgomery, Foster's younger irresponsible brother,
noticing Miss Dunne's unhappiness, insists on cheering her
up. They become good friends. When Foster marries a
society girl, Miss Dunne decides to marry Montgomery.
The first few weeks of their marriage is devoted to having
a gay time. But they soon settle down. They decide to
give a family dinner, to which Foster and his wife are
invited. Miss Dunne and Foster wander out on the terrace,
and Miss Dunne finally tells him what she thought of him;
she kisses him goodbye. June Clyde, Montgomery's former
girl friend, sees what had happened and starts talking.
Everyone leaves, and the brothers quarrel. Miss Dunne her-
self leaves. Montgomery, in disgust, joins the Army; a
year later he meets Miss Dunne accidentally. But again
misunderstandings arise, and Montgomery is still under the
impression that Miss Dunne loved Foster. Foster, in an
effort to bring them together, arranges matters so that
Montgomery would know he was going to visit Miss Dunne.
First he disillusions Miss Dunne, and then permits Mont-
gomery to knock him down. Montgomery is overjoyed to
find that he was the father of a son; he and Miss Dunne
are finally reconciled.

Eugene Thackery wrote the screen play, and Gregory
LaCava directed and produced it. In the cast are Esther
Dale, Eugene Pallette, Samuel Hinds, and Phyllis Barry.

Morally suitable for all.

"When Ladies Meet" with Joan Crawford,
Robert Taylor, Greer Garson and
Herbert Marshall

(MGM, August 29; time, 104 min.)

As was the case with the first version, produced in 1933,
this is good entertainment for class audiences, particularly
for women. As far as the masses are concerned, the over-
abundance of dialogue and the complete lack of action may
prove a drawback; the main attraction for them should be
the combination of starring names. The production is
lavish and the performances are good. One feels sympathy
for the two women involved in the romantic complications.
The scene in which they realize that they loved the same
man is touching: —

Robert Taylor, in love with Joan Crawford, a successful
novelist, is annoyed when he learns of her infatuation for
Herbert Marshall, her publisher, a married man. Spring
Byington invites Miss Crawford and Marshall to her
country home for a week-end. Taylor becomes acquainted
with Greer Garson, Marshall's wife, and they go sailing
together. He offers to drive her home by way of a new
road which brings them directly to Miss Byington's home.
He does not tell Miss Garson the facts, but just states that
he was in love with Miss Crawford and wanted to make her
jealous; he asks Miss Garson to use another name and pose
as a friend. She joins in the spirit of the fun. Taylor had
seen to it that Marshall would not be there; he had tele-
phoned him about an important meeting with an author.
Miss Crawford and Miss Garson take a liking to each other;
after dinner they settle down to a chat and discuss Miss
Crawford's new book which dealt with a heroine whose
romance with a married man was similar to that of Miss
Crawford's. Miss Garson argues from the wife's viewpoint,
giving her own case as an example of how a wife can suffer
when her husband is a philanderer. Miss Crawford uses
Marshall's name and Miss Garson is shocked, but does not
say anything. Just as they were talking, Marshall, who had

returned, enters Miss Crawford's room. The truth is then
revealed, and Miss Crawford is humiliated. Miss Garson
denounces Marshall and leaves; realizing that he loved his
wife, he tells Miss Crawford the truth. She blames Taylor
for everything; after a quarrel she relents and forgives him.

The plot was adapted from the play by Rachel Crothers.
S. K. Lauren and Anita Loos wrote the screen play, Robert
Z. Leonard directed it, and he and Orville O. Dull pro-
duced it. In the cast are Rafael Storm and Mona Barrie.

Not for children.

"Aloma of the South Seas" with
Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall

(Paramount, Aug. 29; time, 11 min.)

The main selling points of this picture are Dorothy
Lamour in a sarong, the exotic South Sea Island setting,
and the technicolor photography. The story itself is childish
to the point where audiences will laugh even at the sup-
posed serious moments. Only when it turns to comedy in
situation and dialogue is it amusing. It is lightweight
entertainment, relying on romantic interludes and scenic
backgrounds to please: —

Pedro De Cordoba, chief of the island, had selected his
son's future bride when both children were but ten years
old. The boy was then sent with Lynne Overman to the
United States to be educated. Fifteen years later the father
dies and the son (Jon Hall) returns to rule the island. He
is annoyed when he hears that the childhood ceremony had
been taken by the natives seriously, for he had no idea what
the girl looked like. And she (Dorothy Lamour), a head-
strong young lady, is annoyed, for she thought she was in
love with Philip Reed, Hall's cousin. But their accidental
meeting at the sacred pool makes them realize that they
were attracted to each other and soon they are madly in
love. Reed, insanely jealous, has but one purpose in mind
— to kill Hall and thus take over the rule of the island and
Miss Lamour. Reed's secret sweetheart (Katherine deMille)
informs Hall that Reed had killed one of the islanders
just to frighten Miss Lamour into sending Hall away, and
pleads with him to permit her to leave with Reed, promis-
ing that there would be no more trouble. Hall grants her
wish. But Reed kills Miss deMille, and, together with a
group of plotters, returns to the island on the wedding day.
Taking a position at the top of a hill, Reed first kills the
High Priest. Suddenly the volcano erupts, and the island
is destroyed. Hall, Miss Lamour, and a few others are
saved, but Reed falls to his death.

Seena Owen and Kurt Siodmak wrote the story, and Miss
Owen, Frank Butler, and Lillian Hayward, the screen play ;
Alfred Santell directed it, and B. G. DeSylva produced it.
In the cast are Fritz Lieber, Esther Dale, and Dona Drake.

The murder by Reed makes it unsuitable for children.

"Badlands of Dakota" with Robert Stack,
Ann Rutherford and Richard Dix

(Universal, September 5; time, 73 min.)

A good western. Although the story is not novel, it has
all the sure-fire ingredients that the fans enjoy — excellent
horseback riding, fist fights, colorful characters, and a
romance; in addition, it has a little music and comedy, good
performances, and better-than-average production values.
There are a few thrilling situations, including an Indian
raid, during which the Indians set fire to the village: —

Brod Crawford, proprietor of the largest saloon in Dead-
wood, sends his younger brother (Robert Stack) to St. Louis
to bring back Ann Rutherford, who had promised to marry
Crawford. This enrages Frances Farmer, who had pioneered
with Crawford and loved him. On the trip back, Stack
and Miss Rutherford fall in love and marry. When Craw-
ford hears about this he goes wild, and decides to join a
gang of bandits. In order to embarrass Stack, Crawford
suggests that he be appointed Marshall. The leading men
are skeptical about Stack's ability to handle tough characters,
but Richard Dix (Wild Bill Hickok) speaks up for him,
and he is appointed. Crawford and his gang, dressed as
Indians, carry out many holdups. One night, during an
Indian raid on the village, Crawford and his men, dressed
as Indians, attempt to loot the bank, but Stack confronts
them there. Despite her love for him, Miss Farmer shoots
and kills Crawford when he attempts to kill Stack. General
Custer and his men arrive in time to rout the Indians.

Harold Shumate wrote the story, and Gerald Geraghty,
the screen play; Alfred E. Green directed it, and George
Waggner produced it. In the cast are Hugh Herbert, Andy
Devine, Fuzzy Knight, Bradley Page, and others.

Not for children.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1941 No. 37

When Arbitration Complaints Are Presented Improperly!

The system of arbitrating differences between two parties
is, indeed, a blessing, for not only is costly litigation with
the concomitant delays eliminated, but the arbitrators, in
rendering their decision, are guided more by the justice of
the complainant's case than by legal technicalities.

But in order for a complainant to get the justice that his
case deserves, he must present to the arbitrators the facts
necessary for them to render a just and fair decision.

I have in mind the case of Rubin Frels, a Texas exhibitor,
against Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, which
went against him before the Dallas board, and which he
appealed to the Appeals Board. Mr. Frels complained that
the Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, refused to
license him its films to his Normana Theatre, at El Campo,
Texas, a town of 3,900 population.

In order for you to get a clear idea of the facts in the
case, let me say that Mr. Frels operated his Normana, a
one thousand seat house, for more than ten years when the
Jefferson Amusement Company, a big circuit, affiliated with
one of the big companies, constructed in 1934 its Liberty
Theatre, with a seating capacity of 300.

Then the Long-Griffiths theatre company, which operated
the Liberty, constructed in 1937 a new theatre, The Floyd,
with a seating capacity of 500.

On October 1, 1939, the Liberty was closed, and did not
reopen until April 30, 1941.

The Floyd had at El Campo the first-run from Fox, and
between October 1, 1939, and April 30, 1941, no theatre
had a second-run Fox.

Frels complained that for almost two years he had tried
to obtain a second run of the Fox product. In February,
1941, he wrote to the branch managejr in Dallas requesting a
second run of at least some of the Fox product. On April
15, he repeated his request, and was informed that Fox had
no second-run contract outstanding at El Campo.

On April 30, Fox informed Frels that it had sold 20
pictures, second run, to the Liberty, which had reopened
on that day, and offered him 25 pictures, either second run,
or third run.

When Frels refused this offer, he was informed that there
would be at least 25 pictures available for his use, second
run.

The Appeals Board pointed out that the hearing before
the arbitrator in Dallas was brief and informal, that neither
party was represented by counsel, and that, on the appeal,
Frels failed to file a brief as directed by the rules.

In its affirmation of the Dallas Board's award, the Appeals
Board explains the elements necessary to entitle an exhibitor
to some run under Section VI of the Decree, and on this
account no exhibitor can find fault with the Appeal Board's
interpretation of Section VI. For instance, although this
Section states that no distributor shall refuse to license its
pictures, on some run, the Board holds that a distributor is
not required to make an affirmative refusal, but that, if a
distributing company should fail to respond to the applica-
tion for a license within a reasonable length of time, or if it
should prolong the negotiations over an unreasonable period,
its act would be equivalent to a refusal.

It is not sufficient that a distributor offer some run; such
run must be on terms that are not intended to defeat the
purpose of the aforementioned Section. This Section must
be construed so broadly that on the part of the distributors
good faith will be assured. The arbitrators must scrutinize
the facts carefully, and must inquire thoroughly into all the
facts bearing upon the question whether the offer for a run,

and the terms and conditions accompanying the offer, are
fair and reasonable, and are not merely a means of defeating
the purpose and intent of Section VI.

Taking things for granted, Frels construed Fox's offer of
twenty-five pictures second run equivalent to a third run
on the ground that the Liberty had been offered twenty
pictures second run, and since he was to have, according to
his own theory, a third run on those pictures and a second
run on the pictures that the Liberty Theatre would play, he
declined the offer. He failed to make sure whether the
Fox Branch manager, in offering his twenty-five picture^
second run, really meant second run and not a third run.

The Appeals Board stated: "If this contention were sup-
ported by the evidence a different situation would arise.
There is no evidence to show what pictures were licensed to
the Liberty Theatre or what pictures were offered to the
complainant."

Further on, the Board stated : "We find no evidence in
support of complainant's theory that the effect of the order
was to give him a third run on the pictures selected by the
Liberty Theatre and a second run only on the pictures which
Liberty had refused. * * * Complainant has conceded that
a second run on a certain grade of picture would not prove
unprofitable to him. He failed to produce any evidence to
prove that a second run on the 25 pictures offered by Fox
would have been unprofitable— to him, nor did he produce
any evidence to show that the 25 pictures offered to him
were inferior to the 20 pictures licensed to the Liberty
Theatre."

Having found that Twentieth Century-Fox had offered a
run on terms and conditions that were not calculated to
defeat the purpose of Section VI, the Appeals Board dis-
missed the complaint and affirmed the decision of the Dallas
board.

By studying the facts, one cannot help coming to the
conclusion that the Twentieth Century-Fox branch manager
delayed making the deal with Frels until he had closed a deal
with the Liberty Theatre operators, who owned more than
one hundred theatres in that territory. Even the Appeals
Board, if one should study the decision closely, seemed to be
of the same opinion. But since Frels failed to prosent his
case properly, the Board was compelled to base its decision,
not on how the members felt, but on what the evidence in
the case proved the situation to be.

I have gone to great lengths to analyze this case for only
one purpose — to prove to you how necessary it is for you
to present your case to the arbitration board properly.
Arbitration is a judicial proceeding, and an exhibitor should
have the help of a lawyer familiar with film matters so that
he may get every protection possible. Frels, by presenting
his case to the arbitration board improperly, did an in-
justice, not only to himself, but also to every other exhibitor
that is in a similar situation.

In suggesting that you engage a lawyer to defend your
case before an arbitration board, I do not mean to have the
lawyers continue to enjoy the motion picture industry as
the happy hunting ground that it has been to them for years;
I merely felt that only a lawyer knows what facts are rele-
vant to the issues involved, what additional facts arc needed,
and how they should be presented. It is not enough that
justice be on your side; your case must so be presented as
to insure a fair and just verdict.

There arc many lawyers whose services could be obtained
for a nominal sum of money; the work they would do for
you would be more than worth the cost.

146

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 13, 1941

"Smilin' Through" with Jeanette Mac-
Donald, Brian Aherne and Gene Raymond

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 1 JO mm.)

This was produced twice before, in 1922 and again in
1932; both pictures were very good. As far as the present
version, which is in technicolor, is ccncerned, it has been
produced lavishly, and the performai.ces are praiseworthy.
Yet it is doubtful if it will meet with the success of the
other two pictures, for the plot is now somewhat old'
fashioned, and the action pretty slow for present-day audi-
ences. A few situations still direct a deep appeal to one's
emotions, but these do not seem to be sufficient to hold
one's attention throughout. The two romances, one told in
flashback, are appealing, but the uncle's unforgiving
attitude is unappealing. The action takes place during the
first World War:—

Brian Aherne adopts the niece of his deceased sweetheart.
She grows to be a beautiful young girl (Jeanette Mac-
Donald), bearing a striking resemblance to her dead aunt.
While Miss MacDonald was out walking with a friend, a
thunderstorm breaks and they seek shelter in a deserted
house. They make themselves comfortable, and are sur-
prised at the unexpected arrival of Gene Raymond. He
explains that his late father owned the house, and that he
had come from America to claim the house and to join the
English Army. Raymond and Miss MacDonald fall in love
with each other. When Aherne hears of this he is enraged
and forbids her to see him again. He then tells her the story
of the death of his sweetheart, her aunt. On the day he had
married her, Raymond's father, who had been insanely
jealous, had appeared at the church in a drunken state and
had shot and killed her. Although Miss MacDonald sympa-
thises with Aherne, she cannot give up Raymond. She pleads
with Raymond to marry her before going to the front, but
for her sake he refuses. At the end of the war he returns, a
hopeless cripple. By hiding his crutches and sitting down on
the sofa, he is able to fool Miss MacDonald about his con-
dition, and leads her to believe that he no longer cared.
Broken-hearted, she tells Aherne of his change of heart. He
then relents and tells her the truth about Raymond, sug-
gesting that she go after him and bring him back to the
house. While she is gone, Aherne dies; his spirit joins that
of his sweetheart.

The plot was adapted from the play by Jane Cowl and
Jane Murfin. Donald Ogden Stewart and John Balderston
wrote the screen play, Frank Brozage directed it, and Victor
Saville produced it. In the cast are Ian Hunter, Frances
Robinson, Patrick O'Moore, and others.

Suitable for all.

"Riders of the Purple Sage" with
George Montgomery

(20th Century-Fox, Oct. 10; time, 56 min.)

Although this was produced three times — in 1918, 1925,
and 1931, it is still the kind of a western the fans will go
for. And those who did not see any of the previous versions
should find the story interesting. There are many exciting
situations, some comedy, and human interest. And the spec-
tator is held in suspense owing to the constant danger to the
hero, who dared defy the villain and his henchmen. The
outdoor scenic background is very good: —

George Montgomery arrives at the ranch owned by Mary
Howard to inquire whether she had known his sister. She
tells him that his sister had died and that her child had been
kidnapped; but she did not know the name of the man who
had lured Montgomery's sister from her husband and had
wrecked her life. She said that, even if she did know, she
would refuse to tell him because she hated gunshooting.
Robert Barrat, self-appointed Judge and leader of an out-
law gang of vigilantes, was attempting to get control of
Miss Howard's ranch. Montgomery finds his niece; she had
been under the belief that Richard Lane, one of Barrat's
men, was her father. Moreover, she was a member of the
gang. Lane is killed just when he was about to tell Mont-
gomery who was the man who had disgraced his sister.
Montgomery forces the confession from one of Barrat's men,
whom he had captured. To his surprise he learns that Barrat
was the villain. Chased by the villain's men after he had
shot Barrat, Montgomery, together with Miss Howard and
the young child she had adopted, hide out in the mountains.
He blocks the passageway by toppling over a huge rock,
causing a landslide. The gangsters are thrown to their death.
He and Miss Howard look forward to a happy life together.

William Bruckner and Robert Mctzler wrote the screen
play from the Zanc Grey story. James Tinling directed it,
and Sol M. Wurtzcl produced it. In the cast are Lynne
Roberts, Kane Richmond, Patsy Patterson, and others.

There is too much shooting for children.

"Weekend in Havana" with Alice Faye,
John Payne, Cesar Romero and
Carmen Miranda

(20th Century-Fox, Oct. 17; time, 81 min.)

As was the case with "Down Argentine Way," this ro-
mantic musical depends for its entertainment on the techni-
color photography, lavish backgrounds, and musical num-
bers. The story is thin and lacks human appeal; as a matter
of fact, the picture would have been better if more music
had been used since there is hardly any story. Yet the com-
bination of comedy, romance, and music should appeal to
the masses; moreover, the players are popular: —

When one of his ships bound for Havana strikes a reef
off the Florida coast, George Barbier is frantic, fearing lest
the passengers would sue his company for negligence. He
orders his prospective son-in-law (John Payne) to fly down
to tli>. boat so as to arrange for another passage and to
obtain waivers from the passengers clearing the company of
blame. Everyone signs except Alice Fayj. She, a poor work-
ing girl (working for Macy's — a good ad for Macy's) who
had saved her money for years so as to take the two week
vacrtion, felt that she had been cheated. The only thing
Payne could do was io offer to fly her to Havana, set her up
in a fashionable hotel, and pay all her expenses. But even
then she refuses to sign until after the vacation so as to make
sure the company would not try to fool her. Payne naturally
accompanies her to Havana. This angers his fiancee (Cobina
Wright, Jr.) because their marriage had to be postponed.
Once in Havana, Payne takes Miss Faye out; but she finds
him dull company. Payne engages Cesar Romero to take
Miss Faye out to see that she had a good time; in exchange,
he offers to pay all his gambling debts and the expenses for
the entertaining. But Romero gets into trouble because
Carmen Miranda, his sweetheart, was jealous. Payne tries
to keep her away from Miss Faye, but eventually Miss Faye
learns the truth and is enraged. However, she forgives Payne
because, after kissing him, she realizes she loved him. Miss
Wright arrives in time to spoil Miss Faye's hopes; she leads
Miss Faye to believe that Payne had sent her with the waiver
and a check for $1,000 to induce Miss Faye to sign. Miss
Faye signs the waiver but refuses to accept the money. Payne
sets out for New York by plane with Miss Wright. But when
they reach Florida and he learns of the trick Miss Wright
had pulled, he turns back; anyway he had discovered that
he loved Miss Faye.

Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware wrote the screen play,
Walter Lang directed it, and William LeBaron produced it.
In the cast are Sheldon Leonard, Leonid Kinsky, and Billy
Gilbert.

Suitable for all.

"Great Guns" with Stan Laurel, Oliver
Hardy, Sheila Ryan, and Dick Nelson

(20th Century-Fox, October 10; time, 74 min.)

Laurel and Hardy can still provoke laughter by their
antics. In this comedy on army life, they make use of some
old gags and others that are new, with the result that the
picture has turned out good entertainment for the masses.
Most of the laughter is provoked by the fact that Laurel
and Hardy innocently get into difficulties; they thus arouse
the anger of their sergeant. Only by luck do they emerge in
the end as heroes. There is a pleasant romance: —

When wealthy young Dick Nelson is inducted into the
U. S. Army, his two faithful servants (Laurel and Hardy)
enlist so as to be near him, for according to the family
doctor, Nelson was supposed to be suffering from many
ailments. To their surprise Nelson is able to take care of
himself; he benefits from the rigid army life. Laurel's pet
crow, which had followed him to camp, gets him into trouble
because privates were not permitted to have pets around;
but Laurel could not get rid of the crow. Nelson falls in
love with Sheila Ryan, who ran a store at the camp. Laurel
and Hardy, thinking that a romance would be bad for
Nelson's heart, try to break up the affair but they are un-
successful. They purposely get Nelson into trouble; he is
put in the brig, and thus he is unable to see Miss Ryan.
Just then they are ordered off to maneuvers; but they are
soon captured by the "enemy." Nelson, learning that they
had bet with the sergeant that their division would win,
escapes from the brig. With the help of the crow, he locates
their whereabouts. At the same time, he leads their division
to the "enemy" lines. The "enemy" is captured, Laurel
and Hardy win their bets, and Nelson wins Miss Ryan.

Lou Breslow wrote the screen play, Monty Banks directed
it, and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In the cast are Edmund
MacDonald, Charles Trowbridge, Ludwig Stossel, Kane
Richmond, Mac Marsh, and others.

Suitable for all.

HARRISON'S REPORTS

147

"Last of the Duanes" with George
Montgomery, Lynne Roberts and Eve Arden

(20th Century-Fox, September 26; time, 57 min.)
This should please very well the Western fans, for it has
plentiful fighting, shooting, and fast horseback riding. The
fact that the story is routine does not matter, since the
most important factor in pictures of this type is fast action —
and that it does have. In addition, there is a little comedy
and a suggestion of a romance. This story was produced
three times before — once in 1919, then in 1924, and again
in 1930:—

George Montgomery is determined to get the man who
had shot his father in the back. The same man tries to kill
him, but he is faster on the draw and kills the man instead.
Branded an outlaw, Montgomery is forced to hide out.
He becomes friends with Francis Ford, a notorious outlaw.
Ford is wounded by the Texas Rangers; before dying, he
asks Montgomery to deliver his horse to an old friend
(George E. Stone), who lived in a town run by and for
outlaws. Montgomery does this under difficulties, for one
of the outlaws (Joseph Sawyer) had tried to take the horse
from him. He is about to leave town when he notices the
gangsters forcing a young girl (Lynne Roberts) into the
saloon. Recognizing the girl as the daughter of an old friend
of his father's, he rescues her and then sends her to safe
quarters. William Farnum, Major of the Texas Rangers,
offers Montgomery a pardon if he would help him break up
the criminal gang in Texas. He accepts the job, and joins
the gang in order to get information. Eve Arden, an enter-
tainer at the saloon, admires his courage and tries to help
him. She warns him not to attempt a certain bank holdup,
which was actually a trap for him since the gang knew he
was working for the Rangers. He returns to the saloon,
wounded, thinking that Miss Arden was the mysterious
head of the gang; but to his surprise Truman Bradley, an
officer in the Rangers, turns out to be the leader. In order
to shield Montgomery from Bradley's bullet, Miss Arden
steps in front of him and receives the fatal bullet. Mont-
gomery kills Bradley.

Irving Cummings, Jr., and William Conselman, Jr., wrote
the screen play from the Zane Grey story; James Tinling
directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In the cast are
Russell Simpson, Don Costello, and Andrew Tombes.

The shootings make it unsuitable for children.

"Man At Large" with Mar jorie Weaver
and George Reeves

(20th Century-Fox, September 26; time, 69 min.)

A fairly good espionage melodrama of program grade.
It has some excitement. In a few situations the spectator is
held in tense suspense. The comedy, provoked by the actions
of the heroine, a nitwit newspaper reporter, is amusing to a
fair degree; at times her actions prove annoying, because
they slow up the action. The romance is unimportant: —

Richard Lane, city editor of an important newspaper,
promises the F.B.I, not to print anything about the mysteri-
ous murder of a German agent. But, since Marjorie Weaver,
who worked as a receptionist, knew about the murder and
was given to talking too much, Lane pretends to give her
her chance to become a newspaper woman. He sends her to
the Canadian border on a wild hunt to find and interview a
Nazi ace who had escaped from a Canadian military prison.
She stops at a tourist camp, and to her surprise finds there
George Reeves, who, she believed, had killed the German
agent. She notices his companion wearing the uniform of a
Nazi flyer and immediately comes to the conclusion that he
was the man she had been sent to interview; she is certain
that Reeves, too, was a Nazi agent. The camp owner (Spencer
Charters) was actually one of the spies; he is murdered by
his own henchmen. Miss Weaver informs the Sheriff that
Reeves was a murderer and that he must have killed Charters,
too. Eventually Reeves and the Nazi flyer leave for New
York, where they contact other agents. Miss Weaver seeks
advice from an author who, a few months previously, had
worked out a story that was similar to that of the escape
of the Nazi flyer. Unknown to her, he was really the leader
of the spies. Eventually she learns that Reeves and his com-
panion were actually working for the U. S. Government in
an effort to round up the spy ring. After many exciting
adventures, she and Reeves finally uncover the plotters,
who are arrested. Reeves then turns his attention to ro-
mance with Miss Weaver.

John Larkin wrote the screen play, Eugene Forde directed
it, and Ralph Dietrich produced it. In the cast are Richard
Dcrr, Milton Parson, and others.

The murders make it unsuitable for children.

"A Yank in the R.A.F." with Tyrone
Power and Betty Grable

( 20th Century-Fox, October 3; time, 97 min.)

Very good mass entertainment. It is a combination of
romance, comedy, and war action; and, although the plot
itself is developed in a routine fashion, individual situa-
tions provide thrills. The most exciting situations are those
which show the aerial battle at Dunkirk, with the escape of
the British soldiers. There are a few other good scenes of
air battles between the R.A.F. fliers and the Germans.
Despite the war scenes the picture is not depressing, for
there is plentiful comedy and ror.ance. The character por-
trayed by Tyrone Power, that of a brash irresponsible
flyer, is not a sympathetic one; yet he is of the romantic
type and so may prove appealing to women: —

Power, an American flyer, agrees to ferry bombers to
London because of the lucrative pay. During an air raid in
London, he runs into Betty Grable, his former American
sweetheart; she was doing war work during the day and
dancing at a cafe at night. Although she tries to keep the
conversation impersonal, she cannot resist his love-making
and they are soon together again. But the quarrels continue
because Power had a roving eye for women, and was negli-
gent about keeping appointments with her. In order to
impress her, Power joins the R.A.F.; but he is annoyed
because he had to undergo a period of training, and further
that his first assignment was to drop leaflets over Berlin
instead of bombs. In the meantime, John Sutton, a com-
mander in the air force, falls in love with Miss Grable;
although she had great respect for him, she cannot give up
Power. Power tries to win sympathy, after a quarrel, by
pretending that he had been wounded during one of his
assignments; but when she learns of the trick, she ordeif
him to leave her apartment and tells him she did not want
to see him again. Power and Sutton are assigned to the
dangerous task of helping the British soldiers evacuate from
Dunkirk. This meant risking their lives in a fight with
German fliers. But they succeed. Power is wounded, but
recovers. Sutton accompanies Miss Grable to the dock to
meet Power; he realizes that there was no chance for him
when he sees Miss Grable rush into Power's arms.

Melville Crossman wrote the story, and Darrell Ware
and Karl Tunberg, the screen play; Henry King directed
it, and Lou Edelman produced it. In the cast are Reginald
Gardiner, Gladys Cooper, Donald Stuart, Bruce Lester,
Lester Matthews, Frederick Worlock, and others.

Suitable for all.

"The Blonde From Singapore" with
Florence Rice, Leif Erikson and
Gordon Jones

(Columbia, Oct. 16; time, 69 min.)
A mild program melodrama, suitable for the lower half
of a double feature bill. The story is too far-fetched for
adult appeal, and occasionally the action is confusing. There
is nothing that the characters do that will win the spectator's
sympathy. The romance is routine: —

Leif Erikson and Gordon Jones, former commercial pilots
who were ousted because they had cracked up their plane,
go in for deep sea pearl diving in the Near East. When it
comes time for them to be paid off in pearls, the owner of
the boat warns them that they had been diving in restricted
territory belonging to the Sultana, and that, unless they
remained with him, he would tip off the police. They take
their share of the pearls and fight their way off. On the road
to Singapore, they meet Florence Rice, who poses as a help-
less young woman whose parents had been missionaries and
had died from jungle fever; in reality she was a former
actress who was living by her wits. They take her to Singa-
pore, and Erikson falls for her charms. Thinking that the
police were alter him, he entrusts the pearls to her, but she
runs away with them. They trail her and find that she was
playing up to the Sultana's son with the intention of marry-
ing him for his wealth. She finally turns over the pearls to
Erikson in return for his silence. But the Sultana, knowing
that Erikson had taken the pearls from the forbidden terri-
tory, threatens him with a ten year prison term unless he
helped break up her son's romance with Miss Rice. After
much excitement and danger, Erikson carries out the job
and marries Miss Rice himself. He and Jones enlist in the
R.A.F.

Houston Branch wrote the story, and George Brickcr, the
screen play; Edward Dmytryk directed it, and Jack Ficr
produced it. In the cast are Don Bcddoc, Alexander D'Arcy,
Adclc Rowland, Lumsdcn Hare, and others.

Unsuitable for children.

(Reviews continued on last page)

148

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 13, 1941

"The Pittsburgh Kid" with Billy Conn,
Jean Parker and Dick Purcell

(Republic, August 29; time, 75 min.)

This prizefight melodrama follows a familiar pattern, and
should entertain fairly well those who enjoy pictures revolv-
ing around boxing. It stands a better than average chance,
for Billy Conn, since his fine showing in his fight with Joe
Louis, has become quite popular, and there may be many
who would like to see him. The highlights are the prize-
fighting scenes; the rest of the story offers little that is novel:

On the night that Conn wins his most important fight, he
receives the sad news that his manager had died. He allows
himself to be swayed by the promises of a big-time manager
(Jonathan Hale), who offered to take him under his wing.
Jean Parker, daughter of Conn's former manager, knows
that Hale would ruin Conn's chances for the championship
bout by putting him in too many fights so as to make quick
money, and insists, despite Conn's disapproval, on holding
Conn to his contract with her father, which had reverted to
her. He trains only half-heartedly and disobeys Miss Parker's
orders by going out with Hale's daughter (Veda Ann Borg).
Miss Borg's boy friend (Alan Baxter) is annoyed. Miss
Parker guides Conn through several successful fights, and,
with the help of a sports writer (Dick Purcell), obtains
publicity that puts Conn in the limelight. In that way she
is able to demand a match with the champion. By this time
Conn had forgotten his prejudices and falls in love with
Miss Parker. Baxter visits Conn one night and draws a
gun; in the struggle that follows, Baxter is killed, and Conn
is held for murder. Baxter's henchman, who had been a
witness, disappears. But Miss Parker and Purcell are de-
termined to find him. This they do with the help of Miss
Borg, to whom Miss Parker promises to give up Conn. Conn
is cleared and is free to fight the bout. But he makes a poor
showing because of Miss Parker's absence. Realizing that
Conn loved Miss Parker, Miss Borg goes for her and brings
her back in time to inspire Conn and so help him win the
championship. Miss Parker and Conn are married.

The plot was adapted from the novel by Octavus Roy
Cohen; Earl Felton and Huston Branch wrote the screen
play. Jack Townley directed it, and Armand Schaefer pro-
duced it. In the cast are Ernest Whitman, John Kelly, Etta
McDaniel.

Morally suitable for all.

"We Go Fast" with Lynn Bari
and Alan Curtis

(20th Century-Fox, September 19; time, 64 min.)
A minor program comedy. The performances, particularly
by Dan Deforest and Gerald Mohr, are superior to the story
values. The plot, which is a burlesque on crooked politics
and on the cops-and-robbers themes, is a little too silly for
adult consumption; moreover, it lacks excitement. Except
for the closing scenes, most of the footage is devoted to
bickering between several characters. The romance is unim-
portant:—

Alan Curtis, out of a job, is instrumental in helping
Deforest, a nitwitted motorcycle policeman, capture a holdup
man at a roadside cafe. Lynn Bari, waitress at the cafe,
offers Curtis a job as a dishwasher, which he accepts until
he could become a police officer himself. By threatening to
tell the truth about the capture, for which Deforest had
received a promotion and a decoration, he compels Deforest
to sponsor him. He passes the tests. Deforest had other
troubles; he had incurred the wrath of an important poli-
tician (Arthur Loft) by giving a ticket for speeding to the
daughter (Sheila Ryan) of the town millionaire (George
Lessey). Deforest and Curtis are assigned to take care of the
Hindu ruler (Nabob) of Borria (Gerald Mohr), who had
arrived to buy refrigerators from Lessey's firm; they and
Miss Bari accompany the Nabob to night clubs. The follow-
ing day Lessey closes a deal with the Nabob, after which he
turns over to him $50,000 in cash, as a "gift" for his Prime
Minister. The Nabob then leaves, accompanied by Miss
Bari, who had believed in his marriage proposal. Lessey
soon learns that the Nabob was a crook; Curtis goes after
him, and brings Miss Bari and him back. He turns the
prisoner over to Deforest, who gets the credit, while Curtis
cets Miss Bari.

Doug Welch wrote the story, and Thomas Lennon and
Adrian Scott, the screen play; William McGann directed it.
In the cast are Ernest Truex, Paul McGrath, Thomas Dugan,
and Arthur Hohl.

Not for children.

"Scattergood Mrets Broadway" with Guy
Kibbee, Mildred Coles and William Henry

(RKO, August 22; time, 68 min.)

Just a minor progran. picture. The plot is routine, and is
developed just as the spectator expects; for that reason it
lacks both novelty and surprises. Moreover dialogue has
been substituted for action, with the result that the whole
thing proves somewhat boreso.ne. Even the romance is
formula : —

When Guy Kibbee hears that the son (William H?nry)
of an old friend had gone to New York in an effort to have
produced a play he had written, he decides to visit Henry
so as to find out whether everything was all right. He arrives
just after Henry had made a deal with two phoney play
producers (Frank Jenk: and Bradley Page) to produce the
play, on condition that Joyce dmpton, who had obtained
the backing from a gentleman friend (Chester Clute), be
the star. Henry lets the excitement go to his head and re-
fuses to heed the advice of Kibbee and Mildred Coles, a
young actress who loved him, to watch his step. Not being
able to induce Kibbee to put additional money in the pro-
duction, and knowing that eld debts would eat up Clute's
$15,000 investment, Page, Jenks, and Miss Compton run
away with the money, leaving Henry to face Clute. Henry
then realizes what a fool he had been. Kibbee finances the
show, which turns out to be a hit. When the three absconders
return, eager to share in the profits, Kibbee turns them over
to the District Attorney. Henry and Miss Coles, who had
made a hit as the leading lady in the play, plan to marry.

Clarence B. Kelland wrote the story, and Ethel B. Stone
and Michael L. Simmons, the screen play; Christy Cabanne
directed it, and Jerrold T. Brandt produced it. In the cast
are Emma Dunn, Morgan Wallace, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Married Bachelor" with Robert Young
and Ruth Hussey

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 81 min.)

An amusing program entertainment. The laughter is pro-
voked, not so much by plot developments, as by characteriza-
tions. For instance, one comical character is a petty racketeer,
whose conversation is developed wholly with slang terms.
The confusion that results when he talks to a professor,
who had been puzzled by the words, provides some of the
comedy. Although the story is far-fetched, the action is
iast-moving, and so one's interest is held fairly well: —

Ruth Hussey, married to Robert Young, is tired of their
uncertain existence; she wanted Young to get a position so
that they could live a normal life instead of chasing from
city to city in order to evade their creditors. He leads her to
believe that he had a permanent legitimate position, when
in reality he had gone into partnership with Sam Levene,
a racetrack bookmaker. To Levene's despair, Young, accepts
a large bet from Sheldon Leonard, a racketeer, feeling cer-
tain that the horse on which Leonard had bet would lose.
To their surprise, however, the horse wins, and Levene and
Young are indebted to Leonard in the sum of $17,000. It
is then that Miss Hussey learns the truth, but she, as usual,
forgives him. Levene and Young go around to various per-
sons who owed them money, in an effort to get enough money
together for an initial payment to Leonard. One of their
debtors was Felix Bressart, an impoverished professor, whose
sole possessions were manuscripts; these he turns over to
Young. Through a ruse, Young manages to interest Lee
Bowman, a publisher, in a manuscript relating to marriage
as seen from the eyes of a bachelor. Since Young posed as
the author, he naturally had to pretend he was a bachelor.
This displeases Miss Hussey, and they part. The book is a
great success; it leads to radio programs and lectures by
Young, who is assisted in the work by Bressart. Both Levene
and Leonard are constantly with them. Young becomes
furious when he learns that Bowman had fallen in love with
Miss Hussey, thinking she was unmarried. Eventually Young
confesses everything before a radio audience; and he and
Miss Hussey are reconciled and on their way to new
adventures.

Manuel Seff wrote the story, and Dore Schary, the screen
play; Edward Buzzell directed it, and John W. Considine,
Jr., produced it.

Morally suitable for all.

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1941 No. 38

HERE AND THERE

THAT WITCH-HUNTING EXPEDITION—
the investigation of the motion picture industry by a
subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Interstate
Commerce, headed by the Nye- Wheeler-Clark clique,
the object of which is to prove that the leaders of the
industry are doing everything they can to lead us into
war with Germany and Italy, is proving a fizzle.

To begin with, the resolution to investigate the
industry has not been passed by the Senate. On top
of this, it is utterly unfair and unjustifiable for an
investigating committee to assume, and to be guided
by, the premise that a group of industry executives is
leading us into war.

But even if the resolution had been passed, or if
some of the films produced did have a tendency to
inflame the American spirit against Nazi Germany
and Fascist Italy, still the subcommittee would have
a hard time getting anywhere, because ninety-five
per cent of the American press and of the people are
against the totalitarian powers, the cruel deeds of
which the "propaganda films" are intended to expose.

But the joke of the whole investigation is the fact
that Senators Wheeler, Nye and Clark either have
not seen the supposed objectionable films, or have seen
very few of them. When asked whether they had seen
them or not, they had to admit the aforementioned
fact.

This Senatorial group assert that the accused in-
dustry leaders, whoever they may be, are presenting
only one side of the question — the British- American
side; consequently they are presenting a one-sided
picture. In other words, had the motion picture indus-
try presented also the Nazi-Facist side, there would
have been no complaint, and consequently no investi-
gation. But Senators Wheeler-Nye-Clark have not
told us who will furnish the money with which to make
the pro-Nazi pictures, for pictures of this type would
most certainly prove a box-office flop, and the losses
from the cost, not only of production, but also of dis-
tribution, would be enormous, for ninety-five per
cent of the American people do not seem to care a
hoot about seeing any more of the Nazi-Fascist
side — during the past few years they have seen
enough of that picture of duplicity, treachery, cruelty,
conquest, slaughter and slavery; they arc interested
now in seeing only the Allied, or, to put it more
bluntly, the British, side, which is also the American
side.

This paper dares to predict that, when the war is
over — and it will be won by the Allied side — men of
the type of Lindbergh will be men without a country,
not because they stood by their views to the end, but
because they allowed the name of Hitler to be cheered
at their mass meetings, and that of the President of the

United States to be booed and hissed; they did not have
the political perspicasity to tell the booers and the
hisscrs that they were denouncing, not Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, but the President of the United
States.

* * *

THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE NATION have
stood almost solidly against the investigation of the
motion picture industry by those who are prepared to
do business with Hitler.

The New York Evening Post said editorially : "The
opening sessions of the counterfeit 'Senate Investiga-
tion1 into Hollywood's undeniable anti-Nazism justi-
fied our advance misgivings. Senators Clark, Wheel-
er, Nye, as we suspected, are running a low-grade
sideshow.

"Beneath the fireworks and the fanfare there are
harsh, ugly realities. Senator Nye, for example, intro-
duced the anti-Semitic note right at the outset in the
not-so-subtle form of a full hour's denial of the com-
mittee's prejudice. ..."

The K[ew Tor\ Times said : "The inquiry into radio
and film propaganda which was opened in Washing-
ton yesterday by Senator Clark's subcommittee of
Senator Wheeler's- Interstate Commerce Committee
was at times comic. But the inquiry has its sinister
aspects, as Wendell Willkie, speaking as counsel for
the motion picture industry, abundantly demon-
strated. Senator Nye has openly appealed to prejudice
in his attack on 'individuals ... in the majority born
abroad,' who, he says, control production, distribution
and exhibition of motion pictures. He proposes, if his
words do not belie him, to compel the producers to
match films which make the people fear and hate
Hitler and admire the British with other films which
would have a different effect. His explanation that a
positive censorship of this kind would not furnish a
precedent for censorship of the press, since most news-
papers are 'individually owned,' is pure sophistry. No
distinction in principle can be drawn between ideas
conveyed on a screen by pictures and spoken words
and ideas conveyed on paper by pictures and printed
words. . . "

Westbrook Pegler, the famous columnist, said
partly: "Unquestionably the movies have turned out
anti-Nazi propaganda films but no more dreadful
anti-Nazi propaganda could be created out of mans
imagination than lies at hand in the record of Hitlers
rise and the international treacheries which made this
war, because Hitler, himself, has thought out every-
thing. The most morbid fictioner on earth would have
been laughed off the lot as recently as fifteen years ago
if he had shown up with a script predicting the horrors
of the Brown Shirt maraudings and the cold-blooded
brutalities of the Gestapo. ..."

(Continued on last page)

150

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 20, 1941

"Honky-Tonk" with Clark Gable
and Lana Turner

(MGM, Rel. date not set; 104 min.)

As the rough romantic lover, Clark Gable seems to have
done it again, lor he is all that and more. This time he takes
the part ol a gambler and a cheat, but a charming cheat and
gambler. After all, the action unfolds in the days when
gambling and cheating were in great preponderance. But as
a lover, he is true to the woman he had married. In this
respect, he acts as he acted in "San Francisco," where he,
although the owner of a gambling joint and ruthless with
women, treated the heroine with great consideration. That
is what wins Gable one's sympathy also in this picture. There
is fast and rough action — much shooting, drinking and
wining, with and without women. But above it all, one
thing stands out — the passionate love of the hero for the
woman he had married, and his great devotion to her: —

Clark Gable and Chill Wills, his "con" man, having been
driven from many a town for cheating at cards and other-
wise, arrive at Yellow Creek. Accidentally, Gable comes
upon Lana Turner, daughter of Frank Morgan, justice of
the peace and a former crook who had not yet abandoned his
old ways, and becomes violently attracted to her. Gable
knew of Morgan's past and promises to keep quiet about
him. At the local saloon and gambling joint, which was
owned by Albert Dekker, he comes upon Claire Trevor, of
his boyhood days, working as an entertainer. Finding that
Dekker had been running a clip joint, Gable intervenes on
behalf of a poor fellow. Guns are drawn, but Gable, being
quicker on the trigger, covers Dekker and compells him to
hand him $5,000 to call it quits. He starts a rival saloon,
and by treating the customers better he gets the business.
Gable marries Lana. When Morgan hears about the marriage
he curses Gable and tells him that he will never forgive
him. Gable becomes a power in Yellow Creek but its citizens
begin to suspect his honesty. Morgan denounces Gable and
threatens to expose him. To save Morgan's life from his
cohorts, who had threatened to kill him, Gable puts Morgan
on the train and bids him to go to a distant town. But
Morgan, still bitter, returns and, at a mass meeting of the
citizens, starts to expose Gable when one of Gable's cohorts
shoots and kills him. There is an uproar. Lana faints when
she learns of her father's death and falls off the buggy
in which she had been driving. She is so injured that her
child is born dead. Gable, heart-broken, hands the deeds to
all his property to a friend and bids him to deliver them to
his wife when she got well; he then goes away. But when
Lana gets well, she goes to him — her love for him was too
big to live without him.

The plot has been founded on the screen play by Margue-
rite Roberts, and John Sanford; it was directed by Jack
Conway, and produced by Pandro S. Berman.

An adult picture.

"Unexpected Uncle" with Anne Shirley,
James Craig and Charles Coburn

(RKO, Rel. date not set; time, 66 min.)

A mildly pleasant romantic comedy. The performances
are good, but the story material is weak. For one thing, the
story is unbelievable and the action slow-moving; for an-
other, the comedy is at times forced. Situations here and
there are amusing and provoke laughter. But whatever value
the picture has depends mainly on the players, whose per-
formances are superior to the story itself: —

Charles Coburn is a happy man, in spite of the fact that
his possessions consisted of a small car with a trailer. He
supported himself by pitching horseshoes and betting with
his opponents. While passing a department store on the
main street in Miami, he notices a young salesgirl (Anne
Shirley) crying. Entering the store, he learns from her that
she had been discharged because a customer, a young mil-
lionaire (James Craig), had pinched her cheek. Coburn, by
posing as a member of the store's board of directors, forces
the manager to reinstate her, and to give her the afternoon
off. Craig finds Miss Shirley and insists that she have lunch-
eon with him. He invites her and her "uncle," as he termed
Coburn, to be his guests at dinner at an exclusive club. After
dinner Coburn leaves them alone. Craig proceeds to get
drunk. Miss Shirley drives the car to her boarding house;
Craig leaves her but crashes the car. Miss Shirley rushes to
his help and takes him to her room. Her landlady is shocked
and orders her to leave. She goes, but leaves Craig asleep.
The landlady calls the police, but by the time they arrive
Craig had left. They find his car, and soon the papers print
a story that Craig had been kidnapped, but Craig straightens
things out. He receives an urgent call to return to his busi-

ness by plane; Coburn arranges things so that he and Miss
Shirley are on the plane. At first she is angry at Craig, but
she relents and promises to marry him. She and Coburn
stay at Craig's house, but they never see him because of his
business. After a quarrel with Craig, Miss Shirley leaves.
Coburn then tells Craig that he himself had once been a
millionaire tied to his business, but that he had given it all
up to enjoy life. Craig, taking his advice, rushes after Miss
Shirley. They start off on a happy honeymoon.

Delmer Daves and Noel Langley wrote the screen play,
and Peter Godfrey directed it; Tay Garnett produced it. In
the cast are Ernest Truex, Renee Hall, Russell Gleason,
Astrid Allwyn, and Jed Prouty.

Morally suitable for all.

"Look Who's Laughing" with Edgar Bergen,
Fibber McGee and Molly

(RKO, Re!, date not set; time, 78 min.)

This will have to depend on the radio popularity of Edgar
Bergen and of Fibber McGee and Molly for its box-office
attraction. Not much can be said for the story, for, aside
from a few situations here and there in which Bergen appears
with Charlie McCarthy and in which Fibber McGee and
Molly go through a familiar routine, the action is silly, some-
what slow-moving, and towards the end tedious. It should
appeal mainly to youngsters: —

Bergen and Charlie are forced to land their plane at a
small-town airport. Bergen is recognized and greeted by the
residents; he goes to the McGee home. Learning that McGee
was trying to induce Neil Hamilton to build an aeroplane
factory in their town, Bergen promises to help him swing
the deal, for he knew Hamilton personally. But McGee's
next-door neighbor (Harold Peary), working hand in hand
with a crooked realtor, spoils things; he conspires with
Charlie to send a telegram to Bergen calling him back to
New York because of the sudden illness of his secretary
(Lucille Ball). Bergen forgets about his promise to bring
Hamilton to a reception McGee had arranged and flies to
New York instead. Finding Miss Ball well, he orders her to
leave with him, even though she was supposed to be married
that day to Lee Bonnell. In a few days they arrive at McGee's
home, only to find that his home and the deed to the landing
field had been taken from him. But Miss Ball, through a ruse,
forces the crook to turn back the property to McGee. Hamil-
ton arrives, settles on the town for his factory, and makes
everyone happy. Bergen finally realizes he loved Miss Ball.

James V. Kern wrote the story and screen play, and Allan
Dwan produced and directed it. In the cast are Dorothy
Lovett, Isabel Randolph, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Ladies in Retirement" with Ida Lupino
and Louis Hayward

(Columbia, Sept. 18; time, 93 min.)

The performances and direction are excellent, and the
production values are good. But, since this is a horror melo-
drama, with a morbid and gruesome theme, it is naturally
limited in its appeal to followers of pictures of this type.
Although the heroine commits a murder, one feels pity for
her, since her actions were motivated by her intense desire
to help her two sisters. One is held in suspense, knowing that
eventually the crime would be discovered: —

Isobel Elson, a former actress, lives in a house on the
lonely English marshlands, with Ida Lupino, her companion-
housekeeper, and Evelyn Keyes, the household maid. Miss
Lupino, about to make a trip to London on an errand for
Miss Elson, is disturbed because she had received a letter
asking her to remove her two slightly demented sisters (Elsa
Lanchester and Edith Barrett) from the place where she
had boarded them. Miss Elson gives her permission to bring
back her sisters for a few days. But they stay on for six weeks
and drive Miss Elson frantic. Finally she orders Miss Lupino
to leave with her sisters. But Miss Lupino, madly devoted
to her two helpless sisters, kills Miss Elson and hides her
body in an old oven which she blocks up. Everything runs
peacefully, for she had informed everyone that Miss Elson
had left on a trip. But the peace is disturbed when Miss
Lupino's scoundrelly nephew (Louis Hayward) arrives,
and through tricks discovers the truth. But he himself had
committed a bank theft, and the police catch up to him.
Miss Lupino, feeling that the nuns in the neighborhood
would take care of her sisters, gives herself up to the police.

Garrett Fort and Reginald Denham wrote the screen play
from the stage play by Mr. Denham and Edward Percy.
Charles Vidor directed and Lester Cowan produced it. In
the cast are Emma Dunn and Clyde Cook.

Strictly adult fare.

September 20, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

151

"The Prime Minister" with
John Gielgud and Diana Wynyard

(Warner Bros., Rel. date not set; time, 93 min.)

This drama, revolving around the career and personal life
of Benjamin Disraeli, has been produced in England. The
production is lavish, the acting flawless, and the direction
competent. Yet as entertainment for American audiences it
will be limited in its appeal to the class trade. The masses
may find the action slow, for the characters involved indulge
in lengthy speeches. Even though these speeches are interest'
ing, the masses may grow restless listening to them. John
Gielgud, as "Disraeli," gives a brilliant performance, win-
ning one's sympathy by his devotion to his country. His
romance and marriage are handled in good taste.

The story traces the career of Disraeli from the year 1837,
when he was a young, dandified writer, who had won promi'
nence for his brilliance. An accidental meeting with Mrs.
Wyndham Lewis (Diana Wynyard), a young widow,
changed the course of his life. She insisted that he belonged
in politics; and, since her sentiments were voiced also by
Lord Melbourne (Frederick Leister), Disraeli decided to
follow her advice. Since she controlled an important borough,
the Conservative party leaders were compelled to nominate
Disraeli, in accordance with her wishes. Disraeli's first speech
in Commons was a failure; but Melbourne's encouragement
helped him, and he determined that some day he would be
heard and respected. In the meantime he married Mrs. Lewis.
She had had great faith in his ability, and had encouraged
him to form his own party. Gradually he won fame, and be-
came Prime Minister. Queen Victoria trusted him to carry
them through the hard times. Despite opposition, he pur-
chased the Suez Canal and the island of Cyprus as a naval
base. When his wife died, Disraeli was ready to give up
everything; only the pleas of the Queen kept him at his
work. When Bismarck and others took a position against
Turkey and the Balkans, Disraeli, unknown to his Cabinet,
but with the consent of the Queen, secretly mobilized the
Indian Army. When the fact became known, Bismarck gave
in to England's demands. Disraeli won the cheers of his
countrymen, for he had won peace with honor.

Michael Hogan and Brock Williams wrote the screen
play, Thorold Dickinson directed it. In the cast are Will
Fyffe, Owen Nares, Fay Compton, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Sing Another Chorus" with Johnny Downs,
Jane Frazee and Mischa Auer

(Universal, September 19; time, 63 min.)

Because of the fact that the leading players, with the
exception of Mischa Auer, do not mean much at the box
office, an exhibitor will find it difficult to draw people into
the theatre with this picture alone, but once he has them in
he cannot help please them with it, for it is a nice picture,
with considerable human interest, some comedy, and several
pleasing musical numbers. It has been produced pretty
lavishly. There is also a nice romance. For those who show
double features it should form a good partner to a picture
with star names: —

The story deals with Johnny Downs, the young son of
George Barbier, a dress manufacturer. Johnny had written
a musical revue and had a burning ambition to produce it,
with Iris Adrian, an ex-burlesque soubrette, as the star.
Johnny eventually induces his father to give him the money.
Finding it difficult to sell his new style dresses, Barbier goes
on the road to see what he can do about them himself. In
the meantime, Walter Catlett, a would-be Broadway pro-
ducer, but really looking for suckers, undertakes to produce
Johnny's revue. Iris knows all about him but she is too late
to stop the deal — Johnny had already advanced him con-
siderable money. Catlett disappears with the money and
Iris sets out to discover his whereabouts so as to compel
him to give it up. In the meantime, Johnny learns through
Jane that his father was on the verge of bankruptcy because
his styles did not sell and Jane, who had ambitions to become
a designer, convinces Johnny that dresses made out of her
designs would sell, whereupon Johnny gets a bright idea:
why not design some new styles and try to attract buyers by
means of a show to demonstrate them on models? They
carry this idea out and it is a success. When Barbier returns,
he finds himself face to face with success — the buyers were
so impressed with his styles that they flock to him with
orders.

Charles Lamont directed the picture and Ken Goldsmith
produced it.

Good for the entire family.

"The Gay Falcon" with George Sanders,
Wendy Barrie and Allen Jenkins

(RKO, Rel. date not set; time, 66 min.)

This murder melodrama is developed along the same
lines as were "The Saint" pictures — that is, by having
George Sanders conducting crime investigations without
first obtaining permission from the police. It is a good pro-
gram entertainment, for, not only is the action fast-moving,
but there is plentiful comedy and romance. It should more
than satisfy followers of pictures of this type: —

Because of the demands of his fiancee (Anne Hunter),
George Sanders goes into the brokerage business, promising
not to bother with any more crime investigations or with
women in distress. But no sooner does he receive a visit from
Wendy Barrie, secretary to a prominent party-arranger
(Gladys George), asking his help in tracing a gang of jewel
thieves who had been crashing their parties, than he forgets
all his promises. Together with Miss Hunter, he goes to a
charity ball sponsored by a prominent socialite (Lucile
Gleason). Miss Hunter is furious when, upon arrival, she
learns why he had attended the affair. Sanders is surprised
when Miss Gleason slips into his hands a famous diamond.
A few minutes later she is killed. Sanders' assistant (Allen
Jenkins), who had tried to crash the party by climbing up
the fire escape, and had entered the room just as the mur-
derer had escaped, is held for the murder. Sanders is con-
vinced that a gang of crooks were working hand in hand
with society women who wanted to collect from insurance
companies for supposedly "stolen" jewelry. Sanders urges
the police inspector to release Jenkins so as to trap the
murderer, who would undoubtedly try to kill him. But the
murderer is killed mysteriously. Sanders finally proves that
Miss George was the leader of the crooks. Sanders' fiancee
forgives him, but he is soon off on another case.

Michael Arlen wrote the story, and Lynn Root and Frank
Fenton, the screen-play; Irving Reis directed it, and Howard
Benedict produced it. In the cast are Edward Brophy, Arthur
Shields, Willie Fung, and others.

Not for children.

"The Feminine Touch" with Don Ameche,
Rosalind Russell, Kay Francis and
Van Heflin

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 97 min.)

The box-office success of this picture will be owed seventy-
five per cent to the popularity of the leads, and to the title's
as well as to the picture's sex appeal, and only twenty-five
per cent to the story; it is very weak. The same is true of the
characterization of the hero; he is presented as a professor
of philosophy, and a man who does not believe in jealousy —
he considered it a common emotion, and it is hard to create
glamour around such a character. There are several wise-
cracks, which should cause much laughter. The action at
times interests one, but at times is slow: —

Don Ameche, professor of philosophy, is so disgusted with
his class because its members were interested more in foot-
ball than in their studies, and with the head of the faculty
who thought more about football victories than education
that would prepare the students for the future, that he
resigns and, taking along his pretty wife (Rosalind Russell),
goes to New York where he hoped to succeed in having
published his book, "Jealousy in All Its Aspects and Univer-
sal Applications." In New York he meets Kay Francis,
secretary to Van Heflin, a famous publisher and a man who
could not resist women. When he sees Rosalind he goes for
her. He is surprised when he learns from Don that he did not
feel jealous at all to see him try to make love to his wife,
for he felt that such emotions were common. The book is
successful. Rosalind tries to make Don jealous but is un-
successful. When Kay, who was in love with Heflin, sees
him making violent love to Rosalind, she hands in her resig-
nation. It is then that Heflin realizes how much Kay meant
to his business. They set a date for their marriage, but he
obtains her permission to go to his country home on an island
to destroy all evidences of his former affairs with women.
Rosalind, incensed at her inability to make Don jealous,
follows Heflin to the i.-.land. Kay and Don follow there.
When Heflin sees Rosalind there he is frantic; he explains
to her that if Kay should find her there she would not
marry him. Don and Kay arrive but, after some more mis-
understandings, harmony prevails.

The story is by George Oppenhcimcr; W. S. VanDykc
directed it, and Joseph L. Mankicwicz produced it. Donald
Meek, Sidney Blackmcr, and others are in the cast.

An adult picture.

152

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 20, 1941

F. H. Peter Cusick, executive secretary of Fight for
Freedom, Inc., wrote to Senators Clark and Nye ask-
ing them whether they had ever protested against the
showing in this country of the German film "Victory
in the West," but he has not received a reply. Conse-
quently he made his letter public. "Four days of in-
quiry and statements," he said, "have failed to clarify
what it is the isolationist Senators conducting the in-
vestigation on anti-Nazi propaganda in the motion
picture industry seek to achieve, unless it be to force
the industry to present the Axis in a favorable light
regardless of the facts.

"Telling the truth about Nazi conduct is bound to
make decent people feel like destroying the Axis."

The prize for the defense of the motion picture in-
dustry, however, is deserved by Wendell Willkie,
Republician Presidential nominee in last year's elec-
tions. His letter to the subcommittee before the open-
ing of its sessions was a masterpiece; knowing from
experience that he would not be permitted to cross-
examine witnesses, he presented his facts to it by a
letter. The effect of that letter was to put the subcom-
mittee on the defensive from the very beginning.
* * *

AMONG THOSE DENOUNCED BY Senator
Nye as purveying propaganda tending to lead us to
war has been March of Time, for having presented to
the public films, he said, which were "part actuality,
part fiction, part scenic, part fake and part acted."

In 1935, Senator Nye was conducting a vigorous
campaign against makers of munitions, the "inter-
national racketeers who rearmed Germany." In order
to present Senator Nye's campaign to the American
public, March of Time produced a subject entitled
"Munitions Makers." In producing it, March of Time
required Senator Nye to pose for several scenes
with Senator Clark, who both are leading figures in
the subcommittee's investigation of the motion picture
industry.

In commenting upon Senator Nye's outburst
against March of Time, Louis de Rochemont, its pro-
ducer, issued the following statement :

"Senator Nye in 1935 seemed to consider the reen-
actment as a legitimate means of portraying news. I
wonder what has happened to make him change his
opinion. The method of reenactment which we used
with Senator Nye is the same that we use today. We
insist on having the real people wherever possible
and our reproduction of any news fact is as accurate
as research and human diligence can make it.

"At the time we were giving footage to Senator
Nye's campaign against munition profiteers, we were
also calling the attention of the American public to
the activities of Adolph Hitler. We have not had any
reason to regret our statement of the case against in-
ternational war makers, but we particularly pride our-
selves on having called the turn as early as 1935 on
Adolph Hitler, who has proved to be the greatest war
maker of history. We only regret that Senator Nye
has not been able to continue his own opposition to the
Nazis with the same vigor as the March of Time."

If Senator Nye had devoted one-half of his time
and energy into warning this nation of the danger
from the rearming of Hitler and from our inability to
meet it because of our unpreparedness, what a differ-
ent world this would be!

The bitter attitude of Senator Nye and of the others
against all those who disagree with their viewpoint is
leading them into blind alleys.

IN COMMENTING UPON Abram F. Myers'
statement that the Philadelphia meeting of Allied
States Association will be open to any exhibitor or ex-
hibitor leader, no matter what his affiliation, Lionel
Toll, editor of "The Independent," the house organ of
Harry Brandt's organization in this city, said partly
the following in his September 6 issue:

"If it turns out to be that [an all-industry meeting],
every one will benefit. If it doesn't it will be a repeti-
tion of what occurred in Minneapolis. ..."

Since Mr. Toll speaks the mind of Harry Brandt,
and since he has mentioned the Minneapolis conven-
tion, Harrison's Reports takes the opportunity of
expressing a hope and a desire as accomplished facts,
(since the convention will have been over by the time
you read this editorial) that Harry Brandt has not
taken the floor and kept on talking interminably, as he
and his lawyer, Milton Weissman, did in Minne-
apolis, causing everybody to squirm in his seat, and
driving many exhibitors out of the convention floor.

If Harry Brandt cannot say in fifteen minutes what
he has to say, then it is not worth saying. And this goes
for every exhibitor, too, except for those exhibitor
leaders who have to make a report to the convention.

A NEW SPIRIT SEEMS TO BE prevailing in the
motion picture industry: the heads of almost every
company have signified their intentions to attend the
Allied convention in Philadelphia.

In the early years of Motion Picture Theatre
Owners of America, when that organization was yet
a purely independent body, the heads of all big com-
panies attended its annual conventions. Then the
Cohen- Walker split took place and the heads of the
big companies ceased attending the conventions.
Allied was formed, but there was stern opposition to
it, and none of them would attend. But lately Allied
has shown such strength that the big companies have
begun to feel differently — they have realized that
Allied is a factor to be reckoned with.

The proposal of Abram F. Myers, counsel for the
Allied Organization, for a liaison body to thresh out
all fundamental differences between exhibitors and
producer-distributors, has been received so warmly
that, were it to set up and to be supported by all the
industry factors, there is hope that there will be no
differences but will be settled at conferences.

Let us hope that Myers' idea will find full support.
* * *

WHAT MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY or-
ganized effort has been demonstrated conclusively by
the success of Allied to induce Congress to abandon
the 1 5 % tax on admissions to amusements. Without
wishing to minimize the efforts of others, I may say
that Allied deserves the greatest share of the credit.

There are state and regional units that are not affili-
ated with any of the national bodies, out of either fear
lest they lose their identity, or through some other
motive. Harrison's Reports feels that such units do
not render their members the best protection that they
are entitled to. Need I remind these units of the Esop-
ian fable of the father with the sticks? He gathered his
children around him and proved to them that the
sticks, as a bundle, could not be broken, but they
could one at a time.

The independent units should join Allied and add
their strength to the common strength. If there are any
policies of Allied's that they do not like, they can best
fight against them from within the ranks.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1941 No. 39

The First Serious Disturbance in the Allied Ranks

Every one of you knows by this time, I am sure, that, on
the last day of the Allied convention in Philadelphia, there
occurred the first serious breach in the Allied ranks.

The matter was reported in the trade papers in detail,
but Harrison's Reports will go beyond that — it will
present facts and analyze motives with a view to determin-
ing where the guilt lies so that the organization may resume
its serenity and proceed to do the constructive work that it
has been doing ever since it was founded.

Although the Thursday afternoon session, during which
the breach occurred, was a closed session, nothing that
occurred at that meeting remained a secret long, for two
reasons: the meeting room is surrounded by a balcony from
which a reporter may hear everything, and no one can
blame a reporter for getting his news; and no one should
expect a member of the board of directors to keep silent as
to what had occurred at the meeting when his motives were
questioned. For these two reasons, I may say that the facts
were reported in the trade papers accurately. Thus this
paper is able to make accurate deductions.

The breach occurred over a resolution calling for a joint
conference to effect friendly and frequent contact with pro-
ducers and distributors to the end that major policies affect-
ing all branches of the industry may not be adopted by one
branch without consultation with the other branches. This
resolution was passed by the Allied Board of Directors in
the absence of Nathan Yamins, of Fall River, Massachusetts,
and at the Thursday afternoon meeting he took the floor
and condemned the resolution, going so far as to use the
words "railroading" and "sell out."

When his attention was called by Mr. Abram F. Myers
that, by a letter of his, sent to Mr. Myers shortly before, he
had declared the suggestion about a "liaison" committee a
good one, he denied that he had written such a letter, and
later, when he had begun to feel that he might have written
such a letter, he insisted that Mr. Myers did not report the
contents of the letter correctly, and Mr. Myers, who did not
have the letter with him, wishing to make Yamin's position
easier, discontinued the argument. I have since verified the
fact that Yamins did write such a letter.

But the matter of the letter is not the most important
document that may prove Yamins' approval of the joint
conference committee idea: On August 8, there was sent
from the Washington Allied office a bulletin outlining the
idea for such a committee and its functions fully. The sub-
headings were : "The Need for Liaison," "The Problems of
1941-42," "A Standing National Committee," and "Let's
Talk It Over."

On September 2 another bulletin went out containing
extracts of letters of endorsement from Gradwell Sears,
president of Vitagraph (Warner Bros.); Col. H. A. Cole,
Allied president; Jack Kirsch, president of Allied Theatre
Owners of Illinois; William L. Ainsworth, president of
Independent Theatres Protective Association of Wisconsin
and Upper Michigan; Roy E. Howard, president of Asso-
ciated Theatre Owners of Indiana; Ray Branch, president
of Allied Theatres of Michigan; Fred A. Bccdle, president
of Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Penn-
sylvania; M. A. Rosenberg, member of the Allied executive
committee; Max Stearn of Columbus, Ohio; approval of
the plan by Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Eastern
Pennsylvania, and "Approved plan of Abram F. Myers for
formulation of a national joint committee" from the minutes
of a meeting of the board of directors of Independent
Theatre Owners of Iowa-Nebraska.

On September 10, still another bulletin went out contain-
ing endorsements from: William F. Rodgers, vice president

and head of distribution of Loew's, and Frank Hornig,
president Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Maryland.

Under the heading, "Existing Organizations Would Not
Be Affected," in the same bulletin, there was said:

"Report has been received to the effect that the proposal
for a national joint committee or other form of liaison be-
tween the several branches of the industry has been misin-
terpreted in some quarters, particularly among the exhibitor
associations that derive their revenue from the affiliated
theatres.

"It was not intended that the plan should in any way
affect or impair the organization, financing or activities of
any exhibitor association, endanger any jobs, or curtail any
person's or organization's functions or jurisdiction, or forfeit
anybody's rights or independence.

"It is not the purpose of the plan to revolutionize the
industry. The purpose merely is to establish a point of con-
tact to explore each situation and to ascertain to what extent
the several branches stand on common ground. It is not
proposed that cooperative activities shall extend into regions
where the interests of the several branches may be diverse
instead of mutual, except as programs may be formulated
that are agreeable to all concerned.

"A clear understanding of the limitations of the plan
should dispel the fears and allay the doubts of any who may
be apprehensive lest it interfere with existing organizations
and arrangements or place the independent exhibitors at the
mercy of the affiliated interests.

"There is no reason why members of all exhibitor factions
should not attend Allied's Twelfth Annual Convention next
week and participate in the discussion of this and other vital
issues. They have nothing to lose, much to gain."

You will notice that, although these bulletins did not
contain an endorsement from Mr. Yamins, they did not
contain a disapproval either. Thus you see that, so far as his
"railroading" accusation is concerned, these two bulletins
disprove it utterly and completely. His complaint that the
resolution was passed when he was not present also falls to
pieces, for Allied Board meeting notifications are invariably
sent at least two weeks in advance of the contemplated
meeting day. Consequently, Mr. Yamins must have had
notice of the Monday meeting preceding the day of the
convention. He wasn't present at that meeting, but he
deputized Frank Lydon to act for him. And Mr. Lydon
voted for the resolution.

Has Yamins ever been opposed to getting together with
the producers and distributors to talk over exhibitor matters?
Not at all! Since the formation of Allied, he has served on
the iollowing joint committees: The 5-5-5 committee, in
1929-30; the Myers-Kent joint committee in 1932; the
Code Authority in 1933-34; and the Rodgers committee in
1938-39. If my memory serves mc right, he served on con-
tract committees even before the formation of Allied.

As far as the resolution is concerned, it is harmless — it
binds Allied to nothing: it merely provides for a conference
committee to confer with committees representing other
branches of the industry. Its power would be limited; it
could do nothing more than report to the board of directors,
the only body authorized to act upon such a report. It docs
not provide for an amalgamation with MPTOA; if it had
so provided, I would have been the first one to fight it tooth
and nail and arouse the exhibitors against it. Allied can
serve the interests of the exhibitors only if it remains a strong
entity, dealing with the producers and distributors as an
equal among equals, representing a branch the interests of
which must be taken into consideration. If an amalgamation
(Continued on l<ist page)

154

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 27, 1941

"Suspicion" with Cary Grant
and Joan Fontaine

(RKO, November 14; time, 98 min.)

Brilliantly directed and acted with skill by a group of
expert performers, this drama should prove thrilling fare
for adults, particularly of the class trade. Even though the
story is unpleasant, and the character portrayed by Cary
Grant unsympathetic, so interesting is the plot development
that one's attention is held to the end. The credit for this is
owed to a great extent to Alfred Hitchcock, who again
shows his mastery at directing thrillers. The closing scenes,
in which the heroine, thinking that her husband was about
to kill her, tries to jump from a speeding car, are so tensely
exciting that one is left trembling at the conclusion. The
action takes place in England: —

Cary Grant, charming and popular in English society, is
sought after by all the ladies, even though his reputation
was not a good one; he was known to gamble and even to
cheat. Grant accidentally meets Joan Fontaine, daughter of
a wealthy retired general (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), and for
the first time is sincere when he declares his love for her.
She, a rather plain-looking girl, who had led a retired life,
is swept off her feet by Grant's charm, and she elopes with
him. They spend a glorious honeymoon travelling over the
continent, and on their return settle in a beautiful new
home in the suburbs. Miss Fontaine receives her first shock
when Grant admits that he was penniless, that he had
borrowed money for the honeymoon, and that he looked
forward to a substantial gift from her father. He is keenly
disappointed when Hardwicke sends them two valuable
antique chairs instead of money. But Miss Fontaine, loving
him, forgives everything, and induces him to take a job
with his cousin as manager of his estates. Nigel Bruce, an
intimate friend of Grant's, arrives for a visit; when Miss
Fontaine notices that the chairs were gone, Bruce intimates
that Grant must have sold them. She is shocked anew; but
Grant again sets things right by arriving home with the
chairs and gifts for all, which he had bought from his win-
nings at the racetrack. Miss Fontaine, unknown to Grant,
learns that he had lost his position because he had stolen
funds from his cousin, and that the cousin intended to
prosecute. She is horrified. Certain actions on Grant's part
make her believe that he intended murdering Bruce. When
Bruce dies suddenly in Paris, she is certain that Grant had
killed him, for she thought that Grant had accompanied
him there. Then she becomes convinced that Grant intended
murdering her to collect insurance. Tortured by these
thoughts, she draws away from him, and asks him to drive
her to her mother's home. He drives at a fast pace and
goes by way of a dangerous path, alongside a cliff. Terrified
because she believed he intended killing her then, she tries
to jump from the car; but he restrains her and quiets her.
She learns that he had never been to Paris and that he had
loved his friend sincerely, and that his reasons for inquiring
as to certain poisons had been to kill himself. Ashamed, she
begs his forgiveness and asks to go back home with him to
help him face the police.

The plot was adapted from the novel "Before The Fact,"
by Francis lies. Samson Raphaelson, Joan Harrison, and
Alma Reville wrote the screen play. In the cast are Dame
May Whitty, Isabel Jeans, Heather Angel, Leo G. Carroll.

Strictly adult fare.

"Doctors Don't Tell" with John Beal,
Florence Rice and Edward Norris

(Republic, August 27; time, 64 min.)
A moderately entertaining program melodrama. The plot
is routine and the action unfolds without any surprises. Yet
the performances are good, and the direction competent;
because of this one's interest is held to a fair degree. There
is comedy and a romance: —

John Beal, interne in a large hospital, risks his future by
operating on Florence Rice when no surgeon was available.
But when she recovers he is permitted to graduate. Miss
Rice, Beal, and Beal's doctor pal (Edward Norris) become
good friends; she helps them set up their office, which they
had opened in a poor neighborhood. Although Beal loved
Miss Rice, he says nothing to her when he learns that she
preferred Norris. Douglas Fowley, a racketeer who had been
brought up in the same neighborhood as Norris and Beal,
insists on helping the boys pay their bills, for he knew that
they were making no fees. When one of his henchmen is
shot, Fowley calls for Norris to treat him; he induces Norris
not to say anything to the police, in return for which he
gives him a large fee. Norris' practice begins to grow; all his
patients are people of the underworld, to whom Fowley had
suggested Norris. When Beal finds out what was happen-
ing, he breaks his partnership with Norris. Miss Rice was
unaware of what was happening. But she soon finds out
when she accidentally goes to Norris' office one night and
finds him operating on Fowley's face to remove a scar so as
to help him evade the police. She breaks with Norris. He
goes into hiding; even though he had been warned by
Fowley not to say anything, he sends to Beal, who had
become medical examiner in the District Attorney's office,
photographs proving that Fowley had once had a scar. The
gangsters kill Norris because he had talked.

Theodore Reeves wrote the story, and he and Isabel
Dawn, the screen play; Jacques Tourneur directed it, and
Albert J. Cohen produced it. In the cast are Ward Bond,
Grady Sutton, Bill Shirley, Joseph Creehan, and others.

Not for children.

"Harmon of Michigan" with Tom Harmon
and Anita Louise

(Columbia, September 11; time, 65 min.)

This picture will have to depend mainly on Tom
Harmon's popularity with the football fans for its box-office
success. Those patrons who are not interested in football
will find little in the picture to entertain them, for it is a
simple story devoted entirely to football; the plot develop-
ments are routine and the romance is unimportant. Con-
sidering that this is Harmon's first appearance on the screen,
he performs with ease and has a good speaking voice: —

Upon graduating from college where he had made a
name for himself as a star football player, Harmon marries
Anita Louise, and leaves for a small-town college to act as
assistant football coach. Because of clashes with the head
coach, he gives up the position and becomes a professional
player; he is happy when Oscar O'Shea, famous coach, asks
him to assist him for a while. Harmon's work with the
team brings him recognition, and an offer from a college to
act as head coach of their football team. O'Shea warns him
that he was not ready for so important a job, but Harmon
refuses to listen; he had confidence in himself. By instituting
variations on brutal and dangerous plays that had been
outlawed, Harmon's team wins all their games. His insist-
ence on winning games rather than on playing a sporting
game irritates Miss Louise, and, after a quarrel following a
serious injury to one of his players, she leaves him. Harmon
is brought before the college board, and after an argument
resigns. Learning that O'Shea had lost his post as coach at
the college where he had devoted many years to training
players, and that he was now coaching at a small college,
Harmon goes to him and asks to work with him again.
O'Shea welcomes him with open arms. And Harmon's
reformation brings about a reconciliation between him and
his wife.

Howard J. Green wrote the screen play, Charles Barton
directed it, and Wallace MacDonald produced it. In the
cast are Forest Evashevski, Warren Ashe, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

September 27, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

155

"Paramount Westerns"

The five Westerns, synopses for which are given below,
are all developed along the same lines — that is, the hero
(Hopalong Cassidy), played by William Boyd, and his two
pals (Johnny Nelson and California), played by Brad King
and Andy Clyde respectively, fight for those who have
been victimized by the villains. Although the locale for each
story is different, the action is routine; there is enough fast
horseback riding, gun shooting and fist fights, in addition
to comedy and a little music, to please the fans. The pho-
tography and production values are good. No release dates
have as yet been set.

"Riders of the Timberline"

( 58 minutes)

Hopalong and Johnny arrive at the lumber camp owned
by Kerrigan (J. Farrell McDonald) with $15,000, which
their ranch employer had sent to help Kerrigan out. They
find California, their old pal, working there as cook. Kerri-
gan tells Hopalong that, unless he fulfilled a contract with
a certain lumber company before a certain time, his timber
lands would be taken from him. He was in a predicament
because his men had left him owing to mysterious mishaps
at the camp. He suspected that some one was trying to ruin
him and thus obtain his property. His daughter arrives with
new workers, and Hopalong and Johnny decide to remain
and see that the work is completed. By pretending to have
a grudge against Kerrigan, they are able to join the villain's
gang. They trap not only the gang, but the leader as well.
Kerrigan completes his contract. Hopalong, Johnny, and
California leave for new adventures.

J. Benton Cheney wrote the screen play, Lesley Selander
directed it, and Harry Sherman produced it. In the cast are
Eleanor Stewart, Anna Q. Nilsson, Victor Jory, Tom
Tyler, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Twilight on the Trail"

(57 minutes)

Hopalong, Johnny, and California arrive at the ranch
owned by Brent (Jack Rockwell), who had sent for them
to help him apprehend cattle rustlers. They pose as three
dudes from the East, so that no one would suspect that they
were tough. Unknown to every one, Brent's own foreman
was the leader of the cattle rustlers. Hopalong, Johnny,
and California are able to keep the foreman and his men
fooled for a while. But one time, when they were forced
to defend themselves, the three men show that they could
ride and shoot as fast as anyone in the West. The foreman
then realizes that he had been fooled and tries to kill all
three. But Hopalong outwits them, and eventually, with
the aid of Brent and a few of his men, overpowers the gang.

J. Benton Cheney, Ellen Corby and Cecile Kramer wrote
the screen play, Howard Bretherton directed it, and Harry
Sherman produced it.

Morally suitable for all.

"Stick to Your Guns"

(62 minutes)

French McAllister (Bob Card) sends an appeal to his old
ranch boss to send him a few of the workers from the Bar-20
Ranch to help him capture cattle rustlers. Hopalong, Johnny,
and California are among the men sent for. But instead of
going to McAllister's ranch, Hopalong and California stop
off at the villain's hideout; they pose as notorious gamblers.
The leader, Nevada, thinks the two men would be good for
his outfit, and offers them lucrative pay to become members
of his gang. They accept his offer, their purpose being to

get word to McAllister and the other men as to the villain's
hideout. In the meantime, Nevada begins to suspect Hop-
along and California, and sends one of his henchmen to
town to investigate. Hopalong manages to set up a smoke
signal as he had arranged, and McAllister and his men
close in. It is then that Nevada learns Hopalong's identity.
He tries to kill him, but is prevented from doing this; in a
fierce battle between the rustlers and Hopalong and his
men, the rustlers are wiped out.

J. Benton Cheney wrote the screen play, Lesley Selander
directed it, and Harry Sherman produced it. In the cast
are Jacqueline Holt, Henry Hall, Joe Whitehead, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Secret of the Wastelands"

(65 minutes)

Hopalong, Johnny and California are engaged to accom-
pany an archeological expedition into the desert. They
receive mysterious warnings not to go ahead with their
plans; these warnings are sent to them by the Chinese.
But Hopalong refuses to be frightened and proceeds with
the expedition. Salters (Douglas Fowley), a crooked lawyer,
realizing that the Chinese must have had a good reason to
want to keep the expedition out of the desert, decides to
follow with his men. Hopalong, Johnny, California, and
the whole party, including a young lady, are captured by
the Chinese. Hopalong then learns why they had wanted
to keep him out — there was a hidden Chinese settlement in
the midst of the desert, with a gold mine that was worked
by the Chinese, under the leadership of May Soong (Soo
Young). She explains to Hopalong that they mistrusted
most people. Salters, learning of the gold mine, tries to
kill Hopalong and his men so as to get to the registration
office and enter the mine in his name. But Hopalong cour-
ageously fights Salters and arrives at the registration office
first, where he enters the mine in the name of the Chinese
organization. He thus insures them the continuation of
their peaceful village.

Gerald Geraghty wrote the screen play from the story by
Bliss Lomax; Derwin Abrahams directed it, and Harry
Sherman produced it. In the cast are Barbara Britton, Keith
Richards, Gordon Hart, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Outlaws of the Desert"

(65 minutes)

Hopalong, Johnny, and California accompany Charles
Grant (Forest Stanley), his wife and daughter to Arabia
to buy horses from the Sheik (Duncan Renaldo). Although
they are received graciously by the Sheik, he refuses to sell
them his horses; he does, however, give them two valuable
horses as gifts, and tells them that if they ever needed his
help to call on him. Two adventurers posing as brother and
sister (Luli Deste and Albert Morin) trick Grant into
going into the desert with them on the pretext of buying
horses. They really hand him over to a bandit chief to be
held for ransom, and demand $50,000 for his return. They
capture also Grant's daughter and Hopalong. But Hopalong
manages to outwit them, and to get Grant and his daughter
to the Sheik's camp; he takes the adventurers along as his
prisoners. With the help of the Sheik's men, Hopalong is
able to wipe out the bandit gang of Arabs; the Sheik himself
kills the bandit leader.

J. Benton Cheney and Bernard McConvillc wrote the
screen play, Howard Bretherton directed it, and Harry
Sherman produced it. In the cast arc Jean Phillips, Nina
Guilbcrt, George Woolslcy and others.

Morally suitable for all.

156

HARRISON'S REPORTS

September 27, 1941

should be effected, politics would be played, and the interests
of the exhibitors would suffer.

The only part of the resolution that might be construed
by some as calling for an amalgamation was the third para-
graph; it read as follows:

"RESOLVED, further, that it is the sense of the board
that such national joint committee, when organized shall in
addition study the possibility and desirability of bringing
the several branches and groups into a more elaborate and
enduring form of industry organization and shall report
their findings and recommendations to all branches and
representative groups for adoption, revision or rejection."
When Yamins objected to this wording, Col. Cole offered
to have it rescinded. A motion was made and seconded, and
the convention approved its rescinding. But Mr. Yamins
was not satisfied.

During his talk against the resolution, Yamins made the
statement that he once proposed a similar resolution but was
voted down. If the idea was a good one when he proposed
it why is it bad when some one else proposes it?

There is' one thing that I desire to make quite clear.
Neither Col. Cole, Roy Howard, Jack Kirsch, Sid Samuel-
son, nor Martin Smith had asked to be appointed to the
committee — they were requested to serve on it. Yamins'
accusation of a "sell out" is, therefore, intemperate. He,
being a lawyer, ought to know that, when a man intimates
that another man has sold out, he must have facts to prove
his accusation. I know these men well, most of them inti-
mately, and I can assure you that they are honorable.

Nathan Yamins has served the exhibitors well up to this
time, but now he has committed a grievous error. He can
right the wrong he has done only in one way — retract his
statements and apologize to those he has hurt. If he does
not do that, then he must resign as a member of the board.
He will have to resign anyway, for I have been told by some
of the board members that under no circumstances will they
sit in the same board room with him.

HERE AND THERE

THIS IS AN AGE OF specialization. Persons who learn
to do one thing to the exclusion of everything else learn to
do it far better than persons who learn to do everything. The
truth of this statement applies to professions as well as to
trades alike.

Realizing the truth of this axiom, Twentieth Century-Fox
has decided to apply it in the selling of its pictures to the
public. It has engaged Hal Home, the well known exploita-
tion expert, to do the exploitation for a given number of
its pictures. The results have been surprising, even though
Mr. Home has not yet had time to organize himself fully.

On "Belle Starr," for example, he has had a surprising
success in St. Louis, Philadelphia, Washington and in other
cities, even though the picture, though nice to look at, is
not a top notcher so far as entertainment goes. His campaign
on "A Yank in the R.A.F." is so well conceived that he
should obtain highly satisfactory results.

For years Hal Home has been recognized as one of the
leaders in planned exploitation campaigns. Not so long ago
a New York University professor, unknown to Hal Home,
referred to his methods as "The Hal Home Method." He
stated that this Method was very simple: Mr. Home first
made an approach. Then he proceeded step by step in a day
to day campaign with cumulative effect. The campaign was
modified as the occasion required it for attaining better
results. After the effectiveness of such a campaign was
demonstrated in a key spot, it was set down and furnished
to field men in a complete kit, to be followed out in their
respective spots as soon as they arrived there. In other
words, the "exploiteer" was left free to devote his time to
planting his campaign instead of to conceiving it first and
then carrying it out.

* * *

THE RESOLUTION ABOUT FORMING a joint con-
ference committee, which was voted down at the Thursday
afternoon session at the convention in Philadelphia last
week, has been submitted to the regional bodies for either
approval or disapproval; it will be acted upon within ten
days. But there is no question what the verdict will be —
one of approval, by reason of the fact that no harm can be
done to the interests' of the exhibitors by the liaison com-

mittee idea, and much good may come out of it. Allied is
now strong enough to assert its rights when they are disre-
garded by the others, whether it be at a joint committee
conference or elsewhere.

Incidentally, the set up of the Allied organization is such
that disapproval of a resolution or of an idea at a convention
is not binding; it can be voted down only by a majority of
the regional organizations. For this reason, the resolution's
disapproval at the Thursday afternoon session is legally
meaningless. The principle of proportional representation,
a principle upon which the Allied organization is founded,
was not at work at that session. As a matter of fact, some
of those who voted on the resolution were not even mem-
bers of an Allied unit.

* * *

ONE OF THE FINEST SPEECHES that were made at
the Monday meeting of the Allied board of directors was
made by Jack Kirsch, President of Allied Theatre Owners
of Illinois. It was highly constructive.

Lack of space prevents me from printing the speech, but
I shall give part of it:

"I think you have the meat of this proposal in the
preamble so very aptly stated by Mr. Myers and, gathering
from the response which Allied has received to its timely
suggestions, everything points to the possibility of its
eventual attainment.

"To my mind here are some of the functions which the
committee could accomplish:

"(a) Act as a clearing house for all problems of common
concern to the industry.

"(b) Hold frequent meetings to discuss and acquaint
exhibitors with different sales policies adopted from time to
time by distributors — to determine their effect upon the
industry in general and if found to be detrimental to adjust
by amicable discussion among the various interested groups.

"(c) Such an organization could set up various commit-
tees to report to the trade from time to time their results of
important surveys such as audience reaction to certain
pictures, building box-office, determining public tastes, effect
of advertising and publicity and many other angles of value
to the promotion of the industry.

"(d) To be used as an agency for presenting a common
front against adverse criticism and legislation.

"(e) To appoint rotating committees representative of
all branches of the industry to handle all charitable enter-
prises which the motion picture industry is called upon to
participate in.

"(f) And most important of all to appoint a Good-Will
committee to promote friendly relations within the branches
of the industry. . . .

"This movement, if it is to become a reality, should get
its initial start here and I would therefore propose that the
delegates in attendance at this convention take steps to
appoint a committee from Allied whose duties it should be
to immediately prepare a definite program for the creation
of such a committee and extend an invitation to the various
groups in the industry to meet and discuss its formation."

* * *

THIS PAPER IS GLAD, indeed, to hear from a Minne-
sota exhibitor stating that there is no shortage of product in
that state as a result of the block-booking law; the letter
comes from Lyle Carisch, of the Wyzata Theatre, Wyzata,
and reads as follows:

"Dear Friend : —

"I have been a subscriber to your paper for many years.
I am writing this note to set you straight on the product
conditions here in the state.

"In your September 6 issue, you quote Variety as
saying the exhibitors are panic-stricken over product. In
fact the reverse is true — everyone has plenty of product
to run.

"The opinion of the majority of exhibitors is that when
the product docs run out, which will be after the first of the
year, we will be better off to close our theaters rather than
pay the prices for film they are paid in the rest of the 47

states.

"What is very annoying to the salesmen is their being
told that the best thing to do is to close the theaters. They
are trying to get the exhibitors excited, and it is their
propaganda that you are reading in Variety."

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1941 No. 40

HERE AND THERE

THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE Senate Com-
mittee on Interstate Commerce, which has set out to
prove that Hitler and the Nasi party are not getting
on the screen the break that the British are getting,
has turned into a sewing circle

Leaving the investigation of the industry to one
side, it has veered its efforts into proving that the
British Purchasing Commission in Washington is not
employing either Jews, Southern Irish or Germans.

The British Purchasing Commission's denial of the
accusation and its assurance that Jews, Southern Irish
and Germans are employed and are rejected only if
they are not born in America, or of parents that are
not American citizens on account of the nature of the
work, tends further to discredit the Committee and
to lower the dignity of the Senate.

Incidentally, Senator Clark put himself into an
Embarrassing position when he, unaware of the fact
that in the synopsis of each review I use the names of
the actors to represent the characters, quoted from
my review of "Four Sons,'1 produced by Twentieth
Century-Fox last year, and asked Mr. Zanuck, who
was on the stand, whether the name Leontovich was
German. Mr. Zanuck replied, "No!" Then Senator
Clark remarked, "Well, you see!" Thereupon Mr.
Zanuck informed the Senator that the name was not
that of the character, but of a famous Russian actress,
engaged to play the part. The audience then roared,
and the embarrassed Senator had to admit that he had
seen only one picture in the last six or seven years.

The subcommittee started to investigate the indus-
try on the supposition that it was producing war
propaganda pictures when they had not seen any of
the pictures that in their opinion conveyed pro-war
propaganda, and were not in a position to know
whether it was so or not. In other words, they started
their quest without facts.

^ BOTH INDUSTRY LEADERS, Nicholas M.
Schenck and Harry Warner, held their own before
the interrogators of the subcommittee of the Senate
Committee on Interstate Commerce while on the
stand but it remained for Daryll Zanuck to give Sena'
tor Clark, and through him the others, a real oratorical
thrashing, carrying the audience with him at the ex-
pense of the "rump" Senatorial inquisitional com-
mittee. He delivered his piece after the Senators
finished interrogating him.
Mr. Zanuck said :

"... I am proud to be part of this motion-picture
business. I go back and I think of what this little
nickelodeon business has grown to and I cannot help
but be proud, although I was certainly not one of the

originators. But I recall the hours and hours and
weeks and months and years — actually years of enter-
tainment— that the people of the world have received
from this industry, and it makes me proud.

"I look back and I can see Henry B. Walthall as
the little colonel in The Birth of a Nation.' I look back
and see the covered wagons going across the plains in
'The Covered Wagon.1 I look back and see John Gil-
bert in 'The Big Parade.1 I see that girl on the truck
when he kissed her good-by — Renee Adoree — and
he went away to the war. I look back, and it gives me
a thrill when I think of Al Jolson in 'The Jazz Singer.1
That was the first time that sound came to the moving
pictures.

"I see George Arliss in 'Disraeli,1 and I look back
and recall picture after picture — pictures so strong
and powerful that they sold the American way of life
not only to America but to the entire world. They
sold it so strongly that when dictators took over Italy
and Germany, what did Hitler and his flunky, Musso-
lini, do? The first thing they did was to ban our pic-
tures, to throw us out. They wanted no part of the
American way of life.

"I come down, right now, to the last minute, and
I remember that great picture, 'Gone With the Wind.1
I remember a picture of my own, 'The Grapes of
Wrath,1 and I remember the last speech of that Joad
family. They had been kicked out and bounced
around, and the whole world was against them; they
were on the spot. But I remember Ma Joad turning
to the old man in the flivver and saying : 'Well, tilings
look mighty bad and everything is going wrong, Pa.
But that's the way it is with the world. You have got
to take the good with the bad, and we don't have to
worry, because we are the people.''

"I remember those things, and I remember the en-
joyment they have given; I remember the laughter and
all that and I am very proud. And, Senator, you do
not have to investigate us if you will look at all the
pictures, our whole record — not just these Nazi pic-
tures. This industry has stood for a lot. By that I mean
it has been the American way of life, and it has been
abused in other countries. But I am sure that, when
the whole celluloid record is put before the world, the
whole world, you are going to agree with the people
of America who patronize us when they wish to and
stay away when they don't want to see the pictures;
and we have grown only because the people have let
us."

UNDER THE HEADING, "Revision of Federal
Admission Tax," Pete Wood, executive secretary of
The Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, has this
to say in his September 22 bulletin:

(Continued on last page)

158

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 4, 1941

"One Foot in Heaven" with Fredric March
and Martha Scott

(Warner Bros., 1941-42 release; 106 min.)

The proof that great pictures do not require pretentious
stories is furnished by this picture. "One Foot in Heaven"
deals with the simple life of a simple methodist minister, but
it is so human that those who will see it will leave the
theatre deeply impressed with the power of the screen. All
the troubles and the tribulations of a simple soul, who had
chosen religion as his profession instead of medicine, which
he had originally studied, are unfolded in this picture in a
sympathetic and impressive way.

In this story one can see also the frailties of some of the
human beings who had charged him with the task of minis-
tering to their spiritual needs. The sacrifices of the minister's
wife and of their children, too, move one to the very depths
of one's soul. The scenes of the minister's moving from
town to town, transferred from church to church (some of
them with leaking roofs whenever it rained); the heroine's
loyalty to her husband, following him wherever he went
without complaint; the situations that show the children,
having been made to realize by their father that, because of
his position, they could not act as other children acted — all
these and more cannot help touching one's innermost heart-
strings.

The situation in which the father reprimands his son for
having gone to a movie, but inwardly not blaming the child
and, pretending that he wanted to show him how injurious
was the movie he had seen, takes the boy to a picture show
where a William Hart picture was playing and enjoying it
just as much as his son was, is not only humorous but
human; it stamps the preacher as a kindly soul, trying
to live up to the precepts of his religion, at the same time
eager to let his children enjoy simple pleasures.

The most powerful scenes are those in the end, where the
preacher, after succeeding in having a church built, equip-
ping it with an expensive organ and a $25,000 carillon, is
shown playing the carillon and attracting the attention of
the town folk. The sight of people, attracted by the playing
of the carillon, moving from different directions toward the
church, is a scene that one cannot easily forget.

The picture has been produced under the guidance of
several Methodist Bishops, and even though it deals with
the Methodist religion it does not stress Methodism; it might
apply to any religion. Ministers of every other religion,
priests, rabbis — all will see themselves in William Spence,
the Methodist Minister, and will love him for the sufferings
that he endured because of the frailties of some of the
members of his congregation.

Incidentally, Fredric March does about the best acting
in his career; and Martha Scott, after this picture, certainly
ought to rise to new heights in popularity. The part she
takes makes her appear a sweet soul and, since those who see
pictures cannot very well help associating a character with
the actor that portrays it, she should make a host of new
friends.

The picture was produced by Robert Lord, and directed
by Irving Rapper. Equal credit is deserved by Casey Robin-
son, who wrote the screenplay. In the supporting cast are
Frankie Thomas, Elizabeth Fraser and Roscoe Ates.

"One Foot in Heaven" is a picture that, not only should
be, but also must be, shown by every theatre in the country.
It should teach a moral lesson also to those who go to
church frequently; it should make them more tolerant
toward their fellow-men.

"Two Latins from Manhattan" with
Joan Davis and Jinx Falkenburg

(Columbia, October 2; time, 66 min.)

A moderately entertaining program comedy with music.
The story is silly; but, since the action is fairly fast-moving,
it does not become boresome. Moreover, it has agreeable
performances, a few pleasant musical numbers, and the
comedy antics of Joan Davis, who provokes laughter each
time she appears: —

Miss Davis, publicity agent for Don Beddoe, owner of a
night club, knowing that the club was in need of an attrac-
tion to build up its business, engages two South American
singers. On the morning that she was to meet the girls at the
airport she receives an urgent call to rush down to police
headquarters to help her two roommates (Jinx Falkenburg
and Joan Woodbury), who, through a misunderstanding,
had been arrested for wearing clothes that did not belong to
them. By the time she arrives at the airport the singers are
gone; she rushes to the hotel and there finds a mysterious
note saying that they would not appear for her. Realizing
that her job depended on the attraction, she decides to use
her two roommates to help her out. Since no one had seen
the singers and thus did not know what they looked like, the

girls pass for them. Fortunio Bonanova, who had abducted
the two South American singers on orders from their South
American employees, appears; since the girls did not want
anyone to know the truth, they are compelled to include
him in their act. They go over big, much to Bcddoe's de-
light. But the real singers finally arrive. Then the truth
becomes known; explanations follow and everything is
straightened out. Miss Davis tells the audience the whole
story and they accept her roommates with loud applause.

Albert Duify wrote the screen play, Charles Barton di-
rected it, and Wallace MacDonald produced it. In the cast
are Marquita Madero, Carmen Morales, Lloyd Bridges.

Morally suitable for all.

"Let's Go Collegiate" with Frankie Darro,
Marcia Mae Jones and Jackie Moran

(Monogram, September 12; time, 55 min.)

This program college comedy with incidental popular
music is strictly for the younger picture-goers. It holds little
appeal for adults, since the plot is somewhat silly, and the
actions of the leading characters extremely juvenile. A few
situations provoke laughter: —

Frankie Darro and Jackie Moran had promised their co-ed
sweethearts (Marcia Mae Jones and Gale Strom respec-
tively) that they would bring to their sorority dance the
famous prep-school stroke oarsman who was about to enter
their college. A few hours before the dance they learn that
the oarsman had been drafted into the Army. Knowing that
their girl friends would be disappointed, Frankie and Jackie
decide to get some one to substitute for him. Unknowingly,
they pick on a safecracker (Frank Sully), promising to pay
him ten dollars for one evening's impersonation. But Sully,
pleased by the attentions of Marcia and Gale, decides to
continue the impersonation and go to college; Frankie and
Jackie, fearing exposure, are compelled to coach him in his
studies, to the detriment of their own scholastic standing.
Sully develops into a fine oarsman and is the mainstay of the
crew. At the end of the season, when four crews meet for an
important race, three old graduates return to see the race.
Two of them learn from Frankie and Jackie about the decep-
tion and the trouble they were in; but they keep the news
from the third, knowing that he, a detective, was after Sully.
After their team wins the race, they tell the detective about
Sully, and he arrests him. But no one knows of this; instead
Frankie and Jackie make the announcement that Sully had
been drafted into the Army.

Edmond Kelso wrote the screen play, Jean Yarbrough
directed it, and Lindsley Parsons produced it. In the cast are
Keye Luke, Mantan Moreland, Barton Yarborough.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Kid from Kansas" with Dick Foran,
Leo Carrillo and Andy Devine

(Universal, September 19; time, 60 min.)

A formula program melodrama, with some comedy and a
little music. Its appeal will be directed mainly to those who
enjoy action pictures regardless of story values. This should
entertain them fairly well, as far as action is concerned, for
it has a few rough fights, particularly the one in the end.
The romance is of little importance: —

When James Seay, manager of a large fruit company, tells
the banana planters that his company had decided to offer
them less money for their fruit, Leo Carrillo, one of the
planters, refuses to accept the offer. He tells Seay that he
had already contacted another fruit company, and that
their ship would pick up his cargo of bananas the following
morning. Carrillo orders his foreman (Andy Devine) to
keep close watch over the cargo. Devine becomes acquainted
with Dick Foran, a stranger who had wandered into the
plantation in search of a job. Just as they were talking, a
group of natives sneak into the premises, douse the bananas
with kerosene and kill one of the guards. A fight follows,
but the natives escape. Devine and Foran are held for the
murder, but Carrillo finally obtains their release. When the
bank refuses to give Carrillo a loan, Foran goes to one of
the planters who had sold out and obtains a loan for Car-
rillo. When the planter is found murdered, Foran is accused.
But Foran escapes, and hides out at Carrillo's place. He tells
Carrillo that some one was committing the murders and
sabotage in order to frighten the planters and thus gain
control of their plantations. It finally develops that Foran
was a special investigator sent to the island to investigate the
trouble. He solves the murders and uncovers the criminals,
thus bringing law and order to the island once more.

Griffin Jay wrote the story, and he and David Silverstein,
the screen play; William Nigh directed it, and Ben Pivar
produced it. In the cast arc Ann Doran, Francis McDonald,
Marcia Ralston, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

October 4, 1941 HARRISON'S REPORTS 159

"You'll Never Get Rich" with Fred Astaire
and Rita Hayworth

(Columbia, Sept. 25; time, 89 min.)
Very good entertainment for the masses. The story is
lightweight; but it has good comedy, romance, and music of
the popular variety. But what is more important Fred Astaire
has in Rita Hayworth a partner who is as competent as was
Ginger Rogers and who should win new fans by her talents
as a dancer. Astaire has lost none of his charm, and his danc-
ing is as expert as ever. The dance routines in which Astaire
is joined by the chorus are peppy and well executed. In all,
it is the sort of entertainment to take one's mind off one's
troubles : —

Robert Benchley, wealthy play producer, falls for every
pretty girl he sees. His latest crush was Rita Hayworth, one
of the chorus girls in the new play he was producing; but
she had become attracted to Astaire, the dance director and
star. Benchley, whose wife (Frieda Inescort) had found a
diamond bracelet he had bought for Miss Hayworth, calls
in Astaire to help him; he compels him to say that Benchley
had bought the bracelet for him because he had fallen in
love with Miss Hayworth and wanted to marry her. The
whole affair annoys Miss Hayworth and she decides to leave
the show. In the meantime, Astaire is drafted into the Army;
he is thankful for this because he thought that John Hub-
bard, who had posed as Miss Hayworth's brother as a joke,
intended killing him. He arrives at camp, only to find that
Hubbard was his Captain; the joke is explained. Astaire,
who had by this time fallen in love with Miss Hayworth, is
overjoyed when she arrives at camp; but he is annoyed when
he learns that her visit was to see Hubbard. Benchley, who
had by this time become infatuated with another girl (Osa
Massen), offers to put on a show1 at camp; Astaire soon
learns that Benchley's purpose in doing this was to star Miss
Massen. But Astaire insists on having Miss Hayworth.
Benchley and Miss Massen frame Astaire so as to get him
in wrong with Miss Hayworth; thinking the worst of
Astaire she leaves the show. But Astaire and his buddies
help get her back; and, knowing that she loved him. Astaire
substitutes a real preacher for the one who was to appear in
the stage play, and thus they are married. Miss Hayworth
forgives him for she loved him.

Michael Fcssier and Ernest Pagano wrote the screen play,
Sidney Lanfield directed it. In the cast are Guinn Williams,
Donald MacBride, Cliff Nazarro, Marjorie Gateson, and
others.

Benchley's affairs are treated discreetly, and so the picture
is suitable for all.

"Gentleman from Dixie" with Jack LaRue
and Marian Marsh

(Monogram, September 5; time, 62 min.)

Although this human-interest drama is based on a simple
plot and is developed in an obvious manner, it holds one's
interest fairly well because of the sympathy one feels for the
characters. It is, of course, strictly program entertainment,
suited mainly for neighborhood theatres. One of the pic-
ture's best points is the music — Clarence Muse and a group
of colored singers are effective in the few numbers they
render, and little Mary Ruth plays the piano very well: —

After having served a prison term for a murder he had
not committed, Jack LaRue is released on parole. He returns
to his brother's horse breeding farm in Dixie; to his surprise
and sorrow he learns that his sister-in-law had died and that
his brother (Robert Kellard) had remarried. Except for
Kcllard, his new witc (Marian Marsh), and an old family
servant (Clarence Muse), no one at the farm knew about
LaRue's prison record. Kellard is overjoyed to see his
brother, but Miss Marsh is not; she refuses to permit him to
live in the house with them. LaRue is willing to live with
the servants so long as he could work on the farm, for he
loved horses. To his delight, his brother's child (Mary
Ruth) from his first marriage shows great devotion to
LaRue. He trains her pet horse, developing it into a fine
racer. LaRue is disgusted when he learns that Miss Marsh
was trying to induce Kcllard to sell the horse to John Hol-
land; for one thing, Holland was the very man who had
framed LaRue; for another, LaRue felt it would break
Mary's heart. Mary, hearing about the proposed sale, runs
away with the horse. LaRue is frantic; he searches and
finally finds her. Everyone is overjoyed at their return; even
Miss Marsh undergoes a complete change. Holland is kilh-d
by the horse when he treats Mary and LaRue roughly. At a
hearing, Holland's henchman clears LaRue.

Fred Myton wrote the screen play, Al Herman directed
it, and Edward Finney produced it. In the cast are Phyllis
Barry and Herbert Rawlinson.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Maltese Falcon" with Humphrey
Bogart and Mary Astor

(Warner-First A[at'I, Rel. date not set; time, 100 min.)

The first time this was produced in 1931, it was an excel-
lent though somewhat uncheerful murder mystery melo-
drama; the same can be said for the present version. Those
who did not see the first picture should be held in tense
suspense, for the plot developments, although complicated,
are fascinating, and the action is thrilling. Naturally those
who did see it in 1931 and remember the outcome will find
it less exciting. The unpleasantness is owed to the fact that
the characters are ruthless, and so there is no one for whom
the spectator feels sympathy : —

Humphrey Bogart and Jerome Cowan, private detectives,
are partners. They are engaged by Mary Astor to trail a
man she claimed had run off with her young sister. Cowan
undertakes to trail the man, and on his first night out he is
murdered. The police suspect Bogart when they learn he
had had an affair with Cowan's wife (Grace George). But
Bogart, knowing that the "sister" story Miss Astor had
given him was a lie, feels that she was connected with the
murder, for a few hours later the man Cowan was supposed
to have trailed is murdered. Yet Bogart cannot help falling
in love with Miss Astor. He tries to get from her the facts,
but she is evasive and lies. All he can find out is that she was
interested in getting a black falcon; he promises to help her
find it. Two other men offer him large sums of money to
obtain the falcon for them; one (Peter Lorre) offers him
$5,000 and the 'other (Sidney Greenstreet) $25,000. It is
Grcenstreet who finally tells Bogart the truth — that the
falcon contained a fortune in gems, and that the last pos-
sessor of it had been a Russian general, who was unaware of
its value. The crooks try to outsmart each other, but finally
they get together. Bogart gets the falcon and gives it to
them. To their disgust, they find out that the falcon for
which they had risked their lives was just a substitute and
that the real one was still in the possession of the general,
who probably had discovered its value. Bogart, despite his
love for Miss Astor, turns her over to the police when she
confesses that she killed his partner.

John Huston wrote the screen play from the Dashiell
Hammett story; Mr. Huston directed it, and Henry Blanke
was associate producer. In the cast are Barton MacLane,
Lee Patrick, Ward Bond, Elisha Cook, Jr., and others.

Strictly for adults.

"International Lady" with George Brent,
Ilona Massey and Basil Rathbone

(United Artists, September 19; time, 101 min.)

A good espionage melodrama, lavishly produced. As in
most pictures of this, type, the story is somewhat far-fetched;
yet the methods employed by the spies to pass on their infor-
mation to their agents result in exciting screen fare. And
naturally one is held in suspense, since the lives of the
secret service men following these spies are endangered. The
romance is developed in a routine fashion: —

George Brent, an American G-Man, is in London to
work with Scotland Yard in tracking down a dangerous
gang of spies. Brent knows that Ilona Massey, a beautiful
young singer, was a member of the gang. He manages to
become acquainted with her, without divulging his identity.
Brent learns that Basil Rathbone, a Scotland Yard operative
posing as a music critic, had been assigned to the same case;
they decide to work together. But Brent, believing he could
better trace the gang if he could get Miss Massey to America,
obtains for her a U. S. visa; Rathbone goes right along with
him, giving Miss Massey an explanation that he had been
transferred to a New York paper. When the clipper arrives
in New York, Miss Massey is met by Marjorie Gateson, wife
of a wealthy candy manufacturer (Gene Lockhart), who
was to sponsor Miss Masscy's radio career. Lockhart is in
reality the head of the sabotage gang. Brent is invited to a
party at Lockhart's home, at which Miss Massey was to sing
over the radio. To his surprise he finds Rathbone there, dis-
guised as a waiter. Both men feel certain that the song Miss
Massey had sung over the radio was the code for a message;
and they are correct. When Miss Massey learns that Brent
was a secret service man, she tells Lockhart about it. He
orders her to lure Brent to a roof garden club, where they
would kill him. But she, having fallen in love with Brent,
tries to warn him; she receives the shot intended lor him.
The saboteurs arc finally trapped, and Miss Massey re-
covers. Since she had broken off connections with the spies,
she and Brent plan a happy life together.

E. Lloyd Sheldon and Jack DcWitt wrote the story, and
Howard Estabrook, the screen play; Tim Whclan directed it,
and Edward Small produced it. In the cast arc Francis
Pierlot, Martin Koslcck, Charles D. Brown, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

160

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 4, 1941

"Effective October 1st, 1941, the federal admissions
tax has been amended so as to tax ALL admissions
at the rate of one cent for each ten cents, or any
fraction thereof, except to children under twelve years
of age when the admission charge is less than ten cents.

"The amendment relating to 'student tickets' was
voted down, which means that exhibitors, as in the
past, will be held liable for the same tax on a student's
ticket as they pay upon an adult admission. (EX-
AMPLE:— A house having a 31c plus 4c adult ad'
mission charging 'students' 20c must pay the federal
government a 4c tax upon all such admissions.)

"Regarding the tax upon children's admissions,
theatres in Ohio can charge ten cents without sub-
jecting themselves to the federal tax if they will have
their tickets and boxoffice cards printed in the follow-
ing manner: —

"Established price 9.7c

Ohio State tax 3c

TOTAL 10c

"Where the 'established price' is set at ten cents,
the tax will be one cent and the total eleven cents.

"Sometime within the next three weeks all theatre
owners will receive complete information and in-
structions from the Internal Revenue Collector of
their District.

"WE RECOMMEND

"Theatre owners should bear in mind that this
federal tax amounts to a minimum impost of twelve
per cent upon the boxoffice intake and every exhibi-
tors should dispel the thought of adjusting their price
scale to absorb the tax. As a matter of fact, the law
is worded so as to give every theatre owner a legiti-
mate reason for passing the tax on to the patron.

"Because of what the future holds in the way of
increased operating costs, it might be well for theatre
owners to consider a general increase in admission
prices as of October 1st. . . ."

# * *

IN A RECENT ISSUE OF "The Hollywood Re-
porter," Bill Wilkerson, its publisher, accused Martin
Quigley, publisher of "Motion Picture Herald," of
supporting the Washington investigation.

How do you suppose Wilkerson has arrived at such
a conclusion? He has noticed that Mr. Quigley has
not been called in Washington to testify, and since he
is a personal friend of Winnie Sheehan, and since
Winnie has been accused of the same thing — of sup-
porting the investigation, Martin Quigley cannot help
being guilty, in Wilkerson 's opinion, of the same
offense.

Not satisfied to pin the badge of guilt on Martin's
breast, Bill Wilkerson attached to Martin a nickname.

But in dealing with Martin Quigley, Bill Wilker-
son forgot that he was dealing, not with a layman,
unable to answer him in print, but with another pub-
lisher, a man who can sling the pen just as vitrioli-
cally as can he.

If what Martin Quigley said about Bill Wilkerson
in his September 27 issue will not make Bill's flesh
sizzle, nothing ever will.

Incidentally, what Mr. Quigley said about the in-
vestigation in the September 20 issue of Motion Pic-
ture Herald must have escaped Wilkerson's attention;
otherwise he would not have committed the blunder
of accusing him of such an offense.

HAL HORNE PUT REAL LIFE into the neigh-
borhood of the Roxy Theatre Friday last week with
his exploitation of "A Yank in the R. A. F.," at its
premiere. Thousands of people milled around the
Roxy in the afternoon, and thousands more gathered
at night to watch the celebrities of Hollywood and
of New York society, and naval and military men.
Some of the tickets were sold for $10 each, and the
proceeds went to the British- American Ambulance
Corps.

After the performance, which lasted till 1 1 p.m., a
dance was given in the rotunda of the Roxy, while in
the Roxy's parking place there was given an outdoor
carnival that drew thousands more.

A spirit of gayety prevailed throughout the affair,
inside and outside the theatre.

Although the picture is not a "topnotcher," efficient
exploitation has attracted so much attention to it that
there is no doubt as to its box office success.

This leads one to ask whether it is not time for the
regular publicity departments of all distributors to
brush away the cobwebs. If an exploitation organiza-
tion can draw so much attention with a picture that
is not, as said, a "topnotcher," the possibilities of doing
as well with better pictures are great.

If the producers want more money for their pic-
tures, they will have to help the exhibitor get it for
them. Under the present procedure, where every pic-
ture is exploited in accordance with a certain formula,
the exhibitor cannot pay more.

ONE BY ONE THE STATE UNITS of Allied
States Association are voting on the resolution for a
joint industry committee, adopted in Washington by
the board of directors, which resolution brought the
first dissension in the Allied ranks.

So far the following units have approved the resolu-
tion :

Western Pennsylvania : Unanimously at a meeting
of the full membership.

Wisconsin: Unanimously by action of the board.

Indiana: Reiterates former stand in which resolu-
tion had been approved unanimously.

Maryland : Unanimously.

Illinois : Unanimously, with a special vote of confi-
dence in national officers.

New Jersey: Voted for the resolution unanimously
with one or two reservations that do not affect the
vote in anyway.

By the time you will be reading this editorial, the
vote of all the units will have been taken, and there
is not the least doubt in my mind that the resolution
will have been adopted by the units overwhelmingly.

* * *

LOOK OVER YOUR FILES, and if you find the
copy of any issue missing write to this office for a
duplicate copy.

You don't know when you may need the copy that
is just missing from your files. It may be that you are
about to negotiate with a salesman, and when you go
to look for a review that is contained in the copy of a
certain issue you don't find it. That will naturally dis-
commode you. Why not, then, look over your files
now? I keep in stock a sufficient number of copies to
take care of such occasions.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

VoL XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1941 No. 40

(Partial Index No. 5 — Pages 130 to 156 Incl.)

Title of Pictures Reviewed on Page

All that Money Can Buy — RKO ( See "Here Is A Man" ) 1 1 4

Aloma of the South Seas — Paramount (77 mm.) 144

Among the Living — Paramount (68 min.) 142

Badlands of Dakota — Universal (73 min.) 144

Belle Starr — 20th Century-Fox (87 min.) 138

Birth of the Blues — Paramount (85 min.) 142

Blonde From Singapore, The — Columbia (69 min.) . . . 147

Charlie Chan in Rio — 20th Century-Fox (61 min.) 138

Citadel of Crime — Republic (58 min.) 131

Deadly Game, The Monogram (63 min.) 130

Dive Bomber — First Natl. ( 1 3 1 min. ) 135

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day— MGM (82 nun.) 139

Doctors Don't Tell — Monogram (64 mm.) 154

Female Correspondent — Columbia (See "Adventure

in Washington") 91

Feminine Touch, The — MGM (97 nun.) 151

Flying Blind — Paramount (68 min.) 138

Forty Thousand Horsemen — Goodwill Pict. (85 min.) . . 135

Gay Falcon, The— RKO (66 min.) 151

Glamour Boy — Paramount (80 min.) 143

Great Guns — 20th Century-Fox (74 min.) 146

Harmon of Michigan — Columbia (65 min.) 154

Honky-Tonk— MGM (104 min.) 150

Ice-Capades — Republic (88 min.) 134

International Squadron — Warner-lst Natl. (86 min.). 130

Ladies in Retirement — Columbia (93 min.) 150

Last of the Duanes — 20th Century-Fox (57 min.) 147

Law of the Tropics — Warner-lst Natl. (75 min.) 142

Life Begins For Andy Hardy — MGM ( 100 min.) 13 5

Little Foxes, The— RKO (115 min.) 130

Look Who's Laughing— RKO (78 min.) 150

Lydia — United Artists (100 min.) 138

Man At Large — 20th Century-Fox (69 mm.) 147

Married Bachelor— MGM (81 min.) 148

Mexican Spitfire's Baby — RKO (69 min.) 143

Mystery Ship — Columbia (65 min.) 134

Navy Blues — Warner-lst Natl. (108 min.) 130

Night of January 16 — Paramount (79 mm.) 143

Nine Lives Are Not Enough — Warner (62 min.) 142

Our Wife — Columbia (99 min.) 134

Outlaws of the Desert — Paramount (65 min.) 155

Pittsburgh Kid, The— Republic (75 min.) 148

Prime Minister, The — Warner (93 min.) 151

Rags to Riches — Republic ( 57 min.) 131

Raiders of the Desert — Universal (60 min.) 131

Riders of the Purple Sage — 20th Century-Fox ( 56 m.) . 146
Riders of the Timberline — Paramount (58 min.) 155

Scattergood Meets Broadway — RKO (68 min.) 148

Secret of the Wastelands — Paramount (65 min.) 155

Sing Another Chorus — Universal (63 min.) 151

Skylark — Paramount (94 min.) 143

Smiling Ghost, The — Warner (71 min.) 1."

Smilin' Through — MGM (100 min.) 146

Stick to Your Guns — Paramount (62 min.) 155

Suspicion— RKO (98 min.) 154

Tanks a Million — United Artists (51 min.) 134

This Woman is Mine — Universal (90 min.) 139

Tillie The Toiler— Columbia (67 min.) 135

Twilight on the Trail — Paramount (57 min.) 155

Unexpected Uncle — RKO (66 min.) 150

Unfinished Business — Universal (95 min.) 144

Weekend in Havana — 20th Century-Fox (81 min.) ... 146

We Go Fast — 20th Century-Fox (64 min.) 148

When Ladies Meet— MGM ( 104 min.) 144

World Premiere — Paramount (70 min.) 139

Yank in the R.A.F., A— 20th Century-Fox (97 min.) . . 147

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., Hew York, N- T.)
2216 The Son of Davy Crockett— Elliott (60 m.) . July 15

2014 Blondie in Society — Singleton-Lake July 17

2039 The Officer and the Lady — Hudson-Pryor. . .July 24
2207 Thunder Over the Praines — Starrett (61 m.) July 30

2017 Tillie the Toder — Harris-Tracy Aug. 7

2023 Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime —

Bellamy-Lindsay Aug. 14

2001 Here Comes Mr. Jordan — Montgomery-Rains Aug. 21

Our Wife — Douglas-Hussey-Drew Aug. 28

You'll Never Get Rich — Astaire-Hay worth . .Sept. 25
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

King of Dodge City — Elliott (63 m.) Aug. 14

Mystery Ship— Kelly-L. Lane Sept. 4

Harmon of Michigan — Harmon-Louise Sept. 11

Ladies in Retirement — Lupmo-Hayward. . . .Sept: 18
Two Latins From Manhattan — Falkenburg-

Davis- Woodbury Oct. 2

Texas — Holden-Ford-Trevor (94 m.) Oct. 9

The Blonde From Singapore — Rice-Enckson . Oct. 16

Roaring Frontiers — Elliott Oct. 16

Three Girls About Town — Blondell-Barnes. .Oct. 23

The Men In Her Life — Young-Veidt-Kruger. Oct. 30

First National Features

(321 W. 44th St., Tiew York. X- T.)
553 Dive Bomber — Flynn-MacMurray-Bellamy . . . Aug. 30

(End of 1940-41 Season)
(Hereafter all pictures will be listed under Warner-First
Rational. )

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Features

(1540 Broadway. Tiew York. H- T.)
143 Ringside Maisie — Sothern-Murphy Aug. 1

147 Whistling in the Dark — Skelton-Veidt Aug. 8

146 Life Begins for Andy Hardy — Rooney Aug. 15

145 Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day — Ayres-Day . . . . Aug. 22

148 When Ladies Meet — Crawford-Taylor-Garson Aug. 29

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — Tracy-Bergman Sept.

202 Lady Be Good — Powell-Sothern- Young Sept.

203 Down in San Diego — Granviile-Gorcey Sept.

204 Honky-Tonk — Gable-Turner-F. Morgan Oct.

205 Married Bachelor — Hussey- Young Oct.

206 Smilin' Through — MacDonald- Aherne-Raymond . Oct.

207 The Feminine Touch — Russell- Ameche-Francis. . .Oct.

Monogram Features

(630 Hinth Ave.. Xew Yor^, A[. T.)

4056 Dynamite Canyon — Tom Keene (58 m~)...Aug. 8

4057 Dnftin' Kid— Tom Keene (57 m.) Sept. 19

4058 Ridin' The Sunset Trail — Tom Keene Oct. 3 1

(End of 1940-41 Season)
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

4151 Arizona Bound — Buck Jones (57 m.) July 19

4159 Saddle Mountain Roundup — Range Busters

(60 m.) Aug. 29

4119 Gentleman From Dixie — LaRue-Marsh Sept. 5

4111 Let's Go Collegiate — Darro-Morcland Sept. 12

4152 Gun Man From Bodie — Buck Jones Sept. 26

Adolescence — Janney-Hunt Oct. 10

4160 Ponto Basin Outlaws — Ranijc Busters Oct. 10

Top Serceant Mulligan — Nat Pendleton Oct. t7

Spooks Run Wild — Lugosi-East Side Kids. . .Oct. 24

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

October 4, 1941

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, Hew York. H- T.)

4038 Aloma of the South Seas — Lamour-Hall Aug. 29

4060 Ruggles of Red Gap Reissue

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

4103 Hold Back the Dawn — Boyer-deHavilland. .Sept. 26
4102 Buy Me That Town — Nolan-Moore-Dekker . . Oct. 3
4101 Nothing But the Truth — Hope-Goddard Oct. 10

4104 Henry Aldnch for President — Lydon Oct. 24

4105 New York Town — MacMurray-Martin Oct. 31

4106 Night of January 16 — Preston-Drew Not yet set

4107 Skylark — Colbert-Milland-Aherne Not yet set

4108 Among the Living — Dekker-Hayward . . . Not yet set

4109 Birth of the Blues — Crosby-Martin Not yet set

4110 Glamour Boy — Cooper-Foster- Abel . >. . . . .Not yet set

Republic Features

( 1790 Broadway. Hew York. H- T.)

048 Under Fiesta Stars — Autry (64 m.) Aug. 25

026 Doctors Don't Tell — Beal-Rice-Norns Aug. 27

058 Bad Man of Deadwood — Roy Rogers (61 m.) Aug. 27

042 Down Mexico Way — Autry Oct. 15

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

107 Mountain Moonlight — Weaver Bros.-Elviry

(68 m.) July 12

108 Hurricane Smith — Middleton-Wyatt July 20

133 Pittsburgh Kid — Conn-Parker Aug. 29

161 Outlaws of Cherokee Trail — 3 Mesq. (56 m.) .Sept. 10

171 The Apache Kid— Red Barry (56 m.) Sept. 12

172 Death Valley Outlaws — Red Barry (56 m.) . .Sept. 29

109 Sailors on Leave — Ross-Lundigan Sept. 30

110 Mercy Island — Middleton-Dickson Oct. 10

151 Jessie James At Bay — Roy Rogers Oct. 17

162 Gauchos of Eldorado — Three Mesq Oct. 24

RKO Features

( 1270 Sixth Ave.. Hew York. H- T.)
131 Saint's Vacation — Sinclair-Gray June 6

185 Cyclone on Horseback — Tim Holt (60 m.) . . .June 13

191 The Reluctant Dragon — Disney June 20

166 Frank Buck's Jungle Cavalcade — (78 m.) . . . .June 27
126 Tom, Dick and Harry — Rogers-Murphy July 4

134 They Meet Again — Jean Hersholt July 11

172 The Story of the Vatican — special (54 m.) . . . .July 18
129 Hurry, Charlie, Hurry — Leon Errol July 25

135 My Life With Caroline — Ronald Colman Aug. 1

186 Sue Gun Gold— Tim Holt (57 m.) Aug. 8

136 Scattergood Meets Broadway — Kibbee Aug. 22

175 The Little Foxes. — Davis-Marshall Aug. 29

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Citizen Kane — Orson Welles Sept. 5

202 Parachute Battalion — Preston-Kelly Sept. 12

203 Lady Scarface — O'Keefe-Anderson Sept. 26

204 Father Takes a Wife — Menjou-Swanson Oct. 3

281 Bandit Trail — Tim Holt (60 m.) Oct. 10

205 All That Money Can Buy— Shirley-Craig Oct. 17

206 The Gay Falcon — Sanders- Bar rie Oct. 24

293 Dumbo — Disney (64 m.) Oct. 31

207 Unexpected Uncle — Shirley-Coburn-Craig ...Nov. 7

208 Suspicion — Cary Grant-Joan Fontaine Nov. 14

2091 Look Who's Laughing — Bergen-McGee Nov. 21

210 Mexican Spitfire's Baby — Velez-Errol Nov. 28

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 W. 56th St., Hew York. H. T.)

205 Sun Valley Serenade — Henie-Payne-Berle Aug. 29

206 Charlie Chan in Rio— TolenHughes Sept. 5

207 Belle Starr — Scott- Tierney- Andrews Sept. 12

208 We Go Fast — Bari-Curtis-Ryan Sept. 19

209 Last of the Duanes — Montgomery-Roberts. . .Sept. 26

210 Man At Large — Weaver-Reeves Sept. 26

211 A Yank in the R.A.F. — Power-Grable Oct. 3

212 Great Guns — Laurel-Hardy-Ryan-Nelson ....Oct. 10

213 Riders of the Purple Sage — Montgomery Oct. 10

214 Week-End in Havana — Faye-Payne- Romero. .Oct. 17

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave.. Hew York. N- T.)

Broadway Limited — McLagien-O'Keefe-Kelly June 13

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Three Cockeyed Sailors — Tnnder July 4

Major Barbara — Hiller-Hamson-Morley Sept. 12

Tanks a Million — Gleason-Tracy Sept. 12

International Lady — Brent-I. Massey Sept. 19

Lydia — Oberon -Cotton -Marshall (reset) Sept. 26

New Wine — Ilona Massey-Alan Curtis Oct. 10

Untitled — Hal Roach streamliner : Oct. 17

The Corsican Brothers — Fairbanks-Warnck Oct. 24

Sundown — Tierney-Cabot-Sanders Oct. 31

Untitled — Hal Roach streamliner Nov. 14

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave., Hew York. H- T.)
1940-41 Season

5039 Cracked Nuts — Erwin-Merkel Aug. 1

Hold That Ghost — Abbott-Costello Aug. 8

5057 A Dangerous Game — Arlen-Devine Aug. 22

5044 This Woman Is Mine — Tone-Bruce-Brennan. Aug. 22
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6061 The Man From Montana — J. M. Brown

(56 m.) Sept. 5

Badlands of Dakota — Stack-Rutherford .... Sept. 5
Unfinished Business — Dunne-Montgomery .Sept. 12

Sing Another Chorus — Frazee-Downs Sept. 19

A Girl Must Live — Lockwood (69 m.) Sept. 19

The Kid From Kansas (The Americanos) —

Foran-Carrillo Sept. 19

It Started With Eve (Almost an Angel) —

Durbin-Laughton Sept. 26

Burma Convoy — Bickford-Ankers Oct. 3

Hellzapoppin' — Olsen-Johnson-Raye Oct. 10

Pans Calling — Bergner- Scott Oct, 17

6062 The Masked Rider — J. M. Brown (58 m.) . . .Oct. 24

Flying Cadets — Gargan-Lowe Oct. 24

Appointment For Love — Sullavan-Boyer . . . .Oct. 31
Quiet Wedding — Lockwood (63 m.) Nov. 21

Warner Bros. Features

(321 W. 44th St., Hew York. H- T.)

505 Manpower — Robinson-Dietrich- Raft Aug. 9

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Warner-First National Features

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

102 The Smiling Ghost — Morris-Marshall-Smith. . Sept. 6

103 Navy Blues — Sheridan-Oakie-Raye-Haley. . . .Sept. 13

104 Nine Lives Are Not Enough — Reagan-Perry. .Sept. 20
101 Sergeant York — Cooper-Brennan-Leslie Sept. 27

105 Law of the Tropics — C. Bennett-Lynn-Toomey . Oct. 4

106 International Squadron — Reagan-Bradna Oct. 11

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

October 4, 1941

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE

Columbia — One Reel

2859 Screen Snapshots No. 9 — (9]/2 m.) July 18

Dumb Like a Fox — Cartoon (7 m.) July 18

Playing the Pied Piper — Cartoons (7m.).. .Aug. 8
The Merry Mouse Cafe — Phantasies

(6</2m.) Aug. IT

(End of 1940-41 Season)

2757
2758
2707

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Broken Treaties — Raymond G. Swing (8m.) Aug. 1

Tee Up — Sports Reels (10 m.).. Aug. 1

Exploring Space — Cinescope (9 m.) Aug. 8

A City Within a City — Panoranucs ( 10 m.) .Aug. 8
Journey in Tunisia— Col. Tours (10 m.) . . .Aug. 15

Screen Snapshots No. 1 — (9 m.) Aug. 15

Community Sing No. 1 — (9 m.) Aug. 15

So You Think You Know Music — Quiz (8m) Aug. 22

From Nuts to Soup — Cinescopes (8 m.) Sept. 5

Community Sing No. 2 — (9l/2 m-) Sept. 5

Screen Snapshots No. 2 — (10 m.) Sept, 12

Show Dogs — Sport Reels (10 m.) Sept. 12

Kitchen Qua No. 1 — Quiz (10J/2 m.) Sept. 12

The Crystal Gazer — Phantasies dept. 26

Buenos Aires Up to Date — Tours Sept. 26

Community Sing No. 3 Occ 1

The World ot bound — Cinescopes Oct, 3

Jungle Fishing — Sport Reels Oct. 10

Screen Snapshots No. 3 Oct. 17

Who's Zoo in Hollywood — Color Rhap Oct. 17

The Great Cheese Mystery — Cartoons Oct. 27

Columbia — Two Reels

The Pay-Off— Spider No. 15 (19 m.) Aug. 15

The Shaft of Doom— Iron Claw No. 1 (26m) Aug. 15
The Murderous Mirror — Claw No. 2

(19i/2 m.) Aug. 22

The Drop to Destiny — Claw No. 3 (19 m.). .Aug. 29

The Fatal Fuse — Claw No. 4 ( 17l/2 m.) Sept. 5

The Fiery Fall— Claw No. 5 ( 17«/2 m.) Sept. 12

The Ship Log Talks— Claw No. 6 (17t/2 m.) Sept. 19
The Mystic Map — Claw No. 7 (17'/2 min.) Sept. 26

The Perilous Pit— Claw No. 8 Oct. 3

The Cul-de-Sac— Claw No. 9 Oct. 10

The Curse of the Cave — Claw No. 10 Oct, 17

The Doctor's Bargain — Claw No. 11 Oct. 24

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

3451 International Forum No. 1 — (16 m.) Feb. 22

3452 International Forum No. 2 — (19'/2 m.) May 27

3421 Love in Gloom — All star (21 m.) Aug. 15

3401 An Ache in Every Stake — Stooges (18 m.) . .Aug. 22

3422 Half Shot at Sunrise — All star ( 16 m.) Sept 4

3423 General Nuisance — Keaton (17 m.) Sept. 18

3424 The Blitzkiss — El Brendel Oct. 2

3453 International Forum No. 3 Oct. 3

3402 In the Sweet Pie and Pie — Stooges Oct. 16

3981
3801
3971
3901
3551
3851
3651
3601
3972
3652
3852
3802
3602
3701
3552
3653
3973
3803
3853
3501
3751

2195
2141
2142

2143
2144
2145
2146
2147
2148
2149
2150
2151

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel

S-270 Water Bugs — Pete Smith (10 m.) Aug. 16

W-251 Little Cesario — Cartoons (8m.) Aug. 30

W-252 Officer Pooch — Cartoons (8 min.) Sept. 6

K-288 Of Pups and Puzzles — Pass. Par. (11 m.) . .Sept. 6

S-271 Football Thrills of 1940 — Smith (9m.) Sept. 20

K-289 Hobbies — Passing Parade (10 m.) Sept. 20

(more to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

T-311 Glimpses of Florida — Travel. (9 m.) Sept, 6

C-391 Helping Hands— Our Gang Sept. 27

T-312 The Inside Passage — Traveltalks Oct. 4

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels

P-206 Sucker List — Crime Doesn't Pay (21 m.) . . .July 26
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Paramount — One Reel

HO-12 The Wizard of Arts — Cartoon* (6 m.).. . ^ Aug. 8
GO-8 Its a Hap-Hap-Happy Day — Cartoon (7 m.) Aug. 15
RO-13 What's Lacrosse?— Sportlight (9 m.)(re.) Aug. 15
UO-4 The Gay Knighties — Madcap Models (9 m.)Aug. 22
CO'l Vitamin Hay — Color Cart. (6</2 m.) (re.) . . Aug. 22
VO-5 Guardians of the Wild (Football Parade) —

Paragraphic (10 m.)(re.) Aug. 29

HO- 13 Twinkletoes in Hat Stuff — Cart. (6 m.) . .Aug. 29
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Yl-l In a Pet Shop— Animals (8m.) Sept. 5

Rl-1 Shooting Mermaids — Sportlight (9Yi m.)..Sept, 5
Zl-1 Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1 — (9Yim.) .Sept. 12

Ql-1 The Quiz Kids No. 1 — (10 m.) Sept. 12

El-1 I'll Never Crow Again — Popeye (6'/i m.) . . .Sept. 19

Jl-1 Popular Science No. 1 Sept. 19

Wl- 1 Superman — Cartoon Sept, 26

AI-1 Beauty and the Beach — Headliner Sept. 26

Ll-1 Unusual Occupations No. 1 Oct. 3

Rl-2 Meet the Champs — Sportlight (9 m.) Oct, 3

Sl-1 How to Take a Vacation — Benchley Oct. 10

Ul-1 The Daffy Draftee — Madcap Models Oct. 17

Ml- 1 Road in India — Fascinating Journeys Oct. 24

Yl-2 In a Zoo — Animals Oct, 31

Rl-3 Sittin' Pretty — Sportlight Oct. 31

RKO — One Reel

14110 Old MacDonald Duck — Disney (8m.) Sept. 11

14111 LendaPaw — Disney (8 m.) Oct 3

14112 Donald's Camera — Disney (8 m.) Oct. 24

14113 The Art of Skiing — Disney (8 m.) Nov. 14

(Five more Disney cartoons to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

24301 Pampas Paddocks — Sportscope (9 m.)....Sept. 5

24401 Picture People No. 1 — (9 m.) Sept, 12

24201 Information Please No. 1 — (10 m.) Sept. 19

RKO — Two Reels

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

23401 Westward Ho-Hum — Kennedy (16 m.)..Sept, 5
23701 Man I Cured — Leon Errol (20 m.) Sept. 26

23402 I'll Fix It— Edgar Kennedy (17 m.) Oct. 17

23501 California Or Bust — Whitley (18 m.) Nov. 7

Twentieth Century-Fox — One Reel

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

2201 Soldiers of the Sky — Douglas (10 m.) Aug. 1

2551 The Old Oaken Bucket— Terry-Toon (7m.) .Aug. 8

2101 Sagebrush and Silver — L. Thomas (10 m.) . .Aug. 15

2501 The Ice Carnival — Terry-Toon (7 m.) Aug. 22

2401 American Sea Power — L. Thomas (11 m.). .Aug. 29

2552 The One Man Navy — Tcyry-Toon (7m.). .Sept. 5
2301 Aristocrats of the Kennel (Pedigreed Dogs) —

Sports (10 m.) Sept. 12

2502 Uncle Joey Comes to Town — T.-Toon(7m.) . Sept, IS

2202 Highway of Friendship— Adv. News

Cameraman Sept. 26

2553 Welcome Little Stranger — T.-Toon (7 m.)..Oct. 3

2102 Glacier Trails — L. Thomas (10 m.) Oct. 10

2503 The Frozen North — Terry-Toon Oct. 17

2402 Untidcd — The World Today Oct. 24

2554 Slap Happy Hunters — Terry-Toon Oct. 11

October 4, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page D

Universal— One Reel

5253 The Screwdriver — Lantz cart. (7 m.) Aug. 11

5365 Garden Spot of the North — Going Place*

No. 95 (9 m.) Aug. 18

5385 Stranger Than Fiction No. 95 (9m.) Aug. 25

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6241 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Co. B —

cartoon (7 m.) Sept. 1

6371 Shampoo Springs — Stranger Than Fic. (9m) Sept. 8
6351 Moby Dick's Home Town — Variety (9 m.).. Sept. 15

6372 The Hermit of Oklahoma — Stranger Than

Fiction (9 m.) Oct. 6

63 52 Northern Neighbors — Variety Oct. 13

6242 Man's Best Friend — Lantz cartoon Oct. 20

6373 The Candy Kid— Stranger Than Fic. (9 m.) Oct. 27

Universal — Two Reels

5232 Rhythm Revel— Musical (16 m.) July 30

5233 Dizzy Doings (Merry Madcaps) — Musical

(17 m.) Aug. 20

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6221 Is Everybody Happy? — Musical (17 m.) . . . . Sept. J

6791 The Fatal Blast— Riders No. 11 (19 m.) Sept. 9

6792 Thundering Doom — Riders No. 12 (17 m.).Sept. 16

6793 The Bridge of Disaster— Riders No. 13

(18 m.) Sept. 23

6794 A Fight to the Death — Riders No. 14 (21 m.)Sept. 30

6795 The Harvest of Hate — Riders No. 15 (19 m.) Oct. 7

6222 In the Groove — Musical (17 m.) Oct. 8

6881 The Raider Strikes— Sea Raiders No. 1

(20 m.) Oct. 14

6882 Flaming Torture — Sea Raiders No. 2

(21 m.) Oct. 21

6883 The Tragic Crash — Sea Raiders No. 3

(20 m.) Oct. 28

NEWSWEEKLY
NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Vitaphone — One Reel

6306 Trouble in Store — Novelties (10 m.) Aug. 2

6724 Aviation Vacation — Mer. Melodies (7 m.)..Aug. 2
6410 Lions for Sale — Sports Parade (9m.) Aug. 9

6615 We, the Animals bqueak — L. Tunes (9 m.) . .Aug. V
6510 Those Good Old Days — Mel. Mast. ( 10 m.) . Aug. 16

6725 Sport Chumpions — Mer. Mel. (l]/z m.) . . . .Aug. 16

6616 Henpecked Duck — Looney Tunes (7 m.; . . .Aug. 30

6726 Snow Time lor Comedy — Mer. Mel. (7m.). .Aug. 30

(End oj 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

7701 All This and Rabbit Stew — Mer. Mel. (7 m.).Sept. 13
7 501 U. S. Cahf. Band cV Glee Club— Melody

Masters (8 m. ) Sept. 1 3

7301 Polo With the Stars — Hollywood Novelties

(9 m.) Sept. 20

7601 Notes to You — Looney Tunes (7 m.) Sept. 20

7401 Kings of the Turf — Sports Par. (10 m.) . . .Sept. 27

7702 The Brave Little Bat— Mer. Mel. (8 m.) . . .Sept. 27

7703 The Bug Parade — Merrie Melodies Oct. 11

7602 Robinson Crusoe, Jr. — Looney Tunes Oct. 11

7704 Rookie Revue — Merrie Melodies Oct. 25

7 502 Canoca Serenaders — Mel. Mast. (9 m.) Oct. 25

7603 Porky's Pooch — Looney Tunes Nov. 1

7402 Fishermen's D/eam — Sports Parade Nov. 1

7302 White Sails — Hollywood Novelties (8 m.).. Nov. 8

Vitaphone — Two Reels

6006 Carnival of Rhythm— Techn. (21m.) Aug. 23

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

7010 Minstrel Days — Brevities (21 m.) Sept. 6

7001 The Tanks Are Coming — Tech. Spec. (20 m.)Oct. 4
7102 Monsters of the Deep — Bway. Brevities Oct. 18

Pathe News

25210
25111
25212
25113
25214
25115
25216
25117
25218
25119
25220
25121
25222

Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed.(E.)
Sat. (O.)
Wed.(E.)

Oct. 1
Oct. 4
Oct. 8
Oct. 1 1
Oct. 15
Oct. 18
Oct. 22
Oct. 25
Oct, 29
Nov. 1
Nov. 5
Nov. 8
Nov. 12

Universal

19 Wednesday . .Oct. 1

20 Friday Oct. 3

21 Wednesday ..Oct. 8

22 Friday Oct. 10

23 Wednesday . .Oct. 15

24 Friday Oct. 17

25 Wednesday . .Oct. 22

26 Friday Oct. 24

27 Wednesday . .Oct. 29

28 Friday Oct. 3 L

29 Wednesday .Nov. 5

30 Friday Nov. 7

31 Wednesday .Nov. 12

Paramount News

10 Wednesday . .Oct. 1

11 Saturday Oct, 4

12 Wednesday . .Oct. 8

13 Saturday Oct. 11

14 Wednesday . .Oct. 15

15 Saturday Oct, 18

16 Wednesday . .Oct. 22

17 Saturday Oct. 25

18 Wednesday . .Oct. 29

19 Saturday . . . - Nov. 1

20 Wednesday .Nov. 5

21 Saturday Nov. 8

22 Wednesday .Nov. 12

Metrotone News

206 Thursday . . . Oct. 2

207 Tuesday Oct. 7

208 Thursday . . .Oct. 9

209 Tuesday Oct. 14

210 Thursday . . .Oct. 16

211 Tuesday Oct. 21

212 Thursday . . .Oct. 23

213 Tuesday Oct. 28

214 Thursday . . .Oct. 30

215 Tuesday . . .Nov. 4

216 Thursday . .Nov. 6

217 Tuesday . . .Nov. 11

Fox Movietone

7 Wednesday

8 Saturday . .

9 Wednesday

10 Saturday .

11 Wednesday

12 Saturday . .

13 Wednesday

14 Saturday . .

15 Wednesday

1 6 Saturday . .

17 Wednesday

18 Saturday . .

19 Wednesday

..Oct. 1
..Oct, 4
..Oct. 8
. .Oct. 11
. .Oct. 15
. .Oct. 18
. . Oct. 22
. .Oct. 25
. . Oct. 29
..Nov. 1

.Nov. 5
. . Nov. 8

.Nov. 12

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at N_w York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 RrwvnnlRI? Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 noom low Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 . ,, . _. . .

nr»at Britain 157c A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia New ' Zealand,' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

India, Europe, Asia 17.50 T. . . _ ,. _ , , _ _ . _. „ , ,

„ ' Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

3&c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1941 No. 41

Nathan Yamins' Temper

On September 24, I sent to Nathan Yamins, New England
member of the Allied board of directors, a proof of my edi-
torial, "The First Serious Disturbance in the Allied Ranks,"
which dealt with his conduct in Philadelphia on the last day
of the convention, and offered to print in the following issue
anything he had to say in reply. I informed him that my
motive in not waiting until I received his reply to be printed
in the same issue was mainly my desire to offset as speedily
as possible the harm that he might have done to the Allied
organization, and it would have consumed valuable time had
I waited. I felt that no harm would result from my handling
the matter in this way, for I intended to give his reply as
prominent a place in Harrison's Reports as I had given
to that critical editorial.

Yamins has come back with a letter that reeks with resent-
ment, and in spots contains personal abuse.

In view of the fact that I do not feel called upon to reprint
abusive language, I am quoting from his letter only such
parts as refer to the issues involved, making appropriate
comment.

In the third paragraph of his letter, Yamins says:
"First of all you state as facts, not of your own knowledge,
but from talking to some thin-skinned and disappointed in-
dividuals, what are not facts. Why did you listen to 'talk'
when you could have gone to the records to see what I said?
There was a stenographer present who took down what I
said on a steno machine, but you didn't get that record. . . ."

I fear that I have to start a kindergarten class for the
purpose of teaching Nate a few elementary things that we
learn in school and are not supposed to forget when we
grow up. One of these things is the meaning of "Executive
Session." When a session of either a board, or a convention,
or any other deliberative body is "Executive," what is said
or done in that session is not supposed to be given out to
any one except to members of that body. The Thursday
afternoon session, in which Yamins spoke against the resolu-
tion, had been declared Executive at his own insistence;
consequently I could not have gone to the record, as Yamins
resentfully suggests.

I hope that Nate Yamins now understands the meaning
of "Executive Session," so that he may not again accuse the
editor of a publication of having failed to observe rules that
are elementary to his profession.

The fourth paragraph of his letter begins as follows:
"Second, you are not telling the truth when you say I
denied writing the famous 'letter' to Myers. I made no such
denial — on the contrary I acknowledged writing it but said
that Myers misinterpreted it, again the record will prove
that I am right in this and you wrong. Now as to this letter,
if it was an 'approval' of the plan, why wasn't it used for
publicity purposes for the convention, when it was solicited
for that very purpose?"

In plain words, Nathan Yamins accuses me of having told
an untruth, or, plainer yet, a lie. When an exhibitor, up to
this time a leader, makes so serious an accusation against one
who has dedicated his life to serving the exhibitor cause, you
would think that he would have the facts to substantiate his
statement. This should have been true particularly of Nathan
Yamins, who is a lawyer by profession.

In view of the fact that I could not have obtained the
record from Allied headquarters on acccount of the fact
that the session in which Yamins spoke against the resolu-
tion was, as said, Executive, I had to base my deductions on
what was told to mc at the convention, and on what I have
read in other trade journals. An Allied leader told me that
what was printed in the trade press about the incident was
substantially accurate. You can judge for yourself then
whether Yamins, who flung at Philadelphia reckless accusa-

tions against innocent people, and who makes so serious a
charge also against me without any justification, is worthy
of representing anybody else except himself. It is useless to
ask him to retract; he acts as a frustrated man, bent upon
cither rule or ruin.

My informants told me that Yamins, when he was re-
minded about having written a letter approving the plan,
denied having written such a letter. It is this incident that
prompted me to state that he had denied having written a
letter of this kind. When he was later reminded of some of
the details, he admitted having written it, but insisted that
its contents had been misrepresented by Mr. Myers.

I wrote to Mr. Myers for a copy of this letter which was
sent to me as it was to every other trade paper, with the
following notation regarding Yamins' attitude:

"The matter is unimportant but in view of the implication
that I have deliberately misstated the tenor of the letter,
coupled with other reflections on the national officers and
the board, it is only fair that the text of the letter be
revealed."

Here is Yamins' letter to Mr. Myers, dated August 25:
"I have your letter of the 22nd and I can't feel enthused
about the suggestion, not because it isn't a good one, but
because the industry is (sic) set up and based on experience
and I fail to see how we can ever get the producing and dis-
tributing branches of the industry to meet with the inde-
pendent exhibitor. ..."

In other words, Yamins, in replying to Myers about the
joint conference committee idea, said that the idea was a good
one but that he did not believe the producers would go for it.
If this is not a letter of approval of the plan from Yamins,
what is it?

But even if I had been misinformed about his original
denial, was there any justification on his part for charging
me with "not telling the truth"? Such a charge implies that I
had intentionally and deliberately uttered a falsehood.

Would a real leader have, under similar circumstances,
accused me, an ally of the organization, with a record for
faithful service to the exhibitors extending over a period of
more than twenty years, of having resorted to such tactics?
He would have merely pointed out the inaccuracy of my
information, if there had been such an inaccuracy. As later
events proved, however, I was not misinformed.

In the filth paragraph of his letter, he takes issue with me
on my statement that the resolution was not railroaded
through. 1 said that notice for the board meeting in Phila-
delphia on September 15 must have been sent in time to all
the directors, including Yamins. I now have an official veri-
fication of the fact. The call was sent out on September 2.
Yamins objected that he could not get to Philadelphia in
time for the morning meeting, and asked that it be set for
the evening. "This was not thought practicable," my infor-
mant said to me, "because there was a full day's work lined
up and Sidney [Samuelson] wanted his convention plans
approved as soon as possible and it was agreed not to hold
meetings of the board while the convention was on. Nate
did not attend the meeting, but deputized Frank Lydon
to act for him. The board was in session all day Monday. . . ."

You can now judge for yourself whether the resolution
had been cither railroaded or rushed through.

Part of the sixth paragraph of his letter reads as follows:
"... you ask the question, why, since I once proposed a
similar resolution, is it bad now that some one else proposes
it? If you were present or had read the record, you would
find that I made the statement that I offered a similar idea
several years ago, and the very men who are in favor of the
resolution not only were against it then, but compelled mc
(Continued on last page)

162

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 11, 1941

"Dumbo"

(RKO, October 31; time, 64 min.)

This is one of Walt Disney's most delightful offer-
ings. Technically it is excellent; the color is excep-
tionally good. The story itself is pleasing; it combines
comedy with human appeal. The only fault is that
occasionally the action slows up.

There is no doubt that children will "eat" it up, for
they will sympathize with Dumbo, the elephant, who
is separated from his mother; and they should be
delighted at the circus scenes.

But its entertainment value reaches beyond chil-
dren alone. The animal "mother love" angle should
appeal to women. The scenes in which Dumbo un-
knowingly drinks liquor and sees pink elephants
should appeal to adults. The situation where he
awakens the morning after to find himself up in a
tree, much to the amusement of the black crows; the
scenes at the circus — all these, combined with the
technical skill and the good musical score, should
prove highly diverting.

One of the most loveable characters is the little
mouse that befriends Dumbo and carves out his
career, eventually bringing mother and child together.

The expressions on the faces of the various animals
are portrayed cleverly, particularly in the group of
gossipy she-elephants, who try to give Dumbo the
"cold shoulder."

The story starts out with storks delivering babies
to various animals at the circus. Mrs. Jumbo, the big
elephant, receives Dumbo. Although he was small
and had funny big ears, and her elephant lady friends
laughed at him, she loved him and he loved her. Angry
when a group of boys laugh at and molest Dumbo, she
becomes so angry that she is confined to a cage as mad.
The separation saddens her; also poor Dumbo, who is
left alone. A little mouse befriends Dumbo and tries
to train him for an act in the circus; but Dumbo fails
and is disgraced when he is made a clown. But the
mouse is not discouraged. Dumbo and he accidentally
drink liquor and become intoxicated. They wake up in
the morning and find themselves up in a tree, sur-
rounded by black crows, who laugh at them and tease
them by saying that Dumbo must have flown up. The
mouse goes wild with joy for he realizes that Dumbo,
by flapping his large ears, could fly. Dumbo thus be-
comes famous. His mother is released and joins him at
the circus.

Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl wrote the story,
and Joe Grant and Dick Heumer the screen play.
Suitable for all.

"Burma Convoy" with Charles Bickford,
Frank Albertson and Evelyn Ankers

(Universal, October 17; time, 60 min.)

A fair program espionage melodrama, suitable for
action fans. The story is routine; yet the title may
help it. Since the identity of the spy leader is not di-
vulged until almost the end, one's interest is held
fairly well; moreover, the action is at times exciting.
The romance plays a small part in the proceedings : —

Charles Bickford, leader of a squadron of trucks
operating from Lashio, capably carries out his work
of seeing that supplies of munitions and food for the
Chinese people reached their destination via the
Burma Road; this he does in spite of attacks by enemy
raiders. Just when he had decided to give up the dan-
gerous work to return to the United States, his young
brother (Frank Albertson) arrives. Albertson is deter-
mined to take up the work Bickford had given up;
but Bickford insists that he return to the States with
him. Albertson and Bickford are surprised to find a
native trying to pry open Albertson's suitcase; they

then discover that his suitcase had been switched with
another by mistake. In it they find a message of the
Burma Road truck schedule. Just when Albertson
discovers the whereabouts of the native, he is killed.
Bickford decides to stay on so as to find the murderer.
He accidentally discovers that the head of the spy ring
working for enemy agents was none other than Tru-
man Bradley, the manager of the trucking outfit.
Bradley overpowers Bickford, and sets out with the
truck drivers as their leader, his purpose being to
place them in the hands of the enemies. But Bickford
recovers and with the help of soldiers and police gives
chase to the trucks, arriving just as the enemy had
captured them. After a gun fight, the enemies are
routed, and Bradley is killed. Bickford decides to stay
on, and to marry Evelyn Ankers, daughter of the
local hotel keeper.

Stanley Rubin and Roy Chanslor wrote the screen
play, Noel M. Smith directed it, and Marshall Grant
produced it. In the cast are Cecil Kellaway, Willy
Fung, Keye Luke, and Turhan Bey.

The murder makes it unsuitable for children.

"Sailors on Leave" with William Lundigan,
Shirley Ross and Chick Chandler

(Republic, September 30; time, 70 min.)

A moderately entertaining program comedy, with
incidental music. The story is somewhat silly; and
the inadequate material at times puts the players at a
disadvantage. Yet Cliff Nazarro and Chick Chandler
manage to provoke laughter by their antics, particu-
larly Nazarro, with his "double-talk." The music is
of the popular variety, and Miss Ross should please
with her rendition of a few popular songs: —

Sailor William Lundigan is in a "fix" because of a
trick played on him by his two navy pals (Nazarro
and Chandler). They had trumped up a letter sup-
posedly written by an attorney informing Lundigan
that he would inherit twenty-five thousand dollars,
provided he married before his twenty-seventh birth-
day. They had then accepted money from their ship-
mates, giving each a share of the "inheritance." When
the sailors are given shore leave, they are determined
to see that Lundigan gets married, for he would reach
the age of twenty-seven in four days. Chandler and
Nazarro think of an idea; knowing that Shirley Ross,
a night club singer, disliked sailors, they suggest that
Lundigan insist he would marry no one but Miss
Ross, feeling certain that she would not accept him.
Lundigan insults Miss Ross, but she, thinking it was
a new approach and that he talked that way because
he was shy, falls in love with him. To help the ro-
mance, the sailors give Lundigan a diamond bracelet
they had bought for ten dollars to give to Miss Ross.
The marriage is all arranged. Lundigan reads in the
newspaper that the bracelet had been stolen by the
man who had sold it to the sailors. He notifies the
police that Miss Ross had the bracelet, knowing that
they would arrest her and thus stop the wedding. But
the sailors insist he choose some one else to marry.
Chandler bails out Miss Ross and she rushes to Lundi-
gan in time to marry him. Lundigan is saved when he
receives a five thousand dollar reward for the return
of the necklace; he turns the money over to the sailors.

Art Arthur and Malcolm S. Boylan wrote the
screen play from a story by Herbert Dalmas; Albert S.
Rogell directed it, and Albert J. Cohen produced it.
In the cast arc Ruth Donnelly, Mae Clarke, Tom
Kennedy, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"A Girl Must Live," a British-made Universal pic-
ture (69 min.) ; poor. Review next week.

October 11, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

163

"It Started with Eve" with Deanna Durbin,
Charles Laughton and Robert Cummings

(Universal, September 26; time, 90 mm.)

This is very good entertainment. The story, which
combines comedy with romance and human interest,
is appealing, and the characters are charming. Deanna
Durbin does not have to depend on her voice alone to
entertain audiences, for in this picture she displays
real talent as a comedienne. Her voice, thrills one, as
usual; moreover, she plays her own accompaniments
on the piano, well enough to delight her fans. She does
not, however, carry the burden alone of supplying the
entertainment, for she is given excellent support both
by Charles Laughton and Robert Cummings: —

Laughton, a millionaire, is on his deathbed. His son
(Cummings) flies in from Mexico, having received a
hurry call from the family physician (Walter Cat-
lett) . Laughton, knowing that Cummings had brought
with him to New York his fiancee (Margaret Talli-
chet) and her mother (Catherine Doucet), requests
that Cummings bring his fiancee to him, for he had not
yet seen her and wanted to do so before he died. Cum-
mings rushes to the hotel to get her but finds that she
was out. In desperation he approaches Miss Durbin,
hat check girl at the hotel, and offers to pay her fifty
dollars to pose as his fiancee ; needing the money, she
accepts the offer. Laughton is charmed by her and
gives his whole-hearted approval. Miss Durbin is
deeply touched; yet she accepts the $50 from Cum-
mings because she wanted to go back home to visit her
folk. Laughton makes a surprising recovery and de-
mands that Miss Durbin be brought to him again.
Cummings, fearing that a shock might kill his father,
catches Miss Durbin just as she was about to board
the train, and pleads with her to return; he dare not
tell his father the truth. In the meantime, he tells Miss
Tallichet the truth and she insists that he get rid of
Miss Durbin as soon as possible. Laughton, unknown
to both Cummings and Miss Durbin, learns the truth,
but is determined to see his son marry her; more-
over, he had heard her sing and wanted to further
her career. When Cummings forbids her to appear at
the party his father was giving for her, Laughton goes
after her himself; he lets her know that he knew who
she was, but he still liked her. Everything is worked
out satisfactorily. Laughton gets rid of Miss Tallichet
and her mother, for which Cummings is grateful, for
he had fallen in love with Miss Durbin.

Norman Krasna and Leo Townsend wrote the
screen play from a story by Hans Kraly; Henry Koster
directed it, and Joe Pasternak produced it. Guy Kib-
bee, Charles Coleman, and others are in the cast.

Suitable for all.

"Texas" with William Holden,
Glenn Ford and Claire Trevor

(Columbia, October 9; time, 94 min.)

This is a very good outdoor melodrama. What may
keep it from being a big box-office attraction is the
fact that it lacks star names. But as far as entertain-
ment goes, it hits the mark, combining fast, at times
thrilling, action with good comedy touches, drama,
and romance. The characters are colorful, and the
performances engaging. Technically, too, the picture
is good — the backgrounds are realistic and the out-
door photography outstanding. With all these advan-
tages, one can overlook the fact that the plot is some-
what routine. The action takes place in 1866: —

William Holden and Glenn Ford, after having
fought in the Civil War, wander out west to seek
their fortune. They are arrested for trying to steal a
hog, and things look bad for them when they are
unable to pay their fine. But they are befriended by

George Bancroft, an important man in Abilene, Kan-
sas, who pays their fines. Broke, they are determined
to get to Texas. On their way they witness a stage
holdup; they in turn hold up the bandits and take
from them the $10,000 loot, intending to return it to
the Sheriff. But the Sheriff (Don Beddoe) and his
men catch Ford with the money and refuse to believe
his story; they prepare to hang him. Through a ruse,
Holden effects Ford's release and they escape. Holden
suggests that they go their separate ways, promising
that some day they would meet again. Holden arrives
in Windfall, Texas, only to be recognized by Beddoe.
But Edgar Buchanan, the town dentist, who had been
a passenger in the coach, clears Holden and befriends
him. He recommends him to Addison Richards for a
job on his ranch. To his surprise, he finds the holdup
men at Richards' ranch; he outwits them when they
try to kill him. His courage appeals to Richards, and
he is made the leader of his gang, who rustled cattle
along with their other crimes. Ford takes work at the
ranch owned by Claire Trevor, and soon becomes
foreman. Ford and Holden meet again; Holden pays
marked attention to Miss Trevor, who is swept off
her feet by his lovemaking. Ford does not say any-
thing, even though he loved Miss Trevor. Holden
soon discovers that Buchanan, Richards, and Ban-
croft were the brains behind the gang, and that they
planned to ruin the ranchers. Ford urges the ranchers
to take their cattle through te Abilene, where they
could get better prices. Although Holden's instruc-
tions were to rustle the cattle, he induces the men to
let the cattle go through, the plan being for them to
hold up the various cattle buyers. This they do. But
Holden, as well as the three gang leaders, eventually
are killed in a gun fight, caused by Holden's desire to
protect Ford. Ford and Miss Trevor are united.

Michael Blankfort and Lewis Meluer wrote the
story, and they and Horace McCoy, the screen play;
George Marshall directed it, and Samuel Bischoff
produced it. In the cast are Andrew Tombes, Edmund
MacDonald, Joseph Crehan, Willard Robertson, and
others.

Not suitable for children.

STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CIR-
CULATION, ETC., REQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CON-
GRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912, OF HARRISON'S REPORTS,
published Weekly at New York, N. Y., for Oct. 1, 1941.
State of Nciv York.
County of New York.

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aforesaid, personally appeared P. S. Harrison, who, having been duly
sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is the Editor of the
HARRISON'S REPORTS and that the following is, to the best of
his knowledge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, manage-
ment, etc., of the aforesaid publication for the date shown in the
above caption, required by the Act of August 24, 1912, embodied in
section 411, Postal Laws and Regulations, to wit:

1. That the names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing
editor, and business manager, are:

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New York, N. Y.

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4. That the two paragraphs next above, giving the names of the
owners, stockholders, and security holders, if any, contain not only
the list of stockholders and security holders as they appear upon the
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holders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the
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(Signed) P. S. HARRISON,
(Editor).

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25th day of September,
1941.

LILLIAN SILVER,
(My commission expires March 30, 1942.)

164

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 11, 1941

to change a prepared speech to be delivered to an Allied
Convention as its President, and I asked what has happened
that has caused these men to change their minds? There was
no answer — but I did answer your question — I said that as
a result of my work on all these committees I had found that
the exhibitor committees always come out on the short end
of the stick, and that was why I was against it."

His statement that the Allied leaders compelled him to
alter his speech is correct. That occurred in the Allied Pitts-
burgh convention, in 1938. The organization was in the
midst of the Neely Bill and the Divorcement fights, and
some of the leaders, fearing lest Yamins try to appease the
distributors, asked to see his speech. And to their surprise
they found that he was making appeasing references in it,
and compelled him to change certain paragraphs. Neverthe-
less, he did offer a similar plan, as Yamins himself admits.

But did his colleagues, in voting his idea down, charge
that, if they had accepted it, it might have had the appear-
ance of his trying to sell out the Allied principles? They
did not!

I don't know why the other leaders had changed their
minds since 1938 — they have to answer the question them-
selves; but that is not the subject in dispute. At the moment,
we are discussing the change of mind by Mr. Yamins. He
says that experience has proved to him that there is no use
for exhibitors to confer with the distributors through their
representatives, because they get the worst of it in the end,
and gives this experience as the motive for his change. He
has been conferring with distributors on exhibitor committees
for more than fifteen years. As late as August 25, of this
year, he believed, and wrote, that a joint conference commit-
tee was a good idea but he feared that the distributors would
not endorse it. Since then he has changed his mind. What
happened in the short space of time of twenty-four days,
from August 25 to September 18, to make him change his
mind? He will have to find a better answer than the one he
has given.

I am again asking Yamins the question: Does the fact
that he was voted down at Pittsburgh when he proposed the
joint conference committee idea make its acceptance repre-
hensible when some one else proposes it? I am sure that the
exhibitors, not only of his, but of every other territory, are
entitled to a proper, adequate and satisfactory answer.

The seventh paragraph of his letter starts as follows:

"Now as to your direction to me to apologize or resign.
Let's get this clear — I stand emphatically on what I said on
the platform in Philadelphia. I have no regrets and on the
contrary I feel that I have rendered a service to Allied and
to the principles for which it stands. Subsequent events —
the unanimous vote of the Eastern Pennsylvania unit —
prove I was right. ..."

It takes a mighty big man to acknowledge publicly that he
has made a mistake. Perhaps I expected too much of
Nate Yamins!

Notice that he bases his opinion that he is right on the
fact that the Eastern Pennsylvania unit voted in accordance
with his ideas. What will he say now that that unit has
reversed itself? Read the following telegram from Sidney
Samuelson, business manager of that unit, sent to this office
on September 29:

"General membership meeting today voted unanimously
to approve the resolution as amended at convention. Also
unanimous vote of confidence in Abram F. Myers, national
officers and board."

The seventh paragraph of his letter continues:

"... As to your remarks that I'll have to resign, because
other directors will not sit in the same room with me — that
statement if made by any Director — as well as your advice is
so childish as to need no comment. In as plain English as I
can make it, so that you will understand, I am not resigning
and would suggest that you would be better off to concen-
trate on your publication rather than mixing in the internal
politics of units of Allied. I will continue to serve as Director
as long as the Independent Exhibitors of New England
want me to."

In assuming that Nathan Yamins would resign from the
board of directors, I judged him by what I would have done
under similar circumstances. I would not, for example, be
willing to subject myself to the scorn of my colleagues for
an injury that I had done to them, and I could not stand to
be avoided as if I had some communicable disease. In other
words, I judged Nate by myself. If I made a mistake in so
judging him, I am sorry.

As to whether the New England exhibitors would want,
under these circumstances, to be represented by him, that is
a matter that I cannot answer. But knowing some of the

leaders of that unit well, and quite a few of the exhibitor
members, I may say that they have too much horse sense to
allow their unit to be represented on the Allied board by the
man who has caused a deplorable breach in the harmonious
functioning of the board. So far as I can sec, Nate Yamins'
usefulness in the Allied organization has ceased.

His advice to me not to mix in internal Allied politics is
rather a shock to me, and should be to every exhibitor,
member of an Allied unit, because up to this time I felt that
Yamins was wrong, yet may have been sincere, but when he
admits over his own signature, by implication, that it was
politics, "internal politics of units of Allied," when he
flared up in Philadelphia, my viewpoint is changed alto-
gether, for I now feel that, for the sake of politics, he did
not hesitate to take action that might have wrecked the
organization.

As to his advice to me to mind my own business, and
cease meddling in Allied politics, may I be allowed to inform
him that I discuss, not Allied politics, but Allied affairs, and
that I have every right to continue discussing Allied affairs?
To mention only a few of these rights:

( 1 ) The right that comes from my promise to the exhi-
bitors, when I founded Harrison's Reports, not only to
give them accurate reviews, but also to discuss their problems
editorially with a view to benefiting them. On the title page
of Harrison's Reports, there is the following wording:
"Its editorial policy: No problem too big for its editorials."
Also: "A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Devoted Chiefly
to the Interests of the Exhibitors."

(2) The right that comes from my having helped Allied
to organize and having fought for it unflinchingly all these
years. Perhaps Yamins has forgotten that, in July, 1929,
when Allied was yet young and needed help, Col. H. A.
Cole, now president of the organization, came to me a few
days after that Washington convention in which the late
Pete Woodhull, president of MPTOA, played so poor a
sportsmanship part at the instigation of the Hays association,
and informed me that Allied needed financing. I immediately
wrote to a high personage connected with RKO suggesting
the franchise. A few days later Cole, Myers and Richey met
this personage and out of that conference came the agree-
ment about the RKO franchise, from which Allied received
$30,000.

It is peculiar that Yamins did not ask me to mind my own
business then, nor all the years since while I was fighting
for Allied.

(3) The right that comes from that little provision in the
Constitution of the United States, which guarantees freedom
of the press.

I wonder whether Yamins understands these rights.

If you belong to an Allied unit and have grieved because
of Nathan Yamins' action in Philadelphia, do not grieve, for
the organization has, not only come out of this ordeal un-
scathed, but grown in stature. It has proved to the industry
that the organization is much bigger than any of its compo-
nent parts. The vote of the different units has been over-
whelmingly in favor of the national officers and the board,
and by the time the entire vote is taken you may find that
the vote will be almost unanimous. Bear in mind that even
the New England unit, of which Yamins is a member, and
which some exhibitors feared that it might endorse his stand,
voted unanimously in favor of the resolution and has ex-
pressed confidence in the national officers. If this is not a
repudiation of the man who, without any justification, im-
plied against innocent people charges that he cannot sustain,
what else is it?

HERE AND THERE

WITH THE NEW TAX LAW in effect beginning
October 1, amusement establishments have the right to
charge U. S. soldiers and sailors, as well as officers of these
services when in uniform, a tax in accordance with the
amount paid for an admission and not with the amount
charged laymen for similar accommodations. In other words,
if the regular price of admission is 31^, obligating the man-
ager to charge 4£ for tax, he will have the right to charge
only 2tf for tax if the price charged for the members of these
services is 20<f, making a total of 22#.

As for students who arc charged the cut-rate price of, for
example, 20^, the tax will have to be 4$ just the same, if the
price charged for others is 31tf, making the total 24<f.

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue has ruled that
tickets on hand may be used if they are overstamped with
the price and the amount of the tax charged, but only for a
reasonable length of time.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1941

No. 42

THE WRONG ATTITUDE

The situation in the State of Minnesota is getting serious
as a result of the blockbooking law which the exhibitors of
that state had sponsored. Some "A" houses and a large
number of subsequent-runs are threatened with a shut-down
for lack of product.

The situation has been aggravated still more by the re-
i usal of the court to grant to the producers a temporary
injunction staying the enforcement of the law until the
higher courts have had a chance to pass upon its constitu-
tionality.

In an effort to induce Warner Bros, to relieve the situa-
tion as far as that company is concerned, T. E. Mortensen,
publisher of Amusements, of Minneapolis, telegraphed to
Gradwell Sears, president of Vitagraph, the following appeal
on October 6 :

"Legal counsel and executives of your company are meet-
ing to-day to decide upon course of action to be taken to
best serve the interests of the industry, following refusal of
the court to grant distributors an order to restrain enforce-
ment of the Minnesota Law, circumventing 'Blocks of Five'
sales provisions of the Consent Decree.

"Trial of the case on its merits may be a long drawn out
affair. Already many "A" theatres in the more important
situations in the state and subsequent run houses in the
larger cities face immediate closing due to lack of suitable
new product. Disaster and possible bankruptcy threaten
many exhibitors who were and are opposed to the Minne-
sota Law.

"Greater Amusements did not favor enactment of the
legislation for reasons already stated in its columns and
believes distributors should test the law's constitutionality
in the highest court, if necessary. But Greater Amusements
deplores any action that causes hardship and certain finan-
cial loss to innocent parties because of deeds of a minority
seeking real or imaginary relief or advantages, as seems cer-
tain to happen unless new season's product is made imme-
diately available to exhibitors of Minnesota. And even as
disastrous as continued blackout of sales may be to exhibitors
of Minnesota a greater danger to the business as a whole lies
in denying the public a continuous flow of worthwhile new
motion picture entertainment. The public interest must be
the first consideration of any action decided upon in this
critical circumstance.

"You must not permit any theatres in the state to close
due to lack of product. You are entirely within your rights
in testing the question of legality of the law: arguing the
statute's confiscatory nature and the physical problems of
complying with its regulations.

"You have overcome bigger problems in the past and
you must overcome this one — and quick. You must not per-
mit one theatre in the state to close due to lack of product.
You must not permit one person to get out of the theatre
habit because of the Minnesota Law.

"We don't know what you will have to do to prevent a
catastrophe among the theatres and theatre-goers of Minne-
sota but we know you can do it and we know that many
solid, upright and reliable exhibitors arc depending on you
to save them from a calamitous condition caused by machi-
nations in which they had no part."

Mr. Scars replied to Mr. Mortcnscn's appeal as follows
on October 7 ;

"In your wire October sixth you state legal counsel and
executives of this company held meeting to decide upon
course of action be taken following refusal of the court to

grant distributors restraining order. You are entirely incor-
rect in this presumption. I have attended no meetings in
connection with Minnesota law nor do I propose to attend
any. Whatever course of action decided upon by this com-
pany as to its future course of business in Minnesota will be
done independently and without meeting with anyone.

"We are disappointed in this ruling by the court but this
has not changed the advice of our counsel that such legisla-
tion is unconstitutional and since this ruling is merely a pre-
liminary ruling we feel we must be guided by such advice
until a final ruling is made by the highest court and pending
such ruling we feel we must conform to our national methods
of distribution as approved and laid down by the Federal
Government in the consent decree.

"We sympathize with all exhibitors in Minnesota who are
confronted with the drastic situation outlined in your wire.
However as a national institution doing business in forty-
eight states and territories we cannot survive if we are to do
business in forty-eight different methods and at the same
time conform to those principles laid out by our Federal
government controlling interstate commerce.

"Vitagraph, Inc., deplores its loss of revenue and more
particularly its loss of public response to its great new
season's attractions but the responsibility is not Vitagraph's
but lies at the door of that exhibitor group who sponsored
this legislation."

I can well understand Mr. Sears' desire to make it clear to
Mr. Mortensen that there was no meeting among distributors
to decide upon a common action in this controversy; a step
of this kind might be construed as a violation of the law, and
Grad Sears will certainly make no move that might be so
construed. But I think that his failure to offer to the Minne-
sota exhibitors even a dim hope for immediate relief is
rather cruel.

The position he has taken — that it would be highly con-
tusing for his company to conduct its business in a different
way in each of the different states is justifiable; he no doubt
feels that, if he should alter his attitude in this instance, the
exhibitors of other states might be encouraged to sponsor
similar legislation.

Personally, however, I feel differently. It is my belief that
the exhibitors of every other state, having realized what
suffering the Minnesota exhibitors have brought upon them-
selves, will refrain from making a similar blunder. Even if
they should favor the Minnesota law, they certainly will do
nothing toward having a similar law enacted in their states
unless and until the Minnesota law has been upheld by the
Supreme Court, and a new sales plan has been effected in
Minnesota. For the present they will be satisfied to let
Minnesota monopolize all the labor pains.

No one has been more critical of the action ot the Minne-
sota exhibitors for having sponsored such a law than I. As
a matter of fact, in my criticism of them I have gone so far
as almost to lose personal friendships, and have hurt the
feelings of some of my subscribers in that state. But there is
no use to take the attitude: "I told you so." Real suffering
will be caused by the distributors' refusal to offer some
relief. This should make it their duty to devise some means
of avoiding the hardship. A charitable attitude in this
instance would do the distributors no harm.

The major distributors should have in mind also the fol-
lowing possibility: Though competent counsel advises that
the Mincsota law is unconstitutional, there is some slight
(Continued on last page)

166

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 18, 1941

"Unholy Partners" with Edward G.
Robinson, Laraine Day and
Edward Arnold

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 94 min.)

A pretty good melodrama. The story itself is only fair and
in some respects farfetched; but the action is of the thriller
type and for that reason the picture should have fairly strong
mass appeal. Moreover the performances are outstanding,
the production values good, and the settings and parts of
the action interesting. One of the weak points is the ending,
in which the hero meets with death. This comes as a dis-
appointment to the spectator, for the hero is a likeable char-
acter; moreover the reasoning behind the act is not logical.
There are two pleasant romances: —

Returning from the World War, Edward G. Robinson,
a former newspaper editor, returns to his old job but he is
dissatisfied. He had visions of a new type tabloid paper, but
could not interest the publisher in his ideas. Egged on by
the publisher's secretary (Laraine Day), who loved him,
Robinson decides to make an effort to obtain financial back-
ing. By publishing some scandalous news about a certain
powerful racketeer (Edward Arnold), he comes to Arnold's
attention. Arnold sends for him and offers him bribe money
which Robinson turns down. Instead Robinson suggests that
Arnold supply the financial backing for the new paper;
Arnold gives him $150,000 and induces him to shoot dice
to make up his share; Robinson wins the $150,000 necessary
for his share, later outwitting Arnold who had sent his
henchman after him to get the money back. The paper
flourishes; but Robinson has many quarrels with Arnold,
who objected to the news printed about him and his hench-
men. William T. Orr, a young reporter friend of Robinson's,
knowing that Robinson needed some evidence to hold as a
club over Arnold's head, goes to Arnold's "insurance" office
and there steals incriminating records. At the same time he
removes from the files an I.O.U. and an insurance policy
belonging to the father of Marsha Hunt, a young singer
with whom Orr had fallen in love. This evidence makes him
realize why Miss Hunt had gone out with Arnold — as a
means of protecting her father. But Arnold's henchmen
capture Orr; Arnold demands for his release Robinson's
share of the paper. Robinson kills Arnold, and then effects
Orr's release. On the day he was to marry Miss Day,
Robinson leaves on an experimental transatlantic plane hop,
leaving a confession with Miss Day; but she burns the
confession. Word reaches the newspaper that the plane had
been forced down and that Robinson had drowned. Tear-
fully, Miss Day and Orr carry on the work.

Earl Baldwin, Bartlett Cormack, and Lesser Samuels
wrote the screen play; Mervyn LeRoy directed it, and
Samuel Marx produced it. In the cast are Don Beddoe,
Walter Kingsford, Charles Dingle, Don Costello, and others.

Not for children.

"A Girl Must Live" with Margaret Lock-
wood, Renee Houston, Lilli Palmer
and Hugh Sinclair

(Universal, September 19; time, 69 min.)

This seems to be a quota picture, distribution of which
has been undertaken by Universal evidently to fulfill certain
commercial obligations imposed upon American producers
for the right to export to England pictures made in the
United States. But it would have been better had it been
left in England, leaving a spot open for a really meritorious
British picture. This one is poor; the story is weak. There are
in it situations that could have been made to appeal to the
emotions of sympathy, but the treatment of the story is so
inexpert that they fail to produce the desired effect. The
only feature which the exhibitor could exploit is the youth-
fulness of the cast, particularly of the feminine part of it.
The fact that the players are unknown to American audi-
ences, however, is another handicap: —

Margaret Lockwood, feeling that she was a burden to her
parents, runs away from the finishing school she was attend-
ing in Switzerland and, returning to England, assumes the
name of a famous English actress and pretends to be her
daughter. At a London boarding house she meets Renee
Houston and Lilli Palmer, two chorus girls and golddiggers,
and through them she obtains a position as a chorus girl.
Gloria and Lilli try to entrap Hugh Sinclair, an Earl, for
the purpose of blackmailing him. Hugh becomes interested
in Margaret. When Helen Haye, his aunt, learns of his

interest in the show girls, she invites them to her home so
that she might observe them from close quarters. Margaret
prevents her room-mates from blackmailing Hugh, but in
doing so she puts herself under suspicion. Her feelings are
so hurt that she leaves Haye's home in a huff. But Hugh
runs after her and convinces her that he loved her.

The story is by Emery Bonett, and the screen play by
Frank Launder. Carol Reed directed it.

Since it deals with blackmail, I doubt that it would suit
children under 14.

"The Chocolate Soldier" with Nelson Eddy,
Rise Stevens and Nigel Bruce

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 102 min.)

This is a remake of "The Guardsman," produced by
MGM in 1931, except that this version is with music from
the Oscar Strauss operetta "The Chocolate Soldier." Al-
though it has been given a handsome and lavish production,
and the music is very well sung both by Nelson Eddy and
Rise Stevens, a striking young operatic singer, new to the
screen, it is suited best to the class trade rather than to the
masses. It is sophisticated entertainment, of the "talky"
variety, and the action moves at a slow pace. There are a
few amusing situations, but not of a sufficient number to
make the picture consistently entertaining: —

Nelson Eddy, a popular singer, married to Rise Stevens,
also a singer and equally as popular, is extremely jealous of
his wife. Determined to find out for himself whether she
would forget her marriage vows, he masquerades as a
dashing Russian singer seeking her affections. She immedi-
ately sees through the masquerade, but decides to go through
with the affair just to teach him a lesson. He makes pas-
sionate love to her; one minute she berates him for daring to
do so and the next minute she tells him she cannot resist
him. Another time she tells him she loved her husband and
would not betray his trust in her; this elates him, until she
gives him the key to the house, inviting him to spend the
night with her since her "husband" had gone away. Misera-
ble at the turn of events, he finally divulges the hoax to her.
But she naturally laughs at him, assuring him that she knew
about the trick all the time. She convinces him of this when
she tells him that no other man could kiss the way he did.

The plot was taken from the Ferenc Molnar play. Leonard
Lee and Keith Winter wrote the screen play, Roy Del Ruth
directed it, and Victor Saville produced it. In the cast are
Florence Bates, Dorothy Gilmore, Nydia Westman, Charles
Judels, and others.

Not for children.

"All-American Co-Ed" with Johnny Downs
and Frances Langford

(Hal Roach-United Artists, October 31; time, 48 min.)

A lightweight comedy with music; it should please young
folk, first, because of the youthfulness of the players, and,
secondly, because of the music. Theatres that cater to adult
audiences that are not too discriminating about story values
may find it satisfactory as a program filler. The main selling
points are Frances Langford's singing, and Johnny Downs'
amusing impersonation of a young college girl: —

Angered by what Miss Langford had written in her col-
lege paper about the young men of a neighborhood male
college, Downs, a student at that college, suggests that they
play a trick on them. Knowing that the girls' college was
offering a few prized scholarships, Downs hits on the idea
of having one of the boys masquerade as a girl and apply
for a scholarship. Once he was accepted he could expose the
hoax and thus humiliate the girls and the college. Since
Downs himself had had experience posing as a girl in the
college play, his fraternity brothers insist that he undertake
the task; he reluctantly agrees to it. He is accepted by the
girls' college; but once he meets Miss Langford he falls in
love with her and does not want to go through with the
trick. He is kept busy posing as a girl and then as one of his
own "boy" friends. As the boy he makes love to Miss Lang-
ford, and as the girl he keeps her jealous. He plans and di-
rects a college play for the girls. Eventually Miss Langford
learns about, the disguise; but she forgives him when he
assures her that he had given up all thoughts of revenge.

Cortland Fitzsimmons and Kenneth Higgins wrote the
story, and LeRoy Prinz directed it. In the cast are Marjorie
Woodworth, Noah Beery, Jr., Alan Hale, Jr., Esther Dale,
and Harry Langdon.

Morally suitable for all.

October 18, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

167

"Mob Town" with the "Dead End Kids,"
Dick Foran and Anne Gwynne

(Universal, October 3; time, 60 mm.)

Where the "Dead End Kids" are popular, "Mob Town"
will probably fare pretty well. It is, however, strictly program
entertainment, for the plot is routine, and the actions of the
"kids" follow a familiar pattern. Audiences that do not
enjoy their brand of comedy, which includes smacking each
other down and yelling at one another, will most likely be
bored. The romance is incidental: —

Dick Foran, a police sergeant assigned to a tough neigh-
borhood, feels that friendly cooperation by the police in
winning over the tough boys of the neighborhood would
stop them from becoming criminals. He induces the boys,
led by Billy Halop, to visit the police gymnasium and helps
them obtain work. Just when everything was going well,
Halop discovers that Foran was the policeman who had
caused the death of his gangster brother, whom Halop had
worshipped. This immediately turns him against Foran; but
the other boys refuse to go back to their old ways with
Halop, for they had grown to respect Foran. Halop joins
forces with a gangster, former pal of his brother's, and
decides to leave town with him. Halop, driving the car,
follows the gangster's orders and stops at a drug store; to
Halop's horror the gangster holds up the owner and then
kills him. Foran, who had been following them, risks his life
in an effort to capture the gangster. Impressed by Foran's
courage, Halop purposely crashes the car into a building,
thus bringing about the gangster's capture. Halop, hailed as
a hero, is regenerated; he is happy when he learns that his
sister (Anne Gwynne) was in love with Foran.

Brenda Weisberg and Walter Doniger wrote the screen
play, William Nigh directed it, and Ken Goldsmith pro-
duced it. In the cast are Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard
Punsly, Samuel S. Hinds, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Mercy Island" with Ray Middleton
and Gloria Dickson

(Republic, October 10; time, 72 rain.)

The production values and the background shots of the
Florida Keys, in addition to the underwater scenes, are
good. And the performances are adequate. Yet as entertain-
ment this should appeal mostly to those who enjoy horror
melodramas. Although it holds one in fair suspense, the
story is unpleasant, for it revolves around the actions of a
half-crazed character, who jeopardizes the lives of others: —

Ray Middleton, about to set out on a fishing trip in the
Florida Keys with his wife (Gloria Dickson), in a boat
piloted by Forrester Harvey and his young assistant (Terry
Kilburn), runs into an old school friend (Don Douglas),
and insists that he join them. Harvey and Kilburn show an
intense dislike for Middleton because of his overbearing
manner, particularly when he demands that they pilot the
boat into the dangerous keys in pursuit of a tarpon. The
boat is rammed on a reef and its propeller is knocked into
the water. Since they were near an island, and could walk to
shore, they decide to investigate. Kilburn tries to dissuade
them, for he knew that some one lived there, but Middleton
insists. They are surprised to find an inhabitant (Otto
Kruger) on the island. Middleton feels certain that he knew
Kruger; finally it comes to him — Kruger, a former prison
doctor, had given an overdose of sedative to a prisoner to
spare him the agony of going to the chair; but a last-minute
reprieve had arrived, and, since the prisoner had already
died, Kruger had been accused of the murder. He had run
away. Middleton, ambitious to become a great criminal
lawyer, insists that Kruger go back with him so that he could
stand trial with Middleton as his lawyer. When everyone
shows resentment, he becomes furious and even accuses his
wife and Douglas of betraying him. Kilburn dives for the
ropeller, finds it, and hides it, but Middleton discovers its
iding place. Kilburn them removes the distributor, which
he hides in the swamp mud. The heat, the mosquitos, and
lack of food wear on everyone's nerves, but they refuse to
give in. Middleton finally finds the distributor, but just then
he is attacked and killed by an alligator. They leave for
home, but Kruger remains.

Theodore Pratt wrote the story, and Malcolm S. Boylan,
the screen play; William Morgan directed it, and Armand
Schaefer produced it.

Not suitable for children.

"Moonlight in Hawaii" with Johnny Downs,
Jane Frazee, Leon Errol
and Mischa Auer

(Universal, November 21; time, 60 rain.)
Not as good a picture as any of the others of this series.
The reason for it is a weak story. But the cast is just as
youthful, and there is as much cheerfulness and good spirit.
There is also some pleasant crooning with dancing to fit the
singing. The photography is just as sharp and mellow as it
was in the other pictures. This makes the outdoor "Hawaii-
an" scenery pleasant. The romantic interest is fairly ap-
pealing:—

When he and his pals, Judd, Ted, and Joe McMichael,
fail to make good on the radio, Johnny Downs becomes a
tourists' guide to wealthy Marjorie Gateson, and her nieces,
Mary Lou Cook, Elaine Morey and Sunnie O'Dea, and
accompanies them to Hawaii. On board the boat, he is dis-
concerted when he discovers that his pals had become stowa-
ways so as to be with him. He succeeds in spiriting them
out of the boat. At the hotel he hides them in his room.
When Johnny goes to round up the party for dinner, his
pals follow him. Their loud knocking so annoys Jane Frazee,
daughter of Leon Errol, a pineapple juice magnate, that she
hits them on the head with her handbag. When they finally
locate the girls in their rooms, Joe attaches himself to Mary
Lou, Judd to Elaine, and Ted to Sunnie. During the dinner
Johnny's pals and Mary Lou start singing and Mischa Auer,
whose orchestra had been broadcasting from the hotel, be-
comes so impressed with their voices that he puts them on
the air. Johnny takes Jane out into the moonlight and the
two start singing. Jane urges Johnny to renew his efforts to
become a radio star, suggesting Errol, her father, as the
possible sponsor. But when Johnny learns that Richard
Carle, who had been furnishing Errol with the pineapples,
and Errol had quarrelled, he sees his chances at getting a
sponsor to promote pineapple juice fade away. Carle and
Errol start making a play for the wealthy Marjorie Gateson's
affections. When Marjorie goes to Auer for advice as to
whom she should select as a husband he becomes trapped;
he marries Marjorie himself. Eventually Carle and Errol
compose their quarrel and, aided by Marjorie, they become
sponsors of a radio show starring Johnny and his pals; also
Mary Lou. Johnny is not left out of the scheme of things; he
and Jane become engaged.

Morton Grant, James Gow, and Erna Lazarus wrote the
screen play. It is a Ken Goldsmith production; it was di-
rected by Charles Lamont.

Morally suitable for the family circle. Good for a double
bill.

"Niagara Falls" with Marjorie Woodworth,
Tom Brown, Zasu Pitts and
Slim Summerville

(Hal Roach- United Artists, October 17; time, 42 min.)

Considering how entertaining and promising the first of
Hal Roach's streamlined features "Tanks a Million" was,
this is a disappointment. The plot is silly, the action forced,
and the comedy at times irritating. Whatever entertainment
value the picture has is owed to competent performances; at
times the players are able to overcome the triteness of the
material and to provoke laughter by their actions: —

Slim Summerville and his bride (Zasu Pitts) arrive at a
hotel in Niagara Falls to spend their honeymoon. Summer-
ville had one bad fault — he could not keep from meddling
in the affairs of other people. When Tom Brown and
Marjorie Woodworth arrive at the hotel and demand sepa-
rate rooms, Summerville takes it for granted that they were
married and had had a ouarrcl; he did not know that they
had just met on the road and had quarrelled because of an
automobile accident involving both their cars. His decision
to bring them together annoys Miss Pitts, who had waited
twenty years to marry him and did not want her honeymoon
spoiled. First Summerville forces them into one room, and
then he keeps guard over them with a shotgun, determined
that neither should leave the room. By morning Brown man-
ages to escape; but he returns with a preacher and marries
Miss Woodworth. But the hotel manager, having learned
about the affair, and unaware that Brown and Miss Wood-
worth had married, throws the young couple and Summer-
ville out of the hotel. Summerville contemplates suicide.

Paul Gerard Smith, Hal Yates, and Eugene Conrad wrote
the screen play, and Gordon Douglas directed it. In the cast
are Chester Clute, Edgar Dcering, Ed Gargan, and Rand
Brooks.

Morally suitable for all.

168

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 18, 1941

possibility that it may be declared constitutional. In handing
down his decision on the injunction proceedings, Judge
Hugo Hanft, of the Ramsey County District Court, said
that, if this law had been enacted several years ago, there
was no doubt in his mind that it would have been declared
unconstitutional "as a temerarious interference with the right
of property and contract and the law of supply and demand.
..." But, "Within the last decade, vast social and economic
changes have taken place with astonishing rapidity," as a
result of which changes, "Government found it necessary to
take a decisive hand to meet new conditions. . . . Laws
originally sustained under police power as to safety and
morals are now sustained upon the additional ground of
health and 'welfare' of the people. ..."

In the last few years we have observed that the courts
have been inclined to shape some of their decisions in accord-
ance with public sentiment. If the higher courts should take
an attitude similar to that of Judge Hanft, declaring the
law constitutional, the producers will have to find some way
by which they would serve the exhibitors of that state with
film. Such being the case, why not find this way now?

HERE AND THERE

THE FOLLOWING ALLIED UNITS have so far
approved the resolution for a joint industry committee:

1. Allied Theatre Owners of Illinois.

2. Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Maryland.

3. Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western
Pennsylvania.

4. Allied Theatre Owners ol District of Columbia.

5. Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio.

6. Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest.

7. Independent Theatres Protective Association of Wis-
consin and Upper Michigan.

8. Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana.

9. New York State Unit of National Allied.

10. Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey.

1 1. Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Eastern Penn-
sylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware.

12. Independent Exhibitors of New England.

13. Allied Theatre Owners of Michigan.

14. Allied Theatre Owners of Texas.

There has been only one vote against the resolution — that
of Allied Theatre Owners of Connecticut. In other words,
the vote has been fourteen to one, or, almost unanimous;
but I am sure that, after seeing that his organization is the
only one that has voted against the resolution, Mr. J. B.
Fishman, its president, will call his members to another meet-
ing to suggest to them that they take another vote, in favor
of the resolution, so that the vote may be unanimous.

The first nine organizations in the list went so far as to
vote for the entire resolution — that is, with Paragraph 3;
but since the convention had already stricken that para-
graph out there was no necessity for them to vote for it in
its entirety. It is evident that they voted that way in order to
show their confidence in the board and in the national offi-
cers. The New Jersey organization voted for the resolutions
with some reservations, and that of Eastern Pennsylvania
and of New England for the resolution unanimously without
Paragraph 3.

This paper wishes to make its position known once more
— that it is opposed to an amalgamation with any other
industry organization, particularly with MPTOA, for the
reason that, in its belief, Allied will be unable to render its
membership the service and the protection that it has ren-
dered it up to now. A joint conference board, in which each
branch of the industry will be represented by an equal
number of representatives, and in which the representatives
of the exhibitors will be sitting as equals, is the only organi-
zation that Harrison's Reports will support. And I am
sure that such is the intention of the national Allied officers
and of the board members.

Harrison's Reports suggests that Allied proceed imme-
diately to lay plans for putting the resolution into effect
right after the meeting of the board of directors in Pitts-
burgh. There are so many problems that the exhibitor
representatives could present to the joint conference board
for adjustment that the Allied leaders should waste no time.
* * *

ACCORDING TO "THE FILM DAILY," Neil Agnew,
head of distribution of Paramount, informed T. E. Morten-

sen, that Paramount is fully cognizant of the situation in the
State of Minnesota, and that his company is planning to do
whatever it can to afford the exhibitors of that state relief,
within the shortest time possible.

* * *

A JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE could render
to the industry a real service in the Minnesota situation had
it been already set up and functioning. The exhibitor part
of it, for example, could assure the combined committee that
the organizations it represented would do everything it could
to discourage the exhibitors cff other states from introducing
legislation in favor of blcck-bocking, similar to the Minne-
sota law, if the distributors should relax their inflexible atti-
tude in this instance and find means and ways whereby they
could supply the Minnesota exhibitors with film until such
time as the case the major distributors have brought against
the State of Minnesota was finally adjudicated.

If the distributors should feel reluctant to apply to Judge
Goddard for an exemption from the restrictions of the
Consent Decree in Minnesota, the exhibitor representatives
could, for example, suggest that the exhibitors of that state
be permitted to make their contracts for film with the Mil-
waukee exchange, and the prints routed from theatre to
theatre so that the express charges to each exhibitor might
be reduced to a minimum. Perhaps there are other methods
that they could suggest, and the distributors would, if they
were persuaded to do it, select the most practicable plan.
Where there is a will, a way could be found.

* * *

FROM THE LOOKS OF THINGS, the investigation
of the motion picture industry by the Wheeler-Clark-Nye
committee has taken an indefinite leave of absence. If such
should be the case, it will be owed to the attitude of the lay
press, which mched to defend the industry valiantly, as well
as to the unanimous action of the industry. The Allied
organization could have taken advantage of the opportunity
to press its demands for theatre divorcement and other re-
forms, but it preferred to forego such an advantage and
unite its efforts with the efforts of the other two branches,
to repel the attack. At the Philadelphia convention, it passed
a resolution condemning the investigation.

The producers know that they must have unity to fight
off attacks, and that, without exhibitor cooperation, unity
cannot be attained. Is it not about time, then, that they
began heeding the exhibitor complaints? The organized
exhibitors feel that the producers should put an end to a
further theatre expansion on their part, for it is inimical to
the interests of the exhibitors; but no heed has been given to
their wishes. The exhibitors hoped that, with the new selling
system in effect, the producers would ask for their pictures
prices that are commensurate with their box-office value; but
they find that the distributors ask "A" prices for "B" and
"C" pictures. How long will the truce last under such
conditions?

The producers must have, as said, industry unity, but if
they persist in ignoring the just demands of the exhibi-
tors, and in making it hard for them to earn a living,
exhibitor efforts to corerct industry abuses by legislation will
be renewed. The Neely Bill will be revived, and there will
be theatre-divorcement measures introduced in the legisla-
ture of almost every state in the union. When this comes to
pass, the producers will not have the sympathy of the people
of the United States, as they had it during the Nye-Clark-
Whecler committee's investigation of the industry.

If the producers want permanent unity, let them make
some sacrifices, and make them now!

* * ft .M

THE WASHINGTON OFFICE of Allied States Asso-
ciation issued a statement on October 3, part of which reads
as follows:

"The national officers are gratified by the splendid re-
sponse to the request for action by the regional associations
on the resolution for a national joint committee. . . .

"The splendid cooperation ot the units in conducting the
referendum, the pledges of steadfast loyalty received from
all over the country, especially from those who opposed the
resolution in convention, and the friendly letters that have
passed between participants in the debate, eloquently attest
the fine spirit that prevails in Allied. . . .

"Allied emerges from Philadelphia stronger and more
confident than at any time in its history. ..."

It has already been announced that the Allied board will
meet in Pittsburgh, on October 22.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1941 No. 43

HERE AND THERE

THE FOLLOWING IS PART of an editorial
that has appeared in the October 14 issue ot "The
Hollywood Reporter":

"The distributors are not having such an easy time
yelling their blocks of four and five pictures. And
even in the face of all the press stories handed out
about the great gobs of contracts already signed, the
going is tough and is getting tougher, with every like-
lihood that on other than top hits, no distributor will
hit the number of deals on its pictures, during the
i xistence of the Consent Decree, that it did in the
days of block booking.

"Exhibitors are holding back, not to see the pic-
tures, but to see the results of the first showings of
the shows. If the pictures hit, then they rush in to
buy; but on anything short of clicking business, they
arc shying away from deals, with every expectation
of eventually getting them at prices far below what
the salesmen originally asked. . .

And yet a large number of exhibitors still prefer
the old sales system.

Their chief objection to the new sales system is
chiefly the prices the five distributors ask for their
pictures; they say that they are too high, and blame
the new selling system for them.

It is my opinion — and every exhibitor knows that
this is so — that the five producers would have asked
higher prices for their product even if there had been
no screening before sale. Aren't the other distributors
asking more money?

Some exhibitors say that, since they have to show
all the pictures, there is no advantage in seeing them
before buying them. There is, as I have said repeatedly
in these columns, one advantage, even when an ex-
hibitor has to buy the pictures of every producer:
when ten thousand exhibitors keep on telling the
salesmen how bad most of their pictures are, and how
ridiculous arc the prices that they ask for them, the
effect cannot help being of that of the water drops
falling from a height upon stone continuously. Re-
member that the salesman cannot be as hard as stone,
no matter how hard he is.

Read what an English exhibitor has to say on the
subject (I am sorry I cannot give you his name; but
I happen to know him personally — he paid me a visit
when he came to New York years ago) :

"Dear Mr. Harrison :

"I have been very interested to read your recent
comments upon the new innovation of trade shows.

"As you doubtless know, films in this country have
always been shown to the trade before being offered

to exhibitors and I think it is the unanimous opinion
of exhibitors that it is vital to their own and public
interests that this system be continued. The distribu-
tors here have recently agitated for the abolition of
provincial trade shows (that is, other than in Lon-
don) but the suggestion naturally met with strong
opposition.

"In Manchester the distributors are, in fact, com-
pelled to trade show all their product because there
is a municipal by-law which prevents the screening
of films in the cinemas in that city unless they have
been trade shown there, and it is my opinion that if
the distributors did stop this practice, exhibitors in
other areas would invite their respective municipal
authorities to introduce a similar condition on their
licenses."

* * *

AS SAID IN THESE COLUMNS recently, the
newspapers have come to the defense of the motion
picture industry nobly, shaping public opinion
through their editorials. Prominent public leaders,
too, not connected with the industry in any way, have
come to its defense either through the radio, or by
statements to the newspapers.

The latest important public figure to come to the
industry's defense is Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. Speak-
ing over the radio in Boston, Monday night, she de-
clared that the motion picture industry has as much
right to present its views through the pictures it pro-
duces as have Senator Wheeler, Senator Nye and
Charles Lindbergh to present their views to the
world.

Discussing the subcommittee's investigation of the
industry, Mrs. Roosevelt said: "Why is one propa-
ganda any different from any other? Freedom of
speech should be accorded to all."

The promptness with which the newspapers and
public leaders have come to the industry's defense
places upon our leaders a greater responsibility. Will
they discharge it faithfully? For instance, it is their
duty to improve the quality and tone of the pictures,
and they must refrain from resorting to acts that
violate the spirit of the law, if not of the letter.
They must not, for example, continue monopolizing
it by a greater control of exhibition.

The producers have a responsibility also towards
the exhibitors, particularly toward the exhibitor lead-
ers who, instead of grasping this opportunity to make
their demands for reforms, preferred to stand by the
industry as a unit against those who attacked it: they
felt that it would be ill-advised for them to stand
apart, even if that meant the loss of a great advantage.

170

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 25, 1941

"Hot Spot" with Betty Grable,
Victor Mature, Carole Landis
and Laird Cregar

(20th Century-Fox, Oct. 31; time, 82 min.)

A very good murder mystery melodrama. The plot itself
is not unusual; yet so cleverly has it been developed that
one's interest is held to the very end. Moreover, the murder-
er's identity is not revealed until the last scene, thus keeping
one in suspense. Part of the picture's fascination lies in the
characters and in the manner in which they are portrayed.
For instance, Laird Cregar, as a detective who hounds the
hero, is sinister and mysterious; one knows that he himself
was mixed up in the case but in what way remains a mystery
until the end. Part of the story is told in flashback: —

Victor Mature, well-known sports promoter, while dining
at a restaurant with two friends, Alan Mowbray, a former
matinee idol and Allyn Joslyn, a Broadway columnist, no-
tices the charms of their waitress (Carole Landis). He bets
his friends that, with the proper campaign, he could make
her a nationally-known glamour girl. The idea appeals to
her; Mature starts the campaign and in a short time she is
famous. Her sister (Betty Grable) at first dislikes Mature
and is suspicious of him; she pleads with Miss Landis not to
let attention go to her head. But she finally learns Mature
was sincere and falls in love with him; but he does not know
this. Mature is surprised and deeply hurt when Miss Landis
tells him she had signed a Hollywood contract. The night
before her intended departure, she is murdered; Mature is
held as the murderer. The police grill him; but since they
had no evidence against him, they are compelled to release
him. Cregar, one of the detectives, insists that he was guilty
and swears to get him. By this time Mature knows of Miss
Grable's love and finds that he loved her. They work together
in an effort to clear him. With the help of William Gargan,
a sympathetic detective, they trap Elisha Cook, Jr., night
clerk at the house where Miss Landis had lived, into con-
fessing that he had committed the murder. He tells them
that he had confessed to Cregar, but he had told him to
forget about it. Mature is shocked and confronts Cregar; he
confesses that he had idolized Miss Landis and had hoped
to marry her, but that Mature had turned her head. Cregar
takes poison and dies just as Gargan enters. Mature and
Miss Grable marry.

The plot was taken from the novel "I Wake Up Scream-
ing," by Steve Fisher; Dwight Taylor wrote the screen play,
H. Bruce Humberstone directed it, and Milton Sperling pro-
duced it. In the cast are Chick Chandler, Charles Lane, and
others.

Not suitable for children.

"Small Town Deb" with Jane Withers

(20th Century-Fox, Tsjov. 7; time, 72 min.)

A mildly pleasant program picture, suitable for the fam-
ily trade. The story is familiar and the action routine. Its
appeal should be directed mainly to the Jane Withers fans,
for she is the feature attraction; she sings, dances, and plays
the drums in addition to provoking laughter by her efforts
to adjust her family's affairs as well as her own. There is a
pleasant romance: —

Jane is annoyed at the way her family treated her; since
she was the youngest, everyone tried to boss her. She had to
wear the clothes her sister (Cobina Wright, Jr.) discarded;
her brother (Jack Searl) refused to take her dancing, and
her mother (Katherine Alexander) was all wrapped up in
her efforts to land a husband for Cobina. The only ones who
paid her attention were her father (Cecil Kellaway) and
the family maid (Jane Darwell). Cobina meets an eligible
wealthy young man (Bruce Edwards), and the family is all
excited. Edwards meets Jane before any one else and finds
her a good sport; they become pals. Jane, noticing that
Edwards looked tired, and feeling that her sister was taking
him to too many parties and dances, suggests that he run
away for a few days to a cabin her father had in the woods.
He does this, much to Cobina's disgust, for that left her
without an escort for an important dance. Jane, who was
supposed to go to the dance with her brother, is heartbroken
when, at the last minute, he tells her he was taking his girl
friend, who had returned to town. Determined to go, she
drives to the cabin and gets Edwards to accompany her. She
meets Edwards' father, induces him to close a lucrative deal
with her father, and then impresses everyone by her talents.
Cobina and Edwards are united; and the family finally beams
with pride over their Jane.

Jerrie Walters wrote the story, Ethel Hill, the screen play,
and Harold Schuster directed it. In the cast arc Buddy Pep-
per, Robert Corneli, Margaret Early, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Moon Over Her Shoulders" with Lynn
Bari, John Sutton and Dan Dailey, Jr.

(20th Century-Fox, Oct. 24; time, 68 mm.)

An entertaining domestic comedy of program grade. Good
performances, a lavish background, and breezy action are
its main selling points, for the story itself is routine. There
is no doubt that it will appeal to women, who will sympa-
thize with the heroine because of her husband's habit of
taking her for granted. Her efforts to teach him a lesson lead
her into enjoyable adventures and predicaments as well,
many of which are quite amusing: —

After sending her twin daughters to camp for the sum-
mer, Lynn Bari looks forward to a second honeymoon with
her husband (John Sutton), a doctor of philosophy and
noted authority on marital problems. But he is so occupied
with his own work that he suggests that she seek a hobby
to make her self sufficient; why not go back to painting,
which she once had enjoyed? She follows his advice and,
looking for a scene to paint, seats herself on a bridge railing.
Dan Dailey, Jr., passing by in his automobile, thinks she
was going to jump. He stops his car and makes a leap for
her; he forces her into his car and then takes her to his boat,
telling her that suicide was a cowardly act. She demands that
he release her, but he chains her to a bar; thus she is com-
pelled to go along with him, his assistant (Leonard Carey),
and his fisherman-customer (Alan Mowbray), on a fishing
trip. She has a good time, and returns home sun-burned and
happy. Sutton compliments her and suggests that she con-
tinue with the hobby. And so each day she joins Dailey,
Carey, and Mowbray on their fishing trips. Anyway Mow-
bray insisted that she had brought him luck and wanted her
along all the time: he was under the impression that she was
Dailey's girl friend. He urges them to get married so that
they could all set off on a fishing trip to Mexico. Dailey falls
in love with her and finally proposes; she naturally turns him
down. Mowbray suggests that Dailey seek advice from Sut-
ton. In that way the two men finally get together and both
learn the truth. Miss Bari, annoyed at both of them, leaves
her husband. Flowers and telegrams from him fail to move
her: but he finally wins her back by showing his prowess as
a fighter, when he knocks out both Dailey and Mowbray.

Walter Bullock wrote the screen play, Alfred Werker
directed it, and Walter Morosco produced it. Irving Bacon,
Joyce Compton and Lillian Yarbo are in the cast.

Morally suitable for all.

"Shadow of the Thin Man" with William
Powell and Myrna Loy

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 96 min.)

A very good combination murder-mystery melodrama and
comedy. William Powell and Myrna Loy are at their best,
which means that the followers of the "Thin Man" series
will be highly entertained. The story follows the pattern set
in the other pictures — that is, Powell becomes involved in-
nocently in a murder case and is urged to solve it by Miss
Loy; and Asta the dog again plays a prominent part. The
only change is that they now have a child, but this is an
added source of merriment; for instance, Powell, in an effort
to set a good example for his child, is compelled to drink milk
instead of cocktails at dinner: —

Powell and Miss Loy arrive at the racetrack, escorted by
a motorcycle policeman who had given Powell a ticket for
speeding, yet considered him important enough to escort
him. Powell and police officials arrive at the same time; he
learns from his friend Sam Levene, a police lieutenant, that
a jockey had been murdered. Despite Levene's pleas, Powell
refuses to become involved. But when a newspaper reporter
(Alan Baxter), who had been mixed up with gamblers, is
murdered, and Barry Nelson, another reporter, is held for
the murder, Miss Loy urges him to go into the case, for
Nelson was their friend. Miss Loy, who enjoyed excitement,
insists on accompanying him on his investigations. At times
he is able to elude her, but she manages to catch up with him.
During the investigation, another man is murdered. Powell,
having decided that the jockey had been killed accidentally,
decides to let it appear as if he thought that the jockey had
been murdered by the same man who had murdered Baxter;
his purpose was to bring the murderer out into the open. He
then asks Levene to collect all the suspects in his office, so
as to listen to each one's story. The murderer talks himself
right into a trap, and is caught.

Harry Kurnitz wrote the story, and he and Irving Brecher,
the screen play: Maj. W. S. Van Dyke II directed it, and
Hunt Strombcrg produced it. In the cast are Donna Reed,
Henry O'Neill, Dickie Hall, Stella Adler, and others.

The murders make it unsuitable for children.

October 25, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

171

"Sundown" with Bruce Cabot, Gene
Tierney and George Sanders

(Wagner-United Artists, Oct. 31; 91 mm.)

From the production point of view, "Sundown" is excel-
lent. It is the type of picture that should add prestige to the
theatres that will run it. Henry Hathaway's skillful direction
has succeeded in making the action realistic in the extreme.
There are situations in which one is held in high suspense.
A sense of doom, of impending death, prevails in some of
these situations. Cabot's fine characterization adds the hu-
man touch; he is presented as a kindly person, a man who
believed in treating the natives well in order to keep them
from revolting. His fearlessness, too, is admirable. Harry
Carey is good as the old hunter of big game. Joseph Calleia
is excellent as the idealistic Italian war prisoner; he adds
some comedy touches with his gestures and his temperament.
Besides adventure there is also mild romance: —

Having received information that the Shensi, natives of
Manieka, on the Somali-Abyssinia border, in East Africa,
were furnished arms by agents of a foreign government, the
governor of Kenya sends Major George Sanders to Bruce
Cabot, local commissioner of an outpost in Manieka to pre-
vent an uprising. Sanders orders Cabot to obtain one of the
smuggled guns. A small British detachment attacks the
Shensi and Emmett Smith, a native whom Cabot had be-
friended, obtains a gun for Cabot but he is wounded mor-
tally in the fray. The men of the outpost are certain of
Shensi reprisals. At this juncture there arrives Gene Tierney,
a half-caste, daughter of a dead Arab trader. There arrives
also Harry Carey, hunter of big game, and Carl Esmond,
a Dutchman, supposedly a trader, but really the man who
had been supplying guns to the Shensis. The men at the
outpost give Pallini, an Italian prisoner of war, a birthday
party in recognition of the fact that he had been a model
prisoner. The men of the post celebrate with dances and
songs. Carey reveals information to the effect that the Shensi
planned to kill Cabot. Suddenly the merry-making stops and
there is heard the report of machine guns. As the firing
ceases the post men pursue and kill the attacker, a revenge-
ful Shensi (Marc Lawrence). Gene is wounded slightly in
the fray. Esmond calls on Gene and she makes him admit
that he was the smuggler of the guns. In order to obtain
for Cabot information that would prove helpful to the Brit-
ish, Gene pretends that she had struck a bargain with Es-
mond. That night she and her caravan join Esmond and they
leave the post. Carey and Cabot suspect that Gene was in
league with Esmond and follow her until they discover the
fugitives' hiding place. They come upon a cache of guns
and ammunition and they set fire to it, escaping undetected.
But Esmond's men soon capture Cabot. It is then that Es-
mond realizes that Gene was not his friend, and places her
under arrest. Cabot succeeds in sending to the outpost a
message. This soon brings British soldiers disguised as Arabs
and they overpower the Shensi and their white leaders.
Cabot then realizes that Gene was not a traitor. By this
time, each was madly in love with the other.

The plot has been founded on the Saturday Evening Post
story of the same name, by Barre Lyn,don. Jack Moss pro-
duced it for Walter Wanger.

There is nothing morally objectionable in it.

"Swamp Water" with Walter Brennan,
Walter Huston, Anne Baxter
and Dana Andrews

(20th Century-Fox, T^ov. 14; time, 90 min.)

This is the type of picture that depends on excellent per-
formances and an interesting background for its main attrac-
tions. But so much attention has been paid to the back-
ground shots of the Georgia Okefenokee swamps and to
characterizations that the action lags. For that reason, it
will probably appeal more to class audiences than to the
masses. Actually the only real excitement occurs in the clos-
ing scenes, where the hero and a friend, while making their
way through the swamps, are set upon by two murderers.
There is a romance: —

Against the wishes of his stern father (Walter Huston),
Dana Andrews sets out for the Okefenokee swamps to find
his dog. Ward Bond and his brother (Guinn Williams) ridi-
cule Andrews, saying that he would never return. Andrews
not only finds his way, but locates his dog; to his surprise he
finds also a man (Walter Brennan) living in the swamps
and recognizes him as an old neighbor wanted for murder;
everyone believed that he had died in the swamps. Brennan

is at first suspicious of Andrews; but he gradually softens
up and enters into an agreement with Andrews to hunt and
trap together, his share of the profits to go to his motherless
daughter (Anne Baxter). When Andrews returns, Huston,
who loved his son but never showed it, berates him; they
quarrel and Andrews leaves. This distresses Mary Howard,
his stepmother, who loved him as her own son. Moreover
she was frightened; John Carradine, whom she despised, was
trying to force his attention on her and she feared that
Huston would find it out and kill Carradine. Andrews sur-
prises everyone by the furs he brings back. From a careless
remark that he makes to his sweetheart (Virginia Gilmore),
she guesses the truth. She and Andrews quarrel when she
accepts the attentions of another man. Irked when Andrews
starts paying court to Miss Baxter, she lets everyone know
about Brennan. The sheriff and others demand that Andrews
take them to Brennan, but he refuses, for he believed that
Brennan was innocent. He discovers that Bond and his
brother were the real murderers and that Carradine knew
this. He forces Carradine to sign a confession by threatening
to tell his father about his action towards Miss Howard.
Andrews, at the request of the sheriff and friends, goes to
the swamps to bring Brennan back, a free man. Bond and
Williams go the entrance of the swamp, for the purpose of
killing them; but they themselves meet with disaster. Bren-
nan is overjoyed at being reunited with his daughter, and
is happy at her romance with Andrews.

The plot was adapted from the Saturday Evening Post
serial by Vereen Bell; Dudley Nichols wrote the screen play,
Jean Renoir directed it, and Irving Pichel produced it. In
the cast are Eugene Pallette and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Two-Faced Woman" with Greta Garbo
and Melvyn Douglas

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 93 min.)

Greta Garbo gives a brilliant performance in this sex-
comedy. And the production is extremely lavish. Yet if it
were not for her charms and fine acting ability there would
be little to recommend, for the story is weak and somewhat
silly. It is pretty risque in spots, both in dialogue and action;
yet so capably does Miss Garbo handle those situations that
they do not offend one. Since she dominates the picture, it
will have to depend on her drawing power for its success at
the box-office : —

Melvyn Douglas, famous magazine publisher, while spend-
ing a vacation at a ski resort, meets and falls in love with
Miss Garbo, skiing instructress. After a few days they marry.
His partner (Roland Young), having heard that Douglas
was missing, rushes to the resort with his secretary (Ruth
Gordon). He is happy to find Douglas safe and well. He
urges him to return to New York, but Douglas informs him
that he intended to give up his work so as to live a simple,
outdoor life with his wife. By the next morning, however,
he changes his mind and is ready to return to New York.
But Miss Garbo, who had taken his ideas about a simple life
seriously, is disappointed and refuses to go with him. After
a few weeks' separation, she decides to visit him in New
York. Again she is disappointed, for she discovers that he
had taken up with his old sweetheart (Constance Bennett).
To teach him a lesson, she poses as her own twin sister, sup-
posedly the "bad" member of the family. She speaks freely
about her "loose" life, and how she was "supported" by
wealthy men. Yet she is so charming that Douglas falls in
love with her. His conscience, however, troubles him; so he
decides to face his wife and ask her for a divorce. She rushes
back to the ski resort to be there when he arrived. He soon
learns from her about the joke she had played on him; at
first he is angry, but they are reconciled.

S. N. Behrman, Salka Vicrtcl and George Oppcnheimer
wrote the screen play, George Cukor directed it, and Gott-
fried Reinhardt produced it. In the cast are Robert Sterling
and Frances Carson.

Not suitable for children or adolescents.

OTHER ADDITIONAL COPIES

If you clip the reviews and file them alphabetically for
future reference, you may order additional copies of issues
that have reviews printed on both sides of the sheet. All
such copies will be furnished to you without any extra cost.

The following issues have been printed on both sides:
July 19; August 2 (Second Section); September 6; Septem-
ber 13; and October 25 (this week's issue).

172

HARRISON'S REPORTS

October 25, 1941

"Never Give a Sucker an Even Break" with
W. C. Fields and Gloria Jean

(Universal. Oct. 10; time, 70 min.)

If your patrons are ardent W. C. Fields fans and are
content to watch him go through his antics and to overlook
a silly plot that is based on gags, then they will probably
enjoy this slapstick comedy. As for general audiences who
are not Fields' fans, the only attraction will be Gloria Jean,
whose excellent voice and charming personality entertain
one. The closing scenes, in which Fields goes through a wild
automobile ride, getting mixed up with police, fire engines,
and other cars, are as "wild" as the rest of the picture, but
should provoke hearty laughter: —

The story revolves around Fields" efforts to sell to Frank-
lin Pangborn, head of a motion picture studio, a story he
had written. Pangborn tolerates Fields only to please Fields'
niece (Gloria Jean), who was his star. As Fields reads the
story to Pangborn, the action unfolds. So fantastic is the
plot, that Pangborn finally loses patience and orders Fields
to leave. Fields, hearing that a woman wanted to go to a
maternity hospital, and thinking that she was going to have
a baby, offers to drive her there. So hectic is the ride that
the woman faints. When she comes to, she is surprised to
find herself a patient at the hospital. She protests and leaves
m disgust, for all she wanted was to visit a patient at the
hospital.

Mr. Fields wrote the story, and Edward Gline directed it.
In the cast are Leon Errol, Butch & Buddy, Susan Miller,
Charles Lang, Margaret Dumont, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Flying Cadets" with William Gargan,
Edmund Lowe and Peggy Moran

(Universal, Oct. 24; time, 60 min.)

A moderately entertaining program picture centering
around the training of young flyers. Since the plot is routine
and the treatment lacks novelty, it holds one's interest only
to a fair degree. As a matter of fact, the performances are
superior to the material. It has a few air thrills, a little human
interest, also some comedy and a romance: —

When Frank Albertson and William Gargan open a school
to train young flyers, Gargan decides that they needed some
attraction to bring pupils to their school. And so he sends
for Albertson's older brother (Edmund Lowe), a spectacular
flyer and former World War Ace, to act as instructor, tor
he was known to all young men interested in flying. Just as
Gargan figured out, Lowe proves a drawing card. Frankie
Thomas, one of the pupils, impresses Gargan by his keen
interest in his work. Gargan chides Lowe for having neg-
lected to try to find his wife, whom he had not seen since the
time he had gone to war, for Gargan knew that Lowe had
loved her. Gargan accidentally learns that Thomas was
Lowe's son, of which fact Lowe was naturally unaware.
Frankie looks for the opportunity to tell this to Lowe. He
goes up with Lowe for his first lesson, but fails miserably;
he is heartbroken, particularly when he overhears Lowe
saying that he would never make a flyer. To show Lowe that
he was wrong, Thomas goes up alone in a plane that Lowe
was supposed to take up for a test flight. Fearing that the
boy would be killed, Gargan reveals to Lowe the boy's
identity. Lowe goes up in another plane to instruct Thomas.
He brings him' down safely, but crashes his own plane.
Although he is injured he is happy, for he had become
united with his wife and son.

Joseph West, Roy Chanslor and Stanley Rubin wrote the
screen play, Erie C. Kenton directed it, and Paul Malvern
produced it. In the cast are Roy Harris, Charles Williams,
John Maxwell, and Louise Lorimer.

Morally suitable for all.

"Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring" with
Ralph Bellamy and Margaret Lindsay

(Columbia, J^ov. 18; time, 68 min.)

This picture is no better than the other pictures in the
"Ellery Queen" scries. It is a far-fetched mystery melodrama
of program grade. The production values are ordinary, and
the direction and acting fair. About the only attraction for
followers of pictures of this type is the fact that the mur-
derer's identity is concealed until the end. Laughter is pro-
voked in one or two situations by the antics of two gangsters,
who try to escape from a hospital : —

Wealthy, eccentric Blanche Yurka requests the police
department to secretly investigate the head doctor (George

Zucco) at the hospital she owned; his unexplained disap-
pearances from his office mystified her. Miss Yurka's two
children (Leon Ames and Jean Fenwick) hated their mother
because of her cruelty towards them. Ames arranges with
two ganagsters (Paul Hurst and Tom Dugan) to smash up
the car in which his mother was riding, hoping she would be
killed. Instead, she is injured and is rushed to her hospital;
Hurst, too, is injured and is taken to the same hospital. Miss
Yurka recovers from the operation but is murdered mysteri-
ously: her nurse (Charlotte Wynters) is also murdered. And
finally Ames, having learned that he had been left just a
small amount of money by his mother, hangs himscli. Ralph
Bellamy, writer of detective novels and son of the police in-
spector, and his secretary (Margaret Lindsay) solve the
mystery. They prove that the two murders had been com-
mitted by a nurse (Mona Barne). She had killed the mother,
hoping that Ames, who wanted to marry her, would inherit
her fortune; then she had killed Miss Wynters who knew
of her guilt. Finally, hearing about Anies' small inheritance,
she had driven him to suicide.

Ellery Queen wrote the story, and Eric Taylor, the screen
play; James Hogan directed it, and Larry Darmour produced
:t. In the cast are James Burke, Charley Grapcwin, Olin
Howland, and others.

Not suitable for children.

"Mr. Celebrity" with James Seay,
Buzzy Henry and Doris Day

(Producers Releasing Corp.; time, 66 mm.)

A plcas.-nt program entertainment. It should fit in nicely
in a double bili in neighborhood theatres. Although the title
refers to a horse, and part of the action deals with racing,
that is not the picture's main attraction. The story has human
appeal, comedy, and a few good performances, as well as a
romance. And many persons will be touched at seeing again
the old favorites, Francis X. Bushman and Clara Kimball
Y;jung, who appear throughout the picture : —

James Seay and his young nephew (Buzzy Henry) travel
around the country eking out an existence by Seay's work
as a veterinarian; they keep moving in order to avoid re-
ceiving service of legal papers in an action started by Buzzy's
grandparents to gain custody of the boy. They finally land
at a place known as "Celebrity Farm," which Seay believed
was owned by an old friend and former jockey (Johnny
Berkes). 'i here he finds living a few other celebrities such
as Bushman, Miss Young and Jim Jeffries. Berkes finally
tells him that he did not own the farm; that it had been
owned by an eccentric millionaire, who had promised to let
them live there in comfort for the rest of their days. But
the millionaire had died and his heirs threatened to evict
them unless they could be self-supporting. Seay offers to help
by taking care of and training a new horse that showed
promise as a racer. Their first race is a failure, but the second
:s a success — their horse wins. This brings money to the
farm and assures the occupants a home for the rest of their
lives. And Seay is given a contract by a race breeding asso-
ciation at a good salary; this contract, and the fact that he
had just married, enables Seay to win permanent custody of
Buzzy.

Martin Mooney and Charles Samuels wrote the story, and
Mr. Mooney, the screen play; William Beaudine directed it,
and George R. Batcheller was in charge of production. In
the cast are William Halligan, Gavin Gordon, John E. Ince,
Larry Grey, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Target for Tonight"

(Warner Bros., Rel. not set; time, 49 min.)

This was filmed in England, with the cooperation of the
Royal Air Force. It is a reenactment of an actual air raid on
Germany, including the planning and preliminary work
incidental to the raid. All those who appear in the picture
arc the very persons who do the jobs they enact, officers as
well as fliers and mechanics.

It is extremely interesting and stirring as well. The very
fact that no attempt was made to dramatize the events or to
sentimentalize over the bravery of the men makes it all the
more powerful; the striking note is its authenticity.

The closing scenes, which show the return to England of
one ol the bombing planes during a thick fog that completely
covered the landing field, hold one in tense suspense. The
spectator sighs with relief when the plane finally lands.

Suitable for all.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1941 No. 44

Harmony Restored in the Allied Ranks

Harmony within the Allied ranks has been restored by
the manly act of Nathan Yamins who, on September 28,
wrote to Mr. Abram F. Myers, Allied chief counsel and
chairman of the board, the following letter:

"Dear A. F.:

"First of all, I want to say as clearly as it can be said that
I did not intend for one moment to question your integrity
or good faith, nor that of any of the other Allied leaders.
I tried to make it clear that not the intent, but the effect of
the resolution was to emasculate the independence of Allied
and result in making of Allied another M.P.T.O.A., as was
done at Toronto. I tried to make the point clear that the
liaison committee was the entering wedge and the rest would
follow. ... If, however, my remarks can in any way be
construed as a reflection on the good faith or integrity of
anyone, I humbly apologize, as no personal affront was
intended.

"As to the subject matter itself, I still feel that the reso-
lution was ill advised, but the matter would not have come
up as it did if it were not for an unfortunate misunder-
standing. ... I never saw the resolution, and was stunned
to have it reported in that form as the unanimous vote of
the Board. Unfortunately, the matter was badly handled
from then on and the final vote could have been avoided.

"I'll close by repeating that I have the highest regard for
you and the others in Allied, and I would like to keep the
friendship that has grown up between us. I regret keenly
that this thing came up as it did. If I wasn't so loyal to
Allied I wouldn't have done what I did."

Mr. Myers replied as follows on September 30:
"Dear Nate:

"I can't tell you how glad I was to receive your letter.
My main compensation has been a number of friendships
that I cherish. I think you realize that yours ranks high
among them.

"I did not believe that you really intended to reflect on
the integrity of the board and officers, and in the conven-
tion I dangled the facts as to how the resolution had been
handled before you in the hope that you would recede from
the serious implications of your speech. However intended,
there was no mistaking the interpretation which was about
to be placed on your utterances and on the vote of the
convention.

"It seemed to me that the national officers and board had
been placed in an intolerable position and so I called the
special session in order to find a way out. By this action
Allied was extricated from a predicament which, I believe,
would have proved fatal. . . . You say you did not intend
any such result and I am certain that you did not. I know
from experience how easy it is to say or imply more than
one means when speaking under a strain. But the result was
an inevitable consequence unless forestalled by decisive
action.

"Getting back to the resolution, possibly it was not as
restricted as it should have been; very likely the third
paragraph should not have been included at all. At the risk
of seeming sarcastic (which I am not), let me say that we
missed your thoughtful advice at the board meeting. But
I am confident that not a man who sat in the meeting and

voted for the resolution favored yielding one jot of Allied's
independence. The plan — and the only one — that I offered
was the one for a joint conference committee. Based on the
experience of the last two years, I feel that Allied and its
members have suffered from not having a ready point of
contact with the other branches. The need for it is par-
ticularly great at this time."

Incidentally, the Allied Board of Directors, in its Pitts-
burgh meeting on October 22, canvassed the returns of the
plebiscite on the resolution for the appointment of a joint
conference committee and found that:

Fifteen of the units had voted in favor of paragraphs 1
and 2; none against them.

Twelve units had voted in favor of Paragraph 3 and
three against it.

In view of the fact that Paragraph 3 had already been
rescinded in Philadelphia, it may be assumed that the vote
of the twelve units in favor of it seems to have been given
more for expressing confidence in the members of the board
and in the national officers than for upholding the para-
graph itself.

The members of the joint conference committee, who
were appointed in Philadelphia, are the following: H. A.
Cole, Roy E. Harold, Jack Kirsch, Sidney E. Samuelson,
and Martin Smith. In Pittsburgh, the Board, including Mr.
Yamins, expressed its complete confidence in the integrity
and devotion to Allied principles of these members, and in
their ability to discharge the duties delegated to them with-
out either compromising or jeopardizing the independence
of Allied. No limitations were placed upon their actions
other than they should keep the central body informed of
the progress of their work.

Thus it may be said that harmony within the Allied
ranks has been definitely and completely restored.

Harrison's Reports naturally rejoices at this turn of
affairs in the Allied organizations and assures its exhibitor
subscribers that Mr. Yamins will receive from this paper as
much support in performing his duties as a member of the
Allied Board as will any other member.

THE END OF THE "EXCLUSIVE RUNS"!

In an arbitration proceeding, brought by the owners of
the Earle Theatre against Loew's, Inc., in Wilmington,
Delaware, the Appeal Board of the Motion Picture Arbi-
tration Tribunal has handed down a decision that should
make every exhibitor cheer and cheer hard, because by this
decision an end is put to the "exclusive run," so long, at
least, as the Consent Decree remains in effect.

The facts of the case, as they appear from the decision
and opinion of the Appeal Board, were as follows:

Loew's owns and operates the Parkway Theatre in Wil-
mington, Delaware. This theatre has first run in the Wil-
mington competitive area on all the Metro pictures, and for
about 10 years Loew's policy had been not to license in the
Wilmington competitive area for a subsequent run any
of its pictures shown in the Parkway Theatre.

Each season a few Metro pictures arc not shown in the
Parkway Theatre. Some of these are shown in other theatres
(Continued on last page)

174

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 1, 1941

"How Green Was My Valley" with
Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara
and Roddy McDowall

(20tfi Century-Fox, Rel. not set; time, 118 mm.)

This is a great picture, both as to production and enter-
tainment values. John Ford's masterful direction has resulted
in entertainment that should delight all types of audiences;
moreover, there is a ready-made audience waiting to see it,
for the book from which the plot was adapted, was a best-
seller. So great an emotional appeal does it exert that even
the most hardened of picturegoers will find it difficult to
restrain his tears. The beauty and charm of the picture lies
not only in the story but in the characters, whose simplicity
and courage are a source of inspiration. The action revolves
around one Welsh mining family, consisting of father
(Donald Crisp), mother (Sara Allgood), six sons and one
daughter. Ford has directed them with such keen under-
standing and sympathy, that the audience feels affection for
them and follows their acts with interest. The scenes at the
beginning of the picture of their family life — of the love
and affection each shows for the other, of the joys and
celebrations they participate in — are delightful. This makes
their eventual breaking up all the more heartbreaking. The
performances are uniformly excellent. But special mention
must be made of master Roddy McDowall, who plays the
part of Huw, the youngest son; his charm should win for
him the praises of all. The settings are extremely realistic.

The story is started in narrative form: the voice of Huw,
now sixty years old, is heard. He starts telling the story of
the valley which once was green. Their family had been
very happy. Mr. Morgan, the father, and his five older sons
had worked in the mine and pooled their earnings. One son,
Ivor, had married Bronwen (Anna Lee); the ceremony had
been performed by the new minister Mr. Gruffydd (Walter
Pidgeon). The peace of the valley had been disturbed by the
influx of cheap labor, which meant a cut for the miners. The
Morgan boys could not stand the injustice and were all for
forming a labor union. Hard times had followed because of
a strike. The strikers, knowing that father Morgan was
against the strike, talked against him. Enraged, Mrs. Morgan,
accompanied by Huw, attended a secret meeting and be-
rated the men. On the way home in the dark during a storm,
she and Huw had fallen from a bridge into a stream. Help
had arrived; but both mother and son were very ill, Huw
having suffered frozen legs. The doctor thought that Huw
would never again walk, but the minister had faith and
finally encouraged him to walk. Huw's sister Angharad
(Maureen O'Hara) loved the minister and he loved her;
but he would not have her share his poor life. She had then
married the mine owner's son and had gone away. The
strike was settled, but wages were lower. Two sons, Owen
(James Monks) and Gwilym (Evan S. Evans) went to
America. Huw was sent to school; but he suffered the taunts
of the pupils and teacher and finally decided to work in the
mine with his father. A disaster caused Ivor's death; and
Huw, knowing Bronwen was lonely, decided to live with
her, so that she could take care of him and forget her
loneliness. Angharad returned to the village, sick and un-
happy. Gossipers soon spread talk about her love for the
minister. Gruffydd, denouncing them, resigned from the
pastorate. Just as he was leaving, there was a great cave-in
at the mine, and Mr. Morgan was killed. Two other sons
had gone away, and the family was broken up. The years
had changed the green valley into a dirty mining village.

The plot was adapted from the novel by Richard Llewel-
lyn; Philip Dunne wrote the screen play, and Darryl F.
Zanuck produced it. Others in the cast are John Loder,
Barry Fitzgerald, Welsh Singers, Arthur Shields, Ann Todd.
Suitable for all.

"Three Girls About Town" with
Joan Blondell, Binnie Barnes
and John Howard

(Columbia, October 23; time, 72 min.)

Just a fair program farce. The story is silly and in some
respects unpleasant; yet it may entertain undiscriminating
audiences, for the action is fast-moving and in several situa-
tions pretty comical. The wise-cracking dialogue occasionally
provokes laughter. Moreover, the leading players give com-
petent performances. One of the unpleasant features, al-
though treated in a comedy vein, is the characterization of
the heroine's young sister, who is man-crazy; she forces her
attentions even on her sister's fiance: —

In order for them to earn enough money to keep their
young sister (Janet Blair) at an exclusive finishing school,
Joan Blondell and her sister (Binnie Barnes) work as
hostesses at a convention hotel. John Howard, a newspaper
columnist in love with Miss Blondell, dislikes the work she

was doing and tries to induce her to marry him. He pur-
posely inserts in his column an item expressing doubt as to
the respectability of the hotel and of the hostesses, hoping
that Miss Blondell would lose her job and marry him. Egged
on by the women's clubs, police chiei Hugh O'Connell
warns the girls that the first misstep would mean the end of
the hotel. To add to their troubles, Miss Blair, who had run
away from school, arrives and insists on working with them.
She makes a nuisance of herself by forcing herself on
Howard. But the trouble really begins when the sisters dis-
cover a "dead" man in the room next to theirs. Miss Blon-
dell calls on Howard to help them; but when he recognizes
the man as a federal strike mediator, who had been called to
the hotel to settle an important strike, he telephones the
news to his office. Miss Blondell, enraged, tries to hide the
body. She and Miss Barnes finally put the body in one of the
coffins displayed at a convention of morticians. After much
excitement, during which they and Howard lose the body
and arc chased by the police, it develops that the mediator
was not dead at all but merely under a trance in which he
had been placed by a hypnotist, who finally brings him back
to life. In the meantime, Howard accidentally settles the
strike and becomes famous. With an increase in salary, he
is able to marry Miss Blondell.

Richard Carroll wrote the screen play, Leigh Jason di-
rected it, and Samuel Bischoff produced it. Robert Benchlcy,
Eric Blore, Una O'Connor are in the cast.

Not for children.

"Blues in the Night" with Priscilla Lane,
Richard Whorf, Betty Field
and Lloyd Nolan

(Warner Bros., Rel. date not set; time, 87 min.)
This melodrama with music may not be cheerful enter-
tainment, but it has the ingredients for strong mass appeal.
For one thing, the music, which is of the blues variety, is
still popular; for another, the melodramatic action holds one
in suspense; and for still another, the acting of some of the
characters is superb. Although several characters are vicious
and/ their actions unpleasant, their viciousness is offset by
the fact that the leading players are sympathetic and decent.
One feels deep sympathy for the hero, who becomes en-
meshed with a woman who almost drives him mad. And the
idea of having a group of six people sticking together
through sorrow and joy is inspiring: —

Richard Whorf, a piano-player in a St. Louis cafe, his
partner (Billy Halop), a drummer, and ardent admirer
(Elia Kazan), a law student who preferred to be a musi-
cian, get into a fight and land in jail. There they meet
Peter Whitney, another musician and old friend of Whorf's.
Kazan's mother puts up bail for them, and the four start out
as a unit to play the sort of blues music they loved. They
meeet Jack Carson, an excellent trumpeter, and his charm-
ing wife (Priscilla Lane), a singer; since both were floun-
dering around without any means of support, they accept
Whorf's offer to join their group. They make their way
across country in freight cars. Lloyd Nolan, fleeing the
police, joins them in a freight car and robs them of their
money. The fact that they do not turn him over to the
police when they had an opportunity impresses him and he
gives them an address of a roadside inn in New Jersey,
where he wanted them to meet him. They finally arrive
there, and Nolan, who had taken over the place from his
double-crossing pals (Betty Field and Howard daSilva),
gives them a job as musicians, with lodgings in the barn.
The band is successful and the place flourishes, not only as
a dancing but also as a gambling resort. Carson plays up to
Miss Field until he learns that Miss Lane was pregnant;
that naturally brings him to his senses. Miss Field tries to
win her way back into Nolan's affections, but he would have
nothing to do with her. She finally goes after Whorf, who
falls madly in love with her. He leaves his friends and goes
to New York with Miss Field to earn more money with a
known band. She soon gives him up; he becomes desperately
ill, but is nursed back to health by his friends and resumes
with them. One night Miss Field returns; in a quarrel with
Nolan she kills him. Whorf tries to protect her and plans
to run away with her again. But Wallace Ford, a cast-off
lover of Miss Field's, who respected Whorf, prevents this
by killing Miss Field and himself. Whorf's friends reason
with him and for the first time tell him that Miss Lane's
baby had died. This finally brings them together and again
they start travelling across country in freight trains, happy
with their music.

Robert Rosscn wrote the screen play from a story by
Edwin Gilbert; Anatole Litvak directed it, and Henry
Blanke produced it. In the cast are George Lloyd, Charles
Wilson, Mat McHugh, and others.

Not suitable for cihldren.

November 1, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

175

"Men in Her Life" with Loretta Young,
Conrad Veidt and Dean Jagger

(Columbia, J^ovember 20; time, 89 min.)
This drama is a little slow in getting started, and main-
tains a leisurely pace throughout. Yet the story arouses in-
terest as it goes along, and ends in a dramatic and somewhat
touching vein. As entertainment, it should appeal mostly to
women, for there is too little action for male audiences. The
production is lavish, and the acting and direction praise-
worthy:—

Conrad Veidt, a retired ballet dancer, takes an interest
in Loretta Young, for he believed she had talents as a ballet
dancer. He takes her into his home for the purpose of
instructing her; this he does against the wishes of his
faithful housekeeper (Eugenie Leontovich), who feared that
he might overtax his strength. Under his tutelage Miss
Young develops into a talented dancer and becomes inter-
nationally famous. Knowing that Veidt loved her, she mar-
ries him, even though she had becomes interested in a
younger man (John Shepperd). On the night of Miss
Young's greatest triumph in New York, Veidt dies from a
heart attack. Dean Jagger, a wealthy business man who had
taken an interest in her, helps her arrange matters so that
she could leave for a European tour. Miss Young, happy to
see Shepperd in London, is disappointed when she learns
that he was engaged to be married. She decides to marry
Jagger, who had followed her to Europe, promising to give
up her career. After her marriage she is asked to dance at a
memorial performance given in Veidt's memory, and she is
eager to accept. Jagger refuses to give his permission, and
they part. Miss Young goes back to dancing. She gives
birth to a daughter, but keeps the news from Jagger. When
the child is two years old, she again meets Shepperd, who
had not married. They plan to marry, and are happy until
Jagger arrives; he had found out about the child and de-
mands her custody. Broken-hearted, Miss Young turns the
child over to him; she bids them farewell as they sail for
America. That night, Shepperd is killed in an accident. Miss
Young's dancing deteriorates and she receives only cheap
engagements. After a few years, she returns to New York
and begs Jagger to let her see the child; he refuses but
promises to bring her to the performance. This elates Miss
Young and she dances superbly. The child (Ann Todd) is
thrilled, and Jagger takes her backstage. When Jagger sees
mother and child together he relents, and he and Miss
Young remarry.

Frederick Kohner, Michael Wilson, and Paul Trivers
wrote the screen play from a story by Lady Eleanor Smith;
Gregory Ratoff directed and produced it. In the cast are
Otto Kruger, Paul Baratoff, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Appointment for Love" with
Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan

(Universal, October 31; time, 89 min.)

This romantic comedy is fairly good adult entertainment.
Its appeal is directed, however, more to the class trade than
to the masses. Yet the drawing power of Charles Boyer and
Margaret Sullavan, and the lavishness of the production
are good selling points and should insure healthy box-office
returns. The story is its weak point; it is unsubstantial and
the characters fail to awaken sympathy: —

Miss Sullavan, a successful woman doctor, meets and falls
in love with Boyer, a famous playwright. But, since she
refused to give up her work, she felt that marriage for them
would be a failure. He pursues her and finally induces her
to marry him. They leave for his country lodge, to spend
their honeymoon. No sooner do they arrive than Boyer
receives a telephone call from a former flame (Rita John-
son), who was at the railroad station and insisted on seeing
him. Through a pretext he leaves Miss Sullavan, and rushes
down to the station. By promising Miss Johnson the leading
part in his new play, he gets rid of her. He returns to the
lodge but in a few minutes they are again interrupted, this
time by an urgent call for Miss Sullavan to return to her
post at the hospital. Boyer is unhappy at his inability to get
together with his wife. To add to his annoyance, Miss
Sullavan takes a separate apartment in the same building
and they sec each other only rarely. Miss Johnson tries to
win back Boyer. Deciding to make one last attempt to be
with his wife, one night he goes to her apartment, to wait
tor her and to spend the night with her. But she, having had
the same idea, goes to his apartment to wait for him And
so each one again spends the night alone. A scandal ensues
when Boyer publicly demands to know where she had been
all night. They both learn the truth and arc united

Lidislaus Bus-Fckctc wrote the story, and Bruce Manning
and Felix Jackson, the screen play; William A. Scitcr di-

rected it, and Bruce Manning produced it. In the cast are
Eugene Pallette, Ruth Terry, Roman Bohnen, Reginald
Denny, Cecil Kellaway, J. M. Kerrigan, and others.
Not for children.

"You Belong to Me" with Barbara
Stanwyck and Henry Fonda

(Columbia, October 30; time, 95 min.)

A fair romantic comedy. The plot is thin and the action is
padded. For instance, a certain scene, which shows husband
and wife having breakfast together, the wife later leaving
him because of her duties as a doctor, and waving to him
from her car, is repeated a few times. Not only does
the story lack substance, but the characters are somewhat
silly and their actions unbelievable. The one who suffers
most is Henry Fonda, in the part of the husband; he is
placed in the position of acting like a fool. The plot twists
are obvious; only occasionally does the story brighten up to
the extent of provoking laughter: —

Fonda, a millionaire playboy, meets and falls in love with
Barbara Stanwyck, a young doctor. She warns him that
marriage to her might prove irritating because she would
have to devote most of her time to her work. By assuring her
that he would understand, Fonda induces her to marry him.
On the very first night of their marriage Miss Stanwyck is
called away by a patient. And after that she has little time
to give to Fonda. He forgets his promise about understand-
ing, and becomes annoyed when he learns that she had as
patients attractive young men. He makes scenes — he knocks
out these patients, and in many ways interferes with his
wife's work. He apologizes each time, promising to reform,
but he does not. In desperation, Miss Stanwyck threatens
to leave him. He then decides to do something with his time,
and so he gets a job as a clerk in a department store. He
telephones Miss Stanwyck, telling her to close her office, for
he was now working; but he is recognized by the other
clerks, who demand his resignation because he was taking
away work from some poor man. At last he awakens to the
realization that he could do something with his millions: He
buys a bankrupt hospital; and to his wife's surprise and
happiness he informs her he would act as business manager
and she could be chief doctor.

Dalton Trumbo wrote the story, Claude Binyon the screen
play, and Wesley Ruggles directed and produced it. In the
cast are Edgar Buchanan, Roger Clark, Ruth Donnelly,
Melville Cooper, and others.

Not for children.

"Weekend for Three" with Dennis O'Keefe
and Jane Wyatt

(RKO, Dec. 12; time, 65 min.)

Based on a familiar plot, this marital program comedy
offers only mild entertainment. The performances are adc
quate and the production values good; but the comedy is
forced, and the action develops in so obvious a manner that
one loses interest in the proceedings. It is, therefore, best
suited for second place on a double-feature program: —

Jane Wyatt is annoyed at the fact that her husband
(Dennis O'Keefe) found it necessary to spend a great deal
of his time, including evenings, with his most important
client (Edward Everett Horton). She is, therefore, delighted
when an old friend (Philip Reed), who was on his way to
California, stops at their Cleveland home for a week-end
visit. She hoped that his attentions to her would awaken
O'Keefe to the fact that she missed those attentions from
him. But Reed is too much for O'Keefe; he had so much
vitality and good spirits that he wears out everyone. Miss
Wyatt and O'Keefe are compelled to join him in a tour of
night clubs; even Miss Wyatt longs for the old quiet days.
To their dismay Reed decides to stay on longer. In an effort
to get rid of him, they pretend that their maid (Zasu Pitts)
had left. But this does not bother Reed; instead he takes
over the duties of the maid, upsetting the household. Then
Wyatt thinks of another plan: O'Keefe was to pretend that
he had to go to Chicago, would stay at the club, and she
would join him there, pretending that she, too, was going
to Chicago. But the plans go awry when Horton brings to
O'Kcefe's room a blonde, and Miss Wyatt, on arriving
there, misunderstands. Everything is finally adjusted, when
it develops that Reed knew the blonde, and was off to Reno
to keep her company while she obtained a divorce.

Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell wrote the screen play
from a story by Budd Schulbcrg; Irving Rcis directed it,
and Tay Garnett produced it. In the cast arc Franklin Pang-
born, Marion Martin, Hans Conrcid and Mady Lawrence.

Morally suitable for all.

"South of Tahiti," Universal: a melodrama that might
entertain children, but hardly adults. Review next week.

176

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 1, 1941

in Wilmington first run and, as to these pictures, Loew's was
willing to license other theatres in the Wilmington competi'
tive area for a subsequent run.

The Earle Theatre, located at New Castle, Delaware,
about six and one-half miles from the Parkway Theatre and
in the same competitive area, has been denied a subsequent
run on the Metro pictures because of the Loew's policy of
exclusive license to the Parkway Theatre. The owner of the
Earle demanded arbitration under section VI of the Consent
Decree, which provides for the granting of some run to an
exhibitor. The arbitrator of the Philadelphia Arbitration
district held that the Earle Theatre was entitled to some
run, whereupon Loew's appealed to the Appeal Board.

In affirming the award of the arbitrator, the Appeal Board
held partly as follows:

"Complainants rely on this Section [VI] and seek some
run of M-G-M pictures for the Earle theatre. Defendant
has made no claim that complainants do not meet the con-
ditions stated in Section VI and has offered no evidence to
show that the granting of some run to the Earle theatre
would have the effect of reducing defendant's total film
revenue in the Wilmington competitive area. Complainants
therefore are clearly entitled to an award of some run un-
less defendant is correct in claiming that Section XVII of
the Decree has the effect of nullifying the provisions of
Section VI with respect to a producer's own pictures dis-
tributed to and exhibited in its own theatre.

"Section XVII of the Decree provides, where pertinent,
as follows:

" 'Nothing contained in this decree shall be construed
to limit, impair or restrict in any way whatsoever the right
of each distributor defendant to license the exhibition, or in
any way to arrange or provide for the exhibition in such
manner, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as
may be satisfactory to it, of any or of all of the motion pic-
tures which it may at any time distribute (1) in any theatre
in the ownership, lease, management or operation, or in the
proceeds or profits from the management or operation, of
which it directly or indirectly, by stock ownership or other-
wise, owns a financial interest at the time of the entry of this
decree and also at the time of such license, . . .'

"The only question involved in this appeal is whether
Section XVII permits the defendant to maintain an exclusive
run policy for the exhibition of its own pictures in its own
theatre in the competitive area which includes the City of
Wilmington and such nearby towns as New Castle. A proper
construction of Section XVII does not permit the exclusive
run policy claimed by the defendant. Section XVII refers
merely to arrangements made by a distributor defendant for
the exhibition of its own pictures in its own theatres or in
the theatres in which it is interested to the extent provided
by Section XVII. The right of each distributor defendant to
contract with its own theatres for the exhibition of its own
pictures is not limited, impaired or restricted; but there
Section XVII stops. There is nothing in that section limit-
ing the right of independent exhibitors to obtain pictures
pursuant to the provisions of Section VI. If the contention
of the defendant should be upheld it might nullify to a large
extent one of the main purposes of the Decree. To enable
independent exhibitors to obtain pictures for exhibition in
their theatres is a basic object of the Decree. If each of the
five distributors, who were parties to the Decree, had the
right in each competitive district where it had a theatre of
its own to grant its theatre an exclusive license, such as the
Parkway has enjoyed, the result might well be, if all five
exercised their right, disastrous to many independent ex-
hibitors who would be able to obtain few if any pictures for
exhibition in their theatres. In such event many independent
exhibitors might well be put out of business. The Decree
does not contemplate any such result. . . .

"Section VI gives each distributor ample protection. If a
distributor can show that the granting of a run on any terms
to an exhibitor will have the effect of reducing the distribu-
tor's total film revenue in the competitive area in which the
exhibitor's theatre is located then the distributor may refuse
a license. If the contrary is true and the distributor's total
film revenue is not reduced by granting an independent

exhibitor a run, then the distributor cannot possibly be in-
jured."

For the present, it is sufficient to say that the independent
exhibitors have won a most important victory, which, at the
same time, should cause no hardship to the major dis-
tributors.

A further discussion of the effects of this decision and of
its implications will appear in next week's issue.

HERE AND THERE

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS that deserve the early
consideration of an inter-industry committee are, according
to the views of the Allied Board, the following. Coordina-
tion of policy and action on:

1. Taxation.

2. Protecting the good name of the industry.

3. Formulating plans for meeting increasing competition
by rival forms of entertainment.

4. Formulating plans for institutional advertising for the
purpose of gaining the good will of the public.

5. Providing for the continuous flow of raw materials by
securing proper priority ratings.

6. Formulating of an economical distribution system to
take the place of the present system when the Consent De-
cree lapses.

7. Discussing and either adjusting or modifying the
policies or practices of one branch, or of a member of such
branch, of the industry that might prove harmful to any of
the other branches or of a substantial part of any of them.

In making the aforementioned recommendations public,
the Allied Board authorized its general counsel to state that
National Allied, when the joint committee is established
and Allied becomes a member to it, will not appeal to the
public for any grievance unless the committee, after sub-
mission of the grievance to it, refuses to remove its causes.
It will not, however, submit for consideration any matter
that might be, either outside the committee's purview, or
unlawful. But in the case of differences for which solution
cannot be found, it reserves the right to pursue its own
course, adopting measures that may be approved by the
board of directors.

The aforementioned Allied policy is, indeed, a progres-
sive, far-sighted move, and proves conclusively that Allied
is a constructive force. The Allied statement is sober and
fair, and one that should gain the approval of every one in
the other branches of the industry.

Harrison's Reports wishes the inter-industry committee
Godspeed.

TWO PICTURES WITH A
SIMILAR THEME

The theme of the Columbia picture, "You Belong to Me,"
with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, is similar to that
of the Universal picture, "Appointment for Love," with
Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan. In both pictures the
heroine is a woman doctor, and in each picture she falls in
love and marries a wealthy person. In the Columbia picture,
the hero is a millionaire playboy; in the Universal picture,
he is a famous playwright. But in each picture, the husband
is jealous of his wife and jealousy prompts him to do acts
that humiliate his wife in public.

It is the opinion of this paper that the two pictures should
not be played closely together in the same town, let alone
in the same theatre. As a matter of fact, it should be prefer-
able that only one picture be played in the same town if it
were not for the fact that no exhibitor can afford to shelve
either picture because of the drawing power of the stars.

It is unfortunate that this duplication in theme should
have happened. The Hays office on the coast should be more
careful when the loss of so much money is involved, and
when people who should happen to see both pictures might
conceive the notion that they have seen the same picture
under two different titles.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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dbc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1941 No. 45

BENEFITS FROM THE ELIMINATION
OF THE "EXCLUSIVE RUNS"

Under the heading, "The End of the Exclusive
Runs," you were given in last week's issue the facts
about the Appeal Board's decision that outlawed all
exclusive runs under the Consent Decree, and were
told that additional comment would be made in this
week's issue.

First of all, let me say that the industry is indebted
to Loew's, Incorporated, for the broadminded way
by which it acted in this case. To begin with, the
complainant named "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pic'
tures" as the defendant: although there is no such
corporation, Loew's, Incorporated, which is the name
of the corporation that handles Metro'Goldwyn'
Mayer pictures, refused to take advantage of this
technicality to block the case. On top of that, the
complainant had not requested "some run" since the
Consent Decree went into effect; his request had last
been made in 1934. Had Loew's so felt, it might have
requested that the case be thrown out of arbitration,
and the complainant would have no recourse, unless,
of course, he would make a new demand, and Loew's
would reject it. The Loew's executives were interested
in the issue, and not in technicalities, preferring to
have the case heard on its merits.

And now about the decision itself: no branch of
the industry has any cause for complaint about the
decision that has outlawed the "exclusive run"; every
branch of it will derive benefit from the elimination
of this practice. The independent exhibitors will
profit, because many exhibitors will now be able to
get pictures denied them heretofore. The distributors
will profit, because they will find that their revenue
will increase in each competitive area, even if they
should be compelled, as they will be in some cases, to
make a slight reduction in the film rentals of those
houses that enjoyed the exclusive run privilege. If a
distributor should, in a case here and there, find that
his granting of a subsequent run would diminish his
revenue in a particular area, the theatre that will
demand the run will, either make up the difference,
or do without the run, for Section VI, which requires
that the distributor grant a "run" to every theatre
that needs it, protects the distributor by the wording,
" . . . unless the granting of a run . . . will have the
effect of reducing the distributor's total film revenue
in the competitive area. ..."

Even the exhibitor who has been enjoying exclusive
runs will escape harm, for experience has proved that
the reduction, and in some cases the elimination, of
clearance, although it increased the receipts of the
subsequent-run theatre greatly, had no effect what-
ever on the receipts of the prior-run theatre.

In addition to benefiting producers as well as ex-

hibitors, the elimination of the exclusive run will
benefit the public in the localities affected by the
new ruling. An exhibitor contracted for an exclusive
run with no other purpose than to compel the public
in that locality to see the pictures in his theatre, at the
prices charged by it. Since many picture-goers could
not pay the prices charged in that theatre, they were
compelled either to get along without seeing them, or
to go to some other locality to see them, at great in-
convenience and often at considerable cost in car
fares. Such a policy was not conducive to the building
up of good will, so necessary in the show business. If
anything it was an obstacle in developing the picture-
going habit.

This paper fought against the exclusive runs and is
glad to see them go.

HERE AND THERE

PRESENT INDICATIONS lead an observer to
believe that the selling system that has been imposed
upon the five consenting companies by the Consent
Decree will not last beyond the beginning of the
1942-43 season because, not only is it unlikely that
the suit against the three non-consenting distributors
will have been tried by that time, but also the majority
of the exhibitors are opposed to any system that pre-
vents them from buying a company's entire output
at one time.

In view of the fact that the block-booking system
does not take into consideration the interests of the
public even though it suits the majority of the exhibi-
tors, Harrison's Reports predicts that its reestab-
lishment will cause a revival of the attempts on the
part of the public groups to put through Congress a
bill similar to the Neely Bill.

Since Allied has promised to the distributors that it
will not resort to legislation for the solution of any
problem before it is submitted to the joint conference
committee for action, the public groups will not have
the support of Allied in its efforts. This will, in the
eyes of these groups, put the blame for the moral tone
of the pictures shown in the theatres squarely upon
the exhibitors' shoulders; the exhibitors will no longer
be able to throw the blame on the distributors by
asserting that they have to show whatever pictures
are furnished them. For this reason, this problem will
have to be among the first that the joint conference
committee will have to discuss for the purpose of
finding a solution. The old block-booking system can-
not be forced down the throat of the picture-going
public, even if it suits the exhibitors, for it affects
public morals, and an equitable solution, the kind that
will give the exhibitor a great latitude in the rejection
of unsuitable films, even if not as great as is given him
by the Consent Decree, must be found.

(Continued on last page)

178

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 8, 1941

"A Date with the Falcon" with George
Sanders and Wendy Barrie

(RKO, January 16; time, 63 min.)

A fair program melodrama with comedy. The action is
fast-moving, but the story is far-fetched, failing to hold one's
interest throughout. Yet those who have enjoyed the other
melodramas in which George Sanders has appeared as a
private detective may enjoy this one, too, for the ingre-
dients are the same: that is, he endangers his life to trap
the criminals, has arguments with his fiancee because of his
interest in sleuthing, and in a comical way shows up the
police to be far less competent than he is: —

Sanders is about to leave town with his fiancee (Wendy
Barrie) to meet her family; he had promised her he would
not become involved in any detective work. Yet his interest
is aroused when James Gleason, police inspector, shows him
a synthetic diamond that even he could not tell apart from a
genuine diamond, and informs him that the inventor (Alec
Craig) of the process had been kidnapped by a criminal
gang. Sanders refuses to become involved in the case. He
becomes interested again when he is approached by Mona
Maris, who, he knew, was connected with the gang; she
offers him a proposition to join them, but he turns her
down. Fearing that Sanders was involved in the case with
the police, the criminals try to kill him. In the meantime,
Miss Barrie becomes angrier every moment because they had
already missed their plane. She follows Sanders to a hotel
where she believed he would meet Miss Maris. But Sanders
there discovers a dead man, whom the police identify as
Craig. Sanders has other ideas. He deliberately lets himself
be captured by the criminals, so that his assistant (Allen
Jenkins) could follow them and then notify the police where
they were. Victor Kilian, head of the gang, leaves to make
arrangements for the sale of the formula. While he is gone,
Sanders convinces Miss Maris that Kilian was going to
double-cross her. Miss Maris takes him with her to the place
where Kilian had gone; she kills Kilian and then escapes.
Gleason thinks Sanders had committed the murder. But
they finally capture all the members of the gang and get
back the formula. Sanders proves that it was the inventor's
twin brother they had killed and not the inventor. With
the case solved, Sanders sets out with Miss Barrie on their
trip.

Lynn Root and Frank Fenton wrote the screen play,
Irving Reis directed it, and Howard Benedict produced it.
Not suitable for children.

"Swing It Soldier" with Ken Murray
and Frances Langf ord

(Universal, "N^ovember 7; time, 66 min.)

A moderately entertaining program comedy with music.
If your patrons are interested in radio personalities, they
may enjoy the picture, for several well-known performers
such as Don Wilson, Skinnay Ennis and his band, Kenny
Stevens, Six Sweethearts, Brenda and Cobina, and Hanley
Stafford appear in it. But, aside from their individual stints,
and Frances Langford's singing, the picture offers little in
the way of entertainment for general audiences. The story
is just an excuse for tying the different acts together. There
is a routine romance: —

When Ken Murray is discharged from Army service, he
promises his pal (Lewis Howard) to look after Frances
Langford, a radio singer, to whom Howard was secretly
married; Howard tells Murray that Miss Langford was
expecting a baby. Unknown to Howard or to Murray, or
for that matter to anyone at the broadcasting studio, Miss
Langford had induced her twin sister (also played by Miss

Langford) to take her place on the program. Murray, with-
out explaining matters to the twin sister attempts to take her
under his wing and look after her health. She does not know
what he is talking about and is annoyed at his interfering
with her private life. After hard work, she obtains a con-
tract to sing on an important radio program. Before the
broadcast, she rushes to the hospital to see her sister, who
was about to give birth to her child. Murray warns his
employer, who was producing the show, that Miss Langford
would not return because she was going to have a baby; the
producer is frantic and gets another singer. Murray learns of
his mistake in time to get Miss Langford back on the program
in time. He confesses his love for her.

Doreas Cochran and Arthur V. Jones wrote the screen
play. Harold Young directed it, and Joseph G. Sanford pro-
duced it. In the cast are Susan Miller, "Senor Lee," Iris
Adrian, and Thurston Hall.

Morally suitable for all.

"Obliging Young Lady" with Joan Carroll,
Edmond O'Brien and Ruth Warrick

(RKO. January 30; time, 80 min.)

A fair romantic comedy. The performances by the three
leading players are definitely superior to the story itself.
Joan Carroll, the youngster who appeared with Ginger
Rogers in "Primrose Path," impresses one by her poise,
charm, and talents. With good stories, there is no reason
why she should not become popular; but the stories will
have to be better than this one. There are several situations
that provoke laughter, mostly because of the acting rather
than of the material. The romance is routine: —

While on her way back to New York from her vacation,
Ruth Warrick is annoyed by the efforts of Edmond O'Brien,
a passenger on the same train, to force his attentions on her.
When they arrive, he obtains her name from the label on
the suitcase. Miss Warrick returns to the law office where
she worked to find that her employer was working frantically
to bring together Marjorie Gateson and John Miljan, a
wealthy society couple who were fighting over the custody
of their child (Joan). He did not want the newspaper re-
porters to learn of the details. Since Joan's parents could not
come to terms, the lawyer decides to send Joan out of town
in Miss Warrick's care. In the meantime, O'Brien, who had
been unable to locate Miss Warrick and had resigned from
his position as newspaper reporter, arrives at the same
resort to which Miss Warrick and Joan had gone. He is
delighted, even though Miss Warrick refuses to have any-
thing to do with him; Joan likes him. In order to fool a
detective who had been sent by Miss Gateson to get Joan,
O'Brien and Miss Warrick pose as the parents of Joan. But
trouble starts when Miss Warrick's jealous boy friend
(Robert Smith) arrives, followed by Eve Arden, a news-
paper reporter, who wanted the story about Joan. When
Miss Warrick learns that O'Brien was a reporter, she thinks
that he had tricked her just for the sake of a story, and so
she sets out for New York with Smith and Joan. But Joan
sees to it that they are arrested; she makes up a story about
Miss Warrick's running away with another man and that her
father was alone. The judge telephones O'Brien, who rushes
to the rescue, first telephoning Joan's parents to come for
their child. Everything is finally straightened out, and Miss
Warrick and O'Brien are finally united.

Arthur T. Horman wrote the story, and Frank Ryan and
Bert Granet, the screen play; Richard Wallace directed it,
and Howard Benedict produced it. In the cast are Charles
Lane, Franklin Pangborn, and George Cleveland.

Morally suitable for all.

November 8, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

179

"Public Enemies" with Phillip Terry
and Wendy Barrie

(Republic, October 30; time, 66 min.)

A fair program melodrama. Its value as entertainment
lies in the fact that the action is paced briskly; the story
itself is farfetched. Yet those who are not too discriminat-
ing, and who enjoy the gangster variety of pictures, may be
entertained. In addition to the melodrama, there is comedy
and a romance: —

Wendy Barrie, an heiress, who disliked being pestered by
newspaper reporters, decides to teach Phillip Terry, a re-
porter, a lesson. She gives him a false story, which his paper
prints. When the truth becomes known, Terry is discharged
by his irate editor. Conscience-stricken, Miss Barrie decides
to help Terry. She agrees to pay Paul Fix, a stool pigeon, a
large amount of money for documents he had stolen incrimi'
nating the leaders of a ring of smugglers. Terry, realizing
that Miss Barrie would get into trouble mixing with such
tough characters, and knowing that she was trying to get
the information for him so he could have an exclusive story
and get his job back, follows her to the place where she was
to meet Fix. Russell Hicks, head of the ring, orders his
henchmen to kill Fix so as to make it impossible for Terry
to get the documents. Fix is compelled to hide and does not
keep his appointment. Eventualy he gets a message to Terry
that he would meet him at his (Terry's) suburban home. But
the gangsters follow him there; Fix hides the papers in a
washing machine. Later he is killed. Hicks, believing that
Terry had the papers, kidnaps Miss Barrie to force Terry
to return the papers. Through a ruse, Terry leads the
gangsters to believe that he would turn over the papers to
them at their hideout. He arranges with the police to follow
him. After a terrific battle with the gangsters, Terry rescues
Miss Barrie. Her aunt (Nana Bryant) finds the papers and
turns them over to the police. The gang is rounded up. Terry
and Miss Barrie plan to marry.

Michael Burke wrote the story, and Edward T. Lowe and
Lawrence Kimble, the screen play; Albert S. Rogell directed
it, and Robert North produced it. In the cast are Edgar
Kennedy, William Frawley, Marc Lawrence, and Willie
Fung.

Not for children.

"South of Tahiti" with Brian Donlevy,
Broderick Crawford, Marie Montez
and Andy Devine

(Universal, October 17; time, 75 min.)

The most receptive audience for this comedymelodrama
should be youngsters who may be entertained by the adven-
tures of the hero and his pals on a tropical island. It is
doubtful if adults will have patience to sit through the non-
sensical action; not only is it silly, but it is so obvious that
one loses patience by the time the picture is half through.
It is best suited for the lower half of a double-feature
program: —

After a brawl in a cafe with Henry Wilcoxon, who had
robbed them of the share of their profits of a pearl fishing
expedition, Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford, and Andy
Devine, three pals, set out in their boat on an expedition of
their own. Their motor fails and, after days of hunger and
thirst, they drift to an uncharted island. On investigation
they find that it was inhabited by a peaceful group of
natives, who were ruled by kindly H. B. Warner. Donlevy
is charmed by a young native girl (Maria Montez), and
although neither understood the other's language they get
along well together; anyway she had him in her power

because of her control over the leopards that roamed the
island, frightening him. The three friends are astounded
when they watch a tribal ceremony to see pearls cast into
the flames as part of the festivities. Crawford and Devine
immediately try to devise means by which they could gain
possession of the pearls, but Donlevy tries to dissuade them,
by reminding them of the kindness shown them by the
natives. Warner's young son is killed by a shark when he
rushes to the help of Miss Montez, who had been diving.
The three friends discover that Abner Biberman, an un-
friendly native, was planning to kill Warner and rule the
island. But Warner's pet leopards set upon Biberman and
kill him. The leopards also come to the rescue of the three
friends when Wilcoxon, who had arrived at the island, and
his crew try to beat them up. Donlevy learns that Miss
Montez was not a native girl; and so he decides to stay on
and marry her. The friends decide to settle down there also.

Gerald Geraghty wrote the screen play from Ainsworth
Morgan's story; George Waggner directed and produced it.
In the cast are Armida, Ignazio Saenz.

Morally suitable for all.

"Four Jacks and a Jill" with Anne Shirley
and Ray Bolger

(RKO, January 23; time, 68 min.)

A lightweight comedy with music and romance. The
performances, particularly by Anne Shirley and Ray Bolger,
are very good. When they appear in musical numbers and
Bolger dances one is entertained. But the trouble is that
there is not enough music and most of the action is not of
much interest. Moreover, the story is highly far-fetched, to
the point where it becomes silly: —

Bolger, knowing that the engagement at a cafe of his
band depended on their retaining the singer (June Havoc),
is compelled to pay attention to her. He tells his three pals
in the band that he was afraid to do this because of the fact
that a notorious gangster (Jack Durant) was in love with
Miss Havoc and resented any attentions paid to her by other
men. Bolger accidentally becomes acquainted with Miss
Shirley, and leads her to believe that he owned the cafe
where he worked. She arrives there one night just in time
to save his life for Durant suspected he was going to meet
Miss Havoc and was ready to kill him. Bolger takes her to
the apartment where he and the other three boys lived. She
wins them over by her charms and talents as a singer. By
convincing Fritz Feld, owner of a fine cafe, that she was
an old favorite of a fugitive king who was residing in
America, she obtains a job for the band with herself as
vocalist. But they are worried when one day Desi Arnaz,
posing as the King, appears. Durant feels certain that he
was the man Miss Havoc had become friendly with, but
when he hears he is a king, he apologizes and invites him
to a big party at the cafe the next night. Arnaz and his
henchman (Henry Daniell) who actually was working as
butler to the real king pick Durant's pockets of jewels and
money. Arnaz pays attention to Miss Shirley much to
Bolger's disgust for he was in love with her. This starts a
quarrel and they part. But Arnaz is determined to bring
them together, which he finally accomplishes. On the night
of the big party Arnaz appears in the king's uniform which
he had stolen; but later he runs away with Miss Havoc, much
to Durant's sorrow. Bolger is happy he is gone; but their
troubles start all over again when the real king shows up
and takes a fancy to Miss Shirley.

John Twist wrote the screen play from a story by Monte
Bricc. Jack Hively directed it, and Mr. Twist produced it.

Morally suitable for all.

180

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 8, 1941

REPRESENTATIVES OF ALLIED were in
New York last week conferring with heads of the
distributing companies with a view to expediting the
formation of the joint conference committee.

Since its formation, Allied has been ready at all
times to cooperate with the producers for the purpose
of solving industry problems without a strife, but the
producers invariably failed to take advantage of its
good will. This time, however, there seems to be a
decided tendency to pay serious attention to the Allied
offer and this paper has no doubt that the committee
will be founded and will be functioning very soon.

There has never been a time when the producers
needed the exhibitor's cooperation and good will more
than they need it now. The Clark-Nye- Wheeler com-
mittee's hearings in Washington, coupled with the
Bioff-Browne trial in New York, will require hard
work on the part of every branch of the industry to
offset the ill effects of these two occurrences.

* * *

ON MONDAY OF THIS WEEK Paramount
obtained from Judge Goddard permission to sell its
pictures in Minnesota in accordance with the Minne-
sota block-booking law until such time as the higher
courts determine the law's validity. In other words,
Paramount will no longer be compelled to trade show
its pictures before selling in that state.

The Paramount executives still believe that the law
is unconstitutional, but they decided to apply to
Judge Goddard to be relieved of the Consent Decree's
selling restrictions only because they did not wish to
deprive their customers and the public of Paramount
pictures while the case is pending in the courts.

None of the other four companies has indicated a
desire to follow the Paramount lead.

If and when the joint conference committee is
formed and begins functioning, the problem created
by the Minnesota law is one of the other important
problems that will have to be taken up with a view
to finding a solution.

* * *

TO THE TELEGRAM BY WHICH T. E.

Mortensen asked of the consenting distributors to do
something in Minnesota to help the exhibitors get
pictures so that they might keep their theatres open,
which telegram was discussed in the October 18 issue
under the heading, "The Wrong Attitude," the reply
that was sent by W. F. Rodgers, general sales manager
and vice president of Loew's, Inc., was no less dis-
couraging than the reply that was sent to Mr. Mort-
ensen by Gradwell Sears, erstwhile sales head of
Warner Bros. Pictures; it reads as follows:

"Your recent wire has been delayed in acknowledg-
ment because of my absence from the city. Surely you
must know there is nothing I can do other than to
suggest that your subscribers, and I assume they are
likewise our customers, present their opposition views
to their representatives in the Minnesota state legisla-
ture. And while I do not claim any knowledge of
parliamentary procedure, it does strike me that a
special session could be called for such an emergency.
Meanwhile, we are conducting our business under
requirements of the consent decree and respecting its

principles in all of its content. I am really distressed
at the condition you point out to me and sincerely
hope those whom you say are in the majority will
shortly and effectively make known to the proper
authorities the unnecessary legislation."

* * *

MANY EXHIBITORS FEEL THAT there is a
shortage of pictures as a result of the change of selling
system, brought about by the Consent Decree. But
is there really a picture shortage? Let us examine
the facts:

In the twelve weeks beginning August 3, 1940,
96 pictures were reviewed; this year 125 pictures
have been reviewed in the same number of weeks
beginning August 2. That is, 29 pictures more have
been reviewed this season; or, 23-1/5%.

The shortage seems to be mental rather than actual.
If some exhibitors are really short of pictures, it means
that they have not rushed to buy pictures because,
either the prices are too high, or the quality too low.
If the former is the case, the distributors will soon
have to come down to earth; if the latter, the exhibi-
tors will pay to the distributors no more than the pic-
tures are worth. In either case, the exhibitors are the
gainers thereby.

* * *

IN ITS OCTOBER 29 ISSUE, Daily Variety, of
Hollywood, announced that it was celebrating its
Eighth Anniversary.

One of that paper's accomplishments has been to
expose Willie Bioff . As a matter of fact, it was Arthur
Unger, its publisher, who dared the powerful Bioff,
suffering great losses for a while, for its advertising
pages diminished at that time as a result of that fight;
many of the Hollywood producers, fearing the Bioff
wrath, withdrew their advertising from Daily
Variety. But because right always triumphs Daily
Variety triumphed: Westbrook Pegler, the famous
columnist, took up Daily Variety's fight with the
well known results.

Part of its editorial comment is as follows :

"Had the industry, or a few company heads of it,
revealed to the trade press the demands and threats
of Bioff, there would not have been the chaos and
trouble encountered when the phenagling of 'Weepin'
Willie' was brought to light by Uncle Sam's criminal
proceedings against him.

"Daily Variety had no fear of Bioff. He made
threats to us, tried to drive us out of business, at-
tempted intimidation in every way he could con-
ceivably think of or do to whip us into line. But
Daily Variety wanted no truck with Bioff or his ilk.
It told him off personally and in no subdued manner.
The industry could have done likewise. ..."

Mr. Unger is right — the industry could have done
likewise; it could have done what the exhibitors of
New York City did several years ago when a repre-
sentative of Lord's Day Alliance tried to blackmail
exhibitors in this city. A little of Arthur Unger 's and
of the New York City exhibitors' courage could
have saved the industry leaders involved the present
humiliation.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 187f.

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1270 SIXTH AVENUE
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A Motion Picture Reviewing Service
Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors

Published Weekly by
Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

Publisher
P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Established July 1, 1919

Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial
Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

Circle 7-4622

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1941 No. 46

HERE AND THERE

AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION
of Texas Allied, held in Dallas last week, Col.
H. A. Cole, the organization's president,
stated that the percentage terms demanded by
the consenting distributors are so burdensome
that they are making the operation of small'
town theatres impossible.

It seems as if some of the consenting distrib'
utors are taking advantage of the Consent
Decree's provision that compells them to sell
their pictures in blocks consisting of no more
than five pictures to demand high percentages
for most of the pictures in each group, regard'
less of the merit of the pictures. Any wonder,
then, that the majority of the exhibitors are
opposed to the new selling plan?

In insisting upon the partial elimination of
block'booking, the Government felt that it
was rendering a service, not only to the pub'
lie, but also to the independent exhibitor, who
was given the right to see the pictures before
buying them. If the distributors are going to
turn this feature of the Consent Decree against
the exhibitor, it is sure that the Government
will seek to find a way whereby the distributor
will not be able to turn the system to the ex'
hibitor's disadvantage. If the government will
do nothing to bring him relief, then the exhibi'
tor will again try to seek relief by legislation.
He will demand that a bill such as that of
former Senator Neely be introduced in Con'
gress. And this time no distributor politics, be
they manipulated by the Hays association or
directly, will be able to prevent the passage of
such a bill.

This paper is beginning to waver as to
whether the selling system that has been estab'
lished by the Consent Decree can be of benefit
to the independent exhibitor while the distrib'
utors still do their thinking in the old way.
* * *

AN INTERESTING CASE of refusal to
right a wrong has been brought to the atten'
tion of the members of The Independent Thea'
tre Owners of Ohio by Pete Wood, executive
secretary of that association, in his November
3 bulletin.

It seems as if an exhibitor, after playing a
high percentage picture and losing money with
it, applied to the exchange for an adjustment.
The following is an excerpt from a letter sent
by that exchangeman to the exhibitor con'
cerned:

"We have just heard from our New York
office regarding the adjustment on the picture
you played on percentage in January 1940,
and they advise that, under no circumstances
will they give you the $5.50 adjustment you
requested. Please understand that we make the
greatest, the finest, the most stupendous pic
tures ever made, or, in fact, ever to be made,
and we cannot afford to set a precedent by giv'
ing you this adjustment, thus admitting that
our pictures are not worth what we say they
are worth."

It is too bad that Pete Wood has not given
the exchange manager's name. If he had given
it, we might recommend him to his company's
home office as the man who is rendering it the
greatest disservice. It will take many good'will
ambassadors to offset the harm that will be
done to that company by the exhibitor's broad-
casting the contents of that letter.

* * *

ON MONDAY THIS WEEK, Warner
Bros, announced that it has applied to Judge
Goddard for relief against those of the Con'
sent Decree provisions that are in conflict
with the Minnesota statute so that the com'
pany might be enabled to sell pictures in that
state.

Though the Warner press release states
that the Warner executives made the applica'
tion out of consideration for public feelings
and of the harsh effect on the exhibitors in that
state, Harrison's Reports is of the opinion
that the move was made because Paramount
made that move first. And I would not be
surprised if the other consenting distributors
followed suit.

Though the distributors may give in on the
first case of this kind, I doubt whether any of
them would weaken if any other state passed a
law similar to that of the State of Minnesota.
(Continued on last page)

182

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 15, 1941

"H. M. Pulham, Esq." with Hedy Lamarr,
Robert Young and Ruth Hussey

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 118 min.)

Pretty good entertainment, with an appeal to women.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has produced this drama with great
care, giving it a lavish background, careful direction, and
competent performers. The fame of the novel from which it
has been adapted may help it considerably at the box-office.
Its chief fault is that it is too long; because of this the action
drags at times and one becomes slightly restless. Moreover,
the fact that it is told in flashback lessens one's interest to
some degree, for one knows in advance what would happen.
And the story itself is neither novel nor exciting: —

Robert Young, born and raised in the conventional
wealthy atmosphere of a Boston family, has been married
for twenty years to Ruth Hussey. Working on his biography
for his class reunion at Harvard, Young looks back upon
his life. Having returned from the World War, he had
decided to break away from his family and work in an
advertising agency in New York with his friend (Van
Heflin). There he had met Hedy Lamarr, who worked in
the same office; they had fallen deeply in love with each
other. Young intended remaining in New York; but the
sudden death of his father brought responsibilities on him
and he had to take up where his father had left off. But Miss
Lamarr could not stand living in the stuffy society atmos'
phere, and so they had parted. Young had married Miss
Hussey and had been fairly happy. Just while he was work'
ing on his biography he is surprised to receive a call from
Miss Lamarr, who was visiting in the city. Seeing each other
revives the old flame; but they both realize that they could
not go back, and so they part again. In a way Young is
happy, for he lived the kind of life to which he belonged.

Elizabeth Hill and King Vidor wrote the screen play from
the novel by J. P. Marquand; King Vidor directed it. In
the cast are Charles Coburn, Fay Holden, Bonita Granville,
Douglas Wood, Leif Erikson, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Devil Pays Off" with
J. Edward Bromberg, Osa Massen
and William Wright

(Republic, 'Hov. 10; running time, 70 win.)

A pretty good program espionage melodrama. Although
the plot is somewhat far-fetched, the action holds one in
suspense. Moreover, the production values are good, the
performances credible, and the direction competent. Most of
the excitement is concentrated towards the end, where the
hero plans to outwit the villain and trap the espionage gang.
There is a routine romance : —

William Wright, a former lieutenant commander in the
U. S. Navy, who had been discharged for actions unbecom-
ing to an officer, is called into service again, not as a naval
officer but as ah agent for the Intelligence Division. His
assignment was to obtain evidence against J. Edward Brom-
berg, shipping magnate, who was known to be in league
with foreign enemy powers to defraud the U. S. government
of ships he had presumably sold to them. Wright's superior
officer suggests that he play up to Bromberg's beautiful wife
(Osa Massen). Wright is given tickets for Havana, aboard
the same ship on which Miss Massen was returning to her
husband in Havana. To his surprise, Wright finds that he
had also been supplied with a "wife" (Margaret Tallichet).
Wright manages to become acquainted with Miss Massen
and leads her to believe he preferred her to his "wife." When
Charles D. Brown, commander of one of Bromberg's ships,
is picked up at sea, Wright is suspicious, and listens in to a
conversation. He overhears Brown telling the Captain that
he had been put overboard by the crew when he had refused
to comply with Bromberg's order to turn the ship over to a
foreign power. Brown is unaware that the Captain and the
ship's doctor were in league with Bromberg. The doctor
administers a drug that renders Brown helpless; their scheme
was to pretend he had died and bury him at sea. But Wright
and Miss Tallichet, unknown to their enemies, manage to
get Brown out of the coffin and sneak him into Havana when
they arrive. By obtaining information from Miss Massen,
Wright learns that Bromberg planned to turn the fleet, that
had already been sold to the U. S. Government, over to
enemy powers. With the help of Brown and police, Wright
traps Bromberg, and rounds up the gang. Bromberg falls to
his death. The ships are delivered to the United States
agents. With the case finished, Wright and Miss Tallichet
decide to marry.

George Yates and Julian Zimet wrote the story, and
Lawrence Kimble, Malcolm S. Boylan, the screen play; John
H. Auer directed and Albert J. Cohen produced it. Abner
Biberman, Martin Kosleck, and Ivan Miller are in the cast.

Unsuitable for children.

"Top Sergeant Mulligan" with
Nat Pendleton, Frank Faylen
and Charles Hall

(Monogram, October 24; running time, 70 min.)

Here's a 1 airly entertaining program army comedy, the
kind that should fit in nicely in neighborhood theatres. Al'
though the story is thin, it has many amusing situations; and
the good acting on the part of Frank Faylen and Charles
Hall, as a comedy team, does much to enliven the action.
Two songs have been interpolated in a natural way and do
not retard the action. The love interest is routine: —

Faylen and Hall, partners in a drug store, are hounded
by Nat Pendleton, a bill collector, to whom they owed a
large sum of money. Learning that the debts of soldiers were
deferred until their discharge from the Army, Faylen and
Hall enlist. No sooner do they arrive at camp than they
learn, to their dismay, that Pendleton, too, had enlisted and
that he was their Top Sergeant. Again he starts his demands
for the money owing to him. In an effort to pacify him,
Faylen decides to borrow from Sterling Holloway, a soldier
carrying on a loan shark business at camp with Pendleton as
his partner, $100, promising to repay it with $100 interest,
so as to give it to Pendleton. But when he and Hall go to a
night club to give a message to Marjorie Reynolds, singer
and sweetheart of Tom Neal, one of their soldier friends, a
golddigger (Carol Bruce) soon takes all the money from
them. Again Faylen approaches Holloway for a $100 loan;
but this time he promises to pay $400 interest. They get
deeper into trouble each moment, and involve Neal's father;
all three land in the guardhouse. Holloway helps them es-
cape, for a neat sum as usual. They jump into an Army car
and start racing away; but Pendleton goes after them. Finally
they turn back. Once back at camp, Faylen and Hall are
complimented for their excellent driving, and Holloway and
Pendleton are put in the guardhouse because of their loan
shark activities. Faylen helps out Neal by obtaining his
parents' consent to his marriage to Miss Reynolds.

Edmond Kelso wrote the screen play, Jean Yarborough
directed it, and Lindsley Parsons produced it. In the cast are
Betty Blythe, Dick Elliott, Wonderful Smith, and Maynard
Holmes.

Morally suitable for all.

"Design for Scandal" with Rosalind Russell,
Walter Pidgeon and Edward Arnold

(MGM, Rel. date not set; time, 84 min.)

A very good sophisticated romantic comedy. Even though
the story is thin, one is entertained, for the dialogue is
sparkling and individual situations are highly amusing.
Moreover, the performances are skillful and the characters
agreeable. The action occasionally slows down, but for the
most part it moves at a sprightly pace : —

Edward Arnold, a penny-pinching millionaire newspaper
reporter, is enraged when he receives a telephone call from
his star reporter (Walter Pidgeon), in which Pidgeon calls
him all kinds of names; he immediately discharges him, not
knowing that Pidgeon was calling from a coal mine in which
he had been trapped by a cave -in. Pidgeon had called feeling
he had nothing to lose. But to his surprise he is rescued and
naturally is out of a job. Arnold is sued for divorce by his
golddigging wife (Mary Beth Hughes) ; he is enraged when
the Judge (Rosalind Russell) sets alimony at $4,000 a
month for five years, in addition to fining him for contempt
of court. Miss Russell states that she would not consider an
appeal. Arnold realizes that while Miss Russell was on the
bench he could hope for no relief. So when Pidgeon offers
to frame Miss Russell off the bench in return for an impor-
tant position with a bonus and large salary, Arnold is com-
pelled to give in. Pidgeon's idea was to involve Miss Russell
in a love affair, and then have Jean Rogers, a manicurist
friend, sue Miss Russell for alienation of affections. The
scandal would force her off the bench. Pidgeon follows Miss
Russell to her summer home. His many attempts to strike up
a friendship are repulsed by her. Finally she succumbs and
falls in love with him, as he does with her. Just when he had
decided to abandon his plans, Miss Russell learns about the
scheme. She issues subpoenas for Arnold and Pidgeon to
appear before the presiding judge (Guy Kibbee) on a charge
of conspiring to obstruct justice. Pidgeon, acting on his own
behalf, insists on questioning her and forces her to admit
she loved him. She rushes out of the courtroom in tears.
Kibbee sentences him and Arnold to one day in jail. Pidgeon,
handcuffed to Arnold, rushes after Miss Russell, and finally
wins her back by pretending he had been hurt by a car.

Lionel Houser wrote the screen play, Norman Taurog di-
rected it, and John W. Considine, Jr., produced it. In the
cast are Lee Bowman, Barbara Jo Allen, Leon Belasco, and
others.

Morally suitable for all.

November 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

183

"Kathleen" with Shirley Temple,
Herbert Marshall and Laraine Day

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 87 min.)

Shirley Temple has not only retained all her charm in
growing up, but has developed also as an actress. She domi'
nates this picture, and turns what might have been ordinary
entertainment into something that is pleasant and filled
with human appeal. The story is neither new nor exciting; in
less competent hands parts of it might have seemed slightly
silly. But so intelligently does she act, that one's attention
is held throughout. On occasion she provokes hearty laughter
by her actions towards a woman she disliked, who insisted
on treating her like a baby. Laraine Day and Felix Bressart,
as the two grownups who understand Shirley, give her fine
support. There is a pleasant, though unbelievable, re
mance: —

Shirley, daughter of wealthy Herbert Marshall, lives a
lonely life, for she had no mother and her father spent very
little time with her. She is under the care of Nella Walker,
an extremely unpleasant woman, who spied on her, and
whom Shirley disliked intensely. Her only friend was Felix
Bressart, owner of a small swap shop. She would sneak out
of the house once a week to spend some time with him. She
pretended she was a poor girl, but he, knowing who she was
and how lonely she felt, advises her to dream about things
she would like to happen; she follows his advice. Marshall
calls in a psychiatrist. He advises Marshall to get rid of Miss
Walker, promising to send in her place a well known child
psychologist (Laraine Day), who had three months leisure
time before leaving for a South American assignment. Shirley
becomes deeply attached to Miss Day; she dreams that her
father would fall in love with Miss Day and marry her. But
when it looks as if her father was determined to marry Miss
Patrick, and that neither he nor Miss Day wanted the re-
sponsibility of caring for Shirley, she is heartbroken and
runs away to Bressart, who had moved to another city. Bres-
sart naturally calls Marshall. He arrives with Miss Day.
Shirley's joy is indescribable when Marshall informs her that
he was going to marry Miss Day.

Kay Van Riper wrote the story, and Mary C. McCall, Jr.,
the screen play; Harold S. Bucquet directed it, and George
Haight produced it. In the cast are Lloyd Corrigan, Guy
Bellis, Wade Boteler, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Stork Pays Off" with
Maxie Rosenbloom, Victor Jory
and Rochelle Hudson

(Columbia, November 6; time, 68 min.)

A minor program comedy. The story is ridiculous and the
action uninteresting; and its box-office appeal is further
limited by the fact that the players are weak attractions.
Another bad feature is that a racketeer is glorified as a
hero; an attempt is made to arouse sympathy for him by
explaining that neither he nor his henchmen had ever
killed any one. The romance is routine: —

Victor Jory, owner of a laundry, had a lucrative racket;
whenever a restaurant, night club, barber shop or any other
business firm dealing with him owed him a large bill for
laundry service and could not pay, he would force his debtor
to turn his business over to him. His henchmen (Maxie
Rosenbloom, Horace MacMahon, and George McKay) used
strong-arm methods whenever it became necessary to con-
vince some one of the "worthiness" of the plan. Jory in-
structs his three henchmen to take over another concern
called "Storks' Club," which he thought was a night club.
But it turns out to be a day nursery run by Rochelle Hudson.
Jory falls in love with Miss Hudson and becomes her bene-
factor; he brings to the nursery poor children from slum
districts, without charging their parents for the service.
When Miss Hudson's divorced husband threatens to take
from her their child because of her association with a racke-
teer, Jory decides to make a name for himself. He runs for
Congressman; but naturally his men use their old methods
to win votes. At the last moment he decides to go straight
by confessing to the District Attorney his connection with
various "jobs" and he is brought to trial. Yet his kindness
to the poor children wins sympathy for him, and he is
elected and freed at the same time. He and Miss Hudson
plan to marry after Jory promises to lead a new life.

Aleen Leslie and Fania Foss wrote the screen play, Lew
Landers directed it, and Jack Fier produced it. Ralph Har-
olde is in the cast.

Not for children.

"Playmates" with Kay Kyser
and John Barrymore

(RKO, Dec. 26; running time, 95 min.)

This is the best of the Kay Kyser pictures. It is a tuneful,
fast-moving comedy, with a plot that is a little different from
most pictures in which name bands appear. The masses
should enjoy it thoroughly, for in it are situations that pro-
voke hearty laughter, and musical novelties that are both
amusing and well-played. Moreover, the settings are lavish
and the players competent. John Barrymore clowns his way
through the picture in his customary style, except for one
scene in which he starts the famous soliloquy from Hamlet
"To be or not to be." In that short scene he proves that he
can still hold an audience spellbound. The two romances are
treated in the same comical vein as the rest of the action: —

Patsy Kelly, press agent and manager for Barrymore, tries
her best to obtain for him a radio contract, with wealthy
George Cleveland as sponsor, for Barrymore was in debt and
needed work immediately. Cleveland is willing to sign such
a contract, provided Miss Kelly could obtain plentiful pub-
licity for Barrymore. She enters into a scheme with Peter
Lind Hayes, press agent for Kyser, to get publicity for both
Kyser and Barrymore, by releasing a story saying that Kyser
would study Shakespeare under Barrymore's tutelage, and
that in a few weeks they would play in a Shakespearean
festival at Cleveland's estate. Barrymore is frantic at the idea
that he, the great actor, should have his name linked with
that of a band leader. He warns Miss Kelly that under no
circumstances would he appear on the same stage with Kyser,
although he would agree to train him. When Barrymore's
tempestuous sweetheart (Lupe Velez) arrives in a fighting
mood because Barrymore had jilted her, he thinks of an
idea. Why not have Miss Velez vamp Kyser and so exhaust
him that he would not appear at the Festival. Yet with all
the running around that Miss Velez causes Kyser to do, he
still remains in the best of health. Desperate, Barrymore de-
cides, on the night of the festival, to trick Kyser by spraying
his throat with an astringent that would temporarily render
him speechless. But Kyser, having learned of the trick, turns
the tables on Barrymore by giving him the astringent; thus
Barrymore is unable to appear. Kyser goes on; his band and
the whole performance is a success. But he credits it all to
Barrymore, and so Barrymore gets the much-desired contract.

James V. Kern and M. M. Musselman wrote the story,
and Mr. Kern, the screen play; David L. Butler directed and
produced it. In the cast are May Robson, Ginny Simms, and
others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Tarzan's Secret Treasure" with Johnny
Weissmuller, Maureen O'SulIivan
and John Sheffield

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 80 min.)

If your patrons have enjoyed the previous Tarzan pic-
tures, they should certainly go for this one, for it is packed
with thrills. As in the others, the story is wildly melodra-
matic. But spectators have come to expect and accept that,
for their interest lies merely in the exciting situations. There
are many delightful comedy scenes provoked by the antics
of Cheeta, the ape; and the story has human appeal as a
result of the relationship between the hero, heroine, and
their young foster-son. The swimming scenes, particularly
those underwater, are a delight. The thrills start from the
very beginning; but it is in the closing scenes that they reach
the height of real excitement. There the hero rescues the
heroine and the boy, who had been captured by a cannibal
tribe. In these scenes he is shown tilting the canoes in which
the tribe was travelling, throwing the cannibals into the
water; most of them are devoured by alligators: —

Tarzan's happy, peaceful home life is interrupted by the
arrival of a scientific expedition headed by Reginald Owen.
Owen and his cameraman (Barry Fitzgerald) are friendly
and respect his privacy; but two assistants (Philip Dorn and
Tom Conway), having discovered that there was gold some-
where in the vicinity, kidnap Tarzan's wife and child in an
effort to compel him to tell them where the gold could be
found. They in turn arc kidnapped by the cannibal tribe. In
the meantime Owen dies from fever. With the help of Fitz-
gerald, Tarzan rushes to the rescue of his wife and boy and
saves them just in time. Dorn and Conway are killed by
alligators. Tarzan gives Fitzgerald a case of gold to take
home with him.

Mylcs Connolly and Paul Gangelin wrote the screen
play, Richard Thorpe directed it, and B. P. Fineman pro-
duced it.

Morally suitable for all.

184

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 15, 1941

So if the exhibitors of any other state should
be inclined to push through their legislature
such a law, they should first think of the con'
sequences.

Harrison's Reports suggests to Bill Rodg-
ers, of MGM, Ned Depinet, of RKO, and
Herman Wobber, of Twentieth Century-Fox
to make at once a similar application to the end
that relief may be given to the exhibitors in the
State of Minnesota. Since the case against the
block'booking law is prosecuted in the courts,
nothing is gained by their refusal to do what
Paramount has done, and what Warner Bros,
is doing to bring relief to exhibitors in that
state. If the law is declared unconstitutional,
they will have lost nothing by coming to the
succor of the exhibitors now; on the contrary,
they will have benefitted themselves by selling
their pictures before they lose their publicity
value.

* * *

IT SEEMS AS IF what is sauce for the
goose is not sauce for the gander: a Paramount
announcement in the trade press states that
it will sell away from several Fox'West Coast
circuits on the ground that the theatre con'
cern is not offering satisfactory rental prices
and terms. About the same time it was stated
in the trade papers that the Paramount theatre
partners are not going to agree that all their
theatres play pictures on a percentage basis.
They do not object to having their big situa'
tion houses play on percentage, but not the
theatres in the smaller cities and in the towns.

The independent theatre owners might take
a leaf out of the Paramount partners1 book
and treat the Paramount salesmen no differ'
ently from the way the Paramount theatre
partners treat the salesmen of the other film
companies.

* * *

THE ADVANCE OF AVIATION has
created a serious problem in Hollywood. Just
as the director is ready to shoot a scene, a plane
flies past and he must wait until the sound of
the propeller dies down before giving word to
the actors to start acting and to the camera
man to start shooting.

According to Douglas Churchill, Holly
wood correspondent of the New York Times,
the producers have sent to Washington an
emissary to request of the Priorities Board
helium gas to be used in inflating orange
colored large toy balloons to warn planes away
while the shooting goes on. But it is doubtful
if even such a measure will correct the evil.

The development of the aeroplane may ac
complish what could not be accomplished by
any other method — remove the studios from

Hollywood to the east or to Florida, breaking
up the caste system and thus reducing the cost
of production. As long as production remains
in Hollywood, costs will be mounting yearly,
and the producers will be seeking to exact
heavier and heavier toll from the exhibitors,
until the exhibitors' backs are broken. And
such a condition would not be good for the
business.

* * *

IF THE THREE FILM COMPANIES
that are being sued by the Government on ac
count of the fact that they refused to sign the
Consent Decree are not found guilty by June
1, 1942, then the five consenting companies
may use the "escape clause.'"

The only provisions that the escape clause
will relieve them of in case they make use of
it are the trade showing of the pictures before
selling, and the selling them in blocks consist'
ing of no greater a number than five. All the
other provisions of the Consent Decree will
remain in force and effect so far as the five
consenting companies are concerned.

But even then, the Government retains the
right to compel the five companies to reestab'
lish the trade screenings and the selling in
blocks of five if it should obtain a conviction
at a later date.

It is possible that the three companies may
agree with the Government to have the suit
tried on a single question — whether the selling
of an entire season's product is or is not vio'
lation of the anti'trust laws.

* * *

IF THE GOVERNMENT SUIT against
the major companies has not accomplished
anything else except to install arbitration, it
has been worth the cost and the effort.

Arbitration is functioning smoothly, and is
benefiting the independent exhibitors greatly,
for it is establishing precedents in clearance,
and in compelling the distributors to grant to
an exhibitor "some run."

The decisions do not, of course, satisfy
everybody. But so is the case after decisions
are handed down in courts. There is, however,
this much to say about arbitration — it is inex'
pensive as compared with court costs, and a
decision is arrived at promptly.

The fault for many of the cases that have
been lost by exhibitors has been the exhibitors'
themselves, because of inadequate preparation
of their cases.

It is, of course, laborious to prepare a case
properly, but if an exhibitor wants to give
himself the best chance possible under arbitfra'
tion, he has to work for it.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO

HARRISON'S REPORTS

Vol. XXIII NEW YORK, N. Y., SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1941

No. 46

(Partial Index No. 6 — Pages 158 to 180 Incl.)

Titles of Pictures Reviewed on Page

All-American Co-Ed — United Artists (48 min.) 166

Appointment for Love — Universal (89 min.) 175

Blues in the Night — Warner Bros. (87 min.) 174

Burma Convoy — Universal (60 min.) , 162

Cash and Carry — MGM (See "Ringside Maisie") . . . 124D
Chocolate Soldier The — MGM ( 102 min.) 166

Date With the Falcon. A— RKO (63 mm.) 178

Dumbo — RKO (64 mm.) 162

Electric Man. The — Universal (See "Man Made

Monster") 50

Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring — Columbia (68 m.) . 172

Flying Cadets — Universal (60 min.) 172

Four Jacks and a Jill — RKO (68 mm.) 179

Gentleman From Dixie — Monogram (62 min.) 159

Girl Must Live, A — Universal (69 min.) 166

Great Awakening, The — United Artists

(See "New Wine") 124A

Hot Spot — 20th Century-Fox (82 min.) 170

How Green Was My Valley — 20th Century-Fox

(118 mm.) 174

International Lady — United Artists (101 min.) 159

It Started with Eve — Universal (90 mm.) 163

Kid From Kansas, The — Universal (60 min.) 1 58

Let's Go Collegiate — Monogram (55 mm.) 158

Maltese Falcon — Warner-lst Natl. (100 mm.) 159

Mary Names The Day — MGM (See "Dr. Kildare's

Wedding Day") 139

Men in Her Life — -Columbia (89 min.) 175

Mercy Island — Republic (72 min.) 167

Mob Town — Universal (60 min.) 167

Moonlight in Hawaii — Universal (60 min.) 167

Moon Over Her Shoulder — 20th Century-Fox (68 m.) . 170
Mr. Celebrity — Producers Releasing (66 min.) 172

Never Give A Sucker An Even Break — Universal

(70 mm.) 172

Niagara Falls — United Artists (42 min.) 167

Obliging Young Lady— RKO (80 min.) 178

One Foot in Heaven — Warner-lst Natl. (106 min.) ... 158

Public Enemies — Republic (66 min.) 179

Sailors on Leave — -Republic (70 min.) 162

Shadow of the Thin Man— MGM (96 min.) 170

Small Town Deb — 20th Century-Fox (72 mm.) 170

South of Tahiti — Universal (75 min.) 179

Sundown — United Artists (91 min.) 171

Swamp Water— 20th Century-Fox (90 min.) 171

Swing It Soldier — Universal (66 min.) 178

Target For Tonight — Warner Bros (49 min.) 172

Texas — Columbia (94 min.) 163

Three Girls About Town — Columbia (72 min.) 174

Twm6, The — MGM (See "Two-Faced Woman") 171

Two-Faced Woman — MGM (93 min.) 171

Two Latins From Manhattan — Columbia (66 min.) .... 158

Unholy Partners— MGM (94 min.) 166

Weekend for Three— RKO (65 mm.) 175

You Belong to Me — Columbia (95 min.) 175

You'll Never Get Rich — Columbia (89 min.) 159

RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR FEATURES

Columbia Features

(729 Seventh Ave., New Tor^, N. Y.^

1940-41 Season

2023 Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime —

Bellamy- Lindsay Aug. 14

2001 Here Comes Mr. Jordan — Montgomery-Rains. Aug. Is

2003 Our Wife — Douglas-Hussey-Drew Aug. 2k

2004 You'll Never Get Rich — Astaire-Hayworth . .Sept. 2 if

(End of 1940-41 Sewon)
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

3209 King of Dodge City— Elliott (63 m.) Aug. 14

3040 Mystery Ship— Kelly-L. Lane Sept. 4

3023 Harmon of Michigan — Harmon-Louise Sept, 11

3009 Ladies in Retirement — Lupino-Hayward . . . . Sept. 18

3020 Two Latins From Manhattan — Faikenburg-

Davis-Woodbury Oct. 2

3008 Texas— Holden-Ford Trevor Oct, 9

3041 The Blonde From Singapore — Rice-Erickson . Oct. 16

3210 Roaring Fro ntiers — Elliott (62 m.) Oct. 16

3016 Three Girls About Town — Blondell-Barnes. .Oct. 25

3003 You Belong To Me — Stanwyck-Fonda Oct. 30

3036 The Stork Pays Off — Rosenbloom-Hudson . . Nov. 6

3201 The Royal Mounted Patrol — Starrett Nov. 13

Secrets of the Lone Wolf — Wilh'am-Blore. . .Nov. 15
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring —

Bellamy-Lindsay Nov. 18

The Men In Her Life — Young- Veidt (reset) .Nov. 20

Go West, Young Lady — Singleton-Ford Nov. 27

Sing For Your Supper — Faikenburg (65 m.) .Dec. 4-

Honolulu Lu— Velez-Bennett-Carrillo Dec. 1L

Bedtime Story — Young-March-Benchley Dec. 18

3202 Riders of the Badlands — Starrett Dec. 18

Harvard Here I Come — Rosenbloom-Juda* IW. 2?

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer Feature*

(1540 Broadway, Hew Tor^, H- T.)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — Tracy-Bergman Sept.

202 Lady Be Good — Powell-Sothern-Young Sept

203 Down in San Diego— GranvtUe-Gorcey Sept.

204 HonkyTonk — Gable-Turner-F. Morgan Oct.

205 Married Bachelor — Hussey- Young Oct,

206 Smilin' Through — MacDonald- Aherne- Raymond . Oct

207 The Feminine Touch — Russell-Ameche-Francis. ..Oct.

208 The Chocolate Soldier — Eddy-Stevens-Bruce. . . .Nov.

209 Unholy Partners — Robinson-Day-Arnold Nov.

210 Shadow of the Thin Man — Powell-Loy Nov.

211 Two-Faced Woman — Garbo-Douglas-C. Bennett. Nov.

Monogram Features

(630 Ninth Ave., Hew York. H. T.)

4152 Gun Man From Bodie — Buck Jones (62 m.) .Sept. 26

4160 Ponto Basin Outlaws — Range Busters(60m.) .Oct. 10
4107 Top Sergeant Mulligan — Pendleton (re.) . . . Oct. 24
4106 Spooks Run Wild — Lugosi-East Side Kids. . .Oct. 24
4124 Stolen Paradise (Adolescence) — Janney-

Hunt (reset) Oct. 31

Zis Boom Bah — Peter Hayes-Mary Healy. . . . Nov. 7
I Killed That Man — Ricardo-Cortez Nov. 14

4161 Underground Rustlers — Range Busters Nov. 21

Double Trouble — Harry Langdon Nov. 21

4 153. Forbidden Trails — Buck Jones Nov. 28

November 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page B

Paramount Features

(1501 Broadway, Hew York, H- T.)

4105 New York Town — MacMurray-Martin Oct. 31

4109 Birth of the Blues — Crosby-Martin Nov. 7

4110 Glamour Boy — Cooper-Foster- Abel Nov. 14

4107 Skylark— Colbert-Milland-Aherne Nov. 21

4106 Night of January 16 — Preston-Drew Nov. 28

4108 Among the Living — Dekker-Hayward Dec. 5

4150 Secret of the Wasteland — Bill Boyd Not yet set

41.51 Outlaws of the Desert — Boyd Not yet set

4152 Riders of the Timberline — Boyd Not yet set

4153 Stick to Your Guns — Bill Boyd Not yet set

4154 Twilight on the Trail — Boyd Not yet set

Republic Features

( 1790 Broadway. Hew York. H- T.)

1940-41 Season

048 Under Fiesta Stars — Autry (64 m.) Aug. 25

026 Doctors Don't Tell— Beal-Rice-Norris Aug. 27

058 Bad Man of Deadwood — Roy Rogers (61 m.) Aug. 27

042 Down Mexico Way — Autry (78 m.) Oct. 15

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

151 Jessie James At Bay — Roy Rogers (56 m.) . . . .Oct. 17
162 Gauchos of Eldorado — Three Mesq. (56 m.) . .Oct. 24

121 Public Enemies — Terry-Barrie Oct. 30

111 The Devil Pays Off — Bromberg-Massen Nov. 10

143 Sierra Sue — Gene Autry Nov. 12

173 A Missouri Outlaw — Red Barry Nov. 21

Tuxedo Junction — Weaver Bros.-Elviry Nov. 25

Mr. District Attorney In the Carter Case —

Ellison-Gilmore Dec. 5

RKO Features

(1270 Sixth Ave.. Hew York. H T.)
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

201 Citizen Kane — Orson Welles Sept. 5

202 Parachute Battalion — Preston-Kelly Sept. 12

203 Lady Scarface — O'Keefe-Anderson Sept. 26

204 Father Takes a Wife — Menjou-Swanson Oct. 3

281 Bandit Trail— Tim Holt (60 m.) Oct. 10

205 All That Money Can Buy— Shirley-Craig Oct. 17

206 The Gay Falcon — Sanders-Barrie Oct. 24

293 Dumbo — Disney (64 m.) Oct. 31

207 Unexpected Uncle — Shirley-Coburn-Craig . . .Nov. 7

208 Suspicion — Cary Grant-Joan Fontaine Nov. 14

209 Look Who's Laughing — Bergen-McGee Nov. 21

210 Mexican Spitfire's Baby — Velez-Errol .Nov. 28

282 Dude Cowboy — Tim Holt (59 m.) Dec. 10

211 Weekend for Three — O'Keefe-Wyatt Dec. 12

212 Playmates — -Kyser-J. Barrymore-Velez Dec. 26

213 A Date with the Falcon — George Sanders. . . .Jan. 16

214 Four Jacks and a Jill — Shirley-Bolger Jan. 23

215 Obliging Young Lady — Carroll-O'Brien Jan. 30

United Artists Features

(729 Seventh Ave.. Hew fork. H- T.)
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Three Cockeyed Sailors — Trinder July 4

Major Barbara — Hiller-Harrison-Morley Sept 12

Tanks a Million — Gleason-Tracy Sept. 12

International Lady — Brent-I. Massey Sept. 19

Lydia — Oberon-Cotton-Marshall Sept. 26

New Wine — Dona Massey Alan Curtis Oct. 10

Niagara Falls — Pitts-Woodworth-Brown Oct. 17

Sundown — Tierney-Cabot-Sanders Oct. 31

All American Co-Ed — Downs-Langford Oct. 31

The Corsican Brothers — Fairbanks- Warrick (re.) . .Nov. 14

Miss Polly — Pitts- Summerville Nov. 14

Twin Beds — J. Bennett-G. Brent Nov. 28

Fiesta — Anne Avars-George Negrete Nov. 28

The Gold Rush — Charles Chaplin reissue with words
and music Dec 25

Universal Features

(1250 Sixth Ave.. Hew York. H- T.)

1940-41 Season

Hold That Ghost — Abbott-Costello Aug. 8

5057 A Dangerous Game — Arlen-Devine Aug. 22

5044 This Woman Is Mine — Tone-Bruce-Brennan. Aug. 22

(Ho number will be assigned to "Hold That Ghost")
(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

6061 The Man From Montana — J.M.Brown( 56m.)Sept. 5
6013 Badlands of Dakota — Stack-Rutherford .... Sept. 5
6004 Unfinished Business — Dunne-Montgomery .Sept. 12

6030 Sing Another Chorus — Frazee-Downs Sept. 19

6045 A Girl Must Live — Lockwood Sept. 19

6051 The Kid From Kansas — Foran-Carrillo Sept. 19

It Started With Eve — Durbin-Laughton . ... .Sept. 26

6021 Mob Town— Dead End Kids— Foran Oct. 3

Never, Give a Sucker An Even Break —

Fields-Jean Oct. 10

South of Tahiti — Donlevy-Devine Oct. 17

Burma Convoy — Bickford- Ankers (re.) Oct. 17

6062 The Masked Rider— J. M. Brown (58 m.) . . .Oct. 24
6028 Flying Cadets — Gargan-Lowe Oct. 24

Appointment For Love — Boyer-Sullavan . . . . Oct. 31
Swing It Soldier — Murray-Langford Nov. 7

6063 Arizona Cyclone — J. M. Brown (57 m.) Nov. 14

Paris Calling — Bergner-Scott (re.) Nov. 14

602 5 Moonlight in Hawaii — Downs-Frazee Nov. 2 1

6044 Quiet Wedding — Lockwood (63 m.) Nov. 21

Keep 'Em Flying — Abbott-Costello-Raye. . .Nov. 28
Don't Get Personal — Herbert-Auer-Frazee. .Dec 5

Destiny — Rains-Lugosi Dec. 12

Hellzapoppin' — Olsen-Johnson-Raye (re.) . .Dec. 26

6064 Stagecoach Buckaroo — J. M. Brown (59 m.) .Jan. 2

Twentieth Century-Fox Features

(444 W. 56th St., Hew York. H- Y.)

214 Week-End in Havana — Faye-Romero-Payne. . Oct. 17

215 Moon Over Her Shoulder — Bari-Sutton Oct. 24

No release set for Oct. 3 1

217 Small Town Deb— Withers-Darwell- Wright. .Nov. 7

216 Hot Spot — Grable-Mature-Landis-Cregar . . . .Nov. 14

219 Rise and Shine — Oakie-Berle-Darnell Nov. 21

220 Cadet Girl — Landis-Montgomery (69 m.)... Nov. 28

221 Marry the Boss' Daughter — Joyce-Edwards. . Nov. 28

218 Swamp Water — Brennan-Huston-Baxter Dec. 5

222 Confirm or Deny — Ameche-J. Bennett Dec. 12

223 Perfect Snob — Bari-Wilde Dec. 19

Warner-First National Features

(321 West 44th St.. Hew Yor\, H- T.)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

102 The Smiling Ghost — Morris-Marshall-Smith. .Sept. 6

103 Navy Blues — Sheridan-Oakie-Raye-Haley Sept. 13

104 Nine Lives Are Not Enough — Reagan-Perry. . Sept. 20
101 Sergeant York — Cooper-Brennan-Leslie Sept. 27

105 Law of the Tropics — C. Bennett- Lynn-Toomey . Oct. 4

106 International Squadron — Reagan-Bradna Oct. 11

107 The Maltese Falcon — Bogart-Astor Oct. 18

No release set for Oct. 25

108 One Foot in Heaven — March-Scott-Bondi . . . . Nov. 1

109 Target for Tonight — British cast Nov. 8

110 Blues In the Night— P. Lane-Whorf Nov. 15

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page C

November 15, 1941

SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE

Columbia— One Reel

3701 The Crystal Gazer — Phantasies (10 m.) Sept 26

3653 Community Sing No. 3 — (10'/2 m-) Oct, 1

3973 The World of Sound — Cinescopes ( I0>/2 m.) . Oct. 3

3552 Buenos Aires Today (Buenos Aires Up To

Date) — Tours (8 m.) (re.) Oct, 10

3803 Jungle Fishing — Sport Reels (11 m.) Oct. 10

3902 The Gallup Poll — Panoramics ( 10 m.) Oct. 17

3751 The Great Cheese Mystery — Cartoon (re.). Nov. 1

3853 Screen Snapshots No. 3 — ( 10 m.) (re.) .... .Nov. 7

3974 Women in Photography — Cinescopes Nov. 7

3553 Alaska Tour— Col. Tours (10l/2 m.) Nov. 7

3982 How War Came — Raymond Gram Swing. . .Nov. 7

3804 Polo Champions — Sport Reels Nov. 11

3 50 1 Who's Zoo in Hollywood — Color Rhap. ( re. ) .Nov. 1 5

3654 Community Sing No. 4 Nov. 15

3903 New York's Finest — Panoramics Nov. 18

3603 Kitchen Quiz No. 2 Nov. 21

3502 The Fox and the Grapes — Color Rhap Dec 5

3854 Screen Snapshots No. 4 Dec. 5

3975 Strange Facts — Cinescopes Dec 6

3805 Pocket Billiards — Sport Reels . . .Dec. 14

3655 Community Sing No. 5 Dec. 19

3 50 3 Red Riding Hood Rides Again — Color Rhap. . Dec. 2 5

3752 The Tangled Angler — Cartoons Dec. 26

Columbia — Two Reels
1940-41 Season

2148 The Perilous Pit— Claw No. 8 ( 17 m.) Oct. 3

2149 The Cul-de-Sac — Claw No. 9 (17 m.) Oct. 10

21 50 The Curse of the Cave — Claw No. 10

(17l/2 m.) Oct. 17

2151 The Doctor's Bargain — Claw No. 11 Oct, 24

2152 Vapors of Evil — Claw No. 12 Oct. 31

2153 The Secret Door— Claw No. 13 Nov. 7

2154 The Evil Eye — Claw No. 14. Nov. 14

2155 The Claw's Collapse — Claw No. 15 Nov. 21

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

3424 The Blitzkiss — El Brendel (15 m.) Oct. 2

3402 In the Sweet Pie and Pie — Stooges (18 m.) . .Oct. 16
3453 International Forum No. 3 — (19 m.) (re.) . . .Oct. 17

3425 Lovable Trouble — Andy Clyde ( 16 m.) Oct. 23

3409 Mitt Me Tonight — Gloveslingers (16 m.) . . .Nov. 6

3426 She's Oil Mine — Keaton. . . Nov. 20

3121 Chaotic Creek— Holt of the Secret

Service No. 1 Nov. 21

3122 Ramparts of Revenge — Holt No. 2 Nov. 28

3410 Some More of Samoa — Stooges Dec 4

3123 Illicit Wealth— Holt No. 3 Dec. 5

3124 Menaced by Fate — Holt No. 4 Dec. 12

3125 Exits to Terror— Holt No. 5 Dec. 19

3126 Deadly Doom — Holt No. 6 Dec. 26

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer— One Reel
1940-41 Season

K-289 Hobbies — Passing Parade (10 m.) Sept. 20

S-272 Flicker Memories — Pete C >ith (8m.) Oct. 4

M'239 Triumph Without Drums— -Miniature

(11m.) Oct. 18

M-240 Viva Mexico— Miniatures (9 m.) Nov. 1

W-253 The Flying Bear— Cartoons (9m.) Nov. 1

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

T-311 Glimpses of Florida — Travel. (9 m.) Sept. 6

C-391 Helping Hands— Our Gang (11m.) Sept. 27

T-312 The Inside Passage — Traveltalks (9 m.)... .Oct. 4
S-361 Army Champions — Pete Smith (10 m.). . . .Oct. 11
C-392 Come Back Miss Pipps — Our Gang ( 1 1 m.) .Oct. 25

S'362 Fancy Answers — Pete Smith Nov. 1

M-331 Changed Identity — Miniatures Nov. 8

T-313 Georgetown, Pride of Penang — Travel-
talks (9 m.) Nov. 15

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer — Two Reel*
1940-41 Season

P-206 Sucker List — Crime Doesn't Pay (19 m.)

(reset) Sept 27

(End of 1940-41 Season)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

A-301 The Tell Tale Heart— Special (20 m.) . ... . .Oct. 25

Paramount — One Reel

Jl-l Popular Science No. 1 — (10 m.) Sept, 19

Wl-1 Superman — Cartoon (10 m.) Sept. 26

Al-1 Beauty and the Beach — Headliner ( 10'/2 m.) . Sept. 26

Ll-1 Unusual Occupations No. 1- — (10 m.) Oct. 3

Rl-2 Meet the Champs — Sportlight (9 m.) Oct. 3

SI- 1 How To Take a Vacation — Benchley

(10|/2 m.) Oct 10

Ml-1 Road in India — Fascinating Jour. (9J/2 m.). .Oct 24

Yl-2 In the Zoo — Animals (9m.) Oct 3 1

Rl-3 Sittin' Pretty — Sportlight (9 m.) Oct 31

Jl-2 Popular Science No. 2 Nov. 7

El-2 The Mighty Navy — Popeye cartoon Nov. 14

Wl-2 Superman in the Mechanical Monsters —

cartoon Nov. 21

Al-2 Copacabana — Headliner Nov. 21

Zl-2 Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 Nov. 28

Rl-4 Quick Returns — Sportlight Nov. 28

(Ul-1 "The Datfy Draftee," listed in the last Index as an
October 17 release, has been withdrawn)

14110
14111
14112
14113
14114
14115

24301
24401
24201
24302
24402
24202
24303
24403

23101
23401
23701
23102
23402
23103
23501
23702
23403
23502

RKO — One Reel
1940-41 Season

Old MacDonald Duck — Disney (8 m.) Sept 12

Lend a Paw — Disney (8m.) Oct 3

Donald's Camera — Disney (8 m.) Oct 24

The Art of Skiing — Disney (8 m.) Nov. 14

Chef Donald — Disney (7»/2 m.) Dec 5

The Art of Self Defense — Disney (8m.). . .Dec 26
(Three more Disney cartoons to come)

Beginning of 1941-42 Season

Pampas Paddocks — Sportscope (9 m.) Sept 5

Picture People No. 1 — (9 m.) Sept 12

Information Please No. 1 — (10 m.) Sept 19

Dog Obedience — Sportscope (9m.) Oct. 3

Picture People No. 2 — (9 m.) Oct. 10

Information Please No. 2 — (11 m.) Oct 17

Gaucho Serenade — Sportscope (9 m.) Oct 31

Picture People No. 3 — (9 m.) Nov. 7

RKO — Two Reels
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

March of Time No. 1 — (19 m.) Aug. 29

Westward Ho-Hum — Kennedy (16 m.)...Sept. 5

Man I Cured — Leon Errol (20 m.) Sept 26

March of Time No. 2— (20 m.) Sept. 26

I'll Fix It— Edgar Kennedy (17 m.) Oct. 17

March of Time No. 3 — (20 m.) Oct. 24

California Or Bust — Whitley (18 m.) Nov. 7

Who's a Dummy — Leon Errol Nov. 28

A Quiet Fourth — Kennedy (15 m.) Dec 19

Keep Shooting — Whitley (17 m.) Jan. 30

November 15, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS Index, Page

Twentieth Century-Fox— One Reel

2301 Aristocrats of the Kennel — Sports (10 m.). .Sept. 12

2502 Uncle Joey Comes to Town — T. Toon (7 m. ) .Sept. 19

2102 Glacier Trails — L. Thomas ( 10 m.) (re.) . . .Sept. 26

2553 Welcome Little Stranger — T. Toon (7 m.) . .Oct. 3
2402 Uncle Sam's Iron Warriors — L. Thomas

(10 m.) (re.) Oct. 10

2503 The Frozen North — Terry-Toon (7m.) Oct. 17

2202 Highway of Friendship— Adv. News Camera-

man (10 m.) (reset) Oct. 24

2554 Slap Happy Hunters — Terry-Toon (7m.).. .Oct. 31

2302 Life of a Thoroughbred — Sports ( 10</2 m.).Nov. 7

2504 Back to the Soil — Terry-Toon (7 m.) Nov. 14

2203 Wonders of the Sea — Adv. News Camera-

man (9 m.) Nov. 21

255 5 The Bird Tower — Terry-Toon (7 m.) Nov. 28

2103 The Call of Canada — Lowell Thomas Dec. 5

2505 A Yarn About Yarn — Terry-Toon Dec. 12

NEWS WEEKLY
NEW YORK
RELEASE DATES

Pathe News

25123
25224
25125
25226
25127
25228
25129
25230
25131
25232
25133
25234
25135
25236

Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.
Sat. (O.)
Wed. (E.

. Nov. 1 5
)Nov. 19
. Nov. 22
)Nov. 26
.Nov. 29
)Dec. 3
.Dec. 6
)Dec. 10
.Dec. 13
)Dec. 17
.Dec. 20
)Dec. 24
. Dec. 27
)Dec. 31

6352
6242
6373
6353

6374
6243
6244
6354

6883
6884

6223
6885
6886
6887
6224
6888

6889

Universal— One Reel

Northern Neighbors — Variety (9 m.) Oct. 13

Man's Best Friend — Lante cart. (7 m.) Oct. 20

The Candy Kid— Stranger Than Fic. (9m.) .Oct. 27
George Washington, Country Gentleman —

Variety (9m.) Nov. 10

Junior Battle Fleet — Stranger Than Fiction. .Nov. 17

What's Cookm?— cartoon (7 m.) Nov. 24

$21 A Day Once A Month — Cartoon Dec. 1

Annapolis Salutes the Navy — Scenic Dec. 8

Universal— Two Reels

The Tragic Crash — Sea Raiders No. 3 (20m.). Oct. 28
The Raider Strikes Again — Raiders No. 4

(21 m.) Nov. 4

Skyline Serenade — musical ( 16 m.) Nov. 5

Flames of Fury — Raiders No. 5 (19m.).... Nov. 1 1
Blasted From the Air — Raiders No. 6 (20m.) .Nov. 18
Victims of the Storm — Raiders No. 7 ( 19m.). Nov. 25

Doin' the Town — musical (15m.) Nov. 26

Dragged to Their Doom — Raiders No. 8

(18 m.) Dec. 2

Battling the Sea Beast — Raiders No. 9 ( 17m.). Dec. 9

Vitaphone — One Reel

7703 The Bug Parade — Merne Melodies (7m.).. .Oct. 11
7602 Robinson Crusoe, Jr. — Looney Tunes (7m.) .Oct. 1 1

7704 Rookie Revue — Merne Melodies (7|/2 m.) . .Oct. 25

7502 Carioca Serenaders — Mel. Mast. (9 m.) Oct. 25

7403 Water Sports — Sports Parade (9 m.) Nov. 1

7302 White Sails — Hollywood Novelties (8 m.)..Nov. 8

7705 Saddle Silly — Merne Melodies Nov. 8

7604 Porky's Midnight Matinee — Looney Tunes. .Nov. 15

7706 The Cagey Canary — Merne Melodies Nov. 22

7707 Rhapsody in Rivets — Merne Melodies Dec. 6

7503 40 Boys and a Song — Melody Masters Dec. 6

7603, Porky's Pooch — Looney Tunes (re.) .Dec. 6

7708 Wabbit Twouble — Merne Melodies Dec. 20

7402 King Salmon (Fishermen's Dream) —

Sports Parade (reset) Dec. 20

7303 Points on Arrows — Novelties Dec. 27

Vitaphone — Two Reels
Beginning of 1941-42 Season

7010 Minstrel Days — Brevities (21 m.) Sept. 6

7001 The Tanks Are Coming — Tech. Spec. (20m.). Oct. 4

7104 Perils of the Jungle — Brevities (19 m.) Oct. 18

7103 At the Stroke of Twelve — Brev. (21m.) Nov. 15

7105 West of the Rockies — Bway. Brevities Dec. 13

(7102 "Monsters of the Deep," listed in the last Index as an

October 18 release, has been postponed)

Universal

32 Friday Nov. 14

33 Wednesday . .Nov. 19

34 Friday Nov. 21

35 Wednesday . .Nov. 26

36 Friday Nov. 28

37 Wednesday . .Dec. 3

38 Friday Dec. 5

39 Wednesday . .Dec. 10

40 Friday Dec 12

41 Wednesday . .Dec. 17

42 Friday Dec. 19

43 Wednesday . .Dec. 24

44 Friday Dec. 26

45 Wednesday . .Dec. 31

Paramount News

23 Saturday . .

24 Wednesday

25 Saturday . .

26 Wednesday

27 Saturday . .

28 Wednesday

29 Saturday . .

30 Wednesday
3 1 Saturday . .

32 Wednesday

33 Saturday . .

34 Wednesday
3 5 Saturday . .
36 Wednesday

Metrotome

218 Thursday .

219 Tuesday . .

220 Thursday .

221 Tuesday . .

222 Thursday .

223 Tuesday .

224 Thursday

225 Tuesday .

226 Thursday

227 Tuesday .

228 Thursday

229 Tuesday .

230 Thursday

23 1 Tuesday .

. Nov. 1 5
.Nov. 19
.Nov. 22
. Nov. 26
. Nov. 29
..Dec. 3
. . Dec. 6
. .Dec. 10
. .Dec. 13
. .Dec. 17
. . Dec. 20
. .Dec. 24
. . Dec. 27
, . Dec. 3 1

News

.Nov. 13
.Nov. 18
. Nov. 20
.Nov. 25
. Nov. 27
.Dec. 2
. Dec. 4
.Dec. 9
.Dec. 11
.Dec. 16
.Dec. 18
.Dec. 23
• Dec. 25
.Dec. 30

Fox Movietone

20 Saturday Nov. 15

21 Wednesday . .Nov. 19

22 Saturday Nov. 22

23 Wednesday . .Nov. 26

24 Saturday . . . .Nov. 29

25 Wednesday . .Dec 3

26 Saturday ....Dec 6

27 Wednesday ..Dec 10

28 Saturday Dec. 13

29 Wednesday ..Dec. 17

30 Saturday Dec. 20

3 1 Wednesday . . Dec. 24

32 Saturday Dec. 27

33 Wednesday . .Dec. 31

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

United States $15.00 RnnmlRI? Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 iwum 101* Publisher

Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 . ,, ., _. . . _ .

Oroat Rritain 15 75 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

Australia, New 'Zealand,' Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919

India, Europe Asia .... 17.50 Jtg Editorial policy. No Problem Too Big- for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

ibc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1941 No. 47

IS THERE A

AN EXHIBITOR SUBSCRIBER and
personal friend writes me as follows:

"Regarding the issue of November 1 5 : So
you are starting to waver — as you say in Para-
graph 4. Brother, I told you then, and tell you
to make up your mind! The plan is bad. It is
only good for the distributors; they get more
'doe1 and the exhibitor gets the headaches. No
one knows better than I.

"Look at Warners' 40% & 35%! How
they flop at the box office! 'Dive Bomber/ for
example.

"The shortage of pictures is catching up
with every one. You should hear the wailing
of the brethren — begging for waivers on clear-
ance for one day, or two days, to keep open.
I foresaw it and now we've got it. And it is
gonna be worse!"

That the new selling system is working
against the exhibitors so far as cost of rentals
is concerned, there seems to be no doubt now;
but when I see some of the junk that the dis-
tributors are releasing under the new plan I
wonder how an exhibitor can buy them. If I
were an exhibitor I would close down a few
days in the week and tell my public that I am
unwilling to foist upon them pictures that in-
sult their intelligence, and would inform them
that my theatre would open only every time
I can buy a good picture. It is a bold sugges-
tion, but there seems to be no way out in im-
pressing upon the producers to better the qual-
ity of their product.

My friend says that "Dive Bomber" flopped
at the box office. Would it make a box office
success if it were sold in block form, along
with fifty other pictures?

In the face of exhibitor determined opposi-
tion to the Consent Decree selling plan, it is
doubtful whether the Department of Justice
will want to retain it after the test period is
over. What will happen after it is discarded, I
don't know. I say only this: If the quality of

WAY OUT?

the pictures has been bad when the distribu-
tors, in making them, knew that their pictures
would have to be shown to their exhibitors be-
fore sale, what will it be when they resume
the old practice of selling "a pig in a poke"?
There will be worse wailing yet.

Even after the Consent Decree selling plan
is discarded, I doubt whether prices will come
down, for the cost of pictures is continually
mounting, owing to incompetence, to labor
and to a million and one other causes. Read
part of what W. R. Wilkerson said in his No-
vember 6 issue of The Hollywood Reporter:

"There is no industry or business through-
out this great world that places such a high
premium on inferiority, as does the motion
picture business in its effort to create enter-
tainment. That premium permeates every
rank, every craft and every department of the
making of motion pictures. And because of
it, costs are beyond all reason. They have
climbed and climbed since the silent days, and
are still climbing, but with no advance in the
price of tickets to meet that cost. And there's a
saturation point, and it's about reached.

"Those of you who keep your eyes and ears
to the screen and study the progress (or lack
of it) of pictures, seeing the flop here and the
hit there, certainly wonder why Mr. Doe is
permitted to continue making flops, and the
studios continue paying him big money to
make them. You are amazed that when this
or that piece of direction, or writing, falls so
short of its mark too frequently, to find that
director or that writer have continued on the
payrolls, and the studios continue to toss im-
portant assignments their way. Why is such
a premium placed on such inferiority?

"Certainly the top men in the studios can
see the failures . . . ; certainly they are em-
barrassed at their flops. So why continue
flop efforts? Do they believe that there's an

(Continual on last page)

186

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 22, 1941

"They Died With Their Boots On" with
Errol Flynn and Olivia deHavilland

(Warner-First 'Hat'l, Rel. not set; time, 140 min.)

Covering a colorful and exciting period in the history of
the United States, this outdoor melodrama, produced on a
lavish scale, has plentiful action, of the type that appeals
especially to men. The action, for the most part, consists of
battle scenes. The first half depicts the Civil War struggle,
and the second half, the Indian raids in the Dakota territory.
The closing scenes, in which Custer and his regiment fight a
losing battle against the combined Indian forces, resulting
in the death of Custer and of all his men, are depicted thrill-
ingly. In between the battle scenes the romance is developed
and there are some bits of comedy: —

George Armstrong Custer (Errol Flynn) enters West
Point in 1857. Being a bad scholar, he constantly gets into
trouble, but as an equestrian and fighter he is tops. He falls
in love at first sight with Libby Bacon (Olivia deHavilland),
who was visiting West Point; but his sudden call to arms in
the Union Army prevents his seeing her for some time. Once
in Washington, Custer longs for action and finally convinces
General Winfield Scott (Sidney Greenstreet), commander
in chief of the Army, that his place was with the famous 2nd
Cavalry. Through an error, Custer is made a Brigadier
General; but he shows himself to be a brilliant leader, and
at the end of the war retires a hero; he marries Libby. Civil-
ian life makes him restless. He turns down an offer by
William Sharp (Walter Hampden) and his son Ned (Arthur
Kennedy), a former soldier, to join them in a scheme that
would make him wealthy. Through Libby's efforts, Custer
is restored to active duty with the Cavalry, and is assigned
to Fort Lincoln in the Dakota territory, in charge of the 7th
Regiment. He turns a regiment of drunkards into fine
soldiers, but by doing so he incurs the enmity of Ned Sharp,
who had settled there, for he had put a stop to his selling
liquor to the soldiers and guns to the Indians. Custer ends
Indian raids by promising Crazy Horse (Anthony Quinn)
that white men would not overrun Black Hills. But the
Sharps had other ideas; they wanted to run a railroad
through Black Hills. By starting a false rumor of a gold
strike in Black Hills, they bring many to the territory. Custer
brings charges against them, but at a Washington hearing
politics block him, and he is held for court martial for
striking a Government official. Custer convinces President
Grant that he belonged with his Regiment, since Indian
tribes had combined for warfare. Custer knows that he and
his men were going to their death; but he felt they had to be
sacrificed in order to hold the Indians until reinforcements
could arrive. Ned, whom Custer had kidnapped, fights and
dies with the others. Custer leaves a letter accusing the
Sharps and the official he had struck. His widow demands
that they abandon their schemes and the government official
resign; otherwise she would make the letter public and they
would be lynched. They agree, and thus peace is brought to
the territory.

Wally Klein and Aeneas MacKenzie wrote the screen
play; Raoul Walsh directed it, and Robert Fellows was asso-
ciate producer. Gene Lockhart, Regis Toomey, Stanley Rid-
ges, John Litel, and others are in the cast.

Morally suitable for all.

"Zis Boom Bah" with Grace Hayes,
Mary Healy and Peter Lind Hayes

(Monogram, November 7; time, 61 min.)

This college comedy has some human appeal and should
provide adequate support for a double feature program in
neighborhood theatres. The popular music and the dancing
by Roland Dupree, in addition to Peter Lind Hayes' clown-
ing and impersonations, are its main attractions, for the
production is unpretentious, and the story pretty thin. Mary
Healy can put over a song fairly well, but at times she is
hampered by poor sound recording. There is a romance: —

Grace Hayes, a vaudeville star, learns that her father-in-
law, who many years previously had obtained custody of her
child after her husband had died, had lost his fortune. Hav-
ing acquired a fortune of her own during her years in show
business, she sends an adequate amount of money to her
father-in-law to keep her son's college education uninter-
rupted. She then decides to visit the college town where her
father-in-law and son (Peter Lind Hayes) lived, just to find
out for herself what sort of a person her son was. She takes
with her her secretary (Mary Healy). Hayes naturally does
not know who she is, for he had been led to believe that his
mother, an opera star, had died. Miss Hayes is disappointed
in her son, for being egotistical and scatterbrained. She de-
cides to change things. First, she demands that her father-in-
law stop his allowance to Peter, and thus compel him to
earn money on his own. Then she buys the ice-cream shop

which the students frequented and turns it into a night club;
she offers jobs to the students both in the kitchen and as
entertainers. She enlists Peter's aid in the entertainment,
which turns out to be a hit. The club is a success. Peter
realizes that Miss Hayes was his mother, which he happily
announces to all; he plans to marry Miss Healy.

Connie Lee and Harvey Gates wrote the story, and Mr.
Gates and Jack Henley, the screen play; William Nigh di-
rected it, and Peter Mayer produced it. In the cast are
Huntz Hall, Jan Wiley, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Cadet Girl" with Carole Landis, George
Montgomery and John Shepperd

(20th Century-Fox, November 28; time, 69 min.)

Just a fair program romantic drama with some comedy and
music. The musical numbers, which are of the popular vari-
ety, are pretty good. But the story is without novelty or
interest, and so the action lags at times. The performances
and direction are satisfactory, considering the handicaps of
the plot. And George Montgomery has the sort of person-
ality and appearance that should help him become popular;
but the stories will have to be better than this one: —

Montgomery, a West Point Cadet, arrives in New York
to spend his summer vacation with his brother (John
Shepperd), a famous dance band leader. He is thrilled be-
cause Shepperd had promised to let him play the piano in
the band. No sooner does Montgomery meet Carole Landis,
singer in the band, than he falls in love with her, as she does
with him. He forgets all about his career as an Army man,
and is all for marrying her immediately. This causes a break
between the brothers. Montgomery forms his own band, with
Miss Landis as his vocalist, and they make an immediate hit.
But Miss Landis, hearing that Shepperd had taken to drink
and was losing prestige, becomes conscience-stricken. She,
Montgomery, and their band go to an Army camp to give a
free show for the soldiers. Watching his reaction to the
marching men, Miss Landis realizes his place was in the
Army. She goes to see Shepperd; they think of a plan to
influence Montgomery to return to West Point. Shepperd
composes a stirring patriotic song, and at a party given in
his brother's honor he plays and sings it. The plan works,
for it so enthuses Montgomery that he returns with his pals
to West Point. Shepperd comforts Miss Landis.

Jack Andrews and Richard English wrote the story, and
Stanley Rauh and H. W. Hanemann, the screen play; Ray
McCarey directed it, and Sol M. Wurtzel produced it. In
the cast are William Tracy, Chick Chandler, Robert Lowery.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Perfect Snob" with Lynn Bari, Charlie
Ruggles and Charlotte Greenwood

(20th Century-Fox, December 19; time, 62 min.)

A minor program entertainment, despite pretty good pro-
duction values. It is the old story of the mother who schemes
to marry off her daughter to a wealthy man. The action de-
velops in so obvious a fashion, that one loses interest in the
outcome. In spite of the fact that the play^ try hard, the
characters they portray are uninteresting, failing to awaken
any sympathy: —

Charlie Ruggles, a veterinarian, looks forward to having
his daughter (Lynn Ban) back home again after her gradu-
ation from finishing school. But his wife (Charlotte Green-
wood) has other plans. Without even consulting Ruggles,
she leaves with Miss Bari, immediately after graduation, for
Honolulu, hoping to ensnare a wealthy husband for her.
When Ruggles learns through a newspaper man that his
daughter was about to be married to wealthy but elderly
Alan Mowbray, he is enraged and leaves for Honolulu.
Unaware that Cornel Wilde, young and goodlooking, sup-
posedly a fisherman, was wealthy, Ruggles engages him to
break up the match, offering to pay him $100. The plan
works and the wedding is called off. Wilde purposely lets
Miss Bari find out that he had been paid for his work, for
he had fallen in love with her and wanted to win her without
letting her know he was wealthy. He enlists the aid of his
partner (Anthony Quinn). Quinn becomes acquainted with
the family, and leads the mother to believe that he was a
millionaire. She insists on their visiting his sugar plantation,
where to their surprise they find Wilde, posing as a work-
man. Eventually Miss Bari succumbs and marries Wilde,
without even knowing that he had any money. When Miss
Greenwood learns that Wilde was wealthy and even owned
the honeymoon yacht, she faints.

Lee Loeb and Harold Buchman wrote the screen play, Ray
McCarey directed it. and Walter Morosco produced it. In
the cast arc Chester Clute, LeRoy Mason, Jack Chefe.

Morally suitable for all.

November 22, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

187

"Confirm or Deny" with Don Ameche
and Joan Bennett

(20th Century-Fox, December 12; time, 73 min.)

This melodrama, revolving around the efforts of an
American newspaperman to get news releases out of war-
torn London, is strong fare. It is exciting and holds one in
suspense; but at the same time it is a pretty harrowing picture
of conditions under heavy bombing. The backgrounds are
extremely realistic, and, although most of the action unfolds
in practically two sets, it is pretty fast-moving. The most
tensely exciting scenes are those towards the end in which
hero and heroine are trapped in a basement with a German
live bomb in it. The tension is occasionally relieved by the
romantic interludes and a little comedy: —

Don Ameche, news editor of an American news agency
situated in London, is aggressive and hard-boiled. He finds it
difficult to send out news items because of rigid censorship
and of lack of facilities. Ameche, feeling that it was Ger-
many's intention to invade England at any moment, makes
preparations to be the first to flash the news to America. He
places a guard on the roof of the office building to await the
arrival of a pigeon that would carry news of invasion plans
from friends in foreign parts. During a heavy bombardment,
Ameche becomes acquainted with Joan Bennett, a teletype
operator for the government. When he finds that his office
had been blown up, he makes his headquarters in the wine
cellar of a fashionable hotel, and obtains permission to em-
ploy Miss Bennett to send out his messages. When the roof
watcher is injured, young Roddy McDowell, Ameche's office
boy, insists on taking his place. During another heavy bom-
bardment a huge bomb crashes into the cellar. Everyone
thinks it is a dud, but when Ameche learns it is live, he sends
everyone out of the cellar on some pretext. Miss Bennett
refuses to leave, thinking it was just a scheme on his part to
send out uncensored news. While she is arguing with him,
there is a cave-in and they are trapped; she then learns the
truth. Finding the teletype machine in order, Ameche fran-
tically sends messages for help. He then decides to send out
news of the intended invasion. Miss Bennett battles with him
in an effort to stop him, for she felt it was against the interest
of her government. Just as he is ready to send the news, he
is called by Roddy on a direct wire lrom the roof. The boy
is killed while talking to him. This sobers Ameche and,
instead of sending the invasion story, he sends one about
Roddy and offers his resignation. Just then a passage is
cleared and they are rescued; Ameche shouts warnings to
get everyone out of the hotel. Miss Bennett admits her love
for him.

Henry Wales and Samuel Fuller wrote the story, and Jo
Swerling, the screen play; Archie Mayo directed it, and Len
Hammond produced it. In the cast are John Loder, Raymond
Walburn, Arthur Shields, Eric Blore.

Morally suitable for all.

"Rise and Shine" with Jack Oakie,
George Murphy, Linda Darnell
and Walter Brennan

(20th Century-Fox, "November 21; time, 92 min.)

This comedy, with romance and music, is good mass
entertainment. The plot, which pokes fun at the lack of
intellect of college football players, has several comical twists,
peppy action, and good performances. It is the type of enter-
tainment particularly enjoyed by young folk. Most of the
excitement and the greatest number of laughs occur in the
last forty minutes. This is to the picture's benefit, for it helps
make one forget that the beginning is a little slow-moving: —

Jack Oakie, who was all brawn and no brain, was a
remarkable football player. But because he had the brain of
a two-year old, the president of the college for which he
played was worried lest he be thrown off the team; this
would mean the withdrawal of financial support from the
board of directors. The president asks Donald Meek, one of
his professors, to take Oakie into his home; in that way
Meck's wife (Emma Dunn) and daughter (Linda Darnell)
could look after Oakic's health and coach him in his lessons.
Sheldon Leonard, a big time gambler and racketeer, who
was betting heavily on Oakic's team, sends George Murphy,
dancer in his night club, to the college town to report on
Oakie before each game. He sends also Ruth Donnelly and
Raymond Walburn along as "family" so that they could
make their contacts and be in close touch with the professor's
family. Murphy and Miss Darnell fall in love with each
other. And Miss Darnell's grandfather (Walter Brennan),
who had young ideas, has a grand time flirting with Miss
Donnelly. Oakie wins all his games and Leonard wins large
bets. But for the final game of the season, Leonard has other
plans; instead of betting on Oakic's team, he decides to bet
on their rivals, his plan being to incapacitate Oakie. Know-

ing that Murphy would never consent to such a trick, he
sends his henchman (Milton Berle) to replace him. But
Murphy learns of the plans, and eventually outwits Leonard.
Oakie wins the game and brings renown to his college.
Murphy decides to settle down in the small town and marry
Miss Darnell.

Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the screen play from the
book by James Thurber. Allan Dwan directed it, and Mark
Hellinger produced it. In the cast are Donald MacBnde,
Charles Waldron, Paul Harvey, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Marry the Boss's Daughter" with
Brenda Joyce and Bruce Edwards

(20th Century-Fox, Klovember 28; time, 60 min.)

A trite plot, slow-moving action, and too much talk places
this romantic comedy in the minor program class. The
players, despite their efforts, fail to register, for the material
places them at a disadvantage. The acts of the characters fail
to hold one's interest. The net result is that of boredom: —

Bruce Edwards, a native of Kansas, arrives in New York,
determined to carve out his career. The tact that he is unable
to find a job does not discourage him, for he makes many
friends who see that he has a place to sleep and food to eat.
His big chance comes when he finds a dog and learns, from
an advertisement, that it belonged to Brenda Joyce, daughter
of a tycoon f George Barhier). He returns the dog to her,
refusing the reward money. She in turn sees to it that her
father employs Edwards. Edwards, a superefficiency expert,
soon convinces himself of the needlessness of the checking
department in which he worked and so tells Barbier. Natu-
rally Barbier, in the interests of his business, disbands the
department and discharges everyone in it; but he promotes
Edwards. This so depresses Edwards that he purposely makes
an error so as to prove that the checking department was
necessary. He is discharged, and the old checking department
is reinstated. Miss Joyce is disgusted at Edwards' attempts to
be a martyr. She decides to leave on a South American trip
with her father and her ardent suitor (Hardie Albright).
But Edwards, having discovered why her father was losing
money on his South American mine, tells Miss Joyce about
it at the last moment. She in turn passes the information over
to her father. Barbier suggests that Miss Joyce and Edwards
marry and make the trip; Edwards could then take charge
of the mine.

Jack Andrews wrote the screen play, Thornton Freeland
directed it. In the cast are Ludwig Stossel, Bodil Rosing.
Morally suitable for all.

"Secrets of the Lone Wolf"
with Warren William

(Columbia, J^ovember 13; time, 66 min.)

This series is becoming a bit tiresome, mainly because the
stories follow the same pattern. Here again "The Lone
Wolf" is suspected by the police of having a hand in mur-
ders and robberies, and in order to prove his innocence, must
solve the crimes himself. Again the police and detectives are
depicted as being stupid and incompetent, insisting on arrest-
ing "The Lone Wolf" at the least provocation, thereby let-
ting the real criminals get away. Again "The Lone Wolf"
escapes from police surveillance, solves the crimes and helps
capture the criminals. Moreover, the action in this picture is
less exciting than in the previous ones. There is an unimpor-
tant romance: —

Thurston Hall, police inspector, calls on William for
assistance. A group of French patriots had arrived in Amer-
ica in a private yacht with the famous Napoleon jewels, their
purpose being to sell them and use the money to equip an
Army to fight their enemy. Hall takes William to the yacht
and asks him to show him, if possible, what methods crooks
could employ to steal the jewels, which were guarded
heavily. Excitement starts as soon as William boards the
ship. A stowaway is discovered; but he turns out to be in
love with the young girl who had been brought along to
model the jewels. Victor Jory, noted jewel thief, by knocking
out a representative of a large jewelry concern, uses his
credentials to board the ship. Working with one of the
sailors, who was a jewel thief, Jory manages to steal and
hide the jewels. Of course. Hall and his stupid assistant
(Fred Kclscy) suspect William and try to arrest him. But
William eludes them, rushes to the rescue of his valet (Eric
Blore), who was held a prisoner by Jory's gang: they thought
he was "The Lone Wolf." William finally outwits the gang,
recovers the jewels, and proves that he was innocent.

Stuart Palmer wrote the screen play, Edward Dmytryk
directed it, and Jack Ficr produced it. In the cast arc Roger
Clark, Victor Kilian, Marh» Dwycr.

Not for children.

188

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 22, 1941

occasional flop in every one contributing to
the making of pictures and excuse . . . the
further employment with the thought that
the next effort may be a hit? But what of the
individuals who make one flop after the other,
and in instances where they are freed from one
studio, are grabbed by another and sometimes
at more money? How do you answer that? . . ."

From this my exhibitor friend must realize
that, even if the new selling plan were dis-
carded, the distributors will continue demand'
ing more money for their pictures, and will
continue getting it from those exhibitors who
are easy to capitulate, or who have no other
way out. As a matter of fact, the change of
the selling system will hardly help much such
exhibitors in overseated situations.

My friend calls my attention to the Warner
Bros, flops. Why should he have confined him'
self to Warner Bros.? What about Twentieth
CenturyFox, RKO, Paramount, and even
MGM? Have they shown any better average?
And what about Columbia, Universal and
United Artists, the companies that sell their
pictures in block form? Have they shown so
startling an improvement over last year's
product?

It seems as if the "Neely Bill" is the only
way out.

HERE AND THERE

SAYS PETE WOOD, executive secretary
of Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, in
a card sent to the members announcing the
annual convention of the association at the
Deshler'Wallick Hotel, in Cleveland, on No-
vember 25 and 26:

"Theatre grosses in Ohio are static. But
this year Paramount will have net earnings of
over $10,000,000 against $7,600,000 last
year; Universal will have a net of $4,000,000
as compared with $2,400,000 last year; War'
ners will net twice as much this year as it did
last.

"WHY? Maybe it's because film rentals
are higher than ever and still climbing!

"The foregoing will constitute a topic of
discussion at the Convention.

No one would or should begrudge the pre
ducers for earning bigger profits this year if
the quality of their product were improved;
the question should be not how much you pay
for film, but how much you make. But when

more money is asked for product the quality
of which is no better than that of the previous
season, there is cause for complaint.

In the case of Universal, the greater profits
have come from better management — natu'
rally. No one would wish to see the new Uni'
versal be in the position of the old Universal,
which had to borrow money every year to
keep going. If only Bill Scully had not held
back "Unfinished Business"!

* * *

LAST FRIDAY BEN KALMENSON,
general manager of Vitagraph, notified T. E.
Mortensen, publisher of Amusements, in Min'
neapolis, that his company has been granted
by Judge Goddard the right to sell pictures in
conformity with the Minnesota statute until
such time as the validity of the law is decided
in the courts.

Anticipating the granting of the request,
Mr. Kalmenson had already made plans to
close contracts with the exhibitors in that state
as speedily as possible, so that picture famine
may be averted.

* * *

RADIO PICTURES (RKO), too, has ob-
tained permission from Judge Goddard to
sell in Minnesota. The permission was granted
on Friday, last week, and on Monday, this
week, Cresson Smith left for Minneapolis to
consult with the RKO sales forces how to
proceed. The law complicates selling, and the
home office, as Ned Depinet told me, wants
its sales forces to comply with the law in every
respect.

* * *

ANOTHER CONSENTING COMPA-
NY to obtain permission to sell pictures in
Minnesota is Twentieth Century-Fox. Her-
man Wobber, general sales manager, and Bill
Gehring, division manager of that territory,
have gone to Minneapolis conferring with
their sales forces with a view to start selling.

* * *

WITH THE CAPITULATION of Para-
mount, Warner Bros., RKO, and Twentieth
Century-Fox, the only company left is Metro-
Gold wyn-Mayer. Inquiry at the home office
of this company elicited the information that
no definite decision has yet been taken. But it
is assumed that MGM, too, will eventually
fall in line.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1941 No. 48

A Clearance Demand That the Arbitrators Cannot Grant

To save many exhibitors the trouble of bringing
before the arbitration boards clearance cases that
cannot be decided in their favor, actions that cost
them considerable money, allow me to say that, under
Section VIII of the Consent Decree, an arbitrator has
the right to reduce clearance, but he may not elimi'
nate it altogether and permit the complaining theatre
to play day and date with the prior-run theatre. For
him to eliminate all clearance, it would mean that he
has changed the run. He may reduce the clearance to
as short time as he feels the circumstances require it,
but he must allow at least twenty-four hours between
the end of an engagement and the beginning of the
next in a competitive area.

This matter has been stated clearly by the Appeal
Board in the case of Garbose Brothers, proprietors of
the Capitol and the York, at Athol, Massachusetts,
against all the major exchanges of the Boston territory
and the Fitchburg Theatre, at Fitchburg, in which
case the Uptown and the Orpheum, at Gardner, were
interveners.

Fitchburg is about forty-six miles away from Bos-
ton; Gardner about thirteen miles west of Fitchburg,
and Athol about fourteen miles west of Gardner.
Fitchburg plays the pictures two weeks after Boston,
and Gardner and Athol one day after Fitchburg, with
the exception of MGM pictures, which they play
seven days after that town. The Garbose Brothers de-
manded that all clearance over Athol be eliminated,
permitting them to play all pictures on national re-
lease dates; that is, day and date with Boston.

The Boston arbitrator made an award dismissing
the complaint, and the case was taken to the Appeal
Board.

The Appeal Board upheld the findings of the arbi-
trator, with one exception — they reduced the clear-
ance to one day also in the case of MGM pictures.

In upholding the arbitrator in his refusal to elimi-
nate the clearance altogether, the Appeal Board made
also the following comment :

"The granting of Complainants' demand would
have given the Athol theatres the same run as the
Fitchburg theatres, and, as the Gardner theatres have
a second run after Fitchburg, it would have given the
Athol theatres a first run in the Fitchburg competi-
tive area and a run ahead of the Gardner theatres.
Such an award is beyond the powers of an Arbitator
under Section VIII of the Decree which provides
specifically that an exhibitor has, in any given com-
petitive area, the right to negotiate for any run he
wishes and a distributor has the right to license for any
theatre any run it desires to grant, and no award
under Section VIII can affect his right.

"... When competition is slight clearance to be
reasonable must also be short in point of time. The

clearance of seven days granted by Loew's to the
Fitchburg theatres over Gardner theatres, and as a
result over Athol theatres, is more than that granted
by any other distributor. We find this to be unreason-
able clearance applicable to complainants' Athol
theatres under the provisions of Section VIII of the
Decree. It should be reduced to a maximum of one
day. This is the extent to which maximum clearance
may be reduced under the Decree. An Arbitrator
under the language used in Section VIII, if he finds
clearance unreasonable, may make an award fixing
maximum clearance. But clearance means that there
must be some waiting time between the termination of
a run and the commencement of a subsequent run
during which the picture cannot be exhibited. That
period of waiting time cannot be less than a day of
twenty-four hours and a clearance of one day means
that if one theatre finishes a run on a Monday the
subsequent theatre cannot commence playing that
picture until Wednesday. Anything less than a one
day maximum clearance would result in abolishing
clearance entirely, which an Arbitrator has no power
to do under the Decree where the theatres involved
are in the same competitive area and are in competi-
tion with each other. ..."

HERE AND THERE

IN COMMENTING ON THE TRIAL of Bioff
and Browne, The Christian Century said in an edi-
torial partly the following :

"The country has been puzzled as to which aspect
of the situation revealed by this trial has been more
scandalous, the racketeering of Browne and Bioff or
the readiness of the movie magnates to dispense huge
bribes and conceal them in faked expense accounts.
There need be no choice between relative shades of
evil. Both revelations disclosed a disgraceful state of
affairs. However, we doubt whether prison terms for
Browne and Bioff will stop the grafting of racketeer-
ing labor leaders. And we do not expect to see the
disclosures of this trial followed by any serious house-
cleaning in Hollywood."

Whether there is going to be in Hollywood any
serious houseclcaning, this paper cannot foretell. But
there is one thing that it can state: the end of this trial
is not the last word; there will be repercussions that
will keep the name of the industry before the public
for a longer period of time.

The fine effect of the favorable editorials about the
industry in almost every newspaper in the United
States occasioned by the Washington investigation
of the Nye-Clark- Wheeler committee has been lost as
a result of the Browne-Bioff trial. The pride we all
felt when the newspapers of the United States came
to the industry's defense has turned into humiliation.
(Continued on last page)

190

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 29, 1941

"Go West, Young Lady" with Penny
Singleton, Glenn Ford and Ann Miller

(Columbia, N.ov. 27; time, 69 min.)

This is a musical western, with a dash of slapstick. It is
strictly program tare; it should go over best in secondary
houses, where audiences are not too discriminating. Al'
though the villain appears throughout wearing a mask, it
should be obvious, even to youngsters, who he is. For the
western ians, there are a lew scenes ot fast riding and one
or two fights; tor others, the chief attraction will be Ann
Miller, who sings and dances well. There is a romance: —

Charlie Ruggles, owner of a saloon at Headstone, is in a
financial mess because of the fact that he had been robbed so
often by a mysterious bandit. When he receives a letter trom
a relative intorming him that his brother's "kid" was to visit
him, he assumes that the "kid" was a nephew and he re-
joices, for he telt that his nephew would be able to handle
the bandit. But the nephew turns out to be a niece (Penny
Singleton). Glenn Ford, newly appointed Federal Marshall
for Headstone, informs everyone that Miss Singleton was as
good as any man with a gun; as a matter of fact her shooting
was so good that she had driven off a band of Indians that
had tried to attack them. Ford and Miss Singleton fall in
love. But just as he was about to capture the masked bandit
one day, she disgraces him by accidentally throwing a cus-
tard pie in his tace. Ann Miller, Ruggles' main entertainer
and sweetheart of Onslow Stevens, to whom Ruggles owed
a large sum of money, demands that Ruggles send Miss
Singleton away; she feared that Stevens was becoming inter-
ested in her. Ruggles prepares to do this. But on the morn-
ing that she was to leave, Miss Singleton discovers that
Stevens was the bandit, and that he had sent Ford and his
men off on a wild goose chase so that he could loot the town.
Miss Singleton gets word to Ford in time; he returns with
his men to find that Miss Singleton and the ladies of the
town had outwitted and made the villain and his gang pris-
oners. Ford and Miss Singleton decide to marry.

Richard Flournoy and Karen DeWolf wrote the screen
play from a story by Miss DeWolf; Frank R. Strayer di-
rected it, and Robert Sparks produced it. In the cast are
Allen Jenkins, Jed Prouty, Bob Wills, and Edith Meiser.

Morally suitable for all.

"Keep 'Em Flying" with Bud Abbott, Lou
Costello, Martha Raye and Carol Bruce

(Universal, 7s(ov. 28; time, 85 min.)

Here's another Abbott and Costello picture that will set
audiences roaring with laughter; it should duplicate and
even exceed the box-office success of their previous pictures.
Even though one is familiar with their brand of comedy, one
cannot help laughing at their antics. As a matter of fact,
their method of delivery, particularly Costello's, still seems
fresh. The story, as usual, is unimportant, except as a means
of supplying a background for the gags. It has romance, a
few air thrills, and music: —

Dick Foran, daredevil stunt flier at an amusement park,
quits his job to join the Army Air Corps; he is annoyed at
the fact that he was required to attend the Cal-Aero Academy
for lessons in flying, pursuant to government regulations.
But he does not mind it so much after learning that Carol
Bruce, a night club singer to whom he had become attracted,
had joined the USO and had been stationed at the Academy
grounds as hostess-entertainer. Foran's two pals (Abbott and
Costello) follow him to the Academy and plead with the
CO. to permit them to work there; he assigns them to me-
chanical work. Costello is charmed by Martha Raye, one of
the hostesses; but he cannot understand her, for one moment
she is pleasant and the next aloof. He soon learns that the
confusion was caused by the fact that her twin sister, too
(also played by Miss Raye), was stationed at the camp, and
he had been talking to each of the girls at different times.
Foran is annoyed at the fact that his instructor was William
Gargan; he disliked him because he felt that Gargan had
been the cause of his losing his license as a commercial pilot.
Foran, in an effort to help Miss Bruce's brother (Charles
Lang) overcome his fright at flying solo, gets himself into
trouble and is discharged. Just as he was ready to leave the
grounds, Gargan, who had joined his class in a mass para-
chute jump, gets caught on another plane and is left dangling
in the air. Foran goes up in his own plane and rescues him,
at the risk of his own life. Abbott and Costello, who had
gone up in another plane, find it necessary to bale out, and
meet with exciting adventure before they reach the ground.
Foran is reinstated, Lang is cured of his fear, and Foran

and Gargan become friends. Foran is delighted when he is
reinstated, and Miss Bruce admits she loved him.

True Boardman, Nat Perrin and John Grant wrote the
screen play from a story by Edmund L. Hartmann; Arthur
Lubin directed and Glenn Tryon produced it. In the cast
are William Davidson, Truman Bradley, and others.

Suitable for all.

"Louisiana Purchase" with Bob Hope,
Vera Zorina and Victor Moore

(Paramount, January 1; time, 97 min.)

The lavishness of this technicolor production will bring
forth "oh's!" and "ah's!" from audiences; so magnificent are
the settings and costumes, and so beautitul is the color. Arid
for the masses, it should prove good entertainment, for it
combines comedy with music, dancing, and romance; but
mostly because of the "dirty" wisecracks. The story is so
slow that at times it is boresome. Perhaps the fault lies in
the fact that it follows too closely the pattern of a stage
production — that is, the action is confined to what seems
stage sets. The comedy is made up mostly of wisecracks and
situations that are pretty risque; as a matter ot fact these
are occasionally somewhat vulgar.

The story deals with the efforts of a group of crooked
politicians in Louisiana to frame Victor Moore, a U. S.
Senator, who had been delegated to investigate their crooked
management of the State. They inform Bob Hope, their State
Senator, that it was up to him to see that Moore's name was
besmirched and the investigation stopped; otherwise he
would go to prison, for they had used his name, by means
of a power of attorney, for all their dishonest deals. Hope
engages Vera Zorina, friend of Irene Bordoni, who owned
the most expensive caie in New Orleans, to get Moore into a
compromising position, for which he would pay her $500.
Needing the money to bring her mother, who was stranded
in Vienna, to America, she accepts the proposition. She
helps them get Moore intoxicated and then sits on his lap
while they take pictures of them. But Moore is so sweet and
so generous in his efforts to help her that Miss Zorina is
ashamed of herself and returns the money. She goes even
further: she announces that she had become engaged to
Moore, thus making it impossible for them to use the pic-
tures. But Hope, who had fallen in love with Miss Zorina,
refuses to give up hope. He gets Miss Bordoni to help him
out by hiding in Moore's room. But Moore outwits Hope by
marrying Miss Bordoni. Hope, in an effort to prevent Moore
from setting forth his findings at a Senate hearing, starts a
filibuster that goes on for three days. Just as he collapses,
Moore receives a telegram from the F.B.I, informing him
that the real crooks had confessed, proving Hope innocent.
Hope and Miss Zorina are overjoyed and plan to marry.

Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields wrote the screen play
from the musical comedy by Morrie Ryskind and story by
B. G. DeSylva; Irving Cummings directed it, and Harold
Wilson produced it. In the cast are Dona Drake, Raymond
Walburn, Maxie Rosenbloom, Frank Albertson, Phyllis
Ruth, and others.

Not for patrons of adolescent age. Adult fare. Children
under twelve will not get the meaning of the wisecracks.

"This England" with Emlyn Williams,
Constance Cummings and John Clements

(World Pictures; time, 83 min.)

Judged solely as motion picture entertainment, this British-
made film, depicting four critical periods in England's his-
tory, lacks strong appeal for the American masses. For one
thing, the accents are too thick; for another, the story is
strongly patriotic, and it is doubtful, for all the sympathy
Americans now feel for the British, whether they will accept
the picture with as much intensity of feeling as may the
British. The editing is a bit choppy, with the result that in a
few instances the action seems a little confusing.

The story depicts four previous attempts by conquerors to
invade England, and the methods the British employed to
repulse them. The first was by the Normans, in 1086; by the
Spanish Armada in 1525; by Napoleon in 1805; and by
Germany in 1914. All these repulses at invasion meant fight-
ing and bloodshed; but the Englishmen's love for their land
made them courageous and each time they emerged vic-
torious.

The same players appear in all the four sequences.

A. R. Rawlinson and Bridget Boland wrote the story, and
David MacDonald directed it. The only other player besides
the three stars known to American audiences is Roddy
McDowall.

Morally suitable for all.

November 29, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

191

"The Forgotten Village"

(Mayer-Burstyn Pict.; running time, 67 min.)

This is the picture that met with censor trouble in New
York and was finally passed for exhibition by the State
Board of Regents.

It is an engrossing documentary film of a remote Mexican
village. Intelligent adult audiences, eager for the unusual in
motion picture entertainment, should enjoy it thoroughly,
for it is an honest and interesting presentation of the every
day life and customs of the villagers, and the present-day
conflict to rid them of superstitious beliefs and of undesir-
able methods of treatment for the sick.

It is not entertainment in the customary manner of mo-
tion picture fare; nor is it the type of picture that all exhibi-
tors could show profitably. It is more suitable for art theatres
that cater to high-type audiences.

The two scenes that the censors objected to are as follows :
one in which a mother bares her breast to feed her baby; and
the other in which a mother is shown going through the
anguish of labor pains and childbirth.

There are no actors in the picture; all those who appear in
it are natives. It is a silent picture; Burgess Meredith acts as
narrator.

The story tells of the efforts of young Juan Diego, eldest
son of a typical village family, to induce his family and
neighbors to accept medical care from the government health
officials when an epidemic breaks out in the village due to
polluted water. Being superstitious, they refuse this aid,
preferring the magical cures of The Wise Woman. The fact
that the children died did not convince them that her meth-
ods were wrong, for they felt that it was the will of God.
When Juan finally sneaks his little sister out of the house
and permits the doctors to attend to her, his father is enraged
and orders Juan to leave their home. Juan goes to the city,
in company with the doctors who had been forced out. They
tell him not to fret, for some day the villagers would under-
stand him, and a change would be brought about by the
young folk through education.

The scenes of the countryside are beautiful, the photog-
raphy is clear, and the musical accompaniment excellent.

The story was written by John Steinbeck; Herbert Kline
directed and produced it.

Although there is nothing immoral in the picture, it Is
hardly entertainment for children.

BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCES FOR
1941-42 SEASON'S PICTURES

(Continued from bac\ page)
Paramount

"Hold Back the Dawn1': Very Good-Good.
"Buy Me That Town" : Good-Fair.
"Nothing But the Truth" : Very Good.
"Henry Aldrich for President" : Good-Poor.

Four pictures have been checked, with the follow-
ing results :

Very Good, 1 ; Very Good-Good, 1 ; Good-Fair, 1 ;
Good-Poor, L.

RKO

"Citizen Kane": Very Good-Poor.
"Parachute Battalion" : Good-Poor.
"Lady Scarface" : Fair- Poor.
"Father Takes a Wife" : Good-Fair.
"All That Money Can Buy": Good-Fair.
"The Gay Falcon" : Good-Poor.
"Dumbo": Excellent-Fair.
"Unexpected Uncle": Good-Fair.

Eight pictures, excluding one western, have been
checked, with the following results:

Excellent-Fair, I; Very Good-Poor, L; Good-Fair,
3 ; Good-Poor, 2; Fair-Poor, 1 .

Twentieth Century-Fox

"Charley's Aunt": Very Good.

"Dressed to Kill" : Good-Poor.

"Wild Geese Calling": Good-Poor.

"Private Nurse": Fair- Poor.

"Sun Valley Serenade" : Very Good-Fair.

"Charlie Chan in Rio": Fair-Poor.

"Belle Starr" : Very Good-Fair.

"We Go Fast" : Fair-Poor.

"Last of the Duanes" : Good-Poor.

"Man at Large": Good-Poor.

"A Yank in the RAF": Excellent-Good.

"Great Guns" : Good-Fair.

"Riders of the Purple Sage" : Good-Poor.

"Weekend in Havana" : Very Good-Fair.

"Moon Over Her Shoulder" : Fair.

Fifteen pictures have been checked, with the fol-
lowing results :

Excellent-Good, 1; Very Good, 1; Very Good-
Fair, 3; Good-Fair, 1; Good-Poor, 5; Fair, 1; Fair-
Poor, 3.

United Artists

"Three Cockeyed Sailors": Fair-Poor.
"Major Barbara" : Good-Poor.
"Tanks a Million" : Good-Poor.
"International Lady": Good-Fair.
"Lydia": Good-Poor.
"New Wine" : Good-Poor.
"Niagara Falls" : Good-Poor.
Seven pictures have been checked, with the follow-
ing results :

Good-Fair, 1; Good-Poor, 5; Fair-Poor, 1.

Universal

"Badlands of Dakota": Good-Fair.
"Unfinished Business": Very Good-Good.
"Sing Another Chorus" : Good-Fair.
"A Girl Must Live": Fair-Poor.
"The Kid from Kansas": Fair-Poor.
"It Started with Eve" : Very Good-Good.
"Mob Town" : Fair-Poor.

"Never Give a Sucker an Even Break": Good-Poor.
"South of Tahiti" : Good-Poor.
"Burma Convoy": Fair-Poor.
"Flying Cadets" : Fair-Poor.

Eleven pictures, excluding two westerns, have been
checked, with the following results:

Very Good-Good, 2; Good-Fair, 2; Good-Poor, 2;
Fair- Poor, 5.

Warner-First National

"The Smiling Ghost": Fair-Poor.

"Navy Blues": Good-Fair.

"Nine Lives Arc Not Enough": Fair-Poor.

"Sergeant York": Excellent.

"Law of the Tropics": Good-Fair.

"International Squadron": Good.

"The Maltese Falcon": Very Good-Good.

Seven pictures have been checked, with the follow-
ing results:

Excellent, 1 ; Very Good-Good, 1 ; Good, 1 ; Good-
Fair, 2; Fair-Poor, 2.

192

HARRISON'S REPORTS

November 29, 1941

ALMOST EVERY DISTRIBUTOR refuses to
allow an exhibitor to book a good picture of his on
any of the days two weeks before Christmas, on the
ground that, business being slow during that time, it
does not earn as much as it would earn at any other
time. Thus they admit that, no matter what picture
an exhibitor books during that period of time, he can'
not avoid losing money.

Such being the case, why shouldn't the distributors
let the exhibitors have whatever pictures they book
on those days at one-fourth the rental stipulated in
the contract?

A picture is worth what it will bring in less the
cost of selling. Since no picture, however entertaining,
can, in the two weeks that precede Christmas, bring
in enough money to cover the rental of the film, let
alone of the cost of the overhead, the suggestion that
the distributors let the exhibitors have pictures on
those days at one-fourth the contract price is neither
unreasonable nor unfair.

* * *

IS KUYKENDALL TRYING TO SABOTAGE
the Joint Conference Committee plan just because his
organization is not taking a prominent part in the
working out of the plan's details, or is he trying to
"edge in" so that his present job may continue? In a
bulletin of his dated November 12, he comments on
the plan, and gives much advice, suggesting that all
exhibitor organizations be represented in this Com-
mittee.

Harrison's Reports has expressed the view right
along that attempts on the part of the producers to
include representatives of MPTOA in committees
that are intended to bring about better relations be-
tween exhibitors and producer-distributors cannot
help ending in failure, by reason of the fact that the
exhibitors, knowing that the producers have appro-
priated that organization for their own purposes, lose
faith in their sincerity. And rightly so, for, since they
pay the "freight" for the upkeep of MPTOA, their
inclusion of representatives of that organization in
any such committee is done for the purpose of using
them to the disadvantage of the independent exhibi-
tors.

Harrison's Reports warns the producers that
their attempt to include representatives of MPTOA
in the Joint Conference Committee will result in the
failure of the conciliation plan.

* .a§e ' 1 1 ' aft

IN COMMENTING UPON THE PLAN of the
Joint Conference Committee while speaking to the
members of Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana at
their recent convention, Jack Kirsch, president of the
Illinois Allied unit, said that, though he was not at
liberty to disclose details, he could reveal the fact that
he, as a member of the exhibitor committee, was re-
ceived by all the national distributors, major and
minor, with such courtesy that, in his belief, the plan
is assured of success.

Although no details have been disclosed so far as to
when the Committee will be formed and when it will
begin to function, the industry will be glad to know,
I am sure, that work is being done on the details. Let
us hope, however, that the preliminary work does not
drag for weeks and even months.

* * *

GRADWELL L. SEARS, up to within recently
president of Vitagraph in charge of sales, has become,
as you undoubtedly know by this time, vice president

and general sales manager of United Artists, with
Edward C. Raftery, general counsel of that company
for years, assuming the presidential post.

While changes in posts by film executives does not
mean much in the life of the exhibitor, because of the
fact that he has to pay for his film top prices no matter
who is the sales head of a company, the present change
should prove beneficial to every exhibitor. It is hardly
to be denied that United Artists was in an unsettled
condition for a long time, and when a company is in
that condition its efforts at quality product feel the
effect. With the engagement of Grad Sears by David
Selznick, the company will now settle down to busi-
ness and should deliver good product.

Every one who knows Grad Sears feels that he,
being a capable executive, will put the company in a
fine shape within a short time. He will have something
to say about production and I am sure that he will see
to it that good pictures are delivered to him.

Harrison's Reports wishes Mr. Sears success.
* * *

TRIAL OF THE CRIMINAL ACTION by the
State of Minnesota against RKO and Twentieth
Century-Fox for violation of the Minnesota statute
that compels the distributors to sell their pictures in
block form is scheduled to start December 1 5 .

Because of the fact that the trial of the case that has
been brought by the major companies against the State
of Minnesota to test the constitutionality of that law
would be slow, these companies have decided to let
the criminal action against two of them be the test;
they feel that that is the quickest way to determine it.

Two weeks ago, Robert L. Wright, special assistant
Attorney General, declared that the Minnesota law
violates the Sherman Act.

BOX OFFICES PERFORMANCES FOR
1941-42 SEASON'S PICTURES
Columbia

"Mystery Ship" : Fair-Poor.

"Harmon of Michigan" : Good-Poor.

"Two Latins from Manhattan" : Good-Poor.

"Texas" : Very Good-Good.

"The Blonde from Singapore": Fair-Poor.

"Three Girls About Town" : Good-Poor.

"You Belong to Me" : Very Good-Fair.

"The Stork Pays Off": Fair-Poor.

Eight pictures, excluding two westerns, have been
checked, with the following results:

Very Good-Good, 1; Very Good-Fair, 1; Good-
Poor, 3; Fair-Poor, 3.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" : Very Good-Fair.
"Lady Be Good" : Good-Poor.
"Down in San Siego": Good-Poor.
"Honky Tonk" : Excellent-Good.
"Married Bachelor": Good-Fair.
"Smilin' Through": Good-Fair.
"The Feminine Touch": Good-Fair.
Seven pictures have been checked, with the follow-
ing results :

Excellent-Good, 1 ; Very Good-Fair, 1 ; Good-Fair,
3; Good-Poor, 2.

(Continued on inside page)

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

Harrison's Reports

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1941 No. 49

HERE AND THERE

AS EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOWS by this time, I
am sure, "Two-Faced Woman," the MGM picture with
Greta Garbo, has been declared by the Legion of Decency
as unfit to be shown for the following reason, as a Legion
release states: "Immoral and un-Christian attitude toward
marriage and its obligations; impudently suggestive scenes,
dialogue and situations; suggestive costumes."

In a pastoral letter read at all masses in the Archdiocese
of New York last Sunday, Archbishop Francis J. Spellman
warned the faithful Catholics that the film is a danger to
public morality and that for them to see it may be an occa-
sion of committing a sin.

In commenting upon this incident, The New York Times
declared that Archbishop Spellman's move was without a
precedent. "Persons familiar with ecclesiastical custom,"
stated the Times, "here said that never before has an arch'
bishop of New York singled out a specific picture for con-
demnation, although on several occasions there has been a
general condemnation of suggestive or immoral films. Com-
ing on the heels of the condemnation of the Garbo picture
by the National Legion of Decency, the archbishop's action
was expected to create consternation within the film in-
dustry. ..."

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, through Howard Dietz, in the
absence of Nicholas Schenck, issued a statement to the news-
papers regretting the action of the Legion of Decency. He
said partly: "There is no exact science in the production of
motion pictures. People do at various times differ as to the
effect of a given line or scene, particularly in a picture such
as this, which is a comedy and designed primarily to amuse."
He then pointed to the fact that the picture had been passed
by the Production Code Authority and was given a Seal;
that the state censorship board has approved it with slight
alterations, and that it has been approved also by the Na-
tional Board of Review.

That the condemnation of this picture by the Legion of
Decency and by Archbishop Spellman has created a sensa-
tion among the producers may be evidenced by the fact that
Will H. Hays has called a producer conference in Holly-
wood to discuss the matter and to take measures to avoid
giving offense to the Legion of Decency in the future.

This paper will watch with interest the effect upon the
box office receipts of this condemnation of the film. If prece-
dent is to be taken into consideration, the picture will draw
big crowds at the box office, not so much among Catholics
perhaps but among persons of other religions to be sure. It
may have served to arouse their curiosity.

But even if the picture should draw large crowds, the
producers cannot afford to ignore this strong protest lest we
again have unfavorable publicity. And this time the industry
cannot offset it so easily.

* * *

IN REVERSING THE LOCAL ARBITRATOR in the
matter of arbitration between St. Lawrence Investors, Inc.,
(American Theatre, Canton, N. Y.) and RKO as well as
Warner Bros., (Decision 4A), the Appeal Board criticized
lawyers because their briefs are usually verbose, unnecessar-
ily lengthy, and do not confine themselves to facts. As a
result the cost of the transcripts on appeal cost considerable
money. The Appeals Board concedes that counsel for the
complainant should open a hearing with a brief statement of
the relief sought and the salient facts upon which the claim
is based, and that opposing counsel should do likewise for
the defendant. But counsel on each side should confine him-
self to facts, and not make unnecessary, at times misleading,
statements. Arguments should not start until after the
evidence is concluded.

"The purpose of an opening statement," the Appeal

Board states in its decision in the aforementioned case, "is
to give the Arbitrator an outline of the facts upon which
counsel rely in support or defense of the claim. If, as often
happens in arbitration proceedings under the Decree, coun-
sel attempt in opening to argue on the effect of the facts
before they have been proved, the Arbitrator is more likely
to be confused than aided. ..."

In this case, counsel on both sides opened the hearing
with elaborate arguments on all conceivable aspects of the
case. "... much of this argument," the Decision states,
"was irrelevant, some of it was misleading, and the bulk of
it was out of place in an opening statement. For instance,
complainant's counsel informed the Arbitrator that he
could transpose clearance. 'And in fact,' he said, 'we do
claim that . . . jurisdiction exists if the facts are determined
to warrant it to establish a clearance in favor of the Amer-
ican Theatre ...,'" offering to communicate with the
Department of Justice at Washington requesting an advice
to determine the point that he had made. "In turn," the
Appeal Board said, "one of the defendants' counsel sought
to enlighten the Arbitrator with the enigmatic assertion:
'But in all events he (the Arbitrator) may not eliminate all
clearance so that the complainant theatre need not wait
until after the respondent theatre has played the pictures.
. . . Because if an Arbitrator, under Section 8, has the
power to remove clearance it has to destroy the run. . . . ' "
These statements the Appeals Board declared unsound.

In preparing a case for arbitration, an exhibitor should
instruct his attorney to adhere to the facts and to avoid
including statements that are either irrelevant or out of
place. If his case is just, a brief statement of what he intends
to prove, followed by a presentation of nothing but the
facts, will help his case and keep the costs down, whereas
lengthy discussions about irrelevant matter may hurt it and
increase the costs.

* * *

AT THE COLUMBUS CONVENTION of the Ohio
exhibitors last week, Abram F. Myers, general counsel of
Allied, stated that the Consent Decree is "unwanted, un-
workable and unsatisfactory" to the independent exhibitors.
He added that, in all his travels, he has yet to find a single
exhibitor who is satisfied with the selling system that has
been imposed on the five major companies by the Decree.

As stated in these columns before, the blame for the
failure of the Consent Decree selling plan may be laid to
the door of the distributors, for they took advantage of the
block-of-five provision of the plan to impose upon the
exhibitors more percentage pictures, and of high rate, than
they had ever dreamed of.

If there is a revival of the efforts to put through Congress
a law to outlaw block-booking and blind-selling, but allow-
ing the exhibitor to book as many pictures as he needs,
chosen from synopses of the stones that the producers will
be compelled to furnish the exhibitor before sale, they
should blame no one else but themselves.

* * *

ON DECEMBER 9 THERE WILL GATHER at the
Blackstonc Hotel, in Chicago, representatives of producers
and exhibitors for the first meeting of the Joint Conference
Committee, sponsored by Allied States Association on an
all-industry unity program, and accepted by the producers.
Nine of the eleven distributing companies have agreed to
send to that meeting their top executives.

The first order of business will naturally be organisation.
Then there may be taken up questions that are bothering
the exhibitors. One of such questions is the reported viola-
tion of the Consent Decree provision that forbids the five
major consenting companies from forcing shorts with fea-
tures. At the Columbus meeting of the Ohio Allied Unit, a
(Continued on last page)

194

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 6, 1941

"Ball of Fire" with Gary Cooper
and Barbara Stanwyck

(RKO'Goldwyn, Re!, not set; time, 110 min.)

An intelligent story, intelligently produced and directed,
combined with the popularity of the stars and the abundance
of comedy situations, should assure its box-office success.
For the jitterbugs, there is the name of Gene Krupa and
band, who play one number at the beginning; but these may
be disappointed because he does not appear again. The slang
expressions should prove a source of merriment to every
one. The story itself is somewhat thin, but one's interest is
held just the same, because of the good acting of not only
the stars but also the supporting players. The inclusion of
gangster doings toward the end offer excitement. The fact
that eight mild-mannered professors outwit the gangsters
gives the picture an amusing twist. There are some meaning-
ful "wisecracks," and Miss Stanwyck displays her legs con-
siderably. There is also a romance: —

Professor Gary Cooper and seven other professors (Oscar
Homolka, Henry Travers, S. J. Sakall, Tully Marshall,
Leonid Kinskey, Richard Haydn and Aubrey Mather) have
been working together, under a grant, compiling an encyclo-
pedia. They live in a large house donated by their benefactor,
and are ruled by their housekeeper (Kathleen Howard).
Since Cooper was working on slang expressions, he goes out
to get first-hand information. His investigations take him to
a night club where he meets Barbara Stanwyck, vocalist with
Krupa's band. Since she was an expert at slang, he invites
her to help him with his work; but she dismisses him. Learn-
ing that the district attorney was trying to serve her with a
subpoena in an investigation started against her boy friend
(Dana Andrews), a gangster, she decides that Cooper's
house would be a good place to hide. Her arrival upsets the
household completely, for all eight professors fall under her
charm. Cooper soon falls in love with her and thinks she
reciprocates; his friends rejoice at his happiness. But Miss
Stanwyck has a problem: how to get to New Jersey, where
Andrews was hiding, without interference by the police.
Andrews telephones her and works out a plan whereby
Cooper is led to believe that Andrews was her father and
that he wanted Cooper, his seven friends, and Miss Stan-
wyck to come to New Jersey, where the marriage ceremony
could be held. Once there, Cooper learns the truth, and
returns with his friends to their home. But Miss Stanwyck,
realizing that she loved Cooper, refuses to marry Andrews.
He sends his gangsters to Cooper's home, threatening to kill
all eight professors unless Miss Stanwyck married him; and
so she gives in. But Cooper and his professor friends, realiz-
ing that Miss Stanwyck loved Cooper, outwit the gangsters
and rush to New Jersey, in time to stop the ceremony and
to see that Cooper marries Miss Stanwyck.

Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder wrote the screen play,
and Howard Hawks directed it. In the cast are Allen
Jenkins, Dan Duryea, Ralph Peters and others

Not for adolescents. Adult fare.

"Steel Against the Sky" with Lloyd Nolan
and Alexis Smith

(Warner-First 'hlational, December 13; time, 67 min.)

Just a moderately entertaining program entertainment.
The story, which mixes melodrama with farce, is trite, and is
developed in an obvious manner. And the characters are not
particularly engaging. Only on two occasions is the action
exciting enough to hold one in suspense: the first, when the
hero is attacked by a drunken ex-worker who had climbed
up to the highest point on the bridge construction work
where the hero was stationed; and the second, in the closing
scenes, when the hero and his brothers risk their lives during
a storm to repair a cable spinner at the top of the construc-
tion work that had been torn loose by the storm : —

Lloyd Nolan, foreman of the fitters' gang on a bridge
construction job, and his brother (Edward Brophy), who
worked on his crew, go to lunch; they are greeted by their
younger brother (Craig Stevens), who refused to work,
feeling that he could make millions on schemes. This time
he introduces them to a nitwit professor (Walter Catlctt),
who needed financing to continue his experiments on a new
invention that might net them millions. Nolan refuses to
talk to him. Stevens takes Catlett to their home and induces
his father (Edward Ellils), who ran the house, to permit
Catlett to do his work in the cellar; he even gets Ellis to
supply them with cash for materials. Ellis is excited about
dinner that night, for Nolan had invited his employer's
daughter (Alexis Smith), with whom he had fallen in love.
But dinner does not go off smoothly — the professor's experi-
ments cause an explosion. Since Nolan had been hurt
slightly, Stevens takes Miss Smith home; she tells him she
was not in love with Nolan. They fall in love with each

other, and Stevens goes to work on his brother's crew.
When Nolan learns about the romance, he knocks his
brother out. Realizing she had caused a rift in the family,
Miss Smith tells Stevens she does not love him. Stevens
proves his courage by rescuing Nolan, who had gone aloft
during a storm to repair a cable, and had slipped. They are
both brought down safely. Nolan forgives Stevens. He acts
as best man at Stevens' marriage to Miss Smith.

Maurice Hanline and Jesse Lasky, Jr., wrote the story,
and Paul G. Smith, the screen play; A. Edward Sutherland
directed and Edmund Grainger produced it. Gene Lockhart,
Julie Bishop, and Howard daSilva are in the cast.

Morally suitable for all.

"All Through the Night" with Humphrey
Bogart, Conrad Veidt and Kaaren Verne

(^W arner -First National, January 10; time, 107 min.)
A fast-moving, exciting espionage melodrama, with plen-
tiful comedy. It should have strong mass appeal, for the
characters are colorful, and the story provides plentiful
thrills. The hero, although of the gangster-type, is sympa-
thetic, for his motives in tracking down the spies are
prompted, not for self aggrandizement, but by his desire to
help others and later to help his government. One is held in
tense suspense almost throughout because of the constant
danger to his life. The romance does not slow down the
action: —

Bogart, a big-time gambler, is noted for his generosity to
his mother as well as to friends. But his mother (Jane Dar-
well) gets him into trouble on many occasions because of
her habit of interfering with other persons' business and of
insisting that he investigate. Her latest hurry call to Bogart
is caused by the fact that the neighborhood baker (Ludwig
Stossel) was missing and his poor wife was worried. Bogart
and his henchmen (William Demarest and Frank McHugh)
search the premises and find Stossel's body; he had been
murdered. Bogart calls the police. Just as he was leaving a
young girl (Kaaren Verne) enters the shop and asks for
Stossel; when told that he was dead, she suddenly disap-
pears. Feeling that Miss Verne must know something about
the matter, Jane Darwell urges Bogart to investigate further.
Since Miss Verne had attracted him, Bogart decides to fol-
low his mother's suggestion. Little knowing what he was
entering into, Bogart and his two henchmen start out to find
Miss Verne. They locate her singing at a night club. Real
trouble starts when the night club owner (Ed Brophy) is
murdered by a mysterious man who had forced Miss Verne
to leave with him. Since Bogart's glove was found near the
body, the police send out a call for his arrest. Bogart and his
pals trace Miss Verne to a warehouse and later to an auction
gallery. Bogart soon discovers that Miss Verne was part of
a criminal gang of German spies. She tries to explain that
she was an unwilling member — they had threatened to kill
her father in Germany unless she joined them. Bogart and
his pals meet with many exciting adventures, in which their
lives are endangered. Eventually they overpower the gang
and place them in the hands of the police, with the evidence
against them. He then proposes marriage to Miss Verne.

Leonard Spigelgass and Edwin Gilbert wrote the screen
play from a story by Mr. Spigelgass and Leonard Q. Ross.
Vincent Sherman directed and Jerry Wald produced it. In
the cast are Judith Anderson, Peter Lorre, and Barton
MacLane.

Several murders make it unsuitable for children. Good
for adults.

"Dr. Kildare's Victory" with Lew Ayres,
Lionel Barrymore and Ann Ayars

(MGM, Rel. not set; time, 92 min.)

There's nothing exceptional about this latest addition to
the "Kildare" series. Yet it will probably entertain those
who have found this series of pictures to their liking. The
leading players (with the exception of a change in heroines)
are familiar. The story has human appeal, even though it is
less exciting than some of the others. Instead of delving into
unusual medical cases, the action this time is confined mostly
to the trials and tribulations of members on the hospital staff,
and to the hero's efforts to help them. In seems as if a new
romance is being worked up for "Dr. Kildare." In this re-
spect the future looks bright, for the new heroine, who is
brought into the story as a patient, is quite attractive and
appealing. The production is up to standard and the per-
formances are good.

Harry Ruskin and Willis Goldbeck wrote the screen play
from a story by Joseph Harrington; Major W. S. Van-
Dyke II directed it. In the cast are Alma Kruger, Robert
Sterling, Jean Rogers, Walter Kingsford, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

December 6, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

195

"Babes On Broadway" with Mickey Rooney
and Judy Garland

(MGM, Date not set; time, 117 min.)
Here is grand entertainment; it should be enjoyed both
by young and old. Sentimental in spots, comical in others, it
manages to be consistently entertaining, even though the plot
is routine. The musical numbers, both in song and dance,
are its strong points, and in that respect it excels, for, not
only do the two stars acquit themselves in their customary
expert fashion, but they are assisted by a group of young
talented performers. One of the best bits, although of short
duration, is Mickey Rooney's impersonation of Carmen
Miranda; it should delight audiences. There is a pleasant
romance: —

Rooney and his two pals (Ray McDonald and Richard
Quine), a singing-dancing trio, have faith in themselves but
cannot convince any producer of their talents; and so they
wait for a break. While eating at a Times Square drug store
where all the young "hopefuls" congregated, Rooney meets
Judy Garland, an equally unsuccessful actress, and they
become good friends. Rooney learns of her interest in a
settlement house and decides to produce a show for the pur-
pose of providing country vacations for the poor children,
using for his talent all his idle actor and actress friends as
well as Miss Garland. They obtain a license to give a block
party so as to earn the rental fee for the theatre. Rooney,
who had become acquainted with Fay Bainter, assistant to
a famous producer (James Gleason), is overjoyed when she
offers him a chance to join Gleason's new show. But Miss
Garland, expressing her disappointment that he would let
down all his friends and the poor children, induces him to
give the show. And so Miss Bainter grants them permission
to use an old theatre owned by Gleason but abandoned for
many years. On the opening night the fire department orders
the closing of the show because of fire hazards; yet no one
demands his money back; and so the children are assured of
their vacation. Gleason arrives after the audience had left,
and is persuaded to watch the performance. He is so im-
pressed that he engages the whole cast, and produces the
show on Broadway, with great success. This delights Rooney
and Miss Garland, who had fallen in love with each other.

Fred Finklehoffe wrote the story, and he and Elaine Ryan,
the screen play; Busby Berkeley directed it, and Arthur
Freed produced it. In the cast are Virginia Weidler, Donald
Meek, Luis Alberni, and Emma Dunn.

Suitable for all.

"The Body Disappears" with Jeffrey Lynn,
Jane Wyman and Edward Everett Horton

(Warner-First "Rational, December 6; time, 72 mm.)

Just a fair program comedy. Its main feature is the trick
photography; it shows characters dematerializing and then
gradually reappearing. But this has been done before, even
to better advantage, in "The Invisible Man" and "Topper"
series; therefore, it lacks novelty. The story is thin and, with
the exception of one formula automobile race, lacks fast'
moving action. Even the comedy and romance are routine: —

At a bachelor dinner given in his honor the night before
his marriage, Jeffrey Lynn becomes intoxicated and passes
out. A few of his friends, medical students, decide to play
a joke on him; they carry him to the school morgue and place
him on a slab in the dissecting room. But before he awakens,
his "body" is stolen by an experimenting professor (Edward
Everett Horton), who believed he had discovered a serum
to bring the dead back to life. Thinking that Lynn was
dead, he injects the serum into him and Lynn naturally
jumps to "life." Horton is jubilant at the idea that his dis-
covery worked. But Lynn becomes invisible, and complica-
tions ensue. All one can see when he walks around is his
suit of clothes. While in his invisible state, he visits his
fiancee and finds out that she was in love with someone else
and wanted to marry Lynn only for his money. After creat-
ing a "mysterious" commotion he leaves in disgust. He is
amused when his rival is arrested for his supposed murder,
but he provides the money for bail. Lynn returns to Horton's
home. Horton's daughter (Jane Wyman) is delighted to
have him back, for she had seen him in the "flesh" and had
fallen in love with him. Horton starts working on an anti-
dote. His colleagues, thinking he had gone crazy, put him
in a sanitarium. But Miss Wyman, by injecting the scrum
into her arm, becomes invisible and thus is able to visit
Horton; he, too, uses the scrum and thus in an invisible state
they both escape. Eventually he discovers the antidote, and
everyone is restored to a normal state. Lynn and Miss
Wyman embrace.

Scott Darling and Erna Lazarus wrote the screen play,
D. Ross Ledcrman directed it, and Ben Stoloff produced it.
In the cast arc Willie Best, Marguerite Chapman, Wade
Botcler, Craig Stevens, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Vanishing Virginian" with Frank
Morgan and Spring Byington

(MGM, J-{o release date; 96J/2 min.)

This is a family comedy, and although it is somewhat slow
in the beginning it is, nevertheless, a good entertainment. It
is about a Southern family, of a city in the State of Virginia,
and the troubles, sadnesses and the joys that happen to the
average family happen also to this family. The best scenes
are: the family group in which one of the young sons plays
a banjo and other members of the family sing; where Frank
Morgan finds Leigh Whipper, the old family colored ser-
vant, dead, and carries him into the house in his arms; the
other, and most powerful, in the colored church where
memorial services were held for the dead servant — the
preacher asks Frank Morgan to say the eulogy, and Morgan
makes a moving talk. There are other parts that appeal to the
emotions and sympathy, and there are many laugh-provok-
ing situations; also romances. There is really no story, but
simply an aggregation of episodes revolving around the
family, mostly around Morgan: —

Frank Morgan, father of a big family, is against prohibi-
tion and he always wins on the ticket as the Commonwealth's
Attorney in Lynchburg, Va. His wife, Spring Byington,
often retires with a book and forgets that she had a family.
Frank Morgan shouts when irritated, but he is kindly at
heart, even to the point of providing an attorney to defend
a colored person for the murder of a man who had been too
intimate with his wife, going so far as to interrupt the mur-
der trial when he realized that the jury was so prejudiced
that a verdict of murder in the first degree was sure. Natalie
Thompson, a fine pianist, does not want to play the piano —
she wants to be a lawyer (out of style at that time). Kathryn
Grayson has a fine voice and wants it cultivated, but her
father wants her to be an artist. And there is in the family
Dickie Jones, 14; Juanita Quigley, 12, and Scotty Beckett,
10- — all contributing very vigorously to the family doings.
Miss Byington makes Morgan promise that he will not run
for office again — she feared that defeat would break his
heart. But he is so soft that he can not resist his friends. But
just as his wife feared, he runs again and is defeated. Yet
he takes his defeat bravely. He is moved deeply, however,
when a large number of his friends assemble in front of his
house to assure him of their loyalty.

The plot has been based on the novel by Rebecca Yancey
Williams. The screen play is by Jan Fortune. The picture
was produced by Edwin Knopf, and directed by Frank Bor-
zage. Mark Daniels and Louise Beavers are in the cast.

Good for the entire family.

"You're in the Army Now" with Jimmy
Durante, Jane Wyman and Phil Silvers

(Warner-First Rational, December 25; time, 78 min.)

A fairly good program Army camp comedy. The fact that
most of the gags are pretty old does not detract from their
amusing quality; this is due to the expert clowning by Jimmy
Durante. He is ably assisted in these comedy bits by Phil
Silvers. And some of the new gags are fairly comical. Audi-
ences should be set in the right mood by the opening scenes
in which Durante and Silvers try to sell vacuum cleaners to
disinterested parties, for they provoke hearty laughter. The
story itself is lightweight: —

Durante and Silvers, unsuccessful vacuum cleaner sales-
men, without realizing what they were doing, both sign
papers to join the Army. To their horror they find that their
Colonel (Donald McBride) was the man who had chased
them out of his home after they had upset the place by a
poor demonstration of the vacuum. But the Colonel's
daughter (Jane Wyman) sympathizes with them. Durante
finds a soldier's life a hard one; he is always getting into
trouble and landing in the brig. Durante and Silvers, learn-
ing that Miss Wyman was having trouble in her romance
with Regis Toomcy, a tank officer who had been sent to
mechanize her father's unit, much to McBride's disgust,
decide to help her out. Durante, posing as a test driver for
tanks, takes McBride on a wild ride, wrecking houses and
part of the camp. As usual, he lands in the brig. Learning
that McBride intended moving his house. Durante and
Silvers, without permission, attach the house to a tank and
start moving it. Again Durante lands in jail. Durante, while
unloading an ammunition truck, sets some shells loose; they
explode and blow away part of the foundation under Mc-
Bride's house, which is left swaying on the top of a cliff.
Durante saves the day by using a tank to pull the house to
safety. This finally convinces McBride of the usefulness of
tanks; and so he approves his daughter's romance with
Toomcy.

Paul G. Smith and George Bcatty wrote the screen play,
Lewis Scilcr directed it, and Ben Stoloff produced it. In the
cast are George Meeker, Joseph Sawyer, William Haade.

Morally suitable for all.

196

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 6, 1941

resolution against the practice had been prepared for sub-
mission to the convention, but it was tabled on a plea by
H. M. Richey, of MGM. Mr. Richey pleaded with the ex-
hibitor leaders to give the producers time to carry on an
investigation with a view to establishing guilt.

The subject of charging high percentage terms on pictures
with each group of five is another question that should be
taken up at once. There are still other questions of impor-
tance.

Unity can be brought about, but it is up to the producers.
So far as the exhibitors are concerned, they have already
demonstrated that they are more than willing to play ball.

"I Killed That Man" with Ricardo Cortez
and Joan Woodbury

(Monogram, November 14; time, 71 min.)

This is a pretty good program murder mystery melodrama.
Although the plot is far-fetched, it holds one in fair sus-
pense, for the murderer's identity is not dislosed until the
end. The action is pretty fast-moving, the dialogue breezy,
and the performances adequate. There is a little comedy and
a routine romance. It should fare well on a double-feature
program in those theatres where the patrons enjoy pictures
of this type: —

Before entering the death chamber where he was to be
electrocuted on a murder charge, Ralf Harolde is asked by
the District Attorney (Ricardo Cortez), in the presence of
newspaper men and other witnesses, to divulge the name of
the leader of the murder gang. Just as he was about to talk,
he is murdered by a small poisoned dart. The murder was
so unexpected and had been executed so quickly that Cortez
is at a loss to pin the blame on any one. Nevertheless he
arrests Harry Holman, one of the men in the room, even
though he knew he was innocent. Naturally every one who
was in the room is under suspicion. During the investigation,
Iris Adrian, Harolde's girl friend, is murdered in the same
mysterious way. Joan Woodbury, a newspaper reporter, be-
comes involved in the case. She inadvertently stumbles onto
some valuable evidence and thus discovers the murderer's
identity. She goes to his home to confront him. Fortunately
for her, Cortez also learns the murderer's identity and,
when he hears that she had gone there, rushes to her rescue.
He arrives there just in time to save her and to arrest the
villain who had posed as a reputable citizen and had even
fooled the Governor into appointing him a member of the
Parole Board. With the case closed, Cortez turns his mind
to romance with Miss Woodbury.

Leonard Fields and David Silverstein wrote the story,
and Henry Bancroft, the screen play; Phil Rosen directed it,
and Maurice King produced it. In the cast are George Pem-
broke, Pat Gleason, Jack Mulhall, and Herbert Rawlinson.

Not for children. Adult fare.

"Quiet Wedding" with Margaret Lockwood

(Universal, November 21; time, 63 min.)

This is an English production; and, with the exception of
Margaret Lockwood, none of the players are known well to
American audiences. Yet it is not limited in its appeal to
British audiences alone. It is the kind of program entertain-
ment that should entertain also American family audiences,
for it has human interest and comedy. It is good fare for
neighborhood theatres. The filming of this picture was de-
layed by several bombings; but the story contains no men-
tion of war or of propaganda: —

Margaret Lockwood and Derek Farr decide to marry, and
tell their respective families of their decision. Although Miss
Lockwood wants a quiet wedding, her mother gets busy
with plans for a big wedding, and the household is turned
topsy-turvy. The commotion, arrival of relatives and of
gifts, and the wedding preparations so unnerve Miss Lock-
wood that she becomes irritable and quarrels with her fiance.
On the day before the wedding she is ready to call it all off.
An old friend (Athene Seyler), noticing the state Miss
Lockwood was in, suggests to Farr that he force her to take
a long drive with him and then to make love to her. He
follows her advice, and takes Miss Lockwood to their honey-
moon apartment just to look things over. She is so happy
to be away from the fuss that she relaxes and falls asleep.
Farr decides not to disturb her. The next morning they
start driving back home to get ready for the wedding. They
meet with an accident, are arrested, and are compelled to
appear before the Magistrate. They are both terrified lest
their guests gather and they would not be there. Miss Lock-
wood finally telephones her father; he rushes to their aid
with Farr's father. They finally get away. Miss Seyler sneaks
Miss Lockwood into the house without her mother knowing
anything about it. The couple dress and manage to get to
the church in time for the wedding.

Terence Rattigan and A. deGrunwald wrote the screen
play from the stage play by Esther McCracken; Anthony
Asquith directed it, and Paul Soskin produced it. In the
cast are Marjorie Fielding, A. E. Matthews, Jean Cadell.

Morally suitable for all.

"Sing For Your Supper" with Jinx
Falkenburg and Buddy Rogers

(Columbia, December 4; time, 65 mm.)
Just a minor program entertainment. The plot is hack-
neyed and the production values are ordinary. Moreover,
the players lack box-office drawing power. It has, however,
for the masses two features that may please them; one, the
musical interpolations; and the other, Bert Gordon's clown-
ing. Known to radio audiences as "The Mad Russian," Gor-
don manages to provoke laughter each time he appears. Even
so, it is doubtful if the picture is suitable for more than
second place on a double feature program in neighborhood
theatres: —

Jinx Falkenburg, an heiress, overhears the manager
(Henry Kolker) of her real estate holdings telling Buddy
Rogers that he and his band would have to vacate the dance
hall they were running because they could not pay rent.
Deciding to investigate for herself, she goes to the dance
hall, and is mistaken for one of the hostesses by a customer.
Rogers comes to her rescue; believing that she was a poor
girl out of a job, he offers her work as a hostess, which she
accepts. When the regular singer (Bernadene Hayes) leaves,
Rogers promotes Miss Falkenburg to the position of band
vocalist. In the meantime, she orders Kolker to extend the
time of occupancy for Rogers, and arranges, without Rogers
knowing anything about it, for him to get a better place.
Rogers is overjoyed, and looks forward to a gala opening
night. His publicity agent (Don Beddoe) accidentally learns
of Miss Falkenburg's identity and plans to use it to their
advantage. That night Miss Falkenburg tells Rogers who she
was, but promises to sing with the band on opening night.
He gives his word of honor that he would say nothing about
her to anyone. But Beddoe spreads the news in all the news-
papers, and Miss Falkenburg, thinking that Rogers had
done it, cancels all arrangements. Some time later Beddoe
tells her the truth, and she forgives Rogers. She and Rogers
had fallen in love with each other and decide to marry.

Harry Rebuas wrote the screen play, Charles Barton di-
rected it, and Leon Barsha produced it. In the cast are Eve
Arden, and Benny Baker.

Morally suitable for all.

"Miss Polly" with Zasu Pitts and
Slim Summerville

(United Artists -Roach, November 14; time, 44 min.)

When Hal Roach announced his "streamlined" features,
every one in the industry thought that he would pack into
a four-reel feature the action and the human interest, or the
comedy, that formerly he packed into features of double the
length. Unfortunately, such has not been the case with the
exception of one — "Tanks a Million." The present picture
has been founded on a creaky old story, and childish. The
comedy is forced. The romance is not of any consequence: —

Zasu Pitts, living in Millville, a small country-town, is so
romantically-minded, even though she was an old maid, that
she arranges a meeting between young Dick Clayton and
Elyse Knox, daughter of Kathleen Howard, head of the
Civic League, consisting of the town's joy killers. When
Miss Howard discovers the lovers in a tryst she locks her
daughter in her room. Slim Summerville, the town's in-
ventor, uses his contraptions to help Elyse elope with Dick
but he makes a mess of things: his smoke-producing ma-
chine gets stalled, and the smoke from its flue so fills Miss
Howard's home where the members of the Civic League
were meeting that every one of them is driven out. To
Dick's pleas to elope with him, Elyse turns a deaf ear; she
feared her mother. Miss Pitts then decides to do something:
Recalling a certain brew, which had magic properties on
lovers, she takes Slim and goes to the cellar and the two
sample bottle after bottle until they strike the right bottle.
She becomes intoxicated and starts making love to every one
she meets. She enters the Civic League quarters during a
meeting and, when the League members express horror at
her conduct, she dangles a skeleton out of the closet of every
one of the members. Miss Howard faints and Miss Pitts
fives her a sip of her magic potion. This transforms her
completely. She now gives her consent to the young lovers.

The screen play is by Eugene Conrad and Edward E.
Seabrook. It was directed by Fred Guiol.

There is nothing objectionable in it from the moral point
of view. It may go over in small theatres that cater to non-
discriminating people.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1941 No. 50

HERE AND THERE

THE OTHER DAY I ASKED a prominent Allied
leader whether there was any hope that the "Unity"
committee will be able to reconcile the differences
between independent exhibitors and distributors, and
was told by him that it all depends on how sincere
are the distributors. So far, he said, the distributors
have not shown sincerity in their dealings with the
independent exhibitors under the Consent Decree.

For instance, the complaint about forcing shorts
with features, he said, is justified; he knows of many
cases himself. And it is practiced with vengeance,
for many exhibitors are compelled to agree upon a
weekly-payment plan, just as was the case before the
Consent Decree was signed.

The home offices of the five consenting distributors
have been specific on the subject of observing the pre
visions of the Consent Decree; they have given definite
instructions to their sales forces to the effect that they
are not to compel any exhibitor to buy shorts in order
for him to obtain the features. If they allow their
salesmen to violate that provision of the Consent
Decree, the home office officials are just as guilty as
are their employees, and, if the violation becomes more
or less general, they can be held in contempt of court.

Isolated cases are, of course, arbitrable, in which
case the violators may be fined $500 for each viola-
tion. But then it is a matter of proof, and it is hard
to prove a violation in isolated instances. The ex'
changeman may deny that he had compelled the exhib-
itor to buy the shorts in order that he might be per-
mitted to buy also the features, and the exhibitor will
have a hard time proving the contrary. But in the
event that the cases of violation have been many, the
abused exhibitors may lodge complaints with the
Department of Justice, which may, if it satisfies itself
that there have been violations, go before Judge God-
dard and demand punishment for the violator com-
panies as well as the violator employees.

But who among exhibitors wants to go that far?
The exhibitor realizes that he has to "live" with the
distributors and rather than incur their ill will he
prefers to remain silent and, either refrain from buy-
ing that company's product, or buy it along with the
shorts.

Let us watch to see what the Joint Conference
Committee will do. If it will do nothing to relieve the
situation, then legislation is the only way out
* * *

THE MORE ONE STUDIES the decisions of
the Appeal Board the more one realizes the value
of the present arbitration system.

The system that was in force in the early twenties
up to the time it was outlawed by the District Court
in New York City (in 1929) was faulty in two re-
spects: it was compulsory, and it had no National
Appeal Board. There was a local board in each of the
distribution centers, just as there is now, but there
was no higher authority to check upon their decisions
so as to determine whether they were right or wrong.
Most of those boards were biased, as every one who
was connected with the motion picture industry at
that time very well knows, because they were con-
trolled by the producers' association of which Will H.
Hays is the head; and since their awards were con-
clusive, an exhibitor could be "railroaded" through
without any recourse, unless, of course, he could
prove either collusion or bias, a difficult and costly
process, to say the least.

With the present setup, no abuse seems possible.
If a local arbitrator's award is just, the Appeal Board
upholds him; if it is unjust, it reverses him; if it is
just in some points but unjust in others, the Board
modifies the award. But it always takes pains to
explain why it has upheld him, reversed him, or modi-
fied his award.

He who studies the decisions of the Appeal Board
cannot help being struck with the feeling that its
members try to be scrupulously fair; their opinions
give one the impression that they give the facts of
each case a thorough study before making a final
decision.

* * *

A CALIFORNIA EXHIBITOR has written me
partly as follows:

"Regarding the issue of November 15th, and the
letter from your exhibitor friend, the half has not
been told.

"The Consent Decree is the little exhibitor's 'Mu-
nich.'1

"Why does it have to go on for a year? Three
months of it has dented dozens of little exhibitors, six
months of it will bend them, and a year will break
them beyond repair.

"Why does it have to go on?

"It has not improved one single feature, and it has
taken away every possible chance to get rid of the
'lemons.'

"Why does it have to go on? Why can't the Gov-
ernment and the producers agree that it was a mistake
for everybody, and call olf . . . the block-of-five selling?

"We repeat: the little exhibitor has been 'Mu-
niched!' "

198

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 13, 1941

"Johnny Eager" with Robert Taylor,
Lana Turner and Van Heflin

(MGM, January 16; time, 107 min.)

A strong gangster melodrama, strictly for adults. The
character portrayed by Robert Taylor, that of a gangster
leader, is so ruthless and hard, that one cannot feel sympathy
for him; yet he gives an unusually fine performance, making
the part both colorful and interesting. There are, however, a
few characters who do win one's sympathy. Van Heflin, in
the part of the gangster's philosophical, brilliant, but hard-
drinking friend, is the most engaging; so well does he por-
tray this character, that one forgives his weaknesses and
admires his fine traits, loyalty being the strongest. Another
appealing character is that which is enacted by Robert
Sterling, who is willing to sacrifice everything to bring happi-
ness to the heroine. The action is of the usual gangster va-
riety; the picture ends in a blaze of gun fighting and the
death of Taylor: —

Taylor, a former big-time gangster and ex-convict out on
parole, convinces Henry O'Neill, head of the parole depart-
ment to whom he makes his monthly reports, that he was
now leading an honest life as a taxi driver. Unknown to the
police, Taylor used the honesty gag just as a front to cover
up his criminal activities, which he had never abandoned.
Taylor accidentally meets Lana Turner, a society girl; she
falls madly in love with him. Despite the pleas of her step-
father (Edward Arnold), a wealthy civic-minded lawyer
who had helped send Taylor to prison, and of her society
fiance (Robert Sterling), she continues to see Taylor. In an
effort to force Arnold to withdraw an injunction he had
obtained against the opening of a dog-race track secretly
owned by Taylor, Taylor, in the presence of Miss Turner,
stages a fight with one of his henchmen; pretending that the
man was getting the best of him, Taylor shouts to Miss
Turner to get a gun. She does and shoots the man, thinking
she had killed him; she does not know that the gun contained
blanks. Taylor then confronts Arnold and promises to keep
quiet in return for the privilege of opening the track. Arnold
consents; but Miss Turner becomes ill over the incident. It is
then that Taylor realizes he really loved her. He tries to tell
her the truth but she refuses to believe him. With the aid of
Sterling, he gets her to a certain street where he confronts
her with the man, whom Taylor intended to kill because he
had double-crossed him. When she refuses to leave him,
Taylor knocks her out and sends her away with Sterling. He
then shoots it out with his henchman and his pals; they are
all killed.

James Edward Grant wrote the story, and he and John L.
Mahin, the screen play; Mervyn LeRoy directed it, and
John W. Considine, Jr., produced it. In the cast are Patricia
Dane, Glenda Farrell and Diana Lewis.

Not suitable for children or adolescents.

"Bahama Passage" with Madeleine Carroll
and Stirling Hayden

(Paramount, Re!, not set; time, 83 min.)

Here is one picture in which the tropical island background
and the excellent technicolor photography play an important
part, for that, and the popularity and good looks of the two
stars, are its chief selling points. The story is weak and slow-
moving; as a matter of fact dialogue has been substituted for
action. And in one or two spots, where Miss Carroll boldly
tells Hayden that she was determined to make him fall in
love with her, the talk is somewhat suggestive. But the
pictorial beauty is entrancing: —

For generations, Stirling Hayden's family, assisted by
many Negroes, mined salt on Dildo Cay, a barren, white-
sand island in the Bahamas. When Hayden's father meets
with an accidental death, his mother (Flora Robson), a
highly nervous woman, insists that the natives had murdered
him. She pleads with Hayden to permit her to bring to the
island an overseer who could rule the natives with an iron
hand, for she felt that Hayden was too soft for them. Just
to satisfy her, Hayden agrees to this, only because he felt
that the man would not stay with them very long. They go
to Spanish Harbor to pick up the new overseer (Leo G.
Carroll), who had brought with him his daughter (Miss
Carroll). Hayden is disappointed that his wife (Mary An-
derson), who had been visiting her mother, was not ready to
return to the island with him. Hayden acts as rudely as
possible to both the overseer and his daughter. No sooner
does Carroll arrive at the island, than he gets in wrong with
the natives, who were already upset at the idea of having a
stranger rule them. Hayden warns Carroll. Miss Carroll falls

madly in love with Hayden, and is heartbroken when she
learns that he was married. When Hayden receives a note
from his wife asking him to come to her, Miss Carroll goes
with him, for she had to attend to some business for her
father. Hayden was unaware that her father was a scoundrel;
he could not get along unless she shielded him and did his
work. When Hayden visits his wife, he learns that she
wanted a divorce, for she did not love him and could not
live on the lonely island. Hayden and Miss Carroll return to
the island to find the natives in an uproar, for Carroll had
shot and killed one of them. The excitement kills Miss
Robson. Knowing that Hayden had fallen in love with Miss
Carroll and would not prosecute her father, the natives
abduct him and leave with him for the mainland. Left alone,
Hayden and Miss Carroll express their love for each other
and plan to leave the island to live in Nassau. But one day
the natives return; they inform Hayden that Carroll had
drowned himself. Hayden insists that he was duty-bound to
remain on the island; he refuses to subject Miss Carroll to
the lonely life. But she finally convinces him that she be-
longed there and they are united.

Virginia VanUpp wrote the screen play from a story by
Nelson Hayes; Edward H. Griffith directed and produced it.
Cecil Kellaway, Leigh Whipper, Dorothy Dandridge, and
others are in the cast.

Not for children or adolescents.

"Sullivan's Travels" with Joel McCrea
and Veronica Lake

(Paramount, Rel. not set; time, 91 min.)

This is good adult entertainment for the class trade. The
star names and the popularity of Preston Sturges, as author-
director, should help it considerably at the box-office. Com-
bining high comedy with romance and melodrama, Mr.
Sturges has concocted a plot that is both original and inter-
esting. The first half, which concentrates on the comedy
angle, is highly diverting. Many spectators may be surprised
by the sudden switch in the second half to stark melodrama.
Although it is more entertaining when it sticks to comedy,
the picture continues to hold one's interest also in the second
half. The romance is pleasant: —

Joel McCrea, a famous Hollywood director, noted for his
success in directing comedies, suddenly decides that he
wanted to direct a drama with a message. Robert Warwick
and Porter Hall, heads of the studio, pull their hair in
despair, warning him that, since he had always had wealth,
he could not understand the plight of poor folk. So McCrea
decides to dress up in tramp's clothes and go out and see life
for himself. The studio insists on having a staff and a luxuri-
ous trailer follow him on his adventures. He finally strikes a
bargain with them — if they would leave him alone for two
weeks he would meet them at an appointed place and give
them all the pictures and publicity they wanted. McCrea
thumbs rides and to his surprise finds himself back in Holly-
wood. He enters a lunch wagon, but realizes he had no
money. Another patron (Veronica Lake) insists on paying
for his breakfast. She was broke anyhow, and was going to
hitch back home since she could not get a break in pictures.
McCrea finally tells her who he was and takes her to his
swanky home. His idea was to help her and then continue
on his way. But she had fallen in love with him, and feeling
that he was too innocent to travel alone, insists on accom-
panying him, also dressed as a tramp. They have many ad-
ventures and finally go back home. McCrea, feeling he had
had enough of realism, goes out on one more spree to hand
out to tramps five dollar bills. One of the tramps hits him on
the head and steals his money and his shoes. But the thief
falls under a train and is killed. The shoes are identified as
McCrea's, and he is mourned by all his friends as dead. His
former wife, whom he had married just to save money on
his income tax, but who had cost him a fortune, immediately
remarries. In the meantime, McCrea, who had awakened
dizzy and shaken up, goes berserk when a railroad guard
strikes him; he hits back and is arrested, tried, and sentenced
to a prison camp for six years. No one believes him when he
tells them who he is. He then "confesses" to having killed
McCrea the director. In that way he gets his picture in the
newspapers. Miss Lake and his friends see it and rush to his
help. Freed and back in his proper place, McCrea decides to
stick to comedy. He and Miss Lake plan to marry.

Paul Jones produced it. William Demarest, Franklin
Pangborn, Byron Foulgcr, Margaret Hayes, Eric Blore are
in the cast.

Morally suitable for all.

December 13, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

199

"Mr. Bug Goes to Town"

(Paramount, Rel. not set; time, 78 min.)

This Fleischer feature cartoon, produced in technicolor, is
a good technical achievement. Yet the story lacks strong
adult appeal; and thus it should appeal chiefly to children.
The fact that the animation is good, that the color is attrac
tive, and that it contains a few original ideas cannot over'
come the story's weakness. The picture cannot compare with
"Dumbo," in which the trials and tribulations of the little
elephant interest one deeply. In "Mr. Bug Goes to Town"
there is not one character strong enough to win and hold
one's sympathy.

The story tells of the troubles little insects (drawn to
resemble people) have in trying to keep their community
intact and out of the way of human reach. They live in a
rundown patch of earth, formerly a garden, near Broadway.
If only some one would repair the broken, rusty iron fence
that had once protected them, and thus keep the humans out
of their domain, life would be sweet again. Honey, most
beautiful of the insects, could marry C. Bagley Beetle, the
wealthiest insect, and move to the "highlands" away from
humans; but she loved Hoppity, a well-meaning but poor
insect, who was always trying to help his people. Beetle
orders his henchmen to do away with Honey's father and
Hoppity, so that he could force Honey to marry him. Beetle
and his henchmen steal and hide a letter addressed to the
owner of the property; this letter contained a check which
the owner would have used to repair the property. The
owner is, therefore, compelled to sell, and signs are posted
that a skyscraper would be built there. Beetle, without di-
vulging the facts to the insects, offers them his estate for
protection if Honey would marry him. She prepares to make
the sacrifice. But Hoppity, who had been imprisoned by
Beetle, escapes and warns them. He gets the hidden letter to
the former owner. The man builds a garden atop the sky-
scraper, and the insects make their homes there in safety.
Hoppity and Honey marry.

"Midnight Angel" with Robert Preston
and Martha O'Driscoll

(Paramount, Rel. not set; time, 76 min.)
Although the players are not strong box-office attractions,
and the plot is far-fetched, this spy melodrama is good en-
tertainment, particularly for the action-loving fans. The
brisk pace and engaging performances help it considerably.
One is kept in suspense throughout because of the constant
danger to hero and heroine, who are innocent victims of a
spy ring. Their adventures in tracing down the spies in an
effort to clear their own names lead them into situations that
are at times amusing and at other times thrilling. The tension
is relieved by some comedy and the development of the
romance : —

Philip Merivale, technical advisor to the American De-
fense Corps, works with officials in preparing a test blackout
and air raid in a large American city. His work is inter-
rupted when he is called to court to testify as character wit-
ness on behalf of Robert Preston, a young inventor accused
of the murder of his co-worker on an anti-aircraft range
finder. The chief witness against Preston is Eva Gabor, a
night club singer, who testifies that Preston had killed his
friend in an argument over her. The fact that Preston insists
that he had never seen Miss Gabor carries little weight with
the court. He is found guilty and sentenced to die. The
police van in which he was being taken to prison starts out
during the blackout and crashes into another car. In the
excitement that follows, Preston escapes, but he is hand-
cuffed. Martha O'Driscoll, a young telephone operator who
was looking for her dog, which had been lost during the
blackout, becomes acquainted with Preston and believes his
story. She finally manages to get the handcuffs off. But she
insists on working with him in an effort to find who had
framed him and why. Their investigation leads them to the
munitions plant where Preston had worked. They overhear
Louis J. Heydt, a test engineer, phone his chief in spy work;
the chief turns out to be Merivale himself. Preston forces
Heydt to talk and learns that the spies had placed in one of
the test bombers flying over the city live bombs, which were
supposed to be dropped on the munitions plant; the plant
and Preston's invention would then be demolished. With
the help of police and army men, Preston manages to signal
the bomber to land, thus outwitting the spies. Mcrivaic is
arrested and confesses. With his name cleared, Preston turns
his attentions to Miss O'Driscoll.

Franz Spencer and Curt Siodmak wrote the story, and
Lester Cole and W. P. Lipscomb, the screen play; Ralph
Murphy directed it, and Burt Kelly produced it. In the cast
are Thurston Hall, Mary Trccn, J. Edward Brombcrg.

Morally suitable for all.

"No Hands on the Clock" with Chester
Morris and Jean Parker

(Paramount, Rel. not set; time, 76 min.)

A fair program murder mystery melodrama. It will prob-
ably go over with followers of pictures of this type, for the
murderer's identity is not revealed until the end; moreover,
the action moves at a fairly brisk pace. The story is not
particularly novel yet it holds one's interest to some degree,
for it combines, in a pleasant way, melodrama with romance
and comedy. The performances are good: —

Chester Morris, a private detective, assigned by his em-
ployer (George Watts) to find Jean Parker, who was missing
from her home, not only finds her but falls in love with her
and marries her. Watts flies to Reno, where Morris and
Miss Parker had stopped to spend their honeymoon, and
pleads with Morris to take on a new assignment. Morris
refuses; but when Watts promises to buy Miss Parker a
mink coat, she induces him to accept. Morris and Watts
drive out to the ranch owned by wealthy James Kirkwood.
His son was missing for two weeks and he wants Morris to
find him. Morris' investigations lead him to several shady
characters, and into many exciting adventures. In the mean-
time Miss Parker is sorry that she had given her consent for
Morris to work on the case, for she had become jealous of
his talks with a blonde, who was somehow connected with
the case. In the meantime, two persons are murdered. Kirk-
wood receives a note demanding $50,000 ransom for his
son's release. Morris gets into further difficulty when a
notorious criminal (Dick Purcell) mistakes him for another
criminal. Morris finally gets all the suspects together, and
proves the guilt of one oi them. The case is solved, the de-
tectives collect their fee, and Morris and Miss Parker look
forward to a happy honeymoon.

Maxwell Shane wrote the screen play from the novel by
Geoffrey Homes. Frank McDonald directed it, and William
H. Pine and William C. Thomas produced it. In the cast
are Rose Hobart, Astrid Allwyn, Rod Cameron, and others.

Not for children.

"Paris Calling" with Elizabeth Bergner,
Randolph Scott and Basil Rathbone

(Universal, January 16; time, 96 min.)

This spy melodrama, which revolves around an anti-Hitler
underground movement in France, is only fair. The story is
highly far-fetched, and more stress has been placed on
performances and dialogue than on action, with the result
that occasionally it drags. Even the closing scenes, which
are supposedly the most exciting, fail to thrill one, for the
action is so unbelievable that it is slightly ludicrous. The
star names may help it, but it is doubtiul if it will receive
any oral advertising. There is a romance: —

Elizabeth Bergner, a wealthy French aristocrat, is warned
by her fiance (Basil Rathbone) to leave Paris immediately
with her mother, for he, a plotter against his own govern-
ment, knew that the Germans were about to enter the city.
She leaves by car with her mother, and soon they are on a
road jammed with fleeing Parisians. A sudden air raid by
the Germans kills many of the innocent people; her mother
dies from the shock. Grief-stricken, she returns to her home
with her mother's body. She finds her servants and other
plain people of the neighborhood holding a meeting to
form an anti-Hitler underground movement. She contributes
all her possessions to the movement, and offers her own
services as a spy. Being an excellent pianist, she is assigned
to play a piano in a cheap cabaret in a seaport town. The
piano was connected to a radio transmitting set and the
music she played contained messages to all their members.
To the cabaret comes Randolph Scott, an American flyer
who had joined the R.A.F., but who had been accidentally
left behind. She believes in him; for this she is called down
by her superiors, who felt that she was endangering their
work by taking up with strangers. To test further her
loyalty, she is asked to meet Rathbone, now an important
member of the Nazi-controlled government, and to spy on
him. She not only spies on him, but she kills him in order to
take from him important plans ot German moves. She then
returns to the catc. But she is followed there by the Gestapo
chief. Through her piano playing, she gets a message through
to the British telling them of their danger. A band of British
sailors, sent in a captured German flying boat, overpower
the Nazi men, and rush Scott, Miss Bergner, and a few other
leaders into the plane and set out for England. Miss Bergner
and Scott, now in love, arc overjoyed.

Benjamin Glazer and Charles S. Kaufman wrote the
screen play, Edwin L. Martin directed, and Benjamin Glazer
produced it. In the cast arc Gale Sondcrgaard, Eduardo
Ciannclli, Lee J. Cobb, and others.

Not for children.

200

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 13, 1941

"Road Agent" with Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo
and Andy Devine

(Universal, Dec. 19; time, 60 min.)

A formula Western. It has a few scenes of fast horseback
riding, of fist and gun fights, and of encounters between
the hero and the villain. But occasionally it slows down
because of the forced attempt to inject comedy and romance
into the story. Foran sings two songs pleasantly: —

Dick Foran and his two pals (Leo Carrillo and Andy De'
vine) waylay three bandits who had stolen a gold shipment
from the stagecoach and take from them the gold. After de-
ducting ten per cent for their services in getting back the
gold, they leave the money in front of the bank and hide
out. The real crooks spread a rumor that Foran and his two
pals were guilty of all the crimes that had been perpetrated
in the territory. Samuel Hinds, the town banker, was actu-
ally in league with the crooks; he wanted to break away
from them but the chief (Morris Ankrum) refused to let
him. Foran and his pals are finally arrested on a murder
charge. But Anne Nagel, an old friend of Foran's, but now
married to one of the crooks, clears them. Foran agrees to
undertake the job of Sheriff. He brings law and order to the
town. But Ankrum and Hinds are determined to get rid of
him. They plan to get him out of the way and clean out the
bank; thus he would be discredited. But he outwits them,
and robs the bank himself. He and his pals take the money
to Hinds' home for safe-keeping. In a gun battle with Ank-
rum and his gang, the leader and most of the men are killed;
the others are captured. Foran and his pals decide to leave;
Foran sends a note to Hinds telling him that now that Ank-
rum was out of the way he, Hinds, could live a decent life
again. Hinds is thankful for this, for the sake of his daughter
(Anne Gwynne), who was loved by the young Mayor of the
town.

Morgan Cox, Arthur Strawn and Maurice Tombragel
wrote the screen play, Charles Lamont directed and Ben
Pivar produced it. In the cast are Richard Davies, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Tuxedo Junction" with Weaver Bros,
and "Elviry," and Frankie Darro

(Republic, Hov. 25; time, 70 min.)

This is typical of the other pictures in which the Weaver
Bros, and Elviry have appeared; that is, it is entertainment
for the family trade, and it should fare best in the localities
where these stars are popular. The story is neither novel nor
particularly exciting; yet it has human interest, a little
comedy, as well as music, and for that reason it shapes up
as a pretty good program entertainment: —

Thurston, an ill-tempered millionaire, whose estate ad-
joined the truck-garden farm owned by the Weavers, is
annoyed at the slightest noise they make. His daughter
(Lorna Grey) is spoiled and sides with her father. He be-
comes particularly irritated when the Weavers take into
their home three migrant boys, whom Thurston had accused
of attempting to steal his daughter's automobile. The leader
(Frankie Darro) of the boys, who was tough and refused
to believe that any one would be kind unless there was a
profit involved, declines to cooperate with the Weavers. He
even brings a gang of migrant boys to the farm, just to see
what the Weavers would do. He is surprised when the elder
Weaver agrees to keep all the boys and to share profits with
them if they would work on the farm. They all cooperate
but Darro. His eyes are opened finally and he joins in the
hard work of raising flowers for the float to be entered by
their city in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. At
the last moment the city board refuses to buy the flowers
because of orders from Hall. And so the Weavers and Darro
decide to enter their own float; fortunately they obtain a
backer. They have engine trouble while driving the float to
the parade grounds, and almost lose their place in the parade.
Since the motor would not work, they all join in pushing
the float- themselves. They win the prize. Hall is so happy
that he forgives everyone. Miss Grey, too, changes; she had
fallen in love with the young probation officer who had
helped the boys.

Dorrell McGowan and Stuart McGowan wrote the screen
play, Frank McDonald directed and Armand Schaefer pro-
duced it. In the cast are Sally Payne, Clayton Moore, Billy
Benedict, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Sealed Lips" with William Gargan,
June Clyde and John Litel

(Universal, December 5; time, 62 min.)
A fairly good program melodrama; it should fare well
as the supporting picture on a double-leature program. The
story is pretty interesting, the action moves at a i airly good
pace, and the characters are believable. William Gargan
handles the part of a detective in a natural manner, and
wins one's sympathy. He teams up well romantically with
June Clyde, a newspaper reporter. The romance, however,
does not retard the action: —

Gargan, investigator for the State Bureau of Investiga-
tion, is amused when his chief (Addison Richards) tells him
that he had a hunch that a notorious criminal (John Litel),
supposedly confined in the federal prison, was going about
free while his double was serving his time for him. Gargan
interviews Litel at the prison, and comes to the conclusion
that Richards was right, for the prisoner was interested in
flowers and was solt-spoken, while the real criminal was
extremely tough. Gargan leaves for New York. He goes to
the library of a well-known newspaper to look up clippings.
Working with him is Ralf Harolde, who poses as his valet.
Miss Clyde, reporter on the newspaper, becomes suspicious
and hounds Gargan for a story. He promises her a break
when the case is cracked. Gargan and Harolde finally trace
the real criminal (also played by Litel) and his gang. Gar-
gan forces a confession from Anne Nagel, wife of the inno-
cent man in prison; she tells him that the real criminal had
promised to pay them well, and that once her husband was
released he would leave them alone. Gargan captures Litel,
the criminal, and takes him to the prison. But, since his time
was supposed to be up, they release him, intending to follow
him and arrest him on another charge. But the gangster's
henchmen, thinking that it was the double who was released,
and following instructions of the gangster chief, kill the chief
himself. The case is thus closed, and the innocent man is
freed. Gargan and Miss Clyde fall in love with each other.

George Waggner wrote the screen play and directed it;
Jack Bernhard was producer. Mary Gordon, Joe Creham,
Russell Hicks are in the cast.

Not suitable for children.

"Confessions of Boston Blackie" with
Chester Morris and Harriet Hilliard

(Columbia, ]an. 8; time, 64 min.)
This is a fair program melodrama. In spite of the fact that
the plot is routine, it has the kind of action that the fans
usually enjoy — fist fights and clashes between the police
and the villains. Moreover, there are a few good comedy
touches and a suggestion of a romance. Chester Morris
handles the title role effectively; as a matter of fact his per-
formance is superior to the story material: —

While attending an auction with a wealthy friend (Lloyd
Corrigan), Chester Morris, reformed jewel thief, meets
police inspector Richard Lane. Lane does not believe Morris
when he tells him he was there merely to help Corrigan bid
for a certain statue. Harriet Hilliard, owner of the statue,
sits next to Morris. When the bids are started on the statue,
she walks up front to inspect it. Just as she exclaims that the
statue was an imitation, one of the gang responsible for the
trick fires at her; Morris in turn fires at the man. The gang-
ster's bullet, instead of striking Miss Hilliard, hits and kills
the leader of the gang, who had been standing on the plat-
form with her. Morris starts giving chase to the murderer.
But he is stopped by Lane, who insists that he was the mur-
derer. Morris manages to elude Lane, for he felt that unless
he caught the criminal, he surely would find himself in
trouble, particularly since the body of the dead man had
mysteriously disappeared. Morris finally follows them to a
secret hideout, where originals of famous works were brought
and copied and the originals thus kept. Miss Hilliard is
forced by one of the gangsters to go there too. But Morris'
friend and assistant notify Lane of Morris' trouble, and the
police break in. The electric switch is put out of order and
they cannot get out. Morris starts a fire, thus bringing the
fire department to their rescue. He recovers the real statue
for Miss Hilliard; she needed the money to send her sick
brother to the country.

Paul Yawitz and Jay Dratler wrote the story, and Mr.
Yawitz, the screen play. Edward Dmytryk directed and
William Berke produced it. In the cast are George E. Stone,
Joan Woodbury, Walte Sande, and others.

The shooting makes it unsuitable for children.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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Sbc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXlil SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1941 No. 51

THE CHICAGO IND1

As every one of you undoubtedly knows by this time,
representatives of exhibitors and of producer-distributors, at
the invitation of Allied States Association, met in Chicago
last week for devising means and ways whereby the interests
of the motion picture industry may best be protected and
promoted, and differences composed.

The trade papers have said, of course, that the meeting
was highly successful, and private information received by
this office indicates that such an assumption is correct in
every detail.

How seriously the industry took this conference may be
evidenced by the fact that the producer-distributors were
represented by top executives, and representatives of every
type of exhibitor organization were there.

From the producers' side, the following were present:

For Loew's, Inc.: Nicholas Schenck, Robert Rubin, Wil-
liam F. Rodgers, H. M. Richey.

For Paramount: Barney Balaban, Austin Keogh, Neil F.
Agnew, and Claude Lee.

For RKO: George Schaefer and Ned Depinet.

For Twentieth Century-Fox: Tom Connors and Felix
Jenkins.

For Warner Bros. : Joseph Bernhard and Howard Leven-
son.

For Columbia: Jack Cohn and Abe Montague.
For Republic: James R. Grainger.
For Monogram : Steve Broidy.

From the exhibition side, the following were present:

For Allied: Abram F. Myers, H. A. Cole, Jack Kirsch,
Martin Smith, Roy Harrold, and Sidney Samuelson.

For MPTOA: Ed Kuykendall, Fred Wehrenberg, Jack
Miller, Oscar Lam and Max Cohen.

For PCCIT (Pacific Coast) : Robert Poole, Jack Y. Ber-
man, H. V. Harvey, Bob White and L. O. Lukan.

For Allied of Nebraska: Leo F. Wolcott.

For MPTO of Virginia: Sydney Gates and Col. Barton.

For Intermountain : John Rugar.

For ITO of New York: Harry Brandt.

Jack Kirsch acted as temporary Chairman at the first
meeting. Abram F. Myers opened the meeting with a speech
that made a fine impression.

After the speeches were over, a steering committee repre-
senting the different exhibitor organizations and the pro-
ducer-distributor was appointed to evolve a plan of pro-
cedure. After working all night, the committee presented to
the full body on Wednesday morning the following five
points :

"1. Co-ordination of policy and action in reference to
taxation.

"2. Co-ordination of policy and action in protecting the
good name and integrity of the industry as a whole.

"3. Formulation of plans for institutional advertising and
other good will activities.

"4. Protecting the necessary supplies of the industry by
securing proper priority ratings.

"5. Formulation of a program providing, if possible, for
the adjustment or modification of policies or practices of one
branch or member thereof which are opposed by any other
branch or a substantial portion thereof." (Editor's note:
These points are what Allied proposed originally, with the
exception of two points, omitted for good reasons.)

The Committee decided that the name of the organization

STRY CONFERENCE

should be known as "Motion Picture Industry Conference
Committee," and should be constituted as follows:

Five members from Allied.

Five members from MPTOA.

Five members from the independent exhibitor groups.

One member from each of the national distributors.

A subcommittee has been appointed for each of the points
on the agenda. Thus responsibility for carrying out the de-
cisions taken at that meeting has been divided, to good advan-
tage.

The plan evolved at that meeting will be submitted by each
group to its parent body for ratification. Allied will submit
it to its board of directors.

As stated in the beginning of this editorial, Mr. Myers'
speech made a deep impression by its temperateness. Since
cooperation between the different industry branches is some-
thing new, Mr. Myers did not want to assume the responsi-
bility^ of having the plan be more than voluntary. "It is
safer," he said, "to equip an infant about to take its first steps
with a baby-walker than with a pair of roller skates."

As to effecting a merger between the different exhibitor
organizations, Mr. Myers made it clear that Allied did not
approve of such a move.

In the matter of financing the new organization, too, he
stated that Allied did not wish to assume any financial
burden.

He proposed that the members of the organization should
not be bound to the decisions taken by means of voting, for
the reason that, no company executive, responsible to his
board, would be willing to put his company in a position
where its sales policy could be controlled by votes of a com-
bination of exhibitors and business rivals. Likewise, no exhi-
bitor leader with a proper regard for his responsibility would
expose his organization to the control of a combination of
distributors and other exhibitor representatives. "Not only
would such action be improvident and beyond the authority
of those attempting it," Mr. Myers said, "but it would involve
legal considerations of so grave a nature as to require the
active^participation of lawyers in the deliberations at all
times." For all these reasons he suggested that the action of
the representatives of the different groups be voluntary.
He felt that, if there is good will on the part of each group,
a solution can certainly be found for most problems that
might be brought before the body for consideration.

Calling the attention of those present that the exhibitors,
because of their position, should be regarded by the distribu-
tors as something more than buyers of film, Mr. Myers felt
that concessions should be made to them so as to keep them
happy. "The exhibitors are the outposts of the industry,"
he said. "They should be the outposts of good will. They
can be a bulwark against unfair taxation and regulation.
Smarting under conditions which they believe to be unjust,
they possess great capacity for mischief. Exhibitors, like cows!
function best when they are contented. . . . Each has his own
sphere of influence, and is capable of striking mighty blows
for the common defense when he feels that he is justly
treated. The security of all may depend upon whether they
pull an oar or merely rock the boat. Concessions will be
justified in order to attain this stability and teamwork.

"Gathered in this room are the men who have built the
great motion picture industry: the executive heads of the
producing and distributing companies, the foremost exhibitor
leaders. The job that confronts us presents obstacles, but no
task is too great for the type of leadership here represented.
All that is needed is the will to cooperate, to give and take,
to be fair and just, to live and let live. I am confident that
(Continued on last page)

202

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 20, 1941

"Mr. and Mrs. North" with Gracie Allen

(MGM, January 23; time, 67 min.)
A fairly pleasant program entertainment. It is a combina-
tion murder-mystery melodrama and marital comedy. Al-
though the plot is a little far-fetched, it holds one's interest
pretty well because the murderer's identity is not disclosed
until the end. But most of the picture's entertainment value
is derived from the comedy provided by Gracie AUen. As
the scatter-brained "Mrs. North," who discovers the body,
and then talks too much, thereby placing her own husband
under suspicion, she provokes laughter with each appearance.
The fact that her chatter finally helps the police to unravel
the mystery is comical, too, since she had no idea that she
was saying anything to incriminate the murderer. The char-
acter portrayed by Miss Allen is not as silly as those por-
trayed heretofore; in this picture she is somewhat more
normal: —

Miss Allen, happily married to William Post, Jr., greets
her husband when he returns from a one-day business trip
out of town. After insisting that he accompany her on various
shopping and visiting trips, they finally arrive at their
apartment. Miss Allen tells him what she had done during
his absence, but suddenly remembers they had a dinner ap-
pointment. But he refuses to go out. He is annoyed when
the superintendent, who had come up to the apartment to
return their cat, insists that he had heard him quarreling with
some one the day before. Miss Allen suggests that they have
a drink, and goes to the liquor closet to get the ingredients.
When she opens the door, a body falls out. She and her
husband are horrified, and call for the police. Miss Allen
talks so much that she soon incriminates herself, her husband,
and several friends. Paul Kelly, the police inspector, ques-
tions all the friends and finds out that the widow of the dead
man, her lover, and another couple had good cause to
commit the murder. Miss Allen's continuous innocent chatter-
ing finally provides the clue to the murderer's identity. She
and her husband are happy to be cleared.

S. K. Lauren wrote the screen play from the stage play
by Owen Davis. Robert B. Sinclair directed it, and Irving
Asher produced it. In the cast are Rose Hobart, Virginia
Grey, Tom Conway, Felix Bressart, Porter Hall.

The murder angle makes it unsuitable for children.

"The Wolf Man" with Claude Rains
and Lon Chaney, Jr.

(Universal, December 12; time, 70 min.)

This horror melodrama, which deals with werewolves and
witchcraft, is suitable mostly for theatres catering to audi-
ences that enjoy entertainment of this kind. It is a little too
harrowing and somewhat depressing for the general run
of picture-goer, for the hero, who becomes infected with the
werewolf disease, is a pitiful character for whom one feels
sympathy. There are a few scenes that are properly frighten-
ing. And the production values are good, particularly the
photography, which gives the picture an eerie atmosphere.
The romantic interest is unimportant: —

Lon Chaney, Jr., returns to England to live with his father
(Claude Rains) in their family home, the ancient Talbot
Castle. In an effort to meet Evelyn Ankers, one of their
neighbors, Chaney enters her father's antique shop, and
buys from her a cane with a silver head of a wolf surrounded
by a pentagram. She tells him of the legend of the werewolf
— half man, half beast. She promises to go walking with him
that evening; but she invites along her friend (Fay Helm).
They all go to the gypsy camp to have their fortunes told.
Chaney and Miss Ankers wander off, while Miss Helm has
her fortune told by Bela Lugosi. Looking at her palm, Lugosi
sees the sign of the pentagon and is horrified, for he was a
werewolf and the sign meant she would be his next victim.
From what he says, she flees in terror. Suddenly Chaney and
Miss Ankers hear Miss Helm scream. He rushes to her aid
and is attacked and bitten by a wolf, which he clubs to death.
He staggers home; but no one can see any sign of a wound.
Everyone believes he had gone mad, for instead of a wolf
they find the body of Lugosi, which had turned back to its
natural state. Chaney becomes infected with the disease and
commits murder. He is horrified and pleads with Rains to
send him away; but Rains, thinking it was a temporary state
of nerves, insists that he stay home. After several murders,
Rains starts a search with others for the wolf. He comes upon
the werewolf and clubs him to death. To his horror the body
changes back to that of his son's; he realizes that death
was best.

Curt Siodmak wrote the screen play, George Waggner
directed and produced it. In the cast are Ralph Bellamy,
Warren William, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya.

Not for children.

"Melody Lane" with "The Merry Macs",
Baby Sandy, Anne Gwynne

(Universal, December 19; time, 60 min.)

Baby Sandy is cute, The Merry Macs sing popular songs
in their usual style, Leon Errol clowns, and Anne Gwynne
and Robert Paige go through a routine romance; but it all
adds up to ordinary entertainment. Hampered by a silly
story, the players are at a disadvantage. Not only is some of
the action inane, but the dialogue is trite. When it sticks to
music, the picture is lair for those who enjoy swing and
popular songs; but when the story becomes serious, it is
slightly boresome: —

Don Douglas, head of an advertising agency handling the
advertising account of Kornies' Breakfast Food, is faced
with the loss of the account, for he was unable to get a
name band to play for their radio program. This was due to
the fact that Leon Errol, head of the Kornies Company,
insisted on playing in the band and ordering the leader
around. Douglas is pleased when his assistant (Anne
Gwynne) discovers a band in Iowa that sounded very good;
Errol listens to a recording of their music and insists that
they sign up the band. And so Miss Gwynne leaves for Iowa,
in an effort to induce the leader (Robert Paige) of the band
to sign up with them and leave for New York. Everyone in
the band is willing to go, but Paige feels that New York
would be a bad place for his orphaned niece (Sandy), and
so refuses the contract. But he becomes attracted to Miss
Gwynne and Sandy becomes attached to her, so he gives
in. Once they arrive in New York and find out about Errol,
Paige is angered, for he felt that Miss Gwynne had tricked
him in not telling him about Errol. Moreover, he felt that
she had made a fool of him in getting him to make love to
her, for he was suspicious of Douglas' interest in her. Every-
thing is finally straightened out, the band is a hit, and Paige
and Miss Gwynne plan to marry.

Bernard Feins wrote the story, and Hugh Wedlock, Jr.,
Howard Snyder, and Morton Grant, the screen play; Charles
Lamont directed and Ken Goldsmith produced it. In the
cast are Butch and Buddy, and others.

Morally suitable for all.

"Bedtime Story" with Fredric March
and Loretta Young

(Columbia, December 25; time, 85 min.)
This marital mixup comedy is good entertainment for
adults. The story itself is not unusual; as a matter of fact it
hasn't much substance. Yet the picture is consistently enter-
taining owing to engaging performances by the leading
players and to individual situations that provoke hearty
laughter. The lavish backgrounds and stunning costumes
worn by Miss Young should prove an added attraction for
women: —

Playwright Fredric March and his talented actress wife
(Loretta Young) have been happily married for seven years.
She surprises all their friends by telling them that they were
giving up the theatre to retire to their farm in Connecticut,
which they had recently bought. Everyone is shocked at the
idea. But most surprised of all is Miss Young when March
informs her that he had no intention of leaving the theatre,
that he would die in the country and so had sold the farm,
that he had just written a new, wonderful play, and that he
expected her to rehearse in it immediately. She goes to Reno
for a divorce. Through a ruse, March gets her to return to
him, promising that he had given up all ideas about a new
play. But no sooner is she back home than she realizes he
was lying, and so she returns to Reno and this times means to
get her divorce. March follows her there, as does Allyn
Joslyn, a dignified banker, who loved her. March induces
her to take a drive with him in Joslyn's car. They run out of
gas and are compelled to spend the night at an auto camp,
that is, in different bungalows. Neither one realizes that
Miss Young had crossed the border. Miss Young finally
obtains her divorce. Again March tries to trick her into
returning to him. This so angers her that she marries Joslyn.
March is determined not to let them consummate the mar-
riage. Miss Young is finally thankful for this; first, she
discovers from the auto camp receipt which she had kept in
her purse that she had crossed the border and thus her
divorce was invalid; secondly, that she loved March and
could not leave him or the theatre. And so everything is
finally adjusted and March and Miss Young are reunited.
On the opening night of the new play Miss Young is cheered
by the audience. March faints when she tells them she would
soon retire for she was going to have a baby.

Richard Flournoy wrote the screen play from a story by
Horace Jackson and Grant Garrett. Alexander Hall directed
it, and B. P. Schulbcrg produced it. In the cast are Eve
Arden, Robert Benchley, Helen Westley, Joyce Compton.

Morally suitable for all.

December 20, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

203

"The Bugle Sounds" with Wallace Beery,
Marjorie Main and Lewis Stone

(MGM, January 30; time, 101 min.)
This is good mass entertainment. The story is timely; and,
since it has been produced with the assistance of the U.S.
Army, it should prove interesting to audiences in general,
for it shows scenes of army training and maneuvers. Although
the plot is not novel, it has been handled well, combining
melodrama with comedy; and the performances are good. The
situation towards the end, in which Beery prevents a gang
of saboteurs from blowing up a bridge, are thrilling even
though wildly melodramatic. Most of the comedy is pro-
vided by Beery's romance with Marjorie Main. There is
another romance, but it is incidental: —

Beery, one of the U.S. Army old-timers and a sergeant in
the Cavalry division, is enraged to learn from his Colonel
(Lewis Stone) that Washington had sent orders that the
division be mechanized. Stone grants him a few days leave.
Beery gets drunk, and, as usual after such sprees, finds him-
self at the home of his girl friend (Marjorie Main), whom
he had been courting for eighteen years. He finally gets
back to camp in time. Although Beery resents giving up his
horse for a tank, he undergoes the training as well as any
of the younger men. While unloading a new batch of tanks
from a train, one of the tanks catches on fire and the driver
is compelled to jump; the tank runs wild, crashes into the
stall where Beery's horse was kept, and so injures the horse
that Beery is compelled to shoot it. The officers realize that
the accident was due to sabotage, for they find that the
other tanks had been tampered with. Beery goes beserk,
stays away from camp, and when finally found and forced
back, insults and strikes Stone. He is court-martialled and
discharged from the Army. Everyone, including Miss Main,
turns from him. But, unknown to all but himself and Stone,
Beery had purposely acted that way so as to come to the
attention of the saboteurs. Everything works as he and Stone
had planned. Through George Bancroft, a discharged Army
man who had joined the enemy agents, Beery becomes con-
nected with them. He gains their confidence when he pre-
sents them with the fact that a trainload of tanks and
soldiers were to pass over a certain bridge. Beery, at the
last moment, manages to blow up the bridge before the train
could get there thus warning them in time; he does this even
though he had been shot. The saboteurs are rounded up.
Beery recovers, is restored with honors to the Army, and
wins back Miss Main's love.

Lawrence Kimble and Cyril Hume wrote the story, and
Mr. Hume, the screen play; S. Sylvan Simon directed and
J. Walter Ruben produced it. In the cast are Henry O'Neill,
Donna Reed, Chill Wills, William Lundigan.

Suitable for all.

"Riot Squad" with Richard Cromwell
and Rita Quigley

(Monogram, December 19; time, 57 min.)

This is minor program fare. The routine plot has been
handled clumsily, the direction is stilted, and the perform-
ances are uninspired. The closing scenes provide a little
excitement, because of the danger to the hero. There is a
little human interest, a romance, a few comedy bits: —

Richard Cromwell, a young doctor, and his nurse-fiancee
(Rita Quigley) celebrate their engagement at a night club.
While there, Cromwell is called in to treat the club owner
(John Miljan) who had been shot. He is unaware that his
friend (Jack C. Smith), a policeman, had been killed by
Miljan. Cromwell pretends to be in sympathy with Miljan
and takes the money Miljan offers him to keep quiet about
his wounds. But Cromwell goes directly to the police, turns
the money over to them, and makes his report. When he
hears of Smith's death, he agrees to cooperate with the
police to trap Miljan and his gang. He leads Miljan to
believe that he had resigned his post at the hospital and
would work exclusively for him and his henchmen taking
care of their wounds in gun fights. In this way he is able
to tip off the police, who arrest the gangsters one by one.
Since he could not tell Miss Quigley the truth, she believes
the worst and breaks her engagement. She adopts Smith's
young daughter (Mary Ruth); but when the child becomes
ill and cries for Cromwell whom she adored. Miss Quigley is
compelled to call him in. In the meantime, Miljan learns that
Cromwell had been double-crossing him and prepares to
kill him. But Cromwell manages to get Miljan and the gang
to the police station, where he turns them over. Miss Quigley
regrets her suspicions and becomes reconciled with Cromwell.

C. C. Coons wrote the screen play, and Edward Finney
directed and produced it. In the cast are Herbert Rawlinson,
Mary Gordon, Donald Kerr.
Not for children.

"The Corsican Brothers" with
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Akim Tamiroff

(United Artists, November 28; time, 110 min.)
A very good costume melodrama, with an interesting ro-
mance. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., handles the dual role of the
twin brothers competently, giving each a different person-
ality; thus the spectator can readily distinguish one from the
other. And he is assisted by a competent cast. The production
is extremely lavish, both in the costuming and settings. And
the action is interesting, as well as exciting; one is held in
suspense throughout because of the constant danger to the
hero. It has strong human appeal, too, owing to the sympathy
one feels for the brothers. The romance is an important part
of the story: —

The joy of Count Franchi (Henry Wilcoxon) at the news
that his wife had given birth to twin sons is turned to sorrow
when Dr. Paoli (H. B. Warner) tells him that the children
were joined together by a bond of flesh. The Count pleads
with him to periorm an immediate operation to sever them so
that they might grow up as normal men. Just as the doctor
was preparing for the operation, the Count's estate and his
servants are set upon by Baron Colonna (Akim Tamiroff), a
ruthless enemy of the Franchi family; he burns the estate and
kills everyone, with the exception of Paoli, the new born
twins, and Lorenzo (J. Carrol Naish), a faithful servant;
they manage to escape. Paoli performs the operation success-
fully; the boys are named Lucien and Mario. Paoli notices
something peculiar: Lucien seems to suffer pain when Mario
is hurt. So that Colonna should not learn that the children
were alive, Paoli turns over Mario to dear friends living in
Paris, while Lorenzo takes Lucien. Lucien becomes a daring
leader of an outlaw band, while Mario becomes an attractive,
intelligent member of French society. Through all the years,
Lucien, although unaware of the existence of a twin brother,
has felt all the pains and joys suffered and enjoyed by Mario;
the strangeness of it makes him wild at times. When the boys
are twenty-one, Paoli brings them together and tells them of
their duty to avenge the crime against their family; they vow
to carry out their duty. Colonna, who had set his mind on
marrying young, beautiful Countess Isabelle (Ruth War-
rick), murders her father to get her under his control. But
Mario, who had met her in Paris and had fallen in love with
her, comes to her rescue; he takes her to the forest camp of
the outlaws. Realizing that both brothers loved her, she runs
away, but is captured by Colonna. In the meantime, Colonna
has become aware of the fact that the Franchi twins were
alive and he tries to trap them. Eventually, after thrilling
adventures and duels, Colonna and his gang are wiped out.
But Lucien is killed. Mario is comforted by Isabelle.

George Bruce wrote the screen play from the Alexandre
Dumas novel. Gregory Ratoff directed it, and Edward Small
produced it. In the cast are John Emery, Gloria Holden,
Walter Kingsford, Nana Bryant, Pedro deCordoba.

Morally suitable for all.

"Borrowed Hero" with Alan Baxter
and Florence Rice

(Monogram, December 5; time, 64 min.)

A moderately entertaining program melodrama, suitable
for secondary theatres. The performances by Alan Baxter
and Florence Rice are far superior to the story. Not only is
the plot routine, but the action is on occasion far-fetched.
Even the romance is developed according to formula — there
are misunderstandings and separation between hero and
heroine, and eventual reconciliation. There is a little comedy:

Miss Rice, a well-known newspaper columnist, is enraged
when she learns that her fiance (Alan Baxter), a struggling
young attorney, had attended a party given by Constance
Worth, daughter of wealthy John Hamilton, head of the
Civic League, when she thought he was busy working. Even
though Baxter insists that he had gone just to meet influential
people, she refuses to talk to him. Baxter becomes a hero
when he knocks down and captures Richard Terry, a mur-
derer who was running away from the police. Unknown to
Baxter, Hamilton was really the gangster chief. Hamilton,
feeling that Baxter could be managed easily, is influential in
having the Governor appoint Baxter special prosecutor to
investigate criminal activities in the city. But to Hamilton's
surprise, Baxter takes his work seriously and soon obtains
evidence against him. He brings Hamilton to trial; but the
case is thrown out of court. Baxter is jeered by everyone and
is ready to quit; but Miss Rice induces him to fight. Through
a ruse they get Terry to talk. The facts arc finally put before
the authorities, with all the evidence. Baxter is vindicated.
He and Miss Rice plan to marry.

Earlc Snell wrote the screen play from a story by Ben
Roberts and Sidney Sheldon. Lewis Collins directed and
A. W. Hackcl produced it. In the cast arc Stanley Andrews,
Wilma Francis, Maty Gordon, and others.

The shooting makes it unsuitable for children.

204

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 20, 1941

before the day is ended all substantial interests will have
expressed a purpose to join whole-heartedly in the move
ment. A curtain will be drawn on the past and a united in'
dustry will look confidently to the future. I am grateful for
having had the privilege to play a small part in getting the
movement under way."

Twentieth Century-Fox was, as said, represented by
Messrs. Connors and Jenkins. Mr. Kent would have been
there but for good reasons. But he sent a letter to Mr. Myers,
which was read at the meeting. It radiated with sincerity and
good will.

"It is a source of great regret to me personally," Mr. Kent
said partly, "that I cannot make a direct contribution to
your meeting. Mr. Connors has kindly relinquished his last
week with Metro, in order to represent Twentieth Century-
Fox and myself at Chicago. We have discussed fully together
the part that we and our company are prepared to play in
the results of your meeting. Our minds are in accord. . . ."

Mr. Kent did not mince words in recalling and condemn-
ing some of the past bickering and name-calling, which led
the industry to nothing but trouble. Selfishness, he said,
too often warped viewpoints. "I cannot help but go back to
the fall of 1931, to our meetings, in Atlantic City. . . . The
results, and the uniform contract negotiated at that time,
were killed by our own people — why? Because the Commit-
tee and myself were accused of having given away the dis-
tributors' shirts. I bring this up now, for what reason? So
that we can honestly on our part, look a great mistake
squarely in the face, and see the damage that was done. . . ."
The remainder of the letter was written in the same vein.
The results of this meeting are already apparent: A dele-
gation from Minnesota went to Chicago to plead with Bill
Rodgers for Metro product. Messsrs. Cole, Samuelson,
Kirsch and other Allied leaders called on Mr. Rodgers and
pleaded the Minnesota exhibitors' cause. Bill stated that his
company's refusal to make an application to Judge Goddard
for permission to sell MGM product in Minnesota in accord-
ance with that state's law was based on a principle with his
company, but since the Allied leaders took up that matter
with him, he promised to make the application, provided
Messrs. Schenck and Rubin had no objection; and they
offered no objection.

For the results so far obtained at co-operation, the indus-
try must thank Abram F. Myers, who was able to convince
every Allied leader except one that an all-industry commit-
tee, inspired by good will, could accomplish what law-suits
and legislation as well as independent exhibitor belligerency
could not accomplish. Two other persons who deserve credit
for the results are William F. Rodgers and Henderson M.
Richey, both of MGM. Mr. Richey's influence was consid-
erable since he, having associated himself with exhibitors
for years, as a result of which association he understood
exhibitor problems well, felt sure that sincere co-operation
between exhibitors and producer-distributors could be real-
ized provided the distributors approach the exhibitors with-
out mental reservations. Messrs. Richey and Rodgers were
able to "sell" the idea to Mr. Schenck, and Mr. Schenck
was able to obtain the co-operation of the top executives of
the other companies. As far as Mr. Kent is concerned, it
was not hard to sell him; he was sold on the idea years ago.

Thus a good beginning has been made. With the good
will on the part of every one concerned continued, there is
no reason why many problems that divide producers and
exhibitors cannot be solved.

HERE AND THERE

THE SWOOPING OF THE WAR upon this land has
naturally affected business adversely. This is true also of
the picture business. The air-raid alarms, either because of
false alarms or of a desire on the part of our government to
train the public so that, if actual raids should ever occur, we
may know how and where to seek protection; the buying of
defense stamps; the contemplated taxes, and a hundred and
one other things consequent to a state of war, have either
diverted money to other channels or have caused people to
save for any possible emergency — all have had and will
have their adverse effect upon business.

If we take the experience of the British exhibitors into
consideration, however, we have to come to the conclusion
that the slump will be temporary. Once things become sta-
bilized and the necessary measures to prevent air raids in
the United States are taken, the entertainment business will,
not only come back, but will increase, for people want en-
tertainment— more so under stress.

Harrison's Reports is happy to extend to every membe

But the industry should not be content with waiting till
the business comes back; it should go after business now so
that the return of prosperity in the theatres may be ex-
pedited.

There are several steps that could be taken to attract
people back to the theatres. Suitable pictures, and institu-
tional advertising are two of them.

As to institutional advertising, it is my belief that this
will be undertaken as soon as the M.P.I.C.C. begins func-
tioning.

In regards to the suitability of pictures, that is up to the
producers themselves. They should bear in mind that right
now people want to laugh. Consequently, they should, not
only produce comedies, but also refrain from producing the
gruesome or the horrible type of pictures. Make people
laugh and the theatres will again be packed.

One way by which they could effect an improvement of
picture quality would be for them to open their distribution
facilities to outside product, produced by independent pro-
ducers, directors, authors. The present system has the ten-
dency of giving a similarity of tone to all the pictures of a
company. Years ago I happened to be present at a discussion
between an independent producer and a high executive of
the old Universal. This producer was seeking to obtain a
releasing agreement from the old Universal. The executive
in question made the following remark to the producer:
"Why should we give you a releasing agreement, making it
possible for you to get some of the profits, whereas we can
make the pictures ourselves, and retain all the profits." I
could not stand the shortsightedness of the remark and in-
terposed as follows: "Just for one reason if for nothing else:
to give your product a variety of tone. At present all your
pictures have the same tone, because the stories are selected
by the same people, and the same people supervise their
production. Unless your pictures are given a freshness, your
company will wither and die." And it was not long after
that remark that my prophecy came true.

* * *

UNIVERSAL AND UNITED ARTISTS did not take
part in the Chicago deliberations. They have given as a
reason the pending government suit against them: they
want to avoid taking any action that might create complica-
tions for them.

There is no doubt in this writer's mind that, when the
proper time comes, both these companies will be found co-
operating with all the other factors in the industry for the
settlement of whatever problems might be presented to the
M.P.I.C.C.

* * *

ROBERT WEITMAN, managing director of the Para-
mount Theatre, in this city, has just sent to the trade papers
a release giving in detail the measures he has taken to pro-
tect the Paramount patrons from possible injury in case of
an Air Raid alarm. The safety of patrons, he says, "is our
most important duty. We can avert possible serious calamity
by proper preparation, and calm, cool, efficient, systematic
operation."

No doubt every theatre owner on the eastern and west-
ern coasts will receive instructions from his local authorities,
and possibly from the Army Command, as to what he is to
do in case of an air-raid alarm, and will drill his forces to
take care of such an emergency. But theatre owners in every
part of the country should give thought to the measures
they should take in case of an alarm, either real or caused by
false rumor. In these days, which are full of surprises, one
cannot be too sure that nothing will happen in one's local-
ity, and it is well for every one to be prepared to face the
emergency when it arises.

UNITED ARTISTS IS HAVING its "face lifted";
whereas up to this time its policies were determined by the
owners, from now on the owners will devote their time to
producing pictures, and will leave the conducting of the
distribution end of it to those who, by temperament as well
as experience, are best qualified for the job. In other words
there will no longer be an interference as to the type of
pictures that should be produced, and how they should be
sold.

Those who know Grad Sears certainly know that he
would have no other way about it; and since Mr. Raftery>
the organization's new president, seems to be in full accord
with Mr. Sears' ideas, as seems to be David Selznick, who
was instrumental in obtaining Grad's services, the exhibitors
may look forward to receiving better pictures than they have
received for several years.

of the motion picture industry the Season's Greetings.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.

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A REVIEWING SERVICE FRE~E~FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1941 No. 52

HERE AND THERE

FRANK CAPRA HAS ANNOUNCED that he has
offered his services to the United States Government. He is
willing to serve wherever the Government's officials feel that
he can be most useful.

Already many Hollywood artists, such as Jack Ford and
Woody Van Dyke, for example, are in the service, and
many more will either be drafted or volunteer to serve.
Thus the motion picture industry will be deprived of much
talent.

The Government, realizing that entertainment is almost
as necessary to the armed forces as well as the civil popula-
tion, in war as in peace, may make some exceptions and leave
some of the artists in Holly woood to carry on; but the ex'
ceptions will, we assume, be few.

This places much greater responsibility upon the picture
producers: they must deliver moneymaking product to offset,
in a way, the loss of box-office names. This can be done only
by concentrating more than ever on stories.

Greater care will have to be given to the stories because,
not only of the demand of the box office, but also of the
necessity to eliminate waste.

Point 5 of the Chicago Conference resolution is the follow-
ing: "Protecting the necessary supplies of the industry by
securing proper priority ratings." If we are to demand of the
Government to recognize the importance of the industry to
the life of the nation and give it priority ratings, it is just as
important that we conserve those supplies by not using them
carelessly. And when the producers adopt stories that have
no chance, or when they do not give a story the proper treat-
ment, it is equal to using carelessly supplies that could be
used to better advantage elsewhere in winning the war.

* * *

WHERE ARE NOW the Wheelers, the Nyes, the Clarks,
the Flynns, and all the others who tried to injure the motion
picture industry by accusing it of carrying on deliberate anti-
Nazi propaganda?

Not only did the industry carry on such propaganda in the
past, but it will carry on in the future, more intensely than
ever. It is thus that it can do its share toward winning the
war.

Will these Senators and their followers now take the
same attitude toward the motion picture industry as they
took at their arbitrary investigation in Washington?

The motion picture industry has never failed to stand by
our Government when it was needed for any worthy pur-
pose, and certainly it will not fail it now.

* * *

EDDIE BRUNELL, that staunch Chicago independent
exhibitor who is always ready to contribute his share toward
the protection of the independent exhibitors' interests, has
sent the following letter to this paper:

"Well, Pete! After reading all the five points on unity,
and having read about dozens of other meetings since the
5-?-5 round-table discussions, I would like to say what I

said to Mr. W. F. Rodgers in Chicago: What did the dis-
tributors and the larger circuits come to Chicago to give
away for — and I mean to give away. For if they don't give,
there will be no unity as far as the small fellows are con-
cerned.

"Where is unity? As the meeting is going on, the sales-
men are asking sliding scale percentages and larger flat
rentals.

"From my experience, the larger circuits can afford to pay
more; their profit and loss statements show that there was
not one of them that did not show big profits last year,
whereas I don't think that ninety per cent of the small ex-
hibitors made much more than a porter's salary.

"Why not let the $25,000 to $1,000,0000 a year execu-
tives stay at their desks and save the travelling, hotel and
other expenses and pass the savings, in the way of reduc-
tions, on to the small exhibitors, who need it most? That
would be unity "

* * *

THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS DETERMINED to save
the Consent Decree and to bring under it also the "Little
Three" companies.

Since the Government brought the suit that resulted in the
Consent Decree to stop the monopolistic practices that were
oppressing the independent exhibitors, it should heed the
wishes of these exhibitors. At present, ninety per cent of
them seem to be opposing the selling of block-of-five system
because, they say, they have to pay bigger prices for film and
they have no chance of rejecting unwanted pictures.

Perhaps the Motion Picture Industry Conference Com-
mittee, when it begins functioning, will be able to convince
the officials of the Department of Justice that the independent
exhibitors prefer some other selling system to that of the
Consent Decree. Probably a system whereby an exhibitor
will be able to buy as many pictures as he wants, before they
are even produced, with a liberal cancellation privilege, guar-
anteed by the Government so that the producers will not
pervert it to their own advantage, will be just what they
would prefer.

* * *

IN ADDITION TO BRINGING HARMONY in the
ranks of the two branches of the motion picture industry,
exhibition and distribution, the MPICC should be able to
render invaluable service also to the United States Govern-
ment during the present strife. Decisions will no longer have
to be taken by one branch and imposed on the other branch;
through the Committee, the two branches may work hand in
hand to render to the Government its services with a view to
obtaining the greatest results.

* * *

DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, your copy
of one or two issues may have gone astray because of the
heavy mail. If so, this office will be glad to supply you with
substitute copies.

Look over your files now and let us know what copies arc
missing.

206

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 27, 1941

"Remember the Day" with Claudette
Colbert and John Payne

(20th Century-Fox, Jan. 2; time, 85 min.)
This human interest drama is very good mass entertain-
ment. Most of the credit for its excellence is owed to the
artistic direction of Henry King and to the engaging per-
formances by the entire cast. The story is simple; yet one
remains intensely interested in the proceedings because of
one's deep sympathy for the leading characters. Mr. Kings'
directorial talent is obvious throughout; the sympathetic
manner in which he has handled the performers, and the
little human-interest touches he has inserted in several situ-
ations, are what give this picture its charm. The romance is
delightful. The story is told in flashback: —

Nora Trinell (Claudette Colbert), a timid, elderly school
teacher, arrives in Washington to see and personally con-
gratulate Dewey Roberts (John Shepperd), a former pupil,
who had just been nominated for the presidency of the
United States. There is so much excitement at the hotel,
where a banquet was to be held in Roberts' honor, that Miss
Trinell finds it impossible to get to him. While she is sitting,
waiting to see him, her mind goes back to the old days, when
she had started teaching school in the small town where
Roberts had lived. Young Roberts (Douglas Croft) attracts
her attention. Her interest in and knowledge of boats so
impresses Roberts, that he adores her; and she loves him as
her own child. Dan Hopkins (John Payne), athletic instruc-
tor, and Miss Trinell fall in love with each other. They spend
their summer vacation together secretly. When the principal
accidentally discovers this, he demands that Hopkins resign.
In order to save Miss Trinell embarrassment, Hopkins re-
signs, on condition that nothing would be said to her. She
believes his story that he had obtained a good position in
Chicago, which would enable them to be married soon. A few
months later he returns, in uniform; he had enlisted in the
Canadian Army and was going to war. He and Miss Trinell
are married secretly. Dewey fights with the boys, who had
suggested a romance, but when he sees Miss Trinell in Hop-
kins' arms, he is heartbroken and disillusioned. He insists
that his father send him immediately to an out-of-town
school. Miss Trinell, learning of his sudden decision, rushes
to see him. He blurts out the truth. She then makes him un-
derstand the whole thing, and confides in him about her
marriage. She encourages him to do good work so that she
might be proud of him. Down at the station, she waves fare-
well to her husband and to her young admirer, who were on
the same train.

Suddenly she is shaken out of her reverie by a young bell-
hop, also a former pupil. He manages to get her into Rob-
erts' private office. Roberts rushes through the office, accepts
her greetings, but does not remember her. Just as he was
entering the banquet hall, he remembers who she was and
rushes back to her. Both he and his wife (Frieda Inescort),
also one of her old pupils, are delighted at the reunion. They
are saddened when she tells them her husband had never
returned from the war. They insist that she be their guest at
the banquet.

Tess Slesinger, Frank Davis, and Allan Scott wrote the
screen play from the stage play by Philo Higley and Philip
Dunning. William Perlberg produced it. In the cast are Ann
Todd, Jane Seymour, Anne Revere, Harry Hayden.

Suitable for all.

"Dangerously They Live" with John
Garfield, Nancy Coleman and
Raymond Massey

(Warner- 1st N.atJ., No date set; time, 77 min.)

A good espionage melodrama. Not only is the action fast-
moving, but it holds one in tense suspense throughout. Sev-
eral of the situations are so exciting, that one feels like shout-
ing. One feels deep sympathy for both the hero and the
heroine, who are trapped by the enemy agents, and whose
lives are in constant dangr. Their romance is minimized; the
action is concerned mainly with the melodramatic angles: —

Nazi agents plan to kidnap Nancy Coleman, member of
the British Intelligence, in order to torture her into telling
them about the sailing date of convoyed ships bearing sup-
plies for England. Without realizing it, she enters a cab
driven by one of their agents; the plan was for him to take
her to their headquarters. But they meet with an accident
and are taken to a hospital. John Garfield, the ambulance
doctor, notices that Miss Coleman was suffering from tem-
porary amnesia induced by concussion; he asks for permis-
sion to handle the case. Miss Coleman trusts him and asks
him for his help. At first he does not believe her, particu-
larly after Moroni Olsen, a fine-looking gentleman, arrives
at the hospital and claims that he was her father. But Gar-

field soon realizes she was right and suggests that she con-
tinue pretending to be suffering from amnesia. Olsen calls
into the case Raymond Massey, a famous psychiatrist. Gar-
field laughs at Miss Coleman's suggestion that Massey might
be one of the Nazi agents. Yet when Massey suggests that
Miss Coleman be taken to her "father's home," Garfield
induces them to take him along because of Miss Coleman's
supposed preference to have him around. Once in the house,
Garfield realizes they were prisoners; yet he does not suspect
Massey, who was actually the head of the Nazi spy organiza-
tion. Garfield finally manages to escape to get help. But
before he could return, they all clear out. He then appeals
to Massey for help; Massey goes with him to the District
Attorney's office. Massey, however, convinces the District
Attorney that Garfield was raving mad and should be con-
fined in the detention ward. Massey's agent manages to get
Garfield out so as to take him to the hiding place and use
him as the means of inducing Miss Coleman to give away the
secret. She gives them the wrong information, which they
deliver to their submarines. Garfield overpowers his captor
and rounds up the gang. Miss Coleman sends a hurry mes-
sage to her superiors to contact their planes to bomb the
submarines. The police arrest the gang, including Massey.
With the case finished, Garfield and Miss Coleman turn their
minds to romance.

Marion Parsonnet wrote the screen play, Robert Florey
directed it, and Ben Stoloff produced it. In the cast are Lee
Patrick, Christian Rub, Esther Dale.

Morally suitable for all.

"The Man Who Came To Dinner" with
Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and
Monte Woolley

(Warner-lst J^atl, Jan. 24; time, 112 min.)

A very good comedy, of the sophisticated type. It is par-
ticularly good for large metropolitan centers, where it will
most likely duplicate the success it attained as a stage play.
The comedy is derived chiefly from the humorous dialogue,
for the story itself is thin. As a matter of fact, it is one of
those talky pictures, in which the action is concentrated
practically in one room. On occasion, the action is slow-
moving; but for the most part it is laugh-provoking and so
one overlooks the tedious spots. The character portrayed by
Bette Davis is of secondary importance; Monte Wolley
plays the leading role, and does it brilliantly. In spite of the
fact that his role is an unpleasant one, one cannot help liking
him. There is a romance: —

Woolley, a noted author-lecturer, and his secretary (Bette
Davis) arrive in Mesalia, Ohio, one of Woolley's lecture
stops; they are greeted by Billie Burke, head of the local
women's club, and her husband (Grant Mitchell), with
whom they were to dine that evening, much to Woolley's
disgust. As he was walking up the steps leading to the
entrance of his host's home, Woolley slips, falls, and badly
injures his hip. Since he could not be moved, Woolley com-
pletely takes over the house, orders everyone around, re-
fuses to permit the family the use of their own dining room,
or telephone, or living room. He invites whomever he pleases
to the house, spends hundreds of dollars of Mitchell's money
in making long distance calls, and in all terrorizes the fam-
ily. Since it was nearing Christmas, gifts begin arriving,
some in the form of animals; arrangements are made for
Woolley's annual Christmas broadcast from the house. To
add to Woolley's troubles, he learns that Miss Davis had
fallen in love with Richard Travis, local newspaper editor,
and intended marrying him. He is furious, for it meant he
would lose a competent secretary. So he sets about breaking
up the affair. He does this by bringing to his side Ann Sheri-
dan, an actress noted for her many conquests; he tells her
that Travis had written an excellent play and that she would
have to use her charms on him to induce him to permit her
to play the leading part. Miss Davis sees through the whole
thing, and is heartbroken at the turn of events. She tells
Woolley that she would leave him anyway and berates him.
He is ashamed of himself and decides to right the wrong.
With the help of an old friend (Jimmy Durante), he gets
Miss Sheridan out of the way, and brings the lovers together.
By this time he is well and ready to leave. Just as he is de-
scending the steps he falls again, which meant he would be
confined to the house for an extended period again. Miss
Burke faints when she hears this.

Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein wrote the screen play from
the stage play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart; Wil-
liam Keighley directed it, and Jack Saper and Jerry Wald
produced it. In the cast are Elisabeth Fraser, Russell Arms,
Ruth Vivian, Reginald Gardiner, and others.

Morally suitable for all .

December 27, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

207

"Wild Bill Hickok Rides" with Bruce Cabot,
Constance Bennett and Warren William

(Wa'rner-lst T^atl., ]an. 31; time, 81 min.)

Good entertainment for the Western fans. It has the in-
gredients for mass appeal: hard fighting, fast horseback rid'
ing, plentiful shooting (as a matter of fact a little too much
for squeamish patrons), and a wildly melodramatic finish.
The closing scenes are pretty exciting, for during those
scenes the villain and his gang attempt to dynamite a dam
so as to drown the cattle belonging to the ranchers who op-
posed them. A few songs are worked into the plot, and there
is a mild attempt at a romance: —

When her gambling palace burns down in Chicago, Con-
stance Bennett accepts the offer of Warren William to re-
turn with him to Montana, there to open a new gambling
palace on a partnership basis. On the train out West, Miss
Bennett gets her first taste of the wild west, when bandits
try to hold up the passengers. She is delighted at the courage
displayed by Bruce Cabot, one of the passengers, who single-
handed routs the holdup men. She then learns that he is a
famous western character (Wild Bill Hickok), and is happy
to know that they would be in the same town. He was going
there to visit an old friend (Russell Simpson) and the young
girl (Betty Brewer) they had both adopted when her father
had died. Miss Bennett promises to help William get what
he wanted: that is, possession of the ranches, particularly
the land owned by Simpson. She plans to do this by winning
Cabot over. But the whole thing sickens her and she refuses
to go on with the scheme. William and his gang frame Simp-
son, and arouse the townfolk to lynch him. Cabot is deter-
mined to get them for this. He mistrusts Miss Bennett; but
she finally convinces him of her honesty when she warns him
of William's plot to wipe out the ranchers and take over
their property. The plot is foiled, and William and his gang
are wiped out. Law and order is brought to the community.
Miss Bennett returns to Chicago, taking with her Miss
Brewer, who was to go to school. Cabot and Miss Bennett
are in love.

Charles Grayson, Paul G. Smith and Raymond Schrock
wrote the screen play, Ray Enright directed it, and Edmund
Grainger produced it. In the cast are Ward Bond, Frank
Wilcox, Howard daSilva, and others.

Too much shooting for children.

"Sons of the Sea" with Michael Redgrave
and Valerie Hobson

(Warner- 1st 'Hath, Date not set; time, 91 min.)

This is one of Warner's British productions. Although
produced on a lavish scale, it will be limited in its appeal, so
far as American audiences are concerned, first, because of
the lack of well-known names, and secondly because of the
story's dullness. There are one or two fairly exciting situa-
tions. One of these is towards the end, where the first steam-
boat to set sail from England to the United States flounders
during a storm. But there is so much noise accompanying
this scene that it wears on one's nerves. The romance is of
little help to the proceedings: —

Charles Maclver (Michael Redgrave) and his brother
David (Griffith Jones), bankers and shipbuilders, are un-
happy when their first steamboat sinks. Everyone scoffs at
them, and David begins to believe that he had made a mis-
take. But Charles has such great faith in the steamboat that
he relinquishes his interest in the firm in order to sail to
the United States to contact Sam Cunard (Hartley Power),
a wide-awake ship builder. He books passage on one of the
sailing vessels owned by a rival. The manner in which he
and the emigrants are treated is horrible; many die. After
almost two months of suffering, the overloaded ship sinks
and Charles and a few others are saved. He arrives back in
England, more determined than ever to interest financiers
in his ideas of steamboats, not only for the comfort of its
passengers, but also because of the money that could be made
in transporting mail and cargo. He learns that his brother
had become partners with a former rival; also that his brother
was engaged to Mary Morison (Valeric Hobson), whose
father disapproved of Charles' ideas. Charles and Mary fall
in love, but they say nothing because of their duty to David.
The brothers finally get together; they form one large firm
with Cunard and Napier (Edmund Willard), famous engi-
neer, and build the first steamboat. Mary and Charles are
passengers on its first voyage to America. During a storm,
when things look hopeless, they admit their love for each
other. But they arrive safely; they decide to return imme-
diately to tell David of their love. The company prospers.

Gordon Wcllesley, Edward Dryhurst, and Emcric Press-
burger wrote the screen play from the story by Derek and
Wynne Maclver. Walter Fordc directed it. In the cast are
Margarctta Scott, Bessie Love, Milton Rosmcr.

Morally suitable for all.

"Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case"

(Republic, Dec. 18; time, 68 min.)
Just a moderately entertaining program comedy-melo-
drama. The story is extremely far-fetched, to the point where
it actually is silly. This is so particularly in the closing scenes,
which should prove annoying rather than exciting to most
spectators. Moreover, the plot is routine. And, since the
players are up against trite material, it is difficult for them
to make an impression. There is a formula romance: —

James Ellison, assistant district attorney, is in love with
Virginia Gilmore, a newspaper reporter; she refuses to give
up her career to marry him. When Bradley Page, publisher
of a gossip magazine, is murdered, John Eldredge is held
for the murder, because he had threatened Page, who had
become too familiar with Eldredge's wife (Lynne Carver).
Although Miss Gilmore was convinced that Eldredge was
innocent, no one would listen to her. Ellison, learning that
she had tricked a court attendant into giving her the jury's
verdict in advance so that she could get a scoop, purposely
has him give her the wrong information which she tele-
phones to her paper. Naturally she is discharged when the
actual verdict is handed down. Just as she is about to marry
Ellison she accidentally learns about the trick, and refuses to
marry him. Instead, she follows a clue in the murder case
and visits a man connected with the case. To her horror she
finds that he had been murdered. She rushes to call Ellison.
But by the time he arrives with the police, the body is gone;
they think she had purposely fooled them to get even with
Ellison. By this time she is really angry, and decides to solve
the mystery, even though it was dangerous for her to do so.
During the investigation, Miss Carver, too, is murdered.
Eventually Miss Gilmore proves to Ellison that Eldredge
was innocent; that Page's partner (Franklin Pangborn) had
committed the three murders, in a blackmail plot. With the
case frhished, Miss Gilmore and Ellison decide to marry.

Sidney Sheldon and Ben Roberts wrote the screen play,
Bernard Vorhaus directed it, and Leonard Fields produced
it. In the cast are Paul Harvey, Spencer Charters.

Unsuitable for children.

"The Shanghai Gesture" with Gene Tierney,
Victor Mature and Ona Munson

(United Artists, Jan. 1?; time, 104 min.)

Produced on an extremely lavish scale, this drama should
appeal mainly to the class trade. It has been directed with
skill and the performances, as well as the photography, are
outstanding. But the story is unpleasant and unappealing;
not one character wins the spectator's sympathy. Moreover,
there is not much action, for the story deals mostly in
character studies. At the beginning, the action is somewhat
fascinating, because of the surroundings and unusual
characters introduced. But as the plot develops, one grows
somewhat restless. The romantic interest, too, is unpleasant:

Gene Tierney, daughter of a titled Englishman, newly
arrived in Shanghai, asks her escort for the evening to take
her to some exciting place. They go to the famous gambling
palace run by Ona Munson, a Chinese woman. Miss Tierney
is fascinated by it, particularly by Victor Mature, one of
Miss Munson's men. She obtains an introduction to him. He
suggests that they gamble at the roulette table; she wins a
large amount of money. She tells Mature that she would
never gamble again. But the game gets her, and she is there,
night after night, always losing. Miss Munson issues instruc-
tions to give the girl all the credit she wanted. She did this
for a purpose: Miss Tierney's father (Walter Huston) was
trying to buy the property where the palace was located,
together with other property; this meant Miss Munson
would be out of business. Miss Tierney sinks lower and
lower, taking to drink and becoming intimate with Mature.
Miss Munson invites Huston to a New Year's dinner at her
palace, along with some other guests. At first he casts the
invitation aside; but strange things happen that convince
him he should go. At the dinner table, at which other
guests were present. Miss Munson reveals the fact that
Huston, under another name, had married her years ago,
taken all her wealth, and then deserted her. She then has her
servants bring in Miss Tierney, in a drunken state, to further
humiliate Huston. Huston tries to take his daughter home,
but she refuses to go. He then reveals to Miss Munson that
he thought she had been dead, that he had never touched
her money, and that Miss Tierney was her own daughter.
When Miss Munson confronts the girl with the news, she
sneers at her; Miss Munson shoots and kills her.

Josef Von Sternberg, with the collaboration of Gcza
Hcrczcg, Karl Vollmocllcr, and Jules Furthman adapted the
story from the stage play by John Colton; Mr. VonStcrnberg
directed it and Arnold Prcssburger produced it. In the cast
are Phyllis Brooks, Albei t Basscrman, Eric Blotc.

Unsuitable for children or adolescents.

208

HARRISON'S REPORTS

December 27, 1941

"Kings Row" with Ann Sheridan,
Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan
and Betty Fields

(Warner-lst N.atl., Date not set; time, 126 min.)

A powerful but somewhat depressing drama. From an ar-
tistic standpoint it is admirable; both direction and acting
are excellent, and the production is praiseworthy. It is tender
and inspiring in some situations, and interesting as a whole.
But it is a story of human suffering, both physical and spirit-
ual; and, since this suffering touches likeable characters, one
feels unhappy at what they must endure. The inspiring part
of the picture deals with the friendship existing between
two young men, who are willing to make sacrifices for each
other. The romances are touching: —

Robert Cummings and Ronald Reagan grow up in Kings
Row and are friends from early childhood. Although Reagan
was wealthy, the parents (Charles Coburn and Judith An-
derson) of Nancy Coleman refuse to give their consent to a
marriage because Reagan had the reputation of being "wild."
Cummings, who had led a sheltered, happy life with his
grandmother (Marie Ouspenskaya) , prepares to study medi-
cine in Vienna. His grandmother sends him to Claude Rains,
one of their town doctors, to prepare for his entrance ex-
aminations. Cummings is happy for not only was Rains
brilliant, but it was ten years since he had seen Rains' daugh-
ter (Betty Field), whom he had loved even when they were
children. Cummings is surprised when Rains refuses to per-
mit him to see her. One night, during Rains' absence, Cum-
mings and Miss Fields meet; they become lovers. In the mean-
time, Reagan and Ann Sheridan, who came from poor rail-
road folk, become good friends. Cummings is heartbroken
when his grandmother dies from cancer; he goes to live with
Reagan. He receives another shock when Rains kills Miss
Fields and himself. In going through Rains' papers willed to
him, Cummings finds that Miss Fields' mother had been
insane and that Miss Fields had been showing signs of in-
sanity, too; he then understands Rains' actions. He leaves
for Vienna. Reagan becomes penniless when the bank presi-
dent runs away with his belongings. He goes to live with
Miss Sheridan's family and takes a job with the railroad.
When Reagan meets with an accident, Coburn is called in
to operate. He amputates both his legs; Miss Sheridan and -
her family stand by Reagan, take him into their home, and
nurse him. Although Cummings had been offered a fine post
in Vienna, he rushes back to be with his friend. He is horri-
fied when Miss Coleman, who still loved Reagan, tells him
that her father, who had since died, had purposely cut off
Reagan's legs; he had been a fanatic who had believed in pun-
ishing what he called wickedness that way. He is naturally
afraid to tell this to Reagan. But when he meets Kaaren Verne,
a young girl who lived with her father in his former home,
she inspires him to do the right thing. He tells Reagan what
had happened. This gives Reagan courage; he tells Cummings
no one could get the best of him, that with the help of Miss
Sheridan, who had married him, he would make a place for
himself. Cummings is overjoyed and rushes to Miss Verne,
whom he loved, to tell her of his success.

Casey Robinson wrote the screen play from the novel by
Henry Bellamann; Sam Wood directed it, and Hal B. Wallis
produced it with David Lewis. In the cast are Harry Daven-
port. Ernest Cossart, Scotty Beckett, Ann Todd.

Morally suitable for all.

"Hellzapoppin' " with Olsen & Johnson,
Martha Raye and Jane Frazee

( Universal, Dec. 26; time, 82 min.)
The stage play "Hellzapoppin' " has been playing to capac-
ity audiences in New York City for the past four years; its
fame is known far and wide. Its nonsensical type of comedy
appealed strongly to theatre-goers, and most likely will ap-
peal also to picture-goers. As far as picture entertainment is
concerned, it is out of the ordinary, for it has no story and
is made up entirely of gags. Hilarious in spots, a little slow
in others, it is the type of farce that goes over big in crowded

theatres. There is no way of describing it, for the action is
slightly crazy. In between the gags, there are several musical
numbers. The production is lavish, and the performances
are adequate. What one can make out of the story is as
follows: —

Olsen and Johnson are at the studio making a picture.
Their director (Richard Lane) throws up his arms in disgust,
telling them that it is impossible to produce a picture based
on crazy gags. He proceeds to tell them of a story he had in
mind. As he talks, the action unfolds on another screen, as
follows: they would be assistants to Robert Paige, who was
staging a charity show at the home of millionaire Clarence
Kolb. Paige falls in love with Kolb's daughter (Jane Frazee);
she loves him, too, but her parents insist that she marry rich
Leslie Howard. Since a well-known producer had promised
to be present at the show, Paige asks Olsen and Johnson to
do their best, for if the show was a hit, he could marry
Miss Frazee. They promise to help; but, thinking that Miss
Frazee had been untrue to Paige, and not wanting him to
marry her, they decide to ruin the show by inserting their own
gags. To their surprise the gags are so comical that they make
the show and Paige. They are happy for they had learned that
Miss Frazee was innocent and that Miss Raye had been the
guilty party.

Nat Perrin wrote the screen play, H. C. Potter directed it,
and Glenn Tryon and Alex Gottlieb were associate producers
with Jules Levey. In the cast are Hugh Herbert, Mischa Auer,
Shemp Howard, and Nella Walker.

Morally suitable for all.

"Blue, White and Perfect" with Lloyd Nolan,
Mary Beth Hughes and George Reeves

(20th Century-Fox, Jan. 6; time, 75 min.)

A good program spy melodrama; it has some comedy and
a romance. The action moves at a fast pace; and, although
on occasion it develops in an obvious manner, it holds one's
interest throughout. Some of the situations are thrilling; and,
for the most part, one is kept in suspense because of the con-
stant danger to the hero. The production values are good
and the performances are competent: —

Lloyd Nolan, a private detective, promises his fiancee
(Mary Beth Hughes) to give up detective work for a legiti-
mate job. He leads her to believe that he has become a riveter
in an aeroplane factory, when actually his job was to track
down saboteurs. When a large shipment of uncut diamonds
used in the manufacture of planes for defense purposes is
stolen from the factory, Nolan immediately suspects the
clerk from whom they were presumably stolen. He follows
him and learns that he was part of a gang of German spies
who were stealing the diamonds and sending them via Hono-
lulu to their own country. But he is unable to convince his
clients of this; as a matter of fact, they discharge him. By
leading Miss Hughes to believe that he could purchase a
ranch at a reasonable price, he induces her to advance him
$1000. He uses the money to book passage to Honolulu
on the same boat on which the spies were sailing. Once
aboard, he meets an old friend (Helene Reynolds); to his
surprise he finds that she was involved in the spy diamond
smuggling racket. George Reeves, one of the passengers,
becomes friendly with them. Nolan suspects him, but later
learns that he was an F.B.I, agent working on the same case.
After considerable danger and several attempts on his life,
Nolan finally learns where the diamonds were hidden. When
the boat docks, he follows Miss Reynolds, and confronts her
with the evidence; she swears she did not know she had been
working for spies. She is shot just as she tries to give him the
leader's name. The leader turns out to be the ship steward
(Curt Bois). Nolan helps round up the gang, and is amply
rewarded. He becomes reconciled with Miss Hughes, who
had followed him to Honolulu to prosecute him.

Borden Chase wrote the story and Samuel G. Engel, the
screen play; Herbert I. Leeds directed and Sol M. Wurtzel
produced it. Steve Geray, Henry Victor, Marie Blake, Em-
mett Vogan, are in the cast.

Morally suitable for all.

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 187*

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1270 SIXTH AVENUE
Room 1812
New York, N. Y.

A Motion Picture Reviewing Service
Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors

Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial
Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

Published Weekly by
Harrison's Reports, Inc.,

Publisher
P. S. HARRISON, Editor

Established July 1, 1919

Circle 7-4622

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII

IN THE COMPARATIVELY SHORT his-
tory of this nation, never has an American citi-
zen, particularly the foreign born, felt the joy
of living in these United States more keenly
than he feels it now. And, by the same token,
never has he had a greater obligation to serve
his country's interests than he has now for the
sake, not only of the nation as a whole, but also
of his individual safety. Every thought, every
action, of a citizen in the furtherance of the na-
tion's interests at this time makes his own indi-
vidual safety just that much greater.

Among the measures that our President, as
head of the nation, has adopted for the further-
ance of the nation's interests is the Good Neigh-
bor Policy, by which he has set out to convince
the Latin-American nations that none of them
need fear this nation — that this nation has no
aggressive plans against any of them.

Feeling that the theatres of the United States
could do much to further our President's Good-
Neighbor policy, George Skouras, head of the
Skouras Theatre Corporation of this area, held
a meeting of his theatre managers about the
middle of April and, after a discussion of Amer-
icanism, they decided to promote this policy;
they felt that, though there might be Americans
who disagreed with what the Administration
should or should not do, hardly any of them
could disagree with its e forts to gain the friend-
ship of the other nations on this continent. With
this thought in mind, they set out to decorate
the lobbies of their theatres appropriately.

One of the best examples of lobby decoration
is the Fox Theatre, at Hackensack, New Jersey,
managed by Richard Carnegie. With the aid
of civic associations, educational institutions,
steamship lines and others, Mr. Carnegie put
on display the national colors of all Latin-
American nations and their products, with a
view to giving Americans an idea as to their
cultural and economic life. This display drew
warm comments, not only from American offi-
cials, but also from representatives of the Latin-
American nations.

George Skouras is not confining himself to
promoting good will among the Latin-Amer-
ican nations ; he is making similar efforts among
the foreign populations in localities where he
has theatres. In such places, the lobby-displays
portray the melting-pot idea with a view to
proving how easy it is for people of different
races and religions to get along with one an-
other in these United States.

In communities inhabited by higher income
groups, Mr. Skouras centered his campaign
around national defense.

By the methods Mr. Skouras is employing,

No. 25

he is trying, not only to create good will for this
nation, but also to make the picture audiences
conscious of the critical times we are living in.
And he has received the unqualified endorse-
ment of Mr. John Hay Whitney, chairman of
the motion picture division of the Office of Co-
ordinator of Commercial and Cultural Rela-
tions Between the American Republics.

Feeling that Mr. Skouras is serving the in-
terest of this nation in these times to a high
degree, Harrison's Reports wishes to commend
him and to suggest that other exhibitors con-
duct a similar campaign.

If any exhibitor wants details as to how to
proceed, I am sure that Mr. Skouras, who may
be addressed in care of 1501 Broadway, will be

more than willing to accommodate him.

* * *

BEGINNING THE SUMMER of 1934,
Harrison's Reports, as a result of agitation
against the excessive sex in pictures, adopted
the method of classifying in the review each
picture as "A," "B," or "C," in accordance with
its suitability from the moral point of view.

It seems, however, that misunderstandings
arose, for some exhibitors took the "Suitability
A," as meaning "Quality A." For this reason,
this sort of classification is abandoned begin-
ning this issue.

Since the context in the first paragraph of
each review always indicates whether there are
any sex situations in the picture or not, an ex-
hibitor will always be able to determine the
suitability of the picture for his particular audi-
ence. The same is true of the quality — the first
sentence indicates whether the picture is an

excellent, good, fair or poor entertainment.

* * *

MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND theatres
have pledged to cooperate with the Motion Pic-
ture Committee on National Defense, the thea-
tre division of which is headed by Joseph Bern-
hard, of the theatre department of Warner Bros.

One-minute trailers, every one of which is
tagged, "This film is being distributed and ex-
hibited under the auspices of the Motion Pic-
ture Committee Cooperating for National De-
fense," are being put out for exhibition in these
theatres.

There has never been a time when the mo-
tion picture industry failed to cooperate in
worthy causes, and since there is no more
worthy cause than educating the people of the
United States as to the need of defense, and
as to what measures have been adopted or the
adoption of which is contemplated for such
defense, I feel sure that every theatre in the
(Continued on last />(!</»•)

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 21, 1941

"Man Hunt" with Walter Pidgeon,
Joan Bennett and George Sanders

(20th Century-Fox, June 20; time, 101 min.)
This melodrama is not cheerful entertainment, but it is
intensely gripping. Its appeal, however, may be directed
more to men than to women, for the story may prove a
little too harrowing for them. Some of the situations are
thrilling and hold one in tense suspense. The fact that the
hero, innocent of the crime of which the Nazis had accused
him, is hunted and hounded by them, makes one feel deep
sympathy for him ; likewise it intensifies one's interest in
his welfare. The romantic interest is slight and ends tragi-
cally. The action takes place just before the outbreak of
war : —

While visiting in Germany, Walter Pidgeon, a wealthy
Englishman known for his exploits as a big-game hunter,
goes to the forest near Hitler's mountain retreat to test
out a new long-range gun he owned. He had no intention
of killing Hitler, even though his gun was aimed directly
at him. A Storm Tropper guarding the forest comes upon
him and after a terrific struggle arrests him. George
Sanders, head of the Gestapo, refusing to believe Pidgeon's
story, orders his men to torture him so as to make him
confess. Exasperated, Sanders offers Pidgeon his freedom
on condition that he sign a "confession" stating that it had
been his intention to kill Hitler, and that he had been acting
on instructions from his government. Pidgeon naturally
refuses to sign it. Pidgeon miraculously escapes death and
manages to elude his captors and get back to England. But
he is followed by Gestapo agents, who were determined to
kill him. Through the help of a young Cockney girl (Joan
Bennett), Pidgeon manages to evade the agents. One fol-
lows him into the subway, where they struggle. The Ger-
man is killed when he falls on the third rail. Sanders finally
traps Pidgeon in a cave and taunts him with the fact that
he had killed Miss Bennett. Through a ruse, Pidgeon gets
out and kills Sanders, but he himself is wounded. When he
recovers, he joins the Air Force. While flying over Ger-
many, he bails out, carrying his long-range gun with him,
with the intention of killing Hitler.

Geoffrey Household wrote the story, and Dudley Nichols,
the screen play ; Fritz Lang directed it, and Kenneth
Macgowan produced it. In the cast are John Carradine,
Roddy McDowall, Ludwig Stossel, Roger Imhof and
others.

"Paper Bullets" with Joan Woodbury,
Jack LaRue and Linda Ware

(Producers Rcl. Corp., June 13 ; time, 69 min.)

This melodrama of political corruption and racketeering
is pretty fast-moving. As entertainment, however, it is best
suitable for small theatres catering to audiences that de-
mand action and a few thrills, regardless of story values,
for the plot is improbable. It is, however, strictly for
adults, for the heroine is shown leading a criminal life;
although she pays for her misdeeds in the end, the effect
is demoralizing : —

Three inmates of an orphan asylum grow up and pursue
different careers : Jack LaRue becomes a gangster ; John
Archer goes in for aeroplane designing, and Joan Wood-
bury becomes a factory worker. When her employer learns
that her father had had a prison record he discharges her.
Her roommate (Linda Ware) encourages her; she even
calls Archer and tells him of Miss Woodbury's troubles.
In the meantime, Miss Woodbury, in love with Philip
Trent, a wealthy playboy, assumes responsibility for an
automobile accident in which a man had been killed by
Trent. Trent leads her to believe that the disgrace would
ruin his father, and promises to marry her if she would
help him. She is sent to prison for one year. Upon her re-
lease, Archer, LaRue, and Miss Ware are waiting for her.
With records that LaRue had stolen from Trent's lawyer's
office, Miss Woodbury learns that she had been double-
crossed. From that time on she pursues a life of crime,
starting with holdups and leading to political graft work.
With the letters in her possession, she forces Trent's father
(George Pembroke), leader of a reform group, to endorse
the men her organization wanted. With the money she
earns, she establishes an orphan asylum ; once it is paid
for she decides to go straight. Without telling Archer any-
thing about her past, she marries him. But she and the rest
of the leaders of the gang are arrested and convicted.
Archer promises to wait for her.

Martin Mooney wrote the story and screen play ; Phil
Rosen directed it, and Maurice and Franklin Kozinsky
produced it. In the cast are Vince Barnett, Alan Ladd,
Gavin Gordon, William Halligan, and others.

"West Point Widow" with Anne Shirley
and Richard Carlson

(Paramount, June 20 ; time, 63 min.)

A modest little human-interest program picture, suitable
for the family trade. It is neither novel nor exciting ; more-
over, the plot developments are obvious, and arc brought
about by dialogue instead of by action. Whatever interest
one has in the picture is owed to the pleasant performances
by the two leading players, who win one's sympathy : —

Richard Carlson, an interne at a hospital, becomes
attracted to Anne Shirley, one of the nurses. She
finally agrees to go out with Carlson when he offers to
take her to one of the Army football games. But, on their
return, she refuses to permit him entrance into her apart-
ment. He finally gets in, and to his surprise finds a baby.
Miss Shirley then tells him the story : she had been married
to a wealthy young West Point student (Richard Den-
ning). Heeding the pleas of the boy's mother (Janet
Beccher), she had agreed to an annullment so that he would
be permitted to continue at West Point. Denning had
promised to remarry her immediately upon graduation. She
had kept the birth of the baby a secret so as not to interfere
with Denning's career. Carlson falls in love with her, and
takes her and the baby to different places. A fellow-interne
sees them together at the beach, and soon spreads word at
the hospital that Carlson was the father of Miss Shirley's
baby. Carlson offers to marry her, but she refuses, feeling
certain that Denning would return to her. Carlson accepts
a medical post in Panama. On the night that he wa3 to sail,
he reads an item that Denning had become engaged to a
society girl. Miss Shirley learns the truth herself that
night. She goes to Denning's home with the baby, and
confronts him, his fiancee and his mother. Carlson enters
and insists that the baby was his ; he then drags Miss
Shirley away. She agrees to marry Carlson since she had
fallen in love with him.

Anne Wormser wrote the story, and F. Hugh Herbert
and Hans Kraly, the screen play; Robert Siodmak directed
it, and Sol C. Siegel produced it. In the cast are Frances
Gifford, Archie-Twitchell, and Maude Eburne.

"Out of the Fog" with Ida Lupin >,
John Garfield and Thomas Mitchell

(First Natl., June 14; running time, 86 min.)

From the standpoint of direction, acting, and writing,
this drama is very good. But it is somber entertainment,
and since it is a study in characterizations and moods its
appeal will most likely be directed to the class trade
rather than to the masses. It is somewhat depressing, too,
for the story revolves around a vicious racketeer, who ter-
rorizes two gentle men. The unpleasant part is that these
two men can find no means of relief other than to kill the
racketeer. The fact that they are accidentally saved from
doing this does not minimize the distastefulness of the
thought. There is a romance : —

Thomas Mitchell, a tailor, and his pal (John Qualen),
a chef, both gentle and somewhat timid men, are hap-
piest when they are out at night fishing. They are
approached one night by John Garfield, a vicious racketeer,
who demands five dollars a week from them as he had
demanded from other boat owners ; otherwise, he would
burn their boat. Garfield involves Mitchell's life further
by paying attention to his daughter (Ida Lupino). Miss
Lupino was bored and restless; although her fiance (Eddie
Albert) loved her, she felt life with him would be dull.
And so she goes out with Garfield, because of the excite-
ment he offered her. She innocently tells him that her father
had saved $190, which he had offered her for a vacation.
The next day Garfield demands the money from Mitchell,
intending to use it to take Miss Lupino away on a trip.
Mitchell can stand it no longer. He and Qualen plan to lure
Garfield to their boat and then kill him ; Qualen was to do
the killing. Once they have Garfield there, Qualen finds
himself unable to kill him ; Garfield, aware of what they
had intended to do, tries to kill them. But he falls over-
board and drowns. Mitchell is overjoyed when he finds
Garfield's wallet in the boat ; he takes back the money they
had given him, planning to turn the rest over to charity.
A routine police investigation follows, but they are de-
clared innocent. Miss Lupino is happy to be back with
Albert.

The plot was adapted from the play "Gentle People" by
Irwin Shaw. Robert Kossen, Jerry Wald and Richard
Macaulay wrote the screen play ; Anatole Litvak directed
it, and Henry Blanke produced it. In the cast are George
Tobias, Robert Honians, Leo Gorcey, Aline MacMahon,
and others.

June 21, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

"The Get-Away" with Robert Sterling,
Charles Wirtninger and Donna Reed

(MGM, June 6; time, 88 mill.)

When this picture was first produced in 1935, under the
title "Public Hero No. 1," it was a thrilling melodrama;
but so many gangster melodramas have been produced
since then that this lacks the excitement and novelty of
the first version. Yet theatres catering to audiences that
enjoy pictures of this type should do well with it, for it
has plentiful action, shooting, and thrills. The action starts
off in an extremely exciting manner, involving two prison-
ers. Once it is established that one of the prisoners is a
G-Man posing as a criminal, one is naturally held in tense
suspense. There is a romance : —

Robert Sterling, a convict, engineers a prison break,
taking with him a tough gangster (Dan Dailey, Jr.). Un-
known to Dailey, Sterling was a G-Man posing as a crimi-
nal in order to get in with Dailey's gang so as to help the
federal authorities to stop the daring robberies the gang
had been committing. Sterling meets Dailey's sister (Donna
Reed). She is shocked to learn that her brother was mixed
up in illegal actions and tries to reform him. This so irri-
tates Dailey that he strikes her. Sterling, who had fallen
in love with the girl, loses his head and hits Dailey. For
this he is thrown out of the gang; he is berated by the
G-Man chief for having let a girl come in the way of his
duties ; he is asked to give up his badge. Knowing that the
gang had gone out on a job that night, Sterling tricks the
gang's doctor (Charles Winninger) into taking him to the
hideout, there to wait for he gang. Once there, he tele-
phones his chief and the G-Men set out for the hideout.
They arrive and shoot it out with the gang, killing them
all except Dailey, who escapes. They finally trap him at a
dance-hall and Sterling kills him. At first Miss Reed re-
fuses to see him, but she relents, and they are united.

J. Walter Ruben and Wells Root wrote the story, and
Mr. Root and W. R. Burnett, the screen play ; Edward
Buzzell directed it, and J. Walter Ruben produced it. In
the cast are Henry O'Neill, Don Douglas, Grant Withers,
and others.

"Broadway Limited" with Victor McLaglen,
Marjorie Wood wort i and Dennis O'Keefe

(United Artists, June 13; time, 74 min.)

Despite a competent group of performers, this comedy
is just mildly entertaining. The story is a hodge-podge of
nonsense ; a few situations here and there provoke laugh-
ter, but for the most part a great deal of loud talking is
substituted for comedy and it falls flat. The players try
hard enough, and it is no fault of theirs that they fail to
make an impression. Even the romance is routine : —

Marjorie Woodworth, a famous Hollywood star, en
route to New York with her manager-director (Leonid
Kinsky) and his secretary (Patsy Kelly), is annoyed
when Kinsky tells her that she must make an appearance
in New York with a baby so as to win new admirers.
When they stop at Chicago, Miss Kelly calls on an old
friend (Victor McLaglen) and asks him to help her out
by getting them a baby ; they were willing to pay $500 for
the use of it. Through a stranger, McLaglen finally gets a
baby and the publicity starts. McLaglen is on the same
train on which they were riding to New York, as the engi-
neer. He is frightened when he reads that a baby, resem-
bling the one he had borrowed, had been kidnapped in
Chicago. He rushes to Miss Kelly with the news that they
had the kidnapped baby, and she in turn gives the news to
Kinsky and to Miss Woodworth. Dennis O'Keefe, Miss
Woodworth's childhood sweetheart, whom she had again
met on the train, tries to think of a way to help them out ;
but he has no suggestions. Finally they decide to act as
heroes, for when the train would arrive at the New York
station they would turn the baby over to the police and thus
outwit the kidnappers. Suddenly the baby is gone. They
search the train and find him with George E. Stone, a
mysterious looking man who had followed them from
Chicago, and two other men. Thinking they were the kid-
nappers, McLaglen knocks them out and takes the baby.
When Miss Kelly tells the newspaper men they had the
kidnapped baby, they laugh at her for the baby had already
been found. Stone then confesses that the baby was his and
that he had wanted to make the five hundred dollars and
at the same time have his relatives in New York sec the
baby. O'Keefe decides to go back to Hollywood with Miss
Woodworth, for Kinsky had promised to build for him
a clinic.

Rian James wrote the screen play, Gordon Douglas di-
rected it, and Hal Roach produced it. Zasu I'itts and others
are in the cast.

"The Saint's Vacation" with Hugh Sinclair
and Sally Gray

(RKO, May 30; time, 61 nun.)

This is the first of the series now produced in England
with an all-English cast. It is a fair program melodrama ;
but the lack of known names may prove a drawback as far
as American audiences are concerned, except for those who
have followed the series and have enjoyed them. The action
is pretty fast-moving, and occasionally exciting ; and the
constant danger to the hero keeps one in suspense : —

Hugh Sinclair (The Saint) and his pal (Arthur Mac-
rae) leave on a vacation. They elude the newspaper re-
porters with the exception of Sally Gray ; she follows
them, feeling that there must be a story in their leave-
taking. Once at their hotel, Sinclair realizes it is useless
to evade Miss Gray, and so they become friends. Sinclair,
on seeing a young lady (Leueen McGrath) whom he knew,
goes over to greet her ; but she asserts that she does not
know him. He watches her rush outdoors, where she greets
affectionately a young man (John Warwick) ; she then
hands him a box, and he goes off in an automobile. Sin-
clair's curiosity is aroused when he notices Cecil Parker
and Manning Whiley, members of a notorious gang, follow
Warwick. He jumps onto their car and arrives at their
hideout. He hides but later enters the room to which they
had gone ; there he finds Warwick a prisoner. Parker had
taken the box from him. Sinclair outwits Parker, takes the
box, and escapes. Back at the hotel, he examines the con-
tents but it puzzles him. But Parker is not easily downed.
He follows Sinclair and at the point of a gun gets the box
back ; he does not know that Sinclair had removed the
contents. After many exciting adventures, in which Mac-
rae and Miss Gray also become involved, Sinclair arrives
in Dover, where he is taken into protective custody by the
police. Sinclair turns the contents of the box over to them ;
he and his friends are then informed that the contents pro-
vided a secret code of plans of a sound-detector of great
importance to their government.

Leslie Charteris wrote the story, and he and Jeffry Dell,
the screen play ; Leslie Fenton directed it, and William
Sistrom produced it. In the cast are Gordon McLeod, Ivor
Barnard, Felix Aylmer, and others.

"Underground" with Jeffrey Lynn,
Philip Dcrn and Kaaren Verne

(Warner Bros., June 28; time, 95 min.)

This melodrama, which centers around underground ac-
tivities in Nazi Germany, has been produced with care and
unfolds in an exciting way. Yet it is so depressing and
harrowing that it leaves one, not only in an extremely un-
happy frame of mind, but in a nervous state as well. The
scenes of torture inflicted on human beings by the Nazis
are terrifying and a bit sickening. Even the romantic inter-
est fails to give the picture a light touch, for it is the cause
of the tragic ending in which the hero unknowingly turns
his own brother over to the Gestapo. The action takes
place in Germany : —

Unknown to his parents, Philip Dorn, a secret member
of the underground movement fighting Nazism, was the
main speaker on illegal radio broadcasts. His brother
(Jeffrey Lynn), an ardent Nazi soldier, returns from the
front, minus an arm. Lynn speaks with disgust of the un-
derground movement, branding the members as traitors to
the state. He meets and falls in love with Kaaren Verne,
a young violinist at a cafe, little suspecting that she, too,
was a member of the outlawed group. She tries to discour-
age him, but he insists on seeing her. One day, while picking
up a package containing radio equipment, she is trapped by
the Gestapo and taken to the headquarters. Though beaten
brutally, she refuses to talk. They send her home. Lynn
pleads with the Gestapo chief to believe in Miss Verne's
innocence. The chief suggests that he put Miss Verne to
a test, to which he agrees. To Lynn's dismay he finds out
that Miss Verne was guilty, but he cannot turn her in. In-
stead, he learns where the next illegal broadcast was to be
held and notifies the Gestapo of it. To his horror he is told
by Miss Verne that he had trapped his own brother. Fol-
lowing the suggestion of one of the underground workers,
Lynn pretends that he had known it was his own brother
he was turning in. In that way he gains the confidence of
the Gestapo chief, and thus is in a lx*tter position to help
the underground cause. On the day that Dorn goes to his
death, he hears Lynn making his first broadcast over the
illegal radio; he dies a happy man.

Edwin Justus Mayer and Oliver H. P. Garrett wrote the
story, and Charles Grayson, the screen play ; Vincent Shei -
man directed it. In the cast are Mona Maris, Franks
Reicher, and others.

100

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 21, 1941

land will exhibit these trailers. There should,
in fact, be a trailer with every program. The
one-minute length of them makes this possible.

* * *

MONDAY MORNING'S MAIL brought a
letter and a note from two different exhibitors.
The letter came from E. E. Bair, of Defiance,
Ohio ; it says :

"Your editorial in the June 14th issue, 'The
Box Office Sickness and Its Cure,' deserves
more than just mere reading . . . something
should be done about it. We need not worry
much about prosperity injuring the box office
as we do poor quality of pictures and double
bills.

"The double bill mania has outlived its de-
pression-born influence; it now defeats its pur-
pose as it renders the theatre man at a disadvan-
tage

"The production of better and entertaining
pictures will surely eliminate the double shows
ultimately. . . ."

The note comes from Philadelphia, from an
exhibitor whose name I am compelled to sup-
press. In regard to my statement, made in the
same editorial, to the effect that, under the
Consent Decree, the quality of the pictures will
improve, this exhibitor says : "Please tell me,
sir, how are they 'gonna' do that ? I suppose
they haven't been trying!"

No, they have not been trying seriously !
Knowing that their pictures, whatever their
quality, would be bought and shown, they had
no incentive for putting in their best efforts.

How is the quality of pictures going to im-
prove, Philadelphia, sir? The answer is simple !
Just tag every unit producer, every director
and every writer. Mark the box office results
of their pictures and, if two or three of their
pictures successively should show poor box
office results, it will be a definite proof that
they do not know story values and their services
should no longer be required. If this method
of checking should be adopted, there would be
an improvement of the picture quality in no
time.

Unless the producers take the matter of qual-
ity improvement seriously, there are going to
be more successful bowling alleys, and more
skating rinks. Perhaps some exhibitors are al-
ready contemplating turning their theatres into

bowling alleys, as said in last week's issue.

* * *

THE DOUBLE-FEATURE EVIL reminds
me of people complaining against the weather:
everybody complains against bad weather but
nobody seems able to do anything about it. And
nobody seems to be doing anything against
the double-features either.

The double-feature evil can be eliminated
only in one way — better pictures. With better
pictures, most of the exhibitors who are now
running double-feature bills will be able to go
to single features, and give the best pictures
a longer run.

The Philadelphia exhibitor mentioned in the
preceding editorial states that the shortage of
pictures predicted in last week's issue is here.
It could not be otherwise, for when pictures
such as "Meet John Doe" are double-featured
and in some cases triple-featured, product is
bound to be used up faster than it is produced.

Will the affiliated theatres decide to drop
double-featuring? I doubt it. At the Allied
convention in Chicago last year, Jack Kirsch,
president of the Allied Unit there, took Bill
Rodgers to task for his unwillingness to do
something against double features. But Bill
had had an experience that makes it difficult
for him to drop the double-feature idea. He
stated that Loew's could not put over the
Ziegfeld Theatre, on 6th Avenue and 54th
Street, this city, with a single feature, and that
that theatre became a success only with double-
features.

The elimination of the double-feature bill
requires temporary sacrifices. And it takes cour-
age to make such sacrifices.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

An untitled picture with Lionel Barrymore,
Lew Ayres, Laraine Day, Red Skelton, Walter
Kingsford, Alma Kruger. This is probably an-
other "Dr. Kildare" picture. A high standard
has been maintained in this series and there is
reason why this, too, should not be good enter-
tainment.

"THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER," with
Nelson Eddy, Rise Stevens, Lee Bowman, Nigel
Bruce, Florence Bates. This is a well-known
operetta and the music is charming; both Nel-
son Eddy and Rise Stevens have excellent sing-
ing voices. But its box-office possibilities will
depend on the drawing power of Nelson Eddy
since the other players are not strong attrac-
tions.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"MARRY THE BOSS' DAUGHTER," with
Brenda Joyce, Bruce Edwards, George Barbier,
Pretty good program.

"WE GO FAST," with Alan Curtis, Sheila
Ryan, Lynn Bari. Pretty good program.

"RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE," with
George Montgomery. Western.

"HOW GREEN WrAS MY VALLEY," with
Roddy McDowall, Walter Pidgeon, Anna Lee,
Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp. This is to be
adapted from the novel which has been a best
seller. The players are very good and the possi-
bilities are that this will be a very good picture.

United Artists

"NIAGARA FALLS," with Marjorie Wood-
worth, Tom Brown, Zasu Pitts ; to be produced
by Hal Roach. The players do not warrant more
than program rating.

Warner-First National

"THE MALTESE FALCON," with Mary
Astor, Peter Lorre, Lee Patrick, Barton Mac-
Lane. This was produced in 1931 and turned
out an excellent murder mystery melodrama.
Remakes are usually not as successful as the
first picture because of the fact that the story
is familiar to audiences ; yet a long time has
elapsed since the first production and it is pos-
sible that audiences will not remember it. At
any rate it is the type of mystery story that
holds one's interest throughout. With the play-
ers mentioned this should make a good program
offering.

Entered as second-elass matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 187ft

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

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India, Europe Asia .... 17.50 Ug Editorial Policy. No probiem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

Abe a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

Vol. XXIII SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1941 No. 26

HERE AND THERE

HERE WE ARE AGAIN : If business is bad,
it is the fault of the exhibitor! At least one im-
portant producer has said so — Sam Goldwyn.
Mr. Goldwyn makes no allowances for the different
causes that have been enumerated, not only in
Harrison's Reports, but also in other trade pub-
lications.

But Mr. Goldwyn c;n talk that way safely be-
cause he has not produc id a picture for a long time,
and the exhibitors cannot come back at him by
asking him to undertake the exploitation of his
picture so as to prove to them that he is right. For
this reason, his accusation will remain an academic
one, incapable of being proved or disproved, so far
as his own pictures are concerned. It is the same
sort of accusation that has been always hurled at
exhibitors by distributors when they made them
pay exorbitant prices for highly-touted pictures
that flopped at the box office.

In the opinion of this paper, among the many
causes that have contributed to the present box-
office slump is pictures such as "The Westerner,"
which were exploited highly, but the entertainment
qualities of which did not come up to the promises
made of them in the advertisements. It made the
public lose so much faith that, when the advertise-
ments now tell the truth, the public remains skepti-
cal ; they have been "bitten" so many times that
they refuse to accept the truth, lest they be "bitten"
again.

The exhibitors will be watching with great in-
terest Mr. Goldwyn's next picture to see what he
will deliver. It is all right for him to talk — talk is

cheap; but let us have performances.

* * *

AMONG THE CAUSES THAT ARE con-
tributing to the box office slump is also the fact
that the Allied side in the war has been losing all
along. Since the majority of the American people
are in favor of Great Britain and her Allies, any
set-back of the Allies makes them feel despondent.
The proof of it is the fact that the sale of news-
papers falls off when reverses are announced. Peo-
ple don't want to read bad news.

Not until the Allies begin to report victories will
the defense money that is now in circulation make
itself felt at the box office. Improvement of the
picture quality will, of course, bring about an im-
provement— such that the box office will definitely
feel. The continued prosperity in every other busi-
ness, too, will help. But the real upturn in exhibition
will come when the newspaper are full of dispatches
reporting Allied victories. Such victories will have
ah intoxicating effect, and every person who be-
lieves in the Allied cause would want to go to a pic-
ture, as a sort of celebration.

IN HIS BULLETIN DATED JUNE 7, P. J.
Wood, Secretary of The Independent Theatre
Owners of Ohio, reproduces a letter that an exhibi-
tor has sent to Bill Scully, general sales manager of
Universal, in regard to "In The Navy."

It seems as if Universal is asking the exhibitors
to let it put "In The Navy" in the top bracket, and
put some other picture in the lower classification,
in the same manner that, according to a Universal
executive, an exhibitor who fails to draw good
business with a top bracket picture goes to Univer-
sal and asks for an adjustment.

According to this executive, a large number of
exhibitors have cooperated with Universal and
have permitted it to put "In the Navy" in the top
bracket. On the other hand, Universal delivers the
picture, in accordance with the terms of the con-
tract, to exhibitors who refuse to permit the inter-
change.

The object of the editorial is not to discuss
whether Universal is or is not right in asking for
the interchange — after all this is a matter that
depends a great deal on the relationship of each
Universal account with that company; what I de-
sire to discuss is the failure of some exhibitors to
realize that the only way by which pictures may be
bought satisfactorily is by a display of the product
before purchase.

* * *

THE OPENING PARAGRAPH OF Terry
Ramsaye's editorial in the June 21 issue of Motion
Picture Herald reads as follows:

"Trade press representatives of New York home
offices have indicated to the editors of Motion Pic-
ture Herald that they are under explicit instructions
emanating from studio offices to avoid a possibility
of exposure of product to the examination of re-
viewers for this and other trade journals prior to its
display to the lay press in Hollywood."

Several weeks ago the producers in Hollywood
decided, as most of you know by this time, to with-
hold the pictures from newspaper representatives
until the time they were ready to trade-show them
to the exhibitors, and the newspaper correspond-
ents revolted against the order. They formed a
club so as to assert their rights and, under the lead-
ership of Douglas Churchill, I [ollywood corre-
spondent of the New York Times, compelled the
producers to back down. It seems as if these cor-
respondents, by demanding that the picture be
shown to them first, arc exercising censorship upon
members of another branch of the same profession
— the trade paper critics.

The newspaper critics are able to impose their
will upon the producers because' they are not sub-
ject to the advertising pressure, and the trade
{Continued on lost paye)

102

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 28, 1941

"Cyclone on Horseback" with Tim Holt
and Marjorie Reynolds

(RKO, June 6; time, 60 min. )

A formula western, with fairly fast action.

The story deals with the struggle of a young contractor
to complete the job of stringing telephone wires across wild
country to the nearest frontier community, and the villain's
efforts to prevent him from doing so with a view to profiting
from the contractor's failure to perform his contract. The
contractor's young sister comes to town to complicate
matters, and she and the hero, a young cattleman, acci-
dentally meet at the bank where he had gone to cash a check
after selling his pack cattle to the villain, instead of to
the contractor, to whom he had promised them; the villain
had tricked him. The heroine upbraids the hero and then
and there they become friendly enemies. The contractor is
arrested on a faked charge, and the young hero undertakes
to finish the stretching of the telephone lines so as to save
him from ruin. With the help of his pals, he succeeds.

The story is by Tom Gibson ; the direction, by Edward
Killy. Bert Gilroy produced it. In the cast are Ray Whitley,
Lee "Lasses" White, Harry North and others.

"No Greater Sin" with Leon Ames,
Luana Walters, John Gallaudet,
and George Taggart

(University-Eddie Golden; time, 78 min.)

Though "No Greater Sin" is his first picture as a pro-
ducer, Eddie Golden, former sales manager of Monogram
Pictures, has shown cards and spades to older producers,
for he has produced a picture that stands out among, not
only independent but also a large number of major pro-
ductions, for casting, direction and acting are of high
standard. Mr. Nigh, the director, succeeded in making the
characters real human beings. The story deals with a social
disease, syphilis, the mere mention of which in newspapers
and magazines was tabooed as recently as three years ago.
But he has handled the different situations so delicately
that not many regular theatres will fail to play it. There is
deep human interest in it, and the message it conveys is
concealed in the entertainment. Coming at this time, the
picture should do much good.

The story unfolds in a community where there was an
influx of migratory workers, racketeers and prostitutes,
because of National Defense work. The young hero meets
the young heroine and falls in love with her. But he could
not marry her until he was cured of syphilis. A quack
doctor assures him that he could cure him in a short time
for three hundred dollars and in a month or so the quack
pronounces him cured. He then marries the heroine. In the
meantime, a young doctor, having become aware of the
prevailing conditions, undertakes a campaign to rid the
community of the disease. In this he is aided by the heroine's
sister, a newspaper columnist. But the old-fashioned men
and women of the community oppose the doctor's ideas,
because they are shocked at the mention of the word
"syphilis." The assistant district attorney, in order to aid
the doctor in his campaign, arrests every one in a road-
house and the doctor will not order their release until they
subjected themselves to a blood test. In order to induce
the women under arrest to have a blood test, the young
heroine herself goes through one. The hero, too, has a
blood test. When the report is returned, the doctor realizes
that the young hero had the disease, and is so told. Shocked,
he calls on the quack doctor and, in a scuffle, kills him in
self defense. The assistant district attorney resigns in order
to take up the young man's defense. At the trial the defense
builds up a fine case, and the hero is acquitted.

The story is by Mary C. Ransone. Michael Jacoby wrote
the screen play. Some of the others in the cast are Adele
Pierce, Guy Usher and Bodil Ann Rosing.

"^Hit the Road" with the Tough Guy and
some of the Dead End Kids

(Universal, June 27 ; time, 61 min.)
A fair program picture. It is the usual stuff dealing with
the reformation of tough "kids." In this instance the young
boys, sons of members of the gang of Valentine, the gang-
man, who had reformed, are in a reformatory. Because they
are tough, the head of the institution conceives the idea that
only Valentine could help make good citizens of them. And
so she sends for him. The ex-gangman reluctantly takes
the youngsters to his palatial home in the country. There
the youngsters do everything possible to make life miserable
for Valentine, his wife, and his young daughter. Spike, a
rival gangman, not believing in fairy tales, thought that
Valentine was up to something, and so he, accompanied by
some of his men, trails him. One of the boys runs away and
comes upon Spike. When Spike learns from the boy that

$50,000 was to be delivered to Valentine for a trade school
he had set his mind on to start, Spike waylays the man
carrying the money and robs him of it. The tough boy then
realizes what a rotter he was to have been the cause of
disgrace to Valentine. With the other boys, he eventually
trails Spike and takes the money away from him. Thus the
tough boys prove that they had a good streak in them.

Ken Goldsmith produced it, and Joe May directed it. In
the cast are Gladys George, Barton MacLane, Billy Hallop,
Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsley and others.

"The Big Store" with the Marx Brothers,
Tony Martin and Virginia Grey

(MGM, June 20 ; time, 83 min.)

The Marx Brothers fans may enjoy this latest comedy
of theirs well, for the trio go through their customary
antics, which are for the most part fairly comical. The
department store background is a good setting for their
clowning. In the situation in which they try to sell con-
cealed beds to Henry Armetta and his wife, who had come
to the store with their twelve children, bedlam ensues when
some of the children disappear into the walls in the trick
beds. The story itself is lightweight and slows up in several
spots. The few musical interpolations are agreeable, if not
outstanding. The best part is the closing scenes, where the
Marx Brothers, on roller skates and bicycles, are pursued
through the store by the villain and his henchmen : —

Tony Martin, a popular singer, inherits a half-interest in
a large department store ; the other half was owned by
Margaret Dumont. Douglas Dumbrille, store manager and
a crook, learns with annoyance that Martin intended selling
his share. He had other plans: he intended getting rid of
Martin, and then marrying Miss Dumont so as to gain
control of the fortune. Miss Dumont, fearing for Martin's
life, engages Groucho and his assistant Harpo to watch
over Martin. This annoys Chico, who already was acting as
Martin's bodyguard. The arrival of Groucho and Harpo
upsets the business routine of the store. Dumbrille tries to
get rid of them, but they outwit him at each turn. They
finally prove that he was a crook and turn him over to the
police. Martin and Virginia Grey, a clerk at the store, are
united ; and Groucho sets out to marry Miss Dumont.

Nat Perrin wrote the story, and Sid Kuller, Hal Fim-
berg, and Ray Golden, the screen play ; Charles Riesner
directed it, and Louis K. Sidney produced it. In the cast
are William Tannen, Marion Martin, Virginia O'Brien,
and others.

"For Beauty's Sake" with Ned Sparks,
Marjorie Weaver, Ted North
and Joan Davis

(20th Century-Fox, June 6; time, 61 min.)

A moderately entertaining program picture. It combines
comedy with murder melodrama, but it is not outstanding
in either ; the comedy is forced, and the melodramatic
angle is routine. About the best thing that can be said for it
is that the action moves along at a fast pace, and that the
performances are adequate. There is a formula romance : —

Ted North, an astronomy professor, is annoyed when
he inherits from his aunt a well-paying beauty salon in a
hotel for women. Marjorie Weaver, who had once met
North when she had attended a lecture, and had fallen in
love with him at first sight, decides to help him out in his
business without even consulting him. She induces her
wealthy grandfather to allow his press agent (Ned Sparks)
to handle the publicity, and she becomes his assistant.
Sparks handles it so well that the customers flock to the
place. North accidentally finds a record made by his aunt
just before her death, hinting that something mysterious
was going on at the shop, and comes to the conclusion that
his aunt had been murdered. Joan Davis, who worked at
the salon, stumbles onto the secret — that one of the em-
ployees (Lotus Long) wormed personal information out of
clients and that later she, with the help of others, black-
mailed them. Sparks, who had been attacked mysteriously
and had been taken to the hospital, is shocked when Miss
Davis tells him of her discovery. He insists on leaving the
hospital; but Miss Davis hides his clothes. Dressed in
women's clothes, he leaves the hospital and goes to the
apartment of a man he thought was involved in the black-
mailing. He is caught, but the timely arrival of North and
M iss Weaver saves his life. They then find out that Pierre
Watkin, North's own lawyer, was at the head of the ring.
The gang is rounded up. By this time North and Miss
Weaver are in love.

Clarence Budington Kelland wrote the story, and Wanda
Tuchock, Ethel Hill and Walter Bullock, the screen play;
Slu pai d Traubc directed it, and Lucien Hubbard produced
it. In the cast are Lenita Lane, Richard Lane, Glenn Hunter,
Lois Wilson, and Tully Marshall.

June 28, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

103

"The Richest Man in Town" with
Frank Craven, Edgar Buchanan
and Eileen O'Hearn

(Columbia, June 12; time, 69 min.)

Mild program entertainment, suitable for the family trade.
The story is lightweight and the action slow-moving.
Moreover, there is an over-abundance of dialogue, most of
which takes place between two constantly bickering char-
acters. A few situations here and there are touching ; but
these are not enough to keep the spectator interested
throughout. The romance is routine : —

Edgar Buchanan, editor of the sole newspaper in the
small town in which he lived with his daughter (Eileen
O'Hearn), and Frank Craven, the bank president, quarrel
each time they meet. They really liked each other but they
would not admit it. Unknown to Buchanan, Craven sup-
plies the money to a neighboring bank where Buchanan
had applied for a loan to pay off a note due Craven's bank.
Buchanan believed that the town could prosper if the
residents took an interest in promoting tourist trade. One
of the attractions should be a summer theatre. Buchanan's
hopes are raised when Roger Pryor and his two pals
arrive in town for the purpose of promoting a show in
which the residents themselves would act. Buchanan in-
duces some of his neighbors to subscribe, for Pryor had no
money of his own ; but Craven is very much against the
idea. He and Buchanan quarrel about the plans, as usual.
Craven becomes seriously ill, and Buchanan prepares an
editorial eulogizing his friend ; but Craven recovers.
Buchanan borrows $2500 for the theatre ; he is shocked to
find out from Craven that Pryor was unreliable and that
he and his pals had left town. But Pryor, conscience-
stricken, returns with the money and offers to do his best ;
the show turns out to be a success. Buchanan suffers a
heart attack and dies. Craven finds the editorial his friend
had intended for him, and orders the printer to use it as a
tribute to Buchanan. Mis O'Hearn and Pryor are
united.

Jerry Sackheim wrote the story, and he and Fanya Foss,
the screen play ; Charles Barton directed it, and Jack Fier
produced it. In the cast are Tom Dugan, George McKay,
Jimmy Dodd, and others.

"Moon Over Miami" with Don Ameche,
Betty Grable and Robert Cummings

(20th Century-Fox, July 4 ; time, 90 min.)

Good mass entertainment. It is a musical version of
"Three Blind Mice," produced in 1938. To say that this
version has been produced on a lavish scale is putting it
mildly. The sets and the costumes, enhanced by the techni-
color photography, are bound to bring forth "ohs" and
"ahs" from the ladies, and deservedly so for they are gor-
geous. But when it comes to the story, that is a different
matter — it is thin, slightly silly, and at times even tiresome;
and it is low on comedy values. The musical numbers are,
however, good ; whenever the players go into a song or
dance routine, one forgets about the mediocrity of the
plot, for they are well executed and the music is of the
popular variety : —

Betty Grable and Carole Landis, sisters, who worked
with their aunt (Charlotte Greenwood) at a roadside cafe,
are overjoyed when they receive word that they had in-
herited $4,500. They decide to go to Miami where Miss
Grable would pose as a wealthy young girl, and pretend
that Miss Landis was her secretary and Miss Greenwood
her maid. They spend a large part of their money on
clothes for Miss Grable. The purpose was for her to meet
and marry a millionaire and thus insure their future. The
first night there she meets Robert Cummings, millionaire
playboy, who invites her to a party. She meets also Don
Ameche, and, believing that he was wealthy, spends time
with him. She leads a gay life, alternating her time between
Cummings and Ameche. The night Ameche declares his
love for her, he confesses that at one time he had been very
wealthy but that he had met with reverses and that it
would take some time for him to recoup his fortune. She
then confesses to him her plans ; he tells her that it would be
best for her to marry Cummings. Miss Grable finally ac-
cepts Cummings and they all leave for his island estate,
there to meet his father. Ameche, who found that he could
not go through with his plans to marry a wealthy girl,
arrives at the island. Miss Grahle finds she cannot give him
up. She and Ameche tell the truth to Cummings. But In- is
not angry, for he had fallen in love with Miss Landis, who
returned his love.

Stephen Bowys wrote the story, and Vincent Lawrence
and Brown Holmes, the screen play; Walter Lang di-
rected it, and Harry Joe Brown produced it. In the cast
are Jack Haley, Cobina Wright, Jr., The Condos Brothers,
and others.

"Tight Shoes" with John Howard,
Binnie Barnes and Brod Crawford

(Universal, June 13; time. 67 min.)

A good program comedy. The story is not unusual ; yet
it is quite entertaining due to colorful characterizations,
fast-moving action, snappy dialogue, and comical situations
here and there. Although the main character is a gangster,
he is somewhat simple-minded and his actions are more on
the amusing rather than on the vicious side. The two
romances are treated humorously : —

Brod Crawford, strong-arm man for gang leader Samuel
S. Hinds, who posed as a respectable newspaper publisher,
is given instructions by Hinds to open new gambling centers
that the police could not find easily. Crawford's first stop
is at the shoe store owned by Leo Carrillo. Against Car-
rillo's will, he buys the store, forces him to continue running
it as a shoe store, and orders him to clean up the back
room for gambling. Crawford decides to buy a pair of
shoes and orders John Howard, the clerk, to bring him a
certain size. Howard tells him that size would be too small
but he insists on having them. He meets his sweetheart
(Binnie Barnes) and with her goes to the racetrack. But
he is in misery because of the tight shoes. His discomfort
gives him a hunch and he bets $5,000 of Hinds money in
addition to -all his own money on a horse other than Hinds
had picked. The horse loses, and Crawford finds himself
in a predicament. Even Miss Barnes heaps insults on him
and leaves him. Crawford goes back to the store to take it
out on Howard. A fight ensues and Howard is knocked
through a door into the gambling room, where he finds the
candidate for councilman. In company with Richard Lane,
a reporter, Howard goes to a political meeting, where he
exposes the councilman. Lane plays the story up big and
proposes that Howard run for councilman ; he is elected.
But complications arise, for, despite his wishes, he finds
himself parted from his sweetheart (Anne Gwynne) and
engaged to Miss Barnes. Crawford, now just a mere shoe
clerk, tries the tight-shoe trick on Howard on the day of
his marriage to Miss Barnes. It starts trouble, but every-
thing ends happily, for Crawford and Miss Barnes are
reunited, and Howard and Miss Gwynne are married. And
Hinds is exposed.

Damon Runyon wrote the story, and Leonard Spigelgass
and Art Arthur, the screen play ; Albert Rogell directed
it, and Jules Levey produced it. In the cast are Shemp
Howard, Ed Gargan, and others.

"Three Cockeyed Sailors"

(United Artists, Rel. date not set; time, 76 min.)

This British-made farce is a pretty good program enter-
tainment. It is a little slow in getting started, and the
accents are a bit "thick." But once the action starts and one
becomes accustomed to the accents, there are many divert-
ing features to keep one amused. The fact that the plot is
extremely far-fetched is not objectionable, for it results in
several extremely comical situations. As far as American
audiences are concerned, the lack of known names may
prove a drawback : —

Three sailors (Tommy Trinder, Claude Hulbert, and
Michael Wilding) in the British Navy, stationed at a
South American port, go out for a good time while on
shore leave. When Trinder offers to introduce his two
pals to his sister (Carla Lehmann), they refuse to meet
her ; they regret this when they see her and find that she
is beautiful. Learning that she was leaving for England that
night, the three men rush to the boat to see her off. Through
a series of circumstances, all three become intoxicated and
fail to leave when the liner starts. The Captain stops the
boat and gives them a small boat in which to row back to
their ship. Instead of boarding their ship, they inadvertently
board a German destroyer and go to sleep. When they
awaken the next morning, they are at a loss what to do
for they did not understand the language and could not
follow orders. They are soon found out and locked up. But
one of the German sailors who had lived in England and
was friendly to them, helps them escape. Through a ruse
tiny make the sailors leave the ship, and then the four set
off in the destroyer by themselves. They are stopped In ,i
German cruiser and are asked to take aboard ten prisoners,
who turn out to be Miss Lehmann, her party, and a lew
others. While they arc celebrating, the Germans return to
the ship and make them all prisoners again. And to add to
their worries, a British destroyer attacks them. Again they
outwit the Germans, take command, and send a message to
the British commander to cease tiring. The three friends
are acclaimed heroes, and Wilding marries Miss Lehmann.

Angus MacPhail, Austin Mcit'ord, and John Dighton
wrote the screen play; Walter Forde directed it. and
Michael Balcon produced it. In the cast arc James Hayter,
Jeanne DeCasalis, and others.

104

HARRISON'S REPORTS

June 28, 1941

papers will be able to meet them on the same terms
only when those exhibitors who cannot review the
pictures themselves refuse to buy pictures until
they read reviews of them in their favorite trade
journal : the distributors, in order to expedite sales,
will be compelled to show their pictures to the in-
dustry's reviewers early, regardless of what com-
mittments may have been made to the newspaper
critics in Hollywood.

The problem was mishandled from the very be-
ginning. No exhibitor was consulted by the Holly-
wood producers when the pressure was applied on
them by the newspaper correspondents, and Ed
Kuykendall did not help matters much when, in
demanding for the trade paper critics the rights
accorded to the newspaper cities, used an unfortu-
nate example. He said that papers don't criticize
Ford automobiles, or Campbell's soups. James
Crow, of the Hollywood Citizen-News, retorted
by stating that Ford automobiles and Campbell
soups are guaranteed. "You can drive a Ford
around the block before you buy it. You can take
a bad tin of soup back to your grocer and he will
give you your money back. Will Kuykendall make
the same offer to the picture patrons to whom he
sells 'Forever Yours' ?"

Kuykendall just stepped right into it.

* * *

MANY EXHIBITORS ARE NOT accus-
tomed to receiving sound advice from other than
the exhibitor side as to what they should not do
when dealing with salesmen, but Jack Levine, Di-
rector of Operations of the Copyright Protection
Bureau, did give them such advice: speaking to
the exhibitors (to all two of them) present at the
MPTOA meeting in Los Angeles, Mr. Levine said
partly the following :

"We are about to enter a new sales era which,
on a five picture selling plan, may find that a man
in the field becomes, not only a salesman, but almost
a booker as well. Therefore, may I drop you a few
'Don'ts' ? Don't take verbal agreements ; if it isn't
in the contract, it is off-color, and as is usual, in due
time, leads to unnecessary and unwarranted irri-
tating disputes. . . ."

This is, indeed, sound advice. It is advice that
Harrison's Reports has given to the exhibitors
for years — long before the new selling plan was
formulated. When the new plan goes into effect,
and the salesmen will have a greater latitude than
they have ever had in making deals, the exhibitors
will do well to heed the advice more scrupulously.
They should compel the salesmen in every instance
to write their promises into the contract.

Mr. Levine tried to make the exhibitors under-
stand that the Copyright Protection Bureau's job
is, not to detect exhibitor violations, but to protect
the exhibitors from malpractices.

Whatever the picture Mr. Levine tried to present
as to the nature of the Copyright Protection Bu-
reau, the Bureau still is a policeman, the job of
which is to detect those who are using pictures
without proper authorization, but just as no honest
person fears a policeman so no straight-dealing
exhibitor need fear the representatives of this
Bureau. And the work they do is, indeed, protec-
tive, for an honest exhibitor cannot for long com-

pete with an exhibitor who uses film without pay-
ing for it.

Abuses did take place in the past — innocent ex-
hibitors were made to pay heavily for the film they
used without a contract. But still the blame rested,
not on the Copyright Protection Bureau, but on
publications, if an exhibitor still should take the
word of the salesmen without making them enter
the promises in the contract.

After what has been written in this and other
publications, if an exhibitor still would take the
oral promise of the salesman as to the use of a film
not authorized in the contract, it is the fault of no
one else but himself should he be apprehended and
made to pay a $250 fine for each violation.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"WOMAN OF DESIRE," appraised in the
Mav 24 issue under the title "Tonight Belongs To

Us."

"THE MEDICO RIDES," with Charles Star-
rett. Western.

"BLONDE FROM SINGAPORE," with Flor-
ence Rice, Leif Erikson, Gordon Jones. Possibili-
ties for a pretty good program picture.

Monogram

"THE DEADLY GAME," with Charles Far-
rell, June Lang, John Miljan. Program.

Paramount

"TIMBER WOLVES," with William Boyd.
Western.

"GLAMOUR BOY," with Susanna Foster,
Jackie Cooper, Walter Abel. Program.

RKO

"UNEXPECTED UNCLE," with Anne Shir-
ley, James Craig, Charles Coburn, Russell Gleason,
Astrid Allwyn. Pretty good program cast with
similar box-office possibilities.

"WEEKEND FOR THREE," with Dennis
O'Keefe, Jane Wyatt, Philip Reed, Edward Ever-
ett Horton. Good program.

Twentieth Century-Fox

"MAN AT LARGE," with Marjorie Weaver,
Richard Derr. Program.

"WEEKEND IN HAVANA," with Alice
Faye, John Payne, Cesar Romero, Carmen Mi-
randa, Cobina Wright. Good cast with similar box-
office possibilities.

United Artists

"SUNDOWN," a Walter Wanger production
with Gene Tierney, Bruce Cabot, George Sanders,
Joseph Calleia, Carl Esmond, Harry Carey. Pretty
good cast with similar box-office possibilities.

Universal

"THIS GIRL IS MINE," with Franchot Tone,
Walter Brennan, John Carroll, Carol Bruce. Good
cast with similar box-office possibilities.

"ARIZONA CYCLONE," with Johnny Mack
Brown. Western.

Warner-First National

"NEW ORLEANS BLUES," with Priscilla
Lane, Richard Whorf, Betty Field, Lloyd Nolan,
Jack Carson, Elia Kazan, Billy Halop. Good cast;
with care this should make a good entertainment
for the players are competent.

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879*

Harrison's Reports

Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by

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r^Rrft^n' SPai" \tn A Motion Picture Reviewing Service

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India, Europe Asia .... 17.50 Ug EditoriaI Poiicy. No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622

ibc a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.

A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING

SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1941 No. 27

Vol. XXIII

HERE AND THERE

AT THE RECENT CONVENTION of Allied
Theatre Owners of New Jersey, Abram F. Myers,
general counsel of Allied States Association, in-
vited the leaders of every exhibitor organization not
associated with Allied to attend the Allied conven-
tion in Philadelphia, in September, for the purpose
of adopting means and ways whereby the interest of
the independent theatre owners might be better
protected.

Representatives of MPTOA, the organization
that gets the most publicity in the trade papers, will
not attend — that is sure. The reason for it is the
fact that this organization is maintained by the
producers as a sort of front, with the object of
minimizing the influence and importance of the
Allied organization. As to the others, territorial or
state units, I doubt if more than one or two will
attend, by reason of the fact that many of them are
the "private property" of business managers. These
fear lest a sentiment be created for an affiliation
with Allied. This would not serve their interests
well, for any money taken out of the treasury to
be paid as membership quota to the parent Allied
body would take just so much money away from
the treasury, diminishing their own emoluments.

The Allied leaders had better stop hoping that
they can get the other either exhibitor or so-called
exhibitor organizations to cooperate with them in
the defense of the independent exhibitors' interests.
It can't work.

* * *
CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY was given to

Harry Brandt's advertisement in a recent issue of
The Hollywood Reporter, by means of which Mr.
Brandt castigated the producers for the poor qual-
ity of their product. Newspapers and magazines
commented on it.

But if Mr. Brandt thinks that he has served the
interests of the motion picture industry by that
public castigation of the producers, he is mistaken.
On the contrary, he has done much harm, for those
who have read the comment must have felt doubly
sure that there is no use going to pictures any
longer — they are not worth seeing.

* * *

IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS
there have been many industries that were criticized
publicly for cither the methods they pursued, or
the product they sold, but in most instances these
industries undertook institutional advertising to
gain the public's good will. The motion picture
industry, too, carried on a similar campaign a few
years ago, and the results were distinctly beneficial.

But the motion picture industry is unlike any

other industry — it must carry on a campaign to
gain the public's good will constantly if it is to
offset the daily criticisms, not only of the press,
but also of different organizations. This has not
been done, and is not being done. For this reason,
business is going to get worse, even if the quality
of pictures should improve considerably. The pub-
lic has become conscious of the fact that the present
pictures fail to entertain, and it will take decided
improvement to change its mind, unless an intelli-
gent good will campaign should be carried on at
the same time.

Unfortunately there is not harmony in the in-
dustry. The producers are pulling apart when it
comes to spending money to advertise the industry
instead of their individual products. Under the
circumstances, little immediate improvement in the
box office receipts may be expected for some time.

AN OUT-OF-TOWN EXHIBITOR, who
wishes that his name be suppressed, submits to this
paper an idea that requires considerable thinking
on the part of the exhibitors. It concerns prices that
are charged young men when they pass the child
age.

In most theatres children between five and twelve
are charged ten cents for an admission. When a
child reaches the age of adolescence he is charged
the regular admission price. The jump, this ex-
hibitor feels, is too great, and young men are dis-
couraged from going to the picture theatres.

The average young man of that age, this ex-
hibitor feels, likes to invite his best girl to the
theatre and after the theatre to buy her an ice
cream soda. Since most of these boys come from
families that cannot afford luxuries, they are dis-
couraged from going to pictures. Thus the picture
theatres lose steady patrons. "I have personally
observed over my experience of twenty-six years
in the business," he writes, "young men come up
to the box-office and be highly embarrassed when
they found out that they had just enough money
to buy a ticket to the show for himself and the
girl-friend, and after buying the tickets maybe
he didn't have enough to buy the girl a soda."

Since most of these young men are students
either of high schools or of colleges, this paper
need make no recommendations other than those it
made a few months ago as a result of a letter re-
ceived from Mr. Farl Brothers, of Boulder City,
Nevada : students should be charged a reduced
admission, and Congress should be prevailed upon
to amend the tax law so that the tax charged for
these tickets should be in proportion, not to the
charge, but to the adult admission price.

(Continued on last {'aye)

106

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 5, 1941

"Kiss the Boys Goodbye" with Mary Martin
and Don Ameche

(Paramount, August 1 ; time, 84 min.)

Although many changes have been made in adapting this
from the stage play, it is still good entertainment for the
masses. The story is far-fetched but this can be overlooked
since it has comedy, romance, and music. In addition the
dialogue is brisk, and the performances are engaging. The
picture has been produced on a lavish scale, with several
"big" production numbers : —

Mary Martin, a show girl, believes that she would be
excellent in the leading part of a new musical that was to
be produced by Jerome Cowan but she finds it impossible
to get an audition. Don Ameche, the director, tries to in-
duce Cowan to engage for the part Barbara Allen, an old
friend ; but Cowan refuses, for he felt that she was un-
suitable. He orders Ameche and his song-writing pal
(Oscar Levant) to tour the South in an attempt to find a
newcomer who could fit the part of the Southern belle-
heroine of the play. Hearing of this, Miss Martin rushes
back to her Southern home, where she lived with her aunt
(Elizabeth Patterson) and uncle (Minor Watson). Her
uncle contrives to get Ameche and Levant off the train and
then takes them to his estate. They meet Miss Martin;
she talks with a real Southern accent, and appears to be
charming but naive. Then she sings for them. Ameche sees
through the trick and is enraged ; but Levant is so struck
by her talent that he suggests that she leave with them for
New York. Ameche, still thinking she was a stage-struck
silly girl, urges her to go back home. He goes to the home
of millionaire Raymond Walburn, backer of the show,
where a large party was in progress ; there he informs
Cowan and Walburn that his quest had been in vain. But
Levant, who had telephoned to Cowan and had told him
that Ameche was too shy to speak of his discovery, arrives
with Miss Martin ; she wins over everyone by her charm.
Later she displays her talents as a performer ; Cowan is
jubilant. Even Ameche begins to melt. He finally learns
that she had fooled him all along. Instead of being angry,
he is amazed and excited, for he felt that she had the mak-
ings of a great actress. He endorses her for the part; at
the same time he confesses that he had fallen in love with
her.

The plot was adapted from the play by Clare Booth ;
Harry Tugend and Dwight Taylor wrote the screen play,
V. Schertzinger directed it, and Paul Jones produced it.
In the cast are Virginia Dale, Connie Boswell, Rochester,
and others.

"Sweetheart of the Campus" with
Ruby Keeler, Ozzie Nelson, Harriet
Hilliard and Gordon Oliver

(Columbia, June 26; time, 69 min. )
Just another one of those program musicals with an
appeal strictly to those who enjoy listening to popular
tunes and watching routine tap dancing. Not only is the
story ridiculous, but it is developed in so routine a fashion
that one knows in advance how it will all end. One thus
loses interest in the proceedings. Discriminating audiences
will be considerably bored by it. The romance is mildly
pleasant : —

On the night that Ozzie Nelson, his orchestra, and
specialty dancer (Ruby Keeler) were to open at a night
club located near a certain college, they receive a visit
from Kathleen Howard, daughter of the founder of the
college, one of the professors, and Harriet Hilliard,
<laughter of the school president ; these persons inform
them they were violating a city ordinance by opening a
club too near the college. An argument follows, and Nelson,
Miss Keeler, and the men of the band land in jail. Miss
Hilliard, knowing that the school property would revert
to Miss Howard if three hundred students failed to reg-
ister, asks Nelson for help. First she bails them all out;
then she suggests that, if they would enroll in the college
as students, a fact which would be advertised, they would
have no trouble in enrolling many others. The plan works,
and students begin flocking to register. Miss Hilliard sug-
gests that they reopen the school gymnasium as a night
club where the students could go to relax. When Miss
Keeler learns that Nelson had fallen in love with Miss
Hilliard, she is annoyed, and leaves for a job in New York.
In the meantime, many students fail in their examination,
and things look black; but Miss Keeler returns in time
with enough new students to make up the required three
hundred mark. She learns that she really loved Gordon
Oliver, their publicity agent.

Robert D. Andrews wrote the story, and he and Edmund
Hartmann, the screen play ; Edward Dmytryk directed
it, and Jack Fier produced it. In the cast arc Don Bcddoe,
The Four Spirits of Rhythm, Charles Judels, and others.

"Blossoms in the Dust" with Greer Garson
and Walter Pidgeon

(MGM, August 15; time, 98 min.)
This is a strong human-interest drama ; it should direct
a powerful appeal particularly to women. The production,
enhanced by technicolor photography, is good, and the
performances are excellent. Yet for all its merits and its
inspiring message, it may have to be "sold" to draw the
crowds to the box-office. One reason for this is that on
occasion it is too sentimental, and it lacks strong comedy
relief. But it is the type of picture that high-class audiences
should enjoy. The characters of Edna and Sam Gladney
are those of actual persons ; the picture is dedicated to
Mrs. Gladney, who devoted herself to the establishment
and operation of the Texas Children's Home and Aid
Society : —

Miss Garson and Marsha Hunt, daughter am! adopted
daughter respectively of Fay Holden and of Samuel S.
Hinds, are extremely happy ; both are engaged to fine men.
But a chance meeting between Miss Garson and Pidgeon
alters her plans ; she gives up her fiance and becomes en-
gaged to Pidgeon, who had established a business in Texas.
Miss Garson and Miss Hunt plan a double wedding. But
when Miss Hunt's fiance's parents learn from her birth
certificate that she had been an illegitimate child, they
object to the marriage ; in despair, Miss Hunt kills herself.
After her marriage to Pidgeon, Miss Garson leaves with
him for Texas. They are overjoyed when their son is born ;
Miss Garson is told that she could have no more children.
The tragic death of their child a few years later almost
ruins the marriage; but Miss Garson gets hold of herself.
She devotes her time to establishing a foundling home.
Pidgeon meets with reverses and later dies. But Miss
Garson goes on with her work, despite the hardships. She
is successful in bringing about legislation to remove from
birth certificates the word "illegitimate." Although she
had grown fond of one of her charges, she does not hesitate
to place him with a good couple who could give him the
benefits of their wealth.

Ralph Wheelwright wrote the story, and Anita Loos, the
screen play ; Mervyn LeRoy directed it, and Irving Asher
produced it. In the cast are Felix Bressart, William Henry,
John Eldredge, and others.

"They Met In Bombay" with Clark Gable
and Rosalind Russell

(MGM, June 27; time, 91 min.)

The drawing power of Clark Gable and Rosalind Russell,
and the customary lavish production given MGM "A"
pictures, should insure very good box-office returns. But
the story is silly, unbelievable, and in some respects even
objectionable for it tends to glorify a crook. The first half
of the picture, which shows the methods employed by both
hero and heroine in stealing a valuable necklace, is amusing
to a fair degree ; but the second half is hard to take. Only
the ardent action fans, who pay little attention to story
plausibility, will be engrossed — intelligent audiences will
find the action ridiculous : —

Gable and Miss Russell, both crooks but unknown to each
other, arrive in Bombay for the same purpose — to steal
from a duchess (Jessie Ralph) a valuable necklace. He
poses as a detective for an insurance firm, and she as a
member of royalty. Miss Russell becomes acquainted with
Miss Ralph and, by getting Miss Ralph intoxicated, man-
ages to steal the necklace. But Gable, who had found out
about Miss Russell, was prepared. First he replaces the
original necklace with an imitation he had brought with
him ; then, still posing as a detective, he confronts Miss
Russell and compels her to turn the original over to him.
Furious when she learns he had tricked her, she insists on
travelling with him so as to share in the loot. They manage
to evade the police, who had learned of the imitation, and
finally, after many exciting experiences, hide out. Running
short of funds, Gable conceives the idea of posing as a
British Captain ; the plan works and he collects funds by
posing as a representative of the British government. But
before he could get rid of his uniform, he is ordered to
Army headquarters and put in charge of a detachment
sent to evacuate civilians. He shows bravery by risking
his own life to outwit the Japanese and thus get the civilians
out of danger. For this he receives the Victoria Cross. By
this time both he and Miss Russell had become regener-
ated. When the police inspector catches up with them,
(lablc returns the necklace, willingly goes to prison, and
promises to join the Army on his release.

Jobs Kafka wrote the story, and Edwin J. Mayer, Anita
Loos, and Leon Gordon the screen play; Clarence Brown
directed it, and Hunt Stromberg produced it. In the cast
are Peter Loire, Reginald Owen, Edward Ciannelli, and
Luis Alberni.

July 5, 1941

HARRISON'S REPORTS

107

"The Parson of Panamint" with
Charles Ruggles, Ellen Drew
and Phil Terry

{Paramount, June 27 ; time, 83 milt.)

A pretty good Western ; it has more human interest than
one finds in the average picture of this type. And the cus-
tomary fast action, which the fans enjoy, is there, too, in
the form of fights and fast riding. In addition, it has com-
edy and some music. The story, told in flashback, is not
novel ; yet it has been handled well and for the most part
holds one's interest fairly well : —

Charlie Ruggles, an aged desert guide, tells his story to
a young prospector. Forty years before, when he had struck
gold, he had taken in as partners a few friends. Under
Ruggles' guidance as Mai or, the town had prospered ; he
was respected and loved by all. The snobbish rich folk,
wanting for their church a preacher who would cater to
them, suggest that Ruggles find one. Joseph Schildkraut,
owner of the town's largest and only honest gambling es-
tablishment, suggests that Ruggles pick a man who could
handle the tougher element effectively. Ruggles finds his
man in the person of Phil Terry, who displayed courage in
a gun fight. The snobs show resentment when Terry takes
into his' home Clem Bevans, the town drunkard, in order
to guide him. Furthermore, he invites everybody to his
Sunday sermons, much to the disgust of the snobs. In a
drunken brawl, Paul Hurst accidentally shoots Ellen
Drew, Schildkraut's sweetheart and chief entertainer ;
Schildkraut swears to kill him. Terry wins Schildkraut's
thanks by taking the wounded Miss Drew into his home ;
but the snobs are angry. Miss Drew recovers; her respect
for Terry turns to love. Terry brings about a truce be-
tween Schildkraut and Hurst. Schildkraut is killed by a
jealous rival; when the snobs refuse to permit Terry to
hold services in the church, Terry, with the aid of Ruggles,
breaks through the door and holds the services. He is
ousted from the church, but is not upset, for he is able to
turn the gambling casino into a church. When Terry be-
gins to show an interest in the poor working conditions of
the miners, the snobs decide it was time to get rid of him.
They see their chance when Terry accidentally kills a man ;
they egg the mob on to lynch him. Ruggles arrives just in
time to tell the mob that the mine had caved in as Terry had
predicted it would. They release Terry and leave in silence,
realizing that the town was ruined.

The Harold Shumate and Adrian Scott screen play is
based on the Peter B. Kyne story ; William McGann di-
rected it, and Harry Sherman produced it. In the cast are
Porter Hall, Henry Kolker, Janet Beecher, Douglas
Fowley, and others.

"San Antonio Rose" with Jane Frazee,
Robert Paige and Eve Arden

(Universal, June 20; time, 63 mitt.)
The only possible audience this picture might attract
is the type that goes in for popular music, and for the
singing of "The Merry Macs." Aside from the music, of
which there is an over-abundance, there is little else to
recommend, for the story, or what there is of it, is silly,
the action is slow-moving, and the comedy is not amusing
enough to cause more than a slight grin. Even the romance
is routine : —

Two racketeers (Lon Chaney, Jr. and Shemp Howard)
call on Richard Lane, night-club owner, and threaten to
expose his past unless he would give them a share of his
profits. He informs them that he was losing money; also,
that if they could put his night-club rival out of business,
he would make them his partners. Chaney does not find it
difficult to persuade the rival night club owner, by means
of a beating up, that he should leave. He closes the club,
not knowing that he had locked up two stranded show girls
(Jane Frazee and Eve Arden), who had been looking for
a job at the club. The girls are soon joined by Robert
Paige and his orchestra and entertainers who had been
engaged to play at the club. Miss Frazee thinks of a plan :
why not reopen the club and run it on a cooperative basis ?
They manage to get everything ready and open the club; it
is an immediate success. But Lane and his henchmen don't
like the idea, and try to force them out. Miss Arden stands
up to them, and eventually forces them out of the premises.
The racketeers give up in disgust. And the young per-
formers carry on with success. Paige and Miss Frazee fall
in love and plan to marry.

Jack Lait, Jr. wrote the story, and Hugh Wedlock. If.,
Howard Snyder, and Paul G. Smith, the screen play ;
Charles Lamont directed it, and Ken Goldsmith produced
it. In the cast are Mary Lou Cook, Luis Alberni, and others.

"The Shepherd of the Hills" with
Harry Carey, John Wayne and Betty Field

(Paramount, July 18; time, 98 mm.)

This is the third time this story has been filmed, but this
version is by far the best. From an artistic standpoint it is
outstanding — the acting, direction, and production, includ-
ing the technicolor photography, are excellent ; and the
settings and performances are realistic. Whether it will
draw large crowds to the box-office is problematical, for
the story is not a cheerful one. But theatres that cater to
adult audiences who want something a little different
should do well with it, for, despite the simplicity of the plot
and of the Ozark Hill characters, the story is developed in
an interesting way and holds one's attention. It should
do better in proportion, in small towns : —

The Ozark mountain folk are frightened of Beulah Bondi
and of her kin, believing that all the evils that befell them
were brought about by them. Although Betty Field loved
John Wayne, Miss Bondi's nephew, she would not agree
to marry him unless he forgot the oath he had made to kill
his father, whom he had never seen, for having deserted his
mother, who had died of a broken heart. One day, a
stranger (Harry Carey) arrives; he wins Miss Field's
devotion by saving her father's life. She is shocked when
he tells her he intended buying "Moanin' Meadow" for
that was where Wayne's mother was buried, and no one
would go near it. Miss Bondi sells it to him so as to get
the money to help Wayne start out on his search for his
father. But Wayne does not want Carey on the property ;
Miss Field makes him change his mind. Carey pays for an
eye operation for Alarjorie Main, who had been blind since
birth. On the day that the bandages are removed from her
eyes, she immediately sees the resemblance between Carey
and Wayne and says so ; Carey is then compelled to admit
that he was Wayne's father. Miss Bondi, in an effort to
take from her half-witted son (Marc Lawrence), who had
grown fond of Carey, his rifle to give to Wayne, kills her
son. She later sets fire to her cabin, burning herself alive
with her son. Wayne sets out to kill Carey, but Carey shoots
him instead. He recovers, and hears that the reason Carey
had not returned was because he had been in prison for
having killed a man, and that he had shot Wayne so as to
save him from a similar fate. A reconciliation follows, and
Wayne and Miss Field are united.

Grover Jones and Stuart Anthony wrote the screen play
from the Harold Bell Wright story ; Henry Hathaway di-
rected it, and Jack Moss produced it. In the cast are James
Barton, Ward Bond, John Qualen, and Fuzzy Knight.

"Mail Train" with Gordon Harker
and Alastair Sim

(20/A Century-Fox, Apr. 25; time, 87 mitt.)

This English-produced melodrama is only fair entertain-
ment. The main fault is that too much time is wasted on
conversation, with the result that the action slows up.
Towards the end, when the police inspector sets a trap for
the spies, the action becomes more exciting, and it ends in
a somewhat thrilling way. There is some comedy, which
is provoked by Alastair Sim, as the scatter-brained police
sergeant, who is more of a nuisance than a help to the
inspector. There is no romance : —

Gordon Harker, Scotland Yard Inspector, and his as-
sistant (Sim) are ordered by their chief to join the Army
in order to track down petty thievery that was going on in
the camps. Harker is annoyed at the assignment, for he
had looked forward to handling an investigation on fifth
column activities. Accidentally, they come upon a clue as
to the spy activities and decide to follow it up, without ob-
taining permission from their chief. Their search takes
them to the home of a prominent dentist ; during his absence
they search his apartment and find records of agents who
had received money for information. While they are there,
the dentist returns and in a short time is murdered mys-
teriously. The victim's wife (Phyllis Calvert) returns; Sim
questions her, but he talks too much. She fools him and
manages to slip out, taking with her the list of the agents'
names. Harker berates Sim for his stupidity, but continues
on the case. This time their investigation leads them to a
country school supervised by Raymond Huntley, whom
Harker suspected. With the help of railroad officials,
Marker takes a job as sorter on the mail train, so as to
trace a letter posted by Huntley. His scheme works; he
not only finds the U tter hut also tin- two agents who worked
on the mail train. Their custom was to take the letter posted
daily by Huntley and, with a whiles hidden in a room,
transmit the message to the enemy. They are arrested.

Frank Launder wrote the story, and J. O. C. Orton and
Val Guest, the screen play. Waller Fordo directed it, and
Edward Black produced it. In the cast are Edward Chap-
man, Charles Oliver, and others.

108

HARRISON'S REPORTS

July 5, 1941

"FOR MANY WEEKS," says an Allied release
dated June 23, sent from the Washington office,
"Allied has been trying to tell all and sundry that
competition has caught up with the movies ; that
the movies are losing ground in the struggle for
the public's favor.

"As a case in point we call attention to the en-
closed clipping from Mcdford, Wisconsin, Star-
News; which shows what that town and the sur-
rounding country have to offer in the way of
diversion and entertainment.

"1 Movie theatre in Medford

"1 Movie theatre in the nearby town of Phillips

"1 Travelling carnival

"1 Roller skating rink

"17 Taverns and resorts, offering — 1 Fish fry;
2 Chicken fries; 1 Free birthday dance; 1 Free
Married Folks Dance; 4 Free wedding dances; 8
Name bands including Orrin Tucker with Bonnie
Baker ; 5 Free 'talkie movies' shows.

To show how the distributors meet such com-
petition, there was attached to the release a copy of
a letter that has been sent by Twentieth Century-
Fox to exhibitors offering them the reissues "One
in a Million," with Sonja Heine, and "On the
Avenue," with Alice Faye, on the ground that
there is going to be a shortage of pictures this year
and the exhibitors would do well to book these re-
issues.

Commenting on this offer, the bulletin says:
"These pictures may have had merit when first re-
leased, but we do not believe that the movies will
weather this storm by administering to the public
large doses of re-issues featuring the Ritz
Brothers."

Under the heading, "Cutting Their Own
Throats," the release says :

"The most serious part of the competition in
Medford consists of the many free 'talkie movies.'

"We hope this page will be studied by those gen-
eral sales managers who have given the run-around
to Allied committees appointed to protest against
the releasing of films for non-theatricals.

"Of course, all will deny that they license films
for non-theatricals but the fact is they permit their
copyrighted films to be reduced to 16 m.m. and
then to pass out of their control so that they can
be used in giving free talkie movies in competition
with established theatres.

"The day of reckoning will come when the dis-
tributors try to extract increased rentals from the
exhibitors which they, because of this unfair free
talkie movie competition and the dearth of strong
pictures, can not pay."

Under the heading, "Long View," the release
says :

"The distributors appear to think it is good
business to carry over all strong pictures until the
next season rather than to release any of them
while business is so bad.

"This means surrendering the field for the time
being to rival forms of entertainment with the
accompanying risk that the public may get entirely
out of the movie-going habit.

"Allied has embarked on a campaign to re-enlist
the interest of the public in the movies. That cam-
paign is as far-reaching as a group of independent
theatres can put forth with the means at their
command.

"The theatres have little or no fat to fry out; if
sacrifices must be made to save the industry, they
must be mainly by those branches of the industry
that have profited most in the past.

"Certainly it is not asking too much to expect
the major producer-distributors to release a few
big pictures during the summer season so that the
public will not entirely lose interest. Moreo /er, such
action on the part of the producer-dis ributors
would greatly aid the efforts which the ind< pendent
exhibitors are making to keep alive the public's

interest in the movies."

* * *

AN OLD LANDMARK HALF GONE:
Herman A. Blum, of Baltimore, for years treasurer
of Allied States Association, has sold his theatre
and retired from activities in exhibitor affairs.

To honor him for his past services to the organi-
zation, the Allied Board of Directors has made him
an honorary National Councillor. He has been
honored also by the Maryland Allied unit, which
has made him a life member of the organization, by
having given him a testimonial dinner on the eve-
ning of June 30.

Harrison's Reports wishes Mr. Blum a long
and happy life.

PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION
Columbia

"YOU BELONG TO ME," with Barbara Stan-
wyck, Henry Fonda, and Edgar Buchanan. The
players mentioned are good and the picture should
likewise be good.

Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer

"AN UNTITLED PICTURE," with Greta
Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ruth Gordon, Roland
Young. Very good cast with similar box-office
possibilities.

"WHISTLING IN THE DARK," with Red
Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Conrad Veidt, Virginia
Grev. Good program possibilities.

"MARRIED BACHELOR," with Ruth Hus-
sey, Robert Young, Lee Bowman, Sheldon Leon-
ard. Good players with similar box-office possi-
bilities.

Monogram

"BOWERY BLITZKRIEG," with Warren
Hull, Charlotte Henry, East Side Kids. Fair pro-
gram.

Paramount

"FLYING BLIND," with Richard Arlen, Jean
Parker, Marie Wilson. Pretty good program.
Republic

"TEN NIGHTS IN A BAR-ROOM," with
Frank Albertson, Linda Hayes, Skeets Gallagher,
Robert Armstrong. Pretty good cast with similar
box-office possibilities.

Universal

"THE AMERICANOS," with Dick Foran, Leo
Carrillo, Andy Devine. Pretty good program possi-
bilities.

"BOMBAY CLIPPER," with William Gargan,
Irene Hervey, Charles Lang. Fairly good program.
Warner-First National

"ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN," with Fredric
March, Martha Scott, Elisabeth Fraser, Carlotta
J elm. The two leading players are very good. With
care, this should turn out very good entertainment.

Scanned from the collection of the

Karl Thiede

Coordinated by the
Media History Digital Library
www.mediahistoryproject.org

Funded by a donation from
Matthew Bernstein

Internet Archive Audio

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