IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE
Entered aa 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:
United States $15.00
U. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00
Canada, Alaska 16.00
Mexico, Spain, Cuba 16.00
Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 Other Foreign Countries.. 17.50 35c a Copy
1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y.
A Motion Picture Reviewing Service by a Fermer Exhibitor Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors
Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.
Pubiished Weekly by P. S. HARRISON Editor aad Publisher
Established July 1, 1919
PEnnsylvania 6-6379 Cable Address : Harreports (Bentley Code)
A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XIV SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1932 No. 1
THE VALUE OF ORGANIZATION
Business, to thrive, needs protection.
One of the greatest protecting factors is organization. When the members of a particular business are organized, they are able to put up an effective defense against all hostile forces.
And yet, in the exhibiting branch of the moving picture business, there is no other factor in greater disrepute than is organization. Though it is an insurance, most exhibitors consider it a nuisance. And they commit the gravest of abuses toward it. I have heard of a case in which an organ- ization spent five hundred dollars to protect the interests of an exhibitor. It saved him seventy-five dollars a week, the total amount he saved in the seven years he kept his theatre being more than twenty-five thousand dollars. And yet this exhibitor refused, not only to reimburse the organization for whatever money it had spent, but even to pay his dues.
This is only one case of ingratitude ; I could go on filling page after page, in some of them the exhibitor betraying ingratitude just as unbelievable.
What makes many exhibitors so blind to the need of organization? Let us study nature itself for a lesson: Ani- mals, birds, insects, fish ; in fact all living organisms, travel in groups, for they know by instinct that protection lies in grouping. Cattle, when attacked by wolves, post themselves back to back to fight off the attackers. The outcome would be obvious were they to attempt to fight them singly. It was several centuries before Christ that one of the Greek philos- ophers pointed out to mankind the need of organzation most convincingly : Aesop, in one of his fables, showed to the Greeks how easy it was to break a bundle of sticks a stick at a time, and how difficult to break them as a bundle.
One concrete example from exhibitor experiences should suffice to prove the disastrous consequences of disorgan- ization : Several years ago a tax was put on the distributors by tne btate oi Connecticut. The distributors, being well organized, as you very well know, succeeded in having in- troduced in the legislature of that State a bill lifting the tax from themselves and placing it on the exhibitors. Because of the fact that the provisions of that bill were identical with the provision of the sliding scale plan the Hays organ- ization had adopted to collect from the exhibitors the taxes the distributors were paying to the State under the old law. It is assumed that the bill had been drafted by the distribu- tors. Only that it was more burdensome in that the sliding scale limit was made forty dollars a week, instead of thirty dollars, which was the limit in the Hays tax collecting plan. The exhibitor leaders were powerless to put up an effective battle against the bill ; because of the fact that the members of the organization did not pay their dues, they had no money by which they could maintain the organization as a going concern and were compelled to accept producer aid. But with the producer aid went also producer advice. And in that fight, the producers advised the exhibitor leaders to leave the handling of the bill to them, assuring them that they would fight its enactment. The exhibitors took their word for it with the result that the bill became a law, and ever since they have been paying in taxes anywhere from ten to forty dollars a week. No doubt, the majority of such exhibitors refused to pay to the organization, in dues, fifty or one hundred dollars a year. Could any human beings have been less short-sighted? They have been trying all these years to have that law repealed but they have been unsuc- cessful, for it is one hundred times more difficult to have a law repealed once it is put on the statute books than it is to prevent its enactment.
It is unfortunate that the indifference shown by the ex- hibitors of Connecticut at that time is now shown by the exhibitors of almost every state in the Union. That is what at least I gather from the copies of wringing appeals that reach my office from time to time. The latest one comes
from the State of Indiana ; it is contained in the December Bulletin of the organization. Read it ; it is interesting :
“Why is it that most of you have plenty of money for automobiles, for boxing contests, for vacation trips, for everything connected with your personal pleasures but you cannot find money to keep your organization dues paid ?
“Why are you so utterly and damnably indifferent to your own problems and interests? You have never been ‘self starters,’ we have to keep plugging you along and ‘jacking’ you up to get you to write letters and to take an interest in your own business. You laid down completely during the session of the Indiana Legislature this spring, and if it had not been for about 80 real workers out of over 400 exhibitors in Indiana, you would have a State admission tax today.
“You have ‘belly-ached’ your heads off about the fact that you objected to the present Copyright Law and the fact that it permits the composers and authors to collect a recording fee from the studios ; a fee from the distributors every time they sell a sound picture to any theatre; a fee from the manufacturers of sound equipment ; enables the distributor to collect a score charge from you ; and besides you have to pay a fee of 10c per seat in your theatre to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Yet when we asked you to write to Representative Albert H. Vestal, House Office Building, and Senator Charles W. Waterman, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C., to get yourself some relief and perhaps end those fee nuisances right now while the revision is pending, only about 50 of you are suffi- ciently interested to write those letters. May be you like those fees ; at least that is the way we interpret your utter indifferences. Why didn’t you get busy on this?
“Xow the budget message has been presented to Congress and it recommends restoring the 10 per cent federal admis- sion tax on all theatre tickets costing 10c or over. Those of you who were operating theatres in the old days know what that tax meant to theatres. And you can’t fudge on the re- ports, or they send you to federal penitentiary. When the ta.x was on before, people were prosperous ; they were in- terested in motion pictures and most of you could and did pass the tax to the public. If the tax goes on now, people are without funds and they are not caring a great deal about pictures and you can’t pass that tax to the public for if you do people will either quit coming to your theatre or they will come only every few weeks. Due to bad business, 200 theatres have gone out of business in Indiana during the past three years. There are slightly over 400 theatres still. If this federal tax goes into effect, at least half of the re- maining theatres are headed for the scrap heap. .A.nd it may be you and your theatre that goes out of business. It is a mighty serious situation that we face and you should give it some attention.
“Once that tax goes on theatres it will stay there for years to come — and don’t kid yourself into believing that it will come off in 1934 as the original plan hopes.
“What are you going to do about it ? There is going to be plenty of stress and trouble in Congress during the next five or six months. The industries or businesses that raise the most h — 1 are not going to be taxed and the lazy and don’t care businesses are going to get it in the neck. * * *
“You expect us to do a lot of things for you. You will ex- pect us to wage a continuous campaign during Congress to protect your Interests. We cannot do that without money. We ask for no special assessments; all we want is that every theatre in Indiana pay its fair dues. We shall need funds for telegrams, long distance telephone calls and per- haps to send representatives to Washington to appear be- fore the committees when these tax proposals are heard. Some of you exhibitors who have been ‘sponging’ and ‘mooching’ on your fellow exhibitors, or who have not at least been doing a fair part in bearing the financial burden, (Continued on last page)
HARRISON’S REPORTS
“Delicious” with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell
(Fox, Dec. 27; running time, 96 min.)
The story, which is interpolated with music, is simple and pleasant and contains human interest, but it is too long drawn out and becomes tiresome, particularly towards the end. Janet Gaynor, as a poor Scotch emigrant, wins much sympathy. Parts of the picture are artistic, as for instance when Janet Gaynor walks the streets of New York, dejected and weary. This is accompanied by excellent music and photography. One humorous situation is where she dreams that she has arrived in the United States and is given a royal welcome : —
The heroine, a young Scotch girl, bound for the United States to live with her uncle, becomes friendly, during the voyage, with a group of Russian entertainers. One of them falls in love with her and composes a song for her. They sneak up to first class deck to find a piano and are about to be put out when the hero, a wealthy young American, insists that they stay as his guests. This displeases his fiancee, a haughty society girl. He and the heroine fall in love with each other. When the boat docks the heroine is shocked to learn that her uncle refuses to board her, the consequences of which is that she must go back. The Russian musician begs her to marry him so that she might enter the country but she refuses. She escapes by hiding in the stall where the hero’s horse is kept. This brings her to his home, where she is found by his valet, who had befriended her on the steamer. He hides her in the guest room, where she is discovered by the hero. He is happy to see her. Unwilling to become a burden to the hero, she leaves and joins her Russian friends. She becomes an entertainer. But she is constantly pursued by customs men. She is frantic and agrees to marry the Russian. The day of her marriage she hears that the hero had been injured. She rushes to his home and the hero’s fiancee telephones the police, telling them where they can find her. She escapes again but eventually she gives herself up. She is put aboard the steamer to be sent back to Scot- land. The hero, recovered from his accident, finds out about it and rushes to the ship. He joins her and tells her the trip will be their honeymoon.
The plot was adapted from the story by Guy Bolton. It was directed by David Butler. In the cast are Raoul Roulien, Lawrence O’Sullivan, Manya Roberti, Virginia Cherrill, and others. The talk is clear.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
“Hell Divers” with Wallace Beery and Clark Gable
(MGM., January 16; running time, 1 hr. 51 min.)
Although the story is appealing, what will interest picture- goers mostly is the naval aviation scenes, which the average civilian does not see very often. Since the picture has been produced with the co-operation of the aviation branch of the United States Navy, the details are accurate ; and so is the action. Much of the action is thrilling in the extreme. One of the thrilling scenes is where two of the planes are shown in collision in midair ; one of the officers is so injured that his right arm had to be amputated. But the most thrilling is that which shows the hero, a gunner, flying the aeroplane and reaching the ship Saratoga : during target practice, the wings of one of the planes had broken and fell into the sea. Gable, who was one of the crew, jumps in his parachute and lands near a rock, breaking his leg. Conrad Nagel, who flew another ship, with Beery as his gunner, notices the wreck and grounds in an effort to save Gable. In landing, he is injured dangerously. But Beery escapes uninjured. The Commander of the fleet kept for days planes searching for them unsuccessfully. He receives orders to proceed to Nicaragua and is compelled to give up the search. The stranded party had a radio and could receive but not send messages. When told by Gable that the search had been given up. Beery decides to fly the plane even though he did know how to do it. Gable tries to dissuade him but, with Nagel in a serious condition and with Gable with a broken leg. Beery decides to risk it. He ties the two men on the wings and takes off. By aid of the receiving set. Gable is able to help Beery find the position of the Saratoga and to reach it. But in landing, he wrecks the plane. He is killed, but Gable and Nagel escape. These .scenes are thrilling in the extreme.
All throuirh the picture Beery is shown as a “privileged” character ; although he frequently breaks the regulations, his commander forgives him.
The plot has been founded on a storv by Lieutenant Frank Wead. The direction is by George Hill. Dorothy Jordan, Marjorie Rambeau, Marie Prevost, John Miljon, Alan Roscoe, Frank Conroy and others are in the cast. The
January 2, 1932
direction and acting are excellent. The talk is clear.
It is chiefly a man’s picture. Good for children; not objectionable for Sunday showing.
Nice Women” with Sidney Fox
(Universal, December 5; time, 69 minutes)
A charming picture. Most of the amusement is caused by Miss Fox’s acting ; though she is supposed to be a mere child, she acts as if she were sophisticated. There is comedy, of the light kind, interspersed all through the picture; and there is some pathos, too, this being caused by the fact that the heroine’s sister, (Francis Dee,) though she loves a young man of poor circumstances, is being forced by her fortune-hunting mother to marry a wealthy man (Allan Mowbray), employer of her father. The scenes that show Sidney Fox, who is secretly in love with Mowbray, daringly planning to spoil the marriage of her sister with Mowbray, eventually bringing about her own marriage to him, are mirth-provoking.
Allan Mowbray, a wealthy man, is in love with Francis Dee, whose father he employs. But Francis Dee does not love him, for she loves Russell Gleason, but is compelled to accede to the wishes of her mother, who, in such a marriage, .saw the recouping of the family fortune. Sidney Fox knows tlpt her sister does not love Mowbray, and since she loves him herself she plans to spoil the marriage and so bring things about that Mowbray will get on to himself that she loves him and make him propose to her. Mowbray invites the family to dinner at his house and, thinking that Gleason and Fox were lovers and had quarrelled, invites also Gleason with the hope that he will be able to patch up things for them. But at the dinner Gleason tells Mowbray frankly that Dee and he had loved each other and that they would have been married but for the desire of Dee’s mother to see Dee marry a wealthy man. Mowbray is man enough to take his defeat in love manly ; he makes Gleason a present of five thousand dollars and sends the two on their honeymoon. That night Mowbray’s former flame calls on him. Sidney Fox, too, calls on him, to offer herself to him because of his disappointment with a member of her family. Mowbray takes her statement as one coming from a child and does nothing about it. Miss Fox, then, tells him boldly that she loves him. Since she was a charming girl, Mowbray takes her in his arms and kisses her, agreeing to marry her. Carmel Myers, when she heard and saw what went on, comes out of her hiding and, taking her things, goes home, determined to forget Mowbray.
The plot has been founded on the play by William A. Grew ; it was directed by Edwin H. Knopf. The direction and acting are excellent. The talk is clear.
Hardly suitable for children or for Sunday showing, even though the situations have been handled delicately.
“Under Eighteen” with Marian Marsh
(Warner Bros., Jan. 2; running time, 78 min.)
A fair picture. It contains nothing novel ; the same story has been told many times. It is that of the poor girl, who is engaged to a poor but proud young man, and who, tired of her surroundings, attempts to better herself by tacking her- self to a wealthy man. This heroine, however, arouses some sympathy because of her desire to help not only herself but her family. She makes a frantic effort to get money so as to help her sister obtain a divorce because of the brutal treat- ment she had received from her husband, who refused to work. Her fiance, (hero) a young delivery clerk, is right- eous and smug. He refuses to lend her the money when he learns what she wants it for. And so she is forced to go to a wealthy man, famous for his affairs with women, to ask for a loan. The hero follows her there and without waiting for explanations accuses her of being indecent. He strikes the man and leaves. The heroine is angry at him for the man had acted as a benefactor towards her and had not mistreated her. She becomes frantic, however, when the man faints and does not recover quickly. The police are called and she is questioned. She escapes in order to warn him. He is horrified and claims that the blow was too light to hurt the man. But their fears are put at rest when the wealthy man’s butler calls at her home and tells her that his emploj er had fully recovered, that it had been due to something he had eaten and not to the blow, and that he gladly sends her the money she needed. Her joy is complete when she learns her sister and brother-in-law are reconciled. She promises to marry the hero.
The plot was adapted from the story by Maude Fulton and Charles Kenyon. It was directed by Archie Mayo. In the cast are Regis Toomey, Warren William, Anita Page. Emma Dunn. Norman Foster, and others. The talk is clear.
Is hardly suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
January 2, 1932
HARRISON’S REPORTS
3
“Manhattan Parade” with Winnie Lightner
{Warner Bros., Jan. 16; running time, 76 min.)
Moderately amusing in part, but tiresome on the whole. Most of the comedy is caused by the bickering between two partners, and the ravings of a maniacal stage director. The story is disconnected and one has the feeling of having been left stranded at the end, for nothing is shown of the outcome of the heroine’s business, or what becomes of her. It is done in all technicolor. The color is poor. At times the characters appear to have green complexions. The most enjoyable moments are those in which the heroine’s small son appears ; he is clever and amusing : —
The heroine works hard in the costuming business she and her husband built up, and she has very little time to give to her child. Her husband insists that she is to stay home and not to come to the office any longer. His reasons are purely selfish for he is carrying on an affair with her sec- retary. The business goes from bad to worse, of which the heroine does not know. Her husband takes a sudden trip to England, taking all the available cash in the business. The heroine realizes that she had been duped and determines to go back to the business and build it up again. Things look discouraging until she hits upon a plan of interesting two producers, who are partners, in staging an art spectacle under the direction of a Russian who claims to be a genius but who in reality is a maniac. He orders thousands of costumes and things look bright again. But her husband comes home and demands the business. Under threat of having him prosecuted for having run off with a young girl, he leaves. At the end of the artistic venture the two producers are broke and resume their cheese business.
The plot was adapted from a story by Samuel Shipman. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon. In the cast are Charles Butterworth, Walter Miller, Joe Smith, Charles Dale, Greta Grandstedt, Dickie Moore, Luis Alberni, and others. The talk is clear.
Some of the humor is rough, making it unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing.
“Explorers of the World”
(Dist. by Raspin Prod. Inc., 122 East 42 nd. Street, Room 808, N. y. City; rimning time, 83 min.)
An entertaining travel picture. However, aside from the fact that the spectator is taken on not one but several expedi- tions, the material shown, with the exception of the closing scenes, does not present any novelties, for most of it has already been seen in other travelogues.
The featured explorers are well known members of the Explorers Club and some of them are connected with the Museum of Natural History of New York. The picture opens at a banquet at which this group are guests. After being introduced by a master of ceremonies, each gives an illustrated talk on the particular expedition he was con- nected with.
The first speaker is Harold McCracken. He takes the spectator on his Siberian-Artic expedition. The object of this expedition was to collect mummies of the Stone Age. There are shown scenes of Eskimos, pictures of wild birds and finally the capture of an immense walrus.
Next is shown Gene Lamb on his expedition to Tibet, Borneo and the Island of Bali. Here one sees them capturing monkeys, by setting traps in coconuts, and a leopard. There are shown also scenes of oriental life.
Then James L. Clark lectures about his African expedi- tion. There are some excellent scenes of elephants, lions and zebras, and finally a battle between a lion and an eland. This animal puts up a terrific fight but the lion finally wins.
Then comes Lt. Com. J. R. Stenhouse, who is shown on his imperial Trans- Antarctic expedition. Lawrence M. Gould, who was second in command of the Byrd Antartic expedition, tells of some of his experiences. This is not illustrated.
Finally Harold Noice gives an illustrated lecture on the Tariano Indians in Northwestern Brazil. This is extremely interesting, for it shows the Indians in their daily life, including their ceremonies and dances.
It is suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
“Husband’s Holiday” with Clive Brook
(Paramount , Dec. 19; running time. 66 min.)
A fair marital drama. The trouble with it is that the hero does not arouse anv sympathy, for although he has a charm- ing wife and two children he becomes involved with another woman, and never seems to make up his mind which one he really loves. It is not until he hears that his wife is willing to divorce him so as to marry, as he thinks, another man that he knows it is her he loves. Every one of the characters become sacrificial towards the end. The heroine, who did not
believe in divorce, and who was unwilling to divorce the hero, changes her mind when she learns of how much her own sister suffers, because she is in love with a married man whose wife will not divorce him. The hero, even though he loves the heroine, is willing to marry his mistress after her attempt to commit suicide. The mistress, realizing that the hero loves his wife, sends him back to her.
There is some comedy relief caused by the hen-pecking of Charles Ruggles; between his wife and mother-in-law, he has no peace.
The plot was adapted from the stage play “The Marriage Bed” by Ernest Pascal. It was directed by Robert Milton. In the cast are Vivienne Osborne, Juliette Compton, Harry Bannister, Dorothy Tree, Adrienne Ames, Charles Win- niger, Leni Stengel, and others. The talk is clear.
Unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing.
“Peach O’Reno” with Wheeler and Woolsey
{RKO., Jan. 1 ; running time, 63 min.)
Entertaining. It is done in the regular Wheeler and Woolsey breezy manner. It is a humorous satire on Reno and divorces. Occasionally the humor becomes rough. Some of the funniest situations are those in which Bert Wheeler is dressed as a woman. He does this for two reasons : one is, because he is being sought by an enraged husband for whose wife he had procured a divorce ; the other, to appear as a correspondent in order that his client may be seen in the company of a woman and so procure his divorce.
Wheeler and Woolsey, as divorce lawyers, do not hesitate to represent both sides in divorce cases, as long as they are not found out. They are enterprising also. During the day, their offices are used to conduct the law business, and in the evening the offices are converted into a cafe and gambling establishment.
There is much humor in the court room scenes where Wheeler and Woolsey are conducting a divorce trial. Every- body, including lawyers and strangers, object to everything that is asked. The two people seeking a divorce suddenly recall how they loved each other years before and decide they don’t want a divorce; they become reconciled. This pleases their two daughters. The two lawyers and the two daughters become united.
The plot was adapted from a story by Tim Whelan. It was directed by William A. Seiter. In the cast are Dorothy Lee, Joseph Cawthorn, Cora Witherspoon, Zelma O’Neil, Sam Hardy and others. The talk is clear.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
“Oklahoma Jim” with Bill Cody
{Monogram, Dec. 22; running time, 54 min.)
An old-fashioned slow moving Western, The story is not very plausible and there is little action. The hero is a pro- fessionable gambler, and although he does not do anything that is wrong yet there is little that he does to win the sympathy of the audience. One feels some sympathy with the heroine, however, for the villain tries to dupe her out of her rightful ownership of the trading post. There is some sus- pense towards the end when the hero is forced to confront the Indians as one of two men suspected of having betrayed an Indian girl : —
The hero is a professional gambler, working for the villain. The two men are out riding and come upon an Indian celebration of a marriage. The young bride-to-be, upon seeing the men, refuses to go through with the cere- mony and her father demands the name of the white man responsible for her shame. She refuses to divulge it and she is forced by her father to kill herself. The two men ride on. The villain claims ownership of the trading post, and is about to sell it for a large sum of money, when the heroine arrives from Boston. She is the niece of the former owner who had died and the store rightfully belongs to her. She is terrified at the crude manner of living and permits the villain to talk her into selling the business to him for a small sum. The hero is interested in the girl and tells her she had been robbed. He takes the check away from her and rushes to the villain’s office, only to find that he had killed his scheming partner. The Indians, in the meantime, de- manded the guilty white man or else they would start trouble. They know it is either the villain or the hero and through a ruse they are able to learn it is the villain. The authorities give him up to them in order to avoid a war. The heroine consents to remain and run her business, and she and the hero are united.
The plot was adapted from the story by Harry Fraser and directed by him. In the cast are Andy Shuford, William Desmond, Franklyn Farnum, Marion Burns, and others. The talk is clear.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
HARRISON’S REPORTS
now is your time to join up, pay your dues (the lowest ot any organization in your country) and help in this work. You are either for us or against us, and if you don’t help, you are against us. Help means financially and continuous letter writing.
“The situation is critical and will continue so unitl Con- gress adjourns. Even if they pass the tax bills you will still need organization to work for the eventual repeal. Cut out the petty politics, cut out the ‘crabbing,’ snap out of your indifference, write those letters today and send in your dues if you expect us to function as we should to protect your interests.
“Even if we work hard and all work together there is still the chance that we may lose but we can go down fighting and not like a bunch of cringing cowards. If you just don’t care, that’s different. Some of you have always 'let George do it’ and George can’t do this job. Its too big for him. You will have to help. Unless you are a member shortly after you get this letter, we won’t bother you again. But don’t cry around and ‘beef’ later and blame anyone else for your troubles which your supreme and continued indifference will bring upon you. Get busy now !’’
I hope that these words will sink deep into the mind of every exhibitor, not only in Indiana but in every other state, so that no one may again feel that money paid to the organization is money wasted. Let every one of you — you who believe in organization and you who do not — realize that every dollar paid to it brings you back at least one hundred dollars’ worth of protection. Do not blame any one or anything for not being a member, or if a member for not paying your dues ; perhaps you ask too much of your leaders. And there is a limit to what these can do even under favorable circumstances. After all, they are not paid for what they are doing for you. The least, then, you can do is to pay your dues regularly.
Sit down and write a check for a year’s dues at once ! If organization was ever needed, it is needed now, for in addition to the Federal (^vernment almost every state is figuring on taxing theatre tickets. Three years ago you might have stood such a burden ; money was plentiful then and one dime more for a moving picture ticket did not make much difference to the majority of the picture-goers. Today conditions are different ; a dime now is what a dollar was three years ago. Stint yourself now and pay thousands of dollars in taxes later on. Bear in mind this : When taxes are considered by legislators, every business brings pressure to escape taxation, or to get the lightest taxation possible. Woe be to the industries that are not represented at the capitals ; they get the heaviest taxes. So unless you send representatives to look after your interests, you will get the surprise of your life.
But it costs money to send representatives to the state capitals and to carry on other promotional work. That is why j'ou should send your check at once. Let your check go to your organization leaders with a New Year’s greetings. It is the best greetings you could ever make to them for the efforts they unselfishly exert for the protection of the in- terests of all. You should also make a resolution to put your contributions to your organization on your yearly budget, because such expense is just as necessary as buying film ; it will be one of the best New Year resolutions you could make.
Just remember the cost of indifference to the Connecticut exhibitors and you will not go wrong.
HAYS’ “POLITICAL PRESTIGE” BUBBLE PRICKED
Up to the time Secretary Mellon made his announcement proposing a tax on all amusement tickets of higher price than ten cents, we all thought that the Government, when it came to taxing the different industries for the purpose of raising the revenue necessary to cover the deficit of the budget with, would give some consideration to the moving picture industry because of the services Will H. Hays has rendered to the Republican party in general and to Presi- dent Hoover in particular during the last presidential cam- paign and at other times. But it failed to give Mr. Hays even a tumble, thus proving beyond any doubt that the common talk about his prestige in Washington was nothing but a bubble, pricked by Mr. Mellon’s announcement : it seems as if the Government does not know whether such a person as Will H. Hays inhabits this globe.
Let me mention some of the services Mr. Hays rendered. During the last presidential campaign he was accused of keeping in his office three of Mr. Hoover’s campaign man- agers. The newsweeklics shown at producer theatres con- tained an average of five Hoover scenes to one of his op- ponent’s. Mr. Hays had Mr. Hoover photographed deliv- ering his Palo Alto speech, recording it by a sound appara-
January 2, 1932
tus, before Mr. Hoover left for California so that it was included in the newsweeklies the day after the speech was delivered at Palo Alto.
These are only a few of the known services Mr. Hays rendered to Mr. Hoover and to the Republican party. There are, no doubt, numerous others, unknown to the writer by reason of the fact that arrangements for them was done by Mr. Hays in his visits to the heads of the Republican party in Washington and in New York. And yet every one of such services has been forgotten by them when it came to paying back part of the debt they owe to the moving picture indus- try.
In recording these facts, I am not prompted by partisan political considerations. To me, there should not be Demo- crat exhibitors, or Republican exhibitors; there should be only exhibitors, endorsing the candidate who promises to stand by the motion picture industry when the motion pic- ture industry needs him. And the Republican candidates as well as the Republican party seem to have failed the indus- try in this instance.
Perhaps we have placed too much faith on his political ability to serve the motion picture industry, for this is not the only instance where he has failed. Take the case of the New York State censorship law, which costs the producers considerable treasure each year; Although the legislature has been Republican for years. Will H. Hays, the ex- generalissimo of the Republican party, reputed to have a great influence among Republicans everywhere, has not been able to kill it, even though he has rendered services, at different times, also to the Republicans of this State. The nearest he came to having it killed was during the Smith administration, several years ago, when he succeeded in introducing a compromise bill. And do you know what that bill was to do? It would punish with imprisonment and with the padlocking of his theatre any exhibitor who would show a picture that violated the law. But the exhibitors of this State revolted and used their influence to have it killed. And it is a good thing they did so, otherwise, with the pic- tures the Hays men have been producing and selling to the exhibitors since that time, every one of the New York State exhibitors would have been in jail and would have had his theatre padlocked.
It takes nerve to have such a bill introduced ; and Mr. Hays seemed to have had an abundance of it at that time.
I hope that, after the last demonstration of the Hays political bankruptcy at Washington, the independent theatre owners will no longer look to Mr. Hays as a political Messiah. He cannot do anything for the moving picture industry. In fact, he can do more harm than good, for there is hardly a Congressman but knows of the salary he receives for what he does, and not one but resents the intercessions of a highly paid agent. The work of exempting picture thea- tres from taxation by the Federal Government must be done by no one else but you.
THE NUMBER OF PICTURES THAT WILL BE DELIVERED ON THE 1931-32 CONTRACTS UNKNOWN
I have been asked by many exhibitors to tell them how many pictures will be made by the producers the current .season : they want this information to determine the number of pictures they are short of so that they may buy the additional number they need.
There is no way by which either I or any one else can tell you how many pictures each producer will make this year ; not at least as far as some of the big companies are concerned, for their finances are in such a deplorable state that the executives of these companies themselves are un- able to tell in advance how many they will make.
The failure of some producers to deliver the number of pictures they promised will have a serious effect upon you this year more than in any other year, for this reason : In the past, when they sold you. for example, ten pictures and delivered only seven, the average price per picture was higher than the average you figured, for the reason that, the pictures they eliminated were of the lowest price. This year, not only the quality will suffer, but also the average nrice 'vill cr>me still higher, because the number of pictures they will eliminate may be greater in proportion.
Just to give you an idea how the “trick” works let me present a concrete example: Suppose you bought ten pic- tures at an average price of fifty dollars, or five hundred dollars in all. Because you gave them the right to allocate the nrices. they al'ocated them, for instance, as follows ;
One picture at SlOO ; two at $75 : four at $50 ; one at and two at $15. The total price is still $500. But suppose they eliminated the three pictures of the lowest classifica- tion. delivering only seven ; the price of the seven pictures is $450 : the average co.st. however, not $50. but $^.27.
IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION TWO
HARRISON’S REPORTS
Vol. XIV SATURDAY. JANUARY 2, 1932 No. 1
(Semi-Annual Index — Second Half of 1931)
Title of Picture Reviewed on Page
Adv. of Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford — MGM (94 m.) .166
Age for Love, The — United Artists (82 min.) 186
Alexander Hamilton — Warner Bros. (70 min.) loS
Alias — The Bad Man — Tiffany (62 min.) 123
Ambassador Bill — Fox (68J4 min.) 187
American Tragedy, An — Paramount (94 min.) 130
Annabelle’s Affairs — Fox (75 min.) 107
Are These Our Children? — RKO (77)4 min.) 187
Arizona — Columbia (67 min.) 115
Arizona Terror, The — Tiffany (60 min.) 159
Around the World in Eighty Minutes — United
Artists (79 min.) 191
Arrowsmith — United Artists (1 hr. 54 min.) 199
Bad Company — RKO Pathe (67)4 min.) 174
Bad Girl — Fox (98 min.) 126
Bargain, The — First National (67 min.) 146
Beloved Bachelor, The — Paramount (74 min.) 170
Ben Hur — MGM (2 hrs. 5 min.) 203
Big Gamble, The — RKO Pathe (60)4 min.) 155
Black Camel, The — Fox (71 min.) Ill
Blonde Crazy — Warner Bros. (70 min.) 199
Border Law — Columbia (54 min.) ^ 134
Bought — Warner Bros. (83 min.) 134
Branded — Columbia (61 min.) 150
Branded Men — Tiffany (63 min.) 203
Brat, the — Fox (66 min.) 139
Broadminded — First National (72 min.) Ill
Captivation — Capital Films (63)4 min.) 158
Caught — Paramount (67 min.) 130
Caught Plastered — RKO (68)4 min.) 127
Cavalier of the West — Artclass (64)4 min.) 194
Champ, The — MGM (87 min.) 183
Cheat, The — Paramount (67 min.) 203
Children of Dreams — Warner (77 min.) 118
Cisco Kid, The — Fox (63 min.) 174
Common Law — RKO Pathe (73 min.) 119
Compromised— First National (63)4 min.) 182
Consolation Marriage — RKO (80 min.) 178
Convicted — First Division (56 min.) 167
Corsair, The — United Artists (73 min.) 190
Cuban Love Song, The — MGM (86 min.) 198
Dangerous Affair, A — Columbia (71 min.) 159
Daughter of the Dragon — Paramount (69 min.) 138
Daughters of Luxury — MGM (See “Five and Ten”) . .115
Deceiver, The — Columbia (66 min.) 190
Devotion — RKO Pathe (80 min.) 163
Dreyfus Case, The — Columbia (89 min.) 142
East of Borneo — Universal (75)4 min.) 143
Enemies of the Law — Regal (66 min.) 115
Ex-Bad Boy — Universal (66 min.) 122
Expensive Women — Warner Bros. (58)4 min.) 187
Fanny Foley Herself — RKO (72 min.) 175
Fifty Fathoms Deep— Columbia (67 min.) 131
First Aid — Sono Art (63 min.) 114
Five and Ten — MGM (88 min.) 115
Five Star Final — First National (89 min.) 150
Flying High — MGM (80 min.) 203
Frankenstein — Universal (68 min.) 198
Freighters of Destiny — RKO Pathe (58 min.) 190
Friends and Lovers — RKO (67 min.) 183
Gay Diplomat, The — RKO (70 min.) 135
Girl Habit, The — Paramount (77 min.) 110
Girls About Town — Paramount (78 min.) 179
Goldie — Fox (59 min.) 107
Good Sport — Fox (66 min.) 202
Graft — Universal (55 min.) 191
Great Lover, the — MGM (72 min.) 138
Grief Street — Chesterfield (64 min.) 166
Gupdsman. The — MGM (83 min.) 151
Guilty Generation. The — Columbia (79 min.) 190
Guilty Hands — MGM (68 min.) 143
Handful of Clouds. A — Warner Bros. (See “Doorwav
to Hell’”) f 19301 '.179
Heartbreak — Fox (58 min.) 170
Heaven on Earth — Universal (89 min.) 167
Hell Bent for Frisco — Sono Art (56 min.) Ill
Title of Picture Reviewed on Page
Her Dilemma — Para. (See “Confessions of Co-Ed”). 102
Her Majesty Love — First National (75 min.) 195
Her Virtuous Folly — RKO Pathe (See “Sin Takes a
Holiday”) (1930) 190
His Woman — Paramount (75 min.) 199
Holy Terror, A — Fox (53 min.) 118
Homicide Squad — Universal (69 min.) 142
Honeymoon Lane — Paramount (71 min.) 127
Honor of the Family, The — First Natl. (64j4 min.) . . .170 Hours Between, The — Paramount (See “Twenty-
Four Hours”) 163
Huckleberry Finn — Paramount (79 min.) 131
Hush Money — Fox (68 min.) 114
I Like Your Nerve — First National (68 min.) 150
Is There Justice? — Sono-Art (60 min.) 154
Kisses by Command — RKO (See “Gay Diplomat”) 135
Lasca of the Rio Grande — Universal (59 min.) 198
Last Flight, The — First National (76 min.) 138
Laughing Sinners — MGM (71 min.) 110
Left Over Ladies — Tiffany (66)4 min.) 171
Local Boy Makes Good — First National (70 min.) 195
Looking for Trouble — RKO Pathe (See “The Tip-
Off”) , 175
Lost Men — Universal (See “Homicide Squad”) 142
Love Storm, The — British International (60 min.)... 175 Lullaby, The — MGM (See “Sin of Madelon Claudet”) .179
Madame Julie — RKO (See “The Woman Between”) . . 102
Mad Genius, The — Warner Bros. (80 min.) 175
Mad Parade, The — Paramount (61 min.) 154
Magnificent Lie, The — Paramount (79 min.) 122
Maker of Men — Columbia (68 min.) 207
Man in Possession, The — MGM (84 min.) 119
Many a Slip — Universal (70 min.) 135
Married in Haste — RKO. See “Consoliation Marriage”. 178
Men in Her Life — Columbia (75 min.) 194
Men of Chance — RKO (67 min.) 206
Men of the Sky — First National (68 min.) 115
Men Women Love — Tiffany (See “Salvation Nell”).. 110
Merely Mary Ann — Fox (73 min.) 131
Miracle Woman, The — Columbia (90 min.) 123
Monkey Business — Paramount (78 min.) 167
Montana Kid — First Division (58 min.) ]47
Morals for Women — Tiffany (63)4 min.) 187
Mother and Son — First Division (69 minj) 142
Mounted Fury — Sono Art (62 min.) 203
Murder at Midnight — Tiffany (69 min.) 155
Murder by the Clock — Paramount (73^ min.) 118
My Sin — Paramount (76 min.) 151
Mystery of Life, The— Universal (72 min.) 151
Neck and Neck — Sono Art (61 min.) 182
Nevada Buckaroo, The — Tiffany (59 min.) Iql
Newly Rich — Paramount (78 min.) 110
Night Life in Reno — First Division (58)4 min.) 146
Night Nurse — Warner (71 min.) 119
Once a Lady — Paramount (78 min.) 183
One Way Trail — Columbia (57 min.) 202
Over the Hill— Fox (92 min.) 190
Pagan Lady, The — ^Columbia (76 min.) 143
Palmy Days — United Artists (78 min.) 159
Pardon Us — MGM (54)4 min.) 138
Parisian, The— Capital Piet. (65 min.) 138
Partners— RKO Pathe (58 min.) 207
Penrod and Sam — First National (71 min.) 158
Personal Maid — Paramount (72 min.) 146
Phantom of Paris — MGM (72 min.) 1 ! 1^
Platinum Blonde — Columbia (87)4 min.) .'...178
Pocatello Kid — Tiffany (62 min.) 207
Politics — ^MGM (72 min.) .126
Possessed — MGM (73 min.) 194
Private Lives — MGM (82 min.) ” " ^206
Private Scandal. A — Headline (72 min.) .'.179
Public Defender, The — RKO (60)4 min.) Ill
Race Track — Tiffany (83 min.) 182
Range Fued, The — Columbia (59 min.) 166
Range Law — Tiffany (60 min.) 174
Rebound— RKO Pathe (88)4 min.) !l22
Title of Picture Reviewed on Page
Reckless Hour, The— First National (70 min.) 126
Reckless Living — Universal (60j4 min.) 162
Rich Man’s Folly— Paramount (79 min.) 195
Riders of the Purple Sage— Fox (57 min.) 158
Rise of Helga, The— MGM (See “Susan Lenox”) 171
Road to Reno, The— Paramount (72 min.) 166
Road to Singapore, The— Warner Bros. (68 min.) 163
Ruling Voice, The — First National (72 min.) 183
Runaround, The — RKO (63 min.) 126
Safe in Hell— First Natl. (67 min.) 207
Sal of Singapore — Paramount (See “His Woman”) . . .199
Salvation Nell— Tiffany (77 min.) j.'.rlilo
Secrecy — Paramount (See “Confessions of a Co-Ed ) .102
Secret Call, The— Paramount (72 min.) 114
Secret Service — RKO (69 min.) _ 198
Secret Witness, The — Columbia (66 min.) 206
Secrets of a Secretary— Paramount (75 min.) 143
Shanghaied Love — Columbia (65 min.) 174
Sherlock Holmes’ Fatal Hour— First Div. (82 min.).. 115
Should A Doctor Tell?— First Division (52 min.) 139
Side Show — Warner Bros. (64 min.) 154
Sidewalks of New York— MGM (71 min.) 186
Silence — Paramount (67)4 min.) 135
Sin of Madelon Claudet, The — MGM (73)4 min.) . . . .179
Skin Game, The— British Int. (84 min.) 118
Skyline — Fox (69 min.) 162
Smart Woman — RKO (66 min.) 167
Sob Sister — Fox (68)4 min.) 162
Son of India — MGM (72_ min.) 123
Sooky — Paramount (79 min.) 206
Speckled Band, The— First Division (65 min.) 182
Spider, The — Fox (58)4 min.) ._ 134
Spirit of Notre Dame, The— Universal (78)4 min.)... 158
Sporting Blood — MGM (85 min.)..._ 127
Sporting Chance, The — Peerless (65 min.) 174
Squaw Man, The — MGM (107 min.) . ._ 130
Stage Whispers — Chesterfield (See “Grief_ Street”) . . . .166
Star Witness, The — Warner Bros. (68 min.) 130
Street Scene— United Artists (80 min.) 142
Strictly Dishonorable — Universal (91 min.) 191
Struggle, The — United Artists (95 min.) 202
Suicide Fleet — RKO Pathe (86 min.) 195
Sundown Trail — RKO Pathe (53 min.) 150
Surrender — Fox (69 min.) • -1^
Susan Lenox : Her Fall and Rise — MGM (74 min.) . . . 171 Sweepstakes — RKO Pathe (74 min.) 107
Their Mad Moment — Fox (56 min.) 154
This Modern Age — MGM (67 min.) 147
Three Who Loved — RKO (53)4 min.) 107
Tip Off, The— RKO Pathe (70 min.) 175
Tonight or Never — United Artists (81 min.) 207
Too Many Cooks — RKO (77 min.) 87
Top of the Bill — RKO (See “Fanny Foley Herself”) . .175
Touchdown — Paramount (77 min.) 186
Transatlantic — Fox (73 min.) _ 127
Travelling Husbands — RKO (75 min.)._ 107
Twenty-Four Hours — Paramount (65 min.) 163
Unholy Garden, The — United Artists (75 min.) 178
Vanis'ning Legion, The — Mascot 118
Virtuous Wife, The — Columbia (See “Arizona ) 115
Waterloo Bridge — Universal (80 min.) 139
Way Back Home — RKO (82 min.) 202
We Three — First National (See “Compromised) 182
White Man, The — MGM (See “The Squaw Man) 130
Wicked — Fox (55 min.) 155
Woman of Experience, A — RKO Pathe (73 min.).... 114
Women Go On Forever — Tiffany (65 min.) 139
Women Love Once — Paramount (73 min.) 106
X Marks the Spot — Tiffany (72 min.) 199
Yellow Ticket, The — Fox (82 min.) 187
Young as You Feel — Fox (78 min.) 123
RELEASE SCHEDULES FOR FEATURES
Columbia Features
(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.)
2014 The Guilty Generation — Cummings-Carrillo.Nov. 23
2024 The Deceiver (Unwanted) — Sebastian Dec. 1
2405 Ridin’ for Justice — Buck Jones (5,701 ft.) Dec. 10
2021 The Secret Witness — Collier, Jr.-Merkel. . . .Dec. 15 2503 Fighting Marshall — Tim McCoy (5,449 ft.) . .Dec. 16 2006 Maker of Men — Holt-Cromwell Dec. 25
2015 Three Wise Girls (Blonde Baby) — Harlow.. Jan. 11
2002 Forbidden — Barbara Stanwyck' Jan. 15
First National Features
(321 West 44th St., New York, N. Y.)
658 Her Majesty Love (Miami) — Marilyn Miller. Dec. 26 685 The Woman from Monte Carlo (I Spy) —
Lil Dagover Jan. 9
662 Union Depot — Douglas Fairbanks, Jr Jan. 23
681 Honorable Mr. Wong (The Inside Man) — Robinson
Feb. 6
652 Alias The Doctor — Richard Barthelmess Feb. 20
672 Fireman Save My Child (The Bouncer) — Joe
E. Brown Feb. 20
Fox Features
(444 W 56th St., New York, N. Y.)
309 Bad Girl — Dunn-Eilers Sept. 13
328 The Brat — O’Neill-Dinehart Sept. 20
320 The Spider (The Midnight Cruise) — Lowe... Sept. 27
326 Wicked — Elissa Landi — V. McLaglen Oct. 4
322 Skyline — Meighan-Albright Oct. 11
332 Riders of the Purple Sage — O’Brien Oct. 18
317 Sob Sister — Dunn-Watkins-Gombell Oct. 25
306 The Cisco Kid (Silver City) — Baxter Nov. 1
331 Heartbreak (Son-in-Law) — Chas. Farrell. .. .Nov. 8
307 The Yellow Ticket — Landi-Barrymore Nov. 15
314 Ambassador Bill (Amb. from U.S.) — Rogers.. Nov. 22
308 Over the Hill — Marsh-Dunn-Eilers Nov. 29
325 Surrender — Baxter-Hyams-Kirkland Dec. 6
321 Good Sport (Cheating) — Watkins-Boles Dec. 13
302 Delicious — Gaynor-Farrell-Brendel Dec. 27
333 Rainbow Trail — O’Brien-Gombell Jan. 3
323 Stepping Sisters (Alimony Queens) Jan. 10
311 Dance Team (Ticket to Hell) — Dunn-Eilers. . .Jan. 17
324 Charlie Chan’s Chance — Oland-Kirkwood Jan. 24
No release set for Jan. 31
Silent Witness — Lionel Atwill Feb. 7
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer Features
(1540 Broadway, New York, N. F.)
105 This Modern Age (This Modern World) Aug. 29
152 Sidewalks of New York — Keaton Sept. 26
104 The New Wallingford — Haines-Hyams Oct. 3
127 Susan Lennox — Garbo-Gable Oct. 10
155 The Sin of Madelon Claudet (Lullaby) Oct. 24
125 Mata Hari — Garbo-Novarro-Stone Dec. 26
{End of 1930-31 Season)
Beginning of 1931-32 Season
221- Pardon Us — Laurel-Hardy Aug. 15
~238- Guilty Hands — Barrymore-Francis Aug. 22
242- The Squaw Man — Baxter-Velez Sept. 5
“■213- The Phantom of Paris (Cheri Bibi) Sept. 12
No release set for Sept. 19
No release set for Oct. 17
— 230'The Cuban Love Song — Tibbett-Velez Oct. 31
— 222-The Guardsman — Lunt-Fontanne Nov. 7
236- Flying High — Lahr-Greenwood-O’Brien Nov. 14
207 Possessed — Joan Crawford-Clark Gable Nov. 21
-214- West of Broadway — Gilbert-Moran Nov. 28
201 The Champ — Wallace Beery-J. Cooper Dec. 5
228- Private Lives — Shearer-Montgomery Dec. 12
250 The Big Parade — Gilbert (reissue) Dec. 19
249 Ben Hur — Novarro (reissue) Jan. 2
No release set for Jan. 9
202- Hell Divers — Berry-Gable-Jordan Jan. 16
223 -Courage — Robert Montgomery Jan. 23
244- Freaks — Ford-Hyams (Marquee No. 1) Jan. 30
219 Her Cardboard Lover — Keaton-Durante Feb. 6
Paramount Features
{Paramount Building, New York, N. F.)
3122.The Cheat — Bankhead-Pichel Nov. 28
3123-The False Madonna — Francis-Boyd (6062 ft.) Dec. 5
3124 "Working Girls — Lukas-Rogers (6912 ft.) Dec. 12
3125 -Husband’s Holiday — Brook-Osborne Dec. 19
.1126-Ladies of the Big House — Sidney (6948 ft.). .Dec. 26
3127i- Sooky — Cooper-Coogan-Searl Dec. 26
-'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — March (8863 ft.) . .Jan. 2
.»This Reckless Age — Shannon-Rogers Jan. 9
Two Kinds of Women — Hopkins-Holmes Jan. 16
The Man I Killed — Holmes-Douglas-Pitts. . . .Jan. 23 No One Man — Lombard-Lukas-Cortez Jan. 30
RKO Features
(160 Broadzvay, New York, N. F.)
2103 Are These Our Children — Linden-Mercer. . .Nov. 14
2107 Peach O’Reno — WTieeler-Woolsey-Lee Jan. 1
2119 Men of Chance — .\stor-Cortez-Halliday Jan. 8
RKO Pathe Features
(35 IVest 45th St., New York, N. F.)
2101 Common Law — Bennett-McCrea July 24
2151 Sweepstakes (Whoop-De-Do-Kid) — Quillan.Aug. 7
2121 A Woman of Experience — Twelvetrees Aug. 7
2142 The Big Gamble — Bill Boyd Sept. 4
2201 Sundown Trail — Tom Keene Sept. 11
2131 Rebound — Ina Qaire- Robert Ames Sept. 18
2111 Devotion — Ann Harding Sept. 25
2122 Bad Company — Helen Twelvetrees Oct. 2
2152 The Tip-Off — Quillan-Armstrong Oct. 16
2202 Freighters of Destiny — Tom Keene (re.) Oct. 30
2141 Suicide Fleet — Boyd-Armstrong Nov. 20
2153 The Big Shot — Eddie Quillan Dec. 18
2203 Partners — Tom Keene Jan. 8
2112 Prestige — Ann Harding (reset) Jan. 22
2123 Panama Flo — Twelvetrees- Armstrong Jan. 29
Tiffany Features with Exhibition Values
(To be distributed by Sono Art-World Wide, Paramount Building, New York, N. F.)
8145A Left Over Ladies — Oct. 11 1,000,000
8195A Race Track — Leo Carrillo — Oct. 25 $900,000
8191 A Morals for Women — Love — Oct. 25 700,000
8207 Branded Men — Ken Maynard — Nov. 1 500,000
8210 South of Santa Fe — Steele — Nov. 15 400,000
8 147 A X Marks the Spot — Nov. 22 800,000
8208 The Pocatello Kid (Fighting Mad) — Ken
Maynard — Dec. 6 500,000
8214 Man From Hell’s Edge — Steele — Dec. 20. . .4000,000
8209 Sunset Trail — Maynard — Jan. 3 500,000
8148A Hotel Continental — (re.) — Jan. 15 Not set
United Artists Features
(729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. F.)
Beginning of 1931-32 Season
Street Scene — Sidney-Collier, Jr Sept. 5
Palmy Days — Eddie Cantor Oct. 3
The Unholy Garden — Ronald Colman Oct. 10
Age For Love — Billy Dove Oct. 17
Corsair — Chester Morris (reset) Nov. 28
Scarface — Paul Muni Nov. 28
Tonight or Never — Gloria Swanson Dec. 12
Around the World in Eighty Minutes — Fairbanks. .Dec. 12
Arrowsmith — Ronald Colman-Helen Hayes Dec. 26
The Struggle — Skelly-Johann (reset) Jan. 9
Cock of the Air — Billie Dove (reset) Jan. 23
Sky Devils Feb. 6
Universal Features
(730 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. F.)
A4008 Spirit of Notre Dame — Lew Ayres Oct. 13
A4010 Reckless Living (Twenty Grand) Oct. 20
A4022 Lasca of the Rio Grande — Carrillo Nov. 2
A4003 Frankenstein — Qive-Oarke-Boles Nov. 21
A4015 A House Divided (Heart and Hand) —
Huston (6323 ft.) Nov. 28
A4026 Nice Women — Fox-Dee (5995 ft.) Dec. 5
A4006 Heaven on Earth — Lew Ayres Dec. 12
A4051 The Last Ride — Revier (Whirlwind) Dec. 28
A4025 The Unexpected Father (5636 ft.) Jan. 3
A4020 Michael and Mary (Bullet Proof) Jan. 31
A4017 Law and Order (Derailed) — Huston (re.) . .Feb. 7
Warner Bros. Features
(321 West 44th St., New York, N. Y.)
374 Expensive Women — Dolores Costello Oct. 24
351 Mad Genius — John Barrymore Nov. 7
366 Blonde Crazy (Larceny Lane) — Cagney (r)..Nov. 14 360 Under Eighteen (Society Lane) — Marsh (r)..Jan. 2
378 Manhattan Parade — Lightner Jan. 16
354 High Pressure — William Powell Jan. 30
382 Taxi (The Man In the Case) — Cagney (r) Feb. 6
SHORT SUBJECT RELEASE SCHEDULE Columbia — One Reel
23 Spider and Fly — Disney (cart.) (7j4 min.) Oct. 16
24 Fox Hunt — Disney (cart.) (6J4 min.) Nov. 18
25 Ugly Duckling — Disney (cart.) (7 min.) Dec. 16
(More to come on 1930-31 Season)
3 Sunday Clothes — Scrapps (cart.) (6j4 min.) . ..Sept. 15
3 Curiosities Series C227 (travel.) (10)4 min.) . .Sept. 30
4 Curiosities Series C228 (travel.) (10 min.) Sept. 30
1 Air Attack — Football Thrills (10)4 min.) Sept. 30
2 Behind the Line — Football Thrills (9)4 min.) .. Sept. 30
3 Backfield Strategy — Football Thrills (10)4 m.) . .Sept. 30
4 Military Tactics — Football Thrills (9 min.) Sent. 30
5 Nerve Wreckers — Football Thrills (9)4 min.) . .Sept. 30
6 Precision — Football Thrills (9 min.) Sept. 30
3 Barnyard Broadcast — M. Mouse (cart.) (8 m.).. Oct. 9 3 Laughing with Medbury in Death Valley —
(travelogue) (11 min.) Oct. 12
1 Snapshots (Series 11) (Holly, topics) (9 min.) . .Oct. 12
3 Monkey Doodles — Monkeyshines (7 min.) Oct. 12
1 Bars and Stripes — K. Kat (cart.) (7 min.) Oct. 14
4 Dog Snatcher — Scrappys (cart.) Oct. 15
2 Blonde Pressure — Buzzell (10)4 min.) Oct. 16
3 Soldiers of Misfortune — Buzzell (10)4 min.) Oct. 26
2 Hashhouse Blues — K. Kat (cartoon) Nov. 2
2 Snapshots (Hollywood topics) (9)4 min.) Nov. 4
4 Beach Party — M. Mouse (cartoon) Nov. 4
3 Snapshots (Hollywood topics) (10)4 min.) . . . .Nov. 12
4 Jazzbo Singer — Monkeyshines (reset) Nov. 13
4 Laughing with Medbury in Borneo —
(travelogue) (10 min.) Nov. 13
6 Showing Off — Scrappys (cart.) (6)4 min.) Nov. 16
3 Restless Sax — K. Kat (cart.) (6 min.) Dec. 1
5 Mickey Cuts Up — M. Mouse (7 min.) Dec. 2
5 Curiosities Series C229 (travel.) (9)4 min.) Dec. 3
6 Mickey’s Orphans — M. Mouse (cart.) (7 min.) . .Dec. 9
4 She Served Him Right — Buzzell (10)4 min.) Dec. 10
4 Snapshots (Holly, topics) (9)4 min.) Dec. 14
Educational — One Reel
(Paramount Bldg., New York, N. F.)
2732 Blues — T. Toons (cartoon) (6 min.) June 28
2733 By the Sea — T. Toons (cartoon) ( 6 min.) . . .July 12 2741 Money Makers of Manhattan-H. Podge (9m) July 19
2734 Her First Egg — T. Toons (cart.) (6 min.) . . .July 26
2735 Jazz Mad — T. Toons (cart.) (5 1/2 min.) Aug. 9
2743 Vagabond Melodies — H. Podge (10 min.) .. .Aug. 16
2777 The Double Cross — Burns Det. (11m.) reset. Aug. 16
2778 Foiled — Burns Detective (reset) Aug. 20
2744 Highlights of Travel — H. Podge (10 min.) . .Sept. 13
(End of 1930-31 Season)
Not Yet Titled — Burns Detective Oct. 25
2857 The Black Spider — T. Toon (6 min.) Nov. 1
2779 The Anthony Case — Burns Detective Nov. 8
2904 Wrestling Swordfish — Cannibals of the Deep
(8 min.) Nov. 8
2858 China — T. Toon (6 min.) Nov. 15
2917 Canine Capers — Sports Review (9 min.) Nov. 15
2791 Peasant’s Paradise — Rom. journey (10 m.) . .Nov. 15
2859 The Lorelei — T. Toons Nov. 29
2881 Idle Roomers — Cameo comedy (9 min.) Nov. 29
2792 Across the Sea — Rom. Journey (10m) (re) . .Dec. 13
2860 Summertime — Terry-Toon Dec. 13
2918 He-Man Hockey — Sports Review Dec. 20
2909 The Veldt — 'Hodge Podge Dec. 20
2860 Summertime — Terry-Toon Dec. 13
2882 Smart Work — Cameo Comedy Dec. 27
2862 The Villain’s Curse — Terry-Toon Jan. 10
2793 Road to Romance — Romantic journey Jan. 17
Educational — Two Reels
2809 One More Chance — Sennett Feat. (21 min.). Nov. 15 2835 Once a Hero — Mermaid com. (19 min.) Nov. 22
2815 All American Kickback — Sennett com Nov. 29
2847 Torchy Passes the Buck — Torchy com Dec. 6
2802 Half Holiday — Clyde comedy Dec. 13
2816 Pottsville Palooka — Sennett comedy Dec. 27
2828 For the Love of Fanny — Vanity comedy Dec. 27
2842 Moonlight and Cactus — Ideal comedy Jan. 10
2811 Dream House — Sennett Featurette Jan. 17
Fox — One Reel
20 Paris Nights (10)4 min.) Dec. 20
21 Fires of Vulcan (9 min.) Dec. 27
22 Is Stamboul to Bagdad (Stamboul to Bagdad)
(10)4 min.) Jan. 3
23 With the Foreign Legion (Foreign Legion)
(Back to Erin) (10)4 min.) Jan. 10
24 Spreewald Folk (City of the Clouds) (10 m.) ..Jan. 17
25 Over the Yukon Trail (In Old Mexico) ( 9)4 m.). Jan. 24
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — One Reel
L-573 Nanny — Harry Lauder (8 min.) Nov. 14
F-523 Not Yet Titled — Flip the Frog Nov. 21
P-564 Piscatorial Pleasures — Fisherman’s Paradise
(9 min.) Nov. 28
T-504 Bali, The Island Paradise — Fitzpatrick
Traveltalks (9)4 min.) Dec. 5
S-546 Whippet Racing — Sport Cham. (8)4 min.) . .Dec. 12
L-574 I Love a Lassie— Harry Lauder (8 min.).. Dec. 19
F-S24 Not Yet Titled— Flip the Frog Dec. 26
P-S65 Not Yet Titled — Fisherman’s Paradise Jan. 2
T-505 Ireland, the Melody Isle — Fitzpatrick Trav.. .Jan. 9 S-547 A Lesson in Golf — Sport Qiam. (9J4 min.) . .Jan. 16 F-S25 Not Yet Titled— Flip the Frog Jan. 23
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — Two Reels
C-412 One Good Turn — Laurel-Hardy (20^ m.) . .Oct. 31 C-423 WTiat a Bozo — C. Chase com. (20^ min.) . . Nov. 7 C-453 War Mamas— Pitts-Todd (20>4 min.) . . . .Nov. 14 C-433 Dogs is Dogs— Our Gang com. (20)4 m.) . .Nov. 21 K-403 Trader Hound— Dogville com. (15)4 m.)..Nov. 28 C-443 The Kick Off — Boy Friend com. (20)4 m.) . .Dec. 5 C-413 Beau Hunks — Laurel-Hardy (39)4 min.) . .Dec. 12 C-424 Hasty Marriage — C. Chase com. (20)4 m.) . .Dec. 19
C-554 On the Loose— Pitts-Todd (20)4 min.) Dec. 26
C-434 Readin’ and Writin’— Our Gang (21 m.) Jan. 2
C-444 Not Yet Titled — Boy Friend com Jan. 10
Paramount — One Reel
.M-20 Backyard Follies— Haig Trio (10)4 min.). Dec. 12 Tl-6 Dizzy Red Riding Hood— Talkartoon (6 m.) .Dec. 12
Al-21 Taxi Tangle — Jack Benny (10)4 min.) Dec. 19
Al-30 Musical Justice — Rudy Vallee (11 min.) . .Dec. 26 SCl-8 Russian Lullaby— Street Singer (9 min.) . .Dec. 26
Pl-5 Paramount Pictorial No. 5 (8)4 min.) Dec. 26
Al-23 Screen Souvenirs No. 6 (9)4 min.) Jan. 2
Tl-7 Any Rags — Talkartoon (5)4 min.) Jan.
Al-24 Close Farmonj- — Boswell Sisters (8)4 m.) . .Jan. SCl-9 Sweet Jenny Lee — Screen song (6 min.).. Jan. A1-2S Oh My Operation — Burns and Allen (10)4m.)
Jan.
Tl-8 Boop-Oop-A-Doop— Talkartoon (8)4 m.)
Paramount — Two Reels
AAl-12 Out of Bounds — Billy House (18)4 ni.)
AAl-13 Where East Meets Vest — Smith & Dale.
AAl— 14 The Unemployed Ghost — T. Howard
(20 min.) r Dec. 19
AAl-15 Pretty Puppies (Twenty Horses) — Ford
Sterling (19 min.) (reset) Jan. 9
AAl-16 A Put Up Job (Summer Daze) (19m) r..Jan. 23
.Jan.
2
9
9
16
16
Nov. 14 .Nov. 28
RKO — One Reel
2801 Stung— Novelty No. 1 Nov. 15
2802 Ether Talks— Novelty No. 2 (10)4 min.) . . . .Dec. 12 2705 A Swiss Trick — Tom and Jerry c. (7 min.) . .Dec. 19
2803 Double Decoy — Novelty No. 3(11 min.) Dec. 26
2804 Endurance Flight — Novelty No. 4 Jan. 23
RKO — Two Reels
2205 A Melon Drama — Bway Headliner (20 m.) . .Nov. 6
2602 Mickey’s Helping Hand — M. McGuire (18m)
Dec. 19
2303 Many a Slip — Chic Sale com. (19 min.) Dec. 19
2601 Mickey’s Sideline— M. McGuire (19 min.) . . .Dec. 26 ,2903 Swift Justice-^Nick Harris com. (21 min.).. Jan. 2 2503 Big Dame Hunting — Ned Sparks c. (20)4m) . .Jan. 16
Tiffany — One Reel
(To be distributed through Educational Pictures, Paramount Building, New York, N. Y.)
8557 Voice of Hollwood Oct. 11
8558 Voice of Hollywood Oct. 25
8559 Voice of Hollywood (reset) Dec. 6
8560 Voice of Hollywood (reset) Dec. 20
8561 Voice of Hollywood Jan. 3
8562 Voice of Hollyw'ood Jan. 17
Tiffany — Two Reels
8597 Skimpy — Chimp comedy (18 min.) Nov. 8
8.598 My Children— Chimp comedy Dec. 20
8599 Broadcasting — Chimp comedy Jan. 31
Universal — One Reel
B3221 The Hunter — Oswald cart, (reset) Oct. 12
'B3222 In Wonderland (The Scout) — Oswald (6)4m.)
Oct. 26
B3223 Trolley Troubles (The Hare Mail) (The Air)
—Oswald cart. (5)4 min.) re Nov. 23
B3224 The Hare Mail (The Fisherman) — Oswald
cart. (6 min.) (reset) Nov. 30
B3225 The Fisherman (The Clown) — Oswald (6)4m.)
Dec. 7
(End of 1930-31 Season)
Beginning of 1931-32 Season
'A4401 Shifts — Sports Reel (Football) (10)4m') . .Sept. 7 A4402 Offensive System — Sports Reel (9)4 m.)..Sept. 14
A4403 Famous Plays — Sports Reel (10 min.) . . . .Sept. 21 A4404 Backfield Plays — Sports Reel (8)4 min.).. Sept. 28
A4405 Carry On — Sports Reel (11 min.) Oct. S
A4601 Strange As It Seems No. 14 (8)4 min.) Oct. 12
A4406 (A4408) Trick Plays — Stamford Football
No. 1 — Sports Reel (10)4 min.) Oct. 26
A4407 Developing a Football Team — Stamford
Football No. 2 — Sports Reel (9)4 m.)..Nov. 2
A4408 (A4406) Football Forty Years Ago — Stamford
Football No. 3 — Sports Reel (9 min.).. Nov. 9
A4409 Soccer — Sports Reel (7)4 min.) Nov. 16
A4602 Strange As It Seems No. 15 (8)4 min.) Nov. 16
A4701 The Clown — Oswald cart. (6 min.) Dec. 21
A4410 Basket Ball No. 1 — Sports Reel (6)4 m.).. Dec. 21 A4411 Basket Ball No. 2 — Sports Reel (9 min.) . .Dec. 28
A4603 Strange As It Seems No. 16 (reset) Dec. 28
A4702 Mechanical Cow — Oswald cart. (6 min.).. Jan. 4
A4412 Basket Ball No. 3 — Sports Reel (9 min.) . . . Jan. 4 Universal — Two Reels D4348 The Fire God’s Vengeance — Adv. Picture
(16)4 min.) Nov. 9
A4203 Sealed Lips (Alibi) — Det. Series No. 3 (17 m.)
Nov. 11
A4106 Hotter Than Haiti — Summerv’le (21)4m.) .Nov. 11 A4301 Captured by Redskins — (Buffalo Bill Series
No. 1) (17 min.) Nov. 16
A4302 Circling Death — (Buf. Bill No. 2) 17 m.).. Nov. 23 A4107 Models and Wives — Sidney-Murray (20m) Nov. 23 A4303 Between Hostile Tribes — (Buf. Bill No. 3)
(15 min.) Nov. 30
A4304 The Savage Horde — (Buf. Bill No. 4) (15m)
Dec. 7
A4108 Bless the Ladies — Summerville (19 m.) Dec. 9
A4305 The Fatal Plunge— (Buf. Bill No. 5) (16m) Dec. 14 A4204 House of Mystery — Det. Sr. No. 4 (15)4m) Dec. 16 A4306 Trapped — Buffalo Bill No. 6 (17)4 min.) . . .Dec. 21 A4109 Hollywood Halfbacks — Thalian com. No. 1 —
(18)4 min.) Dec. 23
A4.307 The Unseen Killer— Buf. Bill No. 7 (16m) .Dec. 28 A4110 Peeking in Pekin — Summerville (20)4m) . .Jan. 1 A4308 Sentenced to Death — Buf. Bill No. 8 (20m) Jan. 4 A4309 The Death Trap— Buf. Bill No. 9 (16)4m) . . Jan. 11 A4111 Sold at Auction — Pollard com. (17)4m) . . . .Jan. 15 A4310 A Shot from Ambush — Buf. Bill No. 10 (18m)
Jan. 18
A4205 The Red Shadow — Det. Series No. 5 Jan. 20
Vitaphone — One Reel
5603 You Don’t Know What You Are Doing-(car.) Oct. 31
5503 Sports Slants No. 3 (Husing) (10 min.) Nov. 7
5403 Bosko’s Soda Fountain (Bosco the Soda Qerk)
(Looney Tunes) (7 min.) Nov. 14
5903 Hot-News Margie — (P. Pot com.) (17 m.) . .Nov, 14
5303 Ripley No. 3 — (Ripley Queeriosites) (8 m.) . .Nov. 21
5604 Hitting the Trail for Hallelujah Land —
(cartoon) (7 min.) Nov. 28
5704 Mediterranean Byways (Around the Medi-
terranean) (Newman travel.) (9 min.) Nov. 28
5803 One Good Deed — (Juv. stories) (9m) (re).. Dec. 5
6103 Darn Tootin’ — (Mel. Master) (10 min.) Dec. 5
5904 High School Hoofer— (P. Pot ser.) (10 m.) . .Dec. 12
5404 Bosko’s Fox Hunt — Looney Tunes (7 m.)..Dec. 12
5504 Sport Slants No. 4 (Husing) (9 min.) Dec. 17
5304 Ripley No. 4 — (Ripley Queerios.) (8 min.) . .Dec. 26
5605 Red Headed Baby — Mer. Melody (7 min.).. Dec. 26
5705 Javanese Journey — (Newman travel.) (9m).. Dec. 26
5804 Detectives — (Juvenile stories) Jan. 2
5405 Bosko At the Zoo — (Looney Tunes) (7m.).. Jan. 9
5905 Free and Easy — (P. Pot ser.) (8 min.) Jan. 9
5505 Sport Slants No. 5 (Husing) Jan. 16
5606 Not Yet Titled — Merrie Melodies Jan. 23
5706 Northern India — (Newman travel.) (9 m.).. Jan. 23
5805 His Honor — (Juvenile stories) Jan. 23
5305 Ripley No. 5^(Ripley Queeriosities) Jan. 30
Vitaphone — Two Reels
6108 Naggers Anniversary — (The Naggers) Nov. 7
6402 Of -\11 People — (Big Star com.) (22 min.) . .Nov. 14
6306 Footlights (Box Office Blues) — (Bway. Brev.
com.) (19 min.) Nov. 21
6203 Week End Mystery — (Det. myst.) (17 m.) . .Nov. 28 6408 Relativity and Relatives — (Big Star com.)
( 17 min.) Dec. 12
6307 Hello. Good Times — (Bway. Brev.) Dec. 26
6204 Symphony Murder Mystery — (S.S. VanDine) Jan. 2
6109 The Naggers at the Opera — (The Naggers) . .Jan. 2
6403 Her Wedding Nightmare — (Big Star c.) (18m)
Jan. 9
6308 The Imperfect Lover — (Bway. Brev.) .. ..Jan. 23
Universal News
(Sound and Silent)
104 Saturday ...Dec. 26
1 Wednesday ...Dec. 30
2 Saturday Jan. 2
3 Wednes^y . , . .Jan. 6
4 Saturday Jan. 9
5 Wednesday . . . .Jan. 13
6 Saturday Jan. 16
7 Wednes^y ....Jan. 20
8 Saturday Jan. 23
9 Wednes^y . . . .Jan. 27
10 Saturday Jan. 30
11 Wednesday ...Feb. 3
12 Saturday Feb. 6
13 Wednesday ...Feb. 10
14 Saturday Feb. 13
Pathe News
(Sound)
43 Saturday Dec. 26
44 Wednesday . . . Dec. 30
45 Saturday Jan. 2
46 Wednes^y Jan. 6
47 Saturday Jan. 9
48 Wednes^y Jan. 13
49 Saturday Jan. 16
50 Wednesday Jan. 20
51 Saturday Jan. 23
52 Wednes^y Jan. 27
53 Saturday Jan. 30
54 Wednesday ...Feb. 3
55 Saturday Feb. 6
56 Wednesday ...Feb. 10
57 Saturday Feb. 13
Fox Movietone
(Sound)
28 Saturday Dec 26
29 Thursday Dec 31
30 Saturday Jan. 2
31 Thursday Jan. 7
32 Saturday Jan. 9
33 Thursday Jan. 14
34 Saturday Jan. 16
35 Thursday Jan. 21
36 Saturday Jan. 23
37 Thursday Jan. 28
38 Saturday Jan. 30
39 Thursday Feb. 4
40 Saturday Feb. 6
41 Thursday Feb. 11
42 Saturday Feb. 13
Metrotone News
(Sound)
226 Saturday ...Dec 26
227 Wednesday . . Dec. 30
228 Saturday Jan. 2
229 Wednesday ...Jan. 6
230 Saturday Jan. 9
231 Wednesday ...Jan. 13
232 Saturday Jan. 16
233 Wednesday . . .Jan. 20
234 Saturday Jan. 23
235 Wednesday .. .Jan. 27
236 Saturday Jan. 30
237 Wednesday ..Feb. 3
238 Saturday Feb. 6
239 Wednesday ..Feb. 10
240 Saturday Feb. 13
Paramount News
(Sound)
44 Wednesday . . . Dec. 30
45 Saturday Jan. 2
46 Wednesday Jan. 6
47 Saturday Jan. 9
48 Wednes^y Jan. 13
49 Saturday Jan. 16
50 Wednesday Jan. 20
51 Saturday Jan. 23
52 Wednes^y Jan. 27
53 Saturday Jan. 30
54 Wednesday ...Feb. 3
55 Saturday Feb. 6
56 Wednesday . . . Feb. 10
57 Saturday Feb. 13
Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post oflBce at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879.
Harrison’S
Yearly Subscription Rates:
United States $15.00
U. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00
Canada, Alaska 16.00
Mexico, Spain, Cuba 16.00
Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 Other Foreign Countries . . 17.50 35c a Copy
1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y.
A Motion Picture Reviewing Service by a Permer Exhibitor Devoted Elxclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors
Its Editorial Policy; No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.
Published Weekly by
P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher
Established July 1, 19 19
PEnnsylvania 6-6379 Cable Address: Harreports (Bentley Code)
A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XIV SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1932 No. 2
WILL H. HAYS AND THE ANTI-TRUST LAWS
Mr. Will H. Hays, head of the producer-distributor or- ganization, speaking to New England businessmen in Bos- ton on December 17, advocated the revision of the Sherman Anti-trust Law and of the Clayton Act, so as to bring about, as he said, “reasonable freedom for American business to keep itself abreast of changing conditions and to erect a more stable edifice of prosperity.” The speech was titled, “Stoking the Fires of Enterprise.”
“The modification of inconsiderate law,” Mr. Hays said, “to permit the orderly development of business, is a first and essential step toward the restoration of permanent prosperity in the United States. This modification affects every American.
“\Ve have had to effect much of the progress of business in face of and sometimes in conflict with a body of archaic law, enacted into statute when the problems of industry were naievelv simple compared to economic conditions of 1931-32. . .
Speaking about the growth of the moving picture industry, Mr. Hays said partly the following:
“The motion picture industry was not born with a silver spoon in its mouth. It was born in poverty, in doubt and in the courage of men. No fairy godmother of finance at- tended the industry’s birth. But in twenty years it has thrived to become a fairy godmother in construction, to all art's and crafts, arid trades and businesses and profes- sions. ...”
“The organized industry,” he continues in another part of his 'speech, “undertakes to regulate itself by methods more .American in character and infinitely more productive of good pictures.
"We have subscribed to three guiding principles:
“(1) The screen must preserve its freedom properly to treat the great American themes of life.
“(2) We must voluntarily agree upon, and enforce, com- mon bases of standards in relation to good taste and whole- someness.
“(3) Corollary to what we may do within the industry it is neces.sary to initiate and maintain processes of public education designed to encourage attendance for the higher types of pictures. That is, we must raise the standard of demand as well as raise the standard of supply.
“To these three principles we have adhered and shall con- tinue to adhere. ♦ * * ”
When it comes to coining slogans and uttering platitudes, I think that none in this industry is more fitted than Will H. Hays — he is the peer of them all ; and when such slogans and platitudes are served to persons who know very little of the actions and of the thoughts of those Mr. Hays repre- sents, they certainly have their effect.
But let us examine the complaints of Mr. Hays against the Sherman and the Clavtcn acts : He feels that, if the motion picture industry is to progress, the modification of these two laws is necessary. In what did these laws retard the progress of the motion picture industry? Where and how dkl they put obstacles in the industry’s way of orderly development ?
Let us take up the first decision by the U. S. Suprem.e Court against the members of his organization — the Credit Committees case : The U. S. Government brought suit in the District Court for the Southern District of New York to enjoin the producers from putting obstacles in the way of independent exhibitors while conducting their businesses lawfully. In 1926, the producers founded a Credit Commit- tee in every film zone. The secretary of the film board of trade was secretary also of the Credit Committee. All sales of theatres were reported by the different distributor employees to the secretary of this committee. Upon re- ceiving the information, the secretary sent the new owner exhibitor a questionnaire requiring him to fill it. The ques- tions referred to his credit standing and to other matters.
The Credit Committee, which met weekly, examined the questionnaire and made a report as to its opinion. Copies of it were sent confidentially to the distributor members. If the exhibitor failed to fill in the questionnaire, his name was placed on the “Credit Information List.” Along with the report the committee made certain recommendations, among which was a deposit of one thousand dollars, and instruc- tions to each member to refrain from making contracts v.iih the exhibitor until he complied with the committee’s requirements. A distributor member that violated this rule was subject to expulsion. Remember that ten of the dis- tributors represented on this committee controlled ninety- eight per cent of all the product. It was concerted action. Judge Thacher found for the defendants. The U. S. Gov- ernment appealed from his decision, and on November 24, 1930, the U. S. Supreme Court reversed him on the ground that the acts of the distributors conflicted with the Sherman Act. Now Mr. Hays wants the Sherman Act revised so as to permit the members of his organization to put, no doubt, the rack-and-thumb-screw methods on the exhibi- tors, just as they did before the decision of the U. S. Supreme Court.
Let us take another decision against them — the famous arbitration case :
You are thoroughly familiar with this case and a repeti- tion of its important points is hardly necessary. But because of the fact that this editorial will be read by persons who are not connected with the motion picture industry, and know very little of this case, I am sure that you will not mind a restatement of these points for the benefit of such persons :
As soon as Mr. Hays came into the motion picture in- dustry he established arbitration boards in all the film zones. The rules of arbitration were worked up by representatives of producer-distributors and of independent theatre owners. The producers were represented by him ; the independent theatre owners were represented by persons, most of whom were selected by him — no mincing of words. The arbitra- tion rules, which were at variance with the rules embodied in the arbitration acts of the many states, w'ere naturally worked up by this committee, with the result that they favored the producers by ninety-nine per cent. Under this, the Hays arbitration system, the exhibitor lost his rights as an American citizen — he could not resort to the courts of his state to have a trial by jury even when he knew that he was being railroaded by the arbitration board. I fought bitterly one such case myself — the famous Hadelman case, the offense having been committed by the New Haven rep- resentative of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and although I did not gain a direct advantage for Hadelman I forced reforms that benefited every exhibitor in that zone. The system was contrary to all human rights ; it was compulsory arbitration.
The United States (Government brought a suit against the producers in the District Court for the Southern Dis- trict of New York, and Judge Thacher found them guilty of having breached the Sherman Act. They naturally ap- pealed the case and on November 24, 1930, the U. S. Su- preme Court rendered a decision upholding the Thacher decree forcing the disbanding of the arbitration boards. Now Mr. Hays wants the Sherman and the Clayton Acts revised so as to permit the “black-jacking” of the exhibi- tors by means of an arbitration system of his own brand.
In which way did the anti-trust laws hinder the progress of the motion picture industry? Did they affect the half- million-dollar salaries? No! Did they affect any salaries at all? No! These were affected by the producers’ owm stupid mistakes. They wanted to control all branches of the industry ; they w'anted a string of two thousand or of three thousand theatres. And they proceeded to get them. And that is where they broke their necks ; they had no {Continued on last page)
HARRISON’S REPORTS
‘‘The Big Shot” with Eddie Quillan
(RKO Pathe, Dec. 18; running time, 85 min.)
An excellent program picture, suited more to small towns than for key-city theatres. There is considerable human appeal in it and the action holds the interest in a fairly grip- ping manner all the way through. The strongest part is toward the end, where the young hero rushes into a bog to save the heroine, fast sinking and in danger of being swal- lowed up, and he himself is caught and is unable to extri- cate himself. He yells to his friend, an old man, for assistance. Between the time of finding himself in that position and the time he grabbed the end of the rope, the spectator is held in tense suspense; —
The hero, a small town young man, is a failure in what- ever he undertakes. All laugh at him but the heroine, and her mother. The latter’s faith in him is, in fact, so great that she mortgages her home to raise fifteen hundred dol- lars, which she gives to the hero to buy the Blue Bird auto- mobile camp with. The hero had bought the camp sight unseen (just as exhibitors buy film), and when he went to take possession he found that the huts were dilapidated and uninhabitable. In addition to all these defects, there was a bog nearby which gave such a nauseating smell that, when the wind was blowing towards the place, visitors were driven away even if they had the best intentions of staying. An old man, living there without rent, helps him to put the place in order and to start' a’ga'solirie station. But it still is a failure financially. A complaint by the villain, who coveted the heroine and hated the hero, sends the health officer with the purpose of shutting down the camp as dangerous to health. But after analyzing the sample he had taken from the bog the officer discovers the water contained sulphur, helpful to health. The villain overhears about it and rushes to buy out the hero before the news of the discovery had reached him ; but the heroine speeds after him in an automobile to warn the hero not to sell. When she reaches the camp she runs into the bog and is sinking. The hero tries to save her but he himself is caught. Both, however, are rescued. In a short time the springs become famous and all visitors breathe heartily the sulphur-laden air that once nauseated people. Hero and heroine marry, of course.
George Dromgold and Hal Conklin wrote the story ; Ralph Murphy directed it. Maureen O’Sullivan is Quil- lan’s heroine, Mary Nolan, Roscoe Ates, Belle Bennett, Arthur Stone, Otis Harlan, Harve Clark and others are in the cast.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
‘‘Ladies of the Big House” with Sylvia Sidney
{Paramount, Dec. 26; running time, 76 min.)
An interesting, though depressing, prison melodrama. It is suspensive and holds the spectator’s interest to the very end for both the hero and the heroine are unjustly accused of having committeed a murder, and the hero is sentenced to die, the heroine being given a life sentence. One sympathizes with the heroine in her despair for she and the hero had been married just one day and then were separated. A thrilling situation is the one in which she attempts to escape from prison in order to arouse interest in their case and so procure the release of the hero. The proof used to effect their conviction does not ring true. There is some comedy in the prison caused by the bicker- ing of the women prisoners, but for the most part it is de- pressing and morbid; —
The heroine, working in a florist shop, attracts the at- tention of the hero, a mining engineer just back from Mex- ico, who had spied her through the window of the shop. He enters and talks to her. At first she resents his in- formal manner but when she learns that he is lonesome and all alone she consents to go out with him. Their friend- ship ripens and they fall in love with each other. But the heroine is terrified because she is afraid of what a certain gangster, who had been attracted to her, would do. He swore to kill any man who paid attention to her. The hero is given a position in Russia and since he did not want to leave the heroine they are married. The gangster goes to her apartment and hides there. When a police officer en- ters to question the heroine about the gangster’s where- abouts, he kills tlie officer and leaves the gun in the room. The hero and the heroine are arrested. He is sentenced to die and she is given life imprisonment. The heroine appeals to the warden and she is given an interview by the district attorney’s assistant who refuses to listen to her story. He is connected with the gangster who is really guilty and naturally tries to cover him. The heroine at- tempts to escape from prison and the story gets to the
January 9, 1932
newspapers. One of the girl prisoners recognizes the gun, a picture of which she sees in the newspapers, for she had given it to the gangster as a gift. Her testimony and the confession of the guilty man clear the hero and the heroine and they are freed and united.
The plot was adapted from a story by Ernest Booth. It was directed by Marion (kring. In the cast are Gene Raymond, Wynne Gibson, Rockcliffe Fellowes, Elarle Foxe, Frank Sheridan, Purnell Pratt, and others.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
“Ridin* For Justice” with Buck Jones
(Columbia, Dec. 10; running time, 58 min.)
A fair Western. There is some humor in the first half. The second half is fairly suspensive, because the hero is forced to evade the Sheriff, who tries to pin a crime on him. There is some good horseback riding, too. The end is fairly exciting, for the hero is caught and is about to be hung when he is rescued by the heroine. The Sheriff knew that the hero was innocent but he was eager to have him out of the way, for his wife (the heroine) was in love with the hero and wanted the Sheriff to grant her a divorce. In the further development of the plot, it is shown that while her husband, the Sheriff, was away one night, one of his assistants, who had been forcing his attentions on her, attempts to take advantage of her. She kills him with a gun, which belonged to the hero, and which he had left with her as a token of his affection. The hero is arrested for the murder. But the heroine confesses the whole story to the Sheriff ; she tells him how unhappy she has been living with him, that she loved the hero, and that she wanted a divorce. He tells her he will grant her wishes ; also that he had permitted the hero to escape. Instead, he orders that the hero be hung. He is stopped in time by the heroine, who had learned the truth, and by the judge of the town, who frees the hero, and who orders the arrest of the Sheriff. The heroine leaves for her father’s home so that she might procure a divorce and then marry the hero.
The plot was adapted from a story by Harold Shumate. It was directed by Ross Lederman. In the cast are Mary Doran, Russell Simpson, Walter Miller, and others. The talk is clear.
Not unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing in theatres that show such pictures.
“The Rainbow Trail” with George O’Brien
(Fox, Jan. 3; running time, 60 min.)
Entertaining 1 It holds one’s interest to the end. Some of the situations are suspensive ; some appealing. Most of the suspense comes from the hero’s endangering his life to save that of the young heroine. The picture has been photo- graphed in and near the Arizona Grand Canyon, and most of the scenes possess grandeur.
The story is a sequel to ‘‘Riders of the Purple Sage,” and shows the hero in search of the characters who, at the end of the first story were mountainlocked when, in trying to escape from the villains, they blocked the entrance to Surprise Valley, where they sought refuge, by rolling an immense boulder into the pass. The hero, who was near the outlaws’ lairj comes upon a man djing of a wound inflirted by" the villains for disregarding their w'aming not to proceed any further. The dying man begs the hero to carr>' on the search so as to save three lives landlocked in Surprise Valley. The hero joins, as a mere workman, a party that carried provisions to the outlaws. He is re- garded with suspicion by the outlaws and is ordered by the second in command to take a walk for about two hours until the leader returns so as to decide his fate. In his wanderings he meets a young girl, who is one of the very women he had been seeking, but w'ho could not explain anything to him, for the outlaw leader had threatened to exterminate the other members of the party had she talked. The hero saves the sister of the Navajo Indian (Thief from an attempted assault by the lieutenant outlaw and the Indian Chief is grateful to him. By his aid the hero is eventually able to rescue, not only the heroine, but also the other members of the landlocked party.
The plot has been founded on Zane Grey’s novel, which was put into pictures, in silent form, once before — by Fox. with Tom Mix in the leading part. In addition to George O’Brien, there are in the cast Cecilia Parker, Minna Gom- bell, Roscoe Ates, J. M. Kerrigan and others.
Although the villain is shown as living with a woman without wedlock, and as having evil intentions toward the heroine, the information is conveyed only by implication. It will be up to each exhibitor himself, therefore, to de- termine whether it is good for children or for Sunday showing.
HARRISON’S REPORTS
Jamiary 9, 1932
“The Fightiag Marshall” with Tim McCoy
{Columbia, Dec. 18; running time, 57 min.)
A good western, with fast action and pretty tense su- spense. There is considerable fast riding ; this causes mild thrills. It occurs when the hero rides fast to prevent a hold up and later, when he realizes that the hold up had taken place, to overtake the villains so as to force them to deliver back the payroll. There is a love affair, as usual ; it is fairly interesting: —
Tim McCoy had been sent to the penitentiary for life for the murder of his father, on the false testimony of two men. After serving three years he escapes with another life convict, just about when he was to be informed that a pardon had been granted to him by the governor because of information received of his innocence. His first thought is to go to Silver City, where was located his father’s mine, which the false informer had confiscated by using forged papers, to steal the payroll from the mine, his inten- tion being to use the money to prove his innocence with. Since he would be stealing money of his dead father’s, which would naturally have been his own, he did not feel that the act was wrong. But on the way the two are ar- rested by the new Sheriff, who was going to Silver City to take command. The two overpower the sheriff and McCoy, donning the sheriff’s outfit, goes to Silver City as the real Sheriff. In time he is able to find the false in- formers and to force them to tell the truth. Just about that time, representatives of the prison come and inform him that he is a free man. The heroine is glad to hear of it, for although she knew the hero loved her he did not want to marry her for reasons he could not explain. The arrival of the prison representatives make everything clear to her. McCoy agrees to marry her after his name had been cleared.
The story is by Frank Howard Clark; the direction, by D. Ross Lederman. Dorothy Culliver is the heroine. Mathew Betz, Pat O’Malley and others are in the cast.
Children may like it; but it might prove too strong for the sensitive ones among them. It is good for Sunday for exhibitors that show this type of picture on such a day.
“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hdye” with Fredric March
(Paramount, Jan. 2 ; running time, 99 min.)
This has been excellently produced ; it is performed ar- tistically. The photography, too, is good ; as, for instance, in the situations where Dr. Jekyll is transformed into Mr. Hyde; by means of it, the change takes place gradually and the torment he suffers during the changes is made to appear real. But the picture is demoralizing for it shows the hero to be weak and unable to control his passions. There is one situation that is brazen to the point of vul- garity ; it shows a young girl actually offering her body to the hero. She undresses herself, starting by taking off her stockings, raising her skirts and then taking off her clothes. It is all done in a sensual manner and certainly leaves nothing to the imagination. It is indecent and of- fends good taste.
The story still retains its thrill and feeling of horror. It is morbid, and even unhealthy in theme, but it is suspen- sive and holds the spectator’s interest to the very end.
There are several exciting situations. One is where the hero, in the form of Hyde, forces his attentions upon the young music hall entertainer. He is brutal and overbear- ing and she suffers intensely because of fear and repulsion. Another situation is where the hero, again in the hideous form, attempts to attack the heroine, his sweetheart. The end is especially exciting, when the police give chase to Hyde and shoot and kill him, and to their amazement watch his face and body change back to the form of Dr. Jekyll.
The plot has been adapted from the story by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian. In the cast are Rose Hobart, Miriam Hopkins, Holmes Herbert, Halliwell Hobbes, Edgar Norton, and others. The talk is clear.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing. As a matter of fact, all young people in their “teens” should not be permitted to see it because of the offensive situation just mentioned. It will prove injurious, not only to their morals, but also to their health.
“The Woman From Monte Carlo” with Lil Dagover
(First Nat’l., Jan. 9; running time, 56 min.)
A mediocre picture, with little human interest. None of the characters arouse much sympathy, and as for the villain his acts brand him as a most despicable type of man. It is difficult to sympathize with the heroine, for at one moment
7
she is shown declaring her undying love for the hero, because of all he had done for her, and at the next she is willing to have an affair with a young officer on his ship, just because her husband, hero, did not have time to make love to her. And then at the end, when she sacrifices her reputation to save her husband, he leaves her without a word. This is difficult to understand, for the hero was aware of the unreliability of the villain’s testimony and yet he refused to give the heroine the benefit of the doubt, even though he loved her. Lil Dagover’s acting is nothing to brag about : —
The hero. Captain of a French warship, arrives at port. His orders are that no one is to leave the ship because he expected messages of importance with regard to war. He suggests having a party aboard the ship that night and suggests to the officers to invite their women friends. The heroine is happy to see her husband (the hero) but becomes “crabbed” when he tells her he cannot stay, that he is awaiting important orders. He gets a message that war is declared and orders all visitors on shore. He asks one of his officers to see his wife ashore. Instead she stays in this man’s cabin until it is too late for her to go ashore, for the ship had started moving. They are bombarded by an enemy ship and the heroine manages to get ashore with the aid of one of the sailors, without her husband’s knowl- edge. The hero is taken before a court for trial for per- mitting the enemy ship to get so close to his. He swears that the proper signal was given to him. The villain had seen it but claims he did not. The heroine testifies that she was in the room in which the villain and the officer saw the signal and that she heard him say that he recognized it. The hero is exonerated but the heroine loses him. She goes back to Vienna to the gay life where the hero had first found her.
The plot was adapted from the play by Georges Nepoty and Claude Farrere. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. In the cast are Walter Huston, Warren William, John Wray, Robert Warwick, George E. Stone, and others. The talk is clear.
Unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing.
In September, 1928, First National released “The Night Watch” with Billie Dove. This story, though changed somewhat, is the same.
Note: This is a substitution. In the contract 685 was to have been based on the story “I Spy,” by Baroness Carla Von Jenssen, and since the story of the finished prod- uct was written by George Nepoty and Claude Farrere, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.
“Mata Hari” with Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro
(MGM, Dec. 26 ; running time, 90 min.)
An interesting spy melodrama ; it holds one’s attention to the very end, for one is aware of the fact that the heroine is a spy and so one is kept in suspense lest she be found out. But the heroine does not arouse sympathy for she is shown to be cruel and heartless, playing upon the emotions of men, even giving herself to them in order for her to obtain war secrets, and then betraying them. It is only towards the end that she arouses some .sympathy, for then she regrets her previous life and is forced to die just when she finds true love. The closing situation is stirring, for the hero, blinded by an aeroplane accident, thinks that he is visiting the heroine in a hospital when he really visits her in a prison ; — The heroine, a famous dancer, but also a German spy, becomes the mistress of a Russian General so that she may learn war secrets from him. The hero, a young Russian aviator, falls madly in love with her. He does not know anything about her reputation. At first she makes him believe she is in love with him, her object being to find out war secrets. She stays with him one night, and in this way her henchmen procure the important information he was to deliver. Due to this information the hero’s plane is bombed and he is seriously wounded. The heroine is heart- broken, for she now loves the hero. She goes to visit him at the hospital and is grief-stricken to find him blind. She is arrested, accused of being a spy, and sentenced to die. The hero pays her a visit before her execution. He thinks she is in a hospital and she tells him she is going to have an operation. He believes her and so she leaves him to go to her doom.
The plot was adapted from a story by Benjamin Glazer and Leo Birinski. It was directed by George Fitzmaurice. Miss Garbo, Mr. Novarro, Lionel Barrymore and Lewis Stone give excellent performances. Other in the cast are C. Henry Gordon, Karen Morley, Alec B. Francis, and others. The talk is clear.
Unsuitable for children and for Sunday showing.
HARRISON’S REPORTS
manpower to run them with and couldn’t stop the “leaks” — “leaks” which at times amounted to more than the profits. The market crash finished what the graft and the incom- petence had left standing.
Now suppose the Sherman and the Qayton Acts were revised, how can such a revision pay the millions of dol- lars the big film companies owe? One of them owes one hundred million dollars. How can their stock come back to the old high level ? How can the public collect the money they sunk into such stock?
Since Mr. Hays saw fit to take up also some other mat- ters besides the anti-trust laws, let us cast an eye on them :
“The organized industry undertakes to regulate itself by methods more American in character and infinitely more productive of good pictures,” he said. Before starting this editorial, I had come out of the Rivoli, where I saw “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” It is, indeed, an excellent produc- tion, although it is unsuitable for many people because it is morbid and gruesome. But in one of the scenes, the hero is shown drawn to the room of a woman who had been making her living by selling her body. The woman tries to attract the hero, to her body, by first taking ofif her stockings and then raising her skirt to a point where it was not dared ten years ago for fear of arrest and conviction for trying to ruin the morals of the people. Remember that I am neither a prude, nor a reformer ; nor am I talking from a religious point of view — I am merely trying to disprove Mr. Hays’ assertions that the industry has assumed to regu- late itself. Yes, about two years ago Mr. Hays, forced by public opinion, formulated a code of ethics to guide the producers in making pictures ; he gave copies of this code to the newspapers with great fanfare. The “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” scene to which I have referred has been pro- duced under this code.
I do not advocate the abandonment of production of this sort of picture — a critic has no right to bend the will of other people to his own will ; I am merely pointing out to Mr. Hays and to every producer this : There are mothers and fathers who do not want their children to see such scenes, either for. religious, or for moral, or for hygienic reasons. What right, then, have the picture producers to force the children of these parents to see pictures considered injurious for their religious, moral, and hygienic welfare? Under the damnable block-booking and blind-booking sys- tem now in force an exhibitor has to take every picture a producer makes ; consequently, he has to show them all, for to pay for them and not to show them would bankrupt him. He thus becomes the unwilling agent of harm to the children of such parents. And Mr. Hays, who assures the American people that the pictures cannot help being moral because they are produced under a code he has formulated, does not want to see this condition changed. This is, at least, what one assumes by the fact that, although a bill has been proposed to remedy it — the Brookhart Bill — he has fought it savagely by using all the political influence at his command. He has even issued a pamphlet attacking the wisdom of the Brookhart Bill when in fact down in his heart he knows, or at least he must know, that only under a bill such as Senator Brookhart has advocated is it possi- ble to produce different types of pictures, for people of different ages, and of different tastes, and yet not offend religious people and people who consider such pictures un- suitable either for them or for their own, for under such a bill the one responsible for the moral tone of the pictures shown will be the exhibitor, the person who is in a position to know better than anybody else the taste of his public. Is it not, then, hypocrisy of the worst kind on the part of Mr. Hays to fight such a bill, pointing out to his code for his justification?
I can say this to him, that unless he stops putting ob- stacles in the way of a bill that would give the exhibitor freedom in the selection of his pictures, there is going to be Federal censorship. And the industry will never be able to shake it off its back. It would not matter if such a cen- sorship could effect an improvement, but it will not — no censorship can. We shall thus be shackled with censor- ship that will do the industry no good whatever and much harm, whereas if he should stop his work against the Brook- hart Bill we shall have in the statute books a law the bene- ficial effects of which will become apparent in no time. Everyone will benefit under such a bill and no one will lo.se anything, whereas no one will benefit from a Federal censorship — not even those who sincerely advocate it.
January 9, 1932
OLD-FASHIONED IDEAS IN A NEW-FASHIONED WORLD
Recently I was startled to hear a big-time exhibitor, a man who has operated a small circuit of large theatres in a state nearby successfully, state seriously that the pro- ducers will not make good pictures until they take old stage plays and, by changing them a little here and there, trans- fer them to the screen.
1 was attending an exhibitor conference at that time. With me there was a former trade paper man, now work- ing for a big publishing house, as a reader of manuscripts.
My friend was as much startled by that statement as I was.
I now read in the trade papers that another exhibitor, who has been also a writer, falls into the same error. “Tap the vast reservoir,” he says, “of source material in the classic melodramas of a generation ago — ‘The Silver King,’ ‘The Middle Man,’ ‘Hoodman Blind,’ ‘The Two Orphans,’ — to mention but a few. Modernize these and give them star leads.”
To begin with, there is no “vast reservoir” of “classic melodramas.” And if there were, the advice my friend gives to the producers to modernize them has not worked successfully in the past, and cannot be hoped so to work in the future.
There is just one important factor these friends of mine seem to forget; Drama is supposed to represent the char- acter of the people of that particular age in which they were written. There are only a few dramas that fit all ages — they were written by masters. These will, no doubt, live forever, but only for cultured people, not for the masses. If the producers were to accept the advice of these exhibi- tors, they would attempt to fit dramas, or melodramas, if you prefer, of a past age to an age that has advanced a century in the last ten years. Our ideas and mode of think- ing are as much different from the ideas and mode of thinking of ten years ago as were those of ten years ago from those of one hundred years ago.
It is just as easy to please modern audiences with old- fashioned melodramas, modernized somewhat, if moderni- zation of them is possible, as it would be if one were to drag old-fashioned dresses out of dust-covered trunks and have them remodeled by a modern tailor.
Statements such as these should not be made, for they do much harm. The picture industry will be saved not by old-fashioned material, presented in a new dress, but with new material, presented intelligently.
UNIVERSAL’S AGITATION BECAUSE OF A “DUPE” “FRANKENSTEIN”
Last month, Mindhyam Theatrical Company, of New York City, sent out a notice to buyers of State Rights pic- tures offering them “Life Without Soul,” a silent picture made about fifteen years ago, as the “original version of ‘Frankenstein.’ ” This was enough to throw Universal into a panic. They sought an injunction from Justice Churchill, of the Supreme Court of New York County, and on December 30, the judge granted it.
Though the agitation of Universal is justified, I think that they exaggerated the matter somewhat, for it is un- thin’Kable that exhibitors with an ounce of intelligence would book an old silent, crudely made, as were all pictures produced fifteen years ago, and pass it off as something like the Universal picture. If they did, they might make a few dollars during the showing of the picture but they would lose ten times more afterwards, because those who might see it would feel that they had been “g>'pped,” and cease going to his theatre. In any event, the contrast be- tween the two pictures would be so great that the Universal picture could not help profiting by the comparison.
THE IDAHO COURTS RULE AGAINST THE CONTRACT IN THE “FOX VS.
TRI-STATE THEATRES CASE”
You remember, I believe, that the Fox Film Corporation brought a suit several months ago against Tri-State Thea- tres of Lewiston, Idaho, for non-performance of contracts, and that Judge Miles Johnson found against Fox on the ground that the contract, because of the Thacher decision, was illegal.
Fox appealed from the decision and on December 18 the Supreme Court of the State of Idaho upheld Judge John- son unanimoush'.
Entered aa 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: . • . _ t. ti- ^ ^ ™ ,,
1440 BROADWAY Published Weekly by
United States $16.00 M V l kt v P. S. HARRISON
U. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00 INeW I orK, W, I, Editor and Publisher
Mexico, Spain Cuba 16 00 ^0“°” Picture Reviewing Service by a Fermer Exhibitor Established July 1,10 19
TM V 1 j An Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors „
Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 ^nioitors PE nnsylvania 6-6379
Other Foreign Countries.. 17.60 its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Cable Address :
^ Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. ^ B^ntTe?Code)
A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM AnVFRTiQi^r;
Vol- XIV SATURDAY, JANUARY 16. 1932 "
1931-32 SUBSTITUTIONS
This is the first article on substitutions for this season. I admit that I delayed it somewhat, but I did not think the producers would start substituting stories so early ; they usually start about February. In the future every picture will carry a note whether it is or it is not a substitution.
Since it requires a great deal of hard work to get the facts on substitutions, I would ask you not to lend the copies of Harrison’s Reports containing such information to other exhibitors, for there are some of them who want to profit by the information but do not want to pay for it. And this office cannot be conducted so as to give the great- est service possible to those who pay their subscription money, unless those who benefit from the information printed are willing to do their bit.
It is possible that some of those you wish to help are not in a position to send in a subscription check. If so, let me do the helping ; I have never yet refused to help an exhibitor in need. If you should refer all such cases to this office, the worthy ones will be helped but those who are in a position to pay will be made to send in their subscription order.
4c
Columbia has not had any substitutions so far. Nor has Paramount, or RKO Pathe.
In reference to MGM, early in the season, after making its 1931-32 announcement, it sent out a Rider asking those who had already signed the MGM contracts to release it from delivering “The Christian,’’ accepting “Wife to Hugo’’ in its place. At that time, this paper notified the few exhibitors that had already signed MGM contracts not to sign the Rider on the ground that the story of “Wife to Hugo” is too filthy to put into pictures, for it shows sex relations between three brothers and their wives. Those who took my advice and refused to sign the Rider will profit thereby, for lately I have learned that MGM is going to make “The Christian,” with Joan Crawford, and unless MGM makes a roadshow out of it, those who have it under contract will be entitled to receive it.
In the case of United Artists, allow me to call your atten- tion to the fact that the Ninth Clause gives the producer the right to change the story, although not the director or the star. Consequently, you will have to accept any United Artists pictures the stories of which have been changed.
In the case of Fox, j'our attention is called to the follow- ing provision, printed on the face of the contract in red ink :
“It will be the Distributor’s endeavor during the season 1931-32 to maintain the highest possible standard of quality in Distributor’s production consistent with the changing conditions in our industry and the taste of the motion picture audiences. Bearing in mind that in the production of motion pictures creative genius is the foundation from which Distributor must build, it must be recognized that Distributor is dealing with an element that must adapt itself to the contract changes that are occuring in the public demand for its amusement. This requires changes in story, plot or characters in order to meet this demand and to obtain the perfection in production which is Dis- tributor’s goal. With this end solely in mind Distributor must naturally reserve the right to change story, plot, cast and director to furnish you with the product that will bring the greatest result at your box office and Distributor there- fore notifies you that the list of cast, story and director is only tentative and subject to change without notice, except that in such cases where a definite book or play is designated such designation is to remain unchanged.”
This is, indeed, a touching appeal, but, as I understand the matter, there are certain provisions in the laws of equity that make it obligatorj', when one party retains cer- tain rights under the contract, to give the other party some other rights to balance them. In this, the Fox red-ink
provision, though the Fox organization retains the right to change story (unless it is that of a definite book or play). It does not grant to the exhibitor other rights to balance things up. Therefore, I feel that this omission makes the contract inequitable and subject to attack in the courts of equity by the exhibitors. So if the Fox represen-
fac/thil^th*^ that you play a picture regardless of the fact that the star or the director, even though of great
to fight the matter in the courts. Fox mayTTT you shouia refuse to accept such pictures, refuse to send you play-dates on other pictures, or to attach a C. O. D. on a shipment of some other picture, which you may have already paid for. In such an event, it is my opinion that a breach of contract will have been committed. You will have to consult your lawyer about it ; I know of no other advice that I could give you.
Let it be understood, however, that the Fox Film Cor- poration does not deny you the right to reject a substitution if the original picture was to have been founded on a definite book or play.
First National
HER MAJESTY LOVE: (658) In the contract 658 is listed as “Miami” and was to have been based on a story by John Phillips, and since “Her Majesty Love” has been adapted from the play by R. Bernauer and R. Oesterreicher, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.
LOCAL BOY MAKES GOOD : (670) According to the contract this picture was to have been based on a story by Walter DeLeon. But since the finished product has been adapted from the play “The Poor Nut,” by J. C. and Elliot Nugent, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.
THE WOMAN FROM MONTE CARLO: (685) In the contract 68S is listed as “I Spy” and was to have been based on the story by Baroness Carla Von Jenssen. But since “The Woman From Monte Carlo” has been adapted from a play by Georges Nepoty and Claude Farrerc, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.
HONORABLE MR. WONG: (681) In the contract 681 is listed as “The Inside Man” and was to have been based on a story by Melville Crossman, and since “Honor- able Mr. Wong” has been founded on a play by David Belasco and Achmed Abdullah, it is a story substitution and you are not obligated to accept it.
Fox
GOOD SPORT : (321) In the contract 321 is listed as “Cheating,” and was to have been based on a story by Gene Towne, and since “Good Sport” has been founded on a story by William Hurlbut it is a story substitution.
WICKED: (326) According to the contract this pic- ture was to have been based on a story by Gordon Rigby, but since the finished product has been based on a story by Adela Rogers St. John it is a story substitution.
THE CISCO KID : (306) In the contract 306 is listed as “Silver City” and was to have been founded on a story by Quinn Martin, and since “The Cisco Kid” has been founded on a story by O. Henry, it is a story substitution.
HEARTBREAK: (331) In the contract 331 is listed
as “Son-in-Law” and was to have been founded on the Liberty Magazine story by Dial Torgerson, with Lois Moran and William Collier, Sr., and since “Heartbreak” is founded on a story by Llewellyn Hughes, and Lois Moran (Continued on last page)
HARRISON’S REPORTS January 16, 1932
“A House Divided” with Walter Huston, Kent Douglass, and Helen Chandler
{Universal, Nov. 28; running time, 68 min.)
From the point of view of direction and acting, “A House Divided” is a masterpiece. Mr. Huston assumes the role of a tyrannical father, with a powerful body and with an iron will, most artistically. Kent Douglass, too, does excellent work as the gentle son, who feared but despised his father for having sent his mother to her death from overwork and worry. The scenes toward the end where Mr. Huston, un- able to use his legs because of a fall during a fight with his son, drags his body and legs, thus showing an uncon- querable will, are as powerful scenes as seen m pictures for some time. But the story is not pleasant by virtue of the fact that it brings a son into conflict with his father it puts the wrong thoughts in the mind of the father about his son’s intentions towards his (Huston’s) young wife, though the boy was acting most honorably toward her. The opening scenes, too, are unpleasant ; they show a funeral in detail-- the funeral of Huston’s wife, sent to her death more through the sternness of Huston than of the hard work she had to do. After leaving the cemetery, Huston drags Douglass to a saloon, and forces him to drink liquor ; and when the boy remonstrates and tries to leave the saloon, Huston knocks him down and then takes his unconscious form home. 1 he picture is, in fact, unpleasant all the way through. The clos- ing scenes, which show the herome adrift in^ajno^^ and
thrilling. ” ” ’
The story shows the hero marrying a young frail girl (heroine) ; he had made arrangements through a matrimo- nial paper to marry an elderly woman, but because this wo- man could not go she had sent the frail heroine. At first she does not want to marry him but he forces her to do it. The boy and the girl are attracted together honorably. The father misinterprets his son’s interest in his wife, they have a fight, and the father falls down the stairway and becomes crippled for life.
The story closes with the father’s losing his life in a storm when the boat, in which he set out to rescue the hero- ine adrift in a boat, is capsized. This leaves the young man and the girl free to marry.
The plot has been founded on the story by Olive Edens, published in “Heart and Hand.” The direction is by Wil- liam \¥yler.
Though there is nothing sexually that would make it unsuitable for Sunday showing, it would be a mistake to book it on such a day. Not suitable for sensitive children.
“Without Honor” with Harry Carey
(State Rights — Louis Weiss, Jan. 15 ; time, 61 min.)
There is so much action in this picture that the spectator is held in tense suspense all the way through. Most of the incidents are, what may described as, hokum, but they are the kind that appeal to those who enjoy fast melodrama. Mr. Carey is shown finding himself in many a difficult situation, from which he escapes, to the joy of those who watch him.
The story revolves around Harry Carey, a gambler, who, when he learns that his brother, a Texas Ranger, had been murdered, accepts the proposal to become a Ranger with the hope of running down the murderers. At different times, he puts his life in danger to accomplish what he went after but eventually he succeeds. He also wins a wife.
The plot has been founded on a story by Lee Sage. It was directed by William Nigh. Though the direction is not of Mr. Nigh’s best standard, Mr. Carey succeeds in hold- ing one’s interest by his good interpretation of his part. May Busch, Mary Jane Irving, Gibson Gowland, Ed Brady, Lafe McKee, Jack Richardson, Tom London, Lee Sage, Pardner Jones and others are in the supporting cast.
Those exhibitors who are in the habit of showing western pictures to children may shown them this one, too ; and if they run them on Sundays, they may show it on such a day.
“Stepping Sisters”
(Fo.v, Jan. 10 ; running time, 64 min.)
A moderately entertaining comedy. Occasionally it man- ages to be really funny, but after a while it becomes tedious. It is interspersed with some songs and dances, which fit in with the story. But the story is too disconnected to hold one’s interest. It jumps from one incident to another, and finishes with an unusually abrupt ending. The love inter- est is only fairly appealing; also this is left off in a de- tached manner. William Collier, Sr., as the harassed hus- band of the socially inclined Louise Dresser, is extremely humorous, especially in the beginning of the picture, where
she attempts to impress their butler with their social stand- ing, and where Mr. Collier behaves in an uncouth manner.
Louise Dresser is socially ambitious. Her husband, Wil- liam Collier, Sr., is not and they are constantly quarrelling. He taunts her with the fact that she was once a burlesque queen. But she wants their daughter to marry into a promi- nent family and her husband does not agree with her. The daughter is in love with an actor, but her parents are not aware of it. Louise Dresser is running a charity ball and has hired professional help. She is expecting a great Shakespearean reader but to her dismay when this woman (Jobyna Howland) arrives she discovers her old friend of the burlesque days. They promise not to reveal each other’s secret. But their real trouble begins when another per- former ( Minna Gombell) arrives, for she, too, had play^ in the same burlesque show with them. Minna Gombell feels sorry for William Collier, Sr., and decides to teach Louise Dresser a lesson. Together with Jobyna Howland she puts on an old burlesque number in tights and all the guests leave. This, however, has the right effect on Louise Dresser for she is tired of attempting to become socially prominent and promises her friends to be her real self again. This makes both her husband and daughter happy, for now the girl can marry the man of her choice.
The plot was adapted from a story of Howland Warren Comstock, and directed by Seymour Felix. In the cast are Stanley Smith, Ferdinand Munier, Mary Forbes, Barbara Weeks and others. The talk is clear.
Not unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing.
Substitution facts: This is a substitution. See the edi- torial in this week’s issue on substitutions.
“Forbidden” with Barbara Stanwyck and Adolphe Menjou
(Columbia, Jan. 15; running time, 86 min.)
_ Although this is artistically performed, and the sex situa- tions are handled in a delicate manner, it turns out only fair entertainment. The trouble is that the hero does not arouse much sympathy. He wins the love of the heroine, even living with her, without first telling her that he is a married man. All throughout the story he wants to do the right thing, but he is so weak that he permits himself to be persuaded by the heroine, who does not want him to ruin his career because of her. The heroine, however, wins much sympathy, for she sacrifices everything dear to her, even her baby, for the sake of the hero. There is one ex- tremely dramatic situation. It is where the heroine marries a newspaper publisher who had been in love with her for a number of years in order to save the hero’s reputation. When she finds she cannot sway him, she kills him and burns the evidence he has against the hero: —
The heroine, a librarian, is tired of her humdrum exist- ence. She decides to take all her savings, buy clothes and take a trip to Havana. On the boat she meets the hero and they fall in love with each other. .A.fter their vacation she returns with him and settles in his town, getting a job on a newspaper. She lives with the hero. One of the reporters is in love with her and pleads with her to marry him. The hero confesses to her that he is married and cannot divorce his wife because she is an invalid and he feels sorry for her. The lieroine, in disgust, sends him away. She has a baby daughter. The hero becomes district attorney and the news- paper reporter is his enemy, always seeking to get some- thing on him. The hero traces the heroine’s whereabouts and they are reconciled. In order to avert suspicion the heroine gives her baby up to the hero’s wife, who believes the hero had adopted the baby for her pleasure. The hero advances from one high position to another, all with the love and guidance of the heroine, who uncomplainingly fol- lows him wherever he goes. He finally is nominated for Governor. His daughter is now a grown girl and engaged to a fine young man. But he is still unhappy because the heroine is forced to live in the background. The newspaper reporter, now city editor, unearths all the information about the child. The heroine marries him, thinking this will avoid a scandal. But he is determined to go through with the story, and so she kills him. The hero, now Governor, re- leases her after she is in prison for a year. He is dying and she calls to see him. She finds a note written by him in which he tells all and leaves half of his estate to her. When he dies she takes the note and tears it up so that no one will know about their love. And she walks the streets, a broken old woman.
The story was written and directed by Frank Capra. In the cast are Ralph Bellamy, Dorothy Peterson, Thomas Jefferson, and others. The talk is clear.
Unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing. (Not a substitution.)
January 16, 1932
11
HARRISON’S REPORTS
“This Reckless Age” with Buddy Rogers
{Paramount, Jan. 9; running time, 74 min.)
A fairly interesting drama with mild human interest. The parents win the sympathy of the audience because of their devotion and sacrifices for their children. But the children are so intensely self-centered and selfish that they arouse sympathy only in the end. They cast aside all consideration for their parents for their own pleasures, and it is not until the very end, when their father is threatened with prison, that they forget their own desires to help their parents.
Richard Bennett and Frances Starr sacrifice everything for their children to whom they are very much devoted. The two children are at college and they look forward with joy to their arrival home for the Christmas holidays. But no sooner does their daughter (Frances Dee) arrive than she rushes out again with her friends. And when their son (Buddy Rogers) arrives, they are shocked to learn that he is engaged to Peggy Shannon. The son is planning to be married without telling his parents about it, and when they learn of this the father is heartbroken for he felt the boy should continue with his studies. During a New Year’s party the father receives a call from one of his employer’s customers. He is shocked to discover that his employer had filled in wrong information on a slip of paper he had signed so as to inveigle the customer into buying a poor mine. The customer holds Richard Bennett responsible and demands $10,000 from him, which was the amount he paid for the mine, or else he would prosecute him criminally. The daughter overhears the conversation. Since Buddy Rogers and Peggy Shannon had left the house in order to return to her home town she rushes after the train in an automobile and overtakes them at a station nearby and brings them back home. Buddy attempts to straighten the matter out with his father’s employer but he is put out of the office. Frances Dee determines to get the money from Charlie Ruggles, an old family friend, with whom she is in love. He is in love with her, too, but is timid to tell her so. Through a ruse they finally make the crooked employer buy the mine back himself, and so Richard Bennett is cleared, and the two couples are brought together.
The plot was adapted from the play, “The Goose Hangs High,’’ by Lewis Beach. It was directed by Frank Tuttle. In the cast are Maude Ehurne, David Landau, Reginald Barlow, and others. The talk is clear.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
Not a substitution.
“Girl of the Rio” with Dolores Del Rio and Leo Carillo
{RKO : Jan. 22 ; running time, 68 min.)
In some situations, it is mildly amusing, but on the whole it is a slow moving comedy-drama. Although the heroine arouses some symnathy. it is not enough to hold the spec- tator’s interest. There is one situation that is fairly excit- ing : it is where the hero is forced to kill a man in self- defense. Leo Carillo, as the villain, causes some laughter because of his conceit and constant self-praise. He is always referring to himself as the best caballero in all Mexico, and cannot understand why the heroine does not prefer him to the hero.
The plot was adapted from Willard Mack’s play “The Dove.’’ It was directed by Herbert Brenon. In the cast are Norman Foster, Lucille Gleason. Ralph Ince, Edna Murphy, and others. The talk is clear.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing, for there is too much reference made to sex. (Not a substitu- tion.)
“Michael and Mar”
{A Gainsborough Prod, to be released by Universal, Jan. 31 ; running time, 84 min.)
A good drama, more suitable for class audiences than for the masses. There is strong human interest and sympathy felt for both the hero and the heroine. They both stand out as peonle of fine character, considerate and honest There is a feeling of suspense felt throughout for the rea- son that the heroine had married the hero without divorcing her first husband, who had deserted her ; one fears lest this husband return and cause her unhappiness. There is re- snect felt also for their son, who when he heard their story, shows only his love for them. There is one situation that is extremely suspensive. It is where the hero is questioned with reference to the death of the heroine’s first husband, who had died in their home.
The foundation upon which the story of this picture has been built is the marriage of hero and heroine without the heroine’s obtaining a divorce from her husband, who had deserted her years previously. The two are in pure love
with each other and they married because there seemed to be no other way out of it. In the development of the plot, it is shown that the first husband, who had learned that the heroine is now the wife of a famous novelist and rich, determines to blackmail her. But he is killed acci- dentally in the home of the heroine when he, having been pushed by the hero, fell and struck his dead in the fireplace. The hero and his wife prepare a story for the police, hiding the facts, which is accepted as true. But they do not want their son to marry the girl he loves unless both knew the circumstances themselves. And so they tell their story. But the love of their son and of his fiancee for them is not diminished in the least by the knowledge of all the facts, the young woman saying that she wished she could love as loyally as she, the heroine, loved.
Although there is nothing offensive in it, it is boresome foi children. Not cheerful enough for Sunday showing, either. (A substitution. See the facts in the editorial page’ m this issue.)
“Taxi” with James Cagney and Loretta Young
mu Feb. 6; running time, 68 min.)
1 hough It IS a fast moving melodrama and consequently holds one s interest in a fairly gtipping manner and even thrills him now and then, the tone of the story is not pleas-
Uraole lor the Iv wv ...... — r
and revenge, for the hero goes through life to avenge the death of his brother and of the heroine’s father, who had been made to murder the racketeering manager of a rival taxi company which had driven him out of a corner he had for years. The taxi racketeering business, in which taxis of independent operators are wrecked so as to frighten every one of them, are reproduced with realism. The scenes where the hero addresses a gathering of independent taxi drivers, urging them to resist, are interesting : —
The heroine’s father, an independent taxi driver, is or- dered to abandon his corner in favor of a powerful taxi company. Because he refuses, his taxi is smashed. He shoots and kills the man who had smashed his car and is sent to prison for fourteen years. The hero, in love with the heroine, tries to organize all independents but the heroine, who does not like violence, thwarts his efforts. They eventually marry. The taxi racketeers shoot and kill his brother and he vows vengeance. The heroine, by her pleadings, succeeds for a while in quieting him down but when he learns the whereabouts of his brother’s murderer he takes a gun and goes to the hiding place. The heroine rushes in a taxi and arrives at the house in time to inform the racketeer’s wife of her husband’s intention, urging her to tell her husband to go away. But the hero soon arrives and prevents the racketeer’s escape. The arrival of the authorities prevent the hero from murdering the murderer. The murderer, in trying to escape, falls to his death.
The plot was adapted from a story by Kenyon Nicholson. The direction is by Roy Del Ruth. In the cast are George E. Stone, Dorothy Burgess, Ray Cooke, Matt McHugh, and others.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing. (It is a substitution. See the editorial in this assue.)
FACTS ABOUT PICTURES NOT YET REVIEWED BECAUSE OF LATE RELEASING
As said in these columns recently, reviews of some of the pictures are not printed close to the release date because the producers keep them out of this territory so as to hold off bad reviews as long as they can.
In an effort to help those who play the pictures early, I have decided to give as many facts about such pictures as I can extract from the press-sheets.
“WEST OF BROADWAY,” with John Gilbert; MGM : This is the story of a young man who, when he returns from the front with tuberculosis, is told by his fiancee that she no longer loves him and breaks their engagement. The hero abandons himself to drink. During one of his sprees, he meets a girl and they marry. When he sobers up he feels that she married him for his money, which she hoped to inherit after his death, and decides to “cheat” her of it by going to Arizona and doing everything the doctor told him that would restore his health. There are more misunder- standings but in the end he finds out that she loved him.
There does not seem to be much to the story ; the charac- ters do not awaken much sympathy and the action is not pleasurable ; no one is pleased to know that a man is dying of consumption. Because of the drinking scenes, it is hardly suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
12
HARRISON’S REPORTS
and William Collier, Sr., do not appear in the cast, it is a story and star substitution. But since Charles rarrell is the star, you are getting more than the contract calls tor.
THE SPIDER: (320) In the contract No. 320 was
listed as "Midnight Cruise,” and was to have been founded on a storj- by Fulton Oursler and Lowell Brentano. But since "The Spider" has been adapted from the play by Albert E. Lewis, it is a story substitution.
STEPPING SISTERS : (323) In the contract 323 is listed as "Alimony Queens” from the story by Vernie E. Connollv, and since "Stepping Sisters” has been adapted from the play by Howard Warren Comstock, it is a story substitution.
RKO
WAY BACK HOME : “Miracle City” is supposed to have been the original title of this picture, which on the work sheet was No. 19. But "Miracle City” was to luve been founded on a story by Howard Eastabrook, and since "Way Back Home” has been founded on a stor>- by Jane Murfin it is a story substitution and you are not obli^ted to accept it. Small town exhibitors, however, should ac- cept it for it is a good picture for them.
TifiFany
MOR.A.LS FOR WOMEN : (8191A) According to the thi® oirtiire was to have been based on a storj by A. F. 1 ounger, ancT since me nnisnea product is based on a storj- by Frances Hyland, it is a story substitution and j-ou are not obligated to accept it, except if j-ou are a franchise holder, in which event you will have to accept it.
Universal
RECKLESS LIV’ING: (A4010) In some contracts, 4010 is listed as "Lilies of Broadwaj-,” which was to have been based on a story by William Hurlbut, and since “Reck- less Living” has been founded on the play by Eva K. Flint and Martha Madison it is a story substitution and jou are not obligated to accept it.
A HOUSE DIVIDED : (A4015) In the contract 4015 is listed as "Boulevard,” and was to have been based on the story by Ernest Wolf, and since “A House Divided” has been based on the storj- by Olive Edens it is a storj- substitu- tion and you are not obligated to accept it.
L.A.W .A.ND ORDER: (A4017) In the contract 4017 is listed as "Derailed” and was to have been founded on the story by Wadsworth Camp, and since "Law and Order” has been based on a story by W. R. Burnett it is a story substitution and j ou are not obligated to accept it.
Warner
UNDER EIGHTEEN : (360) In the contract 360 is listed as "Society Lane,” and was to have been based on a story by Catherine Knox, and since "Under Eighteen” is based on the story bj- Maude Fulton and Charles Kenj-on it is a storj- substitution and jou are not obligated to ac- cept it.
TAXI : (382) In the contract 382 is listed as "The Man in the Case” by Harry Leason, and since "Taxi” has been adapted from a plaj- bj- Kenj-on Nicholson it is a storj- sub- stitution and JOU are not obligated to accept it.
Look up the law in jour state on substitution of articles advertised.
THE VALUE OF BOOK PICTURES AT THE BOX OFFICE
When a picture is to be founded on a book, the producer- distributor instructs his salesmen to use this fact as a sales argument for higher rentals.
As a rule, the salesmen succeed in obtaining at least part of the additional rentals they demand for that picture, for the average exhibitor, not being equipped with information that would enable him to offset the salesman’s arguments, is forced to capitulate.
\Vhat is the box office value of a picture that is founded on a book ?
A correct answ er to this question is not, of course, easy. It w-as not, at least, possible to give such an answ-er up to w-ithin recently. But certain facts given in the survey of the book trades made by Mr. Orion H. Chenej-, former vice- president of the Irving Trust Companj-, published in the dailj- papers last w-eek, enable one to get an approximate idea.
According to this survej-, nine books out of each ten sell more than one thousand copies and few-er than four thou- sand ; five out of ten sell more than four thousand copies
January 16, 1932
and fewer than ten thousand ; two out of ten sell more than ten thousand copies and fewer than twenty thousand; ^d only one out of ten sells more than twenty thousand copies, putting the book in the "Best Seller” class.
The report does not state how many of the best seller class reach the one hundred thousand mark, but I doubt if the number is greater than one in ten.
The number of book pictures announced by the nation- ally organized distributors in the last two or three years has been about one hundred. If we are to use Mr. Cheney’s figures as a basis of our calculation, only five pictures out of each of these one hundred w-ere founded on books that had a sale of more than twenty thousand copies, the remainder belonging to the classes that had a sale of few-er than tw-enty thousand copies and as low- as one thousand. And a cir- culation of tw-enty thousand copies, which is the average number of the so-called best sellers, is not verj- much, even if ten readers to a copy is figured out, when one takes into consideration the millions w-ho see a picture.
Next time a salesman uses as a sales argument the fact that a certain number of his pictures are to be founded on w ell known” books, show him this editorial !
WHY THE CANAVAN WAGE REUEF PROPOSAL WAS VOTED DOWN
About a month ago the Operators’ locals throughout the country voted down President William F. Canavan’s pro- posal for a thirty-six week relief to the circuit theatres, bringing about his resignation.
This paper has just learned authoritatively that what made the locals vote down the relief plan was the informa- tion they received to the effect that Nicholas M. Schenck received a handsome check of $450,000 from Metro. The men wanted to know- whj- they should consent to have their w-ages reduced w-hen so large a bonus was paid only to one man.
The news that so large an amount of money w-as paid to Nicholas Schenck as a bonus should cause to boil everj- one of you who is compelled to pay to Metro anj-where from tw enty-five to thirty-five per cent of the gross receipts, and should strengthen others to refuse to accept terms that make it possible for MG^I to pay so much extra money to one man, for if you should agree to them j-ou will be denying j’ourselves and j-our families even the necessities of life just to make it ^ssible for Nicholas Schenck to receive nearly half a million dollar bonus, and at a time when there are nearly ten million men out of work.
Here is another thought: If Nicholas Schenck re-
ceived nearly one-half million dollars, what have the others received? There is Louis B. Mayer to consider, and Irving Thalberg, and Felix Feist, and the Moskowitzes, and the Bernsteins, and the sub-executives. The total amount must reach into millions w-hen j-ou bear in mind that Dave Bern- stein, who is only a treasurer, received, according to Mr. Ralph Hendershot, editor of the Financial Column of the New- York World-Telegram, $164,642.
I have read in history- about slaves; but I doubt if they were any worse than some exhibitors.
THE ANTI-TRUST LAW AGITATION
In the last six or seven months there has been a per- sistent effort directed towards the revision of the anti-trust law s. The agitation has been carried on by big businesses.
In some instances, it was done in the open, by means of conferences, to which even law- schools of universities were inv-ited ; in others, it w-as done subtlj-, bj- means of propa- ganda, labeled “stabilizing industrj-.” But it all is directed toward the same end — the repeal of the Sherman and the Claj-ton acts.
The repealing of these two acts will remove the only restraint from the greedy tactics of big businesses, particu- larly from those of the moving picture companies. You should, therefore, do all there is in j our power to prevent it
See your Congressman with the view- of asking him to fight against the tampering with these two law-s ; it is the only safeguard the small businessman has. If thej- should be repealed, nothing will stand between you and annihilation.
LOOK OVER YOUR FILES OF HARRISON’S REPORTS
During the holidays some of j-our copies of H.'VRRISOx’s Rkports may have gone astray. Look over your files and let me know the copies missing and I shall send jrou dupli- cate copies 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 :
United States $16.00
U. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00
Canada, Alaska 16.00
Mexico, Spain, Cuba 16.00
Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 Other Foreign Countries.. 17.50 35c a Copy
1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y.
A Motion Picture Reviewing Service by a Former Exhibitor Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors
Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.
Published Weekly by P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher
Established July 1, 19 19
PEnnsylvania 6-6379 Cable Address : Harreports (Bentley Code)
A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XIV
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1932
No, 4
THE NUMBER OF PICTURES THAT WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE PRODUCTION SCHEDULES
The following is the latest information that I have been able to get regarding the number of pictures that will be left out from the production schedules of the national pro- ducer-distributors ;
COLUMBIA: According to the Home Office of this company, it will make all the pictures it announced.
FIRST NATIONAL; As far as the Home Office knows now, no picture will be dropped.
FOX : This company has always delivered the number of pictures it sold and according to the Home Office the full number will be delivered also this year.
MGM : According to the Home Office, all pictures an- nounced will be made.
PARAMOUNT : This company will deliver only sixty.
RKO : The exact number that will be made will not be known until Ned Depinet and Joe Snitzer, who have left for the Coast last week, return ; they went there to arrange production matters.
RKO-PATHE: Pathe will deliver all except perhaps one Eddie Quillan and one William Boyd.
TIFF.'\NY; Bill Saal says he will make them all.
UNITED ARTISTS : The Home Office says that all the pictures announced will be made and delivered.
UNIVERSAL: This company expects to make all the feature pictures it announced with the exception of the Whirlwinds; instead of fourteen Whirlwinds, it will make only eight. The following will be dropped ; “Crime Break- er,” “Blizzard Bound,” “The Silencer,” “Gun Moll,” “Ambuscade,” and “The Freeze-Out.”
WARNER BROS.: This company expects to make every one it has announced.
THE ACTION OF ALLIED IN THE TAX QUESTION
Mr. Abram F. Myers, General Counsel of Allied States, sent to the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, at Washington, a letter advocating the cause of the smaller exhibitors in the matter of admission taxes.
The letter was written well and presents the cause of the independent theatre owners in a forceful and convincing way. It is thorough in explaining “Protection” and the “.'Mlocation of Product,” particularly as to its pernicious effect upon the meager profits of the small exhibitors.
The closing paragraphs read as follows ;
“The Committee will observe, therefore, that there is a vast difference between these independent theatre owners and the great motion picture companies whose wild ex- travagances have occupied so much space in the public prints. The independent theatres are not responsible for and have not participated in the orgies that have made the industry such a shining mark for regulation and taxation. They are performing a useful and, we believe, necessary service to the public but are making no money under in- dustry practices and economic conditions. TTiey cannot possibly absorb the proposed tax and their patronage is such that they cannot pass it on to their patrons.
“The independent theatre owners ask that the Committee give consideration to the special circumstances of their case. They ask that their situation be not confused with that of the other branches of the industry which may be represented by such organizations as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (Hays organiza- tion), the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America (representing primarily the producer-owned theatres), or like organizations. Thev further ask the privilege of lay- ing evidence in support of these statements before your
Committee when and if any measure involving any such tax shall come before you for consideration.”
If you have not yet written to your Congressman regard- ing the proposed tax, you had better take time and do it now. If you should delay writing, it may be too late.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND THE LAW
Substitution of any other article for an advertised article without the consent of the purchaser is prohibited under an amendment to the advertising ordinance of Birmingham, Alabama, which amendment was adopted by the City Commission. This amendment was adopted, according to a report, at the request of the Better Business Bureau.
Since every state has a law making the substitution of an advertised article for another article unlawful, you should look up such a law to enable you to resist the pressure of some exchanges in substitution matters ; and if you find that the law is not sufficiently broad to cover the film sub- stitutions case well, you should request your legislators to add an amendment to the law.
ADVERTISING WARNER BROS. PIC- TURES AND WARNER BROS. THEATRES IN FILMS
“Taxi,” the Warner Bros, picture, contains “plugs” for Warner Bros, pictures and theatres.
This paper. ‘hopes that Warner Bros, will not make this a policy, for there can be no more injurious practice; the public will no doubt resent it. And it has a peculiar way of showing its resentment ; instead of complaining to the manager of the theatre that shows an objectionable film, it stays away from most films.
If the Warner Bros, pictures were shown only in War- ner Bros, theatres, there would be no objection on the part of the independent theatre owners; in fact, such owners would have no right to object. But the matter differs when these pictures are sold also to them. And the act of including “plugs” in films is also unethical, for the com- pany does it without first obtaining the permission of those who own the screens.
Allowing the characters to mention commercial articles for the purpose of bringing them to the attention of those who watch the picture is harmful in that such an act de- stroys the illusion.
Those of you who have bought the Warner product have the right to complain against such a practice.
STOP GIVING FREE PUBLICITY TO THE TELEGRAPH COMPANIES
The producers have been giving free publicity to the tele- graph companies for years. That is what they do whenever they put into a picture a telegram with a telegraph com- pany’s name.
It is hard to figure out in dollars and cents the amount of free publicity they have given to these companies, but it must run up to millions. And yet the moving picture industry does not benefit even to the extent of one cent from this advertising.
I have been informed reliably that several years ago the telegraph companies were planning to do some institu- tional advertising in the newspapers, but that they have so far done nothing about it. Why should they spend money in the newspapers when they get more free publicity than they need from the moving picture industry?
There should be an end to this practice. Let the pro- ducers adopt some name such as the one that follows for the purpose of making a telegram look like a telegram; “Moviegraph Communications Company,” or some name similar to it.
14
HARRISON’S REPORTS
“Two Kinds of Women” with Phillips Holmes and Miriam Hopkins
(Paramount, Jan. 16; running time, 71 min.)
Only fair. After a time it becomes boresome and de- pressing. Some of the “entertainment” features are drunken women, blackmail, and a murder. Little sympathy is felt for the hero, for while he was in a drunken stupor he had mar- ried a cheap chorus girl, who later tries to blackmail him. Although the heroine does nothing that is objectionable, yet she is not a wholly sympathetic character, for all that ap- peals to her is living in New York, going around and having good times. There is not much suspense and but little human interest : —
The heroine and her father, a Western Senator, come to New York. The Senator is to debate over the radio of the bad influence of New York over other cities in the United States. The heroine is happy to be in New York for she is anxious to have a good time and is tired of the cramped way of living in the West. Her first night out she meets the hero, a bored, sophisticated, wealthy young man. They fall in love with each other, and for the following week she spends all her time with him. He tells her that he had married a chorus girl while he was drunk and that she was demanding a large sum of money to free him. They go to the heroine’s father for help, for the hero’s father would not do anything for him, but he, too, refuses to help them. The heroine pays the chorus girl a visit. She finds her drunk and in the midst of having a party, but the girl listens to reason and tells her she will do anything she says. In the meantime, the chorus girl’s lover, who was badly in need of money, telephones the hero to call at the apartment. When he arrives there the girl, quite drunk by this time, tells him she will release him be- cause of the sweetness of the heroine. The lover overhears this and threatens the girl, and during a quarrel in which he tries to take her jewels she falls through a window to her death. Everyone at the party is arrested and the hero is held for the murder. The heroine’s father comes to his help, even at the risk of losing his reputation. The real murderer is found and the hero is freed. He and the heroine are united.
The plot was adapted from the play “So This Is New York,” by Robert E. Sherwood. It was directed by William C. deMille. In the cast are Wynne Gibson, Stuart Erwin, Irving Pichel, Stanley Fields, James Crane, and other.s. The talk is clear.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
Note; Columbia Broadcasting Station is advertised in two different places. This Station is owned by Paramount ; at least fifty per cent of it.
“The Unexpected Father” with Slim Summerville
(Universal, Jan. 3; running time, 62 min.)
Although the story is simple, the picture is very enter- taining. What makes it entertaining is little Cora Sue Collins, not more than four years old, whose story as to how she got into pictures is as human as fiction. Although this is the first picture she has been in, she acts like an old trouper. There is considerable human interest and plentiful laughs. Many of the laughs are provoked by Zasu Pitts.
The story opens showing Slim Summerville drilling for oil and striking it so rich that he becomes a millionaire overnight. He moves to a big city, lives in big style, and becomes engaged to an adventuress. While on a visit to his fiancee, he is tricked by a woman into believing that he had struck her child with his automobile, injuring her; she demands money. A policeman rushes to the scene. The child, a girl about four years old, sneaks into the hero’s automobile and hides herself. So when the hero is on his way he dis- covers the child. She calls him papa. A policeman comes along and is about to arrest him for kidnapping when the child calls him papa. The policeman then orders him to take the child home. He does so. At his home he discovers a w'elt on the child’s shoulder and learns from her that she had been whipped by the old hag, who was not her mother. The hero feels so much pity for the little girl that he orders his ser- vants to buy clothes for her and to dress her up. The child is so intelligent that he becomes attached to her. The child is the means of his being saved from marrying the adven- turess; just as the minister was about to make them man and wife, the child reaches the hero’s yacht, where the wedding ceremony was being performed, and calls him papa. At that moment she loses her balance and falls into the water. The hero dives after her and saves her from drown- ing. The hero discovers the mercenary motives of his fiancee and of her mother and refuses to go through with the wedding ceremony, determined to devote his time to rearing
January 23 , 1932
his little girl. By this time he realized that the girl’s nurse loved him and he proposes to her. She accepts.
The story is by Dale Van Every ; the direction, by Thorn- ton V. Freeland. Zasu Pitts is the nurse, Dorothy Christy the fiancee. Grace Hampton, Qaude Allister, Richard Cramer and others are in the cast. Not a substitution.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing. If the exhibitors should advertise Cora Sue Collins, emphasizing her acting ability and her charm, they might help the picture to draw bigger crowds.
“Union Depot” with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
(First National, Jan. 23 ; running time, 68 min.)
A fast-moving, interesting and at times exciting picture, handled artistically. One is held in suspense to the very end. There is no real connected story, for it is made up of strange experiences that befall different individuals, all of whom come together in a large railroad station. Practically all the action takes place in the railroad station, and within a few hours. The setting is very realistic, for people are shown hurrying for their trains, porters running around with bag- gage, and announcers calling out the various stations. There are some human touches, too, as for instance the showing of a mother with her two children going to her vacation, sor- rowfully taking leave of her husband, who cannot afford to accompany them. One of the most exciting situations is where the hero gives chase to a murderer, jumping from one train to another,.across tracks and back to the station, where he captures him. There is one situation that is bold ; it is where the hero attempts to becomes intimate with the heroine : —
The story revolves around the hero, a hobo. He and his hobo pal, just out of jail, are hungry and broke. They arrive at Union Depot. The hero tells his partner to wait outside while he sees what he can pick up. He goes to the wash-room and there is greeted by a drunk, who rushes away to make his train and who negligently leaves his bag behind. The hero takes it, finds shaving utensils, a new suit of clothes and money, and he emerges like a gentleman, with the money in his pocket. He is about to leave the station when he is attracted by the heroine. She is a chorus-girl, broke, and desperate. She needs the fare to get to a Western state where a show is playing and where she had been offered a job. She consents to go to a hotel with the hero for the money, but he discovers she is a good girl and so he, not only does not harm her. but also stakes her to the fare. His pal finds a baggage ticket. They redeem it and find it is a violin case filled with money. It is not until he buys clothes for the heroine that the hero discovers the money is counter- feit. He and the heroine are arrested, but eventually the real counterfeiter is found and they are released. The heroine tearfully parts from the hero. He and his pal take to the road again.
The plot was adapted from a storv by Joe Laurie. Gene Fowlers and Douglas Du^'kin. It was directed hv Alfred E. Greene In the cast are Joan Blondell. Guy Kibbee. Alan Hale. Gcorcre Ro.sener, Dickie Moore, and others. The talk is e'ear. Not a substitution.
Because of the situation in which the hero attemnts to become intimate with the heroine, the picture is unsuitable for children or for Sunday showing.
THE PATHE RELEASE SCHEDULE FOR SHORTS
Because of our inability to get the Pathe release schedule for shorts when it was needed, the last Index was published without such a schedule. It is now possible for me to give
it to you.
RKO Pathe — One Reel
1 (16) Bie Game — Fables (714 min.) Aug. 3
1 (161 Olymnic Talent — Sporth'ghts (8V2 min.) . Aug. 9
2 (17) Love in the Pond — Fables (6 min ) Aug. 17
1 Woodrow Wilson’s Great Decision — Gibbons
(10l4 min.) Aug. 17
2 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Aug. 24
2 (17) Manhattan Mariners — Sport. (8j^ min.) Aug. 24
2 Beneath the Southern Cross — Vagabond
(10 min.) (reset) Aug. 31
3 (18) Fly Hi — Fables (7]A min.) .Aug. 31
3 (18) Floating Fun — Sportlights (9 min.) Sept. 7
2 The Turn of the Tide — Gibbons (11 min.) Sept. 14
4 (19) The Family Shoe — Fables (6)^ min.) . . . .Sept. 14
3 The Utmost Isle — Vagabond Sept. 21
January 23, 1932
HARRISON’S REPORTS
15
3 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Sept. 21
4 (19) Pigskin Progress — Sport. min.) Sept. 21
5 (20) Fairj land Follies — Fables (8^ min.) Sept. 28
5 (20) Timing — Sportlights (9)4 min.l Oct. 5
6 (21) Horse Cops — Fables (7)4 min.) Oct. 12
4 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Oct. 19
6 (21) Pack and Saddle — Sport. (10)4 min.) Oct. 19
7 (22) Riders of Riley — Sport. (9 min.) (reset) . .Oct. 26
4 Song of the Vodoo (Through the Ages) —
Vagabond (8)4 min.) (reset) Oct. 26
7 Cowboy Cabaret — Fables (7 min.) Oct. 26
8 In Dutch — Fables (6)4 min.) Xov. 9
8 Canine Champions — Sportlights (9)4 min.) Xov. 16
5 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Xov. 16
5 Thru the Ages (Children of the Sun) —
Vagabond (10)4 min.) (reset) X'ov. 23
9 The Last Dance — Fables (7)4 min.) Xov. 23
9 Uncrowned Champions — Sport. (9)4 min.) Xov. 30
6 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Dec. 14
10 Ducks and Drakes — Sportlights (9 min.) Dec. 14
6 Children of the Sun — (Vagabond) (9 min.) Dec. 21
7 Pathe Review — (magazine) (11 min.) Jan. 16
11 College Grapplers — Sportlights (9 min.) Jan. 27
10 Toy Time — Fables (7^ min.) Jan. 27
RKO Pathe — Two Reels
2373 Selling Shorts — Trav. Man com. (19 min.) . .Xov. 30
2383 Easy to Get — Gay Girl com. (19)4 min.) Dec. 7
2363 Camping Out — .\verage Man com. (19)4 m.) .Dec. 14
2323 Doomed to Win — Rufftown com. (18)4 min.) .Dec. 21
2334 Guests Wanted — Benny Rubin (18)4 min.) Jan. 18
2314 Wide Open Spaces — Masquer, com. (19 min.)
(reset) Jan. 25
2344 The X’ews Hound — Frank McHugh (19)4m.) .Jan. 25
2374 Stop That Run — Trav. Man (19 min.) Feb. 1
2384 Only Men Wanted — Gay Girl com. (20 min.) .Feb. 8
2364 Bon Vo>-age — .\verage Man com. ( 19 min.) . . Feb. 22
2324 Battle Royal — Rufftown com. (17)4 min.) Feb. 29
“Sunset Trail” with Ken Maynard
(Tiffany, released Jan. 3 : time, 59 min.)
Dwply appealing. It is. in fact, one of the most appealing stories given to Mr. Ma>Tiard in a long time. The human interest is awakened by the hero’s attachment for an orphan boy, son of a dead friend of his. bv the lo>-alt>- the boy shows toward the hero, and by the warm friendship that exists be- tween the hero and another cowboy. There are several situ- ations that thrill one. They show much shooting between the hero and his friend, on the one hand, and the \nllains on the other : —
The hero settles in a town to look after the ten-year old son of a dead pal of his. His pal. a cowboy, feels restless and uses all his wiles to lure the hero back to cowpunching : but the hero does not want to do it because of the boy. who could get an education only if they remained in the town. The pal runs away from the two and gets a job on a ranch, belonging to the heroine. Much shooting is going on because the villains, in league with a crooked banker, were deter- mined to drive the heroine off the ranch, making her sell it for a “song.” The pal interests the hero in the heroine’s plight and the hero and his little friend set out to find their pal and to help him chastise the villains. They arrive at the ranch just as a shooting affray was going on. The hero attacks the rillains from behind and drives them off. During another shooting affair, the rillains shoot and kill the pal. This saddens the heart of th** hero and breaks the heart of the little bov. The hero determines to bring the murderers to justice He eyentuallv succeeds. Since bv this time he had fallm love with the heroine and she with him. they many. He is also made a sheriff.
The stor>- is by Ben Cohn : it was directed bv R. Reeves E!ason. who several vears ago made manv deeplv aopoaling pictures for Lniver«al. Ruth Hiatt is the heroine. T^rank Rice the pal. Buddv Hunter the boy. and Philo McCullough the crooked banker.
Excellent for children and for Sunday showing.
“Dance Team” with James Dunn and Sally Eilers
(Fox, Jan. 17 : running time, 85 min.) Entertaining! .\lthough the stor\- material is not novel, it has been handled artistically, and the picture holds one’s attention. There is much human interest aroused mainly by the trials and tribulations of the hero and the heroine, who
try to become famous dancers. Some of the situations cause much humor. One of such situations is where the hero is determined that he and the heroine will get their start. He takes her to a good restaurant, orders a fort}' dollar dinner, and then tells the proprietor he has no money, but is willing to dance for the check. They are both thrown out. The heroine at all times arouses ^e sympathy of the audience because of her kindness and patience. The hero at times arouses sympathy for he, too, is kind, but for the most part he displays such vanitj- and pig-headedness that he becomes disagreeable : —
The hero and the heroine both love dancing. They are overjoyed at becoming acquainted for they decide to team up and become great dancers. The hero is vain and yet has a great deal of confidence in their eventual success. He warns the heroine not to fall in love with him, because it might interfere with business, but he falls in love with her and is happy when she confesses that she, too, loves him. The hero’s great fault is his quick temper and his desire to fight upon the least provocation. For months they meet with no success, for they cannot even get engagements, and so they are forced to take jobs outside their profession. But their big chance comes. Thej* are engaged to dance in a new night club, and they are an overnight sensation. They become famous and draw huge salaries. But this causes a rift in their love affair. The hero spends his time with a debutante who is mad about him. and the heroine is seen with a young man of a wealthy family. They are both heartbroken for the}- still love each other, but they do not understand each other. The hero, egged on by the debutante, picks a quarrel with the heroine’s friend. There is a fight, and he is dis- charged. He goes broke and drinks. She becomes engaged to her wealthy friend. A few days before her wedding, an old actor friend of theirs brings the hero and the heroine to- gether again. It is plain they still love each other and vow to start all over again and never to part.
The plot was adapted from the novel by Sarah Addington. It was directed by Sidney Lanfield. In the cast are Minna Gombell, Harry Berresford, Edward Crandell, Ralph Mor- gan, and others. The talk is clear.
Suitable for children and for Sunday shovs-ing.
SuBSTiTCTiox F.\cts : In the contract Xo. 311 is listed as “A Ticket to Hell,” from the original by Barr}- Connors, and since “Dance Team” has been founded on the story by Sarah Addington it is a story substitution.
“Forgotten Women”
(Monogram, Jan. 14; running time, 66 win.)
An ordinal-}- program picture. The hero behaves like a cad. for when he is poor the heroine takes care of him, tends him when he gets drunk, and in general looks after his wel- fare. But once he attains success, he neglects her, becomes engaged to a wealthy girl without telling the heroine, and even permits her to spend the night with him on the pretext that he will marr}- her the next day. In the end he changes, but it is not enou^ to win s}-mpathy for him. The humor is caused by the elderly friend of the heroine, who lives with her. S'ne eventually shows the hero up and makes him realize the error of his ways. There is some excitement towards the end. w-here the hero is shown giving chase by automobile to the heroine, w ho was running away with a gangster, because of her disappointment in him ; —
The heroine and her elderly friend are roommates and both w-ork as extras in moving picture studios. The hero, a new-spaper reporter, lives in the same house and he and the heroine are sweethearts. M’ith the help of the heroine’s friend he is able to get a scoop for his paper and he is pro- moted. The editor’s daughter becomes interested in him. He moves to better lodgings and only sees the heroine w-hen he is forced to. He takes her driring one day and is afraid to tell her of his attachment for the w-ealthy girl. She thinks he w-ill marr}- her and so she spends the night with him. only to w-ake up in the morning to find a curt note for her from him. She leaves in tears and joins a flight}- friend of hers. They visit a notorious gangster and the heroine consents to go on a cruise w-ith him. Her elderly friend finds out about this and rushes to the hero. She admonishes him. and begs him to give chase to the heroine and the gangster. He decides to do this and she joins him. They overtake the gangster and the hero and the heroine are united.
The plot w-as adapted from a stor}- by Welh-n Totman. and directed by Richard Thorpe. In the cast are Marion Shilling. Ber} l Mercer, Rex Bell, Edna Murphy and others. The talk is clear.
X'ot suitable for children or for Sunday show-ing.
X'oTE : There is a close-up of a Yellow Cab Company taxi.
16
HARRISON^S REPORTS
January 23, 1932
LET THE SLOGAN BE “MORE AND BETTER PICTURES”!
For the last ten years I have been hearing nothing but advice to the producers to make fewer pictures as the only way for them to make the pictures better.
Fewer than one-half the pictures are made today than were made a few years ago, and yet the quality has not been poorer at any time in the history of the business. And at no time were the number of good pictures greater than in 1917, when the number of pictures produced was about the highest.
Instead of fewer pictures the producers should plan to make more, for with the number greater their chances of making more good pictures will be more favorable.
If there are to be any slogans connected with the pro- duction of pictures, let one slogan be : “More and Better Pictures !”
LOOK OUT FOR SCHEMERS
From time to time this paper receives information from exhibitors to the effect that this, that, or another person or group of persons have put over in their towns some fake advertising scheme, fleecing the merchant of considerable money; they suggest that the facts be published so as to warn other exhibitors lest they, or the merchants of their towns, too, become victims.
I shall not call your attention to the danger of printing such matters before a full investigation of the facts is made, but will say that it is not conceivable that an exhibitor with even a fair amount of intelligence will give support to per- sons he knows nothing about, before making a complete investigation as to their reliability. Let each exhibitor de- mand bank and other reliable references before endorsing their plans.
Exhibitors in small towns should be very careful ; because of the depression, there will be many a get-rich-quick scheme proposed to him. It is necessary for him, therefore, to investigate each plan thoroughly before taking any action.
BRINGING CHILDREN “IN” TO SHOCK THEM
Since sound came, the child custom has fallen off con- siderably.
One of the causes given is the inability of children to give to their emotions full play on account of the talk. But the greatest cause has been, in my opinion, the low tone of the pictures produced ; the filthy stories and the dirty talk forced many parents to keep their children away from pic- tures.
Whatever the cause, however, the loss of child custom has been felt at the box office and the producers decided some- time ago to make an effort to bring it back by the produc- tion of pictures that have the greatest appeal to children.
Paramount has been the prime mover in this movement. Encouraged by the box office success of “Tom Sawyer,’’ it made “Huckleberry Finn,’’ “Tom Sawyer, Detective,’’ “Skippy,” and “Sooky.” Some of the other producers make child pictures, too, but not as many as Paramount.
“Sooky,” shown at the Rivoli for several weeks recently, attracted much child trade, not only because the story ap- peals to children, but also because of the popularity of Jackie Cooper.
During the showing of this picture, there was flashed on the screen a trailer advertising “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” The scenes were selected from among the most horrid, horrid enough to give children as many nightmares as would be given to them by the entire picture. And yet not a single person from among Sam Katz’s forces had sense enough to realize that it was wrong to shock children drawn to the theatre by means of a picture made specially for them. I know of at least one case where a child had had night- mares for several nights after seeing the trailer.
I have been preaching right along that circuit manage- ment of theatres is inefficient in that it lacks individuality of management. No better evidence could be adduced to prove the truth of such an assertion.
How could it be different ? The producer-exhibitors have driven from the, business at least two thousand experienced brains and tried to let three or four men in New York City do the thinking of all these men. They have driven away such men as E. V. Richards, S. Barrett McCormick, Mike Comerford. J. J. McCarthy and many more of similar caliber, with creative ability, sacrificing them to the alter of cn'otism, vanity, and selfishness.
There is a pay day for every wrong. Some af the per- petrators of this wrong have already paid. And they will
keep on paying until they restore theatre management to individuals. Unless this is done, we shall always have ex- amples of stupidity such as shown at the Rivoli Theatre, where children were attracted to be entertained by a pleas- ing picture to be shocked by an atrocious trailer.
IF LIBELLING OF THE NEWSPAPER PEOPLE WERE TO CONTINUE!
“A considerable share of the libellous characterization of newspapers in the movies,” writes Marlen Pew, of Editor & Publisher The Pourth Estate, “is easily traceable to a spite motive. I have in mind the authors of two such pictures, known to me as newspaper haters. Both had their day of opportunity in metropolitan newspaper work. Both failed, one as wretchedly as any man I know, for this collapse was both professional and moral. It is with ill concealed delight that he pictures his old trade, and his former colleagues, as degenerate racketeers, and conscienceless exploiters of everything that is decent. These authors no doubt get a thrill out of such misrepresentation, a low and mean emo- tion, but please consider the ease with which slanders have been unloaded on Hollywood. Dear old Hollywood that has been made, root and branch by favorable newspaper publi- city ! If Mr. Will H. Hays is Czar of the movies, he must give tacit approval of these offenses against newspapers that have certainly been good to him. He possesses power to curb movie abuses, and sometimes has exercised it, but not in behalf of newspapermen, judging from the continuing flood of ‘spite’ pictures giving the American movie-audience a totally false conception of editorial methods and reportor- ial ethics. I can advise Mr. Hays that no editor in the land would publish a false and scandalous characterization of the movies written by some actor, manager or director who had failed to make good in the movies and now seeks to vent his spleen and capitalize his plight at the expense of former employers and associates. That sort of lose and unprin- cipled conduct is left for Mr. Hays’ outfit in Hollywood. Newspaper men are fed up. And the public also is not wholly deceived. Editors are receiving protests from out- raged readers. .~. .” ■
It is not difficult to understand and appreciate the bitter- ness and resentment Mr. Pew expresses in his article. Regardless of how many producers may feel inwardly, the newspaper people have been extremely kind to the moving picture industry. It is natural for him, as representing the sentiment of his fellow-newspapermen, then, to resent the moving picture industry’s ingratitude.
The newspaper people have been very tolerant toward the moving picture industry, but this should not embolden the producers to keep their tactics unchanged. Two weeks ago I saw a picture in which a newspaper cameraman was shown aboard a ship ready to photograph important per- sonages arriving from abroad ; he had his camera in his hands and a bottle of booze in his overcoat pocket. The booze bottle added nothing to the picture ; and yet it was there. (It is not there now; I pointed out to one of the ■executives how wise it would be for him to have it removed and he proceeded to have it removed forthwith.)
If the producers of moving pictures would show as much respect for the newspaper folk as they show for the humble citizens of a neighboring republic, I am sure that they would have the good will of the newspapers. It is not known prob- ably to the new'spaper profession but it is a fact that no moving picture can show a Mexican as a villain ; the Mex- ican Government took care of that ; it protested to Mr. Hays several years ago and Mr. Hays pointed out to the members of his organization the necessity of complying' with the Mexican Government’s request. Is he going to show the same courtesy to those who have been his friends and the friends of the moving picture industry? “Hot News,” the novel by Emil Gavreau, which MGM has bought and an- nounced for production in the 1932-33 season, should be the answer.
METRO THEATRE Clarendon, Ark.
January 8, 1932.
H.\rrison’s Reports,
New York.
Gentlemen : ' - " ‘
Kindly forward a sample copy of your publication and rates of subscription.
An exchange manager told me yesterday he did not see how. any exhibitor could possibly do without your publica- tion on the matter of substitution advice alone.
Yours truly,
J. \V. Crabtree.
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
Yearly Subscription Rates:
United States $15.00
U. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00
Canada, Alaska 16.00
Mexico, Spain, Cuba 16.00
Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 Other Foreign Countries.. 17.60 35c a Copy
1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y.
A Motion Picture Reviewing Service by a Former Exhibitor Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors
Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor.
Published Weekly by
P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher
Established July 1,1019
/
PEnnsylvania 6-6379
Cable Address : Harreports (Bentley Code)
A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING
Vol. XIV SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1932 N^5
LOW SALES TACTICS
Fairfax, Minnesota, is a town of one thousand and sixty inhabitants. That is what the Federal census of 1930 said.
A. M. Inman conducts a theatre in that village — the Topic.
I don’t know just how many nights a week he runs but I doubt if, under business conditions that prevail just now, he is open more than three nights a week.
If he runs three nights a week, the greatest number of pictures he could use in a year would be about one hundred and fifty.
The total number of feature pictures produced a year in the last few years is around four hundred, and since he can use only about one hundred and fifty he must naturally leave about two hundred and fifty unplayed. In other words, he cannot satisfy all the producer-distributors. Had there been no block-booking, he could choose a few of the best from each distributor and thus buy pictures from all, but the most he can satisfy now is three or four distributors.
Among the distributors Mr. Inman was compelled to leave unsatisfied was Columbia. But Columbia would not have it that way — it was not to be left disappointed ; its illustrious President, Joe Brandt, felt that since Mr. Inman, like Mohammed, could not go to the “mountain,” the “moun- tain had to go to Mohammed.” And no sooner did he con- ceive this idea than he proceeded to make Mr. Inman go to Columbia.
What are the means he adopted? He broadcast a form letter to the people of Fairfax telling them that the reason why they do not see Columbia pictures at the Topic is because they have not asked Mr. Inman to book them, and that Mr. Inman would be glad to book them if they would only speak to him.
Talking about sandbagging!
I have written to Mr. Inman telling him that the people of Fairfax ought to know the real reasons why he is not showing Columbia pictures, and lest he should be too busy to frame a form letter himself, in order to help him, I took the liberty of framing it myself. Here it is :
“Dear Mr. (or Madam) :
“I understand that Mr. Joe Brandt, President of Colum- bia Pictures Corporation, has sent you a letter informing you that the reason why you do not see Columbia Pictures at the Topic Theatre is because I do not know your wishes in the matter and that if you would speak to me and ask me to book them I shall only be too glad to do so.
“This is, of course, not the real reason why I am not showing Columbia pictures ; having conducted this theatre for a long time I am thoroughly familiar with your wishes. In booking pictures, therefore, I always try to book those that will appeal to you most. The real reason is this :
“The pictures are sold to us before they are made. Each summer or fall the salesman comes to us with printed mat- ter describing a small number of them ; most of them are not described at all.
“Seven of the Columbia pictures were described ; some of them are the following :
“ ‘THE ARTIST’S MODEL,’ to be founded on the Cosmopolitan Magazine short story by Rupert Hughes. According to expert opinion, the plot is very weak, and so it will not make a good picture, but Columbia decided to make a picture out of it because of the fact that the heroine poses in the nude.
“ ‘ZELDA MARSH,’ the Charles G. Norris novel : The heroine contracts an illicit love affair. The material is gloomy and sordid and not a wholesome entertainment.
“ ‘BLONDE BABY,’ the novel by Wilson Collison. It is a coarse book and it deals with sex. Some of the dialogue in it is the rawest ever printed.
“ ‘THE HALF WAY GIRL,’ the novel by Hawthorne Hurst. It is a filthy story, and some of the dialogue is vile.
“These are a few of them. And I am sure you will agree with me that I have done the wisest thing a self-respecting theatre manager could do when I did not book the Columbia pictures.
“I admit, of course, that Columbia has good pictures, too. These I would be only too glad to book if Mr. Brandt would only let me choose the ones that I would not be ashamed to show to you and to your children. But he will not let me do it. Ask him 1 His address is 729 Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y.”
This form letter, with some modifications, may be used by exhibitors in all other towns where Mr. Brandt may have broadcast the same form letter as he broadcast at Fairfax.
SCRAP THE HAYS CODE OF ETHICS!
I wish Mr. Hays had never formulated his famous Code of Ethics, for in the pre-code days a producer felt certain personal responsibility for the filth he put into his pictures whereas now he cloaks himself with this Code and commits nothing short of “grand larceny” or even “murder.”
Some of these days you will receive for showing, or will see in another theatre, the Paramount picture “No One Man,” and you will recall these words and will justify me for having expressed them. In the opening scenes, a young maid is shown lying on her bed in hysterics and saying to her mistress that she thought she could “get away with it” seeing society belles taking liberties with young men, but that she had found out she could not, implying that she had been seduced and that she feared the consequences. Her mistress tells her that the liberties society girls take are merely in talk and, after comforting her, assures her that she will “see her through.” Towards the end of the picture this maid gives birth to a baby.
In another situation Paul Lukas, who takes the part of a doctor, is shown telling Cortez, husband of Carole Lombard, to give up drinking and to put an end to his obeying his sexual impulses because he had a bad heart and might drop dead any minute unless he carried out his instructions. Cortez, who knew that Lukas was madly in love with Lom- bard, thinks that the doctor had conceived the heart trouble so as to keep him away from her in order to enjoy her him- self. A few scenes later Cortez is found dead in the room of Juliette Compton, his “flame,” and the causes of his death will not escape even children of twelve.
Is there no shame at all in the producers of pictures whether under or outside the Hays Code? Don’t they feel any responsibility when they make lust so attractive to young women and children? Why should they keep on judg- ing the rest of the country by the few among those in their narrow circle ?
I wish some exhibitors would take the Hays code and, after modifying it to bring it up-to-date so as to cover cases that were not foreseen by this code, introduce it in the legislatures of all the states with a view to putting it on the statute books as part of the criminal code. It is one time Mr. Hays could not work against its adoption, for he would have no reason to give for fighting his own brain child.
MILITARY POLITENESS IN USHERS
Nothing can irritate an intelligent person more than the sight of an u.sher acting with Prussian military precision.
Politeness and courtesy towards customers are, of course, a requisite, but heavy boot militarism is out of place in a democratic country.
Manifestly the heads of some producer circuits do not understand human psychology, and the others ape them ; they, no doubt, say to themselves, “If so-and-so has adopted this system it must be right 1”
18
HARRISON’S REPORTS
“The Man I Killed” with Lionel Barrymore, Phillips Holmes and Nancy Carroll
{Paramount, Jan. 23; running time, 75 min.)
Of those who will see this picture with a critical eye, none will gainsay that it is a piece of art so far as direction and acting is concerned ; but it can be hardly called an en- tertainment, for it is too depressing. There are tearful situa- tions, it is true, but they are the kind that leave one in a frame of mind of having attended a funeral, for there are shown mothers visiting a graveyard and mourning over the graves of their loved ones ; fathers grieving for their sons, killed in action ; people with hatred in their hearts against other people as a result of the war. And there is nothing to relieve the gloomy atmosphere. Instead of entertaining all those who will see it, it will bring back unhappy memories to them. Even though the hero is in the end relieved of his tragic thoughts when the parents of the boy he had killed at the front feel towards him as their own son, a fact which brings happiness to him, yet the feeling of depression is not driven off one’s mind.
The story revolves around the unhappiness of a young French soldier caused by his having killed a young German soldier on the battlefield. Knowing the name and the address of the boy, which he had found in a book next to the body, he determines to go to the boy’s parents, confess to them and seek their forgiveness. Once there, however, he cannot force himself to tell them. They think he is an old Parisian friend of their son’s. They learn to love him as their own son and pray that he will remain with them. The hero falls in love with the heroine, who had been the Ger- man boy’s fiancee. He confesses to her, but she refuses to allow him to tell the boy’s parents because of the great pain it would cause them. Instead he tells them he will stay with them always. At last the parents feel some happiness again.
The plot was adapted from the play by Maurice Rostand. In the cast are Tom Douglas, Zasu Pitts, Lucien Littlefield, Louise Carter and others. The talk is clear.
Although there is nothing morally objectionable in the picture, it is too morbid for children or for Sunday showing.
“The Last Ride”
(Universal, December 28 ; running time, 62 min.)
Not only is the story poor but also the acting is terrible. It is a racketeer story, in which the leader of one of the fac- tions is brother to a newspaper reporter, who has been as- signed to get the stuff on racketeering. The dramatic punch is supposed to be delivered when the reporter learns that Big Boy, who had been murdered by the rival faction, his body having been thrown in front of his house, is his own brother. To continue the dramatic effect, the reporter is shown as having joined the rival gang under an assumed name with the purpose of finding out the man who had murdered his brother and so to avenge his death. To ac- complish this, he has the editor of the paper use his influ- ence to bring about his acquaintance with the leader of the murderous gang. But the acting is so mechanical that hardly any effect is produced upon one’s emotions and feelings. Even if the direction and the acting were of the best, gang- ster stories have now fallen into disrepute and it is hard to arouse any interest in them.
Arthur Hoerle wrote the story ; Duke Worne has di- rected it. Dorothy Revier, Virginia Brown Faire, Charles Morton, Frank Mayo, Tom Santschi, Francis Ford and others are in the cast.
Not suitable for children or for Sunday showing.
“No One Man” with Carole Lombard, Paul Lukas and Ricardo Cortez
(Paramount, Jan. 30; running time, 71 min.)
A demoralizing sex picture with hardly anv human inter- est. The characters arouse no sympathy. The heroine is a loose-living young girl, who indulges every whim of the moment. Marriage is treated as a joke and just as one step towards indiscreet affairs. The heroine’s husband, although presumably in love with the heroine, carries on affairs with other women to such an extent that it ruins his health. There is one extremelv u?rlv situation in which the husband, re- gardless of the doctor’s warnings, goes to the room of his “flame.” A short while later he is found dead there, and the reason for it is easv to under.stand. Another ugly situation is where the heroine’s maid attempts to commit suicide. She had listened to the heroine’s talk about free love and tried it 0"t. onlv to find that she could not take the consequences. The story is inane, useless and at times even ridiculous. As a matter of fact it is iust so much filthy trash: —
The heroine, a wealthy society girl, once divorced, is contcmnlating marriage with a young sportsman. She knows he has had many affairs but she hopes that he will change to
January 30, 1932
some extent after they are married. During a party she dis- covers him making love to an old flame of his. This disgusts her and she determines not to marry him. She is interested in the hero, a hard-workng physician. He proposes to her and although she does not love him she agrees to marry him. They elope. The sportsman follows them and forces the heroine to change her mind and marry him instead. The hero is thoroughly disgusted at the heroine when she con- sents to do this. After a year of marriage she finds that it is really the doctor she loved all the time. Her husband does not work, does not feel any qualms about being supported by her, and continues having his affairs with women. The doctor warns him of his heart condition and tells him he must abstain from physical indulgence. Thinking this a plot on the part of the doctor to keep him away from the heroine, he purposely visits his flame. He is found dead in her room. The heroine gives up her flighty way of living and becomes a nurse in the hero’s sanitarium. Eventually they are united.
The plot was adapted from the novel by Rupert Hughes. It was directed by Lloyd Corrigan. In the cast are Juliette Compton, George Barbier, Virginia Hammond, Arthur Pierson, Frances Moffett and Irving Bacon. The talk is clear.
Poison for children. Unsuitable for Sunday showing.
“Deadline” with Buck Jones
(Columbia, Sept, 28; running time, 64 min.)
An excellent Western. It has human interest, much action, and holds one in suspense to the very end. In addition the hero and the heroine are shown as being people of fine chasacter; the hero, for instance, released from prison, retuses to be friendly with the heroine, although he loved her, until he proved his innocence, for he did not want to in- volve her or affect her reputation. The heroine, in turn, re- gardless of the town gossips, tries to induce the hero to be friendly, for she had always believed in his innocense. There is some good comedy, too, caused by the endeavors of a lovable young boy to bring the two lovers together. The friendship between this boy and the hero is appealing. As a matter oi fact the picture is far more entertaining tlian many of the feature pictures that have been shown recently in uie large downtown theatres : —
The hero, after having served one year of a five year sentence for manslaughter, is paroled. The warden warns him that one false step will land him back in jail. He returns to his home town determined to find the real murderer. He is snubbed by all but the heroine, her father, who is the town banker, a young boy, and two old cronies of his. He deter- mines, however, not to be friendly with the heroine until he has proved his innocense. The only clue he has to the real murderer is a letter that had been found on the mur- dered man, which showed that he was after a man named Clink, wanted in Texas. He suspects a certain man (villain). The villain is after the heroine, but she repulses him. He involves the hero in another murder by stealing his horse so that it might be seen by witnesses near where the murder had been committed. Again the hero is put in jail. But the villain frees him so as to get the Sheriff and his men to chase him ; this act would leave the coast clear for him to rob the bank. But the hero had overheard all this and is successful in capturing the villain, returning the money, and rewinning the love of the heroine.
The story was written and directed by Lambert Hillyer in a very competent manner. In the cast are Loretta Sayers, Robert Ellis, Knute Erickson, George Ernst and others. The talk is clear.
Suitable for children and for Sunday showing.
“University of Southern California — Notre Dame Football Game”
(Sono Art-World Wide; released nozo; 45 min.)
This is a condensed account of the football game that was played between the University of Southern California and Notre Dame. It is naturally exciting, as all well played football games are. particularly for football fans; and there are millions of them. It is shown just as played, in four ouarters. The picture contains the most important plays of the game.
It might prove a good attraction as an addition to the program, provided the lateness in releasing it has not hurt its drawing powers.
If you expect to show it, you should be careful to make it plain to your patrons that this is not a drama, and that it is merely a photographic reproduction of the .game just as it 'vas plaved at South Bend, Indiana, on November 21, last vear in which Notre Dame was defeated for the first time in years.
HARRISON’S REPORTS
19
January 30, 1932
“Charlie Chan’s Chance” with Warner Oland
{Fox, Jan. ^4; running time, 71 min.j
The most entertaining detective and murder mystery produced in a long time ; it holds one in tense suspense. The identity of the murderer comes as a surprise for at no time is he suspected. There are several exciting situations. One of such situations is where Charlie Chan is trapped in the room of a Chinese accomplice of the murderer. This accom- plice planned to murder Charlie but this plan is upset and, instead, he is killed by the trap he had set for Charlie. There is sympathy felt for both the hero and the heroine, who are in love with each other, and who innocently become involved in the murder mystery. The manner in which Charlie Chan discovers the