JANUARY

: January
—
The
EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
(Continued from preceding page)
turned out okay. I only played it one day,
though—Thursday. Weather: Clear and cold.
—Herman M. Perkins jr.. Alpha Theatre,
*
Catonsville, Md. General patronage.
Drums in South the Deep (RKO)—James
Crai°. Guy Madison, Barbara Payton. This
is no'thingto write home about. Patron comment
was about evenly divided. Played with
••Anne of the Indies" (20th-Foxi to below
average business. However. RKO sold this
one about right. The combination just
didn't jell. Played Sun., Mon. Weather:
Clear. — Don Donohue, Novate Theatre,
Novate, Calif. Small town trade. * * *
Make Mine Music (RKO)—Benny Goodman,
Dinah Shore, the Andrews Sister. Undoubtedly
Disney's genius cannot be denied
but he must realize that a film without a
story is not going to find the same appeal
as a film with one. This is a brilliant picture.
Some of the episodes like Benny Goodman's
"After You're Gone," 'Alice Blue Bonnet"
and "Peter, the Wolf" are excellent—
but these do not go far toward making the
film a moneymaker. As long as Disney films
have a story, there'.s nobody to touch him.
This received a mixed reception—and above
all, it did not please the children. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Warm.—Dave S.
Klein, Astra Theatre, Kitwe/Nkana, Northern
Rhodesia, Africa. Business and mining
* * "
trade.
i—Reissue.
They Got Me Covered ( RKO
Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Otto Preminger.
Our basketball professional and high school
games kept this from doing extra business,
but this is still good for a lot of laughs. We
were smiling because we made a few bucks.
Why can't Hope's pictures all be this good?
Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Cold.—Ken
Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D.
Small town trade.
* ''
REPUBLIC
Showdown (Rep)—William Elliott, Walter
Brennan, Marie Windsor. This is better than
the average western that drew less than average
business, with another good pictm-e on
a weekend double bill. It has action, a good
cast, and a good story, so should have had
a better draw. Played Pri., Sat. Weather:
Cold.—Mayme P. Mus.selman, Roach Theatre,
Lincoln, Kas. Small town trade. * * *
Joan of Ozark (Rep)—Reissue. Judy Canova,
Joe E. Brown, Eddie Foy jr. When these
two mouths get together, it can't spell anytliing
but fun, and any country audience will
eat it up. I had a dozen people ask why
Joe and Judy never team up atiymore. If
any of you have played this recently or are
going to play it, see if my eyes were playing
tricks—or does Gene Kelly do a dance number
in this? Doubled with "Rose of the
Yukon" to 150 per cent for midweek. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Wind and rain.—Bob
Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Small
*
town, rural trade.
" '
20th CENTURY-FOX
Anne of the Indies (20th-Pox) — Louis
Jourdan, Jean Peters, Debra Paget. Here is
a complete bust if there ever was one. Business
was below average and thus my film
rental percentage was top-heavy. Lately Fox
has been fudging a little and putting a few
of its pictures too high. I haven't had one
that paid its way since "The Day the Earth
Stood Still." Played Sun., Mon. Weather:
Clear.—Don Donohue, Novato Theatre, Novate,
Calif. Small town trade. * * *
Bird of Paradise (20th-Fox)—Louis Jourdan,
Debra Paget, Jeff Chandler. Here's a
nice little film. The story is very flimsy but
the color is the best we have seen in many
years. Debra Paget has made a hit here. I
hope Fox puts her in more shows. No one
actress has made such an impression as she
has. The entire production is well done and
is entertaining. The ending was disliked by
all. We played to sellout business but this
was also due to a scoop we had. The first
rugby (football* test between the South Africans
and Scotland, we flew up to our theatre
from Britain three days after the test was
played. The picture showed Fri., Sat. Weather:
Rain.—Dave S. Klein, Astra Theatre,
Kitwe/Nkana, Northern Rhodesia, Africa.
Business and mining trade.
' * '-
''
Follow the Sun (20th-Fox)—Glenn Ford,
Anne Baxter, Dennis O'Keefe, This didn't do
business. We have no sun—only winter and
television. Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Cold.
—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury,
Ont. Small town trade.
* *
For Heaven's Sake (20th-Fox) — Clifton
Webb, Joan Bennett, Robert Cummings. This
had an excellent trailer, but brother, beware!
The picture is a fancy dud in all ways.
It is not for a small town. If your Fox salesman
tries to sell you this, shoot him—and if
you already have it, shoot yourself! Business?
What business? Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Cold.—Ken Christianson, Roxy
Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Small town trade.
t„, Frogmen, The (20th-Fox)—Richard Widmark,
Dana Andrews, Gary Merrill. This
clinker established a new boxoffice record on
Calls This One Swell
For Action Night
OTEEL HELMET, THE (LP) — Gene
Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie.
This is a very good war picture that drew
average or better on a weekend double
bill. We let it get old but it seemed to
be very timely, and are glad we did.
It is not the type for your best time, but
swell for the action night. Played Fri.,
Sat. Weather: Very good.—Mayme P.
Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas.
Small town trade.
•* * *
preferred time—for low grosses. The people
walked out after the show with grim faces.
War dramas are through here, and only one
more to play off. Where are Fox's bread-andbutter
pictures? I can't find them, and I've
played quite a few Pox films.—Bob E. Thomas,
Orpheum Theatre, Strawberry Point. Iowa.
*
Small town, rural trade.
Meet Me After the Show (20th-Foxi—Betty
Grable, Macdonald Carey. Eddie Albert. This
is a very good show and well liked. I had a lot
of satisfied customers. Shows like this make
good business. Played Sun. through Tues.
Weather: Good.—M. W. Mattecheck, Mack
Theatre, McMinnville, Ore. City and rural
trade. * * *
Millionaire tor Christy, A —
(20th-Fox)
Eleanor Parker, Fred MacMurray, Richard
Carlson. Here is a good comedy but it did not
di-aw, and I took a loss on it. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger,
Dewey Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town
trade. * * *'
Mother Didn't Tell Me (20th-Fox)—Dorothy
McGuire, William Lundigan, June Havoc.
Just between us two, there was very little for
mother to tell. The cast did a good job but
the story was very weak. I had a good house
the first night but fell down a httle the second.
It did average business on Fri., Sat.
Weather: Cold.—Fred L. Murray, Strand Theatre,
Spiritwood, Sask. Small town, rural
trade.
•
* * *
UNITED ARTISTS
Rogue River (UAi — Rory Calhoun, Peter
Graves, Prank Fenton. This is a good action
picture in color but it was too old when I
played it, so business was just average.—E. M.
Freiburger, Dewey Theatre, Dewey, Okla.
Small town trade. * • *
Vicious Years, The (UA)—Tommy Cook,
Sybil Merritt, Eduard Franz. It's a mystery
to me why such pictures as this don't get
the advertising they deserve. There are some
colossal productions built up and advertised
for months before being released—then upon
release they aren't worth seeing—for free!
J. D. Wilbanks, Wagon Wheel Drive-In, Spearman,
Tex. Small town, rural trade. *
UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL
Blue Lagoon, The (U-I) —Jean Simmons,
Donald Houston, Noel Purcell. We picked
this up for Christmas eve and we did all
right, but had a lot more squawks on account
of the dialect, which was hard to
understand out here where we talk American.
Played Sunday. Weather: Cold.—Mayme P.
Musselman, Roach Tlieatre, Lincoln, Kas.
'' '' *
Small town trade.
Francis Goes to the Races (U-I)—Donald
O'Connor, Piper Laurie, Cecil Kellaway. I
don't know why Hollywood is so obsessed
with liquor drinking that they even have
to get the mules drunk in a picture now.
In a small town the almost-ever-present
drinking in pictures is a thorn in the exhibitor's
side, in my opinion.—Walt Rasmussen,
Star Theatre, Parkersburg, Iowa. Small town,
rural trade. * * *
Groom Wore Spurs, The (U-I) —Ginger
Rogers, Jack Car.son, Joan Davis. I let the
local Eastern Star chapter have this as a
benefit show, and they packed the house by
selling tickets in advance. The audience
laughed a lot and folks thoroughly enjoyed
themselves. However, I know that if I had
played it without making it a benefit show, it
would not have brought them in. Use some
push on this one and your patrons will be
well satisfied with the show. Played Tuesday
only. Weather: Cold.—Carl P. Neitzel,
Juno Theatre, Juneau, Wis. Local patronage.
* * *
Thunder on the Hill (U-D—Claudette Colbert,
Ann Blyth, Robert Douglas. This was
well received here. The boxoffice showed better
than average, and that's what we want.
A lot of new faces appeared that we hadn't
seen before. Monday was good but Tuesday
fell off, probably due to bad weather, rain
mixed with snow. Played Sun., Mon., Tues.—
G. P. Jonckowski, Lyric Theatre, Wabasso,
Minn. Small town, rural trade. *
WARNER BROS.
Fort Worth (WBi—Randolph Scott, David
Brian, Phyllis Thaxter. Randolph Scott is
always tops here and this one proved no
exception. Personally, I think Scott is fine
in the western and adventure type of show.
Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Good.—Audrey
Thompson. Ozark Theatre, Hardy, Ark. Rural,
small town trade. *
Flame and the Arrow, The (WB)—Burt
Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas.
There is no argument about this picture. It
is really worthy of screen presentation and
did extra business. Played Fri., Sat. Weather:
Fair.—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury,
Ont. Small town trade. * ' *
Strangers on a Train (WB)—Farley Granger,
Ruth Roman, Robert Walker. This story
is very good. It is well-made, with excellent
acting—the story of a screwball trying to
trade the murder of the other fellow's
estranged wife for the murder of his own
father. The action is very good in the last
reel and business was 'average. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Good.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz
Theatre, Jerome. Ariz. Mining trade. * * *
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :
12, 1952