Boxoffice-December.20.1952

fc__
I Iiold!>
I
01(OfflCEfi)rJDi1J]]i?llJD5
le EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY ABOUT PICTURES
ALLIED ARTISTS
B^irri'd (AA» — Lio Gorcey. Huntz
Muijorle Reynolds. This Is by far the
[of the Bowery Boys' pictures. They arc
as Kooct as Dean Miutln and Jerry
and they draw customers practically as
Why theatres In larger cities don't
these pictures Is a mystery to me.
It Is because Allied Artists Is a small
ay. I believe they would gross better
on the.se pictures thajj some that are
by the larger studios. Business wa-s
good. Weather: Fair.—Jerry B. Walden,
Theatre, Seagoville, Tex. Small-town
rural patronage.
COLUMBIA
First Time, The (Col)—Robert Cummlngs,
irbartl Hale, Bill Goodwin. F^om the raves
got I'm sorry we missed this but Melba
id I had to go to Denver to see about getig
a young mother into a TB sanitarium
id we didn't get back in time to see the
ature. Doubled with "Hit the Hay" (Col)
r fine business and a program which made
lem look me up to tell me about it afterirds
If you need a sure-fire combination
have it here. Played Sun., Mon.,
her: Rain.—Bob Walker, Umtah
iicatrc, hruita, Colo. Small-town and rural
itronage.
Marrying Kind, The (Col)—Judy Holliday,
Ido Ray, Madge Kennedy. A miserable flop
t the boxoffice. An all-time low. It's a good
icture—but not good for our situation. Played
rl.. Sat. Weather: Good.—Bill Brooks, Librty
Theatre, Hailey, Ida. Mining and faxmig
patronage.
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Biz Hangover, The (MGM)—Van John-
)n, Elizabetii Taylor, Percy Waram. Disppointing.
I thought that Van Johnson
I id Elizabeth Taylor would help but unjrtunately
it failed to go. Picture has some
ood humor but appears to be thrown totther
quickly. Unusual, especially for MGM,
company which specializes above all others
1 detail. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather:
lain.—G. J. Forhan, Montcalm Theatre,
lull, Que. Small-town and rural patron-
•ge.
Devfl M.ikes Three, The (MGM)—Gene
Celly, Pier Angeli, Richard Rober. Gene
eally brought people out to our theatre.
»Iore of them came than for "An American
n Paris." Many veterans who had fought
iround Munich recognized every bit of the
«enery. Comments complimented the pic-
.ure highly. Weather: Cold.—Jerry B. Wallen.
Crest Theatre, Seagoville, Tex. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Father's Little Dividend (MGM)—Spencer
rracy, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Bennett. Ex-
(.Uent family fare. Tracy never fails to get
^m in and he always pleases. Played Fri.,
i.. Sun. Weather: OIC.—Frank E. Sabin,
ijestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Small-town
rural patronage.
'earless Fagan (MGM)— Janet Leigh,
leton Carpenter, Keenan Wynn. In lookaround
for a Sf)ot for this comedy, I
decided it wasn't too long for part of the
u.siial double-bill fare on Frldny-.=;;i' .i i.iy. go
that was where it went. The kul ; me it up
and the grownups liked It, too. It pulled a
little better than I expected. Pagan U here
to stay If MGM wants to make a series ilmllar
to Univcr.sal'.s "Francis," "Bonzo" and
"Ma and Pa Kettle." I can use all they make.
Weather: Cold.— I. Roche. Vernon Theatre,
Vernon, Fla. Small-town and rural patronage.
It's a Bir Country (MGM)—Ethel Barrymore,
Gary Cooper, Van Johnson.
Every theatre
should play a picture like this at lea.t
once a year Just to help remind the public
what a great country we have. We failed to
find one customer who didn't like this picture.
We are so apt to take the good things in the
U.S.A. for granted: it's good to be reminded
of them occasionally. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: O.K.—C. L. Jensen, Esmond Theatre,
Esmond, N. D. Small-town and rural patronage.
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (MGM)
James Mason, Ava Gardner, Nigel Patrick.
Excellent color photography and Interesting
Extra Effort Paid
Off This Time
pODEO (AA)—Jane Nigh, John Archer,
Wallace Ford. Seemed to me that this
was just another picture but who am I
to argue with the tastes of Fruita's movie
lovers? They ate it up and I basked in
the glory of their praises. Gave us the
biggest gross we ever had from Monogram
(pardon me . . . Allied Artists). Be
sure yon see their window cards. I plastered
the town and then put them on
poles all over the rural area. Doubled
with "Triple Cross" (A.\) which made a
fine program. I made small cutouts of a
rider on a bucking horse and hung dozens
of them under the marquee. The wind
made them buck and it drew lots of
attention.
It has a million selling angles.
Played Fri., Sat Weather: Windy.—Bob
Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo.
Small-town and rural patronage.
Story BUT—no business. I had 19 customers
on the second night. MGM pictures are too
"g(X)d" for my audience. Apparently, to enjoy
themselves, they don't want to tliink too
much. Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Normal,
—K. R. Corkum, Cross Theatre, New Ross,
N. S. Small rural community patronage.
(MGM)—Van Johnson,
Washington Story
Patricia Neal, Louis Calhern. E-x-c-e-1-
1-e-n-t! Everyone should see this timely
motion picture—and every exhibitor should
play it. But—a word of caution—advertise
it strictly as a political film. Our business
was very good. Weather: Fair.—Jerry B.
Walden, Crest Theatre, Seagoville, Tex.
Westward the Women (MGM)— Robert
Taylor, Denise Darcel. Hope Emerson. Different
In that women were the "heroes." All
this lacked was color. It will please those
who come and, of course, the nimiber is
"up to you." Played Mon.. Tum. Weat) 't:
Cool.— K. R. Corkum, CroM Ttumtn, N-w
Rom, N. S. Small niral community jwtronage.
PARAMOUNT
^ .,„ -! I - Piinkln fr' !- "
A :rr-. !«,:,
ti: : .1 rnrill .
trailer doca lis b