Boxoffice-Febuary.28.1953

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The EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY ABOUT PICTURES
COLUMBIA
Death of a Salesman (Col)—FYedric March,
Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy. Why pictures
like this are made I'll never know. We
had lots of walkouts. I'd rather give a paying
customer more than his money's worth
than to disappoint him. Not for small-town
patronage. Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Good.—Roy Phillips, Strand Theatre, Farm-
Small-town and rural patronage.
ersville, La.
Harlem Globetrotters (Col) — Thomas
Gomez, Dorothy Dandridge, Bill Walker.
Maybe it was because none of the local schools
had a ba.'Jcetball game scheduled this weekend,
but I had an excellent crowd. Then, it
could have been that magic spell that gave
all theatres excellent business for the holidays.
Played Fri, Sat. Weather: Cold. — Ralph
Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W.Va. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Across the Wide Missouri (MGM)—Clark
GaJjle, Maria Elena Marques, John Hodiak.
AH praLsed this outstanding photoplay. Pine
story, fine cast, beautiful scenery and photography.
I couldn't ask for a better picture.
Played Fri., Sat., Sun. Weather: O.K.^
Frank Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont.
Small-town and rural patronage.
Everything 1 Have Is Yours (MGM)—Marge
and Gower Champion, Dennis CKeefe. This
Is a honey of a picture that's right down our
line. A tender human story, well balanced
with humor and heart-touching drama, plus
beautiful color. Even if your patrons dont
like musicals they will enjoy this one. Marge
Is wonderful. Business average in spite of cold
weather. Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Very
cold.—H. Hoppe, Grand Theatre, Mirror, Alta.
Small-town and rural patronage.
Johnny Eager (MGM)—Reissue. Robert
Taylor, Lana Turner, Van Heflin. This reissue
fell flat on its face. Poorest turnout for
months. Very few reissues do business for us
and we should know better by this time.
Gangster type picture. Played Mon., Tues.
Weather: Fair.—C. E. McMurchy, Reston
Memorial Theatre. Reston, Manitoba. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Lone Star (MGM)—Clark Gable, Ava
Gardner Broderick Crawford. Here was a nice
little western we played in between Christmas
and New Years and it drew fairly well. A
very good story and we had no complaints. It
would have been a lot better in Technicolor.
Not a topnotch picture but better than
average. Worth playing. Played Wed. Thurs.
Weather: (3old. — Sam Holmberg, Buster
Grass, Regal Theatre, Sturgis, Sask. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Love Is Better Than Ever (MGM)—Larry
Parks, Elizabeth Taylor, Josephine Hutchinson.
Romantic picture which was appreciated
here in Casselman. Larry Parks plays very
well with Elizabeth Taylor. Recommended
for smaJl towns. Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Good.—A. P. Ouisnel. Casselman Theatre,
Casselman, Ont. Small-town and rural patronage.
Prisoner of Zenda (MGM) — Stewart
Granger, Deborah Kerr, James Mason.
Stewart Granger is working up a good reputation
in our town and when one of his pictures
comes to the theatre people really head
for the boxoffice. However, I must admit that
he didn't draw quite as well as usual in this
picture. MGM liad a very good trailer on it
and it should do well anywhere if the right
kind of advertising angles are used. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair.—Jerry B. Wal-
'Miracle' Breaks Records
In Catholic Community
•j^KACLE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA
(WB)—Gilbert Roland, Angela Clarke,
Frank Silvera. Tliis picture not only surpassed
e.vpectations but left us with the
impression it was one of the great pictures
of all time giving an accurate account
of the greatest drama, the most
thrilling message of this age. It simply
tells the story as it unfolded in 1917. If
people don't believe in God and the supernatural,
"The Miracle" will appear fantastic
and absurd. If they do, it will dig
into the subconscious and make them
want to take constructive means. Booked
for five days, we were forced to hold
over for the first time in the history of
this town of 1,200. Broke all house records
in this Catholic community.
Weather: Cold and fair.—Mrs. A. Berbers,
Alo Theatre, Albany, Minn. Small-town
and rural patronage.
den. Crest Theatre, Seagoville, Tex. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Summer Stock (MGM) — Judy Garland,
Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken. Very good. Wonderful
picture for farm audiences. Color excellent.
Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair.—
A. P. Ouisnel, Casselman Theatre, Casselman,
Ont. Small-town and rural patronage.
PARAMOUNT
Hurricane Smith (Para) — John Ireland,
Yvonne DeCarlo, James Craig. A South Sea
Island story that did very poor business for
us. Trailer was poor and our patrons are
not too fond of this type film. Played Fri.,
Sat. Weather : Cold.—C. E. McMurchy, Reston
Memorial Theatre, Reston, Manitoba. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Just for You (Para)—Bing Crosby, Jane
Wyman, Ethel Barrymore. Paramount never
lets us down. Here's one of the best I've
played. Had a grand crowd and everybody
liked it. Bing and Jane still have everything
it takes for entertainment. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Good.—Roy Phillips, Strand Theatre,
Farmersville, La. Small-town and rural
patronage.
Mating Season, The (Para)—Gene Tierney,
John Lund, Thelma Ritter. Appreciated here.
A natural story of a bride and a mother-inlaw.
Nice comedy. Played Fri., Sat. Weather:
Good.—A. P. Ouisnel, Casselman Theatre,
Casselman, Ont. Small-town and rural patronage.
Road to Bali, The (Para)—Bing Crosby,
Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour. The fact that
Bing, Bob and Dottie were together again
appealed greatly to the theatregoers but the
opinion of many of our patrons, mostly college
students, was that this was not one
of their better shows. Played Sun., Mon.,
Tues. Weather: Reasonably good.—Ken Gorham.
Town Hall Theatre, Mlddlebury, Vt.
Rural and college students patronage.
Sailor Beware (Para)—Dean Martin, Jerry
Lewis. Corinne Calvet. This oldie turned out
to be the perfect combination for my New
Year's eve showing and we packed them in
on this midweek change. Past performances
still make me skeptical as heck every time I
run these guys and if I were planning on buying
Paramount product again I think I'd leave
them off the list. This is the best we've run
from these zany guys . . . wonder how many
years it took Martin to learn to duplicate
Bing's actions, mannerisms and voice? Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Nice.—Bob Walker,
Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Small-town
and rural patronage.
Son of Paleface (Para)—Bob Hope, Jane
Russell, Roy Rogers. I have only one fault
to find witla this picture and almost everyone
of my patrons criticized the same thing. Some
of Bob Hope's jokes were a little dirty to use
on the screen. Did you notice it? It seems
that Hope and Crosby are always making
cracks about each other but you'll have to
admit that in Bing Crosby's pictures you don't
hear any such jokes as were used in this one.
As far as our business was concerned, it was
very good. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair,
-^erry B. Walden, Crest Theatre, Seagoville,
Tex. Small-town and rural patronage.
RKO-RADIO
Big Sky, The (RKO)—Kirk Douglas, Dewey
Martin, Elizabeth Threatt. In a very mixed
crowd, not one bad comment did I hear.
Everybody liked it—young and old alike. If
it had been in Technicolor it would have
equaled any show this year. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Good.—Roy Phillips, Strand
Theatre, Farmersville, La. Small-town and
rural patronage.
Las Vegas Story, The (RKO)—Jane Russell,
Victor Mature, Vincent Price. A very good
melodrama containing all the necessary elements
of appeal, but—a basketball game one
night and six inches of snow the next gave me
a severe loss. Why I stay open midweek
puzzles me at times. Played Tues., Wed.
Weather: Snow and rain.—Ralph Raspa, State
Theatre, Rivesville, W.Va. Small-town and
rural patronage.
On Dangerous Ground (RKO)—Ida Lupino,
Robert Ryan, Ward Bond. You won't miss
much if you don't play this picture although
Ida Lupino turns in an excellent portrayal
of the blind girl. I'd like to have her in
more pictures—but with better stories. Played
Tues., Wed. (bank night.) Weather: Good.-
M. W. Long, Lans Theatre, Lansing, Iowa.
Small-town and rural patronage.
Storm Over Wyoming (RKO)—Tim Holt,
Richard Martin, Noreen Nash. Tim Holt is
a well-liked cowpuncher in "these here parts"
and we're sorry that he's not making any
more for RKO after this series. This is no
better and no worse than the usual shoot-
'em-up western that aptly fits the double biU
on Friday and Saturday. Weather: Mild.—I.
Roche, Vernon Theatre, Vernon, Fla. Smalltown
and rural patronage.
Tembo (RKO)—Expeditionary crew and na-
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BOXOFHCE BookinGuide :: Feb. 28, 1953