Boxoffice-August.28.1948

an
IsSji
a lot of film and ihe time of the few who
don't walk out. Doubled it with "Fall Guy"
and don't know why the townfolk didn't run
jne out of town. Two more perfect examples
of the kind of pictures people don't wont, and
I have to book them on the same program!
Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot.^R. C.
Walker, Vintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Rural
patronage.
PARAMOUNT
Albuquerque (Para)—Randolph Scott, Barbara
Britton, George "Gabby" Hayes. The
color added to this picture, as it always does
outdoor features. was well liked but not
to It
outstanding in any way— just good entertainment
of its class. Played Thurs. through Sat.
Weather: Lovely.—M. W. Mattecheck, Mack
Theatre, McMinnville, Ore. City and country
patronage. * * *
Desert Fury (Para)—John Hodiak, Lizabeth
Scott, Burt Lancaster. This is a good-enough
action picture, with Technicolor to help, but
the hot weather licked us. No business for
the past month—and another hot month coming
upl Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Dry and
hot.—Arthur E. Phifield, Park Theatre, South
Berwick, Me. Small town patronage.
My Favorite Brunette (Para)—Bob Hope,
Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre. This oldie with
Hope and Lamour drew better than average
business on Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot.
O. A. Fosse, Community Theatre, Ridgeway,
Iowa. Small town and rural patronage. * * *
Saigon (Para)—Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake,
Donald Dick. This is the poorest Alan Ladd
I ever ran. Paramount seems to want to ruin
his boxoffice, as his last several pictures have
been poorer and poorer. Let's give him and
us exhibitors a break with a good picture.
Para. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Good.
C. W. Ritenour, Milford Theatre, Milford, 111.
Rural patronage. * * *
'Sainted' Sisters, The (Para)—Veronica
Lake, Joan Caulfield, Barry Fitzgerald. This
is quite amusing and everyone seemed to
enjoy Barry Fitzgerald's antics. The parts
given Veronica Lake and Joan Caulfield were
hardly suited for them. Above average attendance.
Played Wednesday. Weather:
Clear and warm.—J. E. Rougeau, Club Theatre,
Seven Sisters Falls, Man. Small town
c^nd rural patronage. * * *
WWhere There's Life (Para)—Bob Hope,
Signe Hasso, William Bendix. And where
there's Hope without Crosby, there's no life
at my boxoffice. This is too short to single
and too expensive to double. The best thing
I'd say would be to let Paramount keep it.
I'd pay more income tax if I had. Played
Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot.—R. C. Walker,
Vintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Rural patronage.
* *
RKO RADIO
Best Years of Our Lives, The (RKO)—Myrna
Loy, Frederic March, Dana Andrews. In my
opinion and the opinion of 90 per cent of my
patrons, this is the most outstanding picture
since "Gone With the Wind." It is a picture
which everyone should see and every exhibitor
should play. Of course, as with all the
best pictures, the exhibitor makes expenses
_and the distributor makes the profit, but the
They Don't Enjoy Films
Made From Stage Plays
ABIE'S IRISH ROSE (UA)—Joanne
Dru, Richard Norris, Michael Chekhov.
A dud so far as bosiness was concerned.
Many good laughs, but my people do not
care for shows taken from Broadway stage
plays—at least, that type rarely pulls
them in. Played Sun., Mon. Weather:
Fair and warm. Arthur E. Phifield,
Park Theatre, South Berwick, Me. SmaU
town patronage. * * *
jlIM BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: August 28, 1948
iM
satisfaction of presenting this picture to my
patrons was worth Ihe effort. Compliments
are still floating around town from appreciative
patrons. Played Sun., Mon. Weather:
Fair.—Mrs. Pat W. Murphy, Queen Theatre,
Holliday, Tex. Oil field worker patronage. *
Fort Apache (RKO) — John Wayne, Henry
Fonda, Shirley Temple. This is a small town
natural with such a big cast and such a lavish
production I can't understand why it wasn't
in Technicolor. I certainly recommend this
to all fellow exhibitors. built We a broken
down fort in front of the theatre with flags
flying from everywhere. Publicity always
helps. Ward Bond, who had a leading part,
has a first cousin who lives in Gray and he
was our special guest. Played Mon., Tues.
James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray "Theatre, Gray, Ga.
Small town patronage. * * *
If You Knew Susie (RKO)—Eddie Cantor,
Joan Davis, AUyn Joslyn. This is a very light
bit of llulf, so light that it amused the children
considerably but didn't keep many adults
from yawning. Priced here so that it should
have been good, but? Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Good.—C. W. Ritenour, Milford Theatre,
Milford, 111. Rural patronage. * * *
Long Night, The (RKO)—Henry Fonda, Barbara
Bel Geddes, Vincent Price. This was one
New Contributor Tells
Oi His Serial Problem
JESSE JAMES RIDES AGAIN (Rep)
— Serial. I want to talk about the Republic
serials that the company has been
putting out the past five years. They
are the best any theatre can buy, but
along about the ninth chapter, wham
they repeat a chapter, and this has been
going on for five years. There is always
one chapter you have to pay for that
you have already run, whereas Republic
should send it out gratis. Republic is the
only company that does this—and the
only one that has plenty of action.
We run all types of pictures, big and
little, and the ones that make with us
are comedy shows and musicals. Big
westerns are popular, and we run westerns
on Saturday for the rural trade . . .
The only thing wrong with this business
is that the exhibitor talks too much and
doesn't do ajiything about things.—Frank
Fowler, Princess Theatre, Mocksville, N. C.
(Seating capacity, 250, adults 29c, children
10c—net sales).
of the best to come from RKO last year, I
believe. No unfavorable comments on this
one from anyone. Keep your eyes on Barbara
Bel Geddes. She has talent, charm and
youthful beauty and she is destined to go a
long way. Business was very good. Don't
miss this one. Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Rain. — "Art" V. Phillips, Haymond Theatre,
Cromona, Ky. Mining and small town patronage.
'
^Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The (RKO)—
Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karlofl.
This did not do the business it deserved.
Our first Danny Kaye picture, and perhaps
that was against it. A swell comedy, if your
crowd likes Kaye. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs.
Weather: Fair and warm.—Arthur E. Phifield,
Park Theatre, South Berwick, Me. Small town
patronage. * * *
Tarzan and the Mermaids (RKO)—Johnny
Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Linda Christian. I
hale to knock a Tarzan picture but this was
by far the worst ever made. It didn't have
"Boy," had very little excitement, not much
of the jungle, very few animals, and it
dragged throughout. I have no financial kick
because it had a good draw, but I only hope
by this constructive criticism that the next
Tarzan film will be a better grade, for Tarzan
She Makes a Suggestion
To the Cartoon Artists
pROM Mrs. Arden Richard.s of the Open
Air Theatre at Craigsvillc, W. Va.,
comes this suggestion:
"Cartoon artists arc missing a great bet
in failing to use more inventive, futuristic
subjects such as Buck Rogers. Mandrake
and like subjects. Furthermore, it should
help to make our nation a bit more progressive
along aviation lines."
films are always good for the entire family
and I hope the next one will be given more
consideration. Played Wed., Thurs.—James C.
Balkcom jr., Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Small
town patronage.
Tycoon (RKO)—John Wayne, Laraine Day,
Sir Cedric Hardwicke. You can't suit these
people any better than to play a John Wayne
action picture.—Elwood Cheers, Shallotte
Theatre, Shallotte, N. C. Small town and rural
patronage.
REPUBLIC
Lightnin' in the Forest (Rep)—Lynn Roberts,
Donald Red Barry, Warren Douglas. Here is
a nice picture with lots of comedy to run in
the middle of the week—and it will stand
alone. It has better than average draw.
Played Mon., Tues.—L. Brazil jr.. New Theatre,
Bearden, Ark. Small town patronage. * * *
That's My Man (Rep)—Don Ameche, Catherine
McLeod, Roscoe Karns. This had no
draw but even if business was slow, those
who came liked it. It is comedy drama.
Frank E. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka,
Mont. Small town patronage.
20th
CENTURY-FOX
Captain From Castile (20th-Fox) — Tyrone
Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero. Beautiful
color, marvelous scenery and photography,
but Fox messed up a swell story. It is too
long and leaves an air of expectancy. We
played it four weeks and it should have been
six. Weather: Hot.—Ernie Warren, Elgin Theatre,
Ottawa, Ont. General
*
patronage.
Daisy Kenyon (20th-Fox) — Joan Crawford,
Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda. Our people
didn't like this show and made no bones
about it. We had only half the average attendance.
Played Saturday only. Weather:
Clear and warm.— J. E. Rougeau, Club Theatre,
Seven Sisters Falls, Man. Small town
and rural patronage. * * *
Deep Waters (20th-Fox)—Dana Andrews,
Jean Peters, Cesar Romero. This has all the
required particulars to insure contented patronage
of both sexes. It played to a capacity
house Sun., Mon. The sepiatone utilized drew
mixed opinions, mostly from vacationers who
preferred the location shots of their home
state, Maine, to be in Technicolor. The treatment
of the novel, "Spoonhandle" for the
screen and resultant change of title is of no
consequence, but the timeliness of juvenile delinquency
can be employed in exploiting the
feature. Played Sun., Mon., Tues.—Jay Snelling,
City Pier Theatre, Cape May, N. J. Resort
*
patronage.
Gentleman's Agreement (20th-Fox)—Gregory
Peck, Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield.
We missed out on this one in this small town.
It is good for one day's run here and the acting
good by John Garfield, Gregory Peck and
Dorothy McGuire. This is for de luxe, class
A houses only. Played Mon., Tues. Weather:
Fair.—Frank D. Fowler, Princess Theatre,
*
Macksville, N. C. Rural patronage.
Give My Regards to Broadway (20th-Fox)
Dan Dailey, Charles Winninger, Nancy Guild.
This was okay but would have been better
if the family had made a big success on
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