PONDERS TAFT-HARTLEY WAL

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
ABOUT
PICTURES
Just as the Barometer page shows first run reports on current pictures, this
department is devoted for the most part to reports on subsequent runs, made by
exhibitors themselves. A one-star contributor is new, two stars mean the exhibitor
has been writing in for six months or longer, and a three-star contributor is a
regular of one year or more, who receives a token of our appreciation. All exhibitors
welcome.
COLUMBIA
Dead Reckoning (Col)—Humphrey Bogart,
Lizabeth Scott, Morris Carnovsky. Humphrey
Bogart always has meant extra business with
J6, but when they are a month late with the
crops, it takes more than Bogart to get them
in Played Mon., Tues. Weather Warm—Harland
Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, ^Ont^.
Small town and rural patronage.
For the Love of Rusty (Col)—Ted Donaldson,
Tom Powers, Ann Doran. I believe this is
the best picture of the Rusty series to date,
but 1 didn't do much business, as the farmers
are too busy between rains trying to get the
corn planted. Ran one night on Family Night,
at reduced admissions, and just made film
rental. Played Tuesday only. Weather;
Warm, humid.—Carl E. Pehlman, Rio Theatre,
Edinburg, III. Rural and small town patronage.
Gallant lourney (Col)—Glenn Ford, Janet
Blair, Charles Ruggles. This was quite well
received. Most of the comment was good.
Children seemed to like it very much and it is
clean. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather;
Rainy.—M. W. Mattecheck, Mack and Lark
theatres, McMinnville, Ore. City and country
patronage.
Hit the Hay (Col)—Judy Canova, Ross Hunter,
Fortunio Bonanova. The Columbia salesman
advised me not to play this as it was a
floperoo in the large towns. I played it single
bill on a Sunday to 200 per cent. What a picture
does in a large town doesn't mean a
thing here. Played Sunday. Weather; Fair.—
L. D. Montgomery, Tex Theatre, Poth, Tex^
Small town and rural patronage.
Mr. DiBfrict Attorney (Col)—Dennis O'Keefe,
Adolphe Menjou, Marguerite Chapman. This
made a fine topside feature. Enough action
and mystery to please all, with Michael O'Shea
getting in some of the brighter moments. Some
names to draw with, and business was good.
Played Wed., Thurs. Weather; Good.—R. D.
Fisher, Star Theatre, Willow Springs, Mo^
Rural and small town patronage.
Over the Santa Fe Trail (Col)—Ken Curtis,
lenniler Holt, Guy Kibbee. We can't get away
with the Hoosier Hotshots here, for some unknown
reason The picture itself was okay.
Bank night as added draw failed. Played
Wednesday Weather: Warm—D. W. Trisko,
Ritz Theatre. Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage.
Renegades (Col)— Evelyn Keyes, Willard
Parker. Larry Parks. This is a good picture
with lots of action, but due to everyone trying
to get the crops in, we didn't enjoy business.
Played Thurs . Fri., Sat —Harland Rankin,
Joy Theatre, BolhwoU, Ont. Small town
and rural patronage.
Thrill oJ Braxil (Col)— Evelyn Keyes, Keenan
Wynn, Ann Miller. An okay programmer with
a good western to draw them in. Too much
music and too long and too high. It won't
stand alone in small action situations. Played
Fri., Sat. Weather; Warm—Rahl & Hanson,
California Theatre, Kerman, Calif
and rural patronage
FILM CLASSICS
Small town
Sons of the Desert (FC) — Reissue. Stan
Laurel, Oliver Hardy. Who was the dope that
said Laurel and Hardy were washed up?
What two comics in show bu.sines3 can pack
so many good, clean laughs in 70 minutes as
Laurel and Hardy? I ran this with a cartoon
show to a capacity house, and it was thoroughly
enjoyed by all—even the ones who had to
aland up in the roar. You can have Abbott
and Costello, Carson and Morgan, etc., but
well take Laurel and Hardy. Played Tuesday
only. Weather: Warm.—Carl E. Pehlman,
Rio Theatre, Edinburg, 111. Rural and small
town patronage.
FAVORITE FILMS CORP.
Daniel Boone (FF) — Reissue. George
O Brien, Heather Angel. Doubled with "Windjammer"
but these two oldies were sold to me
as a program and I thought they would be
very good. I didn't know until 1 got the preview
that both pictures starred the same man
(George O'Brien). If I had split these they
would have been okay. The prints were good
but the sound was muffled in spots. Played
Fri., Sat. Weather: Warm.—Rahl & Hanson,
California Theatre, Kerman, Calif. Small town
and rural
patronage.
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Bad BoBcomb (MGM)—Wallace Beery, Margaret
O'Brien, Marjorie Main. This is a good
western with plenty of action and did good
business. Played Fri., Sat. Weather; Good.
E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey,
Okla. Small town patronage.
Gallant Bess (MGM)—Marshall Thompson,
George Tobias, Clem Bevans. I don't know
why MGM folks have been keeping this picture
under their hats—this picture rates a good
deal of preselling such as "The Yearling" has
been receiving. It is excellent entertainment
all the way through, and I would be extremely
happy to run one like it every day 61 the
week. The Cinecolor is very good and compares
favorably with Technicolor for outdoor
features. Business was good. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Fair and warm.—Carl E. Pehlman,
Rio Theatre, Edinburg, 111. Rural and
small town patronage.
Holiday in Mexico (MGM)—Walter Pidgeon,
Jose Iturbi, Ilona Massey. An expensive picture—beautiful
color, good acting, superb
music—and it all added up to a total loss
Tex Theatre at Poth
Strictly Family-Run
T D. Montgomery of the Tex Theatre at
" Poth, Texas has had this situation for
the past year only, but started In theatre
business at the age of 15, in 1928. His
theatre is completely family operated, for
Montgomery acts as projectionist, his
wife is cashier, his daughter "works the
door," and there is an automatic popcorn
vendor.
No time for outside business activities
with this kind of setup, but Montgomery
lists his hobby as books— in fact, he admits
to being a "bookworm."
As the exhibitor's major problem today,
he lists, "Working for the distributor."
"It is no longer correct to say, "1 have
a nice little setup in this town"—the correct
thing to say is that the distributors
liavr a nice little setup in thLs town,"
Montgomery contends.
"I put up the investment and they get
their profit, rain or shine, baseball game
or not. Yep, it's a nice .setup— for them.
"But I have enough films bought up to
l.-ist into next year, so the film salesmen
who visit me In the future are going to
meet a guy with lots of sales resistance.
Kither the prices go down or I buy from
the next guy. It is surprising how they
really reduce prices to make a sale after
assuring one all day that they are quoting
the minimum price."
—
Must Sing Through Noses —^
Or Not Call It Singing 'm
ROMANCE OF THE WEST (PRC)-
Eddie Dean, Joan Barton, Emmett Lynn.
I think these Eddie Dean westerns are
tops but he seems to sing too well for onr
patrons. Dean has a fine voice but not
too much action. For my class of trade,
a cowboy must sing through his nose or
he isn't singing. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Warm.—Rahl & Hanson, California
Theatre, Kerman, Calif. Small
town and rural
patronage.
here. This is the lowest grosser we have evo
had, no exceptions. We try to tell them Iho
we can't sell ct musical in this town but no
body listens to me, and no adjustment offered
when I ask for it. Played Tues., Wed., Thura'
Weather; Fair and warm.—Rahl & Hanson
California Theatre, Kerman, Calif. Small tov
and rural patronage.
Secret Heart, The (MGM)—Claudette
bert, Walter Pidgeon, June AUyson. This is 1
good drama but a little heavy for a smtf
town. Business was fair. Played Wed., Thur
Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger. Paramou
Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town -"
age.
MONOGRAM
Gentleman loe Palooka (Mono)—Leon En
Elyse Knox, Guy Kibbee. A popular title
good draw. Business was very good and
picture enjoyed by both young and old wil
our usual western. Played Fri., Sat. Weafh6"
Warm.—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, T"
bury, Ont. Small town and rural palro
age.
Gentleman Joe Palooka (Mono)—Leon
_
rol, Elyse Knox, Guy Kibbee. This drew vep
well, due to the comic strip following in th
papers. Played Sunday. Weather; Warm.-:
D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz,
ing patronage.
Shanghai Cobra (Mono)—Sidney ToW
Benson Fong, Joan Barclay. A satisfacto
second feature for any double bill. Monogrc
makes good programmers. Doubled wi|
"Drifting Along" to fair Fri., Sat. busine
Weather; Spring —Carl E. Pehlman, Rio The
tre, Edinburg, 111. Rural and small town "
tronage.
PARAMOUNT
Two Years Before the Masf (Para)—/
Ladd, Brian Donlevy, William Bendix.
picture does not appeal to farmers and
town trade. They would rather see a pie
with a horse, dog or steer in it. This is ^
thing I find hard to understand since thoyj
and work with animals all day. It looks 0(^
they would like a change. Made expense
Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair.— L D.
Montgomery, Tex Theatre, Poth, Tex. Smc
town and rural patronage.
Two Years Before the Mast (Para)—/
Ladd, Brian Donlevy, William Bendix._
was an especially good picture but it
the first chance our farmers had to gel on
land so they just didn't turn out. Plc
Mon., Tues., Wed.—Harland Rankin, Joy
tre, Bothwell, Ont. Small town and
patronage.
PRO PICTURES
Dana Ane
Kit Corson (PRO—Reissue.
Ion Hall. This is just what the doctor ordq
A new print and new advertising, plus a
cast, made this a very appealing picture. G*
us more of this type of reissue. Played Sul
Mon. Weather: Good.—Ralph Raspa, State
Theatre, RivesviUe, W. Va. Rural and smoU
town patronage.
Prairie Badmen (PRO—Buster Crabbe, Al
"Fuzzy" St, John, Patricia Knox. We have
found westerns for weekends are always demanded,
so this was another western. Dou-
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide June 28. 19
*