BOSTON BLACKIE’S CHINESE VENTURE

US Release date: 2 March 1949

First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 6 May 1950 

Genre: Crime

Country: USA

Running time: 59  minutes

Director: Seymour Friedman

Cast: Chester Morris, Maylia & Richard Lane

Australian Distributor: Columbia

Melbourne Premiere Venue: Union’s State theatre for three weeks from 14 April 1950 supporting Jolson Sings Again.

Suburban Release Type: Union 3-L-2

Rankings

		Rank
EF Points	109	188
EF PPE	3.03	176
Metres Travelled	364,660	260
Average MT	10,129	188
Engagements	36	255
Slots	66	73
Weeks	30	41
Weeks as % of engagements	83.33%	7
Saturdays	3	317
Sats as % of engagements	8.33%	342
Tuesdays	3	299
Tues as % of engagements	8.33%	318
First billed	3	209
Second billed	33	108
Feature only	0	34*

Independent ratios

Engagements weeks 1-10	28
Ratio	77.78%
Difference to chain ratio	-8.89%
Eng weeks 11-26	5
Ratio	13.89%
Difference to chain ratio	6.27%
Eng weeks 27-52	3
Ratio	8.33%
Difference to chain ratio	2.62%
Hoyts eng	0
Ratio	0.00%
Difference to chain ratio	-0.84%
Independent eng	29
Ratio	80.56%
Difference to chain ratio	3.45%
Suburban eng	7
Ratio	19.44%
Difference to chain ratio	-2.61%

Notes: Cheap series support filler that gained an audience through being paired with That Midnight Kiss on the Union circuit. That 30 of its 36 engagements were for full weeks is quite remarkable and placed it 7th on that metric. In its 9th week it actually picked up a couple of Tuesday headline gigs, with Blondie’s Secret as support – no expenses spared entertainment there, I tells ya!

Boston Blackie’s Chinese Venture engagements

SUBURB	VENUE	CHAIN	DATE	W	D	B	CO-FEATURE
Burnley	Burnley	Independent	3/6/50	1	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
St.Kilda	Astor	Independent	3/6/50	1	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
St.Kilda	Palais	Suburban	3/6/50	1	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Brunswick	Empire	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Caulfield	Camden	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Elsternwick	Esquire	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Moonee Ponds	Moonee	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
West Brunswick	Western	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Westgarth	Westgarth	Independent	10/6/50	2	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Preston West	Rivoli	Independent	17/6/50	3	T	2	A Song is Born
East Malvern	Waverley	Independent	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Essendon	Regal	Independent	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Glenferrie	Glen	Independent	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Hawthorn	Vogue	Independent	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Balwyn	Balwyn	Suburban	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Ormond	Plaza	Suburban	17/6/50	3	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Middle Brighton	Dendy	Independent	24/6/50	4	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Brighton North	Gardenvale	Independent	24/6/50	4	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
North Melbourne	Central	Independent	24/6/50	4	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Preston East	Gowerville	Independent	24/6/50	4	W	2	The Doolins of Oklahoma
Coburg	Plaza	Independent	1/7/50	5	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Heidelberg	Orient	Independent	1/7/50	5	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Box Hill	Rialto	Suburban	1/7/50	5	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Oakleigh	Plaza	Independent	8/7/50	6	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Port Melbourne	Port	Independent	8/7/50	6	W	2	That Midnight Kiss
Newport	Plaza	Independent	29/7/50	9	T	1	Blondie’s Secret
Williamstown	Empress	Independent	29/7/50	9	T	1	Blondie’s Secret
Reservoir	Plaza	Independent	5/8/50	10	S	2	That Midnight Kiss
Coburg West	Progress	Independent	19/8/50	12	S	2	Britannia Mews
East Brunswick	Liberty	Independent	9/9/50	15	W	2	Adam’s Rib
Preston	Planet	Suburban	23/9/50	16	W	2	Paid in Full
Preston	St. James	Suburban	30/9/50	17	W	2	Paid in Full
South Melbourne	Empire	Suburban	11/11/50	24	S	2	Anthony Adverse
Richmond	National	Independent	3/12/50	31	W	1	The Plunderers
Footscray	Grand	Independent	24/2/51	39	W	2	Duchess of Idaho
Yarraville	Sun	Independent	3/3/51	40	W	2	Duchess of Idaho