THE BIG STORE (RR)

US Release date: 20 June 1941 (re-release date unavailable)

First Melbourne Saturday Suburban:  11 November 1950

Genre: Comedy 

Country: USA

Running time: 83 minutes

Director: Charles Reisner

Cast:  The Marx Brothers and Margaret Dumont

Australian Distributor: MGM

Melbourne Premiere Venue: MGM’s St. James’ Theatre for three weeks from 11 August 1950 supported by Remember? (original release – four weeks at the St James in 1942) 

Suburban Release Type: Union Albert Park Kinema EX-1

Notes: The third Marx Brothers reissue on the Union circuit for the year and the least successful, however its 194 EF points was still a strong showing. Partnered, as it was in the city, with the reissue of Remember? and then used as support for The Black Hand. Spotty booking pattern, but its screen life was long.

Rankings

		Rank
EF Points	194	122
EF PPE	5.11	92
Metres Travelled	411,024	233
Average MT	10,816	99
Engagements	38	243
Slots	61	96
Weeks	23	63
Weeks as % of engagements	60.53%	63
Saturdays	8	248
Sats as % of engagements	21.05%	273
Tuesdays	7	215
Tues as % of engagements	18.42%	241
First billed	21	155
Second billed	17	159
Feature only	0	34*

Independent ratios

The Big Store (RR) engagements

SUBURB	VENUE	CHAIN	DATE	W	D	B	CO-FEATURE
Albert Park	Kinema	Independent	11/11/1950	1	W	1	Remember
Albert Park	Kinema	Independent	18/11/1950	2	W	1	Remember
Ashburton	Civic	Independent	9/12/1950	5	S	1	Remember
Blackburn	Blackburn	Independent	9/12/1950	5	W	1	Remember
Middle Brighton	Dendy	Independent	9/12/1950	5	W	1	Remember
Middle Brighton	Prince George	Independent	16/12/1950	6	W	1	They Met in Bombay
North Brighton	Gardenvale	Independent	16/12/1950	6	W	1	Remember
North Brighton	Gardenvale	Independent	23/12/1950	7	W	1	When Ladies Meet
Brunswick	Empire	Independent	23/12/1950	7	W	1	Remember
Brunswick East	Liberty	Independent	23/12/1950	7	W	1	Remember
Burnley	Burnley	Independent	30/12/1950	8	S	1	Make Mine Laughs
Caulfield	Camden	Independent	30/12/1950	8	W	1	Remember
East Malvern	Waverley	Independent	30/12/1950	8	W	1	Remember
Chelsea	Plaza	Independent	6/01/1951	9	T	1	Remember
Coburg	Plaza	Independent	10/02/1951	14	T	2	The Black Hand
Coburg	Plaza	Independent	17/02/1951	15	T	2	The Black Hand
West Coburg	Progress	Independent	17/02/1951	15	W	2	The Black Hand
Elsternwick	Esquire	Independent	24/02/1951	16	W	1	The Black Hand
Elwood	Broadway	Independent	24/02/1951	16	W	2	The Black Hand
Elwood	Broadway	Independent	24/02/1951	16	W	2	The Black Hand
Essendon	Regal	Independent	24/02/1951	16	W	2	The Black Hand
Footscray	Grand	Independent	3/03/1951	17	S	1	The Black Hand
Glenferrie	Glen	Independent	3/03/1951	17	T	2	The Black Hand
Hawthorn	Vogue	Independent	3/03/1951	17	W	2	The Black Hand
Heidelberg	Orient	Independent	10/03/1951	18	W	2	The Black Hand
Heidelberg	Orient	Independent	17/03/1951	19	W	1	The Skipper Surprised his Wife
Highett	Highett	Independent	7/04/1951	22	T	1	Remember
Malvern	Embassy	Independent	12/05/1951	27	T	1	Remember
Elsternwick	Renown	Independent	19/05/1951	28	S	1	Remember
Moonee Ponds	Moonee	Independent	26/05/1951	29	S	2	The Great Waltz
Newport	Plaza	Independent	31/03/1951	31	T	1	Remember
North Carlton	Adelphi	Independent	16/06/1951	32	W	2	The Miniver Story
North Melbourne	Central	Independent	30/06/1951	34	S	2	The Miniver Story
North Melbourne	Central	Independent	30/06/1951	34	S	2	The Miniver Story
North Melbourne	Loco	Independent	4/08/1951	39	W	2	The Great Waltz
Northcote	Plaza	Independent	11/08/1951	40	W	2	Bathing Beauty
North Richmond	Victoria	Independent	11/08/1951	41	S	2	Bathing Beauty
Oakleigh	Paramount	Independent	8/09/1951	44	W	2	Teresa