20th Century-Fox Dynamo (April 1950)

Production Periscope Expansion of studio facilities, recently given prominence in the trade publications, means a subsequent increase in the number ot releases from this company in 1951 and 1952. This increase insures the release of 30 specials next year and at least 36 in 1952. There will be at least five factual stories dramatized in the pro- ductions scheduled for release from this month through the middle of next year. These include: "Cheaper By The Dozen”, "Three Came Home , American Guerrilla In The Philippines and several others now being scripted. Joseph Mankiewicz is currently directing his second 1950 picture for which he also has written the screenplay. It is "All About Eve", which is based on Mary On’s Cosmopolitan story, "The Wisdom Of Eve . Previously he both adapted and directed the forthcoming Darryl F. Zanuck production, "No Way Out". The picturization of "Lydia Bailey”, from Kenneth Roberts’ best- seller, will be shot in Haiti and England, according to plans. This is one of the 1951 specials. The story concerns the liberation of Haiti during the Napoleonic era. Exteriors will be filmed in that island republic in the Caribbean, while the interiors will be made in England. Incidentally, "Lydia Bailey”, which will have color by Technicolor, will be the first feature film to be made in Haiti.Sol Siegel is to produce. In all pro- bability, Henry King will megaphone. However, no definite assignments have been made as all concerned with “Lydia Bailey” have other important immediate duties to perform. Principals in 12 O’Clock High" are seemingly in for a very eventful year. For instance: not only do Hugh Marlow, Dean Jagger, Millard Mitchell and Gary Merrill play leading roles in the Tyrone Power-Susan Hayward co-starring vehicle, "Rawhide", but they also have been signed top parts in three other 1950 attractions. Incidentally the producer-director team of William Perlberg and George Seaton, which first wrote industry headlines with "Miracle on 34th Street", will be a busy one this year. On its agenda are three vehicles. Next to get their attention will be "For Heaven’s Sake", slated to go before the cameras in a couple of months Clifton Webb headlines "For Heaven's Sake". Studio scouts have been re-exploring Zapata’s region in Mexico for the past several years. Now, Elia Kazan is preparing to directa Danyl Zanuck production of "Zapata”. However, it is not planned to actually start filming until arowd October or Novenfcer. Picture will be wholly filmed in Mexico. Many an actor and actress has made his or her first important major boost up the ladder to eventual stardom via a well-played "bit” that has won great audience acclaim. You will recall the "kootch” number Leif Erickson did with Dorothy McGuire and June Havoc in "Mother Didn’t Tell Me”. The sequence consumed only a couple of minutes, but Erickson’s performance so appealed to theatre operators and audiences alike that his "fan" mail zoomed abnormally. So much that the studio was prompted to consider him for increas- ingly important roles. You will soon see him in a featured role in the all-star cast that is currently mak- ing "Stella". See page 37. for welcome news about "Stella". When "No Highway” is filmed abroad by Louis Lighton it will have Robert Donat in the male lead. He was committed to play that role as far back as last October. Bob Sherriff has adapted this story whose locales are both in New- foundland and England. In- asmuch as "No Highway” is not scheduled to start for several months, we should be soon getting news shortly of additional cast assignments. No dfrector has yet been officially designated. Here is a closeup from an actual scene in “The Big Lift”, showing Mont- gomery Clift (right) and Cornelia Bruch, the German girl with whom he falls in love—whose hectic secret life gives this original story a terrific impact. It is a story of today. It dramatically mirrors all sides of life among a defeated people who had planned, sacrificed and plunged the world into a needless war to satisfy a lust for universal domination. In fact, Millard Mitchell and Gary Merrill already have been set for major roles in an important 1951 special, titled "Frog Man”, a picture based on the exploits of underwater demolition units. John Tucker Battle is preparing the screenplay from a James Cross original. David Wayne, Richard Basehart and Tom Elwell are but three of a group of actors destined to earn stellar laurels before the end of this year. Wayne, who has a featured role in "My Blue Heaven”, has sev- eral other increasingly important assignments on his agenda. Base- hart is set for a couple of romantic leads and Elwell will have a prom- inent role in "American Guerrilla In The Philippines”. My Mother-In-Law , Miriam", based on a story by Mortimer Braus, has been bought by this company. It will be produced later this year or early in 1951, but, in any case, it will not be domestically released until next year. Robert Bassler has been designated producer, while F. Hugh Herbert is writing the adaptation of this domestic comedy. Claudette Colbert will in all probability play the title role. "Interpole”, a story based on the operations of the I ntemational Police Commission comprising 32 nations, will be made into a screen- play later this year. "Interpole”, too, will be a 1951 special, This will be an unusual project, for filming, according to a script treat- ment, is to take place in the 32 countries. Maxwell Shane has been busy preparing for the first picture he will direct for this company. It is titled "Sense of Guilt”. Mr. Shane wrote the script. Jules Buck is the producer. Picture’s story is told against backgrounds of Canada and Sun Valley where it will be filmed. Richard Muiphy has adapted many of this company’s more succes- ful documentaries. Now word reaches this department that Dic'« is writing the screenplay for "The Flying Teakettle”, a Navy story by John Hazard. It is a yam built around the small warships that were used to sink submarines. Bill Lundigan is the only one mentioned for a leading part. Fred Kohlmar will produce. Several years ago this company announced a project known as "On To Oregon”. At the time the world was at war, and the story was shelved. Now Producer Sam Engel has reactivated this western pro- ject and has James Poe working on the scenario. "On To Oregon”, too, is a 1951 production. The producer-director team of Nunnally Johnson and Jean Negulesco which has come in for superlative commendation for "Three Came Home , is being re-united. It will bring to the screens the picturiz- ation of the best-seller, "The Mudlark”. For additional information regarding this major project turn to page 32. The studio has equipped itself with at least three musical stories for use as future Betty Grable co-starring vehicles. Reaction to "Wabash Avenue” and preview reports on her next vehicle, "My Blue Heaven”, confirm what exhibitors all knew: the public likes Betty bestwhen she exhibits her beautiful understandings, and sings and dances. That’s the Betty Grable, ticket-buyers will see in the future. Be positive of that! Mr. Zanuck plans, starting with May, to have at leastfive pictures working simultaneously. This “shooting” schedule will enable this company to make a total of 26 specials available for domestic re- lease this year.