The Film Daily (1948)

.nday, March 15, 1948 cWSw iking of U.K. Prod. Americans Seen (Continued from Page 1) fsaid that a British industry kes.rnan predicted that much of ur Tjittable sterling balances of M1 ^" " companies would be exjljliided on production in England. A UI|||G-M spokesman was quoted as reeling that company will expand its jiduction in Britain and may contact an additional studio, while jSales values of British players and itish pictures are seen as likely to I considerably enhanced by June, ;|»2, if the Johnston-Wilson agree|nt runs its allotted four years, [servers point out that screen star bsonalities are often developed in s than that period of time, and S :it a number of British players, Si ijliose talent is not denied, can easily lain stellar rating if backed by the emotional campaign anticipated in /Ef fialf of British players and films. ijirners, which has been leasing its J-ddington plant to indie producers, ftedules a program of pictures of own.) IBIlrleasoning behind that viewpoint takes JM) consideration that unrestricted amounts WMAmerican-owned sterMng may be expended »UH production in England. It has been esti]jj|i|j(ed that about a quarter of American KIBhs' earnings will be remitted to the U. S. • Ijlidollars, leaving three-quarters to be used J outlined in the agreement. iljl Another estimate has a good American I «|ilm earning the equivalent of §1,000,000 W n the British market. If $250,000 is client to the TJ. S., $750,000, a good start ffn the cost of another picture, would be f»eld in Britain. Ordinary U. S. films earn Hbout $500,000. Nui A second, and important, reason for *jY*mericans t" become financially inter i -ted in British films is the agreement by m$iV est Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY fiHollywood — Forthcoming visit of /r Arthur Rank, following as it does ,J| settlement of the U. K.-U. S. im "" ' sse, is awaited here with antici ! tion. On his last trip Rank ar i for a number of American layers to go to England to make |ns for him. Some of these plans, nich blew up in the face of the ad lorem tax, may now be revived, |d it is expected that further com tments will be negotiated. ftritain's Government that amounts equal the U. S. earnings of English films may be remitted to home offices in dolLatter is seen as spurring British production by eligible American comanies. In this last connection, British picures shown in the U. S. are expected to cceive more enthusiastic backing and promotion at the theater level, particuarly from the affiliated circuit houses. . Arthur Rank last week observed that ritish films had made much greater rogress in those areas where his theater \s. it ♦♦*♦♦*♦ ?♦♦*♦♦*♦♦*♦ ♦*♦ wv#v#v#v» ♦*♦**♦ ♦'♦♦J end aSirtltaa freeting,3 Uo — :| March 15 j'j George Brent Frances Grant }£ Lorraine Eddy Carl Leserman ;'{ Eddie White Lawrence Tierney }"{ "^PHIL M. DALY Monday Morning Report • • • I. ARTHUR RANK was thrilled no end— and well he might be — Friday by Life magazine's record breaking splash in behalf of "Hamlet" Life's cover was given over to Sir Laurence Olivier in the role of the Melancholy Dane, and in addition the issue contained 11 pages of art on the picture. ... • Jesse L. Lasky, who gets into town today for the world premiere of "Miracle of the Bells," will appear on no less than 10 national radio shows, to be tied in with the celebration of his 35th anniversary in Aim biz. ... • Frederic Ullman, Jr., has drawn the RKO prize assignment to produce "Honored Glory." . . . • Gus S. Eyssell will host a cocktail party for George Stevens tomorrow afternoon in the Music Hall studio apartment. ... • When Susan Hayward by courtesy of Walter Wanger goes to England later in the year to make a picture for J. Arthur Rank, the vehicle will be a script originally planned for Vivian Leigh. ... • It will be another month before Ned E. Depinet is back at his New York desk The RKO topper will spend the time on the desert at Phoenix, Arizona. ... • A press luncheon next Monday at the Hotel Roosevelt will kick off the L948 "Radio and Electronics Frontiers" convention of the Institute of Radio Engineers. ... • Jerry Fairbanks has signed Anne Gwynne to co-star with John Howard in that series of 16 "Public Prosecutor" films for tele Modify Jamestown Award In Arbitration Appeal (Continued from Page 1) of the Jamestown Theater, Jamestown, R. I. Board dismissed the proceeding against the Paramount and Opera House Theaters, Newport, and against Loew's, 20th-Fox, and Warners. Maximum clearance to be granted by Paramount and RKO to the Strand, Newport, over the Jamestown is put at seven days, but not later than 60 days after territorial release date. Chapman Named Assistant Sales Manager for FC (Continued from Page 1) hard, playdate and liquidation chief; William Markert, print head, and Herbert Stern, resident legal department chief. Dutch Film Restrictions May Be Lifted in Fall (Continued from Page 1) some films for his six-theater chain. He said he would like to supplement his 25 mobile units with 16 mm. Quonset huts and other prefabs, but such purchases would have to be approved by the Dutch Government. Narrow gauge machines are even being installed in regular 35 mm. houses, ter Linden added, because many 16 mm. shorts, which are not otherwise available, could be shown in the neighborhood houses and showcases. Though attendance has fallen in recent months, it's still way above pre-war averages, ter Linden reported. He expects theater taxes to go up. New schedule, he believed, would stick customers for 20 per cent tax; exhibitors would have to shell out about 12 per cent. managers could be made to "take thencoats off" and promote their screenings. A similar instruction from TJ. S. circuit heads is seen as hastening the popularity of English features, resulting in greater TJ. S. earnings, in turn adding to the amount of sterling that can be converted to dollars for transmission to the U. S. Such a promotional development by larger' circuits also is seen as increasing bookings of British films by independent operators who, it is be'icved, will hasten to get aboard the bandwagon, once the public is sold on an English picture, or pictures. M-G-M and Warners have studios in England, while 20th-Fox has an interest in the J. Arthur Rank's Gaumont British Pictures, in addition to its hookup with Sir Alexander Korda's London Films. RKO has a 50 per cent interest in Alliance Pictures, and, even before the pact, had plans to make at least one feature through that producer. Paramount has made pictures in England within the past 12 months as has Columbia's international subsidiary. Observers here now wonder just how many films can be made in England now that the impasse is ended. Production, except possibly by the Rank companies, has fallen off because of a lack of available finance. Reopening of the market, however, is seen as eliminating this difficulty, and it is wondered whether there will be sufficient studio space to accommodate all of the productions that almost certainly will be announced in the near future. It is recalled that Rank emphasized in his press interview last week that no spectacular increase in the number of films produced in England could be expected in the near future. He pointed to the shortage of shooting floor space, adding that it would take a number of years to train producers in the know-how of film making, as well as to develop production and technical personnel for an augmented filming schedule. Rank's production companies recently increased their contemplated 1948 output to at least 40 features, of which not all will be exported to the TJ. 9. Handwriting on Red Card Sorrell's-FBI (Continued from Page 1) sub-committee to decide what to do. He would not comment on what effect the FBI conclusion might have on his own earlier statement that he saw indications of collusion between the IATSE and the producers. On the witness stand producer counsel Burton Zorn spent most of the day attacking the credibility of Sorrell's testimon y — particularly Sorrell's charges that NLRB was "fixed" in 1945, and that producers bore responsibility for strike violence in 1945 and 1946. Kearns said the hearing will be recessed this week until May 17, at which time California Senator Jack Tenney may be heard, as well as any one accused in absentia of Communist activity or anything else. He also said Westbrook Pegler may be heard about May 25. Rank Emphasizes Need Of Spiritual in Films (Continued from Page 1) text of the citation appears on page six.) "The greatest need of the world today is understanding," Rank said, "and the first step to understanding is knowledge. Knowledge not only in the academic sense, but of our fellows." Rank stated "those films which have the greatest and most lasting entertainment value are those which hold fast to truth and maintain the dignity of the human spirit. Rank declared there is need for every good film that is made, whatever its origin. He said his ideal film "must have three points of appeal — the physical, the mental and the spiritual." He pointed out the difficulty of recording in film how people think, reaction to ideas, the effect of mental stress. "But doubtless we shall succeed," he said. Rites for Fitzpatxick Waterbury, Conn. — Funeral services for Ed Fitzpatrick, 52, Loew's Poli manager, will be held here today from the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Fitzpatrick, who held the post for 20 years, succumbed to a heart attack last Thursday. MITCHELL MAYr Jr. CO., INC. INSURANCE Specializing in requirements of the Motion Picture Industry 75 Maiden Lane. New York 510 W. 6th St. Los Angeles