Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1953)

6 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, July 8, 1953 Brazil {Continued from page 1) assistant vice-president of the inter- national department of the MPAA, who is now in Rio de Janeiro. It was reported that one major stumbling block growing out of a government order has been rescinded. The order would have prohibited the payment of the film indebtedness out of the $300,000,000 U. S. Export Bank's loan to Brazil. It is now held likely that the $14,000,000, or a sub- stantial portion of that sum, will be paid by the Brazilian government when it receives additional advances on its multi-million dollar loan. It was reported also that in all likelihood, if negotiations in Brazil are successful, the indebtedness would be paid off within a year, or even sooner. Corkery is due back in New York at the weekend. Plans 3-D Drive-in At Way cross, Ga. Waycross, Ga., July 7.—Plans for construction of a new 400-car, 3-D equipped drive-in have been completed by John Harrison, Waycross City manager for Georgia Theatres. The circuit recently purchased the Way- cross-Drive-in which will be operated until the new drive-in is opened. The Waycross has been reopened after a shutdown of several weeks for repairs. Harrison also announced the pro- motion of Freddie Crosby to manager of the Ritz and Harold Linton to man- ager of the Waycross-Drive-in. Cowdin Urges Coast Aid {Continued from page 1) distribute some of the films through private distribution channels with ren- tals above distribution costs going to the government; and to do a better job screening out films or sequences that might hurt this country abroad. Cowdin outlined these views, some of which may provoke considerable in- dustry controversy, at a closed-door session of a House Appropriations sub-committee on June 24. His testi- mony was made public only today. The International Information Admin- istration is seeking $87,900,000 for the year ending next June 30; the film division would get $6,400,000. The sub-committee has voted to give IlA only $60,000,000. Cowdin also told the sub- committee that he had recruited an advisory group of top-notch industry names, men who will serve without pay "and give the amount of time necessary." Frank Capra will serve as chair- man, Cowdin said, and members include Frank Freeman, Milton Pickman, Edgar Mannix, Gun- ther Lessing, Roy Brewer, Wal- ter Pidgeon, Richard Breen, George Sydney, Carey Wilson, William Pine, Sam Briskin, Charles Brackett, Arthur Freed, and, as an ex-officia member, HA film consultant Cecil B. DeMille. He hopes soon to make a personal tour of film libraries and other over- seas operations of the film program, the man with 200 brainpower ALTEC SERVICE CORPORATION has more than 200 engineers actively engaged in the servicing of motion picture projection and sound eguipment and the investigation of every new projection and sound technique including theatre tele- vision. Their knowledge of new equipment and improved servicing techniques is checked at Altec's laboratories and distributed to every Altec Service Man. This circulation of informa- tion provides your local Altec Service Man with the useful experience and knowledge of more than 200 fellow engi- neers. His warehouse of knowledge is your assurance of the right service at the lowest practical cost. 161 Sixth Ave., New York 13, N.Y. The finest in technical service for theatres Cowdin said. He urged that the film budget be greatly expanded—possibly to twice the $6,400,000 request. Cowdin said the idea of getting American messages into Hollywood films is not entirely wishful thinking "because I have discussed it with two or three studio heads." He indicated his approach would be to draw up a list of "do's and don't's"—items that should be eliminated from Hollywood films as harmful to U. S. interests and other items that should be in- cluded to help U. S. foreign policy. Says Few Lines Will Help "You cannot ask someone who is making a $4,000,000 picture on private capital to ruin his script," Cowdin ad- mitted. "But I am close enough to that side of the business to know there are an awful lot of places in that script where a few lines can be put in without hurting the value of the picture and which will help ful- fill some of our missions without any cost to us." The former Universal board chair- man said he saw no reason why films made for the government program could not get wider distribution through private industry channels and at the same time recoup some of their production costs through ren- I tal charges. "I do not like to see a lot of money going out and nothing coming back," he declared. "I think we can make pictures which we can have distributed, and have distributed through the regular channels of distribu- tion, and we can make fair con- tracts for their distribution and get much of our capital back in many instances." Cowdin said he had discussed with his new advisory committee the sub- ject of having Hollywood make films for the government program, and "we figured out the costs of making pic- tures with the top brains of this in- dustry. As against our current cost, I find we can make them more effi- ciently and cheaper, by the use of those technicians and brains, than we can with what we are doing." Sees Some Films 'Harmful' Admitting that some Hollywood films that go abroad "are harmful," Cowdin' said "a lot of action is going on within the picture business itself to correct that on a voluntary basis." He also emphasized that it's hard to tell in advance what will and won't be harmful, and that many American films are doing a great deal to imple- ment U. S. foreign policy. National Pre-Selling 1st 3-Dim ens ions at New York Drive-ins ALBANY, N. Y., July 7.—The Wal- ter Reade and Harry Lamont drive-ins at Kingston, jockeying" for the inside post as first outdoor theatres in New York State to present a 3-D feature, came across the starting line abreast. They had simultaneous openings of "Man in the Dark" and "The House of Wax," respectively. Reade was the first to advertise three-dimensional, at the 9-W Drive- in, whereupon Lamont moved up "House of Wax" to dav and date at the Sunset Drive-in. Reade booked for three days, Lamont for five. Both theatres claimed a "first" in their ad- vertising. . t\/IISS SADIE THOMPSON," IVJ. a 3-D wide-screen Techni- color picture starring Rita Hayworth, receives an attention-compelling pic- torial story in "Collier's" July 11 is- sue. The story is introduced on a two-page editorial spread in full color. This is followed by photographs of other iamous "Sadies" of past years. "Collier's" author says "Rita gives Sadie Thompson a heart of pure uran- ium." Also in the issue is another two- page spread in full color telling about Walt Disney's first 3-D cartoon film, "Melody." "Melody" is a wide-eyed open- hearted tale of man's progress Irom birth through school, family life and old-age to aeath." It will be released this summer. "Twelve Mile Reef's" star, Terry Moore, dominates the front cover of ' Lite's'' current isue. On loca- tion for "Twelve Mile Reef," "Life's" lensmen photographed her in full color while the starlet-turn- ing-star was in a jolly mood. In the same issue there is a two-page spread which spotlights scenes made during filming of 'Twelve Mile Reef" which co-stars Robert Wagner. Also receiving prominent mention is "Man on A Tightrope," now playing first-run theatres. • "Thunder Bay's" feminine star, Joanne Dru, said "Jimmy Stewart can underplay a scene so well he is really a one-man drama school" when inter- viewed for the July 5 issue of "Pic- torial Review." • "The War of the Worlds," "Young Bess" and "It Happens Every Thursday" are among the pictures recommended in the July issue of "Woman's Home Com- panion." • "Scared Stiff," "The Juggler" and "It Happens Every Thursday" are re- viewed in a discerning manner by Ed Miller in the July issue of "Seven- teen." The reviews are supported with action photographs taken during the filming of the three productions. • "Julius Caesar," "Fanfan the Tulip," "Shane," "ifoung Bess" and "Split Second" are some of the pictures listed in Florence Somers' "The Best Bets" department in the July issue of "Red- book." "The Cruel Sea," "White Witch Doctor," "The Moon Is Blue" and ''The Juggler" are reviewed in the July issue of "American Magazine." John W. McPherrin, the publish- er, wrote an editorial for the July issue under the title of "Our Herit- age." He said, "In 1741, 35 years before the birth of this nation, America's first magazine was born and published for a few months. Its name was 'The American Maga- zine.' "Although the original maga- zine did not live very long, its sig- nificant name is as alive today as it was 212 years ago. Every month for the last 40 years, it has given spirit and character to the magazine we have the honor to publish." Walter Haas