Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

6 Motion Picture Daily Monday, July 18, 1961 BritishReport ( Continued from page 1 ) 491. Repayments were £1,383,924 plus a share in the profits of successful films totalling £118,016. Of 44 films financed by the corporation released in 1959, 25 were profitable and 19 unprofitable. At a press conference John Terry, managing director of the corporation, reported some progress on his call to the industry last year to cooperate in cutting costs. This took the form of British distributors adopting a 70 to 30 pattern of film financing; of the producer and his associates contributing at least five per cent of the cost of the film; and by individuals customarily receiving high cash fees being prepared to take substantially smaller fees plus a share of the profits. In connection with the latter Terry recalled an editorial on these lines written as long ago as 1923 by Martin Quigley in "Exhibitor Herald," predecessor of "Motion Picture Herald." Makes Four Suggestions Terry said he believed industry funds could be protected by producers taking more care with script preparation, by unions abolishing restrictive practices, by distributors selling a film for all it's worth, and by exhibitors reviving the glamour appeal of movie-going. The corporation's balance sheet shows an accumulated deficiency of £4,130,991 in its 11 years of operation out of the £8,000,000 it was authorized to lend, with £544,080 remaining available for future use until 1967 when the corporation's term will end. Terry said he hoped that no curtailment of the corporation's activities would be necessary. He reported happily that British Lion in which the corporation has £600,000 invested "has turned the corner under its new management and is now operating profitably with a provisional profit of £100,000 for the year ended last March." It is still the corporation's policy ultimately to dispose of this investment to suitable private interests, he said. M-G-M Names Susse Detroit Branch Chief Edward R. Susse has been promoted to Detroit branch manager, it was announced (at the weekend) by Robert Mochrie, MGM's general sales manager. Susse, who has been Albany Branch Manager, fills the gap left with the promotion of Lou Marks to Central Division Manager. Associated with MGM since 1932, Susse became Albany branch manager in 1957. Bronston to Spain Fete New 'RacheF Title Set IFIDA Envisions Major Court Test In Battle with Atlanta Censor In its forthcoming fight with the Atlanta censor board the Independent Film Importers and Distributors of America will attempt to force a test of the city's censorship ordinance in the hope it will be ruled unconstitutional in Atlanta Federal Court, it was learned Friday. Rather than merely contest Atlanta's refusal to permit exhibition of one picture presently being disputed — Continental Distributing's "Boom at the Top" IFIDA will bring the ordinance-at-large into play, according to Michael Mayer, IFIDA executive director. "We're gunning for the city ordinance; we want to get it off the books. I would not regard anything short of that as a clear-cut victory," he said. Mayer's denouncement of the ordinance and of the one-member censor board was bitter. "It's an arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable business," he said. He further implied that Atlanta's two-member board which hears appeals on censorship cases is little more than a rubber stamp. IFIDA's censorship committee will hold a special meeting here Wednesday to discuss plans for the Atlanta case. Counsel retained in Atlanta is expected to come here to discuss strategy with IFIDA officers. Mayer said the case will be brought to court in about one month. He personally expects to be present for die hearings. "Room at the Top" is one of three films currently being denied exhibition rights in Atlanta. The other two are Trans-Lux's "The Case of Dr. Laurent" and Times Film's "Naked Amazon," both of which received Production Code Seals. In the case of "Room at the Top," Mayer said Atlanta's position was unusually unreasonable, because the film has not been excluded in any city where Continental requested playdates for it, Mayer said. Midwest Saturation Set For Zugsmith's 'College' "College Confidential," Alfred Zugsmith's production for Universal-International release, will have its world premiere at the Broadway-Capitol Theatre in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 5, launching a Detroit territorial saturation series of openings. This will be followed by a Cincinnati saturation starting Aug. 10 and in Indianapolis starting Aug. 17, according to Henry H. "Hi" Martin, Universal vice-president and general sales manager. A-Mike Vogel, Universal exploitation representative, will be sent to Detroit to help develop the campaign. Stars from the picture also will participate. Franco-British Ties Seen for Co-Productions Special to THE DAILY PABIS, July 17.-The French technicians unions are drawing closer to the British technicians federations' views on co-production and both groups are constantly in touch with one another, it was learned here today. "The British view that co-productions should be only made over and above normal national production is reasonable," said Henri Back, secretary of the Federation du Spectacle, which groups technicians of stage and screen. "Until now our great objection to co-productions has been that artistically the films rarely are satisfactory, causing attendance to fall off sharply," he added. He said that producers must be prevented from making films in Yugoslavia, Italy and those countries where labor is less expensive. He stated that a Seric-Pendennis film, "The Hands of Orlac," a first Franco-British coproduction, had caused a dispute because the British sent 23 technicians to Nice instead of the eight originally planned. The French producer subsequently was fined by the French Ministry of Labor for using foreign labor without a permit. Report New 'Hercules' Beating Last Year's The second day gross, Friday, for "Hercules Unchained" on the RKO and Skouras circuits in New York, part of the saturation booking in that area, boosted the gross $10,000 above the record for last year's "Hercules," according to Embassy. The picture opened Thursday to a strong $3,800 at the Broadway Capitol in Detroit. Levinson Gets Two HOLLYWOOD, July 17.-Distribution arrangements for Richard Kay and Harry Rybnick's "Dr. Blood's House of Horrors" and "Sin Started With Eve" have been completed with Mike Levinson's United Producers Beleasing Organization. Each of the films will be handled on a "point of sales" campaign basis in each of its key city bookings, Levinson announced. Samuel Bronston, producer of the forthcoming "King of Kings" for M-G-M, and a group of stars appearing in the picture are attending the eighth annual International Film Festival at San Sebastian, Spain. Shooting on "King of Kings" will continue following the close of the festival. "The Sins of Bachel Cade" is the new title of the Warner Brothers production formerly called "Bachel Cade," based on Charles Mercer's novel about a medical missionary in the Belgian Congo. Henry Blanke produced and Gordon Douglas directed, from a screenplay by Edward Anhalt. Album for 'Song9 Out The original soundtrack album of William Goetz' "Song Without End," the story of Franz Liszt, has been released by Colpix Records, a division of Columbia Pictures. The soundtrack recording, the most important album on the Colpix schedule this year, features the piano of Jorge Bolet, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and the "Song Without End" chorus. REVIEW: Trapped in Tangiers 20thFox — CinemaScope Short, shadowy and at times confus ing because so many of its character look alike, "Trapped in Tangiers" i an English-dubbed film featuring play ers from several countries. Edmumj Purdom and Genevieve Page are thi principals and the young lovers ari united at the end, but only after Ed mund, time after time, escapes deaf; at the hands of an international nan cotics syndicate in Tangiers. And who but Gino Cervi, Mis;! Page's father, should be head of thl dope smugglers? Of course Miss Pag is unaware of this until she is told b Purdom, an Interpol cop who poses aj a drug addict so he can join Cervi'! gang. As would be expected in Tan! giers, there are a number of slf throats, double-crosses and one Inter pol man is tortured to death. But Pur dom proceeds with authority and he i last seen flying off, presumably t America, with Miss Page. Her fathe1 was killed by police as he tried to kit Purdom. In CinemaScope, "Trapped in Tan giers" was produced by Biccard Freda and directed by Antonio Cervi Alessandro Continenza, Vittorian' Petrilli and Paolo Spinola collaborate! on the screenplay. Gin Maureen sing' a song, "The Last Phone Call," com posed by Edward Brody. Running time, 74 minutes. July re lease. Saul Ostrov; Report 'Lost World' Openings Hit Record Theatre reports from first engage ments across the country indicat Irwin Allen's "The Lost World" i surpassing 20th's "Journey to th Center of the Earth" by 30 per cen and more in virtually every situation according to the company it is out . grossing the opening days of "Sin! the Bismarck," "The Young Lions, "Dog of Flanders," and "Say One Fo Me." In New Orleans, at the Saengei1 "World" grossed $3,107 to "Journey's' $2,025, "Bismarck's" $1,437, ant "Young Lions'" $2,285. In Atlanta, at the Paramount Thea tre, "World" rolled up $1,662 for thi day, passing "Say One For Me," a $1,463. The theatre reported the bes business done at the Paramount ii over a year and a half. In New York, the opening day a the Warner Theatre was $6,830 doubling the opening day of the pre vious smash, "Pay or Die." The figun also was a full $1,000 ahead o "Journey to the Center of the Earth, which played a theatre in N.Y. twics as large. The second day gross at tin, Warner was $5,841. In Los Angeles, at a dozen theatre! including drive-ins "World" is beatinf "Journey" by percentages ranging from 100 per cent to 25 per cent. In Washington, at the Metropolitan "World" was $2,602 to "Wake M< When It's Over's" $1,067. At the Am bassador, "World" hit $1,445 tc "Wake Me's" $520.