Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1955)

I^ift 3iemptt is Censor Ban On Bawnboo* The lifting of the ban on ‘‘The Bamboo Prison" in Memphis this week highlighted a series of censorship events in several states. After conferring with three women members of the Memphis board of censors, Lloyd T. Binford, chairman, said the Columbia film could be shown, reversing its original stand. William W. Goodman, attorney for Columbia, expressed disappointment over the reversal, saying he “no longer has a suit,” which was to be filed against the Memphis and Shelby County Board of Censors. Mr. Goodman said that Mr. Binford had first asked that something be deleted from the picture. “We refused to delete anything,” the attorney said. “We did not ask the board to reverse itself. Frankly, I wish they hadn’t. We don’t like censorship per se, and not the kind used on “Bamboo Prison.” Columbia was also going to seek a ruling on the constitutionality of Memphis censoring laws generally. Court Rejects ACLU Request Meanwhile in Washington this week, the Supreme Court rejected the American Civil Liberties Union’s request for an immediate court ruling outlawing all state and local laws requiring film censorship prior to public showing. The court dismissed “for want of a final judgment” the group’s appeal from an Illinois Supreme Court decision that the city of Chicago can deny a license to any picture found to be “obscene” and gave no further reason for its action. Last week, Morton Icove, Cleveland attorney and chairman of the censorship committee of the Ohio Civil Liberties Union, spoke at a meeting of the judiciary subcommittee of the Ohio House of Representatives considering censorship. He said legislators would violate their oath to support state and Federal constitutions if they approved film censorship which they believe to be unconstitutional. Reverend Jesse Cavileer, pastor of the First Unitarian Society, Cleveland, was in agreement with Mr. Icove, while Dr. Clyde Hissong, former chief Ohio censor, opposed them. Finally, the New York State Senate this week defeated the industry-supported Noonan film licensing bill by a vote of 34-16. The bill, which would have decreased the state revenue from license fees, “would chiefly benefit the prosperous major producers, not the small independents,” it was argued by Senator Samuel L. Greenberg. Spiegel to Do Three Sam Spiegel will make three more pictures for Columbia, that company announced this week. Mr. Spiegel’s last for Columbia release was “On the Waterfront.” His next picture will go before cameras this Fall. J^ollawood .Sc >cene Hollyivood Bureau STARTING OF seven productions and finishing of seven others maintained the over-all shooting level at a moderate 23 at the weekend. Possibly the most challenging of the seven new undertakings is “Pete Kelly’s Blues,” a Mark VH production for Warner release, in which Jack Webb swings away from his Sgt. Joe Friday role to portray a jazz musician of the 1920s. The record of “Dragnet,” on both screens, television’s little one and Warner Brothers’ big one, argues for him to come up winner again, regardless of role. He will direct the picture, in addition to starring in it, and he’ll have Janet Leigh, Peggy Lee, Edmond O’Brien, and Andy Devine, Lee Marvin and Ella Fitzgerald alongside him, in CinemaScope and WarnerColor. Warners’ “Rebel Without a Cause” is being produced by David Weisbart, one of the industry’s leading younger producers, and directed by Nicholas Ray, with James Dean, Natalie Wood, Jim Backus, William Hopper, Marsha Hunt and others in the cast. It’s going in CinemaScope and WarnerColor. MGM’s Charles Schnee, producer of “The Prodigal,” started “Trial,” directed by Mark Robson, with Glenn Ford, Dorothy McGuire, Arthur Kennedy, John Hodiak, Katy Jurado, Robert Middleton, Juana Hernandez and others in the cast. Ray Milland is setting out into new professional territory as director, in addition to being star, of Republic’s “The Gunman,” in Trucolor, which has Mary Murphy, Ward Bond, Raymond Burr, Arthur Space, Lee Van Cleef, Douglas Spencer and Alan Hale in supporting roles. Mickey Rooney and Morris Duke are coproducing “Jaguar” at Republic, with George Blair directing Sabu, Barton MacLane, Touch Connors, Jonathon Hale and Fortunio Bonanova. Sam Bischoff and David Diamond went to work on “Phenix City” in that one-time crime-ridden town for Allied Artists distribution. Phil Karlson is directing the picture, which has Biff McGuire, Kathryn Grant and others in the cast. Frank Lovejoy, Richard Denning and Mari Blanchard are top players in “The Big Shock,” produced by Sam Katzman and directed by Mari Blanchard for Columbia. Pickford Outbids Goldwyn HOLLYWOOD : Mary Pickford outbid Samuel Goldwyn for their jointly-owned studio here, according to referees who opened bids last week, by stipulation, preliminary to presenting them to Superior Court Judge Paul Nourse April 20. Under an agreement, the two owners may raise each other’s bids by five per cent at each bid, while other bidders must raise by 10 per cent. iimimmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii THIS WEEK IN PRODUCTION: STARTED (7) ALLIED ARTISTS Phenix City COLUMBIA The Big Shock MGM Trial COMPLETED (7) ALLIED ARTISTS Women's Reformatory REPUBLIC Lay That Rifle Down RKO RADIO Pearl of the South Pacific (Ben Bogeaus; Superscope: Technicolor) 20TH-FOX Sir Walter Raleigh SHOOTING (23) ALLIED ARTISTS The Body Snatchers COLUMBIA Queen Bee Renegade Roundup Last Frontier Sergeant O'Reilly (formerly "The Gentle Wolfhound") INDEPENDENT Charge of the Rurales (Montezuma Prods.; AnscoColor) MGM Guys and Dolls (Goldwyn; CinemaScope: Technicolor) BhowanI Junction (CinemaScope: Color) Quentin Durward (CinemaScope; Color) The Bar Sinister ( CinemaScope: Eastman Color) PARAMOUNT Artists and Models (Hal Wallis; VistaVlsron; Technicolor) The Ten Commandments (VistaVision; Technicolor) REPUBLIC The Gunman (Trucolor) Jaguar WARNER BROS. Rebel Without a Cause (CinemaScope) Pete Kelly’s Blues ( CinemaScope: WarnerColor) (CinemaScope: Color) House of Bamboo (CinemaScope; Color) UNITED ARTISTS The Deadly Peacemaker (Goldwyn, Jr.. Prod.) The Beast of Hollow Mountain (Nassour; CinemaScope; Eastman Color; Regiscope) REPUBLIC The Texas Legionnaires (Trucolor) RKO RADIO The Boy and the Bull (King Bros.; CinemaScope: Eastman Color) 20TH-FOX Seven Cities of Gold (CinemaScope; Color) A Many-Splendored Thing (CinemaScope Color) The Left Hand of God (CinemaScope; Color) How to Be Very. Very Popular (CinemaScope; Color) U-l Francis in the Navy The Second Greatest Sex (CinemaScope; Technicolor) The Rawhide Years (Technicolor) WARNER BROS. The Animal World (Technicolor) Jagged Edge (CinemaScope; WarnerColor) 28 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 9. 1955