Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 15, 1949 29 Studio Roundup With only five new pictures starting this week, but with a host of trade press previews being held, it looks like distribution, for a change, was evidencing their importance over production . . . quite a new fact in Hollywood. Not listed among the five new films was the MGM Technicolor picture "Annie Get Your Gun" which Director George Sidney started with Betty Hutton in the leading role and Louis Calhern playing Buffalo Bill. Since this had previously been listed with Judy Garland, the only change necessary was change-of-cast. Margaret Sullavan's return to films was heralded this week when Columbia gave the "go" signal to "No Sad Songs," a picture originally scheduled for Sam Wood, but which Rudy Mate will now direct. At Lake Tahoe The cast and crew of the Paramount picture, as yet untitled but based on Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy," were on location at Lake Tahoe where shooting commenced. Producer-Director George Stevens is using that magnificent Lake as the locale for the theme of the story, the place where Montgomery Clift drowns Shelley Winters and then proceeds to ' get himself in a jam. Co-starred with the two stars is Elizabeth Taylor. Another RKO Tim Holt western went into work. Always good news for the followers of this fine series. Lesley Selander again directs.. Small Starts Film For United Artists release. Producer Bernard Small started filming "The Iroquois Trail" George Montgomery-Brenda Marshall co-starrer. Phil Karlson is directing and in the cast is Glenn Langan who turned in some fine performances while at 20th Century-Fox. "Rock Bottom," a Milton Sperling United States Pictures production was the Warner entry this week. Story features three women in the leading roles, Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal and Ruth Roman. This is Director Robert Wise's first assignment at Warners, his last having been the recently released RKO film "The Setup." Finally Settled The controversy over the Ligrid Bergman "Stromboli" film was finally settled when Producer-Director Roberto Rossellini turned over the sequence he was, personally, holding. Delivery of this to the Technostampa Laboratory in Rome, makes available to RKO the entire footage and they can now go ahead finishing and editing the picture for release. Ward Bond joins Vaughn Monroe in Republic's "Singing Guns," presently shooting. At Universal-International, the cast principals and the crew of "Outside the Wall," took time out to help Director Crane Wilbur celebrate his 45th anniversary in show business. A bufifet luncheon was served on the set. LONDON OBSERVATIONS Exclusive Films Succeeds Despite British Industry Crises; 'Forsyte Saga' at Command Performance; Safety Club Idea Groesse Named Head Of Art Directors Paul Groesse of MGM was elected president of the Society of Motion 'Picture Art Directors at an election field last week, succeeding J. Russell Spencer of 20th-Fox. Ralph Berger of RKO was elected vice-president, Robert Boyle of U-I, secretary-treasurer, and Ralph Gilbert of Warners, warden. Jock MacGregor By JOCK MacGREGOR In these days of crises in the British film industry it is invigorating to come across a success story. Exclusive Films under the Carreras family have concentrated on making second features on a tight schedule and have succeeded in providing sufficient quality product for the Associated British Cinemas to meet their supporting program quota in their key houses. They have specialized in this market and have curbed inflationary ideas, with the result that they are now financing their output and are self-supporting. They have concentrated on filming radio serials with proved followings. They then set about finding the artists. If they cannot get whom they want for their price, they look around for someone they can afford, thereby probably giving a break to some unknown. They have built a first-class technical crew. It is a happy group, for they know that a continuous program is lined up and that the end of a picture does not mean unemployment. Consequently, during the last weeks of -a picture, the unit is as enthusiastic as when it starts, and members are not slipping off the set to phone around trying to find the next job. Each picture is technically superior and attracts 'better casts, for artists know they will not lose face and that direction, camerawork and make-up will not discredit them. The latest feature to be shown is "The Adventures of P.C 49," an action-packed thriller telling of a young policeman's adventures in trying to track down a 'blackmarket gang. It is good supporting fare. Incidentally it introduces Patricia Cutts who is Robert Montgomery's leading lady in "Your Witness." Odd thing is : the Carreras receive far more criticism than praise from the production side. Presumably this is a case of sour grapes. The producers I really resent are those who sit back complaining about star salaries, for they have only themselves to blame. They gave the contracts out in the first place and if their assessment of the artist's value has proved off the beam, they can hardly expect sympathy. The players have to keep up an expensive front and they ihave planned their lives according to their contracts. The practical ones have bought life insurances, cars on hire purchase and their homes with the aid of mortgages. A 10 per cent cut can cause as much embarrassment to them as to the more lowly paid, and stars must live as stars 'because it is part and parcel of the profession. Sam Eckman, Jr. is overjoyed with the selection of "The Forsyte Saga" ("That Forsyte Woman" in the U. 'S.) for the Royal Command Film Performance. This is a decided feather in Leo's cap — or is it a crown? This year's 'performance is at Rank's Odeon Marble Arch and afterwards the picture will play M'GM's Empire, a reversal of last year's procedure when "Scott of the Antarctic" was shown for one night at the Empire and moved over to the Odeon, Leicester Sq. MOM have another royal premiere coming up when "The Search" will be presented before Queen Mary at the Empire. After this one performance the film will be moved over to the Ritz which, with its small capacity, is considered more intimate for the subject. The Empire management, incidentally, are well advanced in their plans to start the stage shows around Christmas, and on Sunday morning I attended an audition for the 'ballet and chorus — as an Observer, of course. It looks as though they will be having the prettiest team in town. Proposed policy is to run each program three weeks, and there is some conjecture as to where the overflow MGM pictures will be shown in the West End. * * * I am always interested to read the monthly house organ of the Rank Children's cinema clubs, for one can appreciate the fine service the Rank organization is rendering the community. One of the best ideas in a long while comes from the Odeon, Middlesborough. In connection with the Road Safety Campaign, the Chief Consta'ble, A. E. Edwards, has been photographing children who take risks while crossing the road. Slides are made of these pictures and are screened at the Saturday matinee. Prizes are given to kids who display road sense. "Naturally," the manager reports, "there is a buzz of excitement when the tell-tale pictures are about to be shown and woe betide the culprits who have forgotten their safety-first training. Audience reaction leaves them in no doubt about their social status!" ' Torquay's Peter Myott was quipping in the Screenwriters that he appreciated the hot weather, as he had made so much money on ice cream sales. This joke is ceasing to be funny. The situation is serious, as these sales are beginning to play far too prominent a part in cinemanagement. In some cases the efforts have become almost fanatical and detract from the prime o'bject of many people going to the cinema. The revenue is enormous and it is understood the suggestion that managers should receive ZlA per cent commission on its sale was one of the main reasons for the CEA being unable to reach agreement with the Managers Society on their new charter and resulting dramatic resignations of the latter's executive. So loud has been the laughter at "The 'Chiltern Hundreds" (based on the play, "Yes M'Lord") that microphones have been installed in the stalls at the Odeon, Marble Arch, to enable the projectionists to monitor the sound. This prevents the audience losing lines through laughter. On hearing a producer was selling his farm, the trade's wit quipped, "Suppose he's turning out sufficient corn in the studio, anyway !" Minnelli to Direct 'Father* Vincente Minnelli will direct AIGM's "Father of the Bride," which has been moved up to a November starting date. Pandro S. Berman will produce. Spencer Tracy will star.