Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 12, 1949 29 Hollywood Newsxeel West Coast Offices— 6777 HoUywood Blvd.. HoUywood 28. Ccdif.— Ann Lewis, Manager PRODUCTION PARADE By Rnn Lewis WHUllliUliliUIIIIUIillllllllllliHIIIIIIIIIIIII illllillillllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllililli^ Producer Sam Engel will handle the production reins on 20th Century-Fox's "The Jackpot" and "Spare the Rod." These two additions bring to a total of ten the story properties which Engel is now preparing on his 1949-50 slate. * * * Anson Bond announced the signing of Robert Florey to direct "The Vicious Years," new Emerald production for Film Classics. With Tommy Cook, Sybil Merritt and Paul Livermore already set for the leading roles, the picture starts this month. * * * Warner Baxter, who starred for Colun^bia earlier this year in the title role of "Prison Warden," returns to the studio for a second prison story, "Leavenworth," in which he will be seen as a convict, instead of an honest man. * ^ "A Moment of Fear," an original story by ■Oscar Boetticher. was purchased by Monogram Producer Lindsley Parsons as a starring vehicle for Lucille Bremer. The picture will be filmed in La Paz, Mexico, early in 1950, with Edward N orris, Jan Clayton, Charles Lang and Helen Parrish in top roles. Boetticher is also set to direct. ^ ^ ^ ^'The Richest Girl in Jail," an original comedy by Michael Fessier, was purchased by RKO as a starring vehicle for Jane Greer. Robert Sparks is to produce, with filming slated to start soon after the first of the year. H= ^ * Felix Feist has been sig -J to direct "Murder, Inc.," which Milton Sperling's United States Production company, will produce for Warner Bros. Feist checks into the studio the latter part of this month to begin preparatory work on the film. No cast has been selected. * * * Jonathan Latimer, Paramount writer, was assigned to do the screenplay for "Jack of Diamonds," the Ray Milland starrer. Richard Haydn is due to direct, with Joseph Sistrom as producer. ^ * Joan Leslie gets the leading feminine role in "The Skipper Surprised His Wife," the first for her at MGM. With Robert Walker set for the starring role, the pictures goes before the cameras late this month, with Elliott Nugent directing. Production is the third this year for William H. Wright. * * * ■> Eddie Bracken, well-known comedian, was signed by Howard Hughes to an exclusive longterm starring contract at RKO. He reports to the studio after the first of the year. i|! * * Doris Day will co-star with Ginger Rogers in Warner Bros.' "Storm Center." Miss Day has been assigned a straight dramatic role in the film, under Stuart Heisler's direction, with Jerry Wald producing. * * * Producer-Director Clarence Brown has launched pre-production activity on "To Please a Lady," which will be his next for MGM. Brown just returned from Sacramento where he arranged for several professional race drivers to appear in the picture, which will star Clark Gable. Council Honors Wy/er For 'The Heiress' The Southern California Motion Picture Council at its monthly meeting last week cited Producer-Director William Wyler for his production of "The Heiress," which the Council declared "a picture of unusual and outstanding merit." In accepting the scroll, Wyler paid tribute to the Council and urged its members to continue their constructive work. He briefly discussed the industry's responsibility to the public, pointing out his belief that adult pictures should be made as well as those suitable for children. The Council, headed by Mrs. William A. Burk, is made up of representatives from 48 women's and other organizations. Their recommendations are sent to these groups, libraries, schools, colleges and other organizations throughout the country. New Lasky Film Project For Paramount Release "Valley of the xVlists," a Technicolor adventure film to be made by Jesse L. Lasky in Central America, will be distributed by Paramount, it was learned last week. Lasky has assembled a production unit with his son, William, as associate producer. His other son, Jesse, Jr., will write the screenplay from an original story by Willis O'Brien and Charles Palmer. Showmanship Cure for Box-Office Ills — ^Wyler Showmanship is the solution for our box-office ills, declares ProducerDirector William Wyler, holder of two Academy Awards and presently under contract to Paramount. Wyler has a consistent record of turning out product that makes money, and reports show that his latest picture, the critically acclaimed "The Heiress," upholds that record. Naturally, then, his opinions and ideas carry considerable weight. "When an exhibitor uses showmanship to sell a good picture," he mused, "his patrons learn to depend on him. He is building his theatre into an institution in the town. He can, over a period of time, develop the movie habit in people who do not ordinarily attend, and so is able to count on their support for the better films. If the full potential from good product isn't realized by securing the longest possible run and the greatest possible attendance, the showman is losing money, because the opportunity to get this extra income doesn't come every day. The great picture is the exception, rather than the rule." Analyzing the returns on a film, Wyler said: "I am not interested in how many seats were filled but in how many were empty. I want to know this: did they get everybody in town to the theatre? People don't buy cars they never heard of, neither do, they go to movies they never heard of. Tell them about it. They'll thank you." What about the charge that many Hollywood films are poor? "I don't believe that's true. Many movies are poor but there are endless gradations in the quality of films, same as there are in any art form. I would say that in any art there are bound to be lapses, and the great examples are far outnumbered by the commonplace. However, I think that what I have said contains the solution to the problem of poor pictures. If the exhibitor, by proper exploitation, would make the outstanding productions the main source of his income, and let the poor ones slip by there would be more good pictures made." "The Heiress" is doing remarkable business in the metropolitan areas, and the producerdirector expects the same in smaller communities. It's about simple people, their conflicts, their hopes and their defeats. These things are timeless and universal. It is the perfect example of a picture that should be sold. William Wyler Goldwyn Signs Keith For 'Edge of Doom' Samuel Goldwyn has signed Robert Keith, until recently the doctor in "Mr. Roberts" on Broadway, for the role of Detective Mandel in "Edge of Doom." Keith also appeared in Goldwyn's "My Foolish Heart," returned to Broadway, then came back to Hollywood for a role in "The Redhead and the Reformer" at MGM. 'Jet Pilot' First for Yon Sternberg at RKO First assignment for Josef Von Sternberg at RKO Radio will be "Jet Pilot," which will be produced in Technicolor by Jules Furthman with John Wayne and Janet Leigh co-starring. Von Sternberg was signed to a term contract last week by Howard Hughes. 'Rear Guard' Bought As Gary Cooper Vehicle "Rear Guard," a new novel by James Warner Bellah, has been purchased by Warner Bros, as a possible starring vehicle for Gary Cooper. Anthony Veiller will produce. Story is laid against the background of the Indian wars in the southwest. North Signed Edmund H. North has been signed to write the screenplay of "Bureau of Missing Persons," which Louis F. Edelman will produce for Warner Bros.