Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 3, 1949 'Mercy' Renato Gualino Rep. J. Parnell Thomas (nee Feeney), who as chairman of the Un-American Activities Committee of the House of Representatives, conducted an apparently inconclusive investigation of Communism within the film industry, Wednesday threw himself on the mercy of the court in connection with defrauding the Federal Government. Thomas was charged with receiving kickbacks from fictitious employes whom the Government paid on his authorization. Maximum penalty for the offense is a fine of $40,000 and 32 years in prison. Lux To Dub, Says President Gualino High quality dubbing will be pushed by Lux Films Distributing Company in an efifort to get wider distribution in the United States for its Italian-made product. Dr. Renato Gualino, president of Lux Films, S. A., of Rome, declared in New York last week. Two of the imports which will be dubbed — "Seven Years' Hard Luck" and "The Captain's Daughter" — are part of an import program which may reach 10 features in 1950, Dr. Gualino said. He also declared that he would seek the advice of the Motion Picture Association of America on ways to iget fair distribution for foreign films in the United States. Presumably this is in line with MPAA President Eric Johnston's repeated declaration that if we want to export films we must be prepared to accept imports and to assist fine foreign films. Co-Production Dr. Gualino also revealed a plan for "cooperative production" between France and Italy provided certain Italian legislation is passed by Dec. 31. Under this proposed plan French producers would make probably as many as six pictures in France with the Italians furnishing at least 30 per cent of the financing. Then Italians would make six different films in Italy with the French furnishing at least 30 per cent of the financing. The films made in each country, under the proposal, would then be admitted into the other country as domestic films under the quota which could recover reimbursement of the admission tax, which in Italy amounts to 22 per cent of the gross, and would further be free of dubbing tax. Lux also has a joint production plan with John Sutra's Orlux Company in England by which it made two films with English and Italian versions which will be admitted into England as British quota pictures, Dr. Gualino declared. Dr. Gualino saw no immediate prospect of unfreezing American film rentals in Italy. He anticipates Italian producers will make 100 pictures this year, approximately 25 of which will be suited for American import. Also he finds Italian production costs have risen but slightly due ti> American production projects in his native land. Btager Joins Film Classics Louis R. Brager this week took over as exchange operations director for Film Classics, succeeding Albert Mannheimer. Color Is Star of Dual Bills Find Technicolor is the star of the moment and what the public wants along with it is good action pictures, the dual Bills— Bill Pine, Bill Thomas— declared in New York Tuesday before starting another cross-country tour to see what exhibitors think is best for the screen and what are the best terms they can get for PineThomas productions. "We find that they (the public) want adventure, action adventure, romantic adventure and they like color," declared Bill Pine, holding the interview floor in relays with Partner Thomas who is not tongue-tied. "Technicolor is the star." "The public will buy Technicolor . . . they like Technicolor. Maybe that won't hold up but now it's good." The "good" angle, insofar as the producing team is concerned, is that they've found that color can take the place of a big name. Not Even Peanuts They've also found, as a result of their exhibitor-visiting jaunts, that many a name which Hollywood's Brown Derby thinks is tonic for the box-oifice won't bring in enough, inferentially, to permit the exhibitor to buy his wife's brother a Coca-Cola. In addition, they've discovered that exhibitors think a lot of actors whom Hollywood won't even lift an eyebrow over. "That's why," explained Thomas, "we started to use John Payne." Payne, they learned, was plum duff to the exhibitor's profit-calculating mind. Changed Their Thinking "Listening to the exhibitor has changed our whole thought and paid off — definitely it has paid off," put in Pine. Both partners explained that after they had made "Albuquerque," exhibitors asked for another and they obliged with "El Paso." And then on another go-round when Republic's "Wake of the Red Witch" was making money, exhibitors asked for sea pictures, so they obliged — they hope — with the forthcoming "Captain China." Asked by a reporter whether the opinion of exhibitors who had success with "Albuquerque" and wanted another like it and those who made money with "Red Witch" and wanted more sea pictures, if accepted, would not lead to the same monotony which the exhibitors themselves denounce, the dual Bills replied that they sifted exhibitor opinion for their reaction on boxoffice. Further, they said, the total opinion would not "change the thinking" of the two producers working as one, altogether. "At least you can find out what they don't want," pointed out Thomas. Part of the motive behind their trip, both are frank to acknowledge, is to get the best deal they can from exhibitors through "additional merchandising." Pine declared he could go to exhibitors whom he knew and say "Give me a break" and get it. "We just have to take in more money in order to exist," he said, speaking of the industry generally. "This may not be necessary a year from now when the foreign thing, which is a cancer in our business now, is over, but it is now." Wfiere It Doesn't Show The partners agreed that economy had to be accomplished in what did not appear on the screen and not in sets, photography or acting details. They claimed they pay a dispropor 15 the Moment, from Survey tionately high amount of their budget for scripts, because "if you've got a good script you have a chance of getting a good picture; if you haven't a good script, you can't get a good picture, no matter who's in it." Besides the careful planning of the script saves shooting time. "What you can do," declared Thomas on economy "is to save a lot of dough in preparation, consulting your production managers, your director" ("and your cameraman," interpolated Pine) "and make the picture practically in your office." Pine-Thomas have three planned for 1950 production — "Tripoli" in March; "High Venture," June ; "New Guinea Gold," September. Releases scheduled for the year are "Captain China," "Eagle and the Hawk," "Outrage." And they won't sell their pictures to television. Pine made it plain. Bonanza in Vet Selling — Cowan Using veterans to peddle tickets for the reissue of "The Story of G. I. Joe" in various cities has proved a bonanza both at the boxofiice and in goodwill. Producer Lester Cowan and Eagle Lion General Sales Manager A. Montague declared in New York Wednesday. Under the veteran plan the ex-service men sell the tickets at box-office price for a 40 per cent commission. So far, Cowan claims, they not only have boosted the house gross way above normal, but in publicity breaks. The idea has been so fruitful in fact Cowan himself will take the road shortly to explain the plan to veterans' groups. The producer explained that he would put into practice a pattern developed in Boston where the picture after two weeks at the Pilgrim broke day-and-date in 21 Boston neighborhood houses plus 100 New England dates later. Iowa Tax Shows Grosses Are Down Box-office receipts for Iowa's theatres were approximately $1,500,000 off during the second quarter of 1949, compared to those of the same period one year ago, figures of the state tax commission revealed this week. The commission reported that the tax take on the box-oifice for April-May-June was $116,366 this year compared with $146,961 during the same period in 1948. On the basis of these figures, this would mean that theatres took in $5,800,000 for the 1949 three-month period compared to $7,300,000 a year ago. Maybe Thomas Could Help No Communists have been found to date within the ranks of the National Film Board, the Hon. R. H. Winters, Canadian Minister of Reconstruction and Supply, declared this week, during an investigation which is being made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The check was prior to production of secret military films by the board.