Variety (Dec 1946)

Xtfeineaduy, December 4, 1946 P^niETY PRE-PRODUCTIOM Pix Exempted From Freight Cats; B.O. ftrop Starts in Cold Snap Washineton, Dec. 3. Imposition at a rail embargo an non-essential materials in a move t« conserve dwindling coaJ supplies by the American Assn of Railroads wlU not affect shipment of films under a specific exemption granted to motion pictures. btlier phases of show business, however, may be .affected in the near future by the ship- Din« ban on scenery, costumes, and other related material. Cunei't L-oal strike dimout is hav- ing delayed action effect on Broad- Way grosses, which stood up fairly well during the first week of the semi-voluntary power restrictions and then, beginning Monday (2), be- gan to sag again. With Winter weather flnally»hitting the eastern seaboard, fuel conservation regulations are expected to be tightened during the next tew days, especially in the New Yoi:k itictropolitan area, where the emergency fuel committee met yesterday (Tuesday) to draft "sug- gestions" for both home and com- mercial coal users. Mayor's emer- gency fuel committee Monday night said that fuel in transit, when the strike was called, had helped the city's stockpiles. While the warm spell prevailed. Main Stem crowds held up fairly well, with only niteries feeling the initial dimout bite, but, say theatre heads and bonifaces, Monday and Tuesday showed a sharp decline in' trade, even beyond the dip usually , experienced early in the week. Most of the' Broadway showbiz heads feel ■that this drop presages a slide in. overall business that will last for the duration of the shortage. Monday night was one of the quietest nights Broadway has seen in recent years. Of the three entertainment facets, niteries, films and legit, only the last seems to be holding with any consistency, although certain pix leaders are'doing excellent. ' Meanwhile, increasing threat of railway freight restrictions has rec- •prd companies shipping product as fast as they can to various destribu- tion points from where truckers can take over. All the record firms are moving disks from their presseries right to freight yards for shipment to their local distributors. In a report Monday at the John L. Lewis contempt hearings, Secfetary of Commerce W. AveriU Harriman foresaw a serious Curtailment of the /industry of the nation, including motion pictures, and that a pro- longed stoppage would result in the closing of nearly all the nation's theatres. True or Falsies Cleavage between the Produc- tion Code Administration and British censors over cleavage in the femme anatomy being what it is, Gainsborough (J. Arthur Rank) producers of "The Wicked Lady" were forced to shoot several retakes of the film before they could get it okayed for U.S. release. PGA bluenoses objected, of course, to the cleav* age displayed by both Margaret . liockwood and Patricia Roc, stars of the piece with James Mason. Universal, which is releasing the film in the U.S., however, apparently found there's more than one way to skin a cleav- age. Trailer at the Winter Gar- den, N.Y., where the pic is slated to open following the cur- rent "Notorious Gentleman," is compiled of shots from the origr inal British footage, giving wolves in the audience plenty to gape at and thereby giving the film a hefty pre-opening boost. When the picture opens, of course, it will have such 'shots deleted or retaken. Rosalind Russell Set To Star in 'Electra' Hollywood, Dec. 3. Rosalind Russell's next starrer will be "Mourning Becomes Elec- tra," to be produced by her own indie company. Independent Artists, in which she is associated with Frederick Brisson, her husband, and Dudley Nichols. Actress was granted permission to postpone • her final commitment with Columbia until her indie venture takes off; Following completion of "Elec- tra," Miss Russell will report to Columbia to wash up the final chore on her five-year contract. Save Juice While at Pix 'Washington, Dec. 3. Smart approach to the problem of 'keeping theatres open during the coal strike was made over the week- end by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Washington. In a letter to the D. C, Commissioners^ the thea- hes disclosed that, they had the Potomac Electric Power Co., local utility, make a survey last spring. . Survey at that time showed a sav- ing of 38% in electric power for the families which attended picture thea- tres., Survey disclosed that these families turned off their lights and cut down on their heat while at the weatre. The theatres actually used much less electricity per customer than these same people would have burned while at home. " Noi'thwest's Reaction ^ Minneapolis, Dec. 3. Trade here declares dimout Is giv- jng impetus to rapid decline in thea- tre and night club grosses that was w evidence even before it started. *-ommg at a season of the year when Kfosses ordinarily are doWn, .the aimout is depressing takings still further, it's asserted. Theatre man- agers and night club heads say lack Of Illumination is keeping many PMple away from the loop and hurt- 'ng more than "during the war when »ne unlighted downtown was taken as_a matter of course. , Psychological effect now is espe- cially bad because the dimout creates "Ocertainty regarding the economic OMlook which, of course, would be .adversely affected by more labor "forest and strikes, the. film industry « J* ^eels. Spirits are dampened ana the public taken out of a show- SOing mood, it's declared. Set Natl Policy For Reissued Practice of haphazardly distribu- ting old pix with prints kicking around in major company exchanges until ready for the trash heap is well on the way out. Impetus to the elimination of the habit, generally considered wasteful by industry big- gies, was given last week when Paramount sales chief, Charles Rea- gan, oi'dered withdrawal of all re- issues and oldies by company's 32 exchanges. The switch to a national system of handling reissues on a planned basis, thus initiated by Par domestically, has already been made by both Metro and 20th-Fox. Change in distribution policy for the oldies is also being mulled care- fully by other ot the majors with the likelihood that a number will follow the trio's lead;- In Par's case, the move was foreshadowed several months ago by Barney. Bala- ban, company prexy, who told VAftiKTT he viewed indiscriminate local distribution of reissues as milk- ing pix's potentialities without a proportionate return in revenues. Sentiment, which difficulties ex- perienced by producers during the current strike has furthered, favors restricted handling ot old films on a planned, national basis because there's no telling when the com- panies may have to fall back on them to round out releasing sched- ules. Fact that companies have been able to collect rentals on re- issues varying from 25-40% when handled nationally, with preliminary exploitation drum-pounding, has spurred the new approach. Added to this is the widely-known detail that Metro, in its first reprint "Rage in Heaven," has scored, substantially greater grosses-than the initial: run of the pic. Universal is already following the new pattern in a limited degree. Company has called in prints in certain instances to ready national releases of reissues. In other cases, such as that of "Magniflcient Obses- sion," prints are being withdrawn in a plan to remake some of the com- pany's best properties. Under new distribution' setup, U's exeds believe that a'flock of its old- sters can be reshot and sold at far greater profit than heretofore. Com- pany only recently turned down on offer by Metro of $250,000 for rights to "Obsessioni" Lloyd Douglas' best seller, in favor of doing the pic it* self. Original film was released by U in January, 1936. NAACP's White On Negroes in Films Hollywood has created an un- founded bugaboo in its fear of de- picting the Negro in any other but the timeworn stereotyped fashion. For American producers cannot even honestly cite the South and possible economic repercussions as their reason, Walter White, execu- tive secretary for the National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People, asserted last week in declar- ing that no possible harm would come to the industry from a "fair and sensible"-'picture of colored characters. Vast majority of South-: erners. White maintained, would have no objection to films that treated the Negroes as ordinary people rather than eye-rolling, watermelon-eating, crapshooting stereotypes. "The few pictures that have hon- estly treated with the' Negro have not met the sort of opftosition down South which is so dreaded by pro- ducers anxious to protect their profits," White said. "Only in a few isolated spots such as Memphis has there been any appreciable clamp- ing-down on films which fairly pic- ture the Negro as run-of-the-mill professional men, white collar work- ers or laborers," he added. "Un- fortunately, these few backward lo- calities where Bilbo's standards call the tune, have so intimidated Holly- wood that producers are afraid to do differently." 1 "Some, years back," White contin- ued, "Warner- Bros; produced 'In This Our Life' which showed Bette Davis discussing with a Negro his reasons for studying law. The Negro, very sensibly, answered that he felt he could do something to better his (Continued on page 25) Pickford-Chaplin Still Adamant In Their Intention to Oust Selznick Gallic Doubletalk First attempt to dub double- talk has just l>een completed in Paris on ■ the : Danny Kaye starrer, "Wonderman." Alfred Crown, Goldwyn Productions rep, who returned from abroad last Friday (29), reported the job a complete success after trying it out on both French and American audiences in France. Actually, Kaye's double-talk syllables weren't touched, but everytime a distinguishable Eng- lish word appeared, it was dubbed in in French. 'Two voices were used on the dubbing job as a whole, one for Kaye's speak- ing voice and one for his singing. Technicolor delay in London ex- pected hold up distribution French ver.sion prints until next summer or fall. E-L Buys 'Performance' From Faith Producers Hollywood, Dec. 3. All rights to "Repeat Perform- ance" were acquired by Eagle-Lion through a deal with Paddy Faith Productions. Property was involved in a package deal, with Marion Parsonnet originally slated as pro- ducer, but Parsonnet; pulled out after a disagreement with Bryan Foy, E-L production chief. Under the new agreement, Foy will produce and Alfred Werker will direct, on a budget of $1,500,000. Filming starts Dec. 18, with Franchot Tone and Joan Leslie as co-stars. Big UA Exec Trek To LA. on Pix Seen With an estimated $25,000,000 Worth of product ready or almost ready for release. United Artists is taking virtually its entire executive personnel to the Coast this week for a gander and discussion of the films. Included iif the o.o. sessions, it is understood, will be David O. Selz- nick's "Duel in the Sun"—an indi- cation of the management's feeling that the company-may be distribut- ing the $5,250,000 film despite efforts of owners Charles Chaplin and Mary Pickford to kick out partner Selznick. Major portion of the h.o. contin- gent going Coastward will leave to- morrow (Thursday). Included are Grad Sears, v.p. in charge of dis- tribution; Joe Unger, sales head; Maury Orr, western division man- ager; Edward Schnitzer, eastern divi- sion manager;. Walter Gould, foreign distribution boss; Tom Waller, publicity head, and Mori Krushen, field exploitation director. Paul Lazarus, Jr., pub-ad head, left last Friday (29) to get the meeting set up and Howard LeSieur, advertis- ing director, left yesterday (Tues- day). District salesmanagers will also attend.,. Party will be in Holly- wood about a week. Among the product to be viewed or discussed are Enterprise's "Rafti- rod" and "Arch of Triumph," Loew- Lewin's "Bel Ami," Sturges-Hughes' "Harold Diddlebock," Sol Lesser'S "Red House," Hunt Stromberg's "Dis- honored Lady," Andrew Stone's "The Pretenders," Benedict Bogeaus' "The Macomber Affair," Charles Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux," Charles B. Rogers' "Fabulous Dor- seys," Jules Levey's "New Orleans," Hal Roach's "Fabulous Joe," "Who Killed Doc Robin?" "Curly" and "Here Comes Trouble," Bing Cros- by's "Abie's Irish Rose" and Comet's "Susie Steps Out" and "Don Coyote." Mary Pickford and Charles Chap« lin are still adamant in their desire to heave-partner David O. Selznick out of United Artists and to pro- hibit the company from distributing the producer's forthcoming ''Duel in the Sun," despite strong opposition to both moves by UA's top manage- ment execs, it has been learned. Critical decision on action anent DOS is expected at the board meet- ing slated for next Tuesday (10), following study this week of the drastic resolution regarding Selz- nick drawn (ip: by attorneys for the other twa owners on the Coast three weeks ago. Miss Pickford feels so strongly on the issue, it has been learned, that she may come east this week to talk individually to her and Chaplin's reps on the board.. Directors met last Friday (29) for their first of- flcial consideration of the move against Selznick and took no action other than a reading and prelim- inary discussion of the Pickford- Chaplin resolution, which is in the form of a recommendation to the board. It wjas then decided that each director should take a copy of the resolution for private study prep- aratory to' making suggestions on revisions and modifications at the meeting set for next Tuesday. While the board members in theory carry out the wishes of the owner, who appoints them, it is un- derstood that they have been con- siderably swayed by strong objec- tions of prexy Edward C. Raftery and distribution chief Grad Sears against drastic action regarding Selznick. Miss Pickford's trip east would be to impress on the board the position she and Chaplin take. Each of the three UA owners names three members of the directorate. Unless Arnold Grant and Charles Schwartz, counsel for Miss Pickford and Chaplin, respectively—and per- haps Miss Pickford herself, if she decides to come east—-can convince the directors, ; there continues a strong possibility that the Selznick resolution may, be so modified by the board that nothing more drastic results than that suit for declara- tory judgement will be filed against DOS, Such suit jvould seek to regain for UA profits Selznick is alleged to have-made by peddling package deals to RKO and 20th-FoX. Board last .week. took,, unusual. steps to insure the privacy of its de- liberations, restricting attendance at the meeting strictly to the nine di- rectors, with Sears not even in the room. Directors then took a vow not to speak to the press on the Selznick issue beyond a formal state- ment that the matter had been ' tabled until the meeting npxt Tuesr day. ■ ■ Bacher Plans Musical 'Ramona'for Spring Hollywood, Dec. 3. William Bacher will produce a musical version of the Helen Hunt Jackson story, "Ramona," slated for an early spring start at 20th-Fox, with a score by David Rose and Leo Robbins. Dramatic version, of the yarn was filmed 10 years ago with Loretta Young and Don Ainfeche as stars. Hollywood, Dec. 3. Gale Sondergaard draws a fear tured role in "The Road to Rio," to,., be produced by Daniel Dare and di- rected by Norman Z. MacLeod at Paramount . . . Roman L. Pines,_ Eu- ropean film exec, will function as associate producer with Seymour Nebenzal on the Maria Montez Starrer, "Atlantis," starting Dec. 16 on the Croldwyn lot . . . Hal Roach's "Here Comes Trouble," after a sneak preview, went back to the lot for a week of added shooting . . . Steve Sekely's next production. for Republic release will be "Fighting Madonna," based on a story by Frank Wisbar . . . William Bacher to Sacramento 'Valley to scout loca- tions for his 20th-Fox production, "Walls of Jericho." Jesse L, Lasky postponed the start of "Intermission" to Feb. 17 because of the recent death of Vincent Lawrence, who was writing the script. ..George Meehan jissigned as cameraman on "Bulldog Drum- mond at Bay" at Columbia.. .■ RKO sent its "Out of the Past" troupe, headed by Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, to Lake Sherwood for a week of exterior shooting.. .Dud- ley Nichols completed the screen- play for "Mourning Becomes Elec- tra," which he will ' produce for RKO, starting in March.; .Final title on the biography of Enrico Caruso, to be filmed by Jesse L. Lasky, will be "Caruso Sings To- night.". ..Pine-Thomas announced an early January start for "Hard- boiled," authored by Tom Ahearn. Fortunio Bonanova left for Mex- ico City to star in the Spanish- language picture, "Kneeling God- dess,'! before joining John Pord's "Fugitive" troupe, which will also be filme^Jown there . . . Cecil B. deMille wound up 100 days of shooting on "Unconquered," which will be released by Paramount next year to celebrate deMille's 35th an- niversary in pictures . . . Willard Parker draws one of the three top i-oles in the Cavalier production, "Three Were Thoroughbreds," a Co- lumbia release, witli Robert Young and Marguerite Chapman in the other leading spots . . . Ralph Staub will celebrate his 20th year as a producer of "Screen Snapshots'' (Continued on page 25) SEARS SWITCHES TRIP FROM EUROPE TO LA Last- minute switch in plans caused United Artists distribution topper Grad Sears to ciancel trip to England on which he was slated to depart last Friday (29). It was said that a booking dispute with J. Ar- thur Rank had straightened itself out and Sears' presence abroad was not required. He'll leave instead to^ morrow (Thursday) for the Coast to attend a huddle of UA execs. Difficulties which were sending Sears to London, it is understood, involved dates and terms for UA product in Odeon houses. Inasmuch, as UA is a partner with Rank in ownership of the circuit, it was felt that company's product was not getting a commehsurately favorable shake. Sears was prepared to de- mand a partner's full rights in deals UA has been getting; Despite the fact the British situa- tion is said to have been straight- ened out now, there has been some hint that Sear.s' cancellation of his visit abroad is tied up with UA's pending controversy with David O, Selznick and necessity of setting de- tails with Enterprise on distribution plans for its initial films. Roach's Biggie Hollywood, Dec. 3. Hal Roach's first $1,000,000 produc- tion "Mr. Wilmer," will start lens- ing in January with Bebe Daniels producing and Harvey Foster direct- ing. Comedy to be made in Cine- color is based on novel by Robert Lawson about a man who discovers he Can talk to animals. 1 Foster directed "Song of South."