Variety (Dec 1946)

16 INTERNATIONAL , W LONDON QFinOB French Legit Picture Confused, With Govt Taxes, Polilics Hampering pi Paris, Nov. 28. Pavi.s 1<-Rit pvesents a confusing clui'o. Fteiioh playwrights haven t ^et i<oi biU'k inlo their former stride and locil production, so far, includes few ofl'erings liltely to opcp a big American market for French prod- ■ net. : Xhe biggest grosses, -those of the Fellies Bergere revue or the, Chate- lefs -Chasseurs dlmages," a musical slarring Hie comedian Feriiandel, Ire Kiossing ,?20,000 a week. Other musicais and drsimas do half that. Legit taxes are over 40% of the gross. There is a ceiling on admis- sion-scales, which explains the com- mercial limitations French producers mu.st contend witli. During the war, due to the distaste of audiences for Geniian-inspired pictures, the stgge drew an unprecedented, amount of the amusement spending, which it has partly retained despite reopen- ing of French screens. Bui what surplus the wartime pro- ducers had accumulated during the war years was taken from them by tlie government, which taxes them 90^0 of the profit made in excess of the average prewar years. Nor is the stage any more a free enter- prise: an official license has to be obtained to run a theatre, with both the purge and party politics influenc- ing the shift in the prewar s^inp. In the more important houses, the owner is the real producer. Hence, having to play safe, and finding comparatively few auspicious-look- ing scripts in the current crop, they have resorted to staging revivals galore, plus an unusual proportion of foreign . adaptations. Among these, best received were "Of Mice and Men" and "Arsenic and Old Lace." "Rebecca" was fair. "Blithe Spirit" and "All Rights Reserved" are current. "Winterset" fizzled out. O'Neill's "Electra" is likely to be done. That plays in Engli.sh can get an audience was evidenced by the advance sellout of the Champs Elysees theatre for "King Lear/' Revivals Score As for revivals of French plays, be- sides the sensational success of Edr mond Rostand's classic "Aiglon" at the Chatelet, and the lush returns Robert Ancelin's Porte Saint Martin drew from such old standbys as "Controleur des Wagons Lits," ■f'Chausseur de chez Maxim's" and "Embrassez-moi,'' Jean Louis Bar- raiMt of the Cofinedie Francaise took over the Marigny and, rather than produce new plays, opened with -Hamlet" followed by Marivaux' "Fausses Confidences," scoring heav . ily against the Francaise at its own repertory gabe. Henri Bernstein reopened his Am- bassadors theatre with a revival of his own "Secret" with good results, and Armand Salacrou's "Terre est Konde" was revived at the Sarah i( Bernhardt. Henri Varna's revival F of "No, No, Nanette" got him O.K. returns at the Mogador. Roger Fer- dinand's "J-3" continued its last season's run, going from the Boufles to the Saint Georges. Best received of the new season's offerings has been Louis Jouvet's production of the late Jean Girau- doux' "Folle de Caillot" starring Dame Marguerite Moreno. Though Jouvet plays only a minor part, his production and direction make him responsible for the success of the play. The Yvonne Prjntemps pro- duction of Marcel Achard's "Aupres de ma Blonde" starring herself and Jacques Fresnay clicked. Rights were bought by Alexander Korda. Another money-maker was Jean Cocteau's "Parent.s Terribles, an ambitious revue there earlier in the year met with very moderate SUCCCS.S. Type of plays produced, besides usual comedies, included, as was to be expected, a number of plays, ex- tolling the, Underground, such as "Incendiaires" and "Bal des Ponir piers." Latter was a hit, starring Claude Dauphin. But audiences, pre. now weary of this theme, last one to use it being Jean Paul ■ Sartre with "Dead 'Without Burial" at the Antoino. Prcncli pipy Wrights are increas- itigly aWare ot tlie need of prevent- ing audiences frotn switehing from legil to pictures. That theatre owrif ci-s feel this too is evidenced by veteran Max Maurey: getting Marcel Paghpl (0 adapt, his. "Marius" from screen. lo stage. Provincial municipal theatres are reprg.aniang and depend mostly on suteidies. In a number, of spots, , the .interest in show business is shown by the nuinei'ous amateur companies who regularly Stage plays, Profes- sionals look askance at this, fearing the coinpetitioui 'World Marketa Clamor for Good Coods^' obtervei Norman B. Rydge (Chairman of Greater Union Tlit- atrei of Australia) 41 Si on editorial faaiure of tht .fertheoming Anniversary Number of Unique Mex Station- No Shows; Mucho Ads—Gets New Facelift Mexico City, Dec. 5. Mexico's unique station, XEQK here, has been facelifted with the placing of modern equipment for more and better service. Station's novelty is that it commands a big audience without giving any pro- grams. It reports the correct time, provided by the National A.stronic Observatory here, minute by min- ute, 24 hours daily. But, in order to catch the time, audience must hear a flock of ads, a few seconds each, spieled by an- nouncers who talk continuously for three hours each. Advertisprs. like the station. Those tuning in can't miss catching the ads. And many thousands hers and elsewhere in Mexico make a practice of tuning in frequently. Now that Mexico's two phone companies have quit giv- ing the time, XEQK has become more popular. It's claimed there are too many phoned requests to the Observatory for correct time lor it, to be efficient. INTER-UNION RULING MAY CRIMP MEX PROD. Mexico City, Dec. 5. Snagging of Mexican pic produc- tion, with probable hampering of U. S.-backed films in the making in Mexico, is seen , in the win by the National Cinematographic Indus- try Workers Union (STIC) in first district court here of orderq upset- ting the ruling rendered last fall by ex-President : Manuel Avila Ca- macho. - ■ ■ Caniacho, arbiter ot the row be- tween STIC and the Picture Pro- duction Workers Union, liad sided with- latter over labor supply rights for pix, ruling that STIC shall have that right for shorts only, while Production provide help for fea- tures. Court now rules that STIC may freely provide help for fea- tures, as well as shorts. Production, composed largely of players, is miffed at the ruling and will renew war on STIC, its parent organization, by an appeal to the Supreme Court. Argentine Fihn Prod Into High Gear After Union Row; New Bldg. Plans Palestine Talent Shines Despite Political Setup Jerusalem, Nov. 28. Success of Palestine niu.sioal talent abroad has caused much .''aUsfac- tion here, especially as proof of country's artistic progre.ss de.spite wartime and postwar difficuUles., Gold modal won by Yahli Wagmon, young pianist, at Internatioiial Music Conipolition at Geneva is latest achievement. Erich Grucnberg, young violinist,, was one of five finalist,'! for the Flesch Medal at Guildhall, Lon- don, recently. Max Pressler took first prize in recent Debussy com- petition in San Francisco. Pianists Phina Salzniann, Ella Goldstein and Sigi Weis.-icnboi g are back from triumphant tours in South Africa and Australia. Also of note is a whole program ot Palesiiiiian music recently per- formed at the Salle Pleyel in Paris by conductor Charles Munch. Pro- gram included Paul Ben Chaim's First Symphony, Max Brod's Two Rustic Dances, Marc Lavry's Piano Concerto and Boskowitz's Semitic Suite. 'Begar/ Touted Swedish Pix, Sloughed by Crix Stockholm, Dec. 2. Swedish film "Begar" ("Desire"), which was sold to the U. S. before its release here, drew a bad press when preemed here several weeks ago. Film critics concurred that the picture was a poor example of Swed- ish film production. Pic stars Edvin Adolphson and Gunn Wallgren. In addition to the U. S. "Begar" has also been acquired by interests in other Scandinavian countries as well as France, Switzer- land and Belgium. British Film Briefs London, Nov. 29. Paddy Carstairs' "South East Five," which he is directing for Al- liance Films, to be distributed by Paramount, is being made in-four film studios due to space shortage . . ..Daphne Slater, 18-year-old film star, wlio has been signed on Jong- termer by Herbert Wilcox, has been relea.sed by him to appear in "Romeo and Juliet" at annual Stratford-on,- Avon Festival next year . . . "The Egg and I," Betty McDonald's best seller which has been bought for films by Universal, will be published in England, Dec. 20 . . . Although comrailtea to J. Arthur" Rank for series of .picture deals, Brian Des- mond Hurst will direct "West End Central" for Alexander Korda, with shooting, to-start middle December. "Fame Is The Spur," produced and' directed by Boulting Bros, for Rank release, is .six weeks overdue, His I althougli brothers boast that their Paris Mulling World's Fair as Tourist Hypo Paris, Nov, 28. Intending to revive Paris former flamoi and hope tourist trade, the 'rench government is scheduling an International World's Fair here as soon as it can be arranged. This would have to be in 1949 or 1953. No date is po.ssible in between, be cause the 1951 date has been booked by England, and International World's Fair regulations provide for an interval of two years between successive fairs. Kreuder Platters Huge Vienna Click; Pianist Pkins U.S. Tour in 1947 Vienna, Nov. 27. First postwar platters by Peter Kreuder, one of Europe's top record sellers, have reached music stores and sold out within hours. Total of 100,000 each of five disks were shipped in from Switzerland. Mast- ers were cut in newly rigged Elite- Austrophone studios in basement of Konzerthaus, then shipped to Zurich for pressing. Kreuder, who sold over two mil- lion of groovings of Lehar and Stolz selection before the war, hopes to do as well with first recordings of American and Jewish composers banned during entire Nazi era. First releases include "Trolley Song," "Melancholy Baby." "Over the Rain- Bow," "Whispering," and full sides of Cole Porter, Gershwin and Irving Berlin. ■ Pianist-composer is cutting, more disks with well-known singers, scor- ing a film, "Singing House," at Ro- senhuegel (Russian) studios, and will put on some additional concerts here and in Switzerland before pro- jected departure for the states in March, 1947. Buenos Aire's, Dec, 1, ■;, After slow motion work in Arnen- lina's studios for some 1,5 days, stu- dio personnel represented by the AGICA union came to a .setilemont with the major studios, whicli grant- ed the greater part of tht-ir demands, and work is normal once iiiort'. Soine pbservers read signs of com- ing prosperity in the local .film in-: dustry from the annouhcensonis of .studio construction being made by a number of production units!. FFA is tlie t?t^St ,o| Jhcsc and has pm*-'.: chased a lot in the nearby .suburb . of Martinez, on v/hich complete sttn dio .bliildings will be creeled. . ' Oeste Films," \ new . production .unit which operates in the district of Chivilcoy, has overcome some , isnags encountered through ;Short;i'Be of equipment, and work on ^''Shad' , ows of the Past," its first production, is being speeded'iup. ArgenUna Sono Film is dickering for the purchase of Pampa Films studios. Dicker is hanging lire until after the annual general meeting of Pampa shareholders and election of the new board. AAA has announced the. names of . five pix to be released in 1947, one of which is already in the can. Tliis is a much bigger production sclied- ; ule than is usual for the Associated Artists. , An Italian company, Luxniar, is mulling ppssibility of making Tech- nicolor pix in Argentina, and offered ■ Zully Moreno a contrac. for one pic at $17,500. Star had to nix tliis offer because of her contract with Argen- tina Sono S'llm. San Miguel Studios held their first convention, attended by distributors from all Latin-American countries and announced a big blueprint for 1947, includinga musical starring Lib- ertad Lamarque, currently in Mexi- co. Plans call for 18 or 20 pix to be produced next year, starring Mccha Ortiz, Hugo del Carrio, Aida Albertl and Delia Garces. Directors lined up are Sofflci^ Arancibia, Mompletj Luis Mottura, Manuel Homerp, Luis Saslavsky and Alberto de Zavalia. The studio plans to lease the two new Sets It now has under construe- tlon. ■ ■ ■ Down Mexico Way •'Double-Headed Eagle" was done abroad before its Paris production. Same applies to Steve Passeur's "Vin du Souvenir." : Revues Hold Uli The only big musical comedy was "Cha.s.seurs d'Images" at the Chate- let, which is likely to revert to Maurice Lehman, of the Grand Opera. The government theatips. I heth Carten to scout' for are now under Director General • - Hirsch., Andre Obey is running the Francaise combo, which includes the old Left Bank Odeon as a second stage reiiamed ' Salle- du Lux'eih- bourg. The usual big revues were produced by Paul Derval at the Folies Bergere with a Chinese sequence remindful of the old glamor, and by Henri Varna at the Casino de Paris. Both are Cred- itable, considering current difficul- tie,sy but feel the lack of interna- tional a<!ts and of new revue stars. The Pigalle is now under Douking's management. An attempt to stage, pix^ are alwa,ys made on time Peter Hammond given lofigtermer by. Bank with, first pic to be Sydney Box's "Holiday Camp.". . . . Powell-^ Pressburger's first filmusical, titled "Sign. Of the Times," will star Jack Buchanan, with K' Hunter and Bonar Golleano featured . . . British Paramount Prod, appointed Ken- film talent . . . Irene Howard,' casting di- rector for Two-Cities Films, has switched to Metro in similar capaci-. ty, with Maude Spencer, her TCF assistant, taking over at latter place. Arthur Dent, associate founder of Assoc, British - Picture Corp. With late John Maxwell, who:: left-com-, pany on death ot Maxwell, and re- cently retired after five years as Sam Goldwyn's London rep, sailing lor N. Y. . . . Sydney Box announces that he will make a fihn ba-scd on life of Madame Melba, with no stars yet selected, fie will be made for Gainsborough Films. 13 Swedish Pix in Work Stockholm, Nov. 19. 'Swedish production has swung into high gear, with 13 Swedish-, makes now in work. Of these 11 are being turned out in Swedish studios, one is being made'at a Danish plant, one in France, and the other in Fin- land..' ■ "Miss Julie," adapted by the Swedish author, August Strindberg, likely will be filmed by _Estudios San Miguel in Argentina. PKATER HEAD GETS 16 YEARS Vienna, Nov.'25. Franz Kurzbauer. who Aryanized the Prater, Vienna's famed amuse- ment center, after the "Anschlus.s" in 1938, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison. He was the Nazi Prater amusement director throughout-the years 1938- 1945,''' - Winnipeg-'s Watson to Aussie Winnipeg, Dec; 10. Helen Watson,.regional supervisor for the National Film Board in Win- nipeg the past year, has been ap- pointed the board's rep in Australia. Working out of Sydney, she'll travel extensively throughout Au.stralia and New Zealand on the board's behalf. She'll also .serve as rep in Sydney of the Canadian Information serv- ice. David Woodsworth replaces hier here. Mexico City, Dec. 5. Gustave Mohome, ex-Fox mgr. in Mexico now distributor of Mexican pix in the U. S. and the Philippines, shopping for films . . . Maria Teresa Esquella, Chilean actress, playing opposite Armando Calvo, leading Spanish actor, in "The Yoke," now in production . . . Fortunio Bona- nova inked, a,s exclusive player by Panamerican Films . . . Amanda Le- desa, pix actress, on personal ap- pearance jaunt ot Central and- South America, to occupy a year. When she returns to Mexico she'll produce a stage, musical cornedy. \ John Ford in Acapulco stage-set- ting "The Power and the Glory" ... Giro's, Acapulco, opens Xmas Day under the baton ot Teddy Stadffer . . . Tito Guizar^ now in the U. S., inked by Filmex for a pic that starts Feb, 15 . . . Mexican musicians plan to build a church here of their own, dedicated to St. Ceceliai patron: of Mexican tune- sters . . . Senate con.sidering pix producers plan for the establish- ment of a government-backed bank to adequately finance and control their biz . . . Pic Production Work- ers Union made a documentary short of inauguration of Pres. Miguel Aleman . . . Andres Fa Igas, tango singer, back from a vacation in his native Argentina for pic- stage-radio work. Cine Iris, originally the name the- atre of Esperanza Iri.s, vet operetta warbler, and a frontline cinema for 13 years, now controlled by Leon Gurdus, Film Trust exeCi under, a lease. New policy is Mexican and European pix only, Mexico Looks All Set For 'Outlaw' on Hypo by UA /'The Outlaw" (UA) was pveemod in Mexico at swank Gine Chapul- tepec here by. hypoed exploitation engineered by Osmar Bromberg, UA manager. Gross, more than $100,- 000 (Mex) in the first week, wa.s just double expectations. Run was limited to two. weeks by contract, but pic has started to go places on the Chapultepec's chain. Bromberg exploited "Outlaw" en- tirely on the s.a. of Jane Russell, opening fire with a myriad ot bill- board strips of her name only in six- inch letters, followed up near preem lime with grand size lettering of her name, coupled with "The Outlaw," preem date and house. Along with this, neatly timed was a'billboard lithograph all over town of La Rus- sell, more sexily posed than in the U..S. : ■ Stills of La .Russ '1 and simple ads of the pic and house filled downtown store windows. There was profuse newspaper and mag advertising, plus the running by leading dailies and mags of a serial on producer Howard Hughes. Serial was run gratis. Ex- ceptional radio plugs were, used.;, Bromberg introduced airplane dodger distribution of pic publicity for the first time in Mexico, aiming largely at overflow Sunday crowds : at the bullfight "arena, the races and base- and football parks. ■:; RKO SI&NS BREMERHOLM Phil Reisman, RKO's veepec in charge of foreign distribution, has appointed Aage Bremerholm" man-! ager of the company's newly formed oftice in Denmark. Bremerholm, who has been man- aging director for Gloria Films, for- mer' distribiitor tot RlCO in Den^ mark, will headquarter in Copen- hagen. .■■ Basseman Honored Vienna, Dec. S. Albert Basserman, appearing here at the Volkstheatre,, was made an honorary citizen of Vienna, . Basserman and his wife Elsa, who lived in exile for eight years* will return to America at the end of this year.