Variety (Dec 1947)

Wednesdaj, Deeember 3, 1947' Despite Chnrdi hessnre 'Andier' loiB.O.'BodyanlWNikZ . With 9 record number of playcjatest' the forepart of the month, "Forever Amber" (20th) easily sailed off with the November boxofflcis champton- ehSp, according to weekly b.o. reports from 'Vahietv correspondents in about ^7 representative 17. S. key diies^ Technicolor opus finished first, iar ahead of its nearest com- petition in two weeks, was second in a third stanza and fourth , even in the 'Other week, although' mainly faoldov«! 'in final November session. "•Amber" hung up $1,600,000 in the tour weeks in keys covered by VittilETY, biggest total in years to be reached by a single picture in a four- week period. This was about $800,000 ahead of its nearest competitive pic- ture, and was recorded: . despite strong opposition from ths Catholic Church, Second place went , to "Body and Soul" (UA) although this pic. was dn general release only three weeks during the month. Remarkably big showing was turned in even though business dipped generally nation- wide in the week ending Nov. 26, UA'-Enterprise entry nosed out "Un- cdnquered" (Par), which dropped down to third slot largely because it Nov.« Gold^ii Pozen ^ 1. "FQ»tv«r Anib«r>* (20th). 2. 'TBody aiid Soul"' (UA). 3. "UnconqUered" (Par). 4: «Wait«r Mit^y; (bkq).,, .. B. "Magic Towh" (llKO). ' ' 6. "Had To Be You" (Col). 7. "Song of I^ove" (M-G),. 8. "Christmas Eve" (UA). 9. "Time iat Keeps" (M-C). 10. "Where There's Life" (Par), 11. "Life With Father" (WB), 12. "Dolphin Street" (M-G). 20th and Chur^ili StiD Tussling 0?er'Amber' But New Rating Seen 'Window* stalled in NX Because of Moppet*s Gold Shooting ichcdule on KKO'c "Window," first film Irom that com- pany to he lensed entirely in New York, la now running several days behind. Slowdown^ however, is not due to any intricacies involved in .eastern production. Bobby DriscoU, moppet star of the film, came down with a bad «oia last week and, ,sjnc« he appeaVs in almost every scene, it was found impossible to shoot around him. To date, -producer Frederic. Ullman, Ji;., is well satisfied with, working fForever , reinaiiJed ij^is wefek ill the C?iith<iyi> iUgiptt of De- cency's "condemned" category, al- though zdthiFox 'pfliciffi ■ ire hope- _ ful that a change in classification was launched in so few addition k^s will be forthcoming momentarily. during the 'final two weeks of No- vember. ' DeMille pic held near the tojp in first three weeks, being , uni- tdrmly. strong te smash in initial stanzas wherever played. •"Walter Mitty" (EKO-Goldwyn)', v^hich had started, in only a few scattered spots during October, re- flected additional playdates , a n d ' tesX ^tetngth'to move up fkom sev- enth, (in' Octeiber) place to fourth position; where firmly entrenched as the month ended.: FlfOi Plkee Battle •Magic Town" (HKOy and "Had To Be You" iCol) fought it out for fifth place, with, the James 'Stewart's numerous playdates also clocking good business. "Had To Be," in sixth spot^ landed in: fourth position na- tionallr m» week and- deserved this rating', because cUHng i^e trade in nearb' all locations. "Song of Love"- (M-G) racked up some' .solid business in -some loca- tions in two. weeks ot.tfae ttionth, but could not make better than'seventh, being inclined to- be^ spotty, espc ciaUy on holdovers. Eve" (UA) completed . ^it^th- "from top largely . via fairly good representation three weeks, out of four. ' "This Time for Keeps" (M'G)' won • ninth position, '"libsing out "Where There's l.if<' (Par). Latter was just getting startecl as the month elided. With . many pri^e bookings for file Bob tLta^t, comedy likely to be held for .the year*end holiday season. ."Life With Father" (WB) copped lith" spot - while "Green Dolphin Street" (M-G) managed to hit 12th. Last-nan}ed was displaying some marked strepgth tattiougfa not dated in many places^,. , Bwiineni-tFi^ Best in.r'unnerrup classiflcaiion for November are "Fabulous Texan" (Hep). "EjEil«" (U)„ "Spirit of West Point" (FC)t -Wild Harvest" (Pai ), "Mertoj! of Movies" (M-G) and "Bide Pink Horse" <U). Besides. "Dolphin,Street," new en- trant showing greatest potentialities as -the month -ended were ^'Fugitive" (BKO) "Gentleman's Agreement" (20th), and "MoUrning,Becomes Elec- tra'V (RKO). "Agreement," while launched . in only two keys^ did such smash trade in these, two bigger cities that outstanding business seems assured when given, additional play- dates. ' "Bachelor and BobbyrSoxer" (RKd) and "Welcome Stranger," two champ businessrgetters of previ- ous-months, evidenced their rare stamina- by snagging great trade in the few big key cities where teeing off during November. Spokesmen fpt both the Legion and- 20th ref use.d to commetit.on what cuts, it any, had been made in the film. Long delay in the Legion's decision indicateSi'tfae problejiii <»t »^^ vamping the picture is a tou^j>ne ta solve. It's, known, that JjOtft pwao*. j Spyros SkQuras huddled alt dajr last Wednesday (29) with Legitnn nlp- cials and both 'BUtfita have heUP to-' tensive huddles on "Amfeer" during the week. Evidence that . the''.'cohdenmed" rating on "Amber" was hurting the boxoffice continued to roll in. Mote exhibitors, it's reportedr "Wi^tedL out of their ccmtracts rather ,:th^ 'rK^ the wrath of local church dignitarii^ What stand I^adelphia's.>t>ehdfs Cwrmal Dougherty, would laV-e'jt: ttte film ^ere recUussl&(!^ \iias.'stilt- not been determined. 1^ Carding' last weeic tossed liis threatened one-' year hoycott at -&e Fox, PhHly, and - at any other house'in his nihe-couh- t'y archdiocese playing 20th ^;o,^uct, because the Fox hadn't palled the "Christmas \ picture within the 4d-hour deadline the -month he set up. Pitt'Outlaw' jssssm c«Winiiea.^fre» page »ss city this past Sunday (SiQ) .had -not theatre ' :agreed ta- pull "Outlaw.' After hurried telei^one conferences between John 'Vtfalsh; manager of house, and hi* homeoltice, decision was made ill time, to avoid possibility of ban. - ■ ■•■,'■■■' Although similar pressure was brought on Harris Anuis. Co. when "Forever Amber" opened last month, picture played 'three and a half weeks downtown between Harris and Senator theatres. Finally, how- ever, John H. Harris, head of the circuit, agreed not to play it in any of his nabe houses. "Amber" began several indie' dates here recently, and film came o>it after a single day in many locations l>ecause of church action, .' 20th's More Into 16ni Alerts TOA as Other Distribs Eye Field Plan of 20th-Fox to peddle 16m films commercially in marginal areas coupled with rumors that other com- panies may travel the same road Is. speeding plans of the Theatre <^wa« ers of America to grapple with the problem. TOA is calling a meeting of its 16m committee in New York, Dec. 10, to consider ej(hlb counter- moves. It's expected that the committee will an-ange conferences with the various majors -and also call In the 16m associations for huddles.. Con- fabs are slated with a view of find.- ing out if steps to cure points of un- fair competition can be taken with- out an intra-trade battle. TOA committeemen attending the meet will be Myron Blank and Fred Kentv co-chairman; and Emanuel Friseh, Gil Nathanaon, W. W. Grif- fin, Sidney Lust, N. L. Carter, Mitch- ell Wolfson and Arthur Lockwood. TOA's top brass will sit in. . Committee is concerned because there are 60,000 narrow>'gaage pro- jectors already distributed : in the U, S. and the manufacturing industry is tuned up to turn out 40,000-50,000 yearly. Rentals on 16m prints aver- age $250,000, yearly to a major .dis.- trib and it's felt that sort of income doesn't warrant distribs risking toss ot :income from standard features. Wider use -of 16ni attractions by-,de- partment stores, ball parks, fraternal meeting and churches are cited. . PARSTEPPIiiG(H)Tm'48 . aramount, which has -been hold- ing off on overseas 16m .Operations for the past /ear will step out in the field early in 1948. A. "L. Pratchett, Par's ■manager for Iiatin America, is bookied to tour his sector in January to study narr.ow-gauge poss'ibilities. Company is still uncertain .'whether, profits would be healthy enough to 'warrant full-scale 16m campaigns. Pratchett will either greentight a hemispheric drive or call . oi1( :'. the whole tiling. To date. Par has only gor->> into tiie PhUippines .and Malaya with 16m prints. Those twe locales have beea turning in a small sco&t. ODerx ations have been marlied ler expan- sion into Cuba and alfewother Car- ibbean islands. Company's definitely decided on mariteting narrow-gaguge celluloid in France once the politicaT and economic atmosphere clears there. France was definitely tagged because it has an estimated 3,000-3,500 out- lets. • ■ Mystery Pickets Join Piit Bin Briefly Pittsburgh, Dec. 2. The Fulton bad. another attrac- tion this week besides : "The-Out- law','' It was "The Picketif Mys- tery.'', ■ , Couple of fellows showed up right' strand, after the pie opened, .idariying signs •wWnAt read "no decent jpersoh will atten4 this performance," and re^ fused to identify themselves. No- body else could -either. No religious «r other organization : laid claim' to them. Meihiiliis Nixes 'Orleans' ^Memphis, Dec. 2. Chairman Lloyd T. Binford, of the Memphis censor boards already un- der fire in legal action of UA and Hal Roach against hi* censoring of '^Gurley," has finally ruled against showing of Jules Levey's "New Orleans" in Memphis. Binford declined to discuss the ban with the press, but is under- .sfood to object to prominence of Louis Armstrong, Negro jazz trum- peter, in the picture. Local snipper also was reported as critical of gambling sequences. Local tioard Js Increasingly .<;ecrctive about Its actions. It's Just been learned that Slim Gaillard Trio was clipped from "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" when Monogra.Ti bju- sical was shown last week at the Death of Ernst Lubitsch this ■week cuts by one the very few director* whose names carried, boxoffica drawing poWer on theatre marquees, During tl)« '20'* and 'Sa's. "the LubMsclii toucV became a special box« ' office lure. A* late as last year, liis "Cluny Brown" won critical ac- colades tor "the touch." Probably his top performances were early in sound film's history when he handled "The Student Prince" for Metro and then pioneered the comedy with songs in "Love Parade,'' a terrific winner for-Paramount. ■ Cecil B. deMille, Frank Capra, B. W. Griffitli and Rene 'Clair are perhaps the only other dhrectCff'S Vfbose names meant somethhig to the .public at large. PCC Drive Hits 819G Hollywood, Dec. 2.: Third Annual Appeal for subscrip- tions to the film'industry's Perma- nent Charities Committee has reached a total of $610,336, or 63% of the goal. Eagle Lion, Disney and Tedi- nicotor are the first studlds to forge ahead of their 1946 contributions. Exec Prod. Says E Has 'Arrived'Because Of AvaWe Loanovts Eagle Lion, after 15 months of tough sledding in which the com- pany brought out 23- pix^ has finally arrived in the estimation of other producers* according to Aubrey Schenbk, EL exec producer. Speak- tog for Bryan Foy, studio chief, Schenck declared: "We're . now establi.shed. That means- any star from another studio is available to us on leanout. The .only question is whether it pays us to do the bor- rowing.''. There'll tw .A. total of 24 pix made by and for the company durbig the 1947<-48 season, exclusive of western- ers and -aetlon. films, Schenck said. Home, lot will make 12 top*budgeters and six Bs. Indie producers will make up the balance. Included in that figure are two which Walter Wanger will complete on the lot by next October. First Wanger effort will be "The Kank Wall," starrbg Joan Bennett, Schenck estimates production nut for the year at $18,000,000. Two Cinecdlor films, "Pchice 'VaUant*' and "Lorna Doone".may set the comipany back- as much as $1,800,000 apiece, he said. As for tow-^budgeters^ Harry Thomas, formur prez of -PRC. (now absorbed by EL) wiU taM on the entire oater' program. He's -con' tracted to deliver eight, westerns' during the year. Hiere'll also be six to eight cheapies from outside producers including Matty Kemp, Lionel Toll, Frank iSatenstein, Jerry Briskin and Maurice Bapf: The big thing, Schenck- said. Is the rush to make location films with EL joining the parade by planntaig.; five- for the current season. What's new is that EL has issued orders not to wait :for weather on location shooting. "Rain used to'be a buga- bo, but it!a Ao 'longer so," jiroducer' said. "If it's rsiiiiiDg and ttie light- ing is uncertain. Mire shoot it any- way. We've learned that the- audi- ence wilt accept it as a touch-of- naturalism and .not just poor photog- raphy." ffies oil Ceast .... Holly»rood, Dec. 2. Ernst Lubitsch, 55, vet film direc- tor- and- producer- whose career spanned the'Industry's rise over the past 35 years, died suddenly Sunday (30) at his Bet-Air home, near Hol-< tywood, following a heart attack. He had been under medical care for a heart condition for th« past several years. Recently returning to the 20tti-Fox lot after a prolonged Illness, he was half-finished with his director-pro- ducer chores on, "This Is the Mo- ment," a Betty Grabte- Douglas Fair, banks starrer. Earlier this year, he had signed a IS-year pact with the studio which extended a producer- director'contract drawn up in 1943. Bom in Berlin, Lubitsch began his theatrical career as an actor, but later turned to -writjng and directing under the tutelage of Max- Reinhardt After' staying with Reinhardt for ieven years, he turned irom legit to (jUrecting; and producing films, a medimtt In ivhleti he soon achieved Outstanding, success. Among his early pictures were "Passion" and "Deception" which introduced Pola Negri and Smil Jannings to the U. S. In 1922, he was brought to this countiT: by Mary Plckford to direct her in' "Rosita." Following a series of hits, he went to Warner Bros., where he duracted "Marriage Cir- cle," "Lady Windermere's Faii" and others. Later, he did "The Student Prince," "Ther Patriots," "Kiss Me Again" and "So This Is Marriage." He also introduced Maurice Cheva- lier in "Smiling ;Lieutenant" and Jeenettft MacDonald as the star of "Love Parade." At 2mh during the past four years he produced "Heaven Can Walt," "Royal Scandal" and Cluhy Brown." Last IMarch, Lubitsch rec^yed » special "Oscar" ,at the annual pres- entation of awards-by the. Academy. of Motion Picture Arts, and Sciences for his "coqtrlbutiom to.rthe Indus- try in 25 years as a director." ' Ohio Lifta 'Cress' Ban Columbus, O., Dec. 2, Oliio Fihn Cinsor Board lifted a two-week bai^ on the showing of The Burning Cross," produced by FAC^k'S 20c DIVVY Hollywood, Dec. 2. Max Factor Company reports net earnings of $1,660,760.03 for nine months ending Sept. 30. Profits be- for taxes were $2,863,379.37, on basis of 80% per share total dividend for year on Class A common publicly owned, 20c per share dividend re- quirement for 1947 being $747,251.60. Meantime, the pickets Just came 1 Screen Guild Pictures, a^ter deleting «n0,-,wept,f .remaining .briefly ^ when'[.Kiiat it tenned several "nauseating the crowds were thickest. ' ,e4<anj^ -b.^utiaL<scen9il,'! , .^^t-.•, i .- .»> *'My FaDorke Story Variety*g Annual Sympo- «ium o/ the Year't Beat ■ Aneedota '] t» nemmttH Iff ■ KATHARINE COBNELL OB80N WELLES BENNETT CERF EDDIE CANTOR EARL WILSON f» Hie forthcMslim 42d Anniveriary Number ti Erie Johnston will substitute' for Dore Schary tomorrow (Thursday)- at an awards dinner of the Golden Slipper Square' Club iii Philadel- phia. The WOO production chief, who was called back to the studio from New York suddenly on Sunday (30), was to have received a Hu- manitarian Aivard from the Masonic order for "combating bigotry" with the picture '^Crossfire." Motion Picture Assn. prexy will accept the honor for Schary while Francis s, Harmon, MPA veepee, will sub for him as industry rep at the dinner in New York at which Nobel awards will be passed out next Wednesday (10). AUiong other events, Schary was forced to cancel by his hurried departure was a talk at Harvard next Monday (8), Scbary's return to the Coast was requested by RKO prcz N. Peter Rathvon and Metro production top- per Louis B. Mayer. Followinc a not completely satisfa-^ory meeting with the talent guilds on the Communist question in Mayer's office Friday '28), Schary's presence was desired ti strengthen the producers* side, .since the RKO topper is a former «crif)t<>r and member of the Screen ■VVrttcw-Guild. ~ -•- i-^ir-^ IN NEW YORK, LOP^^ Following the lead of Universal, Columbia last week< completely wiped out its New York- London story department*;.Coupany greatly retrenched last September, leaving virtually skeleton staffs, which were- handed pink-slips and sevM-ance- pay the day before Thanksgiving. .lanet Wood; eastern, story ed; Beatrice AroHson, her assistant, and Albert Johnston, a reader, who- have comprised the entire New York staff since Sept. 12, were instructed to close up shop the day th^ got tiiehr noticit, ■ Ukewise Mis-. Susan Dall- son, who headed the London story department. ' All companies have retrenched on coverage of stories and plays since the economy wave hit the industry following the British tax imposition in August. Only U and Col, how- ;ever, abolished the departments completely, with others cutting down in varying degrees. Metro did least slicuig, despitfr the bevy of top- salaried execs in Its' story depart- ment. Wri^N.Y. Sales Meet Preliminary to a stepped-up dis-- tribution campaign during 19*8, Warnw Bros, is holding a two-day ■sales meeting of district managers beginning tomorrow (Thursday) at the home office, Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, will preside. . Other execs scheduled to address the meet on forthcoming product and promotion plans include Mort Blumcristock, viee-prexy over iad- publicity; j;ules Lapidus, Hoy Haine,* and Norman Ayres, division' Sales fnahagerisr arid Ed Hinchy, head of the playdate depatto^iit.^ ' '' '