Variety (December 1954)

<VARIITY'B' LQtyPON 4FJICJI I ft, M*rtln'< Trihlwr li(u«r» Paris, Nov. 30. The 1953-54. film season saw a big increase over ’5#-53 grosses in France. In the Paris area alone, 81 films passed,.the $60,000 mark fo,r each, with only 59 passing this sum a year ago.; Of the $120,- 000,000.. gross, : France took. 52%, the U., S. 35% of the total, Italy, 7%, and England 4^j, with remain- der split among the smaller coun- tries. Of the 21 top films in Paris, 13 were . Gallic, six American,. one English, and one Italian. Among the French: leaders were eight co- productions; The seven key cities of the provinces (Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, ..Marseilles, Nancy, Stras- bourg, Toulouse)' had 46 pix'top- ping .$60,000 with 14 of them Amer- ican among which were four C’Scope films. The biggest receipts in* Paris went to Sacha Guitry's historical opus “Si Versailles M’Etait Conte”’ (If Versailles Were Told To Me”) which grossed $900,000.- Next Was the C’Scoper “The Robe” (20th) with $486,000 followed by “From Here to Eternity” (Col) at $411,- 000. “Quo Vadis” (M-G) got $390,- 000 while Franoo-Italo . color spec, “L.ucrece. Borgia,” took in $366,000. “Moulin. Rouge” (UA) counted as an English pic and grossed $354,000. “Roman Holiday” (Par), was in for a solid $324,000. Thus, of the top. seven moneymakers, five were Yank pix. Two U. S. Pix on Second Group In second batch of $150,000 to $300,000. grrissers were “Peter Pan” (RKQ) * and “Sangaree” (Par), the only 3rf) grosser. Italo “Bread, Lovfe and Fantasy” was in as well as Francb-English ‘.‘Mom sieur Ripois.” Some others Were “Touchez Pas Au Grishi” T Don’t Touch the Coin), two Eddie Con- stantine pix, “Led Femme S’En Blancent” (Dames Get Along), and “Get Homme Est DangCteux” (This Man Is Dangerous). In the provinces the important ones again Were “Versailles,” “Bor- gia” “Eternity,” “Vadis,” “Robe” and ^Moulin.” Others . took in such long runs, of the . previous, year; “Little World of Don. Ca- millo,” “Greatest Show on Earth” (Par) and Marcel Pagnol’s “Manon. Des Sources” and another Ferna- del comedy, “Mam-Zelle Nitouche,” with Pier Angeli. U3- Tele on Wane As Threat to Picture Biz, Sez Schlesinger Chief London, Nov. 30. Impressions of the show biz scene in the U. S. were given to a Variety reporter here by, Jack L. Stodel, director of the Schlesinger Organization of South Africa, be- fore he left for home. He sailed for Johannesburg via. the. Edin- burgh Castle last Thursday (25). “Your best picture theatres,” he. observes, “are fine, but your sec- ond-class ones are medipere. Sound Is not always good While screen il- lumination is variable. Legit thea- tre^ are, in the main, drab and give the impression of deterioration. They appear to be quite good for intirhate-type shows. ‘‘Although I believe there are unlimited possibilities for develop- ment of television, I feel it his reached its limit so far as compe- tition.with the motion picture in- dustry is concerned, and as long as the. studios continue to provide the better type of production, "I am t certain the picture theatre Will win back a great deal of the patronage it lost to television. Al- ready there is evidence that for- mer video enthusiasts now . only switch on for . every : Special pro- grams. “I Was most impressed with New York’s wonderful restaurants and night clubs,”. Stodel commented, “but regretted my vain search, for a good old-fashiOned variety bill in central city theatres.” During his crosscountry travels, Stodel recorded favorable impres- sions of Washington and San Fran- cisco. He met; with many Industry top- pers including Barney Balaban, Spyros P; Skouras, Sam Goldwyn; George Weitner, Murray Silver- stone,'•Arnold Picker, Wolfe Cohen and A1 Daff. Olivia DeHaviliand Set For German-English Pic Frankfurt, Nov. 30.. Olivia DeHaviliand has signed^to star in. “The Mysterious Rose.” two- version film, shooting in German and., in English,, which’, starts roll-, ing in Europe next. August. Director Gottfried Reinhardt ac- quired the rights to the script, based on the prize-winning novel by Alfonso Fonseca, from Vienna’s Paula Wessely Film Productions. Reinhardt Went to New York, earlier this mohth to set details of the deal. He will handle .the writing of both Versions. Shoot- ing, in color, Will be done on lo- cations at Gieselgasteig, Sicily and. Vienna. London, Nov. 23. A. deputation from the British Film Producers Assn., which went . .. . v • ' ' ' *'• to the .National Film Finance Corp. to seek information on the new company to be set up to run Brit-' ish Lion, emphasized that in .the interests Of British producers, it was desirable that there should Continue to be at least a third ma- jor distributing company. This viewpoint Was agreedJjy Sir John Keeling and David Kingsley, chair- man of the NEFC; According to an official report, there was also, a Wide measure of agreement on the scope of the ac- tivities by the new company. Brit- ish Lion is now operated by a re- ceiver and manager appointed by the NFFC and. Wheri^the appoint? ment was made, it was stated in the Hous'e of Commons that the new outfit would peg be able to participate in production. There is still some obscurity in this connection as it is generally believed in local trade circles that the new company will ibe able to perform the normal functions of a distribution organization and give , release contracts which can be discounted at the banks for about 70% of the budget. Another issue raised by the BFPA delegation concerned 'the future of Group 3, the company set up Under NFFC auspices a few* years back to encourage new crea- tive talent in the industry. Sir John Keeling told the BFPA reps that, while it was intended to main- tain this as an experimental pro- duction unit, a considerable modi- fication of the program would take place during he next few months. FILM PROD. COMPLETED Seoul, Nov. 23. Korea's film industry will take a major step toward recovery with the coming release of “Chung Hyang” in the opinion of the few local critics who caught an early glimpse of the pic following the completion of shooting this week. “Chung Hyang” is the opening effort, of the recently established Tong Myong Motion Picture Co. inJ a campaign to bring hack pre-war- levels of production. Headed' by Jae Joong Kim, Tong My png is cur- rently life only Korean outfit with; enough equipment, and sufficient funds ior full scale filmmaking. Most companies here' depend on government subsidies in the form of a PIO sponsorship. Tong Myong is financed entirely by private cap- ital, *' Based on Korea’s favorite folk tale, “Chung Hyang” is a period piece about a young noble’s love for a commoner named Chung Hyang. Due to the present scarcity of film jobs, Tong Myong. had little trouble collecting talent. With 25 years in the, business and over 50 Korean'-and Japanese pictures be- hind him. Kyu Hvvan Lee is direct- ing from his own script; The cast list -reads like-a who’s who of Ko- rea’s stage and screen acting world. Costs of foreign, film distribution companies , operating jn Mexico . have had a new, if slight tilt, With the Hollywood companies bearing the brunt or about 90% of all biz: down here. Hike in import duties covers all films and publicity ma- terial, including stills. j The impbri. duties for 35m pix is raised about 48c to $5.44, while on 16m films it goes to $5 from $4.48. Rome, Noy. 30. First steps towards the creation of a European Film Pool have been, taken by the Italian and , French film industries, Eitel Monaco. Italo production topper, revealed here last week. The head of ANICA, Italian Producer’s Assri,, Said his organization, together With the French Sindacat de Production, had agreed, to form a “Comite d’Etudes el Liaison” to study the creation of a European pic pool. . Germany al- ready had. been invited to parti-' cipate in.-the; committee’s work While other countries are slated to be invited as Work progresses.. Move was decided on during last Week’s Frarico-Italian huddle in Paris over renewal of the co-pro- duction and* film exchange pacts between the two Countries. Pend-: ing development by the joint in- dustry committee, thg European Film Pool also will be; discussed at the international trade talks which | open soon in Strasbourg, where a French rep scheduled . to propose the formation of the Con- tinental co-op for pix to the as- sembled delegates. This sideline move is known to Monaco, Who however seems to place more im- portance for the moment on the Franco-Italian committee which ’Is to lay the industrial groundwork. To counter any feeling that the European Film Pool is an anti-Yank industry- movement, Monaco em- phasizes that on the contrary,. rela- tions could not be more cordial be- tween the two industries. Also that he hopes the future'will see an in- crease, both in number and scope, of Yank-italiari co-producti ; ef- forts, heretofore ‘confined to a relative few projects of compara- tively moderate means. To illustrate his , point, Monaco noted that the Italian industry would be glad to participate, even if on a smaller scale, in such U.S.- sponsored full scale pix as the Warners' “Helen of Troy” and “Land of the Pharaohs” recently completed here'. Both were entirely Yaink packages, but using local facilities and actors. For example, he said, in the up- coming big production, “War and Peace/' now on a local producer's schedule, co-production with a U. S. company would be welcome. Monaco sees no reason why the same twin production effort here- tofore successfully* tested with some U; S. indie groups Would, riot Work, On a larger scale, with one of the larger Yank companies. Expelled From ACT, Pic Director Wins Reversal London, Nov. 23. A film : director,- who hrid been expelled from membership of the Assn, of Cine Technicians, success- fully applied in the High Court last Week for a reversal of the union’s decision. The union did not oppose the application although, at an earlier hearing, it had contended the expulsion was valid. Application was made by Denis Leo Cavanagh, Who Was managing director of Paragon Film Services which, in 1952, failed to pay sal- aries of some of its employees and also failed to stamp insurance cards. The union contended that his failure to insure that the com- pany’s obligation to its employees, was discharged was Inimical to its. interests, Cavanagh’s claim Was based on the fact that the* liability rested with the coiripany of which he was a servant: He 1 held only a few shares in the company. INTEBNATlOyAt ■r ii <r *i> 9 MostAmbitious Mex Pic to Cost $342,000 . Mexico City, Nov. 23. The most ambitious pic made in Mexico by ..Mexicans is planned by Rodriguez Bros., top prodricing firm here. Pic will be. widescreen and in Pathecolor, with versions in English and Spanish. Film will cost $342,000; new high for a Mexican pic. Rodriguez in- tends, to start rolling Jan. 3. It is . titled, “Monster of Crooked Moun- tain.” Isriiaei Rodriguez is script- ing with Carlos Orellana. Rodrigue? Will direct. Rome, Nov. 23. IFE has resumed its local dub- bing operations following a Work stoppage of several Weeks because of a strike of English-speaking dub- bing personnel. ’Strike, called by members* of, ELDA, local associa- tion of English-language actor-dub-, hers, has long held up Work on English versions of a batch of Italian pix bought for American tele distribution. Dubbing opera- tion; although not strictly an IFE one, was nevertheless supervised by that outfit, which beats respon- sibility for delivery and quality of copies shipped to U. S. Faced with the need , to meet a deadline on delivery, IFE recently shifted its dubbing operations to Paris where four pix are currently undergoing the lingual treatment for the Italian Outfit. IFE claims it previQ.usly had made several new offers to ELDA, all of which were tuxnedjiown. Counterclaims proved unacceptable to IFE, which then interrupted negotiations. Current work resumption was made possible by using members of a new dubbing group, made up in large part of dissident members of ELDA, willing J;o accept the IFE terms. Currently undergoing trans- lation is ‘‘La Fiairimata.” IFE plans to process four other features in the next few Weeks, thus bring- ing it back on schedule, Also it is planned to service Paris with one Italian pic at a time after the cur- rent four are dubbed. SEEK 5 % DUTY ON PIX ENTERING W. GERMANY Berlin; Nov. 23. A film plan brought forward by the SPD (Social Democratic Party Of Germany) has y stirred up a has- sle here. Party has suggested that every foreign film (with the ex- ception of international prize-win; ning films and pictures' which merely shown in original form here) be subject to art import-duty of 5% of its production costs. This means U. S. film costing $1,000,000 can only b.e screened here if its company paid $50,000 in this . tax. Excuse for the levy is that it Is needed to protect the local film industry. Some , have held that if such a law was passed, the consequences would chiefly he negative for Ger- many. In the first place, there are Comparatively very few. films Which have been "awarded With in- ternational prizes, and: secondly, such a law would contradict the free enterprise. Moreover, it would probably hurt Germany’s reputa- tion badly, Another plan of the SPD to have the best . German pix of the year awarded special money prizes amounting to much more than the present Federal Film Awards. It also would give coin to domestic films winning distinction at Jhe. various film festivals. This proposition of the SPD has stirred much controversy here. At the Berlin Film Festival, for in- stance, the public would be asked to vote by coupons oil its favorite pix. Therefore, film of everi in- ferior artistic quality ’ but with nevertheless public appeal has the chance of a high rating : Loudon, Nov. ’23; Firstruns in the West End con- tinue to maintain their lively .pace,, with healthy biz. reported at most theatres. The Royal Command choice, “Beau Brummel,” despite, a critical .panning, finished its opening round, at the Empire with a nice $11,500^ “Garden of Evil’’ looks smash $11,000 "at Odeon, Marble Arch; “Magnificent; Obsession” looks to . finish its opening frame with neat $8,000 at the Leicester Square The- atre. “White Christmas” at the Plaza is terrific around $10,500 in third session after $11,600 for second, “Modern Times” strong at London Pavilion in seventh round. The Odeon, Leicester Square, with “The Barefoot Contessa,” is solid $10,500 in third week. - British-made “Divided Heart” disappointed in opening, week at the Gaumont but is holding Well in second With all-round press raves seeming to help, Estimates for Last Week Carlton (20th) (1,128; 55-$1.70)— “Broken Lance.” (20th) (2d wk). Okay $5,500 or better'. Opening round was $7,400. “Long John Silver” (20th) preems Dec. 17. Casino (Indie). (1.337; 70-$2.l5) -—“Cinerama” (Robin) (7th wk). Still holding near recent level at $12,000. Rated good for size of house On seventh session. Stays on. Empire (M-G) (3,099; SS-Sl.^OJ— “Beau Brummel” (M-G). Reliable $11,500, but beloW hopes for Com- mand Film pic. Gaumont (CMA) (1,500; 55-70)— “Divided Heart”. (GFD) (2d wk). Around $4,000 or less. Opening week, lean $4,300. “Sea Shall Not Have Them” (Eros) opens Dec. 2. Leicester Square. Theatre (CMA) (1,753; 50-$1.70)—“Magnificent Ob- session” (GFD). Heading for nifty $8,000, In for usual three-week run. London Pavilion (UA) (1,217; 50- $i:70)—“Modern Times” (UA) (7th wk). Strong $5,500 looms after $6,100 in sixth week. Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) (2,200; 50-$ 1.70)-^“Barefoot Con- tessa” (UA) (3d wk). Solid $10,500. Second week was $11,800. “Sign of Pagan” (GFD) Starts Nov. 25. Odeon, Marble ' Arch (20th) (2;200; 5fl-$1.70)—“Garden of Evil” ‘ (20th).' Heading for sock $11,000 or better. Continues pn. Plaza (Par) (1,092; .70-$1.70)— “White Christmas” (Par) (3d wk).; Holding firmly near smash $10,500 after $11,600 in second. Ritz (M-G) (432; , 50-$1.70)— “Rogue Cop” (M-G). Only average $ 2 , 200 . •Studio (APT) (600; 30-$l,20)— "Living Desert”. (Disney) (27th wk). Over $2,700, excellent for length, of run. Warner (WB) (1,735; 50-$1.70)— “Ring of Fear” (WB); Fair $8,500 or near. “Carrington, V, C.” (IFD) :preems Dec, 9. Brit. Film Earnings In England $1,250,000 Over '53 in Third Quarter London, Nov. 30. Earnings of British pix in the domestic market during the three months ended last Oct. 30 soared to over $5,600,000, more than $1,250,000 above the corresponding period last year. ... Figures are re- leased by-the. British Film Produc- tion Fund; the company Which op- erates the Eady levy. It reported that for that quarter there Will be a bonus distribution equalling 23% Of the gross. Up to last Oct. 23, when a lower rate of Eady contribution was levied on ixlrri theatres, the income to the frind equalled $1,596,000. A higher rate came into operation Oct. 24 tinder the recent industry settlement. ‘ In previous years, with a higher levy and a lower overall gross, th distribution to . producers has ranged from 30-40%. This subsidy IS also'collected by British quota pix made arid financed by Amer- ican companies.