Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1940)

MIOWTIRIEAIL Consent Decree Will Have No Bearing on Trade in Canada QNE of the consequences of the removal ^ of Empire-Universal and Regal Films from Filmrow to downtown Montreal, is that some of the lazier out-of-town exhibitors save mileage by calling in at the Craig Street offices and phoning, instead of visiting, Filmrow. They are reminded that Filmrow likes to see them as well as hear from them . . . Albert Bey of the Cinema, Thetford Mines, who was a patient at the “Royal Vic,” has recovered and paid a call at Filmrow to express his acknowledgments for the many kindly inquiries made after him . . . Mel Lodge of Danville, Georges Champagne of Shawinigan Falls, and T. Trow of Three Rivers, made their usual weekly round of the Filmrow offices . . . A. J. Jeffery, province of Quebec manager for United Ai'tists, is proud to be the means of bringing Charlie Chaplin’s latest picture, “The Great Dictator,” which is now packing the Orpheum . . . Haskell Masters, general manager for Canada of United Artists, was a recent visitor to the Montreal office. France Film executives turned out in full force to welcome the famous Parisian film star, Victor Francen, two of whose pictures are being shown at the St. Denis. Among those who greeted him were Arthur Vallee, president of France Film; Alban Janin, vice-president; J. A. DeSeve, managing director, and Pierre Charton, director . . . Latest production of the National Film Board, titled ‘‘On Guard for Thee,” named after a line in Canada's national anthem, is being taken to the West Indies by H. C. Collier of Montreal, secretary of the West Indies League, who will lecture to public bodies there on Canada’s war effort, of which the film gives an up-tothe-minute picture. British film producers have been advised by the British Board of Trade that they should carry on with film making during the blitzkrieg, and to enable them to do so, the Board has provided a war risk insurance against air raid damage. As a result the British film producers are employing “roof spotters,” and are continuing work until notified by their spotters that there is immediate danger. Seven British film companies recently announced seven new pictures costing approximately $15,000,000. “London Can Take It,’’’ British film which New York is now seeing, was being played at a London theatre when a Canadian reporter who had been enjoying it emerged to find the neighborhood being bombed severely. He felt that it was an appropriate, but rather terrifying, commentary on the film . . . Montreal theatre managers who expressed their gratification over the banning of Bingo by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Canadian metropolis, may have spoken too soon. It now transpires that, to evade the ecclesiastical prohibition. Bingo promoters are giving away merchandise orders instead of cash. In one instance the value of the prizes reached $100, with four prizes of that value given away in one evening. United Irish Societies of Montreal will sponsor another Irish film, “Rose of Tralee,” but theatre and time of the presentation have not been decided . . . Vaughan Williams, dean of British composers, will provide the musical scoring for “The 49th Parallel,” now being made in Canada. The film chronicles the adventures of six Nazis who land in the Canadian Arctic and travel down through the Dominion, coming in contact with Canadian democracy. Lead By MILTON GALBRAITH Toronto — The consent decree of five major producer-distributor companies in the United States for the revision of blind selling and block booking methods, as announced by the U. S. department of justice at Washington, will have no effect nor bearing on the film industry in Canada, it is learned from a reliable source m Toronto. A number of Canadian film distributing companies are direct affiliations of parent companies in the States but the business operations in the Dominion are entirely separate. Moreover, Canadian statutes are entirely separate while the outcome of any legal proceedings in the courts of the United States has no basis in Canadian law. The trade situation in the Dominion is also distinctive in that the Canadian business has long had its Arbitration Boards and other tribunals for the internal settle ing authorities on Canadian folk music, including Sir Ernest MacMillan and John Murray Gibbon, have also been consulted by Michael Powell, director of the picture. Most successful revival of the season at the Monkland was the melodious “Great Waltz.” Music lovers turned out in full strength to the delight of E. Gaston Fauteux, the theatre’s new manager . . . Phil Godel, manager of he Westmount, recently made a special appeal from the stage to the audience to purchase War Savings stamps, which are on sale at the theatre ooxoffice. RKO regularly sends out ingenious advertising matter to theatre managers. One device received recently was a weather forecaster, composed of litmus paper which remained pink when the weather was to be fine, turned purple when a change was expected, and blue when rain was coming. It worked well for a few weeks in a local theatre, then one day the manager observed it turning green. A friend facetiously remarked that it was forecasting snow, and sure enough Montreal had its first snow of the season next day. The device remained green, however, and there has been no more snow, but lots of both ram and fine weather. Amojigst the 23 French citizens deprived of their nationality by order of the Vichy government are two film personalities — Rene Clair and Vera Korene. Rene Clair, whose real name is Chomette, is the director whose film, “The Ghost Goes West,” met world success, and Vera Korene, who is now in Brazil, is an actress of the Comedie Francaise and a celebrated French cinema star. Madame Pauline Donalda, world famed operatic star, sister of the late Joe Lightstone, gave a recital of her pupils in the Mount Royal and introduced Jeanne Desjardins, CBC soprano, and Mrs. Edna Marie Hawkin, who contributed to the program . . . Alec Thom of Associated Screen Studios film editing department is in Ottawa on National Pllm Board work . . . Ross Beesley, ASN cameraman, is off to southern Ontario for farm scenes . . . Roy Tash, another ASN news reeler, is covering munitions manufacture. ment of disputes while a definite move has been made for the setting up of clearance boards for the straightening out of booking schedules and priority. Generally speaking, the film business has resorted less to law courts for the settlement of contract and other disputes than any other industry in Canada and, for years, there has been a general desire on the part of chains, independents and exchanges for self-government — without the questionable help of legislation and legal action. T^e machinery in Toronto, for instance, includes the Motion Picture Distributors Ass’n, the Film Section of the Toronto Board of Trade, a Conciliation Committee, Arbitration Board, the Toronto Film Board of Trade and, now being established, the Clearance Board. For the past five years, unaffiliated exhibitors have had their Independent Theatres Ass’n of Ontario which negotiates with other bodies when occasion requires and extends cooperation when there is a common cause. THE Bay was packed a week ago last * Sunday with an audience assembled for a variety performance and sing-song put on by the County of London Ass’n in aid of air raid victims. The silver collection amounted to over $200 and Manager Chechik was thanked and loudly applauded for donating the theatre for the occasion. Victor Armand, F-P technical supervisor, is immersed in figures in that back office at district headquarters, most probably working out plans for forthcoming improvements . . . Sovereign Films closed its office here and hereafter will take care of all western business from the Winnipeg office. Meanwhile Joe Archer, former Vancouver manager, is busy with “The Edge of the World,” for which he is distributor in the west. Mr. and Mrs. G. G. Baiss of the Capitol, Duncan, B. C., are in town awaiting the arrival of their daughter who is coming on from Quebec where her husband, a naval officer, is stationed . . . W. S. Jones, RKO manager, states that “They Knew What They Wanted,” with Charles Laughton and Carole Lombard, will be at the Capitol November 14. Leo Devaney, RKO general manager, and Haskell Masters, general manager for UA, were in Vancouver for short stays . . . Sid Williams, new owner of the Music Box, has joined the Independent Booking and Buying circuit . . . There is some talk of a new theatre being erected here on Cambie St. and I8th Ave. . . . Ray Castle, Oak Bay, stopped over for a day on his return from Hollywood. Thieves Take Safe Ottawa — Donat Paquin lost $190 when thieves entered his Victoria Theatre by smashing the front door and stealing the safe. The safe, minus the $190, a quantity of admission tickets and passes and records, was found later on a lonely coimtry road. BOXOFFICE :: November 9, 1940 107