Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jan 10, 1948)

Page 6 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Warner Bros. Increase Production Plan 40 Pictures For Coming Year (Continued from Page 2) version of a great stage hit in Technicolor which will star Dennis Morgan and Janis Paige; “Silver Lining”, the story of Marilyn Miller, to be filmed in ‘Technicolor with June Haver in the role of the scintillant Ziegfeld star; “John Loves Mary”, Norman Krasna’s Broadway stage hit, with Ronald Reagan, Jack Carson, Wayne Morris, Patricia Neal and Edward Arnold; “Happy Times”, a romantic comedy with music in Technicolor, in which Danny Kaye will start his career asia Warner Bros. star; and “Flamingo Road”, by Robert Wilder, starring Ann Sheridan. Ronald MacDougall, supervising final editing on “The Decision of Christopher Blake’, starring Alexis Smith and Robert Douglas, is preparing the previously mentioned “June Bride” and “Sunburst”. Many Features Completed Features recently completed and awaiting release are: “Treasure of Sierra Madre’, an adventure drama starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston and Tim Holt; a second drama “Silver River’, starring Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan; “My Wild Irish Rose”, Technicolor super musical starring Dennis Morgan; “Night Unto Night”, starring Ronald Reagan and Viveca Lindfors; “Two Guys From Texas’, Technicolor comedy romance with Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson and Dorothy Malone; “Romance on _ the igh Seas. oo Michael Curtiz Pro: ductions’ Technicolor musical starring Jack, Carson, Doris Day, 5. Z-Sakall; Janis Paige and Don De Fore; “My Girl Tisa”, a United States Pictures production starring Lilli Palmer and Sam Wanamaker; ‘The Woman in White”, starring Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker and. Sydney Greenstreet; “Wallflower”, with Robert Hutton, Joyce Reynolds and Janis Paige; “Whiplash”, starring Alexis Smith, Dane Clark, Zachary Scott and S. Z. Sakall, and “Always Together”, with Robert Hutton and Joyce Reynolds. Also. unreleased and mentioned by Mr. Warner as an out RAY PRESENTS (Continued from Page 3) specifically | January 10th, 1948 standing comedy is “Voice of the Turtle’, starring Ronald Reagan and Eleanor Parker in the screen version of the stage hit by John van Druten. “Life. With Father’, Academy, calibre classic of American family life starring William Powell and Irene Dunne, will have nation-wide general release in 1948, following special prerelease engagements this year. Momentum of this 1948 program, Warner said, is counted upon to maintain the Warner Bros, reputation as the most alert producing company in the motion picture industry. “Everything”, he declared, “indicates the records of the company will be completely surpassed”. YEAR-END REVIEW (Continued from Page 5) vision industry in Britain advanced to the point at which introduction of large-screen television in theatres is planned and manufacture of equipment begun, but the output of such equipment will shortly reach the point at which exports to Canada could be made if, and when cinema-television became possible here. Vog Films estimated, that in the U.S., there are now 250 theatres converted to the exhibition of foreign language films. Loew’s, Skouras, R-K-O, Brandt, Century, have been playing foreign-produced films. Foreign importers are of the opinion that only the outstanding foreign-language pictures will secure distribution profits. In respect to foreignlanguage profits, the press plays an important part, in such revenue, for the foreign-language pictures which excite the press into paying tributes to their quality and artistry, are the foreignlanguage pictures which register at the box-office. "N Canada, the foreign-language film, particularly French Italian and Russian, have made themselves felt on the Film Market, but the pictures shown have been only the big ones. In Canada, the British pictures are not classed as foreign. In watching U.S. retrenchment plans and economies, the sink’ng in of the idea that advanced prices for motion pictures in the regular motion picture theatres are not in keeping with the times in which we live, in studying audience reaction, Governments’ desire for increased rev enue through taxation, it is evident, that at no time in. motion picture history has it been so vital and important for complete motion picture accord within the Industry ; and no time has been important as our time, for Motion Picture Public Relations and the strengthening of our own ‘I'rade Press in all countries. Motion Picture Trade Publications have been, generally, looked upon as a step-child within our Industry. Some of our wise showmen have considered the Film Trade Press important and have contributed génerously to its support, through advertising budgets, but this is not the concensus of opinion, nor an unanimous financial support. This is one complex in our Industry which has been difficult to understand, in view of the fact. that our business is Big Business and Big Business has its own publications, through various affiliations and ramifications, a press which costs certain industries millions of dollars, Why our Industry doles out its advertisements to the Film Press, which it knows cannot live, unless by such support, since its circulation is linuted, is one situation which we have found it difficut to understand, particularly the Trade Press in countries which are, in relationship to the Umted States, termed foreign. d hess for an example The Canadian Moving Picture Digest, now in its 33rd year of publication ; its services have been so varied and have covered so many years, that it is not necessary to expound on this subject and yet this publication has fluctuated, during these many years, from showing a loss in its annual statements, to just about breaking even. Will you tell us why? The fact, that U.S. trade papers come into Canada is definitely not the right answer, anymore than a statement would be, that the American Film Industry should forget about its revenue in foreign markets. | No where, in the world of foreign film mark ets, has the American motion picture a more fricndly market than in Canada. Why take the good always for granted? We leave you with this question in our digest of current events as Ray Presents them. 3