Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 7, 1948)

Page 2 JACK LAVER PASSES Jack Laver, manager of the Famous Players Alhambra Theatre in ‘Toronto, passed away on Thursday, January 29th, after a lengthy illness, at the age of 57. Laver entered the industry in 1915, as -assistant manager of the Garden ‘Theatre. During his lengthy career he managed the Bedford, Belsize, Garden, Parkdale, ‘Tivoli, York, Bloor and Alhambra Theatres, all in Toronto. He was recently inducted into the Famous Players 25-Year Club. He is survived by his widow and one daughter. Funeral services were held last Saturday afternoon. MONTREAL PREMIERES “CITY” The Canadian premiere of Quebec Productions’ “Whispering City’, was held at the Palace Theatre, Montreal, at midnight on Wednesday, January 21st. Starring Helmut Dantine, Mary .\nderson, and Paul Lukas, “Whispering City” had its world premiere in Birmingham, Alabama, where it set a box office record. The film, produced by Quebec Productions Corporation at their St. Hyacinthe studios, included 16 Montrealers in the cast. Proceeds from the premiere will be devoted to the welfare work performed by the Quebee Provincial Command of the Canadian Legion. ODEON CHANGES B.C. MANAGERS Further managerial changes were made by the Odeon Circuit this week. Bob Hardy of the Fraser Theatre takes over the management of the Varsity, Vancouver, succeeding Len Dallen, who resigned to go into business for himself at Mission, B.C. Bill Wallace who was assistant manager of the Paradise moves to the Fraser as manager. 4Iliott Brown formerly at Trail will manage the Plaza, Victoria, temporarily, while Al Davidson of the Plaza comes over to Vancouver to inspect theatres before taking over as manager of the new Odeon deluxe house at Victoria, which will open on February 28th. CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST February 7th, 1948 Winnipeg News By J. J. CONKLIN HIé first showing in western Can ada of three new health films was presented to inyited health officials, social workers, public nurses, teachers and professionally interested persons at the Isaac Brock school auditorium. It. Col. C. W. Gilchrist, director of the information services division of the national health and welfare department in Ottawa, presided. Already these films have won acclaim in Britain and the United States as well as in Canada, he said. Each one represents a technique of educational film presentation new to Canadian movie making, while the second film on the program is the first one of its kind produced anywhere, he declared. A mental health film, titled, ‘“The Feeling of Rejection”, was originally intended for professional use in group mental therapy, but the National Film Board released it for public use when the scope of the film was fully realized. An entirely new approach to mental health field work, the film is based on the case history of a real girl who was treated in the Allan Memorial Institute of Psychiatry in Montreal, Lt.-Col. Gilchrist said. ‘The film traces the history and causes of the patient's problem. It is intended to be used in conjunction with literature on the subject and the running comment of trained personnel. Based ‘on what would be a Canadian best seller, if it wasn’t available free, the film “Mother and Her Child’ by ernest Couture, technical advisor to the Canadian delegation to the interim committee of the world health organization, describes two phases of motherhood. Prenatal care is dealt with in the first half and in the latter part the first vear of the baby’s life is illustrated. Xe “Abie’s Irish Rose” is in its fenth week at the Dominion Theatre where it has been showing since the middle of November. It ix the most remarkable run known ata Winnipeg theatre, “Smiling Through” at the Met, and “One Night of Love” at the Garrick, being runners-up in recent years. * * x “At a meeting of the Yorkton Film Council, Charles Pachal was appointed local representative to attend the Saskatchewan provincial film council convention which was held in’ Regina, Feb, 3rd. Paul Weligan, chairman, said it was anticipated that following the conyention, Yorkton, Sask.. would become a distribution depot for councils in this district, with the number of films in the library increased from the present Z5 toe 70) Seventeen Yorkton — organizations are now members of the council and six other groups are expected to join shortly. “Twnty persons are taking the course for projectionists. . Artur Rubenstein, the world renowned concert pianist and composer, while in Winnipeg recently, talked freely of his experiences in moving pictures and at studios. He has appeared in five Hollywood movies but he isn’t enthusiastic about the medium. “It is not an art’, he said. “They call it the movie industry”. I told them, “When you change it to movie art it will be a different thing. “Tollywood is so cowardly’, he continued. “They have respect for only one type of man. Generally they tell you that you have to please an Arizona cowboy. People must be told that they are going to see art, and they will respect it”. He said the British film, “Henry V"., was advertised as art and people received it as art. When they wanted him to put some music ina film, “Song of Love’, which Was Inappropriate and he refused, they told him that the girls of Pamona College hadn't liked the other selections. That was the reason for the change. “The little girls were fools’, he told the movie management and stuck to his decision not to make the change. The federal government Depart ment of National Defence his decided to make the two large military camps in Manitoba, Shilo, south of Carberry, and Rivers, 95 miles northwest of Winnipeg, incorporated towns, and to build in each, one, large theatres, to cater lo the enlarged population expectcd to be located in the two new centres, These theatres will bring added business to film exchanges in Winnipeg. aya . * * * _. The Manitoba Censor Board has rejected, for Winnipeg showing, “The Gangsters” starring Belita, a skating star performing here this week in the ice club's winter carnival. It was learned the Garrick Theatre. which planned to show the moyie this week to coincide with Belita’s visit, has been informed the picture has been “condemned” by the Censor Board. The hoard s action 1s being appealed. : I ersonal appearances by Belita on the Garrick stage in conjunction with the picture have been cancelled as a result of the Censor Board’s rejection of “’The Gangsters”. _ Reasons for the Censor Board's decision have not been made public. The board follows the practice of rejecting movies Which it believes to be harm. ful to public interest. = * Ok Ok Phe film story of Russian espionage in Canada, “The Iron Curtain’, will be treated inerely as a spy yarn and won't deal with uifernational relations, This information comes from the set of the picture which is being rushed to hit the screens as early as A pril.