Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 18, 1954)

PAGE TWO Ou the Seam prewar times has Hollywood put together so many indisputably good films. Already this year it has brought out items like ‘On The Waterfront, ‘Suddenly,’ ‘Seven Brides,’ ‘Knock On Wood, ‘The Caine Mutiny, ‘Sabrina, ‘Rear Window, ‘Dial M_ for Murder,’ and ‘Beat the Devil,’ with other big ones on the way. “Only a year back, nothing like this seemed to be ahead for the American film industry. Sixteen thousand movie houses around the country had permanently shut their doors, and those still in business were resorting to such dodges as Keno, free popcorn, and giveaway dishes. In all of Hollywood, only 24 pictures were before the cameras. “At this, Hollywood propagandists abandoned their slogan — ‘Movies Are Better Than Ever — and exhibitors agreed. The trouble with movies, they said, was that most of them were no better than & person could see by staying home with his television set. “The change in the last year may have been helped a bit by the fading of home television's first dazzling flush. No impediment, either, was a discernible public irritation with overdone imported product. Finally, there have been attractive technical refinements — sharpening color and widening screens. “But, on the word of producer Stanley Kramer, the decisive reason for the Hollywood comeback is none of these. ‘Color techniques and the size of the screen had nothing to do with it,’ said Kramer recently. ‘It was the quality of the production that did the trick’.” Newsweek credits Nicholas Schenck and Dore Schary, MGM production chief, with starting the quality trend. It mentions Schary’s announcement back in February 1949, that MGM would make 67 pictures in the next 15 months, and reports that MGM_ actually did make 64, including “Quo Vadis,” which cost $6 million and has grossed $14 million so far, and “King Solomon's Mines,’ which cost $2.2 millions, and has grossed over $6 million. The article also mentions “Battleground,” “An American in Paris” and “Annie Get Your Gun.” The article goes on as follows: “As the emovhasis on quality spread, however, an_ interesting thing happened to Hollywood's thinking, notorious in its fondness i) (Continued from Page 1) ) for quantitative output. The output of pictures, of course, steadily declined in the depression period, but when profits picked up again, volume of production remained relatively low. “This year the film center has so far made only 159 pictures, as compared with a total of 425 in 1946. Producers are spending more and more time on the pictures they do put out. Shooting schedules now average two to four months; a few years ago it was 35 days. “At Twentieth Century-Fox last week, producer Sam Engel singled out some other artistic adjustments. ‘The concept of making musicals for the movies,’ he said, ‘has definitely changed for the better. We are staging our present one (‘Daddy Long Legs’ with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron) like a Broadway musical. . . . We are moving forward to a point where willy-nilly methods will recede.’ ” Newsweek also credits the independent producers for the upsurge in Hollywood grosses. “As much as any other single factor, perhaps, the independents have convinced the studios that the road to prosperity is paved with good scripts, good acting, and polished direction. John Huston’s “The African Queen” and, more recently, “Beat the Devil” were as good artistically as they were successful financially, “The Caine Mutiny,” which Stanley Kramer, an independent, made with Columbia, is presently bringing in both money and critical courtesy. The major studios have observed that moviegoers were willing to pay the price of a pound of coffee to see pictures like “On the Waterfront.” The Newsweek article refers also to the new talent being developed, particularly Jack Palance, Grace Kelly, Rod Steiger and Eva Marie Saint. It concludes by mentioning a Los Angeles suburban exhibitor who is installing CinemaScope, stating, “Broke last year, he now thinks movies will be around for at least a few years more, after all. Enough others also seem confident that, despite all the alarums about television and taxes in recent years, there is nothing a good moyie need worry about.” Trouble With Harry Edmund Gwenn gets top role in Paramount’s VistaVision comedy “The Trouble With Harry.” “pierre rT Community Chest Campaign — Oct. 4 Charles S. Chaplin, UA’s Canadian general manager, has again been named chairman of the theatres and motion picture distributors section of the Community Chest Drive, which begins October 4. Stressing the importance of this year’s Drive, Mr. Chaplin stated, “it is our aim to make the motion picture industry an example whereby the public at large will justifiably point with pride at the results we achieve.” Mr. Chaplin called for the cooperation of the entire industry to meet the objective of the campaign, which provides funds for 68 service organizations. Team captains this year are: Mr. M. Margolius, Famous Players; Mr. Lionel Lester, National Booking Co.; Mr. C. A. Bergman, Biltmore Theatres; Mr. S. V. Roth, Twentieth Century Theatres; Mr. Ben Freedman, AIllied Theatres; Mr. J. Meehan, Odeon Theatres; Mr. J. Fine, B&F; Mr. M. Bloom, Columbia Pictures; Mr. G. Allen, Premier Operating and Miss Gladys Rawnsley, United Artists. The campaign was launched last Sunday night at a pre-campaign rally of all canvassers at the Hyland theatre. A preview of JARO’s “The Rainbow Jacket” followed the business session. A film trailer that will be shown in all theatres and donated by the industry was also shown. Gone With The Wind “Gone With The Wind” still has a mighty appeal for newspaper editors, reporters, columnists and movie critics. Gerry Collins, Publicist at Loew's Theatre in Toronto, had a 7-day contest in the Toronto Telegram along the theme “Why I want to see ‘Gone With The Wind’” . , , or “Why I want to see ‘Gone With The Wind’ again.” The other Toronto critics went overboard with free space. In Montreal, Walter O’Hearn, Amusement editor, used a banner editorial and gave a terrific review on the film in conjunction with its opening at Loew’s Theatre there. Credit Tom Cleary with a fine job. In Windsor, Joe Lefave, manager of Capitol theatre, got a full column story headed “*Gone With The Wind’ appeal still strong after 17 years” on the editorial page. The Animal World Irwin Allen of Windsor Productions will begin immediate production of “The Animal World,” a Warner release. SEPTEMBER 18, 1954 New Lens Announced By British Company The development of a new flexible lens, the Varamorph, was announced last week in London by J. Arthur Rank’s British Optical and Precision Equipment Co. It is reported that the new lens, will enable exhibitors to project “squeeze” prints in any “squeeze” ratio which producers may adopt between 1.3 to 1 and 2 to l. The announcement states that the Varamorph will also cover ratios from those of CinemaScope and VistaVision standards downward to 1.78 to 1 with a standard aperature plate. FAMOUS-ODEON (Continued from Page 1!) Odeon circuits. The announcement from Arthur Silverstone, Fox’s Assist. general sales manager, discloses that “The Egyptian” will play the entire Famous Players circuit, on eXtended playing time, with its Canadian premiere, at the Imperial Theatre, Toronto, on September 24 or October 4. Similiar arrangements have been made with the Odeon circuit, ‘where “Woman’s World” has been booked in over 100 theatres, start ing around mid-October. The Canadian debut of “Womans World,” will take place at the Odeon theatre, Toronto, on October 8. There are now approximately 400 theatres equipped for CinemaScope in Canada. This is about 8% of the total in North America. THEATRE MANAGER WANTED Must have experience in all phases of theatre operation. BOX L CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE 21 Dundas Sq, Toronto WANTED Aggressive manager for new independent theatre in Toronto's Golden Mile Shopping Plaza Apply in writing, giving all details to GOLDEN MILE THEATRE, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENTS LTD., 67 Richmond St., W. Toronto ———$_—$_—_————————————