Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 12, 1955)

NOVEMBER 12, 1955 BLUE SHEET (Continued from Page 1) ganization, The meeting in the form of a luncheon with the film publicists as guests, heard guest speaker Clare Appel, executive secretary of the CMPDA highlight some of the achievements of the film industry and outline some of the charitable activity engaged in by Hollywood stars. The impact of the one year old “Blue Sheet” was emphatically brought home to the visiting publicists by Mrs. McCutcheon’s short address, excerpts which follow. “Our particular function, as we see it, is to single out the more outstanding films—analyzing their qualities and classifying them as to the age levels they will entertain, and secondly to bring them to the attention of a particular audience. This is, in effect, the ‘lost’ audience, though one, we think, that can be won over. “As yet we have not accurately assessed the impact of the Blue Sheet, but I give you quotations to indicate the reactions we have received. For every one I have drawn on there are at least 10 which say exactly the same thing. “We have built the Blue Sheet on two principles—(a) belief that motion pictures do provide real entertainment for both children and grown ups and (b) to seek out the better films and talk about them positively, as widely as possible. “The Hon. the Minister of Education, Dept. of Education, Nfld. (Mr. J. C. Chalker) appreciates your effort ‘to encourage a public opinion in favor of the good films.’ Dr. Curtis, liaison officer of the Dept. with the Nfld. P.T.A., has been instructed to forward to you the names and addresses of P.T. groups operating in the province —where the organiaztion is more along parochial lines with an intimate relationship in all denominations between the Church and the School. “Proy. of Sask. Dept. of Education, E. F. Holliday, Vis. Branch Supv. Canadian Estimate of Entertainment Films has been needed badly for some time. “Provincial Council of Women, Sybil Barnett, Film Chairman, Manitoba. The public, and parents particularly, do appreciate a reliable estimate of the entertainment value of a film. “Can. Girl Guides, Alberta. So much interest was aroused in our Mothers’ Group by your Blue Sheet that it was hard to keep at the business of the meeting. Can we ask for these pictures to be shown in our theatre?” ‘ DI€EST Bolstad Chairman MPIC (Continued from Page 1) with an inspiring message to the entire industry, “We have made progress,” he stated, “there is a better feeling beween exhibitors and distributors, due to the job done by Mr. Chaplin (UA’s Canadian general manager and representative at the meetings of the CMPDA) and because we exhibitors have a better undersanding of their ((distributor) problems.” Continuing Mr. Bolstad said, “If we learn to crawl and then walk, we will learn to run much better later,” referring to the progress made by the delegates in regard to the many problems confronting the industry today. “One of our biggest problems,” he continued, “is the amusement tax and our attempts to bring them down to a fair level. We can go forward from here,’ Mr. Bolstad stated, “and look to the future with great confidence.” The sessions of the Council were opened by Dave Griesdorf who set the keynote of the meetings with his slogan of “roll up your sleeves and go to work.” One of the most important steps taken during the meetings was the resolution moved by Morris Stein re-activating the Public Relations Committee. The resolution as moved was: RESOLUTION re PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE “BE IT RESOLVED that the Public Relations Committee of the Council be re-activated and it is recommended that Charles Chaplin be appointed Chairman of that Committee and that this Committee re-examine the Public Relations plan previously proposed and to recommend such a revised plan, and a revised budget on the basis of an allocation to each Provincial Association of their share of the total, as determined by the Committee. Each Provincial As sociation shall have the right to determine their own method of raising their allotted share, but it is not required that they make a firm committment to raise such an amount which has been allocated to them but shall make every effort to do so. . “Each member Association shall in due course report their approval of the revised plan and budget and when approved it is recommended that when the total amount of the proposed budget has been raised that the new plan shall be activated. It is also recommended that there should be included in this revised plan a detailed outline of the new plan and should particularly show the benefits of this new plan to the small town exhibitors and such other material that would aid the Provincial Associations in enlisting the participation and financial support of all classes of exhibitors.” Reports were given by all the member groups making up the Council and included reports from the Equipment dealers, Producers and lab, all the provincial theatre associations and the distributors. Some of the problems discused included, the shortage of stereophonic prints, amusement taxes, bingo, insurance rates, newspaper rates, the cost of advertising accessories, CAPAC, support for the proposed tour of Hollywood producers, directors and writers across Canada, now being readied by the Canadian Co-operative Project, etc. An Official report, with the main highlights of the sessions is now being prepared and the Digest hopes to carry this in next week’s issue. Enthuiastic applause greeted two of the highlights of this year’s sessions, one when Charles S. Chaplin speaking for the distributors welcomed the creation of the National Exhibitors Public Relations Committee announced in last week’s issue and the suggestion from Murray Briskin, Associated Screen News, that his firm would produce at cost any film trailer for use in theatres or TV, whose purpose was to promote the welfare of the industry. Republic Acquires Top Book Property Hollywood: The race for the acquisition of Motion picture rights to “Papa Married a Mormon” by John D. Fitzgerald was won by Republic, it was announced by company president Herbert J. Yates, prior to his departure for a thirty-day European trip which will take him to Republic branches in London, Munich, Rome and Paris. Yates reported that the property was acquired for $100,000 through Music Corporation of America. “Papa Married a Mormon” will be the basis for the company’s most ambitious production since “The Quiet Man.” Yates has budgeted $2,000,000 for the production to be filmed in the company’s new wide screen multiple process, Naturama, and in Trucolor. PAGE FIVE Jack Warner Sets 4 From Melford & Dietz Burbank: Jack L. Warner, executive producer, announced the closing of one of the year’s important production deals with Frank Melford and Jack Dietz providing for presentation by Warner Bros. of four major pictures to be filmed by their recenty formed production company from outstanding story properties with top starring casts. “Freighter,” from the United States Steel Hour program, produced by The Theatre Guild from the teleplay by George Lothar, is the first of the pictures scheduled for filming under the newly concluded deal. Maritime Exhibitor W. T. Danson Dies Sussex: Mr. William T. Danson, one of the best known business men in Sussex, New Brunswick, died last week at his home, after a few months of failing health, at the age of 37. Co-Manager of the ‘Strand’ theatre at Sussex, a business that has been in the Danson family for many years, Mr. Danson was active in many phases of that Industry, and was widely-known in Motion Picture circles. He was a member of the Maritime Motion Pictures Exhibitors’ Association. This month eve WITNE?9 reports on QUEBEC'S SAGUENAY RIVER (Tadoussac) AN ANALYSIS OF SOUND (Ottawa) (Ask for Eye Witness 76) Book THIS ALL-CANADIAN NATIONAL FILM BOARD SERIES EVERY MONTH THROUGH COLUMBIA PICTURES