Canadian Film Weekly (May 26, 1943)

May 26, 1943 930 Scripts Read | By Hays Office t’s a long way between the ignaate and the camera for many film scripts. A great number don’t make it. Last year the Hays office sifted 546 scripts for production out of the 930 feature scripts presented for examination. Although three appeals on New York office ruling were reviewed and rejected by the Hays board, there were no appeals taken on any decisions handed down by the Hollywood office. Turned down in their original form, 27 scripts or treatments for feature pictures were rewritten to conform with code provisions and 18 completed features, originally rejected, were later revised and approved. Of the pictures approved, a breakdown by type reveals that 215 were of the melodrama variety, 112 were westerns, 80 dramas, 65 comedies, 57 miscellaneous and 17 crime subjects. Companies which are members of the organization presented 616 of the 683 short subjects approved in 1942. panies. There were only two violations in the advertising Code Administration in 1942. One was by a non-member producer. The other, by a member company, was the first violation of that sort since 1933. Compared with 472 the previous year, the number of discarded or revised ads last year totalled 313, representing 3.21 per cent of the 10,099 advertisements submitted in 1942. All but two of the 508 completed press book campaigns submitted were approved. There were 539 press books submitted in 1941, more than in 1942, but a greater number were rejected in the previous year. Keep Movies Going In B.C. Sticks The following notice from the Bridge River-Lilloet News, British Columbia, reveals how the times have affected movies in some sections: “Contrary to rumors otherwise, Canadian FILM WEEKLY So you want to write for the screen? Don’t—until you understand the difficulties involved. There isn’t anywhere to Jearn screen technique but a studio. If you apply for a job in person they'll tell you to go home and get a reputation. Hollywood story departments scan almost all printed matter for possible screen material. If you mail your story in it will be returned unopened. Studios tremble in fear of lawsuits for stealing stories. How do they buy stories or hire writers? Through agents. If an agent considers your talents worthy of his representation, he’ll try to sell your story. If he sells your story he’ll try to get you on for a trial. If he’s successful his reward is ten per cent of everything you earn. Hollywood needs writers now. But you’ll have to prove yourself to an agent first—or get stuff into print. * * = Cinema City sight: Arthur Murray and Groucho Marx skating along with red lights on the heels of their skates. .. . Hollywood super-markets have their advertising written cleverly by authors who sign them like magazine articles. ...I remember once going to the opening of a market in Hollywood. Searchlights poking about the sky, orchestras and personal appearances of stars opened it. Another such show was put on for a dog cafe, where you had your pooch fed. But the war has wiped out all that nonsense. . . . Lionel Barrymore, who just passed his 65th birthday, was a pal of the most famed heavyweight boxing champion of all time, the late John L. Sullivan. * * * In “Stage Door Canteen” a new star shines above the dozens in the picture, which was made to help canteens in the USA and Canada. She’s 22-year-old Cheryl Walker, who has been in films for five years, though her face has never been shown. Her legs acted for those of Paulette Goddard in the logrolling scene in “Forest Rangers.” When Dorothy Lamour walked barefoot through the jungle in a recent picture, the feet were Cheryl’s. Everything about her but her face has helped some star look better. And she has a lovely face, adorned with blue eyes and red hair. When she got her chance she was earning $25 working as an extra in a Preston Sturges production. = * * per week “Gone With the Wind,” which was first shown four years ago, is back on Broadway and lining them up. ... There have been so many theatre burglaries of late that managers don’t sleep well any more. . . . Though many stars are gone for the duration, it will be quite a while before you miss them on the screen. Hollywood has been working overtime to build up a stock of new features and they will be rationed out carefully in the future. . .. Men and women in the armed services now see the newest films as soon as released. Until now the films were of the same vintage as the ones shown at neighborhood theatres. ... Proof of the hunger of the public for motion picture entertainment are the requests of several towns that theatres be established in them. It isn’t easy. Ottawa ruled that no more theatres can be erected. However, several new theatres have sprung up along the Alaska Road. the Log Cabin will carry on with a weekly show until further notice. In view of the condition of citizens who either cannot or would not be able to go elsewhere for recreation and the closing of the local licensed premises, also the rationing of so many other things that used to be classed as a luxury, the management will endeavour to provide weekly respite through good pictures. Some of the very latest and best pictures are booked, and will be shown from week to week, until further notice in these columns.” Of the total, 67 were approved for non-member com No Confirmation of Halifax Purchase The reported purchase by Odeon Theatres of property in Halifax for the building of a future theatre has received no confirmation from head office. Haskell Masters, general manager of Odeon, has refused to give the| report official status. He did say that the recent addition of two British Columbia houses, the Marpole and Lonsdale, would be followed by other important links. A Smart Fellow This Ritchie Two would-be burglars of the Alhambra, Toronto, are serving jail terms. They owe their sojourn to sharpness of Manager Al Ritchie, who really out-noodled them without being there. Ritchie hooked the inside lights up with the outside ones, which lit up when the door was forced. The thieves didn’t even know that the cop had spotted the illuminated tipoff. Page 11 OF CANADA LTD. 277 Victoria St. Toronto PIONEER THE 39 STEPS Madeleine Carrol Robert Donat THUNDER OVER THE CITY Edward G. Robinson MICKEY THE GREAT Mickey Rooney * MONOGRAM | ESCAPED FROM THE GESTAPO Dean Jagger, Mary Brian, John Carradine STRANGER FROM PECOS Johnny Mack Brown SPY TRAIN Richard Travis Catherine Craig SARONG GIRL Ann Corio s Distributed in Canada through MONOGRAM PICTURES Toronto, Montreal, St. John Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver