Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 14, 1945)

March 14, 1945 NFB Wins Praise Of UK Official Canadian-made information films of the National Film Board enjoy a high degree of appreciation in the British government circles, Alan Obiston of the Ministry of Information of that country told the Montreal press last week. © Such films, he said, had performed their purpose—that of telling the British about Canada —in first-rate fashion. A good proportion of films made in Hollywood gave the impression that much of the new world was still inhabited by cowboys and Indians, since Westerns were extremely popular in the old country. The Ministry was so impressed with the work of Canadian films that it intended to send him to Australia soon to form a unit there similar to the National Film Board. Obiston came to America to gather films and material about the Japanese. As a result of a month’s trip through the USA and Canada, he is sending back 500,000 feet of film which will be made into anti-Japanese propaganda. “The Ministry feels that the British tend to forget that we also have a war to be won in the Pacific as soon as we have finished with Germany,” he said. “We particularly want to dispel the idea that Japan is the land of cherry blossoms and give our people some idea of just what conditions are like in Nippon.” Australia is beginning to enjoy the attention that Canada won earlier from the rest of world for the vigorous manner in which it showed its courage and capabilities in behalf of Democracy at the outset of the struggle. Australia, also a young country with great recuperative powers, drew on the limit of its strength and made its promise of a great future just as obvious to the world. The Australians were also alive early to the use of films to strengthen the national character and John Grierson spent a while there just before the war. He went there from Canada and returned to launch his nowrenowned work just prior to hostilities. Several National Film Board officials are Australiabound to establish representation there on an organized scale. Robinson New Prexy Of NB Phone Co. Howard P. Robinson, a director of Famous Players Canadian Corporation, recently succeeded Senator Frank B. Black as prosident of the New Brunswick Telephone Company. Canadian FILM WEEKLY —_— One hundred and fifty ships in the Royal Canadian Navy now have their own movies which go to sea with them and include the latest pictures you can see in any Metropolitan theatre. They are provided by the Royal Canadian Naval Film Society, a non-profit organization, owned by the men in the Service, which gives shows to seamen at 5 cents a man. Here on a Canadian Frigate, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall perform for an appreciative audience of seamen. RCNavy Circuit Big Business (Continued from Page 1) $10,000 from the government, which it repaid within two years. Through clever operation and the co-operation of the film industry, the Society has been able to maintain steady exhibition of 16 mm. films at sea and 16 and 35 mm. ones on shore. Men pay five cents per show and officers 25 cents. During 1944, 137,151 attended shows at seas. There were 911,610 admissions to 35 mm. shows ashore and 35,487 at similar 16 mm. exhibitions of films. Film rentals for ship shows amounted to $50,950.63 and that of shore shows totalled $43,015.36. Revenue from ships amounted to $13,204.37 and the receipts of shore cinemas were $111,580.87. It is obvious that the navy is in the show business in a big way. A film guide is being compiled which will provide information about actors, synopsis and type to those responsible for bookings of story. One interesting part of the annual report deals with relations of the Society and the film trade: “In order to achieve the objectives, it has always been, and will always remain, essential that the Navy should build up and maintain a sound reputation with the Film Trade generally, and this essential must never be lost sight of,” 20th-Fox Busy On Loan Short (Continued from Page 1) chestra, Carmen Miranda, Vivian Blaine, Jeanne Crain, Faye Marlowe, Linda Darnell, June Haver, Sheila Ryan and Martha Stewart. Shooting on the picture has been completed at the studios of 20th Century-Fox Corporation in Hollywood under the direction of Michael Audley from a script prepared by Don Quinn, writer of the Fibber McGee and Moliy broadcasts. The picture is being made under the supervision of Darryl F. Zanuck. “All Star Bond Rally” will be shown in all Canadian motion picture theatres in support of the Eighth Victory Loan and, like its predecessors, “Shining Future” and “Tomorrow John Jones,” is being produced for the Canadian Motion Picture War Services Committee as Hollywood’s gift to Canada. All stars, players, studio technicians and the entire facilities of 20th Century-Fox studios are being donated to make this 20 minute short subject. The United States Treasury Department has expressed interest in the production and the National War Finance Committee has offered to make the picture available to the USA government for the next war bond campaign across the border. Page 7 Indie Operators Plenty Active (Continued from Page 1) are lifted. There are a number of new theatres under construction in the West by Independents. It is likely that some are being established in converted structures. Walter Pyle is building a theatre in Central Butte, Sask. L. Kurtz is responsible for a house being erected in Oak Lake, Man. Ituna, Sask. is the location of a movie house being built by Mike Kozakewitch. N. Fuchs is busy building in St. Walberg, Sask. Theatres are also changing hands. M. Starkman and C. Wagman, who own several Toronto houses, have purchased the Granada from the owner and it will come to them after the B & F lease is up. Palace Theatre, Willowbunch, Sask., has been sold by S. Karby to Mrs. E. Lebel, who will occupy it on or about May 15. W. H. B. Sharp, prominent Western circuit operator, has sold the Opera, Rimbey, Alta., to B. R. Headly. Post-war building plans have been announced by Harold E. Gaudette, owner and operator of the Capitol, Summerside, P. E.I. He will erect a new house after the war which will cost $75,000 and seat 800. The block in New Germany, N.S., which contains the Yorke Theatre has been sold to the owners of the Capitol, Bridgewater, licensed to R. A. Fielding. H. B. Vorge is the former man ager and owner. Another after-the-war theatre project is that of M. Levis, owner and operator of the Parkway, Fort Erie, Ont., who is planning a 500-seater in Ridgeway, Ontario. Plans have been drawn by Kaplan & Sprachman, Toronto. These theatre changes are just a current roundup. Many other changes have taken place among Independents in the past year. THEATRE WANTED To lease, about 700 seats. Must be doing good business, with little opposition. Might consider small circuit. All replies held strictly confidential. Write particulars to BOX 12 Canadian Film Weekly