Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 18, 1945)

Page 10 Grierson Speaks At NY Confab John Grierson, head of the National Film Board of Canada, spoke recently at the motion picture panel of the Conference of Arts, Sciences and Professions in the Postwar World, which was held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York. Speaking on the general theme of “Government Films,’ he said, “Freedom is only a word till you make men free; democracy only a word till men have actual enjoyment of rights. My interest in films is limited to what they can do in and for this particular situation.” Grierson went on to say that his one complaint against Hollywood was that “it has done less than it might.” Referring further to the American film centre he said, “Its newsreels could have been more influential and so could have been all those short films which in one way or another observe and comment on the passing scene. As for the big films they should, in the patterns of their drama, reflect something of the reality of our time.” Discussing international competition in production and for film markets, Grierson declared that “so far as documentary films are concerned, I for one, do not care who makes them so long as they are a contribution to the understanding of today and the making of tomorrow.” St. Kitts Managers Discuss Fire Safety The St. Catharines Managers’ Association held a joint fire drill and discussion on fire prevention at a recent meeting in the Lincoln Theatre, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Roy Miller, manager of the {Lincoln and president of the assocoation, had his staff go through a regular fire drill and explained each step as it was done. Fire Chief Burch of Niagara Falls answered the questions of the assembled managers and their staffs during the discussion period which followed. Roly Darby of Famous Players’ insurance department and Mr. Fittes of the Travellers’ Insurance also addressed the meeting and revealed some facts about fires and panics. Vern Hudson was chairman of the discussion period. A number of managers from the peninsula were in.attendance as guests of the Managers’ Association. Among them were Joe Paul, Jim’ Dodsworth and Ralph Tiede of Welland and Wanny Tyers, Jack Ward and Len Eyands of Niagara Falls. Canadian FILM WEEKLY PRC Sets Fifty Pix For New Season (Continued from Page 1) directors. The program will consist of 34 feature pictures, at least three of which will be in color, and 16 westerns. Total budget of the 1945-46 program is about $8,000,000, Fromkess revealed. Only 40 features were announced by PRC for the 1944-45 season but 45 were produced at a total cost of $5,100,000. The 1945-46 program is already under way with four features LEON FROMKESS completed and 13 more going into production before the end of August. PRC will thus have 17 completed features by the end of September. The four pictures for the new season already finished are “The Enchanted Forest,” ‘‘Club Havana,’ “Detour” and “The Song of Old Wyoming.” “Enchanted Forest” and “The Song of Old Wyoming” are in color, the latter being the first of the company’s planned series of outdoor color productions. PRC is using DuPont’s three color bi-pack for its pictures in color, Fromkess stated, but if Ansco’s monopack becomes available, the company will also use that color, he said. Among the pictures slated for early starts by PRC are “Bombshell From Brazil,” ‘The Lost Continent,” “Strangler of the Swamp,” “The Flying Serpent,” “The Clock Struck Five,” “How do You do?” and “Heritage.” In addition to the features produced by Fromkess personally, other pictures will be produced by Martin Mooney, Leo McCarthy Harry Sauber, Giorgio Curti, Sigmund Neufeld, Alexander Stern, Jack Schwartz, Sam Sax, Henry Brash and the Greene-Rouse combination, which turned out the highly successful “The Town Went Wild.” Expansion of PRC's production program will also be accompanied by an increase of its studio facilities and several new stages are being planned. Further extension of foreign distribution is also on the agenda, under the supervision of Roberto Socas, head of the company’s foreign department. An extensive program of advertising and exploitation is being arranged to cover the international field. Rank's Setup Issues Swell House Organ Volume one, number four of British Picture News, house organ of Eagle-Lion Distributors, Ltd., has arrived at this office and it’s a beauty. The pages number 38 and they reflect the British intention of falling in with the glamor pattern of present film advertising. There are plenty of portrait shots of leading British stars and the whole magazine has liberal color. Coming British films get much boosting and several of the articles carry information about trade organizations and Britain and British interests abroad. J. Arthur Rank and E. T. Carr are shown arm in arm. The caption reads “Two Determined Men!! These two have established the better and bigger British Films on the screens of the world in less than one year — a feat never before accomplished. They are even more fully determined to show the world that we in England have young and beautiful artistes second to none, and in the following pages are seyeral of our stars, newer and younger artistes now under contract — later on to be seen in pictures presented through Eagle Lion Distributors, Ltd.” The magazine also contains non-industry advertising. Fitzgibbons Chairs Testimonial Dinner J. J. Fitzgibbons, Famous Players’ chief, is also chairman of the advisory board of St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. In the latter capacity he recently chaired a testimonial banquet in honor of Dr. Julian Loudon, chief physician at St. Michael’s, who is retiring after 33 years of service with the hospital. July 18, 1945 Aussies Lively Industry Press Two interesting trade papers from Australia have arrived in this office through the courtesy of Ralph Foster, in that country for the National Film Board. They indicate a lively industry and trade press. They are The Film Weekly and the Australasian Exhibitor. They are dated May and June. The Film Weekly calls itself the Motion Picture Authority of Australasia “Incorporating Everyones, Australian Variety and Show World” and is edited by J. W. Dent. They indicate that in the main the same things interest Australian film men as Canadian. Leading stories deal with reception of atrocity films, the activities of J. Arthur Rank, the length of features, and so on. Wolfe Cohen, formerly Canadian Warner chief and now of its International department, is headline news there. There are stories, pictures and interviews dealing with his activities. Editorials deal with opinions of the critics and Hollywood’s contribution to the war effort. The Australasian Exhibitor headlines an award by President Taylor of the Industrial Commission of New South Wales, delivered as an interim judgment, on the application of the Theatre Managers’ Association for certain rates and conditions. It also carries a “Snooping Around” column signed Winchell Junior. Cam Pratt is the editor. Australian film trade journalism is more like. the American and Canadian style than the British. Reviews, local correspondence and exploitation matters occupy much space in both papers. Nairn and Barker's FPCC Anni Roundup Jimmy Nairn and Jackson Barker of Famous Player publicity and art departments have issued a fine booklet telling ‘The Story of Famous Players and Its 25th Anniversary Celebration.” It’s called “Public Relations.” Articles and pictures from Liberty, New World, Canadian and other magazines are reproduced in miniature, as are news stories and editorials from the daily and weekly newspapers. The Canadian and USA trade press got plenty of space also. The booklet makes it possible to get a comprehensive idea of how the country at large joined in wishing Famous Players its best. One-can conclude that the tribute was the finest of its kind in Canadian history.