Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 29, 1945)

Page 8 NFB Reel Paced V-J Headlines The dramatic suddeness of the end of the war, following close on the heels of the use of the atomic bomb and the Soviet declaartion of war upon Japan, leaves the world breathless—unable to believe that the tenseness of war strain is gone. Waiting in almost every theatre in Canada for release with the announcement of final vic tory was the National Film Board’s “The War Is Over”, first film on the subject to be released in Canada. The film reminds Canadians that the end of the bitter struggle has really come, and with it the need to look forward constructively to this era of peace. Second in swiftness of production only to “Salute To a Victory”, the Film Board’s V-E Day film which was produced completely in little more than 42 hours, “The War Is Over” was only 60 hours in the making. Producer Nick Balla and about 14 men and women worked tirelessly straight through from 6 p.m. Friday, August 10th, when Canadian Government Film Commissioner John Grierson gave the “Go ahead” signal, to the following Monday, when the last words of the commentary were recorded on the finished film by Lorne Greene, wellknown Canadian radio commentator, and the film rushed to Toronto laboratories for printing and distribution to hundreds oi Canadian theatres. Both English and French versions were prepared and sent across the continent. During the sleepless hours in the accelerated tempo of production caused by the sudden signs of an abrupt ending to the war, producers, script writers, laboratory workers, negative cutters—all the staff required for the creation of a film, worked on a split-second timing schedule which functioned smoothly in spite of the intense, concentrated work. E. Baker, Montreal Theatre Owner, Dead Edward Baker, owner of the Gayety Theatre, Montreal, died recently at the Jewish General Hospital in that city. He was 42 years of age. He was well-known in Montreal sports circles and 25 years ago he was popular as Kid Baker, featherweight boxer. Surviving him are his wife, formerly Inez Untermeyer of New York, two sons, his mother, three brothers and four sisters. Canadian FILM WEEKLY 4 SQUARE gpG y Takes and Mistakes Major George Lait, INS correspondent and friend and comrade of the late Ernie Pyle, was in town for the local showing of “G. I. Joe.” He spoke to the Uptown audience at night. In the afternoon he was guest at a luncheon in his honor, at which Charlie Chaplin presided. Local radio, press and industry men heard tell in informal fashion about his experiences ... Mervyn Goldstone, after a couple of years in the RCAF, is back from overseas, where he left about ten pounds . . . British publicity is filtering in, We have some good stuff from Jack Griggs, Pathe pub director, who is currently boosting Anton Walbrook in “The Man From Morocco,” which shapes up like a swell adventure film ... For breaking all existing records at the Capitol, Calgary, Lassie and Laddie, through an ad in the Albertan and Herald, thanked all the local Lassies and Laddies . . . Doug Patterson, manager of the Royal, North Bay, was married recently to Thelma Chapman. The young lady is a nurse... When the new 16 mm. situation in Parkhill was opened the local paper carried quite a story and the mayor made a speech. Nothing small-time about 16 mm. any more. They just do big things on a smaller scale, that’s all. K * * They Milked the Cow (From The Steelworkers and Miner, Sydney, N.S.) qPen men who were financiers chipped in ten dollars each and bought a fine cow that gave ten gallons of milk every day. The milk was divided at night and each man received one gallon as his share. Soon the neighbors far and near heard about the wonderful cow and said to one another: “Think of getting a whole gallon of milk every day. What a wonderful return on a ten-dollar investment. I wish I had a share in her.” When this tale was repeated to the ten men, they held a meeting and one of them said, “Let us give these people what they want. Our shares in the cow cost us ten dollars each, and we can sell other shares at the same price.” So they went to a printer and obtained one thousand sheets of paper bearing the legend: “One share in the cow.” Then they sold 500 of these shares at $10 each, which brought them $5,000, and divided the other 500 among themselves as their reward for being smart. Each man of the ten now had 51 shares, whereas in the beginning each had but one. ‘ But one of the ten began to worry. “Look here,” he said, ‘Every fellow who bought a share in this cow will expect a gallon of milk tonight, and the cow gives only ten gallons. When the milk is divided into one thousand and ten parts these new shareholdets won’t get a spoonful. Shares will drop to nothing. We’d better unload while we can.” So the ten men went out on the street to find investors and each of them sold the fifty shares that had been awarded to him, and thus they obtained a second $5,000 to divide among them. But now night was drawing near and again one of the the ten began to worry. — “There will be a row at milking time,” said he. “Hasten abroad and persuade each of the shareholders to sign a proxy, which is a joker authorizing you to cast as you think best the vote to which his share entitles him. Then return with the proxies and we shall do some voting.” At twilight the men met at the barn, and in their hands were 1,000 signed proxies to represent the absent shareholders, And the ten were entitled to vote in their own right, for each still held his original share. ‘ “Now,” said the one who did the talking, ‘‘We must organize. This company needs 4 president, a treasurer and eight vicepresidents. That gives each of us a job. And since there are ten of us and the cow gives ten gallons, it is moved and seconded that each of us receive a salary of one gallon of milk per day. All in favor say ‘Aye’.” The motion carried without a dissenting vote. And then’ they milked the cow. ra st August 29, 1945 Columbia Stages Book Contest A United Services Book Contest, open to all past and present members of the armed forces of any of the United Nations, and offering in excess of $66,000 to the winner, was announced recently by the three companies jointly sponsoring this literary event: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, American book publishers, George G. Harrap & Company, British book publishers, and Columbia Pictures Corporation, international motion picture producers. The prize, an outright sum of $6000 (plus usual book royalties on the American and British cditions) and film rights which could total $60,000, will be awarded to the most suitable book-length manuscript on any subject, eithr fiction or nonfiction, received on or before June 30, 1946. Arrangements already have been made for editions of the prize-winning book to be published in six foreign languages. The purpose of the United Services Book Contest, which will run at least two annual periods, is to discover literary talent from among the armed forces (including the women’s reserves and the merchant navies), but if for any reason the judges appointed by the sponsoring organizations fail to find a writer worthy of the award, the outright prize money will be divided into six United Forces Book Fellowships of $1000 each and will be awarded to the most deserving contestants, to aid them in producing or completing their work. This is a unique feature among literary prize contests. The United Services Book Contest was made possible partly through the close association that has existed between Crowell and Harrap for more than fifty years. Complete details, rules, and entry forms may be obtained from Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 432 Fourth Ave., New York 16, N.Y., or George G. Harrap & Company, London and Sydney, Australia, or Columbia Pictures Corporation, 729 Seventh Ave., New York 19, N. Y., and Columbia Square, Hollywood, Calif. Czechs Nationalize Movie Industry The movie industry in Czechoslovakia was nationalized recently with the signing of a decree by President Benes. All phases of the industry, production, distribution and theatre operation and ownership, become state enterprises under the act.