Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 9, 1947)

VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY SSS es Vol. 12, No. 15 —— Will D Rating By Stars’ Opposed In Trade The star method of rating motion pictures, used by many reviewers and adopted by Liberty magazine recently, is attracting increasing opposition from the trade, although no public issue has developed. ‘During the past,” stated the head of advertising ; (Continued on Page 2) Plan Houses For Quebec, Rouyn A 1,500-seat theatre will be erected in the city of Quebec, at St. John Street and d’Youville Square, by France-Film, circuit operators, to replace the Theatre Canadien, which was razed by fire last year. The theatre will be located on what is now part of (Continued on Page 6) Train Crippled Kids, rop License Ag TORONTO, APRIL 9, 1946 SS $2.00 Per Annu reement Alberta Increases Censorship Rules New regulations have been added to those now used to impose censorship in Alberta and it is now necessary to submit every type of 16 mm. film for approval before exhibition, including documentaries for non-theatrical showings. The act gov (Continued on Page 6) "Prince Of Thieves’ Jon Hall has been signed for Lightstone Now President O£ Distributors Association | The Canadian License Agreement, used in the trade for many years to fix the terms of exhibition, will be discontinued starting with the 1947-48 releasing year, it was announced by the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors As z sociation. The news was Tariff Upped In made public following a Sub Situations meeting of the organization Admission fees’ to -subse at the King Edward Hotel, quent-run situations have been Toronto, recently. increased a few cents in many Gordon Lightstone, general situations by Famous Players ™@nager for Paramount’s Canand other circuits and Inde24!an company, Paramount Film pendents. Canadian price Service Limited, was elected scal frozen until recently president for the new term. He ite : are ‘the lowest on the dentin: succeeded eo M. Devaney, Can _ the) lead) ny Columba Se voran ent. No changes are planned in 4/an general manager for RKO Of Alexandre Dumas’ ‘The first-run houses. (Continued on Page 2) Prince of Thieves.” In most towns theatre prices are the only ones which have not been increased one or more . times during and after price controls. Costs of theatre operation and film production have risen greatly in the past five years. MOVIE CRITICISM Another of those not-infrequent brushes in the lasting battle between the critics and the criticised took place in Montreal recently when David M. Legate. reviewer for the Montreal Standard, suffered the withdrawal of screening room privileges. He was told by the press agenit for the first-run downtown houses that the step was taken ‘Because you've been knocking our pictures.” He described himself as “banned” and in Variety Club Plan A proud moment will be experienced by Canadian barkers at the international convention of the Variety Clubs in Los Angeles when Chief Barker John J. Fitzgibbons, leader of the delegation from Tent No. 28, Toronto, informs the vast gathering that his tent will build a vocational guidance school for Ontario’s crippled children. The project for a vocational school had been studied for some time before the Heart Committee, headed by Morris Stein, unanimously recommended its acceptance by the executive board for submission to the member (Continued on Page 2) "The Gunfighters’ “The Gunfighters” is the release title for Columbia’s “Twin Sombreros.” Tanna TO EAGLE-LION | ‘WHISPERING CITY’ Quebec Censors Ban Hughes’ 'The Outlaw’ Howard Hughes’ production that has aroused so much controversy, “The Outlaw,” has been rejected by the Quebec Censorship Board. Featuring Jane RusSell, the film has been okayed for exhibition in the other eigh Provinces of Canada. Lucien Desbiens, chairman of the Quebec board, said that United Artists, the company distributing the picture, has the right to appeal the decision. First official announcement that Eagle-Lion Films had acquired world distribution rights to a later column, in which he opined “that it would be a good thing if critics paid their way,” the reason for his exile was “because I don’t praise all the pictures for which I used to receive passes.” The “ban” can hardly be regarded as serious, since it doesn’t interfere with Legate’s theatre-going, He made good use of its dramatic value and became something of a martyr to some of the Standard’s readers, who sent letters supporting him. One of Canada’s best-known showmen, asked about the proper care and feeding of critics, felt that at no time should any be banned for their opinions of screen fare. “There is a great difference between the opinions of the critics and the public as to what constitutes a good picture,” he said. “Actually, severe critics have little effect on the boxoffice. A critic is read by the public for guidance in choosing a movie, not for literary fare. The reader is told that a certain film is a (Continued on Page 4) are “Whispering City’ was made last week. The film was produced in Canada by Quebec Productions Corporation and stars Helmut Dantine, Mary Anderson and Paul Lukas, a | Caton