Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 18, 1948)

February 18, 1948 Hollyw'd Gloomy Spot These Days While a joint plan for the settlement of the United Kingdom tax dispute has been submitted to British government officials and American industry leaders by Sir Alexander Korda and Spyros Skouras, Hollywood jis already a gloomy place. Employment of writers: and actors has dropped considerably and there has been sizeable layoffs of technicians, craftsmen and laborers by all studios. Retrenchment all along the line is the order of the day in anticipation of reduced revenue from Great Britain and other countries. The 75 per cent tax on earnings of American films in Britain will reduce Hollywood’s return from $68 millions to $17 Millions. A number of other countries have taxed or blocked film revenue to Hollywood and it is rumored that Canada will do the same as Australia, which requires that a certain amount be spent domestically. Hollywood has also found itself in the middle of the argument between Argentina and Spain. Spain banned films from Argentina and the latter country retaliated »y barring all foreign films. USA films earned $5,000,’ 000 annually in Argentina. Although domestic grosses in the USA and Canada did not drop, retrenchment through curtailment of trade paper and general advertising and other means has been in effect during the past few months. There are now 600 members of the Screen Actors Guild under contract, a drop of 200. The organization has a membership of 8,500, with more than the usual amount of unemployment. Of 1,457 members of the Screen Writers Guild, but 408 were employed in the early part of the year. The Hollywood depression is having an effect on the city generally, four exclusive night clubs having closed their doors. Council Can't Grant Exclusive Franchise Delta Municipal Council recently informed Sam Cory that it did not have the power to grant an exclusive franchise for the building of a theatre in Ladner, ~ BC. Two permits had previously beén granted by the Council, one to L. B. Toffey, who has stopped work on his project due to lack of materials, and the other to an unnamed party, who had selected a site next to the Community Hall. Toffey now operates J.adner’s only theatre. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Page 7 Eagle-Lion Dominion WB Reopens UK Sales Drive Opens (Continued from Page 1) early Spring, the campaign was announced simultaneously from the company’s six branches as “Hagle-Lion’s J. Arthur Rank Sales and Playdate Drive.’ The Canadian campaign, which will have special features of its own, also coincides with a worldwide drive by distributing organizations of and associated with J. Arthur Rank interests. Special recognition will be given to Sir Michael Balcon of Ealing Studios, who was knighted at the beginning of the year, for his 25 years of outstanding service in the film industry and aJso to other producers who have been responsible for round-the-globe boxoffice hits. These include David Lean for “Great Expectations,” Sydney Box for “Seventh Veil’ and Sir Laurence Olivier and Castleton Knight for the Technicolor film of the Royal Wedding. Preceding the announcement, Frank Fisher, Dominion general manager, selected a “screeningroom jury” representing trade and public and had them view, from. the boxoffice slant, a group of forthcoming films from the J. Arthur Rank Studios overseas. Each reviewer handed in a written verdict and these substantiate fully the extra boxoffice appeal which Eagle-Lion feels its new product carries and which is the reason for the inauguration of the sales and playdate drive. Highly-rated pictures so far include the Technicolor “Jassy,” starring Margaret Lockwood; “Master of Bankdam,” “Holiday Camp,” a family comedy with Jean Kent; “Fame Is the Spur,” with Michael Redgrave in the top role; and “October Man,” the film which raised John Mills to one of the top positions among British stars. None of these has been released here as yet. Others which have started key runs in Canada include “Black Narcissus,” “Frieda,” ‘Captain Boycott,” the James Masons in “The Upturned Glass” and James Hilton’s RKO-Rank production, “So Well Remembered,” starring John Mills and Martha Scott. Due for distribution here before the end of the drive are “It Always Rains on Sunday,” with Googie Withers; “Blanche Fury,” in Technicolor and starring Stewart Granger; “Woman in the Hall,” Jean Simmons’ first solostarrer; “The End of the River,” which stars Sabu opposite Bibi Ferreira, the Brazilian-Indian actress; and ‘‘When the Bough Breaks,’’ which stars Patricia Roc. Special attention is being given to the This Modern Age © series for which a speci] sub ject on Canada is now planned and will be announced shortly. The effort will take the form of a competition between branches with the six regional sales chiefs being responsible for organizing and carrying out their own drives. Branch managers are Gerry Hoyt, Saint John; Sam Jacobs, Montreal; Peter Myers, Toronto; Joe McPherson, Winnipeg; Frank Scott, Calgary; and Harry Paige, Vancouver. One unusual angle of the 17 weeks will be specialty promotion of French-language product, both features and shorts, in other areas as well as Quebec. HagleLion Parisian originals lead off with “Le Mariage de Ramuntchko,” the first French film made completely in color, the famous and mysterious German Agfa process. Paris-dubbed versions of top Rank product will also be introduced by the company including “Great Expectations’ and Seventh Veil.”’ The Quebec-made “Whispering City’ will receive its general release in key situations during the period, following successful USA distribution. The French version of the bilingual film, ‘La Fortresse,’ will during that time have several special engagements. An odd angle on this film is that it will be shown with English subtitles in areas outside French-language ones so that the greater percentage of Canadians will be able to follow the dialogue, an unique situation since it was filmed completely in Canada and features an all-Canadian cast. Armed Services Unite Bureaux (Continued from Page 1) series of questions asked by F. G. Fraser, Peterborough West. Cost of operating the bureau from April, 1948, to February, 1948, was $29,919.60. This was for the employment of nine members of the armed services and three civilians as well as storage and distribution costs for thousands of films used by active and reserve units. The films are confidential and for service instructional purposes only. Although the bureau is not connected in any way with the National Film Board, that organization provides technical services. Three films are now in the process of production or planned and will be completed this year. Film Studios A constructive move to promote increased British film production by independent companies was announced by Arthur S. Abeles Jr., director of Warner Bros. Pictures, in re-opening his company’s studios at Teddington, Middlesex, England. As a result of the efforts of Jack L. Warner, the company’s executive producer in America, and Max Milder, managing director in Britain, who is currently visiting the USA—the studios have been rebuilt after their destruction by a flying bomb on July 5th, 1944. “Teddington will be Warner’s answer to misinformed critics who say American companies are trying to hinder independent picture-making in this country,” Abeles declared, stating that with the exception of an occasional picture which Warner Bros. might themselves make there the studios would be open to anyone who had a picture to produce. Claude Rains would come to Teddington to make “Silent Dust,” the executive said. W. A. Bronsten, who produced the successful “I Became A Criminal,” would start the film immediately work had finished on “Noose,” now being made at the studios by Edward Dyhurst Productions with Joseph Calleia and Carole Landis starred. Details were being discussed with two other independent units on subsequent productions. Danny Kaye, who is now a Warner Bros. star, attended the re-opening ceremony. Also present were stars who made films at Teddington before the bombing, including Griffith Jones, Clifford Evans, Pat Kirkwood, William Hartnell Esmond Knight, Nora Swinburne, Claude Hulbert and Enid Trevor. Rebuilt to their original design, the studios are provided with the most modern facilities and equipment available. One link with the old studios is the administration offices, which bear the name “Doc Salomon Building” in memory of Doc Salomon, production manager who, with’ two other Warner Bros. employees, was killed by the flying bomb. ‘The Long Denial’ Maureen O’Hara and Melvyn Douglas will star in RKO’s “The Long Denial.” Stars For WB Pic Wayne Morris, Lois Maxwell, Mary Stuart and Gordon MacRae will star in Warners’ “The Fighting Terror.”