Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 10, 1948)

March 10, 1948 JAMES MASON _British star, who was the critics’ choice as the leading actor in the Canadian Film Weekly’s annual poll. NFBoard Blasted In Parliament (Continued from Page 1) spent $3,000,000 last year, of which $287,000 was all that went into film production. The NFB’s financial report, he said, did not give a true picture. Fraser described the board as “not just a white elephant but a herd of white elephants.” It occupied ten buildings in Ottawa and other expenses, such as telephones and certain salaries, were charged to various government departments, although they were really NFB costs. While he was ready to admit that the hoard was doing good work in some fields, the people were not getting full value for the money spent, he stated. The NFB was doing unessential work in some phases of its activities, among them still photography, which was interfering with private commercial photographers. Such photographers supported Fraser’s stand when interviewed by the daily press. There were also instances in which the board tried to photograph certain subjects at the wrong time of year, he said. Fraser said that if the board had “nothing to hide’ it should be able to stand an official investigation. The Honorable J. J. McCann, Minister of National Revenue, who has control of the film board, said the government would have no objection whatever to an investigation of its activities and expenditures if parliament asked for one. He dismissed Fraser’s charges as “his usual line.” “He has been saying these things for years,” Dr. McCann said, “and they usually turn out to be not correct,” Canadian FILM WEEKLY ‘Jolson’ & ‘Best Years’ Win Dom ’n Honors (Continued from Page 1) drews, while the honor of being best actor went to the British Star, James Mason. ‘The Best Years of Our Lives,’ which won severa] Academy Awards in 1946, was not placed in the ten boxoffice choices by exhibitors, since it has not played popular runs yet. The choices were made for the Canadian Film Weekly’s annual poll of exhibitors and critics. Second in the boxoffice voting for films was MGM’s ‘The Yearling,” in Technicolor, which starred Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman, while Ingrid Bergman was next to Crosby as a ticketselling star. The critics’ second choices were “Great Expectations” and Fredric March. Six of the winning ten selected by exhibitors were photographed in Technicolor, as were four of those chosen by reviewers. Not a British feature was among the exhibitors’ choices, as was the case in 1946, but four of the critics’ ten were from the United Kingdom, the same as in the previous year. James Mason, who won the critics’ award as the best actor, came closest among British stars to making the exhibitors’ ten. John Mills and Deborah Kerr, British stars, were Nigh Set To Direct William Nigh will direct Monogram’s “Stage Struck.” Film Title Changed “Symphony Story” has been renamed ‘“Unfaithfully Yours” by -20th Century-Fox. Drive-in Experiment Set In Michigan Erection of new-type drive-ins outside 36 Michigan cities is planned by W. S. Butterfield Theatres, a Paramount affiliate which operates 100 theatres in Ontario’s neighboring’ state. They will be equipped with large-scale stage paraphernalia for vaudeville, dramatic, operatic, musical and television shows, thus catering to all important branches of indoor and outdoor show business. Canadian drive-ins are equipped for movies only. included in critics’ ten choices. “The Best Years of Our Lives,” winner of the critics’ poll, was not included in the eligible films for the exhibitors’ poll, nor were “Life With Father’ and “Duel in the Sun.” The reason was that these films had played key engagements only at roadshow prices, where critics reviewed them, but had not been exhibited in popular runs. Of 151 films listed for voting, exhibitors cast ballots for 109 and critics for 71. “The Jolson Story” was the only picture placed in both lists, while Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck were also included in each category. the Award Contract For Ottawa Drive-In Contract for work on Skyway Drive-In Theatre Company, Limited’s new drive-in near Ottawa has been awarded to Clayton Gamble of Richmond, Ontario. Lot will occupy 1444 acres on South Base Line Road, Merivale. A 500-car drive-in is at present under construction near Ottawa by Auto Sky Drive-In Theatre Company. J. A. Bruck Passes After Long Illness Joseph Hubert Bruck, connected with the O’Brien theatres in the Ottawa valley for many years, passed away recently at his home in Pembroke, Ontario, after an illness of several years. He was 62 years old. Born in Luxembourg in Europe, Bruck came to Canada on completion of his university education at the age of 20. He held a variety of jobs till he joined the O’Brien circuit and eventually rose to manager of the chain. He served on the Pembroke municipal council for many years during the 1920’s and held the appointment of town supervisor at one time. In 19385 he moved to Ottawa where he was employed as district manager of the Standard Life Assurance Company. He retired in 1946 and returned to Pembroke. ' Vol, 18, No, 10 HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor ee March 10, 1948 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Entered as Second Class Matter. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year, BING CROSBY Canada’s outstanding boxoffice attraction, according to Dominion exhibitors voting in Canadian Film Weekly’s poll. Toronto s Mayor Against Tic Tax (Continued from Page 1) servative Association and Ontario theatre owners greeted it as being of extreme importance to them, since his predecessor in office, Saunders, was the leader in past demands for a municipal or Provincial tax. Toronto required assistance from sources other than itself, McCallum said, and it was his request that the federal government earmark two per cent of the national sales tax, to be handed over to municipalities in a lump sum and used for hospitals, day-care centres and relief. The impost on theatre tickets, etc., in effect in Montreal and other cities, he described as ‘nuisance taxes.’ “Personally, I’d have to oppose opening” of 12 day-care centres in Toronto at a cost of $180,000, he said, “unless we get some help from Ottawa or Queen’s Park.” An appeal to Ottawa and Queen’s Park had been made “and Mr. Drew left the door open. We're going to see him next week with a brief to show the need.” Heopposed Ottawa’s rumored intention of cutting the sales tax, and urged that it be kept high enough to provide grants for municipalities which found difficulty supporting welfare programs. Other things which would help Toronto solve its financial problems, according to McCallum, are re-assessment of property and assistance directly for the various projects through the federal and Provincial governments assuming a fairer share. Next Wrather Film Jack Wrather’s next production is “Night Without Morning.”