Canadian Film Weekly (May 18, 1949)

May 18, 1949 Canadian FILM WEEKLY Art In Canadian Film Houses a man to book-and-buy exhibits. At any rate, that seems the only phrase in movie terminology to describe his function. To leave the levity behind, the fact is that art and other types of exhibitions are growing in popularity as ante-auditorium attractions. Pioneer of that kind of added interest is Yvonne Taylor, the same lady who proved that money could be made with artistic and foreign films if merchandised right. She inawgurated the art exhibit policy at the same time she began the film exhibition experiment at her International Cinema in Toronto about three years ago. And she proved both points at the same time. The International Cinema was altered to meet Mrs. Taylor’s plan for art displays but her newest, the Towne Cinema on Bloor Street, was designed according to her requirements— and one of these was an art gallery, almost like a wing, in the lobby. Several kinds of art make up the first exhibit, and the individual works will be auctioned when it is over. Big-Scale With Odeon But it is Odeon Theatres which is doing most to spread the policy of a museum and gallery section for its houses. The Odeon-Toronto, flagship of the circuit in Canada and a work of architectural art in itself, includes a gallery in its balcony foyer. It was the public interest shown in its varied exhibits which led to attempting the idea in other circuit theatres. Later the experiment may be tried on a local and regional level in other parts of Canada and if successful cross-country exhibitions will be worked out. So importantly does Odeon regard the exhibit plan that it has assigned one of the several top art authorities in Canada, Paul Duval, to act for it in arranging exhibits. Duval, art critic for Saturday Night, and James Cowan, head of public relations for the J. Arthur Rank Organization of Canada, were talking, over coffee, about the amazing amount of attention a painting display was getting at the Odeon-Toronto. The resolve to see if that could be tru in other theatres of the Odeon chain grew out of the conversation. Duval queried Canada’s most famed artists and they welcomed the chance to help the average person get rid of his misconceptions about art and those who serve it, For example, such members of the Royal Canadian Academy as York Wilson and Archibald Barnes have displayed their work, as have J. S. Hallam, et (Continued from Page 1) an Academy associate; James Francis, a very promising young artist; and Bertram Brooker, artist, novelist and a screenwriter in the silent days. Perhaps the best indication of the type of support Duval is attracting will be the one-man show of A. J. Casson at the Hyland, Toronto. Casson is president of the Royal Canadian Academy. In Other Cities Ottawa, where art shows were inaugurated by the Capitol, is seeing the exhibit called Paintings of the Dance, Which was Offered during the run of Red Shoes at the Odeon-Toronto. This was shown in connection with the gpening or Odeon’s new theatre on May 14th, at which time Red Shoes began an engagement. Proceeds of the opening night at $2 per ticket went to the Canada Foundation, which aids culture through scholarships in the creative arts. One of the Hamilton houses of Odeon will get a photography exhibit as its first. This show is by John Steele, president of the Ontario Society of Photographers, and is made up of men who helped build the Toronto house, as well as well-known Canadians. It was the initial exhibit in the Odeon-Toronto. Exhibits which were first offered at the Odeon-Toronto will likely provide wall fare for other cities. Patrons have seen a show of watercolors picturing Bermuda; one made up of religious paintings by modernists, at Easter; a novel offering of the original art of many calendars of the 90s; and rare old English hunting prints for the showing of Blanche Fury. A fascinating exhibit was the one which was placed in the lobby during Scott Wants Bigger Piece Of Ticket Impost City of Toronto granted $150,000 towards the estimated cost of $861,000 for a new wing to the Western Hospital but Mayor Hiram McCallum expressed dissatisfaction with the use being made of the amusement tax. “T thought when the province took over the amusement tax that the city wouldn’t be asked for so much money for indigent patients,’ he said. “It was understood that these taxes would be used for hospital purposes, thus relieving municipalities of much of the burden.” of the Antarctic. It displayed personal possessions of the great explorer, mementoes of the tragedy and newspapers of the day. The next exhibit at the Odeon-Toronto will be called Blue Mood. All the paintings will have blue as the dominant color. It will be offered in connection with the showing of Blue Lagoon. A future show will offer color lithographs of British stars. New Art Audience Key individual in the art-movie project is Duval. Odeon shows will be offered under the banner line, “Paul Duval Presents,” and all enquiries and sales will be handled by him. Duval is keenly aware of the self-consciousness with which the average person, a term synonymous with ‘moviegoer,’’ approaches art and artists. Also the inaccessibility of art galleries and the inconvenience from a time standpoint keep people away. The latter difficulties have led to a lack of interest in art on the part of the vast majority. Exhibition of paintings in movie houses will place art before the average person in the course of his routine entertainment habits, Duval said. He estimated that there are about 120,000 admissions to the Toronto Art Gallery in one year, and this figure includes repeaters and something like 20,000 children brought there in groups by their teachers. Yet that many saw the exhibit called Paintings of the Dance during the first month of the Red Shoes run, he pointed out. “The average Canadian doesn't see a painting from one year to the other,’ Duval stated. Now they will see them in familiar surroundings. He felt the theatres would also benefit through participation in what many consider an important form of community work, particularly where local artists and children’s drawings are concerned. Canadian art is doing something for Canadian theatres and vice-versa, Lobby attractions are growing in popularity and even small neighborhood houses are falling in line by displaying television. When these are no longer a novelty, something will have to be found to take their place. Perhaps the museum idea will do that in a permanent way. It should be noted that Odeon has already helped change theatre decoration by dropping the stock murals drawn from Greek mythology which are found in many of our theatres. In Toronto the motion picture industry is the subject of a huge mural, while in London, Ontario, local history is the theme. Page 13 Walt Disney Has Big Program Four feature-length films, all in Technicolor, 18 cartoon shorts a year and a new True Life Adventure series have been scheduled by Walt Disney for the next two years in the most ambitious program undertaken by the producer to date. The four features do not include Ichabod and Mr. Toad, which is nearing completion and will be distributed in the Fall. The whole slate will presumably be released by RKO, Disney having recently signed a new contract with that company. The four features are made up of Treasure Island, a live action picture which will be personally produced by Disney in England this summer; Cinderella, for which three reels have been completed and on which production is to be geared for Christmas release; Alice in Wonderland, now in production with a top-budget rating on a par with Cinderella; and Hiawatha, being developed for his cartoon feature program. The True Life Adventure series, which will augment his usual yearly 18 cartoon shorts, will take camera crews to all sections of the world to gather material. Running about 30 minutes each, the shorts will be live action fact films, although specialized technique animation will be used where the required scenes cannot be filmed. It has taken Disney nearly three years to reassemble his organization and staff and a studio official asserts that it is now at the highest point of efficiency in the history of the company. Ginger Rogers Cast Ginger Rogers has been signed by Universal-International for the title role in The Story Of Molly X. Selander To Direct Lesley Selander will direct RKO’s Tim Holt starrer, Trouble in Texas. RKO Borrows Star RKO has borrowed Jean Wallace from 20th-Fox for feminine lead opposite Pat O’Brien in The Bail Bond Story. "West Point Story’ June Haver will have the feminine lead opposite James Cagney in WB's The West Point Story. Signs Long-Term Deal Ronald Reagan has signed a multiple long-term deal with Universal-International and his first picture under the new contract will be Flight From Terror, opposite Ida Lupino. ,