Canadian Film Weekly (May 25, 1949)

Page 8 MPAA-UK Deal Called Cartel’ Results of the recent meeting in Washington of the Joint Anglo-American Film Council, learned unofficially, caused Ellis Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, to accuse it of an “attempt to substitute cartelization for What should be government action.” His sharply-worded statement attacked the ‘secrecy and hushhush attitude” of the meeting and insisted that the SIMPP and President Truman concurred in the belief that any action which affects the American film industry outside USA borders “is a matter of grave concern to our government and should be handled through proper government channels and not by a group of self-appointed, would-be dictators.” ; Details of the secret trade proposals worked out by the sixman coumcil were made known to American company executives at a closed meeting of the Motion Picture Export Association by Eric Johnston, its president, who is also president of the Motion Picture Association of America, The program will have to be approved by the British Board of Trade and the British film industry before going into effect. The controversy developed when details leaked out that the Council proposed that Hollywood pay a subsidy to British producers out of its impounded sterling credits that would be based ona 20 per cent higher figure than the British film earnings in the USA for the fiscal year ending June ist, 1949, or 3314 per cent more than the British net remittance for the same period. In return for this the three leading circuits had guaranteed that they would show annually at least 100 American-made A _ pictures for a three or five year period. They also agreed to work for a lower British quota and for higher dollar remittances to the USA. The Americans were to allow their pictures to be double-billed with British pictures as soon as possible, a practice that they had discontinued when the quota had been raised for British product on British screens. Members of the Council are Johnston; Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures; Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew’s Inc.; Sir Henry French, president of the British Film Producers Association; and two leading British producers, Sir Alexander Korda and J. Arthur Rank. Canadian FILM WEEKLY F, Curiosity about how television will fit into movie houses may be satisfied shortly. Twentieth Century-Fox and the Fox West Coast circuit will unite to put a top. TV show and a feature Alm as a program into from 15 to 20 houses at once. At a dollar a head for a two-a-day policy the gross will be large enough to pay for .top names and such shows as South Pacific. The experiment will take place before the end of the year and if successful may become the pattern for TV in theatres. As predicted by this publication months ago, TV has caused complications with Ascap and also in the matter of censorship. Ascap and the networks have been battling for weeks on how to charge for the music in TV shows. In the Philadelphia Federal Court chief officers of radio networks ask that television film and newsreels be placed in the same class in Pennsylvania, so that the former would be exempt from censorship. They seek to invalidate a State Censor Board ruling that all films used on TV in Pennsylvania must be submitted for censorship. Undue hardship, added costs and delay would be caused by censorship. And since Pennsylvania programs cross the line into other states, such censorship would have no application. It would raise barriers to free interstate commerce. The CBC, private stations and provincial censor boards will certainly tangle on that one. T. Jim Allard, general manager of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and Ernest Bushnell, program director-general for the CBC, have been battling in print over TV costs. Bushnell said that Canadian sponsors couldn’t afford television and Allard accused him of frightening them off by tales of $30,000 to $40,000 hourly cost. He said that radio stations knew of many who could afford TV and described Bushnell’s costs — if he had been quoted correctly by the papers — as “nonsense.” Menwhile Richard G. Lewis of Canadian Broadcaster & TeleScreen, in a speech, accused Ottawa of being afraid to risk votes by granting the money needed to finance TV. The CBC suggestion that licence applicants combine was an aid to monopoly, whereas the government network had been organized in opposition to it. F. R. Deakens, president of the Radio Manufacturers Association of Canada, took a whack at the CBC delay because it was keeping Canadian radio technicians from taking full advantage of their training. Cinematograph Exhibitors Association of Great Britain says screen TV is an impossibility right now. An installation would cost from $30,000 to $40,000 and make necessary removal of some Seats. Screen definition is far from what it should be, it says. Television has created an anusual problem in Canada for radio hams. The global conversations of the ham operators are being heard by the folks who are tuned in on TV. Seems that what js now Channel Four was one of their airlanes. TV set owners have appealed to the CBC but it answers that it is not under obligation to help, since television receivers are not licensed in Canada. Only those who pay license fees for radio receiving sets can call on the CBC and it will send out its interference scouts. Meanwhile hams and neighbors with TV sets are trying to work the problem out. MGM ‘Adam's Rib’ MGM’s Adam’s Rib, starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, has gone before the cameras. Final Title Picked RKO’s Martha Scott-Jeffrey Lynn starrer, formerly known as Sam Wynne, has been given the release title, Strange Bargain. ' Vol 14, No. 21, May 25, 1949 l 1p Se Se A ty .HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor a =.= 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 ADeloide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. May 25, 1949 Max Youngstein Joins Paramount New director of national advertising, publicity and exploitation for Paramount Pictures is Max E. Youngstein, for the last two and a half years vice-president in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation at Eagle Lion (Hollywood) Films, it was announced by Barney Balaban, president of the former company. Youngstein’s move followed that of his assistant, Jerry Pickman, who also left Eagle Lion several weeks ago and later took the post of director of exhibitor relations with Paramount. Youngstein assumes his duties this week. Ben Washer and Norman Siegel will remain as Paramount’s Eastern publicity manager and studio publicity director, respectively, it was stated. Youngstein, who was born in New York 36 years ago, entered the motion picture industry in 1941 as general counsel and business manager of the Hal Horne Organization. He was named assistant director of the advertising publicity and exploitation department of 20th Century-Fox in 1942 and later transferred his activities to the company’s studio in Hollywood, where he headed the special service department. During 1944-45 he served as publicity director and film consultant to the motion picture and special events section of the USA Treasury DePpartment’s war finance division. Youngstein was named director of advertising publicity and exploitation of the then newly-formed Eagle Lion company in October, 1946, and elected vice-president early in 1948. Megs ‘Bed Of Roses’ Nicholas Ray will direct RKO’s Joan Fontaine film, Bed of Roses. Malcolm E. Walker Tory Candidate Progressive Conservative candidate for Halifax West in the forthcoming provincial election is Malcolm E. Walker, Maritimes circuit head, who was nominated at Hyland Cove recently during a large and enthusiastic meeting. He ran unsuccessfully during the previous election. : Walker defeated Charles Fraser, Timberlea, for the nomination. Among those who spoke were Robert L. Stanfield, Party leader; Senator Felix Quinn; former Deputy Mayor T. H. Coffin and Gerald P. Flavin, KC.