Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 27, 1949)

July 27, 1949 Scully Principles For Marketing A revival of four basic principles in the marketing of motion pictures was emphasized by W. A. Scully, vice-president and general sales manager of Universal Pictures, in an address given recently at Universal-International’s District Sales Managers Meetings at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, NY. A. W. Perry, president and general manager of Empire-Universal Films Limited, which distributes U-I product in Canada, was present. Scully stated these principles as follows: 1. {More conversation about how pictures can be put over and less conversation about terms. The original success of this business was created by an énthusiasm to get people into the theatres rather than by emphasizing how much the exhibitor has to pay for the picture. 2. A keen analysis of all companies product in relation to community entertainment pattern which would bring back the good oldtime idea of discovering naturals for particular communities. 3. Rejuvenation of the traditional point of view that there is something more to our business than cold economics and that a picture can only be made attractive to the public if opinions about its boxoffice are reserved until after the picture has a chance to play. 4. A realization that the continued good health of this business depends on all branches again uniting in the common cause of talking the business up rather than talking it down. 5. Heed the rule of democracy that it works best from the bottom up. When it works well at the community level it will function smoothly at the top. 6. Remember that change and experiment are the foods on which democracy thrives. But don’t renounce a proven good for a glib promise. 7. Remember that the bargaincounter days for democracy are over, and that our democracy is on display before a questioning world. Each of us is its custodian. Jeanne Crain Cast Jeanne Crain's next starring Picture at 20th-Fox will be Cheaper by the Dozen. Clifton Webb's Next Clifton Webb’s next in the Belvedere series at Fox will be Belvedere’s Book of the Month. RKO Buys Original RKO has purchased Roy Hamilton’s original screen story, The Man He Found. Herman Sehlom will produce, Canadian FILM WEEKLY UA Celebrates 30th (Continued from Page 1) the development of the industry, the exhibitor will still ask: “What are you going to do for me now?” And Charles Chaplin, general manager for the Dominion, will enumerate his pictures and answer: “Plenty.” Doug Rosen, George Heiber and the rest of the branch managers will echo that claim to the exhibitors in their territories. And mean it. For instance, Champion, the film “based on the classic Ring Lardner story of the same name, is repeating at Loew’s, Toronto, the boxoffice triumph it enjoyed in Montreal. It made a frontrank star of Kirk Douglas, whose effort in the film brought him a Warner contract, and won tre mendous acclaim for its produ-° cer, Stanley Kramer. Champion has brought the critic and exhibitor together in their opinion of it, each praising it from standpoints widely apart. The same phenomenal success at the boxoffice and on the critics’ scorecard is ‘being enjoyed by Kramer’s second film, Home of the Brave, in its American engagements and this is sure to be the case in Canada. It is a film that the patron will talk about for days. Even in Canada the response of the USA press and public is known to many, so great has it been. Another business-boosting UA film is Outpost in Morocco, which stars George Raft and features Akim Tamiroff and Marie Windsor. In the same boxoffice class is Africa Screams, called the funniest of the Abbott & Costello comedies to date. A film which is much talkedabout in the trade and awaited by the public is Black Magic, which stars Orson Welles and Nancy Guild. This is of spectacle proportions, for it has magnitude Signs With 20th-Fox Maxwell Shane has signed a producer-director-writer contract with 20th Century-Fox. Johnston Opposed To German Film Quotas Proposal for establishment of film quotas for Western Germany by the Joint Export and Import Agency was vigorously opposed by Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Export Association, in a letter to Dean Acheson, USA Secretary of State. Johnston stated that restrictions on free exchange of films has proven “uniformly detrimental” and cited Great Britain as the ‘unhappy victim of its own restrictive policy.” In contrast he states that Italy, where there are no quotas, is experiencing a boom in motion-picture art ‘and the industry is expanding and growing. of production as well as romance, action and suspense, according to UA. On the list is The Great Dan Patch, story of the greatest trotter in racing history, which is told in that sentimental fashion so enchanting to movie patrons. It is a heart-warming simple story which has appeal for all. Soon to be released are a quartet of Edward Small features: Indian Scout, with George Montgomery and Ellen Drew; Twilight, with Laraine Day, Dane Clark and Franchot Tone; Red Light, with George Raft and Virginia Mayo; and Gun Crazy. Films which began their circulation earlier and are still going strong are: Red River, one of the greatest westerns of all time, starring John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and Joanne Dru; Too Late For Tears, with Lizabeth Scott and Dan Duryea, Impact, with Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines and Helen Walker; Crooked Way, starring John Payne, Ellen Drew and Sonny Tufts; and Cover Up, with William Bendix, Dennis O’Keefe and Barbara Britton. United Artists, with these films, retains its leadership in the distribution of Independent productions. MOVIE PATRONS (Continued from Page 1) the Memo’s story and her own reactions to it. “The fact remains that everyone has their own particular tastes in screen fare and what is top-ranking entertainment to one fan spells plain boredom to another. That is why a film critic should consider the type of audience that will see a movie he is reviewing. It may not appeal to him, but it will hold appeal for someone else,” the Free Press critic wrote. She didn’t particularly like westerns but she knew many adults who did. “While the slide-rule, fingeron;-the-pulse analysis boys are deciding that only the 14-yearold gum chewer goes to the movies, ‘Henry V’ is becoming a national topic of conversation and pictures like ‘Crossfire,’ ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ and ‘Command Decision’ are going down on the records as popular entertainment,” Movie Memo stated. Critics, hammering away for better pictures, are in some measure responsible for wider use of so-called arty films and product formerly considered unsuited for any but specialized audiences, Movie Memo said. Also distributors and exhibitors who had devised ways of interesting the general public in them were to be thanked. Page 9 Indian Censors Hard To Please During January and February, 1949, the Bombay Board of Film Censors examined 85 feature films, 46 from the United States and 39 Indian pictures; 54 newsreels, 31 from the United Kingdom and 23 Indian films; and 58 short subjects, 32 from the United States, 15 Indian, five British and six Russian. Deletions were ordered from 28 United States features and 22 Indian features. Cuts from United States features mainly involved drinking scenes, scenes of lengthy passionate kissing, dancing scenes that expose too much of the female form, and scenes showing the technique of crime. The Madras Board of Film Censors examined five Indian features, one British short, and one Indian short during February 1949. Deletions were ordered from four of the five Indian features. Scenes considered objectionable by the Board involved excessive love-making, brutality, and vulgar dancing. A press note of May 23rd, 1949, stated that the Bihar Government had banned the exhibition of three films in the province, notwithstanding the fact that the films had already been passed for exhibition by the Bombay Board of Film Censors. According to the Indian press, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting stated that plans were under consideration for a Central Board of Film Censors, to review films for all of India. He stated that the Government is aware of the difficulties and inconvenience caused film producers because of the varying applications of the cenSsorship code by different provincial governments. "The Flying Fish’ The Flying Fish, a_ story based on the USA Navy’s guided missile program, has been scheduled by Columbia as a starring vehicle for Glenn Ford. S. Sylvan Simon will produce. Leo M. Devaney Wins RKO Depinet Drive Leo M. Devaney, RKO Canadian general manager, was named first among district managers in the company’s 1949 Ned Depinet Drive and was presented with the ‘“President’s Prize.’ Announcement was made by Robert Mochrie, vice-president and general sales manager, who presided and handed Devaney a handsomely engraved gold desk set. RKO executives from Canada and USA were present. Mochrie termed the drive “one of the most successful in the history of the company.” ra st: .|) Me lea ———EE