The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

November 1956 CINE TECHNICIAN 165 Letter to the Editor LABS 21st ANNIVERSARY I would like to congratulate the Editor and all who were concerned in the last issue of the Cine Technician. It was received with great enthusiasm and appreciation by all of our members. I am sure that many of our younger members in particular are feeling much more enlightened as to how the Union works and how lucky they are that before them came the Alf Coopers, Sid Bremsons, Bert Craiks and the George Irons, etc. As quite a new shop steward I feel I should personally like to thank and congratulate all the people who have worked so hard and given up so much of their time in making our Union what it is today. Most of these people are still very active and they are always there when needed. I can think of no words to praise them enough. To all Shop Stewards and your committees I should like to say — Let us always live up to the good standards which have been created in our Union and as progress changes the world we must be ready to fight for our rights and protection as these people did before us. Monica Toye, Shop Steward, Rank Labs., Denham. COVER COMPETITION Owing to the fact that in the original announcement of this competition our new name was wrongly given, it has been decided to extend the closing date for entries until December 31st. Cartoonists, Art Department Members and all others with artistic talent, now's your chance. Let us have a cover to be proud of for the Film and TV Technician. Book Review Jet-propelled Go-getter If a life of luxury is your ambition you might do well to take some advice from John Paddy Carstairs. In Sunshine and Champagne, published by Hutchinson, he introduces you to Annie Betts of Pimlico, whose ambitions are very similar to your own. Things have been happening to Annie ever since she wisely changed her name to Fleur de Lys. Starting with a rather tense young man named Laurence, she ' happens ' to meet a professional cricketer, through whom she ' happens ' to team up with a restaurateur through whom she ' happens ' to get a trip to Paris, where she ' happens ' to meet a further succession of well-wishers upon whose backs she steps, lightly but firmly, towards the acquaintanceship of an industrialist in Cannes, who ' happens ' to be exceedingly rich. In Cannes she ' happens ' to get involved with a number of people from a visiting film company. And when this film company is in danger of going on the rocks (it is not, of course, a British company) it so ' happens ' that the exceedingly rich industrialist is persuaded to lend them some money. His generosity does not, however, put an end to their difficulties. The star, as stars occasionally will, and this is not, of course, a British star, goes missing. Thus Fleur, who turns out to be quite an actress in silhouette, breaks into films, and this particular film is completed in a series of long shots. Meanwhile, however, Fleur has fallen for the director, who somewhat boorishly fails to return the compliment. This causes Fleur some anguish, but not for long, and she eventually settles for marriage with Otto Z. Wadd, the producer whose name is indicative of his comfortable bankroll. Now if you have read Mr. Carstairs' lesson well you should soon be on the way to your first million dollars. Quite what your procedure should be if you happen to be a man I do not know, but Mr. Carstairs presumably does, and perhaps he will be persuaded to share his secret in some future book. To say that Sunshine and Champagne is a fast moving comedy is to do Mr. Cairstairs a grave injustice. Fleur de Lys moves through these pages like a jet-propelled Judy Holliday, and although the situations are all familiar, one is never quite sure whether they are familiar from life or from literature. It seems therefore, that any similarities with film personalities, living, dead, or moribund, are not, perhaps coincidental after all. L.H. Thriller with a New Slant A.C.T. Films Limited has just completed another second feature, provisionally titled Suspended Alibi, starring Patrick Holt, Honor Blackman and Valentine Dyall. The film has been made for J.A.R.F.I.D. and was shot in October at Nettlefold Studios, with day and night locations at Liverpool Street Station and in the West End of London. Ralph Bond tells us that Suspended Alibi is a thriller with a new slant, based on an original story written by Kenneth Hayles, produced by Robert Dunbar, and directed by Alfred Shaughnessy. Peter Hennessy was responsible for lighting, with Tony Heller on camera. Joe Bato was art director, Pinky Green production manager, Frank Ernst first assistant director, and Pip Pearson in charge of sound. Bob Hill is editing. The processing is in the hands of Kay's Laboratories, Finsbury Park. This is the fifteenth production to be made by A.C.T. Films Limited since its formation.