Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

PARAMOUNT A bigger world market than the most enthusiastic film makers ever conce.ved is the prediction for the future made by David E. Rose Paiamount's managing director in Great Britain. Mr. Rose points out that in Great Britain, in 1939, 19,000,000 people attended pictures daily. Today that figure is 31,000,000. He believes that men and women in uniform have become much more film conscious by reason of training films and the great recreation they have found in films shown all over the world. In addition, of course, is the return of liberated Europe to the film market. The millions of people in occupied countries are starved for entertainment and should welcome our films most eagerly. Rose pointed out that Hollywood must look for stronger competition in the post-war era, with England, Russia and France, to say nothing of Mexico and the Latin American countries, turning serious attention to bigger and better film production. There is much food for thought in Mr. Rose's comment. It seems pretty obvious that Hollywood is going to be obliged to concentrate on superior film making. While it is true that Hollywood has dominated the world film market in the past, the competition in the future promises to be much tougher. Good — better — product will be the only sure way for Hollywood to regain and maintain its preeminence in the European field. "Going My Way" continues to sweep all contests and ratings before it with the latest acclaim coming from the coveted New York Film Critics' Award. In this one, Barry Fitzgerald took the best male performance for the year, Leo McCarey got first place for the direction and the picture itself, of course, rated first. The recently completed Pine-Thomas picture has been changed in title from "Hard to Handle" to "One Exciting Night." Ten Paramount pictures are currently in the editing process being readied for early release. The list includes "Kitty" (Paulette Goddard-Ray Milland), "Salty O'Rourke" (Alan Ladd-Gail Russell), "Miss Susie Slagle's" (Sonny TuftsVeronica Lake), "The Lost Weekend" (Ray MillandJane Wyman) and "Duffy's Tavern." Also, the two Hal Wallis productions, "Love Letters" (Jennifer Jones-Joseph Cotten) and "The Affairs of Susan" (Joan FontaineGeorge Brent), as well as three Pine-Thomas epics "High Powered," "Scared Stiff" and "One Exciting Night." No new starters at the studio since the first of the year. But "Masquerade in Mexico" (Dorothy Lamour-Arturo de Cordova), "Too Good To Be True" (Betty Hutton-Sonny Tufts) and "Good Intentions" (Eddie BrackenVeronica Lake). PRC "Enchanted Forest," which got the starting gun on January 8, is this studio's first color picture. It is also the first feature length picture using the new Eastman BinPack color process. This is PRC's biggest film venture to date in budget, sets, and production. Jack Schwarz is producing with Lew Landers directing. Edmund Lowe, Brenda Joyce and Harry Davenport are featured. The PRC January schedule calls for five productions to go, according to President Leon Fromkess. "Phantom of 42nd Street" and "Enchanted Forest" are already off to a start. "Swamp Man" with Buster Crabbe, "Detour," a Fromkess production, and "Deadline" will all be on the sound stages before the month ends. Since the entire 1944-45 schedule will be finished by April, this company has already planned its 1945-46 program and many of the pictures are already in preparation. "Heritage," "I Ring Doorbells," "A Night at Ciro's," "War Marriages," "King of Proxy Street," "Once Too Often," "Transcontinental," "Kentucky Mansion," "Quebec" are all on the list. At least two from the RothGreen-Rouse unit and several from Henry Brash Productions are penciled in. In production presently are: "The Phantom of 42nd Street" (Dave O'Brien-Kay Aldridge) and "Enchanted Forest" (Edmund Lowe-Brenda Joyce), as well as the latest Buster Crabbe-Al St. John western, "The Gangster's Den." REPUBLIC Activity at this studio has soared with 17 pictures ready or being readied for early release. Included in the longest list this studio has ever had at one time are: "Earl Carroll's Vanities" 'Dennis O'Kccfc-Constance Moore), "Utah" (Roy Rogers), "Tell It To A Star" (Ruth Terry-Robert Livingston), "Steppin' in Society" (Edward Everett Horton-Gladys George), "The Vampire's Ghost" (Adelo Mara-John Abbott), "The Chicago Kid" (Don BarryLynne Roberts), "The Phantom Speaks" (Richaid Arlcn), "The Big Show-Off" (Arthur Lake-Dale Evans), "The Great Flamarion" (Eric Von Stroheim-Mary Beth Hughes), "The Big Bonanza" (Richard Arlen-Jane Frazee), "Jealousy" (John Loder-Jane Randolph), "A Song for Miss Julie" (Shirley Ross-Cheryl Walker). "Three's A Crowd" (Charles Gordon-Pamela Blake), "Swingin' on a Rainbow" (Jane Frazee-Brad Taylor), "Gangs of the Waterfront" (Robert Armstrong-Stephanie Bachelor), "Johnny March' (Richard Arlen-Cheryl Walker) and "The Lights of Old Santa Fe" (Roy Rogers-Dale Evans) ... "Flame of the Barbary Coast" (Ann Dvorak-John Wayne) and "Hitchhike to Happiness" (Roy RogersDale Evans) are completed and ready for immediate release. Two new starters join "Road to Alcatraz" (Robert LoweryJune Storey) and "New Faces of 1945" (Kaye Dowd-Robert Duke) on the production schedule. They are "Fatal Witness" with Evelyn Ankers, Barbara Everest and Richard Frazer, and "Return at Dawn" with William Terry, Lynne Roberts and Peter Cookson. This studio's expansion plan announced some time ago seems to be taking more concrete shape rapidly. Of the Two Million Dollars set aside for the program, $400,000 has been allocated to the music department. This amount will cover the construction of a complete recording stage comparable in size and equipment to the best in Hollywood. A new building is also planned to house the music department and its affiliates. RKO-RADIO Six productions are scheduled for work during January. The first of these, "Those Endearing Young Charms," is already under way, with Robert Young and Laraine Day in the leading roles. Others to go are: "The Bells of St. Mary's" which Leo McCarey will produce and direct with Bing Crosby in the starring role; "Man Alive," starring Pat O'Brien; "George White's Scandals of 1945," starring Jack Haley and Joan Davis; "Mama Loves Papa," starring Leon Errol, and "The Great Adventure," a mystery thriller under Herman Schlom production. Columnist Drew Pearson is appearing in a special prologue to "Betrayal From the East" (Lee Tracy-Nancy Kelly) with the footage being shot in New York. "Anything Can Happen," the new novel by George and Helen Papshvilly, choice of the Book-of-the-Month club for January, has been purchased for film production by RKO. Interesting to note that Sol Lesser has signed a new deal with Edgar Rice Burroughs to continue the Tarzan pictures. This character has already been on film for 27 years — the first Tarzan picture was made by National Film Corporation of America in 1918. Nine different actors have played the title role with 10 different companies producing. Johnny Weismuller, who began doing the part in 1932, is committed for the next two years. The next episode will be called "Tarzan and the Intruder." The steady, consistent success of the Tarzan series is another great lesson in what can be done with a good idea astutely handled without the expenditure of millions of dollars. Only new starter on the RKO lot this week is the aforementioned "Those Endearing Young Charms" (Robert YoungLaraine Day). Continuing on the production schedule are: "The Invisible Army" (John Wayne-Philip Ahn), "Johnny Angel" (George Raft-Claire Trevor), "The Spanish Main" (Paul HenreidMaureen O'Hara). Slated to start momentarily is "Man Alive," with Pat O'Brien, Ruth Hussey and Adolphe Menjou. International Pictures This company has only one film in active production presently, "Along Came Jones" (Gary Cooper-Loretta Young). Winding up 1944, its first year in business, the organization, however, points to a reasonably good record of achievement. "Casanova Brown" (Gary Cooper) was its first effort. Then came "The Woman in the Window" (Edward G. Robinson-Joan Bennett). Currently releasing is "Belle of the Yukon" (Gypsy Rose Lee-Randolph ScottDinah Shore). Ready to go is the first Sonja Henie film under this banner, "It's A Pleasure." This sets a good pace for an independent company and William Goetz is planning his 1945 program to keep that pace. Also slated for an early start is "Tomorrow Is Forever," with Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles and George Brent set for top roles. In a recent statement to the press, Mr. Goetz pointed out that "good entertainment costs a lot of money." "Good entertainment,'' he stated, "is worth whatever it costs because the public recognizes only fundamental quality." Studio Size-ups finds no argument with this basic statement, but we would like to add our own observation: good entertainment and outlandishly expensive budgets do. not always go together. The conception that a two or three million dollar picture must necessarily be good entertainment should be sharply avoided. FILM BULLETIN