Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

APRIL 16, 194 5 :OLUMBIA This outfit is conducting I STUDIO SIZE-UPS BEHIND THE SCENES IN HOLLYWOOD'S STUDIOS by David Hanna high-pressure ^ales campaign in nnection with the twentieth anniversary of ATbe Montague. The mpany is marking the period from March 15 to June 28 and iring this time pressure will be put on exhibitors to book nine the company's pictures: "A Song To Remember," "Tonight and very Night," "Counterattack," "Over 21," "A Thousand and One ights," "The Fighting Guardsman," "The Power of the Whistler," lough, Tough and Ready" and "Boston Blackie Booked On Suscion" (bet that title never gets to a marquee). Sam Wood, who has had serious difficulty getting into produc>n since "For Whom the Bell Tolls," has purchased screen rights om Columbia on three properties which they owned jointly, 'atiana," "Turnip's Blood" and "The Land Is Bright," are the hides. Mr. Wood plans to produce "Tatiana" in France as soon ■ raw film stock is available. Mr. Wood, as a personality, has contributed much to the film dustry. But in the past several years he seems to have peritted his work and his attitude to be colored by his thinking itside the industry, specifically in politics. Can it be that his isitive stand on political questions in and out of the industry has mpered his creative ability to a point of confusion and unreness? "A Song To Remember" recently closed a five week and two •y run at the local RKO Hill Street and Pantages theatres with |total gross of $208,250. Responsible, for the record take were the :panded 24-sheet campaign, radio spot announcements, enthusias: reviews and, of course, the word-of-mouth which is always the ast valuable asset. The picture has been proving its merit in 3st first-run houses; how well it will do in subsequent-run houses d small towns remains to be seen. The studio has purchased the property immediately adjacent the studio for its postwar expansion plans. The site cost ap oximately $350,000 and will be cleared of present structures when e plan for more building is put into process. Fred MacMurray and Leslie Fenton will release their first dependent production through Columbia, according to the terms a recently negotiated deal. The picture, "Pardon My Past" 11 star MacMurray in a dual role. The producers will keep their dependent identity as Mutual Productions, using Columbia only ■ a releasing outlet. Al Jolson, recently recovered from a serious illness, is back in wn to resume discussion of his film biography, with Sidney olsky as a potential Columbia production. It is good to know that Ann Miller's unusual talent as a dancer at last going to be extricated from those endless musical ickies under which her ability has been buried so long — or least, that is what Columbia asks us to believe. Ann, who has « thG Hollywood scen« for eight years or more, ice she was 15, has just been handed a new seven-year contract all see"1 Wl"Ch CallS f°r °nly A product We sha11 see. We ■asEhhonri Str£e S*u*tion ^coming more confused and less ■nsible hourly, this studio like most of the majors is at a low t. of production. Two pictures continue in production: "Over :.relJ"e?ror?7^leXfn<!erT Kn°X) and "Bandit of Sherwood rest (Cornel Wilde-Anita Louise). IETRO-GOLDWYN-MAYJER There can be no doubt about the effectiveness of musical (good ones) as film fare and there can be no doubt that MetroGoldwyn-Mayer has snatched the lead in this field. With top producers, unlimited resources of talent and material and directors of sensitive ability, the musical product from this studio continues improving steadily. Your correspondent recently witnessed one of the musicals in Metro's backlog, "Anchors Aweigh," in Technicolor, with Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, Frank Sinatra and Jose Iturbi, and it made me feel inclined to urge a special Academy Award for "the musical that has everything." It is guaranteed to leave your audiences completely thrilled and many of them eager to come back for a second try. Director George Sidney again has proven in his third super-musical that his talent is beyond challenge. Also ready here is "Ziegfeld Follies," which, after long months of re-shooting, adding, deleting and a general curative program, might well be a revelation, to say the least; if money, effort and talent mean anything, the picture should be worth the generous investment of all three. Another musical that promises good entertainment is "Thrill of A Romance," starring Van Johnson and Esther Williams, under the Pasternak banner. On the sound stages are Sidney's next, "The Harvey Girls" (Garland-Hodiak), "Yolanda and the Thief" (Astaire-Lucile Bremer) and "Early To Wed" (BallJohnson), all three in Technicolor. Preparing are: "No Leave, No Love," "Two Sisters from Boston," "Till the Clouds Roll By" (a Jerome Kern biog), "The Girl from Rectors," "Holiday in Mexico," "Fiesta Brava," "Kissing Bandit," "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood," "Alice from Brooklyn," and "Song of Love." Following the musical trend is that of biographies of musical personalities. MGM is putting its oar in here, too. Clarence Brown will produce and direct "Song of Love," the story of Robert Schuman, great 19th century composer. This and the Jerome Kern story, "Till the Clouds Roll By," will be two important contenders in this currently popular field. "Meet Me In St. Louis" is heading fast to the top of the list of Metro's top grossers. Its first 200-odd engagements show a gross of $2,000,000. Executives are looking for it to rank as the studio's biggest grosser, next to "Gone With the Wind," and are predicting around $6,000,000 for its first play-off. "Mrs. Miniver" had set the high mark of $5,500,000 prior to this. MGM has bought into another play for $12,500 which gives them a quarter-share in Clifford Hayman's production of "Round Trip," a new play which goes into rehearsal this month. Another recent story investment is "Flight from Youth," a Redbool? Magazine serial by William E. Barrett. The story is one of a First World War aviator who returns many years after his death in reincarnation to resume his romance with his sweetheart. In a single location scene on "They Were Expendable," Metro used 150 local extras at Biscayne, Florida, all but 30 of whom were discharged service men. This is a commendable effort and it is hoped that the other studios will follow this policy whenever possible. Pete Smith has begun his 21st year at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with a new contract. He will make 10 of his specialties annually. He was recently granted National Safety Council's Safety Award for 1944 for his "Safety Sleuth." His "Seventh Column" took the same award in 1943. $150,000 was recently paid Sinclair Lewis for screen rights to "Cass Timberland." An additional bonus based on book sales is also part of the deal as well as $50,000 for remake rights. The book will probably not be published before late fall because of the paper shortage.