Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

Rek'm4 the £ceheJ ctf Jiltn Prcjuctbn STUDIO SIZ6-UPS CxcluMe 'Mm. BULLETIN Jettun By JAY ALLEN Production cut l*vuk* Awdwl Prestige Films Skimpy Production continues at peak level in most studios this month, although there would seem to be a slackening off in the number of top quality or "prestige" pictures which are apt to offset the inroads which television has been making into theatre receipts. As a matter of fact, a year-end, pre-holiday slump in overall production quality seems to have settled on the Hollywood studios at this time. The point is that there happen to be few pictures before the cameras which rise above the level of the others. There are no great spectacles of the calibre of "Quo Vadis," "Scaramouche," "Ivanhoe," "Greatest Show On Earth" or "Samson & Delilah". Nor are there any dramas which are likely to excite the public's interest such as did "The Best Years Of Our Lives," "All About Eve" or "Snows of Kilimanjaro". Or comedies like "Born Yesterday," "The Egg and I" or "The Awful Truth". Only in the realm of musicals is there anything before the cameras which would seem to have a box office potential comparable to "An American In Paris," "Cover Girl" or " Meet Me In St. Louis". Giving them the benefit of the doubt, there is a good chance that Metro's "Invitation to the Dance" (Gene Kelly), and 20th-Eox's "Gall Me Madam" ( Ethel Merman-Donald O'Connor) and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (Jane Russell-Marilyn Monroe) may be the exceptions which will hypo the public's lethargy toward movie-going. These are times when the industry can't afford mediocrity or even just good pictures. Every studio in town should have at least one or two tremendously exciting films in production at all times — outstanding pictures which will whet the public's appetite and not allow it to lag for so much as a few weeks. With 56 productions due to be in front of the cameras at some time during the month, it would seem that more than a meager three should be worthy of singling out as potential shots-in-the-arm for moviegoing. ALLIED ARTISTS Wanger, Goetz Pacted In New AA 'A' Film Project In line with president Steve Broidy's announced policy of higher-budget production, Hayes Goetz, who checked out of MGM late last month, has been signed to a longterm producer pact at Allied Artists, and Walter Wanger has inked a new contract with the company, replacing his original deal made with the studio a year ago. At least two other producers are known to have held preliminary talks with AA executives, as the company prepares to expand its contract roster for executing the heaviest production slate of Class A pictures in the studio's history. Goetz was associated with Metro for over 15 years, although he has functioned in the capacity of a producer for only two years. Nevertheless, he has given an excellent account of himself during those two years, having handled the reins on such creditable, if modest, productions as "Apachei War Smoke" and "The Hour of 13". His last assignment at Metro was "A Lady Named George^" which was completed only last month. Wanger's first assignment under his new pact with AA will be "Hajji Baba," based on an adventure novel of Persia at the beginning of the last century. During the past year , Wanger made four films for Allied Artists — "Aladdin and His Lamp," 'Battle Zone," "Fort Vengeance" and "Kansas Pacific". He will be permitted to make outside films, under terms of the new contract. Four pictures have been in various stages of shooting since the last Size-Ups report on Allied Artists. The most recent, "The Copperheads" (Wayne Morris), started today (December 1), with Vincent M. Fennelly producing. "Jalopy" (Bowery Boys) got away on November 28, under the production guidance of Ben Schwalb. "White Lightning" (Stanley Clements Barbara Bestar), and "The Homesteaders" (Wild Bill Elliott-Rick Vallin) have both been shooting since November 14. COLUMBIA Activity at High Pitch; Kramer on Specials Only The appointment of Jerry Wald as vicepresident and executive producer appears to have teed off an ambitious program of revitalization for this studio. Within the brief period since Wald took over his post, Columbia has embarked upon a full-scale search for new talent, lined up a half dozen important new story properties, pacted some topnotch producers and directors, and moved several old properties on the active production list. Lewis Rachmil, Robert Arthur and William Fadiman have been signed to new Columbia producer contracts. Curtis Bernhardt, William Dieterle and Billy Wilder have all inked director commitments. Meanwhile, Columbia talent scout Max Arnow took off for New York in the company of president Harry Cohn to search for new players to bolster the studio's contract roster. Cohn's mission was to discuss Stanley Kramer. As was reported in this department a few weeks ago, Columbia officials are understood to have become dubious about the Kramer unit. Boxoffice returns on his product have been disappointing. It appears now that they have come to the realization that the fault lay in Kramer's attempting to turn out a large volume of pictures, rather than concentrating on a few choice properties. The purpose of Harry Cohn's trip to NewYork was to arrive at some conclusion about Kramer's future plans. In a meeting with the producer and other Columbia executives, it was decided to curtail sharply the number of films on Kramer's schedule and to have him devote himself to the important production of "The Caine Mutiny", adapted from Herman Wouk's best seller. 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