Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

DIO SIZ6-UPS (Continued from Page 23) 20TH CENTURY-FOX $100,000,00 Budget Bodes Big Year; 24 in 9 Months 20th Century-Fox will release a total of 24 films during the first nine months of 1953, according to word just received at the studio from home office executives. Moreover, the company is planning on spending upwards of $100,000,000 during the coming year for operation of its vast production and distribution business. A sizeable portion of this tremendous budget will go toward advertising the Fox product, under a new intensified program of local level selling, outlined recently by veepee Charles Einfeld. Of the 24 releases scheduled for the ninemonth period, 13 — or slightly more than half of the total — will be in Technicolor. The first quarter releases, including the big exploitation specials for the holiday season include: "Stars and Stripes Forever," "My Cousin Rachel," "Ruby Gentry" and "The I Don't ( are Girl." The latter three are being offered for special pre-release engagements. The balance of the releases for the remaining six months include six musicals, eight dramas, seven adventure films and two comedies. Topping the list of releases will be "The Robe," which Darryl F. Zanuck has scheduled for a January start and a September release. Hugo Fregonese has just been signed by the studio to a long term deal calling for his services to direct two pictures per year. He has the right to do at least one outside film annually. Another interesting development here during the past few days was Bert Friedlob's announcement that he has picked up his option on Kette Davis for a second film, which will roll next June, for Fox release. At the present time, seven films are in work. The most recent starter, "White Witch Doctor" (Susan Hayward-Robert Mitchum) went before the Technicolor cameras only this morning (December 1), with Henry Hathaway directing for producer Otto Lang. The remaining six, three in Technicolor, are: "Call Me Madam" (Ethel Merman-Donald O'Connor-George SandersVera-EHen), shooting before the Technicolor cameras since September 10, under Walter Lang's direction and produced by Sol C. Seigel; "Sailor of the King" (Jeffrey HunterMichael Rennie), filming in England, with Roy Moulting megging for producer Frank McCarthy; "Nearer My God to Thee" (Clifton Webb Barbara Stanwyck-Thelma RitterRichard Ba8€ hart), Jean MeguleseO directing, Charles lirackett producing; "Desert Rats" (James Mason-Richard Burton-Robefl Newton), Robert Wise directing for prodticer Rdberl L, Jacks; "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (Jane Russell-Marilyn Monroe) another Sol C. Scigcl Technicolor production, with Howard Hawks directing; and an untitled western, starring Jeanne Crain and Dale Robertson, also in color. UNITED ARTISTS New Financing Seen Added Lure For Top Inde Product United Artists added new lure for top independent product by arranging financing through the Chemical Bank and Trust Company for initial backing on at least 10 feature pictures to be made for UA release during the coming year. The agreement calls for UA executives to clear the proposed production packages before passing them on to the bank for final approval. At the same time, company officials revealed that a new subsidiary, to be known as United Artists Pictures Corp., has been formed under a charter filed in Albany. Executives hasten to point out that the new corporation was not formed for the purpose of directly engaging in production, but rather as a convenience for paying stars on percentage deals. Three major productions have been scheduled for December release by the company. They are: "Babes in Bagdad," December 7; "Monsoon," December 14, and "Breaking the Sound Barrier," December 21. Three pictures are currently in production for UA release. They are: "Melba" (Patrice Munsel-Robert Morley-Martita Hunt), in Technicolor, with Lewis Milestone directing for producer S.P. Eagle; "Rough Shoot" (Joel McCrea-Evelyn Keyes), Robert Stross producing and Robert Parrish directing; and an untitled western being produced by Edward Small, starring George Montgomery and Tab Hunter. Ray Nazarro is directing. Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones have been signed for the stellar roles in "Deep Sea Devil," to be directed and produced by John Huston in Italy and Greece, starting in late January. Although there is no definite release set for the picture, it is expected that UA will do the honors, inasmuch as Huston is known to be happy with the company's handling of his past productions. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL Tint Program May Surpass New Season's Color Schedule LTniversal-International launched the first of the 36 pictures scheduled! on the new 1952-53 slate on November 14 with the start of "The Golden Blade" (Rock HudsonPiper Laurie-Gene Evans). Richard Wilson is producing and Nathan Juran directing. Next to go on the new slate were two Albert J. Cohen productions, "The Prince of Bagdad" (Victor Mature-Mari Blanchard), which rolled on November 19, and "East of Sumatra" (Jeff Chandler-Marilyn MaxwellAnthony Quinn), a November 20 starter. All three are being filmed in Technicolor, indicating that the company may exceed the 26 Technicolor films previously announced for the new year's program. As a matter of fact, 14 of the last 17 features completed at the studio have been printed in the tint process. Ten top films, eight in Technicolor, have just been set for release by the company during the four-month period starting today, December 1. They are: December "Against All Flags" and "The Black Castle"; January "Tha Lawless Breed," "Meet Me at the Fair" and "The Redhead from Wyoming"; February "Mississippi Gambler," "Girls in the Night," "City Beneath the Sea," and March "Seminole" and "Gunsmoke." Bud Abbott and Lou Costello have just signed a new pact with U-I, calling for four pictures to be made for the company between now and 1955. This replaces their previous pact calling for only two pictures during that period of time. Three new pictures are scheduled to go before the cameras later this month. They are: "Apache Landing" (Stephen McNal'yJulia Adams-Richard Carlson), in Technicolor, to be directed by Lee Sholem and produced by William Alland; "It Happens Every Thursday" (Loretta Young-John Forsythe), with Joseph Pevney directing for producer Anton Leader, and "Drifting" (Tony Curtis-Joanne Dru), a Ted Richmond production, to be directed by Rudolph Mate. WARNER BROTHERS Tunefilms in Spotlight; WB Buys 'High Button Shoes' Warner Brothers will continue to place heavy emphasis on musical productions in 1953, in what company toppers believe is one sure way to combat the inroads of television. Toward that end, the studio has acquired the film rights to "High Button Shoes," one of the top Broadway hits of recent years. Lyrics and score for the musical were written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn, and the book was by Stephen Longstreet. The show also contains the nowfamous "Keystone Kop Ballet" by Jerome Robbins. Filming is scheduled to start around mid-year. Many of the musicals for 1953 will bear the titles of standard song hits — a policy which Warners have followed for better than a year. For example, "Down Bv the Old Mill Stream" has just been activated by the studio and assigned to Leonard Stern for scripting. William Jacobs, who produced "On Moonlight Bay" and "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," will handle the production reins. Raoul Walsh checked in two weeks ago to start his directing stint on "A Lion Is I" the Streets" (James Cagney). William Cagney is producing the Technicolor feature, which is expected to roll within the next few days. Four pictures are currently in production: "Trouble Along the Way" (John WayneDonna Reed-Charles Coburn), Michael Curtis directing and Melville Shavelson producing; Wayne-Fellows' production of "Plunder in the Sun" (Glenn Ford-Diana Lynn-Patricia Medina), which John Farrow is directing; "The System" (Frank LovcjoyVictor Pcrrin-Joan Welton), Lewis Seilcl directing for producer Samuel BischoT; and Bryan Foy's "The City Is Dark" (Gene Nelson Sterling Hayden Phyllis Kirk), Andre De Toth directing. fog* 24 FILM BULLETIN December I, I9S2