Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1953)

STUDIO size-ups (Continued jrom Page III (Anne Baxter-Steve Cochran-Lyle Bettger), which is being filmed in Munich, Germany, in color. As of this writing, nothing else has been scheduled to start during July. One August project on the agenda is Grainger's "The Silver Horde." The producer expects to have John Wayne and Jane Russell as stars. It is a story of the salmon fishing industry, and will be in Technicolor. 20TH CENTURY-FOX Zanuck Orders Top Speed On 'Robe' for Aug. 27 Premiere To expedite completion of the first CinemaScope picture, "The Robe," and ready it for special pre-release engagements start : ing before September 1, Darryl Zanuck put the studio on a 24-hour "crash" operational , basis. The order was directed to the music department, re-recording, special effects, and , other technical groups. Zanuck aims to make prints of the wide-screen spectacle 1 available for some 150 theatres which are : now equipped for Cinema Scope. World preI miere of "The Robe" will be at the N. Y. Roxy about Aug. 27. The Technicolor laboratories have promised their cooperation matching their pace to that of the studio's in order to rush things i to completion. As of right now, production at Fox is at its lowest ebb of the vear, with only two features shooting. However, two more are slated to join this curtailed line-up of production during the last half of this month. The two features now in front of the cameras — both in CinemaScope and Technicolor — are: "The Gladiators," formerly "Story of Demetrius " (victor Mature-Susan Hayward Michael Rernie — produced by ' Frank Ross, directed by Delmar Daves, and "Hell and High Water" (Richard WidmarkBella Darvi-Victor Francen) — produced by Raymond A. Klune, directed bv Samuel Fuller. WILLIAM GOETZ Scheduled to start within the next few days are two more CinemaScope spectacles in Technicolor: "Prince Valiant" (Robert Wagner Janet Leigh Debra Paget James Mason) — Robert L. Jacks producer, Henry Hathaway director, and "King of the Khyber Rifles" ( Tyrone Power-Terry Moore) — Frank P. Rosenberg producer, Henry King director. Meanwhile, two more CS features have been put on the 1953 slate. "Volcano" (this title will have to be changed), will be produced by Robert L. Jacks in Mexico. The original story deals with adventure in the gold mines. Samuel G. Engel will produce "The Lady or the Tiger" in India and Egypt. On August 10, Producer Nunnally Johnson will make his debut as a director, when he launches production on "Night People," for which he will also receive scripting credit. Gregory Peck and Gloria Grahame will be starred in the film, to be shot in CinemaScope and Technicolor in Germany. The story deals with the clashing Allied-Russian interests in post-war Germany. Betty Grable and Flx finally decided to terminate their 17 year-old association earlier t h i ^ month, with Miss Grable planning to turn free lancer. Director Robert Webb, who just completed "Beneath the 12 Mile Reef," has been handed a term pact by the studio UNITED ARTISTS Five Inde Units Working As UA Product Builds Up There will be no shoruige of product from United Artists release, if the heavy production activity during July is any indication. Whereas most companies are dragging far behind normal in production this month, UA is sitting pretty, with five of its independent production outfits at work on new features. In addition, the company has lined up still another inde production outfit to further swrell the rapidly growing list of product contributors. Robert Rossen, who has been inactive in film business for the past couple of years following his admission of Communist activi MILTON ties is the latest producer to sign a United Artists distribution deal. The contract calls for two pictures to be delivered to the distributing company, both of which will be produced, directed and written by Rossen. They are: "Alexander the Great," which he is currently scripting, and "Fame". Pictures now shooting, or scheduled to go before the end of the month, all for UA release are: "Beachhead" (Tony Curtis-Frank Lovejoy-Mary Murphy) — produced by Howard W. Koch and Aubrey Schenck, directed by Stuart Heisler; "Camel Corps" (Rod Cameron-Joanne Dru-John Ireland) — an Edward Small production shooting in Kanab, Utah, Ray Nazarro directing; "The Story of William 'Tell" (Errol Flynn) — a F'lynn production shooting in Italy, with J. Barret Mahon producing; "The Americano" (Glenn Ford) produced by Robert Stillman, directed by Budd Boetticher, with location filming to be done in Brazil; and "Star of India" (Cornel Wilde-Jean Wallace), a Robert Stross Technicolor production to be filmed in the north of Italy — Arthur Lubin directing. Moulin Productions, headed by Eliot Hyman, G. Ralph Branton and Harold Mirisch is supplying the American end of the financing on the Stillman production of "Americano". United Artists will release five pictures, headed by Sam Speigel's Technicolor "Melba" during the month of August. Others for the month are: "Captain Scarlett," in Technicolor; the 3-D "I, the Jury," "The Gay Adventure", and "War Paint" in Pathe color. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL Goetz Departure Seen Serious Loss to Universal As has been suspected for a long time, Willian Goetz is parting ways with this company. He is leaving in September, a couple months before his con*ract expires. It is understood that president Milton R. Rackmil and Edward Muhl, vice-president in charge of studio operations, will take over control of production. 'They will be assisted by ad chief (Continued on Page 16) L. U V » /"Al\ u ivii_>rii_ FILM BULLETIN July 13, l?5J Pag* 15