Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1954)

r STU0Q S1Z6-MZ ( Continued jrom Page 9) Slipper" (Leslie Caron); "Babylon Revisited" (Elizabeth Taylor); "Jupiter's DarliiiK" (Esther Williams, Howard Keel); "The Case of the Journeying r>oy" (Greer Garson); an untitled Cavalcade of Cole Porter music, starring Gene Kelly; "Green Fire" (Eleanor Parker); "Bad Day at I'.lack Rock" and "The King's Thief"— the latter two still to be cast. Topping the productions for the remaining four months of the year will be three lavish CinemaScope spectacles: "Ben Hur," "The Female" (Ava Gardner) and "The Prodigal". Schary said all 46 of MGM's contract actors and actresses will be used in casting the year's program. Five pictures are now in production. They are: "Beau Brummel" (Elizabeth Taylor, Stewart Granger) color, shooting in England — Sam Zimbalist producer, Curtis Bernhardt director; "Valley of the Kings" (Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Carlos Thompson). Technicolor — Robert Pirosh producer, Robert Surtees director; "A Bride For Seven Brothers" (Jane Powell, Howard Keel) CinemaScope & Ansco Color — Jack Cummings producer, Stabley Donen director; "Brigadoon" (Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse), CinemaScope & Ansco Color — Arthur Freed producer, Vincente Minnelli director; and "Student Prince" (Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, Louis Calhcrn), CinemaScope Ansco Color — Joseph I'asternak producer, Richard Thorpe director. PARAMOUNT New Filming Process Seen Par's Answer to CinemaScope THE ANNOUNLEMKNT TO THE Hollywood press that Paramount has come up with an improved method for filming motion pictures was promptly interpreted by many industryites as a further indication that this company intends to remain one of the few holdouts against CinemaScope in its 1954 production program. The Paramount system, as described in glowing terms by distribution chief A. W. Schwalberg, will allow more flexibility in camera angles, increase the scope of scenes and provide better definition and clarity than any method yet shown. Schwalberg said the process will be unveiled some time this year. A surprise development was the cancellation of Nat Holt's contract with the company. The parting was reportedly amicable, Holt having requested it, in order to seek a new releasing outlet where he would be greater autonomy in ijroducing his films. Holt still has two pictures to go on his present deal. March starting dates were pencilled in on tw'o features for the 19.S4 Paramount slate. On Marcli 1, jiroducer Samuel Briskin in scheduled to start the cameras rolling on "Strategic Air Command" (James Stewart, June Allyson), with Anthony Mann directing. Later in the month, .Alfred Hitchcock will launch "Catch A Thief" (Gary Grant) on location in the south of France. ■4 A re-make of the 1936 hit, "Anything Goes," which starred Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman, has been added to the 1954 schedule. No casting has been set, as yet, although Bobby Dolan has been handed the producer assignment. Only two pictures are shooting at the studio at the present time: Hal Wallis' "Rear Window" (James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter) — Hitchcock directing and producing; "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" (William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March, Mickey Rooney) — a Perlberg-Seaton production, directed by Mark Robson. Both are in Technicolor. On February 15, Hal Wallis will start filming "The Big-Top," the new Martin and Lewis comedy, with a circus background. REPUBLIC REPUBLIC Completed 8 of 22 Top Features Set Cost Record REPUBLIC SAYS IT WILL RELEASE 22 "deluxe attractions" in 1954, plus a total of seven medium-budgeters starring Judy Canova or Rex Allen. Eight of the top features are already completed at a record expenditure for the Valley company. To exploit this product, Herbert J. Yates is setting up a record budget, reported to be $4,700,000 for advertising and promotion. Launching the 1954 schedule is "Jubilee Trail" (Vera Ralston, Joan Leslie, Forrest Tucker), which was premiered recently in New Orleans. Other completed product, covered by the $15,000,000 expenditure referred to above, are: "Johnny Guitar" (Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge), "Hell's Half Acre" (Wendell Corey, Evelyn Keyes, Elsa Lanchester), "The Outcast" (John Derek, Joan Evans), "Laughing Anne" (Wendell Corey, Margaret Lockwood, Forrest Tucker), "The Shanghai Story" (Ruth Roman, Edmond O'Brien, Richard Jaeckel), "Trouble in the (jlen" (Margaret Lockwood, Forrest Tucker, Orson Welles), and "Make Haste to Live" (Dorothy McGuire, Stephen McNally). Edward Lustig has been signed by Republic as associate producer-director, to assist in carrying out the company's ambitious program for the year. His first assignment will be "Rebel Island," from an unpublished novel by Adele Comandini. RKO Reissues Comprise Half Of Releases for 6 Months TEN NEW FEATURES AND TEN reissues will be released by RKO during the first six months of 1954. Three will be in 3D, and all but two in Technicolor. Currently in production are: "Susan Slept Here" (Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds) — Harriet Parsons producer, Frank Tashlin director; "The Big Rainbow" (Jane Russell, Gilbert Roland) — Harry Tatelman producer, John Sturges director; and "Four Desperate Men" (John Payne, Dan Duryea, Lizabeth Scott) — a Benedict Bogeaus production, di rected by Alan Dwan. All are in Technicolor and all will be printed by the so-called Tushinsky process, which allows for proper framing on wide screens up to an aspect ratio of 2 to 1. The normal print is made from the original negatives, whereas the larger ratios will be achieved through conversion steps utilizing the Tushinsky equipment. Howard Hughes, after being fined $25,000 for violation of the producer's code, has withdrawn his controversial "French Line" from release. A revised version was submitted to the Breen Ofifice, and again rejected. Producer-writer Irwin Allen and producer Sam Wiesenthal checked off the lot, in what many believe may be the preface to another economy drive in the Hughes-controlledi plant. 20TH CENTURY-FOX 'Oklahoma' in CinemaScope Is Basis for Deal with Magna WHILE MANY OBSTACLES STAND in the way of the pending deal between 20thFox and the Magna Corp. for distribution rights to "Oklahoma", first scheduled production in the Todd-AO 65 mm. process, observers in Hollywood feel that it will eventually be worked out. Basis of this opinion is the desire of Spyros Skouras to obtain the great Rodgers and Hammerstein musical success for CinemaScope production as well. The run of the Todd-AO production would probably be limited to some 30 to 5C theatres, with comparatively minor return to 20th for its distribution. But the value of "Oklahoma", and possibly other RodgersHammerstein shows, in CinemaScope is the bait that is keeping 20th interested, despite some unfavorable terms being demanded by Mike Todd and other Magna officials. One Fox CinemaScope feature and two Leonard Goldstein Panoramic features are shooting at the present time: "Garden ol Evil" (Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark), CinemaScope & Technicoloi — Charles Brackett producing, Henry Hatha way directing; "The Gambler From Nat chez" (Dale Robertson, Debra Paget, Kevir McCarthy) — Leonard Goldstein producer Henry Levin director; and "The Raid" (Vai Heflin, Anne Bancroft) — Robert L. Jack; producer, Hugo Fregonese director. Botl Panoramic productions are in Technicolor The start of "Pink Tights" (Marilyn Mon roe, Dan Dailey, Frank Sinatra), schedulee for January 19, had to be postponed aftei Miss Monroe refused to report for work following a contract hassle and her marriagi to Joe DiMaggio. At this writing, no nev starting date had been set, although Fox of ficials contend that it won't be delayed ove two more weeks. Panoratnic has two new features sche (luled to roll in February: " .\ Matter of Lif^ and Death" (no cast) — Robert Jacks pro ducer, Harry Horner director; and "Hawl of the Desert" (Cleo Moore) — Robert Webl director. Vanessa Productions will also get under (Continued on Page 12 Pogt 10 FILK^ BULLETIN January 2S, l?S4