The Film Daily (1935)

THE 15E2H DAILY Friday, May 31, 1935 j MAMOULIAN PREDICTS SPLURGE OF COLOR Prediction that color pictures will largely supplant the present blackand-whites in the not distant future was made yesterday by Rouben Mamoulian, director of RKO's "Becky Sharp," first feature to be produced in the new three-color Technicolor process. Mamoulian said that it was possible to record shades and tints pretty much as they are with the new Technicolor and that color, properly used, was not merely an adornment but actually increased dramatic effect! There is no middle ground in the use of color, and it either helps or mars a scene, Mamoulian said. In using color one must be aware that each color produces a definite reaction and that the color employed must reflect the mood or feeling of the scene being shot, Mamoulian stated. Color contrasts must also be considered as for example in filming a scene which mounts to an exciting climax the color must follow the rising tempo of the action, Mamoulian pointed out. Some technical knowledge will be required of the director who would make color pictures, but the prime essential will be a color sense, Mamoulian said. The problem of introducing the public to a feature made wholly in Technicolor has been met by starting "Becky Sharp" in mild pastel shades and building up to the more exciting uses of color, Mamoulian stated. By the time the third reel is reached the audience will be completely engrossed in the story, he declared. St. John Items St. John, N. B. — Managers of two local exchanges now operate theaters. P. J. Hogan, Paramount manager, has acquired a house in St. John's, Newfoundland. J. E. Butler, managing British allied exchanges, is lessee of the Imperial, Moncton, with P. R. Fielding in charge. Louis MacKenzie, local Vitagraph manager, won top place in the year's Dominion contest open to all Warner exchange managers. Pick Their Movies Baltimore — More than 95 per cent of young moviegoers are attracted by specific stories or stars, and less than 5 per cent go to movies because they have nothing else to do, according to a summary of 1.162 questionnaires filled out by students between 8 and 18 years of age in 11 private schools here. Most of the students attend shows once a week. About 70 per cent do not demand happy endings. Adaptations of plays and books are much favored. A LITTLE from "LOTS ►// By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD pAT DOWLING and Hobart Brownell have completed a sound film for Western Sugar Refinery, of San Francisco which features Jason Robards, Phyllis Holt and Daniel Kellogg of Fanchon & Marco's School of the Theater and Mr. Punch's Puppet Show of Santa Monica. The film was designed primarily for showing at the San Diego Exposition, and includes, besides the dialogue sequences, South Seas and refinery scenes, a puppet show and a color sequence of the company'^ products. The film will be issued in both standard and sixteen millimeter film. T T T Constance Collier has signed a new long-term contract with M-G-M. T T T Samuel Goldwyn starts production this week on "The Dark Angel," with Fredric March, Merle Oberon, Herbert Marshall and Katherine Alexander, under the direction of Sidney Franklin. T T T J. Walter Ruben, director of MG-M's "Public Hero," has been assigned to "Manhattan Madness," in which Joel McCrea and Maureen O'Sullivan have leads. It is based on an original story by David Silverstein and Leonard Fields. T T T Tatiana Tuttle is independently producing a short entitled "A Night With Pan," which will be a unique film _ presentation featuring ballet dancing. It is being supervised by her husband, Frank Tuttle, noted Paramount director. T T T Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Santell became the parents of a girl last week. T T T Richard Boleslawski, M-G-M director, currently preparing "O'Shaughnessy's Boy," was a student in the technical school of Odessa and a graduate of the university of Odessa. He received high scholastic honors for his work in mechanics and army tactics. T T T Clarence Brown, M-G-M director, is completing cutting of "Anna Karenina," which stars Greta Garbo, and will shortly begin preparing "Ah, Wilderness," his next feature for the same studio. T T T Ginger Rogers, RKO star, will make "In Person," by Samuel Hopkins Adams, following completion of "Top Hat." Allan Scott will write the screen play. William Seiter will direct, and it will be a Pandro S. Berman production. r r T Lee Tracy will soon begin the final picture under his present Paramount contract. The actor is scanning scripts to find a satisfactory story. When the production is finished he will leave immediately for the East to complete arrangements for opening in a Damon Runyon play on Broadway. T T T Johnny Arledge has been addec to the cast of "Anchors Aweigh,' musical romance which will be filmed, in large part, at the U. S Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. by Warner Bros. Arledge will star' for Annapolis next week with Rub; Keeler, Dick Powell, Ross Alex ander, Lewis Stone and other head liners in the cast. T T T Five-year-old Betty Holt's contract with Paramount has been ap proved by the Los Angeles Superior Court. The child is a sister of youm David Holt, also under contract t Paramount. Baltimore Briefs Baltimore — Associated Theaters is planning to build a one-story brick house at 3122 and 3124 Greenmount Ave. After setting up a new record of nine weeks, "Unfinished Symphony" has moved out of the Little and has been replaced by "Thunder in the East" and the short, "Bolero." Hearst newspapers and the New theater in Baltimore are conducting an "On to Hollywood" contest. "Goin' to Town," with Mae West, is held over at Keith's. Morris A. Rome, lawyer and prominently identified with the film trade here, has been appointed a member of the Board of State Aid and Charities. Meyer Leventhal, representing the exhibitors, and Nelson D. Baldwin, representing the operators, have been appointed members of the Board of Examiners of Motion Picture Machine Operators. Foreign Flashes Paris — Fox has signed Simone Simon, young French actress, who will go to Hollywood in September. London — Basil Dean has engaged Willy Forst to direct a picture on Mozart. Brussels — Jacques Haik has formed La Societe Films Cristal for distribution of French, English and American films. Paris — By permission of Walter Wanger, Charles Boyer will make one picture here, returning to Hollywood in October. London — British Lion has signed Wynne Gibson for "Admirals All." Vienna — "Immortal Melodies," jeing made by Gaumont British with Johann Strauss' music, will have French and English versions. Paris — Pressed by native producers, the government contemplates cutting film imports starting in July. KUYKENDALL HOPEFl^ OVER RULING ON CODE Columbus, Miss. — "Analysis of the U. S. Supreme Court decision may not make it as severe as it seems at the present time," observed Ed Kuykendall, president of the M. P. T. 0. A., yesterday in a statement for The Film Daily. "Annulment of the code will probably bring about considerable chaos," he said. "If anyone benefited by the code, it was the small independent exhibitor. Organized labor is hard hit by the decision also, which affects us, as theater attendance is affected by the working class earnings. I am sure Congress will work out something. "This decision, so wide in scope, was a distinct surprise to all concerned." I I f Seattle Sidelights Seattle — "Naughty Marietta" has been held over for a fourth week at the Paramount. Never in the past 20 years has President Frank L. Newman, Sr., of Evergreen Theaters, of which Paramount is a unit, ,een such excellent response to a picture. Moved from Hamrick's Orpheum, "G Men" has been transferred to Harmrick's Music Box for a third week. Dog race gambling has been officially banned in King County. fi Sparks Gets Palm Beach House Palm Beach, Fla. — Ten-year lease of the Kettler theater to Sparks interests has been consummated. Lease of the property for $165,000 for this period, with a five-year option was secured. R. R. Thomas, local manager of the Sparks theaters, announces a $20,000 improvement program to be undertaken immediately. Name of theater is to be changed from Kettler to the Florida. tiff Bpe Ji:n ta lit) (ton : :: si New Erie House Opens Erie, Pa. — The Aris, a new de luxe neighborhood house, opened Saturday. A complete new Western Electric ^ound system, screen and projection equipment were installer]. Irvinfj Jacobs Loses Mother The mother of Irving L. Jacobs, |^er GB sales manager at Denver, has , died. ■» Si' I It Omaha Stage Booking Flops Omaha — Following a disastrous weekend showing of Ted Fio Rito and his Filmland Frolics at the Coliseum, Lester Martin, former Allied exhibitor unit secretary and promoter of the show, was named in an attachment suit by | the railroad. Martin left town before writ could be served. Fio Rito was given $1,000 in settlement, with local underwriters left holdng the sack. Remainder of the show's bookings in this territory were cancelled. «j