The Film Daily (1940)

16 IWi DAILY Monday, June 17, 191 Eight-Point Discussions Look to Consent Deere i Major Execs, to Draft Recommendations for D of J; to Further Adjourn Trial (.Continued f>om Payc 1) the following subjects for recommendation: 1. Arbitration. 2. Selling. 3. Trade showings before selling. 4. Should clearance be subject to arbitration? 5. Overbuying. 6. Acquisition of theaters. 7. Full-line forcing. 8. Cancellations. Reach Common Understanding All the subjects listed follow closely the contents of the consent decree which was proposed by the Department of Commerce. However, objections have been raised by both the majors and Government counsel on a number of points now under discussion, with flat rejections by both sides on some of them. These rejections, though, are not considered to be in any way detrimental to the "agreement in principle," with attorneys stating that such disagreements brought clarification in most cases where common understanding of both points of view had been previously lacking. Mechanics of the proposed machinery has been thoroughly overhauled since the new discussions started with the statement made by a major attorney that an entirely new conception of the question has resulted. On the question of whether clearance should be subject to arbitration, the principal discussion has revolved around what machinery should be set up to handle it. Acquisition of theaters still presents a problem to which no equitable solution agreeable to both sides has been found as yet, but it is believed that a solution will be woi'ked out during these discussions. All company heads are expected to keep working with their lawyers this week until their recommendations are completed for submittal to the Government. It is expected that the new consent decree will be drafted within a week after the recommendations have been sent to Washington. Meanwhile, adjournments of the equity trial, are expected to continue until the new decree is worked out and its fate determined. A further postponement of the trial will be asked of Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard today. CFI Earns $179,299 in Quarter Consolidated Film Industries, Inc., and subsidiaries for the quarter ended March 31, 1940, report net profit of $179,299 after usual deductions, but before surtax on undistributed profits, equal to 45 cents a share on 400,000 shares of $2 preferred stock. This compares with $217,733 or three cents a share on 524,973 shares of common in March quarter of 1939, after dividend requirements on prefeiTed stock. Lancaster, Pa., Cafe Using 16 mm. Films, With 5'Cent l^latinees. But Evenings Free Lancaster, Pa. — It's getting difficult here these days to tell whether a cafe Is In the grog field or film biz. Local bar spot has been using one-sheets to advertise a 16 mm. film show, with a nickel "B.O." charge for matinees, but night shows free to adults. Kids are not admitted. Mebbe it's a cafe answer to that situation in Syracuse, N. Y., where a theater uses beer, wine and liquor giveaways. Sears, Roebuck Coupon Plan Clicks in Philly Philadelphia — On the basis of the first two weeks of operation in six local theaters, the Sears, Roebuck & Co. profit-sharing coupon plan is reported clicking satisfactorily, with marked gains in the second week. Additional agreements with theaters are being held up until S-R is better equipped to handle the many details involved. Details of the plan are simple — S-R, through its local representative, contracts with the theater which purchases, at face value, Sears coupons in the denominations of one cent, two cents, and five cents. Men, women and children patronizing the theater receive the coupons. This is contrary to the usual practice of giving premiums to women only. Under the plan, however, children usually receive a coupon of a lower denomination, although this is left to the management of the theater. The coupons are redeemable at any Sears, Roebuck store, both mailorder and retail. They can be used as payment or part-payment on a charge account, as payment or part payment of a COD upon the delivery of merchandise, in making store purchases, or in ordering by mail. The regular advertised Sears prices will be charged on all merchandise. Full range of advertising accessories is being made available to exhibs. using the plan by S-R without charge. Conceding that the plan has national possibilities, S-R points out that such a policy would entail months of work. DuPont Signs "Prof. Quiz' For 30-Minute Adv. Short "Professor Quiz," is sponsored by Procter & Gamble Co. for Teel dentrifrice on CBS, has been signed to do a commercial film for E. I. DuPont de Nemours Co. for its new product, Verex anti-freeze. Film, which runs 30 minutes, will simulate the CBS program using as contestants professional artists representing typical consumer and distributor types. It is to be produced at Astoria by Audio Productions and scenario is written by Sherman Rogers. Bob Trout will handle the "announcing assignment." Newsreels Will Trim War Shots in Their Prints (Continued fiom Payc 1) had been hurt to some extent by flood of war footage. Duce Provides Newsreels With "Hell of a Problem" Press dispatches from various parts of the nation, recounting antiFascist demonstrations on the part of audiences when newsreel shots of Mussolini were thrown on screens, at the week-end re-created for newsreel companies a problem which they had faced during and subsequent to the launching of the European war when audiences were incited by shots of Adolph Hitler. Sources close to the newsreel companies declared Friday that they are conscious of the fact that pictures of Mussolini since Italy's step to active belligerency against the Allies, are exciting to the vast majority of patrons, but have been included in issues only to tell a news story, just as is the practice of newspapers. II Duce's pictures on the screen, it is pointed out, are there only because he is making news by what he does. Even so, there has been reluctance on the part of the reels to include scenes of him, but to exclude such scenes would be to abandon the functions of sincere and honest journalism. One newsreel source declared yesterday that "it is a hell of a problem." The companies declaim that they do not want to cause exhibitors any trouble, nor do anything which might estrange patrons. The bulwark against this happening is the fact that theaters everywhere can exercise their right to delete sequences of U Duce, or any other sequences they choose to exclude. Painstakingly, the Mussolini footage was toned down so that it would be coldly factual, it was said. "Deadwood Dick" Shooting IVest Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Larry Darmour puts "Deadwood Dick," into production today; it's his fourth serial so far this year for Columbia. Serial will be directed by James Home. Cast includes Don Douglas, Lorna Gray, Lane Chandler, Marian Sais, Robert Fiske, Harry Harvey, Ed Cassidy, Edward Cobb, Edward Peil, Sr., Jack Ingram, Carl Hackett, Lee Shumway, Bud Osborne, Tommy Ward, Charles King and Franklin Farnham. STC Polls on War Shots In Newsreels Oklahoma City — Standard The ters Corp., operating gr^Bk|i of tht ters affiliated with ParaBount a Warners, respectively, is polli patrons as to whether they want view war scenes in newsreels a preparedness footage. Poll w ordered by Walter B. Shutte, ge eral manager of the circuit. The questions being asked of p trons are: "1. Do you want to s war scenes in newsreels?" and ' Do you want to see special she subjects pertaining to Fifth Colur activities, preparedness. Army, Na and Air Corps activities ? First Vote Favors War Footage Totals are being kept by the p' takers on men and women separate' The flrst day, men voted 144 for a: 32 against the showing of war seen in newsreels. The women voted 2 for to 164 against the showing war scenes in newsreels. On the se ond question pertaining to war su jects in shorts, 134 men voted f' them and 33 men against, about t; same ratio as on the first questic The women voted 269 for and against the showing of special shor with war themes. Ratio of woni' to men attending theaters here more than 2 to 1 as revealed by t) poll. In addition to the lobby poll, 1,0( self-addressed 1-cent postcards, w be distributed to persons passing i the street and in business places be mailed back to the theater cor pany, giving patrons an opportuni to fill out the questionnaire after r flection. Cinecolor Will Process Five Pix Now Shooting West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAIl Hollywood — Four film compani; are shooting five pictures in tl U. S., Canada and Central Ameri(|^ for processing by Cinecolor, Inc., J L. McCormick, president, announctj Friday. They will be processed cj single-coated stock at Cinecolor, Burbank plant, which is now at i' all-time production high. Vancouver Motion Picture Co. shooting a two-reeler for the Can. dian Government. The cameram*i is Ray Fernstrom. Another of Vai couver's crew has arrived in Centr, America to make a color subjev which will be returned to Burbanj for processing. j Classical Film Corp. has start? production on its first Shakespearea subject with S. K. Winston, as dire' tor, Paul Ivanhoe as camerama-.| Donald Curtis, Judith Mellis and Ed; mund Glover head the cast. ThJ picture also to be done by Cinecoloy Cinecolor is making release printi: this month for Paramount's Populai Science and Unusual Occupationjij short subjects. r