The Film Daily (1940)

Thursday, November 14, 1940 1940 Mexican Production to Show Decline of 66^ 01 Maximum Number of Features for This Year, 22; Expect Spurt During '41 (Continued from Page 1) marking a spurt which seemed to point to a revival in production, only two were completed last month. Of the 19 films made in the first 10 months of 1940, no more than 10 have been released to this date. Most of the films which have occupied Mexican screens this year were made in previous seasons. Of native film makers, only Grovas y Cia. (Grovas-Oro Films), Producciones Fernando de Fuentes, Producciones Azteca (Alfonso Sanchez Tello), Producciones Miguel Contreras Torres (Colonial Films) and Producciones Rafael Arzos have two pictures each to their credit in 1940. See Spurt in 1941 Nevertheless, there is a marked optimistic feeling in local picture circles that 1941 will see a definite revival of production activities. Confidence has been expressed in some quarters that the coming year may even prove to be the native industry's biggest year. Current activities and preparations tend to make this confidence well grounded. Two new pictures were finished last week at the Estudios Cinematograficos Azteca. One was Rafael Arzos' production of "El Milagro del Cristo" (The Christ's Miracle), with Arturo de Cordova, Maria Luisa Zea, Manuel Noriega and Eduardo Arozamena topping the cast under Francisco Elias' direction. The distribution will be handled by Victoria Films. The second was Producciones Fernando Mendez' "El Monje Loco" (The Mad Monk), with Alicia Ortiz, Raul Baledon, Arturo Soto, Miguel Inclan, Elena de la Cruz, Miguel Arenas y Tito Junco as principals. The opus is a sixchapter serial which Alejandro Galindo scripted and directed from the most popular radio serial of the last two years. Iracheta and Elvira will distribute. The past week saw two new stories go on the floor, Grovas-Oro Films' "Al Son de la Marimba" (As the Marimba Played), which Juan Bustillo Oro scripted in collaboration with Humberto Gomez Lander o and the former is meganhonina' himself, with Fernando Soler, Emilio Tuero, Marina Tamayo, Joaquin Pardave, Sara Garcia. Virginia Serret and Lolita Camarillo topping the cast, went before the cameras at the studios of Cinematoerafica Latino Americana (CLASA). Producciones Indeoendientes' "El Zorro de Jalisco" (The Jalisco Fox), which Jose Benaviedes is directing, with Pedro Armendariz. Consuelo de Alba, Emilio Fernandez and Augustin Isunza heading1 the cast, is occupying stage 3 at the Estudios Cinematograficos Azteca. Production Stepped Up Immediate production plans cer Ameriean Films Show Increase In Argentina Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington— Films released in Buenos Aires for the first eight months of 1940 number 310, of which 231 were U. S. productions, the Commerce Department reports. This is an increase over the same period of 1939 when a total of 306 pictures were released and 205 were of American origin. Louis Blumenthal Dies; Hold Services Tomorrow (Continued from Page 1) Tuesday night after a long illness. Blumenthal, who was 56 years old, had been active in the theatrical business for the last 30 years and was a partner in the French Casino. He was one of the founders of the old Exhibitors Trade Review in 1916. In recent years he had been in the real estate business. Services will be held from his home in Tuckahoe, N. Y. Illinois UTO to Co-op With the St. Louis MPTO FitzPatrick Preparing Capt. Cook Pic For M-G-M (Continued from Page 1) script on his island in Puget Sound. This is the Technicolor feature that FitzPatrick was to have produced last season but was postponed because of script complications. He will make the picture in the Hawaiian Islands. SPG Would Bargain for "U" Publicity Workers (Continued from Page 1) were held last week to establish the SPG as collective bargaining agent for publicity employes in the other seven majors. Jones Succeeds Turner Chicago — Warren Jones, has been named B & K booking manager, succeeding the late Max Turner. (Continued from Page 1) UTO are Mrs. I. W. Rodgers of Cairo, 111., whose husband was the first president of the local MPTO; Noah Bloomer of Belleville, S. E. Pirtle of Jerseyville, F. C. Souttar of the Fox Midwest Agency Corp., St. Louis; Robert C. Cluster of Salem, 111., and George Barber of Villagrove, 111. Bloomer and Souttar are members of the MPTO board of directors, while I. W. Rodgers, Pirtle and Cluster are vice-presidents of that organization. Commenting yesterday, President Fred Wehrenberg of the MPTO stressed that the UTO "is in a fine position to watch legislation and other matters that are particularly of interest to the owners and managers of theaters in Illinois." "The Illinois theater men will expect the United Theater Owners of Illinois to protect their interest in state matters while on national and interstate matters, where both Illinois and Missouri exhibitors are affected, they will turn to the MPTO for guidance," Wehrenberg added. M-G-M to Seek (lean Arbitration Slate Price-Phillips Exchange Ben Price and Sam Phillips, both formerly with the Big U exchange here, have opened their own exchange at 630 9th Ave. Formal "house warming" will be held tomorrow. tainly make it look as if the expected revival were here already. Films Mundiales is rushing production of "Ay, Que Tiempos, Senor Don Simon!" (Those were the Days, Don Simon!), which stage-director Julio Bracho will direct as his first screen effort from an original of his own. Chano Urueta is getting ready to start shooting what will be the third screen version of Federico Gamboa's famous novel, "Santa," which will star Dolores del Rio, who was brought down from Hollywood especially for the part. Producciones Raul de Anda late this month will launch "Rancho Alegre" (Gay Ranch), with Carlos ("El Chaflan") Lopez, Raul de Anda, Carmen Conde and Emilio Fernandez. Raul de Anda will direct. Director Raphael Sevilla will soon send before the cameras his new production for his own Rex Films, "La Torre de los Suplicios" (Torture Chamber), which will have Virginia Serret in her first starring role. New Pictures Bow In Meanwhile, on the exhibition side, Miguel Contreras Torres' production of "Don Juan Manuel, Man or Devil" (Hombre o Demonio) for Colonial Films, played the first-run Cinema Palacio two weeks. The yarn, a horror story laid in the XVIIth century in New Spain, was directed by Miguel Contreras Torres, with Medea de Novara, Arturo de Cordova and Julio Villarreal topping the cast. The smart first-run Teatro Rex premiered Raphael J. Sevilla's "El Secreto de la Monja" (The Nun's Secret), which he himself megaphoned for Rex Films. A romantic costume piece, it has Lupita Gallardo in the best part she ever had, Jose Crespo, Rene Vardona, Elena d'Orgaz, Julio Villarreal and Carlos Orellana in top roles. The production is adequate and the picture was smoothly handled and acted with charm. Producciones Grovas-Oro Films' production of "Ahi Esta el Detalle" (That's the Question) continues its phenomenal run, having: played three consecutive weeks at the second-run Encanto, which seats 4,000, following its three-week engagement at the Cinema Palacio where it broke the all-time record for that shop. (Continued from Page 1) Richey expressed the opinion that any grievance or dispute could be settled by talking it over with the branch manager before going to the expense of arbitration. Richey assured the delegates that M-G-M would live up to the letter of the consent decree and would not try to take advantage of legal loopholes. In regard to assisting exhibitors in obtaining greater revenue, Richey said that M-G-M would spend $2,500,000 this season in its attempt to pre-sell its pictures to the public in the nation's leading magazines and newspapers. Texas Allied yesterday doubled its budget for next year and elected officers. Exhibs. stated it was the unit's best convention in attendance and interest in years. Ten new members were signed at the convention. Amount of the doubled budget was subscribed and additional financial support as needed was pledged. A highlight of the meeting was Sidney Samuelson's outline of the Allied Information Department and his advocacy of its service and value to exhibitor members of the organization. Enthusiasm aroused by his report and his speech presages future support of AID from Texas. Among other speakers was E. C. Mills of Ascap. Texas Allied endorsed the resolutions previously endorsed by other state associations sustaining the services of AID as represented by Sidney Samuelson and particularly his correspondence with Columbia Pictures for information relating to the operations of Allied members. Officers elected were, Col. A. H. Cole, president; vice-presidents, Mrs. Martha McSpadden, Reuben Frels, R. M. Smith, H. S. Leon; secretarytreasurer, Jack Lille. Disputes Under DG Pact To Be Arbitrated by AAA (Continued from Page 1) tween them, following the approval of a basic pact on Tuesday. The pact covers the backing and purchasing of plays for pictures. Belle Kanter With Gloria Jean Belle Kanter, who handled publicity for Universal both in New York and Hollywood, is managing Gloria Jean's p.a. tour in key cities en route to Hollywood. Seven More Hold "Escape" "Escape" has been held over in seven more of its initial key city engagements, M-G-M reported yesterday.