The Film Daily (1940)

W9^ DAILY Wednesday, December 18, 1940 Argentine Deals On Cash Only Basis! (Continued from Page I) has posted announcement that, effective Jan. 2, 1941, films will be sold against cash exclusively. This policy is expected to be announced shortly by other companies. While multiple feature programs will not be banned, film rentals will be tilted in order to make such exhibitor practice unprofitable, it is understood. It is indicated that an attempt will be made to discourage new theater construction to avoid over-seat Canadian "10 Best" Poll Copies Film Daily Plan (Continued from Page 1) the Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor, official publication of the Independent Theaters Association. In the past, Canada has accepted the results of The Film Daily's 10-Best and other polls on what constitutes box-office popularity, but, it is explained here, a new national consciousness has been felt in Canada since the beginning of the present war. Film editors, critics, commentators and columnists of Canadian papers will cast their votes for the 10 best pictures of the year, while exhibitors will be polled on the 10 best moneymaking attractions. Results are expected to be known by Jan. 15. Metro Pep Club Honors Donaldson and Goldstein New Haven — The annual Warner Xmas party and the Metro Pep Club Xmas party are both slated for tomorrow, the former at Waverly Inn, and the latter at Oakdale Tavern. Metroites will honor both Thomas Donaldson, who has been promoted to the Boston exchange from New Haven, and Morey Goldstein, who succeeds Donaldson in New Haven. George Weber, checking supervisor, is in charge of arrangements, assisted by Milton Hyams, president and Charles Lazarus. A grab bag is planned. "Man Bites Dog" Rochester — When a man bites a dog — that's news! And so it's news when a newspaper business staff reverses the usual procedure and throws a dinner for theater managers. That's what happened here when the Democrat and Chronicle business manager and his aides gave a game dinner at the swank Rochester Club for Lester Pollock of Loew's; Jay Golden of the RKO Palace; Charley Freeman of the Century, and William Cadoret. Albanian Pix Theaters Reopen Under Greeh Management; 1938 U. S. Films on Screens Koritza, Albania, (By Cable) — Although this city was occupied by the Greek forces only three weeks ago, film theaters have been re-opened under Greek management. Movie houses are open daily to 10 p.m. and on Sundays to 11 p. m. Pictures are being brought from Greece and England. Features made in the U. S. in 1938 are being shown with Greek sub-titles. Kuykendall at M-KTA Calls Decree 'Stupid' (Continued from Page 1) alyzed the decree paragraph by paragraph for the convention members. Kuykendall declared the Federal ruling was stupid because the Government officials who investigated and drafted the bills were not qualified, because of lack of experience in the motion picture industry, and consequently were ignorant of many vital factors. And because the operators didn't consent to the measure but were forced to agree it has been named unjustly. He indicated that the law has numerous loopholes which favor the distributors, putting the operators at his mercy. The MPTOA prexy concluded with the desire that the operators work together and with the aid of the general public show the Government its mistake and by this procedure get a revision on the bill. B. R. Biechele was elected president of the organization for the coming year, with T. W. Edwards, vicepresident and Fred Meyn secretarytreasurer. Directors elected were: Directors of Kansas, C. A. Schulz, Fred Meyn, J. E. Pennington, H. F. Strowig; Directors of Missouri, T. W. Edwards, Cassil Rex Barrett, George Harttmann. Committee Drafts Rules For Academy's Awards (Continued from Page 1) Wanger, Academy prexy and chairman ex-officio, presided. As in the past few years, all of the Guilds will again participate in the Awards selections and each has designated six of its members to serve on the Awards Committee. Guild reps, are: SAG — Noel Madison, Paul Harvey, Dorothy Tree; alternates, Walter Kingsford, Rod LaRocque and Lloyd Nolan. DG — George Stevens, Mervyn LeRoy and Sam Wood; alternates, Ernst Lubitsch, Henry Hathaway and Lesley Selander. SWG— Charles Brackett, Jane Murfin and Allan Scott; alternates, Richard Macaulay, Talbot Jennings and Frank Partos. Others on the Committee; PRODUCERS— David O. Selznick, Jack L. Warner and Darryl Zanuck; alternates, Y. Frank Freeman, E. J. Mannix and Joe Pasternak. SCIENCE BRANCHES— John Aalberg, John Arnold and Jack Otterson; alternates, Grover Laube, Lyle Wheeler and Ray Wilkinson. ACADEMY OFFICERS ex-officio, Frank Capra, Edward Arnold, Robert Riskin. John Aalberg and Donald Gledhill. WB Casts "Dive Bomber" Hollywood— Warner Bros, has cast James Cagney, George Brent and Ronald Reagan for "Dive Bomber," aviation story by Commander Frank Wead. Lloyd Bacon will direct. Hew Film Library At N. Y. University N. Y. University is forming a new film library to take over the 16 mm. films formerly handled by the Commission of Human Relations. Prof. Herbert Dorau heads a university staff board to manage the library, with Alice Keliher, formerly of the Commission and now on the N. Y. U. faculty to be associated. Commission of Human Relations had a folio of 57 subjects, excerpts from Hollywood-made entertainment films, that were used to start classroom discussions. N. Y. U. will prepare a new list of available subjects about the first of the year. Small Houses May Get Realism of Fantasound Camden, N. J. — Considerable degree of the realism of RCA Fantasound may be available to small houses soon, in addition to the larger key stands, through the medium of RCA Panoramic Sound, it was said here yesterday by Edward C. Cahill, Photophone division manager. Cahill states that the Panoramic Sound supplements standard sound systems at a small fraction of the cost of the elaborate Fantasound which RCA developed for Disney's "Fantasia" after a long period of research. RCA Panoramic Sound principles have been applied experimentally by Warner Bros, in "The Santa Fe Trail," now being released. Panoramic Sound does not render obsolete nor unnecessary any component parts of the standard sound system, the only alteration to the regular system, other than the simple soundhead attachment, is the insertion of an auxiliary variable gain amplifier in the link circuit between voltage and power amplifier, Cahill points out. Major Release is Sought For Government's "Hydro" Gunther V. Fritsch, producer-distributor of the U. S. Dept. of the Interior's "Hydro" is in town with Stephen B. Kahn, author of the script, to seek a major release for the short. Team Donlevy-Tamiroff Again Hollywood — Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff will be reunited on the screen by Para, in "Buy Me That Town," racketeering story which will have Preston Foster in the cast. Cuba Wants Reforms Based on N. Y. Decree (Continued from Page 1) new theater being unable to open, and notices have been posted by film companies that wage reductions up to 50 per cent will have to be put into effect shortly if the existf ing measure is retained in its pres-fl Jllli ent form. Proposals of a compromise by the exhibitors, the,, acuteness of the product shortage and unemployment situation which may follow, and the fact that Cuban film business is virtually standing still are factors which should force some speedy settlement of the situation. Terms of the exhibitors' suggested compromise are as follows: (1) That pictures be contracted for in lots of not more than 10, with the obligation on the part of the distributor to preview at least four pictures before the contract is signed. (2) That contracting for pictures not yet produced or in the process of distribution be prohibited. (3) That there be established a Board of Coordination in conjunction with the Ministry of Commerce, composed of representatives of all parties concerned with the purpose of regulating the functioning of the motion picture business and with the power to solve all that may arise, including the power to arbitrate or conciliate any controversy which may develop between exhibitors and distributors or among the distributors or among the exhibitors. In the exhibitors' memorandum to the Minister of Commerce, it is pointed out that block-booking and blind-selling have been stopped in the U. S., that blind-booking has been prohibited in England for some years, and that in most European countries contracts call for small quantities of pictures which are previewed. The exhibitors state in their brief that they remain unalterably opposed to a suggested plan of booking for six-month periods in advance, and assert that under the present system of booking and buying the independent producer has his market too restricted because exhibitors have already been sold more pictures than they can use. Cooper, Jane Withers Teamed Hollywood — Jackie Cooper and Jane Withers will be teamed by Columbia in "Her First Beau" adapted from the Colin Clements-Florence Ryerson play "June Mad." Cooper, and the director, J. Theodore Reed, were borrowed from Para., Miss Withers from 20th-Fox. Swing Influence? Worcester, Mass. — It's a good trick, according to the sign on the Capitol Theater Marquee: "Northwest Mounted Police" "Dancing on a Dime."