The Film Daily (1943)

M P l?MIJ 2IST FL I Intimate in Character : ternational in Scope independent in Thought DO NOT REMOVE. The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty-Four Years Old -V^DAILY' r 83, NO. 84 NEW YORK. MONDAY. MAY 3. 1943 TEN CENTS 1RESCENT ASKS NO CIRCUITS "BREAK UP" 'repare Plan to Safeguard Theater Workers Editorial "Moscow" . . . and "angles" — By CHESTER B. B AHN = No Deferment from Military Service Will Be Sought by Exhibitors EVER there was a press preview replete 'ith those "angles" so close to the heart the ace public relationist it was that Tsored by the National Press Club with sensitive co-operation of Warners for ssion to Moscow" in Washington last ■k. . . . Warners termed the preview que. . . And that it was despite the fact • this was not the first time that the ional Press Club has been the official r nominal — host for the inaugural screenof an important picture . . . Conscious the picture's implications, and with a . to its impact abroad, the Club and rners were at pains to stress the prew was for the international press and merely for that which speaks for the ted States. . . The harvest from the seed ; sown was exceedingly rapid — it was id within 24 hours in newspapers in don and other world cities. . . . And discussion will mount steadily, height ig public interest in the picture over. no less than at home. . . . International •selling? . . . And how! o IS not without significance, certainly, nat the capital's press corps, the elite of Fourth Estate, regarded the picture as ~ news . . . Nor is it any less significant ' its reaction, ably summed up by RobWaithman of the London News Chronicle, "It had an electric effect on this proionally sophisticated audience". . . . ile of course it remains to be determined •ther less sophisticated movie-going audies will react similarly, it may be pointed that the financial fate of a picture is ;rmined in the larger centers where sophration is more freely encountered. . . . .1, as an after-thought, this: The war its issues today touch the smallest vil: and town in the land. . . . The con;ion to be drawn specifically in the inice of "Mission to Moscow" is too ap3nt to require space here. o ET in the campaign so skillfully guided by the Messrs. Warners, Charles Einfeld did over-look "angles" purely local, but all gned to pre-sel! the picture. Washingtheater business is super-colossal; War5 closed the Earle for the day regardless, e a thought to the public's impression. ^Continued on Page 2) Washington Bureau of THE FILM 'DAILY Washington — An overall plan to safeguard key theater employes against recruiting drives for industries blessed as essential by the War Manpower Commission is expected to be presented here soon. While producers huddle on a plan to retain male actors of military age — or at least be able to borrow them from the armed services — representatives of the WAC theater division (Continued on Page 11) Circuit Thea. Tax Bill Hoppered in Florida Tallahassee, Fla. — A bill to impose a circuit theater tax ranging from $150 to $1,500, depending upon the size of the theater, has been introduced in the State legislature by Senator Johnson of Brooksville. Beginning at $150 for a single theater the scale of license would go up to (Continued on Page 11) Theaters Have Collected 1,164,727 Pounds of Copper Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington— WBP's salvage and copper divisions last Friday were given eloquent testimony to the dimensions of the salvage job being done by exhibitors throughout the (Continued on Page 11) Ohio Exhibs. Urging Femme 10-Hour Bill Columbus, 0. — ITO of Ohio is putting steam behind the State Senate bill to relax the hours of work for women and minors to provide for a 10-hour day and 50-hour week. Measure, already passed by the Senate, will have a hearing before the House Labor Committee today and, if okayed, will go to the House for action. Exhibs. take the position that the provisions of the bill are necessary to meet the war-time manpower problem successfully. Would Have Its Circuits Keep Operating as Combination for a Time B. A. Studios Get U. S. Stock for 15 Buenos Aires (By Air Mail) — Passed by Censor)— The drastic shortage of raw film threatening the existence of the Argentine industry has been momentarily relieved by the receipt from the United States of 1,500,000 meters of raw stick, considered enough for 15 pictures. Acting under the nation's emergency laws, the Argentine min (Continued on Page 8) UA District Managers Huddle With Leserman United Artists district managers will assemble at the home office today for the first of a series of sales meetings on current product, Carl (Continued on Page 8) Trade Agenda At Allied Meet Consent Decree, Film Prices to Get Attention RKO Mat Service Gives "Exclusives" to Dailies Designed especially for needs of newspapers in key cities, which have been forced to reduce their use of cuts, a new publicity mat service has been inaugurated at RKO Radio's home office by S. Barret McCormick, company's advertising (Continued on Page 10) Detroit — Consideration of the New York consent decree, particularly General Counsel Abram F. Myers' voluminous report heads the agenda of the two-day meeting of Allied States' board of directors starting at the Book Cadillac Hotel Wednesday. Other major items on the proposed program are: operating problems, film prices, distribu(Continued on Page 10) By P. R. RUSSELL FILM DAILY Staff Correspondent Nashville — That the Government allow exhibitor circuits to continue to operate as a combination "for a reasonable length of time as an experiment" without a complete "break up" as the decree to be entered May 6 will order, is the plea made by William Waller, counsel for the Crescent Amusement Co. and others in a petition filed Friday. The plea to Judge Elmer D. Davies, who promises to clear up all matters contingent upon the formal filing of (Continued on Page 8) Melleff and Smith At MPTOA's Confab Solution to theater problems arising from the war will be sought at a conference between the directors of the MPTOA and Government spokesmen at the opening session of the annual meeting of the exhibitor organization's board of direc( Continued on Page 11) First of Capra "The War" Series Released Saturday Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Next Saturday has been set for release of the first of a new series of orientation films for (Continued on Page 11) UA Nlay Name New Producers Today West Coast Bur., THE FILM DATLY Hollywood — It is likely two new product deals will be announced at United Artists stockholders' annual meeting today. One provides for one of the two producers to furnish three pictures in a year, with the other producer making one. UA's present line-up of officers is expected to be re-elected.