The Film Daily (1947)

DAILY Thursday, October 3, 194( SAG Flying Caravan To Attend AFL Confab (Continued from Page 1) putes and "the settlement of the present studio strike." Among those who will make the trip are Walter Pidgeon, Robert Taylor, Edward Arnold, President Robert Montgomery, Gene Kelly, George Murphy, Dick Powell, June Allyson, Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman. Republic has laid off seven foremen who refused to work on "hot" sets and is not employing any CiSU carpenters or painters. Despite this action, no picketing has taken place at the Valley plant. CSU set designers and machinists are still working at Republic which iast night started production on "Outlaws of Sioux City." Picket Parade at M-G-M Studio Eight hundred pickets paraded around the M-iG-M studio yesterday morning and then dispersed, using but the legal number of pickets before the gate. There was no violence. One hundred and fifty deputy sheriffs were at the studio to maintain order. At the Goldwyn staaio yesterday 21 plasterers and five painters were laid off. No OSU memlbers are now working at the plant. Memb-ers of the Screen Writers Guild adopted a resolution calling on writers to abide by the anti-strike clause in their contract with the studios, but reserving the right of its members to work at home to avoid possible injury by entering the struck studios. Full legal support is promised any member refusing to cross picket lines. A resolution approving the August AFIi directive was defeated. i^^REVIEUI OF THE nEUI flLfnSi:^ Loew's Execs. Criss Cross Globe to Spur Foreign Biz (Continued from Page 1) International, will fly to Paris on Oct. 8 to check on market conditions and to mesh international policy matters. Now touring the Continent are: George Muchnic, vice-prexy of Loew's Int'l; David Lewis, regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Europe; Wladimir A. Pozner, general manager of M-G-M International Films, and Seymour Mayer, sales manager of the 16 mm. department. Pozner will stop off in Paris and Rome to make a synchronization survey, among other things. Mayer is preparing an analysis of the first year's 16 mm. planning and operation. Dave Blum, Loew's Int'l director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, has just returned from a twomonth tour of the Continent, North Africa, and the Middle East. Charles Goldsmith, co-6rdinator for the British Empire, will fly to Hollywood on Oct. 7, and then hop to Sydney, Australia, four days later. On his way back to Sydney, Goldsmith expects to stop off at the Fijis and New Caledonia. Eddie F. O'Connor, regional di "Accomplice" with Richard Arlen, Veda Ann Borg PRC 67 Mins. SUITABLE MURDER, MYSTERY AND ACTION FARE FOR THE DOUBLE BILLS. With Richard Arlen in the main role, this adaptation of Frank Gruber's story, "Simon Lash, Detective," is to be recommended chiefly for its action elements and some fine chase sequences. These two items alone should please the audience. Additionally there's a couple of murders and a sheeting match to perk things up. Arlen's services are engaged by Veda Ann Borg when she reports her husband, a banker, missing. Arlen is an old flame. He suspects something amiss in the wind and investigation uncovers another woman. When he learns the case borders on divorce he is about to quit when information concerning the missing man — he's murdered — arrives. A provincial sheriff intrudes and suspects Arlen. Meanwhile a brunette is murdered. Arlen gets a line on a mysterious woman in the case and an auto chase follows. Clues lead him out into the Mojave Desert where at a strange castle he meets up with a complete set of characters who make things hot for a short while. At length Arlen gets the upper hand and brings about the solution cf the case which is given an assist by the suicide of the guy who was supposed to be dead in the first place. Walter Colmes' direction will keep the audience properly guessing as to whodunit. The important characterizations are convincingly enough performed. Productionwise it is well handled. CAST: Richard Arlen, Veda Ann Borg, Michael Branden, Earle Hodgins, Edward Earle, Tom Dugan, Marjorie Manners, Francis Ford, Herbert Rawlinson. CREDITS: Producer, John K. Teaford; Director, Walter Colmes; Screenplay, Irving Elman, frank Cruber; Original, Frank Cruber; Cameraman, Jockey Feindel; Music, Alexander Laszlo; Film Editor, Frank Webster; Art Direction, frank Dexter. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. The Welldigger's Daughter" Siritzky with Raimu, Fernandel 122 Mins. Broadened Vacations in New Eastman Kodak Plan Rochester — Under an extension of Eastman Kodak's yearly vacations with pay plan, all people on an hourly basis will receive two weeks' vacation instead of one, it is announced. Employes will qualify for three weeks' vacation after 15 years' service and workers with between five and 15 years of service will receive two and a fraction weeks, based on length of service. Plan affects all full-time employes at Kodak plants, subsidiaries, stores and branches, or a total of approximately 40,000 men and women in many parts of the country. rector for the Far East, starts on a six-month tour of his territory just as his assistant, Maurice "Red" Silverstein, returned from an extended tour through the same area. Richard J. Brenner, assistant regional director for Latin America, will be touring that area for the next few months. Orton H. Hicks, director of the 16 mm. department, might bump into him when he leaves for the same territory by November. Encyclopaedia Britannica Leases Wilmette Building Chicago — Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, Inc., has leased the First National Bank Bldg., Wilmette, 111., for use by the company's research and production offices, now located in New York, E. H. Powell, president, announced. Company will take possession on December 1 and the building is scheduled to be ready for occupancy by February 1. M-G-M Records Account Goes to Donahue & Coe Donohue & Coe, Inc. have been appointed advertising counsel for M-G-M Records. Immediate advertising plans call for newspaper, spot radio, and trade paper campaigns, 'Below the Deadline' ! FINE FRENCH COMEDY-DRAMA, WILL BE A LONG TIME LITTLE THEATER TENANT. With two of France's finest in the cast "The Welldigger's Daughter" has everything audiences are accustomed to expect from French films. Basically the early stages of the story are strictly very old hat but when the Gallic flair for dissection, comic analysis and logic is applied to the unfoldment, then it becomes a very superior film played to artistic perfection. As serious as the fundamental intent of the story seems there is nevertheless wry humor to the tale and the late Raimu's talent for this needs no retelling here. In high fidelity to the real life people and their surroundings the scenario deals with the parental troubles of Raimu, the welldigger, when his daughter is seduced and becomes an unwed mother. The man in the case is a pilot. He is called to the wars. Raimu confronts the man's parents and they are apathetic. Rather than face the townspeople he sends the girl to her aunt to bear the child. Later the pilot is reported killed and there is some effort to reconcile the two families. Fernandel turns up, he is a soldier, and brings word the pilot is alive. The pilot marries the girl at the conclusion. Now that is not very much a new story. But here all the film's merit lies in the telling and Marcel Pagnol has seen to it in his direction, that the warm, human aspects of simple people with their comic insight in dealing profundities and frailties become a moralizing entertainment. Josette Day is effective as the girl in the case. Other Gallic worthies in the cast include Charpin and Milly Mathis. The sets are simple, real and a good deal of the story is shot outdoors. An "original" by Pagnol, the production is realistically mounted and convincing all the way. CAST: Raimu, Fernandel, Josette Day, Charpin, George Grey, Milly Mathis, Line Noro, Tramel. CRiEDITS, Producer, Director, Author, Marcel Pagnol; Film Editor, Charles Clement; Music, Vincent Scotto; English subtitles, Herman C. Weinberg. DIRECTION, Excellent. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fair. with Warren Douglas and Ramsay Ames (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) Monogram 65 Mini' FIRST WARREN DOUGLAS STARRER SHOULD DO WELL IN ITS MARKr ^ This offering, which gives Warrei. ^uglas his first starring role, holds the interest nicely and should do well in its market Douglas gives a splendid performance and it certain to attract favorable attention. William Beaudine turned in a good of directing, while Lindsley Parsons handled the production chores. Ramsay Ames and Jan Wiley do well in the femme leads. Paul Maxey, a newcomer, will bear watching, Philip Van Zandt is prominent in the supjj porting cast. jjl Following the slaying ef his brother, George Meeker, a gambling racketeer, by i Van Zandt, a rival gang leader, Douglas, just out of the army as a flyer officer, takes over. Douglas^ former commanding officer, George Eldredge, starts an airport, and Douglas loans him $50,0(X). Eldredge is anxious to get Douglas to quit the rackets and quietly turns over the money to elect [j a reform candidate for mayor. || Douglas is injured in a gun battle with Van Zandt, and the picture closes with the former as a partner in the airport and outij CAST: Warren iDouglas, RamsayAmes, s. I J Wiley, Paul Maxey, Philip Van Zandt, John Harmon, Bruce Edwards, George Meeker, Clancy Cooper, Gay Forrester, Alan Bridges, George Eldredge, William Ruhl. CREDITS: Producer, Lindsley Parsons; Director, William Beaudine; Author, Ivan Tors; Screen ) play, Harvey Gates, Forrest Judd; Cameraman, [ Harry Neumann; Editors, Richard Currier and Ace Herman; Musical Director, Edward J. Kay. 1 1 DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. [ Studios to Increase Radio Use for Location Shooting (Continued from Page 1) ' tion, the FOC indicated yesterday in announcing revised allocations for various non-Government fixed and mobile services. Although the war curtailed this! activity by pix companies, inquirie|| to the Commission indicate that sti dios plan to make "considerable use' of radio in the near future. At the present time, Starr Soun^ Systems, which services the major companies, has a total of 20 units, with more expected to be put in use within the next few months. Vanguard Films also has asked the FCC for further information oi the subject. H Motion picture radio stations arlf used for communication with parties on location in isolated areas where no other communication facilities are available and "for communications pertaining to the co-ordination and direction of activities of various units in the filming of moj tion pictures." | Motion picture radio services share a total of 14 frequencies with other services under the revised I'ules listed by the Commission. together with extensive dealer aids and point-of-sale material. A national magazine color campaign will run in 1947.