The Film Daily (1927)

:5f^ NEWSPAPER oyFILMDOM ALL THE NEWS ALLTUE TIME VOL. XLII No. 68 Tuesday, December 20, 1927 Price 5 Cents Next Year fRENCH TRIPLE SCREEN Free-Lance Players' Standard WE are emerging from a period of exi)ansion. The last two years have seen the building of many big theaters and ambitious i)roduction ventures have been carried out. I Now we are in the midst of the task of gearing up the giant machinery to work at its full efficiency, eliminating waste, solidifying its internal structure. "Already there has been encouraging progress and this undoubtedly will be carried out much more fully during the new year. This new spirit and attitude should produce a better product, a smoother functioning of the business organization and a more economical operation." Production The highlights of Adolph Zukor's statement on the outlook for next year as prepared for complete publication in the 1928 Film Daily Year Book. It appears to us that the leakage in the machine today is not so directly concerned with distribution as it is with production and exhibition. Next year will witness more sanity in picture-making. Bankers are insisting upon it and, since profits from production average less than ten per cent and in some instances fall as low as four, producers are prone to listen. In some directions, serious attention is being turned toward curtailment. One result would be an improved quality brought about by eliminating the terrific rush in meeting release dates. Besides, too many pictures are glutting the market. At any rate, a more business-like era is slated to hit Hollywood with sufficient force to make the dent permanent. We sec one potential danger— and this has been voiced previously. In the moves for economy, present and future, there must be no falling off in quality. This is vital. Exhibition Theater problems, of course, revolve largely around the pitch to which presentations have been geared. Just as long as the scramble is for gross, rather than net, nothing can be done about it. However, we believe the folly of the system has evidenced itself and that big operators will take steps to remedy it. The adjustment becomes increasingly necessary as time slips by. KANN PEREECTED BY GANCE New Technical Device Successfully Used on "Napoleon" Invention of a new device whereby mass scenes are shown in their eiUircty by the use of triple screens j is credited to Abel Gance, the French producer, who uses it in his screening of "Napoleon" which was given its first showing to the Marshals of F"rance and the Ministers at the .\ational Opera in Paris. No other theater in the capital had a stage large enough to accommodate the three screens. The invention, which also eliminates the necessity for close-ups, is described by Pierre Van Paassen, in (Ccmtinued on Page 8) Contract is Effective Jan. 1 OPPOSE TRADING PLAN By ERNEST W. FREDMAN Editor "The Daily Film Renter" London — Considerable opposition has developed among exhibitors to the trading scheme recently proposed by the Cinematograph Exhibitors Ass'n., especially among the smaller exhibitors. The Sussex Small Ex (Coniinued on Page 8) FIRST EMPIRE FILM IN INDIA STARTS SHORTLY London — Immediate production in India of a film is planned, which will serve as the first practical demonstration of the possibility of British Empire pictures. The picture will be pro (Coniinued on Page 8) "Don Juan" Banned Houston, Tex. — "Don Juan" will not be shown in Houston, according to present indications, because of alleged immorality of the film. Position of the censor in rejecting the film Nov. 28, has been upheld by the appeals board. Eddie Bremen, manager of the Majestic, which had booked the film, was willing to abide by the decision, but Truly B. Wildman, manager of the Warner exchange in Dallas, appealed to the board. Further action may be taken. FILMS AND lEGIT' SHOW COMBINED AT FOND DU UlC Fond du Lac, Wis. — Combination of pictures with permanent stock plays is being offered here by the Garrick, in the keen competition for business, which is under way in this over-seated town. The house is operated by the Fond du Lac Theater {Continued on Page 8) EUIBORATE BILLS BEING Detroit — More theaters than ever will be eliminating elaborate vaudeville bills and confine their attractions to straight pictures and stage bands, declares Jacke Smith, editor of "The {Continued on Page 8) Help I Relief Fund Lags But five more days remain for you to add your bit to the FILM DAILY RELIEF FUND. Nearly two hundred have sent in their contributions. As many more are putting it off until the last minute or have forgotten. A more worthy cause cannot be imagined. Every dollar goes to needy charity cases in the motion picture business in New York City. There is not one penny of expense. The fund has the enthusiastic support of every branch of the industry in New York City. Yesterday a splendid message of commendation was received from the Motion Picture Relief {Continued on Page 2) Six-Day Week of 18 llour.s Provide*! for in New Form of Agreement Los Angeles — Controversy between producers and free lance actors hai been settled with adoption of a standard form of contract by the actors branch of the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences. The new contract was considered last night by directors of the academy and is scheduled to become effective Jan. 1. The contract explains tlie terms "on or about," in relation to the date of commencing an engagement, and prescril)cs a six day week of 48 hours as a basis for salaries. The clause under terms of which a player might be discharged for the clastic reason of being unsatisfactory is eliminated, and a new one added providing foi termination of a players' services anytime within 30 days prior to the start of filming or during production by the payment of one week's unearned salary. FAILORE OF TAX REPEAL NOW FEARED AT CAPITAL Washington — Despite the favorable sentiment for repeal of the admission tax in the general tax reduction program, there is danger that the repeal will be forestalled along with the other features of the proposed bill, because of danger of a veto. Pres. Coolidge, it is stated, i~ certain to veto any bill which provides {Continued <m Page 8) Edison Revises Opinion On Hearing Movietone At a special screening of Movietone given at his laboratories in Orange, N. J., Thomas A. Edison revised his original opinion on talking pictures which he believed would never be {Continued on Page 8) Denver Price War Spreads as More Houses Cut to 10c Denver — Price war which started with opening of Publix's new Denver is extending to other theaters. Several downtown houses have reduced to ten cents, in the brisk bidding for patronage. The Mars and Colonial, first reduced to the dime top, with the Palace following suit.