The Film Daily (1945)

Monday, February 26, Four Branch Areas 100% for RX. Drive REViEuis Of ncui nims (Continued from Page 1) that last minute reports, received just prior to the regional Red Cross meetings held over the week-end and continuing today in 32 cities, show that 10,718 theaters have been pledged. This is better than 96 per cent of all the houses (13,438) that participated in the 1944 drive. The 100 per cent Exchange Honor Roll includes: ALBANY— Ray Smith, Distr. chairman; C. J. Latta, Exhib. chairman; Charles Smakwitz, Public Relations chairman — 200 theaters. DELAWARE— John Allen, Washington, and George Schwartz, Philadelphia, Dist. co. -chairmen; Earle W. Sweigert and A. Joseph De Fiore, Exhib. co-chairmen — 33 theaters. RHODE ISLAND— G. William Koran, Boston, Distr. chairman; Ed Fay, Exhib. chairman — 56 theatres. SAN FRANCISCO— Newton Jacobs, Distr. chairman; B. V. Sturdivant and Roy Cooper, Exhib. cochairmen; Fay Reeder, Public Relations chairman — 500 theaters. Edward Dowden, New York City public relations chairman of the Industry's Red Cross War Fund Week, has called a meeting of the publicity committee for 2 p.m. today at the WAC. Harry Mandel, national publicity co-chairman for the drive, will outline the National Committee's plans. Instructional Films Formed by Nathanson (Continued from Page 1) as well as distribution of product from the States and England. The project appears to be another outcome of the alliance with J. Arthur Rank of London. Managerial head of the new company will be Frank O'Byrne who is resigning as Toronto manager of Associated Screen News, Ltd., to take over this important undertaking. De Luxe Labs. Will Pay $31,942 to 176 Workers De Luxe Labs has agreed to comply with the Federal wages and hours law by paying back wages and overtime of $31,942 to 176 employes. No court action was involved. Um BIRTIIDill HREETINGS TO.. February 26 James A. FitzPatr'ck Walter (Dub) Taylor E. ]. Mannix Robert Alda "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury M-G-M llOMins. SILK-GLOVE HORROR STORY WITH iTRCNG APPEAL TO ADULT AUDIENCES RATES AS SWELL ENTERTAINMENT. Einergence of Oscar Wilde's best-known work is evidence of Hollywood's production iTiaturity. The way has been long and obstacle-studded, but courage of Producer I'andro S. Berman has prevailed. Film's most .mpressive attribute is its general appeal to ^nature audiences. To sophisticates it remains Wildean, preserving much of the flavor imparted by the author, and studded with his epigrams ipoken crisply and cleverly by George Sanders, as Lord Henry Wotton, rascal, cynic and questionable friend of Hurd Hatfield, who plays Dorian Gray. To another segment of theatregoers, Wilde's story of abnormal psychokgy will appear dommantly as fantasy, which was ine device used to recount*the sordid happenings in Gray's perpetually young lite, during which span he himself does not age but rather the oil painting of him. Yet another division of screen patrcns will regard the Berman opus as a murder thriller, spiked with tragic romance and mysticism. Thus "The Picture of Dorian Gray" has over-all lure, and is consequently rugged box-office stuff. Cast has been ingeniously chosen, and there are few contemporary films equal to (t in photography and settings, the latter carrying all the tinsel splendor of the Vicrorian Age. Albert Lewin's direction is of jiigh merit, as is the screenplay which he wrote. Hatfield is convincing as Dorian Gray, possessing the bright and ethereal exterior necessary for the most effective' portrayal of his soul's incredible blackness. He causes Angela Lansbury's suicide, and death of her brother. He murders Lowell Gilmore and blackmails a chemist friend to dispose of the body. He causes the suicide of the chemist. Then he shamefully seeks wedlock with Gilmore's daughter. These are but a few of his evil deeds. At the finale, he takes his own life, which has bristled with excesses. It's a silk-glove horror story, — but, what counts, it is entertainment. CAST: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury, Peter Lawford, Lowell Gilmore, Richard Fraser, Douglas Walton, Morton Lowry, Miles Mander, Lydia B Ibrook, Mary roibes, Robert Greig, Moyna MacCill, Billy Bevan, Renie Carson, Lillian Bond, and Devi Dja and Her Balinese Dancers. CREDITS: Producer, Pandro S. Berman; Director, Albert Lewin; Screenplay, Albert Lewin; Author, Oscar Wilde; Musical Score, Herbert jlotharti; Cameraman, Harry Stradling; Recording Director, Douglas Shearer; Art Drection, Cedric Gibbons, Hans Peters; Set Decorations, Edwin B. Willis; Film Editor, Ferris Webster. DIRECTION, Expert. PHOTOGRAPHY, Aces. II /^ ■ Crime, Inc.' Zella Young to ITTC Zella G. Young has been named head of the educational production department of International Theatrical and Television Corp. Three series of educational films, totalling approximately 18 items, are scheduled for immediate production. with Leo Carrillo, Tom Neal and Martha Tilton (HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW) ,^RC Pictures 74 Mins. UNDERWORLD STORY STACKS UP AS AN ACCEPTABLE MELODRAMATIC ENlERTAINMENT FOR DUALS. Here is a gripping melodrama of under.vorld rackets, given added interest by the f^act that it is based on a book by Associate Producer Martin Mooney, who was J leading crime reporter in New York. Lew Landers did a good job of directing ind Leon Frcmkess functioned as producer. Story deals with a crime syndicate which ,ias Danny Morton, its chief underworld opponent, slain. One of his confidantes is i om Neal, a crime reporter, who, with the jid of the police and hidden motion picture equipment, expcses the leaders of the syndicate. Incidentally, Neal falls in love .vith Martha Tilton, a night-club singer, .vho is unaware of the fact that her brother, Morton, is a racketeer. CAST: Leo Carrillo, Tom Neal, Martha Tilton, ^ionel Atwill, Grant Mitchell, Sheldon Leonard, H-rry Shannon, Danny Morton, Virginia Vale, Jon Beddoc, George Meeker, Red Rogers, Ed C^onley, Jack Gordon, Monk Friedman. CREDITS: Producer, Leon Fromkess; Assoc ate Producer, Martin Mooney; Director, Lew i_anders; Author, Martin Mooney; Screenplay, .<ay Schrock; Cameraman, James Brown; Art D. rector, Paul Palmentola; Film Editor, Roy :.iv.ngston; Musical Score, Walter Greene; Songs, )ay Livingston, Ray Evans. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. July-Sept. N. Y. Para. Run Seen for "Blonde" The Broadway Paramount will play only six pictures between now and Labor Day, according to Robert M. Weitman, managing director, who returned Thursday from the Paramount studios where he saw forthcoming product. Next attraction, which opens Wednesday, will be "Bring On the Girls." This will be followed by "Practically ■/ours," "Salty O'Rourke," "A Medal for Benny," "Out of This World" and "Incendiary Blonde." The latter picture is scheduled tentatively to open July 4 and is expected to stay until early September. "Kitty" may be booked in prior to Fall although it is most likely that it will be a later attraction. The number of pictures to play the Paramount during 1945 will not exceed 13. Eleven attractions played the house last year. Pfc. Maurice Crew Slain Waterloo, la. — Word of death of Pfc. Maurice Crew, 32, formerly Waj^_ terloo city manager for Tri1^^ States Theater Corp., was re''~^ ceived la.te last week by his wife, Frances, at Waterloo. Crew was killed in action Feb. 5 in Germany. A son, Gary, 7, also survives. He resigned as city manager when entering the Army and previously had served as manager of Waterloo and Des Moines theaters. Hear Rank Plans Mexican Produclioil (Continued from Page 1) pressing the opinion that if !! desired to produce pix in the S ish language he would do g Spain, others pointed out that rington Gain and Sasha Galpe Rank execs, and "business en\ not only will visit Mexico she but will travel as well to ( Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and zil. To what extent the British ernment may be interested in Ri reported plans, it is impossibl say. However, it is pointed out that Rank's representatives coming over presumably at th( vitation of the Mexican Governr That, at least, is the persisteh port, and there has been no der It is known, however, that British are not exactly unawai the tremendous importance of A ican pix in building a market American products abroad. Br industrial exports in the pre-war iod to Latin-American coun have been extremely heavy, urally, during the war years have declined, with American porters benefiting. A steady flo Rank pix, whether produced in '. land or in Mexico, conceivably c greatly stimulate Latin-Amei interest in British wares, and help Britain regain its impoi trade position in South and Cei America. St. Louis Suit Dismissal Sought by Four Majors (Continued from Page 1) by the St. Louis Amusement Plaintiff is asking $285,000 t damages. In the same case, separate tions have been filed by the Ai ican Arbitration Association, al defendant, to dismiss the comp! as to movant, or in the alterna to grant the AAA a summary j ment. A similar separate mc was filed on behalf of Harold D. ner, a former clerk in the St. L tribunal. Watch U. A. releases bearing G.CF Presen\s