The Film Daily (1945)

Wednesday, July 11, 1945 '^te Seek Opinions on pisposal of Army PIx (Continued from Page 1) had taken no steps to work out procedure before publication of stories criticizing its previous policies. A ruling has been asked on whether the Signal Corps may permit the use of its negatives for printing films for educational exhibitors or other Government agencies. There is no authority for this in law, it was said yesterday, but the fact is that the practice is followed by other Government agencies, including the Navy and Army Air Forces. Copyright for Army Pix? The question has also been raised by the Signal Corps as to whether the Army should not be given copyright authority over its films, thereby enabling it to prevent improper usage of them. Only Government copyright now held, it was said, is that of the Postmaster General over stamps. Since it is now beginning to appear that much Army footage will be used in civilian showings after the war, it is thought that it might be desirable to provide a copyright as a matter of protection. A third point put before the top War Department policy makers by the Signal Corps is the question of distribution. The question raised here is whether the War Department should itself service the public in its desires for moving and still pix, or whether some other agency shall be set up to service the War and Navy Departments and other agencies. No Prints to Surplus Board This question is raised apart from the Army's announced intention of turning over usable surplus prints to the Surplus Property Board. Thus far no prints have been turned over to SPB, and it can not be said at this time how many will be turned over in the near future. Redeployment retraining has pushed up requirements for these prints, it was explained yesterday. These questions apart from the surplus prints are raised in an effort to make available other films of which there is no surplus. The question is whether the Army can permit prints to be made from its negatives, whether it should have copyright authority over the films and whether it should itself handle the physical job of providing copies. These questions apply also to still pictures. THEATER DEALS Gabriel Buys the Chandler Detroit — Thomas J. Gabriel, owner of the Club Stevadora, leading Detroit cabaret, has bought the Chandler Theater, East side house, from Mr. and Mrs. John F. Sieminski. REVIEWS OF SHORT SUBJECTS RKO "China Life-Line" (This is America) Commendable 16 Mins. The dramatic story of the struggle to supply the fuel for the war machine in China is told commendably in the latest of the series. The problems our Army engineers faced and how they overcame them in a display of American ingenuity are pictured excitingly and interestingly. The film is another testament to the miracles being performed by our uniformed engineers in the battle against the enemy. Audiences cannot but be impressed by the scenes showing the construction of the pipeline that has kept gasoline and oil flowing to the China-India-Burma theater of action. The picture contains many rousing moments and has been photographed most effectively. "The Jury Goes Round 'N Round" Columbia 18 Mins. Amusing Vera Vague wins her point in this two-reeler by getting the rest of the jury to change their verdict to "not guilty" in a murder case, after a series of silly situations — some of them funny. "Community Sing" (No. 9 — Series 9) Columbia 10 Mins. Singable Don Baker at the console with vocal assistance by The Song Spinners engage the audience with a good selection of tunes that include "There Goes That Song A-g-ain," "One Meat Ball," "I'm Confessin' That I Love You, " "I'm Making Believe," and "Meet Me In St. Louis." Charlotte Para, Party Honors Veteran Exhibs. Charlotte, N. C. — Exhibs. who have played Paramount pictures 30 years or more, were honored at a reception here in prelude to Para.'s "OneThird of a Century" celebration. Those attending the cocktail party at the Hotel Charlotte included Charles W. Picquet of Southern Pines and Pinehurst, oldest exhib. in this territory, and Mrs. Picquet; T. L. Little, Camden, S. C; and exhibitors from Charlotte including H. F. Kincey and Roy Smart, Wilby and Kincey Circuit; S. D. Trincher, Lengendre Circuit; Tom Little, B & L Enterprises; Mrs. Ernest G. Stellings, Everett Enterprises; Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Hearn, Exhibitors Service. In the Paramount touring group were Sonny Tufts, Hugh Owen, New York and Southern division manager; Allen Usher, Paramount Month co-captain, and John F. Kirby, of Atlanta, district manager. Harry H. Haas, branch manager, and the entire Charlotte sales staff attended. "Where's The Meat?" (March of Time) 20th-Fox 17 Mins. Vs. Black Market Should the Washington powers that be suddenly decide to eliminate price control on the sale of meat and replace it with a restrained rationing program, in an effort to kill the black market, this issue will serve as an explanation for the move and will offer an overall picture on today's meat distributions. Several of the scenes play up "black market" bribes and practices by retailers and consumers alike for insuring their supply. "Booby Socks" (Phantasy Cartoon) Columbia 7 Mins. Very Good Here is a black and white cartoon travesty on "the Voice" using a singing cat as the prototype of Frank Sinatra. All the young felines swoon as he passes them except one. He does his best to win her over until he discovers that it's a mechanical toy. "Kukunuts" (Fox & Crow Cartoon) Columbia 7 Mins. All Right Produced in Technicolor, this cartoon features the fox as a castaway on a desert island whose dreams of a dinner of crow after a diet of nothing but cocoanuts almost comes true. The crow makes his appearance but is to sly for the fox and gets away from the island in the nick of time. Allied Board, (IE To Huddle in Pills. (Continued from Page 1) decision on the parleys would depend largely on the transportation situation, in view of the ban on sleeping cars for civilian use on trips of under 450 miles. However, he said that most of the board members were within daylight ride distances to Pittsburgh, with the exception of Col. H. A. Cole of Dallas and Hugh Bruen of Whittier, Cal. Both the Allied directors and the members of the Conference believe a parley is necessary because of the opening of the New York equity suit trial scheduled to start on Oct. 8, in which they assert they have a vital interest. Compete for Kid Patronage Brockville, Ont. — ^Manager Leslie Mitchell of the Regent Theater, here, has organized a Children's Saturday Morning club for the presentation of special shows for juveniles, including stage features, to compete with the Odeon Movie Club for Young Canadians which was inaugurated in conjunction with the recent visit of J. Arthur Rank. The Regent is a unit of Famous Players and clubs are being formed in other houses of the circuit. Charter New Chi. Distrib. Springfield, 111. — A certificate of incorporation has been issued by the Secretary of State's office here to Allied Motion Pictures Corp., of Chicago, with 100 shares of $100 par value stock, to rent, lease, and distribute motion pictures. Incorporators are Otto R. Nemeth, Ellwood G. Peavey and Margery Nemeth. and Screen By JAKE RACHMAN (FILM DAILY YEAR BOOK, edited by Jack Alicoate, Twentyseventh annual edition.) This is one of the gospels, one of the ranking almanacs of the motion picture business and a movie editor could hardly get along without it, to say nothing of others more directly in the industry, its sidelines and off-shoots. There are records of every player, producer, director and company. There are results of polls showing performances of the movie critics and, presumably, by inference, of the general public. There isn't an address in the industry that you can't find and there is scarcely a fact of any consequence that isn't recorded in this voluminous work. Film Daily has been putting its book out for 27 years, and each edition has been getting better. In addition to its technical and general information, it is interesting to a layman as well as one more closely connected with the business. For example, you can find what fancy prices the companies paid for novels, what were the best pictures years ago, where a certain actor came from and what he has been doing. There is a record of tendencies in production and distribution. This year book has its finger on the pulse of the industry. Its value is great. Reprinted from the OMAHA SUNDAY WORLD-HERALD, July 1.