The Film Daily (1947)

TrooucPci on 28 W. 44th St. 21st New York N. Y. Ul St. floor atimate In Character nternational in Scope ^dependent in Thought , The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Twenty -Eight Years Old -1FDAILY QL 91, NO. 25 NEW YORK. WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 1947 TEN CENTS .HURCHILL SUGGESTS U. S. flLffi IfllPORT CUT Doubt Decree's "Serious " Effect on Industry Editorial Combines , . . on the way out? = B7 CHESTER B. BAHN= 1ERMAN M. LEVY, MPTOA's general 1 counsel, in addressing the Washing ' convention of the Virginia MPTA this ek, has some interesting things to say ut the fate of buying combines — coratives, if you prefer — under the decree ded down by the Statutory Court in Government's so-called New York iry suit. Observing that industry attorneys "could ind much time discussing" whether or the Court's language could be used by *e future Federal district court as a cedent for outlawing indie combines, y observed. As a practical matter, however, disarding entirely the question of legality illegality of buying combines it appears me that they (meaning the indie comes) have lost their usefulness under the em of licensing promulgated by the irt." j'he MPTOA general counsel goes on to te two points why he believes this to +he case: 1, If the exhibitors in a particular com itive area decide to license their pic !;s on a non-bidding basis there is no In for negotiation . . . the picture has be offered by the distributor 'upon :orm terms' to all exhibitors for each involved, so that no buying agent can more than get the picture on the run question on terms no different from |e offered to anybody else. 2, If there is competitive bidding it ap■s that the buying agent has no func at all, since it is difficult to conceive jan exhibitor who is bidding competiiy, permitting any of his competitors to w what the terms of his bid are." erhaps not all identified with existing ns and booking combines will go along • Levy on that, but it is quite possible the thought has occurred elsewhere. . instance, there has been talk for some ! that a new cotOD was under serious ^deration in the Philadelphia territory, after a meeting of indie theater opers there during the past week, it was rated that the move was off. fiere could be other reasons, of course. E MPTOA legal light's contention, also voiced at the Washington parley, that aetitive bidding, under the decree, and Ihe light of the Court's memorandum, (Continued on Page 5) Standard & Poor's Sees Narrower Profit Margins As Production Costs Rise Despite higher distribution and selling costs resulting from the New York equity decree, the latter will have no "serious" effect on the film industry, according to the current analysis of film biz by Standard & Poor's. The survey, just released, does, however, take the position that film company earnings probably hit their peak last year, and says "indications are that profits will decline moder(Continued on Page 10) Seek to Prevent Over-Prod, Abroad Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — S tate Department and American film industry representatives are quietly but actively working to combat a trend towards over-production by native pix industries in many European countries, it was learned yesterday. Trade and Government sources (Continued on Page 8) FBI Accuses 'Scotty' Brown In 16mm. Copyright Case West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — The FBI's drive to stamp out unauthorized 16 mm. distribution is continuing on the West Coast, with the latest development the filing of a criminal copyright (Continued on Page 9) PASCAL TO FILM SHAW ON COAST Deal with Pickford-Cowan Calls for UA Distribution West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Gabriel Pascal will film future productions of George Bernard Shaw works here under the banner of Artists Alliance, Inc., the Mary Pickford-Lester Cowan independent company, for United Artists release. Pascal has full approval from G. B. S. with whom he consulted via the transoceanic telephone. Pascal has made three Shavian plays as films in Britain. First two Shaw plays to be filmed are "The Devil's Disciple" and "The Showing Up of Blanco Posnet." Stories have U. S. backgrounds. Future plans call for versions of "St. (Continued on Page 10) Complete Drafts of MPF Charter, By-laws After weeks of study and preparation, final drafts of the by-laws and certificate of incorporation of the Motion Picture Foundation have been made and sent to the steering committee by Barney Balaban, chairman, for approval. Committee members are: Samuel Pinanski, Tom J. Connors, Col. H. A. Cole, Karl Hoblitzelle, Ted Gamble, (Continued on Page 10) Propose Theaters as Schools Ind. ATO Suggests Plan in Towns, Nabes Reagan Promotes Six in Para. Distribution Staff Charles M. Reagan, veepee in charge of distribution, yesterday announced a new group of advancements in line with Paramount's policy of promoting from the ranks. John Bowles was made assistant to George A. Smith, Western divi( Continued on Page 5) Indianapolis, Ind. — To prevent the exploitation of the school film field by opportunists who, under the guise of presenting educational pix, actually propose to enter into competition with established theaters, the ATO of Indiana proposes that exhibs. in small towns and nabes "arrange with teachers for the use of their theaters one or two mornings a week." (A proposal for school-theater co( Continued on Page 8) British Production is Not Sufficient, Replies Dalton on Floor of Commons London (By Cable) — A cut in the importation of American films was suggested on the floor of Commons here yesterday by Winston Churchill, former British Premier and now leader of the Conservative opposition. "Is there any reason to suppose the British nation is not willing to submit to the curtailment of non-essentials, such as imported films, in order for the American loan to be spendable on essentials?" Churchill demanded of Hugh Dalton, Chancellor pf the Exchequer and former (Continued on Page 2) SMPE Assails FCC On Theatrical Tele Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The FCC's proposed re-allocation of television frequencies will stifle technological progress and deprive the American people of theater television, Paul J. Larsen, representing the SMPE, told the Commission yesterday. Attacking the intended assignment of the 1,000 to 13,000 frequency bands to non-Government fixed and (Continued on Page 5) Donald Nelson on MPEA Board; Re-elect Others Donald M. Nelson, president of SIMPP, has been elected director-atlarge of the Motion Picture Export Association following a recent stockholders meeting. Also re-elected directors were international distribu(Continued on Page 9) fnt'I Film Worhers Conference in Prague Prague (By Cable) — The International Film Workers Conference will be held here from July 25 to Aug. 1 and, as was the case last year, will be followed by the Czech Film festival. ■H