The Film Daily (1948)

2S ^^^ 44%U Street 13^^ Thursday, September 9, 1948 TV Net to Cover 60% Of Texas Population (Continued from Page 1) Texas Telenet System, Inc., proponent of the plan, with the list including Gov. Beauford Jester, Earl Slick of Slick Airways and such oil men as James P. Nash, Herman Heep and David Roche, and M. T. Stalter, official of American Airlines. As outlined in applications filed with the FCC in Washington, Texas Telenet would operate TV outlets in Austin, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. In the near future FCC will be asked to approve stations in Waco and Fort Worth, with the eventual plan being to blanket most of Texas via network affiliates to be sought in such spots as Dallas, Houston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Wichita Falls, Sherman, Bryan, San Marcos, New Braunfels and others. Nub of the plan, however, is provision for a company-owned microwave relay system, with links located between the metropolitan areas, permitting simultaneous transmission of video programs and putting the net in a position to make interesting offers for television program attractions. MGM Sets Heavy Schedule Of Technicolor Features (Continued from Page 1) starts. Increased color program followed the announcement by Technicolor that print capacity would be doubled by the end of the year. Now before the Technicolor cameras are "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "The Barkleys of Broadway" and "Little Women." Next to start will be "The Secret Garden," to be followed by "Annie Get Your Gun," "Greyfriars' Bobby," "Neptune's Daughter," "The Shop Around the Corner," and "It's a Date." Completed, but unreleased, are "The Three Musketeers," "Luxury Liner," "Hills of Home," "The Secret Land," "The Kissing Bandit," "Sun in the Morning," "Words and Music" and Argosy's "The Three Godfathers." Goldberg on AMPP Board West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Leo'n Goldberg, RKO studio manager, was elected to the AMPP board, replacing N. Peter Rathvon as the comipany's representative. CHARTERED THERAPEUTIC FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC., New York; capital, 100 no par shares; to produce films; by Mary Kishstein, Mary Clements, Abraham Nayowitz. DAYTON POPCAN, INC., Dayton, 0.; theater concessions; Nicliolas ichaefer, president; William M. Skirball, vice-president; Mike Spanagel, secretary, and Maurice White, treasurer. WALHALLA DRIVE-IN THEATER, Walhalla, 3. C; capital stock, $50,000; D. G. Norman, president. I Cr RCVKUIS OF THC RCUI FILmS ^ "Sealed Verdict" with Ray Miliand, Florence Marly. Paramount 83 Mins. STRAIGHT DRAMA REVOLVING AROUND NURNBURG V/AR CRIMES TRIALS OFFERS MILLAND, NEV^^ CZECH ACTRESS AND INTERESTING STORY BASIS AS BOX OFFICE LURES. Introducing a capable Czech actress — Florence Marly — to the U. S. audience, "Sealed Verdict" also has the name of Ray Miliand and an interesting story basis .to attract the paying customers. Miss Marly does not have much of a role. She emotes with restraint. This is a drama revolving around the war criminal trials in Nurnburg and it is apparent that the first intention of the story is to display the true administration of justice by Allied authorities. It is played out as straight drama pretty much unrelieved by the light touch except in the case of Broderick Crawford who makes like a wolf. In its serious intent the development of the narrative discloses unsavory characters, twisted mentalities, the workings of the black market and senses the presence of an underground element that would triumph over the embarrassment of the occupation authorities. There are contrasting segments dealing with the woman's viewpoint. This latter division of the film's structure should attract and gain the interest of the distaff side. Miliand obtains the conviction of a Nazi general who committed atrocities on civilian populations. The man is sentenced to hang and while he awaits his doom Milland's querulous mind gives him an uneasy time for there are certain facts in the case that could bear further inquiry. After a good deal of torment and fact finding Miliand confronts the Nazi in his cell. Following what transpires Miliand justifies his action. More than mere friends with Miss Marly, Miliand decides to accompany her to Paris where she will stand trial as a collaborator. It is indicated she stands a good chance to get off easily when the truth is divulged. CAST: Ray Miliand, Florence Marly, Broderick Crawford, John Hoyt, John Ridgely, Ludwig Donath, Paul Lees, Olive Blekeney, Marcel Journet, Celia Lovsky, Norbert Schiller, Dan Tobin, James Bell, Elizabeth Risdon, Frank Conroy, Charles Evans. CREDITS: Producer, Robert Fellows; Director, Lewis Allen; Screenplay, Jonathan Latimer; Based on a novel by Lionel Shapiro; Music, Hugo Friedhofer; Photography, Leo Tover; Art, Hans Dreier, John Meehan; Sets, Sam Comer; Sound, Harry Lindgren, Gene Garvin. DIRECTION: Fair. PHOTOGRAPHY: Good. Dubbed "Carmen" Opening "Carmen," originally produced in Italy in French dialogue, has been dubbed into English and will be offered for the first time in this version at the Ambassador Theater tomorrow. Bernie Jacon, sales manager of Superfilm, set the deal with Siritzky Int'l, operators of the Ambassador. RKO Plans 6 "My Pals" Harry J. Michalson, RKO Radio short subjects sales manager, said yesterday there will be at least six in the "My Pal" series of two-reel dramas released during the current and 1948-49 season. This is based on the fact that the first release has been booked by more than 8,000 theaters in the U. S. and Canada. "Behind Locked Doors" with Lucille Bremer and Richard Carlson E-L 61 Mins. ABOVE AVERAGE MELODRAMA PLUS PROVOCATIVE TITLE SHOULD PROVE TO BE EFFECTIVE AS EXPLOITATION DRAV/. Despite a slender story, the producers have managed to create an above-average exploitation melodrama with an able cast and Oscar Boetticher's careful direction. Reporter Lucille Bremer enlists the aid of Detective Richard Carlson to track down a corrupt judge wanted by the police. Working on the hunch that Judge Herbert Heyes is hiding out in a mental institution privately run by Dr. Tom Brown Henry, the private eye gains admittance by posing as Miss Bremer's manic depressive husband. In the course of his investigation the detective-inmate discovers that the M. D. is blackmailed into co-operating with the ex-judge. Carlson also finds out that the Doc's assistant is a sadist who helps to make the sanitarium totally unfit for its ostensible purpose. Even though the climax is a little too contrived, the natural suspense overcomes these considerations, and the film is brought to a satisfactory close. CAST: Lucille Bremer, Richard Carlson, Douglas Fowley, Ralf Harold, Tom Brown Henry, Herbert Heyes. CREDITS: Produced by Eugene Ling; Directed by Oscar Boetticher; Screenplay by Malvin Wald and Eugene Ling; Story by Malvin Wald; Production supervision, James T. Vaughn; Photography, Guy Roe; Assistant director, Emmett Emerson; Editor, Norman Colbert; Art director, Edward L. Ilou; Decorations, Armor Marlowe and Alexander Orenbach; Photographic effects, George Teague; Sound, Leon S. Becker and Robert PrTtchard. DIRECTION: Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY: Competent. Present Tele Band Good For Years. FCC Is Told (Continued from Page 1) in those frequencies, former FCC engineering chief, George P. Adair, told the Commission yesterday that there will be a service in the present commercial bands "for a long time to come." "Regardless of progress in the UHF band," Adair said in a report on the San Francisco findings, "investment in, the Very High Frequency (present commercial) band is already so great that there will be video in all, or at least a good percentage of, the VHF channels for a long time to come. Therefore it is unrealistic to talk of any immediate abandonment of Channels 2 to 13. On the other hand, it is just as unrealistic to cling blindly to the lower channels and do nothing toward a positive and concerted plan to develop the UHF bands at the earliest possible time." Beck Signed by FUm Rights Myer P. Beck has been signed to handle publicity and promotion on 10 features to be released by Film Rights International during the coming season, Irving Shapiro, FR general manager, announced. Beck will also handle publicity on the new Paris Theater, which opens Sept. 13 with FR's "Symphonic Pastorale." "The Secret Land" M-G-M (Technicolor) 71 Mins. HAS A GREAT DEAL OF MERIT AS AN INFORMATIVE, SERIOUS ACCOUNT OF A NAVY EXPEDITION TO THE ANTARCTIC. PACKS VIVD REALISM. SHOULD PLEASE A V/IDE AUDIENCE. ^^ . A documentary account of hight ^inture, excitement, danger, tragedy an(PJlientific purpose, not without its lighter aspects, is offered in this Technicolor account of the U. S. Navy's "Operation Highjump." That operation was performed a little over a year ago in the antarctic regions at the bottom of the world. It was a mapping, charting, geological and exploration mission which sought pertinent information concerning potential natural resources and the like. One of the accomplishments of the expedition, under Admiral Byrd, was the discovery of a number of lakes far in the interior which were free of snow, an unusual phenomena, considering the frigid climate. As an offering to the public, the film has a great deal of merit. It is entertaining, furnishes information and there are moments of peril caught with the realism of a camera in the same sense that newsreel shots show the real thing. There is no fakery here. It is an intelligently assembled document sure to please a wide audience. Narrating various aspects of the expedition on the soundtrack are Robert Montgomery, Robert Taylor — ex Navy officers, and Van Heflin, late of the Army Air Force. Footage was taken by cameramen of the various services. "The Secret Land" is scientific adventure with a full seagoing and airborne flavor. CREDITS: Producer, Orville O. Dull; Narrators, Robert Montgomery, Van Heflin, Robert Taylor; Commentary, Capt. Harvey S. Haislip; Comdr. William C. Park; Music score, Bronislau Kaper; Editor, Comdr. Frederick Y. Smith; Sound, Douglas Shearer. DIRECTION: Good. PHOTOGRAPHY: Fine. i Vl J Vaude Back in Fay's Providence, R. I. — -Fay's Theater on Friday will reinaugurate its vaudeville and pictures policy for the 32nd season, Edward F. Fay, treasurer of C & F Theaters, announced. "Paisan" to Embassy Pictures Boston — New England distribution rights to the Italian film, "Paisan" have been acquired by Embassy Pictures Corp. Set Kid Fishing Spot In Youth Month Move Springfield, III. — Lagoon at Bunn Park will be made into a fishing spot for (:hildren under a program sponsored by the Springfield Theater Association in connection with its Youth Month activities. Lagoon is being cleaned up to make it suitable for restocking with game fish, Charles Murray, Youth Month chairman, said, with the Illinois Conservation Dept. scheduled to remove the thousands of stunted sunfish and to stock the Lagoon with bass and blue gill fingerlings. Sponsors will seek legislation restricting the water to fishermen under 16 years of age.