The Film Daily (1931)

THE mE NEWSPAPER )f FILM DOM ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME VOL. LV NO. 36 nov yccr, Thursday, fCBPLAcy 12, 1931 <S CENTS Raskob Warner Report Revived As Stock Spurts opposTairing industry ills tcTpublic Projectionists Hail Standard Print As Big Achievement Stringing -some thoughts together = By JACK ALICOATE = "CITY LIGHTS" premiere was not only the smartest gathering of the season, but the most efficiently conducted opening.... HO WARD DIETZ is responsible for this one; "I looked up and there was the gutter" YES, Mr. Zukor and Mr. Warner have made up and are as friendly as Mussolini and Butler ....Biggest THRILL of the season is the lion-killing scene in "Trader Horn" From observation we have come to the conclusion that the 1930 imarket made character men out of a lot of juveniles The PRIZE FIGHT scene in "City Lights" is a panic Warner Bros.' Hollywood may soon open as a legit house.... It's about time for TOM MIX to make a cinema comeback. .. .1931 Film Daily YEAR BOOK will be out next week .... Funny how many paying customers tell us their favorite screen dish is the NEWSREEL ....ELEVATOR CONVERSATION has it that the heads of two important outfits are on the way out.... One can catch some interesting foreign shorts at the little Arty houses And, BY THE WAY, the little Art Theater movement is again gaining ground.... Show us a medium that in one week can give us the laughs of "City Lights," the drama of "Cimarron" and the thrills of "Trader Horn" and we'll then admit that the SCREEN, as the greatest amusement force in the world, has a serious rival.... Guess we'll have to remember that 5-5-5 conference business as just another noble experiment ... .The production MENU from the West Coast kitchens for the next few months looks delightfully appetizing ....The only thing that is ever wrong with the picture business is PICTURES We have pencilled in our annual nervous breakdown for Feb. 18. We hear you calling, Miami. Projection Problems Are Discussed at Advisory Council Meeting Fixing of standards for release prints was the biggest problem solved in 1930 from the standpoint of projection, declared President Thad Barrows of the Projection Advisory Council at a luncheon yesterday at the Astor. More than 100 members and guests attended the affair. Mike Levee, executive manager of the Paramount West Coast studio, I Continued on papf 12) TECHNICOLORWJLL PUSH USE OP COLOR IN DRAMAS Special efforts to induce producers to use color in dramas and comedies, as well as in musical productions, are being made by Technicolor with the launching of production by RKO of the first comedy-drama in color, "Wailing At the Church." Dr. (Continued on page 12) Merger Chances Fade Chicago — Chances of an Allied-M.P.T.O.A. merger have practically faded, according to indications at the Allied conclave here. The subject received little attention, openly at least. NO DEAL SIGNED YET, SAYS GEORGE SKOURAS Despite an assortment of rumors floating around concerning future plans of Spyros and George Skouras, they have not closed any deal so far, George Skouras said yesterday. Re(Continued on page 12) Many Exhibs Feel Their Troubles Don't Interest Patrons Chicago ■ — Opposition to the proposed Allied plan of carrying its fight direct to the public is expected to develop in a big way if serious efforts are made to put the idea into effect, it is revealed in a canvass of exhibitor opinion. Many independents feel that the public has no interest in the internal troubles of the film industry, and that any attempt to enlist the sympathy of patrons could only prove a boomerang to business generally. It is also pointed out that the Allied, being itself a big organization, will have a difficul': time putting over the idea that it is an •'independent" fighting a "combine," particularly in view of the (Continued on Page 12) Sono Art Books "Reno" Into 40 Warner Houses Sono Art-World Wide has booked "Reno'' with Warner Bros, for 40 theaters in the Philadelphia territory. Allied Collects $100,000 At Meet; Additional Revenue from Industrials Chicago — Before the close of the Allied convention last night $100,000 was donated by members toward maintenance of the organization. Half of the money was paid in cash, and half in notes. One contribution (Continued on page 12) Wall St. Expects Raskob To Join Warner Board Soon Open B'way Warehouse For Import Film Storage Massce & Co. has opened a bonded warehouse at 1600 Broadway for the storage of imported film in bond without payment of duty, and also for the screening of pictures in bond under Customs supervision. The new facilities were found necessary liecause the Customs authorities have ruled that film is a hazardous commodity and must be removed from the docks in 24 hours after arrival. Reports of John J. Raskob's election to a place on the hoard of directors of Warner Bros, at an early date were revived in Wall St. yesterday, this time with greater creddence than in the past, following three days of unusual activity in Warner Bros, stock. Turnover in the stock has been unusually heavy for the last several days, with 119,000 shares changing hands on Monday, 67,900 on Tuesday, and 65,000 on Wednesday; all at rising prices, (Continued on page 12) M. P. ACADEMY TO TACKLE ONLY GENERAL PROBLEMS The Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences will tackle only non-competitive problems, declared Mike Levee, treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the society, at the Projection Advisory Council luncheon yesterday at the Hotel Astor, New (Continued on Page 12) Officers Re-Elected By Projection Council Officers of the Projection Advisor} Council, including President Thad Barrows, were re-elected at a meeting of the organization yesterday. They are: executive vice president. I'. A. McGuire; first vice-president, Sidney Burton; second vice-president, Lawrence Katz; counsel, Hirsh Stein; secretary, Laurence Jones; treasurer, Harry Rubin.