The Film Daily (1931)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought ^ The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Fourteen Years Old VOL. LV NO. 64 NEW yCCr, WEDNESDAY, HAKI 18, 1931 5 CENTS Marcus Answers Ex hibs on Pat he 20Film Contracts NATHANSON GOING BACK TO PARAMOUNT? Musicals With New Technique Coming, Says LeRoy The Mirror a column of comment UNFAIR COMPETITION from nontheatricals is the subject of an exhibitor protest to the Hays organization No question but theatrical operators -ought to be given the most adequate protection possible from accounts which fall under this classification. By comparison, revenue reaching distributor tills from nontheatrical houses is nil. Users of theatrical product are, generally speaking, rental-payers year after year. Non-theatrical competitors are like tent shows — here today and 1 Heaven knows where tomorrow. Regular operators conduct their business like any other legitimate commercial enterprises, paying rent and taxes. Their non-theatrical opposition, however, usually are exempt from these burdens. And yet, despite all these advantages which give them an unfair start over their competitors, they want to get the same break on releases as accounts which constitute the backbone of film biz income. No doubt but distributors will listen earnestly to the complaint. It's distinctively good business tactics to foster and protect the exhibs who make the industry's financial wheels go 'round. • TWENTY STATE censorship bills have been introduced this legislative season as compared with seven tzvo years ago .... Something important to think about. It indicates that somewhere in this gigantic piece of machinery known as the film industry there's something wrong to induce such an avalanche of injurious legislations. • WHETHER OR not pictures stimulate crime will be determined by a jail survey now in progress. .. .It ought to produce evidence of vast interest and illumination. Likely enough it will indicate that the movies are unjustly libeled when stigmatized as a crime prompter. Faster Tempo Favored by First National Director Return of musical films within six months, but with a new technique embracing a faster tempo and an interweaving of the music with the plot, is predicted by Mervyn LeRoy, First National director, now in New York on a visit. Progress is being made in the coast studios toward creating the kind of picture employing music (Continued on Pope 8) '8 BEING BOOSTED TO $1,000 A uniform initiation fee of $1 ,000 throughout the country will be placed in effect on May 1 by Cameramen's locals. This is a 100 per cent increase over the present initiation fee, which differs in various sections but averages about $500 for the country as a whole. A. & P. Tea Company Working on Movie Plans Plans of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. in connection with the use oi screen advertising are still in the formative state and probably will not be completed for another (Continued on Page 7) Expatriated Next Friday night, on the occasion of the 1,000th performance of the German screen operetta, "Zwei Herzen im 3/4 Takt" at the 55th St. Playhouse, the arty house will be rechristened the Europa. This is in keeping with its policy of showing foreign product. O'LEARY, MCALOON DIVIDE PATHE SALES TERRITORY E. J. O'Leary and J. E. McAloon have been named RKO Pathe general sales manager for eastern and western divisions, respectively, The Film Daily learns. Formal announcement and other changes in the field (Continued on Page 8) Speeding Up Report On Canadian Inquiry Toronto — Lawyers representing the government and counsel for the film interests attended a special sitting of the industry probe yesterday before Commissioner Peter White to sum up the evidence submitted. Commissioner White says he will speed up his report for the government while the details of the investigation are fresh in his mind. Exhib Contracts for 20 Films Not Assumed in RKO Pathe Buy WALTER J. RICH SUED OVER TALKER IDEA SALE White Plains, N. Y.— Suit has been filed in Supreme Court here by Mrs. Irene Weeks Jackson, widow of William B. Jackson, against Walter J. Rich, formerly of Vitaphone, asking (Continued on Page 8) Answering exhibitors at large who have voiced demands that RKO Pathe deliver all of the 20 features on the current program sold by Pathe before the merger with RKO, Lee Marcus is informing exhibitors that the contracts made by them with Pathe were not assumed by RKO except in the case of three pictures. This trio, bought outright as part of the deal with Pathe. includes "Sin Takes a Holiday," "The Painted (Continued on Pag* 8) Former Head of Canadian Famous Players May Resume Post Toronto — Reports current here say that N. L. Xathanson, who resigned as head of Famous Players Canadian in 1929 following a dispute with Paramount Pubiix, may return to His former executive post. Nathanson's strong "in" with Canadian officialdom would be especially beneficial to the circuit, which is the largest group of 1 1 ontinucd on Paije 8) FOX ABANDONS PLANS TOR PRODUCING ICest Coast Ihoeau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Plans of Fox to produce foreign talkers abroad have been abandoned, it is indicated in an announcement by John Stone, head of foreign production, stating thai all foreign pictures produced b\ Fox will be made at the company's studios in Beverly Hills. Stone recently went abroad to survey the production situation there, and upon his return he brought over 1(1 Spanish players an 1 a Spanish playwright, box plans t i make approximately in Spanish talkers during the coming year. Don Jose Mojica will be featured in three REVIVING "JAZZ SINGER" AS PASSOVERWEEK CARD A nation-wide revival of Al Jol son in "The Jazz Singer," the pic ture that catapulted the industry from silent to sound, is announced by Warner Bros, for the week of March 27, the release being timed to catch the Passover Week holiday crowds for whom this attraction has [ the strongest appeal. Passover Week ordinarily is one of the big business periods of the year for theaters, while Holy Week is one of the worst. This year the two weeks come at the same (Continued en Page 7)