Harrison's Reports (1955)

116 HARRISON'S REPORTS July 16, 1955 one that will assure them of a continuous flow of product. It is unfortunate that the RKO drive is being launched at a time when the air is full of rumors that Howard Hughes is negotiating to sell the com' pany to General Teleradio, Inc., which owns radio and television stations nationally, and which is presumably interested in acquiring the company's vast backlog of pictures for showing on TV. Unlike past rumors about such a sale, the company has not issued a denial concerning the negotiations. If the exhibitors would be given definite assurances that no such sale is contemplated, they will in all probability feel more kindly toward full cooperation with the company in the forthcoming campaign. MYERS' STRONG PLEA FOR TREBLE DAMAGES Powerful opposition against a proposed bill that would allow the courts to grant less than treble damages in private antitrust suits was offered this week by Abram F. Myers, board chairman and general counsel of National Allied, who testified before a House Judiciary subcommittee. Mr. Myers' attack on the proposed bill centered on the following points: 1. It concerned motion picture exhibitors because they have suffered more from monopolistic practices than any other class of business men. 2. The major producers and distributors, who are supporting the bill, will be its chief beneficiaries. 3. The vast majority of anti-trust actions are civil proceedings, most of which are settled by consent decrees, with judicial discretion neither invoked or exercised. 4. Increased criminal penalties will have little effect since they are rarely invoked. 5 . Congress should investigate the manner in which present consent decrees are being enforced before considering legislation that would handicap the victims of monopolistic practices. 6. The consent decrees in the motion picture cases have not protected the independent exhibitors from th film companies' monopolistic power. 7. The claim that the present anti-trust laws lead to unwitting violations will not stand up under an analysis. 8. If not for the prospect of obtaining treble damages, few private anti-trust actions would be filed because of the difficulties and expense involved. 9. The Attorney General's Committee, which recommended discretionary damage awards, included four lawyers who had represented defendants in the Paramount Case and no one who had ever represented exhibitors. 10. Inserting the word "willful" in the Clayton Act to make only willful and not technical violators liable for treble damages will merely serve to becloud Sec. 4 of the Act. Expanding on the aforementioned points, Mr. Myers tore down the arguments of the opposition, not by exaggerted statements, but by facts, figures and logic, proving that passage of the bill is unnecessary. Mr. Myers deserves the thanks of all independent exhibitors for his efforts in their behalf. It is to be noted that the TOA, which is dominated by the large circuits, did not appear in opposition to the bill. "Female on the Beach" with Joan Crawford, Jeff Chandler and Jan Sterling {Univ. Int'l, September; time, 97 mm.) A fairly interesting though somewhat seamy mixture of sex, murder and suspense is offered in this melodrama, which centers around a lonely but wealthy widow who falls in love with an adventurer, despite her knowledge of his record as a parasite, and who becomes terrified in the belief that he planned to kill her as they prepare to go on a honeymoon. It is not a pleasant entertainment, and the characters, including Joan Crawford, as the wordly-wise widow, and Jeff Chandler, as the unprincipled adventurer, are not worthy types; no sympathy is felt for them or for any of the other supporting characters. There is some mystery involving the murder of a wealthy spinster pursued by Chandler, and there is considerable tension and suspense in the closing reels, where Miss Crawford finds circumstantial evidence indicating that Chandler planned to liquidate her. The direction is competent and so is the acting. The photography is good, but much of it is in a low key: — Judith Evelyn, a wealthy spinster, crashes to her death from the balcony of a lavish beach house after a quarrel with Chandler, who lived next door with Cecil Kellaway and Natalie Shafer, a middle-aged couple. On the following morning, Joan Crawford, a wealthy widow and owner of the house, takes over the property for her own use, and Jan Sterling, her real estate agent, gives her a sketchy account of the tragedy. Charles Drake, a detective investigating the accident, hints to Joan that he suspects foul play. Shortly after Joan's arrival, Chandler makes a play for her. She resents his forwardness at first, but soon finds herself attracted to him and finally welcomes his advances. In the meantime it comes out that Chandler had been having an affair with Jan but that he now ignored her. One day Joan finds a diary that had been kept by Judith, and from it she learns that Chandler was a "protege" of Kellaway and Natalie, and that all three had been systematically cheating her out of large sums of money. This knowledge results in Joan having a bitter quarrel awith Chandler over his intentions toward her, but she melts when he takes her into his arms and assures her of his good faith. They get married and shortly after the ceremony an hysterical Jan warns Joan that she may meet the same fate as Judith. Joan attributes Jan's remarks to jealousy, but later, as she prepares to leave with Chandler on a honeymoon cruise, she comes across circumstantial evidence indicating that he planned to murder her. She becomes panic-stricken and telephones Drake for help. Chandler tries to quiet her, but she runs from him wildly and he barely manages to save her from falling to her death from the balcony. At this moment Drake comes upon the scene with Jan in tow, and reveals that she had confessed responsibility for Judith's murder and for the circumstantial evidence that had aroused Joan's fear of Chandler. It was produced by Albert Zugsmith, and directed by Joseph Pevney, from a screenplay by Robert Hill and Richard Alan Simmons, based on the play "The Beseiged Heart," by Mr. Hill. Adult fare.