Harrison's Reports (1961)

4 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 7, 1961 "A French Mistress" (Continued from Page 3) her appointment. But before the boys, on strike, learn of this, they have already set fire to the gym. Parker finds that Agnes lied about her age, that she can't be his daughter, and the French mistress and Parker's son look forward to marriage. Produced by John Boulting and directed by Roy Boulting from a screenplay he co-authored with Jeffrey Dell. Not for young children. ACE PICTURE MAKING SEEN DELAYED FOUR MONTHS The escrow deadline for the money invested in the American Congress of Exhibitor's frinvproducing division, ACE Productions, has been extended from January 3 to May 3. However, the prospectus which is to be submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission will be ready before that latter date. More than $3 million has been deposited by the major circuits and more than 30 independent circuits. About 97 per cent of the subscribers have agreed to the extension and the remaining exhibitors are expected to approve. A steering committee has been appointed by ACE, in addition to two financial consultants, to supervise further financing steps for the production plan. The committee consists of E. D. Martin, Columbus, Ga.; Adolph Goldberg, Detroit; Mitchell Wolf son, Miami; Harry Arthur, Los Angeles and St. Louis; and Sum' ner Redstone, Boston. D. R. Buttrey of Nashville and Joseph Selder of New York will serve as consultants. While the minimum investment to be accepted has been $25,000, it is understood that the figure will be lowered later for smaller exhibitors who want to have a financial interest in the ACE project. Harrison's Reports is disappointed in the four' month delay. We had hoped ACE would have a picture in release by now. But if the extension, as reported, is necessary to enable the new exhibitor-fi' nanced company to move forward on a more solid footing, the move is a wise one. DORIS DAY IN 4 FOR COLUMBIA; 4 OTHER FILMS IN ARWIN DEAL Eight top-budgeted films, four of which will star Doris Day, are involved in a recent production deal between Arwin Productions (Martin Melcher-Dons Day independent company) and Columbia Pictures. Transaction is reported to be for $26 million. An announcement of forthcoming Doris Day pictures spells good news for exhibitors. BINDERS AVAILABLE Special binders which clamp copies of Harrison's Reports in place on the wide margin without making it necessary to punch holes in them, may be purchased by writing to the office of this paper at 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y. The cost to subscribers in the United States is $2.25. The cost to Canadian subscribers is $2.50 per binder, parcel post prepaid. The cost to all other for' eign subscribers is $2.00 per binder, plus postage. EXHIBITORS STUDY THE 1960 FAVORITES OF THE CRITICS (Continued from Front Page) dus," "Inherit the Wind," "Tunes of Glory" and "Psycho" each won a single vote. Other foreign pictures receiving votees were "The Virgin Spring," "Never on Sunday," "The Big Deal on Madonna Street," "Ikiru," and "Ballad of a Soldier." Highly significant in the voting by both the Na' tional Board's committee and the Gotham critics is the fact that the four prize-winning English-language and foreign films were all produced at rather modest costs, were black-and-white and of comparatively normal length in a year of three-hour roadshows. "The Apartment," "Sons and Lovers," and "Hiroshima, Mon Amour" all dealt frankly with sexual themes. The four were adult films. Among the American films cited in the various polls being conducted by various groups and trade paper, United Artists' "The Apartment" stands out as a picture which to date has proved to be a smashhit with the public as well as a favorite of the critics and reviewers. The multitude of polls should result in selling mil' lions of more tickets to several pictures that for one reason or other the public did not support in their initial time around, as well as to features which have just gone into release. Needless to say, many artistically excellent films do not have a plot with sufficient mass appeal to be commercial hits in every — or even most — general situations in the country. These productions, if their themes are not too sordid, do lend sorely needed prestige to the industry, however. Despite the polls — which can only help — it still remains the exhibitor's chore to book pictures which he believes will attract his patrons, whose likes and dislikes he make it his business to fathom. The small' town theatre owner realizes that many of his films will never win a prize from the critics — who usually are more sophisticated than the average movie-goer — that all they will do is please his patrons. If he sees a picture that suits his customers, and it has garnered a few citations which he can publicize, so much the better. BALTIMORE TAX HIKE KILLED Exhibitors in Baltimore last week appeared to have been successful in their fight against an increase in that city's amusement tax. Substantial industry opposition came as a result of a united battle against the levy by Maryland's theatre owners, with Maryland Theatre Owners Association, a TOA affiliate, working together with the Maryland Allied States unit in the drive. Here's a good instance of alert exhibitors using their combined strength to oppose a discriminating tax. YOU CAN'T RELY on somebody else's copy of Harrison's Reports to reach you as fast as your own. Why not subscribe today?