Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

STODIO SIZE-yPS story Productions, is being offered to MGM as a possible story buy. Studio executives arc now reading the book with the idea of taking over the property for early production. No price deal has been revealed. Greer Garson .happier now that her new contract is set, may be handed the old Garbo role in "The Painted Veil," a romantic piece of 1935 vintage. MONOGRAM Labor Problem Still Unsettled 'T'HE DIFFICULTIES which closed this shop a few weeks ago are as yet not cleared up although studio executives and workers are attempting to arrive at a reasonable settlement. The recent passage of the Taft-Hartley labor bill has thus far added only confusion to the already confused labor situation here in the industry. And small studios, like Monogram, are the ones which suffer the most. Despite an absolute standstill in production at the moment, President Broidy and his staff are busy with plans for future prodction which they hope will swing into action not later than September. Story properties and players are being lined up for the early Fall spurt which the studio heads hope will be possible. NASSOUR DEAL SIGNED Edward Nassour has signed a deal with Allied Artists (Monogram's associated unit) which calls for him to make four films in the next two years for AA release. The four films are tagged with a $5,000,000 budget. Nassour will also do several smaller budget films for Monogram release. One of the considerations in the deal was that Monogram and Allied will be able to use stage space and equipment at the Nassour studio. President Broidy has plans for construction of stages at Monogram but building prices have thus far been prohibitive. The use of the Nassour space will solve his problem until prices descend. First on the Nassour list is "Onward," a story described as a "Protestant 'Gtoing My Way.' " September is the starting date. KING BROS. BUY "TENDERFOOT" King Bros, have announced purchase of "The Tenderfoot," original screenplay by Richard Sale and Mary Loos, for production as a high-Jbudget Allied Artists film. Eddie Albert and Gale Storm have been signed for co-starring roles in the picture, romantic western scheduled to go before the cameras in early Sepsember. "The Tenderfoot" replaces "Gun Crazy" on the King Bros schedule, on account of current floods and unfavorable weather in Towa, where much of picture was to be filmed. Latter has been pushed back for later production. PARAMOUNT Paramount Bids Playwrights •J-HIS STUDIO has a slight edge in the current contest among the majors to nab off the newly formed Playwrights Company film unit. Reason for the high competition (Metro, U-I and others are bidding, too) is the valuable story merchandise this unit will have. Robert E. Sherwood, Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill and E mer Rice head this group of top playwrights who have decided to transfer their own wares (already established by Broadway success) to film. ^uJTT in swinging this arrangement, will be to product Thptf ^"'"^^"^ absolutely free reign with their own Sev nt/^vf ^"""^ ^^'il^ they admit tney need the experience and background and material that aTclTrdi^f;: r-^'^T ^'^^ ^"^^^^ '""^ PicfurTs'^m le madJ according to their plans without interference. Paramount, having recently taken over the Libetry Films set^r'oduce'rjTo" " *° '^'^ ^^''"P '^^ England ,this studio ha^ only two in work on the home lot. "My 21 A ^^^""'^'^ Calvert-Melvyn Douglas) and "Night funnin.^°T ^^^^^'^ ^ Robinson-Gail Russell) are running it alone this week. PRC Thomas Concentrates On Indies PRESIDENT HARRY THOMAS has started a concerted campaign to line up a group of independent P-'od^f/^ '"'"^ ^'^^ ture making through the PRC facilities. No '^•^P?,^ /f^' as to just who and what will comprise this group «ieah, are m work with several and studio spokesmen imply that this is me beginning of a new trend for PRC. Meanwhile, the studio is proceeding with its usual schedule of product including fourteen westerns and twenty features to go on the 1947-48 program. PRC-HARRIS BRODEB DEAL A deal whereby PRC will distribute 50 old Universal pictures for the Harris-Broder Pictures Corporation is set at this anting. The deal gives PRC the best of the old Universal films made during the 1933^3 period. The schedule is set for a ten-year period. The Harris-Broder outfit paid Universal a reported $3,000,000 plus percentages for the reissue rights to the product. Undoubtedly, the PRC arrangement will be on a percentage basis with the new organization. Harry Brandt, president of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, has signed a deal to produce four pictures for next year's release. Brandt is now in town arranging details for his opening shot in the producing field with a yarn called "Mystery." Matty Kemp put his first film into work this week on the PRC lot. Called "Linda Be Good," it carries a burlesque background with a youn.:? authoress intent upon research used as the device to take the picture into the backstage atmosphere. Elyse Knox, Marie Wilson and John Hubbard carry the leads. REPUBLIC Yates Controversy Settling ALTHOUGH no definite announcement has been made as yet, the flare-up a few weeks ago with Republic ranks that had President Yates rumored out of the top seat, seems to be subsiding. The Goetz faction, which was leading the revolt against Yates, seems to have lost some of its fighting strength and the situation appears to be settling with no great upheaval as implied earlier. The studio has set its production schedule for the next six months and sventeen features and one serial are due for making. More may be added later if needed. Frank Borzage has "Crosswinds" on the list. Alfred Santell has "Sea of Darkness" and "The Miracle of Charlie Dakin;" Allan Dwan has "End of the Rainbow." Three Roy Rogers starrers in Trucolor are included in the list. "MACBETIT' GOES OVER BUDGET When Orson Welles made his deal with Republic for the making of "Macbeth," one of the factors was that he would bring the picture in on a $700,000 budget. Such a trick seemed incredible then and is proving just that now. The studio has upped the budget to 900,000 at this p)oint with a prospect that it will go over the million mark before Welles is finished. With a 21-day schedule, Welles has been forced to go deep into overtime costs that run the budget up. RKO Studio Schedules 36 Minimum T^HE DORE SCHARY schedule of pictures reported in the planning a few weeks ago, is now set and the studio comes up with a list of a minimum of thirty-six features on its 1947-48 program. In announcing his studio's program, Schary emphasized the thinking behind the proposed schedule. He said, "We want our pictures to be and to reflect the kind of life we wish for. Stories of violence should be stories against violence." He came out strongly for "B" pictures which he suggests should be experiments in entertainment. Predominant in the schedule will be seventeen best sellers, four adapations of Broadway plays and 26 original stories. A good bulk of the product mW come from such independent units FILM BULLETIN