Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

MS DIGEST Just hclorp Wis .iiiiin) to IIk' I'ittshiirKli \v<irl<l premiere of "rii<'oii<|iiere<l," (eril It. De.Mille watches KustM'll llolinaii, I'liriiniimiit Kasterii orodtietioii lieinl turn i^ver tlie Buvel to iiieominiK president of raramiuint I'irtiires (liil), Monroe <iuolllllilll. Harold Sugarnian was appointed viee president in eliarge of export for llnited IVorld Films, IGmni subsidiary of Vniversal-International. exactly 20 years to the day since he entered the film industry. At the Kans-Mo. Tlieatre Ask'm lonvention in Kansas City, I. to r., David Palfreyman, JIPA exhib relations; John Wolfberg, president. Rocky Mountain Allied; l>eon J. Bamberger, RKO sales liromotion head; C. E. Cook, KMTA sec'y, and Homer ("trowig, Ass'ii i)resident. (Continued from Page SJ At the American Akm h iIiiiiji i lor I niled Nations repH are I>ouk Fairbanks, Jr.. presiding officer of AA; Admirul Henry K. Hewitt, and Myrna I-oy. New York City, Principal Films (12 features), Sherman Krellberg, and Astor Film Excnange (12 features), Moe Kerman & Joseph Felder. * * * MPA ACCEPTS AUSSIE 30% BLOCK Australia's demands, wliich would limit remittances foi' Amei ican lilms to not mere than 70'/f , with the remaining 30% to be expended in Australia, were accepted by the Motion Picture Association of America, Eiic Johnston, MPAA president, announced last week, thus permitting the continued flow of American films to Australia. The agreement, which would block 30 per cent of total earnings for a period of ten years, becomes effective as of Sept. 1, 1947 and runs to Dec. 31, 1948, at which time negotiations may be reopened, it was reported. The blocked funds can be expended in Australia in one of seven ways: (1) Local production of films; (2) payment of capital debts; (3) Capital expenditures on improvements; (4) Employees' pension fund; (5) Real estate inve.stment of a permanent nature relating to the business interests of a film company; (6) Government and industrial securities; (7) Loans on credits to theatre corporations. The position of independent producers on the deal, however, was not disclosed, although it is known that the latter are against withholding of funds generally. * • • CRIPPS APPOINTMENT COOLS HOPES FOR UK TAX CUT A plan whereby American companies would trade four U. S. films for each British production, with no dollars coming in from England, but revenue from the showing of the British films in the U. S. to go to the American companies, was advanced by Sir Stafford Cripps, new Minister of Economic Affairs, it was reported last week. The proposal was in line with Cripps' stand on reciprocal trade, and his now famous "no dollars, no films" position, and was made before a delegation from CEA, which reportedly did not look with great favor on the plan. Cripps' assignment to the newly created post by Prime Minister Attlee, which gives the former virtually full control of his nation's economy, was viewed as a blow to industry hopes that the 75 per cent tax would be adjusted to a point where it would be acceptable to American companies. He was reported to have turned down a compromise plan offered by CEA delegates for a 50 per cent freeze of remittances, with 25 per cent going back to the U. S. and the balance into British production. Another blow to American films was delivered in Denmark, where the Danish government, as the result of U. S. distributors' refusal to accept a government ruling limiting withdrawal of profits on U. S.-made pictures, banned American films from Danish theatres. MPEA based its refusal on the government attempt to "dictate prices" and establish maximum earnings. T * • WANGER JOINS E-L AS INDE UNIT Walter Wanger Pictures. Inc., joined Eagle-Lion Films as an independent prodi ction unit, it was announced last week by Robert R. Young, head of Pathe Industries, E-L parent company. The contract, in negotiation for several months, goes into effect on completion of "Joan of Lorraine," in which Wanger is associated with Ingrid Bergman and director Victor Fleming. Under the terms of the agreement, Wanger will acquire a substantial interest in Pathe Industries stock, and Pathe, in turn, receives a financial interest in Wanger Productions. E-L will also share with Wanger his contracts with several stars, including Joan Bennett, Susan Hayward, and others. Wanger will produce a minimum of four top-budget pictures annually for E-L, and will rem.ain as a separate production unit. Wanger and David Tannenbaum, v.p. of Walter Wanger Pictures, will join the Eagle-Lion Board of Directors. E-L sales chief A. W. Schwalberg earlier announced a line-up of 21 new films and six reissues for the 1947-48 season. Seventeen of the new films will be Hollywoodiiade and a minimum of four will come from J. Arthur Rank. The reissues will be Eaward Small productions. The 17 will represent a combined production cost of $23,000,000, Schwalberg said. Schwalberg also announced that a special promotion unit has been established to aid small exhibitors, with material and ideas geared to their specific needs. * * * MONOGRAM IN PROD-DIST PACT WITH BRITISH PATHE Monogram Pictures and the British Pathe Pictures, Ltd., have completed a reciprocal production-distribution deal in which both companies will make four pictures in Great Britain and four in the U. S., it was revealed by Steve Broidy upon his return last fortnight from a two-month European trip. The Monogram president was accompanied by Norton V. Ritchey, head of Monogram International. Production plans call for a joint British Pathe-Monogram company to make a maximum of four features in Britain, while a joint U. S. Monogram-Pathe company will make a maximum of four in Hollywood. In the distribution phase. Monogram will release tne product of both companies in all its exchanges, except in England, where Pathe will handle the British distribution. On a 50-50 basis, dollars earned by the Britist. made films in England will be added to the pound credit of the U. S. company. Thus, though the details were worked out before the British tax crisis developed, said Broidy, the deal provides a practical method of coping with the British situation and with the general dollar shortage affecting the rest of Europe. Original plans for this agreement were first discussed in April 1946. The deal is subject to approval by the boards of directors of both companies and also includes the possibility of production in other European countries, thus offering a "practical method of chewing up frozen money in all markets," Broidy stated. The two Monogram toppers also set a deal in Sweden for the distribution of ten (Continued on Page 26) It FILM BULLETIN