Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

STODIO SIZE-yPS between his company and Pathe Pictures, Ltd., now awaiting ratification by both parties. The pact calls for formation of a British-American production company to produce four films annually, with a similar set-up in America. English company profits are to be split in pounds, while local profits will be divided m dollars. Money earned by the British products in this country will be dollar credits, and vice-versa. Monogram will handle both products' distribution in all countries except the United Kingdom, where Pathe will release, and will also permit its own exclusive franchise dealers to handle Pathe pictures if so desired. Under the pending deal, which Broidy cited as being equally advantageous to both organizations, Pathe will provide production facilities and space, which is now at a premium in England. STILL LIMITS RELEASES Despite the new deal. Monogram will limit its releases to 32 features during the coming year, plus six Allied Artist films. With the completion of Joe Yule-Rennie Riano feature, "Maggie and Jiggs in Society," only "Panhandle," with Rod Cameron, Cathy Downs and Anne Gwynne, remains on the boards. PARAMOUNT Production Upswing TI77ITH FOUR FILMS now shooting, and three set for starts " sometime this month. Paramount joins the accelerated production tendency now apparent throughout the majors. Some payroll chopping is still going on, however, with predictions of more to come. Five stars have been assembled for "The Sainted Sisters," to be produced by Richard Maibaum and directed by William D. Russell. Scheduled for the start within the next few days are Veronica Lake, Joan Caulfield, Barry Fitzgerald, Sterling Hayden and William Demarest. The Lake-Caulfleld parts originally were set for Betty Hutton and Diana Lynn, but former dropped out, and picture was recast, leaving latter out in cold. Miss Lynn thereupon agreed with studio to abrogate her contract, which had 18 months to go, and now will make only one picture a year for Paramount, with freelance privileges. Also set for starts are "A Connecticut Yankee," Bing Crosby starrer, and "Hazard," co-starring Paulette Goddard and MacDonald Carey. LANCASTER SIGNS LONG TERM PACT "The Sealed Verdict," in which Ray Milland stars and European actress Florence Marly makes her American debut, is scheduled for a Nov. 1 shooting, with Robert Fellows producing and Lewis Allen directing. A new long term agreement was signed last week between Hal Wallis Productions and Burt Lancaster under the terms of which the husky ex-GI will make the bulk of his pictures for the next seven years under the banner of the Wallis organization. The new contract supersedes the original deal signed last year after Wallis discovered Lancaster in a Broadway production and set him for a starring role in "Desert Fury." Provisions of the new agreement permit Lancaster some outside pictures including those the actor will produce himself and three commitments that remaiji with Mark Hellinger Productions. Lancaster's first assignment for Wallis under the new contract will be the lead in "Rope Of Sand," production of which is being planned for next year, probably in South Africa. REPUBLIC Increase Backlog W^ITH WINDUP of "End of the Rainbow" and "The Main Street Kid," this studio now has 15 pictures completed or awaiting release, with more than half slated for intensive exploitation cam paigns. Included among the top-rankers are the Feldman-Milestone production of John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony" and the Feldman-Welles production of "Macheth." Others designated as top-budget films include "The Fabulous Texan"; "Driftwood"; "The Flame"; two Roy Rogers-Tito Guizar falarrers in Trucolor, "On the Old Spanish Trail" and "The Gay Ranchero"; Ken Murray's novelty, "Bill and Coo," and the justfinished "End of the Rainbow." Now ready for release or in the process of being edited are "Slippy McGee"; two Allan "Rocky" Lane action westerns, "The Wild Frontier" and "Bandits of Dark Canyon"; a musical western in Trucolor, ' Under Colorado Skies," and a 12-episode serial, "GMen Never Forget." RKO Bright Outlook WriTH 13 DELUXE FEATURES set to be released nationally in the next six months, nine pictures now .shooting around a dozen marquee personalities, and an imposing group of films yet to be shot, RKO is quickly moving into top-ranking contention among majors. Set for release this month are "Magic Town," James StewartJane Wyman starrer, and Walt Disney's "Fun and Fancy Free." Samuel Goldwyn's "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" will be screened next month, while Eddie Cantor's "If You Knew Susie" will follow in December. Heaviest scheduling is set for January, when "Out of the Past," "So Well Remembered" and "Night Song" will be released. "The Fugitive" and Disney's "Bambi" are scheduled for February, with Goldwyn's "The Bishop's Wife" and "I Remember Mama" paired for March. The Fred MacMurray-Frank Sinatra starrer "The Miracle of the Bells" will be put out in April. NINE SHOOTING Nine films currently shooting include top names such as Gary Cooper and Ann Sheridan, "Good Sam"; Irene Dunne, "I Remember Mama"; George Raft and William Bendix, "Race Street"; Merle Oberon, "Berlin Express"; Loretta Young. "Rachel"; Dick Powell, "Stations West"; Rosalind Russell and British star Leo Genn, "The Velvet Touch"; Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas, "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," and being filmed in Mexico, William Lundigan, "Mystery in Mexico." Set to roll early next year is "Honored Glory," unusual episodic film shot in nine sequences. Picture will deal with lives of nine unidentified American soldiers brought home for burial, with one to be chosen as unknown soldier of World War II. Studio is re-scheduling all top talent, with plans for nine separate production units to film each sequence. SELZNICK Bogart Set for Hellinger Opener ■^I^ITH MARK HELLINGER PRODUCTIONS practically settled in their new offices (final move is to be accomplished by early next month), preparations are now underway for execution of new deal. Pact calls for release of six pictures during next two years through SRO, three of which will be Humphrey Bogart starrers, and at least one an Ernest Hemingway opus. Bogart, \iho owns stock in Hellinger's company, has been signed for the lead in film adaptation of best-seller "Knock On Any Door," by Willard Motley. With the exception of his one-picture-a-year deal at Warner Brothers, Bogart now is exclusively a Hellinger star. II FILM BULLETIN