The Independent Film Journal (1954)

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producer Blaustein Says: * i Writers Importance To Cannot Be Stressed Too By Richard Bernstein Film Much * i «: II ' L ■i Ik , ‘ . i I “Producing is tough,” said Executive Pro¬ ducer Julian Blaustein in his 20th Century'ox office, but a good writer can make a roducer’s job a whale of a lot easier. And is the collaborative spirit — the spirit that leally involves working closely with everyne on a picture — that brings stimulation fnd variety to a producer.” Blaustein is busy producing two films at pis time, “The Racer” and “Desiree.” “The ’acer,” from the novel by Hans Ruesch, is bout the Grand Prix race drivers in Europe, ■laustein recently returned from a survey dp to Europe to look over the race courses hd also the background sites for his film. He has camera crews at work shooting vvo racing classics, the famous Monte Carlo nd the well known Italian race, the Mille liglia, which translated means a 1,000-miler. The story deals with a man who is dediated to the job of race driving. Enacting ae role of the racer is Kirk Douglas. Gilbert Inland also has a pivotal role. Henry Hathway will direct abroad in Eastman color nd CinemaScope. While abroad on his survey trip, Blaustein Iso looked over sites for the filming of Desiree,” which was purchased by the studio rom the galley proofs, and is now a best feller in 17 languages. In this film, Blaustein has been lucky nough to gather the cast that he visualized v’hen he first read the story. Marlon Brando s Napoleon, Jean Simmons in the title role, Lidia el Rennie as Bernadotte and Merle )beron as Josephine. Blaustein is a producer who concentrates in pre-production. “You can’t make a good Picture without pre-production,” he ex¬ plained. “A producer must spend a lot of : dme on all phases of production. A producer ■ ffiould have a concept of a picture.” ; I Blaustein might be called a “writer’s prolucer,” because he understands writers and writing. This can probably be traced back o his days as a top story editor. Cast Like Stars , “The writer’s importance to a picture •annot be stressed enough. A proper writer nust be cast for a picture, just like the j asting of the star,” the producer pointed >ut. He has Charles Kaufman on “The lacers,” and Daniel Taradash, who scripted ‘From Here To Eternity,” on “Desiree.” Blaustein stated that a writer looks to a producer for opinions and editorial guidance. He explained that there must be an atmo¬ sphere of creative collaboration between these /Wo parties. Blaustein has a blueprint in his mind of just how he wants his film to be. He follows it as much as humanly possible. “My object¬ ive is to make successful pictures,” he said simply. To see how he has succeeded in his ob¬ jective, a look at his credits is enough. In 1949, he produced “Broken Arrow,” the next year he produced “Mr. 880.” Following this, he did “Half Angel,” which starred Loretta Young, “Take Care of My Little Girl,” “The Guy Who Came Back,” which JULIAN BLAUSTEIN starred Paul Douglas, and then, the science fiction film which drew so much acclaim, “The Day The Earth Stood Still.” He stated, “I know now that what Darryl Zanuck said is true: producing is a 24 hour job. The truth is, of course, I like it that way. After all, I asked for it.” Blaustein smiled and said, “You know, I would like to meet more exhibitors.” Then he said that he wished there was some way that he could do this. And you can bet that if someone else in Hollywood doesn’t come up with a way, that Producer Julian Blau¬ stein will figure out one himself. Metro Signs Weingarten Lapvrence Weingarten, M-G-M producer and member of the executive board signed a new long term contract with the com¬ pany. He has been a member of the execu¬ tive and production staff since 1927. The studio announced that Weingarten ’s next assignment will be “The Tender Trap,” based on the play of the same name, which was written by Robert Paul Smith and Max Shulman. Title Changes Masthead: “Murder Is My Busi¬ ness’’ is the new title for “The Long Chance.” (Stars Paul Langton and Barbara Payton; Aubrey Wisberg produced). Allied Artists: “The Human Jungle” is the new title for “The Police Story.” (Stars Gary Merrill and Jan Sterling; Joe Newman di¬ rected). Palo Alto Productions : ‘ ‘ Smashout” is the new title for “Crashout.” (Stars John Ireland; Roger Corman produced). THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— August 7, 1954 HOLLYWOOD... Rio.” The film will be shot in Munich. . . . Guy Madison gets a complete change of character in the melodrama, “Five Against The House,” for which he has been signed by producer Stirling Silliphant. Frank Tashlin has been signed to direct the film. The role is completely off-beat for Madison, who will play a Marine veteran who goes to college on the GI Bill and is forced into an attempted theft in Reno. Madision will start the film before he reports to 20th Century-Fox to start his new seven year contract. . . . Producer Frederick Brisson signed Robert Pirosh to direct the musical, “The Girl Rush,” which will star Rosalind Russell and will be lensed in VistaVision, for RKO release. The picture will go before the cameras on Sept. 20. * * * Patricia Mirage has been set for the role of a night club singer in Malvin Wald’s independent film package, “ Seven is for Sinners.” Wald will write and produce the film with Paul Landres inked to direct. . . . June Allyson was signed by U-I to co-star with Jose Ferrer in “The Shrike,” adapted from Joseph Kramm’s Pulitzer Prize win¬ ning play, which Aaron Rosenberg will pro¬ duce. Ferrer will direct as well as star in the film, which is being scripted by Ketti Frings. It will roll in September. . . . Anthony Quinn and Producer Joseph Shaftel have jmrchased the film rights to the novel, “The Miraculous Fish” by Martin Goldsmith and will go into production Jan. 1, 1955. The purchase represents the culmination of four years of negotiations on the part of the partners in the project. The picture will be filmed on location in La Paz, Baja California. Quinn has left Italy and is due in Hollywood this week. In Italy, Quinn starred in “Atilla the Hun.” He leaves Hollywood shortly to star in “The Number One,” which will be lensed in Mexico City, under the direction of Budd Boetticher. * * * Alan Young is being paged by Mitchell Gertz to star in “The Lion Tamer,” to be filmed independently in England. . . . Plans for filming “The Comedian” entirely in New York this fall were announced by in¬ dependent producer George Glass, who said that Hollywood television studios are so closely patterned after notion picture facili¬ ties as to make them impractical as the setting for the first big picture about backstage TV. The screen version of Ernest Lehman’s novel is scheduled to go before the cameras Nov. 1 and Glass already is negotiating to shoot “The Comedian” in VistaVision and color. . . . Producer Lindsley Parsons announced the purchase of “Desperate Women,” authored by James D. Horan and published by Putnam. The non-fiction book deals with the exploits of notorious and colorful women espionage agents active during the Civil War. Film has been scheduled to follow “Ketchikan,” on Parsons production schedule. * * * Elaine Edwards, currently being tested by U-I for a term contract, has been set as the femme fatale in “Dark Angel,” to roll in September for Enterprise Cinema Pro¬ ductions. Steve Rowland has been set as the second male lead in the film. . . . Ster¬ ling Hayden has been signed in “Ten Miles Up,” his second commitment on a partner¬ ship basis with Ivan Tors Films. 39