The Independent Film Journal (1954)

Subsidies Opposition Voiced By Johnston HOLLYWOOD ... on the wire RICHARD BERNSTEIN, Editor Hollywood Offices: 4225'/2 Lockwood Ave., Hollywood 29. Tel.: Norrtxandie 2-6494 Hollywood. — Opposition to subsidies to foreign film industries was voiced here by Eric A. Johnston, MPEA president, who spoke at a dinner for studio chiefs. He stated that the MPEA board shares his views and added that the group has “gotten rid of subsidies” in its agreements. The speaker explained that he believes “in freedom of opportunity for all of the mo¬ tion picture industry” and that “the world market is big enough for all of us.” He add¬ ed that subsidies are “bad in principle and in practice.” The Federal government is cur¬ rently studying a bonus clause inserted in the French pact signed by the MPEA. In other industry matters, Johnston point¬ ed out the need for raising the Production Code Administration service charge to meet rising overhead expenses. He advocated a sliding scale based on picture budgets for PCA inspection. He also recommended that the Code administrator, Joseph I. Breen, be given “emeritus” status and Geoffrey Shurloek be promoted to director. Johnston recommended additionally that the industry allocate money to abolish the $100,000 deficit facing the Academy of Mo¬ tion Picture Arts and Sciences as was done in former years. The speaker also suggested the combining of the shipping departments of distributors into a centralized system as an economy move. Research Carried Out He said that “considerable research has been carried out, aimed at consolidating ex¬ changes, to reduce the cost of physical han¬ dling of films.” The experiments, Johnston added, have been carried far enough so that all major companies are “interested in trying consoli¬ dation, but it has not yet been put into The MPAA head noted also that “tech¬ nological changes in production and exhibi¬ tion, large screens, stereophonic sound, have awakened greater interest in films . . . have increased the attraction and the box office value of films.” In production, the MPAA prexy stated that “great strides have been made ... in the past 18 months in reducing . . . costs, but the problem has by no means been eliminated.” Ida Schreiber, SCTOA exec scty, and Bob Hope on Para's "The Eddie Foy Story" set. Glenn Ford was signed by M-G-M for a second straight motion picture, to star in “The Blackboard Jungle,” based on the novel by Evans Hunter. Ford will play a young teacher whose first assignment puts him in the middle of a challenging fight against juvenile delinquency. Richard Brooks, who wrote the screen play, will di¬ rect with Pandro Berman producing. Ford will start the film immediately after he completes his role opposite Eleanor Parker in “Interrupted Melody.” * * * Josef Shaftel has signed David Brian to star with Marsha Hunt in his production, “No Place To Hide.” Brian will get a leave of absence from his filmed TV series, “Mr. District Attorney,” to take the role, leaving Oct. 25 for a Nov. 5 production start in Manila. Shaftel is producer-director on the film, a joint PhilippineAmerican venture. Daniel Milner is associate producer and supervising film editor. * * % Forrest Tucker has been signed by Nat Holt Productions to portray the principal heavy in “Seven Bad Man,” which Holt will put before the cameras next week. Tucker will co-star with Randolph Scott in this SuperScope-Teclinicolor film. He has just completed a starring role opposite Eva Bartok in Parliament Pictures’ ‘ ‘ Break in the Circle,” in London. Tim Whelan will direct the historical adventure story, which deals with America in the 1870’s. . . . Ter¬ ence Young will direct Warwick Produc¬ tions’ next feature, “Cockleshell Heroes,” to be photographed in CinemaScope and in Technicolor, in England and France. Irving Allen and A. R. Brocolli will produce. * * * Alexis Smith and Dean Jagger were signed by Republic for co-starring roles with Sterling Hayden in ‘ ‘The Admiral Hos¬ kins Story,” film biography of the famous “Peg-leg Admiral,” which is being directed by associate producer John H. Auer. The film is being made with the complete co¬ operation of the Navy and the approval of Admiral Hoskins. The screen play is by Allan Rivkin from a story by William Wister Haines. * * * Blake Edwards will direct “Exactly Like You,” the Frankie Laine starrer at Colum¬ bia, which rolls in December with Jonie Taps producing. Edwards also wrote the screen play for the feature. . . . Filmakers has upped its schedule for 1955 to seven films, president Collier Young announced. Young along with Irving Levin is working out the schedule. Company has two films which are awaiting distribution: “Mad At The World” and “Crashout.” . . . Clifton Webb will star with Robert Wagner in the film version of Samuel Shellabarger ’s novel, “Lord Vanity.” Charles Brackett will pro¬ duce the film, which Delmer Daves will di¬ rect. The same studio announced that Samuel G. Engel has drawn the production chore’s on “Sheriff of Fractured Jaw,” re¬ cently purchased story by Jacob Hay. * * * Barbara Stanwyck has been signed by U-I to star in “There’s Always Tomorrow,” which Ross Hunter will produce. The film will have a January starting date. . . . Rich¬ ard Boone will co-star with George Mont¬ gomery in “Robbers’ Roost,” based on the Zane Grey story, which Robert Goldstein and Robert Jacks will produce. The film will roll Oct. 27 for UA release. * * * Frank Rosenberg is preparing “Miracle in the Rain” at Warner Bros. He will pro¬ duce the film at that studio. . . . Starring Brain Donlevy with Margia Dean and Jack Warner, the science-fiction feature, “Shock,” has gone before the cameras in London. It is a Lippert Pictures-Exclusive Films co-production. Val Guest is directing from a Richard Landau screen play with Michael Carreras and Anthony Hinds pro¬ ducing. * * * Harold Chiles has been signed as casting director for the Nat Holt Production Com¬ pany at RKO Studios. . . .Rhonda Fleming will co-star with Jack Palance in U-I’s “Kiss of Fire,” which Sam Marx will pro¬ duce and Joe Newman will direct. Film rolls Oct. 22. . . . Arnold Laven will direct “Trouble in the Streets,” which Lewis J. Rachmil will produce at Columbia. Film rolls Nov. 15. * * * Edmund Grainger, who has formed Ed¬ mund Grainger Productions Inc., is prepar¬ ing as his next film, ‘ ‘Oh, Promised Land,’ ’ based on the James Street best seller. He is negotiating with Alan Ladd to play the lead in the film and Richard Maibaum is now completing the screen play of the novel. Filming will be done in the actual locale of the story including Georgia, Tennessee, Ken¬ tucky and California. Grainger’s official entry date into independent production on a major scale will be Jan. 1, 1955. He is now conferring with J. R. Grainger, presi¬ dent of RKO and C. J. Tevlin, vice-presi¬ dent of studio operations, for both produc¬ tion and distribution facilities for his forth¬ coming product. * * ¥ Anne Baxter will play the lead in “Tacy Cromwell” at U-I. The film will be adapted from the best-selling novel by Conrad Richter and will go before the cameras in November. Ross Hunter will produce. . . . Dana Andrews has started his indie produc¬ tion plans with “The Build-Up Boys,” by Jeremy Kirk. He will star in the indie fea¬ ture as well as produce. Andrews just com¬ pleted “Strange Lady in Town,” in which he co-stars with Greer Garson at Warners. * * # Republic announced that it will start prepping a feature titled “ Smokejumper,” a dramatic story of the men who are drop¬ ped via parachute into the flaming areas of our national forests. The film, which has al¬ ready gone into preparation, will be lensed in Trucolor. * * * Sam Nathanson former sales manager for Hal R. Makelim, has formed Gibraltar Mo¬ tion Picture Distributors Inc. with plans to acquire films for domestic distribution. Nathanson is preparing a brochure for THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— October 16, 1954 33