Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE Friday, December 7, 1934 "f^-^^" ^ I/^V 19 T Here is what he thinks, the added significance about it all resting in the fact that others are of the same mind even if they haven't aired what their inner thoughts happen to be saying: "I don't know and I don't knowanyone who does. The code has increased the cost of production and I don't know whether or not we have gotten it back. "The code has had some good effects and some bad. I had been hopeful that it would quiet some of the kickers in the industry who wanted justice, but they apparently won't be because their idea of what justice ought to be is injustice." ▼ Officials of the code scheme would have you believe at one moment that industry is all wrong and that through the omniscience of a few G-men certain feats of sleight of hand would be passed over it and immediately it would become all right," Martin Quigley is on record as having stated. "The essence of the code scheme is an idea of dictatorship." While the idea of dictatorship is not very digestible food for the American businessman, in or out of motion pictures, it is not the idea of dictatorship or even the threatened actuality of a sole dictatorship in Washington which has given the greatest amount of trouble. It is rather the fact that something has gotten into the air about the National Capital which seems to cause government functionaries, of both greater and lesser importance ... to assume the mental posturings of a dictator in fact." And at another point : "The motion picture business will be what its own men and its own methods make it." Not yesterday or the day before was this commentary voiced, but a year ago — November 4, 1933, if you would be exact — in Motion Picture Herald, although the analy Canadians Protest Music Fee Scales Ottawa, Dec. 6. — A deputation of exhibitors and hotel owners waited upon C. H. Cahan, Secretary of State in the Dominion Federal Government at Ottawa this week, to petition for the appointment of a government commission to investigate fees claimed by the Performing Rights Society of Canada. The theatre men argued that the annual seat tax levied by the society is excessive and that the Canadian Government had the right under the statutes to order an inquiry into the various rates charged by the society. The hotels have been drawn into the situation because of the imposition of fees by the society for radio services for guests in the hostelries, the organization having claimed the right to collect such fees under a recent judgment handed down in England. Cahan asked for additional information from the theatre and hotel owners. from Warm Springs, Ga., and Washington any minute now. Hugh Walpole has arrived in town from the coast. He sails for England tonight on the Berengaria. Irving Samuels of the Automatic Devices Co. of Allentown, Pa., in and out in one day. Johnny Weissmuller and Lupe Velez left for the coast by train on Wednesday. Bert Sanford of Erpi is due back from a business trip to Boston on Saturday. Jules Levy returned from Philadelphia yesterday after a sleepless night. Saul E. Rogers will be in Boston on legal business until the week end. Al Lichtman leaves for Hollywood either Sunday or Monday. Harry Asher, Boston independent, is in town for a few days. Harry Brandt leaves for Florida Dec. 15 for a vacation. George Arliss will leave for the coast on Saturday. Al Friedlander is back from Detroit and Chicago. Felix F. Feist is due from Philadelphia today. Ben Amsterdam of Philadelphia is around. ceptionally Fine For Holiday Bookings C f\ RTOO MS Real Headline Attractions "THE BRAVE TIN SOLDIER" P" "THE LITTLE RED HEN" "PUSS IN BOOTS" "VALIANT TAILOR" "JACK FROST" Insiders' Outlook (Continued from page 2) ested: a steady flow of box-office attractions. . . .' T The drift is clear. Ed Kuykendall, Campi member, has said his piece and how it read left little doubt about his sentiments on the manner in which the clearance question has been kicked about. On the theory that the first anniversary of the code might move other Campi members into the beginning and the end of quotable material, this outlook inquired in several directions yesterday. Bob Cochrane was heading for the coast to talk to Carl Laemmle about production, the code and perhaps how it prevents Universal from assembling the sort of casts it would like to. He was in the mood for talking, train time being close at hand. . . . Purely Personal LOUIS KORN and Hattie Reinstein of the M-G-M home office, Joe Simon of Toronto, Dan Hassler, Atlanta; Foster Gauker, Indianapolis ; Thelma White, Oklahoma City, and Harold A. Weinberger, Washington, celebrate birthdays Monday. Buddy Cantor will interview Frankie Thomas, 12-year-old boy featured in "The First Legion," at Station WMCA tomorrow night at 6 :30 o'clock. Dana Burnet's novel, "The Shining Adventure," has been acquired by Fox as a vehicle for Shirley Temple. The author has been signed to do the adaptation. Erle Wright, publicity head of the Poli Circuit, left for New Haven last night after a few days in the city. E. Phillips Oppenheim's "The Great Impersonation" has been bought by Universal. Edmund Lowe and Jane Wyatt will have the chief roles. Dave Gould. Puerto Rico manager for M-G-M, has returned after an extended trip here for his health. Paul Lukas has been signed by M-G-M on a long-term deal. Charles Reisner has been resigned to direct. Anita Kurtin has been given an M-G-M pact and Cecile Murray has been signed by Hal Roach. Robert Ellis and Helen Logan have sold their original, "Happiness C. O. D., to Chesterfield. Clifton Webb doesn't report on the M-G-M lot under his one-picture contract until June. Booth Tarkin«ton's new story, "Rennie Peddigoe," has been acquired by M-G-M. Edward Childs Carpenter, playwright, has been signed by M-G-M. Hal Horxe attended his first Ampa meeting since his marriage. Herbert Gorman's "Suzy" has been purchased by M-G-M. ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, who has been with Universal for seven years, has joined Harry Brandt as an assistant to Joe Schwartz in the booking department. The Schwartzes are not related. Adolph Zukor, Sam Dembow, Howard Dietz, Mort Spring, Harry and William Brandt, Joe Hornstein, Nat Cohen, David Loew, John W. Alicoate, Louis Nizer and John and Charles Balaban glimpsed at the M. P. Club yesterday. Iris Barry, one of the founders of the London Film Society, will give the first of a series of lectures on "The Fdm in England" before the Film & Photo League, 31 East 21st St. Sunday night. Katharine Hepburn and Leland Heyward were glimpsed at the other night's performance of "The Children's Hour." La Hepburn crouched low in her seat to avoid stares. Frank Buck sails on the Berengaria tonight for London for preliminary work before starting for the jungles to make another picture. A. L. Alperson returned yesterday from Milwaukee after a short stay. He was in the Beer City several weeks ago. Solly Kjann has joined Artcraft, printers and lithographers for a number of independent companies around town. Sidney Skolsky, columnist on the Daily News, is mourning the death of his father, Louis. He was 80. Harry Shiffman will be tendered a birthday luncheon by his friends today at the Paramount Chop House. Ed Kuykendall leaves for Washington and points south and west on Friday, accompanied by his daughter. Sam Jacobsox leaves within the next few days for a boat trip to Havana and Jamaica for a vacation. Frank C. Walker is due back sis holds forth now, exactly as it did then. . . . T That which the code has done has been to provide a forum, backed vaguely and shadow-like by the prestige of the Federal Government, to hear the complaints of those who have them or think they have. A good thing this and a step in the right direction, to annex one of W'ill Hays' pet expressions. There have been some adjustments, it is true, especially in the flood of overbuying cases which has hit various code boards throughout the country. But the conclusion is nevertheless indisputable that the code, by and large, has so far failed of its purpose. Perhaps it has failed because the scope encompassed in that original purpose was too gargantuan, too Utopian and too allembracing. Men and tactics will not change because something called a code tells them to do so. If the license-revoking power of the instrument had been used just once, the lesson thus conveyed might have been convinc ing. It was not for whatever the reason and results, therefore, are what thev are. ... K A N N /. A. Curtis Goes West John A. Curtis, vice-president of First Division, has left for the coast. "JACK AND THE BEANSTALK" "ALADDIN AND WONDERFUL LAM "THE OUEEN OF HEARTS" "THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN" "DON OUIXOTE"