Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, December 26, 1934 Allied Owners Taking Stand on Para. Plan {Continued from page 1) factions to make the decision on opposing the Paramount plan. A stand in opposition to the plan was urged by Archibald Palmer, attorney for Allied bondholders, at the hearing before Lewis on the grounds that it is detrimental to Allied in three respects. These, according to Palmer, are the general provisions for reorganization of Paramount Broadway, holding company for the Paramount Bldg. and theatre; the payment of $5,000,000 cash as part of the settlement of Paramount's $13,200,000 bank debt, and the makeup of the board of directors of the new Paramount company which, Palmer said, is dominated by banking interests and lacks necessary representation of men with industry experience Palmer declared that, regardless of the decision of Allied Owners' trustees on appearing in opposition to the Paramount plan, he, himself, would oppose it tomorrow as a representative of Allied bondholders. Allied filed a claim of $23,000,000 against Paramount in the reorganization proceedings for claims arising out of the construction of a number of theatres for Paramount. A settlement of the claim was agreed upon with the Allied trustees and incorporated in the Paramount reorganization plan. The settlement provides for the issuance to Allied of new Paramount securities for a claim of $5,000,000; the payment of $150,000 in cash ; purchase of the Alabama at Birmingham, Ala., and leasing of the Paramount theatres at Brooklvn, Fremont, O., and Glens Falls, N. Y. Report Richardson Quits as a Trustee (Continued from page 1) lix, effective Saturday. Richardson, out of town for the holidays, could not be reached for comment on the report. His name has been linked recently, however, in reorganization circles with a post on the directorate of the new company with possible later election as vice-president. His election to any post in the new company would necessarily require his prior resignation as trustee. Reorganization groups conferred on Monday on the selection of new members of the Paramount board and will reconvene today in the hope of agreeing on a minimum of three and a maximum of five new directors in advance of the Federal court hearing on the Paramount reorganization plan tomorrow. Para. Studio Lease Plan Before Joyce A proposal for leasing of the Astoria studio, laboratory and film depot to Paramount News for a term of years ending July 1, 1941, at an annual rental of $133,000 was submitted to Special Master John E. Joyce by counsel for the Paramount Publix trustees on Monday. The proposal includes a plan of reorganization for a $930,000 mortgage bond issue, defaulted a year ago by Seneca Holding Corp., Paramount subsidiary having title to the studio property. Also presented to Joyce on Monday was a proposal for acquisition of the assets of the bankrupt Tennessee Enterprises, Paramount subsidiary, by MOTION PICTURE DAILY* HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW 'Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (Paramount) Hollywood, Dec. 25. — Today, years after it was conceived for filming and after repeated wooings and shelvings, the Paramount Mountain labored in earnest and gave forth a production not only worthy of that studio, but of the industry itself. Here is flavorous, human entertainment gallantly and glamorously told, fashioned of British frontier courage and spanning the elements of laughter, spectacle, melodrama, beauty and tender heart interest. As replacements to the Bengal Lancers in India, assigned to Captain Garj' Cooper, come Franchot Tone, experienced lieutenant, and Richard Cromwell, fresh from Sandhurst, England's West Point. The situation of Cromwell as the son of Sir Guy Standing, colonel in command, but with no favors asked, flings Cooper, Tone and Cromwell together in a soldierly comaraderie, a relationship fraught with rare feeling and high comedy. Resentful of his father's sternness, Cromwell, after a period of drinking, at a reception to the Emir and Mahommed Khan, gets enmeshed with Tania, an informer, and is taken prisoner with Cooper and Tone disguised as merchants following into the jaws of Khyber. Held captive in a dungeon with the colonel's ammunition train hijacked and the native garrison ready to attack the oncoming lancers, Cooper, Tone and Cromwell perform feats of valor mounting in their sheer excitement and thrill to a magnificent emotional climax. Cooper has had few roles to equal this for sympathy and histrionic opportunity. Tone is versatile and combines acting prowess with virility. Cromwell maintains his footing in fast company. Sir Guy Standing is superb as the commanding colonel upholding the tradition of the service and great, too, is C. Aubrey Smith. An excellent cast supports, including Monte Blue. Kathleen Burke, Douglas Dumbrille, Lumsden Hare and others. Henry Hathaway's outstanding direction is evident all the way in the tempo of human moods and the handling of people. The photographv by Charles Lang is exceptionally fine. With Cooper's draw, the production's entertainment power and exploitation possibilities, it's a big attraction destined for big money in America, and in the British Empire it should be sensational. Production Code Seal, No. 474. Running time. 100 minutes. "G." the Tivoli, Chattanooga, another Paramount subsidiary. Both proposals were taken under advisement by Joyce who will make his recommendations on them to the Federal district court here later. M. P. Club Employes Get Christmas Bonus Employes of the M. P. Club were eiven an extra week's salary as a Christmas gift. There were 28 in all to benefit by the bonus. Parties were the order of the day Monday with many of the home offices closing about 4 o'clock. Paramount and First Division were not open, giving employes an extended weekend. About 90 attended the Gaumont British party at the home office, among those being Arthur Lee and George Weeks. Robert Wolff dined his personnel at the M. P. Club and A. H. Schwartz tendered a buffet lunch to Centurv Circuit workers at the Radio City offices. Columbia staged a party for its home office and exchange employes which lasted all afternoon. Flash Reviews The Gilded Lily — Entertaining and interesting from start to finish, this seems destined for certain popularity. . . _ Don Quixote — . . . attractive film fare These films t'<V. be reviewed in full later issue of Motion Picture Daily. Second U. A. Session In Chicago Saturday Second mid-season meeting of U. A. branch managers will be held in Chicago on Saturday with Al Lichtman and Harry Gold of the home office attending. At the first of three sessions, Lichtman and Gold spoke to eastern sales forces Saturday at the home office. A review of the first sixmonths' sales was made by both executives with reports on the 21 pictures scheduled this season indicating a good year. Various sales problems were also gone into. No discussion was held concerning next season's product. This is being left for the annual convention which will be held sometime in June. The third and last sales confab will be held in San Francisco on Jan. 5, with Lichtman and Paul Lazarus in attendance. Levine Takes Lease On Sennett Studios Hollywood, Dec. 25. — Nat Levine. president of Mascot Prod., has taken a long term lease on the entire Mack Sennett plant in North Hollywood and. beginning Jan. 10. he will remodel the buildings and add a sound stage. In commenting on the acquisition. Levine said he expected an unprecedented expansion of the industry during the next five years. Broadway Takes Up Over the Week-End (Continued from page 1) are headed toward normal and above average grosses again. Probably the best intake is the Astor with $8,300 in the till for the first four days of the second week of "Babes in Toyland." The Roxy with "Wednesday's Child" garnered $22.350 and the Paramount on the second week of "The President Vanishes" corraled $15,000. Second week of "Painted Veil" at the Capitol was weak at $20,0OC. "Babbitt" at the Palace grossed a meagre $6,500. The Rialto, with "The Gay Bride," took in $10,500, while the second week of "Hell in the Heavens" at the Mayfair tallied $8,300. At the Rivoli the second week of "The Private Life of Don Juan" hit $12,000. Referee Refuses to Act in Skouras Case (Continued from page 1) compel Nelson Cunliff, trustee for Skouras Brothers Enterprises, Inc., to intervene in a suit pending in the Circuit Court which seeks an accounting i from Warners. At the same time Referee Hope also denied a petition asking that Cunliff be directed to join in an effort to seek a Federal court injunction to stay the Circuit Court action. He stated that he doubted whether the latter request came within his jurisdiction. The petitioners explained that the Federal court injunction was sought to give Trustee Cunliff time to complete investigations now being made in New York in regard to the operations of Skouras Brothers Enterprises and affiliated concerns. FWC Sale Approved By Federal Court (Continued from page 1) Diego, who have anti-trust suits pending against F. W. C. The approval is legal confirmation of the plan worked out by Referee Earl E. Moss after many months of negotiations between creditors, trustees in bankruptcy, Fox and Chase bank officials. Attorneys for the protestants announced they would file an appeal in the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals within 10 days. National Theatres has agreed to take over all F. W. C. obligations, but the plaintiffs in the pending suit contend they are entitled to a bond guaranteeing payment in case they win a verdict. Say Ford Will Take Up Air Conditioning Rumors are current that Henry Ford will follow Walter P. Chrysler into the air conditioning field. General Motors, through its Frigidaire subsidiary ; Westinghouse and General Electric have been in it for some time. Chrysler has been expanding in the field lately through its control of Airtemp Control Corp. Entrance of Ford into this business probably would spur competition and result in a lowering of prices, it is held by observers of the situation.