Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Thursday, March 4, 1937 Maxwell Seen In Open Fight With Ostrers (.Continued from page 1) it possible for the preference shareholders to get dividends, and thus obviate their having votes." He revealed the details of the Woolf arrangement, calling it a salvage operation, with General Film Distributors, the Woolf company, to pay £130,000 annually for G. B. distribution and lease of the printing plant, which is "rather less than yielding a profit at present." Pointing to the General Film Distributors' guarantee of £600,000 on the distribution of nine G. B. films, Maxwell said: "Unfortunately, that is £177,000 less than was estimated in the recent calculations." Asked if the directors who dissented from the plan consider that production could have been continue'd by G. B., Maxwell said: "Undoubtedly. The present administration failed, but that does not mean that there are no brains in Britain. Also skilled people could be obtained from the United States." Tells of U. S. Negotiations He revealed that 20th Century-Fox and M-G-M had asked 48 hours in which to make a proposal for assistance to G. B., but that the Ostrers refused. Past G. B. production costs were double those stated for the eight pictures included in the Woolf deal, Maxwell indicated, and added that distribution could have been continued for a year on G. B. pictures, and that supplies could have been obtained from outside. "My own company offered to supply 10 pictures a year free of risk," he stated. Another British producing company with important backing also offered product, but was refused after a week's delay, he said. The dissenting directors, he declared, represent 57 per cent of the ordinary capital, and the others less than one per cent. The deal means there will be no dividends in years, he said. Kane's Status Revealed The election to the directorate of Allan Messer was revealed yesterday as a move to balance the power in the board, since Messer is an Ostrer nominee, and Robert Kane, head of 20th Century-Fox production in England, was quietly elected to the board recently, without it being generally known. Kane was deputized to act for him by Sidney R. Kent, president of 20th Century-Fox. With reference to the United States, Maxwell said : "There are no contractual obligations, but merely a pious expression of the intention to send pictures for distribution. Most British production companies, including General Film Distributors, gave such assurances voluntarily months ago. Trade paper advertisements of G. B. and General Film Distributors announcing that the latter will collect and deliver all films for the former, are taken here as a move on the part of the Ostrers to rush matters, but the opinion here is that their position is desperate. MOTION PICTURE DAILYS HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "Call It a Day ( Warners) Hollywood, March 3. — Here is a smart adaptation of a smart stage play. Very humorous, it is brimful of those comedy elements which amuse all types of audiences. Telling a gay and airy story of the romantic adventures which befall a staid English family in the course of a day, the film is staged in a manner which makes all principals stars and offers each minor character the opportunity to participate in the joviality. A natural for word-of-mouth build-up, the picture has plenty of showmanship potentialities for some sparkling campaigns. In the spring, when fancies are said to turn to love, Ian Hunter, a dutiful husband, is hard put to escape the wiles of Marcia Ralston, an actress. Frieda Inescort, his wife, is pushed into a giddy affair with Roland Young by Alice Brady, who is having a hectic time giving him the cold shoulder. Olivia de Havilland, her elder daughter, is in the throes of an exotic love with Walter Wolfe King, an artist, but is stymied by him and Peggy Wood, his wife. Peter Willies, adolescent son yearning for Continental adventure, falls for Anita Louise, the charming next door neighbor. Bonita Granville, the child, worships any artistic muse whether it be high art or motion pictures. Their adventures are chock-full of entertainment quality that will make any audience feel good. When a change is sought in the affairs of the family, attention is centered on the antics of the three servants, Elsa Buchanan, Una O'Connor and Beryl Mercer, also on the household cat and the neighborhood dog. Being free from the British atmosphere which makes difficult the selling of an English story in this country, no one need worry that "Call It a Day" won't do good business here and meet with popularity among the American masses. Even those who deliberately avoid English pictures should go for this one. Casey Robinson's adaptation of the Dodie Smith play is continuously clever as it concentrates on the comedy elements. Archie Mayo directed skilfully, giving exhibitors and audiences worthy merchandise. Production Code Seal No. 2,872. Running time, 90 minutes. "G." "Nancy Steele Is Missing" {20th Century-Fox) Hollywood, March 3. — Because this covers a period of 20 years, its effectiveness is lessened and much power is lost. George Marshall, director, who undoubtedly was conscious of this problem, has saved much time by planting his action skilfully. Nevertheless, the general effect is the losing of sympathy for the characters who never seem to become living people. During the Wilson era, Victor McLaglen kidnaps the infant daughter of Walter Connolly, a munitions magnate. Before he can negotiate for a ransom, McLaglen is arrested for a felonious assault previously committed. The baby is left with a respectable couple while McLaglen is jailed in the same cell with Peter Lorre to whom, during the following 20 years of his incarceration, he gradually divulges the story of the kidnapping. Upon McLaglen's release, Connolly befriends him and June Lang, the daughter, who is now fully grown. Lorre arranges to collect a ransom while McLaglen battles with his conscience. When Lorre finally completes the deal, McLaglen, now fully repentant, tells Connolly the truth and returns to prison for life as Miss Lang goes back to her parents. The screenplay by Gene Fowler and Hal Long, from the story by Charles Francis Coe, concentrates on drama as the main theme, using a prison break as one means of inserting a punch. The well-chosen cast includes Robert Kent, Shirley Deane, Granville Bates and Jane Darwell in addition to the principals. The picture can best be sold as a kidnapping story different from others which preceded it. Production Code Seal No. 3,012. Running time, 85 minutes. "G." (Additional Reviews on Pages 22-23) "Maid of Salem," yesterday morning's opener at the Paramount, was previewed by wire from Hollywood on Jan. 22. "Fire Over England," previewed by wire on Jan. 11 from the coast, will open this morning at the Radio City Music Hall. "The Great O'Malley," opening tomorrow morning at the Strand, was reviewed from Hollywood by wire on Dec. 4. "Love is News," tonight's preview at the Roxy, was previewed from the coast on Feb. 16. "Outcast," now current at the Rialto, was reviewed on Jan. 28th by wire from the coast. Newsreels Prepared For Coronation Day London, March 3.— The British Office of Works has allocated key positions covering the entire line of march in the Coronation procession, for the accommodation of newsreel apparatus. If there is room all newsreels will have places for their cameras. If room is lacking in certain important positions, the footage obtained in those spots will be passed to all other companies. The actual ceremony in Westminster Abbey will be filmed by one or two cameras if permission is obtained, as is expected, but the footage will be available to all reels. Individual reels also will have their own private stations, using all available cameras. Pathe declares it will use 30. Arrangements have been made to deliver prints of the Coronation films by plane to 70 cities on the day of the ceremony. Already engaged for the flights are Captain Mollison, Scott Brook, Llewellyn Rose and Beryl Markham. The six star pilots will be competing for the Gold Cup on the fastest flight under sealed handicap. Mollison will participate unless he is signed for the delivery of the prints by plane from here to the United States for Movietone News. Seek "Cissy" Testimony A motion for examination before trial of Columbia Pictures and Harry Cohn, president, will be heard today before N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Charles B. McLaughlin, in connection with the suit brought by Jack Curtis and Charles Allen of Curtis and Allen against Fritz Kreisler and Charles Foley. Curtis and Allen are asking for brokers' commission amounting to $3,750, due them on the sale to Columbia Pictures of the film rights of the defendants' opera known as "Cissy," which were sold 'for $37,500. The action has been set for trial on March 19, 1937. Court Testimony Ordered N. Y. Supreme Court Judge Lloyd Church signed an order yesterday directing that testimony of Charles B. Mintz, George Stalling, Earl Hurd, Ted Fears, Bill Nolan and Jack King, who are now in Los Angeles, be taken before trial of the suit of Pedro Llanuza against Columbia Pictures, Winkler Film Corp., Charles B. Mintz, Walt Disney and United Artists. The plaintiff alleges that in 1931 he conceived the idea of characterizing screen personalities in animated shorts which he submitted to Columbia who agreed not to use the idea without paying him. The purpose of taking the testimony in Los Angeles is to prove that the idea was not an original one. Churchill on Coast Hollywood, March 3. — E. J. Churchill, head of Donahue & Coe, New York advertising agency which handles national copy for a number of United Artists producers, arrived from the east today. Delay Ohio ITO Meeting Columbus, March 3. — The meeting of the I. T. O. of Ohio, scheduled for Tuesday, to discuss bills pending in the legislature, has been postponed until next Tuesday.