Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1940)

Alert, InteSUgei Tr V to the^ gtion Picture Industry MOTION Pf^f f?KE DAILY 3 L. 48. NO. 110 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1940 TEN CENTS Government Is Asked to Open British Studios Fight Brews on Bookings Of Closed Houses London, Dec. 4. — A group representing the employe organizations in the industry will appear before the British Board of Trade tomorrow with an appeal for Government action looking toward improvement of the production situation. The group will make a special plea for release of film studios which have been commandeered by the Government for war purposes, and release of technicians from war service. It is planned later to send a deputation to Ernest Bevin, Minister of Labor in the British Cabinet and one of the most powerful members of the Government. Such a move would be in line with complaints previously made to the Government by American companies here. Meanwhile, trade circles here anticipate an industry fight over the attitude of the Kinematograph Renters Society (distributors) concerning theatres closed by the war. The London and Home Counties Branch of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association will discuss the situation at the general council meeting this month at Llandudno, in Wales. The K.R.S. policy aims at the continuance of booking contracts pendingtheatre reopenings, with the distributor having the option of determining the films to be shown. The distributors today refused the request of the London C.E.A. branch that a representative group meet with the exhibitors to discuss the situation. Col. Quarter Profit Rises to $153,878 Columbia yesterday reported net profit of $153,878, after all charges and provision for Federal taxes, for the first quarter ended Sept. 28, of the company's fiscal year. The result compares with a loss of $104,751 for the corresponding period last year, after similar deductions. The company's working capital at the end of the quarter amounted to $11,196,979. Current assets were $13,082,811 and current liabilities $1,885,831. Study New Plan on Film News Program For South America An economical plan for radio broadcasts of film news in South America is being studied by foreign department publicity men of major companies, with a report on its cost and other practical angles scheduled to be submitted to the M.P.P.D.A. within the next few weeks. The plan, developed by Dave Blum, assistant to Arthur M. Loew, M-G-M' foreign department head, contemplates the recording of film programs here and in Hollywood, the discs to be shipped to the South American branches of the major companies for placement locally with broadcasting stations there. The plan was proposed as an alternative to use of NBC's South American short wave for film programs. Home office foreign departments, with the exception of RKO, regard the latter as a costly publicity method of doubtful value, due to the limited number of short wave receiving sets in South American territories and to generally poor' reception on the sets in use there. Because of this, they do not favor continued use of short wave. It is argued that Blum's transcription plan not only should be more economical than use of the short wave, but also should reach many more listeners in South America, with better reception on the local long waves. Major company heads still are considering use of the short wave as a phase of the interAmerican good-will program, however. COLUMBIA READY TO ATTACK DECREE Counsel Prepared to Challenge Its Legality At Court Hearing Today on U. S. Move To File Amended Bill of Complaint Columbia is prepared to open a direct attack on the legality of the consent decree at the hearing before Federal Judge Henry W. Goddard in U. S. District court here today on the Government's application for leave to file an amended complaint companies, it was learned yesterday. Arbitration To Be Simple Efforts to make arbitration under the decree as simplified and inexpensive for exhibitors as possible will be the, aim of the administrative committee of the American Arbitration Association, it was stated yesterday following the committee's first meeting. The meeting completed a simplified form of complaint which will be used to initiate arbitration proceedings and a cost form which sets forth the charges involved. Both were drafted with the consideration that no attorney is required by exhibitors desiring to bring an arbitration proceeding, it was said. Paul Felix Warburg, chairman of the administrative committee, presided. 'Awful Substitute for Art \ Says Beecham of Screen By PAT DONOVAN Montreal, Dec. 4. — Speaking at a meeting of the Canadian Club in the Windsor Hotel on Monday, Sir Thomas Beecham, composer and orchestra conductor, castigated t he American cinema — all cinema for that matter — terming it an "awful substitute for art." In his tirade against the film industry, Sir Thomas set forth that the good old British drama, as far as the British Dominions were concerned, was dead, damned and buried. Assuming that the majority of the population here cling to the traditions of the old countries, he asked them to consider the fact in the leading cities of Australia, New Zealand and Canada the theatre was not to be found. (.Continued on page 7) Film Executives to Attend Fund Dinner A number of industry executives are expected to attend the auction dinners for the War Relief Fund of the American Red Cross for aid to Great Britain, to be held A'londay and Tuesday evenings in the ball room of the Hotel Plaza. Dorothy Thompson will be among the speakers. Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach is chairman of the affair. In addition to Archbishop Francis J. Spellman, J. P. Morgan and others, among committee members are the following in the amusement industry: Major Edward Bowes, Frank Capra, Jean Hersholt, Floyd B. Odium, William S. Paley and Edwin L. Weisl. against the three non-consenting Counsel for Universal and United Artists yesterday filed a motion directing the Government to sever the three nonconsenting companies from the "Big Five," which are also named in the Government's proposed amended complaint, although the decree relieves them of the status of defendants. The motion was filed by Edward C. Raftery of O'Brien, Driscoll & Raftery, who represents Universal and United Artists jointly, and in this the strategy of these companies differs from that of Columbia in opposing the Government's move to bring a new action against the three non-consenting companies. Would Force New Complaint Should Raftery's motion succeed, it would force the Government to file a new complaint against the three nonconsenting companies. Lawyers interested in the case point out it would obviously be difficult for the Government to prove a conspiracy among the "Little Three" to monopolize the industry. Columbia, United Artists and Universal, meantime, have applied to Judge Goddard for an order staying prosecution of the Nashville, Buffalo and Oklahoma City anti-trust suits, pending the outcome of the New York (Continued on page 7) Complete Decree Reprints Available Revised reprints of the final text of the New York case consent decree, the rules of arbitration, the Government's statement of its position and the map of arbitration jurisdictional districts are available upon request, without charge. Address your request to Motion Picture Daily, Rockefeller Center, New York City.