Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1941)

riday, August 22, 1941 Motion Picture daily ii Crescent Agrees to Stipulation on Deal 6 (Continued from page 1) Atlanta, by Robert L. Wright of the Government staff. Two other defense witnesses today were Ben Kalmenson, Western and Southern division sales manager for Warners, and W. J. Kupper, 20th ntury-Fox Western division manr. Introduced by U. S. During Government prosecution, YV right had introduced the 20th Cenl tury-Fox memorandum, dated June 27, 1939, signed "Crescent Amusement ,| Co., by Tony Sudekum," and purport] ing to be in preparation for a deal sheet for three years' product, ending with the 1941-'42 season, for Crescent, Rockwood and Muscle Shoals Theatres. Wilson testified under questioning by W. H. Mitchell, attorney for Muscle Shoals, that the memorandum referred to three "wholly separate" deals, and that although Louis Rosenbaum, operator of Muscle Shoals, had been present along with Sudekum and Kermit C. Stengel, president of Rockwood, at the negotiations where the memorandum was prepared, Rosenbaum had left the group early and returned to Florence, Ala. Denies 3-Company Deal Wright introduced an inter-office letter of Wilson's, dated Sept. 5, 1939, in which he referred to "the franchise." Wright asked the witness if he referred to one deal for the three companies. Wilson answered with vehemence, "Positively not." Wright also read from a letter of Stengel to Wilson, dated May 30, 1940, in which Stengel wrote: "I also believe that because of present conditions two separate franchises should be executed." The stipulation followed other letters, introduced by Wright, in which Wilson purportedly referred to the deal as including both Crescent and Rockwood. Minn. Law Protects Exhibitor: Defense (Continued from page 1) sidering the petition for a temporary injunction to halt enforcement of the law. The briefs, about 60 pages long, discuss all points previously brought out. One section, however, prepared by State Senator E. J. Xeumeier, of Northwest Allied counsel, pointed to the Legislature's policy in protecting small business by giving it a right to operate at a profit. He pointed to the 1937 Fair Trade Practices Act and to the 1941 Trade Diversion Law which provides that no public employe may obtain merchandise through a purchasing agent at wholesale rates. He cited them as examples of the State's policy. In relation to the 20 per cent cancellation clause, he said that Minnesota film business constitutes only three per cent of the national total and that since independent exhibitors in Minnesota do only half the business in the State, 20 per cent of their portion of the business would amount to only 3/10 of 1 per cent of the national total, since affiliated circuit theatres in the State need not cancel. Review "Charlie Chan in Rio' (20th Century-Fox— 1941'42 Release) FOR his initial adventure in the detection of crime for the new show season, Charlie Chan, otherwise known as Sidney Toler, offers another of his highly engaging characterizations as the Chinese detective from Honolulu. This time Charlie finds himself in Rio de Janeiro, there to arrest a murderess. But before he can accomplish that routine task, he is plunged into the middle of a first class murder mystery, as his intended prisoner is murdered, then her butler when he is about to reveal too much about the murderer of the murderess. The eventual culprit is quite unsuspected until the final curtain, being well-screened in a fog of numerous almost too-obvious suspects with which the cast is spotted. The troupers in the cast, Toler, Harold Huber, as a Rio detective who proves a good foil for Chan ; Victor Jory, as a mystic ; and Kay Linaker, as the secretary of the murdered night club star, handle their jobs well. The others are chiefly ornamental, but serve their purpose. A bit of occasional comedy is supplied by the detective efforts of Sen Yung, as Chan's son, and his budding romance with Iris Wong, maid in the murdered woman's house. A Sol M. Wurtzel production, the film has been directed with skill and pace by Harry Lachman. The picture should do very well in the classification for which it is intended, and should be satisfying to the fans who follow the Chan adventures with interest. Running time. 60 minutes. "G."* Charles S. Aaronson *"G" denotes general classification. Western Mass. Sets Junior Price Scale Greenfield, Mass., Aug. 21. — Junior admission prices for youngsters from 12 to 17 years will be inaugurated shortly by Western Massachusetts Theatres, it was decided today at the final session of the circuit's three-day convention here. The plan was the day's main topic of discussion. It was stated that many youths over 12 years have been unable to afford adult prices to theatres and as a result have been going elsewhere for amusement. The assistance of civic organizations will be enlisted to put the plan over. The proposal met with enthusiastic response from the managers present. With Nathan E. Goldstein, president, in charge of the meeting, addresses were made by Harry Smith, division manager, who spoke on personnel problems, and W. G. Althaus, comptroller. The block-of-five selling method was further discussed. A feature of the convention was a preview of "Whistling in the Dark" at the Garden Theatre last night. Reading Trust Suit Hearing Set Sept. 8 (Continued from page 1) pel 20th Century-Fox to terminate a franchise with Schad's Astor Theatre for half of its product on the expiration last Spring of a Warner lease on the house. The contested half of the 20th Century-Fox product has since been allocated to the Ritz in Reading, operated by Wilmer & Vincent, the complaint alleges. The other half remains with the same circuit's Embassy. Triple damages of $750,000 and an injunction are asked. The Astor is operated as a first run in a pooling deal with Jay Emanuel's Park, but Emanuel is not a party to the action. Fishman to Take House New Haven, Aug. 21. — Fishman Theatres, local circuit, will take over operation of the Rivoli, West Haven, and the remaining one-year lease on the Cameo there, from Massachusetts Theatres. Fishman owns the Rivoli site and built the house in 1927, but sold to Ditmars Corp., and never operated the house itself. See Big Gain In Profits of F P Canadian (Continued from page 1) units and theatres in the smaller cities and towns. Earnings for the current quarter, which covers the normally slack season, have increased substantially in recent weeks, officials stated, and furnish definite evidence that the public has become reconciled to the 20 per cent increase in admission prices caused by the Dominion tax. A steady upward trend in attendance is being recorded, it was said. A general program to increase the popularity of FPC theatres throughout the Dominion is being pursued and, in line with this, EPC will have an exhibit at the Canadian National Exhibition this year for the first time. Further transfers of theatres away from the FPC fold to the Odeon circuit are not looked for, since the remainder of its operations are under either 10-year or three-year agreements, it was stated by officials. Additional acquisitions by FPC are expected. Balaban and Keough At FPC Board Meet Toronto, Aug. 21. — Barney Balaban, Paramount president, and Austin Keough, secretary and general counsel, were in Toronto today to attend a regular meeting of the board of directors of Famous Players Canadian Corp. Bitty ft* CONN BARTON: We've got some pretty big plans for your boy. Miss Mallory. The boss thinks he's got what it takes. | £k Mallory. I he boss thinks he s got what it takes. VVnSBl/ffGtf KID