Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1941)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday. October 13, 1 AFL Delegates Lay Basis for Browne Ouster (Continued from page 1) council ticket this week on which Browne's name will not appear. Reduction of the council's membership by two, also eliminates the post formerly occupied by Thomas A. Rickert of the United Garment Workers, an A. F. L. second vicepresident, who died last July. The vote on the amendment was taken after the law committee, headed by Daniel J. Tobin, Teamsters' union president, recommended it on the basis of a report from the executive council. The official explanation of the move was that it was designed to simplify and expedite council proceedings since it had been difficult to obtain quorums of the council for meetings since its enlargement from eight to 15 members in 1934. It was learned that action on the move had been delayed by the convention in the hope that Browne would resign voluntarily, thus sparing the convention the embarrassment of ousting him while he is under fire in Federal court at New York. Reviews Brown-Bioff Trial Resumes Tomorrow The legal holiday today will prevent continuance of the trial of George E. Browne and William Bioff. The crossexamination of Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew's, Inc., is expected to be concluded shortly after the trial is resumed at 2 P.M. tomorrow. The Government is expected to continue with Loew executives to complete its version of the transactions with the IATSE union leaders. David Bernstein, treasurer for Loew's, is scheduled to follow Schenck and either Leopold Friedman or J. Robert Rubin is expected to follow Bernstein. Officers Nominated For Writers Guild (Continued from page 1 ) dorov, Marc Connelly, Myles Connolly, Olive Cooper, Philip Dunne, Francis Faragoh, Joseph Fields, Paul Franklin, Paul Gangelin, Oliver H. P. Garrett, James Gow, Don Hartman, Boris Ingester, Charles Kaufman, Harry Kurnitz, Leonard Lee, Robert Lees, Richard Macauley, Richard Maibaum, Brian Marlow, Mary McCall, Jr., Jane Murfin, George Oppenheimer, E. E. Paramore, Jr., Frank Partes, Nat Perrin, Maurice Rapf, Betty Reinhardt, Allen Rivkin, Stanley Roberts, Robert Rossen, Stanley Rubin, Dwight Taylor and Harry Tugend. "International Lady" (Edward Small-United Artists) LJ ERE is good, substantial motion picture fare of the kind that helped to build the screen's great following over the years. Edward Small has fashioned it from a fast-moving action-filled story, crammed it with adventure, suspense, excitement, and leavened it with romance and an occasional dash of humor. It is stirring entertainment of the kind that gave the name "motion" to pictures. If you have customers who will buy that type of entertainment, you have a fine box-office attraction in "International Lady." It is always on the move, from London in an air raid where government agents take shelter with an alluring spy, to Lisbon by plane where foreign agents congregate, to New York by clipper where the spy hunt reaches its climax. Always in the background are the deliveries of America's vital planes and supplies to England, while in the foreground are as clever and resourceful a band of spies as fiction or fact has devised, together with the equally resourceful, but cleverer, men who hunt them down. George Brent as the FBI man and Basil Rathbone as his friendlv Scotland Yard rival for the distinction of gathering in the ringleaders who have sabotaged American planes and tipped off the sailings of supply ships give smoothly engaging performances. Ilona Massey, as a concert artist and important cog in the spy ring, in other words, as the international lady, provides the romantic interest even when she is in the throes of being a most effective "menace," and does both with a fine talent for conviction and allurement. Lesser roles are faultlessly handled by George Zucco, Francis Pierlot, Martin Kosleck, Charles D. Brown. Marjorie Gateson and Frederic Worlock. Tim Whelan's direction extracts every opportunity for excitement and suspense from the screenplay. Running time, 100 minutes. "G."* Sherwin A. Kane Mexico Strike Settled; Meii Get 15% Rais R Jesse James at Bay" (Republic) AILROAD swindlers again meet their nemesis in the person of Jesse James, who in this particular incident in his career, encounters a poker-sharp double, and sings. The yarn is solidly constructed, capably handled by players and director, and further embellished by splendid photography and deft camera maneuvering. Western fans, critical or otherwise, should find the presentation wholly satisfactory. Roy Rogers apparently worked overtime in this, appearing in almost every scene as either friend "Jesse" or foe "Clint Burns," the gambler who exploits his resemblance to Jesse via the frame-up route. George "Gabby" Hayes, Gale Storm, Sally Payne, and a number of others participate. Joseph Kane was associate producer and director. Running time, 56 minutes. "G."* Eugene Arneel "G" denotes general classification. Ballet Caricatured In Alex Gard Book Alex Gard, in a new book, "Ballet Laughs," published by the Greystone Press, offers a series of caricatures of the people who make the ballet what it is in this country. Gard indicates what he calls "these grotesqueries" to the artists of the ballet, and Walter Terry, critic of the New York Herald Trib une, has provided an entertaining introduction. Upstate House Wins Clearance Reduction (Continued from page 1) Loew's, 20th Century-Fox and Warners' product. The complaint was dismissed as to Paramount and RKO when testimony showed that they did not sell to the plaintiff. To Intervene in Camden Complaint Philadelphia, Oct. 12. — Hearings on the clearance complaint of A. M. Ellis of the Parkside, Camden, N. J., were adjourned to Oct. 17 by Robert J. Callaghan, Jr., arbitrator, on Friday in order to permit former Judge Joseph Varballow to intervene in the proceedings for his Victoria Theatre, Camden. Ellis's second complaint, involving his Liberty Theatre, Camden, also is scheduled for hearing Oct. 17. The arbitrator took under advisement an application by Warners' Lyric, Camden, to intervene in the Parkside case. Ellis'? complaint asks a reduction of the Parkside's second run playing time from 21 to 14 days after first run in Camden. Union Payroll Factor at Hearing St. Louis, Oct. 12.— Union classification of theatres was injected into the hearing of Victor Thien's clearance complaint against Paramount and 20th Century-Fox here. Matt Schuler of Fanchon & Marco testified that the circuit's theatres have a larger payroll than the complainant's. The hearing was adjourned to Oct. 18. Oriental Hearing in Chicago Postponed Chicago, Oct. 12.— Hearing of the Oriental Theatre clearance complaint has been postponed to Oct. 20 by stipulation of the parties concerned. This is the third date set. (Continued from page 1) out the strike, since the distribu contended that to agree to the un: ization of those workers would] tantamount to surrendering contJJ their own business affairs. Film Service Resumed In refusing the demand, the tributors were prepared to cease b ness in Mexico indefinitely and stopped film deliveries to Mexi theatres on Oct. 5 after the requi 30-day contractual notice to their counts. American home office fort departments stopped film shipment: their Mexican branches early in strike. Both services were resur immediately, from New York and the theatres. Houses in Mexico ( have been forced to depend on fore and independent product for the [\ week, and, with grosses falling sharply, had petitioned the gove for authority to cut down house r sonnel, which brought new press to bear on the union. W. B. Buys Lawes Story Hollywood, Oct. 12.— Warners have announced the purchase of "My Life in Sing Sing," autobiography of former Warden Lewis E, Lawes. Columbia Endorsi Hudson Ad Propos (Continued from page 1) troit Theatres, described his plan "selling" the industry to the pul by means of advertising testimon: from representative public figures. ' Columbia sales head described the p as "a very constructive and wor while one" and said his company \ support it. The meeting, which closed yest day, was the second of three regio meetings being held this month. M tague said the meetings were fot necessary because of the release production this season of the greal number of top-bracket pictures in company's history. He described top-bracket picture as one costing minimum of $600,000, and said t whereas Columbia in the past relea^ an average of one such picture ev three months, its current seasc, schedule calls for the release of such production every two wei throughout the year. Speed Up Liquidation Montague said that because of tl the sales organization has encountei "bottlenecks" which obstruct or de liquidation of releases. The sales ganization, accordingly, is being geared to speed up picture liquidati he said. For the first time in years, the sa force was told, the company's pi duction schedule has been so comple ly planned in advance that titles a casts of all of the remaining pictui on this season's schedule can be gi\ to exhibitors now. In addition, said, the studio is geared to delh for release a picture every week To maintain the new tempo of i lease and liquidation of pictures, d trict managers meetings will be hi by the company at frequent interv: throughout the year.