Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1943)

Wednesday, June 30, 1943 Motion Picture Daily (.Continued from page 1) '"Build the Cruiser Los Angeles" at j the Hollywood Bowl program tomorrow night, the first after-dark event i since Pearl Harbor for which a capacity attendance is being permitted by i the Army. The Industry Service Bureau today I 'ekgated members of all studio pubV departments to serve on the L ^v^CH at the Bowl to expedite and facilitate complete coverage of the event by the press. • M-G-M has given Sinclair Lewis a writing contract and has assigned him "Storm in the West," a Western by Dore Schary, as his first writing stint directlv for the screen. Rodgers Sees Big 'Forward' Opening Chicago, June 29. — William F. Rodgers, Loew's vice-president, here for the two-day visit with Chicago exchange officials on his return from the Coast, says that the opening of "Best Foot Forward" in New York is reported ahead of "For Me and My jGal" or "Human Comedy." He said, "Over a period of years Kve have succeeded because of our customers and we want them to succeed with us. Anytime we unintentionally overcharge a customer we stand ready to be corrected immedii.-itely it is brought to our attention, without reference to the Home Office, .district managers or anyone other than those who made the contract." Publicists' Raise Goes to Arbitration Screen Publicist's Guild announced yesterday that the demand, in negotiation, for an over-all percentage salary increase for all of its members in New York would be referred to arbitration under the terms of the existing contracts with five major home offices and two circuits. The arbitration will be conducted <>n behalf of all companies, now negotiating with the Guild, except 'United Artists and 20th Century-Fox. 'neither of which has this arbitration 'clause, the others including Paramount, RKO Radio, RKO Theatres, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's Theatres, Universal. Attorneys Awarded $6,000 by U. S. Court Costs and disbursements totaling 6,000 were awarded by Federal j.Tudge Vincent L. Leibell yesterday in favor of attorneys for Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., Vitagraph, Inc., Frank Capra and Frank Capra Productions, Inc., and Jacob Wilk, as the result of the court's recent dismissal of a plagiarism action instituted byRobert Schurr, a school teacher, and Pat A. Leonard, stage manager, based on the film, "Meet John Doe." The complaint alleged that the defendants conspired to plagiarize a play, "The Stuffed Shirt," written by the plaintiffs prior to February, 1936. ;hut the court^ after trial, concluded that "Meet John Doe" was an original story and not based on plaintiffs' iplay. Reviews "Best Foot Forward" (M-G-M) Glendale, Cat., June 29 HP HEY took this one over the tracks from Hollywood into Glendale * as a surprise package for a Friday night audience at the Alexander. The vote, by count of eyes and ears, went solidly for "Best Foot Forward," including your traveling correspondent. The reasons : 1. — An ingratiating, if totally inconsequential, tale of a minor scale crisis at the Winsocki Military Academy. Lucille Ball, of Hollywood, played by an actress named Lucille Ball, replies to a fan note by personally delivering herself for the senior prom. It is her press agent's idea of reviving Hollywood's interest in a lapsed option by proving — with newspaper space — that Miss Ball is the dream girl of the Ameri can adolescent, or something resembling that. There are complications of course, and they threaten to bust Tommy Dix, cadet about to gradu ate, not to ignore the jam he rides into with his puppy-love girl, Virginia Weidler. Honor of the school is threatened. In short, Winsocki Junction has a time of it. Finally, to no one's surprise, all squares away 2. — A thoroughly pleasant and appealing set of refreshing youngsters who dance, sing and cavort with the joy of their tender years. The leadoffs, all out of the Broadway play, are Tommy, the moonstrucl cause of it all ; June Allyson, who sings and steps with expertness, and Nancy Walker, the down-to-earth comic with a decided future if Holly wood can finds parts that fit. Competent assistance comes from Gloria de Haven chiefly, Kenny Bowers and Jack Jordan. 3. — The statuesque and eye-filling Miss Ball who acquits herself very neatly in a role which makes no exacting demands. She sings "You're Lucky" appealingly, looks stunning throughout and suggests Technicolor engineers might well have been thinking of her when they put their process together. 4. — Very diverting musical numbers, highlighted, of course, by "Buckle Down, Winsocki," one of the best marching songs in many a moon, but aided by "Three Men on a Date," "The Three B's" and "Alive and Kicking" among others. 5. — Henry James and his orchestra. He and it got the big hand of the night. He gets the big hand from this corner for his version of "Flight of the Bumblebee." 6. — Frequent sprinklings of laughs. Approaching the panic side is the sequence which has most of the principals dodging in and out of closets. It's old and it's corny, but the answer is it's funny. 7. — Nice directorial going by Eddie Buzzell. Nice production overseeing by Arthur Freed. That's it. Running time, 95 minutes. "G."* Red Kann War Films Are Not Doing Well in U.K., David Rose Reports The Boy From Stalingrad" (Columbia) T N this war, as in great wars of the past, there are untold episodes of ' valor and courage that rarely come to light. "Boy from Stalingrad" tells one of these stories. The production, highlighted by a particular air of seriousness, depends almost entirely upon the performances of juveniles. The youngsters are neither cute nor pretty, nor do they attempt the usual juvenile scene-stealing. Their performances are all good and keep the film exciting and heartwarming, although the story is not always believable. In a small village, only recently destroyed and vacated by the Germans, Bobby Samarzich, Conrad Binyon, Mary Lou Harrington, and a talented tot, Donald Mayo, seek shelter and food. In their search, they encounter Scotty Beckett, who, like themselves, has been orphaned by the war, and Stephen Muller, an English lad. The youngsters find a good hiding place and set up house. In a series of daring encounters with German scouting parties, the boys capture guns, ammunition, a German medal and a guitar. Meanwhile, some Germans, camped nearby, suspect signs of life, after seeing smoke arising from the deserted village. Led by a Major, they investigate. The boys, through a clever ruse, capture the Major, but in turn are captured by a group of German soidiers. In a stirring chase, four of the youngsters are killed, with the remaining two marching on to Stalingrad to join the partisan bands against the enemy. The boys and Mary Lou Harrington are fine in their individual characterizations, with special mention to Claude Binyon and Bobby Samarzich as leader and musician of the group. John E. Wengraf, usually seen in the role of a spy or Nazi, is menacing as the Major, leading adult role. The film was capably directed by Sidney Salkow from an original by Robert Arden and Robert Leo Johnson. The production, in the able hands of Colbert Clark, was adapted by Ferdinand Reyher. Running time, 65 mins. "G."* V'G" denotes general classificatioi By FRED STENGEL Escapist films are doing big business in England. British audiences are definitely shying away from theatres showing war films due to the "license" taken with them by many Hollywood producers, and the fact that war is so close to home in that country, David Rose, Paramount managing director in Great Britain, so reported during an interview at the company's home office here yesterday. Rose arrived from England by Clipper over the weekend to report to company executives on business in Britain. He will return to London early in August ; meanwhile, he leaves for a visit on the Coast on Friday. During the last 60 days, Rose said, British business has fallen off. He attributes this to the large number of war films being featured and the fact that new taxes went into effect recently. Also, Britain has two hours of daylight saving time, now, causing many to stay home to tend their gardens or small farms, of which there are many. Paramount plans to start production in England in September on "Sign With Their Honor," with Paul Soskin in charge. "Hatter's Castle," from the book by A. J. Cronin, which the company made last year, has been released in England and • is getting good grosses, Rose said. This film has not been exported to the United States, as yet. "Admiral Creighton" awaits casting and studio space for production. The British unit is seeking Laurence Olivier for the lead. No Grading in England Britain has taken over most studios for storage space; other studios are being used, in the main, for productions of the J. Arthur Rank interests. As a result, Rose said, other companies have to make reservations for use of studio facilities many months in advance, which necessarily cuts down schedules. There has been no grading of films in England, and Paramount for the past six or eight months has been selling its larger budget films on a percentage basis, Rose said. He declared that the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association believed there was an agreement with the Kinematograph Renters Society as to this procedure, but to his knowledge there was no such agreement. Rose declared he could not see how a price ceiling could be placed on film rentals, since each picture presented its own particular rental problem, and pointed out that there was no price ceiling in England nor is there one planned. "Russian films are receiving only fair response at the boxoffice in England, but the people are readily in sympathy with Soviet tribulations in the present conflict," Rose said. The British Ministry of Information and Board of Trade are not subsidizing British distributors in their post-war plans to enter the world film market. Rose stated, though, that these agencies are cooperating on such plans. Paramount plans to release "For Whom the Bell Tolls" in England shortly after its release here, but no definite date has been set.