Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

Thursday, January 4, 1945 Motion Picture daily 7 IA' Backs 'Dimes', RGVieW More Circuits hign Lining up with the rest of the industry, projectionists, stage hands and other theatrical unions under IATSE international president Richard W alsh, will cooperate in the March of Dimes drive. Walsh has informed Nicholas M. Schenck, national 'Dimes' chairman, that the IATSE will cooperate as in past years. Walsh is a member of the executive committee of the drive. Meanwhile, additional circuits have pledged for the 1945 March of Dimes, including Cooper Enterprises, Denver, 11 theatres; E. M. Loew, Boston, 35; J. J. Theatres Inc., New York, 15 ; Endicott Circuit, Brooklyn, eight ; Rugoff and Becker, New York, 13 ; Trans-Lux, five ; Wilbey-Kincey Theatres, Atlanta, 96 ; Evergreen Theatres, Portland, Ore., 12 ; Sterling Theatres, Seattle, 16. Other Circuits Also, Genesee Theatrical Enterprises, Batavia, N. Y., 17; PublixRichards-Nace, Inc., Phoenix, 27; Essaness Theatres, Chicago, 29; Gibraltar Enterprises, Denver, 30 ; A. B. McCollum's Theatres, Hoopston, 111., six ; Wehrenberg-Klaman Circuit St. Louis, 10 ; Maine and New Hampshire Theatre Corp., Boston, 25 ; Irving I. Green Theatres, Mass., four. Also, Phil Smith Circuit, Massachusetts, 3 ; Western Massachusetts Theatres Inc., Springfield, Mass., 18; Herman Rifkin Theatres, Holyoke, Mass., six; Don Jacocks Theatres, Quincy, Mass., six ; Interstate Theatre Corp., Boston, 23 ; H. J. Griffith Theatres Inc., Kansas City, 30 ; Dickinson Theatres Inc., Mission, Kan., 21 ; Fox Midwest Theatres, Kansas City, 115; Commonwealth Theatres, Kansas City, 46. Sinatra in 'Dimes' Drive Frank Sinatra has again been named chairman of the American Youth Division of the 1945 March of Dimes campaign by Basil O'Connor, president of the National Foundation for infantile paralysis. Six five-minute Sinatra recordings for the drive will be featured over radio hookups beginning Jan. 14. Riskin Back from European Survey (Continued from page 1) Information newsreel. it is understood. Also surveyed by Riskin, were distribution problems encountered in showing the 40 Hollywood films and OWI documentaries to aid the psychological warfare and U. S. information program in Europe. W hile in London, Riskin conferred with Reginald Armour, whose specific OW I film assignment will be announced shortly. Worst Blizzard in Theatres9 History (Continued from page 1) to hold over pictures they were showing when the storm hit. The Plymouth Theatre at Plymouth was among those thrown open to protect hundreds of people walking from stalled automobiles and buses. Many industries are threatened by a shortage of gas. Schools are closed. The Ohio River is expected to reach flood stage late this week. "Mr. Emmanuel" G. C. F.-Unitcd Artists) I VRTHUR RANK'S Two Cities production, "Mr. Emmanuel," first to •J • be released in this country under the new distribution deal with United Artists, is a film of distinction and an excellent asset in Rank's bid for American audiences. Based on the popular novel by Louis Golding, of several years back, it recounts the engrossing and dramatic story of an elderly Jew's dangerous pilgrimage to Berlin in 1938 to seek information about one of the victims of the then rampant Nazi political and racial persecutions. Felix Aylmer achieves a memorable performance in the title role which completely dominates the action since it is more a story of a man and his deeds than a melodramatic expose of Nazi excesses before the outbreak of World War II. He is ably supported by Greta Gynt and Walter Rilla, with producer William Sistrom supplying an attractive production. The unknown quantity is the possible box office returns of a film of this type at this time. Directed by Harold French, the film has a tendency to lag during the early sequences before Aylmer sets out voluntarily on his mission to Berlin to discover what has happened to the mother of a sensitive German refugee boy. Mr. Emmanuel is a forthright and simple-minded old codger, full of the milk of human kindness. His life has been devoted to the service of helping others, and, naively, he ventures forth into the lair of the dragon. As to be expected, his questioning about the whereabouts of a political victim of the diabolical Nazi methods of persecution, leads him into the hands of the Gestapo. It is only through the intercession of Miss Gynt as a cabaret singer and an old family friend, a Jew who has found favor with a high Nazi official, that Air. Emmanuel is saved from certain death as an infamous international spy. Released from prison, he makes a final stab at finding the mother of the refugee boy. Discovering that she is married to a Nazi officer and that she has renounced all ties with her past, including her son, he sadly returns to England with the news that the mother is dead. Gordon Wellesley collaborated with Golding on the screen play. In pruning some eight minutes off the original British-made footage of 100 minutes, there appear to be some minor flaws in continuity. As a credit to everyone connected with this production it can be said that there are no obvious differences in dialect which American audiences could find unsatisfactory. "Mr. Emmanuel" is certainly a film with which J. Arthur Rank's production organizations can elicit favorable reactions of American audiences. Running time, 92 minutes. "G."* Release date, Jan. 19. Milt Livingston *"G" denotes general classification. Balaban, Others Ask For Charity Group (Continued from page 1) to Walter Vincent, president, in New York. Vincent had sent letters to all board members requesting recommendations. The replies ask for the engagement of an expert in charity work to organize and set forth a plan. A plan which has been approved in principle by both Hoblitzelle and Vincent, is patterned after that of the Actor's Fund of America. Under this plan the Fund would have main offices in New York with secretaries and investigators for all applicants. A similar organization would be set up in every large city. Vincent declared yesterday that despite the size of the industry, and doubts expressed about the practical side of the plan, he personally felt it would work. He pointed out that each film company would appoint a representative in each territory7 which would keep expenses down. Decision of the board should be reached within a fortnight. Cohen a Colonel Lt. Col. Emanuel Cohen has been promoted to a full colonelcy in the U. S. Signal Corps. A former production executive, Cohen is executive producer of the Astoria, L. I., Signal Corps Photographic Center in charge of all production of training films, industrial incentive films, the Army-Navy 'Screen Magazine,' staff reports, combat bulletins, 'GI' pictures and others. 20th Appeals 'Band' Plagiarism Verdict St. Louis, Jan. 3.— 20th CenturyFox will appeal from the verdict granted Miss E. Marie Cooper by Federal Judge George H. Moore here, in which "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was found to be a plagiarism of Miss Cooper's unpublished novel, "Love Girl." The court has appointed a special master to determine compensation for Miss Moore, and has issued an injunction against the showing of the film which is said to have grossed $7,000,000. Previous court rulings here in similar cases have given the plaintiff approximately 20 per cent of the net profits. Pres. Camacho Lauds Disney's 'Caballeros' Mexico City. Jan. 3. — President Manuel Avila Camacho has sent congratulations to Max Gomez, local RKO manager, on Walt Disney's "The Three Caballeros," which the chief executive saw at a private screening. The premiere at the Cine Alameda here rolled up a record gross, 3.000 being turned away after the house had been sold out at a $2 top. Fine Arts Leased Boston". Jan. 3. — Jack Markle, formerly manager of the Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village theatres here, and Leonard Turtle, former manager of the Fenway, have leased the Fine Arts Theatre from George Kraska. and will continue its policy of showing foreign films. Short Subject Review "The Volunteer" (BMI-RKO) The British Ministry of Information offers a timely and informative subject cloaked in a tender story which should charm as well as inspire American audiences. In its two reels "The Volunteer" covers, quite compactly, life in the air arm of the British Navy, following Ralph Richardson, ex-matinee idol, and Pat McGrath, his valet, through their experiences as officer and enlisted man, respectively. Lending reality and excitement to the production are sequences which were shot on and from the British aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable while it was on active service. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger produced, with the cooperation of the Royal Navy ; RKO is releasing in the U. S. Running time, 2\y2 minutes. Fly Exonerated by FCC House Report Washington, Jan. 3.— The House committee which investigated the Federal Communications Commission, today filed its final report, the majority offering some defense of former chairman James L. Fly, but criticizing his activities in connection with station WFTL, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In a review of the sale, the committee expressed the opinion that there was "deception and double dealing on the part of persons negotiating in behalf of the purchaser," and commented that, while it does not charge Fly intentionally or knowingly participated in aiding fraudulent purposes, his activities and advice "tended to serve the purposes of those participating in the deception of the owner." The committee told the House that it found nothing basicallv wrong with the operations of the FCC. but recommended revision of the Communications Act to define more definitely the powers of the commission, and suggested also that Congress should determine whether or not newspapers are to be permitted to own broadcasting stations, rather than leave it to the commission. Minority reports filed by Representative Louis E. Aliller of Missouri and R. B. Wigglesworth of Massachusetts, were sharply critical of Fly's chairmanship. Senate Gets Porter's Name For FCC Post Washington, Jan. 3. — Paul A. Porter's name was submitted for the second time today to the Senate to be chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Porter's nomination originally was sent by President Roosevelt late last year shortly before the session ended, and was not acted upon. He was given a recess appointment the day after Congress adjourned. A native of Kentucky. Porter was formerly Columbia Broadcasting counsel, and more recently publicity director of the Democratic campaign. He would succeed James L. Fly.