Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

Friday, January 31, 1947 Motion Picture Daily 9 McConnell Files for Buffalo Independent Buffalo, Jan. 30. — Thomas C. McConnell, Chicago attorney, today filed a $1,000,000 anti-trust suit here on behalf of the Rivoli Theatre, outlying house, and naming as defendants the distributors and the Shea Circuit. McConnell is the lawyer for the J(r Von Park Theatre, Chicago, which k year won $360,000 damages against distributors and the B. and K and Warner circuits in Chicago as a result of a Supreme Court decision, McConnell is also the author of the new clearance set-up for Chicago which, to date, has been upheld by Judge Michael L. Igoe, and is cur rently being appealed by the defendants in the U. S. District Court of Appeals in Chicago. Details of the anti-trust suit which McConnell filed here, in the District Court for the Western District of New York are exactly the same as those previously outlined. Since that time the New York consent decree decision has been handed down and McConnell says that the decree "helps me very much." He said, "The New York decree outlaws the very thing which we are fighting against in Buffalo." Explains Ownership He explained that the Shea circuit is owned one-third by Loew's, onethird by Paramount, and one-third by local Buffalo stockholders. He added that the New York decree forbids Paramount or Loew's and others from increasing their theatre holdings. In the suit, McConnell, in asking for $1,000,000, bases damages allegedly sustained for the past six years. The Rivoli is owned by the Rivoli Operating Co. with Stanley Kozanowski, one of the principal owners. The Shea circuit operates four downtown and five outlying houses in Buffalo. According to McConnell, the Rivoli at one time enjoyed a clearance position 30 days after the conclusion of downtown Buffalo runs. McConnell said that the Shea Circuit bought the Roosevelt Theatre, a competing house to the Rivoli, with substantially the same seating capacity, and thereafter product from the film companies was withheld from the Rivoli until 70 to 90 days after the conclusion of the downtown runs. According to McConnell, the Roosevelt, after being taken over by the Shea Circuit, first played 14 days ahead of the Rivoli, then 10 days, and finally four_ days. McConnell said that an arbitration award some six months ago gave the Rivoli day-anddate playing time with the Roosevelt. Kay Names Managers Atlanta, Jan. 30. — John Davis, who has been assisting W. H. Rudisill in the Atlanta Kay Exchange, on sales, has been transferred to New Orleans where he assumes management of the Kay branch in that city. Lynn Dunn, another former Atlanta film man, is managing the Kay office in Memphis. Correction Washington, Jan. 30. — Federal admission tax collections for November were reported in Motion Picture Daily last Tuesday to have been $42,182,000. This was an error. The correct November collection figure is $41,182,756. 44 The Late George Apley 7>T> (Continued from page 1) degree of competency which make their combined efforts virtually foolproof. This is a humorous and charming vignette about Boston's ultra, ultra Beacon Street and its insular and provincial old family set, as reflected in the life and habits of George Apley (Colman). The only university in his world is Harvard. New York is practically on the fringe of the wilderness area and Worcester is a foreign city. He is always courteous and always the gentleman, but he is likewise stiffshirt and reactionary in his social standards. By his lights, it becomes foreordained that Richard Ney, the son, must marry in strict accordance with heritage and family background and that so, too, must Peggy Cummins, the daughter. But this happens to take place in 1912 when the younger generation, even in Boston evidently, was thinking more and more on its own feet. Ney rebels for a girl in Worcester; Miss Cummins for Russell, a visiting lecturer at Harvard. As it happens, Colman finally has his way with Ney, but repents to the tune of 50 per cent anyway by shedding enough of his repressions and antiquated traditions to bring Miss Cummins and Russell together for their happy finish. The conclusion to be drawn is that Colman actually fails to change his spots, charming and courtly as they may be. Philip Dunne, in his screenplay, has caught the full flavor of the original material from which he worked. Mankiewicz's direction is faithful to that original, which means he has extracted a great deal of quiet amusement from the clashes between the old-fashioned and the encroaching modern which tear at Colman's generations-old armor. The sum total is an intelligent motion picture, produced in impeccable taste, with an appeal which, in all probability, will point itself more directly at grown-up rather than bobby-sock audiences. Running time, 98 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, not set. Red Kann Critics9 Quotes "THE YEARLING" (M-G-M) A motion picture of beauty, artistry and deep feeling ... an entertainment of which Hollywood may be proud and for which we may be profoundly grateful. — Howard Barnes, New York Herald-Tribune. A truly great, wonderful picture. It is emotionally eloquent, tenderly human and heart-warmingly real. — Frank Quinn, New York Daily Mirror. A better-than-good dramatic film from the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' prize-winning novel of the same name. — Kate Cameron, New York Daily News. It's a beautiful and heart-warming picture, due to be one of the year's smash hits . . . one of Hollywood's most impressive achievements. — Rose Pelswick, ' New York JournalAmerican. Dazzles with its opulence and perfection. . . . Though missing greatness, Sidney Franklin, Clarence Brown and company will doubtless have the consolation of having hit a bullseye of popular taste. — Archer Win-sten, New York Post. "The Yearling" is still another chance to get away from it all, but a wonderful chance, a sweet and good and beautiful and kind one — very, very, very. — Cecelia Ager, PM. This is a beautiful picture, a movie that will be remembered and loved for years. — Eileen Creelman, New York Sun. Provides such a wealth of satisfaction that few pictures ever attain ... a cheerful and inspiring film about the coming to manhood of a youngster. — Bosley Crowther, New York Times. This 1947 may or may not be the year of "The Yearling," as the slogan has suggested, but it is very likely to be the year of the big argument about it. This new picture is full of wonderful elements, each one a dramatic, mirthful or whimsical cameo. But they are detached gems, stirring their audience momentarily but never building to any strong, cumulative dramatic impact. — Alton Cook, New York World-Telegram. Mexican Banks Wary Of Producer Risks Mexico City, Jan. 30. — Although producers are generally optimistic about 1947 production with a total of from 96 to 134 films looked for — uneasiness about new financing is much in evidence. Private banks are not disposed to lend sufficiently to producers, particularly independents. Patrons Unaware of Fire Philadelphia, Jan. 30. — -Fire broke out in the boiler room of the Ace Theatre yesterday afternoon, when firemen battled the blaze for an hour while patrons remained in the house unaware that anything was wrong. They were not informed of the fire because construction of the boiler room is such that the rest of the building was not in danger. Manager Frank Rondini said an oil truck pumped too much oil and the overflow, hitting hot bricks beside the tank, caused the fire. Check Fire Safeguards Omaha, Jan. 30. — The Fire Department here has in work a new program of checking safeguards in theatres. Some theatres have already made changes in equipment as a result. ABP's Stock Rises London, Jan. 30. — Associated British Pictures' common stock rose one shilling three-pence (26 cents) following this week's announcement of Warners' plan to produce at the studios. Hollywood By THALIA BELL Hollywood, Jan. 30 HARRY THOMAS, president of PRC, has completed an arrangement with George J. Schaefer whereby the latter will supervise production of "Disc Jockey," to be released through PRC. William Stephens will act as producer-director, and negotiations are underway with leading "platter spinners" to portray themselves in the picture. • Plans are underway at 20th Century-Fox for the production of a picture based on the true-life story of a Chicago scrubwoman who spent her life's savings to prove the innocence of her son, convicted of murder. To be produced by Otto Lang, the story is tentativelyt titled "Call Northside 777." • Gloria Henry, Columbia's new discovery, has been assigned to a starring role for her film debut, the feminine lead in "Major Denning's Trust Estate," which will be produced by Wiliam Bloom and directed by Robert Gordon. . . . Irving Rapper has been assigned to direct "Voice of the Turtle," Warner's screen version of the John Van Druten play. • "The Queen's Necklace," based on Alexandre Dumas' version of an historic court scandal, will be Benedict Bogeaus' initial production on his 1947 schedule. Ida Lupino is set for the_ starring role. . . . Universal-International has acquired film rights to Lillian Hellman's current Broadway play, "Another Part of the Forest." • Paramtoimt has announced plans for the production of a picture based on the life of Ludwig, the mad king of Bavaria. Aeneas MacKemie is at work on the screenplay, which will include some of the best-known music of Wagner. Th* film zvill be called "Midnight King," a title based on Ludwig's predilection for the hours of darkness. • Screen Guild Productions has concluded an arrangement whereby the company will distribute "Bush Pilot," initial full-length film produced by Dominion Productions of Canada. An aviation story, it stars Rochelle Hudson and Jack LaRue. . . . Walter Wanger has borrowed George Marshall from Paramount to direct "Tap Roots," which Wanger will produce in Technicolor, for Universal-International. • Jules Levey has added Thomas Hardy's "Return of the Native" to his 1947 production schedule. . . . Charles Starrett, who has been starring in Columbia Westerns for 12 years, has signed a new four-year contract with the studio, under the terms of which he will make eight pictures a year. . . . Ruth Harbert has been promoted to the post of associate producer at Fagle-Lion, and assigned to produce "Convicted," based on her own original. • Ginger Rogers has purchased Margaret Runbeck's novel, "Great Answer," to serve as the basis for her second film at Enterprise.