Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1947)

4 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 29, 1947 Too Much Killing ReVieW8 In Films: Censor Columbus, O., Oct. 28. — Murder mysteries have replaced "acrobatic love scenes" as the chief headache of the Ohio division of film censorship, according to Sarah Warfield, of the division. 'The Hollywood (production) code has eliminated the warm embraces of the Garbo-Gilbert era," Miss Warfield declared, "but in their place have come a flood of murder pictures with some of the most uncanny ways of killing people." If a murder plot is too uncanny or suggestive, Ohio audiences may never see the film even though the "bad guy" gets caught in the end by the "good guy," Miss Warfield said. "We also make sure that the real names of drugs used in murder plots do not reach the audience's ears. Most of the time false names are given to the drugs." Miss Warfield is worried about the effect of "all this killing in movies" on all persons, especially on children. Also, she said all this "casual drinking" makes it appear that it is the usual thing to do. As for changes in film morals, Miss Warfield said that the public "pretty largely" decides what should be censored. For example, she said scenes in which women smoked were deleted until the public finally accepted the smoking female. Drinking scenes, cut during prohibition, are not usually clipped now. The postwar foreign film boom is keeping the censors busy. Although English scripts are provided with the films, interpreters are brought in for protection against double, meanings. Radio Manufacturing Continues to Rise Washington, Oct. 28. — Production of radio receiver sets continued to rise during September with a total of 1,339,980 produced, compared with 1,265,835 in August, according to the Radio Manufacturers Association. During the third quarter of 1947 3,761,271 sets of all types were pro duced, bringing the total for the year to date up to 12,371,915. Philco Sees Exports Of $14,000,000 Atlantic City, Oct. 28. — Philco International Corp. is anticipating a volume of $14,000,000 of export busi ness this year. This was disclosed by Dempster Mcintosh, president of the export unit, at a meeting here of Philco distributors from all over the world. The volume' would be a new record and several hundred per cent greater than that of pre-war 1941. Kitzmiller in Video Post Ira T. Kitzmiller, for 14 years with RCA, has been appointed controller of United States Television Manufactur ing Corp., by Hamilton Hoge, presi dent. "So Well Remembered" (/. Arthur Rank—RKO Radio) Hollywood, Oct. 28 PRODUCED in England by Hollywood's Adrian Scott and directed by Hollywood's Edward Dmytryk, with America's Martha Scott and England's John Mills co-starred, this painstaking picturization of James Hilton's novel about social oppression compares generically to "How Green Was My Valley" and to "The Citadel," although falling somewhat short of those precedents in roundedness and impact. It has in many respects that thoroughness and thoughtfulness which characterizes British product, and is ably performed by Patricia Roc, Trevor Howard, Richard Carlson and others in support, but it might have come off better if not carried beyond one generation, since John Paxton's screenplay thins out after it takes up the second. It is steadily serious, thematically sombre, and concentrates upon its sociological point at the sacrifice of entertainment value. It appears more closely attuned to the British market than American. Hilton's involved story presents Mills as an earnest young man reared in an under-housed British mill-town dominated by Miss Scott's criminally oppressive father, now aged, whose death she permits to occur by _ negligence, planning to marry Mills and recoup her financial and social position through him. Political friends she cultivates mislead him regarding housing conditions and he enters politics under her persuasion, but withdraws when an epidemic breaks out. Their child dies, due to her negligence, and she leaves him, marrying again for money, and bearing a son who, now grown, is wounded in the war and returns to the mill-town, meeting Mills, now the mayor, and falls in love with an orphan girl Mills and a doctor friend had reared. Miss Scott attempts to break up the match, but finally is exposed and is told off by Mills, who at last knows her for the evil woman she is. The story spans the period of 1919 to the end of World War II. The picture argues against oppression by employers, _ makes a case for adequate housing for workers, caricatures insincere politicians, and holds that persons addicted to drink, whether by choice_ or family tradition, can't do anything about it. Ruby Rosenberg was associate producer; the music score s by Hanns Eisler. Running time, 114 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, not set. William R. Weaver "Christmas Eve" (Benedict Bogeaus — United Artists) BENEDICT BOGEAUS has here a rich array of marquee names to make his latest production one that should be easy to sell both to exhibitors and to theatre patrons alike, and he has given it a title that should gain mounting interest as the Yuletide season draws closer. George Raft, George Brent, Randolph Scott and Joan Blondell head the starring roster; in support are Virginia Field, Dolores Moran, Ann Harding, Reginald Denny, Douglass Dumbrille, Clarence Kolb, John Litel and a host of others. The writing department offers the name of Laurence Stalling^ who authored the screenplay, based on original stories by himself and Richard H. Landau. Certainly it is a picture which does not want for top talent. But it is a pity that the picture does not ring the entertainment gong quite as solidly as it could have. Responsibility for this may be in the direction, which seems lacking in forcefulness. However, it should be pointed out that the script, although potentially strong, emerges as a rambling affair which strives ineffectively to blend four plots into one. Acting honors go to Miss Harding who plavs an aged, rich eccentric who has taken to squandering her fortune on poor folk to the point where Denny, overseer of_ her bankroll, attempts to have her committed to an institution. By publicizing Denny's intention, she strives to get her three onetime wards. Raft, Brent and Scott, come to her rescue at a Christmas Eve gathering at her New York mansion when her fate is to be decided by a legal light. The three, it turns out, have become other than respectable citizens : Raft runs a honky-tonk somewhere in South America after having escaped U. S. agents who want him for a shady deal ; Brent is a socially prominent wastrel ; Scott is a hard-drinking rodeo performer. Each has a trying time getting to their former benefactor's side — and the escapades and exploits of each are recited in detail — but they arrive in time to help the old lady. The misses Blondell, Field and Moran handle romantic assignments opposite Brent, Raft and Scott, respectively. Sets and camera work are first rate. Edwin L. Marin directed. Running' time, 90 minutes. General audience classification. October release. Charles L. Franke Proclaims Newsreel Week Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Albany, N. Y., Oct. 28.— Citing what he terms the "excellence of the American newsreels . . . not only in their technique but also in their enterprise and the high standard of their editing," New York's Governor Thomas E. Dewey has proclaimed the period of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 as "Newsreel Week." Dewey called the reels an "invaluable medium of communication" and applauded the men "tak-^rt" ing the hazards of their oc-v^.> cupation as a matter of course." Election Day in New York occurs during Dewey's "Newsreel Week." Construction Costs In Canada Increase Ottawa, Oct. 28 — Ernest A. Couawarded for the construction of theatres in Canada have been affected adversely by increased costs of building materials and labor, together with shortages of each. In the first month of 1947, the value of contracts awarded in Canada amounted to $1,326,000, compared with only $192,000 in January of last year, but in February of this year it dropped suddenly to a mere $30,000, being even less than the $83,000 of February, 1946. However, in March, contracts moved up to $780,000, against $414,000 in the same month of 1946, but in April once again a decline was recorded at $440,000, compared with $1,045,000 in April of last year, when supplies were supposed to have been worse than this year. By May of this year the highest figure was registered for theatre construction in Canada, at $1,690,000, against $740,000 in May, 1946. _ By the middle of this year there was another downward trend, with only $892,000 worth of contracts made in June, and $703,000 in July, as against $1,137,000 and $1,381,000, respectively, in June and July of last year. FOR SALE Large building with MOVIE THEATRE and stores in well established prosperous resort town. BOX 398. MOTION PICTURE DAILY 1270 6th Ave. N. Y. 20, N. Y. Siritzky Gets New One "Antoine and Antoinette," which won a Cannes Film Festival award, has been acquired for American distribution by Siritzky-International. The French screenplay will be edited and provided with English subtitles for an American premiere at the Ambassador Theatre, here, in January. New UAC-Canada Heads Ottawa, Oct. 28. — Contracts sins has been elected chairman of the board, and George G. Ganetakos named president of United AmuseCorp. of Canada. To Handle FDR Film Ads Weiss and Geller, Inc., New York, has been appointed by Tola Productions to handle a national advertising campaign for "The Roosevelt Story," produced by Tola and released by United Artists. Joseph Curtis, W. and G. vice-president in charge of motion picture advertising, will handle the account. New TransRlm Head William Miesegaes, president of Transfilm, Inc., has appointed Charles T. Merritt as vice-president and director of sales. Parley on Materials Cleveland, Oct. 28. — Shipment of films will be among topics to be discussed at a conference on the handling of materials which will be a feature of the second National Materials Handling Exposition to be held here Jan. 12-16. Cost reduction through improved handling will be the central theme of the discussions. Hirsch Acquires 12 Melvin Hirsh, president of Crystal Pictures, will distribute 12 French pictures in the United States, the first release an Abel Gance production, "Blind Venus" starring Vivian Romance. This will be followed by "The Guilty," with Pierre Blanchar. Giveaways Return Salt Lake City, Oct. 28. — First resumption of giveaways in this area will be two new autos, to be given by Fox Theatres at Butte and Pocatello, Hall Baetz, Fox district manager, said.