Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, May 10, 1948 New Tactic to Speed Contempt Trials Washington, May 9. — Trials of the remaining eight of the 10 Hollywoodites charged with contempt of Congress are expected to go oft" in rapidfire order from now on. With two Federal judges ruling in the Trumbo and Lawson trials that the "Are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?" question is pertinent, and with both turning down all defense motions challenging the jury, asking for a change in venue, and for a continuance until Rep. Thomas can testify, defense attorneys have apparently abandoned delaying tactics and, it appears, will be content to stipulate all of these things in each trial record. This will save time, and at the same time preserve all motions for appeal purposes in each case. Trial of the third of the 10, Albert Maltz, is slated to begin here tomorrow, and end by mid-week. Labor Quiz To Hear DeMille Tomorrow Cecil B. DeMille will arrive in New York today from the Coast and will leave for Washington, where he will testify tomorrow before the House Labor Committee on "the right to work," culmination of his dispute with the American Federation of Radio Artists. He will return to Hollywood on May 15. Reviews TOA Youth Month (Continued from page 1) termed the assistance of the film industry in the fight on youthful crime as "manna from heaven." Andrews added that "when there is a concrete program such as envisioned by Attorney General Tom Clark and the Department of Justice and a concrete program sponsored by exhibitors all over the nation, we have the difference between a very normal success and a top success." Among newsreelers present at the luncheon were : Alfred Butterfield, Warner-Pathe ; George Doran, Universal ; Jack Haney and Arthur De Titta, 20th-Fox Movietone ; Walter Bredin, News of the Day ; Peter Levathes, 20th-Fox news and shorts sales manager. Chicago Collects $128,436 Chicago, May 9. — The three per cent local admission tax brought ;n $128,436 to the city treasury in March. OF COURSE W TEXAS, BROOKLYN I I HEAVEN 'Sword of the Avenger" sent from UA (UPA-Eagle-Lion) AS a romantic action drama, "Sword of the Avenger" offers pleasing entertainment, modest in proportion, but filled with a satisfactory amount of suspense and excitement of a standard nature. Filmed in sepia, it recounts the misfortunes that befall a young Filipino who, through the jealousy of a fellow sailor, becomes the victim of an insidious plot. The cast is not a well-known one, but it works competently. Ramon Del Gado is dashing in the lead, in a role which has the story outlines of "The Count of Monte Cristo." Sigrid Gurie, as his sweetheart, is pretty and appealing, even when the script calls upon her to render such masculine chores as leading an uprising of patriots. The Julius Evans screenplay has the hero escaping prison, where he had been sent to rot, and finally bringing down a sword of vengeance on all who plotted against him. In the course of these developments there ensues a succession of swiftly-paced events. An UPA Films production released through Eagle-Lion and produced and directed by Sidney Salkow. Running time, 72 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, June 2. Mandel Herbstman "Under California Stars" (Republic) ROY ROGERS' "Under California Stars" measures up when compared with the average run of horse-operas, but it does not rank with the better Rogers productions in terms of story, direction, acting or photography. The picture is in Trucolor, and there is exhibited from time to time a diffusion of effulgent, unnatural colors that remind one how slickly black-and-white cameras have treated Rogers pictures. The story strains at the sentimentality inherent in a youngster's adoration of a film cowboy. Core of the plot concerns 10-year-old Michael Chapin's attempt to rescue Rogers' horse, "Trigger," kidnapped by a gang of predatory horse-traders. Rogers plays himself and the action takes place during one of his vacations from the studio. Jane Frazee is decorative in an unchallenging role, Andy Devine supplies some slap-stick, and George H. Lloyd and Wade Crosby lend an appropriate touch of villainy. Rogers is his usual personable self and joins the Sons of the Pioneers in a few tunes. Edward J. White was associate producer, William Whitney directed, and Sloan Nibley and Paul Gangelin wrote the screenplay, from an original by Gangelin. Running time, 70 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, May i. Charles L. Franke Short Subject 7 Films Finished, 7 More Started Hollywood, May 9. — The production level remains unchanged with the index still standing at 32. Seven new films were started while an equal number were sent to cutting rooms. Shooting started on "Undercover Man," "Loaded Pistols" and "Gentleman from Nowhere," Columbia; "Sting of the Lash" (Western Adventure Production), Screen Guild; "My Dear Secretary" (Cardinal Pictures), United Artists; "You Gotta Stay Happy" (Rampart), UniversalInternational, and "June Bride," Warner Brothers. Shooting finished on "Ladies of the Chorus" and "Black Eagle," Columbia ; "The Great Gatsby," Paramount ; "Marshal of Amarillo," Republic; "Dead Man's Gold" (Western Adventure Production), Screen Guild; "All's Well That Ends Well" (Bogeaus), United Artists, and "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands," UniversalInternational. Garfield Filming Here Arrival in New York of John Garfield and Abe Polonsky, star and director, respectively, of "Tucker's People," marks the beginning of the new Bob Roberts production for Enterprise Studios. Accompanied by a camera crew from Hollywood, they will immediately start work on shooting New York backgrounds. Nasser To Make Shorts Hollywood, May 9. — James Nasser Productions has extended its activities to the short subject field. Martin Theatres Sets Four District Posts Atlanta, May 9. — District offices will be established in Marietta, Milledgeville and Fitzgerald, Georgia, and in Eufaula, Alabama, by Martin Theatres, under the direction of district managers. I. T. Taylor has been named district manager of the Fitzgerald office, directing operations of theatres in South Georgia, Florida and Eastern Alabama; Matt Bates, Marietta, will direct theatres in Dalton, Cartersville, Bremen and Etowah, Tennessee, and Piedmont, Alabama. G. N. Goldwire will direct the Eufuala office which covers portions of Alabama and Georgia, and J. N. Morgan, Milledgeville, will direct nine Georgia and Alabama cities. Kurse, Floersheimer Succeed J. A. Watson James A. Watson, who since the war has been assistant to Jack Harris in the booking department of Walter Reade Theatres, has resigned to enter the real estate and insurance business. Walter Reade, Jr. said Watson will be succeeded in the booking department by Joseph Kurse, and Albert Floersheimer, Jr., advertising-publicity head, succeeds Watson as television department head. 'Babe Ruth' Unit Here William Bendix, star of Del Ruth's "The Babe Ruth Story," current Allied Artists production, and Ross Lederman, director of the second unit, have arrived here from Hollywood to film scenes during the New YorkCleveland series at Yankee Stadium. "Battle for Greece" (March of Time-20th-Fox) In familiar March of Time fashion, the subject presents a background study of Greece in the throes of civil war. With the story very much^in the nation's newspapers, the st has an exploitable timeliness for hibitors. With the U. S. and Britain backing the Greek government, while Russia is behind insurgent forces, the film factually documents the death struggle. It also contains some exclusive footage, including a visit to a rebel stronghold. Running time, 17 minutes. Four E-L Meetings (Continued from page 1) Arthur Rank product, which it will release in the U. S. during 1948-49, advertising-publicity support equal to that which it will give its own Hollywood films, it was disclosed here jointly by Heineman and Youngstein, at the weekend following their return from England. $250,000 Ad Budget for 'Twist' Rank's "Oliver Twist," which E-L has slated for August release, will be backed up with promotional effort exceeding that which the company accorded "T-Men," Youngstein said, adding that it will start with an advertising budget of $250,000. Heineman predicted 12,000 bookings for the film in the U. S. and said it has a very good chance of being booked into Radio City Music Hall. It would be the first Eagle-Lion picture to be shown there. Because Eagle-Lion can now select its Rank films before they reach here, the company has an opportunity to plan their promotion in advance, Youngstein said. Alternate Releasing Planned E-L will bring British stars to the U. S. for personal appearances in connection with premieres of Rank films. It will release one Rank film and one Hollywood film a month under its present schedule. Sam Seidelman, E-L foreign manager, reported that the company now has exchanges in operation in Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Puerto Rico, and will have in operation by July exchanges in Cuba, Panama, Peru and Brazil, as well as sub-distributorships in Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad. By July, the company's Latin American distribution set-up will have been completed. YOU CAN'T BEAT THE BEST / Drive home your selling ideas ' effectively, inexpensively and quickly with