Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

4 Motion Picture Daily Friday, June 18, 1948 Youngstein {Continued from page 1) at the organization's induction luncheon in the Hotel Astor here, Youngstein lashed out bitterly against the making of industry public relations exclusively the domain of "a bunch of executives who sit in a room and exchange bromides." Deploring as unjust many of the criticisms which have been hurled at the industry by outsiders, the AMPA president asserted that the way to improve industry public relations is to include in the effort toward betterment the active participation of rank and rile publicists, namely, AMPA's members. Additionally, he declared, good pictures are also the answer — not talk. AMPA, he acknowledged, has been on the point of dissolving for several months, but he resolved to bring about its revitalization during the coming year with the cooperation of the members. New York City's motion picture production code, which is now nearing completion, will be applicable as well to television operations, it was disclosed yesterday by Judge Edward C. Maguire, chairman of Mayor William O'Dwyer's film coordination committee. Meanwhile, he added, the oneday service which has been established by the city in the past year in the granting of motion picture location shooting permits is now being enjoyed by television producers also. Sharing the dais with Youngstein were : David Blum, Evelyn Koleman, Irene Rich, Phil Williams, Lois Butler, Judge Edward C. Maguire and Charles Alicoate. New Price Scale Ups 'Time' Attendance Attendance at the Mayfair Theatre here, where "The Time of Your Life" continues in the fourth week of its premiere, jumped over 1,000 admissions a day since last Tuesday when a lowered price scale went into effect, United Artists, distributors for the William Cagney production, announced. The new price policy ranges from 60 cents opening until 1 P.M. ; 85 cents to 6 P.M.; and $1.25 for evening hours. The Sunday scale ranges from 90 cents to $1.25. Video Equipment at 20th's Boston Office Boston, June 17. — Camera and television equipment will be housed in 20th Century-Fox's Boston office, it was disclosed today following conferences here between company television officials from New York and Edward Callahan, 20th-Fox Boston manager, and Albert Fowler, publicist. Tom Miller Appointed Ottawa, June 17. — Tom Miller has been placed in charge of theatrical distribution in Western Canada for National Film Board. LOUIS vs. WALCOTT FITE PICTURE VALANCES SIZE: 10x3 FEET $9.75 National Flag Company 43 W. 21st ST., NEW YORK, N. Y. Tel. GRamercy 5-5858 Review A Date with Judy (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Hollywood, June 17 PRODUCED lavishly in Technicolor by Joe Pasternak, this comedy with music, derived from the radio program of the same title, is light, pleasant, high class entertainment for the whole family, and is stocked with marquee names equal to the exploitation requirements of all types of theatres. Teen-age romance and family life are the prime story ingredients, but Jane Powell, Carmen Miranda, Xavier Cugat and his orchestra supply a lively musical content, the numbers fitting snugly into the narrative. Wallace Beery as the father and Selena Royle as the mother are especially effective in a uniformly competent cast that includes Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Stack, Scott Beckett, Leon Ames and George Cleveland. This attraction figures to do top business. The script by Dorothy Cooper and Dorothy Kingsley opens on the eve of a high school dance for which Miss Powell, as Judy, has a date with Beckett, whose sister, Miss Taylor, Judy's rival, persuades him to send a substitute. Miss Powell enlists Stack, college-age soda jerker, to 'escort her to the dance, and quickly believes herself to be in love with him, although he is enamored of Miss Taylor, and she of him. From this start stem several complications and sub-themes concerning neglectful parents, rhumba lessons, radio programs and wedding anniversaries, all woven smoothly into the running story, which is principally funny, sometimes emotional and always amusing. The direction by Richard Thorpe is remarkably successful in view of the multiplicity of story threads and the shifting emphasis on the principals. Georgie Stoll's musical direction gets the maximum value from the numbers. Running time, 113 minutes. General classification. Release, not set. William R. Weaver Britain Out-Traded (Continued from page 1) imprecision and unnecessary haste. Lyttleton maintained a better deal could have been gotten for Britain if her negotiators had been more tenacious. Many of the provisions, he added, bear no sign of skilful, expert negotiation. He said there is no reason to suppose that the net amount of remittances to the U. S. will be confined to $17,000,000. All permissive uses here of unremittable earnings, he said, save dollars for the American companies. O'Brien Applauds Wilson While Opposition members continued their attack on the agreement, Labor members, head by National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employes general secretary Tom O'Brien, supported Wilson. O'Brien asserted that Wilson is to be congratulated for "a first class piece of work." In replying that he agreed that announcement of the terms were delayed unusually long, Wilson said there was no other way to reduce the dollar drain. Before the agreement became effective, remittances were $1,000,000 a week, he said. It is impossible to keep theatres open without American films, Wilson pointed out, adding that the British were, therefore, not in a position to dictate terms with respect to blocked sterling or bigger bookings in America for British product. Films Talks with Russia Wilson also revealed that preliminary negotiations for exchange of films with the Russian government have begun. Regarding the quota issue, Wilson, questioned in Commons as to what steps he proposes to increase the showing of short subjects, in British theatres, replied that he has no power to make such proposals at present, but added that he intends to appoint a committee to review short subjects distribution and exhibition terms. Meanwhile, he said, he would like to see distributors arrange for greater showing of British shorts. MPEA-State Dep't (Continued from page 1) nating American representation, recommended the high quota adopted by the Board of Trade. "This screen quota is excessive and unnecessary," Johnston said. "Its requirements obviously can't be fulfilled by British producers. We can therefore only consider it as a gratuitous affront to the American motion picture industry. "We shall immediately ask the State Department to protest to the highest levels in Great Britain because a 45 per cent quota clearly violates the spirit of the international trade agreements to which our two countries are signatory. "These agreements seek to reduce trade barriers and promote freer trade among nations in the interest of sound world economic recovery. This 45 per cent quota obviously runs counter to these aims," Johnston said. "The purpose of the new quota proposal is to damage and discriminate against American interests." Prior to the adoption of the ITO Charter in Havana, the British also imposed a distributors' quota, but this so-called renters' quota was outlawed by the Charter. Pending further developments on the quota situation, the board voted to postpone consideration of the schedule of interpretations of the Anglo-American film agreement. Partner Sues MPEA Relinquishes (Continued from page 1) bia, United Artists and Universal reserved decis ion on their use of MPEA facilities until a later date. Under the new arrangement, each of the participating members will have its own sales supervisor, salesmen, bookers and publicity men, with MPEA carrying out the physical distribution of films, billing and collection of film rentals and maintenance of records. The MPEA board designated Arnold C. Childhouse, MPEA managing director in Holland, to serve as temporary manager of the new service organization. (Continued from page 1) and Warner with plans to maintain and preserve "monopolistic control" in one Washington area, and specifically with attempting to block K-B plans for a new theatre by refusing to dispose of their interest in the MacArthur unless K-B abandons its new project. K-B says Warners fears the proposed theatre would compete with several Warner theatres in the j£ Y Would Have WB Yield Site Interest In addition to asking the court to force Warners to give up its interest in the MacArthur, K-B is also asking that the court determine what interest, if any, Warner has in the site for the new theatre, and also force the company to give up whatever that interest may be. According to the complaint, back in 1945, K-B, which operates a chain of theatres in Washington, announced plans in 1945 to build a new theatre on MacArthur Boulevard. Warner within several weeks announced it had plans to build a theatre less than three blocks away, solely, K-B says, to intimidate it. The two companies got together and agreed to form a partnership to run the new theatre. Say WB Balked on Second Theatre At the same time, as part of the deal, the two companies agreed with Kass Realty Co., which owned the MacArthur site, that within two years they would pick a site for a second jointly-operated theatre or forfeit $100,000. When the New York District Court entered its findings in the Paramount case, the complaint says, Warner refused to go ahead with plans for the second theatre, Kass refused an extension on the time, and K-B itself designated the new site. One attorney for Warner Brothers here said that "without" having seen the complaint he would judge that the K-B company could not get any final action out of District Court here until the New York court conducted hearings and entered new findings on the divestiture question, as directed by the Supreme Court. "Until then," he said, "I just don't see how they have a case." D of J Holds (Continued from page 1) tempt liabilities will accrue now for violations of any parts of the court's injunction which ultimately are upheld. Thus, defendants' attorneys will have to guess which parts will be sustained and, accordingly, which parts must not be violated without risking contempt penalties. I OF COURSE BROOKLYN and; HEAVEN" sent from UA