Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1948)

Wednesday, July 14, 1948 Motion Picture Daily 3 Review "That Lady in Ermine" (20th Century-Fox) BETTY GRABLE, who still packs 'em in, gets away from period musicals this time. Her legions may find the switch a welcome one and enough recompense for what "That Lady in Ermine" lacks. Where this eye-filling and ofttimes charming and humorous attraction is weak is in its story, which is centered in a mythical duchy called Bergamo somewhere in Southeastern Europe on the high road to Rome about 90 years ago, Miss Grable is its presiding noblewoman just married to Cesar Romero who leaves at the time of decision to resist a conquering column of Hungarian Hussars under command of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Miss Grable's problem in statesmanship is how to handle the situation. For an answer, she turns back Bergamo's history 300 years to the time when an identical crisis was solved by her facsimile ancestor who made up to the 16th century victor and finally knocked him off with a dagger between the shoulder blades. Not quite up to the slaughter idea, Miss Grable is relieved of the issue when her ancestor takes over and goes highly romantic with Fairbanks in a dream sequence of such high jinks that both of them finally sail through the roof of the castle. It must have been jet propulsion. The morning after, Fairbanks comes to realize he was earthbound the night before. His love unrequited, he releases the castle and is finally joined by Miss Grable whose never-completed marriage with Romero has gone bust. The track is clear for the disjointed romance to slip into its groove for a happy finish. If this appears confused, the reporting is accurate ; for so, too, is the picture. Moreover, its thin story structure is not completely bridged by incidental pieces of business although there are many passages of charm and humor ingeniously and pleasantly contrived. The Technicolor cameras, as usual, are duck soup for Miss Grable who is always photographed well and often on the breathless side. Her performance is quite competent and the several tinkling song numbers assigned to her are engagingly delivered. As the dashing Hussar, Fairbanks cuts quite a dashing figure and gears his performance neatly to the mood at hand. Other acting chores are well handled by Walter Abel, as Fairbanks' adjutant; Harry Davenport, as the major-domo, Reginald Gardiner as Alberto and Romero as Mario. The late Ernst Lubitsch began production and direction of "That Lady in Ermine" prior to his death. Otto Preminger completed the film, without screen credit, at his own request. Samuelson Raphaelson wrote the screenplay and Leo Robin and Frederick Hollander the lyrics and music. Production values are luscious. So is Miss Grable. Running time, 89 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, August, 1948. Red Kann I Films Now Accepted For Air Mailing* 'j , U. S. Post Office Department has ,, , approved the shipment of film by airmail, at the request of the Motion Picture Association of America, the ► latter declared here yesterday in dis' > closing that it had interceded with J po^al authorities on behalf of news_ Companies. Heretofore, film shipn,~^ could be sent by air only by j air express or by private shipment. » Robert S. Burgess, Deputy Second : Assistant Postmaster General, has advised that the Post Office Department • L has nullified the order that prohibited the transmission of films by first-class airmail. Film containers must carry i the regulation yellow caution labels. MGM Studio Talks (Continued from page 1) estimates of potential income from exhibition and distribution in the predictable future. Department heads have been instructed to prepare economy proposals for submission to the executive groups during the meeting sessions, which will continue for some time. Moskowitz plans to stay here for a month. Among matters discussed by the M-G-M executives was the addition of Dore Schary to the roster of producers. Negotiations were continuing today, reportedly to give the former RKO Radio production vice-president responsibility for three productions annually. Schary, who is known to have other offers of various kinds under study, today said none have reached the conclusive stage. RKO Meeting (Continued from page 1) today. Malcolm Kingsberg planes to San Francisco tomorrow to start a tour of key cities. The directorate was sheltered from press inquiries throughout the stay in Hollywood. Meetings were held at the home of N. Peter Rathvon, president, who took over Dore Schary's executive production duties on the latter's resignation and is expected to continue in command until the Wilmington meeting. No appointment of a successor to Schary is expected in the immediate future. Howard Hughes, Floyd Odium and Rathvon will attend the Wilmington session. Chicago Suits (Continued from page 1) Park's petition of several months ago which asked distributor defendants for an additional $100,000 damages on the grounds that the theatre suffered that loss during the pendency of the appeal from October 1946 to November 1947. Judge Igoe's original decree was stayed for 13 months while Circuit and Supreme Courts passed on the appeal. Appeal bonds were posted by the defendants in that amount. Balaban and Katz filed answers and objections to interrogatories in the Monroe Theatre $1,580,000 anti-trust suit against the majors here. Plaintiff's attorney is Seymour Simon. Depositions are being taken this week by plaintiff attorney Simon in the Liberty Theatre trust suit of Louis Philon, the plaintiff, and Maurice Ruben, Great States Circuit head; Jack Rose of the Manta Rose Circuit, and James Coston, Warner Theatres' head here. New Building Code (Continued from page 1) June of last year, a number of additions and amendments have been made in the proposed revision. Subsequent to the 1947 hearings, the draft was completely reviewed with regard to comments and suggestions made at those hearings,, it is reported in the document released yesterday. Among structural requirements of theatres to be reviewed are exits, projection booth facilities, film storage, seating, and various features relating to drive-ins. Divorce Quiz (Continued from page 1) time the Government would grant for the submission of answers to the interrogatories which were served on the "Big Five" on July 1, it was believed a shortage of help due to summer vacations would influence the Department of Justice in deciding on a new deadline. Warner Seeks Delay In K-B Theatre Suit Washington, July 13. — Warner Brothers tomorrow will ask Federal District Court here to give it until September 30 to answer the suit of K-B Amusement Co., which is attempting to force Warner to give up its joint interest with K-B in the MacArthur Theatre here. K-B has opposed giving so much time, and the motion will probably be set for argument. Truman To Dedicate 'Salute Youth' Stamp President Truman will dedicate a three-cent "Salute to Youth" stamp on August 11 as a preliminary to the national observance of "Youth Month," in September, fostered by the Theatre Owners of America, J. M. Donaldson, Postmaster General, advised the TOA yesterday. CEA Rank Meeting (Continued from page 1) dictation from Rank. Even the most sober-minded among them discern that decisions taken at tomorrow's meeting will settle the pattern of their operations for years to come. They do not propose that their delegates shall enter into parleys with Rank without proper briefing. And so today a meeting of rank-and-file theatremen was convened by John Xavier Prendergast of York and Charles Metcalfe of Leeds. Original intention was that the meeting should be a sort of "Rally of Remonstrance," with all welcome. It was later decided that the meeting be held behind closed doors. Exhibitors do not want to disclose their tactics to Rank in advance. But it is clear that all independents will present a united front in combatting the quota order, which they regard as wholly impracticable, and the booking terms which Rank seeks to impose upon them. Climaxing these discussions will be the meeting arranged between president of the Board of Trade Harold Wilson and a CEA delegation on Monday. FCC Weighs (Continued from page 1) 50 per cent by Tri-States Theatres, a Paramount subsidiary. Today the FCC said it has not yet acted on the application because "certain substantial considerations" have arisen. These "considerations," the FCC made clear, were the Paramount decision. Cite Decision on Trade Practices "That decision," the commission wrote the parties to the application, "predicated on a suit brought by the U. S. to restrain Paramount and others from violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, adjudged the defendants, including Paramount, in violation of that act and formally enjoined them from pursuing the practices in restraint of trade originally complained of. That decision is of interest to this commission in considering the assignment before it because of the ownership by Paramount Pictures, Inc., of stock in Tri-States Theatres, Inc., which latter organization in turn holds 50 per cent ownership of the instant assignee." The commission also asked the parties involved to submit briefs with respect to this issue. 'Heavy' Influence Seen The FCC statement does not, of course, mean that all applications by subsidiaries of the theatre-owning defendants will be turned down automatically, but it does indicate the FCC is weighing the decision and will consider it heavily in passing on the applications from Paramount subsidiaries for television stations. The FCC's pre-occupation with the Paramount case is pointed up by the fact that the record in the Paramount case was included in the hearings on applications for San Francisco stations. Video Scheduling (Continued from page 1) delay and consequently the theatre had to screen three shorts, pick up about 10 minutes of the Democrats' Philadelphia convention and then offer organ music. The audience had become slightly weary. The fight looked good on the big screen but the 45 minutes of fill-ins made for an over-dose. Both the Joe Louis and the Williams fights must be credited to some extent at least with boosting the theatre's revenue. On both occasions the audiences were enthusiastic and there was no discernible disappointment. The pick-up of the convention, with Senator Barkley making the keynote address taking the spotlight, was another story. It was partly enjoyable only because the Senator's gesticulating and oratorical mishaps had an unintentionally humorous effect. It was Barkley who caused the delay of the fight pictures because the only available coaxial cable transmission from Philadelphia was given to his overtime talk. 20th Mexican Stocks (Continued from page 1) counts at $400,000, offset by 100 per cent reserve, it is recorded. If and when collections are made thereon, they will constitute additional profit on the transaction, the statement says. The statement confirmed earlier reports that 20th-Fox's subsidiary, National Theatres, disposed during the year of three Mexican subsidiaries in each of which National had a 51 per cent interest.