Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, October 21, 1948 Italian Production Picking Up: Bursty n Native production in Italy is picking up, Joseph Burstyn of Mayer-Bursty n, who just returned from a 10week trip abroad, observed here yesterday. Burstyn said that production costs in Italy have risen as a result of the recent influx of American companies. He has acquired U. S. distribution rights to the new Robert Rossellini film, "The Miracle." Soviet To Pay (Continued from page 1) points at the meeting, which was attended by 51 film executives here. It was said that the best pact ever entered into with the Soviet heretofore was one by which Walt Disney collected $75,000 for a single cartoon feature. Other purchases by that government have involved payments of considerably less than the $50,000 average for the block of 20. Company heads are expected to convene shortly to compile a list of 100 titles from which the Russians will be given their choice of 20. Films will be listed solely on the basis of their merit for showing in Russia and will be drawn from the inventories of all companies. Johnston's agreement with the Soviet also permits sale of subsequent blocks of 20 pictures each. See US Films as 'Bait' for Propaganda-fed Russians Washington, Oct. 20. — Some top State Department officials today were explaining that Eric Johnston's success in selling films to the Soviet Union may be accounted for by the fact that Soviet cultural censors have rejected so many Russian-made pictures that their theatres are short of product. Furthermore, these same Department sources aver, American films may be used as bait to lure the Russians into theatres in order to get them to sit through Russian propaganda films. These officials said their explanation was not meant to detract from the success of the Motion Picture Association of America president as a film salesman. Little is now being shown in Soviet theatres except heavy propaganda films, mostly re-issues, they point out, and the Soviet audiences are demanding more entertainment. Canadian Exports Drop Ottawa, Oct. 20. — The Canadian government reports that exports of films from Canada dropped to $179,000 in August, compared with $229,000 last year, although exports in the first eight months of 1948 totaled $2,735,000, against $2,206,000 a year ago in the same period. BANKING FOR THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY STarpfos Trust COMPAN NEW YORK MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Reviews "The Paleface" (Paramount) ARMED with a luxury of gags, Paramount has Bob Hope venturing into an Indian-and-badman satire that hits the top of the laugh-meter. Smartly, they made Jane Russell his leading lady and dressed the settings in the finery of Technicolor. It should be pointed out, at the start, that the footloose plot is held together by the slenderest threads of logic, but its mood of hilarity has the contagion that keeps audiences howling. The shenanigans seem more imaginative, and the mirth more fluid than in most previous Hope pictures. A very hearty box-office effect should be assured. Probably Hope could have continued to practice dentistry in his own disastrous way were it not for the fact that some white men were smuggling guns and ammunition to hostile Indians. A Federal official hits upon the idea of getting Miss Russell, a fierce-shooting gal properly named Calamity Jane, to ferret out the villains, and to better carry out her mission, she marries Hope. Hero Hope is an unadulterated coward, but a series of accidental occurrences create in him the delusion that he is a cold-blooded killer. And thus, after presumably knocking off a swarm of attacking Indians, he goes out for even more daring game. A series of frolicsome exploits follow until Hope is brought down to reality by some nasty looking Indians who have some uncharitable plans for him and Miss Russell. The merriment is kept on a broad, earthy level, punctuated by a running drumfire of quips and gags. As authors of the original screenplay Edmund Hartmann and Frank Tashlin should be proud of their offspring. Robert L. Welch produced, Norman Z. McLeod directed. Running time, 91 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Dec. 24. Mandel Herbstman "June Bride" (Warners Brothers) Hollywood, Oct. 20 THE public is not often given a chance to see the talents of Bette Davis displayed in comedies. If judged by "June Bride," this is too bad, for Miss Davis, paired here with the always dependable Robert Montgomery and supported by an extremely capable cast, is just as apt at rousing laughter as she is at drawing tears. "June Bride" is good, clean comedy, interlaced with occasional touches of sophistication, and with unquestionable appeal to most everyone. It is well written, well acted and, while it may not go down as one of the great comedies of the year, it is good all-around entertainment. Based on a simple yarn which most of the time stays within the realm of the believable, it answers, undoubtedly to the satisfaction of everyone but the most hardened cynic, the question of what happens when a slick magazine editor, Miss Davis, and her staff, including writer Montgomery, invades the home of an average Midwestern family to do a story on marriage. The results are sometimes hilarious and mostly romantic as career-woman Davis finds out to her dismay that love's course in a small Indiana town runs no smoother there than in busy New York even though that means upsetting her plans to the extent where her romance with Montgomery is almost wrecked. Montgomery, a famed correspondent reduced to writing for a woman's magazine, regains some of his beliefs in humanity, and the rest of the hardboiled crew softens perceptibly. Director Bretaigne Windust, appreciative of the witty script provided by Ranald MacDougall, also knows the value of occasional slapstick and situation comedy. The scene where Montgomery gets drunk on iced "cider" is a riot. Audiences young and old will love and remember Betty Lynn, a charming newcomer, who manages to steal scene after scene. Fay Bainter, Jerome Cowan and Tom Tully all contribute materially to the fun. Henry Blanke was producer. Running time, 97 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Nov. 13. Fred Hift "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" (Hecht-Norma — Universal-International) IN its initial offering, the new Harold Hecht-Norma production unit makes a notable bow. For behind the attention-seizing title of "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" there rests an absorbing melodrama that appears to be headed for a good box-office showing. Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster head the cast of this tale of a series of baleful events that beset a young couple. Taken from Gerald Butler's popular novel, the film has Lancaster accidentally kill a man in a bar brawl. In a frantic flight from the police, he takes refuge in Miss Fontaine's apartment, and from this unexpected beginning a love eventually develops between the two. Miss Fontaine, a nurse, goes a long way toward rehabilitating Lancaster. She gets huh a job and helps him overcome an emotional disturbance that resulted from war-time experience. But a warped and oily character, played with considerable skill by Robert Newton, gets the pair in his clutches. Having witnessed the fatal bar brawl, Newton begins making blackmailing demands upon Lancaster. The situation finally culminates with Miss Fontaine stabbing Newton following an attempted attack upon her. After laboring over whether to escape to another country the lovers decide that if they are ever to have permanent happiness they must throw themselves upon the mercy of the law. Lancaster and Miss Fontaine are effective in the leads. Under Norman Foster's direction, the camera frames many interesting touches. Richard Vernon produced, from the screenplay by Leonardo Bercovici. Running time, 79 minutes. Adult audience classification. For October release. M. H. Rank Frowns (Continued from page 1) consider only the most important of such pictures and would adopt a hands-off policy on all others, Kelly disclosed, adding : "Rank has decided to do the British quota production job himself." Kelly visited England, France Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Sweden during thfj* ~-^st seven weeks, returning to New^ k last Monday with forebodings ofointinuing declines in dollars from abroad. Even the recent agreement with France, which is to free $11,000,000 during the next four years, is imperilled by the floundering economy of that country, he observed. 'Fourth Circuit' in England The quota in England has resulted in a lower turnover for every U. S. company, Kelly reported. American product is at a peak volume and consequently some exhibitors are endeavoring to reduce rental terms, he said. One effect of the large volume of available U. S. pictures has been the creation of a "fourth circuit" (A. B. C. is the third) which comprises independents who, up to the limits of the Quota Act, are taking American films. But it is this same abundance of U. S. films which has thwarted plans to obtain extended runs in the provinces where Rank has no stronghold. With all the product available, theatremen in the provinces are refusing to play a picture beyond one week, Kelly explained. 'Knotty Problem' in France UA is faced with a particularly knotty problem in France, Kelly declared, disclosing that pictures which UA producers are now selling independently in France are being marked against UA's quota of 11 pictures for shipment to that country annually. The French government, he said, within the past few days has charged two pictures sold separately by Sam Bischoff and Charles Rogers against UA's allotment. If this continues, UA would be completely eliminated in France, Kelly concluded. He said that such deals by individual producers should be charged to the independents' separate quota of 11 films. He said that UA expects to draw about 50 per cent of its profits in Holland in dollars as a result of a straight distribution deal for five years made with that country's Fritz L. D. Strenghold. UA Hughes Deal (Continued from page 1) ent production of three to be made for UA distribution. He in turn would get back his "Vendetta," "The Outlaw" and "Mad Wednesday." Sears had disclosed that he intended to close the deal during a stay on the Coast last August. The Nasser brothers subsequently came on the scene with a bid to provide their studio and monetary completion bonds for the pictures. Tentative arrangements thereupon were made with independent producers but approval of all concerned has yet to be reached. Yesterday's board meeting was highlighted by a report by Arthur W. Kelly, executive vice-president, who returned to New York last Monday after an extensive tour of England and the Continent. Kelly closed with French producer Leopold Schlossberg to distribute "A Man Scans His Past," which he will make in Canada.