Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1948)

iday, November 5, 1948 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 3 Satellites to Compete kith U. S. Product Washington, Nov. 4. — American Ims will face stiff er competition in Soviet satellite countries if Czech and laid Hungarian plans to step up domestic production develop. DepartTent of Commerce film chief Nathan . Golden reports here that the Vzechs Jilan to raise their schedule I ' fea— <S from only 20 in 1947 up g> 56 \'-^953. In Hungary, he revealed, the newly { itionalized film organization plans to rater its position in relation to for| gn films, although there is no longuige goal yet comparable to the -zech five-year plan. The Hunarians plan to build some 800 new leatres, Golden said. joldsmith Leaving for Loew U.K. Post 1 Arthur M. Loew, president of Loew's i iternational, was host yesterday at a Dcktail party in Loew's State Buildtig, at which the home office staff of international gathered to bid bon voyage to Charles Goldsmith, who will :ave tomorrow for England on the }ueen Elisabeth. Special assistant to vice-president lorton A. Spring and coordinator of 1-G-M activities for the British Emire, Goldsmith will remain in Engine! for six months as assistant to iamuel Eckman, Jr., managing direcor of M-G-M in Great Britain. Hamlef May Lower Curtain on Apollo Chicago, Nov. 4. — J. Arthur Rank's Hamlet," which is being distributed >y Universal-International, will probibly be the last film to play at the 3. and K. Apollo. The theatre, which las been leased by U-I on a four-wall leal for an indefinite run, will be "azed shortly after the first of the fear to make way for a bus terminal. The "Hamlet" run will open Nov. 24. Flaherty Film Deal World-wide distribution rights, except for the U. S., of Robert Flaherty's "The Louisiana Story" have been acquired by Films International of America, it has been announced by Irvin Shapiro, general manager. BANKING FOR THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION DOUGLAS 4-ENGINES I FLY OVERNITE TO CALIFORNIA 2'HOURS Sky cruises inc. DC '*' 108 W 43rd St. CALL BRYANT 9-3707 Hotel Diplomat Reviews "When My Baby Smiles At Me" (20th Century-Fox) PUT Betty Grable and Dan Dailey in a Technicolor musical and you have at the very start a picture of popular appeal. For the most part, "When My Baby Smiles at Me" is a pleasing recreation of the theatrical world of an era now regarded as "the good old days." The picture is nicely adorned with songs, dances and nostalgic memories, but the narrative for the most part remains pretty much the mixture as before. Lamar Trotti provided the screenplay which has Dailey, a song-and-dance comic, married to Miss Grable, his stage partner. Dailey loves his talented partner but he loves liquor too. And that, plus the attentions of another woman, lead him to a sad state of affairs. Things finally develop to a point where Miss Grable is about to divorce him to marry a steadier man, and this sends Daily into a complete breakdown. A finale, in the show-must-goon tradition has Miss Grable go to his rescue, assuring him that she could be married happily to no one else. High spots of the film are marked by the song and dance numbers of the principals. One of the more memorable touches being provided by a Dailey impersonation of Ted Lewis. Jack Oakie and June Havoc, as comic and burlesque queen, respectively, contribute some of the picture's best moments. Others in the cast include Richard Arlen and James Gleason. George Jessel produced, from an adaptation of a play by George Manker Watters and Arthur Hopkins. The picture's exploitable title is derived from one of the song numbers. Walter Lang directed. Running time, 98 minutes. General audience classification. For November release. Mandel Herbstman 1» Jungle Patrol (Seltzer — 20th Century-Fox) A DEARTH of physical action and excessive reliance upon conversation to whip up excitement and sympathy rob this Frank N. Seltzer production of whatever suspense and feeling may have been written into Francis Swann's screenplay, which was based on a play by William Bowers and adapted by Robertson White. Not that the fault lies with director Joe Newman, for there is evidence of a definite striving to keep things moving despite handicaps. Maybe it would have been a good idea to give the screenplay a plot. The handful of personable young men and the young lady who are cast in this pedestrian account of life in a U. S. Army Air Force outpost in the Pacific during the late war with Japan appear sorely in need of something to do besides exchanging alternatingly happy and gloomy looks and mouthing prosaic observations on the vagaries of fate. When, finally, there appears to be no point in continuing the players in these activities, scripter Swann has them conveniently killed by a Japanese air armada. The cast features Kristine Miller and Arthur Franz, and includes Ross Ford, Tom Noonan, Gene Reynolds, Richard Jaeckel, Mickey Knox, Harry Lauter, Bill Murphy and G. Pat Callins. Running time, 76 minutes. General audience classification. For November release. Charles L. Feanke E L Europe Deal (Continued from page 1) production by Eagle-Lion and Gamma in France and Austria. Both companies will make at least one picture per year in each country. Final negotiations began here two weeks ago, following a preliminary five-months' survey of Europe by H. William Auten, Eagle-Lion foreign department representative. Auten returned via plane from Paris a fortnight ago. Representing Eagle-Lion during the final negotiations were president Arthur B. Krim ; Robert S. Benjamin, president of J. Arthur Rank Organization ; Sam L. Seidelman, E-L export manager, and William C. MacMillen, vice-president in charge of operations. Gamma and Gestion were represented by Alfredo Zappelli, European financier and managing director of both companies, and his two associates, Ben Barkay and Pierre Chavennes, all of whom flew here from Lausanne. Nordlys Names Sherman Washington, Nov. 4. — Sherman Plan, Inc., has been appointed American sales representative for A/S Nordlys Films, Norwegian film producer, it is announced here by Al Sherman. First Nordlys production, "Trollfossen" ("Troll Falls") is now in this country and distribution negotiations are under way. Seven New Pictures Reviewed by Legion Seven new films have been rated by the National Legion of Decency. In Class A-I is Republic's "Grand Canyon Trail." Classed A-II are 20th Century-Fox's "Belle Starr's Daughter," RKO Radio's "Blood on the Moon," Universal International's "Countess of Monte Cristo" and "Her Man Gilbey," Eagle-Lion's "Shed No Tears" and 20th Century-Fox's "The Snake Pit." Chicago Board Bans Two, Cuts Others Chicago, Nov. 4. — Adult-only classifications were placed on "The Snake Pit" (20th-Fox), "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" (U-I), and "Mistress Temptation" (Aztec), by the Chicago censor board, out of 89 pictures reviewed during October. The board rejected "The Merry Chase" (Super-Italian) and "Sinner" (Aztec-Mexican), and made cuts in 14 other films. 175 at Smakwitz Dinner Albany, N. Y., Nov. 4.— Some 175 are expected to attend the testimonial dinner to be given on Nov. IS by the Variety Club to Charles Smakwitz, recently promoted to Warner theatre zone manager in this area. ?<U0p\< roared at -ffie Sat Bve. Post Serial story. * 10U Gom now a super-hilarious Scr&en scream/ v