Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Jun 1949)

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Wednesday, January 19, 1949 Motion Picture Daily 3 New York Grosses (Continued from page 1) Reviews the Roxy, wound up with $55,000, which is slow, in its final six days, one day short of a complete fourth week ; it was replaced yesterday by "Chicken Every Sunday," with Dean Murphy, Tony Martin and the ice show on stage. "Letter to Three Wives" will open at the Music Hall tomorrow, replacing "Words and Music" which, with the stage presentation, will conclude a sixth week tonight with a modest take of $105,000. "Unknown Island" is big at the Rialto, where the second week's gross is figured at $13,000. "The Man from Colorado" is due at the Capitol tomorrow, succeeding "Every Girl Should Be Married," which, with a stage show including Skitch Henderson's orchestra and Burt Lancaster, should conclude a fourth and final week with $43,000, not too good. "Snake Pit" is holding up remarkably well at the Rivoli, where the 11th week's revenue is estimated at $27,500. Another sturdy performer is "Adventures of Don Juan," with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra, which should give the Strand a healthy $52,000 in fourth week. "Wake of the Red Witch" is likely to draw a good $37,000 in a second week at the Mayfair. "Belle Starr's Daughter" is fair at the Globe, where the second week's income probably will hit $14,500. About $20,000, which is so-so, was looked for in the fourth and final round of "Force of Evil" at the State ; it is to be replaced to day by "Command Decision." "Enchantment" still is a weighty contender at the Astor, where $29,000 is in view for a fourth week. "Joan of Arc" should ring up about $30,000, strong enough, in a 10th week at the Victoria. The 16th week of "Hamlet" should gross about $15,500 at the Park, where top business continues. It looks like a $12,000 gross for the 14th week of "Red Shoes" at the Bijou; this, too is good. ( Amusement EnterprisesU.A . ) ACK BENNY'S Amusement Enterprises' initial production, "The Lucky Stiff," is a mixture of comedy and melodrama. Among its merchandising assets is a cast headed by Dorothy Lamour, Brian Donlevy and Claire Trevor, but for the most part they wage a valiant fight against a wandering story. Based on a Craig Rice novel, the film is the type in which murders occur intermittently. Since the head of the homicide squad, as well as the district attorney, are feeble dunderheads, Donlevy, a lawyer, must go about solving the crimes. Against the background of murder, lies a protection racket which Donlevy has dedicated himself to expose at the behest of his patron, Marjone Rambeau. As it develops, Miss Lamour, a nightclub singer, is suspected of being one of the murderers. In order to smoke out the real killer, Donlevy sets a ruse in which Miss Lamour is supposed to be executed. He then has her "ghost" come back to terrify an assortment of suspects. Such are the ingredients of the Lewis R. Foster screenplay. By the time Donlevy wraps up the case, the murderers are trapped and it is revealed that Miss Lamour is one of the forces behind the protection racket. At about this uncture Donlevy finally awakens to the beckoning charms of Miss Trevor his neglected "Girl Friday." Performances are generally adequate, with others in the case including Robert Armstrong, Irene Hervey and Bi ly Vine. Direction by Foster is shy in bringing the picture to vivid life. Jack Benny PrRdunnmg time, 99 minutes. Adult audience classification. For February release Mandel Herbstman SPG Pact Talks (Continued from page 1) a 25 per cent general pay increase for some 300 employes. Most of the companies and the union have indicated preference fo negotiating on an over-all basis, SPG reports. The companies which have already agreed to this have asked Thompson to examine the possibilities for unanimous agreement. Prior to last year, when individual companies chose to accept arbitration handling of SPG demands, it was cus tomary for the companies to negotiate with SPG as a unit. 'IA,' Distributors Mediate Commissioner L. A. Stone of th Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will meet here tomorrow with negotiators from the IATSE and dis tributors in connection with the "IA's" bid for a 10 to 15 per cent wage increase for the country's 6,300 exchange workers. Stone will attempt to break the deadlock which last week ended new contract negotiations. 10-cent TV Dividend Chicago, Jan. 18. — Directors Television Fund, Inc., have declared an initial dividend of 10 cents a share payable Feb. 15, to holders of record on Feb. 5. Chester D. Tripp, Fund president, disclosed that net assets now amount to $1,010,384. The Lucky Stiff9 Flaxy Martin' (Warner Brothers) Hollywood, Jan. 17 PRODUCER Saul Elkins, responsible for an imposing proportion ot .. Warner Brothers' fast-action melodramas released in 1948, greets 1V4V with the fastest and most actionable of his works so far, a favorable augury for the six properties on his production agenda as this attraction goes to the post. His principals in this one are Zachary Scott, Virginia Mayo, Do£°™y Malone and Douglas Kennedy, who receive admirable support from Elisha Cook, Jr., Tom D'Andrea, Helen Westcott and Douglas Fowley, among others. „. , , ' , The story, by David Lang, ably directed by Richard Bare, concerns mob sters and the anti-social tendencies which animate their operations against law order and each other, and is fashioned with that deftness which in recent years has been developed to the level of artistry. The film promises to take very good care of itself commercially. Scott portrays with accustomed suavity a lawyer in the employ of Kennedy racketeer, and in love with Miss Mayo, who is as crooked as she is beautiful and who puts his devotion to unprincipled use. Scott saves one of Kennedy's henchmen from the law, on witness testimony which he does not know is perjured, but discovers his error later and -warns Kennedy that the witness will attempt blackmail. Accordingly, Kennedy has the witness murdered, but when suspicion points to Miss Mayo, Scott arranges to be charged with the crime, believing he can beat the case. Kennedy crosses him up however, and Scott is convicted, but escapes custody and is given refuge by' Miss Malone, a small town girl, who falls in love with him. In a fast and surprising wind-up he gets back to town and brings • Miss Mayo and Kennedy together in a situation exposing their duplicity, whereupon Miss Mayo kills Kennedy and Scott summons the police, intent upon clearing up all errors of justice. n , Running time 86 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, t set ° William R. Weaver Ask Court to Halt Co-op Film Express Oklahoma City, Jan. 18. — The Associated Independent Theatre Owners Cooperative here would be prevented from operating a film express business in competition with common carriers under terms of a petition filed yesterday in a district court. Mistletoe Express Service, Inc., asked for an injunction against the cooperative on the grounds that it operates a business of transporting goods for hire contrary to regulations of the state corporation commission and the Interstate Commerce Commission. Mistletoe, a subsidiary of The Oklahoman and Oklahoma City Times, charged that co7op rates are lower than other common carriers because the co-op does not pay a Federal transportation tax. 'Jungle Jim' (Columbia) ... , i , AS Jungle Jim of the title, Johnny Weissmuller this time is the leade of a jungle safari searching for the ancient pyramid of Zimbalu. In the course of his assignment, Weissmuller comes to grips with crocodiles, lions and innumerable savages, and, of course, he emerges triumphant. The pro duction is an average action film which should please Weissmuller's many followers. Virginia Gqsy, a scientist, and Weissmuller, lead a group of friendly native bearers in search of a temple belonging to a group of savages who possess a poisonous serum which, when refined, is a cure for infantile paralysis. Besides the serum the savages are supposed to possess many valuable treasures. Tfi safari encounters great difficulties travelling through the jungle but eventually locates the temple. The party is attacked by savages and are taken prisoner George Reeves, a camera man, is working with the savages in order to get all of the treasure himself. However, when the savages turn against him he is killed. Weissmuller and his friendly natives, in a free-for-all fi ' defeat the savages. The safari returns after successfully accomplishing its mission. . Sam Katzman produced and William Berke directed. The story and screenplay, by Carroll Young, are based on the newspaper feature "Jungle Jim," which appears in "Puck, the Comic Weekly." Running time, 71 minutes. General audience classification. Released December. Proposes Hayworth Ban Boston, Jan. 18.— City Councilman Vincent J. Shanley proposed today that the council ban all pictures with Rita Hayworth. K.C. Snows Close Stores Kansas City, Jan. 18. — Theatr business here was off sharply today as heavy snow jammed traffic and closed downtown stores and school New SRO Films Free To 'Vets' Hospitals Washington, Jan. 18. — Selznick Releasing Organization will furnish 16 and 35mm. first-run pictures without cost to Veterans Administration hospitals and homes throughout the U. S. F. R. Kerr, VA's assistant administrator for special services, reports the Selznick agreement is the first of its kind, other distributing companies charging VA film rentals for films shown in its hospitals and homes. Boston Trust Action Names 8 Distributors Boston, Jan. 18. — W. Leslie Bendslev, owner of the Community Playhouse, Wellesley Hills, Mass., has filed an anti-trust action in U. S. District Court here against the eight major distributors and M. and P. Theatres, New England Theatres, Publix Netoco, Allston Theatres, Keith Massachusetts Corp. and E. M. Loew. Plaintiff charges restraint of trade, violation of the U. S. anti-trust laws, excessive and unreasonable fees for film rentals. Obscene Film Conviction Atlanta, Jan. 18. — Convicted of exhibiting an obscene motion picture at the Hanger Theatre, B. E. Gore, owner of several theatres in Florida, was sentenced to serve 12 months in the county jail, by Judge E. E. AnT drews of Fulton Superior Court. After viewing the film "The Valley of the Nudists," a jury returned a verdict with a recommendation that the offence be treated as a misdemeanor. Bookers To Install Tenth annual installation dinner of the New York Motion Picture Bookers Club will be held here on Monday, Jan. 24 at the Tavern-on-theGreen. B. G. Kranze, sales vice-president of Film Classics, will be toastmaster and Sam Rinzler will be made an honorary member, Alex Arnswalder, president of the booker?' group, disclosed here yesterday. Georgia House Burns Fairmont, Ga., Jan. 18. — The Fair-Mount Theatre here has been destroyed by fire.