Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1949)

p MOTTOKI PTPTITRF 1 FIRST JVl \J X I yJ IN Jr 1 JL %J Jv Accurate IN Concise FILM NEWS L. . '— — DAILY and Impartial VOL. 66. NO. 36 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1949 TEN CENTS Conditions in Europe Look Better: Belfort RKO's Chief Over There Sees 'Decided Upgrade' Position of the U. S. film industry in Europe, from the standpoint of foreign government-imposed restrictive measures, is decidedly on the upgrade with early gains specifically in prospect in Holland and Sweden, according to Joseph Belfort, European general manager for RKO Radio, who is visiting the home office from his Paris headquarters. Belfort said he is confident that Germany, where major U. S. film companies wil begin competitive operations outside the Motion Picture Export Association on Jan. 1, will again shape up as one of the foremost foreign markets for U. S. films. Additionally, he held, conditions in other European countries are destined to improve. He believes foreign governments have hit the maximum in (Continued on page 6) Columbia Meeting In Chicago Today Chicago, Aug. 21.— Columbia's first national sales convention in several years will get underway here tomorrow at the Hotel Ambassador East, with a speech of welcome to the delegates by A. Montague, general sales manager who will preside at all sessions. Present at the gatherings will be home office executives, department heads, top sales personnel, all branch managers and nine division managers. This morning's sessions will be de(Coiitinued on page 6) FCC Giveaway Ban Leads to Immediate Challenge in Court An immediate court battle to determine the legal extent of authority of the Federal Communications Commission over radio and television programming will be the consequence of an FCC ban on giveaways. American Broadcasting, which carries among other such "jackpot" shows the popular "Stop the. Music," announced on Fridav that it will make no changes in its programs as a result of the new regulations and "proposes immediately to test the legality of the FCC regulations in the courts." "Stop the Music" and other giveaway programs in the past several months has drawn the fire of exhibitor (Continued on page 6) New England Houses Get Insurance Break Charles Skouras Sees Improvement Ahead Los Angeles, Aug. 21. — A general business upsurge in the fall, coupled with strong forthcoming pictures will supply the answer to much of our economic "ills," Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres and Fox West Coast, stated here. Skouras said he is not worried over the state of the business, despite a dropping-off since last April to the present time of "about 20 per cent." Walsh to Begin4 Lab' Labor Crisis Talks Theatre liability insurance on a per seat basis is now available in all New England states, subject to the usual inspection procedure of the insurance company, it was disclosed here at the weekend by Arthur Lockwood, president of the Theatre Owners of America. Sometime ago liability insurance for theatres on a per seat basis was made available in several Southern states to TOA members, and with the availability of this coverage now in New England the association looks forward to obtaining the service for its members on a national basis in the near future, a statement from TOA headquarters in New York disclosed. I A T S E international president Richard F. Walsh, who returned here at the weekend from Hollywood and Toronto, expects to meet in New York this week with top-level employer executives regarding the situation which has arisen at Eastern film laboratories as a result of a breakdown in contract negotiations between Laboratory Technicians Local No. 702 and the companies. Following a weekend meeting here with representatives of the local, Walsh indicated that he would seek a conference with compny executives this week. Walsh's attempt to seek a solution of Local 702's contract problem is a top item on his agenda. Later he is expected to look into the newsreel cameramen's contract negotiations deadlock, and then confer with presidents of the companies on the proposed pension plan for "IA" workers. All-American Plan Extended By Six in UK New Limit Is March '51; 20th a Non-Participant The American unit film distribution plan in Britain, which was scheduled to expire April 1, 1950, has been extended to March 31, 1951, by six of the seven U. S. distributors involved in the original agreement. The concept which motivated adoption of the unit distribution plan was that a double-feature including one American and one British picture, put the American film in the position of "carrying" the British feature in the British theatre. The seven companies' product has since been showing in British theatres either singly or on all-American double-bills. The six companies carrying the extended agreement are : Columbia. Loew's, Paramount, RKO Radio, Republic and Warners. A participant originally, but not included in the extension, 20th Century-Fox is understood to have counted itself out of the (Continued on page 6) E-L on Its Own in Canada on Sept. 5 Picture Pioneers to Aid Industry Needy The Prince of Foxes 9? High point of the Motion Picture Pioneers' 10th anniversary dinner, which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at New York's WaldorfAstoria Hotel, will be the formal launching of the "Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers," it was announced here by Jack Cohn, head of Picture Pioneers. Prime purpose of the Foundation (Continued on page 6) [20th Century-Fox} — Spectacle-Size Adventure F>OR popular entertainment, "The Prince of Foxes" has what is required. Its stars are Tyrone Power, Orson Welles and Wanda Hendrix with Everett Sloane and Katina Paxinou prominently in the support. Its story is drawn from the best-selling novel of the same name by Samuel Shellabarger, and that story concerns itself with 16th Century Italy, the Borgias, intrigue, adventure, romance and chivalry. In fact, it is really a political gangster yarn set in the eye-arresting middle of the fabulous Renaissance period and far more beautiful to look at than any modern counterpart could hope to be. Lucrezia, the Borgia who dealt so generously in poison, is practically removed from sight in this story for a concentration on her cruel, ambitious and, undoubtedly talented, brother Cesare. He is Welles, whose political dream is one Italy under his own ruthless thumb. _ Under a stepping-stone program, he dispatches Power, one of his aides— foxy and also ambitious — to Ferrara where he arranges a marriage between the duke's son and Lucrezia. That is the end of Ferrara. On the high road to further conquest is strategic Citta del Monte, benevolently ruled by patriarchal Felix Aylmer and a surprisingly youngwife, Miss Hendrix. Power falls in love with her and so falls out; pT/^er.vice (Continued on page 3) . • !, All Eagle-Lion Hollywood product distributed in Canada will be released by Eagle-Lion Films of Canada, Ltd., effective Sept. 5, it was disclosed here at the weekend by William J. Heineman, E-L vice-president in charge of distribution. The contract which has been signed replaces the former deal under which Eagle-Lion product was released in Canada by International Film Distributors, Ltd., which was headed by David Griesdorf until his recent resignation to join Odeon Theatres of Canada as general manager. Name Coordinators For 20th-Fox Drive Four divisional coordinators were named for the 18week branch managers' testimonial sales drive at meetnigs held over the weekend in 20th Cenutry-Fox's 37 exchanges in the United States and Canada. Four other divisional coordinators will be chosen today. The meetings were attended by 1,233 employes representing every (Continued on page 6) ■ ;"' ■