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6
Motion Picture Daily
Wednesday, February 15, 1950
Review
"Stromboli"
(RKO Radio)
<*CTROMBOLI" which has its premiere in some 350' theatres throughout
^ the country today turns out to be a picture of fascinations and disappointments. Beautifully photographed on the volcanic little island of Stromboli off the coast of Italy, it treats with the despair and fitful hope of a young woman trapped within the island's narrow confines through a loveless marriage. This is entertainment on an adult level, frequently sensitive in its perceptions and emotions.
As merchandise, it presents a curious paradox. The film has all the imprints of a better European production, which is to say that it is sharp and realistic in its images and trenchant in directorial style. All of which, while appealing to the discriminating film-goer, would ordinarily limit its broad popular appeal. Yet the very nature of the storm and controversy that has swirled around it no doubt has whetted a mass curiosity which in a large sense may overcome its narrowed intrinsic apoeal.
A few observations, already made in regard to the film, bear repetition here. First, there is nothing basically offensive in the picture itself. Judged by this standard alone, one can scarcely object to the picture. However, it is for the individual exhibitor to weigh with enlightenment the public circumstances surrounding the principals of the film and also measure community feelings in relation to these circumstances.
There is little doubt that Roberto Rossellini has made an interesting picture of a woman's isolation and loneliness and her desperate fight for life. Ingrid Bergman gives a beautifully modulated and illuminating portrait of a woman tossed about in the upheaval of war, then confined to a displaced persons camp near Rome. It is here that she meets Mario Vitale, a war prisoner. A little out of love, but mostly from a desire to escape the confinement of the camp, Miss Bergman marries Vitale and goes off to live with him on his native Stromboli. In time, Miss Bergman finds herself suffocating under the confinements of the island and again the impulse to flight stirs in her. Added to this, the inhabitants react against her, suspect her morality, and generally indulge in silent reproachfulness.
The picture is weakened badly by a tendency to display actions and motivations for which there is no logical basis visualized on the screen. This very likely has been caused by editing and cutting. A turbulent climax is reached when Miss Bergman, in a flight for freedom, heads for .escape through a raging volcano. Finally when calm returns, she has a change of mind, decides to turn back and seek happiness with her husband and yet unborn child.
Rossellini, who produced and directed, shot the picture entirely in the actual settings, and with the exception of Miss Bergman, has employed non-professional actors. One of the finest scenes in the picture is done in an almost documentary style, as community fishing for deadly tuna is portrayed. Touching vignettes are provided by Renzo Cesano as the priest and Mario Sponza, a lighthouse keeper and "the other man."
Running time, 81 minutes. Adult audience classification. Release date, Feb. 15. Mandel Herbstman
'Stromboli' Opposition Spreads
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L. A. Officials Act As Industry Meets On 'Talent' Racket
Hollywood, Feb. 14. — Formal action taken today by the Los Angeles County board of supervisors and the city council toward stamping out the "talent school racket" furnished live ammunition for the city, county, state, Federal and business representatives who went into a meeting this evening at the Beverly Hills Hotel called by the Motion Picture Industry Council and Screen Actors Guild in a joint undertaking to eliminate phony business enterprises mulcting large sums from screen, radio and television aspirants.
The board of supervisors ordered its attorney to draw up a licensing measure to subject such enterprises to regulation by the sheriff's office and the County Public Welfare Commission.
The city council adopted an unanimous resolution endorsing the objectives of tonight's MPIC-SAG meeting and pledged speedy implementation of whatever regulatory legislation may be forthcoming. Additionally, a hearing on ways and means of proceeding against bunco operators under the present laws was called for the city attorney's office tomorrow afternoon.
Tonight's meeting is regarded as the greatest show of strength on the industry's public relations front in recent history.
NT Executives
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Although divorcement was not on the agenda, Skouras referred briefly to printed reports of it, adding, "Divorcement raises a lot of problems, and we are cooperating with the government in every way in trying to solve them."
Treasurer H. G. Cox followed Skouras with charts, graphs and statistical reports showing box-office trends in various parts of the country. These combined, he said, to show that NT's total gross for 1949 was 6.4 per cent below 1948.
Stan Brown, Long Beach district manager, reported on an extended survey of admission price policy, summing up with the assertion that his findings show price reduction is not the answer to a waning box-office. He said a canvass of independent theatres which had cut admission prices and admitted children free to compete with adjacent drive-ins showed that attendance had spurted momentarily, but quickly dropped back to normal, with the total gross materially diminished as a result of the price cut.
Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th CenturyFox production vice-president, will report to the meeting tomorrow on product from the studio in 1950. Other reports on all phases of the industry are slated during the next three days.
Bendslev Heads
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secretary, Albert Lourie ; treasurer, Melvin Safner ; national delegate, Nathan Yamins ; board of directors, Katherine Avery, Leonard Goldberg, David Hodgdon, Fred Markey, Walter Mitchell, Daniel Murphy, Francis Perry, Morris Pouszner, Samuel Resnick, Theodore Rosenblatt, Stanley Rothenberg, Meyer Stanzler, Andrew Tegu and Charles Tobey.
ture is particularly strong in the South. The Southern Amusement Co. of Lake Charles, La., announced that none of its 23 houses will show "Stromboli." Meanwhile, the Nashville city council has passed a third and final reading of an ordinance giving it the power to ban films ; Mayor Cummins denied that the law is aimed at "Stromboli," but indicated that it may be invoked to prevent a showing in local theatres.
Allied Unit Urges Boycott
Another report from Tennessee is that letters will go out from the Memphis headquarters of Allied of MidSouth urging Allied members to refuse to buy "Stromboli" "and all pictures produced or released under similar circumstances." E. O. Cullins, president of Allied Mid-South, said the action is being taken in line with a resolution passed by National Allied at its annual meeting in Washington.
However, the Crittenden Theatre, West Memphis, Ark., just across the Mississippi from Memphis, has announced through Bruce Young, its manager, that "Stromboli" will open there today.
Mayor James P. Meehan of Lawrence, Mass., yesterday ordered the banning of the film from that city. Mayor Henry J. Toepfert of Holyoke, Mass., has also ordered a ban in that city. Seventy Protestant ministers
of Greater Lowell, Mass., demanded that their city government ban the film, and city manager John J. Flannery directed Lowell's licensing commission to forbid showings. On the other hand, the Massachusetts Bureau of Sunday Censorship has announced that "Stromboli" has been approved for showing on Sundays without deletion.
From Toronto comes word that a wave of protest against the film in Canada has emenated from a number of pulpits.
Gus Nestle, city manager of Warner Theatres in Jamestown, N. Y., announced that the proposed showingthere of "Stromboli" has been cancelled "in deference to requests from many groups." Ed Johnson's Washington Theatre, Bay City, Mich., will not show the picture, he has reported. Jesse Fine has announced that he would not play the film at his firstrun in Evansville, Ind., but George Settos announced it has been booked for the Ross Theatre there.
To Open in Oregon
M. M. Mesher, Oregon HamrichEvergreen Theatres' executive, said in Portland, however, following the approval of the picture by the Portland censor board, that it will open today at both the Paramount and Oriental. "We are in the business of presenting motion pictures ; we don't intend to
Photos of Anti-Tax Audiences to Capital
Washington, Feb. 14. — Here's the latest wrinkle in the Federal anti-tax fight: Fox West Coast Theatres asks those in the audience favoring tax repeal to stand up. Practically everyone does. A photo is taken an<L copies are mailed to Con/jBimen.
Tax Repeal
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hearings on excises tomorrow, with Motion Picture Association of America president Eric Johnston and other officials of the National Committee to Repeal Wartime Excises slated to lead off.
Johnston, vice-president of the committee, and the other members will probably make only a brief reference to the admission tax as one of many to be removed. Compo's representatives, Myers and Theatre Owners of America executive director Gael Sullivan, will testify next Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Attending Compo's tax meeting here were Myers, H. M. Richey, Jack Bryson, Oscar Doob, Morton Sunshine, A. Julian Brylawski and Marvin Faris.
St. Louis, Feb. 14. — Joe Ansell, head of the St. Louis Variety Club, said that if the 20' per cent Federal amusement tax is reduced or eliminated many theatres will be able to reduce admission prices by a nickel.
Although the larger theatres increased admissions to include the tax, most neighborhoods absorbed it and a repeal probably will not affect their prices, however.
Portland, Ore., Feb. 14. — Theatres throughout the Pacific Northwest have begun a drive for repeal of the 20 per cent amusement tax, James M. Hone, executive secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners' Association of Washington announces.
A message declaring, "You have just paid 20 per cent more for your admission tickets because of the Federal nuisance tax" will be exhibited in every theatre.
Atlanta, Feb. 14. — Georgia Theatre Co. theatres is giving full support to the industry's nationwide campaign to kill the 20 per cent Federal excise tax on tickets, it is announced by William K. Jenkins, president.
judge the moral turpitude of actors or actresses," he said.
Over the weekend, the Boston Herald stated editorially : "It is false to ban 'Stromboli' and there is no legitimate connection between Ingrid Bergman's private life and her motion picture offerings." The Pilot, official newspaper of the Boston Catholic Archdiocese, has this to say with reference to the picture : "The Commandments are not abrogated even to suit the whims of cinema people."
Famous Players Canadian Corp., which has a first-run contract for RKO Radio product in the Dominion, has made no move to play "Stromboli," it was announced pending "a study of the situation."