Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1950)

6 Motion Picture daily Wednesday, March 1, 1951 LondonHearsWilson May Be Transferred From B. of T. Post London, Feb. 28. — The possibility that Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade and principal government officer with whom American film industry representatives had been expecting to review the Anglo-U. S. film remittance agreement, will be transferred to a new post when Ministerial appointments are announced tomorrow, was reported in political circles here today. High government officials appreciate the desirability of an early meeting with the American industry representatives on the remittance agreement, but all appear to have too many other things on their minds right now. It is regarded as possible that the American representatives might be received by a government official for exploratory talks at an early date and that they could continue them later with Rupert Somervell, Treasury official. However, up to today, neither the Board of Trade, the American Embassy or Motion Picture Association of America representatives here have received any word from America suggesting a date for the meeting to review the monetary agreement. It is stated officially here that the government has no intention of reducing the amount remittable to the U. S. in dollars, despite the devalued pound, when the meeting does take place. Bill to Repeal Hours Act Frankfort, Ky., Feb. 28. — A bill to repeal the statute fixing the hours of operation of places of entertainment has been introduced in the general assembly here by Henry C. Hale. Jordan, Spiegel (Continued from page 1) president in charge of international affairs. The appointment will become effective on July 1 when Jordan will assume a managerial post with an MPAA member company. Until then, Spiegel, who joins MPAA's international division this week, will work with Jordan in Frankfurt. He will sail for Germany on March 11 on the He de France following conferences in Washington this week and next with State Department, Economic Cooperation Administration and Army officials. Spiegel handled special assignments at RKO. His most recent one was a four-month mission in Germany where, as home office representative, he set the stage for RKO's resumption of independent distribution in that country. He joined RKO in 1946 following five years of service with the U. S. Armed Forces. Decree Signed (Continued from page 1) tary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Southern California and Arizona, who in his former capacity as a member of the anti-trust division of the Department of Justice investigated and prepared the government's action against Technicolor and Eastman Kodak issued today a fourpage release to the press criticizing the government for accepting decrees without imposing penalties. Review 'Buccaneer's Girl' ( Universal International) THOSE ingredients which are known to sell tickets are sufficiently stacked up in "Buccaneer's Girl" to provide the film with all the success at the box-office it could reasonably hope for. It's a splashy, colorful adventure show about the pirate Batiste of New Orleans and his fiery vis-a-vis, in this instance, Yvonne De Carlo. "Buccaneer's Girl" explores no new ground in the way of story material but, after all, the formula has been tested and proven : Spectacular romance, sword-wielding mariners at work in the best fictional tradition, pretty girls and robust men, a few songs, a happy ending, and all wrapped up in color by Technicolor. The maritime Robin Hood yarn presents Philip Friend as the hero of the work, posing as the notorious Batiste only for the purpose of raiding the vessels of an unscrupulous shipping magnate and turning over the loot to impoverished seamen. The action at sea is done in picturesque fashion and is well staged, under Fredrick de Cordova's direction. Genteel soirees on land give Miss De Carlo opportunity to sing three tunes, "A Sailor Sails the Seven Seas," "Monsieur" and "Because You're in Love," all composed by Jack Brooks and Walter Scharf. Harold Shumate and Joseph Hoffman wrote the screenplay, from an original story by Joe May and Samuel R. Golding. Robert Arthur produced. Other cast members include Robert Douglas, Elsa Lanchester, Andrea King, Norman Lloyd, Jay C. Flippen, Henry Daniell and Douglas Dumbrille. Running time, 77 minutes. General audience classification. March release. Gene Arneel Treasury's Tax Views (Continued from page 1) bulletins to theatre owners to emphasize this willingness of the Administration to consider industries that can prove need, and to stress that the White House is not irrevocably against a ticket tax cut but might go along if the industry made out a good enough case. Such an argument might be especially convincing with Congressmen who ordinarily are down-the-line Administration backers. Meanwhile, there were these other tax developments : Myers said instructions had already gone out to exhibitors who are in the hardship category to bring their cases directly to their Congressmen. Rep. O'Hara (D., Ill), a staunch Truman backer, took the House floor to pledge his support of the industry's fight and to predict that all nine Chicago Democrats would vote for repeal. Making a political speech for the Democrats, O'Hara noted that the extra 10 per cent theatre tax was originally intended to expire six months after the end of hostilities, and that the Republican 80th Congress had made the wartime excises permanent by dropping the cut-off date. Over 25,000 of his constituents had sent him "expressions of their growing impatience with this unfair tax," he declared. The Chamber of Commerce, testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee, urged the Committee to "give high priority to repeal of war increases in excise taxes." The Chamber also said there was no need of legislation against "collapsible corporations" because the Treasury has gone on record with its intention to tax such projects at the ordinary income tax rates. Tells Solons Tax Cost (Continued from page 1) National Board of Review Backs Tax Elimination Elimination of the admission tax is advocated by the National Board of Review in a resolution passed by its directors. The resolution says: "Our Motion Picture Councils throughout the country favor the elimination of this war-time tax. So do many public organizations interested in the cultural value of films to adults and juveniles alike." Michigan Congressmen recently by Holtz, who went to Washington for that purpose. They are based on actual financial reports of three theatres which he owns here, all of which have experienced attendance declines in recent years, which Holtz believes to be attributable in large part to the 20 per cent ticket tax. The consequent decline in corporate earnings of his theatres is reflected in corresponding declines in the amount of income tax paid to the government, Holtz pointed out. Extending the decline in income taxes paid by his theatres to the thousands of other theatres in the United States which Holtz believes to have been similarly affected, he estimates that continuation of the income tax is costing the Treasury at least $125,000,000 annually. After visiting Michigan Congressmen in Washington Holtz said he believes they "are all receptive either to a reduction or elimination of the tax." He strongly urges exhibitors within reasonable traveling distance of Washington to visit their Congressmen personally, particularly any who may be members of the House Ways and Means Committee, and give them the theatres' tax story direct. He believes this especially applies to exhibitors from North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Rhode Island, which are represented on the Ways and Means Committee and which are not too far removed from Washington to permit impromptu visits. Keep Tax Fight Going, E. Pa. Allied Urged Philadelphia Feb. 28.— Constant pressure must be applied by theatre men in the all-out effort to have the 20 per cent Federal admission tax removed, Sidney Samuelson, general manager of Allied of Eastern Pennsylvania, told a general meeting of the organization here today. The "now or never" angle was stressed by Samuelson as he pointed out that despite encouraging reaction from various members of Congress there must be no let up in the industry's fight to repeal the tax. The general meeting followed a closed board of governors session. Loew's, 11 Others File FCC Video Notices Washington, Feb. 28. — Loew's has told the Federal Communications Commission of its intention to take part in the forthcoming theatre television proceedings. It was one of 12 organizations which filed late yesterday. C ^rs were: Allen B. DuMont; ..Revision Broadcasters, Malco Theatres, Comerford-Publix, Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners, New Mexico Theatre Owners, National Association of Broadcasters, Columbia Broadcasting, AGVA, American Trucking Association, and National Bus Communications. Climax Talks Today In WB Pay Dispute The dispute over pay raises for Warner home office "white collarites" will have its third and final hearing today before Federal Mediator L. A. Stone in New York. Settlement of the dispute through mediation is not regarded as likely by IATSE Motion Picture Home Office Employes Local No. H-63. If an agreement is not reached today the local's next step will be to petition "IA" president Richard F. Walsh for strike permission, according to H-63 executive vice-president Russell Moss. While the company is understood to be willing to include pay raises in a new contract, the amount it would add to present pay checks falls short of the union's demands. MGM Campaigns (Continued from page 1) and other studio executives. "Included in the promotion plans are unusual merchandising, advertising tieups and exploitation undertakings, the most ambitious for the company since 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Battleground'," the company reported here yesterday. Among the 26 pictures to be promoted are : "Annie Get Your Gun," "Yellow Cab Man," "Nancy Goes to Rio,'' "The Duchess of Idaho," "Father of the Bride," "The Reformer and the Redhead," "Outriders," "Stars in My Crown," "Quo Vadis," "Please Believe Me," "Big Hangover," "Dink Stover," "Skipper Surprised His Wife,'' "Asphalt Jungle," "Summer Stock," "Mystery Street," "Devil's Doorway," "The Miniver Story," "Three Little Words," "King Solomon's Mines," "Kim," "Toast of New Orleans," "Visa," "Crisis," "Right Cross" and "A Life of Her Own." Rembusch, Pinanski (Continued from page 1) dents Al Lichtman, A. W. Smith, Jr., and Charles Einfeld. The meeting will be covered in the industry press, with the following trade press representatives thus far scheduled to attend : Chester Bahn, Hye Bossin, Bill Brogden, Walter Brooks, Jay Emanuel, Chester Friedman, Herb Golden, Jack Harrison, Pete Harrison, Sherwin Kane, Red Kann, Mel Konecoff, James Jerauld, Chick Lewis, Ray Lewis, Al Picoult, Martin Quigrley, Jr., Ben Shlyen, Bob Stahl, Morton Sunshine, Mo Wax and W. R. Wilkerson.