Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, May 1, 1950 Reviews "Faust and the Devil" (Columbia) A SKILLFUL job has been done in bringing to the screen this story based on Goethe's drama and Gounod's opera, "Faust." Rather than unfolding like a photographed opera, the story has been adopted to the medium of the screen, with the result that the narrative is fluid and engrossing. The film makes an especially good one for "art theatres" but it will also appeal strongly to opera lovers of all strata. Gino Mattera portrays the major role of Faust in this well-known story of the man who sells his soul to Mephistopheles in exchange for youth. Italo Tajo plays Mephistopheles with guileful glee as he leads his prey to disaster through the path of pleasure. Nelly Corradi rounds out the dramatic triumvirate as Margaret, who falls in love with Faust, suffers as a consequence and dies on a pyre, confident of redemption. The Italian-made film was produced by Gregor Rabinovitch and directed by Carmine Gallone, from the screenplay by Leopold Marchand. The voices dubbed in are those of Onelia Fineschi, Italo Tajo and Gino Mattera as Margaret, Mephistopheles and Faust, respectively. A resourceful job of English titling has been done by Herman G. Weinberg. Photography is skillful throughout. Running time, 87 minutes. General audience classification. For May release. Mandel Herbstman "The Arizona Cowboy" (Republic) REPUBLIC herein introduces a new addition to its singing-cowboy roster — a chap named Rex Allen. "The Arizona Cowboy" is a minor Western effort which might have some added value in certain areas where Allen is known for his recordings and radio and rodeo appearances. The story is good enough for its type but the performances and general presentation are short on the old and ever-welcome zip and zing side. There's oil in Dusty Acres (as the yarn goes) and a group of shady operators try to keep it a secret so they can buy out the homesteaders' property cheaply. Allen latches on to the scheme and fights his way to a happy ending. He sings four tunes on the way. Others in the cast are Teala Loring, Gordon Jones, Minerva Urecal, James Cardwell, Roy Barcroft and Stanley Andrews. Franklin Andreon was associate producer, R. G. Springsteen directed and Bradford Ropes did the writing. Running time, 67 minutes. General audience classification. April release. Gene Arneel LA. Women's Clubs Threaten Boycott Los Angeles, April 30. — The Los Angeles district of the California Federation of Women's Clubs adopted a resolution committing its members to boycott pictures which "flout moral decency" or present actors who "do not adhere to the American way of life" and those who "obey the letter of the motion picture code but violate its spirit." The group moved to send copies of the resolution to Eric Johnston, all Southern California theatres and to the State Federation for action at its meeting next month. 400 'Samson' Bookings Cecil B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah" has received more than 400 pre-release bookings for May, it was announced Friday by A. W. Schwalberg. Paramount distribution president. — fly — UNITED DC-6 Mainliner 300s, 11 hrs. onestop to LOS ANGELES Scenic daylight flight, Leave 11 am (E.S.T.) Arrives 6:55 pm Flat Rentals (Continued from page 1) unit's complaint that too many theatres in a number of categories find it impossible to go in for extensive showmanship activity, because their profit margins are not favorable under percentage scales. It is understood that while virtually no outright commitments came from distributor heads, there was evidence of an inclination to re-examine the buyer-seller relationships covering a number of situations. It is held possible that new flat-rental commitments will_ be forthcoming from some companies before the committee files its report with the Allied board. During the committee's individual meetings with distribution chiefs, it was informed by more than one company executive that they were of the opinion that some distributors "already had gone a long way toward accommodating theatres on flat rentals." The committee was told also that it was necessary for distributors to "try out" theatres on percentage for extended periods before it could be determined whether flat rentals would be equitable. 1,058 'OurTown, USA' Prints Sold by NSS Theatre owners already have purchased 1,058 prints of the "Our Town, U.S.A." institutional trailer that was prepared by 20th Century-Fox as a part of the industrywide showmanship campaign. As a result of the demand for the trailer, National Screen Service, distributor of the film, has made many I additional prints. 'Humiliating' Bow (Continued from page 1) ise Senator Johnson to take steps to deal with the situation, according to Allied counsel Abram F. Myers. Myers said it was to the good that the "threat of a public washing of Hollywood linen has been averted, for the time being, at least." He pointed out that Allied did not submit the Finneran plan on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, but said that even so, "the top executives and Eric Johnston, whose lack of authority in all such matters is now admitted, merely shrugged it off." "Allied, of course, expects no recognition for having pioneered in this field," Myers said, "but Allied leaders can be excused for pointing out that if the action which the producers now contemplate had been taken when Allied first submitted the problem so Eric Johnston, they would have been spared the humiliation of that trek to Washington." The statement said that while Johnson's film licensing bill was "absurd," it had prodded the producers into action, and "if they really come through with the necessary reforms, the Senator will have performed a useful service." Henry Plitt Named To Para. Gulf Post New Orleans, April 30. — Henry G. Plitt, who has held various Paramount theatre posts in Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky, has been appointed district manager of Paramount Gulf Theatres, N. L. Carter, president, announced here at the weekend. Paramount Gulf has 48 houses in this area. Plitt's new post is newly-created. TV Sets Likely to Escape Excise Tax Washington, April 30. — Chances are the House Ways and Means Committee will not approve President Truman's proposal for a 10 per cent manufacturers excise tax on television sets, committee members said as ttjPT, tative voting on excise 1 5 ^ reduction was completed F7i10" day. The committee is slated to take up technical matters this week, then move on to proposed higher corporate income taxes and the closing of tax loopholes. Later, it may reconsider increasing or decreasing its excise tax actions. TV A Will Join in SAG's NLRB Bid Television Authority, Screen Actors Guild's rival for jurisdictional control of video film talent, will intervene in the National Labor Relations Board representative election for which SAG has filed a petition on the Coast, it was indicated here at the weekend by a TV A spokesman. In filing for the election for all actors employed by all motion picture producers in the Southern California area, SAG invited TVA to intervene and get its name on the ballot in the actors' referendum which will result. TVA, which has indicated it will begin negotiations with video networks and advertising agencies on May 4, is prepared to challenge the holding of local NLRB elections however, it was said. The TVA spokesman said his organization will move for an NLRB election on a national scale. Road Suit (Continued from page 1) has been postponed to May 15 in case of a "last minute" disagreement. Settlement of the suit involves damages only, as the plaintiff, Ethel Soloman, is losing the lease on the 660seat house shortly. The Road is owned by a corporation listed as a defendant, and headed by Jack Kirsch, Illinois Allied president. Defendants named are : 20th Century-Fox, Gold Theatre Co., Homan Photoplay Co., Eileen Theatre Corp., Balaban and Katz, Warner, Universal, Eagle-Lion, RKO, Loew's, United Artists, Paramount, Columbia and Republic. MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION