Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

onday, May 29, 1950 Motion Picture Daily luish 10 Features; even Are Started Hollywood, May 28. — The produc>n tally did a little backward slipig, for a loss of three, leaving a tal of 31 in work. Seven pictures ;re started, and 10 completed. Started were: "The Gun" and igain Pioneers," Independent ; "Holly Rhythm," Lippert; "Mexican Iver," Monogram; "The Great Mis— liaid," Paramount ; "Frisco Tor,'J'jRepublic; "Tomahawk," UnirsaTInternational. Completed were : "The Brave Bulls," larriet Craig," "Lightning Guns" d "Chain Gang," Columbia ; "Baden of Arizona," Monogram ; "Bend the Sunset," Paramount ; "North the Great Divide," Republic; "His nd of Woman," RKO-Radio ; "New exico," United Artists ; "Frenchie," niversal-International. ulf States' Frolic Biloxi, Miss., May 28.— Gulf States ilied's two-day frolic at the Buena ista Hotel here and at adjacent Cat land, which replaced the group's nual convention, ended tonight. ExDitors and other industry representa•es, and their families were the lests of Gulf States for the outing. iiistralia Imports (Continued from page 1) ie British film, "No Room at the n," which was banned. There was a heavy increase in films ought in from Britain, but Ameri;n product still comprised 71 per nt of all importations. The Americans supplied 284 feajres (an increase of 18 over the pre|ous year), Britain 95 (an increase 34) and other countries 21 (an inease of seven). Of the 399 films passed by the cen•r, 264 were classed suitable for ;neral exhibition and 135 as not suittele for children under 16. Jack Alexuder, the chief censor, said distribu rs had been most cooperative. Cuts i ere made in 90 features. Review 'The Good Humor Man' (Columbia) Hollywood, May 28 SLAPSTICK is back and it may be here to stay if the rousing reception given "The Good Humor Man" by the local Pantages Theatres audience is any yardstick. Produced by S. Sylvan Simon and directed by Lloyd Bacon, the picture makes no pretense at being sophisticated but draws riotous laughter from those who like their humor straight, uncomplicated and obvious. The screenplay, by Frank Tashlin, is based on Roy Huggins' Saturday Evening Post story, "Appointment with Fear." The title role gives Jack Carson every opportunity to display his talent and he makes the most of it as the Good Humor man whose love for a private detective's secretary leads to his being chief suspect in an armed robbery case. The story takes many swift and surprising turns and the gags are fast and funny, even including a custard-pie throwing episode. The excellent supporting cast includes Lola Albright, Jean Wallace, George Reeves, Peter Miles and Frank Ferguson. Running time, 80 minutes. General audience classification. June release. British Proposals Made (Continued from page 1) TWA offers the most flights weekly direct to these cities in EUROPE PARIS ROME ATHENS MADRID GENEVA ZURICH For information, see your travel agent or call TWA. equivalent at least to that prevailing two years ago. In addition, Britain is offering a 50 per cent remittance incentive to American companies engaging in production here. For every pound ($2.80) invested in production here, an additional remittance of $1.40 would be permitted. One of the major changes proposed by Britain in the schedule of 27 permitted uses for unremittable sterling is the elimination of the right granted Americans to purchase British films for Western Hemisphere distribution. Previous deals which have received the approval of the Bank of England, such as the reciprocal arrangements between Universal and EagleLion with J. Arthur Rank, would not be affected by the proposed change. Britain's purpose appears to be a further attempt to direct American funds into British production, since acquisition of Western Hemisphere distribution rights could be acquired by joint investment before a picture is made. Afterward, such rights could be acquired only with the approval of the Bank of England, and would require a dollar instead of a sterling investment. The British proposals, which include additional changes in the 27 permitted uses, were placed before Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Association of America president ; Ellis Arnall and James Mulvey of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, and Joyce O'Hara and F. W. Allport, aides to Johnston, at the "showdown" meeting on Friday. Also present were: W. M. Neighbors of the U. S. Embassy here as an observer ; Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade, other BOT, Bank of England and British Treasury officials. The American delegates, who had previously conferred with their principals in 'New York by telephone, informed Wilson they were not in _ a position to accept or reject the British proposals and therefore would return to New York for consultations. Johnston and O'Hara will leave here tomorrow for Ireland and are due in New York on Wednesday or Thursday. Arnall sailed on the Mauretania Saturday, due in New York at the end of the week. Mulvey left for Paris by plane on Friday and will Court Rules Drive-ins Are Not Nuisances Atlanta, May 28. — Drive-in theatres are legitimate business enterprises as long as they are operated in legitimate locations, according to a decision of Judge Jesse M. Wood of Fulton County superior court in an injunction case brought by six Elberton, Georgia, residents to prevent construction of a drive-in in Elberton. Judge Wood ordered the injunction against Publix-Lucas Theatres denied and the Elberton residents' petition dismissed. return to New York by plane on Wednesday or Thursday. It was clear in the negotiations that Wilson is wholly preoccupied with keeping British studios going somehow. Despite the aid of his Film Finance Corp., production here is reaching new lows and without American help the situation appears to be hopeless. The apprehensions of hardhit Hollywood unions, however, were borne in mind during the negotiations. Tom O'Brien, Member of Parliament and executive head of the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employes, and members of the American delegation conferred with Richard F. Walsh, president of IATSE, by phone. Walsh is visiting on the Continent. Credit for the break which moved the negotiations off dead center after 10 days without progress being made is due Hugh Gaitskell, Minister of State, who opened the way to compromise by Britain and made the provisional understanding possible. Johnston visited Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin who, although a sick man, was anxious to remove all obstacles to an Anglo-American understanding. Johnston had let it be known that he could not negotiate on any basis other than one which provided continuance of the $17% millions remittances and that did not require specific large-scale American production in Britain. That left the area for possible agreement entirely within the scope of the permitted uses of blocked sterling. In his telephonic conversations with New York, it was suggested that if the latter changes were of a drastic nature the American delegates should return there for consultation. The "B" pool arrangements, having become nearly meaningless, anyhow, are understood to be left without change. Under the "B" pool provisions, Britain agrees to add to American remittances sums equal to the earnings of British pictures in the U. S. The consultations on the British proposals are expected to start in New York in about a week. If an agreement results, the consultations also will provide an opportunity for advance clarification and interpretation of any new terms. 14 Chicago Houses Resume Giveaways Chicago, May 28. — In efforts to stimulate business here, a return to "dish night" and other giveaways and gadgets during midweek is being widely adopted. Houses employing crockery giveaways are : the Loomis, Queen, Marshall, Square, Douglas, Elmo, Oakley, Palace (Cicero), Gold, New Strand, Metropoie, Holly, Armitage, Acadia, and Gaelic. Another promotion is being instituted by six outlying Essaness theatres, which will launch a city-wide "search for young movie stars" contest beginning tomorrow at the Julian, Embassy, Davis, Irving, Byrd and Michigan theatres, contestants to range from age seven to 14. Finalists will receive a role in a 20-minute short to be produced here by Telemovie Productions. It will later be exhibited throughout the country. French to Cooperate (Continued from page 1) conclusion of their four-week survey of the U. S. The survey was conducted with the cooperation of the Motion Picture Association of America. Producer Georges Lourau, spokesman for the French delegation, indicated that "some changes in detail" may appear in future French productions in consequence of the delegates' recent Coast conversations held with Production Code Administrator Joseph I. Breen. The MPAA office here reported at the weekend that the Association "is ready to support all activities of the French industry to find a broader outlet for French films in the American market." The French delegates, who will return to the U. S. in October to set in motion plans which will be made meanwhile for a French film festival here, foresaw a potentially larger American market for their country's films. Lourau said that, with the MPAA's cooperation, it appears that there will be (1) larger audiences for French films, (2) a greater number of bookings, and (3) greater variety in the types of French pictures exported to the U. S. The last point, it was explained, referred to the bringing here of French films whose content will be different from what American audiences have come to expect in Gallic productions. In addition to Lourau, the delegates included J. P. Frogerais and Robert Cravenne. They will return to France early this week.