Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, May 31 h 482 Closing (Continued from page 1) than mere reduction of the tax. The figures will certainly be put before the Senate Finance Committee ami House Ways and Means Commitee. Philadelphia and Dallas were the two worst areas, with 71 and 63 closings respectively. Other bad spots were the Atlanta area with 48 closings, Cincinnati with 38, and Detroit with 37. Only one area — Denver — reported no shutdowns. The original tax committee request to the areas was for information on curtailed operations and attendance declines as well as permanent closings, but apparently it was too complicated to supply all this, and the areas forwarded only information on the shut-downs. In making the figures public today, Myers said that while they were not yet complete, the interest in the survey was so great and the figures might have so important a bearing on the tax fight that the committee was making public what it had, and would make available later the figures from the other areas and any other information that might come in. Here are the closings reported by each area, in alphabetical order : Albany, 10; Atlanta, 48; Boston, 27 ; Buffalo, 7 ; Charlotte, 5 ; Chicago, 21; Cincinnati, 38; Cleveland, 9; Dallas, 63 ; Denver, 0 ; Des Moines, 5 ; Detroit, 37 ; Indianapolis, 3 ; Jacksonville-Tampa, 14; Los Angeles, 28; Milwaukee, 8; Minneapolis, 22; New Haven, 1 ; New Orleans, 18, New York, 5 ; Omaha, 8 ; Philadelphia, 71 ; Pittsburgh, 13; San Francisco, 14; and Seattle, 7. Still to be heard from are Memphis, Portland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and Washington. Lawson and Trumbo (Continued from page 1) mer screen writers. There was no high court opinion, merely a note that the petition for rehearing was denied. Justices Black and Douglas said they wanted to hear the case, while Justice Clark took no part. Lawson and Trumbo were cited for contempt by the House Un-American Activities Committee in connection with its fall 1948 hearings on alleged Communism in Hollywood. They were accused of refusing to answer committee questions on whether they belonged to the Communist Party. The high court's action is bad news for eight other former Hollywood workers who were also cited for contempt in the 1948 hearings. They agreed to let their cases ride on the outcome of the Lawson-Trumbo appeals. Now the District Attorney's office will ask the District Court here to proceed and find these other eight guilty and sentence them on the basis of the law laid down in the LawsonTrumbo cases. These other eight are Ring Lardner, Jr., Adrian Scott, Lester Cole, Herbert Biberman, Edward Dmytryk, Alvah Bessie, Samuel Ornitz and Albert Maltz. Sets 2nd Short for US Hollywood, May 30. — Pete Smith will make a second 'safety first' short at the request of the U. S. Department of Labor, to be titled "Bandage Bait." Review "This Side of the Law" (Warners) Hollywood, May 30 THE only uncertain element of this film is its title. Suggesting anything from a Jesse James Western to a conventional cops-and-robbers item, the picture is neither. Otherwise, everything in the film is quite definite and adds up to a well done, suspenseful box-office thriller. The villain, clone to a turn by Robert Douglas as a slick lawyer out to defraud his client of a $3,000,000 estate and murder several people while doing it, gives a vigorous performance. The heroine, alternately a deserted woman and a widow, should prove Viveca Lindfors an actress worthy of a better fate. The hero, whose amazing resemblance to the missing millionaire results in an impersonation and Enoch Arden plot, allows Kent Douglas considerable dramatic opportunity — including a spine-tingling escape from the bottom of a deep, dry well — and calls for at least a pre-legal course in thoroughly understanding the whys and wherefores of the inheritance laws and the seven-year missing heir aspect. (Without a knowledge of legal torts and procedure, the picture is still exciting stuff.) The other principals are just as definite in shading and, for the most part, unprincipled. Janis Paige plays a scheming sister-in-law of extra-amorous design, whose machinations are ended only by death at the hands of her lawyer-accomplice when she attempts to beat him on a double-cross. Her husband, played by John Alvin, is as weak and weak-livered a rich man's brother as was ever portrayed on or off the screen. To each comes his just deserts, a violent finish to the villainous and a happy ending to the widow and her late husband's double. Producer Saul Elkins and Director Richard Bare bring Russell Hughes' screenplay, from Richard Sale's story, to audiences with no holds barred when it comes to murder action, quadrangular romance and the other stuff of which such films are successfully made. Running time, 74 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, June 5. Chadwick Tour (Continued from page 1) bookings of independently-produced films. Chadwick had met with independent theatre owners in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Memphis and Cincinnati prior to his arrival here Sunday. He was slated to meet with exhibitors here yesterday, and also to discuss with top U. S. officials the need for government loans to independent producers. The Memorial Day weekend and holiday interfered with those plans, however, and Chadwick said his meetings with the government officials and1 local theatre owners would have to be put off until a return trip to Washington. Stresses Booking Need So far, he has been making several points in his talks to exhibitors, the IMPPA official declared. He has pointed out that while it takes 6,000 bookings for a modest independent film to break even, most smaller-budget features made by his members are now getting just about 4,000 bookings, or not paying off. He points out, he said, that independently-produced films can make money for independent exhibitors, and that it is to the advantage of the non-affiliated theatres to increase production of independentlyproduced features. Finally, he has urged exhibitors to hold their patronage of reissues to "legitimate" reissues. "The exchanges tell me that the theatres are proving by actual cooperation that they meant what they told me," Chadwick said. "The exhibitors have pledged themselves to do better by us and to restrain and limit their use of reissues." Chadwick emphasized that more inpendently-produced films means more work for Hollywood labor, and that one of the main purposes of his tour is to redeem his pledge to the AFL films unions that he will do all he can to boost production and give them more work. The IMPPA president left here today for Philadelphia. He is slated to arrive in New York on June 2. U. K. Control (Contiimed from page 1) held likely that chief consideration will be given at the debate to Sir Arnold Plant's recommendation for the establishment of an independent tribunal for the regulation of all motion picture affairs. Meanwhile, in its annual report the Films Council notes that the Plant Report condemned the present rates of tax as too heavy a burden for the industry in its present state. The Council already has formally advised the Board of Trade that "the share of the total proceeds of the industry taken by the Exchequer is so high as to constitute a serious handicap to the British film industry." It has been learned that the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association's executive group will meet tomorrow with the Customs and Excise authorities to discuss a suggestion that theatre prices be increased slightly with no relative increase in taxes. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Stafford Cripps is understood to be disposed to make such a concession provided the aggregate tax yield remains at its present figure. The Council's report includes this bleak picture of British production activity : "During 1948 the average number of first feature films in production in the first week of each month was 19 ; during 1949 the figure dropped to 15, and for the first quarter of 1950 it was only 10. Employment in the main, studios has also fallen steeply : in March, 1948, the figure was 7,253; in March, 1949, 5,139, and in March, 1950, 4,104 — the lowest figure since a substantial volume of British film production again became practicable after the war." Duals Down in 'Frisco San Francisco, May 30. — A shift in emphasis to single feature programs is in evidence here, with five out of seven first-runs showing only one feature. Johnston Se< (Continued from page 1) year during the past two year:! tailing an investment of api ?ij mately $14,000,000 total. Thy! least, is the sum which Britisl i cials hope will be forthcoming i US production industry here from J | ican funds in the next two yea|| Another incentive being offer the British to help attain that a 50 per cent remittance increa $1.40 for every pound ($2.88 ed in British production. In* Britain proposes to halt purch; Western Hemisphere distril rights to British pictures with I sterling. The rights could be ac< through investment in productioi otherwise they would have to b< chased with dollars. U. S. Unions Opposed Hollywood studio unions are ously opposed to any increase ii duction here by American com at the cost of reduction of Holh production and employment. T the reason for the Johnston-0 visit to Walsh, whose reactions British proposals undoubtedly |w carry considerable weight. On leaving here Johm n said: 'The British governnit is a tough trader. NeverthelJs, we appreciate the counttj's economic difficulties. "I believe we will be im here one month hence to |2gotiate a mutually agree; le deal." Johnston and Ellis Arnall, je. dent of the Society of Indepijie Motion Picture Producers, the Itli American negotiator, will plac t British proposals before their \m pals on their return to America, h are expected to return here, p< |ia with counter-proposals, for a di meeting on June 26. Arnall 'Unhappy' On sailing from Southampton ; the Mauretania at the weekenc nail said : "I am very unhappy' the British proposals. He ad his original idea was that there be no restrictions imposed upc convertibility of American film ings here. "We are losing money on ou tures," Arnall said. "In 1947 1 wood employed 20,000 people, it employs 10,000: But Britain big market and we want to ma it." Hunter Retires (Continued from page 1) nounced simultaneously that Hi successor will be Clay V. Hake, ently of the company's home executive staff. When Hunter leaves Austral will head for his farm in the St Washington. He began with mount in 1917. Hake joined Paramount in 19ter having served with 20th Ce Fox. He represented Paramoi South Africa for some time, which he became attached to mount's domestic sales organi. until last year, when he joine home office executive staff of mount International as an ai Weltner. Hunter will remain in his p Sydney until after Hake's arrival July 20.