Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 6, 1951 National Pre-Selling Review if 'M (Columbia) ALL kinds of psychopathic killers have passed in darkening parade since the cycle first developed its head of steam in Hollywood, and many of the characters since displayed have been unsavory and pretty horrible. The probability now is that a new high is established with this remake of one of the most famous of early German films in which Peter Lorre originally played the maniacal child murderer and Fritz Lang directed. Seymour Nebenzal, who produced both, has made a film which is shot through with undeniable power although unevenly developed. But it is the kind of dramatic power which inclines to fascinate and hold attention by its ability to repel and repulse. Obviously, the story of a man with a twisted mentality which compels him to strangle a half-dozen bright-eyed children is not pleasant and, it might well be argued, hardly suitable material for a motion picture available to anyone capable of buying a ticket no matter where. The murders, obviously, are not shown, but they are indicated _ with unmistakable clarity. No one can possibly misunderstand what David Wayne is up to. As the killings proceed unchecked by a baffled police department, panic gradually takes hold in the community. The police, clearing through detective Howard da Silva, throw out dragnet after dragnet and interrupt routines to the point where the underworld syndicate finds its floating crap games, numbers racket, slot machines, et al., falling on hard times. Martin Gabel, top gang leader, is smart enough to realize the only way to lift the heat is to get the killer. It is his organization, its tentacles reaching into every corner of the city, which runs clown Wayne intending to turn him over to the police. In an underground garage, rum-sodden Luther Adler, Gabel's mouthpiece, holds a kangaroo court to decide Wayne's fate. The police determine the issue by arriving at the crucial juncture. Joseph Losey's direction leans toward the semi-documentary. In this area, he has achieved many arresting touches and effects. Much of "M"— for murderer — is photographed on true-to-life locations which raise the overall impact of realism. Wayne, in his most important straight dramatic role, handles a difficult part very commendably, his big scene developing before the kangaroo court. Effort to create a measure of sympathy for him endeavors to break through here and there, but it is only fleetingly successful. The fault may not be his, but Wayne's monstrous crimes outride attempts to pin the blame on his unhappy youth or an indifferent society. Other principals, notably da Silva and Gabel, are dramatically hard-hitting. "M" is anything but pretty. It is morbid, depressing, and shocking. But, because it is a shocker, there undoubtedly are situations where it will display box-office weight. Like mother, the exhibitor knows best. Norman Reilly Raine and Leo Katcher wrote the screenplay and Waldo Salt contributed additional dialogue. Running time, 88 minutes. Adult audience classification. For March release. Red Kann rJDE, the news magazine for advertising executives, publishes a cover story on "How Walt Disney Sells Fairy Tales," an analysis of the firm's advertising and promotion policies, in its current issue. It tells how he uses careful research and copy tests to ascertain what appeals will make people "buy" his films, and how, "despite the lack of stars, sex appeal, sensationalism and other standard boxoffice appeals, by careful analysis of public tastes, planned advertising and exploitation," Disney manages to attract big-time audiences. • Life for March 5 carries a threepage color story on "Tales of Hoffman," the new Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger film, which is described as being "opera in a brilliant color movie." The producers are credited with "limitless taste for richly colored fantasy." It announces that a preview at the Metropolitan Opera House on April 1 will make musical history, inasmuch as this will be the first time that films have been shown in the historic opera house. Tickets, at $25 each, are to be sold for charity. The world premiere, at the Bijou Theatre, here, where "Red Shoes" has its phenomenal run, was advertised in Sunday's Metropolitan newspapers for Wednesday, April 5. • Five-hundred prizes, zvorth $25,000 at wholesale, will be given to winners in a Coast-to-Coast promotion for Eagle Lion Classic's "Mr. Universe" through a tieup effected with Helbros Watch Co. The promotion, at the local level, will include window displays, newspaper space, TV trailers^ and radio announcements, and all will be timed for local playdates. In addition, another tieup has been completed with Owendale Men's Jackets, whereby their 15,000 dealers will display special material showing Jack Carson wearing an Owendale original model. 9 The March issue of Seventeen features a profile on Dan Dailey, 20th Century-Fox star, written by entertainment editor Edwin Miller. The illustrated double spread is titled ". . . And He Made It." It tells how Dailey earned his reputation as a sorrg-and-dance man, and plays it straight in his forthcoming picture, "I Can Get it for You Wholesale." • The world premiere of Warner's "Raton Pass" will take place today at the Kimo theatre, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and will be followed by 250 regional openings within 10 days, in Western and Pacific states. Stars of the picture will be greeted at the Santa Fe station in Albuquerque by an Indian band, a cowboy band, a Mexican group in fiesta costumes and the Early Pioneers of New Mexico. The premiere attractions will move tomorrow night to the El Raton Theatre, Raton, N. M., where a turnout of cowboys from the famous T-0 ranch will join the party. Press and radio coverage is aimed to cover a radius of 300 miles of the premiere situations. Walter Bbooks Supreme Court to Rule on TV Color Washington, March 5. — The U. S. Supreme Court today agreed to rule on the legality of the Federal Communications Commission's order approving CBS color television. The court said it would hear arguments on an appeal by RCA from a decision of a special three-judge court in Chicago. That court upheld the FCC action, but left in effect an order restraining CBS from actually starting color telecasting until April 1 or until the Supreme Court acts. Indicating it plans to move quickly in the case, the high court immediately set it down for argument on March 26. RCA Brochure Gives Details Of TV Tri-Color Tube Production details of RCA's new tri-color tube for television, until now a "top secret," have been made available to electronics manufacturers in a brochure issued by the company. RCA's color system, of which the tube is the integral part, has figured in the dispute with the Federal Communications Commission, which has approved CBS's color system. Name Brown to NAB Washington, March 5. — Thad Brown, Jr., has been appointed counsel for the television board of the National Association of Broadcasters. Legion Reviews 15, 5 Are in Class 'B' Fifteen additional features have been reviewed by the National Legion of Decency, five of which were put in Class "B and the remainder in Class "A." Those in Class "B" include : "Flesh and Blood," (British) London Films; "Raton Pass," Warners ; "Quebec," Paramount ; "Valentino," Columbia ; "Volcano," (Italian) Eagle Lion Classics. Listed in Class "A," section one, were : "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and "The Courtneys," both British, London Films ; "Circle of Danger," ELC, and "Go for Broke," M-G-M. In Class "A," section two, are included : "Air Cadet," Universal-International ; "Father's Little Dividend," M-G-M; "Fingerprints Don't Lie," Lippert; "Into the Blue" and "The Small Voice," both British, London Films, and "U. S. S. Teakettle," 20th-Fox. Ark. ITOA to Meet Little Rock, Ark., March 5. — The Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas will hold its 32nd annual convention on May 7-9 at the Hotel Marion here. Kill 'Reissue' Bill Boston, March 5. — A bill requiring theatres in Massachusetts to post special advertising when old or reissued motion pictures are shown has been rejected by the House of Representatives. Short Subject "Strategy for Victory" {March of Time-20th Century-Fo.v) The current issue of March of Time reviews the tactics used by Russia to build up its strength in Europe, and the action that the United States is employing through the Marshall plan and arms aid, to form a bulwark against Soviet aggression. Officers of the combined Army of the North Atlantic Treaty Nations are shown schooled in the use of American arms and coordinated tactics under General Eisenhower. The picture should prove interesting to the general public insofar as it is a pictorial account of the various news reports that have appeared in the papers for the past several months. Running time, 18 minutes. Rosen and Schneider Name UJA Aides Sam Rosen, .Fabian Theatres, and Abraham Schneider, Columbia Pictures, co-chairmen of the amusement division of the United Jewish Appeal, have selected additional officers and members of the industry's 1951 campaign for overseas Jewish aid. Co-chairman of the independent exhibitors committee are : Manny Frisch, Julius Joelson, Fred J. Schwartz and Solomon M. Strausberg. Members of the committee are : A. J. Balaban, Herman Becker, Harry Brandt, William Brandt, Leo Brecher, Max A. Cohen, Ed Fabian, Leonard Greenberg, Phil Hodes, Arthur Mayer, Charles B. Moss, Walter Reade, Jr., Samuel Rinzler, Michael Rudin, Edward Rugoff, Morris Seider, George P. Skouras, Morton Sunshine and David Weinstock. Charles B. Moss is chairman of the purchasing1 agents committee. Members are: Charles Beigel, Ethel Black, James F. Burns, Jules Catsiff, Walter Dunn, William Friedman, Ida Garretson, Lou Goudreau, Milton Green, Joe Hornstein, Nat Lapkin. Peter Lewis, Herman R. Maier, Harry Nadel, Jack Price and Max Seligman. Spyros Skouras has again accepted the chairmanship of the corporate gifts committee. Company chairmen are: Columbia, Max Seligman; Loew's, Irving Greenfield; National Screen, George Dembow, Jr.; Paramount, Arthur Israel; United Paramount Theatres, Robert Weitman; RKO Theatres, Sol Schwartz, Harry Mandel and Robert Goldfarb; 20th Century -Fox, Jack Lang and TJlrich Bell; Universal, Adolph Schimel; Warner, Sam Schneider. Laboratory chairman is William J. German. Other divisional heads are: Music publishers, Julius Collins; legitimate theatres, Alan Corelli; talent, Robert Weitman; talent agencies, Sam Rauch. Members of the publications committee are: Jack Alicoate, Abel Green, Red Kann, Chic Lewis and Martin Quigley. Tom Murtha was named chairman of the labor committee as business representative of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local No. 4, AFL. 10% LocaTTicket Tax Up in Maine Augusta, Me., March 5. — Maine municipalities would be empowered to levy local taxes of 10 per cent on theatre and other amusement admissions, and impose other local levies not duplicated by the state, under terms of a bill introduced in the Legislature by Rep. Paul L. Woodworth. Fairfield Republican. The bill would limit the overall return of such local levies to an amount equal to $15 per $1,000 of local property valuation.