Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1951)

4 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 3, 1951 Review "The Man With A Cloak" {Metro-Goldzvyn-Mayer) A PICTURE of curious moods and turns, "The Man With a Cloak" has its best box-office asset in the cast headed by Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, Louis Calhern and the young French actress Leslie Caron who made her debut here in "An American in Paris." Set in New York during the gaslit era, Frank Fenton's odd screenplay spins a story about a dying old rascal who served under Napoleon and three persons waiting like vultures for him to pass on so they can inherit his fortune. The retired soldier of ■eccentric and explosive temperament is played by Calhern and the three persons of sordid patience are Miss Stanwyck, Joe De Santis and Margaret Wycherly. Cotten plays a strange and shadowy figure, obviously a man of letters, who spends most of his time imbibing wine in the neighborhood tavern. He is enchanted one day when Miss Caron comes to the tavern to enlist his aid. Her fiancee, a French idealist engulfed in political ferment, has sent her to see his relative, Calhern, in order to obtain funds. What ensues is a grim game of combat between Miss Caron and the waiting trio. Based on a story by John Dickson Carr, the picture is pervaded by a brooding, meandering mood. As the story proceeds to its climax there are a series of melodramatic outbreaks, including the sudden 'death of Calhern and the disappearance of his will. In the mad scramble that ensues Cotten rises to worthy heights, finds the will which yields Miss Caron the fortune she sought, and then disappears. For those wondering who the anonymous Cotten is, a scribbled poem provides the clue. He is Edgar Allen Poe. Stephen Ames produced and Fletcher Markle directed. Running time, 81 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Oct. 19. Mandel Herbstman National Pre-Selling MARIA RIVA, Marlene Dietrich's daughter, adorns the cover of the October Ladies' Home Journal, wearing a Lily Dache green hat, and Omar Kiam green coat, selected by associate editor Wilhela Cushman, all in support of a feature story, "I Couldn't Compete with My Mother," by Selma Robinson. _ Also, there is a pertinent paragraph in Ann Batchelder's "Line a Day" — read by 10,000,000 women — in praise of Elizabeth Taylor in "A Place in the Sun" which Miss Batchelder says she will see again. The 266-page issue contains a page from Paramount and two cooperative pages featuring Rhonda Fleming and Virginia Mayo. The Journal is close to the grassroots, with its circulation of 4,600,000 at the newsstand price of 25 cents a copy. • The New York Sunday News, on Nov. 11, will devote its entire Coloroto Magazine section to motion pictures, marking the third consecutive year for this impressive annual. This year, it has "Movietime U.S.A." as a particular inspiration and movie attendance all over the country should be stimulated. The Sunday News has a circulation of 4,000,000 and this generous support of motion pictures sets a fine example for other newspapers with color gravure presses. Leaders of the film industry have been loud in their praise of the Sunday News for this contribution by the country's biggest newspaper to the current campaign. • A unique herald which utilizes the cover of the best-selling book from which the film is adapted has been made part of the showmanship accessories prepared by 2Qth-C entury-F ox for "The Desert Fox," the film story of the exploits of General Rommel, in which James Mason portrays the German military hero. The jacket information serves also as pre-sclling for the film, which has the same merit as a motion picture that it had in book form. • Mike Simons, assistant to H. M. Richey, head of exhibitor relations for M-G-M, has just completed conducting the first program of a new series of motion picture appreciation classes inaugurated at Springfield, Mass., under the auspices of the Springfield Motion Picture Council, with the cooperation of George Freeman, manager of Loew's Poli Theatre. Two assembly periods of 45 minutes each at Buckingham school were attended by 1,000 students and the school authorities immediately requested that the programs be continued to reach the entire grade and high school student body of the city, which will be done soon. The program was discussed at the first 1951-52 meeting of the Motion Picture Council, at the Springfield Art Museum. • In a tiein with Chesterfield, a full-page, four-color ad featuring Steve Cochran, with credit for his appearance in Warner Brothers' "The Tanks Are Coming," will appear in 25 national magazines to coincide with the picture's release date in November. • November breezes will be fluttering two special pirate pennants, as advertising for 20th Century-Fox's "Anne of the Indies" across the nation. Designed to make every playdate a "banner" one, the company is making the two four-color pennants available at National Screen branches, at a price beloiv cost to manufacture. Top sheet music and recording tieups will benefit this and another George Jessel production, "Golden Girl" with promotion of two top songs, both written by the producer, and published by Robins Music Corp. "California Moon," from "Golden Girl," has already been recorded by Bing Crosby for Decca, and Dennis Day for RCA. • Paramount's "Submarine Command," which is set for release in November, will be kicked-off in spectacular fashion with 21 selected prerelease engagements in late October. This 21-gun salute to the picture is scheduled for Norfolk, Washington, Baltimore, New London, San Diego, Portsmouth, Portland, Providence, Richmond, Chicago, Corpus Christi, San Francisco, Oakland, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Key West, Charleston, Boston, New Orleans, Memphis and Newport — all important naval bases. Field representatives have been assigned to each area to assure maximum penetration of publicity. • A special 16-page booklist on motion pictures has been published by Warner Brothers in connection with the 25th anniversary of talking pictures. The brochure includes annotations of books and periodicals about various phases of motion picture production. The list has been brought up to date, and includes comment by national education leaders. Copies of the brochure have been distributed to schools, colleges, libraries and civic and community organizations, from coast to coast. • Seventeen magazine, the October issue of which carries a full -page ad for Columbia's "Sunny Side of the Street," follozvs through by mailing proofs of the ad with a promotional i letter to exhibitors all over the country, informing them that the film is I Film Trailer Ready For BBC Telecast London, Oct. 2. — "Current Release," the British film industry's experimental television trailer, carryingexcerpts from four films, with commentary, has been completed. It runs for 30 minutes and will be screened privately in the trade before being released to British Broadcasting Company's TV service. Subject to exhibitor approval, it is planned to make similar trailers every two weeks, distributors to determine the pictures to be included in each. The picture publicity value of the trailers is expected to determine whether or not their production is to continue. ELC, Film Classics Suit Motion OK'd A motion granting a bill of particulars in Eagle Lion Classics' $500,000 suit against Irving Kaufman, an assignee of Film Classics, and nine others has been approved by New York Supreme Court Justice Gavagan. The nine other parties in the suit involving distribution claims include Realart Pictures, Discovery Pictures, Inc., Associated Artists Production, Hecuba Holding Co., Agay Productions, RD-ICR Corp. and the Cherftical Bank and Trust Co. "perfect entertainment" and telling them the full-page ad will have Seventeen'.? 2,500,000 readers eagerly awaiting local playdates. • Adding another weapon to the showmanship arsenal being assembled for the $15,000 exploitation contest for the upcoming 20th Century-Fox picture, "The Day the Earth Stood Still," the company is printing a special four-page herald in the form of a startling tabloid newspaper, covering the landing of a strange inter-planetary space ship. Initial printing runs to 1,000,000 copies, which will be available at cost through NSS branches. Walter Brooks STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION REQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912, AS AMENDED BY THE ACTS OF MARCH 3, 1933., AND JULY 2, 1946 (Title 39, United States Code, Section 233) Of Motion Picture Daily, published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays), at New York, New York, for October 1, 1951. 1. The names and addresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor, and business managers are: Publisher, and Editor-inChief, Martin Quigley, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York City; Editor, Sherwin Kane, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City; Managing Editor, Sherwin Kane, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City; Business Manager, Theo. J. Sullivan, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City. 2. The owner is: (if owned, by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding one per cent or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, its name and address, as well as that of each individual member, must be given.) Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City; Martin J. Quigley, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City; Gertrude S. Quigley, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City; Martin Quigley, Jr., 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York City. 3. The known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities are: (If there are none, so' state.) None. 4. Paragraphs 2 and 3 include, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting; also the statements in the two paragraphs show the affiant's full knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner. 5. The average number of copies of each issue of this publication sold or distributed, through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers during the twelve months preceding the date shown above was: (This information is required from daily, weekly, semi-weekly and tri-weekly newspapers only.) 5,361. (Signed) Theo. J. Sullivan, Business Manager Sworn to and subscribed before me this 18th day of September, 1951. (seal) Rose W. Hornstein. (My commission expires March 30, 1953.) Chi TV Offered 7 Major Studio Films Chicago, Oct. 2. — A package of seven productions from major studios, some produced as late as 1946, has been offered to sponsors here for showing on local TV stations. The seven productions are : "Angel On My Shoulder" starring Paul Muni, Ann Baxter, and Claude Rains ; "Powers Girl," starring Anne Shirley and George Murphy; "So Ends Our Night" starring Frederic March, Margaret Sullavan, Glenn Ford and Frances Dee; "Song of the Open Road," starring Edgar Bergen and Bonita Granville ; "The Southerner," starring Zachary Scott, Betty Field, and Carroll Naish ; "The Gladiator," starring Joe E. • Brown ; and "The Moon and Sixpence," starring George Sanders and Herbert Marshall. St. Paul Theatre Will Install TV Minneapolis, Oct. 2.— An RCA theatre television system will be installed in the St. Paul Paramount Theatre, Minnesota Amusement Co. unit. It is expected to be ready for public use by Oct. 15. Meanwhile, the Terrace Theatre in suburban Robbinsdale disclosed that it has placed an order with National Theatre Supply for large-screen television equipment.