Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1951)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 9, 1951 Review "The Longhorn" (Monogram) WILD BILL ELLIOTT makes a most auspicious start in the Western entertainment field in this starter of his new series for Monogram. It is a tight tale and a trim one, done in pleasant sepia. Elliott has excellent support in his first offering, with Myron Healey as the heavy who changes over to the good side when the heat is on, and Phyllis Coates, as the girl in the case, particularly distinguishing themselves. The picture is a top-quality Western in every sense of the word, and appears to be an assured success. Dan Ullman's script casts Elliott as a Wyoming ranger intent on bringing overland from Oregon a herd of Hereford cattle to be cross-bred with his Texas longhorns. Healey, a supposed friend, is taken along on the journey, but Healey, however, is actually in league with outlaws who figure on stampeding and stealing the Hereford herd on the return drive. When Healey's life is saved by Elliott, after an ambush by Indians, he begins wavering in his allegiance, and in the final battle with the would-be cattle thieves he switches over to Elliott's side and is fatally wounded in his defense. Miss Coates plays a plains cowgirl with whom Healey is in love but whose heart interest is Elliott. The production is by Vincent M. Fennelly, the direction by Lewis Collins, and the photography, an important factor in this instance, is by Ernest Miller. Others in the cast are John Hart, Marshall Reed, William Fawcett, Lee Roberts, Carol Henry, Don Murray. Running time, 70 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Nov. 25. National Pre-Selling rHEATRE ARTS, oldest national magazine devoted to the legitimate theatre, with a large subscription and newsstand audience interested in the film adaptation of stage plays, has put out its first "Hollywood Issue" and follows up with four motion picture articles in October, including a new department of "Films of the Month." The magazine is owned by John D. McArthur, wealthy Chicagoan, president of the Bankers Life and Casualty Co., who is a brother of Charley McArthur, famous stage and screen author. Eddie Dowling, Broadway producer, director and actor, is co-publisher. An increase of advertising rates early in 1952 is contemplated in the expansion program for the class magazine. • The October 23rd issue of Look, delivered to subscribers and on the stands today, with the feature story "Who Says Hollywood Is Dying?" a discussion of current and coming box-office product — carries a fullpage, four-color ad from Metro on "An American in Par's," a sevenpage pictorial story about Marilyn Monroe, a full-page, four-color ad from RKO on "The Blue Veil," a seven-page piece on Red Skelton with one page in color, a men's fashion article on "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and a backcover "co-op" ad from Chesterfield plugging Paul Douglas — all in addition to the nine page Hollywood story by Jack Sayers." • Ah imposing list of tieups with national manufacturers "will give MGM's "Quo Vadis" an unprecedented sendoff in national advertising and local follow-ups. Preliminary reports on details of these promotions indicate a veritable "Quo Vadis" season in merchandise, with advertising in the form of newspaper ads, window and interior displays, counter and other point-of-sale credits. Heading the list is the tieup with Quality Bakers of America, which will result in the placing of more than 2,500 24-sheet posters and 500 full-page newspaper ads, in addition to many other advertising accessories. Hundreds of exhibitors have worked enthusiastically with members of the Quality Bakers in various parts of the country and those who have enjoyed previous experience knozv what is in store for them in valuable adifertising tieups for the big picture. Walter Brooks Lift Excise Tax (Continued from page 1) dustry many millions of dollars a year in tax costs. Under present law, film is taxed at a 15 per cent rate, while cameras and other photographic apparatus are taxed at 25 per cent. The House voted to make both rates 20 per cent, but to exempt from taxes all items which are used in carrying on a business and enter into business costs. The Senate cut the rate on equipment to 15 per cent, left the 15 per cent film rate unchanged, and vetoed the Houseapproved "business cost" amendment. The conferees decided to take the entire House provision, much to the gratification of the Motion Picture Binford Cuts Two 'Bathsheba' Scenes Memphis, Oct. 8. — Censor chairman Lloyd T. Binford disclosed today that two scenes, a dance and a love scene, running about five minutes, were censored out of "David and Bathsheba" before it was allowed to open at Loew's Palace. Binford also "toned down" the advertising used in connection with the 20th Century-Fox picture. Binford charges the producers "misused and abused the Holy Bible." He charged the picture made Bathsheba "a conniving adultress" and then the censor quoted the Bible (11 Samuel, Chap. 11 V-4) "David sent messengers and took her." Binford then said the picture had Bathsheba "a murderess at heart who declared she was glad he (her husband) was dead" and then the censor quoted the Bible (11 Samuel, Chap. 11 V. 26) "and when the wife of Uriah her husband was dead she mourned for her husband." $5,000 in Prizes to WB Men in Drive Hartford, Oct. 8. — Prizes amounting to $5,000 will be distributed to Warner circuit managers in the New England zone in monthly and quarterly awards in the annual "New England Sweepstakes Drive," which will cover an 11-month period. Some 37 managers in the Warner New England zone attending a kickoff meeting at zone headquarters heard talks by Harry Kalmine, general manager of Warner Theatres, Harry Feinstein, the circuit's New England zone manager, and other WB executives Association of America and other industry groups which have been closely following this section of the bill. The excise changes go into effect on the first day of the first month beginning 10 days or more after the president signs the bil! into law. Assuming the president signs the bill by Oct. 21, and the chances seem excellent that he will, the exemption will start Nov. 1. 'Look' Calls Films Entertainment Giant "Despite a series of ghoulish obituaries, the fact of the matter is that the movies are still very much the giant of the entertainment industry throughout the world," declares the current issue of Look Magazine released. In its article entitled, "Who Says Hollywood Is Dying?" Look devotes seven pages, two in full color, to prove this fact. Written by Look's Hollywood staff writer, Jack Sayers, the feature claims that film attendance is running at least ten per cent ahead of last year, motion-picture theatres are becoming more numerous and Hollywood is getting more money back from the sale of pictures abroad. The simple reason behind this record, observes Look, is a vastly improved product. Blaming the war, easy profits, lack of competition and worn-out techniques for the past drop in box-office attendance, Look admits that for a time there was a decided uneasiness on the sound stages. But, the article declares, measured by any other yardstick except the wartime boom, the industry still maintained a respectable position. And the good pictures made since the war have done well. In the future, quality and entertainment will get the emphasis at major studios, and the Look article featuring 29 examples of the "improved product" demonstrates this determination. One out of every four Hollywood films will be in Technicolor — a key part of the $285 million 1952 production budget. Film Dividends Off in August Washington, Oct. 8. — Publicly reported cash dividends of the film industry in August amounted to $236,000, compared with $486,000 in August, 1950, the Commerce Department reports. Astor Gets 2 from Small R. M. Savini, president of Astor Pictures, and Edward Small, have concluded a distribution deal for two of the latter's pictures, "The Last of The Mohicans," and "Kit Carson." NEWS in Brief . • Robert Kingsley, who together with Jack Tobin founded Telenews Productions, Inc., has resigned from the company. Kingsley plans to operate as a film production and cost consultant for concerns using motion pictures in television. • Ottawa, Oct. 8. — Henry J. Sisson, 46, assistant to the general manager of the Ontario Hydro Commission, has been appointed by the Canadian government to the Department of Defense Production as co-ordinator of materials to weld into one organization the work of controllers of individual scarce materials and supplies, including those in which the motion picture industry is interested. • Toronto, Oct. 8. — The Canadian Odeon circuit is launching a second annual showmanship contest, commencing Oct. 18, for 13 weeks for managers of more than 100 units across Canada on a quota basis, consideration to be given to box office receipts and candy sales. • Toronto, Oct. 8. — Confirmation has been made of the sale of the two largest Hamilton, Ont., theatres, the Palace and Capitol, to Sybil Investments Limited, Toronto, headed by Samuel Lunenfeld, by Theatre Properties (Hamilton) Limited, Toronto, of which Paul L. Nathanson is president. The sale price was not revealed. • Edith Piaf, French chanteuse, will star in a motion picture to be made in France by the same American and French film interests which produced "The Amazing Monsieur Fabre," it is announced by Walter Futter, the group's American producer. The new film will be Mile. Piaf's first. Will Rule on Stock (Continued from page 1) tain time. The three-judge court order said that if Hughes himself had not sold the trusteed stock by Feb. 20, 1953, the trustee would start lookingfor a purchaser and would have to sell by Feb. 20, 1955. Hughes had asked the high court to review this order. The Justice Department urged the Justices to let the lower court order stand. The high court's decision to review the case was contained in one line of a long list of orders handed down today. It was noted that Justice Clark did not participate, since he was connected with the original Paramount case as Attorney General. The court also said that when the case is argued — probably in December or January, with a decision not likely before early spring — each side will be limited to one-half hour. In asking the high court to review the decision, Hughes argued that the District Court, without hearing any evidence or making any other findings, in effect confiscated Hughes' stock by ordering the trustee to dispose of it. The government argues that the New York court order was not an amendment of the original consent decree but merely an elaboration, and that without this provision, Hughes could continue indefinitely as owner of the trusteed stock, with a "powerful inducement" to control RKO Pictures in such a way as to prefer the RKO theatre company.