Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1952)

Tuesday, May 20, 1952 Motion Picture Daily 5 Owen Is Conducting Meetings in Atlanta Atlanta. May 19. — Follow-up meetings to Paramount's recently concluded studio sales and merchandising conferences got under way here today, with branch managers of the Atlanta, Charlotte, Xew Orleans and Jacksonville exchanges gathered to hear a report by Hugh Owen, Eastern and Southern division manager. Owen outlined to his field force the decisions made and the future plans formulated by distribution and production executives at the Hollywood meeting. He will conduct sessions here for the balance of the week and will then go to Boston. Present, in addition to Owen, are : E. A. Fitter, his assistant, and branch managers W. Gordon Bradley, Atlanta ; A. H. Duren, Charlotte ; William Holliday, New Orleans ; and E. G. Chumley, Jacksonville. Rank Group (Continued from page 1) reduced its bank indebtedness at Tune last year from £16,300,000 to £9,200,000. He added that this year's accounts "will show further substantial improvement in our position. We are in a, position today where we have financial stability." Rank companies, he said are making some 22 films a year, more than any of their British competitors. Davis claimed the theatre interests at home and abroad have been consolidated, providing secure outlets for British films. He said the organization has gone a long way to achieve what Rank originally contemplated : To see a sound, well-balanced British production industry which will be able to supply to this and other countries films which have integrity and something of the "feel" of the people of this country, but which at the same time are boxoffice and entertainment. 'Latuko' Ban (Continued from page 1) was neither "obscene" nor "indecent." The documentary is sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History. The Newark Police Department was handed a restraining order denying it the right te ban the film on grounds of "immorality." The Police Department objected to scenes depicting naked savages. Meanwhile, a hearing will be held tomorrow in Newark Magistrate's Court on the arrests of the theatre manager and the two Embassy projectionists, who were charged with showing an "indecent" film. Canadian Pioneers Meet Toronto, May 19. — Annual meeting of the Canadian Picture Pioneers is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, in Toronto. The president is O. R. Hanson, a founder of the organization. SPECIAL TRAILERS GOOD and FAST end pecked with ULL-MANSHIP It what yoi» alwayt g*t from reliable CHICAGO 1327 $. Wabcnli HUM! NfW VO»K 630 Ninth Avtmu* French Offers for Pact (Continued from page 1) Franco-American pact expires on June 31. The Americans opened the negotiations in Paris a week ago by asking for a substantial increase of the 121 pictures per year now being admitted by the French, maintenance of an unrestricted remittance flow, and a slash in the stiff dubbing tax now prevailing. In addition to Johnston, the U. S. negotiators included American Ambassador Dunn and John G. McCarthy, MPAA vice-president in charge of the international division. The alternate counter-proposals, which the French government negotiators conceived, are subject to the approval of top-level French officials. It is understood that where one or more proposals make concessions in terms of remittances, others stress imports and the dubbing tax. The previous remittance provided for was $3,625,000 annually. Johnston, who was in France about two weeks starting with the Cannes Film Festival, reported also that the screens of the world now are showing the "largest number of great pictures ever produced. Moviegoers expect and demand only the finest in motion picture entertainment. That's what they're Compo Tours (Continued from page 1) New York over the weekend after speaking tours for COMPO in Ohio and Virginia, respectively. "One of COMPO's major projects," said Coyne, "has been the establishment of a speakers' bureau, but COMPO has had to defer action until it could get sufficient funds. It is our hope that as soon as the committee of three COMPO governors is completed we shall be able to embark on the financing campaign devised by the finance committee, and thus get enough money to insure a proper launching of a long-term speakers' bureau program. Certainly the experience Bergman and I had on our trips confirms the wisdom of such a project." Noting that in many places in Ohio he was preceded or followed by speakers for other industries, Bergman said that the motion picture industry seemed to be alone in its failure to use speakers consistently in the furtherance of its aims. Coyne said he had a similar experience in Virginia and that his and Bergman's tours, launched by COMPO as a pilot operation, pointed up the need of a continuing speakers' bureau that could provide personalities for appearances before civic and other groups on a local level. "There can be no question of the public's interest in the industry's message," Bergman said. Both Coyne and Bergman agreed that money was needed to carry on such work and that speakers should include outstanding industry figures both from New York and Hollywood. Weinberg Hits Duals Hartford, May 19. — Urging a reeducation of the public to the return to programs of one feature film and shorts, Max Weinberg, Eastern shorts representative for M-G-M, told the Motion Picture Council of Springfield, Mass., that "double features are the greatest evil of the motion picture industry." getting. That's why motion pictures were never more popular." Continuing on the subject of film quality, Johnston declared that "Hollywood pictures still rank first in quality and popular appeal but many fine films are also being made in other countries — in the reborn industries of West Germany and Japan, and in France, Great Britain, Sweden, Italy, and other countries. "This competition is stimulating and healthy," he said. "That ought to be good news for all moviegoers. It means that Hollywood producers — and producers everywhere — will have to be constantly on their toes to provide the fine entertainment that audiences demand." Johnston told reporters following his arrival at Idlewild International Airport here that "Europe has serious apprehensions over the efforts in the United States to raise tariffs." He emphasized that the U. S. has no restrictions on the importation of films. "Instead of raising tariffs, which cause trade to wither, we should — all of us, at home and abroad — be leveling down the restrictions so that world trade can start to flourish once more on its own. Certainly this should be one of the first concerns of American taxpayers, unless they prefer to continue high taxes by handing out more and more billions in foreign aid to keep the free world on its feet — and free." Jack Warner Assays Studio Fire Damage Hollywood, May 19. — "Although the largest of our 22 stages and two standing outdoor sets were destroyed in Friday's fire at our studio, we are grateful that no one was seriously injured and there was hardly any interruption in the production schedule," Jack L. Warner, executive producer, said today. "Due to the magnificent spirit and cooperation of our studio personnel, one of the scenes of 'The Iron Mistress,' which was scheduled to be shot on stage 21, was quickly replaced with an outdoor location so that this company was at work in mid-afternoon with two other units, 'April in Paris' and 'The Desert Song.' They were on stage unmenaced by the fire." While the inventory for fire damage is not complete, Warner stated that all structures and equipment destroyed or damaged by the blaze are fully covered by insurance and will be replaced. An original estimate of the loss reached $1,500,000. Exhibitor Meets (Continued from page 1) Owners will be held on May 28 and 29 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. Wisconsin Allied will hold a regional meeting at Rice Lake on June 3-4. The board of directors will hold its regular meeting at the same time. June 22-24 has been set for the annual convention of the Mississippi Theatre Owners at Biloxi, at the Buena Vista Hotel. 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