Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1952)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, May 29, 1952 SIMPP, MPA (Continued from page 1) for the French's subsidy proposals, but might be willing to accept one of them if other possible avenues to an agreement were blocked. The MPEA attitude appeared to_be that having included such a provision in the latest Italian pact the Americans perhaps owe it to the French to accord them similar benefits. The SIMPP position is diametrically opposed to this. One Society representative expressed it this way : "The time to call a halt to such arrangements is now, otherwise we'll be maneuvered into making them with every country we do business with." Likewise, he added, American producers would find themselves filming pictures in all corners of the world with financing from blocked earnings. Another MPEA meeting on the subject is tentatively scheduled for next week, with the day not yet set. Yesterday's parley was given over to discussion of the merits and demerits of the several alternative counterproposals for an agreement made by the French. No attempt was made to take definite action on one of them because, it was pointed out, the French government has not yet given its official approval of the counter proposals, which emanated from the French delegates at the Paris negotiations recently. The delegates made the proposals with the proviso that the government's approval would be necessary before any one could be agreed to. Eric A. Johnston, Motion Picture Association of America president, presided at the meeting yesterday. In attendance, in addition to the foreign managers, were Joyce O'Hara, MPA A vice-president, and James Mulvey and Alfred Crown, representing the SIMPP. Review "The Wild Heart" (Sehnick—RKO Radio) STRANGE LOVE TRIANGLE of brooding moods and dark symbols s offered in "The Wild Heart," a story written, directed and produced by the noted British team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. There are certain veiled depths to the motives that sometimes give the picture an impenetrable aura, yet it has a mark of quality throughout. The story unfolds against an excellent background of wild, outdoor beauty in which the eye revels, with color by Technicolor enhancing the effect. Jennifer Jones heads the cast as an exuberant, untamed country girl who lives frugally with her weird, coffin-making father. For friends she has an assortment of pets, foremost of which is a fox cub. Her first emotional involvement with a man comes in an unexpected way. Returning home one night, Miss Jones is petrified by what she considers an approaching ghost. To the rescue comes David Farrar, a wealthy, arrogant squire, and he invites her to his manor for the evening. Farrar's manners with ladies are not quite as impressive as his manor, and so Miss Jones takes refuge for the night in a servant's quarters. When Miss Jones leaves the next morning a strange chemistry seems to have worked, leaving each fascinated by the other. Taunted by her grizzled father, Miss Jones vows to marry the first man who offers his hand and this turns out to be the local minister, Cyril Cusack. Soon the tranquilty of married life takes uneasy hold of Miss Jones and when the squire reappears, an old longing seizes her, culminating in her running off to live with him. Since the squire is quite cruel, it becomes an easy decision for Miss Jones to return to her husband who comes seeking her. At this point however community disapproval mounts to an uncomfortable pitch. The situation is resolved by an ill-fated end for Miss Jones. She plunges into a deep well while attempting to rescue her pet fox from hunting hounds. Miss Jones turns in a sterling performance that is bound to move patrons. Supporting roles are professionally competent. A David O. Selznick picture, it was based on Mary Webb's novel, "Gone to Earth." Running time, 82 minutes. Adult audience classification. For July release. Mandel Heebstman Gray 'Photoplay' Editor Tony Gray, who recently joined the staff of Photoplay magazine as managing editor, has been appointed editor, succeeding Adele Whitely Fletcher, it was disclosed here by Fred R. Sammis, editor-in-chief of Macfadden Publications. Gray formerly was editor of Movieplay. Warner Theatres in Cleveland Curtail Cleveland, May 28.— The local Warner theatre department, now reduced to a staff of four, has moved out of the Warner Building to occupy quarters in Warner's Allen Theatre. With the contact department moved to Pittsburgh and the resignation of Nat Wolf as Ohio zone manager, the reduced personnel now consists of Dick Wright, district manager; D. Leonard Halper, maintenance man; Bob Giles, engineer, and Joe Weinstein, booker. The department formerly occupied an entire floor in the Warner Building. The curtailment is in line with the trend brought about by divorcement under the decree. THEATRES FOR SALE In compliance with the Order of the U. S. District Court WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES FOR SALE LEASED PROPERTIES Auburn, N. Y.; Geneva, N. Y.; Herkimer, N. Y.; Salamanca, N. Y.; Ashland, Ohio; Bucyrus, Ohio; Kent, Ohio; Piqua, Ohio; Corbin, Ky.; Lexington, Ky. (2); Maysville, Ky.; Paris, Ky. OWNED PROPERTIES Corning. N. Y.; Cortland, N. Y.; Lockport, N. Y.; Oneonta, N. Y.; Rochester, N. Y. (2); Perry, N. Y. ("vacant lot); Ravenna, Ohio; Van Wert, Ohio (nontheatrical building); Cambridge, Md.; Easton, Md.; Cumberland, Md. BROKERS MUST DISCLOSE PRINCIPALS NO REASONABLE OFFER WILL BE REFUSED Address inquiries to HOWARD M. ANTEVIL, Attorney, Schine Circuit Inc., 40 Main Street, Gloversville, N. Y. Sidney Re-elected President of SDG Hollywood, May 28.— The Screen Directors Guild has re-elected George S. Sidney president, and elected Lesley Selander and George Seaton vicepresidents ; Fred Zinnemann, secretary, and George Marshall, treasurer. KATO Meet (Continued from page 1) ards of censorship and added that "the real success we have had in avoiding further restrictions arises from the fact that the industry has accepted its responsibilities in the matters of morals and ethics and instituted their own self-regulatory machinery consisting of the Production Code and the Advertising code." The. directors meeting opening the convention was devoted largely to a discussion of the case of the Fourth Avenue Amusement Co. vs. Commonwealth Theatres of Kentucky to hold admission taxes unconstitutional on the grounds that they are confiscatory and discriminatory. About 100 exhibitors attended the first afternoon session, of which president Guthrie F. Crowe was chairman, and heard, aside from Bamberger, Fred Matthews, vice-president and general manager of Motiograph, Inc., and Frank H. Riffle, chief sound engineer, on theatre television ; Earl W. Penrod of Affiliated Advertising Distributors, Indianapolis, on contests and give-aways ; Jack Keiler, Columbia Amusement Co., Paducah, on practical showmanship ideas ; H. Clyde Reeves, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Revenue, on state tax problems, and Lou Arru, drive-in owner, on drive-in operations. Alfred Starr of Bijou Amusement Co. was the speaker at tonight's dinner. RUN THE CEREBRAL PALSY TRAILER Schwartz (C ontinned from page 1) Schwartz is comprised of theatre owner members of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association and the Independent Theatre Owners Association of New York. An organization committee was formed two or three months ago and indicated its willingness to travel to Hollywood for conferences with studio executives regarding the proposed expositon. Previously, the Council of Motion Picture Organizations and presidents of Motion Picture Association of America member companies indicated their support of the proposal, the presidents having pledged financial backing contingent on the attitude of the Coast executives toward the holding of an exposition. Members of the Schwartz group met at luncheon yesterday with the MPA A advertising-publicity-directors committee to report on general progress made by the organization, which is dedicated to improving industry public relations in the area, during the past year. Now the MPAA has backed the organization's efforts with financial aid. In addition to Schwartz, the following were present at the luncheon, which was held at the St. Moritz Hotel : Oscar Doob, Harry Goldberg, Harry Mandel, Morton Sunshine, Charles Simonelli, Sidney Schaefer, Jerry Pickman, Steve Edwards, S. Barret McCormack, Rodney Bush, Abe Goodman, Jeff Livingston, Roger Lewis, Gilbert Golden, Alfred Corwin and John Phillips. Recruitment Clips (Continued from page 1) was also produced by Bonafield. Written by Robert E. Sherwood and Jerome Brondfield of RKO Radio, the subject will have Henry Fonda as narrator. It will be offered free to exhibitors and is expected to be released July 1. Bookings of the short will be made available by film exchanges to recruitment officers of all four Armed Services, which will supply exhibitors with printed material aimed to interest women in enlisting. Those attending the conference were Mrs. John Hay Whitney, member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services ; Capt. Evelyn J. Blewett, assistant to Assistant Secretary of Defense Anna M. Rosenberg; Lt. Col. William Berkeley, ArmyAir Force Recruiting Service; Commander John Miller, Navy Recruiting Service; Major Thomas Field, Marine Recruiting Service ; Bonafield, Oscar Morgan and Monroe Goodman of Paramount, Robert W. Coyne and Charles E. McCarthy of COMPO. New Pact for Foy Hollywood, May 28. — Producer Bryan Foy has been given a new long term contract by Jack L. Warner, executive producer at the Warner studio. SPECIAL TRAILERS GOOD and FAST and pocfcwf with SfU-AMNSHIP It what you o/wayf got from rollablo CHICAGO 1327 S. Waboih