Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1953)

Thursday, April 30, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 3 Smpte Meet (Continued from page 1) Review "Scandal at Scourie" (Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr) STRONG in exploitation angles, "Scandal at Scourie" is a drama of warmth and sentiment, tinged with humor and told in color by Technicolor. With acting that is persuasive and a narrative that is reasonably absorbing, the picture teams Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. A childless family in a Canadian community, they adopt a homeless orphan girl of the Catholic faith. This is used as a device to stir up subtle discord in the predominantly Protestant area by a politically-driven editor. And therein lies the story. Donna Corcoran portrays the youngster whose playing with fire results in the accidental burning down of the convent orphanage. Next comes the problem of finding homes for the now homeless youngsters. Miss Garson happens upon little Miss Corcoran near a country brook and becomes intrigued with the child. Through persistence and cajolery she persuades her husband to adopt the child. Since the child is a Catholic, the adoption of her is used as a weapon against Pidgeon who happens to be running for political office. There are other complications. When the school house burns, Miss Corcoran is accused of setting the fire. In the face of many trying problems, Pidgeon rises magnificently, and his decision to keep the child against all criticism strengthens. Unfortunately, in the screenplay by Norman Corwin, Leonard Spigelgass and Karl Tunberg, the child, sensitive to the hostility around her, runs away. A storm that boils up heightens danger for the child. A search follows, punctuated by anxieties for the child's safety, following which she is found. A new understanding and appreciation for human values develops out of the incident and everything ends happily. Others in the cast are Agnes Moorehead, Arthur Shields, Philip Ober, Rhys Williams, Margalo Gillmore, John Lupton, Philip Tonge and Wilton Graff. Running time, 90 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, June 26. net, produces more realistic sound. Loren Ryder of the Paramount studio said the 3-D problem in drive-ins now is the same as in conventional theatres, and urged that steps toward standardization in several respects be taken. Prints should be balanced both as to density and color, he said. Most important, from all viewpoints, Ryder said, is speedy development of a screen with increased light-return. Pausing at mid-point in its convention for the semi-annual dinner-dance, delegates took cognizance of the serious side of the occasion by placing the late Col. Nathan Levinson and J. Arthur Ball, both of whom died during the year on the honor roll along with Thomas A. Edison, George Eastman, Sam Warner and Louis Lumiere. Nathanson was credited with many technical advances, including the development of WarnerColor. Ball, long time Technicolor executive, was cited for invaluable service in developing color. To See Cinerama Delegates are to witness a special performance of "This is Cinerama" tomorrow morning. Officials of the International Telemeter Corp. of Los Angeles, one of several companies developing "pay-asyou-see" television systems, reported to the meeting that application will be made to the Federal Communications Commission this year for permission to introduce its system. They said that technical details of a workable coin-in-box system had been developed, and that the chief remaining hurdles related to the acceptance of "cash-and-carry" television. Chief among these is the question whether the commission would approve departure in principle from television broadcasts available to all set owners to television broadcasts available only to a limited audience willing to pay. In addition, it was acknowledged by Paul McNamara, international vicepresident in charge of public relations, there is considerable broadcaster-resistance to be overcome and initial financing problems to be worked out. Ralph H. Heacock, manager of theatre equipment for RCA Victor, told delegates that the showing of 3-D films will pose new equipment problems for drive-in theatres. "At present," he noted, "since the light level in most drive-in theatres leaves much to be desired, it is immediately obvious that the use of polarized light port filters and audience spectacles will introduce a very serious light problem. The combination of these two filters, one in the booth port and one in front of the viewer's eye, will pass only approximately one-third of the light from the projection lens through to the audience." Urges Use of Two Screens The use of two screens seems the only expedient at the moment, one with white diffusive screen for "2-D" films, and a highly directional metal coated screen for 3-D productions, Heacock pointed out. The solution of the lighting problem will be solved, he predicted. "It is only a question of time until some satisfactory balance between diffusive and depolarizing properties of materials have been so balanced as to give a reasonably satisfactory screen for the presentation of either type of picture in drive-ins." 20th to Release (Continued from page 1) duced by Robert L. Jacks and directed by Elia Kazan. The third release will be "Invaders from Mars," produced by Edward L. Alperson, in Cinecolor, starring Helene Carter, Arthur Franz and Jimmy Hunt, followed by "The Desert Rats," starring James Mason, Richard Burton and Robert Newton, produced by Robert L. Jacks and directed by Robert Wise. The film opens at the Mayfair Theatre, New York, May 8. To be reissued next month will be "Gentleman's Agreement," starring Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by Elia Kazan, and "Snake Pit," starring Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens and Celeste Holm, produced by Robert Bassler and directed by Anatole Litvak. CinemaScope (Continued from page 1) ducted the presentation at the Mastbaum Theatre, a Stanley-Warner house. The stories of the showing were published by local newspapers on page one. Typical of remarks were those of Ted Schlanger, zone manager for StanleyWarner, who said that CinemaScope would "open up new_ horizons in the future of the film industry." Nathan Golden of the U. S. Department of Commerce said "it has terrific possibilities to give the industry what it has lost during the last few years. Exhibitors from New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington and Pennsylvania were virtually unanimous in their praise. Neumade Products' film synchronizer, "Synchromaster," was shown at the convention. Said to be for all types of film synchronization — for studio, laboratory, exchange and booth use — the machines are in production now and will be available from stock in models with two, three and four hubs for 16mm. and 35mm. 3-D TV Test (Continued from page 1) time the screen revealed a double image with or without the spectacles. The scenes used included the "Space Patrol" TV cast and settings, and also a black-and-white introduction to "Bwana Devil." The results were about equal. ABC officials said the demonstration shows only one method of 3-D television transmission and should not be regarded as final. The biggest obstacle is the fact that pictures televised in the normal fashion lose their polarization in conversion to the signal and back again. Home set owners would require two picture tubes designed for projection and a screen to receive an overlapping picture if this system were adopted. UA Expansion (Continued from page 1) John Turner, the company's Philadelphia branch manager, has been promoted to Eastern district manager, supervising Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh and New Haven. Ralph Clark, San Francisco branch manager, has been promoted to Western district manager, supervising San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City and Denver. Mike Lee, St. Louis branch manager, has been promoted to Midwestern district manager, supervising St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Memphis. The new district managers join Fred Meyers, district manager of Metropolitan New York; Moe Dudelson, Northeastern district manager, in charge of Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo and Albany, and George Pabst, Southern district manager, in charge of New Orleans, Dallas, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Chicago branch operations will be under the direct supervision of Western division manager James Velde and the home office. The new Western and Midwestern district managers are under Velde 25 Exhibitors Will Change to Para. Wide-Screen Ratio As a result of exhibitor visits to the Music Hall here, upwards of 25 key theatres have already indicated they will install large screens conforming to the specifications of the one at the Hall, where "Shane" is the attraction. These specifications are the Paramount-advocated aspect ratio of one foot in height to 1.66 feet in width, instead of the conventional 1 to 1.33. Among the theatres planning to install large screens with the aspect ratio of the one at the Hall are the Denham, Denver ; Mastbaum, Philadelphia ; Paramount, Buffalo ; Michigan, Detroit ; Paramount, San Francisco ; Radio City, Minneapolis ; Paramount, Kansas City, and others in San Antonio, Washington, Boston, Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth. No 'Cash Box' for Home TV: Sarnoff Los Angeles, April 29. — Television broadcasting, like radio broadcasting, can solve its economic problems without a cash box in the home, David Sarnoff, chairman of the board of the Radio Corporation of America, declared here today at the keynote address at the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters convention. Should Work Together Sarnoff's reference to pay-as-yousee television came in that phase of his address relating to television and motion pictures. Sarnoff said there were real differences between the two mediums, one of which is the boxoffice, and both mediums should work to satisfy the dual needs of the American people. He predicted that 1,000 TV stations will be in operation within a few years and expressed the hope that the day is not far off when compatible color television will be authorized for commercial broadcasting. Among the new scientific advances in the offing, he said, were electronic tape recorders for television program storage. and the others are under Milton Cohen, Eastern division manager, while Canadian division manager Charles S. Chaplin is in charge of all branches in Canada. Successors to the three who were promoted are scheduled to be named tomorrow. "This expansion of our sales operation," Heineman said, "is designed to meet the challenge of the strongest product line-up in United Artists history. It represents our pledge to every producer in the United Artists family and to every exhibitor of a high-calibre sales operation geared to render the most effective and efficient service for every property on our schedule." Goldman Leaves Warner Ben Goldman, who has been with Warner Brothers for the past 25 years — the. last two-and-a-half in the nontheatrical department — has resigned to assume the post of traffic manager and purchasing agent for Knitwear Hobby Mills, Inc.