Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1953)

Wednesday, June 17, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 7 Report Stresses Foreign Markets With American films commanding 74 per cent of the total playing time in theatres throughout the world and foreign markets returning over 40 per cent of the total earnings of the industry, Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Association of America president, devotes the largest section of his annual report to international operations. The report discusses at length many of the problems the industry encounters in its export trade and measures taken to meet them. It describes import agreements with Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Latin America and other important film markets abroad, noting as well the potentialities of the India and Pakistan markets. Johnston Sees New Era (Continued from page 1) Says 3-D Adds (Continued from page 1) financial drain of anti-trust litigation," Johnston says : "I am confident that these efforts will not have been wasted. I am confident that the slim area of disagreement which barred acceptance of the proposals can and will ultimately be resolved. "At a time when the resources of our companies and the full energies of leaders in all branches of the industry are directed toward bringing the public new mechanisms for expanding entertainment values in theatres, the costly expenditure of talent, effort and money in court litigations can seriously impair industry progress. The need for a workable system of arbitration was never greater," Johnston said. Kazan, Schulberg in Independent Field United Artists will release a waterfront film tentatively titled "The Golden Warriors," to be produced by S. P. Eagle and directed by Elia Kazan, from an original screenplay by Budd Schulberg. The film about the New York-New Jersey docks goes to United Artists under an agreement that puts Kazan and Schulberg into the independent production field for the first time. Plans call for filming here this year, possibly this summer. McCraw to Preside At V. C. Luncheon William C. McCraw, executive director of Variety Clubs International, will act as chairman of the New York Variety Club's luncheon which will honor the club's past chief barkers, and which will be held tomorrow at the Hotel Piccadilly. Jack Beresin, International chief barker, is expected to attend. Past chief barkers to be honored are Max A. Cohen, William A. German and Fred J. Schwartz. Triester in New S-W Post Dan Triester has been recalled from the Philadelphia office of Stanley Warner to an executive post in buying and booking in the home office. spectacular innovations in motion picture presentation augur a new age of enjoyment for moviegoers in America and throughout the world." He pointed out that wide-scale introduction of the new techniques would be gradual and costly. "The production of films under the new systems and their exhibition in thousands of theatres throughout the land may create delays, disruptions and problems," he said. "The transition will require wisdom and patience, not to speak of sizable dollar outlays by both studios and exhibitors. But the rewards will be considerable." While not minimizing the problems and difficulties confronting the industry, Johnston characterized 1952 as a "year that saw the resurgence of faith and confidence in the industry and its future." "The relative stability of motion picture attendance during 1952, notwithstanding the substantial increase in the sale of TV receivers," he said, "offers striking evidence that top quality motion pictures can hold their own against any competition." "The emphasis on quality in motion picture entertainment," he added, "is reflected in figures which indicate that theatres in the United States last year aggregated more than 2,500,000,000 admissions, with an average weekly attendance of 50,000,000. Emphasizes Drive-in Spurt Johnston also pointed to the continued flow of capital investment in both the production and exhibition branches of the business. Drive-in theatres, he noted, which now represent about 20 per cent of total boxoffice receipts, have added the equivalent of 4,000,000 seats, or more than one-third of the total seating capacity of the nation's indoor theatres. Commenting on the variety of 3-D and panoramic screen processes which have emerged during this period of technological progress, Johnston said : "I do not share the concern of those who are worrying over the fact that studios are competing to develop and introduce their own dimensional systems. Competition may be a costly process, but it has always been the bosom companion of progress and perfection. The by-law of competition is that the best will survive and flourish. "It is difficult at this stage to predict which system or systems will set the pattern for the future. But I think 250 Theatres in 'Young' Promotion Following the procedure originated with "King Kong" last year, RKO Radio will launch on July 15 a saturation TV and giveaway promotion for "Mighty Joe Young" in the Cleve land, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and De troit exchange areas. Dave Cantor, home office exploitation director, ha: returned from the four areas where he completed arrangements for the mass openings. Some 250 theatres will participate in the kick-off campaign, which will bo repeated throughout the country during the remainder of the summer. it can be said with certainty that a new day for the motion picture industry is at hand and the potentialities are infinite." The report emphasized the increasing importance of foreign business to the American film industry. Despite trade and monetary barriers which impede the flow of films, remittances from abroad now account for more than 40 per cent of the industry's total earnings from film rentals. Spurred by the U. S. Supreme Court decisions of 1952 which said that motion pictures are entitled to the same constitutional guarantees as the press, Johnston pledged a continuing fight to free motion pictures from the toils of political censorship. "As momentous as these decisions were," he said, "they had little immediate effect in hastening the demise of official censors. The wielders of the shears and the blue pencil still hold forth in six states of the nation and in scores of communities. "It is obvious that we shall have to fight and scrap every inch of the way from now on before censorship is really routed from the country. And this is precisely what we are determined to do. "Voluntary self-regulation, through the industry's Production Code, and a high sense of public responsibility will continue to be the film industry's answer to political censorship," he said. Takes "Miracle" Case Under Advisement Chicago, June 16. — Judge Harry Fisher of the Illinois Circuit Court has taken under advisement the action of the American Civil Liberties Union in attempting to outlaw prior censorship. The action stems from the banning of "The Miracle." Judge Fisher asked both th3 Chicago Police Censor Board and the ACLU to submit briefs. He said he would call another meeting of the parties involved or render a decision at a later date. Lichtman, Einfeld (Continued from page 1) "Twelve Mile Reef." The trio will go into release starting in the fall. While at the studio, Lichtman and Einfeld will hold discussions with production chief Darryl F. Zanuck to chart over-all campaigns on the three, and to initiate plans for the handling of the recently announced line-up of 13 CinemaScope pictures being produced at a cost of $30,000,000. Wile Slates Talk-Dates Columbus, June 16. — Ohio speaking dates at Kiwanis clubs arranged by Robert Wile, secretary of the ITO of Ohio, include June 18. Mansfield ; June 30, North Royalton ; July 2, Youngstown ; July 6, Delaware; July 8, Troy; July 21, Canton. re 6.00c lT~~~~~~~~~~~ •""age » 'aM«i»lli , '"'»' ALTEC GIVES BETTER SERVICE SERVICE CAN'T BE JUDGED ON cost alone. Cheap service can be expensive through unnecessary replacements and failures caused by lack of knowledge. Every Altec Service Man is kept up-to-date on the best method for servicing every piece of booth and sound equipment. His know-how and the technical assistance at his fingertips are your most economical operating insurance. 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