Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1953)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 28, 1953 National Pre-Selling BOB HOPE, "Here Come the Girls" star, may not appear to have humility to the casual observer. However, Dolores Hope, his wife, and author of "My Life Is Full of Hope," which apoears in the November issue of "Woman's Home Companion," thinks Bob has more than an average amount of humility. Dolores Hope's article delineates in detail Bob's career and makes it apparent that she is very much in love with her husband. There would be more tranquillity in the average home if the distaff members of the family aimed their sights to Dolores Hope's viewpoint. • "The Robe" looked so exciting in production reports, Ed Miller of "Seventeen" reports in the November issue, that the moment the cameras stopped turning, the studio launched a sequel, "Demetrius and the Gladiator," starring Victor Mature and Susan Hayward. Many photographs made on the production sets of "The Robe," showing technicians at work with the actors, are displayed in the issue. • "Little Boy Lost," reports "Coronet," in the November issue, is the ■month's best picture. Bing Crosby conies up with a film whose warmth is reminiscent of the now fabled "Going My Way." On the production set of "French Line," a 3-D color in Technicolor musical, Jane Russell told "Look's" editor, her "roles get bigger, the costume smaller." As reported in the current issue of "Look," in "French Line," Jane spends most of her time aboard a ship, the "Liberte," moving the passengers with free "leg shows." As "the richest girl in Texas," she matches the professional gusto of rowdy Mary McCarty, who is a star of Broadway revues and night-club shows. "Take the High Ground's" star, Elaine Stewart, adorns the front cover of "Redbook's" November issue. The cover is done in autumn colors which blend perfectly with Elaine's brown eyes. Louis Pollack, in a profile of the new star, says "Elaine Stewart is the only girl in 'Take the High Ground,' but no one will notice the absence of others." • "Sailor of the King's" star, Jeffrey Hunter, is spotlighted in a full-page ad of "True Magazine's" November issue. "The Robe" is featured in "McCall's Goes to the Movies" section of the November issue of "McCall's." Photographs taken on both the Calvary and the court scenes are displayed in the issue. • During an interview reported in "Pictorial Review's" Oct. 25 issue, Victor Mature told Louella Parsons that "The Robe" is really a trailer for "Demetrius and the Gladiators.'' "That," said Mature, "is the best picture I ever made." Of course, Victor Mature is starred in "Demetrius"; in "The Robe" he was cast in a supporting role. The difference in the actor's parts probably influenced his thinking. Walter Haas Review Calamity Jane {Warner Brothers) DORIS DAY snaps with vitality in this musical with a Western setting. Her explosiveness is almost exhausting as she goes through the paces, playing a grown-up tom-boy who finally finds true love. She is ably assisted by Howard Keel, Allyn McLerie and Philip Carey. This is a good musical, done in the style of "Oklahoma!" and "Annie, Get Your Gun," with many zestful and dreamy tunes, such as "Whip-CrackAway," "I Can Do Without You," "A Women's Touch," "The Black Hills of Dakota" and "Secret Love." It should do nicely at the box-office, leaving the audience exhilarated at its pace and tom-foolery. The story structure and characterizations are weak at times, perhaps diluted by previous musicals of this type, but on the whole "Calamity Jane," done in color by Technicolor stands up as solid film fare with much entertainment to offer. The story opens with Doris Day as Calamity Jane riding a stagecoach into Deadwood City. Then and there her character is set, for she lustily sings while performing almost acrobatically atop the stagecoach. The major conflict of the story whirls around love, which is fulfilled at the end, as in all happy musicals. But there is many a twist and turn before that happens. In "Calamity Jane," Doris Day feuds with Howard Keel, as Wild Bill Hickok, before finding that she truly loves him. Keel has a fine voice and when singing together, they make an excellent vocal and eye-filling duet. Allyn McLerie and Philip Carey make up the other two-some. She sings well, especially in a duet with Doris Day, titled "A Women's Touch," which marks Miss Day's transformation into her more feminine phase. Miss McLerie also serves as the lure for Hickok and Carey and complicates Miss Day's love-life, for Miss Day initially thinks she cares for only Carey, who plays a handsome lieutenant. Interwoven are many hilarious situations dealing with the Golden Garter Hotel, and its attempt to supply citizens of' Deadwood City with feminine entertainment. William Jacobs produced, while David Butler directed, from a screenplay by James O'Hanlon. The music for the original songs was by Sammy Fain. Paul Francis Webster did the lyrics. Others in the cast are Dick Wesson, Paul Harvey, Chubby Johnson and Gale Robbins. Running time, 101 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, Nov. 14. Murray Horowitz Kans.-Mo. ITO Meet {Continued from page 1) CinemaScope, and many points were passed on to the exhibitors here. There was unanimous approval of the objectives expressed in a letter from Robert Odell, of the Council, for 3-D products, and remarks were made on the need for such activities. Miller clarified the declared sentiment following the Boston meeting regarding film company stock ownership by exhibitors as inclined toward ownership of some stock in various companies for wider influence on the industry. The importance of expressions to Congressmen of gratitude for help in the tax repeal effort was stressed, as well as the necessity for even harder work in the next campaign. An engineer of the Portland Cement Association outlined possibilities for the use of concrete for drive-in screens. It was suggested that a drive-in screen of wood on steel structure might comprise the form, with a wire mesh facing, for a concrete screen with the slab anchored in the steel. Greece Ups Payments For U. S. Product WASHINGTON, Oct. 27. — The Currency Committee of the Bank of Greece has increased by 20 per cent the amount of currency available for U.S. film imports, according to U.S. Commerce Department film chief Nathan D. Golden. Golden reported that the Bank was authorizing an allocation of $600,000 for this purpose for the year ending June 30, 1954, compared to_ $500,000 in the previous 12-month period. The $600,000, Golden said, will be made available in four quarterly installments of $150,000. Harry Cohn Salary {Continued from page 1) tives was highlighted by the notation of a salary boost for N. B. Spingold, vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, who earned $105,600 for the year, an $11,000 boost over the previous year. Other salaries listed included : Jack Cohn, executive vice-president, $145,600 ; A. Schneider, vice-president and treasurer, $130,000; A. Montague, vice-president in charge of domestic sales, $130,000. The directors and officers as a group earned $1,169,850 for the year. Expense allowances, included in the respective salaries of top executives, were noted as follows : Harry Cohn, $25,800; Jack Cohn, $15,600; Spingold, $9,000. The expense allowance of directors and officers as a group was put at $72,625. Harry Cohn, it was noted, owns 126,084 shares of common stock beneficially and of record, while Jack Cohn owns 42,294 shares. Drive for Boys Camp Set by Albany V.C. ALBANY, N. Y., Oct. 27.— Plans for the annual Big Brother campaign on behalf of the Albany Variety Boys Club summer camp were discussed at a meeting of Tent No. 9. The drive, to be conducted during November, has a goal of $50,000. Saul J. Ullman, Fabian Theatres division manager and an ex-chief barker, has been named chairman. Harry Lamont, also a former chief barker, will direct "Denial Day." Irwin Ullman, manager of the Mohawk Drive-in, will have charge of special events, while Joe Saperstein, Fabian booker, will handle finances. Larry Cowen, manager of Proctor's Theatre in Troy, is directing publicity. RKO Finance {Continued from page 1) company's report of the latest minority stockholders' suit. In a letter dated Sept. 24, Walker said the company desired to borrow $1,500,000 from the First National Bank in Houston and $1,000,000 from the Texas National Bank, Houston, in order to pay off its $2,500,000 indebtedness to Bankers Trust, New York. These new loans, it was added, are to be represented by the company's 3J4 per cent promissory notes to be dated Sept. 28, 1953, and to mature Dec. 28, 1953. Payment of the $2,500,000 Bankers Trust Loan "has been requested" by the bank, it was stated. The letter then referred to a $1,500,000 60-day loan procured from the National Bank of Commerce, Houston, with Hughes acting as guarantor, and which was to mature on Sept. 29, 1953. Regarding this loan, Walker said in his letter to Hughes, that the company desired to refund it into a new 3^4 per cent promissory note to be dated Sept. 28, 1953, and to mature Dec. 28, 1953. "Temporary Nature" The company went on to pledge that concurrent with its receipt of the proceeds of the new loans, it shall pay the principal and accrued interest owing to Bankers Trust. It was also stipulated that the new loans from the three Texas banks are of a "temporary nature" and that neither they, nor Hughes' guarantees, affect the loan agreement between the company and Hughes. Under the loan agreement, it was pointed out, that company can call upon Hughes to borrow up to '$6,000,000 over a period of years. It was also stipulated, according to the letter, that all of the projected proceeds from the Hughes' loan agreement will be applied in payment to the company's obligations under the new loans. A spokesman for Bankers Trust said here yesterday that RKO Pictures paid off its $2,500,000 indebtedness on Sept. 29. RKO Pictures officials could not be reached for comment yesterday. 50 <U' Shorts {Continued from page 1) the Universal-International Newsreel which, it is claimed, was the first newsreel to be shot and framed for exhibition on wide-screens and which is designed to be shown in the various aspect ratios. He also stressed that U-I's short subjects will be adapted to all important mechanical developments. Of the 50 subjects there will be 13 two-reelers in the company's "Musical Featurettes" series featuring name bands and musical personalities. There will be two two-reel specials which will be in color this year instead of in black and white as in previous years. One-reelers will include eight of the "Variety Views" and the remaining one-reelers will all be in color and will include the company's new "Color Parade" series launched last spring with eight subjects being listed in this group. Walter Lantz will make 13 new one-reel "Technicolor Cartunes" including six new "Woody Woodpecker" subjects. Starting next spring, U-I will reissue the six Walter Lantz Technicolor Cartunes.