Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Friday, February 5, 1954 Motion Picture Daily 3 Mayer {Continued from page 1) Reviews said he did not agree with Samuel Goldwyn that the Code needs rewriting. Rather, Mayer said, liberal and intelligent amendment and interpretation will suffice. Eric Johnston is entirely correct in his contention that the Code resembles the United States Constitution through its capacity for constant readjustment to the needs of the times, Mayer asserted. This process, however, has in some cases been unfortunately neglected, he continued. The man primarily responsible for the Code, for example, has unavailingly tried for years to remove the ban on pictures dealing with miscegenation. The rulings on some pictures have been regrettably conservative, Cites Two Instances To remove an occasional "hell" or "damn" from the talk of GI's in "Cease Fire" makes the industry ridiculous. To refuse a license to a picture which as a play was road showed without unfavorable criticism in 35 cities puts a severe strain on exhibitor enthusiasm in cooperating in the enforcement of the Code, Mayer said. In the future, now that the major circuity have been divorced from producer ownership, such enthusiastic cooperation is essential to the successful enforcement of the code, he continued. Mayer believes that not only theatre owners but all elements in the industry-independent producers, Hollywood guilds, foreign importers — should have a voice hitherto not theirs in the operation of the Code. Only in this fashion can it be truly regarded as industry;— independent producers, Hollywood trying times the industry's salvation, Mayer contended. Sees High Court Edicts Vague Mayer also discussed the effects of the recent U. S. Supreme Court decisons on motion picture censorship, declaring that the application of the high court's rulings to prior censorship are themselves as vague and nebulous as the wording of the state censorship laws on which the tribunal's rulings are based. He concluded that unless a test case can be arranged for exhibiting a film without submitting it to a state censor beforehand, the industry probably will have to go on pretty much as it has been doing in those states and cities with censorship bodies. Killers from Space (RKO Radio) THE spacemen are back, this time in a moderately interesting story written against the background of the atomic-bomb tests in Nevada. "Killers from Space," produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder, should appeal to that sizeable audience that is partial to science-fiction merchandise. The Myles Wilder story, for which Bill Raynor did the screenplay, opens with Peter Graves, one of the scientists working on the bomb tests, observing a nuclear blast from a jet plane. Just as his pilot is about to head back to the field, the controls jam and the plane crashes. Graves, however, does not die, and several days later returns to the air base unable to remember or explain his survival or where he's been. The only clue is a gruesome scar around his heart. It eventually is revealed that men from another planet, far more advanced than earth, have arrived secretly and are preparing the way for a full scale migration of their people to earth. Working from caverns beneath the salt flats they have been harnessing the energy given out by the atom blasts to grow gigantic reptiles and insects with which they plan to rid the earth of people. They saved Graves life so that he might pass on information to them dealing with future atom blasts. Graves has difficulty explaining the real story to the authorities and only convinces them of the diabolical plan after he has succeeded in destroying the invaders unaided. Special effects range from routine to good, while stock shots of the atom tests are used in much of the footage. The cast, not very well known, but competent in all its endeavors, includes, in addition to Graves, James Seay, as a military man ; Frank Gerstle, a doctor; John Merrick, leader of the spacemen, and Barbara Bestar, as Graves' wife. Running time, 71 minutes, General classification. January release. Loew's-20th (Continued from page 1) SBC Delays (Continued from page 1) attend. Most of the meeting was spent going over the proposed report to be submitted by the full committee on all its activities last year. Chairman Thye (R., Minn.) said a draft of this report would be circulated among members and that it might be two to three weeks before the members were ready to meet and vote on releasing the report. When that meeting is held, he indicated, the agenda for the coming year will get another going over. WANTED THEATRE MANAGER for Westchester County. Must be under 45 years of age. State full qualifications and salary expected. WESTCHESTER PLAYHOUSES, INC. 130 North Main Street Port Chester, New York a at "Hell's Half Acre" (Republic) MURDER and melodrama are given an Hawaiian setting in this story of woman who hopes to trace her husband, who was reported killed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fast paced and with good performances by Wendell Corey, Evelyn Keyes, Elsa Lanchester and others, the film provides wellrounded entertainment for patrons who enjoy a nicely constructed tale of murder, sidelights into the underworld of Honolulu, and a climax which adequately resolves the story. Miss Keyes, after hearing the tag line of an Hawaiian melody in a Los Angeles record shop, is convinced that the composer, now accused of murder, is her lost husband. She leaves for Honolulu, but before finding Corey is involved in the intrigues of Hell's Half Acre, the red-light district of Honolulu. There follows a police search for Corey, who has escaped from a guard to seek the killer of a close friend, Nancy Gates. When he discovers that Philip Ahn, a Chinese racketeer and his former partner, is the murderer he sacrifices himself to let the police track down Ahn. Meanwhile, Miss Keyes is convinced that their three-day war-time marriage cannot be renewed, and so leaves for the United States and the man who will give her and her son a settled life. Miss Lanchester provides comic relief as a taxi driver who assists Miss Keyes in the search. Also playing solid supporting roles are Marie Windsor, Leonard Strong, Jesse White, Keye Luke, Robert Shield, Clair Weidenaar and Robert Costa. Steve Fisher wrote the screenplay. John Auer, associate producer and director, keeps the action moving and holds the interest well. Running time, 91 minutes. Adult classification. Release date, not set. ating the Rockne Theatre. It alleges that Loew's requires outlying theatres to show "Knights of the Round Table" as a single feature and that 20th Century-Fox is not allowing customary deductions for companion features in theatres showing the company's CinemaScope productions. The complaint, naming Loew's, 20thFox and the Balaban & Katz theatres as defendants, further alleges that the companies involved are attempting to limit runs to one week in order to allow B & K to outbid independent theatres, inasmuch as B & K is limited to one-week runs by the Jackson Park decree and it is doubtful that many independent, theatres can make money by holding a single feature for two weeks. An affidavit was submitted by Loew's indicating that it is not an established policy of the company to require exhibition of their pictures on a single-feature basis. Meanwhile the Rockne has booked "How to Marry a Millionaire" for two weeks. The first week is a double feature with "Easy to Love," while the second week it is shown with "Miss Sadie Thompson," despite the fact that 20th-Fox is not allowing the theatre a deduction for the second feature. Censor Board (Continued from page 1) a film on grounds that it is "immoral" does not affect the right of the City of Stockton to curb films, since the ordinance is based on action which might be taken while the film is part of a theatre's regular program. The ordinance provides for a $100 fine, 60 days in jail or both for theatre managers, owners, or any group sponsoring such shows. Brandt Stand (Continued from page 1) adding others. He added that he was convinced that stereophonic sound was as essential to "our future welfare as are the screens on which our films are shown." Brandt declared that exhibitors have a right to run their theatres as they see fit, but "by the same token, I also recognize the reciprocal right of the film companies to have their pictures exhibited as they see fit and in a manner commensurate with their production methods." Fiber Glass Screen Shown at Drive-In DALLAS, Feb. 4.— The first fiber glass screen, measuring 80 by 40 feet, was demonstrated at the Buckner Boulevard Drive-In here this week. Any of the new processes can be shown on the screen, known as_ the NATCO Wonder Glass Screen. The product was developed by the International Drive-In Theatre Owners Association here. Brotherhood Dinner ' (Continued from page 1 ) tary of State. Presentation of the award to General Romulo was made by Mrs. Wendell L. Willkie, while Gen. Lucius Clay presented the citation to Murphy. The Brotherhood dinner was a feature of the industry's 1954 Brotherhood Week campaign. Brotherhood Week, to be observed Feb. 21-28 under the sponsorship of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, has for its purpose the fostering of understanding among all racial and religious groups. 'Red Garters' Album Pressed by Columbia An album of eight tunes from Paramount's "Red Garters" will be released bv Columbia Records this month. The records, which also will be sold individually, are to be available in all record speeds. Columbia said an all-out promotion campaign will accompany the release of the records. RCA to Market New 'Dyna-Lite' Screen CAMDEN, N. J., Feb. 4.— A new vinyl plastic aluminum-pigmented allpurpose screen has been placed on the market by the theatre equipment section of the RCA engineering products department, it was announced here today. The new screen, named the RCA Dyna-Lite Silver screen, was said to be made of a special formula vinyl plastic which was claimed to be flameproof, tear-proof and highly moistureresistant. A special metallic coating applied after the screen is fabricated assures a uniform reflection surface for 3-D films, it was stated. Bases Drive-In Suit On 'Lights Out' Rule TAMPA, Feb. 4.— Two damage suits for negligence totaling $30,000 have been brought against owners of the Fun-Lan-Drive-In Theatre here by members of a family who alleged that they were injured while attending the theatre. Claimant Charles F. Ranfroe charges that while his car was parked in the theatre ground it was struck by another car, injuring his wife and knocking his six-year-old son to the ground. The theatre is charged with negligence in demanding that customers drive in and out without headlights turned on.