Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, February 25, 1954 Canadian Theatres Pay $6,667,475 Tax TORONTO, Feb. 24.— Few exhibitors of Ontario recognized a revenue item of $6,667,475 in the annual financial report tabled in the Provincial Legislature here by Premier L. M. Frost as the year's returns for the amusement tax. The record-breaking figure appeared under the official title of "Hospitals Tax," which is not a levy on such institutions but on patrons of places of amusement. The revenue is earmarked for the hospitals but the lion's share is derived from the motion picture theatres of the Dominion. Telemaster Sets Pay $10 Monthly Average HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 24.— An average of $10 a month is being spent by Palm Springs residents for Telemeter reception of new pictures, according to Carl Leserman, Telemeter president. The programming experiments started on Nov. 28 with 71 sets connected with Telemeter, with the number rising to 148 as of Jan. 30. A check of the community indicates that between 80 and 90 per cent of all TV set owners in Palm Springs will subscribe to Telemeter eventually, Leserman said. Leserman stated that the $10 average was a much higher figure than was expected originally. In addition to football games, the programs have consisted of pictures from Warner Brothers, M-G-M, United Artists, Republic and Paramount. Set owners pay $1 per picture. Reviews Defense Dept. Short Shown to D.C. Press WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.— A new Department of Defense short subject dramatizing the role of women in the Armed Services received its first press showing at the Motion Picture Association's Academia Theatre here yesterday. The film, entitled "The Price of Liberty," was made with the cooperation of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations and will be distributed with COMPO cooperation to theatres starting March 26. The film was made by Warner News for the Defense Department. Barbara Stanwyck To Variety Meeting HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 24.— Barbara Stanwyck will represent the production community at the Variety Clubs International 18th annual convention to be held in Dallas, March 24-25, it was announced by the Hollywood Coordinating Committee. SPECIAL TRAILERS "Dangerous Mission" (RKO Radio) THE magnificent scenic background of Glacier National Park, photographed in color, saves this film from mediocrity. The views of the Rocky Mountains probably will be found more exciting than the chase melodrama, starring Victor Mature and Piper Laurie, aided by Vincent Price, William Bendix and Betta St. John in supporting roles. An avalanche and a forest fire add to the qualities with which Mother Nature has endowed the picture. The screenplay by W. R. Burnett and Charles Bennett, from an original story by Irwin Allen, who also produced, concerns the predicament of Miss Laurie, bookkeeper in a New York night club who is witness to a gang world murder. To escape, Miss Laurie runs away to Glacier National Park, where she gets a job in a hotel. Following her are Price, a smooth-talking gunman assigned to murder her, and Mature, a plainclothesman assigned to protect her and get her back to New York. In the course of doing his duty, Mature falls in love with Miss Laurie, and Price complicates his mission by dallying with Miss St. John, an Indian girl who also works at the hotel. The final sequence, wherein Mature and Miss Laurie pursue Price and his willing hostage, Miss St. John, across some wild mountain territory, is chock full of elemental suspense and ends quite satisfactorily. The principals all look well and perform their chores acceptably under the direction of Louis King. Bendix is seen as a park ranger who assists Mature and Miss Laurie. Minor roles are played by Steve Darrell, Harry Cheshire, Walter Reed and others. Running time, 75 minutes. General classification. Release date, March (>. 'Genoese Dragnet" (I. F. E.) A WELL-TOLD story of kidnapping and extortion which reveals interesting sidelights about Italian law and court procedure, "Genoese Dragnet" should also find patrons in the art houses, as well as among the Italian language audiences. However, despite excellent editing, the running time of one hour and forty-five minutes is too long to hold interest in a picture of this type. Innocently involved in the abduction and death of an infant, and the crime of extortion from the baby's parents, is a struggling mechanic who rents the criminals his truck for some extra money. When he realizes too late he's been part of the crime he goes in search of the man who contacted him. He finds him and wants to take him to the police, but a small fortune in bribery keeps him quiet. The police have about given up their search when a district attorney reopens the case and after careful investigation discovers the mechanic and his new-found wealth. Though he tells the complete story of his involvement, the circumstantial evidence against him assumes his guilt. His lawyer then goes on an extensive investigation and logically and convincingly discovers the true criminals. Charles Rutherford is excellent as the innocent mechanic. A haunting musical background, somewhat similar to "The Third Man" theme, increases the mood of the film which is directed by Guido Brignone from a story by Gaetano Loffredo. It is a Fortunato Misiano Production for Romana Film. Running time, 105 minutes. General audience classification. For February release. Legion Classifies 17; Four in 'B,' 13 in 'A' "Hell's Half Acre," "New Faces," "Red Garters" and "Rhapsody" have been placed [in Class B in the latest listing of the National Legion of Decency, which at the same time classified 13 films as Class A. In Class A, Section 2, are "Appointment for Murder," "Elephant Walk," "Loophole," "The Naked Jungle," "Overland Pacific," "Riot in Cell Block 11" and "Saskatchewan." The remaining six pictures, all in Class A, Section 1, are "Battle of Rogue River," "The Creature of the Black Lagoon," "Hell and High Water," "Killers from Space," "Pride of the Blue Grass" and "Yukon Vengeance." Conn. Drive-Ins to Open Season Now HARTFORD, Feb. 24.— The Connecticut drive-in theatre season gets ■'nderway tomorrow with Turnpike Theatre Corp., scheduling a weekend policy at the Pike Drive-in, Newington, Hartford suburb, through midMarch. Opening bill consists of UA's "Sabre Jet" and "Gun Belt." Brandt Expansion Takes in Rialto Continuing its policy of expansion, Brandt Theatres has acquired the Rialto Theatre here on Broadway from James Mage, who operated it under lease from Arthur L. Mayer, it was stated here yesterday. A Brandt circuit spokesman said the new policy for the house will be announced when Harry Brandt, president, returns in about two weeks from a vacation. Brandt Theatres, which now owns four first-run Broadway houses, recently purchased 18 New Jersey theatres of the St. Cloud Amusement Corp., in addition to a number of New York neighborhood theatres. U.A. Acquires Rights To 'White Mane' ^ United Artists has acquired for distribution in the United States and Canada William L. Snyder's "White Mane," now in its 10th week with UA's "Heidi" at the Little Carnegie Theatre here. The two films are being sold as a program "package." 4 Rows of Drive-In Outlawed by Zoning PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 24.— When Robert Baronoff built the new $90,000 Morrisville Drivein in Falls Township, Pa., he did not know that the last four rows of the theatre are located in Lower Makefield Township, which has ruled the drive-in illegal under that township's zoning laws. Attorneys for Baronoff are appealing the Lower Makefield board of adjustment ruling in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, contending that the decision is a deprivation of property without compensation and without due process of law. Hits 'Portable' TV For Theatre Use A warning that so-called "portable" theatre TV equipment, said to have originally been designed for bars, grills and hotels, is "not suitable" for dieatres was sounded here Tuesday by Nathan L. Halpern, president of Theatre Network Television. Halpern, who said TNT has recently conducted "an exhaustive inquiry into theatre TV equipment," hit sets which he said are "not standard theatre TV equipment." Declining to name the sets, Halpern said they were developed four and five years ago for bars, grills and hotels and "have been dusted off . . . and reoffered as small theatre equipment." He acknowledged hat there are some specially built sets for small theatres which he called "marginal" for some theatre TV events. The TNT president said that there ire 112' theatre TV sets in the country, exclusive of the nine sets recently nurchased by circuits. In addition, he went on, there remain in the manufacturer's inventory less than 20 standard theatre TV sets of RCA and General Precision Laboratories. "Robe" Sets Records In 605 Play dates 20th Century-Fox's "The Robe" set a playing time record of 1,700 weeks in 605 first domestic and Canadian playdates at an average of 3-weeks per engagement, the company reported. The first CinemaScope production, which starts a return Broadway engagement Saturday at the Globe Theatre, ran up the score during the first 17 weeks of its release and grossed in excess of $20,000,000, the company said. Wein Re-elected CLEVELAND, Feb. 24.— John C. Wein was reelected president of Local B-5, IATSE, for another two-year term. Other officers are : vice-president, Frank DeFranco ; recording secretary, Oscar Edelman ; financial secretary and treasurer, Harry Lyman. 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