Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Thursday, March 25, 1954 Motion Picture Daily 5 In the THEATRE Equipment World . . . • • with RAY GALLO "A/TIRRO-CLARIC" is the name A of a new metallic-surfaced screen marketed by the S. O. S. Cinema Supply Corp., New York. Available in a variety of sizes, the screen is in effect "seamless," the announcement states. In addition, S. O. S. has wooden screen frames for either curved or flat erection. In a "package" deal the company is offering, are included a new screen, Kollmorgen "SuperSnaplite" short focal length lenses, and wide ratio apertures. Frames and masking are optional with this offer. Review ft The Iron Glove (Columbia) OLD time rivalries for the English crown again provide the substance for another lavish, adventure film with a historical base. Though the plot is rather routine, "The Iron Glove," in color by Technicolor still has enougf of the solid ingredients of action, intrigue and romance to pack a wallop. Robert Stack, as an Irish captain, has quite a time in defending James Stapley, as Prince James III and pretender to the throne, against the wiles of Stanley's enemies, Leslie Bradley and Oscar Waldies. Employing Ursula Theiss as a spy, Bradley and Waldies try several times to do away with the prince, but Stack uses his quick fists and even quicker sword, to stave off the attempts. Miss Theiss finds her loyalties beginning to waver when she falls in love with Stack, but she is forced to help out in a plot to capture a princess whom Stapley plans to marry. Stack succeeds in a dare-devil at tempt to free the princess and during the ensuing fray, Miss Theiss comes to his aid and thus absolves herself. Costumes and decor are good in this film which has scenes in England, Paris and Austria in the early 18th Century. Stack's dexterity in acrobatics and fencing make the fight scenes more exciting than usual and Miss Theiss though a bit stiff in her acting, manages to be a suitably desirable heroine Sam Katzman produced and William Castle directed from a screenplay by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr., DeVallon Scott, and Douglas Heyes. Running time, 77 minutes. General classification. For April release Italy Confirms Red Curb in Pictures HeywoodWakefield Co., Menominee, Mich., has two new seating cushions for its line of theatre auditorium chairs, including the "Sit-in" (above). Of coil spring construction, it eliminates the high crown in the center of the seat, with the flat top designed to permit the patron to sit into the cushion deeply instead of "floating" on top. The other cushion, the "Contour," is of foam rubber and designed to conform to the contours of the occupant's body as he sits down and also as he shifts his weight or position. • Rimless 3D glasses, with a larger viewing area than previous models, have been placed in production by Depth Viewers, Inc., Cincinnati. Designed for viewing 3D films on widescreens, the glasses (Model DVIO-A) are made of a new rigid "PolacoatPolarised" plastic film. They have colored metal temple bars both to hold the lenses in place and the glasses to the wearer's head. • Jules Nowell has been named assistant national sales manager for the Fountain Flavor Division of the Dad's Root Beer Co., Chicago. Having more than a score of years' experience in food and beverage merchandising, Nowell will seek to improve and extend Dad's decentralized packing operations and promote the national sale of "Dad's Root Beer" and "Frutaste" fountain syrups and concentrates as well as the company's beverage dispensers. • A portable coin counter that folds compactly, weighs only 14% pounds and is equipped with a carrying handle, has been marketed by the Klopp Engineering, Inc., Livonia, Mich. The unit counts pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters and packages them for bank deposit automatically. ROME, March 24. — The Italian government has given what amounts to official confirmation of the reports that it would take firm measures in curbing Communist influence in the Italian film industry. According to the semi-official news agency ARI, "a government spokesman made clear that all monopoly of communists and their allies in motion pictures to be decisively broken in the near future.' This is the first time that the gov eminent has openly charged the country's film industry with being Com munist-dominated. The steps which the government will take to change this situation are believed to be re straints against film and other export companies which trade with Eastern Europe and pay a percentage of their profits to the Italian Communist Party and the handing over to the public domain of all former Fascist real estate that the communists have occu pied. This includes 85 motion picture theatres. Certain Companies Suspected Action also seems likely to be taken against certain film companies that are suspected of functioning mainly as profit-making agencies of the Communist party. Controls designed to make it extremely difficult for Com munist propaganda to be injected into any film that is subsidized by the government are also expected. Awards for Cooper DETROIT, March 24.— Merian C. Cooper, co-producer and co-director of "This Is Cinerama," helped celebrate his film's first anniversary at the Music Hall here and received awards from the Downtown Lion's Club, the Detroit Common Council, and Wayne University. Lester Isaac, director of theatre operations for Cinerama, was honored by the city's Motion Picture Council. Harry Buck Promoted The Shea circuit has announced the promotion of Harry Buck, assistant to Fulton Theatre manager Bernie Hickey, to the managership of its State and Ohio Theatres in Conneaut, O. Lee McFerrin will take over Buck's former post. Bob Lindbaugh has been designated assistant to Vance Minton in Erie, Pa. Estimate Lower Cost For Drive-in Stereo The cost of equipping drive-in theatres for stereophonic CinemaScope sound may be far less than original estimates indicated, Jim Mahon, thea tre equipment sales manager for the Ampex Corp., has announced. Booth equipment for a typical 500 car theatre will run about $3,725, Mahon said. To this must be added the cost of individual speakers and the necessary additional wiring. While Ampex has not placed a price tag on its new stereophonic automobile speaker, he indicated that the cost will probably be in the vicinity of $12 a unit. The $3,725 price tag covers all soundheads, amplifiers and associated equipment for a 120-watt system, providing ample power to drive 500 speakers, he said. Price will, of course, vary with the size of the situation, he added. Following a demonstration in New York last week, Mahon estimated installation costs at $25,000 for a 500car drive-in. Legion Reviews 14, Calls 11 'A', 3 'B' The latest listing of the National Legion of Decency categorizes 14 films, 3 as Class B and 11 as Class A. In Class B are "About Mrs. Leslie," "Beauties of the Night" and "Duffy of San Quentin." Seven pictures have been placed in Class A, Section 2 : "Casanova's Big Night," "The Mad Magician," "The Miami Story," "My Heart Sings," 'Night People," "Phantom of the Rue Morgue" and "Prisoner of War." The remaining four films, all in Class A, Section 1, are "Rose Marie," Racing Blood," "The Iron Glove" and "Go, Man, Go." Para. Policy (Continued from page 1) standardization. He explained that Paramount made its decision on the basis of Metro's study of the Perspecta sound system, a system, according to Balaban, which is simple and cheap. Full details of the system and its costs to exhibitors are contained in Tuesday's edition of "Motion Picture Daily." Regarding the Tushinsky SuperScope lens, Balaban again expressed his enthusiasm for it. Commenting on Paramount's plans for "Elephant Walk," Balaban explained that he has requested the studio to make tests to see whether the conventionally-made picture can be effectively converted by optical printing to an anamorphic wide screen print. Balaban emphasized that the test would have to show very strong positive results. "I want nothing to detract from the impact of Paramount's VistaVision process when it is unveiled," Balaban explained. A minor improvement would be insufficient to go ahead with optical printing on the picture, he added. Demonstration Here Is Planned Paramount's VistaVision demonstration, Balaban continued, will be staged shortly in New York, adding that the date and the theatre will be announced soon. The Paramount president, attempting to clear up some of the confusion in the trade, emphasized that VistaVision is something complete and apart from Tushinsky's SuperScope system. The SuperScope system, he explained, may be utilized in conjunction with VistaVision, but VistaVision is a complete system in and of itself. All pictures at the studio, Balaban went on, are being shot in the VistaVision ratio of 1.85 to 1, but, he added, studio tests indicate that these pictures, with or without a SuperScope lens, can be played in an aspect ratio of as high as 2 to 1. Featurettes (Continu-ed from page 1) 'Pitkin Salute9 Set For April 1-17 HARTFORD, March 24.— A "Salute to Barney Pitkin" is planned for \pril 1-17 in honor of the RKO Connecticut exchange manager who recently underwent an arm amputation n New York. Showmen throughout Connecticut re being asked to show RKO product during the designated period. yesterday, the series should achieve their purpose. With the addition of one or two short subjects, twin-bill theatres should be able to satisfy their customers with a program of the usual running time in such houses. There s plenty of action and suspense to lold the patrons' interest, although the lighting in some sequences appears to be more subdued than necessary. Some may find the dialogue a bit "too British," although it does not distract from the entertainment value. No TV Plans, Says Morgan Because of their 27-minute lengths, it appears obvious that the series easily could be channeled to television, although Oscar Morgan, Paramount's short subjects sales manager, denied the intent. Morgan said that exhibitors could book the series or select individual units. L. D. FILMACK Service Is Quick Like A / Bunny/ / * ra"ers When You — >/yJ^ Famous Need Them For Quality Trailers