Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1954)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, July 9, 1954 Review ''Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters" {Allied Artists) THE latest episode in the longest series now making the rounds of theatres doesn't live up to past films in the group. The film is a distinct letdown, despite the fact that the picture's basic ideas, of which there are three, were individually promising. Whatever audience impact may be felt is derived from seeing Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall do again the personal bits of business they've been doing so well so long. One of the three basic ideas has Gorcey setting out to obtain permission for the Bowery kids to use a vacant lot for their ball games. Another has Gorcey and Hall learning, on arrival, that the owners of the vacant lot are monsters, a mad scientist, his addled brother, his spinster sister who keeps meat-eating plants as pets, and his blood-thirsty niece who welcomes them as likely victims of their respective manias. A third basic idea has one of the monsters successfully activating a clanking, man-shaped robot by remote microphone control. Nearly all of the action occurs in the monsters' house, and it becomes overstretched, ultra-repetitive and more morbid than comic before it is finished. Ben Schwalb produced from a screenplay by Elwood Ullman and Edward Bernds, the latter also directing. Ruruiing time, 65 minutes. General classification. 'Holders' Suit {Continued from page 1) deals. It is charged, too, that the money invested in Eidophore and Miracle Mirror screens has been wasted. In asking that Zanuck's employment contract of September, 1949, and that of Skouras' dated January, 1951, be declared null and void, the plaintiff asks that 20th Century-Fox be enjoined from performing the employment agreements which pays the executives retirement benefits in the "guise of compensation for advisory services." An accounting of losses and damages sustained by 20th-Fox through the alleged acts and of profits to Zanuck and Skouras is asked. 'Scope Installations {Continued from page 1) that most of the balance of the theatres to be equipped are in the lower run brackets and that many of them^ because of physical drawbacks or for economic reasons, never will equip for CinemaScope or other wide screen media. Italo-French Films Lead French Market During the 1953-54 season in France, Italp-French co-productions led the field as the biggest earners at the box-office, according to Italian Film Export. Of the 18 pictures which grossed over 50 million francs during their first runs in Paris, six were jointly produced by Italian and French studios and four were strictly French productions. The other boxoffice leaders included seven from various foreign countries and one Franco-Mexican production, IFE disclosed. During the first five months of this year, 21 Italo-French co-productions have been filmed. According to Cinemundus, Italian trade journal, Italy and France have jointly produced a total of 83 motion pictures from 1948 through 1953. Of these, 36 were made in France, 41 in Italy and six were filmed in both countries and given double nationalities. Buffalo Theatre Sold For Over $600,000 BUFFALO, July 8.— At a figure reported to be "more than $600,000," the Teck Theatre building and the adjoining former Jaines Vernor Co. property have been sold by Louis J. Rosokoft' and family, in what was said to be one of the largest downtown real estate transactions in recent years. The purchasers of the building, which houses Shea's 1,700-seat Teck, are undisclosed New York City interests with other properties here. Under the agreement, the Rosokofl: family is leasing back both properties for a long term and will continue to operate the buildings. 'Ring' Grosses $9,826 PHOENIX, July 8. — Wayne-Fellows CinemaScope production, "Ring of Fear," grossed $9,826 during its opening weekend here at the Fox Theatre, far "exceeding the gross of any previous Warner Brothers film to play the house, the distributors of the film reported. Reactivated O, Tent Elects New Officers COLUMBUS, O., July 8.— James Busjiman, sales promotion director of WTVN television station, was named chairman of the temporary board of directors of the reactivated Columbus Variety Club, Tent No. 2. Charles Sugarman, World, was chosen secretary and Milton Yassenoff, Academy Theatres, treasurer. Prospective members have been invited to a dinner meeting on July 14 at the Seneca Hotel, where clubrooms are expected to be established. UA Will Release 'Good Die Young' "The Good Die Young," has been acquired for release by United Artists, president Arthur B. Krim announced. A Remus Production directed by Lewis Gilbert for Romulus Films, the picture stars Richard Basehart, Gloria Grahame, John Ireland and Laurence Harvey. Filmed on location in England, "The Good Die Young" was written for the screen by Vernon Harris and Gilbert. valid and void and for an injunction restraining and enjoining them from enforcing the provisions thereof." The plaintifl^s alleged that the tax violates four respective city, state and Federal laws. They are : CU Section B32-5.0, of the Administrative Code of the City of New York. if The New York State "enabling act," which empowers a state municipality of 25,000 and over to levy a tax on amusements, "of up to five per cent." d The Constitution of the United States. t| The Constitution of the State of New York. In the first instance, the section of the City Administrative Code named specifies that a theatre owner commits a misdemeanor when charging more than "the fixed admission price plus the federal tax." With the city tax law in effect, admissions now include the additional tax. The "enabling act" passed by the State Legislature in 1947 is allegedly being violated by the five per cent city New 850-Car Conn, Drive-in Opens HARTFORD, July 8.— Associated Management Corp. has opened Connecticut's newest outdoor project, the 85q-car capacity, $125,000 Bridge Drive-In Theatre, Route 1, Groton, Conn. Ed O'Neill, formerly general manager of the Markoff Bros. Theatres, is serving as general manager of the new venture. Tie East Hartford Family DriveIn, South Windsor, Conn., being built by South Windsor Realty Corp., is being readied for a July 15 premiere. Abraham Bronstein of Hartford heads the project. Cost is estimated over the $125,000 mark. Caribe to Release AA in Colombia Norton V. Ritchey, president of Allied Artists International, has announced that an agreement has been reached with Dario Vasquez, general manager of Caribe Film, Medellin, Colombia under which Vasquez will handle 48 Allied Artists releases. tax which "in many instances" will be more than five per cent, according to exhibitor counselors. The complaint cited the Federal and State constitutions as being "violated" because, according to the action, the city levy is "discriminatory." All defendants named in the action were served with individual copies yesterday, according to Irving H. Greenfield, Loew's attorney. Bird's Report Due In another development in the tax picture, the Bird Commission, appointed by Gov. Dewey to study the validity of the city tax and the efficiency of the state's "enabling act," yesterday expected to have a preliminary staf¥ report completed by ne.xt week. Frederick L. Bird, committee chairman, said he is still waiting for final information before his staff can complete its preliminary report. When completed, the report will be forwarded to commission members for their scrutiny prior to filing a final opinion to the Governor, Bird said. Bird reported the preliminary report would not be made public. Damages {Continued from page 1) or labor or both combined." They said that punitive damages did not come in this category, and therefore were not taxable. In appealing the case to the Supreme Court, the Government said other cases have been decided differently in other lower courts, that the question is obviously one which will recur frequently in the future and that it is therefore important for the Supreme Court to decide the question once and for all. RKO Theatres {Continued from page 1) stockholders invitations to tender company shares of its common stock at prices not exceeding $6.50 a share. In connection with the invitations for tenders, RKO purchased during June, 524,062 shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $3,391,751.30. On June 22, 1954, RKO also purchased from the Bankers Trust Co., as distribution agent under the plan of reorganization dated Feb. 18, 1949, of Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corp., 15,488 shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $100,672. Complete 9 Films in Hollywood Studios HOLLYWOOD, July 8.— Production dipped sharply, as is usual when holidays shorten the work week, with completion of nine features offset only slightly by the start of two new ones. However, 27 others continued in shooting stage. New are "A Prize of Gold," Warwick, Technicolor (Col.) ; "Carmen Jones," Carlvle, CinemaScope, Technicolor ( 20th-Fox ) . Finished are "Wyoming Outlaws" (Col.) ; "Private Hell 36" ( Filmmakers) ; "The Long Chance," Masthead, "Walk the Dark Street," Valor, "Return of Columbus," Paal-Real, "Day of Triumph," Century (Ind.) ; "Deep In My Heart" (M-G-M) ; "Love Is a Weapon" (Para.) ; "Americano," RKO. Para, Moving Its Albany Exchange ALBANY, July 8.— The Paramount exchange will be moved on July 16 from the film district to a downtown office building at 547 Broadway, across from the railroad station. Paramount real estate department manager E. H. Erickson visited here for conferences with branch managers Dan Houlihan on the transfer. Paramount recently transferred its shipping and inspection to Clark Film Distributors, which, took new and larger quarters at the north end of Film Row. Carlson Temporary A A Portland Mgr, Harold Wirthwein, Allied Artists western division sales manager, has appointed Dick Carlson, booker, as acting branch manager of the Portland, Ore., exchange, to take effect when Jack Felix leaves to take over his new post as exchange manager in Denver. Carlson joined the company three years ago. Challenge NYC Ticket Tax {Continued from page 1)