Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1954)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 76. NO. 12 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, JULY 19, 1954 TEN CENTS Tradewise . . . Makelim owns 15 By SHERWIN KANE THE report aired at the annual meeting of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers in Hollywood last week that Motion Picture Export Association will no longer cooperate with independent producers in the foreign field (because of SIMPP's complaints to the State Department and Federal Trade Commission about features of the new film agreement with France) are categorically denied by MPEA spokesmen here. • There is considerable criticism, resentment and, even, amusement among MPEA members over SIMPP's or, rather, its president, Ellis Arnall's attack against the French agreement.. But no serious proposal to end cooperation between the two organizations in the foreign market has been made. • Discussion of Arnall's current action frequently points up the fact that mutually satisfactory foreign agreements were made when SIMPP, a few years ago, assumed its share of responsibility for such pacts and sent a representative along with Eric Johnston to participate in their negotiation. • In fact, when James A. Mulvey, president of Samuel Goldwyn Prod., accompanied Johnston to London on several negotiating assignments, some of the best features of the resultant fiscal agreements were credited to the SIMPP representative. • There is no reason, other than SIMPP's own negligence, disinterest, unwillingness to share responsibility, or whatever, for SIMPP representative' not ha 'inq accompanied Johnston to Paris at any time during the past year In which the recently signed French agreement was under discussion. • All that time SIMPP was kept fully advised of developments. It did register its opposition to subsidy features in foreign agreements, true enough. But it did not go along, as It might have, to op{Continued on page 2) Story Properties; I To Start Sept. 15 Hal Alakelini owns or has options on 15 story properties, the first of which will roll about Sept. 15 under the exhibitor guaranteed playdate project, the producer said here at the weekend. Makelim said the stories to be produced under the plan would be in the action category and that he planned to avoid "problem" pictures. At the first exhibitor meeting to be sponsored by a unit of Theatre Owners of, America in Oiarlotte last week, Makelim said that the area's quota was overscribed by approximately 50 per cent and that practically all of the 60 to 65 exhibitors present signed contracts. Makelim added that practically every circuit in the East, large and small, was in a stage of negotiation for the product lineup. He will meet with exhibitors in Milwaukee today and with the Southern California (Continued on page 3) NTS Marketing New Drive-in Speaker A new speaker for drive-in theatres has just been announced by National Theatre Supply. The unit consists of a four-inch Alnico-V, aluminum voice coil speaker, spring mounted into the two halves of a die cast aluminum housing. This method of mounting is said to assure a floating suspension which reportedly reduces shock, minimizes (Continued on page 3) New Eady Levy Dispute Rank Organization's 550 Theatres Resign from CEA By PETER BURNUP LONDON, July 18.— The J. Arthur Rank Organization with its 550 theatres resigned from all Cinematograph Exhibitors Association branches in protest against what the Rank company termed a "flagrant breach of agreements" by C.E.A. officers on the share of the MiUToken Still Possibility in NYCTaxScene As local exhibitors and the New York City administration waited for a decision from a Supreme Court ruling on a temporary injunction against collection of the city five per cent amusement ta.K, city officials at the weekend said that a token or stamp system has not been ruled out as a substitute for the law's major fraction provision. The possible system, now employed by the cities of Elmira and Binghampton, supplies exhibitors with tokens or tax stamps in mill amounts covering any fractions which may result .from collection of the ta.x. Assistant Corporation Counsel Stanley Buchsbaum, who presented the city's case for the tax before Supreme Court Justice Nicholas M. Pette last (Continued on page 3) "Betrayed (M-G-M) FLAWLESS acting by a stellar cast of an absorbing and suspenseful spy story, "Betrayed" is a notable attraction destined for healthy boxoffice returns. In color by Eastman Color, it tells the story of the Dutch underground during World War II, and is one of the better Hollywood productions dealing with the war. Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature head the cast, with Louis Calhern, O. E. Hasse, Wilfrid Hyde White and Ian Carmichael in support. Although all performers contribute outstanding portrayals. Miss Turner's work is especially noteworthy. As an underground agent parachuted into Holland before the Allied invasion of Western Europe, she handles this, for her, unique role with conviction and facility. Photographed mainly in Holland, cinematographer F. A. Young caught a great deal of the beauty and color of the Dutch countryside and seashore to further enhance the films attractions. Some of the scenes shot at dusk compare with the finest heretofore seen on the screen. The Eastman Color also is impressive. It highlights not only the scenery, but battle sequences as well the most memorable being filmed at night. All in all "Betrayed" shapes up as an entertainment-filled and expertly made production which will make its impress upon every type of audience. The story concerns the activities of the Dutch resistance, led by Mature. The Allies send Miss Turner to Holland to coordinate Mature's efforts with (Continued on page 6) entertainment tax remission which is to go to British producers. Before the government granted entertainment tax reductions, C.E.A. had agreed voluntarily to continue the Eady Plan for another , three years from Aug. 1, 1954, but at a reduced rate. In ^ a second agreement, C.E.A. promised to share any tax remission in a proportion which would be acceptable to the four trade associations. Since the tax was reduced, producers have repeatedly pressed for implementation of this agreement but C.E.A. repeatedly refused to discuss the matter until the British Film Producers Association had presented figures specifically showing the needs of producers. B.F.P.A. produced the figures but C.E.A. rejected them on the alleged grounds that they were inadequate and were not sufficiently detailed. At last week's meeting of the C.E.A. executive committee, circuit representatives including Rank and A.B.C.'s Sir Philip Warter, supported by a number of independents, pressed C.E.A. officers to agree to a continuance of the Eady levy at the old rates, pending settlement of the dispute with the producers. They argued this would at least demonstrate the exhibitors' good faith. At the instance of C. H. Whincup, (Continued on page 3) U.S. Films Favored By German People HOLLYWOOD, July 18.— Western pictures as produced by American companies is "the prime favorite of German people everjrwhere," according to Dr. Heinz Bartsch of the German News Agency, and Theodor M. Jest, chief editor of "AUgemeine Zeitung," who visited the 20th Century-Fox studios as guests of the American Motion Picture Producers Association. Both Bartsch and Jost stated that French and Italian films have made recent inroads in German exhibition at the expense of German products, but had not affected American playing time.