Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Motion Picture daily Thursday, January 13, 1955 TV and Radio in HOLLYWOOD By SAMUEL D. BERNS Reviews Holiday for Henrietta (Ardee Films) ft MITCHELL HAMILBURG, sales head of Flying A Productions, is working out a deal with CBS-TV Sales to syndicate the "Buffalo Bill, Jr.," telefilm series in all of the other market areas where Mars Candy Bars and Robin Hood Shoes are not represented. The two sponsors have already tied up 110 markets in a $10,000,000 contract, with the shoe group ready for the series kickoff in March. Mitzi Green and Virginia Gibson will not only win your hearts, but Toni sponsors figure that they'll get in your hair with the "So This Is Hollywood" film series, which had a New Year's Day start on NBCTV. . . . Macy may not tell Gimbel, but CBS' Ed Murrow certainly primed his "Person To Person" viewers for Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's inspirational guidance via NBC radio in a Monday thru Friday morning spot. . . . Joe Yocan and Reed Browning filled in for Al Jarvis on KABC-TV's "Make Be lieve Ballroom" while the record spinner was on an Eastern vacation. George Gobel and his partner-manager, Dave O'Malley, are on clouds with all the magazine covers and awards for the comedian; but they have aversions when it comes to taking time out from a program to tell viewers to read all about him in the particular journals. . . . Roy Rogers and the Mrs. arc preparing to shoot 10 more half-hours for the NBC-TV westerns. . . . Max Roby rang out the old year and Sam Zclman, KNXT's news director, rang in the new as president of Radio and Television News Club of Southern California for 1955. Add this one to your show meter : "Hey Taxi!" will be a Spring film series event for ERKO, Inc., a company formed to produce original stories supplied by Teamster's Union members (Chauffeur Division) in a nationwide contest. ... Sid Solow got Don Fedderson to say okay on processing his "Millionaire" TV film series at Consolidated Lab. Shot on the Republic lot, the CBS-TV'er debuts on Jan. 19. Leo Salkin, cartoonist and writer, whose prize-winning one-minute TV commercial for UPA's Bromo Quinine client won him a director and story consultant berth with the production company, is writing a 16mm. film tome to be published by McGraw-Hill. . . . Robert S. Finkel has reached producer-director recognition with his new deal at NBC. "The Great Gildersleeve" is now his baby. . . . Jerry Fairbanks Productions has been contracted to make "The Story of a Star" for Texaco which will be filmed in 35mm. Eastman Color. In addition to the TV version, the film will be made available for all public showings. A PLEASANT little comedy directed by Julien Duvivier, whose sophisticated, witty talents have been employed on both sides of the Atlantic, perking along on two different levels, both adult in appeal and treatment. In the first instance, the film tells the story of the stormy and comic collaboration of a couple of screenwriters, offering many opportunities for amusing commentary on how motion pictures are born and on the cliches to which undiscriminating writers resort. Secondly, the film tells of the screenplay which the two writers evolve, with interruptions to show alternate possibilities in the progress of the story. The greater part of the film is occupied with this film-within-a-film, a charming and sophisticated tale about a pretty little Parisian dressmaker, Dany Robin, and her misadventures in one day, the 14th of July, France's most gala holiday. She has a date with Michel Roux, a press photographer who she confidently expects will propose. When he leaves her stranded at a street dance for a couple of hours, she is befriended by a good-hearted crook, Michel Auclair, and thereafter the story is divided to follow the fortunes of both. Those of her fiance-to-be, Roux, may raise a few eyebrows since they concern his rendezvous with an earthy circus rider, Hildegarde Neff, whose interest in him (which obviously is only of the moment) is simply sexual. A happy ending eventually is arrived at when the two youngsters finally come together on the steps of Montmartre's Sacre Coeur for the most important proposal. The performances, photography and all the production values are first rate, and the English subtitles more adequate than some. At the time of the press screening, a distributor's representative said the film was still to be cut, which should tighten the story lines, increase the pace and eliminate certain of the circus rider's sequence, which some exhibitors might find obj ectionable. The film, being released in America by Ardee Films, is a Reginas Fihnsonor production. The script is a collaboration between Duvivier and Henri Jeanson. Running time, 103 minutes. Adult classification. For January release. "Fuss Over Feathers" (Associated Artists) » WHAT may appear as a strange subject matter for a picture — the protection of a bird sanctuary — emerges as a thoroughly pleasant comedydrama with the type of off-beat theme that the British handle so well. Unfortunately, some of the dialogue is lost to the American ear, but the picture's warmth and charm overcome this. The fuss first begins when villagers near some land known as "The Island of Children" discover that a jet fighter squadron is being converted to a ground attack squadron and their rocket-firing training is to be done on this island. For many centuries this land had been preserved as an unofficial bird sanctuary and the villagers are aghast at the project, for the island is something beautiful and sacred to them. Almost the entire picture details the methods the people use to prevent the land's possible destruction. Some humor, some drama and a bit of tragedy result from these attempts, while the conclusion finds the villagers granted a year's grace for the island and time, perhaps, to save it permanently. The climax is an exciting bit of drama as the people, in one last desperate effort, head for the restricted area while a group of planes prepares to attackit. Tragedy is averted melodramatically at the last second, but it brings satisfaction to the cast and the audience. The cast is a good one. John Gregson, remembered fondly as "Genevieve's" owner, plays a ground crew worker with the RAF and Muriel Pavlow is seen as one of the villagers and his sweetheart. Their romance is touching and real and complements the main story well. Niall MacGinnis plays one of the village leaders, a blustering, likeable fellow whose one-day-per-week of inebriation almost ruins the village's chances. Photographed in lovely Eastman Color, the picture is a treat to look at. "Fuss Over Feathers" in not an epic film, but art house audiences should find it worth their while. It was produced by Herbert Mason, directed by John Eldridge and written by Don Sharp and John Pudney. Running time, 84 minutes. General audience classification. Dinner Jan. 17 For Schmertz CLEVELAND, Jan. 12. — Seven hundred theatremen and distributors from Ohio, Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Albany, Washington and New York will attend the exhibitors' testimonial dinner to I. J. Schmertz, Cleveland branch manager, celebrating his 50th anniversary of association with 20th Century-Fox, on Monday evening at the Hollenden Hotel here. This announcement was made by the arrangements committee co-chairmen Aloe Horowitz, Nate Shulz and Jack Silverthorne, and including Joe Lissauer, Leo Jones, Jack Shulman, Marshal Fine, Ed. Prinsen, Bert Leftkowitch, Jack Armstrong and Leonard Greenberger. Fox Executives to Attend Al Lichtman, 20th Century-Fox director of distribution, will head a delegation of home office executives who will fly to Cleveland. With Lichtman will go W. C. Gehring, executive assistant general sales manager ; Arthur Silverstone, assistant general sales manager ; Glenn Norris, Eastern sales manager; Jack Bloom, assistant to the Eastern sales head and major circuit contact, and Roger Ferri, editor of "Dynamo." Among the many to attend the salute to Schmertz, who also is celebrating his 28th anniversary as Cleveland exchange head, are Moe Silver, Nat Feldman, Gerald Shea, Ray Moon, Jim Sharkey, Ray Smith, Sam Galanty, Milt Cohen, Pete Dana, Howard Brown, Ira and George Sichelman, Chief Justice of Common Pleas Court Hon. Judge Sam Silbert, and Hon. Judge Arthur Day. Mexico Exhibitors Protest Tax Boost 'Uy Launching Daff International Drive Universal International's branches and distributors throughout the world have begun the 1955 "Daff Drive" with a record billings figure which exceeded the same week last year by 39.46 per cent, it was announced. Thirty-nine of U-I's overseas territories are competing in the annual 17week sales drive, which got under way on Jan. 3 and will conclude on April 30, honoring Alfred E. Daff, president of Universale overseas subsidiary. New drive records have been established by the overseas division in each of the past four successive years, the company said. Colo. Gov. Signs 'Movie' Proclamation DENVER, Jan. 12. — Concurrent with the holding of M-G-M's Ticket Selling Workshop here today, one of the first acts of former U. S. Senator Ed Johnson on his official entrance into the Governor's office was the signing of a proclamation heralding the month of January as "Go To The Movies Month" in the State of Colorado. The proclamation was signed at the state capitol in the presence of Emery Austin, M-G-M exploitation manager, who came on from New York for the Workshop meeting, and John Erfcson, who flew in from California to also be present for the ceremonies here. Special to THE DAILY MEXICO CITY, Jan. 12. — Many exhibitors in the provinces are appealing to their national association and the National Cinematographic Industry Chamber for help in the face of tax increases on their gross receipts that state, and not a few municipal governments, inform them will start before the end of January. The hikes are as high as one-third, it is said. The association and the chamber reveal that most of the complaining exhibitors have accepted previous tax boosts without protest, not that they 'iked them but just for the sake of keeping peace. But now, the organizations say, they can't pay any more and still stay in business. The sole solution of the problem, they say, is to be allowed to raise their admission prices. But the governments continue to refuse to allow that. Exhibitors, the organizations aver, are the only businessmen in Mexico who have not increased prices despite the fact that their costs continue to soar. Some Hints of Subsidies Exhibitors are striving to meet the official stand that, as pictures are exico's favorite paid public entertainment, theatres are unjustified in hiking their admission prices. There aresome hints that that would be all right with the exhibitors if the: governments subsidized the theatres. But there is no inclination toward that in officialdom.