Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

10 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 25, 1955 Oklahoma (Continued from page 1) admission into the bill. However, this may not be the end of this matter. I have seen these things take a different course because of circumstances w hich produced pressure on the committee ; for instance, others who want to be specifically exempt could come into a hearing and make such demands that all specific exemptions were thrown out. We hope this does not happen." The original draft included exemptions from ad valorem, consumer sales, inheritance, estate, or gift taxes. It was here that the revised version included the exemption of admission tax. Former Text Amplified The new version of the bill further states, and did not previously, that "such laws shall not impose and levy any tax on any subject or person now taxable under State statute which declares that state tax thereon is exclusive or in lieu of other taxes." The revised bill also states that "no income or occupation tax shall exceed Another important change in the proposed bill, as pointed out by Akers to the exhibitors, was : "Section 2 of the bill provides that 25 percent of such taxes shall be credited to the Sinking Fund as long as the city has sinking fund requirements." Akers mailed all exhibitors a copy of the original draft of the bill. Senator George Miskovsky, Oklahoma City, is the bill's author. J. D. McCarthy, Oklahoma City, is chairman of the committee that will handle the bill in the House. Argue Code Regard Hissong, Wile Debate Film Censorship on Radio -TV Special to THE DAILY COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 24.— "Strike it rich" producers and distributors who make and sell pictures "abnormally emphasizing sex and crimes without regard to the accepted code" make it necessary that Ohio have censorship, said Dr. Clyde Hissong, former chief state film censor, in a debate aired here over WBNS and WBNS-TV on "Columbus Town Meeting." "Just as the State Highway Patrol has no trouble with most citizens who travel the highways," said Hissong, "censorship has little trouble with the vast majority of motion picture producers and distributors. Producers with concern for the making of fine pictures and the maintenance of their legitimate profit look to existing laws and make movies with the legal limitations in mind." Wile in Audience Robert Wile, secretary of Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, speaking from the studio audience, challenged Dr. Hissong's statement, pointing out that the Ohio censor board has banned such code-approved films as "The Outlaw," "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," "M" and "Born to Kill" in a 10-year period. He also cited the fact that cuts had been ordered by the censors in approximately 400 code-approved features. Sen. Charles Mosher, Republican of Oberlin, Dr. Hissong's opponent in the debate, claimed there is a certain falsity in relying upon the "protec THE FIFTH ANNUL COMMUNION BREAKFAST for Catholic people of the motion picture industry in the New York area will be held Sunday, February 6. Mass at nine o'clock at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with breakfast immediately following in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria. For information and tickets, communicate with the member of the Sponsoring Committee in your office, or Miss Marguerite Bourdette, Room 1107, 1501 Broadway. Tel.: BRyant 9-8700. (Tickets $3.75 each) tion" of bureaucratic control in "a field so largely concerned with ideas and ideals." He said this attitude is cause for "grave concern." He added : "Where freedom of expression is curbed on one point, it is seriously threatened at all points. I believe that the motion picture is, in fact, a medium of expression in the same degree as are newspapers, magazines, books, radio and television. And all are certainly entitled to the same degree of freedom from prior restraint. The constitutional guarantees apply to all of them equally." Mosher Introduced Bill Mosher, who led the successful fight in the last legislative session to abolish newsreel censorship, has introduced a bill to repeal all censorship. He is chairman of the Senate Education committee, which considers censorship. Editorial Warns of New O. Censorship COLUMBUS, O., Jan. .24.— Showing of Howard Hughes' "The French Line" in Ohio theatres since the virtual end of state censorship is an example of the "unrestrained showing of unsuitable films" which will lead to "calls for an even more stringent brand of censorship," said the Columbus "Dispatch" editorially. The newspaper did not name the picture, but its reference came during the first run showing of "The French Line" at eight local neighborhood houses. Downtown houses had passed up the picture since it lacks the Production Code seal. Business up to five times greater than normal was registered in the eight theatres. Sees New Censorship Certain Said the "Dispatch" about the picture : "It has been condemned by the Legion of Decency. It had shocked even the most broad-minded and tolerant people who had the opportunity to see it. A more specific censorship law to replace the one declared illegal by the higher courts would prevent the showing of this sort of picture. And sooner or later, if the unrestrained showing of unsuitable films becomes more general, and the temptation for theatre operators to do this is almost irresistible, there are certain to be calls for an even more stringent brand of censorship." The "Dispatch" called for a "moderate" law which can continue to "protect the Ohio public from objectionable films — and worse. And it will serve to stave off the ironclad type of censorship of the kind that no one wants to see established," the editorial said. 'Gobette' to Open "Mademoiselle Gobette," IFE's comedy starring Silvana Pampanini, will open at the World Theatre in New York on Feb. 4, and at the Ziegfeld Theatre, Chicago, on Feb. 5. Product (Continued from page 1) an "orderly" release of quality pictures regardless of seasons, said that most companies received his overtures regarding May and June cordially and furnished indications of cooperation. In his communications with distributors, Hyman said he pointed out that many of the top radio and television programs begin their summer hiatus at that time, offering another incentive for the release of quality product. In making the forecast, Hyman reiterated his contention that there are no "seasons" in exhibition, that good, quality product will draw at any time during the year. The May and June period, usually slow at the box-office, could be more profitable both for exhibition and distribution, with the release of quality pictures during that period, he stated. The "bunching" of quality releases during the summer months, beginning in July, creates a condition of "feast or famine," Hyman maintained, that should be corrected. Moral Tone of Mex. Films Hit by Legion MEXICO CITY, Jan. 24. — Announcing that the Legion of Decency, Mexican counterpart of the American organization, had officially honored Universal-International's "Magnificent Obsession," Metro's "Scandal at Scourie" and the German "Heidi" and "Dr. Holl," Jorge Munoz, Legion president, declared, "Mexican pictures of 1954 had a very low moral tone. Their themes were too many of saloons, drunks and street walkers. That put Mexico in a very bad moral light abroad. We judge pictures entirely upon their moral lesson, without any consideration of their artistic or box office value." All the honored foreign pictures were good box office here. "Obsession" is now in its sixth straight week at the swanky Real Cinema here. Of "Obsession" Munoz said, "This picture exalts the value of true charity." Castle Authors Book On U.S. Propaganda Eugene Castle, founder of Castle Films and throughout World War II distributor of U. S. Government defense training films to non-theatre audiences, is the author of "Billions, Blunders and Baloney." just published by the Davin-Adair Co. of New York. The book is a story of the government's propaganda film program all over the world, in an effort — which Castle feels has not borne sufficient fruit — to make friends for the U. S. A. "The well-meaning but pathetically unqualified policy makers abroad," says Castle, "are to blame for the Yankees Go Home' signs that are painted on walls and fences all over the world." The book is illustrated with photos of the ornate buildings, even palaces in some cases, which have been taken over abroad to house American publicists." YOU CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON FOR THE BEST SPECIAL TRAILERS