Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, October 14, 195, REVIEW: This Man Is Dangerous Fortune Features Dubbed in English, this French melodrama seems patterned in great measure after the fast-moving, hardtalking, cynical gangster dramas that came out of the U.S. film industry some years ago. Edward Constantino, a dead-ringer for Hollywood's John Ireland, is sought by police following escape from an American prison. Aboard a gambling vessel oft the French Riviera. Constantine rescues wealthy heiress Claude Borelli from international criminals, who seek to kidnap her. Later, Constantine is brought by Colette Dereal to a gang headed by Gregoire Asian, with latter also disclosing plans to kidnap Miss Borelli. The latter disappears, with Constantine picking up the trail in Paris. There he bumps into still another gang— this one has Jacqueline Pierreaux as boss— with Miss Borelli's projected kidnapping as its objective. In subsequent adventures, Constantine, true to the code of confidence men everywhere, plays both kidnapping gangs against each other, at the same time making an effort to protect Miss Borelli. Asian and his mob finally get the girl, and Constantine rushes to the rescue, tells Miss Borelli he is an FBI agent, and then proceeds to clean up the case. George Senamaut UA to Invest $7,500,000 16mm. Suit ( Continued ope, where he discussed the promotional aspects of UA product currently being readied, said that the company expects to increase its promotional field forces by at least six men during 1956. The UA executive presented the proposed company lineup of feature releases — betwen 40 to 48 films for 1956 — to UA representatives all around the world at the three UA sales conventions and on business trips to company offices. In 1955, United Artists will release 40 films on an average of between three and four per month. 'Progress' Meeting Slated Youngstein disclosed that "the top brass" at UA will shortly hold "a progress report conference" in which the company's goals, production and distribution deals for 1956 will be discussed. The UA financial investment in motion picture production was $40,000,000 last June and will exceed that figure in 1956, it was learned. United Artists advertising and publicity expenditures in 1955 will be near or at die $6,000,000 mark, produced and Jean Sacha directed with an eye for the excitement angles. Running time, 81 minutes. Adult classification. from page 1 ) Youngstein said, "and will be exceeded in 1956 by some 25 per cent because of the 'big' pictures which die company has set for distribution." Youngstein, who spent this past summer in Hollywood assisting in the preparation of films, said that the 1956 line-up of UA's quality product includes such films as Robert Rossen's "Alexander, The Great," Sheldon Reynold-Robert Mitchum's "Foreign Intrigue," Hecht-Lancaster's "Trapeze," Norman Krasna's "The Ambassador's Daughter," Stanley Kramer's "The Pride and the Passion," and a film which Anatole Litvak will make next Spring. The UA official said that initial promotional conferences on diese films were held while he was in Europe. HE SOLVED HIS SERVICE PROBLEM So can you 1 1 1 ALTEC A stroke of the pen on an ALTEC serv ice contract brought protection of performance and equipment investment to this wise showman. His satisfaction has since been expressed with a contract for additional theatres. You can solve your sound service problem today. Call your nearest ALTEC office, or write Altec Service Corporation, 161 Sixth Avenue. New York 13, N.Y. "Specialists in Motion Picture Sound" 161 SIXTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 13, II. Y. TESMA Answers Ryder on 'Profits' The Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association, through its executive secretary, Merlin Lewis, this week levelled its guns at Loren Ryder, Paramount's technical chief, for his remarks at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers convention last week. Ryder had stated that "equipment manufacturers are trying to find ways of getting all of our profit all the time." Describing Ryder's statements as being "balderdash," Lewis, in a press statement, said: Says Producers Created Demand "Mr. Ryder forgets, and conveniently, that equipment manufacturers did not originate the demand for the new equipment that he complains about, but that during the time when Mr. Ryder claims that more than $30 millions were spent for equipment, the theatre industry was hollering its collective head off for installations of the new equipment in their theatres, and that the manufacturers of lenses, sound and projection equipment, screens, etc., were working around the clock to supply the demand created not by the manufacturers but entirely by the producers.. . . "It is true that some of our manufacturers showed a good book profit on the equipment sales that Mr. Ryder deplores, but with present inventory written off at its actual value, some of our manufacturers might show a real loss, rather than a book profit. Calls Accusation Unjust "No manufacturer will make any theatrical equipment that he believes cannot pay its own way— and Mr. Ryder must know that the equipment manufacturer makes only the kind of equipment for which there is a market—and a profit. The manufacturer does not create the market for new equipment, and therefore cannot be unjustly accused, as Mr. Ryder so lightly puts it, . . . of trying to get all of our profit all of the time." ( Continued from page 1 ) will not be called by the Government to testify in person. The defense was directed by Judgei Leon Yankwich to open presentation; of its case on Tuesday. The Government presented fewer than 10 witnesses, relying mainly on 495 exhibits comprising nearly 1,500 documents,, but the defense is expected to call ai great many more live witnesses, in eluding company presidents and other high ranking officials. Dismissal Denied At the close of today's presenta-l tion, defense counsel Homer I. Mitchell and Macklin Fleming moved for dismissal, but the court denied the motion, ruling "a prima facie case may be shown to exist." Later th court added, "that is not a findin that a conspiracy exists" and addin "I draw no inference from the rec ord." The court granted the Governmen motion that all evidence admitted as! pertaining to any individual defend ant be admitted as applying to all. It is unofficially reported that Ne< E. Depinet may be the first witnes for the defense. Closer Collaboration ( Continued from page 1 ) consisting of representatives and headi of guilds, unions and other organizations, expressed a need for closer collaboration between producer, writer director, cameraman, art director anc film editor in the pre-productioi phase, more rehearsal time for acton and earlier employment of technica heads. Weekly Here Reported for Rogers Roy Rogers, number one westen star in Quigley Publications' Money Making Stars poll for more than < decade, will net in excess of $70,00( per week for his Madison Square Garden engagement, where he ij working under a contract guarantee ing him a minimum of $100,000 phi: a percentage over the stipulated fig ure. Attendance here necessitated gi\ ing three shows daily instead of th usual two. The Boston Garden, where hi opens on Wednesday, has reporte the largest advance ticket sale in it} history. Ens. W. V. Cronin Ensign W. Vaughn Cronin, U.S.N son of William Cronin, former assis tant to Frank C. Walker, head o Comerford Theatres, died Wednesday night at the U. S. Naval Hospital a St. Albans, N. Y. He was 24 year old and after graduation from th Naval Academy at Annapolis; Md. last year had been assigned to thU.S. destroyer Power. Funeral services will be held a 11 A.M. Monday at St. Augustin Church, Larchmont, N. Y.