Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, February 28, Suit REV,EW: ( Continued from page 1 ) dismissed from the conspiracy complaint on Dec. 5 of last year when Federal Judge Leon R. Yanlcwich, in Los Angeles, in a 91-page decision, exonerated them from charges of violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The trial had consumed 25 court days during which more than 25 executives testified. Clearance' Approved The court found that defendants had not committed any of the illegal acts set forth in the government's complaint and that such restrictions as were imposed on 16mm. sales were for the protection of each company's income. In exonerating exhibitor organization defendants, the court termed them as "gadflies" and urged the distributors to tighten their restrictions but not become "fellow offenders." The decision also noted that films could not be marketed like other products and that the "system of clearance is legitimate." Defendants were 20th CenturyFox, Warner Brothers, RKO Radio, Columbia and Universal. Republic, Pictorial Films and Films, Inc., previously had taken consent decrees containing escape clauses which entitled them to regard die decision as pertaining to them, also. Backlash MITCHELL MAY, Jr. CO, INC. SNSURANCE • Specializing in requirements of the Motion Picture Industry 75 Maiden Lane, New York 3720 W. 6th St., Los Angeles U niversal A fine performance by Richard Widmark in a tightly knit story that sparkles with suspense should prove a strong box-office attraction. With Donna Reed co-starred and in color by Technicolor, "Backlash" will appeal to most audiences. A further selling point is the rugged western locale, caught by the color cameras in all its weenie splendor. As a stray cowhand, Widmark meets Miss Reed on the scene of an Apache massacre in which he believes his father was killed. The evidence as pieced together by a cavalry sergeant, played by Barton MacLane, shows that five men were killed at the scene, three of them identifiable. Widmark's belief that a sixth man, who stole the $60,000 worth of gold that the group had found, is confirmed by MacLane only seconds before his death. Widmark sets out to find the sixth man with intentions of killing him to avenge the supposed death of his father. Miss Reed joins him in the hunt but solely to recover some of the gold which her husband, one of those massacred, had found. The trail ends in Texas where Widmark learns that his father wasn't killed in the Indian raid and that he made off with the gold which he used to instigate a cattle rustling business. Face to face, Widmark finds he is unable to kill his father. In an ensuing gun battle, his father is killed and Widmark joins Miss Reed in planning a new life together. John Sturges directed the quick-moving story that abounds in suspense. Both he and producer Aaron Rosenberg made good use of the natural Western scenery to enhance the film's visual appeal. "Backlash" will appeal to anyone who likes action-packed Westerns. Running time, 84 minutes. General classification. For April release. JACK EDEN Republic to Screen ( Continued from page 1 ) Republic hopes to employ Naturama in all of its films. Yates, in his annual report to stockholders received here yesterday, said after several years of experimentation the wide screen process was developed by Republic studios and Consolidated Film Industries. The projection ratio was said to be 2.35 to 1. Yates maintioned the system, which also features color, "eliminates distortion and grain and improves photographic and color quality." Formula Report Today A report by the subcommitee charged with the problem of working out the details of the agreed-upon formula for the division of permits, will be rendered today to the Motion Picture Export Association board of directors. The MPEA meet also will take up the problem of dividing up Indonesian permits, as well as other foreign problems. Army Bases ( Continued from page 1 ) chairman of the committee. He described the Feb. 15 sales managers meeting as friendly, adding that other meetings with Pentagon officials on the situation will be held in the future. Although he declined to spell out die nature of the recommendations of Pentagon officials, it is understood from other sources that some dissatisfaction as to clearances for Army and Navy base dieatres was voiced. Previously, the complaints have come from exhibitors operating theatres near military base theatres. That the complaints this time originated from the military was underscored by the absence at the Feb. 15 meeting of any representative of organized exhibition which heretofore dealt with the problem. Walter Reade, Jr., chairman of the Theatre Owners of America committee which previously studied the problem, said the issue would be taken up at the TOA board of directors meeting, March 4-6, which is to be held in New Orleans. UA's 1956 Slate ( Continued from page 1 ) supply of product lined up now, Youngstein said. The luncheon honored Roger Lewis, recently appointed advertising-publicity director of U. A., and Francis Winikus who, after holding the latter post for the past five years, has been made executive assistant to Youngstein. Winikus will leave here on Saturday for Paris, where he will headquarter for the next three years as head of the company's European advertising-publicity, with special attention to United Artists' releases produced abroad. Youngstein said the U. A. advertising-publicity department will continue to be strengdiened, both from within the ranks and from outside. Allied to Testify ( Continued from page 1 ) practices. Theatre Owners of America and Southern California Theatre Owners Association members will give testimony the following day, it was learned. Ruben Shor, Allied president, was slated to undergo an operation in Cincinnati yesterday but is expected to attend the hearings next month. John Flynn, attorney for the SSBC, sat in on last week's sessions of Allied's drive-in convention in Cleveland as an observer. Toll TV Issu D.C. Tax Rejection ( Continued from page 1 ) fically to exempt film rentals from a proposed new tax on rentals of personal property. The subcommittee's decisions represented a major victory for local theatre owners who had fought both proposals. The new admission tax and the film rentals tax were included in a big tax increase package presented to Congress by the District Commissioners. The Theatre Owners Association of Metropolitan Washington opposed both proposals. The admission tax proposal also attracted attention from industry leaders outside the District. They feared that approval of an admission tax in the District would hurt the industry's chances for getting relief from the Federal admissions tax and would also serve to induce other states and cities to levy local admission taxes. ( Continued from page 1 ) mittee the commission hoped to I f down drastically in the next J) <| months on the number of TV sta<) I applications tied up in hearings, \ { only 29 applications in that st | i by July 1, 1957. About 119 weri i hearing last July 1, and the tote Is estimated at 68 this coming July 1 ) ' Meanwhile a House Judiciary committee began hearings on » question of whether the Fed'j j Communications Commission | j other regulatory agencies have \\ preserving competition in televi ti ' and other industries they regu », < Chairman Celler (D., N. Y.) said e I early hearings would be mostly n aviation and would get to the LJ j and television late in March. L i Barnes Questioned However, the subcommittee td questioned at length anti-trust c Stanley N. Barnes as to his viewi the recent FCC action approving transfer to NBC of the Westingh radio and TV stations in PhiladeljJ Westinghouse got NBC's Cleve1 stations and $3,000,000. Barnes revealed that the antidivision is still investigating the s' tion, and that one of the questio is trying to decde is whether it could bring suit in view of the ) action approving the deal. He revealed that on Dec. 27, the day fore the FCC approval was nounced, he had written Mc< naughey declaring that the antidivision had "serious question whe the proposed transaction" violatec anti-trust laws. McConnaughey the FCC had made the decision Dec. 21, but had not announce< decision until the 28th to give Cfr missioner Bartley time to prepare dissent. Not Criticizing, He Says Barnes said he was not criticif the commission decision because) felt sure the Justice Department J certain information on the situp that the FCC hadn't had. Rep. Keating (R., N..Y.) obje| to the subcommittee's "retrying j case." Celler said he wasn't rJ ing the case but merely tryinj! show a "lack of rapport" bebe Justice and the FCC. Selznick-RRO ( Continued from page 1 ) T. O'Shea, president of RKO, David O. Selznick, it was stated "plans for the Selznick Co. to pro independently a series of pictur be financed and distributed by have been abandoned as a c quence of differences of policy." We deliver . qu trailers in a hi Let us serve SPECIAL TRAILERS , _ TRAILER C(