Motion Picture Daily (Apr-June 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, April 19, 1 All-Industry (Continued from page 1) industry to take advantage of the "good feeling and hopefulness thus engendered." The parley would he designed, he said, "to consider thoroughly what each branch, each organization and each individual can do to rescue the business from the doldrums, to fully exploit the pictures as they are released and to entice millions of lost customers back to the theatres. 'Merely Bowed Down' "Showmanship is not dead," he continued; "it is merely bowed down by the great load of anxiety and uncertainty which exhibitors are carrying today. Let them feel that tha distributors are in the same foxhole with them, that the industry is united by a recognition and understanding of each other's problems, and that all are going to join forces in putting the movies back on top of the amusements heap, and there will be such an awakening among exhibitors as was never known before." Myers' proposals stemmed from two sources. First, he charged that, based on reports from some Allied field units, M-G-M was doubling the percentage terms and the normal playing time on "I'll Cry Tomorrow" and that one unit claimed the company was following the same course on ' Meet Me in Las Vegas." Sees Presidents 'Aloof A second factor is Myers' view of the forthcoming distributors' "day in court" with the Senate Small Business Committee. He expressed the opinion that the company presidents were "remaining serenely aloof" and that the companies' defense was being prepared by lawyers who, with sales department representatives, will do the testifying. "As the sales heads are the authors and enforcers of the policies and practices that are causing such hardships among exhibitors," Myers wrote, "the prediction is being made that they will come to the hearing in a belligerent mood, unwilling to make any concessions of any kind toward happier conditions in the business." REVIEWS: 'Space' Strong in U.K. In four days at the Rialto Theatre, London, 20th Century-Fox's "On the Threshold of Space" in CinemaScope is setting a strong boxoffice, virtually doubling the grosses of many preceding attractions to play the showspot, according to reports received here by the company. The film opened on April 12 to enthusiastic reviews. YOUR ORDERS FOR 1 SPECIAL 1 TRAILERS 1 GET PERSONAL SEND US YOUR NEXT SPECIAL TRAILER ORDER! FAST SERVICE! 1 QUALITY WORK! ATTENTION FROM FILMACM 1 CHICAGO, ILL. 1 1327 S. WSBSSH I r\ NEW YORK, NX M \ 341 W. Mil ST. M Autumn Leaves Columbia Joan Crawford, starring in her best vehicle in a long time, dominates this "woman's picture" that accentuates heart-appeal and forceful drama built around a theme of mental illness. An adult film beyond the reaches of younger folk, Columbia's "Autumn Leaves" mixes emotions and dramatic values to a fine degree, assuring heavy distaff attendance. Miss Crawford is seen as the aging career girl who shuns doubts to marry a much younger man, Cliff Robertson. Her acting is moving and eloquent and runs the gamut of feminine emotions as the wife who discovers after marriage that she picked a very complex, tortured and confused man who is sliding into the world of schizophrenia. She is bewildered in her disenchantment and forceful when she decides to send him to an institution. Then she is brought to realize that, if cured, he may well lose all affection for her. In addition, her emotions wander to a point where she believes this malady might have been the cause for his loving her. Robertson, too, excels in the film and is cast as a sensitive man, more sinned against than sinning, and driven to emotional extremes that result in his comini.ment to the institution. A William Goetz production, the film evidences tight control over the script of Jack Jevne, Lewis Meltzer and Robert Blees by director Robert Aldrich. The production has apparently been geared to those exhibitors who favor strong, moving drama that attracts intelligent, discriminating audiences. Complementing the outstanding performances of Miss Crawford and Robertson are Lome Green, cast as Robertson's brutal father; Vera Miles, as Robertson's despotic wife whom he sheds later to marry Miss Crawford; Shepperd Strudwick, as the understanding psychiatrist who assists Miss Crawford in making the final decision to commit her husband to the mental institution, and Ruth Donnelly as the neighbor of Miss Crawford who also offers a dependable performance. Music by Hans Salter contributes much to the film and features the hit song of the same title as rendered by Nat "King" Cole. Running time, 108 minutes. Adult classification. For May release. French -Cancan United Motion Picture Organization Although a made-to-order picture for the art theatres, "French-Cancan" could be suitable fare for the general patronage house as well. Jean Renoir, who produced, directed and wrote the screenplay, has turned back the pages of 19th Century night life in Paris and has presented a gay, colorful story of the Montmartre and Moulin Rouge as they used to be. And the English subtitles have been prepared so that little, if any, of the story line is lost. Renoir has been successful in sentimentally recreating the story of how the celebrated Moulin Rouge blossomed into becoming the mecca of pleasure-seekers. True, the story borders on the familiar, but the French touch with its nostalgic costumes and music gives it a niche all of its own. Jean Gabin is cast as a night club impresario whose cabaret caters to the higher echelon of 19th Century cafe society. While on a slumming tour in the Montmartre section, he sees the cancan performed. He is fascinated by both the dance and one of the dancers, Francoise Arnoul. When he is forced to close his own night club, Gabin decides to open another spot which would feature the cancan as the specialty of the house. His move in that direction is punctuated with many of the problems that have cropped up in our own Main Street-to-Broadway pictures, such as the jealous women, the last-minute threat of the loss of financial backing, the refusal of the star to appear and the ultimate triumph of the production. Gabin is ably assisted not only by Miss Amoul, but by Maria Felix as his mistress. There also are some brief, but highly interesting, sketches by Edith Piaf, Patachou, Andre Claveau and Jean Raymond. The color by Technicolor enriches the lush settings. Running time, 93 minutes. Adult classification. For April release. JACK EDEN NARTB ( Continued from page 1 ) TV programming in the Un States, and that since the start of current TV season no fewer than programs in the Nielsen "top have been film shows, he deck that "TV film production is by Hollywood's major effort." . Sillerman gave the broadcasters prediction that there would be "n and more film" in the future by : son of the fact that such progr aid local stations in giving their vi ers top programs with top stars that film shows have proved t ability to compete against strongest competition. Cites Two Programs Sillerman pointed to CBS-TV's of two film shows, Phil Silvers "Navy Log," to wrest the lead avl from NBC-TV on Tuesday nights M also noted ABC-TV's success xM "Disneyland" and "Mickey Mol Club." He added that TPA's own gravfe illustrates the TV film industrl progress. Violence in Children's TV Shows Draws Heavy Protest to NARTB CHICAGO, April 18.-The tension code review board and the 1 tional Association of Radio and T( vision Broadcasters is reported being "flooded" with letters prot< ing crime and violence in childre TV shows. Charles Cady, assistant director! the review board, said that becajl of the deluge of mail there will bl special meeting of the code board! discuss what can be done to redB TV crime shows. He stated a repl will be sent to networks and statiil identifying each show that was cijfl cized in letters. In explaining that a code is nom form of censorship, Cady said, I is a form of self-regulation; a sub'l tute for censorship. Censorship is desirable." He pointed out that! a sponsor realizes no one is watch 1 a show he will drop it, and t'fl whatever the public wants the brofl caster must provide. Radio, TV 'Not Over-Commercial 1 Or Huckster-Dominated': Kintner I CHICAGO, April 18.-The fields! radio and television are neither o\M commercialized nor dominated I "hucksters," Robert E. Kintner, prJ dent of American Broadcasting Cm told industry members gathered h i for the convention of the National .1 sociation of Radio and Televisjl Broadcasters. Kintner added that the charge til broadcasters cater to crudeness all violence is a myth. At the same til he cautioned that radio and TV m too important to be misused, si urged industry members to be viH lant in correcting what little ovB commercialism and unethical advB tising there is. Kintner urged the government 1 end its "artificially created statS scarcity in television to allow creatM of more outlets."