Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

■6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, November 1 Assign Judge ( Continued from page 1 ) purchase the Majestic Theatre in Providence, R. I., from the Comerford Theatre circuit. Judge Palmieri signed an affidavit to the effect that the government has no opposition to the purchase, and said that it would be filed today with the anti-trust division of the Justice Department. x\ction to Be Deferred Action on the decision will be deferred until the petition has been investigated by Maurice Silverstein of the anti-trust division, he ruled. Warner's petition stated that they "will not unduly restrain competition by acquiring the Majestic Theatre in Providence. The Majestic is a first-run house in downtown Providence. Ban 'Baby Doll' ( Continued from page 1 ) B. F. Edwards, only one of the three members still on the board to see the preview. Mrs. St. Elmo Newton, Sr., and Mrs. Walter Gray did not attend. The Mayor and commissioners have not replaced Binford and Avery Blaneney, attorney, who resigned last Jan. 1, on the censor board. Asked why the picture was banned, Mrs. Edwards said it was because it was "immoral." REVEEW: Love Me Tender 20th Century-Fox ATTENTION! 2000 ESvis Presley Hats Sold in First Hours N. Y. Paramount Opening Presley Pic! Greatest MovieMerchandise Tie-In Of All Time! Elvis Presley Hat! The Teen-Age Rage From Coast to Coast! Retails $1.25 Your price — $9 per doz. Backed by National TV Promotion! DON'T DELAY! Wire C.O.D. Order Collect to: MAGNET HAT 147 W. 22nd St.. N. Y. C. Or — phone local American News Company The terrific box office value of this production is wrapped up in one magnetic name: Elvis Preslev. Besides acquiring this famed performer and putting him into a film at the height of his drawing appeal, Fox has made another shrewd move. The studio gave him a meaty and important role in the storv, instead of the guest celebrity "walk-on" which is sometimes handed to stars of the moment in exploitation pictures. The legion of Preslev fans aren't likely to be concerned about his dramatic abilities or complexities of plot. They'll come to see Preslev, and he has plentv of footage. The thing thev'll be most interested in is: "When do the doors open?" Producer David Weisbart and director Robert D. Webb had the storv set before thev acquired Preslev. It was a straight Western drama, but in order to make full use of Preslev's abilities, four songs were written into the storv for him. And the title song plavs an important part in development of the plot fine. Robert Buckner wrote the script. Preslev takes the part of the voungest brother of Richard Egan, who has gone off with two other brothers, William Campbell and James Drurv, to fight on the side of the Confederacy in the Civil War. Preslev stays behind, running the farm with their widowed mother, Mildred Dunnock, and Egan's sweetheart, Debra Paget. In the last week of the Civil War, Egan's troop steals a Union payroll, but the armv disbands before they can give it to their commander. The troop splits the monev and separates, Egan and brothers returning home. Thev find that Egan was believed dead, and Miss Paget has married Preslev. Heartbroken, Egan decides to leave rather than hurt his brother. But before he can do so, Union officers have traced him as the leader of the pavroll robbers, and insist that he return all the money or be prosecuted on criminal charges. He reluctantlv agrees, seeing prison or lifelong pursuit for his brothers and friends if he doesn't. His old sergeant, Neville Brand, refuses to give up his share, and Egan takes it at gunpoint from him and two other survivors "for their own good." Before the monev is returned, Brand tricks Presley into thinking Egan is running off with the money and Miss Paget, driving him into a jealous rage. Preslev beats Miss Paget and shoots Egan, then is killed bv Brand when he turns on him. The Union men arrive in time to save Egan, Miss Paget, the monev and to round up Brand's group. Three of the songs are delivered in the Preslev stvle of uninhibited writhing and contorting. The title song is a wistful folk ballad that the rock'n'roll specialist handles with a sincere traditional manner. The production will be fully satisfying to both Presley fans and general audiences that are curious about the phenomenal vocalist. Running time, 89 minutes. General classification. For November release. Gus Dallas Hold 'Morale' Meeting Home Office A mass meeting of all personnel in the advertising, publicity and exploitation departments of the Warner Brothers home office was held yesterday by vice-president Robert S. Taplinger to discuss department problems and the company's operations and product in the immediate future, it was reported. According to a Warners representative, the "meeting cleared the air on a number of rumors about personnel shifts and it lifted the morale of all concerned." Taplinger, Ben Kalmenson, executive vice-president, Gil Golden and Larry Golub addressed the conference and asked for ideas and suggestions from all on future campaigns, he said. Milwaukee Sub-Runs Report Business Drop Special to THE DAILY MILWAUKEE, Nov. 15.-With the exception of one circuit, fall business is definitely off at theatres here about 20% compared to last year at the same time. This is especially true of the neighborhood houses. A spokesman for one circuit said that business is generally less this year compared to last with the downtown houses not holding their own either. An official of another circuit feels they are ahead of last year by 4 to 5 per cent. Some exhibitors put the major blame for the business drop on television, citing in particular the showing on local tv of such films as "Since You Went Away" and "How Green Was My Valley." CONGRATULATIONS oi exploitation job well dom 20th Century-Fox's "Love Tender" as it opened at Paramount Theatre here terday: Charles Einfeld, ! Fox vice-president in cl of advertising, publicity exploitation; Edward Hy vice-president of Ame ! Broadcasting-Paramount 1 tres; and Jack Bloom, nat circuit contact for 20th-Fi Showmansbf ( Continued from page 1 ending" to the film receive) publicity in local newspapers dio. Presley appeared twic top-ranking variety televisior The title song of the picti rushed into record pressings, leased in late September, selli two million copies, according A national bi-weeklv maga2 tures a six-page Presley stoft latest issue, describing the ma chandising tie-ins involving tl name. Some 2,000 of these caps, scarves, bracelets, etc given to the first patrons il theatre yesterday. A 40-foot i of Presley was unveiled on tl mount marquee two weeks a Contest Included Also, during the final eig before the opening, a local nefl ran a contest called "Wha Presley Means to Me," a [i prizes to the writer of the sevc j short letters answering the ce It was said to have drawn n sponse than any other film cc that paper, according to Fox. Extra policemen were det; yesterday's opening to check i sible disturbances, but the including many teenagers, w; behaved. Many were disaj to learn that Presley would n< a personal appearance. Their in the film was apparent in i their shrieks cut off sharply w Presley was flicked from the sc cut back in delightedly wl camera caught him again. Tl ence, predominantly female, most enthusiastic during th( wherein Presley jealously assa wife, Debra Paget. They s with horror when he shot 1 brother, Richard Egan, and si when he was killed. The picture is set to ope 600-theatre national saturatic gram around Nov. 22, 20th-l nounced. re au em see its 1 eal o\ am in P1