Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

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■ ay, November 19, 1956 Motion Picture Daily nr greaves Rank to Use TV, PA Tours (Continued from page 1) ,Jie Rank Organisation in LonI'ivhich has four or five years yet newlv-appointed head of the rl American company discussed loiversal contract which has been fleet a number of years. HarI s said Rank is producing about ns annually. These are divided, 'fling to their suitability for the lean market. From the 10 most ~ lie Universal may then select 4 Iver ones they wish to distribute. veral Have Handled Rank , jfore the formation of the Amer' company," he continued, "the : which were turned down by jrsal were offered to other Amer' " j;ompanies for distribution. In 1 kst 12 months Universal distrihvo or three of Rank's films, lie three and the balance went rar backlog. United Artists in ^-iiast has also released Rank aves said the Rank producicilities are geared now to pro"fabout 20 films annually. This |t include the joint production „..:,' with French, Italian and Ger^nroducers, he said. "Managing ■ John Davis has been gearing radio for bigger product and i:t which will have international | he said, adding that the ( Continued American exhibitors who haven't played British films in the past are a little afraid of them. We hope to break down whatever resistance there is to British films by having British stars come over to America for personal appearances in connection with their films' openings. We also propose to use television, but thus far our plans are still in the embryonic stage." Martin to Head Advertising Hargreaves, commenting on the formation of the Rank American company, said it has been incorporated in Delaware with a capitalization of 1,000 shares. The company will be headed by himself with other officers and directors yet to be appointed, he said. The company will seek an results of this program "will be seen in three to six months." Hargreaves, who left for Hollywood at the weekend, will return to New York late this evening and depart on Wednesday for London. He said that he will be back here for a longer stay in January, and return permanently in March. While in London, Hargreaves said he will resign all of his positions and directorships with the Rank group and sign a long term contract for the presidency of Rank Film Distributors of America. from page 1 ) American sales manager to head actual distribution and sales while Geoffrey Martin, a Rank veteran of over 10 years, will handle advertising, publicity and public relations, in conjunction with an American agency. "We may try to break away from standard advertising methods used here by other motion picture companies," Hargreaves said, pointing out that his company will "try to make film advertising look different, as U.S. film ads very much look alike." Silent Regarding Budget Declining to disclose the amount of dollars which the Rank group has set aside for operation of the American company, Hargreaves said he will distribute 50 per cent of all Rank's productions, plus films turned out by other British producers, and films produced on the Continent. He said that in the first 12 months of operation, the company will have about 15 films from Rank and about two or three from the ContinentItalian, German or French films, to offer U.S. theatres. He said the Rank group has about 14 to 15 films as a backlog at present "and about 70 per cent of these films are suitable for the U.S. market." The company "will open by Easter around five or six offices across the country," Hargreaves said. REVIEW: The Man Is Armed Republic Somewhere along the fine, this well-intentioned melodrama of introspection gets so muddled up in ideals that the actors come off second best. Not even some obvious last-minute briskness by director Franklin Adreon succeeds in taking "The Man Is Armed" out of the routine category. Leading players here are Dane Clark, William Talman, May Wynn, Robert Horton and Barton MacLane, a quintet of acting competency that just doesn't get sufficient dialog and ensuing action to bring all contributing factors to this study of a man gone mad into the realm of believability. Therein lies the Edward J. White production's main fault. The Richard Landau-Robert C. Dennis screenplay picks up Clark as he's released from prison. Outwardly a grim-lipped, silent individual, he seems to harbor a gentleness and compassion for his fellow humans. After he manages to kill the wrong man, however, his foothold on a brightand-promising tomorrow is doomed. After a robbery, he streaks through the adjacent countryside, the gendarmes in hot pursuit. Gunfire finally sends him out of this world. The film is based on a story by Don Martin. Running time, 70 minutes. General classification. For October release. A.M.W.