Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, January 31, 19 Drive-in Meet ( Continued from page 1 ) or sympathetic toward the little fellow, but is banding together with big business. Shor charged that the Department of Justice is more interested in "breaking up monopolies of hot dog prices" than it is in opposing film distributors who are gradually putting the little fellow out of business. He urged drive-in exhibitors to "stick together and unite to combat these abuses." McLachlin Urges Remodeling At a luncheon meeting, Hugh McLachlin, speaking on "what's new in drive-in equipment," criticized his fellow exhibitors for not replenishing their equipment. "This is the time to do something about it," he said, and urged theatre operators to remodel equipment, add color, install guide lights and "keep up with constant needs." The Big Land Warner Bros. Ricketson 'Big Land' Saturation {Continued from page 1) the Paramount theatre here. Virginia Mayo and her husband, Michael O'Shea, will participate in the many special events in conjunction with the world premiere, including two appearances on the stage of the Paramount Theatre and a series of press, TV and radio interviews. The O'Sheas followed similar programs in Wichita and St. Louis. Alan Ladd is back in the saddle again in this very entertaining Western made by the star's own company, Jaguar Productions. This time he's a Texas cattle man immediately after the Civil War whose attempts to sell cattle in Missouri at a fair price are thwarted by some underhanded buyers who control the bidding. Ladd, tired of fighting, avoids a showdown and rides away. In this Northern town, he's befriended only by Edmond O'Brien, an alcoholic. He helps O'Brien escape a lynch mob who catch him stealing liquor and sets him on the teetotaler's path. They head for Kansas and are given shelter by some ranchers who desperately need a railroad in their desolate area. O'Brien, who has been an unsuccessful architect, and Ladd form a plan to bring the railroad there. O'Brien's sister is engaged to a railroad executive and the two men convince him of the practicality of extending the railroad there. Ladd is to bring the cattle there while O'Brien and the people in the area are to build a town. The villainous cattle buyers encountered at the beginning pop up again and do their utmost to scuttle the plan. However, the town gets built, the honest cattle buyers arrive and Ladd brings the cattle in. But not before some murders are committed, O'Brien is killed in an attempt to halt the treachery and a stampede nearly ruins the entire setup. Although not particularly original, "The Big Land" is an exciting, wellwritten film that more than fills the requirements of the "big" Western. It is nicely photographed in WarnerColor and swiftly directed by Gordon Douglas. David Dortort and Martin Rackin wrote the screenplay. O'Brien, always a fine performer, is excellent as the young failure who lives in hope of success while Virginia Mayo plays his sister who eventually falls in love with the hero. Ladd gives his standard, capable performance and Anthony Caruso, chief villain, is thoroughly hissable. Others in the cast include Julie Bishop, John Qualen and Don Castle. Running time, 93 minutes. General classification. For February release. Jay Remer THE SEVENTH ANNUAL COMMUNION BREAKFAST for Catholic people of the motion picture industry in the New York area will be held Sunday, February 3. Mass at nine o'clock at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with breakfast immediately following in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria. For information and tickets, communicate with the member of the Sponsoring Committee in your office, or Miss Marguerite Bourdette, Room 1107, 1501 Broadway. Tel.: BRyant 9-8700. (Tickets $3.75 each) Odeon Report (Continued from page 1) materialize, he said, because topgrade films were screened. Fisher said the company still intends booking live shows in its houses as the experiment, thus far, has been quite successful. But, he added, there is a shortage of live talent . . . although there are rock 'n' roll shows . . . and these have had their day." Although business seems to be better for theatres across the country, the profit picture in general for exhibitors is down. Theatre associations across the country are preparing or having prepared briefs for submission to their local legislatures. These briefs seek a reduction in the amusement tax, but not abolishment. They take their cue from the success of the drive in the U. S. to raise exemptions to 90 cents. 4St. Louis' Promotion ( Continued from page 1 ) Eastern publicity and promotion personnel. Carl Combs, who served as unit man while "The Spirit of St. Louis" is before the cameras, has been designated by Bill Hendricks, Warners' studio publicity manager, to serve in a similar capacity on the West Coast, operating closely with the New York group. The special unit also will work in close cooperation with Bill Brumberg, head of the Warner field exploitation staff. (Continued from page 1) develop a theatre chair that w "make it possible to get people c of their comfortable, easy chairs home and into our theatres." Winding up a series of spec meetings at circuit headquartel' Ricketson said: "Besides offering the Amend! people the best motion pictures, •( must strive to make our theatres t most comfortable, most inviting sho'l cases of entertainment. Rememb show business is exciting businei! enthusiastic business, wonderful bi ness. Remember, too, that we ; playing to a new generation i never heard of the ideas we cc\ centrated on when their parents vnour theatre patrons two and thi' decades ago." New Theatres Described R. H. McCullough, the circuit's j rector of construction, outlined to 1! meeting NT's plans for the compan1 "theatre of tomorrow," which is to J constructed in two sizes. One size; a 1,200-seat house with 100-f.j screen; the other size is a 900-s house with 80-foot screen. T screen, in both instances, will flexible, with curve controllable fr the booth, and will accommodate \ special systems, including NT's o! Cinemiracle. Plans call for a 30-foot space 1 lowance between the screen and first row of seats. The floor plan ci for four aisles, with rows 40 inc apart. Memphis Censor Boar (Continued from page 1) the three-woman Board of Cens( but Mrs. St. Elmo Newton, Sr., is fcj cuperating from a broken rib suffei in a fall, and Mrs. Walter Gray 1!; missed seeing several recent fil; which Mrs. Edwards has decided w inimical to the public interest. Some question has been raised as the legality of rulings by one per: when the city code calls for five a the present board consists of th members. Circuits Join 'Sweeps' Three circuits, representing a tc of 174 theatres, have advised Rob W. Coyne, COMPO special couni; that they will participate in Academy Award Sweepstakes, wh will be held from Feb. 19 to Ma) 26. Emanuel Frisch of Randfor, E. C. Grainger of Crescent Amu ment, and Thomas J. Walker of Co erford, have indicated they would p ticipate. II WON'T TAKE A FULL PACE AD TO TELL YOU 630 Ninth Ave. NEW YORK, 1 327 S. Wabash CHICAGO,