Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

lay, February 4, 1957 Motion Picture Daily tlied Plea review: (Continued from page 1) ess Committee for the setting of bitration system. These recomations were made on Aug. 2, i and July 27, 1956. The presi} were told that Abe Berenson ew Orleans, Abram F. Myers, ial counsel, and Shor had been i nted as a committee to meet with =j;ompany heads. ne major points on the board's [la were not reached at the Fri\!;essions, the principal items havS'leen put over until Saturday for ^deration. This included the elec,i;>f officers, with election of Julius ,on to the post apparently asrj, as predicted in Motion PicI Daily on Friday. The new presiI for the first time in Allied hisrj will take over the duties of the I immediately following the elecii EDC Continued [Le board did, however, endorse J continuance of the Emergency ijnse Committee and agreed to licipate in an all-out campaign She complete elimination of the lesion tax. It was stated that inIch as the smaller theatres bene£[ the most from the reduction lie tax that the exhibitors operatIhose theatres should help out in |r to aid the bigger theatres. The jt'tors also endorsed Senator Ful|it's bill which would put a 25 sicent tax on the first $25,000 of oness, and 35 per cent on all busiI over that figure. This was rested as a help to small exhibitors, j was indicated that the possibility Elllied holding a joint meeting with riitre Equipment and Supplies iufacturers Association in Miami I November was not completely bidoned. Merlin Lewis, executive 8<>tary of TESMA, was here to I with the Allied board, but he a not met with the directors as of it Friday. 10r said that an Allied-TESMA Ip was not likely but that a posil itv still existed. Fear Strikes Out Alan Pakula — Paramount Several very effective performances by outstanding players such as Karl Maiden, the newcomer Anthony Perkins, and Norma Moore lend distinction to this telling of the unusual story of Jim Piersall, the major league ball player whose compulsion to be a winner, instilled by his father, drove him to a nervous breakdown from which he fought back to become a star of the Boston Red Sox. More than being merely the story of a parental ambition which demanded more of the boy, Piersall, than his mind and body could give, "Fear Strikes Out" is a storv of success achieved despite great odds, and a frequently touching love story, as well. While baseball happens to be the motivating factor in the youth's life, this is not what can rightly be called a "baseball picture." The sport is background. The plot does not turn on the outcome of a game nor on the feats of the star on the diamond. It could as well be the business or professional world, as the sports world, for whose recognition the youth strives. Thus the film's appeal is by no means limited to followers of the game. Perkins' performance as Piersall is impressive and seems certain to further enhance the personal following won by his recent appearance in "Friendlv Persuasion." Maiden, as the father whose driving ambition deprives the boy of a normal youthful life and ultimately of his mental balance, gives his expected fine portrayal. Miss Moore, as the young nurse whom Piersall falls in love with and marries, and who remains loyal to him during the period of his adversity, is a pleasing personality whom audiences will remember. Perry Wilson, as the mother; Adam Williams, as Piersall's psychiatrist, and Peter Votrian as Piersall as a boy are all quietly effective in their important roles. Robert Mulligan's direction brought restraint and understanding to what could have been sensational and flamboyant scenes. His discretion adds much to the worth of the Alan Pakula production. Ted Berkman and Raphael Blau wrote the screenplay from a story by James A. Piersall and Albert S. Hirshberg. Properly exploited, it should be a good draw in all situations. Running time, 100 minutes. General classification. Release, not set. Sherwin Kane 'ilk Allara President ) iVest Virginia Allied ,|[NCINNATI, Feb. 3.-Frank Alii of Matewan, W. Va., was elected iii ident of Allied Theatre Owners of Kt Virginia at a meeting here of the ii; s board held in connection with h| Allied Drive-In Theatre Owners t ention. Joseph Buff a of Mt. Hope v\ elected secretary-treasurer, and !>| Keesling of Bramell vice-presi1:. Floyd Price of Charleston was I ed national director. Znuck Elected {Continued from page 1) men with Twentieth Century-Fox file the merger of Twentieth Century Pjures and the Fox Film Corp. in |f 5. He is currently completing his ii^ production in England, "Island in tf Sun," based on the best-selling tii el by Alec Waugh. Six Circuits (Continued from page 1) atres in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, said he would organize promotion on a circuit basis. C. F. Motley, vice-president of the Video Independent Theatres of Oklahoma and Texas, advised Coyne that 22 of the large theatres in his circuit would participate. Nine of the largest Arizona theatres of the Harry L. Nace circuit also will take part in the promotion, according to Jack Van Leer, booker and film buyer. Walter L. Reade, who operates 33 theatres in New York and New Jersey, advised Coyne that all of his theatres would cooperate. Lloyd G. Wineland, who operates eight theatres in the District of Columbia and Maryland, stated that all of his theatres would take part in the project. Individually operated theatres which announced their participation were the Ioka Theatre of Exeter, N. H, the Plaza Theatre of Windsor, Conn., and the Plaza Theatre of Paterson, N. J. Allport Denies MPA BFPA Discussion Held From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Jan. 30 (By Air Mail). —The following statement was issued last night by F. W. Allport European manager of the Motion Picture Association of America: "Garbled reports have reached the trade press of a meeting in New York last week between Eric Johnston, president of the MPA, and presidents of the MPA member companies." Allport's reference is to an unofficial report, not published in Motion Picture Daily, that Eric Johnston had proposed to the MPEA board on Jan. 25 that the American industry endeavor to work out by negotiation arrangements for settling by negotiation subjects in dispute prior to the enactment of new legislation. The statement continued: "The meeting was called to deal with questions that have arisen in relation to the companies' West Coast operations and was devoted primarily to them. "There was no discussion on British matters other than a general report on the status of current film legislation. "No discussions between the Motion Picture Association and British Film Producers are planned to my knowledge." Fund Extension (Continued from page 1) debt of $30,000,000 between the production-distribution organization and the theatre operation. Following a closed door hearing on Friday, at which Charles C. Moskowitz, vice-president and treasurer of Loew's, Inc., and Leopold Friedman, president of Loew's Theatres, Inc., testified, Judge Palmiere announced that he "has suggested a standby order to enable the court and Loew's to deal with the matter most effectively." The hearing before Judge Palmieri was the second during the last week as the court delayed signing an order last Wednesday in which Loew's Theatres would have assumed no more than $5,000,000 of the funded debt which is currently held by eight insurance companies. By the issuing of a standby order, Loew's has an indefinite period of time in which to seek a division of the funded debt. However, the company still has only until March 8 to distribute its stock. Also in attendance at the hearing were Benjamin Melniker, vice-president and general counsel for Loew's, Inc., S. Hazard Gillespie, attorney, and Maurice Silverman of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. 12 Categories Listed In Sweepstakes Contest The 12 of the 27 Academy Awards categories in which participants in the Academy Award Sweepstakes will be asked to name the winners were announced at the weekend by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. They are: best performance by an actor, best performance by an actress, best performance by an actress in a supporting role, best performance by an actor in a supporting role, best achievement in direction, best song, best motion picture, best motion picture story, best achievement in costume design (color), best scoring of a musical picture, best music score of a dramatic or comedy picture, best achievement in cinematography ( color ) . AA Loses $798,000 (Continued from page 1) 708 for the corresponding period in the previous year. This was announced here by S. Broidy, president at the weekend. In the 26 weeks ending December 29, 1956, a credit of $346,000 was provided for estimated refund of federal income taxes, whereas for the corresponding period in the previous year a reserve for federal income taxes was set up of $202,000. The net loss for the period ending December 29, 1956, after income tax credit, was thus reduced to $452,000 as compared with a net profit of $183,708 for the corresponding period in the previous year. The company's picture, "Friendly Persuasion," is tentatively being amortized on a cost recovery basis, and as of December 29, 1956, no profit or loss has been taken into the earnings statement. The gross income for the last 26 week period in 1956 amounted to $8,662,686 as compared with $8,160,763 for the same period in the previous vear.