Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1958)

Hi Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 21, 19 REVIEW: Inspector Maigret Lopert Films Television Jo daw Cultural Drive ( Continued from page 1 ) ins the Russians and their friends complete domination. Marjorie Dawson, who tor years ran the Motion Picture Association children's film library, until it suffered what she terms a total eclipse-called newspaper and trade reporters to Columbia's ninth floor conference room yesterday afternoon and proposed a cultural offensive. This Government, she said, should support, by subsidy or recognition such as citations, the making of films especially for children. UNESCO should contribute. She knows there are stars who deliberately seek not to make money, and acclaim might make them give their talents. It might, she feels, apply to certain of the trade unions. The company presidents, of course, would consent. And MPAA president Eric A. Johnston— his support would be necessary. She believes each company should make one children's picture per year, probably in countries with lowest costs, and probably where funds are blocked. Points to Brussels She said at Brussels, where she was an observer for the United States National Commission for the UNESCO-a private group-the Russian films, many of them, were features; and never in her life, she commented, had she seen such "exquisite programs." "They reeked of money well spent, of talent, production, and writing, and combined realism and fantasy and delighful humor." She could not say where such films are shown in Europe— what and how many theatres and what arrangements —and said merely people had told her Russian and satellite youngsters' films are shown "widely." She stressed she was speaking privately, did not know whether she would speak to company presidents, and said she would not approach Johnston, but he is free to call upon her. Milestone Award ( Continued from page 1 ) ican motion picture." The veteran film maker will receive the award, according to SPG president Carey Wilson, at an awards dinner in January. Previous Milestone Award winners have been Jesse L. Lasky, Louis B. Mayer, Darryl Zanuck, Cecil B. DeMille, Walt Disney and Spyros P. Skouras. This year's presentation will be exclusively for members of the guild, the men and women who produce motion pictures for film and television. This procedure marks a departure for the guild, with previous Milestone Award dinners having been open to all members of the television and motion picture fields. 'Love' Here Oct. 31 Jerry Wald's "In Love and War," will open Friday, Oct. 31, at the Paramount Theatre here, 20th Century-Fox announced yesterday. Hartford, Conn., Oct. 20 An intriguing mystery yarn by the proficient Georges Simenon serves as basis of this suspense-laden Gallic import (with English sub-titles) peopled with Continental thespians known and respected on this side of the Atlantic. Jean Gabin tops the cast, artfully directed by Jean Delannoy, working from an adaptation of the Simenon work (originally called "Maigret Sets a Trap"), by R. M. Ardland, Michel Audiard and himself. Gabin, of course, is the resourceful Inspector Maigret, this time confronted with a series of fiendish stabbing murders. The unknown killer, it is learned, persistently strikes at dusk and his victims are plump brunette women. At the 11th horn-, a jacket button from the killer's coat turns up, and the inspector is off on a meticulous search that takes him, eventually, to the killer. Enroute, the viewer encounters as diversified a roster of sidelights and character developments as can be found in many a contemporary suspense study. Gabin paces his supporting players with superb timing. Running time, 118 minutes. Adult classification. Release, not set. A. M. W. f ogle Lion-Loew Case Seen Off Until November From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 20. The Supreme Court argument in the Eagle Lion-Loew's case, originally scheduled for late this week, may not be heard until November. The case was put on the calendar as the last one to be argued in this court term, which closes Thursday. If it isn't reached by then, and it seems doubtful that it will be, the argument will go over until Nov. 10. It is a case which the industry is watching with great interest, because it asks the court to rule on the wide applicability of the Paramount Case Decision. Circuit Court ( Continued from page 1 ) from brokers concerning the theatres to be disposed of had been ignored or discouraged, and they held that the record showed some of the theatres had been omitted from advertising offering the properties for sale. The Schine defendants, including J. Myer Schine, president, had been found guilty by Judge Harold Burke in U.S. District court in Buffalo in 1957, and fines aggregating $73,000 had been assessed. The Schine consent decree required the company to divest 39 theatres, and when the terms were not met, the government filed suit in 1954 charging the defendants with contempt of court. It could not be learned here yesterday whether Schine would make a further appeal of the conviction, NBC Host This Week To TV Radio Editors NBC this week in New York is playing host to some 80 TV and radio editors of newspapers in key cities across the country, in the second annual renewal of what has proved to be a highly successful and fruitful promotional endeavor. A full schedule of events has been arranged for the visitors, with the radio and television divisions alternately serving as hostof-the-moment, at a series of luncheons and group reports. Opens at the Plaza Yesterday the opening event was a luncheon given by the radio division, at the Plaza Hotel. During the rest of the week are scheduled: a luncheon and reception today at El Morocco; a report on radio with plans for the future, tomorrow at the Plaza; a Television Network report on progress and plans, Thursday morning; a press conference with Robert W. Sarnoff, NBC board chairman, Friday morning, and a reception and dinner at the St. Regis Friday. King Stations to Join NBC Network Affiliates The King Broadcasting Co. and the National Broadcasting Co. have entered into affiliation agreements for the former's television and radio stations in Seattle and Portland, it has been announced by Otto P. Brandt, vice-president in charge of the broadcast division of KING, and Harry Bannisiter, vice-president in charge of station relations for NBC. Secondary NBC affiliations with KGW and KGW-TV, Portland, became effective Oct. 14, and with KING and KING-TV, Seattle, Oct. 15. Primary affiliation for KGW becomes effective Dec. 19, 1959; for KGW-TV, May 1, 1959; for KING, June 14, 1959; and for KING-TV, Dec. 10, 1959. Anti-Trust Complaint on TV Commercials Pends From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.-Justice Department officials said an anti-trust complaint by producers of television film commercials is still under study. The producers had complained against the major networks, charging that the networks were making their own commercials and making video tape facilities available to advertising agencies in a manner calculated to drive the independent producers out of business. Justice officials said they had not yet decided whether any anti-trust violation was involved and had no idea how long they would be studying the matter before reaching a decision. Officially It's 'Twentieth Century-Fox Television' From, THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 20. H official name of the television subsi; iary at 20th Century-Fox will Twentieth Century-Fox Television, i has been announced by executive pi, ducer Buddy Adler and Martin Man lis, executive head of television pi duction. NBC Affiliate Officers 1 Meet in N. Y. This Wee Executives of television and rac stations affiliated with the Natioil Broadcasting Company will hold:' three-day meeting at New Yori Plaza Hotel starting tomorrow. Wednesday morning officials of t NBC Radio Network will deliver presentation to the radio affiliati That afternoon, both radio and tei vision affiliates will visit the Dav1 Sarnoff Research Center in Princetc N. J., for a special tour. Presentation Thursday The NBC-TV Network present; tion to television affiliates will tan place Thursday morning. This will followed in the afternoon by a ge' eral meeting of both radio and te: vision affiliates. The election of new officers to t] NBC-TV affiliates board of delegal will take place at a olosed sessi Friday morning. Election of offic* to the NBC radio affiliates executi committee also will take place duri the three-day meeting. AFM, Mark VII Sign Ne Television Agreement , From THE DAILY Bureau 1 HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 20. T American Federation of Musicia announced that it has signed a fhi year agreement covering music il TV films produced by Mark VII Lii ited, under which the company w| use five music on all of its progran: The contract calls for an individi music session for each program, a: complete use of live music on all Ma! VII programs. Mark VII has alwall used live music on its programs, w# "Dragnet" one of the first TV films j use five music. Under the new agreement, mu; cians will be paid $50 per progra each as a minimum, with a 10 p: cent increase in all economic iter; after three years. The traditional fiv per-cent formula on payments to til Music Trust Fund has been eliminfj ed and has been replaced by tokt payments to the Fund on a ne! pattern established by the AFM trading trust fund monies for 11 musical work.