Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 21, 191 , hie-' Ascap Decree ( Continued from page 1 ) mail to a post office box, and the balloting and tabulation is expected to be completed in six or seven weeks. The hearing on the proposed amended decree was adjourned to Jan. 6, 1960, when Ascap and the government attorneys will report back to the court, the results of the membership's balloting to be known by that time. Jurist's Edict a Surprise Judge Ryan's ordering of a membership vote came as a complete surprise at just the time when observers thought he was prepared to approve entry of the proposed consent decree worked out by Ascap counsel and Department of Justice attorneys. The proposed amendments were designed to meet Ascap members' objections to the existing methods of logging musical performances and of allocating the $28,000,000 annual income of Ascap among publisher and writer members. Judge Ryan, referring to the two days of objections to the proposd decree to which he had listened, remarked that the amendments "are not before the court on consent. There are too many who are opposed to them. I respect the views of counsel in this matter but I don't think I should be asked to approve this until the members have voted on it." He thereupon directed that the ballot be taken. Original Decree in 1941 The proposed amendments were designed to open up control of Ascap to permit greater participation by members in the administration of the society and to assure more equitable distribution of its funds. The original Ascap consent decree was entered in 1941 in settlement of anti-trust charges brought by the government. As royalty payments to Ascap increased, the decree was amended in 1950 to set up new bases of pay to members. Last year the Justice Department, after receiving a large number of complaints from Ascap members again, negotiated the proposed new amendments with the society. In addition to improving the logging of musical performances for profit, and to attempting to make royalty distributions more equitable, the new amendments were designed to make it easier for persons to join Ascap; less difficult for members to resign and still receive royalty payments; provide for broader supervision by the government of the society's affairs; and give the members a greater voice in the administration of the society. Strong Opposition Voiced Members and groups who testified during the past two days and presented memoranda to the court expressed strong opposition to the proposed amendments On Monday, Judge Ryan had proposed "overseers" appointed by the court to review the decree operation. REVIEW: -30 Warner Bros.-Mark VII The old-time news telegrapher's signal for end-of-message, adopted by newspapermen and now continued universally is used symbolically here bv Jack Webb to designate one of his infrequent departures from his first love— semi-documentary treatments of police stories. It is an interesting, neatly drawn and tightly wrapped production, done in his highly personalized fashion of realism, depicting one night in the city room of a metropolitan newspaper. In true Jack Webb style the newspaper itself is the story, the characters, their personal involvements and the stories they handle being only units in the overall organism. Webb, besides producing and directing, plays the central character, that of a night managing editor involved on the night of the story in an argument with his second wife over the adoption of a child. This personal problem becomes interwoven with the documentary events of the night which include the dramatic and suspenseful search for a child lost in the city's storm sewer system during a flooding rain storm. A second counterpointing news story developing during the night is the death of veteran newspaperwoman Louise Lorimer's grandson, pilot of an Air Force plane making a speed run from Honolulu. Careful casting of other character parts, which has become a mark of the Webb craftsmanship, includes David Nelson of the TV-famed Nelson family, as a copy boy; William Conrad as the acid and cynical news editor; James Bell as the veteran desk man still in love with newspapers; and Nancy Valentine as an ambitious heiress who succeeds as a reporter. Whitney Blake is quiedy effective as Webb's wife who ultimately wins the argument over adoption. The photography has the sharp Webb facility for making a point and the direction enough of the Webb mannerisms to stamp it indelibly his but not so much so as to get in the way of the story— which could be subtitled— The Making of a Newspaper. Running time, 96 minutes. General classification. Release date, Nov. 7. James D. Ivers 'Infidel' Premiere Will Benefit Cancer Fund The Damon Runyon Cancer Fund will benefit from the charity world premiere of 20th Century-Fox's "Beloved Infidel," which will take place at the Paramount Theatre on Nov. 9, following the current engagement of "The Best of Everything." Many notables of the stage and screen are expected to attend the premiere of the Jerry Wald production, directed by Henry King, including the stars of the film as well as the columnist-author Sheilah Graham. Russian Film Get 'Charge9 Rights International Film Distributors, Inc., has acquired all Latin American theatrical and TV distribution rights to "Serious Charge," starring Anthony Quayle and Sarah Churchill. Deal was consummated with Governor Films, Inc. First run deals for the pictrue have already been set for Havana, Cuba; Caracas, Venezuela and Mexico City, Mexico. ( Continued from page 1 ) opening occasioned the change, according to the Motion Picture Association office here. Eric Johnston, MPAA president, and Mrs. Johnston, will be the hosts at the invitational premiere of the picture. The regular continuous-performance engagement of "Cranes" will begin at the Dupont the following day, Nov. 11. The premiere of "Cranes" will coincide with the Moscow opening on the same evening of "Marty," the first American production to be shown in the Soviet Union in accordance with the exchange deal. 'Warrior' Has Opening BOSTON, Oct. 20. Columbia Pictures' "The Warrior and the Slave Girl" had its premiere at the Pilgrim Theatre here today. The film also launched a 300-theatre saturation in the New England and Albany territories, beginning today. Hold Talks on 'Cranes' Meyer Hutner, national publicity manager of Warner Bros., and George Nelson, of the company's publicity staff have returned here from Washington, D. C, after meetings with representatives of the United States State Department and the Motion Picture Association of America on the release here of "The Cranes Are Flying," the first Soviet film to be presented in this country under the Soviet-American Cultural Exchange Agreement of 1958. "The Cranes Are Flying," which Warner Bros, is distributing at the request of the State Department, will have its American premiere in Washington on Nov. 10. 'Ben-Hur' Spurs A Remodeling Boom VIII Mil toil Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Ben-Huj is creating a $15,000,000 buildif boom as theatres throughout the wor prepare for their exclusive-run ei gagements, the company said yeste day. Loew's State, where the film w:1 open Nov. 18, set the pattern whd it underwent a $1,000,000 rebuild^1 program earlier this year. In Was) ington, D. C, the Columbia Theat' has a similar budget for its renov. tion program in anticipation of a Easter bookings. The Capitol Theatre, Vancouve1 has a six-figure sheet as it prepar for an early 1960 opening of "Ber Hur." Nearly $600,000 will be spei1 by the Michael Todd Theatre in Ch cago which will open the film Dec. 2j] Loew's Ohio in Cleveland is a: other domestic theatre that is in tip midst of an important reconstruction H program. .1 IS] Modernizing Empire Theatre Overseas, the Empire Theatre ji fl undergoing a complei London is modernization for the run of "Bef Hur." The new Empire will be read' for the Dec. 16 opening of the rf served seat attraction. The equivalent of $500,000 wf prepare the Yurakuza Theatre Japan. New theatres are being built in S^ Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile, all Saigon, Vietnam. A new Washingto Theatre in Lima, Peru, will go up f<t "Ben-Hur," another example of coi struction tied to a "Ben-Hur" boo. ing. B ■ S i binj m it! b udii U. S. Team to Discuss Renewal of USSR Pact k to Sta 1 !K:I lie From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 20. Department officials are confide] there will be an extension of tlji Soviet-American cultural agreemerj including parts affecting motion pij tures. The present two-year exchanj ly, agreement expires Jan. 27. A tea of government officials will go Moscow shortly to put the fin: touches on an extension. Turner Shelton, U.S. Informatic, Agency film head, who has been a kd figure in previous negotiations affec ing the film portions of the agre; ment, has been involved in tl preparation for the extension. Such film matters as the exchanfr of technicians, co-productions, ar exchange of documentaries, will prol ably depend upon extending fty basic cultural agreement. The two governments have bee' negotiating on exchanging technic, personnel and are in the process <• selecting some documentaries for ci, production, but time may run out. k Shelton said he feels there migl be some minor changes in the fil: portion if the agreement is extende> but that he does not want to discu; these yet. ■it.