Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, November 18, 18 Bicks Stand Hit ( Continued from page 1 ) week that it was the present view of the Department of Justice that such adjustments could be made with impunity by a distributor provided it was justified by the gross of the picture and did not result in the winning bidder paying less than the losing bidder had offered. Simon charged in his letter that the bidding procedures have been managed, without supervision or investigation, "behind closed doors" of distributors. Independents, he declared, who compete with former affiliated circuits for a picture have found themselves making higher bids than the terms being offered in other comparable situations, then being notified that all bids were rejected and subsequently finding that the distributor is "negotiating" with the result that the former affiliated circuit winds up with the picture. Lack of Investigation Charged "So far as I know," he chargd, "the Government has made no attempt to assure the honesty of bidding by sending attorneys and investigators into the field to interrogate exchange personnel involved in handling bidding. ... It seems that on occasions when complaints have been received about the manner in which bidding is being conducted, all the Government has done has been to write the distributor involved asking for an explanation." "A complete and careful investigation by the Government of the conduct of bidding procedures in the motion picture industry," Simon charged in his letter, "would probably make the TV quiz shows look by comparison like a Sunday School picnic." Poses Hypothetical Result After rehearsing these charges, Simon asked Bicks, "If this (allowing adjustments) is the policy of the Department of Justice what will prevent a circuit from bidding recklessly in order to keep pictures away from an independent competitor, knowing that it may anticipate adjustment of the reckless bid down to a point near, but above, that of its competitor?" Industry, V. C. Joining In Cleveland Yule Party Special to THE DAILY CLEVELAND, Nov. 17. All segments of the motion picture industry will again join the third annual industry Christmas Party to be held Dec. 21 in the Variety Club. The all-industry celebration was inaugurated three years ago to take the place of the individual exchange parties and proved so successful that the plan has been adopted as an annual event. The program, under the management of Martin Grassgreen of Columbia and Bob Blitz of Warners, will begin with a buffet dinner to be followed by dancing and other entertainment. Tickets have been scaled to include all personnel starting at $7.50 for top echelon executives and $5.00 for office managers, salesmen and bookers to $2.50 for front office and back office personnel. Ben-Hur ■ CONTINUED FROM PAGE I was tortured by the Romans, crippling him, so Esther remained to care tor rum Having been attracted to the girl before, Ren-Hur again is charmed by her. Relieving his mother and sister to have died in prison, and discouraged by Esther from violence against Messala, Ren-Hur decides to humiliate the Roman by defeating him in the chariot races. In this magnificently staged spectacle, directed by Andrew Marton, the desperate Messala attempts by every means to prevent Ren-Hur's chariot from passing his and winning the race. However, his recklessness ends in his own chariot being upset and he is trampled by oncoming horses. Fatally injured, he tells Ren-Hur before dying that his mother and sister are lepers, living in a leper colony outside the city. BEN-HUR and Esther, at the latter's pleading, take his mother and sister to Jerusalem in search of Christ. Already He has been condemned and under the lashes of Roman soldiers has started on the way to Golgotha bearing His cross. When He falls beneath His burden, Ren-Hur recognizes Him as one who had given him water in the desert while a Roman slave, and brings water to the fallen Christ. Rack in Jerusalem after the Crucifixion, Ren-Hur and Esther find the former's mother and sister miraculously made clean again. Magnificently photographed in MGM's Camera 65 (Panavision lenses) and color by Technicolor, the production's visual assets are numerous and substantial. The process and excellent stereophonic sound underscore the numerous properties that sent this picture's production cost to a new alltime high. Spectacular scenes such as the chariot race, the engagement at sea between the Roman and pirate fleets, huge crowds in motion against scenic and bizarre surroundings, all are impressively enhanced. The music by Miklos Rozsa makes an important contribution to the picture's moods and dramatic impact. Karl Tunberg's screen play would appear to have caught the flavor of Gen. Wallace's famous novel and, at the same time, translated it into popular cinematic terms, with contributions by other writers, uncredited. While the principals in every instance give excellent accounts of themselves, the picture is bright with many outstandingly fine performances in minor roles, such as Hugh Griffith as Sheik Ilderim, whose white Arabian horses Ren-Hur drives in the chariot race; Frank Thring as Pontius Pilate; Finlay Currie as Ralthasar, a shepherd who was present at the Nativity and sought Christ throughout his later years. SEVERAL scenes could prove strong to the squeamish, as details and realism in some cases have been emphasized rather than muted, such as close-ups of Messala after having been dragged along the chariot course, trampled by horses' hooves and battered by chariot wheels; the free use of the lash by Roman soldiers; the sound of spikes being driven by hammers in the Crucifixion scene; the inhuman treatment of galley slaves; the degradation of lepers, and the like. Rut even these are minor notes in a picture of great sweep and power, of action and variety. "Ren-Hur," in fact, has something for all. It is a giant ticket-seller, a marker in cinematic history and experience, and it looks like every dollar of the 15 millions spent on it. Theexcitement, the anticipation that awaits its unveiling everywhere is well merited. The realization will feed the word of mouth about it by the fortunate ones who see it first. MGM, of course, is releasing it on a road show basis to selected theatres at the outset. In most intances, its showing will include a 6V2-minute overture and a 10-minute intermission. Running time, 212 minutes. General classification. Release, special. SHERWIN KANE Pinanski \ ie> ( Continued from page 1 ) A. Bicks, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ge eral and acting head of the anti-tn division. Bicks counselled exhibitc to "know your problems, then try find solutions for them— don't I blame them all on the industry cfl sent decree." Then, referring to exhibitor coi plaints of a product shortage, Bic pointed out that the Federal decrees < not prohibit American Broadcastin Paramount Theatres nor RKO The tres to produce pictures and made re erence to Exhibitors Film Final Group, which Pinanski headed thn years ago and which had been give! the green light by Attorney Generj Herbert Brownell at that time. Pinanski feels that Bicks' friendly reference last week to the EFFG plaf indicates that the present anti-truj: division authorities feel the same aboij it as did Brownell. Says Production Favored | Bicks said the Department favoij increased production without pre-emp tive rights to exhibitor interests enl( gaging in it. He cited the encourage; ment given to the development o EFFG, saying he was sure that "Mi Pinanski, one of your most distin. guished industry members, made mud progress, and played such a large par in arranging, with every effort h could, that development which woulj have moved in the direction of en abling more production, without coil trol over the product." Independent exhibitors had sub scribed $500,000 to EFFG and forme affiliated circuits had agreed to inves another $3 million to $3% millions i Pinanski obtained Justice Department approval for them to make loans to EFFG. Although this was done the circuit investments in EFFG did not materialize and the independents' participations were returned to them. Compared to GMAC The idea had been to develop EFFG, supplemented by bank loans, into a financing company for the whole industry, somewhat like General Mo-I, tors Acceptance Corp. in the automo-^ bile industry. Pinanski is convinced that now id an opportune time for that project, or something similar, to be reconsidered From "Ben-Hur": Chariots circle the arena of the amphitheatre. Steel Short to Have World Bow in Pitt. Special to THE DAILY PITTSBURGH, Nov. 17. "Rhap sody of Steel," an animated short subject produced by John Sutherland for United States Steel, will have its world premiere at the Pitt Theatre here on Dec. 4. The film will be given the same type of promotion as that for a full-length film, with heavy newspaper, radio and TV advertising to herald the opening. The theatre will close all day until premiere time. When it reopens the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will play an overture written for the occasion by Dimitri Tiomkin, who will be there to conduct. Distribution of the 23-minute short is by Jam Handy, •I'