The Exhibitor (1957)

14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The International Scene J. D. Executive Explains Consent Decree Value Canada DeMille Epic Moves; UA Tours Sell Films Toronto — A refurbished York, a unit of B and F Theatres here, will house the Paramount long-run film, “Ten Com¬ mandments.” The film moves over from the University where it has played six months. New film at the University will be a reissue of “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” The York had previously begun an art policy, opening with “The House Of Ricordi,” an Italian film, but this was switched to the Vaughan, another BandF unit. United Artists, continuing on its an¬ nounced program of developing and ex¬ ploiting every one of its programs to build a film for the exhibitors, started the ball rolling with a two-day tour of Toronto by Jean Seberg, 18-year-old star of “Saint Joan.” She came to Toronto from Montreal following the Paris premiere of the film. She was an excellent foil for the newspapermen, all of whom rushed back to their typewriters to clack out their approval of the young lady, but one wag, remembering her burning experi¬ ence at the stake, inquired, “Who handles her fire insurance?” Next on the agenda for United Artists was luncheon arranged for a number of the pressmen by Archie Laurie, Canadian director of advertising and publicity for UA, in honor of Richard Condon. Condon, who was intimately associated with the production of Stanley Kramer’s “Pride And The Passion,” acquainted the news¬ men with some of the background and colorful highlights in connection with the making of that epic, Kramer’s biggest budgeter. CINE CHATTER: Canadian Home Jour¬ nal, in a promotion set by Chester Fried¬ man, MGM’s Canadian director of pub¬ licity, is cooperating in a contest to promote “The Little Hut.” A full page ad in the Journal explains the contest which has as a top prize, title to a South Pacific Island. Two hundred theatres of Famous Players Canadian Corporation are also working in the contest through display of posters tieing in the contest with the magazine. . . . John J. Fitzgibbons, presi¬ dent and managing director, Famous Players Canadian Corporation, was one of 23 leading Canadian Catholic laymen on whom knighthood in The Equestrian Or¬ der of the Sepulchre of Jerusalem was bestowed by Cardinal McGuigan, Arch¬ bishop of Toronto. . . . Fitzgibbons was also the subject of a leading article by Mary Lowery Ross in Saturday Night. Miss Ross, film critic for the magazine, called her story “Man Behind A Shadow World.” . . . Plaza, Montreal, is to be re¬ modeled to make way for a store on the main floor and possibly an auditorium on the upper story. . . . Sharman Douglas was a visitor to Toronto on behalf of “Yangtse Incident,” but only a privileged number were invited by International Jean Seberg, who stars in the title role of United Artists' "Saint Joan," was recently greeted with a kiss by master of ceremonies Bob Hope as she arrived with producer-director Otto Preminger, right, at the Paris Opera for the Paris benefit world premiere. At left is Fernondel, famous French film star. Film Distributors, distributors of the film, to meet the lady. Sale of 16mm. 20th-Fox films in Canada will be resumed Nov. 1. For the past 10 years, these have been marketed by Gen¬ eral Films, Ltd. This leaves General Films with but one company’s product to handle, that of Paramount. Cecil Black, in charge of circuit sales, will act as supervisor of 16mm. distribution, with sales handled by the present personnel. The Grant, Toronto, located in the northwest section of the city, is now a bowling alley. The Grand, Regina, re¬ modeled in 1949, was sold by Famous Players to a grocery chain. It was the oldest theatre in the city. . . . The Im¬ perial, Ottawa, purchased by Sam Roth¬ man from Twentieth Century Theatres, will be converted to a store. . 4 . An 80seat National Film Board theatre will be included in Toronto’s new Federal Gov¬ ernment building. . . . Charles Murphy, former Empire-Universal Flms, Ltd., booker, has taken over the management of the Bay, Toronto, replacing W. J. Fell, — Harry Allen, Jr. Washington — Victor R. Hansen, chief, Justice Department’s anti-trust division, last fortnight told the American Manage¬ ment Association that the consent decree method enables the government to strike down violations in areas it would not be practicable to attempt reaching in prose¬ cutions. He also said there are advantages for respondents: The Clayton Act permits plaintiffs in private damage suits to in¬ troduce final judgments or decrees as prima facie evidence of all issues deter¬ mined in prior adjudication; but the act exempts from this provision, judgments entered by consent, before trial. “Thus,” said Judge Hansen, “defendants agreeing to consent decrees sharply cut chances of successful suits by future treble damage plaintiffs.” The Justice Department official esti¬ mated that 75 per cent of private anti¬ trust cases “had trod a path worn smooth by government victory.” He analyzed that as a practical matter, avoidance of treble damage suits may be a real motive for defendants entering in¬ to a consent judgment, because “all of the movie litigation and approximately two-thirds of other private suits have followed successful government anti-trust proceedings.” ’ ' Republic Plans Expansion Hollywood — Herbert J. Yates, presi¬ dent, Republic Pictures, revealed last week the company planned expansion of physical facilities of its studios for both motion picture and television production. A request has been made to the city planning commission for a zoning varia¬ tion, and if granted, additional facilities will be built north of its location in va¬ cant acreage of some 37 acres which is zoned for multiple housing. 'Terri" Gets Comic Boost New York — Walt Disney’s “Perri,” the movies’ first True-Life Fantasy, will be the subject of a 21-week Sunday color comic feature to be syndicated by King Features Syndicate. m attendance. Pictured is Alfred E. Daff, executive vice-president. Universal Pictures, and president, U-l Films, addressing the conference. Also see?n are, left to right, Emanuele Zara, manager for Italy! Marion Jordan, continental sales manager; Nate J. Blumberg, chairman of the board, Universal Pictures’ Americo Aboaf, vice-president and fpreigp general manager; John Spires, continental supervisor;’ Frederick Thomas, general manager of Jatfid, U-l distributor in Great Britain; and Fortunat Baronat, director of publicity. I June 12, 1957