The Exhibitor (1960)

Exhibitors, 20th~Fox Launch Fight On New Penns yivania Censor Statute HARRISBURG — Attorneys for motion picture interests fighting the State’s new film censorship law last fortnight described it as “poorly drawn as a statute can be” and a ^‘burden” on the industry. Harold E. Kohn, counsel for William Gold¬ man Theatres and the Pennsylvania Asso¬ ciation of Amusement Industries, both of Philadelphia, specifically attacked sections of the law requiring the Motion Picture Con¬ trol Board set up rmder the act to review all films after their initial showing in the State, and to require 48 hours notice by exhibitors before the movies are shown. The Philadelphia exhibitors and 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox Film Corporation, representing all major Hollywood producers, are challenging the constitutionality of the law passed by the 1959 Legislature. Arguments were before Commonwealth Gourt, sitting en blanc. State Attorney General Anne X. Alpem termed the law “masterfully drawn” and also lauded the complainants in the case. “Those most opposed are the least affect¬ ed,” she said, adding that 20th Century -Fox never has been cited for objectionable films and “represents the responsible part of the industry.” Miss Alpern pinpointed as the law’s target the “fringe producers” she said were re¬ sponsible for the “hard core of obscenity and pornography.” The State’s top legal officer said the law covered the “narrowest possible scope be¬ cause it referred only to these two factors.” She noted the definition of obscenity was in strict conformance with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a 1956 case which invalidated Penn¬ sylvania’s former censorship law. However, under questioning from Judge Carl B. Shelley, she admitted there is noth¬ ing to stop a board-banned movie from being shown on television. Judge Walter R. Sohn posed a possible problem in the area where films deemed unsuitable for children may be shown to adults. He said it would impose a “burden” on the ticket seller or exhibitor who must weed out the minors. Kohn said the law’s requirements could idle many theatres for up to 48 hours be¬ cause an exhibitor would have to halt a dis¬ approved film. He called the law “a burden on an already burdened industry fighting for its life against television, bowling and every other fad which has cropped up in the past 15 years.” Arlin M. Adams, representing 20thFox, called the law “a clear burden on inter¬ state commerce.” An injunction to prevent the three -mem¬ ber board from spending any of its $75,000 appropriation until the legality of the agency is decided is sought. Two other interests — Catholic congrega¬ tions from throughout the state and Mrs. Virginia Knauer, a Philadelphia councilwoman, have entered the case as friends of the court in support of the censorship law. Persons convicted of violating the new law would be subject to a fine of $500 to $1,000, a prison term not exceeding six months, or both. It was indicated that the ruling will not be handed down for some time. Skouras Theatres throughout the New York metropolitan area are selling road-show tickets to the Broadway Rivoli's engagement of 20th-Fox's "Can-Can" in Todd-AO. The special handling called for a meeting in the 20th-Fox home office attended by 65 Skouras managers and addressed by vice-president Charles Einfeld, left. Also shown are Salah Hassanein, vice-president United Artists The¬ atres; Abe Goodman, 20th-Fox advertising di¬ rector; and Edward E. Sullivan, 20th-Fox pub¬ licity director. Legion Lauds "Conspiracy" NEW YORK — “Conspiracy of Hearts,” Paramount release, has received an A-1 rat¬ ing (Morally Unobjectionable for General Patronage) from the National Legion of De¬ cency. The Catholic agency, moreover, has “high¬ ly recommended” the suspense drama to the patronage of all with the following observa¬ tion: “This excellent motion picture, detail¬ ing the plight of a group of mms in smug¬ gling Jewish orphans out of detention camps in Nazi-occupied Italy in 1943, emphasizes the common bonds of love and fraternal charity that should link all men of good will.” NEW YORK — In an effort to put film classification in its proper perspective, the MPAA today mailed to every member of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly a copy of a fact sheet on film classification entitled “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing . . . MOTION PICTURE CLASSIFI¬ CATION BY STATE CENSORS.” The fact sheet examines certain theories proposed by the advocates of film classifi¬ cation, namely that classification will help reduce juvenile delinquency; that because parents cannot review all films, they need somebody to assist them; that classification “ratings” will be objective, accurate and authoritative; and that state classified films “suitable for children” would be assurance to parents that they were good films for their children. All of these theories are struck down by facts pointing out that many foreign countries where classification has been operative for years still have high rates of juvenile delinquency; that already some 20 national organizations are rating films NT&T Revenue, Net Increase Over 1958 LOS ANGELES — Revenues and net in¬ come of National Theatres and Television, Inc., and voting controlled subsidiaries for the 13 weeks ended Dec. 29 increased over those in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, president B. Gerald Cantor announced in an interim report to stockholders. Consolidated revenues amounted to $17,475,631 and net income was $401,159 or 15 cents per share on the 2,705,699 shares of common stock outstanding. For the 13 weeks ended Dec. 30, 1958, consolidated revenues totalled $12,237,695 and net income was $362,843, equal to 13 cents a share on the 2,699,486 shares of common stock then out¬ standing. Included in the results for the first quarter of the current fiscal year were dispositions of capital assets which resulted, in net in¬ come of $866,000, or 32 cents per share, versus $240,000, or nine cents a share for the like period of the previous year. Results in¬ clude operations of National Telefilm As¬ sociates, Inc. and subsidiaries. Cantor said that NT&T’s new corporate headquarters containing approximately 55,000 square feet of leased office space in Beverly Hills, Cal., is nearing completion. The company will move all of its activities including operations of National Telefilm Associates, Inc., to the new offices late this month, he said. Research Council Disbands HOLLYWOOD — Y. Frank Freeman, board chairman of the AMPP and the Motion Pic¬ ture Research Council, announced last fort¬ night that in an “economy move” the AMPP would shut down this activity on March 18, close its wholly owned building on Santa Monica Boulevard, dismiss its 14 full time employees, and disband. This will save the seven major companies an estimated $150,000 per year. Freeman stated that the closing was due to “economic pressure” and “uncertain con¬ ditions now facing the industry.” and ratings are published in a number of na¬ tional publications; that classification ratings are highly variable and few conscientious educators would presume to make blanket judgments on “good film fare” for all chil¬ dren. The fact sheet concludes, “Classification of films, then, is no antidote to juvenile de¬ linquency. Let all sober-minded citizens who are deeply concerned with this major social problem of our day, support the legis¬ lation for improvement of schools, better housing, more effective community services for family rehabilitation, and other measures truly designed to attack the causes of juve¬ nile delinquency. “And let us continue to oppose measures for film classification and other forms of censorship which, no matter how well-in¬ tentioned, can only result in a weakening of those freedoms of mind and communica¬ tion which represent our greatest demo¬ cratic strength.” Several classification bills are pending in New York. Gassifkathn "Wolf In Sheep s Clothuig, " MPAA Tells N. Y. Soloas 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 16. I960