The Exhibitor (1960)

Police Halt Showing Of "Mr. Teas' In Phila. Exbibs Push "Sword" Vs. "Ben-Hur, " EDC Says; Valiant Execs Disagree WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Allied Emer¬ gency Defense Committee issued a bulletin last fortnight claiming that “Metro’s restric¬ tive policies in regard to “Ben-Hur ’ are driv¬ ing exhibitors in some cities to gang up in pushing a picture of similar type, Valiants “The Sword and the Cross,” in competition to the Lew Wallace epic. The EDC reported it had received tearsheets from two Washington newspapers fea¬ turing “large advertisements’’ of the Italianmade film with English subtitles, in which 30 theatres— indoors and drive-ins— joined in the ads. The committee observed that, despite the fact that “Ben-Hur” is playing a Stanley Warner house in the capital, “seven of the theatres joining in the display are SW houses,” and that “in both papers, this dis¬ play ad appears immediately under or along¬ side the modest ‘Ben-Hur ad and quite over-shadows it.” “Ordinarily, the playing of ‘The Sword and The Cross’ while ‘Ben-Hur’ is playing on first run, using imitative advertising, would not be cricket,” said the EDC. “But subse¬ quent-run, small-town and drive-in theatres are being told they will have to wait months, perhaps years, before they can hope to re¬ ceive ‘Ben-Hur.’ ” Asserting that in many places the exhibi¬ tors’ condition “has become so desperate they feel they cannot afford to lose any opportuni¬ ty to keep their theatres open and make a few dollars,” the committee held that “it is not remarkable that some of them are play¬ ing and exploiting the Italian film. It may be their only way to keep their theatres open while their patrons are being lured from them through the aggressive ‘Ben-Hur’ tactics.” Fred Schwartz, president, and Arthur Sachson, general sales manager, Valiant, pro¬ tested the Allied charge and said that “the implication that ‘The Sword and The Cross is not being booked on its merits is both unfair and damaging to a film that has en¬ joyed terrfic grosses and an enviable public acceptance throughout the country.” It was asserted that neither the sales nor the advertising department of Valiant “has made any effort to be imitative or competi¬ tive.” Both Schwartz and Sachson added that they had never characterized the Italiam film as “a junior Ben-Hur.” “Furthermore,” said the Valiant officials, “in no instance have we been interested, in, or cognizant of, the placement of our ads adjacent to a modest ‘Ben-Hur’ ad for the purpose of ‘overshadowing it.’ ” The adver¬ tising campaign on the Italian production was said to represent “a faithful visulization of the events that occur in the film. As in “Ben-Hur,” one of the highlights of “The Sword and the Cross” is a chariot race. “We would certainly render a disservice to both producer and exhibitor were we to eliminate this from the ads,” the Valiant spokesmen said. Col.-Fisher Sign Pact NEW YORK — Columbia announced that it has signed a contract with Eddie Fisher to produce at least two major motion pictures during the next two years. The singer’s wife, Elizabeth Taylor, will star in one of the pro¬ ductions. Classic Film Collection Shown By Iowa Exhib DES MOINES — An innovation in movie theatre programming has been inaugu¬ rated by Earl Manbeck, Jr., as a result of a hobby he has enjoyed for 20 years. He has a valuable collection of movie classics of the last half century and is now showing them at his Cinema theatre in downtown West Des Moines. Atmosphere is created with player piano music, old time slides, photo displays of the movie greats of yesteryear and earlyday cameras, projectors, and gramaphones. Scheduled pictures are Rudolph Valen¬ tino in “Son Of The Shiek” (1926); Douglas Fairbanks in “The Three Mus¬ keteers” (1921); and Lon Chaney in “The Phantom Of The Opera” (1925); as well as early Charles Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy comedies, Will Rogers in “Legend Of Sleepy Hollow” (1922); William S. Hart in “Return Of Draw Eagan” (1916); etc. Manbeck is expanding his film library by trading prints of classic movies with other collectors throughout the country. Legion Lauds Industry, Urges Communist Ban HOLLYWOOD — Martin B. McKneally, of The American Legion, told the Los Angeles press last fortnight that the Waldorf Resolu¬ tion barring former Communists from em¬ ployment and the policy based on it have “done a world of good” for the motion picture industry, and is still doing it, but the increase in the number of independent producers func¬ tioning beyond the direct control of its signa¬ tories has made its application more difficult than in the days when it “came to the rescue of the industry.” Nevertheless, McKneally said, the need is the same, and the answer to the problem of applying the policy is “more self government.” Generally, the American Legion leader had little but good to say of the motion picture and its people on this occasion. He claimed that the Legion never censored a movie. “We try only to keep the motion pic¬ ture from becoming a propaganda instru¬ ment,” he said, denying that the recently publicized hirings of former Communists to write scripts had occasioned his present visit. He repeated the premise that hiring a former “disciplined Communist” to write a picture is assurance that he will give expres¬ sion to Communist doctrine in any way and to any degree he can in the script. He spoke at length on the necessity of making certain, not merely by a letter of disavowal, but also by active demonstration, that a recanter has genuinely altered his views and beliefs. Para. Returns To Memphis MEMPHIS — Paramount is re-establishing a booking office here which will be operated in addition to the company’s sales force. The office will be under supervision of branch manager Howard Nicholson. Other office business, will continue to be handled by the New Orleans branch. PHILADELPHIA — Detectives last fortnight arrested Ed Seretsky, lessee-operator, Aart Abbe, and projectionist Martin Rendelman and seized the print of “The Immoral Mr. Teas.” At a hearing before Magistrate Elias Myers in Central Police Court, County Detective Albert Smith testified he and other detectives went to the theatre after numerous com¬ plaints against the picture had been re¬ ceived. Assistant District Attorney Marvin R. Halbert went with them. “There is no doubt that this film is fla¬ grantly obscene,” Halbert said. He added that District Attorney Victor H. Blanc had given him the okay to make the arrests and seizure. Halpert added that it was “clearly to be seen that these persons Eire trying to capture the dwindling movie market by showing dirty, filthy pictures.” Charged with holding an “obscene exhibi¬ tion,” the maximum penalty on conviction is a $1500 fine or two years in jail or both. Police had visited the theatre 10 days pre¬ viously upon complaints of citizens and warn¬ ed Seretsky that if he did not stop showing the film they would lift the theatre license and seize the print. At that time, the showing of the film was abruptly terminated; but after the interval, Seretsky again began showing the picture. A pending court test has delayed the op¬ eration of a new state movie censorship board indefinitely. This was authorized by the 1959 Legislature. Until its constitutionality is as¬ certained, any prohibition of showings re¬ mains in the hands of local authorities. Podhorzer To Europe NEW YORK — Munio Podhorzer, president, United German Film Enterprises, Inc., and Casino Film Exchange, left for Europe last fortnight. In his capacity as president, United Ger¬ man Film Enterprises, he expects to finalize a number of pending sales of German films to United States, Canadian and South American distribution companies. He also intends to buy between 30 and 40 German language films for his distribution company, which has been distributing such films for over 25 years. During his European visit, Podhorzer ex¬ pects to be in Munich, Frankfort, Paris, and Vienna and will also represent the newly formed Independent Film Importers and Dis¬ tributors of America at the Berlin Interna¬ tional Film Festival. Since the beginning of this year, Podhorzer has also been the U.S. representative of Franco London Film, and he expects to con¬ fer with them in Paris on a number of im¬ portant projects. Fox Wins Pa. Suit WASHINGTON, PA.— A jury in Washing¬ ton County Court of Common Pleas returned a verdict in favor of 20th-Fox in a suit brought by that company against Basle Theatres, Inc., for its refusal to honor its competitive bid on the picture “The Barbar¬ ian and the Geisha.” George Basle, operator, Basle, had submit¬ ted the winning bid on this picture with a $2,000 guarantee and had then refused to date the picture or pay the guarantee. Basle con¬ tended he did not have to go through with his bid when 20th-Fox declined to book the picture day and date with its first Pittsburgh run so Basle could enjoy his “territorial re¬ lease” availability. 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR June I, I960