The Exhibitor (1960)

Phila. Viking Suit Postponed Until Dec. The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Konecott CHIEF BRITISH film censor John Trevelyan arrived here to establish better liaison between his organization and the Motion Picture Asso¬ ciation, as well as to visit the Hollywood studios and confer with producers regarding the British market and its requirements. He and his staff review about 500 features from all over the world annually, plus about 1,000 shorts including newsreels, or a total of about five million feet of film. About eight features per year are rejected. So he should know when he told us that pictures are getting better than ever, and this can be laid at the door of television, whose competition is pro¬ viding the needed spark. He thought television audiences are in danger of becoming accustomed to mediocrity. He opined that America is producing better films, and it seems to follow that there are also more censorship problems. He felt that while Britain has teen-age problems, they are not as bad as America’s. The British in general, he felt, don’t like the degree of violence found in certain pictures and they react accordingly. Said he, we’re more tolerant of sex in Britain, and of course, the system of classification allows wider acceptance of sex films which are marked strictly for adults. He named “High School Confidential,” "The Wild One,” and “Party Crashers” as the type found objectionable. Narcotics are not a big problem there either, he said, and therefore they are more tolerant with films on the subject. He was surprised that “Never Take Candy From a Stranger” was refused distribution here as British women’s groups recommended it. There is no written code to guide the censors, who are industry backed and not members of government. The job of the censors includes protection of the industry from adverse criticism as well as social responsibility not to show on screen what should not be seen, especially by children. Enforcement depends on the cooperation of exhibitors and managers and it’s amazing, he thought, the way all cooperate. His office reviews films after they are made or check them before they start shooting or even in the script stage. Charges are leveled against the finished films as to type and the amount of footage. There is no charge for script inspection. By the way, they classify their films “V” for everyone; “X” for adults only (over 16); “A” where parents can take their children. In his discussions with Hollywood producers, he is expected to advise them as to which situations call for the shooting of alternate scenes for the British market. The latter is not the market it once was, but it still brings in some money. He didn’t know whether or not the U.S. would ever adopt film classification and he thought that the decision should be given quite a bit of thought. Trevelyan said, “We love pictures and we want the public to get the best kind of enter¬ tainment. We bend over backwards to make necessary cuts unnoticeable.” Incidentally, he noted that pictures from the U.S.S.R. have less violence than films from other countries. They are probably afraid to show violence on their screens, thought he, because it might give audiences ideas! REOPENING NOTES: Dick Brandt, president of Trans-Lux, unveiled his "intime” firstrun Trans-Lux 85th Street Sidewalk-Cinema Cafe last week as scores of press and industryites jammed the unusual foyer. We could swear that there were trees, tiny tables, a service bar for coffee, and bon-bons, etc., all in a Parisian street-and-bistro setting and the atmosphere. Some day we’ll have to go up and really take a good look when the throng has thinned out a bit. PROMOTION ROUTINE: Melina Mercouri, dynamic Greek actress and star of "Never On Sunday,” and Jules Dassin, who wrote, produced, directed, and also stars in the film, have been working hard to sell and promote the charming entry that was filmed in Greece. Dassin recalled at lunch that the film cost $125,060, and he realized that once the news gets out, Greece will become a mecca for the film producer. The government is very co¬ operative and there is a new studio being completed which should feature the latest in equipment. Sixty films, incidentally, are turned out there annually, mostly for local consumption. PHILADELPHIA — The long pending tre¬ ble damage anti-trust suit of independent Harry Sley’s Viking, 1017 -seat downtown first run, against Paramount, Columbia, Universal United Artists, RKO Teleradio, Warners, 20thFox, Loew’s Inc., Stanley Warner Theatre Management, William Goldman Theatres and' the Fox Theatre Building Corporation, was postponed until December after a false start in U.S. District Court last week before Judge John W. Lord, Jr., and a jury. Counsel for the plaintiff, Harold Kohn, ex¬ plained to the jury that the period of the suit is from July, 1954, to November, 1956. He said the Viking would endeavor to prove that a steady flow of product at proper rental is necessary for first run theatre operation. Also, to prove the combined monopolistic ef¬ forts of the defendants to force the Viking (the old Aldine) out of business after it had been sold to Sley and they learned he intend¬ ed operating it as a theatre; how the Stanley Warner Theatres and Goldman Theatres split on product resulted in them never bidding against each other, while the Viking had to bid; and that when SW or Goldman bids were rejected, the distributors then negotiated with others; that the Viking’s guarantees and rent¬ al terms were some times better than the others; that Fox product all went to the Fox Theatre on first run with SW and Goldman not competing. He also pointed out the system of blind bidding, or bidding before seeing a picture and adjustment leeways on contracts and bids enjoyed by others, but not the Vi¬ king. He said gross receipt averages and film rental averages would be proven, as well as quality of product played in all theatres in¬ volved. The amount of damages sought was not specified. The jury will, in this case, set the amount, if Viking wins the case, and this amount will then be automatically trebled by the Judge. Counsel for the defendants include Louis Nizer, Morris Wolf, L. J. Goffman, E. P. Rome. B. Haviland, A. M. Adams, J. N. Schaeffer, Jr., F. Poul, R. Earle and C. Young. At this point, defense counsel pulled a legal bombshell in the Judge’s chambers, pointing out that the plaintiff’s counsel, Kohn, also rep¬ resented one of the defendants, Goldman, not in this case, but in Goldman’s pending suit against Shubert Theatres. This was termed as a conflict of interests. After two days’ conferences, Kohn with¬ drew from the Viking case, as well as the Goldman-Shubert case, and by agreement of all counsel the jury was withdrawn and the Viking case set back to the next term of court, Dec. 12. If counsel is tied up at that time the Viking case will have to go on in May, regardless. Henry W. Sawyer, of the law firm of Drink¬ er, Biddle and Reath. is the new attorney for the Viking. Col., Sidney Set Pact HOLLYWOOD — Columbia has entered into a new releasing deal with George Sidney Productions, Inc., it has been announced by Samuel J. Briskin, Columbia’s vice-president in charge of west coast activities. The new deal would commence upon expiration of Sidney’s current contract with Columbia which ends in the spring of 1962. Under the new pact, George Sidney will direct as well as produce the pictures made fey his independent production company with Lillian Bums as co -producer. i MICH. ALLIED (Continued from page 10) on orderly release. Officers of companies selling theatre prod¬ uct to TV were severely censured for depriving their companies and shareholders of greater profits and of violating the trust and confidence required by their official positions. A final resolution urged exhibitors to sup¬ port Motion Picture Investors, Inc., partic¬ ularly with reference to proving more reve¬ nue can be obtained through its re-release of “Friendly Persuasion”and the “Oklahoman” than on TV. Confection Cabinet Corporation hosted luncheon, after which the ladies departed for “Windjammer” at the Music Hall. The afternoon was devoted to the show¬ manship session. Talks were given on more effective ways to use newspaper advertising. For the first time Columbia and National Screen Service trailers were shown on the same Columbia pictures. London deplored the rift, stated Allied was not taking sides, but hoped the situation would be resolved at no further cost to showmen. Alexander Films demonstrated modem ad¬ vertising trailers and pointed out that if American theatres used them on the same scale as is practiced in other countries reve¬ nue to U.S. theatres would total $150,000,000, or from $3,000 to $50,000 per house. Contestants for the Lee Artoe Electric Car¬ bons trophy for the best business building ideas were presented. Coca-Cola representatives discussed con¬ cessions and the hope for a concession semin¬ ar for next year. 1 1 October 19, I960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR