Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

May 16, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 43 Talmadge and U.A. ''Quit Each Other Norma Talmadge and United Artists have severed contractual relations. Samuel Goldwyn has released her from her obligations to make two more pictures for that company in an arrangement reported to have been made amicably following her own request that the release be granted. The reason for the action is stated by Goldwyn to be Miss Talmadge's desire to select her own stories, which is contrary to a recently established policy. In a statement to the press, the star said : 'T do not intend to make a picture until I find the story I want to do. I have made no definite plans as yet, but I have had several offers from producers here and in Europe. I feel that in the future I should be permitted to choose my own stories and any new affiliation I make will depend on this privilege." I Wide Moves in Paramount; Fox on New York Market (Continued from page 18) selling was going on in the group as a whole. RKO held generally within a one point range between 17 and 18, while Loew's climbed back from a low of 41% to above 43. The former is expected to earn about 65 cents a share for the first half of the current year, which compares with $1.44 for the full year 1930. Earnings of Loew's were estimated this week at $5 a share for the 40 weeks ending June 5. For the year ended August 3, 1930, the company earned $9.65 a share. Warners had the lightest volume of dealings in some weeks and moved within a narrow and fractional range, but the convertible 6 per cent bonds were subject to considerable selling and dropped substantially. The thin market in Columbia Pictures resulted in another drop to a new low in the voting trust certificates on the curb. Higher Depreciation Basis Expected in Fox Report {Continued from page 18) the old Fox basis of figuring amortization charges of film to the first six months. The new system makes the amount charged off each week entirely dependent on the earnings of the current earnings of each picture. The Fox report prepared under the old 1929 method of accounting is expected to show earnings, before Federal taxes, of about $11,000,000 and per share earnings of about $4.35. The earnings, according to this estimate, are approximately $500,000 over 1929. No estimates on what the report prepared under the higher depreciation schedule will show have been made. The election of new directors connected with the banking interests that handled the recent refunding operation is scheduled for the June 10 meeting. Warner Clayton Act Suit Postponed Department of Justice has agreed to a postponement of trial of the action against Warners charging purchase .of First National to be a violation of the Clayton antitrust act. Warners' counsel stated their defense was not ready for trial in Federal Court, New York. Loew Theatres Will Continue Ban on Ad Reels {Continued from page 30) Times who surprisingly enough, says Mr. Schenck "does not at all concur in opposition to this sort of competition with newspapers and the printed page." "Mr. Ochs tells me," said Mr. Schenck, "that he does not believe that expenditures made by great advertisers to reach the screen will have any effect on reduction of their appropriation for newspaper advertising. W^e were talking about one particular company which is spending, let us say, twenty million dollars in a certain campaign. Mr. Ochs says that if this company decides to spend three or four million dollars with the motion picture theatre, that it will not be subtracted from the general appropriation, but merely added to it. I find that difficult to believe, because no matter how big a company may be, or how much money it may have to spend, there is, after all, a limit somewhere. At this time we certainly will not put advertising pictures on our screens, and I hope we shall never have to. Of course, 'never' is a long time, and I suppose that if everyone else does it, and makes it profitable, we shall have to do it. But I am far from convinced that it will be profitable and that advertising will long be regularly presented on theatre screens. Europe Turned on Ad Films "It is worth recording that we have already had some highly indicative experience in this direction. In Europe, there has long been advertising on the screen. It also long ago became a bore to the spectator and a menace to the theatres. Some years ago we acquired the Gaumont Theatres in France, including fourteen houses in Paris. These houses were laden with advertising of just the sort that may yet come to the screens of America. We swept the advertising off the screens, and began operating the theatres in behalf of the patrons and after a healthy period of profitable operation, the owners found the business so desirable that they bought back the lease from us. "A great deal has been said in the press of late about how successful advertising pictures can be made by their cleverness and entertainment value. Some clever advertising pictures have been made and presented recently. That proves nothing for the average performance over a term of years. In Europe, the advertising started out to be clever, too, but as I cited above, it became mediocre and a bore. It is likely to be so of advertising pictures here. It is not possible to expect for a whole field of expression of any sort that its attainment will be above the human average — the human average is by necessity and the nature of being average, mediocre and commonplace — and that isn't entertainment. The exhibitors in the intelligent conduct of their theatres will throw out mediocre and commonplace pictures for which he is paying, but the temptation will always be very great to run the advertising picture for which he is paid, even if it is not up to an amusement standard." Canadian Probe Up for Discussion Ottawa — It has been intimated here that the Peter White film probe report will be tabled in the House of Commons next Tuesday for immediate discussion. The recommendations are now being kept securely under lock and key. There are rumblings that recent action of Paramount in cutting dividend rate will be before the House during the discussion. The cut means that Canadian shareholders are now receiving the exact equivalent of what Canadian Famous Players paid in dividends prior to the now historic stock exchange one year ago ; that is, $2 per share per annum, the Canadian stock having been exchanged on a basis of five to four of Paramount Publix. Famous Players, apparently, has been anxious to assist Prime Minister Bennett in putting over the present government loan by donating the use of its theatres' screens for a personal message by Bennett who appeared before the camera for the purpose. Incidentally, Bennett has declined to take any action in the deadlock between the minister of labor and the minister of national revenue over the barrier against sound trucks from the United States, unless full duty is paid on entry. The last of the sound trucks which were operating in Canada under special customs permits, has now been withdrawn, and valuable Canadian shots in the news weeklies are already beginning to be conspicuous by their absence. "Chaplin Talks with Own Music," Declares O'Sullivan {C 0)1 tinned on page 11) characterizations. It is the manner in which this pathetic-ironic motif is brought into high relief through the medium of the contrasting musical material, that adds distinction to the scoring. If it be but a step from the sublime to the ridiculous, it is assuredly but a half -step from pathos to bathos. It is in the sentimental and plaintive moments that the music evolved by Chaplin fulfills its function. "Beautiful Wonderful Eyes." the melody and words of which are credited to Chaplin ( the music only accompanies the film) ; "Tomorrow the Sun Will Shine," "Happy Romance," "Promenade," "Orientale" and a one-step are said to be the comedian's contribution. In themselves they are melodious; in their application they fit into the moods and situations and linger with appealing lyric limning of pictorial material. Perhaps Mr. Chaplin has some respect for the work and the opinions of "The Sublime Somnambulist" and the "Music Master of Bonn." These two immortals were never exposed to the wonders of the sound screen — not even to the silent movies — but it is intriguing to imagine what they might have done for the cause had they been so exposed. Annerican Seating Shows Loss American Seating reports a net loss of $96,225 after depreciation and interest for quarter ended March 31. This compares with a net loss of $108,460 for the same period last year.