Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1938)

62 MOTION PICTURE HERALD February 26, 1938 IV arners Complete Studio Laboratory U. S. STEEL SPENDING $200,000 FOR 3 FILMS One and Four-Reel Subjects in Color; Third Will Be in Six Reels The United States Steel Corporation and its far-flung subsidiaries have turned their attention to the theatre screens to supplement their "good will" and "institutional" advertisements. Production is virtually completed on three films, two of which are in color. The third, a six-reeler in black and white, contains more technical and detailed information about "the story of steel" than the color films, which are one reel and four reels in length. The one-reel film is being produced expressly for theatrical showings while the four-reeler is intended for cities and towns where steel mills and plants are located. Edwin C. Hill, radio and former newsreel commentator, delivers the narrative for the two color films but no decision has been reached as to whether he will do the commentary for the six-reel production. Sponsor Mentioned Once One point emphasized by officials discussing the motion picture venture was that the films will "contain no direct advertising" mention. Stephen Dickinson, a member of the U. S. Steel Corporation's publicity department, said that on the main title there will be "some such line as 'produced with the cooperation of U. S. Steel Corporation' and at the end there will be a notice that the contents are copyrighted by the corporation." Only once is the sponsor mentioned by commentator, Mr. Dickinson said. In telling the story of steelmaking, Mr. Hill reports "more than 500,000 persons are employed in the steel industry and more than half of them are employed by the United States Steel Corporation and its subsidiaries." Although no definite distribution plans have been made, Mr. Dickinson explained that officials of the company expect 10,000,000 persons to see the color films, mostly in motion picture theatres. Also, the six-reel film will be loaned to various organizations, clubs, schools, colleges and any other groups interested. No attempt will be made, Mr. Dickinson said, to have one of the large motion picture companies handle distribution ; instead, the prints will be turned over to an industrial-film distributor. $200,000 Estimated Cost Production of the films started several months ago. Through the company's advertising agent, Barton, Batten, Durstine and Osborne, the Hollywood Industrial Picture Company, headed by Rowland Reede, was engaged to produce the films. It is estimated the total cost of the films will be more than $200,000. The color films will be released early in April, the one-reel under the title "Men Make Steel" and the four-reel under the title "Steel — Servant of Man." No title has been chosen for the black and white picture. In a recent issue of US Steel News, monthly publication of the corporation, the production of the films was featured, and the purpose explained as follows : "most people think the other fellow's job is easier. That is human nature. It helps to explain, too, why so many people have a distorted idea of iron and steel making. 'Sure, it is one of those mass production industries,' they say, putting the emphasis on 'mass.' " The industry is "massive" but not one of mass production, said the article, ". . . .The many millions outside our industry will never know until they can see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears" that the making and distributing of steel and iron products "call for the combined efforts of many thousands of people with many different kinds of skill and training, and require heavy investments in mines, plants and equipment." In offering the films to exhibitors, the corporation plans neither to ask for a rental fee nor pay for showings, as is customary. No attempt will be made to rent halls or theatres. National Decency Legion Classifies I 8 Productions Of 19 pictures reviewed and classified by the National Legion of Decency in its listing for the current week 11 were approved for general patronage, four were listed as unobjectionable for adults, two were cited as unobjectionable in part, and one was condemned. The pictures and their classification follows. Class A-l, Unobjectionable for General Patronage : "Adventures of Tom Sawyer," "Alberto di Adamo" (Italian), Arsene Lupin Returns," "Blondes at Work," "Border Wolves," "Daredevil Drivers," "El 113" (Spanish), "Ihr Groesster Erfolg" (German), "Making the Headlines," "Painted Trail," "Sieben Ohrfeigen" (German). Class A-2, Unobjectionable for Adults: "Affairs of Maupassant" (German), "No Basta Ser Madre" (Spanish), "Zweimal Zwei in Himmelbett" (German), "Manhattan Melodrama" (reissue). Class B, Objectionable in Part: "Baroness and the Butler," "Big Broadcast of 1938." Class C, Condemned: "Assassin of Youth." Seligman Representing Italian Co. Leo Seligman of Cinepix Company, New York, said this week that he has been given sole distribution in the eastern territory of the United States of all products of the I. C. I. Cinema Industries, Inc., Rome, Italy. At the present time Mr. Seligman is releasing three Italian films, "II Destino," "Comtessa Di Parma" and "Cavalleria." Mr. Seligman said that there are six additional features on their way here from Italv. Warner Brothers' new $500,000 laboratory at the Burbank studio was opened last week to some 200 journalists, educational and civic leaders invited for a tour of inspection conducted by Fred Gage, head of Warner laboratory activities, and luncheon in the studio cafe. The new laboratory which will replace in function the Sunset Boulevard unit used by the company for several years, is equipped to handle all studio and west coast prints up to any predictable increase in company output, other exhibition prints continuing to be printed in the east as formerly. The building, designed for utilitarian purposes, is strictly modern consisting of two stories and basement with two projection rooms on the upper floor. It covers 19,000 square feet of ground, is of fireproof construction, and temperature is controlled to within one-tenth of a degree. Capacity is given as 1,000,000 feet of film per 24 hours. A 24-unit film storage vault is housed in a separate building. 900 Film Critics Now; 30 Radio Commentators An all-time high in press attention to motion pictures has been reached, with 900 film editors and critics writing on magazines and newspapers throughout, 30 radio commentators talking about films, and 312 accredited news and magazine writers covering Hollywood today. The press of the nation is running favorable to motion pictures, in its mention of the industry and industry affairs, some 73.5 per cent of the editorials, columns and news stories dealing with picture trends in 1937 being "complimentary," according to the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. In addition, 9 per cent of the comment was neutral and only 17.5 per cent was adverse, a total improvement of 7.4 per cent over 1936, when 66.1 per cent of the press comment was favorable. The MPTOA added that in "the field of industry affairs," the press showed 61.2 per cent support of present policies, 17.7 per cent of the comment was neutral and 21.1 per cent was adverse in its criticism, a total improvement of 13.6 per cent over 1936. There was comparatively little press demand for censorship, due, it was said, "to the industry's efficient self-regulation." Of comment on government control or governmental censorship, the MPPDA found 55 per cent favored a continuance of present industry policies, 9.9 per cent was neutral and 35.1 per cent preferred regulation in some form. Criticsm or comment on individual pictures was not included in the survey. High points of press comment of 1937 were Will Hays' presidential report on the "progressive advancement of the industry," and his discussion of 50 "outstanding" pictures. Leo Meehan With Cultural Proiect Leo Meehan has been appointed publicitv director of all FerWal Cultural Projects of the WPA in Southern California.