Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1939)

May 6 , 1939 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 43 FRENCH PRODUCERS PROTEST PAY OF STARS BUT THE SYSTEM STAYS Most Producers Make One or Received French actors. Michele Morgan has „ . , ^ ^ Two Films a Year and Know 'SH/'^iSLC " FlUnS CeHSOfS See ^\\ta,\e Will Pa%# If TUaw Pk^.*'.!.. '^^^ difference between the American l\IVdlS VYIII ray it iney UOn T, and French systems of production is that in l\ /f T T C T~^' 1 Salaries Up to Million Francs F'-^^"^'^ there is practically no star under y^^^^^ IVlOfC U . O. rllfyiS r contract with the producers. Most producers v^«a^«A I't/lll/^ ri\/ PIFRRF AIITRP rn^k^ one or two films a year. So, if a pro Dy riiii\i\[i AAU 1 i\c ducer who wants to engage a star refuses to pay The Finnish Government Film Censorship in Pans ' the salary asked he knows that his next com Bureau reviewed 378 features, of which 201 French film producers are protesting, fol 'Tspi7e alUhe criticisms a remedy is not easily ftT'ZV'' P^^.' ^^^"''.^'"^ '° ^ ^ lowing identical complaints in the press, that found. Many independent producers (nearly *° P'*^*"''^, Division of the their film stars are receiving too high sal all foreign refugees) announce a film when they Department of Commerce from the Ameri aries. National newspapers are waging a h^ve not one hundred dollars to produce it. "^^.^ "if ^ Helsinki This compares campaign against the "exaggerated" pay of ^^^^'^^ «P*'°-"^ °" big stars, they sell the pic with 330 films reviewed by the bureau tn some French film stars Plavers menfinned ^i''"^ advance to the foreign buyers and the 1937, of which 186 were American, fn.wi^ T<r.„ r k; m 1, 1 mentioned prench regional distributors, so that they have Films from other countries reviewed by Feinfnir n?n n ' ^ T"' T' ^""^^ '^^^^ ^^e credits which allow the bureau in 1938 were listed as follows^ Fernandel, Danielle Darrieux, S.mone Si them to start their, film. The only cash they German, 56; French, 55; Swedish, 24; Fin "^^^ advertising. ^^^^ 19 j^^-^-^^^ ^^^y 3 ^^echoslo Follows Simon Disagreement .i^Tthfrnr ^wo years ago, have 2 Norwegian, 2, and the following ^, . . ' signed three or four-year contracts with agents ' \ x\ -t ni-u c tt This question of star salaries, dormant for for a flat yearly amount of, say $3,000. These Danish, Folish, bwiss, Hunmonths, burst forth again when Arnold Press agents now obtain film contracts for which garian, Russian and Palestinian, burger, producer, and Raymond Bernard, di they are officially paid $10,000 per film for The bureau banned 10 films in 1938, eight rector, were obliged to name other players for instance, but the difference, $7,000 ($10,000— of which were American and two French, the temperamental Simone Simon in two of her $3,000) is kept by the agent. In 1937, 21 films were banned, as follows : three roles in their current "Cavalcade One proposal is that the big stars be paid a American, 13; French, 2; British, 4, and d Amour ( Love Cavalcade"). The action flat salary, not exceeding $1,500, plus a per German 2 is set in 1639, 1839, 1939 and includes three centage on receipts. tu ' ' ' coi \. ^ t, • ^ r 1 • 1 parallel stories in three different periods. ^-x. c-l 1 xa/ l ^I^^'^ short subjects, of which Simone Simon, who had started in the film F'"een Films In Work 538 were American, reviewed in 1938. In two weeks earlier with her role in the 1839 Since the beginning of March, 15 French fea 1^37, the bureau reviewed 815 short subperiod, arranged to go to the studio every other tures have been in production, a figure much jects ; 462 were American. No short subday instead of daily. Illness was given as the higher than for the same period in previous jects were banned in 1938 and only one, reason. The studio physician said that she was years. American, was banned in 1937. Finland not ill. Finally she returned. Then, according One of the most important is "La Loi Du followed America in the number of short to the press, she refused to say the lines be Nord" ("Law of the North") directed by subjects reviewed having a total of 199 cause she "did not like them." Whereupon Jacques Feyder (of "Carnival in Flanders") while Germanv had 139 ' producer and directors agreed they had had co-starring Michele Morgan and Pierre Rich ^ . ^, ' , , ci enough. They picked two other players for ard Wilm. _ I" addition to the prohibited films the the two other roles. Corinne Luchaire, young Jean Renoir, son of the painter Renoir and censors required m 1938 cuts totaling 1,223 French star of the English and British versions director of "Lower Depths," and "Grand Illu meters from 48 films. In the previous year of "Prison Without Bars," was chosen for the sion," has founded a producing company, 19 films were cut for a total of 769 meters, modern part and Janine Darcey, a promising Nouvelle Edition Frangaise, a cooperative or The reduction in the number of banned films French actress, for the 1639 period. ganization of film talent, and is making "La and the increase in the number of films cut Since her return from Hollywood, last July, Regie du Jeu" ("Rule of the Game"). Renoir attributed to a new policy of the board. Simone Simon had appeared in only one French wrote the screen-play, is producer and director, film, "La Bete Humaine," from Emile Zola's and plays an important role with Nora Gregor. ^1 . p|/0' novel, and directed by Jean Renoir. She had Marcel L'Herbier, director, has completed an OhangeSinKlxv-'S co-starred with Jean Gabin. ambitious production on the Franco-British C^-^^T^^ -> n ^r^xo . ^. . , friendship, "Entente Cordiaie." horeign Managers Action Approved «Lg jo^j. y^^^^" (..-phe Day Is Rising"), Changes in the RKO foreign managerial The action of the producer and director a melodrama, is being directed by the young set-up were announced Wednesday by Phil brought general approbation, and the French Marcel Carne. Jean Gabin and Jacqueline Lau Reisman, foreign sales manager. Ben Y. Production Chamber was reported to be ready rent are co-starred. Cammack o-eneral manager for South to back the producer if a suit followed. . Pierre Chenal is working on "Le Dernier America, ' will become Mr. Reisman's as The critics, Georges Champeaux in the Tournant" ("The Last Corner ), starring Fer ; ^ant Gus Schaefer will be in charo-e of weekly "Gringoire," Paul Reboux in the daily nand Gravet, with Corinne Luchaire. / . 1 » • tvt ■ . t, ^^ "Paris Midi," and Pierre Wolff in the evening There are also in production "Cavalcade Central America Mexico and Cuba, as well daily, "Paris Soir," wrote vehement articles D'Amour," as mentioned ; "La Tradition de as splitting South America with Nat Leibes against "the bad practice that French producers Minuit," starring Viviane Romance; "The kind. Until joining RKO recently, Mr. have adopted by paying too high salaries to their Sacred Law," with Marcelle Chantal ; "Le Schaefer had been export manager of Uni stars." Feu de Paille" ("Short-Lived Blaze"), with versal. Salaries paid to a few stars range from Lucien Baroux, Orane Damazis, and Florence Liebeskind, in addition to his South 700,000 to one million francs ($20,000 to $30, Luchaire; and "Cinq Jours D'Angoisse" ("Five American assignment will handle Argen 000) per picture, 20 to 25 per cent of the total Days of Anxiety"). ^-^^^^ Brazil, Chile at^d Peru, having for "c^f ' • r r 11 • T7 u merly been in charge of Argentina. Leon Salaries of the following French stais for Columbus Film has been formed to produce Rritton <^enernl mana-er of the Far Fast their latest films are revealed to have been : ■ vprsinr,<;— Fn<rHsh French and Snan -t^ritton, general manager ot the tar Hast, P , n^ii.rc " , vers ons tng ish t^rench and ^pan charge of both the Far East and francs Uollars ,sh — an ambitious production on the life of , i\/r;^^i^ ir ? Jean Gabin 1,100,000 ($30,000) Christopher Columbus. It will be directed by Middle East. Danielle Darrieux ....... 1,000,000 ($27,000) the French director Abel Gance. " Simone Simon . . . . 800,000 ($21,000) Tax on Fiqht Films J^':""del 700.000 j|20,000) The New York State Senate on Wednes kf-'uM cnn'nnn ti^'cnni Morris Goodman, foreign sales head for day passed the bill of Senator William T. Michele Morgan dOU,UUO (^ll-.auui , ,. , , , , , •., ai j r \nr ^ 1 ^ i ■ , „ , . . , , „~ J Til • >> Republic, has closed a deal with Alianza Condon, of Westchester County, providing "L^wer Depths," ^rl^S^T^^'^^ Films of Mexico City for distribution of 20 that a five per cent tax on gross motion pic giers." Fernandel's comedies are popular with selected films of the current program and ture receipts from prizefights be paid to the French masses. Raimu is one of the best four to six serials. the state.