Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 24, 19 4 3 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 37 TERMS FOR BELL' 70%30% AT HIGHER ADMISSIONS What the Critics Had to Say The New York newspaper critics, first to review "For Whom the Bell Tolls," expressed enthusiastic approval, qualified in some cases by afterthoughts. An emphatic exception was John T. McManus, of emphatic PM, who objected, because the earth didn't move and because the term "Nationalist" was substituted for the term "Fascist." This is what they said: Bosley Crowther, New York Times: "With . . . practically nothing left out except all of the unmentionable language and the more intimate romantic scenes, Ernest Hemingway's wonderful novel . . . has been brought to the screen in all its richness of color and character. By and large, it is the best film that has come along this year. . . . It vibrates throughout with vitality and is topped off with a climax that is a whizz. . . . The superb characterizations are the outstanding merit. ..." Mr. Crowther had some afterthoughts in his Sunday column of July 18th in which he complained of the length of the picture and the lack of some of "the more intimate romantic scenes." (See Editorial, page 7.) Wall Street Journal: "... Probably will be called great by some of its audience and good by most of the others. . . . Hollywood sunshine does not, at the end, temper the tragedy which Mr. Hemingway found in the Spanish Civil War." Lee Mortimer, Daily Mirror: "... A three hour epic. These impressions stand out . . . The dignity, understanding and intelligence . . . The independence of the producers . . . The superlative acting . . . The direction . . . The splendid photography . . . The fact that Hollywood has come of age." Howard Barnes, Herald Tribune: "The screen has met the challenge of fine literature triumphantly. ... It is overlong but its blend of romance, melodrama and democratic doctrine is irresistible. ..." Mr. Barnes, also, had some afterthoughts in his Sunday column in which he said that "at least one of Pablo's recurrent defections from the Loyalists . . . might better have been omitted" and that "a more explicit statement of democracy's first challenge to Fascism would have made the film more lucid. ..." Kate Cameron, Daily News: (3y2 stars) "There is so much that is beautiful, stirring and profoundly interesting . . . that it grieves me to report the picture has been drawn out to an inordinate length. ..." Eileen Creelman, New York Sun: "... A beautifully produced film, told with honesty and strength. For some reason it is not told with emotion. . . . Far from a propaganda picture." Archer Winsten, New York Post: "Politically the picture pussyfoots. . . . Sexually the conversation is . . . consistently highminded. ... It is a magnificent effort, securely held aloft, divorced from the earthy reality of its source. ..." Rose Pelswiclc, JournalAmerican : "A literate and engrossing drama that commands attention on every count. . . . Despite the length and some slowness ... it holds attention throughout. ..." Alton Cook, World -Tele gram: " . . . The picture has the original's exciting battles, tense personal conflicts, and long stretches where people just stand around and talk. . . . The battle scenes are superb. ..." Mr. McManus, in the always dissenting PM, called it "the tongue-tied 'Bell' " and said it was "out of step with the book, with the movie audience and with evolving world history." No Release for Regular Box Office Prices Before 1945, Paramount Plan Percentage terms for the sale of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" have been set by Paramount at 70-30, with a guarantee of profit to exhibitors, it was announced by the company last week at the New York sales meeting. Minimum admissions of 75 cents daytime and $1.10 evenings, playing without any other film, stage or giveaway attractions, were the other terms established by the company, according to Charles M. Reagan, assistant general sales manager. The film thus becomes the second in motion picture history to be sold at 70-30 terms. MGM offered the David O. Selznick production, "Gone With the Wind," at 7030, with a guarantee of 10 per cent of its gross receipts as a profit. Theatres will be permitted to charge more for the Paramount film where the house can be scaled accordingly, such as for loge seats, and seats may be reserved, at the option of the exhibitor. The minimum scale will be part of the playing terms. The picture will not be shown anywhere at regular 'admission prices until 1945. Magazine Advertising Will Cost $189,000 Robert M. Gillham, director of advertising and publicity, said the sales campaign addressed to the public would be continuous with a "huge volume" to break between now and October 15th. It will be the largest campaign in the history of the company, he said, estimating that a total of $189,000 would be spent in magazine advertising alone, beginning September 1st. The four-week advance campaign for the New York engagement at the Rivoli theatre, where the picture opened last Wednesday, cost about $150,000. The Los Angeles opening date advertising expenditures will equal that of New York, and newspaper campaigns for the first 45 pre-release key city engagements are now being prepared. There will be 3,200 lines during the week's advertising for these 45 cities. Los Angeles Premiere To Aid War Fund Following the $4.40 premiere at the Rivoli last Wednesday, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" settled down to a $2.20 two-a-day reserved seat engagement at that house. On or about August 18th, it will open at the Carthay Circle in Los Angeles on a $2.20 top, reserved seat basis, and following that premiere, it will probably open at two houses, day-and-date, in Chicago. Then the production will open on a continuous policy either in New Orleans or Memphis and possibly Washington. All of these premieres will be held by the middle of September, and by October 1st the picture will be pre-released in approximately 45 key cities, all continuous engagements. Soon after, advanced admission en gagements will get under way in 311 selected important situations in the country. Proceeds from the Carthay Circle premiere will be contributed to the Los Angeles Area War Chest. A number of the studio's important stars will be present at this opening. Advance sale for the two-a-day engagement at the Rivoli theatre in New York was reported by Robert Weitman at $27,000, including last Wednesday's premiere. Approves Council Ordinance The Board of Underwriters of Great Falls, Mont., has given its support to the City Council's ordinance requiring at least one licensed and one adult projectionist in each theatre booth. Cincinnati RKO Houses Increase Prices The 1,400-seat RKO Lyric theatre in Cincinnati has increased its matinee prices from 30 and 33 cents to 33 and 40 cents, with a 30-cent rate until 1 P. M., and evening admissions to 44 and 55 cents from the former 33 and 44 cents. The new prices, which apply to the balcony and lower floor respectively make the scales uniform with the other RKO downtown houses in Cincinnati, with the exception of the Family. The 1,000-seat RKO Family theatre, which plays a split-week policy, has advanced prices to 20 cents until 1 P. M., 22 cents for the matinee, and 33 cents for evening performances, compared with the previous 20 and 30-cent scales for matinee and evening.