Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

French to Clamp Rigid Control on Screen New Provisional Government Laws Regulate Industry in Liberated France Strict control of the motion picture industry in liberated France is intended by the Provisional Government for the Republic of France. Rigid regulations, passed by the French Committee at its headquarters in Algiers on June 22 but made available in New York only this week, provide for supervision of every branch of the industry in each area of the Republic as soon as the Allied Military Government releases civil control. The regulations provide: 1. That all exhibitors must obtain the permission of the Commissioner of Information before they can operate. 2. No film more than one hour in length can be shown, regardless of the length of the entire program, without the permission of the Ministry of Information. 3. All theatres or motion picture operations previously controlled or operated under the Vichy Government or the German occupying authorities will be confiscated by the Provisional Government. 4. All motion pictures which had their first exhibition in France after June 17, 1940, date of the armistice, will be confiscated. 5. All laws promulgated by the Vichy Government relative to the regulation of the film industry — with the exception of a law modifying the financial regulation of theatres and a decree relative to fire protection — are declared null and void. 6. The conducting of any business connected with the showing of motion pictures is forbidden without the permission of the Commissioner of Information. The regulations, although printed in the official Journal of the French Republic published in Algiers, specify that they are designed for metropolitan France. The Provisional Government is not yet in control in any area of France proper 'but Allied military authorities have indicated that the civil government is to be turned over to the Committee as soon as military exigencies allow. Require Strict Compliance Specifically, the regulations require the strictest compliance with the time limits imposed for observing them. For example, all copies of enemy-produced films and all films and documentary product made under orders or control of the Vichy government must be turned over to delegates of the Commissioner of Information eight days after the promulgation of the ordinance in any given area of the territory covered. Similarly, holders of films other than those shown for the first time in France since June 17, 1940, must within 15 days after the publication of the regulations, turn over an inventory of their books, archives and bookkeeping records relating to the production and distribution of such films to the Commissioner of Information or his representative. The new regulations are said to be aimed at the situation created by the rigid control and censorship imposed by the Nazis and their French collaborators. Even before France was 14 totally occupied by the Germans the distribution of news reels and educational films was strictly controlled by them in occupied France. Under Nazi domination foreigners have been excluded from positions of importance in the motion picture industry while the French collaborationists were the puppets of the occupying authorities and its puppet government at Vichy. 13 Paramount Men Elected To 100 Per Cent Club The outstanding performances of 13 Paramount men, one salesman for each of the company's 10 districts and one booking manager from each of its three divisions, have earned for them election to Paramount's 100 Per Cent Club of 1944. The list includes : Maurice Simon, Max Mendel, Robert E. Caskey, Gordon Bradley, Bertrand L. Turgeon, Sam B. Stoll, Sam Brunk, Fred E. Wagoner, W. Sebe Miller, William Curry, Frank Wayne Thiriot, M. C. Buries, and William B. Haarman. Presentation of membership pins and the insurance policies awarded to the newly elected members will be made soon. Clearance Case Dismissed At Dallas Tribunal Arbitrator Lewis B. Lefkowitz of the Dallas tribunal of the American Arbitration Association Monday dismissed the clearance complaint of the Drive-In and Yank theatres, operated by Eddie Joseph in Austin. The complaint was against all five. Mr. Joseph asked reasonable clearance over Interstate's Paramount, State, Queen, Capitol and Varsity theatres in Austin. Intervenors were the Ritz, operated by Elmo Hegman, and the Cactus, operated by R. S. Pryor, both in Austin. The case was Dallas' 11th and was filed in February. Plan Elaborate Promotion Campaign for "Wilson" An extensive advertising campaign will be given Darryl F. Zanuck's "Wilson" by Twentieth Century-Fox. It is estimated that the campaign, under the supervision of Hal Home, advertising, publicity and exploitation director, will cost about $250,000. Included in the campaign are radio broadcasts, posters in subways, buses, trolley cars, railroad stations, as well as ads in newspapers and magazines. To date, 44 national magazines with an estimated circulation of 38,000,000 are scheduled for full-page advertisements. 20th-Fox Sets First Five Of 1944-45 Releases "Sweet and Lowdown" with Benny Goodman and his orchestra, Lynn Bari, Jack Oakie and Linda Darnell ; "Greenwich Village," in color, featuring Don Ameche, Carmen Miranda and William Bendix ; and "Dangerous Journey," the Denis-Roosevelt expedition film ; will be released in September in block two of 1944-45, by 20th Century-Fox. Block one of 1944-45 includes "Take It Or Leave It" and "Wing And a Prayer." Philipson Joins Paramount Contract Department Joseph Philipson, former general manager of the Cooper-Paramount theatre interests, who recently joined Paramount's home office distribution department, has been appointed head of the Paramount contract approval and analysis department by Charles M. Reagan, vice-president and general sales manager. Mr. Philipson replaces Peggy deGru, who resigned to assume a similar post with Vanguard Pictures. WMC Eases Rule On Job Changes In New York Are The War Manpower Commission last w exempted male workers between the ages of and 45 employed in the entertainment industry the New York City area, who change jobs wi the industry in that area, from the regulation quiring priority referral by the United States 1 ployment Service. The New York City area c prises the counties of New York, Kings, Que Richmond, Bronx, Nassau, Suffolk, Westche :i and Rockland. The new arrangement requires that men of is age group who enter the entertainment indu jj from other industries or who leave the entert If ment industry for employment in other indust a must obtain the approval of the USES, uniorii other designated agency having the authority <:c make referrals. The exemption is limited stri !y to the changing from one entertainment jot I another entertainment job in the prescribed are Theatre Personnel Included The new regulation includes the motion pic ire industry, radio and theatrical entertainment oilili types within its definition of entertainment. In lie motion picture industry, the personnel who ei l>y the exemption include the operational staffs oi theatres as well as artists, musicians and tec :i cians engaged in the production of films. The arrangement will continue in force i jtii revoked or modified after due notice to design bri management and labor representatives of the er rtainment industry. The War Activities Committee's distribu j:s' division decided at a luncheon meeting held inihe Hotel Astor, New York, last Wednesday no* abandon attempts to obtain "locally needed" donations for exchanges but held in abeyance lay specific plans for further pursuing its effort \ at this time. Ned E. Depinet, WMC division cli.r man, presided at the meeting. WMC Policy Not Determined "Locally needed" designations have been tained for exchange help in Pittsburgh and P delphia and the industry was in the proces filing for such designations in more than 20 < when the WMC tightened its restrictions on 1 designations last month. Since then a confer was held with Paul V. McNutt, WMC head, there is no indication yet as to the WMC ii tions for meeting the industry's manpower blems on a national scale. In Philadephia last week, WMC officials ferred with officers of Local 307, IATSE, pointed out that the new WMC regulations hibited theatres from hiring full-time male without clearance through the USES, but certain exceptions would be made in that cil the case of projectionists and other theatre e The conference outlined a procedure to preven sudden closing of theatres through lack of o tional personnel. UA Holds Regional Sales Meeting in New York The United Artists regional sales meeting sales executives of the New York and B< areas was held in New York last Friday and urday at the Hotel Warwick. Carl Lesei general sales manager, Sam Lefkowitz, New district manager, and James Winn, Boston trict manager, presided. Delegates from V ington, Philadelphia, Buffalo and New Have well as New York and Boston, saw "Since Went Away" and "Abroad with Two Yanks o d at-l an >rH Ks shl a.l Mitchell Gets RCA Post Lieut. Col. Thompson H. Mitchell has ee: appointed general manager of RCA Commi ca tions, Inc., it was announced by Lieut. Gf :ra J. G. Harbord, chairman of the board of 1 d Corporation of America. Colonel Mitchell uc ceeds the late William A. Winterbottom. MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JULY 29. |4