Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

OA THE MARCH by RED KANN OUT of handy files and from "On the March" dated April 22, 1944, comes the keynote : "The surmise (it was about United Artists) is additional maneuvers inevitably are on the wing because Selznick is ambitious, because the way he is constructed makes it required for him to be the key figure in any enterprise of which he becomes a part. "Because his family name has industry tradition and because he is fiercely proud of it, the probability is strong it will flash,, finally, across the national and international film scene endowed with as much permanency as any matter of its nature can be. " * * * Selznick is building his producing activities strongly and rapidly. With his reputation as a picture-maker entrenched beyond all doubts, he has much to offer. With (Neil F.) Agnew as his sales manager, he has more to offer now. And, while this is not designed to be a tied-up package of predictions to come, it is interesting to bear in mind that, if he cannot make the strides which his ambitions credit him in one direction, there can be other directions for Selznick. He is in position now to move with a producing organization intensively on the job and a sales organization if you allow, as we do, that Agnew is a pivot around which one may be created." Agnew, the pivot, is still around, and gyrating quietly and importantly. Also, he is in the process of creating, by the parley route at the moment, a load of thinking about another national distribution organization bearing the Selznick name and employing the key city offices of Ross Federal as the archway through which the traffic would flow. By Way of Background AGNEW is a distributor. Ross was long a distributor. Both are staunch friends, reaching back into the years. Selznick is a restless, never-satisfied enthusiast with a burning eye riveted on new horizons, not all of them easy to harness. Distributor, plus producer (s), equals all that's required under certain, given conditions. Ross no longer will check for Paramount, RKO Radio, Universal, Columbia and United Artists, excluding Selznick, but the newlyformed Confidential Reports, Inc., will. Solitary major standby with Ross continues to be Twentieth Century-Fox, which is reported considering its own checking system after the war. MGM and Warner, of course, maintain their own. Thus, Ross and Ross Federal will have little to do in their well-entrenched field. Thus, Ross and Ross Federal have to bestir themselves into a new line of activity. They have offices and the physical assets which keep offices going. They draw upon approximately 6,400 bonded checkers for manpower, as required, and it has been calculated already 100 salesmen, actual or potential, out of that pool ought not be hard to ferret out. There is also an awareness of how new flowers in an attractive garden draw confirmed nature lovers if the meaning is clear and we don't doubt it is. All this has a proper aura of allure where Selznick is concerned. It intrigues Agnew because he is father of the brainchild and because there is conviction the makings are inherent in the raw material at hand. But between the beckoning allure and the cold, hard realisms are several hurdles. They are hurdles which can be surmounted as time goes on, however. Selznick is under obligation to United Artists to deliver ten units, but not ten pictures. Those attractions which bear his imprimatur — and he determines it — constitute two units each, but a Vanguard trademark, for example, constitutes one. It is interesting that thus far David has delivered four units with two pictures, "Since You Went Away" and "I'll Be Seeing You." Third two-unit delivery will be "Spellbound," completed and ready for the Astor on Broadway after "The Princess and the Pirate." In production is "Duel in the Sun" and planned is "Notorious" for Ingrid Bergman when she finishes "The Bells of St. Mary's" for Leo McCarey and RKO Radio. By every indication to date, moreover, the latter two will be Selznick-branded, thereby rounding out the tenunit pact with five attractions. Once this is done, Selznick may withdraw from his UA affiliation, but his one-quarter stock interest purchased for about $660,000 and accruals placing total cost at approximately $900,000 must be offered to, and bought by, UA, probably by way of UA Productions, which the parent company completely owns. Interesting to boot is the understanding the re-purchase valuation placed on Selznick's interest is to be determined by a mathematical formula, details unknown but believed established, under which David's over-all gross performance will determine price. In turn, this suggests the turnover figure, if ' ever there is one, will exceed substantially the $900,000 which Selznick originally put on the line for his stock interest. Betwixt, Between IT should be understood these ponderings over Selznick as fountainhead of another national sales company are only ponderings. No determination has been made. If determined, nothing can be implemented until the final two pictures, at two units apiece, or the equivalent, are delivered to UA. At earliest, probably this means another year off the calendar. The major difficulty, however, is not this at all. It's raw stock. It is believed Agnew would not undertake Selznick's own distribution without guaranty of eight releases a year minimum. Actually, he would prefer twelve, or one a month. But if raw stock restrictions persist and it should prove the fact that David must confine himself to three pictures annually, the remaining minimum of five must come from other sources. This may offer no special problem under WPB's directive which takes film out of the hands of the distributor and places it in the hands of the producer for him to determine his releasing outlet at will. At any rate and for what it may be worth, the report is undesignated makers of film already are interested in the Selznick-Agnew-Ross embryo. Meanwhile, "SYWA" will be faithful to the prediction made for it in "On the March" of April 22 last; it looks like $8,000,000 domestic. And if present pace is maintained, "I'll Be Seeing You" will see $3,000,000 or fractionally more in the home market. Selznick seems to know how. Recommends Film Diet To Cure Germans Germany needs a "heavy diet" of motion pict "for a speedy and effective transition from Fas< to democracy," Professor Robert Gessner, cl man of the department of motion pictures at 1 York University told delegates to the two education conference last Friday at NYU in 1 York. The meeting was called to discuss pn> tion needs and uses of films in education. "Hollywood, London, Moscow and Paris sh send production crews into Germany as soor possible," Dr. Gessner suggested. "Against background to Berlin, Cologne and other rui cities the Allied Commission should produce si subjects to teach Germans the ways and mean democratic procedures." Dr. Alice V. Keliher, chairman of the ( ference committee, predicted that men and woi in the armed forces who had been trained thro the use of films "would return with a dem that their communities increase the use of fi in general education." Educators are hopeful, she said, that the 16 sound projectors now being used by the an forces would be reconditioned and sold to schc colleges and other educational institutions in U. S., at cost. "The American public has invested in this eqi ment and it should come back to the Ameri public through its educational institutions. If could be done, it would immediately inert markedly the available market for the use educational films," Dr. Keliher observed. Other topics discussed at the conference v, the film needs of special interest groups in edi tion and the flexibility of the motion picture a teaching device. Major Vincent Hart to Take New York Censor Post Test Civil Service examinations for the post of rector of the motion picture (censorship) divis of the New York State Department of Educat are expected to be held shortly, it was lear in Albany this week. Since the recent retirem of Irwin Esmond, director of the division, at age of 70, Dr. Irwin Conroe has been act head. Dr. Conroe is assistant commissioner professional education. Among those planning take the examination is Major Vincent Hi recently discharged from the Army, and forr assistant to Charles Pettijohn, former gene counsel of the Motion Picture Producers Distributors of America. Harry McDonald Dies in Hartford ' Harry McDonald, formerly manager of the N York Hippodrome and associated with RKO Th tres and Fox Films, died in his sleep in Hartfo Conn., Tuesday, March 27th. He was 54 years o At the time of his death, Mr. McDonald v» New England advertising manager for Univer Pictures. Besides his wife he leaves two brothers, Char B. McDonald, RKO Zone Manager, and Irving McDonald, news editor for Station WEEI, Bost. and a sister Edna (Mrs. J. J. McCarthy). He w born in Springfield, Mass. Universal Quarter Year Profit $1,083,601 J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the board Universal Pictures Company, Inc. announci Thursday that consolidated net profits of the con pany for the 13 weeks ended January 27, 194 aggregated $1,083,601 after all charges includir Federal income and excess profits taxes. Th compares with $1,214,001 for the correspondir period of the preceding fiscal year. Before provk ing for Federal income and excess profits taxe consolidated net profit amounted to $1,737,601 con pared with $1,946,701 in the like period of la year. Chicago House Reopens The Downtown, Chicago, formerly the Riato was to reopen March 31 under its old name, an under operation of N. S. Barger. 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 31, 194