Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

Urge Firm Stand In Tax Battles STUDIOS TO MAKE OWI FILMS IN 1945 Riskin Says Half of Year's Schedule Will Be Shot Where Facilities Are Hollywood will take over a major portion of film production of the OfSce of War Information scheduled for 1945, Robert Riskin, director of the overseas film division of the OWI, indicated in New York last Saturday. Mr. Riskin, who recently returned from a 10-week trip to England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland, said that at least half of the 18 features and shorts to be made by OWI this year in 14 to 23 languages would be produced on the west coast, where "talent, equipment and technicians" were readily available. Presumably, the pictures are to be made on a cost-plus contract basis, with OWI paying for the prints and doing the dubbing. At least one feature will be made by a major company gratis for the Government agency, but whether this precedent is to be followed by other studios was not disclosed. Denies He Intends Resigning Mr. Riskin denied that he would resign from the OWI, declaring he would remain with the bureau until the end of the war. In view of the changed military and political situation, he said OWI's original plan to taper its film activities had been discarded and that the tapering off process now meant switching the major portion of production from the east to the west coast, but that the film division would go ahead with its plans for psychological films for Germany and the remainder of Nazioccupied Europe and the Far East. He announced the appointment of Reginald Armour as his assistant on distribution in the United Kingdom and Europe, with headquarters in England. OWI newsreel production, headed by William Montague, formerly of Paramount, would continue, he said, with six basic newsreels prepared weekly, including the combined British Olympic and OWI United reels, made in 14 different languages. The OWI is cooperating in every way with the major companies to aid distribution of product in France, Mr. Riskin said. Since the Psychological Warfare Division turned back distribution to the majors last December 15, representatives of the American companies in France have been having a difficult time getting pictures transported throughout the country. OWI in this particular instance is helping the companies get transportation. Sending Additional Negatives Mr. Riskin pointed out that the majors had enough prints for those Hollywood pictures already in France and were sending additional negatives, but the raw stock situation in France was critical. While in Paris, he was able to arrange with the French Government authorities for coal and transportation priorities for the Eastman Kodak plant in Paris so that the factory could begin turning out raw stock for the local industry and prints for the American companies. Approximately 3,500 French theatres, including those requisitioned by the Allied Armies for special showings to troops, were operating when he left the country, despite the shortage of electric power and the transporta FIRST FRENCH FILM SINCE D-DAY COSTS $460,000 France's first film to be completed since D-Day is producer Michel Manegat's "Sortileges" ("The Charm"), estimated as a $460,000 production, which, for France, is considered a top figure. It is being made in a small studio on Rue Francois Permier in Paris and stars Renee Faure and Fernand Ledoux, two actors of the Comedie Francaise. Mr. Manegat expects to finish the film early next month and plans to take it to America to arrange a distribution deal. tion difficulties. Theatres were opened as quickly as power could be supplied and in cases where ownership was still to be determined by the French Government, custodians were placed in charge, responsible directly to the Government, until the ownership question was solved. One of the biggest problems faced by the OWI in Belgium was the corralling of "pirated" American films, of which there were hundreds, Mr. Riskin said. He arranged with the Chambre Syndicale, a Government body, to be designated as a clearing house for all non-Belgium pictures shown, so that the Chambre could control the censorship and ownership of all films exhibited, thus protecting American interests. In Holland there were 58 theatres operating when he left the country, Mr. Riskin reported, adding that in some small towns where three or four theatres existed before the Allied invasion, bomb destruction had left only one theatre operable for civilians. He estimated that it took 30 to 40 days to cover a country like Belgium to determine how many theatres were left untouched and how many were in a condition to be used. Keeping Out Unsuitable Films The OWI head emphasized that American companies are cooperating with the Government agency in every way to keep out of France and other liberated countries the kind of pictures which the OWI considers unsuitable for showing, characterized by Mr. Riskin as "badies," gangster films and others which show Americans in an unfavorable light. The operation of turning back distribution of American pictures in France to the majors was a comparatively simple one, he said. Mr. Riskin dwelt briefly on the tremendous increase of the 16mm film in France and Belgium, reported recently by the OWI, and mentioned that the bureau intends to develop extensively its 16mm mobile units in Europe and the Far East. He observed that the French and Belgians were eager for American pictures and said that film critics in Paris particularly were asking for increased numbers of newer American releases. He announced that visas and other necessary transportation permits were being cleared speedily for American companies and that foreign department officials would be "going over soon" to Paris. Steps to meet discriminatory tax legislation j were urged upon members of the MPTO of Ar i kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee at the annual meeting of that association in Memphis this week. Several speakers stressed the theme, among them ■ David Palfrey man of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America ; Claude Lee, director of public relations for Paramount, and Claude Mundo, president of the Arkansas unit. Mr. Palfreyman, who spearheaded the movement for a joint approach by all factions of the industry to legislation problems until the effort was abandoned, emphasized the importance of united action as a deterrent to such discrimination. ; M. A. Lightman, head of the Malco Circuit, : outlined the industry's contribution to the war | effort, and Clayton Tunstill, field director for the circuit, discussed better theatre operations. New officers elected by the convention were: J. Allen West, Memphis, president; W. E. Malin, Augusta, vice-president for Arkansas; W. F. Ruffin, Covington, vice-president for Tennessee ; Sank Taylor, Laurel, vice-president for Mississippi ; B. V. McDouglas, Monticello, Ark., chairman | of the board; E. R. Gillette, Memphis, secretarytreasurer. ) Directors for Arkansas are : W. L. Landers, | Battesville; Claude Mundo, Little Rock; L. F. | Haven, Jr., Forrest City; Jack Rhodes, West 1 Memphis ; Sidney Wharton, Warren ; Emma Cox, ( Osceola. For Mississippi : R. X. Williams, Jr., Oxford; W. A. Rush, Houston; Raymond Goodman, Starkville. For Tennessee : Mr. Lightman, Mrs. Dave Flexer, both from Memphis ; Louise Mask, Bolivar, and Mr. Rufifin. Ed Kuykendall, president of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, with which the TriState group is affiliated, was unable to attend because of illness. Mr. Haven, the retiring president, presided. Hazen and Wallis Study Plans For Five-Picture Program With two Hal B. Wallis films completed, Joseph H. Hazen, president of Hal Wallis Productions, left New York January 4 for Hollywood to remain for several weeks, during which time "Don't Ever Grieve Me," third picture on the schedule for Paramount, will be launched. Mr. Wallis and Mr. Hazen also will discuss plans for the balance of this year's five-picture program for Paramount release. They will also discuss plans for the scheduled production in England next summer of "Whenever I Remember," with a Hollywood cast and production personnel. "Don't Ever Grieve Me," scheduled to start late this month, will have an all-star cast and will be directed by John Farrow. The completed Wallis productions, "The Love Letters," starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten, and "The Affairs of Susan," starring Joan Fontaine and George Brent, are now in the editing and scoring stages. The fifth film on the program, "The Searching Wind," is planned for an autumn start. Lillian Hellman, author of the play, who is under contract to Mr. Wallis. adapting it for the screen. 20th CenturyFox Auditors Hold Three-Day Meeting A three-day conference of Twentieth CenturyFox traveling auditors was held at the home office Tuesday through Thursday, after which they returned to their respective branches. The discussion, an annual affair, was under the supervision of Wilfred J. Eadie, comptroller, and was conducted by his assistants, Nat Brower and Maurice Goodman, branch accountants. W. C. Michel and Tom Connors, vice-presidents; W. J. Kupper, general sales manager; W. C. Gehring, A. W. Smith, Jr., and L. J. Schlaifer, sales managers, addressed the auditors at various sessions. The auditors who attended included L. R. Antos, George F. Cooper, R. Doherty, William Gunzelman, E. S. Hannahan, R. Hildreth, F. E. Hinnant, E. Pelson, M. Schmalzbach, C. Wagner, A C. Wilson, B. Wolff. 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 13, 1945