Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

RAW STOCK PINCH BLOW TO MEXICO Expect Only 15 Films to Be Made in First Quarter; No Stock for Prints by LUIS BECERRA CELIS in Mexico City Faced with perhaps the worst problem ever confronting the Mexican picture industry, which it is eagerly fostering, that of further reduction in raw stock supplies from the United States, limited to less than 14,000,000 feet during the first three months of 1945, the Mexican Government has acted to aid the business to a considerable extent. Felipe Gregorio Castillo, former chief Federal Picture Censor and one of the three members of the committee the Government has assigned to investigate the industry's problems and ascertain aid for it, said that because of limited raw stock, production cannot reach more than 15 pictures between now and the end of March. Furthermore, as there are now 56 productions in negative that must have copies made of them, that will use so much raw stock that the 15 new pictures must be without copies until more raw stock is available. Rationing, even stricter than that in force last year, when only producers of proved ability to make worthwhile pictures got any important amount of it, will be in effect in 1945, it is learned at the Ministry of the Interior, principal Government department. Deciding Stock Allocation Interviews are being held with Jesus Grovas, important producer, president of the Producers Association, and Salvador Carrillo, representing film labor, to ascertain just which producers shall have raw stock this year. This selection is on the basis of each producer's ability, experience, integrity and solvency. So serious is the raw stock situation that reports, emanating from official sources, say that Mexican producers must be on the preferred list in obtaining this material, that foreign producers must of necessity be barred from using raw stock apportioned Mexico, but that they will be allowed to continue work here, although in most cases they must provide their own raw stock, until that situation is relieved for Mexico. The idea of this restriction is to assure the production this year of pictures that are exclusively Mexican. Part of this proposition is that Mexican directors only be allowed to work in Mexican pictures. There are now several foreign directors working in this country, outstanding among them Norman Foster, who has made six very good pictures in this country. Stop Retail Store Sales Some sectors of the industry admit that they dread to think what will happen to production after March 31. These sources go so far as to predict that there will be no raw stock at all available for Mexico after that Easter Sunday, or so little that only producers who can deliver a super successful picture will get any. Of course, they admit, that prospect may be eliminated if Germany is knocked out of the war by then, or very soon after. ( The Government is expected soon to issue an ' order forbidding photo supply shops and other MEXICO PRODUCED 66 FILMS IN 1944 Mexico City Bureau — Mexican production last year totaled but 66 pictures, including three started during the last half of December, an output considered good but far short of the 83 that was counted upon early in November. During 1944, 64 Mexican pictures were exhibited. But only 12 of these did well, "Such a poor showing demands that a goodly number of unprepared but audacious persons be eliminated from our picture Industry so as to raise it from the mediocrity that now encumbers it," observed Rene Eclaire, film critic of El Nacional, the local newspaper that Is the Federal Government's organ. The Banco Cinematografico, S. A., the picture industry's own bank, financed it In the amount of $1,450,000 during 1 944. vendors of the material throughout Mexico to sell any 16 and 35mm film. That expected step, it is explained, is to prevent a black market in raw stock. The anticipated order, it is learned from other sources, will limit sale of this raw stock to special permit by the Ministry of the Interior. The committee, it is learned, intends to continue negotiations to enable Mexico to have more raw stock and plans to arrange for raw stock production in Mexico. The first step, it is said, in the latter proposition would be to use old pictures for the making of new ones. But that is not very pleasing to producers. They say it will mean defective productions, chiefly in point of photography. They point to such a procedure in the Argentine, which for some time has had no American raw stock at all. Deny Supplying Argentina The raw stock shortage, too, has obliged the censors to tighten up their rules so as to avoid, as far as possible, cutting and other waste, by examining scenarios strictly before they go into production. The censors believe that this procedure will result in far better pictures, those that not only please them but the public as well. The Association of Producers and Distributors of Mexican Motion Pictures has appointed the following representatives to look after the interests of the large and small producers: Gregorio Wallersteih and Raul de Anda for the large interests, and Santiago Reachi and Jose Calderon, for the small units. Mexico is not supplying the Argentine with raw stock, at least in any important amounts, declared Government and industry sources here, spiking a banner-line story published by El Popular, the local daily that is the organ of labor interests, to the effect that this country had supplied the Argentine with no less than 20,000,000 feet of raw stock last year. Warners to Build House in Mexico Warner Bros, plan to build a 2,5(X)-seat theati in Mexico City as soon as the company can obtai equipment and materials, it was made known \ New York last week by Wolfe Cohen, vice-pres\ dent of Warners' International Corp. in charge ( Latin America, Australia and the Far East. Mr. Cohen, who recently returned from a sh week trip to Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Ven( zuela and Panama, said that the company "intenc to keep its own identity abroad and will contint to operate its own offices in all countries in whic we Ao business." | He announced two new appointments to th Latin American territory. Irvin Coval, form« branch manager for Warners in Montreal, hs been made manager in Trinidad and the Britis West Indies, succeeding Lester Cohen, transferrei' to Panama. Vincent Palmeri, former manager c' Warner theatres in Bridgeport, has been namel manager of the Warner branch in Peru, replacin Armando Trucios, now supervisor for Peru, Cc lombia and Ecuador. Mr. Coval and Mr. Palmei' are en route to their new posts. Mr. Cohen predicted a heavy theatre buildin boom in Mexico and Cuba after the war. He re ported that Mexicans and Latin Americans genet ally, were "shopping" for quality pictures, an that a poor American or Mexican film would sui fer equally. Releases dubbed in Spanish woul double the playing time of those employing sub titles, he said, and forecast that titled version eventually would be forced off the market belo\ the Rio Grande. ' Warners released 16-18 films last year in thi' territory. The company had 12 dubbed films comJ pleted, in work or preparing, but had no produd tion plans for Mexico or Cuba, he declared. U. S., Britain Near Agreement On Double Treaty Officials of the U. S. Internal Revenue Bureai and the British Treasury met in Washington las Wednesday to discuss further the problems o double taxation and were reported in close agree ment on the content of a proposed treaty whic! may serve to relieve the American film industr of some of the financial burdens under which i has been operating in England. The projectec treaty, which must be ratified by the Senate, i: patterned on the agreement made with the FrencH Government just before the war and which wai approved by the Senate shortly before it ad journed at the last session. I Lawrence To Handle Rank Publicity in America The appointment of Colonel Jock Lawrence}, Hollywood writer and publicist, as American representative to handle all publicity and exploitation, was announced by J. Arthur Rank in London January 18. Before entering the armed forces Colonel Lawrence was assistant to the president in charge of public relations, of the Association oi Motion Picture Producers in Hollywood. He became associated with Samuel Goldwyn in 1934 as publicity director, becoming production executive for Mr. Goldwyn subsequently. In 1940 he joined the AMPP. Monogram Names Gates to South American Post ' The appointment of Bernard J. Gates as Mono-!! gram's special representative in Central and Soutljii America was announced this week by Norton Vii Ritchey, vice-president and export manager of the company. Mr. Gates formerly was withjUnited Artists and his experience in the foreign, field dates back to 1928, at which time he was MGM's manager in Argentina. Although for thd" time being his headquarters will be in New York]' he plans to leave shortly on an extended tour o| his territory. ' 14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 27, 194511 1