Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1946)

France Seeking To Nationalize Film Industry The French Governinent hopes to create a nationalized film industry from film properties formerly held by the Germans and now held under sequestration by the French. It was announced from France this week that Gaston Deferre, Under-Secretary of Information, would submit such a bill to the Assembly next week. If the bill passes — and this is likely, it is reported from France — the action would establish a completely nationalized film industry, including production, distribution, exhibition and laboratory work and would bring the Government into competition with the French industry and quite possibly hinder the quota discussions current between the U. S. and French Governments. M. Deferre, in an interview in the French publication, Gavroche, said, according to the New York Times, that his bill provided for the creation of a general commissariat of the film industry to be formed by a merger of the existing Office of Cinema with the film office in the Ministry of Information. The commissariat would function independently of the Information Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The confiscated property includes 45 theatres, 25 of them first runs, which belonged to Leon, Joseph and Samuel Siritzky, of Siritzky International Picture Corporation, New York. Joseph Siritzky said in New York Tuesday that his family had begun a suit to recover the theatres which "were taken away from us by the Germans at the point of a gun" in November, 1940. "The violence we were subjected to cannot be questioned," he said, and pointed out the Siritzky circuit was the only French circuit to give playing time to "Confessions of a Nazi Spy." The Siritzky theatres have a seating capacity of between 50,000 and 60,000. Famous Players to Redeem Mortgages on June 3 All per cent first mortgage and collateral made in favor of the Montreal Trust Company are scheduled for redemption June 3 by Famous Players Canadian Corporation, according to a recent notification to bondholders. Accrued interest and one per cent premium will be paid on the redeemed bonds, which are to be surrendered to the Royal Bank of Canada. After the redemption date, Famous Players will have capitalization only of 1,800,000 shares of common stock of no par value, of which 1,666,572 are outstanding, including 1,158,000 shares held by Paramount International Films, Inc., New York. The bond redemption is being financed from proceeds of a recent new issue of 375,000 common shares of $15, which were oversubscribed by Canadian investors. Delay United Artists Boar<d Meeting Until April 29 A United Artists' board of directors meeting, postponed from April 16 to April 23, has been postponed again, to April 29. The prior postponement was occasioned by the absence in Hollywood of Edward C. Raftery, UA president, who has returned to New York. At the April 29 meeting, Mr. Raftery is expected to report to the board on the lack of availability of studio space which has been affecting UA producers. A survey of various pension plans which the company is undertaking may be made to the board at the meeting. Gradwell L. Sears, UA distribution vice-president, is not expected to return to the U. S. from Europe before mid-May. RKO-Rank to Do Film in England London Bureau Scott Votion, RKO producer, arrived in London this week to announce that he hopes to begin production at Denham July 16 on James Hilton's "So Well Remembered," which will be financed half by RKO and half by the Rank interests. From here Mr. Votion goes to Paris to prepare for a series of three bi-lingual features financed half by RKO and half by Pathe to be produced at the Joinville studios. The Hilton story will be directed by Edward Dmytryk and written by John Paxton. Final casting depends upon whether James Mason, England's leading actor, will be able to play the lead. If he can, an American actress will play opposite him. If he cannot, an American actor will play the lead opposite a British actress. Robert Wolff, RKO's managing director in England, reported that the picture would cost at least £300,000 ($1,200,000). In regard to the French-American pictures, Mr. Votion proposes to comb Europe for new writing and acting talent and, says Mr. Wolff, these pictures will be "the biggest kind of pictures in the real international sense." MPEA to Name Manager For Dutch East Indies A Motion Picture Export Association manager for the Dutch East Indies will be named by a MPEA sub-committee consisting of James E. Perkins of Paramount, and Ed O'Connor, of MGM, it was decided this week at an MPEA meeting attended by representatives of the eight member companies. The organization also gave authorization to arrange for financial advances to the Amsterdam office, managed by Henry Kahn and set up last autumn. Buys Watervliet House Samuel Rosenblatt, owner of the Strand in Watervliet, N. Y., has taken the lease on the Family theatre there, and will take over the Grand, also in Watervliet, in September. United World to Begin Operation Here January 1 United World Pictures, the EnglishAmerican distribution company, will begin operations January 1, it was announced in New York this week at the first general press conference called by the company since it was formed last December by J. Arthur Rank, Universal and International Pictures. At least three out of a year's minimum of 16 pictures, eight British, eight American, will be available at that time. A sales organization will be formed "almost at once," s-^ that by October or November the company will have an eastern manager, six district managers, 31 branch managers and 62 salesmen. To Seek MP A Membership Within a month the company will apply for membership in the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. These organizational and operational plans were solidified recently in London during the convention of Mr. Rank's international salesmen. The company's plans were made known at the New York interview Tuesday by Matthew Fox, president of United World; Monroe Greenthal, director of publicity, advertising and exploitation, and William J. Heineman, sales manager. While in London these men picked the first two Rank productions for distribution. These are "Stairway to Heaven," starring David Niven and Raymond Massey, and "London Town," produced and directed by We^ey Ruggles. Both are in Technicolor. Mr. Greenthal, Jock Lawrence, Mr. Rank's American publicist, and John Meyers, the English equivalent of Mr. Lawrence, will set up a "trans-Atlantic funnel" to handle this two-sided promotional problem. Present publicity plans call for at least three "name" Hollywood columnists to visit England in June at UW's expense to write their columns with a London date line and for specialists from the U. S. and Canada to help the English in their promotions. To Get American Showcases United World will acquire American showcases only in those cities where current booking arrangements might freeze out UW product, and the company will not do any "blind" selling, but will offer for sale only those pictures which are available for screening for the exhibitor. United World plans eventually to build exchanges in 31 key cities and already has purchased sites in 20 cities. Meanwhile, however, the company will share space with Universal for film storage, inspection and shipment. Distribution in Canada will be through Empire Universal, but with UW's own sales manager maintaining complete control over booking and selling. 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. APRIL 27, 1946