Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Extensive 16mm Program Pushed In Latin America An extensive 16mm educational and entertainment film program is now under way in Latin America through the combined efforts of the Victor Animatograph Corporation and Encyclopedia Britannica Films, Robert H. Kulka, Latin American representative for both companies, said in New York last Friday. Mr. Kulka recently returned from an 11month tour of all countries from Mexico to Argentina, where he established new comoanies to distribute Victor equipment, Britannica educational films and entertainment product of independent producers. Because the literacy rate of millions in the interior is so low, Mr. Kulka pointed out, officials and educators welcomed the programs. Both Victor and Britannica are intensely interested in the Latin American market and have guaranteed full cooperation for the film program, he said, and teachers are being trained in the use of films. Concerning the 16mm entertainment program, Mr. Kulka said there were more than 1,200 16mm theatres operating throughout Latin America which present weekly and biweekly showings of short subjects and features from the libraries of independent producers. These pictures are the fast-moving comedies and melodramas where the story is told more by action than dialogue, although they have superimposed captions in Spanish. All the 16mm theatres are in towns and villages where the population is not sufficient to support standard size theatres. Now that more and more material is available for 16mm projection equipment, Mr. Kulka said he planned 5,000 theatres operating in the next two years, many of them prefabricated, each seating about 250. In some Latin American countries where local censorship forbids children from attending theatres where the programs have been classified as adult entertainment, Mr. Kulka has been instrumental in inaugurating a new policy whereby the parents support special weekly film programs fot children. Legion of Decency Reviews Nine New Productions The National Legion of Decency reviewed nine new productions this week, approving all but two. In Class A-I, unobjectionable for general patronage, were "Dark Alibi," "Do You Love Me?" and "The Haunted Mine." In Class* A-II, unobjectionable for adults, were "Cluny Brown," "The French Key," "The Stranger" and "Two Smart People." In Class B, objectionable in part, were "Suspense," because of "suggestive dance sequences," and "The Postman Always Rings Twice," because "the retribution is not sufficient to counteract the effect of the nature and action of the story and is not directly related to the crime committed." Canty Moves to Policy Unit In State Departnnent Shift Washington Bureau George Canty of the State Department's Telecommunications Division will move to the Commercial Policy Division this week and continue to handle export problems of the motion picture industry from there. Mr. Canty told the press the industry would receive as much attention in its new organizational position as was given it by Telecommunications. William Clayton, Assistant Secretary of State, who has jurisdiction over the department, expressed belief the industry's barriers abroad would be eliminated rapidly. The Export Advisory Committee of the Office of International Trade will meet in June to discuss the agenda of the forthcoming trade conference to be held in England this autumn. Phil Reisman will represent the industry. MOT to Produce Business Films The March of Time, in addition to its regular monthly editions covering world events and the March of Time Forum Editions, will produce a limited number of sponsored films, Richard de Rochemont, producer, announced this week. The first film scheduled for production will cover the New York Stock Exchange and its allied activities. This will be followed by a story on Pan-American Airways. "No separate department will be established for the production of these sponsored films," Mr. de Rochemont said. "They will be edited, written and produced by the same staff that now turns out the March of Time. The company's foreign staff will also be available for work on such of these films as may be of an international nature," he concluded. Before the war the company produced some industrial and business films. Eastman Grossed $53,000,000 In First Quarter of 1946 A gross of $53,000,000 earned by Eastman Kodak in the first quarter of 1946, compared with $31,000,000 in the first quarter of 1941, the last peacetime year, is the basis for the prediction by Thomas J. Hargrave, Eastman Kodak president, that this year the company will set "a potential record peacetime year in company sales." However, he said, speaking at the annual stockholders' meeting in Flemington, N. J., Tuesday, increased costs of labor and materials, particularly silver, are expected to narrow the company's margin of profit "very considerably" in comparison with pre-war years. It was also disclosed that sales for the last quarter, while $20,000,000 above the same quarter in 1941, were approximately 24 per cent less in 1946 than the first quarter of 1945. Annual Award of Variety Club to General Booth General Evangeline Corry Booth of the Salvation Army and its former international leader has been selected as the 1945 recipient of the Humanitarian Award, presented each year by the Variety Clubs of America in recognition of unusual service rendered to and in behalf of worldwide humanity. A silver plaque and a check for $1,000 will be given to General Booth at the Humanitarian Award banquet the evening of May 18 as a climax to the four-day national convention of the Variety Clubs at the Hotel Astor, New York. Now 80 years of age, General Booth was selected by a committee of 70 newspaper and magazine editors and radio commentators and others informed in world affairs, none of whom is a member of the Variety Clubs. General Booth, according to Albert Kennedy Rowswell, chairman of the National Humanitarian Award committee, "overtowered everybody in the final balloting." Past recipients of the Humanitarian Award were Father Edward J. Flanagan, Martha Berry, Dr. George Washington Carver, Sister Elizabeth M. Kenny, Cordell Hull and Dr. Alexander Fleming. In citing her for the award, the committee pointed out that General Booth, throughout her entire life, "has given unselfishly of her love and service toward the betterment of humanity and has brightened the pathways of countless men and women by her devotion to a righteous cause, without thought of race, color or creed." Phiico Net for 1945 Reaches $2,377,239 Net income of Phiico Corporation in 1945 was $2,377,239, or $1.73 per share of common stock, after Federal, state and excess profits taxes, and adjustment of reserves, as against revised net income of $3,913,494, or $2.85 per share in 1944. Sales declined in 1945 to $119,129,378, as compared with $152,933,250 the year before. The decline was attributed largely to the drastic cancellation of war contracts after V-J Day, according to the company's annual report to stockholders by John Ballantyne, president, and Larry E. Gubb, chairman of the board. Artkino Distributing Soviet Newsreels Artkino Pictures, New York, began distribution recently of Soviet newsreels. The first New York showing was at the Stanley theatre with the premiere of "Without Dowry." The reels will be distributed in all cities in which Artkino operates. The first issue presented pictures of new consumer goods chosen for mass production, new automobiles and trucks now being produced, and shots of sports and art events in Russia. 34 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MAY 4, 1946