Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

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ON THE MARCH S. Says Schine by RED KANN Realignment Is Aimed at Delay EXHIBITORS are talking, and wondering as they talk, about the frequency with which Paramount is letting go on attractions which star, or co-star, Ray Milland. "The Lost Weekend" in Block I was followed by "Kitty" in Block 2. Now comes "The Weil-Groomed Bride" in Block 4. Or a total of three from November to May, according to release date. It's only slightly different with Olivia de Havilland: "The' Well-Groomed Bride," May 17 in Block 4, and "To Each His Own," July 5 in Block 5. She's also practically just getting around in "Devotion," April 20 from Warner. Only slightly different, too, with Alan Ladd: "The Blue Dahlia," April 19 in Block 4, and "O.S.S.," July 26 in Block 6. Warner pridefullv advertised Dane Clark in two pictures playing day-and-date on Broadway. One was "Her Kind of Man." The other, "A Stolen Life." They'll be tussling it out throughout the nation as well. There are those who argue this is too much. At first blush, the contention seems justified because marquees across the country no doubt will be fighting one another with the same stars. But there are others who suggest stop worrying. They base their answer on the case of those three Bergmans hitting the market simultaneously : "The Bells of St. Mary's," "Spellbound" and "Saratoga Trunk." The first is lead-all grosser of the season and all-season recordsmasher [at prevailing, not advanced admissions, and without benefit of roadshows] after "Gone With the Wind." The other two of the Bergman trilogy are among the $$$ giants of the current year. Fishing in familiar red herring waters, Hearst's New York Journal-American reels in its Washington line with this excerpt credited to an as-yet-unpublished report of the House Committee on Un-American Activities : "If the industry itself continues to do nothing about it [referring to the allegation made earlier that Communists, through infiltration into the writing and technical sections of the business, have become "one of the most influential forces in the industry"] the great majority of the persons in the industry performing work of a creative nature will, within the not distant future, be either Communist Party members or close sympathizers following the party line. The industry will then be dependent upon this radical group for its output. Ridiculous to the point of absurdity. ROAD PA VERS : Hollywood— "The exhibitor must realize the cost of production has continuously increased beyond our control in the past few years, and theatre oper ators must carry their share of the load in increased rentals if the quality and quantity of productions are to be continued." — Herbert J. Yates, addressing a Republic sales convention at the studio. Chicago — Spyros Skotiras, 20th CenturyFox president, last night [May 25] urged the Conference of Independent Exhibitors' Associations and Allied States to give some attention to rising production costs, warning that pictures made at today's costs will have to command higher terms and rentals. — From Motion Picture Daily. Harry E. Huffman, district manager of Fox Intermountain Theatres, writing frorn Denver to Albert Warner in New York on the occasion of Warners' observation of two decades of sound: "I shall never forget my visit to New York when you gentlemen told me that I should hear your two productions of 'Don Jiian' and 'The Better 'Ole' before you talked to me, and then asked me to sign a contract in blank, which I did." Relations have been cordial ever since. Question: If the American Theatres Association stands by its determination not to become involved in trade practices, what happens with its announced decision to fight inimical legislation under these never remote circumstances : 1 — A bill — Federal or state — for or against designated playdates? 2. — A bill — Federal or state — for theatre divorcement ? 3. — A bill — Federal, this time — to reduce admission taxes when big first runs and modest subsequents fail to see, eye to eye, on the extent of the reduction ? Etc., etc., in that large and not always definable area where legislation can create new trade practices or affect those already flourishing. Byron Price, vice-president of MPA [Hollywood terminal'], observes America is friendly to the importation of foreign films provided they conform to American moral standards. A necessary reason, but not enough. Theatremen of America will be friendlier to imports when they can learn to depend upon them for regular do-re-mi at the b.o. Case of author knocking the brains out of her own brainchild is that of Anya Seaton, who conceived "Dragonwyck." In a Washington interview commenting on selection of Gene Tierney as feminine lead, she said, "It didn't make much difference who played the part. The character is such a dope." The long argument over the dissolution of the Schine circuit grew more heated this week as the Department of Justice charged the only intent of the Schine self-reorganiza • tion plan was simply to secure further delay in the entry of a final judgment." Apparently unperturbed, Schine Chain Theatres, Inc., Tuesday asked Judge John Knight in Buffalo Federal Court to postpone adoption of any reorganization until additional testimony is taken on operations of the circuit in the light of present day conditions — this testimony to be heard by a specially appointed master. Retains Garfield Hays Along with this request went an affidavit filed by Arthur Garfield Hays, attorney newly retained by the circuit. Said Mr. Hays : "The government has submitted a plan which would completely cause the destruction of a business that has been built up by painstaking effort over a period of 30 years. ... It is submitted that a presentation of the facts as to the Schine business in the year 1946 and of the industry in general is necessary before proper consideration can be given to any plan." This attitude, according to the Department of Justice, is treating the case just as though the circuit had not been found guilty of violating the Sherman Anti-trust Act. "We therefore respectfully suggest," the Department asked, "that the court should without further hearing and in accordance with arrangements made April 16, enter an order approving such plan as may coincide with its conception of the proper means to effectuate Section III of its judgment . . . "Since we had already obtained by consent a limited theatre divestiture, the main purpose of the trial of the suit was to determine the extent to which further divestiture should be ordered," the Department said. "In filing their socalled tentative plan of May 7, the defendants have now formally announced that they regard this adjudication as meaningless . . . Asks Order in 30 Days "Even if the defendants' plan contemplated the creation of new corporations actually competing with each other, rather than a non-competitive territorial division of the existing monopoly, it would be absurd to suppose that sole control of such corporations by the two guilty brothers and their wives would dissipate the effects of the monopoly." The Department of Justice called on the court to enter an order within 30 days. Willard S. McKay, Schine counsel, has declared that the final version of the Schine self-reorganization plan would demonstrate inaccurate allegations in the contentions of the Government. 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE I, 1946