Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

ON THE MARCH by RED KANN HOLLYWOOD'S war years were "closely sequestered and happily unacquainted with the world's realities," Luigi Luraschi, pulse-keeper of foreign market drifts at the Paramount studio in Hollywood, stated the other day in London. He's overseas checking audience reactions and finds : "If Hollywood's supremacy is to be maintained, it is necessary to get around and become acquainted with C7irrent moods arising from the austere conditions of the war's aftermath." A few days earlier, Spyros Skouras was saying in Washington : "Merely entertaining the public may have been our original function, but now there is a more meaningful horizon awaiting the forward march of motion pictures." A few weeks earlier than both foimd Barney Balaban declaring Paramount was prepared to demonstrate a picture does not necessarily have to be escapist to be good entertainment. Is there a pattern brewing? Coming up at Columbus, Miss., on June 10, et al, is the first meeting of MPTOA's board of directors since May of '43. Coming up, too, is the association's future in view of : The American Theatres Association which is moving along. Allied which is on the march. The Conference of Independent Exhibitors' Associations which is kicking up its own dust. Exhibitor movements, never disassociated from trade politics, have known no such upheaval and upset in many years. The general state of affairs is diffused, and it also must be confusing to a lot of theatremeru Everybody is making statements ; everybody is making claims. But, as usual, there is no substitute for facts. As the facts will demonstrate in their own good time. Charlie Einfeld, enthusiasm bubbling clear through the transcontinental telephone from Hollywood on his and Dave Loew's distribution deal with Universal: "We've capped it. Everything's wonderful. Everything's marvelous. Enterprise even started its first — 'Ramrod' — in Utah Monday. We got under way six o'clock in the mwning. That night we were half a day ahead of schedule. Boy, are we enterprising!" Charles R. Reagan, president of the Film Council of America, is working hand in glove with the National Committee on Atomic Information to learn what pictures, and how many, are contemplated by the in dustry as well as educational and documentary producers on the atom bomb. He could confer to advantage with another Reagan. The Charles R. at Paramount knows a lot about atomic bomb films. Such as "Going My Way," "The Road to Utopia" and "Monsieur Beaucaire." With no visible signs of embarrassment, Allied States is considering production at the rate of 12 pictures annually. Going to insist upon preferred playing time and local checkers? Columnists are reporting Paulette Goddard and Paramount exchanging pleasant, if firm, words about future roles. Her desire : more serious parts. The studio's : comedies and tales with zing. Look for a Compromise — Hollywood, not Missouri. Jack Kirsch pulled a phonetic fumble at his recent testimonial dinner in Chicago. "There are many distinguished chests here tonight," he said. Etc., etc. Among those at the dais was Carole Landis. MYSTERY NOTE: Why 20th-Fox shot "Anna and the King of Siam" in black-andwhite and "Do You Love Me?" in Technicolor. Probably a legend, but passed along as the truth: The reason why Ray Milland, tired and seeking a vacation, decided to step into the tough-man lead in "California" was to square himself in the eyes of his young son, Danny. "He kept on talking about Gary Cooper and asking questions. It was self-defense," Milland is reported to have said. Hollywood seems to be tottering on the brink of insanity, but it's only another rapidly flowering picture cycle. Like this : Enterprise— "The Snake Pit"; Eagle-Lion — "Matteawan"; Warner — "The Secret" and "Rebel Without Cause." HOUSE AD: In one week, the Herald's ever-widening circle of theatre readers broadened to include additional operating -bowmen in : Belgium, Brazil, China, England, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands East Indies, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, the Soviet Union, Spain, Straits Settlements, Sweden, Syria and Turkey. Returns from Madagascar aren't in yet. CPA Order Hits TheatreBu tidings Set Construction Motion picture theatre building and studio set construction were seriously affected last Wednesday when John D. Small, Civilian Production Administrator in Washington, directed each agency field office to reduce its dollar value of non-housing authorization by two-thirds in comparison with its rate of project approvals for the two-week period ended May 23. This action was taken, Mr. Small said, because of the "impact of strikes on production and building materials," and because of the large volume of construction already under way or authorized. The order will be reviewed about midJuly to determine whether it can be relaxed. Monday Mr. Small explained that no effort was made to discriminate against the motion picture industry. "Motion pictures are simply not considered essential in the light of drastic shortages of materials. All other non-essential activities were cut, too," Mr. Small said. Also Monday it was pointed out in Washington by M. W. Niewenhous, chief of the lumber and lumber producers section of the CPA, that the film industry and other industries would begin receiving more adequate supplies of lumber for theatre and set construction by July 1. He asserted that 50 per cent of the lumber production was being maintained on a "free basis" for use by any commercial interests desiring it, despite the drastic curtailment of construction imposed by the agency. Halt Commercial Building In Midwest for 45 Days Complete curtailment for at least 45 days of all commercial building in the midwest was ordered by John McGillis, regional manager of the Civilian Production Administration, in Detroit. Acting on a Washington directive to speed veterans' housing, Mr. McGillis said millions of dollars worth of commercial and industrial construction, including theatre and educational projects, were doomed to "indefinite postponement." Slight relief was seen by theatre men here in the provision permitting theatre construction where such construction "will provide minimum community facilities absolutely necessary for residential areas developed for veterans' use." Sells Photo-Stills Plant Consolidated Film Industries has sold itsPhotoStills Division to Film Fotos, Inc., a newly organized company which will continue to operate the plant and to service the Republic Pictures account. Harold Berla, for the past several years in charge of the division, is president of Film Fotos. 22 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 8, I94f