Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

THIS WEEK IN THE NEWS Ask Mother LIONEL BARRYMORE, who was to play the role of Franklin D. Roosevelt in MGM's atom bomb picture, has been dropped from the cast because of protests from the Roosevelt family, the studio has announced. James Roosevelt, eldest son of the president, now living in Beverly Hills, confirmed the announcement. When asked if Barrymore was unacceptable because he supported Republican Governor Dewey of New York in the last presidential election, Mr. Roosevelt referred the question to his mother. It is understood that Barrymore wrote Mrs. Roosevelt discussing his role in the presidential election. No replacement for the role has been announced. Documentary A NAME from the film industry emerged this week from Canada's spy trials ; it was that of John Grierson, documentary film producer, and former head of the National Film Board of that country. Igor Gouzenko, former employee of the Soviet Embassy at Ottawa, and the Government's star witness, swore that Mr. Grierson had been asked by a Russian emissary to transfer a female employee to a position where she could be more efficient as a Soviet spy. Mr. Gouzenko's testimony was taken last September. It was disclosed at the trial last week of one of several Soviet agents tried by Canada— Fred Rose, Communist member of Parliament. National Film Board employees contributed to a fund for the legal defense of civil servants implicated in the case, Gordon K. Foster, Parliament member, charged at Ottawa last week. A board spokesman denied that such a fund was collected on the premises or with the knowledge of the board, but said it might have been collected privately. Horrid Vandalism London Bureau THAT OLD BOGEY, the Vandal of Hollywood, casts his sinister shadow hereabouts again — England's intellectuals getting all bothered because, so it's rumored, some American companies propose buying certain French films lock, stock and barrel, for the purpose of making them over again in the Hollywood mode. The intellectuals were stirred when Hollywood bought the English "Gaslight" and made it again; the suggestion being that some masterpiece of cinematic art was thereby lost irretrievably to posterity. The films now concerned are French — "Le Jour se Leve" and "Fric-Frac," both FEDERAL court renders decision in antitrust action Page 12 COMPLETE text of judges' decision in action against majors Pages 1 4a1 41 MPTOA streamlines for action; elects Wehrenberg president Page 19 FELLOWSHIP marks roundup of exhibitors in Salt Lake City Page 22 EXHIBITOR units take field in showdown battle for support Page 23 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS Hollywood Scene Page 42 In the Newsreels Page 50 Late Reviews Page 25 Managers' Round Table Page 59 Picture Grosses Page 58 Short Product at First Runs Page 56 pleasant excursions into Gallic fantasy. Anthony Asquith, president of the Association of Cine Technicians, has written Eric A. Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association, complaining it's horrid vandalism for an American company to purchase "Le Jour" and destroy the original and all available copies. Says Mr. Asquith to Mr. Johnston : "We cannot condemn too strongly the deliberate destruction of masterpieces of cinema." Says Mr. Asquith to the French Film Technicians' Union: "Exert pressure to prevent this wretched vandalism." Pity the Art EGYPTIAN pictures are beginning to receive bad press notices in Syria and Lebanon. An important Arabic newspaper published in Damascus, Al Donia, strongly criticized Egyptian films, saying they "have not pity for the public and still less for the art." The article continues by saying that Arabic-language pictures show low grosses at the box office and concludes by saying : "Leaders of Egypt, rid us of stupid films. We fear to make such a suggestion to our Government for fear of spoiling the relations between our two countries. You owners of cinemas, bring back foreign films thro.ugh pity of the art." This, according to Jacques Pascal, Cairo correspondent for Motion Picture Herald, "indicates more than a speech could that the American films are held in high esteem by the countries of the Middle-East and that this market could be further cultivated." ON THE MARCH— Red Kann in light and serious industry comment Page 24 WARNERS report six-month net profit up to $9,125,000 Page 26 ITALY approves agreement for importation of American product Page 33 NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT— notes about industry people across country Page 34 MGM to use dubbing exclusively in product going to Latin America Page 36 What the Picture Did for Me Page 52 IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews Page 3041 Short Subjects Page 3043 Short Subjects Chart Page 3044 The Release Chart Page 3046 Genets Back GENE AUTRY is riding the range again for Republic as of old. The singing cowboy, one of the box office stars before he entered the Army in 1942, began work this week in "Sioux City Sue," under a new agreement with Republic, by which he will appear in four pictures this year and possibly four next year. Birdwell Out RUSSELL BIRDWELL and Associates, the public relations firm which has been handling the Howard Hughes account, has been dropped by Mr. Hughes in favor of Carl Byoir and Associates, according to an announcement from Mr. Birdwell, who says: "It was Birdwell who made a national issue of 'The Outlaw.' " Novelty WELL, at least in one place juveniles are getting less "delinquent." It is in Columbus, Ohio, where Police Captain Charles Berry said last week that since the war his men have arrested fewer minors. He thinks this is why : more mothers have come home from war plants ; more fathers are home from the services ; more civic groups are attempting to educate the youngsters; the police themselves are more active. In 1944, Columbus police arrested 2,152 juveniles, he said: in 1945, they arrested 1,647; and, to date, they've arrested only 479. 8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 15, 1946