Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

"Tfte whole civilization is rotten anyhow; I have as little to do with it as possible." "All the accusations — they are personal vindictiveness and nothing else." "Picture making cannot be done by regulations; I must look for an inspired unit." Photos by the Herald "I never do anything without Mr. Shaw's advice; he advises me always right." PASCAL TO ITALY WHERE WORKERS HAVE "SPIRIT" GABRIEL PASCAL will make pictures on the Continent. The producer of "Caesar and Cleopatra" and good friend of George Bernard Shaw has reacted strongly to the criticism in the English press. He will produce "Snow Goose" for J. Arthur Rank, beginning August 4, and others ; and may produce "Candida" here. But after that, the Continent, with workers who have "spirit." "I prefer Italy," he said, at an interview last week in the United Artists board room in New York. "In two years, the Italian studios will be fully equipped. The situation there is very healthy. The workers love their work. "Picture making cannot be done by regulations; I must look for an inspired unit." Not Pleased with Labor Mr. Pascal is not precisely pleased with the English labor attitude, mentioned in passing but with emphasis. When he began "Caesar and Cleopatra," he had eight plasterers, and when he ended he had 147. In Rome, he will do the pictures he wants to do, without wrangling about the market destination, he implied. Referring again to the difficulties of making "Caesar and Cleopatra" and to the criticisms which he took pains to answer, he said that one delay was waiting six to eight weeks for a Technicolor camera, which was being employed on "Blithe Spirit." That, emphatically, was not his fault. "All the accusations are personal vindictiveness and nothing else," he said. Any charges that labor in England has made or will make are based on his publicized desire to transfer his picture making to Italy, he added. Mr. Pascal pleaded for the international attitude in the making of pictures. Said he : "There are only good and bad pictures — nothing else ; I am an international producer. "In my opinion, you cannot plan pictures and say they are going here or there and that this people or that people will like them. How many times have you seen Hollywood's 'B' pictures become tremendous uproars, or its pictures which were shelved taken off the shelf and then become great hits ? "If the show business were so wise, it would command audience reactions — and we'd all be millionaires." Unpopularity may well be the price of a retiring and simple nature, Mr. Pascal indicated. "The whole civilization is rotten anyhow," he said; "I have as little to do with it as possible." The tendency in England, he said, is also to attack Mr. Shaw. Mr. Shaw has displeased the press by refusing interviews. But to Mr. Pascal he is "not difficult at all." He is uncompromising only on adjustment of principles in relation to the box office. Even so, with reasonable handling, according to Mr. Pascal, he now sees more than previously the show-business viewpoint. Mr. Pascal decried another "tendency in England," not to work for the international market. "Caesar and Cleopatra," he said, in its box office records is refuting its critics. Hollywood Praised Highly Hollywood was praised highly by Mr. Pascal. "I recognize its superiority. Whatever we do in other countries, Hollywood will be ahead of us," he said. "However, I am very proud of my colleagues now that they don't copy Hollywood. In England, we have at least found our own style." Mr. Pascal is under contract to J. Arthur Rank. Despite his announcement he would produce on the Continet, he also said he would produce in this country. The pictures he would make here would be "Devil's Disciple," "The Showing Up of Blanco-Posnet," and perhaps "Candida." And despite his references to English production, he said he also would produce "Doctor's Dilemma" and "Arms and the Men" there. They are all Shaw plays. Mr. Shaw advises him, Mr. Pascal said. "I never do anything in my life now without his advice," he added. "Mr. Shaw made the deal for me with Rank on 'Caesar and Cleopatra.' He advises me always right." Charles Moss Forms New Producing Company Charles B. Moss, New York exhibitor and son of B. S. Moss, theatre owner, Tuesday announced the formation of his own production company, to be known as Moss Productions. The new organization plans to produce three features during the next two years, confining itself to high budget productions, with a total expenditure of $4,000,000. Believing the general public prefers pictures based on books and plays by popular authors and on popular air shows, Mr. Moss in his announcement said that the new company would specialize in producing pictures which will have the advantage of these presold audiences. Mr. Moss already has contracted with Fannie Hurst to acquire an option to the screen rights to "The Hands of Veronica." Allied of Eastern, Pa., Will Buy and Book Allied of Eastern Pennsylvania will buy and book for its members. The Governors, meeting Monday in Philadelphia, authorized formation of a service. Members will be advised when it is ready to operate. In announcing the move, Sidney Samuelson, general manager, said it "is the logical development of Allied activities." Monogram to Produce 44 for New Season Monogram announced this week that it would produce 32 features and 12 Westerns for the 1946-47 season. The same number of pictures in each group are being released by the company during the current season. Ayres Joins Florez, Inc. Thomas J. Ayres, for the past three years a lieutenant commander in the Navy in charge of the film section of the Special Services Division, last week joined Florez, Inc., to take charge of the production program of promotional and educational films. 28 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JUNE 22, \946