Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

UN Plans Set For Film Foundation Plans for an International Film Foundation were drawn up at the first annual United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization conference held in Paris early this month, John Grierson, documentary film producer, said in New York Sunday upon his arrival from England on the America. Mr. Grierson was a member of the British delegation attending the conference. The suggestion for such an organization, Mr. Grierson said, came from Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association. Another point of business undertaken at the Paris conference calls for the establishment of a commission to study the technical needs of the war-stricken countries. The commission, Mr. Grieson pointed out, would study immediately the needs for material, equipment and trained technical personnel in the fields of motion pictures, radio and press. It will encourage international exchange of instructors and trainees. The foremost features of this arrangement would be the training of guest personnel in the various fields of mass media. A world feature storv project, calling for the leading researchers, writers, radio and film producers to cooperate in presenting and producing a major theme of world interest and significance in the field of UNESCO'S interests, is contemplated in such a way that subjects will appear simultaneously in all media. A 1947 survey on .press and motion pictures will be undertaken to make a factual analysis of the present world structure of mass media. Included for specific analyses are themes and distribution of feature and short films, content of newsreels and recent techniques for the utilization of films. C &O Passengers to See Films On Crack Train Regular Run Legion of Decency Reviews Ten New Productions The National Legion of Decency reviewed 10 new productions this week, approving all but two. In Class A-I, unobjectionable for general patronage, were "The FightingFrontiersman," "The Story of the Pope" and "13 Rue Madeleine." In Class A-II, unobjectionable for adults, were "The Fabulous Suzanne/' "It's a Wonderful Life," "The Return of Monte Cristo," "Sea of Grass" and "Stairway to Heaven." In Class B, objectionable in part, were "Abie's Irish Rose," which "tends to reflect an attitude of indifferentism towards religion," because of "light treatment of marriage," and the Italian "Bridge of Sighs," because of "suggestive dance; suggestive gesture." Soviet "Ivan" To Be Released Artkino Pictures will release Sergei Eisenstein's "Ivan the Terrible" here early in 1947. The film is a biography of the 16thcentury Russian czar. It was written, directed and produced by Mr. Eisenstein. An original score for the picture was especially written by Sergei Prokofieff. Train travel in these modern post-war days is smooth and comfortable, but the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad thinks it also should be entertaining. Starting January 7, passengers on the C. and O. crack train, "The George Washington," on its run between Washington and Cincinnati, will be able to relax while watching up-to-date films unreel in a specially adapted dining car. To make sure of a steady supply of product, the railroad has signed a one-year contract with Universal Pictures, providing for the showing of Universal-International releases. The films will be delivered in 16mm and continuous screenings will take place on the regular sections of "The George Washington," operating in both directions between Newport News and Cincinnati. To start things off right, the first showing of a picture will, at the same time, also be a world premiere. More than 50 newspaper representatives from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Richmond, Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland will leave Washington on the afternoon of January 6 to attend the novel railroad-car open ing of "Swell Guy," the Mark Hellinger production starring Sonny Tufts and Ann Blyth. The picture is being released by U-I. Following the trip, Mr. Hellinger will play host to these newspaper men as well as to railroad officials and Cincinnati city officials at a dinner and reception at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, January 7, to celebrate the C. and O.'s new service. The "Swell Guy" premiere will be under the sponsorship of Robert R. Young, chairman of the board of the C. and O., who is responsible for such railroad innovations such as the coast-to-coast sleeping car service and charge accounts on railroad fares. The road will use the specially adapted units, seating 50 persons, for its motion picture service until spring, when it plans to bring out a new train, to be called "The Chessie," which will have specially-built cars to take care of the "theatre-on-wheels." The train also will travel over the WashingtonCincinnati route. At present pictures will be booked for two-week periods. Two 16mm projectors are to be used. They will be operated by regular union projectionists. ITOA for Drive Unification; Ask "National Health Week" Unification of all national and regional theatre collection drives into one campaign with the results to benefit all worthwhile charities was urged at a meeting of the Independent Theatre Owners Association in New York at the Hotel Astor last week. Harry Brandt, ITOA president, presided. The resolution referred to what it called the "recognized desire" of exhibitors to cooperate in one drive a year and called for coordination of all charitable efforts during a campaign to be known as "National Health Week." The proposal was unanimously approved of by the meeting. The conference also heard a report by Mr. Brandt on the Motion Picture Foundation meeting in New Orleans. The ITOA endorsed the foundation. The organization also approved the recommendations of its study committee on proposed means of cooperating with the U. S. Government. Academic Resumes Milton J. Salzburg and Harold Baumstone, for" the past 12 years president and vice-president, respectively, of Pictorial Films, Inc., have severed their connections with that company to devote their full time to Academic Film Company, Inc. Academic was formed in 1940 for the production and distribution of a series of two-reel American history short subjects on 16mm film but suspended operation during the war. The company is preparing to resume operation. Dimes Campaign Book Set Soon Campaign plans for the March of Dimes drive, set for January 25 through 30, were progressing rapidly this week when Emil C. Jensen, director of the film division of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, announced the 1947 pressbook will be ready for distribution early in January. The book is now being produced by Charles Reed Jones, motion picture division publicity director. Meanwhile, the board of directors of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association at a meeting last Wednesday in New York voted unanimously to assist the campaign in every possible way, short of permitting audience collection, which is an association policy. All 60 of the motion picture theatres in Washington, D. C, have pledged their full support to the program and all theatres will make audience collections at every program. Frank La Falce, Warner theatres publicist in that territory, has been named publicity director for the campaign in the District of Columbia. Bernard Simon and James Proctor, press representatives for New York's legitimate theatres, have been added to the March of Dimes staff and will concentrate on the organization of legitimate theatres throughout the country and enlist their aid and support in the drive. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 28, 1946 23