Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

Bell & Howell Net Sales$10,387,699 The Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, announced net sales for the year 1946 of $10,387,699, in its annual report released this week to stockholders. Although this figure represents an 85 per cent increase over the last pre-war year of 1941, according to J. H. McNabb, president, desired production schedules were not attained during the first nine months of the year because of material and labor shortages and restrictive price ceilings. Strikes in some of the company's major suppliers' plants also restricted output. After application of Federal tax carryovers, Bell & Howell's net profit for the year amounted to $422,945, representing earnings of 69 cents per share on common stock outstanding. Regular dividends on the common stock were paid for the 32nd consecutive year. The annual meeting of stockholders will be held at the company's executive offices in Chicago April 16. Legion of Decency Reviews Nine New Productions The National Legion of Decency reviewed nine new productions this week, approving all but three. In Class A-I, unobjectionable for general patronage, were : "Citizen Saint," "King of Wild Horses," "Range Beyond the Blue" and "Seven Were Saved." In Class A-II, unobjectionable for adults, were : "The Guilty" and "Lady Chaser." In Class B, objectionable in part, were : "Fall Guy," the first picture to be made under that amendment to the Production Code which permits traffic in drugs to be pictured, because "presentation of illicit drug traffic tends to cause morally harmful social effects" ; "Carnival in Costa Rica," because it "presents an incorrect concept of Catholic teaching concerning the effects of the civil ceremony of marriage" ; and "Time Out of Mind," because it "reflects the acceptability of divorce." First of Pagnol Trilogy Films Arrives in U. S. "Marius," first film of the Marcel Pagnol • produced French trilogy, has arrived in this country, according to Joe Siritzky of Siritzky International, which will handle the pictures here. The French producer will come here some time during the summer. He intends to make pictures in the U. S. The other two films in the trilogy are "Fanny" and "Cesar." All have been cut from three hours running time to two and a half. "Marius" was directed by Sir Alexander Korda. The trilogy will be released in three different houses in October. Eagle-Lion Moves Office The entire 15th floor of the Bond Building, 165 West 46th Street, New York, has been taken over by Eagle-Lion Films. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 5, 1947 Maas to Berlin to Discuss MPEA Activity in Germany Irving Maas, vice-president and general manager of the Motion Picture Export Association, flew to Berlin unexpectedly Monday to discuss the transfer of film distribution in Germany from Army to MPEA hands. Other matters, including some stemming from the recent merger of the U. S. and British occupation zones, also will be discussed. Representing MPEA and the American motion picture industry at the conierences, besides Mr. Maas, will be Joseph H. Seidelman, president of Universal International ; Wladimir Lissim, European general manager for RKO ; Fay W. Allport, European manager for the Motion Picture Association, and Robert E. Vining, MPEA representative in Germany. Other international executives of MPEA member companies also may attend. Representing the Army will be Brigadier General Robert A. McClure, director of Information Control, and. later, British army officers. Discussions are expected to center on the transfer of control over distribution, which may be executed much earlier than expected. A change of this nature already has taken place in Austria, where the Army now retains only the right to exercise censorship. While in Europe, Mr. Maas will visit MPEA offices in Amsterdam, Prague and Vienna, and may tour the Balkans. Archbishop Announces "Duel" Classification to Catholics Archbishop John J. Cantwell has officially notified Catholics of the Los Angeles Archdiocese that David O. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun" had received a "B'' classification from the Legion of Decency. In a message in The Tidings, official Catholic publication of the Archdiocese, His Excellency directed the priests to inform their people of the classification. Archbishop Cantwell said, "The producer has responded with cooperation and understanding to the public criticism of the trial run of the picture in Los Angeles and has shown an awareness of responsibility for the moral and social significance of motion pictures." Loew's Opens 16mm Film Exhibition in Australia The first commercial 16mm entertainment program in Australia was held last Saturday at Hill End, New South Wales, it was announced by Orton H. Hicks, head of the 16mm department, for Loew's International in New York. N. Bernard Freeman, MGM manager, and Cecil Gidley, 16mm representative, arranged the showing and the picture selected was "Naughty Marietta," starring Jeanette MacDonald. "Raider" Showing Set "The Raider," a documentary sea story of the English Navy, which is being distributed in this country by English Films, Inc., was scheduled to open at the Art and Sutton theatres in New York Friday. It was produced by the Crown Film Unit. / There's No Business Like Show Business When You Show Released thru^ 4 J