Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

Mexico to Enact No Restrictions On Remittances Mexico City Bureau Exhibitors and others in the trade who feared enactment of laws restricting the sending of film remittances out of the country have been relieved by the assurance of the Ministry of Finance that no such action will be taken. Mexico's dollar and general monetary stocks are satisfactory and, the Ministry believes, any such prohibitive action would amount, almost, to national economic suicide. The dwindling dollar stock is being stemmed, Ministry officials explained, by prohibitions and restrictions on imports. The Ministry further explained that restrictions on remittances would kill the tourist trade, which has become an important business for Mexico — U. S. visitors alone are estimated to have spent about $125,000,000 in this country during 1948. One Ministry official went so far as to say that such restrictions would disrupt Mexican economy, radically change the Mexican system of living, provoke a dangerous black market in dollars, and generally ruin the country economically. Paramount Named in Albany Complaint on Clearance The Capitol City Theatre Company, operating the Eagle theatre at Albany, N. Y, filed a clearance action against Paramount Pictures last Wednesday claiming it suffered "double clearance" on the Delaware theatre, a Warner neighborhood house, and the Colonial, operated by Freedman and Orson of Yonkers, N. Y. Paramount was given seven days in which to answer the complaint. New York Bill Would Permit Referendum on Ticket Tax A bill to amend the New York State law which enables municipal governments to impose special levies, including a five per cent tax on amusements, has been introduced at Albany by Assemblyman Orlo Brees, Republican of Endicott. It calls for a referendum when empowered city and county governing bodies vote special taxes. Governor Thomas E. Dewey, in his message to the legislature this year, recommended extension of the permissive taxing power to areas not now included. Philadelphia Tax Up The Philadelphia City Treasurer announced this week receipts from the city amusement tax for 1947 totaled $4,447,700, compared with $3,284,699 for 1946. The tax rate was four per cent for six months of 1946 and then was raised to 10 per cent. LATE REVIEW Black Bart U niversal International — Another Western The wide open spaces — impressive, too — provide a sweeping background for a perfunctory Western melodrama shy on the sweep of its Technicolored scenery in this Yvonne de CarloDan Duryea vehicle which relies on an original by Luci Ward and Jack Natteford. Duryea is liar, cheat and highwayman who is pushed further west by the law until he reaches California at the time of the Gold Rush. There, he conspires with John Mclntire to undermine up-and-coming Wells Fargo by robbing its stagecoaches of their cash until the express company's resources crack under the strain. At that point, the conspirators figure on taking over. Duryea becomes Black Bart and the plot is well on its way toward nefarious success. Then along comes Lola Montez, toast of the various continents, and it's love. Duryea decides to go straight with the final job just shy of completion, He, along with Jeffrey Lynn who once was his associate in banditry-at-large, is shot to death by a hidden posse. This story, routine and lacking in conviction, is told by Percy Kilbride, who also appears throughout the film as another of Duryea's one-time companions at law-breaking. Efforts at injecting humor are only partially successful. Dialogue is without relieving distinction and performances never more than standard. But the riding is hard and expert. Miss de Carlo sings one number and dances two. Where her earlier films have demonstrated strength, it seems reasonable to assume her new one may as well. Leonard Goldstein produced. George Sherman directed. Reviewed at the home office. Reviewer's Rating : Fair. — Red Kann. Release date, not set. Running time, 80 min. PCA No. 12678. General audience classification. Lola Montez Yvonne de Carlo Charles Boles Dan Duryea Jeffrey Lynn, Percy Kilbride, Lloyd Gough, Frank Lovejoy, John Mclntire, Dan Beddoe, Ray Walker Three Pennsylvania Cities Prepare Amusement Taxes The City Council at Harrisburg, Pa., is considering an ordinance establishing a 10 per cent amusement tax on all admissions to theatres, sports events and other places charging admission. The ordinance, which will come up for final reading February 12, would become effective March 11 and is expected to bring the city $117,000 for the remainder of this year. In Allentown, Pa., the City Council has passed a new measure placing an eight per cent tax on ■ all admissions to amusement places, while the City Council at Reading, Pa., is scheduled to take final action shortly on a new ordinance calling for a 10 per cent tax on ticket sales for all types of amusements. Canadian Amusement Tax Receipts Show Increase Canadian amusement tax collections for the third quarter of 1947 were higher than for the corresponding period of 1946. October collections amounted to $1,372,649; November, $1,266,079, and December, $1,150,380. Figures for the corresponding months of 1946 were $1,335,054, $1,242,254 and $1,062,349. TOA to Resume Talks on Ascap Rate Revisions The Theatre Owners of America will undertake a series of meetings with executives of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in a resumption of negotiations on proposals to modify the Society's new formula on music tax rates. This was announced last Friday in New York following a luncheon meeting at the Metropolitan Club attended by Ted Gamble, TOA president; S. H. Fabian, chairman of the executive committee, and Robert W. Coyne, executive director. Meanwhile, following the introduction of a bill into Congress early last week by Representative Earl R. Lewis which would require Ascap to deal directly with the film producers rather than exhibitors, the society is understood to have favored such a move for some time. Assertedly Ascap's preference for dealing directly with the producers was predicated on the fact that it simplified the collection of music license fees from thousands of theatres. However, several industry spokesmen in New York feel that the exhibitor will benefit but little if the bill ever becomes law. One executive, terming the bill "ill-thought out," said that the measure would save exhibitors exactly nothing, "because it would cost the producers hundreds of thousands of additional dollars," and "they'll simply pass that on in increased rentals." To keep TOA members informed of the history and developments in the Ascap case, Herman M. Levy, general counsel of TOA, issued a bulletin last week which pointed out that "the principal reasons the court gave for holding that Ascap had not complied was that a certain percentage of the Ascap repertory filing cards were improperly filled out and that some of them listed songs in the public domain. . . ." Paramount Sets Dividend The board of directors of Paramount Pictures, Inc., last Friday declared the regular quarterly dividend of 50 cents per share on the common stock, payable March 24, to stockholders of record March 4. Canada Postpones Ban The Canadian Government has postponed for one month — until March 1 — the ban on structural steel imports from the United States to allow completion of theatres and other structures now in the building stage. Sell Theatre Magazine Theatre Arts magazine, the monthly publication devoted to stage and screen, has been sold to another periodical, Stage. The two magazines will be merged and the first issue published in April. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 31, 1948 29