Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

TMM1S WEEK IN THE NEWS Oops, Sorry SOMETIMES James C. Petrillo gets so mad he can't see straight. That happened to him this week. Looking around for a living for his musicians, whose union he heads, he took a swipe at television in his union's journal, The International Musicians. Television, he wrote in the journal issued Tuesday, is "another example of the potential use of recorded music in supplanting live musicians." He complained about a televised performance of "Aida" in which recorded music was used and the artists in front of the camera merely mouthed the words. "Televisors," he wrote scornfully, "would employ live musicians only on a casual basis and have indicated no present inclination to staff their stations with live musicians." His arguments had no effect on the television industry for this simple reason : for the gast two years Petrillo had prohibited the employment of musicians in television under any conditions whatsoever. Off and On AS the Mississippi State Senate last week voted to reduce the state's theatre admission tax from 13 to two per cent, the Borough Council in Carlisle, Pa., imposed a 10 per cent ticket tax on all amusements. In supporting the bill before the Mississippi state legislature Senator Farese said the move would save $1,338,000 in taxes for persons attending motion pictures during the next two years. The Carlisle measure went into effect February 12. A call for a similar amusement tax for Plymouth Township, outside Philadelphia, also was issued last week by the community's school board to meet automatic increases in teachers' salaries. Should such a tax be decided on, however, it would not go into effect until July 1. MOTION PICTURE HERALD for February 21, 1948 EXHIBITION moving forces for a threefront battle Page 12 BALTIMORE and Ch icago theatres charge monopoly in suits Page 12 ON THE MARCH— Red Kann in comment on industry affairs Page 18 UNIVERSAL plans to release 24 films in next nine months Page 20 COAST strike was "collusion," Congressman Kearns charges Pages 21 HOLLYWOOD waiting watchfully to see technique of "The Rope" Page 22 NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT— Notes on industry personnel across country Page 23 AVERAGE 1947 dividend was $1.22 per share on I I film stocks Page 28 500 MEN of good will in Washington, D. C, Variety Club Page 29 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS Impure Mexico City Bureau WHEN SOFIA ALVAREZ, the Colombian who is one of Mexico's leading actresses, read the script of "The Impure Sister" she didn't find very much wrong with it. When she was playing the scenes she still didn't find them objectionable. But when she saw herself in those scenes on the screen, that was a different matter. So she's wrapped up a complaint and is suing her producer, Clasa Films Mundiales, for $40,000, contending that the company so manipulated five sequences of "The Impure Sister" that her reputation "as a lady and as an actress" was damaged. Late Reviews Hollywood Scene In the Newsreels Managers' Round Table Picture Grosses Page 31 Page 27 Page 32 Page 37 Page 36 Short Product at First Runs Page 35 What the Picture Did for Me Page 33 IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews Page 4065 Reissue Reviews Page 4067 Advance Synopses Page 4067 Short Subjects Page 4067 Release Chart by Companies Page 4070 Service Data Page 4071 The Rel ease Chart Page 4072 MAGIC SHADOWS, The Story of the Origin of Motion Pictures, by Martin Quigley, Jr., a one-volume, illustrated study of the prehistory of the art; will be reviewed in The Herald by Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith next week, concurrent with publication of the book by The Georgetown University Press. Interview HOWARD BARNES was surprised. hJ found Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association, a "live wire," a fellow of exceeding candor, a man who laic' his cards on the table. Mr. Barnes, theatre1 and film critic, took a look at those cards and this week put what he saw in them intc two articles for his paper, the New York Herald Tribune. Mr. Barnes had recentl} written a series of articles on Hollywood. Mr. Johnston had appreciated them, and had, in consequence, invited Mr. Barnes to, Washington for their first meeting. As reported by Mr. Barnes, the MPAA president conceded that "there is not a film company of importance which has not been in the red since the last quarter of 1947' and there are more losses to come. But Mr. Johnston was not overly pessi mistic. He was, in fact, already seeing re adjustment coming and had some sugges tions of his own, to hurry that period: too many high salaries, including his own, are being paid ; too much money is being spent on single productions, more original material should be exploited, new talent should be sought, and he is "sure that the public wants pictures dealing with contemporary problems." Anniversary Hollyxvood Bureau LOUELLA O. PARSONS will celebrate her 27th anniversary with the Hearst papers March 4. A monster, Hearst-sponsored party will be held in her honor that evening at the Coconut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel here. Evidence of Miss Parson's drawing power are the hushed, awed whispers circulating here that William Randolph Hearst, now 86 years old, might attend that ! party himself, as the host to the 700 invited guests. Santa Claus LIKE MANY another father, producer Edward A. Golden played Santa Claus for his son, Robert S., when the kid was just a kid. But now Robert S. has grown to man's estate and* is producing "Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven," and Edward A. is still playing Santa Claus. It all happened when father wandered onto his son's TB&H set and actress Florence Bates said that he looked jollier than any of the extras chosen to play St. Nick. Not a man afraid of going along with a gag, Edward A. gummed some whiskers to his cheeks, donned a bright red suit, posed against a reindeer and the cameras swooped down on him. 8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 21, 1948