Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1951)

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MPEA MAY BE DISCOIVTIIYEED Expect Unit Will End Its Export Operation, Stay as Liaison Abroad With the film companies taking over in Japan on an individual basis starting January 1, 1952, the future of the Motion Picture Export Association is in doubt. It is thought likely that, as a practical, functioning export arm of the industry, it will be discontinued next year. This would not, however, affect the over-all status of the MPEA which, as the agent of the major companies in dealings abroad, is to be continued indefinitely. No decision has as yet been reached as to the precise future of the export group, but an official of the Motion Picture Association of America conceded recently that, when MPEA gives way to individual operations in Japan, “the presidents most likely will have another look at the setup.” Maas Prepares Report It is understood that Irving Maas, vicepresident and general manager of the MPEA, is currently preparing a report covering the six-year period of his stewardship of MPEA affairs. Mr. Maas refused to disclose this week whether he would submit his resignation from the MPEA along with his report to Eric Johnston, MPEA president, but he indicated that it would contain several specific recommendations pertaining to the association's future conduct of affairs. Eormed in 1945 under the Webb-Pomerene Act and activated in 1946, when Mr. Maas took over after resigning as vice-president of the international company of Twentieth Century-Eox, the Export Association has been instrumental in the remittance of more than $10,000,000 from the 13 territories where it operated. Additional millions of dollars earned by MPEA-distributed films are currently blocked in the various countries and will be remitted sooner or later. In Japan alone, the American companies have in excess of 3,500,000,000 yen (more than $10,000,000), and substantial sums are frozen also in Germany. No Czech, Polish Offices At present, the MPEA is functioning in Austria and Yugoslavia and is winding up its affairs in Japan. At one time, MPEA product was being shown in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Roumania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria, Germany, Japan, Holland, Korea and Indonesia. Russia was included in the MPEA orbit, but no deal to import American films there was ever set. At present, MPEA pictures are theoretically still in circulation in Poland and Czechoslovakia, but whether they are actually being shown is open to conjecture, the MPEA having no longer an office in Czecho.slovakia or in Poland. The MPEA contract with Poland runs to the end of 1951, and the Poles at times have indicated a desire to extend it. The Czech contract is up at the end of 1952 and provides that six new pictures be put into distribution. The Yugoslavs now take 35 American films a year under a contract which has just gone into effect recently. The Austrian contract still has another year to go. The talks with the Russians last week were described by Mr. Maas as being “in a state of suspended animation.” A deal with Moscow was originally set by Mr. Johnston during a personal visit there. It called for the Russians to buy 20 pictures for $1,000,000. Last year, Soviet authorities were shown some 60 pictures in 35mm. — they refused to look at 16mm prints — but couldn’t decide on more than just a handful. There have been no screenings lately. Service Organization In Roumania, where the MPEA had its own office, it ceased to function in 1948. The same year saw operations suspended too in Hungary, which attacked individual stars and impounded the MPEA prints. Bulgarian authorities destroyed the MPEA prints under proper supervision after their contract with the Association expired. In Indonesia, Holland and Germany, MPEA continued to act as a service organization after the companies entered the market on their own, but these setups too have been disbanded. In Japan, MPEA was able to do an extensive and thorough job in selling Hollywood pictures not only for their entertainment, but also as “visual textbooks” for those anxious to learn about democracy and the ways of the West. The association also has been responsible for considerable improvement in the physical maintenance of the Japanese theatres. The MPEA was part of the film industry’s effort to recapture its pre-war markets. The basic idea of meeting foreign competition with a “united front” organization has existed since the early thirties. After the war, with the emergence of the state-controlled film monopolies in the Iron Curtain and other countries, and with the problem of supplying occupied areas with product, the MPEA setup was created as the most efficient to meet a difficult situation. Picked for Suitability For the most part, films were picked by Mr. Maas on the basis of their suitability for the countries concerned. The major companies and a number of the independents pooled their product for the purpose, but some of the independent producers, like Samuel Goldwyn, for instance, refused to participate in the arrangement, preferring to make local sales. Other independents at times complained over the basis on which MPEA profits were divided. The scope of the MPEA was never expanded beyond the 13 original territories, but at times there have been suggestions that it extend its operations to other difficult markets. Even if the functional part of the MPEA is dissolved — its staff already has been reduced to the bare minimum — the MPEA as such, representing the major companies in dealings abroad, will continue. Open Fort Lee House B. S. Moss Theatres this week formally opened its new Lee theatre. Fort Lee, N. J , with a cocktail party and buffet supper in the theatre lobby. M-G-M TRADE SHOWNOV. 8th CALLAWAY WENT THATAWAY te 51 ALBANY ATLANTA BOSTON BUFFALO CHARLOTTE CHICAGO CINCINNATI CLEVELAND DALLAS DENVER DES MOINES DETROIT INDIANAPOLIS JACKSONVILLE KANSAS CITY LOS ANGELES MEMPHIS MILWAUKEE MINNEAPOLIS NEW HAVEN NEW ORLEANS NEW YORK -N.J. OKLAHOMA CITY OMAHA PHILADELPHIA PITTSBURGH PORTLAND ST. LOUIS SALT LAKE CITY SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE WASHINGTON 20thFox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room M-G-M Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room H. C. Igel's Screen Room RKO Palace Bldg. Sc. Rm. 20thFox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room Paramount Screen Room 20th-Fox Screen Room MaxBlumenthal’s Sc. Rm. 20thFox Screen Room Florida State Screen Room 20th-Fox Screen Room United Artists’ Scr. Room 20th-Fox Screen Room Warner Screen Room Paramount Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room M-G-M Screen Room 20th-Fox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room M-G-M Screen Room M-G-M Screen Room B. F. Shearer Screen Rm. S’Renco Art Theatre 20thFox Screen Room 20thFox Screen Room Jewel Box Preview Thea. RKO Screen Room 1052 Broadway 11/8 197 Walton St., N. W. 11/8 46 Church Street 11/8 290 Franklin Street 11/8 308 S. Church Street 11/8 1301 S. Wabash Ave. 11/8 16 East Sixth Street 11/8 2219 Payne Ave. 11/8 1803 Wood Street 11/8 2100 Stout Street 11/8 1300 High Street 11/8 2311 Cass Avenue 11/8 326 No. Illinois St. 11/8 128 East Forsyth Street 11/8 1 720 Wyandotte St. 11/8 1851 S. Westmoreland 11/8 151 Vance Avenue 11/8 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. 11/8 1201 Currie Avenue 11/8 40 Whiting Street 11/8 200 S. Liberty St. 11/8 630 Ninth Avenue 11/8 10 North Lee Street 11/8 1 502 Davenport St. 11/8 1233 Summer Street 11/8 1623 Blvd. of Allies 11/8 1947 N. W. Kearney St. 11/8 3143 Olive Street 11/8 216 E. First St., So. 11/8 245 Hyde Street 11/8 2318 Second Ave. 11/8 932NewJerseyAve.,N.W. 11/8 M-G M presents FRED MacMURRAY • DOROTHY McGUIRE . HOWARD KEEL in THATAWAY” • Written, Produced and Directed by Norman Panama and Melvin Erank 2 P.M. 10 A.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. 1 :30 P.M. 1 ;30 P.M. 8 P.M. 1 P.M. 2:30 P.M. 2 P.M. 1 P.M. 1 :30 P.M. 1 P.M. 2:30 P.M. 1 :30 P.M. 2 P.M. 12 Noon 1 :30 P.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. 1 :30 P.M. 2:30 P.M. 1 P.M. 1 P.M. 11 A.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. 1 P.M. 1 P.M. 1 :30 P.M. 1 P.M. 2 P.M. ‘CALLAWAY WENT • An M G-M Picture 46 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 1951