Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1954)

THE agitation now current for the revision of the industry’s Production Code came up for discussion by members of the Motion Picture Association board of directors, meeting with Eric Johnston, president, in Miami this week. The board of directors was there to negotiate an American Federation of Musicians’ contract. There was unanimous and immediate agreement among the conferees that the Code has served the industry and public well for the past 23 years; that they continued to be pleased with the results and that the essential plan and basic principles of the code should be retained. ► The Treasury Department is beginning to worry over mounting sentiment on Capitol Hill for substantial excise cuts, including a reduction in the admissions tax. It may be forced to disclose its excise plans earlier than it wanted. ► One of the authorities consulted by Congressmen attempting to draw up a Governmental program of health care, was Benjamin Lorber, Universal Pictures insurance manager. He told the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives that only a major medical expense insurance plan could eliminate the average family’s fear of bankruptcy from medical expenses. He pointed at a successful plan operated by Universal and the John Hancock Insurance Company, covering 3,500 employees. ► The Senate Small Business Committee may have done its all for the industry last year. Washington observers said they expected the agenda meeting Thursday to result in a reduced provision for investigation of film industry trade practices. Committee members have said they feel they’ve given enough attention to the industry, and they doubt whether there’ll be public hearings such as those of last year, with concomitant recommendations to the Department of Justice for stricter enforcement of the anti-trust decree and to the industry for its own arbitration system. ► The pending tax revision bill, which the House Ways and Means Committee is now voting on, makes so many changes in existing law that there’s just no way for an individual taxpayer to know — short of seeing a tax lawyer, which is the best advice if the theatre owner or other taxpayer has some complicated partnership, reorganization, capital gain or other problem which requires specialized handling. ► Top Justice Department officials keep insisting that they’re reviewing all pending anti-trust cases with an eye to dropping some, but they also keep refusing to say whether the 16 mm. suit is in this category. Meanwhile, preparations go forward for trial of the very important case on the West Coast. ► In Henderson, Tennessee, local theatre interests are being helped in their desire for Sunday movies by the Chester County High School Parent Teachers Association. The latter petitioned the city commission that “movies be shown on Sunday to provide recreation for Chester County youngsters.” ► H. L. Menken, the old sage of Baltimore, whose iconoclasm riled and beguiled the literary scene for generations, now 73, is marking out his days in serene retirement. Occasionally he finds incentive to leave his Hollins Street hearth. That is to attend the neighborhood theatre. Recent pictures liked by the cynic are “Lili” and Walt Disney’s “Peter Pan.” House Judiciary Committee officials seem in no rush to take up several anti-trust bills carried over from last year. These include measures to authorize federal judges to award less than treble damages in private anti-trust suits and to set up a uniform federal statute of limitations on such suits. ► Film companies with overseas branches will likely get a break in the technical tax revision bill now being shaped by Congress and the Administration. The bill proposes to give branches the same treatment as foreign subsidiaries and waive U. S. taxes on overseas earnings until the earnings are actually remitted to this country. In BETTER THEATRES In “Drive-Ins and the New Techniques," by Gio Gagliardi, the 1954 Drive-In Number of “Better Theatres" offers a method of determining lamp requirements and screen widths permissible for wide-screen and 3D projection on the basis of what drive-in experience indicates to be an acceptable standard of picture brightness. Further pertinent to this new phase of drive-in operation are reports on recent developments in outdoor screens (pages 22 and 43). Concerning drive-in refreshment sales, this issue presents a discussion of methods based on a variety of recent experience across the country, while Wilfred P. Smith describes his new service system. This issue also begins a manual-like presentation of information on theatre maintenance, in which Curtis Mees (continuing his series on management) has arranged the subjects alphabetically for most convenient references. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., Rockefeller Center, New York City 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address, "Quigpubco, New York", Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Levy, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; Martin Quigley, Jr., Editor; Terry Ramsaye, Consulting Editor; James D. Ivers, News Editor; Charles S. Aaronson, Production Editor; Floyd E. Stone, Photo Editor; Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager. Bureaus: Hollywood, William R. Weaver, editor, Yucca-Vine Building, Telephone HOIlywood 7-2145; Chicago, 120 So. LaSalle St., Urben Farley, advertising representative, Telephone, Financial 6-3074; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club; London, Hope Williams Burnup, manager, Peter Burnup, editor, 4 Golden Square. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. Other Quigley Publications:. Better Theatres, published thirteen times a year as Section II of Motion Picture Herald; Motion Picture Daily, Motion Picture and Television Almanac and Fame. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 6, 1954 9