Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1954)

i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 it ,,, i , , If # I Jjf III f mm mm Jgf ' Tiliill iiiiif xxxbxWx.x.:; : by WILLIAM R. WEAVER HoUyzvood Editor Etollywood is taking steps to find out for the theatrical motion picture trade whether television may turn out to be a source of entertainment material as well as a competitor for the entertainment-seeker’s time. This is not a considered, collectively planned and activated taking of steps, such as Hollywood is forever talking about and forgetting. It is a unilateral taking of steps by individuals who, presumably, have no dreams about unearthing great commercial truths or conducting systematic market research. So far three such steps have been taken, by individuals and organizations totally independent of each other, and it will be a while before tangible proofs of anything can be had. Each step is a production, and will have to play some theatres before anybody can be sure whether it’ll sell tickets nor not. Two Ready Now; Third To Go into Production Two of the productions have been completed and are ready for the test of general release. The other, which is in many ways the likeliest to yield decisive indication, is scheduled to go into production within 90 days, however, and can be counted on to reach release in a relatively short time after the completion of filming. The first of the three productions is MGM’s “The Long, Long Trailer,” slated for first exhibitions in a week or so, which has been discussed in this space prior to now. It is by no means a subject borrowed from television, but its co-stars are television’s top couple, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and MGM’s never made a secret of the fact that the television fame of the nation’s favorite married pair is the factor that prompted the production o-f the picture. Now it will not mean a great deal, as concerns the usefulness of television as a source of material, if “The Long, Long Trailer” makes mountainous amounts of money at the box office. For it is a sparkling comedy, one of the rare ones of this or any season, quite independently of its players, and might have made huge sums of money with two other competent performers in the top roles. But it will mean a great deal indeed, relative to the question in consideration here, if “The Long, Long Trailer” comes up less than a hit when the tickets go on sale. Will Provide Test At the Box Office That would have to mean that a great many millions of people who dote on Lucy and Desi on their “I Love Lucy” program weekly at no immediately perceptible out-of pocket expense did not see fit to go to the theatre and pay to see them in the longer, bigger and better motion picture. And in view of the extraordinary personal and professional popularity of these two players, which has not been equalled by any others up to now, a failure of “The Long, Long Trailer” would have to be regarded as going a long way toward proving that the theatrical motion picture can’t look forward to reaping rich returns from the borrowing of television stars. “ World for Ransom ” Is Really TV’s China Smith The second of the three productions that can be looked to for indication as to the usefulness of television material on the motion picture theatre screen is the Allied Artists release, “World for Ransom,” now on the point of going into exhibition. This is not represented in title or billing as being a television derivative. Actually it is, in effect, a long, long “China Smith” incident stretched out from the 30 minutes utilized weekly on television to the 82 minutes it runs, with a change of principal names arid addition of some that have marquee significance, on the motion picture theatre’s very big screen. It is hardly to be said that “World for Ransom” is a test of television material before the fact, so to speak, since a theatregoer witnessing it shall not have known beforehand that he was buying a protracted television show minus commercials. And it may well be that, in view of his uninformed condition, any displeasure he might express regarding the picture is colored by the fact that he didn’t know he was buying with his money a super-helping of the “China Smith” entertainment he’d been buying with his time only, theretofore. It would seem, this far in advance of actual exhibition test, that the only genuinely useful instruction this picture might yield, as to the value of television material in theatrical film production, would be evidence relative to the possibilities, and perhaps the penalties, of keeping the source a secret. “ Dragnet ” Expected To Show Real Value The third of the productions that can be expected to tell the trade something definite about the usefulness of television as a source of motion picture theatre entertainment is “Dragnet,” which is to be made in feature length for release by Warner Brothers. “Dragnet” is to television at this point what “‘Birth of a Nation” was to the silent motion picture for a span of its best years. Its two half-hours on television plus its half hour or radio give “Dragnet” a saturation THIS WEEK IN PRODUCTION: STARTED (2) U-l This Island Earth (Technicolor) Bengal Rifles (Technicolor) COMPLETED (5) COLUMBIA Human Beast Waterfront RKO Susan Slept Here (Technicolor) SHOOTING (16) COLUMBIA Law vs. Billy the Kid Killer Wore a Badge Three Hours to Kill MGM Brigadoon (CinemaScope; Ansco color) Bride for Seven Brothers ( CinemaScope; Eastman color) Beau Brummell (Eastman color) PARAMOUNT Bridges at Toko-Ri (Eastman color) RKO Big Rainbow (Technicolor) 20TH-FOX Gambler from Natchez (Panoramic Prod.; Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllll no other dramatic presentation has matched heretofore or is likely to hereafter. This is, on various and all points, the nearest perfect specimen of television entertainment existing today. Now the picture made of “Dragnet” is to be precisely in consonance with the original. The same people will have the making in hand, and the same star will be starred. It goes without saying that the “Dragnet” personnel and the Warner studio personnel will extend themselves to the utmost in the interests of the property that has extended its horizons so far and held its public in such faithful sway. In this venture there will be no changing of character, as in “The Long, Long Trailer,” and no concealment of source and portrayal, as in “World for Ransom.” No. This is to be an all-out filming for theatrical exhibition at paid admissions of a dramatic material that is customarily filmed for exhibition via television with no admission charged to the audience. “Dragnet” ought to tell once and for all whether the theatre screen can make profitable use of television materials. REPUBLIC Tobor (Dudley) U-l Black Shield of Falworth (CinemaScope; Technicolor) Technicolor) Raid (Panoramic Prod.; Technicolor) UA Barefoot Contessa (Figaro, Inc.; Technicolor) U-l Sign of the Pagan (CinemaScope; Technicolor) Dawn at Socorro (Technicolor) WARNER .ucky Me (CinemaScope; WarnerColor) Star Is Born (CinemaScope; WarnerColor) Talisman (CinemaScope; WarnerColor) 26 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 6, 1954