Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Establish International Union Group in Rome By DR. ARGEO SANTUCCI ROME: The International Trade Union for Shows has been established officially here. Founders of the new organization are workers and representatives of the most important European countries, of the United States, and of some South American nations. The official ceremony here last week was attended by prominent Rome film industry and civic officials. The new organization will care for the interests of stage and motion picture actors, writers, directors, technicians, and workers of the film industry; composers, musicians, conductors, singers, technicians and employees of the radio and television corporations, workers of the distribution and exhibition fields and of vaudeville. The new organization was sponsored by the FULS, the Italian Christian Democratic trade union for workers in show business. Says Reds' Price-Cutting Hurts Italian Film Trade ROME: The Christian-Democrat daily newspaper II Popolo has reported here that a bigger exchange of motion pictures between Italy and the Soviet Union is held back by the low prices currently offered by Sovexportfilm, the Russian dis tribution agency, for Italian product. “The price paid for Italian pictures,” reported 11 Popolo, “very rarely reaches 15 million lire ($25,000) for a single feature film.” The newspaper remarked that the low offers made by the Russians seemed odd in the light of apparently excellent business in Soviet theatres indicated in a statement by Soviet industry visitors, who said that “the official number of patrons reached a peak of two billion per year in the Soviet Union.” This report was published on the occasion of a visit to Italian studios by a Soviet delegation to negotiate an increase in film traffic between the two countries. Mexican Company Sets "Biggest Budget Yet" Trans America Productions will produce “Cortez and Montezuma” in CinemaScope and color with “the biggest budget ever attempted within the Mexican industry,” it was announced last week by Frank Z. Clemente, producer, who arrived in New York from Mexico City and Hollywood. Mr. Clemente said his Mexican production company has budgeted the picture at $1,500,000 with shooting to commence late this year or early in 1957. The Mexican film producer said he is in New York to meet representatives of the major distribution companies in regard to formulating a releasing agreement. Weigh French Studio Closing by HENRY KAHN PARIS: From present indications it would appear that the French Producers Syndicate will decide about the middle of this month whether France would cease all film production for the next six months. According to a syndicate spokesman, the question has already come up for discussion. While it is not certain that so drastic a step will be taken, many producers are known to favor it. Over the past year the French film industry has completed 115 films or 25 films above the usual average for a year. These do not include co-productions. The industry is now asking how these extra films can possibly be released before the end of next year, especially as most of the first run houses are already booked up well into 1957. In short, this would seem to mean that films commenced last Winter will not be released for about 12 months. During this time, the producers point out, they are having to pay interest on bank loans necessary to produce the films which are earning nothing. It is estimated that an extra six thousand million francs were invested in production in 1955-1956. The over-all situation in France is not too hopeful. COLUMBIA PICTURES ANNOUNCES THAT PRINTS OF THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR EXCHANGES FOR SCREENING June^lLYSON ^Jack^EMMON Hov (§ANT SlUNiXWAY JROM (mg) OnemaScoP£ technicolor® —.CHARLES BICKFORD with PAUL GILBERT • JIM BACKUS • STUBBY KAYE • ALLYN J0SLYN • HENNY Y0UNGMAN Screen Play by CLAUDE BINY0N and ROBERT RISKIN • Based on a Story by SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS Songs by JOHNNY MERCER and GENE DE PAUL • Produced and Directed by DICK POWELL RHONDA MACDONALD FLEMING CAREY CINEMASCOPE • TECHNICOLOR® Screenplay by JOHN GILLING Based on an Original Story by ISLIN AUSTER Oirected bv JOHN GILLING • Produced by ISLIN AUSTER Executive Producers: IRVING ALLEN and ALBERT R. BROCCOLI A WARWICK PRODUCTION the white Squaw starring David May William BRIAN -WYNN -BISHOP Screenplay by LES SAVAGE, JR. 8ased on the Novel by LARABlE SUTTER Produced by WALLACE MacDONALD • Directed by RAY NAZARR0 starring GUY MADISON -FELICIA FARR KATHRYN GRANT TECHNICOLOR® with Michael Pate • Screen Play by DAVID P HARMON. RAPHAEL HAYES and DAVID DORTORT • Screen Story by DAVID P. HARMON From the Novel by ARTHUR GORDON . Produced by LEWIS J. RACHMIl Associate Producer: KEEN AINSWORTH . Directed by GEORGE SHERMAN Suicide Mission wm LEIF LARSEN and other members of the wartime organization as themselves Written and Adapted by DAVID H0WARTH, SYDNEY COLE and MICHAEL F0RL0NG • From the book "The Shetland Bus" by David Howarth Directed by MICHAEL F0RL0NG . A NORTH SEA FILMS Production BURT LANCASTER TEX TALL MEX TECHNICOLOR < With JODY LAWRANCE • GILBERT ROLAND . K1ER0N MOORE • GEORGE TOBIAS • Screen Play by Roland Kibbee and Frank David Produced by Harold Hecht • A Norma Production • Directed by Willis Goldbeck Reprint MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 20. 1956 31