Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1946)

42 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, February 9, 1946 CLOSEUPS ON PICTURES IN WORK (Continued from Faije 40) this month. The future holds important tidings for PRC, however, much of which is contingent upo-n --present New York conferences between Reeves Espy, president of PRC Productions and Studios, Robert Benjamin, president of the J. Arthur Rank organization, and Robert Purcell, board chairman of Pathe. Espy is scheduled to produce ten films of "A" caliber for Eagle-Lion Films. PARAMOUNT Adheres to Schedule on Shooting and Editing; Buys Broadway Stage Hit, "State of Union." — Last year at this period, this studio had seven films shooting or edited ; this year, the record is substantially the same. Still rolling are "The Perfect Marriage" and "California," to which added scenes have necessitated more shooting. "The Searching Wind" is being edited. "O.S.S.," one of the entries in the Hollywood sweepstakes on government agencies, just started, with Geraldine Fitzgerald and Alan Ladd. "And Suddenly It's Spring," produced by Claude Binyon and directed by Mitchell Leisen, should roll tliis month. Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray costar. Marjorie Reynolds' p. a. tour of the east and mid-west was approved by the studio ; her latest is "Monsier Beaucaire," just getting the final editing brushup. Gloria Saunders gets the femme lead in "Danger Street," Pine-Thomas production, scheduled to roll this week. ■ "State of the Union," Broadway stage hit was bought by the studio. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Slightly Behind Last Year's Shooting Record; Spencer Tracy Returns to Screen. — This week in 1945 found MGM with nine films in shooting or final stages of production ; this year the company's tempo is not quite so accelerated. "Till the Clouds Roll By," starting its third week, augurs well for a tremendous box-office smash, with an all-star cast and based on the life of America's well-loved late composer, Jerome Kern. Other films now before the lensmen are "Fiesta," being filmed in Mexico ; "You Were There," starring; Taylor and Hepburn ; and "The Sliowofl'," starring Red Skelton. "Fiesta," which has been rolling since early December, ought to finish any day now. Pictures being edited and scored, having just completed shooting sequences, are "Faithful in My Fashion," "But Not Goodbye," and the long-inproduction special, "The Yearling." Spencer Tracy comes back from an ill-fated Broadway stage run to do "The Beginning of the End," Metro's contestant in the atom theme race. Sam Marx will produce and Norman Taurog direct. Elia Kazan, veteran director, was signed to handle "Sea of Grass," a Pandro Berman production to start soon. "Stormy Waters," French film starring Jean Gabin and Michele Morgan, was bought by MGM, and will be released with English dialog. The film was made in 1941. WARNER BROS. Starting Film on Marilyn Miller's Life; Shooting Schedule Lags. — "The Silver Lining," Joan Leslie starrer about Marilyn Miller's life, is scheduled to start this week. Otherwise, things are slow at the Burbank film factory. "Humoresque," Joan Crawford-John Garfield picture, is winding up ; "Two Guys from Milwauke" is receiving final check ; "The Sentence," in its fifth week, finds production about one-third through ; and "Escape Me Never" is being edited, following cessation of shooting. "Devotion," one of the multi-million dollar backlog pictures the studio has held in abeyance, is to be released shortly. Suzi Crandall, e.\-Conover model, was signed to a long-term acting contract. Director Fritz Lang is testing for a leading lady to play opposite Gary Cooper in "Cloak and Dagger." TWENTIETH CENTURY-FOX Heads and Heels Over Last Year's Production Record; Continues to Lead Hollywood in Current Camera Activity. — In the corresponding week last year, this studio had six films eitner being produced or in the editing phase : at the present time, there are seven films before the cameras alone, with others being prepared for final release. "Three Little Girls in Blue" is the oldest picture in production, having started on November 7. The film, produced by Mack Gordon, is a Technicolor special featuring Vivian Blaine, George iviontgomery and June Haver. Another cidie stJi lotiuig is Betty Grable's "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim," which started November 19. "Cluny Brown," the Charles Boyer-J ennifer Jones starrer, completed its second month before the cameras ; and the Sol Wurtzel production, "Rendezvous 24," finishes its first month of shooting this week. Winding up are "Anna and the King of Siam," Irene Dunne picture ; "The Dark Corner" and "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog." Latest starter is "Margie," just getting into action on the lot under the production guidance of Walter Morosco. UNIVERSAL Has Three Features, One Serial Rollmg; Several Pictures Being Given Final Check. — This studio is producing "Shahrazad," now in its fifth week of shooting, 'i he him features Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy and Eve Arden. "Love Takes a Holiday," Juan 1/ avis-Jack Oakie-Mischa Auer starrer, moves into its fourth week. "Prelude to Murder," featuring Nigel Bruce and Basil Rathbone, recently started. "Lessons in Love," FessierPagano production, is scheduled to roll this week. "Design for Death," murder-mystery, is now in the editing stage. Universal's present record for films before the cameras compares favorably with last year's production, w^hen seven pictures were in shooting or editing phases. In addition, "Lost City i f the Jungle," a serial, is being made at Universal City. The studio is one of the best performers on production at this point among all. the lots, despite labor difficulties. UNITED ARTISTS, With Large Roster of Units, Has Few Pictures in Production Now; Sylvia Sidney Playing in "Mr. Ace and the Queen." — ".Angel on My Shoulder," Charles R. Rogers production ; "The Strange Woman," Hunt Stromberg picture, and "Mr. Ace and the Queen," Benedict Bogeaus film, are the only pictures being photographed now. "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock," Harold Lloyd starrer produced by Preston Sturges, is being shaped up for imminent release. UA is behind its shooting at a comparable time last year, but has a number of big projects planned. James Cagney plans to make ".A Lion in the Streets" his next starrer. Sylvia Sidney will probably get feminine acting honors. Sturges' California Pictures Corp. picked up the option of Frances Ramsden, who plays opposite Lloyd in "Diddlebock." Sylvia Sidney is now acting in "Mr. Ace and the Queen," playing the part of a Congresswoman campaigning for the state governorship. Many believe this film will institute a trend toward that type of picturization. George Raft, as the political boss who opposes her election, co-stars. SET VISITOR. Republic President Herbert J. Yates, Sr., chats with Constance Moore in the fetching costume she wears for a scene in "In Old Sacramento," in which she co-stars with William Elliott. Harmon-lsing Announce Plans To Re-enter Cartoon Field An added entry to the field of full-length cartoon production made its appearance this week when Hugh Harmon and Rudolph Ising announced they had again joined forces to reorganize Harmon-lsing Pictures, Inc., following a four-year interuption while both served in the armed forces. Edward J. Peskay, long an exhibitor and production executive, has been named president of the company, while Tom Fizdale, publicity expert, is the vice-president and general manager. The reorganized firm plans immediate production of three full-length color films, the first of whicli will be "King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table." The second feature will be "The Little Prince" by Antoine de SaintExupery. A budget of $3,000,000 has been earmarked for the three pictures. 4 Live Action-Animation Shorts Planned by Quimby for '45-46 MGM will produce at least four Technicolor short subjects combining live action and animation for the 1945-46 season, Avith one to star Margaret O'Brien, it was revealed last Friday by Fred Quimby, head of the short subjects department, before his departure for Hollywood. One of the shorts is in production and the others are in story preparation. Details of the live action-animation system used so successfully for a sequence in "Anchors Away" are still secret, Quimby said, adding that three months of day and night work and the dropping of all other cartoon production were required to make the eight-minute sequence. Of the 58 shorts on the 1945-46 schedule, 32 have been delivered, he said. Finston Forms Music Service For Independent Producers Nathaniel Finston, one of the pioneers in the development of music for pictures, has announced the organization of a complete filmmusical unit to service independent productions. "The foremost and most versatile group of musicians, arrangers, scorers, composers and conductors in the world are today to be found in Hollywood," says Finston, who has headed Paramount's and MGM's music departments. "The independent producer may now obtain the best in music that has hitherto been possible only to a few studios engaged in mass production." Crack-Up' Adds Players Additions to the cast of RKO Radio's "CrackUp" include Bonnie Blair, Alf Haugan and John Ince. Pat O'Brien, Claire Trevor and Herbert Marshall head the cast.