Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1947)

8 WHATS NEWS In the Film Industry This Week GENERAL — American newsreels are set to fight the reported monopoly J. Arthur Rank has to film the Olympics. The Motion Picture Foundation trustees met in New York, elected E. V. Richards president, appointed committees and decided to meet again in March. Donald Nelson quit as president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers to become board chairman of Electrical Chemical Research on Jan. 31. No SIMPP successor has been appointed. * * * DISTRIBUTION — Possibility that the Motion Picture Export Association would be distributing in Germany after February 1 was seen this week as the American Military Government declared that it was ready to license them and British Eagle Lion to operate in the American zone. All hurdles to the plan — such as quarters and personnel — were said to have been removed. AMG at the same time ordered separation of German distribution, exhibition and prcSduction to break up monopoly. Payoff is that this order also slams American distributors who wanted to use some of their frozen marks to buy German theatres. Simultaneously Washington announced that the Government might help out on the frozen fund situation by using part of the film companies' monies frozen abroad to pay Government employes in those countries and reimbursing the picture people in the United States with dollars. On the domestic front 20th-Fox revised "Forever Amber" and the Legion of Decency revised its rating from Condemned (C) to Morally Objectionable in part (B) ; MGM concluded a sales meet in New York and Selznick Releasing announced one for January 8-10 in Los Angeles; United Artists announced it would try to compel delivery of pictures from its producers 3'by legal action if necessary and Cagney Productions fired back with the reply that "Time of Your Life" would not be delivered to UA; the National Confectioners Association was distributing a short, "Candy and Nutrition" to dealers, churches, clubs, etc. ^ ^ ^: LITIGATION — Seven exhibitors appeared ready to sue the Schine Circuit if the Supreme Court upholds the lower court ruling against Schine as they appealed to the high tribunal to be allowed to appear before it as friends and asked that the lower court be instructed to get more complete findings of fact — presumably to be used by them in their anti-trust damage suits. The Government meanwhile presented the brief to the high court in its appeal against an adverse decision in the Griffith case. In California the 10 "contempt" witnesses who refused to tell the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities whether or not they were communists, and who have since been in dicted by a Washington federal grand jury for contempt, were arraigned. Since they are expected to ask for individual trials the cases may take a full year. In Chicago the federal court ordered John Marlow and other defendants in a percentage fraud suit, to open their books for the inspection of the plaintiffs — Paramount, Loew's (MGM), 20th CenturyFox, RKO, Warner Bros., Universal and Columbia. Jackson Park Theatre attorneys in Chicago declared they would seek court action against Paramount for refusing to release "Unconquered" for subsequent-run after a two-week first-run. The theatre claims this is a violation of the federal court injunction handed down in the case limiting runs in length. Paramount says "Unconquered" is not yet in general release so the order does not apply to it. Distributor defendants are also asking the court to clarify the entire order over which there has been confusion. On the west coast the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes entered a denial that it conspired with producers to eliminate independent producers and rival labor unions. The denial was an answer to a $43,000,000 anti-trust triple damage suit which the Conference of Studio Unions filed several months ago. The lA also maintains the antitrust laws do not apply to labor unions and hence there is no cause for action. Also in Los Angeles the Rector Company of Long Beach, operating the Ebell Theatre, filed suit for $458,000 against Cabart Theatres, Warner Bros., 20th-Fox, Columbia, Universal, RKO, United Artists, Monogram, Repubhc, Eagle Lion charging unfair practices. ^ :f: * EXHIBITION— In Boston, from a church opposite historic Boston Common a minister lifted his voice — in favor of certain motion pictures. Saturday morning shows for children, motion pictures on patriotic themes and about the actual heroes of the nation, were a help in combatting juvenile deHnquency, declared the Rev. Dana McLean Greeley, pastor of the Arlington Street Unitarian Church. Rev. Greeley is the third person who has studied children's problems within the past two weeks who has had a good word to say about movies. Last week a Harrisburg probation officer and Sen. Kilgore both cited facts in favor of films. Three arbitration complaints — one from Shreveport, La.; another from Teague, Texas; and a third from Everett, Mass., all objecting to clearances and runs, had been filed before the American Arbitration Association this week. In Columbus, Ohio, October receipts from theatre amusement tax was only $11,459.87 compared to an anticipated $25,000. On this basis the city will only take in $140,000 during the year instead of the expected $250,000. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 13, 1947 AMG Divides German Film Industry into 3 Parts The American Military Government reported from Berlin this week that it was ready to license the Motion Picture Export Association and Eagle Lion of London as well as 8 German companies, to distribute in the American zone of Germany and that it would put into effect a plan which would separate distribution, exhibition and production in the German industry. The latter phase of the plan, by preventing distributors or producers from owning theatres, will keep American distributors from using their frozen marks to buy theatres in the American zone. Date for the licensing of the American and English distributors was set for Feb. 1, 1948. In New York, the Motion Picture Export Association could not say whether it would begin to operate in the American zone on that date. Originally MPEA had been expected to take over last August, but disagreements with the Military Government over quarters, personnel and distribution of the AMG newsreel, Weltimfilrn, prevented fulfillment of the plans. AMG had insisted on retaining distribution of Weltimfilm as part of the distribution functions it will keep over films used for educational or propaganda purposes. It was indicated Tuesday that the Army had won on this point but that the problem of quarters and personnel was thought satisfactorily settled. AMG's insistence that German exhibition, distribution and production be kept separate is made in an effort to break up the German film monopoly and to prevent its revival in the future. The plan limits the number of houses a circuit may obtain to a maximum of 10, none of which must be so located as to dominate an area and gain monopoly. This plan will be effective in the British zone as well as the American. Legion Regrades Revised 'Amber' from C to B Regrading of 20th Century-Fox's "Forever Amber" from Class C (Condemned) to Class B (Morally objectionable in part) was announced this week by the Legion of Decency, Catholic film reviewing and classifying organization. The reclassification followed an announcement by 20th-Fox President Spyros Skouras that the picture had been revised, apparently with a view to remove the Legion's original objections. Candy Makers Book Short To Churches, Clubs, Etc. The commercial short, "Candy and Nutrition," put out by the National Confectioners' Association, is being booked through dealers' organizations, churches, clubs and other organizations, a press release from the Confectioners' Association reveals. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Data 34 Hollywood 26 Audience Classifications 35 Newsreel Synopses 27 Box-Office Slants 12 Regional Newsreel 20 Feature Booking Guide 28 Selling the Picture 16 Feature Guide Title Index 28 Theatre Management 14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office. Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone LOngacre 3-0121. Charles E. 'Chick' Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Executive Editor; James A. Cron, General Manager; Ralph Cokain, Managing Editor; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, 6777 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 28, California; Telephone Hollywood 20.';5; Ann Lewis, manager. London Representative, Jock MacGregor, 16 Leinster Mew>, London, W.2; Telephone AMBassador 3601; Australian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott' St., Homebush, Sydney, Australia. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents ■^oDTri'rtt 1947 by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York office. StA«crij>tioo r»toi: $2.00 per year in the United States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00; Single copies. f«i cents Speed by Video Demonstration of its large-screen television and a system whereby 35-mm. films, complete with sound track, for theatre use could be made in 66 seconds by aiming a film camera at a television receiving tube was made Wednesday by Paramount before the Television Broadcasters Association in New York. The method of shooting film from the television tube was not explained but it was expected to enable quicker distribution of important news.