Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1949)

7 NEWS REEL CLIPS SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, June 4, 1949 Cinecolor Calls Divorce Meet Asks Stockholders to Okay Split From Film Classics Cinecolor this week called a special stockholders' meeting for June 14 in Hollywood to discuss divorcing Cinecolor from Film Classics, its wholly-owned subsidiary. The plan, recommended by the Cinecolor board, would call for the transfer of all Film Classics stocks plus $200,000 of Film Classics debentures now held by Cinecolor to Joseph Bernhard and associates. In return Cinecolor would receive 130,000 shares of Cinecolor common now held by the Bernhard group. Financial Under the proposed plan Cinecolor's present primary liability on Film Classics bank loans will become secondary to Film Classics liability and Cinecolor will not be liable for future loans which Film Classics may make with the banks. Cinecolor liability at present on such accounts is $1,300,000. Film Classics will further reduce other indebtedness to Cinecolor, totaling $942,089.97 by a cash payment of $800,000 and turning over 4 per cent promissory notes at $100,000 and a new issue of Film Classic debentures amounting to $700,000. For the remainder Cinecolor will receive two non-interest bearing notes payable within one and two years respectively after the $100,000 note payments. "Jennie/ 'Idol' Release Goes to Eagle Lion Eagle 'Lion will distribute "Portrait of Jennie" and "The Fallen Idol," Selznick Releasing Organization Vice-President and General Sales Manager Sidney Denau announced Wednesday. Form New Canadian Distributing Unit Selznick and J. L. Smith and Ray Lewis of Alliance Films, Ltd., have formed a new Canadian distribution outfit with Selznick Canadian Sales Manager Joseph Marks as general manager, it was announced this week. HEADIN' FOR THE FIELD are Monogram-Allied Artists Sales Managers L. E. Goldhammer (left) and Harold Wirthwein (right) under the new policy set up by VicePresident and General Sales Manager Morey Goldstein (seated) of keeping sales managers in the territory to maintain closer exhibitor and branch contact, Wirthwein, a newcomer to Monogram, was formerly Paramount midwestern division manager. He will replace Goldhammer as western sales manager with headquarters in Los Angeles, while Goldhammer shifts to the east as eastern sales manager with offices in New York. Red Bull or White Truth? Maryland's Censor Board this week came up with a new one when it banned a three-reeler entitled "On Polish Land," because it "appears to be Communist propaganda." The film, which according to Censor Chairman Sidney R. Traubm, came from Pol-Ton Film Company in New York purported to show post-war developments in Poland and was accompanied by narration. A view committee composed of two Polish priests, a Polish newspaperwoman and a Polish housewife, declared the movie "looked like propaganda" and the board asked for a script in English. It also sent the following note to Pol-Ton : "After reading the dialogue and viewing the film, we have decided to reject it, because we do not believe that it presents a true picture of the present-day conditions in Poland. "Until such times as accredited neutral observers are afforded the opportunity of witnessing and fully reporting on the conditions behind the Iron Curtain, this board shall not accept that which appears to be Communist propaganda." In English for Americans Of late several producers from foreign lands have come to America to sell Americans on the idea they should finance "international production"— which means they should put up money to make English dialogue pictures abroad for American consumption at home because they can be made cheaper than in America. Latest is Hugo Fergonese, who has brought his semi-documentary, "Apenas un Delincuente," made in Buenos Aires to find an American distributor. Fergonese not only also brings along the argument of economical production in Argentina, but he wants to make pictures in English there. He figures he can then sell them to a profitable U. S. market and by subtitling sell the English version in Argentina, for as he explains, Argentinians are accustomed to dubbed films. Fergonese claims he brought in "Apenas" for $42,000, which it regained on its Buenos Aires run alone. Production costs can be kept down, he says, because labor costs are lower when the difference between dollars and pesos are considered. His next may be "Tiger Plain." But They Like However, Journalist Charles deCruz, editor of the daily Cinema Herald in Buenos Aires, who was with Fergonese, brought up another interesting one — a very old one. It seems that American films are way out in front in the Argentine as they seem to be most everywhere else. And right now, with film business 25 per cent better than during the war, they are, according to deCruz, "the most terrible success that ever happened." "Johnny Belinda," he says, made 600,000 pesos (officially that's $120,000; black market it's about $42,857) on a two-a-day run at the Opera. Others which the Argentinians liked are "Arch of Triumph," "Red River," "Sitting Pretty," "The Naked City," "The Search," "Street with No Name." And by the way, "Gone With the Wind," now on its third go round, is holding 30 weeks at the new Radar Theatre. Which ought to make the distributors verv happy — excepting that the money is frozen by Senor Peron's Government. They Like 'Em Latin Americans seem to like Italian and French pictures when they're good, visitors from those sections declared this week. Republic is doing a land office business with "Open City" and Universal is no slouch with "Devil in the Flesh." Foreign Made Republic also this week was reported to have completed "The Avenger," a feature which it made in Argentina in both Spanish and English versions for reportedly only $150,000. Shooting took place in 12 weeks. Calendar JUNE 5-10, convention, National Confectioners, Steven* Hotel, Chicago. 8 9, convention of the Allied Rocky Mountain Independent Theatres, Brown Palace Hotel, Denver. 9 11, Warner Bros, international sales meeting, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, New York. 22-23, summer meeting, Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana, French Lick Hotel, French Lick, Ind. Directors meet on June 21. SEPTEMBER 11-15, meeting of the Theatre Owners of America. Hotel Ambassador. Los Angeles. OCTOBER 24-26, annual convention Allied States Association. Minneapolis. DECEMBER 1-3, convention, Independent Theatre Owners of Wisconsin. Hotel Schroeder. Milwaukee. Liberties Union Registers 'White Legs' Protest The Customs Office in New York this week was reported reconsidering its ban on the import of Vog's "White Legs," French-language film, after the American Civil Liberties Union had lodged a strong protest over its exercise of censorship power. Customers apparently objected to a brief shot showing Star Suzi Delmar's nude rear, which Vog is said to be willing to clip if it can be done without marring sound. Meanwhile the French Embassy was reportedly bringing a complete print of the picture into the country in its diplomatic pouch. This would have the effect of getting the film past customs, which has no authority to hold up diplomatic parcels or to inspect them. But it would not clear the film for commercial use in the U. S. Special Unit to Handle 'Sword in the Desert' A special advertising and publicity unit will be created to handle "Sword in the Desert," Universal-International's feature of the underground in Palestine, General Sales Manager W. A. Scully announced Tuesday. The picture also will be considered a special from the sales end and will get a world premiere in New York during late summer, Scullv said.