Variety (Apr 1935)

. •VABIETX'S' XOMDON OinCS. » St. yawtln'B rimce^ Tntajgn Btpmw MephoB* Temple M j^-Wg,, If CmVl* Addrewi VABmrg, I4)yP0y andComi isers Paris, Mai"ch 24. From a local pplnt of viewi the question of authors' royalties Is a big Issue at the world film congress '' toi open next month In Berlin; Ray- mond IjlissleZi head of "French ex- hlb's ass6cld,tlpn, Is goliig/ with the Idea of getting the niatter fixed up favorably for cinema owners. , At present 3.30 percent of grosses are collected nl^jhtly from the cine- mas by reps of the French authors' and .composers' Bociety,' and propa^ ganda la on. to raise the percentage., I< exhlb won't agree to the cut, :: apclety can se^ tl^a^ he gets no filed. ^ Money is In 'addltlQii to payment made by producera" 'to . scrlbs and music writers. If the aiuthor or .: composer' of the film the hoifse Is Showing Is a member of the apclety • ho gets the jmpney after the society, has taken Its commission, and . if V hot,. thie cash goes ; into the orgahr. Izatlon's^ general fund. If the film has no muisic; a cut for music Is taken anyway, and . that, too, goes . into the society's .coffers. ' ■ General fund is noiy said to tptai' over $1,000,000, ' . ' : Local fllni biz has : so ^'f^^ been helpless :to stop this.Solution pror posed by Charles Delac of Chambre' Syndlcale Is for the producer.'to be. considered as author .and composer - of the film and to get the coin colV • lected by the spclety. ■. Authpra would then have tP make their deals with the producers, ^xciusively, ^hd ; , would either -coiiect royalties from,, ' them or sell the rights for flat sums, with no extras after tha.t.. He> (^t a Bicycle Paris, Jlairch 24. Life of a. French actor try- , ing to double in Alms and le- git, as most of therti ,have to- here* is likely to consist of a lot of faat cprnmutliigi , Raymond Cordy is. currently; making a film 'Rose Girl pf the Markets' at Jolnylll.e, western i, suburb of Paris, In thelnorrilng, .a pic cajled 'Mysteries, of Paris' at ; Epinay, northern suburb; In the afternPoh, and starring in a legit "yel d'piv/ , at Theatre Ahtplne, In center pf -town,; In the evening. v-' .I^4on.'' Aprll: 2.':; gai. ,,Group , of financjetrs headed by I -/ joe B.amberger>. American, a;nd G.' . J^iclas, Itallan,v>has;-purchased the Cpnsolldated;: Studlp^ ./in Elstree, formerly owned by. jimmy Bryspri, • fprnier Uriiyersal, m^ Brit* , . ain. Price paid. is. Understood to have been $135,066,., . . Company is claimed to iiave $1,* 060,000.-capltal:-and-:l3-U^ , ..ready tp spend f360,000 on modern studio equipment Inqludlng an RCA plant..'. - .Idea is to-flparice English and foreign film' prbducera here, with' -brewingrr^-Tenta*iyo7rprograin—call: for the production of six .musicals and six'straight films annually, first being a yiennese musical starring John Hendrick, German, . originally brought to England by Edward Laurlilard for a legl£. a DDCE'S WORLD TRY ON HIS NAPOLEON PIC Rome, March 22. 'Campo di, Maggio,' film on Na- , poleon, written by II DucSj has a,l- ready been isold fpr Austria, Belr glum and Colonies, Bulgaria, France r Colonies - and-: ProteGtorates, - Ger- many, Greece/ Luxembourg,' Hol- land, Palestine, Persia, Iraq, Syria. Spain and Switzerland. —iNegotiatipira- have "b'e"gtin 'f orTHm's distribution in the United States, Engiandj Brazii,- - Denmark and other countries. Melbourne, .March 13. Charles Munrpv ni.d., of General . Theatres is on an 6^0. of liia chain to bring in hew entertainment ideas and generally pep up the circuit. Munro is readying several ace .houses tor big timiet Vaude in con- junction .with pictures. He is said , to. ha,ve signed up several 'names' In America while Pver there! re- cently. , ■ Crete Modfieim to G-B , London, March 24. . Gaumont-British has signed Grete Mbshelm, German star. Miiis Mbshelm. is: exiled from Ger- ttiany. She's theXex-wlfe bf Oscar Homolka, Austrian star. Ks Cool at .. -Sydney, March 18. . : Coolier weather is iiere at last and biz all around Is going up. 'Kid Millions' (UA)- ^mioves out after three weeks of grand trade. .Smash biz is being registered by. •'Lives of a Bengal Lancer*. (Par) and'Im- itation of Life' (U) goes Into Ita third week and will stick. -■ •One Night pf LoVe' (Col) is atlll strong oh Ita lOth week; 'Chained' (M-G) goes Into . Its third week and holds over.. . v Current bills Include fEverisong' (G-B), 'Grandad Rudd* (local), Twp Hearts' (B & D), 'Hell in Heaven^ (Fox),. "Wednesday's Child* (Radio), 'Last Gentleman' (UA)., "Bright Eyes' (Fox), *Lady by Choice' (Col), •Altairs of deillnl' (UA), 'Jew Sires' (G-B), 'Case of Howling i)bg' (WB), •Birr^tts' (M-G); ' ■'Bella ponneJ (Hagen), ^Treasure island' (M;-G), 'VtrBiigoh WHeels' (Par), and 'Hide but' (M-(5). ■■ :-. ' Nevr. Zealand, March 13. Biz over here up to ' standar.d.i Yankee pics are copping the best trade. . , ■ ■ Lineup currently Includes "Night of LoVe' (Col), Bth week; "Bright Eyes' (Fox); 'We Live Again* (UA); 'Cleopatra' (Par)^ and 'White Pa- deL(Fox)^— : ■■ • V •. ' - CINESOUND HOLDING OFF ON PRODUCTION Sydney, March 13. Stuart F. Doyle says that Cine- sound win hot make any more pic- tures on a big scale, productlonal- ly, for the time being, quota or no quota. - All of th^ production turned out In the studios made money In Australia, but Australia alone cannot be expected to support local production, he says. With a quota coming into force other producing units-will naturally make pics to meet the regulations, and as cheaply as possible. Cine- sound Vt£UW\^ 0 .cpntlnue. to.; rrtake costly films and compete With the 'quickie* output, Doyle feels. ■' ■ ' • '■ ' ,Dbyle says, that in all probability a schedule covering from 12 to 14 pics per year will be drawn un- Currently Clnesound I.9 only turiiihg^ut 4ts Aveeklyrhewsreel, bu with Ken Hall's, projected return from Hollywood plans for the fu- ture will be started. : Larry SePreda Back to P. L Larry DePreda, former Fox man- ager In the PhlUlplne.s, is going back there next, week as manager of the Lyric chain of theatresi "There are 35 houses in the isles arid they're on an indie, policy. Dep.reda, has been In.-^^the U.S. for the past; 1;8 monthsi put pf the- business. ■. ':' ■ . DftPreda is 0;b.',inft; product in N. Y. currently«and lining up films for the theatres. Has Monogram and Fox afid Is dickering for Majestic also. .Can't get any of the other majors for the time being as they're tied up for the territory. , > . Czechs Rar Hoter . . -— . „ - Pragu»«-Maroh SI " Czechoslovak censor has ^refused to grant a license for the presenta- tion of 'Grand Hotel' (MG). Picture was tried here In Its Ger- man dubbed version. GTHASAU U. S. PK . . Sydney, March 13. Entire Columbia product for 1936 has been purchased by General Theatres and Hoyts. Deal went through last week after much idlck- erlng between John McCurdy, decil Mason and the O. T. men.. Pies in- clude "Lets Live Tonight,' "Broiad- way Bill,' "Whole Town's .'Talking,' and 'Carnival.' . ■ 'One J^lght of Love' had .already been sold to Daye Martin of Liberty, but It will go to O. T. In all other States, beid covers all the G.T. territory and certain of the ..Hbyt nabe chain In Sydney and Mel^- boume. '■ Columbia sale to-Q. T. puts the combine In practically full control of all American product In Australia^ . Paramount has not yet completed a full deal .with the combine, al- thougti:.dlclcer8 are stlU proceeding. Par is solids • however, outside of G.T. r-Johii Kennebeck leaves here in April for a short visit at his-New York home office. . NEW PATRIOTIC WAVE WORRIES PARIS YANKS Paris, March 24. American film Interests here have decided to take seriously,,t|ie mea sure hp.\v lief ore tlie 6liainb^r of Deputies proposing to reduce taxes for" AM theaitres whifeh €tvpyt less than -a fixed proportion of . foreign films, '..4eapIte...];>redlctiDh8 thajt. the bill has little; chance In tiie .Ciiam ber. ■ . : .-, '., : , " . Filmers. have enlisted ^ the suj) -port—of—the—American—Ghawber-ef- Commerce In France . in. .lobbying against the measure as- unfeilr to American Interests. Wave of na- tionalism among French politicians who know nothing' aboUt the film tfnHo. hiif wanf tn. jrntAnfiJiftm^-livL dustries-makes the~ situation more dangerous than was at first thought. Quota fight, which will soon be gin over the current edict expiring In June, also Is likely tb be tough for the same reason. P-N Redaims '2 Orphans' Pathe-Natan has bought back American distribution rights of 'Two Orphans' from Max Goldberg, indie distrlb. . Goldberg bought the French film last year but couldn't get anywhere with it. P-N now figures It can still go places with the pic and has paid Goldberg. back the full price he paid a year ago, allowing him to keep his share of the profits earned In betw'een. G-B PAYS 3% Interim 'Dividend; A. B. T. Follows Suit With 4% • "': r : London, March 24. Gaumont-Brltlsh Picture Corp. yesterday 'announced an interim of 3% on the ordinary shares for the year ending March 31. Last year it also paid a 3% interim dividend and 7%'-£op-tfed full year. Associated British Theatres (B. I. P.), has declared a payment of A%, Declared, no Intierini divi- dend last year, but when the ac- METBO'S 'BLOKE' : London, March 24. Metro has changed the title of. John Baxter!? .film, 'The Navvy,' which will be known as 'A Real Bloke.' Film was ^recently completed by Baxter and Barter Productions for Metro's quota purposea. Sure to Pass; Fdm Men IVepare Race Grew London, March 24. (?aumont-Britisli made an onslaugfit on Liverpool to . film the Grand Natlona.1. A staff Of 160, Including 60 camera men, under the direc- tion of Jeffrey Ber nerd, traveled • by special train. About 100 ros- trums were erected on the course for the filmers.. Understpod G-B Newsreel '. paid the Liverpool Race course company- $l0,000 for the cjc- clualve privilege, with the ex- penses shared by Fox Movie- " tone on a 50-60 basis. ams- er on London, April 2. Gaumont-Britlsh's proposed deal taking In the Hyanis and Union, cir- cuits are off because of protests of the Kinematograph Renters' So- ciety. Two circuits 'will now con- tinue independently as before . and resume booking on their, own. The KRS . tabu. on the small circuits, which had been put on, pending In- vestigations, has been removed. When G-B announced It had made a deal taking In the tviro smaller chains there was conslderr able talk that It was a move on G-B's part to knock down rentals by having, a greater theatre rental per spectlve. •• KRS Immediately de ciared a ban on the two small chains, although cbntlnuing - active operation with G-B while it investlr gated whether b'r not Gaumortt had 4n actual financial buy-in in the new houses.'; :, • • ' Practically all major dlstrlbs are members of KRS. For a ; while G-B thought It might' bpplc all Its own pictures into the .houses, but -this^as-deGlded-agalnst becaUse-of- a probable IhsUfficlency pf films; AUSTRALIA EXPECTS FLOOD OF EXE^ Sydney, March 13. The Australian situation, mainly quota, has the Aincrlcah bosses plenty worried and an influx of for- eign managers is expected here to try. and fathom the bottom, of the local whirlpool. J. H. Seldelman, Columbia, Is the first to hit here, arriving March 26. Understood he wlU be followed pronto by several others. Besses in N. Y. are believed dissatisfied with several angles covering the local field and want a definite reason for the current position. Said that so many cables go out of Australia dally to America that the h.o.'a fig- ure it cheaper to send an exec out to get inside knowledge. Ultra Newsreeters London, March 24. -Landsdowne House, In Berkeley .Square, formerly ■ the : realdence:. of l.ord Larfd^downe and now an ex clu.slve flat building,, is -to have its own N'ew-sreel theatre. This Is tho .second spot in the ultra West-End going over to the film racket. First Is the ritzy Curzon, small capacity super located in Mayfalr.' Present, stru.cture will have 200 c.Ktra comfortable .a^^ chairs, and l.s being conHtructcd by Benson- &' Oreehhall In . conjunction with Ocorgp. .Gee, both prominent local builders., ■ .'■ '■ . . . Sydney, March, 18. Government has passed tl^e Quot* Bill into committee and a concret* ruling is expeicted tb come db^p any minute. : . • . .fJ, It Is definitely learned that a local: qUotia will becpme law for exhiba. The distrlb quota angle is also figured as definite, but not set. • Chlef'^ecretary laid tiie blli aside aboiit two weeks ago to admit som* amendments, mainly covering the 26% rejection clause. He has had several huddles with exhibs, pro- ducers and distrlbs, but is believed determined to force the bill to iti ultimate conclusion. ' : ' British" arid 'American dlstribs are' figiiting against a clause allowing local pics to bust their product, ln« sbfar as exhiba" contracts are' con- cerned, to comply with the qubta.- They say the government should not allow ibcals of inferior quality to force, out a Pertain percentage of their, product to meet quota re- quirements. ' ■ Some exhibs feel they sl)buld not have to carry the baby alone arid that distrlbs should be forced to dp their part. Government says It wilt keep poor local ririades -off the screen, but the trade wants to know how mariy government; rnen can . Judge good, pictures from bad. Trade knows that, the quota will go tlirough in one form, or ahbther and is readying, to meet it. ,Many Labor members are supporting the measure ^now. in co-operation with the present National Government, F. W. Marks who conducted the first film probe, was paid around (6,000 for his work covering, a pe- riod of several months, - But what the whole thing will coist the indus- try,In. general before the end Is written Is a problem the big boys are laying off. :. REORfiSOON Paris, March. 24. Negotiations for the Gaumoritr Franco-'Fllm-Aubert reorganization are believed nearing a close. . Fl^.>. nance Minister Germain Martin an- raranctfl tlJat. ne. wiu.>. soon submit a, proposition to the Chamber . of Deputies. Ttie Charles Fasquelle-"Thompson Houston bid remains about the only competitor for taking over the chain, according to , present dope, but there's llttlie" chance that the combo will get G.F.F.A. Scheme, Is reported being .worked out for the government to be a partner in the concern, with seats on the board of directors. Sceriis natural, since the government has already sunk more than $10,000,000 into the busi- ness, via the Bank of France. - Meanwhile, the stockholders' pro- tective committee has been busy and has succeeded in getting the court to name an expert to examine the. Gaumont books. Even if this should result in legal action, how- ever. It Is not believed that it will fpr.CB, a further delay, in reorganlza-^- tlQn,^aa..old directors, not new ones who might be named nbw, will be responsible. Bergner Eremiere^ Genini to Korda - ■. ' - 's. Rome, March 22/ Augu.sto Geriinl, Italian director, .has been asked over to London by Alexander- Korda. On arrival he AvDl be handed a directorial asslgn- mont for London fllm.s. Director has spent much of last few years working between Berlin and Paris. . ..■ . London, March 24. (Jala .world-premiere of the British & Dominions film, 'Escape Me Never' wlli taite place at the London Pavilion, April 1. ■ Pic stars Elisabeth Bergner and was directed by Dr. Paul. Czlnner, her husband. ~ •.■ Has a strong local cast Including Hugh Sinclair, Grllllth Jones arid Penelope Dudley W,".: 1. : JOE HUMMELL'S TRIP Joseph S. IlumthcU, general for- eign. Hales . .riianagcr for ■ Warner nrother.s, ' sailed .Saturday for a ICuropcan trip during/which he: will 0^0. ail WB: ofllces. bn the' contlnfenti- Expects to be over there .about four months. ■ ' - V , •