Variety (Mar 1936)

*VABEET*'B» LONDON OFFICE, • St. Murtln's Place, Trafalgar Sqnure IN rillNAI lONAli NEWS Telephone Temple Bar 5041-5042 Cable Address: VARIETY, LONDON 13 Paris Theatre Strike Postponed; Radio Commercials to Split Tax Paris, March 24. Country-wide strike that threat- ened to leave every theatre in Prance dark on -the night of March 20 has been averted—at least for time being. Minister feh mogul in the govei'nment- of the country's post arid! raph min- who also keeps an eagle eye on broadcasting, has worked out a complicated scheme whereby he hopes to keep everybody happy and 'busines going as ,usual.' Mandel is go|ng to make the radio network .pay part of the tax the theatres, music halls and cinemas were protesting about; footing. As it works, law will impose a certain, tax on radio, publicity, and adver- tising broadcasts—the amount?, to be fixed in agreement with, city councils in which the stations are located.. Furthermore, the tax thus' collected can only be- disposed of . in the .principal commune in which the. broadcast is made. doing this Mandel' cleans his hands of the affair and leaves it to the broadcasting stations and the city fathers to fight it Out with the theatres, as to who is going to pay much and when. A compro- mise is expected to be reached which Is agreeable to the strike threaten- ers and will take some of the bur- den of the poor: tax off their backs* Law, drawn up by Mandel after consulting Jean Chiappe., pre-sident of the Paris Municipal Council, has already been tabi«*l at the Chamber, of Deputies, by Minister of Finance Regnier. HERMAN FELLNER HANGS HIMSELF IN LONDON London, March 24; Herman Fellner, one of leading German film and stage producers who has been trying to get a start in London for the past couple of years, was found hanged in his apartment Sunday (22). He was 68 years old. After a lengthy career on the Continent, mostly as a, producer of musical stage productions in a part- nership with Louis Dreyfus, of Lon- don, Fellner went pictures. Last year he was signed to form his own producing unit for C. M. Woolfe's new distribution setup as Cecil Films. After making one film he decided to drop that and was set to join Gaumoht-Brltish as associ- ate producer, first assignment to :be the next Jack Buchanan film. Fellner also was a member of the H. B. Marinelli agency at one time, the sole survivors of that once im- portant company now being Cliff Fischer and Erio Wollheim. Whitney's London Prod. London, March 24. . Jock Whitney is negotiating to produce one picture in color here annually at the Denham Studios. Studios are the new ones being put up by Alex Korda currently/ American Fanner Into Casino de Paris Show Paris. March 15. Joan Warner is back after a two week's tour in the south, and will join the new Casino de Paris show on April 3. American will do more than wave a ,l an ' thls tlme - Co-Starrlng with O'pett, female impersonator, Miss Warner is going to do all the turns from tap dancing to singing and wise cracking in French, 'Goes' Oke in Sydney Sydney, March 4. * e Goes/ American^ im- ?« J\ ffoes iht0 its f ourth week and »J Payable biz. Yells against 2 lal0B have *i'ed down ahd no ™*L?l!Z™ 9 talten - though °» ■wer«Ti i? ts mem bevs of the force W?i, atten dance. Willi amson . Talt producln New German Plays Berlin, March 12. 'Der Goldene Kranz' ('The Golden Wreath');, comedy by Jochen Huth, produced at the Munich Playhouse; centers around a washerwoman, called upon' to act the role of a 'real mother* in a film.. . .'Christian De Wet,' drama by Arnold Krieger, at the Municipality theatre, Halle; tragic life story of the well-known Boer general, finishing up with the world war and De Wet's imprisonment as a 'rebel.' 'Engei r Hiitensb?rger' ^ ngeT), drahia by Georg Schmueckle,' forth- coming premiere' at the Municipal- ity theatre; Cottbus. < 'Man Tut Was. Man Kann* (.'If Ever Possible'), musical, by Hanns Laube and B. R.' Huebner; forth- coming premiere at the Komoedienr haus, Dresden. 'Warbeck,' drama by Hermann Burte, due at the Volksbuehne, Berlin. 'Diana im Bade'' ( iana Takes a Bath'), comedy by Werner von der Schulenburg; acquired by the Sax- Oni fate Theatres. COL PONDERS Hollywood, March 24. Production huddle at Columbia this week has conferees going heavily into foreign requirements,, which is figured important element in 1930-37 output. Harry and Jack Cohn, with Abe Schneider, company treasurer, and studio executive staff, are huddling with Joe Seidelman, in charge of foreign sales; Joe Friedman, British sales chief and Henri. Pincus, French distribution head for company. Foreign contingent will spend around 10 days at the studio before leaving for their respective posts. Columbia will release series of Spanish dialog features being pro- duced in Mexico City by Impulsora Cirtemayograflca, S. A. Spanish versions will be distributed by Col in all countries outside of Mexico, while English versions of first three films will be handled in this country by First Division. 'MUTINY' OPENS BIG; SYDNEY'S BIZ GOOD Sydney, March 4. 'Mutiny On the Bounty' (M-G) came in last week to a smash. Critics all gave pic raves and biz should carry well into six weeks or more. 'Top Hat* (RKO) goes out after six good weeks and will be replaced by 'Splendour' (UA). "'Man Who Broke Bank at Monte Carlo' (20th) opened this week to nice biz and looks okay. Prince Edward management is making some quick changes, playing 'So Red the Rose' (Par) for two weeks and .then bringing in ' ride Comes Home' (Par) on a similar run. 'Dan- gerous' (WB) also opened last week and should do Oke. 'Escapade' (MG) is weir set, with seats selling fOur weeks ahead. 'O'Shaughnessy's Boy' (MG) may do well. Figured for two weeks. Cooler weather has seen a big rise in biz all over town. Melbourne, March. 4. Very nice biz here with 'Mid- Summer Night's Dream,' (WB), 'So Red the Rose' (Par), 'She Married Her Boss' (Col), 'Rendezvous' (MG), 'Here's to Romance' (Fox), 'Becky Sharp" (RKO), and 'Come Out of the Pantry' (B.D.). Hague Nixes 'Frisco' The Hague, March 13. For quite some time no pictures were banned in Holland by the Board of Film Censors. This week, however, Warner Bros, got its 'Frisco Kid* marked taboo. Appeal has been made. All Clear Now Paris, March 15. Jacques Natanson, author, and. Jacques Natanson, pro- ducer of films, respectively or yice-versa, have gotten the So- ciety of Authors and Dramatic Composers to do a surgical operation to their Siamese names. Hereafter Jacques Natanson; author, will be known that way. but Jacques Natanson, producer, will be. known Jacques Jean Natanson. 9 NEW FIX IN 11 DAYS; NEW RECORD? Paris, March 15-, What is claimed to: be a new rec-. ord for film,release was set here for the 11 days ending March 13, with 11 theatres showing nine new. films. One more would' have been added to the list had the censor been , more lenient. Starting On March. .2 'The Mutiny of the Elsinor' opened at the Agri- culteurs, the Bonaparte and at the Cine^-Opera. Two days later Hohry Bernstein's 'Sampson' was .an open- er at the Paramount 'Dark Angel' (UA) also made- its appearance on that day at the Baizac. 'Ahne-Marie,' at the Madeleine and 'Bichon' at the Colisee started their- initial ru,ns after an inter- mission of one day. 'Things to Come! (Korda) started at the Paris to be followed by "Taras Bulba' at the ' Marignan. Next day 'Michael Strogoff' showed up for remiere at the Marivaux. ■'■ And Chaplin's 'Modern Times' was shown for the first time- in Paris on Friday ' (13). 'King of the Damned' (GB), with Conrad Veidt, was the one the cen- sor frowned at, so it did not have a chance to open as scheduled at the Edouard VII. Stuart Doyle Departure to London For Bankroll Starts Bitter Fight On American-British Anzac Split Chaplin Pic Sock Premieres in Paris At $7; Also Madrid Paris, March 15. Leon Volterra opened 'Modern Times' at the Marignay on Friday (13). And just to prove he is not superstitious, he charged $7 for every ticket with ho free passes for opening night. • Volterra guaranteed United Art- .s $135,000 to. get the picture, and a 50-50 slice oh all it brings in over that amount. Madrid, March 13. Chaplin's 'Modern Times' was given a smash opening at MGM's Capitol theatre, Madrid's ace show- case. Excellent promotion helped Chaplin's natural draw and house was packed to the rafters, with crowd paying $1.40 per, about triple the usual charge. Premiere was a top social event. Francisco Ramos de Castro, who does the spieling for Spanish Movie- tone, went on a national hookup over EAJ t, Union Radio, from the lobbj r , with his description of the opening and remarks on the biggies arriving being rebroadcast by radio outlets in Barcelona, Seville, San Sebastian, Bilbao and Valencia. First time this has ever been done in Spain. Angst to Japan Berlin, March 13. Richard Angst is leaving via Russia, Siberia,. Manchuko, for Japan to make a film with Dr. Ar- nold Fanck, with whom he worked as cameraman in 'Piz Palau.' Japan has invited both to make a cooperative picture; 'Germany- Japan,' intended as a Japanese pic- ture seen thr >ugh European eyes, and to be sponsored by Kalwacita, Japan's biggest producer. Angst just returned here from Borneo with Count Plessen, after making a film of head hunters in peaceful, times. His 'career as an expedition cameraman started in 1926. when he first went to Green- land, and ho was also present in Spitzenbergen at the talcing off for the North Pole, of Byrd, Benoet, Nobile-ahd Amundsen. CLAUSE IN Sydney, March 4. Mucb bitterness still goes on over the 25% right of rejection clause covering foreign pix, although the government has not acted in the matter so far. Strongly . believed here that the government will event- ually act along lines similar to those proposed for (he Victoria territory. American distribs are up in arms against such a measure, and they are backed by a group of indie ex- hibs, who-ask the government to re- frain from introducing such a -clause into contracts. Bigger exhibs are in favor of the measure and seek quick action be- fore new contracts are signed. Government, it is reported, has re- fused to prevent theatre erection, but seems Impressed with the idea of the 25% angle. PAE'S JUNGLE PIC Sydney, March 4. Cherry Keaton, English big game hunter, has sold his picture to Par- amount for distribution here. Pic was offered to Hoyts, but turned down. * Hunter has been here some time trying to place his film'and shooting local scenes for use in another pic. BATONEER GUILTY New Zealand, March 4. Eric Mareo, orchestra leader, was found guilty by a New Zealand jury of murdering his wife by ad- ministering poison. Mareo was at one time in charge of the. orchestra at St. James,Syd- ney, and first met his wife during a season with an" Ernest Rolls revue. Official Communist Paper Pans Russ Pic Biz, 'Egotistic, Wasteful' Moscow, March 7. In an. article called .'Masters in the Movies,' Pravda,-official news- paper of the Communist party, calls Soviet film directors to order, charging them with having swelled heads and with sabotaging Soviet scenario writers. The 1935 film plan was a flop. Pravda points out. It called for 120 full length films, but only 43 were produced, out of which eight were shorts. Directors are held entirely re- sponsible for the failure. 'The egotistical directors scorn to think that they are leaders in art and can get along without writer's,' paper says. 'This is a dangerous theory, .entirely groundlc-ss and has affected both the quality and quan- tity Of Soviet films.' The 1936 - plan - calls- for 130 - full length films, 31 of which arc to be written by directors. Only 45% of the plan has been carried out thus far. Or the 43 full length pictures made- yenr. five were .thrown, out by the Board of Censors on first show because of their 'low ideological and artistic value.' and four were dis- carded by the producers before thc-y ever got to the censors. 'How can you explain away all of the films on which studios work a year or two. which cost millions of rubles, and which finally have to be rejected, 1 the newspaper wants to know. Sydney, March 4.. Stuart F. Doyle's trip abroad (he sails .this week for London), is cre- ating plenty of bother Theatres. The Hoyt division of G. i. strongly against Doyle going abroad to represent Generul Theatres; Okay, they say, if -Doyle makes the trip solely on behalf of Greater Union, • Cinesound, and British Empire- Films, all his end, and loaves out G, T. Board meetings have been held all week and much bitterness has been expressed on both sides. Outside of the trip, other im- portant matters have had both the Hoyt division and the Greater Union division of G. T. up in arms. Th,e Fox-20th Century contract with G. T. has been creating trouble, al- though three 20th pix. have been booked- this week to play the cir- cuit, 'Metropolitan,' 'Man Who Broke the Bank' and 'Thanks a Million.' • At one time there wad.a deadlock on contract renewal, but a com ro-. nii.se was arrived at. Doyle's Idea Doyle is understood to be anxious for General Theatres to buy the product, of Associated Distributors, a British unit in which he is interested here, On the other hand, Hoyts are holding out against a buy because 50% of this; product was sold to Snider-Dean, indie, with the balance offered to G.T. One high official of the H^yt division states that had Doyle offered G.T. first choice o.f buying 100% a deal might have been cohsumated. At the various board huddles the Hoyt division has been fighting for. a Fox-20th huy, and the Greater Union division fighting for a buy on Associated. In other words. Amer- ican against British pix. Fox has a big ownership hunk of Hoyts. The Snider-Dean unit is a pretty sore point with members of Hoyts because it has been stated that Doyle is financially, interested in the unit, although Doyle denies this. Sam Snider was until recently an executive of. Hoyts, quitting to join with George Dean in the new setup. Stuart F. Doyle intends to interest British capital, in Greater Union while he's away and has a deal on the fire with C. M. Wolfe in London. Hoyt division also has been at work in this respect.. British Do- minion Films will be released through 7'ox in association with G-B. Ernest Turnbull will retain his po.sitic-i as head of B. D, and Alan Williamson will still have- charge of G. B, with Fox offices handling distribution throughout Australia. Therefore each side is lining up forces against the time when the break actually comes. GRIFFITH HEADS KRS, SEE GB RETURN TO ORG. London, March 24. Annual meeting of the Kinernato- graph Renters Society today (24) elected David Griffith, head of First National here, as its president for the ensuing year. Likelihood is that late afternoon sessions will result in Gatimont- British returning to membership of the organization after an absence of four years. New Anzac Censors C'ranbcrfa, March 4. Federal government has reap* pointed Creswell O'Reilly, L. J. Hurley, -and-Gwendoline, iiansen. as members of the Film Censorshi Board for three more years. Brigadier I. G. Mackay has also been reappointed as appeal censor for three years; Sands in Rio r v lo de Janeiro,- March 12. Ual Sands arrived here ori a visit last week. Agent has booked three shows running for the Atlatttlco casino and travelled from New York with the la.st of these, set for 12 weeks. As previously. Jimmy Soluire manages the troupe.