Variety (Feb 1938)

«VARirTt'S' liftNDO^f orncB, ,: iBt. Martin's Pliice,; Trafaliptr - 8aaM« mtERMAtlOlM^ NE^ CnMe Adfdram: TARIRTT; LONnoH Xel«plion0. T«inpli» Itur SOIl-aatS 11 UA's M«i Mi:h Sam ' Seidelmailii Mexico maiiiatger for United Artis^/ in Y. ior weeks of ; home othce ' parleys,' btdiight' conArmation ot conditions rieiported : to foreign departnients here mpr^ thah two months. a|{d.v At tha';-time: details, ot. manner in whiqh ^ labipi-: control was throttling jioreign distributor : pper<'ti6ns .- were trans^ /Sydney, J an. 24. British Ciriemia EihibslAA come out with a serie? of aUegatiiJns^ regarding the sjtatus pt Greater Union Theatres ind Hpyts/ ; € that iG^^U,t;: is relying; upk^ Austt-.alikh' law aigiinst dis(jrimiha- .tbry trading for*; prptection against, the iatt^r^ Hoyts hiaye made absp- iute denial, and claim ;that their 6r- ganizatidh is run entirely by Austrav Ji : ;who ^av^^lNt ptefe^^ every respect . But apparentiy V the . goyerhment will not interfere in any fair business fight.' This;is taken to .mean;thi|t .the contest between Hpjrts and* .G..U.T; f (jr. a~ showing in. the thfeatre^business will-depend on ;w^^ to grab ahd"iiold'th^;''best.:p i ^, Reyivai p{ that bid talk- aboiit the •t^rribie' :Amefibanv .cpmbinatiori: to doininate the Australian market-falls dri ^^eiaf ears ias., tar: ias the \Yares .gov.ernment is concerned.It yV/ili be recalled tliiat the'goyernmenit hef;e Vvent into all; anglieis of' the^ques- : tion under a royal tommissipn hear-r ' ing that rasted for- . weeks; U. • S. :.distributprs; were giye'n a. clean, slate tiien, and .there appears tP■ be np:.irt-• tentibn now that the government niay opeiiia new..probe:.. > . : it is not exactly i secret that local . producers are-back p£ most 'pi these - squawks. . Usual procedure: for dis- tributors is .;tp buy iip some Ausira-r lian ■pictures when these ydwls be- cPnie Ipydest:. i;hen alt they hive tp do .i.s: get evidences t6at ^exhibitors '.dpn't want .to\shPw,the^ M '.■ ^ Latest indication ■■ .■.here .-.is ' that G.U.T. . might fare better :than'; ftist. • iiticipated, ■■ ' with ■ ■ Metro, .Uniy'eirs.al^ and B.E\Frpict.ures lined up ahd ex- 000,r$150,OOQ .each. teritat.iye prbg^^^^ lirgtatitm-'oVabt^^ ; t i tV ongilj^oVidit^^ in the, c^ i r. ejlij^gar .'features: Hoyts have -Mth-Fox ,and other jmaijbr ;pr6d.uct. GUT MG 25 AUSSIE OUTLETS :■^Sydney;,,.Jan.. 26.V- ^ \i^ith the signing of a contract be- tween .Metrb. iaivd G reater Union, the fdrmer will have films playing, in^^.^^t^ State, tyceiiTTJivC with ..second releases 'into the Xyric. and thirdeVs into;the' fimpress^ ThiS' ; in addition to Met's pWri ace thea- ;tres, St. Jaines;-and ■Liberty . / In. Melboiu no,: Metro . will spot piix Into GUT's Majestic, State and Melba, and this is in addition to own Metro acer. GUT-Metrp cpntract covers bnly. Sydney and Melbourne. ; with films goinginto indib; outlets it\ bther states, plus Metro's own the- atres in Brisbane; WithJ the GUT hbok, Metro will hay.e an Australian coverage of .25 key city theatres, ia record ipr. any 'ope^d^ • ' as • ^-BeiJinr jahvirSt; ;;' In .cpnjiiiVction - with the Institute - fbr- Econdnvic; Research, the Interna- tional Film Chaimber is . setting . up .. 81 ' department' fo^; film statistics the world This is. to be based on •thel work carried . Ph .since 19.32 by . the Economic Research; .Bureau in / cbliabbratlon.v;with. •;, slhiilar^ :.tlbns ."ili: other cpunti'ies, ■ one^ of .the .;forembst-beiiig the .IJaryard IhStituteT . Germany hopes that this hew ihr yteniationai' bureau -for film^ ^iwili help easing up some Pf the dit- , ttculties In film exchange. ' / 'Nuts in ■ London; Feb: 8. :*Nuts iiv May,' . whifch: opened at 'the A.nib.assadpis l:. re- Feb. 3, appears on the way out. ■/ ■.^; Play .^isVa^ childish, ';^ -conil n6ntal farce. ■ ■\r of combatting the arbiirtary tactics of union control have been on the fire in PJew York ever since. Seidelman returns to his . head- quarters in Mexico City- Feb. 23, ^, •: •d . London, Feb. 2. ' To maintain employment for stu- dio hands and technicians,during the. present prdductibh: slump and pro- vide .quota; rriaierlai .Ipr -ChatUs -M.-; Woplf's. General' Films. Capt. Richard NortPh has • formed a . new unit to .opiefate: . at, the .• Pinewppd;. studipsv Plan^ in whiGh he has the cpllabbra-. tio.n bf the p'Bryen, LinniV-i/Pun; fee agency; iis to make .briesidrarid ljutter. pictures on. a budget of .$100, Accordirig to schedule, the first subject will roU Feb. 25. being a screen, vei'sipri of, the West End farce success, 'A Spot ..Pf Bbther,Vin. which SibbPiTsorrriar'^ a'M .Will repeat their stage parts. Ahr thony Havelbck: Allan, who handled the; Paramount British production . at jPiriewood, will prdduc'e and the crew will be enrolled from among exi..sting manpower of the Parambunt British and Bi'itish tjbminibh .-butflts. . .. New unit is called. Pinebropk; Ltd;, its board'Corhprising,. Capt.. .Nprtph, with Capt. C. Healey and S. M. Ilcis. Jjpiniewbod Studios,. Ltd., which - trols the' plant, does not produce on its own account and," with JacK Bu- chanan ; Productions, Gau.nriont-.Brit- ish and the Par unit at a temporary standstill, thb stages are largely in- active. REDUCED AB SHARES V • ,,; ■ London. Feb. 1. .i.Associated British pflpi- be 1,500.000 .$1.25 shares at $3.50 to existing shareholders, was heavily pvefcalled in the final.' analysis.• vMembers.- of the board and friends, who had previously tear;niaFked 8O,0.',O0P shai-cs, fouhd-Vif they..,Weie .lo_saVilify! stbckhblders, they would need to. re-, iinquish -a . siib^tantial^ p^^^^^ > Big demand is held partially due to John Maxwell's move in dropping, the purchase price down from $3,68, the . market price of existing stPC.k.; ResUlt;is considered likely to.giv^^^^ badly heeded bbbst. to^Bi'ili.sh.picHiire- .financing, though ;the, incpme i.s to be; .u.sed. for theatl'e '.ptirpoi^es .'and .not. in p rodu ction. : '.. Gerron Resumes Acting ■■■■it -The Hague,. Fbb. L ■ - ' Kuri. Gbrrbn.;; formerl;y..LJ/A toi*; who' 'worked ' •.'Austria and France and ; lately in 'HbUahd and Italy, .has.decided' to give upi.'di'rec-. tion an.d start aga-i.n 'as an^ a'ctbi-v"^^'^'^^ ;\ He played .in more, than 60- Ger- man ..pictureS. One of., hi.s... bcst. .i;o1 e.s. .was .ai;bharacter part in 'fliue Angel.! J with; Marlehe . pie't;fjch ' and,. EmiT .Jannings.'; ;.Gerrpn-. ' ..■'ribw ; st.udyihg EngPish. ■ .■■';■,■•■■.-■ Sittiatioh : nas;, oecomie « Joke, but It't a Headache to Hollywood pngiisH- S p e a k i n g /Nations; Baii (Ciruelty :io yCriijnie' Stuffr^Jfai^s Americim Slang : Caiiseji Wji<^yi.Sit!Cjatibn»---Fr6wn ohr Likker, btiit Militarisin: PROTECT vlUyE MORALS Censorship, by .'foreign countries, long the bane of U. S. producers, in recent years has becatne so sweeping ; and, all-inclusive ,that it's ridiculblis. .: Each country has its own censbrial idiosynci'asies. lii : Ebgland, i cruelty • tb aniirials or .anything 'suggesting such ;is 'the. strictest tabu; Japan bears down ph all kissing scbnes and anything smacking pf sugges'tivehess^^ yirtually all natibns outside'of . Erigr lish-speakirig ones (and/ somie. bf! these kick); bbject: ' tP; anything in; which igangsters figure. . , ;. French censors, eliniinate 'ahy^^ that: might be ;antagbnistic to; foreign nations and .also have a sort of uri- Pfficiai censorship pt ne^vsreel^^^ made in Swederi- pfteii are those in- volving distortion: bf . courts, of jus- tice, killings and . anything tending tb make :. bbys appear 'as thieVes. -Dutch .East Indies Opposes sp^^ things,, not rated suitablb for cinema fare,:;' ihcluding,; nudity, cruelty to animals arid; causing persons tb be-- ■t^he--4iitbxteat-e d '- - witrh intention to .'dp evil,' .:■/■.; -■.."^■:v7'■ : ■[. Fact that Anrierican slang doesn't rnean the same thing, in other, Cbunr ti'ies causes plenty of headaches. Australiah"^ cehsors~ply " the"shears' heavily valbiig ■ these■ lines. ■ ■',. Some deletions wpuld be laughable, if they were nPt suqh: a pain in-the neck to producers. ■ Spmetinies the cuts leave scenes hanging in midair or they are so severe and numerous that almost a whole reel may be lost. .Majority of .rnajqr companies get;a, copy or Tequifed 'eliminations and , make changes in Holly wood, before shipping abrbad.; ■•>■; .: / \ i . Australi censors • cut .but '.the blbbdiest orange,' from Talkihg Feet,' doubtlessly, because ■ of .the British aversiph; to 'bloody.' In 'Trapped by G-Men,' same country ordered .out the word 'bum' when, referred to. as . a 'bum leg that's getting set too fast.' The word 'bum' has another meaning down under; ■Ehglahd\s board elim- inaled ' and bloody'- from' 'Man' Proof," presumably for the.same i-ca-; son -as AU.ssie's; actiPh. -. . ■ Case of peculiarly awkward;dialog trimming in England bccurred in 'It's , Lbve I'm After,' when the last throe words weire cut from 'the. fate some call worse than death.'. In Australia the ceiisprs ■ deleted the foreword, 'Acknpwledgm.ent tb. U. S. Navy,' in ■ 'Wings Over •Honolulu^' Countries in Europe are very stribt: Tb.i)'"; wiiat~pict^^^^ ypungster.s under l.iS; Because liniiit- ing a film. to strictly adult cbiisUmpi tiori hurts the box office, nearly all American companies strive to make : c liniin ati on s sb that 'the, p i c t.U res can • get u'hveist'ricted/showitigs;- -.Ev^ -so. cei-talii. countries order that no .chil-. dren be allo\yed tb-see'ccrtaih pr -; .dudtipnsV^ ;.Beigium .,^laid down this .sti puiatibn '-on ■ Dpdswbi'th!. and 'Be- Ibved Enemy;'. • France banrted 'S.onf o! Gun.s;' with no rca."ion; given, though GOmpa'nip.s hero ..were given to understand that it-wa.< bccau.sc'-it, might b(i considered ihsuUing .to Germany; . '' '' ''V-.■' .....;•;; ■■;'.-^:\..- .Peru chipped in with sevoral bpn- .•nings'. -.in. thy . last Vci;iiit mbnth.s, ,.in.^ eluding those, on 'Blact-Fury,*. 'Tale of .Two Citics' xind .'Bglovbd'Enemy.' ■feasph .listed bcing triob,.-seenes'.• and spy plots; IBH cen.soirs be-' 'caiTie: ext)-emely tough' near the close pf' last year, Banhihg. eight fbatu.res in a few wceksi \' '.■'::y :'■■■.■ British Columbia cbniots proved ' ■' HankPw, Jan. 20. , Morey Marcus, M-G rep in . in ■ Chirta,; reported a strange summary of cdhdiUpns . in, ia •box-office report received fi-pm . a Hankow exhibitor. ..lii .place of usual designation of weather, the exhib wi-ote; ■■■'■ ',.■ ; ',. . 'Four '311;.. raids ; this ■ aftfer-, nopn.' ■■■■.■ .. ;:■■■;■." • " U.S.PictsHoU m n ; . Recent repprts received by fbreign departments of fllrh:' cbmjpanies iii New York indicate that: Americah pictures. hplding.:their own Brazil, despite • strenubus -eftprts' ;by :pther foreign :natipns to sway popu- lar opinion there! - Cbmprehensive campaign to encourage .t favor pf fei:azlliani;s ' now being; carried/on by Italy . and Germany -and ' de- veloping; an ] actual .brntagbnistic at^ titude towards /American's and t fnariufactui-cd goods, accprding to the latest word. ' , ■' .■ However, eVeh "in the. fate of this piropagartda;. drive; / Brazil h^^^ continue to be .100% fbr U. ;S; films.- ST.rrTffT SWTTfiTTES >■,. ', ;:../ ■•, ^ Oslo, Feb, 1. ■ ■ Stockholm didn't, do • bad In .changing-title of-''Thb Awful into 'My__ Wife. Has A 'Boy-Friend,' bu.f Oslo ~th inl«-r -it -topped 'Topper* by releasing ; it. *Spobk"~ (jbes- ^d Towii.', - - very touchy, oh •exaggei-aited' cd.urt- rbbnn scenes in, 'Career Woman' and ;'45 Fathe.rs,'. asking that title be irit ;Serted to indicate that these were hot. typical Pf Canadiah:. courts of justice. - ■ • .;■ , ■ , ': '.■'•' ■ '■}..■■. :.[' ': . Dehmark took put scene where; male. appear.s 'in. shorts ' 'Awful Truth;' "I'urkey . severely cenisbred recent newsrecls. On the Spanish: c .war and Sinb-Jiipanose struggle and certariv religious; scenes from 'Gar-^' den 'of Allah.'; Sweden lifted hold- ups. • a.rid rough stuff by mobsters from 'Kid Galahad." Belgium barred children under. 16 years from' 'Good Old Soak' bccau.<>e b£' dome.stic .strife .; and . drinking pJ the faIher. Japan whacked put mpre than'. 200 meters of footage from 'Knight WithoUt. Armpr,'. including kissing scenes and any film that in-. eluded the idea, that War is hot.-cn- tirely glarpbrPus-and.noble; v!! Pat-)ama; bahned 'Armored Car' be- cause .p.f 'gartgsferv therpe. Sweden barred 'LbndPn' by ^Iight' /because; of too .rniahy horror .scenes and unsym- :patheii c plot, A ustr-a lia-deleted-cipse-- ups'pf .bathing; beauties, in, a newsr reel frbnri' U. S../ though sW'imrriing is popular with.Ahz'acs;,; Same couh^ try c.ut but Scene;: in' ,^bpuble:".ot; • Nbthingi' showing ;Martha .Ray.e- .with padlbck on her: dr.es.s and cbiisfsquent dial og. Also . scene showi ng.' .jack Haley 'biith in J'Dahger, Love at . Work.' : ■ V .■■.:.,.;■ '[ ^ .; Rbumaniari.; government; bann<.'d ."Tale of■ Two Citits,'; a ffpr passed by ..the;■ ce'nsgr',': presumabIy . because.'. Pf Prench rcvolutioriary theme. -South ACi-ica banned. 'Sv/6rn Enemy' be- cause ot gahg.ster thenie. /■.;;., . Iri 'Dahgerpus • Number.' 1 ine by .giri. Avvho;; sard,..'*Braybl :Ai.i'd:.here;;.i.i to the hair, on your chcvst.' .\vas:'elimr^ .iniated by Dutch • Easl 'lri.dics. ■■ ;. ■'.' ..British" .cQii.^^^^^^ generally ;hold that ;ali.. rcligi.pUs Susceptibilities- in all section.s of. the community miiit ."be. respected in; pictures... .''.Mexi banned .'Lawless "Rider- because a character' depiclod ,.as- a -Mexican is kiciced arbii'htf- aiid- .laughed .at,..;' • ■ ". '; ■'■■;•.•; ' Londbn, Feb, 8. '■. , ExeciJt. for consideration ^of ".actual - quota percentages,, the.P^if Iiam(ihtary itandinjg cpmnriittee tPday (8 > cbn- clttded discussion on the films bill, wlthput any. late surprises, v: Higher quota for exhibitors now looms. ■ Stanley; is' pressing tor hur- ried approval bf whole measure, say- ing it will come up :for'revisibn i .1940 anyway. ' In ^twp-sessions since ; Pa^^^^ reassembled last week the commit- tee has de^lt with nearly half the ' measure, with the pace being forced by Oliver :Stanley, Board bf Trade •' presiderit. Stanley announced that the bill must" :be', fihalry di.spoi.ed of by 'Thursday (10) :and, .if,,necessary,, a supplemehtai'y^^n^ bb held that afternobn to ha.sten its dis- ppsition.: Bill, wi 11 • theri .go thrpugh,• the House/of Cbmmbhs/i'br " a third reading and later to the House of- Lords. /;'.. "^ '■■ ■.„.•■■/ '. Meanwhile ;prbductiph i.s./alrn'bst.' at :■. a '.s.taridstill, with,: Fbx-Briti^ latest studio to clo.se down; .'Warbers recently; dismissed .300: employoes frbm: Teddington; and .Mctrp doesn't ^ intend starting prpduction until/ the - .end pf next month.- -.fither studios ate also; .laying bif production until the/ne.w/legislatibn gbe^ ;through.; There is nriore .outward harmony, at the preiscnt tinie,; but many, dis^ puted clauses '. have.. yet to be thrashed put before; the corhmiltee.. Nc matter how, much; time is /.Con- sumed in; debate/it •■ : now ccrlai . •that.sdme;sbrt bf new .quota, law-w -be -in force when the; prCsent-staCuie; on distribution expires, :-:-'y /V"" /•/There'' again .• '. . a; 'cohvcrging- .of; ■ official distrlbution■ company reprc- sentatiVes here, with Phil ReiSmah, RKO foreign head.' ex pec ted.- tofi s,-. ■ ure- in .(iurr^nv lJ^i'Iey.s ^pn Joe Sel-;. djelman, new Uni.yer.s;al foreign due in this week. John" Hicksl Par- iirnbiiht foreign;department chief ex-,/ ecutive, / expected /in London ,be- fbre^h€LliietUrn.s-^tp—Nr"^yT^ Sbiith American; tour/ ' However,/it iis- possible that th'e quota mca.sure \yill be set by/ the -time 'he arrivo.sj . and his activity may be irhcrely ;tb - size Up prbductiort . possibilities cbhstitutcd after; /passsage ,. of the quPta. /'• /. PublicatiPn of Board of Trade fig- ures showing cpmmoditics to be cort-^ sidered by the U.S. for pbssiiile tar- iff concessions in / .Ahglp-American trade, talks lends further cblor to the/ belief that eventually this trade treaty will difler >iO materially. fro m ■ the Ehgli.sh quota law that it will automatically supersede it;.; But that is a year distant,'aceprd- int': latest caliinates. Arid' the new British quota will be in ,fiiU/fbr.c,e untilvthis:pact/is, .settled/between th / two nations; Aiiicrica'h, picture ' terests are certain,/,to,/figure in di.-ifi^,/ cUssipns/ thi.s contemplated trade treaty. ';■: . ■\ '■':■"•'■//..■ ; ';"'•■:;/;■- Ass'n of-Cine ,'Technicians, .at■• last has answered Oliver Stanley, head of Board pi' Trade, and put up.,qual!-, li.ed .suppbrt^.Pf the . aiterriat.ive/^q^ principle providing/ prppprtion of labor costs: pa id:' British ' subjects be lifted fronri ■. 75% .tb virtually 85%.; Plan / which . ACT /■ Conditionally okayed proyidcs"'nval^ Qve r and: above/ a / d is tr ib u lor's q up la rcqiiirernenits . shall; count /twice ■ for an exhibitors' quota. . / ] v ;-./. Condition.s spec'ificaUy outiihed by Cine Techs /.• that e,xhibllbrs', qUbia; be hiked ffonri' present schedule and that twb /persons be /cxeluded/vf rom labor ;.;;cpijt .; /claUsesr^iatter ' labor cost percehtage^t 10%.. ■;Reply of ACT rates the' alternati ve .qubta principle pnly as pai-'tial. .solu- tion to p'rPblcm, .undcrstanding ■ hftI'e being that both' the .labor and pi-o- ducer';groups still /ni'c-feiv the di- Vprced;' quota /;blan,;./aircatly;'tossed, but-^by. parli;nbenLary;:c,amrn Ci noma tog rap h ..Exhi b i tors. Aissii/ is objecting to.;'; boosting . quota , 'por-; .cehtagc 'for 'exhibitor.;..;;, 'A bf tilted quotas for theatres,' "nvorn- ber.s/of CEA hold, would p|'a,cc/;ihetri at the mercy of ..a flood - of quickies. Labor bunch ;demand approva 1 of ;bbth/stipuiatibns/if; t^^ •the;-altbrnative . siystbrtT,','./.