Variety (Oct 1938)

'TARIUTT'S' IX>NI>ON OmCB, • 8L lifartlB'a Bimvn, Trafalxar Sqsaiw INTEBNATIOMAL FliuM NEWS iSiiiHe Aililreui VAMETV. LONUOM |S Tt>l«-plioi)e Tanplfl Bar 6(MI*8Mt JAPS EASE U.S. D ISTRIB BAN _—-■ ■ I . — —, _ . —^ \ War Mm Hit Slow Biz My ^ Ij-yfj, PLi MELTS [Italy's Nationalistic Distrib Plan In AnstraKa and Great Britaini \MM YAlilK rniUll ^^Y Stick; Harsh Terms Worry N. Y. London, Sept. 27. Aftermath of war scare pepped up trade the past week-end here, but the new week started ' slowly, at- tributed to many foreigners quitting the metropolis. Only spots seem- ingly una£Fected by the exodus are the Paladium's new 'Crazy Show' and 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' (20th) at the R^gal West End-picture theatre managers were tipped off that, in the event of a war outbreak, they would'be shut down by order of the government. Aim understood to be prevention of assembly by people in face of air raid, threats, and secondly desire to conserve electrical power. Audience got a bad attack of jit- ters at London Pavilion % few nights back when a Are wagon, involved in a street, smash outside,, crashed into a side door 6t .the theatre with a bang that resounded throughout the auditorium. Accident was right at peak of the crisis days, and flrst thought of patrons was that London had been raided. A near panic en« sued, and Manager S. Still had to work feverishly on the customers from the stage to convince' them there was nothing to be scared about. SuiTering from war scare jitters, Josephine Huston checked out. of cast of 'Wild Oats' to sail for the U. S. Oct. 1. Mrs; Harry Foster, Irving Berlin, Saul Bomstein and Francis Gilbert exited on same boat. Devotion to duty nearly put Edgar Anstey, of the local 'M'arch of Time' unit in the hoosegow Sept. 26. When French ministers arrived in Downing street Sept. 25 for fresh conferences with Neville Chamberlain, demon- strators assembled outside to demand the powers stand back of Czecho- slovakia, getting so rowdy the police thought it time to take a hand. Anstey, with ideas of shooting the excitement for Time,' was on the spot, with the result that when the cops got active, he was among the first they grabbed, carrying him off to the nearest court on charges of incitement and insulting behavior. Up for trial next morning, Anstey was, however, able to exonerate himself. Sydney, Ott. 1. War threats in the past week, end- ing Sept. "30, wrecked grosses at pic- ture houses, in Australia. Estimated that fear of general outbreak in Eu- rope dropped boxoffice- take in Aus- sie territory to the lowest level in 20 years. Exhibitors were just getting over fears that an extended coal strike would hurt theatre business in all territories affected by these mining operations when the Australians be- gan worrying over general mobili- zation of armed forces in Europe. General coal strike had been or- dered by the mine union to cover whole commonwealth^ While picture interests are hopeful that the federal government will step in and try to make a settlement, thus far it has refused to interfere with court ruling on working hours and wages for miners. Fear here is that an ex- tended general strike of miners would financially affect many in- dustries including the theatre busi- ness. Coal strike would be just another headache for exhibitors who are only recovering from the recent infantile paralysis outbreak. Mex Pic Misrep Charged V& S. American Distribs Mexico City, Oct. 4. Top Mexican-made pictures are oeing used by certain South Ameri- can distributors as bait to hawk in- ^^I'ior films by representing the Mexicans as American-made, the ministry of foreign relations learns from the Mexican ambassador to Chile.. Diplomat asserts that 'Refugiados en Madrid' ('Refugees in Madrid'), made in Mexico, was used for this purpose in Santiago, Chile, and Lima, Peru. Politics No Deterrent To M-G's Anzac BuUding Adelaide, Sept. 16. Metro .is to go ahead with its new theatre construction program here despite political threats, according to latest word. Only one house planned .at present, biit tiiis would give com- pany seven theatres in Australia. It already operates two in Sydney, two in Brisbane, one in Melbourne and another in West Australia. Premier Butler recently announced that- the governmen' would , intro- duce- legislation cov^ing construc- tion, block-booking and alleged high film rentals charged by distributors. Understood that plan to halt theatre construction is aimed at American distributors with exhibitor inclina- tions. SEE CZECH OtAB nrnNGU.s. DiSTRIBS Foreign department of major companies are checking possible ef- fect on distribution in Czecholova- kian territory by the absorption of land by Germany and Poland. Ex- ptnsion of Germany into Czech ter- ritory means that all distribution in this area comes under the* same rules existing toward U. S. distributors in Germany and Austria. Only about 25% of the money collected in Ger- many gets back to America, it's re- ported. Carlsbad, Bratislava and Pilsen, all rich and profitable cities heretofore under Czech control, now come un- der German regulation. Hence, all U. S. revenue from these communi- tion may be cut 50-75%. Poland has been known for its comparatively high taxes, but it's too early yet to tell if the land hand- ed over to that nation by the Czechs will materially alter U. S. distrib in- come. 'Unfair Competition' Rlamed by Sydney 1st Runs for Slump Sydney, Sept. 17. First-run exhibitors In bigger cities are complaining that present marked- slump in business is directly trace- able to inadequate protection pro- vided against neighborhood and other subsequent runs. 'A leading exhibitor here claimed that pictures now are being screened in neigh- borhood theatres within three weeks of original city dates. Unusual feature of this is that even in depression years, distribu- tors would not allow films to reach some nabes ifor three months or later. Such protection naturally was a tre- mendous asset for larger city the- atres since they could claim right- fully that the same picture would not be in neighborhood houses for months. Under present limited pro- tection of a few weeks, neighbor- hood exhibitors are able to lure pa- trons with lesser admission prices and the convenient location. Some distributors, too, are inclined to blame the dip in business on the presence of too many long-run the- atres. American Companies Ready Pictures for Distribution in Anticipation That Lift Will Come Soon — Deal Calls for Money to Be Placed in Frisco Branch of Yokohama Bank *37-38 PIX SLATED Dario's 4 Spanishers Hollywood, Oct. 4, Dario Productions leased .space at the Grand National studios to make four Spanish language pictures. First film is slated to start Oct, 18, Tokyo, Oct. 4. Resumption df American picture imports is expected soon because all U.S. distributors on Friday (30) are reported to have deposited part of their stymied coin with the Yoko- hama Specie 'Bank under a three- year freezing plan bearing no. inter- est to film companies. Numerous pictuies are ready at customs, for distribution as-soon as bars are let down.- Easing of Japan's ban against foreign distributors and freezing, of foireijn coir, here would be latest in series of developments on the situation. Germany recently was permitted, under a plan to bring in product and Italy deal is on the fire. Mex Studios Return To Work After Unions Settle Mexico City, Oct. 4, Mexican film studios have xesumed work with solution of row over ex- clusive control of film labor between two unions, whose boycott snagged 38 major producers. Understood that unions arrived..at peace when their members kicked, at the enforced idleness at their own. expense. As this shutdown was not a strike, the workers couldn't col- lect from'the-unions. ' BRinSH CENSOR FAR CLIP ON WAR CRISIS Major companies iii New York had been looking, forward optimistically to approval of plan allowing new product -into Japan, as reported in Tokyo* for more than a month..Es- timated this week that nearly every major distributor in recent weeks shipped 4 to 10 feature productions to Japan in readiness for clearing customs there. Consequently, it's un- derstood that American companies will have 66 to 70 features ready to distribute to Japanese accounts just as soon as formal ban lift is. made by the government. Because no American films have been admitted into Japan for ap- proximately a year, all these fea- tures will be drawn from reserved ace product on 1937-38 schedule rather than new pictures released since Sept 1. U, S. usually sends 300 to 350 features to that country in a normal year. Not revealed here yet how many pictures will be al- lowed into Japan annually under new plan, which is included in a deal to lodge already collected film rentals in that country with a Jap- anese banking firm. It was stated in New York that the rental money would be placed in Yokohama bank's San Francisco branch, where it will be credited to American companies, but none can be withdrawn before the end of three years. It's not officially known how much money would be trans- ferred to the San Francisco bank in this manner, but it doubtlessly will run into several hundred thousand dollars unless only part is permit- ted withdrawn from Japan under the bank plan. London, Sept, 26. Direct finger of government inter- ference with newsreels showed itsif i last week in Paramount News' treat- ment of the European crisis. Aside from normal coverage, editor Cum- mings included talk by influential newspaperman, Wickham Steed, who was strongly critical of the British attitude, but after reel had been dis- tributed, company .was pressed to de- lete this item. Consequently, all sub- scribers were wired to scissor the issue before screening. Par had itself in part to blame, it's said, and it's supposedly an unwrit- ten law here that politics and contro- versial issues stay off the screen. Metro Contrite Over Dutch Gniana Clerics' Peeve Over Native Fix Hollywood, Oct, 4, Five Japanese studios are produc- ing more than 500 feature pictures annually, despite the Sino-Jap war, according to. J, W, Piper, manager of the Paramount office in Tokyo. No estimate on cost of each, but far under what it costs for even minor productions in America, it's under- stood. Piper, who came here on vacation after visiting New Yoi'k home office, sails .,for ^okyo Thursday (6). Film Cavalcade London, Sept. 23, 'March of the Movies,' a 40-minute history of pictures, with shots from some of the old silents and talkers, goes into the Regal program with 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' (20th) Sept. 30. Charles B, Cochran's opus along the same ideas is announced to open shortly at the Palace. Amsterdam, Sept. 25. In the case of the Dutch Catholic Missionary at Dutch Guiana, who protested against behavior of Metro operators during locations in Suri- nam (he accused the American oper- ators of having induced civilized Ne- groes to 'sell their civilization' for $1 a day^ and to return to their na- tive state, and who uttered the wish that 'the airplane with the films and the operators may fall in the sea'), and on which an interpretation in the Dutch Parliament is pending, Metro published a statement that the Negro dances in question were j shot f^nly for archive purposes, and not f r using in any current motion picture. Meanwhile, serious investigation is promised to establish whether actu- ally 'unadmissiblt or even less de- sirable things have been happening,' and strong measures shall be taken if that proves to be true. Metro is proud, so the statement concludes, never to hiaving had any troubles I with any religious groups on any one of its films. ARTHUR LOEWS S, A, SWING TO LAST 3 MOS. Arthur M. Loew, head of Metro's foreign department, is in Havana this week en route to Latin-Ameri- can countries. Left New York Sept, 28 and will remain ir. Havana until Oct, 17 when he proceeds to Mexi- co City, Then he will visit key spots in Central and South America on a tour that will take about three months. Loew is not expected back in New York until just before New year's. Decision to make swing through Latin-American territory before go- in^, to Europe was made because of unsettled European conditions^ Loew probably will leave for England soon after getting back to the U; S. Distinctly unfavorable develop- ments have resulted from Italy's move to nationalize foreign distribu- tion, it was learned in New York fast week, with the result that for- eign department chiefs will-huddle at the'Hays office in a few days, U. S, managers abroad have been conferring with Commander Freddi, Italian Minister of Popular Culture, while the Hays office in N. Y. and the State Department also have been active in sed?ing liberalization of inriginal nationalization ruling. Thus far, Amercan distributors have indicated they would abandon the ItaliAn market, highly profitable as it is, if their own distribution sets- ups could not be maintained,. Most foreign executives fl?ure the neces- sity ot selling Id- .Italian distributors, plus other restrictions, would cut so deeply into profit In Italy that quH- ting the market altogether would be better. If a united front can be main- tained by major companies in modi- fying, the nationalization decree, Americans believe the^ Italian gov- ernment move can be halted. French Slant Paris, Sept. 26. Though one .supplementary decree has been issued and others are ex- pected to follow explaining the origi- nal decree on Italy's plan to. nation- alize distribution, exactly how the taw' will operate still is not clear to officials here. It remains doubtful whether the Italian government is to handle all importations. Ente Natlonale per le Industries Cinematograflche is. the government agency handling foreign Imports. A loophole allowing favoritism is seen in placing authority with this body, since refusal to abide by such would mean exclusion from the Italian market. This is said to confirm early sus- picions of American film of^cials here, who saw in the n?w mpye by Italy a plan to accept only such U. S. and other imports as would fit in with Italian film industry's plan of protecting its own business. In short, to look over all submitted product, accepting any new ideas, but allow- ing only less competitive films in for distribution. Paramount, ' Metro, 20th-Fox and Warnef Bros, officials have been meeting here constantly to size up the situation. ITALIAN FILM AGENT SUES ON U.S. PIC DEAL Anonima Per Produsioni Interna- tional Artistiche, Italian film pro- ducing corporation, is named de- 'fendant in a breach of contract suit filed by Renato Seccia, foreign film agent, who has asked N. Y. Supreme Court Justice LlOyd Church for an order of attachment against all proo- erty including films Which the Italian concern may have in N. Y., pending the outcome of the action. - Plaintiff claims that last July he entered into a contract with the Italian producers under which he was to have the exclusive handling of fikns starring Tito Schipa, Metro- politan singer, in the U. S. and Canada. Under the agreement he was to pay $6,500 for the privilege. For some unknown reason the producers reneged on the contract and he wants $35,000 for his trouble as damages. He claims iDino Ros- sini, N. Y. agent for the Italian firm,, has possession of at least one of the films and wants the court to seize it. Franco-Duteb Prod. Amsterdam, Sept, 26. Arrangements between P. R. van Duinen of N. V. Filma, Amsterdam, and French producer, Edvard Cor- niglion-Molinier, owner of CCG Films, Paris, were perfected. New production unit will be founded. First film produced will be Anne- marie Selinko's novel, *1 Was an- Ugiy Girl,' last year's best-seller in several European countries.