Variety (May 1942)

Wednesday, May 6, 1942 PICTURES 25 U. S. Will 'Cue' Hollywood ;Continaed from pace gloved band Is manifest In his re Iteration that the CJovernment will not 'tell' Hollywood what to do, but If, as 'Variety' has emphasized, there is deslr^ for 'cueing,' then Nelson Poynter, Mellett's man in the film capital, wUl have a constant stream of ideas and suggestions for the studios. Incidentally, just to make sure that Uncle Sam Is tree of nepo- tism or palsy-walsy- Inhibitions, Mr. Mellett stresses the fact that no one on Poynter's staff will have had Hollywood connections. The emohasis is that this is aU a Government move, for benefit of Hollywood; not Hollywood's accord and cooperation for benefit of Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam Can Be Toaeh , In this same, mild-toned yet trenchant attitude there's' evidence that Mr. Whiskers can get tough, if not gaining his point on the 'cues' being given film producers on what to make, how to make it, and what not to bother with. The big trading point is the use of Government facilities. It's no small thing to get Army, Navy or Marine manpower, technical advice and usage of material. It's no small thing, either, when the Government's vast research bodies are or are not put to best usage on behalf of one or another filmmaker. Mellett will supply no scripts, he says, but adds that the mere wealth of material which he can supply on any given subject—whether it's the Commandos, American Merchant Marine, conservation, War Bonds, salvage, automobUe pooling or any- thing else to do with the war effort- must inevitably Inspire film scripters to the proper plots. Possible Screen Cues It's obvious that boy-girl in a cafe scene can slip in a line about want Ing only a half spoonful of sugar; 'it's not only patriotic, but good for my figure,' says she, and the youngst^s of the land ere bound to follow suit. Mellett In ad lib manner used Judy Garland's name, as an Instance, where she 'might point to her beau's Victory Suit, admire his cuffless trousers and sparser accoutrements, and thus get millions of ingenues to cue their boy friends similarly, Mellett, however, doesn't want U. S. films henceforth, if intending to aid In the war effort, to make us ap- pear foolish or foolhardy. .He's of the Professor Robert Gessner opinion—^he cited that story, having read it in •Variety'—that It helps nobody If we treat our enemies too lightly, as was Prof. Goner's dia- tribe anent To Be or Not To Be,' laid in rubbled Warsaw, where the Gestapo is made out to be musicomc' dy poltroons. Well, there's nothing funny about the Nazis, the Gestapo or the Axis, says Mellett Thus, for Instance, when some Hollywood producer proposed a re- verse, to The Invaders,' his personal opinion was negative. To depict the resourcefulness of five Americans In Naziland-^s did the plot, in reverse, when five Nazis wandered through the Dominion of Canada—^Mellett thought was too much In the hokum Superman Idiom. Without telling, or directing, of censoring, seemingly that's the type of 'cue' that Holly- wood wants—and Mellett gave It to 'em. He also gave them some 30 or 40 skeleton Ideas, ostensibly for shorts although hoping some might become features. Some were hopped on fast, Warners grabbed the Ameri- can Merchant Jiarlne theme, of course. That's the only feature from the batch announced as yet, but shorts are being made on almost aU the themes. When it was suggested that, as has happened, some might hop on the Commandos as an obviously good action theme. It was here that Mel- lett thought that diversity of treat- ments should, obtain. That is, he would not favor restrlcthig It to any one studio, just because the Govern- ment might feel that Major Studio might do a better job than Inter- mediary Producer, On the other hand, where Governmental facilities were entaUed, that's where Uncle Sam could hold the whip hand, if electmg to favor some particular producer for some special reasons. Prefers Individuality . But here he recoiursed to aamanag- jng editor story he Is fond of. Mellett was executive editor for Scnpps-Howard papers until he and «oy Howard fell out over FDR and tne ex-edltor finally wound up work- ing for the President as one of his 6« aides "with a passion for ano- iwmlty.' Said newspaper story Is iJ? who hires the best possible reporters, but permits wem to inject their own person- alities and treatments Into the yams, writing or treating the stories as best suits them. Mellett feels Hollywood could do the same theme over and again, if needs be, without palling, since the ingenuity and re- sourcefulness of the fihn producers are as divergent as there are studios and producing staffs. It's because of this, too, that a heralded '26 shorts' may wind up in feature length of more or lesser final totals. He stresses - that this 26 is merely a starting point, and means nothing definite^ or restrictive. •Through it all, Mellett intelU- gently stresses that the most valu- able role of Hollywood in the war effort is first, last and always—make pictures for entertainment. Noth- ing should be injected into them that's going to spoil the entertain- ment value, he insists. But just as slacks for femmes, certain coiffure styles, heroes who don't wear under- shirts and other manifestations of every-day American life have been 'sold' via films, in the past, thus can the War Effort be sold. It's silly now to mirror anything pertaining to American life without its reflex of the war. A newspaper headline must talk of the South Pacific; a scene in Yankee Stadium must*show slogans 'Buy U.S. War Bonds'; a scene in a public dining room -can reflect 'Button Your Lip* slogans, minimization of sugar, war boom manifestations, and the like. The idea of U.S. cooperation, through working closely with Poyn- ter in Hollywood, of course. Is the answer to any censorship fears. All this can be circumvented by adher- ing to fact, if treating with some Ad-; ministra^ive 'cue' to Hollywood. That MeUett, as Coordinator of U.S. Films, Is stUl vJUUy Interested in the Government's own film pro- duction (.via Office of Erhergency Management) is soon apparent. That Mellett also coordinates all Govern- ment flUns, even those made for the Army, is likewise apparent, since so much clears through the Office of Government Reports. Jackrabbits : Continued from pare 7; of wartime restrictions on rubber tires and gasoline; and (3) the ab- normal dislocation of former theatre audiences caused by the migration of workers to war Industry towns. Jackrabbit Invasion should be In full swing by the end of June, and wartime savings hours this year may extend his exhibition season well In- to October. While having no way of teUlng just how many of these- one- night quickie operators will be in the field this year, indications are that for every three regular exhibs oper- ating at .established stands, there may be one of these Jackrabbit operators. Thtis, the number operat- ing this season may hit 5,000. Storm Warnings Because of this extremely real threat to normally poor summer business, storm warnings have been sent out by the Copyright Protection Bureau to all exhibitors. The Bureau has promised to check on all com- plaints in behalf of general industry protection so that evidence of unfair competition via unauthorized ex- hibition of pictures, may be quickly sifted and action taken. Principal means of combating the Jackrabbit exhlb is . to turn up • copyright violation; iiiistances where he Is found using either 35-milIi- meter or 15-mm. copy of a copyright screen production without paying the distributors.' This Is the most frequent violation, and a natural one, since the Jackrabbit operator Is In a town only five or six hours— just long enough to give evening shows. Then he's off to the next town. The Copyright Protection Bureau must depend on other ex- hibitors to check these fly-by-night operators. CPB promises to prose* cute all of them operating unauthor. ized exhibitions. Help of state police and sheriffs also has been urged to curb the evil. Jackrabbit boys figure to obtahi additional business this year by* hit- ting spots, which normally would not be good but offering fine prospects because ruralltes won't' drive- 6-10 miles to nearby communities this year. They also plan cashing in on new boom towns arising from de- fense industries. They already have appeared outside many eastern cities presently thriving from expanded wartime business. The CPB will not touch traveling exhibitors using Ifcensed product. But most of the itinerant exhibs fall into the Jackrabbit class because cashing in on the quickie one-night dates they employ and use of any film they can obtain, licensed or not! Jackrabbit clan takes a show to a town for one-night stand, collects $150, and Is gone by the next day. Jack Levin, Copyright Protection Bureau director, told exhibs nearly a year ago that cooperation of exhibi- tors themselves Is needed to stamp out such gypsy operators. Like jack- rabbits that occur In such numbers as to injure crops, these Jackrabbit exhibs feed on the market of regu- larly licensed theatre operators. Blocks-of-12 : Continued from pace 7; Owners Assn. advised UMPI yester- day (Tuesday) it had approved the blocks-of-12 plan. There is still a chance that the UMPI may get the three dissenting exhib associations to reconsider re- jections of the selling plan so that it may *e presented to the court and tht D. of J. for 100% unanimity. Subcommittee will probably try to obtain reversal of the stand taken by the three outfits, with possible pressure also, .from '^Allied and MPTOA in that direction. Allied Approves - Chicago, May 5. As had been expected, the Allied exhibitors, board ' of directors last week approved the 12-pictures-per- quarter plan- submitted by the United Motion Picture Industry. Of all tha men in on the meeting, only one voiced any disagreement on the proposal. And he wanted- a clause permitting purchase of films singly and at wilL Otherwise the Allied association went completely for the UMPI plan. There was relatively little discussion of the matter, in fact; less than a single day being taken to talk over the situation of the various Allied interests and to record the votes of the assembly. There followed a pretty thorough discussion of the possibility of put- ting Into effect a celling on film rentals and prices such as presently exists in Canada. Abram Myers has just returned, from the Dominion where he made a complete investiga- tion into the method and means of the plan's workability. There seems to be a concensus of opinion that there is no way of put- ting Into effect a ceiling on film rentals in this country., This is due to the very nature of the United States Constitution and the laws of the nation. Canada at present has a one-man boss on the film situation and his word 6n all such problems is dictatorial and permits no appeal by either distributor or exhibitor. However, Allied announces It Is making a careful study of steps on holding down film rental that were taken in Canada but adds that this is not cited as a threat but rather as Indicative of the pressure for action with regard to Increasing ren- tals. Board of Allied asks that In the spirit of unity and cooperation the distributors consider its complaint in connection with rentals that have gradually climbed in recent years with the proportion of percentage pictures to flat rentals also greatly increased, not only among decree companies but also non-consenting distrlbs. Figures compiled by Allied would show that between 1939 and 1941 the combined operating expenses of six companies (Col, M^tro, U, Warners, 20th, and Par) declined approxi- mately $15,000,000, while for the same period the combined operating profits of these companies increased around $20,000,000. Not mentioned is the fact that four of these dis- tributors also own theatres, whose returns contri.bute to the profit colunui. Beery's Rough and Tough Hollywood, May 5, Wallace Beery's next starrer at Metro is a tale of wartime adventure, 'Salute to the Marines.' FUmlng starts June 10, with John Considine, Jr., producing. fLTmr WANTS TO JOIN Errol Flynn, Warner star, who ar- rived In New York Monday (4), is reported trying to get Into the U. S. Navy, In the draft Flynn was put In 4-F due to tin athletic heart an(i a bronchial condition, but while he has been rejected before by both the Army and Navy, he's going to try again, it's said. Sameness of Roto Coverage Forcing * Newsreelers Into Booking Shorts Roll Call sContlnned from pare 4s past two years, offered his services in January. On instructions, he re- ported to Camp Forrest'April 24 for physical examination and was or- dered back home pending final Washington decision on application. Martin is continuing at his post untU called. Army's Big Hnnk of Men Hollywood, May 5. Victor Mature has be^ reclassi- fied by his draft bos|rd from 3A to lA and is waiting for his physical exam, to be followed by his induc- tion into the army. Floyd Campbell, supervisor of sound maintenance at Pararhount, returned to the Navy, where he served in the last war. Boyce DeGaw, Metro screen writer. Signal Corps. William Bergere, RKO sound man, Navy. James Vaughn, Warners produc- tion assistant, Signal Corps. Kenny Howell, screen actor. Navy. Herb Bregstein, Hollywood editor for Click mag. Army. Hiram S. Brown, Jr., Repubhc as- sociate producer. Army. Berne Giler, Columbia writer. Sig- nal Corps. John Glover, RKO sound man. Navy. Klotz, Gay Martin Indncted Jack Klotz, agent asspciated with Joe Glas.er in New York, was in- ducted last week (29) in the Army: He's been stationed at C^mp Upton) Long Island. Ano'ther N. Y. agent Inducted the same day was Guy Martin, Sclvnidt, Bochester, Indncted Rochester, N, Y., May 9. George W. Schmidt, Hub theatre, was inducted Into' the Army last week, the fourth nabe operator en- tering the service here. Brother Ray Schmidt 'wiU carry on. The others are Don 'Whitlngton and Don Steven- son, Rivoli, and Albert Fenyvessy, Amett. Whitington Is on hospital ship Solace in the Pacific, Stevenson wiUi medical corps, at Camp I,ee, Va., and Fenyvessy In aerial photog- raphy dlvislbn sent abroad. Younger theatre^ aides seeing serv- ice are Jolin Menzies, Century, tank corps, F(vt Knox, Ky.; Howard Part- ridge, Century, Miami Beach; Charlie Dowd, Grand, radio operator, Pacific submarine; Carl LaValle, RKO Pal- ace, air corps cadet; Harry Rocko- witz, I,ake, Infantry, Australia. John Walsh Int« Army Jolm Walsh, 28, concert baritone and member of the Mexican State Opera last season, was inducted into the U. S. Army Saturday (2) hi N. Y. His last concert was given AprU 6, in N. Y., at the Concert theatre. Studios Wary ;Contlnned from page <s service to the Government in turn- ing out morale-builders and other- wise reaching the public with Gov- ernmental information. UntU offl^ cial word is received from Washing- ton, all studios wUl keep only those pictures going that ere in work. Those requiring new sets, not yet under construction, will have to mark time until Hollywood learns its status imder the new construc- tion provisions. . Studios Are Playiiig It Safe, Eastern Attitude The $5,000 celling on any type or construction'not considered essentia) to national defense, which was an- nounced in Washington on April B, is not construed as affecting building of sets required in film production. The $5,000 limit does apply, however, to. new theatre construction. It is 'intended as a measure to freeze building of new houses for the dura- tion • wlille permitting operators enough leeway to maintain and re- pair properties. Though $5,000 may be spent In the- atre renovation or construction, the regulation does not exempt theatres from priority restrictions which make it impossible to obtain steel, rubber, carpeting or air, cooUng equipment for this purpose. Insofar as studios are concerned no decision has so far been made by Sameness of material supplied by the newsreels since roto coverage on military and warfront stories was forced on them under wartime setup actually Is pushing many newsreel theatres into the category of shorts' cinemas. Situation has become so bad that many, newsreel houses pres- ently are able to glean only 30 min- utes from .the five U. S. newsreels; remainder is shorts or special short topics. Operators of newsreel theatres ave noted the rising tide of simi- Tarity in subject matter but they . really burned last week when there was not much more than 10% dif- ference on the six leading stories. All five reels carried yams from Burma, the Malta bombings, Roose^ velt's speech. Town Meetings' spread, sugar rationing and the Hollywood Cavalcade. There was not enough difference on the footage to make it matter which newsreel story was employed. Possibly the one excep- tion was on the President's talk and the Town Meetings, several reels giving much added footage. What Irks the newsreel theatre operators Is that with the six lead yams taking up so much of a total reel, this left them with Uttle to pick from in filling out nearly an hour's show. However, the similar- ity on warfrdnt and military cover- age is certain. to continue for the duration because rotoed—that is the same cUps or footage released to all five reels, with a dlffereiit reel taking turns in handling the story and sup- plying prints to^he other four. That's the military idea in the U. S., being copied largely from the British set- up- Nevertheless, the arrangement is forcing the newsreel houses to swing more and more over to- short fea- tures, rather than a strict newsreel policy. The situation -is so bad that the Embassy, on Broadway, and also the City on 14th Street N, Y, de- pend on special shorts and regular short subjects to .fiiU out about halt of the screen time, Smbassy gives about 20 minutes weekly to Tex Mc- Crary's 'Ringside' short spttiial and 'Kaltenbom Edits,' a. , world topic short. Tipofl on the' shortage of newsreel material'(not diipUcated) is that the Embassy distributes, these shorts to some -4Q or 50 - accounts, many newsreel theafreff. F.D.R. Talk and Mellett's TVIust* Padded Newsreels Closest approach to a two-reel newsreel In years came last week when Paramount's- regular edition carried about 1,400 feet of film. Its release gave risie to reports that Par- might try the longer reel again and. ultimately swing over to a two-reel release once a week. However, de- nied that there is any intention of issuing the reel in double the normal size for the present at least. Reason that the reel ran so long Is that about BOO feet was devoted to President Roosevelt's speech and Town Meetings, a subject that Lowell MeUett wanted in, all newsreels. Rea- son for the emphasis, is that the (gov- ernment thought it important to highUght the trend in U.S. toward community spirit,-typified by the re- -vival. of Town HaU gatherings in many cities. Town HaU material was listed as a 'must' to the newsreels. The reels have agreed ta run at least ISO feet each issue on material or topics the Govemmeot wants put over with the pubUc when filt they are vital under wartime conditions. Newsreels co- operate with MeUetfs office via ' Claude CoUlns, co-ordinator for the reels, he in turn tipping them off on 'must run' material. the War Production Board In Wash- ington that set construction Should be limited to $5,000. Some essential materials are not avaUable to the studios but if sets can be built from non-restricted - suppUes the 'WPB, from- aU accounts, lias not yet fixed any cost celling. In holding back on set construc- tion, the studio's seemingly are play- ing safe in order to avoid any action which might be construed as a .breach of the $5,000 construction rul- ing. Since film producers have been placed under the Production Re- quirements Plan, wliereby they must file requests for necessary materials quarterly. It appears that set con- struction is for the time being limited only by shortages or availability of materials reauirpd.