Variety (Nov 1942)

Wednegday, Novembw 4, 19411 PICTUIIE8 i Industry Seeks Garification Of War Necessity Status in D. C. Parley Group of industry leaders, in- cluding many represenUtives from exhibitor ranks, is. scheduled to visit Washington next Friday (6) for a series of powwows with Govern- ment bureau toppers in an effort to iron out manpower wrinkles. With Paul McNutt, -heading U. S. man- power setup, now becoming more in- sistent that drafUng of men essen- tial to different vital industries be halted, it is reported that a concerted film business move is under way to rate the picture Industry an essential one. Feeling in the trade is that the picture business, in many phases, is as essential as radio or television in- dustries, both of which have been classified essential by the Govern- ment. The only portion of the film m- dustry given permanent rating to date are the newsreels. Since tele- vision is regarded as not function- ing, excepting possibly on smaller scale in armed forces, industry of- ficials fail to see why it gets essen- tial rating while the film business Is pushed around. Sessions in Washington will in- clude those with Donald Nelson, Elmer Davis and other U. S. bureau heads in an effort to adjust prob- lems of manpower in relation to the Government. It also has l>een learned that numerous union repre ' sentatives, concerned with the status of their members in the film busi- ness, have started resisting the per- sistent shoving about by federal bureaus. lATSE thus far has been a leader in fighting this government runaround. Proposal to launch a new news reel by Warners pointed up the heavy inroads made by U. S. armed forces into film business manpower. Reported that only two competent — liewsreel cameramen at the pres- ent time are unemployed—one is sick, and stated that the other is seeking some other kind of work Donald Nelson Powwow Donald M. Nelson has invited a group of film toppers to a confer ence in Washington tomorrow (Thurs.). Among others to partici- pate in the discussions will be Wil- liam Batt, of the WPB; Chris Dun- phy, Elmer Davis and Lowell Mellett. Following a huddle with Nelson on Friday (8), when priorities, film conservation and salvage campaigns will be discussed, the guests will be given a luncheon by Lowell Mellett and later an address by Davis. Among those scheduled to go to Washington are Joseph Bernhard, Spyros Skouras, Leonard Goldenson, Charlie Moskowitz, Harry Brandt, (Continued on page 38) Like Papa, Like 20th Everytime the Chase National Bank, which is heavily invested in the company, closes down, 20th-Fox also does. This accounts for the fact that 20th shutters completely on even the smaller holidays while others remain open a half day or all day long. On Election Day (yesterday (Tuesday) 20th was locked up entirely, while Metro, Para- mount, Warners, Columbia, HKO and Universal shut down at 1 o'clock. Republic was open all day. PAR'S 9-MONTH NET. $9m000; UP $1,828,000 Paramount Pictures estimates its earnings for the first three quarters this year, ending last Oct. 3, at $1,828,000 greater than corresponding nine-month period last year, accord' ing to official estimates issued by the company Monday (2). Total esti- mated earnings for the three quar- ters ending Oct. 3 amounted to $9,278,000, as against $7,450,000 in similar period of 1941. Par's estimates showed third quar- ter earnings to be $3,455,000 as com- pared with $3,071,000 in the same quarter hV.t year. Actually, the first three quarters this year un- doubtedly will run higher than these estimates because they only include operations and company's share of film rentals from subsids in England, Australia. New Zealand and India only to the extent that they have (Continued on page 16) GOLDSMITH PRODUCES 1ST U.S. PIC AT COL Hollywood. Nov. 8 First Americau-made picture by Isadore Goldsmith, former European producer, will be 'Women at War,' to be filmed at Columbia. In his career overseas. Goldsmith produced 'The Stars Look Down,' 'Mademoiselle Docteur,' 'I Killed the Count' ar\d 'Hatter's Castle.' %t:SuHllot<Miiety|[su^ Shame Into Good Behavior, Sez Mgr. SEE Bie CUT IN DELIVERIES Only 30 Features Expected From WB on Whole 1942- 43 Season and 35 or Under From Par—Others, Ex- cepting RKO, May Not Release as Many Pictures as Promised LARGE BACKLOGS While promised programs for the current (1942-43) season do not place the total more than around 10% behind the last film year (1941- 42), early indications are that when deliveries are made the output to the exhibitor on the 12 months may be 100 pictures less than for the season which ended Aug. 31 last. Production problems of a general character, conservation of materials, raw stock restrictions and print economies are expected to find many distributors winding up with shorter programs than the exhibs now an- ticipate. A high executive, visual- izing fewer pictures because of the print problem and others, does not see any curtailment of double bills, however, at least not for some months. Extension of playing time all along the line will help take care of that in the face of a smaller stock (Continued on page S3) Current Govt. Emphasis on Value Of Good Shorts for Propaganda Seen As Another Wedge to End of Duals This Changing World New York. Oct. 28. Editor, 'Variety': I'm the "Theatre Manager' who wrote you that letter you published some weeks ago, exposing the zoot- sult menace and its adolescent fe- male counterpart. I did it because I know "Variety" gets so much reprint attention from the daily prtss. amusement editors, film commenta- tors, radio chatterers, etc., and hoped It would thus penetrate to the decent Kids who would tumble to the sug- gestion of how to haze the oafs into good behavior. Well, for your information it is working out swell. I've seen dozens of reprints and some dandy editor- ials in the dailies from all over the ySA. And I've seen some ex-Zoot Suiters. Thanks 'Variety.' Again, I must ask you to let me just sign it: 'Theatre Manager.' Propatanda Theme Song Berlin, Inc., thinks it will have a good propaganda Influence with a new ditty by Carmen Lombardo and Pat Innisfree (of the Lombardo or- chestra) titled 'Since He Traded His Zoot Suit for a Uniform.' Figured this will help deflate some of the more rampant deviltry of late. Sidney L.. Bernstein, the British theatre owner and film consultant to the British Ministry of Information, who just returned to London, stated that the same type of wartime hys- teria manifested itself during World War I in England. Not so much now, because the Nazi onslaught' is too serious a job for everybody, but in the 1914-18 period the same destruc- tive hijinks which resulted in the- atre properly, drapes, scats, etc. be- ing destroyed had asserted itself and. for a time, bid fair to become a national .scandal. Wartime Psychosis Commenting on the wartime psy- chosis which has led to a wave of juvenile delinquency, vandalism and a no-rare attitude, a profe.isor (Continued on page 23) Formal TnrnoYer Of $50,000,000 English Coin Signed b London British treasury in London an- nounced last Friday (30) the signa- turing of an agreement with Ameri- can major film companies whereby close to $50,000,000 is to be remitted to U. S. distributors in New York forthwith. This covers all U. S. dis- tribution rental coin up to Aug. 29 inclusive, previously frozen in Britain. The remainder, covering Aug. 29 to last Oct. 24 inclusive, will be re- mitted at the end of the present year. This may reach an additional $5,000,000 but the exact total may vary greatly from present prospects because of final dickers on the to- tals. Announcement of release of this coin had been expected last week, with the total about in line with ex- pectations. American distributors were un- successful in obtaining the abolish- ment of any future frozen coin ar- rangements, the British government insisting on virtually the same sort of pact as in the past year. Con- sequently, the American' major com- panies agreed"fa accept - a' jO'-'OO- frozen money deal with Britain committing iiself only to release $20,000,000 in the forthcoming year, starting last Oct. 25. This is identi- cal with the arrangement in the 12- month period just closed. Reason for the acceptance of such arrangement is that all U. S. dis- tributors needed the vast sum.s im- pounded in Britain and also because the British were agreeable to further discussions on the new current year's frozen revenue. Hollywood, Nov. 3. Production of 'Old Acquaint- ance' at Warners is getting a curious runaround through war and illness. George Brent, orig- inally slated for the top male role, joined the Coaat Guard and Franchot Tone moved In. Edmund Goulding, director, was taken ill and replace by Irving Rapper, who won't direct either. He goes into the Army in two weeks. EXHIBS IRKED BY PRINT DELAYS Loi Angeles, Nov. 8. Both exhibitors end distributors are raising a howl over th« delivery of Alms, which has grown lo uncer- tain that many of th* theatres In Southern California and Arizona have been forced to cancel thair matinees. One Arizona distributor pointed out that his territory, onoe regarded as an overnight haul, now requires three days. Trucking companies explain the slowdown in three ways—snortage of competent drivers due to drafts and enlistments, shortage of rolling equipment and, flnaUy, the 3S-mlIe speed regulation. Before th« war the distributors could have solved the problem by additional printgj but now the print shortage Is still an- other complication. McCAREY,KOERNEREAST ON CONTRACT PARLEYS Hollywood, Nov. 8. Leo McCarey shoves olT for New York this week with Oharlas Koer- ner to talk over a new produofr-di- rector contract at the RiuS home office. Recently McCarey completjtd 'Once Upon a Honeymoon^ op fh« RKO lot under a one-plctur« deal. Emphasis placed by various Gov- ernment agencies on Hollywood shorts product is bringing about one of the most significant changes that the war has wrought on the film in- dustry. Importance that the Gov- ernment agencies have caused to be attached to shorts by Hollywoodites, who formerly disdained them, may be the telling blow—along with the cut in available raw stock—in the long-threatened demise of duals. New viewpoint of Hollywood Is certain lo have a profound effect within the next year, and certainly after the war, particularly it the raw film situation gets any worse. With the upswing in quality, real exploita- tion methods are being applied to briefies and a knowledge that some- thing new has been added to shorts is being given the public as well as exhibs. That's likely to create a demand and real boxoffice value for shorts. Particularly when theatre operators and fllmgoers catch such nifties as Warner Bros.' about-to-be-released 'Beyond the Line of Duty,' Para- mount's.'We Refuse to Die,' Metro's 'Magic Alphabet,' RKO's 'Private Smith, USA,' and a bunch of others coming up. Pictures like those are no longer the mere screen fillers that shorts had become up to six or eight months ago. No Slufl Chore Now Until that time manufacture of briefies had always been a sluff-ofT task at all studios, with the possible exception of Metro and occasionally Warner Bros. It's different now, though, with some of the top writerk, directors and producers—and occa- sionally stars—working In the one- and two-reelers. Switch in attitude can largely be traced to the visit to the Coast last spring by Lowell Mellett after h« had been named Coordinator of Govern- ment Films. Each of the companies volunteered to make a certain num- ber of subjects on topics Mellett.out- lined. Studios assigned top writers and-technicians, jand a competitive spirit naturally resulted in the effort to please Washington. This was ad- ditionally furthered by the gala screenings of the month's best shorts inaugurated In Hollywood by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. With flocks of studio big- gies regularly seeing the best shorts, even If it didn't mean anything at the b.o. It meant an incentive, in that the (Continued on page 38) JOE MOSKOWITZ WEST Joe Schenclc. Mayer, Strlcklln;, Schrelber Leave Also Jo.seph Mo.skowitz. now back at his desk as N. Y. rep. of 20th-Fox studio, and Lew Schreiber. studio casting director, leas'e for the Coast tomor- row (Thursday) for huddles with studio executives regarding future talent assignments. Go by train. Joe Schenck. who came ca.st with Schreiber. started back to Hollywood last Friday (30). Louis B. Mayer and Howard Strickling left over the weekend. Public More Broad-Minded These Di^sS<M«mi|!y;ifimV^ With 'Desperate Journey' well into release and 'Gentleman Jim' being rushed out fast, having been pushed into more than 100 dates during the past week, a third Errol Flynn pic- ture will come off the assembly line at the Warner studio next Monday (9). according to the present out- look. This one is 'Edge of Darkness.' No other pictures are on the schedule for Flynn and no further plans will be laid until It la seen what the outcome of his trial on statutory charges will be. However, under a recent contract, Flynn was signed to make a mini- mum of three films yearly and a maximum of four. In the event four was turned out, Flynn is to be pro- ducer on the fourth. While it is presumed Warners will hurry 'Darkness' into release as quickly as it did 'Gentleman Jim,' no definite plans in that direction have been worked out, so far as can be learned. Meantime, the hope is that the Flynn trial can be stalled or that an appeal. If convicted, can be obtained to bring about sufficient delay to protect the Flynn pictures. Not Hnrting BIc So far there is no Indication that the unfavorable publicity about Flynn is hurting. In fact, it would .seem that 'Desperate Journey,' still getting holdovers and on third weeks in many situations, has strengthened a little at the boxoffice rather than weakened. Figures, comparing 'Journey' with what was grossed by two Warner films of like importance, 'Captain of the Clouds' and 'Across the Pacific,'show that 'Journey' is even with these two or better everywhere. Despite the fact that 'Gentleman Jim' was booked so fast there was little time for advanced campaigns, the film is reported doing well. On its first seven openings, a week ago today (28) in Warner houses in New England, it did 20% over hou.se avcri'gc:-. Juot how bcn.sational evidence at (Cot liiuipri on page 25)