Variety (Jun 1945)

Wednesday. June 27, 19-45 PICTURES 27 til's Burn at Memphis Continued from page 1 it so happens that in the American Arms'. s ucn theatres are attended by •any Allied soldier in uniform. But the important thing was, that in 1,500 soldiers present, there was a cross- section of America. There were not only soldiers from N, Y. C, Brook- lyn, Chicago and Los Angeles but from Memphis and all points south, southeast and south west. There were Jew and Gentile, Negro and White, Catholic and Protestant but most of all.. .Americans. V During the performance, the pro- jector broke down, What made it rather unusual was that it wasn't for just five minutes or even 10, but for 52 minutes. Yes, I timed it. During all this tedious wait, with the picture better than three-fourths finished and the hour growing pretty late, this being the 9 p.m. show, not a man left the theatre. How do 1 know? Well, I purposely Stood near the exit so that I could note just such a thing or any other incident. How- ever, the only thing that happend through the long wait was that vari- ous GIs made various and sundry remarks, all unprintable and in Vari- ous and sundry American dialects that covered America from Maine to California, as to the ability, or lack of same, of the two GI operators who would pick such an inopportune time to let the machine go on the blink. That was all; that and nothing more. Even that would come under the heading of humorous heckling. When the machine was finally rer paired and the film continued to its happy ending, everyone felt the same. Their comments added up to the fact that they had just seen a flue hunk of picture.. .worth waiting, for. Now please don't feel that I'm writing you because I feel that this was any history-making incident. Rather. I'm writing in the hope that there might be a possibility that the Hon. Lloyd T. Binford, of the Mem- phis Binfords, can in some way hear of this and get wise to the fact that the Americans of all colors, national- ities and sections, who teamed against Hitler, paying the inevitable price in blood and death, just, ain't gonna like the idea of some guy back home spoutin' off such Hitlerisms as hi'/zoner. Also, to throw a "good going" directly at Edward Small, who believes in presenting all peoples as Tli* Office of Allan Property Cat' toalair aivet nolle* that the invita- tion to bid, for lleoMM to distribute in tho United Statos oach of fifty motion pictures, iitnod Juno *, 1*45, not boon withdrawn. Ac- cordingly tho public opening of bldi will not bo hold on July o. 1*45, at previonsly announced. Any bidi rocatvad will bo returned unopened and there will be no awards made. FRANCIS J. McNAMARA Deputy Allen Property Custodian Dated: June 21, H45 the human beings that they are, in spite of the fact that he may lose a few bucks in the south because a small minority believe that "a man is good enough to die for his country but not good enough to be shown dying for it." You know, I wonder what the Hon. L. T. B. would have done had he been "sweatin' out" the breakthrough at St. Lo, along with the rest of us, and had to dive for the nearest foxhole, only to find therein an American of Hamitic ex- traction. A rather amusing thought! Hope I haven't taken too much of your time, but I just thought you might be interested in knowing just how some of us over here think about things over there. May I? May I also congratulate "Variety" just for being American! Sincerely yours, ' S/Sgl. Charles Carpenter. Saga Continued from page 1 religious publication, "Our Sunday Visitor," in 1943, and somehow made its way overseas, where it created international headlines when it was found on the body of a dead Ameri- can soldier. Little was known there about the origin of the piece and it was generally credited to him until it was discovered that Miss Anger- mayer was the author. Copies of the piece were even found on bodies of German soldiers at Metz. Since then it has been read over national net- works by Joe E. Brown, Ginny Simms, Shirley Temple, and was featured over the Union Pacific ra- dio program, "Your America." The latter firm subsequently issued re- prints of the poem for national dis- tribution. After creating all this stir, Gedf- frey O'Hara, author of the World War I hit, "K-K-K-Katy," and John W. Brat ton wrote a hymn-like tune to the words, but shortly thereafter it was felt that a four-quarter tem- po would be in greater keeping with popular taste, The words are the salient feature of the tune artd they are on the cov- er of the sheet music. Dealers report that many will ask to see the song and copy the words without buying the music. The publishers have no illusions that the tune will be the most played on the air—it's not in dance tempo, but they're confident that it will probably be one of the most talked of pieces of the war. It's been said that the greatest pieces of this war will be written by the GIs themselves when they become articulate enough to put down on paper all they've gone through. But here is one of the po- etic masterpieces written by an ama- teur poet which has been described as catching the spirit of soldiers who know that any second the shell with their serial number on it will hit. PEKS©N«Ai!v Sp. A nq by ^REQ/\LLEN Star •/ United Artists bit, "IT'S IS THE BAG" 1—For years Hollywood kept turning me down."Noglamour,"themoguls said. Then a quiz kid wised me up. 3—Now I'm a glamour boy Personnel- fied.thankstosHckPersonnashaves. And my career—"It's in the Bag." 2— "DmchU, nothing's wrong with 'you that good grooming can't fix" he said. I got hep. I got Personna! HERE'S WHY Personna Blades are as sharp as Fred Allen's wit: 1— Made from premium steel. 2— Hollow-ground for keenness. 3— Rust-resistant for longer use. Personna, 599 Mad. Ave., N.Y.C.22 10 far $1... m wttth it! Wallis Stalls 'Discharge' Hollywood, June 26. Filming of John Farrow's wartime story, "Dishonorable Discharge." has been postponed until next year by Hal Wallis who had originally slated it for the coming autumn. New Wallis production schedule calls for "The Crying Sisters" in September," to be followed by "The Searching Wind" and "Love Lies Bleeding." after which he will hop to London to make "Whenever I Remember" for Paramount release. 'G.I, Joe' Gets Rolling "Story . of G.I. Joe" has been booked into the United Artists thea- tre, San Francisco, July 18. N. Y. opening is expected to be set shortly. National Press club is sponsoring preview of "G.I. Joe" in Washington on July 3 in tribute to late Ernie Pyle. Film will be shown at Loew's Palace. Washington, to members of the club, of which Pyle was a mem- ber, and club guests. ITURBI BACK TO M-G Hollywood, June 26. Jose Iturbi, currently doing a series of concerts for servicemen, will return to films as an actor-mu- sician in "Holiday in Mexico" at Metro. Musical, with a long list of Latin- American tunes, will be produced by Joe Pasternak. Alien Continued from page 1 a statement in which he said "Critics misunderstood the nature of the of- fer. No film could be released for distribution without prior approval of an appropriate Governmental agency." Rep. Ellis E. Patterson <D„ Calif.), the Beverly Hills congressman, jumped all over the offer last week in a statement in the House. "The purpose of these films," Tie said, "first and foremost was to Nazify those who witnessed them. I firmly believe that those German films now in the possession of the American Government ~should be destroyed or suppressed. They are all dangerous. Many are quite sordid. Even if a Nazi-made film has any artistic value, I am sure that our motion picture industry can pro- duce something finer. "Films under discussion glorify free love, the Hitler Youth Move- ment, Prussianism. and tell now 'Nazism freed Europe from oppres- sion.' They are- the" antithesis of the themes of the great anti-fascist films made by our American com- panies all during this war." - A day before the Alien Property Custodian made the announcement that the auction would not take place, Jack Bryson, MPPDA rep here, and Rep. Gordon McDonough (R., Calif.), of the Hollywood dis- trict both objected to release of the pictures without a checkup to be sure, they were free of propaganda. Both men said they had no objection to releasing those which were prop- erly censored and found free of Nazi influence. Rank Yens Distrib Setup Continued from page 3 - in America would likely be sup- ported. Unlikely that Rank would be obliged to export funds from Eng- land for his American enterprises, since he could readily raise coin in the U. S. in addition to the rentals from distribution of his films here. Rank Says 'No Plans' For Theatres, Distrib Here Hollywood. June, 26. Whatever immediate . competition American films will get irom Britain will' be on strength of quality of product rather than on setting up business deals in the United States by J. Arthur Rank with American film toppers, the English motion picture chief stated yesterday (Mon.) on his arrival here from the east. Rank said competition would be stiff but friendly, with drive being put on to raise level of British product as well as an attempt made to. understand American pub- lic by sending producers over here to meet with people not situated in Hollywood but those outside of the film capital. Magnate said he does not plan rushing a distribution setup in this country, although he plans one at later date. He also stated he does not aim to establish a theatre chain or production outfit in this country at this time'but will let events shape the trend of what he will do. As to the question what he may he planning to do with David O. Seb.nick and Samuel Goldwyn on production-distribution alliances, Rank replied, "I met Mr. Goldwyn socially in London and Mr. Selznick socially in New York. Our meetings were purely social and no 'such business talks have occurred." Rank said he looked for the Holly- wood production code to be adopted informally or formally by British producers as one of steps to-lower- ing barriers between free exchange of product. Rank stated he would like to see freer exchange of players, as well as producers and directors, but that due to union difficulties he . couldn't s e e much swapping of technicians. Two things Rank wished could be eliminated were double income taxation, which prevents many players from going back and forth, and also British quota system, which comes to end in 1948. He sees televi- sion as no threat to theatres and expects to have it installed in British houses in about three years. Film production by Rank will be between 20 and 30 pictures next year with 10 slated for American distribution. United Artists will handle nine and 20th-Fox one. Ca- nadian film production will b e limited to documentaries and chil- dren's films, Rank said. { Construction on British studios damaged by blitz probably will not i start, soon, as homes and other, neces- sary dwellings will have to be re- constructed first. Rank and his party of G. I. Woodham-Smith. John Davis, Barrington Gain and Joclc Lawrence will remain here until July 5 and then;-,leave to try put the golf course at Pebble Beach. Saville Gets Gertie's Biog Hollywood, June 26. Gertrude Lawrence's forthcoming autobiography, "A Star Danced," will be produced and directed by Victor Saville, if and when it ia translated to the screen. Choice of 'Saville is the result of years of professional friendship and esteem. U CLIPPERS HYPOED Hollywood, June 26. Universal's scissors department is clipping in high gear.this week with seven features in process of editing for early release. Films are "Lady On a Train," "On Stage, Everybody," "Night in Para- dise," "Crimson Canary," "Girl On the Spot," "Pillow of Death" and "Secret Agent, X9." New York Theatres 'OUT OF THIS WORLD" A Varamouiit Picture In Person • A 1.1.AN ..lO.NKS - fill. LAMB KM.KKN BAKTON JF.KKY WAT.D ami Buml BUY nONOS HERE SAMI F.I. OOI.BWVS prmrnU DANNY KAYE "WONDER MAN" . in TeclinU'olor B'WAjr . X CTAD CmiHiiinun * ir.il. SI. AOiUn l*u|Milur VrUes CC. B. Cochran's 1 S Continued from page 2 ' 50th year. I have plenty of good reasons for this—not the least Of which is my conviction, nobody is entertained or amused by an old crock. "Anyhow. Rank agrees with me the picture, will be a hit or a flop precisely to the degree it is a good picture and n.ot at all because it is my life story. It must be made on the theory nobody ever heard of C. B. Cochran—and as a matter of fact it's-the.truth as regard* a con- siderable proportion of film goers in this country -—never mind the States;' Although "C.B." refused to con- firm ••Variety's" forecast as to John Mills' playing.the impresario in the film, it can now be repeated with even greater authority: The young actor currently scoring a big per- sonal success in "The Way to the Stars" at the London Pavilion will have the title role—and present Cochran in the period between his 20th and 50th years. A further detail. What Rank has bought is the film rights to hot only the two Cochran books already named; he also owns the rights to "Cock-a-Doodle-Do".' and to the fourth of Cochran's books, about to be published, entitled "Showman Looks On." Hnmpnrey ROOART, Alexis SMITH Sydney OREEN5TREET I* Warner froi. Hit! "CONFLICT" , Tn Tenon LOUIS PRIMA AND HIS ORCHESTRA Alw lu Person , DANE CLARK B'way at 47th St. STRAND SYLVIA SIDNEY BLOOD ON |JHESUN rfrnrtlSlil.H'aMj. IN PRISON m% mm Ml MMM MCI. 1 ROSE MARIE JACK OURANT Cnlro'EIHl SMITIi FiVr MUSIC HALL "THE VALLEY OF DECISION" 8pectac0lar Stage Productions PALACE B WAY 8. 47th St. Robert YOUNG •Lorain. DAY "Those Endearing Young Charms" An nico-HAmo rtcf i'tiiD David NIVEN, • A tWO CltlH NIM OX SCKKKS fTliurs.. : .1unP 2S C'luiitJWtr CO I It I It'l Vrrtl MurMI JtR \V 'Practically Yours' IN PKItSON Mary Btth HUGHES Bob HOWARD SOth VICTORIA I'woy I, 46lh St. _ % iohhoies -*| IHMIEtLHSM , 4tft WEEK [ SPOTLIGHT ON CONGRESS MARCH of TIME AT ROXrV FRED MacMURRAY MURDER, HE SAYS A PARAMOUNT fffTfUE Brandts Air-Cooled Buy " CLOSE K'way tc Mar Bond* WW».« 48th 81.