Variety (Jul 1946)

16 INTERNATIONAL •VARIETY'S' LONDON OFFICE ■ St. Murtlo'» l'tocr, Tmftdjar Squaw Metro's Terms for 18 Cinemas (16m) In the Philippines Are 10% More Metro International.- following* through on its'foreign .16m policies^ or dealing with established 35m ex-- hibs and of charging higher prices 1 lor its 16m films than it docs for the | same pictures in 35m. has signed a' 52-week contract with the Southern Movies Corp. in the Philippines, which operates a siring of 18 perma- nent 16m. houses in four of the largest islands in the archipelago. Deal, according to Seymour Mayer, )Bm salesmanager, is the first cir- cuit contract closed by his depart- ment and probably the first one negotiated by any of the American majors. Contract was signed by Ramon Escano.'35m. exhib and prexy of Southern Movies, and Leon J. Apple- stone, Metro 16m rep in the Philip- pines. While exact , terms were not disclosed, Mayer said the deal was on a straight percentage basis and it s believed that Metro is charging 10' b more for the pix than it does for the same films in 35m. Contract calls for M-G to provide four changes monthly, each of which is to have six weeks' playing time, on the circuit, which includes houses on the islands of Leyle, Ceb.u, Negros snd Bohol. Policy of seeking higher, percent- ages on the 16m pix is based on Metro's claims that houses using the narrow-gauge product run on a much lower operating cdst than 35m houses. Higher percentage, it's claimed, results.in a more equitable division of the gross between the ex- hibitor and distributor. Commenting on the fact that the fu st such deal had been concluded in the Philippines, Mayer pointed put that the islands offer one of the best grounds, for 16m operations. Many islands in the group cannot support regular'35m theatres, he said, and the transportation problems affecting 35m prints are not so serious lor the 16m versions. Sales chief declared that Metro's business there has in- creased by seven times since the first 16m contract was signed in April. Metro is currently distributing J 6m prints of its product in the Philippines, Cuba, France, Panama, Venezuela, Belgium and South Africa. Champs Ely sees Ballet Dickers for U. S. Tour, Hurok Seeks Francaise Paris, June 25. Sol Hurok currently is scouting for possible talent to import to the U.S., but has no one signed as yet, Boris Kochn'o, head of the Champs Elysees Ballet Company, is dicker ing with him for a four months American tour next year. He re cently reorganized his ballets after a six years absence from Paris. Another Hurok plan would be for the Comedie Francaise to play N.Y- in about 18 months, bringing over a number of its rep plays. The deal is complicated by the current Fran- caise reorganization. The company, which used to be the most stable in France, has suffered many resigna tions lately, with new talent being signed in large numbers. Result is that before any extensive touring ar- rangements can be made, the Fran caise first will have to get going i Paris. Shubert, Fischer Plan Paris Musical for N.Y. Paris,-July 2. l.ee Shubc'rt and Clifford C. Fischer are planning .a Broadway production' of the French musical comedy. ' Belle de Cadix." Idea is to '-'build with real production and talent the show now current at the Casino de Montparnasse, a nabe theatre. It has a Spanish locale and rather tuneful score. Latter is published by Salabert and is by Francis Lopez. Lopez is due to go to America in October.' Jean Deshays is already working on designs for-Fischer to sec on his re- turn from Rcyat. Show calls for at'least four stars and two comedians. IRehewed from Paris in this issue.] 'Bells' in Dublin, July 18 Dublin, July 2. Biggest proem in Ireland in years is predicted for 'Bells of St. Mary's," set for a special showing at 3,000- seat Savoy, July. 18. Preview for press some months ago gave film a nice boost. Starts tegular Savoy run day after the special opening. Screwy Choice of Pix for 0'seas Paints U. S. As Race of 'Gangsters, Jitterbugs' Demand for American films is so great in. Austria and other Middle European countries that Army, civil Don Prince, RKO publicity man is government people have found them- hcrc to bally the film Finalizes For Bi-Ii Canadian Films Montreal, July 9. selves "saddled! 1 with a commercial venture' which nets better than $1,000,000 a year.- So reports Josef Israels II, magazine writer, INS cor- respondent, and quondam Vamktv inugg, speaking of the U. S. Army- run distribution agent for French, English and American films in Mid-, die Europe. Outlining the latest film produc- tion and distribution developments in the Austrian area, Israels stresses the fact that almost anything in American pictures will outsell the product of other countries, good, bad or indifferent. Result is that the Peron Argent Regime Closes Musical Revue, Arrests Juve Hecklers Montevideo, June 29. The Peron government in Argen-, tina obviously intends to brook no opposition, and several incidents in the last week highlight the un- democratic and severe measures it More Mex. Pix But Few Hits Mexico City, July 2, Exhibitors check reveals that- 38 Mexican films were screened up to June 30 this year, topping the 23 exhibited in the same period last year. Of those screened in the first half of this year, only three rated im portaht boxofflce. ABBOTT TJA AUSSIE CHIEF ■ Sydney, July 2. Appointment of Clive Arnott as head of United Artists in Austral is another promotion from ranks. He joined company as office boy. His elevation to local exec was tipped when Syd Albright moved from U. A. to 20th-Fox. $1,«M,*M Singapore Pix House Manila, June 26 The first big .building to go up Singapore since, liberation is a $1 000,000 cinema for first-run Ameri can films. Seating 1,500, it will be. air-cond tioncd, and the 45th picture house the Shaw Bros,, Hongkong circuit, t ■ . • i i ■■ Plans to shoot the first Quebec made film are complete except for a Army government has a plum.^on its rew wrinkles still to be ironed out, hands too rich to hand out at a time Paul L'Anglais, prexy of the new when internal.conditions £ Austria Quebec Productions, Inc., has re- are still unsettled At present the vealed. The setup has been changed only group capable of taking over somewhat since first reported some film distribution is T(/ien-Film corn- lime ago, L'Anglais said, in telling pany set up by the Nazis, which is of plans lo replace "Rendezvous at obviously unqualified under libcra- Chatcau Frontenac" as the miiialer. Hon rule, L'Anglais planed to Hollywood Meanwhile, this film unit continues Sunday (23) and will return in about to build up credits for American 10 jiayj Picture companies. Eight majors have prepared to take to silence any- criticism. Film theatre patrons have been entitled asking the whereabouts the voters who elected the former colonel because his appearance on the screen, even after the pres- idential take-over, . has. been the gnal for pronounced bronx cheers. The cat-calls and stamping of feet during the newsreel showings are so pronounced that exhibitors began leaving the lights on during their screening. And early this week plainclothes men tried to locate the whistlers. Eventually this form of intimida- tion was followed up by the arrest of some teenrage girls at the Am- bassador theatre. The youngsters were marched to the police, departr ment and held for several hours. Later their, parents were sent for and .the girls handed over, to them with a severe reprimand after their names and professions had been noted. An atmosphere of Icy silence now accompanies the screening of local: newsreels, This incident wasfollowed on last Thursday (June 27) by closing of the "Musical Review" at the El Nacional theatre. A brighter feature of the Argentine revues are the satirical skits on the events of the day, particularly on the politic angle The skits were the talk of the town Before the Nacional folded a gang of Nazionalista toughs undertook its own form of rowdy censorship, buy- ing Up a good proportion of the house and starting a protest meeting as soon as the skits began. They hurled ripe fruit and stones at the stage, and tried to start a riot. For tunalely, the management had been warned of the attack and was prompt in Tinging down the. safely curtain. This gave the Entertain ment Board its chance to close the theatre on the grounds of "the necessity to preserve law and order.' At the'same time, the Casino and Maipo theatres, with shows of the same type, were notified that political satire would not be toleral ed. El Nacional has arranged to reopen, but with all offending scenes yanked put All of these incidents were men tioned at the first meeting of the Chamber of Deputies. da Productions, Inc;, as first report ed. Headquarters will be in Moh treal: The nut is set at approximate- ly $600,000 entirely supplied by Ca- nadian financeers, whose names can't be revealed now. according to , . ■ _■ . - f A . , until'the present monetary exchange mixUp is cleared. Reason cash assets cannot: be removed at this lime is U. S. government regulation - of schilling^dollar exchange. Under law, no dollar-for-schillings trade can be TEABLE BACK TO STAGE London, July 9. Godfrey Tearle looks set to rclur to the stage, after a lengthy absence, in a Shakespearean season.. Reper- tory would start with "Antony and Cleopatra." Edith Evans will co-.slar and Gle Byam Shaw direct. Moore, Menuhin for Ireland Dublin. July 9. Grace Moore and Yehudi Menuhin signed for concert appearance here next fall. Each will make a single appearance at the Dublin Theatre Royal. Booked for Saturday afternoon concent setup has not been completed , building „ beinj} carrie d-<m Company will produce bilingual through Austrian manufacture and films, with a double shooting sked. sale . of var j ous sma u items, distribu- Both English and French scenes of: (cd thl . 0U g h seiv ice PX's and other the picture will be shot simultane- out j ets ously,'the idea being to get as many . -. ' ,„„n„ „« m bilingual players as possible. The I Schillings are currently ^ «t ?0 first film will be "The Stronghold" Jf ««■ <».»".. but .. "" at ^" r ^ or "La Fortressc" (in French), based brought about a condition whereby on "Whispering City," by George free exchange on that^basis would ZuckermaA and Michael Lennox. The. «* U. S.^taxpayers the difference adaptation to the screen is being **iwen the pegged value and the handled by George Marlon, who will ' n " atlon . hcnce th ? ™W}* Uon - also be the producer. English, screen- Meanwhile there is a ,>ig cash sur- play is by Rian James, Hollywood P'"* for future production scripter, but it's unknown yet who Seven-Man Army Board will do the French screenplay. Isracls also reported reason why Idea for bilingual film is not only Eugene Sharin, films officer, has to take care, of Canadian consump- been released by the Army under al tion but also to insure foreign dis- leged violation of policy. Sharin tribution. L'Anglais feels the French a Yugoslav, long active in selling flickers will find their 'outside mar- and producing quota pictures kets in South America, France and throughout Middle Europe, had other European countries. English been the only man in the Army films are set for U. S„ Canada and setup with any films experience: Britain. Final distrib arrangements violation consisted of <a plan put have not yet been made but nego- m t 0 operation under which revenue nations have been going on with the lrom the exhibition of 300-odd "un Rank outfit for some time now to tainted" German pix playing handle the English pictures, while throughout the occupation zone was it's possible that Pathe may handle used to cover distribution overhead the French. £or a u products, thus making Amer Marton once had a sizeable inter-I ican film grosses, in that area actu est in Budapest film production and ally equivalent to a net boxofflce theatres, and also agented for noted take. Sharin's duties are' now i writers like Stefan Zweig, Thomas the hands of a seven-man Arlny Mann and Ferehc Molnar. board Production is expected lo start In spite of the tremendous demand sometime between Aug. 1 and Aug. for American product in Austria 10, but these dates are not final Isracls pointed out that the market since one of the things that is hold-1 is not being milked nearly to its ing up the works is finding proper fullest, either economically studio and location spots. propaganda-wise. From the latter Most of the technical crew has angle, Israels maintained that "se- been signed up on the Coast. Cast lection of films by State Department has not yet been pacted, but, ac- people has been singularly unintel cording to L'Anglais, actors like l'gent and erratic, Not only do they Michele Morgan, Ann Dvorak. John present Americans in a bad light Loder, Erich von Stroheim and Fer- but they are not particularly good nand Gravel have already shown | entertainment to begin with. They perpetuate the already rife impres sion that Americans are a race of gangsters and jitterbugs." Correspondent stated that the big gest puzzle to film heads overseas : s refusal of "whoever makes the se lections" to release Charlie Chap Great Dictator," for which there is the. heaviest demand of all pictures, In spite of repeated re- quests from Europe "Dictator" has not been released for showing there Of the. 70 American features listed for release during-the year begin Ing May 1, few show a true picture of American life. One of them,' "Adventure; in Panama," caused a riot of schoolkids who wanted to get in during, classes and couldn't. Police picked the moppets up and put them on a rockpile for two-weeks. Still leading all pix at the boxofflce are two Deanna Durbin dims, "It Starled With Eve" and "100 Men and a Girl." No Grind Policy From the economic standpoint. II is incomprehensible to" Americans that Austrian- exhibitors refuse to adopt a grind- policy for,'their pix. Instead, the majority of theatres play two or three shows a day and require patrons to come to the house' beforehand and: purchase reserved seats, in spite of bull market which keeps the two or three existing gi'ihd houses, packed. Prices are fixed and run between one and four schillings (10-40c) a seat. Pic companies are apparently not. affected by inflation, which has one American cigaret scll- ng. for three schillings, reason being that their dollar profits are pegged to: the fixed rate. While American films have been' doing sock biz, those of their co- occupiers, Russia, are at the bottom of the list,, topped by both English : and German product.. Tipoff on the folly of propaganda pictures in com- mercial houses, according to Israels, is the utter • apathy with which the Russian pictures have been received; they are almost all straight propa- ganda for Communism. (This is contrary to the situation in Ger- many.) "00 German Fix Of the showable' pictures gleaned from. 700 available German produc- ' lions, the majority are musicals, and cry good by American standards, according to Israels. Tops are "Opcr- ctle," "Wiener' Bjut" and "Wiener Madeln," last in AGFA color. 'Wiener Madeln" is being synchron- zed and printed in RbscnKugi stu- dios, with negative in American hands as a war asset. Production is under way at Sievcr- ing Studios, in the.. American zone, on first postwar picture, "Believe in Me," produced by Gcza Von Cziffa and starring Marte Hnrrell, Second, due to start June 15, will.be pro- duced by j," A. Hubler-Kahla and will star Hans Moser, the "German Charlie Chaplin," and Ilka Windisch, who is thought to be a good Holly- wood prospect. Unique picture plans of Eugen* Sharin were described by Israels, who told of the organization of a company for production of English- . German films in Austria with American (probably United Artists) distribution. Sharin's idea is lo. import a couple of U. S. stars to' Austria and build a picture around them with native supports. The pic-, ture will be filmed in both English and German for European, British, and American distribution. Israels summed up with, "In spite, of demand, the picture is not so rosy as it seems. Monetary difficulties block circulation, as. does the zoning system, with four occupation areas. Also; the Russians would obviously like to monopolize Middle European film business and will attempt to do so as soon as they can get enough of their own product to fill the thea- . Ires. The only reason they've been using our films at all is to save face, since they haven't enough of their own to keep the houses open. How- ever, the demand will be there for a long time. It's up to us to fill it." more than passing interest: Dolores del Rio's Mex. Prod.-Distrib Unit Set Mexico City. July 2. Dolores del Rio. . in association | lin's with Maurice de la Serna, producer megger, and Francisco Lopez Figu eroa,' will distrib and exhibit pix with headquarters set here. Cinematografica Pro-Mexico, film company, has been formed here by Henry Darazon. Albert. Mochin- krasscr and Raul Lacarra Montejo. Hoyts After New Chain Sydney, June .26. Reported here that deal for take- over of the J. K. Capitol Theatres, run by Jack Kouvelis, by Hoyts Theatres, ,is in the making. This deal was almost clinched some time ago but fell through because price was higher than okayed by Hoyts. Reported that Hoyts will actually operate the Kouvelis loop pi 10 top 'country theatres. Red Tape Snafu Washington', July 2. Experienced industry people who have just returned from Austria and Middle Europe report American pic- lure interests there are sharply on the downgrade as a result of the Army's botched-up "board of direc- tors" system of handling film dis- tribution, exhibition, and production. Following resignation of Eugene Sharin as films officer for ISB, Army substituted a seven-man board, none of whom has had any picture experi- ence and. the once-smooth operations have quickly bogged down under the weight of Army red tape. Result has been a sharp loss of influence, and the Russians are driving hard to remove ' the American-French-Eng- lish distribution combine from its dominant position. Decisions by the committee, under Col. Frederick J. Mcintosh, are made by a majority vote. It is com- posed of Army officers and .civilians, experts in law, finance, etc. No one in the group speaks German and, since they are using native advice; must await interpreter's arrival before they can take any action. ' Meanwhile, Austrian civilians,. who occupy many of the jobs in the film unit, have lost competent leadershIp, with corresponding loss in loyalty and morale. Feeling.is that only, a stiff protest from picture people in the United Slates to top Army and State De- partment officers in Washington can save the situation from .total disin- tegration.