Variety (Jan 1949)

WedneBdajr» Jumay 26, 1949 -■*|CVIJ9B$ UNIONS BALK N. Y. PROD. BOOM Pme-Hiinias Pre-Prod. Dope With the producing team of William Pine and William Thomas going Into a program of A's for Paramount, the twosome have initi- ated a' policy of consulting Paramount theatre partners as well as h.o. execs before mapping a particular projected film. When a suggested subject for ftlmization comes up, P & T forward a synop- sis of the plot to these industryites and poll their sentiment on the pic's b.o. potential before deciding whether or not to make the film. Canvassing of exhib and h.o. ideas goes even further, according to p & T. Once a subject is chosen, informal exhib poll is taken on such problems as casting and color. The team believes the exhib reaction is the most reliable way of pre-telling whether a pic has grossing potential. Explaining their technique, Pine said: "A lot of fellows in HoJly- wood know only the reaction at Romanoff's, the Brown Derby and Hbllywood Boulevard and think they have the answer to what films will go. That's not the U.S.A. and we want to find out what the country wants." $75(l000-$l,mOO0 Cost Class for Fix Held'Just Right'by Pme-Th(Hnas By IRA WIT The right-rbracket film for profit-, able distribution under present boxQffice conditions falls into- the $750,000 •$1,000,000 negative-cost claSSi_ according to William Pine and IVilliam Thomas, team that turned out 54 B's for Paramount. After experimentation with three categories of pix, P&T dropped its low-cost output recently and went 'Into the more expensive production program. Hence, their present contract with Par to substitute three pix yearly for the next 24 months in place of the flock of B's. » "Below the $750,000 to $1,000,- 000 class," both Pine and Thomas averred, "you can't get the star power and values intO; a film/- Above that figure, you have your worries, of course, on whether the big nut can be paid off on boxoffice returns.. On the cheaples, the salesman has to heat harder to sell, and the cost of distribution is no less-than on the more expepsive product." P&T reached their conclusion after careful testing. Following a long row of pix which never ex- ceeded $200,000 per film, the duo tried out the $250,000-$300,000 bracket with "Adventure Island" and "Shaggy." "We compared our profit on a basis of per-doUar in- vested, and came up with a finding that it would pay to spend more on each film," duo said. Final test on a more expensive film resulted in making "Albuquer- que," which cost $728,000 and now (Continued on page ze) Metro Readies Four - .Hollywood, Jan. 25; ; Four- new Metro producers will launch: four new pictures within the next two months, starting with Nicholas Nayfack, who has shifted from the front office to a pro- ducer's berth and will make his bow this week with "Border In- cident." Others are Frank Taylor, with "Murder at Harvard," Armand Deutsch, with "Ambush," and Richard Goldstone, with "Out- riders." GRAFTS MAPPING Motion Picture Associates Votes To Convert to 1st N. Y. Variety Club Wider Distrib of Fdms Planned in U. S. in Order To Show 'Real Argentina' Wider distribution of Argentine films in the U." Si'in order to show the American public the "real Argentina," is the aim of Juan Martin, former Argentine displo- mat, who recently acquired North American release fights to about 100 pictures either already made or due to be filmed in his native land. Covering a five-year period, the distributional deal was signed with Artistas Argentines Asociados, Argentina Sono Film, Luraiton and Cinematografica Interamericana. ^ In New York for the past 10 days,, Martin has been surveying the situation to determine whether it «-best for him" to set Up his own distributional organization or take over an existing exchange system. With his large product backlog he teels that exhibitors who screened Argentine films intermittently in the past will now be incUned to show them on a permanent basis smce they'll now have a guaran- teed source of films. Martin , emphasized that his dis- tributional transaction with Argen- ""f producers was arranged strictly on a private basis. The government, he said, to his knowl- edge does not dominate the Argen- i wne industry, contrary to, reports elsewhere. Hastily skipping over tnat point, he added that it's quite possible that he might secure a New York theatre as a showcase for his prints. Techni Geared For 65 Pix in 1949, Up 18 Over '48 Hollywood, Jan. 25. : Hypoed tint production' is ex-: pected shortly as Technicolor com- pletes expansion program teed off two years ago. Outfit is committed to 65 pix in 1949 of which 13 are to be done in Britain. Last year's figure was 47 pix, including eight in England. Footage output will be increased by 20% over last year. Tech- nicolor 1948 footage reached 265,000,000, record to date. Will process 320,000,000 feet this year. Program received approval of Techni's Board of directors, meet- ing this week in N; Y. physical buildup for firm included installa- tion of new,' printing equipment, more' cameras; training 'of new help to insure faster delivery of rushes to producers, new film storage plant and enlarged re- search department. Where film companies previous- ly waited a year for prints they're now receiving them in three months. British plant wasn't part of the expansion agenda. Denham plant was completed just before war and is geared to present hefty output. Strong pitch currently being made by the; eastern studios for film producers eyeing the television market has run into a union damper. In the : last couple of weeks,- ■ several -of the eastern unions, covering both craft and tal- ent fields, have begun to marshal forces for pay :hikesi basic con- tracts, jurisdictionar rights' and' rest of the . union setup existing in Hollywood. Operators of the eastern studios, numbering about. 50, are vievrtng this development as a major hurdle to realizing their long-harbored hopes of becoming ■ a major film production center.. Main advan- tages which they held out to poten^ tial video-pix producers was the cheapness and flexibility of the eastern setup as against the rigid craft lines and concomitant costs in Hollywood. If the unions, suc^; ceed in. their drive, however, '^astr ern studio operators Will lose their main talking point. On labor's side, union chieftains claim there's no conspiracy on their part to drive away potential east- ern producers. That would be cut- ting their own throat, they say. However^ natural economic factors are forcing them': to press for de^ vices to protect their memfiers as part of a normal union function. Latest unioii move has come from the studio technicians. Local 52,.. International Alliance of The- atrical Stage Employees, whose contract with the studios ran out Dec. 1. Initial demand made by the :unlon'in new negotiations is for a -15- to 25%. increase in : present base pay rates, which now. run about $2 an hour. Although only about 250 workers are now in- volved, Locar 52 stands to develop into a powerful outfit if an eastern video-pix boom ever takes place. Screen Directors Guild, covering about 150 directors: in: its eastern division, has also recently been pressing for a basic minimum^ agreement with studio operators. Directors in the eastern setup are in an informal job classification at the present time in which they are required, in many studios, to do : editing and scripting jobs also. SDG at present is not only trying to set up basic wage scales but is aiming to restrict a director's job to directing only. Another entry into the union I setup is the newly-ors«nized I Screen Writers Guild, eastern di- vision. Scripters guild will try first to reach agreement with the Radio Writers Guild on jurisdic- tion over telepix before tackling the problem of writing a basic min- imum agreement with producers. All straws in the wind, however/ point to the SWG, as well as the other unions, fighting to get theiir share of the gravy from television programming. v B'rith Honors Dewey Governor Thomas E. Dewey will be kudosed by Cinema lodge of the B'nai B'rith for his pioneering in anti-discrimination . legislation : at the lodge's meeting, Thursday (3)', in the Hotel Astor. Leonard H. Goldenson,: : Paramount's theatre chiefr will present the scroll to Governor Dewey. Arthur H. Schwartz, member of the law firm of Schwartz & Froh- lich, will chairman the meeting, which will be attended by industry leaders and city and state officials. Pathe May Float New Stock to Up E Production Expansion of Eagle Lion's pro- duction activities may be bank- rolled by floating a new stock issue of EL'S parent company«: Pathe. In<-: dustries. Plans for a common stock flotation which would raise several millions: of dollars have been pencilled in by Pathe, and a dummy prospectus has already been prepared. No action in that direction, however, will be taken unless Pathe toppers feel that the . stock market has improved to the I point where there would be no dif- ficulty in obtaining public sub- scription; Capitalization of Pathe currently consists of $1,311,163 of common stock at par and $3,878,835 Of pre^ ferred. While marking time' oii the stock flotation, Pathe may-seek further bank loans as a temporary measure. In that event, proceeds of the new stock issue—when and if it is thrown on the market- could be devoted to reducing the bank indebtedness. ' Annual report of Pathe covering 1948 will show a loss for EL, it is understood. Company has been operating in the black for a num- ber of months but the necessity of writing off losses on the first year's (1947) product will dip the film outfit into, red ink; : How much of 1947's released product will be (Continued on page .26) Local Admission Taxes Loom for Minn. Exhibs Minneapolis, Jan. 25. With the Minnesota state legisla- ture in session this state's~exHibi^ tors face the prospect of local ad-^ mission taxes. A bill enabling all municipalities to levy such taxes to I supplement the federal 20% admls- isioh tax already has been intro- Iduced. It has the backing of the ; League of Municipalities, compris- ing officials from all municipali- !ties, as a means of raising addi- tional needed revenue. Northwest Allied States will have help from the Minnesota Amus, Co- in combating this measure and similar proposed laws in North and South Dakota where legislators j also are convening. Exhibitors feel that any additional admission taxes, causing a hike In admissions, would injure attendance to such an ex- tent to defeat the purpose of the new imposts. OTHER COS. BACK M-G IN SWISS DISTRIB SNAG Paris, Jan. 25. .' Metro this week obtained unani- mous. sujpport from all American distribs in Switzerland that- they would continue selling product to i the company's two theatres, in Lau- sanne and Geneva^ _5vhose_ owner- ship has been disputed by the Swiss Distributors Assn, : ,■ . M-G has owned and operated the : two houses for the last several years. Swiss group, however, re* eently won an arbitration suit against the company under the lo-. cal government's ruling that disr tributors cannot operate theatres^ Results, of the arbitration are still unclear, audi according to Metro spokesmen: here* the company will continue to run the houses pending further negotiations. Spokesmen pointed out that the arbitration was strictly a trade rul- ing, which hasn't come up yet be- fore the Swiss government. In ad- dition, they said, Metro has estab^ lished clear legal possession of the theatres. 'Samson' Getting Bigger But Still Under Budget Hollywood, Jan.- 25. After shooting his Paramount film, "Samson and Delilah," ahead of schedule and $600,000 under budget, Cecil B. DeMiUe ordered several days of added scenes with 80 players, consisting largely of former stars and character thesps. It is estimated that the added scenes will come close to the pic- ture's original budget, $3,500,000/ Motion Picture Associates, 30- year old organization of some 500 members, yesterday (Tues.) unani- mously voted to converlf itself into the first Variety Club to be estab- lished in New York. Ratification of the proposal came at^a Hotel Astor meeting after such film biggies as William. F. Rodgers, distribution' veepee for Metro: George Schaefer and circuit ops Harry Brandt and Fred Schwartz spoke for the meas- ure. . The action will give Variety : clubs a tent in the only large'isize city in the U. S. which so far has failed to organize. Charter is to be forthcoming within the next two , months at the latest. Robert O'Don- nell, chief barker of the interna-: tional, wired MPA his congratu- lations and promised early action on the charter. With the transition into a Vai riety Club, the group will lease a , building in the Times Sq- area equipped for extending to mem- bers: the traditional services sup- plied by the organization in other cities. . While Max A. Cohen, head of Cinema Circuit, wais installed at the same meeting as newly-elected president of MPA, a, new election will be held to chose the chief : (Continued on page 26) UA, Foregoing'Henry' Dates Just Preceding 'Hamlet; Defers to U At the behest of Robert Ben- jamin, prexy of the J. Arthur Rank Organization in the U.S., United Artists is: foregoing its habit of booking "Henry V'Mnto a town a few days before Universal's "Hamlet" is scheduled to open. Both pix were produced by Rank. UA, whose pic had played most of the towns previously, was taking the edge off the* newer film. Uni- versal complained. Since it was a repeat run for "Henry" UA was charging only $1.20 admission against the $2.40 being asked for '■Hamlet" first time around. UA was copping a good bit of business i on the strength of the publicity I engendered by "Hamlet;" and U I squawked that: the towns were: be- . ing overdosed with Shakespeare. "Henry V," incidentally, con- tinues to do phenomenal business;. still turning in a gross of about: $10,000 a week in its third year of release. It has netted $1,785,000 in U.S. and Canadian rentals after advertising and all costs. ■ :: Unusual strength of the picture is revealed in an Easter - Week booking at the Little Carnegie, N.Y„ which puts it into the house I for the third time. It opened I yesterday (Tuesday) at the T ittle j Cinemet, N.Y„ for what is a; jund I its 12th engagement in Manhattan. Koury Back to the Coast j Phil Koury, publicity director for : Cecil B; DeMille's producing unit, returned to the Coast over the weekend after huddling with h.o. ! execs of Paramount on ad - pub i plans for DeMille's "Samson and I.Deililah."- Technicolor—spectaoular will be released around Thanks- giving Day, according to Koury. ifo decision has been reached as yet on whether the. pic will be initially sold at advanced admis- sions along the lines of: the pro- ducer's "Unconquered." Thelma Ritter's 3 Pix Thelma Ritter, featured in "Let- ;:ter to Three Wives," has signed a I three-picture deal with 20Ut-Fox. I It starts in a month and is to run a year. Actress previously made { ^'Miracle on 34th Street" for the same company. I Miss Ritter is also a featured radio player in New York. Her husband, Joseph A. : Moran, is A v.p. in the radio-departm(mt of the i Young & Rubicam agency. Huddle With Bergman On Italian-Made Pic Roberto Rossellini, Italian di- rector; Ilya Lopert, New York for- eign film distrib and circuit opera- tor, who is associated with Rossel- lini, and .Rudy Solmsen, French and Italian producer, also tied up into the setup, planed to the Coast over the weekend from New York for confabs with Ingrid Bergman. They have a tentative deal with the star for a picture they hope to put into work in Kome about March 15. ' ' ' Trio Will be on the Coast about a week and expect to have details all nailed down by that time. Ros- sellini and Solmsen, who were in New York all last week, expect to spend another week or so there, following their return from the Coast, before heading back to Rome.' May berry Eyes N. Y. , Bill Mayberry, 20th-Fox casting director, came into N. Y. from. Hollywood over the. weekend to look over some people for a pic 20th is shooting on the Coast in the Spring. He'll also ' eye the Broadway showsi remaining about a week.