Variety (Feb 1949)

WeAataAtVf F«bruary t, 1949 ncnriniBS SEE NO TAKERS ON UA SHUFFLE Yanb Stall on Joint Film Meet To Pressure Brit. Into Wider Del^ation ' Feeling that nothing could be-f gained by the meeting of the Anglo-American Joint Film Coun- cil scheduled for March, unless the nature of participating groups was broadened was a principal rea- son for decision of the major com- nany prexies to push off the ses- sion. They want the British dele- gation to include reps of the tihions, Circuits, indie theatres and all other facets of the industry. Word is now being awaited from England on whether this plan is acceptable. If so, the meeting may be held later In the spring. There are also several other rea- sons the decision was reached by the prexies at their recent session in Miami Beach and communicated to J. Arthur Rank by Eric John- ston via trans-Atlantic phone; One is a desire to wait until the pres- ent negotiations on decrees • to settle the anti-trust suit have fur- ther crystallized^ ■ Still another factor is the re- cent stand by the Society of Inde- pendieiit Motion Picture Producers that reps of the Motion Picture Assn. of America are in no way authorized to speak for the entire industry. SIMPP has let it be (Continued on page 6) 'Johnston Stays/ Say Co. Prexies ■ Presidents of the member com- ipanies of the Motion Picture Assn. of America yesterday , (Tues.) jiopped to the support of MPAA prexy Eric Johnston to blast a re- port that he was on the way out, Vfith Lewis W. Douglas, U. S. Am- bassador to England, already {D&med as successor. Aiming to scotch recurrent rumors of Johns* ton's departure, statement flatly Heclared that "rumors of this char- acter are unfair to two distin- guished Americans and do a great disservice to the industry." "The facts are," declaration con- tinuedi "Mr. Johnston came to the association in 1945 under a five- year contract. Sometime later, at our insistence, his contract was ex- tended to eight years. We expect he will continue with us for many, many, years beyond that period." : Johnston, the company toppers declared, "is giving outstanding leadership.'" They added: "We need a man of his ability as never before to help in the solution of difficult problems confI'ontlng the industry at home and abroad." Presidential blast stems from a -fadio broadcast by a Hollywood columnist over the past weekend, Which marked Ambassador Doug- las as the next MPAA prez. Rank, Korda May Visit U.S. Despite Delay In — Anglo-Yank Session London. Feb. 1. ^ Strong possibility exists that both J. Arthur Rank and Sir Alex- ander Korda will go ahead with their plans for visiting the U. S. »n March, despite postponement of Jjie Anglo-American Joint Film Jl'OUftcil session. Meeting Was to nave been held in New York March Both Rank and Korda have other Business and personal reasons for . visiUng America and have been counting on the trip to take care M these matters. Both producers ;,^v^„oeen in the habit of going to - Kank, among other reasons, is *"'',\°"s to see his grandchild, re- twi^ born to his daughter, Mrs. Packard, In Hollywood. ■^01 da expects that by mid-March wni u rep, Morris Helprin, W '"king a num- nf V ^I^^^ outright purchase fi,„*-o»"aa product by American nwJJh. so*"* further joint production ventures, ttelpnn Is presently working out itontinued on pa^^ fi) Rogell to Rule RKO Lot Hollywood, Feb. I. Sid Rogell, member of a trium- virate which currently rules the BKO lot, is expected to take over the top production job on a solo basis. Rogell formerly served under Dore Schary, as operational chief of the lot. When Schary stepped 0 u t, Howard Hughes named him, along with C, J. Tev- lin and Bicknell Lockhart, to SU'- pervise production. Both Tevlin and Lockhart are basically accountants and will prob^ ably again plunge into financial work. IF Sex in Jap, German Local-Made Pix Too Much Competish for U.S. Product in Escrow By French Govt. Under U.S. Deal Inability of the. major American distribs to agree among themselves on divvy of the coin has led the French government to put in escrow $800^000 due as payment for the first six-month period unr der the revised Blum-Byrnes agreement. Companies have just completed filing: of: briefs with Will Hays, former prexy of the Motion Picture Assn.. of America, who is acting as arbitrator , in the matter, Lineup of. the distribs . finds Metro, Columbia, RKO and Uni- versal on one side and Paramount, General trade opinion this week was that United Artists, owners Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin would find no buyers for their in- terests in the company and that, the exchange of stock options between them last .week will serve merely as » delaying action. Opinion was shared not only by Wall streeters and bankers handling film biz^ but by UA's own directors and manage- ment execs. Only possibility seen of a change in ownership is that Miiss Pickford herself might buy oujt Chaplin's 50% share. This is despite tlie fact that she is known to have several potential buyers interested. Chap- lin wants $2,700,000 for his chunk of the company.. Miss Pickford holds a SO^day | option, starting yesterday (Tues- day), to initiate a buy of Chaplin's 4,U00 shares of stock, and a lO^day overage period to close the deal. If she hasn't acquired Chaplin's share within those time limits, he gets similar periods in which he may arrange for sale of her 4,000 shares. While most observers are bearish on the possibility of any- thing coming of it, this is the first time that it has been possible for any potential buyer of all or part of the company to dose a deal by sitting down with just one party, (Continued on page 20) Brown Seeks Legit Name Metro producer Clarence Brown^ currently in Gotham on a short stopover, . is on the hunt for a Broadway legit name to supple- ment the cast for his filmization of William Faulkner's novel, "In- truder in the Dust." Brown heads south for Memphis and a stopoif in Mississippi en route to the Coast towards - the «nd of the week. While in New Ynrk, he is also catching some Broadway shows. H'wood AFL's Exit From MPIC Over De Mille Tiff Again Snafus Film Unity Report Selznick Seeking Major 'Jennie Release Hollywood. Feb. 1 Another attempt at promoting Warner Bros., United Artists and I unity in the industry and better 20th-rox on the other. Bitter divi- public relations has snapped back sion arises from a French govern ment provision that no company can remit to the U. S., out of the installments under the Blum- Byrnes agreement, more dollars than the equivalent number of David O. Selznick is reported, endeavoring to make; a deal with a major company for distribution of "Portrait of Jennie." If he is successful, it is understood, he will shut down completely; his Selznick Releasing Organization. If not, he will continue with his present force of 11 sales execs in the field initiat- ing important deals for the pic, while Eagle Lion will stait simul- taneously selling the minor ac- counts. Meantime, a complete merger of EL and SRO physical facilities in | the field is taking iilace. Bookers | and clerks in all of SRC's 27 branch offices are finished as -of this Friday ■ (4), the offices will be closed and the duties taken over : .(Continued on page 6) + Hollywood films, with Army censorship superimposed on the industry's own production code, are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in Japan and Germany with locally-made pictures. Jap- anese studios, which before the war didn't even permit kissing on the screen, are now going all out in the opposite direction, and audi- ences apparently, love it. German films have always been noted for an "adult" point of viewi American pix. are likewise com* peting in Germany with British, . French and Italian films, for which native audiences are said to be starting to show a preference over the super-sapolioed version of Hollywood product on which the , Army is insisting. Result is a first- rate, battle in the making between . the American film industry and the Army's Civil Aflfairs Divisioii;: which controls pictures going into occupied countries. Word of the developing bitter- ness has been coming from Ger- many and Japan for the past month. .Officials of the Motion (Continued on page 12) into HoUywopd's face. The , latest shafU. is the, withdrawal of the! Hqiilywood A:FL Film. Cbuhcit irotti the Motioij- Picttire Industry cit; following the naming of pro- ducer Cecil B.'De Mille' as chair- frozen francs it had on hand in | man, succeeding Dore Schary. , vicujr xa^±yji., un.it-u xtlihoi,; France, when the new pact became I MPIC was formed by Eric John-1 jnanager in Johannesburg, has re' eft'ective last June. • , j .ston. Motion Picture Assn. of | portedly been tapped by exec Metro, Col, RKO and U hadn't | America's president, late in 1947, | yeepee Arthur W. Kelly to head Gerry Taylor Reported UA's New British Chief Gerry Taylor, United Artists Reagan Post To Schwaiberg Alfred W. Schwaiberg, head of exchange ■ operation.s and general. aide to Charles , M.: Reagan, dis- tribution veepee for. Paramount, has been named: new sales chief of the company. He succeeds Reagan, who will step out Monday (7> both as an officer and director of the company. Schwaiberg has been with Par for the past year following an 18- month tenure with Eagle Lion as ' its general sales jnanager. He .originally hales from Warner Bros., where he first broke into the film business «nd then rose to chief of the company's exchange opera* tions. ■ It is believed tliat he will be (Continued'on page. 13) ' as many franca on hand as they I to bring about a united front of all required to get their full share of elements of the industry. (Continued on page 20) SKOURAS, RANK HUDDLE ON CIRCUIT BOOKINGS tondon, . Feb. 1. Spyros SkOuras, 20th-Fox presi- dent, is due here this week on a flying trip from Turkey for liuddles with, British film-maker J. Arthur Rank. Skouras, it is re- ported, will take up a question of tlie Gaumont-British circuit, which 20th partners with Rank. Under- stood he Will plug for a greater number of bookings of his com- pany's pix on the circuit. Lately, scheduling of Yank pix on both Gaumont - British and Odeon chains have been held to a minimum. It is reported here that Skouras Will also seek to draw up The fracas caused by the De Mille designation-^he was tapped by the Screen Directors Guild as their choice—has already garnered plenty of unfavorable space in daily newspapers and trade publi- the company's^ setup in England. It is understood that Kelly, during his current stay in London, will install Taylor in the post; where he will succeed David Goplan. Coplan handed in his resignation several months ago, effective Jan. 31. Former Canadian manager for cations. It again plays up the war-j UA, he is planning to go Into indie (Continued on page 13) i production in England. National Boxoffice Survey Cold Plus Weak Pix Slow Biz—'Joan/ 'Pit,' 'Witch,' 'Juan,' 'Accused,' 'Shoes' Make Best Showing agenda of the Anglo-American Film council meeting slated to be held in the U. S, either in April or May. Highly unfavorable; weather in many sections of country plus the fact- that many holdovers have stayed too long is crippling film theatre grosses this stanza. Added factor is that the public is not"^- ing for some of new product, the I Worst cold waves of year had: ex- Bank Clampdown Stalls 33 Indie Productions At least Hollywood, Feb. 1. 33 indie productions, hibitors moaning in numerous sec tors of the middlewest. "Joan of Arc" (RKOi. out nine key cities covered by Variety this week, is roaring ahead to disappointing aside from "Letter to Three Wives" (20th), strong on second N. Y. Music Hall week, and "Command Decision" (M-G). Former apparently is overcoming handicap "of"its titl^ amd-is" stronger on first holdover round than open^ ing week. "My Own True Love", (Par), dim in Washington, looks husky in San Francisco, "Lucky Stiff " (UAi is no soap on N. Y. preeni. 'Three Godfathers" (M-G) Will snatch top money and make the , show mild results in most keys biggest all-round showing in the ! this frame. "Sun Comes Up" week's boxoffice swecpstalces. [ (M-G) is averaging better, with Film's widely recognized strength, I very strong returns in St. Louis shown on prelim dates, piislicd "Snake Pit" (20th) back to second place, although latter is playing in With budgets ranging from $150,000 I 14 cities. to $1,000,000. have been stymied "Wake of Red Witch" (Rep), .still by the inability of producers to [ showing great drive, is winning nieet the new bank loan require-' third money wliile "Don Jyan" menls. Latest demand by the bank-i (WB) is dropping down to fotirth. ers is that indie producers defet-1 Fifth position is being copped by Toronto, Wat, Ui'eir usual fee until the original "Accused" (Pan. "Red Shoes" is dmng nitxa,^^ loan is liquidated, meaning that (ED will climb up into .sixth slot , "Whiplash (W . I.. Tj." ..: ^„M,i.,,r fnv thPh "Vpllnu- Skv'- i20thi in sev- Philly this roi they would.draw nothing for then- work for about a year. In the past the producer lived on his produc- tion fee until the profits rolled in. Bankers now require a 100% guarantee on loans, and the himt on loans is'%09o of the production budget.' ' ' with "Yellow Sky" (20lh> iri sev- enth. "Wonderful Urge" (20th.i is nosing up into eighth. ■. : Best runner-up pix are "So Dear to Heart" (RKO), "Hamlet" (Ui, "Eivery Girt Married" (RKO) and "Red River" (UA). New crop of pictures is a bit and nice biz in Pittsburgh. "Dark Past" (Coll looks good in St. Loo but only fair in L, A. "Flaxy Mar- tin" (WB) is hitting a new high in Pitt with a terrific boost from Jack Carson's stageshow. "Criss Cross" (U), which opened last week in L. A., shapes fine in Toronto, "Walked by Night" (EL) in K. C. and Philly. B) wiU be trim in round and smart in Gincy. "Enchantment'' (RKO) conr tinues its smooth pace in Boston, N. Y. and Washington. "Kissing Bandit" (M-G) is not showing much currently. (Complete Boxoifice Reports on PaSes'S-S) ^' . Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SII.VBRM.\N PUbllabed Weekly by VABIETl', Inc. ' Sid .Silverman, President 164 Wei9t 46th St., New Torlc 19, N. T nolly wood M eSll Tuoca Street V ^ WaNhlngton 4 1292 National Press Building ClilcaKo 1 • seo No, Michigan Ave. London WC2 S St. Martln'a PI., Tiafalirar Sq. 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