Variety (January 1950)

INTERNATIONAL 'VARIITY^r LONDON OFFICI • it. Martin's Flat#/ Trafalgar Squar* London, Jan. 10. : ^ Next Tuesday (17) the Film jCouneil meets to consider, the two goYernmetlt repbrts recently pub- ; lished oh the film industry ..and to ihake recommendations to E^pard of Trade ptez Narold Wilson, to help him in formulating.his policy annouhcemeht expected in Parlia^ toent next month. , Already the: Gater teport on, pro^ diiction costs, is not taken very seriously, as the industry has insti- tuted its own remedies long before it was published. There is, how- ever, eOnsiderable interest in the proposals recommended in the ex- haustive Plant inquiry into exhibi- tion and distribution problems. With the industry plugging for. . ehtertainm&hts^-^ax ■ reli ef ; with: marked' - u the - rebuff -ad^- " ministered in the pre.-Christmas parliamentary debate. by' Wilsbn is softened only by the recommehda- ;tioh in the Plant analysis that, there should be some relief; at least so fab as. British production is concerned. The other major recommendation: on , competitiye bids is regarded as impracticable, although, lit is being: examined closely by top level e^pert^Wi*' ihe majdrcircuits.' For the timie being, thC' British industry is concentrating its ener- gy on the entertainments tax cam- paigti and is lettings the other pressing question of quota pursue a natural course. On this latter Issue there appears to be little doubt that there will be substan- tial relief .for the li.ext . annual ■period^ ■ ^ in production circles particii*- larly, the view is held that unless there is a sUhStantial measure of aid from the tax to the studios, pro- grams and budgets will have to be sliced considerably, thus affecting iioxoffice revenue and the ultimate prestige of British pix, whose post- war upward trend has suffered dur- ^ ihg the past 12 months. Such a development, it is. felt, y^ould haye an all-round bad affect on the industry and would adr-: versely hit American as Well as British product by' failing to stimu- late public interest in motion pic- tures. Corhfldd Vice Harley ; For 20th-Fox in Europe ; Baris, Jan.'10. Albert Cornfield has assumed the post of continental manager for 20th"Fbx, repla'cihg. Francis (Bob) Harley, who is: going, to Rome for a: iO-day. stay before heading to New l^ork. . Cornfield's appointment , was ah: nounced several ^veeks ago. The exiting Harley Nyas feted \yith a farewell .luncheon was at- tended: by U. S, Ambassador David Bruce as well as by a flock of filni ' notables'. : Oenoa, ^ A new commercial agreement ! has -beeni^igiiedlJietw.oen Sweden j and ■ Italy; which among -htheii thingb calls for a free exchange of films between the two cquhtbies, anid sets a compromise lix'e-crbwn exchange figure, . Un<ler: the agreement, Italy will also- export sheet and film raw- ’ stock to Sweden. In PdMwar NOW AT STANDSTILL Rome, Jan/3. Motion picture studios here are almost at a standstill on actual pro- duction. Some work a few hours a day in the technical departments; the dubbing studios also very quiet until later in the month. The only foreign pix production actually working now is the British- Italian combination making -The Eagle and the Lamb,”^’ .sometimes called “Puel in Venice.” This one itars Richard Greene and Valentina Cortese, directed by Sidney Sal- kpw, using Scalera Studios facili- ties. Company is now shdotihg out- door scenes at nearby Lake Bran- cianb. There are about three weeks’ more work in Italy, before the finishing tbuches, which will be done in London. Cine-Citta is quiet, waiting for the VQup Vadis” outfit to take oyer the Offices and lots avyaitirtg them. The Democratic 1^^ . Munich, Jan. 3. The new postwar German film has shown an encouraging tend- ency in the democratic direction; but it is hard to predict what the future trend will be^ Carl Winstph, chief of Information SeFvices pi vi- rion's .Motion Picture Braiich, said. Producers, until late this year, v/ere licensed .by the three military gpvernments and worked under their control. Since the pruclamar. tion of the occupatiPn statute, this Is hb longer the case and the way Is^ open for pre-war and / former Nazi. producers—- most of whom were formerly refused licenses— to get back into the business. ; Seven majpr producers hpe emerged since 1945. Real Film (Hamburg) has produced 10 films, Camera Film (Hamburg and Mu- nich) nine, Junge Film, Union (Hamburg) eight, Comedia Film (Wiesbaden and Munich) eight, CCC-Film (Berlin) five. Cordial Film (Berlin) five and Neue Deutsche Filmgesellschaf t (Mu-, nich) four, since , the war’s end. Along with these are such com- panies as Objektiv Film, Witt Film, Bavaria Film, Klagemann Film and Willy Zeyn Film-^all in Munich—who have only produced pne Pr two films to date, but have a promiring production schedule fpr the coming year. WinstPh also pointed out that on the whole there has been no sign of heb-Fascism or any other undesirable tendency in the Ger- } man film Induriry during the pe-i riod of .military government con- trol, He added that it. is felt that Law. 5, of the Allied fligh Com- mission, coiitalns safeguards that will aid in preventing the rise of outright undemocratic tendencies in German films in the future. To date 91 new German films have-been produced in the western zones, with 67 made in 1949, 17 in 1948 and seven in 1946. Addition- ally the, Soviet-licensed DEFA pro- duced 15 films in 1949, seven in 1948 and seven in 1946-47. ! London, Jah; 10. ! The pre-Christmas lull in the West End, which was expected tP be , suceeedpd b^. a Jiefty intake during arid after Yuletidp, is prey-. mtg-raTiniragev:: V j.: Several reasons arc available for the disappointing grosses. /But most plausible reason, is the shop sales, vastly; exploited this month, arid with .household utensils now I more plbntijful; people are spending their money in shops ra:ther than show?. Second reaspn is tele, which despite (ieiiials is keeping people indoors, mote particularly when weather conditions are un- favorable; Latter drawback is not yet felt in the north of England, i because TV doesn’t exist there. [ But it’s already felt in Birminghairi and environs, despite TV only oper-^ atirig there less than a month; General estimate is that panto- mimes this year in London and its eriyirpns will gross around 25% less than lari year. Even such out- staridiiig hits as Val ParneU’s ‘’Puss in Boots,” at the Palladium; Emile Littler’s ^‘Little Miss Muffet” at the London CasiriO; and Bert Montague’s “Dick Whittington” at the Princes, will feel the draught and are expected to grpss around 10% below last >. year’s record figures. U. S. Anny Showed 209 Pix in 1949 More MusicHayed in U S, A campaign to win more per- , formarices in the Ui S. for Argeri- tihe music is being TaUnched for the first time hy, the Sbciedad Ar- gentina de Autpres Y Compbsi- tores (iie Musica (S ADA AC), Argen- tine performing rights organiza- tion. AffUiated with the Amer- ican Society of- Coriiposers, Au- thors and Publishers. .SADAAG has naiTied producer-writer Tito Mar^ tiriez Delbbx as special goodwill emissary, to America; to show .the Yanks the. “rear' tango. DelboX, ' who arrived in New; York re.centiy, said that Argeri- tina pays considerably more to ASCAP for the use ; of AmeriCari music than ASCAP collects -in the; U,; S, for' performances of Argen- tirie irielodies. In an effort tb strike a more even balance . through wider: programming of SADAAC 'cbmpositions, he’ll contact band- leaders, disk jockeys, 'music pub- lishers and film companies. Some 200 recordings of Argentine times, Which he brought with him/, wjiLi am the rep In his missioni Paris, Jah. 10; Paramount plans shortly to re- bpeh its own operations in Holland folio win g expiration of a ohe-y ear frahchise to that territory granted to the Film Trust Co. priginai deal was made because it brought a chunk of dollars to the majbr. No renewal, howeyer, is cpntemP.lated. During the period, Par kept; a small office operatirig with ulti- mate expansion in niind. propping : of. the franchise will leave only. UniyersaV selling through a franchise holder. It also removes Par as a possible target of Bioseoop Bondi Official' organiza- tion. of film distribs, which has brought: proceedings to remove U- as . a member, Bioseoop claims that v only those actually doing, their own distributihg in the country, can re- main as mchibprs. All action by, Biorioop agairist U has been, tabled for several months. / Goldsthmiclt Reps Rep Rudolf Goldsehmidt^Jias been, named special fep for Republic in Germany. He leaves: for Germany next wehki Goldschmidt was forineily with Metro’s overseas department and with the Motion Picture Export Assn; in Germariy for Iwb^ years* ■ , Nurnberg, Jan. 3. U, S. Army in Germany has shown a total of 209 pix of 12 U. S. companies in 1949, according to Robert E. Quick, chief of the EUCOM Motion Picture .Service. Top grossers during the year were “Whispering Smith,” “The Three Musketeers,’’ “Fighter Squadron,” “Commarid Decision,” “Red Riv- er,” “Wake of the Red Witch” arid “The Paleface.” The 209 represent 35m pix. Be- sides these, 208 16m pix were also released, with four pix per. week being the release schedule. Companies supplying the pix (of both sizes) were 20th-Fox with 54, Metro with 54, Universal with 48, Warners with 47, Columbia with 45, Paramount with 36, United Art- ists with 35, RKO with 33, Repub- lic with 22, Eagle Lion with 23, Monogram with 14 and Film Clas- sics with six. The 35m houses are operated with a maximum admission charge (for civilians) of 30c, while there are no charges at 16m houses. Watt RepiaC^ Cbplan As b4'ebrt Bbai’d Manager . David H, Coplaii has resigned from. Odeori. Theatres’ board arid been, replaced, by Sir Rohert Wat- son: Watt., Latter is ari ; industry newcomer, but has been acting as J:: Arthur Rank’s adviser on large- screen teievisipn. Coplan is now managirig director of International Film Distributors, ltd,, holder of the Film Classics franchise for, Great Britairi. Prior •to (joining IFD, he .(y/as; United (Artists’ chief in. Britain. .•: . IS liliiisDue in Yu^ - ^ This Year as Fart Of Approximately 15 films will be produced in Yugoslavia this year, according to pians./mrido hy the Federal Film Gpmmittee there. Since the inceptibn of film produc- tiori there four years ago, seven producing outfits h a y e b e. e n formed. These .companies so far have completed seven features and oyer 500 shorts, besides issuing 52 newsreels yearly. , A film colony ririiilar to Hollywood is also iri the making. 'Town, located near Bel- grade, will have facilities for the productibn of 25 features arid 40 documeritaries in addition to car- toons and shotts. The industry, working with $30,- 000,000 provided for the develop- ment of film production in a five- year plan, is currently concentrat- ing bn the training of technicians, creative workers, construction fa- cilities and production ol film equipment; Film technical schools have .been opened receritly and there are nirie. technical film mags arid journals being published. Theatre production in Yugoslavia is also being hypoed. Last year, 50 houses were added to make a total of 786 tiheatres. All theatres are owned by the riate, or various government organizations. A film attendance of 60,000,000 In ’49 tripled the number of eustbmers 10 years ago. Producing companies now oper- ating are Zveda Xilms, Educatibrial- Bcientific Film Enterprise, Avala, Jadran - Croatia, Triglav - Slovenia, Bbsna and Vardar. Good Bookings in Mexico {Figures, show p).ee}cs of run) . Toridbn, Jan.To. :f‘Aiinie Get Ourt,” Col’s’m (136). “Beau Strategem,” Lyric (37). “Before Party,” St. Martin (11). “Big Show 1949,” Palladium (12). '•‘Black Chiffon,” Westm’ster (37). “Bbriavcnture,” Vaude (5). “Brigadoon,” Majestic (39); “Castle Air,” Adelphi (5). “Daphne Laiirbla,” Wynd’m (42). “Death of Salesman,” Phhx. (24). “Eliz, Slept Here.” Strand (11), “Fallen Angels,” Ambass. (5). “Folies Bergercj” Hipp. (14). “Harvey/’ Pririce of Wales (54). “Heiress/’ Haymarket (50). “Her ExceUency,” Saville (20), “Ice Vogues/’Stoll (26). “King’s Rhapsody,” Palace (17V. “Lady's Not Burn’g,” Globe (36). “Me and My Girl,” Winter (5). “MiirdM at Vic,” Playhouse (4); “Oklahoma!” Drury Lane (136). “Old Vic Rep,New (13)/ “On Monday Next/’ Gomedy (32); “One Wild Oat,” Garrick (58). “Philiy Story/’ Dutch’s (6). “Sauce Tartare,” Cambridge (34). ‘..“Streetcar,’’ Aldwych (8). “Tess & Bill,” Vic. Pal. (ID.. “Third Visitor/’ York’s (31). “Traveller’s Joy,” Criterion (83). ‘•treasure Hunt,” Apollo (17). ■ “Warm’s View,” Whitehall (142), “Young Wives Tale,” Savoy (26). Mexico City, Jan. 3. •: Good bookings continue' in Mexico for U, S. and other foreign enter^iner.s who can deliver what s wanted dbwn here,, though it takes more than ever in peace- time pesos (8,65.* of them per) to buy the dollars in which such troupers Irisist upon being paid. These bookings arie, howeyer, mostly riitery and radio as thea- tres, which can't charge rribre than 97c top regularly, can’t afford so many who muri be paid in dollars. Niteries and. radio stations, though see top irriported. talent an iriveri- .ment, and biz hypo for their ,s6- phisticated'trade. Foreign pertbrni- erS' who can deliver can' easily’ commarid $410 (3,500 pesos) per week for several weeks. Reismaii to S. A. Bhil; Reisman, RKO’s foreign dept, chief/ shoyes off; tomorrow (.Thurs.) on an .eight-week , swing ^ through all South. American coun- i ..trips .1 Reisman has riot covered South i Americari offices for the past four .years:; 107 : I Mexico Gity, Jan. 3.. : Thpugh a little short of; the 110 pix goal, Mexico set a new high pic: production record in 1949 With an any year of the 18 that this country has figured internationally In films. . Output far exceeds the 81 pro- duced in 1948. F V- 'Washirigton,, Jan. i(j The first postwar German neis- reel is about: tb reach West Ger^ man theatfes with a strong indica- . tibri. that it Can operate in the • biacfc according to Nathan d G olden, chief of the CiJohimerce ' Dept, motion picture-photbgraphid branch. Tentatively called. ‘.‘Die Neue Deutsche 'Wocherischau? it . is understood to be . backe : money from Hamburg, where the riiain office will be located. Ger- niaris estimated that coritcacts with 350 theatres wbulA be riece.s.‘!ary to assure the success; of a no\vs- reei, and: said rental agreeniont.<( had. already been made with^^^8^ ■ houses..'- .■ .. Mentioned as editor in the (re/ pofTs Germany . film jourri’alisi Liried as pr6duc?er.s were Guerither> Matern, a former DEFA official, and Rolph Me>er, of* the Junge Film Uniori, of Ham- burg,^:-' ; Golden slso reported: Fakistah; Country has set up. > new set of censorship regulaiions which is directed' largely agaimst films, made, in India. Films may be declafed unsuitable for: public ex- hibitibri if they ridicule, disparage -or a tta ck Islam of' the religibn .of ariy group iri Pakistan; or if likely to cause fight amprig religious sects. Board may also reject film., which ridicules Pakistan,. its 'peo- ple br their natibnal character; of cbntains propaganda likely to im- pair good relatioris between Paki- stan and a foreign state; or reyeal.s militafy secrets of Pakistan or af- fects the security of the natibri; Cuba; Cubari film, “La Escueia - de Moelos,” was the sock b.o. at- traction Iri Havaria during August. Released simultaneously in five theatres, it grossed $30,391 for a single week, by far the best show- ing of the month. However, of tlic 28 pictures released in llavaria during the month, 19 were from Hollywood and they grossed $144.- 680, or 68.9% of the grand total for the month. U.S. NEWSREEL FOOL WINDING UP IN JAPAN V Tokyo, Jan. 3, U. S. newsreel pbOl setup, \vhich functioned throughout the Pacific war and four years of Japanese occupation, will come to an . end Jan; 15. Pool prigirially contamed the Big Five newsreel outfits-TPar, Universal, Fox, Metro and Warner-. Pathe. W-P pulled but first in 1948, when it.made deal, for Japa-r riese coverage from stringer Geiie . Zeriier, but other four remained in pool. All companies are expected to go on stringer basis after Jan. 15, using either Japanese camera- men or Americari freelaricers, Wil- liam M. Cafty, Paramount News, photog, who has represented the pool since 1 $45, returns to his na- . tive Australia. Only U. S. caimeramen remam- ing in Tokyo are Gene and Jullus Zenier. Latter is NBG .Television photog. Edinburgh Mapping Its ’50 Music-riranta Pest Edinburgh, Jan/ 3. y A pfeseritation of Stfa.uss “Adriadrie auf Naxos” will be a feature of the 1930 . Festiv.al of Music ahdl Drama h e re nexiy August--".. . //.. • . Orchestras .bobked fbr the Fesii- val are L’OfChestre; de la Radip- Diffusiori FranCaise, La S c a a (Milan), the Dariish brehestra; the; Halle (under Jbhn Barbirolli), and the BBC Scottish orchestra I under Ian Whyte). The Glasgow Orpheus Choir will also, perforn^ (The Festival Program iCemmit'^. tee hopes to arrange a visit from an important American theatre company, and also to have Prof., Skiipa’s Puppet Theatre from ■Prague ; Glasgow Citizens Th eat re wH 1 (present three plays/one a ,new pro- • duction by Scots playwright James Bridie. Tyrdne Guthrie arid John Gassbn will produce. A series of ebneerts will, com- memiriorate the biceritcriary of the death of Bach, ^ Nicholas Bros., starririg in sraa.^h musical in Gerioa/finisheri a local film stint for producer Di ho I’f; Laureritis. Pic, “Botta e Ri-sposta ^ (‘‘Question and Answer’').