Variety (August 1950)

Wednesday, August 9, 1950. PICTURES 3 YANKS BIG ABROAD The Council of Motion Picture Organizations is timetabled to get rolling Sept. 1. Though that's only three weeks Off, COMPO Is still far from organized as a going business. Ned Depinet, who has done a yeoman job, first as acting and now as elected president, is calling a turn oh the industry to- day (Wed.) in New York, in a series of sessions which may run into the next day. And not without justification. It’s a vexation that has bordered on frustration, not only for Depinet but for most of.the industry* It will be a sorry, note for all concerned, and particularly for the dissidents, if something happens to k.o. COMPO. Set up on a high plane, attested to and saluted by almost all segments of the film industry as a, very worthwhile undertaking, it has yet to get off the ground. This week’s sessions should give the answer on the degree of intra-trade politics, double-talk and lip service. If COMPO flops it will be a black mark on the in- dustry’s record. It will keynote but one thing—jealousy and fear. Jealousy. and fear of perhaps delegating certain special powers, favors or influences can militate against the common weal of an entire industry. If some of these jealousies and fears are well-grounded, this week’s COMPO powwows should clarify them—and, it is hoped, lead to a wholesome end result. COMPO can well become the Gibraltar of the motion picture industry now, during the war effort, and forever become a symbol of intra-trade amity and a potent force in the industry’s relations outside—with Government, legislators, press, public, and> per- haps, beyond the seas. Depinet is justified in calling the signals this week. If the Industry, in all its segments, is sincere in the principles set down in Chicago almost a year ago, Depinet has the makings of a great all-American film industry team. But it calls for 100% teamwork. The reservationists and the lip-service rooters would do better to withdraw from the ballgame. That the onus of creating disunity Will forever brstnd them is something they will have to be prepared to face. In light of world affairs this is not the most propitious time for a universal industry, such as motion pictures, to be disrupted from within. Abel, Naughty, Naughty Exception has been made by the Motion Picture Assn, of America’s board to permit 20th-Fox to use the word “damned” in a title. It’s on the list of naughty words not ordinarily allowed by the MPAA. Pic label for which the ex- ception was made is “Legion of the Damned.” Both TOA and COMPO in a Mood Now Up to Attys. “The principals are In full agreement on price and terms,” Noah Dietrich, RKO board chair* man and prime adviser to Howard . Hughes, said yesterday (Tuesday) of the pending deal for purchase by Harry Brandt's syndicate of Hughes’ control of the RKO thea- tre circuit. , “It's all up to the lawyers now,” Dietrich declared. He said the legalites were facing a very diffi- cult problem because of the “de- layed delivery” nature of the sale. These are strictly technicalities, the Hughes exec explained, but whether they could be surmounted or not he refused to guess. The “delayed delivery” is the fact that the purchase by Brandt’s group, of the 24% stock interest of Hughes won’t become effective until next Jan. 1, the deadline set by the court for divorcement by Hughes of his theatre and produc- tion-distribution interests in RKO. ‘‘Anything can happen between now and then,” Dietrich stated. “So naturally a great number of Warranties, are involved. (Continued on page 18) Hollywood, Aug. 8. Reports he was quitting as pro- duction topper at Metro, to con- centrate on two Or three personal productions annually, were denied by Dore Schary, who returns to the studio tomorrow (9) to start mapping immediately Metro’s lens- ing program for next 12 months. He’s been resting at Coronado since Friday. ' Schary said he had; received, calls from his. attorney, David Tannen- baum, a lid others who had* heard be Would exit post because of his back ailment. He told all callers it wasn’t true, that his present con- tract, on which he has spent. two years, still has four and a half to go. He’ll also assume his new post as head of Permanent Charities Committee and will propose the Post be a rotating one, so '‘each studio, head can get a crack at it.” New system of exhibition, in which theatres will run a picture only three or four performances per day but without boosting their admission prices, as in standard roadshow procedure, is to be tried out by 20th-Fox for its upcoming “All About Eve’.’ As detailed yes- terday (Tues.) by 20th prez Spyros P. Skouras and other top company execs, each theatre booking the picture will be “requested” to play it under the so-called “scheduled performance” method. Any exhib who doesn’t go for the idea, Skou- ras said, will not be able to buy the film. Twentieth prez, along with vee- pees Andy W. Smith, Jr;, and Charles Einfeld, defined the new policy as being another phase in the company’s showmanship drive. Too many potential customers are staying away from theatres,. he said, because they object to com- ing in on the middle of a picture or standing in line to buy tickets. (Continued on page : 6) Proportiq^of overseas revenues to the entirf tak&of the filpri ifidus- try is once;again climbing toward the 40% marker, traditional goal of foreign -dlejpls., after a long series of reverses abroad which kept the ratio below onerthird. Pic returns from beyond the U, S. borders are showing a surprising bounce in the past few months with this aspect regarded as the most promising development for the film companies during the cur- rent year. Checkup by Variety among a number of majors has resulted in uniformly optimistic estimates. Overall grosses on films abroad are up 10%-15% for the first seven months of the year. Actual remit- table dollars received at the home- offices are about even with 1949, only reason for the discrepancy be- ing the devaluation chain reaction of last year. Fact that dollar totals are up with those of ’49 is regarded ^s un- expectedly good. During 1949, the companies cashed in On a batch of accumulated. frozen funds in vari- ous countries through special coiri- (Continued on page 18) Cos. in Auction of UFA Few theatres are expected to be acquired by American companies in the forthcoming auction by the Allied High Commission for Ger- many of the assets of the former state-owned Universal Film Co. (UFA). It is unlikely, too, that any one company will acquire more than one house. Reason, it was said in New York this week, is the number of re- strictions . placed by the Allied Commission on the sale. While the Yanks will be permitted to bid for full ownership of any of the 4Q UFA theatres, they cannot acquire more than 25% of any of the three studios to be offered. There’s no grousing at the limi- tations imposed by the commission, since the breakup of the giant UFA combine is in line with rec- ommendations by the U. S. film industry itself. It feels that only by such a complete split could (Continued on page 18) to Republic prexy Herbert J. Yates is due in New York shortly from the Coast bn his way to Europe, He expects to be abroad several months, visiting England, France arid Italy. Similarly to his trip last year; he’ll combine biz and vacation, looking over Rep’s dis : tribution facilities on the Conti- nent. The low view that many Coast production execs take of theatre television installations as a threat to the primacy of Hollywood’s fea- ture output is based on a mistaken sizeup of the situation, a number of top exhib officials in the east are convinced. Allowing that there is such an undercurrent of fear among indie producers, guild and union officials, hot sponsors of theatre TV, including Nathan L. Halpern, tele consultant to the Theatre Owners of America, and TO A exec director Gael Sullivan argue that the spectre is false and that Hollywood can only gain from a wide use of the new medium. Halpern, Sullivan, et al., main- tain that Hollywood’s cooperation is essential in getting large-screen TV off the ground. For that mat- ter, because they foresee Holly- wood as the primary production center for theatre TV shows, it is their conviction that producers and guilds, Unions, etc., will find a new employment mine in the theatres’ adoption of video. In answer to the Hollywood Con- ception of theatre tele as remov- ing films and their makers from the driver’s seat in bargaining with exhibs, they contend that the Coast pundits are simply attach- ing too much importance to the part which video would play in the theatres. Pix could not be forced into a secondary spot, (Continued on page 20) Cool Weather, New Fare Hypo Biz; ‘Words’ Soars To First Place; ‘Treasure* Second, ‘Flame* 3d Zanuck to Europe Twentieth-Fox production vee- pee Darryl F. Zanuck is slated to arrive in New York from the Coast Monday (14), planing out the following day for a combined six- week business-vacation trip to Europe, He plans to onceover 20th films now shooting in Europe, par- ticularly “Mudlark,” which is now before the cameras in England. Zanuck also will spend some time, in Paris and on the Riviera, During his overnight stay in N.Y.,.-. the 20th studio topper is scheduled to receive a special award for “No Way Out,” which he personally produced, from the N.Y. Foreign Language Press Film Critics. Film preems next Wednes- day (16) at the Brpadway Rivoli. More favorable boxoffice weath- er, with many key cities having the benefit of coolest weekend this summer, is boosting biz in many exchange centers this week. Re- ports from Variety correspondents in some 24 key spots shows that the total gross of first five pictures will be nearly $750,000, best show- ing in many weeks. Release of new; strong fare also is upping totals. On first week out on extensive bookings, “Three Little Words” (M-Gr) is taking over national leadership by a wide margin. The Fred Astaire-Red Skelton musical is turning in fine to smash trade in all keys where playing current- ly, with holdovers insured in most locations. “Treasure Island” (RKO), which has been gradually building up, is second place winner. Disney opus is doing mostly .okay to terrific trade. “Flame and Arrow” (WB) has dropped back to third position while “Annie tret Guri” (M-G), long at the top, is a strong fourth. Fifth money goes to “Duchess of Idaho” (M-G) although this session is mainly on holdover. “Irma Goes West” (Par) is taking a spurt to land sixth spot. “Our Very Own” (RKO), start- ing out in most keys this week, is landing seventh place although only in four cities. “Stella” (20th), doifig better than previously; “Bro- ken Arrow” (20th) and “So Young, So Bad” (UA) round out the Big 10 list in that order. Strongest runnerup films are “Foreign Legion” (U) and “Where Sidewalk Ends” (20th). “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” (WB) shapes standout of new entries, with big session at N.Y. Strand. “Panic in Streets” (20th) also shows possibilities, with one nice showing, trim week in Toronto and big session at N.Y. Roxy. “In Lonely Place” (Col), nice in Philly, is okay in Portland, Ore., and fair in Cincy. . “Admiral Was a Lady” (UA) is disappointing on showings this frame. Also new, “Lady Without Passport” (M-G) is in same cate- gory, being fair in Washington, mild in Baltimore and lightweight in N.Y. “Furies”. (Par), another newcomer, shapes fine in Detroit, sturdy in Philly but modest in Baltimore. “Modern Marriage.” (Mono) looms. fair in Philly. “Winchester ’73” (U) shapes fine in Seattle. “Gun Crazy” (UA) is doing neat biz in Louisville. “Father : of Bride” (M-G) is hot in Cincy. “All Quiet on Western Front,” out on reissue, is okay jin Cleve- land and sock in N.Y. It was a big winner last week. “Kind Hearts and Cornets” (EL) ranges from fine to great this round. “Rocket- ship X-M” (Lip) is okay in Omaha. {Complete Boxoffice Reports on Rages 12-13) Deadlock; on creating a liaison agency to handle the industry’s collaboration with the Government in the war effort is expected to be solved today (Wed.) at an emer- gency meeting of COMPO (Council of Motion Picture Organizations) called by Ned . E. Depinet, RKO prez who heads the group. After a period of strain stemming from Theatre Owners of America’s iiw sistence on exhib autonomy, both sides are showing willingness to compromise. TOA, for its part, will, propose formation of a liaison machinery similar to the War Activities Com- mittee as it operated in World War II. COMPO had passed a resolution that the all-industry group’s officers act as a committee- of-the-whole for this purpose. However, both have privately ex- pressed readiness to meet some- where in between sr that the urgent need for an industry spokes- men can be worked out. TOA insists that it has no inten- tion of blocking a satisfactory com- promise. Its reps, including Gael Sullivan^ exec director; Si Fabian, Leonard H; Goldenson and Samuel Pinanski will be on hand ready “for a constructive solution.” Only if COMPO’s board refuses to (Continued oh page 24) HELEN KANE TO B00P ‘3 Helen Kane, who baby-toiced a boop-bodp-a-doop tagline on lyrics into a national fad in the late '20's, is coming out of retirement to plug Metro’s “Three Little Words.” Singer, now Mrs. Dan Healy, will do a number of on-stage appear- ances today (Wed.) at Loew’s State, Broadway showcase, timed with the preem of the film. Miss Kane takes to the stage with Harry Ruby and Arlene Dahl, Metro thesper, in from the Coast for the opening. 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