Variety (August 1950)

wcmtEs Wednesday August 9, 1950 ‘Winchester’ 2d, Bride’ 3d, TIame’dtb Consistent draw of “Annie Get* Your Gun” (M-G), despite the hot Weather and ail other handicaps, placed it at the top of the box- office heap -for the month of July, according to reports from Variety correspondents in 24 key cities. Tfie Metro musical held steadily among the first three grossers for the initial three weeks, and never dipped below sixth. In addition, pic seldom opened mildly, hitting new highs for the. season in some spots. Film hung up a longruh' mark at Loew’s State, N. Y., wind- [ iojg up its 12th week yesterday (Tues;). • -: : July’s Goldeii Dozen 1. “Artnie Get Gun^ (M-G). 2. “Winchester ’73” (U). 3. “Father of Bride” (M-G). 4. “Flame and Arrow” (WB). 5. “Duchess of Idaho’’ (M-G), 6. “White Tower” (RKO), 7; 4 ?Irma Goes West” (Par). 8. “711 Ocean Drive” (Col). 9. “Sidewalk Ends” (20th). 10. “Bright Leaf” (WB). 11. “The Gunfighter” (20th). 12. “The Crisis” (M-G). BIG RESERVATIONS FOR TOA’S HOUSTON MEET Big early reservations for Thea- tre Owners of America’s forthcom- ing national convention in Hou- ston, Oct. 30-Nov. 2, is giving the affair a fast start. Exhib org has already received registrations from 210 TOA-ers. Large number of small fry from 23 states and Can- ada have requested reservations. Delegation of exhibs from Mex- ico will also be on hand. Winchester ’73” (U) capUired, foyf |Jj{ second place for the month, mainly • on the blanket booking for a couple of weeks over the country, which enabled it to win, first spot for two successive weeks. Draw of James Stewart, star of picture, was a con- tributing factor. Third money] More Than It Could on U. S. distribs believe that the went to “Father of Bride,” also ; nulitary government in Japan may Metro. “Bride/’ champion in June, > ^ iav . e . taken a bigger bite than it continued its sock biz despite its I could comfortably chew when it is- extended-run in many localities, i J ue( * 1$? now-rapidly-becoming- ^ j a »* ' I famed Circular 8, laying down a Z'*™ an( l Arrow tWB) won , distribution code: for Nippon, fourth place via extensive bookings , It has put on a few civilian om- at the end of the month. Burt 1 Lancaster starrer, . however, got under way comparatively slowly in the forepart of July. Fifth spot was taken over by “Duchess of Idaho” iM-Gi, the Esther Williams-! van Johnson picture being espe-1 . _ , , daily sturdy on it first weeks-. 1 1 Circular 8 sets up^a quota sys- m „ /TW ~ V , . , tern under which 270 Yank-made _ White. Tower (RKO); which; pj x rnay be imported into Japan also Started out fairly moderately,! during the current fiscal year. It managed to wind up sixth. Seventh a [ so did .away with the “chosen in- position was Won by ^ Irjna _GoCs i s trument” method of distribution, S cstWhlle , 7T1 ^c^J 1 ! whereby the U. S. Majors’ co-op, pJJive ipj? ; the Motion Picture Export Assn.; Where Sidewalk Ends ’ (20th) was ■ ployces of the Aymy for the un- enviable job of picking and ap- proving U. S. product and Com- panies—vvith all the attendant pressures, since there’s a consider- . had an exclusive franchise. ninth, “Bright Leaf” (WB) 10th. . VGunfighter” <20th) 11th - and : MPEA continues to operate as “Crisis” (M-G) 12th. “Gunfighter” Jbe rep of pine companies and has was fourth in June. been granted licenses for importa- „ , . , . tion of 78 films. Indie producers , Best runnerup pictures were , have betn granted a total of 14; licenses so far and are expected to month; ■ Rocketship^^X-M 1 licenses are granted, approval and Peggy” (U). “Rnrketshin” ; ... . ^ “Broken Arrow” (20th), just getting started at the tag end of the a. • u j ‘Rocketship must stillbewonforthe individ- fimshed iOth .the previous month. ual pictures to be imported, attesting to the public s yen for Criterion on approvals is first novel fare. , the reorientation value of the pic. New Pix Promising ! When as many as possible are chosen in that category, other Batch of new pictures hold some promise, several getting enough test or initial play dates to indi- cate future possibilities. “Treasure Island” (RKO), with largely sock to big first weeks, is one of the strong new entries. “Three Little Words” (M-G) also has shown enough to date to hint real po- tentialities. “Destination Moon” (EL), with smash extended-run at N.Y. Mayfair, also looks to be a future winner, novelty of theme obviously being a factor. More is expected to be heard. from “711 Ocean Drive.” Same is true of “Flame and Arrow-” “The Men” (UA) did nicely on its first two weeks at N.Y. Music Hall. “Our Very Own” (RKO) started out big on its first two dates. “So Young, So Bad” (UA), also new, has already racked up some sizable sessions. “In Foreign Legion” (U) bo far has been on the disappoint- ing side for an Abbott-Costello comedy. “Next Voice You Hear” (M-G), also new, has not proved especially startling boxpffice-wise after its nice N.Y. Music Hall run. “Stella” (20th) also has been large- ly mild to tepid so far, “Rogues of Sherwood Forest’’ (Col) added some worthwhile biz during July. “Iroquois Trail” (UA), mainly average, never• did get started in most spots. “Comanche Territory” (U) still showed up with some smash to fast sessions during the month. “Underworld Story” (UA), mild in some spots, did well in others. “Rock Island Trail” (Rep) chipped in with some fine weeks during the month after some mod- erate sessions. “Good Humor Man” (Col) was strictly unfunny in many okays will be given on the basis that the film does not; do harm to the cause of democracy and U. S. policy. Duty of allocating the individual quotas and then approving the pix falls upon Don Brown, chief of the Civilian' Information & Education division of the Supreme Command Allied Powers (SCAP). With al- most 180 more licenses still to be handed out, Brown is in a plenty tough spot doing his picking and choosing. In addition to getting licenses and okays for admittance of pix into Japan, additional approval must be won for a film to share in the dollar convertibility of yen be- ing made available by SCAP. MPEA has made a deal permitting it to convert $1,500,000 worth of yen in nine months; Indies have no currency commitment from SCAP as yet, but it is understood that they will be allowed $500,000. That’s another point that has CI&E on the spot, since it is claimed that the allotment of $1/- 500,000 for nine majors against $500,000 for a handful of indies would be entirely disproportionate. Considerable pressure is under- stood being exercised, however, to establish this ratio by the Society of Independent Motion picture Producers, headed by former Georgia governor EUis G. Arnall. Some Yank distribs think that the Army made a mistake in set- ting up a quota system in its ef- fort to hold down the quantity of product to keep from flooding Jap theatres. They say they now feel virtually under obligation to im- port the maximum under the quota, while probably under ordi- Acting on the premise that the realty situation may take a sharp turn because of the Korean fracas, Paramount’s board has decided to shelve all maneuvers to sell the Paramount home office building, Times Sq. laridjnark, for the time being. Building has been with- drawn from the market after a number of feelers were sent out to prospective purchasers, Origi- nal asking, price for the building was in the neighborhood of $11,- 000,000; Par's policy-setters now feel, that the company may be able to get a considerably; higher price if build- ing controls are reenacted. Under its consent decree, company has five years to unload the property, hence there is no urgency in seek- ing a buyer. Good part of the cash from the sale was to be channeled into the buy-up of outstanding common stock. Possibility of a better price, however, is considered more im- portant than the campaign to streamline Par’s capital structure. B’klyn Paramount Sold Brooklyn Paramount theatre and the 11-story building in which the cleluxer is housed passed into the hand of Long Island U. this week. Purchase was made from* Realty Associates Securities Corp., previ- ous owner of the property. At the same time, a lease ^running until 1960 was given to United Para- mount, which has. been operating the house. Amount of coin involved in the deal was not disclosed. Property is assessed by N. Y. city at $2,780,- 000. University picked up the building to house much of its ad- ministrative staff and part of its school when a number of its floors are vacated by present tenants. 4- Question of the public’s accept- ance of a streamlined film rang- ing from 30-50 minutes in place of a, second feature ia being 'reopened again with the current release of Walt Disney’s “Beaver Valley'/? foiir-reeler running 32 minutes. “Beaver”' 5 p o s e s the question squarely because RKO, pic’s di$- trib, is booking the film as a sec? pnd feature rather than a short or featurette. Company is asking top dualer. flat terms for the film, which is just breaking its first two- dozen dates. If “Beaver” goes as a sub for a second feature it is expected to open the field again for testis in short pix which neither fit in the traditional feature or shorts bracket. Disney is already con- vinced that there, is a good market for this flsh-hor-foWl type of film and is prepping production plans to turn out another under the ten- tative label of “God’s Half Acre/' His first test was with “Seal Is- land/’ Academy Award winner re- leased last. year. Streamlined features of 50-min- utes running time were tested TJ ii ■ j'.... . 0 shortly after the War by Hal Hollywood, Aug. 8. Roach, who released them through Hollywood is in there swinging ; United Artists. Roach turned out a to prove that its slogan, “Movies' flock of these pix as replacements Are Better Than Bver,” is no myth; I ^ or second features but the ven- In facti Hollywood is about to dem- U’» Drive-In 1 st-Runs FoUowiqg through on a pol- icy of booking first-run in drive-ins and nkbe houses where it cannot obtain its terms from regular first-run theatres, Universal is opening “Rocking Horse Winner” Aug, 25 in three Columbus, O.^ozon- ers; Unusual day-date book- ing : is the first time that a British film gets the al fresco treatment. “Winner” is a J/ Arthur Rank pic.' Film opens at the CCC, East- side and Riverside drive-ins. ]U has booked other pix in Co- lumbus as well as in Coving- ton, Ky., ozoners. It has also played some, of its films in Michigan nabe houses first-run because of an inability to agree on terms with the But- terfield chain. Chas. Skouras Points To 60 ‘Better’ In NT Coast Session that fact, according • to ture proved a financial dud. Buddy Rogers and Mary Pickford also took a flyer at that time with onstrate Charles P. Skouras, addressing a ! eauallv unsVtisfactorv results meeting of National Theatres divi- eq " aUy Wflsatistactory results. sional heads for a three-day $es- Disney s Entire Loew’s Chain Sets ’Men’ for Aug^Sept. “The Men,” Stanley Kramer pro- duction currently in New. York, Boston and San Francisco first- runs, goes into the entire Loew’s circuit during August and Septem- ber. Booking was disclosed this week by United Artists, the dis- trib. Pic is also going into Schine, Reade and RKO houses to pro- vide about 50 key openings dur- ing the two-month. period. slon. National Theatres will start the MABTE drive on Sept. 1, continu- ing to New Year’s Day, with $150,- 000 earmarked for campaign ex- penses and a lineup of better-than- ever films to serve as ammunition. Skouras named 60 pictures which, he declared, are superior in enter- tainment value to any cluster of films ever released during a sim- ilar period in the past. Division chiefs attending the three-day session were: Elmer C. Rhoden, Fox Midwest; Frank R. Ricketson, Fox Interm ountain; Harold J, Fitzgerald, Fox Wiscon- sin; Frank L, Newman, 'Sr.» Ever- green ; circuit; George Bowser, general manager of Fox West Coast Theatres, and Dick Dicksop and Spencer Leve, respectively di- vision managers for Fox West Coast in Southern and Northern California. localities as far as biz is concerned, j nary circumstances not as many as “Cariboo Trail” (20th) takings ; 270 pix would have been sent in. largely on the modest side. “In a Lonely Place” (Col), with few bookings thus far, is credited with some fair weeks. “Kind Hearts and Coronets” (EL), which finished ninth one week, is doing big to great trade, mainly in smalls sealers. “All Quiet on Western Front” (U), out on reissue, chalked up mild to sock trade in final wec o k A « m .. * * - ii* Murphy Wins’Badge’ Hollywood, Aug. 8. Audie Murphy, oustanding war hero off the screen, will play the top role in “The Red Badge of Courage/’ Metro’s film version of the Steve Crane classic. Picture goes into work in three of July, being surprisingly strong j weeks, with Gottfried Reinhardt lor ail oldie. I producing. , / • .v.j- a j»: an il>. tv-nh > H ; South Koreans See Special War Rgels Washington, Aug. 8. South Korean natives are being provided with a special weekly newsreel on eventi there and in the rest of the world by the State Dept.’s information division. It is made up in New York, out pf clips provided by the commercial news- reel conipanies, under the super- vision of Static’s, newsreel chief, Jack Connelly. In addition to a 35m version for iise in the remaining theatres, 16m Versions are being shipped for showing by the 14 mobile units now operated by the State Dept, in Korea. Continued from page 3 medium-sizers, differ from previous tries in that they are built: around nature studies rather than purely fictional in content. Whether that has any bearing on the main question is problejhatical since it seems unlikely that the public or exhibs would object on the pure , grounds of subject mut- ter. M ain point, of course, is whether the public will take tp them as entertainment. “Seal Island” cost Disney some $75,000 and turned in a gross of [-$175,000. On the basis of current selling terms and early critics' plaudits for w “Beaver,” RKO esti- mates that the film will do well over $175,000. “Beaver” also cost about $75,000, thereby highlight- ing the coin-making possibilities of this kind of film. Another pic will shortly hit the theatres in the same bracket. Irv- ing Allen is winding-up production on “Return of Gilbert and Sulli- |'van,” with the rough cut about 35 minutes in running time. Allen and 1 his partner, 1 Joe Justman, may add , another 20 minutes to the film. It is RKO’s Contention that the public has no concern" with the hard-and-fast typing by the indus- try. Hence, the patrons are un- mindful of length and will pay lor any pic that proves entertaining. Another argument, raised in the past, is that the shorter film gives an exhib a package without the undue length of a full double-fea- ture program. UWF Names Gluck Post of television sales chief of United World Films, Universal’s wholly-owned subsid in the 16m arid video fields, is being filled by Norman Gluck. Gluck succeeds to the niche vacated by Lewis Blum- ! berg, who left last week for Indo- nesia. Blumberg, son of U’s prez, Nate Blumberg, has taken an exec job with Zoro Corp., outfit in which UWF board chairman Matty Fox has an interest. Gluck formerly .1 serVed as Lewis Blumberg’s aide. I I * fu’*» Under the “scheduled perform- ances” plan, patrons will be able to buy tickets in advance for a particular showing. Nobody, how- ever, will be seated once the fea- ture lias started and the house is to be completely cleared between each performance. While 20 th will insert the “scheduled performances” clause as only a request in the contracts, exhibs buying “Eve” must agree to play the picture singly, Skouras said. Questioned as to whether this might not be a step towards elim- inating double bills, the 20th chief said the plan has nothing to do with that. “While. I am against double features from every angle,” he declared, “there are too many outside factors present in each sit- • the result of a trade whereby Jane uation for us^to attempt to change . Wyman shifted from the Burbank them at one time. [ lot to Metro for the femme lead in While success of the plan will | “Three Guys Named Mike.’ undoubtedly mean 20th will release Liz Taylor’s WB Pic In Payoff for Wyman Loan Hollywood, Aug. 8. Elizabeth Taylor, currently honeymooning in Europe, will star in a picture for Warners early next summer. Understood the deal is tt other pictures in the future the same way, Skouras emphasized it is only designed for pictures simi- lar to “Eve.” Film, a personal pro- duction of 20th studio veepee Darryl F Zanuck and scripted and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, runs two hours and 20 minutes. Film is scheduled to preem in October at the Roxy, N. Y, Na- tional Theatres’ first-run hbuses Miss Taylor’s next commitment at Metro is “Father’s Little Divi- dend,”' starting in September, after which she will move to Warners. 3 Marine Pix Into Re-Release by Rep. Hollywood, Aug. 8. Republic is rushing re-release of three films with Marine Corps throughout the country will fol- [ background, “Leathernecks Have low in a week and, according to . Loaded,” ’’Join the Marines”_and Skouras, it will be made available at that time to any theatres desir- ing to enter into the plan from the Come on. Leathernecks.” They will be available for bookings as ( soon as prints are processed in start. If one of the company’s regf ! order to give "firm a tiein with ular customers turns it down, he i current Marine action in Korea, said, the picture will then be of- Pix were lCnsed between 1936-38. fered to a competing house. Skou- Casts include such names »>s ras arid Smith both noted that 20th Lew Ayres, Isabel Jewell, Paul has full authority to refuse to sell -Kelly. June Travis, Richard Crom- • pi F‘i\ r fi? W. ... I wfcl},.an4 ^r5hr,,H«nt t . ,