Variety (December 1950)

INTERIM ATIONAL 'VARIITY'r LONDON: OPPICI • th Martin's Plactf Trafal«ar Squirt Albeit ‘Eve’ London, Dec. 12, ^ The first snow of the season, which made travel precarious the early part of week, pushed the box- office more in the doldrums than is usual for this tirtie of the year. The only film to beat the weather is “All About Eve,“ which opened _ • J • . • WB Latin-Am. Meet, Jan. 15 Relationship between the Littin American niairket and Anierican films will be reviewed at a meeting of Warner managers and division htroldt Val Parnell as the Star in Anglo^V* S • Co-op on inttreiling byline pltct In the forthcoming 43th Anniversary dumber of to raye notices and capacity biz, Central and South clicking at the Gaumont with a smash $ll,50Qi There are five other new entries in the West End, but these mainly recorded only moderate; grosses. The British-made “Highly Danger- ous” is likely to end its first round at about $7,500 at the Leicester Square theatre,' However, the London Pavilion double bill of “Betweeri Midnight and Dawn” and “Gaptive Girl,” started off nicely. “To Please a Lady,’’ plus stage, is mild at Em* pire. “I’ll Get By” at Odeoti, Leicester Square, shapes up only moderate: V : ; Estimates for Last Week Carlton (Par) (1.128; 65-$1.60)^ “Monkey Business” (Par) and “It’s ] a Gift” (Par) (reissues). Pair of oldies failing to do much at only $2,000. “Samson and v Delilah” (Par) due in on Dec. 19. Empire (M-G) (3,099; 50-$1.6,())— “To Please a Lady” (M-G) and stageshow, (2d wk). Mild $13,700, another victim of the general bii dive., “King Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) opens next. U.S. Majors in Hole on Italian Pact America to be held in Panama Jan. 15, Exchange operations and sales policies are also on the agenda. All available 1950-’5l product will be screened for the delegates.. Wolfe Cohen, prez of Warner Bros. International, will preside at the conclave. Also slated to attend from N. Y. are Karl Macdonald, ■Latin America sales manager, and John Moraio, head of the foreign contract department. Washington, Dec. 19. French film production in 1950 is expected to exceed the pre-war average of 110 features annually, U. S. Department of Commerce re- ports. During the first eight months of this year a total of ;_76 features were completed, which was 16 more than in the same pe- Gaumont (CMA) (1,500; 45-$1.60) i riod in 1949. . —“All About Eve” (20th). Attract- Und^r the law providing aid to ing great crowds after rave notices, : the French studios, that country’s and started off to capacity biz. i government has made 1,694,513,640 First frame looks to wind up at , francs available for films. Of the sock $11,500. In for run. i total, 1,544,562,117 francs was Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) [turned over to feature producers, (1,753; 45-$1.60)—“Highly Danger-; while 80,000,000 went to neWsreel (GFD) and “Kettles on the j production, 44,951,523 went to aid short subject producers, and 25,- 000,000 francs was a subsidy. to Unifranee Films, which pushes for- eign distribution of French pix. It takes 350 francs to equal $1 Ameri- can, ■ Responsibility for the precarioJus ! state of the British film industry' can be directly attributed to the government’s 40% admissions bite according to independent pro- ducer-director Roy BouU.ing who returned to London yesterday (Tues.) after a week in N. Y.. ^‘1 dpn’t believe there can be any durable solution to our problems,” he said, “while the great burden of taxation lies upon our heads.” Boulting added, that the present Arg. Import Talks Delayed Buenos Airesi Dec, 12. Raul Alejandro Apold, presiden- tial press secretary in Argentina, and virtually In control of film matters, was so absorbed the past week trying to bring national film producers into line that he had to postpone talks scheduled with the U. S. films distributors on the long-awaited pact to renew imports of Yank product. Apold’s confabs with Joaquin Rickard, Motion Pio ture Assn, of American represen- tative in Latin America, are due to start again next week. In the meantime, “Iron Cortain,” released at last at the Ocean and Broadway theatres day-date Dec. 1 after almost two yearsV refusal by the Argentine government, has grossed around $13,000 over the first Friday, Saturday and S ’nday. Genoa, Dec. 12. Though U. S. pix distributed in system of distribution and exhibi-[Italy continue to turnjn the strong- tion, as practiced in Britain, must est boxoffice total during the first be reconsidered in light of new de-! months of the fall season, Italian velopments. He particularly criti- cized the existing methods Of re- .films have focently made substan tial biz gains at local theatres. On lease whereby a picture is booked i an average net profit per pic, some into a theatre for one-week only I actually have surpassed Yank, and then pulled out whether busi-i totals. This partly stems from the ness is good or bad. This, he said, [early season dearth of top-grossing OUS' Farm” (GFD). Just okay at about $7^500 in intial round. Stays on. London Pavilion (UA) (1.217; 45- $1.60)—“Midnight and Dawn” (Col) and “Captive Girl” (Col). Double bill opened strongly with about $3,000 in first weekend. In ahead, “The Men” (UA) (3d wk), $5,000. Marble Arch Pavilion (CMA) (1,- 750; 35-80C)— “Lilli Marlene” (UA) and “Underworld Story” (UA). New British combo moved in with- out press comment and likely to hit .mild $4,200 in opening stanza. Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) (2,200; 45-$1.60)—“I’ll Get By” (Fox). Starting off only' to fair trade with about $6,500, moderate. Holds a second week with “Har^ vey” (U) following as Christmas pic. Odeon, Marble Arch (CMA) (2,- 200; 45-$l.60) —“Clouded Yellow”’ (GFD) (3d wk). Dipped to moder- at $5,100. “I Shall Return” (20th) opens Dec. 14. Plaza (Par) (1,902; 65-$1.60)— —“Tripoli” (Par) and “Friend Irma Goes West” (Par) (2d wk). Dual bill proving a disappointment, first holdover round being near $4,000. “Samson and Delilah” (Par) is due In Dec. 19. Rialto. (LFP) (592; 45-$1.25)^ “City Lights” (UA) (reissue) (7th wk). Still strong at around $5,000. Stays indef. . Warner (WB) (1,735; 45-$1.60)— “Pretty Baby” (WB). Failed to draw, with only $1,500 in its first .three days: Continues on. doesn’t give either the producer or j audiences a chance While cognizant of the aid that American pix (held up in part by Italian stalling tactics during cen- sorship and dubbing). It also comes ‘FOUR IN JEEF NEAR Zurich, Dec. 12 New Praesens pic, ‘‘Four in a Jeep,” is scheduled to be com- pleted by Dec. 25 after shooting for over two months. Stars and staff are now ..back in Zurich for interiors at Rosenhof and Bellerive Studios. Outdoor shooting was done on location in Vienna and Graz, Austria, for the last six weeks. Film is being directed by Leo- pold Lindtberg from an original screenplay by Richard Schweizer, Wilhelm L. Treichlinger and Hans, Sahl. “Jeep” stars Viveca Lindfors, Ralph Meeker and French actress Paulette Dubost. It features M. Dinan, Joseph Yadin, Michael Med- Win, and Hans Putz. World preem of picture will be held early next year at Scala Zurich. Modern Town Built In Australia for 20th-Fox; Name It Zanuckville Sydney, Dec. 12. When 20th-Fox announced that Darryl Zanuck had decided to make the Technicolor pic, “Kangaroo,” liere, the premiers of each Aussie state put in bids to have the film produced in their respective ter- ritories. The big prize went to South Australia on a deal engi- neered by Premier Tom Playford. Figuring here is that the 20th-Fox production crew will spend $250,- 000 with South Australian traders on foodstuffs and other commodi- ties, quite apart from additional technical equipment and crew Wages. When the unit’s production man- ager, Robert Snody, finally decided on Port Augusta as the “Kangaroo” location. Premier. Playford (despite heavy housing shortage) gave the greenlight for the erection of a small town, complete with cooling system, sanitary conditions, sports arena, cinema and westefn-type sa- loon for the unit’s use. Stars Maut feeh Q’Hara, Peter Lavirford and Reginald Boone have their own bungalows: This Week Premier Playford de- clared the town officially opened and named it Zanuckville. Looks like eithei Snody or director Lewis Milestone will take the designation of mayor on the sayso of Premier Playford. It is the first time in Aussie history that . town has been named after an Anierican film pro- ducer. “Kangaroo” should be in the cans by next September. the government’s Film Finance from the current success of many Corp. is giving the industry, Boult- ing indicated that the agency’s as- sistance should not be termed largesse because the state takes vast sums out of the film business by taxation and returns only a small portion via the FGC. The financing body was set up 18 months ago when private sources of funds dried up. Boulting was dubious about the value of a proposed cooperative production organization over which FFC chairman James H. Lawrie would preside. Lawrie reportedly would have the . final say-so on scripts, budgets and stars before a camera could turn. The independ- ent producer-director declared that “any system that has complete power of life and death over an in- dustry is dangerous.” Despite domestic financial prob- lems, Boulting feels that the inter- national outlook for British pic- tures is improving. He said that British films are developing a new audience in the U. S. and other couhtries. It’s not the same audi- ence that goes to see Hollywood’s output, he added, for “our pictures shouldn’t compete with Holly- wood.” Producer-. director made the junket here to attend the American preem of his “Seven Days to Noon” at the Trans-Lux 52d Street, N; Y., last Monday (18). Boulting made “Seven Days” for Sir AI®i^&hder Korda’s London Films; in association with his brother,' Johh. ' The Boultings next veritufe, “I ‘ i^py' Strangers,’’ is scheduled to go before the cameras Jan. 15 for J. Arthur Rank release. Following its 'completion the brothers will turn out two more pix for Korda. low-budget Italian comedies and to the attainment of a certain com- mercial standard in local product Local observers, with an eye also to solving strained U. S.-Italo re lations, say that While audiences have begun to show a -preference for local pix over low-calibre U. S imports, the top American product continues to hold its dominant posi- tion On Italian screens. They point out that the present trend, even if Continued, would in no way harm American companies in the long run since able to recoup via big ger profits on their strong pix. It merely would bring about a better balance between Italian U. S. and other foreign films, and help discourage the importation o low-grade American productions which have been flooding the Ital ian theatres, the over-crowded market hurting takes of both Italian films and the better Yank product. It is generally felt that even though these Italian early- season gains are a yearly seasonal occurence, due for a letdown, but they are this time considerably higher. French films, in recent years considered boxoffice poison in ItMy, also have' made recent gains in the wake of a sock reception accorded the 1949 Venice Grand Prize winner “Manon,” which did phenomenal biz in recent key-city French language houses; It is now hitting the top figures with a dub- bed Version in general release. Sev- eral other Gallic entries have since ^reached substantial figures. Rome, Dec. 19. Action of United Artists in Join- ing the National Italian Cinema Assn. (ANICA) has broken the solid front of American major film dis- tributors in the protracted nego- tiations over dlstrib of U. S, films in Italy. It has resulted in a com- plete stymie Of the three-year-old effort to work out a settlement be- tween the Italian government and Yank distribs. In, all previous talks between reps of U. S. film com- panies and the Italians, the Amer- ican distribs have stayed adamant on the point of ever joining ANICA. Result is that UA’s deci- sion to join up came as a real sur- prise in local film circles. it is fairly welT known that the deal worked out on a so-called limited basii which was rejected by other major U. S. distribs, ac- cording to UA’s rep George Orn- stein. The theory back of this rejec- tion is that it is not necessary for the film industry to negotiate with the government for a free market, and ANICA is unofficially Support- ed by the Italian government. Obviously, this is a local point-of- view concerning films in view of the restrictions of France and Ger- many, Italy being described as fair- ly easy to deal with compared with other European countries. Under- stood here that the Italian govern- ment felt that the Yank distribs were “stalling” on the negotiations so they started a “retaliation.” In other words, Italy is enforcing the request ^originally made to U. S. conipanies (though the enforcement is unofficial thus far) that Ameri- can distribs in Italy reduce the number of film imports by 25%. New Crackdown Via Censorship The Italians have been shrewd enough not to actually make legis- lation against importing foreign films, having consistently held to the laws now in existence. This was done apparently in hopes that the Americans would come to an agreement without government in- terference. Since last August, the censorship of films has become so rigid that U. S. distribs feel the ciit into the number of pictures they have been receiving. Censoring body, began to closely scrutinize all cen- sorship requests and to not take pix in order of precedence. These and other things have made it pos- sible for only a few films to get okays. One early result Of . the UA action in joining ANICA is that all com- pensation deals are at a complete standstill until further decisions are made. Some claim that United Artists, through its local distributor; Artisti Associati, always has been a semi- member of ANICA. Ornstein says he simply formalized a relationship that has existed, in fact, for many years, “because Artisti Associati has been a member for years.” Ornsteip also stated that during his three years in Italy he has never experienced the slightest de- lay in securing import or censor- ship permits. Metro’s 4th Aussie Nabe Sydney'^ Dec. 19. Bernie Freeman, Metro topper here, has signed a deal for take- over of the neighborhood Century in Manly as anticipated. Now gives Metro four nabe houses plus seven j in key cities, the biggest solely U. S. operated loop in Down Under territory. Understood that M-G will add additional nabers in the Melbourne zone to the circuit early next year. Uruguay Exhibs Clijpped Again by Rising Costs Montevideo, Dec: 5. Film exhibitors, here,/ who re- cently were hit by increased taxa- tion and pension fund contribu- tions, are to have their overhead again increased via a government decree published early this' month, This sets up a Wages Board to fix salaries for employees and direc- tive personnel. Technicians are expressly excluded, by virtue of ah agreement . signed last August, which met their demands in full. Other Forei^ Newt On Page 16 1st Coin From British Fix Shown in Germany London, Dec; 12. Although the' first trickle of funds froni the showing of British films in Germany may be expected very sobn, film producers here fear that a native quota being consid- ered by the Western German govt, may curtail screentime for their product and thus restrict \ftiture earnings. Up till now, a substantial num- ber of British films have played German theatres but all the money has been blocked. The optimistic view taken is that the first flow of coin may be followed by a big increase early next year. The export group of the British Film Producers Assn, has also worked out a formula with French authorities for increasing the num- ber of dubbing visas allocated to British pix. ‘UCE’ LOOKS LIKELY FOR RUN IN LONDON London, Dec. 19. Aimee Stuart’s “Lace On Her Petticoat,” which opened at The Ambassador’s Thursday (14), Was splendidly received and looks likely to register a profitable run at this small house. Play, an unpretentious sentimental Scottish comedy, stars Sophie Stewart. Youthful newcomers Eleanor MacReady and Perlita Neilson score as teenage friends parted through class distinction. Parnell Loses Contest For Quota Exemption London, Dec. 19. An application by Val Parnell for quota exemption for the Prince of Wales, where “Cinderella” open- ed last night (18), has been re- jected by the Films Council. . At the Conclusion of the Disney pic- ture’s run a British film will have to be screened to comply with the 30% quota. It is, believed that “Tales of Hoffman” will be booked. Earlier this year, this theatre Was fined for a quota default,