Variety (December 1950)

PICTVnES Wednesday, December 27, 1950 N.Y. Theatre in Ban of ‘Miracle’ Public indignation by both pri- vitte citizens and organized groups over the. action of New York City’s License bpmmissioner in ordering ^vithdrawal of the Roberto Rossel- lini-Anna Magnahi filrn, “The Mira- cle,” threatened to bring a full- fledged test of the official’s un- limited one-man censorship powers. Order imposed on the Paris the- a.tre, Gotham artie, where the film was playing, by Commissioner Edr ward T. McCaffrey appeared to bring into focus the whole, matter of screen censorship. Industryites Were unanimpus over the long Ghristnias weekend in promising support to the theatre and the film’s distrib,. Joseph Burstyn, in a full-scale legal fight. . Actually, the License Comrnis- sioner is believed by attorneys to be within his legal rights un- der N.Y. City statutes. His power has been upheld by the courts in a similar test brought by Howard Hughes on “The Outlaw” several years ago. Major difference is that the “Out- law” issue. was ..obscenity, while the present One is a matter of opinion as to whether the 41-minute Ital- ian-made story is anti-religious. Lawyers indicated yesterday (Tues- day) that only, the City Council or State Legislature could limit Mc- Caffrey’s power, and that public protest would probably be the niost effective method of dealing with the issue. However, Burstyru^ has been meeting constantly with lawyers for the past several days. It appears certain that if any grounds can be (Continued on page 40) mN' AND 3 OTHER FIX GET LEiaON’S'B’RATING Columbia’s “Born Yesterday,” in which a critic for a Catholic diocer san organ found subtle Communis- tic propaganda, last week was placed in the National Legion of De- cency’s Class “B” category. After scanning the picture, the organi- zation’s reviewers, declared that it contained “suggestive situations and dialog as well as a low moral tone.” ' “B” label (morally objectionable in part for all) was affixed bn four other pictures at the same time. “For Heaven’s Sake” (20th) was rapped for its “suggestive se- quences; contains material morally unfit for entertainment of motion picture audiences and tends to con- done immoral actions.” Group points out that the rating oh “Sake” applies only to prints shown in the U. S., its possessions and Canada. Version exported to other countries is judged to be “more morally offensive.” A com- edy-fantasy, the film stars Clifton Webb and Joan Bennett. Three other pix drawing “B’s” were “Vendetta” (RKO), “Highway 301” (WB) and “Headline,” British Lopert Owns 'Miracle^ American rights to “The Miracle,” Roberto Rpssellini film banned in New York, are owned by Lopert Films, but ' the pic is being distributed by Joseph Burstyn. Latter made the deal more than a year ago. Lopert was to get 80% of the film rentals and Burstyn 20% after a distribution fee was taken off the top. At that time it wasn’t cer- tain what could he done with the pic because of its odd 40- minute length. When Burstyn conceived the idea of putting it with two short French films under a single-feature title, Lopert deal was revised to give Burstyn 55% of the take and Lopert 45%. Burstyn pro- vided the two French films» “A Day in the Country” and “Jofroi,” which were made be- fore the war and for which he, reportedly paid a flat $6,000 each for U. S: rights. Todd-Thomas Eyes N.Y. Legit Theatre for Bow Of New Cinerama Pic New firm formed tP produce films using the Cinerama process, 1 inking B r o a d w a y producer Michael Todd and author-commen- tator Lowell Thomas, figures on ( unveiling its first pic at a N.Y. legit ; theatre next September. Other cities on the initial list include Chi- cago and two additional spots to be j serviced by mobile units. i Thomas-Todd Productions has set ] a $1,25(),000 budget for the first j film, according to Todd. Addition-j ally, permanent installation of the special equipment at the N. Y. house is estimated at $50,000. Tied in with Thomas and Todd are Reeves Soundcraft and its subsidiary, Cinerama, Inc. Sys- tem requires three sets of projec- tors, a special set of sound heads and a wide arc-shaped screen. Todd Will serve as executive pro- ducer with Thomas also taking a part in the filmmaking. Money in- terests will be represented by Frank M. Smith. Financing, which has been provided by private group, and involves no banks, was set by Smith, Thomas’ business manager. Cinerama system untiT recently was slated to be put into.use by a group of circuit optotors in an association with producer Lester Cowan. Group decided to drop the idea the past month, largely be- cause of the extensive financing re- ; quired. Photographic process for the medium was developed by Fred Waller* Sound was provided by Hazard E. Beeves, president of Reeves Soundcraft. Already demonstrated for the RKO Picturei Preiy Ned E. Depinet Itcmiies Some of fho Plus Factors Which Can Help Recapture the Lost Pix Audience Ah Interesting EditoridI FeatHre In the 45th Anniversary Number of' rP^RlETT . ' OVT - NEXT: WEEK • • t Much of whether or not “The Miracle’* “ridicules faith and re- ligious fervor lies in the eye of the beholder,” Variety said in re- viewing the Roberto Rossellini-Anna Magnani film in last week’s (Dec. 20) issue. Pic popped into the headlines over the weekend as a result of a ban on it by the New York City Commissioner of Li- censes on the charge that it is “blaspherhous.” “Pjayed with passion, boldness and great style,” Herb, the Variety reviewer, stated, “the story gives rise to the question of taste in whether the religious fanaticism of an obviously idiot Woman and her resultant invitation to seduction by a ‘saint’ is fit subject matter. Much of whether or not it ridicules faith and re- ligious fervor lies in the eye of the beholder. In any case, it ha$ the faculty of making the viewer mighty uncomfortable.” . . “Obviously a how-dramatic-can-you-get effort by Rossellini,” review stated, “the director succeeds in steering his star to the brink of screen intensity. She is pictured as an idiot peasant, a religious fanatic. Who takes a bearded stranger for St. Joseph and, in the belief that she has been divinely chosen for this miracle, gives herself to him. Ridiculed in her pregnancy by the cruelly ignorant folk of the bleak Italian town and cast put by them, she crawls off to a cave until time to have her baby. It is born to her as she cries out alone in the vault of ah empty church.” ‘■Miracle” runs 41 minutes a^^ three short features joined together under the overail title of “Ways of Love:” Ronnie Alcorn and his produc* tion of “Johnny Holiday” became the subjects of legal ado on two fronts. In Wichita, Kails., two Stockholders of the Kansas Milling Co. slapped officers of the firm with a fraud suit charging they wrongfully used company funds to back Alcorn Productions in its lens- iiig of the film. It was alleged that about $1,067;000 was advanced, that the film was a financial disaster with only about $10,000 returned to the milling company. D. S, Jackson^ vieepresident of the flour outfit, issued a statement denying there was any wrongdoing or mishandling of funds. He added the pic was hot a complete loss; that it currently is bringing in coin, and probably will return at least two-thirds of the money outlay. On the second front, in' Los An- geles, the California State Labor Board held its second hearing on complaints of ll former employees of A-lcom Productions for unpaid wages. Claims reportedly total $12,000; Alcorn said he only was an agent for Kansas Milling, which put up the coin for the film being released by United Artists. Reports from the two spots re- called Alcorn’s visit to N. Y- follow- ing completion of the pic. At that time he stated he used a large por- tion of his own money for the proj- ect and that he had amassed a for- tune through wheat deals which hO engineered with groups in Brazil. March of Time, which produced “Crusade in Europe” for television, has established a special TV unit which swings into operation im- mediately after the first of the year under the supervision of MOT chief Richard de Rochemont and „ , , « , associate MOT producer Arthur B. Visit. He s huddling With Par j xourtellot. Since the film outfit is prexy Barney Balaban and eastern j an adjunct of Time, Inc., that studio rep^Russell Holman, under;means that the Henry Luce pub- whose aegis come Farley’s activi-| jighing firm is stepping into active Farley in From England Frank Farley, managing director of Paramount British Productions, Ltd., arrived in New York from London last week for a fortnight’s ties abroad. British exec is also seeing the plays in New York and talking video work for the first time. According to 'Tourtellot, the new uAdj'a ill i^cvv . i wiiv. aiiu toiiviiis i ...Alt. 1 l • a over potential buys of Plays and“^J. stories originating in England with Par play editor John Byram and i ^ Crus^ade in the Pacif story editor Alan Jackson. Virginia Kellogg In Pro-H’wood Pitch As QiiA ACAQYplioc P||» i anese film, and Library of Congress iJllC l\C5v4ll LllCo 1 iv I material, as well as the vast MOT Virginia Kellogg, researching i library, will follow the entire Pacif i ic, " which is to be a counterpart i of the “Europe” series. Latter, in- icidentally, is currently playing its third time around oh various TV stations throughout the country. Tourtellot said the “Pacifip” series, which is to utilize captured Jap- inport, which English Films is dis-1 press, the Cinerama projection tributing. “Vendetta,” Howard ; gives the audience a sense of par- Hughes production, was branded ticipation in action depicted by rea- replete with material “morally un- i son of the tremendous breadth of suitable for entertainment of mo-; the screen, tion picture audiences.” Warner entry has “excessive brutality,” while “Headline” contains “sugges- tive dialog and costuming.” Pam Blumenthal In N.Y, to Talk Release A. Pam Blumenthal is in New York from the Coast currently to discuss a hew distribution setup for Fidelity Productu ns, in which he is partnered with Howard Welsch. He is also; having talks with Joseph H. Seidelman, former Universal foreign topper, who. is associated witiy Ihm and-Wels^^ in the pix. Fidelity has made two films, “House by the. River,” which was released by Republic, and “Woman On the Run,” handled by U. It is I planning to go into a larger pro- gram. Blumenthal will be east for several more weeks on the distri- bution arrangements. AMERICAN LEGION IN Sells 2,600 Par Common Hollywood, Dec. 26. At a genial gathering in the Bev- erly Hills hotel, Y. Frank Freeman, chairrhan of the Assh. of Motioh Picture Producers’ board of direc- tors, accepted the American Le- gion’s Citation of Merit for coop- eration in patriotic endeayors. The presentatioh was made by Leon V. McCardle, president of the Legion’s 1950 convention, accomr panied by a message from John R. Quinn, past national commander. He said, in part:.^‘I want to assure you that our delegates are deeply impressed by the film industry’s firm friendship and that it stands, with the Legion, as a tremendous force for the perpetuation of Our rights and freedoms.” ITALO-AHERICAN PIC DEAL SOUGHT BY AMATO Possible Italo-American produc- tion deal will be worked out in Hollywood in the next two weeks by Giuseppe Amato, who trained to the Co 2 «:t today (Wed,) accom- panied by Leonide Moguy. Both ar- rived in New York last week from Italy. An associate of Rizzoli Films of Rome, Amato will confer with an undisclosed producer-director with a view to starting a filmmak- ing project in Italy. Amato and Moguy brought a print of their recent Italian-made film, “Tomorrow Is Too Late” (“Domani E Troppo Tardi”) with them, Upon their return to Gotham they expect to set an American distribution deal for the picture.’ RKO is releasing in Italy, while Sir Alexander Korda's organization has the rights elsewhere in Europe and, in Britain. Directed by Moguy from a story by himself and Alfred Machard, “Tomorrow” stars Vittorio De Sica in a script concerning the problem of sexual education for children. Film won an iaward from the Ital- ian government at Biennale of Venice for the “best Italian pic- ture.” Its cast includes Pier Angeli, on a loanout from Metro, to whom she is Under contract material for a forthcoming Sam Bischoff (RKO) picture on juvenile delinquency, is combining her film ic campaign through World War II up to and including the current fighting in Korea. No bankroller material with two supplementary : . 1^^®^ set yet, but he said TV projects. One will be pieces forj^^^Hon managers had convinced Reader’s Digest and Collier’s, pos- sibly to be elaborated into a book; the other and more important— to her-r-is the pro-Hollywood pitch I she has been doing. him on his recent swing around the country that, there Would be little trouble in selling it. Second project is titled “March I of the Years,” which will comprise A Hollywood scripter for over . a weekly, half-hour series of con- 20 years, and a member of the tinning history during the last 15 Screen Writers Guild board. Miss ; years. This series, according to Kellogg has frequently toured the ; Tourtellot, has been optioned to an U. S. on behalf of anti-crime, im- unidentified sponsor. During the provements in public hospitals and ' next six months, he added, he ex- similar institutions, and again now | pects to explore and experiment in relation to juvenile delinquency.; with several hundred other possi- She has just completed touring j ble vidfilm series, selecting five or six others for production, MOT has takent. another floor in its present Manhattan quarters to house the new unit, which will comprise about 16 persons, as well : seven different states; has lived as 1 an “inmate” in a number of insti- i tutions; absorbed the authentic feel [and argot of the delinquents, law- ! breakers, narcotic addicts, and the | I like. She^was ^surprised at the ex- - as the editorial staffs of Time. Life istence Of a Narcotics Anonymous ! and the MOT imovement, a la Alcoholic Anony- i mous;, has been struck by some of j the “snakepit” conditions in cer- ■ tain institutions (which, however, are being constantly improved and made more humane); learried of the “honor system” penal institu- tions which are gaining momen- tum, etc, A sworn special officer of the Lbs Angeles Police Dept., Miss Kel- logg is proud of her recognition {from “official” channels. With i Mary Ross, a retired femme cop i.after 20years’ service, she has j had a regular radio series on “JPo- (Continued or. page 40) U’s Sales Drive Universal next week launches a __ . ^ 17-week sales drive honoring do^ Mavu’ice v Newton, Paramount i mestic distribution chief Charles J board member, has sold 2,6001 Feldman. . shares of the major’s common 1 Prizes of $35,000 in cash will be ... . clistributed among division, district This slices his 'holdings to 9,605 i and branch managers, salesmen shares. l and bookers. Metro Production Veepee Observes That New Faces Have Value Only in Relation to the Quality of Their Talents , Q ' • An Interesting Editorial Feature in the 45th Anniversary Number of P^eiETY pVT NEXT, WEEK N. Y. to L. A. Giuseppe Amato Caroline Burke Judy Feiner L, Wolfe Gilbert Jack Lait Leonide Moguy George J. Schaefer Jule Styne Ned Washington Ni Y. to Europe Charles Carpenter Hoctor & Byrd ; Europe to N. Y. Ben Goetz Paul Graetz Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hummel Boris Morros Spyros Skouras L. A. to N. Y. Bai bara Belle • George D. BUrroWs Gina Canale Ed Cashman Hume Cronjm Armand Deutsch Kirk Douglas Frank Fontaine' Jim Ffasher Thomas Gomez Teddy Hart Alfred Hayes Van rieflin Ruth HUssey Abe Lastfogel A1 Lichtman' Perry Lieber Jason Lindsey Jeanette MacDonald Borrah Minevitch William Pine Robert Preston N. Peter Rathvon Gene Raymond Jonas Rosenfield, Jr. Sophie Rosenstein George. Sanders Victor Saville Joseph Schildkraut Martha Scott Peter Scully Marla Stevens Danny Thomas J. Arthur Warner Fran Warren Alec Wilder Gig Young