Variety (September 05, 1951)

•VAHtTY'r LONDON OMICI • »*. Martin's Fine*. Trafalgar Mvira mBBNATiom 17 Raw London Squalls Dampen Tourists; Tvanboe’ Impervious; Extras Scant By HALSEY BAINES London, Aug. 28. The lilies and larkspur are blooming and soaring, while the Festival concessionaires are just blooming sore, under an almost solid month of August wetness. The thousand shaggy Hyde Park sheep which are the personal property of Queen Mary look cool and non- chalant; but thexheavens are low- ering, and every tourist is glow- ering. Nice, quiet, refreshing midsum- mer showers of short duration are one thing, but the kind that seem to have blown down aguelshly from the moors ar^ another. And 49 de- grees in August is cold for any- body, except maybe a dyed-in-the- woollen-pants Scotch Highlander. Seeking shelter underground, this visitor made the incredible, com- forting discovery that subway trains were steam-heated. After that, he grabbed every chance to enjoy this refuge from the ele- ments. Making the blunder of arriving in such a squally London wearing what appeared to be the only pana- ma in town, I was enlightened by Ben Goetz, genial managing di- rector of M-G-M’s British Studio, Ltd., in the London suburbs. Hang- ing my panama up to dry in his closet at Claridge’s Hotel (where it still remainsi, Goetz fixed me up with a more durable spare while his very charming wife and daugh- ter-in-law arranged a delectable serving of American sausages. As for Goetz s hat, if 1 can get away with the trade, it will soon be up for export. Out at Goetz's smartly-run, ul- tra-modern. 120-acre studio one of the big postwar pictures, "Ivan- hoe," is being made by Pandro Berman. Bob Taylor has traded his Roman legionnaire togs for a plumed black suit of chain mail, a 15-foot lance, and a horse that looks strong enough to win at Jamaica just by bunting the others sideways. Joan Fontaine, in some 1192 A.D. previews of Jacques Fath dinner creations, is a Rowena to make life easier for the Techni- color boys. George Sanders looks more dia- bolical than ever as the itcjiily- bearded, etchings-at-home No. 1 villain of Walter Scott's slambang romance, especially when he kid- naps one of Hollywood's nicest young stars, Elizabeth Taylor. Em- lyn Williams would make a per- fect subject for one of Si Seadler's candid drawings. He has to jog about wrapped in long socks and medieval dungarees, dragging a Saxon-serf iron collar around his -neck, so he for one, hasn't minded the cold. Muddied Waters The towering Norman castle built ,on the lot—beating any roadway retreat that Howard Johnson has yet conceived — is probably the fanciest prop ever built in England. Construction was started back in 1949. The last part of the job was filling up the 12-foot deep moat around the premises with some 90.000 gallons of water. Even if it didn't save Miss Taylor, the moat is a real story-book creation. The pop and thud of arrow-notched bodies falling into the brine from the battlements is a daily occur- rence. They’ve stopped counting the total. You look at the scum- mishly green tinge of the water and shudder. Then your faith in M-G-M paternalism is restored by news that a few barrels of harmless color were thrown in to suggest antiquity. After “Ivanhoe/* a new melo- drama, temporarily called "T. for Terror,” will be produced by Hayes Goetz. Peter Lawford and Dawn Addams have the leads. A whole flock of top English act- ors are in the big cast of "Ivan- hoe." Plus hundreds of extras. There’s a shortage of extras now in London, Film Casting says, espe- cially men. Feminine extras are more apt to be young married women, doing it as a sideline, than back in the U. S. When three pic- tures like "Ivanhoe!* "Charley’s Aunt” and "Derby Day" get going at the same time, the supply doesn’t hold out. and they start waving them in from the streets. Multitudinous Molars Walking down Piccadilly the other day to inquire at a news- stand if there might be an edition of Variety published in English (Continued on page 20) Royal Couple to Preem Of ‘Lady’ Film, Sept. 22 'London, Sept. 4. When the new Anna Neagle-Her- bert Wilcox picture. "The Lady With a Lamp.” has its preem at the Warner Theatre Sept. 22, it will have the unique distinction of being attended by Princess Eliza- beth and the Duke of Edinburgh. This is the first occasion on which the royal couple have so honored the film industry. They have cur- tailed their Scottish holiday for the event which is 48 hours prior to departing bn their Canadian tour. Proceeds from the performane are to be donated to the Royal Col- lege of Nursing Educational Fund. Arrangements have been made for premieres throughout the British Commonwealth to contribute to the same charity. Anti-Americanism Flares As Venice Fete Preems; AP Men Poshed Around Rome. Aug. 28. A newsman and photographer from the Associated Press news bu- reau here found themselves the uninvited guests at the Venice Film Festival this year. For months the AP had tried to wangle invitations from the Festival heads. Invita- tions went to the foreign press as well as the Italian newspapers. Swedish, French. English, Dutch. German. Spanish, Danish and American, and to almost any Ital- ian newsman who has a camera and notebook. However, many telephone con- versations and letters to various members of Dr. Antonio Petrucci’s Festival organization, proved of no avail. But an assignment is an as- signment. so the AP boys went on their owfi. . On arriving at the Festival’s office of public relations, they pre- sented their credentials and re- ceived the news that there were no admittance cards open for them. The AP men pointed out to Signore Mattea. head of publicity for Dr. Petrucci, 4>at it would be impos- sible to take photographs without admission cards, and that the AP served many papers in America and Europe, not just a small publi- cation in Italy. "We are not here to serve Ameri- cans,” said Mattea. "I would like to throw a shoe in your face, and another shoe in the face of your director (boss)." The AP men telephoned Rome Bureau chief Stan Swinton, who called the Motion Picture Assn, of America office here. Giulio Andre- otti. Undersecretary of State, straightened out matters at once. So now, the Festival will be cov- ered by the AP as guests of Uni- talia, a subsidiary of ANICA, for one week, and guests of MPAA for the second week. ^iSToSS P |W. German Producers-Distrik Fight Exhibs to Get 27% Quota Passed Mexico City, Aug. 28. Mexico’s first tinted TV is being made ready for experiments in the Natiofiel University’s mecucal school here by the inventor and patentee of e color process, Guil- lermo Gonzalez Camarena, redio engineer. Tryout will be seen by thousands of students viewing ma- jor surgery ’done at the general hospital. If tests succeed. Camarena will present commercial shows from their classrooms via his own color TV. Greater Unions Net Hits Record $338,290 Sydney. Aug. 28. Under chairman Norman B. Rydge. Greater Union Theatres film circuit earned net consoli- dated profit of $338,290 for the year ending last Dec. 31, highest ever recorded. Dividends are unchanged at $225,000. Four holding companies, Greater J. D. Williams, Spenser’s, West s and Amalgamated Pictures, receive the 5% dividend; also half the ordinary dividends of $84,375, the other half <$84,37S) going to the J. Arthur Rank group, which holds a 50% interest in this top loop. % principal distributors hooked to GU are Universal, Columbia and the Rank group, with some pix from Paramount. Pirates Stage Sit-Down Strike on Lancaster’s ‘Pirates’ Opus in Italy Rome, Aug. 28. "Crimson Pirates.” the Burt Lancaster starrer being filmed on the Island of Ischia, has encoun- tered plenty of trouble since it started early in July, latest head- ache being a sit-down strike by bit players. Reason given for this ac- tion was that they could not eat the food available on the island and still give their best efforts. The "pirates’* sat down and re- fused to work. And when no changes were made about meals, many left for vacations in Rome, 120 miles from Ischia. Prior to this, director Robert Siodmak sent here for 20 English- speaking actors to come to the Island for interviews on playing in the film. They went by train first-class and were luncheon guests of the unit. They were as- signed roles, and everything went smoothly until they discovered that they would get about $15 to $26 per day, if and when they worked, plus room and meals. Only one Italian agreed to stay. Although star and director are American, the remainder of the cast is from Italy and England. Production is a subsidiary of Brit- ish Warner Bros., called Norma Productions. Margaret Rowland is due in from London to play op- posite Lancaster. She was chosen by Siodmak from three TWA hostesses in London as he passed through the airport there, ABBEY THEATRE GETS TEMPORARY QUARTERS Dublin, Aug. 28. Abbey Theatre, homeless srnce fire destroyed its building last month, has taken a two-year lease on the Queen’s Theatre here ef- fective Sept. 10 aud plans its first production there on Sept. 24. Since the blaze, the Abbey Play- ers have been temporarily housed in Rupert Guinness Memorial Hall, an amateur theatre centre built for employees of Guinness’s Brew- ery- This is away from the centre of town and unsuited for continued use. Queen’s, originally built in 1841, has 950 seats, about 400 more than the old Abbey, and has been used as vaude house with a resi- dent local company. Ernest Blythe, Abbe managing director, says it is the intention to rebuild the Abbey on the original site as soon as possible, but it is likely to take longer than two years which, the present Queen’s lease covers. India Censor Tightens Code Bombay, Aug. 28. Chairman of the Central Censor Board has told all producers that films which tend to condone crime, violence or loose morals, now given adult certificates, will not got the seal of approval in the future. Adult certificates would be dis- | continued, films being certified for I universal exhibition or nixed. Current London Shows (Figures show weeks of run) London, Sept. 4. "Anthony”-“Caesar,” St. Jas. (18). "Ardele," Vaudeville (1). "Blue for Boy," Majesty’s (40). "Carousel," Drury Lane (65>. "Fancy Free," Pr. Wales (17). "Folies Bergere," Hipp. (26». "Gay's the Word," Saville (29). "Hollow," Fortune (14». "House In Order,” New (9*. "Intimate Relations.” Strand (6). "King’s Rhapsody.” Palace (102). "Kiss Me, Kate.” Coliseum (26). "Knight’s Marn’ss,” Vic. Pal .(77). "Latin Quarter," Casino (26). "Little Hut,” Lyric ‘54*. "London Melody.” Empress (14). "Love 4 Colonels." W’ndh’m (16). "Man A Snp’nn’n," Prince’s (29). "Penny Plain,” St. Mart (10). "Reluctant Heroes.” Wh’ih. (51). "Ring Round Moon.” Globe (75*. "Seagulls Sorrento,” Apollo (64*. "Take It From Us,” Adelphi (44). "To D*r*thy a Son,” Garrick (41). "Waters of Moon,” H’ym’kt (19*. "Who Is Sylvia,” Criterion (40». "Who Goes There?” York <23>. "Wife’s Lodger," Comedy (7). "Winter's Tale," Phoenix (10). OPENING THIS WEEK "Saint's Day," Arts. "X$:I5," Irving Theatre Club. Frankfurt, Aug. 28. The bitter qfiotn battle between west German producers and dis- Barrault May Head Jouvet Theatre 1 trib# * on one #lde ’ * nd *** exhib4 ~ lvOUis jouvei I neaire j torl on ^ other contlnucd un _ Paris, Sept. 4.. Although no decision has been reached yet, it looks likely now that Jean Louis Barrault, who with Madeleine Renaud had given his shows at the Theatre Marigny. will be made head of the Athenee Louis Jouvet Theatre. Minister of Fine Arts Andre Marie has given his blessing to the scheme, and Bar- rault is willing to accept the job. The decision rests now with the board of directors. Pierre Renoir, who was a close, trusted assistant of Jouvet, has de- clined to have anything to do with running the theatre, claiming he is too old. In the case of getting someone to succeed Jouvet, it is not only a matter of running a the- atre but of upholding a tradition which he Incepted. Also it is a case of keeping together a com- pany as well as staging plays. Palladium, Adelphi Not Set on Slows for Early Fall; Revnes as Stopgap ' . London, Sept. 4. A lot of guess work li being done as to what will follow the Lon- don Palladium vaudeville season. Grade Fields signed Aug. 29 to play this house for the last vaude fortnight of the season, opening Oct. 15, a policy which Val Par- nell has always adopted in the last three years. But what follows, as stopgap be- fore the Xmas pantomime season, has not been set. Understood that Parnell is framing a revue with a string of talent. These are expect- ed to include "Sugar Chile” Robin- son. who has been packing them in on his current provincial tour; the Three Wiere Bros., who have not worked in England since befo.v the than an arbitrary quota law. They abated during the last few weeks. Both sides made strong efforts to influence the Bundestag (lower house of Bonn Parliament) in iU favor. The Bundestag reconvenes from its summer recess in Sepem- ber and the screen quota will be an early agenda Item. The quota, proposed to insure 27% of the playing time for local pix. failed to pass the Bundestag during the pre-recess session, as a result of an unprecedented fight put up by the exhibitors against it. The issue completely split the industry, with pnxlucers and ex- hibs forming their own joint Work- ing Association of the Film Indus- try in Germany, Arbeitsgemein- schaft der Filmindustrie in Deut- schland (AFO*. thus practically wrecking Spitzenorganization der Filmwirtschaft (SPIO), long the top industry association which united all Industry branches. • At present, the quota draft’s chances of becoming a law are still very bleak. Unless AFD manages to gain more government support, thereby at least partially Influenc- ing the Bundestag, the quota law might fail altogether. Recent action on the quota prob- lem came in Nurenberg. where Ba- varian exhibs formed the Working Assn, of German Exhibitors in or- der to put up an even more effec- tive fight against the quota. Ex- hibs unanimously rejected the qpota. At the same time, it de- cided to set up a program commit- tee inside its new association to assure bookings of on'y good qual- ity pix. Exhibs also decided that the committee would investigate Ger- man films scheduled for produc- tion and to supply production credits to such producers who have good scripts on hand. Exhibs pointed out that such action would much better aid the producers war; and an American name come dian, as yet not set, but likely to be Pinky Lee. Lee clicked a cou- ple weeks ago when he made trs Palladium debut, and Parnell is anxious to have him in the show. But salary ia the stumbling block. It is expected that these differences will be ironed out with Lee more than a possibility. Also on the pro- gram will be the 12 Toppers, a Richard Afton troupe of gals from the top TV features. "Top Hat” and "Music Hall.” Charles Henry, the Palladium producer, will do the staging. emphasized their old argument that the quota law would force them to play films of inferior qual- ity, and also that production capa- city would not fill 27% of the screen time as envisaged in the law. They said the government's quota law draft Is a "rape of pub- lic opinion.” To date 600 theatres are members of new association, with 600 more expected to join. AFD prexy Theo Aulich said the" quota is absolutely necessary to aid production and that there would be enough quality-pix pro- duced once the law is passed. He Jack Hylton is another whose ac- added that AFD is ready to make tivities for his Adelphi theatre compromises on the final wording are at present uncertain. The cur rent show, 'Take It From Us,” has been running nearly a year, and. with Joy Nichols, one of Its stars, expecting a child,* the show will fold at the end of September. Hylton’s headache Is what to re- place it with. He and Glno Arbib. his aide, have just returned from Paris, with the likelihood that a French production will go in there for about four tyeeks. The attraction after that Is not quite set, but likely will be the George and Alfred Black’s "Happy- Go-Lucky” revue, currently pack- ing the Opera House. Blackpool. This is a top show starring Vera Lynn, Bernard Bros, and Jack Rad- cliffe, and la reputed to have cost around $75,000 to stage. The cast is not likely to be the same as at of the law. 20TH-F0X SETTING UP OFFICE FOR ARC. FILM Buenos Aires, Aug. 28. 20th-Fox has set up a supple- mentary office here to use as head- quarters to prepare for making of "Way of a Oaucho” at an Argen- tine studio in October. Some of the production experts, including producer Phillip Dunne and Di- rector Jacques Tourneur, will re- turn to Buenos Aires next week after a brief visit to the U. S Reports from Hollywod still in- dicate Tyrone Power may play the lead although it had been un- derstood that he had been dis- Blackpool" bui lt la wacticilly'ce'r- j « ,rd * d •*.•»“»* °J hi * » u /L pen,io . n tain that Jimmy Edward., one of b * ,‘ h * * tudld , R °7 c ,alh°iin * another candidate. Local film tal- ent is hoping to get some impor- tant roles in the 20th-Fox pro- duction. , _ the stars In ‘Take It From Us,” will be included. Show will run till February, with Hylton planning to bring back Mau- rice Chevalier for a short season of six to eight weeks. After that he Mysore Govt. Tries Out 1 i: i__ a _ - ^ _ m At- • • i Y is likely to stage one of the big American shows he is currently n gotiating for. Per-Show Theatre Tax Allen, Carson, Willson Madras, Aug. 28. Brushing aside the protest lodged y the Mysore Film Chamber of Commerce, the Mysore state gov- To Paris for 'Big Show’ | Paris, Sept. 4. |jn« from $1 to $2 per performance. Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Jack Indian distributors have agreed Carson and Meredith Willson, plus to treat the new tax as first charge all available guest talent, will be | on collections along with enter- on the "Big Show” radio program which will star Tallulah Bankhead in Paris Sept. 24. Part of the show will be a trib- ute to the late French actor Louis Jouvet talnment tax, but foreign distribs have not agreed to this. The Chamber of Commerce has asked theatre owners to increase their admission scales to offset the new itax.