Variety (May 1952)

CfttttlfttMs* from |ik< X MogUy Backto Europe; S«te G«l Knance itaj! Leonide Moguy, French director who has been in the U. S. about a ■ .. ■ , ;■■<•■ month tb help exploit his current Howard Lawson and Wajteth platforms with r those now known release, “Tomorrow X* Too Late/ T^eeh were leaders of the ^roup,. to he Communists* An American returns, to Europe Saturday (24) ; Roberts urged: the Committee tb liberal must sometimes find him- on the Liberte. He attended set* outlaw the Communist Party and self on the same platform with oral receptions and previews for to check ve?y closely on Commun-; strange bedfellows: But, since the the Italian-made film. In 1st front omnizations/He said the early days, I Jhave.never knowingly la$t week. It's scheduled to open Committee should publish this iiH been on: the same platform with in the New England territory formation as a “protection,**, Communists. * shortly, ■Rfthnrtc disclosed that he joined: ’ The committee counsel produced t , Meantime, Moguy concluded * KOoervS aisciosetv I-Urti, rtl-. ffi xul twi.. «v.«_ ...sxu rWi'.mVito ’Pl/'fiiwut • in 1?51 CoL ■ (At c*ite Completed jPlx . -—-Unrelease d^ ' ■ ■ • M-G Par. Ke» KtV *e« as a *• KHO ..... 6,123,731 26,24 $$4» ?2,064 1 447- 2,033 ? Q24 29th Vniv WB 22,555,653 5,345,824 4,015,220 I$$# $$<240,673 19,700,07.$* 18,406,424 * 3,007,64? 5A»1)«0P 25,298,364 4,001,05$ 5,631,000 1951 $378,673 89,937,74** * '8,81945$ * 1,740,843 ■ ■ 0,$5i;694'* ■ li;i04,804 : 8,398,572 7,847,425 Fix In -Pro&uctfon- 1950 $1,669,167 30,306,935 • 7,320,418 1,193,124 .13,678,051 . 8,250,562 8,219,623 0,352,687 1 QQfl the onlv people who seemed m ana xvov ua«?is nance ana Jo L friendW P were Communists! use of .his. name.^nd even, spoke which he*U produce and direct In to De irxemuy WUl UVimuumow. . •% r >, VinViol^ TH.._ A rr„« n wi4svi+ .TUflC- aIca set Total ..$93,705,595 $01,925,744 $78;,169,013 $80,100,567 J TVTTocAnii’e Wife Sllhsecment- U,‘ Q. wnucfo. uiouiuuvi fv d ce7eenwXrs^ sponsored and spoke' at' the Cul, Mexico.- tural mid Scientific Conference for be changed. G<mtiMu«4 from page j 1 Average Citizen Continued from pass 3 m Indie pards George Breakstone ture,’since 0iey. do not include ad- and Ray Stahl will leave for Africa vances madia w the companies to at the end of this month to film indies .whp. m^e plx for t h e £ “Mdrasi/ jungle pic, for UA. Prime examples are Columbia Haying picked up^three, pix re- w here the Stanley : Kramer unit n memhpr of me *Dflixv ~ — —;—t"v --++ 1 ctiitly from Lopcft Filin DistriDut* went to work diirinc 19hl ami ‘ PaW <._ stated that he went to Odets branded, as a phoney the e nces were surprised to learn that i n g for general handling, UA now rkO, where the Wald-Krasna, Ed- TCT^ thA summer of use of his si 8. nature on a petition “the movies” consisted of many stands a good chance of acquiring mu hd Grainger and other outfits brnii 8 Mvav from the filed with the United Nations by hundreds of Incorporated , business three more from the same source. were operating. We returned to the the Communist Party in 1950, urg- enterprises across the country. They’re to be made by Sir Alex- Col’s Drop Communists, we return «*, Invest!cmtlon of the con- Mrrv.A» ihnndhf: It war ruled bv ander TCorda ^with financing pro- At tt >a i— :x_ Fired"Rinaldo asked him'to join, tum ana x«r c-.A u A nnriHniipH tft- tll6 PCftCC 3X tfl© KV-8lu0rl"ASt0rlft 111 H- m ss£g£8 ssr® wm a bill hi; goods and he became ■ J*» .a member of the party. * ^ tb- Job Waiting Washington, May 20, A major studio is reported ’ awaiting outcome of the Clif- ford Odets’ testimony before the House Un-American Aqtivir ties Committee^ before pacting hini for an important film. This may be the reason for the Odets'stint as a voluntary witness, both in -executive an$ . closed session. Playwright has to his credit “Humoresque,” “None But the Lbnely Heart,” “General Hied. At Dawn,” “Gettysburg” and “Life of George Gershwin.” take over the backlot workers. He He also charged he was “mis- similarly as some of its light- quoted all the way through” in a hearted entertainment is not to be 1947 interview in the Daily Work- taken seriously, er on the planting of leftlsh “Folks in the small towns, who ideological material In screen incidentally are * very community I WB Sales Dept. Continued from page 7 I Col’s Drop At Col the investment in its own pix.in the can dropped from $8,- 249,000 . to $5,323,000. Equally startling was the fall in cost of pis in. production, at the time of the report. They tumbled from $1,689,. 000 in 1950 to $378,000 the follow- ing year. Balancing this off were plays he wrote. The interview organization-minded, clearly were is required under the Department the advances to outside producers, quoted Odets as saying he “got i mpresse d and enlightened when I of Justice’s consent decree order- which zoomed from $8,418,000 to away with some stuff*’ in “The pictured the industry as a definite, ing the Reparation of the theatres $11,434,000. General Dies at Dawn” and other part 0 £ America’s free enterprise from the production company. At RICO the Investment in pix pix. system and an important factor in With WarnerColor, studio-devel- P*! 0d ^ ed from $13,678,- “There was nothing subversive in the nation’s economics. This was in oped process, playing an increas- OpO to $9,851,000. At the same ’The General Dies at Dawn’,” said sharp contrast to their bubble- ingly important part in future time, the advances to outside pro- _ 7 . . i .1 »i W ^ .. *-* T . . ^ •’ *■ . i J tU/% Ann AAA i . Odets. “Paramount produced it. WO rld misconceptions.” 1 went to Hollywood to write en- - —;— tertaining scripts and make .a liv- Bamberger’s Censorship Talk ing—not as a propagandist. I ** _ • ■ never had any idea of going to Leon J. Bamberger, Hollywood to spread social mes- promotion topper, wn world misconceptions.” production, Warners is reportedly soared from $6,920,000 to - —:— weighing the conversion of Its $12,244,000. Incidentally,' RKO Bamberger’s Censorship Talk Brooklyn film laboratory to fuU- wrotei off $1,524X100 in 1950 and ■r - „ u .• • uvn ..lee time duty on processing the tinters. $1,296,000 in 1951 as advances to Leon J. Bamberger, RKO sales Company Is also planning on set- indies that we^e estimated to be promotion topper, will speak on tlng up a laboratory in England for unrecoverable. Censorship vs. Self-Regulation nrn «pt. R ? ne r n f WarnerCalor. Jack Banks and board of directors of said he rejoined when told it was ' Odets was asked about his affili- ^ Kentucky exhibs are weighing jsh topper. eaiu ne tejumeu vmw» lu ‘ u . .... « .. ,aah dono fr, rnmhal thp film #*Ansnrsnit> , - * sn. - - . -jLjf AQ O Ultv tv UUUIUC VIA vllv AUUJVVb *vil vv vm,v *«• f v* . vwm*|/*vvv« if 4 * 1 m Louisville beginning May Z8, gj r Philip Warter, Associated Brit- before embarking on any addition- al heavy production programs. signed to a writers unit working aavisory Doara oi me organization, on the problems of the screenwriter whose directors included John in the Screen Writers Guild. He Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz and said the Commies tried to use him E H a Kaza 7- „ to break up the AU-Guild slate, - ‘No Pic Angel’ which was fighting tne Commu- “I was approached by Paul nists. Subsequently, he said he be- Strand and asked for money. I came aware its newsreel would soon be released generally sloppy biz, it is ad van- in color. Latter has been made tageous to become as liquid as possible by the development of feasible. WamerColor, because the film There is already tangible evi- furnished by Eastman can be used dence on the Hollywood lots of sntly, he said be De -1 strana ana asked for money. I . i” 1 re f 1 l 1 ^ ar A ^?? camera ?* add ^r decreasing actlyjty. As of the be- that the Commies said indignantly I was not a bank- largo reputation in the past few tion, the negative can be developed g lining of this Week there were 36 1 20fh Eyes Wald Continued from page 3 I were trying to rule the Guild and er, but if they wanted my best ad- yoars for turning out. moneymak- almost as a result he got out. They tried vice I’d be glad to help. Paul ing pix at medium cost. His pactis white, to get him,to return to the party in Strand is one of the two or three understood to. have two years to 1948, he said, but that he turned greatest photographers in the run, but a deal to get film out of it * them down. United-States and I offered advice could possibly be negotiated. He Odets, who was on. the stand for on ^ because he asked me.’ has had talks in recent weeks.with almost as quickly as black and films in work, including three on white. location In England, one in New York and one in Honolulu, This is a drop of 10 : from the same time last year. Metro appears to be the only Company fighting the trend. It plans to put 17 pix before the cam- Ferber Novel Continued from page 3 ■ the second day today (Tues.), test!- At another point, the witness de- 20 J h * e ?f* . ' ^=F Continued from page 3 —^ before thecam- fied he sometimes found, himself Glared that “I would not. advocate Wald has a contract with RKO • _ s plans to put 17 on the same platform with Com- the Communist Party .for anyone which will keep him there until sisted on leasing her properties, eras in the next 10 weeks, though, mies solely because the liberal and to jolii because of the secrecy. I Oct. 31. Prior to setting up his rather than selling them, and has its investment in ^released pix the Communist path cross each see no reason for any party to be °wn indie unit, he turned out quan- Collected fabulous payments for has catapulted by other from time to time. He stated conspiratorial in the United States, tity pix on medium and high budg- yarns to which she has retained toen 1951 andJfi52. It went,from that since his brief membership in 1 bejieve in free speech.” ets at Warner Bros. basic ownership. $19,800,000 to $26,244,000, highest the party in 1935, he never know- In response to a question he re- No decision on the unit chief will . ‘ Tl J e 9J ant ” will begin seriallza- in the industry. A ° ingly appeared on the same plat- plied that “I don’t believe the Com- be made before Zanuck returns { 10 J. in Nj e next (Ju . ne ) issue of 5t form with them. munist Party’s purpose is to over- from his present European trip La ?J? S i, *? e e T? r 0 >y Quo Vadis/^Which Pressed about his affiliation throw the-United States Govern- early next month. ^ * with Government-branded Commie ment. It does take orders and fol- _ BoQk - of -the-Montb time of the report. -fronts as late as 1950, Odets said lows directions from European he would be more selective these sources. But I’m inclined to think days about what he sponsored. But its purpose is not to overthrow this he admitted that he would con- Government; that’s my guess.” tinue to endorse some of the or- When Tavenner asked if it were ganizations if he had it to do all rfia liv-A nniitimLnarfv nr a fnr»icrr» ODera star Patrice Munsel will have uidc iu a UUCbllun lie* re- Ivu uwoivu un uic umv unci wm . ,, . /tv m .. . . j . j l a „. “I don’t believe the Com- be made before Zanuck returns {ion in the next (June) issue of the increaser^resented how- rty’s purpose is to over- from his present European trip La ?J? S i, ev f r ’Quo Vadis/^Which i.. 4 Z. xu published bvDoubledavin the late vet gone into distribution at the Small-Spiege! Continued from page 4 published by Doubleday in the late yet gone into distribution fall and be a Book-of-the-Month time of the report. Club selection. Hemingway’s story will be pub- lished by Scribner Sept. 8. It is described as shorter than a novel but longer than a short story. It is about a friendless old man fish- RKO investment £ Continued from page 5 a ... , -n i « v *«* , umvuv u AAACiiuiCOO U 1 U liidli Udil” # really a politicakparty or a foreign ®Pe r fJ‘ ar Patr,ce MTlnsel wlU have ing in the Gulf Stream. He is kept film costs was effected in the year, conspiracy, Odets declared bluntly ® • . . at sea for three days by a giant If the amortization table had been X TT j .k U ('VMVAVUAFUi fcj VA U AWiClgAA * — ” aS conspiracy, Odets declared bluntly the lead. hfiVitlg SOOa liberal objectives, that <4 T unrlprstanH that it ie a QnfodA The writer was alternately The writer was alternatelv a J 1131 ,/ 1 under t stand 5 that is a Spiegel’s second is to be “The fish he hooks. ~ left untouched, the net profit and good and poor witness for himself ! egaBy re cognlzcd minority party Witness,” screenplay by Arthur On the basis of that synopsis, the inventory of released produc- It was significant that when he JLH 1 ,? Unlted States. Am I cor- Laurents. said he s ne- story departments don’t see a tlons, less amortization, would have concluded at the IunclKrecess, the “T h ie /.nnimitfoo hoc nA1 , AI . CA screen property m it, but there is been cut by approximately $957,000. committee pointedly failed to v ° Marlon Brando for the to P roles - always great interest in gandering l n 1950, negative costs were com- thank him for his cooperation or C< °5Sivfr^ re ,. t(e “. TavlBnne .r- Other product on the UA lineup Hemingway yarns, since he has pletely written off over a period of to tell him that he had been help- * lllen wny 1 J ,nis commi J" to be delivered later this year or also been the author of some high- 104 weeks from the date the films &li 1 in their work. Such thanks , e ra cp m JP end that Congress out- j n *53 includes at least one, and ly successful pix (20tK-Fox has just were released in the U. S. Same at ‘ h i e n ,lT lKr f X S u S ' “This committee has never so ?,3 £ Si! d iLn!Sl ir considered it,’’ retorted Tavenner. thank h m for his cooperation or ,. T . : , nacn ,, Sf are normally ^forthcoming to “co- J aw M .' Ta ' e nner had no answer probably two, from John Huston, completed his “Snows of Kiliman- formula still prevails for U. S. operative” witnesses, with Elia t0 T tms * .. , who directed “Queen” for Spiegel, jaro”). However, his last book, amortization but in the case of for- Kaznn having won them recently. *. n anot “ er ® an . es °. f . Questions Aspen Productions (Mark Robson- ‘Across the River and Into the eign territories, the writeoff do es Among highpoints in Odets’ answers, Odets said he krjew Robert Wise production combo) is Trees,” which has been available pot commence until 26 weeks after testimony today; . ** Hans Eisler as a very gifted com- down for two films. for well over a year, hasn’t been the Dix have been in domestic dis- It was brought out that, as late P°®®£ a £ d 1 e i? ploy J d h ^ m There’s a strong ^chance that sold to films * . tribution. . f . - as 1950, he was an officer of the a P lay by . 1 f e * Later .. 1 Charles Chaplin’s “Limelight,” r - , Last year, more than half of National Council of Arts, Sciences f ske< ^ T Bt ^.^ j ire .M lm ^ f which is now editing, will be hand- ... * .~ and Professions. Asked if he { ure 1 directed, None but the e d over to UA late this year. In another series of questions Aspen Productions (Mark Robson- Across the River and Into the e ign territories, the writeoff does and answers, Odets said he krjew Robert Wise production combo) is Trees,” which has been available no t commence until 26 weeks after Hans Eisler as a very gifted com- down for two films. for well over a year, hasn’t been the pix have been in domestic dis- nncoi< anr) T omnlnvo^ him fn iirnta / Cl There’s a strong ^chance that | so ^ d hlms. repudiated the organization, which Lonely Heart has several times been officially called a * Communist front, Odets committee in October, 1947, is now ducked a “yes” or “no” answer, in East Bai fj n - . _n y’s Central Park Popkin has a cial Position of the new film com- BKO’s associations with Samuel Instead, he said he intended to go In an all-day ^onrttortme t ieup with UA but his pk beyoud pany » following the theatre sevS- Goldw^n, Walt Disney ahd Sol Les- to New York to investigate and intcirogatioii Snd answers yester Hnvp Vft f ^'t.- zuice* the nrez related it will RPt* havfi GftflurBd ovcV 10 yfi^rSi determine “to what extent it is day (Mon.),. Odets named no new ™ e * bave y ^' be , set * no fidebtetosT^wnd $7 stoS meet- Communist-dominated.” names and clashed Constantly with King Bros., Whoso latest was and no S ing is seS june ^ Dover with Would Wrest Red Power Tavenner over interpretation of the “Mutiny” for the distnb, have four common. He safd thfuiamo?tized the present five-man ^^board up for Speaking of front organizations, critical appraisal by tie left-wing additional pix to go under their inventory alone is worth $60 000- reelection Directorate comprises he said he would like to ’’wrest press of his famed one-acter. “Wait- UA Negotm .on* arc unde r 000 . 'i™™.*»£*• SSSJSTltaSrt^Hughes, Noah Eisler, who testified before the Harry Popkin and associates Russell Rouse and Clarence Green 20th Divorcement Continued from page 5 1 tribution. - Last year, more than half oi RKO’s film rentals came from indie productions handled by the com- pany, prexy Ned Depinet reported, adding that deals with the m d ^ e ® will be continued. He noted that control away from the Communists ing for Lefty.” in some of these organizations.” * Committee counsel Frank S. Davis Releasing ‘Sextette’ Tavenner asked about his affili- Arthur Davis Associates, indie ation with various named fronts foreign film distribution outfit, this and Odets replied, “I have spoken week picked up American release what I thought, about certain rights to “Sextette,” a French moral issues, I found myself on import. way for more product from Samuel 00a t , In this connection, Skouras Depinet, Howard Hughes, «oa« Fufler who reS emphasized that in no case will a Dietrich (chairman),. Francis J. “Park Row ” re<XnUy com P leted film be sold to TV “so long as I O’Hara, Jr., and J. Miller Walker. i v a . am president of this company.” He —-—~ said 0 b r ea k from this position by Herbert H. Tonks, Universal very seriously jeopardized. office execs.