Variety (April 1953)

hkchiant Wednesday, April 22, 1953 Cannes, April 21. The Cannes Film Fest, ’which' opened last "Wednesday «15^, has , made an imnresssre showing a2-| _ n * ready for the two-week gei-to-J FOT MOBOHlIU LOnCOttS getfcer, in which 27 countries are! * VA 9 participating. 1 Honolulu, April 21. Leading prize contenders ere the of^ncerfc^at French film, ~Le Salaire Be La'f iffd# pear'’ (“The Wages of Ffear^; ?Amed ha^ md two American pix, “Lili” 05-G) and ^ c * nW ™^ / ♦Come Back Little Sheba" *Par.»; tomorrow (Wed.) and Thurs- Finnish entry, "Le Renne Blanc” 3 oSY *23 '* _ . .. (“The White Deer”), and Brazilian * were at a p film, “O Cafigaceiros.” Acting faves j party last week (16) so far are Mel Ferrer, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Booth and Charles VaneL ni ght (20), Lie Brazilian pic, "O Cangaceiros,” proved to be an interesting melange of folk- myth and depiction of the bandit milieu of north Brazil, but intru- sion of hackneyed love story slack- ened an otherwise memorable af- fair. Only in lensing or well em- broidered musical score could this have a chance. j by the “Le Salaire Be La Peur,” which i film company, is ruled out by corn- opened the fest (15), was another | pany president Frank W. Folsom, matter. This is a bold, brutal saga s There was one li nkin g' with a of men in crisis with unrelenting j major company, other than War- suspense and sadistic bits that j ner Bros^ in the rumor factory; made this a red-meat opener. On virtuosity, theme and conception this well looks the pic to beat. No RCA-WB, Any Film Co. Merger If for no other reason than Gov- mo- emmental hazards,. fear of nopoly” and the like, any takeover by the Radio Corp. of America of a and the oldie about WB-RCA merg- ing is going the rounds anew. It dates back some five years or it has two acting gems in Charles |more because (the late ) CoL Nathan Yanel and Falco LullL There was I (Benny) Levinson, WB’s technologi- some talk afterward that the pic * cal- expert, and Folsom were old was anti-U. S. in its portraiture of j friends from their San Francisco U. S. oil officials, but consensus davs. It was sparked anew when feels this is just a story backlight, ■’ - * ’ " A (Continued on page 21) HORACE HEIDT FOR LUCKY STRIKE Under Personal Management JOHN LEER 111 Filth Ave^ New York the RCA echelon, on a recent Coast tour, was invited to sit in on a Warner Bros, hoard meeting in Burbank. WB is * favored customer of RCA’s electronic products, but that's all there is to it,” says Fol- som. “What do we want with a L’Affaire Chaplin (Plus Bis Dossier) Shelved As down Nixes 05. Reentry j =«£ ZStlrt b Zl pl ul Washington, April 21. I comes to buying film product for L'Affaire Charles Chaplin will ~ TV, as might be the suspected rea- probably be quietly shelved here in J son for such move, it’s then a mat- view of his action in surrendering j ter of negotiation for available pic- his reentry permit, according to * tures but we don’t want to go into present indications here. Announcement last week that Chaplin was quitting the U. S. per- manently came from Att. Gen. Herbert Brownell, Jr., who said he had beep notified by the State Dept that the screen comic had handed back his reentry permit to consular authorities at Geneva, Switzerland, on April 10. Permit was mailed to the State Dept. here. the movie business.* COMMY CHARGE DENIED BY STM AT CANNES FEST Cannes, April 21. A story with many false impli- cations filed by the AP here started Chaplin, a British subject had j a small political crisis .at the Can- since I nes ^ es L last weekend. Article 1910. After he left for Europe I . , , a- . . . last year, the then Attorney Gen- statedthat American film stars and eral, James P. McGranery, an- directors called the French pic "Le nounced the actor would have to j Salaire De La Peur” ("The Wages prove his reentry rightsr the same j ^ Fear”) anti-American and pro- as./ 11 ? other alien. McGrane^ It also accused the he would question Chaplin y ves Montandf 0 f being about publicized charges involvmg j card-carrying Communist. Montand both morals and leftist connec- j stated that he had no card and _ , . .. would pay $1,000 to anyone who The Justice Dept, has quite a J coul< j prove he did;-He also said dossier ready, hut there probably | that he would never wittingly make win be no opportunity to use it J an anti-American film, now, and nothing further will be | „ said Director H. G. Clouzot has writ- ten to the Paris Herald-Tribune, where the article appeared, to de- mand retraction. He said that no anti-feeling was intended by the film. “If anything, it is an anti- trust film.” For him, and most of the participants here, it was a film of intense feeliqg, terror and brutality in creating a trip of two trucks filled with explosives, which might explode any minute, and chronicling the reactions of the drivers. Jury" members felt it was unwise to introduce any political overtones to the proceedings, since they were there to judge films on aesthetic, not on political merit. 'Persecution* Campaign London, April 21. Explaining his step in surrender- ing his reentry permit to the U. S., Charles Chaplin said he had been (Continued on page 14) levant Dropped By CoL Artists as AFM Charges Pact Renege In the wake of his run-in with James C. Petrillo, American Fed- erations of Musicians chief, Oscar Levant has been dropped by Co- lumbia Artists MgL as a result of the pianist’s alleged reneging on contractual engagements. Colum- bia Artists managed and booked Levant for the past six years. Levant has been blocked by the AFM from playing any more con- certs until, Petrillo said, “he is ready and willing to live up to and respect contracts made in good faith.” Petrillo’s fuse was lit by A. K. Gee, director of Celebrity Concerts in western Canada, who complained to Petrillo of Levant’s cancelling out on five bookings in various cities, April 7-13. Levant’s wife in Hollywood said that he can- celled the dates on doctor’s orders. Gee stated that Levant failed to give a formal excuse for his non- appearances, but offered to settle his Winnipeg cancellation by pay- ing Celebrity Concerts $500 for any loss incurred. Gee Skid the sum was "paltry” and rejected it Gee has authorized Elmer Wilson, a member of the National Assn, of Concert Managers on the Coast, to negotiate an equitable settlement ! In suspending Levant from the AFM, Petrillo said, “I have an idea that Mr. Levant feels he is bigger (Continued on page 20) NX’s ‘Salute to Israel’ Sock One-Night Success "Salute to Israel,” marking the fifth anni of the founding of the country, which was held simultane- ously at 10 theatres throughout New York, played to 21,000 persons, with gross temporarily computed at $2,000,000 in Israeli bond sales. Originally slated for nine houses, a tenth was added at the last min- ute when Louis Lotito, of City Investment Corp., donated the Coronet Theatre. A corps of en- tertainers headed by Jimmy Du- rante, doubling out of the Copa- cabana, was recruited for that house. The half-hour drama, "Key to the Future,” which was played in theatres throughout the city, was also rushed into that theatre. Com- pany headed by Mercedes McCam- bridge, originally slated to shuttle from the Fordham, Bronx, to the Beacon, Manhattan, also played the Coronet the same evening. It’s Happening—Biz Is Good Ballyhoo, for all its 20th century scientific refinements, is an unpredictable thing. Generally speaking, a "campaign” will pay off. Hot too frequently, all the ballyhoo in the book will prove futile in the face of mediocrity. And, occasionally, from left field, bom of not always predictable sources, new values will crop up and snowball into an unexpected bonanza. . One "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer** pop song sparks an entire line of Christmas goods. One sheer happenstance with Bill Boyd puts "Hopalong” Cassidy merchandise into top brackets. One Mickey Mouse creates a whole new avenue of supplemental income for Walt Disney. One "Tobacco Road,” "Abie’s Irish Rose,” “Life With Father/* etc., creates a decade to a lifetime career for its entrepreneurs. One "revolution” in the phonograph record business—no pun intended, this was merely a changeover from the orthodox 78 revolutions-per- niinute to 45s and 33s (LP)—puts new spotlight on that segment of the phonograph business and zooms it to new heights as nothing ever did before, including the conversion of the "horn” recording principle to electronic system. And so with the picture business. From left field has come a new dimension, which is a footnote to the talk about 3-D. This is the more important dimension of ballyhoo for a business which bade fair to stagnate and mayhap even die of Its own inertia. The new dimension, is merely that they’re talking again about films, and with that new spotlight on the industry, the public is suddenly more picture-minded. All the ballyhoo that "movies are better than ever’* couldn't bring about what the intangible excitement that there was some* thing new happening in Hollywood finally achieved. In short, the pnblic may vote “Bwana Devil” yes or no, good or bad; 3-D or flatties; Technicolor or "realistic” foreign imports—it took the unexpected dimension of renewed interest in Hollywood to turn the tide. Maybe even the intra-trade stuff—Stolkin-Hughes, Greqn-Skouras, 3-D or not to 3-D—has been a plus In disguise. One thing is sure—they’re talking more about films; they’re patronizing them more; business is up, it’s good, it’s booming, and bids fair to continue to new. heights. Abel, (Jracie Fields Rouses ’Em At London Palladium Bow London, April 21. Gracie Fields, headlining the Palladium here, drew a clicko ova- tion for a surefire songalog which includes pop ballads and her tra- ditional comedy numbers. She got her accustomed begoff at the open- ing show yesterday jMon.). Harpist Robert Maxwell, who closes the first half, received a hefty mitt for a polished routine. Merry Macs scored with slick har- monics and the Edwards Bros, made an impressive impact with acrobatics and piano interludes. M&L May Nix Brit. Dateg Unless 3 Acts Get Okay London, April 21. Val Parnell’s contract with Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis for four weeks in June, including two weeks at the London Palladium, opening June 22, has been held up suddenly, and may not even materialize. • Announcement of team’s arrival has caused stampede at the boxof- fice, with house SRO for the fort- night. But film-TV stars insist on bringing over the three people who are In their act, with three- some (Kitty Kallen, Dick Stabile, Mayo Bros.) to be included in the Woolf Phillips Skyrockets orch. The Musicians Union is entirely opposed to this. 10* 814* EA Per Hrodrei EA. Ftr Fifty W« us* East* roan Paper. Free Delivery Anywhere Our service is tn duplicate your pharos in quonti* ties as good as your original or better* Our Guaronteei You must be satisfied or your money back. Samples e( our work sent on request. fM FREE WITH ANY •ADEN OF fM OR MORI LET'S GET ACQUAINTED! 24 HOUR SERVICE DUPLICATE PHOTO |5I i « ** t77J SUNSET ILVP. ™ 1 AWLLYVQp)}, J3ALIJF. - o Christine’s Theatre Bow At Orphenm, L.A.; 12 Christine Jorgensen will play her first theatre date May 5 at the Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles. Deal was consummated by Charlie j Yates, who’ll represent her. She’ll be getting a $12,500 against 50% of the gate. Miss Jorgensen will show films that she made in Den- mark, as part of her act. Others on the layout are still to be pacted. ^ She’s slated to go to the Corona- tion in June and may make some personal appearances* there, ac- cording tcfS&Tates. Upon return to J,the U. S 0 she'll resume theatre engagements and play a Las Vegas cafe. Generalissimo Disney Glasgow, April 14. Question of payment of sol- diers of the Argyll & Suther- land Highlanders for taking part in battle scenes in Walt Disney’s “Rob Roy” was raised in the British Parliament. Emrys Hughes, Scot mem- ber, asked what extra pay had been given to the soldiers for this work. The Under-Secre- tary of State, War Office, re- plied: "None, sir.” Hughes, amid laughter, then asked: “Are we to understand that the Argylls were given voluntarily to Walt Disney? And are you aware that the lo- cal Home Guard thinks Mr. Disney would be a far better conductor of military opera- tions than the present Secre- tary qf War?” Benny’s Crixless Teeoff San Francisco, April 21. Jack Benny, who opened his two- a-day engagement at the Curran Theatre here last night (Mon.), re- fused to permit critics at the preem. Entire house was sold out as a benefit. Local show appraisers as well as those from Hollywood are coming in for tonight’s (Tues.) show. SA&IAISEAsk Taft Act Changes Washington, April 21. Representatives of the Screen Actors Guild and the XATSE were among those who testified before the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare today (Tues.) in favor of a proposed amendment to the Taft-Hartley Act. Both the SAG and IA would like to see a modification of the 30-day clause in the Act. IA international rep, Roy M. Brewer, also plugged for closed shop agreements, hiring halls and l a law that would permit unions to discipline their members. SAG prexy Walter Pidgeon and exec secretary John Dales, Jr., told the committee - that the 30-day clause aggravated guild unemploy- ment in Hollywood. They pointed out that, of the guild’s 7,000 mem- bers, only 327 at present have permanent employment contracts; that the majority of bit players make less than $5,000 a year, and that many extras make no more than one film. The 30-day provision in the Taft- Hartley law calls for a man to join the union 30 days after the start of his employment. SAG and IA would like to reduce this period to 7 days or less, since actors are rare- ly used on any one pic for more than 30 days and the 30-day clause ! gives performers an out from join- ing SAG. The SAG execs stressed that j even a 7-day clause would not help much in television since commer- ! cials and shorts are lensed in less jtime than that. SAG reps actors in filmed TV pix. Subscription Order Form Enclosed find check for § Please send VARIETY for Ig"* 4. 22 To Street City.. (Pleaaa Print Name) Zone. •. • State < Regular Subscription Rates One Year—$10.00 Two Years—$18.00 Canada and Foreign—$1 Additional per Year T~Ft v in r V r I.. 154 West 46th Street New York 3*. N. Y.