Variety (September 1953)

PICri'REA Producers Maybe a Mite Sour Grapesy On CinemaScope As 'Robe’ Qeans Up Is tliP futurt- of the motion 1iiM‘ ifiMuvlry vi;ii)i>e(l up in ‘Th« Jtotje'' ’ The que^stion is not ac.i- ip-inif hut very n alistic. C'inerna-| Seope eoiilinued to override all, oiliir tiieiiies of dis( us''ion in the | fi.vle la't week. 'J he premiere at j llie Koxy had been succeeded hy ; the Hollvvv»»o<l premiere at (irau* j man s Oiinese and plans for other ' j-ala hijs' market openiriKS were j n.iieh in the forej/ioutid. ! Showmen, broker*;, fiitics and nil wlio delit'ht in fij'urin^ ankles ; were still uii'-ettled 'Ibis was the more noteworthy sime the kmsses vhieh the Hoxy rolls U|) for “'I he Itobe” are of kokkie-eyed quality. ^here Is no rpiestinn that rival lii'odiicirik (oinpanies are feedink the stream of ••<loubt” that Cinema- j Seope is tlie industry's destiny, despite the first CinemaScope re- ' l<a'e standink out as one of the all-time krossers Drawinc Power BI9 Wlu-re most exhibs trnuled to be dazzled by the drawink power of the film, rival company execs did a lot of table poundink. No one tried to explain away the krosses, hut comments veered in the direc- tion that I’lMli had hit on an un- rommonly su< (•es''ful combination \ €it theme and iiresentation in its first film ami would now have to Jaie the dillicult task of subse- rpient releases. Tin re is specula- tion, too. on whether the piililic is ffoink lor 'The Kobe.” the \vstem or the puhlieity canipaikn. At 2(Mh, meanwliile, there was last week some iiiihapinness over the industry’s failure to see the Wisdom of "koiiik CinemaScope" , In a hik Wlmre 2dth execs ' expressed vast satisfaction over tlM> recejition accorded picture and systmii by the jiress, public ' and the important exhibs, they , could not iknore coolness on the part of other produciiik compa- nies. This was articulated via mixed technicians’ reaction to the | “Hobe" opcniiik at the Cliinesc Theatre in llollvwood. ' rroducers still complain of • Continued on pake B) Eugene W. Castle In New Slam at U.S. Fix Made for Propaganda Simplifying for Once Hollywoofl, Sept. 29. Dcmoii'-fration of the new I*ana|>honic sterophoriic sound svstem, jJeveloped hy Dorsett Laboratories, was held on the Faramounl lot lor the benefit rd sound equipment iiianu- Jacturers. .System was described hy 1,01(11 L. Ilyder, head of F*ar- amount s scientific research dcpartiiicnt, as" "the first slip in recent months toward simplifyink. rather than com- plieatink, the prissentation of motion pictuie entcitain- meiil." 'Robe’WiD Hypo 20th Earnings In 4th Quarter Fuk( ne W. f’astU'. retin'd mak'i* of industrial and home films, this week ri turned to iiis favorite miI>- the inelTectivcness of prop.n- kaiula movink pictures. This tune Castle poiimU'd Tlu'odore C. Strei. licit, the new director of tlie I’nit- <'d Slates Information Akericy ami oiie-tiine head of Station WOlt, Nt •\v York. Castl(‘'s thesis is tiiat a small Tuimlicr of know Icdkcahle news- papermen could handle all the pro|)akanda in which the I'nited Slates sfiouid indulkc. He has Sounded off repeatedly that our films are amateur, do not s»'rve tluir purpose and are plamu'd, pioiiuccd and distributed by joh- inakink and joh-warmink pcr.sons <if little or no professional compe- tence. Because of his frequent trips 1o A\‘ ashinkton wliere he lias a wide' acquaintance amorik uuMuhers of Conkress .md because of his extro- verted tikhtink natuia*. Castle has piven the Bepuhlican Party, of vliiih h(' is .an aiahuit member, more than a little di.scomfort. Ted ! Streihert is the latest to not like ! Castle's over-direct stvle' of cor- respondence and public stateimnl. This week's to-do followed .lo- scpli M, Hodkc. Director of the Budki't, refernnk to Castle's suk- k< stion for (‘conomy in film prop- aeami.i !• Streihert Cattle had Mikkcstcd a simple trick to Kiivc lots of money w.ts simiily to Use foofacc alreadv in tlie (ails and Hot shoot anv turlher stnfT, Streihcil spurned the Castle no- tion saviMk. "In view of con.stant- ly (ham’inu v’orld conditions the re-runniiik of old and dated films would not loivsiitnte an (IT('(ti»e lifoeram or fnrtlur onr obtec- tive.s, ” To this ('astle replied th.it Cute Were i ('leases on Hoover Pa’d and the Staliie of Lilu'itv "v h ■ ;i '.lit Iv ate not out of dal“." t'* a 'Tu ; v ; s a pr.v ate i ,’i- r* n. - a- jt ;! i.p a Ciuir.fue to f ^ 1; • : rj...'.r,n .\kitV;V> J * ‘ X -ji ‘.iie for pid'i.T- »•• ■ ;S id P) • • J. .Marked iin|>idvement in 20th-j Fox (ai iiinks for the fourth quar- 1 ( 1 - (jf Ifi.'i.'l was foreseen this week ^ hy 201 h prexy Spyros P. Skouras in a rejiorl to the stockhokh'is. Third quart(‘r earnings of the eom- jiany were estimated at $942,000 or 34c u share, which compares v.ith a'net of $1,123,000 for the same (piarter in 1952. Kstlmaled not for the 39 weeks ended Sept. 26. 1953, was $1,100.- 000, the equivalent of 40c. per share on tlie 2,769,486 shares of common stock outstanding, Corre- .spondink net last year was $1,- 277.000, the $866,000 loss for the second quarter of 1953 brink bal- anced by a loss of $723,000 (luring tlie first (piarter in 1952. Skouras explained tliat tlie transition to CinemaScope and the acceleration in the release of 2-D pix had ad- versely afTeeted second and third (piarter earnings Hiis year. First , (piarter ni't was $1,024,000. Skouras’ report concerned itself ! with recounting the critic and pub- ' lie reception accorded "The Hobe," first of 20tli’s CinemaScope releas- ' cs. It said the Hoxy Theatre’s first seven-day net after taxes was $264.- 427, paid liy 167.r)77. This figures to an average admission of $1.57. The report listed "Hobe” ojicn- ings liert and in Canada tlirough .\'i»v. 12 and said the picture woukl open hy the end of December in keys Ihroukhoiit the world. "We are e.xerting superhuman efTorts to do Ibis with CinemaScope and 'I'lie Hnlie' so that the impact of this new teelinupie will be uni- versal," Skouras stated. He also cited arrangements made with otiK'r Hollywood studios to pro- duce CinemaSeopp films. Denied ‘Robe’ 1st Rm, Joy Chain, New Orleans Slaps Omspiracy Suit New Orlean.s, Sept. 29, .loy Theatres, Inc., Friday <25- nUd a $385,000 damage suit against two film corporations for giving permission to the Saenger Theatre to show “The Robe" be- fore it is shown at the Panorama Theatre. In its suit, filed in Federal Dis- trict Court here, the Joy firm eharge.s that Paramount Gulf Theatres. Inc., and 20th Century- Fox Distributing Corp., allotted Hie film to the Saenger despite j the fact that the Joy outbid the I latter for the pix. Joy charges 20th-Century Fox and Paramount Gulf are parties to a conspiracy to give the latter theatre firm preference when films are awarded. This agreement is in violation of the Sherman Act, says the Joy petition. i Damages asked arc based on j Joy's complaint that it will lose I I $100,000 in profits by nut being ' the first to exhibit the Cinema- j .Scope feature here, and $25,000 in publicity to its Panorama Theatre. Under tlie Sherman Act in this case damages are trebled, making a total ot $375,000, says the Joy. i To tills must be added “reason- ' able attorney's fees of $10,000. i Tlie suit is scheduled for hear- ing Oct. 7 before Judge J. Skelly ^ Wright. Joy will ask that 20lh Century-Fox be temporarily en- ' joined from licensing pictures by private bid until the suit can be settled, and that the Saenger be ' restrained from exhibiting "Tlie | ’ Hulie" until new bids have been made. I Wednetdaf, September 30, 1953 Metro’s Track Record at Radio City Potential of the Radio City Music Hall. N. Y.. as a film show case is pointed up in the hefty returns Metro h^a received from the house over a 15-year span. Since Oct. 27, 1938, when “Young Dr. Kildare" represented the first M-G picture to play the house, com^ pany has received a total gross of nearly 140,700,000 for 76 pic- tures playing a total of 345 weeks. Average gross per engagement was about $540,000. Seven M%tro pix topped the $1,000,000 mark during engagemen's at the Hall. They were; "The Great Caruso," the leader with a 10-week run for $1,390,000; “Ivanhoe," $1,260,000; “Show Boat, ” $1,170,000; “Random Harvest," $1,100,000; “Valley of Decision '' 51,035,000; "The Bandwagon," $1,030,000; "Mrs. Miniver,' $1,010,000. With word out that “Mogambo," the Clark Gable-Ava Gardner Rtarrer, is another “big picture" set for the Hall, M-G execs aie anticipating that this entry will also top the $1,000,000 mark. Rd» AK,i.pr««i.N.,.BELL & HOWELL “The Robe" i.s slated to open at loyts’ ace showcases, Hie Sydney '|’L’vT%! 1 LJ 101 jtUr L Sydney. Sept. 22. “The Robe" i.s slated to open at Hoyts’ ace showcases, Hie Sydney and Ntelbourne Regents, early in Novenwr. Screens and other equipment are being imported from the U.S. and exact debut date will depend on arrival and installation uf neces- .sary equipment. ROBE’ IN 44 LOCATIONS IN OCTOBER “The Robe" likely will show $500,000 or higher gross this week, the first one that the initial Cine- maScope picture has plaved out- side of N. Y. Pic is in its preem week currently in Chicago. L. A. and Philadelphia. Now in its sec- ond session at the N. Y, Roxy, this film expects to top $220,000 even though it hit a world’s record of $264,500 (i;i its opening stanza til ere. With "i'lie Robe" sot to be launched in 44 spots by the end of Oetolier. it is estimated that the first CinemaScope production will show total gross of $4,400,000 for this initial hatch of playdates. Actually tlie picture now is fig- ured to lit its first $1,000,000 at the Hoxy hy Hie sixth week. Current opinion of the theatre's executives Is that the film is geared to last through December. Hollywood Premiere of Robe’ Charles Skouras Says His Circuit Is Spending $5,000,000 on CinemaScope Equipment Hollv vvood. Sept. 29, j houses for the new entertainment IV Skoifias. president nudiuni. Cliarh'S IV Skoifias. president of National Theatres, is as all-out for CinemaScope as is iiis brother Spyros Skouras of 2()th Century- Fox. Follow ing last week's opening here at the Cirauman Chinese, wfiii li he deserilied as "a wonder- ful perfect premiere." the circuit ot fil ial (lisel(is('d that he's backing his entliU'iiasm for the Cinema- S(Oi>e svstem liv a capital outlay wiiuh will ultimately total S.'i.fUXU- (»u() tor e(|iiipme:it. Tlie Chiiieve itself invested Thai iiuUide® over-all MK'd* rni/aiion, 1 Un.'i new si ats. tirvv ( arpets. drai'ci ie*-. steieo- phonie 'Ound horns, new ImoHi. new t3\2H-foot Miracle Mirror S( recii and out'-ide on Hollvvvood Blvd. a new hU-foot sign heralding "The Rohe." Skouras Said his eomp.Tny has ahxady inve'led S2 ()(MMUi() eijuip- I'.nc tiK'atK s to plav Cint'tnaSi(q»r f.. * and tliat $:.» :,n(i ikhi t<i S3,(i(iu - (HV) iniii'e will he sp<.nt hetore the Li. .U.l t'.irough leadving "The Hobe ’ opens in San Fran- cisco at the Fox Theatre tonight <291 and on Thursday iH bows at Hie Fifth .Avenue. Seattle; Or- pheum. I'ortland: Denver, Denver; Fox. Spokane: Fox, Phoenix; Fox. Tucson, and the Orpheum, Kansas City. To follow within the next few weeks will be theatres in Oakland. Philadelphia, Detroit and Milwau- kee. N(\t theatres in the chain to be e(|iiipped lor CinemaScope will be the Fox in San Diego and the Fox, Fresno. Remember Vitaphone Skouras would not compare Hie CliiiK '( premiere w ith the opening at the How in New York. Events drew almost entirely different au- dienc(‘s, lie ‘•aid. 'I'o lho.se who have hivn eriiical of tlie process and or the picture. Skouras said he remiiiiL Hu in of the first soumi pii ture and its crudity of tei h- iiKpie. Bv comparison with oilier vConiiiiutd on page TURNING DOWN HIGHEST BID DEFENDED T.cgalistics of the di.strib.s’ posi- tion in turning down the highest i)id for a picture in favor of a low- er bid from a house that promises to produce larger revenue over the period of an extended run is puz- zling exhib.s. Upshot has been two reoent suits filed against distribs, one of which was decided in favor of United Artists but without ac- tually setting a precedent. Question is likely to become more pressing as the subsequent situations feel the product pinch and bidding for the top pix be- comes; more intense. Second suit disputing a distrib's right to li- cense-a film to the lower bidder was filed in New Orleans in eon- ; ncction with 20th Fox’s “The 1 Robe." I Distribs’ position is that tliey ; h.vve the right to give a picture to I w lioever—in their judgment—can ] produce the most revenue. Thus, they maintain, a .small house may oiTer a large guarantee against a lContinued on page 25) Europe to N. Y. .Stella .Anclrcva Tom Aver a Kurt Baum Cecil Bernstein Earl Blackwell Marlon Brando Steve Broidy Joseph Burstyn Artdrea Chamson Claudette Colbert Marquise De Cuevas Dino De Laurentis Dr. George Gallup Janet Green Hex Harrison Rakia Ibrahim Ursula Jeans Alfred S. Kahn Roger Livesey Anatole Litvak Jane Morgan Abe Olman Eugene Ormandy J.ill Palmer Carlo Ponti Ossy Renardy Jean Renoir Ruby Richards Irmgard Seefried Eileen Serra Orson Welles N. Y, to Europe Danny .Angel Curtis Bernhardt (L ,A. fJoe) Blondo .MacDonald Carey Sarn Eckman. Jr. Russell Q. Facchine Betty George lia Hirschman Henry Hull Nicholas Joy /oltan Korda David I.ibidins ' ! Lucille Lortel , 1 Manny Reiner , j Richard Roilgei s , ! Seymour Sieg( I 1 j (i'ol)riel Soria I Sam Zimbalist Anika Van Koov Perc West more , Judith Vaeger IN 16 MM. Chicago. Sept. 29 Spyros Skouras, 20th-Fox picz here last week for the bow of “Robe,” visited the Bell & Howell plant to confer with BAH prc'i- dent, Charles Percy, and to viev; scenes from CinemaScope reduccl by B&H to 16mm. Skouras’ reac- tion to the 16mm anamorphic lens and its capabilities was favorable. Since B&H has evolved a procc'-s whereby 35mm CinemaScope may be reduced, inexpensively for smaller projectors, it’s possible a deal may be in the offing beiweea 20th-Fox and B&H that would avail European theatres, the mili- tary, and even small houses here with CinemaScope productions at relatively: low cost. It’s under- stood that B&H, which has manu- factured a good deal of 20th’s stu- dio equipment, could produce a unit for something like $3,400 for houses seating up to 1.000 persons. B&H's lens is their own develop- ment, and the 16mm equivalent of CinemaScope makes use of mag- netic sound on three tracks Instead of four, since the smaller film can be run on a single strip of sprock- et holes while 35mm requires a double strip. ^ L. A. to N. Y. ' Bert Allenberg Lauren Bacall Irving Berlin Herman Bernie Humphrey Bogart William F. Broidy Prof. Henri Chretien Anthony Dawson Olivia De Havilland Joe Di Maggio SI Fabian Nina Foch Eva Gabor John Gibbs Basil Grillo Doane Harrison Susan Hayward J().seph H. Hazen Audrey Hepburn Paul Henreid William Holden Celeste Holm Betty Hutton Annette Kellerma'i Grace Kelly Zoltan Korda Nat Lapkin Abe Lastfogel Erne.st Lehman Brenda Marshall Frank Melford David Miller L. D. Netter, Jr. Gerry O’Connell IMaureen O’Hara William H. Pine William Z. Porter Edward G. Robinson Cesar Romero Art Rossen Dore Schary Carl Sehroeder David O. Selznick Dimitri Tiomkin Wanda Tuchock Nanev Walker Hal Wallis Billy Wilder E. O. Wilschke Sam ZImbalist N. Y. to L, A. Pandro S. Berman Joseph I. Breen Marlin Gang Paul N. Lazarus, Jr Ted I.oeff Abe Montague John Maseio Samuel Schneider Major .Albert Wariur. Herbert Wilcox