Variety (September 1954)

Wednetda^ September 1* 1954 PQBSBBff PICTURES Just about every important neighborhood theatre in New York will be tied lip with only a total of t$vo pictures this week. Total of 117 houses have booked either RKO’s ”$usan Slept Here” or United Artists’' “Apache” to run simultaneously. ' Such programming, time and again, draws the fire of some in- dustryites. They claim it means an inadequate menu from which the public might choose, Another complaint is that it gives the theatregoer insufficient time in which to “catch up” with a cer- tain film* ;• ' Howeverr-others claim advantages. In the case of “Apache,” for example, the‘film is being spread, around immediately following its firstrun engagement at the Mayfair, on Broadway, and'the showcase bally presumably, still has effect. And the number of theatres on second-run can sponsor a sizable ad campaign inex- pensively on a joint basis.. \ - “Susan” opened yesterday (Tues.) in 73 locations, including houses in the RKO, Loew’s, Skouras, Fabian, Randforce, Cinema, Island and Brandt circuits. “Apache” bows today in 29 Loew’s theatres and 15 “independent spots. . Can a typically British comedy, ♦ fortified with an American star, click at the. U. S. b.o. and break into the circuits? Universal release of the British “High and Dry,”, starring Paul Douglas at the head of an Anglo cast, is seen as the perfect test for settling that argument, particular- ly since U is unusually high on the film. If this broadly-played . comedy manages to garner circuit dates, it’ll lend support to the theory that the foreign film can be made paltable to Americans if it fea- tures a„U. S. name for matquee appeal. If, on the other hand,.“High and Dry” follows the Vame rente -$s other British pix, such as “Gene- vieve,” and fails to gei 'tti&e ac- ceptance outside the arties, despite rave reviews, it’ll strengthen the British (and European) view that U. S. exhibs just don’t want to give to foreign films the kind of break -which their producers feel they •deserve. “High and Dry” is a J. Arthur Rank Organization farce comedy released in England under the title of “The Maggie.” Similar in nature to “Tight Little Island’’— it was filmed in the same locale—> it opened at the Sutton Theatre, N. Y. f Monday (30). There have been indications in the past that at least part of an import’s potential b.o. success de- pends on whether or not it con- continued on page 10) tenser’s Widow Sues 20th When Her Ins. Co. Balks . Los Angeles, Aug. 31. Suit for $20i000 was filed in Su- perior Court against 20th-Fox and Panoramic by the widow of Louis Kunkel, the cameraman who was killed in an airplane accident while making aerial shots last February. Shots were for “Jet Aircraft Carrier.” Edna Kunkel, the widow, con- tends she has a $20,000 policy on her husband’s life but the insur- ance company refuses to pay. STEVE BR0IDY ABROAD FOR ABP SALES MEET Allied Artists topper Steve Bioidy, following a review of the plans and progress of the company to the tradepress today (Wed.), takes off for Europe to attend the sales convention of Associated British Pathe, AA’s British distrib. The confab will take place af Monte Carlo, with some 60 ABP staffers attending. Broidy will meet AA sales chief Norton Ritchey and veepee Harold Mirisch, who are already abroad. Prexy will also look in on the pro- duction of “The Black Prince,” AA C’Scoper now being ‘filmed in Eng- land.. Broidy’s press confab will deal mainly with the company’s ex pansion plans, particularly relating to its entry into the “big” picture business in association with name producers,' directors, and per- formers. For O’Seas Bow Cinerama, set to mark its sec- ond anni at the Warner Theatre, N. Y. during this month, launched the first phase of its overseas op- eration yesterday (Tues.). Seven tons of electronic equipment left for London via Pan-American. The plane contained a virtually com- plete Cinerama installation. The London Casipo Theatre is expected to be ready for the first showing of “This Is Cinerama,” first pic- ture in the medium, end of this month. Cinerama technicians have been at work for three weeks readying the theatre. Changes in London’s building and theatre codes were necessary . to accommodate the needs of the process. The three projection booths and the large size of the film reels required re- vision of fire regulations for con- ventional film presentations. Simi lar changes in the New York City codes were made two years ago. AA Buys Pitt Exchange Hollywood, Aug. 31. Allied Artists will close a deal on Sept. 30 to buy its Pittsburgh exchange. This purchase will give the company ownership of 17 of its 31 exchanges. At a meeting of the board of di- rectors a quarterly dividend of 13c a share was announced/ payable Sept. 15 to holders of record Sept. 3. .Board also approved steps to have the company’s 5Vfc% preferred stock listed on the American Stock Exchange. * NCALambasts Distribs’ ’Phony Print Shortage’; ’Fraud’ to Hike Rentals Minneapolis, Aug. 31. In its current bulletin, North Central Allied again lambasts the film companies for what it calls “the phony print shortage.” Charging that “possibly the most illegal consequence of the artificial print shortage is the piling of clearance on top of clearance, making a dead letter of the U. S. Court’s ruling,” the bulletin con- tends that it’s either “a real and just problem or else it’s a fraud to manipulate clearance and avail- ability and to increase film rcntdlSi^ Bulletin points out “the Court did not justify clearance to in- crease distributors’ film rentals or serve his convenience or economy by reducing print quotas, but only to ’protect that exhibitor inter- est’.” Such being the case, NCA calls upon the film companies , to answer certain questions if they claim they’re not violating the law (Continued on page 10) What are those prints? Question pates as one of the prime. topics among >xhibs today, with the indies particularly burned over what they see as a deliberate company policy to squeeze oiit bet- ter rental terms. j Distribs’ reply is that such a charge, is nonsense; that they are serving more prints than ever in the face of vastly greater costs, and that, if exhibs had their way, there’d never be enough prints oh arty picture. Sales execs do admit, however, that the industry’s swing to color, and the introduction of stereophon- ic sound, have put a crimp into the delivery of prints by the labs. Lat- ter—and particularly Technicolor —are said to be pushing out prints as fast as possible. Exhibs say that the unavailabili- ty of prints is so severe that pix supposedly playing 21 days after firstrun, actually aren’t getting- to the theatres until 30 and 50 days later. One of the recent Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana bulle- tins had this to say about the print shortage: “The 'playoff Of product in the smaller situations is being delayed until the public’s desire to see the picture has waned and most of the benefits of initial sales campaigns and national advertising have been lost. Possibly the most illegal con- sequence of the artificial print shortage is the piling of clearance on top of clearance, making a dead letter of the U. S. Court’s rul- ihg. Either the print shortage is a real and just problem or else it is a fraud to manipulate clearance and : availability and to increase film rentals.” The bulletin charged that, in “almost every case,” additional clearance or later availability meant that a picture would have to compete against weaker product, and it also held that later' avail- ability on percentage pix frequent- ly resulted in distribs getting more favorable playing time. No Deepdyed Plot A. N. J. circuit reparts it was “severely handicapped” by the shortage of prints which is attrib- uted. to “distributor economy.” Chain’s exec particularly cites "Gone With. The Wind.” Pic was advertised but couldn’t be played (Continued-on page 29) As Cause of Its Move to Seek Bergman Still Hunting Prospect for ‘Mary’ Maurice Bergman, Universal’s eastern talent chief and story edi- tor, returned to N. Y. over the weekend from a European talent scouting trip for U’s projected “Mary of Magdalene.” He said he had found several prospects for the Mary part in Munich, Rome and London and that some of the femmes would be brought over for tests. U. S. also will be scoured by the pic company for possible leads “for the film. While in London Bergman said he saw the legit hit, “Witness for the Prosecution,” which, - though not for sale yet, shapes as good screen material. Play is skedded to come to Broadway. Cot WB Officially Columbia and Warner Bros, were officially mum on*the blast leveled at both last week by Allied States Assn, on sales policy. Neither ap- peared desirous of “dignifying” the Allied statements by rejoinders. Ben Kalmenson, WB sales chief, simply refused to comment. Ditto for Abe Montague, Cql sales head. But another .exec offered to state the film company side. He said Col and WB were under Allied attack for the reason that , these are the only outfits undertaking to sell films on 50-50 terms. Col has “Caine Mutiny” in this licensing groove and WB. has “A Star Is Born” in the same slot. The exec added that Montague, has been in distribution for 30 years and could not have endured if his policies were Unpalatable for theatremen. Further, it was said, there couldn’t be any specifically- stated policy on “Caine” for the reason that “policy is subject to change as a film is placed in re- lease.” Allied States Assn.’s decision to seek Government regulation of the picture business is placed by the group squarely on the shoulders of Ben Kalmenson and Abe Mon- tague, sales chiefs of Warner Bros, and Columbia respectively. In private conversations Allied lead- ers say that it Is unlikely that the exhib org’s board would have de- cided on such a drastic step at this time had it not been for the. un- compromising attitude of Kalmen- son and Montague. In a formally issued “declaration of emergency” following a board conclave last week in. White Sul- phur Springs, W.Va„ the Allied toppers cited “the apparent hos- tility' of Montague toward Allied, the committee, and exhibitors in general, and the utter callousness of Kalmenson in rejecting the just complaints against his company’s policies.” ^ While Kalmenson and Montague were singled out, the Al- lied board expressed “appreciation of the encouraging statements” by 20th-Fox’s Al. Lichtman, Metro’s Charles Regan, and RKO’s former sales chief Charles Boasberg “on the subject of fair and equitable prices for motion pictures, imply- ing thereby that an exhibitor is en- titled to a profit as a reward for his investment and effort.” In a don’t quote me statement, an Allied leader said that lie re- garded it as “highly unlikely” that the move toward Government reg- ulation would have been taken if Kalmenson and Montague had shown the same consideration as Lichtman, Reagan and Boasberg. (Continued on page 31) ‘MARTY’S’ BRONX VISIT Mex-Made W Thrown for a Loss; » Sioux Turn Sour; Bookings Hobbled Minneapolis, Aug. 31. of Rapid City next day told how W. R. Frank, local theatre cir : cult owner and Hollywood produ- cer, is experiencing some head- aches and grief in getting his new picture, “Sitting Bull,” launched hereabouts. It’s all the result of rhubarbs that developed in connection with its world premiere at Rapid City, S.D., and which had repetcusssions in this, his home town after Morn- ing Tribune columnist Will Jones picked up and published a vitrio- lic panning of the picture by the Rapid City newspaper. However, considerable resent- ment was stirred up in the town and throughout the state when Frank changed his original plan to film • it in South Dakota and, in- stead, did the producing in Mexico. He also was assailed by Hollywood film crafts for such action. Frank evidently felt that he could placate the Rapid City resi- dents and the Indians by holding the ^world premiere in the South Dakota town and having a large contingent of the Siouxs as his guests. Instead, he ran into a suc- cession of hassles and stirred up a hornet's guest. Instead of waxing enthusiastic about the picture, the Sioux Indi- ans found plenty of flaws and faults with it and did not hesitate after the premiere to express their adverse views. The A.P. story out their chief fell asleep during the screening and quoted those who had remained awake as scoffing at the performances Of the Mexicans "trying to be Indians” and point- ing out other alleged technical flaws. But the bitterest dreg for Frank occurred when the Rapid City Daily Journal, the town's only newspaper, the day after the pre- miere, ran the nearly column-long blast of the picture on its editorial page headlined “ ‘Sitting Bull’— She Steenks.” Frank says “we were flabber- gasted when we read the review, inasmuch as^. the picture has won the highest praise from those cir- cuit heads and other film compa- nies’ executives, including Al. Lichtman, 20th-Fox sales manager, who have seen its screenings and inasmuch as the leading circuits are buying it.” Location crew took to the Bronx, N.Y., yesterday (Tues.) as the Hecht-Lancaster production of “Marty” got underway. Cast mem- bers spent the past week in re- hearsals at the Palladium Ball- room. Film will be done on and around the borough’s Grand Concourse. “Marty” is an adaptation of a tele- vision show of the same title which was written by Paddy Chayefsky. Title role is being played by Ern- est Borgnine, the sadistic sergeant of “From Here to Eternity.” Pic is the fourth by Hecht-Lan- caster. “Apache” is now in re- lease, “Vera Cruz” is being edited and “The Kentuckian” is shooting on location in Kentucky. AA Canadian Franchise To Taylor; Bernstein In Toronto; Aug. 31. The Canadian franchise of Allied Artists, formerly held by Interna- tional Film Distributors, J. Arthur Rank subsidiary, has been secured by N. A. (Nat) Taylor. The general sales manager will be John Bern- stein,- formerly Cleveland branch manager for RKO, who went to that position from Toronto in Sep- tember, 1949, when he managed the Toronto exchange of RKO. Announcement was made by D. V. Rosen, general manager, Allied Artists Pictures of Canada Ltd. Bernstein, 36, is married to Mary Simmons, operatic and radio name. Zanuck Inks Reed, Hakim Hollywood, Aug. 31, Darryl F. Zanuck, now in Eu- rope, signed Carol Reed and Andre Hakim to non-exclusive multiple picture pacts as director-producers. They’ll work exclusively in Eng- land and on the Continent. Hakim was formerly under con- tract to 20th, and produced such pix as “Belvedere Rings The Bell,” “Full House” and “Powder River.” Hollywood, Aug. 31. By a majority amounting to 93%, the Screen Story Analysts Guild voted to affiliate with IATSE, rather than with the new Writers Guild of America. Kay Lenard, business agent, ex- plained: “The analysts and the writers have much in common professionally, but since the ana- lysts are wage-and-hour employees their interests can best be served in a craft union.”