Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday n November 24, 1954 m i WCTIUBS I i Film distributor execs, while * heartily in -favor of; concerted - tibn to- expand the. ^lm audience, declare they can’t understand com- plaints that the studios aren’t turn- ing out a: sufficient number of pix for the juve and family audience. ‘‘These are not the days when we can afford to make films for a comparatively small sector of our audience,” was one comment. “As for the family audience, we are trying to reach them all the time. The. answer irt a nutshell is better pictures, i think we are making them." :• ; Concern over the lack of kids’ pjx.jyasj yqiped^on twd.occasions re- cently (i) by Elmer C. Rhoden, the hew National Theatres prexy, and (2) at a N. Y. meeting between The- atre Owners of ^America leaders and the distribs’ sales and ad-pub .toppers. .. . Distrib opinion on the question of more films for. children is that it’s always been a problem and is . even, more one today in the er£ of ‘‘big” and fewer films. “The best ;we can hope to do is to make bet- ter pictures that- will have wider appeal in every respect,” one exec commented. He added, with a touch of sarcasm, that it Would be interesting to. see whether the ex- hibs, now entering production, would dome up with the type of (Continued on page 20) .Reno, Nov. 23. Columbia is saving money bn extras in the filming of ‘‘Five Against the House" on loca- tion here. Picture is being shot in Harold’s Club, a gam- bling house that figures: in the story, and the club is paying the: 200 extras at th rate of $10 day. Owners of the club feel that ... the publicity is worth it. The deadline for the submission of an arbitration draft to a gen- eral industry conference has all but been, forgotten, and nobody seems to know just when such a draft will be ready, In addition, there are many industry skeptics who feel that the attempt to set up an arbitration system will be completely dropped. At the original meeting between distribs and exhibs in April, the conference set a deadline of 60 days for the ■submission of a draft, This was later extended to 90 days. Of course, the latter timetable has ,long expired and no one connected with the arbitration business both- ered to make note of another tension. At 'th April session, a subcom- mittee was named to draw' up an arbitration plan. The subcommit- (Continued on page 15) Swedes Good Showmen, They May Quietly Hit U. S. Market, Says Davis . Sweden is rapidly, emerging as the standardbedrer of typically Eu- ropean production and is now turn- ing out a good many films with definite. American b.o. potential says Arthur Davis, indie importer arid distrib just back from Stock- holm. Davis, who acquired 15 Swedish films for U; S. distribution and ex- pects to release them at the rate of five a year via his Helene Davis . Pictures Co., said one of the handi- caps in taking oh the Swedish out- put was the frequency of nude scenes. •Tt doesn’t bother the Swedish censor,” he reported.; “They just Put an ‘adult’ tag on the film and as long'ns that is displayed at the theatre and in the ads, none cares.” Aware of censor sensibilities when it comes to -nude scenes in the U S.. Davis has arranged for Swe- dish producers to reshoot some footage. ‘‘In Sweden they can do that without going to extraordinary expense,” he explained. '* (While a nude scene theoretically can’t get by the U. S. Customs at the.port of\entry, such sequences ( Continued On page 18) The Actors’ Fund of America will sponsor the Roxy, N..Y. preem of 20th-Fox’s “There’s No business Like Show Business” in mid- December. This is the first, time that the ! fund has undertaken sponsorship of such an affair. The entire theatre will be turned over to the organization for the charity preem. Fund was picked by 20th because “Showbusiness” is primarily a story about acting folk and their way of life. Plans for tire gala bow were dis- closed in N. Y,. yesterday (Tues.) jointly by 20th arid Actors’ Fund prexy Walter Vincent. The various actors’ guilds, such as the Negro Actors Guild, Catho- lie Actors Guild,. Jewish Actors Guild, etc., all benefit from the fund and contribute toward’s its maintenance. Who.’s taking liberties with the truth so far as - Hollywoojl prodpe- tiott volume *is concerned? 'Various studio execs ji a ve claihied they? been forded: to cut down-on filmmaking by the limited availability of the right kind of story properties and talents; Bar- ney Balaban, president of Para- mount, was quoted just two weeks ago as saying Par would show no hesitancy about adding; to its pic turnout if acceptable scripts and personnel could be come' upon. .Trio of Theatre Owners of America leaders dispute this. E. D. Martin, TO A president, and Her- man Levy, genera] counsel, say its fiction; Sam Pinanski makes the point that some studios could roll more films if they'd agree to the participation deals which are de- manded for tax purposes by stars and others. (Metro is the only company which hasn’t been engag- ing in this type of production tie- up).’ .; Martin and Levy Insist the major outfits have created a “seller’s mar- ket” Via a specifically aimed-for product shortage and they want to (Continued on page 21) Hbw Do Yoti Reply? Columbus, Nov! 20. : “Regardless of the merit, or lack ' of merit of Columbia’s new picture ‘Phffft,’ ” observes the bulletin of the independ- ent Theatre Owners of Ohio, “it’s going toTaUse a lot of trouble when it plays the' the- atres. ‘‘What is the person answer- ing the phone going to say when a patron inquires, ‘What’s ‘playing tonight?’ ”• Costs in 1 Todd-AO for U.S. Tours; Although “Oklahoma” was lensed in both the Todd-AO and Cinema- Scope processes-—each scene was shot twice-—Magna Theatre Corp,, which holds the distribution rights, is hopeful that the C’Scope version may not ever be released. At least in the U. S. Magna is figuring on covering the j country with the Tbdd-AO format, first with a roadshow play in about 50 situations and subsequently throughout the. full market poten- tial. Unlike Cinerama, which re- quires three projection booths, T-AO needs, only one machine. Meaning many theatres are adapt- able to its use without a major overhaul job and prohibitive costs. Photography was completed on the musical Friday (19). Dubbing, scoring and editing are now on the immediate sked. Secondary C’Scope camera work was decided on as a protection against the possibility that the (Continued on page 16) 'MAMBO' TITLE OKAYED No Hurt to Metro’s ‘Mogambo,’ Say Arbiters . Metro doesn’t. ld.ve “Mambo.” That is, as the title of a picture to be released by Pairamount. M-G beefed to the Title Registra- tion Bureau of , the Motion Picture Assn- of America, claiming the la- bel too closely resembled its “Mo- gambo,” which was distributed last year. Issue Went to arbitration over the past week, With reps of six ma- jor companies sitting in as the ar- biters. They unanimously found “no harmful conflict,” meaning “Mambo” stays as nomenclature for the Par entry. Film Was made* in Italy by Dino de Laurentiis un- der a. Par coproduction deal. Stars are Shelley Winters, Vittorio Gass- 1 man and Sylvano Gassinan. Come next year, 20th-Fox ex- pects to be completely In the Clear as far as its. $16,000,000 outlay in Ci.nemaScope lenses.: screens and stereophonic sound is concerned. Company sank that much coin into Various manufacturing proj- ects to get the C’Scope ball rolling. Money was invested over a period of approximately a year. It’s felt that recouping it in so short a period is a tribute to the success of the 20th-pioneered medium. In order to speed theatre con- version to the squeeze-lens proc- ess, 20th shelled out heavily in (Continued oh page 6) Renown Pictures of America Inc. last week won a $16,000 default judgment, in N Y. Supreme Court against actor Robert Newton, who breached a contract to portray the role of Svengaii in the Renown film, (‘Trilby and Svengaii.” Also defendants In the case were Fa- mous Artists, which arranged the deal for Newton, and the Bank, of America, as holder of $40,000 in escrow as the star’s Salary. After appearing in the British- made film for three weeks under a February. 1954, pact; Newton as- sertedly quit the venture and re- turned to the U. S. His contract provided that he receive $8,000 per week over a five : week period- Re- nown sued for: return of the es- crowed $16,000 which represented coin, the actor would have earned had he Worked’ the final two weeks. In granting Renown summary judgment Justice Morris Eder held (Continued on page 16) - Independent distributors just can’t understand the exhibitor cries of a product shortage. They have: pictures available which, they claim, exhibitors, particularly those iri the midwest and south, flatly refuse to look at. These films are English language films, some from England and some dubbed in English from Italian or French. The distribs don’t claim these en- tries are World-beaters, but place them in the;“good little picture” category suitable* for mid-week or double feature bbbking. The beef is that exhibitors aii*e turning them down without taking a Itiok at 'em. A case in point is “The Fighting Pimpernel,” a Technicolor produc-.. tion starring David Niven. Made in England by Sir Alexander Kor- da, it Is being handled in the U. S. by Carroll Pictures, a firm headed by Carroll L. Piiciato, former v.p, and general manager of Realart Pictures. While. Puciato has been able to sell the picture to many top chains, franchise holders in many terri- (Continued on page 20) Trade Off Pre-Holiday; < Xma* r First for 4th Time* i Desiree , 2d, ‘Contessa* 3d, ‘Cinerama* 4th Current round, with many first- runs awaiting for the arrival of Thanksgiving, is being clouted both by the customary pre-holiday lull and heavy rains in many sec- tors. Numerous theatres ate bring- ing in fresh, strong fare to cash in on the holidays which start tomor- row (Thurs.). ‘‘White Christmas” (Par) is pac- ing the field again, for the fourth consecutive week. Showing is ‘be- ing made despite being" in third and fourth rounds in many locali- ties, with trade still big to terrific in a majority, of spots. In many keys, it is getting top coin despite being holdover or extended-run. “Desiree” (20th) is capturing second money although this is the first, week it is out in the keys. Big to socko in most of first nine playdates, Marlon Brando starrer i ... doing better grosses than “Woman’s 'World” and “Broken Lance,” two other strong 20th-Fox business-getters. “Barefoot Contessa” (UA) is pushing up to third position, with additional playdates helping. “Cinerama” (Indie) is winding fourth while -‘Black Widow” (20th) will take fifth spot,. “Drum Beat” (WB) : again is finishing sixth, same as last week. “Carmen Jones” :(20th) is climbing to seventh place, with “Star Is Born” (WB) dipping, to eighth: “Star” is getting its coin this round mainly from extended-run engagements. “Suddenly” (UA) will land in ninth position, a sharp improve- ment over last stanza. “Sabri ” (Par) is finishing 10th while “On Waterfront” (Col), and “Human Jungle” (AA) round but the top 12 list in that order. “Hajji Baba” (20th) and “Black ; Knight” (Col) are the runner-up films. Besides “Desiree,” the best po- tentially big new grosser Is “Last Time I Say Paris” (M-G). Latter is smash in Boston, neat in Indian- apolis, sock In N Y. and excellent in L.A. "Athena.," also a Metro re- lease, is fine in' Philly and okay In Frisco, “Track of Cat" (WB). okay in Portland, is not so good in Balto. “Phffft” (Col), also new, Is rated oke in NiYI and Seattle. “Real Window” (Par), looks great . in Seattle and Balto and big lh To- ronto. “Beau Brummell” (M-G), classed as fancy in Toronto, is mild in K.C. and sad in Denver. “Golden Mistress” (UA) looms good in Detroit. “Naked Alibi” (U), good in Chi, is OK in Louisville, “Sitting Bull” (UA), which comes into N.Y. May- fair this week, is rated good in Providence. “Knock on Wood!’ (Par) looms socko in Louisyille, “Karamoja” (Indie) shapes smash in Minne- apolis and oke in L.A. “High and Dry” (U) is hefty in K.C. “The Thing” (RKO) (reissue) looks rnildish in K.C. “Shanghai Story” (Rep) is fair in. same city. (Complete Boxoffice Reports on Pages 8-9) Failure of Harry Brandt to dis- close the identity of theatre own- ers for whom he was acting as an agent in buying films last week cost him the loss of a breach of con- tract suit, Brandt; along with Jo- seph Ingber, his film buyer and general manager, were defendants In an action brought against them in N; Y. Supreme Court by Chpsa- (Continued on page. 21). Trade Mark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly by VARIETY, INC Harold Erichs, President 194 West 46th St. New York 36, N.Y JUdBon 2-2700 Hollywood 21 6311 Yucca Street Hollywood 6-1141 Washington 4 1262 National Press Building STerling 3-5445 Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ayo. DElaware 7-4904 London WC2 6 St. Martin's PI., Trafalgar Temple Bar 5041 SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 Foreign ill Single Copies 25 CcntB ABEL GREEN, Editor DAILY VARIETY (Published in Hollywood by Daily Variety, Ltd.) •IS a Year. $20 Foreign