Variety (January 19, 1955)

IVrER.WTIO.WI. Brit. Film Producers Mull Fight Vs. Upped Issuance of ‘X’ Tags London. Jan. 11. ^ British film producers are being nr r paged for their dpinions of the ‘‘X’’ If, l certificate, the censorship category which restricts the screening of pix to adult audiences only. This is a sequel to the recent contro- versy in the national press which was sparked by the decision of the ; British Board of Film Censors in 1 designating a new Ronald Neante Del film with the “X” grading. i ] he The new Neame venture, which | a8h °y was to have been a filmization of “Spare the Rod.” a story about J 1 . 0 ' 01 public school, may have to be aban- doned if the censor stands by his ruling. The producer charged that 1 P love the action of the BBFC was mak- j woukl ing the production of adult films ! R01 impossible. cunei In the correspondence columns * s a ■■ of the national press, the British ( ' ou,)I film-maker argued that the award of “X” certificates to Continental Uners imports was not a serious matter i sider* as these pictures earned their basic kn - 1 income in their domestic markets the \\ but that British films have to rely horde on their native market for their We* main income. "X” films are not ures normally booked by the major cir- Prcvc; euits, and consequently their earn- hurt, ing power is restricted. that t It was reported at last week’s bcfor executive meeting of the British Film Producers Assn, that wnen the BBFC intimated to a producer 11 Cl that a script would qualify for an n “X” certificate, it became increas- TOl ingly difficult to raise the neces- sary finance “to put the production |||l| on the studio floor. It was decided that after obtaining written views from their members to seek a meet- Fill ing with BBFC toppers. prove ^ W. Berlin Exhibs Turn .for Down DEFA Co-Prods. [mtro . Berlin, Jan. 11. which The West Berlin Cinema Assn. A the has hunched a strong protest >rs in gainst the planned coproductions leame between West German filmites and ! the Soviet-German DEFA. At an which association meeting, it was de- on of i rimed that these East-West deals about not only bring up cultural and poli- aban- tieal but also economical problems. >v his The association said it cannot ap- ( | prove these coproductions and mak- wouldn’t play any pix in this cate- films ! Rory as long as there is a double i currency in Berlin and the DEFA lumns * s a state-ruled organization. The iritish double cur ency at present rate of award exchange would enable West Ber- lental liners to see the same pix at eon- natter 1 siderably lower prices in East Ber- basic lin. This would probably handicap irkets the Uest Berlin cinemas near the a relv border line. Scot Disk Lending Motherwell, Scot., Jan. 11. Disk lending service, run by the ! local library, is proving a top 1 draw. To date over 6,000 disks ! have been issued. At estimate of four playings per record, this means that over 24,000 disks have been played since service was inaugurated, with only three breakages. Demand is big for operas, con- certos and symphonies. Stock of LP disks will be increased shortly. West Berlin exhibitors said meas- , budget. CEA Drives For Further Tax Cut London, Jan. 11. Without waiting for the reassem- bly of parliament at the end of this month, the British film industry is pressing its campaign for a further cut in admission tax by tackling M.P.s in their constituencies. The national tax committee of the Cin- ematograph Exhibitors Assn, has urged every theatre owner to lobby their own M.P.s, and present the case for a concession in the Easter Brit. Break Terms Dispute Settled Peace London. Jan. 11. me to the British ures are being taken which will prevent them from being financially hurt. A local federal official stated that these problems will be brought before the Bonn Parliament soon. French Exhibs See Hope For Greater B.O. Via Milder ‘No Smoking’ Rule Paris, Jan. 11. Film house attendance may im- prove if smoking is allowed here, according to the opinion of major- ity of exhibs in Paris as the ques- tion of allowing smoking in French cinemas comes to the fore again. Two disastrous house fires made “no smoking” an ironclad rule here, but the recent rewording of law has opened loopholes which many exhibs feel can lead to usher- ing back this habit. They think this Last year the British motion pic- ture industry received a tax con- cession worth $9,800,000 a year, but this figure was only half the amount for which they had asked. Now, it is pressing for the balance of the original claim, with the in- tention mainly of giving the bulk over to cheaper admissions. Thus primarily would help the small theatre operator. At a later date the industry W’ill lobby M.P.s in the House of Com- mons, and will also request an in- terview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as Customs and Excise officials. MEX DURANGO LOOMS AS PIX PROD. CENTER Mexico City, Jan. 11. A new Mexican Hollywood looms in the north central area. Durango, come film industry. • After more than three years of haggling and a reference to arbitration, exhibitors anci distributors have settled their differences on break figures by which minimum rentals for small theatres are assessed. At a joint meeting of the two associations last week, formal would add to the comfort of many j long a mining state, is bidding big film patrons and even bring back | for American and Mexican pic those who felt restricted in cine- 1 producers to make their headquar- mas as a place of relaxation. The new’ elastic clause states that smoking is still prohibited except where speeial dispensations can be given by the local mayor under cer- tain circumstances. Since the de- crees here are issued by the police ters there. Inducement is 20-year exemption from state taxes, guaranteed by Gov. Antonio Torres Sanchez, for the establishment and operation of studios for feature pix and tv shorts. The fullest facilities, with the only condition that as many associations ...si wm, \ UI 7 ‘" I commissioner it Is felt that some the onlv condition 11 tenST"‘UtntmenTare subR-ct to i s 3 ccia / dispensations may be hand- j Mexicans and parti U i!”; ‘ . em .. .. ... **d out soon. Proper ventilation is ra nt'n.'UK lw> pinnlnvf ratification by separate sessions of the two bodies this week. They will be considered by the general coun- cil of the Cinematograph Exhibi- tors Assn, and later the same week will be submitted for adoption by the council of the Kirtematograph Renters Society. The settlement, broadly speak- ing, accepts the advice of the ar- bitrator who urged both parties to pass a unanimous resolution which would accept the principle of free- dom in trading, and would allow individual negotiations between ex- hibitor and renter. Agreement had previously been delayed because of the inability of both parties to agree on a joint resolution. A draft proposal sub- mitted by the KRS has now been modified by the addition of a few introductory words. Asks CEA t© Fight Vs. Screen Violence London. Jan. 18. An appeal to British exhibs to cooperate in a campaign against brutality and violence on the screen was made to the Cinemato- graph Exhibitors Assn, by Sir Vin- cent Tewson. general secretary of the Trades Union Congress. His letter, read at last week’s general council meeting, was a sequel to a resolution adopted by the Con- gress in 1953. Recognizing that there would be legal difficulties in defining “bru- tality and violence." the TUC gen- eral secretary told the CEA that they considered the best way of dealing with the matter was to create a healthier public opinion and. as a first step, had circulated their 500 trades councils through- out the country. Reports now coming in indicated that local unionists were showing an Interest in cinema programs and from them had come the sugges- tion to communicate officially with the CEA. 1 spcii.ii dispensations may be hand- . Mexicans and particularly Du- ed out soon. Proper ventilation is rangoans be employed, are pro- tm main point, and all theatres vided. Durango state sees a $3,- passing this regulation may be in 200,000-yearly income from this, line lor permitting smqking. j : Exhibs have turned up statistics C L I .• that more than 4,000 fines for un-jdWltCll Oil LOCcltlOning! conscious lighting of cigarettes - , n . fI .. . *» « SS™. h :' n . ,k ' rt . alone- ItalO PlC Ulllt tO U. S. | conscious lighting of cigarettes were handed out in Paris alone. They contend that this may have killed oft a large filmgoing public which would come back with the new tapering oil of this outmoded law. I However, there has been no smoke obscuring the screen for many years and a reprise may lead to much public and private debate. , Meanwhile, since the air is still I clear, a check shows that the French film production and finances are in comparatively good shape both as to amortization and pro- duction. Although total output. ; both entirely French and copro- ductions, was only 94 or 13 less than the year before, the costs of film were up; and this year’s pix included more specs and money- making. potentially big films than the 1953 output. New Film Aid Law' is now’ in force. It was the early-year vacil- lation on this that cut the 1954 total down. Morris Quits S.M. Associated London. Jan. 11. W. Southan Morris has resigned I f, ;°m the board of S. M. Associated ( inemas and ankled his post as general manager. The circuit was recently taken over by the Essoldo group headed by So! Sheckman. In an official announcement last ! week, Sheckman reported that the ; resignation had been amicably ne- gotiated. LONDON LEGIT BITS Henry Sherek’s first new pro- duction of the year will be “A J vlnd , of Folly,” by Owen Holder, in which Hora Robson. Jean Kent and Wilfred Hyde White will play I the leads. I Rome, Jan. 11. Switch on customary Italian locationing by U. S. productions is j an upcoming local project which 1 will travel to America for loca- tions. Titled “Good Morning. Mr. Smith,” it is being produced by Producioni Cinematografiche Asso- ciate. and is based on a series of articles written by Indro Montanel- 1 li during a recent visit to the U. S. Montamili, d i rector Giorgio j Moser and the films producer, Giorgia Criscuolo, head for Got- ham this month to set production, which rolls in April. Actors will be non-pros signed in the U.S. To Export German Piets, Including Top Grossers Frankfurt. Jan. 11. Transocean Export Firm of Ger- many has obtained the rights to some top German films for its in- j ternational export during the 1954- 55 season. Included are some of I the top moneymakers of the year , here, headed by “08/15,” from Gloria Films, and “Star Parade.” j Selected from Neue Deutsche Films are “Beloved Enemy” and a remake of “Regine.” Stapleton's C'Scope Shorts London, Jan. 11. Bandleader Cyril Stapleton and his orch have signed with Exclu- sive Films to make two half-hour band shorts in CinemaSeope. Mi- chael Carreras is producing, and shooting begins early ir. February. The first short is due for release at the end of April. Films will be entirely murical. with the orchcs- | tra, vocalists and a choir. 'VARIBTY'S' LONDON OMIC1 • it. Martin's Plica, Trafaiflar Square French Films 52% of.French Market Yanks Garnered 35% in 1954 — France’s Strange Stress on ‘Hoodlum* Subjects Is Deplored ^ > • By GENE MOSKOWITZ Paris, Jan. 11. The French film industry in 1954 was dragging a bit but none- theless “expansion” was the key fact. So-called Film Aid Law held bff many productions but still France turned out more than 100 features, which is good, if runner- up to Hollywood, Italy, Japan, India. Something rather new in France, imitation of success via “cycles,” came in for beration by the Centre du Cinema. A lack of originality in subject-matter, and a repetition of films consciously imitating earlier successes, was considered un-Gallic. So far did the French film industry descend from earlier standards, there was actually a cycle of “hoodlum,” or under- world, films, Just like Hollywood! French films presented a pretty lacklustre impression to the inter- national press corps attending the 1954 international film festivals. French industry take of the total French b.o. pie last year was 52% with U. S. in for 35% of the total $120,000,000 take. Of the top 21 grossers in the Paris area 13 were French or French coproductions, six were American, one English and one Italian. The big one was Sacha Guitry’s evocation of history in ”Si Versailles M’Etait Conte” ("If Versailles Were Told to Me”) which took $900,000, with “The Robe” <20th-Fox) next with $486,- 000. “From Here to Eternity” (Col) upheld the offbeat black and whiters w ith a $411,000 total while “Quo Vadis” <M-G) was in for $390,000. Oth er Top Grossers | Franco-Italo costumer “Luerece Borgia’’ came in next for $366,000 while John Huston’s “Moulin Rouge” <UA), listed as an English pic, was in for $354,000 with “Roman Holiday” (Par) following for $324,000. Among the rest, which were in the $150,000 to $300,000 category, were “Sangaree” (Par), Italo “Pane. Amore Et Fan- tasia,” the Franco-English “Mon- sieur Ripois,” two Eddie Constan- tine pix. “Cet Hommie Est Dangeu- reux” (“This Man Is Dangerous”) and “Les Femmes S’En Balancent” ("Dames Can Take Care of Them- selves”), “Peter Pan” (RKO). Pop- ularity seems to go primarily to the big color specs followed by oifbeaters with story value, down- beat sensational subjects, and the tough guy-private eye pix which have taken a great hold on the public fancy. In fact the number of violent gangster type pix covers about 20' o of the current production. Most shape as almost parodies of the American style, but the phenome- nal popularity of Eddie Constan- tine in his three Lecmy Caution pix, based on Peter Cheney, has started a run on this cycle now be- ing deplored by Jacques Flaud, head of the Centre National Du Cinema. Among titles are “Ca Va Barder” ("Things Will Jump”), “Les Pepes Font Lo Loi” ("Dames Make the Laws”), “Pas De Souris Dans Le Bizness” ("No Chicks ip the Business”), "Pas De Coups Dur Pour Johnny” ("No Hard Knocks for Johnny”) and "Fantasia Pour Une Pepe” (“Fantasy for a Broad”). Cycle looks to run out this year but meanwhile even the more seri- ous directors are cashing in on this with H. G. Clouzot doing his “Les Sataniques.” which will probably carry murder into the realm of the psychological and morbid, Henri Decoin with "Bonnes a Tuer,” (“Ripe for Killing”) and men like Rene Clair and Rene Clement announcing chores ol this kind. | Color Pix Big 71 Also in top 1954 spots are the big color specs, usually with a histori- cal foundation, with the lives of royal courtesans the favorites. Sacha Guitry has completed his immensely budgeted "Napoleon," Martine Carol has enacted "Ma- dame Du Barry” and "Nana” be- fore heading for Hollywood, Maria Felix from Mexico was “Lo Belle Otero” and is now’ in Jean Renoir’s “French Cancan.” and others like Fernandel in “Ali Baba et Les 40 Voleurs,” Abel Gance’s return after 15 years to the directoria scene w'ith “La Tour De Nesle”; and “Cadet Roussclle,” “Le Fils De I Caroline Cherie,” "La Reine Mar- got” attest to this. Coproduction is still the main basis for allowing for the immense budgets needed for these grandiose specs, and this year saw 20 co- productions (16 with Italy, three with Germany and one with Spain >, with color films coming in for 17 tinters, of these ll_in Eastman- color, one in Technicolor, one in Agfacolor and one in Gevacolor. Coproduction and color seem to be too important a part of the out- put to lead to any change in this though coproduction has also come on the carpet as nixing originality in pix. An idea has been advanced to put a special tax on gangster pix and big spiecs from which special dispensations and aid will be given to producers daring new scripts or original subjects. ‘LITTLE HUT’ LOOKS IN FOR SWISS RUN Zurich, Jan. 11. Unlike Broadway, Andre Rous- sin’s triangle farce, “The Little Hut,” a Paris and London hit, seems destined for a profitable run •on its first Zurich performance at the deluxe smallseater. Theatre am Central. German adaptation by Hans Adler renders the play's typi- cally French, frivolous atmosphere surprising well, if lacking the usual rough spots found when Parisian comedies are transplanted into the heavier German idiom. Leopold Biberti's skillful, light- handed direction also helps. The three-star roles are excel- lently cast with local faves Blanche Aubry, Lukas Ammann as Henri and Biberti in an amusing portray- al of the husband who finds him- self sharing his wife W’ith his best friend W’hen stranded or a tropical Island. Roy Brown, American Ne- gro, is properly decorative in the bit part of the sunken ship’s cook. Fritz Krumenacher’s colorful, im- aginative scenery is a further asset. Mczo. Linnit, Dunfee Named To TV Advertising Bd. London. Jan. 18. S. E. Linnit and Jack L. Dunfee, joint managing directors of the Music Corp. of America in Lon- don. are on the board of TV Ad- vertising, Ltd., which has been ' formed to produce commercials | and program features for the new : competitive network in this coun- try. Other directors are L. S. Hargreaves, chairman and manag- ing director of Aerialite Ltd.; Stan- ley J. Passmore, a director of property-owning companies; the Earl of Warwick; Charles John Maples, an accountant; Monja j Danischew’sky, independent film I producer; and Ronald William ! Dickenson, who was for some years ! a senior executive of Hultons Press. Danischewsky has been named as the outfit’s director of planning and production and has already made a series of test commercials for potential clients. They are set- ting up their own animation studio and are establishing a link with one of the major processing labs. ; Kiepura-Eggerth Show \ In Vienna Till Jan. 31 Vienna, Jan. 11. Run of “Zarewitsch,” starring Jan Kiepura and Marta Eggerth (Mrs. Kiepura) at the Raimund Theatre here, has been extended until Jan. 31. Show, which opened Nov. 6. was originally scheduled for five weeks. Invite Ava to Paisley Paisley, Scotland, Jan. 18 Ava Gardner has been sent an invitation by civic authorities here to visit the town. Gesture follow s a report that the film star's grand- father lived here once. Provost MacLean, civic chief, promises her local cooperation In helping to trace her kinfolk. Several families with the name Gardner live in the community.