Variety (March 1955)

Wednesday, MarcTt 80, 1955 H PICTURES Who-Get$-What: New Chapter America’s independent exhibit- ors are now gradually overcoming their prejudice against indie-pror duced features and are starting to book them on reasonable terms, ac- cording to James Nicholson, Amer- ican Releasing Corp. prexy, in N. Y. last Week. He said that,\ in the past, it was this ‘exhibitor reluctance to give the indie product a chance that bad deprived the . small producer of the opportunity of breaking into the field at a time when the thea- tres themselves were raising a howl over product shortage. ; Nicholson , maintained that the formula pic, if properly planned as to title, type and story, still had an important place in the smaller bouses even with moderate names. American Releasing, a new pro- ducing and producers-flnancing outfit that releases via states right- ers, will specialize in low budget- ers that cost no more than $200,000 (in color), Nicholson stated. He said a tinted Western on th^ basis could br?ak even at around $500,- 000 and actually stood to gross up (Continued on page 20) Have truly independent film producers, (as dis- tinct from indies releasing through major dis- tributors) gotten a systematic brushpff from the motion picture exhibitor side of the American Industry? To the -producers’ complaint, “We couldn’t break through/' some theatremen’ have coun- tered, “Say rather you couldn't make' the Kind of pictures that would break through." But the independents won’t accept that answer; and in- deed resent .it as adding; insult ,to injury. They assert that. the issue is not quality of product but a combination of inertia, fear, caution and snobbery. The snobbery enters through exhibitor and circuit awe of. the majors’ prestige. Currently Steve Broidy of Allied Artists is talking blunt talk. .What he is saying, in part, is that for 10 years he’s been trying to crash tha party and not having tbo much success; Now he’s got major capital at stake and major pro- ducer-directors on the line. Does this qualify him for membership in the “magic. circle”? He wants to know. VALUE VAULTJES Guild Deal; WB Gets $600,000 Against TV Gross Deal between Warner Bros, and Guild Films for the group of shorts going to television calls for WB to receive an advance of $600,000 against 60% of the gross and 50% of the profits. This is one of the films-to-tv ar- rangements pixites are eyeing in determining the value of properties in> their vaults. Film companies are also watching the negotiations in- volving the possible sale of some of the old Pine-Thomas pictures re- leased through Paramount. Price being talked is said to be $33,000 per picture. „ . With its General Electric deal -for a orie-hour filmed television * «how virtually settled; 20th-Fox is Aiming at a one-a-month shot on each of. the three networks, a 20th top exec disclosed in N. Y. this week (28). The GE ’programs jikely will be slotted on alternate Wednesday nights on CBS. . The GE stanzas will be pro- duced In color at $100,000. per ■, show, which. makes them the most expensive of any of the film com- pany produced and/or planned packages to date. The Disneyland show runs to about $65,000, also in color. Each of the productions for GE will include a nine or ten minute segment designed to plug Upcoming 20th product via “be- hind-the-scenes” footage and ad- vance clips. While the basic idea is to turn out three major shows on a once- a-month basis; this doesn’t pre- clude different arrangements, such (Continued on page 59) WATCHING DENVER FOR 3-D B.0. PERK Denver, March 29. Are the prophets in the wrong apd does 3-D still have a b.o. potential? Universal execs aren’t taking any bets, but they’re keeping a close eye on the Paramount Theatre here where their “Revenge of the Creature” 3-Der is doing. surpris- ingly good business. This is the first 3-D release In a year and even at U they weren’t too sanguine over its prospects. But the Denver b.o. showing has sales execs perking up and wonder- ing. “Perhaps the public is again ready'for something new,” was one comment. ' Final proof of whether or not 8-D has some unexpected life left in it‘will come this week when “Revenge” gets going in other the- atres. Opens tomorrow (Wed.) at the Broadway-Capitol in petroit as the ■ first of three prerelease saturation kickoffs. Some 400 houses will play the film in April, some 200 of them in 3-D. Month of May, when “Revenge” goes into general release, will give U an opportunity to test the appeal of a “horror” show. Exhibs are coupling “Revenge,” which is available in 3-D and flat, with “Cult of the Cobra,” also a May release. Save Your Confederate Money, South Rises Anew In Upcoming Features Hollywood, March 29. Down South the college kids sing, “Save Your Confederate Money for the South Will Rise Again.” Movie-wise, this seems to be the case. Hollywood is turning to Dixie? for a handful of upcoming films, and already has completed several below the Mason-Dixon Line, Hecht-Lancaster shot “The Ken- tuckian” for UA release in the Cumberland Gap area of the blue- grass state; “Kentucky Rifle” was filmed by indie producer Carl Hit- tleman in central Kentucky; and Warners aims at using the same re- gion as the H-L pic for “Daniel Boone,” conjectured as a Gary Cooper starrer. Twentieth-Fox sent camera crews to Atlanta for “A .Man Called Peter,” locale of the yarn, and Hal Wallis took his “Rose Tattoo” troupe to Key West, Fla. The Walt Disney bunch carpet-bagged to Tennessee for three segments in the “Davey Crockett-’ tv series star- ring Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen, and shortly will head back for* four more. Sam Bischoff and Dave Diamond are about to lens their “Phenix City” in that Alabama city, and RKO used the Marine Gardens in Florida for its “Underwater.” Re- public recently hopped to 7 Bracket- ville, Tex., for “Texas Legion- naires,” and part of “Cinerama Holiday” was backdropped in Okla- homa. Texas is growing in popularity. George-.Stevens also will go there for Edna Ferber's “Giant,” and Sam Katzman is readying “The Hquston Story” for shooting in that city, Katzman likewise shot “New Orleans Uncensored” in the Mardi Gras hamlet, a site stipulated by Tennessee, Williams for any filming of his new' play, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Elia Kazan, who directed, “Roof,” and Paul Osborne have bought rights to an original story by novelist William Bradford, “The Florida Story,” and: will shoot film lh the natural locate. Is United Artists prepared to move into the really bigtime? That is, send a film in the $10,000,000 domestic grossing class. The dis- tributor and Stanley Kramer “are mutually faced with this chal- lenge,” maintains Kramer. The indie producer and UA are aiming for the tall stakes with “Not as a Stranger,” which has Rob- ert Mitchum, Olivia de Havilland and Frank Sinatra in the. leads. William J. Heineman, UA distribu- tion v.p., and George J. Schaefer, Kramer’s N. Y. associate, have set the exhib licensing terms at a 70-30 split, representing the Highest in UA’s History. Theatremen also (Continued on page 61) Whil$ Broidy has his questions, James Nichol- son of American Releaslng Corp. has his cheerier -footnotes (see separate lead-off) based upon bet- ter playdate response from exhibitors, Nicholson is'hot trying to crash the bigtime, as is Broidy, but rather seeks to get a break frpm the smaller. , situat£$fts, which need, he argues, the kind of indie formula and low-budget product which as- sures them against product shortage. V m — - Meanwhile circuit-operator Fred Schwartz finds, he can’t be a producer of films “on the side” and has elected to give up his administra- tion duties as a theatre man to concentrate on getting those new DCA features rolling.. Mean- while, tbo, Hal Makelim’s troubles in getting air- borne, with exhibitor blessing, would' make a novel, as long and as tortured as Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” In this “showdown of the independents" and in the simultaneous rising storm over home-toll television, the shape of things to come in the film industry is obviously being moulded. Land. BUY KRAMER NEGATIVES * Ajax Will Reissue ‘Champion’ and ‘Home of The Brave’ “Champion,” Kirk Douglas star- rer, and “Home of the Brave,”, starring Frank Lovejoy, both pro- duced by Stanley Kramer in. asso- ciation with Robert Stillman, have been sold outright to; Ajax Pic- tures Corp., headed by Robert M. Savini. All rights were taken by Savini in the deal that reportedly" involved 1 total price of $265;000. ‘.‘Champion” and “Brave” will be marketed by Savini first as theatrical reissues and this will be followed by tv distribution. Jack Cummings’Own Co. Hollywood, March 29. Jack C.ummings Enterprises Inc., has been established by the Metro producer. With approximately 18 months remaining of his Metro pact, Cummings is seeking release. Failing thjs, will go into indie production after pact expires. National Boxoffico Survey Unseasonable Cold Chills Biz; ‘Girl’ No. 1 Again, ‘Untamed’ 2d, ‘Battle’, ‘Jungle’, ‘Horse’ Next Snow and unseasonable cold put the „ehill on. film grosses in most key cities covered by Variety this week. Lack of fresh product, save for Metro’s smash newcomer, “The Blackboard Jungle,” also tended to keep prospective filmgoers by the hearthside. Number of houses is merely marking time with avail- able pix awaiting the end of Lent before putting their best films for- ward. Again the champ is “Country Girl” (Par). It wound up in the top spot three . times previously this month. Runnerup is. “Un- tamed” (20th) which held, down third last week. “Battle Cry” (WB), showing fine stamina, nabs third place. It was second a week ago. “Blackboard Jungle” (M-G) has a firm hold on fourth by dint of ter- rific biz it’s racking up in the few houses it’s played. “Chief Crazy Horse” (U) again is fifth followed by “Long Gray Line” (Col). Cinerama, a trade phenom- enon, continues smash with Spring tourists in such keys as Washing- ton and N. Y. pushing it into the capacity bracket. It rates seventh GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR 1905-1955 position this week. “Man Without a Star” (U), another newcomer, is finishing eighth followed by “Hit the Deck” (M-G) and “East of Eden” (WB), respectively.' Runnerup films are “Gate of Hell” (Indie) and “Underwater!” (RKO). “Hell,” a Japanese import, is pleasing in Baltimore, solid in Chicago and big in Denver. “Un- derwater!”, is neat in Chi although tending to dip in extended runs. “Racers” (20th) is virile in'Minne- apolis bpt dull in Chi. Showing particular b.o. promise is “Doctor in the House” (Rep). This British import isr good in L.A., lively in Philly, good in Denver and solid, in San Francisco. “Glass Slipper” (M-G) is another likely contender by virtue of smash biz it’s pulling at the Music Hall, N. Y., sole site it’s played in keys covered by Variety. “Conquest of Space” (Par) is average in Providence* ordinary in Cleveland and mild In Buffalo. “Bridges of Toko-ri” (Par) is light in Baltimore and hefty in Toronto. “Revenge of the Creature” (U) is big in Denver. “White Feather” (20th) is okay in Cincinnati, mild in Boston aqd. fair in Denver. “Camille” (M-G) (reissue) is light in Baltimore, fine in L.A. and good in San Francisco. “Stranger on Horseback” (UA) is disappointing in its Portland, Ore., world preem but shapes firm in Frisco. “Purple' Plain” (UA) looks to be heard from on basis of its hefty showing in Chi. “Big Combo” (AA), snappy in L.A., is mild in Buffalo, (Complete Boxoffice Reports on ft {'Ok Pages 12-13). * • With more than two weeks on the road behind him to sell the “new” Allied Artists to exhibitors, Steve Broidy is picking up firm Support for his company’s $25,000,- 000 production program over the next 18 months. Following the AA chief’s product announcement before 1 some 175 industryites in New York last week, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres prexy Leonard Goldenson pledged his own aid and urged fellow the- atremen to help aid A A in its bid for major company status. Similar sentiments were ex- ' pressed by exhibs to Broidy in De- troit Fri. (25), in Milwaukee the following day, and during a three- .day Broidy stopover in Chicago which wound up yesterday (Tues.). General attitude of audiences fac- ing the AA head was reflected by Ben Marcus, former National Al- lied .prez who operates some 20 Wisconsin houses; Marcus, who attended the Mil- waukee meet, told., Broidy that “movie patrons today. are more se- (Continued on page 20) Sydney, March 29, Import cuts announced by th$ Federal government here last week may see British producers, in an Empire country; in the same sort of freeze that their U.S.- colleagues have been experiencing for so long all over the world. The cuts put a brake on the im- portation of non-dollar goods and do not apply to dollar commodi- ties which have been subject to control for a long time. The gov- (Continued on page 62) Trade njark Registered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN Published Weekly*by VARIETY, INC Harold Erichs, President 154 West 46th St. New York 30, N. Y JUdson 2-2700 Hollywood 2S 6311 Yucca Street Hollywood 9-1141 Washington 4 1292 National Press Buildihg STerling 3-5445 . . Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ave. DEldware 7-4984 London WC2 8 St. Martin’s PL, Trafalgar Sq. Temple Bar 5041 SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 Foreign $11 Single Copies 25 Cents ABEL GREEN. 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