Variety (September 1956)

WALL ST. WOOS H’WOOD AGAIN Goodbody’s ‘BestBuys’ Better buy Allied Artists, Columbia, paramount and 20th-Fox. That's the advice, from Goodbody & Co., brokers, based on a sur¬ vey of industry conditions which the outfit conducted. All film securities look to be “good speculation" to Goodbody and best of all are the four aforementioned, for these reasons: AA-r-Moving ahead with bigger productions and sale of these will mean access to new market areas for its smaller product. Important talent is being attracted to the company. Money from abroad improving.. Col—“High quality" management. Keen regard for the foreign market. Demonstrated ability to produce “big pictures" that pay off. In on the ground floor, tv-wise, with its Screen Gems sub¬ sidiary: r • „ Par—Leads the film field in diversified operations. Strong rec¬ ord of boxoffice successes. Public acceptance of “War and Peace" and others on the theatrical lineup could mean an extra dividend. -20th—“Has reputation of consistently turning out better-than- average productions." Can attract leading stars without splitting profits with them. Adding to foreign holdings and much optimism a bout foreign rentals. _ ‘Koepenick’ Cops Kudos in Venice; Others Follow in Lido’s Long Grind Edinburgh Film Fest Up on All Counts; ‘King & l’ 1 Years in Tibet’ Score Venice, Sept. 4. 4 The 17th Venice Film Fete opened-here last week (28) with a showing of “Der Hauptman Von Koepenick," the German entry di¬ rected by Helmut Kautner, with Heinz Ruehmann In the title role. Spotlit affair was attended by a S host of stars, authorities, business leaders and delegations from many countries. Among the stars heading the parade to the Festival Palace, watched by thousands who had poured onto the Lido, were Gina Lollobrigida, Elsa Martinelli, Maria Meneghini Callas, Myriam Bru, Helene Remy; the star of the eve¬ ning’s pic, Heinz Ruehmann; direc¬ tor Kautner; Mike Bongiomo, Al¬ berto Sordi, Sandra Milo, Silvia Morgan, and many others. Official¬ dom was repped by Italian Min¬ ister of Commerce, Cortese, as well as Italo industry toppers. Pic, which was preceded by a Cinemascope short of the famed “Palio" of Siena, is an entertain¬ ing but also thought-provoking commentary on the German weak- ness for the uniform. As barbedly scripted by Carl Zuckmayer, who long ago . wrote the original play by the same.name, and smoothly directed by Kautner, “Koepenick" shapes as one of 4:he best postwar German films, and one which could help widen that door to foreign markets for the German pic indus¬ try. In regard to its Festival chances, it is not regarded as heavyweight in itself, but the key acting by Ruehmann is ^already solidly set as the one to beat for j the male acting prize. It is stand¬ out. Both he and the pic were very warmly cheered when the pic ended—perhaps the best reception (Continued on page'16) Levin Flying to Italy For Nod to Winners Of Frisco’s Italo Film Fete San Francisco, Sept. 4. Irving M. Levin, director of San Francisco Theatres Inc., will fly to Italy flext Sunday (9) to present winners to first annual Golden Gate Awards following this week’s Italian Film. Festival here. ' Festival opens tonight (Tues.) with “La Strada" and will include the world premiere of “Tosca" Saturday’ (8) and the American premieres of “Scandal in Sor¬ rento" tomorrow (Wed.) and “The Railroad Man" Thursday (6). In addition, “Blue Continent" will be shown Friday (7). Festival is. being held at the 1,600-seat Alexandria as a part of an Italian gpvemment-sponsored “Italy Week," and awards will be given, the best film, best actor, best actress and best director. Levin reported seat sales going very well, hopes to gross between $11,000 and $12,000 in five nights. Film award judges will be drama critics of five Frisco area major dailies, Harold Zellerbach, presi¬ dent of Frisco Art Commission, Roland Pierotti of American-Italy . Society and -Levin. NICHOLSON’S ‘NO MORE FUTURE FIX TO TV’ Hollywood, Sept. 4. In the midst of the mushrooimffg sale of feature films to television, James H. Nicholson, prexy of Sun¬ set Productions and American In¬ ternational Pictures, has promised flatly that none of his companies’ product will be made available to video. Firm previously had sold two films, “Fast and Furious" and “Five Guns West," to tv because of short finances but, Nicholson insisted, it won’t happen again. Nicho'son said his policy of serv¬ ing theatrical exhibs automatically enjoins sale of films to a competi¬ tive medium. And,> he added, ex¬ hibitor acceptance of indie prod¬ uct has made it unnecessary to make viedo deals in order to come out of the red. See-Long’Pix,— Short Supply Knifing Duals Everybody, it seems, is in favor of dropping double features and returning to a single picture policy, but nobody is willing to take the first step to eliminate them com¬ pletely. A campaign for the de¬ mise of dualers has been waged unsuccessfully for many years. However, it is currently receiving a new impetus in the face of the serious product shortage ifrhich is making it more and more diffi¬ cult for exhibitors to assemble tandem shows. The greatest deterrent to drop¬ ping" the dualers is the fear that the competitioin will not follow suit. “It requires a lot of courage to drop them in the face of others running double," declared one_ ex¬ hibitor. According to an RKO spokesman, the circuit would pre¬ fer to run single features through¬ out the chain but is fearful of mak¬ ing the move because of the sur¬ rounding competition. A factor that may hasten the end of the double features is the cur¬ rent crop of long-running... block- -. (Continued on page 18) Leonard’s 2 for Col Hollywood, Sept. 4, Pact to produce two theatrical pix for Cplumbia Pictures' fyas been inked by Herbert B. Leonard, who makes the “Rin Tin Tin," “Circus Boy" and “77th Bengal Lancers" teleseries in. conjunction with Screen Gems, Col's vidfilming arm. Properties Lepnard is slated to do are “Kiss-Offa novel by Doug¬ las Hayes, and “The Rin Tin Tin Story," .a feature version of the life of the canine’s trainer, Lee Duncan, penned by John W. Eng¬ lish. Actual lensing won’t start un¬ til next summer. Research study conducted by Goodbody & Co. has led this broker age. house to the conclusion that common stocks of the film in¬ dustry, which have been regarded as dubious risks, appear trending to good speculative ratings. Significantly, the upbeat ap- praisaljte based on day-to-day film operations, and not on the library unloading, mergers or other proj¬ ected deals which have spurred investor interest in past. Goodbody’s analysis, prepared by George F. Ackerman, sees these developments on “the posi¬ tive side of the motion picture in¬ dustry": continued growth of the drive-ins, success of the growing number of “epic’’-type produc¬ tions, telefilming as an increasing money source and /an anticipated rise in foreign rentals. Gerald M. Loeb, partner in E. M. Hutton & Co., was quoted in Variety last week as saying busi¬ ness conditions will improve gVeatlv. He qualified this, though, with the statement that producers must constantly seek fresh ap¬ proaches to filmmaking. Still, Loeb’s wrapup of future prospects was strictly upbeat, as is Goodbody's. This is a marked switch from the expressed pessi¬ mism of Wall Streeters anent the industry, as heard for more than the past year, and in some cases much longer. Ozoner business goes up and up, notes' Goodbody. The ramp oper¬ ators are fitting in with the changing population scheme of I things by, obviously, locating in the suburban areas. And the mop¬ pet attractions at the drive-ins are particularly appealing to the families, with two or three chil¬ dren, who dominate the suburban residents. Ownership of theV. outdoor houses is “perhaps the most profitable area in the picture business," and its growing impor¬ tance cannot be over-emphasized, -aeeording to- the Goodbody sizeup. As for the “big pictures," the greatest portion of the lost audi¬ ence appears to be in the metro¬ politan areas and the movement in the direction of the specs could be “most favorable." Specifically, it could lure back those custom¬ ers who’ve strayed away, states Goodbody. The strengthening pix-tv unity— more film company operations in tv and telepic production—also is cited by analyst Ackerman as auguring a point of better returns for the production outfits. Television will have nothing like the impact abroad as it has had in the U. S. and this means theatrical pictures will continue to prosper there, says the prophet. Further, areas of operation are be- . ing expanded, such as the Commu¬ nist countries, and this, too, will help rentals. UA’S ‘ATTACK’ BEFORE ‘HELL’ BREAKS LOOSE “Attack," subject of lively con¬ troversy because of its cowardly Army officer theme, is now being pushed to market pronto—because of a 20th-Fox entry of similar story line. United Artists, distributor of the Robert Aldrich production, had intended opening “Attack" in only a few spots late this month and in early October. But the word is cfiit that 2Qth’s._“Between Heaven and Hell” is set for satu¬ ration bookings Oct. 11 and, be¬ cause of the resemblance between the two pictures, UA feels this could take the edge off “Attack." Thus, UA is countering with newly-revised “Attack" plans that call for multiple bookings in the key cities before‘“Hell" is sprung on the public. Rep. Price Raps , Defense Dept.’s Snub of ‘Attack’ Washington, Sept. 4. Rep. Melvin Price (D-Ill.), a member of the House Armed Serv¬ ices Committee, lashed out at the Defense Dept, last week for re¬ fusing to cooperate in the making of the UA film “Attack.” Depart¬ ment policy in the case, he said, was “indefensible." \ Price said he considered the De¬ partment’s, refusal “a shameful at¬ tempt to Impose censorship on a film because it dares to present an officer whose character is marred by the human failings of weakness and cowardice." Producer Robert Aldrich and his associates, he added,’ deserve praise for hav¬ ing completed the film without military cooperation. The Congressman said he recent¬ ly saw a preview of the picture, one of two U. S. entries at the 1956 Venice Film Festival, and .regarded it as “an exceptionally fine film." He was therefore “greatly dis¬ turbed," he said, to learn that the Department had written Aid- rich that’ the picture “does not qualify for cooperation under the criteria of policy (because) the story is basically^ considered to be derogatory to Army leadership dur¬ ing combat and features weakness, cowardice and murder." Price said “it is ridiculous to fear that. ‘Attack’ may' make the (Continued on page 15) O’Donnell Pushes ‘Coin for COMPO’ I Pay the Council of Motion Pic¬ ture Organizations its dues, urges Robert J* O’Donnell, v.p.-general manager of! Interstate Theatres,. Dallas, and chairman of COMRO's recent Federal tax campaign. Con¬ tinued. financial support of the or¬ ganization was asked for by O'Don¬ nell in a letter to all United States exhibitors sent out this week. Collections campaign will be launched next Monday (10) with the distributors, via the Motion Picture Assn, of America, pledged to match the exhib contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis. O’Donnell underscored the bene¬ fits accruing to virtually all thea- tremen from COMPO’s tax victory, suggesting that this alone means substantially more money than the sums being solicited as dues, which are computed on a per-seat basis. Further, he said, the COMPO treas¬ ury must be replenished to enable the outfit to carry on 20th Cites Wood Soanes In Coast Memorial Award Oakland, Calif., Sept. 4. Herman Wobber, 20th-Fox v.p. for the Coast, presented Mrs. Wood Soanes a memorial plaque in honor of her late husband’s efforts for the film industry as part of the 25th . anniversary celebration of 3,500-seat Paramount here. Soanes was the .Oakland Trib¬ une's drama Critic and Variety correspondent for more than 35 years. He died last’December. -C The plaque, hung in the $3,000,- 000 theatre’s lobby, reads: “In the memory and recognition of his out¬ standing contributions to the pub¬ lic as drama critic of the Oakland Tribune, Fox West Coast Thea¬ tres." By GORDON IRVING Edinburgh, Sept. 4. Film observers from many na¬ tions believe the Edinburgh Film . Festival of 1957, already being planned, will be even bigger than the current fest. So * many com¬ panies and distribs, both American and British as well as European, are throwing in their films and ex¬ perience that the fest is in danger of becoming even greater than the overall junket of music, drama and ballet. Marta Toren, star of the. Titanus production “Maddalena," planed .here Sunday (2) to attend the Selz- nick Golden Laurels ceremony in the New Victoria cinema. Now resident in Rome, she left Holly¬ wood in 1952 to play'the wife of Puccini in an Italian biopic. Albin Skoda, who plays Hitler in “Der Letzte Akt" (Ten Days to Die), Austrian entry for the Selz- nick award, also flew to Edinburgh from Vienna to attend the cere¬ mony. * The 1958 celluloid junket, now in its third and last week, has been marked by increased, attendances, bigger social activity, and a round of receptions hosted by the vari¬ ous visiting delegations. ‘King and I’ Clicks Hollywood pix have hypoed in¬ terest, with good notices from most crix for “The King and I" (Fox). Deborah Kerr, who is a native of Helensburgh, Scotland, won pleas¬ ing references for her thesping, and her vocal ghosting was so au¬ thentic she even got a word or two ’ of-appreciation for her “rendition" of' “Hello, Young Lovers" from unhep crix. The Daily Scotsman, lofty pres¬ tige journal, said that “The King and I" may well be “the best film ever made of a stage musical show." It named Yul Banner as above criticism, “his majestic fig¬ ure and personality taking the screen by storm." Showing. of. “The King an d I" took place at a gala Sunday night performance, and (slashed with the major British offering. Rank’s “Reach for the Sky." No Holly¬ wood personalities were forward for the American film, but the J. Arthur Rank Studios .in London sent a plane party north, compris¬ ing star Kenneth More, director Lewis Gilbert, producer Dany Angel and author Paul Brickhill. Kenneth More wings to Bermuda (Continued on page'-18) Scot’s Selznick Palm To ‘Divided Heart’; Olivier, Sanders Bros. Win Kudos Edinburgh' Sept. 4. “The Divided Heart," made by the Ealing studios, has copped the Selznick Golden Laurel award. In accepting it here, Ealing part¬ ner Michael Balcon said Edinburgh had become .the most important world center for film fests and he hoped it would not be debased “like some of the other festivals." The award is made to non-Ameri¬ can films as a contribution to in¬ ternational goodwill. The Selznick trophy for an out¬ standing filmmaker went to' Sir Laurence Olivier, • The Richard Winnington award for a film with the highest social and artistic in¬ tegrity went, to the American brothers, Denis and Terry Sanders, for their 30-minute feature, “Time Out of War." It was accepted by Col. Willard Webb, the U. S. film delegate. Pillot Quits 20th Leo Pillot, special events man¬ ager and national magazine contact for 20th-Fox, has resigned effective Sept. 14. . . Pillot had been with 20th for five years, as exploitation manager for the company and also had han¬ dled national promotional tieups. He expects to announce his future [plans, following a vacation.