Variety (October 1956)

4 PICTURES Wednesday,'“October. 31, 1956 Danes Forced Yanks’ Withdrawal MPAA’s Taylor Mills Hopes U.S. Features Can Obtain Attractive Terms ft 4- New York. Editor, Variety: The letter from Danish exhibitor John Ahl-Nielsen which appeared In last week’s Variety concerning the position of the American film distributors vis-a-vis Denmark, is so inaccurate that a response ap¬ pears to be in order. The facts' are these.' For a num¬ ber of years the American distrib¬ utors in Denmark suffered under a flat 30% film rental rate, lower than the rental in any other Scan¬ dinavian or European country, im¬ posed upon them by joint action of the Danish exhibitors. For several years the American distributors endeavored to nego¬ tiate an amicable and equitable adjustment of this unfair situation, but the Danish exhibitors refused to make any reasonable concessions leaving no alternative but to con¬ tinue in the market at the unfair terms imposed by Danish exhibitors or to withdraw from selling in Denmark. In the face of constant¬ ly increasing operating costs, com¬ plaints from other countries about the lov Danish rentals, and the un¬ willingness of the Danish exhibitors to negotiate any real improvement In the terms, the American distrib¬ utors finally were forced to with¬ hold their pictures from the Dan¬ ish market. Since their withdrawal from the Danish market the American dis¬ tributors have made it unmis*aken- ly clear that they were willing to negotiate a reasonable adjustment In rental terms with the exhibitors. On the few occasions that the ex¬ hibitors have evidenced any willing¬ ness to discuss the matter, they have continued to insist on terms substantially below those paid else¬ where in the Scandinavian and European market. • At one time it seemed that an agreement might be reached. In April of this year representatives of the Board of the Danish Exhibi¬ tors Associa*ion proposed to the MPEAA that all film rentals be made freely negotiable. This offer was promptly, accepted in good faith by the MPEAA representa¬ tive and by the. member companies, whereupon the exhibitors repudi¬ ated their negotiations and we were back where we started. The latest suggestion of the ex¬ hibitors, early in October, called for a division of theatres into three categories (with most theatres in the second and third categories) with rentals negotiable up to a ceiling of 40% for first category theatres, 35% for the second cate¬ gory, and 30% for the third cate¬ gory. This could have resulted in average rentals even below that of past years. Consequently the MPEAA proposed a reasonable compromise whereby a number of theatres would be transferred to the first category from the over¬ crowded second category and the rentals would be fixed at 40% for the first category, 35% for the second category and 30% for the. third category with certain very special pictures freely negotiable. This Association and its member companies are not happy that American pictures are not showing in Denmark, a country for which we have the highest regard and the most friendly sentiments. It is’ re¬ grettable that the Danish exhibitors last April were unwilling to accept the proposal pf their own negotiat¬ ing committee. We accepted this proposal in jjood faith. It would have established normal free mar¬ ket conditions in Denmark such as exist in most film markets through¬ out the world. It is sincerely hoped that a way may soon be found to end the present impasse. Taylor M. Mills. Director of Public Rela¬ tions, Motion Picture Assn. DUDLEY PICTURES NET, 8 MONTHS, $129,737 Hollywood, Oct. 30. Net earnings of $129,737.90 for the first eight months of 1956 was reported by Dudley Pictures Corp. and its subsidiary companies. Fig¬ ure, prexy Carl Dudley declared, is equivalent to $2.25 per share. Firm specializes in theatrical features filmed- abroad and in travel and industrial- pictures. Back to Selig, 1906 Studio and homeoffice reps have reached tentative agree¬ ment on a new proposal for stimulating the public’s inter¬ est in pictures. This calls for production of a near-feature length cavalcade of the indus¬ try, from the first William Selig cinematic endeavors in Hollywood in 1906. The 50 years of films, if the production comes off, would play theatres and each presen¬ tation would tie in with na¬ tional, state and local groups for institutional promotion ef¬ fect. Studios Freeze Press Junket; East Piqued Gap between east and west in the film industry has been widened as a result of the Motion Picture Assn, of America effort to work out a business-building program entailing a 300-man press junket to Hollywood, a public contest tied in with the Academy Awards and a marketing analysis. Although the full MPAA board approved the week-long newspaper¬ men’s tour of Hollywood, adverse studio sentimet as expressed so far has had the effect of killing the plan. Coast meeting on the MPAA campaigns took place last week in informal fashion with Spyros P. Skouras heading the ‘Gotham dele¬ gation. Purpose simply was to ac¬ quaint studio heads and promotion execs, among others, with the ac¬ tion that had been taken previous¬ ly by the MPAA board. Line of questioning at the con¬ clave was unfriendly particularly toward the press junket. Some of the Coast people wanted to» know just what it would accomplish, why the 400 correspondents currently based west couldn't provide the same kind of coverage, and how come the MPAA would work such a plan before consulting exhibitors, who would be called upon to par¬ ticipate financially. London, Oct. 30. Last night’s (Mon.) Royal Com¬ mand film gala at the Empire, Leicester Square, added around $84,000 to the $700,000 which has been netted since the first Royal gala In 1946. The proceeds, go to the Cinematograph Trade Benevo¬ lent Fund, the motion picture in¬ dustry’s principal charity. The selected. film, “The Battle of the River Plate,” gave Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger the distinction of being the first producers to score a double.’ Their production of “A Matter of Life and Death" was the Royal selec¬ tion for the initial gala in 1946. Their film stars John Gregson, Anthony Quayle and Peter Finch and has been lensed in Technicolor and VistaVision. It’s being dis¬ tributed through the J. Arthur Rank Organization. The program also included a 10-minute Halas & Batchelor cartoon, “The History of the Cinema.” For the second year running the Command Show planners dropped the stage presentation and, in¬ stead, a selected number of artists took a bow on stage. The stars were also presented-to the Queen,. Princess’Margaret and other mem¬ bers of the Royal party pl'iot' to : ’Buccaneer’ Next Under DeMille-Wilcoxon With Non-Bald Yul Brynner Toronto, Oct. 30. Working in a pitch for his “Ten Commandments,” which has its New York opening at the. Criterion on Nov. 9, Cecil B. DeMille re¬ vealed here that the picture will have its Canadian premiere at the University Theatre, Toronto, when the 1,556-seater (Famous Players Canadian) will be scaled at $2.50 for a reserved two-a-day. At a small luncheon in the King Ed¬ ward Hotel here, DeMille was pre¬ sented with -a set of gold cuff links bearing the coat-of-arms of Toronto by Mayor Nathan Phi .lips. Producer planed from here to Chicago and then Detroit, follow¬ ing a sneak preview of “Ten Commandments” at the *Seneca Theatre, Niagara Falls, Ontario, for some 50 executives and managers of FP (Can). DeMille revealed that his next immediate production will be a revival of “The Buccaneer," this “only to keep the staff active” while he continues to work on his next film — theme undisclosed. Henry Wilcoxon will produce “Buccaneer," with Yul Brynner to direct and star (with hair) and DeMille admitting that he would be allowed to “sit in, perhaps, in an advisory capacity." Exhibs Scare Easy As Producers, Says Lightman By HY HOLLINGER M. A. Lightman, Sr., head of the 50-theatre Malco chain, is enthusi¬ astic about exhibitors entering pro¬ duction in order to relieve the product shortage but he feels there are not enough theatremen around with “(he intestinal fortitude to in¬ vest.” He said, therefore, that it ap¬ pears likely that the industry will have r to depend on the formerly- affiliated chains. In New York last week, Lightman noted that there is ample financial strength among theatremen unen¬ cumbered by the antitrust restric¬ tions, but that proper leadership is lacking to get up the enthusiasm. The organization of an exhibitors’ production group, he said, would take “a hell of a selling job and a lot of leg work.” However, he maintained that “the money is available” and there “are enough exhibitors with the wealth and means” to support such a project. He stressed that under the right (Continued on page 20) the performance. Among them were Dana Andrews, Joan Craw¬ ford, Anita Ekberg, Arlene Dahl Lamas, Victor Mature, Marilyn Monroe and Vera Ellen represent¬ ing Hollywood. In the British contingent were Ian Carmichael, Peter Finch, John Gregson, Belinda Lee, Bernard Lee, A. E. Matthews, Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Syms, Maureen Swanson, Mary Ure, Laurence Harvey and Norman Wisdom. Brigitte' Bardot was the sole star from the Continent. Following the regular pattern, a strong contingent of industry lead¬ ers were also presented to the Queen. They included J. Arthur Rank, Charles Goldsmith, Frank Hill, Cecil G. Bernstein, .Sol Sheckman, Frank A. Hoare; John H. Davis, B. T. Davis, Sir David E. Griffiths, Mike Frankovich, Sir Tom O’Brien, M.P., Bill Batchelor, Michael Powell and Emeric Press- burger. Two members of the Critics* Circle who served on the selection committee were also pre¬ sented. They were Paul Dehn, the Circle prez, who is the News Chronicle's film critic, and Reg Whitley of the Daily Mirror. The presentations were telecast to the audience on a closed circuit bigsereen system, specially in¬ stalled for the occasion. ‘' All of this has set off a long (Continued on page 20) Royal Command Film Galas 84G Yank and British Stars Presented to Elizabeth II— Even Critics Admitted to Royal Enclosure New York Sound Track ij + + + + 4- 444 444 4 + * 4 4 44* 4M 444444« + 4444^ 1 Bob Edwards, Titanus p.r. topper, in Gotham with Goff redo Lom¬ bardo, Titanus prexy . . . Technicolor’s Herbert T. Kalmiis back from Europe. * Although Metro has never announced it officially, Arthur Freed ap¬ pears to Have his own production unit at the Culver City studio. The design of a letterhead—Arthur Freed Productions Inc., Culver City, Calif.—has been cited as a “winner” by a paper company. In its current bulletin, North Central Allied predicts that the forth¬ coming Elvis Presley picture, “Love Me Tender," will be a “stinker" but says it “sincerely hopes" it will be proved wrong in the pessimistic prophecy. Screenwriter F. Hugh Herbert and director Jean Negulesco plan to form an indie production company to film the English novel “Midwife of Pontclery.” Project will be launched after Herbert completes his JUial commitment to^20th-Fox. Herbert disclosed that he’ll probably write and direct the film version of his own play, “Girl Can Tell," for 20th . . . Metro homeoffice publicist Frances Lane is ^ legit actress during the evening and weekends. She’s appearing in the off-Broad- way production of “Johnny Johnson" at the Carnegie Recital Hall . . . “Pacific Courier," external house or&an of Japan Air Lines, devoted its entire four-page October issue to “Teahouse of the August Moon." The Japanese airline transferred the Metro production unit to Japan for tfye location filming. Leonard H. Goldenson is still pressing for a film industry-television cooperative effort. He relates he told the Motion Picture Industry Council on the Coast that ABC would cooperate in the development of any program that would mutually benefit the two mediums. As a re¬ sult Hollywood execs are trying to work out the format for a tv show along the new fiaces idea—auditions in th^atces and then the tv ap¬ pearances of promising talent. . . Helen Aiiisworth intends to show her film productions around at thq various women’s clubs because she feels the gals of the house decided on the family’s entertainment choice . . . Hecht-Lancaster still working on the “Sweet Smell of Success" al¬ though Gotham shooting is only a few days off. David Golding, H-L v.p., meanwhile is due in from the Coast today (Wed.) for promotion talks. Propman on the “Garment Center” location sported a big “I Like Ike” button at the party thrown by producer-director Robert Aldrich, but it was all a gag. Aldrich is a fervent Stevenson, man ... Maggi McNeills a steady at the artie preems. Thomas Robinson, publisher of the Charlotte News and long ago em¬ ploye of the 20th-Fox publicity staff, in N. Y. for medical check on spine injury from auto mishap ... Off the lot Marilyn Monroe ad¬ dresses Laurence Olivier as “Mister Sir” . . . Film theatre men (who mostly don’t have the problem) will be mildly interested in the fact that the Old Vic premiere of “Richard II” was marred on a warm October night last Tuesday (23) by the always economy-minded Shiibert management skimping on the aircooling at the Winter Garden . . . t’was stifling. * Warren A. Slee, formerly with Metro in Chicago, is the publicity and advertising manager for Cinerama in Seattle . . . Allied unit of West¬ ern Pa. has expressed, its gratitude, via a resolution, to the Hearst organization for the special film edition of Cosmopolitan mag . . . First week of Universal’s overseas sales drive honoring foreign chief Americo Aboaf is running 25% ahead of the same period a year ago ... Universal garnering hefty pre-production publicity on “Battle Hymn” by Col. Dean E. Hess. McGraw-Hill^ publishers of the book, launched large-scale ad campaign last week and Col. Hess, the clergyman turned fighter pilot, was seen on NBC-TV’s “This Is Your Life” . . . Cinerama’s “Seven Wonders of the World”,set for a special 10:30 a.m. showing on Veteran^ Day (Nov. 12) at Warner Theatre, N. Y. . . . Joe Pasternak and partner Sam Katz are set to work as an indie unit at Columbia, according to the film company. Producer Pasternak said some time ago,,he was heading toward Col but subsequently the word was out that he was remaining at Metro. Perry Como wanted $50,000 to record the “Friendly Persuasion" song behind the film’s titles, so Allied Artists hired Pat Boone who did the job for $3,000. This led to a recording for the Dot label and a big selling platter for Boone . . . J. Miller Walker, RKO v.p., is pitch¬ ing for funds for the Travelers Aid Society . . . And Allied Artists’ Ed Morey is hustling for the Community Service Society . . . Cinema 16 will present the last showing of Marcel Carne’s “Daybreak” today (Wed.). Print of the French film is being withdrawn because of an upcoming European remake . . . Occupational Health Institute cited United Artists for its employee medical program . . . N. Y. Sunday (28) Times ran a review of “Naked Warriors,” co-au¬ thored by RKO. eastern story editor Don Moore and Comm. Francis D. Fane, N. Y. Herald Tribune on the same day appraised “Chocolates for Breakfast," by Pamela Moore, who’s the film .man’s daughter. “Something of Value,” Metro film which winds this week, will be the last loanout deal for Rock Hudson, who has emerged as a top boxoffice name as a result of “Giant." Hudson is under exclusive contract to Universal . . . Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn team again in “Desk Set" at 20th-Fox . . . Henry Fonda’s next under his own produc¬ tion banner will be “The Clown," based on the career of Emmet Kelly . . . Ronald Colman, Hedy Lamarr, Charles Coburn, Yvonne de Carlo and Marie Wilson cast by Irwin Allen in “The Story of Mankind." 'ON TO DALLAS' CRY Allied Touts Convention—Going as Tax Deductibility Minneapolis, Oct. 30. Current North Central Allied bulletin, urging as many of the territory’s exhibitors as possible to' attend the National Allied conven¬ tion at Dallas, Nov. 27-29, points out that all of the exhibitor's con¬ vention expenses are Income tax deductible. If his wife performs a material service in his business, the same applies to her expenses, the bulle¬ tin informs theatreowners. N.Y. to Europe Barbara Barrie George Caputo George Cukor Jeanne Grant Sam Lake Ron Randell Europe to N.Y. Brenda de Banzie Howard S. Cullman Clifford Curzon Maurice Eisenberg Herbert T. Kalmus Goffredo Lombardo William Miesegaes Joe Ruttehberg Leonard Sillman L.A. to N.Y. Edward Andrews Pat Brand Frederick Brisson Hal Conrad Merian C. Cooper Vernon Duke Frank M. Folsom L. Wolfe Gilbert David Golding Mark Goodson Marica Henderson Katharine Hepburn Wendy Hiller Nunnally Jbhnson Roger H. Lewis Paul Nathan Irving Rapper Barbara Rush Sol C. Siegel . Milton Sperling Marshall Thompson C.V. Whitney Robert Wise N.Y. to L.A. Martin Broones Ruth Chatterton Herman Cohen Charlotte Greenwood F. Hugh Herbert Walter Lantz Alexis Smith Paul Talbot Julie Wilson