Variety (May 1957)

10 PICTURES PfiRlEff Wectnesday, May 1, 1957 Hollywood Production Pulse ALLIED ARTISTS Starts, This Year ......... 6 This Date, Last Year . 10 "NO PLACE TO DIE" (CB Pictures) Prod.—Carl K. Hittleman Dir.—Sidney Franklin Jr. Sterling Hayden, Pamela Duncan, Mary • Beth Hughes . (Started April 25) COLUMBIA I Starts, This Year... . 10 This Date, Last Year.......6 "THE LONG HAUL" (Marksman Films) (Shooting in England) Prod.—Maxwell Setton Dir:—Ken Hughes ' Victor Mature, Diana Dors, Peter Rey¬ nolds, Patrick .Allen, Liam Redmond, ■Gene Anderson .. (Started Feb. 18) "BITTER VICTORY" (Transcontinental Films) (Shooting in Nice, France) Prod.—Paul Graetz Dir,—Nicholas Ray Richard. Burton, Kurd Jergens, Ray¬ mond Pellegrm,. Sean Kelly, Chris¬ topher Lee, Andrew Crawford, Sum- net Williams, Ronan O’Casey, Nigel Green, Harry Landis, Fred Matter . (Started Feb., 18) "OPERATION MAD BALL" Prod.—Jed Harris Dir.—Richard Quine Jack Lemmon, Kathryn Grant, Mickey g oo'ney, Arthur O’Connell, . Ernie ovacs, Dick York, William Hickey, Mary LaRoche, L. Q. Jones, Roger Smith, James Darren, Sheridan Coraerate, Eddie Ryder, William Pierson, Paul Picerni, Frarik Moore Four, Dick Crockett, Joey Forman, Werner Reichold, Hans Cervinka, Albert Godderis (Started March 25) "HIGH FLIGHT" (Warwick Production) (Shooting in England) Prods.—Irving Allen, A. R. Broccoli Dir.—John Gilling Ray Milland, Sean Kelly, Anthony New- ley, Kenneth Fortescue, Kenneth Haight (Started April 2) "PAL JOEY" (Essex-Sidney Productions) (Shooting in San Francisco) - Pro.—Fred Kohlmar- • Dir.—George Sidney Rita Haywbrth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Bobby Sherwood, Hank Henry, Verna Felton, Barbara Nichols, Bek' Nelson, Ellie Kent, Mara McAfee, Betty Vitti, Tol-Avery, Everett Glass, Barry. Bernard, Robin Morse, Bob Anderson, Syd Chatton, Eddie Bartell (Started April IS) _ - WALT DISNEY Starts, This Year . 1 This Date, Last Year. ..... 7 "OLD YELLER" (Buena Vista Release) » Prod.—Walt Disney Dir.'—Robert Stevenson , Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Jeff York, Tommy'Kirk, Kevin Corcoran (Started Jan. 28) METRO [ Starts, This Year . 6 This Date, Last Year: .70 "LES GIRLS" Prod.i—Sol C. Siegel Dir.—George Cukor Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall, Taina Elg, Jacques Bergerac, Leslie Phillips (Started Jan. 3) "UNTIL THEY SAIL" Prod.—Charles Schnee Dir.—Robert Wise Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman, Piper Laurie, Sandra Dee (Started March 14) "CAPTAIN DREYFUS" (Shooting in England) Prod.—Sam Zimbalist Dir.-^ose Ferrer ' Jose' Ferrer, Vlvecd yndfors, Leo Gwenn,.Emlyn Williams. David Far- rer, Anton Walbrook,. Donald Wolfit (Started March 27) PARAMOUNT Starts,This Year . 6 This Date, Last Year. .7 "SAD SACK'V Prod.—Hal Wallis Dir.—George. Marshall Jerry Lewis, Phyllis Kirk, David Wayne, Joe Mantell, Liliane- Montevecchl, Peter .Lorre, Gene Evans (Started March 18) . "TEACHER'S PET" Prod.—William Perlberg Dir.—George Seaton Clark Gable, Doris Day, Gig Young, Mamie Van Doren, • Vivian Nathan, Nick Adams, Marion Ross (StaYted April 17) 20th CENTURY-FOX [ Starts, This Year. . 15 This Date, Last Year .7 "THE! SUN ALSO RISES" (Shooting in Mexico) Prod.—Darryl F. Zanuck Dir.—Henry King Ava Gardner, Tyrone Power, Mel Fer- « rer, - Errol Flynn, Eddie Albert, Rob¬ ert Evans (Started March 18) "WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?" Prod.-Dir.—Frank Tashlin Jayne Mansfield, Tony Randall, Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John William* Llli Gentle. Rachel Stephens, Henry Jones, Mickey Hargitay, Patricia Pow¬ ell, Ann McCrea, Lida Piazza, Judy Busbh (Started March 19) "A FAREWELL TO ARMS" (Shooting in Italy) Prod.—David O. Selznick Dir.—Charles Vidor Jennifer Jones, Rock Hudson, Vittorio de Sica, Kurt Kasznar, Alberto Sordi (Started March '25) 'DOWN PAYMENT" Prod.—Jerry Wald Dir.—Martin Rltt Jeffrey Hunter, Sheree North, Joanne Woodward, Barbara. Rush, Cameron Mitchell, Tony Randall, Patricia Owens, Pat Hingle, Charles Herbert (Started April 15) 'KISS THEM FOR ME" Prod.—Jerry Wald Dir.—Stanley Donen Cary. Grant, Jayne Mansfield, Suzy Parker, Larry Blyden (Started April 29) 'STOPOVER TOKYO" Prod,—Walter Reisch Dir.—Richard Breen Robert Wagner, Edmond O’Brien, Ken Scott, Larry Keating (Started April 29) 'PEYTON PLACE" Pr&d.—Jerry Wald Dir.—Mark Robson Lana Turner, Lloyd Nolan, Lee Philips (Started April 29) UNIVERSAL Starts, This Year ,.70 This Date, Last Year. ..... 9 ’.THE MAN WHO. ROCKED THE BOAT" Prod.—Albert Zugsmith Dir.—Arnold Laven — 7 Richard Egan, »Jan Sterling, Julie Adams, Charles McGraw, Walter Matthau, Dan Duryea, Sam Levene, Mickey- 'Shaiighnessy, Mickey Hargi¬ tay, Harry Believer (Started April 15) 'THE LADY TAKES A FLYER" Prod.—William AUand Dir.—Jack Arnold Lana Turner, Jeff Chandler, Richard Denning, Andra Martin (Started April 15) WARNER BROS. Starts, This Year.... ..7 This Date, Last. Year...... 4 'DARBY'S RANGERS" Prod.—Martin Rackin Dir—William A. Wellman Chirlton Heston, Etchika Choureau, James Garner, Jack Warden, Dennis Hopper, Murray Hamilton, Joanna Barnes, Venetia Stevenson, Reginald Owen, Frieda Inescort (Started April 22) INDEPENDENT Starts, This Year .45 This Date, Last Year . 27 'THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI" (Columbia Release) (Horizon-American Prods.) (Shooting in Ceylon) Prod.—Sam Spiegel Dir.—David Lean William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, John Boxei (Started Oct. 1) "THIS BITTER EARTH" (Dino De Laurentiis Productions) (For Columbia Release) (Shooting*in Rome) . Prod.—Dino De Laurentiis Dir,—Rene Clement Silvana Mangano, Richard Conte, An¬ thony Perkins, Jo Van Fleet, AJida Valli, Nehemiah Perjsoff, Ruth Storey (Started Jan. 7) the QUIET AMERICAN" (Figaro Production) (For UA Release) (Shooting in Saigon) Prod.-Dir.—Joseph L. Mahkiewlcz Audie Murphy, Michael Redgrave, Claude Daukhin, Glorgia Moll, Bruce Cabot, Richard Loo, Fred Sadoff, Peter Trent, Frank Colson (Started Jan. 21) "THE DREAM MACHINE" (Amalgamated Productionls) (Shooting in London) Prods.—Richard Gordon, Charles Vet¬ ter, Jr. Dir—Montgomery Tully Rod Cameron, . Mary Murphy, Peter Tiling (Started March 18) PATHS OF GLORY" (Bryna Productions! ■ > (For UA Release) (Shooting in Germany) Prod.—James B. Harris Dir.—Stanley Kubrick Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolph Menjou, George Macready, Wayne Morris, Richard Anderson, Timothy Carey (Started March 18) "TIME LIMIT" ~ (Heath Productions) (For UA' Release) Exec. Prod—Richard Widmalk Pro.—William Reynolds Dir—Karl Malden Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, D.oferes Michaels, June Lockhart, Rip Torn, Martin Balsam, Carl Benton Reid (Started April 3) "WOMAN WITH A WHIP" (Globe Enterprises) (For „20th-F v Release) ■Prod.-Dir.— S amuel Fuller 1 Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Dean Jagger, John Ericson, Gene Barry, Robert Dix. Ziva-Ro-Dann, Gerald Milton, Paul Dubov, Hank Worden, Jack. Carroll, Eve Brent, Sandra Wirth, Chuck Roberson, Chuck Hayward (Started April 15) "PARIS HOLIDAY" (Tolda Productions) . (For UA Release) (Shooting in Paris) Dir.—Gerd Oswald Bob Hope, Fernandel, Anita Ekberg Martha Hycr (Started April 15) "WHEN HELL BROKE LOOSE" (Dolw.orth Productions) (Motion Picture Center) Exec. Prod.—Paul P. Schrelbman - Prod.—Sol Dolgin Dir.—Kenneth G. Crane Charles Bronson, Richard Jaeckel, Vio¬ letta Renslng (Started April 26) "KILLER ON TH£ WALL" (Maxim Productions for-UA Release) Prods.—Albert Bahdi Louis Garfinkle Dir.—Albert Band Richard. Boone (Started April 29) JACQUES FLAUD HAILS FRANCO-JAP‘ROMANCE’ By DAVID M. JAMPEL Tokyo, April 30. In recent years the sympathies of the Japanese people seem to have fallen in step with those of France. The appeal of French lit¬ erature, music, fashions and mo¬ tion pictures here has annexed Japan as a cultural colony of France. . . * ■ - ' • The signs of this affinity' were strengthened by the comments of visiting Jacques Flaud, general manager , of the semi-governmental National'.Alter’;df Frenbh Films. After establishing the fact that Japan is the best market for French motion pictures outside of Europe (with Canada and Mexico following), Flaud Said that he was told of the Franco-Japanese ro¬ mance immediately after his ar¬ rival. He said he was told that Japa¬ nese always have had a feeling for a European country. First it was Great Britain, then Germany and now France.. Unlike the U. S. where French pictures are almost always rele¬ gated to the art houses, French films play first-runs and regular "Circuits in Japan. Continuing to probe for an ex¬ planation, Flaud said that filmiza- tions of classic French novels are. successful here because the Japa¬ nese -have a firm.grasp of the works of Zola and others of France’s 19th Century literature. As for the other types of films, he attributed suc¬ cess in Japan to the searching na¬ ture of Japanese youth. A potential problem is the bug that is causing furrows in the brows of U. S. reps here—that is the Japanese Finance Ministry’s restriction of 16 prints per fea¬ ture on imported product. Flaud said, “We think this is not many, but we do not suffer as the Ameri¬ can companies because this only affects foreign films that are re¬ leased here on a percentage basis. French pictures, being sold out¬ right, are not affected. But we think that the limitation is a dan¬ ger because we may decide to sell on a percentage basis in the future. It is the only limitation of its kind I know of in the world. It might be setting a dangerous precedent for others.** Flaud explained why French producers are the only ones to sell almost all of their product on arf outright basis. “There are two reasons,” he said. “One is that they think they will make more money with this kind of a bet. An¬ other is that they Want to have their money, more rapidly than waiting for percentage returns. They need money to shoot other pictures as banking is not as vital to the French film industry as- it is in Hollywood.” Flaud, however, disagreed with this policy. He said, “I think it is a danger. It is not good to be too much in a hurry and found an industry on a gamble. But I recognize that it would be very dif-, ficult to change their minds.” France is selling an increasing number of films to Red China, but he : didn’t know the receipts be¬ cause he has. no control over the records. He said sales of French product to Maoland last year to¬ taled $15,000. Asked if the international label of “sexy” for French pictures is justified, Flaud answered, “I think this reputation is less and less jus¬ tified because the big hits Of French motion pictures have not been the sexy ones.. I think this reputation was perhaps justified 10 years ago,” 'NAKED EYE' COPS $7,300 Ruffoff & Becker May Make * 1st Run Out of 5th Ave. Cinema With the N. Y» Sutton Theatre playing Rank product starting to¬ day (Wed.), there is a % chance that Ru|bff & Becker may make the Fifth Avenue Cinema a steady first- run. It has launched such policy with the release of “Naked Eye,” which hit a record $7,300 opening week, an amazing figure for this 249-seat house. Such money only has been made possible (Easter week) by running six shows daily. “Eye” started its second session Suhday (28). Sid Zins in Norfolk, Va. to bally¬ hoo Columbia’s “Hellcats of the Navy” got dreamy cooperation front jewelry store, Schneer’s, full win¬ dows, etc, Reason: proprietor is dad of the film’s producer, Charles H, Schneer. 1957 High Low Net Change for 2 wks, + % — 34 1/4 + % + % + % — Vs ' + % — % + Vs ' — Va + Va — 7/ a + % + Va — Va —1% + 56 + % —2V 4 American Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Securities l Ampex ........'.. 40 Chesapeake Industries.^.... i<_ Cinerama Inc. ..... 1 % Cinerama Prod. . 2% DuMont Broadcasting.. .8% Hlagna Theatres . 1% Official Films. 1 % Polaroid '...149 U. A. Theatres ..... Walt Disney . 23% * Actual Volurhe. (Quotations furnished by Dreyfus & Co.) Berger House Managers Explain to Public Why ‘Giant’-Isn’t Scheduled Minneapolis, April 30. Warner Bros, apparently was un¬ moved by North Central Allied’s violent denunciation of. it at the recent convention here because of its 60% and no review terms for “Giant” in this territory’s smaller situations. ‘ At any rate, the deal hasn’t been altered. 'The deal remains the same. As a consequence, Rennie Berger, former NCA president, who is be- -|4ieved responsible for the resolu¬ tion vigorously condemning War¬ ner Bros.—it was adopted unani¬ mously—says hd still is refusing to buy the picture for his five, small-town situations. Berger says he knows a number of other sjnall-town exhibitors who also still will not play “Giant” at the demanded terms because, con¬ sidering their grossing potentiali¬ ties, they figure they can’t make a profit and might suffer a loss. He admits that there’s a clamor for the picture in his towns and that there’s local resentment be¬ cause of his failure to show it. His managers keep busy, he says, ex¬ plaining the reason, for such fail¬ ure. $75,000 Judgment Upheld For Ronald Colman Job Los Angeles, April 30. California District Court of Ap¬ peal has upheld a judgment of $75,000 against Yoland Productions and Cardinal Pictures, covering the salary of Ronald Colman for the film “Champagne for ■ Caesar.” Judgment was awarded C. Fanning, Colman’s-assignee. . Superior Court liuled that the film firms were liable for the money under the terms of a cpn- tract Colman had with Yoland call¬ ing for 10% of the gross after the producer deceived $500,000 with the actor to receive a minimum of $100,000 under any circumstances. Youand assighed the rights to Car¬ dinal before the film was made and Colmart was paid $25,000 but did not receive the remainder. Shoot Features Two Together Hollywood, April 30. Indie producer Roger Corman will henceforth shoot pix in pairs as a means vt reducing production costs. “Back to back” policy will enable him to hold production crews together well as lowering such fixed costs as equipment ren- tals, transportation,, etc. At least half of hfs 10-12 pic pro* gram for 1957-58 be on location, to take advantage' of production values of scenic backgrounds. DIXIE DIG AT PIX WITH‘SOCIAL MIXING’ Birmingham, April 30.- The Montgomery City White Cit¬ izens Council has asked the City Commission to halt showing of such films as “Island In The Sun” and “Edge of the City.” The council charged the films feature inter-racial scenes and “promiscuous social mixing” of races. ’The council charged these films are aimed to promote inte¬ gration. HESTON SUES WARNERS Actor Says Oral Promise Not Reflected In Written Contract Los Angeles, April 30. Charging discrepancies between an agfeed-upon oral contract and t the terms of a final written agree¬ ment, Charlton Heston exited the star role in Warner’s “Darby’s Rangers” and promptly filed a $250,000 breach of contract suit against the studio. Heston’s Su¬ perior Court suit preceded by a few hours a studio statement that his role Would be taken over by WB contractee James Garner, previ¬ ously slated for a lesser part in the Martin Rackin production; Heston's lawsuit contended that thefe weire substantial difference on vital and major points between the oral agreement and the ac¬ tual contract submitted to him for signature. -When he refused to sign, Heston added, the studio with¬ drew its offer l and said'it would not be utilizing his services in the film.