Variety (May 1957)

18 INTERNATIONAL Pfinmfir 'VARIETY'S* LONDON OFFICE t St. Marlin'* Pt«c«, Trafalgar Square Yanks to Ask Staff Trims When Mex Union Demands 50% Wage Tilt 4--- Mexico City, May 21. Further ^darkening in the film picture is the possibility from the strife between the U. S. distribu¬ tors and the mighty National Cine¬ matographic Industry Workers Union (STIC) because of the threat by the Yanks to quit Mexico. War between the two is. conceded to be looming over the customary bien- nual collective labor contracts revision which starts in the middle of June. Meeting STIC’s announced stand' that this time It will stand pat on its usual demand for a 50% pay hike, instead of customarily set¬ tling for about a 20% tilt (because of continuing soaring living costs In Mexico), U. S. interests assert they are determined not to grant even a centavo more pay. They also will insist that STIC permit them to pare personnel as a means of keeping overhead in bounds. Organized American distributors’ help belong ta STIC’s No.. 1 local. About the possibility of STIC calling a strike, as it did just be¬ fore the last world war, an Ameri¬ can distributor said; “If it does, we ? ll shut up shop and quit Mexico. Why stay, when besides losing money, as we all are, we have to fight strikes?”. The distributors have ^named Carlos Niebla, the Metro manager, and the company attorney, En¬ rique Zienert, to dicker with the STIC brass. The U. S. companies also cited high import duties oh tinters and C’Scopers, • and the necessity for paying higher wage for handling such pix. Broadside Launched Vs. Big Finno-Soviet Plan To Film Furnish Opus Helinski, May 21. ' A broadside has been launched against the big-scale Finno-Soviet plan to-film the Finnfsh national epic, “Kalevala,” as a co-produc¬ tion, by Tuulipuu, one of most pop¬ ular columnists in Finland. Tuuli¬ puu blasted the project in the lead¬ ing daily, Helsingin Sanomat. Rus¬ sian part of the setup is Mosfilm of Moscow while the Finnish com¬ pany is Suomi-Filmi (not SF, which produced the war pic, “The Unknown Soldier”). The scribe claimed that the filmic results would be a distor¬ tion of the Finland epic. He bluntly ridiculed the whole under¬ taking as mockingly delivering roles to well-known Commie or sympathizer actors. Revealed a few days ago, the co- production plan was outlined orig¬ inally as the first step towards a wider co-operation between the Finns and Russians. Actually, it is the second step because Suomi- Filmi last year used Soviet mate¬ rial, personnel and financial back¬ ing in producing a tinter. But at that time, Suomi-Filmi ^vas care¬ ful to hide the full scope of Russo help. But this time, the .Soviets evi¬ dently wanted full publicity value from their participation and forced Suomi-Filmi to openly ad¬ mit the co-production deal right from the start. Some Finnish‘film executives, are highly dubious about the finan¬ cial outcome of such venture by Suomi-Filmi; The widely-known passive resistance of the Finns to Soviet advances on the local film market might lead to a real box- office flop it is feared here. Israeli to Get Latest Type Cinema in Fall Tel-Aviv, Israel, May 21. Israel’s most modem cinema will open here in September, an¬ nounced * Simha Greenwald, man-; ager of the Israeli office of 20th- Fox. The cinema has been under construction on a choice location here. A number of films stars are due to attend the opening in person. Meanwhile, the problem of cut¬ ting of pictures continues. A lead¬ ing distributor here claims -cuts are made because the ushers’ un¬ ion in Israel demands double pay for each minute a program ex¬ ceeds two hours. Red Riots in Colombia, Cuba Clip Mex Films Mexico City, May 21. Red-provoked unrest in Cuba, Co¬ lombia, Chile, Nicaragua and Hon¬ duras is costly for Mexican pix be¬ cause of reduced cinema attendance, revealed Juan Bandera, manager of Peliculas Mexicanas, indie distribr utor of Mexican films in Latin America. PM has just hiked its working capital to $4,000,000. However, Bandera cited a cer¬ tain offset to such losses for Mexi¬ can pix with above-average in Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Brazil. Warwick, Ealing Given Okay For Pix in Germany London, May 21, Warwick Film productions and Ealing Films have been given per¬ mission to send pictures to Ger¬ many which will count against the British quota. The Board of Trade, which gave the companies the go- ahead, says this action was taken pending a decision on the future allocation of quotas between the Federation of British Film Makers and the British Film .Producers As¬ sociation. This has been reported to be aimed at breaking up the monopoly of the BFPA in the allocation of li¬ censes for British pix in restricted markets. The main restricted mar¬ kets in Europe are France and Germany. Warwick and Ealing have each received two visas. In the case of Ealing, the two pictures concerned are “The Man in the Sky,” and “Shiralee.” Germany has a static quota of 30 features a year while France's current fiscal year has a ceiling for British pictures of 34 against the normal number of 26. THREE MORE MEX FILM STUDIOS MAY CLOSE Mexico City, May 21. Closure not only of the Churu- busco studios here but the governr ment-administered Clasa studios and the indie Tepeyac as well has been requested by reps of the three plants, who told of studio- stage saturation. There are not enough films produced to make them going concerns. Decision will be made before the end of this month by Angel Carvajal. Secre¬ tary of the Interior, top govern¬ ment department which officially wards over the film industry. Request follows the announce¬ ment by Cesar Santos Galindo, Churubusco’s manager, that stock¬ holders of that plant, wearied of a $920,000 deficit piled up since the studios opened in 1946, had de¬ cided to close the plant May 30. IFE Tonner Confirms U.S. Decentralization Rome, May 21., IFE topper Renzo Rufini’s ex¬ position of his organization’s new U-S. policy to the local ANICA board essentially confirmed pre¬ vious reports In Variety that IFE was abandoning actual distribution in favor of representational func¬ tion protecting Italian'producers. Reasons for this switch, accord¬ ing to Rufini, were mainly, in¬ creased costs which made direct distribution “too expensive.” He said the new policy should benefit all Italian producers, for in their dealings with U.S. distribs via IFE, they would be guaranteed a profit margin or the deal would not be approved by IFE. Nothing has changed with re¬ gard to IMPA (Italian Motion Pic¬ ture Association), Rufini pointed out. That organization continues to do the work it’s been handling for the last five years in aiding, and tightening cultural and indus- ■try bonds between Italy and the | USA. ‘Holiday on Ice’ Run In Mex City Extended Mexico City, May 21'. “Holiday on Ice” is doing so well here at the commodious Arena Mexico that its original booking of two weeks, started May 10, was ex¬ tended to June, 2. Show, headed by Arnold- Skoda and Kay Savenka, with troupe of 125, is playing capacity once daily, two shows on Saturdays, and three on Sundays. After closing here, show heads for U. S. to lay off for a month. Separates Dance Vercelli, Italy, May 28, Eighth Music and Dance Inter¬ national Competition of Vercelli (North Italy) will be held here from Sept. 30. to Oct. 31 and, judg¬ ing from the number of entries, promises to be ’ as successful as ever in spite of continuing to be the most severe event of this kind in, Europe. This year prizes will amount to about $4,000 to be distributed be¬ tween the 17 winners of the vari¬ ous sections. Participants will pay an entrance fee of about $8-?-and, their own travel and living, ex¬ penses. Singers and pianists perform be¬ hind a screen, as usual, and the jury will sit-in what used to be the Royal Box 6f the ancient opera house of Vercelli at a distance'of about 60 yards from the stage. However the finalists will he seen and heard by important directors, managers and impresarios. from all over the world who have been specially invited as guests of honor. Dance contest—as a result of last year’s experience and protests —has been divided In ballet and modern with six prizes and aq ex¬ tra one for dancers under seven¬ teen. Central Theatre, Zurich, , May Convert to Films; ‘Debutante’ Current Hit Zurich, May 21. The' Theatre am Central, a lead¬ ing local legit, house, may have to switch to films next season. De¬ spite generally good attendance for its stage productions this season, revenue has been insufficient to continue without a subsidy*'’ The management has applied for and received permission to change to a picture policy, but may continue as a legiter if private financial aid can be obtained. ' The newest hit at the theatre Is a German language version, by Martin Dongen, of William Douglas Homej^i London comedy, “The Re¬ luctant Debutante.” Titled “Young Man for Jennifer,” it has been staged by Joachim Rake, with a cast including Hilde Hildebrand as the mother, Lisette Oesch as the daughter, Rainer Litten as the father and Karl Wagner as the stuffy suitor. Previous productions at the the¬ atre this season have been Somer¬ set Maugham’s “Too Many Hus¬ bands,” L. Bush-Fekete’s “Jean” (done on Broadway in 1937-38 as “The Lady Has a Heart” and later filmed by 20th-Fox as “The Baron¬ ess and the Butler”)., St. John Er- vine’s “The First" Mrs. Fraser” (presented here as “The First Mrs. ; Selby”), 0$car Wilde’s “Woman of : No Importance*” Marc-Gilbert Sau- ! vajon’s “Adorable Julia” (adapted from ’the Maughan-Guy Bolton' [“Theatre”) and Frederick Lons¬ dale’s “Last of Mrs. Cheyney.” Good Reason to Yank Pic London, May 28. A British supporting picture, ‘‘Murder Reported,” was with¬ drawn after playing four days at a London suburban theatre, when a local town councillor discovered that a crooked town councillor portrayed in the pic- . ture was dubbed “Neil Hol¬ land”—his name. In the picture, “Neil Hol¬ land” embezzles the taxpayers’ money, plots the death of an accomplice and is finally mur¬ dered. The real Neil Holland is an accountant and has been a Conservative member of .the council for 10 years. Open Road Films In 4-Way Potter Pact London, May 21. Carl Foreman, executive produ¬ cer of Open Road Films, has signed British humorist Stephen Potter to a four-way “entertainmentship’’ deal. Under terms of this contract, Foreman has. secured picture and tv rights to all the literary works of Potter, as well as his services as an actor, writer and director. Foreman will make four major British productions in the next four years for Columbia, commencing with “Stella,” which will star So¬ phia Loren in the title role. Yves Ciampi Folds French Fix OK, But Still Craves Gov’t Fnancing Blow to Aussie Fix Production Sydney, May 21. Aussie Theatrical Employees Assn., tops on the' local show biz scene via Its union hookup, has ruled that member unionists, main¬ ly projectionists, will refuse to screen pix produced here when the producer refuses to employ native technicians during the pro¬ duction term. TEA. is seeking a quota of 75% local workers, with a 25% okay for imported technicians. Understood that TEA is now op¬ posed to .American and British pro¬ duction units coming to this ter¬ ritory with a 100% foreign film¬ ing crew. Understood that the new move is aimed mainly at producers of the* calibre of the Rank Organiza¬ tion, whose policy has been to plane a production crew here from Pinewood, shoot exteriors called for in script and complete the in¬ teriors back in the studio In England. The 75% local crew rule would apply to this setup, too. The Rank Organization was herd a few weeks back to film exteriors for “Robbery Under Arms,” and previously had used a similar tech¬ nique with “A Town Like Alice.” No American production unit has been in this area for a long time. Survey of the production scene shows that Aussie cameras are stilled, and likely to remain thus for a long span. Tightening of investors’ coin is one of the rea¬ sons for studio shutdown. Small producers also claim that they have great difficulty in. obtaining release dates for pix via the major circuits, which they claim are either American or British con¬ trolled. NEED PIX SO MUCH, GOVT. WOULD LIFT TAX 5 YRS. Mexico City, May 28., .Campeche state, storied land of chicle, Used in making chewing gum, on southeastern Gulf of Mex¬ ico coast, is so cinema-starved that its government has offered to ex¬ empt film theatres from state taxes for 'five years from the time they start. That proposition was made to big chain operators with head¬ quarters here as a means of en¬ couraging cinema building. The circuits’ brass are mulling the proposition. Some reluctance is seen, however, because Campeche hasn’t been much of a cinema pub¬ lic. - It is one of the more sparsely populated states in this republic, with, most inhabitants living in country arpas. Rep Offers TV Pix O’Seas Frankfurt, May 21. ' Republic Films is opening its Hollywood Television Service Inc. to Germany, Switzerland and Aus¬ tria. Dr. Rudolf Goldschmidt, general manager for Republic in Germany, also will head the tele operation. It’s been officially opened here by Reginald Armour, foreign chief of Rep, who has just completed a tour of Germany. • Republic will continue to release its films in Germany through Gloria Films. Paris, May 21. The government of no other im¬ portant film, producing country in the world has been as negligent of its film industry as France. Since the war the various Gallic govern¬ ments have looked down on films or have never given- it the atten¬ tion it deserves. And yet it seems to be in fair to excellent -shape compared to the general Conti¬ nental pic setup. These are some of the ideas expressed by Yves Ciampi, head of the Syndicate of French Film Directors, writing' in the extreme left weekly, Les Let- tres Francaises. Ciampi maintained that the French film looked liked a beauti¬ ful house of cards from the dis¬ tance, but there were many prob¬ lems that could topple the whole house. Among these were the fol¬ lowing;. 1 . The national Film Aid Law, whose funds have kept the French film in a good but precarious bal¬ ance, runs out in 18 months. This may be replaced by a general set¬ up which might not give the funds for pix production. 2 . The European Common Mar¬ ket proposal could turn- into a sword of Damocles If a so-called European film-type came into be- . ing. An attempt to make pix to ap¬ peal to all nations could kill the individualism of the French films. He reiterated the old bromide that a good national film is a good in¬ ternational film. 3. The needed fiscal reform of the French film setup could, if not looked into at once, also topple the current ' alignment. This means trying to cut down the overbur¬ dened list of producers aiming for quality, and definite steps to bridle the skyrocketing production costs. Ciampi, recently back from an Asian trip after finishing the first French-Japanese coproduction, “Ty- hon Sur Nagasaki,” said that for¬ eign biz was a necessity as well as a prestige item. However, he felt the French pic still had a long way to go, especially in the Anglo- Saxon markets. ~ Ciampi points out that. the French film is a mixture, being half capitalize via its big distribs without whom most p(x could not be financed, and half socialistic since getting governmental aid, censorship and administration from the CNC. RKO Plans to Produce Both for Home Market, World Distrih in Italy Rome, May 21. RKO plans to participate in mak¬ ing two types of films in Italy, ac¬ cording to Thomas O’Neil, company prexy, who recently visited this ’ country accompanied by Walter Branson and other company offi¬ cials. In elaborating on previous announcement of his company’s plans in this sector, O’Neil noted' that RKO will make pix fof the international market and secondly, films designed for the Italian mar¬ ket. Both types will be financed with blocked funds as well as with dollar imports. The “international” items to be made in this country, O’Neil add¬ ed, will be produced directly by RKO or in co-production with Italian firms, and will use a Tank director and stars. Remainder of cast plus technicians will be re¬ cruited on the spot. So-called “Italion-market” pix wljl be all- Italo made and have Italian actors. Whereas previous policy among majors has been to make films principally for the TJ. S. market, RKO intends to pattern Its up¬ coming product to the. growing in¬ ternational market. According to O’Neil, Italy means some '44% of the European market for RKO, if one excludes Great Britain. Ger¬ many and France follow on the heels of Italy. TV Tower in, Alps Frankfurt, .May 21. Highest tele station in Europe is due to be finished by this fall. The tower is scheduled to loom 2,713 yards into the air. It will be erected In the Swiss Alps on top.of the Saentisgipfel, and will be part of the North East j Swiss tv net.