Variety (December 1957)

14 PICTURES PfiauEtfr Wednesday, December 4, 1957 Via New Raoullevy Company Raoul Levy, whose recent film* fortunes have been closely tied to' the rise of French star Brigitte Bardot ("God Created Woman"), how plans to turn from producing to directing-^-and without Miss Bardot. In Gotham for a quickie last] week:, Levy disclosed: (1) He would direct "The Camp Followers,” based on the Italian bestseller by d’Ugo Pirro. (2) He was forming a company with Miss B rdot, whom he has under contract; that will give her a percentage of every film‘he makes, whether she’s in it or not. The star plans to make no more than one a year. Levy* whose "God Created Woman” is doin to runaway biz in the States* has two more with Miss Bardot coming up—“The Night When Heaven Fell In” (Les Bijou- tiers du clair dti lune) and "En cas de malheur” (in Case of Accident) which is currently in production. Thfc picture he plans to direct will be in CinemaScope black-and- white and will, according to Levy, have as its theme "the absurdity of war.” It deals with the Italian oc¬ cupation of Greece, where-it’ll be shot. Story is about three men who pick up a truckload of girls for the Italian army and transport them from Athens into the interior. Re¬ sistance eventually blows up the, truck and frees the girls. Levy said he recognized the uni-j queness of the situation in France, ' where the role of the producer is vastly different from that of his U.S. counterpart, but emphasized that he couldn’t find the “right” director for the job.'-“They’re all either to young or too old,” he said,] “and I don’t think I want to battle with a man until he sees and un¬ derstands my concept of this film.” Producer thought “The Camp Followers” probably would end. up| as a Columbia picture. He has a production deal with Col. EASTERN MANAGEMENT Recent merger - of Confection Cabinet Corp. with ABC Vending Co. did not include Eastern Man¬ agement Corp., largest chain of drive-ins in New Jersey, according to Sheldon Smerling, v.p.-general manager of Eastern. A subsidiary of Confection until the merger. Eastern will now operate as a sep¬ arate corporation. Smerling also disclosed a re¬ alignment; of personnel for the firm which will continue to be headquartered .in East Orange, N. J. Named head buyer and book¬ er is Robert R. Deitch, Bruno M. Kern was tapped as ad-pub direc¬ tor while Jame^fcr^Ellis was ap¬ pointed district manager, Rowley Circuit Rallies Partners and Managers San Angelo, Tex., Dec. 3. Rowley United Theatres opened Its annual partners and managers convention here Monday (2) at the Town House here. The confab is scheduled to close On Dec. 4. ■*' Bill Slaughter is convention chairman and has arranged the program which opened with a •‘dubber’s” golf match at the San Angelo Country Club, followed by a cocktail party and buffet dinner. A'luncheon on Tuesday will have as guests branch and district man¬ agers of distribution and represent tatives of other allied industries. About 100 persons in attendance. 20TH SUES GLORIA GRAHAME Wants $12,330 Wages Back Pins 7% interest VICE SQUAD IN SWOOP Close French /Fire Under Her Skin’ in L. A. Hollywood, Dec. 3. Los Angeles, vice squad has closed exhibition on “Fire Under Her Skin,” after French' film had been running , two weeks at Vaga¬ bond Theatre; Vice squad invoked Los Angeles municipal code sec¬ tion dealing With "lewd, obscene’ performances in taking action. Booked for three weeks "Skin grossed good $6,000 before vice squadders shuttered .it. Legions Broad ‘A’ Puts Beef on‘B’ V Expansion of the National Le¬ gion of Decency’s ‘A” . categories is intended to “strengthen the meaning , of the ‘B’ category” and the Roman Catholic Church can be^expected to intensify its drive against B-rated films. In an interview-, with the Na¬ tional Catholic Welfare Confer¬ ence, Msgr. Thomas F. Little, exec secretary Of the Legion in New York, said that, under the new setup, “there will be no doubt that a B film is One adjudged to con¬ tain material which in itself, or in its offensive treatment, is contrary to traditional morality and consti¬ tutes a threat... to the moral be¬ havior patterns which condition, public'morality.” * B category to date has been con¬ sidered a catchrall and,, in terms of either exhibitor reaction Or Catholic patron attendance has had virtually no meaning. In fact, many in the industry have con¬ sidered the B tag an asset rather than, a liability. It will unques¬ tionably take some time for, the [new concept to take hold, though FUNCTIONS BY ITSELF ^ Church can be publicize it as much as possible. Under the. new rating system, the Legion has added A-II, Un¬ objectionable for * Adults and Adolescents.” This is in addition to A-I. (Unobjectionable for Gen¬ eral Patronage) aqd A-III . (Unob¬ jectionable for Adults). Little said Catholic people will be urged’to refrain from attends ing all B pix "for the sake of their Own consciences .. and in the. interests of promoting the com¬ mon good.” He held it was de¬ sirable for the Legnion to take ’positive steps” to aid adolescents in their , quest for "more mature movie subjects and thereby con¬ tribute to their intellectual and emotional maturing.” As for A-Ifl, Little observed the Legion was “not in principle op¬ posed to the legitimacy of adult material” and was thus “not ad¬ verse to the revised motion picture Production Code, provided the themes and. their treatment be consonant with the moral , law and with traditionally accepted moral standards?’ The Legion, he noted, could forsee “no immediate moral repercussions”,, for mature adults in the socaUed "modernization” Of screen material.' Hollywood, DeC. 3. . Darryl F. Zannck signed Irwin Shaw to script "De Luxe Tour,” Zanuck-Robert Jacks production for 20th-Fox release.. . . Charles Coburn will be in "And Ride a Tiger,” June Allyson-Jeff Chand- ler-Sandra .Dee-Conrad Nagel re¬ lease for Universal . . .Walt Disney bought "The 101 Dalmations,” book by Dodie Smith, as his next cartoOn feature . . . Barry Kelley drew a featured role in -"The Buccaneer” at Paramount.. . Universal shifted the title ,of; "Middle of the Street” to “Ride a Crooked Trail” ... Pro-, ducer Joseph Justman 'sighed Wal¬ ter Doninger to direct “Teenage Mother” which rolls next ; week . . Daniel Fuchs will screenplay “South by Java Head” for Daniel Angel . John Emery and Philip Over set for roles in "Ten. North Frederick” at 20th. Anita Ekberg will star in "The Year- of the Dragon,” Robert Fel¬ lows production which rolls next year on Formosa ., . Joan O’Brien, Who film debuted in "Handle With Care” at Metro won a term con¬ tract with the studio . Producer Norman T. Herman makes his di¬ rectorial debut on the Nacirema Production "Dateline Tokyo” for Allied Artists release „Marty Milner signed for "Too Much; Too Soon” at Warners :. . . Anthony Quinn and Sophia Loren will he teamed in "The Black Orchid,” Carlo Ponti-Marcello Girosi pro¬ duction for Paramount release ~. . . Gottfried Reinhardt, who signed a directorial contract with Columbia a year ago, exited the studio with¬ out any credits ... . Cliff Robertson will co-star with Aldo Ray in “The Naked and the Dead” being pro¬ duced by RKO in association with Warners.. Irving Rapper will direct "The Miracle” for Warner Bros., com¬ pany’s first in tlinemiracle .. . Co-1 lumbia Pictures returns to on-the£ lot filming this month with four ] films set. to roll, after darkened stages during November—to go are “The Case Against Brooklyn,” “Papago Wells,” new, and pair re¬ turning from location, “Gunman's Walk” and "Me and the Colonel” . . . Warner Bros, cast Kathy Mar¬ lowe in “Onionhead” . . * Alfred Hitchcock heads for Metro to pro¬ duce -and direct tentatiVely-titled : "North by Northwest,” skedded to roll next spring ini Camera 65 proc¬ ess ... "Suicide Battalion” is new tag for American - International’s "Hell Raiders” . . . 20th-Fox op¬ tioned Stuart Whitman to term contract. • Podoloff Bosses Tent 12 Minneapolis, Dec. 3. Joseph Podolpff, one-time' 20th- Fox branch manager here and now a local exhibitor, will be the 1958 chief barker of Northwest Variety club, Teht 12. He succeeds Sim Heller, circuit owner, who rounds out two terms' this year. Other officers selected are Tom A. Btirke to be first assistant chief barker, replacing Podoloff in that office; Gilbert Nathahson, second assistant chief barker; Ralph Pie- low Jr., property master (secre¬ tary), and Edward P. Schwartz, dough guy (treasurer). Remaining board members for 1958 are; Arthur M. Anderson, Ben¬ jamin Berger, John A. Branton, Herbert J. Buschmann, Henry J. Chapman, Heller,* A. A. Kaplan, Ted Maim, LeRoy J. Miller, .Don¬ ald. Swartz and Charles W. Win- cbell. Priest: *We ’reNotBluenoses* By JAMES L CONNERS Troy, Dec. 3. Father William M. Slavin, chaplain of Rensselaer Polytechnic in a sermon Dec.. 1 at St. Patrick here, took up “What Does Censorship Mean?” and began with a reference to Bennett Cerf the previous night on the Mike Wallace interview. Book publisher Cerf ;had knuckle-rap¬ ped the Catholic National Organization for Decent Literature. Remark¬ ing that the yery word censorship, "generates -a lot of heat,” Father Slavin emphasized that the Catholic Church is not "bluenose, -not a puritanical organization trying to rob people of harmless fun.” It is, however, concerned deeply with whatever touches “our moral . lives and souls.” * The Catholic hierarchy is "realistic” about life, and riot "reaction¬ ary,” as sometimes charged. Priest decried "xotteri images” whether from boohs 'and magazines or stage, screen and television. In the film area the Legion of Decency came into being after it was found that producers were deaf to pleas for "less contaminating” features. The chaplain advised local parishioners to turn the dial on radio or television programs that -went over the line. (He himself set an exam¬ ple of visible protest some seasons ago. by taking a. walk from a: legit tryout he found offensive.) “-Liberals,” he held, persistently misunderstand the Catholic atti¬ tude on offensive material. He admitted that, people in general tend to resist “well-founded advice.” Liberals see only an attack On their rights; he said. Bardot Vs. Hierarchy ‘C’ Will French ‘And God Created Woman’ Be Another Test of Legion’s Massed Weight? The National Legion of Decency last week condemned the French picture, ‘‘And God Created Woman,” and thus immediately set the stage for another test of its actual effectiveness. 'God Created Woman,” starring Brigitte Bardot, has been breaking local records at the Paris Theatre, N.Y., arid at other houses where it has played. Dubbed into English, and available in this and the origi- nar version, the film promises to become one of the largest grossers in the import field in years. 'Apart from the arties, it’s been booked by many commercial houses and circuits. In Fitchburg; Mass., it actually outgrossed “Ten. Com¬ mandments.” Question now 1 arises, in the face of this exhibitor and public enthu¬ siasm fojp the sexploitational entry, how much the belated Legion "C” will slow both its boxoffice and its booking potential. In : condemning the film, theXegion said: * "The theme and treatment of this film developed in an at¬ mosphere of sensuality , dwell -withoutTeliefupon suggestive- ness in costuming, dialog and situations. In the field of mo¬ tion picture entertainment the extent and intensity of the pb- jectionability of this picture constitute an open violation of Christian and traditional mo¬ rality.” The last, “test” of the Legion came with an American -film, “Baby Doll.” It got only about 4,000 dates, mostly in key cities. Since it got. very mixed reviews, however, it Was: difficult to tell whether - the limited playoff was due to the Legion or in part to lack of exhibitor interest. Another Legion-condemned^ entry, “The Moon Is Blue A’ which also was: re¬ fused a. Code seal, played off 6,000 dates. In the foreign Held, "Bitter Rice” from Italy originally was condemned, but was cut to get a “B” rating for Its (dubbed) gen¬ eral playoff. Some distributors arid exhibitors deplore the "undue” attention paid ‘the Legion ratings by. circuits and indies. Richard Brandt, head of Trans-Lux Theatre and of T-L Disr tributing, said recently that 90% of the theatres were afraid to touch pictures with sex themes for fear of pressure groups'. "These seem to be the films that do the busi¬ ness,” he said, adding: “It is an un¬ fortunate and carefully nurtured impression that anything with sex in it automatically must be ‘ob¬ scene.’ I am as moral as the next, fellow and I wouldn't play- an ob¬ scene film in my theatres. But the term ‘obscene’ means different things to different people, and What may appear that way to the Legion could actually constitute pleasant and completely harmless adult entertainment for a lot ..of people/’ General impression is that a "Cu¬ rated entry , will lose: some book¬ ings. particularly in the Catholic areas but can clean up if it has the right b.o.. quality,. Goad indication of the Legion’s strength will come in Boston, whefe "God Created Woman” is breaking'records at the Gary Theatre in its fourth we$k. In theory, the "C” -classification should cause a sharp dropoff at the Gary. ‘Subliminal’ Technique Up For Films; Make Patron Satisfied, Los Angeles, Dec. 3. Recovery of $12,330 allegedly paid in connection with “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” is sought by 20th-Fox in a lawsuit filed in Superior Court against Gloria Grahame. Studio also asks 7% in¬ terest dating from March, 1955. Action says Miss Grahame signed a contract for the part of Suzanne in 1952 and. was called upon Feb. 1, 1955 to play the role. Between then and March 3, .1955, she was . paid $12,330, and then, according to o the complaint,‘.refused to go ahead with the characterization and subsequently was absent from Cal¬ ifornia for a 15-month period. Hollywood, Dec. 3. . Use of the new trick psychologi¬ cal device, subliminal perception, to enhance .film entertainment , will be discussed here this : week with film producers by A. Bi. Moore, prexy of Precon. Precision & Equip¬ ment Corp., New Orleans. Moore also will huddle with tv network execs regarding its utilization on home sets. Process* a technique of visually] appealing to the senses at sub¬ liminal, (below consciousness) levels —too fast for viewer to know he’s being sold—is; a means of “com¬ munication” which may be used, advantageously to strengthen emo-| tional moods of a motion picture While film is in the process of un¬ winding, according to Moore. He denied it. is. any .form of “brain¬ washing,” as indicated in objections to its use as an advertising device on ty. “You can't brainwash with this method,” Moore- stated; The Indi-j vidual is his own monitor and can’t be told what to do.” : . ." (In Washington, D. <C«, Sen. Char¬ les E. Porter, (R.-Mich.) has been j taking action against process as a: form of advertising, claiming that if “subliminal’’ is as highly per¬ suasive, as is claimed by psychia¬ trists, then the tv viewer may fi^d hhnSelf purchasing merchandise without even knowing why. ‘The possibilities are certainly unfair to a viewer who isn’t even given a chance to exercise sales resistance/' he stated. He has urged the FCC to stage a demonstration.) Moore: declared that he doesn’t believe the FCC will take any op¬ position to the new process, when agericy understands its possibilities for good. There are two form of communi¬ cation, the conscious and precon- scious (or subconscious), Moore: pointed out; In subliminal' per¬ ception, the second wjjl augment the. first to increase the entertain¬ ment value of motion pictures when used simultaneously. Elec¬ tronic flash will be so lightning- like that audience won’t be aware| of what’s causing the emotional im¬ pact, he said. Moore is accompanied here from New Orleans by Prof. Hal Becker, of Tulane U, one of the inyentors of process. Pair also will confab here with Dr. Robert E. Corrigan, of Douglas Aircraft, co-inventor. LEO HANDEL UPDATES FILM DATA OF 1950 Leo, A. .Handel has in work a followup edition of. “Hollywood Looks At Its Audience,”; film 'niar- ket research book which he au¬ thored and; had published in 1950 when he was director of audience research at Metro. Like the orig¬ inal, new tome is being written in cooperation with Columbia U. New book is. to be an. updated analysis of public receptivity to pic¬ tures and will include chapters on drive-ins, application of motiva¬ tion research and audience re¬ search anent films- in television. Handel, now also in production, has two features In work, “Ski Pa¬ trol” and “Escape to Havana/’ STANLEY ASKING OKAY Wants Decree Exemption. On Two Film Theatres Washington, Dec. 3, Hearing has been set for Dec: 12 on the application of Stanley-War- ner. to reacquire; two theatres in Punxsutawney,. Pa. ? and to convert the Capitol Theatre in Cincinnati from Cinerama to ah all-purpose house with. Cinerama only part time. Hearings will be held be¬ fore Federal. Judge Edmond X. Palmieri, in the Federal Court¬ house in New York City, Universal's Extra 25c An extra 25c divvy along with its regular quarterly 25c payment on the company’s common stock I was declared yesterday (Tues.) by Universal’s board .of directors. Similar extra divvy was paid out last year for the final quarter. Melon is payable Dec; 23 to stock¬ holders of . record Dec. 13.