Variety (October 1958)

WMbMtdar, Oetofart, MSI HCnniH S GOVT. AS FILMS’ ‘PROTECTOR’? Property Master Sues Gregory Peck In N.Y. Action Cite Stranding in Madrid During ‘Thieves’ Market’ Misadventure Shopping-Centres (And Free Parking) Stimulate Puerto Rican Theatres Production abroad may hav# Its risks and perils for the producer, but it’s no less risky for the in¬ dividual craftsmen who may be signed up to work overseas on American locationers. Fact, which might well serve as a warning to others, is underscored by a suit currently pending in N.Y. Supreme Court. It involves Samuel J. Martin, a property master, Jus wife Irene, and Gregory Peck. The human side of the story doesn’t fully emerge in the dry legal pipers. Back in 1956, Peck, then plan¬ ning to produce "Thieves Market” in Spain, signed an agreement with Martin to work on the picture in Madrid. Peck maintained he couldn’t pay the Martins their fare to Spain. However, he agreed to give Martin between five and six months of work, a living allowance, and a later accounting of expenses incurred, such^s the travel money. Jobs were scarce on the Coast, and. the Martins agreed to the deal, arriving In Madrid on December 15, 1956. They found no prepara¬ tion for filming, but received the stipulated weekly pay for six weeks. After that, the pay stopped com¬ ing. To make matters worse, both Martins -fell sick. Finding them¬ selves penniless in Madrid, they fought unsuccessfully to reach either Peck or his coproducer Sy Bartlett. Eventually, someone from the United Artists office in Paris looked them up. Martin was in bed with a high fever. He was asked to sign a piece of paper, and did. This turned out to he a re¬ lease, with the amounts to be paid Martin left blank. Eventually, the h{artms made their way to Switzerland and from there, with the. help of the Amer¬ ican consul, they managed to get back to the States. Prior to leav¬ ing, they had sold their house and car in Hollywood' _ and they now live in New York! ’ "How could one human being do such i thing to another,” Mrs. Martin, a refugee from behind the Iron Curtain, asked last week. - I can’t get in to see Peck. Neither he nor any of his associ¬ ates ever came tc. see us, though they knew how ^desperate our situation was.” So now the Martins are suing. The amount involved—$6,550. 20th Eager Tbat Stevens Direct Carder's Saga Of 'Story’ as $10-Mil Film Hollywood Oct. 7. Twentieth-Fox reportedly is per¬ sistent in its attempt to sign George Stevens as producer-direc¬ tor of "The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Latest talks were held dur¬ ing prexy Spyros Skouras’ recent Coast' trip. Studio had named Philip Dunne to produce the late Fulton Oursler’s property when Stevens reportedly turned thumbs down on project, ,It*s believed newest talks for Stevens to helm filmization of the story of Jesus Christ at least did not result in a completely negative reply from the film-maker, and it seems likely that further talks are on tap. It stevens is signed for pro¬ duction, deal probably would be a participation. ‘ Twentieth has earmarked- $10,- 000,000 for project, a budget said to be twice • that of any 'previous 20th production. Studio’s purchase of the ttfme, which entails sharing of the profits by Oursler’s estate, may involve over $2,000,000. Paris Theatre, N. Y„ plushest -of the "east side” arties (it’s actually Just west of Fifth Ave.) marks its. *10th anni this week. Jack Warner’s Health Jack L. Warner due out of the ' Cannes hospital and It’s - a tossup whether he will rest’ at his Cap d’Antibes villa first - or fly home in a chartered plane soonest. His American medicos would like the latter but it depends on how his land legs function following the long hospitalization as result of the Cote d’Azur aute-- „ crackup which had him bedded for nearly two months. ‘Eighth Day of Week’ Has Obstacles Aplenty; Is It A German or Polish Pic? "The Eighth Day of the Week,” a German.-Polish coproduction with a troubled history, continues to run an obstacle race. The film was made in Poland as a cooperative*venture between the Poles and the West Germans. When it was finished, and just before it was to go into the Cannes film festival this year, the Polish gov¬ ernment objected and the picture was pulled. Then it couldn’t find a distributor in Germany* Eventually, after its showing at -Venice, “Eighth Day” was- bought for the U. S. by a group headed by Gene Gutowsky. Question then arose whether it’d he wise tm re¬ lease the film in the German ver¬ sion, it being basically a. Polish story about a young married cou¬ ple trying to put a roof over their heads. It quickly developed that no print of the Polish version could be obtained. Meanwhile, the film ran into trouble with U. S. Cus¬ toms, censors on the side, which Remanded several deletions.. Gutowsky is currently mulling • the idea of taking the German ver- tion an cl dubbing it into Polish in Europe. Picture was originally shot in that language, with some of the closeups. done in two versions, i.e. Polish and German. Reasoning is that the Polish version-would hold considerable appeal to the large Polish-speaking population In the States. NOW THEY’RE-RAZING DRIVE-IN FOR SHOPS Calgary, Alta., Oct 7. The Chinook Drive-in Theatre here has been demolished to make way for an $8,000,000^ shopping centre.^ Built in 1949, it was the first drive-in theatre in Alberta. Fred Levitt, manager of the Chinook, has been transferred to the Cinema Park, succeeding Ken McGregor who has accepted an ex¬ ecutive post with the shopping cen¬ tre. No decision on a new location for the Chinook drive-in has been reached. F. H. Kershaw, general manager of Western Drive-in Theatres, Ltd., said one of. the plans being discussed is a com¬ bined indoor-outdoor theatre with a capacity of 5,000. HONG KONG SCIENCE FICTION Connan Freres Will Join Shaws In Filming There Hollywood, Oct. 7. Expanding to the Orient, Holly¬ wood producer team of Roger and Gene Corman will make untitled science fiction film in Hong Kong early next year In association with the Shaw Bros., of that British crown colony. Film'"reportedly will carry a budget of $1,000,000. Shooting starts after windup of Roger Corman’s production of Rider Haggard’s "She,” which he’ll -turn out in Australia with Ray Films for American International release. Uncle Sam is taking shape as the new father-image to “save” the American film industry. The situa¬ tion is partly confusing and some¬ what paradoxical in that the or¬ iginal exhibitors’ plea to the Dept, of Justice, and the subsequent di¬ vorcement of theatres from studios, is now often called the seed which which yielded today’s troubles (along with television) among the¬ atrical ' producer-distributors and, by direct spillover, among the film theatres themselves. The American film industry lives in and partly by constant dealings with the film industries of such countries as Britain, France;fTtaly, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Spain. In such countries Government. "sub¬ sidy’!. is either a main or an im¬ portant factor in film economics. Though traditionally "subsidy” has not had a good name in America, it is common enough, flourishing under euphemisms, though not in amusements. The shipping, avia¬ tion, natural gas, oil, wheat, meat and many another American indus¬ try thrive on direct or indirect handouts from the Federal Govern¬ ment. It Is this "me, too” idea that is beginning to take root among the sorely-beset showmen of the film industry in America. Hollywood film-makers, finding the present going rpugh, begin to think about government to pull its chestnuts out of the fire. Grad¬ ually, sentiment is being generated for some sort of governmental as¬ sistance, or "protection,” of the film-business. . It is as if, after years of looking down its nose at subsidized foreign industries, Hollywood had sudden¬ ly discovered that there are ways and means in which it might he able to make Washington share the economic responsibility. Fitch used is that the motion picture has grown into such an important me¬ dium of international communica¬ tion that it must be protected if it is to survive. Said Skouras Considered most significant were the remarks recently of 20th-Fox prez Spyros P. Skouras in The New -York Times. Noting that the busi¬ ness “must be protected,” he said the industry had to be "for the good of the country” -and the theatres should be helped by “pro¬ tective legislation and supported.” And he added: "Let me add that practically all the motion picture industries of the world are sub¬ sidized by their government .’* Heretofore^the U.S. film business always has jealously guarded its individualistic private enterprise approach. It now appears to he forced into the opposite direction; The voices that speak out in favor of "more government” aid—-which inevitably means greater govern¬ ment controls—are thoughtful ones, like Mark Robson, the director, who is also plugging that theme (see separate story). Today, more than 50% of the industry’s revenues come from abroad.. The income is vital. In¬ creasingly, Hollywood finds itself at a disadvantage by having to deal as an industry .with a foregin government. Some take the view that Washington should take a more active part in helping the film industry get a fair shake over¬ seas. In some isolated instances, tfiis has been done. The German film agreement, for Instance, was negotiated on a gov¬ ernmental level, though the State Dept., as a rule does not conclude commercial agreements of this type. Various, ambassadors have, from time to time, been asked to intercede for Hollywood with local governments when the going' got rough. * The film men know that (11 the going is going to get eyen rougher, and (2) the government is in a position to bring pressures, to bear which, normally, are not at the command of any single business. That the Government needs Hol¬ lywood is without question. It was brought home to the industry force¬ fully in connection with the Soviet- (Continued on page 21) ‘10 CV at $30-Mil The hoxscore on "Ten Com¬ mandments” so far: Rentals now amount to $30,- 000,000; Total rentals In -distinct view are in the neighborhood of $60,000,000 wprldwide. Brando’s Pennebaker’s London HQ for 3 Pix There in Next 4 Years Hollywood, Oct. 7. Marlon Brando’s Pennebaker Productions will set up a British subsidiary with headquarters in London, after first of year. Plans, according to exec producer George Glass, just returned from supervis¬ ing company’s “Shake Hands With the Devil,”- James Cagney starrer, in Ireland, call for a minimum of three features during next four years in Britain- or on Continent. Establishment of a British conn pany will enable Pennebaker to take advantage of financial bonuses, both taxwise and through the Eady Plan, Glass says. London, he notes, is rapidly becoming the crossroads, for international casting and new company will be able to effect more weddings of foreign and U.S. talent Cost of using foreign locations decreases proportionately, with their proximity to company’s home base. Glass points out, and there is a multiplicity of locations close to London fresh to American aud¬ iences. Glass is partnered as exec producers of Pennebaker with Walter Seltzer. ^ 'ROYAL COMMANDED' Kaye, Goetz, Sinatra To London on Oct. 24 Hollywood, Oct. 7. Royal Command Performance- bound, the Danny Kayes, William Goetzes and’ Frank Sinatra head^ for London Oct 24 to attend screening of “Me and the Colonel” Oct. 27. Queen Elizabeth and members of royal family are skedded to Jje present at showing, after which Kaye returns immediately to Hol¬ lywood for his Paramount starrer, "The Five Pennies.” Anthony Mann has drawn direc- : torial ehores on Universal’s "Spartacus.” ► San Juan, Oct 7. Free parking space available at shopping centres is bringing about construction of the first new film theatres in Puerto Rico in 10 years. Plans for several new houses were disclosed yesterday* (Mon.) by Rafael Cobian who owns the ma¬ jority of the island’s theatres. All of the proposed cinemas will rise within shopping centres now being developed by the Ibec Realty Co. for Todos Supermarkets. Cobian said that his decision to locate the theatres in the shopping centres was partly due to the large amount of free parking space pa- irons would find next to the cine¬ mas. His first theatre will be at the 65th Infantry Shopping Cen¬ ter, a few blocks from the U. of Puerto Rico campus in suburban Rio Piedras. House, which will seat 750 patrons, will cost $350,000 completely equipped. Cobian, who’s negotiating to bring Cinerama films into the inir tial new theatre, revealed that the structure will be extra wide and semi-circular in shape to accommo¬ date the Cinerama screen. House will form part of the six and a half acre shopping centre which will also have a- bowling alley and 22 stores. New theatres are now planned for two other Ibec shopping cen¬ tres in metropolitan San Juan, Co¬ bian disclosed. Ibec Realty is a subsidiary of the International Basic Economy Corp. of N. Y., which operates Todos Supermar¬ kets jn Puerto Rico. U’s Co-Production With Schneer; But‘Gulliver’ To . Be Columbia Release Hollywood, Oct. 7. Universal Pictures, which pre¬ viously filed a protest with the Motion Picture Assn. Title Regis¬ tration Bureau over Charles Schneer’s registration of “The Travels of Lemuel Gulliver” as in conflict with its own "Gulliver’s •Travels,” has closed a joint pro¬ duction deal *with indie. “Gulliver’s Travels,” based on the Jonathan Swift classic, will be co-produced by U and Schneer’s Morningside Productions for Col¬ umbia Pictures release. Filmed in new Dynamation process and Tech¬ nicolor, Jack Sher will direct From a script by himself, Arthur Ross and Sy Gomberg. Ray Harryhausen will handle special effects. Pic is skedded for early 1959 camera work in Europe. Trade Mark Registered FOUfPED 1f05 by SIME SILVERMAN; Published Weekly by VARIETY, INC. Syd Silverman, President 154 West 46th St.. New York 36. N. Y. JUdson 2-2700 Hollywood 2C 6404 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood 9-1141 Washington 4 1202 National Press Building, STerling 3-5445 Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ave., DElaware 7-4984 London WC2 8 St. Martin's PL, Trafalgar Sq.. COVent Garden 0135 SUBSCRIPTION Annual, $15; Foreign, S16; Single Copies, 35 Cents ABEL GREEN, Editor ! . INDEX Inside Music international DAILY VARIETY :-~ned in Hollywood by DaUy Variety i. v * $15 j ve;r Foreign