Variety (March 1959)

7 Wednesday, March 11, 1959 P45aE?rr PICTUIIES ‘CONSENT’ CLOUDS FILMS-IN-TV Oscar as Creature of Emotions [/n Hollywood’s Tight Colony ] Academy awards, since they're voted by the people within the motion picture industry; are apt to be handed out on the “basis of some preferences other than pure artistry,” Bosley Crowther, film critic of the N.Y. Times, said Sunday (8) on the CBS-TV “Small World” show. The awards were defended by Ingrid Bergmgn and Darryl F. Zanuck. Latter shot back that “I believe that the New York film critics also play favorites. I have noticed through the years that some directors can do no wrong.” Crowther said it seemed to him that “many of the awards to the'actors, and particularly to supporting players, are based more upon emotional thinking and upon feelings about giving some¬ body recognition for something good or something well done in previous years, rather than for the immediate year.” Miss Berg¬ man defended this “because if you have an actress who for dur¬ ing eight years has given top performances, but always in the last minute comes some sensational newcomer that gets the award, I think that it is not unfair to one day give it to her just the same because of all the good performances she has given during the years.” Zanuck admitted once having cut off the advertising from a paper because of a bad review. He said he couldn't remember why, but Crowther reminded him that the ads had been put back “be¬ cause our critics wrote a very wonderful review”' for “Grapes of Wrath.” “I happen to know that that was true,” said Zanuck. “I’m not absolving myself, because when you are the head of a studio, you have to take the responsibility of the conduct of others in connection with it. I believe you’re absolutely right in that par¬ ticular instance.” Replied Crowther: “I try to be right in most instances, Darryl.” Susan Hay ward Berates Gossiper; ‘Canard’ on Ailing Cameramans Firing May Cost Her An Oscar? + -—- Atlanta, March 10. Film actress Susan Hayward, a Georgian by adoption (she’s mar¬ ried to Eaton Chalkley, Carrollton business man) branded as “vicious, false lies about me” story by Har¬ old Heffeman, Hollywood gossip columnist, that she had thrown her weight around in a fit of tem¬ perament on 20th Century-Fox lot where her new picture is being filmed. North American Newspaper Al¬ liance writer reported Miss Hay¬ ward caused firing of cameraman William Mellor on “Woman Ob¬ sessed,” filmization of novel titled “Snowbirch.” So upset was Miss Hayward over Heffernan’s story (he intimat¬ ed it endangered her Academy Award chances <— she has been nominated for her work in UA re¬ lease “I Want to Live”) that she long distanced Paul Jones, amuse¬ ment editor of The Atlanta Consti¬ tution, to refute accusations. “I am an actress,” she told Jones, “and I do not have the au¬ thority to discharge anyone on a set.” She explained about Mellor, saying lensman left set of pic after complaining of headaches. She said he later entered Cedars of Leba¬ non Hospital, near Hollywood, when it was discovered he was suffering from a brain tumor, and underwent surgery for its removal. “Fortunately, it was not malig¬ nant,” actress told Jones. She con¬ tinued “From now on I am going to fight every vicious lie that is Spo¬ ken about me. I don’t want the people in my part of the country to believe these vicious stories.” She intimated Heffernan’s piece may be tied in with the heated race for Academy Award honors, conceded this year to be one of the closest In the last decade. This year’s nomination is No. 5 for Miss Hayward. Commenting on this angle, ac¬ tress said: “I do not have a press agent. I have stayed away from that sort of thing. “I am not a temperamental ac¬ tress. I am just a hard-working woman. I am heartsick about this whole mess.” Mellor was replaced by Leon Shamroy, cameraman-recipient of many Academy Award kudos. Hef- fernan wrote: “In a desperately manipulated front office compromise, Mellor will get full screen credit and sal¬ ary.” "'He also quoted Miss Hayward, thuswise: Pizza-Pie Throwing Minneapolis, March 10. With pizza having: become a popular dish hereabouts, Prom Ballroom is capitalizing on that fact by having nights on which it gives it away free to customers' as an added in¬ ducement for patronage. There are pizza eating con¬ tests on such nights as special events. Couples are requested not to be eating the pizza, how¬ ever, while dancing. A tieup with a pizza baking company is part of the promo¬ tion which is considered highly successful by the ballroom people. He de France Preserves Its Dignity; Arundel Sinks For MG Cameras Instead Hollywood, March 10. Andrew L. Stone, stymied in his efforts to buy the lie de France, which is being scrapped, for his upcoming Metro production, “The Last Voyage,” has purchased the 24,000-ton liner, Arundel. m The former Union Castle is now in Hong Kong, where Stone will shoot. Liner will be sunk for the main action In picture, which he’ll produce-direct-write. ‘WINDJAMMER’ SAILS ON; STANLEY RENEWS LEASE Minneapolis, March 10. Stanley Warner has renewed its lease of the local loop Century for another two years. Lessor is the Minnesota Amuse¬ ment Co. (United Paramount) and the lease again gives both parties the option to cancel on six months notice. Currently, “Windjammer” is hav¬ ing a highly successful run at the Century, being in its 16th big week. The four Cinerama pictures pre¬ viously played all had long and exceedingly profitable runs and Minneapolis has been rated as one of the nation’s best Cinerama cities boxofficewise. Stanley still has “South Sea Ad¬ ventures” in reserve to follow “Windjammer” when the latter falters—a time that’s still far in the distance, according to present indications. Academy s Method of Picking Foreign Nominees Via Overseas Governments Certain provisions of the Gov¬ ernment’s consent decree judg¬ ments against the film companies might apply to the television ac¬ tivities of the former defendants if the Paramount case judgments should be applicable to the tv op¬ erations, the antitrust division of the Dept, of Justice informed Fed¬ eral District Court Judge Edmund L. Palmieri last week. The Gov¬ ernment’s view was contained in an overall report of the television -operations of the film companies prepared by Assistant Attorney General Maurice Silverman, who has been handling antitrust mat¬ ters relating to the film industry. The report was prepared at the request of Judge Palmieri who became interested in the tv activi¬ ties of the film companies during a hearing involving National Thea- j tres’ takeover of National Tele¬ film Associates. The judge was par- J ticularly concerned in an interest held at that time by 20th-Fox in an NTA subsidiary. The Government report notes three major provisions of the con¬ sent judgments where tv activities might conflict with the Federal rulings—(1) the licensing injunc¬ tions, (2) provisions to the acqui¬ sition of theatres and leasing of theatres, and (3) injunctions relat¬ ing to the divorced companies go¬ ing into the business from w’hich they were divorced. Of eight licensing injunctions, the Government feels that two would be particularly applicable; the injunction against conditioning the licensing of one picture on one or more othef features, and the one that forbids the licensing of pictures except on a theatre by theatre basis, solely upon the mer¬ its and without discrimination in favor of affiliated theatres, circuit theatres or others. Rapped by Importers as Absurdity British Mom & Dad London, March 10. Associated British Cinemas’ “back-to-the-cinema” campaign got away with advertisements remainding husbands not to neglect their wives, but to take them for an evening out at the cinema. Now the publicity has switched and is directed at housewives. “Husbands are people, too!” says the ad., “When your husband comes home with the worries of the world tell him you’ve planned an evening out together—to¬ night! Don’t take your hus¬ band for granted—take him out to the “pictures.” Oscarcast P.A/s Charge NBC Slow Filmites assigned to the task of promoting the Academy Award telecast, which will be seen on NBC, have charged that the net¬ work’s press department is offer¬ ing lacklustre cooperation in pub¬ licizing the event. According to one film official, the NBC press department is showing little in-1 terest in the telecast, although the i show is expected to attract one of the largest audiences. of the year. - Independent distributors of im¬ ports are beefing about the method used by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in accept¬ ing nominations for the foreign film Oscar. The indies for the most part feel the procedure should be changed to conform to the realities of the American market release. At the moment, the Academy ac¬ cepts nominations submitted by foreign governments on behalf of the local industries. These nomina¬ tions have no relation to the re¬ lease of a picture in the States, nor —maintain the indies—are the offi¬ cial agencies necessarily qualified to submit what is truly the best fi!m. The five-nominations for 1958 in¬ cluded: “Arms and the Man” (Hel- den)—Germany: “La Venganza”— Spain; J< My Uncle”—France; “The Road a Year Long”—Yugoslavia: “The Usual Unidentified Thieves” (I Soliti Ignoti)—Italy. A total of 10 films from as many countries were viewed by the Academy se¬ lection committee. To be eligible, a film did not have to have sub¬ titles, nor did it have to be released commercially in the U.S. It did ! have to be circulated overseas ; during 1958. i A good many of the indies, | though naturally not an outfit like i Continental Distributing, which owns “Mon Oncle,” feel that the selection method should somehow take them into account and that the nomination of a foreign film should bear some relation to its release in the States. The reason¬ ing is partly commercial since the indies would like to be able to cash in on the picture finally hon¬ ored by the Academy. One problem that’s recognized in that connection is that,_if the System The report also states that It’s conceivable that situations might arise which would bring into play the licensing injunctions relating to the granting of clearances, par¬ ticularly those enjoining distribu¬ tors and exhibitors from agreeing to maintain a system of clearances and from granting any clearance between theatres not in substan¬ tial competition. The Government points out that the Paramount judgments enjoin the divorced circuits from acquir¬ ing any additional theatres with¬ out the consent of the Federal Court. In addition, the report calls attention to certain other provi¬ sions of the judgments relating to theatre interests, which conceiv¬ ably would have application in certain situations. These include decree prohibitions against co- ownership of theatres by circuit defendants; partnerships with ac- (Continued on page 10) Although other departments of the network are lending full-scale assistance to the film industry, all that can be obtained from the press department is “double talk,” al¬ leged the film industryite. As an example, he cited the fact that NBC sent out a release on the re¬ cent Academy Award nominations two days after the official an¬ nouncement. “They (the press de¬ partment) made the most beautiful presentation,” he added. “The re¬ port reads like a charm, but I haven’t seen anything yet that re¬ sembles a campaign. I simply can’t find out what they’re doing.” He indicated that NBC was sup¬ posed to have appointed a press liaison, but that every time he gets in touch with the person charged with the job, the Individual is un¬ able to answer questions as to what is being done or accomplished. ‘They’re so busy handling other shows,” he said, “that they don’t seem to have time for us.” ] Academy were to confine its nom- ] inations to pictures released in the j States, it could end up giving an ; Oscar to a film that’s four or five \ years old. Some of the best im- • ports have hit the U.S. after that ! long delay. If, on the other hand, i a picture gets the Academy nod ! before it’s sold in this country, the j indies say the price quoted them by the local producer would then j skyrocket out of sight and reach. Forei<m Press Assn. ‘Globes’ [Hayward, Niven, Kaye, Russell Win ’Em] Hollywood. March 10. Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.’s Golden Globe awards went to “The Defiant Ones” for best picture, and Susan Hayward and David Niven for best dramatic actress and actor, respectively. Actress copped nod for “I Want to Live” and actor for “Separate Tables." Danny Kaye and Rosalind Russell were kudosed as best actor and actress in a comedy, for “Me and the Colonel” and “Auntie Marne,” respectively. Maurice Chevalier won the Cecil B. DeMille Award for “outstanding contributions and achievements to the en¬ tertainment industry.” World Film Favorites, as polled by foreign press, were Rock Hudson and Deborah Kerr. Burl Ives for his work in “The Big Country” and Hermione Gingold, for “Gigi,” copped Globes for best supporting actor and actress. Vincente Minnelli won the best director pat, for “Gigi.” Best awards for musical, for comedy and for picture promotion of international understanding went to “Gigi,” “Auntie Marne” and “Inn of the Sixth Happiness,” respec¬ tively. ' The new Samuel Goldwyn International Film Award, for best picture produced outside the U.S., was given to the Indian fea¬ ture, “Two Eyes, Twelve Hands.” Shirley MacLaine was named “the most versatile actress of the year.” ’ In television, Golden Globes were awarded Ann Sothern, Paul Coates, Loretta Young, Red Skelton, Ed Sullivan and producer William Orr. Vancouver Festival Gets Foreip Rim Delivery Via Diplomatic Pouch Vancouver, March 10. Russian gambit, bringing film en¬ tries in via diolomatic pouch thus sidestepping Canada customs and excise levies, as for last year’s Van¬ couver International Festival, has become gimmick for all countries for film fest here this summer. Invites to submit films in 13 cate¬ gories have gone direct to embas¬ sies of 21 countries, and 17 have acknowledged they will route com¬ peting celluloid in this mode. Nothing has been heard from Russian embassy in Ottawa as yet, and it’s a switch from last year’s eager submissions, possibly because this film cavalcade is non-competi¬ tive in the feature film class. Plaques will be awarded for docu¬ mentary spoolage, and there’s a dozen such entered to date, but little else. Fest is using “personal touch.” with a rep soliciting diplomats in Ottawa where countries have “of¬ ficial film centres,” being most na¬ tions except America, Canada and Britain. There’s anxiety to get American feature entries, states Stan Fox, selection headman, and snag is as last year, a matter of timing. “They won’t hold (release) back just to enter the festival,” he said. Some 500 comeohs have gone out to world’s film studios. C&G Film Effects Inc. has be£n authorized to conduct a motion pic¬ tures business in New York. Cap¬ ital stock is 200 shares, no par value. Myron Saland is a director and filing attorney.