Variety (March 1959)

Wednesday, March 11, 1959 PfaUETf PICTURES 17 New York Sound Track TOERFRONT&‘CAINE’ IN APRIL REISSUES The rumor mill: Technicolor looking to buy the Pathe Labs in N.Y. This would give TC black-and-white and also Eastman color processing facilities which it needs. Confidence that both the United States and Soviet Russia will partici¬ pate* in this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival was ex¬ pressed in N.Y. last week by Irvin Levine, exec director of the fest. Affair, in its third year, is skedded for Nov. 11-24. Authors Guild staged its annual Book Awards Week authors-and-re- viewers’ panel discussion at Hotel Warwick last Wed. (4) with Alistaire Cooke as moderator. Subject: “Whose Decade Was the 1950’s?”. . . It belonged, said the pundits, to the social scientists, the suburbs, non¬ fiction, fear of Russia, the novelists’ inability to see the whole econ¬ omy because of its sheer complexity . . . the points were stressed that (a) last week’s literary prizes all went to west coast writers employed at universities, and (b) that critics too often praised junk . . . one speaker from the floor challenged the Book-of-the-Month influence and derided “commercial tie-up” as corrupting taste and book-selling naming the “absurdly extravagant praise” of. James Gould Cozzens’ recent novel, “By Love Possessed.” Jeannette Scovotti, sister of film critic Jim Scovotti (Films In Re¬ view), will make her operatic debut in five major U.S. cities. The coloratura soprano, recipient of a 1959 Fulbright scholarship and win¬ ner of the N.Y. Singing Teachers’ Assn.’s Young Artists Concert An¬ nual, will make her debut at the N.Y. City Center as Monica in the April 24 performance of Menotti’s “The Medium.” Films In Review’s Eleanor H. Nash reviewing “Seen Any Good Mov¬ ies Lately?” speaks of William K. Zinsser, former film critic of N.Y. Herald-Trib as “ always genteel, and never original ... he gets off his bromides in the tone of a literary lion in suburbia.. . actress Fritxi Max, because she was just the right type, was shipped to Florida to star in a one-minute film produced by McConnachie for National Safe¬ ty Council . . . Pat Hazard will conduct workshop in all the pop media including films at U. of Pennsylvania this summer. Harold Rand, publicity manager for Walt Disney’s Buena Vista firm, is off on one of his pixie kicks again. He’s offering a “publicity spring | clearance sale” with 20% to 44% off “on 1958 material not planted to date.” His merchandise includes “shorts, features, layouts, hand¬ outs, adjectives and promises.” Previously Rand offered newsmen green stamps for each item of Disney publicity published . . . Gina Lol- lobridgida set to co-star with Frank Sinatra in Metro’s “Never So Few.” . . . Joe Wolhandler, formerly v.p. in charge of the Rogers & Cowan N.Y. office, has set up his own publicity shop . . . Ray Long, former Broadway dancer-actor who turned to professional photography in 1946, is clicking in his new field. He did all the camera work on Dy¬ namic Films’ “Psychiatric Nursing,” just nominated for an Academy Award in the feature length documentary category ... Morris Eben- stein, former copyright attorney for Warner Bros, and now a mem¬ ber of the firm of Zissu, Marcus, Ebenstein and Stein, N.Y.-to-L.A.’d to address the Los Angeles Copyright Society on Monday (9). Elizabeth 'Taylor will do a brief personal in stepson Michael Todd Jr.’s “Scent of Mystery” now being filmed in Spain under British pho¬ tographer-turned-director Jack Cardiff’s megaphoning. It’s in 70m process, not Todd-AO. Peter Lorre and Beverley Bentley are the leads: Miss Taylor’s personal will be part of the “Scentovision” gimmick which marks young Todd’s debut with the “smelliest technique. Ned Mann on special effects; Vincent Korda, art director, is also associate pro¬ ducer on this chore. UA will probably do the general release after the first 40 roadshow engagements. N.Y. World-Telegram & Sun, via amusements ad manager Martin Dickstein, reviving the Academy sweepstakes, a public balloting with $3,500 in prizes including $2,000 top prize; $500 for runriferup picker of the Oscar winnahs; $250 third prize; $100 fourth and a flock of 50s, 20s and 10s thereafter. Philip Barry Jr.’s second producer chore for Metro will be “The '‘Golden Fleecing,” pre-Broadway production by Lorenzo Semple, fol¬ lowing “The Mating Game”. . . Sidney Poitier cast as star of Hall Bartlett’s “All the Young Men”. . .’’The Death of Charlemagne Per- alte,” dealing with U.S. Marines’ occupation of Haiti in 1915,’ will be produced for United Artists by Hellman-Hill Productions, to be di¬ rected by Broadway director George Roy Hill. William Goetz bought George Campbell novel, “Cry for Happy,” as fourth indie he’s prepping for Columbia Pictures release, others be¬ ing “A Magic Flame,” “The Mountain Road” and “The Time of the Dragons”. . . Albert Band and Louis Garfinkle will produce “Wake of the Drunken Sailor” in Sweden this July, in color and Agascope, ana- morphic process developed by Aga Labs, Stockholm . . > W. R. Burnett set to script “The Sea Nymph,” original by Steve Fisher, for Edward L. Alperson. The Postmaster General sent United Artists a letter with his deci¬ sion (which was no decision) re the use of the Goya painting in the “Naked Maja” ad. UA never got the letter. It was lost in the mails . . . Ernest Hemingway has excerpted his w’orks for an evening of dramatic readings in the theatre . . . UA and Harry Belafonte have been talking about the “West. Side Story” film project . . - Director Robert Wise working on a picture biog of the late Robert Capa who died in Indo-China while on an assignment... Max E. Youngstein taking his children to the Coast later this week ... Eric Johnston, home¬ ward bound from Asia, talked to his office from Honolulu and, for once, said he was eager to be done with travelling and to get home. He got back Saturday (7) . . . Group of Soviet film negotiators due in the States second or third week in March. The Russians still have a film to pick under the exchange deal. They originally wanted “Bridge on the River Kwai,” but Sam Spiegel changed his mind and wouldn’t let ’em have it. Leo F. Samuels, former president of Buena Vista, recovered from a leg injury, wifi .be ready to tell about his next business post short¬ ly .. . Dino DeLaurentiis back to his Rome base . . . Van Heflin, who’s already gone on two bally tours for Paramount’s “Tempest,” eame into Gotham from the Coast-at the weekend preparatory to his third. He’ll be off today (Wed.) for Buffalo, then Toronto, Chicago and other points . . . Vera Miles blew town for London and film work with Ivan Foxwell Prods. . . . Edith Head is here touting her book, “The Dress Doctor,” Bemie Kamber’s (Hecht - Hill - Lancaster pub-ad chief) departure from bachelorhood was duly noted at a dinner at Toots Shor’s last week, with comedians Jack Leonard and Allan King providing the fire¬ works ... With drive-in theatres now eligible for Small Business Ad¬ ministration loans, Theatre Owners of America’s N.Y. office now car¬ ries a supply of SB A loan informational guides and a complete list¬ ing of all SBA offices where applications may be filed. Cnrt Jurgens will star and Edward Dmytryk direct Jack Cummings’ “The Blue Angel” for 20th-Fox release ... Roy Rowland^bought Wade Miller novel, “Mad Baxter,” for indie production . . . 20th-Fox lifted Stuart Whitman’s option, with next assignment to be “The Hound Dog Man”. , . Art Gilmore will narrate Paramount’s reissue of “Old Iron¬ sides,” 1926 silent starring Charles Farrell, Esther Ralston, Wallace Beery and George Bancroft. Private sale offering “Mike Todd’s fabulous mural of Place Ven- dome, Paris, in his Park Ave. penthouse. 5-by-10 mounted and elec¬ trified” to highest bidder. Nat Rudich, eastern representative, to the Coast to confer with O. Preminger and pub-ad chief Dave Golding. Rudich will remain on the Coast until “Anatomy of a Murder” moves out to its Ishpeming, Mich. “On the Waterfront” and “The Caine Mutiny,” two of Columbia’s top-grossing films of the recent past, will be reissued in April- The film company will follow the same policy that proved successful with the re-release of “From Here to Eternity” last year. The pix, according to the company, will be handled as if they were new films, with new advertising and promo¬ tion campaigns. The films will be sold either as single features or as a double-bill package. "Waterfront” and “Caine” were originally released in the summer of 1954. Hollywood Production Pulse ALLIED ARTISTS Starts, This Year.. .. 2 This Date, Last Year ...... 5 "THE BIG CIRCUS"- (Saratoga Prods.) (Shooting at Metro) Prod.—Irwin Allen Dir:—Joseph Newman Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming, Kathryn Grant, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Gilbert Roland, Adele Mara, David Nelson (Started Jan. 8) Havana Casinos Continued from page 2 into effect to insure that native Hahaneros stayed out of the green baize centres. The operators are generally a much’sadder group at present than they were under the fallen Batista regime, which while it exacted onerous amounts, at least allowed the casinos to permit all to play at the tables-with the casinos keeping 50% of the amount taken out of the heavily played slots. The government also announced a new set of rules and tariffs for the . casinos. Casino licenses will be granted only to hotels that cost at least $5,000,000 and night clubs that cost $1,000,000. This would eliminate the now closed casinos at the Plaza, Deauville and Sevilla Biltmore. Gambling taxes will be $5,000 monthly for the first seven tables with the eighth tables taxed at $1,000 and $55 for each additional table, provided spot is open only from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Added im¬ poses are levied if casinos open earlier. Under the prior regime the casinos opened at noon. An operator will also be re¬ quired to post a $50,000 bond with the Institute of Savings & Housing and prove financial reliability. A foreigner who operates a casino will also have to present a certifi¬ cate of approval signed by an offi¬ cial of the embassy representing his country. Casino workers, dis¬ missed when gambling stopped od New Year’s Day, must be rehired and paid for the time the casinos were inoperative. This has«already been complied .with and workers were given seven weeks’ salary. COLUMBIA Starts, This Year . 5 This Date, Last Year . 8 "ADAMSON IN AFRICA" (Warwick Prods.) (Shooting in Africa) Prods.—Irving AUen, A. R. Broccoli Robert Taylor, Anne Aubrey, Gregory Aslan, Martin Broddy. Anthony Newley (Started Feb. 16) "THE CRIMSON KIMONO" (Globe Ent.) Prod.—Samuel Fuller , Dir.—Samuel Fuller - Victoria Shaw, James Shigeta, Anna lee, Jacklyne Green, Gloria PaU, Glen Corbett, Paul Dubov (Started Feb. 16) "THE LEGEND OF TOM DOOLEY" (Shpetner Prods.) Prod.—Stan Shpetner Dir.—Ted Post Michael Landon, Jo Morrow, Jack Hogan, Richard Rust, Ken Lynch, Dee PoUock, Ralph Moody. Howard Wright, John Cliff, Jeffrey Morris, Anthony Jochim, Jason Johnson, Cheerio Meredith (Started March 2) "BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA" (Morningside Piets. Corp.) Prod.—Charles Schneer. Dir.—Paul Wendkos Cliff Robertson, Gia Scala, Gene Blake¬ ley, Patricia Cutts (Started March 6) Holmes. James Philbrook, Joanna Hayes, Theodore Bikel (Started Dec. 1) "SAY ONE FOR ME" Prod.—Frank Tashlin Dir.—Frank Tashlin Bing- Crosby, Debbie Reynolds,. Robert Wagner, Connie Gilchrist. Ray Wal¬ ston, Frank McHugh, Alena Murray* Les Tremayne, Nina Shipman, Stella Stevens, Rachel Stephens. Hank Mann. Minta Durfee, Judy Harriet, Harry Carter, Henry Armstrong (Started Dec. 15) "THE MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD WOMEN" Prod.-Dir.—Nunnally Johnson Leslie Caron, Henry Fonda, Cesare Danova, Myron McCormick, Conrad Nagle, Marcel Dalio, Jack Kruschen, Edwin Jerome, Hank Henry, Nina 'HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS" Prod.—David Weisbart Dir.—Henry Levin Jane Wyman, Clifton Webb, Gary - Crosby, Carol Lynley, JiU St. John, Nico Minardos. Marjorie Bennett, Nora O’Mahoney (Started Feb. 9) WARNER BROS. Starts, This Year . 1 This Date, Last Year . 2 "A SUMMER PLACE" (Shooting at Monterey) Dir.—Delmer Daves Richard Egm. Dorothy McGuire, Sandra Dee, Arthur Kennedy, Troy Donahue, Constance Ford (Started Feb. 26) METRO Starts, This Year . 2 This Date, Last Year .. 6 ‘Blacklist’ "IT STARTED WITH A KISS" (Shooting in Spain) . Prod.—Aaron Rosehberg Dir.—George MarshaU Glenn Ford, Debbie Reynolds, E- Gabor, Gust-.vo Rojo, Fred Clark (Started March 1) PARAMOUNT Starts, This Year .. 4 This Date, Last Year. .3 Continued from page 1 — Committee hearings back in 1947, when the industry adopted its of¬ ficial policy of not employing Com¬ munists or known former Commu¬ nists, a blacklist has existed in Hol¬ lywood^ It has driven a good many performers and creative artists to seek employment abroad. Some of them, having recanted before Con¬ gressional committees and through other channels, have been rein¬ stated in the studios’ good graces. Others are still unacceptable. ‘Small - World” ventured into rarely-trod ground in tackling the topic. Zanuek revealed that, be¬ cause it was felt that public opinion was still against her, 20th-Fox had opposed his use of Miss Bergman in “Anastasia.” He commented “There have been some very tal¬ ented people that have been, let me say, blacklisted, for want of a better word, but they’ve been ; in the minority.” “ I To which Miss Bergman replied: “You mean, they are less blacklist¬ ed if they have talent,” and Zanuek agreed. "ONE-EYED JACKS" (Pennebaker Prods.! . m .. Exec. Prods.—George Glass, Walter Seltzer „ Prod-—Frank P. Rosenberg Dir.—Marlon Brando * _ . Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado. Pina Bellicer, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Timothy Carey. Ray Teal. Sam Gilman. Larry Duran, Lisa Lu, John Dierkes, Mickey Finn. Wil¬ liam Forrest, Clem Harvey, Henry Wills, Maria Monay, Marguerite Cor¬ dova (Started Dec. 2) "BUT NOT FOR ME" „ . Prods.—William Perlberg, George Seaton Dir.—Walter Lang Clark Gable, CrrroU Baker, Lilli Palmer, Lee J. Cobb. Barry Coe, Thomas Gomez, Helen Jay. Tom Duggan, Charles Lane. WendeU Holmes (Started Jan. 12) "HELLER WITH A GUN" Prods.—Carlo Ponti, Marcello Girosl Dir.—George Cukor _ Sophia Loren, Steve Forrest, Margaret O'Brien, Anthony Quinn, Eilee" Heckart, Edmund Lowe (Started Jan. 19) "TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE". (Shooting in Africa) _ Prods,—Sol Weintraub, Harvey Hayu- tion Dir.—John Guilkerxnan „ Gordon Scott, Sara Shane; Anthony Quayle. Niall McGinnis (Started Feb. 6> "CAREER" (Hal Wallis Prod.) Prod.—Hal B. Wallis Dir.—Joseph Anthony Dean Martin. Anthony Franclosa. Shir¬ ley MaoLaine, Carolyn Jones (Started Feb. 23) 20th CENTURY-FOX Starts, This Year . 2 This Date, Last Year . 9 “WOMAN OBSESSED" Prod.—Sydnev Boehm Dir.—Henry Hathaway „ _ Susan Hayward, Stephen Boyd. Ken Scott. Barbara Nichols, Dennis location . . . Euan Lloyd has been named European supervisor of ad¬ vertising, publicity and exploitation of Samuel Goldwyn’s “Porgy and Bess.” He’ll operate from Columbia’s London headquarters . . . Reis¬ sue showing of David O. Selzniek’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” set for the Guild Theatre, N.Y, by NTA Pictures . . . TV-screenwriter J. P. Miller off to Europe to see the Paris legit production of Irwin Shaw’s novel, “Lucy Crown,” which Miller will convert to the screen for Hecht-Hill-Lancaster. He’ll also visit London and Rome to ar¬ range for the production of his play, “Madonna and Child,” which is set for Broadway next season . . . Doug Nedder, a Samuel Goldwyn Productions exec, off to Europe on company business . . . Producer William Goetz has Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra for his upcom¬ ing Franz Liszt biopic for Columbia, “A Magic Flame." „ Producer- director Richard Quine is in Europe to scout locations for “The Image Makers.”. . . Dan Terrell, Metro’s eastern publicity manager, to the Coast for studio conferences ... Producer Pandro Berman came to Gotham for the opening of Tennessee Williams’ new play, “Sweet Bird of Youth.” He’ll produce the film version for Metro. Berman plans to remain in N.Y. for two weeks, during which he’ll seek talent for three other pix on his production schedule. INDEPENDENT Starts, This Year .75 This Date, La ft Year . 22 'THE UNFORGIVEN" (Hecht-HaU-Lancaster for UA) (Shooting in Durango. Mex.) Prod.—James Hill Dir.—John Iluston Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn, Audie Murphy, John Saxon. Lillian Gish, Charles Bickford, Joseph Wiseman, Albert S.-*Jm ; , June Walker, Carlos Rivas. Kipp Hamilton, Doug McClure (Started Jan. 12) ON THE BEACH" (Kramer Prods, for U4) (Shooting in Australia! Prod.-Dir.—Stanley Kramer Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire. Anthony Perkins, Donna Andersen <■* (Started Jan. 15) OPERATION PETTICOAT" (Granart Prod.) (Shooting in Key West, Fla.) Prod.—Robert Arthur Dir.—Blake Edwards Cary Gr'.nt, Tony Curtis, Arthur O’Con¬ nell, Gene Evans. Dick Sargent, Joan O’Brien, Dim MerriU, Gavin McLeod (Started Jan. 19) SPARTACUS" (Bryna Prods.) Prod.—Edward Lewis Dir.—Anthony Mann Kirk Douglas. Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons, Charles Laugh¬ ton. Peter Ustinov, John Gavin. John Dali, Nina Foch, John Ireland. Charles McGr&w (Started Jan. 27) ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS" (Arvrin) Prods.—Ross Hunter. Martin Melcher Dir.—Michael Gordon Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter. Nick Adams (Started Feb. 10) 'ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW" (Hartbel Prods, for UA) (Shooting in N.Y.) Exec. Prod.—Phil Stein Prod.-Dir.'—Robert Wise Harry Belafonte. Robert Ryan, Shelley Winters, Gloria Grahame, Ed Begley (Started Feb. 24) “THE RETURN OF THE FLY" (Associated Producers for 20th-Fox) Prod.—Bernard Glasser Dir.—Edward Bernds Vincent Price. David Frankham, John Sutton, Dany Seymour, Danielle De Metz (Started March 3> Showing Center SS Continued from page 5 it will have product to keep its houses humming. Byrne called for a truce in the running (verbal) battle between producers and exhibs. Both, he says in effect, should get down to business and work together. He had some kind and considerate words to say about exhibitors, so often the whipping boys of Holly¬ wood. For they are investing their “lives and their fortunes” In their operations, have the greatest faith in the future of fi’ms and are back¬ ing this faith with everything they’ve got. Byrne concedes that there are exhibs who are content to coast with outmojded facilities or other¬ wise substandard operation. He admits that criticism of some ex¬ hibs and their casual approach to showing of films, is justified, But this eroup is a minority, he Insists, ana same kind of minority every business has, and exhibs as a whole are a hustling, energetic lot, spending their own money to maintain their theatres, .and as eager to sell good pictures as Hol¬ lywood is to make them. Here for a week for huddles with 1 stud’o toppers. Byrne re- . turned to the homeoffice over the weekend.