Variety (March 1959)

26 PICTURES JsRmOfi Wednesday, March 11, 1959 Latest Kind of Censor-Wedge Exalts ‘Prior Disapproval’ Emphasis Harrisburg. Pa., March 10. 1 The power of non-positive cen¬ soring will get a whirl if a new bill introduced in the State Senate here wins legislative approval. Pre-censoring in Pennsylvania previously was forced to hang up its blue pencil after losing two straight falls to the State and U.S. Supreme Courts. The old law re¬ quired prior approval from the state censor before any movie could be shown in the common¬ wealth. The new’ law seeks to get around the court ruling by doing aw’ay with the positive approach of the old statute. Instead of censor ap¬ proval before a film can be shown, the new law would prohibit show¬ ing of feature disapproved by the censor. Sen. William J. Lane, a Demo¬ crat from Washington, Pa., Says the change in emphasis from prior approval to prior disapproval will make the law. constitutional. There is some doubt, however, that ac¬ centuating the negative negatives will be any more constitutional than the old approach. Pennsylvania still has a law on •its books which allows for censor¬ ship after a show’ opens. This edict is currently under fire in the courts. GEOGRAPHY IN TITLE K.C. To Host Heart-of- America Convention March 24-26 Kansas City, March 10. Annual spring meeting of exhibs is to be held here March 24-26, and known for the first time as the United Theatre Owners of the Heart of America convention. The entire show floor of the Ho¬ tel Muehlebach has been reserved for what is expected to be one of the largest equipment shows ever held here. Program details are Press Attack on Exhib Ends USSR Film Albany, March 10. Hugh M. Flick, former state film censor and present executive as- - . sistant to James E. Allen, Jr., pow forming, and complete agenda State Education Commissioner, has , is to be announced shortly by or- been appointed Associate Commis- I ganization officials, sioner for Cultural Education and 1 Special Services (a new position— effective March 20, at an annual salary of $18,500. The appointment was made Fri¬ day (27) by Commissioner. Allen. Flick’s present job pays-$15,000. Oscar Nominations Studio Breakdown British Columbia Good Market Otherwise for Foreign Features—Province** Merry Censor One Vote Saves Kansas Censors Kansas City, March 10. Motion picture censorship in. Kansas apparently will continue j Metro . . . 7 unabated despite a recent raging \ United Artists Controversy. A bill in the slate 1 TVVC | Herewith an analysis of the eli- . gibles for Oscar awards as dis- ; closed last w'eek in Hollywood by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Nom- ina- •„ Company Pictures tions • or Studio Involved Total Oscar-Worthies By Pictures As is typical at the nomination period, just before the voting be¬ gins within the Hollywood film colony, some releases of the pre¬ vious year have multiple nomina¬ tions. Here is a check-list of the two-or-more nominations pictures for 1968: Film Noms “The Defiant Ones” (UA).9 “Gigi” (Metro) .9 “Separa'e Tables” (UA) .7 “Auntie Marne” (WB) . 6 “Cat, Hot Tin Roof” (Metro).... 6 “I Want to Live" (UA) . 6 “Some Came Running” (Jftetro). .5 “A Certain Smile” (20th).3 “Old Man and Sea” (WB)......3 “Smjth Pacific" (Ma^ra) .3 “The Young Lions” (20ih) ... “Bell, Book Cand’e” 'Col) . “The Big Country” (UA).2 “Houseboat” (Par) . .2 “Journey Into Spring (Scheon.). .2 “Teacher’s Pel” (Par) .2 legislature which would have abol¬ ished the tliree-w’oman Board of Review was lost in committee when a deciding vote was cast against it by Clark Kuppinger, chairman, from Prairie Village, K. C.. suburb. Another bill which would outlaw the film censorship continues in the Senate, but has not yet been acted upon: - It is expected to be hotly contested when it comes up for consideration. In 1957 the legisla¬ ture first knocked out censorship, then gave it an eleventh hour* re¬ prieve. Private citizenry, officialdom, fourth estate and the industry have all entered into • the controversy^ Newspapers are generally opposing, censorship, while the public pulse runs both ways. - Spirited editorials have appeared against' censorship in Wichita and Kansas City paners. Reviewing is carried on in Kan¬ sas City, Kansas, and a charge of $1.75 per reel foi* each reel of every print used in the state is made to provide funds to support the board. It has ordered clips from films such as “Case of Dr. Laurent,” “And God Created Woman,” “Garden of Eden” and others and has thereby 3 : prevented showing of these pic- 2 : tures in Kansas. Warner Bros... 5 20th-Fox ..5 Paramount ......... _5 Walt Disney .......... 4 Columbia 3 Lester A. Schoenfeld Films ........ . 2 Continental Distributing 2 Magna Theatre Corp. .. 1 Bavaria Filmkunst ... 1 George Brest Associates 1 Dynamic Films.1 . Guion Producciones Cinematograficas .... 1 Hughes Aircraft Co. ... 1 Jadrah Film. 1 Lux-Vkies-Cmeeitta .... 1 National Film Board of Canada 1 Rank Film Distributors.. 1 Small World-Co. . .... 1 Specia-Gray-Alter Films in association with Films del Centaure .. 1 United Nations Film Service .;. .' 1 Universal-International I “Vertigo” (Par) “White Wilderness” (Disney) IATSE Inspectresses PACE OF PIC EXPORTS STEADY: U.S. COMMERCE Washington, March 10. Little overall change is ftfund in U.S. exports on motion picture films and equipment in 1958 and 1957, Commerce Department re- Columbus, March 10. With Gov. Michael V. DiSalle op¬ posing film censorship, the fate of several bills on the subject, recent¬ ly introduced in the Ohio Legis¬ lature, is being closely watched by theatre men. Ohio Senate Bill 115, known as , the “Shaw Movie Censorship Bill,” [was the first such proposal intro¬ duced, but has since been followed ' by other proposals, including Hbuse Bill 496, which wouid create an eight-member motion picture clas¬ sification board in the State Dept, of Education at $25 each per day, to classify pictures a-; “family” or adult,” and define an obscene picture; and Senate Bill .241, which companion bill to House Bill 496 . . . Also introduced in the House' was House Bill 517, which removes the statutory exemption of motioh pictures and publications entered as second-class matter from nuisance prosecution, and House Bill 515, which eliminates from code relative to obscene lit¬ erature prohibition of sales of newspapers, magazines, and books devoted principally to crime and police news. First Under Pension in , 58 was S43368j0 5 0 Albany, March 10. ; compared to exports of $43,474,207 The first to file appl'cations j the year before, here, for pensions under the | Compilation made from prelim-. IATSE’s new plan, are a pair of, inary Census Bureau figures by I reversal of the conviction of Syl- long-time inspectresses: Sonhie Commerce’s Scientific, Motion Pic- \ van Rothschild, then owner-man- Minton, now with Metro and for ture and Photogranhic Products | ager of the Sunset Cruise-In Thea- years with the old Universal ex- Division reveals "that while there j tre, on two charges—one forbid- change; Mrs. Ann Hasbrourk re- was a moderate increase in exports i ding possession of obscene films. Prosecutor Loathe To Accept ‘Eden* Defeat; Goes to Ohio Tribunal Davton, March 10. Because the judges of the Appel¬ late Court failed to view the film in the case, the Ohio Supreme Court has been asked . by Mont¬ gomery County assistant prosecut¬ ing attorneys Herbert M. Jacobson and James J. Gilvary to reverse the Appeals Court and uphold a lower court conviction of a Dayton drive-in theatre owner on charges that stemmed from the Oct. 8 ,1956, showing of the nudist film, “The Garden of Eden.’ Pair filed a brief to appeal the cently separated* from the Colum-!of unexposed motion picture film bia payroll.: j (rawstock), this was more than> off- They are eligible^for pensions, as j set by decreased exports of ex- members of Local B-43 (comprising backroom workers). They will also be eligible for Social Security benefits. When the pension application is approved. Miss Minton will drop off the MGM staff. He Most Die’ Very Alive With the French* “He Who Must Die” maintaining a strong pace at the .Beekman Theatre, N. Y„ Ru- goff & Becker has decided to give the house permanent firstrun sta¬ tus. A 600-seater, built by N. Y. Life Insurance as part of a devel¬ opment, the Beekman is located at Second Ave. and 66 th St. The R & B reasoning is that the east side is certain to expand fur¬ ther. Also, the business done by “He Who.Must Die” has convinced the outfit that the theatre now has a large and continuing patron¬ age to draw on, so that the first- run status is warranted. According to Clem Perry, v.p. and general manager of the chain, “He Who Must Die” stands a good chance of an extended run. After that, two more films are booked to bow at the Beekman. posed feature films and most class¬ es of. motion picture equipment. Nathan D. Golden, the division’s director, also pointed out that ex¬ ports of 8 m motion picture cam¬ eras and projectors were main¬ tained at a high level. Exports of unexposed motion picture film in ’58 totaled 587,923,- 255 linear'feet valued at $16,287,- 879, some 30,000,000 feet higher than 1957 exports (worth $14,784,- 138 that year).- Most of the in¬ crease was in 8 m film. Exports of exposed'motion pic¬ ture feature films, both 35m and 16m,- amounted to 321,856,505 linear feet valued at $11,592,907 in *58, approximately 19,000*^)00 lin¬ ear- feet.below ’57 exports of 340,- 245,123 linear feet-Valued at $12,- 000,791. All of the decline was ac¬ counted for by smaller exports of 35m positive feature film. Total exports of all types of mo¬ tion picture equipment, including cameras, projection and sound equipment and studio equipment, during '58 were valued at *$15,487,-. 264, roughly 7 percent under ’57 exports valu°d at $16,689,278. Ex¬ ports of 8 m cameras totaled 57,648 in ’58, against 56,324 the year earlier. and the other prohibiting exhibi¬ tion of films that might induce the viewers to violate state law. On March 5, 1958,tin the Montgomery County Court he was convicted, fined $500 and costs, and the fine suspended. In the appeals court, which held the film was not obscene, the court held Rothschild hot guilty on the second eharge, because “criminal conviction cannot be based upon conjecture as to what might pos¬ sibly be set up in the mind of an¬ other . . .” Rothschild is no longer connected. with the Dayton drive- in, and makes his home In Cin¬ cinnati. EASE SASKATOON B.O. TAX Saskatoon, Sask., March 10. Saskatoon theatre owners have been given a $15,000 break in their 1959 amusement tax payments. New amusement tax legislation brought in by city council boosts from 10c to 15c the maximum tax exempt admission price. The tax on 'admission prices of more than 29e but less than 90c has been lowered to a straight three cents per admission. Previously it varied from three cents to five cents. The scale will apply to all forms of entertainment, as well as mo-- tion picture theatres. Minnesota, Too, Seeks to Censor St, Paul, March 10. Minnesota legislature House law enforcement committee this week is ‘holding hearings on a bill to include motion pictures and bill¬ boards under state restrictions on 'obscene” materials. Action was deferred to permit the hearings at the urging of a St. Paul committee member who said local exhibitors “have been won¬ derfully cooperative in policing the showing of questionable films” and should have, the opportunity to be heard’on the measure which would leave the definition of “obscenity” to the courts, as at present. Rep. Robert Renner of Walker, Minn., one of the measure’s au¬ thors, predicted “the motion pic¬ ture industry will not appear against this bill because it wouldn’t want to appear to favor obscenity.” CONGRESSIONAL RECORD OF ACAD NOMINATIONS Washington, March* Iff, Sen. Thomas H. Kuchel (D- Calif.) had the list of nominees for Academy Awards printed in the Congressional Record and,- In a Senate speech, hailed the U. S. motion picture as “an international messenger,” bringing America “td the doorstep of the most remote villager in all the far-flung places df the world.” Kuchel noted that- American films are a“ vastly admired com¬ modity” throughout the world, in countries which themselves are ma¬ jor motion picture producers as well as in nations which produce none. ‘Thus,” he said, “in India and Ja-. pan, which numerically produce far more pictures than the U. S., our technique, our artistic talent, our writers and our actors and ac¬ tresses are regarded as the acme of the profession.” Vancouver, March 10. More foreign language films for local showing passed rubberstamp of British Columbia censor R. W, McDonald during past seven months than the total of English- speaking celluloid for the entire year, he states. Russian spoolage, longtime “the third language for films around here,” has been nil since, the screening of that coun¬ try’s several entries at Vancouver’s . International Arts Festival last July. Glut of foreign films derives largely via the Rank Organization Odeon circuit, whilst the Red product arrives through Vancouver Peace Council from New World Films distribs, Toronto. Market for Russian features ended with showing of “Zurbnov’s Family,” at Paradise, Odeon film situation downtwn, last fall, states John Dubno, area rep for New World distribs. “Fear is the rea¬ son they (exhibs) aren’t taking any more Russian pictures,”, after the local press berated exhib Bob Fra¬ ser “for Showing propaganda for Russia,” and the biz has also de¬ clined sharply in the east. Dubno waxed eloquent about “aesthetic” and classical aspect of greater number of Russian releases, insist¬ ing there’s a sizable market local¬ ly, as witness attendance at Peace Council screenings in community halls every week, and the pacifist org is lining up lo /\ Chinese col¬ ony leaders to r/a use of one of the many shut /.ed sub-run situa¬ tions close to downtown. Censor r/ports his office lately has monopoly of area’s accredited interpreters, jests he’s losing touch with American tongue and soon “will need ah English in¬ terpreter,” and that tabulation of last year’s scissoring look-see will show “great overbalance” of for¬ eign to indigenous motion pic¬ tures', though figures not yet pre¬ pared. No pix have been “cut” since the Brigitte Bardot “And God Created Woman,” was banned last Spring, he states French and Ital¬ ian flickers, heretofore heavily snipped, show no unacceptable scenes, “at least what we have seen,” of late, and he credits “run- of-mill tastes of immigrant popu¬ lace here” for recent inactivity of censor’s scissors. Latest batch of foreign pix given okay include four Italian, four Chinese; plus odd German, Japanese and French fea¬ tures. Bardot-banned “Woman” pre¬ sumably won’t be resubmitted to British Columbia censor, and there’s scant chance of similar fla¬ vored French pour le sports reach¬ ing local screens according to Nat Levant, Columbia distribs topper in this region. RKO Pan Lease As Is Minneapolis, March 10. Sale for $550,000 of the build¬ ing iii which the RKO Pan Thea¬ tre is located by a group which includes circuit owner Eddie Ru¬ ben to unnamed buyers -will not affect RKO Theatres’ lease oh the 1,470-seat showhouse, third largest here, running to 1963, it’s de¬ clared. Ruben and his associates have owned the building since 1946. In addition to his theatre chain. Ru¬ ben also owns television and radio stations. He himself operated the Pan prior to 1932 when he leased it to RKO Theatres which also have another loop firstrun here*- the Or- pheum. Will Exhibs Help Methods for implementing ex¬ hibitor support for a nationwide - training program to improve film projection will be discussed by Theatre Owners of America at its mid-winter board meeting in. Wash¬ ington March 1-3. George G. Kerasotes, TOA prexy who had issued a call for the es¬ tablishment of a training program, said he had been assured of sup¬ port by RCA Service Co., Altec Service Co., the Theatre Equip¬ ment Dealers A$sn., the Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufac¬ turers Assn, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Em¬ ployees. Offers of cooperation have also come unsolicited from the Mo¬ tion Picture Research Council and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Kerasotes suggested a coordi¬ nated training program after the MPIC issued the results of a two- year study which disclosed that 74% of 700 theatres in 100 U.S. citiess have inferior projection due to mechanical misalignment of op¬ tical equipment. TOA feels that a program can be developed quickly and piit into operation at a minor or no cost to theatreowners.