Variety (March 1959)

'VARIETY'S' UDNDQN OFFICE » Sh MkHi's Wwf/tTnHIwr Square Of Releases Seen Blow tolLS. Pk Frankfurt, March 17. German film distributors, who have long argued that the best way to benefit .the dwindling film business is to offer fewer and bet¬ ter productions, are negotiating now on voluntary limitations. Rule is that the major German, distribs would, each bring out a total of 20 releases, for the 1959-60-release calendar, .each one including 14 German films and six imports. Those who do not handle imports would be allowed several more do¬ mestic products. German total of pictures would be just 100 films, down from the 109 they brought out in 1957 and 1958, they claim. Aim of the self-limitation pro¬ gram, they argue, would be to control the market with a total of not more than 450 to 500 films a year, including all local and im¬ ported products. Last year saw a grand total of 570 pictures com¬ peting for playdates, with the in- dustryites noting nervously that there’s been a steady yearly in¬ crease o\er the 500 fitms-per-year level that they feel would bring the greatest grosses. The 1958 total of 570 was up 41 over the previous year. In return for their voluntary limitation, they’d like the MPEA companies and American indies to follow suit. Total of U.S. films brought in last year was 242, in¬ cluding 205 for MPEA (this total j comprises those brought in for the Berlin Film Fest as well) and the others were indies. MPEA should restrict itself to 175 or 180, argue the Germans, allowing 29 or 25 indies to make up the 200 total of U.S. films they favor. i But, counter American film Ex¬ ecutives, now more than ever they have to contend with Common Market competition. And if they have good films, why not offer them, since this restriction is only voluntary. Many Americans feel that if they yield to German pres¬ sure, next year will see added pressure to drop the number of entrants even more. Yugoslavia Would Build Its Film Industry Via More Co-Prod. Deals Frankfurt, March 17. Yugoslavia is p lannin g to build up its film industry via more co¬ productions. And the country is avidly seeking foreign money and foreign producers to make deals, with some strong hopes, from the U.S. as well as European lands. Possibility of a three-way-deal is looming with France and the U.S. participating on a film titled, “Madame Sans Gene,” with Ma- leno Malenotti of Rome and the Triglav Film of Ljubljana inter¬ ested. Film concerns the French Revolution of 1789 with Gina Lollobrigida in the lead. Belgrade’s Avala Film is plan¬ ning a co-production with Dino de Laurentiis based on Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” with Alessandro Blasetti directing. Production terms of 50% have been arranged between Avala Films and Qldrieh Productions for a $3,000,000 proj¬ ect. “Taras. Bulba,” starring An¬ thony Quinn. Shooting begins in June in Yugoslavia, with the project looming as the biggest production ever filmed in that country. Bosna Films of Sarajewo is working with American producer Steve Shoyer over the rights to a film based on a story by A. Bernstein concerning an American pilot in a foreign war. Assoc. British Buys New House Dundee, March 24. Associated British Cinemas, leading British cinema circuit, has bought the new luxury Capitol Cinema here. Control is effective from May 4. Transaction is part of a deal which will increase instead of reduce the strength of the J. B. Milne cinema groups, which has disposed of the Capitol. Until now the Milne group had on lease from ABC the Plaza cinema here and the King’s, Mont¬ rose. Now, both come completely under its Control. The. Milne firm is also purchas¬ ing the Playhouse, Galashielfis, from ABC. Latest Paris Cinema Makes 5,771 in France Paris, March 24. -Despite falling cinema attend¬ ance and the general uncertainty of film conditions here, a new first-run house opened on the Champs-Elysees March 18. It is the 500 - seater Mercury. This makes 5,771 regular film theatres in France and the 343d house in Paris. It opened with "Bobosse,” a French pic, backed and dis¬ tributed by Paramount. Two more new houses are in the offing with the Ambassade Gau- inont, a 1,200-seater, due on the Champs-Elysees in June, and a new house. La Rotande, in Montpar¬ nasse about the same time. This gives more first-run time to Yank majors. Paris Union in Strike Vs. Legit Paris, March 24. A halfhour warning strike, caus¬ ing curtains to go up that much Hater in nearly all theatre* in Paris, was called by the prexy of the Syn¬ dicate of Actors, Gerald Philipe, llast week (15) as .a first move in [the stalemate with the Syndicate of Theatre Directors over salary de- ! mahds by the SOA. [ Though Sunday is the busiest night of the week for legit, audi¬ ences were tolerant and many, forewarned by press announce¬ ments, came late. French theatres usually start 15 to 30 minutes late anyway. Intermissions were short¬ ened to allow patrons to catch the last subway, an important consid¬ eration in the theatrical time set¬ up here. The SOA wants a 40% boost for minimum standards which calls for a $5 raise per per¬ formance. The union is still refusing and it may soon lead to a fullscale actors' strike which could darken the legit theatrical scene. State-subsidized houses are not involved in this hassle.’ They are the Comedie-Francaise, Opera, Op- era-Comique and the Theatre Na¬ tional Populaire. SOA move is in keeping with the general hike in the cost of living and lagging wage increases. SET 51 PERFORMANCES, OBERAMMERGAU; 1960 Oberammergau, March 17. Some details about the 1960 Passion Play have just been re¬ vealed here, with the Oberam¬ mergau business office once again already receiving requests for tickets for next year’s perform¬ ances. First performance will be May 19, 1960, with the final perform-; ance for a decade on Sept 25. Four performances will take place in May, 11 in June, 13 each for July and August, and 10 for Sept¬ ember, with a total of 51 playings. of the day-long religious drama. Tickets are available only for a combination which includes two overnight lodgings with breakfast, three main meals and service, taxes, registration fee and admis¬ sion. Prices range in five different classes, between 62 German marks (about $15) and 108 German marks (about $27). Each performance begins at 8 A.M. and lasts until 6 ; P.M. with a two-hour break for luhch. Dawes Orb’s Sales Chief London, March 17. Ken Dawes has been named direc¬ tor of sales of Orb Productions in a series of new oppointments, follow¬ ing the resignation of Geoffrey Bernerd as a director of the com¬ pany. Ron Howden has been aPr pointed sales chief and personal assistant to. Nat Miller. Max Maxfield, for many years as¬ sociated with RKO Radio as its press representative, has. joined Orb as a field publicist. UK re-, lease of Orb’s “Nudist Paradise,” filmed anamorphically in Eastman Amalgamated for coupling with “Liane.” PfoSBEfY INTERNATIONAL IS British Pii Prods. Want Easing oF Import Curbs In Arg., Germany, Italy London, March 17. The British Film Producers Assn, is currently making urgent representations to get import re- strictiohs eased in Argentina, Ger¬ many and Italy. Moves result from confident realization that the market for British pix in these countries is expanding and that there are the films to supply the demand. Argentina at present levels a $5,600 levy on a British picture on the day of its release in Buenos Aires, but exemption is granted to 35 feature pix a year. With the year ending on March 31 and with 34 exemptions used, BFPA aims to get the figure upped to at least 50 for the ensuing year: Arthur Watkins, the associations prexy, declares that many films already are waiting to be released. In Germany, the arrangement is that Britain’s allowed to take in 30 pictures without demur, though this is loosely interpreted and the actual figure can be 38 or 34. Al¬ though this has proved adequate in the past two or three years, an increase to at least 40 is being sought. . One snag is that the Germans are hard to convince that some kind of reciprocal deal can’t be ar¬ ranged. They’re worried about the virtual non-appearance of any of their pix on British screens and have been pressing the British Board of Trade—which, as in the case of Argentina, has been negotiating on the producers’ be¬ half—-to get the government here to act accordingly. It’s been point¬ ed out in answer that any and every German film is eligible for showing in Britain, and that it’s up to the Germans themselves to provide good films, well dubbed, to attract U.K., buyers and audi¬ ences. BFPA feels that in the case of Italy, the BOT shouldn’t be in¬ volved but that an agreement to replace the existing one, expiring Aug. 31, should be negotiated in industry-to-industry fashion. Bri¬ tain’s other producer group, the Federation of British Film Makers, is in accord with this and the two bodies are jointly examining the whole position. So far precisely what’s wanted to follow the present licensing scheme, which has been operating for about two years, hasn’t been resolved. But a trip by reps to Rome to make some kind of strenu¬ ous application is considered for the near future. Mrs. Charles Klatt named man¬ ager of the Star Theatre, at Orange Grove, Tex., replacing Jimmy Sallee. House is operated by Paul. Odell, who has also open¬ ed theatres in BishopHand Odem, Tex. Despite Many Problems, Mainly Fdm U. S. Distribs Rush New German Season Frankfurt, March 17. Everyone in the German film business seems to have a different idea of when the 1959-60 selling season starts, with most of the American companies taking the lead over German distributors by several months. Warner Bros, is no. 1, starting its new: season March 1*6. J. Arthur Rank: follows with an April 1 start-df-sale date while Universal begins May 1. Metro announces “not before the first of May” as starting date. 20th-Fox plans to push sales around the end of May or early in June. Paramount hasn’t set its push-off date. German distributors are in gen¬ eral agreement that the new cal¬ endar for them crops up July 15. Frencb-Italian Legiter for Rome Paris, March 24. Because of the success of the Theatre of Nations, which started its third season at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt Friday (20), the fifst French-Italian legit coproduc¬ tion will be unveiled in Rome this week. It is Diego Fabbri’s “Figli D’Arte” (Art’s Children) with Pao¬ lo Stoppa and French actress Fran- coise Spira starring. Success of the TON led to the assumption that risk-sharing on a major theatrical property could be a wise biz ven¬ ture since French audiences re¬ sponded to foreign-lingoed entries. Plan i$ do it in. Italy first and then produce the same production here next season, with French thesps and those Italo actors pro- ► ’ ''Paris, March 24. In spite of the problems facing the film industry here, such as the fate of the Film Aid Law, the ex¬ act standing of governmental film administrative bodies, and the fate of the remaining 40 Yank dubbing visas (the Centre Du Cinema wants to hand these out to Yank majors on a merit basis with the Motion Picture Export Assn, op¬ posing .it), new first-run houses are opening here, production prepara¬ tion is perking and general film spirits are fairly high. The name of Michel Plouvier keeps popping up in governmental Him matters. He is now heading a special inter-ministerial commis¬ sion to define the actual Helds of the various minis tries. This would cover concrete film powers of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and its film body, the Centre Du Cinema, as well as a commission to give a report on economy measures that can be affected in the various gov¬ ernmental bodies, especially in films. Though there is no direct head of the film setup under Andre Malraux’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs yet, Plouvfer’s work is im¬ portant and powerful, and again brings up the future of the CDC which may be streamlined. This also brings up the position of Jacques Flaud. present CDC bead, who has been pronounced in per¬ manently and then out again quite often in the last few months. However, thfe main problem still remains the speedy creation of a new working Film Aid, considered indspensable in some form by both the industry and the Malraux and Antoine Pinay ministries, so that production ran regain its proper rhythm here. Malraux has been presented with new Film Aid plans, to replace the one which runs out next December, by both special governmental conn missions and industry reps. A ficient in French. As a cultural . ——— entry,- it will get state backing ! f. lan has ^adopted by May or from both countries as well as pri¬ vate funds. Raps Pic, Jailed Frankfurt, March 17. West German film journalist Gero Gandert, 29, wound up with a sentence of three years and nine months in an East Berlin jail be¬ cause he sharply criticized a DEFA film, “Under the Teutonic Sword.” The Potsdam court sentenced him for "baiting and spying” and it’s understood that he angered the Commie authorities by giving their film such a bad review. Gan¬ dert went into East Berlin for a visit last AUg. 15, was seized by the police, and held until his trial. the present Aid will be extended jto June, 1960, and then dropped. ! This instability has led to a feel- * ing that protection is necessary and l that foreign film quotas should be even more rigid. Thus, Yanks will be handed the remaining 40 visas by the CDC with special merit vsas going to the majors wh : ch helped French production and distrib with the penalizing of and loss to other majors who did less in this field. By early May the exact attitude of the government and industry should he apparent. How Lopert (Within UA) Will Handle Rank Product in U. S. Market Lopert Films, which is owned by United Artists, nevertheless oper¬ ates with full autonomy within the UA setup and arranges for its own distribution. It will handle the J. Arthur Rank films on that basis. The Lopert outfit dp March 28 will take over the current Rank product and a number, of as- yet unreleased Rank films. The status of Lopert Films was made clear in N.Y. last week by Robert J. Benjamin, chairman of the board of UA. He emphasized that the Lopert organization had to do its own releasing because “there just isn’t any room on the UA schedule for these pictures. We couldn’t handle them.” This holds true for the pictures which Lopert Films handled prior, to being taken over by UA, . and the new ones which it is acquiring, such as “Les Grandes Families,” “Les Spions” and now the Rank pictures. “The unit functions au¬ tonomously,” Benjamin said, “it’s true we own it, but that only means that we are the stockholders. We have nothing to dp with the opera¬ tion of the company.” Benjamin said that the status cf .the Lopert* company, headed, by Ilya Lopert. and formerly asso¬ ciated with City Investing, made it sufficiently independent to warrant iti releasing a' film which either had been refused a seal by the Production Code or had been con¬ demned by the Legion of Decency. The DA exec drew the parallel be¬ tween; the Lopert operation and that of Edward L. Kingsley at Co¬ lumbia. Kingsley maintains, however, that his Kingsley-International is not owned by Columbia, though he —personally—is a Columbia em¬ ployee. Benjamin said there was no rea¬ son to assume interference on the part of UA in the Lopert activities. “That’s the way it was set up origi¬ nally, that’s why we made the deal,” he said. “We wouldn’t have made it otherwise.” He added that UA ownership of Lopert Films could be interpreted in an oper¬ ating sense only by the Govern¬ ment if there were a question of antitrust violation. “Otherwise, un¬ less you accept the fact that a Du Pont runs General Motors, which it never did, the relationship be¬ tween UA and Lopert is no more immediate than that of any stock¬ holder and a company.” Trade generally isn’t clear on the Lopert status on which several versions have appeared. Benjamin blamed this on the repeated use of the term “subsidiary.” U. S. Fare Paces Aussie Pre-Easter Trade; ‘Gkp’ Tacific,’ ‘80 Days’ Tops Sydney, March 17. Top Yank film product is find¬ ing lit Ie difficulty in pulling solid trade here, this despite the close approach of Easter, Solid grossers include “80 Days” (UA), in its second year; “Gigi” (M-G), 26th week; "Inn of Sixth Hap¬ piness” (20th), third month; “South Pacific” (20th), 10th week; "Cinerama” (Cinerama) 2 4th week; and "Cat on Hot Tin Roof’ (M-G), past its fifth week. Melbourne’s Longruns Melbourne, March 10. "Gigi” (M-G), in 23rd week; . “10 C>” (Par), 12th week; “South j Pacific” (20th), fourth week; and “Cinerama” (Cine), 10th week are boxoffice toppers here. ‘Gigi’ Paces Adelaide Adelaide, March 10. “Gigi” (M-G), third week and I "Long, Hot Summer” (20th), third week—are toppers at the wickeds here. *80 Days’ Brisbane Topper Brisbane, March 10. "80 Days” (UA), 27th week; "Gigi” (M-G), fourth week; "Sayonara” (WB), second week; and “Wild is Wind” (Par) now in third round are best b.o.’ bets here in this key city. Buck StanseL new owner of the ;Star Theatre at Talco, Tex. Pur- I chased from Roy Farrar.