DECEMBER

I
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Serious Pictures Needed, '"
Producer Wallis Says
NEW YORK—Does the public want only
escapism in pictures or can serious pictures
become boxoffice succcesses? Has anything
upset the view of many exhibitors that
escapism is greatly preferred because the
industry is dealing with "lO-year-old minds
and films should be kept down to that level?"
Hal Wallis, producer, expressed his views
on arrival here from Hollywood for talks with
Paramount, which releases his pictures, and
with Defense department officials in Washington.
He pointed out that his long production
record included light comedies and
escapist pictures such as "My Friend Irma"
and all but one of the Martin and Lewis
comedies, as well as mature pictures like
"Watch on the Rhine," "Kings Row," "Dark
Victory" and the new "Come Back, Little
Sheba."
"There's nothing wrong with escapism,"
Wallis said, "but there's also nothing wrong
with films that make audiences think a
little while they're being entertained. It isn't
that the general IQ of the public is suddenly
rising. It's simply that film producers have
suddenly become aware of the public's new
and higher entertainment standards in film
fare and are catering to it."
Wallis said there is recognition now that
plays which have been big stage hits in
New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco
will do just as well on theatre screens
everywhere. He cited "Come Back, Little
Sheba," co-starring Burt Lancaster and Shirley
Booth, which was a Broadway success.
It will be released in December in time for
possible Academy award recognition. Its director
was Daniel Mann, who directed the
stage play.
"I've been fighting for years," WaUis said.
Clips from "Come Back, Little Sheba"
are studied by (left to right) Burt Lancaster
and Shirley Booth, who co-star in
it, and Hal Wallis, producer. The reaction
is
obvious.
Rembusch Formula for Luring Crowds
Reported in
"against the theory that fine, artistic plays
which do good business on Broadway cannot
do just as well elsewhere on film. Just
look at what happened during the past yearor
so with 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and
'Detective Story.' They were tremendous as
Broadway stage plays, just as 'A Place in
the Sun' was tremendous as 'An American
Tragedy' on the stage, and all were outstanding
successes as films. A short time
ago, but not now, those films would have
been taboo with producers, who took their
cue from exhibitors as the best source of
knowledge of public taste. In 'Come Back,
Little Sheba' we feel certain we have a film
that will appeal to all segments of the moviegoing
public."
NEW YORK—Motion picture exhibitors
throughout the nation are going to lure customers
away from television with a batch of
feature films they simply can't resist. What
is happening stems largely from the enterprise
and foresight of Trueman T. Rembusch,
president of the Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana
and operator of a chain of theatres in
Indiana. Martin Bunn reports in the December
issue of the American Magazine.
An intensive survey was undertaken by
Rembusch in 32 states to determine the kind
of motion pictures the public prefers. He
applied what he learned to his own theatres
and the customers poured in to the tune of
$1,000,000 a year. Other exhibitors who were
once skeptical of his formula are rushing to
get on the bandwagon, according to the
article.
His findings are reported in the American
magazine as follows:
"We don't care for present-day Academy
award pictures. The last five Oscar winners
were superb productions, technically, but most
of the folks who saw them found them com-
December American
paratively dull.
"We aren't even slightly impressed any
more by super-productions costing $10,000,000.
"We are losing our appetite for love. At
one time when the word 'love' was in the
title, movie fans stormed the doors. Now
that word is poison.
"We want no messages in our entertainment.
"John Q. Public, in his search for relaxation
and entertainment, is not serious-minded.
Sometimes we pass up first-class entertainment
because we suspect a preachy picture.
"Most of us don't go for 'arty' or 'longhair'
pictures. As a rule, we don't like foreign productions.
"We usually don't give a hoot, either, for
professional critics' opinions of a picture.
"We've had enough run-of-the-mine westerns.
"We are sharply divided on double bills.
"We average people pick our favorite actors
usually because they have warm, lovable personalities.
"Most of us like drive-in theatres.*'
^^^ Newsreeis
Movietone News, No. 97: French battle Red offensive
in Indo-China; Ike names two women to
jobs in government; Assam tribes honor Nehru;
paratroops on alert in Korea; O'Dwyer quits Mexico
post; Marshal Tito is re-elected; Eric Johnston
in Latin America; Florida picks Miss Tangerine.
News of the Day, No. 227: Amazing air drops 1
filmed in Korea; Vishinsky vs. Acheson; Eric Johnston
jj
in Rio; AFL elects president; Bill Stern's stars Qnd\
ploys of 1952.
Paromount News, No. 30: Meony named AFL|
president; UN-Visninsky says no; Eric Johnston
Brazil; Mrs. Eisenhower honored by USO; women I
oppointees in new administration; feature sports [
presentation— 1 952 All-American football team.
Universal News, No. 417: Korea paratroops; motion I
picture pioneers; British jeep; Santa Clous parade p
in Seottle; France—observatory examines cosmic rays.
Worner Pathe News, No. 32: Visitors pour into
Ike's busy hecdquorters; parodrops in Korea; George I
Meony named new AFL chief; Medal of Honor
owarded to Koreo hero; Rio de Janeiro— Eric Johns-
_
ton calls on President of Brazil; motion picture pioneers
honor Not Blumberg; New York City—new
designs for fashions in resorts; Cleveland— Eagles
beat Browns in pro-football.
Movietone News, No. 98: Mrs. Eisenhower seestw
Mrs. Truman at White House; Seoul awaits Ike's J*
ornval; Koreans activate two new divisons; 36 killed
in crash of C-54 at Tacoma; Chicago is host to'
prize cattle; Notre Dome holts Southern Califormo,
9-0; Navy defeats Army, 7-0. :
News of the Day, No. 228: Koreo prepares big,
welcome for Eisenhower; new tenant visits White
House; U.S. steel; 37 perish as plone crashes in fog;
100,000 see Navy sink Army; Irish beat Trojans.
Paromount News, No. 31: Koreo ready for Ike;
Mrs. Eisenhower visits Mrs. Truman; heavy toll ir
C-54 crash; new envoy to Britain; Christmas toylond,
football — Army-Navy; Southern Canifornio-Notre^
Dame. *
Universal News, No. 418: Korea awaits Ike, plane!
crash; Mamie at White House; BARC vehicle; Wilson.'
and Lovett; Operation RAWIN; football—Army-Navy: y
Middies sink Cadets, 7-0.
j^
Warner Pathe News, No. 33: Koreo awaits Ike;
air crash kills 36; Mrs. Truman and Mrs. Ike meet
at White House; Seattle—army shows giant 60-ton
amphibian; cars and stars at Warner Bros studio;
Homestead, Pa.—pour town's billionth ton of steel;
Army -Navy game; Notre Dame tops USC.
American Newsreel, No. 543: John T. Wright is
first Negro elected councilman in Bergen county,
N. J.; The Rev. Nathan Wright, his wife and chil-J
dren named Pittsburgh Courier's Family of the Week;'
success story—Joseph Christian promoted to o top
post with one of the nation's largest distillery corporations;
Charles Brown holds world's record of 64|
years tor diplomatic service in Woshinglon; Mrs.|
Floy Jones, first woman on Negro police force m\
St. Louis; Duke Ellington's 25 years m show busi-i
ness celebrated in Providence, R. I. [
Telenews Digest, No. 48B: News from the Korean,
front; lost rites paid to William Green; one-man
crusade against Reds; new fiber is flame stopper;
British prepare for coronation; Italian sport—boor
hunting in Tuscany; court tennis—champion retains
vitle.
Telenews Digest, No. 49A: Mammoth reception*
set—Seoul is ready for Ike's visit; 60-ton duck;
army's new land-sea giant; ordi nonce display—now
stages rocket show; Indo-Chino war—French potrob
hit Red lines; st>/li5h timepieces; football classic-
Navy tops Army, 7-0.
Clubwomen List 3 Films
Out of 11 for Family
NEW YORK—Three pictures are rated for,
family audiences, seven for adults and young'
people and one for adults in the November
15 listing of joint estimates of current motion
pictures prepared by the Film Estimate
Board of National Organizations.
The family films are "It Grows on Trees'
(U-I». "Pony Soldier" t20th-Fox» and
"Prisoner of Zenda" (MGM). The adultyoung
people films are "Because of You'
lU-I). "Bloodhounds of Broadway" (20th-
Pox). "Hangman's Knot" (CoH. "Tlie Lustj
Men" iRKO). "Operation Secret" iWBt. "The
Steel Trap" (20th-Fox) and "Voodoo Tiger'
(Col). The single adult film is "Night With-,
nut Sleep" i20th-Fox)
\'}M SI
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BOXOFFICE December (i. 1952