Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

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Complaint
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Goldwyn Re-Files
Suit Against UA
New York—Samuel Goldwyn and Sam-
[uel Goldwyn, Inc. have filed a 154-page
,suit against UA, London Film Productions,
Ltd. and Alexander Korda in federal court,
'seeking the termination of Goldwyn's 10-
,year distribution deal with UA.
The producer, in three applications for
relief, seeks to enjoin UA during the action
and then permanently from interfering
\nth negotiations with other distributors
for his product, an accounting of
ponies due under the UA contract and
damages for the alleged wrongful interfer-
;nce with attempts to distribute "The
Westerner" elsewhere.
The papers reveal the producer did have
,1 deal under way with Paramount, al-
;hough this has been persistently and
.ariously denied by Paramount executives,
md also explain the circumstances by
vhich Goldwyn returned to UA distribution
for "The Westerner."
More Specific
The new action is identical to the one
liismissed in Delaware, except that the
i-omplaint is much more specific and in-
•ludes Korda and London Films as deendants.
Goldwyn lists 14 points on
^hich he will rely to prove UA's intererence
with him. His allegations:
defendants maliciously tried to
Irive Goldwyn out of business.
defendants failed to devote their
lest efforts in the distribution of his piciures.
3—The defendants failed to secure the
jighest possible gross.
4—The defendants failed to secure the
[lighest prices in distributing the pictures.
5—The defendants used Goldwyn's pictures
to secure better prices for other producer's
product.
defendants offered inducements
p exhibitors not to play Goldwyn's pic-
|Ures.
the 1939 convention the defendants
prevented Goldwyn from establishig
friendships with UA's salesmen.
8—The defendants did not use their best
jfforts in securing advertising and dis-
.'ibution.
9—The defendants discriminated against
toldwyn in placing ads.
10—The defendants issued false and
lisleading statements to the press about
oldwyn.
11—The defendants got employes of
oldwyn to leave his service.
12—The defendants withheld monies
ue to the producer.
13—The defendants charged publicly
lat the producer was a contract breaker.
14—The defendants released misleading
atements to the effect that Goldwyn's
rtists, directors and employes were leavig
him.
Goldwyn lists among some of his objecons
the fact that the Elton Corp. and
lexander Korda Corp. were to receive
mefits under the Silverstone plan. He
so objected to allowing Korda to rease
his own pictures in Nationalistic
pain.
The producer declared on December 18,
139 he notified UA he was terminating
(Continued on page 18)
OXOFnCE : : February 17. 1940
Says Industry Is
In Nation's Debt
New York — "The film industry owes
a great debt of gratitude to America,"
says Representative Martin Dies in the
second of a series of articles in "Liberty,"
this one entitled "Is Communism
Invading the Movies?" He goes on:
"Under our political and economic systems,
its producers, actors and screen
writers, as well as many other employes,
have made fabulous fortunes
out of this industry. The least that they
can do in appreciation is to use this
great medium of information and entertainment
for the purpose of preserving
the institutions upon which our
economic and political systems are
built."
Dies Vows He Will
Check Coast "Leak"
Washington—The alleged "leak" of a
confidential committee report made by a
coast investigator who has been delving
into allegedly subversive activities of Hollywood
for the House committee on un-
American activities, which he heads, brings
from Representative Martin Dies the
declaration that he will have the matter
thoroughly checked.
Dies charged the investigator's report
had made its way to "the producers," who
"have copies of it and have mimeographed
it and even know who the witnesses are
going to be." He said he would recommend
to his committee that hearings to "expose
Hollywood thoroughly" be started within
30 days and expressed the hope there
would be "no pussyfooting, no back tracking,
no crawling." He will ask that the
hearings bar the public, he said.
'They—the film producers—are undertaking
to ridicule the investigation of their
industry," he said, observing he expected
the committee to face its biggest fight on
the coast. "The movie industry has turned
heaven and earth to stop us. They've got
the highest priced publicity service in the
world. They've got a lot of political influence.
I think they're going to start
one of the darndest campaigns of ridicule
you ever saw."
Concessions on Answering
Interrogatories Granted
New York—The department of justice
has granted permission to the majors to
file answers to the government interrogatories
Nos. 24-40 on February 24, and to
Nos. 40-59 on March 1. Answers to the
first 24 were filed Saturday. Those portions
of the answers which the majors
want kept confidential need not be submitted
on the above mentioned dates.
The government will file its consolidated
answer to the majors' 50 interrogatories
on March 1.
Heads Talent Dept.
Hollywood — Ben Piazza has been
signed to head the RKO studio talent department.
Korda Arrives,
Plans Not Definite
His
New York—Alexander Korda's "immediate"
production plans are "indefinite,"
the UA producer declared on his arrival
on the Rex from London, Thursday. Asked
why there was uncertainty on his part as
to future pictures, especially "Jungle Boy,"
which UA announced would be his next
venture in Hollywood, Korda replied:
"There is no special significance. My indecision
is purely a personal factor. I may
do 'Jungle Boy,' but I have not yet made
up my mind."
Aside from "Thief of Bagdad" Korda has
nothing in work. He said he had postponed
an announced production concerning
U-boat activity. The bulk of "Bagdad"
will arrive here in print form in about
four weeks, he said. Due to interruptions
caused by the war in India it will be
necessary to "fill in" some sequences for
the film in Arizona. Korda's brother,
Zoltan, who now is in Hollywood with Sabu
will handle the necessary footage.
Production in English studios is close to
normal, Korda said. Gabriel Pascal is
now active and Ben Goetz is expected to
get under way in about a week with a film
starring Robert Montgomery for M-G-M.
Film business in England is "very good,"
he asserted. Only in the West End of
London where the hours permitting exhibition
are shorter than elsewhere is there
any dropping off of patronage. He described
the morale of the English people as
"superb," with no apparent tenseness due
to the war.
Comeriord Will Filed
Scranton, Pa.—Filing of the will of the
late M. E. Comerford reveals the circuit
owner's estate is valued at close to $2,000-
000, consisting principally of holdings in
about 30 theatre companies and real estate
corporations. The will, filed by Frank C.
Walker, executor, bequeaths his estate to
his widow, his daughter, a number of relatives
and philanthropies.
Give 'GWTW Gate
Oi $8,650,000
New York—A weekend tabulation at
the M-G-M sales department shows an
estimated $8,650,000 aggregate boxoffice
gross for the 256 "Gone With the
Wind" engagements currently under
way. New bookings have brought the
total thus far scheduled to 450 in about
380 situations since the film premiered
in Atlanta, December 15.
Hundreds of patrons who had purchased
reserved scats at Loew's theatres
along the eastern seaboard and
who were unable to use them due to
the severity of the snow storm that
lashed this area Thursday, are to be
given exchange tickets to see the film
at a later dale. The decision was
made by Joseph R. Vogel after his office
was swamped with requests from
managers, who had been besieged by
snowbound patrons.