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Selznick and Korda Sign
Joint Producing Deal
NEW YORK—David O. Selznick and Sir
Alexander Korda have signed a contract to
collaborate on the production of a series of
films to be made in England with Hollywood
and London talent. Plans have been
set for the filming of four stories during
the next 12 months. Two will be in Technicolor.
The first will start production in
September and the others will follow at
intervals of two to three months.
The Selznick and Korda companies will
split the ownership of the films, with Selznick
owning the pictures outright for the
western hemisphere and Korda retaining
the rights for the eastern hemisphere. In
North and South America the pictures will
be distributed by the Selznick Releasing
Organization.
FILMS TENTATIVELY SET
Among the films tentatively agreed upon by
Selznick and Korda are: "Tess of the D'Urbervilles,"
from the Thomas Hardy classic,
in Technicolor, starring Jennifer Jones and
directed and produced by Carol Reed; "A
Tale of Two Cities," from the Charles Dickens
classic, in Technicolor, starring Gregory
Peck as Sydney Carton; "The Third Man," a
new unpublished novel by Graham Greene,
to be produced and directed by Carol Reed,
and "An Outcast of the Islands," by Joseph
Conrad. Also under consideration are: "The
King's General," by Daphne du Maurier;
"Around the World in Eighty Days," by
Jules Verne; "The Magic Mountain," by
Thomas Mann, and "Point Counterpoint," by
Aldous Huxley.
In addition to Reed, the films will be produced
and directed by other independent
filmmakers associated with Korda including
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, Sydney
Gllliat, Prank Launder, Anthony Kimmins,
Anthony Asquith, Anatole de Grunewald and
others at Korda 's Shepperton and Islesworth
studios in England. In addition to Peck and
Miss Jones, Selznick will supply other stars
from his contract list which includes Joseph
Cotten, Dorothy McGuire, Valli, Shirley Temple,
Louis Jourdan, Robert Mitchum, Robert
Second Protestant Film
To Open in 100 Cities
NEW YORK—"My Name Is Han," the second
documentary picture produced jointly by
major Protestant denominations, will open
simultaneously in 100 United States and
Canadian cities June 15, according to Paul
F. Heard, executive secretary, Protestant Film
commission. The picture will be shown in
tens of thousands of churches thereafter,
Heard said.
The picture, which was photographed In
its entirety in China, was produced to coincide
with the launching of a missions study
program on China during 1948-49 by the
Protestant chiu-ches. "Beyond Our Own,"
the first documentary made by the Protestant
Film commission, was released in November
1947.
David O. Selznick (left), and Sir Alexander
Korda sign contract for the joint
production of a series of films in England.
Young and Guy Madison. Korda also will
supply some stars from his contract list.
Commenting on the deal, Selznick said:
"The freezing of American film revenues in
Britain has created a complex situation for
the American companies. As I see it, there
are two methods of coping with this situation.
The first is the invasion of the British
Isles by Hollywood picture-makers, in effect
producing Hollywood films in England with
whatever talent Hollywood can spare. And
we must bear in mind that Hollywood does
not have nearly enough first-rate talent for
its own purposes. The second method is the
fostering of the great producing talents of
England in a cooperative effort, helping to
so shape their films as to give them great
appeal for American audiences. I have chosen
the latter course."
Alexander Korda said: "I am very pleased
to be associated with Mr. Selznick and I am
quite sure that in the deal we have shaped
and closed we have found a pattern for true
cooperation between American and British
filmakers, Mr. Selznick's association will be
invaluable towards achieving for our films a
real popularity in the American market.
Form New Television Ass'n
To Study Film Problems
NEW YORK—A new television association,
the National Television Film Council, has
been organized to study film problems and
set up a code of ethics for the television industry.
Melvln L. Gold, director of advertising
and publicity for National Screen Service,
has been named temporary chairman.
The organization was formed at a meeting
of 40 representatives of film distributors, producers,
television stations and advertising
agencies at the Hotel Astor Tuesday (May 18).
Gold will name a committee to study film
distribution problems and another committee
to Investigate television station problems
relating to purchase and exhibition of fUms.
The new group will meet again in about a
month to elect officers and hear reports.
Korda Pact Breached,
Film Classics Says
NEW YORK—Film Classics contends that
Sir Alexander Korda violated a distribution
contract between them by selling 24 films to
WPIX, the Daily News television station.
Film Classics has protested this sale in letters
to London Films, Korda's company, to
Hecuba Films, which holds the reissue rights
to the Korda product, and to WPIX. The
company predicts a breach of contract suit
against London Films and Hecuba.
The 24 films were sold to WPIX several
weeks ago. The deal calls for one-a-week
telecasts of the pictures in 16mm versions.
Each picture can be shown twice within a
period of one year. For this right WPIX is
reported ta have paid between $125,000 and
$135,000. The station will be^in operating
June 15. It has already screened the pictures
for prospective sponsors.
The Film Classics breach of contract contention
has been challenged. London Films
has stated that when it sold the reissue rights
to Hecuba it reserved all television rights.
Hecuba sold Film Classics only the 35mm
theatrical rights to the 24 features.
Exhibitor groups are more concerned with
the competitive effect of the sale than with
the legal niceties. The Southern California
Theatre Owners Ass'n, a TOA affiliate, has
protested the deal. The objections of the
members have been forwarded to Plobert W.
Coyne, executive dii'ector of TOA.
Coyne has referred the exhibitors' objections
to Eric Johnston, president MPAA
Coyne said that TOA officials think the dispute
is an industry matter, and that they
would like MPAA advice before getting in
touch with their members.
Korda is an Independent and does not belong
to the MPAA. He does, however, have a
distribution contract with 20th-Fox, which
is a member of the MPAA.
Some exhibitors feel that it is unfair for a
distributor to supply films to a competitive
field, such as television, and then expect the
theatre operators to continue to play ball
with that distributor. "It just isn't good
policy or business practice," they said.
Screen Actors Guild Bids
For Chapter in Detroit
DETROIT—Organization is under way of
a Detroit chapter of the Screen Actors Guild,
covering players appearing in the many commercial
pictures produced here. Jam Handy,
the largest local studio, has already "accepted"
the Detroit chapter and contracts
also will be sought with Wilding Productions
and General Motors' motion picture
production division, according to William
Saunders, who has been named Detroit representative
of the SAG. Jam Handy has had
a contract with the SAG for years but the
absence of a local chapter meant that various
acts and part-time actors who have appeared
in occasional pictures did not come
under the SAG wing. Organization of a Detroit
chapter began following two visits by
Florence Marston of the New York office.
Headquarters will be opened here about June
1, the chapter sharing quarters with the
American Federation of Radio Actors.
22 BOXOFFICE :: May 22, 1948