Boxoffice-Septemeber.19.1953

: September
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20th-Fox Cuts Price
Mexico Plans to Revive Film Industry
Of Magniglow Screen with Program of Five Objectives
NEW YORK Piur rciliict.ion.s liavi' bcfi.
made on an assortment of nine MagniKlow
Astrolite screen sizes for theatres up to 1.000
seats and eight sizes for houses running from
1,000 to 2,500 seats, now that the screen
company has gone onto a mass production
basis.
Prices for screens more than 50 feet wide
will continue at $3 per square foot. The
smaller sizes will be available at $2.10 pt-i
.square foot.
Al Lichtman, director of sales for 20tli
Century-Fox, announced the price cuts Monday
U4). A recent final test showing of the
screen was attended by Spyros P. Slcouras.
20th-Fox president: Agis I. Mihalakis. Glowmeter
Corp. of Buffalo, which developed the
screen; Harry EUer, Radiant Mfg. Corp. of
Chicago, fabricators of tlie screen; W. C.
Michel, executive vice-president of 20th-Fox;
Earl I. Sponable, research director, and Herbert
E. Bragg, assistant research director.
Twentieth-Fox signed an agreement with
Kadiant for production of the screen as a
supplement to the Miracle Mirror screen some
months ago. Radiant has completed introduction
of new machinery.
Lichtman said that the Magniglow Astrolite
and Miracle Mirror screens can now be produced
for theatres of any size or shape
which require screens up to 50 feet.
Silliphcmt and Barnwell
To Make Film in Cuba
NEW YORK—Stirling Silliphant and John
Barnwell will start production before the
end of the year on "Lie Down in Dust," an
original screenplay by Joseph Brun, ASC, a
leading director of photography. Silliphant
recently completed "The Joe Lewis Story" for
United Artists and Bsirnw'ell produced "Dawn
of a New Day" in the Philippines.
The locale will be Cuba during the hurricane
season, and the picture will be shot in
Eastman color for wide-screen in 185 to 1
aspect ratio, with stereophonic sound. Silliphant
and Barnwell flew to Cuba Monday
(14) to survey locations.
Silliphant will postpone pre-production
work until February on "Five Against the
House," Jack Finney story in Good Housekeeping,
the rights to which he recently
bought.
Leading roles in "Lie Down in Dust" will
go to New York players, with a name star
to be announced. Brun was in charge of
photography for "Walk East on Beacon."
"Savage Splendor." "Whistle at Eaton Falls,"
"Martin Luther" and "The Joe Loui.s Story "
A. E. Gates Jr. Takes Over
Pola-Lite Theatre Post
NEW YORK—A. E. Cates jr. ha.s been
named as theatre relations manager of the
Pola-Lite Co., makers of all-plastic 3-D
glasses. The appointment was made by S. G.
Fassoulis, president.
Cates has been with Commerce International
for the past six years, handling executive
duties in several foreign branches and
key offices in this country. He succeeds Dick
Morros, who has become vice-president of All
Dimensions, Inc., now handling development
of Moropticon.
By EMIL ZUBRYN
MEXICO CITY They are attempting another
shot in the arm for the groggy film
industry down Mexico way.
This time the government of President
Adolfo Ruiz Corlines, us well as film leaders,
are working on a plan which has the following
objectives:
1. Production of qualily films with outstanding
Mexican themes. (No more cheap
quickies and questionable films).
2. Stimulus to Mexican and Latin
American script writers.
3. Conservation and amplification of
foreign markets.
4. Creation of new film per.sonalities.
5. Adequate financing.
Federal and private interests believe this
program will be the "salvation" of the industry,
and they have joined forces to make
it a reality. It should be noted here that
in recent years the Mexican industry ha.s
deteriorated to the point where some gloomy
observers have predicted its total disappearance.
Until now, what has marked the Mexican
industry has been the production of quickie
films, without money, without hope, and
without intelligence. Writers have not been
adequately paid and no stimulus given to
create new writing talent and so stories have
ranged from the downright bad and purely
absurd to those that could be classified as
downright immoral.
There had been no consistent effort to
di'Vflup lieu talent, with pruducerh iiiipurtlliK
stars from numerous Latin American countries.
Spain and Cuba to act In .stellar roles.
Now the first moves will be made to create
u "new geiieralion" of Mexican players who
will do credit to the industry ajid the Republic.
A prize contest for Mexican and Latin
American story and .script writers is to txestablished,
with Jury to be composed of producers
But the spur to new story development
cannot be undertaken until the industry
is partially reorganized and can begin
its own "march of progress."
This, of course, depends to a great extent
on financing. Government financing and
subsidies have not proved the cure-all. and
now an attempt will be made to interest
private banks and investors to collaborate
in the efficient financing of the national
industry.
Feeling in film circles is that the idea
behind the new program Is good. The only
question is, will it work? There have been too
many false starts in the past. But it Is generally
acknowledged that something drastic
must be done if Mexico Is to keep and expand
its already weakening foreign markets. It is
acknowledged that export of Mexican films
can play an important role in foreign trade
relations, but first widespread housecleanlng
and cleanup of the industry Ls Indicated.
This is an earnest, honest administration,
and film leader.s claim that if it ever
can be done, it can be done now. A revitalized,
important Industry would be the major
important forward step in the more than
quarter century of movie operation in Mexico
No Shortage of Corn Crop This Year
Bob Noll, seedman at Ord, Neb., examines an ear of corn from the huge crib of
popcorn which is a holdover from the bumper 1952 crop.
ORD, NEB.—Popcorn chompers and theatre
concession operators need not fear—there
will be plenty of corn for all customers despite
the terrific August drouth and heat.
Bob Noll, Ord seedman. said last week there
will be a pretty good crop In his area. It is the
original area in Nebraska to grow popcorn In
big quantities.
He said that a majority of the acreage in
this vicinity is on irrigated land. However,
he did not expect this year's yield to measure
up to that of 1952, when the average was
2.700 pounds an acre—one of the biggest ever
grown. He said around 2,000 pounds to the
acre is a pretty good crop.
He has a lot of 1952 crop still cribbed,
waiting for a call from processors. The com
from the Ord growers is shipped all over the
country for processing.
There are no big growers in the area, but
many farmers plant fields on contract. The
large plants determine how much they will
need each year and guarantee purcliaslng all
the crop contracted for. Darrell Noll, one of
the growers, said the ears look good on irrigated
land, with large, full kernels
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BOXOFFICE
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19. 1953 25