September 23, 1948 Page Twenty-five OUR> FILM FOLK U.S. Organizations Charge British Movie With 'Blatant Anti-Semitism' By LEON GUTTERMAN OLIVER TWIST, J. ARTHUR RANK'S FILMIZATION OF THE CHARLES Dickens' novel, is posing a terrific problem to Eagle Lion, its U.S. distributor. The film has been charged in some quarters with having anti-Semitic overtones and studio executives are now searching for a recipe to send the picture to American screens without encouraging religious discrimination. This is the chief reason for the delay in releasing the picture. The film company is approaching the Arc, which RKO is releasing and which question carefully and with an attempt was produced by Walter Wanger, must at an open mind. Oliver Twist has al- , atan open mind. Oliver Twist has al- earn between $9,000,000 and, $10,000.- ready been screened 000 in film rentals before showing a pro- for the Anti-Defa- fit! Only four pictures-Birth of a Na- ation League and tion, Gone with the Wind, Best Years of it is understood the Our Lives, and Duel in the Sun have demned the filmon rtham Sh (RIB IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST being inclined to In line with the new trend toward BABY LAUNDRIES .. accept the issue of films for television, Eddie Cantor reveal- ?cW - v O COMPLETE "authentic Dick- ed plans over the weekend to tee off * Same diapers every time ens," but is serious- his own telefilm production in the near * Baby clothes laundry ly considering its future. According to Eddie, benefits to * Baby scale service-first possible impact on comedians in using film are many, in- charge the American public. cluding the advantages of being better 28 days without Complaints against Oliver center on able to time gags, etc. the part of Fagin. Following closely to Jack Benny, meanwhile, is also think- the original Cruikshank illustrations of ing of going into telefilm production for the novel, the film's producers gave Fa- the same reasons as Cantor. gin the long, ill-kempt beard and hooked MGM's cash settlement with executive To make arrangements nose of those sketches. By coincidence producer Sam Katz is $1,000,000. For only, it is said, that very characterization this producer, who had several more Call BRunswick 8-8100 was widely used by the Nazis in their years to go on his contract, waives the film treatises of hate produced under retirement income. The company had Adolf Hitler. While the novel refers to sent out an elaborate story about Katz Fagin as a Jew, the film skirts actual returning to theatre operation, but it's mention of that point. an open secret that other important ROKEACH Another blast at the picture for its Metro studio letouts impend.. These '"blatant anti-Semitism" was delivered are people in the same S3,000-$5,000 this week by the New York Board of per week class as Katz. BORSCHT * Rabbis in a cable to Eric Johnston, head " of Hollywood's motion picture producer association. The Rabbis asked Johnston Celebrating 25 years as a top char- .SCHAV to do everything possible to keep the acter in Hollywood, one of our better film off the screens here because the known names gave out with that home- DELICIOUS "villainous Fagin as a central figure is a spun philosophy in reflecting that he horrid stereotype, certain to stir up in has seen stars come and go. "I see them HOT OR CHILLED the public mind hatred and prejudice." get the big car and the big house and Showing of this film "in one American the big head," he said. "Then they lose theatre will undo all the splendid work the big car and the big house and all CANTOR ABRAHAM KIPPER of such American films as Gentleman's they've got left is the big head." Agreement and Crossfire, they said. I like Groucho Marx's line, "People ANNOUNCES * should learn to tell their money where Irene M. Selznick, who has clicked as to go instead of asking where it went." FACILITIES a manager with her first gold-plated I COMPLETE BANQUET Broadway presentation, A Streetcar Nam- 0 ed Desire, which opened to terrific raves Out in the Pacific, Herman Wouk LUNCHEONS TO FULL COURSE DINNERS in December of last year, is no newcomer of Aurora Dawn fame observed the Weddings and Bar Mitzvohs to the theatre. She became interested in long and ardous practice of putting Celebrated in Traditional Jewish Atmosphere show business as a youngster in Haver- on his philacteries (tfillin) for morn- hill, Mass. Her father, Louis B. Mayer, ing prayers. Those were rugged days operated a theatre there which played for the Pacific fleet, with the Kami- AT - 3531 W. ROOSEVELT ROAD touring shows. That was long years be- kazes knocking off more vessels than (Above Central Pk. Theatre) fore he entered the motion picture field anybody back home realized. As Her- Roc. 9480 - Mauri Kemp, Jr., Mgr. to become head of Metro-Goldwyn-May- man's destroyer emerged un-nicked er studios. *' from more and more engagements, the HAVE YOU OUR LATEST CATALOGUE? boys on the crew began to figure it was Irene often accompanied her father to New York to seek bookings and fre- on account of Something More than quently went to the office of Cohan & just the law of averages. ILL Harris. The former wife of famed pro- Although predominantly Gentile, they ducer David 0. Selznick, Irene was re- got awfully interested in Herman's cently active in Coast film production, prayers. So, whenever pressure of ships but always had a yen to become a legit- work caused Herman to get a little re- PP.II1TrCIH ARID imate theatrical producer. Studios have miss in his religious duties, he'd find already bid as high as $1,000,000 for Stationery Company one of the crew sidling up to him to rights to film the stage play! IN OUR NEW QUARTERS say, ever so politely, "Jesus, Herman, I NOW LOCATED La Salle Harrison 1100 IngridBergman's new picture Joan of hope you're not forgetting to put on 725 South In grid Bergman's new picture Joan of your tfillin!".