Ivy Films Sell World Rights To New Movie

Ivy Films' shoestring production, "A Touch of the Times," was snapped up for world-wide movie and television rights last night by the Madison Pictures Distributing agency, the same outfit that is now handling Symphonies Pastorale.

Lew Breyor, president of the New England division, signed most of the papers last night in a Leverett House room as some 15 members of the University's movie colony watched over his shoulder, William L. Alden '50, Charles Yoder '49, and Lauriston Ward '50 then signed for Ivy Films. Final arrangements will be completed soon.

Under the agreement Ivy will receive a "considerable sum" from the Madison Agency in return for exclusive four-year rights on the film. Ward, president of Ivy Films, stated that the proceeds would easily enable the company to modernize and expand its equipment and operations with plenty left over.

Trek Towards Perfection.

When Breyer tucks one of the only two existing reels of "A Touch of the Times" in his briefcase and heads for New York in a day or so, the film will start a long and arduous stretch of "conditioning" for the commercial market. It must be reproduced on 16 and 35 mm. sound film, and have the specially composed musical score dubbed in before its professional premiere.

The only thing holding up immediate work on the production is completion of the musical accompaniment, now being written by Nicholas Van Slyck, a local composer-teacher, and tutee of Serge Koussevitsky. It should be ready in the near future.

Breyer, who came to see the picture merely "in the line of duty," left the projection booth one of the film's biggest boasters. "I guess this proves," he stated, "that the Hollywood movie monopoly has been broken once and for all."

He went on to explain that the film will receive careful distribution. Mainly designed for what Breyer calls "carriage trade" theaters, "A Touch of the Times" will be aimed for America's and Europe's most distinguished movie houses.