Kinematograph year book (1944)

Overseas. 1 1 AMERICA TO-DAY. By James P. Cunningham. THE American motion picture industry emerged from the second year of its country at war standing in higher esteem than at any time in its half-century, in the minds of the American public and Press, American Government and American business. It has shown itself to be a public servant of high capabilities for the public performance of a great duty in helping to bring the war message home to the masses. And the public tribute being accorded the screen now can only inevitably enhance its greater position as a widespread medium to serve democracies in days of peace to come. It has sold billions in bonds during the year ; it has, without profit, implanted countless Government-and-war messages on its screens ; it has contributed enormously of its time and talent to entertain servicemen both here and abroad ; it has co-operated unstintingly with Government, the services and war manufacturers to portray in scores of special pictures the teachings and instructions which have helped so greatly in the rapid upbuilding of men and machines for a tremendous war machine. And it has sent thousands of its workers to the front to fight. The Treasury has said that the box office is the cash register through which passes fully ten per cent, of the billions being poured by the entire country into war bonds for the common victory of the United Nations — -and the box office is still growing in importance to the Government and the war cause as a bond selling agent. All of which is as it should be, for the screen has proven conclusively again that it can carry a message to the masses more quickly and efficiently than any other medium. But the growing participation of the Government with the industry in the all-out kinematic war effort poises an important piece of speculation : Will t he Government and its scores of civilian and service agencies now intermingling with all branches of motion pictures willingly withdraw from the industry and allow it to continue on its own when peace comes ? The war has given the Government reasons actually to censor films and to " suggest " to Hollywood themes for pictures to be shown abroad where they will do the most good, a precedent. And the war has made the Government a producer, distributor and exhibitor of films in a manner in which it has never before participated. What will happen about the Government in film industry activity after the Avar is anyone's guess. Within the industry itself the year has brought some significant developments, some important trends. One year ago there was much worry in Hollywood over severe product curtailments expected by War Production Board cuts in materials. The cuts came eventually, and so did product curtailments. And Hollywood now likes it that way. Because a spending market soon brought long queues to box office windows and Hollywood and its distributor colleagues realised that the playing time for one picture could be easily extended, in a large number of instances, to the playing time previously given to two, three, even four productions. In a number of cases, distributors forced increased admissions, forced other concessions, including forced playing time. And from the answering record rental intakes this year they have decided that it is not necessary to I make as many pictures as heretofore, raw stock curtailments or no. All of which has brought many complaints from subsequent run exhibitors against higher rentals and against their inability to obtain new and betterclass product until long after earlier runs had completed their extended course. So-called " temporary " product shortages have existed in many a sector because of the latter practice.