Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

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October 14, 1939 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 3 That Capra Touch From the standpoint of box office magnetism, "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," will probably do a business second to none this season. Aside from the happy combination of a great story, played by an equally great cast, and backed with marvelous production values, ''Mr. Smith" is endowed with the greatest of all assets, the ''Capra touch." It is far more than coincidence when a producerdirector like Capra can deliver an unbroken parade of terrific money-making pictures. It proves beyond all possible argument that this genius really has what it takes and knows what to do with the material he has to work with. Ordinary playing time will hardly take care of the business you will do when you play "Mr. Smith," so be sure you prepare for a hold-over. And don't be bashful about letting your community know that "Mr. Smith" is one of the greatest pictures ever to play in your, or anybody's, theatre. AAA The Back Swing One of the most ardent exhibitor supporters of the Neely Bill paid us a visit the other day. Instead of the usual friendly battle because of our difference of opinion on this particular issue he ama2;ed us by admitting that he had changed his mind and now felt that the Neely Bill would not help the exhibitor as he had first been led to believe. Another interesting visitor was an old exhibitor friend whom we first knew back in 1917. In talking over current conditions he said he got his greatest kick from the much abused expression that the independent exhibitor was being driven out of business because of block booking and blind selling. He said he used the same cry in 1917 but at that time he had reference to the fact that exhibitors couldn't buy blocks of pictures and were therefore always in a jam for product. What he wanted to know was: which of the two evils, if they can be called evils, is the worse? (We promised to let him know if any exhibitors offered to answer his question.) Much water has gone over the dam since the Neely Bill agitation first started and many of the exhibitors who jumped on the band wagon failed to analyz^e the Bill from every angle. This might be a good time for all the supporters as well as the opponents of the Neely Bill to take stock and see if they are still of the same opinion. Competition Something will have to be done about the so-called iion-theatrical free show and wildcat opposition that is rapidly growing worse throughout the country and is costing the legitimate movie theatres untold losses. Although the non-theatrical and free show evils have been mentioned most frequently, the real danger, in our opinion, lies in the wildcatters: those birds who jump from town to town with a can of filthy sex, dope or gangster pictures and failing to blackjack you into playing them on exorbitant percentage, hire the town hall or some other local auditorium and operate for one or more nights in direct opposition to the regular theatres. There is only one way to combat the wildcat evil and the same will apply to the non-theatrical and free-show situations as well. You must create a united front among theatremen in your community and promote a local ordinance which will either outlaw such shows entirely or compel them to pay a temporary license fee of such an amount as to discourage their activities. The local movie theatre is a legitimate enterprise involving a big investment and rendering a public service to the community in do2;ens of different ways. It must be protected against outside competition that gives nothing to the community, but rather, takes out plenty. AAA Paramount Progresses One of the most encouraging signs of great progress is that being recorded by Paramount for the current season. Analy2,ed strictly on a basis of forthcoming product you may be amazed to find, upon checking over pictures to be released in the immediate future, that it has no less than nine outstanding possibilities for far-above average grosses. The great majority of them are minus much speculation. They comprise pictures containing strong box office appeal by reason of their story, star and production values. With so many persons involved in this success story it is rather difficult to pick any one man to get the lion's share of credit, but we venture the almost certain guess that behind this remarkable progress is the cool, business brain of one, Y. Frank Freeman, formerly a theatreman and therefore best qualified to know what is best for the box office. From every indication. Paramount is set to regain much lost ground and with any kind of a break during the last half of the current season should find itself well up among the leaders in money-making product. — CHICK ' LEWIS