Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1940)

October 5, 1940 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 5 Important Dates Oct. 7-9: Allied of Michigan convention, Jackson. Oct. 10 : UTO of 111. Southern Illinois Exhibitors Meet, Hotel Emerson, Mt. Vernon. Oct. 13-14: MPTO of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee annual convention, Hotel Gayoso, Memphis, Tenn. Oct. 20: Annual Variety Club banquet, Pittsburgh. _ Oct. 21-22: AMPTO of Western Pennsylvania convention, Hotel Roosevelt, Pittsburgh. Oct. 21-25: SMPE Fall convention, Rooseveit Hotel, Hollywood. Oct. 24: Picture Pioneers Fall Conference Dinner. Oct. 26: Cinema Lodge, B'nai B'rith, banquet, Hotel Pennsylvania. Oct. 30-31: ITO of Ohio convention, Neal House, Columbus. Nov. 11-12: ATO of Indiana annual convention and trade show, Hotel Antlers, Indianapolis. Nov. 21: Motion Picture Associates Ball. Hotel Astor. Dec. 12: Philadelphia Variety Club dinner, Bellevue Stratford. LONDON LOWDOWN by Milton Deane London, Aug. 28th, 1940 — Tremendous indignation flared up in London film circles over interview given to "Variety" by Maurice Wilson in which he is alleged to have stated that "there will be no further British production until Hitler is beaten." Transatlantic cables have been busy with denials from producers at this end" and by the time you read this, the matter should be satisfactorily settled. But the incident will not be forgotten in a hurry by the trade over here. Facts are, of course, that half-a-dozen studios are as busy as ever and have big plans in hand for future production, bombs or no bombs. Bill Sistrom of RKO announces immediate start on new "Saint" picture . . . Invasion scenes already shot for Corfield's "This England" . . . ''Major Barbara" getting along very nicely in spite of raid warnings . . . 20th-Fox's "Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It" nearly in cutting stage . . . "The Farmer's Wife" well on schedule at Welwyn . . . Other outfits equally busy. le Government is also helping things g with a new optional Quota scheme, a producers' insurance plan against war risks, and relaxation of the sterling control order. Studio technicians are likely to be put on the schedule of Reserved Occupations, which means they don't get called up for military service. On the exhibiting side of the fence, London is looking fairly lively. GWTW is now in its 30th week in the West-End, still pulling them into the Ritz where House Full boards are the order of the day and night. Similar business is being done at the Gaumont with "Rebecca," just going into its 12th week. Other pictures that have kept the check-takers busy recently include: "Grapes of Wrath," "My Two Husbands," "The Sea Hawk," "Irene," "Broadway Melody of 1940," "Ghost Breakers," "Strange Cargo," "I Take This Woman." "In Disguise," "Johnny Apollo," "Lillian Russell," "Boys from Syracuse," "Young Tom Edison," "Choose Your Partners," "Northwest Passage" . . . which all goes to prove that London showmen are beating the blitzkrieg and that, invasion or no invasion, they intend to go on doing it. On the outbreak of war one important West-End house put up the shutters — it's still the onlv one dark. That's all, folks. You'll still be hearing from me. KUYKENDALL OFFERS ALTERNATIVE ♦ WB, NSA Both to Handle WB Accessories In a joint announcement issued this week by Grad Sears of Warner Bros, and Herman Robbins, president of National Screen Accessories, it was revealed that a oneyear agreement between Warners and NSA has been concluded whereby the two companies will separately distribute accessories on Warner-First National product. Sears expressed his belief that the cooperation of the two companies would result in a higher standard of accessories and in greater efficiency in their distribution. Suggests Selling Be Limited to Films Six Months Before Release As an alternative to the plan embodied in the consent decree requiring pictures to be completed and trade shown before being sold and then being sold only in groups of not more than five, Ed Kuykendall, president of the MPTOA made a proposal to simply prohibit the licensing of pictures more than six months ahead of release. "If the real purpose is to prevent the tying up of product on long term contracts in order to put each company's pictures in competitive situations 'on the market' at regular intervals, this can be done by a simple provision that would prohibit the licensing of pictures more than six months ahead of release," declared Kuykendall in a bulletin issued this week. "Don't fool yourself that the producers are going to be able to sell several blocks of fully completed pictures," he said, "unless you want to play their product long after the first run showings. It's not in the cards, if they are prohibited from licensing any theatre anywhere until after a trade showing, that they will tie up millions of dollars in fully completed but unreleased pictures. Believe it or not, their cash resources are not unlimited, and there are compelling financial reasons why they want to get their dough back as soon as possible after a production is finished. "On the other hand, we should not overlook the possible merits of the other provisions of the consent decree. The blind selling prohibition and the compulsory block booking in groups-of-five provision are only part of the proposals, though they are the ones that exhibitors believe are by far the most drastic and objectionable, because these sections of the decree immediately and directly affect every theatre operation. "MPTOA proposes to exhaust every resource at its command to get the block-of-fivc restriction on Sim buying changed to a required cancellation provision, which all theatre owners agree is the one thing in the proposed consent decree that is certain to be disastrous to exhibitors. In this we have the support and aggressive cooperation of all independent exhibitors who understand its full effect upon their business. Many things can happen before the decree in its present form receives final approval." 'Rockne' Premiere Notable Event Thousands Take in Activities In Rockne Week Celebration South Bend, Ind.— With the fourtheatre premiere of Warners' "Knute Rockne— All American," as the climax, thousands of visitors from all over the country were here this week to take part in the National Knute Rockne Week celebrations. The premiere was scheduled to take place Friday night at the Colfax, Palace, State and Granada theatres. The day was set aside by Mayor Jesse Pavey as a holiday. A large contingent of Hollywood stars, headed by Pat O'Brien, who plays Rockne in the film, were on hand for the three-day climax of the big week. Likewise, many stage, screen and radio personages, as well as other prominent people, and newspaper representatives, participated. Banquets, special broadcasts, placing of a wreath on Knute Rockne's grave, a football game and a Grand Ball were highlights. Kans.-Mo. Condemn Exhibs Decree Kansas City — The five-picture clause in the proposed consent decree was termed by the board of directors of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association, representing 400 exhibitors, as "disastrous to exhibitors" in a resolution adopted this week. QUIGLEY FETED Martin Quigley, publisher of the Motion Picture Herald, was guest of honor at a meeting of the AMP A this week, in observance of his 25th anniversary in the industry. Seated on the dais were the editors and publishers of other trade papers, and among those who attended were the industry's top executives. 'Ramparts' Ban Upheld; March of Time to Appeal On learning this week that the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County had rejected an appeal from the order of the Pennsylvania State Board of Censors banning the feature film, "The Ramparts We Watch," because of the addition of footage from the German propaganda film, "Baptism of Fire," Louis de Rochemont, producer of the film, said this week that the opinion "leaves us no alternative but to request the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to allow us an immediate hearing on our appeal from this decision."