Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

OCT 13 [9W . <Moln; SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW "1 Cake — Eat It Or Have It Much controversy rages around the double feature type of picture. Understand, we are not talking about double feature bills, but, about the class of pictures being turned out by the studios that are generally referred to as "double feature pictures." The designation when applied to the latter is simply another way of calling them cheaply made productions. The designation is unimportant; the reason for their being, is mighty important. It is our honest opinion that none of the major studios should remain in the field of "double feature pictures." By eliminating them, any studio can turn out a far better average of strong box-office product through concentration on the good ones to the exclusion of the cheapies. While the battle over double bills, as a policy, continues, second features can be had from sources whose knowledge and experience in the making of inexpensive pictures better qualifies them to furnish this class of product. No manufacturer of high class, high priced merchandise has ever successfully ventured into the cheap price or quantity field. But in the picture business a lot of producers and studios want to hog the market, and so they grind out varying quantities of cheap pictures because they can make a few extra bucks out of them, when they should be making only the finer product. We can see the handwriting on the wall that seems to say that before many more months roll by some branch of the government is going to step in and start making for us decisions that we, most assuredly, should be making for ourselves. Has anyone ever proved that you can "have your cake and eat it, too"? Well, then good studios should stick to making good pictures and nothing else. Any of them that tries to make both kinds must stand the risk of eventually ending up in the cheap class altogether. Slightly In Error From a recent letter we lift a quote: "We worked our fingers to the bone. Chick, throughout the month of September to roll up an unbelievable total of bond sales. Now it is over and we can sit back and relax a little." This same reaction has come up several times since the close of the September drive and indicates a serious misconception about bond selling activities. By no means is the bond selling drive over — nor will it be until the war is over. It is true that the industry did ask theatremen to give all they had to help us achieve that billion dollar quota; that theatremen everywhere came through with flying colors. But you cannot "sit back and relax" any more than the men in the armed services on the battle fronts. The lessons you learned in making September a gala success must simply be stepping stones to still higher sales in the months to come until final victory is ours. So, take another deep breath and see by what figure you can top your high September sales. We've got to keep hammering away bond for bond with every bullet our boys are firing all around the world. To lay down now would be the undoing of what you have done. Get Into The Scrap when the "behind the front" history of this war is written, theatremen will be entitled to a terrific share of credit for the jobs they did back home. The bond drive was but one detail in their day-to-day battle to help win the war. And now, while they are still feeling good over their bond sales they must turn their attention to the vitally important scrap drive which is of equal importance. Be sure and play the "Salvage" short subject and to see that your local scrap committee gets your best cooperation— even more, take it over yourself if necessary. The country needs scrap metal and rubber, every ounce of it that can be dug up from the hiding places where such stuff accumulates. Ferret it out, get it to a central point even if that point must be the front of your theatre, and then send it to where it is needed. Right Answer, Wrong Direction It has been suggested (again) that independents get organized into a third national exhibitor organization. Time being of the essence, obviously this will cure no evils because it would take too long before such an organization could function . . . even if there were enough indies to go along with the idea. The most vital reason for the creation of such a body revolves entirely and completely around film rentals and sellir^ policies. Everything else is trivial by comparison. The distributors, acting individually or collectively, have the right answer in the palms of their hands. They need only revise their stratospheric ideas about prices and percentages and forget some of those very un-cute playing demands. Then, all of a sudden the necessity fades away and something resembling clean, fair trading, takes the spotlight until. ... — ''CHICK" LEWIS