Boxoffice barometer (1944)

The Industry's Postwar Opportunity (Continued from page 21) ambitions for peace and reasonable security for our , families and loved ones. Let us not show off our wealth or power nor emphasize these. Rather, let us be modest because even if our supply of materials and wealth is greater than that enjoyed in other countries, we must not use these benefits to overwhelm those who are less fortunate. Thus the screen will educate these people and cause them to realize and believe in the universal and democratic brotherhood of man under God. At home in the postwar era films will play a great part, not only in the rehabilitation of our returning service men and women, but also in contributing to the solution of our country’s domestic problems, such as the re-employment of these returning heroes. The American motion picture will aid in the rehabilitation of these men and women by providing them with the best kind of entertainment, of which they are going to be in need and which will fit their psychological requirements after the war. Last but not least, through television and the possible advent of the fourth dimention in motion picture photography, a new public interest will be stimulated which will encompass the possibilities for employment of thousands of returning service men and women who are qualified in the development of these new arts within our industry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ HARRY M. WARNER President Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. ★ ★ ★ 'T'HE greatest opportunity that can come ^ to any man is the opportunity to conduct his business in such a way as to perform a service to his fellow man in addition to earning a living. As victory approaches, the motion picture industry stands at the threshold of just such an opportunity. No man can say with certainty whether there will be a postwar boom or a postwar depression or both. These are problems that we will handle as we come to them. What we are sure of, however, is that this nation will be confronted by a much larger problem which concerns the whole future of our civilization. That is something that we in the motion picture industry can do something about. It is our good fortune to be able to inform and enlighten millions of people. When the fighting stops will we of the motion picture industry take the lead in making people realize that there is serious work still to be done if our children and their children are to have a safe world to live in, or will our pictures create an atmosphere of celebration and escape from the realities of the world? At the end of the last war we made the mistake of wanting to forget the war and have a good time. Because we ran away from the hard problems of peace, we have had to go through bloodshed a second time. This time let us hope that we can take a more mature point of view. The defeat of the Axis will have been accomplished only at the cost of many human lives. I hope that the motion picture industry will do its part in demonstrating to the country our thankfulness and our never-ending obligation to the men who died so that we might continue to live. ★ 's^r ★ ★ ★ ★ NICHOLAS M. SCHENCK President Loew's. Inc. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "T'HE Industry’s Opportunity in the ^ Postwar World” is obviously a great one as through ideas people develop human understanding. The years have marked the steady growth of the motion picture. It has come of age and is accepted as the most important means of relaxation and communication of thought through story-telling. It is an international link as it is primarily a language in pictures. The motion picture industry has done a patriotic job in a time of national crisis. It feels its responsibility for the future and will fulfill that responsibility. ■THE record of our industry’s contribution to the nations’ war effort is clear and articulate. The end of the war will present the motion picture industry with an even greater responsibility and opportunity for human service — in a world faced with the staggering problems of rehabilitation and reconstruction, particularly with the task of repairing the moral damage that has been inflicted upon peoples everywhere. There will be a great need in the postwar years for enlightenment as well as entertainment, encouragement as well as escape, and the world will look to the motion picture industry to fill these needs. We must not — dare not — fail. We have set the pattern of service during the war years, and, doing that, we have gained the confidence and the support of the public to an unprecedented extent. We must follow this pattern when peace comes. ★ ★ ★ JACK COHN Vice-President Columbia Pictures Corp. ★ ★ ★ ■THE last three years have seen new ^ highs established in theatre attendance. Not only have new audiences been created, there people have formed a theatregoing habit. Even allowing for the business recession which must be expected for a brief period after the war while reconversion is taking place, theatre attendance will continue good and will zoom upoward to new highs when factories begin supplying the demands of a product-hungry world. Before we begin worrying about the future and the problems it holds for us, it would be a good idea to recondition our mental processes. We need to rid ourselves of the defensive attitude which has been so characteristic of the motion picture industry except for one or two notable occasions. It is time we began thinking of ourselves and our work as vital factors in our country’s progress. Once this is done, we will find ourselves better able to cope with any of the problems the future presents to us. That there will be plenty of problems is beyond question. That the industry will prove capable of solving them is equally certain. It is a matter of cold fact that no other industry has been as alert in sensing changes in consumer demands, or as quick to accommodate itself to such changes. For that matter, no industry has been as quick to anticipate new consumer trends or, to create new trends. It is the film industry’s sixth sense in this direction which gives me confidence that we will be able to cope with whatever situations confront us in the years ahead. There was a time when we liked to refer to ourselves as an ‘‘infant industry.” That time has long since passed because today we represent a factor of enormous economic and social value. Hardly an industry in this country but is affected by our activities. Trade has long since ceased to follow the flag — it follows our films today. Unfortunately, too few within the ranks of our industry recognize this truth. Too few leaders of other industries are aware of the beneficent influence our product has had, and continues to have, upon their commodities. If we were to bring this to their attention, powerful allies would be aligned on our side because they would know, that whatever hurts us, eventually hurts them. (Continued on page 35) 24 BOXOFFICE BAROMETER