National Box Office Digest (Jan-Dec 1945)

2#e Bxyx, O^lee DIGEST The Industry's Distinctive Weekly TIGHTEN THE BELT An Editorial by ROBERT E. WELSH War necessities have made an additional ten per cent cut in raw stock an item of important news to producers as we enter 1945. Ten per cent may sound like a trifle to the layman, even to the exhibitor, and to many producers and directors. Ten per cent? Shucks, that isn’t even a close shave. But the multiplication table applied to the amount of celluloid that grinds through Hollywood cameras and laboratories in the course of a month makes that ten per cent very important. The industry can stand it. That is obvious. But it is our hope that many of the usual things don't happen. ★ ★ ★ There is, for example, the group that will say, “Fine, let’s do away with B pictures, with the lesser offerings.’' All without appreciation of the fact that exhibitors know there is a place in their booking calculations for the comparatively unimportant attraction, intelligently made, and without recognition of the payroll contribution to Hollywood’s creators made by the budget picture. A paycheck is a paycheck — whether you are working on a super-dooper or an 18-day budgeteer. And the volume of production at modest costs made by independents, plus a share of offerings in the lower brackets by some majors, has its part in creating a very essential thing — the picture making colony that is Hollywood, and is the envy of the world. The colony would not exist, the talent would not be readily on tap in such profusion, if we were dependent on the individualists who are satisfied to preen themselves on one picture a year. It is the widely spread out activities of such majors as Twentieth Century, MGM, Universal, Columbia, RKO-Radio, with the important addition of live, energetic independents such as Monogram, PRC, that feeds the colony. And keeps it the envy of the world. ★ ★ ★ Just imagine what a theatrical producer of two decades ago would think of the dazzling, inexhaustible well of talent that is Hollywood. Do you want stars? Or a seasoned elderly thespian? Or an Oriental? Or a trouper trained in such schools as the Abby of Dublin, or the exacting Vienna and Berlin courses? Maybe you want an authentic Russian? Or children, with talents unique? They are in Hollywood. Do you want technicians and researchers who apparently know everything about everything, and if they occasionally don’t, at least know where to go to find out quickly? They are here. And we nourish them on volume production. ★ ★ ★ However, the belt must be tightened. For this ten per cent cut and probably for others to be feared. And it is our suggestion that a raw stock cut can properly start only at the top — where live the high and mighties who have never given a passing thought to celluloid. Tighten up right in the scripts. And later in the shooting. In our own production days we have sat in the projection room with director and crew, holding breath while the daily rushes were shown, watching as many as thirty-two takes of the same scene unfold, and finally hearing the director grunt, “Print Take One.'' Those days should go forever. In fact, they must go. There is a war on. DISTRIBUTORS’ BATTING AVERAGE FOR ’44 1. MGM 26 Releases % 148 2. WARNER BROS. . 18 Releases .138 3. PARAMOUNT 29 Releases 128 4. 20th CENTURY-FOX 28 Releases 125 5. UNITED ARTISTS 13 Releases 116 6. RKO 32 Releases 107 7. UNIVERSAL ....47 Releases .. 97 8. COLUMBIA .41 Releases 90 9. REPUBLIC 24 Releases 84 10. MONOGRAM 26 Releases .. 79 11. RPR 21 Releases .. 76 305 Releases