Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jan 24, 1948)

CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Page 3 RAY PRESENTS HOSE of us who know the meaning of the word nostalgia. know that it is associated not only with the present. but bends backwards into the past. Those of us, who know the benefits of the use of exper‘ence. know that we must have a good memory, through which we can refresh the pictures of past events and corelate them with our present, for the purpose, in particular, of making a comparison, judging the cause of the effect and to enable us to make present-day decisions. No one will disagree with me, that this present year is going to be a difficult year, not only for a world of people and nations, but for motion pictures. There have been difficult periods in our past history, some which we have made for ourselves, but others which are related to worlddisturbances. In viewing our present-day difficultics, which are varied and many, which are not only localised, but of national and international dimensions, it may help us to look back a quarter of a century, just at that period in our motion picture history when laboratories were interested in experiments with Sound, just as we are, today, interested in the development of Television. OSEPH DANNENBERG was, in 1924, the editor of The Film Daily, and found time to attend exhibitors’ meetings and to give to such meetings excellent advice. Sydney Cohen, Mike Comerford, Jimmy Walker, Al Steffes, Rickey, Davis, Woodhull, etc., were busy making the M.P.T.O.A, a National body, with Canadian affilliations, in which I was interested. J remember Danenberg’s advice, “Ray, never close the door on yourself, always leave the door open irrespective of a dramatic exit”. In those days, I always dramatized, I was the original little David with a stone and sling, out to slay Goliath. In 1923-24, prosperity,-real or pseudo, was very cvident in the United States, and yet in that year, reminiscent of this year, conditions must have been very unsettled in Europe, for Dannenberg said, “There seems a better understanding abroad of affairs which may lead to satisfactory developments before the end of the year. Once this problem is settled all of Central Europe must respond and the picture industry will be materially aided thereby”. Amusement taxes appeared to be as onerous then, as they are now, disguised as they may be under other names, local, provincial, or federal. Dannenberg, in referring to such taxes, stated, “If the admission tax is removed by Congress, and there are indications most favorable in this connection — if the taxation plans of Secretary Mellon ure carried out—and at this writing they seem to have a fair chance, millions now being paid in taxation will be available for other uses. That Amusements will secure their share of these millions is natural. Bankers insist that the repeal of these burdensome taxes will bring the dollar back to anormal buying power of a dollar. This may be premature, but in a few years this qwill undoubtedly happen”. ANNENBERG was talking after World War I, just as terrific in its economic upheaval and ae ie relationship to its epoch, as 1s the aftermath of Worlc War II, in relationship to our times. There is, also, a reference to “the orgy of extray eet itures” whi i ationshi » “spendin expenditures” which, in relationship to the 33 se costs” of some of our product, is worth repeating. a rey of extravagant expenditures in production, Wie ble ag St developed during the year, will not, it is safe to say. be repeated during 1924. The lesson learned, that the sales force cannot bring back sufficient income to present a profit on the average production made upon such a scale. will find producers generally making pictures during the coming year at an average cost not exceeding $175,000. This saving will be effected chiefly by a more rigid inspection of the scenario and production charges prior to ‘the shooting’ ” Those who.have, since that year, spent millions of dollars on productions, and made millions of dollars, may look with some amusement at Danny's figure, $175,000, nevertheless, what he said twenty-four years ago makes sense today. What our producers are paying for “story material’ must send us into million dollar productions before “the shooting’; and since the tempo of the times and the temper of the people, is in Opposition to advanced motion picture admissions, since the foreign market, for “velvet” is more of a headache than it ts a profit. cost of production must necessarily be pared, in some cases “to the quick”. AMUEL GOLDWYN, in commenting on 1923-24, said, “I think the most important single event looking forward to the settling of the industry on a concrete business-like foundation was the closing of the various studio; for a temporary period in order to induce the equilibrium of salaries and production costs. The decision of George Fitzmaurice, associated with me, to produce his pictures in the exact locale of the stories’ action, as for instance. “The Eternal City” at Rome, Italy, will greatly aid in reducing costs”, Jesse J. Lasky, Famous Players-Lasky. said, in respect to 1923. “I believe the outstanding development was the industrv’s realisation of the vital necessity of curbing the high cost of production and of getting control of the making of its product. “As I see it, the back-bone of this industry will always be a large number of fine pictures produced at a moderate cost and distributed at equally moderate rentals. The next year should be the most important in the history of our industry, for unless the lesson learned in 1923 is profited by in 1924, no man can safely prophecize what will become of us, The vital problem of 1924, therefor, is this: Can producers make the negative cost of 1923 — so that admission prices will not have to yo higher and so that all branches will have a chance to make the profit to which they are entitled? I am confident that this question will be solved; but I am equally certain it must be solved”, i Does it not occur to you, that Jesse Lasky might say the same thing today, changing the years 1923-24 to 1947-48? ; 9: H M. BERMAN said, “I think the outlook for 1924 eis bright because the shrewd showman has learned his lesson and the other fellow has or must fall by the wayside. The observing showman has learned that. the motion picture business is one of the masses and_ the increased admission price and the road-showing of pictures is profitable only on rare occasions. The salvation of the motion picture producer is to make hox office attractions at a sane price to be released to the exhibitor at a live-and let-live price. I think a good slogan for the producers to adopt is “prosper with the exhibitors not through them”, D.W. Griffith touches on theatre-building with which we, in Canada, at the present time, are very busy; he, also, links up exhibition with pro (Continued on Page 6)