Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 21, 1942)

Vol. 8, No. 48. Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 5th Floor, 21 Dundas Square, Canada. Toronto, Ont., Phone ADelaide 4310. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Bonding the Vulture (Continued from Page 1) time to come, irrigated by the blood and strengthened by ‘the bones of brave men from whatever place Liberty _ maintains one last, hidden shrine. We are dulling its claws. We can break them. We are blunting its beak. We can muzzle it. We have de fended ourselves until now. Soon we will attack. We can lall the Vulture. But not with small means. Not with the desire alone. We must not let distance interfere with the realization of what we have to defend and what we need to defend it. We must not let the absence of gunfire around us and death on our doorstep becloud our senses. Money makes bonds. Bonds make bombs. Bombs mean Freedom. Plainly stated, the issue is Bonds versus Bondage. Which do you prefer? We know—but your preference isn’t enough. Prove it by buying Victory Bonds. Others are giving up their lives. You are asked to give up part of your income. Don’t pile it up for the Vulture and make its task easier. Dont Be in the Dark! What’s going on out there? Read VOICE ef the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Canadian FILM WEEKLY oct. 21, 1927 Ngya Scotia BuO asa Se HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Allied Meets (Continued from Paga 1) prosperity, but by our individual contribution to community welfare, and not in cash, but in effort.” Mr. Cuzner encouraged participation in war and philanthropic activities during a discussion which**revealed that now ‘more than at any time in the history of the industry theatres in each community are the centre of activities, and that managers are being drawn into their rightfully important place in local doings of every kind. y The Nova Scotia Allied is made up of exhibitors of every classification, a manner of organization which yields greater harmony among exhibitors than exists in other parts of the Dominion. In Ontario, for instance, exhibitors are sharply divided in policy and groups and in an attempt to bring them. closer together a new body was recently formed, the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, which will include both Independent and circuit showmen. Because of the general nature of its membership the Nova Scotia Allied was able to develop and operate its own concilliation board, which was quite successful in solving the problem of competition with the Maritimes section of the industry. The board has, of course, become inactive since the introduction of theatre and film control by the government. Exhibitors of Canada’s easternmost province, working through the Allied organization, have played a great part in the industry’s contribution to the war effort. In the national motion picture drive to increase the purchase of War Savings Stamps last year Nova Scotia exhibitors were at the head of the list in per capita collection of funds. A friendly relationship exists between the Allied Exhibitors of ! Nova Scotia and the Censor Board of the provincial government. At the dinner which followed the business session C. H. Bennett, chairman of the Nova Scotia Board of Censors, was the guest of honor. The meeting took place in Halifax. The entire slate of Allied officers was re-elected to office for another year, including W. H. Cuzner, Independent, president; M. E. Walker, Independent, vice-president; T. J. Courtney, of Odeon, as secretary-treasurer. The Working Committee of Allied, which functions upon demand throughout the year, again listed A. J. Mason, Independent, as chairman; R. S. Roddick, Famous Players, as secretary; with consulting members, M. E. Walker, F. Sobey, N. W. = October 21, 1942 USA's Iced Coin Jingle Jangles (Continued from Page 1) 'quests for release of tied-up rental monies. The boxoffice boom has blinded some to the importance of fresh money annually for production purposes, these people thinking that the American return is enough to finance the companies’ new schedules. The British Exchequer has come to recognize the importance of overseas revenue to Hollywood. When RKO proved recently how much its British rentals meant, the Exchequer released $2,000,000 to the company. It must be remembered that the foreign market, which gave Hollywood about half of its boxoffice returns, has almost vanished. Big theatre business in the USA, added to that of the countries still free, has gone a long way towards making up losses caused by the Axis. It is the struciure of the film production industry which makes all rentals important. A company may have had a big year and draws upon its profits to launch the next year’s program. If the program of that year falls down (which is easily possible in a business that depends on the whims of the public) the company’s position becomes uncertain. One or two more minor seasons and the position is precarious, causing financial reorganization. This is more quickly true in the case of smaller companies, who rely greatly on the immediate return of overseas rentals. The annual yield of film rentals has been broken down into figures and percentages allocated to each country. Hollywood’s financial activities are based on these figures and the failure of any country to match its percentage means adjustment to meet the situation. Canada, for instance, provides from three to four per cent of Hollywood’s total take from the world market, which, in cash, means something like $13,000,000 annually: The British market is expected to bring 22 per cent of the something-like $400,000,000 world total. Apparently the unfreezing of rentals means that the British government recognizes the essential nature of Hollywood in relation to the war—a follow-up of its policy of giving preference to its own motion picture industry and a recognition of the USA’s similar attitude at home. Canada has not yet followed this line of thought. Mason and a new appointee, Gordon Spencer of the F. G, Spencer Company, which operates a number of Independent theatres in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; Spencer being classed as an Independent.