Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 18, 1942)

November 18, 1942 NS Allied Name { — Canadian a WEEKLY Page 2 Prices Too High, | Misused : (OnTheSq are ie Criti isused—Cuzner Ute Bossi al Says Movie Critic (Continued from Page. 1) ~_ Dp : ye } Céisttiitind 4 Facet) edge of Allied Exhibitors of Nova e og, Coma ees ; tn? claims. 5S Scotia,’”’ Mr. Cuzner states. i i = Mid suse Ol the mame che Nore Spe Here is Young’s contention: Scotia <Allied ik comoction wits | AL G@muSSIONS LOO migit “The unfair part of the set-up the appointments of A. J. Mason = ee ; is that the movie business is makaudleanindntmleldine. to: thelsaca: Elsewhere in this issue you have read of Roly Young’s ing too much profit (my popularrate Victory Loan theatre group printed claim that movie prices, when related to Hollywood | ity with the trade will be zero by ed Speae: ari Serer it,| profits, are much too high. Young, daily motion picture the end of this column!) and does =u ais T y . : . = : =] anon pers yan inte q Tae eae columnist of the Toronto Globe and Mail, says that the nothing to pass this on to its vast . for Nova Scotia by the Canadian] industry is making too much profit and that it does nothing | audience. Motion Picture War Services Com-| to pass this on to the patron. Since Young‘s opinions are “True, the movies are popularmittee and Falk also named him ‘del d d hichl ded, this 3 i z priced entertainment, but they as his representative there. Falk, ya SEES : sae g YC SSE ed, t point of view will could cut their prices in half and | Mr. Cuzner said, “is neither aj certainly win many sympathizers through his claim. still make a legitimate profit. One member, an officer or has any Young is one fellow who speaks right up. He recently Studio, for instance, shows a net _ connection with the Allied ExGolumbiciantallorminadn ” profit of eight million dollars on hibitors of Nova Scotia” and his eb hah et) alk of the Town” two stars when other a year’s productions, all of which use of its name in connection with his appointee was and incorrect.” Henry Falk, when asked about Mr. Cuzner’s statement, said that the latter, an Independent, had agreed some time ago to convene the Independents of Cape Breton to implement the work of the National Council of Independent Exhibitors of Canada. “Mr. Mason,” he said, ‘was authorized by the Independent members of the Allied Exhibitors of Nova Scotia to act on the National Council for all purposes. Mr. Fielding’s name was used incorrectly. It should have been used in connection with Independent Exhibitors, Ltd. of New Brunswick, and was identified correctly in all other instances.” A letter from A. J. Mason, Mr. Falk announced, substantiated this explanation. “unwarranted Another Gal Manager Thelma Humphreys, formerly of Vancouver, is managing the Hollywood, Campellford, Ontario, which was recently acquired by Pete Barnes and Lou Davidson. EDISON MAZDA LAMPS American and Canadian reviewers rated it as a top-notch production. The picture played to lineups and holdovers everywhere. Roly’s critical opinion has an admitted effect on the boxoffice. “Talk of the Town,” however, got a second week at Uptown, Toronto. So Roly wrote that it had probably been booked in there for two weeks in the first place. ; Another negative vote as far as the industry is concerned was registered recently by Young when he expressed a lack of sympathy for Hollywood's attempts to have its English coin thawed out. The British government subsequently unfroze a $50,000,000 chunk, apparently seeing Holiywood’s side where Roly didn’t. Theatre and distribution profits are certainly well checked by both the Canadian and American governments, as well as by financial editors, and it isn’t likely that the motion picture industry would get privileges that other industries wouldn't. Statements of excess and untaxed profit in any industry should be left to the proper authorities, who certainly know their jobs. Statements from others are unfair and harmful unless the entire financial machine, from admissions to allocation of first-figure profits, are included to give the reader a complete understanding. What of the Future? In the matter of profits and lower admission prices, Young qualifies his argument with the possible results of the $25,000 annual income limit and the money to be saved by the cutting of production costs. Before a claim based on smaller cost is made, the situation studied should be a real one, not a possible one. have been lavish and all of which could have been cut in cost. Under the present set-up of Government rulings and regulations, that same studio will turn out the same number of films for approximately 40 per cent less cost, and they could readily make that 50 per cent when they reduce their stable of stars and executives to the $25,000 limit. “Why, then, shouldn’t this saving be passed on to the patron? Or will the company merely proceed to show twice as much profit? Actually, there is no star on earth who is worth $150,000 for about ten weeks’ work. IF the film is going to make a huge profit, he’s ENTITLED to his cut, but he still isn’t worth it and only gets it because Hollywood financing is based on inflation.” CONTRACT SALES It isn’t likely that the USA government will allow the companies to retain the production saving. One hundred per cent excess profits tax starts early in Hollywood. It's easy to assume that Washington wants the extra money and will devise taxation to divert it if present taxation doesn’t satisfy that purpose. The chances that it will wish to see it passed on to the patron aren’t very high. But no matter what happens to guarantee that the industry won't get the extra money, there will always be a large number of people who, like most of us, shy from financial mazes, and will continue to believe that theatres are overcharging them. It is enough to make that statement once to plant it permanently in their minds, regardless of actuality or future correction. Hard as we try, small things crop up that constantly undermine the industry's intensive and continued campaign for good will. OFFICE | | " LONGER.. | BRIGHTER PHONE TR.I257 GT FLOOR /EATO 6 Collage Stieet LIGHT MADE IN CANADA CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC timiteo