The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

12 THE EXHIBITOR Warren Stokes’ HOLLYWOOD NEWSREEL • NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS will soon be forthcoming from the luminaries of movieland. Studio executives will get on the band wagon and make a lot of rash promises. We shall be reading about last season’s outstanding box-office personalities, the big successes of the past year, the increased budgets for the new season, and the glorious future for every exhibitor buying So-and-Sos colossal product. Meanwhile, movieland is stumped with a problem that calls for a determined resolution to protect the members of this industry and the motion picture business in general. The Sneak Preview • THE SNEAK PREVIEW has become a bone of contention in this celluloid village, because of the insane desire on the part of certain local publications to scoop their contemporaries on reviews of new pictures. Incidentally, I have been taken to task by my managing editor for not catching pictures at the same time as some of my contemporaries. Naturally he is entitled to know the reason. As a reader of this paper you, Mr. Exhibitor, should also be entitled to some explanation. You are paying for a legitimate service and now I am on the spot to prove that you are getting it. That the scoop method, as it exists in Hollywood, is an unfairtrade practice, there is not the slightest doubt; unfair to the producer, the director, the players, and any exhibitors who might accidentally read the Hollywood sheets. Rather than appear to be scooped, some Hollywood correspondents use methods that make the so-called scoop review service both unreliable and a menace to the general welfare of the industry. It is a vicious practice which Hollywood should take steps to curb without delay. It should be movieland’s determined resolution for 1940. My resolution is still the same, A Legitimate Reviewing Service of the Finished Product. What Happened • THREE PICTURES REVIEWED under Hollywood’s so-called scoop method, neither one of them ready for a trade press showing for at least another three weeks, have been subjected to this unfair method. Unquestionably they have been re-written by some of the eastern correspondents who would like to impress their publishers. That is a false impression which only serves to spread an illegitimate practice. Since I am well aware of my managing editor’s confidence in me, I was not scared into creating a false impression that I was on the job at this end. There is nothing to stop me from seeing a sneak preview if I want to insist upon it. You might think I was crazy after you saw the finished product, however, and that wouldn’t do you any good or me either. For 1940 • HOLLYWOOD’S RESOLUTION for 1940 should be one definitely to stymie the scoop review practice and its obvious purpose. It should be resolved that there be no discrimination in the previewing of product and the trade press should be given an even break. All violations of the rule should be exposed to the buying market as a false record, a written account of a picture still in the process of completion, dependent upon an audience reaction, and therefore misguiding to the exhibitor and the prospective patron. To make a long story short, the men and women of this industry should resolve to Walter Wanger He struck at an evil. develop a little intestinal fortitude, and sacrifice some of their personal ego in the cause of fairness to themselves, with the full knowledge that their vanity is being played upon for the express purpose of personal gain by those indulging in such unfair methods. He Pulls No Punches • TO YOU, MR. EXHIBITOR, while at the same time informing my inquiring managing editor of these existing conditions, and my apparent failure to keep up with my scooping contemptibles, I quote from a letter in front of me received this morning and signed by Walter Wanger: “With reference to the (name furnished on request) review of my picture, ‘Send Another Coffin,’ today let me tell you this was intended as a sneak preview to which none of the press was invited. The sound track was not final, there was no music score and the cutting of the picture had not been completed. “Since I do not advertise in the unfairness of the review seems obvious. I regret that any trade paper should go to such extremes knowing the picture was not finished. “I assure you that when the press attends any of our previews at my invitation, or with my knowledge, you will be included and your honest reaction appreciated.” A bouquet of orchids to Wanger for having the intestinal fortitude to combat this situation without mincing any words. We trust this will give a complete explanation to our esteemed managing editor, the readers of The Exhibitor, and encourage the men and women of this inrustry to understand that the trade now knows the method behind this madness and that they will go forth resolved to combat this vicious practice for the betterment of everyone concerned. Brief Glances At PRODUCTION HAPPENINGS West Coast News Items Hollywood — So that its readers may keep abreast of the times, be in the know on the major developments and interesting sidelights, The Exhibitor offers the following items from the various lots. Columbia With Charlie Chase, Buster Keaton, the Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, and other comedians all active on the lot, either shooting or preparing, the short subject department is working at top speed. Jules White, Columbia short subject producer-director, is preparing two new vehicles for the “Three Stooges,” as a follow-up to their recently completed "Rocking Through the Rockies.” The next Buster Keaton comedy, to go before the cameras around the first of the year, has been titled “Rolling Down to Reno.” Metro-Goldivyn-Mayer Eddie Cantor’s first starring picture will be “Forty Little Mothers,” based on the original French story, “Monsieur Petiot,” by Jean Guitton. Busby Berkeley has been assigned to direct the film, with Harry Rapf the producer. Wallace Beery has signed a new longterm contract. He is currently working in "Arouse and Beware,” in which Dolores Del Rio, John Howard and Victor Varconi have featured roles, with Leslie Fenton the director. Ruth Hussey has been signed to a new long-term contract. She has just finished work in “Northwest Passage,” starring Spencer Tracy. Paramount Cecil B. DeMille announced that his new Paramount production, heretofore known by the three-word title, “Northwest Mounted Police” henceforth will be known under a four-word title, “North West Mounted Police.” Convinced — on the basis of her performance in “The Great Victor Herbert” — that they have in Mary Martin a star of first magnitude, a second follow-up picture for her, a gay, modern romance titled "Miami,” is being prepared. The film will be produced and directed by Andrew Stone, who made “The Great Victor Herbert,” it was announced by William LeBaron, managing director of production. Impressed with performances of Jean Cagney, Richard Denning, and Robert Paige in recent pictures, the trio play romantic leads in its forthcoming film of the boxing ring, “Golden Gloves.” J. Carrol Naish and William Frawley have the top character roles in the drama. The epic drama of Mary of Nazareth, mother of Christ, will be brought to the screen by Cecil B. DeMille under the title "The Queen of Queens.” Luigi Luraschi, censorship editor, was named supervisor on the Spanish version of “Gulliver’s Travels,” feature-length Technicolor cartoon produced by Max Fleischer and directed by Dave Fleischer. A bit in “At Good Old Siwash” won John Laird a contract. Laird appeared as a fraternity member disguised as an officer of the law who engages in a fist December 13, 1939