Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

MARTIN J. QUIGLEY Publisher & Editor * ISSUE OF * January 21, 1922 What's Wrong With the Business? By MARTIN J. QUIGLEY There is a widespread impression throughout the industry that there is something wrong with the business; whereas the true explanation of the situation is that there is something wrong with the men and the methods — not the business. Strangely enough, there are still many persons going about the industry who are supremely oblivious of the fact that a new order of things is in existence; that the days of floodtide attendance, regardless of attraction and exploitation, are gone and will not return, and that there is no longer an easy way to success in the film business. Very generally throughout this industry persons sat back and calmly watched one industry after another come in for the inevitable readjustment that every business is heir to under the processes of returning to normal conditions and thought that for some mysterious reason the film business would escape the operation of readjustment. But when the readjustment processes finally touched this industry almost every reason, except the correct ones, has been pounced upon to explain the existing situation. And the reasons most generally adopted were those which indicated that the proper attitude to assume was one of watchful waiting and dumb hoping that things of their own accord would get better — which happens to be just the reverse of what should be done. The condition at various times during the past six months and particularly at the present time appears almost to be a complete surrender of initiative, enterprise and determination. The fountain-head of the evil has been found at the source of the industry's product — the producer who, generally speaking, may be said to have shown less initiative and enterprise during the last half of 1921 than was commonly found in the business when a two-reeler was considered a long subject. The atmosphere of defeat that has surrounded the producer has been communicated to the distributor and, in turn, it has reached the exhibitor who now finds himself the victim of the producer's and distributor's lost enterprise and in addition he is burdened down with the problems peculiar to his own branch of the industry which have increased and crowded about him because of the absence of both defense and attack. There is nothing hidden or mysterious about the situation facing this business. It amounts simply to a shrinkage of the public purse and a tightening of the strings around the amount that remains — which presents a problem that is peculiar not merely to the film business but is the same today for practically every other type of business. The consequences of over-expansion must be met and all reasonable economies must be effected. These are the obvious things which should be and — we assume — are apparent to every businessman. But these things alone do not promise a happy solution. There must, in addition, be widespread manifestations of initiative and enterprise expressed in terms of better pictures, better theatre service and — most important— better and wider uses of publicity which always has been and remains the greatest stimulator of business. We only look for the turning-point for this industry to come when there commences to emanate from the producer, and thence across the entire industry, a return of that old spirit of confidence backed by that enterprise and aggressiveness which was responsible for the swift development of this business into the industry of its present proportions.