Exhibitors Herald (1926)

A EXHIBITORS HERALD A Editorial by/ Martin J:Quigley ANOTHER theatre deal of widespread significance went into the record last week. It is the blending of the interests of Publix and the Saenger Amusement company. For present indications the contract appears to consist of a working arrangement between the two organizations and will affect the activities of both organizations in twelve of the southern states. This represents one of the most substantial developments of the Publix plan since the reorganization of the Famous Players theatre department under the management of Mr. Sant Katz. It means greatly augumented buying power for Publix and it places the Publix-Saenger group in virtual domination of a substantial segment of the country’s theatre market. MR. FRANK J. REMBUSCH, the Indiana exhibitor, is out with another statement. This time Mr. Rembusch calls upon Mr. W. A. Steffes, former head of the Allied States exhibitors’ association, to resurrect that association and keep it in the field as opposition to the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Mr. Rembusch’s reason for this attitude is that Mr. Steffes, together with a group of other exhibitors, recently succeeded in getting a statement from Mr. Will H. Hays on the subject of arbitration. This statement is hailed by the Indiana exhibitor as a “victory” for theatre owners. In the first place, we cannot view any effort calculated to keeqi in existence a group of warring exhibitor factions as anything differing very much from what one would expect to find in a proposal from the enemy’s camp. If Mr. Rembusch entertains any genuine, constructive hopes or desires for the exhibitors’ organization it would certainly seem, after all these years of experience, that he would realize that continued strife among factions of the organization is the worst possible thing that could happen. He must also realize that an united organization, presenting an united front, alone can offer any real hope for accomplishment for the rank and file of the exhibitors of the country. Secondly, just what “victory” the Hays’ statement represents is not plain to us. Mr. Hays insisted that arbitration should be carried on without interference from any outside sources and that all decisions handed down by the arbitration boards should be based on equity and justice. Certainly, Mr. Rembusch or no one else will contend that Mr. Hays ever had any other ideas on the subject. The Hays statement resulted in a certain clarification of the situation. Mr. Steffes is to be complimented for his efforts in bringing this about. But surely the incident provides no just or reasonable cause for starting a new civil war among exhibitors. * * * AN indication of the ideas of commercial ethics which are animating Soviet Russia is to be seen in a recent dispatch from Moscow which states that the Soviet Kino trust, unable completely to satisfy the Russian public’s demand for certain American motion pictures, is now carrying on a production scheme under which obscure Russian actors impersonate various American celebrities of the screen. The dispatch states that the new films are popular with the Russians, many of whom confess that they do not know the difference between the genuine and the spurious article. One of the American celebrities being imitated is Mr. Douglas Fairbanks. It will be recalled that Mr. Fairbanks, upon his return a short time ago from a visit in Russia, issued an enthusiastic statement about the promise of the industry in Russia. w -X* -X* WITH both Famous Players and Metro-Goldwyn making plans for the inauguration of short features departments there is to be seen another indication of the “narrowing down” tendency that is abroad in the industry. Neither of these companies has registered any protest against either the product or the service of the companies that specialize in short features, and they do not seem to have experienced any difficulties in getting from other concerns which issue a general line of product what they require in the way of short subjects. It then seems apparent that the move to establish short feature departments means that it is an effort to he further self-contained and self-sufficient. * * IN a friendly — but decisive — manner Mr. D. W. Griffith and Famous Players have arrived at a separation. Although statements have been withheld by both parties it is understood that Mr. Griffith’s system of procedure did not agree with the routine of the Famous Players production department and it was decided by both parties to terminate a contract which had a year to run. This situation seems to illustrate a phase of the transformation which has come about in production. Even in face of the acknowledged genius of Mr. Griffith, the experience of Famous Players caused them to see the necessity of following a system of studio procedure which is based on the idea of organization and is not tied up entirely to any individual, however capable he may be. There can be no denying the heroic efforts which Famous Players have resorted to to insure a high quality of product. When they release a directorial genius of the calibre of Mr. Griffith when they become confronted with a choice of depending either upon individual effort or upon organization effort — it is plain to see the stress they place upon organization effort. The experience of Mr. Griffith should have a salutary influence upon many directors who have a decidedly lesser right to insist upon being individualists.