Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

Editorial Seasonal THE current slump in business is being made the subject of a lot of talk. The usual vigorous complaints are being registered and there is a tale of woe available for every listener. If all of this affords the complainants some relief there should be no quarrel with it. But if it is intended as a serious discussion of business and business conditions obtaining in the motion picture trade, those voicing the laments should have their attention directed to the fact that there always has been and, very likely, always will be a seasonable slump at this time of the year. It is at this season of the year that the public’s attention is directed to outdoor life; at this time outdoor amusements of all kinds hit the public with their maximum appeal. After a year of theatre-going — and the past year certainly has been a year of theatre-going as far as the picture theatres have been concerned — the public seeks a change. Uniformly during past years the appeal of the outdoors at the opening of summer has over-balanced the appeal of indoor entertainment and this condition usually obtains until about the first of August. Also, the public is well-impressed with the fact that the theatrical season opens at the end of summer and the best of the attractions usually come rather at the beginning of the season than at the latter end of the season. Whether this condition should be or could be reversed is another matter. There is nothing either unusual or disturbing in the present situation. A seasonal slump of some proportions has inevitably accompanied the advent of fine weather and the insistent appeals of all sorts of outdoor entertainment. Because of the depression in general business conditions it is being questioned whether the current let-down in theatre attendance does not really mean that the adversities which have been affecting general business for several months have just caught up with the picture business. There are no sound reasons apparent or discoverable which may be summoned up to prove that any such condition exists. The picture business is old enough to have established a record of trends alongside of the variance in general business conditions. In an era of great prosperity, when there is a great deal of money being freely circulated, the industry has prospered. Also, in times of depression when money is tight the industry may not see its most prosperous days but it still continues in a flourishing condition because of the fact that in good times and bad the public must have entertainment and the picture theatre affords the best bargain in entertainment. The present slump may, therefore, be identified as the usual seasonal let up, out of which the business will come when the early season appeal of the outdoors has worn off BY MARTIN J. QUIGLEY and when the great new attractions of the coming year commence to arrive upon the screen. ▲ ▲ ▲ Rowland’s Return PHE name of Mr. Richard A. Rowland has again appeared on the horizon of the film industry. After an absence of a couple of years Mr. Rowland returns, having become identified with a group which is seeking to obtain control of Pathe. During Mr. Rowland’s absence from the forum of the industry the picture business was bereft of one of its most colorful personalities who, from practically the commencement of the business, was a factor of wide influence. Even without any further activity in the picture business, the Rowland record would have remained an enviable one. He has been a highly successful operator of theatres, a distributor with an extraordinary faculty for maintaining an unbeatable spirit in his organization and a producer of many great attractions, including — it should be remembered— “The Four Horsemen” which established collection records which still keep it in the first flight of the biggest money-makers. Mr. Rowland’s return to active participation in the affairs of the industry, whether with Pathe or elsewhere, would be giving to the picture business a personality of forceful showmanship which it could make very good use 'of at this time. AAA AMONG the great questions of the moment in the picture business is this one: Will the talking pictures he able to maintain at the theatres the levels of attendance accomplished during the past season? We assert the belief that talking pictures will not only maintain the volume of patronage of the past year but that they will be able consistently and substantially to augment this attendance. Our reason is: Despite the extraordinary degree of progress which has been achieved in the perfecting of talking pictures, technically and artistically, there is still much room for improvement and there is still much improvement that inevitably will be made. As a matter of fact, the talking motion picture has not yet assumed a characteristic form. It is still, in one degree or another, merely a continuation and an elaboration of the stage show. In the early days of the silent picture it consisted of merely an imitation of the stage theatre and a poor one at that. As the silent picture grew up, however, it took on a characteristic mold and it became an unique and original form of dramatic expression with its own technic and practices. The talking picture undoubtedly will follow a similar course. When it does thus eventually! find itself it will be a dramatic form and an entertainment of far greater importance than it now is and this importance will be reflected in a greater public following and consequently in greater theatre attendance. Exhibitors HERALD-WORLD * MARTIN J. QUIGLEY, Publisher and Editc Incorporating Exhibitors Herald, founded 1 9 1 S ; Moving Picture -World, founded 1907; Motography, founded 1909; The Film Index, founded 1906 Published every Wednesday by Quigley Publishing Company. 407 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago; Martin J. Quigley. President; Edwin S. Clifford, Secretary; Geor Clifford, Assistant Treasurer. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyrighted 1930 by Quigley Publishing Company. All editorial and business con spondence should be addressed to the Chicago office. Better Theatres, devoted to the construction, equipment and operation of theatres, is published every four week as Section Two of Exhibitors Herald World, and the Film Buyer, a quick reference picture chart, is published every fourth week as Section Two of Exhj itors HeraldWorld. Other Publications: The Motion Picture Almanac, Pictures and Personalities, published annually; The Chicagoan.