Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

Editorial BY MARTIN J. QUICLEY. Mr. Hughes WHEN "Hell's Angels" was brought to Broadway last Summer, and two theatres were rented, presumably because one theatre would not be large enough to hold the crowds that would flock to see it, many of the experts along New York's Main Street hailed the production as the greatest attraction of the day. The experts, in all of their wisdom, apparently were greatly impressed with the two-theatre ballyhoo, together with the grossest example of dollar publicity in the history of the business. The picture, they seemed to reason, cost four million dollars so it must be great. The writer of these lines found himself in sharp disagreement with these so-called experts. To us the picture was a four million dollar shot in the dark and we took about two columns in this publication to make our opinion perfectly clear. Having a pitifully weak story, some very bad actors and acting, some fine airplane stuff which did not mean very much on the screen and a liberal helping of inexcusable filth, we could not quite see where and how "Hell's Angels" was destined to rock the amusement world. And the fact is, it has in no way rocked the amusement world. It has, however, very closely lived up to Mr. James R. Quirk's estimate in "Photoplay" when he characterized it as "a four million dollar flop." We are assuming no I-told-you-so attitude. Neither in this case nor in any other case do we lay claim to being able to prophesy what shall be the public's reaction toward a motion picture. We leave this illusionary claim to those who are willing to appear ridiculous in the eyes of all sensible people. But there was so little in "Hell's Angels," stripped of its ballyhoo, upon which to predicate a great success that we are a little surprised that even the "experts" had to add this one to their long list of mistakes. The results of this expensive experiment would under ordinary circumstances sharply and definitely cut short the producer's activities in motion picture production. Mr. Howard Hughes, the producer of "Hell's Angels," however, is reputed to be a very rich young man to whom the loss of the greater part of four million dollars may be an unpleasant incident but not a disaster. Hence, the motion picture industry may contemplate the prospect of further efforts from Mr. Hughes. Such a prospect is somewhat strengthened by assurances from Mr. Hughes that he intends to carry on in motion picture production. In fact, his press department has frequently announced that a motion picture is to be made of a scandalous story of Hollywood and its people entitled, "Queer People." We have met with no denial of this announcement from Mr. Hughes. So with what we have seen from Mr. Hughes in "Hell's Angels" and what we may expect in "Queer People" the case of Mr. Hughes presents a perplexing problem. In the instance of "Hell's Angels" Mr. Hughes set a stern face against all of the proposed measures of prophylaxis indicated by the presence of the filth above noted. Mr. Hughes and his agents have fought with the censor boards and other cleansing agencies for the retention of some of his prized scenes and lines with the zealousness of a crusader. In his inexperience he seems to have gauged the tastes of the picture-going public with about the accuracy that would be expected from an Eskimo. If there is another picture from Mr. Hughes — and the circumstances seem to warrant expecting the worst — the industry is likely to find itself laboring under another unpleasant and unprofitable burden. If the subject of his selection is "Queer People" the industry is certain to be confronted with such a burden. AAA Aid from Exhibitors AS everyone knows, the only great problem confronting the motion picture business is the question of product— the quality of the product. There is hardly a theatre anywhere which cannot operate profitably, or very profitably, at such times as it is presenting pictures >of an outstanding character. The quality of the product is primarily the concern of the producer but only in a barely secondary way it is the problem of every branch and every factor of the industry. Every branch and factor in the industry should and must eventually cooperate to its fullest in improving the popular appeal of motion pictures. The theatre branch of the business, in its immediate contact with the public, learns a great deal about product requirements which has never yet been passed on systematically to the producer. The exhibitor obviously is able to assist tremendously on the product problem, yet no adequate arrangements have ever yet been set up to make such assistance available at the studios. Leading executives of the principal chains are, of course, available for consultation with the theatre departments of their organization and this arrangement is unquestionably an important aid in the improvement of product. Yet these executives are not out in the theatre field; their information comes to them largely through reports of subordinates. Although these men are operating the large chains, their work is in the offices and not immediately in the theatres. They have before them a close-up picture of no theatres except the Broadway houses. It seems to us that an exceedingly promising arrangement would be the establishment of a rotating committee of exhibitors at Hollywood, available for consultation with producers. Such a committee would, we believe, be an important force for the betterment of pictures. Exhibitors HERALD-WORLD MARTIN J. QUICLEY, Publisher and Editor Incorporating Exhibitors Herald, founded 1915; Moving Picture-World, founded 1907; Motography, founded 1909; The Film Index, founded 1906. Published every Friday by Ouigley Publishing Company, 407 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago; Martin J. Qmgley, President; Edwin S. Clifford, Secretary; George Clifford, Assistant Treasurer. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyrighted 1930 by Quigley Publishing Company. All editorial and business correspondence should be addressed to the Chicago office. Better Theatres, devoted to the construction, equipment and operation of theatres, is published every fourth week as section two of Exhibitors HeraldWorld, and the Film Buyer, a quick reference picture chart, is published every fourth week as Section Two ot Exhibitors HeraldWorld. Other Publications: The Motion Picture Almanac, Pictures and Personalities, published annually; The Chicagoan.