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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1935
7
BARTON TAKES ISSUE WITH M-C-M ON BLOCK BOOKING
"Do you want the machinery of motion picture supply set up on a day-to-day basis, so that your requirements cannot be assured further ahead than the photoplays which are currently in process of produc
tion
V"
{This is the producers' pet scare. (Or did I mention that before?). Here's another phoney. In actual practice you will not buy pictures one at a time. The Pettengill bill does not prohibit voluntary block buying. It is directed against compulsory block booking. You will buy groups of pictures, but you will know what you are buying! Rather than a shortage of pictures, there will be more than there has been within the past half dozen years of the major film producing monopoly.
ANSWERS HIS OWN QUESTIONS
There you have the questions asked by Mr. Lynch and the writer's answers. Now, we shall take up Mr. Lynch's answers to Mr. Lynch's questions, and with one rapier-like thrust, this humble correspondent shall rip open each of Mr. Lynch's statements until the bunk in them fairly gushes forth.
He titles his answers, "SOME OF THE REASONS FOR OPPOSING THE PETTENGILL BILL!"
"/. It is the first step in an organized plan to have the government eventually run the motion picture business."
[The Government won't run the railroads
or the power plants, but it has its eye on
the movie business! Boo!}
"2. In effect, it will forbid a distributor, under penalty of fine or imprisonment, to reduce rentals as an incentive to exhibitors to buy more than one feature or short feature."
[This is a perversion, nay, a deliberate falsification of the facts as clearly stated in the Pettengill bill. Read the bill, Mr. Lynch.]
"3. Further, it will increase the price of motion picture films to exhibitors, by increasing selling costs and so handicapping the studios that production costs will be materially increased."
[See our answer to his fourth question.}
"4. It will strongly encourage nontheatrical competition.'
[If you, Mr. Lynch, and the other dis
tributors are so interested in putting this lid down on non-theatricals, you know how do do it — don't sell them. If you thought they would bring you more money, you would sell them in a minute.]
"5. It may compel or encourage studios to continue with actors or directors previously announced, even after it becomes apparent to studio officials that changes are necessary."
[That statement is preposterous. Read
the bill.]
"<5. Its forbidding of wholesale selling may prevent small theatres from getting pictures at prices they can afford to pay." [It does not forbid "wholesale" selling or buying — if the exhibitor desires to buy that (Continued on Next Page)
Strange As It May Seem!
Independents, Attention! The Independent Theatre Owners of Southern California were so highly pleased with the accomplishments of their organization during the past year that the membership voluntarily raised dues from #2.00 to #5.00 weekly. A vote of confidence and an expression of thanks for good work done were handed to a surprised Board of Directors.
IMPORTANT NOTICE! Mr. Exhibitor:
The only authentic motion pictures
of the
ROSS-McLARNIN FIGHT
staged in New York City, Tuesday, May 28th
with
JACK DEMPSEY refereeing
are being distributed by RAY SMITH thru
CAPITAL FILM EXCHANGE
1314 VINE STREET PHIL A., PA.
Any other Ross-McLarnin fight pictures are last year's.