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INDEPENDENT EXHIBITOR
FILM BULLETIN
VOL. 2 No. 11 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1935
Recapitulation On St. Louis — And the Future!
It took a St. Louis jury, after six weeks of voluminous testimony, a brief thirtyeight minutes to reach its verdict acquitting the five major film company executives who were charged with conspiracy to "freeze out" of business an independent theatre competitor, in violation of the anti-trust laws. The case is closed, but several facts in connection with it are worthy of recount.
Independent exhibitors throughout the country owe a vote of appreciation to the Federal Government, the Administration and the Department of Justice for their valiant effort to prosecute what appeared to be a violation of law and justice. Failure to prove the case to the satisfaction of the twelve St. Louis jurymen in no wise affects the essential fact that the Government was willing and eager to come to the aid of an independent who apparently had substantial grounds for his charge.
The case may have either the effect of encouraging the film magnates to hold the restraint of legal action more lightly and lead them to a flagrant disregard for the rights of independents, or being face to face with a criminal charge may have the much-to-be-hoped-for salutary effect of inculcating them with some respect for the small fellow's rights. If the latter result comes from the protracted St. Louis litigation, it will be well worth to the industry many times what it cost in labor and money.
But, now, the nation's independent exhibitors must turn their eyes and energies toward finding solutions to the vital problems affecting the industry — toward a full and intelligent understanding of them — toward discovery of means of eradicating the evils practiced by those, who, by their power or unscrupulousness, take advantage of the others in the industry.
You will soon be forced to face these problems, so chalk them down in your memory and THINK about them!
BLOCK BOOKING. ,
BLIND SELLING BY NUMBERS.
PREFERRED PLAYING TIME.
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF "QUICKIES" FROM MAJOR STUDIOS.
UNFAIR COMPETITIVE PRACTICES BETWEEN EXHIBITORS. EVER-INCREASING FILM RENTALS.
There you have them in the order of their importance to the basic structure of the industry. In the ensuing months, FILM BULLETIN will discuss these problems on the editorial page. We urge all exhibitors to give clear, logical and serious thought to them. By elimination or continuance of these evils, this industry will stand or fall.
Mo Wax.
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