Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

4 INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN' INDEPENDENT EXHIBITORS FILM BULLETIN Vol. 2 No. 22 Jan. 29, 1936 Issued weekly by Film Bulletin Co., at 1313 Vine Street, Phila., Pa. Mo Wax, editor and publisher; Roland Barton, George F. Nonamaker, associate editors. Telephone: RITtenhouse 4816. Address all communications to Editor, Film Bulletin Merritt Crawford, Publisher's Representative 165 8 Broadway, New York City Room 486 — Circle 7-3094 ADVERTISING RATES Write or call us for our Advertising Rates. Weekly circulation 1000 copies, covering every theatre owner in the Philadelphia and BaltimoreWashington territories. NEW YORK TIP-OFF NEW" YORK. After resting on the shelf for over two years, but it couldn't be made acceptable for release, "Frankie and Johnnie" will go out thru the Republic exchanges. Produced at the old Biograph studio here, it was orginally intended to be released by RKO, but the latter outfit said no . . . Despite the publicly announced makeup, Mary Pickford and Jesse Lasky may split their recently cemented association. The row started over the cost of re-writing "One Rainy Afternoon" several times and Miss Pickford intimated that her money was being used too liberally and carelessly . . . "Exclusive Story" nose-dived at the Capitol despite the fact that Martin Mooney, author was front page publicity for a week preceding its opening . . . Chaplin's "Modern Times" is now scheduled to open Wednesday evening at the Rivoli. Prices for the premiere are $5.50 orchestra; $2.20 balcony. Pop prices starting the next day . . . Reports from the coast are enthusiastic about the possibilities of Frank Capra's "Opera Hat." The Columbia director has altered the story to deal more extensively with the topical farm problem . . . "Ceiling Zero" came in for handsome reviews from practically all the local newscricks . . . They are beginning to discuss Lubitsch's successor as Paramount studio head. In addition to generally poor product during his regime, the company misses the two or three money makers he personally directed each year . . . G-B's = EDITORIAL ~ MAJORS SHOULD ALLOW DUALS WITH THEIR WEAKER FEATURES PENDING OUTCOME OF THE CASE The double feature case will probably spend several more months lingering in the Federal courts before the United States Supreme Court finally determines if the major distributors have the right to insert clauses banning duals in their contracts. Meanwhile, it might be wise for the companies, which were found guilty by two Federal courts of conspiracy to violate the anti-trust laws, to consider a liberal policy on the duals problem while the case is being carried through higher legal channels. It is only a matter of two or three months at most before the Supreme Court finally settles the issue and the distributors would be taking advantage of a temporary legal technicality, which might cost many of their customers much and by the abrogation of which they would not suffer a penny's loss. Certainly no one would be damaged if those companies which use the anti-dual clause were to allow their lower classification pictures to be double featured. Exhibitors are taking severe losses on those "weakies" every day and, whereas they perish at the boxoffice when booked alone, they might bring a profitable return if dualled with another appropriate feature. Should the Supreme Court unexpectedly reverse the two lower court rulings, no revenue would have been lost by the film companies and the exhibitors will have been given an opportunity to save themselves from several days' depressing receipts. The theatre owners are entitled to expect at least this small consideration from the mighty majors. "King of the Damned," on which we have heard nice reports, goes into the Roxy this Friday . . . Edward G. Robinson's two year old duel with Warners will probably be terminated with the completion of his next three pictures for that company, first of which is "Bullets or Ballots." The actor is fed up with gangster roles and that is the type of part with which WB have made money with him in his pictures. . . . Richard Bennett, reported on the verge of death in the dailies, has never really been critically ill, his doctors say . . . Beset by disappointing pix from their own company's studio, the Paramount here is continuing its semi-flesh policy — and increasing the amount of flesh. In addition to a band, which they have have been using for the p.ist month, the Yacht Club Boys have been spotted in support of "Collegiate", "Ceiling Zero," the new Cagney-O'Brien opus, was favored with nice reviews in most dailies . . . Chaplin is reported spending a load of jack in doctoring "Modern Times." About one-third of the film may have to be remade to satisfy the finicky comic . . . Like the case of the man biting the dog, it's news when a producer walks out on a picture because he can't get along with the star. That's what happened at Paramount. Benjamin Glazer withdrew as producer of "I Loved A Soldier" when Marlene Dietrich kicked about the script, which he had oked, and ordered it changed. And so another headache was tossed into Lubitsch's overloaded lap . . . Both Hepburn and "Sylvia Scarlett" were razzed by the critics. ELK.