Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1939)

12 %depetuknt exhibitors FILM BULLETIN By DAVID JAMES HANNA FILM EXECUTIVES — GOOD AND BAD The most illuminating feature of the recent stockholders' case against executives of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Loew's, Inc.) was the testimony concerning the high regard in which the officials and producers of that company are held by rival film men. Briefly, the consensus of expert opinion was that MGM has been unusually successful in obtaining the services of persons with exceptionally sound motion picture JUDGMENT — this qualification, according to the witnesses, being at somewhat of a premium in Hollywood. Whether, as the stockholders maintained, their Solomon-like talents were overpaid, is not the point of this comment. We are merely inclined to agree that such expressions of praise as those accorded the MGM executives were not wholly undeserved. Time and time again, this organization has demonstrated its superior judgment, its ability to comprehend audience desires and to give both exhibitors and filmgoers pictures of higher commercial and entertainment value. MGM develops stars with astonishing sagacity and, although this writer has in recent months frequently levelled criticism at quite a few MGM story selections, the fact remains that the studio is right in an unusually large number of its endeavors. These and many other factors emphasize the fact that the men behind the scenes at MGM do possess qualities which most other executives apparently lack. We dare make this statement directly in the face of the recent debacle of Hedy Lamarr's "I Take This Woman". To hear some Hollywood people discussing the shelving of that picture, one would presume this to be the most flagrant example of poor judgment in motion picture history. It seems that when Metro pulls an occasional boner it is a signal for the film city's ample "sour grapes" chorus to go into action. We are inclined to think that the circumstances of the Lamarr case do not warrant such a hullabaloo. In the first place, it was the public and the Hollywood press who placed Lamarr on a pinnacle she does not deserve. Following her appearance in "Algiers", there was a demand for the actress, which Metro hoped to meet. She was given a very simple role — that of a glamorous foreign girl living in America. It would be a natural for Garbo, Dietrich or Rainer. But they are far better equipped actresses, although the raven newcomer may improve remarkably with more experience. From what we hear at the studio, Miss Lamarr was very unconvincing, so rather than risk a laughable flop, MGM exercised shrewd judgment and junked the film. Miss Lamarr will now be given a second opportunity in a role more suited to her present limited talents. That seems damn good business sense to us! It is not difficult to list a great number of films probably more deserving of the shelf than "I Take This Woman". But, unfortunately for the film industry, there are too many producers elsewhere whose lack of good judgment is quite close to appalling. The case of Harry Cohn has been dwelt upon extensively in recent issues of FB. Yet, as a shining example of the inconsistent judg ment which results in cluttering marquees with tripe, there is none better than Mr. Cohn. How a man whose organization has turned out such splendid films as "It Happened One Night", "The Awful Truth", "You Can't Take it with You" and "I Am the Law" would consider blithely affixing the Columbia seal to such entertainment vacuums like "Crime of the Year", "Flight to Fame" and "Lone Wolf's Daughter" among many others, is difficult to understand. Yet, with that righteous indignation so peculiar to some Hollywood executives, Mr. Cohn becomes violently displeased when an honest attempt is made to point out his errors of judgment. With George Schaefer at the RKO helm, the industry is looking forward to a brighter future for that studio. In the past, and more particularly during the last two years, good judgment has been anything but indicative of RKO production heads. Consider the sort of thinking which pays an exorbitant price for the uproariously funny "Room Service", only to convert it into a vehicle for the unique talents of the Marx Brothers. At the same time we find a potentially successful series like "The Saint" stories winning audience appreciation to an extent that RKO executives could not foresee. As a result, the company lost the series' star, Louis Hayward and is presently paying its author double his previous salary, after almost losing him! We look to George Schaefer to avoid such blunders in the future. At 20th Century-Fox we find Sol Wurtzel working in a rut, which causes one to wonder if his many years of experience in the industry have endowed him with any powers of judgment at all. Having led the series trend, Wurtzel's '38-'39 product could follow only in that same line, resulting in a succession of poorly contrived, unoriginal films. Perhaps now that he has gotten it out of his system we may expect more substantial enterprises from his unit. In contrast, there is Bryan Foy at Warners, who appears to know not only when and how to sense a trend, but is able to follow it up with good effect. In our recollection, only once has Foy's good judgment failed him and then but briefly. This was during the screwball comedy cycle, when he failed to realize his B casts, writers and productions could not hope to compete with the carefully worked out situations which made the cleverer and bigger offerings such good fun. Paramount and Universal have had more than their share of minus-judgment executives. Their effect on these companies is too familiar to bear repetition in this space. Universal now is definitely on the way up, due solely to the fact that at the head of the studio are men well equipped with a knowledge of motion picture problems and more specifically with a sound sense of discrimination. Certainly the MGM witnesses stamped the situation correctly when they noted judgment as the outstanding characteristic of the company's personnel. Although they do not actually make the pictures, the men behind the executive desks reach the pre-production decisions which usually mean the success or failure of a film. Of the men who guess right, Metro has more than a fair share. West Coast Editor: David J. Hanno, 1949 North Taft Avenue, Hollywood, California. Phone: Granite 1891. Address all communications concerning news or advertising to Mr. Hanna, above address.