Film Bulletin (1942)

Vol. 10 No. 10 MAY 1 CORRESPONDENCE Dear Sir: In your editorial of April 6, entitled "An Improved Sales Plan," you make some observations regarding allocations which provide that distributors must give the customer the allocation "on notice of availability or upon booking of the feature." To a simple old soul it is hard to understand on what possible ground or theory the exchange refuses to tell its customer what the cost of the picture is when he buys it.. The picture has been made and it has been shown. You also state that the old reallocation evil is still present to partially defeat the cancellation privilege. Brother, you have said a mouthful! Truly yours, L. L. BARD, Los Angeles, Calif. The only possible ground on which a distributor bases his right to withhold tfie price of a picture when he sells it is the fact that the practice has been established. Precedent. You know, "it's been done right along." Fact is, of course, that all the objectionable sales policies in our industry grew out of the loose buying habits of exhibitors. Until they learn to discriminate between a bad sales policy and a good one, they will continue to be suckers. The "theory" on which a distributor refuses to quote terms when the picture is sold is really cold figures. He wants to watch the grosses in the early runs, in order to get the highest possible price from the subsequent runs. It is our opinion that the old reallocation evil is on its way out. It may yet take a little concerted pushing by exhibitors to get rid of It, but the enlightened sales heads are becoming convinced that that practice is the cause of more trouble than it's worth. * * Dear Mr. Wax: Your editorial in the Film Bulletin issue of April 20th takes the exhibitors to task for their delinquency in the matter of attending trade screenings under the consent decree. This is not an effort to absolve them. You are right in charging the majority of the independents neglected tSeir privilege of seeing the pictures before they bought them, but should the blame be put 2*?tirely on them? As a matter of fact, the five consenting majors pulled a very cJsver trick to make it impossible for us to see many of their pictures.. You know that it was not uncommon for four features to be shown in one day— and more! Did you notice, also, that some of the 3 , 1 9 4 2 companies shrewdly arranged to show their clucks at the same time that another exchange was showing an important picture. Of course, the exhibitors all went to see the big picture and the dud went by unseen. We hope you will point this fact out to the Department of Justice to prevent the use of such devices under the new blocks-of-12 plan. Sincerely yours, A FAITHFUL READER. (New England) We received a number of complaints from exhibitors that the trade screenings were being held too often to permit coverage of all the pictures. There certainly should be no repetition of this next season. Possibly Allied will be able to negotiate some reasonable schedule of screenings with the film companies within the framework of UMPI. If not. the Department of Justice should certainly see that concurrent showings are not held to circumvent that provision of the decree. REPUBLIC AND MONOGRAM The sales convention season opened last week with Republic and Monogram leading the way. These two important independent companies are both anticipating the biggest seasons in their respective histories — and not idly, we believe. Under the strong, bold direction of H. J. Yates, Republic, leader of the indies, has always given one the feeling of irresistible growth ever since the company's creation. Yates is a man who does not take no for an answer, and he has always been determined to build Republic into one of the really formidable factors in the trade. Always with his feet planted firmly on the ground, he has never permitted either the production or distribution branches of his company to get "big heads." In M. J. Siegel, chief of production, and James R. Grainger, general sales manager, Yates is assisted by men who know that real success is built on a solid foundation of quality and goodwill. You can look for growth at Republic this coming season — and every new season. It is under THAT kind of management. Monogram's '42-'43 program (see details in Studio Size-ups) presents an encouraging picture. W. Ray Johnston and Trem Carr, the two gentlemen behind Monogram, are conservative, yet progressive, and they seem destined for the biggest year in the ten since Monogram was born. Important additions have been made to the production staff and a number of interesting story properties have been bought. The product is laden with promise and exhibitors will do themselves a favor by making provision for some of it in their buying plans next season. II I. M BULLETIN, an Independent Motion Picture Trade Paper published every other Monday by Film Bulletin Company, Mo Wax. Editor and Publisher. PUBLICATION-EDITORIAL OFFICES: 1239 Vine St., Pbjla., Penna.: RITtenhouse 7424; Barney Stein, Publication Manager; Ted Barlow, Circulation Manager. NEW YORK OFFICE: 509 RKO Bldg., Rockefeller Center: COlumbus 5-2125. Harry N. Blair, General Business Mgr.; Frank Leyendecker, Staff Representative. WEST COAST OFFICE: 1937 Lemoyne St., Los Angeles California; OLympia 6066: David Hanna, West Coast Editor. Subscription rate: ONE YEAR, $3.00 In the United States; Canada $4.00; Europe $5.00. TWO YEARS, $3.00 in the United States; Canada $7.50; Europe $9.00.