Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

BULLETIN to i >L 20. No. 4 February 25. 1952 Pane Five COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS [ never complained of my condition it once, said an old man — -when my t were bare and I had no money to ly shoes — but I met a man without :et. and became contented.'' — EL K. WHITE REVIEWS in This Issue ■llf. of New York 8 fjEAsiRE of Lost Canyon 8 ij e Bic Trees _ -.. 8 rl-A Zapata _ 10 Nth A Sonc In My Heart 10 ■treat. Hell.' 10 FILM BULLETIN — An Independent Motion Picture Trade Paper published every other Monday by Film Bulletin Company. Mo Wax, Editor and Publisher. BUSINESS OFFICE; 35 West 53rd St., New York, 19; Circle 6-9159. David A. Bader, Business Manager; Leonard Coulter, Editorial Representative. PUBLICATION — EDITORIAL OFFICES: 1239 Vine St., Philadelphia 7, Pa., RIttenhouse 67424: Barney Stein, Managing Editor: Dick Newton. Publication Manager: Robert Heath. Circulation Manager. HOLLYWOOD OFFICE: 659 Haverford Ave., Pacific Palisades, Calif., Hillside 8183; Jay Allen, Hollywood Editor. Subscription Rate: ONE YEAR, $3.00 in the United States; Canda, $4.00; Europe, $5.00. TWO YEARS, $5.00 in the United States; Canada, $7.50; Europe, $9.00 LIRE FHH 'QUO VAIII.'i' In a remit bulletin, Bob Wile, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, suggested that exhibitors pay M-G-M in Italian lire, instead of American dollar-, for 'Quo Vadis." Attached to the bulletin was a five lire note and Wile advised [TO members that, since Metro had produced the spectacle in Italy with Frozen funds, exhibitors are justified in paying their rentals in Italian money. '"This five lire note." the bulletin stated, "can be used by you in negotiating with M-G-M for 'Quo \ adis." You may offer to pa\ M-G-M whatever i due them in lire ... If M-G-M says t oyou. ou are collecting dollars, you can't pay us in lire.' a verj Dbvious answer to that is. "You made the picture for lire, why should vou collect dollars?'" I ndouhtedly. our good friend Wile had tongue in cheek, but we just don't relish his little gag. Metro risked a fortune of close to S7.000.000 to make "Quo Vadis," invested the time of some of its valuable topflight talent for many months, shipped a great deal of equipment overseas to guarantee the best technical results, and expended another sizeable sum in building up a vast, thoroughly penerating publicity-exploitation campaign to insure its boxoffice success. Fortunately. "Quo Vadis" turned out to be a mighty spectacle, a motion picture that offers the strongest kind of answer for the movies to all competitive forms of entertainment. Certainly, it dwarfs into insignificance anything that television can possibly offer. There is hardly a theatreman in the land who would not fervently say: "Give me a dozen films like this every year!" If Dob W ile disapproves of Metro's terms on the picture, that's one thing. He is entitled, perhaps obligated, to advise his membership if he feels their best interests would not be served by playing it on the terms the distributor is asking. But, whether it was made for lire, yen or dollars. "Quo Vadis" is a great motion picture. The ITO secretary is far off base in deprecating a production of such importance to the entire industry. MO WAX A GDVERNDR SALUTES MOVIES Not alone for the fact that his State substantially reduced the tax on movie admi>sions. but for the eloquent tribute he paid to our industry, let us all salute Governor Hugh L. White of the State of Mississippi. Hailing the movie business as one that "should be encouraged and not emasculated by destructive and discriminatory taxation." the Governor signed a bill reducing the present 10 to 13 percent admissions tax down to 2 percent on individual and small circuit theatres, and 5 percent on circuits of more than 10 theatres. Governor White had this to say : "In passing this bill to reduce the unusual heavy tax burden now being carried by the motion picture theatres, the State of Mississippi recognized the fact that the theatre has long ceased to be solely a place of entertainment. It has become a communitv institution of first rank and has assumed its community responsibilities, and it is an industry that should not be unduly taxed. "'During the war no industry built a prouder record in its support of Government and community in the bond drives. Bed Cross, scrap drives, and various other war activities. '"The movie today is not a luxury: it is a necessity. It is not a vice, minor or major, and should not be bracketed with commodities or pursuits that mav be. "We want the theatres to continue to provide that visual education for the nation which has made the screen the greatest medium of mass communication in the past."