Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

What They'te Mini About □ □ □ In the Movie Business □ □ □ B.O. REPORT. The current boxoffice report, as usual, has its bright and dim spots. It is hardly a trade secret that "Son of Flubber" is topping all other Disneys in many areas. Exhibitors attribute the performance in no small measure to the intensive TV promotion put behind the film. On the other hand, Paramount's "A Girl Named Tamiko" reportedly is "laying an egg," and Universal's "Freud" is meeting public resistance, except in a limited number of select situations. Columbia's "Diamond Head" is a strong grosser everywhere, and showing sturdy legs, while Warners' "Days of Wine and Roses" has opened robustly on the strength of an excellent campaign, but may find itself bucking downbeat word-of-mouth because of the film's depressive theme. "The Raven" is the biggest money-maker American International has had thus far. Universal's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is solid, but not sock. Continental's "David and Lisa" is one of the season's wonderful surprises. Another Paramount release, "Papa's Delicate Condition" isn't very healthy. In the roadshow category, Cinerama's "How the West Was Won" is rolling up big grosses and the advance sale is big, big. "Lawrence of Arabia" continues to stand firm in all situations. "The Longest Day" is beginning to show signs of wear after six months in some spots, but the new out-of-town openings have been sensational. ■ THE IMAGE-MAKERS. The fascination movie stars and movie scenes hold for countless millions of people was again revealed by David L. Wolper's TV show, "The Great Stars". The Wednesday (13th) night program reportedly drew a vast audience and highly favorable critical comment. Highlights were clips, superbly edited for pace and impact, of the old favorites, Bogart, Cagney, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, et al. And his scenes involving Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable were very affecting. Several forthcoming feature releases received brief plugs at the end of the show, making one wonder again why the film companies cannot devise a TV show, say every three months, devoted entirely to snappy clips and comments about the coming product. It's a good bet that it would be one of the highest rated television programs. BIDDING & SELECTING. The recent decision of the U. S. District Court of Minnesota in the case of Parsons vs. Paramount, et al, reaffirms the right of a distributor to select a customer, rather than submit its pictures to competitive bidding. The case concerned the efforts of Burt and Freeman Parsons to obtain product for their 450-seat Eastman Theatre in St. Cloud, Minnesota, which they had purchased from the Minnesota Amusement Company, against MAC'S 1409-seat Paramount Theatre. TOA general counsel Herman M. Levy had the following pertinent comment to make on the decision: "An important Court has, again, given its blessing to distributors' selecting, as their customer, one competitive theatre over another, when they are impelled to do so by sound business motives, and when they do not act in conspiracy. This decision should give much comfort to those distributors who sincerely desire to select their customers without resorting to competitive bidding. In those relatively few cases when a distributor really believes that employing competitive bidding will avoid litigation, its use may be justified. However, there are many instances when competitive bidding is invoked, not to avoid litigation, but when it appears financially inviting to a distributor to use it. In those areas in which a split of product cannot be arrived at, and when bidding is not requested, it should not be indulged in by distributors. Rather, distributors should rely on decisions such as this one, and select their customers. Of course, when competitive bidding is requested by one or more exhibitors, distributors have to evaluate the situation carefully, and determine whether to select their customers, or to throw the situation into competitive bidding."