The Film Daily (1940)

I3i^ DAILY Monday, April 8, 19| QUADRUPLE QUOTA CREDITS ARE ASKED '( .■i.'fiinnii from I'aijf \) end, but today's conference, described as "final," is expected to insure a full statement by mid-week. The announcement may coincide i with the meetinji Wednesday of the CEA's General Council at which time the Gcnreal Purposes Committee will present its course of action on the film hire issue, as exclusively published in The Film Daily Friday. The CEA is on record as favoring retention of the present Films Act with slight change. It is urging the exhib. quota start at 10 per cent, be progressive but provide a margin of choice. Additionally, the CEA suggests that American companies be compelled to produce a minimum of 40 features here in 1940-41. (American companies, it is reported, have offered to guarantee the production of 14 features here during the new quota year, and are understood to be willing to double that number if necessary.) Other points in the CEA representations embrace approval of the proposed Films Bank, seen as making possible 40 productions in its first year, and requests that the legality of co-op production and pooling of bookings be established, and that non-British subjects — meaning American companies — be prohibited from acquiring control of British theaters through the use of "frozen" remittances. Incidentally, the CEA is critical of the remittance agreement now in effect, and has advised the Board of Trade that, in its judgment, "a much better agreement could have been negotiated." "We trust, when another agreement is being discussed, greater firmness will be displayed b-" the Board of Trade and the resulting \ document will afford greater protection to British film interests," says the CEA. The remittance agreement extends to Oct. 31. Saunders to Open "Wind" Parleys in Chicago Today Chicago — Ed Saunders, M-G-M's Western division manager, open parleys here today with field men in connection with "Gone With the Wind" subsequent dates. Approximately 14 openings are set for April 17. Industry Figures Buylny Pix Stocks Credence to the report that Industry figures are buying leading shares in film stocks is given by the Wall St. Journal, which points out that such stocks are more active and stronger. Paper cites that many of the leading seasonal releases have brought "excellent" b.o. response, with some records broken. AL€Ne THE i= WITH PHIL M. DALTi T ▼ T • • • THERE'S a sequel to the colyum (hat appeared in this here space last Wednesday in which we contended that it's a helluva shame how a certain current feature of a certain major company is being given only a weak-kneed, wishy-washy trade campaign despite the fact that the attraction patently has a load of merit and is capable of grabbing a lot more revenue if Mr. Exhib. were informed about the film We said that the attraction is going swell in a parcel of situations which is (rue and we also said that ivir. Exhib. at large hasn't been told about the filum's good record Consequently, he can't be expected (o buy a pig in a poke which is also true T ▼ ▼ • • • NOW the sequel is this: Perhaps the company doesn't know that it has a hit on its hands Perhaps it doesn't care We don't profess to know But it doesn't make sense that the picture is being treated as though it were a palooka If it were there would be every justification for putting on the soft promotional pedal We subscribe to the strategy that if a picture is a palooka DROP IT! for that's the only ethical thing to do 'cause any way you look at it it's a shoddy practice to deceive the exhibitor and put him on the spot with his patrons T ▼ T • • • YEP, if it's a palooka DROP IT! Mr. Exhib. takes a lot of stock in the records pictures make in situations which are ahead of him in clearance That means that he's interested in premiere performance first-run performance second-run performance and, in the case of the small exhib. even what the picture did in a nearby subsequent prior to eligibility for his own screen Such all-along-the-line performances are used by Mr. Exhib as a gauge of how much effort and cash are deserving of going info the picture's campaign when he gets it So when he reads in his trade papers' ads the success of a film in its various stages of distribution he becomes really SOLD It's only loose lingo to say that an exhib. is "sold" merely because he puts his John Hancock on a license agreement Exhibs. ARE "sold" on product ONLY when they become convinced of attractions' merits and attractions in their houses live up to their advance reputations T T T • • • JUST this past week we were chinning with an out-of-town exhib who allowed as how he was naturally interested in how pix fare in the larger keys but, that to his mind, this was not an altogether convincing yardstick because the theaters of times are relatives of the producing company and the full promotional heat is turned on to create big opening-day patronage "It's the in-between stands which play the film before I get it that furnish the yardstick for me" He asked why the producer-distribs. didn't think it important to tell exhibs. about strength and performance of pix in such outlets It's food for thought • • • AS we said, — if it's a palooka drop it but if it isn't it should be promotionally supported to the hilt down through distributional stages for there's no denying that in this age of advertising it's REPETITION that builds REPUTATION REPUBLIC STRIKE QUICKLY CALLED 0[ H'csl Coast Bnnau of THE I-JLM DAI Hollywood — The strike of sou technicians at Republic on FricI; lasted only an hour. Harold Smi got in touch with William Bioff w advised that the men go back work. Bioff said he would hand negotiations himself. The soundmen's union c Eb.. 'rid4 signed new contracts with fJEl^ind pendents — Gold Seal, Roland Ree Pyramid and Techniprocess Spec! Effects Corp. New York Theater Lease Sold by Consolidate iContinittd fiom Page 1) circuit. The theater is being coi structed by the New York Life Ii surance Co. and is expected to l completed in two or three weeks. "Flexibility" For Tele Key to DuMont's Stan Position of Du Mont Laboratorie Inc., in relation to the present FF^ RCA controversy over television \ clarified in a statement released c. the week-end. Du Mont, which affiliated with Paramount Pictuiv Inc., maintains that it is not oppoto the FCC's original approval "limited commercialization" of teu vision but that it favors "flexibility in both receiving sets and transniii ters so that standards will not b "frozen." In connection with thi stand, Du Mont officials emphasize that their sets are capable of i\ ceiving 441 to 800 line images an that a guarantee has been issued u,, dealers in which it is agreed to in sure sets against obsolescence untj January, 1942. At Local 702's Ball Second annual entertainment an| ball of Local 702, motion pictur laboratory technicians, was hel« Saturday night at the Edison Hotd grand ballroom. A capacity attei dance turned out for the affair. John Wray, Actor, Dies West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAIi Hollywood — John Wray, 52, actq died Friday of liver trouble. WEDDING BELLSl Edward Farrell, of Intematioi! Projector Corp., and Anne Murpli secretary to W. C. Michel of 20th Fox, were married on Saturda;. morning in Holy Cross Church oi West 42nd Street. Couple left im mediately for Washington, D. C where they will spend their honeymoon. West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAIV Hollywood — Eleanor Powell ^vi wed Merrill Pye, art designer, nex March.