The Film Daily (1939)

Intimate in Character , International in Scope Independent in Thought «i The DaMy Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Twenty Years Old 2^5, NO. 11 NEW YORK, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1939 TEN CENTS i'3 «• British Exhibitors are Cold to Increase in Quota MADE REFORMS BEFORE ALLIED DIRECTORS TODAY ixhibs. in Five Southern States Aid Refugee Relief Pix Selling . and "Ten Best" = By CHESTER B. BAHN = -- i 'HERE'S one slant on the winning pictures in your favorite film journal's 17th anal "Ten Best" Pictures poll, just conjded that deserves a bit of trade emphasis. Scan the list — "Snow White and the <ven Dwarfs," "You Can't Take It With >u," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Boys' iwn," Marie Antoinette," "In Old Chiigo," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "he Citadel," "Love Finds Andy Hardy," d "The Hurricane" — and you'll note that ey are pictures which were sold not only the public but to the exhibitor as well. If there's one definable — and understandle — formula in this churning business, it's is: Big pictures plus big selling equal big ofits. o "HAT formula is applicable to virtually every picture found on the 1938 "Ten :st" lineup. "Men who know film business :st," to paraphrase Lucky Strike, are agreed at there is a single possible exception — at nine of the ten winning features scored finitely at the nation's box offices. A .900 per cent batting average for a rmula is more than colossal — it's phemenal. At this point, an aside on the value of uth-in-advertising, especially film adverng. When the distributors of the pictures umerated "went to town" with their reective selling campaigns, they had someling to sell. The advertising clicked with eater operators and the public because it as truthful and, in clicking, built up in the emories of showman and filmgoer alike estige and good-will for the companies ncerned. Tri-States MPTO Backs Plan to Hold Benefits on Jan. 26 New Orleans — Final plans are being made throughout the Gulf States Area, comprising Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Alabama and Florida, for one of the biggest benefits ever staged in the Deep South when, on Jan. 26, all theaters in this area will turn over their entire receipts to a relief fund for European refugees. The day has been designated as "Campaign for Humanity Day." Headed by E. V. Richards, gen ( Continued on Poor 7) BELISAN AD SYSTEM IS DECREED LOTTERY '38 History Makers A Film Daily Gallery of Year's Head liners «L Quebec — "Belisan advertising system" was officially declared a lottery as a result of the trial here of Charles Rioux, manager of the Cambrai Theater, who was fined $10 and costs or 10 days on conviction of (.Continued on Page 8) Anti-Bank Night Measure Introduced in New Mexico Santa Fe, N. M. — A measure to outlaw theater Bank Night was introduced in the House of Represen (Continued on Page 8) SPYROS SKOURAS • CRE D I T one of the biggest bombshells of the year in the exhibition ranks to Spyr o s Skouras. The energetic and able head of the farflung National Theaters circuit decided that giveaways can be eliminated and showmanship restored. He dropped all giveaways in branches (.Continued on Page 8) Decision in Chi. Contempt Action Deferred to Feb. 17 Chicago — Federal Judge Charles Woodward yesterday deferred until p'eb. 17 his decision in the Govern (Continued on Page 6) T is true, of course, that all pictures must be and should be sold. But it is equally tie, and should be apparent, that extravaant claims made in the instance of poor ictures definitely hurt rather than help. A sspectable percentage of the movie-going ublic is as show-wise as the average exibitor. If that wasn't so, there would be (.Continued on Page 2) Request of British Labor for Quota Increase Finds Little Exhib. Support Flint's Theaters Will Adopt Double Features Detroit — A double bill policy is to be adopted by practically all theaters at Flint, according to unofficial decision of a meeting just called there by exhibitors. Under (Continued on Page 8) London (By Cable) — Labor's move to increase the present quota figures through invocation of Section 15 of the 1938 Act is finding slight exhibitor support. Explanation is CEA members' fear that agitation for increased commitments might result in a still further slash in the supply of prod (Continued on Page 8) Board to Act Following Meeting of Negotiators in Washington By AL STEEN FILM DAILY Staff Writer Washington — Allied's board of directors today is slated to study the results of yesterday's conference between its own trade practice negotiating committee and the distributors' representatives. Although discussions of the trade reform draft are scheduled to occupy only a part of the day's sessions, it is believed that this issue (Continued on Page 6) KORDA TO MAKE MORE THAN TWO PICTURES West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — In addition to "Four Feathers" and "Over the Moon,'' previously announced on the 1939-40 United Artists program, Alexander Korda will make other pictures, it was revealed yesterday at the annual stockholders' meeting. The exact number has not been set. Maurice Silverstone stated that (Continued on Pipe 6) Horse Cruelty Charges Denied by Kent, Zanuck Sidney R. Kent, prexy, in New York, and Darryl F. Zanuck, production chief, in Hollywood, yesterday issued statements denying charges of cruelty to horses used in (Continued on Page 8) North Dakota Divorcement Law 'Unconstitutional' — Para. Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — The North Dakota divorcement law is unconstitutional and deprives Paramount of its property without due process of law, at (Continued on Page 7)