The Film Daily (1934)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought VOL. LXVI. NO, 91 The Daily Newspaper Of Motion Pictures Now Sixteen Years Old NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, CCTCDEC 17, 1934 * CENTS Western Electric Licensees Assured of Protection ERPI STUDYING VERTICAL RERECORDINTSYSTEM Famous Theaters Buys Out Marcus in Salt Lake Circuit B. O. Prices . . . and elevation of tastes = By DON CARLE GILLETTE^ IT IS now a good many months since the ' industry shouldered the higher operating costs imposed by the NRA, but as yet the composite index of box-office prices does not show even a slight upward ripple on the chart. Product is better and the public is eager for it, but movies continue to be about the only article that has assumed a greater manufacturing and distributing burden without making a commensurate increase in its retail scale. First-run theaters say they can't raise prices as long as neighborhood houses won't; neighborhoods claim they can't boost until they have used up all the product shown downtown at low prices and probably double-featured as well. So it goes. The longer low prices are allowed to continue, the tougher it will be to ever get them up to warranted levels. It's a problem of national import, and an all-industry conference on the subject would not be out of order. EFFORTS to raise movie tastes are now *™ being made in some 20,000 schools, to say nothing of a few dozen colleges, universities and other institutions, public forums, etc., etc. It is all very well-meaning, but not too much should be expected in the way of immediate results. If the experience of the legitimate drama is any criterion, raising the scale of mass appreciation is a slow and arduous process. Too many folks are satisfied to just enjoy their amusement, without caring why; and since different persons enjoy and appreciate different things in movies, as well as in anything else, wholesale elevation of taste could be accomplished only in robots Another thing is that, having their minds improved involves a certain mental effort on the part of the patron who goes to the theater for mental relaxation. As in the case of erudite literature, fine liqueurs and $20 chapeaux, there never will be a demand for more than a very limited number of superfine films. Para. Theater Subsidiary Exercises Option on Western Houses Salt Lake City — Famous Theaters has exercised its option to buy Mayor Louis Marcus' interest in Publix-Salt Lake circuit comprising about 13 houses in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Idaho Falls and Boise. Louis L. Dent, Western and Southwestern circuit operator, negotiated the deal and will manage the houses for Famous. FOUR NEW THEATERS OPENED IN TEXAS Dallas — Opening of four new houses in Texas in the past week has been reported to the Film Board of Trade. They are the National, Carrizo Springs, operated by John Stahl; the Harlem, Denison, by Steve Fabrizio; the Liberty, Arp, by E. E. Lutz, and the Texas, Crockett, by Mrs. Pauline Callahan. Hold Hearing Next Week On Improper Contracts Examination of complaints that certain distributors are using contracts not in accord with the code will be undertaken by the Code (Continued on Page 7) 4 Weeks for "Barretts" M-G-M's "Barretts of Wimpole Street" is being held for a fourth week at the Capitol. Only one other picture, "Flesh and the Devil," has run this long at the Broadway house since its opening. PARA. PLAN AWAITS SETTLEMENT OF SUITS Reorganization plan for Paramount-Publix will be presented to the court as soon as the three antitrust suits pending against the company and a number of outstanding breach of contract suits such as (.Continued on Page 7) Considering a Different Recording Plan to Avoid Tri-Ergon Electrical Research Products engineers are reported considering adoption of re-recording via the vertical cut system as a means of avoiding any possible infringement upon the double print patent controlled by American Tri-Ergon Corp., headed by William Fox. Under the plan, which is still the subject of intensive study, recording would be first done on discs and then transferred to film. According to engineering opinions in sorne quarters, this method would avoid conflict with the Fox patents. Classifying Theaters for Operator Wage Scales The fact-finding commission appointed by Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt to work out the operators' wage scale situation in greater New York is preparing a plan under which theaters are classified according to run, capacity and admission prices. It is expected that the proposal will be completed within 10 days. Under the proposed arrangements, values to be considered will be determined as follows: run, 3 points; capacity, (Continued on Page 7) Protection of W. E. Licensees Is Assured in Letter from Erpi 5 "Gay Divorcee" Holdovers "Gay Divorcee," with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, has already been set for five holdovers, it is announced by Jules Levy, RKO sales chief. They are: Keith's, Boston; Mainstreet, Kansas City; Orpheum, Minneapolis; Martini, Galveston, and Worth, Ft. Worth Assurance that Electrical Research Products will protect theaters using Western Electric equipment is given exhibitors in letters sent them by Erpi, which requires that they be not in default in connection with their licensing agreements. Erpi points out that the U. S. (Continued on Page 7) CLASSIFIED FILMS URGED BY UGHTMAN Reduction of pressure from reform groups can be achieved by the industry if theaters indicate to their patrons the class of attraction they are playing, declared M. A. Lightman, head of the Malco circuit and (Continued on Page 7) Huston Bros. Forming New Michigan Circuit Belleville, Mich. — Huston Brothers, formerly with Paramount Publix in Detroit, have acquired the Martin theater as the first unit of a proposed small circuit in Michigan. Eighth House for Max Cohen Max Cohen yesterday acquired the Prospect in the Bronx, bringing his metropolitan circuit up to eight houses.