Harrison's Reports (1951)

8 HARRISON’S REPORTS January 13, 1951 POSSIBLE RAW STOCK FREEZE CALLS FOR EXHIBITOR ACTION NOW Although the Government has given no indication that raw film stock will be placed on an allocation basis, the National Production Authority has asked the film companies to furnish figures on the amount of footage they used during the past two years. Nathan D. Golden, director of the NPA’s Motion Picture-Photographic Productions Division, who asked for the figures, has stated that his request should be no cause for alarm, and that he is merely gathering information that will be useful if and when it should be needed. Meanwhile representatives of major and independent producing companies attended an exploratory meeting in New York last week at the call of Joyce O’Hara, assistant to Eric A. Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, to discuss the raw stock situation. Another meeting is to be held next week. About six months ago, in the issue of July 29, 1950, this paper pointed out that, while most of the rules and regulations governing the allocation of strategic materials during World War II were a hindrance to the industry, there was one — the allocation of raw film stock — that proved to be a bonanza for the producer-distributors at the expense of the exhibitors, who woke up to the danger too late for their protests to do them any good. This condition was brought about by the fact that the War Production Board, in allocating the available raw film stock to the producing-distributing companies, placed no restriction on its use. As a result, the companies, unhampered by regulatory restrictions, began to juggle their raw stock allocations in a manner that perpetuated a “seller’s market” throughout the war years and for several years afterwards. This was accomplished by releasing fewer new pictures and by controlling the number of prints in circulation— all under the guise of a raw stock shortage. Meanwhile thousands of feet of the rationed stock was being used for new prints of reissues, which the film companies, by maintaining an artificial product shortage, forced on the market at rental terms that frequently exceeded the terms demanded when the pictures were new. In addition, much of the rationed stock went into new productions that were hoarded in the companies’ film vaults until the reissues had made their rounds. Still another unfair tactic was the use of the raw stock to further the interests of the producer-distributors in foreign markets while the American exhibitors were “starving” for product. A number of the exhibitor organizations eventually became so aroused over the distributors’ misuse of the raw stock, as well as the WPB’s failure to apply proper controls to its use, that they filed protests and demanded that the WPB recognize the exhibitors’ stake in the raw stock through appropriate regulations. Stanley Adams, chief of the Consumers Durable Goods Division of the WPB, under whose supervision the raw stock was allocated to the industry, gave assurances that his division would protect the equities of exhibition, but his assurances never went beyond the talking stage and conditions did not get better. In the opinion of this paper, the exhibitors did not make much progress with the WPB because they injected themselves into the raw stock picture too late. What happened then must not be permitted to happen now. Experience has proved that no Government agency, such as the present NPA, will go out of its way to protect the exhibitors’ equity in raw stock unless the exhibitors raise their voices. As stated at the beginning of this article, representatives of the producers have already met to discuss the raw stock situation, their purpose being, no doubt, to prepare recommendations to the NPA in the event raw stock is allocated. The exhibitor organizations should take similar steps; they should prepare themselves immediately to submit recommendations of their own in order that the NPA, if it should decide to allocate raw stock, will formulate rules and regulations that will protect the exhibitors’ equity in the stock. “Pride of Maryland” with Stanley Clements, Peggy Stewart and Frankie Darro ( Republic , Jan. 20; time, 60 min.) A fairly good racetrack melodrama that should satisfy as a supporting feature. Although the story offers nothing unusual, its mixture of human interest, romance and horse-racing thrills unfolds in a pleasant way and is easy to take. The one fault that may be found with the picture is that the action is laid at the turn of the century while the process shots of racing are of more modern times. Another “movie boner” is where a horse race presumably takes place in England and the horses are shown running counter-clockwise instead of clockwise. These defects, however, do not affect one’s enjoyment of the picture: — Out of a job and broke, Stanley Clements, a jockey, meets up with Peggy Stewart, his former sweetheart, now married to Frankie Darro, another jockey. Darro obtains a job for Clements with Robert H. Barrat, his employer. Clements, who had perfected a “crouch” style of racing, teaches it to Darro who, because of an injured knee, falls from his horse and is killed. Against Barrat’s orders, Clements rides one of his horses in the crouch style and is promptly fired even though he wins. The race, however, brings him to the attention of a British millionaire, who' offers him a job if he will go to England. Clements accepts and soon rises to fame and fortune. Meanwhile, through an arrangement with Harry Shannon, Peggy’s father, Clements secretly provides Peggy with funds to train Pride of Maryland, her colt, on whom she counted to restore the family racing fortunes. When Shannon cables him for $3,000 to meet the training costs demanded by Barrat, Clements, short of funds, places a bet on a horse he is to ride. The racing authorities learn of the wager and bar him from both English and American tracks. He returns to the United States broke, and makes a deal with Barrat to train Peggy’s horse in return for his promise to ride for him in the event the racing authorities reinstate him. Peggy talks the authorities into reinstating Clements, but breaks with him when he informs her of his commitment to ride for Barrat. He wins the race for Barrat, defeating Peggy’s horse. Peggy, taking pride in his honesty, reconciles with him. It was produced by William Lackey and directed by Philip Ford from a screen play by John K. Butler. Suitable for the family.