Harrison's Reports (1954)

12 HARRISON’S REPORTS January 16, 1954 A SOUND ARGUMENT AGAINST ADVANCED ADMISSION PRICES With the announced intention of an all-out campaign in 1954 to stabilize skyrocketing “special engagement” film admission prices, Harry C. Arthur, Jr., president of Fanchon S’ Marco, Inc., has been named chairman of the board of dirertors of the Southern California Theatre Owners' Association, succeeding Gus Mtezger, the veteran exhibitor, who has held the chairmanship continuously since 1944, when the association was first founded. “The motion picture industry was founded as a massentertainment medium, and it's high time we remembered this fact,” stated Arthur in his acceptance talk, which made much sense. 'The steadily upward trend in theatre admission prices is fast becoming a habit with producers and distributors, and, as quickly, is transforming our industry into a 'select-audience' entertainment medium. The public has a right to expect top pictures at a fair price, just as distributors and producers have a right to expect fair admission prices for average film productions. The worst enemy our industry has is the exhibitor, distributor and producer who insists that prices be advanced for so-called special engagements. He is doing infinitely more harm in thus contributing to the nation's downward film attendance figures than television at its strongest. It's a form of veritable industrial suidde — along with steadily decreasing film production schedules. Together, both practices are aiming at our industry's becoming a select-audience entertainment, rather than a mass-entertainment medium. “Our Association will campaign for status-quo prices throughout the country next year. Not only will we fight against 'special engagement' and so-called 'roadshow' admission prices; we will do everything in our power to keep theatre prices, at the most, at their present levels, or possibly, to cause them to be lowered somewhat. Our primary concern is to afford worthwhile entertainment to everyone, at prices everyone can afford. The higher we hoist admission prices, and the fewer pictures our major studios produce each year, the easier we make it for our mass audience to remain at home and watch television. It's much less trouble, and much cheaper, but television's as-yet-few worthy programs make the medium fall far short of worthwhile entertainment standards. “Every one of us in this industry knows full well how much smaller audiences are today than they were at this time last year. Increased prices for 'special attractions' have contributed greatly to this downward spiral. Continuance of advanced admission prices, as an industry practice, most certainly will keep more and more patrons from our boxoffices: this, and the ever-lessening number of film productions made yearly. This situation of 'select-audience' entertainment may satisfy producers and distributors, but it certainly doesn't answer the problem of the theatre exhibitors of the nation. Unless film fares are kept at reasonable figures, and unless producers talk less and produce more, the exhibitor, as an integral phase of the film industry, is fated to inevitable extinction. Reasonable admission prices and increased production are two great answers; anything less is hopeless.” “Crime Wave” with Gene Nelson, Sterling Hayden and Phyllis Kirk (Warner Bros., March 6; time, 73 min.) A good cops-and-robbers murder melodrama, directed and acted with skill. In situations where this type of entertainment is popular, the picture is good enough to top a double bill. Shot against authentic Los Angeles backgrounds and with the full cooperation of the Los Angeles Police Department, the action is so realistic that one is made to feel as if witnessing a real-life occurence. The story, however, is somewhat grim and unpleasant. Sterling Hayden is competent as a tough police lieutenant, and Gene Nelson, whose specialty is dancing, is very good as the parolee who is determined to lead a straight life even though former associates try to use him to further their own evil ends. James Bell, as a parole officer who retains his faith in Nelson, wins the spectator's sympathy. The photography is excellent: — A policeman is shot to death when he interrupts the holdup of a gas station by three escaped convicts from San Quentin. One of the convicts is wounded, and the other two put him behind the wheel of a stolen car before they escape on foot. Shortly thereafter, their photographs are identified by the gas station attendant for Hayden, and the entire police force is alerted. Meanwhile the wounded convict forces his way into the home of Nelson, a parolee gone straight and now happily married to Phyllis Kirk. They order him to leave lest they become implicated in his crime. He refuses and telephones Jay Novello, an ex-convict doctor. The wounded man dies before he can be treated, and Novello snatches a wad of bills from his pocket as his rightful fee. Nelson immediately telephones James Bell, his parole officer, to report the happening, but cautions Phyllis not to say anything about NoveUo's visit, for he did not want to “rat” on another ex-convict. Hayden comes to the apartment to question Nelson and places him under arrest, despite the protests of Bell. He frees Nelson after several days and after he unsuccessfully tries to make a deal with him to get in touch with Ted de Corsia and Charles Buchinsky, the remaining gunmen. In the course of events, De Corsia and Buchinsky force their way into Nelson's apartment, use it as a hideout, and insist that Nelson help them in a proposed bank holdup lest they harm his wife. Novello, in a deal with Hayden, visits Hayden and unsuccessfully tries to get information about the missing gunmen. When Novello departs, Buchinsky follows him in Nelson's car and kills him. Frightened, Buchinsky abandons the car and flees on foot. This incident compels the gunmen to hide elsewhere, and they take Nelson and PhylHs along with them. But before leaving. Nelson manages to leave a note informing the police about the proposed holdup. By leaving Phyllis in the care of another gunman, De Corsia forces Nelson to participate in the robbery, but Hayden, prepared for the holdup as a result of Nelson's note, liquidates the crooks. He then helps Nelson to rescue Phylhs and, after giving them some gratuitous advice, sets them free. Bryan Foy produced it, and Andre de Toth directed it, from a screenplay by Crane Wilbur, based on a story by John and Ward Hawkins. Adults. “The Cowboy” (Lippert, no rel. date set; time, 69 min.) This is a documentary film and a good one. Where such pictures are preferred over pictures that are founded on invented stories, it should please audiences highly. Properly exploited, as it deserves to be, it should do well at the boxoffice. The action revolves around the activities of a cowboy on the range as well as around the ranch and in the bunkhouse. It depicts the rounding up of cattle, the branding of calves and many other duties of cowboys, from the time they rise in the morning until they are done with their day’s work. Most of the players are real cowboys, free from the Hollywood taint. The outdoor scenery, photographed in Eastman color, is beautiful. Some of the shots are artistic. The cowboy music is very pleasing, and some of the sequences deal with Saturday night square dances. The picture was photographed in silent form, and the sound effects were added afterwards. There are several western-type songs, sung by Tex Ritter and Curly Wiggins. The picture was produced by Elmo Williams from a script by Lorraine Williams, and narrated by Tex Ritter, Bill Conrad, John Dehner and Larry Dobkin. Fine for the family. KIND WORDS FROM A READER Dear Mr. Harrison: We feel that Harrison’s Reports, which we have been using since our first introduction into the motion picture business in 1922, is just as essential to successful theatre management as the pretty girl in the boxoffice and the good film product that Harrison’s Reports helps us choo.se for our paying customers. — CARL W. VESETH, Palace Theatre, Malta, Montana