Harrison's Reports (1928-1928)

108 July 7, 1928 HARRISON’S REPORTS classed along with the other genuine two-dollar pictures, which are: “The Birth of a Nation,” ‘‘Way Down East,” "The Covered Wagon,” "The Ten Commandments,” “Ben Hur,” “The Big Parade,” and "What Price Glory.” If it were not for the poor business conditions prevailing, it would have been entitled fully to the prices paid for "The Big Parade” or "What Price Glory” ; under the circumstances, 150 points in accordance with the first classification, which was based on the figures of “The Big Parade” or "What Price Glory,” or 200 points on the later classification, which is based on the prices paid for ‘‘Seventh Heaven,” is fair. In other words, you should be able to pay as much for "Wings” as you paid for “Seventh Heaven.” "TENDERLOIN,” with Dolores Costello and Conrad Nagel; Warner Brothers: The points given to this picture are 25. Such a classification is fair for those that have no Yitaphone installed. Those who have Vitaphone can afford to pay a much higher price. How much higher, I cannot tell. At the Warner Theatre, this city, it fell "flat," despite the Vitaphone. But my information is that throughout the country this picture has eclipsed "The Jazz Singer.” I have had an exhibitor friend of mine tell me that “Tenderloin” drew more for him than did “The Jazz Singer.” Exhibitors that have no Vitaphone, however, should be very careful in buying pictures that have made a success with the Vitaphone. “The Jazz Singer” fell flat without the Vitaphone, and “Tenderloin” will, in my opinion, fare worse, for the reason that “Tenderloin” is, without the “voice,” a mediocre program attraction, whereas "The Jazz Singer” is at least a good picture even without the Vitaphone. The Vitaphone is a new thing, and its real influence dates only from "The Jazz Singer”; therefore it is difficult for one to tell at this time how much its influence should be rated. Exhibitors that have a Vitaphone should be better judges. "GLORIOUS BETSY,” with Dolores Costello and Conrad Nagel; Warner Bros.: As said in the review, "Glorious Betsy” is a very good picture; only that it is a costume play. At the Warner Theatre, this city, it made a better success than "Tenderloin” ; but not so that anybody has noticed it. It is difficult, however, to tell how it is going to perform in the interior. For those that have no Vitaphone, a 45 point classification should be more than fair ; but those that have Vitaphone have to use their own judgment as to what it is worth to them. 1 RAIL OF 98, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer superspecial: I fear that the 100 point classification made of this picture is a little too high. Not that the picture is bad, but that there are many things that work against it. For instance, pictures with Alaska as the locale have been done to death ; dozens of them have been made from James Oliver Curwood stories. Of course, none of the Curwood story pictures can even approach “The Trail of ’98” in magnitude; yet the public has been surfeited with this kind of pictures. I understand that Metro-Goldwyn have abandoned the idea of roadshowing it. It is my belief that big town theatres can play this picture to a profit if they should charge their regular prices of admission ; it has been advertised so strongly that I am sure it will draw. Those of exhibitors that are situated West of the Rocky Mountains, in particular, should fare better than those situated East, because the story is closer at home to the people of the West. Small town exhibitors must use their judgment as to what prices they should pay for it. In my opinion, such exhibitors can safely pay a price based on 50 points in comparison with the 100 points of “Street Angel.” "FAZIL,” with Charles Farrell ; Fox: I made the prediction in the issue of the 9th that “Fazil,” which was at that time in its opening week at the Gaiety, would make a success. W ell, it did in the opening weeks. I understand that it drew as good as “Street Angel,” despite the smaller seating capacity of the Gaiety as compared with that of the Globe ; but lately it has fallen off considerably. It was noticed that the majority of those that went to see it were old women mid young flappers. The picture is considerably “sexy.” For this reason, the classification of 85 per cent, is very fair for the big cities. Small town exhibitors however, may not be able to afford a price on that basis. Some of^ them may not even be able to show it unless Fox “prunes” it considerably. In such an event, the “life” will be taken out of it. My suggestion to those who contemplate buying it is either to see it themselves or to wait to see how it took in other cities outside New York City. THE LION AND THE MOUSE,” Vitaphoned Warner Bros, subject : This picture is good either with or without the Vitaphone. But without the Vitaphone it is worth only about 30 per cent, of what it is with the Vita phone. In the opening week, it drew good crowds. But it has declined since, until now its business is only fair. It is my opinion that without the Vitaphone, it should be given forty points. In other words, if you should pay $100 for "Street Angel” you should pay only $40 for "The Lion and the Mouse.” Those who have Vitaphone have tp use their own judgment. "KING OF KINGS”: It is hard for one to judge a religious subject from the box-office point of view. This picture did not draw well in this city ; I think that its average for the entire engagement, which was pretty long, was around $5,000. At this figure it lost considerable money. But I have been informed reliably that it has drawn well on the road. It is my belief that this picture is better for the small towns than it is for the big centres. Exhibitors with a custom consisting chiefly of religious people should do well to book it. It will help them by creating a good will among the religious people, and may go a long way towards lifting some of the prejudice that exists among such people against motion pictures. Reducing the points to dollars, you should pay for these pictures as follows : SEVENTH HEAVEN $200 STREET ANGEL 100 FOUR SONS 70 SUNRISE 35 MOTHER MACHREE 45 ABIE’S IRISH ROSE 35 UNCLE TOM’S CABIN 70 THE MAN WHO LAUGHS 90 TEMPEST 125 TWO LOVERS (small towns, $35) 50 RAMONA (small towns, $60) 70 GAUCHO (small towns, $35) 50 DRUMS OF LOVE (hardly a small town picture) . . 25 WINGS 200 TENDERLOIN (without Vitaphone) 25 GLORIOUS BETSY (without Vitaphone) 35 TRAIL OF ’98 (small towns) 50 FAZIL (not a very good small town picture) 50 LION AND THE MOUSE 40 I have tried to give you as accurate an account of how these pictures have performed at the box office in this city as possible, my desire being to help you without being unjust to the producer. It has been the habit of producers in the past to take flash-light photographs of the crowds on the opening nights waiting to get into the theatre, then reproduce them in the trade papers, thus leading you into believing that such crowds attended all the performances during the entire engagement. If they do not use these methods, today, they at least fill the heads of their field representatives with wild stories as to how much these pictures drew ; and the field representatives, naturally taking their word for it, go to you and ask three or four times what these pictures are worth. And often they get it. What I have presented to you are facts, which you may take or reject, just as you see fit. If you want to put your neck to a producer’s noose, it is none of my business ; when I gave you the figures and tried to be as accurate as it is humanly possible, 1 did my duty. The rest is up to you. Of course, your conditions may vary; therefore, you have to adjust the information I have given you to your conditions. If you are “coining” money now, there is no harm in your paying a little more than these figures tell you that you should pay; my chief object is to protect those that are either breaking even or losing money ; that is, those that cannot afford to base their film rentals for these pictures on the fantastic figures the producer-distributor representatives present instead of the actual figures. Don’t forget that a house may look crowded and yet not have taken in half of the business-capacity money; when the picture does not draw they have a way of “papering” a house that defies detection. That is why I have relied on inside information. Other information is deceptive, just as is the tables of comparative receipts that the film salesmen or the distributor executives show you. This is not the time for any one of you to make mistakes. Don’t rush ! Remember that one of the sales “tricks” is for the salesman to “rush” you before you get a chance to think. That is how you often regret afterwards the price you promised to pay even five minutes before. If they should use such tactics, or if the film salesman should happen to be an orator and uses on you arguments that you cannot offset, just stick by my figures as the maximum you are willing to pay. Tell him that since you went by the information that I gave you m the past and did not regret it, you will be satisfied again to go by the information that I am giving vou now ; tell him you are sure you will not regret it.