Harrison's Reports (1930)

188 HARRISON’S REPORTS at his command ; he cannot convince any one that his employers are making a sincere effort to stop the pollution of the pictures. What argument can he use to convince Dr. Twombly that what he says at the different meetings is sincere, when he is presented with such proof? It seems inconceivable that people will descend so low for profit ; it is incredible that sane men will use this low type of advertising to draw patrons into the theatres. But it is conceivable and credible ; and there is proof aplenty. It seems as most of those who govern the destinies of the motion picture have a mind full of mud ; they can see nothing beautiful in life, no other pleasures than sex. To them, life’s one pleasure is to wallow in mud. But will they be able to get away with it much longer? Harrison’s Reports doubts it. And this doubt is conceived by a man who is not trying to preach ; he is arriving at such a conclusion only by using his reason. Look out, producers ! THE CORRECT RUNNING TIME OF “HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE” The running time of the RKO feature, “Half Shot at Sunrise,’’ was given in the review as 8i minutes. It has now been cut down to 78 minutes. You may make the proper notation in the review. THE CORRECT RUNNING TIME OF “THE BIG TRAIL” Those who are to run the Fox picture, “The Big Trail,’’ had better obtain the correct running time from the exchange ; the picture has been cut down and for that reason the running time given with the review in this paper may not be correct. WHEN THE INDEPENDENT EXHIBITOR USES THE PRODUCERS’ TACTICS! The producers, particularly the Hays organization’s executives, tore their clothes and pulled their hair in protest against the action of Mr. Saperstein, the President of the independent exhibitor organization in the Chicago zone, in endorsing a local candidate for judge, urging the members of his organization to put slides on their screens, recommending to the patrons to vote for that candidate. They pointed out how injurious it is for the industry to get into politics, and implored them as well as every exhibitor in the United States to remain neutral. In 1920, C. C. Pettijohn, Mr. Will H. Hays’ right-hand man, received $30,000 from the Republican party for inserting subtle propaganda in the late Selznick Newsweekly. You may say that this has been long ago, and that his views have now' changed. I am going to present evidence to prove to you that his views have not changed. In the Governorship campaign in this State two years ago, Pettijohn induced the Democrats of this city to pay him for preparing a propaganda reel for Governor Roosevelt. He charged them for the prints three and one-half cents a foot w'hen it could have been done for no more than two and one-half cents a foot. I believe he sold them one hundred reels. Johnny Gentile, his right-hand man up to a few months ago (he has been kicked out now) handled the transaction, just as he handled many other business transactions for Pettijohn; the Cortellaphone, for example. During the last Presidential campaign, the Paramount Theatre, in this city, showed five newsw'eekly shots of the one candidate to one of the other candidate. The Capitol Theatre cut out from the new'sreels every shot that showed one of the tw'o candidates. It is well for the producer-distributors to use their theatres and their newsweeklies for political propaganda, but W'hen the independent exhibitor uses his screen for his protection, it is either a crime or a sin. THE QUICKER THE BETTER It is reported that Sidney R. Kent, General Manager of Paramount-Publix, stated in Philadelphia that the big producers will sooner or later have to turn the small tow'n theatres back to their owners, implying that they cannot conduct them as successfully as can the individual exhibitors. Harrison’s Reports expressed such an opinion repeatedly : but since an important executive of one of the important companies in the business makes the admission, the quieker they turn them back to their former owners or to other independent exhibitors the better off they will be. November 22, 1930 Their policy of acquiring theatres in small towns has, not only estranged them in many small towns because of the stupidity of their local managers, but removed the one medium through which they could fight adverse legislation. In many places, their local managers have had fights with the local newspapers. And that does not help them very much. Unless they get out of the small towns, there is grief in store for them. SOWING THE WIND AND REAPING THE WHIRLWIND And by way of Christmas or New Year cheer, Warner Bros, and First National are merging their exchanges January i, throwing more than one thousand persons into the streets. Who is to blame? Many branch managers and film salesmen are doing everything they can to make the independent exhibitor’s lot a hard one. The result has been that many of exhibitors either sold their theatres to the circuits or shut them down from inability to conduct them profitably. Harrison’s Reports feel sorry for the First National employees, who will be thrown out of work, but is in no position to change conditions for them ; they forged their own destiny. It only hopes that the branch managers and the salesmen of the other companies will take an example out of the fate of the First National men and will try to be reasonable with the remaining independent exhibitors. Let them remember that the extinction of independent e.xhibitors means the loss of jobs for some of them. The welfare of the independent exhibitors means their own welfare, .^nd the quicker they will realize this the better off they will be. AGAIN ABOUT THE WARNER BROS. ROAD SHOW PICTURES I have just received information from Chicago to the effect that “Moby Dick’’ was shown in that city not as a road show but as a regular picture, on an all-day-longgrind basis, at regular prices of admission. This fact disqualifies it from being classed as a road show picture for such exhibitors as hold a Warner Bros, franchise with the original clause, the one which provides that a picture must be shown in the main theatrical district in New York City, in Chicago and in one other key city, at advanced prices, two shows a day, before it may be classed as a road show picture. NAVY ACTION SUPPORTS VIEWS OF “HARRISON’S REPORTS” It has just been announced that the United States Navy has closed a deal with RC.^ PHOTOPHONE, Inc., for the installation of RCA Photophones in every big ship. This announcement is of particular gratification to me, for when almost every exhibitor was made to believe that the other instruments in the market were far superior to the Photophone, I stood alone and urged the exhibitors not to be stampeded by fine publicitj’ and high-pressure salesmanship but to buy Photophones ; I had made as close a study of the different instruments in the market as one could have made, and came to the conclusions that there was nothing in the market to equal the RC.\ Photophone in quality reproduction and in durability. The fact that the United States Navy has contracted for these instruments has proved conclusively that I was right. Remember that, when the United States Government is in the field for machinery or for any kind of instrument, there is strict investigation and severe tests of the machinery and the instruments offered. WTiat prompted me to fight so hard for the prevalence of the RCA Photophone was, not friendship for any of those connected with that organization, but my unalterable belief that the RCA Photophone gave the best sound reproduction, and as the public could be held to the talking pictures only by the best sound reproduction that could be obtained. I felt it my duty to fight for the introduction of that instrument. Why the RCA Photonhone gives the beat reproduction was c.xplained in detail in the fourteen sound articles that were printed in H.arrison’s Reports two years ago. But for the benefit of exhibitors who have missed those articles. I intend to reprint them in condensed form. I am determined to see the best sound reproduction in the theatres.