Harrison's Reports (1933)

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. Harrison’S Reports Yearly Subscription Rates; United States $15.00 U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 Canada 16.50 Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 Great Britain 16.00 Australia, New Zealand, India 17.50 35c a Copy 1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y. A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Its Editorial Policy; No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. Published Weekly by P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher Established July 1, 1919 PEnnsylvania 6-6379 Cable Address : Harreports (Bentley Code) A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XV SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1933 No. 10 Will There Be a Shortage of Pictures This Season? I have been asked whether the national producers are going to deliver all the pictures they have sold this season or not. In a desire to answer this question as accurately as possible, I have made a thorough inquiry. Here are my findings : Columbia Pictures Columbia has sold forty-eight pictures this season, thirtytwo of which were to be regular features and sixteen westerns. Up to “California Trail,” which, according to the release .schedule printed in the Blue Section of February i8, will be released on March 24, Columbia will have delivered, including “Parole Girl,” which does not yet appear in the schedule, twenty-nine pictures, sixteen of which are of the regular type and thirteen westerns. This leaves nineteen to lie delivered, of which fourteen will be regular features and five v.esterns. Jack Cohn has assured me that Columbia will deliver the full number of pictures it has sold. First National Pictures First National has sold thirty pictures. Up to the “Mind Reader,” which is scheduled for release April i, it will have delivered sixteen, leaving fourteen to be delivered. 1 have been assured by a higb executive of First National that his company will deliver, not only all the pictures it has sold, but in all probability a number of extra pictures, such number depending on the situation that may develop as a result of the receiverships among other companies. Fox Film Corporation Fox has sold fort> -two pictures on the regular contract. Up to “Pleasure Cruise,” which, according to the Fox release .schedule printed in the last Blue Section, will be released on March 31, it will have delivered twenty-seven pictures, leaving fifteen to deliver. In addition to these twenty-seven it has delivered or is delivering two other pictures, “Cavalcade,” and “State Fair.” But these are additional pictures; they are not included in the contract for the forty-two. .A high-rank executive has e.xpressed the belief to me that his company will deliver the full number. Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer MGM has sold forty-six pictures on the regular contract, and four specials (“Grand Hotel,” “Strange Interlude,” and two Dresslers), making fifty in all. Up to “Hell Below," set for release March 24, it will have delivered, including “Grand Hotel” and “Strange Interlude,” sixteen pictures, leaving thirty-four to be delivered to the end of the season (lacking four months). .Since this company finished its 1031-32 deliveries six pictures short, it is doubtful if it will do better during this season. If anything, its shortage will be greater this season — perhaps fifteen. If so, then the pictures it will owe you will be nineteen. Even then, it will, I believe, be late in the fall before it may deliver the last pictures. In the last season, it delivered seven pictures after the new season began — between .‘September 24 and December 24. The Metro-Goldwyn-^Iayer executives had better wake up and do something: the number of pictures they seem able to produce are not sufficient to keep steam up. Paramount Paramount has sold a minimum of sixty-five, but a highrank executive has told me that, unless something unforseen happens, his company will deliver about sixty-two. Since up to “Murders in the Zoo,” set for release March 17, this company will have delivered, counting in “Hello Every body” and “King of the Jungle,” which do not yet appear in the schedule, thirty-nine, twenty-three remain to be delivered. RKO RKO has sold fifty-four regular pictures, six Tom Keene westerns, “Bring ’Em Back Alive,” and “King Kong,” or sixty-two in alt. Up to “Sweepings,” set for release March 24, it will have delivered, counting in “Our Betters” and “King Kong,” which do not yet appear in the schedule, thirty-four, leaving twenty-eight for future delivery, two of which are to be westerns. A prominent official of this company has told me that they will deliver the full number of pictures. United Artists The executives of this company have not yet definitely determined how many pictures they will deliver this season ; but they will not deliver fewer than twelve and not more than sixteen. So far they have delivered, including “Perfect Understanding,” “Whistling in the Dark,” “Secrets,” and “The Masquerader,” which do not yet appear in the Index, eleven. Universal Universal has modified its release schedule slightly. It will deliver the twenty-six contract pictures it sold. In addition to these, it will deliver three Tom Mix’s, three Ken Maynard’s, “Rome Express” (British), “Be Mine Tonight” (British), and “The Big Cage” (American, made at the Universal Studios). This makes the number thirtyfive. By Alarch 16 Universal will have delivered sixteen pictures— twelve regular releases, three Tom Mix’s, and “Rome Express.” It will owe nineteen. “The Road Back” will not be produced this season. prominent executive has assured me that Universal will deliver every one of the thirty-five. Warner Bros. Pictures This company has sold thirty pictures. With the five westerns that it announced for production and sale afterwards, the number comes up to thirty-five. So far it has delivered eighteen, of which four are westerns. It still owes seventeen — sixteen regulars and one western. A prominent e.xecutive has informed me that his company may produce more pictures than it has sold. World Wide— KBS Tiffany World Wide, in conjunction with KBS Tiffany, offered to the exhibitors twenty-nine features. Tiffany was to deliver eighteen — eight Ken Maynards, and ten regular features, and World Wide eleven. So far World Wide has delivered four, and KBS Tiffany has delivered (or has set for release) thirteen, eight of which are Ken Maynards. Because of the disarrangement in the relations of these two companies as a result of the fact that the physical distribution of Educational pictures, which distributes World Wide and KBS Tiffany pictures, has been taken over by Fox, it is difficult to say how many more they will produce. KBS may deliver one more to World Wide, releasing the remaining two it owes the exhibitors through some other distributing agency. As far as World Wide is concerned, I doubt if it will produce any more ; or if it will produce, that the number will be other than one or two. So the shortage in the output of the.se two companies combined may be seven or eight. The total number of pictures that have been released or announced for release by the national producer-distributors (Continued on last page)