Harrison's Reports (1938)

]!.:a«rta as second-class mutter January 4, 1921, at the post oflioe at New York, New York, under the act of Maren S, in*, Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by United States $15.00 R^n™, 1 «1 9 Harrison's Reports, Inc.. U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 Room JOU Publisher Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 , .. _. . _. . . _ . Great Britain 15 75 A Motlon Picture Reviewing Service Australia, New Zealand, Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919 India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 inn a rmv Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622 ooc a ^opy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XX SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1938 No. 35 ACTION Al Steffes, President of Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest, the man chiefly responsible for the passage of the North Dakota theatre divorcement law, has made up his mind not to wait until the U. S. Supreme Court renders its verdict whether that law is constitutional or not ; feeling sure that it will be declared constitutional, he has resolved to have introduced in the Minnesota legislature a similar measure, to compel the producer-distributors to divest themselves of their theatre holdings. To be sure that he will get legislative support, he has sent a questionnaire to the candidates for election in November. Those who will refuse to pledge their support to a theatre divorcement bill will fail to receive the support of Allied Theatre Owners of the Northwest. Other exhibitor leaders would do well to emulate Mr. Steffes' example ; they would be serving the interests of the members of their organizations well if they should. THOUGHTS AT RANDOM (By An Exhibitor) Variety, in its issue of August 17th, makes an eloquent plea for the distributors to follow the example of many leading commercial enterprises and sell the dealer, i.e. the exhibitor, on their product. We quote a few of Variety's more pertinent statements : — "Wherever in the world capitalism is the prevailing method of economic organization the cardinal principle of merchandising is to first reach and first sell the dealer. For the dealer is not alone the distributor's best customer but he is also, which is vitally important, the distributor's ally in the further and final task of selling the ultimate consumer, the public. ". . . Wheaties and Huskies, Jello and Royal Gelatine and all the rest are sold by master merchandisers who are constantly preoccupied with what the dealer thinks of the product, to what lengths of cooperation the dealer will go for the distributor because of faith in, and enthusiasm for, the goods being sold. ". . . The exhibitor shares with dealers everywhere a human susceptibility to either enthusiasm or defeatism. It is for distributors, and distributors alone, to bring back the old time zinginess of point-of-sale showmanship. "... Enthusiasm on the part of the exhibitor is not a lessened need, but an increased one, when the distributor books his pictures on sharing terms. . . . Deal the dealer in." This writer is heartily in accord with your statements, Variety. Unfortunately, you did not carry your comparison of the differences in distributor-dealer relationships quite far enough. As long as we are to have General Foods, Standard Brands, Texaco, Gulf, etc., as shining examples, let's investigate their conduct toward their dealers as compared to a motion picture distributor's toward his. Does Standard Brands tell Mr. Grocer that he must take two cases of XYZ soap powder before they will sell him one case of Royal Gelatine? Does General Foods tell Mr. Grocer that on twelve Saturdays and Sundays he can only sell Jello? Does Texaco tell Mr. Gas Station Owner that since they built a new $2,000,000 refinery and can now turn out a better grade of gasoline, on which his sales volume will be greater and likewise his profits, they will have to raise the bulk price? Does Gulf tell Mr. Gas Station Owner that if he wants to sell Gulf Gas that he will have to buy all their by-products though he has absolutely no need for them and can't possibly sell them to his customers? Yes, Variety! there is a crying need for more all-around enthusiasm about pictures. Enthusiasm infectious, the kind that can be passed on to the people who buy tickets. But when you are pleading with distributors to try to emulate their commercial contemporaries in "dealing the dealer in," ask them also to copy their other ways and means of keeping their dealers happy. Perhaps then we won't need the government to show us how to put our houses in order. * * * The "Movies Are Your Best Entertainment" campaign is well under way. Harrison's Reports, as I see it, has already gone on record as endorsing this effort to bring the public back to the theatres. This writer cannot impress too strongly upon every exhibitor how necessary it is to get the public back in the movie habit. Smart-alecky radio commentators, whose business it is to sell hair oil and cigarettes, would have the people believe that movie patronage is in a deplorable state (caused in part by their knocks) and that MAYBE movies are your best entertainment. There is no argument as to the fact that business is not as good as it should be but that is all (Continued on Last Pac/c)