Harrison's Reports (1945)

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16 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 27, 1945 have compelled the exhibitors to turn to reissues to keep their theatres open. This print shortage has resulted in the reissue market turning into so profitable a business that some of the distributors have seen fit to reduce sharply the number of new features they released normally in order to add more of the old ones to their release schedules. And as though this subtle forcing of reissues, at exorbitant rentals, was not enough, rationed raw stock, which is needed so badly for prints of new features, has been and is used to make fresh prints of the old pictures. The disposition of raw stock has gotten out of hand and, as this paper has already pointed out, there is immediate need for revision of the method by which the WPB allocates stock to the industry. A step in the right direction is indicated in a report by the daily trade papers that undisclosed industry sources have submitted to the WPB recommendations that the use of raw stock for reissues be banned so long as the tight film situation continues. While this recommendation, if adopted, would prove helpful, it would not in itself be enough to curb the distributors' overall abuse of their privilege to dispose of their stock quotas in whatever manner they see fit. The situation calls for the formulation by the WPB of definite restrictions covering the use of the stock, designed to compel the distributors to recognize exhibition's undeniable equity in the stock. And it is up to Allied and other exhibitor organizations to protect that equity. These organizations should seek and demand representation for exhibition at all conferences with the WPB regarding raw stock. They should make known to this Government agency the result of the distributors' misuse of the stock, and they should recommend that strict regulations be formulated to prevent its continuance. To repeat, there is immediate need for revision of the WPB's method of allocating raw stock, for therein, to a great extent, lies the root of many of the abuses that beset exhibitors today. COOPERATIVE BUYING ORGANIZATIONS In urging the exhibitors to intensify their efforts to hold down film rentals, Mr. Myers, in his annual report to Allied's Board of Directors, made the following observation relative to the rapid growth of buying and booking combines: "The rapid increase in cooperative buying reflects an increasing appreciation of the danger [high fi'm rentals], although in some instances it may represent only the efforts of self-seeking promoters. It would seem the part of wisdom, in all such ventures, for the exhibitors to retain a high degree of control over such organizations so that they will not develop into Frankenstein monsters. . . ." Harrison's Reports should like to add to Mr. Myers' wise observation that extreme caution must be taken by the exhibitors to make sure that any buying combine they either form or join confines its activities to the buying of film on better terms without in any way employing its buying power for the purpose of making it either difficult or impossible for other exhibitors to buy film. The U. S. Supreme Court, in its recent Crescent Case decision, took pains to distinguish between pooling the buying power of independent theatres for the purpose of obtaining product on better rental terms, and a combination of exhibitors for the purpose of either depriving another exhibitor of an opportunity to obtain product or resorting to other acts, the effect of which might be to drive him out of business. The latter combination would be considered a conspiracy in restraint of interstate commerce, even if the conspiracy was effected within a single state, and would be punishable under the Sherman anti-trust laws. Exhibitors who join a cooperative buying organization in good faith and with honest motive should heed Mr. Myers' admonition. They should "retain a high degree of control" over the organization, in order to make it impossible for some "self-seeking promoter" to steer the organization away from its proper course. A NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITOR ADVISES THE AMERICAN PRODUCERS Hollywood heroics and excessive flag-waving in war pictures, about which Harrison's Reports has often complained, and which has been a source of embarrassment to the American servicemen, particularly those stationed in foreign lands, are apparently just as distasteful to our friends in New Zealand. Here is what Mr. Edwin R. Greenfield, managing director of Modern Theatres (Provincial) Ltd., of Auckland, N. Z., has to say on the subject in a letter dated December L, 1944 addressed to this paper: "May I through you, take this opportunity of uttering a word of warning to American producers. I give this warning in sincere friendship and not by way of carping criticism. "If American goes on producing pictures as they have been in these last 12 months or so, they will not only ruin their market in English-speaking countries but also our business as exhibitors as well. This is quite apart from the very bad effect they arc having on non-American people politically. "The people of New Zealand are sick and tired of war and flying pictures that are so theatrical that they make a joke of war. If producers could hear audiences laugh openly at the flag waving over-statements uttered in these pictures, exaggerating the ability and prowess of the American soldier, sailor or airman, they would realize that they are doing America no good. "We in New Zealand, through personal contact, have the greatest admiration for the real American soldier, sailor or airman; and the behaviour of the American girls has been absolutely outstanding. A close friendship has grown up, but it is more than human friendship can stand to hear the American fighting man spoken of in every picture we have as 'the greatest in the world' or 'the greatest in history'. We feel here, that England has also done a little bit in this war and we are also somewhat proud of our own New Zealand Division, small as it may have been. "The screen is a valuable medium for propaganda, but if that propaganda is laid on with such ludicrous exaggeration it kills its own value. A glaring example of why English pictures are now forging ahead in popularity may be seen in comparing 'DESPERATE JOURNEY' with ONE OF OUR AIRCRAFT IS MISSING'. The basic theme of this American film is the same as the English one, but whereas everything in the latter does at least come within the realm of possibility, the former, with its humanly impossible heroics was regarded by our audiences more as a Mack Sennett comedy than as a serious drama. "I do hope you will accept this warning in the spirit that it is given, but we exhibitors here in New Zealand are finding our figures going down and down because of this type of picture driving the public away from the theatres." There is sage advice in Mr. Greenfield's letter. Will the producers heed it? This paper believes that they had better heed it! CHECK YOUR FILES FOR MISSING COPIES Look into your files and if you find the copy of any issue missing, write to this office and it will be supplied to you free of charge. Perhaps, during the holiday rush, you either misplaced or failed to receive the copy of one of the issues. A sufficient number of copies of many back issues is kept in stock for just such a purpose.