Harrison's Reports (1945)

24 HARRISON'S REPORTS February 10, 1945 strictions have been placed on the use of rationed raw stock for (a) prints of reissues; (b) short subjects; (c) the producer-distributors' expansion in foreign markets; (d) new productions that will add to back' logs that are already in excess of the market's requirements; (e) features of excessive length; (f) Techicolor productions, which require approximately 25% more raw stock than is used on a black and white feature of equal length? By what line of reasoning, or, shall we say, by whose line of reasoning has the WPB determined that the raw stock situation will best be alleviated by a limitation of prints only? Harrison's Reports assumes that the WPB based its determination on the recommendations of the industry's advisory committee on raw stock with whom it has been meeting at regular intervals. The purpose of this committee, as this paper understands it, is to keep the WPB advised of the industry's problems with respect to the raw stock shortage, and to recommend in accordance with war time exigencies ways and means with which to meet the shortage. But who are the members of this committee and what are their affiliations? Every member represents cither production or distribution. Not one represents exhibition. Harrison's Reports has no grievance against the producer-distributors for their being the only ones represented on the committee. Nor docs it quarrel with the WPB for dealing with them and accepting their recommendations. The producer-distributors are doing the natural thing to protect their interests, and the WPB, hearing only their side of the story, accepts their word and acts accordingly. Had the exhibitors, as this paper urged repeatedly, presented their side of the story to the WPB, in all probabilities rules and regulations would have been formulated to protect their interests, and a restriction limiting the number of prints might not have come into being. What better example can the exhibitors have of the power of a unified protest than the one raised by the independent producers regarding the WPB's policy of allocating raw stock to the distributors only? The independent producers protested that this policy placed them at the mercy of the distributors whose control of the stock gave them the power of life or death over independent production. The WPB recognized the justice of their claim and, as a result of their protests, modified its policy so that each qualified independent producer would receive a stock quota directly from the Government with the right to transfer his quota from one distributor to another. In arranging for these separate allocations, Stanley Adams, head of the WPB Consumers Durable Goods Division, stated that his bureau would make certain that no producer or distributor uses his raw stock as a lever for advantage over the other. There is no reason to believe that Mr. Adams feels differently about the producer-distributors using this same stock as a lever for advantage over the exhibitors. But until exhibition makes known its equity in raw stock, and until it makes known the abuses it is undergoing as a result of the producerdistributors' indiscriminate use of the stock, no one can expect Mr. Adams to take any action. Having urged the exhibitors for many weeks to take action in this matter, this paper was indeed gratified to learn that the Independent Theatre Owners Association of New York, roused by the order limiting the number of prints, and realizing that it would bring hardship to subsequent-run exhibitors, telegraphed Mr. Adams last week-end and demanded an immediate hearing to discuss the facts. The ITOA's telegram pointed out that "there can be no quarrel with an order which is equitable to all parties concerned, but this order will be so discriminatory that an irreparable injustice will be heaped upon the subsequent-run independent exhibitors of this country." The ITOA is to be commended for being the first exhibitor organization to take the lead in seeking recognition of the exhibitor's equity in rationed raw stock. To succeed, they will require strong support from independent exhibitors throughout the country. The use of raw stock in these days is a matter of vital importance to every exhibitor, regardless of what run he enjoys. Its equitable use can be beneficial; its misuse, detrimental. The present situation calls for immediate action. Send your protests, either by telegraph or letter, to Mr. Stanley Adams, Director, War Production Board, Consumers Durable Goods Division, Washington, D. C. Tell him why a reduction of feature prints will affect your operations, and demand that rules and regulations be formulated to control the use of raw stock in a manner that will not permit the producer-distributors to hold an advantage over the exhibitor. As it has already been said, Mr. Adams has made clear that his department will not allow the distributors or the independent producers to use their raw stock quotas as a club over one another. By the same line of reasoning, it is fair to assume that he will not allow these two branches of the industry to use those same quotas as a club over the exhibitors. But unless you, the exhibitors, call his attention to the abuses arising out of the misuse of raw stock, you cannot expect him to give you relief. REPUBLIC MOVES AHEAD The recent announcement by Herbert J. Yates, Sr., president of Republic Pictures, that his company had concluded a special producing-directing pact with Frank Borzage marks a huge step forward in the many strides Republic has made in its ten-year history. The contract, in which Borzage enjoys a substantial financial interest and which is for a long term, calls for the institution of a separate producing unit with Borzage the sole authority over stories and plays to be purchased and produced, and stars to be featured. According to Mr. Yates, each Borzage production will be in the top-budget bracket, costing well in excess of one and one-half million dollars. Mr. Yates has stated that the Borzage arrangement is but the first of other similar associations being planned, all aimed at greater expansion of the company's activities in both production and distribution. Since its inception ten years ago, Republic's rise under Yates' expert leadership has been sound and steady. The advancement of the smaller companies has always been of special interest to Harrison's Reports, and it predicts that Republic, with a few more arrangements similar to the one with B>rzage, will soon be classed as one of the big companies in the business.