Harrison's Reports (1945)

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1878. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by United States $15.00 R«nm1R19 Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 ftuura lou Publisher Canada 16.50 New York 20, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico Cuba, Spain 16.50 A Motion picture Reviewing Service ureat Britain . ........... lo.ia Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia 17.50 Ug Edjtorial Po]icy. No problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622 35c a Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXVII SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1945 No. 34 A Guide to Columbia's 1945-46 Product It has long been an accepted practice in the motion pic ture industry for the eleven producer-distributor companies to announce, prior to the opening of each new season, the number of pictures they planned to produce and distribvitc. At the same time, still following this practice, they have announced also the names of the stars, producer and director to be connected with each picture. Moreover, in most cases, each picture was described briefly as to its type. Invariably, this information was given to the trade press for publication, because the companies were just as eager to publicize their forthcoming product as the exhibitors were to learn about it. Moreover, most of the companies bombarded the exhibitors with fancy brochures and other literature descriptive of their new season's product, in order to prepare them for the salesmen's visits. For the 1945-46 season, nine of the eleven companies have already announced their production and distribution plans. Universal and Columbia have not. Universal, which is in the midst of a series of regional sales meetings, expects to have its announcement ready within a few days. Columbia, however, with an evasiveness that has frequently marked its dealings with the exhibitors, will not commit itself on whether or not an announcement of its 1945-46 program will be made. Neither this trade paper, nor, to the best of our knowledge, any other trade paper, has been able to get any information from Columbia regarding its plans for the forthcoming season. Ordinarily, Harrison's Reports would not become alarmed over a company's delay in making an announcement of its new season's product, for the conditions that may cause the delay are numerous and understandable. But when that company adopts an attitude of stubborn silence about its delay, one is bound to become uneasy. And when, to top it off, the company in question is Columbia, there is indeed cause for alarm. Experience has taught that when Columbia, with its "elastic thinking" policy, which enables it to promise much and deliver little, deviates from an accepted practice, one should examine carefully into the possible reasons for the deviation. Delving into the possible motives Columbia might have for withholding its product announcement, this paper, through sources that have proved reliable in the past, has come across some interesting information, which it would like to pass on to its readers for whatever value it may have in helping them to determine just how to deal with Columbia. According to this paper's informants, Columbia has no intention of announcing for publication the list of pictures that will comprise its 1945-46 program, nor does it intend to follow the accepted practice of sending the exhibitors brochures outlining the pictures it hopes to produce and distribute. These same informants advise that Columbia has printed a limited number of what might be called brochures or sales manuals, which have been distributed to its sales forces for showing to prospective customers when negotiat ing for a deal. The salesmen have been instructed specifically to keep these brochures or sales manuals in their possession at all times. Under no circumstance are they to leave one with a customer. Our informants advise further that the Columbia salesmen have been selling their company's 1945-46 program for the past two months, making known to the exhibitors the information contained in the manuals, but leaving them with no evidence of what the company promises to deliver. Harrison's Reports does not know how many exhibitors, guided by nothing more than the glib promises of a salesman, who has been instructed to leave no evidence of his promises, have thus far signed with Columbia for the new season. That some of them have signed contracts, this paper has no doubt. We are inclined to believe, however, that those who did sign were motivated, not by the faith they had in Columbia's way of doing business, but by the scarcity of product that has existed up to this time, and by some unique elements in their competitive situations, which compelled them to renew their franchises for better or for worse. Columbia, being in the driver's seat in such situations, probably knew that it would have little difficulty inducing such exhibitors to sign contracts. Whether or not it will be as successful with other exhibitors remains to be seen, particularly since scarcity of product may soon be a thing of the past in view of the Government's lifting of raw film stock restrictions. Perhaps the sudden change in conditions will impel Columbia to revert to the accepted practice of publicizing its new season's plans. In the event it holds fast to a hush-hush policy, however, every potential customer should put the following questions to the Columbia salesmen and demand a satisfactory answer before concluding a deal: 1. Why has Columbia elected to follow a policy of secrecy in connection wjth its new season's plans? 2. Why is it taking precautions to see that neither the exhibitors nor the trade publications are furnished with official information regarding the new product? 3. Does the new program include pictures that were promised to customers of previous seasons but not delivered, and, if such is the case, does Columbia fear that a few of the trade papers and exhibitor organizations may publicize the fact that these pictures are being offered for the second or third time? 4. Is Columbia afraid to go on record because it does not hope to deliver what it is promising? 5. Or, is it a fact that, from the viewpoint of story, production, and star values, Columbia has so little to offer that the less said about the program the better? Until Columbia sees fit to come forward with an announcement of its new product, Harrison's Reports, intends to keep its subscribers posted with respect to the 1945-46 pictures Columbia has completed, as well as the pictures that arc in work or in preparation. This paper will also give its opinion of each picture's potential box-office worth, based on (Continued on last page)