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, 1879. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by United States $15.00 R___ 1019 Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 «.uwm »o" Publisher Canada 16.50 New York 20, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico Cuba, Spain 16.50 A Motl(m picture Reviewing Service ureat Britain ........ .... io.io Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 Ug Editoria, Policy. 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, SEPTEMBER 29, 1945 No. 39 ERIC A. JOHNSTON TAKES THE HELM As most of you already know, last Wednesday Mr. Will H. Hays resigned as head of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, a post he had held since March, 1922, and he was succeeded by Mr. Eric A. Johnston, who, currently serving his fourth term as president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, has gained world-wide repute as a spokesman for and champion of American business. In assuming leadership of the producers' association, Mr. Johnston outlined his aims in a five-point program, which included (1) the formation of a Motion Picture Institute, through which all branches of the industry can unify their efforts; (2) the inauguration of an expanded, cooperative research program for the improvement of pictures, theatres, methods, and techniques; (3) the breaking down of discriminatory foreign barriers against American motion pictures; (4) the continuation of the industry's established policy of self -discipline for decent, clean, and truthful entertainment; (5) the development of the motion picture as an important adjunct to the nation's educational system. Of primary interest to the independent exhibitors is Mr. Johnston's proposal for the establishment of a Motion Picture Institute, a sort of all-embracing trade organisation, through which all branches of the industry might work cooperatively to the benefit of all. This is what he had to say on the subject: "War taught the industry the value of united, cooperative effort. All elements of the industry — producers, distributors, exhibitors, representatives of the actors, directors and writers guilds and the craft unions — worked together in the manifold war activities. This cooperative effort must be carried over into the peace. Our purpose is to work with all these elements to form a Motion Picture Institute so that the industry can assume its full share of the responsibility for promoting peace and better living. Nothing like this has ever been attempted in any American industry in peacetime. It is the natural evolution of political into industrial democracy. The motion picture industry can set the example. "This proposal is merely another way of saying that we Americans must learn to live together, to work together, and above all to talk to one another as though we were residents of the same planet. Unless we do, we might just as well stop prattling about promoting the cause of international peace. An America divided will never lead the way to a world united. We cannot be good neighbors until we learn to get along with ourselves." As can be gathered from Mr. Johnston's foregoing remarks, what he has to say reveals him to be a man of lofty ideals, with a broad, progressive viewpoint, the sort that every thinking industryite will welcome. The time is ripe for a settlement of the industry's internal disputes so that production-distribution and exhibition may march together in harmony towards greater achievements. Perhaps the Motion Picture Institute envisioned by Mr. Johnston will be the means by which unity may be accomplished. This paper will await with interest the details of the plan Mr. Johnston has in mind. In setting as one of his goals harmonious intraindustry relations, Mr. Johnston was, this paper feels sure, inspired by sincere motives. It is to be hoped that the producer-distributors who employ him will not place obstacles in his path. So long as Mr. Johnson will act constructively, and with just understanding of exhibition's problems, and so long as he will be able to enforce upon the members of his association his views and decisions, the well-thinking element among exhibition will give him full support. But if Mr. Johnston is to get the full cooperation of the independent exhibitors, he should know something about their background : Years of mistreatment and abuse have made the exhibitors mistrustful of the producer-distributors to a point where they now look with suspicion upon any plan that emanates from the producer-distributor association. When Mr. Hays was brought into the industry as head of the association, he told the independent exhibitors that he was inspired by sincere motives, and he assured them that his one aim was to create a better feeling between the producer-distributors and the exhibitors. He even invited them to come to him if they should be in trouble with the producers. But what did he actually do? He proceeded to try to gain control of the exhibitor organisations, both national and regional, his chief purpose being to prevent the independent exhibitors from organizing too strongly. It would take many pages to recount the abuses suffered by the independent exhibitors during the Hays regime; suffice it to say that they have left the independent exhibitors with the feeling that cooperation with or confidence in the MPPDA will gain them nothing. It is this lack of confidence, built up steadily over the years, that Mr. Johnston will have to overcome if he is to gain the independent exhibitors' cooperation. Harrison's Reports will say to Mr. Johnston substantially what it said to Mr. Hays at the time he took office in 1922: For years the independent exhibitors have suffered from inequitable contracts and from crushing film rentals, due to extravagance in the home offices, as well as waste in the studios, and to the producer-distributors' unquenchable thirst for (Continued on last page)