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 Room 1812 Harrison's Reports, Inc.. U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 RUUnuo" Publisher Canada 16.50 New York 20, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor MeXi,Co £uba" Spain A Motion Picture Reviewing Service O-reat Britain ............ 1.0.10 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 Us 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, DECEMBER 1, 1945 No. 48 THE TRIAL IS ENDED As most of you undoubtedly know by this time, the trial of the Government's New York anti-trust case against the eight major producers was concluded on November 20, after consuming no more than twenty days of courtroom testimony. The speed with which the trial was carried through has astonished most informed industryites, who had expected that the proceedings would last as much as six months. The only details still remaining in the suit are the filing of briefs by both sides, and the presentation of oral arguments. The Government has until December 1? to file its brief, while the defendants have until January 7 to file theirs. The Court has set January 1 5 as the day on which it will hear the oral arguments of both sides. As was to be expected, predictions as to the final outcome of the trial are filling the air thick and fast, with varying reasons given by the predictors as to why one side or the other will emerge victorious. In the opinion of this paper, it is yet too early for one to make predictions, because of the intracacies of the evidence and of the testimony thus far presented by both sides. For instance, the Government has sub' mitted approximately 450 documents to prove its charges of monopoly against the defendants, and one would have to study these documents carefully to understand their full significance before he could qualify as a predictor. And, before venturing his prediction, he would also have to make a close study of the material offered by the defendants. Even the Court hasn't had time for such a study. It is possible that, with the filing of briefs and the presentation of oral arguments, the evidence and testimony presented thus far may be summarized in a manner that will give to the unbiased observor a clearer picture of the strength and weakness of each side, thus putting him in a better position to predict the outcome. For the present, however, predictions should be held in abeyance, for they can be nothing more than either propaganda or guess-work. A CITATION FOR THE INDUSTRY "In recognition of its united efforts in war and continued assistance in war time," says a Washington dispatch to Motion Picture Daily, "the industry will be given a Government citation signed by President Truman, and the War, Treasury and Navy Departments, on Dec. 4, , , ," Just how much good will a citation do for the industry unless the public is told about this citation and about what induced the President and the three governmental departments to issue it? During the last two years of the War, Harrison's Reports continued urging the leaders of the industry to take page advertisements in the newspapers and the national magazines to make known to the public what the motion picture industry was doing, not only for the nation, but also for the members of the armed forces. The heads of other industries took such ads to gain good will by establishing in the minds of the public what they had done and were doing to help the nation win the war. What the motion picture industry did for the war effort, however, was far greater than that of any other industry, including newspapers and radio. The picture industry sold billions and billions of dollars worth of bonds, presented to the three branches of the armed services more than forty million dollars worth of film exhibitions, and brought to the members of the armed services a bit of home during their rest periods, helping greatly to keep up their morale. But this paper's pleas for institutional advertising were made in vain. And the crackpot politicians, aware that the industry has done nothing to gain the public's good will, have been and still are sniping at it. The industry leaders could have used the industry's war-time aid to the Government as a means of convincing the Congressional tax committees that the twenty per cent tax on admissions should be either repealed entirely or cut substantially, but most of our industry leaders either are tired old men or they have made their "pile" and care little about what happens to the industry now. Will some younger executives undertake to do what the older executives are failing to do? WELCOME TO A NEW PRODUCER Hal Home, former Director of Advertising, Publicity and Exploitation for 20th Century-Fox, has issued an announcement of the formation of a new production company to be known as Story Productions, Inc., with Armand Deutsch, as president, and Home as chairman of the board and executive vicepresident. The announcement states that the company has already acquired several best-selling novels, and that it is presently negotiating with well known producers, directors and writers for their services in the company's production plans. For years Hal Home has been recognized as one of the leaders in planned exploitation campaigns, and as such his experience qualifies him as a man who should know the likes and dislikes of the picture-going public. This paper, which for years has encouraged more independent production, welcomes Hal Home into the field and wishes him the best of success.