Harrison's Reports (1950)

HARRISON'S REPORTS April 15, 1950 year. This is merely a beginning. During the next year, conservative estimates indicate that set ownership will be doubled. . . ." Sam Goldwyn's entire article has the tendency of placing the motion picture industry on the defensive, insofar as the public is concerned, and of making the public look upon picture entertainment as the loser to television — having surrendered to it. Goldwyn's article in the Saturday Review of Literature was, as said, admirably effective. But that article reached a very small number of people, the intelligentsia, and the good that it may have done is extremely limited. Had the Review article appeared in the Times magazine section, and the Times article in the motion picture industry's mediums, there would have been a different tale to tell. We could then hold Mr. Goldwyn as a constructive factor. Unfortunately, he did not seem to realize the harm he was doing to the industry by telling the public that the motion picture industry is up against it. The fine work being done by exhibitors everywhere to instill the public with the feeling that movies are better than ever is nullified by so thoughtless an article as Goldwyn's "Television's Challenge to the Movies," written for public consumption. In the Times magazine article Mr. Goldwyn suggests several remedies, but the best remedy he could suggest is pictures that offer overwhelming entertainment. In this, Harrison's Reports agrees with Mr. Goldwyn. Pictures such as, for example, "Annie Get Your Gun," "Twelve O'Clock High," "Sands of Iwo Jima," "Riding High," "Cinderella" and "All the King's Men" make the public forget television and draw them to the picture theatres. When I saw "Annie Get Your Gun" at the MGM studio in Hollywood, I said to myself: "With pictures such as this one the motion picture industry has nothing to fear from television." But what has Mr. Goldwyn done to attract picture patrons to the theatres? Nothing! Of the last five pictures he has produced, three — "Enchantment," "Rose anna McCoy" and "My Foolish Heart" — have been "dogs" at the box-office. The fourth, "Our Very Own," which is about to be released, probably will fare no better. And if "Edge of Doom," the fifth picture, which he has just completed, is of the caliber of the pictures just mentioned, Sam Goldwyn had better crawl into his shell and stop writing articles in the newspapers and magazines, leading people to believe that he is the only producer who knows how to make good pictures. Instead of writing articles and seeking headlines, Goldwyn should buckle down to the business of making better pictures, the type that will draw people away from their television sets and send them flocking to the theatres. HOW SOME HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVES FEEL ABOUT TELEVISION — No. 3 Hollywood — Henry Ginsburg, Paramount vice-president in charge of studio productions and operations, has given me the following statement outlining his views on television and its effect on the motion picture industry: "I, personally, do not believe that television, as it exists today, is contributing to any great extent in harming boxoffice receipts. I feel that as television develops it will prove an important adjunct and will ultimately become a part of the motion picture industry. "If we would only come to the realization that we have reached a stage of normalcy and that proper adjustment to conditions must be made, then we will be able to overcome many of the problems confronting us. Many people in other industries, along with our own, have a happy faculty of seeking justification for their own shortcomings. I believe that the solution rests with us. As producers, our returns will be in ratio to the quality of our product. However, this cannot be left entirely to the product itself. The selling of pictures and their exhibition are just as important in the scheme of things as their production. "Nothing will be more helpful to all of us than a viewpoint which accepts intelligent, constructive and conscientious efforts as a part of that which makes for better business. "Worry about the encroachment of television upon our business signifies an individual's fear, lack of courage and imagination. None of these characteristics have any place in show business, and that is still our business. If we accept that fact, which 1 believe our investments and responsibilities require that we do, we will find ways and means by which our pictures can be made better, sold better, exhibited better, and while we are all doing this intelligently we will also find the ways and means by which television can be mutually advantageous in the future development of our industry." ALLIED LEADERS — PLEASE TAKE NOTICE I have received the following telegram from Trueman Rembusch, president of Allied States Association: "ALLIED GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS STOP TWENTY FIRST UNIT LAUNCHES WITH TWIN BOY MEMBERS SEVEN POUNDS TEN AND SEVEN POUNDS NINE AND THREE QUARTERS STOP PROVING THAT SHOWMANSHIP PAYS OFF MOTHER AND BOYS SAY PICTURES ARE BETTER THAN EVER IN 19J0 ALL FINE. REGARDS." If every Allied leader should follow the fine example set by Trueman Rembusch and, if possible, improve on his accomplishment by fathering either triplets or quadruplets, the Allied organization will be overwhelmed with members. Harrison's Reports congratulates Mr. and Mrs. Rembusch for the fine American example they have set. "Everybody's Dancin' " with Spade Cooley (Lijppert, March 31; time, 65 min.) This may do for small towns on the lower half of a double bill. The story is slight, but what might make it acceptable is the fact that it has some comedy, although silly, music and variety acts. Additionally, it is helped by brief guest appearances by Adele Jergens, Roddy McDowall, James Ellison and Russ Hayden. Entertaining specialty numbers are offered by Sons of the Pioneers, Chuy Reyes and his Orchestra, The Flying Taylors, The Great Velardi, The Medians and, of course, Spade Cooley, whose "Western Varieties" television show is very popular on the west coast: — Having operated the Waltzland Ballroom on a Santa Monica pier ever since her husband (James Millican) died fifteen years previously, Barbara Woodel prepares to close it down because of poor business. Richard Lane, a phoney southern colonel, goes to her and boasts that he will finance the dance hall, even though he doesn't know where the next meal will come from. He felt that he could make it into a paying proposition if he could hire Spade Cooley and his band. Lane approaches Cooley and, by pretending that he is a wealthy man and able to televise Cooley's performance, obtains his promise to appear at the ballroom. Lane then succeeds in selling the idea to the owner of a television station. Cooley sees through Lane's schemings, but when he learns that Lane's motive was to save the dance hall owned by his old friend, Barbara, he decides to go through with the deal. After many manipulations, Lane finally stages the show, but during the performance he is besieged by creditors demanding payment of their bills. He manages to lock them in a soundproof room to prevent them from stopping the show. The performance is a success and, with the money collected, Lane satisfies the creditors and saves the dance hall. It was produced by Bob Nunes and directed by Will Jason, from an original story by Mr. Nunes and Spade Cooley, and a screen play by Dorothy Raison. Harmless for the family trade.