Harrison's Reports (1950)

Entered as second-class niatu r January 4, 1021, at the post office at New York, New York, under the aet of March 3, 1870. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS Published Weekly by United States $15.00 (Formerly Sixth Avenue) Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 N v , _ft M v Publisher Canada 16.50 INew T ork W Y P. S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Great Britain 17.50 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1 1919 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 Ug Editoria] Poiicy: 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. XXXII SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1950 No. 31 THE IMPENDING CYCLE OF WAR PICTURES With the advent of the Korean war, and with the nation gearing itself for all-out mobilization, the producers in Hollywood, according to reports, are scurrying around for story material that will fit in with the current headlines. In some instances scripts are being revised to include timely sequences, and in other instances original stories dealing di' rectly with the Korean conflict are being typed out hurriedly by the studios' writers in order that they may be put before the cameras at the earliest possible date. As evidence of the producers' current thinking, a great number of picture titles slanted to capitalize on the Korean war has been filed in recent weeks with the title registration bureau of the MPAA. From the hurried preparations that are now going on in Hollywood, an impending cycle of pictures dealing with timely war subjects is in the offing. Before rushing through with their plans, however, the producers would do well to give the matter deep consideration, for no one knows better than the exhibitors just how seriously the box-office was hit during the last war because the movie-goers had become apathetic towards war pictures, of which they had been fed an overdose. The movie-going public had become so satiated with pictures that used the war as a background that even the meritorious ones suffered at the box-office. No one will deny the necessity of timely war pictures that will, in terms of entertainment, clarify the issues for which we are fighting, but there can be no question that an overdose of war-themed pictures, no matter how good and meaningful some of them may be, tires the movie-goer. * * * While on the subject of the impending cycle of warthemed pictures, a word of caution to the producers on the importance of considering the public's state of mind will not be amiss. It is understandable and even desirable that war melodramas should be grim, for they serve to reflect to the civilians at home that war is a tough, dirty business that demands the greatest sacrifices from each one of us to bring it to a speedy and successful conclusion. Battle scenes, for example, add a realistic touch to war pictures and give them the desired dramatic and inspirational effect. Audiences expect to see this type of action in such pictures, and they find these scenes acceptable, though brutal. But there is one sort of realism that war pictures can do without — scenes that depict in minute detail the mental and physical sufferings of a fighting man. Surgical operations; the loss of limbs; shell-shock; a fighting man returning home to his loved ones either blinded or with some other injury received from performing an heroic act, are scenes that may be highly dramatic and may even bring tears to one's eyes, but they can hardly be classified as entertainment for parents, wives, sweethearts and relatives of men who are either in the armed forces or subject to the draft. In the days ahead most picture-goers will look upon the fighting man on the screen as representative of the one they love, and scenes that depict him undergoing excruciating mental and physical pain are sights that will torture their hearts out of fear that their loved ones will suffer a similar fate. The Korean war and the tense international situation are causing great mental stress to many people, and our motion pictures should not add to this strain unnecessarily. Since the motion picture, as a matter of fact, has no equal as a source of entertainment for the masses, the producers must recognize that their responsibility in the selection of story material for war-themed pictures is greater than ever, for their judgment will determine whether or not the movie-goer is to receive the relaxation he or she seeks and needs. When every day fills the lives of millions with intense emotional stress, they need entertainment that will give them a lift. But if they leave the theatres in an unhappy frame of mind, caused by heart-rending scenes that parallel their own grief, it will help neither their morale nor theatre attendance. BILL RODGERS OFFERS HIS COOPERATION Under the heading " 'STOP' PICTURES," this paper published in its July 22 issue an opinion by Abram F. Myers, National Allied's general counsel, on what can be done to eliminate the practice of a distributor refusing to deliver a newly-licensed picture to an exhibitor unless he has first played off the pictures he had licensed previously from that distributor. Mr. Myers' opinion was in reply to a query from Pete Wood, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, who took, as an example, the case of MGM's "Annie Get Your Gun." William F. Rodgers, MGM's general sales manager, had this to say on the subject in a recent letter to Mr. Myers: "My attention has been called to your statement of opinion regarding exhibitors who want 'Annie Get Your Gun,' but who are delinquent in dating other pictures previously bought. "We are most appreciative of what you had to say about 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Father of the Bride' as well as the very clear and fair manner in which you answered the question. "Let me assure you that if there are any deserving cases, because of recent purchases of a number of pictures, or due to conditions beyond their control, where any theatre owners would be unreasonably held up on the playing of these outstanding attractions, if these details will be given to our local Branch Manager and are meritorious I will authorize the dating of either or both pictures out of continuity of release for I agree with you that there should be as little delay as possible in getting these pictures before the public as further proof that 'Movies Are Better Than Ever.' "Just as it is right and proper for us to deliver our pictures to our customers in order of release, so we feel it is only fanthat they be played in a like manner unless, as I have stated above, there arc mitigating circumstances in which case we, of course, want to fully cooperate." That Bill Rodgers has offered his full cooperation in this matter does not come as a surprise to Harrison's Reports, nor will it startle most of the exhibitors, for he has always made a sincere effort to recognize the exhibitors' problems and to do something about them.