Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1934)

12 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, December 26, 1934 They Peer Into '35's Crystal Predicts New Peak in 1935 Film Quality By JACK L. WARNER Vice-President in Charge Warner Production Hollywood, Dec. 25. — We look forward to 1935 with great optimism and expectation of better business for both exhibitor and ourselves. Our optimism is based upon the return of confidence here and improved economic conditions abroad. The comeback will naturally radiate for better conditions the world over. Pictures during the coming year will be bigger with a definitely higher standard of entertainment than ever before. Screen productions will have to be made that appeal not only to family audiences here, but to all classes and people abroad. Audiences have become educated to better acting on the screen. The standard is definitely on the upgrade. Highly sophisticated stories, oldtime triangles that depended upon a handsome leading man and a sensuously gowned leading lady, are out. In their places will be demanded strong stories with performances by competent actors. More initiative is needed among producers and exhibitors : Initiative on the part of producers to get off the beaten path in search of ideas and stories instead of trying to follow in the footsteps of a hit by copying. Initiative on the part of exhibitors in more aggressive showmanship. Probably the most forward step that can be taken during 1935 for all concerned would be the elimination of double features. I honestly believe that if that were accomplished, better pictures would be made and exhibitors would profit. Other industries report definite improvement in business with signs for continued improvement. In this improvement, the motion picture industry will share. Feist Confident '35 Will Be Better Year (Continued from page 1) tinued increases in motion picture patronage, particularly so, for the Better Pictures and Star Spangled productions. It is with such impending developments as these, rather than with temporary but debilitating and sometimes ruinous internal competition, that the industry's leaders are now concerned. N'neteen hundred and thirty-five holds great promise for industry prosperity. International Year Is Seen By Arthur Lee By ARTHUR A. LEE Vice-President, Gaumont British I am looking forward to 1935 as the most interesting year of my business career, due to being fully convinced that my people are making outstanding pictures of international appeal. I believe 1935 is going to be one of the best years the industry has seen for some time owing to the fact that studios here and abroad are turning out pictures of real merit, which will bring the public back once more into the picture-going habit. Taking into consideration the tremendous amount of money which our government is putting into circulation, there is no doubt, when it reaches the public, that they will spend a great deal of it supporting the industry. I believe that the industry would be much better off if some way could be devised whereby the national distributors did not have to force exhibitors to play their poorer pictures, but could absorb the cost of same by spreading it over their entire program. Film People Figure In New Shows Here Players, some prominent and some no longer prominent in pictures, are figuring more importantly in New York stage plays this winter. In the flood opened and opening this week : S. N. Behrman, long a contract writer at Fox, bowed in at the Golden Monday night as author of "Rain from the Heaven." The Theatre Guild produced. Viola Brothers Shore, well known as a Hollywood scenarist, is co-author with Sarah B. Smith of "Piper Paid," which opened at the Ritz last night. Harry Green is one of the principals. Miss Shore is also part author of "Fools Rush In," also one of last night's contenders for popularity. Constance Cummings' essay is the lead in "Accent on Youth," another of last night's openings, this one at the Plymouth. Irene Purcell is in the cast. Peggy Wood and Louis Calhern are two of the principals in "Birthday," due to open at the 49th St. Theatre tonight. Eddie Dowling is producer and a player as well of "Thumbs Up" which opens at St. James tomorrow night. In the cast are Clark and McCullough. Hal LeRoy, Sheila Barrett and J. Harold Murray, the latter once a singer of importance in early Fox musicals. Herbert Rawlinson has the lead in "Baby Pompadour" which comes to an undetermined theatre Friday evening. Fox Met Plan to Court The plan of reorganization for Fox Metropolitan Playhouses developed by the bondholders' committee will be presented to Federal Juds'e Julian W. Mack in U. S. District Court here tomorrow. Costs a Factor "General quality of the motion picture is steadily improving," declares Herbert J. Yates, president o f C o n s o lidated Film Industries, Inc. "Public interest is increasing. If costs can be reasonably controlled, the industry should make satisfactory progress the coming year," he believes. Yates recently returned from his second trip to Hollywood in the last couple of months. Optimism for Future Rules With Thomas By HARRY THOMAS President, First Division Exhibitors have struggled to keep their heads above water for the past five years. The turning point has already been passed ; business is perking up ever ywh ere ; money is going into circulation; people have lost their fear ; a rainbow's ascending rays of sunshine are penetrating through the black clouds of the past. The exhibitors who have operated their business as business should be operated, will be rewarded for their honest efforts. Nineteen hundred and thirty-five looks like it will be the best season in show business since 1929. I hope that all branches of the industry share in the harvest. President Roosevelt's recovery plans should put a great deal of money into circulation and this additional money in the hands of the potential theatregoers will be life blood to resuscitate show business and put it back to the enviable pitch it held at the time of its greatest advance. More Springfield Shows Springfield, O., Dec. 25. — The Regent, which recently installed vaudeville with its picture programs on Saturdays and Sundays, has been followed by the Fairbanks, which features unit revues the first four days of each week. Both are Chakeres-Warner first run spots. This is the first time in local history that two houses have played stage shows and pictures simultaneously. "Character" Stressed in Coming Film By CARL LAEMMLE, JR. Vice-President, General Manager, Universal Production Prosperity returning, business conditions getting better, film conditions getting bet ter. This is a sure indication that productions of an unusual type will grab even bigger grosses for the picture b u s i n e s s next year. Pictures of the more important type are planned for next year. This will be good for the industry both from the production standpoint and the theatre standpoint. It is my feeling that the more of these historical, biographical, outstanding-novel type of pictures and musical comedies that are made in the super class, the better off the industry will be. There is no doubt in my mind that individual productions of finished character will be the thing for next year. More time will have to be put into them, more thought, more showmanship. But that is what this industry is coming to and that is where the big money lies. With the important producers in the industry making from six to eight pictures a year instead of from 40 to 50 the quality of pictures is certain to improve vastly and the industry from every standpoint will be greatly benefited. These producers can concentrate on important production matters and put their energies and abilities into the necessary work of production instead of delegating important production matters to others. They have been forced to delegate them in the past because of the time element. I feel that the industry will set a new mark for itself in 1935. Must Cut Negative Costs, Says Zukor (Continued from page 1) quality of the product, the hoped-for gross increases of the new season will be meaningless. I view this rise in negative costs as one of the most serious matters ever faced by the industry. I believe that it is out of all proportion to the corresponding rise in commodity prices and, unless it is remedied at once, I believe we shall find ourselves making pictures costing more than we can take in at our box-offices. I hope that 1935 will see a satisfactory adjustment of this problem and a consequent black ink balance for the industry.