Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1946)

Sunday. May 27, 1946 Motion Picture Daily M-G-M Meeting (Continued from page 1) lice executives, district and branch nanagers, got under way yesterday, 4 hours behind schedule because of jhe railroad strike. Several of the lew Vork executives managed to get board the New York Central's °acemaker on Friday and arrived yesterday morning. They were joined at \lbany by company executives from ;w^JxHaven and Boston. Additional _ Wjives from the home office succ eetred in obtaining plane accommodations Friday night and yesterday, district and branch managers from -jhe Far 'West, Southwest and Mid::ivest, who left their home cities i.head of the train stoppage, also were »n hand but several from the South tailed to arrive. Four in 17th Block Rodgers informed the meeting that vI-G-M's 17th block will consist of jour pictures, "Boys' Ranch." "Couriige of Lassie," "Faithful in My Fashon" and "Three Wise Fools." The ;latter two will be tradeshown in all ■ erritories June 10 and selling of the olock will start immediately thereafter, the other pictures having been '.radeshown previously. "The Green Years" is expected to tje available for release about mid.fuly; "Boys' Ranch" will be generally released the first week in August; 'Easy to Wed'.' the second week; 'Courage of La$sie" the third week ; Faithful in My Fashion" the last Week, and "Three Wise Fools" the first week in September. M-G-M will have a series of six Ishort subjects totaling 58 reels and exclusive of 107 "issues of News of the Day, the meeting was told. A group of four subjects will be known as Two-Reel Specials. The other five Series are made up of 50 single reelers, comprising 12 FitzPatrick Traveltalks, 16 M-G-M Cartoons; 10 Fete Smith Specialties, six John Nesbitt Passing Parades and six M-G-M. Sales Policy Continued Rodgers told the meeting the company's 19-Point sales policy covering its relationship with exhibitor-customers and first announced last year is being continued and that adherence to it is required of every member of the sales organization. Following is the company's policy statement. 1. If We Make a Mistake in designating a picture in a bracket higher than justified by results, it is not necessary or expected that our customer be required to ask for an adjustment in terms, but when called to our attention with the supporting facts, and they must be facts, we will re-classify the picture in the bracket where it rightfully belongs. 2. There Is No Policy in our company that prevents one of our top bracket pic Preparing For Re-Release "ONE MILLION B. C." VICTOR MATURE CAROLE LANDIS LON CHANEY, JR. One of Twenty Features to be Distributed Nationally through Franchise Holders of FAVORITE FILMS CORP. 630 9th AVE. NEW YORK 19, N. Y. Kirsch States Policies for Allied at His Inaugural Chicago, May 26. — A campaign to bring national Allied States and its activities into closer touch with independent exhibitors in the field was cited by Jack Kirsch, Allied president, a s one of the prime objectives of his a d m i n i s tration, in his speech at the inaugural d i nner in his honor at the Palmer House here last night. Kirsch said that Allied will "concentrate, as far as possible on those matters which are vital to the exhibitors in the everyday operation of their theatres." The principal problems of .lac k Kirsch exhibitors, he said, "have to do with securing supplies of suitable film at prices within their means." The Allied president said that "in matters of mutual concern, in which all sections of exhibition can see eyeto-eye, there should bexooperation for the common good. Allied stands ready now, as it always has, to cooperate with the representatives of other branches in such matters." "No organization," he said, "should presume to speak for the independent exhibitors in reference to film prices, trade practices or industry readjustments made necessary by law, if to do so would put its leaders in a false position due to their affiliation with other branches of the industry. Every division of interest in the industry should be represented by its own trade association." He urged independents to consider the Conference of Independent Exhibitors' Associations as a common meeting ground. tures being re-classified even to the balance or lower bracket, if that is the proper classification based on results at that theatre. 3. We Intend to Retain our right of designation as there is no other means we know of to intelligently price our merchandise. 4. We Intend to Continue to sell on the sliding scale; that this basis is considered by us and by thousands of our customers as being a fair method of dealing. 5. We Will, Where Justified, change the unit figure if results of record disclose a hardship, and by hardship we mean either a loss, or a minimum profit to the theatre on pictures of ours played on this basis. 6. We Recognise the Effect because of shifting populations, industrial inactivity and other reasons, in some small localities, on some of the subsequent runs, and we mean later runs in cities and small towns, and are prepared in such situations to adjust our terms to meet present-day business levels. In such situations we are prepared to forego so-called preferred time in exchange for what our managers consider its equivalent in the way of mid-week playing time. In such instances it can be incorporated in the contract with our customers as optional. 7. This Is a Matter of negotiation between our representatives and our customers and in our desire to help in specific situations which need help it is not to be considered that we are going to forego entirely preferred time, because, to the contrary, we expect to continue to seek and we hope to get our pictures played under the most favorable circumstances. But we do want to do everything in our power to assist deserving cases. Deplore 'Hats in Hand' 8. We Deplore the Thought that exhibitors must come, as they cite it, with "hats in hand" looking for an adjustment. That is very definitely contrary to our policy, and the sliding scale was devised to automatically take care of an adjustment. So far as flat rentals are concerned, we can have no knowledge of the results unless we are informed, and we are prepared to rectify any unintentional error made by reclassifying the picture immediately when authentic facts justifying it are presented. 9. Our Branch and District Managers have authority to adjudicate what appear to be unintentional errors; they can when justified adjudicate any business contracts. 10. We Do Not Want, much less expect, any unfair terms or advantages. 11. Our Policy of Fair Dealing will be carried out in future as in the past. 12. We Do Not Exact as a policy, home office approval of re-classification or adjustment in terms when presented with facts. 13. It Is Not Necessary for our customers to come or write to New York for relief, but if it is not granted where absolutely justified they are invited to lay their case before us for consideration and attention. 14. For Some Time we have been cognizant of the problems of what we term the sub-subsequent runs. Our definition of this type of operation is a theatre following the key runs in a zone located generally within the corporate limits of a metropolitan city, not necessarily the second run in a city but those which follow the key or first runs in individual zones. Hence, for this type of run and for this type only, we will offer the pictures sold in a group on a basis whereby those who desire can lease such pictures in the top brackets on a flat-rental basis. This will be optional at the time of negotiation. It must be understood that where flat rental in this direction is desired it is not contemplated to offer pictures in this category at bargain prices; we do not intend to price our pictures below that which we believe our top bracket justifies, neither will we ask premium prices for the privilege of playing flat rental versus percentage. We want only the proper terms. We, of course, prefer to play on a participating arrangement with this type of run, as well as all other runs, but because of conditions as they have been reported to us and because of our desire to cooperate with our customers, we will in such cases where this type of exhibitor so desires, offer all of our pictures sold in a group on a flat rental basis. Shorts on Own Merit 15. As to News of the Day, short subjects and trailers, each unit must stand on its individual merit and be priced accordingly. There will be revisions upwards or down, depending upon the situation involved, and precedent is not the determining factor. Present-day conditions only should govern. Under no circumstances will we tolerate, much less sanction, the leasing of feature attractions as a condition of buying either one or all of these units. We repeat, each unit must be offered and negotiated for independent of the other and in no way made part of any -negotiations for any other product. Weekly payment plans are not acceptable. 16. Proposed New Theatres are not to be given assurance of any specific availability, and we will not negotiate for representation in such theatres until they become a reality, and then only for such run and product as is then available. 17. Every Effort Possible is to be made to avoid arbitration and by "effort" we mean, as you have previously been advised, that you are to try your level best to adjudicate differences before they reach the arbitration stage. District and sales managers' aid is to be requested by branch managers where needed and, if necessary, the matter should be brought to the attention of the general sales manager. 18. Runs or Accounts are not to be changed, nor apolications even signed, until after complete facts are first submitted to the general sales manager through the district and sales manager, and then such proposed changes are not to be acted upon until proper authority to do so has been received from the general sales manager. 19. Complete Support is to be given to our Government in all its undertakings in behalf of the reestablishment of Peace. Such participation, including furnishing gratis pictures must have home office approval. Hughes-MPA (Continued from page 1) N. Y. Governor Poletti, and Judge Samuel Rosenman, MPA counsel, a compromise was worked out by opposing counsel agreeing that the MPA should not be further restrained from telling the public that it does not approve of Hughes' advertising, and that Hughes is no longer an MPA member, something which the MPA has heretofore refrained from doing, on advice of counsel. 1 Rosenman argued that Hughes had little or nothing to lose in making his "Outlaw" conform with the Advertising Code, while the MPA's entire PCA system would be endangered if Hughes could restrain the MPA from taking action on withdrawing the PCA seal from the picture. Seeks Seal Retention Poletti declared that there would be no need for a temporary injunction if the MPA would agree not to withdraw the PCA seal, but Rosenman said that this is no longer possible. He pointed out that when Hughes decided to use the advertising rejected by the Advertising Council, the MPA intended to expell Hughes and tell the public that the MPA disapproved of the advertising, but Hughes' bringing the present action has precluded this move. Rosenman declared that if Judge Bright did not vacate the temporary restraining order against the MPA, irreparable harm could come to the entire motion picture industry. He pointed out that the PCA seal could fall into disrepute since it is tantamount to an endorsement by the industry of a picture and also is assurance to exhibitors that they need not anticipate trouble from the public by showing a picture. Advertising Characterized Referring to the rejected advertising, Rosenman characterized it as "lewd, lascivious and indecent". He further declared that it "was false and misleading," in saying that "The Outlaw" was being shown "exactly as filmed and not cut," since substantial cuts had been made even after it was approved, and other cuts have been made for various censor boards. MPA has a right to protect its seal of approval, Rosenman argued. "The seal is an important piece of property," he declared. Poletti argued that without the PCA seal, "The Outlaw" could not be exhibited in many theatres of the U. S. He argued that members of the MPA control first-run outlets in 75 of the 92 cities of the U. S. with populations of 100,000 or over. While Poletti argued that the MPA could withdraw the PCA seal without giving Hughes advance notice, Rosenman pointed out that Hughes had subscribed to the conditions of the advertising code in obtaining the seal and that it was subject to revocation when he refused to abide by them. Allied (Continued from page 1) by Allied leaders as a "bell tower" of the national situation. It was noted that Chicago, in the past, has been considered a model for zoning and clearance. The bid of the Conference of Independent Exhibitors Associations for independent exhibitor interest nationally was formalized.