The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE MAY 2, 1956 VOLUME 56 NUMBER 1 IS THE BLAME ON MGM? ■m Jt is unfortunate, but true, that in this business of ours there seems to be a greater regard for today’s buck-in-the-bank, than any fear or consideration for tomorrow’s headaches. Faced with a bad practice, or with a false principle, however contrary to the future best interests and economic well being of the individual theatre, or of the whole theatre business, the eventual decision is usually based on the shortsighted grab for a quick profit, however small, and the devil take the hindmost! That such a grab sets up a chain reaction, or establishes a precedent that will unquestionably he used hack on the grabber, is shrugged off as unimportant. But this won’t diminish the screams of anguish and of in¬ dignation when they are used hack on the grabber. A case in point is the current bulletin of April 16 to Allied members, from hoard chairman and general coun¬ sel Abram F. Myers. A sample is as follows: “ Metro's tactics in marketing ‘ GUYS AND DOLLS’ came as a shock to exhibitors everywhere. That com¬ pany has regularly icon the popularity polls taken in the film clinics and its standing as the ‘friendly company ’ seemed to be established. Even though Metro as the distributor is responsible for the tactics employed, many exhibitors were inclined to think Sam Goldwyn teas the real villain in the piece and that Metro would use its customary civilized methods with respect to other pro¬ ductions. “However, Metro seems to have turned over a new leaf, a poison ivy one, for a survey made in 12 Allied territories indicates that the company is as anxious to prevent the subruns and small towns from playing ‘ I'LL CRY TOMORROW ’ as it is to deny them ‘GUYS AND DOLLS.' The board of directors of Allied of Western Pennsylvania reports that out of town theatres which were formerly sold on a scale starting at 25 per cent are now told they must pay 50 per cent and double their normal playing time. Sub-runs which were formerly sold on a scale starting at 25 per cent must pay from 40 per cent to 50 per cent of their gross receipts, and some must double, and all must extend their playing time." So, let’s sensibly evaluate what happened. In the same old way he has been doing it every two or three years, Sam Goldwyn pops up with his flashily dressed and specially publicized “GUYS AND DOLLS.” Just like always, according to Sam, its the rootinest. tootinest, biggest, best, and most must-see picture of all time; and the public has been penetrated, conditioned and brain washed, so it will pay nearly double the reg¬ ular admission price to see it. And, just like always, a liberal quantity of theatremen are hypnotized by Sam’s “pitch” into sacrificing their patron good will by raising their prices, and into handing the major share of the increase over to Sam. Most of this routine of Sam’s is pretty old stuff. The liberal quantity of theatremen seems to he great enough to show Sam a nice profit, and because some are the same ones time after time, it almost looks as if they enjoy the treatment they get. They even seem to grin sheepishly when Sam clobbers them with his bewliiskered press “bladder” about fewer and better pictures in fewer theatres. They are so hypnotized that they don’t care when Sam writes off thousands of theatres that he doesn’t own, and provides generous anti-industry copy guaranteed to affect the credit of even such acceptable customers of his as remain. About the only new thing this time was that Sam’s press “bladder” was used in Tokyo. But there was another thing new! For “GUYS AND DOLLS” Sam had obtained physical distribution through MGM, a company with a well rooted reputation for fair¬ ness, reliability, and a real regard for its customers and for its clean sales methods. MGM needed the revenue, and Sam needed MGM. But, hack of the considerate, well grounded MGM salesman, who had served his cus¬ tomers for years and who expected to serve them regu¬ larly for many years to come, were the contract accepting “specialists” of Sam Goldwyn, setting the prices and act¬ ing “like always”! And for Sam Goldwyn's “GUYS AND DOLLS,” just one picture in two or three years, theatremen paid prices, and signed percentage deals, that they had never given to MGM, a guaranteed supply source year-in and yearout and their proven friend of long standing. Watching this happen, what must have been the re¬ action of the MGM salesman? Well, complete with the increased admission prices, and mainly because of them, “GUYS AND DOLLS” played to a lot of dollars. No better than several other pictures playing around at the same time, however, and no better than a current regular MGM release called “I’LL CRY TOMORROW.” \\ hat would you do if you were an MGM salesman? By every hoxoffice yardstick, if you can do the gross you ( Continued on page 6) A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York: 229 West 42nd Street, New York 36. West Coast: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Los Angeles 35, California. Jay Emanuel' publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel KonecofF, New York editor; Arnold Farber, Physical Theatre editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager. Subscriptions: $2 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, $5 per year (52 issues). 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