The Exhibitor (1960)

LONDON Observations by Jotk MacGregor “WHAT A WONDERFUL industry we could have, and what a prosperous industry we could have if we could solve collectively some of our problems and not be so petty in our approaches as often happens” — so spoke John Davis at the Rank Theatres showmanship lunch. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend as I had previously accepted the chief barker’s invitation to the Variety Club’s annual “Thank You” lunch for newspaper editors. I missed an important, fighting speech. John Davis was at his best — and had every reason to feel on top of the world. Rank Or¬ ganization shares which for years have not reflected their worth on the market have been bounding ahead. I quote at random from his speech: “. . . in 1950, 54 per cent of our audiences were women and 54 per cent of the popula¬ tion of the country were women. In 1960, under 50 per cent of our audiences are women. . . . During that same period, according to our research, 54 per cent of the married women have stopped going to the cinema altogether and only 10 per cent go once a week. I wonder how much responsibility for this non-attendance is due to brutality, unnecessary close-ups of people being punched on the nose or in the stomach, and so on. I do not believe women like it, and I think they are showing us in the only way they can that they do not like it. “. . . Last year we said that of the 12 most successful films played on the Rank Circuit, seven were from British studios. In the last six months, that position and ratio have been continued and British films have been a very great contributor to our efforts. I do not know where we would have been without them. . . . What is the ingredient that has made these films successful? I am not talking about technicalities. They were gay and entertaining, entertainment which the people wanted to see, and, you see, we people in the film industry have the best knowledge of what the people want to see, because we have the one barometer which never lies, those little machines called the box office which either click or do not. . . . There are no ratings; just hard cash paying for what they want to see, and in our Group every time they want to see entertainment which is fun and which is gay. “What a wonderful thing the big Todd-AO screens have been. They created a new excite¬ ment, a new interest for the public in our business. . . . This regeneration of interest in films is the lifeblood of our business. It is also keeping large theatres in being which would otherwise have been shut and sold. “Do you realise that average films have a regular cinema audience of some 75 per cent, in other words with an average film the same people each week make up about 75 per cent of the audience, but if there is an outstanding film over 50 per cent of the audience are the occasional cinemagoers, the people we want to get at and get back . “Let us think about toll TV. What is the good of this industry saying ‘We are going to fight toll TV and stop it.’ The government has set up a public inquiry to consider on its merits whether it is in the national interest that there should be toll TV. If it decides to have it, the place where all exhibitors should be is in it; they should be part of it because who knows more than we about putting shows on in the cinemas, and toll TV is going to be a home cinema. “I do not speculate. I invest, and I have invested in the Rank Organization my health, my strength, my enthusiasm, and quite a lot of money, and I believe it is a good investment.” Melniker Quits MGM Int. NEW YORK — The resignation of William Melniker, director of theatres for MetroGoldwyn-Mayer International, Inc., was an¬ nounced. Melniker will return to the prac¬ tice of law in New York, specializing in foreign trade. Melniker began his overseas film career in 1927 when he went to Brazil to check busi¬ ness conditions and MGM theatre interests there. The following year he became man¬ ager of Brazil. In 1930, he was appointed general manager for South America with headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. He was transferred to the home office in 1937 to organize the theatre division which he has headed ever since. Insurance Firm Cuts "Cleo" Claim LONDON — The London underwriters have repudiated liability to 20th-Fox for the film company’s $2,380,000 insurance claim on “Cleopatra,” the production of which was interrupted here by the illness of Elizabeth Taylor. It was believed that a compromise on a lower figure will be made. Meanwhile, the star has started work on tests for the picture at the Pinewood Studios. Hospital Business Booms SARANAC LAKE, N.Y.— The Will Rogers Memorial Hospital had a record number of 92 admissions for 1960 and a record number of dismissals — in the neighborhood of 70, it was announced. This compared with 70 ad¬ missions in 1959 and 61 discharges. Lopert Accepts New Post As UA European Coordinator NEW YORK — Ilya Lopert, who will now permanently reside in Europe, has ac¬ cepted the post of United Artists coordina¬ tor of European co-production, it was an¬ nounced by Arthur B. Krim, president of UA. Lopert will continue his duties as president of Lopert Pictures Corp. In announcing the new operation, Krim said, “I am personally very gratified that Mr. Lopert has agreed to oversee and co¬ ordinate our co-production operation in Europe. His extraordinary capacities in the field of European film production are widely respected throughout the industry. I consider Mr. Lopert’s acceptance of this post an extremely important step forward for UA’s global operation.” In his new post, Lopert will work closely with Oscar Dancigers, UA’s supervisor of European production. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Ilya Lopert, left, is congratulated by Arthur BKrim, president. United Artists, following the announcement of Lopert's appointment as UA's coordinator of European production. Lopert, who will continue to serve as president of Lopert Pictures Corp., will permanently reside in Europe. MGM Execs Discuss '61 Product Lineup NEW YORK— Studio head Sol C. Siegel is participating in a series of conferences with president Joseph R. Vogel, general sales man¬ ager Robert Mochrie, and home office exe¬ cutives on plans for the 1961-62 production and release schedules. With editing nearing completion on “King of Kings,” the Samuel Bronston Production, which has been three years in preparation and filming, will be backed by the most ag¬ gressive promotion and exploitation campaign since “Ben-Hur,” and on the same worldwide scale. Many months in preliminary work, the campaign on the reserved seat attraction is being outlined and finalized at the meet¬ ings. Included in the discussions was the big program of pictures completed and set for release and in current production, including “Mutiny on the Bounty,” “The Four Horse¬ men of the Apocalypse,” “Spinster,” “Gorgo,” “Go Naked in the World,” “Atlantis, the Lost Continent,” “Ring of Fire,” and “Silent Part¬ ner,” among others. Advance promotion programs also are to be set on the important schedule of pictures now in preparation for filming, among them “Ada,” “Lady L,” “How the West Was Won,” and such major recent story purchases as John Steinbeck’s forthcoming novel, “Winter of Our Discontent,” and the current Broad¬ way hit by Tennessee Williams, “Period of Adjustment.” Accompanying Siegel to New York for the meetings were Howard Strickling, publicity and advertising vice-president, and Eddie Hubbell, in charge of the MGM still labora¬ tory and publicity art department. Arwin-Col. Deal Set HOLLYWOOD — Martin Melcher, president, Arwin Productions, the Melcher-Doris Day independent company, has concluded nego¬ tiations with Samuel Briskin, Columbia Pic¬ tures’ vice-president in charge of west coast operations, for a $26,000,000 production deal involving eight top-budgeted films, four of which will be Doris Day starring vehicles under the Arwin banner. The pact, which is non-exclusive, will have as its initial project Doris Day starring in “Roar Like A Dove.” Negotiations are also reported underway regarding a possible merger of music com¬ pany subsidiaries of Arwin Productions and Columbia’s Colpix. January II, 1961 J