Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1941)

46 MOTION PICTURE HERALD December 6, 1941 continue to say what they like and what they don V EXAMINATION of the flow of exhibitor comment in response to Motion Picture Herald's invitation to "say it all," reveals most especially a desire for a certain elasticity of relations between exchange and theatre, which does not today exist, if one is to take the expressions of the retail showmen at par. The evidences are many that distribution offices tend, as is perhaps inevitable, to routine their relations and to seek to make all and sundry, big and little customers alike, conform to national forms and patterns. The exhibitor makes it clear in these expressions that he is engaged in running his own business, and that devices which seek to ordain how he shall do it are resented. It is obvious, as one reads, that the exhibitor does not want to be told what to buy, and how to buy. His theatre is his castle. His enthusiasm for his own enterprise which so shines through these lines of comment, is one of the industry's greatest assets — perhaps its greatest. THE EDITOR <J The price of pictures is still the principal difference between the producer and the distributor. It is my idea that more flat prices should be set, thereby giving the distributor more chance to realize a little profit from the top pictures from which the producer receives so much. If the present policy of charging 70%, 60% and 40% by some of the majors is kept up they are going to help drive many of the small distributors from business. — Texas. (Circuit) <5 All pictures should be rated or classified A, B, C, etc., by impartial persons not associated with industry, instead of each film company saying that such and such picture was an "A" when it really rated about "C." The exhibitor needs and wants to get "A" pictures. He is glad to pay "A" prices for "A" product, but is disgusted with those rated "A" that turn out to be "C" or "D." Rogue Theatre, Wheeler, Texas. (Independent) A smaller number of pictures made and more thought given to them. This would bring about single features eventually, which would be good for the industry. — California (Circuit) <J Being a woman, and a very belligerent and irate theatre owner, there was not room to express my opinion on this subject in the space allotted, so used a separate page. My pet annoyance is jack rabbit shows and I would like to see them eliminated (or exterminated, preferably in a not too humane manner). For 11 years I have operated a picture show in a small town, fast growing smaller, in the middle of the dust bowl. We are just two miles from the geographical center of the U. S. For the last three summers I have been practically surrounded by that bane of legitimate theatre, the free show. This summer I gave up the uneven struggle and closed for the summer, and, just as I expected, the free show moved in, so I spent the summer praying for rain on Wednesday nights. A legitimate theatre must pay a high film rental, transportation, rent, light, advertising, music license, help, buy tickets, pay taxes, sub scribe to everything that comes along and spend his money, if any, in the home town. The jack rabbit operator can get complete programs of feature and shorts or double fea ture for seven days for as little as $13.50 to $17.50. His only overhead is transportation from one town to another, as the town furnishes light, seats, etc. If a free show operator buys a cup of coffee and a hot dog in a town he thinks he is a philanthropist. A free show is no benefit to a town, because those who patronize a free show are quite likely to expect everything else free, yet the towns fall for them. There is only one way blitzkrieg these fifth columnists off the map and that is for the exhibitors to boycott every firm that sells them film, no matter how old. No doubt this competition does not interfere with city theatres, but out here, where the tall corn has ceased to grow, it is a very serious menace and has almost put Michael (he's my dog) and me in the bread line. Put my name to this in Neon lights, if you wish. Thank you for the opportunity to sav what I think of free shows. GLADYS E. McARDLE, Owl Theatre, Lebanon, Kansas. (Independent) IJ More down to earth performances — good comedies. Cut down running time on features not more than 92 minutes. Could stand more new stars. Not to exaggerate impossible musicals. Consent decree abolished. Clearance clauses eliminated. Eliminate as many war scenes as possible from news reels, as people come to theatre to forget and not be reminded of conditions. One reason for dropping attendance. More newspaper and radio advertising. Make best features possible and eliminate low bracket pictures. People do not pay just to witness fillers. (Independent) <J More pictures like "Sergeant York," "Shepherd of the Hill," etc. and less pictures which are remakes as "Smiling Through," and "Dr. Jckyll and Mr. Hyde." Theatre prestige can be rebuilt by good pictures of average length, which at this time could well be devoted to Americans and American problems. Less double-feature pictures, and less pictures depending on Technicolor to save them. — Tennessee (Circuit) <I Some more like "Sergeant York," "Dive Bomber," "Yank in RAF," "International Squadron," "Charley's Aunt," "One Foot in I leaven." Big pictures. Indiana (Independent) (I Do they have to -drink liquor in every scene in every picture? People go to movies to get entertainment and send their children, too, and all they see in nearly every picture is people niaking a silly fool out of themselves, guzzling beer all over the place. I guess it's supposed to be funny, but I'm afraid my sense of humor doesn't lean in that direction. Ohio (Independent) <I Kansas exhibitors are finding that they can't buy the second or third groups without buying the first or second — prices prohibitive. What's the difference, then, between the old and new way of buying ? For my part, give vie block buying with a 20 per cent elimination, so that we won't have to buy film 24 hours a day. Kansas (Independent) ^ Fifty per cent pictures are getting too plentiful, and not one in 10 so sold are worth it. Should be an exhibitor's unwritten law agin 'em. Missouri (Independent) *j Elimination of pictures made primarily for double bills ! Fewer pictures based on the present war situation. Nebraska (Independent) *$i Get rid of the drove of producers and relatives at the studios and employ capable people to handle productions. Get rid of these Mathematic Brains of a certain few companies who try to set up a set of figures and terms for contracts that are crazy. Ohio (Independent) •3 This is a town of 1,000 people, 250 seats. Two changes a week. Make the distributors buy what we want. I can only play 110 pictures per year. Let me buy what I want. B.C.D. pictures won't and can't pay. L. E. BURKEY , Dcshlcr, Nebraska. (CirciOt) ^ One of the fundamental weaknesses that I < am unable to understand is why the producers have overlooked the vast male audiences that we are forgetting want entertainment too ; that < want more than just westerns. It seems that the obvious fact that only 51% (recent poll) of our audience is women should imply to Hollywood that they cannot go on making pictures only for the feminine taste. It has often been stated that it is the women that bring the men to the theatre. After 18 years of theatre experience (and this is actually being on our floor when the patrons are coming in, a religious duty with me) I find that this is far from a fact. Men, too, look for entertainment in our theatres but with the many pictures aimed at women appeal only is it any great wonder that they are drifting away from the theatre. If the men don't get any entertainment you won't often find the women going alone. She tries to get her friend or neighbor to accompany her, where there should have been two couples going. Take shows like "Knute Rockne," "Northwest Passage," "Boom Town," (Continued on page 48)