Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1943)

M a v 15, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 25 WPB STILL STUDIES DOUBLE BILLS AND RAW STOCK Some Bureaus Reluctant to Get Into Issues of Trade Practices by FRANCIS L BURT in Washington Government attention to the whole question of double bills, which was touched off last November in a speech made by Lowell Mellett, director of the motion picture bureau of the Office of War Information, could result in a directive against the policy, it was indicated this week in Washington. An exhibitor's personal letter to President Roosevelt brought to light that the War Production Board is continuing its survey on double bills and indicated that action would be taken should conservation considerations warrant such action. The letter, written April 9th by Ewald A. Stein, operator of the Wickenburg theatre, Wickenburg, Ariz., asked President Roosevelt for executive action against double billing. The President referred Mr. Stein's letter to the film section of the WPB and on April 24th, Fred C. Heitman, of the products branch, informed Mr. Stein that as soon as the WPB "survey is completed and the possible conservation angles studied in relation to featuring single or double programs, you may rest assured the proper directive action will be taken by this agency." Although exhibitors repeatedly have appealed to the WPB to eliminate dual bills, studies so far have failed to demonstrate that any worth-while saving of material would result. It was made clear that the WPB, at present, had no intention of interfering with business practices which have no effect on the materials situation. What the Surveys Have Found Thus far, surveys by the board have disclosed that while some 59 per cent of the theatres double-bill, only 30 per cent — possibly 3,000 houses, all told — operate exclusively on a two-feature basis. The remaining 6,000 or 7,000 theatres double-bill only from time to time. Motion Picture Herald last December 19th and 26th published expressions of opinion on the controversial subject from leading circuit and independent exhibitors throughout the country. The consensus of opinion was that elimination of the policy would be possible only through Government action. A lengthy report on the double-bill situation was submitted to WPB officials some weeks ago by Christopher J. Dunphy as he prepared to resign as chief of the amusements section because of the illness of his wife. In that report, Mr. Dunphy saw no benefit to the war effort from the elimination of double billing and pointed out that it was primarily a competitive trade practice over which the industry had been wrangling for years. On the whole, WPB officials believe that the way to save materials in the motion picture industry is through control of raw stock as now practiced, and they take the position that if there are enough pictures available the question whether one picture or two is to be shown is one for determination by the inddividual exhibitor. It was pointed out that, basically, the question is whether an exhibitor feels he can profit most by the quicker turnover of the shorter show, or has a more certain patronage under a double-bill policy. That, it is felt, is a question of competition in which the Government should not interfere unless it is demonstrated to have an effect on the war program. They Veer Away on Trade Practices Because of its importance in maintaining morale, no Government war agency in Washington is desirous of becoming involved in the controversies within the motion picture industry. The Office of War Information, War Production Board and Office of Price Administration have all fended off suggestions that they interject themselves into quarrels over trade practices. Three branches of WPB from time to time have given consideration to the matter of double billing. The motion picture section of the durable consumers' goods branch is understood to have had the question up incidentally at meetings of the motion picture industry advisory committee, but the amusements section, under Mr. Dunphy, went more exhaustively into the problem. More recently, the conservation division has made a study but in no case, it is said, was any convincing showing made that elimination of duals would result in any savings. Officials agree, however, that if at any time conditions reach a state where program control is indicated, the necessary orders would immediately be issued. At the present time, however, producing companies are given a limited amount of raw stock on which to operate. How they use that stock and how the pictures are distributed are, it is felt, questions which can best be dealt with by the industry itself. U. S. Wants Theatres To Remain Open Contrary to the impression which might be gained from the flood of restrictive orders which emanates from Washington, the Administration is anxious to interfere as little as possible with the normal operations of industries, looking forward to the end of the war and the necessity then for resuming peacetime operations with as little delay as possible. That goes for the film industry, too, and in addition there is a real desire to keep every theatre operating through the war period. Consequently, if elimination of double bills would result in the closing of houses which are cooperating in the war program, as they all are, such a step would be based upon an inescapable conclusion that the necessities of the war leave no alternative. St. Louis Unit Redrafts Single Bill Proposal In St. Louis last week, Fred Wehrenberg, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners' Association of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, indicated that no definite action on the question of elimination of double bills had been taken by the exhibitors' group since March, at which time neighborhood houses declared that the question had to be acted upon by first run theatres. The proposal made at the March meeting is being redrafted and is expected to be presented at another St. Louis meeting later this month. At the MPTOA convention in New York last week, no formal action was taken on the resolution introduced by Mr. Wehrenberg pertaining to the situation. The directors declared it was essentially a local problem and could only be decided upon by autonomous, local MPTOA units. Navy Steps Up Training Films Distribution output of U. S. Navy training films has increased from 3,000 prints a month of last November, to 50,000 prints a month as of this month, it was learned in New York this week. The Navy's training program is headed by Captain H. W. Taylor, officer in charge of the Photographic Division of the Bureau of Aeronautics, in Washington, but distribution is handled in New York at the DeLuxe laboratories with Lieut. Jack Goldsmith in charge. The distribution staff has increased from 8 to 20. Production of the training pictures is farmed out by the Navy to independent producers who turn over negatives or master prints to the New York office. Anywhere from 50 to 300 prints of each subject are made by the Navy unit at DeLuxe labs, which also is the distribution headquarters for the Army Signal Corps training films. In addition to these two branches of service, the Marine Corps has an officer stationed at DeLuxe who arranges for certain Navy aeronautic training pictures to be distributed to Marine training bases. Special orientation or indoctrination films, such as "Desert Victory," produced by the British Army and distributed here by 20th-Fox, and "Next of Kin," made by the British Ministry of Information, and released in the U. S. by Universal, also are distributed by the Navy at New York. Schwartz Joins Monogram William R. Schwartz, booker for Paramount in Philadelphia, covering the Comerford-Publix circuits in upstate Pennsylvania, has gone over to the local Monogram exchange as booker. Harry Brillman, of the Atlantic Theatres Circuit, takes his place at Paramount.