Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

20 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 3 1, I 943 BENEFITS LAUNCH "ARMY"; PREMIERE TERMS 70-30 Following Opening Shows Rentals To Be 50-50, with Profits to Army Relief "This Is the Army," Warner Bros. Technicolor film of Irving Berlin's all-soldier show, was launched Wednesday night in New York at the Hollywood theatre at a benefit premiere for Army Emergency Relief, serving as a pattern for similar openings across the country, with proceeds going to the relief agency. Warners set a rental charge of 70-30 per cent to prevail only on the first night advanced scale openings and thereafter a 5050 per cent charge applies. No advanced admission prices will be permitted, except for the benefit premieres, with regular popular prices prevailing thereafter. The company is turning over to Army Relief all its profits from the picture, with only actual studio labor costs and a 20 per cent distribution cost deducted from the gross rentals. The circumstances of the production and distribution of the picture are unique. Last year, the Berlin stage show played at the Broadway Theatre, New York, for a three-month run and then went on tour for five months, grossing in all engagements approximately $2,000,000. The Hollywood theatre opening this week was scaled from a $55 top to $2.20. These prices already have been set for the Philadelphia premiere at the Mastbaum on August 17th. Other advance top prices for premiere nights will range from $25, $22, $11, to $5.50 and down to $3.30. Jack L. Warner, executive producer, announced Monday at a home office press conference that the entire gross from the Hollywood theatre, less expenses, will be contributed to Army Relief. Whether or not this policy will be adopted for other Warner theatres has not yet been determined. Mr. Warner and Charles Einfeld, director of advertising and publicity, estimated that the picture would gross between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000 for Army Relief in the United States, with approximately $1,500,000 more from foreign distribution. Mr. Einfeld said that if such items as salaries, various cash investments in properties and overhead which were written off, had been entered in the ordinary fashion on charges against production, they would have amounted to at least $750,000. All Warner Executives Contributed Services Last Winter, when Harry M. Warner, president, outlined production plans for "This Is the Army" at a studio conference, he told the staff that "at the end of the distribution of the picture, if our cost of distribution is less than 20 per cent, Army Emergency Relief will get that difference, too." The services of Jack L. Warner, as executive producer ; Hal B. Wallis, associate producer; Michael Curtiz, director; Cassy Robinson and Capt. Claude Binyon, who "Showmen can wave the flag for this one, blow exploitation bugles to the echo and parade in full dress the news that a great picture, produced, distributed and exhibited for a great cause, has come to town. The picture . . . is a rich and potent entertainment, stimulating as a military band and twenty times as colorful. . . ." — From William R. Weaver's review of Warners' "This Is the Army," appearing in this week's Product Digest section, page 1453. wrote the screneplay ; Kate Smith and others who appear in the film, were all contributed in the making of the Irving Berlin Army show. When Warner Bros, acquired the film rights to the play last year, the company turned over to Army Emergency Relief a check for $250,000 in advance payment on a contract by which Warners would receive 50 per cent of the profits of the film. Three weeks later, Warners tore up this original agreement and arranged one in its stead by which all profits from the picture would go to the relief agency. To determine that all proceeds shall go to the fund, an audit of the company's books will be made by Price, Waterhouse at the conclusion of the exhibition of the film. No Duals Allowed for Exhibition of Picture Under contract terms, free previews and free passes during the run of "This Is the Army" are prohibited. No doubling of the picture with another feature is allowed and extended playing time is required. There will be no prohibitions against the showing of shorts or playing of vaudeville or other attractions on the same program with the film. It is understood that to date, 5,000 theatre applications for "Army" playdates have been received. Warners anticipate bookings in every city and town with a population of 5,000 or more and the company plans to schedule as many advanced price premieres in these towns as possible within the next few weeks. Thus far, in addition to the $55-$2.20 openings at the Hollywood and Mastbaum theatres in New York and Philadelphia, the following theatres will hold special premieres: Warner theatre, Memphis, $25 top, August 6th ; day-and-date, Earle and Ambassador theatres, Washington, $25 top August 13th; Warner and Merritt, day-and-date, Bridgeport, August 11th; Warner, Milwaukee, August 12th; Strand, Albany, August 12th; Roger Sherman, New Haven, August 11th; Grand, Evansville, Ind. August 12th; Palace Rochester, August 19th; Orpheum, Des Moines, August 11th; Iowa, Cedar Rapids August 12th. In Atlantic City the picture tentatively is set to play three different houses one after another. It will open August 20th at the Warner and will remain for two weeks, then will go to the Stanley for a week, and after that to the Virginia for a week. In St. Louis, it will have a special midnight premiere at the Ambassador on August 12th and then will open the 13th at the Fox, at regular admission prices. Three houses in Los Angeles, the Downtown, Hollywood and Wiltern will have simultaneous openings on August 17th, on which date other openings are being set for theatres blanketing the entire west coast. Approximately 200 openings during the week of August 11th are tentatively scheduled for the picture, with more to come next week. The company is aiming for 400 premieres, but this number will depend entirely on whether or not that many Technicolor prints can be obtained. Wherever possible, military and civic patriotic ceremonies are being planned in connection with the premieres. Special Exploitation Is Planned for Picture Wednesday night in New York the Army staged a show of the men and equipment of modern war. About 400 men were in the colorful display, with anti-aircraft guns, a band, a camouflage unit, jeeps and trucks. A detail of U. S. Army men, with two trucks, were assigned to distribute window display material on the picture to 8,000 stores in the five boroughs of Greater New York. Special exploitation plans, including an extensive radio campaign, were developed by Warners for this film, under the direc I' tion of Mr. Einfeld, Mort Blumenstock, director of advertising and publicity in the east, and Whitney Bolton, working on the west coast, in cooperation with the Army Emergency Relief Fund and the "This Is the Army" public relations unit. That latter group has been working under Sgt. Ben Washer out of the Warner home office for several weeks. Starring men of the armed forces who appeared in the stage show, the production also presents George Murphy, Joan Leslie, Lt. Ronald Reagan, George Tobias, Alan Hale, Charles Butterworth, Irving Berlin, [ Kate Smith and Pvt. Joe Louis. Music and lyrics by Mr. Berlin, from the original show, are featured in the picture. William Keyes, owner and operator of the I Victory theatre, Dayton, Ohio, constituted himself a one-man committee and sold out his entire house for the special advanced I price opening on August 12th of the Warner Technicolor production. In addition, Mr. jj Keyes bought his own ticket to see the picture and also purchased tickets for the ij film critics of the city. The exhibitor accomplished this sellout in less than 48 hours. He told Warner officials via long distance Tuesday that the single performance scaled from $5.50 to 3.30, will bring in over $6,000, with proceeds going to Army Emergency Relief.