Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

MOTION PICTURE HERALD COLVIN BROWN, Publisher MARTIN QUIGLEY TERRY RAMSAY E, Editor President and Editor-in-Chief Vol. 157, No. 6 mWjWM November II, 1944 CITY TAX EPIDEMIC THE movement for special city taxes on motion picture theatre admissions will be drawing a wider attention now that in Los Angeles, capital of the industry, a city council committee has recommended the Imposition of such a levy. Municipal taxation of the motion picture is very literally a contagion, epidemic In several regions. The notion was born on the Pacific coast under special conditions created by the war. An example is afforded in San Diego. Now nearly two years ago that city, a great naval and embarkation base and munitions center for the Pacific war, found itself overwhelmed with a new and unstable population of nearly half a million persons. Living In trailers, military encampments and in all manner of temporary housing these newcomers owned no property and paid no taxes. They did, however, impose heavy burdens on the municipality, burdens of police and fire protection, health services, water supply and the whole business of city housekeeping. In casting about to reach these floating citizens for a share of the costs the San Diego government arrived at the conclusion that more of them could be made to contribute at the motion picture box office than by any other device. They levied a tax of two cents on each admission. There was no important opposition from the exhibitors. The theatres were all doing an overflow business, and it was considered that the tax could not hurt attendance. THEN the idea of pursuing this new and easy line of tax revenues zipped up the coast of Southern California like a run in a rayon stocking, starting at San Diego's ornamental suburb, La Jolla, and In no time It was at Redondo Beach, and presently In Stockton and Fresno. Wednesday, San Bernardino was having a referendum on the Issue. Down in Mobile, with the municipality faced with some part of the same problems which had beset San Diego, the South saw Its first city movie tax. Then Pensacola adopted the device and next came Montgomery. Up In Michigan, with its war Industries and new populations, the movement Is underway. The cities there do not enjoy home rule and have no taxing powers. Plans are afoot to change that by special enactment of the state legislature in January. That will be following the pattern previously set in the state of Washington, where a state tax on theatre admissions was repealed to make way for the cities. In the special circumstances which have produced wartime emergencies, and box office overflows, the acquiesence of the exhibitor is understandable. There remains, however, the regrettable fact that while taxes are readily imposed they are hard to remove by appeal. The tax curve always trends upward. Los Angeles exhibitors are preparing to combat the proposed tax there. The Interests of every other exhibitor, and the entire Industry are concerned in that issue. THE McKENZIE FOR near onto twenty years there was a softly but firmly spoken man around the ofRces of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Maurice McKenzIe, who had come along from Indiana to be assistant to Will Hays. Few who dealt with that office saw or heard much of Mr. McKenzIe, retiring, grey and quiet. But someway most of what went on in this industry, and around about it, in some manner crossed his desk, and In consequence many things were done. It was not his way to have things said about It, either. Last week we recorded his passing at his home in California. He had a curious capacity for friendships with the more difficult people, and his acquaintance extended into remote areas among other men who did things quietly. For years he lived in a prim white house up at Lockwood Corners up in Connecticut, devoted to a large garden that was all flowers. He viewed vegetables with a hostile skepticism. His calm poise was always with him. Through all his last years he was within whispering distance of death. He was undisturbed. "I am always ready," he said. And so it was. ■ ■ ■ WHITE HOUSE PICTURES REVOLT against the cruelty of the "candid" camera has come at last and in high place — the White House. Hereafter the President and his official pictorial occasions are to be photographed with full benefit of Hollywood technique. The development has been a while on the way. At least three months ago the newsreel offices in New York were advised, but mysteriously and slightly, that "one of the big shots has been down to make some sort of arrangements to dress up the White House pictures". It was variously secret and hush hush. Apparently there was a notion somewhere that the story might be made Into adverse campaign material. Even so one columnist not notably friendly to the Administration flatly printed a statement a fortnight ago that a certain Hollywood producer was supplying a make-up man for White House service. Curiously the squib passed unnoticed elsewhere. Last week, not altogether to the delight of the newsreel editors, Mr. Peter Edson, Scrlpps-Howard columnist, came forth with a naif piece saying that Mr. Hal Rosson, chief cameraman for M-G-M, happening to be in the East on some errand, coIncldentally dropped In on the White House and arrangements were set up for an installation of a lighting arrangement calculated to improve the pictorial effect and more adequately record the tableaus of statecraft. THE movement for the improvement of White House photography, it is to be recorded, really took its origin in some stills of the President made far afield. Whether by mischance or not they did not portray him in his usual high fettle, and in fact helped give currency to ill health rumors, which in turn made necessary a campaign tour of New York In the rain, a demonstration of vigour. The newsreels have in general done a competently pleasant photographic job in covering the President. There has been some considerable editing, some censorships of a sort. The first fruits of the new White House photographic studio did not arrive until the campaign was very near the end. A first product was a portrait still of exceptional glow, appearing In the daily press. It would seem entirely fitting that arrangements should be had for always doing the best pictorial job possible in dealing [Continued on following page, colunut IJ