Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

Ill I 2 2. 1930 M olio n P i c I ii r e X e OUTLOOK they say, were built to put over "factory mack" silent pictures, the firm avers, but that day is gone by, "as factory made talkers are impossible." Successful talkers, company members contend, can come only from individual producers. Thev're backing this stand with their proposed chain. Members of U. A. are plenty peeved nver the "has-been" implication in liarley L. Clarke's statement in answer to the U. A. "declaration of independence." This was a shaft which obviously hurt. U.A. F.W.C. Some of the inside on the United Artists-Fox West Coast fracas: It is understood West Coast offered LT.A. a 20 per cent split on a blanket deal for its output, but that United demanded as high as 40 per cent on some Rims, which would have brought the average up to about 30 per cent. This split was turned down cold by Fox West Coast. Therefore, the U.A. decision to fight. Dodging Headaches There is a real moral in the manner in which Columbia and Universal are sailing along this season. Columbia has just reported earnings of $237,086, before amortization for film rights purchased, in the three months ended September 27. Grosses are the highest in its history, and S2.000.000 net for the year is predicted. Universal, too, is going great guns, its grosses running to record figures, therein sending the company off to a rousing start for the new year. Columbia has no theatres, which is one of the big answers to its earnings. Unburdened by the worries and red ink of circuit operation, the company has been devoting all its time to making and selling pictures. This, coupled with the fact that Harrv Cohn knows how to make them, and Joe Brandt and Jack Cohn how to market them, has enabled the firm to move steadily forward. For How Long? Now that picture executives inwardly chortle in delight over the digs taken at the business in "Once in a Lifetime," it may be they will have additional opportunity to laugh. The Xew York stage is about to blossom forth with a series of plays with Holly w nod as their theme song. Donald Davis has one dubbed "Made in Hollywood." Crane Wilbur presenting "The Cradle Call" in Chicago and Connolly and Swanstrom are sweating over a musical comedy laid in the Hol lywood foothills. The funny slant is that, while there are some who burn up when they think of "Once in a Lifetime," some producer, dizzied by its Broadway success, will undoubtedly buy it, and run into six figures to acquire the rights if for no other reason than to keep them away from his competitor. It's being done all the time. Smart Judgment One of the smartest bits of showmanship and sane business gestures was put over by Jim Ryan of Wurlitzer in newspaper advertisements carrying a pledge to his employes that they are to be kept on the payroll, and calling upon the public to help make that possible through purchase of company products. Ryan deserves a big hand for that fine piece of copy, as well as for the spirit which prompted it. There have been a lot of silly mistakes made during the present unemployment crisis, with workers keeping their money out of circulation because they were uncertain how long their jobs would last. More than that, however, the stupid frenzy which has seen the axe swinging right and left, has ruined the morale of workers. It isn't necessary to point out what has been done in the film business, with wholesale salary slashing and cutting of staffs. Suffice to say that a number of companies have used bad judgment. The Insiders commend to the entire industry Ryan's bit of business judgment and fair play. TRICKS of the trade are many in the dear old film business. Even big organizations that strike an affinity in interests through booking deals that frequently run into millions a year don't always find the going calm. At the minute, what is so far in the heated discussion stage in two offices may break out into the open. If the arguments crystallize into action — and such course is still complete conjecture — the shockwill reverberate clear through the trade. The cross-currents revolve around percentages and the weird processes through which they often pass when circuits split them up. The dissatisfied producer in this case — he is likewise a large theatre owner — is getting the outlets controlled by his circuit affiliate. No squawks there. But— He isn't faring nearly so well in a lot of keys because the circuit has pyramided house expense to a level which reduces the producers' split by many thousands weekly. That rubs. Then, this rankles, too. Last year the producer sold his 'Stuff elsewhere and did extremely well, despite the fact that in a lot of instances the buyers were not producer-affiliated. To intimate that a complete break is on the way wouldn't be fair. Or truthful. More likely the disgruntled organization will insist on a rearrangement of the split and get it. The Horwitz Mess "Indomitable Will" of Houston is still rampaging in his local newspapers for Texas censorship. If ever a single individual in this business made bad friends faster than Horwitz. the record has yet to reveal his name. The gang in New York simply cannot grasp what sort of gyrations the Horwitz mentality passes through. Here's an instance of an exhibitor actually coughing up dough to pay for newspaper ads seeking to encourage legislation that would censor the merchandise he sells to his public every day in the week. THE INSIDERS Chains and One of Their Weak Links THE yarns that are told about long-distance circuit operation are among the most precious in the trade. Here's one that fairly lops up all of the gravy: The circuit head is a big man. That is, in his destiny rests the success or failure of a formidable array of theatres; investment, many millions. That makes him big. The man who went through this experience has a pretty good record as a theatre manager. It came to pass finally that a deal was made; the manager made his train and about 11 o'clock the next morning was at his post. The theatre was doddering and its competition strong. Therefore, the manager had plenty to do. For two weeks he slaved and, brevity in time notwithstanding, made his showmanship felt. At the end of the first week, no check. At the second, when headquarters had been tapped, the draft came through — minus salary for the one-seventh of a day, or the difference between getting on the first day's job at eleven instead of nine. The manager quit, of course. The wind had been taken out of sails and all initiative killed to save a handful of pennies.