Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1940)

THE gains made by short subjects during the past year, are indeed encouraging, if not altogether complete. Pairing of features has in many instances forced many subjects to remain on the shelf. On the other hand, response of the exhibitors in the poll indicates that more theatres are following the "back to short subjects" trend now than since the policy of double features began some years ago. Few will question the fact that short subjects in general are improving in quality year after year. Exhibitors, noting this improvement and acceding to the requests of patrons, arranged their program schedules so as to include a variety of subjects in at least one or two program changes a week. Others found that patrons, in spite of being offered two features, still demanded short reels on the same program. According to the poll, the moviegoing public favored cartoons above all other types of short subjects, inasmuch as this type was far ahead of its nearest competitor — dramatic shorts. Based on actual figures, 67 per cent of those polled selected cartoons, while 10 per cent expressed their preference for subjects of a dramatic nature. Nine per cent voted for newsreels, 8 per cent for comedies and 6 per cent for musicals. Whereas in 1938 there was a strong preference for comedies, the "pie-throwing" reels took a sharp drop in favor during 1939. Cartoons, of course, retained their leadership, scoring an even greater percentage than heretofore. As in 1938, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was again the leading short subjects producer last year, polling 44 per cent of the votes cast. With a score of iq per cent to its credit, Warner Brothers took second place. In both first and second positions, M-G-M and Warners repeated their standings of the year before, with the exception that both scored higher percentages. Columbia and RKO-Radio did an about-face in 1939, the former winning third place with 10 per cent; the latter with 9, fourth place. LEADING SHORTS PRODUCERS 1. Metro-ColdwynMayer 2. Warner Brothers 3, Columbia 4. RKO-Radio 5. Paramount 6. 20th Century-Fox STILL LIKE TO LAUGH Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, according to exhibitors, reacted most favorably to animated cartoons in 1939, just as they did the year before. Their increased response to dramatic shorts brought this type up to second place. Next to newsreels, comedies again made an excellent showing, proving perhaps, that audiences, more than ever, still like to laugh. Not only a reversal of 1938 positions, but also a drop in percentages was borne out by the results of the poll as far as these two companies were concerned. Scoring 4 and 2 per cent, respectively, Paramotmt and 20th Century-Fox took fifth and sixth positions. With cartoons far ahead of the parade in types of short subjects preferred, it was only natural that the voters' selections of the outstanding short series played during the past year would be cartoons. Accordingly, the Walt Disney Technicolor cartoons featuring Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse and released by RKO-Radio were the favorites of 34 per cent of the exhibitors polled, while 22 per cent cast their votes for M-G-M's Crime Doesn't Pay Series. Warners' Historical Featurets in Technicolor were third for a vote of 9 per cent. This bears out the results of the typesof-shorts ratings for, as noted in a preceding paragraph, dramatic shorts were second. It remained only for exhibitors to choose the Crime Doesn't Pay and Historical Featuret series in second and third place to reveal the specific series of dramatic shorts preferred. Started too late to obtain a reasonable amount of votes in STR's 1938 poll, the Historical Featuret series came through in 1939 to take its place among the leaders. M-G-M was represented again, that company's series of Pete Smith Specialties ranking fourth with a vote of 7 per cent. In fifth position was RKO-Radio's March of Time series. Warners' Merrie Melody cartoons in Technicolor, Columbia's Three Stooges comers dies, Warners' True Adventures, M-G-M's Our Gang comedies and Paramount's Popeye cartoons finished the race in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth places, respectively. That serials were not mentioned at all by exhibitors polled proves one of two things — either the weekly chapter plays are considered as features and therefore were given no consideration, or they are played on a specific day of the week for the benefit of children and action fans, thus limiting their appeal in comparison to other subjects. It is well to accord a few words here to the ups and downs short subjects have experi enced in the last decade. With the advent of talking pictures (in the late twenties) , the short reel suffered an entertainment relapse. That is to say, the slapstick comedies of the silent era which had amused audiences through the pantomimic gestures of their players became a problem for producers. There had been no need for dialogue; hence the action was often fast and furious. To give the characters voice meant that action had to be slowed up to permit dialogue. For a time, comedies hit a new low, and stationary band and vaudeville acts, as well as cartoons with musical accompaniment, dominated the short subject field. But it wasn't long before the producers acquired the technique, or formula, of combining the old with the new to achieve subjects of popular appeal. Then double features made their entrance, with more shorts collecting dust on the shelves than were flashed on screens. Because of this, the number of subjects to be produced each year became fewer and fewer. Two-reelers, for example, dwindled ,down to the point where today, with few exceptions, they are almost an oddity. Practically all production centers on singlereelers. How double features affect the production and distribution of short subjects is well known. But both the producer and exhibitor look to the other for a remedy. The producer contends that in order to keep up with extra playing time, he must make additional features on a low budget. The exhibitor, when asked why he cancels so many shorts, argues that the necessity of doubling up on features in order to get them played leaves no room for shorts. The former pleads with the latter to stop doubling and change to a program of one feature and short subjects, although he (the producer) may continue production of low budget films. The latter says "give us fewer and better pictures — pictures with enough 'draw' to stand alone, and we'll play your short subjects." Announced curtailment of production schedules, increases of single feature situations, portend an early favorable solution. FAVORITE TYPE OF SHORTS First : Cartoons Second : Dramatic Third: Newsreels Fourth : Comedies Fifth: Musicals Page 48 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Presents