Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1940)

October 19, 1940 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 3 / II II TODAY Into the current whirlpool of controversy about five picture blocks, equity suit settlements, litigation and legislation and what's to come in the future, someone might make an attempt to inject a thought about "today.1'' Yes, "Today" is still with us and will be for days and days to come. "Today11 you must think about operating your theatres and selling your attractions to the public whose admissions pay the bills and give you your living. Too many theatremen have become or are becoming much too agitator-conscious. They are being carried on the crest of a huge wave towards worries, doubts and misgivings about tomorrow and how the future will be affected by the consent decree clauses, further litigation and many proposed laws. And it is perfectly right that we all give a thought to those "Tomorrows11 and how today's events will affect them — but not to the exclusion of important thoughts about "Today.11 Today is here with you and from "To day's11 receipts must come the money to pay your expenses and perhaps leave a little over for the dull times, the rainy season of little harvest at the box office, as it were. "Today" you have pictures to advertise; pictures to merchandise; pictures to sell to your communities. "To day11 you have a theatre to operate; equipment to maintain and buy; bookings to be spotted for best results at the box office. "Today11 is your most important worry, for what you lose today you'll not get back in a month of tomorrows. "Today," NOT tomorrow, you must fill those seats and send the patrons away talking, in praise, we hope, about your show and your theatre. Yes, the five-picture plan will bring you new buying headaches. The arbitration set-up may not appeal to your ideas of fair adjudication of internal industry problems and disputes. So what? Between "Today" and the time these things become fact you can go bankrupt or scrape out a meager existence. Between "Today" and the time a year from now when the decree becomes operative, your receipts can dwindle down to where you cannot stay in business. Your theatre can disintegrate and its equipment fall to pieces. But "Today"! That's something else again. "Today" is here with us and with it are our daily problems, troubles, difficulties, styles and trends in selling the show and getting the last cent of service out of all that expensive equipment. And, above all, it is something you cannot ignore while dreaming about the headaches of "Tomorrow" (they'll be bad enough — if and when) . Your business cannot operate by remote control nor can it continue to run itself. If it could do so, then you are wasting your time. Better retire and let the business take care of you instead of you taking care of the business. A new season is with us; new pictures; great pictures; tremendous selling appeal with new avenues of approach; revitalized advertising methods and trends; greater distributor selling aids; new tie-ups with your newspapers and merchants. All this and profits too (you hope) . It's a little early for resolutions but nevertheless an excellent time to resolve to give more thought to "Today" and less to those "Tomorrows." A A A Charlies Back Sitting back at the press preview and looking at the new Chaplin picture was a happy experience during which we succeeded in forgetting all the current annoyances of the business and allowing our minds to drift 'way back to the years gone by. Without attempting to express any critical opinion — (the review elsewhere in this issue will take care of that) — we make the prediction that "The Great Dictator" will roll up a tremendous gross. More than that. It will bring back to the movie theatres thousands upon thousands of former fans who have drifted away or allowed their radio to glue them to their arm chairs after dinner. The name Chaplin stands for plenty in this business and we, for our part, would certainly welcome his more frequent appearances on the screen. Why he prefers to come forth with a picture but once in five years is a mystery that baffles the industry and the public. A A A Timeliness Paramount"^ "The World In Flames" caught us slipping into the projection room full of honest doubts but emerging full of enthusiasm. Here is one of the finest compilations of newsreel shots ever assembled into feature length without benefit of plot, story or propaganda other than to review the vital happenings of the past decade in cold, hard facts as registered by the cameraman. To those who would do their bit towards awakening American people to present day dangers while emphasizing the advantages of our form of government, we heartily recommend, nay, heartily endorse, "The World In Flames." — 'CHICK" LEWIS