Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1946)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, June 22, 1946 CURRENT OBSERVATIONS THE GOVERNMENT SUIT DECISION is like a football. The lawyers are having themselves a field day and at this writing the men carrying the ball haven't even sighted the goal posts. The decision is unique in that none of the parties are happy or satisfied with it. The Department of Justice, still desiring divorcement, says it will appeal. The companies, Paramount in particular, do not like its possible effect on their theatre partnerships. As we warned last week, don't jump to conclusions. There will be a long lapse of time before anything definite comes out of the decision. One of the lawyers told an STR reporter that it might take several years if both sides feel like making it a fight to the finish. We are reluctant to say "we told you so," but many of you readers may recall that when the first consent decree was in the making we warned that such a decree would hurt, not help, the average independent exhibitor. It is now old, and sad, history what that decree did for film rentals and percentages. Throughout the fight for divorcement we again sounded the warning that if it ever came to pass it would hurt, not help, the independent exhibitor. This is as good a time as any to repeat that warning. From our seat of observation only the strong independent circuit would benefit from divorcement. We don't have to tell you that there are a few circuits of this kind that can be pretty ruthless in their dealings and attitude towards the little independent exhibitor. Mr. Little Exhibitor, there is only one thing that can help you: a strong, unified, organization with a membership so large and powerful that it can bring about the elimination of those unfair practices which you have been complaining about for the last ten years. But it must be an exhibitor-organization, not paid agitators. Until that comes to pass you are in no position to fight your battles. JUDGE BRIGHT, to our way of thinking, hit the well-known nail smack on the head when, as part of his decision of the MPA-Hughes-Outlaw case, he said: "The whole matter seems more of an effort on the part of Hughes to add this case . . . through the courts, as additional publicity and advertising in promotion of the picture." Ever since its original release "The Outlaw" has garnered reams of publicity because of the controversy raging around some of the scenes, dialogue and promo tion. Which probably accounts for the terrific business it has been doing. What will happen next is still undisclosed, but even if Hughes is content to eliminate the MPAA objections, he will still be the winner by considerable additional publicity, and that ought to bring still more sheckels to the box-oflSce. * * ♦ AL STEPPES. The passing of this great, aggressive exhibitor leader is a hard blow to the entire exhibition branch of our industry. In all our years in this business we have yet to meet his equal. Regardless of whether or not we agreed with him, we always respected the fact that he had the courage of his convictions and would fight to the bitter end to win his point. The exhibitor-organization front will sorely miss Al Steffes. The highest tributes to his deeds are already deeply engraved in the hearts of his fellow exhibitors, in particular, and the industry in general. * * * GOOD SIGNS are the many recent announcements of formation of new producing companies expecting to swing into action in the immediate future. We have said on many occasions that this industry needs more producing companies and more distributing outlets. With the many new picture-making outfits announced in the past few months, there is every reason to believe that some new national distributing organizations will also be announced. We can think of nothing better for the business as a whole than new blood, new ideas, new competition, all adding up to more pictures on the open market. It is bound to contribute to the equalization of the buyerseller market which for too long a time has been far too one-sided ... in favor of the seller. * * * ILL-WIND DEPARTMENT. The drop in receipts in practically all of the key cities throughout the country will put many more pictures into circulation, with more availabilities in the fall and early winter when theatres will need plenty of product. Perhaps it required a nosedive to start getting availabilities back to something resembling normal again. And perhaps it may indicate to distributors that they can do well by letting their product get into wider circulation than has been the rule. —''CHICK" LEWIS