Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW. February 1, 1947 9 NATIONAL NEWSREEL Spread of Attack on Films Worries Exhibitor Chiefs Issues Forum Call Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America President Fred Wehrenberg Wednesday issued an invitation from St. Louis for all national and regional exhibitor organizations, regardless of affiliations, to send a representative to a meeting in New York City March 10 and 11 which would discuss and formulate plans for the proposed Motion Picture Forum. The Forum is intended to provide a round table conference for all branches of the industry. Independents Must Be Distinct Branch— Myers Intra-industry conferences of the future will have to treat the independent exhibitor as a "distinct branch of the industry" Allied General Counsel Abram F. Myers told that organization in his annual report made public in Washington Wednesday. The report, generally optimistic, did not close the door upon the possibility of an industry conference. Myers discussed past industry attempts, warned that the subjects open to future industry forums would be "very narrow" since they could not legally extend their actions to matters upon which the courts had ruled and favored an "effort ... to improve relations and foster cooperation among the several branches of the industry" after "the Supreme Court has finally passed upon the Government's suits against the Big 8 and the Schine and Griffith circuits." Terming the independent as a "man with a future." Myers declared that the recent antitrust decree had opened opportunities to him which had been lost sight of in the argument over the court's competitive bidding phases. He repeated his views on the necessity of divorce and castigated long first-runs and high rentals. Strozier Again Head of Carolina Theatre Owners Resolutions denouncing aisle collections in theatres and the terms demanded by distributors for first-runs on reissues highlighted the twoday convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina in Charlotte which closed Tuesday after reelecting Ben Strozier to the presidency, and Mrs. Pauline Griffith as secretary-treasurer. Elected with Strozier were : Charles H. Arrington, and J. C. Long, Charleston, S. C, vice (Continucd on Page 11) PCC Decree Police? The Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, concluding a meeting at Portland, Ore., this week was on record as recommending that its four territorial units establish committees in their areas to police decree enforcement. The meeting also reiterated the position it took in August when it supported the stand taken by the Conference of Independent Exhibitors Association on the court's ruling. Urge Industry to Curb Public Misapprehension, Block Censorship Moves Exhibitor chiefs this week expressed increasing concern over the intensifying attacks launched against motion pictures from several sources which reached a new high, both as to quantity and variety, during the past month of January. The consensus was that the industry should do something to correct public misapprehension which resulted from these attacks and which allowed them to spread condemnation of a single picture to condemnation of an entire industry. Censor Threats The danger of such attacks also was noted, not only in that they seemed to be formulating an organized opposition, but that they were coming at a time now when a large number of state legislatures were in session and might tend to strengthen moves for censorship. The past week brought attacks on two different fronts of the industry emanating from two different sources. In Washington Jan. 25, Mrs. Eugene Meyer, in an address, criticized the industry for removing its code prohibition against filming subjects based on narcotics. Her criticism came despite the fact that Motion Picture Association President Eric Johnston had thoroughly explained the stand of the industry in the matter. Also Hearst newspapers, both editorially and in cartoons, attacked the industry on moral grounds and brought up the question of Hollywood writers being communist-inspired. Seven scattered American cities this week seemed to show little change over a period of four months in operating policies due to product difficulties and all of them seemed to be marking time to see what effect the competitive bidding clauses in the decree might have, before they made any drastic shifts in operation. In Denver, Col., there seemed to be no tendency to decrease the double features which are standard in that territory, even though there is a noticed shortage in product. Theatremen earlier were turning to reissues to fill programs and there had been no reported tendency to extend runs or decrease the number of changes a week. Some theatres run a double bill at least once a week, some make as many as five changes a week and have indicated no tendency to eliminate this. A few competitive areas run singles. The nation's capital reports no changes whatever either in runs or in policy. Washington has always been a single-feature town and it doesn't seem to be headed for extended runs. Chicago first-runs are not clearing product any faster than they have in the past though In her talk, which apparently was concerned with Columbia's "Assigned to the Treasury," Mrs. Meyer denounced both films and radio and said: "Hollywood is going to invade the dope peddler's business." "The leading producers," she continued, "have just modified their code forbidding narcotic themes. One such film . . . which is supposed to show only the evils of narcotic smuggling is almost completed. I have been assured by leaders of the film industry that only one such picture will be made. If this is true, why don't they prove it by restoring the code to it? original form ?" In the same talk which criticized lifting the ban on filming narcotic subjects she urged the industry to screen the "dramatic and social tragedies and comedies of today, as, for instance Ibsen and Shaw did. ..." ( Ibsen tackled syphillis in "Ghosts" ; Shaw, slum housing in "Widower's Houses," prostitution in "Mrs. Warren's Profession.") Other attacks which spread industry-wide came during the month on "Duel in the Sun," originally condemned by Archbishop J. J. Cantrell of San Francisco where Catholics apparently objected to some scenes and to too much exposure of Jennifer Jones, erstwhile saintly character of "Song of Bernadette," and by the Federal Council of Churches of Los Angeles. The Protestant complaint arose over the comic portrayal of a non-ordained preacher. Both these complaints seem to be on the way toward remedying. The opposition which had been aroused over "The Outlaw" continued to make itself felt, both in extra-legal censorship, which kept it out of New York City, and organized opposition (Continued on Page 10) they may be compelled to do so in the future if the federal court injunction limiting downtown first-runs is upheld by the circuit court of appeals. The one hint toward a change in policy is that some neighborhood houses which had been dualling are trying single features. But there are still a number of triple bill houses in the territory. In Hartford double features are still strong, but managers acknowledge that the slow down in Hollywood together with the slower releasing (Continued on Page 11) December Tops December Admission amusement taxes for December, 1946, reached a high of $41,182,756.80, or $11,320,069.62 more than was collected in December, 1945, when the total was $29,862,687.18. Nineteen forty-six also remained ahead of 1945 for the period from July 1 to Dec. 31. The 1946 total for this period was $244,518,938.90 or $39,660,485.92 more than the 1945 total of $204,858,497.98. Little Change in Operating Policies Seen as 7 Cities Await Bidding Effect