Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1948)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 30, 1948 I i?1 w Tl lav J The Family Trade Discussion of the ratio of "family films" to total product available from studios recently has come into the realm of exhibitor and public discussion. Some time ago this page addressed the studios on that subject because there was growing evidence that theatremen were finding it difficult to meet the requirements of two and three-program change policies in serving movie entertainment to the family trade which predominates in the rural and neighborhood situations. To arrive at figures showing percentage of family films released in any given period is a pretty hit-andmiss job at best. However, there recently appeared in The Varents Magazine an editorial which pointed out that while the ratio of family films released during the first nine months of 1948 was 40 per cent (relatively high in comparison to the figures for seasons immediately prior to 1948), the quality of the family films was below that of the adult subjects. The editorial concluded by asking the film industry to remember that "the American family is still its largest and most faithful audience, and to please not forget it when budgets, top notch writers and directorial brains are being assigned!" That is good advice, and producers can advance the welfare of the industry by heeding it. It is also good advice, we think, to key the production schedule to a formula that calls for a percentage of 60 or even 70 in the family trade category. The latter percentage is that which many of STR's exhibitor readers and subscribers recommend. And it is not only a certain segment of the exhibitors who continue to call for a higher percentage of family films. This is proved by official cognizance of this matter at a meeting of the Motion Picture Theatre Association of Ontario this week, when Chairman H. C. D. Main attacked "unsavory" films that are unsuited to rural and neighborhood situations. He warned that "people will seek entertainment elsewhere unless provided with the type of films they want." Art and Box-Office, Too Color photography has established itself as a definite box-office asset — a fact made plain to exhibitors by attendance figures for pictures in color as compared with black-and-white films of comparable quality as to star, story and production values. The exhibitor opinion of the box-office attractions of color is to be found in every newspaper ad for a picture with color photography. But it is also notable that color has been developed as a definite artistic asset of the motion picture. This is something that will impress itself on the picture-wise when they see some of the latest examples of color films — "Three Musketeers" and "Joan of Arc," to cite only two of them. Technicolor's contribution to the artistic and dramatic qualities of "Joan of Arc" are plainly evident to the careful observer. For it is apparent that Director Victor Fleming has utilized Technicolor as a specific technical asset in working up his dramatic accents, moods and portrayal of character, just as for years the stage director and later the film director has utilized the acting talents and artistry of his cast, lighting and scenic investiture to tell his story in terms of dramatic action and dialogue. The color photography in "Joan of Arc" bears fruit for the years of research and development by the Technicolor organization in its earnest and successful effort to bring to motion picture production a technical asset affording wider scope and greater eloquence in the creation of screen entertainment. By this achievement, Technicolor produces proof that color photography — not so many years ago a mere novelty and later something of a luxury — now has reached status as a basic requirement for important screen productions. Accentuating the Negative Among exhibitor reactions to the remarks here last week about the lack of distributor support for "marginal" pictures (those not having big name or other draw features, but which are good entertainment and satisfy audiences who are brought into the theatre to see them) is an especially interesting opinion which might serve as good advice to those companies who are following a policy of splurging with advertising support only for "smash" hits. This exhibitor declares that there is evidence right before all the distributors and producers of the value of doing a real job of informing exhibitors about product that is good. This evidence, our correspondent points out, is the fact that the present leaders in the field are those who continue to do a job of selling. He goes further, and adds that when a producer or distributor remains quiet, rather than shouting his picture in the trade, the result is advertising in reverse, "which notifies the exhibitor that there's nothing to get excited about coming along from that company." —CHICK LEWIS