Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

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WMAT'S NEWS In the Film Industry This Week EXHIBITION Strikes in the steel and coal industries' this week hammered away at the box-office in affected areas with exhibitors feeling the pinch and asking the major distributors for rental adjustments. Twentieth Century-Fox was reportedly the first to grant an adjustment with Columbus reporting that the Cincinnati branch had agreed to changes in contract terms from Oct. 16. However, nationally, the picture was happier generally. Business elsewhere seemed to hold up and the week that is closing showed the fewest new cases of polio since the epidemic made itself felt this summer. Only 1,538 new cases were reported nationally compared to 3,417 which marked the peak week ending Aug. 20. On the exhibitor front national Allied was preparing for its annual convention which opens Monday at Minneapolis. Allied directors, who meet in that city Saturday for a pre-convention conference, had before them a recommendation from its committee which studied the all-industry public-relations plan inaugurated in Chicago recently. The report favored Allied's joining the move "with . . . reservations." (P. 9) And out in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre owners held its meeting and called upon distributors to make public the figures in bids received for pictures. Down in Memphis, the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, met and elected Max A. Connett, president. And out in California, the Citizens Committee Against Daylight Saving Time, attacked Charles Skouras for putting out a trailer favoring the advanced clock system in his theatres. DISTRIBUTION "Hamlet" this week started something when it became the first British film to get a mass preferential booking over a large chain as Fox West Coast booked the Rank film for its circuit of over 200 houses. In New York United Artists was establishing precedent too by selling the dual bill of "Black Magic" and "The Great Dan Patch" away from Loew's neighborhood houses to approximately 100 independents among which are the Brandt, Century, Randforce and Skouras circuits. Eagle Lion anticipates a schedule of 20 to 24 top-flight pictures' for 1950, with up to 16 more programmers and 12 to 15 British imports. The company probably will shut up its studio and become exclusively a distributor for others. Twentieth-Fox has put in a 28-day clearance between first and second-runs in San Francisco, LITIGATION Both Big 3— Warner Bros., 20th Century-Fox, Loew's (MGM) — and Little 3 — Columbia, United Artists, Universal — were granted another 30 days in which to file their answers in the Government antitrust suit thereby postponing this hearing to Nov. 17. However, the anti-trust front was anything but inactive this week with the Dipson and Meiselman interests hiring Robert L. Wright, late of the Justice Department, to work on their appeals against the majors and with the Fifth and Walnut Company carrying its appeal on the National Theatre to the U. S. Supreme Court. Anti-trust suits filed this week, in addition were: Louis and Sadie Sablosky, Marion Fox, Myrtle Singer vs. Warner Bros., Paramount, RKO, Loew's, Columbia, Universal and United Artists, alleged monopoly on product which hurt the plaintiff's Mayfair at Philadelphia. Damages, $1,800,000. Charles E. Dickinson estate vs. Schine circuit, claiming product tieup which compelled the estate to sell the 1,800-seat Palace at Lockport, N. Y. Damages, $1,050,000. Settled was the South Bend Auto Driveway suit against the majors and the Michigan Drive-In at South Bend. Plaintiff got day-and-date run with the rival Michigan which brings it 14 days after South Bend first-run. Meanwhile the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers announced that it would extend its anti-trust activities and furnish evidence to the Justice Department wherever it found apparent violations and the Schine circuit, complying with a consent decree in its anti-trust suit, was releasing the Star at Delaware, Ohio and the Opera House at Wooster. In Brunswick, Ga., exhibitors knocked out the city amusement tax when the Georgia Supreme Court ruled the community was without authority to make such a levy in view of existing taxes. GENERAL The American film industry, which has found stormy weather in Britain over the question of dollars, was pondering a new one this week which might give it trouble with frozen sterling. Under the terms of the Anglo American agreement, film monies which are frozen in England may be put to certain uses such as covering print costs, exchange operations, etc. The money can also be put to uses not defined in the agreement after such use has been approved by a joint committee consisting of representatives of the American distributors and of the British Board of Trade. Recently the Bank of England wanted to move in and take over approval of these extra uses. Americans were wondering??? Dead: Elmer Clifton, 59, writer, and director, credited with discovering Clara Bow, in Los Angeles. William Dewees, 75, pioneer Canadian exhibitor, at Vancouver. Robert E. Vining, 48, former assistant to Motion Picture Association of America President Eric Johnston, at Palo Alto. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 22, 1949 Coal and Steel Strikes Strike Box-Offices Strike-torn areas in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, feeling the twin pincers of closed coal mines and cold steel furnaces, were noticing deep cuts in average theatre attendance, reports from Columbus and Louisville indicated. Exhibitors, watching the situation, were trimming expenses wherever possible and were turnmg to the film companies to seek relief. First positive action in this direction, according to a report from Columbus quoting P. J. Wood, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, was that 20th Century-Fox had granted rental adjustments back to Oct. 16. The Wood report placed the reduction at 20 per cent and attributed the cut to 20th-Fox Cincinnati Branch Manager, who is said to have acted under the company's policy of giving its branch managers authority to negotiate and adjust contracts. Reports from Columbus declared that Wood was asking the other distributors also for readjustments. Council Moves tol Protect Film CapitaKs Good Nsme _ Hollywood's Motion Picture Industry Council, which consists of various elements of the industry including labor, moved on two fronts this week to take an active part in protecting the film capital's reputation by locking the stable door before the horse escapes. The council, in two resolutions, went on record, first to assist law enforcement agencies to fight crime, and, second, to provide courses by which newcomers to Hollywood could adapt themselves to their new lives there. One of the steps to help law enforcement agencies was thought to consist in providing active liaison with officials by which information might be furnished to head off criminal "encroachments." The "orientation" courses were suggested in an effort to prepare newcomers to Hollywood and to acquaint them with their problems. The Council pointed out that the studios were already furnishing such training but that it would be advisable to spread it to places where the newcomer came before he entered a studio — such as the schools in acting,, makeup and allied acting arts. 20th-Fox Switches To 28 Days in 'Frisco Twentieth Century-Fox this week officially put a 28-day clearance schedule between firstand second-runs for its San Francisco key districts, thereby becoming the second major to realign its clearance partially in this area. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Data 38 Audience Classifications 16 Box-Office Slants 16 Feature Booking Guide 30 Feature Guide Title Index 30 Hollywood 18 Newsreel Synopses 35 Pictures Started Last Week 35 Regional Newsreel 23 Selling the Picture 13 Shorts Booking Guide 37 Theatre Management 21 Views on New Shorts 39