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Boxoffice-January.17.1953

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—<br />

p^i^ cft/f-e l/lction r^cti^Jie /ndiUPi//<br />

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY<br />

Published in Nine Sectional Euitions<br />

BEN<br />

Cdilor-in-Chief<br />

SHLYEN<br />

and Publisher<br />

AMES M. JERAULD Editor<br />

;ATHAN COHEN. .Executive Editor<br />

-lSSE SHLYEN. .. .Monoging Editor<br />

IVAN SPEAR Western Editor<br />

i, L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor<br />

JOHN G. TINSLEY. Advertising Mgr.<br />

Published Every Saturday by<br />

ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS<br />

Publication Offices; 82S Van lirunt Blid.,<br />

hjiK.K lily 2t, Mu. .Nutlian Cohen. Bxeculiic<br />

HiMor; Jlssc Sliljc". ManaslnR Edil'>r;<br />

Mitrrls Scliluzman, Un^lni'ss .Manager.<br />

I 1,. Tlialrhcr. Killlur Tlie Muduin Tlleatre<br />

Sn-llon. Teleplionc nu-slnut 7777.<br />

Editorial Offices: y Itin'kefeller Plaza, New<br />

.\ Vciik 2(1. V, .lolin C. Tliislty. Advertising;<br />

Manai;er; James M. Jerauld, tkJitur;<br />

Chfsler l-'riednuin. Kililor Sllo\\mandiser<br />

SeeliiKi; Lmi II. (Jer.ird, Kdllor I'mmotion<br />

Seetlun: .\. J. Sliieker. I'^iiilpment Advertising.<br />

Teli'iihiine COInnibus 5-6370.<br />

Central Offices: Editorial— 920 No. Michigan<br />

Ave,. Chicago 11, III., Frances B.<br />

Clow. Telephone STperior 7-;i972. Advertlslni;—<br />

.iS East Wacker lirlve. -Chicago 1.<br />

III. Swing Hutchison and E. E. Yecfe.<br />

Telephone ANdnvcr 3-3042.<br />

Western Offices: Eilltorlal and Film Advertising—<br />

i;iil4 llolljvvood Blvd.. Hollywood<br />

28. Calif. Iiaii Spear, manager. Telephone<br />

i:i,;idstone ItSC. Eipilpment and<br />

Noii-Kllm Adveillsing—C72 S. Ul-'ayette<br />

I'aik IMace. I.os Angeles, Calif. Roll Wettsleiii.<br />

manager. Teleplione DL'nklrk 8-2286.<br />

Washington Office: Al Goldsmith, 1365<br />

National i'ress Itlilg. Phone Metropolitan<br />

8-1101)1. Sara Young. 415 Third St., N-\V.<br />

The MdltEKN TIIKATUE Section Is Included<br />

In the fhst Issue of each month.<br />

The PliOMOTMIN Section Is Included In<br />

the third Issue of eadi month.<br />

Albany: 21-23 Walter Ave,. J. S. Conners.<br />

Kiimlngham: The News, ICddie B:idger.<br />

Boston: Frances W. Ilariling, 1.1b. 2-0305.<br />

Charlolte: 300 W. 3rd St.. Klclwrd E.<br />

I'^lSOII.<br />

Cilicl Lti: 4020 l!e:idliig. Lillian Uzarns.<br />

Clevelaiul: Elsie Loeb, Fairmont 1-0046.<br />

Dallas: 200.s,\ Jackson. Frank Bradley.<br />

Iieiiver: 1645 Lafayette, .lack Rose,<br />

TA 8517.<br />

i>es Moines: Iteglstcr-Trihune. Buss Schoch.<br />

lU'lHdf Kiix Theatre Bhig., If. F. Itevcs.<br />

Iriiiianapolls: Itoute 8. Ito.'i 770. Howard<br />

.M. Ifudemi.x. OA 333!).<br />

Memphis: 707 Spring St.. Null Adams.<br />

Minneapolis; 2123 I'Vctmillt. So , Les Bees.<br />

.Ni'w Ihiven: New Haven lEegisler. Walter<br />

lliular.<br />

.\fw Orleans: l''riinees Jordan, N.O. States.<br />

Ilkla. Clly: 821 NE 23rd. Polly Trlndle.<br />

Ilm:ilia nil 51st St., Irving Baker.<br />

I'lnladeliihia: 5303 Berks. Norman Shigon<br />

rillsliuriih: li. F. ICIingensmlth. 51C Jeaniiette.<br />

Wilklnshnrg. niurchlll 1-2809.<br />

I'otllanii. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Oregon<br />

J<br />

iiaL<br />

St. Louis: 5140 Uosa. liavld Barrett.<br />

Sail Lake City; Deseret News, II. Pearson.<br />

San Anlniilo: 326 San Pedro, B-39280.<br />

L. J. B. Ketncr.<br />

Siiri Fraueiseo: (Jail LIpman, 25 Taylor St..<br />

(Irihvay 3-4812. .Vdverllsing: Jerry Nowell.<br />

Howard BIdg , 209 Post St.,<br />

YUkiin n-2522.<br />

Seattle: 130:i Campus Pkwy , Dave Ballard.<br />

Ill<br />

Canada<br />

Calgary: The Her;ild. Myron l.alta.<br />

Mcailreal: 404 St. Francis Xavier St..<br />

Koioti 10. Itov Carmicluiel,<br />

St John: 116 Prince Edward, W. McNuIty.<br />

Tormilo: I! |{. 1. York Mills. iM. Galhraith.<br />

V.UK'onver: Lyric Theatre Bhlg. Jack Droy.<br />

Wirinipi'g: 282 Itupertsland, Ben Summers.<br />

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations<br />

Filtered as Second Class matter at Post<br />

(Iffice. Kans.is Cily. Mo. Seetion.il Edition,<br />

$3,00 per year: National Edition. $7.50.<br />

[JANUARY<br />

,Ai| Vol. 62<br />

1 7, 19 5 3<br />

No. 12<br />

ALLIED BOLTS THE DOOR<br />

=7<br />

«^^ HE h(i|)o that National .Mlicd uduld<br />

tHii(lil\ its positidii taken at its Chicapo coiiveiitioii<br />

relative to aibilialion went out the window<br />

when its board met in .New Orleans this week.<br />

.•\nd the "open door'" that was thought to e.xist<br />

has now^ been shjit tight and bolted, judging<br />

Irom the statement issued by the board and<br />

subsequent cotnnieiil thereon made by Wilbur<br />

Snaper. .Mlied jiresident. on his return to New<br />

^ork.<br />

Mr. Snaper declares that "Allied has not dosed<br />

the door to further discussion of grievances with<br />

the distributors, BLT the discussions would have<br />

to be outside the jrameivork oj any arbitration<br />

plan." So tliat not only puts the matter oi<br />

settling trade disputes back where it was two<br />

months ago, but back where it was near!) a<br />

score of years ago.<br />

The thought that oiih the non-inclusion of<br />

film rentals in the distributors draft of arbitrable<br />

matters was the stumbling block has been given<br />

new meaning in the further comments by Mr.<br />

Snaper. He includes virtually all the other causes<br />

for grievance complaints under that one heading,<br />

namely, clearances, runs, percentages, advanced<br />

admissions, pictures and prints. And he adds,<br />

"everything involves rentals."<br />

Apparently overlooked is the fact that the<br />

arbitration draft in question DOES provide for<br />

dealing with clearance, runs, admission scales,<br />

competitive bidding, pre-release showings at advanced<br />

prices. If all of these things involve<br />

rentals, then rentals will be indirectly, if not<br />

directh, dealt with in hearings of complaints by<br />

arbitration boards. And from this experience<br />

there might, at long last, evolve a permanent<br />

Solution to this perplexing and vexatious problem.<br />

This sounds L topian. but we have in mind<br />

the arriving at a formula or pattern for filmpricing<br />

that would serve to provide a fair share<br />

of a theatre's grossing potential, both to the<br />

exhibitor and distributor. It would take f;pen<br />

minds, to be sure. But, only, if "pay-as-little-as<br />

possible" l)u\er<br />

practices and "get-all-the-trafficwill-bear"<br />

distribution practices are converted to<br />

RE.\LLY fair and honest dealing, will the pricehaggling<br />

ever be stopped. And onl\ then will<br />

some semblance of contentment abide and give<br />

both exhibitors and distributors more time to<br />

do the better job of selling their entertainment<br />

wares to the public, which, after all. is the best<br />

way to improve the financial status of all elements<br />

of the industry.<br />

Allied has chosen to pursue another course,<br />

namely, to seek out and bring evidence of law<br />

violation in connection with film-pricing policies<br />

and practices to the attention of government<br />

agencies and to the courts. Thus, it is believed,<br />

"exhibitor rights now flouted may be adequately<br />

protected." We wonder.<br />

Remembering that it took 12 years in the<br />

courts to obtain the consent decrees, which it is<br />

now charged are being violated, it is to be<br />

wondered how long it will take and whether the<br />

results sought can be obtained by again pursuing<br />

such a course. It should also be remembered<br />

that some of the unfair trade practices<br />

that are today working to the disadvantage of<br />

(^xhibitors, in some cases causing hardship, are<br />

the direct outgrowth of those very decrees that<br />

were expected to right the wrongs that existed.<br />

But the cure seems to have become worse than<br />

the<br />

disease.<br />

Parenthetically, further appeals to government<br />

agencies than have already been made,<br />

may result in government control of this industry<br />

(which has been threatened) and that<br />

would really make a mess of things!<br />

There is no denying that many exhibitors,<br />

particularly those in neighborhood and smalltown<br />

situations are hard-pressed by existing<br />

general conditions: that many are in desperate<br />

straits, due to a drop in gross and increa.sed<br />

cost of operations and, therefor(\ need film rental<br />

term adjustments and other alleviations in order<br />

to remain in business. But the problems, involved<br />

here and in less extreme cases, cannot<br />

be settled by court decree or by any punitive<br />

action that might be imposed.<br />

That goes for other problems that have beset<br />

the industry, most especially those resulting from<br />

court decisions referred to above.<br />

In many industries, arbitration has been found<br />

a boon. It has made possible the settlement of<br />

disputes and the resolving of trade practice<br />

problems that previously had been dragged<br />

through courts and had otherwise became aggravated.<br />

No one benefited—except the lawyers.<br />

But even they will admit that "a poor settlement<br />

out of court is better than the best judgment one<br />

can obtain through the courts." This industry<br />

many in it, at least—should know.<br />

The majority in this industry who have favored<br />

and staunchly supported the establishment of an<br />

arbitration system did not expect it to be allinclusive<br />

and perfect from the start. And, since<br />

the plan under way was not to be final but<br />

subject to a period of trial, it is difficult to<br />

understand what risk any individual or group<br />

could feel was so great as not to take that trial<br />

run. Especially since this was to be a purely<br />

voluntary move and court action could still be<br />

taken by those who chose it.<br />

Expression has been given to the view that<br />

the Department of Justice and federal district<br />

court, which must give their approval to an<br />

industry arbitration plan, will not do so, unless<br />

all exhibitor organization groujjs endorse it. For<br />

the good of the industry, we hope this is not<br />

true,"but that a majority exhibitor approval will<br />

prevail.<br />

\j£^vyj

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