PRODUCERS AND EXHIBITORS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17569, 20 June 1925, Page 20 (Supplement)

PRODUCERS AND EXHIBITORS.

BIG WAR PENDING. Predictions are being freely made in motion picture circles that a big war is imminent between producers and distributors on one side and the exhibitors on the other; a war that will settle for a long time the status of the indepenient exhibitor and the independent producer (writes George C. Warren in he “San Francisco Chronicle”). The iistributor is the middleman in the msiness, which by -the way is now reckoned to be the third largest in the world. Dannenberg of Film Daily is open in predicting the war, and points out that it is particularly directed toward the producing corporations that are also exhibitors through owning chains of theatres over the country. These are Famous Players-Lasky, First National and Metro-Goldwyn. Universal and William Fox are also theatre owners, and Warner Brothers are preparing to acquire a lot of them. There has been “ bad blood ” between exhibitors and producers for a long time, the theatre owner trying to buy his product for as little as possible and the producer keeping the price up to make his profits as large as possible. The group of exhibitors known as the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce, a body said to represent 296 theatres in New York city alone, are planning to issue a defi to the “ Big Three,” and in order to protect themselves are dickering with Willianl Fox, Universal and Warner Brothers for all of the product, amounting to 116 pictures, for next season. They declare they will ignore altogether the picture of Famous, First National and Metro-Goldwyn, and they propose to put a large force of men in the field to line up exhibitors all over the country, small, and large, to act with them. Such a movement is one to cause alarm to the menaced corporations, but it is a well-known fact that theatre owners, picture, vaudeville or legitimate, never stick together. Scores of combinations have been made in the last quarter century to buck “ trusts ” in the amusement game, but the jealousies of the managers have always prevented concerted action that meant anything, and they have usually died of inanition. A rather strong,force has just come into the ranks of the independents, however, in the person of Cecil B. de Mille, whose name in some way has not been mentioned in the line up for the battle. De Miile has immense wealth, is experienced in the making of pictures, and during his ten years with Famous Players-Lasky, most of that time, as supreme arbiter in the making of their product, he learned the tricks of the trade as practised by that powerful organisation. All of which makes him a force to be watched and taken into account in any line up. The plans of the T.O.C.C. include building theatres in the enemies’ camp, big houses to be located near the leading theatres of the “ Big Three ” and thus to harry their foes with their own weapons. It is not expected that victory will come in a day for either side, the wiseacres looking for some sort of settlement to come out of the rowing within two years, if not a little sooner. It will not be a parlor war, but one that will damage and kill opposition. The public will hardly feel this mighty battling force, at least for a time, for theatres will be kept open and pictures will be made as usual. But when victory comes to either side the victors will be able to dictate even to the public, and for a time will be masters of the situation. Perhaps the fight will be good for the patrons of motion picture theatres, for producing companies on both sides will put forward their utmost efforts in making good pictures; new theatres will be made more and more enticing and programmes will be built to influence trade. The next month will see the opponents girding themselves for the struggle, for nearly all of the big producing companies and organisations of theatre owners will 'be holding their conventions within that period, and plans defensive and offensive will be l thrashed out at these meetings.