Cinema: Behind the Popcorn Popper

Hollywood may shout about a movie and New York critics rave about it—but Main Street can still give it a cold shoulder. Theater owners generally listen to Main Street, where most of their paying customers live. Before booking a movie, many a cautious exhibitor scans the pages of Boxoffice and Motion Picture Herald for the thumbnail reviews by exhibitors who have already shown the picture.

The exhibitors judge a film’s merits with occasional asides on such local influences as blizzards and basketball games. The opinions have little to do with cinematic art, but they go to show that Hollywood has a hard job trying to please everybody. Samples:

“Dream Girl. The weather was good, no ball games, no dances, and, believe me, no business for us … Walkouts galore! . . . Nasty remarks … I ran and hid when they started coming out . . .”

“The Fugitive. What a clinker! I’d have lost money if they’d made me a present of it and paid the express.”

“Tarzan and the Mermaids. The producer has the name Tarzan by the tail and he doesn’t care how he uses it… Lack of jungle animals didn’t help this any. And where were the mermaids?”

“The Flame. Nobody came, and I don’t blame them … I ought to be run out of town for giving this preferred time . . .”

“B.F.’s Daughter. Lots of people got fidgety in the middle . . . Business was fair . . .”

But exhibitors also know what they like:

“Easter Parade. Those that came thoroughly enjoyed themselves … I even sat through it myself.”

“Coroner Creek. Wonderful to have a picture that made expenses … I only had one other make its way in January. I’m thankful I own a drugstore to keep up this expensive hobby.”

“Wyoming. Play this and you won’t have to hide behind the popcorn popper as they go out. . .”

”Luxury Liner. Not up to the usual . . . but it brought them in out of the freezing rain, so why should I pick on it?”

“Return of Rin Tin Tin. It is such a satisfaction to see a movie that has no drinking, no suggestive scenes and dialogue, that I’ll take a good clean horse or dog show any time …”