Boxoffice-March.06.1948
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Boxoffice-March.06.1948

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1 20th : March Quarterly First Run Reports: TOP FILMS STILL DOING WELL BUT SO-SO PICTURES ARE NO-GO 36 Pictures in Hit Class In First Half of Year. Equaling '47 Mark Bp NATHAN COHEN The industry's top product is doing better business this season than a year ago. but run-of-the-mill pictures are not faring so well. The country's motion picture patrons are still flocking to the theatres when good, substantial, entertaining pictures are being offered, but it's no-go on low grade features. This fact is very much in evidence in the quarterly analysis of first run business made by BOXOPFICE on the basis of reports from 21 key cities. Other significant trends also reveal: Uii More pictures are being released, but a greater percentage of films is failing to do average or better business; 1 2) There have been as many top hits this season as last; (3i Pictui-es which are doing "average or better business" are bringing in a greater return than the same type of films in the preceding season. POOR SHOWING BY SOME FILMS For the first time in many years, however, key situations are reporting pictures as doing only 60 to 80 per cent of average business on a considerable number of releases. Significantly enough, it was product released in the second quarter of the current season—December through February— which sent averages on the skids, in spite of the fact that just as many pictures rocketed into the hit class in that period as they did in the previous three months. In the first three months of the current season, 88.5 per cent of the releases did average or better business. By the end of the sixmonth period, however, only 64.5 per cent of the season's pictures had achieved this distinction. Of 76 pictures placed in release in the second quarter—on which there have been sufficient runs to provide an indication of pulling power—29, or approximately 38 per cent, failed to satisfy exhibitors with at least average business. But those which did averaged 122.5 per cent, whereas last season this type of picture averaged only 119 per cent. 18 NEW HITS DURING QUARTER Significantly, however, just as many pictures went into the hit class in the quarter as in the preceding quarter—18—to bring the total for the year to 36 hit pictures. At this time last .season, 36 features had reached the top-level cla.ssification. Under Barometer calculations, a picture goes into the hit bracket when it does 120 per cent or better in its key run dates. This season, this type of a picture is drawing more business to the boxoffice than it did last year. The 36 this season so far have done an average of 145.5 per cent. Last season's hits did 141 per cent. The hits are topped by Paramount's "Road to Rio," which has a record of 170 per cent, and holdovers in virtually every run. It First Quarters Top Hits (September 1947 through February 1948) PERCENTAGES Albuquerque (Para) ) -Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. The (RKO) Bishop's Wife, The (RKO) Body and Soul (UA) Call Northside 777 (20thFox) Captain From Castile (20lhFox) Cass Tiraberlane (MGM) Crossfire (RKO) Dark Passage (WB) Down «o Earth (Col) •Forever Foxes of Fugitive, Amber (20th-Fox) Harrow. The (20fh-Fox) The (RKO) Fun and Fancy Free (RKO) Good News (MGM) Green Dolphin Street (MGM) Intrigue (UA) It Had to Be You (Col) Killer McCoy (MGM) K=S3 of Death (20th-Fox) *Life With Father (WB) Monsieur Verdoux (UA) Mother Wore Tights (20th-Fox) .My Wild Irish Rose (WB) Road to Rio (Para) WSecret Life of Walter Mitty. The T-Men (EL) To the Ends of the Earth (Col) Treasure of Sierra Madre (WB) Tycoon (RKO) "Unconquered (Para) Voice of the Turtle. The (WB) iJWelcome Stranger (Para) WWhere There's Life (Para) (RKO) Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap, The (U-I) You Were Meant for Me (20th-Fox) wBlue Ribbon Award Winners 'Roadshows played strongly everywhere, and had a top mark at the Paramoimt Theatre in San Francisco, where the picture did 300 per cent, and ran for six weeks. The Palace in Cincinnati reported 250 per cent on the film, and Radio City Theatre in Minneapolis held the feature for five weeks and reported business at 230 per cent of average. Second in drawing power among the quarter's releases was "Captain From Castile" 120 130 140 150 Century-Foxi, which placed with an average of 162 per cent. Again it was San Francisco which produced the top business, but in the case of this picture it was the Pox Theatre. Business was recorded at a whooping 350 per cent, and the picture held over for four weeks. Other top spots were the Fox Theatre, Philadelphia, 220 per cent; Fifth Avenue, Seattle, 210 per cent; Esquire and Paramount in Denver, and a four-the- 26 BOXOFFICE : 13, 1948

atre day and date booking in Los Angeles, 200 per cent each. In each case, too, holdovers were for three weeks. Third highest gi'osser of the quarter was Samuel Goldwyn's •'The Bishop's Wife," an RKO release. In its first 11 key run dates, it was reported at 155 per cent, and carrying into holdovers in every engagement. The picture doubled normal business at the Astor Theatre in Boston, which Goldwyn recently acquired as a showcase, and at the Karlton in Philadelphia. Currently it is in its 13th week at the Astor in New York, its tenth week in Boston and its eighth week at the Woods Theatre in Chicago where, apparently, the Chicago antitrust decree limiting Loop runs to two weeks does not hold for the independently-owned Woods. COMEDIES BEST GROSSERS Filmgoers were about evenly divided as to their favorite fare. Of the 36 hits, 16 were dramas, another four were color costumers, 14 were musicals and comedies, one was an animated feature and another was an action story. The comedies, however, were drawing the top grosses—on an average. Of 13 comedies playing at regular admis- .cions, key runs reported the lighter fare had done 146 per cent at the boxoffice, whereas 19 dramas playing at regular admissions did only 133 per cent. It was the fourth time in a row that a picture either starring or co-starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope has landed in the top three quarterly winners. It was "Blue Skies" with Crosby in March 1947; Hope in "My Favorite Blonde" in June 1947; "Variety Girl" with both stars in September 1947; Crosby in "Welcome Stranger" for the quarter ending November 1947; and the current "Road to Rio." Following are second quarter releases and percentages reported by exhibitors in key cities: per COLUMBIA Blondie in the Dough Blondie's Anniversary Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back. Crime Doctor's Gamble Devil Ship Down to Earth Glamour Girl Her Husband's Affairs I Love Trouble It Had to Be You Key V/itness Last of the Redmen Lone Wolf Mary Lou Prince of Thieves Relentless Son of Rusty, The Sweet Genevieve Swordsman, The To the Ends of the Earth... Two Blondes and a Redhe When a Girl's Beautiful Woman From Tangier EAGLE LION Blonde Savage Bury Me Dead Green for Danger Heading for Heaven Linda Be Good ^ Love From a Stranger Out the Blu Railroaded Return of Rin Tin Tin.. T-Men Whispering City METHO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Arnelo Affair, The Cass Timberlane Desire Me Good News Green Dolphin Street High Wall If Winter Comes Killer McCoy Merton of the Movies Song of Love Song of the Thin Man This Time for Keeps Unfinished Dance Chinese Ring, The Gangster, The (AA) High Tide Joe Palooka in the K King of the Bandits Louisiana News Hounds Smart Politics PABAMOUNT Adventure Island Albuquerque Big fown After Dork Golden Earrings I Walk Alone Road to Rio Unconquered Welcome Stranger . Whe The Wild Harv REO RADIO Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The... Bishop's Wife, The 7"'" Crossiire Fugitive, The ;;; Fun and Fancy Free If You Knew gusie Long Night, The.

atre day and date booking in Los Angeles,<br />

200 per cent each. In each case, too, holdovers<br />

were for three weeks.<br />

Third highest gi'osser of the quarter was<br />

Samuel Goldwyn's •'The Bishop's Wife," an<br />

RKO release. In its first 11 key run dates,<br />

it was reported at 155 per cent, and carrying<br />

into holdovers in every engagement.<br />

The picture doubled normal business at the<br />

Astor Theatre in Boston, which Goldwyn<br />

recently acquired as a showcase, and at<br />

the Karlton in Philadelphia. Currently it<br />

is in its 13th week at the Astor in New<br />

York, its tenth week in Boston and its eighth<br />

week at the Woods Theatre in Chicago where,<br />

apparently, the Chicago antitrust decree limiting<br />

Loop runs to two weeks does not hold<br />

for the independently-owned Woods.<br />

COMEDIES BEST GROSSERS<br />

Filmgoers were about evenly divided as to<br />

their favorite fare. Of the 36 hits, 16 were<br />

dramas, another four were color costumers,<br />

14 were musicals and comedies, one was<br />

an animated feature and another was an<br />

action story. The comedies, however, were<br />

drawing the top grosses—on an average.<br />

Of 13 comedies playing at regular admis-<br />

.cions, key runs reported the lighter fare had<br />

done 146 per cent at the boxoffice, whereas<br />

19 dramas playing at regular admissions did<br />

only 133 per cent.<br />

It was the fourth time in a row that a<br />

picture either starring or co-starring Bing<br />

Crosby and Bob Hope has landed in the<br />

top three quarterly winners. It was "Blue<br />

Skies" with Crosby in March 1947; Hope in<br />

"My Favorite Blonde" in June 1947; "Variety<br />

Girl" with both stars in September<br />

1947; Crosby in "Welcome Stranger" for the<br />

quarter ending November 1947; and the current<br />

"Road to Rio."<br />

Following are second quarter releases and<br />

percentages reported by exhibitors in key<br />

cities:<br />

per<br />

COLUMBIA<br />

Blondie in the Dough<br />

Blondie's Anniversary<br />

Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back.<br />

Crime Doctor's Gamble<br />

Devil Ship<br />

Down to Earth<br />

Glamour Girl<br />

Her Husband's Affairs<br />

I Love Trouble<br />

It Had to Be You<br />

Key V/itness<br />

Last of the Redmen<br />

Lone Wolf<br />

Mary Lou<br />

Prince of Thieves<br />

Relentless<br />

Son of Rusty, The<br />

Sweet Genevieve<br />

Swordsman, The<br />

To the Ends of the Earth...<br />

Two Blondes and a Redhe<br />

When a Girl's Beautiful<br />

Woman From Tangier<br />

EAGLE LION<br />

Blonde Savage<br />

Bury Me Dead<br />

Green for Danger<br />

Heading for Heaven<br />

Linda Be Good ^<br />

Love From a Stranger<br />

Out the Blu<br />

Railroaded<br />

Return of Rin Tin Tin..<br />

T-Men<br />

Whispering City<br />

METHO-GOLDWYN-MAYER<br />

Arnelo Affair, The<br />

Cass Timberlane<br />

Desire Me<br />

Good News<br />

Green Dolphin Street<br />

High Wall<br />

If Winter Comes<br />

Killer McCoy<br />

Merton of the Movies<br />

Song of Love<br />

Song of the Thin Man<br />

This Time for Keeps<br />

Unfinished Dance<br />

Chinese Ring, The<br />

Gangster, The (AA)<br />

High Tide<br />

Joe Palooka in the K<br />

King of the Bandits<br />

Louisiana<br />

News Hounds<br />

Smart Politics<br />

PABAMOUNT<br />

Adventure Island<br />

Albuquerque<br />

Big fown After Dork<br />

Golden Earrings<br />

I Walk Alone<br />

Road to Rio<br />

Unconquered<br />

Welcome Stranger .<br />

Whe The<br />

Wild Harv<br />

REO RADIO<br />

Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The...<br />

Bishop's Wife, The 7"'"<br />

Crossiire<br />

Fugitive, The ;;;<br />

Fun and Fancy Free<br />

If You Knew gusie<br />

Long Night, The.

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