Behind the Crescent with co-owner Max Morey

Our modest city has many attributes both historically and culturally. Be it the U.S.S. Alabama that is docked proudly in Mobile Bay or the Mobile Museum of Art, whether we admit it or not, Mobile is rich in culture. Max Morey has contributed greatly to our city, bringing history and culture together with his Crescent Theater. As co-owner and manager of the Crescent, Morey works tirelessly to provide the Port City with quality independent films. Originally opening in 1885, the Crescent Theater has a long history in Mobile. After going out of business, 208 Dauphin Street then became a restaurant. After the restaurant was destroyed in a fire, the city brought in Morey and his business partner, John Switzer. As Morey describes it, "The city asked us to bid on it and we bought the space while the embers were still burning." With a lifelong love of film and also a love for the city of Mobile, Morey saw no other option but to breathe life back in the Crescent Theater. Morey, a real estate proprietor who is originally from New Jersey, came to Mobile seven years ago because "of the people" and says he plans to never leave. Originally just building high-end condominiums and homes mostly in the downtown area, Morey's passion has now become the Crescent. He says that he works seven days a week, 14 hours a day, and while tiring, he does not mind because as he says, "It has become my life." As a child, Morey said his mother instilled in him his love of movies and that at one time he watched 350 films a year. A well of knowledge about film, Morey can give facts on most any mainstream film. Assuming no man would be knowledgeable on two of my favorite films, "Clueless" and "Never Been Kissed," I mentioned them at his insistence that I quiz him. Immediately after mentioning "Clueless," he named the lead actress, Alicia Silverstone. He was somewhat unknowledgeable on "Never Been Kissed," but I am confident that does not discount him as a film encyclopedia. As Mobile's only art-house film venue, the Crescent Theater is a unique opportunity for Mobilians to see films that would be impossible to see otherwise. However, as positive as the response has been to the theater, it is not immune to the strain on our economy. Morey has said that as a result of the problems with the economy, he has had to greatly reduce advertising and has also been working much longer hours. Despite the unpromising economy, Morey remains optimistic. He continues to work with film studios in New York and Hollywood, so as to provide the Gulf Coast with quality, independent films. He has two main goals for the theater -- first to garner a greater acceptance of foreign language films and secondly to not succumb to the pressure to digitalize and continue to use 35 mm projector film. When asked what he would like to say to South students, Morey very enthusiastically exclaimed, "Give me your requests!" Morey said that it is customers he wants to accommodate and the best way for that to happen is for customers to voice their opinions. The theater has a Web site, http://www.crescenttheater.com and a MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/crescenttheater and Morey encourages USA students to visit both to keep up with updates from the theater and also to make requests.