Marshfield Cinema

Cinema Systems of America, Inc. was a Wellsey-based automated cinema concept in the suburban luxury era of cinema exhibition. They opened the first of three venues here as an original tenant at the Marshfield Plaza East in 1969. The Marshfield Plaza had been announced in 1965 on the site of the Division of Fisheries and Game’s Marshfield Game Bird Farm. The Cinema was designed to become a twin when business necessitated. The company’s plan was to start here, and with twins in Lebanon-Hanover and in Attleboro en route to 100 locations.

This venue opened as Cinema Marshfield with “Oliver!” on July 30, 1969. On Halloween, it advertised “I Am Curious, Yellow”. And it was all trick as their license was pulled and the venue closed. After two weeks, the situation was rectified and the venue reopened. But Cinema Systems had to fight the issue in court in 1970. They left the Marshfield Plaza after 11 months closing on June 30, 1970.

Under new operators, the venue reopened as the Marshfield Cinema on August 6, 1970 with “The Boatniks”. But it drifted to adult content and, again, the plaza had to find new operators. That third operator was playing midnight films and that likely was its exit on April 23, 1972.

On May 14, 1972, the venue found its fourth operator in Cinemette Theatres which changed it back to Cinema Marshfield beginning with the film, “The Hospital”. For reasons not clear, they - too - switched the name back to Marshfield Cinema. Their showing of “Heat” led to a public disagreement with Cinemette sticking around. They downgraded the venue to a subrun, dollar discount house closing on May 12, 1977 with “Silverstreak”.

The fifth operator came in on October 14, 1977 and reduced that pricing by a penny and trying double features with “The Other Side of Midnight” and “Three Little Pigskins” under the name Midnite Sun Cinema. They discontinued advertisements after the February 5, 1978 showtimes. The center had reached greyfield status with more than 50% vacancy due to the cinema and the First National Supermarket’s departures.

The venue returned on July 2, 1980 with a sixth operator as a discount house playing single titles and under the Marshfield Cinema name. It returned with double features closing January 21, 1982 with “Eye for an Eye” and “Escape from New York”.

In July of 1982, an operator was identified who would turn the space into a dinner theatre. Those plans fell through due to refurbishing costs. A contractor leveled the floor for a Harvey’s, a children’s clothing retailer, and a branch of the library.

So, the plans to make it into a twin once business warranted by Cinema Systems of America, Inc. did not come to fruition. And their goal of 100 cinemas wasn’t reached, but they did build more theatres apparently in the midwest before folding. The Marshfield Plaza East went into an even steeper decline though hanging on until 1995. From reports, the Plaza was soon demolished.

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.