Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

Editorial BY MARTIN J. QUIGLEY The New Production Code ANEW code to govern the making of motion pictures, which emphasizes and provides for the moral and ethical requirements of screen entertainment, has been evolved. Announcement of this fact is made by the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America. The new code was worked out in Hollywood in conferences participated in by all of the leading producers or their authorized representatives, and it is enthusiastically presented by them as their notice to the world that the moral significance of motion pictures is fully recognized and that it is the determination of the producers to make only such product as will conform with sound and reasonable standards of morality. The new code has been accepted and approved by the board of directors of the Producers & Distributors Association, which gives it the industry’s endorsement and at the same time makes it the established rule and regulation of the business. There are, of course, certain smaller, independent units in production which are not governed by the association’s procedure, but conformance by them with the new regulations, which represent a vital safeguard to the future of the business, is promised. AAA THIS new code is the outgrowth of a long and vigorous struggle of the industry to protect screen entertainment against various tendencies which very naturally have crept in in the competition for box office success. It is everlastingly to the credit of the motion picture business that this industry, more than any other factor in the whole amusement world from the earliest times, has, as an industry, recognized its responsibility to the public on the point of clean entertainment. It is, of course, true that in individual cases this responsibility has been avoided and evaded but the predominant influence of the industry as a whole has been consistently on the side of wholesome entertainment. The fact that this recognition has been present and continues present is the underlying reason which has made the adoption of this new code possible— and this new code, it may confidently be declared, is a tremendous step forward. It is a tremendous step forward in all of those matters with which churchmen and educators are particularly concerned. It is a tremendous step forward in the immediate concerns of the industry because it offers excellent promise of being the means toward correcting present abuses and at the same time providing against the repetition of these abuses in the future. And, it may unreservedly be declared, if the industry should fail to protect itself against these abuses there will be built up against it a wall of opposition created by leaders of public opinion which will both curtail the immediate possibilities of the industry and seriously interfere with its future development as well. The new code supplants earlier steps in this direction. The introduction of sound brought with it certain new problems but prior to this code, together with the detailed statement of the principles involved which has been made available to all producers, the industry never had a clearcut and definite statement of the moral principles involved for its guidance in the preparation of screen entertainment. Because no such definite statement of principles had ever been agreed upon and accepted it was unavoidable that there should have been a wide divergence of opinion on what was and what was not permissible. The new code, which is printed elsewhere in this issue, together with a detailed analysis of the problem which producers now have as a working guide, supplies for the first time such a definite statement of principles. The principles, we believe, will be subscribed to and endorsed by churchmen and educators generally. They provide for sound and reasonable regulation and at the same time they will in no way interfere with the possibilities of screen entertainment in its box office consideration. AAA THE effectiveness of the new code, in its influence upon the morality of pictures and in quieting the criticisms of the public, depends, of course, upon the degree of good faith which is exhibited toward it in Hollywood. And beyond this, also, its effectiveness will depend upon its being thoroughly understood and appreciated by the persons in the studios who in their daily work give to the motion picture the character in which it eventually presents itself to the public. It is essential that steps be taken to accomplish this thorough understanding in Hollywood and in the New York studios. Very wisely and at the same time indicating a high degree of determination and sincerity in the matter, the producers have worked out a scheme of operation under the code which strongly argues that the code is to them a matter of faith and not a matter of form. The scheme makes a committee representing all of the important producers responsible for the issuance of any subject about which there is a question. At the election of this committee any picture which is held to violate the principles of the code will not be distributed. In addition the producers’ association in Hollywood has undertaken to provide facilities for consultation with producers on all questionable themes and situations. In this way, the producer is given excellent opportunities to guard in advance against mistakes which if carried through in the finished picture may prove very costly by an action of the producers’ committee in rejecting the subject. An added possibility of the new code is its effect upon political censorship. Many persons of importance and influence have either favored motion picture censorship or refrained from opposing it on the grounds that it was a needed safeguard until such time as the industry took further steps along the line of self-discipline. Sucb steps have been taken. Self-discipline, which in this case means the elimination of questionable material at the source, is the only thoroughly workable and effective means of providing for uniformly wholesome screen entertainment. The new code promises this result. To the end of realizing the earliest and fullest possibilities of this promise the industry in all of its branches should contribute sincere and enthusiastic support. Exhibitors HERALD-WORLD * MARTIN J. QUIGLEY, Publisher and Editor Incorporating Exhibitors Herald, founded 1915; Moving Picture World, founded 1907; Motography, founded 1909; The Film Index, founded 1906 Published every Wednesday by Quigley Publishing Company, 407 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago; Martin J. Quigley, President; Edwin S. Clifford, Secretary; George Clifford , Assistant Treasurer. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. All contents copyrighted 1930 by Quigley Publishing Company. All editorial and business correspondence should be addressed to the Chicago office. Other publications: Better Theatres, devoted to the construction, equipment and operation of theatres, pubfished every fourth week in conjunction with Exhibitors Herald-World; The Motion Picture Almanac, Pictures and Personalities, published annually; Th* Chicagoan and Polo, Class publications.