Year book of motion pictures (1925)

The Better Films Movement in 1924 By Alice Belton Evans, Secretary National Committee Etc. (In this article no attempt is made to repeat he information contained in the article on the Hetter Films Movement appearing; in "Film Year Hook, 1924.'' to which, therefore, readers of the present article are also referred.) The Hetter Films Movement in 1924 is characterized less by the wide increase in the number of communities newlv taking it up in any organized, way than by an increase in the seriousness and effectiveness of endeavor on the part of groups which had already become active in it. It is encouraging to find, for instance, that the committees formed several years ago in numerous cities of the Southeast continue to function with vigor; that the work in Birmingham has been so successful as to inspire the formation of a state committee for better films for Alabama, and that as a result a new committee has already been established and is functioning in Selma, Ala. In Schenectady, N. Y., the motion picture chairman of the Schenectady Federation of Women's Clubs, Mrs. H. S. Burnham, was so impressed with the importance of having an understanding of motion pictures and a grasp of the problem affecting better films committees and exhibitors, that she devoted her summer to study and research along these lines in New York City. Through Mrs. liurnham's efforts notice has been given to the local public this Fall of exceptionally good pictures, on the basis of the National Committee's advices, and before this goes to press a meeting will have been held under the auspices of the Federation, at which a comprehensive plan of better films activity and cooperation with the National Committee for Better Films will have been presented and acted upon. Washington, D. C, is fortunate in having had, this past year, what is virtually a better films committee in the presence of Mrs. Harriet Hawley Locher, head of the Public Relations Department of the Crandall Theaters, who has done fine public service in arranging special children's matinees and also performances of educational films for school children in cooperation with the schools and the Department of the Interior. She has also issued special notices concerning the fine pictures for the general audience. A similar department of public relations has been established by the Saenger Amusement Company in New Orleans under the direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Werlein, who, like Mrs. Locher, was drawn from the ranks of prominent clubwomen. California's committees are thriving. That in l.os Angeles, onlv two years old, has attracted special attention. Situated in the center of the mo Hon picture industry, unusual facilities have been extended the committee to pre view the pictures at the exchanges — a method, which of course, is practicable in but few places. The committee, which belongs to the Motion Picture Department of the California Federation of Women's Clubs, consists of the board of education and many organizations, and its recommendations are posted in clubs, libraries, schools, etc., and are published in the newspapers. The Los Angeles committee reports, however, endorsement of 8(1 per cent of the pictures submitted — indicating a much less critical attitude toward the films than that of the National Committee for Better Films and a few other commit tees also exercising independent judgment. The committee has instituted a movement for children's matinees in the suburban theaters, interviewing 101 managers on the subject-and reporting progress toward their widespread adoption. Children's Matinees ImpotUnt Children's matinees, in fact continue to be an important function of better films work, and in some places, as in Albany, N. Y., where they have been given for ten years under the leadership of Mrs. F. W. Clark of the Mother's Club, thei absorb the local efforts. An interesting outgrowth of the children's matinee work in Atlanta has been the establishment by the Atlanta Better Films Committee, of which Mrs. Alonzo Richardson is president, of special matinees for colored children. The programs are selected with the same care as the programs for the white children, reliable colored chaperones are provided, etc. This example has been followed by similar matinees for colored children in Chatanooga. While under the inspiration of the committees in Los Angeles, Stockton, Berkeley, Oakland and Palo Alto, Calif., several new committees have sprung up in that state, it is in the Northwest that the most decided extension of the organized Better Films Movement appears this year to have taken place, in sentiment created at least, if not as yet in completed organization. This is the story. Last year Mr. Orion P. Winford, the energetic young secretary of the chamber of commerce in Virginia, Minn., established a better film committee to work in cooperation with the National Committee for Better 1' ilms. They received the selected lists of the National Committee, checked these up with the local bookings and secured the printing in the newspaper of a weekly "Photoplay Guide" to these selected good films, just prior to their exhibition. The publication of such a newspaper guide based on the national Committee's selections was not a new idea — such guides are published year in and year out in Birmingham, Atlanta, Jacksonville, etc. — but it was new in the Nortbwest and became an immediate success in Virginia. The exhibitors were grateful for this valuable public ity given to their good films, and the citizens were grateful for receiving, for the first time, reliable advance information about the good pictures. Especially helpful was their classification for different age-groups. In the year and z halt in which this system has been in operation the committee testifies that not once has dissatisfaction been registered with any of the films to which the public has thus been directed. News of the Virginia Better Films Committee spread to surrounding territory and Mr. Winford found himself asked to help from similar committees in neighboring towns. At the same time, the National Board of Review, which had long felt the need of a field representative, especially for its affiliated committees, the National Committee for Better Fi'ms, invited Mr. Winford to serve in that capacity and he accepted. Northwest Starting So far embryo committees have been established in six of the smaller cities of Minnesota, while a meeting was held in St. Paul, of representatives of many organizations, looking toward the formation of a community group according to a plan presented by Mr. Winford, and there is good prospect that this will soon be functioning-^-combining a program of study of the motion picture with local endorsement of selected films. In Wisconsin the state exhibitors' association at their convention in August voted to cooperate with The National Board of Review and the National Committee in promotion of the Better Films Movement in every possible way. At Madison. Wis., where there had existed a sentiment tending to favor lefal censorship, at a large meeting of clubwomen called especially to hear Mr. Winford, it was the concensus of opinion expressed after exhaustive Questioning and discussion, that the plan of activity nroposed by the National Committee offered the better hope of accomplishment in influencing fine motion picture exhibitions. The Indiana Indorsers of Motion Pictures and the National Board of Review and National Committee for Better Films came together on the same platform at a meeting of the Cincinnati Council on Motion Pictures where, through representatives, each presented its work. Other cities, which have groups prominent in better films activitv are Kansas Citv. Mo.. Jacksonville. Fla., Cleveland and Akron, O. (the latter a 601