The Motion Picture and the Family (Oct 1934 - May 1937)

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2 THE MOTION PICTURE AND THE FAMILY May 15, 1937 1 110 Churches Other Centres Get Film Guide INFORMATION about the social and ethical aspects of films, as well as their entertainment values, reaches the boys and girls in 110 Protestant churches, community centers and character building agencies in Omaha, Nebraska, as a part of the activities of Mrs. T. Earl Sullenger, local motion picture chairman for the National Council of Federated Church Women. One of the most energetic local chairmen in the entire church group, Mrs. Sullenger has advised the National Chairman, Mrs. Arretus F. Burt, that in addition to sending lists of current films and ratings to these 110 groups she places motion picture guides in 75 homes and community centers in Omaha. The next focus of her newly inaugurated program will be to establish motion picture appreciation classes in the schools and churches. Numbered among future aims are the encouragement of the production of more religious and educational films and the promotion of the use of religious dramas as a valuable force in religious education. Newsboys Taste High In Films There is no need to worry about the motion picture tastes of the rising generation, if the choice of 400 Philadelphia newsboys as to their favorite film can be regarded as a criterion. Invited to a motion picture party to see the "film they liked best" they pleaded for Lost Horizon, which emphasizes high idealism and the virtue of tolerance, faith in human possibilities and world brotherhood, and might perhaps be regarded as adult in theme because of its mature though wholesome philosophy. The Erlanger Theatre played host for the showing. Church Starts New Service On FUms Drafting upon publications of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America and other source material furnished by that office, the North Avenue Presbyterian Church of New Rochelle, New York, has guaranteed to provide a summary and evaluation of most of the current films for each age group in the church. The service was established through the direct intervention of the parents, who recognized the popularity of motion pictures and the extent of juvenile attendance, and who have expressed a desire to know more than advertising tells them about pictures their children see. LESSONS from the MOVIES Presented for the Committee on Social Values in Motion Pictures by Howard M. Le Sourd, Ph.D., Dean of Boston University Graduate School, Chairman. THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (Warner Bros.) This picture is one of contrasts in material possessions: the luxury and magnificence of court life as against the poverty and woe of the poor. The whole trend in equalizing opportunities through democracy becomes more significant as one is brought face to face with the old chasm that separates those who have from those who have not. But the picture portrays identity in moral standards. Both rich and poor steal, murder and are cruel for the sake of their own selfish goals. The methods are different, but there is no distinction in fundamental principles. Greatness has no guarantee of goodness. Possessions do not stimulate generosity. Education carries no assurance of justice. Formal religion does not generate mercy and kindness. Materialism destroys in every walk of life the fundamental ideals of neighborliness. The young prince learned something about life as he was forced to take the pauper's place, and came back to his throne with a new point of view. Perhaps if we came to understand people of other races and classes, we too might broaden our sympathies and take a more active part in the whole progrf.;-!1. of social progress. A STAR IS BORN (United Artists) One gets the impression from this picture that success in life is a combination of "lucky breaks" tnd hard work. People who have the courage to plunge ahead when an opening comes have the first essential towards getting on in life. Vickie Lester had ambition, courage, persistence and ability. She had also a keen sense of loyalty and to the very end loved and respected the man who contributed so much to her success. Norman Maine had ability but no self control. He sacrificed a great career to an appetite which he did not try to suppress until it was too late. His weakness was alcohol, but when any man permits himself to become a slave to any emotion within or to any drug without he writes "finis" to his career. The picture raises again the problem of whether any husband can be happy with a wife whose fame and ability exceed his. The persistence of the idea of male dominance seems to make men prefer death to the apparent humiliation of wife-superiority. But the answer of a boy to his father's reprimand for low grades at school may help to solve this problem. The father said, "The idea of letting your sister, a mere girl, get better grades than you!" To which the boy replied, "Well, girls aren't so mere any more." NIGHT MUST FALL (MGM) As a study of a criminal's mind, this picture would be very interesting to a psychologist. The possibilities portrayed of killing within one's self the humane feelings of kindness and sympathy should give every one pause. Danny was an extreme case, but there are many who are drawn into a dream world, with its callous indifference to the welfare of others. While extreme cases are rare and very dangerous to a few people, the many (Continued on Page 6) W H A T'S NEXT IN HOLLYWOOD? By Alice Ames Winter THERE has been a theory that studios, sheep-like, run in cycles, making many pictures in imitation of any innovation that proves popular, but if one tried nowadays to pick out a dominant cycle, one would be hard put to it, there are so many. The musical cycle, the biographical cycle, the historical cycle, the gay, vaudeville-like cycle, the detective cycle and the romantic cycles are all buzzing. And there is a larger number of players under contract to the major studios than ever before in picture history, while Central Casting Corporation (an adjunct of the Motion Picture Association, which places "extras" and "atmosphere" players without cost to the applicant) has some 22,000 on its lists. There are, of course, two phases to picture music. There is the incidental music that ripples like an undercurrent to any picture, intensifying, with greater or less power, according to the genius and sensitiveness of the musicians, the emotional crises of the story. By the subtle suggestion of rhythm, sometimes almost without our realization, it sweeps us into harmony with picture currents. Then there are the pictures in which music plays a (Continued on Page 6) Films Prove A Strong Ally Of Reading THE motion picture is enthusiastically endorsed as "an ally" rather than a foe of reading, in a report given by Arthur W. Courtney, Radio and Motion Picture Chairman of the New York City Association of Teachers of English, which is published as a part of the yearbook of the association. Into his report Mr. Courtney incorporates the comments of Richard James Hurley, librarian of the Roslyn, New York, High School with relation to a survey he made on the motion picture and reading habits of 800 junior and senior high school students. Discovering that every boy and girl attended at least one motion picture a week, he bent his efforts towards attracting their attention to worthwhile books correlated in some way with films. Through establishing a movie corner and posting suitable clippings, book jackets and stills he kept the interest of his pupils constantly aroused. The result was that he increased the circulation of books whose thematic material was related to films by 200 to 300 per cent. Moreover he deftly led his pupils to incorporate into their reading biographies of such world-renowned figures as Florence Nightingdale, Pasteur, Rembrandt, Cecil Rhodes, Cardinal Richelieu. He discovered also that motion picture attendance is greater in junior than in senior high school and so it is important to interest the juniors. Atlanta Wants Its Favorite Daughter Whatever may be the desire of other parts of the country as to who should play the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, there is no doubt whatever in the minds of the Better Films Committee of Atlanta, Georgia. Their choice is Miriam Hopkins, one of Georgia's native daughters, and they are bending every effort to see that she gets the coveted starring part if possible. Motion Pictures Make Strong Plea For Peace Motion pictures definitely emerged into the role of standardbearers for peace in connection with the issue of "News of the Day" released in commemoration of America's entrance into the World War. Views of the convoying of troop-laden transports, of submarine warfare and of fighting on the Western front, culled from actual wartime footage, were interspersed with editorial material emphasizing the horrible consequences of a resort to arms, so that the film as a whole constituted a vivid and dramatic plea for world concord.