Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1919)

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Jjetter Jc ilnis 1 hrougli Co-opcration Milwaukee has a practical workini^ plan — The Better Photoplay Leaj^ue »;ives aid to civic workers — Nation's producers insure clean pictures. By Janet Priest MILWAUKEE is one city which has the supreme felicity of being salislied with its motion picture situation. Exhibitors are satistied, and the general pubhe is satisfied. Occasionally there is a. dissentmg voice, but the great mass of citizens, churchgoers, schoolteachers— the regular "movie " public of men, women and children, is satisfied, which is more than can be said of a great many other places. This excellent working system would have been sacrificed if state censorship had been "put over" in Wisconsin. Fortunately, the attempt failed, as it has in so many other states the past year. It is well that the Milwaukee plan should be known to other localities not under the autocratic ilomination of boards of three or five who meet together for the purpose of deciding what everjone else shall or shall not see. The American people ought to realize that a certain faction is tp.ing to foist motion picture censorship upon the nation. The resulting control of the screen is fraught with the ver\greatest danger to the nations freedom and welfare, and should be vigilantly combated. That some well-meaning persons have sanctioned the scheme who do not realize that they are simply being used as tools makes it all the more pitiful. If the censorship scheme bad succeeded in Wisconsin, the Mil%-aukee plan, a really efficient system would have been automatically destroyed. When Photoplay has obtained the pledge of the last producer to make nothing but clean films, and branches of The Better Photoplay League of America are operative ever>'where, such a system as this will rwt be necessar>'. But in the meantime the Milwaukee plan is a pretty good substitute. Milwaukee handles its motion picture problem in a democratic way, by means of a committee of the citizens themselves, people from all walks of life. The Citizens' Commission on Motion Pictures is appointed by the mayor. It is voluntan.' and unpaid. There is no opportunity for graft — that charge, which, deser\ed or undeser\ed. is made against the censorship system now existing in some other states. These citizens represent the ordinary viewpoint. One of them is a lawyer. one a well-known merchant, one a salesman, and .mother represents organized labor. There is a real estate man on the board, and the motion picture industn,' is represented. Six of the ten aides, who report to the commissioners, and have equal voting power with them, are women. Under the plan now in operation, aides and members are assigned two theatres a week each, attending the first showiiMt of films. In case there is anything objectionable the exhibitor is interviewed, and asked to eliminate it. Generally. he does so without further parley. If he feels that the criticism fa unjust, he asks for a general re%new by the whole commission, which is given. He then abides by the judgment of the board, which votes by secret ballot. Most of the exhibitors meet the commission more than half way. The more prominent ones, notably George Fischer of Be a Better I iliii Scout! IF a picture is unclean and unwholesome, complain' to the manager. If he receives many such complaints, he will obtain better films. If a picture is clean and worth-while, tell the manager and everyone you know. Be a Better Film Scout. Report to The Better Photoplay League of America, 350 N. Clark St., Chicago. the Alhambra Theatre and Frank Cook of the Princess, edit their own pictures as soon as these are received from the exchanges. They even cut out many things the commission would possibly pass, to maintain the high stamlards they have built up for their houses. Says Mr. Cook, "My theatre's slogan is any mother can bring her daughter here.' " Both these houses are owned by Thomas Saxe of the Saxe Amusement Enterprises. E.xhibitors send the commission a list of their advance bookings. In case the commission has any doubt concerning a film, a review is held before the picture is publicly shown. Formerly a charge of fifty cents a reel was maiie for this ser\ice, but it has been discontinued, and now no charge is made. Usually, however, the exhibitors make no attempt to show objectionable Jilms or scenes, taking pride in the general feeling of co-operation and good will that exists in regard to the whole motion picture situation in Milwaukee. As a wellknown clergyman says, "We have confidence in our motion picture theatres," and for the most part there is every reason for such confidence. The eliminations recommended by the National Board' of Review are noted, and generally followed. Sometimes Mr. Radley and his associates make further eliminations of their own. But more often than not the exhibitors have already, on their own initiative, taken steps to make the film in question "fit for the family. " George Fischer of the .Alhambra goes so far as to send a copy of his eliminations to the exchanges, for their future guidance in other localities and in the out-lying theatres of Milwaukee, and it must be said that the established, reputable exchanges have done all in their power to co-operate. Occasionally a "wildcat " producer will attempt to fight the matter out on his own account, but he does not get very far with it. Public opinion is against him. Pictures in Milwaukee are judged by this standard: are they fit for all members of the family to see together? There is no segregation of audiences in Milwaukee, no performances "For Men Only," or "For Women Only," and no such sign"; as "Children under Sixteen Not .\dmilted." The citizens' commission does not encourage the maintenance of a theatre specializing in the salacious. However, not all performances are held down to the level of the undeveloped mind. As G. R. Radley, the president of the commission, says, "Some scenes and titles are intelligible to those with a mature knowledge of life, but not to the child mind. We tr>' to have only those scenes shown which will leave children none the wiser about things not already understood." The big stick held by the citizens' commission is the possible revoking of the license of a motion picture house which insists on showing objectionable films. The mayor puts responsibility on this point squarely up to the commission. However, a thorough understanding as the result of an admonition generally has the desired effect. 83