The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

THE BIOSCOPE 37 September 9, ]931 At the C.E.A. Meetings Portsmouth to Support Booking Pool But Chairman Thinks Scheme “Doomed to Failure” The Portsmouth Branch held their first monthly meeting after the August holidays at the Secretary’s office, Southsea, on September 2nd. The Chairman, Councillor F. J. Spickernell, presided. Sunday opening, film classification, and co-operative booking were among the matters dealt with. A REMINDER, was received from the General Secretary that the exhibitors’ licences issued by the Board of Trade would expire on September 30th, and that application for renewal should he sent in before that date. A further letter from the General Secretary dealt with the case of small exhibitors, it being stated that the representations made by the C.E.A. that small halls could not afford the present percentages were beginning to receive favourable consideration. They anticipated that it might be possible to evolve with the renters individually a rental scheme that would enable halls whose takings did not exceed £125 a week to book on a basis that would permit them to run at a profit, but it was emphasised that this would apply only to such halls in either a solus position or where there were one or two small halls in the same district. Cinemas situated in such positions were asked to make a return of their takings for the past 26 weeks as spon as possible, in order that a special class of cinemas might be prepared and submitted to the renters for more favourable renting conditions. A Booking Pool one. Matters might become legal once they ceased to be political, which happened when a Bill became an Act, and legal matters were dealt with out of the general fund. Mr. Daniels commented that the political fund was doing good work and was deserving of support. Wanted, a National Measure The Chairman referred to the position which had arisen in regard to the Sunday Opening Bill on the formation of the National Government, and said the dropping of the Bill would not affect Portsmouth at all. In his view the Bill was a bad Bill, and the charity clause was all wrong. What was wanted was a national Sunday opening measure, leaving it to the exhibitors whether they would open or not. The best thing that could happen was for the present Bill to be thrown out and for all cinemas and piers to be closed. With a few wet Sundays they might then get a common-sense simple Act. Sussex and the It was commented that the Portsmouth Corporation were still opening the South Parade Pier on Sundays, and it was suggested that some action should be taken in regard to that. , ,, , J. W. Mills urged that the whole thing should be left to the choice of the people. If Sunday licences were granted, and the public patronised the cinemas, it would show that there was a demand for them, and if they were not patronised they would be automatically closed. Theatre Going Over It was stated in further discussion that a local theatre was going over to the pictures shortly, and a question was raised as to standing room, which is at present allowed in theatres, but not in cinemas. It was suggested that before the renewal of the cinematograph licences at the end of the year a deputation should again wait on the local Watch Committee in regard to the matter. Talking About Cricket ! ... Arising out of the report of the recent joint outing of the Portsmouth and Sussex Branches, the Secretary stated that a suggestion had been made by Sussex, who now held the cricket cup, that the cricket match next year should be arranged between exhibitors from the two Branches and a team representing the renters. _ # . . The idea found favour, but in view of the fact that it will fall to Portsmouth’s lot to make the arrangements next year, it was decided to allow the Testimonial to H. J. Cook The Secretary also submitted the list of subscriptions received towards the proposed testimonial to H. J. Cook, in recognition of his valued services to the Branch, and a committee was appointed, consisting of the Chairman, Gordon Pannell, R. G. W. Stokes and J. W. Mills, to report as to the form the testimonial should take. Political Fund Reference was also made by the Chairman to the proposal to form a co-operative booking scheme, which is to be brought before the General Council. He said that, so far as Portsmouth was concerned, he did not tliink they would ever get the local exhibitors to hand their bookings into a general pool. The idea was a good one, if they could combine like the circuits for booking purposes, but the human element was bound to enter in. Major Gale was trying to explore the possibilities, but in his opinion the scheme was doomed to failure from the start. There were now about 600 films being issued annually, a large number of which were British, and the question of a shortage did not exist. He did not think the renters should dictate to them how to run their halls, but films, like every other commodity, should be open to barter. J. W. Mills said that the manufacturers graded the films when they were produced, and would not go below a price. Councillor Spickernell added that, since the renters had been on sharing terms, they had discovered that some halls had been paying a very low price for their films, and they naturally felt that they should get a little more. With regard to the question of film classification, the Secretary suggested that the views of the Branch might be helpful to their delegate. No Government or Local Censor The (Chairman gave his own opinion that there was too much interference by a number of “ goodygoody” people. It did not matter whether they had “ A ” or “ U ” films, there was a certain body of people who really wanted to see the cinemas shut. Those were people they would never satisfy, but unfortunately they were argumentative, and got into power, although they were a comparatively small body. Mx. Daniels remarked that film classification was becoming a very difficult question, and Mr. Mills added that there were many “ A ” films which ought to be “ U.” The Chairman said the question was how were they going to manage it. They did not want a Government censor or a censor from the local Guildhall. Mr. Mills said that if only a gun or a revolver came into a picture that seemed to be sufficient for it to be marked an “ A ” film. The Chairman said they could only leave the matter to the General Council and support them in anything they did in the matter. The Political Fund The Secretary referred to the fact that the General Council had kept a close watch on Bills recently promoted by both the Portsmouth and Brighton Corporations, and in the latter case had secured the deletion of a clause dealing with advertising displays, which would have been detrimental to cinemas. The cost of the action taken had been met from the political fund, and a suggestion had been made by Sussex that this fund should be called the legal defence fund. Oa this point a letter was read from the General Secretary explaining that the term political fund was used because it was so described in one of tbe Acts of Parliament which regulated the affairs of Trade Unions. All matters which came before Parliament were political. Political representation was one of the uses to which the fund could be put, but nvas a mistake to assume that this was the only Comic Situation Affects Official Journal Following consideration of a written explanation as to how the Political Fund of the Association was operated, members of the Sussex Branch decided that it was a Fund worthy of members’ financial support. An amusing interlude — which should he appreciated most by W. Gavazzi King — arose at last week’s Branch meeting when the Chairman, J. Van Koert, pointed out that certain matter printed in the C.E.A. official journal had been adopted by a firm of renters as an advertisement 1 The question, “ Has the Trade the Press it Deserves,” asked by Gavazzi King at the Brighton Conference, is revived by this piquant situation. THERE was a small attendance at the monthly meeting of the Sussex Branch of the C.E.A., held at the Regent Theatre, Brighton, on Tuesday last, under the chairmanship of J. Van Koert. Political Fund In reply to a resolution from the Branch urging that the title “ Political Fund ” should be changed to “ Legal Defence Fund,” or some similar designation, the General Secretary wrote stating that there was evidently a misconception in the minds of members. The term Political Fund was used because it was so described in one of the Acts of Parliament which regulated the affairs of Trade Unions, but a confusion sometimes arose from the fact that people did not differentiate between what was political and partly political. All matters which came before Parliament were political, and for those purposes the Fund could be used. Political representation was one of the uses to which it could be applied, but it was a mistake to assume that this was the only one. It was not, as the Branch suggested, a Legal Defence Fund, legal matters being dealt with out of the general funds. Matters might become legal once they had ceased to be political, which happened when an object was not political, such as the promotion of a Bill, was passed into law. Matters arising subsequently might come before the Courts and the question became a legal one. “ Worthy of Subscriptions ” The letter was regarded by members as a satisfactory explanation, the Chairman expressing the opinion that he thought members now realised that the Political Fund was well worthy of their subscriptions. In Sussex they had already benefited by it, and he thought it -was the duty of members to subscribe to the Fund. Exhibitors’ Returns Wanted A letter was received from the General Secretary pointing out the necessity for members to forward returns of receipts to the Joint C.E.A. and K.R.S. Committee dealing with the matter. Randolph Richards (Vice-President of the Association) hoped every member would fill up a form giving the required information, which was strictly confidential. It was in their interests to do so if the Association were to he prepared for emergencies. Sunday Opening On the subject of Sunday Opening, the Chairman said it seemed likely that the Bill would automatically be carried, but it was impossible to come to any definite conclusions. Matters were rather in abeyance owing to the Government’s economy proposals, and less important questions would have to go by the board. The Secretary (A. Daniels), quoting from a statement in The Bioscope, said the question of a Referendum seemed to be ruled out entirely. Reference having been made to the excellent work of two Sussex M.P.s, Lord Eustace Percy and Sir Cooper Rawson, on the Committee stages of the Bill, Randolph Richards assured the meeting that the Association were leaving no stone unturned in the interests of exhibitors. “ A ” and “ U ” Pictures In a discussion on “ A ” and U films, A. Dearden remarked that films had ceased to become a children s performance. They now ranked with the stage. The Chairman thought it would be a wonderful thing if the Association were in a position to ban films to which exception might be taken, while the opinion was generally expressed that the system of censorship was in urgent need of revision. The Chairman called attention to the fact that an article which appeared in the C.E.A. official journal had been adopted by a renting firm and used by them in the form of an advertisement. He was surprised to find that an article from the official organ of the LE.A. could be used in that way. A Member : “ Perhaps the article was written by enters themselves." (Laughter). The BIOSCOPE would like to have the pleasure oj publishing Mr. Gavazzi King's comment on Urn matter. It is almost cynically humorous ( that Brighton should have been the first to ' spot this G.B. Circuit Ad. Film Alluding to the fact that a mobile “ talkie ” film saloon van had made its appearance in Brighton the previous day, the Chairman said that_ during the evening the van was on one of the public recreation grounds giving a free show as an advertisement for the British-Gaumont Circuit. R. H. Ainsworth : It was not a ‘ free show at all. It is up to the police to stop it if they wanted to. The Chairman : There is nothing to prevent them going all round the country and showing even outside your door. Last night it was within a stone’s throw of ray theatre, and there were 200 or 300 people having a free entertainment. R H. Ainsworth said the van was merely advertising the fact that the name of the Brighton Academy had been changed to The Tat.ler. He was surprised that the question should have been raised. They were all glad to take advantage of “ The Show Boat.” Tuesday, September 15th, was the date fixed for a visit by Branch to the Elstree Studios.