Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

MR. HAYS OBLIGES (Continued from page 3) Published Every Saturday by Associated Publications Editorial Offices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. J. H. Gallagher, General Manager. Louis Rydell, Advertising Manager. Wm. Ornstein, Eastern editor. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable address: “Boxoffice, New York.” Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. Ivan Spear, Manager. Telephone Gladstone 1186. Publication Offices: 4704 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Telephone Chestnut 7777. Other Associated Publications: Boxoffice BAROMETER, Boxoffice RECORDS, Boxoffice PICTURE GUIDE, published annually; THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a section of Boxoffice. ALBANY — 21-23 Walter Ave., M. Berrigan. ATLANTA — 148% Walton St., N. W., Lee Fuhrman, Southeastern editor. Telephone Walnut 7171. BOSTON — 14 Piedmont St., Brad Angier, New England editor. Telephone Liberty 9305. BUFFALO — The Courier-Express, W. E. J. Martin. CHARLOTTE — The Observer, Mary B. Parham. CHICAGO — 332 S. Michigan Ave., Eugene D. T.ich, Central editor. Telephone Wabash 4575. CINCINNATI — 127 Tremont St., Ft. Thomas, Ky., Clara Hyde. Telephone Highland 1657. CLEVELAND — 12805 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Elsie Loeb. Telephone Fairmount 0046. DALLAS — 210 S. Harwood, V. W. Crisp, Southwestern editor. Telephone 7-3553. DENVER — 319 S. Clarkson St., J. A. Rose. DES MOINES — 2233 E. Grand, Rene McCluskey. DETROIT— 424 Book Bldg., H. F. Reves. Telephone Cadillac 9085. HOLLYWOOD — 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan Spear, Western editor. Telephone GLadstone 1186. INDIANAPOLIS — 2575 Churchman Ave., Howard N. Rudeaux. Telephone Drexel 3339. KANSAS CITY — 4704 East Ninth St., Jesse Shlyen, Midwest editor. Telephone CHestnut 7777. LITTLE ROCK — P. O. Box 253, Lynn Hubbard. Telephone 3-0156. MEMPHIS — 399 So. Second St., Oarolyne Miller. MILWAUKEE — 210 East Michigan St., H. C. Brunner. Telephone Kilbourn 6670-J. MINNEAPOLIS — 507 Essex Bldg., Maurice Wolff. NEW HAVEN — 42 Church St., Suite 915, Gertrude Pearson. Telephone 6-4149. NEW ORLEANS — 1509 Bodenger Blvd., J. W. Le gh. Telephone Algiers 1495. NEW YORK CITY — 9 Rockefeller Plaza, William Ornstein, Eastern editor. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. OKLAHOMA CITY — P. O. Box 4547, E. W. Fair. Telephone 7-1038. OMAHA — 1402 South 55th St., Monte Davis. PHILADELPHIA — 903 Manning St., Joseph Shaltz. PITTSBURGH — 1701 Blvd. of the Allies, R. F. Klingensmith. Telephone Atlantic 4858. PORTLAND, ORE. — The News-Telegram, D. W. Polivka. ST. LOUIS — 5149 Rosa Ave., David F. Barrett. Telephone Flanders 3727. SALT LAKE CITY — 605 LHah Savings & Trust Bldg., Viola B. Hutton. Telephone Hyland 4359. SAN FRANCISCO — 1095 Market St., Nathan Cohn. Telephone Market 6580. SEATTLE — 2417 Second Ave., Joe Cooper. Telephone Elliott 8678. WASHINGTON — -1426 G. St., Earle A. Dyer. IN CANADA CALGARY, ALTA. — The Albertan, Wm. Campbell. EDMONTON, ALTA. — The Bulletin, W. A. DeGraves. HAMILTON, O. — 20 Holton Ave., N., Hugh Millar. LONDON, O. — Free Press, Chas. E. Oarruthers. MONTREAL, QUEBEC — 4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael. Telephone Walnut 5519. REGINA, SASK. — The Star, Andy McDermott. ST. JOHN, N. B. — 34 Cranston Ave., S. Trueman. TORONTO, ONTARIO — 242 Millwood Road, Milton Galbraith. VANCOUVER, B. C. — 615 Hastings, C. P. Rutty. VICTORIA. B. C. — 350 Robertson, Tom Merriman. WINNIPEG, MAN. — 709 Selkirk Ave., Ben Lepkin. in the American scene; that this is well within comparatively easy accomplishment without converting a medium, founded upon, committed to and dependent upon its ability to entertain, into a machinery for propaganda, that loosely applied and easily bandied about word. So said "Notes" on March 11. And now on March 27 comes along Will H. Hays with this opening paragraph to his annual report: "While the barometer of the boxoffice went up and down with picture appeal and entertainment continued to be the commodity which the public supported, the past year has been notable for the rising tide of discussion as to the social function of the screen. In a period of great tension in world affairs, the conflict of opinion, however, as between those who would preserve the motion picture theatre as a center of popular recreation and those who would emphasize the social import of the art was more often apparent than real. The increasing number of pictures produced by the industry which treat honestly and dramatically many current themes proves that there is nothing incompatible between the best interests of the boxoffice and the kind of entertainment that raises the level of audience appreciation, whatever the subject treated." His second paragraph: "None the less, the discussion that proceeds is the greatest possible tribute to the progress of the screen. For it is proof of the fact that an entertainment art for the millions has risen to such high estate that the best which the living theatre has been able to produce or which other artistry can create is now demanded from the films. It is not so long ago that thrillinq action for its own sake was considered satisfying 'movie;' that the custard pie was the symbol of hilarity and amusement from the screen; that the chase was sure-fire entertainment technique; that boymeets-girl supplied all the drama that a motion picture audience apparently demanded." Your strict attention, please, to this: "Whatever may have been the merits or demerits of each picture from an artistic standpoint, today competent critics, in and out of the industry, are able to point to a succession of pictures which drama tized present day social conditions, which exposed slum areas in many of our great cities, which placed in true perspective the problems of medicine and medical care, which dealt with issues of war and peace, which treated of crime and crimebreeding, which showed human beings struggling for individuality against the forces of an increasingly complex civilization, which discussed the values of our present day democracy and emphasized the traditions that have made this nation great, which exposed racketeering, which treated of the problems of adolescence and which dealt with other themes notable for their educational value. "More pertinent, perhaps, than that an increasing number of such pictures are being produced by the industry, is the fact that some of these films proved not merely satisfactory, but outstanding entertainment and all were primarily artistic achievements, not partisan tracts.” And of special significance, finally, this: "It is inevitable in an art to which many are called but few are chosen, that there will be those who cry out there is no room on the screen for their ideas, their artistry or their talents; that controversial subjects are taboo or that they cannot express their creative instincts within the limits of the moral code established and enforced by the industry. These are matters for pictures, not words, to answer. The fact that the screen has handled successfully themes of contemporary thought in dramatic and vivid form and presented the subject matter as splendid entertainment, rather than propaganda, proves how much it can do today, and how much more it can do tomorrow." Hays, thus, not only has approached the point where the message on the signpost is restlessly awaiting some sort of a reply. He goes beyond. He recognizes and acknowledges the full point of that which BOXOFFICE has been saying for months, but in his own words and as an official utterance on behalf of the organized industry. No more complete substantiation is possible. iC 8 BOXOFFICE :: April 8, 1939