Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Mar 27, 1948)

Page scan 0004 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Mar 27, 1948
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Mar 27, 1948)
Leaf #:
0004
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, Early Cinema, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Media Magazines Project, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Editors: Merrick R. Nutting (1917-18), Raymond S. Peck (1918), Ray Lewis (1918-19 and 1920-54), Walter Greene (1919-20), Jay Smith (1954-57)

Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57) was initially a Montréal-based rival of the first film paper in Canada, Toronto-based Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18, edited by W.A. Bach 1915-17, J.W. Cambridge 1917-18, Raymond S. Peck 1918). The two periodicals were combined in 1918, keeping the Digest name, but moving production to Toronto with Peck as editor. Canadian Moving Picture Digest assumed The Bulletin’s volume numbering and always claimed 1915 as its year of origin. Ray Lewis (née Rae Levinsky) was a writer and playwright, who spent time in early Hollywood’s publicity departments. She briefly took the Digest helm in 1918, then long-term editor, later owner and publisher, from 1920 until her death in 1954. Under Lewis’s leadership, the trade paper claimed to serve as a voice for independent exhibitors and advocated for a Canadian cultural presence in cinema, particularly emphasizing British films as a way to keep a distance from Hollywood. Lewis's editorials were notable for their advocacy, wit, and critique of American dominance in the Canadian film market. While initially positioning herself as an outsider, she became integrated within the industry and a true insider. She even had an ongoing correspondence with Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, advocating for the industry as a whole and supporting British film imports. She was well-known at Toronto’s Dundas Square film row as well as in New York and Hollywood. Variety’s Sime Silverman called her “the Girl Friend in Canada,” and she delighted when U.S. writers not “in the know” presumed “Ray” was a man’s name. Lewis was later an inaugural member of the Canadian Picture Pioneers, eventually the group’s first female president and Pioneer of the Year. After she died in 1954, her son Jay Smith took over editorial duties until Canadian Moving Picture Digest was bought by Nat Taylor’s Film Publications of Canada in 1957. Taylor incorporated the legacy journal into a joint masthead for Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70), which subsequently dated its roots back to the 1915 origins of the film press in Canada.

– Jessica Whitehead and Paul Moore, March 2024

Further Reading

  • Whitehead, Jessica, Louis Pelletier and Paul Moore, “‘The Girl Friend in Canada’: Ray Lewis and Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1915–1957).” In Daniel Biltereyst and Lies Van de Vijver, eds., Mapping Movie Magazines: Digitization, Periodicals and Cinema History, 127-52. London: Pagrave-Macmillan, 2021.

Date Added:
April 11, 2024
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March 27th, 1948 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Academy’s 20th Anniversary To Release Family Film Album Additional Academy Awards Presented Including the Special Awards as presented in our editorial, “Spotlig! a it Academy Awards”, the following additional Awards were presented. “Uncle Remus” in Pioneers of Motion Pictures, Col. Wm. N. Selicl Col. Selick was in pictures in 1909. Vitagraph, and Thomas Arnott. In March of 1896 and in 1897, Vitagraph produced a comedy with a cast of three, total cost of production, $3.50 excluding film which was 7 4 cents per foot; but in 1896, Alfred Smith relates that he made a feature, from cutouts of photographs, cost of production, $1.98. It was a feature of a battle and the press reported that the picture was better than the battle. There was a presentation of The Academy’s Family Film Album, dating back twenty years, to Douglas Fairbank’s United Artists feature, SAB Tong Ole An Oscar for Best Achievement in Film Editing was won by Enterprise Productions’ “Body and Soul”. Among the voiced expressions of thanks for their respective Awards, two were from the heart to the heart. Edmund Gwenn’s remark. “Thank you who have made the evening of my life such a happy one” and Loretta Young’s wistful sigh as she looked at her Oscar And satd.. ~ 6 som Vou, that) kong Last”. Film Oscar Reviews The Academy’s Film album will add 26 Distinguished Guests to its Film Pages and is to be generally released, presenting a Huge Oscar Review, for the first time. Remembered in the Family Album are Sydney Toler, Harry Carey, Ernst Lubitsch, Mark Hellinger, Grace Moore, Leo Forster, all who have passed away since the presentation of last year’s Academy Awards. Your editor heard the Academy Awards on the Radio, 10.30 p.m., our time, and the ceremonies, with twelve M.C.’s, continued until 1.30 a.m. Song Awards It was a thrilling Radio programme, which started off with Jean Hersholt remarking that R-K-O-Radio won the “first Academy Award for Sound in 1934. In 1936, Jerome Kern’s song, “The Way You Look Tonight”, won an Award; in 1937, Bing Crosby, Paramount picture and in 1938, “Thanks For The Memory”. In 1940, R-K-O’s “Pinnoccio” — Walt Disney, recetved -anAward, -and ni 1947 “White Christmas’ in Paramount’s “Holiday Inn”. Going back to 1935, “Goldiggers of 1935”, Warner Bros.’ “Lullaby of Broadway” received an Award and M-G-M’s “Last Time I Saw Paris” song in “Lady Be Good”. In 1943, in Warner Bros. “Hello Frisco”, the song, “You'll Never Know”, won an award and in 1944, the song, “Swinging On A Star” in Paramount’s “Going My Way,” “Song Of The South” — James Baskett. Plaque Awards to the x, Albert E. Smith, founder of achieved Academy Award distinction. In 1945, still singing the Awards of songs, “It Might As Well Be Spring” sang itself to an award in Paramount's “State Fair” and in 1946; M-G-M’s “Harvey Girls”, won an award for the song, “Atchison Topeka and the Santa Be”. po. Again returning to, 1939, M-G-M’s “Wizard of Oz’. received a song award for “Over The Rainbow” 12 Emcee’s Officiate Jean Hersholt introduced the Family Film Album from 1928-1948, and among the MC’s who officiated were George Murphy, member of the Board, Warde Ogden of Price Waterhouse, Robert Montgomery, Shirley Temple, Larry Parks, Donald Crisp, Olivia De Havilland, Dick Powell, Agnes Moorehead, Ingrid Bergman, Fredric March, the latter who made the presentation to Darryl Zanuck, for the best picture of the year, ‘“‘Gentleman’s Agreement’, and the best performance by an actress, the latter which went to Loretta Young. These Annual Awards are “the heat s Film Event and while many are elated with their Awards, there are many disappointments. Dmytrick did a magnificent job in his directing of R-K-O’s “Crossfire”, and Rosalind Russell, in “Mourning Becomes Electra”, revealed rare and real histrionic ability, as did John Mills in “Great Expectations”. Gregory Peck’s work in ““Gentleman’s Agreement” was outstanding, for his was a characterization which required very careful handling. For all-round characterizations, no picture presented a better cast than “Great Expectations”. Forceful Message Awards For the pioneering of a timely and forceful idea, R-K-O’s “Crossfire” came first in our opinion and should have shared a Special Award with “Gentleman’s Agreement” for their joint contribution towards tolerance, human relations, human behavior and understanding, all of which are the first requisites toward One World and World Peace. It is our opinion, that considering the conflict of world opinion today, there should be an Oscar for the picture which contains the most powerful message for good, for international good-will, for Peace, and with such a goal in view, producers may be urged to tread where angels have not feared to tread, and for the confusion of those who would make the Power of the Screen just Escapist Entertainment. ; (EDITOR) Page 5 FOREIGN PRESS AWARDS The American Foreign Language Press Film Critics Circle, covering over 100 Papers, named “Gentleman’s Agreement” the best picture of the year. Charles Schlaifer, 20th Century-Fox publicity and advertising director, received the award on behalf of the company. The J. Arthur Rank Cine-Guild production, “Great Expectations’, was selected as the best British pictuge. “Shoe Shine” won much praise asthe best foreign-language film produced. “Jolson”, “Egg And I” Top New Liberty Poll Preceeding other polls, New Liberty has announced the results of its first Annual Movie Award Poll. New Libe’ erty sent a questionnaire to each of Canada’s 1300 movie exhibitors. From the returns sent in, the following results were obtained from the tabulations. Columbia’s “The Jolson Story” was considered the best film of the year by exhibitors all over the country. In addition “The Jolson Story” is in first place as the biggest money-making picture at the box office. “The Egg And I’, Empire-Universal release, was considered the best comedy of the year. “The Jolson Story” was also considered the best musical. Canadian Paramount News presentation of the Royal Wedding was judged the best short subject; M-G-M’s “The Cat Concerto” was voted the best cartoon. Bing Crosby was the leader as the best male performer and Ingrid Bergman as the best female actress. Larry Parks was listed as the best new male star and Deborah Kerr as the best new female star. Alfred E. Green, director of “The Jolson Story” won the nod for the best direction. Best musical score was also that in “The Jolson Story”. Best dialogue award was presented to Fagle-Lion’s “Great Expectations”. In the final category, M-G-M’s “The Yearling’ was mentioned as the best photography. OTTAWA ENJOYS BALLET Ottawa lovers of the ballet have little to complain about this season, what with M-G-M’s “The Unfinished Dance”, featuring ballerinas Cyd Charisse and Karin Booth, on the Capitol Theatre screen, followed in short order on the Capitol stage by the Yolande LeDuc-Nesta ‘Toumine presentation of “Giselle” and “Once Upon’ a Time’, and Mia Slavenska and her Ballet Variante troup. Yolande LeDuc and Nesta Toumine conduct a dance academy here and the ballet they staged was mainly composed of. students headed by jean Stoneham, with Viadimir Dokoudorsky and Sviatoslav Toumine as guest artists. ‘The latter’s wife, incidentally, is the former Nesta Williams of Ottawa. The Ballet Varlante engagement was sponsored by the local concert impresario, Antonio Tremblay.