Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 26, 1942)

Vol. 8, No. 35 HYE BOSSIN, Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd, 5th Floor, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Phone ADelaide 4310, Price 5 cents each or $200 per year. Strife Stuff What kind of program best meets the current taste? War pictures vs. escape films—which come closest to the public demand? What does the public want of films, recreation and entertainment or inspiration and information? Most exhibitors would say recreation and entertainment. But according to the latest assay of public preferences, the movie patron wants a well-balanced program, one that includes everything. And he or she is not afraid of the grim realities of war as pictured by Hollywood. etc. That was an earlier impression that came much closer to being true a year ago than it does today. War pictures weren't being as well made as now. Newsreels, in particular, got many criticisms for their unvarnished presentation of the havoc of war. One Canadian screen critic complained many times of the unpleasantness to be encountered in Canadian theatres. Then, for a while. war shots became less and less frequent. Even the fall of France seemed remote. Suddenly came the great raids on England, the attacks in Libya, the Japanese attacks upon American and Empire territory, the spirit-lifting reversal of the Nazis in Russia, one after the other. Somewhere between them the people rediscovered the war. It would have been our greatest tragedy if the average people of the continent had remained but slightly aware of the war and the need for sacrifice. Hollywood and Elstree were turning out war pictures when they meant only minor box-office. When, with the new and deeper realization of the meaning of the war to each and all, the cry arose for war themes, the motion picture industry, from production to exhibition, was ready to provide it. We would have deserved the worst condemnation if we hadn’‘t been. Facts and Figures The current preference in the matter of newsreel content is very interesting. The newsreel was the target of those who thought that the mere entry into a theatre should be synonymous with escape. Now the Motion Picture Research Bureau, under Dr. Leo Handel. gives the result of a poll made to determine newsreel tastes. The result shows that 85 per cent of the patrons questioned want varied types of war shots in the newsreels. The men reached a figure of 89 per cent and women voted 81 per cent for strife stuff. The Canadian public had these preferences before the American, being deeper into the war until recently. During the last year 26 government clips were added to newsreels from the United States being shown in Canada. These were beside the usual inclusions of Canadian shots, most of which were about the war, and the war shots that come with the newsreel. Then there are the National Film Board shorts. We’ve had our share of reality in theatres for a long time. Play the war, Sydney Bernstein told American film men, and they’re doing it now. Added to it being their duty, it’s what the public wants. That combination in action is heartening. The public _ isn’t kidding itself any longer. It wants to know what's going on and what the country needs to win. And it is prepared to go far beyond that in providing it. Canadian FILM WEEKLY «a> August 26, 1942 Managing Editor Nathanson Gets Phoney Rap (Continued from Page 1) Davies, a political writer of considerable standing. Nathanson’s connection with the motion picture business led him to be accused of “not desiring anything on the radio which might keep customers away from movie palaces” by Davies. The article, called ‘‘What About the CBC?”, appeared in the Canadian Tribune, a Labor weekly published in Toronto. Davies is a regular contributor to Saturday Night, the current issue carrying an article by him on the subject of Labor and Management. He is well-known in the Canadian writing field as a contributor to Magazine Digest, the Star Weekly and other newspapers and magazines. Davies defended Gladstone Murray, CBC head, who is the target of much criticism now. Of Nathanson, who has played little part in the present controversy, he wrote: “The CBC is headed by a Board of Governors consisting of political appointees of the King Government, almost all of whom directly represent the ‘vested’ interests of the country. This, in the present situation, would not in itself militate against the usefulness and capability of such a board. “What is more serious is that the leading individual on the Board of Governors is N. L. Nathanson, a motion picture tycoon whose interest in radio is in conflictwith his major interest in films. Mr. Nathanson’s business interests inhibit him from desiring anything on the radio which might keep customers away from his movie palaces. “Mr. Nathanson wants to save money instead of spending it on better programs and _ publicity. Mr. Nathanson is a ‘business’ man and hence wants the CBC (succeeds in having the CBC) accept more and more money for commercial broadcasting, frequently sacrificing the public interests.” Further down in the article the writer repeated his charge of movie interference: “What we need is good publicity for the CBC, an end to radio-press rivalry encouraged by the advertising media of the movie industry.” Motion picture executives, on being asked their opinions of Davies’ claims, said they were ridiculous. Motion picture people at no time have interfered in radio and many are using it every day in advertising their theatre programs. Regal Films, one of Nathanson’s interests, makes advertising records and encourages ex August 26th, 1942 Regulations Nixed—Indies (Continued from Page 1) hand, it seems that the chains and distributors have not lent anything like approximate support to the okaying of the draft. Not because they disapprove of it. There is a lack of willingness on their part to indulge in an unseemly squabble. Mr. R. C. McMullen, Ottawa's Director of the Theatre and Film section of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, told a Film Weekly reporter before he (the Director) left for his vacation that he anticipated the approval and return of the draft of regulations as sub mitted. It was his opinion that the draft would be returned last week. So far it still lingers in Ottawa. The first public information of what is contained in the draft is provided in the 32-page booklet issued by the Barnett E. Laxer organization, the Independent Moticn Picture Exhibitors of Ontario, and endorsed by their national extension, the National Council of Independent Exhibitors. This booklet makes many sharp attacks on the conduct of the distributors and chains. Mr. McMullen, as part of the agreement with the Advisory Council, has refused to make public the draft or any sections of it until it has been finally approved and become law. The booklet reveals certain portions of it to which the Laxer Indies are objecting. These are (1) moving the basic period forward one season, (2) the lumping of top category pictures with special features and (3) the forced buying clause. The Indies have long requested a guarantee of future product but apparently the measures worked out by Mr. McMullen to provide it don’t suit them. And they’re willing to wager that Ottawa won’t okay them. hibitors everywhere in Canada to patronize Radio by using them. It is considered that N. L. Nathanson, in the present instance, is a victim of his zeal for public service, leaving himself open, because of his motion picture connections, to ill-founded charges such as the Davies’ one. Complete Theatre Equipment and Supplies COLEMAN ELECTRIC CO. 258 VICTORIA ST:, Toronto, Ont.