Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 16, 1942)

ee ee aS Vol. 8, No. 38 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., Sth Floor, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Phone ADelaide 4310, Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Canadian Guidance Though the Canadian motion picture industry has its own war effort, it has also a connection with the American one in a number of ways. We have influenced the character of certain of their pictures. Films such as “49th Parallel’’ and “Captains of the Clouds.” about Canada. have been an inspiration to the USA. These films, distributed by Americans throughout that part of the world still free, are teaching the same lesson everywhere—a lesson that is offered and received as Canadian. In Argentina today, a hot-bed of pro-axis activity, “49th Parallel” is breaking records and is one of the greatest single mediums of helping the United Nations’ cause in South America. There are other examples of Canadian guidance to Hollywood. From the business side the American industry, facing war problems experienced earlier by us, has called its Canadian members to New York for advice and promotions. American executives have been regular visitors here to study our freezing structure in order to prepare for the coming USA version of it, now heralded by President Roosevelt. When population shrinkage caused by manpower being drained off to war work centres became an exhibitors’ problem, it was the Canadian method of carrying those hard-hit that was adopted in the USA. Our National Film Board shorts, distributed by United Artists in the USA as “The World in Action” series, answered the American cry for immediate information about the war from the screen. Our American partners and brethren know this. Warners, which is Vitagraph in Canada, just extended its bonus plan payment to soldiers’ dependants so that it includes Canada. The activities of the motion picture industry on both sides of the border is the outstanding example and proof of the popular remark: “We're all in this thing together.” New Exhibitor Organization For Ontario Formed (Continued from Page 1) inconceivable that there should not exist at this time a single organization that could express the opinions of the entire exhibition field and make clear in every detail the needs of the exhibitor.” The new body, which will be chartered provincially, will be known as the Motion Picture Theatres’ Association of Ontario. It was pointed out that Quebec and other provinces have highlysuccessful organizations of the same nature and proponents of the idea are looking forward to the extension of the plan to the entire Dominion. President Nat A. Taylor emphasized the lack of unified expression in the industry at the moment, saying that it was imperative that circuits and Independents should have a common meeting ground, firstly to assist in the war effort and secondly as a means of future harmony. While drawing up methods of fair representation for all on the new board of directors, it was decided that election of officers of the ITA should be postponed until a new executive setup can be constituted from incoming members. The ITA membership was unanimous in their willingness to see their own organization dropped in favor of the new one. A number of well-known exhibitors present, such as Lloyd Gurr, Sam and Harry Firestone, Jake Smith, Syd Roth, Sam and Ben Ulster and others’ spoke whole-heartedly in favor of the plan and work has started to assist in its realization. A membership committee, comprising H. Freedman, Harry Firestone, Harry Mandell and N. A. Taylor, was appointed. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Sept. 16, 1942 SUL Nein eee eS HIYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor BE BOSS eee i Dieppe Newsreels Cause Criticism (Continued from Page 1) of thing in the future, negatives be sent to the National Film Board for editing and commentary. The newsreel treatment of the Dieppe affair, coming on top of the deep pride in Canada’s part in it, bred resentment not only with the general public but with Canadian film men saddled with their distribution and exhibition. The shots of the raid were definitely angled to fatten up the American part in the doings, though the USA war office made no such claims. The same treatment of this particular news in some sections of the American press caused more honest newspapers to deplore and criticize it. It came as a surprise to find the newsreels repeating the distorted story through the screen. Each company provided the same exaggerated report varying only in degree. The accumulation of Dieppe news shots were edited in New York and obviously for American consumption. The offhanded manner in which the finished versions were sent on to Canada without regard for the proper division of credit is more evidence of a certain narrow viewpoint which has long endured and is only now changing somewhat—that Canada is just another part of an American film district or division. Young, who made a thorough study of the reels in question before making his report, named ‘News of the Day” as the fairest pointing out that it stated that Canadians took the lead and were assisted by some picked Americans. His investigations caused him to bring up the whole question of the lack of true perspective when handling Canadian film news and stories. A number of documentaries dealing with the history of this war are ready for release and they will be scrutinized here for anything that may add fuel to the fire. Twentieth Century-Fox has one, “United We Stand,’”’ which devotes some footage to Canada’s place in the scheme of things. One shot shows President Roosevelt in Ottawa guaranteeing that the USA would move to meet any invasion of Canada. This statement, made before the USA entered the war, has historic importance. The Dieppe newsreels came under the rule that 20 per cent of newsreel material shown here must be Canadian but the type of treatment being criticized just now does little to serve the purpose of this edict. In his story Young quoted a letter received by him on the subject, which expresses generally how Canadians feel about it: September 16th, 1942 Exhib Acquitted Of Tax Charge (Continued from Page 1) picture theatre company, was also dismissed by Judge Lajoie. In handing down his judgment rejecting the cases against Mr. Paquin and the company which he heads, Judge Lajoie said there was nothing in the evidence to show that the Dominion Government had been defrauded of a single cent in tax payments. The Crown counsel claimed, the judge recalled, that an employee named C. Dalpe had been entered on the paylists of both the Francais Theatre in Ottawa and the Laurier Theatre in Hull. It had been established by the defence counsel, however, that there were actually two diffrent men—Christian Dalpe, employee of the Laurier Theatre in Hull, and Charles Dalpe, at the Francais Theatre in Ottawa. “There might have been irregularities in the book entries,’ the judge commented, “but there is no evidence that the company had not set forth the exact total amount paid them in the return, as filed. There is no evidence that the Government lost a single cent of taxes d from the company.” It was mentioned in argument by counsel that the company of Donat Paquin Limited had paid $1,915 in taxes to the Federal Government in 1938. Further, it was stated that during the past year, Mr. Paquin himself and the company had been paying Income 1|Tax at the rate of $30 a day. “On Saturday I saw the Dieppe newsreel at and was amazed that any Canadian theatre would have the complete unadulterated gall to show such a definitely American version of a Canadian exploit in Canada. I think it is the most scandalous example of newsreel reporting I have ever seen. Despite the fact that less than 100 Americans took part and Canadians were in the thousands, Canadians were only mentioned once, whereas the tone of commentary indicated that it was an American show. There was an additional shot of Canadians being buried, but even in this Canadians were only mentioned once and the subtitle looked as if it had been added in Montreal.” Premier Mitchell Hepburn of Ontario, under whom, as provincial treasurer, the motion picture censor board operates, screened the disputed reels. “I see nothing objectionable in the commentator’s description of the raid at all,” he said. “After all, there is no use trying to belittle the American war effort.” The premier said he would take no action.