Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 14, 1942)

Vol. 8, No. 42 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 $2.00 per year. A Letter From Hell Dear Screen Guide, It’s a long way from this neck of the woods to Hollywood, _ Calif., but.now we're all in this war together I thought it wouldn’t be out of place for a London Cockney, to send you a thank-you note—not just you but the whole motion’ picture industry—for what you did for us in the blitz. Perhaps you don’t know you did anything. Well, at the outbreak of the war all the movie houses were shut. It was dismal, and everybody got browned off at having nowhere to go. A few weeks later the Government lifted the ban. I was the first man in the first movie to re-open. You should have seen the smiles, the good wishes for the manager and his missus, the gusto the organist put into playing us all back in again with “The Lambeth Walk.” Since then we’ve been through a lot—the Jerries bashed us half but not quite all the way to hell, yet we still went to the movies. Abbott and Costello kept us laughing. Rita Hayworth, Hedy Lamarr, Ann Sheridan and Veronica Lake kept us reminded oomph was better than crumph. And this wasn’t just plain moviegoing. Crumph, crumph from guns and bombs was our daily and nightly commentary, as it still is at Dover, Hull and a dozen other places. Every morning when we got to the shop or office we’d learn another stalwart neighbourhood movie house had been crushed to rubble by a bomb, victim of Nazi “kultur.’”’ Maybe half its audience was in the hospital or the morgue, yet, just so long as you sent us pictures—and that was all the time—we were there to see them. Or maybe we'd meet a chap who'd been to see “Jesse James, The Bandit” the night before only to arrive home and find “Goering the Gasbag” had kindly smoothed it down level with the pavement for him. Yes, the movies were and are good friends in this war. Under every cinema screen there are two flashers. One says “Alert” in red and -the other “All Clear’ in green. So what? So nobody takes any notice of them. I have sat in the Regal, Marble Arch, while the gunfire from the guns in the Park rocked the theatre on its foundations, yet the audience went on laughing at a West Point comedy. I’ve also taken a duck under the seat when the glass started falling off the lights in’ a Picadilly picture house the afternoon Jerry bombed Buckingham Palace. But what the heck, the show went on and soon Deanna Durbin’s voice, unforgettably lovely, made the rumble of bombs and guns less frightening and soon forgotten. So the movies went on and kept us sane. Here’s thanking you, Screen Guide—we receive copies from. friends in Canada when Jerry doesn’t send them to the bottom —for bringing us news of the new movies and a great big hand for the industry which did so much to keep us “thumbs up” during our darkest hour. Yours truly LESLIE WOOD (Home Guard: Royal Berkshire Regiment) Another thing: In the praise that has poured out to all sections of the motion picture industry the fan magazines have been forgotten. Their great number is a tribute to their popularity. Screen magazines such as Screen Guide are doing much to provide relaxing reading for their vast public and directing it to follow the industry and support its war effort. Their part should be acknowledged. ~ These days, when stars are joining the services, it will ‘be necessary to keep alive the popularity of those who remain and to help build new ones. For these purposes the fan magazines are doing a great job for the industry. It remains for exhibitors to support the fan magazines by giving regular playing dates to those stars, such as, for instance, George Formby, who will continue to appear on the screen. Canadian FILM WEEKLY October 14, 1942 OLA Bia alt Rd titer i Sa HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Industry Should Be Essential (Continued from Paga 1) when the limit is reached. At the same time the government comes to them to assist in stamp, bond and salvage drives, as well as requiring running time for government shorts. All this has been done cheerfully but why the government doesn’t give some word that will indicate that this avenue of expression and service will be kept open escapes them. The major allied nations have given every consideration to the motion picture industry, both in production and exhibition, despite the hardships of bombing and invasion. Washington has just made its first exemptions of film workers—certain types of newsreel employees—and has encouraged others to stay on the job. Ottawa -|-gives priority to the National Film Board for the making of shorts relating to the war but seems to have forgotten about guaranteeing the future of the movie house, without which NFB expenditures mean nothing. The Quebec group addressed the following resolution to the government: WHEREAS the Moving Picture Industry has been and is considered and classified by all United Nations: Britain, United States and Russia, as essential to the pursuit and to the success of the war; and WHEREAS our country, Canada, is thé only exception to this rule; and WHEREAS this Industry _ has been aiding through the screen in Canada the Department of Finance, National Defence, Propaganda, Information and all government agencies to help the good morale of the population and to enlighten them as to their duty; and | WHEREAS the order-in-council P.C. 2250 dated March 21st classifying the moving picture industry as non-essential prevents and hinders the operation of theatres; and : WHEREAS with the increased demands on labor and materials for war purposes the theatres will finally be forced to close down and thus end our war effort in keeping up the morale of the public as well as fulfilling the services that the Government is expecting from us; be it . RESOLVED that the members of Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries request the Honorable Minister of Labor to modify the present classification of the theatres and to include them on the list of essential industries. October 14th, 1942 Falk Heads No. 2 V-Loan Group (Continued from Page 1) and in its future activities. These reports have been incomplete. There are two national advisors for the motion picture industry acting with the National War Finance Committee, namely, Fitzgibbons, president, Famous Players-Canadian Corporation and chairman of Canadian Motion Picture War Services Committee, as well as Henry Falk, president of National Council of Independent Exhibitors of Canada. Thus far, only the program and activities of Mr. Fitzgibbons’ group have been reported and discussed. In order to get complete coverage it was seen fit to set up another group of provincial advisors from Independent exhibitor organizations across the country. Mr. Falk has now appointed the following to act as advisors to the Provincial National War Finance Committee in geographic centers. The Independent provincial advisors are: H.-G. Stevenson, Edson, Alta.; R. McTavish, Vancouver, B.C.; H. Shulman, Winnipeg, Man.; Arthur A. Fielding, St. John, N.B.; A. J. Mason, Springhill, ._N.S.; B. E. Laxer, Toronto, Ont.; L. K. Jones, Verdun, Que.; Eug. Beaulac, Montreal, Que.; W. T. Mahon, Prince Albert, Sask. Mr. Falk has stated to this publication that his separate set-up might have been obviated had Mr. Fitzgibbons and his organization seen fit ta include the accredited Independent representatives in the existing working Committee already established by Mr. Fitzgibbons. (Editor’s Note: The above report has been printed as issued.) Esquire Offers Two Groups — Esquire Films has two strong groups of films ready for the 1942-43 season, one of 14 and the other 20, among which are a number of long-awaited films of proven boxoffice power.. The group of 20 is headed by George Formby, one of the best gross boosters in the Dominion. Other films are “We Dive at Dawn,” “Uncensored,” “Big Blockade,” “Jeannie” and “Cottage to Let.”’ The Anglo-American group is headed by “Mr. V,” “One of Our Aircraft is Missing,” “Salute John Citizen’ and others. “Aircraft” and “Citizen” have already been hailed by critics as top jobs. A number of these have the added power of famed directors and writers, as well as definite name value. na ak, = ~ x