Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 25, 1942)

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. ‘In Which We Serve’ We have just seen the worthiest picture of the war, a United Artists’ release called “In Which We Serve.” Representing the many-sided talent of Noel Coward, it is one of the finest examples of motion picture art and craftsmanship ever made. It’s unspangled majesty expresses with utter honesty the quiet greatness of the citizen in uniform. A tribute to the British Navy, it is an interpretation and presentation of why sailors return again and again to face death. The fighters here live their heroism in true relation to the things that bring it forth as naturally as the day. In that alone it makes most of our war films seem spurious amd the rest minor. It is told in terms of humanity rather than machinery and rage. It will scar your imagination for a long time afterwards. You can no more leave it behind in the theatre than you can your life. The power of its appeal is unmatched in the history of the screen. The return of a batch of Dunkirk’s bedraggled heroes, saved by the seamen, makes a sailor's knot of your heartstrings. Assembling on the dock completely exhausted, they slowly regain their military bearing and march away with heads high. As they file off the screen you want to stand up and roar after them the things that are in your heart. When these hard sailors, returning to battle after being saved from the ship they loved and lost, speak their soft goodbyes to the captain, it is the finest expression of comradeship ever recorded. You sense that the picture is coming to an end. The fear of being left behind by these men whose fortunes you have shared grows so strong that you want to run after them, to go with them and share their next glorious adventure. “In Which We Serve” is the story of many, yet it unfolds clearly and effortlessly. Each sailor clinging to the raft in the face of machine gun fire from the air, returns through memory to the people and places he loves. The only thing theatrical about it is the medium. So great a use has been made of the possibilities of the screen that you remain unaware of the episodic nature of the story. The war will bring many films but this one will rank easily among the best. If not the best. bod cd % A Good Response The news that almost 300 theatres have become affiliated with the motion Picture Theatre Owners Association of Ontario through their owners is heartening to all who want to see one representative exhibitors’ body in Canada’s leading province. Interest is growing every day and enquiries are pouring in. Many exhibitors have had no inclination to join classified organizations with a fixed stand because such « stationery position makes no allowance for the logic of events. The ever-amiable Syd Taube, secretary of the new organization, is hitting the road to talk to the exhibitors personally. Syd enjoys their confidence and it isn’t like him to expound something in which he has no faith. The ranks of this all-embracing exhibitors’ organization will have grown by the time he returns. —_—<—$—$—<—————————————— Vol. 8, No. 48 November 25, 1942 VA A ES ee HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor yeti ee ere A error a a Canadian FILM WEEKLY oS Sugarman and November 25th, 1942 (1941 Figures Maynard to PRC |Show Biz Gain (Continued from Paga 1) believes that his background will enable him to grasp film matters quickly. Maynard, who returns to film business after three years in other fields, is the son of the late William H. Maynard, well remembered as an exhibitor in Toronto and Ottawa. Maynard, senior, who died in 1935, was one of the first theatre owners in Canada. He owned the Fairyland, Ottawa, in partnership with Ben Stapleton, father of the present owner of the Centre, Ottawa, Don Stapleton. Maynard, junior, assisted his father in the operation of the La Rita, Hillcrest, Christie and other Toronto houses. Prior to leaving the business in 1939 he was with B & F, for which circuit he managed the Beaver, Parliament and Prince of Wales Theatres in Toronto. He’s a graduate of La Salle Academy, Ottawa, and Notre Dame University, Indiana, USA. He played football at the latter school under the late Knute Rockne. Maynard, a Pilot Officer, was recently discharged from the RCAF because of injuries. Ephraim R. Sugarman, the Winnipeg branch manager, is an outstanding citizen of the West where, as a barrister, he enjoyed a fine reputation in legal circles. Though born and graduated in Ontario, he spent many years in Edmonton and Vancouver. Harry Allen feels that he is a fine acquisition to the Canadian industry as well as PRC. Paul Maynard expressed himself as having great faith in the present PRC product and the future of the company. Protection for Army Zones (Continued from Paga 1) camps in isolated areas will not be affected. The intention is likely to have the four-month period apply to 35 mm. films and six months for the 16 mm. prints. Originally army camps_ got prints one year after general release. This was reduced to six months when the boys asked for newer pictures, an arrangement that hasn’t met with complete satisfaction either. In the USA theatres and army camps play day and date but this has been found impossible here because holdovers in regular theatres would leave them behind the camps. There are some 350 camps in Canada and 40 of them run 35 mm, films. (Continued from Page 1) The 1941 figures have not yet been officially revealed and the present information was issued to serve until more detailed reports are arrived at. Grosses rose steadily in spite of the amusement tax and frozen admission prices. Considering that the film industry required little increase in capital expenditure, the gain means much more when compared with the same amount in other industries. The motion picture industry has kept pace with the increase in buying power throughout’ the Dominion, though it falls behind some industries. According to the Monetary Times, the first six months of 1941 showed an increase of 17 per cent in retail buying over the previous year—some }250 to $275 millions more. The magazine estimated that the pre-war $5,000 per year man now needs $9,000 to buy the same amount. The average weekly envelope this summer was $28.31 compared with $25.35 in June, 1941. Average total earnings of families is now $2,900 as compared with $1,433. The new total pays income tax, higher prices and still has $900 per year over. More than 5,000,000 Canadians are now wage-earners, 750,000 more than in August, 1940. A great many of these are new earners out of schools and from the ranks of the unemployed. McEwan to Army George McEwan, assistant manager of the Geneva, Orilla, has joined the army. B. W. Hyslop will join Manager Les Vicary in his place. HAVE US REBUILD YOUR PROJECTORS NOW WHILE REPAIR PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE Pe ELECTRIC S COMPANY LIMITED 277 VICTORIA STREET 2027 BLEURY STREET TORONTO MONTREAL