Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 21, 1943)

Vol. 8, No. 30 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Teronte, Ont., Gansta. Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year, Entered as Second Class Matter @ Us Again Most unusual ad to appear in the trade press in a long time is the one inserted by the inmates of San Quentin Prison and signed by Warden Clinton Duffy. Made up like a signed and sealed document, it is headed “Certificate of Appreciation to the Republic Picture Corporation, San Francisco,” and reads: “We, the inmates of San Quentin Prison, take this manner to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for your generous kindness and whole-hearted co-operation in supplying us with such excellent and high-quality Motion Pictures for our entertainment and diversion. “We men eagerly look forward to these pictures, not only for the amusement they afford us but for thelr educational and moral value as well. “They help to instil the right mental attitude In preparing us for resuming life’s normal ways when we have paid our debt to society, and are once again allowed to mingle freely among our fellow men outside these walls.” It’s a significant document to any willing to value the opinion of those deprived of their rights as enemies of Society. One is inclined to place some faith in it because the inmates have used their own state of life as the means by which the influence of motion pictures is judged. On the Other Hand Latest addition to the periodic charges that movies help demoralize the young comes from Chief Constable Draper of Toronto. The Chief, if he has time, can engage the opposition, as represented by the boys in San Quentin, in disputation. About motion pictures Chief Draper said: “The trend of modern times in the motion pictures seems to be the showing of the battle between the underworld and the forces of law and order. It may well be argued that, in all these pictures, the criminal is eventually brought to justice, but, certainly, in most instances great care is taken to point out just where the criminal made his mistake which resulted in his apprehension. Being generally in the feature role, the criminal Is quite often the child’s hero in the film. There is no doubt that motion pictures make an impression that is sometimes not in the best interests of the child’s welfare.” Most people think that the absence of mere violence and the presence of justice in motion pictures is enough to prevent children from getting the wrong idea. Children te follow the fortunes of the hero; which is proved by fan clubs. Juvenile delinquency today is an extraordinary situation brought on by new conditions. The motion picture is not a new condition. If it had the influence on the young which Chief Draper attributes to it, delinquency would have been a great problem since the development of the motion picture industry on a broad scale, instead of since the war. The fact is that from a juvenile standpoint motion pictures have been improved. The official and unofficial judges of what's good in movies have seen to that. We'd rather believe that some things have been added to the world of things which interest children. Those things are part of social conditions and war psychology. Juvenile delinquency begins with them. To blame the movies is taking the easy way. Not that the movies are blameless. Let sociologists be judges of that. But they’re not nearly so bad as some say they are. Canadian FILM WEEKLY July 21, 1943 HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Discuss NFB In Commons (Continued from Page 1) and in twelve different languages. Those films had a non-theatrical distribution of over a million. The series ‘The World in Action’ had a distribution of 2,250,000 in Canada. Bight of those films were distributed to 6,000 United States theatres, and three of them went to 500 United Kingdom theatres. In addition the wartime information board facilitated the production of a picture used in the victory loan campaign, of which 274 prints were made.” Of 14 commercial films made by the NFB for the WIB and distributed in South America, 11 were part of United Artists’ “World in Action” series. The films, which have Spanish and Portuguese sound tracks, were shown in 400 Mexican theatres also. Hight more are in preparation. John Grierson was appointed to head the WIB at the suggestion of his predecessor, who resigned because of illness, Mr. Claxton told the House. On loan from the NFB, he receives. his salary from the organization and only travelling expenses from the WIB. Jules Levey Lines Up Prominent Writers Jules Levey has signed nine topflight writers for the five big pictures he will make for United Artists, among them Howard Estabrook, who did “Human Comedy.” ie ae a 4 OS Sd < oa? JOHN 8. KORK He’s manager of the Royal Theatre, North Bay, Ontarlo, the 35th anniversary of which is being celebrated by citizens of the mining town. built as an opera house. It was July 21, 1943 (Plan Movies in Public Parks (Continued from Page 1) have expressed willingness to help, as have the Catholic youth organization, the Baptist Church, St. Christopher House, University Settlement, the Salvation Army, Anglican and Presbyterian churches. Labor groups are also co-operating. The Toronto Art gallery has sent speakers to factories on the subject of hobbies for workers off shift. The Royal Ontario Museum has offered the use of its galleries, its theatre and other facilities at operating cost. Boxing and dancing in closedoff streets or public parks are planned. In Toronto’s Trinity Park the Kiwanis’ Friday night movies are attended by thousands. Swing shift shows, organized unofficially by members of the conference, were the subject of a press controversy recently. Exhibitors classified them as failures while officials quoted figures to prove that they were a success. They were discontinued after a number of experiments. Safecrackers Busy in Vancouver Theatres Vancouver theatres have been suffering from a rash of safecrackers. The latest houses to entertain the unwelcome visitors were the Capitol and the Circle. At the Capitol thieves trussed up the elderly watchman and hammered the dial off the safe but were scared away before they could go any further. A protective agency sent an investigator because the watchman had not punched in and the former discovered the attempted robbery. The Circle safe was also blasted but the thieves got no further than the outside door, There were three such attempts during the week, RKO Gang At NY Convention Led by Leo Devaney, Canadian chief of RKO, branch managers and head office men attended the annual convention of the company at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York City. Lady Manager for Fort William, Ont. Emmelien A. Colpitts is the new manager of the Lake Theatre, Fort William, Ontario, succeeding Nestor Novak, now with the armed forces, Mrs. Colpitts, whose husband is overseas, was secretary-treasurer of the Lake for several years. Before that-she was at the Orpheum,