Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 14, 1944)

Vol. 9, No. 24 HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont., Canada, Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter Printed by Eveready Printers Limited, 78 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Ontario USA Films and Canada The Prime Minister of Ontario, the Hon. George Drew, commenting about USA films being shown in Canada, described them as “exceedingly friendly propaganda” but nevertheless designed to “arouse enthusiasm for another nation than Canada.’ He did not recommend any change 3 to increase Canadian content, saying that “we must simply recognize the situation as it is.” It fell to the press, he said, to present the Canadian viewpoint. Mr. Drew showed excellent understanding of the situation, since such films are not aimed at Canada for propaganda value but for entertainment. Hollywood has based films on Canadian subjects when there was general interest. Canada’s National Film Board takes pretty good care of the Canadian field, offering counter-propaganda in an interesting way. For that matter, the USA and other countries could borrow the Premier's point of view and apply it to Canada, for NFB shorts boost us wherever there are screens. The report from Britain by Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox Films, is interesting in view of Mr. Drew's remarks. Skouras says the British film will rival those of the USA on the world market in five years. USA film companies are producing in Britain and J. Arthur Rank, leading British film figure, is producing in the USA through domestic companies. Both sections of the film world are interested in producing films that will appeal to all. Actors and technicians are being exchanged. In time to come Premier Drew's point of view won't be nearly as true as it is today—which will be a good thing for the USA, Britain and Canada. : * * * Trade Press Says Will Hays in his twenty-second annual report: “Our Trade Press co-operates fully with the industry in complete understanding. Spurred by the same keen competition existing in production, distribution and exhibition, it displays an enterprise commensurate with the importance of the field in which it specializes. “Designed primarily for industrial personnel, the motion picture trade papers are widely quoted in national publications and increasingly read by the general public. The publishers and editors of our Trade Press thoroughly recognize the responsibility incident to this large and growing reader interest and accept and discharge it fully andfairly in connection with its services to the industry and the public.” ad * % Juvenile F ARPS J. Arthur Rank has decided to make a series of films in England for juveniles. Can a film be made that will satisfy each age level? We think not. Can films be made for each? Not profitably—and movies are a private industry. Those who would like to see special pictures for children would be well advised to take the matter up with the National Film Board. It could certainly make the experiment here. Why ask a private industry to take on something new and difficult when Canada has a public branch of it? The NFB has made many educational shorts for children. The entertainment ingredient shouldn't be hard to add. Canada is in a happy position to please those people who think that ought to be done. We don’t have to wait on England or Hollywood. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Tune 39%. Canada ‘43 Gross Premier Drew on Hits Record High (Continued from Page 1) an increase of $1,613,313 over , 1942 and which, when added to the net receipts, gives a gross expenditure of $65,802,048 at motion picture houses in 1943. Increases in admissions and receipts over 1942 for Ontario and Manitoba were moderate, amounting to less than 10 per cent. All other provinces showed substantial increases in net receipts and in attendance over 1942. Numbers of admissions in 1943 in each province with percentage increases in admissions over the preceding year are as follows: Prince Edward Island, 814,040 (27.6 per cent); Nova Scotia, 12,676,789 (17.9 per cent); New Brunswick, 6,801,445 (19.3 per cent); Quebec, 41,524,003 (11.3 per cent); Ontario, 87,427,237 (7.9 per cent); Manitoba, 12,123,108 (7.8 per cent); Saskatchewan, 8,479,574 (17.7 per cent); Alberta, 12,198,853 (17.7 per cent), and British Columbia, 23,165,121 (19.0 per cent). Ontario theatre patrons paid the most in amusement taxes, $4,546,711. Quebec came next with $3,739,119, which included the Provincial Tax. Taxes included, Canadians paid a total of $65,802,048 for screen entertainment in 1943. Potential admissions to Canadian motion picture theatres totalled 566,637,994 in 1942, a figure based on a full house in every theatre at every performance. This estimate changed in 1943 with the addition of 19 theatres to the 1942 total of 1,251. New P@ Houses New theatres are contemplated in Roberval and Dolbeau, Quebec. VOCALITE SCREENS Five times more sound permeability. One-third more light. Vocalite Sound Screen is the result of a series of intensive and costly experiments which have resulted in the production of the finest sound screen made, Flexible plastic coated, flameproof. COMPANY LIMITED VicTeaiA sTrezy June 14, 1944 USA Motion Pix (Continued from Page 1) ada, as is the case with films, carries with its entertainment value “many expressions of opinion directed particularly to the problems of the United States, and to issues which can only be clearly understood in direct -contact with events. That will continue to be so. We must simply recognize the situation for what it is.” He described Canada as “also under the constant influence of the extremely powerful propaganda of the-films. That it is exceedingly friendly propaganda does not change the fact that it is propaganda designed to arouse enthusiasm for another nation than Canada.” The Premier said he believed that there should be a much more general discussion of national problems, recent history, constitutional structure, and the growth and development of Canada. “Because we live in friendly proximity with the greatest English-speaking nation in the world, we are constantly subjected to arguments on public affairs over the radio, through the films, and in their periodical press.” This was not mentioned by him as grounds for criticism. “On the contrary, I think it is a splendid thing that they are able to discuss their own affairs so freely. But we are different nations.” Members of the press, associated with a purely Canadian medium of expression, had an unusual opportunity and a special duty—that of keeping Canadians informed about themselves and their relation to world affairs. “The printed word has lost none of its power in forming public opinion,” said Mr. Drew. N. L. Nathanson’'s CBC Work Recalled During the meeting of the Special Committee on Radio Broadcasting at Ottawa, Rene Morin, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, paid tribute to the late N. L. Nathanson. Reviewing the Board of Governors for 1948, Mr. Morin said: “At that time the corporation suffered another shock in the untimely death of its ViceChairman, Mr. N. L. Nathan S0n, who had_been sitting on the board since 1936 and had always taken a deep interest in its wotk. His keen mind, his sound judgment, his business experience had been of great help to the board.”