Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 13, 1946)

4 February, 13, 1946 § hat eet : = i Canadian FILM a ale 4 Debunk Delinquency Claims nile delinquency is being laid on every doorstep but the right one.” Stein ‘took exception to a statement of Dr. Kenneth W. Rogers, head of the Big Brother Movement in Toronto, who said that young people “get all their information about how to conduct their crimes from radio and movies and are constantly being fed on pictures presenting gangsters living in fabulous luxury and the one feature of crime pictures they think is false is the moral that crime doesn’t pay.” Stein declared: “In the edition of the newspaper in which Dr. Rogers was quoted 95 Toronto theatres advertised their current attractions, and of these only six theatres were presenting as their featured attraction pictures which could loosely be described as ‘gangster’ movies — “The Thin Man Goes Home,’ a mystery story; ‘Having a Wonderful Crime,’ a farce based on mystery stories, and ‘Murder, My Sweet, a Raymond Chandler detective story. “Pictures dealing with crime lay strong emphasis upon the fact that wrengdoers are justly punished. I find it difficult therefore to accept the statement attributed to Dr. Rogers that juveniles derive a knowledge of crime from the movies but at the same time reject the moral, so strongly emphasized, that crime does not pay. “In Ontario the government’s censor board reviews all feature pictures and short subjects before they can be shown to the public. No photograph may be displayed and no newspaper advertising may be placed without the government’s approval. “As citizens of Toronto the men in our organization are well aware of the seriousness of the juvenile delinquency problem and Famous Players theatres have always worked with any recognized welfare organization, fully cooperating with them in any practical suggestions that were made. “We realize that there are some pictures which are not suitable for children and our policy is that these be withdrawn on Saturday matinees when most children attend theatres, and more suitable programs are substituted. Over the past 20 years we have had children’s clubs in many of our theatres and we regularly present special morning cartoon shows in centres where there are large juvenile populations. ‘I think it strange that none of those who expressed the opin Authorities Declare Little or No Evidence Exists to Tie the Movies to Crime Rate (Continued from Page 1) MORRIS STEIN ion that radio and movies were the cause of juvenile delinquency mentioned the fact that the newsstands are filled with scores of cartoon books portraying the adventures of gangsters and supercriminals, which are bought by thousands of school children. “Mrs. J. A. Couke is quoted as saying that in surveys, movies had been found to be a contributing factor in every case of juvenile delinquency. If movies are the cause of juvenile delinquency, what is the cause in Quebec where no one under the age of 16 is permitted to visit a movie theatre? And what was responsible for juvenile delinquency 25 years ago, before radio and movies were popular?” Asks Welfare Agencies To Help Movie Clubs A similar opinion was voiced by T. J. Bragg, vice-president of Odeon Theatres, who said: “Any medium which endeavers to portray life in its various phases might on occasion offer a picture which some people may regard as unsuitable for children to witness. We recognize that fact and several months ago inaugurated movis clubs for young Canadians which do provide fitting entertainment for young children besides creating in them the desire to become better chil dren in their homes, schoolrooms and on the street. “These movie clubs are conducted in direct opposition to our regular motion picture performances in our theatres and there is no commercial gain to our company in the operation of these clubs. Odeon solicits the interest of every person who is engaged in child welfare and education, and asks them to take an active part in the direction of movie clubs wherever they are located.” Psychologist Debunks Movie Responsibility David Ketchum, teacher of s0ocial psychology at the University of Toronto, denied that motion pictures caused young people to turn to crime. He said: ‘Most of the assertions that motion pictures cause juvenile delinquency have little or no foundation. Certainly the actual studies made by educators and scholars who had no axe to grind would put a very sharp limit on the extent to which motion pictures might possibly influence young minds to criminality. “Some time ago a careless examinaticn of children in a delinquent home claimed that the young people had been in the habit of seeing movies twice a week on the average. There was no study to see how often nondelinquents saw motion pictures, so that no conclusion could be drawn from the statement. But that did not step the unfounded declaration that the movies were contributing to delinquency. “There is absolutely no reliable material in existence which shows a direct connection between movie attendance and juvenile misbehaviour.” Attacks on Movies Evade Real Issue Movies have as much relation to juvenile delinquency as do fairy stories, declared Ray L. Birdwhistell, lecturer in anthropology at the University of Toronto and recently associated with the University of Chicago's Committee on Human Development where he studied personality development in adolescents and worked with youth groups. “Movies are a comparatively recent development in our lives,” he continued, “but juvenile delinquency has always been a social problem, certainly far predating the invention of motion pictures. “Back in the old days, Wild West stories and Nick Carter novels were blamed, and before that time some other ‘influence’ was said to prompt criminal desires. Blaming the movies is just another way of absolving ourselves of responsibility for conditions: blame the movies and do nothing. “The real causes of juvenile delinquency are bad housing, bad economic conditions, improper training and bad personality development. But as long as crime in children is treated as it is now, this delinquency will go on. “There is a positive correlation between rotten housing, underncurishment, bad teaching and crime among young people. This ties in with the upset social conditions during the war and after, and with present economic conditions. “It is a strange thing to see that what is called ‘sowing his wild oats’ in upper classes and ‘artistic temperament’ among would-be artists, is juvenile delinquency when applied to the lower classes.” Women’s Leader Says Movie Men Cooperate Mrs. Melvin Squire, film convener of the Local Council of Women, said that the council had always found theatre men in Canada willing to cooperate with her organization in the matter of controlling matinee programs for children. “We have had cccasion to point out to them that certain pictures were not suitable for Saturday matinees,” she said, “and they have willingly removed them from the matinee showing by substituting something more suitable. O. J. Silverthorne, chairman of the censorship board, is also always willing to cooperate whenever we ask his help. “Children are different and what is all right for one may not be all right for another. If parents are sending their children to the movies, they should at least acquaint themselves with the nature of the picture by reading reviews and studying the advertisements.” Declares Films Are Best Mass Entertainment Clare J. Appel, eastern manager of the Odeon Theatres, declared he thought nothing could compare with the universal popu larity of motion pictures, “If it has done no other good but that of bringing the common (Continued on Page 12)