Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today (Jul-Dec 1930)

2 Exhibitors DAILY REVIEW and Motion Pictures TODAY, MONDAY, JULY 7, 1930 ‘HOLIER THAN THOU' CENSORS ROUNDLY RERUAED BY EDITORS ❖ D X i llV^'R.' e’ V" I “E W MOTION PICTURES TODAY Rpg. U. S. Pat. Off. PubliobtJ Daily Except Sunday ARTHUR JAMES. Editor and Publiaher JAMES A. CRON. General Manager LEONARD MITCHILL. News Editor Executive and Editorial Offices, 25 West 4ird Street, New York, Telephone Bryant 5224. West Coast Manager, Ray Murray, 1738 Garfield Place. Hollywood, California. Tele' phone 4673 Hempstead. London office and correspondent; Samuel Harris. “The Cinema", 80 Wardour Street. London W. I. Entered as second class matter January 4th, 1926, under Act of March 3, 1879. Pub' lished and copyright by Picture Publishers, Inc. Printed by Cline Printing Corp., New York. Subscription rates including postage per year. United States and Canada, $10; Foreign, $15; single copies, 10c. This newspaper is dedicated solely to the causes and the purposes of the motion picture industry and all its elements; to the fostering of its ideals; to the furthering of its proper business purposes; to Us defense against its enemies without and its enemies within; to the exposing of sham pretense and stupidity; to the dissemination of information of moment and interest to the industry; to the encouragement of all sincere effort within the business; to the nurturing of a proper and justified respect for the industry and its leadership ; to a faithful and continuous service to pictures and picture people — and this newspaper seeks to serve no other purposes. HOWLERS, SQUAWKERS AND BELLY-ACHERS! (Continued from page 1) ing of plain business problems with two'fisted showmanship. These gentry not only get no' where themselves, but they have a depressing effect upon the alive and alert men who are doing things in our industry. * • W The easiest thing in the world for a lazy man to do is to criticize, squawk, whine, grouch, groan, holler, and grunt over conditions which he is either too incompetent to handle, or too lazy to tackle. • • • The rewards in the motion picture business are for those who will step on the gas, keep cheerful, and go full speed ahead. Business is good with this newspaper and with the industry generally. How much better it will be will depend entirely on the effort put into it. We note that the good salesmen are selling the goods and there is absolutely nothing in the world to worry about except where laziness and incapacity are manifest. Leading newspapers of the country, in articles and editorials, apparently are finding increasing interest in the subject of censorship — particularly the “holier than thou”, busybody sort. The following excerpts from the publications credited herewith ai’e recent examples: Eagle, Red Wing, MJiin. “A St. Paul preacher wants to see the movies censored by a federal board before they are released for public showing. He argues that the pictures are degrading to the morals of youth and a drag on civilization. The picture makers themselves have learned that the public wants true to life, clean stories — stories where wrongdoing is punished and honesty and integrity is rewarded. The St. Paul preacher probably found that his congreation preferred the movies to his sermons. Hence his tirade on the movies.” Times, New York, N. Y. “Rev. Lon Ray in his sermon yesterday in the West Side Unitarian Church, said: ‘Censorship is immoral, first, because it flourishes on partial facts, often in almost hysterical zeal. Its chief concern is propriety, not truth. Second, because it defeats its purpose. To suppress a book is the most effective way of having every one read it. Third, because it assumes falsely that conduct inevitably follows contamination with the censored thing. Fourth, because no one is fit to be a censor over the morals of another. Fifth, because it is impossible to have any form or standard by POOR SOUND EQUIPMENT (Continued from page 1) best and longest and will prove to be the cheapest when all the costs are counted up. Our policy has been, since the inception of the company, to distribute the highest quality equipment and back up its operation by systematized servicing. “The new equipment we will begin installing in July at from $2950 up, has been made possible at those figures only because of long experimentation and development, the promises of large scale production and other economies of manufacture. In all respects, it will have the same degree of quality of the Western Electric Sound Systems in the past. The only difference is that it »s especially designed for the small theatre and we believe it is the solution of the small theatres’ problem.” Recapitulation of the replacements made by Western Electric Sound Systems shows 809 in the United States and 172 in the foreign field. The equipments replaced vary from little known and home made devices to some of the highest priced, most widely advertised brands in the world. The list includes 99 different types of equipments in the United States and 4 in the foreign field. which to gauge what the censor calls decency. Sixth, because it assumed that human nature is weak 'and cannot be left to choose for itself what it will feast upon’.” Press, Spokane, Wash. “Good people are always getting up and charging that the movies ‘distort life in America and misrepresent it to foreign nations.’ This is supposed to be harmful, in some way, although we never learned just how. “If the movies were made for the purpose of portraying American home life to the inhabitants of 'Senegambia, Java and Persia, there might be some ground for the criticism. But they are not. “Film plays are made for the purpose of entertaining Americans; they do this by portraying a sort of dream word, in which most film fans imagine they would like to live. “In doing this the movies are eternally right. If some foreigners get a weird notion of American life, that’s just too bad, but nothing can be done about it. “It is just possible, on the other hand, that Americans have some weird ideas about family life in Turkey, Borneo and Kamchatka. Nothing much can be done about that, either.” Record, Fort Worth, Tex. “It would be a beautiful arrangement if each of us could do his — or her — own censoring and make it cover four communities. Everything would be about all right then — until somebody else claimed the privilege of rotation. This is a great life for those who are cock-sure they are alw-ays right and in perfect taste . . .” CAST IS COMPLETED FOR NEW U. SERIAL With the addition of four players, Director Robert F. Hill has completed the cast of “The Spell of the Circus”, new Universal talking serial by Ian McCloskey Heath, featuring Francis X. Bushman, Jr., and Alberta Vaughn. The additions are Monte Montague, Tom London, Charles Murphy, and Walter Shumway, and shooting begins Monday, July 7 on this ten chapter romance of the big top. Bobbie Nelson, as announced, also has an important role. WIDE SCREEN FOR JAMESTOWN HOUSE ’The Winter Garden Theatre of Jamestown, N. Y., has been reseated and a wide screen installed. SHORT IS BOOKED “Sacred Fires,” latest release of P a t h e ’ s Vagabond Adventure series, has been booked into the Loew theatres for 114 days. First booking starts July 9. VAUDEVILLE SALVAGE FOR TALKIE SHORTS “It is unfair and not quite truthful to say that vaudeville is no more. This one time favorite entertainment has simply been joined in wedlock with its erstwhile competitor, the film comedy, and as a result of their union the audible screen short has been born.” So declares Frank Davis, former musical comedy and vaudeville actor of note and now a director of Pathe fun films. “The vaudeville skit was limited for several reasons,” Davis contends. “It was an expensive proposition to ship complicated backings and props from one city to another, and only feasible in the case of highly paid acts. Then the shortness of time had to be considered. Also the effect of similar acts on the same or proceeding bills. On the other hand silent film comedies, no matter how hilariously funny, lost the snap of song, music and witty dialogue. “Now the best features of the formerly diverse field of entertainment have been combined. The result is, full of promise for lovers of mirth and melody.” BROADWAY PLAYERS SIGNED FOR SHORTS Georgie Jessel, Otto Kruger, Vivienne Osborne and other Broadway stars, have been signed for Vitaphone shorts within the past week. Jessel will make a two-reeler of his most popular songs. Kruger will do a humorous sketch entitled “Mr. Intruder”, with Alan Brooks and Veree Teasdale in the cast. Miss Osborne will be starred in “The Nightingale,” a night club sketch. The vaudeville teams of Yorks and King and Morris and Campbell, and the Three Sailors, also have been engaged for tworeelers. FOR SAIiF . MOTION PICTURE AND “STIUL” cameras rented, sold and exchanged. Portable lights for sale and for rent. Keep us advised of your wants. Ruby Camera Company, 727 Seventh Avenue, New York City. LOCAL FILMS MOTION PICTURES MADE TO order. Commercial, Home or Industrial. We have excellent facilities and the best cameramen. Our price, 20c per foot. Ruby Film Company, 727 Seventh Avenue, New York City. SITUATION WANTED YOUNG WOMAN, EXPERIENCED, competent, secretary-stenographercorrespondent, long motion picture experience in production and distribution as well as office management. Immediately available. Address XY, Exhibitors DAILY REVIEW, 25 West 43rd Street WHETHER YOU WANT TO HIRE some one or be hired; buy or sell a theatre; trade or sell equipment, or do almost anything else In the motion picture business an ad In this department will get you results. If you want us to word the ad for you, the services of our advertising experts are at your call. Simply tell us what you want to do, and how many words you want used. Exhibitors DAILY REVIEW.