Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

56 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 4, 1922 ■:• DO YOU WANT TO BE C ENSORED? * £ by Benjamin De Casseres •{• Do you believe in a censorship — both Na ■;• tional and State — oyer motion pictures? £ We who produce motion pictures believe in a .;. •:• rigid censorship over our productions. * £ We believe that the same Board of Censors 5 £ that sits in judgment of the speaking plays, .;. •J* the books, the newspapers, and the fitness of *•* X public officials in this country should sit in !£ perpetual judgment on the motion picture in •> 5; dustry. X X This Board of Censors is always in session .;. <{. — it cannot be arbitrarily created or abolished •:• '? — its judgments are absolute. ¥ X This Board of Censors is THE PUBLIC — .;. * YOU. * X THE PUBLIC— YOU— is the only Board of .:. Censors whose judgment is infallible. •> * It is the only Board of Censors compatible ••• X with the ideals' of freedom and democracy. X •:• The Public is a Board of Censors constituted .;. X of nearlv'the whole population of the United X X States. ' . ' * •> YOU know what is decent and indecent in •:• X pictures, YOU know what you want and what * vou do not want. <• •> ' Make motion pictures safe from the claws of * * the bigot by a continual censorship of all that X ■> is produced on the screen. •> t We welcome YOU— THE PUBLIC — as ab £ X solute dictators of our business. .;. •:• But an OFFICIAL CENSORSHIP over mo .;. *i* tion pictures is a censorship over you! £ —0— * X Our special photoplay for next week, scheduled .;. •{• for Thursday and Friday, is Cecil B. DeMille's X X "Saturday Night, " his latest and greatest con X X tribution to the screen, from an original story •:• •{• by Jeanie Macpherson. The cast includes Leatrice •> X Jov, Conrad Nagel. Edith Roberts, Jack Mower X X and Theodore Roberts. It's a story of fashion. .;. * revel and love, and includes two of the greatest X X fire and railroad rescue scenes ever filmed. X X Betty Compsor.in "The Little Minister" is sched X X tiled "for Monday and Tuesday of next week •;• MONACHE THEATRE Phone 53 Porterville. California PROGRAMME Week Beginning Sunday, February 5, 1922 MYNARD SHERMAN JONES At the console of the Mammoth Seeburg-Smith Orchestral Organ l Programme subject toe nature without noticrl To Our Patrons: Tbe^if»re»„de„terta,„m,„, of our patrons, whom we regard H practically joint owners with OtiraeUes of this theatre, are our first and paramount ronsiderHiion and our attitude toward our patrons is that of host to truest at all times. To this end we seek to present only attractions of the highest class and are putting forth our utmost endeavor to create within the confines of this theatre an atmosphere of comfort and refinement. All house attaches have been instructed in the proper conduct and courtesy toward our patrons. Therefore, in rase of dissatisfaction inattention or lack of courtesy on their part we would esteem it a favor to have the same reported to us. Your succeslions and criticisms touching any matter pertaining U> the theatre in any way are greatly desired and will be welcomed by us at nil times. MONACHE THEATRE CO., Inc. i Scott. Printer This is one of the finest examples of propaganda as devoted to program use which has been received by this department in many weeks. The management of the Monache Theatre Company at Porterville, Cal., is deserving of much credit for this enterprise. Too few exhibitors realize that an editorial page of this nature is worth as much as several pages of advertising in their programs. It is hoped that the Monache management will publish more propaganda of this nature in their programs. Motion Pictures Churches Doing Indianapolis Paper Says Reform Declaration Is Humiliating Confession Although a number of newspapers have been unfair in their treatment of the industry in their daily stories covering the Taylor death, many continue to admonish editorially the reformers for their inane views regarding motion pictures. The following editorial, published in the Indianapolis News, is worthy of republication in theatre advertising and programs: * * * "The Rev. \V. S. Fleming of Chicago said to certain Indianapolis ministers thai 'the Sunday movie must be closed or the Sunday movie will close the church.' It would be hard to imagine a more humiliating confession. If it be true that the church can be closed as a result of movie competition — which we do not at all believe to be the case — the onl.v conclusion is that the church has wholly lost its power and vitality, a:id has already lost its hold on the people. If it has not been able to make the people feel the need for it. the fault is quite as much with the church as the people. "If that is true, closing the movies will not help — would hardly be a palliative. Thr ■.nunc fit the trouble. ;is far as there Will Not Close Effective Work is trouble, lies far deeper. The Sunday movie could not 'close the church' if the church were doing, and doing effectively, the work, both material and spiritual, which it is supposed to be doing. The only conclusion that would follow from the statement of the Chicago minister is that the church is a failure. * * * "That, men will be slow to believe. It Order Your Slides 1 EXHIBITORS HERALD, 417 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, III. Send me, free of chaTge, the series of twelve slides which the Herald is supplying to exhibitors in furtherance of the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE campaign to maintain the freedom of the motion picture. I will run each slide at every performance for one week when conditions permit of this arrangement. (Write name and address legibly) Theatre may be that it is somewhat slothful, has neglected some of its opportunities, and has lost some of its earnestness, enthusiasm and divine fire. If so, what it needs is a new baptism, greater consecration, and a more intense devotion to the spiritual welfare of man. It cannot strengthen itself by pleading its weakness, which is what it does just in as far as it admits that it cannot 'compete' with the movies, or with anything else. "The church that takes this attitude betrays a lack of faith in itself, its message and its Master. The most dangerous influence — and it was felt long before the movies came — with which the church has to contend, is the indifference of so many people to the church and its services. What can be done to remove it is i question of far greater importance thanj any question of the life of the church| being menaced by the movies." City Urges All to Protest Exhibitors in Mississippi ' Face Enactment of Law Creating Film Censorship Mississippi is having its censorship troubles. A regulatory bill already hasbeen adopted in the senate and will be voted on shortly by the house. Exhibitors have jumpsd into the fight, however and it is hoped that their persuasion wil have its effect upon the lawmakers. VV. E. Elkin of the Temple theatre Aberdeen, Miss., who has been a staunv supporter of the PUBLIC RIGHTS LEAGUE, has forwarded the following communication to his representative ir the legislature and he has urged even other exhibitor in the state to do likewise "My attention has been called to a bill which has passed the senate with reference to censorship for moving pictures. "1 desire to object to this bill and ask that you use every effort to defeat the same and suggest to you the following reasons why it should not be passed: "In the first place the bill carries approximately $5,500 salaries; and it will require more than this amount to run this commission, when it is in operation. This means additional taxes and will mainly result in placing some worthless officeholder in office. "In the second place, it means that additional taxes will be placed on picture shows. We pay here in Aberdeen — city, county and U. S. government — approximately $.100 in taxes per year. This doesn't include war tax. The additional taxes will force us to raise the price of admission and eventually the tax will be thrown. back upon the patrons. In other words, the people will be taxed to keep some worthless politician in office at Jackson. "In the third place, there are no films produced in the state of Mississippi. There are approximately only about 160 picture shows in this state. The number of films shown in Mississippi will not warrant the passing of the bills. "In the fourth place, there is already a National board of censors (National Board of Review) who passes on every film before it is exhibited in this state. "Don't place any more taxes on us. The good which will result, doubtful at most, will not justify the expenditure." We hope, Mr. Elkin, that other exhibitors have written letters of a similar n.i ture to their legislators. We know thai your communication will be effective Another method is to have your patron; write their legislators, and this we know you have done. It would be advantageous if exhibitor; in other states of the country would fil< Mr. Elkin's letter and use it when condi t ions demand it.