Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1929)

86 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 26, 1928 Lively Premiere Is Seen for ^^Dawn^^ In Series of Protests^ Replies Edith Cavell Picture Will Be Shown at Times Square May 29 — Arch Selivyn and Film Bureau Chairman Answer Critics (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, May 22.— The American premiere of "Dawn," the British picturization of Nurse Edith Cavell's life and execution, promises to be an event of some interest and excitement. According to Arch Selwyn, the theatrical producer who had the film brought to America after a public showing in Britain was refused, the picture will be shown at the Times Square Theatre May 29. THE Film Bureau, a volunteer committee gro\v-ing out of the war-time organization of the American Committee for Devastated France, is heartily endorsing the picture. Undaunted by the resignation of Otto H. Kahn from its advisorj' council because of its support of "Da%vn," the Film Bureau is out to make tlie American premiere a huge success. 6,000 Invited to Buy Tickets Six thousand invitations to buy tickets have already gone out to organizations and individuals believed to be "the right sort." An unlimited number of additional tickets is also on sale at the Film Bureau's office at 4 West 40th street. Where everybody v^rho wants to see "Dawn" is going to sit is still something of a question, for the Times Square theatre holds exactly 1,057 persons in a sitting posture. Discussion about the picture has reached a point where a public hearing is expected to be held before Mayor Walker to determine whether his restraining hand should make a move. Miss Elizabeth Perkins, chairman of the executive committee of the Film Bureau, expects no interference. Ready to Bar "Bolsheviki" "Of course we will sell tickets only to the right sort of people," she said, discussing the premiere. "We suspect that a lot of Bolsheviki will try to get tickets and break up the show the opening night. We shall recognize these Bolshevists, however, and tell them we have no tickets for sale." Miss Perkins insists that the far-flung publicity her bureau is giving "Dawn" is entirely disinterested. "With some of the films we sponsored in the past," she said, citing "The Covered Wagon," "Beau Geste," and "The Man Who Laughs," as examples, "we were given part or all of the proceeds of certain nights. This money we turned over largely to postwar work in France. "Promised Nothing by Selwyn" "But we have been promised nothing by Mr. Selwyn for our work on 'Dawn.' We will, of course, present modest bills for stationery, stamps and clerical work. "W^en Mr. Selwyn first brought 'Davra' from England, we asked him if he wished us to underwrite the film's presentation, but he Sanction of Film by Ontario Censors Seen (Special to the Herald-World) TORONTO, May 22.— A preliminary examination of the British film "Dawn" was held by Premier G. H. Ferguson and officials of the Ontario Government May 17. Much interest was taken but no comment was forthcoming. Premier Ferguson merely announced the picture would come up before the Ontario Board of Moving Picture Censors for formal inspection in due course. The fact that the feature will be viewed by the censors is taken to mean that it will he passed. said all that he wanted was our moral support. He has to pay almost $250,000 to the maker of the film, I believe. Anyway, it couldn't have had better publicity, more arresting publicity, than it has had." In a letter to Kahn in reply to his resignation Miss Perkins wrote: "In answer to your statement that the advistory board was not consulted concerning this decision taken by the Film Bureau, I would remind you that there were six private screenings arranged for the express purpose of ascertaining the majority opinion concerning the public presentation of the picture. We regretted that you did not attend any of these screenings, as your opinion, after seeing the picture, was desired. The majority opinion was for the public presentation of 'Dawn'." "Senseless Tirades," Says Selwyn Arch Selwyn, in answer to what he called "senseless tirades" against showing the production, stated in part: "When Austin Chamberlain, minister of foreign affairs of Great Britain, was tricked into making a blind and blanket objection to the film on account of its subject matter, he also had never seen the work nor knew what it was about, and his decision, hastily made, has been overwhelmingly overridden by the London County Council and the new board of censors which was placed in control for the very purpose of passing this film. At this writing it has been passed in other states in this country and has encountered no objections. . . . "The larger distributing monopolies have added their clamor, gratuitously announcing that they will not handle the picture and that it will not be shown in their theatres. I say gratuitously because they have never been asked to. It was never the intention to show 'Dawn' in the chain moving picture houses. That is no place for it. It is infinitely superior to the atmosphere and environment of the average Hollywood exhibition. It is not necessary to camouflage with vaudeville acts, symphony orchestras, quartets and sideshows. . . . "No Cheap Mugging" " 'Dawn,' in my opinion, is probably one of the last of the great silent dramas. Had it been done with cheap mugging, hocus pocus and buncombe and had the facts distorted through the card-index minds of scenario writers, the result would doubtless have been vulgar, inane and abominable. But in Mr. Herbert Wilcox's picture a most careful investigation was made as to each and every fact concerning the history of Edith Cavell's efforts in behalf of mankind during the war in Belgium." L. D. Netter Is Given Testimonial Film Dinner (Special to the Herald-World) BOSTON, May 22.— One hundred fifty theatre men of Boston gathered at a testimonial dinner last week in honor of L. D. Netter, former booker for all Publix theatres in New England. Netter has been promoted to a higher executive position with his office in the Paramount building in New York. He Still Wages Fight After Thirty Arrests (Special to the Herald-World) MILFORD, IND., May 22.— Frank Parrish, theatre operator here and the most arrested theatre owner in Indiana if not in the entire country, has just been £ned again for operating on Sunday. The £ne and costs amounted to $57.50. He has been Sghting for a year with the authorities of Kosciusko county and the W. C. T. U., for the privilege of operating his show on Sundays. Tried on three counts the last time, Parrish was convicted on two. Since the £ght began he has been arrested more than thirty times and convicted three. New England Chain Adds 2 Theatres; Now Has 23 (Special to the Herald-World) BOSTON, May 22.— The New England Theatres Operating Corporation of Boston, the Netoco group, has taken over two theatres in Waltham, Mass., the Central Square picture house only, and the Waldorf, presenting films and vaudeville. Under the new expansion plan of Samuel Pinanski, president, the chain has increased to 23. SamueL Pinanski entered the show business 16 years ago. Boston born and bred, Pinanski got his education in the local schools, after which he studied textile design at the Lowell Textile Institute. He is married and has two small daughters. Samnel Pinanski Texas Theatremen Have Little Faith in Sapiro Co-operatives (Special to the Herald-World) SAN ANTONIO, May 22.— Not much consideration is being given by San Antonio exhibitors to the importance of the Sapiro movement for consolidating independent exhibitors. It seems that the scheme is looked upon as an experiment that gets little, if any, resultant good for those exhibitors entering into it. The opinion of the majority of local exhibitors is reflected in that of S. R. Abrams, manager of the Princess, and a long-time independent exhibitor of Houston, who believes that such a project is illogical and that it cannot be successful because independent exhibitors will not stand for organization. Harriette Underhill, Film Critic, Dead; with N. Y, Herald-Tribune 20 Years (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, May 22.— Harriette Underhill, motion picture critic of the New York Herald-Tribune, died at her home here early Friday, after a long illness. She had been associated with the Tribune and the HeraldTribune for 20 years. For the last month of her illness. Miss Underhill has been unable to leave her apartment, but continued to write of current events in motion pictures. One of her articles appeared posthumously in the Herald-Tribune Suhday. «■