Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

13 EXHIBITORS H E RALD WO RED April 26, 1930 Racy Films ? No, Write Pupils High School Seniors at Des Moines, in Essays for Parent-Teacher Council, Declare Clean Dramas and Good Fun in Pictures Are Preferred — One of Them Makes Canvass of 50 Students and Finds Majority Wants “High Class Pictures, Beneficial to Morals” [By Special Correspondent to the Herald-World] DES MOINES, April 22. — Youth of Des Moines smacked a healthy hayI maker straight into the popular fallacy that modern young persons crave racy, suggestive and indecent motion picture offerings, when two seniors complied with the request of the Film Betterment committee of the Des Moines Parent-Teacher Council that they express their opinions of current films. The significant article by the two youngsters about to be graduated from high school appeared in the Parent-Teacher News, a monthly publication sponsored by the P T A. JUST why adolescense should tell the world about the picture business is not exactly clear but since they will proceed to dictate anyhow, more or less, how this old mundane sphere shall be run, the kids might as well tell their stories importantly and get them into print. Gordan Couchman of North High, as smart a youthful sage as one could find in a month of Sundays, gave his personal ideas of the speaking pictures as well as the silent films while Mildred Stuart consulted numerous fellow students before she compiled their opinions for her article. Here they are in part, the first being by Gordon Couchman, under the heading “Impressions of the Movies”: “For any one person to give wholesale the impressions of a group is a dangerous thing to attempt, and to give the impressions of a high school group is vastly more so. And about the movies! In this day and age young people would be next to lost without them. Want Clean Dramas, Good Fun “However, that is not saying that young people like all movies. You will probably find more varied tastes in a crowd of young people than anywhere else, and their opinions, which are strongly held and freely given, are ten times more superlative or ten times harsher than a more mature critic’s would be. Youth seems to do things in a big way. “Coming right down to brass tacks and such, it is safe to say that good comedies as a whole go over big with us. (Yes, I’m one of ’em.) Some may find fault with plot, as in other ‘super-productions,’ some with acting, but aside from this, ‘O. K.’ Mystery, the spookier the better, is about as popular. Great acting, such as that of George Arliss in the tremendous ‘Disraeli,’ is universally appreciated. John Barrymore in such marvelous portrayals as the soliloquy in ‘The Show of Shows’ and ‘General Crack’ is hugely thrilling. Pathos is liked; deep tragedy sometimes goes over our heads and often grips us. Girls are far more ready to cry at a picture than boys. Stupendous productions, such as ‘Noah’s Ark,’ ‘Ben Hur.’ ‘The Ten Commandments,’ and ‘The King of Kings,’ are considered ‘keen!’ Obscenity, subtle or clever or gross, may bring guffaws but is not generally favored, especially among girls. (This is ootimism.) But youth is just as tired of silly ‘theme-song’ productions as any adult, maybe more so. Give us clean, true-to-life dramas and good fun, all with a dash of romanticism to make us forget report cards or spur us on; as you will “And further than this we dare not go.” She Canvasses 50 Pupils Mildred Stuart, in her essay, pointed out that more than half of the students preferred high class productions to “weak, indecent pictures.” She wrote as follows: “Intricate, classical entertainment is preferred by the young set according to a sur vey of approximately fifty Lincoln High students, who expressed their opinions in regard to the character and value of commercial movies. “The majority of boys and girls, who were asked what they thought of the modern movie, replied that it is the best form of amusement available today. It is said by more than half the students that high class pictures, which are mind-workers and beneficial to the morals, are more enjoyable than weak, indecent pictures. Girls maintain it is tbe serious, worth-while, historical or romantic movie, which holds the audience for two or more consecutive performances. Influence Lives of 90 per Cent “As a whole, commercial movies are not educational, so Lincoln High members say; but it is true that if education is its purpose, the movie can give more learning in a shorter time and it will make a more lasting impression than any other method of teaching. When asked if the motion picture had any definite influence on their lives, about 90 per cent answered that it had in some way or other. A few realized that it had financially influenced them; and a larger group believed their ideas, opinions, and characteristics were either modified or increased by the movie. Smoking and drinking often depicted in movies opened a young girl’s eyes to the foolishness and danger of such actions. Probably all influence of the movies is not as good as that; for several boys maintained that what was portrayed in the pictures, you often desired to do yourself. “Fast Becoming Necessity” “Replying to the question, ‘Could you enjoy living without ever seeing a movie?’, nine out of ten thought that this form of amusement was fast becoming a necessity, for they believe play as well as work is essential to enjoy life. Thirty students out of fifty on an average see a movie in some form every week. One young boy has never seen and heard a talkie; but he insists he is as well off as those who see them every week. “Only a few vote for the silent movie ; consequently the improvements are making the motion picture more beneficial and enjoyable each year.” Famous Canadian Will Take Over United , Ltd., Numbering 20 Theatres ( Special to the Herald-World) MONTREAL, April 22. — Famous Players Canadian Corp. will shortly absorb United Amusements, Limited, Montreal, which operates 20 modern theatres in the Province of Quebec, it is announced. Famous Players already owns a majority of the common stock and United Amusements has been classed as a subsidiary. New Motion Picture Code Of Ethics Elicits Praise Via Country’s Papers One Editor Suggests Hays Office Should Attempt Reforming Reformers (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 22. — Public reaction to the new code of ethics, drawn up by the Will H. Hays organization to insure the worth of a picture before it leaves the producer hands, i is shown in the following excerps from a 1 few of the countries leading newspapers. The Boston Traveler says “The best news that we have heard in a long time is that the ; motion picture producers have agreed to apply ethics to their pictures. Ethics are not a new system of talkies, they are a system of morality and good taste. Do you wonder we cheer ? Should Reform Reformers From the New Britain Herald, New Britain, Conn., comes a somewhat different viewpoint : “The Will H. Hays organiza tion is going too far in trying to meet the prejudices of the self-appointed reforming groups. We are rapidly developing into the most censored nation on earth ; Susybodies all around us trying to tell us what we can eat, read and see. No attempt is ever made to reform the reformers. That, w'e suggest, would be something for the Hays organization to attempt.” No Hamper to Art The Brooklyn Standard-Union : “The effect of the new code will be to make motion pictures more enjoyable without hampering any really artistic expression.” Other papers which made comments are the Rochester, N. Y., Times-U nion ; Columbus, Ohio, State-Journal ; Springfield, Mass., News; Burlington, Vt., Free Press; High t Point, N. C, Enterprise ; Naugatuck, Conn., j Nezvs; Washington, D. C., Star; Columbus, Ga., Ledger; Decatur, 111., Herald; Lewiston, \ Maine, Sun Boston, Mass., Post; Detroit, Mich., Nezvs; Brooklyn, N. Y., StandardUnion; Buffalo, N. Y., Courier-Express ; St. Louis, Mo., Globe-Democrat ; Cincinnati, Ohio, Tribune; Philadelphia, Penn., Bulletin; Cincinnati, Ohio, Times-Star; Asheville, N. C., Citizen; Salina, Kan., Journal; Philadelphia, Penn., Inquirer; Watertown, N. Y., Times; Jamestown, N. Y., Post; Topeka, Kan., Capital; St. Louis, Mo., Star; Waterbury, Conn., American. SA-WW Ahead of Schedule; Two Films Already Presented (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 22.— Sono Art-World Wide production is proceeding ahead of schedule, acording to word from the company’s studios. Moreover, two pictures, James Cruze’s “Cock o’ the Walk” and “What a Man !” have had showings much earlier than originally expected. “Cock o’ the Walk,” which stars Joseph Schildkraut, had its first public screening at the Roxy. “What a Man !” is Reginald Denny’s first starring vehicle for Sono Art-World Wide. The Denny picture and another Cruze production, “The Big Fight,” will have foreign versions. These are reported now to be nearly completed. The other pictures in work are : “The Dude Wrangler,” featuring Lina Basquette, George Duryea, Francis X. Bushman and Clyde Cook; “Reno,” with Ruth Roland; “Once a Gentleman,” starring Edward Everett Horton; “Maid to Order,” with Julian Eltinge and Betty Boyd; and “Fool’s Gold,” story of ’49.