Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

THE WAR AND HOLLYWOOD The arrival on the West Coast this week of Mayor Fiorella La Guardia and Mrs. Roosevelt, coordinators of civilian defense, leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that the government and military authorities are fully mindful of the dangers existing in California, Oregon and Washington as the result of the United States-Japanese war. The focal point of their concern is the Southern California territory, including the Los Angeles and San Diego areas, where so many defense plants and plane manufacturing factories are situated. Military and local police have been stationed at roads, entrances and within these buildings. All naval bases have been blocked off and were under wartime military supervision from the moment the outbreak occurred in the Pacific. Of course the several Japanese settlements in California are under close FBI and police surveillance — notably Los Angeles' famed Little Tokyo which your correspondent found closed tight as a drum, with officers stationed at strategic spots — in doorways of homes, stores, boarding houses and hotels. Film men may well have cause to worry about the future of the motion picture industry. Early casualties in filmland are minor — but they are worth reporting. A call of 100 extras last Monday was cancelled because the police department was unwilling to make a man available to handle the crowd. Further mass employment by the studios will probably be discouraged until the forces of the volunteer police organization (which is rapidly being developed) are in a position to supervise as they have in the past. The free and easy manner of film production always results in a morale problem when actors, technicians and all studio employees become more interested in radio news than in their work. This was the case during the early and graver periods of the European war and it may be assumed that it exists now. Studios are expected to put a ban on portable radios on the sets and the elimination of many of them in the offices. For some weeks your reporter has been investigating the priorities situation in the film business, expecting to make a complete and accurate report in our forthcoming annual STUDIO FORECAST. It has been reported previously that the government, cognizant of the scope and propaganda influence of motion pictures during war-time, has promised to make the necessary materials available to Hollywood. What has not been stated is the fact that some film men believe that the government may make a request for fewer pictures to conserve materials. Nor has it been stated that there is a very real fear that the machine shops of one or two of the studios may be taken over for the production of defense materials. Warner Brothers, for instance, has one of the largest plants of this type in the entire world. Men in authority are not denying that whole studios may have to be converted into defense factories. We doubt, however, that this will be necessary, because, fortunately, construction work in California is quick and cheap — new buildings have a singular capacity for springing up overnight in this neck of the woods. However, time is of the essence in waging blitzkrieg war and the possibility of studio expropriation will always exist. The motion picture industry is fortunate in having a group of technical men — inferior to none in this country and unquestionably superior to those of other lands. Uncle Sam's army has long been casting an envious eye at these gentlemen and we have learned that many have already been called to service — men over draft age who are doing photographic work, research and other duties for the army. There has been little publicity about it and it is only through wives and relatives that we have obtained the facts. No one should be surprised if there is wholesale conscription of these men with technical ability in the near future. A remote thought is that more than a handful of stars will become full-time government employees. Many of them have already sought official berths. Artists are more valuable as builders of morale, selling bonds, as in the last war; entertaining in the camps, and contributing their time and talents in civilian capacities. In facing all eventualities, the film producers are not even discounting the possibility of enemy air raids destroying their studios. We know that lavender prints (used to make duplicate negatives) are being made on all features and stored in Chicago or other inland points. Our Government knows the tremendous value of movies to the morale of the nation and it wants no blackout of theatres due to destruction of produced films. At this writing there is no hysteria to report from California — no racial flare-ups or emotionalism, Rather, the atmosphere is grim. The question asked most often is "what can we do?" Police and fire stations are crowded with men and women seeking to volunteer for service. Workers in the motion picture industry have responded admirably to the call. 1 believe the film business is completely aware of the unpredictable future it faces. The ordinary problems of production and distribution have been doubled overnight. Military censorship, conscription of technicians, priorities, restrictions of movement are but a few of the disadvantages under which film production must continue. As the days turn into weeks, we will be able to speak with more authority. What has been printed here is largely surmise, based on a few facts which are apparent or have come to our attention. Today, the film industry occupies one of the most responsible positions in the land. It cannot fight with guns, tanks, air-craft and ships — but it has a powerful weapon to use for the patriotic cause. The morale of the American people will always be sustained to the limit by filmdom's contribution to that cause. As we begin this, the most vital period in all the history of the United States, we can confidently say that the men and women in every department of the motion picture industry, are aware and alert to their responsibilities. DECEMBER 15, 1941