The Film Daily (1932)

THE 10 DAILY Friday, Nov. 18, 1932 ■^zsaa OPPOSITION TO CONTRACT EXPECTED AT CHI. CONFAB (.Continued from Page 1) calendar for Dec. 1, shapes up as a ratification meeting at which the deal will be explained and probably approved. Leaders who anticipate some exment at Chicago point to the general inactivity of Al Steffes, Allied president, and H. M. Richey in the drafting of the contract. According to one estimate at least seven Allied units, some of them important in the association's setup are expected to endorse the contract. They seem certain to include: Allied Theaters of New Jersey, h (led by Sidney Samuelson; M. P. T. 0. of Maryland, headed by Herman Blum; Independent TheOwners of New England, with when Nathan Yamins is identified; M. P. T. 0. of Western Pennsylvania, headed by Fred Herrington, ;'nd Associated Theaters of Indiana of which Charles Metzger is leader. RKO Circuit Signs World Wide Product (Continued from Page 1) eland. Syracuse, Columbus, St. Lou's, Dallas. Grand Ran'ds, Port Me., Champaign, 111., South Bend. Des Moines, Milwaukee, and Omaha. "False Faces" and "The Crooked Circle" already have been 1. RED DUST" HELD OVER Fort Worth, Tex. — "Red Dust" was held over for two more days at the Worth, making the third holdover since the house began a split-week policy several years ago STARTING STUDIO IN MONTH Toronto ■ — Actual construction work on the new studio planned hen by Booth Canadian Films will beein in a month, says Charles D. Sill-one of the directors in the company GOULD AND HARRIS BACK Chicago — Dave Gould and Will Harris are back producing shows for the Chicago and Oriental thea . Balaban & Katz Loop houses. Fanchon & Marco units have been ontinued in these hous< REJOINS BIG FEATURE RIGHTS Louisville — O. S. Harnett, formerly with Bip Feature Rights, has re joined that organization a ntative in Easl Teni First Bird Soundfilm Whit is said to be the first sound film ever made of the songs of wild American birds has been completed by Albert R Brand assistant in orinfholoRy American Museum of Natural History He has been working on thr pictures since May on locations in New York State Latrr he r-xpects to cover the whole U S THE CENSOR HAS HIS SAY (.Continued from Page 1) walks of life. This can be done, has been done, as evidenced by certain successes. Life, as it is lived, is the most fascinating study in the world. and all life's humor does not consist of the vessel under the bed, nor can the continuous slapping of women (supposed to be ladies), slapping these in most unexpected places, be considered either entertaining or funny. It is wide of the" mark, for it "just isn't done" in the society in which the men and women move composing the audience. Men and women still love action, romance and hokum (to be sure), and the guffaw which greets an indecent remark from the screen is always from the moron of the audience. One who studies audiences and their reaction can visualize this person and rarely does the description go amiss. For the general audience, the stories are often too sophisticated. This has been overdone. Many really good pictures have been talked tc death in the effort to get in the sophisticated conversation and wise• racks. There is entirely too much sex. In the most beautiful romance of -he day (picture) the ardor of the rirl, in the modern love scene, takes way much of the fascination of ai exquisite picture. This criticism has :ome into my office from many sources. The sex suggestion in this exquisite thing was entirely out o' )lace. Why a picture which show; 1 he mechanics of the trade of prosti tulion can be thought entertaining i more than the average picture 'an can conceive. Why such pictures? Human interest goes far beyond and above sex. This will alv; ys take care of itself. Often in my work I suggest to the theater manager the elimination >f a particularly vulgar, sexy scene. These for the most part are injected nto a picture for "just no reason it all." The manager is quick to see the advisability of the elimination. It is made, the picture is improved, and the continuity of same not disturbed in the least. The icene was unnecessarily injected, therefore better eliminated. We have banned several pictures luring the year. Sex and filth, which could not be eliminated, made it necessary, for the entire picture '^o. There are some things which I would say to the producers ol which the average audience is very tired, viz: Too much drinking. Too many HELL titles. Too much glorified prostitution. Too much over-emphasis of sex. I could give concrete illustrations, names, dates and places of all I have '•. but in fairness to the managers of my city, who are so un lailingly courteous, so cooperative, B well as to the representatives of industry who are in Atlanta, I ould not go into detail. There exbetween the Board of Review the managers, and the representatives of the industry definite sympathetic understanding, and entire ■operation. Atlanta is having for the most part, pictures which art acceptable to her audience. Ex pressing objection to pictures i? easy, but far easier is it to commend the many fine wholesome things the industry has given us in the past year. I believe if I were to make two lists, one of the objectionables. one of pictures which are fine, artistie and wholesomely entertaining, the latter would be the longer list There are objections, but we are always hoping that the industry will realize that at heart the great American audience is clean-minded and decent, and that decency is not r matter of geography. These comments are from the South — Southern. Provincial, too, perhaps. Not the least really funny thing to us is the effort of the stars to talk as we do. Not long since quite a solemn scene was literally laughed off the boards by the pitiful effort of the star to talk as Southerners are supposed to talk. Also the injection of Negro cabaret scenes, offensive to the South. "Hallelujah" is an epic. The Harlem cabaret scene in a recent very fine picture is extremely offensive and would lose the value of the picture to a Southern audience. The South knows, understands and helps the Negro as no other section can, but half-naked Negro women dancers do not appeal. After all, to quote one wiser than I, "the pictures are no better, no worse than the times in which wt live." The people are shopping for pictures these hard times as never before, and if the published statistics of successful pictures for the past year are to be believed — the ten best successes— those which have stood the acid test of the box-office, then to the industry I would say "Stop, Look, and Listen." Remember, America is a country of homes, of decent citizens, who are going to take their pleasure in the place where the family will be entertained. For the managers, to know what the community wants, to have the good-will and cooperation of the community organizations, seems to me the answer to the question. "KAMERADSCHAFT" CITED National Board of Review's Committee on Exceptional Photoplays has awarded "Kameradschaft" ("Comradeship"), German French picture at the Europa, major recommendation as an unusual picture ARBUCKLE PRESS BOOK Warner's publicity department is getting out a special merchandising plan on Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's first Vitaphone two-reelcr, "Hey, Pop!" M-C-M PLAYERS WALK OFF WITH 1932 ACTING HONORS M-G-M stars and featured players walk off with the bulk of acting ' honors this year, according to the ] monthly "Best Performances" selections made by Photoplay Magazine. A tabulation of the year's results shows the following players cited | four times each: John Barrymore — -"Arsene Lupin," "A Bill of Divorcement," "Grand Hotel," "State's Attorney"; Lionel Barrymore — "Arsene Lupin," "Grand Hotel," "Man I Killed," "Washington Masquerade"; Joan Crawford — "Grand Hotel," "Letty Lynton," "Possessed," "Rain"; Clark Gable"Hell Divers," "Possessed," "Red Dust," "Strange Interlude"; Walter Huston — "American Madness," "A House Divided," "Night Court," "Rain"; Fredric March— "Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "Merrily We Go to Hell," "Smilin' Through," "Strangers in Love"; Robert Montgomery — "But the Flesh is Weak," "Faithless," "Letty Lynton," "Private Lives." Tallulah Bankhead, Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer and Lee Tracy each were mentioned three times, while two citations were received by George Arliss, Wallace Beery, Maurice Chevalier, Ricardo Cortez, Richard Dix, Melvyn Douglas, James Dunn, Jimmy Durante, Sally Eilers, Kay Francis, Jean Harlow, Miriam Hopkins, Leslie Howard, Charles Laughton, Eric Linden, Ben Lyon, Paul Muni, George Raft, Edward G. Robinson and Sylvia Sidney. Using Important Players In the Smaller Parts West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Warner-First National is making it a policy to cast important players in minor as well as featured roles, pointed out Jack Warner yesterday. By placing well known players in even small roles a picture is bound to appeal to more people as each actor has his following, it was declared. Studio policy also is to build stories around "front page" news so they have proven audience appeal. FRANK R. ADAMS JOINS M-G-M West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Frank R. Adams, novelist and short story writer, has been added to the roster of scenario writers at M-G-M. Finish Roxy Testimony Addison Pratt, special master appointed by the court to hear testimony in the injunction proceedings brought by RKO against the Roxy Theaters Corp., with regard to the legal right to the use of the name "Roxy," completed taking testimony yesterday and will report to the court early next week. Henry Kosch, receiver for the Roxy was chief witness yesterday.