Year book of motion pictures (1925)

Pennsylvania Non-Theatrical Regulations The following regulations were adopted ifi 1922 by the Pennsylvania State Department of Labor and Industry concerning the showings of nontheatrical films: 1. No permit will be issued for any auditorium for the use of flammable film where an enclosing, standard fire-proof booth is not provided for the projection machine. 2. No permit will be issued for any auditorium located above or below the first floor of a building where it is intended to use flammable film. 3. No permit will be issued for any auditorium located about the second floor of a building. 4. No permit will be issued for any auditorium for the use of any balcony for any purpose other than to accommodate the projection machine, booth and accessory equipment. 5. No permit will be issued for an auditorium without an enclosing, standard fire-proof booth, where the machine to be used has not been approved by the Industrial Board for the use intended. 6. No permit will be issued for any auditorium where the machine operator has not first applied for and received the permit required by the Industrial Board Rulings. 7. To obtain a permit for any auditorium, floor plans or sketches, in duplicate, showing aisles, seating arrangements, and all exit facilities, with all dimensions plainly marked and drawn to scale, must be submitted to the office of the Chief Inspector, Department of Labor and Industry. Providence, R. I. Lieutenant George W. Cowan, Providence Police, approves any picture passed by the National Board of Review. Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. S. J. Ellis, 976 Oakview Ave.; John M. Dean, Central Bank Bldg. ; Percy Scholars, c / o Bowers Stores, Inc. Suggestive scenes and subtitles are carefully cut Especially strict with regard to anything tending to show the details of crime, the means of suicide, or any scenes where the stamp of approval is placed upon moral lapses. Chairman Dean says: "The Memphis Board of Censorship has no clearly defined standards of censorship. Each picture, play or act is judged on its own merits. Generally speaking, however, the Board endeavors to judge pictures on the following basis : "We insist that films which handle sex problems must do so from the standpoint of moral betterment. That is, such a vital and delicate matter should not be treated so as to condone wrong, making a jest of it or in a manner which might encourage or excuse wrong doing. We particularly insist that infidelity to the marriage relation should not be handled in a humorous way. We also discourage scenes depicting at great length the alleged humorous actions of a drunken man, and it should go without saying that we will not permit exhibitions which tend to encourage violations of the Eighteenth Amendment. The Board will not allow the exhibition of a prize fight picture which has been brought into the state in violation of Federal laws — this on the ground that we cannot be made parties to such a violation even though the local Federal Court may have imposed some form of penalty for the act. We also forbid the exploitation of films which tend to heroize ex-bandits. Thus we have refused to permit the Al Jennings and similar pictures to be shown. We allow considerable latitude in the matter of costumes and situations so long as there is a legitimate purpose for the things shown and no tendency to encourage the lowering of moral standards. However, as stated at the outset, each picture is judged on its own merits, and it is therefore impossible to define rigid standards." Houston, Texas City Hall. Mrs. Thomas H. Eggert, secretary. Ordinance passed December, 1919 outlines standards under which Board operates. In part the Ordinance reads: (The) Secretary shall ascertain if any entertainment, show or motion picture is being exhibited which has been condemned by the Board of Censors as being obscene, indecent or immoral, or as calculated to promote or encourage racial or sectional prejudice, indecency or immorality, or for which a permit has not been issued, and in case the Secretary shall find any such picture being shown or entertainment given, the manager or other person in charge shall be notified to stop the exhibition of such picture or the giving of said entertainment. The Secretary shall report all violations of this article to the Board of Censors. City Hall. Board of Review: C. V. Cowan, F. M. Chapin. Operates chiefly under terms of ordinance No 1970 which in part says: Section 6. The Board shall issue a permit for the showing of each picture which in the judgment and discretion of the Board is of a moral, educational or amusing and harmless character, and shall deny a permit for the showing of any picture which in the judgment and discretion of the Board is immoral, obscene, indecent, licentious or improper. C. V. Cowan of the Board says that the 14 Points drafted by Jesse L. Lasky "are largely engrafted into the rules by which the Board is controlled." Dallas The Secretary of the Board says: "After the experience of long continued service in the work, we are unanimously of the opinion that set stai dards do not prove as practical in censorship as the method of treating each and every questionable film with individual consideration." (For other Texas Standards and Boards, see page 355.) Milwaukee, Wis. The Motion Picture Commission, consisting of nine members appointed by the Mayor of the city acts as the Local Censor Board. The address of such board is City Hall, and in addition to the nine members, the board has 16 aides and these aides are increased in accordance with the number of theaters. Aides are appointed by the President of the Commission. This Commission is not regulated by any ordinances; that the appointments by the Mayor are approved by the Common Council. The Commission is guided mostly by the standards and judgment of the National Board of Review; exception in such cases where the Commission feels that special action is necessary and also in such cases where the matter is left by the National Board to the Local Board for their consideration. The Commission docs not make public any of the reviews, but reports to the Common Council the cut-outs, without naming the producer or picture involved. All pictures are reviewed immediately upon the first showing and it is the duty of the members and aids to visit certain theaters each week. The expenses of this Commission are borne by the city, as provided for by budget. The only paid member of the Board is the executive secretary and a stenographer. The following is a list of the members and aids of the Local Motion Picture Commission of the city of Milwaukee : Members: F. B. Metcalfe, Pres.; Adolph Mahler, Vice-Pres. ; Mrs. E. J. Kluckow. Treas. ; George Hampel, Ex. Secy. ; Mrs. J. C. Buckland. Edward Budin ; Leo. Landau; Paul Langheinrich ; Henry Staah. Aides : Mary Blade, Mrs. C. A. Braeger, Mary Brett, William Brown, Mrs. A. J. Cohn, Paul Gauer, George A. Knapp, J. L. Lalumondier, Raymond Moore, Ernst Morgan, Ingra Olsen, Hyman Padway, Mrs. Clara Peters, J. E. Thiel. Gilbert B. Weinstock, Mrs. Raymond Whitehead. Portland, Ore. Room 308, City Hall Mrs. E. T. Caldwell, Sec, City Hall; Mrs. F. O Northrup, Northwestern Bank Bldg.; G. A. Metzger, Rivoli Theater, and W. S. Hail. Court House. Extracts from Ordinance No. 36945, regulating the exhibition of motion pictures. 352