Harrison's Reports (1941)

56 April 5, 1941 Immediately afterwards, affiliated circuits gave orders to their theatre managers not to show a picture unless it had the Hays emblem. They had to give such orders for, as said, they were subject to a $25,000 fine if they should show a picture that did not carry the Seal. Thus the independent producers were "hooked." It is true that the independents are not compelled to obtain a Seal, but if they do not obtain it their pictures arc not bought by the affiliated circuits; and without this revenue they cannot stay in business. When the Hays Association, by means of the emblem, gained control over independent production, it felt that there was no longer any need for "wide publicity to the use of this emblem," or for "the use of this emblem" in "company advertisements," or for encouragement to local exhibitors "to afford this guidance to the public." The greatly ballyhooed Seal, or "emblem," as Mr. Hays preferred to call it, was removed from the prominent position it occupied at the beginning of the film, and was placed in an inconspicuous corner of the introductory title, reduced to a fraction of its former size — a peanut under the big tent of a circus, ostensibly to hide it from the public, instead of displaying it prominently; and it has been removed from all newspaper advertisements. (To be continued next week) HERE AND THERE THE SEVENTH NATIONAL CONVENTION of Variety Clubs of America will be held at the Hotel Traymore, at Atlantic City, on May 15, 16 and 17. The plan is to have every train bringing Club members reach Philadelphia at about the same time, so that they may all be taken to Atlantic City on one big train. The Hotel Reservation Committee, headed by Henry Clark, of Philadelphia, has charge of this coordination, working together with each committee appointed by the Chief Barker of each Tent. Bill Clark, of Philadelphia, is heading the Transportation Committee. This year there are two Honored Guests committees. The one is headed by Ned Depinet and Gradwell Sears, and looks after the eastern part of the country, and the other is headed by Walter Wanger, Bob O'Donnell, and Paul Short, and takes care of the western part of the country. John H. Harris, National Chief Barker, expects a great attendance. Those who desire further information may apply to the Publicity Committee, 1313 Paramount Bldg., New York, N. Y. * * * A WAVE OF SETTLING DISPUTES before they are submitted even to arbitration, let alone to litigation, has been started by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is a healthful sign, for there is no other industry where so much ill will prevails between sellers and buyers. There are, of course, cases that cannot be settled "out of court," but the majority of them can so be settled if a spirit of give-and-take be adopted. The time when the seller used to say to the buyer: "I own the goods and I can sell them to any one I choose, and on any terms I want" has passed; today the buyer has rights that must be taken into consideration by the seller. * * * FELLOW-EDITOR CHESTER B. BAHN had an intelligently written editorial in the March 6 issue of The Film Daily. Mr. Bahn, calling the attention of the industry to the fact that the Ohio exhibitors have started an agitation to have the Ohio Censorship law so modified as to exclude censoring of newsreels, stated partly the following: "It would be well for not only exhibitors but all those whose allegiance is pledged to democratic principles to remember that for the preservation of a free America, a free screen is as vital as a free press. . . . The censor who deletes today, given the authority, is apt to insert tomorrow. ..." New York State does not censor newsreels. But this does not mean that this state should be considered liberal as compared with other states that do censor newsreels. Censorship is an illiberal institution and should be abolished. To have censorship means that the morals of the censors are superior to the morals of those for whom censorship is intended. There has never been a more opportune time to do away with censorship than the present time, when every one is alive to the effects of censorship of speech as well as of sight in the totalitarian countries, from which we ourselves are now suffering. There should be started at once an agitation in which not only the producers but also all the exhibitors should take part in enlisting the aid of the people of the United States for the abolition of censorship of films. I am sure that, in this, we shall have the cooperation of the entire press of the nation. Who can guarantee that censorship of the films may not be extended to include censorship of the press, and eventually censorship of thought and even of religious belief? It should be left to the police authorities to ban from the screen, or from the press, the objectionable. PICTURES NOW IN PRODUCTION Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer "UNTITLED MARX BROS.," with Groucho, Harpo, and Chico Marx, and Tony Martin, Virginia Grey, Margaret Dumont. MGM has assigned a good supporting cast for the Marx Brothers. Yet the box-office possibilities will depend on the popularity of the Marx Brothers in each locality. Monogram "THE PHANTOM KILLER," with John McGuire, Polly Ann Young, Bela Lugosi. A program melodrama. Republic "COUNTRY FAIR," with Lulubelle and Scotty, Guinn Willilams, Eddie Foy, Jr., June Clyde, William Demarest, Marc Lawrence. A political comedy, with a hillbilly background. Fair box-office possibilities. RKO "SCATTERGOOD PULLS THE STRINGS," with Guy Kibbee, Dink Trout, Mildred Coles. Exhibitors who played the first "Scattergood" picture are in a position to judge the possibilities of this follow-up. "A CERTAIN MR. SCRATCH," with Thomas Mitchell, Walter Huston, Anne Shirley, James Craig, Simone Simon, Jane Darwell, Gene Lockhart. The cast is good, and the box-office possibilities are the same. Twentieth Century-Fox "MAN HUNT," with Walter Pidgeon, George Sanders, Joan Bennett, John Carradine. With the players mentioned, this should make a good program offering. "SUN VALLEY," with Sonja Henie, John Payne, Milton Berle, Joan Davis, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, Lynn Bari, Nicholas Brothers. The "Sun Valley" background, which will most likely be used for this picture, coupled with the popular players, and the usual lavish production given Sonja Henie pictures, should insure this as a good box-office attraction. Universal "SING ANOTHER CHORUS," with Johnny Downs, Jane Frazee, Mischa Auer, George Barbier, Iris Adrian. Fairly good program possibilities. "TIGHT SHOES," with Broderick Crawford, Anne Gwynne, John Howard, Binnie Barnes, Leo Carrillo, to be produced by Jules Levey. No facts are available about the story, but judging by the players mentioned the picture has pretty good box-office possibilities. Warner-First National "PASSAGE FROM HONGKONG," with Keye Luke, Lucille Fairbanks, Keith Douglas, Richard Ainley. Probably a melodrama, of program grade. "DIVE BOMBER," with Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray, Ralph Bellamy, Robert Armstrong, Regis Toomey, Allen Jenkins. Although the feminine lead is not yet mentioned, the male players selected are alone capable of insuring good box-office results.