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COMMUNISM IN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 39
Mr. Warner. In what sense?
Mr. Stripling. In the sense that it portrayed Russia and communism in an entirely different light from what it actually was ?
Mr. Warnp:r. I am on record about 40 times or more that I have never been in Russia. I don't know what Russia was like in 1937 or 1944 or 1947, so how can I tell you if it was right or w^rong?
Mr. Stripling. Don't you think you were on dangerous ground to produce as a factually correct picture one which portrayed Russia
Mr. Warner. No ; we were not on dangerous ground in 1942, when we produced it. There was a war on. The world was at stake.
Mr. Stripling. In other words
Mr. Warner. We made the film to aid in the war effort, which I believe I have already stated.
Mr. Stripling. Whether it was true or not?
Mr. Warner. As far as I was concerned, I considered it true to the extent as written in INIr. Davies' book.
Mr. Stripling. Well, do you suppose that your picture influenced the people who saw it in this country, the millions of people who saw it in this country?
Mr. Warner. In my opinion, I can't see how it would influence anyone. We were in war and when you are in a fight you don't ask who the fellow is who is helping you.
]Mr. Stripling. Well, due to the present conditions in the international situation, don't 3^011 think it was rather dangerous to write about such a disillusionment as was sought in that picture?
Mr. Warner. I can't understand why you ask me that question, as to the present conditions. How did I, you, or anyone else know in 1942 what the conditions were going to be in 1947. I stated in my testimony our reason for making the picture, which was to aid the war effort — anticipating what would happen.
Mr. Stripling. I don't see that that is aiding the war effort, Mr. Warner — with the cooperation of Mr. Davies or with the approval of the Government — to make a picture which is a fraud in fact.
Mr. Warner. I want to correct you, very vehemently. There was no cooperation of the Government.
Mr. Stripling. You stated there was.
Mr. Warner. I never stated the Government cooperated in the making of it. If t did, I stand corrected. And I know I didn't.
Mr. Stripling. Do you want me to read that part, Mr. Chairman?
The Chairman. No; I think we have gone into this Mission to Moscow at some length.
Mr. Warner. I would like to go into it at great length, in order to make the Warner Bros.' position to the American public clear, as to why we made the film. You couldn't be more courageous, to help the war effort, than we. Certainly there are inaccuracies in everything. I have seen a million books — using a big term — and there have been inaccuracies in the text. There can be inaccuracies in anything, especially in a creative art. As I said, we condensed the trials
The Chairman. We only have 5 minutes this morning. Can w^e finish wnth Mr. Warner this morning?
Mr. Stripling. Those are all the questions I have, Mr. Chairman. If you would like some qualified reviewer who has seen the picture to give the committee