Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1927)

760 Motion P i c t u r c X c zc s Comment on "God Bless Movie Critics!" i PUBLICATION in Motion Picture those whom they assign to that work, I am News of Warren Nolan's articles, "God certain that our industry will be greatly bene Bless the Movie Critics!" has drawn fited. After all, no one wants poor pictures, comment in many quarters in and out of the and higher standards of criticism make for industry. better pictures. Robert E. Sherwood, editor of Life and "Kindly call upon me for anything I can famed movie critic, devoted his entire column do to aid in this valuable work." in the New York Evening Post last Saturday The author of the articles has received this to a discussion of Mr. Nolan's views. The letter from Joseph McElliott, film critic of Sherwood articles are syndicated by the Bell The New York Mirror: Syndicate to about thirty of the biggest news ''A proof of your article in Motion Pic papers in the country. ture News has been sent me. It appears to Typical of comments in the industry is the me that this is an excellent commentary on following letter to William A. Johnston from my own, and, as your article indicates, your Samuel Spring, secretary-treasurer of First former job. National : "Nor will be out of place for me to write "May I not send you a word of congratula you to that effect." tion on the excellent article entitled 'God In his article for the Bell Syndicate, Mr. Bless the Movie Critics!' which appeared in Sherwood took exception to Mr. Nolan's the last issue of your valuable Motion Picture point that critics should report audience reacNewsf Mr. Warren Nolan has written with tions rather than their own personal opincourage and discernment, and to my thinking ions. Mr. Sherwood said in part: he is entirely sound in his point of view. No "If a critic is writing for a trade paper artistic creative work has ever attained which goes to exhibitors whose one thought marked success, without the guidance of is for possible profits, he should view a picsound, thoughtful standards of criticism, and ture simply and solely as a piece of merchanI think that you and Mr. Nolan are to be dise and judge it accordingly. But if he is congratulated in pointing out that all of us writing for a newspaper or magazine, whose engaged in the field of motion pictures can readers are looking for his advice, he should well afford to give our thought toward aiding crusade vehemently for that which he thinks those who are criticising our pictures in in is right and against that which he thinks is dicating those standards. wrong. The thought that a picture which "Unquestionably motion picture critics he dislikes will appeal to an enormous num must be free from the slightest suggestion of ber of people should carry no weight with control or subsidy. They have valiantly car him whatever. ried on their work despite many difficulties; "This sounds like an arrogant point of but if the industry can use its influence to view, and the sound is not deceptive. Every persuade the newspaper proprietors to take worth while critic in every branch of art has the field of motion picture criticism a bit been arrogant; he has assumed that his opin more seriously and to aid by better pay and ions are better than the opinions of any one more favorable conditions of employment else, his fellow critics included." September g, 1927 Motion Picture News Vol. XXXf'I. Xo. 10 ^Published weekly by Motion Picture News, Inc. Founded in September, 1913. Publication Office, 729 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y.; Editorial and General Offices, 729 Seventli Ave., New York City; BrancJi Offices 845 S. Wabasfi Ave., CJiicago, III.; Room 616 Security Bldg., Hollywood, California. William A. Jofinston, president; E. Kendall Gillett, vice-president; William A. Jolinston, editor; J. S. Dickerson, associate editor; Oscar Cooper, managing editor; Fred I. Beecroft, advertising manager ; L. H. Mason, CJiicago representative ; William McCormack, Los Angeles representative. Subscription price, $2.00 per year, postpaid in United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico, Pliilippine Islands and some other countries. Canada, $3.00; Foreign, $6.00. Copyright, 1927, ^3; Motion Picture News, Inc., in United States and Great Britain. Title registered in tfw United States Patent Office and foreign countries. Western Union cable address is "Picknews," New York. Entered as secondclass matter at tlie Post Office, New York, N. Y., April 22, 1926, under the Art of March 3, 187Q.