Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1934)

Saturday, July 14, 1934 MOTIOK PICTURE DAILY Protestants Join for New Film Pledges (Continued from page 1) general secretary of the Federal Council, said the decision to circulate a pledge was the result of a "spontaneous demand." Several organizations are already using pledges, he said. Dr. Cavert made it plain the campaign was not for the purpose of bringing about censorship. "Certain critics have given a false impression of the nature of the present campaign by calling it censorship," he said. "There is no ground whatever for such an inference. Our campaign is a wholly voluntary cooperative effort on the part of great numbers of men and women in the churches to secure a better motion picture product by refusing to 'buy' a product that they do not want. That is a thoroughly democratic way of saying to the producers they are mistaken in thinking that they have been giving the public what it wants. If this campaign fails — because of misrepresentation or other reasons — censorship will almost certainly come. If it should come, it would be due to the motion picture industry itself." Those at Meeting Among those present were: Brieradier John J. Allan, Salvation Army; Mrs. Tesse M. Bader, National Council of Federated Church Women; Rev, GeorRe T. Becker. Reformed Church in America; Rev. W. G. Boyle, National Council of North Baptist Men; J. Henry Carpenter, Brooklyn Federation of Churches; Rev. S. M. Cavert. Federal Council of Churches; W. T. Clemens. Greater New York Federation of Churches; George G. Davis. American Unitarian Ass'n. ; Miss Amelia Durbin. W. C. T. v.: Rev. Walter M. Hewlett. Greater New York Federation of Churches; Godfrey Hammond, Christian Herald: Albert R. Klemer, National Council Y. M. C. A.; Miss Edith E. Lowry, Council of Women lor Home Missions: F. S. Mead. The Homeletic Review; Rev. J. Quinter Miller, Hartford Council of Churches; Richmond P. Miller, Society of Friends; Leslie B. Moss, Foreign Missions Conference of N. A.; Rev. Harry S. Myers. Northern Bap tist Convention; Rev. John McDowell, Presbyterian Church of the U, S, A.: Rev. Frederick B. Newell, N, Y, C, Society of the M, E, Church; Mrs. Elizabeth Watson Pollard, Epworth League and Young People's Work of the M. E. Church: Mrs. Walter Rautenstrauch, National Council of Y. W. C. A.; Miss Elsie G. Rodgers. Presbyterian Board of Christian Education; Miss Henrietta Roelofs, National Board. Y. W. C. A.; Graham Steward, Christian Herald: Miss Katharine Terrill. Department of Social Relations. Congregational Education Society; Rev. Worth M. Tippv and George J. Zehrung, National Council Y. M, C. A. Broadcasting Started By Legion in Chicago Chicago, July 13. — A series of broadcasts over local stations has been launched in behalf of the Legion of Decency campaign. Speakers include Rev. George T. McCarthy, Bishop Bernard J. Shell, Rev. Louis F. Kroeck, William J. Campbell and John J. Collins. Rev. J. P. O'Reilly is chairman of the radio committee. The inovement is under the direction of Cardinal Mundelein and Bishop Sheil. Indicates Baptists to Join Church Campaign Chicago, July 13.— J. Howard Williams, general secretary of the Baptist general convention of Texas, an organization of 3,000 churches and 550,000 members, has indicated he will take up a campaign against indecent films at the Baptist World Alliance in Berlin Aug. 4. Support of the Legion of Decency campaign by people of all faiths is urged here by Dr. Robert Clements, president of the Chicago Church Federation. "We hope every church will assist in this movement with vigor and enthusiasm," he states. Boston to Boycott Producer for Month Boston, July 13. — Boycotting for one month the producer of a picture adjudged indecent is the main feature of a system to be put into effect by the end of July bv the Boston Legion of Decency in its drive against objectionable films. The aim of the league, according to tlie Rev. Russell M. Sullivan, representative of Cardinal O'Connell, is "prevention rather than censorship." Presbyterians in Wash. Vote to Join Film Drive Seattle, July 13. — The Presbyterian Synod of Washington has gone on record at its 45th conference here as opposed to the industry. It denounces block booking and pledges to join the drive to purge the screen. Presbyterian congregations are being urged not to patronize bad films. MOTION PICTURE DAILY^ HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW (Continued from pai/e 2) ment and to Worthington Minor for his direction. Those in the supporting cast are John Geal, Sarah Haden, Samuel Hinds, Dorothy Burgess and Margaret Hamilton. The picture should be generally accepted by adults and more so by that class seeking murder mystery courtroom stories salted with sophistication. Running time, 65 minutes. "Elmer and Elsie" {Paramount) Hollywood, July 13. — Clean, wholesome and homespunny is this comedy of a piano truckman, George Bancroft, who marries a small town concert pianist, Frances Fuller, saves a high-priced piano from being smashed by falling under it, which, together with the speech his wife makes in his stead, elevates him to the position of foreman. While there is nothing startling in the film, it is suffused with bonhommie, has some laugh incidents, with Bancroft contributing some iiighly amusing light comedy interludes and Roscoe Karns, his pal and detractor, a good foil for George. Although the charactei of Elmer is sappy at the start, Bancroft's personality comes through to save it. Miss Fuller is sweet as Elsie. George Barbier contributes a choice performance as a Babbitt factory owner. Gilbert Pratt's first directorial effort merits encouragement. If George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly's original story kidded the truckman — makes good formula — the production overlooks this, playing it straight for homey humor and not satire. For neighborhoods, where contentment and comfort are glorified, this will go nicely as a prog'-ammer. Running time, 75 minutes. Looking ^Em Over ** Dancing Man" (Pyramid-State Rights) This Pyramid production suffers primarily from incoherence in its latter half. Everything considered, however, it is passable entertainment for the neighborhood trade. It has a good cast, nice settings and a yarn that generally holds the interest even if it does become a bit muddled toward the end. An aging man of wealth (Edmund Breese) has reason to suspect his youthful wife (Natalie Moorhead) of having an affair with a gigolo (Reginald Denny). His daughter by an earlier marriage (Judith Allen) falls in love with the fellow without knowing he is the man her stepmother is infatuated with. This causes a break between Miss Allen and Denny, although the latter does not care for Miss Moorhead and plans to turn over a new leaf by taking a job in South America. Following a party at Denny's studio apartment. Miss Moorhead is found dead. From this point on the film develops into a complicated murder mystery with all the customary trappings. Developments in this portion of the film are not always clear, but suffice it to say that Denny has nothing to do with the killing, although he is under suspicion. One of Miss Moorhead's former husbands (Edwin Maxwell) with a weakness for blackmailing is the guilty one. Also in the cast are Robert Ellis and Huntley Gordon. AI Ray directed. Running time, 65 minutes. Kuykendall Takes Clean Film Stand (Continued from page 1) of results and would fall of its own weight of unfairness." "Anyone can jump on the bandwagon," he added. "Instead of condemnation let's all of us work together for the accomplishment of that which we all desire — clean amusement." Kuykendall referred to the producers' agreement to permit cancellation of any film publicly adjudged unclean as "further conclusive proof that the motion picture industry as a whole is cooperating to the utmost in the campaign for entertainment in good taste." First Films to Get Breen's O, K, Named Hollywood, July 13. — The first batch of certificates of approval has been handed out by Joseph I. Breen in accordance with the industry's new plan of self-regulation. Features entitled to bear the official seal of the M. P. P. D. A. are : "The World Moves On," "Handy Andy," "Baby, Take a Bow," "She Learned About Sailors," "Charlie Chan's Courage." "She Was a Lady," "Grand Canary." "Change of Heart," "David Harum" (Fox): "Paris Interlude," "Treasure Island" (M-G-M); "The Defense Rests," "Beyond the Law" (Columbia); "Elmer and Elsie," "Ladies Should Listen," "The Scarlet Empress," "She Loves Me Not" (Paramount). Serials certified are "Sentenced to Die," "A Leap for Life," "The Night .•\ttack" and "A Treacherous Ambush," all Universals. Shorts given certificates are : two of the "Going Places" series and two "Stranger Than Fiction" issues (Universal); "La Cucaracha" (Radio) ; "Them Thar Hills" and three "Goofy Movies" (M-G-M); "Mike Fright" (Hal Roach). Massachusetts Men Favor Cooperation Boston, July 13. — Resolutions have been adopted by Allied Theatre Owners of Massachusetts putting the members on record in favor of clean pictures and saying the situation calls for "earnest cooperation of producers, exhibitors and the public." The resolution further asks "that all parties interested be urged to bring about an early solution of this problem, and we, the Allied Theatres of Massachusetts, pledge ourselves to bend our every effort to effect this solution and will welcome and give cooperative consideration to any workable plan which may be evolved." Church Crusade to Feature KMT A Meet Kansas City, July 13. — The current religious crusade for clean films is definitely scheduled for discussion at the 16th annual convention of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n. to be held here Tuesday in the Variety Club rooms at the Muehlebach Hotel. "There never was more urgent need when exhibitors should band together to discuss the various matters that confront them," A. F. Baker, president, said in an association bulletin. "We know that many of you have stood the brunt of the drastic agitation launched against all branches of our industry."