Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

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6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 27, 1945 Mass. Clearance Is Modified by Board The award of the Boston tribunal declaring that maximum clearance on 20th Century-Fox, Paramount, RKO, Loew's and Warner product which the Norwood and Guild Theatres, Norwood, Mass., held over the Strand, Canton, Mass., shall be seven days, and abolishing clearance entirely for the State Theatre, Stoughton, Mass., over the Strand, has been modified by the Appeals Board, the American Arbitration Association reports. Hereafter, the board ruled, maximum clearance over the Strand by the Norwood shall be 14 days and for the Guild, on pictures it plays first run, three days. No clearance shall be granted, the board further ruled, to the State over the Strand on any pictures with respect to which the Strand is subject to clearance in favor of the Norwood or Guild ; and maximum clearance over the Strand which may be granted to the State on pictures to which the Strand is not subject to clearance, in favor of either theatres in Norwood, shall be seven days. Canton Amusement Co., Inc., operates the Strand, George A. Giles Co., operates the Norwood and Guild ; and Stoughton Theatre Operating Co. operates the State. FREE & PETERS. Inc. James L. Free. Chairman. H. Preston Peters, President. Since 1932, exclusive national sales representatives of leading radio stations from coast to coast. Offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Hollywood. Now planning postwar expansion in FM and Television representation. WRIGHTSOXOVOX. Inc. James L. Free, President. Ward R. Hickok, General Manager. Since 1941, exclusive developers and licensors of Sonovox ''Talking and Singing Sound," exploiting commercial and artistic uses of Gilbert Wright's basic patented invention, in radio and motion pictures. Headquarters in Hollywood. JAMES L. FREE i PRODUCTIONS James L. Free, Producer. Norman Wright, Director. Headquarters in Hollywood. Fred Mitchell, New York Representative. Now producing series of one-reel quality shorts for major release, plus television: "The Wonderful Ears of Johnnie McGoggin," using Sonovox Talking and Singing Sound. Also producing motion piciurc commercials for experimental television, and "minute movies" for theatre distribution. V NEW YORK: 444 Madison Ave. Plaza 5-4130 CHICAGO: 180 N. Michigan Ave. Franklin 6373 HOLLYWOOD: 6331 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 2151 Hays Warns of Laxities In Standards of Screen (Continued from page 1) tion erected by the industry had weathered every storm. "We have proved," Hays declared, "that even in the most savage war in history there was no theme or situation that couid not be dramatically treated within the limits of decency and good taste . . . that art and prudence in motion pictures do not necessarily conflict; that morality in entertainment is quite compatible _ with its enjoyment and its best service; that there can no longer be any question that morally sound pictures are good entertainment and good box-office." "No post-war trend of laxity or license will weaken or overcome our determination to keep the screen a free medium by keeping it an honest and respectable one," he added. Peace to Bring Problems He warned, however, that peace would bring problems as well as opportunities to the industry. Not the least of these, he said, was the "ever present problem of self-discipline which we expect to be increased by the war's effect upon moral standards." Hays recited in his report that in the post-war the motion picture audience will have been increased because entertainment during the war had drawn into steady patronage millions who were before only casual goers ; the industry will be in position to mobilize and use the new techniques which films have developed in wartime. Hays said that the industry could view with pride the steady trend towards wider popular approval and enjoyment of films which have greater artistic merit. "We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that there is again a resurgence against moral restraints and impatience with the inhibitions of conscience, and that this destructive force is being organized. "Not only from long experience but from the firmness of resolution which has been reinforced through these years, we are prepared to meet the exigencies of this situation. What we began almost a quarter of a century ago has developed into an institution so vital, and has created a program of practices so fruitful, that the present challenge will find us quite conscious of the task. We shall not be satisfied merely to hold the gains of a quarter century's growth," he added. "The line of progress imposes upon us the imperative necessity to expand and intensify all the association's efforts and its departmental activities. We have already begun to move forward in extending the association's operating machinery and amplifying its personnel. Plans for many new and enlarged activities have been made and are in process of execution." Against Censorship "As the world approaches the task of peace and reconstruction, every channel of communication, every means of education, every agency of information, must be freed from the restraints which would prevent them from functioning in the interests of a free and peaceful world. The motion picture industry, therefore, is vitally interested in world-wide recognition of the right to freedom for all mediums of expression, because no one medium of communication can thrive apart from free expression in all." Hays praised the policy of the State Department which places our Government behind the principle of unhampered transit in all mediums of communication. Such a policy, he declared, is an asset to world understanding and world peace. Discriminatory tariffs, excessive customs duties, contingents, quotas, price fixing, freezings, remittance taxes and a host of other restrictions "are mines laid in the path of the free interchange of motion picture information and entertainment," he said, adding : "There is a cultural reciprocity inherent in the exchange of film entertainment which must never be endangered by the intrusion of self-serving propaganda. American pictures obviously help interpret American civilization to the peoples of the world. British pictures are reflections of British culture. And the native cultures of other countries, manifested in the films they produce, are valuable contributions to world entertainment and cultural interchange. Interna tional understanding, so necessary for world peace, is promoted. But neither films nor any other means of information, education or entertainment can hope to perform their maximum service if they abandon their integrity. The vitality of all our democratic processes depends upon freedom of communication among free men." Cites War Services of the Industry Hays, in his annual report, said a total of 24,867 prints of feature pictures and 26,341 of short subjects on 16mm. film had been delivered to representatives of the Armed Services for free showing to servicemen overseas. More than 16,000 pledged theatres during 1944, he reported, opened their screens to many special releases directed to recruiting for special services as well as National War Fund and Red Cross appeals. During the year there were 15,110 "Bond Premieres" in theatres. For these premieres the distributors furnished the films and the exhibitors waived cash receipts in favor of free admissions for bond purchasers. Hays also paid tribute to the talent participation in the war effort, pointing out that through the Hollywood Victory Committee 3,671 artists made 41,463 personal appearances in 6,070 different events. Screen personnel traveled more than 4,000,000 miles, spent 1,430 weeks on the "foxhole circuit" overseas, and made more than 18,000 personal appearances in hospitals and camps in the U. S. Newsreel cameramen, Hays said, continued to perform a heroic job on every war front. Films and Education Hays said that anticipated increased post-war interest in the use of films by educational institutions is beginning to be realized. "There is an increasing number of requests for service from schools and school systems, as well as from institutions which are looking to us for the first time for film materials to be used in their instructional programs. "Much of this film service is rendered through Teaching Film Custodians, Inc., which is now distributing to several thousand . schools and Hays Is Reelected MPPDA President (Continued from page 1) berg, Borthwick, Jack Cohn, Cecil B. DeMille, Earl W. Hammons, E. B. Hatrick, Hays, Joseph H. Hazen, a new member; Edward C. Raftery, N. Peter Rathvon, Hal E. Roach, Nicholas M. Schenck, Spyros Skouras and Harry M: Warner. Hunt Stromberg Productions was elected a Class A member, with Hunt Stromberg designated as representative. The annual report was approved, as was the treasurer's report. Hays presided. Charles Francis Coe, vice-president and general counsel, was not redesignated in that office, while Walter Wanger was not renamed to the board. school systems 16mm. prints of the theatrical short subjects. "Another type of expansion during the past year was the extension of this distribution program into Canada, from which repeated requests have come to permit educational film libraries in Canada to share in these film resources." Hays declared that an "interesting phenomenon" of motion picture attendance is the indication that films have become America's Summer-time amusement, at least during the war period. Trade Press Service Hays declared that the war had highlighted for the industry the service performed by the trade press. "No other industry is better served. Our trade publications provide our widespread industry personnel with better information, faster, than the trade mediums of any other comparable business enterprise. This was important and essential to the functioning of the motion picture industry in time of peace; and it has been essential in time of war. "For the historian who undertakes to review the contribution made by the American motion picture industry to the successful prosecution of this war, the volumes of our trade press will be an archive worthy of his study. In them he will find the progressive stages through which the industry advanced in the augmented discharge of its war responsibility. He will find also an explanation of how the momentum was developed to carry over the top the variousBond campaigns, United Nations drives, subscriptions for the Red Cross, the March of Dimes, National War Fund drives, and the many other functions of our War Activities Committee. "The twelve papers and magazines comprising the Trade Press Division of the War Activities Committee, since May 1942 have contributed 8335^ pages of advertising to the industry's war effort, which measured in dollars represent $272,934. Even more important, however, is the fact that 13,554 columns of news and editorial comment was specifically directed toward war service projects of the industry. "Our trade press succeeded not only in placing a premium on cooperation in the war effort but through explaining to the rank and file of our personnel the necessity for the contractions and restrictions on our normal functioning, helped materially to keep the stream of entertainment unimpaired."