Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

Rebuffs British State Control Advocates Bracken, in Commons, Sees Disappearance of MOI When War Ends by PETER BURNUP in London A surprising, unanticipated rebuff was administered recently by Parliament to those earnest persons who so inveterately advocate Government control, if not complete Stateownership, of the country's motion picture industry. The occasion was the House of Commons debate on the Ministry of Information's estimates. It had been widely thought that the prophets of State ownership would seize the opportunity of preaching another sermon on the virtues of State control. Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information, gave a lively account of his stewardship; dilated on the part his officials were playing in ensuring that the liberated nations should have an abundance of British-made films ; claimed that the documentary had played an essential part in the development of a recognized national style of filming; maintained that far from hampering commercial production his department had afforded such production inestimable aid. But, throughout its length, Mr. Bracken's speech resembled nothing more than an eloquent, if amiable, funeral oration. Clearly, the Minister foresees his department vanishing, as soon as the Cease Fire sounds. Others Took Similar View The mood of his address was followed by every subsequent speaker. Some had kind words for the Ministry's motion picture efforts. But all expressed the hope that the Ministry, and all its works, should die as soon as may be. It was a meloncholy ocasion for those advocates of State control. Disconcerted though they might be by the official attitude, the protagonists of Government production found considerable solace in statements made at the Ministry of Information by Jack Beddington, director of the Ministry's Films Division, recently returned from his inspection of MOI's outposts in America. Mr. Beddington said that for his part, he would return to his private business the instant hostilities ceased; but denied that he had ever committed himself while in America to the statement that Governmental documentary production would cease with the end of the war. His division, indeed, has re-drafted its future in the light of its director's investigation in the States. Plan Documentary Series Impressed with the need for mutual understanding between the two nations, Mr. Beddington's men plan an ambitious series of documentaries, "England Through American Eyes." They are seeking a skilled, responsible observer who will express his opinion of our people, their customs, their mode of behavior, with a becoming frankness. They plan, too, the picture's converse, "America Through British Eyes"; though whether such a subject would receive the precise type of welcome its planners see for it in America is uncertain. Nevertheless, Mr. Beddington, and certain ly the quite considerable staff which has grown up around him and which has enjoyed throughout the war the beneficent protection of the official umbrella, don't see the Government going out of the motion picture industry. They will move in many directions before that is achieved. Later, Tom O'Brien, general secretary of the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees, in an address to the delegates of the Association at Blackpool, said, "We believe that Government control of film production cannot be divorced from Government control of film exhibition, and of cinemas ; nor, indeed, of any form of entertainment, such as theatres, concerts, and the like. You cannot segregate entertainment of our people into Government-controlled and private enterprise, that is, if you are really genuinely motivated and not playing propaganda politics. Public's Reaction Unknown "Nearly thirty million people today patronize our cinemas weekly ; and about five million our theatres. Nowhere have we heard or read, in any scheme for nationalization or Government control of our industry, any reference, even slightly, to what the public think of the idea. We have read quite a good deal of what a minority of self-appointed authorities and self-assumed experts think should be done for their special interests, but not a word about the people who are to be inflicted with the result of these grandiose policies." Mr. O'Brien claimed that the reaction to the proposals of the workers in Rhondda, Rochdale, Clydeside, Birmingham and other industrial centres, who form by far the bulk of the nation's motion picture audiences, had "been disgracefully ignored"; declared that the suggestion appeared to him as a mild form of Fascist or Totalitarian attempt to impose on Britons a first priority of State control, in a field of activity which least of all renders itself suitable for such control. He said bluntly that pious resolutions and penny balloons would not -meet the gigantic competition of Hollywood. Unintended Pun Brings Laugh The House of Commons, during the MOI debate, had one hearty laugh, whose occasion was completely missed by the Parliamentary reporters. Ivor Thomas, one of the more youthful, intellectualist Labor Party members who sits for a Yorkshire industrial constitueny, was expressing the hope that the whole of the Information Ministry's setup, including the Films Division, would be cast upon a funeral pyre immediately after war ceases. "But," went on Mr. Thomas, "if the British film industry continues to turn out the rank rubbish we have had from it almost since its inception, there would be a strong case for continuing the Films Division. ..." Members greeted with glee what they regarded as the adroit use of the adjective "rank." Thomas was startled, manifestly dismayed, at the unanticipated gusts of laughter, and declared afterwards that he just used the word because he couldn't think of a better, claimed that any animadversion on Britain's film chief was furthest from his intentions. True it is to say that M.P.'s who heard the denial evinced a measure of tolerant scepticism. Court Grants U.l\ Plea to Intervent In Goldman Suit The U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals in P I delphia Monday granted the petition of the I Government to enter the $1,650,000 anti-trust J of William Goldman, Philadelphia independent euit operator, against the Warner circuit andi major distributors. The Government enters the; as a "friend of the court," and will file a bri<i connection with the complainant's appeal fro U. S. District Court which dismissed the actic April. When Wendell Berge, Assistant Attorney ( eral, filed the petition with the court several w ago, he pointed out that the issues raised in Goldman case were similar to those involve< the Government's suit against Paramount, el pending in the U. S. District Court, New Y Although several home office attorneys counted the significance of the Department Justice's intention to file a brief at Philadeli indicating the Government's position with res| to the Consent Decree and the pending New a suit, at least one company lawyer said ml distributors would study the brief "with d interest." Meanwhile, disposition of the decree revil still awaits the return to Washington of Assis' Attorney General Tom C. Clark, who was Chicago last week for the Democratic Convenl returned to the capital last Saturday and was again on another trip which was expected to U him out of Washington until the weekend, i sumably, Mr. Clark will confer on the decree 4 Attorney General Francis Biddle and anti-t chief Wendell Berge when he returns. PRC Realigns Field and Home Office Staffs Leo J. McCarthy, general sales manager of P Pictures, is completing the reorganization alignment of the distribution organization with appointment of three division sales managers. Sidney Kulick will supervise the eastern d sion, comprising Albany, Buffalo, Boston, Cle land, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsbu and Washington territories, making his headqi ters at the home office. Fred Rhors will super' the southern division, including Atlanta, Cincinr Dallas, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Little Rc New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis, m ing his headquarters in the latter city. A divh manager for the western division will be announ shortly. The home office staff has been realigned v the appointment of R. George Fleitman as ] McCarthy^ assistant in direct charge of he office operations. John Cosentino has been pointed manager of the contract department, u William Kline as his assistant. David P. Wie heads the accounting department, Harry N. B is eastern advertising and publicity director i S. S Kestenbaum is in charge of exploitation. \ The company held a regional sales meeting Cleveland July 22 and 23, attended by represer tives from that city, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indi apolis and Pittsburgh. Films Keep Pace with Soldiers in Combat Colonel E. L. Munson, Chief of the Army I torial Service, recently returned from the Eu pean theatre of operations, in a report to the f industry's War Activities Committee, declared t pictures were keeping pace with the soldiers Normandy and that they would be a regular p of their diet as they battled forward. More tl 16,000 film programs, under the auspices of WV have been given for the armed forces in com areas. Some of the titles seen at present in Allied-held areas are: "See Here, Private H grove." "Bridge of San Luis Rey," "Song of B nadette," "Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble," "1 Uninvited," "Gangway for Tomorrow," "1 Heat's On." 52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 29, I1