Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

BRITISH TO EXPAND DOCUMENTARIES ' Government and Industry Set Elaborate Post-War Educational Plans The British Government, British heavy industry and the motion picture industry will embark upon extensive plans for the production of" informational, educational and industrial films after the war, it was predicted last week by two British film executives who have had long experience in the documentary, industrial and educational film field. Thomas Baird, director of the film division of the British Information Services, who returned to New York following a two-month visit in England, told the trade press last Wednesday that the British Government unquestionably would continue making information and education pictures after the war for non-theatrical audiences. Mr. Baird also predicted that if any of these pictures, on their merit, were msxketable, the Government would arrange commercial deals with exhibitors for their showing in theatres. To End British MOI Film Work After the war, the film activities of the British Ministry of Information will be discontinued, but all indications point to a furtherance of a motion picture program under the auspices of some Government agency. Mary Field, director of the children's motion picture production department for Gauraont-British, a Rank-controlled producing unit, who is visiting the United States, said in New York last week: "We foresee a great market for the production of instructional and educational films in the non-theatrical field. There is a tremendous force in Britain for adult education, brought about as the result of the Government's use of the screen for war purposes." So widespread is the activity to blueprint post-war production plans, Miss Field said, that even political parties were expected to turn out pictures. There is at the moment a plan to produce a film on the development of British cooperative societies. Heavy Industry To Use Films Practically all of Britain's heavy industry, coal, steel, oil and automobile, including the great Imperial Chemicals, will farm out contracts to independent producers for the production of instructional films. Only two large companies have their own production units thus far. Shell Oil and Morris Motors. Gaumont-British, which has made industrial pictures for many years, in addition to its commercial production, will continue to make films for industrial firms. The Association of Short Film Producers, which consists of 30 or 40 small producing units, expects to get a great many of the industrial contracts. Potential audiences for these industrial films as well as for the large number of educational pictures planned, include scientific and sociological groups, cooperative movements, educational clubs, technical schools, labor clubs and town guilds. There is a tremendous need in England for school 16mm sound projectors. Miss Field said, adding that after the war, educators expect to spend large sums to increase the number of machines in the British Isles. School projectors are paid for partly by local governments and partly by the national government. Mr. Baird reported that to date, the British Ministry of Information was reaching approximately 750,000 people a week through the nontheatrical distribution of MOI films from the MOI Central Film Library and through the MOI mobile units. About 10,000 bookings a month clear through the library. There are in England at the present time only 3,000 sound projectors, principally in factories, community organizations, schools and other groups. Training Films In Work With this potential audience as a nucleus, Britain's Government, industrial companies and educators hope to widen the non-theatrical potential to millions more. Industrial firms expect to spend at least $2,000,000 in the first year after the war for the production of films, Miss Field estimated. Educators may seek subsidies from private sources for the production of films and the British , Government will spend many thousands of pounds to augment educational film production for elementary schools, colleges and industrial training schools. MOI now has in production five training films for the British Ministry of Education. These are part of a series of about a dozen pictures. The series will be available free through the Central Film Library while the present wartime organization remains in force. In announcing this series, the Ministry of Education said that the object in making the films had been to experiment in various fields rather than to give the program a unity by itself. For some of the pictures the Ministry has provided the necessary advice. For others outside authorities have been appointed. The subjects range from child study to music, PreRoman Britain and science. "Princess and Pirate" Opens In Chicago November 20 Samuel's Goldwyn's "The Princess and the Pirate," distributed by RKO Radio, will open November 20 at the Woods theatre, Chicago, for an extended run. The film starring Bob Hope, will play as a single bill on a continuous performance policy. It was at the same theatre that Goldwyn's "Up in Arms" played for 21 weeks last Ohio Censor Orders Cuts In 1 3 Filnns in October Ohio's censors ordered eliminations from 13 films or 23 reels out of 117 films or 434 reels reviewed in October, while in September, there were eliminations in 14 films or 18 reels, when 72 films or 230 reels were reviewed. Comparatively, in October, 1943, eliminatio.is were ordered in nine films from a total of 148 films or 414 reels reviewed. Captain Ailemann in New Post Captain Louis 1. Ailemann, II, New York, formerly in the advertising department of RKO Pictures, has taken over duties as special service officer at the New Orleans Port of Embarkation, it was announced this week by the public relations office of the post. Captain Ailemann received his commission at Fort Benning, Ga., and has been in special service for two years. Rank Juvenile Film Program Is Outlined Here J. Arthur Rank, British film leader, is determined that children in the British Isles shall have motion pictures produced especially for them and he has put into motion a long-range program with that objective in view, Mary Field, director of the children's film production department of Gaumont-British, a Rank-controlled producing company, said in New York last week. Miss Field, who recently married George Hanken, British educator, is in the United States for a brief visit. She already has been to Canada, where she discussed children's films with John Grierson, director of the National Film Board. The GB children's motion picture department plans to reach a production output of a twohour program of entertainment features and shorts weekly for British children within five years. Miss Field said. There are enough films planned and in work for at least one reel a week of special children's material for next year. 300,000 Children Are Members At present 300,000 children belong to the Saturday morning clubs launched a year ago by Mr. Rank through the Odeon and Gaumont-British circuits. Children between the ages of seven and 14 are eligible, and pay sixpence, approximately 10 cents, for admission to the theatres every Saturday morning to view the special shows. The clubs are non-profit-making. Miss Field explained the theatres take out only the overhead. The balance of the revenue goes into the club treasuries for the production costs of the children's pictures. The rest of the funds are contributed by Mr. Rank. If the program is successful, Miss Field hopes that a similar project will be launched in the United States. She plans to arrange for the production of children's films in other countries and already has contracted for a Swedish company to make several pictures for her. Similar deals will be made in the U. S., Norway, Canada, and possibly Russia, France and Czechoslovakia after the war. The films will include features, shorts, cartoons, a special children's newsreel called "Our Magazine," and serials consisting of only two or three parts. Miss Field said that British children like Westerns very much. "They want pure cinema," she added. "They want action with a minimum of speech, which really is the perfect film." Considerable Early Criticism After Mr. Rank's project was started in England, considerable criticism was voiced, on . the ground that any one man or one group controlling the cinema fare of youngsters could prove dangerous. To prevent such a situation and to eliminate any further criticism, Mr. Rank established a national advisory council for the program, including representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Home Office, Scottish Office, the National Union of Teachers and similar groups. r ai atli id I'ltf J lillS . 1.1 "Night of Stars" Show Nets $110,000 Net proceeds from the 11th annual "Night of Stars" benefit staged Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, New York, before a sold-out house of 20,000, for the United Jewish Appeal for Refugees, Overseas Needs and Palestine, were $110,000. Messages from President Roosevelt, Governor Dewey and Mayor LaGuardia were read during the show. About 500 screen, stage and radio entertainers took part in the benefit. Robert Weitman, manager of the Paramount theatre, was head of the producing committee. Co-chairmen were Ed Sullivan and Louis K. Sydney. Honorary chairmen in the Vi^omen's division included Mrs. Leo Spitz, Mrs. Eddie Cantor, Mrs. Louis B. Mayer and Mrs. Spyros Skouras. I; kes: at( l![ ki At He eiit i! j! ttH ni 11 I ¥ uec m ) .1 !i :iAj its 1 HUI / Sfl lis 16 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 1944