Motion Picture News (Apr-Jun 1919)

May 10, i o i q 3013 National Association to Censor Films Members Representing Ninety-five Per Cent of Producers Bind Themselves to Submit Films — Will Refuse Service to Exhibitors Booking Forbidden Subjects A CAMPAIGN of vigorous, aggressive action against undesirable motion 4 pictures is the latest declaration of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. The first moves in the campaign are the decision of the members to submit all pictures to the Association on request and to abide by its rulings ; and, secondly, to refuse film service to exhibitors who show pictures distributed in violation of the Association's mandates. Representatives of ninety-five per cent of the producers of motion pictures are declared to have been present at the Hotel Claridge meeting, which decided on the constructive censorship move. The statements issued following the meeting say nothing as to the future status of the National Board of Review, nor do the members of the Association who will act as censors or the methods that will be followed. Will Seek Legislation The resolutions adopted also pledge the National Association to a strenuous campaign to procure legislation and constitutional amendment that will give the right of " free speech " to the screen and prevent legalized censorship. The new plans of the association are concisely summed up in the resolutions adopted at the meeting. They are as follows : FIRST: That all members of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry shall submit to it every picture produced and distributed by them upon its request at any time prior to or after the public exhibition thereof, and shall accept any and all rulings made by said National Association in respect thereto. SECOND: That all producers and distributors shall attach at the beginning of the first reel of every picture produced and distributed by them such mark or stamp as shall be authorized and issued by said National Association and shall remove the same upon order thereof. THIRD: That all members of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry shall forthwith advise all of their exhibitors that on and after the first day of June, 1919, they shall refuse to furnish any of their product for exhibition in any theatre in which there shall be exhibited after the receipt of such notice any motion picture disapproved by the said National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, or from which eliminations have been ordered or changes in titles or sub-titles have been ordered by it, but not made ; and that the purport of this Third Paragraph be incorporated in and made a part of all contracts between distributors and exhibitors hereafter entered into. FOURTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry take all steps that may be permitted by law to prohibit the exhibitions of such pictures as are by it disapproved or from which eliminations or changes in titles or sub-titles have been ordered by it, but not made. FIFTH : That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry shall adopt rules, regulations and orders with respect to the foregoing and provide for their proper enforcement. SIXTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry condemns the exhibition of all pictures which are obscene, immoral, salacious, or tend to corrupt or debase morals or that are exhibited contrary to its rules, regulations or orders. SEVENTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry shall assist and cooperate with the proper authorities in any legal proceedings, whether criminal or otherwise, that may be undertaken to prohibit the exhibition of such pictures and in the prosecution of those exhibiting the same. EIGHTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry reaffirms its unalterable opposition to any form of legalized censorship of motion pictures prior to their exhibition. NINTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry shall endeavor to cause to be adopted an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the enforcement of any law abridging the freedom of expression through the medium of the motion picture to the same effect as is provided in Article 1 of the ten original amendments to the Constitution of the United States that were declared in force De OPEN AIR HOUSE Tampa, Fla., Gets First Neighborhood Theatre CE. DILLON, a vaudeville actor, decided after playing • a date in Tampa, that he would locate there. He secured a lot in the heart of the Hyde Park district and erected an Airdrome. He opened Saturday, April 26. Mr. Dillon had some opposition from residents in the district, but seems to have arrived at some kind of an agreement with them. A " contest," with a prize of a $25 watch and season's pass to the one who could suggest the mos appropriate name for the new house, has closed, and the name selected is "Bellair." Tampa has twelve theatres showing motion pictures, but all are located on the principal business streets, so this gives Tampa her first " neighborhood " house. cember IS, 1791, prohibiting the enactment of any law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press. TENTH: That the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry urge the passage of a law by the next Congress of the United States, amending that section of the Penal Law of the United States which now prohibits the transmission by mail or otherwise of indecent pictures or iiterature so as to clearly include the prohibition of a like transmission of obscene or indecent motion pictures. All of the leading companies were represented at the dinner by the following: William A. Brady Jesse L. Lasky Arthur S. Friend Adolph Zukor John C. Flinn Walter W. Irwin Walter L. Greene Richard A. Rowland J. Robert Rubin P. A. Powers Percy L. Waters D. MacDonald Herman Robbins Gabriel L. Hess Ronald Reader Paul H. Cromelin N. J. Baumer William Wright J. Stuart Blackton J. E. Brulatour Charles C. Pettijohn E. W. Hammons E. J. Ludvigh Emil L. Shauer A. Alperstein John R. Pembleton Arthur Ryan Al Kaufman Louis J. Selznick Lewis Innerarity Joseph M. Schenck Frederick H. Elliott Government Film Started It Regarding the meeting, William A. Brady declared " The action taken by the producers and distributors of the National Association of the Motion Picture Indus try, representative of more than ninetyfive per cent, of the recognized makers of screen product, is directly impelled by the fact that throughout the United States there are being released at present for public exhibition certain films and health propaganda motion pictures which were made for the exclusive exhibition to soldier audiences in cantonments and billets, both here and abroad. These films treat of the social evil and properly distributed among the men of the army and navy aided materially the medical corps of the army and navy in their work. " It has come to our attention, however, that these pictures, made exclusively for army distribution, and others patterned along the same lines, in some manner have become released for public exhibition before mixed audiences of men, women and children. Unjustly, the entire motion picture industry is being made to suffer by the righteous indignation of the public against these exhibitions. That the public has not been fully acquainted with the facts which led to the dissemination of such pictorial information only complicates and makes more dangerous the menace to the recognized producers in the industry. " The motion picture industry denies emphatically the right of legislators, of local commissions, of self-con,stituted reviewers to censor the motion picture beyond the regulations embodied in the law of every State of the Union prohibiting the dissemination of unclean and indecent literature and pictures. Self-willed, sincere, but narrow-minded persons are seeking to fasten upon a medium of expression as great as the spoken word or the press a diabolical censorship which is un-American of late, the force of arguments of these individuals has been strengthened by the reference to the social evil pictures referred to. " In so far as discouraging the exhibition of these pictures is concerned every self-respecting motion picture producer in the United States agrees with these proponents of legalized censorship. But we do not agree — in fact we will not tolerate — ■ the methods of legalized control because we feel we have in our hands far greater responsibility and far greater ability to combat the evils that are against us than have any other agencies." A meeting of the representatives of the National Board of Review and the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry was held April 30 at the Hotel Knickerbocker, to discuss what steps should be taken to bring about closer cooperation between the Motion Picture Producing Companies and the National Board of Review. The following joint committee for further conference was appointed: P. A. Powers of the Universal Film Co., Arthur Friend of the Famous Players-Lasky Co., J. Stewart Blackton of the Blackton Productions Incorporated, Paul Cromlin of the Inter-Ocean Film Co., and Gabriel Hess of the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation to represent the Motion Picture Producing Companies.