Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

56 .1/ o t i , Pictui X , November 1, 1930 Editor Lanibasts Censors; Calls on Hays to Stop 'Em Kansas Lity — Several weeks ago A. B. McDonald, foremost of the feature writers on the Kansas City Star, wrote an article dealing with the influence of motion pictures on modern youth. By quoting several judges and magistrates, McDonald indirectly laid the blame for much delinquency on the films, which aroused the ire of J. C. Moffitt, motion picture editor of the Star. Moffitt took it upon himself to answer the charges of McDonald in a series of articles under the title of "To See or Not to See," which were published for four consecutive Sundays md which created considerable interest in Kansas City and throughout the territory. The essence of the features centered on censorship and pointed out its influences pro and con. In argument against the attack upon underworld pictures and their alleged effects on juvenile crime, .Uofhtt pointed out that some of the most notorious bandits of history were youths who flourished long before motion pictures were heard of, and that many oi these culprits never had read a book or story which might have given any suggestion of a bandit profession. The inconsistency and inadequacy of censorship as it stands today is the subject of many columns of Moffitt's discussion. Four examples illustrate his meaning. In Kansas, history in connection with Henry VIII had to be altered to conform with the cen-ir views of propriety. This happened with the picture "Deception," starring Emit /armings. The censor board caused a subtitle to be inserted when the king was shown with Anne Boleyn on his lap, reading. "They Secretlv Had Been Married." Since Henry was already married to some one else, the censorship board thus made the famous king a bigamist, and Kansas got its history diluted, but pure. Again, in the case of "Sonny." starring Richard Barthelmess. a harmless picture was panned insistently and had a great struggle with the censor board because, as it seems, it gave a suggestion that clubwomen were busybodies. On the other hand, in the case of the easily detected hoax. "Ingagi." an earnest effort was made in Kansas City to have a special screening of the picture for school children for its "instructive scientific features." In Moffilt's words, "The most consorable picture that has appeared in Kansas City in the last five years was nassed without a ripple of protest from official headquarters." Likewise in the '-ase of "Montana Mm n." where some iustified censoring miHit have been done in connection with CLASSIFIED ADS Swank Another blonde has come to the end of her contract in Hollywood without the producers evincing any particular interest in her cinema future. She is beautiful and how she knows it; can dance a little, sing a little, and got the wonderful breaks of being cast opposite very important stars and in the best directorial vehicles. All this, however, didn't help her to make any particular impression on the fans, and by this time next year, unless she's taken up by one of the smaller companies, she'll be one of the New Yorkers who'll be panning Hollywood. They always do that when they can't get a good job out there. It's her own fault this time. After her first picture, she put on so much swank that wise ones even then said it was only a matter of time. The men stars in each production passed on word to their successors about her bad disposition and temperament. She was engaged to be married to some rich man who made the same fatal error of butting into his girl friend's career. He even visited the New York offices of the company which employed her and complained about the size type used on her name in the advertisements. She never stopped complaining, which is one of the reasons why, when her contract expires next month, the studio executives will have no regrets in bidding her a none-toosad farewell. — A'. }*. Graphic. Ticket Machines WILL PAY CASH for used Ticket Machines. Automatic "GOLD SEAL" or SIMPLEX MODELS PREFERRED. Forward information giving size of machine, serial numher. motor current and condition. MIDWEST TICKET & SUPPLY COMPANY, Inc., 910 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Illinois. the scene in which Joan Crawford gets off a train, sees a cowpuncher and goes to bed with him, there was not a stir of protest from the board and the critic got himself called down for suggesting that the scene might not hold up as the Perfect Behavior for Decorous Young Ladies. Stupidity of Censors Moffitt comments upon these examples as follows : "These anecdotes, taken at random from the leaves of a critic's notebook, illustrate several important phases of censorship. The stupidity of the censors keeps the thoughtful theatregoer in constant fear of the institution they represent; the stupidity of the producers makes censorship an even more pressing menace. "Censorship of the screen came into being at a time when many conscientious persons thought it necessary to protect their children from the violence and the sensuousness of the early nickelodeons. That child attendance of the movies should be regulated is a subject on which we offer no debate. We believe many fine books are unfit for child readers, that many works of art will not improve adolescent minds, and we hope, we piously hope, that a few pictures shall be made every now and then that are not designed exclusively for mentalities of ten vears. "Relationships between the child and the movies are adequately supervised in most cities by che better films committee of the parent-teacher association. This committee sees many films each week and each week prepares a list of films approved for children. Child attendance of questionable films ■ lues not always indicate that parents take advantage of this service, but is being performed faithfully and very well for those parents who consider the movies a problem. If other parents disregard the approved list it may be taken as an indication of the fact they are not as alarmed over Hollywood's plot to corrupt our babies as others might make out. Maternity a Qualification "The astonishing thing about the work of this committee is that every week it issues a list of films 'approved for adults.' Just how maternity should indicate an ability to censor films for adults is hard to explain. How does the fact a woman who has had three children qualify her as a judge of entertainment for a Harvard graduate, a truck driver, or a newspaper reporter ? \Yhat right has she to assume an air of superiority and decide that persons who are older (and younger) than she, and perhaps wiser, may look at and what they may not." Moffitt points out that nine out of every ten persons who are asked about juvenile delinquency talk about parental neglect, bridge, golf, dancing, and the movies, and that the facts do not bear this out. He quotes Judge Jlalph S. Latshaw of Kansas City as saying that he does not believe there is a larger percentage of boy criminals now than there ever was, and that the majority of our boy criminals are mentally and physically below normal to begin with. Moffitt draws this conclusion : "The big point is this : Golf, dancing, bridge, religion, Billy Sunday, and the movies are made for normal people. All of these factors in modern life are keyed to the reactions of the normal. Civilization will retrograde if we key things to the subnormal. If we must make movies with no public :n mind, save one that is criminal and mentally deficient, where will the movies be? The idea is too ridiculous to think of. It never would be thought of but for the American habit of thoughtlessly giving expert testimony on any subject whatever. "The state of the motion picture would be improved greatly if Mr. Hays, instead of spending millions of dollars trying to curry the turnkeys, the deputy sheriffs, the judges, the reformers and all the other sacred cows, would hire a few good lawyers, whenever anv of the aforementioned gentry brought serious charges against the screen, and would make him prove it. We have laws that cover drunken and careless driving. It is general careless talking that is running down the country's fourth largest industry." Indoor Golf Socks Business at Albany Albany — Indoor miniature golf courses, many of which are constructed on an elaborate scale, are being opened in this city and seriously threaten the picture theatres in the way of patronage. During the past week two large indoor courses opened with several already in operation and a half dozen or more in sight. Two of these have opened in a large downtown block formerly housing a printing concern and within a short block of two theatres. These are equipped with refreshment booths and other attractive features. One indoor course is advertising the attendance of two well known "pros." LTp to a month or so ago. exhibitors in Albany were under the impression that there would be no competition from miniature golf during the late fall and winter season.