Motion Picture Reviews (1933)

Motion Picture Reviews Three MOTION • PICTURE • REVIEWS Published monthly by THE WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY CLUB LOS ANGELES BRANCH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN Mrs. Chester Ommaney, Preview Chairman Mrs. Madison J. Keeney, Bus. Manager Mrs. Thomas B. Williamson Mrs. Bruce A. Findlay, Asst. Business Manager Mrs. John Vruwink Co-Chairmen Mrs. Palmer Cook EDITORS Mrs. Marcaret Argo Mrs. Palmer Cook Mrs. J. Allen Davis Mrs. Arthur Jones Mrs. George Ryall Mrs. Walter Van Dyke Mrs. John Vruwink Address all communications to The Women’s University Club, 943 South Hoover St., Los Angeles, Calif. 1 Oe Per Copy $1.00 Per Year Vol. IV FEBRUARY, 1933 No. 2 EDITORIAL ♦ We feel it necessary from time to time to put before our readers the way in which the women’s previewing committees work, because misunderstanding of this procedure gives rise to undeserved criticism. Uninformed persons have always thought that these committees were “censoring” films. Mr. Will Hays in an article appearing in the January issue “Good Housekeeping Magazine” on page 132 encourages this impression when he writes as follows: “The producing studios are cooperating with various national organizations in the effort to prevent unfit material reaching the public. The procedure is a pre-viewing system by which officially appointed representatives of these organizations see all motion pictures from the principal producers before they are released to the public and the entertainment, artistic and ethical values are judged in individual reports. At regular intervals these reports are summarized, printed in bulletin form, and distributed by these bodies freely to interested groups and libraries.” This is a very misleading statement for in the first place pictures are not previewed before release, but after they are distributed for release over the country. Secondly not all pictures are shown the previewing groups — even those of companies belonging to the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors. Such a service is entirely voluntary on the part of the companies — although the cooperation is urged by Mr. Hays’ office. Previewing is divided also. Cooperating with the West Coast division of the Public Relations Department of the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors and working with Mrs. Thomas G. Winters, Associate Director, are the following organizations: General Federation of Women’s Clubs, International Federation of Catholic Alumnae, National Society of New England Women, National Council of Jewish Women, National D. A. R., California Council of Parents and Teachers, Women’s University Club, Los Angeles Branch American Association of University Women, and the United Church Brotherhood. But in the East and working with Governor Milikan at the New York office, are committees also representing the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, and the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae. The West Coast committees get out a monthly bulletin called “Motion Picture Review — Joint Estimate of Previewing Committees,” printed and distributed by the Producers. And from Mr. Milikan’s office comes a similar publication called “Selected Motion Pictures,” in which the reports of the West Coast committee appear, and reviews of other pictures seen by the East Coast committees which have not been reported by the Western women. In commenting on the necessity for a double report Governor Milikan writes: “Contrary to the opinion of the West Coast previewing committee,