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. Margaret 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. 10c Per Copy $1.00 Per Year Vol. IV MAY, 1933 No. 5 EDITORIAL ♦ International Mindedness and the Motion Picture That the motion picture has, for better or for worse, a decided influence in determining attitudes and emotional responses is recognized as a general fact; little investigation-backed thought, has been given to that influence in its special relation to the basically significant problem of war or peace. As a phase of its state-wide study of International Mindedness the California Division of the American Association of University Women has undertaken objective, inductive consideration of current films and the type of reactions they, by design or unconsciously, produce. Its initial aim is to gather concrete data on the basis of which potentially effective conclusions can be drawn. The vital task of collecting such data has been taken over by the Motion Picture Committee of the Los Angeles Women’s University Club. With thought to it, films have been previewed within the last three months ranging from the amusing, war-without-heroics comedy “Private Jones,” through such dramas as “Cavalcade,” with its restraint and depth of understanding; the highly motivated “Men Must Fight”; “The Big Drive,” classifying as a war horrors film the problem of the influence of which needs the study of psychologists (the work of Dr. Thurston done under the auspices of the Payne Foundation is of importance in this relationship), and the somewhat amazing “Gabriel Over the White House,” to foreign films and travelogues. Certain decidedly interesting and important conclusions are beginning to emerge from the data and its juxtaposition. Because of its serious significance in the development of the child, the probable influence in relation to the building for friendship and understanding or for fear and prejudice, for peace or for war, will in future be noted in the Motion Picture Bulletin reviews of films in which it plays a part. At a later date the conclusions growing out of the collected and considered facts will be given. Mrs. Malbone Graham, Chairman of International Relations, California Division, American Association of University Women. The Los Angeles Branch has accepted this assignment from Mrs. Graham with the certain realization of its importance and with appreciation of the difficulties to be encountered. We do not pretend to claim that our judgments are significant — that must be left to experienced evaluators — but during the period of previewing the consciousness has grown of the unquestionable influence of pictures upon all of us, and more measurably upon the child