Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

166 MAY 1949 m wjmm COMMONWEALTH proudly announces IMMEDIATE DELIVERY of 2 additional Major Company HITS of the Edward Small Group Illlfif! MASK... ho slashed Ws way gh a thou THE mm lit THE mon mft$K LOUIS :^ki HAYWARD 'it JOAN *v> * BENNETT »»mNLEnm "OPKihs KIT CARSON Jon Hall, Lynn Bari, Dana Andrews THE CORSICAN BROTHERS Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Ruth Warw.ck, Akim TamiroH SHIRLEY TEMPLE as MISS ANNIE ROONEY William Gargan, Guy Kibbee, D,ck,e Moore, Peggy Ryan JAMES FENIMORE COOPER'S LAST OF THE MOHICANS Randolph Scott, Binnie Barnes, Henry Wilcoxon FRIENDLY ENEMIES Charles Winniger, Charles Ruggles, James Craig, Nancy Kelly For Rentals Communicate with your leading I6MM. FILM LIBRARY EXCLUSIVE I6MM DISTRIBUTORS COMMONWEALTH PICTURES CORP. 723 Seventh Avenue. New York 19, N.Y. This department has been added to Movie Makers because you, the reader, want it. We welcome it to our columns. This is your place to sound off. Send us your comments, complaints or compliments. Address: The Reader Writes, Movie Makers, 420 Lexington Ave., New York 17, N. Y. MAKES AWARD VALUELESS To The Editor: As a member of the League, I would like to suggest — in fact, to seriously urge — that the Hiram Percy Maxim Award be abolished! The action taken by Mr. Frank Gunnell in "establishing a tradition" (he should have correctly called it a precedent) and followed by Mr. Ralph Gray has made the award valueless. Without stiff competition by such men as these, what does winning amount to? Nothing! Who wants to take a prize from mediocre competitors! For the good of the amateur filmer everywhere, I earnestly call upon Messrs. Gunnell and Gray to retract their well intentioned but ill advised action and restore the Maxim Award to its former standing — the greatest prize open to American amateurs. Dr. Alexis M. Melvin, ACL Miami, Florida. PLEASURE OF STUDYING Dear Movie Makers: Why should a precedent be established by any amateur of retiring from future Ten Best contests and thereby denying most of us movie hobbyists the pleasure of studying the techniques used in making a great prize winner? An observant amateur can learn a great deal from such pictures, and it has been proven that, with diligent application, even a consistent winner can be beaten. So, what say, fellow hobbyists? Let us all ask the Messrs. Gunnell and Gray to rescind their decisions to abstain from future amateur movie contests. Let's try instead to make our own movies a trifle better than the previous winners and thus make them take a back seat in a really sportsmanlike manner. Herman Hensel, ACL Jersey City, N. J. REGARDLESS OF ABILITY Dear Mr. Moore: In regard to Ralph E. Gray's letter in March Movie Makers concerning his withdrawal from the Ten Best, I feel that any filmer, regardless of his ability, should compete in this yearly contest. However, I feel that any amateur should not enter the same film in more than one national contest. This is unfair to fellow amateurs. One should be satisfied with one award on each film submitted, regardless of its merits. 0. L. Tapp. ACL Salt Lake City, Utah ALSO GOOD SPORTS Dear Sirs: The Ralph Gray note of withdrawal from ACL competition is simply tangible evidence of good sportsmanship in following the lead of Frank E. Gunnell. However, ACL members of the "also-ran" group — the men and women who have failed time and again to make even Honorable Mention but still continue to strive for honors — are also good sports. We don't want Frank or Ralph to duck out on us. We of the Amateur Cinema League cannot afford to lose their active support nor the inspiration which their superlative artistry engenders, by accepting their withdrawal. Edith T. Beach, ACL Edward W. Beach, ACL Muskegon, Mich. FINEST IN THE LAND Dear Movie Makers: Regarding the retirement from Ten Best competition of Frank E. Gunnell, FACL. and Ralph E. Gray, FACL, I sincerely feel that you should not accept their withdrawal. Next to my Fellowship in the ACL, the greatest thrill I have received in my life was when I won the Hiram Percy Maxim Award. But it would have been a hollow occasion indeed if the great filmers whom I had considered invincible had stepped aside to let me do it. I'd like to win the Award again sometime. But when and if I do, I want to compete against the finest filmers in the land. I think the majority of movie makers will agree with me. Al Morton, FACL Salt Lake City, Utah We think they will too. For the considered decision of the staff of Movie Makers and the ACL, our readers are urged to read Beating the Champ, on page 198 of this magazine. REPORT ON GUATEMALA Sirs: Having but recently returned from Guatemala, may I say that my experiences did not jibe in all respects with those of Dr. Gilbert Schwartz, ACL. whose article you published in April. No birth certificates or other proof of citizenship were required in our