National Board of Review Magazine (Jan 1939 - Jan 1942)

10 National Board oj Reviezv Magazine that the first print is unlikely to arrive here before November. Until recently, he says, production went ahead regardless of air alarms, but the stepping up of the raids has caused valuable time to be lost in shelters. As though this were not enough, adds his press agent in this country, the company was faced by a series of production problems that give us some idea of what film-making must be like in a small countiy at war. For outdoor shots the company had to travel a hundred miles to avoid the incessant noise of airplane engines. It took days to obtain a particular shot of the Tower of London, and when this was finally achieved the print showed part of the Tower's balloon barrage. (Pascal is leaving this in, says V ariefv : even if it is twenty years out of date for Major Barbara it is most topical for present-day audiences.) After working until 9 p.m. five or six of the stafif must patrol the studios as air-raid wardens until 5 a. m., and be back on production four hours later. The resulting lack of sleep has slowed the company up considerably. And as a final source of irritation Pascal's press agent for the United States comes under alien classification, which means that she is probably the \\-orld"s only p. a. who is bound bv law to be in bed bv 10:30. The Devil's Disciple is next on Pascal's list, to be followed by The Doctor's Dilemma and Saint Joan. Production difficulties may cause these to be made in Hollywood. Major Barbara will be released in this country through United Artists. >I= ^ 5k We were interested to note in a full-page ad. in the Canadian Moving Picture Digest that the Pylon Theatre in Toronto was breaking all attendance records and had been "Positively FORCED to continue for an entire WEEK to satisfy the demand." The name of the movie, Pink Pandora, sounded as strange and unfamiliar as the revival of an old silent classic — until we examined the ad. more closely and discovered that no movie was listed as showing at the Pylon Theatre. Pink Pandora, in all its loveliness, was a "Dinner Set Beautiful," to which "nothing oft'ered can be compared" — not even the nameless movie ^^•hich presumably was given away with it. N. D. The Next Conference Tf IE fundamental things about motion pictures, for those who are earnestly interested in the screen, do not change much from year to year, but each }'ear, with whatever changes it brings inside and outside the movie world, shifts the emphasis of interest. The purpose of the National Board's annual conferences is always to bring together people who want to talk over those shifts and interests, with all their implications, and to hear what authoritative persons have to say about them. The Seventeenth Annual Conference, coming in the fall instead of the mid-winter this year, will be held at the usual place, the Hotel Pennsylvania, beginning on Thursday, November 14th, and continuing through the next two days. The general subject to be covered by the talks and picture showings will be the motion picture in two of its purposes— to entertain and give pleasure, and to teach ■ and interpret — two purposes which often overlap and cooperate. jNIr. Estorick's article in this number of the Magazine shows illuminatingly what an important part the fact-film has become in England's fight for existence. The conference will present information and opinion from well-known people, and others equally competent if not so well-known, on the motion picture of this year and these days. There will be showings of new, important, and in some cases, unusual, films. More definite announcements of specific speakers and guests and topics will be made in a short time. This rer.o-<.t'ncd actor is expected to be at the Conference in a iieze role.