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

January 1942 13 school — getting an even distribution of grades, ages, and residential sections thereby. The other group covered was made up of older high school students, college students in the various public and parochial colleges, the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A., the church groups and the Parent-Teacher Associations within the city and county, as well as the civic groups." The survey was accomplished with a great deal of interest and resulted in helpful findings for the Council on which to base future programs and activities. "Both children and adults expressed a decided preference for the Hardy Family series, then the Dr. Christian, Dr. Kildare type of films, detective stories, westerns, musicals, and comedies in that order. Sophisticated and what they term marital "stuff" was definitely not on their preferred list." Mrs. Livingston reports their Council helped to publicize Blossoms in the Dust because they so heartily approved of it, and had an enthusiastic preview audience for One Foot in Heaven. She says, "Here is a film which will make new movie devotees in our town and which provides excellent material when speaking to the many church groups we are called upon to address." The first of the Council's scheduled dinner meetings was devoted to the subject "Motion Pictures and Morale," and had as speakers the chaplain of nearby Fort Custer and the enlisted soldier who manages the Fort theatres. The next meeting will be held in a school and the subject will be "The Motion Pictures' Use in Modern Educational Methods" and following that will be "Motion Pictures in the Field of Art." The Council is buying books and other material to gradually build up a library for the use of members and to keep the speakers' bureau up-to-date. As a social project, they have planned a bridge party and a show of Hollywood-designed clothes in the early spring. THE Atlanta (Ga.) Better Films Committee planned a different sort of program for its first fall luncheon, a clever radio burlesque, furnishing a travesty on commercial radio programs. The managers of the local radio stations served as judges. With this Committee broadcasting regularly this was just another evidence of community tie-up. THE Motion Picture Council of Jacksonville (Fla.) honored Charles Coburn, well known stage and Hollywood character actor, at one of its fall luncheons. Mr. Coburn was introduced by Mrs. Fred Evans, past president of the Council. He spoke of his early days on the stage and of his first motion picture experience. He pointed out the differences between the stage and the screen from the actor's standpoint. THE Cincinnati (Ohio) Motion Picture Council planned three timely meetings of the year devoted to films of different countries, October, Hawaiian films; February, Guatemala films; and May, Mexican films. Other programs cover a visit to the Cincinnati Public Library, a study of "Music and Motion Pictures" and a book review. THE Greater Detroit (Mich.) Motion Picture Council opened its 1941-42 season with a program emphasizing "The Importance of Motion Pictures in the Building of Friendly Relations and Better Understanding Between Nations." Colored motion pictures of Latin America were shown and the president of the Detroit branch of the Pan-American Fellowship was speaker. THE Louisiana Council for Motion Pictures sponsored its third annual motion picture institute in November. The purpose of the institutes, reports Mrs. A. S. Tucker advisory vice-president, is to bring together educators and community leaders interested in promoting a wider use of motion pictures in education, and also to bring to the attention of the public the study program that is carried on in the schools through the use of such pictures. The institute was conducted by the regional chairman of the Louisiana Committee on Motion Pictures of the Department of Secondary Education of the National Education