World Film News and Television Progress (Apr 1936-Mar 1937)

EDITORIAL The Trade and Public Relations A COMMITTEE of five men and one woman is taking evidence from the representatives of the British film trade. When they have heard what producers, renters and exhibitors have to say, they will advise the Government what to do with the Cinematograph Act. They will, not improbably, give continued protection to British films by making a proportion of British films compulsory in the theatres. What we find most interesting, however, is the spirit in which some of the evidence has been laid. The representatives of the film trade have not covered themselves with honour. Question and answer have brought into the glare of public knowledge some of the most disagreeable elements in the film trade: its cut-throat moneygrubbing, its ill-mannered greed, its shameless disregard of national duty. We mention no names, for those who read the published blue books may discover them for themselves. But we hope the men responsible for our films will take warning from the performance. The vicious pursuit of profits and the defiance of ordinary social considerations may one day suggest a purge on German lines — and heaven keep us from that! An industry so intimately related to the public welfare and so deeply responsible to the public should, in self defence, keep its people in order and give evidence of a better spirit. We suggest that the film industry follow the lead of the B.B.C. and create forthwith a Public Relations department. There is a great deal of goodwill in the film industry, lost now in the yelling bazaars of racketeering and promotion. It must be given its voice if the industry is at last to graduate from the gutter into the higher counsels of statesmanship. Grave Netvsfor Educationists THE SALE to America of a substantial interest in Gaumont-British is news of grave importance to educationists. At present the GaumontBritish group maintains Gaumont-British Instructional, our chief educational film unit. Its existence naturally depends on the high policies prevailing at Film House. Any change of policy which may result from American control must influence the experiments which Mr. Bruce Woolfe and Miss Field are carrying out in the provision of instructional films to schools. We make no apology for drawing early attention to a matter of national importance. The records of American film companies in this country are well known. There has been no sign that the Imperialist film policy of America in these backward islands has been other than blatantly commercial. We fear their interest in the education of the natives may be slight. If a sellout to America means a threat to the valuable work which Mr. Bruce Woolfe is doing, educationists may find it reasonable to petition •he government to prevent a scandal. The situation provides bitter comment on the haphazard attitude of the Board of Education to this growing branch of educational work. In the 8 person of the late Parliamentary Secretary. Mr. Ramsbotham, it has, in pious platitudes, added its blessing to the work of others. But the fact of the matter is that the existence of the educational film now depends on the goodwill of one man, Isidore Ostrer, and is subject to every stray wind of financial manipulation. The forces of education must see to it that this situation is not prolonged. Discipline at the B.B.C. WAS THERE ever such cockalorum as now attends our public criticism of the B.B.C? Like young ratters, the boys of the radio pages squeal round the local haystack, but more in hope than discovery. In the House of Commons, members, all confused, are not quite sure at what point Reith's discipline finishes and Fascism begins. Our sophisticated readers will not, we hope, be entangled by the sillier criticisms. Much of the present noise over the B.B.C. emanates from the warring sections of the B.B.C. itself. The public prints are being used, very unfortunately, to promote sectional interests. The libertarians and sentimentalists are all for preventing what they describe as "dictatorship" and the "coercion of staflF." We ask them to consider the primary necessity of discipline in an organisation like the B.B.C. Associated as we are with creative work of many kinds and devoted as we are, first and last, to the interests of creative workers, it may seem unusual that W.F.N, should take this stand. But anyone who considers the conditions under which films and broadcasts are made, will realise that the old personal attitude of the painter tohiscanvasand the poet to his pen, can no longer apply. We serve wide audiences and have a duty to these audiences. We work necessarily in teams or units, and loyalty and understanding within the group are vital to good work. However hard the saying may be, we stand for discipline at the B.B.C. and hope that no libertarian whimpering will be allowed to damage its efficiency. But on a further point we differ widely from the B.B.C. We do not conceive of that efficiency as the efficiency of a machine. We conceive of it as the efficiency of a living organism in which freedom and rule are not mutually exclusive. It will be a strange result if we secure to our B.B.C. men the right to commit adultery and forget to secure them the right of experiment, the right of trial and error and, in a far more important sphere, the right to create. We are disappointed that The quality of continental films in the specialised cinemas is falling so low. There is still no sign of the development of a two-reel comedy team in Britain, W. C. Fields has not yet recovered from his illness. Racketeering on personal publicity is on the up-grade. world FILM news AUGUST 1936 Editor: M.4RI0N A. GRIERSON This issue contains Celluloid Children, by Winifred Holmes British News .... Pommer Directs Directors The New Manager of the Film Institute Meetings and Acquaintances . EDITORIAL .... The Chill Hand of Censorship The Censors — a Force for Good? , Louis Golding discusses Novel and Film Technique .... Denis Myers meets Oliver Messel and Hedda Hopper .... Review of Reviews The new Bernstein Questionnaire . Continental Supplement and Replies to H. V. Meyerowitz . Radio and Television Colour and Cartoon Make that Village a Star, by Andrew Buchanan .... People and Purposes Education in Films Music and the Microphone, by Walter Leigh ..... Newsreel ..... Jack Okey compares Denham with Hollywood .... Film Societies .... Cockalorum and Cartoon by Vicky. Film Guide . ... PAGE 3-4 5 5 7 7 8 9-11 12 13 14-15 17-20 21 23-26 27-29 30-31 32-33 35-37 39 40 41 42 43 44-^5 46^7