The New York herald., 1920-12-26
LADYASTOR SAYS:
DON'TSEE MOVIES
WORST SIDE ONLY
Good Features of Pictures
More Than Overbalance
Objectionable Parts.
BIG FUTURE PREDICTED
American Born Parliament
Member Asserts People
Make Choices.

English public opinion has been
much ererclsed of late by the cdnlpdton
carried on 6y seUerdI prominent Te11s-
papers to censor the cinema films or
ntoving pictures so as to rentoUe sohdt
are considered, by many. Objectionable
features. Extremists hare eve1 adUo-
Gated the suppression, of the cinema
as place Of public entertainment.
and ViScountess Astor. oI,oays to tho
fore IN public 1ceItare movements, has
t0ritteD the follototng article on ''The
Future Of the Cinema' for THE NEW
YoRK HERALD.
Special Gable to THE New YORK HERALD.
| Copyright, 1890, by THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,l
London. Dec. 20.
am told that there still are num-
ber Of persons who shake their heads
over the cinema's unmitigated evil
which encourages bad little boys to
become burglars and lures decent peo-
pie to crime and immortality.
think that is a very shortsighted
way Of looking at the cinema, and peo-
pie who take that attitude really need
spectacles so that they can see the
problem of the cinema in a truer per-
spective
To begin with, It is a very vain
thing to deplore the cinema. Picture
houses have come and I believe have
come TO stay. They already form a
very big part in the lives of large
part of the community. as they are the
only recreation for thousands of people.
and no amount of complaining will kill
the cinema business, which is now ono
of the biggest industries in the world.
Then, again, IL is a rather useless
proceeding merely TO blame and abuse
the film producers or cinema managers
because one does not approve of their
pictures. It Is rather like the people
who are always abusing the Govern
ment" because they do not like its pol
ICY ana WHO 40 not SUI a llll6cI 10
help 10 put better men in place. In a
democracy at least, people get moro or
less the government they deserve, and
the public as a whole gets the films
Il deserves.
Cater To Public Taste.
Tho producers or managers who
make or show films find out what
people want TO see. That is the only
way they can make their business pay
What we can do--in fact, what We
ought TO dds TO help form public
opinion in the way we think is right
and do what we can TO prevent the
low toned minority from being served
at the expense Of the decent majority.
The cinema does present a problem
to-day because ii is comparatively a
new feature in our life and because IL
is one which. from its very nature, af-
fects thousands of men and women and
children in a very forcible way. We
have learned from psychologists that
vivid Impressions OF things seen with
the eye do not leave peoples minds, es-
pecially childrens minds.
We ought 10 aim, therefore, at de-
manding n very high standard in every
respect from the cinema. We ought
10 get q much higher standard of ven
tilation and accommodation. We ought
TO try to secure a law that no child
should see a film which II shouldn't see.
Nothing which horrihes or frfghtens
him; nothing showing ugliness in any
form
We ought 20 demand that films are
good artistically and dramatically, that
they be produced without sweated labor
or unhealthful conditions, and that they
shall be shown so as TO cause the least
possible fatigue 10 peoples eyes.
As regards the moral standards,
great deal rests with organized public
opinion. There is a central censorship
which, according 10 a report recently
published. deals satisfactorily with
plays submitted 10 It, and in addition IN
open 20 any one who comes across what
he thinks an undesirable film 20 mako
complaint TO the management or local
authority. And I am told that serious
complaints Of this kind are almost al
ways successful.
Great Future Seen for Movies.
Given the proper conditions and public
announcement 70 produce good stun
the cinema has q great future. II can
DC both cducative IN the hroadest sense
and amusing. 10 is capable OF bringing
color and romance OF "a healthful sort
into the lives Of people who havo no
chance OF finding Il in their work or in
their homes. And if it were only possi-
Bile to bring about a big development OF
chlldren's ciuemas or special days or
hours for children IL could do a great
work by supplementing what the home
and school can do for them.
There could be fascinating natural
history films. fairy tale films. historical
films and story book films. l do not sug-
gest that children should spend hours
weekly watching the cinemas But M
! long as so many children iaak Books
and toys this gives a chance TO the
cinema 70 supply a real useful need.
I believe It IS a fact that producers
! and managers have discovered that tho
| immoral film and improperly conducted
| cincmas do not pay. We can do a great
deal to confirm this belief by helping
| to build up strong public opinion
/ which not only will not tolerate unde-
\ slrable films but which viii ask also
| for the right sort OF pictures for grown
| ups and children alike
think il we do this the film indus-
| try will find the public. like Olivcr
Twist. will keep asking for more.
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