Evening star., 1934-12-09
CATHOLICS TAKE
FILM VOW TODAY
All Attending Masses to Be
Asked to Pledge In
decency Ban.

Every person attending mass in the
Roman Catholic churches OF Wash
ington this morning will be asked to
take Legion of Decency pledge
against attending motion pictures de-
scribed as indecent and immoral
Similar action will be taken in every
Roman Catholic church throughout
the country, between Is and 20 mil
lion persons coming within the influ-
ence of this move to force motion pic
ture producers and exhibitors to guard
more carefully against objectionable"
types of films.
Coincident with adoption of the
pledge, which is to be binding for one
year. list of motion picture titles is
to be posted in the vestibule of each
church, the films being divided into
three claSSificationS. Glass A will be
those judged 'unobjectionable and
suitable for public entertainment. "
Glass B will be those considered fit
only for adult attendance. Pictures
in this group are called more or less
Objectionable in spots Glass will
be pictures condemned as improper.
Lists to Be Renewed.
The lists are to be renewed each
week and are being drawn by the Chi
cago Council of the Legion of DecenCy.
The procedure of taking the pledge
will consist of a reading by the priest
conducting the mass those in attend
anCe standing and repeating the words
after him.
The pledge, as forwarded to the
priests here by Archbishop Michael J.
Curley of Baltimore, follows:
Il condemn indecent and immoral
motion pictures and those which
glorify crime or criminals.
Il promise to do all that I can to
strengthen public opinion against the
production of indecent and immoral
films and to unite with all who protest
against them.
Il acknowledge my obligation to
form a right to conscience about pic
lures that are dangerous to my moral
life AS member of the Legion of
Decency, I pledge myself to remain
away from them. l promise. further,
to stay away altogether from places
of amusement which show them as a
matter of policy"
l04 Films Named.
In the list issued this week by the
Chicago Council of the league, the
first circulated for national use l04
films are named. OF this number 81
are given a class A rating. 81 are
placed in class B and SO are listed in
class c.
Examination of the list shows that
13 of the class A films are being ad-
vertised by motion picture houses in
the District or in nearby communi-
ties. Only two in class B are being
advertised currently and a single class
c picture is listed in nearby Vir-
einia house. Many more of all three
lists have shown here previously.
In selecting lists prepared by the
Chicago Council. the Church League
is seeking uniformity. it was said
Lists circulated among the churches
during the past few weeks have been
prepared by different local church au-
thoritieS and often differed in their
makeup.
Classification for Week.
The list for this week follows:
Glass A-Unobjectionable
The Age of Innocence" (RKO-
RADIO, with Irene Dunno, John Boles
and Lionel Atwill.
Anne of Green Gables" Babes in
Toyland. Baby Takes Bow" FOX.
with Shirley Temple, James Dunn
and Claire Trevor
''PapbaIOr Of Artc 'puJISOp Dr,,,,,
mond Strikes Back" Daryl Zanucn.
with Ronald Colman. Loretta Young
and Warner GLAND
The Cats Paw" CFoxl. with Har-
old Lloyd, Una Merkel and Alan
Dinehart.
Charlie Chan in London" Fox
with Warner GLAND, Madge Bellamy
and Alan MoWbray.
college Rhythm" Paramount
with Joe Penner. Lanny Ross. Jack
Oakie and LYDIA Roberti.
The Count of Monte CriSto" CReli-
ance), with Robert Donat and ELISA
Landi
Father Brown, Detective" Five
Bad Men" Filtration Walk" War
ner Brothers,. with Dick Powell.
Ruby Keeler and Pat OBrien.
Great Expectations tParamounO,
with Jack PiCkfOrd, Louise Huff and
Grace Barton.
"Gridiron Flash" Happiness
Ahead First NationaD. with Dick
Powell, Josephine Hutchinson and
Allen Jenkins
Housewife (Warner Brothers..
with Bette Davis, George Brent and
Ann Dvorak.
The Human Side" CUniversaD,