The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-15

If the film comes up to all that Hollywood hears about it, these two gentlemen will be sputtering all over two continents. They will see themselves impersonated by the veteran comedians Weber and Fields, who open the picture as deadly er1emeis, finally pool forces in rare slapstick comedy.
 The upraiSed hand of the Fas- cist salute, token of tribute to dic- tators, in this movie will mean exactly what the schoolboy wants it to mean when he raises his hand to leave the room.
 "This film" says Charlie Chaplin, "is the only thing suf- ficient to shake off my lethargy and make me go to work again." Foreign Censorship
 Chief speculation in Hollywood is whether Neville Chamberlain will permit Chaplin's dictator film to be shown in Great Britain. Charlie thinks not.
 Chamberlain is too friendly with Hitler" he. says. T am counting the British market completely out, also the French"
 This illustrates how the dicta- tors of Europe exercise an indirect but very real censorship over Hollywood as matter of every day routine.
 It is a box-office censorship. England and the DominionS today comprise 35 per cent of the film market. They often spell the diff ference between profit and loss. If Mussolini or Hitler, through pres sure upon the British govern ment, suppresses a film, that film loses money.
 Charlie Chaplin, wealthy, inde- pendent, sincere crusader for de- mocracy. is willing to take the loss. The big film companies are not.
 It was through pressure by another government that the Turks were able to prevent the filming of that best-selling novel, "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh." It was not the protest of the Turkish government which counted, for few films are sold there. It was the protest of the French. The Turks per- suaded their close friends, the French, to threaten the suppress sion in France of all other films produced by that company. The company surrendered.
 NOTE-Particularly interesting will be to see whether "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh" is released now that Mustapha Renal, dicta- tor of Turkey and central figure in the book, is dead.
 Ut Didn't Happen"
 Sinclair Lewis "It Can't Happen Here" was suppressed by the Ger man government, working through German businessmen, who is turn worked through New York banks. Hollywood always is partially in hook to the banks, so Tt Can't Happen Here never happened.
 Germany also has exercised cen- sorship through tying up the as- sets of U. s. film companies in Germany. Hoping that these funds might be unfrozen, the companies have been afraid to offend the Nazis by showing critical films in any other country, even outside Germany. Now, however, most producers realize they might as well kiss their cash good-by. Hit Ter will never relinquish it.
 With the U. s. film market in Germany, Austria, Czechoslova- kia and Italy now dwindled to al- most nothing, interesting point will be whether the film execu- tiyes all Jewish throw off Nazi censorship. Hollywood betting is that they won't.
 NOTE When Gentle screen writers and actors contemplated drive to place an embargo on all goods from Germany, Jewish ex- ecutives remained aloof.
 Hollywood Merry-G o-Round
 General Pershing wifi come to Hollywood soon to produce a war film, will take part in the picture himself When Harry Hop- kins was here, he called up the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer studio and asked if he could pay a visit. Hell, mo-" was the reply, i've wouldn't let Harry Hopkins on the lot" Los Angeles is the only city on the west coast where there