The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-02-12

N@uiitiiihEh liulu id8t II
ers OF nelghborhood and small
town theaters, he said.
He admitted that an exhib-
itor sometimes must run a
film dealing with a theme, or
containing dialogue, that he
would prefer not to present"
In. the movie industry's ear
lier years. he said, this was
because of the so-called
"h | 0 k book ing system,
whereby movie companies IN
sisted that exhibitors take all
of their films, or else receive
none at all.
WHILE THE COURTS have
ruled this practice illegal, he
continued, exhibitors now are
restricted in their choice by
the reduced number of movies
producers have turned out
since the advent of teleyision.
Theater owners, he explain
ed, must either accept objec-
tionable films or close their
theaters periodically prac-
tice which would be disas-
trous," he said.
Mr.. Myers cited a resolu-
tion adopted last December
by the associations board of
directors as evidence of ex-
hibitors' concern over ohjec-
tionabIe films. The board re-
solved that ''this matter
should be called to the atten-
ion of the film companies,
with an admonition that care
be taken not to injure the in
duStry's prestige and good
will" he said.
He said it is his opinion
that the moral problem in re-
cent films lis not so much
the theme, the plot, as incl
dents and dialogue which are
thrown in and are probably
not necessary to telling the
story"
HE TOLD the committee
that its hearings will do q lot
Of good" for the movie in
dustry.
HOLLYWOOD is attuned to
the voice of the people he
said. THE growing opposition
to improper matter in the
films will doubtless cause the
film makers to be more care
full about what goes into the
picture | dare say the
tremors emanating from this
hearing room will register on
the Hollywood seismngraph."
Mr.. Brandt, who is himself
president of a film importing
company, told the subcommit-
tee that differences in moral
standards from country TO
country create a dilemma
for importers.
THE Dill EMMA" he con-
tinted, is whether to import
the truth-which might dis
turb a small segment of the
American population or
bring in films which merely
mimic Hollywood and contrib
ute nothing new to the Amer.
lean scene"
BECAUSE Of the difference
in moral standards, he said,
us. film importers generally
do not try to get a seal of APP
proval from the Production
Code administration of the
Motion Picture Association of
America-"except in rare in
stances where a picture seems
as if il might cater to a more
general audience"
However, he added. import
ed films have a us. govern
ment stamp of approval" in
that they have passed Us.
customs officials. who would
block any attempt to import
pornography.
Mr.. Brandt described ads
for some foreign films as
provocative" but not ''ob-
scene"
CERTAINLY FROM time to
to time an ad will get by that
may approach the outer
bounds of good taste" he
said. But he argued that it
would be "a most distasteful
and challengeable move to try
to restrict in any way the very
imagination and ingenuity of
honest advertisers because of
a feW fast buck operators"
He said his organizations
members are presently con-
sidering "a self-imposed re-
strictive BAN which would
keep children from seeing
certain films that need the
mature mind to understand
them"
However. Mr.. Brandt add
ed, I'VE are loath to apply a
ban and thus appeal by reac-
ton to the prurient interest
of the population"
In questioning a representa-
tive CT the Motion Picture AS
ISOLATION, a voluntary organi-
ration of leading US. movie
makers. members of the SUBJ
committee suggested that rep
r~esentatives of the general
III I