IN THE CLASSROOMS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 269, 13 November 1935, Page 19

IN THE CLASSROOMS

MOVIES IN AMERICA.

MEGAPHONE AND THREE R'S

EDUCATION FOR YOUTH. (From Our Own Correspondent.) HOLLYWOOD, October 23. A significant innovation has just been announced in Hollywood by a gruffvoiced director, whose greatest megaphone exploits have run toward three "R's" and now he has embarked upon early entry into the traditional three "R's" of the classroom. Movies with sound equipment have been installed in hundreds of schools and churches throughout the United States and Canada, the inauguration of the striking innovation synchronising with November 1, according to Edwin Carewe, who directed "Resurrection," "Ramona" and "Revenge," among other pictures, since he arrived in Hollywood 23 years ago.

The order for the equipment was placed with a large picture supply company, specifying the delivery of 1000 16-millimetre sound projectors as fast as they could be manufactured in a Chicago plant. Putting the churches and schools in tlie movie business is no idle dream, but a practical solution to a long-felt want, in Mr. Carew's opinion. "The movies long enough have been turning out pictures that had nothing but entertainment values," he said wryly. "Now it's time they put out something .educational and instructive." Mr. Carewe said his concern will handle both production and distribution ends. To create a wide outlet for its product, the company has given franchise to 500 agents in the United States and Canada to find schools and churches that will allow them to install sound equipment and screen. This will not cost the sponsors a cent.' Their only obligation will be to sponsor and exploit one programme a month, in exchange for which they will share in the box office receipts. Equipment Cheaper. The sound equipment to be used is smaller and consequently much cheaper than that used in commercial theatres. The present production schedule calls

for six pictures a month. One will be a feature of six, seven or eight reels. The rest will be shorts, one two-reel, two one-reel and two one-half-reelers. These will compose a single nrogramme. Air. Carewe scoffed at the accepted Hollywood bogy that education and entertainment do not make a good box office porridge. "We don't propose for a minute to skimp on entertainment," lie said. "What we aim to do is to combine entertainment with something . instructive and educational. We're convinced it can be done and done successfully." He admitted he would give his writers carte blanche in scripting stories attacking Communism and other subversive movements. "That will be one of our aims—to; condemn Communism," he explained bluntly. To Have Censors. He furthermore stated that he would have his own 1 oar of "purity sealers," similar but also subordinate to Will Hays' one-man board—Joe Breen, the final word of authority on all pictures clearing out of Hollywood. This board, according to Carewe, will consist of 11 or 13 members, representing Catholic, Protestant and Jewish Church groups, the American Legion,

the Board of Education and similar organisations. All .pictures Aimed by the company will be revie ./ed by. this board before being released. Mr. Carewe laughed at the suggestion that theatre owners would oppose his programme as. an intrusion on their domain. ' ': "Why should they?" he demanded. "We're going after the 39/30,000 people in this country who never '.'attend the movies. We'll help the theatres, not hurt them."