"BLAME THE CINEMA"

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 124, 29 May 1933, Page 3

"BLAME THE CINEMA"

EXPLODED THEORY

Every so often religiously-minded people write to the papers protesting against the incalculable harm being done in the cinema to the younger generation. In view of the recent Edinburgh Municipal Cinema Inquiry, whoso report was published recently, it is extremely interesting to noto the report of the British Government's Comniission. on Educational and Cultural Films, which discusses the influence, of films on the life and habits of the whole civilised worid, and declares in general and in particular in its favour. In its report, the commission 'gives as its considered opinion '' that the cinema has an infinitely wider scope than either the stage or popular literaturcj and 'a much ..greater influence on the mentality of people who do not normally analyse their emotions, but absorb what they see - and hear uncritically, provided it supplies sufficient cheerful entertainment—it is today a major influence on the public consciousness.?' In view of the mass of prejudice which the film industry has had to overcome, this report is particularly valuable. That same prejudice received a shrewd blow when the former British Home Secretary (Sir Herbert Samuel) stated early last year.that "my expert advisors are of the opinion that on. the whole tho cinema produces moTC io the prevention of crime than to its commission, as it keeps boys out of mischief and gives them something to think about." Eecent remarks of a Supreme Court Judge, who attributed the delinquency of a juvenile offender to tho influence of gangster pictures will remind many readers of the historic "Punch" joke about the two burglars. A pair of the country's most seasoned crooks, those fellows were'seen in full flight with a policeman close on. their heels, when one yelled to the other: "Now, don't forget, Egbert—if we're caught, we saw it in the pictures!" In view of his Honour's statement added interest is given to the report of Dr. Frank Astor, a United States national child welfare field inspector; who records that in all types of films not a single instance, of his work showed detrimental influence coming from the screen. If we needed any more evidence of the cleanliness of the cinema's influence, we have only to turn to that authoritative body, the British Board of Film Censors, who, in last years report, declared that "the youth of today, which has grown up under the guidance of the cinema to a large extent, is better than the youth of an earlier generation when there were no such entertainments." i