Religion and the Cinema.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 19 February 1936, Page 8

Religion and the Cinema.

The church and the screen. How often has this matter been debated and the subject of editorials in both religious and trade journals, but sfcill it is a problem that always crops up somewhere.

In a small town in Tasmania," a correspondent reports, "the church has absolutely ruined a showman who has been in the picture business for 23 years.

"Although this exhibitor is of the same faith, the local head took offence at a daybill that happened to display a chorus girl in ballet dress. He later preached to a crowded church that none of his flock should go to a picture that introduces an illegitimate into its story, and condemned the current production. It so happened that that week tne exhibitor had a big picture which had received unstinted praise by the public and Press all over Australia, but the sermon killed his business.

"This incident happened over a year ago. Since then this exhihitor has been fighting against the conditions and losing money until he is nearly broke. The local people want their pictures, but the church dominates —so they go dancing; It's a contrast to Victoria, Queensland and West Australia, where in some towns motion pictures are actually run by the particular denomination concerned."

On the religious question, in Sydney last week, Archbishop Duhig, of Brisbane, suggested that a movement be formed in Australia along the lines of the American Legion of Decency. He said that the League had been instrumental in closing 100 theatres in U.S. for screening films "definitely retrogressive to spiritual and cultural development/

On the other side is a report fro a) our American correspondent stating that the Catholic Women's Council, one of the strongest religious bodies in Southern California, had bought out the entire house of the Beverly Hills Theatre, Hollywood, for a performance of,"A Midsummer Night's Dream!"