REGISTERING REFORM
Possibly no one other thing has done so much to cause irritation between
Canada and the United States as the film plays. As most of those used in
Canada are manufactured in the United States, the jingoism they reveal
arouses constant anger. During the war film plays were used as
propaganda to arouse the American spirit and to awaken a pride in the
achievements of American soldiers. Naturally these plays did not
emphasize the heroism of the British and Canadians, and when exhibited
in British territory, purely as a business venture, they did harm that
no one stopped to compute. They earned money for their promoters and for
the local movie houses, so what more need be considered? In the United
States their political effect was admirable. They roused the war spirit
of the people and stirred national pride. No one apparently took the
trouble to give a thought to how these propaganda films would look to
the returned soldiers of Canada and to a people nerve-racked by war.
They would earn additional money in Canada--so let them go. Listen to
any Canadian who is expressing ill-feeling toward the United States,
just now, and you will find that nine times out of ten the irritation
can be traced back to the movies.
Wishing to learn if it would be possible to remedy this international
evil I decided to go to the fountain-head of the trouble. A friendly
publisher arranged to have me meet one of the master minds in a
film-producing company of world-wide activities. The modern Prospero
would see me at 3.30, in his office in one of "the cloud-capped towers."
Knowing that I must shake off all philosophic languor for this interview
I went at it as if I were going to make a running jump of a new kind. A
mile away from my destination I climbed into a high-powered car
(borrowed) and approached the great man's office at the speed limit. An
express elevator shot me up to the proper floor and I burst into the
presence of the outer guard. By this time I had acquired the necessary
momentum and, in reply to his swift, interrogatory glance, snapped out a
card and "flashed."
"Mr. Swiftbrain--appointment--3.30."
He grabbed a telephone, repeated my claim of an appointment, listened a
moment, then waved me to an upholstered chair that looked rather better
than the ones from the Kaiser's Throne Room that are now for sale in New
York.
"I am to send you in in five minutes!"
I was glad of the respite, for it would enable me to recover my breath.
Office boys who were in the waiting-room--ready to "Post o'er land and
ocean without rest" in obedience to the autocrat of the
switchboard--were so full of the jazz-time spirit of this temple of the
movies that they couldn't keep still. Even when resting, their feet beat
time to some inaudible, syncopated rhythm.
During my five minutes of probation much business was transacted.
Trembling writers of scenarios entered, left their manuscripts, and
passed out. Girls with handfuls of documents minced in and out passing
from one department to another, and each carried herself with the air of
a film queen. Hasty young men registering "urgent business" passed
through with the air of a Douglas Fairbanks or Dustin Farnum. Their
well-tailored coat-tails streamed back like the robes of Hyperion when
"His flaming robes streamed out beyond his heels
And gave a roar as if of earthly fire."
Suddenly I heard the snap of a gold watch-case and an authoritative arm
shot out, pointing to the door through which the main traffic was
passing.
"Down to the far end! Turn to the left!--Room Umpty-Umph!"
Rising as if from a catapult I fell in step behind a hasty edition of
Fatty Arbuckle. When I reached the properly numbered door and opened
it, I was met by a man who knew my name and business. He registered
"welcome" and waved me to a chair. I accepted the courtesy and
registered "attention." He bounced back into his swivel chair and
registered "candor." And he was astonishingly candid.
Movie plays are a purely business proposition. It made him sick to have
people talk about ideals and art in connection with them. It was their
business to give the public stories that would grip them and make them
want to see the shows. If the people felt like hating any one or
anything, give them plenty of hate stuff and play it up as long as it
fills the houses. It is not their business to educate. They are
practical business men, out after money.
He presently interrupted his monologue to answer the telephone, which
had jingled at his elbow. I suspect that the interruption was part of
the routine of the office. Anyway, I got my cue. He was to see his next
visitor in five minutes. Resuming his monologue he impressed on me the
fact that the one thing the movie firms are after is stories that will
grip the public and make them give up their money.
Then I got up and registered "gratitude" while he registered "Don't
mention it." We did a close-up hand-shake and I passed through the door.
Returning toward the front entrance I was quite in accord with the
spirit of the place and pranced like a horse with the spring-halt.
That, I think, is a fair presentation of the spirit and atmosphere of
the fountain-head of the movie shows that are pleasing the people of the
United States and rousing the wrath of Canadians. Only by giving a touch
of burlesque is it possible to indicate what is done or how it is done.
Here we have the greatest moulder of public opinion in the
world--infinitely more powerful than the press because it makes emotion
visible--and yet it is without any purpose higher than the grasping of
money. There is no George Brown, Delane, or Greeley to use this
tremendous power for the good of humanity. Sordid, exciting, without
conscience, it is bad enough when devoted merely to money-making; but
when used for purposes of propaganda it is a public menace. The dollars
of the propagandist are just as good to the promoters of film plays as
those of the public, and when one can get both it is a triumph. So,
hurrah for the scenario that will get the support of the campaign fund,
put across politics, either national or international, and at the same
time win the nickels of the public. Get them going and coming! That is
the motto! Never mind what the results may be--other than those that
show in the box offices.
Of course these reflections are inspired by what I found in the United
States. Now let me tell you something about Canada, where the movie
business is in its infancy.
By a curious blunder I was invited to see a new film of which a private
performance was to be given. It is seldom that I have ever seen anything
so amazing as this movie show proved to be. The story was highly
emotional and was enough to rouse the wrath of any one against the
aliens in the Dominion. The political propaganda stuck out like a sore
thumb, and if I had swallowed its presentation of conditions in Canada,
I would have been quite ready to vote for the War Times Election Act or
anything else that would suppress every one who did not support
Imperialism and a lot of "isms" not nearly so respectable. But I had
been through the West and had first-hand knowledge of the facts that
were distorted in this play. It merely aroused laughter. It was what
political experts would call "coarse work," but perhaps the public will
never see it in all the rawness of that first performance. I was assured
that it was to be edited and amended. My investigations afterwards
forced from a responsible representative of the high-tariff interests a
frank admission that the play already had political backing and that the
private view I had inadvertently seen had been put on for the benefit of
a selected audience of magnates and to get the support of the business
interests.
These experiences have convinced me that irresponsible movie shows must
be brought under control. It is not enough to have them censored so that
immoral and pornographic plays may be kept from polluting the youth of
the country. Some means must be found to make some one responsible--just
as an editor or publisher is responsible--for the reckless political
impressions they convey.
I am inclined to think that the part played by the movies in causing
irritation between the United States and Allied countries is
inadvertent. We all did jingo things to keep up our morale during the
war. Such things were not harmful to other countries when confined
within the borders of the countries using them, but the international
character of American film enterprises has flaunted American jingoism in
the face of the world--at a time when the world is not in the humor to
endure it. It was not the intention to insult other countries, but the
films could earn additional money--and what did anything else matter? It
will be necessary to correct this evil if we are to have harmonious
relations with our neighbors. Moreover, propaganda plays for home
consumption must be put in the same class as patent medicine
advertisements in the newspapers, if we are to have a healthy public
opinion. We must have them properly labelled, with the formula of their
ingredients shown in an introductory flash.