U.T. Attempts to Squash HLU Film Series in Spring

The Harvard Liberal Union may have to curtail its spring film series if University Theater protests are sustained.

According to Roy F. Gootenberg '49, chairman of the H.L.U. Film Series, the theater management has protested to RKO Pictures Inc., and Universal Film Exchange, suppliers for the film series, that the H.L.U. is a competitor.

Contracts between RKO and Universal and the University Theater state that the distributors will not rent any 16 mm films for showings which may compete with the Harvard Square theater.

Revivals

The H.L.U. has been showing a series of revivals to paying audiences from Harvard.

Gootenberg claims that RKO and Universal are the few outlets which can supply the films which will attract large audiences. In past months the H.L.U. has shown Citizen Kane, Great Expectations and a number of Charlie Chaplin films.

According to the tentative spring program, the film series will present Room Service, Odd Man Out, and The Informer. The University Theater management, Gootenberg pointed out, feels these inovies will cut down its audiences. It has no objection, however, to foreign films like Shoe Shine and Ivan the Terrible.

HLU Signed Contracts

Gootenberg emphasized that the H.L.U. had signed contracts with RKO and of competition had arisen then. He Universal last year and no questions pointed out that the manager of the University Theatre had protested only after the successful showing of Ottisen Kane. More the 1600 persons attended the two performances.