AND MORE MOVIE MOGULS

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The article printed in The Harvard CRIMSON today, March 16, 1954, headlined, "Ivy Cinema Movie Program May Stop," is, as far as the statements attributed to members of Ivy Films Research Ine., manager of the Ivy Cinema, completely without truth....

Ivy Cinema has not been forced to cancel any film showing because of industry pressure (or "crackdown" as you so dramatically phrase it). No film was scheduled for tonight, March 16, 1954, therefore it would have been impossible for us to cancel the film. When it was realized that hour exams are in full swing, that papers are due in many of the large courses, and that Stevenson is giving three lectures this week, we felt that the schedule was too full to warrant a motion picture. ... It is true that we did cancel "Kind Hearts and Coronets." However, we were in no way forced to cancel the film but did so because the movie ran for quite some time at the Kenmore Theater and we felt that anyone who wanted to see the film would already have seen it there.

We have not been recently warned by Mr. Lydon and were not forced to cancel "Tight Little Island." To my knowledge, "Tight Little Island" was never booked by us this year, it was considered at the first of the year as a possible choice. Even if it had been booked, though, we would have cancelled, not because we were forced to, but because of our policy of not competing with commercial theaters ....

In the past two months one distributor has broken relationships with us. This was not because he wanted to but because of the request of Mr. Lydon who felt that the films we were getting from this place were of commercial value. The film in question was "Arsenic and Old Lace." Before we booked this film, I called Mr. Sumner, manager of the University Theater, which is a member of Allied Theaters for whom Mr. Lydon is the executive secretary, and asked him if he felt that the film was within our educational field and if it would in any way conflict with his schedule. His answer to me was, "I wish I could use it, it is a great movie, but it is not available to me on 35 mm film, therefore I see no objection." On the basis of this statement I went ahead and booked and showed the film on Nov. 24, 1953.

There is no industry ruling, as far as I know, which says that we have to rent films indirectly through an agent ... At no time have we ever rented films from a "producer who does not know where they are going." This is a direct violation of the copyright law ....

There is no danger that the Cinema will stop showing films. Charles G. Kadison, Jr. '55   President Ivy Cinema

The article "Ivy Cinema May Stop" was correct. All statements attributed to Richard Krauss '57 were accurately quoted, as Michael Jorrin '55, a member of the governing board of Ivy Cinema later affirmed.

In saying that "Tight Little Island" was cancelled because of hour exams and course requirements, Mr. Kadison is in disagreement with Mr. Krauss, who said:

"I booked 'Tight Little Island' and was forced to cancel it because of industry pressure. I would have disregarded the crackdown and taken the chance of getting out off by the industry if the Kenmore hadn't recently shown the film--then at least there would have been big money in it, but without the money it was not worth the risk." Mr. Krauss also said that because Ivy had broken industry rules, two producers have ceased supplying films.

The statement made about an industry ruling forbidding exhibitors to show indirectly leased films was made by Mr. Krauss. Like Mr. Kadison, we know of no such ruling.   Ed.