Harvard Film Societies Incorporate; Quincy, Three Others Are Reluctant

The Harvard film societies--with the exception of Quincy. Films Across the River, the Graduate Student Association, and the Law School--have decided to incorporate to avoid bankruptcy and possible law suits for illegal competition with Harvard Square theatres.

At a meeting of the film societies yesterday, Elien P. Wiese announced that Alain Resnais--French film director whose films include "Last Year at Marienbad" and "Hiroshima Mon Amour"--will speak at Harvard March 29. Dunster House, Mather House, and the Carpenter Center are sponsoring the visit.

The film societies agreed yesterday to list their film schedules with the audiovisual department to avoid conflicts; to ask the Harvard film societies not now incorporated to join; and to advise Robert St. George, manager of the Harvard Square theatres, and Larry Jackson, manager of the Orson Welles Cinema, of their actions.

A steering committee will coordinate the actions of the film societies to insure that the film societies do not compete with the Square theaters.

The film societies are afraid that if one film society is sued for illegal competition, all the film societies at Harvard will be liable, Sarah W. Smith '68, president of Ivy Films and a member of the new association's steering committee, said yesterday.

"The problem with Films Across the River is that it is perpetually threatened with law suits by Square owners. Quincy House is in the same situation because of the illegal sign they have advertising their films," Smith said.

"If we incorporate we are sure that Harvard University will take action against those who are acting illegally before they are sued," she added.

Larry Miller '74, chairman of the Quincy Film Society, was unsure what the decision to incorporate might entail. "I'm going to wait on it. I'm going to talk to a few people. If we don't join, we'll do something in response," he said.