On Children's Cinema: America and Britain

Abstract

although we have the wealthiest movie industry in the world, in the wealthiest country, we do not have a single studio devoted exclusively to the production of films for juvenile audiences. We do not even have a department for this type of production within any of the major studios. Other countries are way ahead of America in planning motion picture fare for the young. England, in particular, has made tremendous strides in the right direction. It might be helpful to review what she has done, how she does it, and what she is planning. In this way, perhaps, we can add our voice to the appeal, and point out to American producers how shortsighted they are in neglecting the cultural needs of the human beings who compose our next generation. First, observe that American produc rs are not completely indifferent to the demands of the public. Recently, the seven member companies of the Motion Picture Producers' Association, together with United Artists, Republic, and Monogram, set up a project known as the Children's Film Library. This consists of twenty-eight feature-film reissues that are said to have been favor-