Mr. R. J. Minney, who has written plays and film - scripts,
must be reflecting a little about his wisdom in proffering himself (if he did proffer himself ; he may have been invited) as witness before the Royal Commission on the Press to say what he thought about film critics. He said a good deal. He said they were venal, unprincipled persons who took bribes, and that they were "lured to the studios with the bait of drinks and a trip to the Palais de Danse with a girl friend." He admitted that his allegations were based on second-hand evidence, but there it was. So some film critics decided to go before the Royal Commission, too,.and their evidence is published in Cmd. 7512, price gd. They expressed their views on Mr. Minney. Mr. Winnington, of the News Chronicle, averred that "Mr. Minney has specialised in unnecessarily banal, idiotic and vulgar films that cater for the lowest demands of the box-office." Miss Lejeune, of the Observer, referring to Mr. Minney's strictures on "Press receptions" after pre-views, remarked, "He himself produced 'The Wicked Lady' and 'The Idol of Paris,' and after each of these the customary Press reception was held. Both films were severely criticised, notwithstanding. Idol of Paris,' indeed, received more unanimously critical severity than any film I can recall until the recent case of No Orchids for Miss Blandish.'" Mr. Stephen Watts, of the Daily Express, believes that Mr. Minney's hostility to the critics arises from a sense of grievance. "He makes (and apparently believes in the merits of) films like Madonna of the Seven Moons' and 'The Wicked Lady' and Idol of Paris' and he is angry when told by the critics that they are contemptible rubbish, doing active harm to the prestige of British films." Honours even ?
Or not ?
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