Threatens Riot if Irish Motion Picture is Not Withdrawn

A threat of a riot against the moving picture, “The Callahans and the Murphys,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production in several New York motion piture theatres was made by the “Irish World,” weekly newspaper published in New York, in its issue which will appear on Saturday, August 20.

Irish individuals and societies have for the past few weeks been carrying on an agitation for the withdrawal by the Metro Goldwyn of the picture which it is claimed is offensive to the Irish. The objectionable features of the picture are said to be scenes in which Mrs. Callahan and Mrs. Murphy are shown in a beer drinking contest in the course of which they succeed in disposing of the entire contents of a keg. The scene takes place at a picnic and is followed by a free-for-all fist fight. The other objection able feature in the film is said to be a close up of Marie Dressler, who acts the part of Mrs. Callahan.

Prior to the release of the film the Metro-Goldwyn company declared that it had obtained the endorsement of Catholic organizations and an officer of the Daughters of Erin, an Irish women’s organization. It was stated that the amount of $500,000 was involved in the production. When further objections were raised, the Metro-Goldwyn company offered to revise the film in accordance with the suggestions of the “Irish World.” Last Monday afternoon the revised version was shown in one of Loew’s theatres before Owen Bohan, Assistant District Attorney, and prominent Catholic priests of the New York Diocese and a representative of the “Irish World.”

Reporting on this revised version the “Irish World” says:

“While much of the beer-drinking scene has been ‘cut,’ the facial distortions of Marie Dressler remain in evidence throughout the film. These alone are sufficient to condemn the production. They are an insult to every conception of Irish woman-hood.

“We suggest that our readers in New York and Brooklyn demand that the authorities cause the withdrawal of the picture in order to prevent a riot before the end of the week.”

The controversy with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation gave the Irish World ground for publishing an article in the current issue entitled “Plain Words to Movie Directors,” it which it attacks what it terms “the Jewish motion picture producers,” stating:

“Conflicting reports are coming from the camp of the enemy, in which the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation of 1340 Broadway, New York City, and Warner Brothers, 1600 Broadway, New York City, and the Loew companies in general, are conspicuous among the Jew organizations that have aroused Irish indignation all over the country by the indecent liberties they have presumed to take with the modesty and grace of Irish womanhood. It is a horrible thing to connect the low-class men, of which some of these organizations are a collective type, even in the mind. with the glory of Irish feminine innocence and beauty. To think of these dirty Orientals presuming to maul and paw our women in public, to hold then up to ridicule in moving pictures, to pick out German and Jew actresses, brutal in countenance and in manners and to give them the names of women honored in Irish history, to place Irish girls in an atmosphere of swinish filth such as would occur only to a producing director of the most ignorant and ruffianly type, is insupportable to any decent Irishman. It will arouse repercussions of which these dull men will do well to take heed. The sort of men who go round taking liberties with women who live in a different world from theirs and who have no use for them, are courting a speedy disaster. We do not know what there is about the Loews and the Warners that is going to save them from Irish indignation if they do not take their dirty hands away from the mothers and the sisters and the daughters of Irishmen.

“If Marcus Loew and Abraham or Jacob or Izzy Warner want to make money by holding women up to indecent laughter let them confine their showmen’s talents to the Rebeccas and the Marthas of their own families. If they want filth and stupidity and indecency they needn’t go out of the Chetto to find it. If they want grotesque figures, Hester Street is full of them, and Marcus Loew is well acquainted with it. But they are not going to put their filthy hands on Irish women any more, or if they do they will do it at their peril. We give fair warning to the Loews and the Warners. Let them take their hands away from the women and the children of the Irish race. The men will be able to take good care of themselves.

“We select the Loews and the Warners for particular mention because the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation, which is only one of several Loew companies to others of which we will refer later, and the Warner Bros. have particularly distinguished then selves by the fruedom with which they have sought to hold Irish people up to ridicule,”

The “Irish World” then outlines the following plan of campaign for the withdrawal of the picture.

“Individual and isolated protests will have little effect.

“In every town, city or section where “The Callahans and the Murphy’s is advertised for showing, a committee or delegation should wait upon the mayor of theatrieal performnances and as American citizens of Irish birth or parentage, demand that permission for the showing of the film be refused.

“The same committee should also visit the management of the theatre and tell him that the showing of “The Callahans and the Murpbys’ will be a deliberate insult to his patrons.

“The point to make clear to theatre managers is that it is not necessary for him to show this picture. He has no excuse for insisting upon its exhibition, He can easily secure an other picture to take its place.

“Let everv theatrical manager be made clearly to understand that, if he insists upon showing this vile caricature of an Irish woman, he. at least. cannot insist upon the Irish people in his neighborhood attending his the atre either during the nerformance or at any time afterwards.”