Canadian Women Film Directors Database
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Quote:
"In 1944, Jane Marsh unfortunately 'resigned' from the [National Film Board of Canada]. What really happened, she explained, was that it became time for her to become producer of the Canada Carries On (CCO) series and Grierson did not want to have a woman. She had made a number of the CCO films, she was experienced, and 'the logical person to do it, but he (Grierson) simply couldn't bear it.' Jane Marsh said that Grierson came over to her house from the NFB to talk with her about it: ''I'll give you the earth—there's more money around to make more films like Alexis Tremblay... just don't ask to be producer of CCO.' And I said, 'I'm sorry there's nobody else to do it and I'm the logical person—you've got to.' And he said: 'Well alright but you won't be allowed to sign anything. I won't have a woman signing these things. You'll have to take Guy Glover as co-producer.' I said: 'I don't care who signs things, I want to make the films.' This went on for three or four months. Then he suddenly came in and said that instead of making one 2-reeler every month, we were to make two 1-reelers a month—which meant a 1-reeler every two weeks... We had just mastered the shape and form and what you could say on the 2-reelers. So I hit the ceiling of course, and went in and resigned.'"
-- Mary Teresa Nash


Source:
Nash, Mary Teresa. "Images of women in National Film Board of Canada Films During World War II and the Post-War Years (1939-1949)." PhD diss., McGill University, 1983. (pp. 201-202)