The Film Index (Jul-Dec 1910)

THE FILM INDEX ]BE 3DC ]EJE 3EE "THE LAW AND THE MAN A Dramatic Vitagraph "Life Portrayal" r=nni=ii ii inr 99 ]F=1E1E r=ir=inf= IF you can get away with it you're a good one. It remains to be seen that anybody can do a contemptible or dishonorable trick without being brought to account and suffer the consequences. The law and its technicalities are often sought as a means of escape but the man must be reckoned with when it comes to a question of honesty. Peters is one kind of man, a mean avaricious, grasping and hardened in the pursuit for gain and when he tries to buy John Turton, a young of his counsel. Peters insists upon no delay and the case proceeds. Everything seems to be going Peter's way when there is a hush in the proceedings and John Turton with head bandaged, rushes into the room and demands a hearing. He tells of the attack made upon him by the gang employed by Peters then goes on with his client's case, shows how Peters has tried to defraud Morton out of his lands and the price of his mining property, secures his conviction, comes out suc SCENE FROM VITAGRAPH LIFE PORTRAYAL "THE LAW AND THE MAN.' lawyer, as his tool in his nefarious service he has not counted on the man, for Turton is a man of honor and integrity who, when he learns from Claire Morton that Peters is trying to swindle her father, readily rejects Peter's inducements and at Claire's request, takes her father's case in hand and throws himself heart and soul into the work. Peters is driven to extremes and tries on the eve of the trial, with the assistance of tbuggish hirelings and his unprincipled retainers, to do away with the young lawyer who has a narrow escape at their hands. Peters supposes that Turton is killed; his lawyer brings the case before the court and insists on an immediate trial of the case. Mr. Morton pleads for a postponement of the case owing to the absence cessfully with flying colors and winning Claire Morton's consent to marry him. There is a dramatic stir to this picture that keeps us in a whir of delightful expectation. It has that which most pleases; the overthrow of wrong and the triumph of right. Besides, it is a phase of real life that we read about every day but very seldom see in actual performance and life as we see it in "The Eaw and the Man." There is but one deduction in the objective thought in this "Life Portrayal" and that is, it pays to be honest and do right. We can draw a conclusion from this kind of production — it is the kind that has brought the Life Portrayals up to the standard of excellence which they have achieved. WASHINGTON TIMES INVESTIGATION. By the Rev. William T. Russell, Pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. I am not opposed to the motion picture house in principle, but I am opposed to its abuses. It is an institution which has developed in response to a demand. Generally speaking, the chief difficulty in making it an institution for good lies in controlling this demand. It is a problem inviting thorough investigation and study, but one, I think, not incapable of solution. In the first place, I am of the opinion that the worst feature of the motion picture theatre is its tendency to over-stimulate the appetite of the public for amusement. When people give undue attention to entertainment and form the habit of attending the motion pictures every day, the amusement becomes decidedly unhealthful. Secondly, this accentuated desire on the part of children to attend the shows often leads to other things of a serious nature which parents find difficult to correct. I have reason to believe that in many cases children form the habit of picking up stray 5cent pieces around the house in order to obtain the necessary price of admission to the show. Outside of the effect on character-development, produced by the constant attendance at these shows, there is that of the effect upon the body, which is of the greatest importance. The injury to the eyes, caused by the vibration of the light rays of the motion picture machine, is a subject which has been almost criminally neglected. The eyes of adults must suffer to some extent from the effect of this strong, flick ering light, but the injury to the young, developing eyes of a child may be almost incalculable. Where shows are not continually patronized the effect of the light doubtless would be slight. As yet the institution of the photoplay house is young, and we should lose no time in studying and correcting its harmful features before they work any great injury. There is the feature of young children being kept up late attending the performances. The physically injurious consequences of this cannot be doubted, but it is to be hoped that enlightenment in the family will eventually lead to the abolition of this feature. As to the operation of motion picture theatres on Sunday I am decidedly opposed to this. If these places are permitted to open on Sunday why should not theatres be given the same privilege? Sunday is a day of rest as well as a day of divine service, but for people to go into the motion picture house, where the air is frequently stuffy, when they could spend their time in the parks, means that they have a disregard of their health. Many people with but one day out of each week for recreation, who formerly went to the parks and filled their lungs with good, healthy air, now spend their Sundays cooped up in these cheap theatres, subjecting their bodies to severe tests when they might be giving them much needed recreation. On the grounds of conserving physical needs, alone, motion picture houses should not be permitted to operate on Sundays. As to the methods which should be employed in correcting the abuses that have grown out of these institutions I am in favor of anything but cumber some machinery. In faet, the simplest methods, in my opinion, will accomplish the surest and most direet results. The police should have the censorship of the films. I cannot see that a board of censorship could accomplish anything that the police may not. The latter regulate the productions at the theatres and, so far as I know, the public has no ground for complaint concerning them. If they can control larger theatres they should be able to hold the motion picture houses in check also. Without having given the subject much thought I should say that the chief of police could install a system whereby the police officers would report several times during the week as to the character of films being displayed in the various houses throughout the city. Whenever report should be made of a questionable film an investigation could be made immediately and a decision reached as to whether the film should be barred. I have the greatest confidence in the ability of Major Sylvester and the Police Department to properly handle the situation. If the method should prove practicable for censoring films the problem of reducing the over-appetite of the public for motion pictures may be handled with even less difficulty. It could be done by simply allowing a limited number of motion picture houses to be established within a given area. Just as more saloons within a given number of blocks will result in more liquor being consumed, so more amusement houses will cause more people to spend money for unhealthful recreation. Limit the number of motion picture houses and the demand of the public for this cheap class of entertainment will gradually adjust itself upon a normal basis. School authorities should give the problems connected with the motion picture house thorough attention, for while they safeguard the health of the children during school hours, this effect may be stultified through their failure to keep them from unlimited attendance at the amusement places where their health and morals may be seriously injured. In fact, the whole question is one which should be carefully considered by the public, and, with the enlightenment which will result from this, supplemented by practical police supervision, we may expect the motion picture houses, operating upon safe and sane methods to become an amusement not injurious to the public. VITAGRAPH NOTES. Christmasis coming and it is well to know what you are going to give your people at that season. You want to give them something that has the Christmas flavor of peace and good will toward men. Your good will is worth something; give your patrons what they want, something real good. The Vitagraph, as usual, has anticipated your wants, and will release "Jean and the Waif" on Dec. 24. We can never forget the children at the yuletide, and the little waif is brought home to us and we take it to our hearts and home. Jean is there and there never was a dog like Jean. She's a beauty and we are always glad to see her. She is always so well behaved and does the right thing in the right place. Here's a Christmas picture that is out of the beaten path and eminently a "Life Portrayal" in every sense of the word. A true and typical picture of a policeman's life. "Clancy," he's only a cop, but he's got a heart as big as his body and the courage that makes men, the right kind of men, with the generous nature of the race from which he sprung. A love story, a Christmas tree, and the little child, so essential to the Christmas spirit, are all there. The scenes are laid in and among the shadows of a great city and give an idea of what Christmas and every other day mean to the men who defend our lives and property. "Clancy" will start on his rounds on Friday, Dec. 23. "In Neighboring Kingdoms." — A very picturesque, quaint film of ancient lore. A fairy tale introducing a pair of live geese that play a very important part in the story. Kate Greenaway's features lend a novel tinge to the costumes and characters. "Old Mother Goose" must have had a hand in this Vitagraph Christmas release just to please the children and fascinate the grownups. We all love to visit Fairyland and spend a good half hour outside this workaday old world. We can do so during the Christmas week. "In Neighboring Kingdoms" comes to us on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Between this and then don't forget "Playing at Divorce," "The International Motor Boat Races," "A Dixie Mother," and "The Light in the Window." Miss Florence E. Turner, "The Vitagraph Girl," has returned from Maine in the flush of health and greatly benefited by her two months' vacation. New photographs of the Vitagraph players have been taken; the thirty-eight members of the stock company have had special sittings for these pictures. They are of large cabinet size, of high finish and quality, suitable for lobby or wall display. These will be furnished to exhibitors at a nominal price and will be ready for sale by Dec. 1. On Saturday night, Nov. 19, a "Viitagraph Night" was given at Portland, Me., by Miss Turner, the "Vitagraph Girl," with Jean, the "Vitagraph Dog," as an extra feature.